Author Archives: Ching Yee

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Mother
Bong Joon-Ho jumps genres once more with this engrossing film about a mother’s conviction that her son is innocent; offbeat and engaging, the best film I saw in 2009.

Ponyo

Another beautiful masterwork by the ol’ anime master himself, this treasure swims along with a loopy logic all of its own.

Ip Man

Donnie Yen turns his ego down to “watchable” and delivers a powerhouse period … (read more)

The Good – ?

It’s with much sadness to report that no film made my heart sing this year but the following were commendable – Sparrow, Memories of Matsuko, Jodhaa Akbar. Perhaps next year my heart will thaw out.

The Bad – Tashan, May 18

A large proportion of 2008 Hindi releases were uninspiring and forgettable but not Tashan. I’m certain sitting through root canal surgery would be less painful than this. I want my … (read more)

Now I know Heroic-Cinema covers Asian films but I hope you will grant me the liberty to digress a little about two bone-chilling Spanish films: The Devil’s Backbone (“El Espinaza Del Diablo”) and Thesis (“Tesis”)

Endless similarities could be drawn between these two and Hideo Nakata’s Ring – it did make me wonder if the directors have been secretly talking. I shudder to think if they ever got together! (but the sadistic part of me is saying “yes, … (read more)