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Dawn of the Dead

Check this upcoming horror movie...

Appleseed 2004 Trailer

I'm a huge fan of good anime especially movies. I love to watch but not to research on what's new and notable. Gio my buddy - he's sort of a historian/fanatic when it comes to anime, updated me with possibly the hottest anime movie to come out this spring (unfortunately - it's going to be in Japan only, or even UK) -APPLESEED! Anyway, news has been around since 2002 but now it's coming out!

If you recall Ghost in the Shell, the creator of that anime/manga is Shirow Masamune. Prior to GITS he did a number of different titles such as Dominion Tank Police, Galhound, and more - including the popular Appleseed. Of course it's all about mechs, blazing guns, cool moves, and hot chicks. But, the most inspiring part is the art and style.

Shirow Masamune created Applessed in the early 90s. He is one of my favorite artists. Now, they're coming up with the 2004 movie! They did animes in the 90s but of course that won't do this justice. You have to see this CGI - with cell animation overlapped. It's soo smoooth! Hey and if you think it is sort of a Matrix run off, wrong. The Wachowski brothers were also inspired by Japanese anime and manga, even before Matrix. Thus, Matrix has some influences of the Jap anime culture.

Now, all I have to do is find a way to get an Original/English Subtitled/DVD version of this.

Here is the link to the trailer:

Appleseed 2004 Trailer: Download file

Other info:

Official site
Soundtrack

Van Helsing

I just talked to my brother a few minutes ago. He's a huge fan of horror and sci-fi movies. He just mentioned the upcoming Van Helsing movie coming this May. If you don't know who Van Helsing is, well he is known as a monster hunter in the 1800s, remember Dracula? Stars Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale. Check it out. Even if I'm a hermit at the moment, I may go see this. It looks like the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen with a mix of Bram Stoker's Dracula.

I Love Movies. MUSA is Spectacular! What's Wrong With Asian Movies?

I love watching movies. Aside from collecting hard-to-find electronica-lounge CDs, I have a growing collection of DVD movies. I am an avid audiophile as well.

Warning, partial spoiler:

I just watched "MUSA the Warrior", a Korean-Chinese movie about a Korean diplomatic envoy/convoy. They were sent to Nanjing, China to settle accusations of the murder of a Ming envoy sent to Korea. The Korean envoy has been accused and exiled. Now I can't tell the whole story. That would be a real spoiler. But, on their way to exile, they rescue a kidnapped Ming princess (played by Zhang Zi Yi) from a Yuan Dynasty Clan - at that time the Yuans and Mings were at war. They decided that if they returned the Ming princess, the Mings would clear the murder accusations and grant favors to the Korea. Now in History, this Korean envoy dissapeard.

Anyway, I just have to say that even if this movie came out in 2001, it still is spectacular for 2004 standards. I read that this is probably the most expensive Korean movie ever made. It's now part of my collection. It's very, very, brutal. I have not seen anything like it. Braveheart may be a movie close to the likes of it. But this is amazingly different. Aside from the story and characters, the cinematography is great. The fight scenes are possible but oh so brutal! No Chinese-style kung fu. My only gripe is the editing.

There is always something depressing about great Asian movies, particularly, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean (my first Korean movie) movies. Here comes the spoiler!!! They always tend to end with a sad ending. Like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Hero, Princess Blade, even the animes Ninja Scroll and Devil Hunter D:Bloodlust, etc. I guess happy endings are only for Hollywood movies.

I recommend that you watch MUSA - in DVD of course. It's something greatly different. I read Hero is coming out in 2004. I was able to watch it in Manila off of a bootleg DVD copy from a street vendor. That is a tastefully done movie. Has a good number of Chinese kung fu fighting. Close to CTHD.

Anyway, here's my current setup when I watch movies or listen to music:

Amplifier: Denon AVR2802 (I wish I could afford THX!)
DVD Player: Denon 900, Sony DAVS300
Bang & Olufsen Turntable
Speakers: Boston Acoustics VR965, Boston 910, Boston 80IIx
Sony Trinitron 32

Filipino Martial Arts in American Movies

What does Bourne Identity (staring Matt Damon) and The Hunted (starring Tommy Lee Jones and Benicio del Toro) have in common? The movie used Filipino Martial Arts! A few months back a friend of mine training in Jujitsu had told me about it. I totally forgot. But today was Toilet Yoga day. I pulled this Filipino FHM issue, part of Cai’s “pasalubong” (simple present or little gift?) a year ago and read an article about Submission Fighting. It was interesting and made me search the net. I found out more about it! The movie Kiss of the Dragon (Jet Li), has an awesome Arnis fight scene against 30 (I’m guessing) policemen in martial arts training. Blade 2 has used FMA Eskrima and so has Star Wars-Attack of the Clones and Phantom Menace. Also most of Steven Segal’s stick fighting scenes feature Arnis or Eskrima(?).

I found out that FMA (Filipino Martial Arts) is categorized as a style. It is not commercially well known because it has been kept underground and the Filipinos rarely advertise it. It is popular and used by police and military Special Forces around the world. The FMA systems are also based on real-scenario fighting. I mean when you are in a brawl, you can’t go kicking or flying, it’s not realistic. FMA is for the real world.

The FMA used in the two quite recent movies was “Kali.” Read this history of Kali if you are interested. I did not know that Lapu Lapu – the national hero of the Philippines, used Kali against the Spaniards and Magellan in 1521. Also, the three most thought FMAs are Arnis, Kali, and Eskrima.

As a side note, I now realize how privileged I was back then. I truly am. During college, my school (UST) Martial Arts Guro (teacher) Grand Master Ernesto Presas had thought us Arnis, Arnis de Mano. It's part of our curriculum. He’s known worldwide and is the brother of the late GM Remy Presas. They have trained police and military Special Forces around the world. I even have one of his autographed books. Wooha! Um, Cai, do you still have that book? It’s with the rest of all my books under your bed? Anyway, when I get a chance, I’ll probably get back into it.

Grand Master Ernesto Amador Presas

Remembering Jennifer Aniston