lyle-5 Reviews

Dillinger (1973)

An exciting action movie

[10/10 · 29 August 1999]

This is one of the best action movies ever made. Warren Oates is perfect in the role of Dilinger and the film's rough, violent and fast-paced action sequences remind me of Walter Hill and Peckinpah. A very good entertainment.

Shiri (1999)

Phenomenal

[10/10 · 1 August 1999]

This film's reputation is phenomenal and there is no end to the superlatives being used to describe it. It is the most expensive film in the history of Korean cinema and it was directed by Kang Jegyu, currently the most important filmmaker in the country (he also made the popular Gingko Bed). Swiri is also the biggest ever success in Korea and has surpassed Titanic at the box-office. In Seoul alone, over 1 million people saw it in 23 days (it took Titanic 38 days to attain the same result). Above and beyond these historical exploits, Swiri is a spy film with emphasis on action and muscles (actors were required to undergo 6 weeks of intense physical training) made with a battalion of special effects and melodramatic romances. Its story is treated on the basis of the political unrest between North and South Korea (fighting since the war of 1950-53).

Rainy Dog (1997)

A slow but hauntingly beautiful hitman drama.

[10/10 · 1 August 1999]

With Rainy Dog, Director Takashi Miike has taken everyone by surprise, in Japan and elsewhere. After the hyperactive and insanely bloody Fudoh (1996), he has become one of the most respected directors of contemporary Japanese cinema. Rainy Dog is a dark thriller, a slow and oppressive film noir, constantly animated by a uniquely graceful poetry. Recently, Miike has shown the world just how much his films fit within the cinema of exile. Rainy Dog is certainly a part of this, because it was shot entirely in Taiwan (you'll recognize some familiar faces from Taiwanese cinema, especially actors from Hou Hsiao-hsien's films) and features only two Japanese actors. After Takeshi Kitano, "Yakuza Cinema" has found a new master. For Japan, it has found a new poet for its society. (J. F.)

On the Run (1988)

Very good!

[10/10 · 7 March 1999]

This is a crime drama in which he, as a police, is, "on the run" with a female killer (played by Wen-shi Sha). From every aspect of filmmaking, "On the Run" is one of the best HK crime drama ever made. In this movie, you don't see kung-fu, but solid action and the final fighting sequence is very realistic. Very moody and stylish, and IMHO, it's to some degree better than most of John Woo's works.

The Longest Nite (1998)

One word : GREAT!

[10/10 · 4 March 1999]

Pic probably tops all Hongkong films in presenting triad warfare intrigue, and the horror and intricacy of a well-oiled set-up. The scripter and director weave a clever interlocking plot complete with tense and heart-stopping atmospherics. Tony Leung's bad cop performance is a class on its own, particularly when he finds out that he's been set up and is now in an untenable situation. But pic's originality is in the end let down by the final shoot out in a dilapidated warehouse, which is both shop-worn and pretentious.

The Longest Nite (1998)

A director to watch out for.

[10/10 · 4 March 1999]

The psychological complex about "the end" is still in full force. But the script is more rational and integral than Intruder. The mysterious set-up is a spin-off from Lost Highway. Pic's strength is setting the action in Macao in turbulent times (thus setting it up as a metaphor of Hongkong), and giving full vent to Wai Ka-fai's pessimistic world view of inexorable doom. Yau Tat-chi shows impressive improvement with images: the confrontation in the cell, the chase at the pier and the duel in the hall of mirrors are all totally self-sufficient set pieces. A director to watch out for.

Another Meltdown (1998)

Solid tech credits save a naive story.

[9/10 · 4 March 1999]

The story of several special agents dispatched to Sarajevo for an offense that they did not commit, complete with their experiences in exile and the discrimination they suffer, complemented with bad guy Ken Tsang's impotence in a situation where "Chinese fight Chinese", and "embellished" with Chinese boat people sent to the open sea in an inhuman manner... in the end all these efforts have just one message to convey: survival in adverse situations depends on joining forces. The action set pieces are masculine and eye-catching, but the love scenes are corny. The film's creators can't tell a story straight. The saving grace are the solid tech credits.

Another Meltdown (1998)

A naive patriotic film, but a good one.

[9/10 · 4 March 1999]

No matter how the world changes, no matter where Hong Kong people flee, Hong Kong cinema will always have its kung-fu. Members of China's elite corp are dispatched for overseas duties for disciplinary action. But the post-Communist eastern European countries are in tatters and under military dictatorship. Then there are terrorists from Japan's cult religions. What is to be done? The answer lies in Zhao's kicks. Ching Siu-tung's martial arts direction makes a brilliant flying circus. Together with massive location shooting in Eastern Europe to broaden the film's horizon, they make the ridiculous story and inert plotline easier to stomach.

Beyond Hypothermia (1996)

Good!

[4 March 1999]

One can't be convinced that Wu Chien-lien, a woman with a body temperature of only 32 degrees Celsius, is actually a merciless assassin! How unfortunate that the filmmakers missed their chance of exploring the interesting implications of a person with a body temperature five degrees lower than everyone else and who only has a one-in-a-million chance of survival. Superficial as it is, the film is both alienating and romantic. Its most intriguing parts are the romance between Wu, the female assassin, and Lau, the noodle-seller, conducted in the tradition of a "midnight love affair with a beautiful ghost", and Wu's persistence in finding her roots.

The Ambulance (1990)

Don't trust the vote!

[10/10 · 1 March 1999]

Though Larry Cohen isn't a great director, this movie (which is his best film) is a surprisingly exciting thriller full-filled with humor and suspense. The acting is great and the plot is pretty good. One of the rare higher-quality action/thriller movies you can find on these days.