Brian T

Grander, showier, but superficial, soulless and hollowed out. That's 75% of mainland Chinese cinema in a nutshell.

Your post reminds me of a similarly stacked triumvirate of recent vintage: the outstanding Japanese murder mystery SUSPECT X (2008) – based on the bestselling third Detective Galileo novel by Keigo Higashino and a continuation of a popular TV program adapted from other books in the series – was remade in South Korea as the equally compelling PERFECT NUMBER (2012) with its own unique cultural attributes (despite dropping a central character from the novel), and then localized again for Mainland China as the box-office hit THE DEVOTION OF SUSPECT X (2017). As with ENDGAME, it's the least of the three but, perhaps because the clever source material is not Mainland Chinese, DEVOTION is actually a notch above the many toothless, police-and-authority-worshipping crime mystery thrillers made in the country.

In fact, the rights to Higashino's novel were scooped up by Chinese producers as part of a massive wave (at the time) of similar acquisitions of Japanese novel and manga rights, no doubt in part because Mainland producers knew there wasn't anything close to the same quality being published in their country (thanks to the "benevolent" CCP stifling any similar kind of industry on its home soil for decades, and possibly because they understood there were only so many ways you could retell the pooped-out MONKEY KING saga and/or revise history to justify contemporary authoritarianism with endless historical/war epics.

Worth seeing all three for the same reasons as the three films in L. Everett Scott's post, but in this case the Chinese film, rather surprisingly, doesn't feel superficial and hollowed-out, even if it still pales in comparison to its predecessors.

L Everett Scott

^ I've only been able to track down the Chinese film (on TubiTV Canada) so it looks like I'll be starting off with the Mainland product once again. If the pattern holds, it'll mean I'll have better Japanese and Korean films to look forward to.

WTK

Fantasia International Film Festival (Montréal, Québec) https://fantasiafestival.com/en/news...on-second-wave

SHIN ULTRAMAN REIMAGINES AN ESSENTIAL ICON OF JAPANESE POP SCI-FI

Following its enormously successful release in Japan, Fantasia unleashes the highly anticipated SHIN ULTRAMAN. Directed by Shinji Higuchi, famed for the special-effects work on 1990s GAMERA revival and for directing the live-action ATTACK ON TITAN films; and scripted by Hideaki Anno, the genius behind the hit anime NEON GENESIS EVANGELION. SHIN ULTRAMAN reunites the pair, who co-directed 2016’s astounding SHIN GODZILLA, to reimagine another essential icon of tokusatsu, Japan’s science-fiction TV and cinema. Debuted in 1966, Tsuburaya Productions’ giant, shiny superhero from space—and the wild array of alien monsters he confronts—have embedded themselves in the nation’s popular culture for generations. With auteur flair, unprecedented visual impact, and genuine affection for the Ultraman franchise, Anno and Higuchi now renew, as only they could, the action-packed cosmic saga of Ultraman, his alter ego Shinji Kaminaga, and his colleagues in the science police force battling endless extraterrestrial threats. North American Premiere

WTK

New York Asian Film Festival

Shin Ultraman | dir. Shinji Higuchi, Japan, 2022 | US Premiere

https://www.nyaff.org/press-release/2022-1

Ash Ketchum

I'd love to attend, but it doesn't say when it's showing. Tickets go on sale July 1st, so hopefully they'll let us know then. I just like making plans as soon as possible.

DJariya

Well Go USA acquired some more films from South Korea.

dex14

7/23, 1pm - https://www.filmlinc.org/films/shin-ultraman/

Ash Ketchum

Good news. I prefer early screenings. Thanks. Now I have to make sure I remember to order it first thing on July 1st when tickets go on sale. It'll be my first trip to the movies this year.

Ash Ketchum

For some reason, it didn't occur to me when I typed the above yesterday that TODAY would be July 1st already.
So I checked my email just now and saw the notice from NYAFF that tickets were now on sale, so I immediately clicked on the link and found SHIN ULTRAMAN and clicked on the Buy Tickets link and--guess what?!--it's sold out already!
(And, no, I'm not gonna show up early and wait on a standby line.)

Orbi-Wan Techno

I’ve run up on this fun Korean sports film a few times on the free streaming channels I get through my Samsung SmartTV. It’s called “Mr. Go”, about a gorilla who becomes a baseball star. Seriously, if you have a chance, check it out. I think it might be on Amazon Prime.

E Unit

^^^ I need to check this one out, thanks!

Brian T

Mr. Go is was Korea-China co-production (thus the presence of that girl from CJ-7 in a lead role) back when such things were fashionable. Not so much these days, obviously and thankfully. Fun movie with decent CG effects, though, and worth seeing in 3D for those so equipped, although I'm sure the disc must be pretty rare now. I did find elements of it fairly repetitive at the time, not least of all the firing up of Dire Straits' 'Walk Of Life' to telegraph multiple 'upbeat' sequences. They must've wanted to squeeze every penny out of their licensing fee. Mind you, from Korean and Chinese perspectives circa 2013, the worn-out clichés of American "underdog" sports movies would probably have seemed fairly fresh to local audiences.

dex14

Ash Ketchum A second screening was added for the 25th at 3:30. https://www.filmlinc.org/films/shin-ultraman/?

Ash Ketchum

Thanks. I just ordered a ticket.

L Everett Scott

So this was a blind buy for me. I picked up the Raven Banner Blu-Ray because 1) it was being sold by a Canadian retailer and I try to support local businesses when I can, 2) Raven Banner is a Canadian label, and 3) it was directed by a ex-pat Canadian who grew up not too far from where I did. Hey, we just had Canada Day, so I was feeling kind of patriotic.

I'm kind of surprised that The Sadness hasn't gotten its own thread despite being a foreign language(*) film, but I guess it's a bit of a tough sell. From the interviews that writer/director Rob Jabbaz has given, it sounds like it did practically no business at the Taiwanese box office despite being set in Taipei and having a Taiwanese cast. Just speculation on my part, but I think that a pandemic-inspired movie with extreme violence wasn't what people were in the mood for in 2021.

In terms of the characters, I thought Jim and Kat (with names like that, you know that there was definitely Western influence behind the writing) were likable enough leads. The intro where they start off lovey-dovey but then have a (relatively calm) fight about a planned getaway that he can't make time for is fairly pedestrian stuff but gets across that they're a regular couple.

Another thing that I thought Jabbaz did right (surprised to hear this was his first live-action feature) was stick with the Chekhov's gun principle. Jim exchanges pleasantries with the man next door who has a green thumb; the fact that the man is using garden shears is completely relevant. When Jim goes to a noodle shop later, we get a close-up of the deep fryer...I wonder what's going to happen there? When a businessman tries to make small talk with Kat on the subway and doesn't take a hint that she wants to be left alone, we know that character is going to have a pretty big part.

What Jabbaz does is pretty basic in terms of introducing characters and setting up scenarios, but I still appreciate that he takes the time to do it because not every film bothers with these kinds of fundamentals (looking at you, Friday the 13th Part V...and a lot of the other parts in the series). If a character is introduced as a normal person and then only a while later becomes a murderous nutjob, that has considerably more impact than someone we've never seen before walking on screen for a few seconds and suddenly freaking out with a chainsaw or taking a machete to the face. Having setups and payoffs should be Storytelling 101, but I've sat through so many movies that don't stick with that basic principle that I've come to really appreciate it when I see it.

I think something that may have turned off local audiences is that Jabbaz isn't afraid to venture into sexual violence. He doesn't go full frontal with any of it, but he suggests enough that you know what's going on. I don't know for a fact that Taiwanese audiences were turned off by that sort of thing, but if they're anything like North American viewers then the majority of them probably don't have sexual violence as a regular part of their of TV or movie content. Even though Jabbaz (thankfully) shows considerable restraint in depicting these types of acts, I suspect what he does show or suggest is enough to warrant an NC-17 rating from the MPA.

In this regard, The Sadness actually resembles Cronenberg's Rabid. (Jabbaz has mentioned that he is a Cronenberg fan and may have said Rabid is an influence...I can't remember exactly.) I think it's because that's an older film that didn't garner the recognition that Videodrome, Dead Ringers, or other Cronenberg titles that it doesn't come up often in comparisons with The Sadness. I think it would be entirely fair to call Jabbaz's film the extreme cinema version of Rabid, although I get why people think of 28 Days Later first when talking about The Sadness.

I liked this movie for the most part but don't think Jabbaz stuck the landing. He was obviously going for a less conventional ending and wanted to loop back to the relationship between Jim and Kat, but that didn't work for me. Despite it fizzing out in the final act, I would still recommend The Sadness for anyone who's into movies that push boundaries.

(*) I've seen enough Shaw Brothers movies and Mainland Chinese films to know what Mandarin sounds like. That's why I was surprised when characters started speaking and they didn't sound shrill. I had to look up what dialect it was and found it's Hokkien, which many Taiwanese people speak. I really like that Jabbaz went with a local dialect rather than go with the more common Mandarin to make the film accessible to audiences outside of Taiwan. It adds to the sense of place and gives the movie a more realistic feel (as much as a movie about a virus that turns people into sadistic killers can feel real, at least).

DJariya

New South Korean amnesia spy action thriller called "Carter" coming to Netflix. Looks pretty good.

dex14

^^ From the director of The Villainess. It is supposed to play out as a one-take. I will definitely check it out.

Brian T

That mention of VILLAINESS reminded me that WITCH 2: THE OTHER ONE – the sequel to a likewise kick-ass-girl Korean movie – is actually playing in theatres here. Tempted to see it but I'm sure Wellgo's already got the home video rights, so tough call . . .

LorenzoL

I finally watched Naked Killer and it was worth the hype. A Cat III film that is not overly explicit in terms of nudity, violence or sex but it’s so much fun. Chingmy Yau is wonderful as Kitty while Simon Yam gets to have some fun in his role. Carrie Ng almost stole the movie though…

Brian T

I can't imagine that isn't already secretly scheduled for a deluxe Blu-ray edition from one of the UK/US labels.

Now you can move on (or down, I suppose) to the RAPED BY AN ANGEL series. Despite the first one playing like NAKED KILLER with its id unleashed, the whole series has its moments, despite typically diminishing returns. It's all more of Wong Jing simply supplying the demands of the "cheap thrills" market. I also thought NAKED WEAPON (2002; also produced by Wong) was a pretty fun show, although the response to that one has always been pretty polarized (then again, what isn't nowadays? ).

LorenzoL

I have been a bit weary about that series but it’s something that I will watch as I’m becoming a fan of Wong Jing. It’s just that he has so many films lol!

I just finished watching all three Hex films as I’m a big fan of Kuei Chih-hung. I’m now going to be watching Bewitched.

DJariya

Carter full trailer

kahuna

Seoul Vibe (2022) - South Korea - Netflix (Release Date: Aug 26, 2022)

In the days leading up to the 1988 Seoul Olympics, a ragtag team of drivers and mechanics go undercover to dismantle a massive money-laundering ring.
https://www.netflix.com/title/81437344

Seoul Vibe | Official Teaser | Netflix [ENG SUB]

kahuna

Carter (2022) - South Korea - Netflix - Release Date: Aug 5, 2022

A man wakes up missing his memories. Directed by a mysterious voice from a device in his ear, he sets off on a hostage rescue mission rife with danger.
https://www.netflix.com/title/81399639

Carter | Official Trailer | Netflix [ENG SUB]

DJariya

The Carter trailer is just 2 posts above what you posted.