As the seasons change, so do sometimes my plans for this feature. I hadn’t originally planned on writing this review. I was going to do at least a straight month of nothing but European cinema, encouraged as I was of … Continue reading Made Overseas: Supercop (1992)

There have been complaints that the small-scale Belgian movie, Let the Corpses Tan, is difficult to follow. It’s not that complicated of a plot, even. To wit: criminals hide out in a bohemian community. The cops show up looking for … Continue reading Made Overseas: Let the Corpses Tan (2017)

In a way, I started this column because of a fascination with international iterations of the superhero formula. I’d done a few open threads looking at Filipino superheroes, which have a pedigree that extends way back to the 1950’s. I … Continue reading Made Overseas: Krrish (2006)

Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath — a fictional super spy created by French writer Jean Bruce — worked for American agencies like the OSS, CIA, and NSC. Because with that name, he is clearly a red-blooded American man. He also … Continue reading Made Overseas: OSS 117: Lost In Rio (2009)

Takashi Miike is a director with a distinct voice and sense of humor. He is insanely prolific. In the same year he directed 2007’s Sukiyaki Western Django, he directed three other movies. Wikipedia tell me he has directed “over one … Continue reading Made Overseas: Sukiyaki Western Django (2007)

In 1985, director Barry Levinson directed a movie called Young Sherlock Holmes. It was a movie about … well, the title should give you a clue. If it’s remembered today, it’s because the movie was considered a landmark in special … Continue reading Made Overseas: Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings (2018)

Made Overseas is back for a special Lunar New Year engagement! Because who doesn’t like pigs? Demon hunters Shu Qi and Wen Zhang, that’s who. The 16th Century novel Journey to the West seems to be the gift that gives … Continue reading Made Overseas: Journey To The West: Conquering The Demons (2013)

Pek Yakinda (or Coming Soon) may be the only movie ever made where the McGuffin is a DVD copy of Avatar 2. Zafer (Cem Yilmaz, also the movie’s director) makes bootlegs of hot new Hollywood releases with a team of … Continue reading Made Overseas: Pek Yakinda (2014)

I feel like I have grounds to sue Animal World (a.k.a. Dong wu shi jie) for false advertising. Literally all of the promotional materials promised me a clown. And I don’t mean a clown in the political sense. He’s a … Continue reading Made Overseas: Animal World (2018)

So let’s talk about manga-to-motion picture adaptations! Common knowledge is that American studios should not try to do it. Most of the time you get hot messes like the American adaptation of Dragonball Z or Ghost In The Shell or … Continue reading Made Overseas: Bleach (2018)

WARNING: I will be discussing a Takashi Miike film. If that’s not warning enough… the guy is notorious for incorporating very graphic imagery. VERY graphic imagery. Turn back if descriptive language of disturbing imagery is something that you don’t want … Continue reading Made Overseas: Dead or Alive (1999)

Partway through watching Zhang Yimou’s Curse of the Golden Flower, I turned to my wife and said, “You know, with all the court intrigue, the secrets, and the hidden siblings, this movie feels Shakespearean.” I may not have been too … Continue reading Made Overseas: Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)

33-year-old Armenian director Sark Andreasyan has a charmed career.  He founded Enjoy Movies, and according to FilmPro, it’s the most successful Russian production company in 2012.  That year, Enjoy released 5 feature films — three directed by Andreasyan.  This represented … Continue reading Made Overseas: Guardians (2017)

Back in the Long Long Ago Times, I reviewed Stephen Chow’s The Mermaid. It was, at the time, was the highest grossing Chinese movie ever. Considering the director, this was no surprise. Why you could make a movie about cooking … Continue reading Made Overseas: Devil and Angel (2015)

Hideki Anno, the mad genius behind Neon Genesis Evangelion, made a Godzilla movie.  Well, co-directed.  Shin Higuchi is listed as co-director, and he handled a lot of the special effects.  But thematically I think that Anno took point. Think upon … Continue reading Made Overseas: Shin Godzilla (2016)

The Brits have James Bond, the world’s most recognizable spy and a symbol of class and imperialism. In the US, Mission: Impossible‘s Ethan Hunt has emerged as the spy representing Americans through his ingenuity and willingness to do stupid stunts. … Continue reading Made Overseas: Ek Tha Tiger (2012)

“Toad Style is immensely strong and immune to nearly any weapon. When it’s properly used, it’s almost invincible.” This sound clip appears at the beginning of “Da Mystery of Chessboxin’”, which is a song from the Wu-Tang Clan’s debut album, … Continue reading Made Overseas: Five Deadly Venoms (1978)

Snowpiercer is one of those movies that make me realize that 2014 was a long time ago.  I saw it on the back of a seat during a long overseas flight, right around the time we were getting close to … Continue reading Made Overseas: Snowpiercer (2013)