[Paz]

You sure?  I'm pissed that I missed it, and I was looking for it pretty closely, that last season.  Plus I thought Spirited Away's TV premier was on BBC2 just after Christmas, but it's not like the Radio Times has never been wrong before. 

Anyway, I don't have to wait for it on TV anymore, and now for a not unreasonable price, nor do you. 

[Dr T]

On a similar Asian film vibe, Infernal Affairs and Infernal Affairs 2 are both utterly fantastic if you like triad gang thrillers with clever twists and intelligent writing. 

Have I already talked up one nite in Mongkok here yet...
if I haven't I should have done....

[Johnny Brown]

Plus I thought Spirited Away's TV premier was on BBC2 just after Christmas

Well it was here, superb. Since watched Howl's moving castle on DVD, very good but the story is not quite up to the same standard.

[Houdini]

Apologies if it's been plugged prior to this, but City of God blew my stack t'other night.

Rio street urchins dealing violence and shit-hot coke 24-7.  I like screen violence but this gave me the willies:  they are all so goddamn young it's frightening.  What a life.

Portugese with subtitles.  It's great.

[Johnny Brown]

Amazing eh? I think it got plugged back on about post 2 of the old thread. Always worth reminding folk about though.

[Yossarian]

I think Tommy TT and others recommended Kung Fu Hustle when it was on general release.

Word to the KFH tip and indeed to Shaolin Soccer - a really funny film I thought. 

On a similar Asian film vibe, Infernal Affairs and Infernal Affairs 2 are both utterly fantastic if you like triad gang thrillers with clever twists and intelligent writing.  I could draw a simile with the Godfather series, but that would be a bit lame so I won't!

There is a third part to this epic series, but I haven't seen it yet.  I hope it is as well written, shot, acted and styled as the first two parts.  Both heavily recommended by me (admittedly not exactly Barry Norman though)

The third one is worth watching but it's pretty difficult to follow...

[SA Chris]

You sure?  I'm pissed that I missed it, and I was looking for it pretty closely, that last season.  Plus I thought Spirited Away's TV premier was on BBC2 just after Christmas, but it's not like the Radio Times has never been wrong before. 

I think most films that make a "TV Premier" have been on Cable a few times before. Depends on yor PoV I suppose.

Seen a few Miyakzaki Films now, and while they are all enjoyable, I donm't think any quite match up to Spirited Away.

Infernal Affairs is on Film4 soon, this week I think. A digi box with a hard drive recorder is a worthwhile investment for catching things like this.

[Paz]

Oh right `On TV' implies `for free' for me, it's different to `on sky' and 'on NTL'.

While we're going back on old recommendations Zatoichi (Takeshi Iketano's version) is indeed ace. 

[BenF]

While we're going back on old recommendations Zatoichi (Takeshi Iketano's version) is indeed ace. 

Oh yes, yes, yes.  I love that film.

[Paz]

I'll stadn by the above recommendations but they aren't cheapest anymore.  Dammit I was wrong, they've all gone and dropped their prices now, why can't any of them drop their prices when none of the others do when it would be useful.

[Mike Tyson]

Just watched 300 on a somewhat "unofficial" copy.

Graphically amazing,a very very good film.

You can see the similarities to Sin City.

[Moo]

300 is amazing if somewhat homoerotic good one for dense.

[Bubba]

However. Just watched "Tsotsi" on DaViD. Set in a south african township - about a rudeboy thug (tsotsi) who nicks a car with a baby in the backseat. Goes on to show how he's affected by the experience. Beautifully shot well paced, good story, fantastic acting (by a cast of amateurs, I think). Well worth a watch unless you can't abide subtitles (in which case why are you even reading this thread?) Check it. Word...

I propped this when it was in cinemas. There may be a few new actors in it, but I have seen many of them in small roles in South African film and telly before.

It is good, insightful and well acted.

Just caught this the other day - excellent film, well worth watching.

[Mike Tyson]

http://specials.uk.msn.com/diehard4/default.aspx

Not sure about this, the old ones had a certain comedy element about them. This looks way to serious!!!

[Paul B]

watched the illusionist the other day, thought that was very good. I was then subjected to Dream girls - that wasn't so good.

[steven82]

i thought 300 was quite a good film a bit strange but good

[Duma]

dunno if anyone's bigged up Children Of Men yet - well done near future post apocolyptic type thang. Well acted and interestingly shot - the loooong takes work really well. Worth seeing, and on a step above the average fare of this genre.

[Paul B]

It's a bit random though...

[Falling Down]

I'm looking forward to seeing 'Sunshine'...

[Eddies]

Just watched 300!
Man those lads must have been pumped full of roids to get abs like that!?
Unless they have those fake muscle vests on!

[Nibile]

i recently watched "last man standing" with bruce willis and liked it alot.
and also "the funeral" from abel ferrara.

[Rob]

Just watched 300! Man those lads must have been pumped full of roids to get abs like that!?

There were trained by a climber, the alpinist Mark Twight.

and I'm looking forward to Sunshine as well.

[Yossarian]

i read that those abs were slightly, let us say, augmented. with the help of a bit of digital trickery...

[fatneck]

Watched "The Departed" the other day. Excellent and amazingly tense. Can't remember suspense being so claustrophobic.

[Paz]

What does everyone think to Curse of The Golden Flower?  My friends managed to deconstruct the hell out of this movie and so not enjoy it afterwards, but cinematic excellence wasn't really the reason we went in the first place.  If you ignore the messed up family soap opera bit that's like Chinese Pride and Prejudice, and the shaky plot it has many of the essential elements that you would have loved to have seen in a film when you were nine, and then some:

Martial Arts, check.
Ninjas, check.  (they look enough like ninjas for me)
Bright Colours, check
Fit oriental actresses in corsets, check
Big battle scene, check
Ultimate seige engines, check
Implausibly large cast that's hard to put down to CGI, check.
Really good looking crags (Gordale but bigger) that you hope aren't CG'd.

It's a blast.  My advice:  take sunglasses.