Varied Celluloid

Robo Vampire

Posted by JoshSamford On June - 11 - 2014ADD COMMENTS

	Robo Vampire (198)

Director:	Joe Livingstone (alias)
Writers:	William Palmer (alias)
Starring:	Robin Mackay, Nian Watts, Harry Myles, and Joe Browne

The Plot: Somewhere in Hong Kong (presumably), there is a gang of drug peddlers who are at war with the law. There is one man in particular that seems to constantly get in the way of their nefarious goals, and that man is Tom. The mob are soon working with a witch doctor, of sorts, who devises a plan to create the ultimate vampire in order to defeat Tom. This ultimate vampire looks a lot like an ape… so yeah, the ape man’s former girlfriend comes back from the dead as a ghost in order to marry the ape-man-vampire which is supposed to soothe his spirit. This has no bearing on the plot, but it’s fun to mention. Tom does eventually fall in combat to the ape-man-vampire, but thanks to the miracles of modern medicine he comes back as a Robo Warrior, complete with a spray-painted outfit that is supposed to look like metal. The Robo Warrior, with his arsenal of firearms, begins blasting hopping vampires and random goons for the rest of the movie. Also, there’s some subplot from another movie cut into the action that I could not figure out how it was supposed to work with all of the Robo action.

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Beyond Outrage

Posted by JoshSamford On June - 4 - 2014ADD COMMENTS

	Beyond Outrage (2012)

Director:	Takeshi Kitano
Writers:	Takeshi Kitano
Starring:	Beat Takeshi, Toshiyuki Nishida, Tomokazu Miura, and Fumiyo Kohinata

The Plot: This sequel to Takeshi Kitano’s 2010 film Outrage takes place in the years following the events of the first movie. Otomo (Beat/Takeshi Kitano) is shown serving time in prison with very little interest in the yakuza life. However, the police are soon rattled when a government official is revealed to have been murdered in what appears to have been a yakuza execution. Corrupt detective Shigeta (Yutaka Matsushige) is placed on the case along with his straight-edge partner, and Shigeta immediately begins investigating the new leader of the Sanno-Kai syndicate, Kato (Tomokazu Miura). Detective Shigeta instigates as much turmoil in the Sanno-Kai syndicate as he can, but when his first attempts to cause internal struggle within the group is foiled, he turns to Otomo in order to find an ally. Otomo had a falling out with the Sanno-Kai, but will he be pressured back into “the life”?

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Jeans Blues: No Future

Posted by JoshSamford On June - 3 - 2014ADD COMMENTS

	Jeans Blues: No Future (1974)

Director:	Sadao Nakajima
Writers:	Takeo Kaneko and Sadao Nakajima
Starring:	Tsunehiko Watase, Meiko Kaji, and Ryôhei Uchida

The Plot: Hijiriko (Meiko Kaji) is hostess at a bar, Jiro (Tsunehiko Watase)nis a low-rent hood who is working with his buddies on their biggest score yet. In the same night, both of these outsiders run away from their jobs, but Jiro happens to take all of the prize money from this “big score” and now all of his old friends want him dead. So, with a laundry list of people searching for them, these two find a bond with one another and are soon enjoying their newfound riches. However, few great things are meant to last.

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No Holds Barred

Posted by JoshSamford On May - 22 - 2014ADD COMMENTS

	No Holds Barred (1989)

Director:	Thomas J. Wright
Writers:	Dennis Hackin
Starring:	Hulk Hogan, Joan Severance, Kurt Fuller, and Tommy “Tiny” Lister.

The Plot: Rip (Hulk Hogan) is the World Wrestling Federation champion, and if there’s one thing you can say about him: he is loyal. So, when Brell (Kurt Fuller), the head of the World Television Network, tries to persuade Rip to jump ship and join his network, he turns him down flat. Brell isn’t used to being turned down though, so a war is immediately declared between the two men. This leads Brell on a quest to find someone equally as magnetic and tough as Rip, which leads him to some local dive bars that are packed with numerous roughnecks who fight in no-holds-barred fighting competitions. Brell decides to make these vulgar events into television history and gives them the name, “Battle of the Tough Guys.” During the first event, Brell finds his man. A monster known as Zeus (Tommy “Tiny” Lister) steps forward and destroys the competition. Soon, Brell is doing everything in his power to set up Zeus vs. Rip, and he will go to any length necessary to make this match happen.

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Special ID

Posted by JoshSamford On April - 24 - 2014ADD COMMENTS

	Special ID (2013)

Director:	Clarence Fok
Writers:	Kam-Yuen Szeto
Starring:	Donnie Yen, Tian Jing, Andy On and Colin Chou.

The Plot: Donnie Yen plays Chan (aka Dragon), an undercover officer from the Hong Kong police department. He has been rooted into the world of Hong Kong organized crime for such a long period of time that he has now covered his body with tattoos and completely changed his way of life. When things get a bit too hot back in Hong Kong, Dragon is sent as a “Special Identity” to the mainland where he is to interact with his former student Sunny (Andy On). When he arrives, he is paired with mainland officer Fang Jing (played by Tian Jing) and this duo must find a way to bring down Sunny while also keeping Dragon safe, which may be a lot trickier than it sounds.

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NAVIGATION