toyguy

First of all, the negative review(s) you might read here definitely do not reflect the opinion of all die-hard fans of the classic Kamen Rider series. You can see that their review 'usefulness rating' are very low anyway, meaning most people don't agree with their baseless reasons for bashing something new.

I watched the original Kamen Rider series as a kid back in the 70s, and it was really good entertainment for the time. Rewatching these classics about 30 yrs later, I feel the nostalgia, but understandably not too impressed with the old fashion FX and fight choreography. So, pulling this franchise into the 21st century is a very good idea to me. I just couldn't get into the other "Rider" series because the story isn't about Hongo. And the Riders only look derivative of the original and therefore not as good.

It really brought back fond memories when the classic title theme was played at the beginning of The First. I totally love the introduction of Kamen Rider 1. Since the character is introduced during the night, the light-up eyes effect was an excellent idea! The use of CG effects in the movie was well...very effective. Some good examples include: when Kamen Rider 1 jumped off the building landing on the ground with all the broken window glass around him. Also when Kamen Rider 1 and 2 are fighting each other, the concrete busting punches and kicks are really powerful looking. These are not just eye candy FX but used very effectively to show the invincibility of these super-human characters.

As for the villains, the intricate wire-work was very well done. I especially liked the battle with 'The Spider' where high-flying moves are done in conjunction with speeding motorcycles and among trees. The original series (if watched today) lacked some of these FX scenes to thoroughly convince me that Kamen Riders have any real special powers. Well, other than the big kick that ends the show every time. But for a youngster in the 70s, that was enough to keep me role-playing "Kamen Rider" endlessly with my friends during recess. One other cool idea in this new franchise: we can see that the "grasshopper" heads of the Riders after transforming is really just a helmet. They can take it off to reveal their real human faces. This allows the actors a much greater range of emotions while they are Riders. It also confirms for me that the Rider transformation is just changing into the suit, not changing into another being like Ultraman. For Kamen Rider, I rather like the idea that they are still human inside.

Overall if you were a fan of the original, I think The First is a must see, but still good entertainment if you just happen to like superheroes and anime. I hope that I'm not offending any fans of the other 'Rider' series when I say that they're just not the same as Kamen Rider. But "The First" successfully captures that magic from the past, and relaunch it with modern film production values. 9/10

First of all, the negative review(s) you might read here definitely do not reflect the opinion of all die-hard fans of the classic Kamen Rider series.

I watched the original Kamen Rider series as a kid back in the 70s, and it was really good entertainment for the time. Rewatching these classics about 30 yrs later, I feel the nostalgia, but understandably not too impressed with the old fashion FX and fight choreography. So, pulling this franchise into the 21st century is a very good idea to me. I couldn't get into the other "Rider" series because the story just isn't about Hongo. And the Riders only look derivative of the original and therefore not as good.

I really enjoyed "The First", and "The Next" was a good follow up. It has been many years since we had new and original stories about Hongo and Ichimonji. Hongo is still the straight forward hero character, where as Ichimonji has more of an edge to him. The tone of the movie is darker, which is good for those who were fans of the original series, as we're all adults now. One really cool idea in this new franchise: we can see that the "grasshopper" heads of the Riders after transforming is really just a helmet. They can take it off to reveal their real human faces. This allows the actors a much greater range of emotions while they are Riders. It also confirms for me that the Rider transformation is just changing into the suit, not changing into another being like Ultraman. And the updated suits look great, like actual bike-racing suits, but still very faithful to the original. Other updates like using CG effects to show the riders' powers is really an improvement compared to the old days.

Overall, if you were a fan of the original, I think The First and The Next are must haves for your video library. If you are just getting into Kamen Rider series, its still a great entry-level movie to introduce yourself into the franchise.

Just to counter some comment saying that The Sentinels "Suck", is "a disgrace", or is "not great"

For anyone who might not already know, Robotech: The Sentinels is an aborted attempt to create an original series to continue or expand the on the Robotech Saga. Again for the benefit of the handful of people who might not know, the Robotech series of the 1980s are three highly edited and modified anime series from Japan. Its presented to the American audience as one story. That is why you never see repeats of any characters or mechas from the other generations. As good as the saga was, this lack of continuation always bothered me a bit.

Anyway, if you weren't a Robotech fan, you probably won't even be visiting this webpage. So let's not worry about how this incomplete work affects the anime universe as a whole. The Sentinels (or what little was produced of the concept) is the the only Robotech animation to ever truly knit together the characters and stories from all 3 generations. The mechas and characters were believably combined to give us the beginning of an original series. The Sentinels, in my opinion helps justify our some what suspended belief that the 3 generations had anything to do with each other besides the shared Robotech title. The Shadow Chronicles make some attempt to do this, but c'mon, Rick Hunter's 1 minute cameo with a completely unrecognizable look doesn't really cut it. With the Sentinels, it seems that Rick, Lisa, Louie and other familiar characters were going to have significant screen time.

So, to say its "not great", I mildly disagree. I would've added a conditional "not yet". I think the potential was definitely there to be great.

So say it "sucks" or "a disgrace"? Are we watching the same show?? If you liked the original series, this is far from sucking or a disgrace! Some well selected main/side characters and concepts from all 3 original shows were cleverly weaved together into one story. Up to that time, its something that was desperately lacking in the Robotech franchise. It's a good alternate story to validate the assumption that the earlier Robotech stories even existed in the same universe. By the time I got to the end of this tantalizing 'preview' let's call it, I find myself thirsting for more. As it is obviously just a few parts of a greater whole, we cannot really judge The Sentinels based on what little we have of it in animation. Perhaps the best way to give this incomplete work some sort of ranking is to ask yourself how badly you would've liked to see more.

OK, I'm a married guy, which means some times I get certain dramas "strongly recommended" to me by my better half. This is how I got into watching Korean dramas, even though I have to use the subtitles it's usually well worth the time and effort.

Most Korean dramas are original screenplays. But in the case of Boys Before Flowers, it's actually the 3rd live-action version of the story after the Taiwanese "Meteor Garden I & II", and "Hana Yori Dango" from Japan. If you count the original anime, then its a 4th outing on the small screen.

I think being the latest to be filmed allowed the production crew to take the best from its predecessors and also add in some uniqueness of its own. The story takes you to some exotic locales, including New Caledonia in the South Pacific. The scenes were breath taking, but they also add richness to the story not seen in the previous BOF dramas. And who could resist seeing an auto race between some very hot Lotus sport cars? OK, a guys' point of view, maybe. =) But I think beneath all the flashy, super-wealthy extravagance lies a very classic fairy tale archetype. The Cinderella's transformation for the ball, rescue of the damsel in distress, and a knight on his fiery steed; all these are concepts that makes the story very accessible to the western audience. In fact, even with the subtitles turned off, I bet you would still laugh and cry and cheer along as you watch the series.

I will also like to applaud the performances of the very young cast. Most of the kids are in their late teens to early twenties. So they're appropriately aged for their roles. All were very convincing whether portraying the ridiculously wealthy, or the hard working middle class. The parents were also well casted with veteran actors. Jun Pyo's mother deserves a special mention, playing the very believable lone 'villain' role of the story.

After thoroughly enjoying this drama, I actually went back to seek out the sister-series "Meteor Garden" and "Hana Yori Dango". Both were very enjoyable as well. The MG crew had the monumental task of transforming the Manga story into the first live-action drama. HYD on the other hand, had a few more years to fine tune the screenplay, and I have a feeling they had a bigger budget as well. All three are great dramas on their own terms, and for their time periods. So, it might not be very meaningful to compare them side by side. Having said that, BOF (Korean) had the advantage being the last to be made, and it shows in the scope of the production.

If you can find the series, enjoy….

Decided to catch "Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" this weekend. I think its another one of those films that got panned universally. Some people complained that there were no Mummies, but I guess they don't understand that undecayed corpses of ancient emperors and dignitaries could also have been mummified in well preserved tombs. Mummies don't have to be those bandaged ones from Egypt. And one critic was even complaining about Brandon Fraser's acting!! And also that the new Evie actress had a bad "American's" British accent. Really who cares about the acting in a movie like this? None of its predecessors were deep or life-changing. But they were entertaining, and I thought this one was also but with a different twist on the "Mummy" character. Maybe its the stereotypical view that us westerners have of Mummies in entertainment. Jett Li's Mummy character is not the traditional kind that appears in 'monster' movies. Anyway, not once has any of the Mummy movies been anything more than just great special FX movies. You bring to life the undead and have Brandon fight them in a happy-go-lucky way. This one's no different. And like in previous 'Mummies' which involved some historical figures in their fictional stories, like Nefertiti; this time the "Dragon" Emperor was actually a real historical figure who was the first Emperor of the Qin Dynasty. A powerful if cruel character in history.

But what I liked was how they had to venture to various archaeological sites like the Qin's tomb with Terracotta Warriors, or mythical places like Shangri-La to fight against bad guys trying to revive the Emperor. Along the way, it reminded me of how Indy4 should've been like instead of having Jones chase after aliens. This has been a summer of few hits and mostly misses. With X-File which should've featured aliens but show us none, and Indy which should've stuck to archeology but show us aliens instead.

Too bad this film got bad press from some people who are entitled to their opinions, of course. But I'd say go out there, see it and form your own opinion. I thoroughly enjoyed the roller-coaster ride.

With every new chapter created for a successful classic franchise, you'll get the nay-sayers. "I like the original better"; "watch the old series and forget this", "the CGI is terrible", "what happened to the old director/producer/writer?"

Well, you get some comments like these if you go into the forums for: - Battlestar Galactic 2003-2007 - Star Wars Prequels - Star Trek TNG to ENT (to some degree)

Problem is, neither you nor the creators of the new shows are in the 70's or early 80s anymore. After 20 years, movies/animation are not made the same way. You the audience are no longer in your childhood or adolescence. So to enjoy a new twist on an old idea, you really have to keep an open mind.

*********Some Spoilers*******

So back to Shadow Chronicles. I think this production was done with a lot of heart. Although the animation has been updated, the returning characters are instantly recognizable. Love the fact that they used the same voice actors again. I found the story intriguing and engaging. Picking up the story from Reflex Point was a good idea for those of us who don't own all the DVDs and Videos. But at the same time new characters are introduced.

Some complained that this is more like a continuation of Mospeada rather than the whole of the Robotech Saga. I suppose that's true to some degree. Well, we definitely couldn't have those "F-14" veritechs flying around anymore since this is a continuation in the chronological sense. I mean, Macross was really appropriate for the 1st generation because they mix real life fighters (F-14) with sci-fi (guardian and battloid modes). But as time goes on, you get less recognizable fighters like the Alphas and Betas, so Mospeada made perfect sense as the newer generation. That was the genius in Macek's concept. In any case, I think some are disappointed that we don't have more on Rick, Max, Myria, Minmei, Lisa. But the SDF-3 was purposely kept at a distance for this movie. And Mya Sterling did say her family and love ones are on the SDF-3. So, I'm pretty sure these characters will be explored more in future chapters of this franchise. But not to be all "flowers and sunshine" I have to agree that I would've like to see more on Rick's SDF-3 during THIS movie. At least Rick is not lost indefinitely like the old series suggested.

I liked the animation. Like I said, things have changed. You look at all contemporary anime, the women always look "amazing". And eyes are more expressive rather than the "big round eyes" of the 70s style animation from the east.

Lastly, I like all that's new about the movie. The Haydonite seems like a worthwhile adversary for the new Robotech defenders. They're one alien race that does not desire Protoculture in some way, but despises the use of it by anyone else. That is an interesting twist. And although we did not see any new transforming mechas (yet), the new capital ships like SDF-3, Icarus, and ArcAngel all look way cool. But they still retain the same basic architecture of the SDF-1. And the front of the ships split open to fire the Synchro-Cannons, that's another "tip of hat" to the Macross generation as well.

So, there are many elements from all three generations if you look for them. But on its own, I think its a fine addition to a well loved series.

I don't want to compare 'Sith' with its predecessors and go through the inevitable ranking of all the Star Wars movies. This film stands up very well on its own. Even, for the Star Wars novice who doesn't know the back story well, he/she could follow the plot easily.

This is Lucas' final masterpiece in the saga. The most important events in the SW Galaxy are finally unfolding through spectacular imagery. Everyone knows about the ultimate transformation of exceptional Jedi-Knight Anakin Skywalker into our all time favorite villain Darth Vader. And that was very well done. What I didn't expect was yet another transformation that almost stole the show. Chancellor Palpatine doesn't just 'become' the Emperor politically. He undergoes a physical transformation as well, and we see how the old 'Return of the Jedi' Emperor came to be. Ian McDiamid's portrayal of the Emperor Palpatine was 5 times more evil than in 'Return of the Jedi', yet he retains much of the identity of the original character.

So the fall of Anakin, the Jedi Order, and the Republic is complete. Several moments in the movie was positively gut-wrenching to watch but you wouldn't want to miss a single moment. You'll never watch the Original Trilogy the same way again. The final scenes of 'Jedi' will mean so much more, now that we know all about the man behind the mask.

Of course, this is very much a tragic story, and its highly recommended that you watch Eps IV 'A New Hope' immediately afterward to counteract the downer of an ending. But that's what makes a movie great. It brings out the appropriate emotions in you. You feel the despair and anguish that the movie characters feel. It should be an emotional roller coaster ride for those who knows the story well. But even if you're not a die-hard SW fan, you should find the movie highly entertaining.

Before he was Mark Gor in A Better Tomorrow, before he was that cool assassin in The Killer, before he was John Lee in The Replacement Killers, he was Mun Gor in The Bund. In case you haven't noticed the similarities in his characters, its was the first time he had that slick back hair style, and don on his long trench coat. Even in Chow's TV series days, he was already an ultra cool icon. **SPOILER ALERT** Similar to ABT, both Mun Gor and Mark Gor dies at the end by machine gun fire.

Production budget for these things were pretty low, so its surprising that it turned out as well as it did. A lot of sets are obviously done in studios, but there are quite a few exterior shots which were probably done in Macau. In many ways Macau preserved its old European architecture better than H.K., so its an ideal double as old Shanghai's French or English "leased" territories. BTW, Macau was a Portugese colony, about 2 hrs hydrofoil boat-trip from HK. Sovereignty of Macau was returned to China soon after the historic HK ceremonies in '97. Anyway, the period costumes as I mentioned before looked great, especially on Chow. The props and especially vehicles are not necessarily pre-WWII era, which is when the story takes place. But the cars are antiques, looks to be from about circa late 1940's.

Furthermore, I always thought Angie Chiu was one of the most beautiful Chinese actress to ever grace the screen. She still looks great today, after 20 odd years! So a solid female lead really helped make this series a success.

Lastly, the theme song has got to be the most well known and often sang title songs ever to come out of HK. I believe it was written by HK's musical dynamic duo: Joseph Koo and Jim Wong. The music had a great beat and lyrics told so much of the story.

This series had it all: romance, drama, action. We have lots of gangster drive-by shootings with their tommy guns a la Godfather. The writers picked a time and place where ideals and politics of the Chinese people were changing. China was a Republic under the newly formed government; for the first time in centuries, there was no Emperor. People were expecting great changes for China, but who new the Japanese invasions were just around the corner, and then communism. Anyway, in this setting we see 2 friends rise and fall in the underworld of Shanghai. Their rise to power kept them close, but their mutual love for Ching Ching (Angie Chiu's character) drove them apart.

Part II and III were not nearly as good, and neither were the movie versions. I hadn't seen the series in DVD format yet, but they're definitely available on VCDs. Just check out any books & media shops in your local Chinatowns. Its certainly worth watching for the first time or as repeated viewing.

A lot of people tend to think this movie is inferior to the first 2 ABT's. If you are one of these people, keep in mind that its pretty much due to the story. I think the direction and acting wasn't bad at all. Like many prequel/sequels, it suffers from hype and expectations. If its made exactly like the previous movies, then we have a rehash. If it goes in a different direction (like in this case) it runs the risk of alienating a lot of loyal fans.

Not sure how many of you knew the storyline prior to watching the film. I was at least privy to the plot summary before watching it in the theaters way back when. So I at least knew it took place in the 70s in Vietnam. Right there and then, I knew it would be very different from the first 2 films. War-torn Vietnam of the 70s would hardly be the kind of place where you find our heroes riding around in Rolls Royce's, making high stake deals in fancy hotels or mansions, wearing Fracescetti suits, etc. A lot of the "cool" element of the original is due to Chow of course, but settings and atmosphere had something to do with it as well. And Vietnam is not the kind of setting we're previously used to.

What the film does show, is probably a more realistic side of smuggling and counterfeitting. You make your deals at night in dark alley ways, your clothes are cars are are much less flashy (to avoid attracting attention to yourself). And of course, Mark hasn't acquired his cool persona yet, so we're missing that important element throughout most of the film.

In short, much of what we see is not entirely unexpected if you took the time to read the synopsis on the video box. Because the movie takes place at the time and place it did, I'd say the crew did an OK job.

As a prequel to ABT, I am a bit surprise at the choice of location if not the time. I remember a scene in the original ABT where Mark talks about the "old days" of making counterfeit deals with Ho in Indoesia!! That was suppose to be 12 years ago according to movie dialog, which would place us in the early 70s as well. So the movie would've been more continuous if we had Mark working for the H.K. crime organization already, and making drops in Indonesia (with or without Ho, depending on whether they can get Ti Lung back for the role). I also think it might have been more interesting this way. Anita can still play Mark's love interest, and much of the current ABT3 storyline can be incorporated; as long as Mark isn't so goofy and inexperienced.

For those who have seen A Moment of Romance I and II, don't expect motorcycles racing down the streets of Hong Kong. This takes the basic premise (a Romeo and Juliet type love story), and transplants it to a completely different period and setting. The film takes us to the WWII era in Japanese occupied northern China. This time out, Andy Lau and Wu Chien-Lien reprises their lead roles. I was completely hooked when I saw part I, but part II left me a bit dissatisfied when the male lead was given to Aaron Kwok. Part III was a very well done period romance with a strong female lead character. Unlike the Kate Beckinsale's Evelyn in Pearl Harbor who was basically very passive, our female lead in this film shows much sacrifice through action.

The movie opens with fighter pilot (Lau) crash landing in a rice field. When nearby villagers (including Wu) lends a helping hand to get our resistance hero back to the war effort, the two inevitably falls in love. Through much turmoil they eventually get the plane airborne again, but that also means good-bye, (the oxen dying while pulling the wreckage out of the ditch was particularly gut wrenching to watch). This is where our female lead endures much more hardship. Having to leave her village, the only life she's ever known, she will search for her love in the big city where danger lurks at every corner ranging from muggers to Japanese bomb raids.

Very few film-makers in the west have attempted to show WWII events in this part of the world. Spielberg did `Empire of the Sun' but its very much a surreal story seen through western eyes. This film although not produced in the west, is done in the vein of Titanic and Pearl Harbor, where a fictional love story is integrated into a very real historical setting. But it was very refreshing to see a strong female lead who is not a throw-away character.

I won't give away much more in terms of story-line and spoilers, but it suffice to say that fans of the original `A Moment of Romance' will leave satisfied, knowing that Lau and Wu's characters have finally gotten their "second chance". A solid 8.5 out of 10.

I think it was a couple of years back when I couldn't sleep late one night and tuned into the multi-cultural channel in the Toronto area. I was extremely delighted to discover a wonderful sitcom called "Under One Roof". To understand its humor, you have to first get pass the Singaporean accents (could be a small challenge for westerners but no more difficult than any other foreign accents). A little understanding of eastern cultures will help you enjoy the show more but its not a prerequisite.

Upon repeated viewing, the characters grew on me. I especially like the father character "Ah Teck". Every time he goes into one of his lectures near the end of the show, I know we're in for a treat. They always start with: "A long time ago, in the Southern Province of China.....". There will be a great punchline each time, but there's always a moral to be learned as well. In fact, there was an episode where he was asked to market his stories in book form, which was hilarious.

The series also showcased the diverse cultures in Singapore, eg. the family (obviously of Chinese background) are best friends and neighbors with: Daisy, an lady of Indian decent; and Yusuf & wife, a Malay (Muslim) couple. All of them live in the same apartment building "Under One Roof". Aside from being a comedy, which I think it succeeds in, the show is also one of the few venues on TV for exploring Singaporean culture. I do hope readers of this post will give the show a try if you come across it.

Unfortunately, the show has not yet reached the mainstream audience. It gets bumped more than a billiard ball, I've only watched it on the multi-cultural channel at 2 or 3 am. If you find it on you local broadcast, it's worth setting up the VCR timer for.