Reviews by Asiana

A heart broken story about a young girl and her love for her horse, and the most misleading DVD cover that I want to call this movie shameful.

Kim Si Eun grow up without a mother after an accident with her and her horse. Despite the accident, the horse feels a strong bond with the young girl and become friends and become a horse mother for Si Eun. But after the horse make a birth to an infant the horse dies, Si Eun feels responsible and breed and raise the infant. Their bonds become stronger as the infant grows and their love for each other is high connection. This worries her father who doesn't want Si Eun to follow her mothers footstep. He sell the horse against her will, in revenge she volunteered to a horse race so she be united with her horse again.

How is this movie for horse lovers?
Avoid this, on the DVD cover it look like a sweet family friendly and a movie for horse lovers, but it's a horse torture movie and too many unfriendly characters in this movie. All I was how much suffering the horse had to got to be with Si Eun, and finally they are together one think the worsted is over but no it had to have a virus as well too much horse torture 0/5 points.

How does it hold as full production movie?
Well the technology is great, they say South Korea has dethroned USA in acting and quality and yes they weren't joking, this movie is great technically point of view and the actors are great, Su Jong Lim is convincing as the girl who love her horse. In full production point a view it's fantastic 5/5.

How does the movie holds all in all?
As as you are not a horse lover and just enjoy a good story of a sad drama it works, but sadly I love horse so for me it was painful and hurtful to watch and I feel I've been ripped off because the DVD cover looked like a family movie but it's not, so I can only give this movie 5/10.

This is a review that I seldom do, but this documentary is too strong to resist, it's a documentary that shows and not tell, the director Vitaly Manskiy took a lot of risk by changing a what was at first a propaganda North Korean movie to a reality spy camera that reveal the dark truth under the sun.

A 10 year old girl named Lee Zin Mi is taking her first step from childhood to adulthood by joining the children's union, a high level children class similar to army military funded by the great leader Kim Il Sung and now in control of his grandson who is now the president of DPRK. As the camera is rolling, we follow her training for the 15th April anniversary as well as we follow her parents work place and their beautiful apartment and eating healthy Kimchi. But there is only one thing, her life is not her life, it's fabricated but the regime and is fully directed by the North Korean escorts. But there is one thing they didn't count on, the camera is still rolling as they direct the family and the people of Korea to fake their happy life. More the camera is rolling then more we see the true feeling for Zin Mi that she desperately try to hide. This is a documentary about the Truman show comes to life.

Who is Vitaly Manskiy?
He is a Russian film director creating documentaries. As he was directed his film in North Korea, he was hoping to get flashbacks of his childhood in the Soviet Union time. But during the filming he got frustrated and shocked about the life in North Korea, as they just portrayed a happy life utopia but in reality everything is in control and the people has no authority nor do they have their own will, as Vitaly said in an interview: not even Soviet was this harsh, yes there hard times but the people were free, here there is no freedom! But when he notices the North Koreans had no knowledge about the new technology he took it in his advantage and turn off the red light and pretended the camera had stopped recording, but he actually only turned off the red light and kept filming and revealed the true side of the DPRK. Later Vitaly was told his movie was canceled and he was sent home. But he took his secret movie with him and revealed to World the real picture of communism. North Korea has tried to negotiate with Russia to prevent the movie to be shown but failed and even tried to make a deal with Vitaly which he ofcourse declined. Many people has wonder what is North Korea and many twisted community owned by a crazy Spanish fat man is trying to hide the truth, but now the truth has been shown in the face of the world and it's thanks to the Russian director Vitaly Manskiy.

How does the documentary hold as a documentary?
In my opinion it's the best documentary ever made, it shows and not tell. No narration is needed, one can feel the dictatorship around the area, with mix the camera around the environment and the situation of the scene take place we can feel how locked North Korea is. It's a feeling of isolation city and even the scene is indoors it can still be heard outside by microphone and most heart breaking is when Lee Zin Mi is gonna say her last lines she starts to cry and she is later told not to cry and then they ask her to think of something nice or funny, she replied: I don't know what! It's a 10/10 documentary and must be shown. It was a risk but the truth is finally told.

Cyber City Oedo 808 is a futuristic sci fi crime thriller that feels like it was animated on a red light schedule. Despite beautiful animation the story is incomplete and not sure of of who or what to follow. But despite that it's beautiful animation makes it almost forgiving......almost.


In the city of Oedo 2808 A.D., three Cyber criminals are given two choices, to either rot in jail or to join a special force of the Cyber Police to get possibly one more chance at freedom ever again. For each criminal apprehended, and for each successful mission done, the state will agree to reduce their sentences. Lead by Hasegawa, the new recruits: Sengoku, Gogul, and Benten will bring some hard justice to Oedo and possibly taste freedom again.


How does it hold as animation?

It's beautiful animation and it's what save the series (all though it's only 3 episodes) the 90s animation is realistic unlike today standards, a friend of mine told me that before the animators in Japan was taught to Animate the characters naked first then the clothes and why the characters hair looks real is because they animated from human hair so they know how make it real, unlike Disney who learn to animate from horse hair which explains why the human hair has only three strings when it get scruffy, this anime is realistic and manage to make the Oedo city a blade runner land, it gets 5/5.


How does it hold as a story?
There is no story, that it is, is a 3 episodes of introduction of three different characters. We never learn the prisoners background or what their skills are, we just observe them take the job and chase different villain each. But when some of them meets their love interest they just get there and none introduction for the other characters, it's like the three already know them (obviously) and expect the audience to just know it too, and that doesn't go anywhere, so as a story it's nothing, maybe it would have introduced better if the full schedule were complete for more episodes thenybe the series would have made more sense. But it's just 3 introduction episodes and gets 0/5 and it's my first 0/5 by the way.


What about the music?
To be honest, I love the Japanese music, and I love the ending song in the Japanese version, it's great and mysterious, but not enough to save this series, in my opinion it's even better then the series Andy deserves better. No bonus.


How's the series in total?
If one don't care of the plot or story then it's a great, but for me the story must be told, if the director cannot tell a story then it's time to quit it's job. Nowadays it's seems difficult to make a story but more focus on the visual effect. Hong Kong for example is expert in that by making a lot of great martial art and visual effect but lack of stories and plot elements or acting talents. And sadly Hollywood seems to have follow that root and no longer has that world block buster as they had before. My favorite movie country is Japan, no matter what kind of movie they make, their stories are easy to follow and the acting is always 5/5 stars and deserve to be the new world block buster country, however this series shows even they can make mistake but the animation is great so it's a total 5/10.

Takeshi Kitano makes a lot of gangster movies, some special and some over brutal, in the late 90s he made a movie about finding happiness "Kikujiro" and one of his best work as an actor and director he brings a lot of heart bakajaro.

A young boy Masao is living with his grandmother far away from his mother, all he wish is to see his mother again. During summer holiday his grandmother is out of town and Masao decide to take a journey to find his mother. On his way he meets a grumpy old man Kikujiro and his wife, his wife insists that Kikujiro follow with Masao so he can protect him during his trip. Against his will Kikujiro follow him to his journey. Their journey brings a lot crazy places, funny characters, and most of all they learn about life and enjoyment, no longer a grumpy old man, Kikujiro fidns the light of happiness thanks to Masao. But when they finds his mother, that has a new family and completely abandoned Masao, Kikujiro decided to repay Masao and bring him happiness.


Total conclusion:

Usually I'm not into Kitano Sans movies but this movie is heart warming, and a perfect story of life and even f sadness and craziness there is still ways to find happiness and also to teach our children of happiness I give it a total 10/10.


A big thank you to Takeshi Kitano for a great movie with great soundtrack, and epic that lives forever.

We all know the conflict between North and South Korea, the hatred between the two nations and the differences in their ideology is all over the news, but what if you know there was a brother friendship love between two soldiers from different part of their border? That's what Joint Security Area movie from 2000 is about, a friendship that is stronger then any political believes.

Major Sophie E Jean is a half Korean half Swiss working for the UN nation. She been sended to the joint security area border between North and South Korea due to a gun shot incident that killed two North Korean soldiers. The North Korean government accuse a South Korean sergeant Lee Sok Hyeok for crossing the border drunk and shot the soldiers in cold blood. Meanwhile the South Korean government accuse the North Korean sergeant Oh Keyong Pil for kidnap sergeant Sok and he then shot the two soldiers in self defense. But when Sophie discover the bullets are from different holster, then she manage to get the both soldiers to speak but what they say is more shocking and an answer both government and the UN don't want to hear, a friendship that developed like brothers between them after Sg Pil rescued Sok from a mine field, will Sophie reveal the truth or will she do the unthinkable?

How is this movie in general?

A masterpiece, normally I put between 1- 5 in some points but in this case I give it now a fully 10/10 stars, it does everything right, the story is heart warming and brings a message how political issues can go wrong when two brotherly hearts can find a friendship despite their political differences. It's a perfect learning of human life, also the cast is a great choices even though most of the cast are South Korean and non North Korean actors but despite that, the lessons of life is there it's a perfect to show the world.

Total score: 10/10

My cousins in Singapore recommend a great movie from their country, and I am for their DVD Christmas they sent me called DANCE OF THE DRAGON from 2008, starring a Korean dancer Hyuk Jane, famous actress Fann Wong, and the star from the movie Dragon - the story of Bruce Lee, Jason Scott Lee who made his last appearance with this movie before became a farmer.


In Korea 1988, a young boy named Tae falls inlove with a ballet dance performance, he grows up and learn every move he can despite his fathers will is against it. Now as a adult man, Tae risks everything and travel to Singapore to take part in a dance audition, despite the judge sees him as a farmboy, a famous former dancer by the name of Emi sees the potential in Tae and ask him to join her classes. After a while Tae and Emi form a bond of chemistry together and later Emi ask Tae to be her partner in a dance contest. This unease her fiancé Cheng who is a former martial arts champion and worried about Emis half broken angle, Cheng ask Tae to leave Singapore the easy way or the hard way, if Tae refuse they will compete in a Tai Chi Shaolin contest.


How does the movie hold compared with the Japanese movie Shall we dance?

Almost equal, but the Japanese movie is a forever classic and has a more heart telling story then this, but as for itself the movie is strong with its meaning of life to never give up a dream, so this movie gets a 4/5 stars.


How does it hold storytelling?

It's a great story but not a complete told, for example we don't know much about Chengs background and why he deals with the mafia, and we don't know how Emis angle got hurt before, there is a lot of unanswered questions in the plot, but at least they didn't forget Tae story, it could have been a full 5/5 if it could tell better about Cheng and Emi, but instead it gets 3/5 stars.


How is the movie in general?

A well done drama, heart feeling characters, great cast, and great music, it's nice to see Jason Scott Lees last performance and perhaps one of his best, if the movie could had focus better on some points it could have been higher but it's a great movie that I got from Christmas and a proud movie from Singapore so it gets a 7/10 stars.

Dream of a warrior or Cheonsamong in Korean is a South Korean sci-fi TV movie from 2001, starring the all star pop from Taiwan Leon Lai who had a brilliant career in Hong Kong both before and after this movie so many can ask how was it possible for him to end up in this cheap sci fi movie during his great career, was it because he wanted a start in South Korea or is it because the production was high at that time but lack of showing because of low quality of the tv camera?



Agent Dean is haunted by a horrible memory of a woman he shot during her escape attempt in his line of duty, right after that some strange things is happening and a rumor of rewriting history or present time is speculated. Later hours, Dean is invited to a dinner with the president who tells him the girl he shot ShoSho was his daughter and believe she can still be saved during a time traveling, he reveals he has installed a new time travel machine that can take Dean back to the past and save the girl. Dean agrees in a heartbeat, but after he travels he finds himself in a middle of a war between two clans and a love rival for ShoSho, and the time line is premature medieval and still technologist Advantec, how far did Dean actually travel in the past? Or did he travel to the future? The truth is more shocking, it's not a time travel, its a dream travel!

How does it hold with technology ?
Very much 90s technology and feels out of date, but at the same time, the setting is stunning and a lot of costumes design for many actors and extras, it's possible that it was an expensive setting but with a low budget tv camera that lack the modern feeling a little, but the action is well done despite the out of date technology. So there it gets a 3/5 stars.

How does it hold as a story?
Not well, just like a present time Hollywood or a typical Hong Kong movie the story doesn't have an importance, just make a movie and hope the audience swallows it, and that's the problem with this movie, it's not focusing on the story telling, every scene is rushed, and one can't help feel lost out there in the plot, this movie got 3/10 on imdb and I can seen why with a bad directing of story, 1/5 stars

How does it hold in general?
Could have been better and also with a better leading role actor it could have been a masterpiece, but sadly this is a forgotten movie and understandable why, with an unfocused story telling, stiff acting from Leon Lai, and with a tv camera the Dream Of A Warrior is a movie that stays in 2001, but it can be interesting for forgiving sci-fi lovers, so it's a totally 4/10 stars.

   

He is the man who protect poor people from dictatorship and tyranny, he is a fox in the night, he is Zorro, made in 1957 in black and white, starring Guy Williams, recolored in 1992, zorro is a mystery adventure hero that takes place in 19th cenetury Los Angeles when it was a Spanish colony.

In early 1800, a young Diego De La Vega returns to Los Angeles from Spain after he became a master swordsman. On his side during the travel, he has his loyal mute servant Bernardo who convinces Diego not show himself as a man with courage but a spineless weakling man so he can convince the commander of the pueblo that he is harmless. Diego agrees after he sees his hometown filled with soldiers collecting taxes for their greedy commander Monastario. Diego even convinced his father that he has no interest in sword fight but rather read his books. Ofcourse Don Alejandro De La Vega doesn't take news well and shows his disappointment to his son. But what everybody doesn't know is Diego has a secret identity, at he dress in all black, with a cape and mask, ride with his black horse Tornado, steal from Monastario and give to the poor, he is the hero known as El Zorro.

How does it hold in black and white?
For sure black and white is now outdated, and sometimes the black and white can take away the 1800 because the first tv came in the 50s so black and white feels maybe feels too much technically. But the adventure is strong with this movie and kids even today can love it, I loved it as a kid and I grew up when technology began their popularity, so it gets 2/5 stars.

How does it hold in colors?
Perfect, the colors that was put in after makes it feel like a 1800 painting, it feel realistic and you can feel you are with the characters. Even on today standards, Zorro gets you into this classic world, and bring a lot of enjoyment, and it's a family adventure for all ages so 5/5 stars.

How does it hold for Disney?
Compare with today, yes it's a real Disney live action series that wasn't bought by a greedy company, it has songs like a Disney movie, it has adventures like Disney promises, it had a lot of fun character like sergeant Garcia and corporal Reyes, but it doesn't have love interest, even though Diego are dating some girls but it never becomes a love interest, specially when all is just inlove with zorro. Also I must add that Guy Williams really is Zorro, and for what I have see he is the only real Zorro, 3/5!

How does it hold in total?
High respect, it's the series that started it all and made mysterious black figure a theme that many other great movies got inspired from, Zorro is one of the best series of all time and deserves its high status, a Christmas gift to every one, 10/10 stars.

BW - 2, Col - 5, Dis - 3 = 10 out of 10.

The series that gave inspiration to Power Rangers (or actually PR stole some scenes and replaced them with American actors), the series that started it all with giant robots, biogenetic heros and robo ninjitszu, Bioman from 1984 not took Japan but also The Whole word by storm, and made the sci-fi industry as it is today.



The once prosperous Planet Bio is destroyed after a world war erupted over the use of a scientific discovery called "Bio Particles". The Planet Bio Peacekeeping Alliance which sought to use Bio Particles for peaceful purposes, sends the giant robot Bio Robo and an assistant robot named Peebo to prevent the same tragedy from happening on Earth. Bio Robo arrives in 15th century Japan, where it showers Bio Particles on five young individuals. Five centuries later, the descendants of these individuals, infused with Bio Particles, are chosen by Peebo and Bio Robo to become the Bioman team to protect the Earth from the New Gear Empire, an organization led by mad scientist Doctor Man. The team members are: Shiro Go a former Japanese space pilot is Red One, Shingo Takasugi a formula race driver is Green Two, Ryuta Nanbara a water sportsman is Blue Three, Mika Koizumi a adventurous photographer is Yellow Four, and Hikaru Katsuragi a sweet Carnival Flutist is Pink Five.

How does it hold as a sci fi adventure series?

Compared with today status, Bioman has a lot of adventure and a lot of fantasy that we at present time seems to have lost. It has a lot interesting and exciting episodes and a lot of explosions, a great mix of Kaiju, Ninjitsu and even some Star Wars swords. It's not timeless though because it's a lot of lovely 80s style, but definitely an unbeatable series, 4 out of 5 stars.

How does it hold with special effects and quality?

As today young audiences will think it's a little in the past since it's very much 80s special effects, and songs and music is very much early 80s not to mention the haircuts, but at the same time they will appreciate it because it's the first of its kind and its first series with a serious action, for example (spoiler alert) one of the Bioman dies and that kind of series was unusual to add, it means it takes their audiences both young and mature serious, and even same level as classic Transformers and Star Wars, without Bioman, Power Rangers, Transformers, or SailorMoon wouldn't exist so 4 out of 5.

How does it hold in total?

A forever classic that never feels it's old now or little goofy with compared status, its unique and should be with full respect. Totally it gets 8 out of 10.

Sci-fi: 4/5, special effects: 4/5, in total: 8/10.

My first anime series that I ever watched and got broadcast in my country was Sailor Moon, a sci-fi action romantic series from Japan that made me fall in love with Japanese anime, looking at it as an adult now, I still love it, my childhood memory crush comes to life.

A young girl Usagi is late for school and by stress she stumbles across a bunch of kids who mistreated a cat. After Usagi rescue the cat she sees a lunar moon on the cats forehead. Later the cat reveal she is a magical cat that can talk and she is here to prevent a total destruction that is planned by the demon queen Beryl, and her four ruthless generals Jedite, Nephrite, Zoisite, and Kunsite. Usagi gets an item that transfer her to solar universe protector and become known as Sailor Moon. After saving earth a few times, she rescue other young girls who become sailor warriors, Ami as Sailor Mercury, Rei as Sailor Mars, Makoto as Sailor Jupiter, and Minako as Sailor Venus. To their aid, a mysterious man protects them, a hero with roses known as Toxedo Mask.

How does the series hold as a kid friendly?

If I saw this as an adult from the beginning I would say it's perhaps too violent for kids, but I saw it as a kid and I never reacted to the violence and I was thrilled on every adventure the sailor girls went to, and the humor made me
laugh as well, so I would say the kids would be exited, the question is if the kids today would feel if it's outdated since nowadays every show is filled with CGI and the songs might have the typical 90s style, so maybe it will feel too old perhaps? But then again to compare with today series this one is a masterpiece and the songs are great, it's a 4 out of 5 stars.

How does the characters hold up as heroes and villains?

A mixed feeling actually, starting with the good part, as a kid I had a huge crush on Sailor Mercury, her beautiful blue hair, and her strong intelligence makes her the most trust worthy heroine, Rei has a lot of spirit and a short temper but also feels like one of the strongest sailor girls, and the villain Jedite is one of the coolest villain of the bunch, despite losing all the time he never loses his cool. The less good part is some of the characters feels like a filler and two of the Sailor we barely get to know them until almost finished for the season, and their identity is like the He-Man syndrome, no mask just change the costume, the only one who has a mask is Toxedo Mask, and yes I will mention it, it's a sex different on the dubbing of the Zoisite character, the original Japanese Zoisite is a man and has a gay relationship with Kunsite, but in most of the European dubbing and early English dubbing Zoisite was changed as a girl, some of them claimed they didn't know he was a man since his original voice sounded like a girl. Perhaps the smallest minus is probably Usagi the Sailor Moon girl and the main leading role, she screams too much and cry out like a five year old, normally a character like this should a comic relief but she is the main character but at the same time that's what make it charming so totally the characters got 3 out of 5 stars.

How is the series in total?

As a kid, I was very thrilled and entertained by the first episodes of the 1st season and I watched it with excitement. Now as an adult I can see the flaws better so maybe it's for audiences under their 20s but at the same time I feel the excitement too as my adult age, so the score is totally 7 out of 10 stars.

Tv series: 4/5, characters: 3/5, totally: 7/10, moon prisma powers make up!