Love Battlefield: Ai zuozhan (Hongkong Romance Thriller)
Love Battlefield” is one of those movies, along with Johnnie To’s crime thrillers, that you wish Hong Kong would do more of instead of indulging in 500 moronic slapstick comedies a year starring the same stable of pop “stars”. A blending of genres, “Battlefield” stars Eason Chan (”Heat Team”) as Yui, an ER nurse who finds life and love hard going after a bad breakup with live-in girlfriend Ching (Niki Chow). It’s bad enough that Yui’s love life is falling apart, but he soon stumbles into the nest of vicious drug smugglers from the Mainland who has come to Hong Kong to complete a transaction or die trying.
Abducted and kept alive only to treat a wounded member of the gang, Yui finds his life hanging on a dangerous precipice. Yui doesn’t have any reasons to question his captors’ threats, since he’s already seen them gun down a half dozen cops in cold blood, not to mention the occasional civilian who, like Yui, unluckily stumbles into their desperate world. Soon Yui has other problems besides staying alive — namely keeping Ching as far away as possible, lest she become involved.
Directed by Soi Cheang (”New Blood”), “Love Battlefield” has a number of interesting twists and turns to keep the audience riveted until the closing credits. Cheang even spins a few “now you see it, now you don’t” moments, where scenes we thought we saw are later repeated, only this time with additional dialogue and precious seconds added back in to explain why things happened the way they did. Except for a few contrived plot points, “Love Battlefield” works well enough as an action film to recommend to enthusiasts of the genre. It’s by no means action-packed, but things do get fabulously bloody by the end.
Eason Chan performs admirable as the captive, a man who realizes that his captors have no qualms about putting a bullet in his head should his usefulness expire. Niki Chow (”Horror Hotline”) is also good as the girlfriend, whose re-discovered love for Yui drives her to do things she never thought she could. Zhiwen Wang is Wah, the head of the Mainland smugglers. At once cool, efficient, and completely capable of just about anything necessary to get the job done, he makes for a sublime and mean villain. Not mean in the sense that he’s cruel, but in the sense that he’ll murder you without a thought if it becomes necessary.
Not that the film does everything well. Of note are two instances where “Love Battlefield” tests the audience’s patience and stresses credulity to the point of bust. At one point, Yui has the perfect chance to escape, but instead wastes the precious minutes he’s been allotted to stand on a freeway filled with people and gawk at the smugglers as they try to retrieve the dead body of a comrade. Later, a cop friend of Yui and Ching suspects that Yui may be involved with the smugglers. Apparently being a cop means ignoring everything your best friends are saying and immediately jumping to the worst conclusion possible about another good friend. With friends like this idiot, who needs enemies?
Unwilling to be completely black and white, “Love Battlefield” makes an attempt to — if not completely then partially — sympathize with our band of murderous criminals. Alas, it’s a little hard to feel sorry for a bunch of psychopaths, even if one of them happens to have dragged his pregnant wife (who seems to be equally sociopathic) along with him. I suppose the fact that Wah and company just slaughtered their way through half of Hong Kong is supposed to be tempered by the presence of a pregnant wife. Boo hoo hoo. Excuse me if I don’t fall all over myself to empathize. Good people get a job at McDonalds if they have to in order to care for their family; this guy tries to sell drugs and when that fails, butchers civilians to make a buck.
Nevertheless, as one of the few films from Hong Kong that doesn’t star the Twins or some other throwaway teen singer, “Love Battlefield” deserves credit for being pretty good. Although the script by Szeto Kam Yuen and Jack Ng isn’t quite as efficient or sleek as your average Johnnie To thriller, it’s good enough. And while Soi Cheang is no slouch behind the camera, one does wish he wouldn’t be so obvious with some of the film’s more dramatic moments. Every now and then the soundtrack becomes obnoxious, and you can’t help but think that the emotional impact of some scenes would have been so much more powerful without the obvious musical accompaniment.
Although it flounders every now and then, and there are some suspect moments that makes you wonder if the filmmakers didn’t paint themselves into a corner, “Love Battlefield” is good, and unique, enough to be worth consideration. Eason Chan delivers a knockout performance, and the film is entertaining from beginning to end. Sometimes nihilistic and most certainly pessimistic, “Love Battlefield” nevertheless manages to say a thing or two about knowing what you have before some gang from Mainland China wanders into your life and threatens to take it all away. Don’t you just hate it when that happens?
casts:
Eason Chan …. Yui
Niki Chow …. Ching
Zhiwen Wang …. Wah
Director: Soi Cheang
Genre: Action / Romance
Also Known As:
Love Battlefield (Hong Kong: English title) (International: English title)
Oi zok zin (Hong Kong: Cantonese title)
Runtime: 96 min
Country: Hong Kong / China
Language: Cantonese / Mandarin
Subtitles: English
Imdb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0431892/
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Jenny, Juno (Korean Movie)
Jenny, Juno
Cover
Information
| The controversial can of worms “Jenny, Juno” has finally popped its lid: the second film by director Kim Ho-joon of the famed “My Little Bride,” “Jenny, Juno” was revealed for the first time at a press screening on February 1.The movie, which depicts a 15-year-old middle school student’s pregnancy and delivery, initially received a rating of “18 years or over” by the Korean Media Rating Board, but the rating was lowered to “15 years or over” after an appeal for reconsideration, triggering a fierce debate on the ethics and freedom of movie-making. Over 970,000 people have already visited the film’s official website ( http://www.jj2005.com ) as of February 10, which opened to viewers less than a month ago on January 17. The website bulletin board is teeming with postings that support or denounce the film’s controversial subject matter.To begin with the conclusion, “Jenny, Juno” belies the uproar surrounding it by being calm to the point of blandness. Confronting the risky issues of teenage pregnancy and childbirth in as “pretty” (a word used by the production company) a manner as possible, the movie does not contain a single scene that implies sexual intercourse between the two titular characters, let alone an actual depiction of it. Instead, it shows the two (fully-clothed) adolescents staring blankly up at the ceiling.
Such cautiousness is certainly not because the film aims at “communicating to teenagers the dangers of pregnancy,” as the production company argues. Rather, it’s because the filmmakers judged that “Jenny, Juno,” targeted explicitly at middle and high school students, could achieve its desired effect without relying on provocative scenes. What the movie taps into is the fantasy of parenthood harbored by teenagers. “Jenny, Juno” rigorously aligns itself with the emotions and eyelevel of middle and high school students, telling the story as they would dream it. Juno happily applies himself to part-time work, saying he’s saving money for the baby’s milk. Jenny indulges in “prenatal care,” putting the telephone receiver to her stomach as Juno sings a lullaby on the other end. When Jenny and Juno boldly face off with their flabbergasted parents, stating, “If you’re going to do as you like, then we’re going to do as we like, too; we’re not going to give up studying or having this baby,” the film abruptly superimposes the image of “Romeo and Juliet.” And by establishing that Jenny is a class representative who ranks fifth in her year and Juno is a successful “gamer,” it implies that teenage pregnancy is not an issue restricted to “delinquent” youths. Jenny and Juno enjoy cutesy dates while “The Tadpole Song” plays in the background, and carry out “pretty” labor, like two kids playing “house.” The production company dubs this a “moving project to protect babies.” But who’s going to take the responsibility of protecting the clueless Jenny and Juno? Quoted from: hxxp://www.hanbooks.com/jejur.html |
Technical yada
Encoded using HandBrake (OSX). I’ve used the H264 codec, with a target size of 700mb. English subtitles are hard-coded in the video. Ripped straight from a region 3 DVD.
Super-technical yada
Language: Korean
Subtitles: Yes, english (hardcoded)
Size: 629mb
Format MP4, H264 codec
Quality: Superb, Straight-from-DVD quality
Audio: 44Khz 256kb/sec AAC Audio
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As requested by eyprril, here’s Jenny, Juno! I didn’t watch it myself just yet, so please drop me a message to tell me how it is! I’ve got a bunchi more korean movies, mostly Romantic ones but also a few action/horror. Drop me a line if you’re searching for something, I might just have what you’re looking for!
And guys ‘n gals…
Remember, if you like it? Buy it! Support the creators! We need more great movies!
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The Fox Family: Gumiho gajok (Korean Comedy Movie)
The nine-tailed fox is a mythical shape-shifting creature which can become a human being in its 1000th year if it eats the liver of a human being. A family of such foxes open up a circus and transform themselves in the hope of capturing human beings. One day, there occurs a strange case of torso murder which becomes the biggest issue of their day, and the fox family is caught up in the middle of it. Will the family be able to make their thousand-year dream come true?
If you like the 1979 American cult film “Rocky Horror Picture Show,’’ you would love its Korean version. The film aims to present unique tastes combining different genres including musical, horror and cult.
Directed by Lee Hyung-gon, the movie takes the motif from the ghastly Korean tale of “kumiho,” a fox with nine tails that desperately yearns to become human but can only do so by gobbling up the livers of 100 unfortunate souls.
But different from the scary original, the film revolves around a wacky kumiho family, who struggle to become a human while they run a circus with their tricks and magical powers.
Cast: Joo Hyeon, Park Joon Gyoo, Park Si Yeon, Ha Jeong Woo, Koo Joo Yeon
Release Date : 2006
Director: Lee Hyeong Gon
Writer: Jeon Hyeon Jin, Park Eun Ha
Country: South Korea
Language: Korean
Subtitles: English
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0891496/
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My Wife Is A Gangster 1 & 2 (Korean Comedy Movie)
My Wife Is A Gangster 1 & 2 English Hard-Subbed
My Wife Is A Gangster
How much do you really know about your spouse? That’s the provocative question explored to much comic effect in My Wife Is A Gangster, the box office smash of 2001! Shin Eun Kyung (from Wedding Campaign and Diary Of June) stars as Cha Eun Jin, an orphan who’s worked her way up the criminal ladder to become the leader of her own gang. Nicknamed “Mantis,” she utilizes a nasty pair of scissors whenever she feels like doling out a little punishment on her enemies. Her criminal life gets turned upside down, however, when she’s forced to honor her sister’s dying wish - to get married and start a family! With no experience in these matters, she rounds up her lieutenants (Shim Won Chul and An Jae Mo) to find her a suitable mate. Out of this frantic search comes Soo Il (Park Sang Myun, from She’s On Duty and Hi, Dharma), a well-mannered, somewhat naive civil servant - in other words, the perfect groom.
Although the wedding itself wasn’t exactly a walk in the park, Soo Il is in store for even more surprises once the “honeymoon” begins! His eagerness for romance quickly diminishes as his new bride snubs his overtures for sex, offends his colleagues, and overall makes his life a living hell! As the unhappy couple starts to come apart at the seams, a rival gang catches wind of Eun Jin’s current marital situation, a discovery that results in the death of one of her men and - after a brutal gangfight - her own hospitalization! But what happens when Soo Il learns of his wife’s true profession? Will he turn tail and run? Or will he find the courage to avenge his wife? Full of madcap situations and sharply choreographed wire-fu, My Wife Is A Gangster is one action comedy sure to entertain!
Country : South Korea
Year : 2001
Director : Jo Jin-Gyu
Starring: Shin Eun-Gyeong, Park Sang-Myeon, Ahn Jae-Mo
Runtime : 110 Minutes
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0296696/
My Wife is a Gangster 2 - The Legend Returns
Director Jeong Heung Soon takes up the directorial reins for My Wife Is A Gangster 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the 2001 box office hit! During a bloody rooftop gang brawl, crime boss Cha Eun Jin (Shin Eun Kyung reprising her role from the original) gets knocked for a loop and ends up losing her memory in the process. Eventually, she stumbles into a job as a delivery person for a Chinese restaurant owned by Yoon Jae Choi (Park Joon Gyu). Several months later, Eun Jin has successfully adapted to her new life at the Chinese restaurant and forged new friendships, completely oblivious to her prior history. Although Eun Jin initially annoys Jae Choi’s troubled teenage daughter and starts getting harassed by an obnoxious neighbor, she also goes on to become the object of much attention, particularly from the men in the community.
Even so, the women have nothing but respect for Eun Jin whose martial arts skills and tough-as-nails persona prove helpful when taking down overgrown bullies, whether they be bank robbers, local gang members, or even sexist pigs! But once Eun Jin’s old gang finally puts two and two together and seeks her out, it’s a forgone conclusion that Eun Jin will recover her memory, retake her leadership position, and defend her community - but will she succeed? Ultimately, My Wife Is A Gangster 2 is the rare sequel that matches the fun of the original while adding a new dimension all its own. And be sure not to miss the Zhang Ziyi cameo!
Artist Name(s) : Ziyi Zhang | Shin Eun Kyung
Country: South Korea
Language: Korean
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364447/
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Wendy Wu Homecoming Warrior (Disney TV Movie)
Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior tells the story of a popular Chinese-American teenager who gets the startling news that she is the reincarnation of a powerful female warrior and the only person who can prevent an ancient evil spirit from destroying the world.
But Wendy’s already locked in a battle - for Homecoming Queen with her high school archrival.
According to the Disney Channel, Brenda Song and Shin Koyamada worked with veteran stunt coordinator and visual effects unit director Koichi Sakamoto who choreographed the movie using what he calls a “modern traditional” style of kung fu based on five different animals: snake, dragon, tiger, crane and leopard. “It’s a very traditional style that was popular in 1970s kung fu movies,” he says. “It made me happy to do it, because I was a big fan of this style and it’s the first time I got to show those moves in a film.”
As the movie unfolds, Wendy Wu’s life is turned upside down by a visit from a young Chinese monk named Shen who claims she is the reincarnation of a powerful female warrior and the only person who can prevent an ancient evil spirit, Yan-Lo, from destroying the world. But Wendy is too busy campaigning for Homecoming Queen to be bothered with rescuing civilization. And faced with the choice between fighting evil and going shopping, Wendy is off to the mall in a heartbeat with her best friends Tory and Lisa. So Shen enlists the help of Wendy’s grandmother to convince her to embrace her ancient birthright and embark on the martial arts training that she must have in order to defeat the evil spirit. Once Wendy accepts her warrior destiny, she learns the true value of her heritage.
The movie puts forth strong themes about the importance of heritage, finding one’s true self, and the value of physical fitness (through Wendy’s example and discipline).
Starring: Brenda Song (The Suite Life of Zack and Cody), Shin Koyamada (The Last Samurai), Tsai Chin (Memoirs of a Geisha), Justin Chon, Michael David Cheng, Susan Chuang, Sally Martin and Anna Hutchinson
Director: John Laing
Producers: Ralph Farquhar and Janine Dickens
Runtime: USA:91 min
Country: USA
Language: English / Mandarin / Cantonese
Genre: Action / Adventure (more)
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0790781/
Release Info: FS DVDRIP XVID
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Fatal Contact: Hak kuen (Chinese Action Movie)
A young man learns the fighting techniques of Sanda from a coach. The two become best friends as the young man prepares to enter an underground tournament, competing against some of the top fighters of the world.
Also Known As:
Fatal Contact (International: English title)
Underground Fist (Hong Kong: English title) (literal title)
Country: Hong Kong
Language: Cantonese
Subtitles: English
Genre: Action
IMDB rating: 7.5/10 (13 votes)
Directed by: Dennis Law
Starring: Ronald Cheng, Siu-Fai Cheung, Theresa Fu, Miki Yeung, Jacky Wu
DVD release date: 7.12.2006
Release name: Fatal.Contact.2006.DVDRip.XviD-ESPiSE
Size: 1 CD, 700 MB, 49×1 5 MB
Runtime: 106 minutes
Quality: DVDRiP, XviD, 640×272 px, MP3 audio
Links: IMDB, Homepage, Trailer
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