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1. Musa The Warrior: The Korean Brave Heart High budget realistic blood and guts and cinematography that rival anything made in the States.
2. Battle Royale: 9th grade class in Japan forced to kill each other till there is only one left. Great premise I don't think the US can handle that kinda fun.
3. Ong Bak the Thai Warrior: WOW!!! The next Bruce Lee is here and his name is Tony Jaaa.. no Strings no CGI just pure action....you have to see it for yourselves kids..
4. Kung Fu Hustle: If you liked Shaolin Soccer than this is it. Funny and great Cinematography. This guy should direct the Dragon Ball Live Action film.
Is this based off of the manga of the same name? Can you tell me more if that's the case?
It is, yeah. I haven't read the manga, so I can't tell you how close it is to the original material. AFAIK, the other 2 vengeance flicks (Sympathy for Mr Vengeance and Lady Vengeance) have no connection to the Oldboy manga or movie beyond the theme of revenge.
I don't want to tell you too much, I felt the story really benefited from me not having any previous knowledge before seeing it - but here's an IMDB link (containing some spoilers):
[URL]http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364569/[/URL]
Symathy for Mr. Vengeange was a very difficult and mentally gruelling movie in a good way. Not very bloody but everybody dies in the end, this seems to be common in alot of Korean dramas.
Lady Vengeance was much better and more hopeful. You don't feel so wasted after watching it.
On the more adventurous style that fits well with D&D I would say Storm Riders, which is similar to Avatar in the character's powers, except live action.
Also Emperor of the Sea is excellent. It has a bit of Korean soap drama in it, because that is what is popular, but it is D&D in almost every sense of the word, from gladitorial combat to merchant dealings to pirates and slaves challenging kings, and it's all loosely based on korean history circa 1000 A.D.
BOb
Old Boy had me in a stonetight grip. I hear the other 2 parts of the Vengeance trilogy are good as well, but they don't look to be in the same league as Old Boy.
Holy friggin Cow! I just saw this this week. I can't even believe how messed up this amazing movie is. Netflix it, but be ready for some screwed up people...jeez! Great and sick and you can't stop watching until the last scene.
1. Musa The Warrior: The Korean Brave Heart High budget realistic blood and guts and cinematography that rival anything made in the States.
2. Battle Royale: 9th grade class in Japan forced to kill each other till there is only one left. Great premise I don't think the US can handle that kinda fun.
3. Ong Bak the Thai Warrior: WOW!!! The next Bruce Lee is here and his name is Tony Jaaa.. no Strings no CGI just pure action....you have to see it for yourselves kids..
4. Kung Fu Hustle: If you liked Shaolin Soccer than this is it. Funny and great Cinematography. This guy should direct the Dragon Ball Live Action film.
As a 23 year veteran of martial arts and a current denizen of China, I've gotta agree with you. Although I found the acting and story in Ong Bak a little tiresome. It only deserves to be on your list because of the fighting.
Instead, I throw in a low budget horror movie that was so chilling it is being remade (was remade?) for American audiences. It is called "the Eye". A girl who grows up blind is giving sight again by a cornea transplant, only the corneas came from a girls who saw ghosts.... It's like the sixth sense of Hong Kong, it's just low budget and the plot isnt as tight.
It made me very nervous because the imagery is more disturbing than 6th Sense. Okay, I cried like a schoolgirl.
I saw a bit of "Kung fu Bullfighter" last week; Sonny Chiba ripped a bull's horn plumm off.
I saw a movie where he did that but I thought was playing Mas Oyama.
Did not like the Japanese version of The Ring. Rather than exposit logically it relied on everyone being psychic and just knowing the answers, an artistic cop-out that caused a slew of like films. Jun-oh, (or however you spell it) was a disaster and I wanted my money back.
Audition was brilliant. For a year afterwards I would taunt anyone who saw it by saying, "Dee dee dee dee dee."
The Eye was good, I think there was a sequel that was alright.
I loved that scene in Old Boy where the guy goes down that corridor punching the dudes and all their sticks and bats break against his fists. One of my favourite fight scenes ever.
I have to agree Twilight Samurai was cool, and Kung Fu Hustle. That guy in Ong Bak made me want to start training Muay Thai again.
I like the Azumi movies, good fantasy Ninja action.
Did you guys know that Stephen Chow from Kung Fu Hustle is 40 and has no martial arts training? According to an interview I read with him he went to acting school and majored in slapstick. I have to say I am in awe of his physical prowess, and his ability to do fake martial arts.
Anything with Yeun Biao.Yuen Biao used to be totally awesome... is he still making films? And what ever happened to Sammo Hung?
Sammo Hung is now a director and producer I think. I remember my dad telling me he saw Sammo in some short-lived American cop show where he played his patented "Detective Fatty" character.