ChaNee's Weekend Movie Recommendations
Grab a bucket of popcorn, your favorite drink, take a comfy seat and..
Five Minutes To Tomorrow
Country: Japan, China Year: 2014 Genre: Romance, Suspense
The intricate issues of time and identity are tackled in this movie starring Haruma Miura as Ryo, an introverted clock and watch repairman from Japan, who now lives in China. One day while at the indoor pool, he encounters RuoLan (Liu Cecilia) who unexpectedly asks Ryo to go shopping with her to help choose a gift for an upcoming event. The gift is for RuoLan's twin sister, ReMei (also Liu Cecilia) who Ryo meets during their "date" when the twins play the switch and bait prank. As Ryo gets to know RuoLan, he devolves into the life of the twins where nothing seems as it is.
I am beginning to see a pattern. It seems I picked another movie that is based on a book. Five Minutes To Tomorrow is loosely based off of the book with the same title by Honda Takayoshi.
I should begin with a disclaimer. I am biased to anything that Haruma Miura does. I think he is an exceptional actor. He has gained my admiration even more when I found out he started learning Mandarin in 3 months before they started shooting and he "acted" his lines in the Mandarin language with the exception of the lines needed to be spoken in Japanese.
As far as the movie, I enjoyed it but I would have enjoyed it more if the pace had been a bit faster. I am starting to think the majority of Chinese movies have a very slow pace and that is something I have to get use to. This movie involves a lot of symbolism regarding clocks and time and you have to pay close attention because it foreshadows the events leading up to the end of the film. I do think that this movie could have been much better, but it still delivered love, heartbreak, hope and time.
Black Coal,Thin Ice
Country: China Year: 2014 Genre: Crime, Mystery
In 1999, a brutal murder has taken place where several dismembered body parts have been spread among the city's coal plants. Zhang Zili, a newly divorced detective (Liao Fan) and his partner have been called to investigate. During the investigation, a severe misstep cause the death of two fellow detectives and Zhang's partner being injured.Fast
track 5 years later to 2004, Zhang is now an alcoholic and working
security detail when he reconnects with is former partner and learns
that there have been 3 more murders fitting the same MO of their past
case and the prime suspect is Wu Zhizhen (Gwei Lun Mei), the wife of the murder victim of the 1999 case. The clue that ties Wu to the case is the fact that all 3 victims were her lovers at one point in time.
Just call me an art house fanatic and lover of neo noir films, because I absolutely loved this movie despite it's slow and intense pace. It's dark, gritty, and a bit disturbing. True to noir film fashion. The story revolves around a femme fatale. What I like most is that this isn't the normal bombshell with a mysterious aura type of femme. Wu is a depressing introvert that seems to just live to wake up, work, and sleep and repeat the routine the next day. But when Zhang seems to take a dangerous interest in her, we get to see a bit past her façade and actually be pulled into rooting for her. If you love neo noir, you want be disappointed.
Twilight Online
Country: Hong Kong Year: 2014 Genre: Horror, Thriller, Fantasy
A thriller weaving fact, fiction, and urban legend based on two real incidents: the 2003 Tuen Mun Road traffic accident that claimed 21 lives and the 2013 Yau Oi Estate suicide, where the female victim dressed in red leapt to her death on the day of the Chinese Ghost Festival. The story parallels with Ginny (Sandra Li Zishun), a school teacher, being one of the 21 lives taken by the bus crash and her ghost takes residence in a school near the Ting Kau Bridge. Four female students convince their teacher. Pong (Lawrence Chou Tsun Wai) who was Ginny's fiance before her death, take part in a paranormal nighttime expedition to the school led by Horror DJ Poon Siu Chung. They are hoping to make contact with "ghost" Ginny but things don't exactly go according to plan.
On the other side of town at the Yau Oi Estate where a number of suicides have occurred during the years, Inspector Gu (Eddie Cheung),
who is Ginny's cousin, is called to investigate the mysterious jumper
in red that has been seen by several apartment residents jumping to her
death nightly from the 10th floor, Gu is accompanied on his investigation by young detective Bee (Baby john Choi Hon Yik),
who wants to apprentice under him and gives him the most important
information that someone is calling from help beyond the grave.
Is it possible that these two events will somehow collide?
I wouldn't really consider this a horror movie. There was some fright with no bite, but it was still a refreshing throwback to horror movies in the 90's. The story could have been a little stronger but the authenticity of the entire movie compensates for it. The movie was shot throughout the streets of Hong Kong as well as on location of the Yao Yi estates and the school. It's uses old school visual effects & 90's cinematography. It's has a bit of slapstick humor so no intense thinking needed. I also loved the chemistry between Babyjohn (really?) and Eddie Cheung. It was sweet and enduring especially during their scary moments. Not much gore, has a bit of crazy, a few WTF moments, some jump moments, a touch of seriousness, but many laughs.
If you have any suggestions of movies that I should add to my "watch list" please feel free to message me on my page @ChaNee
If you are interested in sharing your movie recommendations, please contact Kikimorka
