Yo-Yo Girl Cop Review

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(More customer reviews)YO YO GIRL COP is the English language release title for SUKEBAN DEKA: CODENAME ASAMIYA SAKI, a 2006 Japanese movie based on the original "Sukeban Deka" series detailing the exploits of female special agents operating undercover in high school. The new film is something of a sequel to the 1985 TV series, insofar as the main character, Saki Asamiya, is presented as the daughter of the original "Sukeban Deka" (delinquent girl cop), also codenamed Saki Asamiya, and played in this film by the TV actress who played the part in 1985, Yuki Saito.
What's special about this film version is the casting of four Japanese female pop singers from Hello! Project in the main roles, all of whom do extraordinary jobs. Solo artist Aya Matsuura, one of H!P's greatest talents, plays Saki, while Rika Ishikawa, formerly of Morning Musume and current lead singer of the trio, Biyuuden, plays Saki's chief antagonist, Reika Akiyama. The two girls generally display adorably sweet and sunny dispositions in their J-pop day jobs and have appeared together in games, contests and fun bits over the years on Morning Musume's TV show, "Hello Morning," but are called on here to play unrelenting tough girls, complete with climactic yo-yo battle, and do so with utmost spirit and conviction. The supporting roles of Tae and Kotomi, two girls bullied by Reika and her gang, are filled by Rika's sidekicks in Biyuuden, Yui Okada and Erika Miyoshi, both appearing in their very first film. They provide the film's emotional core by playing wounded souls whose victimization brings to the fore the criminal plot behind a website ominously named "Enola Gay" and designed to attract suicidal teens and promote a wave of suicide bombings. It's Saki's job to get to the bottom of all this and she takes the two bullied girls under her wing in a series of extremely touching scenes.
The heavy melodramatic tone (which matches that of the original TV series) may put off viewers expecting a more tongue-in-cheek, over-the-top style of anime-inspired Japanese action a la CUTIE HONEY, a live-action comic book superhero spectacle from 2004. This one is much more somber and a bit slow in getting to the far-fetched fight scenes that a film like this needs. The final yo-yo battle between Aya and Rika, filmed on location in a sprawling abandoned factory in winter weather, is quite a sight to behold, but one wishes a Hong Kong action director with a more imaginative touch and greater experience with female fighters (paging Corey Yuen!), had been brought in for the action scenes.
Still, if one feels sympathy for the basic situation of a damaged soul like Saki pulling herself together to serve a greater good and redeem herself by smashing a cynical plot to manipulate vulnerable teens, one can find this a reasonably gripping high school-themed thriller. And those who are already fans of Aya Matsuura and Rika Ishikawa can simply sit back and marvel at this whole new side of them.
One of the great attractions of this DVD is the inclusion of a special 41-minute feature, "Yo Yo Girl Mission," which chronicles the making of the film and the process by which two endearing J-pop idols are transformed into karate-kicking bad girls and mortal enemies. One can see their normal "amiable" selves in conflict with the "menacing" behavior required of the characters, leading to frequent breakups into laughter during shooting and a charming bit at a press conference where Aya cutely chides Rika for such laughter. And when the petite and eager-to-please Aya insists on doing her own stunts and gets rigged with cables for a "wire-fu" maneuver, it just increases our high regard and admiration for her. She's also seen in a dual interview alongside Yuki Saito, who plays her mother in the film, but shares no scenes with her. The two even compare their yo-yos.
Aya is heard on the soundtrack singing two songs with Miki Fujimoto, another ex-member of Morning Musume and Aya's partner in the H!P duo, GAM.

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Item Name: Yo-Yo Girl Cop; Studio:Magnolia

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Afro Samurai (Director's Cut) (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)There's no doubt that Afro Samurai has a cool and simple concept and a very bloody style. In this future world of feudal Japan nothing seems to matter but two headbands that represent the two best fighters. To get to the number one fighter you must go through the number two and to get to the number two you must go trough everyone else. This way of life that nobody should have to live especially a child who has nothing but the headbands and revenge on his mind. As a child Afro saw his father who was the number one fighter at the time get massacred by a man named Justice. After the fight is over Justice takes the number one headband off of the head of Afro's father, which was not too far away from his body. Justice tells Afro something similar to what Uma Thurman said to Vivica A. Fox's daughter in Kill Bill, that if he wanted revenge he would fight him when he came for him.
Afro took those words very seriously and took a few things of his fathers including his very cool Katana. Afro immediately went from an innocent child to an almost emotionless man with a ton of weight on him as he begins his vengeful journey. Afro Samurai is a unique anime or story for that matter. You don't see too many people willing to put out a story with basically nothing but very bloody fight scenes for about two episodes before a really good story starts up. Especially in a 5 part series where the episodes are only between 20 and 30 minutes long. I can't lie because I love stuff like that and it made Afro Samurai all the more tempting to finish watching. The second is that this was a pricy anime to make costing $1 million per episode so I'm sure a few viewers from the Hip hop community were expected to watch this. Even if you're an action film fan you have to admit when there's too much action and not enough story Even in a revenge tail like Kill Bill with a certain scene that this anime could relate to 88 times over it had a mystery and story.
Afro was on the verge of being in the too much and not enough category and then a cool story hits you somewhere around the end of episode two. Flashbacks of Afro's life are showed, you see him as a kid again and the people who took him in and gave him his gritty skills. All throughout the 5 part series you see that the money was well spent because the animation is amazing and beautiful. The things that Afro does with his skills are crazy and this animation was a giant step up for anime samurai fight scene, it was flawless. The voice actors are great including Sam Jackson who is great for co-producing this and putting his foot in it.
I think it would have been cool to actually give Afro a real name, it's cool for people that take him on to call him Afro but I think he should have had a name for his other life before he became the Afro Samurai. In other words I kind of wish the story went just a bit deeper with a little bit more complexity. I think that Afro Samurai is a great series that everyone should see especially to view its beautiful quality.

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Ice Cold Soul and a Jones For Revenge
Afro Samurai (voiced by Academy Award nominated Samuel L. Jackson) is an epic tale of a black samurai's hunt for Justice (voiced by Ron Perlman: Hellboy Alien Resurrection ) who murdered his father. With music score by The RZA ( Kill Bill Wu Tang Clan) Afro Samurai blends traditional Japanese culture, funky technology and hip hop to create a brutally fresh entertainment experience.
Director's Cut features:
15 MINUTES OF NEVER BEFORE SEEN FOOTAGE
Exclusive Manga art from Afro Samurai Creator, Takashi Okazaki
In the Booth with RZA - Music Production Tour
Director's Cut Edition of Afro Samurai is a 2-disc set with over 170 minutes of action!
All the cool action at a hot new price!

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BBC History of World War II: Hiroshima (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)I am from Hiroshima. My father was 15 years old and was deployed as a student worker at a ship yard at the time. He does not talk much about his experience, but told me bits and pieces about what he saw. When I was an elementary school student, we had to watch the video footage of the victims that was extremely graphic. So nothing in this program was new to me, although it was very interesting to see how nuclear fusions started inside the bomb.
Having said that, I think this program is a good overview for people who are not familiar with the event. It talks about how the bomb was developed, the political circumstances, the US military mission, GIs who engaged in the mission, and of course, the effect on the people in Hiroshima. There is little criticism or political overtones in the way the program was made, although it is clear that there were terrible misunderstandings between Japanese and US leaders, and that a handful of Japanese extremists led the country into ruins.
I wish the program talked more about the way the atomic bomb affected people long after the event. There is one section that describes the "mistery illness" that plagued the survivers, but it did not talk about the deformed babies born to the mothers who were pregrant at the time, or the cancers that many of the survivers suffered later in their lives. The program also did not mention anything about the American POWs who were detained in Hiroshima at the time. They all perished along with thousands of people of Hiroshima. I am not sure how many Americans know this.
My father is fine. His family lived in the suburbs so none died because of the event although some of the family heirlooms had burn marks that were visible even decades later. My mother's grandparents, however, lived right by the T-shaped bridge that was used as a target so no remains were found. I remember my grandmother used to go to the annual memorial service every year. Although it was somewhat difficult for me to see the suffering of people reenacted in the program, the stupidity of the leaders, and the happiness and the joy that Americans were feeling after the bomb was dropped (not because I am bitter or critical of their actions, but because they really did not realize what was going on in Hiroshima and that they opened the door to a new era of nuclear threats), we need programs like this so we can learn from the history and remember that the war is savage, no matter what side you are on, and that the war should really be the last resort to resolve a conflict.

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It was the defining moment of the 20th Century - the scientific, technological, military, and political gamble of the first atomic attack. This drama-documentary attempts to do what no other film has done before - to show what it is like to live through a nuclear explosion. Set in the three weeks from the test explosion in New Mexico to the dropping of the bomb, the action takes viewers into the room where the crucial political decisions are made; on board the Enola Gay; inside the bomb as it explodes; and on the streets of Hiroshima.

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The Karate Kid Collection (Four Film Set) (1994) Review

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(More customer reviews)Part I (5 stars): Funny, I'm just not a big "karate buff", in fact, this probably is the only set of movies like this I own, or may ever own. When I tell people this is one of my favorite movies *ever*, they laugh. Then they say, "Are you serious?" And my words to explain why always fall short. Beyond the karate, beyond the underdog nature, there lie two characters that seem to compliment each other so perfectly it really makes the movie what it is regardless of the subject matter. Something about the chemistry between Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio simply defies convention and thrives on it. The casting by all involved was surely just one part luck, one part fortune, the DVD extras merely icing. My only complaint is this not being mastered to 5.1 DD sound.
*edit* I watched the commentary last night and I must say I was disappointed. Pat Morita's input was intrusive, and many comments made by the group were simply uncalled for. When Elizabeth Shue would walk away from the camera they would comment about her rear end and totally ruined a part of my respect for them. They went on to ridicule an "extra" who became a greeter of some sort. They laughed and carried on through the whole thing. At the beginning I thought, well they are a lively group, but after 45 minutes it wore thin and I wished then I would have turned it off. There were a few bits here and there I learned, but what I really learned is why companies have the disclaimer at the beginning of the movies.
Part II (4 stars): I'm kind of ashamed of avoiding this movie now. As much as I loved the first I never bothered with the second. I've just never been fond of sequels. Be it Back to the Future Two, the Lost World, or the hundred other sub par sequels, they just seem to mar the original product. However, here at Amazon I read that this story picks up 5 minutes after the first and that peaked my interest. Previously, I just assumed it would be directionless swill. So wrong. The score, the heart, the soul, and even the casting practically live up to the first, and I'm shocked at that. In fact Daniels love interest in this even out does the first!! Having the impact on me this film had 19 years after it was made is quite remarkable. It's not without it's flaws though, the last 15-20 minutes really just seemed to lose steam, the "storm" sequence being almost painful. Sad that there are no extra's to speak of, this movie may have been even more interesting to hear about.
Part III (3 stars): Definitely the weakest of the three, still a must see for the simple fact that Pat and Ralph still have that spark. Sadly, the casting choices for the villains are overwrought and the story just seems forced. I suppose the concept was losing its impact but regardless, the script just wasn't well thought out. Again, this picks up right after Part II and there is just something about this continuity that makes me think John Avildsen has courage and vision. The weakest part of the script easily being the "sign the paper" portions that defied common sense, still like Part II I'm simply shocked these movies are not disastrous "1 out of 5's" (as some here at Amazon alluded to) although having the original director onboard surely meant these movies had the stability they needed... and deserved. Having viewed Parts II and III has forever altered the way I will view Part I, and I'm relieved to report it's all for the better. They only enhanced what I knew and make me appreciate it that much more. Why not have commentary on all three movies?
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The Next Karate Kid (2 stars): I'm trying to view this as a sort of "bonus movie" within the packaged set. While 2 stars may seem low I think this movie does contain some decent performances by Hillary and Pat. The problem again is the script, hell, even the premise. So, a middle aged woman lets a friend of her fathers move in with her teenage daughter while she goes and stays at his home California? Please. A big problem are the overzealous sadistic "TV Movie" quality of just about everyone except the two leads. Even the love interest in this is so utterly flat it is totally deflated. Most of what should have had an impact (like the Hawk) didn't and a certain parts (like "Zen" bowling) seemed like embarrassing filler.


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KARATE KID COLLECTION - DVD Movie

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Top Gear: The Complete Season 11 Review

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(More customer reviews)Yes, the Top Gear nuts are back- racing across Japan in a car v. bullet train challenge, reviving fox hunting using a fox-colored Daihatsu sports vehicle, testing which supercar is the most efficient in race conditions (the winner doing less than 5 MPG), and ruining British-German diplomatic efforts with a contest against a German auto show. If you like either cars or British humor, you will love this show- and this set.
Season 11 is of special interest for aficionados of Japanese culture, as not one but three films take place there: the aforementioned "epic race" of sports car v. Japanese public transport, the track test of the Nissan GT-R from said race, and James May using a Japanese luxury car to deliver sumo wrestlers to a tournament. For these sequences alone, in my opinion, the set is worth the money to anime fans.
THAT SAID... the same problems that existed with the Season 10 set remain. The episodes are NOT completely uncut- Top Gear Stuntman's sequences have all been left out, and other cuts may exist that I haven't found in one viewing. That said, the cuts are less egregious than the Season 10 episodes- all news segments are present and (apparently) intact, as are all Stars in a Reasonably Priced Car. Viewers of BBC America will see quite a lot they didn't before.
Skip points in the DVD set are limited to the start point of each film- none within the film segments themselves. Since some of these segments are half an hour long, that makes queueing up particular bits for friends a pain in the fundament.
Extras? Well, it has subtitles... with some serious transcription flaws. (Note: "Torque" and "talk" are not the same word, really they're not.) No "deleted scenes," no behind-the-scenes, no commentary. It's a basic two-disc set of six episodes, with the frills limited to auto-playing trailers.
The show is excellent, and it's good to have the series sets coming to the USA... but I really wish the DVD release was as good as the show being released.


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Accessible to everyone and full of stunts, challenges and special segments, it's irreverent, witty, self-deprecating, inclusive and passionate. The charisma and enthusiasm of the show's presenters have helped make Top Gear a worldwide megabrand attracting a global audience over 500 million in more than 20 countries. This season's highlights include a car chase in presenter-chosen old bangers for traffic cops, a race in the French Alps against extreme skiers, a race across Japan (a Nissan car versus public transport), a cross-country fox hunt (with Jeremy as the prey), and a Brits versus German Top Gear challenge. Of course, this season includes serious car journalism too, with exhaustive road tests of the latest models, man versus machine experiments, weekly power-tests featuring the world's most exotic supercars and all the tried-and-tested Top Gear favorites also return.

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Hiroshima - Why the Bomb Was Dropped (1996) Review

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(More customer reviews)If one were to focus on Truman's description of the atomic bomb as "the greatest thing in history" and NOT keep it in context with the Second World War, Give 'em Hell Harry would come across as a bloodthirsty warmonger to make Attila look like a boy scout - wait a minute, make that a "cub scout". It would serve to recall that despite Japan's attempt to negotiate an end to the war with the Soviet Union (with whom they had a non-aggression pact), Molotov under the strict direction of Stalin refused to even meet with the Japanese until after Hiroshima had been destroyed. When a meeting was finally sanctioned on August 8th, the Soviet message to Japan was a declaration of war, which promptly ended any further discussion.
On the evening prior to Hirohito's message ("We must bear the unbearable . . ") on the 14th of August, a group of relatively junior officers attempted a coup to prevent the broadcast of the emperor's decision to surrender; their position, in the spirit of Bushido, was to defend their home soil to the last man. Indeed, even after the formal surrender, there were still units fighting fiercely on the Asian mainland. Small cells of Japanese soldiers held out on islands in the Pacific for literally years, although most were isolated and refused to believe the "propaganda" that the war had ended.
To grasp the enormity and gravemen of that time, and, consequently the political decisions that dictated the state of the world for generations to come, is not something that can be capsulized. Among a multitude of arguments, the arguments that conventional bombing precluded the need for a nuclear strike, or that an invasion of the Japanese mainland scheduled for November 01 would result in a million Allied casualties are grist for an academic mill, and will be debated for centuries. To conduct such debates along any moral guidelines is pointless: A conflagration that consumed no less than 55 million human beings is not a moral issue. It is an error in logic to try to make it so.

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HIROSHIMA WHY THE BOMB WAS DROPPED - DVD Movie

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