Asian Drama

Lost in Tomb (2024)

Focuses on two insomniac schoolmates, a boy named Ganta and a girl named Isaki. Both worry about their constant lack of sleep. After a chance meeting in the school's observatory-turned-storage room, the two share secrets, and begin having an unusual connection.

While investigating a drug-trafficking app, “Monster Cop” Ma Seok Do and his team discover a connection between the app’s developer, who was murdered in the Philippines, and an illegal online gambling organization. Meanwhile, in the Philippines, Baek Chang Ki is controlling the Korean online illegal gambling market and spreading terror with kidnap, assault and murder. His partner, the IT genius Jang Dong Cheol, is planning an even larger scheme in Korea itself. To put an end to the escalating threat, Detective Ma expands his operation by proposing an unexpected alliance… The fourth installment in the Roundup series.

(Source: Berlinale.de)

Release dates: Feb 23, 2024 (Festival)

Duration: 1 hr. 49 min.

Tezuka Osamu’s beloved manga, Black Jack, is being remade into another Jdrama, this time starring Issei Takahashi. Manga synopsis: Many of the tales feature Black Jack undertaking altruistic acts, seldom receiving acknowledgment. He frequently heals the impoverished and downtrodden without charge or imparts lessons in humility to the arrogant. Some narratives conclude with a virtuous individual enduring adversity, often facing unavoidable demise, in order to rescue others.

Set in the island Kinmen, often seen as the most dangerous military base because it is geographically close to China, Paradise In Service follows the adventure of a boy who serves his military service in Unit 831 from 1969 to 1972, in preparation for a war that could erupt anytime. Through an unlucky lottery draw result, Pao, a twenty-something young man from Southern Taiwan has to serve the military in the remote and perilous Kinmen. Moreover, he is assigned to the Sea Dragon (ARB), a unit known for the toughest physical training. It never occurs to Pao that the greatest challenge is not his military training but a special task he is later appointed to. In this peculiar assignment, Pao vows to keep his virginity against all odds.

He Fei's wife, Li Mu Zi, disappeared mysteriously during their wedding anniversary trip. While he was searching for Mu Zi, she appeared again out of nowhere, but he insists that the strange woman in front of him is not his wife. Lawyer Chen Mai gets involved in this bizarre case, and more mysteries slowly emerge.

(Source: Chinese = Douban)

Release dates: Dec 25, 2022 (Festival) || Jun 22, 2023 (Online/Cinema)

Duration: 2 hr. 1 min.

Umi Ishihara soaks the frame with melancholia as her characters drive into the night with no destination in sight for her effortlessly cool debut feature that explores the limbo state of becoming an adult.

The effortlessly cool debut feature by artist and film director Ishihara Umi, also known as UMMMI, captures the feeling of perpetual limbo that is the experience of shifting between youth and adulthood. Hikari is a mother-to-be who is becoming frustrated by her boyfriend Taro's inability to take on responsibility. Taro's eccentric 'aunt' Kyoko invites her to a party at her house, which has become a hub for young drifters who together comfort their surrogate mother who is struggling to recover from her husband's untimely death. Hikari finds herself the only adult in the room and attracts the interest of Kyoko's young boyfriend. Shinomiya Yukari, in her role as Hikari, performs teen angst with such comfortable numbness she even makes uncertainty come across with clarity. Ishihara soaks the frame with melancholia as her characters drive into the night with no destination in sight.

On a rainy morning, little So-Won (Lee Re) leaves for school, which is not very far from her home. Her father works at a local factory and her mother runs a modest neighborhood stationary shop below their home. So-Won is supposed to walk to school with her friend, but her friend ditched her for his group of guy friends. So-Won does not make it to school. Hours later, So-Won's father Dong-Hoon (Sol Kyung-Gu) receives a gut wrenching phone call from the police. So-Won is now hospitalized after being brutally sexually assaulted. Can their family put back the pieces of their once happy home?

The criminal group headed by Fei Ying kidnapped Liang Jinmin after learning that he could make robots and asked master to build a robot with combat capabilities to assist them in committing robbery crimes.

The Burns of Sin

Kaoru (Matsumoto Kana) is just a normal girl living with her annoying brother (Taniyama Takeru), harried mom (Suzuki Sawa, Loft), and languid dad (Furuta Arata, Hana), until one day her mom just ups and leaves. Soon after her dad's new girlfriend Yoko (Takeuchi Yuko) comes strolling in. Kaoru isn't sure what to make of Yoko, who is brash, forward, good-humored, and at times downright uncouth. As the summer passes day by day, a unique friendship forms between them and Kaoru opens her eyes to a new, exciting world, even as reality begins to catch up. Based on Nagashima Yu's Akutagawa Prize-winning novel.

The film begins with Teapot (Sammo Hung), attempting to rob the dormant homes of a wealthy neighborhood in Hong Kong. When attempting to rob one particular house, he is briefly mistaken for the guest of honor at a surprise birthday party, and is subsequently handed over to the police. The following day, four other petty criminals are apprehended - unruly civil rights leader Curly (John Shum), car washer Exhaust Pipe (Richard Ng) who steals vehicle parts, well-dressed thief Vaseline (Charlie Chin) who swindles jewelry shops' most expensive watches, and Rookie (Stanley Fung), a mysterious, and rude, stranger. The quintet unite in prison and promise to make their fortune together in every possible way upon their release. Rookie is the gang's leader, whilst Teapot is bullied by the others (in the later films, Roundhead, played by Eric Tsang, is the group's victim and Hung's character is the leader). Following their release, they team up with Curly's beautiful sister, Shirley (Cherie Chung), and form a cleaning company. A sixth convict, the wealthy Jack Tar (James Tien) is released on the same day. Upon his release, he returns to his mansion, his fleet of expensive vehicles and his dozens of bodyguards. Tar commences work on his next criminal project, trading counterfeit US and Hong Kong currency with another crime boss. When the deal takes place, a brave but careless cop CID 07 (Jackie Chan) attempts to recover the briefcase containing the phony money, but the case somehow ends up in the Five Stars Cleaning Co. van. While none of the workers realize this misfortune, Tar certainly does. Later, Teapot and his friends decide to attend Tar's high-class party, hoping to expand their business with the wealthy guests. Unluckily Tar recognizes Curly instantly, and interrogates him. A battle ensues, where Teapot's kung fu skills are heavily relied on. Finally, another Triad gang, led by Tar's rival, wants the printing plates as well. A climatic fight takes place at a warehouse, where both Tar and his rival, along with their goons, are finally defeated. At the end, Teapot receives a reward and marries Shirley.