Latest Reviews
May 28
Artist: Kite Operations
Title: Shiny Beast EP
Genre: Rock
Rating: ****
There is something to be said for a rock band that can go from a heavily guitar-oriented rock track 1 (Shiny Beast) with vocals blaring (perhaps even shouting?) to a more subdued track 2 (Vapid). That sets the tone for the 6-song EP from Kite Operations. Vapid definitely invoked the type of song that you can see the band perform on a stage in a huge rock festival setting with thousands and thousands of head-bobbing fans, especially when the guitar solo comes towards the end of the track. Vocally, the tracks tend to lose some of the strength when the harder hitting music kicks in but ultimately the vocals work fine with the tracks. The band appears not beyond trying out different things as well. Check out track 5 (Anna Come Out) for an odd but effective chanting that has a sort of East Asian flare to it.
Favorite Picks: "Vapid" and "Titanium"
Nelson
May 9
Artist: titofelix
Title: Character Flaw
Genre: Rock
Rating: ****
Formed in Atlanta, GA, titofelix's latest release "Character Flaw" is almost flawless. This band rocks hard with clever lyrics and catchy melodies. Crisp production and excellent vocal work from Marc Cordon. titofelix is truly head-bangin' and just plain fun. Keep your lazy eye out for titofelix!
Favorite Picks: "Import Racing Girl," "Nice and Slow," "Skin," and "Character Flaw"
LeRoid
Star Runner: Apparently fans of the pop group F4 will watch cause Vaness Wu is the star. The story moves slow and the chemistry of the male/female lead seems contrived. I guess the best parts are the fighting scenes and it's no wonder since it features Gordon Liu (Pai Mei anyone?) and Chin Kar Lok. Oh yeah, and you get to eye Andy On (Black Mask 2) in his topless hottie glory. Aside from the eye candy, some decent fighting, and I guess idol worship for F4 fans, not much else great about it.
Here's some bonus info from Vanness's IMDB bio. Vanness is an American born Chinese and used to be in the LA Boyz (Taiwanese-American boy band). His father named him after the street they used to live on (I guess he lived in SF). And some claim he is the best dancer and singer in F4. He was also in a Run DMC video (haha). I wouldn't know, I don't know any of their songs or music.
Herbal Tea: I think what makes this romantic comedy work are the leads Candy Lo and Jordan Chan. They have this chemistry not necessarily rooted in their looks but rather in their natural abilities in comedy they both share. Much of it is predictable and it isn't even a particularly interesting storyline, but the actors and their performances make it delightful and worth a looksee.
Turn Left Turn Right: The LoveHK film review at some point calls it lazy ... and I kinda got that impression too. In theory this will they or won't they romance is appealing. My favorite parts are when their paths cross but they don't actually meet. It's those moments where you keep wondering if they will ever meet cute and when you don't, it just makes when they do all the more fun. But then the movie starts to feel long, slow and yes ... lazy. It's not a bad movie, particularly if you like the leads: Takeshi Kaneshiro and Gigi Leung. Otherwise, this one takes a little patience but it does get better.
Hidden Track: The LoveHK review of this movie is spot-on. If you enjoy the HK Gen X love stories you will enjoy this movie. I'm neutral but what kept me interested in this one is the protaganist's quest for the hidden track. While not the true aim of the movie, it helps create the foundation for a quirky, interesting story filled with lots of my fave stars like Shawn Yu, Daniel Wu, and David Wu. I wish the lead actress spoke Cantonese so I wouldn't have to pay attention when she spoke. And, of course, the hidden track she is looking for (a Jay Chou song) haunts me now.
Fantasia: This is the epitome of the over the top crazy in your face physical and silly HK comedy -- but in context, it was entertainment for what it was -- an HK star and pop idol filled Chinese New Year movie. I usually don't watch too many of these in a row, but this one actually kept me interested just on the sheer number of "wow, he/she is in this too?"s I uttered. When you read the synopsis you wonder what the heck the filmmakers are thinking, but when you watch it, you realize its just a big piece of fluff combining a lot of inside jokes with popular genres -- like Harry Potter -- to create something fun for the new year. It was nice to see a less glamourous or perfect looking Cecilia Cheung and I actually thought the twins were both cute and perfect for their roles at the chopstick sisters. Of course it's way past Chinese New Year at this point, but if you wanna laugh or maybe roll your eyes, check it out. By the way, this was the first time I've seen Christy Chung in a Pan Pacific movie since her boobies in Jan Dara!
Floating Landscape: A beautifully shot movie, Quingdao is a quaint village with gorgeous landscapes. I decided to watch this movie next since Ekin was in it, but I didn't realize I was gonna be watching a tragic love story so I was a bit caught off guard. Karena Lam is really the star of this movie as much of it is seen through her POV post the death of her love, Sam (played by Ekin Cheng). She plays the role in a very quiet almost unassuming way which resonates with the way the movie is shot. A bit on the depressing side for me, but if you're in the move for a beautifully shot tragic love story, worth the looksee. Even if you hate Ekin, as his role isn't very large (mostly in flashbacks) and you can check out another part of China which is worth visiting. The "new" romance feels warm and not forced, which is also welcome but visuals of accidental (or not) suicide attempts aren't so much. Kinda arty, but only watch if you're in the mood.
Previous Reviews
April 2004 (Music: Alvendia, Bryan Chan, Mion, William Hung; Movies: Running on Karma, Anna in Kung Fu Land, Kill Bill Volume 2, Kikujiro, and The Way Home)
March 2004 (Music: Putnam Hall, Organic Thoughts; Movies: Charlotte Sometimes, Infernal Affairs 3; Books: Bringing Down The House)
February 2004 (Music: Vienna Teng, Odessa Chen, Akamai Brain Collective, Justin Young, One Vo1ce, With Love, Stereostar FM)
January 2004 (Music: Chops, One Vo1ce EP, Moulann; Movies: Torque, Good Times, Bed Times, Shiver, Infernal Affairs 2)
December 2003 (Music: The Francis Kim Band, Himalayan Project, Sonic Orange, and Jeff Hsin; Movies: Men Suddenly in Black, My Dream Girl, and The Last Samurai)
November 2003 (Music: Harlemm Lee, Fiona Wong, and Adagio; Movies: Truth or Dare: 6th Floor Rear Flat and So Close)
October 2003 (Music: Kevin So and Kaila; Movies: Marrying the Mafia, Heroic Duo, Kill Bill, and Under the Tuscan Sun)
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