Recent content by Vashdaman

Yeah, out of all Michael Mann's crime films that I've seen, I'd say Thief has by far the best writing and the most believable, nauced and intriguing protagonist. Frank does have the desire to stay out of prison, and certainly the professionalism that Robert De Niro's character in Heat has. But...

Peking Opera Blues 1986 This was utterly, utterly awesome. I LOVED it! Set in the chaos of early 20th century China, a revolutionary, a fellow revolutionary hiding her politics from her general father, a jobbing musician hoping to steal herself enough for a new life, the daughter of a theatre...

To Live and Die in LA Wowsers, I seem to have coincidentally seen some of best films of the 80s over the last couple weeks. To Live and Die in LA is definitely in that category for me without a doubt! An absolute blood pumping, thrill ride of an 80s neo Noir from William Friedkin. Insanely 80s...

Wow thanks, good shout @Just Passing Through I vaguely remember hearing of that show back in the day but had never seen it and had since completely forgotten about its existence. It sounds really interesting though! I'll definitely check it out! It's hard to go wrong with 00s Production I.G!

Ooh, thanks, Rui! Wow, according to wikipedia a "super liberal" anime interpretation based on the Hyakunin Isshu! That sounds awesome and definitely the sort of thing I think we need more in anime! I'd love more Heian set loosely historical stuff. The Heian court is such an alien world and...

Oof! Horses for courses and all that, but conversely I was actually impressed by just how much mojo Mann had already. I'd say it's easy amongst his very best. But also Caan absolutely makes the movie in my opinion, it's one of those performances where I genuinely couldn't imagine anyone playing...

How has there seemingly never been an anime made based on Sei Shonagon/the pillow book? She'd make an awesome protagonist. Sometimes you'd love her and relate, sometimes you'd admire her brilliance and poetry, other times you'd love what a bad b full of sass she is. I mean imagine something...

Thief (1981) Holy moly this was fantastic. Somehow despite a few Michael Mann films being amongst my all time favourites (Man Hunter, Heat, Collateral, Miami Vice 2006) I'd not seen Thief! What a movie it is. James Caan is a no nonsense master diamond thief, an outsider who lives life on purely...

Bullet in the Head (1990) Holy smokes, this was amazing. Completely and utterly insane movie. An absolute fever dream, or more like nightmare. This one was like ABT x Twin Peaks x Apocalypse Now x a Chuck Norris film. But really this is just Woo taking his hyper emotionally intense...

Not sure if this is directed at me or not, but if it was, then a) despite my flippant remark about not understanding how people read the film differently in the following line (and post) I acknowledged there is a variety of valid interpretations and b) describing it as my "own weird headcannon"...

Oh yeah for sure, I was a bit hyperbolic when I said I don't know how anyone could read the film differently. I think the films work on both a literal level and as a metaphor for romantic male on male longing. Considering the immense mainstream popularity of the film in 80s Asia I can imagine...

So I've been on a bit of a 80s 90s Hong Kong classic action movie kick recently, mainly John Woo. I've been wanting to watch them for ages as I'd only ever seen the first A Better Tomorrow but none of the other classics. And thanks to recently discovering Tubi I've been able to fill my boots...

Currently about half way through the excellent Tiger and Dragon. Tomoya Nagase is an unfunny Yakuza who becomes infatuated with Rakugo after witnessing its power to make people laugh. Hilarity ensues as he becomes an apprentice to an in debt Rakugo master and sets about learning the art from...

The Forest of Love This was only the second Sion Sono film I've seen, the first being of course Love Exposure but that was so long ago I really can't remember much about it apart from random fragments. But The Forest of Love certainly lives up to all the preconceived notions I probably had...

Yeah I can well imagine it's a combination of being both by design and the current trajectory of consumer trends. I'm sure eliminating the second hand market has probably been a deliberate goal of publishers for a long time, but I also guess they were winning that battle anyway, thanks to...