Robocop
The original Robocop, directed by Paul Verhoeven, was a finely crafted ultra-violent (for its day, it was made in 1987) action movie that had enough wit and energy to raise it above the average. So the first thing that needs to be said about the remake is that it is unnecessary. To add insult to injury, although the new film has pushed the violence up well beyond anything that would have been allowed on screen 20 years ago, it has also lost the Verhoeven touch, which included the aforementioned wit. The film is directed by Brazilian Jose Padilha, who had considerable commercial success with Elite Squad and Elite Squad: The Enemy Within, violent cop dramas set in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, and which were happy with the idea that the only way to fight violence is with even harsher measures. Robocop has all the appeal of a recruitment video for a fascist paramilitary group, and despite the presence of a few notable big names, never gets beyond being just a dumb excuse to keep the stunt teams and CGI guys busy.
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
A film based on a character created by Tom Clancy. It should be noted that it is not an adaptation of a Clancy novel, and more’s the pity, because input by the author of The Hunt for Red October and Patriot Games might have done much to beef up this rather sub-par thriller that chugs along well enough but never actually manages to be gripping. Directed by Kenneth Branagh in his first effort in the spy thriller genre, it has an impudence and swagger that is not unappealing, and the cast, led by Chris Pine as the title character, does a thoroughly decent job. Keira Knightley is wonderfully convincing as the love interest, and Branagh himself has a fine old time playing Viktor Cherevin, the villain of the piece. The story has repositioned the young Ryan in a post-9/11 world, effectively turning the chronology of the original espionage novels on its head, and creating Ryan as a spy for the new world of global financial and political posturing. There is much to be enjoyed, but this obvious attempt to reboot a faded cinematic property tarnishes a little of Branagh’s luster.
I, Frankenstein
Is it possible to create a cut-rate version of something like Wrath of the Titans. I, Frankenstein proves that it is. In this ridiculous movie, Frankenstein’s monster has evolved from tragic monster to flawed superhero who must help save the human race from becoming collateral damage in a centuries-old war between two clans of immortal being. There are plenty of firestorms and monsters and general CGI ballyhoo in this new release from the creators of the supernatural saga Underworld. It presents a mishmash of fantasy imagery that draws from a wide variety of sources but generally fails to make them all come together. Aaron Eckhart is a ripped muscleman with no imaginable connection to Mary Shelley’s creation, but he goes about his business of killing demons and saving his love interest with commendable commitment. One recalls how Michael Sheen was able to lighten the mood of Underworld with his impish charm, but alas, Eckhart might have a more sculpted body, but doesn’t quite have the acting chops to anchor this flick.
Kokowaah 2
Til Schweiger has created a series of German domestic dramas that have proved successful on the alternative scene here. Remember Schweiger two Rabbit Without Ears films. In similar fashion, Kokowaah 2 follows on a story established in the first installment. At the center of Kokowaah 2 is Henry, an author turned film producer, who is having issues with an erratic young actor. His wife Katharina (Jasmin Gerat) struggles with her role as a housewife and mother. Normal life becomes unhinged, Katharina checks out, friend Tristan moves in to help and we have a 3 Men and a Baby scenario. Solid acting, often amusing, and occasionally thought provoking, Kokowaah 2 is an inoffensive domestic/romantic drama with plenty of children’s roles, making it ideal for the whole family.
Golden ChickenS (金雞sss)
It has been 10 years since the last installment of Hong Kong’s tasteless Golden Chicken franchise hit the screen, but it is back for this Lunar New Year with more sordid tits and arse humor. It is all meant as light hearted entertainment, and the film sports some of Hong Kong’s top comedic talents, not least Sandrang Wu (吳君如), as well as A-list actors Tony Leung (梁家輝), Nick Cheung (張家輝) and Alex To (杜德偉). If the world of prostitution is your idea of a bundle of laughs, then there is plenty to enjoy as Wu, as mama-san, takes her bevy of “golden chickens” around the world to learn the tricks of the trade.
In late October of 1873 the government of Japan decided against sending a military expedition to Korea to force that nation to open trade relations. Across the government supporters of the expedition resigned immediately. The spectacle of revolt by disaffected samurai began to loom over Japanese politics. In January of 1874 disaffected samurai attacked a senior minister in Tokyo. A month later, a group of pro-Korea expedition and anti-foreign elements from Saga prefecture in Kyushu revolted, driven in part by high food prices stemming from poor harvests. Their leader, according to Edward Drea’s classic Japan’s Imperial Army, was a samurai
The following three paragraphs are just some of what the local Chinese-language press is reporting on breathlessly and following every twist and turn with the eagerness of a soap opera fan. For many English-language readers, it probably comes across as incomprehensibly opaque, so bear with me briefly dear reader: To the surprise of many, former pop singer and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ex-lawmaker Yu Tien (余天) of the Taiwan Normal Country Promotion Association (TNCPA) at the last minute dropped out of the running for committee chair of the DPP’s New Taipei City chapter, paving the way for DPP legislator Su
It’s hard to know where to begin with Mark Tovell’s Taiwan: Roads Above the Clouds. Having published a travelogue myself, as well as having contributed to several guidebooks, at first glance Tovell’s book appears to inhabit a middle ground — the kind of hard-to-sell nowheresville publishers detest. Leaf through the pages and you’ll find them suffuse with the purple prose best associated with travel literature: “When the sun is low on a warm, clear morning, and with the heat already rising, we stand at the riverside bike path leading south from Sanxia’s old cobble streets.” Hardly the stuff of your
April 22 to April 28 The true identity of the mastermind behind the Demon Gang (魔鬼黨) was undoubtedly on the minds of countless schoolchildren in late 1958. In the days leading up to the big reveal, more than 10,000 guesses were sent to Ta Hwa Publishing Co (大華文化社) for a chance to win prizes. The smash success of the comic series Great Battle Against the Demon Gang (大戰魔鬼黨) came as a surprise to author Yeh Hung-chia (葉宏甲), who had long given up on his dream after being jailed for 10 months in 1947 over political cartoons. Protagonist