Cheeze and wheezers - a decade of films - 1997 part 2
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Directed by Ringo Lam. Police Inspector Pao is trying to catch Mak Kwan,
a gang member who is first arrested, but then escapes from the prison.
By chance, Pao realizes that the target of Kwan's gang is the H.K.
Jockey Club. The film transforms from a formula competition between cop
and robber midway through the film, to a gripping portrait of two men
who must live with the life-and-death decisions that they make in their
line of work.
Koi gokudo (1997) aka A Yakuza in Love
Director Rokuro Mochizuki presents a story of love blossoming in the
strangest of places. His trademark directorial style concentrates on the
personal interplay of the lovers, Kinichi, a yakuza enforcer and Yoko, a
timid waitress. After a rocky start, a loving relationship develops
between them, thanks partly to the mixing drugs with a kidnapping!
Kinichi vows to clean up his act but the drugs begin to take effect,
sending Kinichi and Yoko on a downward spiral with only their love left
to hold them together.
Kokkuri-san (1997) aka Kokkuri
Kokkuri is about 3 school girls (at least we assume they are school
girls. They wear the uniforms and talk about school, but we actually
never see them attend)who decide one day to summon a spirit named
Kokkuri-san using a handmade ouija board. Everything is fine and dandy
until the spirit decides it is done playing nice and refuses to leave.
Kull the Conqueror (1997)
A barbarian named Kull unexpectedly becomes a king after an old king
(whom Kull has just killed in a battle) gives his crown to him. But
direct heirs of a killed king, trying to topple Kull and regain the
throne, bring an old witch-queen Akivasha back to life. Their plan
backfires, however, as Akivasha is going to allow their lords - demons -
to rule the kingdom. The only thing that can stop her now is a breath of
the god Volka.
Kundun (1997)
Probably the best film Martin Scorcese ever made. The Tibetans refer to
the Dalai Lama as 'Kundun', which means 'The Presence'. He was forced to
escape from his native home, Tibet, when communist China invaded and
enforced an oppressive regime upon the peaceful nation of Tibet. The
Dalai Lama escaped to India in 1959 and has been living in exile in
Dharamsala ever since.
Kyua (1997) aka Cure
Fascinating film. A wave of gruesome murders is sweeping Tokyo. The only
connection is a bloody "X" carved into the neck of each of the victims.
In each case the murderer is found near the victim and remembers nothing
of the crime. Detective Takabe and psychiatrist Sakuma are called in to
figure out the connection but their investigation goes nowhere. An odd,
young man is arrested near the scene of the latest murder, who has a
strange effect on everyone who comes into contact with him. Detective
Takabe starts a series of interrogations to determine the man's
connection with the killings.
Laserhawk (1997)
Teenagers in a mid-west town discover that they are destined to fight
off an alien invasion as the crew of a spacecraft of unknown origin.
They are aided by a mysterious patient in a psychiatric hospital and a
frenetic comic book artist.
Leave It to Beaver (1997)
Dumb fun. Cleavers are an all-American family living in Ohio - wise
father Ward, loving mother June, teen-age son Wally and 8-year-old
"Beaver" Theodore. Beaver hopes to get a bike as a gift from his father
and to please him tries out for his school football team and he makes
it, only to be embarrassed. The bike he gets is quickly stolen.
Meanwhile Wally is trying to help his friend Eddie Haskell to get the
heart of pretty classmate Karen, but Karen seems to like Wally more, and
that leads to tensions between the friends.
Leprechaun 4: In Space (1997)
I know I know, but this actually is probably the best of the sequels. On
a distant planet, a power hungry Leprechaun kidnaps a Dominian princess,
Princess Zarina, and plans to make himself king. But not if a bumbling
brigade of space marines have anything to say about it. Their commander
is a mad scientist by the name of Dr. Mittenhand, who's half machine
thanks to one of his "experiments". Once on the planet, Leprechaun is
blown up, but quickly is reborn through one of the marines and wreaks
havoc aboard the ship. Meanwhile Dr. Mittenhand plans to use the
princess for his experiments to make himself whole again. But after many
of the marines are killed, Leprechaun turns Dr. Mittenhand into a
grotesque monster and plans to blow up the ship. The remaining marines
have to stop his evil plans and blow *him* up.
Liang ge zhi neng huo yi ge (1997) aka The Odd One Dies
The movie captures a few days in the life of a street urchin (of sorts).
Takeshi Kaneshiro gives a stellar performance as a wandering thug, with
nothing to lose--until he meets an equally lost soul. The resting love
affair is quirky, heartbreaking and incredibly real. The two characters
exist on the peripheries of society, in a world where love seems
impossible, which makes the relationship between the two that much more
powerful.
Liu jai yim tam ji yau kau (1997) aka Erotic Ghost Story: Perfect Match
Three vixens have meditated for 1,000 years to able to shed their animal
natures and become human. For the final month of their rigors, they have
moved near a village where women pray to a god of fertility. One sister
visits the god's temple and thinks lustful thoughts. As she leaves, a
priest confronts her, warning of dire consequences and of demons that
will try to stop the vixens' transformation. Soon, the youngest sister
saves a poor scholar from bandits and becomes enamored of him. Each
sister visits him, and before long, the youth has made love to all
three. After they invite him to stay with them, the playfulness takes a
scary turn. Where can they turn for help?
Lynyrd Skynyrd: Lyve from Steel Town (1997)
Ma Wing-Jing (1997) aka Hero
Ma Wing Jing and his older brother Ma Tai Chueng arrive in Shanghai to
make their fortune at the end of the Qin Dynasty. Be-friending a
powerful mobster (Tam Sei) Wing Jing is given his nightclub in return
for saving Tam Sei's life. Unfortunately, another Gangster wants the
territory a well. Corruption and violence rule the streets as Wing Jing
and Tam Sei must battle not only the rival gangs but the corrupt police
officials as well.
The Magic Pearl (1997)
Sadly VHS only listed. This animated, 90-minute adventure is a unique,
beautifully-rendered adaptation of the ancient Chinese ghost stories
that have been handed down from generation to generation. The story
starts out in modern-day California, where two children of Chinese
heritage are left in the care of their Grandmother while their parents
are away on a trip. But their Grandmother is no ordinary Grandmother.
She is more like a wise witch doctor, full of stories, and able to
conjure up spells and magic potions. Initially the children are afraid
of her, but gradually she wins their trust. By mistake, the three of
them are transported to ancient China, where they enter a world fraught
with wizards, witches, ghosts and an assortment of other dangers. This
is where the adventure begins, as they try to safely make their way back
to the modern world. But they won't leave China without learning some
important life lessons, as well as an appreciation for their culture.
Set amongst ancient temples, villages and lakes, with a backdrop of wide
plains and towering, mist-covered mountains, "The Magic Pearl" takes the
viewer on an animated travelogue of China. The story is compelling and
the voice characterizations - featuring an all-Asian cast which includes
France Nguyen and George Takei as a talking frog named Ha Ping - are all
superb. The beautiful watercolor backgrounds (which won background
artist Barbara Schade an Emmy Award) are reason enough to see this
exciting adventure story.
Makai tenshô: Jigoku-hen (1997) aka Ninja Resurrection
Classic gore anime, based on one of the most well known legends in
Japan. I have at least 2 live action films based on the story.
Resurrection is set at the close of the civil wars that led to the
unification of Japan in the 17th century. Tokisada Shiro Amakusa is
regarded as the Son of God by a group of Christians rebelling against
the newly established Tokugawa Shogunate. Jubei tries to negotiate
Shiro's surrender to end the rebellion, but fails. The resulting
slaughter of Shiro's followers sets in motion a complicated plot
involving a prophecy that if the new Savior is rejected, he will be
reborn as Satan. Resurrection is exceedingly gory, even by anime
standards: heads are split open, a violent rape ends in a bloodbath, a
disemboweled warrior fights with his intestines flailing like tentacles,
crows pick at cadavers.
Mannheim Steamroller: Christmas Live (1997)
I loved Mannheim Steamroller when they started out with a series of
albums called Fresh Aire. Then they sold out and went commercial. But
lots of people love their christmas stuff.
Message to Love: The Isle of Wight Festival (1997)
A look back at the third, and final, Isle of Wight festival. It is a
complete rockumentary showing everthing from the performances of several
rock legends to the backstage squabbling that nearly destroyed the
festival, but was a precursor of the greed and cynicism that would
infect the music scene of the 1970's. Ian Anderson, Joan Baez, Martin
Barre, Chick Churchill, Leonard Cohen, Billy Cox, Roger Daltrey, Miles
Davis, John Densmore, Donovan, The Doors, Graeme Edge, Keith Emerson,
Emerson Lake and Palmer, John Entwistle, Andy Fraser, Free, Rory
Gallagher, Justin Hayward, Jimi Hendrix, Jethro Tull, Simon Kirke, Paul
Kossoff, Robby Krieger, Kris Kristofferson, Greg Lake, Alvin Lee, Ric
Lee, John Lodge, Leo Lyons, Ray Manzarek, Richard McCracken, Joni
Mitchell, Mitch Mitchell, The Moody Blues. Keith Moon, Jim Morrison.
Carl Palmer, Mike Pinder, Paul Rodgers, John Sebastian, Taste, Ray
Thomas, Tiny Tim, Pete Townshend, The Who, John Wilson, Ten Years After.
Metro (1997)
Little known but pretty decent Eddie Murphy actioner. Roper, a hostage
negotiator catches a murderous bank robber after a blown heist. The bank
robber escapes and immediately goes after the man who put him behind
bars. The ending is played out with Roper and his partner McCall
attempting to rescue Roper's kidnapped girlfriend. A major element in
the plot is the relationship between Roper and his girlfriend.
Mi tao cheng shu shi (1997) aka The Fruit Is Swelling
Delightful. Probably the most heartwarming, wholesome softcore porn film
ever made! Peach is a cute little 8-year-old girl, who, like most kids
her age, is curious about love and sex. Her parents think she's too
young to learn about "the birds and the bees" and won't give her any
information. Her sexually promiscuous teenage sister isn't much help,
either. When Peach and her best friend Fatty Girl find a magic tree,
they make an offering to it and wish that they were grownups so they
could finally figure out what love and sex are all about. The next
morning, Peach wakes up to find that she's a grown woman! The now
18-year-old Peach (played by the sexy Chung Chun) observes her sister
making love to her boyfriend, and spies on her philandering father
making it with his buxom mistress, (in a wild kitchen romp that makes
creative use of food) but Peach is not satisfied to merely watch. She
must experience love and sex for herself. She tries to seduce her
handsome swimming teacher, whom she's always had a crush on. She finds
the road to love and sex paved with heartache. Will Peach ever figure
out that mysterious thing called love? Will she fall in love, experience
her first kiss and have her first sexual encounter? What lessons will
she ultimately learn about love, sex, herself, and the grownup world?
The Fruit Is Swelling is classic Cat III, with full-frontal nudity and
graphic simulated sex, but it also offers lots of laughs and a whole lot
of heart. It's a sexy, funny, moving treat that's light years ahead of
any American sex comedy, superbly written, directed, and acted. Chung
Chun, who plays the adult Peach, delivers a brilliant performance as a
child trapped in an adult's body. And of course, Elvis Tsui is at his
bawdy best as Peach's cheating father.
Mimic (1997)
A favorite. A disease carried by common cockroaches is killing Manhattan
children. In an effort to stop the epidemic an entomologist, Susan
Tyler, creates a mutant breed of insect that secretes a fluid to kill
the roaches. This mutant breed was engineered to die after one
generation, but three years later Susan finds out that the species has
survived and evolved into a large, gruesome monster that can mimic human
form.
--
After that horrible lawn-mower accident, I'm lucky I can still feel my
toes. I like to jiggle them around in my pocket for luck.
bo...@1s.net
Mommy II: Mommys Day (1997)
Mommy has done some pretty bad things and in this sequel to "Mommy" she
is about to pay for her crimes. But wait, Mommy is not through yet; a
woman like her cannot be disposed of so easily. After all, she only
wants to clear her name and reunite with her precious daughter Jessica
Anne. Patty McCormack's "Mommy" character- supposedly rehabilitated
through the wonders of modern chemistry- is just one of many suspects in
a series of brutal killings. The media and those around her however are
relentless in trying to get her to confess and discover the truth. In
addition the famlies of her former victims would like nothing better
then to see Mommy dead. Can she riase above it all, and still regain the
love of the daughter she once nearly killed?
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997)
Where the original movie left off finds Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, Rayden,
Princess Kitana and Johnny Cage up against emperor Shao Kahn and his
extermination squad led by Ermac, Motaro, Sheeva and Rain. Kahn's plan
is to merge Earth with Outworld into one realm by resurrecting Kitana's
mother, Queen Sindel. After the death of Johnny Cage, the warriors flee
from Liu Kang's temple where Rayden tells me they are no more rules
because Kahn broke them and the only way they can defeat them is to
bring peace into Sindel's spirit and they have seven days to do it.
Rayden then sends Sonya to find his partner Jax, while Kitana and Liu
Kang goes looking for Nightwolf so they can help them defeat Shao Kahn.
Mousehunt (1997)
A favorite silly movie. Undrerated classic. A family film about a mouse
that lives in an old house where the geriatric owner dies, and Nathan
Lane and Lee Evans have plans for, but they have trouble getting rid of
the mouse. It's like Home Alone with a mouse. They've tried Catzilla, a
feline so ferocious it can't be euthanized. They've tried booby traps
that Rube Goldberg would marvel at. They've even tried Caesar
(hilariously played by Christopher Walken), a demented exterminator
whose "Squeak Seeker 2000" mouse-cam will infiltrate even the cleverest
rodent's secret lair. But the Smuntz brothers Ernie and Lars just can't
win against the tenacious mouse that wreaks havoc in the vintage home
they've inherited from their father.
Mr. Magoo (1997)
Undrerated. Mr.Magoo is an eccentric millionaire with very bad eyesight
who refuses to use eyeglasses and therefore always gets into trouble.
During the museum robbery he accidentally gets a priceless gem called
the Star of Kurdistan, and begins to trace the way for the
arch-criminals whose idea was to steal the gem - Austin Cloquet and
Ortega "The Piranha" Peru, while two federal agents Stupak and Anders
lead the manhunt for Mr.Magoo himself.
The Necro Files (1997)
No DVD or VHS listed. This is, quite possibly the worst film ever made.
It's a hilariously bad cult classic. There's a DVD out there somewhere.
A cannibal rapist rises from the grave as a flesh-eating zombie sex
maniac! Two Seattle cops, a satanic cult and a flying demon fetus try to
stop the lust-crazed ghoul before he can kill again.
Nekro (1997)
No DVD or VHS listed for this amazing film. Inspired by some actual, but
never publicized facts, the NEKRO story is staged in settings and
locations specific to the mid-eighties in Romania. Its basic building
block is the eternal fight between God and Satan. "Securitatea", then
the Communist State Security Service, spots out an illegal religious
sect. David, a colonel serving with Securitatea, is assigned to
eradicate the sect. He arrests the leader of the sect and subjects him
to a series of sadistic interrogations. During the interrogations,
David's mind blurs out. He gets revelations from the World of Darkness,
and starts acting as a demon-possessed man. The leader of the sect
vanishes. Diagnosed as a madman by a psychiatrist, David is dismissed
from Securitatea. Eight years later, David senses the presence of his
Master in the surroundings, but cannot locate him. Then, he sees on the
news the former leader of the sect, who returned to Romania as a film
producer. He's the Master, David has no doubt, the former leader of the
sect, now a film producer, is his Master. But, as David was not cursed
by God to be a Demon, he gathers the last of his strength and attempts
to kill the Master. Consequently, David is arrested and taken by the
police to a hospice. As all these unfold, several young women are
murdered in Bucharest (the Capital City of Romania), the killings
becoming braking news. The psychiatrist who diagnosed David as madman,
and - who possesses psychic powers, envisions the next young woman that
will be murdered. He calls and leaves a message on her answering
machine. The young woman is indeed killed. Looking for clues, the police
search the young woman's residence and hear the psychiatrist's message.
They talk to him, and the psychiatrist relates David to the murders. The
lieutenant in charge with the investigations into the killings knows
that David cannot be the killer. David was under surveillance in the
hospice at the time the young woman that the psychiatrist tried to
prevent was murdered. The lieutenant suspects that they are dealing with
a serial killer, as sex was performed on each corpse after the killing.
What the lieutenant does not know though, is that the sex acts were
videotaped for commercial purpose. David escapes from the hospice, and
his daughter is kidnapped. His senses take him to a forest that spreads
beyond the city limits, where his Master performs the killing rituals.
The Master is the actual killer. He ordered the kidnapping of David's
daughter. David's daughter is obviously next on the Master's list, but
David's appearance in the forest complicates plans. Eventually, David is
asked to perform sex on his own daughter. Instead of having sex with his
own daughter, David kills her. Then, he gets killed. Was David cursed by
God to be a Demon? In the life after, David defeats the evil spirit, who
reincarnated itself into the leader of the sect, then into the producer.
Do God and Satan exist?
Night of the Demons III (1997)
A group of young criminals accidentally shoot a police officer. To avoid
being arrested they hide out in an abandoned house. When they realize
that the house is haunted, they start to wish that they had turned
themselves in when they had a chance.
The Odyssey (1997)
Just watched this on sci fi and it was surprisingly good. Homer's
classic epic poem about the travels of Ulisses after his conquest of
Troy is brought to the small screen. However, the gods seize the
opportunity to make Odysseus and his crew a domino in their games
forcing him to take detours that add years to his trip and throw him
into conflict with Circe, the Cyclops, Poseidon, and ultimately to Hades
itself. Meanwhile, Odysseus' wife, Penelope, is forced to hold off
suitors trying to claim his property in the thought that Odysseus has
died. Nonetheless, Odysseus keeps trying to find his way back with the
aid of Athena.
Office Killer (1997)
I'll watch anything with Carol Kane in it. When Dorine Douglas' job as
proofreader for Constant Consumer magazine is turned into an at-home
position during a downsizing, she doesn't know how to cope. But after
accidentally killing one of her co-workers, she discovers that murder
can quench the loneliness of her home life, as a macabre office place
forms in her basement, populated by dead co-workers.
Omega Doom (1997)
After earth is taken over by an army of robots, the small number of
humans left are forced into hiding. In the nuclear winter, only droids
walk the face of the earth, in fear of the rumored human resurgence, and
in search of a hidden cache of weapons. One robot, his evil circuits
destroyed, enters a small town where a robot civil war is taking place.
He tries to convince both sides to join forces in search of the weapons,
all the while having a hidden agenda, and an affinity for one of the
local droids.
Parasaito Ivu (1997) Parasite Eve
Toshiaki Nagashima is a biologist who is doing major research on
mitochondria. When his beautiful young wife is tragically involved in a
car accident which leaves her brain dead, in desperation he steals her
liver from her body in order to recieve the mitochondria from it to
resurrect his wife from the dead. The killer mitochondria takes the form
of his assistant who then uses the biologist for the host of a
terrifying new species that is threatening to take over the world.
Paws (1997)
Alex knows the whereabouts of a stashed-away fortune of $1 million. The
mysterious Anja kidnaps him, but he's transferred clues of location of
the cash onto computer disk that he gives to his dog called PC (Billy
Connolly), who has to find a friend of Alex's, Susan.
The Postman (1997)
Not nearly as good as the book, but not as bad as people say either. In
the year 2013 civilization has all but destroyed itself. After a war
that decimated the government and most of the population of the United
States (possibly the world) people struggle to survive against
starvation and rogue groups of armed men. One such group is called the
Holnists. This group is bigger than any other and their leader, General
Bethlehem, has delusions of ruling the country. A drifter (Costner) is
captured by the group and forced to join. He escapes at the first chance
and happens on a mail jeep with a skeleton in it. The skeleton is
wearing a postal uniform and the drifter takes it to keep him warm. He
also finds a mailbag and starts conning people with old letters. The
hope he sees in the people he delivers to changes his plans and he
decides that he must help bring the Holnists down.
Lynn, Maurice and Cham
A barbarian named Kull unexpectedly becomes a king after an old king
(whom Kull has just killed in a battle) gives his crown to him. But
direct heirs of a killed king, trying to topple Kull and regain the
throne, bring an old witch-queen Akivasha back to life. Their plan
backfires, however, as Akivasha is going to allow their lords - demons -
to rule the kingdom. The only thing that can stop her now is a breath of
the god Volka.
***This was ok for what it is.
Kyua (1997) aka Cure
Leprechaun 4: In Space (1997)
Makai tenshô: Jigoku-hen (1997) aka Ninja Resurrection
Metro (1997)
***Qued.
Mimic (1997)
A favorite. A disease carried by common cockroaches is killing Manhattan
children. In an effort to stop the epidemic an entomologist, Susan
Tyler, creates a mutant breed of insect that secretes a fluid to kill
the roaches. This mutant breed was engineered to die after one
generation, but three years later Susan finds out that the species has
survived and evolved into a large, gruesome monster that can mimic human
form.
***Very underrated giant mutant bug movie. This movie succeeds at being
smart and scary, something rare in the 90s (and today). The sequels go down
in quality.
***Cham