Best wishes for whatever holiday(s) you may or may not choose to celebrate.
Check back next week for new posts.
23 December, 2008
16 December, 2008
Needs Answered
This time: Host & Guest, Our America, and Farewell to Harry.
Host & Guest
Directed by Shin Dong-Il, starring Kim Jae-rok and Kang Ji-Hwan.
Ho-jun (Kim) is an out-of-work film professor who is barely holding the last shreds of his life together. Having been left by his wife and son, Ho-jun is adjusting to life in his new world, a world that seemingly has it in for him. From his inability to interact with others, to his unending frustrations with his new apartment, Ho-jun's life is less than ideal. Along his downward spiral into self-pity, Ho-jun meets Gye-sang (Kang), a lonely man pushing the "Words of Truth". The two soon become friends, and save one another through their friendship.
Shin's tale of loneliness charms with it's simplicity. Both lead actors handle the drama and dry comedic elements of the film well. As an entertaining film about the power of friendship, Host & Guest manages to affect. A great, touching film, that is definitely worth a look.
Our America
Directed by Ernet R. Dickerson, starring Josh Charles, Roderick Pannell, and Brandon Hammond.
Based on a true story, Our America is a telefilm about two young men living in the ghetto, and their attempt to make it a better place. Like the NPR program it was based on, Our America is engaging and thought provoking. With great performances from the leads, this is a well produced docu-drama that highlights the determination of a few good people and their decision to do the right thing to better a community.
Farewell to Harry
Directed by Garrett Bennett, starring Joe Flanigan and William Hall, Jr.
A young writer moves back to his hometown to find the inspiration he needs to write "The Great American Novel". Once back home, he befriends an old drunk whose story is as good as the ones he tells. As the two men look for what is missing in their respective lives, they discover the importance of friendship.
Farewell to Harry possesses oodles of charm rolled up into an endearing tale of friendship. Though it is a touching story, Farewell to Harry isn't just dramatic. The friendship of the characters allows for plenty of laughs from Flanigan and Hall, Jr., who give terrific performances and share good onscreen chemistry, lending an air of honesty to the proceedings. While it may be a mushy film that leaves one feeling like giving a hug to a friend, the fact that it makes a person feel, makes Farewell to Harry a good film.
Host & Guest
Directed by Shin Dong-Il, starring Kim Jae-rok and Kang Ji-Hwan.
Ho-jun (Kim) is an out-of-work film professor who is barely holding the last shreds of his life together. Having been left by his wife and son, Ho-jun is adjusting to life in his new world, a world that seemingly has it in for him. From his inability to interact with others, to his unending frustrations with his new apartment, Ho-jun's life is less than ideal. Along his downward spiral into self-pity, Ho-jun meets Gye-sang (Kang), a lonely man pushing the "Words of Truth". The two soon become friends, and save one another through their friendship.
Shin's tale of loneliness charms with it's simplicity. Both lead actors handle the drama and dry comedic elements of the film well. As an entertaining film about the power of friendship, Host & Guest manages to affect. A great, touching film, that is definitely worth a look.
Our America
Directed by Ernet R. Dickerson, starring Josh Charles, Roderick Pannell, and Brandon Hammond.
Based on a true story, Our America is a telefilm about two young men living in the ghetto, and their attempt to make it a better place. Like the NPR program it was based on, Our America is engaging and thought provoking. With great performances from the leads, this is a well produced docu-drama that highlights the determination of a few good people and their decision to do the right thing to better a community.
Farewell to Harry
Directed by Garrett Bennett, starring Joe Flanigan and William Hall, Jr.
A young writer moves back to his hometown to find the inspiration he needs to write "The Great American Novel". Once back home, he befriends an old drunk whose story is as good as the ones he tells. As the two men look for what is missing in their respective lives, they discover the importance of friendship.
Farewell to Harry possesses oodles of charm rolled up into an endearing tale of friendship. Though it is a touching story, Farewell to Harry isn't just dramatic. The friendship of the characters allows for plenty of laughs from Flanigan and Hall, Jr., who give terrific performances and share good onscreen chemistry, lending an air of honesty to the proceedings. While it may be a mushy film that leaves one feeling like giving a hug to a friend, the fact that it makes a person feel, makes Farewell to Harry a good film.
Where It's At
This time: The big-budget Hollywood remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still, low-budget horror flick Silent Night, Deadly Night, Hong Kong action-fest Executioners, and French drama Irma Vep.
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Directed by Scott Derrickson, starring Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Jaden Smith, Kathy Bates, John Cleese, and Kyle Chandler.
If you don't know what The Day the Earth Stood Still is about, google it. And, feel ashamed, very ashamed.
Scott Derrickson's remake of the classic sci-fi flick lays the preservation of our planet on thick. The need to take care of our home is the focal point of the story, and the understated action allows that to take meaning. Unfortunately, the understated action may be too low-key for many viewers. Keanu Reeves' performance as intergalactic conservationist Klaatu is solid, as are the performances of the rest of the cast. For a remake centered on saving the environment, Derrickson's The Day the Earth Stood Still manages to stand on it's own two feet as decent entertainment.
Silent Night, Deadly Night
Crap with a capital C. Directed by, written by, and starring no one anyone has heard of before or since.
A man kills people while dressed as Santa Claus. Cheezy, poorly filmed, and horribly acted, Silent Night, Deadly Night is just plain bad. Other than the unintentional laughs elicited from the overwhelmingly large amount of cheeziness, Silen Night, Deadly Night is a waste of time.
Executioners
Directed by Johnnie To and Ching Siu-Tung, starring Michelle Yeoh, Anita Mui, Maggie Cheung, Damian Lau, Anthony Wong, Lau Ching-Wan, Takeshi Kaneshiro, and Paul Chun.
In a post-apocalyptic world, a corrupt few have come into power by controlling the flow of fresh water. Amidst political power struggles, three super women come together to save the world.
Super cheezy, Executioners is a sequel to The Heroic Trio, which starred the three leading ladies, and was also directed by Johnnie To. For their second go-round, they've upped the drama, and the need for the viewer to suspend their disbelief. Fantastical sequences and contrived situations make up the majority of Executioners, which is grounded only by To's style, melded with Ching's action direction, and the talent of the cast. Executioners isn't a great film by any means, but the overwrought drama coupled with well done action and acting, make it worth a look.
Irma Vep
Directed by Oliver Assayas, starring Maggie Cheung, Jean-Pierre Léaud, and Nathalie Richard.
A washed-up French director tries to resurrect his career with a remake of the French silent film serial Les vampires. During filming, the director (Léaud) faces unbearable strain to his ego and mental health, while his lead actress Maggie Cheung (Cheung) has to deal with an irritable director and an emotional costume designer (Richard), both of which have designs on her.
Assayas' Irma Vep provides a neat look at the world of filmmaking. Hong Kong Actress Maggie Cheung plays a fictionalized version of herself, caught up in the insanity of a film production so weighed down with the crew's egoes that it is collasping in on itself. With top notch acting, and assured direction, Irma Vep is interesting both for how it portrays the filmmaking process, and how it comments on French Cinema. In short, Irma Vep is a good film.
Next time:
Host & Guest
Our America
Farewell to Harry
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Directed by Scott Derrickson, starring Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Jaden Smith, Kathy Bates, John Cleese, and Kyle Chandler.
If you don't know what The Day the Earth Stood Still is about, google it. And, feel ashamed, very ashamed.
Scott Derrickson's remake of the classic sci-fi flick lays the preservation of our planet on thick. The need to take care of our home is the focal point of the story, and the understated action allows that to take meaning. Unfortunately, the understated action may be too low-key for many viewers. Keanu Reeves' performance as intergalactic conservationist Klaatu is solid, as are the performances of the rest of the cast. For a remake centered on saving the environment, Derrickson's The Day the Earth Stood Still manages to stand on it's own two feet as decent entertainment.
Silent Night, Deadly Night
Crap with a capital C. Directed by, written by, and starring no one anyone has heard of before or since.
A man kills people while dressed as Santa Claus. Cheezy, poorly filmed, and horribly acted, Silent Night, Deadly Night is just plain bad. Other than the unintentional laughs elicited from the overwhelmingly large amount of cheeziness, Silen Night, Deadly Night is a waste of time.
Executioners
Directed by Johnnie To and Ching Siu-Tung, starring Michelle Yeoh, Anita Mui, Maggie Cheung, Damian Lau, Anthony Wong, Lau Ching-Wan, Takeshi Kaneshiro, and Paul Chun.
In a post-apocalyptic world, a corrupt few have come into power by controlling the flow of fresh water. Amidst political power struggles, three super women come together to save the world.
Super cheezy, Executioners is a sequel to The Heroic Trio, which starred the three leading ladies, and was also directed by Johnnie To. For their second go-round, they've upped the drama, and the need for the viewer to suspend their disbelief. Fantastical sequences and contrived situations make up the majority of Executioners, which is grounded only by To's style, melded with Ching's action direction, and the talent of the cast. Executioners isn't a great film by any means, but the overwrought drama coupled with well done action and acting, make it worth a look.
Irma Vep
Directed by Oliver Assayas, starring Maggie Cheung, Jean-Pierre Léaud, and Nathalie Richard.
A washed-up French director tries to resurrect his career with a remake of the French silent film serial Les vampires. During filming, the director (Léaud) faces unbearable strain to his ego and mental health, while his lead actress Maggie Cheung (Cheung) has to deal with an irritable director and an emotional costume designer (Richard), both of which have designs on her.
Assayas' Irma Vep provides a neat look at the world of filmmaking. Hong Kong Actress Maggie Cheung plays a fictionalized version of herself, caught up in the insanity of a film production so weighed down with the crew's egoes that it is collasping in on itself. With top notch acting, and assured direction, Irma Vep is interesting both for how it portrays the filmmaking process, and how it comments on French Cinema. In short, Irma Vep is a good film.
Next time:
Host & Guest
Our America
Farewell to Harry
15 December, 2008
It's Just An Illusion
Pierrot le fou
Directed and written by Jean-Luc Godard, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo, and Anna Karina.
Ferdinand Griffon (Belmondo) is unhappily married with two kids. While contemplating what to do with his life, he becomes reacquainted with an old girlfriend, Marianne Renoir (Karina). The two decide to run away together, and go on a months long journey. On their journey, the two deal with feelings of love and hate toward each other and themselves.
Godard's postmodern tale is filled with vibrant colors and pop culture references. Godard's direction fits the frentic nature of the story, as do Belmondo and Karina's performances. As demanding and engaging as the facets of life, culture, and love that it comments on, Peirrot le fou is a fine film.
Toby Dammit
Directed by and co-written by Federico Fellini, starring Terrence Stamp.
Toby Dammit is an English actor that is quickly slipping into his own hell. Haunted by the visage of his inner demons personified, Dammit tries to dull his senses with alcohol, which causes a decline in his professional demand. When promised a Ferarri for appearing in a production in Italy, Dammit rushes head-first into a dream-like battle with himself.
Fellini's segment Toby Dammit from the Poe adaptation omnibus Histoires extraordinaires (aka Spirits of the Dead) is incredible. Fellini's use of the character's inner turmoil as the driving force of the story allows one to delve into the nightmarish tale. Stamp's portrayal of a washed-up actor that seals his own fate is terrific. A fantastical and intriguing film from the Italian Cinema maestro.
Next time:
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Silent Night, Deadly Night
Executioners
Irma Vep
Directed and written by Jean-Luc Godard, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo, and Anna Karina.
Ferdinand Griffon (Belmondo) is unhappily married with two kids. While contemplating what to do with his life, he becomes reacquainted with an old girlfriend, Marianne Renoir (Karina). The two decide to run away together, and go on a months long journey. On their journey, the two deal with feelings of love and hate toward each other and themselves.
Godard's postmodern tale is filled with vibrant colors and pop culture references. Godard's direction fits the frentic nature of the story, as do Belmondo and Karina's performances. As demanding and engaging as the facets of life, culture, and love that it comments on, Peirrot le fou is a fine film.
Toby Dammit
Directed by and co-written by Federico Fellini, starring Terrence Stamp.
Toby Dammit is an English actor that is quickly slipping into his own hell. Haunted by the visage of his inner demons personified, Dammit tries to dull his senses with alcohol, which causes a decline in his professional demand. When promised a Ferarri for appearing in a production in Italy, Dammit rushes head-first into a dream-like battle with himself.
Fellini's segment Toby Dammit from the Poe adaptation omnibus Histoires extraordinaires (aka Spirits of the Dead) is incredible. Fellini's use of the character's inner turmoil as the driving force of the story allows one to delve into the nightmarish tale. Stamp's portrayal of a washed-up actor that seals his own fate is terrific. A fantastical and intriguing film from the Italian Cinema maestro.
Next time:
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Silent Night, Deadly Night
Executioners
Irma Vep
10 December, 2008
Best of Part II
In preparation for my list of what I consider the best films of 2008, I posted my thoughts on the best films of 2006 back in mid-November. Now, the time has come for my picks for the best films of 2007:
Once
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Lust, Caution
Exodus
Secret Sunshine
Lost in Beijing
Hooked On You
Mad Detective
The Most Distant Course
Black Book
No Country For Old Men
Knocked Up
Next time: Something else
Once
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Lust, Caution
Exodus
Secret Sunshine
Lost in Beijing
Hooked On You
Mad Detective
The Most Distant Course
Black Book
No Country For Old Men
Knocked Up
Next time: Something else
The Chosen One
The film that got the most requests was the South Korean romantic comedy 200 Pounds Beauty. Therefore, I watched what was referred to as "funny" and "kinda romantic".
200 Pounds Beauty
Directed by Kim Yong-hwa, starring Kim Ah-jong and Ju Jin-mo.
Han-na (Kim) has a successful singing career and throngs of adoring fans. She has what every popstar chaser dreams of. The only problem is, Han-na is overweight, and considered ugly, so adoration and popularity is given to a prettier, slimmer girl, for whom Han-na provides the talent.
While Han-na isn't terribly proud of her circumstances, she tries to make the best of them. She doesn't complain about a no-talent hack getting all the spotlight, and she actually goes out of her way to help others. Han-na also finds a little piece of happiness in her love for the man behind the curtain of the Milli Vanilli-esque musical act, her producer, Sang-jun (Ju).
However, all the optimisim in the world isn't enough, as Han-na is reminded of her outward appearance by her friend, addle-minded father, and collegues, causing her to take drastic steps to change who she is. And change she does. Han-na has a year filled with plastic surgeries and exercise that completely changes the way she looks.
Unfortunately, in seeking to make herself beautiful on the oustide, Han-na becomes ugly on the inside. Thinking she can have everything she ever wanted because she now has a slim body and pretty face, Han-na sets out to get the man and career she has dreamed of. Along the way, Han-na learns where beauty really comes from, and in the end, must decide what it is that matters to her most.
200 Pounds Beauty tackles a difficult subject and mostly succeeds at making a statement about how people perceive beauty. Underneath the standard romantic trappings and comedic asides, 200 Pounds Beauty subtly, by commercial film standards, tries to show the viewer that true happiness doesn't necessarily come with Barbie-like looks. When Han-na was considered fat and ugly, she had a good heart. Following her makeover, Han-na shows an ugly side, stepping on others to get ahead, and belittling them to quell her own insecurities.
The filmmakers should be lauded for any effort they put into challenging the public perception that physical beauty is all that matters. For Han-na's realization alone (that it is what a person has on the inside that counts) they should be given credit. That they managed that inside of an entertaining, if somewhat standard, romantic comedy is commendable.
200 Pounds Beauty isn't going to shatter stereotypes or make huge changes in society, but the mere fact that it presents it's subject matter in an endearing way that also entertains is enough to call it good. For a romantic comedy with a little bit of heart, 200 Pounds Beauty is a winner. One might say it's funny, and even kinda romantic.
Now, dear readers, what should I watch next?
200 Pounds Beauty
Directed by Kim Yong-hwa, starring Kim Ah-jong and Ju Jin-mo.
Han-na (Kim) has a successful singing career and throngs of adoring fans. She has what every popstar chaser dreams of. The only problem is, Han-na is overweight, and considered ugly, so adoration and popularity is given to a prettier, slimmer girl, for whom Han-na provides the talent.
While Han-na isn't terribly proud of her circumstances, she tries to make the best of them. She doesn't complain about a no-talent hack getting all the spotlight, and she actually goes out of her way to help others. Han-na also finds a little piece of happiness in her love for the man behind the curtain of the Milli Vanilli-esque musical act, her producer, Sang-jun (Ju).
However, all the optimisim in the world isn't enough, as Han-na is reminded of her outward appearance by her friend, addle-minded father, and collegues, causing her to take drastic steps to change who she is. And change she does. Han-na has a year filled with plastic surgeries and exercise that completely changes the way she looks.
Unfortunately, in seeking to make herself beautiful on the oustide, Han-na becomes ugly on the inside. Thinking she can have everything she ever wanted because she now has a slim body and pretty face, Han-na sets out to get the man and career she has dreamed of. Along the way, Han-na learns where beauty really comes from, and in the end, must decide what it is that matters to her most.
200 Pounds Beauty tackles a difficult subject and mostly succeeds at making a statement about how people perceive beauty. Underneath the standard romantic trappings and comedic asides, 200 Pounds Beauty subtly, by commercial film standards, tries to show the viewer that true happiness doesn't necessarily come with Barbie-like looks. When Han-na was considered fat and ugly, she had a good heart. Following her makeover, Han-na shows an ugly side, stepping on others to get ahead, and belittling them to quell her own insecurities.
The filmmakers should be lauded for any effort they put into challenging the public perception that physical beauty is all that matters. For Han-na's realization alone (that it is what a person has on the inside that counts) they should be given credit. That they managed that inside of an entertaining, if somewhat standard, romantic comedy is commendable.
200 Pounds Beauty isn't going to shatter stereotypes or make huge changes in society, but the mere fact that it presents it's subject matter in an endearing way that also entertains is enough to call it good. For a romantic comedy with a little bit of heart, 200 Pounds Beauty is a winner. One might say it's funny, and even kinda romantic.
Now, dear readers, what should I watch next?
09 December, 2008
What to Watch?
Today, Very and absolutley and extremely goes interactive. You have the opportunity to decide what I will watch tonight. From the following list of films, pick what you think I should view. The film that receives the most requests will be what I watch. Then, I will ramble on and on and on about it tomorrow. Happy Picking:
An Autumn's Tale
Tiramisu
Run Papa Run
Legend of the Wolf
Public Toilet
The Sorcerers
200 Pounds Beauty
Spirits of the Dead
Memories of Murder
Host & Guest
The Golem
Pierrot Le Fou
Request your pick via email (monkeytailor@gmail.com), myspace, or leave a comment here.
An Autumn's Tale
Tiramisu
Run Papa Run
Legend of the Wolf
Public Toilet
The Sorcerers
200 Pounds Beauty
Spirits of the Dead
Memories of Murder
Host & Guest
The Golem
Pierrot Le Fou
Request your pick via email (monkeytailor@gmail.com), myspace, or leave a comment here.
30 November, 2008
Blah
I've been meaning to post this for about a week now, but I haven't had the time. Now, I lack the requisite interest to explicate my thoughts on the following films, so, instead of giving them generic descriptions I'm not going to give them descriptions at all. I'll provide a small amount of info about them, and simply state whether or not I liked them.
Ab-normal Beauty
A horror film made by the Pang Brothers. I wasn't impressed.
Breaking News
A cop drama made by Milky Way Image, directed by Johnnie To, starring Richie Ren, Nick Cheung, and Kelly Chen. I enjoyed it.
Best of the Best
A melodramatic film directed by Herman Yau, starring Jackie Cheung, Sammi Cheng, Ng Tat-Ming, and other people. It was okay.
Chaos
A sci-fi drama directed by Herman Yau, starring Gordon Lam, Terrence Yin and other people you've never heard of. It was gripping, though ultimately hollow.
Sealed With A Kiss
A drama starring Louis Koo and other people. I liked it quite a bit.
Thus ends the lazy edition of Very and absolutely and extremely. Feel free to comment on any film(s) on here that you have seen.
Ab-normal Beauty
A horror film made by the Pang Brothers. I wasn't impressed.
Breaking News
A cop drama made by Milky Way Image, directed by Johnnie To, starring Richie Ren, Nick Cheung, and Kelly Chen. I enjoyed it.
Best of the Best
A melodramatic film directed by Herman Yau, starring Jackie Cheung, Sammi Cheng, Ng Tat-Ming, and other people. It was okay.
Chaos
A sci-fi drama directed by Herman Yau, starring Gordon Lam, Terrence Yin and other people you've never heard of. It was gripping, though ultimately hollow.
Sealed With A Kiss
A drama starring Louis Koo and other people. I liked it quite a bit.
Thus ends the lazy edition of Very and absolutely and extremely. Feel free to comment on any film(s) on here that you have seen.
29 November, 2008
Three Films: Resurrection of the Blog
Oh, how I love puns.
This time: Taiwanese drama The Most Distant Course, Chinese/Japanese drama Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles, and HK period drama Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon.
The Most Distant Course
Directed and Written by Lin Jing-Jie, starring Guey Lun-Mei, Mo Zi-Yi, and Jia Xiao-Guo.
Xiao Tang (Mo) is a young sound recordist whose life has become a stagnant haze following his sudden breakup with his girlfriend. Xiao Tang isn't sure what to do to cure his heartbreak, so he sets out to travel Taiwan recording unique sounds. Having actually hatched this plan with his girlfriend prior to their parting ways, he decides to send her the recordings as he wanders the country.
Cai (Jia) is a shrink facing an emotional crisis due to his impending divorce. Unable to handle the stress from that, he projects his problems onto his patients and tries his hand at sleeping with women of questionable constitution. He soon grows tired of the way his life is, and sets out on a journey to find himself. While on this journey, he meets and befriends Xiao Tang, and the two help each other find what they need to carry on.
Ruoyun (Guey) is in an almost constant state of depression. She is the third person in her lover's relationship, and his inattentive nature causes her to feel sorry for herself and drink. At her new apartment, she receives mail for the previous tenant, who hasn't left a forwarding address. Ruoyun decides to open the mail and finds they contain recordings of different sounds from across Taiwan, in which she finds solace. Ruoyun soon decides to change her life, and heads out to retrace Xiao Tang's steps by searching out the sounds on the tapes.
The personal natures of each character's journey is heartwrenching and emotional. The three leads bring understated performances to incredibly touching tales of heartbreak and loneliness. In addition to the performances, the locations and soundtrack are terrific. With The Most Distant Course, Director Lin Jing-Jie has crafted an excellent film that will give back to the viewer everything they put into it.
Films of note:
Guey Lun-Mei - Blue Gate Crossing, Sound of Colors, Secret
Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles
Directed Zhang Yimou, starring Ken Takakura.
Many years ago, Takata (Takakura) had a falling out with his son Kenichi. Ever since that day, he has regretted the past, and hope for a reunion. Those hopes are raised when one day, Takata's daughter-in-law Rei requests that he visit Kenichi in Tokyo. Rei tells Takata that Kenichi is in the hospital for extreme stomach pains, and thinks it would be a good time for the two to patch things up.
When Takata arrives in Tokyo, Rei takes him to meet with Kenichi. Overhearing his son tell Rei that he won't see his father, Takata departs the hospital. Rei catches him as he is leaving, and gives him a video tape of a news report Kenichi made the previous year about Chinese opera. On the tape, Kenichi speaks to an opera singer who tells him to return in a year to film the famed opera Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles.
Realizing that Kenichi will not be able to make the trip, Mr. Takata decides to travel to China and tape it for his estranged son, in hopes of shortening the distance between them. However, when he arrives in China, he finds that his task will not be easy. Many obstacles threaten to curtail his efforts, but Takata's resolve will not be broken. As he tries to earn his son's love, he gains the love of countless others, and he himself learns the meaning of life.
Zhang Yimou's tale of redemption is nearly perfect. Takakura's performance as a lost father that is literally lost in a foreign speaking land is an honest one. Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles touches on all the right strings to reach deep within the heart, eliciting emotions in a way that is deliberate, but never feels manipulative. With superb directing, acting, and breathtaking scenery in remote regions of China, Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles is an accomplished film. While many films possess great aspects, Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles pulls the great parts together into an astoundingly great whole.
Films of note:
Zhang Yimou - Hero, House of Flying Daggers, Curse of the Golden Flower
Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon
Directed and Co-Written by Daniel Lee, starring Andy Lau, Sammon Hung, and Maggie Q.
In the era of the Three Kingdoms, one man puts the dream of a unified China above all else, including his own life. Early on in the Waring States Period, Zhao Zilong joins Lord Liu Bei's military in defending against the Warlord Cao Cao. Zilong quickly proves himself a talented and trustworthy warrior and steadily rises through the ranks, eventually becoming one of the Five Tiger Generals of the kingdom.
Years of warfare claims the lives of his fellow Tiger Generals, leaving Zilong an old man in a country that is still divided by war. Joining with the sons of two of his fallen comrades, an aged Zilong attempts a final quest for unification, as they face Cao Cao's brilliant and merciless granddaughter Cao Ying (Q).
Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon is quite a disappointment. A decades long story is told mostly via voice over and exposition, with very little occurring onscreen. The performances and action are fairly solid, but the focus on Zilong, and the lack of reasons for the audience to care about his fate due to the expository nature of the film, causes Three Kingdoms to suffer mightily.
Had more time been spent on characterization, or less time spent focusing on Zilong, Three Kingdoms may have been better. And with it's pedigree, it really should have been better. Neither Andy Lau or Sammo Hung is a stranger to period epics, and both give the proper weight to their roles. Also, Director Daniel Lee is no novice. Having directed several films, and a couple noteworthy ones, Lee is at the very least an able director. Unfortunately, the stars just didn't align for Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon to be any more than an okay way to kill a little over an hour and a half.
Films of note:
Daniel Lee - Black Mask, A Fighter's Blues, (writer) A Figher's Blues
Andy Lau - Tragic Hero, As Tears Go By, Days of Being Wild, A Fighter's Blues, Fulltime Killer, Infernal Affairs, A World Without Thieves, A Battle of Wits, The Warlords
Sammo Hung - Zu Warriors From the Magic Mountain, Paper Marriage, SPL Maggie Q - mostly crap
Next time: It's all HK films, with horror flick Ab-normal Beauty, cop dramas Breaking News, and Best of the Best, and sci-fi drama Chaos.
This time: Taiwanese drama The Most Distant Course, Chinese/Japanese drama Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles, and HK period drama Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon.
The Most Distant Course
Directed and Written by Lin Jing-Jie, starring Guey Lun-Mei, Mo Zi-Yi, and Jia Xiao-Guo.
Xiao Tang (Mo) is a young sound recordist whose life has become a stagnant haze following his sudden breakup with his girlfriend. Xiao Tang isn't sure what to do to cure his heartbreak, so he sets out to travel Taiwan recording unique sounds. Having actually hatched this plan with his girlfriend prior to their parting ways, he decides to send her the recordings as he wanders the country.
Cai (Jia) is a shrink facing an emotional crisis due to his impending divorce. Unable to handle the stress from that, he projects his problems onto his patients and tries his hand at sleeping with women of questionable constitution. He soon grows tired of the way his life is, and sets out on a journey to find himself. While on this journey, he meets and befriends Xiao Tang, and the two help each other find what they need to carry on.
Ruoyun (Guey) is in an almost constant state of depression. She is the third person in her lover's relationship, and his inattentive nature causes her to feel sorry for herself and drink. At her new apartment, she receives mail for the previous tenant, who hasn't left a forwarding address. Ruoyun decides to open the mail and finds they contain recordings of different sounds from across Taiwan, in which she finds solace. Ruoyun soon decides to change her life, and heads out to retrace Xiao Tang's steps by searching out the sounds on the tapes.
The personal natures of each character's journey is heartwrenching and emotional. The three leads bring understated performances to incredibly touching tales of heartbreak and loneliness. In addition to the performances, the locations and soundtrack are terrific. With The Most Distant Course, Director Lin Jing-Jie has crafted an excellent film that will give back to the viewer everything they put into it.
Films of note:
Guey Lun-Mei - Blue Gate Crossing, Sound of Colors, Secret
Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles
Directed Zhang Yimou, starring Ken Takakura.
Many years ago, Takata (Takakura) had a falling out with his son Kenichi. Ever since that day, he has regretted the past, and hope for a reunion. Those hopes are raised when one day, Takata's daughter-in-law Rei requests that he visit Kenichi in Tokyo. Rei tells Takata that Kenichi is in the hospital for extreme stomach pains, and thinks it would be a good time for the two to patch things up.
When Takata arrives in Tokyo, Rei takes him to meet with Kenichi. Overhearing his son tell Rei that he won't see his father, Takata departs the hospital. Rei catches him as he is leaving, and gives him a video tape of a news report Kenichi made the previous year about Chinese opera. On the tape, Kenichi speaks to an opera singer who tells him to return in a year to film the famed opera Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles.
Realizing that Kenichi will not be able to make the trip, Mr. Takata decides to travel to China and tape it for his estranged son, in hopes of shortening the distance between them. However, when he arrives in China, he finds that his task will not be easy. Many obstacles threaten to curtail his efforts, but Takata's resolve will not be broken. As he tries to earn his son's love, he gains the love of countless others, and he himself learns the meaning of life.
Zhang Yimou's tale of redemption is nearly perfect. Takakura's performance as a lost father that is literally lost in a foreign speaking land is an honest one. Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles touches on all the right strings to reach deep within the heart, eliciting emotions in a way that is deliberate, but never feels manipulative. With superb directing, acting, and breathtaking scenery in remote regions of China, Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles is an accomplished film. While many films possess great aspects, Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles pulls the great parts together into an astoundingly great whole.
Films of note:
Zhang Yimou - Hero, House of Flying Daggers, Curse of the Golden Flower
Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon
Directed and Co-Written by Daniel Lee, starring Andy Lau, Sammon Hung, and Maggie Q.
In the era of the Three Kingdoms, one man puts the dream of a unified China above all else, including his own life. Early on in the Waring States Period, Zhao Zilong joins Lord Liu Bei's military in defending against the Warlord Cao Cao. Zilong quickly proves himself a talented and trustworthy warrior and steadily rises through the ranks, eventually becoming one of the Five Tiger Generals of the kingdom.
Years of warfare claims the lives of his fellow Tiger Generals, leaving Zilong an old man in a country that is still divided by war. Joining with the sons of two of his fallen comrades, an aged Zilong attempts a final quest for unification, as they face Cao Cao's brilliant and merciless granddaughter Cao Ying (Q).
Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon is quite a disappointment. A decades long story is told mostly via voice over and exposition, with very little occurring onscreen. The performances and action are fairly solid, but the focus on Zilong, and the lack of reasons for the audience to care about his fate due to the expository nature of the film, causes Three Kingdoms to suffer mightily.
Had more time been spent on characterization, or less time spent focusing on Zilong, Three Kingdoms may have been better. And with it's pedigree, it really should have been better. Neither Andy Lau or Sammo Hung is a stranger to period epics, and both give the proper weight to their roles. Also, Director Daniel Lee is no novice. Having directed several films, and a couple noteworthy ones, Lee is at the very least an able director. Unfortunately, the stars just didn't align for Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon to be any more than an okay way to kill a little over an hour and a half.
Films of note:
Daniel Lee - Black Mask, A Fighter's Blues, (writer) A Figher's Blues
Andy Lau - Tragic Hero, As Tears Go By, Days of Being Wild, A Fighter's Blues, Fulltime Killer, Infernal Affairs, A World Without Thieves, A Battle of Wits, The Warlords
Sammo Hung - Zu Warriors From the Magic Mountain, Paper Marriage, SPL Maggie Q - mostly crap
Next time: It's all HK films, with horror flick Ab-normal Beauty, cop dramas Breaking News, and Best of the Best, and sci-fi drama Chaos.
That Hong Kong Feeling
This time it's all Hong Kong films, with If u care..., My Heart is That Eternal Rose, Your Place Or Mine, and When I Fall in Love...With Both.
If u care...
Directed by Adrian Kwan, starring Eason Chan, Gillian Chung, Rain Li, and Candy Lo.
Gino (Chan) is a designer fighting against his in-company rival Godzilla (Lo) and rival company designer Jennifer (Li) for a lucrative deal. Gino is also an asshole. He insults people instead of greeting them, trips people on the street, steals ideas from those working under him, and uses almost any means possible to get what he wants. That is, until an accident gives him the unwanted and wacky ability to possess the same feelings as anyone who touches his hand with their's.
Following his recovering, he is reunited with his childhood friend Gillian (Chung). At first, Gino finds this "power" to be more than annoying, but he soon learns that it has it's uses, and sets about using his power on others to reach his goals. Gino also starts to fall for Gillian, but his unkind ways only keep them apart. With his newfound power, Gino must choose between having financial success at the expense of others, and being the man he always meant to be, with the woman he loves.
If u care... is a decent comedy drama. Eason Chan does an admirable job with the diffcult task of occasionally acting like a man possessed, and the rest of the cast handles comedy and drama with ease. However, the comedy that takes place in Gino's working environment and the drama in his personal life don't really gel. If the two were separated, they would make for a fun comedy, and a touching drama, but together they only serve to distract from one another. Though the comedy is a bit too far reaching at times, the dramatic moments and the acting in If u care... justify giving it a look.
Films of note:
Eason Chan - Twelve Nights, Feel 100% II, Visible Secret, Visible Secret II, Love Battlefied, Crazy N' The City, The Pye-Dog, Hooked On You
Gillian Chung - Colour of the Truth, Beyond Our Ken
Rain Li - Re-Cycle, On the Edge, Single Blog
Candy Lo - Twelve Nights, Time and Tide, Men Suddenly in Black
My Heart is That Eternal Rose
Directed by Patrick Tam, starring Joey Wong, Kenny Bee, and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai.
Rick (Bee) and Lap (Wong) enjoy their romance and lives together, working at Lap's father's restaurant. That is, until her father is asked by a local triad boss to smuggle his son from China back to Hong Kong. Unable to refuse, he enlists the aid of an old friend, who happens to be a corrupt cop, and his future son-in-law, Rick.
Everything goes smoothly during the transport until the cop learns whose son they are smuggling, and his greed gets the best of him. As he demands more money, a fight breaks out, leaving the triad boss's son and the cop dead. When they get back to Hong Kong, Lap's father is kidnapped by the boss, and the only way for Lap to save him is to tell Rick to hide in the Phillines till she came meet him, and to become the "woman" of another triad boss.
Ten years later, Lap has tired of being a trophy for a corrupt man, and her father, unable to deal with the shame he has brought his daughter, has become a drunk. The only person in Lap's life that she can count on is low-level triad Cheung (Leung), who has more than a professional interest in Lap. Meanwhile, Rick is back in HK, having become a hired hit-man, and has been hired by Lap's fellow.
Lap runs into Rick by accident, explains to him why she never met up with him in the Phillipines, and tells him that she still loves him. Rick is hesitant at first, but his love for her overcomes his hard feelings, and they plan with Cheung to run away. Before they can enjoy their new lives, they must escape the triad's grasp, which they can't do it without Cheung's help, and even with his help, it may not be enough.
The beauty of Christopher Doyle's cinematography and of Joey Wong make My Heart is That Eternal Rose something great to look at. Tony Leung's supporting role also adds weight to the film, counter-acting the less than stellar acting of Wong, and the terribly wooden acting of Kenny Bee. The story is no great shakes, but Patrick Tam's direction coupled with the cinematography and Leung's acting ability manage to make My Heart is That Eternal Rose an engaging film filled with style, if not much else.
Films of note:
Patrick Tam - After This Our Exile, (editor) Days of Being Wild, Ashes of Time, Election, After This Our Exile
Joey Wong - A Chinese Ghost Story Trilogy, The Big Heat, Green Snake
Tony Leung - People's Hero, Bullet in the Head, Chungking Express, A Chinese Ghost Story III, Infernal Affairs, Red Cliff
Your Place Or Mine
Directed and written by James Yuan, starring Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Alex Fong, Ada Choi, Vivian Hsu, Suki Kwan, Spencer Lam, and Eileen Tung.
Wai (Leung) and his best friend Patrick (Fong) share relationship problems, as a string of bad break-ups has caused Wai to close himself off emotionally, and Patrick's womanizing ways has caused his relationship with his girlfriend (Tung) to become loveless. At work, their design firm's new boss Vivian (Choi) pressures the friends to change their work methods, causing Wai to instantly hate her.
While working late one night, Wai meets beautiful would-be model Ah Yu (Hsu), and his cold heart begins to warm. Patrick pushes Wai to sleep with her, while he ends things with his girlfriend and pursues something with longtime friend and co-worker Mei Mei (Kwan). Wai soon falls for Ah Yu, Patrick for Mei Mei, and Vivian for Wai.
All is well until Ah Yu becomes more interested in her work than Wai, and Mei Mei decides that Patrick might not be what she wants. Wai reacts by spending time with the not-so-bad Vivian, and Patrick reacts by losing confidence in himself. Meanwhile, Wai's father (Lam) continually gives them advice.
Both Wai and Patrick feel that their lives are spiraling out of control, and they must choose what to do with their love lives. Wai must choose between Ah Yu and Vivian or face loosing both. Patrick must choose to continue his womanizing ways or grow up. Once their decisions are made, they realize they weren't that difficult after all, and that no matter what, they'll always have each other.
Your Place Or Mine is a fun romantic comedy from James Yuan. The acting is superb, with Leung and Fong leading a talented supporting cast. Your Place Or Mine won't leave any lasting impressions, but it isn't meant to. Director James Yuan and his cast have made an entertaing film that performs quite well.
Films of note:
James Yuan - (co-director) Crazy N' The City, (writer/co-writer) A Moment of Romance, Lost in Time, Crazy N' The City, My Name is Fame, The Warlords
Tony Leung - People's Hero, Bullet in the Head, Chungking Express, A Chinese Ghost Story III, Infernal Affairs, Red Cliff
Alex Fong - Lifeline, The Storm Riders, When I Fall In Love...With Both, One Nite in Mongkok, Crazy N' The City, Drink-Drank-Drunk
Ada Choi - A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella, The Golden Girls
Suki Kwan - The Victim, Sausalito, Cop On A Mission
When I Fall in Love...With Both
Directed and co-written by Samson Chiu, starring Michelle Reis, Theresa Lee, Fann Wong, David Wu, Alex Fong, Peter Ho, James Lye, Sean Chan, and James Chan.
Three women that have never met rely on each other as they face difficult decisions. All three have fallen in love with two men each. Keeping in contact via email, they share their stories, advice and support.
Joy (Fann Wong) is a struggling newcomer in the fast-paced world of video journalism. Early on she falls for already established newsman Chi Sing (James Lye), who offers her a safe haven in his world of confidence. Once she gets her feet wet, Chi Sing focuses more on his own career, leaving Joy feeling lonely. On assignment, Joy meets introverted baker Sam (Peter Ho), who offers her a new safe haven, among his warm food and heart.
Cherry has a happy life with her fiance Wu (James Chan). As their wedding day approaches, Wu's twin brother Wen (Sean Chan) comes to stay with them until the wedding. As Cherry gets to know Wen, she comes to think that she may be with the wrong brother, as she and Wen grow closer than they should. With her wedding day rapidly approaching, Cherry must chose whether to stay with the man she promised herself to, or to go away with the man she's always dreamed of.
Cecilia and Nam seemingly have it all, good jobs, a happy home, and a great relationship. Unfortunately, when the stock market collapses, so do their lives. Cecilia leaves Hong Kong for a job in Macau, while Nam wallows in self pity. In Macau, Cecilia ends up working with old classmate Tung, and, being estranged from Nam, finds solace in his charm.
One night, distraught over Nam's depression, Cecilia dines with Tung, and they spend the night together. The next day, Nam visits to tell Cecilia how sorry he is for neglecting her, and their romance rekindles. Cecilia is faced with deciding between the man she has loved for years, and an exciting new relationship with Tung. When she finds that she has become pregnant, things become decidely more difficult.
Samson Chiu's tale of three woman in love proves to be an engaging, but flawed film. Each yarn feels a bit rushed, as there is more than enough material for three films. Also, it feels as though the men in each story are somehow at fault in every case, and that the women are never wrong. This feels disingenuous, as it is the women in all three tales that lie to and cheat on their partners, using love as justification for their actions.
In each tale, part, if not all, of the blame should be placed on the female protagonists. The film's message suffers, and the characters are slighted by this bias. Were it not for such an unnecessary bias, the well portrayed characters would be far more identifiable. Likewise, were it not for the short time spent with the characters of each story, their inability to stay might not cast the female leads in such an unsympathetic light.
Most, if not all, of the blame for the flaws of When I Fall in Love...With Both must be placed on Director and Co-Writer Samson Chiu. The acting ranges from good to okay, though the female leads and Fong fare better than the majority of the male actors. As such, the blame cannot be placed on the cast, and there aren't any horror stories surrounding this film that state studio or producer demands affected the final product, so that leaves Chiu and Co-Writer Scarlet Siu to blame. Had they fleshed out the women's episodes and shown more conflict in their emotional decisions, When I Fall in Love...With Both may have been a good film.
Films of note:
Michelle Reis - A Chinese Ghost Story II, Fallen Angels, Bakery Amour
Theresa Lee - Big Bullet, Lunch With Charles
Fann Wong - The Truth About Jane and Sam
David Wu - Full Throttle
Alex Fong - Lifeline, The Storm Riders, Your Place Or Mine, One Nite in Mongkok, Crazy N' The City, Drink-Drank-Drunk
Peter Ho - The Truth About Jane and Sam
Next time: Taiwainese drama The Most Distant Course, Chinese/Japanese drama Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles, and HK period drama Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon.
If u care...
Directed by Adrian Kwan, starring Eason Chan, Gillian Chung, Rain Li, and Candy Lo.
Gino (Chan) is a designer fighting against his in-company rival Godzilla (Lo) and rival company designer Jennifer (Li) for a lucrative deal. Gino is also an asshole. He insults people instead of greeting them, trips people on the street, steals ideas from those working under him, and uses almost any means possible to get what he wants. That is, until an accident gives him the unwanted and wacky ability to possess the same feelings as anyone who touches his hand with their's.
Following his recovering, he is reunited with his childhood friend Gillian (Chung). At first, Gino finds this "power" to be more than annoying, but he soon learns that it has it's uses, and sets about using his power on others to reach his goals. Gino also starts to fall for Gillian, but his unkind ways only keep them apart. With his newfound power, Gino must choose between having financial success at the expense of others, and being the man he always meant to be, with the woman he loves.
If u care... is a decent comedy drama. Eason Chan does an admirable job with the diffcult task of occasionally acting like a man possessed, and the rest of the cast handles comedy and drama with ease. However, the comedy that takes place in Gino's working environment and the drama in his personal life don't really gel. If the two were separated, they would make for a fun comedy, and a touching drama, but together they only serve to distract from one another. Though the comedy is a bit too far reaching at times, the dramatic moments and the acting in If u care... justify giving it a look.
Films of note:
Eason Chan - Twelve Nights, Feel 100% II, Visible Secret, Visible Secret II, Love Battlefied, Crazy N' The City, The Pye-Dog, Hooked On You
Gillian Chung - Colour of the Truth, Beyond Our Ken
Rain Li - Re-Cycle, On the Edge, Single Blog
Candy Lo - Twelve Nights, Time and Tide, Men Suddenly in Black
My Heart is That Eternal Rose
Directed by Patrick Tam, starring Joey Wong, Kenny Bee, and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai.
Rick (Bee) and Lap (Wong) enjoy their romance and lives together, working at Lap's father's restaurant. That is, until her father is asked by a local triad boss to smuggle his son from China back to Hong Kong. Unable to refuse, he enlists the aid of an old friend, who happens to be a corrupt cop, and his future son-in-law, Rick.
Everything goes smoothly during the transport until the cop learns whose son they are smuggling, and his greed gets the best of him. As he demands more money, a fight breaks out, leaving the triad boss's son and the cop dead. When they get back to Hong Kong, Lap's father is kidnapped by the boss, and the only way for Lap to save him is to tell Rick to hide in the Phillines till she came meet him, and to become the "woman" of another triad boss.
Ten years later, Lap has tired of being a trophy for a corrupt man, and her father, unable to deal with the shame he has brought his daughter, has become a drunk. The only person in Lap's life that she can count on is low-level triad Cheung (Leung), who has more than a professional interest in Lap. Meanwhile, Rick is back in HK, having become a hired hit-man, and has been hired by Lap's fellow.
Lap runs into Rick by accident, explains to him why she never met up with him in the Phillipines, and tells him that she still loves him. Rick is hesitant at first, but his love for her overcomes his hard feelings, and they plan with Cheung to run away. Before they can enjoy their new lives, they must escape the triad's grasp, which they can't do it without Cheung's help, and even with his help, it may not be enough.
The beauty of Christopher Doyle's cinematography and of Joey Wong make My Heart is That Eternal Rose something great to look at. Tony Leung's supporting role also adds weight to the film, counter-acting the less than stellar acting of Wong, and the terribly wooden acting of Kenny Bee. The story is no great shakes, but Patrick Tam's direction coupled with the cinematography and Leung's acting ability manage to make My Heart is That Eternal Rose an engaging film filled with style, if not much else.
Films of note:
Patrick Tam - After This Our Exile, (editor) Days of Being Wild, Ashes of Time, Election, After This Our Exile
Joey Wong - A Chinese Ghost Story Trilogy, The Big Heat, Green Snake
Tony Leung - People's Hero, Bullet in the Head, Chungking Express, A Chinese Ghost Story III, Infernal Affairs, Red Cliff
Your Place Or Mine
Directed and written by James Yuan, starring Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Alex Fong, Ada Choi, Vivian Hsu, Suki Kwan, Spencer Lam, and Eileen Tung.
Wai (Leung) and his best friend Patrick (Fong) share relationship problems, as a string of bad break-ups has caused Wai to close himself off emotionally, and Patrick's womanizing ways has caused his relationship with his girlfriend (Tung) to become loveless. At work, their design firm's new boss Vivian (Choi) pressures the friends to change their work methods, causing Wai to instantly hate her.
While working late one night, Wai meets beautiful would-be model Ah Yu (Hsu), and his cold heart begins to warm. Patrick pushes Wai to sleep with her, while he ends things with his girlfriend and pursues something with longtime friend and co-worker Mei Mei (Kwan). Wai soon falls for Ah Yu, Patrick for Mei Mei, and Vivian for Wai.
All is well until Ah Yu becomes more interested in her work than Wai, and Mei Mei decides that Patrick might not be what she wants. Wai reacts by spending time with the not-so-bad Vivian, and Patrick reacts by losing confidence in himself. Meanwhile, Wai's father (Lam) continually gives them advice.
Both Wai and Patrick feel that their lives are spiraling out of control, and they must choose what to do with their love lives. Wai must choose between Ah Yu and Vivian or face loosing both. Patrick must choose to continue his womanizing ways or grow up. Once their decisions are made, they realize they weren't that difficult after all, and that no matter what, they'll always have each other.
Your Place Or Mine is a fun romantic comedy from James Yuan. The acting is superb, with Leung and Fong leading a talented supporting cast. Your Place Or Mine won't leave any lasting impressions, but it isn't meant to. Director James Yuan and his cast have made an entertaing film that performs quite well.
Films of note:
James Yuan - (co-director) Crazy N' The City, (writer/co-writer) A Moment of Romance, Lost in Time, Crazy N' The City, My Name is Fame, The Warlords
Tony Leung - People's Hero, Bullet in the Head, Chungking Express, A Chinese Ghost Story III, Infernal Affairs, Red Cliff
Alex Fong - Lifeline, The Storm Riders, When I Fall In Love...With Both, One Nite in Mongkok, Crazy N' The City, Drink-Drank-Drunk
Ada Choi - A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella, The Golden Girls
Suki Kwan - The Victim, Sausalito, Cop On A Mission
When I Fall in Love...With Both
Directed and co-written by Samson Chiu, starring Michelle Reis, Theresa Lee, Fann Wong, David Wu, Alex Fong, Peter Ho, James Lye, Sean Chan, and James Chan.
Three women that have never met rely on each other as they face difficult decisions. All three have fallen in love with two men each. Keeping in contact via email, they share their stories, advice and support.
Joy (Fann Wong) is a struggling newcomer in the fast-paced world of video journalism. Early on she falls for already established newsman Chi Sing (James Lye), who offers her a safe haven in his world of confidence. Once she gets her feet wet, Chi Sing focuses more on his own career, leaving Joy feeling lonely. On assignment, Joy meets introverted baker Sam (Peter Ho), who offers her a new safe haven, among his warm food and heart.
Cherry has a happy life with her fiance Wu (James Chan). As their wedding day approaches, Wu's twin brother Wen (Sean Chan) comes to stay with them until the wedding. As Cherry gets to know Wen, she comes to think that she may be with the wrong brother, as she and Wen grow closer than they should. With her wedding day rapidly approaching, Cherry must chose whether to stay with the man she promised herself to, or to go away with the man she's always dreamed of.
Cecilia and Nam seemingly have it all, good jobs, a happy home, and a great relationship. Unfortunately, when the stock market collapses, so do their lives. Cecilia leaves Hong Kong for a job in Macau, while Nam wallows in self pity. In Macau, Cecilia ends up working with old classmate Tung, and, being estranged from Nam, finds solace in his charm.
One night, distraught over Nam's depression, Cecilia dines with Tung, and they spend the night together. The next day, Nam visits to tell Cecilia how sorry he is for neglecting her, and their romance rekindles. Cecilia is faced with deciding between the man she has loved for years, and an exciting new relationship with Tung. When she finds that she has become pregnant, things become decidely more difficult.
Samson Chiu's tale of three woman in love proves to be an engaging, but flawed film. Each yarn feels a bit rushed, as there is more than enough material for three films. Also, it feels as though the men in each story are somehow at fault in every case, and that the women are never wrong. This feels disingenuous, as it is the women in all three tales that lie to and cheat on their partners, using love as justification for their actions.
In each tale, part, if not all, of the blame should be placed on the female protagonists. The film's message suffers, and the characters are slighted by this bias. Were it not for such an unnecessary bias, the well portrayed characters would be far more identifiable. Likewise, were it not for the short time spent with the characters of each story, their inability to stay might not cast the female leads in such an unsympathetic light.
Most, if not all, of the blame for the flaws of When I Fall in Love...With Both must be placed on Director and Co-Writer Samson Chiu. The acting ranges from good to okay, though the female leads and Fong fare better than the majority of the male actors. As such, the blame cannot be placed on the cast, and there aren't any horror stories surrounding this film that state studio or producer demands affected the final product, so that leaves Chiu and Co-Writer Scarlet Siu to blame. Had they fleshed out the women's episodes and shown more conflict in their emotional decisions, When I Fall in Love...With Both may have been a good film.
Films of note:
Michelle Reis - A Chinese Ghost Story II, Fallen Angels, Bakery Amour
Theresa Lee - Big Bullet, Lunch With Charles
Fann Wong - The Truth About Jane and Sam
David Wu - Full Throttle
Alex Fong - Lifeline, The Storm Riders, Your Place Or Mine, One Nite in Mongkok, Crazy N' The City, Drink-Drank-Drunk
Peter Ho - The Truth About Jane and Sam
Next time: Taiwainese drama The Most Distant Course, Chinese/Japanese drama Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles, and HK period drama Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon.
28 November, 2008
Demon Busters!
Painted Skin
Directed by Gordon Chan, starring Donnie Yen, Vicki Zhao Wei, Zhou Xun, Aloys Chen, and Betty Sun.
While out protecting the innocent and being all around swell guys, General Wang and his troops save a beautiful young woman from a group of bandits. Wang (Chen) promises young Xiao Wei (Zhou) that he will be her protector from now on. Upon their return home, Xiao Wei goes to live with Wang and his wife Peirong (Zhao). While Wang professes his undying loyalty to a suspicious Peirong, Xiao Wei beings stealing the hearts of all the other men in the village. Literally. Wang and his men didn't realize it when the "rescued" her, but Xiao Wei is a bit of a wolf in sheep's clothing, or, in her case, a demon in human skin.
Not long after the village receives it's inhuman visitor, it recieve's another visitor in the form of the former general, Pang (Yen). Before forcing himself into a life of exile, Pang was general, with Wang his subordinate and closest friend. Unfortunately, the two had a dispute on the field of battle, leading to a rift in their brotherly bond. Being a super badass former general and kung fu expert, Pang is asked to discover the source of evil that has taken the town hostage, and to destroy it.
Armed with disbelief, Pang sets out to stop the foul being only at the behest of the lovely Peirong. This causes the rift between Pang and Wang to deepen, and furthers the distrust between Wang and Peirong, as she believes Xiao Wei to be a demon that has designs on her husband, and Wang is unwilling to admit or believe anything. Even though he is pretty much the best thing ever, former general Pang is aided by evesdropping, self-proclaimed "Demon Buster" Xia Bing (Sun), as he and Peirong risk everything they have to stop the demon before it's too late.
Based on several stories from Pu Songling's Strange Tales From a Chinese Studio, Painted Skin is pretty much awesome. Gordan Chan throws together an odd mix of technique, music and action to make a sloppily fun horror-fantasy-romance-comedy-drama. The acting is superb, and even Yen manages to do more than preen for the camera, giving an engaging and fun performance. Painted Skin is definitely not fine cimena by any means, but it is a terribly entertaining film. In fact, if one were to look for a contemporary film that is more fun than Painted Skin, they'd be hard pressed to find it.
Films of note:
Gordon Chan - Beast Cops
Donnie Yen - In the Line of Duty IV, Once Upon A Time in China II, New Dragon Gate Inn, Iron Monkey, Ballistic Kiss, SPL, Seven Swords, Flashpoint
Zhao Wei - Shaolin Soccer, Chinese Odyssey 2002, The Postmodern Life of My Aunt, Red Cliff
Zhou Xun - Beijing Bicycle, Hollywood Hong Kong, Perhaps Love
Next time: All HK films with If u care..., My Heart is That Eternal Rose, Your Place Or Mine, and When I Fall in Love...With Both.
Directed by Gordon Chan, starring Donnie Yen, Vicki Zhao Wei, Zhou Xun, Aloys Chen, and Betty Sun.
While out protecting the innocent and being all around swell guys, General Wang and his troops save a beautiful young woman from a group of bandits. Wang (Chen) promises young Xiao Wei (Zhou) that he will be her protector from now on. Upon their return home, Xiao Wei goes to live with Wang and his wife Peirong (Zhao). While Wang professes his undying loyalty to a suspicious Peirong, Xiao Wei beings stealing the hearts of all the other men in the village. Literally. Wang and his men didn't realize it when the "rescued" her, but Xiao Wei is a bit of a wolf in sheep's clothing, or, in her case, a demon in human skin.
Not long after the village receives it's inhuman visitor, it recieve's another visitor in the form of the former general, Pang (Yen). Before forcing himself into a life of exile, Pang was general, with Wang his subordinate and closest friend. Unfortunately, the two had a dispute on the field of battle, leading to a rift in their brotherly bond. Being a super badass former general and kung fu expert, Pang is asked to discover the source of evil that has taken the town hostage, and to destroy it.
Armed with disbelief, Pang sets out to stop the foul being only at the behest of the lovely Peirong. This causes the rift between Pang and Wang to deepen, and furthers the distrust between Wang and Peirong, as she believes Xiao Wei to be a demon that has designs on her husband, and Wang is unwilling to admit or believe anything. Even though he is pretty much the best thing ever, former general Pang is aided by evesdropping, self-proclaimed "Demon Buster" Xia Bing (Sun), as he and Peirong risk everything they have to stop the demon before it's too late.
Based on several stories from Pu Songling's Strange Tales From a Chinese Studio, Painted Skin is pretty much awesome. Gordan Chan throws together an odd mix of technique, music and action to make a sloppily fun horror-fantasy-romance-comedy-drama. The acting is superb, and even Yen manages to do more than preen for the camera, giving an engaging and fun performance. Painted Skin is definitely not fine cimena by any means, but it is a terribly entertaining film. In fact, if one were to look for a contemporary film that is more fun than Painted Skin, they'd be hard pressed to find it.
Films of note:
Gordon Chan - Beast Cops
Donnie Yen - In the Line of Duty IV, Once Upon A Time in China II, New Dragon Gate Inn, Iron Monkey, Ballistic Kiss, SPL, Seven Swords, Flashpoint
Zhao Wei - Shaolin Soccer, Chinese Odyssey 2002, The Postmodern Life of My Aunt, Red Cliff
Zhou Xun - Beijing Bicycle, Hollywood Hong Kong, Perhaps Love
Next time: All HK films with If u care..., My Heart is That Eternal Rose, Your Place Or Mine, and When I Fall in Love...With Both.
Robots and Love
This time: Korean drama Milky Way Liberation Front, China-Japan co-produced drama The Longest Night in Shanghai, and HK comedy Dry Wood Fierce Fire.
Milky Way Liberation Front
A young filmmaker takes his latest short film, and his crew, to a film festival in hopes of attracting investors and a known star for a feature film project they have in the works. Unfortunatley, he develops aphasia (wikipedia it) on the day he is scheduled to meet the investors and a Japanese star, both of which seem interested in his project. As if that weren't enough, he is also trying to deal with his out-of-whack emotions following a break-up with his girlfriend.
Milky Way Libertion Front is a fun film with feeling. The characters are intelligently written within the postmodern world of the young filmmaker's daydreams, memories, hopes and neuroses. A slightly more than cursory knowledge of, or interest in, film and filmmaking may cause one to better understand Milky Way Liberation Front, however, even without that knowledge and interest, Milk Way Liberation Front is charming. It also has one of the most appropriate endings I've seen in a film.
The Longest Night in Shanghai
Directed by Zhang Yibai, starring Vicki Zhao Wei, and Masahiro Motoki.
Mizushima Naoki (Masahiro Motoki) is an internationally renowned Japanese make-up artist that has been flown to China, along with his team (which includes his discontented girlfriend) for a music awards show. Following the show's completion, Naoki takes to the streets of Shanghai in hopes of gaining some perspective and avoiding the mess of his relationship. While enjoying the freedom on anonymity in a new city, Naoki crosses paths with a stressed-out local taxi driver named Lin, whose unrequited and unuttered love for her friend has her ready to breakdown emotionally. As Naoki meets Lin, his girlfriend and handlers are worried he is lost, which he is, and they begin to search for him while focusing on their own problems. Throughout the night, Naoki and Lin help each other find what they have been missing, in spite of the fact that neither speaks the other's language.
With The Longest Night in Shanghai, Zhang Yibai weaves a wonderfully entertaining piece of commercial cinema that affects and grabs one from the start and keeps on holding until the very last frame. Masahiro Motoki and Zhao Wei's onscreen chemistry, and considerable acting ability, make one care what happens to their characters. The supporting cast is equally impressive. For a commercial romantic-comedy-drama, this is as good as it gets. Yibai and the cast balance the differing genere elements with an assured direction and style, creating an incredibly enjoyable film.
Films of note:
Zhang Yibai - Spring Subway
Zhao Wei - Shaolin Soccer, Chinese Odyssey 2002, The Postmodern Life of My Aunt, Red Cliff
Dry Wood Fierce Fire
Directed by Wilson Yip, starring Miriam Yeung, Louis Koo, and Flora Chan.
Alice (Yeung) comes from a long line of Chinese medical doctors, with expert knowledge of medicine and kung fu. When the women's magazine she works for merges with a men's magazine, she lets down her rough exterior, and she and her new co-worker Ryan (Koo) develop a friendship. As their friendship grows, Alice's feelings grow for Ryan, while he begins to court Michelle (Chan), the company's owner.
Wilson Yip's direction takes a backseat to Miriam Yeung's wacky antics in this fun, if slight, romantic comedy. Yeung is cute and hilariously funny as the lovestruck lead, and Koo and Chan bring pretty faces and charisma to their characters. Though the direction may be understated, and the story more than a little uneven, Yip and company have made a fun, enjoyable flick. For throwaway commercial cinema, Dry Wood Fierce Fire will do just fine.
Films of note:
Wilson Yip - Bio Zombie, Bullets Over Summer, Juliet in Love, The White Dragon, SPL, Flashpoint
Miriam Yeung - Feel 100% II, Love Undercover, Frugal Game, Dumplings, Hooked On You
Louis Koo - Troublesome Night, Bullets Over Summer, La Brassiere, Throw Down, Election, Flashpoint
Flora Chan - Mad Detective
Next time: Painted Skin
Milky Way Liberation Front
A young filmmaker takes his latest short film, and his crew, to a film festival in hopes of attracting investors and a known star for a feature film project they have in the works. Unfortunatley, he develops aphasia (wikipedia it) on the day he is scheduled to meet the investors and a Japanese star, both of which seem interested in his project. As if that weren't enough, he is also trying to deal with his out-of-whack emotions following a break-up with his girlfriend.
Milky Way Libertion Front is a fun film with feeling. The characters are intelligently written within the postmodern world of the young filmmaker's daydreams, memories, hopes and neuroses. A slightly more than cursory knowledge of, or interest in, film and filmmaking may cause one to better understand Milky Way Liberation Front, however, even without that knowledge and interest, Milk Way Liberation Front is charming. It also has one of the most appropriate endings I've seen in a film.
The Longest Night in Shanghai
Directed by Zhang Yibai, starring Vicki Zhao Wei, and Masahiro Motoki.
Mizushima Naoki (Masahiro Motoki) is an internationally renowned Japanese make-up artist that has been flown to China, along with his team (which includes his discontented girlfriend) for a music awards show. Following the show's completion, Naoki takes to the streets of Shanghai in hopes of gaining some perspective and avoiding the mess of his relationship. While enjoying the freedom on anonymity in a new city, Naoki crosses paths with a stressed-out local taxi driver named Lin, whose unrequited and unuttered love for her friend has her ready to breakdown emotionally. As Naoki meets Lin, his girlfriend and handlers are worried he is lost, which he is, and they begin to search for him while focusing on their own problems. Throughout the night, Naoki and Lin help each other find what they have been missing, in spite of the fact that neither speaks the other's language.
With The Longest Night in Shanghai, Zhang Yibai weaves a wonderfully entertaining piece of commercial cinema that affects and grabs one from the start and keeps on holding until the very last frame. Masahiro Motoki and Zhao Wei's onscreen chemistry, and considerable acting ability, make one care what happens to their characters. The supporting cast is equally impressive. For a commercial romantic-comedy-drama, this is as good as it gets. Yibai and the cast balance the differing genere elements with an assured direction and style, creating an incredibly enjoyable film.
Films of note:
Zhang Yibai - Spring Subway
Zhao Wei - Shaolin Soccer, Chinese Odyssey 2002, The Postmodern Life of My Aunt, Red Cliff
Dry Wood Fierce Fire
Directed by Wilson Yip, starring Miriam Yeung, Louis Koo, and Flora Chan.
Alice (Yeung) comes from a long line of Chinese medical doctors, with expert knowledge of medicine and kung fu. When the women's magazine she works for merges with a men's magazine, she lets down her rough exterior, and she and her new co-worker Ryan (Koo) develop a friendship. As their friendship grows, Alice's feelings grow for Ryan, while he begins to court Michelle (Chan), the company's owner.
Wilson Yip's direction takes a backseat to Miriam Yeung's wacky antics in this fun, if slight, romantic comedy. Yeung is cute and hilariously funny as the lovestruck lead, and Koo and Chan bring pretty faces and charisma to their characters. Though the direction may be understated, and the story more than a little uneven, Yip and company have made a fun, enjoyable flick. For throwaway commercial cinema, Dry Wood Fierce Fire will do just fine.
Films of note:
Wilson Yip - Bio Zombie, Bullets Over Summer, Juliet in Love, The White Dragon, SPL, Flashpoint
Miriam Yeung - Feel 100% II, Love Undercover, Frugal Game, Dumplings, Hooked On You
Louis Koo - Troublesome Night, Bullets Over Summer, La Brassiere, Throw Down, Election, Flashpoint
Flora Chan - Mad Detective
Next time: Painted Skin
24 November, 2008
Woof, woof
This time: HK action flick The Heroic Trio, Korean dark comedy Barking Dogs Never Bite, American film-noir The Lady From Shanghai, and HK comedy Chinese Odyssey 2002.
The Heroic Trio
Directed by Johnnie To, starring Anita Mui, Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Cheung, Damian Lau, and Anthony Wong.
A police detective (Lau) is desperately trying to capture an invisible baby theif (Yeoh). The mysterious Wonder Woman (Mui) does her best to aid the police, as does a hitwoman-for-hire (Cheung). Once they discover the identity of the thief, they confront her in hopes of reaching common ground, only to discover that she works for a master of evil that they cannot stop without the theif's help.
Johnnie To's film about super-powered women is a bit of a mixed bag. While the super heroics aren't as bad as a great many other films, they aren't anything that special. The acting is also hit-or-miss, with the melodrama pumped way up, and Anthony Wong playing a demonic yes-man whose form of communication is gutteral sounds. However, this is a Johnnie To film, so the style within the film manages to offset the cheese factor enough to make The Heroic Trio an entertaining action flick with some decent drama.
Films of note:
Johnnie To - The Big Heat, The Mission, My Left Eye Sees Ghosts, Election, Mad Detective, Sparrow
Anita Mui - Rouge, July Rhapsody
Michelle Yeoh - Wing Chun, The Soong Sisters; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Memoirs of a Geisha
Maggie Cheung - Days of Being Wild, Centre Stage, Full Moon in New York, In the Mood For Love, Hero
Damian Lau - Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain
Anthony Wong - Hard Boiled, The Untold Story, The Mission, Infernal Affairs, Isabella, The Secret
Barking Dogs Never Bite
Directed by Bong Joon-ho, starring Lee Sung-jae, and Bae Donna.
Yun-ju is an out of work teacher hoping to get a professorship. While waiting to suck up to the right people, he has to deal with an overly demanding pregnant partner and the near maddening sounds of a dog barking somewhere in his apartment complex. Yun-ju, unable to handle the dog's barking any longer, sets out to find and silence the pooch. During his journey to grab a toe-hold on his life, he crosses paths with young dreamer Hyeon-nam, who unwittingly aids him in his quest, and succeeds in finding a bit of what she needs as well.
Barking Dogs Never Bite is a black comedy (or as one learns from This Space Between Us, a dark comedy). As such, the laughs it elicits aren't always riotousless funny, but are humorous nonetheless. Director Bong Joon-ho manages to pull off a low-key debut film, and actors Lee Sung-jae and Bae Donna give good performances. The direction, acting, and biting satire in Barking Dogs Never Bite make it an entertaining film that manages to be an affecting piece of cinema, and more than just a comedy.
Films of note:
Bong Joon-ho - The Host
Lee Sung-jae - Daisy
Bae Donna - Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, The Host
The Lady From Shanghai
Directed by Orson Welles, starring Orson Welles, and Rita Hayworth.
Standard film-noir shenanigans occur in Welles' disjointed and post-modern adaptation of the novel If I Die Before I Wake. The direction and performances are seemingly well done, however, the only available cut of the film is a truncated version missing nearly an hour of Welles' original film. That being said, the theatrical version of The Lady From Shanghai possesses enough of a spark of the genious behind the film to make it worth seeing.
Films of note:
Orson Welles - Citizen Cane, Touch of Evil
Chinese Odyssey 2002
Directed by Jeff Lau, starring Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Faye Wong, Vicki Zhao Wei, and Chang Chen.
The Emperor (Chen) and his sister long to see what life is like for normal people, however, their mother refuses to let them see for fear of their lives and public perception. After mutiple attempts, the princess (Wong) escapes and crosses paths with Bully the Kid (Leung) and his sister Phoenix (Zhao). Immediately upon meeting the princess, Leung wishes for her to marry his sister, as the princess is disguised as a man. However, the princess is very much a woman, and has fallen for Bully.
Jeff Lau's Lunar New Year comedy, produced by Wong Kar-wai's Jet Tone production company, is a light, enjoyable film. The acting is fine, as well as the direction, both of which are fitting for an inconsequential film that plays to the actor's strengths, providing an entertaining commercial film.
Films of note:
Jeff Lau - The Haunted Cop Shop, A Chinese Odyssey Part One: Pandora's Box, A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella
Tony Leung - People's Hero, Chungking Express, Happy Together, In the Mood For Love, 2046, Infernal Affairs, Red Cliff
Faye Wong - Chungking Express, 2046
Vicki Zhao Wei - Shaolin Soccer, The Postmodern Life of My Aunt, Red Cliff
Chang Chen - Happy Together; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; 2046, Silk, Red Cliff
Next time: Milky Way Liberation Front, The Longest Night in Shanghai, and other stuff.
The Heroic Trio
Directed by Johnnie To, starring Anita Mui, Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Cheung, Damian Lau, and Anthony Wong.
A police detective (Lau) is desperately trying to capture an invisible baby theif (Yeoh). The mysterious Wonder Woman (Mui) does her best to aid the police, as does a hitwoman-for-hire (Cheung). Once they discover the identity of the thief, they confront her in hopes of reaching common ground, only to discover that she works for a master of evil that they cannot stop without the theif's help.
Johnnie To's film about super-powered women is a bit of a mixed bag. While the super heroics aren't as bad as a great many other films, they aren't anything that special. The acting is also hit-or-miss, with the melodrama pumped way up, and Anthony Wong playing a demonic yes-man whose form of communication is gutteral sounds. However, this is a Johnnie To film, so the style within the film manages to offset the cheese factor enough to make The Heroic Trio an entertaining action flick with some decent drama.
Films of note:
Johnnie To - The Big Heat, The Mission, My Left Eye Sees Ghosts, Election, Mad Detective, Sparrow
Anita Mui - Rouge, July Rhapsody
Michelle Yeoh - Wing Chun, The Soong Sisters; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Memoirs of a Geisha
Maggie Cheung - Days of Being Wild, Centre Stage, Full Moon in New York, In the Mood For Love, Hero
Damian Lau - Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain
Anthony Wong - Hard Boiled, The Untold Story, The Mission, Infernal Affairs, Isabella, The Secret
Barking Dogs Never Bite
Directed by Bong Joon-ho, starring Lee Sung-jae, and Bae Donna.
Yun-ju is an out of work teacher hoping to get a professorship. While waiting to suck up to the right people, he has to deal with an overly demanding pregnant partner and the near maddening sounds of a dog barking somewhere in his apartment complex. Yun-ju, unable to handle the dog's barking any longer, sets out to find and silence the pooch. During his journey to grab a toe-hold on his life, he crosses paths with young dreamer Hyeon-nam, who unwittingly aids him in his quest, and succeeds in finding a bit of what she needs as well.
Barking Dogs Never Bite is a black comedy (or as one learns from This Space Between Us, a dark comedy). As such, the laughs it elicits aren't always riotousless funny, but are humorous nonetheless. Director Bong Joon-ho manages to pull off a low-key debut film, and actors Lee Sung-jae and Bae Donna give good performances. The direction, acting, and biting satire in Barking Dogs Never Bite make it an entertaining film that manages to be an affecting piece of cinema, and more than just a comedy.
Films of note:
Bong Joon-ho - The Host
Lee Sung-jae - Daisy
Bae Donna - Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, The Host
The Lady From Shanghai
Directed by Orson Welles, starring Orson Welles, and Rita Hayworth.
Standard film-noir shenanigans occur in Welles' disjointed and post-modern adaptation of the novel If I Die Before I Wake. The direction and performances are seemingly well done, however, the only available cut of the film is a truncated version missing nearly an hour of Welles' original film. That being said, the theatrical version of The Lady From Shanghai possesses enough of a spark of the genious behind the film to make it worth seeing.
Films of note:
Orson Welles - Citizen Cane, Touch of Evil
Chinese Odyssey 2002
Directed by Jeff Lau, starring Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Faye Wong, Vicki Zhao Wei, and Chang Chen.
The Emperor (Chen) and his sister long to see what life is like for normal people, however, their mother refuses to let them see for fear of their lives and public perception. After mutiple attempts, the princess (Wong) escapes and crosses paths with Bully the Kid (Leung) and his sister Phoenix (Zhao). Immediately upon meeting the princess, Leung wishes for her to marry his sister, as the princess is disguised as a man. However, the princess is very much a woman, and has fallen for Bully.
Jeff Lau's Lunar New Year comedy, produced by Wong Kar-wai's Jet Tone production company, is a light, enjoyable film. The acting is fine, as well as the direction, both of which are fitting for an inconsequential film that plays to the actor's strengths, providing an entertaining commercial film.
Films of note:
Jeff Lau - The Haunted Cop Shop, A Chinese Odyssey Part One: Pandora's Box, A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella
Tony Leung - People's Hero, Chungking Express, Happy Together, In the Mood For Love, 2046, Infernal Affairs, Red Cliff
Faye Wong - Chungking Express, 2046
Vicki Zhao Wei - Shaolin Soccer, The Postmodern Life of My Aunt, Red Cliff
Chang Chen - Happy Together; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; 2046, Silk, Red Cliff
Next time: Milky Way Liberation Front, The Longest Night in Shanghai, and other stuff.
21 November, 2008
I Ain't Afraid of No Ghost
This post is all Hong Kong cinema, with horror flicks Visible Secret II and Rule No. 1, and action/thriller Double Tap.
Visible Secret II
Directed by Abe Kwong, starring Eason Chan, Jo Koo, and Cherrie Ying.
Jack (Chan) and Ching (Koo) get married and move into an apartment together, where, almost immediately, weird things begin to happen. Jack starts to believe that their apartment is haunted, while Ching tries to humor him. Unable to get the support of his wife, Jack turns to his all-too-devoted friend September (Ying). With September's help, Jack begins to uncover disturbing evidence that puts his new wife at the top of the list of suspects responsible for the supernatural occurrances.
While there are plenty of scares to be found, and Abe Kwong does provide an appropriately creepy atmosphere for the film, Eason Chan and Cherrie Ying's performances are what really stick out in Visible Secret II. With good chemistry, Chan and Ying pull off engaging performances as their characters search for the source of things that go bump in the night. If you're looking for something truly terrifying, you might want to check out something else. If you're looking for a fun film, that has a decent story with twists and good performances, check out Visible Secret II.
Films of note:
Eason Chan - Twelve Nights, Feel 100% II, Love Battlefield, Crazy N' the City, The Pye-Dog, Hooked on You, Trivial Matters
Jo Koo - The Longest Summer, Metade Fumaca, Mad Detective, The Detective Cherrie Ying - Fulltime Killer, My Left Eye Sees Ghosts, Throw Down, Election
Rule No. 1
Directed by Kelvin Tong, starring Shawn Yue, and Ekin Cheng.
While on patrol one night, Sgt. Lee (Yue) runs afoul of a serial killer. The killer gets the drop on Lee, leaving the sergeant incapacitated. Just before Lee takes what could be his last breath, the killer is distracted by the visage of a murder victim rising from his trunk, providing Lee the opportunity to end the killer's rampage.
Following Lee's release from the hospital, he is assigned to a new department, under one Inspector Wong (Cheng). On his first assignment in his new job, Lee is charged with discovering the source of a ghostly shrieking. During the investigation, Wong tells Lee that Rule No. 1 is theres no such thing as ghosts.
As the two continue investigating what Lee deems cases with supernatural elements, Wong's assertion that ghosts aren't real pushes Lee to hate his superior. After Lee witnesses a possession take place, Wong explains that Rule No. 1 is a lie in the public interest. Wong then sets out to finish a deadly game with the serial killer that Sgt. Lee killed.
Rule No. 1 takes a good idea and runs with it. Shawn Yue performs well as a by the book cop thrown into completely new territory, and Ekin Cheng's turn as a burned out veteran detective is one of the best performances of his career. Unfortunately, when Rule No. 1 runs, it runs in the wrong direction. Up until the end, Rule No. 1 proves to be a decent horror/thriller, with appropriate direction and performances.
However, once the film reaches an appropriate ending, things don't end. Instead, a surprise twist follows and ruins all that came before it. The filmmakers take what could have been an excellent film, make an okay film, and turn it into crap with an unnecessary conclusion. Despite the ridiculous nature of the ending, Rule No. 1 is still an entertaining film, and is still worth a look.
Films of note:
Shawn Yue - Infernal Affairs, Isabella, Trivial Matters, The Moss
Ekin Cheng - Young & Dangerous, The Storm Riders, Running Out of Time 2
Double Tap
Directed by Bruce Law, starring Leslie Cheung, Alex Fong, and Ruby Wong.
Rick and Miu are the top police shooters around. When a professional competition turns deadly, Rick snaps and becomes a policeman's worse nightmare. A nightmare that only Miu can stop.
Bruce Law crafts an exciting film that possesses decent characterization and good performances for it's stars. Double Tap isn't exactly art, but if you're looking for a high energy flick that has all the elements necessary for a tense, and fun hour and a half, you could do a lot worse than Double Tap.
Films of note:
Bruce Law - Inner Senses, Koma, Kidnap
Leslie Cheung - A Better Tomorrow, Rouge, A Chinese Ghost Story, Days of Being Wild, Farewell My Concubine, Happy Together, Inner Senses
Alex Fong - Lifeline, One Nite in Mongkok
Ruby Wong - Loving You, Too Many Ways to be No. 1, Lifeline, Where A Good Man Goes, Expect the Unexpected
Visible Secret II
Directed by Abe Kwong, starring Eason Chan, Jo Koo, and Cherrie Ying.
Jack (Chan) and Ching (Koo) get married and move into an apartment together, where, almost immediately, weird things begin to happen. Jack starts to believe that their apartment is haunted, while Ching tries to humor him. Unable to get the support of his wife, Jack turns to his all-too-devoted friend September (Ying). With September's help, Jack begins to uncover disturbing evidence that puts his new wife at the top of the list of suspects responsible for the supernatural occurrances.
While there are plenty of scares to be found, and Abe Kwong does provide an appropriately creepy atmosphere for the film, Eason Chan and Cherrie Ying's performances are what really stick out in Visible Secret II. With good chemistry, Chan and Ying pull off engaging performances as their characters search for the source of things that go bump in the night. If you're looking for something truly terrifying, you might want to check out something else. If you're looking for a fun film, that has a decent story with twists and good performances, check out Visible Secret II.
Films of note:
Eason Chan - Twelve Nights, Feel 100% II, Love Battlefield, Crazy N' the City, The Pye-Dog, Hooked on You, Trivial Matters
Jo Koo - The Longest Summer, Metade Fumaca, Mad Detective, The Detective Cherrie Ying - Fulltime Killer, My Left Eye Sees Ghosts, Throw Down, Election
Rule No. 1
Directed by Kelvin Tong, starring Shawn Yue, and Ekin Cheng.
While on patrol one night, Sgt. Lee (Yue) runs afoul of a serial killer. The killer gets the drop on Lee, leaving the sergeant incapacitated. Just before Lee takes what could be his last breath, the killer is distracted by the visage of a murder victim rising from his trunk, providing Lee the opportunity to end the killer's rampage.
Following Lee's release from the hospital, he is assigned to a new department, under one Inspector Wong (Cheng). On his first assignment in his new job, Lee is charged with discovering the source of a ghostly shrieking. During the investigation, Wong tells Lee that Rule No. 1 is theres no such thing as ghosts.
As the two continue investigating what Lee deems cases with supernatural elements, Wong's assertion that ghosts aren't real pushes Lee to hate his superior. After Lee witnesses a possession take place, Wong explains that Rule No. 1 is a lie in the public interest. Wong then sets out to finish a deadly game with the serial killer that Sgt. Lee killed.
Rule No. 1 takes a good idea and runs with it. Shawn Yue performs well as a by the book cop thrown into completely new territory, and Ekin Cheng's turn as a burned out veteran detective is one of the best performances of his career. Unfortunately, when Rule No. 1 runs, it runs in the wrong direction. Up until the end, Rule No. 1 proves to be a decent horror/thriller, with appropriate direction and performances.
However, once the film reaches an appropriate ending, things don't end. Instead, a surprise twist follows and ruins all that came before it. The filmmakers take what could have been an excellent film, make an okay film, and turn it into crap with an unnecessary conclusion. Despite the ridiculous nature of the ending, Rule No. 1 is still an entertaining film, and is still worth a look.
Films of note:
Shawn Yue - Infernal Affairs, Isabella, Trivial Matters, The Moss
Ekin Cheng - Young & Dangerous, The Storm Riders, Running Out of Time 2
Double Tap
Directed by Bruce Law, starring Leslie Cheung, Alex Fong, and Ruby Wong.
Rick and Miu are the top police shooters around. When a professional competition turns deadly, Rick snaps and becomes a policeman's worse nightmare. A nightmare that only Miu can stop.
Bruce Law crafts an exciting film that possesses decent characterization and good performances for it's stars. Double Tap isn't exactly art, but if you're looking for a high energy flick that has all the elements necessary for a tense, and fun hour and a half, you could do a lot worse than Double Tap.
Films of note:
Bruce Law - Inner Senses, Koma, Kidnap
Leslie Cheung - A Better Tomorrow, Rouge, A Chinese Ghost Story, Days of Being Wild, Farewell My Concubine, Happy Together, Inner Senses
Alex Fong - Lifeline, One Nite in Mongkok
Ruby Wong - Loving You, Too Many Ways to be No. 1, Lifeline, Where A Good Man Goes, Expect the Unexpected
20 November, 2008
Best of Part I
In preparation for my list of what I consider the best films of 2008, I am going to waste space on the interwebs with my thoughts on the best films of 2006, and, eventually, 2007. At some point in January (maybe) I will post what I think should hold the title of the best films of 2008. Without further ado, here are my Top 11 picks for 2006:
Isabella
Dreams May Come
After This Our Exile
My Name is Fame
The Host
Superman Returns
Jesus Camp
Pan's Labyrinth
SLiTHER
Perhaps Love
Little Children
Tomorrow: Visible Secret II, Rule No. 1, other films.
Isabella
Dreams May Come
After This Our Exile
My Name is Fame
The Host
Superman Returns
Jesus Camp
Pan's Labyrinth
SLiTHER
Perhaps Love
Little Children
Tomorrow: Visible Secret II, Rule No. 1, other films.
18 November, 2008
What Do You Think?
Really, I want to know. What do you think about films? Each month, I will try my bestest to watch a film suggested by someone I know. That person will win absolutely nothing. So send me your requests for films I should watch (I just might watch them) via text message (if you have my cell #), myspace message, myspace comment, email, or comment right here on Very and absolutely and extremely.
17 November, 2008
Start Charging
My Blueberry Nights
Directed by Wong Kar Wai, starring Norah Jones, Jude Law, David Straithairn, Natalie Portman, and Rachel Weiz.
The English-language debut of acclaimed director Wong Kar Wai (my favorite director). Norah Jones plays a young woman on the run from her romantic problems. She meets a diner owner (Law) and they begin to develop a relationship of sorts, when she decides she hasn't really gotten away from her problems, and she leaves to work things out. Along the way, she meets people with their own problems, and discovers a bit about herself.
While there are moments of brilliance and excellent performances, excluding a somewhat shaking performance from Jones, My Blueberry Nights is a disappointment. I have to be honest, I wouldn't judge this film a harshly as I do if it weren't made by Wong. For anyone else, this would be an incredible achievement. However, from the man who made Days of Being Wild, Chungking Express, and In the Mood For Love, this should have been better.
To dimiss it as a fine piece of cinema merely because of it's failure to live up to expectations would be unfair. For those unfamiliar with Wong's previous features, this would be a great gateway film. Also, for those simply looking for an interesting film that does manage to elicit emotion and, however lightly, does effect, this is definitely something worth seeing.
Films of note:
Wong Kar Wai - As Tears Go By, Days of Being Wild, Chungking Express, Ashes of Time, Fallen Angels, Happy Together, In the Mood For Love, 2046
Lifeline
Directed by Johnnie To, starring Lau Ching-Wan, Alex Fong, Ruby Wong, Carmen Lee, and Raymond Wong.
An incredbile film about a group of unlucky firefighters. After the obligatory, and engaging, getting to know the characters, we are treated to an amazingly intense finish. Johnnie To is an excellent filmmaker, who brought together a stellar cast, lead by Lau Ching-Wan. While this film has virtually no plot, other than firefighters putting out fires, it never lags or feels aimless. See this film.
Films of note:
Johnnie To - Loving You, The Longest Nite, Expect the Unexpected, Where a Good Man Goes, The Mission, PTU, Throw Down, Election, Sparrow
Lau Ching-Wan - C'est La Vie, Mon Cheri; Loving You, Big Bullet, Too Many Ways to be No. 1, The Longest Nite, Expect the Unexpected, Where a Good Man Goes, Lost in Time, My Name is Fame, Mad Detective
First Shot
Starring Ti Lung, Simon Yam, Maggie Cheung, Andy Hui, and others.
A Hong Kong ripoff of The Untouchables. With such a great cast together and some entertaining scenes, it is a shame that this film, which could have just as easily been a tight cop drama (had they taken out the scenes lifted from The Untouchables), falls to the side as an unnecessary exercise.
Next time: Visible Secret II, Rule #1, other stuff.
Directed by Wong Kar Wai, starring Norah Jones, Jude Law, David Straithairn, Natalie Portman, and Rachel Weiz.
The English-language debut of acclaimed director Wong Kar Wai (my favorite director). Norah Jones plays a young woman on the run from her romantic problems. She meets a diner owner (Law) and they begin to develop a relationship of sorts, when she decides she hasn't really gotten away from her problems, and she leaves to work things out. Along the way, she meets people with their own problems, and discovers a bit about herself.
While there are moments of brilliance and excellent performances, excluding a somewhat shaking performance from Jones, My Blueberry Nights is a disappointment. I have to be honest, I wouldn't judge this film a harshly as I do if it weren't made by Wong. For anyone else, this would be an incredible achievement. However, from the man who made Days of Being Wild, Chungking Express, and In the Mood For Love, this should have been better.
To dimiss it as a fine piece of cinema merely because of it's failure to live up to expectations would be unfair. For those unfamiliar with Wong's previous features, this would be a great gateway film. Also, for those simply looking for an interesting film that does manage to elicit emotion and, however lightly, does effect, this is definitely something worth seeing.
Films of note:
Wong Kar Wai - As Tears Go By, Days of Being Wild, Chungking Express, Ashes of Time, Fallen Angels, Happy Together, In the Mood For Love, 2046
Lifeline
Directed by Johnnie To, starring Lau Ching-Wan, Alex Fong, Ruby Wong, Carmen Lee, and Raymond Wong.
An incredbile film about a group of unlucky firefighters. After the obligatory, and engaging, getting to know the characters, we are treated to an amazingly intense finish. Johnnie To is an excellent filmmaker, who brought together a stellar cast, lead by Lau Ching-Wan. While this film has virtually no plot, other than firefighters putting out fires, it never lags or feels aimless. See this film.
Films of note:
Johnnie To - Loving You, The Longest Nite, Expect the Unexpected, Where a Good Man Goes, The Mission, PTU, Throw Down, Election, Sparrow
Lau Ching-Wan - C'est La Vie, Mon Cheri; Loving You, Big Bullet, Too Many Ways to be No. 1, The Longest Nite, Expect the Unexpected, Where a Good Man Goes, Lost in Time, My Name is Fame, Mad Detective
First Shot
Starring Ti Lung, Simon Yam, Maggie Cheung, Andy Hui, and others.
A Hong Kong ripoff of The Untouchables. With such a great cast together and some entertaining scenes, it is a shame that this film, which could have just as easily been a tight cop drama (had they taken out the scenes lifted from The Untouchables), falls to the side as an unnecessary exercise.
Next time: Visible Secret II, Rule #1, other stuff.
14 November, 2008
C-c-c-cool
This time: Hong Kong horror flick Yes, I Can See Dead People, South Korean drama A Man Who Was Superman, the craptacular film The Secret, HK neo-noir A Mob Story, and one of the greatest films made in Hong Kong of anywhere, In the Mood For Love.
Yes, I Can See Dead People
Starring Steven Cheung and Mandy Chiang.
Yes, I Can See Dead People is a fun horror flick that isn't super scary, genre-defining, genre-busting, or all that special in any way. However, I still liked it quite a bit.
Steven Cheung made for a pretty likeable lead character, as a slacker/ghost buster or sorts, Mandy Chiang was also fairly good, and the rest of the cast wasn't bad. You could watch better, but you could also watch much, much worse.
Films of Note:
Steven Cheung - Isabella
Mandy Chiang - A Mob Story, Whispers and Moans
A Man Who Was Superman
Starring Hwang Jung-Min and Jeon Ji-Hyun.
A Man Who Was Superman is the story of a man who claims to be a de-powered Superman, and a burned-out documentarian that finds hope in his claim.
The film starts out with Jeon's documentarian character who is so tired of the inanity of her work and the lack of humanity in the people she sees that she is ready to give up on just about everything. Then, she meets "Superman". Quickly sensing a story, she begins to follow the man in hopes of getting some recognition, and a decent payday.
Once the story she wants to tell is complete, she tries to rid herself of her Superman, but finds that this man is more than just a cheap exploit. Though she doesn't believe that he is, in fact, Superman, she slowly begins to believe that he is something special. She realizes that it isn't important whether he is Superman or not, because either way, to her, he's a shining beacon of hope.
Like a great many Korean dramas, A Man Who Was A Superman's main flaw is that unnecessary melodrama slows the otherwise great film down. And, as far as I am concerned, that is it's only real flaw. The first half of the film is terrifically funny, and the second half, though somewhat slowed, has plenty of emotion. It may not be for everyone, but A Man Who Was A Superman is a worthy effort.
Films of Note:
Jeon Ji-hyun - My Sassy Girl, Il Mare, Daisy
The Secret
Starring David Duchovny, Olivia Thirby and Lili Taylor.
Derivative and underwhelming.
A Mob Story
Directed by Herman Yau, starring Julian Cheung, Cheung Tat-Ming, Yin Shin, Mandy Chiang and Raymond Wong.
A Mob Story is a worthy effort by Herman Yau, but ultimately falls short of being a truly good film. While it isn't a stand-out film in the neo-noir genre, A Mob Story is enjoyable, with likeable actors and decent direction.
Films of Note:
Herman Yau - Nightmares in Precinct 7, Killing End, On the Edge, Whispers and Moans
Julian Cheung - Kidnap
Cheung Tat-Ming - Big Bullet, Too Many Ways to be No. 1; You Shoot, I Shoot
Mandy Chiang - Whispers and Moans; Yes, I Can See Dead People
Raymond Wong - Expect the Unexpected, PTU, Colour of the Truth
In the Mood For Love
Directed by Wong Kar-Wai, starring Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Maggie Cheung.
I've watched it before, but everytime I see In the Mood For Love, it's like I'm watching it for the first time. Brilliant. There isn't anything I can say about this film to do it justice. It is directed by who I considered to be the best director, and it stars two of the finest actors in the history of actordom.
Films of Note:
Wong Kar-Wai - As Tears Go By, Days of Being Wild, Chungking Express, Ashes of Time, Fallen Angels, Happy Together, 2046, My Blueberry Nights
Tony Leung - People's Hero, Chungking Express, Happy Together, The Longest Nite, Hero, Infernal Affairs; Lust, Caution; Red Cliff
Maggie Cheung - Police Story, As Tears Go By, Days of Being Wild, Alan & Eric: Between Hello and Goodbye, Heroic Trio, Green Snake, Comrades: Almost a Love Story, Hero, 2046
Next time: My Blueberry Nights, Lifeline, First Shot, and whatever else I watch.
Yes, I Can See Dead People
Starring Steven Cheung and Mandy Chiang.
Yes, I Can See Dead People is a fun horror flick that isn't super scary, genre-defining, genre-busting, or all that special in any way. However, I still liked it quite a bit.
Steven Cheung made for a pretty likeable lead character, as a slacker/ghost buster or sorts, Mandy Chiang was also fairly good, and the rest of the cast wasn't bad. You could watch better, but you could also watch much, much worse.
Films of Note:
Steven Cheung - Isabella
Mandy Chiang - A Mob Story, Whispers and Moans
A Man Who Was Superman
Starring Hwang Jung-Min and Jeon Ji-Hyun.
A Man Who Was Superman is the story of a man who claims to be a de-powered Superman, and a burned-out documentarian that finds hope in his claim.
The film starts out with Jeon's documentarian character who is so tired of the inanity of her work and the lack of humanity in the people she sees that she is ready to give up on just about everything. Then, she meets "Superman". Quickly sensing a story, she begins to follow the man in hopes of getting some recognition, and a decent payday.
Once the story she wants to tell is complete, she tries to rid herself of her Superman, but finds that this man is more than just a cheap exploit. Though she doesn't believe that he is, in fact, Superman, she slowly begins to believe that he is something special. She realizes that it isn't important whether he is Superman or not, because either way, to her, he's a shining beacon of hope.
Like a great many Korean dramas, A Man Who Was A Superman's main flaw is that unnecessary melodrama slows the otherwise great film down. And, as far as I am concerned, that is it's only real flaw. The first half of the film is terrifically funny, and the second half, though somewhat slowed, has plenty of emotion. It may not be for everyone, but A Man Who Was A Superman is a worthy effort.
Films of Note:
Jeon Ji-hyun - My Sassy Girl, Il Mare, Daisy
The Secret
Starring David Duchovny, Olivia Thirby and Lili Taylor.
Derivative and underwhelming.
A Mob Story
Directed by Herman Yau, starring Julian Cheung, Cheung Tat-Ming, Yin Shin, Mandy Chiang and Raymond Wong.
A Mob Story is a worthy effort by Herman Yau, but ultimately falls short of being a truly good film. While it isn't a stand-out film in the neo-noir genre, A Mob Story is enjoyable, with likeable actors and decent direction.
Films of Note:
Herman Yau - Nightmares in Precinct 7, Killing End, On the Edge, Whispers and Moans
Julian Cheung - Kidnap
Cheung Tat-Ming - Big Bullet, Too Many Ways to be No. 1; You Shoot, I Shoot
Mandy Chiang - Whispers and Moans; Yes, I Can See Dead People
Raymond Wong - Expect the Unexpected, PTU, Colour of the Truth
In the Mood For Love
Directed by Wong Kar-Wai, starring Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Maggie Cheung.
I've watched it before, but everytime I see In the Mood For Love, it's like I'm watching it for the first time. Brilliant. There isn't anything I can say about this film to do it justice. It is directed by who I considered to be the best director, and it stars two of the finest actors in the history of actordom.
Films of Note:
Wong Kar-Wai - As Tears Go By, Days of Being Wild, Chungking Express, Ashes of Time, Fallen Angels, Happy Together, 2046, My Blueberry Nights
Tony Leung - People's Hero, Chungking Express, Happy Together, The Longest Nite, Hero, Infernal Affairs; Lust, Caution; Red Cliff
Maggie Cheung - Police Story, As Tears Go By, Days of Being Wild, Alan & Eric: Between Hello and Goodbye, Heroic Trio, Green Snake, Comrades: Almost a Love Story, Hero, 2046
Next time: My Blueberry Nights, Lifeline, First Shot, and whatever else I watch.
01 November, 2008
Check it out, yo
I'm tired and lazy, so here are the films I've seen recently, minus the witty semi-intelligent comments I normally make.
Throw Down
I liked it.
28 Weeks Later
Absolutely terrible.
igby goes down
Eh. It was okay.
Teeth
Girl has teeth in her vagina. Gross.
La Brassiere
Pretty funny.
Next Blog: The wit and semi-intelligence will return with:
Yes, I Can See Dead People
A Man Who Was Superman
The Secret
A Mob Story
In the Mood For Love
Throw Down
I liked it.
28 Weeks Later
Absolutely terrible.
igby goes down
Eh. It was okay.
Teeth
Girl has teeth in her vagina. Gross.
La Brassiere
Pretty funny.
Next Blog: The wit and semi-intelligence will return with:
Yes, I Can See Dead People
A Man Who Was Superman
The Secret
A Mob Story
In the Mood For Love
18 October, 2008
Something to Look Forward to
The following are descriptions, in no particular order, of nine films I'm excited about. All of these films will receive the star treatment one I see them. Meaning I'll write unnecessarily long blogs devoted to each film. Anywho, on with the films:
Ip Man
Directed by Wilson Yip (Juliet in Love, SPL, Flash Point), starring Donnie Yen (Iron Monkey, SPL, Flash Point, Painted Skin), Simon Yam (SPL, Triangle, Sparrow), and Gordon Lam (Mad Detective, Triangle, Sparrow).
What it is:
A semi-true film based on the exploits of Wing Chun practitioner and teacher Yip Man.
Why I'm excited:
The first three pairings of Wilson Yip and Donnie Yen produced two good films, neo-noir SPL, and action-extravaganza Flash Point. With Yip directing and Yen starring, along with Yam and Lam, and Sammo Hung directing the action, a story about Bruce Lee's master is all but assured to be entertaining, if not a good film. This has all the elements necessary to make a great action flick.
Thirst
Directed by Park Chan-Wook (J.S.A., Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance; I'm A Cyborg, But That's OK), starring Song Kang-Ho (The Foul King, J.S.A., Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Secret Sunshine).
What it is:
A thriller about a priest that falls prey to seduction and vampyrism.
Why I'm excited:
It's directed by Park Chan-Wook for crying out loud. Anyone who knows anything about Park should be jumping up and down in anticipation for this. Park's direction, coupled with Song Kang-Ho as the priest, could make this an excellent film, and may even be the beginning of a new chapter in Park's oeuvre.
Red Cliff
Directed by John Woo (A Better Tomorrow, Bullet in the Head, The Killer), Red Cliff stars Tony Leung (Bullet in the Head, Chungking Express, In the Mood for Love, Infernal Affairs; Lust, Caution), Takeshi Kaneshiro (Chungking Express, Lost and Found, Perhaps Love, The Warlords), Chang Chen (Happy Together; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Chinese Odyssey 2002, Silk), Zhang Fengyi (Farewell My Concubine, Police Confidential, The Emperor and the Assassin), Zhao Wei (Shaolin Soccer, Chinese Odyssey 2002, The Postmodern Life of My Aunt), Hu Jun (Lan Yu, Infernal Affairs II, Assembly), Nakamura Shido (Neighbour No. 13, Death Note, Letters from Iwo Jima), You Yong (Breaking News, All the Invisible Children, Election), and Tong Dawei (I Love You, Lost in Beijing).
What it is:
The second part of Woo's epic film based on the Battle of Red Cliffs.
Why I'm excited:
It's the second part of John Woo's epic film based on the Battle of Red Cliffs. Duh.
The Hurt Locker
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow (Near Dark, Blue Steel, Strange Days, The Weight of Water), starring Jeremy Renner (28 Weeks Later), Ralph Fiennes (Schindler's List, Strange Days, Red Dragon), Guy Pierce (L.A. Confidential, Memento, The Count of Monte Cristo).
What it is:
A psychological flick about an elite group of soldiers.
Why I'm excited:
The Hurt Locker is the latest film from one of my favorite directors, Kathryn Bigelow. Bigelow has been in director exile ever since K-19: The Widowmaker failed to produce big numbers at the box office. This film marks her return to the big screen, stars some very talented actors, and has an interesting story that might prove to be a big hit.
Shinjuku Incident
Directed by Derek Yee (People's Hero, Full Throttle, Lost in Time, One Nite in Mongkok, Protégé), starring Jackie Chan, Daniel Wu (One Nite in Mongkok, Beyond Our Ken, Protégé), Xu Jinglei (Letter from an Unknown Woman, Dreams May Come, The Warlords), Ken Wantanabe (Memoirs of a Geisha, Batman Begins, Letters from Iwo Jima), Fan Bing Bing (A Battle of Wits, Lost in Beijing, Flash Point), and Chin Kar Lok (Full Throttle, One Nite in Mongkok, Killing End).
What it is:
Derek Yee's latest, which is a serious film starring Jackie Chan.
Why I'm excited:
I live and breathe cinema created by Yee. Like most of my favorite directors, I have all of his films, and love them all. On top of that, Shinjuku Incident stars Jackie Chan, who, while hardly known for his acting ability, just might pull off an engaging performance thanks to Derek Yee. As if a thriller directed by Yee weren't enough, it co-stars Daniel Wu who worked with Yee on the incredible One Nite in Mongkok, and it stars another of my favorite actor/directors, Xu Jinglei.
Being a film from Derek Yee, this is bound to be a good, if not great film. With all the talent involved, this could be Yee's greatest film yet. I haven't been this excited about a film since Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. I can only hope Shinjuku Incident will be better than that. Much better.
Blood: A Butcher's Tale
Starring Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica), Emily Perkins (Ginger Snaps Trilogy), other people.
What it is:
A film about a man (Douglas) that lives in a world where vampires live amongst the human population. Unfortunately for him, it isn't a peaceful co-existance, as his family is slaughtered, causing him to seek revenge.
Why I'm excited:
I really like Aaron Douglas as an actor. I would be excited about him as the lead in just about any film, but him playing the lead in a film with vampires where he gets to let out his dark side has me stoked. Nerd excitement aside, if this does well it may lead to more meaty roles for Douglas, who I firmly believe has the makings of a great actor.
The River Why
Directed by Matthew Leutwyler (Road Kill, This Space Between Us, Dead & Breakfast, Unearthed), starring people.
What it is:
The latest film from Matthew Leutwyler, based on the acclaimed novel The River Why.
Why I'm excited:
Matthew Leutwyler is one of my favorite directors, and directed one of my favorite films, This Space Between Us. Since making that film, he went on to make the excellent horror comedy Dead & Breakfast, and the less than spectacular horror flick Unearthed. I've been waiting for Leutwyler to return to the director chair with an intelligent, thoughtful film for years. While Leutwyler is an incredibly gifted filmmaker that has created two brilliant films, I think the best of his work has yet to be made, and I believe that he has the ability to become one of the greatest directors of our time.
Claustrophobia
Directed by Ivy Ho (writer of Comrades, Almost a Love Story; July Rhapsody), starring Karena Lam (July Rhapsody, Koma, Mob Sister), Ekin Cheng (The Storm Riders, Tokyo Raiders, Rule # 1), Eric Tsang (Comrades, Almost a Love Story; Infernal Affairs, Mob Sister), Andy Hui (Nightmares in Precinct 7, Koma, Killing End).
What it is:
Other than the information provided above, I know almost nothing about this film.
Why I'm excited:
Ivy Ho is a fantastic writer, and I'm looking forward to her turn in the director chair. And she has assembled an exciting cast, with some of my favorite actors. (Karena Lam and Andy Hui, not Ekin Cheng) Also, this film is being produced by high-profile, super-powerful Producer Bill Kong, and is his first film since returning to Hong Kong. While I am excited about this film because of the pedigree of the director and actors, I am even more excited about the great possiblities for the future of Hong Kong Cinema due to Bill Kong's return.
Lady Cop & Papa Crook
Directed by Felix Chong (writer of the Infernal Affairs Trilogy, Confession of Pain) and Alan Mak (director of Rave Fever, A War Named Desire, co-director and co-writer of the Infernal Affairs Trilogy, Confession of Pain), starring Sammi Cheng (Needing You, My Left Eye Sees Ghosts, Infernal Affairs), Eason Chan (Love Battlefield, Crazy N' the City, Hooked on You), Richie Ren (Breaking News, 2 Become 1, Exiled), Chapman To (Infernal Affairs, Isabella, Confession of Pain), and Kate Tsui (Eye in the Sky).
What it is:
A film I'm purposefully learning as little about as possible.
Why I'm excited:
It stars one of my favorite actors, Eason Chan. This also marks the return of Sammi Cheng to cinema since starring in Stanley Kwan's less than well received Everlasting Regret. As if those two things weren't enough, Lady Cop & Papa Crook co-stars Kate Tsui, whose performance in Eye in the Sky showed the makings of a great talent that I hope to see more of.
Other films I'm excited about:
Painted Skin
Rule #1
Lost, Indulgence
Next Blog: Whatever films I watch next.
Ip Man
Directed by Wilson Yip (Juliet in Love, SPL, Flash Point), starring Donnie Yen (Iron Monkey, SPL, Flash Point, Painted Skin), Simon Yam (SPL, Triangle, Sparrow), and Gordon Lam (Mad Detective, Triangle, Sparrow).
What it is:
A semi-true film based on the exploits of Wing Chun practitioner and teacher Yip Man.
Why I'm excited:
The first three pairings of Wilson Yip and Donnie Yen produced two good films, neo-noir SPL, and action-extravaganza Flash Point. With Yip directing and Yen starring, along with Yam and Lam, and Sammo Hung directing the action, a story about Bruce Lee's master is all but assured to be entertaining, if not a good film. This has all the elements necessary to make a great action flick.
Thirst
Directed by Park Chan-Wook (J.S.A., Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance; I'm A Cyborg, But That's OK), starring Song Kang-Ho (The Foul King, J.S.A., Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Secret Sunshine).
What it is:
A thriller about a priest that falls prey to seduction and vampyrism.
Why I'm excited:
It's directed by Park Chan-Wook for crying out loud. Anyone who knows anything about Park should be jumping up and down in anticipation for this. Park's direction, coupled with Song Kang-Ho as the priest, could make this an excellent film, and may even be the beginning of a new chapter in Park's oeuvre.
Red Cliff
Directed by John Woo (A Better Tomorrow, Bullet in the Head, The Killer), Red Cliff stars Tony Leung (Bullet in the Head, Chungking Express, In the Mood for Love, Infernal Affairs; Lust, Caution), Takeshi Kaneshiro (Chungking Express, Lost and Found, Perhaps Love, The Warlords), Chang Chen (Happy Together; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Chinese Odyssey 2002, Silk), Zhang Fengyi (Farewell My Concubine, Police Confidential, The Emperor and the Assassin), Zhao Wei (Shaolin Soccer, Chinese Odyssey 2002, The Postmodern Life of My Aunt), Hu Jun (Lan Yu, Infernal Affairs II, Assembly), Nakamura Shido (Neighbour No. 13, Death Note, Letters from Iwo Jima), You Yong (Breaking News, All the Invisible Children, Election), and Tong Dawei (I Love You, Lost in Beijing).
What it is:
The second part of Woo's epic film based on the Battle of Red Cliffs.
Why I'm excited:
It's the second part of John Woo's epic film based on the Battle of Red Cliffs. Duh.
The Hurt Locker
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow (Near Dark, Blue Steel, Strange Days, The Weight of Water), starring Jeremy Renner (28 Weeks Later), Ralph Fiennes (Schindler's List, Strange Days, Red Dragon), Guy Pierce (L.A. Confidential, Memento, The Count of Monte Cristo).
What it is:
A psychological flick about an elite group of soldiers.
Why I'm excited:
The Hurt Locker is the latest film from one of my favorite directors, Kathryn Bigelow. Bigelow has been in director exile ever since K-19: The Widowmaker failed to produce big numbers at the box office. This film marks her return to the big screen, stars some very talented actors, and has an interesting story that might prove to be a big hit.
Shinjuku Incident
Directed by Derek Yee (People's Hero, Full Throttle, Lost in Time, One Nite in Mongkok, Protégé), starring Jackie Chan, Daniel Wu (One Nite in Mongkok, Beyond Our Ken, Protégé), Xu Jinglei (Letter from an Unknown Woman, Dreams May Come, The Warlords), Ken Wantanabe (Memoirs of a Geisha, Batman Begins, Letters from Iwo Jima), Fan Bing Bing (A Battle of Wits, Lost in Beijing, Flash Point), and Chin Kar Lok (Full Throttle, One Nite in Mongkok, Killing End).
What it is:
Derek Yee's latest, which is a serious film starring Jackie Chan.
Why I'm excited:
I live and breathe cinema created by Yee. Like most of my favorite directors, I have all of his films, and love them all. On top of that, Shinjuku Incident stars Jackie Chan, who, while hardly known for his acting ability, just might pull off an engaging performance thanks to Derek Yee. As if a thriller directed by Yee weren't enough, it co-stars Daniel Wu who worked with Yee on the incredible One Nite in Mongkok, and it stars another of my favorite actor/directors, Xu Jinglei.
Being a film from Derek Yee, this is bound to be a good, if not great film. With all the talent involved, this could be Yee's greatest film yet. I haven't been this excited about a film since Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. I can only hope Shinjuku Incident will be better than that. Much better.
Blood: A Butcher's Tale
Starring Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica), Emily Perkins (Ginger Snaps Trilogy), other people.
What it is:
A film about a man (Douglas) that lives in a world where vampires live amongst the human population. Unfortunately for him, it isn't a peaceful co-existance, as his family is slaughtered, causing him to seek revenge.
Why I'm excited:
I really like Aaron Douglas as an actor. I would be excited about him as the lead in just about any film, but him playing the lead in a film with vampires where he gets to let out his dark side has me stoked. Nerd excitement aside, if this does well it may lead to more meaty roles for Douglas, who I firmly believe has the makings of a great actor.
The River Why
Directed by Matthew Leutwyler (Road Kill, This Space Between Us, Dead & Breakfast, Unearthed), starring people.
What it is:
The latest film from Matthew Leutwyler, based on the acclaimed novel The River Why.
Why I'm excited:
Matthew Leutwyler is one of my favorite directors, and directed one of my favorite films, This Space Between Us. Since making that film, he went on to make the excellent horror comedy Dead & Breakfast, and the less than spectacular horror flick Unearthed. I've been waiting for Leutwyler to return to the director chair with an intelligent, thoughtful film for years. While Leutwyler is an incredibly gifted filmmaker that has created two brilliant films, I think the best of his work has yet to be made, and I believe that he has the ability to become one of the greatest directors of our time.
Claustrophobia
Directed by Ivy Ho (writer of Comrades, Almost a Love Story; July Rhapsody), starring Karena Lam (July Rhapsody, Koma, Mob Sister), Ekin Cheng (The Storm Riders, Tokyo Raiders, Rule # 1), Eric Tsang (Comrades, Almost a Love Story; Infernal Affairs, Mob Sister), Andy Hui (Nightmares in Precinct 7, Koma, Killing End).
What it is:
Other than the information provided above, I know almost nothing about this film.
Why I'm excited:
Ivy Ho is a fantastic writer, and I'm looking forward to her turn in the director chair. And she has assembled an exciting cast, with some of my favorite actors. (Karena Lam and Andy Hui, not Ekin Cheng) Also, this film is being produced by high-profile, super-powerful Producer Bill Kong, and is his first film since returning to Hong Kong. While I am excited about this film because of the pedigree of the director and actors, I am even more excited about the great possiblities for the future of Hong Kong Cinema due to Bill Kong's return.
Lady Cop & Papa Crook
Directed by Felix Chong (writer of the Infernal Affairs Trilogy, Confession of Pain) and Alan Mak (director of Rave Fever, A War Named Desire, co-director and co-writer of the Infernal Affairs Trilogy, Confession of Pain), starring Sammi Cheng (Needing You, My Left Eye Sees Ghosts, Infernal Affairs), Eason Chan (Love Battlefield, Crazy N' the City, Hooked on You), Richie Ren (Breaking News, 2 Become 1, Exiled), Chapman To (Infernal Affairs, Isabella, Confession of Pain), and Kate Tsui (Eye in the Sky).
What it is:
A film I'm purposefully learning as little about as possible.
Why I'm excited:
It stars one of my favorite actors, Eason Chan. This also marks the return of Sammi Cheng to cinema since starring in Stanley Kwan's less than well received Everlasting Regret. As if those two things weren't enough, Lady Cop & Papa Crook co-stars Kate Tsui, whose performance in Eye in the Sky showed the makings of a great talent that I hope to see more of.
Other films I'm excited about:
Painted Skin
Rule #1
Lost, Indulgence
Next Blog: Whatever films I watch next.
My Mother is a Fish
If you know the source of this blog's title, I just might buy you a cookie.
Tiger Cage
Directed by Yuen Woo-Ping (In the Line of Duty IV, Iron Monkey, Wing Chun), starring Simon Yam (Full Contact, PTU, Sparrow), Jacky Cheung (Days of Being Wild, July Rhapsody, Perhaps Love), Carol Cheng (The Eighth Happiness, Tiger Cage 2, Frugal Game), Donnie Yen (In the Line of Duty IV, Iron Monkey, SPL), Ng Man-Tat (A Moment of Romance, Best of the Best, Shaolin Soccer), and other people (various).
An uninspired cop drama from masterful action director Yuen Woo-Ping. Tiger Cage is like every other film of the genre in that no one can be trusted, police corruption runs rampant, and the good guys refuse to back down. Unlike the great multitude of cop flicks, Tiger Cage is directed by Yuen Woo-Ping, meaning the action is top notch. Tiger Cage is like a drug. It grabs hold from the start and pumps out so many excellent action sequences that by the end of the ride you're left catching your breath as the characters take their last.
The Shopaholics
Directed by Wai Ka-Fai (Too Many Ways to Be No. 1, co-director of Fulltime Killer, Mad Detective), starring Cecilia Cheung (One Nite in Mongkok, Lost in Time, Running on Karma), Lau Ching Wan (Too Many Ways to Be No. 1, Lost in Time, Mad Detective), Jordan Chan (Lost and Found, Big Bullet, Wo Hu), Ella Koon (Drink-Drank-Drunk).
A fluffy comedy from Milkway Image that stars the people listed above. The Shopaholics is an incredibly light, utterly unnecessary film that is neither new, nor creative. However, The Shopaholics is incredibly fun, and all of the actors provide engaging and enjoyable performances. While it may not be note worthy cinema, The Shopaholics is a fun film that is full of laughs.
Full Contact
Directed by Ringo Lam (City on Fire, Full Alert, Triangle), starring Chow Yun-Fat (A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard Boiled), Anthony Wong (The Mission, Infernal Affairs, Mob Sister), Simon Yam (Tiger Cage, Expect the Unexpected, PTU), and Ann Bridgewater.
Action trash from Ringo Lam and Chow Yun-Fat that is full of intense action and Chow Yun-Fat doing his thing. Chow plays a small-time criminal living in Bangkok that plans to move back to Hong Kong with his girl and friends. Chow teams up with some bad guys to score big for his move, but loses everything when he is betrayed. What follows is a standard revenge plot that is spiced up by Ringo Lam's super action direction and Chow Yun-Fat being a badass.
Things blow up, people get shot in the face, and more things blow up. Lam and Chow understand that story and subtlety are completely unnecessary, and they go for what the audience wants, Chow Yun-Fat smugly beating the crap out of just about everyone. For action fans, this is a must see for the coolness that Chow exudes as he makes his way through droves of nameless bad guys, leaving shell casings and fires in his wake.
Expect the Unexpected
"Directed" by Patrick Yau (rumoured to have really been directed by Johnnie To), starring Lau Ching Wan (The Longest Nite, The Shopaholics, My Name is Fame), Simon Yam (Full Contact, Mob Sister, Triangle), Ruby Wong (Lifeline, Where a Good Man Goes, PTU), Yoyo Mung (A Hero Never Dies, Believe It Or Not, Rave Fever).
Johnnie To's superb cop drama follows a police unit on the trail of a group of deadly robbers. While the team does their police work, To and company weave a tale filled with top notch characterization brought to life by an excellent cast. Expect the Unexpected is one of the rarest of films where the direction, story, cast and all the other elements come together in perfect cohesion, creating an experience that is truly immersive. Simply put, one of the finest films ever made.
Mob Sister
Starring Annie Liu (Exodus), Simon Yam (Full Contact, Exodus, Triangle), Anthony Wong (Full Contact, Infernal Affairs, Isabella), Eric Tsang (Infernal Affairs, Wo Hu, The Pye-Dog), Karena Lam (July Rhapsody, Koma, Kidnap), Alex Fong (Lifeline, Double Tap, One Nite in Mongkok), and Liu Ye (Lan Yu, Curse of the Golden Flower, Nanking Nanking).
Ah Sou (aka Mob Sister), is a worthy effort in the triad genre that falls short. Instead of your standard power struggle within the triads where people are cut and shot, Ah Sou depicts the power struggle as something existential where people do all their plotting off screen. While the film does deserve credit for trying to be more than a typical crime film, the musings of the characters and the forced direction attempting to make Ah Sou feel important fail to come together in a way that works.
THX 1138
Directed by George "Raper of Childhoods" Lucas, starring Robert Duvall, Maggie McOmie, Donald Pleasance, and Don Pedro Colley.
Why, oh why, couldn't George Lucas keep his streak of being a visionary director alive? After rewatching THX 1138, and having seen American Graffiti, and Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope more times than I care to admit, the only thing I can say is why? Why would a man with such an incredile talent and style make three great films and then switch to lining his pockets with the proceeds of children's dreams?
Next Time: A blog entry about films I'm looking forward to.
Tiger Cage
Directed by Yuen Woo-Ping (In the Line of Duty IV, Iron Monkey, Wing Chun), starring Simon Yam (Full Contact, PTU, Sparrow), Jacky Cheung (Days of Being Wild, July Rhapsody, Perhaps Love), Carol Cheng (The Eighth Happiness, Tiger Cage 2, Frugal Game), Donnie Yen (In the Line of Duty IV, Iron Monkey, SPL), Ng Man-Tat (A Moment of Romance, Best of the Best, Shaolin Soccer), and other people (various).
An uninspired cop drama from masterful action director Yuen Woo-Ping. Tiger Cage is like every other film of the genre in that no one can be trusted, police corruption runs rampant, and the good guys refuse to back down. Unlike the great multitude of cop flicks, Tiger Cage is directed by Yuen Woo-Ping, meaning the action is top notch. Tiger Cage is like a drug. It grabs hold from the start and pumps out so many excellent action sequences that by the end of the ride you're left catching your breath as the characters take their last.
The Shopaholics
Directed by Wai Ka-Fai (Too Many Ways to Be No. 1, co-director of Fulltime Killer, Mad Detective), starring Cecilia Cheung (One Nite in Mongkok, Lost in Time, Running on Karma), Lau Ching Wan (Too Many Ways to Be No. 1, Lost in Time, Mad Detective), Jordan Chan (Lost and Found, Big Bullet, Wo Hu), Ella Koon (Drink-Drank-Drunk).
A fluffy comedy from Milkway Image that stars the people listed above. The Shopaholics is an incredibly light, utterly unnecessary film that is neither new, nor creative. However, The Shopaholics is incredibly fun, and all of the actors provide engaging and enjoyable performances. While it may not be note worthy cinema, The Shopaholics is a fun film that is full of laughs.
Full Contact
Directed by Ringo Lam (City on Fire, Full Alert, Triangle), starring Chow Yun-Fat (A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard Boiled), Anthony Wong (The Mission, Infernal Affairs, Mob Sister), Simon Yam (Tiger Cage, Expect the Unexpected, PTU), and Ann Bridgewater.
Action trash from Ringo Lam and Chow Yun-Fat that is full of intense action and Chow Yun-Fat doing his thing. Chow plays a small-time criminal living in Bangkok that plans to move back to Hong Kong with his girl and friends. Chow teams up with some bad guys to score big for his move, but loses everything when he is betrayed. What follows is a standard revenge plot that is spiced up by Ringo Lam's super action direction and Chow Yun-Fat being a badass.
Things blow up, people get shot in the face, and more things blow up. Lam and Chow understand that story and subtlety are completely unnecessary, and they go for what the audience wants, Chow Yun-Fat smugly beating the crap out of just about everyone. For action fans, this is a must see for the coolness that Chow exudes as he makes his way through droves of nameless bad guys, leaving shell casings and fires in his wake.
Expect the Unexpected
"Directed" by Patrick Yau (rumoured to have really been directed by Johnnie To), starring Lau Ching Wan (The Longest Nite, The Shopaholics, My Name is Fame), Simon Yam (Full Contact, Mob Sister, Triangle), Ruby Wong (Lifeline, Where a Good Man Goes, PTU), Yoyo Mung (A Hero Never Dies, Believe It Or Not, Rave Fever).
Johnnie To's superb cop drama follows a police unit on the trail of a group of deadly robbers. While the team does their police work, To and company weave a tale filled with top notch characterization brought to life by an excellent cast. Expect the Unexpected is one of the rarest of films where the direction, story, cast and all the other elements come together in perfect cohesion, creating an experience that is truly immersive. Simply put, one of the finest films ever made.
Mob Sister
Starring Annie Liu (Exodus), Simon Yam (Full Contact, Exodus, Triangle), Anthony Wong (Full Contact, Infernal Affairs, Isabella), Eric Tsang (Infernal Affairs, Wo Hu, The Pye-Dog), Karena Lam (July Rhapsody, Koma, Kidnap), Alex Fong (Lifeline, Double Tap, One Nite in Mongkok), and Liu Ye (Lan Yu, Curse of the Golden Flower, Nanking Nanking).
Ah Sou (aka Mob Sister), is a worthy effort in the triad genre that falls short. Instead of your standard power struggle within the triads where people are cut and shot, Ah Sou depicts the power struggle as something existential where people do all their plotting off screen. While the film does deserve credit for trying to be more than a typical crime film, the musings of the characters and the forced direction attempting to make Ah Sou feel important fail to come together in a way that works.
THX 1138
Directed by George "Raper of Childhoods" Lucas, starring Robert Duvall, Maggie McOmie, Donald Pleasance, and Don Pedro Colley.
Why, oh why, couldn't George Lucas keep his streak of being a visionary director alive? After rewatching THX 1138, and having seen American Graffiti, and Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope more times than I care to admit, the only thing I can say is why? Why would a man with such an incredile talent and style make three great films and then switch to lining his pockets with the proceeds of children's dreams?
Next Time: A blog entry about films I'm looking forward to.
Post Post Red Cliff
I'm going to have to come up with blog titles that don't have the words Post, Red or Cliff in them. Eventually.
Kidnap
Directed by Bruce Law (Viva Erotica!, Inner Senses, Koma), starring Rene Liu (Peony Pavilion, A World Without Thieves, Run Papa Run), Karena Lam (My dreams, July Rhapsody, Inner Senses, Tiramisu, Koma), and other people I don't remember names for.
A great thriller with some twists and turns that don't really surprise, but still carry weight. Excellent direction by Bruce Law, who brings together fine acting from Karena Lam, excellent acting from Rene Liu, and a decent story, to pull off an intelligent and engaging film. Watch it now. And by now I mean after you finish reading this blog.
Inner Senses
Directed by Bruce Law (Viva Erotica!, Koma, Kidnap), starring Leslie Cheung (A Better Tomorrow, A Chinese Ghost Story, Days of Being Wild, Happy Together), Karena Lam (July Rhapsody, Koma, Ah Sou, Kidnap), Waise Lee (A Better Tomorrow, The Big Heat, Bullet in the Head, Crazy N' the City), Valerie Chow (Chungking Express, The Blade, Hero, Sausalito), and Maggie Poon (SPL).
Karena Lam sees ghosts, or does she? That is what Leslie Cheung's doctor is trying to figure out at the behest of his friend and collegue played by Waise Lee. Unfortunately for the Karena, Dr. Leslie doesn't believe in ghosts, and quickly comes to the determination that Karena is crazier than Brooke Shields (note: crazier than Brooke Shields is an actual diagnosis in the world of mental health).
Unwilling to give up on Karena and her need to be institutionalized, Dr. Leslie chooses to be her friend. As their friendship blossoms, Karena's ghosts go away and all is right with the world. Until all hell breaks loose.
Is Karena crazy? Does she really see ghosts? Is Dr. Leslie all that he seems? Was Bruce Willis dead all along? Why am I mentioning Bruce Willis? Is Bruce Willis even in this movie? Get yourself a copy of Inner Senses (a legal copy) and find out. You won't be disappointed, unless you hate things that are good. You know who you are.
Whispers and Moans
Directed by Herman Yau (Nightmares in Precinct 7, Killing End, Troublesome Night 3, Gong Tau), starring Athena Chu (A Chinese Odyssey Part One: Pandora's Box, A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella, Step Into the Dark), Candy Yu (Buddha's Palm, Infernal Affairs, My Name is Fame, Exodus), Mandy Chiang (The Twins Effect), Monie Tung (Confession of Pain, Single Blog), Yan Ng (Crazy N' the City, AV).
Herman Yau's drama about a group of peope working in Hong Kong's sex industry is a film at odds with itself. While the acting and story provide enough to capture the viewer's interest throughout the film, it seems generic. All of the characters could easily have been workers in another industry facing high stress, shame, and relationship woes.
Whispers and Moans doesn't really provide an explosive or shocking look at the inner workings of the sex industry, as the characters are shown to be very much like everyone you know. That aspect of the characterization of Yau's film may be what the filmmakers where going for, to show that sex workers are just like you and me. However, the film still feels slighted by the fact that it is very much a drama set in the world of Hong Kong's sex industry, instead of a film centered around the complex trade.
That being said, Whispers and Moans is, at times, an affecting drama that does provide a look at sex workers that aren't dregs of society or picturesque beauties with hearts of gold. The fact that Yau and company don't go for tired cliches and genuinely tried to make a good film makes Whispers and Moans worth recommending. And no, there aren't any tantalizing shots of bare breasts, unless you consider the boobs of a male john tantalizing.
Marooned
Starring Andy Hui (Dr. Mack, Nightmares in Precinct 7, Killing End, Koma), Gigi Leung (Dr. Mack, Full Throttle, A War Named Desire), and Edmond Leung (Legend of the Wolf, Rumble Ages).
Andy Hui plays a good guy cop that inadvertantly crosses a triad boss. Initially, he relies on those closest to him to solve his problem, but he quickly realizes that due to the danger of the situtation, the only person he can trust is himself.
The above description may sound like a tease for your average thriller/neo-noir, however, Marooend is anything but. Though is has noir-ish elements and is a thriller, Marooned is romantic film that centers more around Andy Hui's cop's relationship with girlfriend Gigi Leung, with the cops & triad element serving as both the obstacle and catalyst for their being together.
As usual for an Andy Hui flick, Andy is an affable, too nice for his own good guy with relationship issues. And, as usual, Andy Hui pulls it off. Nothing is remarkable about his performance, or that of his co-star Gigi Leung, but they are both friendly faces put forth by consistently dependable actors. If you're looking for a high suspense thriller, check out Kidnap or Inner Senses, if you're looking for an entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable semi-thriller without any lasting impact, give Marooned a try.
Next Blog: Tiger Cage, The Shopaholics, Full Contact, Expect the Unexpected, Mob Sister, and THX 1138.
Kidnap
Directed by Bruce Law (Viva Erotica!, Inner Senses, Koma), starring Rene Liu (Peony Pavilion, A World Without Thieves, Run Papa Run), Karena Lam (My dreams, July Rhapsody, Inner Senses, Tiramisu, Koma), and other people I don't remember names for.
A great thriller with some twists and turns that don't really surprise, but still carry weight. Excellent direction by Bruce Law, who brings together fine acting from Karena Lam, excellent acting from Rene Liu, and a decent story, to pull off an intelligent and engaging film. Watch it now. And by now I mean after you finish reading this blog.
Inner Senses
Directed by Bruce Law (Viva Erotica!, Koma, Kidnap), starring Leslie Cheung (A Better Tomorrow, A Chinese Ghost Story, Days of Being Wild, Happy Together), Karena Lam (July Rhapsody, Koma, Ah Sou, Kidnap), Waise Lee (A Better Tomorrow, The Big Heat, Bullet in the Head, Crazy N' the City), Valerie Chow (Chungking Express, The Blade, Hero, Sausalito), and Maggie Poon (SPL).
Karena Lam sees ghosts, or does she? That is what Leslie Cheung's doctor is trying to figure out at the behest of his friend and collegue played by Waise Lee. Unfortunately for the Karena, Dr. Leslie doesn't believe in ghosts, and quickly comes to the determination that Karena is crazier than Brooke Shields (note: crazier than Brooke Shields is an actual diagnosis in the world of mental health).
Unwilling to give up on Karena and her need to be institutionalized, Dr. Leslie chooses to be her friend. As their friendship blossoms, Karena's ghosts go away and all is right with the world. Until all hell breaks loose.
Is Karena crazy? Does she really see ghosts? Is Dr. Leslie all that he seems? Was Bruce Willis dead all along? Why am I mentioning Bruce Willis? Is Bruce Willis even in this movie? Get yourself a copy of Inner Senses (a legal copy) and find out. You won't be disappointed, unless you hate things that are good. You know who you are.
Whispers and Moans
Directed by Herman Yau (Nightmares in Precinct 7, Killing End, Troublesome Night 3, Gong Tau), starring Athena Chu (A Chinese Odyssey Part One: Pandora's Box, A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella, Step Into the Dark), Candy Yu (Buddha's Palm, Infernal Affairs, My Name is Fame, Exodus), Mandy Chiang (The Twins Effect), Monie Tung (Confession of Pain, Single Blog), Yan Ng (Crazy N' the City, AV).
Herman Yau's drama about a group of peope working in Hong Kong's sex industry is a film at odds with itself. While the acting and story provide enough to capture the viewer's interest throughout the film, it seems generic. All of the characters could easily have been workers in another industry facing high stress, shame, and relationship woes.
Whispers and Moans doesn't really provide an explosive or shocking look at the inner workings of the sex industry, as the characters are shown to be very much like everyone you know. That aspect of the characterization of Yau's film may be what the filmmakers where going for, to show that sex workers are just like you and me. However, the film still feels slighted by the fact that it is very much a drama set in the world of Hong Kong's sex industry, instead of a film centered around the complex trade.
That being said, Whispers and Moans is, at times, an affecting drama that does provide a look at sex workers that aren't dregs of society or picturesque beauties with hearts of gold. The fact that Yau and company don't go for tired cliches and genuinely tried to make a good film makes Whispers and Moans worth recommending. And no, there aren't any tantalizing shots of bare breasts, unless you consider the boobs of a male john tantalizing.
Marooned
Starring Andy Hui (Dr. Mack, Nightmares in Precinct 7, Killing End, Koma), Gigi Leung (Dr. Mack, Full Throttle, A War Named Desire), and Edmond Leung (Legend of the Wolf, Rumble Ages).
Andy Hui plays a good guy cop that inadvertantly crosses a triad boss. Initially, he relies on those closest to him to solve his problem, but he quickly realizes that due to the danger of the situtation, the only person he can trust is himself.
The above description may sound like a tease for your average thriller/neo-noir, however, Marooend is anything but. Though is has noir-ish elements and is a thriller, Marooned is romantic film that centers more around Andy Hui's cop's relationship with girlfriend Gigi Leung, with the cops & triad element serving as both the obstacle and catalyst for their being together.
As usual for an Andy Hui flick, Andy is an affable, too nice for his own good guy with relationship issues. And, as usual, Andy Hui pulls it off. Nothing is remarkable about his performance, or that of his co-star Gigi Leung, but they are both friendly faces put forth by consistently dependable actors. If you're looking for a high suspense thriller, check out Kidnap or Inner Senses, if you're looking for an entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable semi-thriller without any lasting impact, give Marooned a try.
Next Blog: Tiger Cage, The Shopaholics, Full Contact, Expect the Unexpected, Mob Sister, and THX 1138.
11 October, 2008
Post Red Cliff
After finally viewing Red Cliff, I quickly realized that I still have nearly 90 films I own and have yet to watch. Sheesh, talk about a back log. So, my basking in the glory of Red Cliff is over, and my watching or more films is here in the form of Hong Kong noir-ish Rave Fever, Hong Kong horror flick Troublesome Night 3, and Taiwanese adolescent love confusion film Eternal Summer. Since none of these films really struck a cord with me, I'm going to give each a one sentence description.
Rave Fever
Directed by Alan Mak (A War Named Desire, Infernal Affairs, Confession of Pain) and starring Mark Lui, Sam Lee (Made in Hong Kong, Bio-Zombie, The Longest Summer, Metade Fumaca), Jaymee Ong (Gen-X Cops), Terence Yin (Gen-X Cops, The Heavenly Kings), and Yoyo Mung (Expect the Unexpected, A Hero Never Dies, Running Out of Time).
An entertaining little noir-ish thrill-ride that unfolds in non-linear fashion.
Troublesome Night 3
Directed by Herman Yau (Nightmares in Precinct 7, Killing End, Whispers and Moans) and starring Louis Koo (Bullets Over Summer, Election, Flash Point, Triangle), Fennie Yuen (Bullet in the Head, Royal Tramp, Nightmares in Precinct 7), and Simon Lui (24 hrs. Ghost Story, Ballistic Kiss, Nightmares in Precinct 7, Killing End).
While it isn't exceptionally noteworthy in any way, Troublesome Night 3 is an enjoyable Hong Kong horror flick with a bit of comedy thrown in.
Eternal Summer
Directed by Leste Chen, starring Joseph Chang (Keeping Watch), Bryant Chang (Summer's Tail), and Kate Yeung (Demi-Haunted).
Earlier, I lied. Eternal Summer did stike a cord with me. Why? Because, it is an endearing film about young love and the complications that result from telling one's best friend you love them with excellent acting from Joseph Chang and Bryant Chang, whose on-screen chemistry as best friends is superb, as well as Kate Yeung's performance as the woman that comes between them, sort of.
The coming-of-age film is a genre that has been done to death time and again, however, Eternal Summer manages to feel fresh and digs right into the emotion of the characters. While everything the characters' feel is evident from the very beginning, watching them slowly realize what they want of themselves and each other is truly engrossing, and the ending wholly apropos.
If you've seen and liked Garden State, The Graduate, Y Tu Mama Tambien, The 400 Blows, or any of the billion other coming-of-age films made over the years, check out Eternal Summer, as it is an incredible film, and better than most of it's genre.
Next Time: Two thrillers starring Karena Lam, a drama revolving around workers in Hong Kong's sex industry, and an HK neo-noir.
Rave Fever
Directed by Alan Mak (A War Named Desire, Infernal Affairs, Confession of Pain) and starring Mark Lui, Sam Lee (Made in Hong Kong, Bio-Zombie, The Longest Summer, Metade Fumaca), Jaymee Ong (Gen-X Cops), Terence Yin (Gen-X Cops, The Heavenly Kings), and Yoyo Mung (Expect the Unexpected, A Hero Never Dies, Running Out of Time).
An entertaining little noir-ish thrill-ride that unfolds in non-linear fashion.
Troublesome Night 3
Directed by Herman Yau (Nightmares in Precinct 7, Killing End, Whispers and Moans) and starring Louis Koo (Bullets Over Summer, Election, Flash Point, Triangle), Fennie Yuen (Bullet in the Head, Royal Tramp, Nightmares in Precinct 7), and Simon Lui (24 hrs. Ghost Story, Ballistic Kiss, Nightmares in Precinct 7, Killing End).
While it isn't exceptionally noteworthy in any way, Troublesome Night 3 is an enjoyable Hong Kong horror flick with a bit of comedy thrown in.
Eternal Summer
Directed by Leste Chen, starring Joseph Chang (Keeping Watch), Bryant Chang (Summer's Tail), and Kate Yeung (Demi-Haunted).
Earlier, I lied. Eternal Summer did stike a cord with me. Why? Because, it is an endearing film about young love and the complications that result from telling one's best friend you love them with excellent acting from Joseph Chang and Bryant Chang, whose on-screen chemistry as best friends is superb, as well as Kate Yeung's performance as the woman that comes between them, sort of.
The coming-of-age film is a genre that has been done to death time and again, however, Eternal Summer manages to feel fresh and digs right into the emotion of the characters. While everything the characters' feel is evident from the very beginning, watching them slowly realize what they want of themselves and each other is truly engrossing, and the ending wholly apropos.
If you've seen and liked Garden State, The Graduate, Y Tu Mama Tambien, The 400 Blows, or any of the billion other coming-of-age films made over the years, check out Eternal Summer, as it is an incredible film, and better than most of it's genre.
Next Time: Two thrillers starring Karena Lam, a drama revolving around workers in Hong Kong's sex industry, and an HK neo-noir.
04 October, 2008
Red Cliff
Red Cliff!
Red Cliff
Directed by John Woo (A Better Tomorrow, Bullet in the Head, The Killer), Red Cliff stars Tony Leung (Bullet in the Head, Chungking Express, In the Mood for Love, Infernal Affairs; Lust, Caution), Takeshi Kaneshiro (Chungking Express, Lost and Found, Perhaps Love, The Warlords), Chang Chen (Happy Together; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Chinese Odyssey 2002, Silk), Zhang Fengyi (Farewell My Concubine, Police Confidential, The Emperor and the Assassin), Zhao Wei (Shaolin Soccer, Chinese Odyssey 2002, The Postmodern Life of My Aunt), Hu Jun (Lan Yu, Infernal Affairs II, Assembly), Nakamura Shido (Neighbour No. 13, Death Note, Letters from Iwo Jima), You Yong (Breaking News, All the Invisible Children, Election), and Tong Dawei (I Love You, Lost in Beijing).
Red Cliff is based on the Battle of Red Chibi, the final battle at the end of the Han Dynasty in ancient China. Google it.
As far as the film goes, I would describe it with a Sarah Palin gee, gosh, or a Joey Lawrence whoa, because it is phenomenal. The first episode, or half, of Red Cliff isn't big on grand scale battles, but it does have superb direction, acting, everyting, and is a perfect set up for what is to come in the next installment. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of the first episode of John Woo's epic, and I can't wait for the second to be released.
Red Cliff
Directed by John Woo (A Better Tomorrow, Bullet in the Head, The Killer), Red Cliff stars Tony Leung (Bullet in the Head, Chungking Express, In the Mood for Love, Infernal Affairs; Lust, Caution), Takeshi Kaneshiro (Chungking Express, Lost and Found, Perhaps Love, The Warlords), Chang Chen (Happy Together; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Chinese Odyssey 2002, Silk), Zhang Fengyi (Farewell My Concubine, Police Confidential, The Emperor and the Assassin), Zhao Wei (Shaolin Soccer, Chinese Odyssey 2002, The Postmodern Life of My Aunt), Hu Jun (Lan Yu, Infernal Affairs II, Assembly), Nakamura Shido (Neighbour No. 13, Death Note, Letters from Iwo Jima), You Yong (Breaking News, All the Invisible Children, Election), and Tong Dawei (I Love You, Lost in Beijing).
Red Cliff is based on the Battle of Red Chibi, the final battle at the end of the Han Dynasty in ancient China. Google it.
As far as the film goes, I would describe it with a Sarah Palin gee, gosh, or a Joey Lawrence whoa, because it is phenomenal. The first episode, or half, of Red Cliff isn't big on grand scale battles, but it does have superb direction, acting, everyting, and is a perfect set up for what is to come in the next installment. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of the first episode of John Woo's epic, and I can't wait for the second to be released.
Next Time: Red Cliff!
This time: A trio of films that star Maggie Cheung, Hong Kong noir, a Taiwanese thriller, an American film about racism, an indie flick about the mind and heart, and the best titled film ever.
Iceman Cometh
Directed by Clarence Fok, starring Yuen Biao and Maggie Chung. Biao plays an ancient Chinese guard that is charged with pursuing a fallen member of the royal guard. While in pursuit, he, and the bad guy, are frozen solid at the bottom of an avalanche. Three hundred years later, they are found and accidentally unfrozen.
Playing a pious, righteous guard, Biao is dedicated to catching and stopping his former fellow guard, who happens to be a psychotic, murdering rapist that intends to return to the past to take over the world. Along the way, Biao happens upon a beautiful, outspoken young woman (Maggie Cheung), and he has many humerous interactions with the "new" world.
Iceman Cometh is a lot like Demolition Man. There are plenty of laughs to be found in Iceman Cometh, but it certainly isn't a must see. Biao produces an interesting enough character, and uses plenty of martial arts to entertain. Never boring, but never really more than a time killer (pun intended), Iceman Cometh is a pleasing piece diversionary entertainment. Also, it features Maggie Cheung before she learned how to act.
The Seventh Curse
An uber cheezy Indiana Jones knock-off that "stars" Chow Yun-Fat, Chin Siu-Ho, and Maggie Cheung, and was written by The Master of Crap, Wong Jing. The Seventh Curse is a bad film, but, what it lacks in quality, characterization, and originality, it makes up for in laughs. If you're looking for a film featuring a cameo from Chow Yun-Fat that received top billing, a Maggie Cheung that had yet to figure out that whole "acting" thing, a bunch of scenes lifted from the trilogy of Indiana Jones films, and a healthy dose of gore, boobs, and gags, The Seventh Curse is for you. Yay for you!
Full Moon in New York
Directed by Stanley Kwan (Rouge, Centre Stage, Lan Yu), and starring Sylvia Chang (All About Ah-Long; C'est La Vie, Mon Cheri), Maggie "I learned how to act" Cheung (Centre Stage, Days of Being Wild, In the Mood for Love), and Siqin Gaowa (In the Heat of the Sun, The Postmodern Life of My Aunt).
Full Moon in New York, to put it simply, is a film about the troubles in the lives of three Chinese women living in New York. I'm not going to get into the characterization of the women as it relates politically to where the characters originate in China; Taiwan, Hong Kong and Mainland China; or the emotion of the film as it pertains to the director, if you want to learn more about either or both, check out Shelly Kraicer's writings.
Full Moon in New York is an incredible film that tackles more subject matter than you could shake a stick at. It is thoughtful, beautiful and elegant cinema that is deserving of praise and respect. Though it isn't a film to be taken lightly, Full Moon in New York is an accomplished work that has layers of meaning and miles of talent.
Killing End
Directed by Herman Yau (Nightmares in Precinct 7), and starring Andy Hui (Nightmares in Precinct 7), Loletta Lee (Nightmares in Precinct 7), and Simon Liu (Nightmares in Precinct 7). Do you see a pattern emerging?
Killing End is a fun noir directed by the director of Nightmares in Precinct 7, and starring pretty much everybody that was in Nightmares in Precinct 7. Everything about Killing End is good. Direction, acting, story, ending. It may not be the best noir ever, but it is engaging and the chemistry between leads Andy Hui and Loletta Lee, coupled with the brotherly bond between Hui and Simon Liu, make Killing End (and Nightmares in Precinct 7) utterly watchable and extremely entertaining.
Killing End is good. Go watch it, and Nightmares in Precinct 7.
Silk
An entertaining supernatural thriller starring Chang Chen (Happy Together; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Red Cliff) that is interesting and watchable due to it's star, though it fails to reach it's potential due to a ridiculous number of subplots that serve only to take away from the main story. However, Chang Chen is a terrific actor, so much so that you don't really care that the movie has more subplots than an entire season of Scrubs. Having Karena Lam (July Rhapsody, Koma, Kidnap) in a supporting role doesn't hurt either. Silk may not be super scary, or even that great, but it is enjoyable, and better than anything you'll see out of Hollywood.
The Intruder
Directed by Roger Corman and starring William Shatner. The Intruder is not what one would expect from either it's director or star. An intelligent film made in the 1960s, The Intruder bravely tackled the sensitive subject of racial integration.
William Shatner, playing a racist troublemaker, puts forth the greatest performance of his career in portraying a smooth, sly bastard of a man that attempts to turn a town on it's own people in the name of racist ideals. The Intruder is not an easy film to watch, as it openly shows the evil that unfounded hatred can breed. The Intruder shows the ugly side of men, and how just one person with bad intentions can turn a society on its head. However, it also shows that even in the darkest of times, some men are willing to stand up for what is right.
The Intruder isn't a deep or subtle film by any means, but it possesses the unsightly truths of what lies in the hearts of some men. Both inspiring and enraging, The Intruder puts forth a believable story that, hopefully, causes one to detest Shatner's character, which very accurately represents the ridiculousness of racism in general. An insightful film that should be watched, and respected.
Special
An interesting film starring Michael Rapaport (True Romance, Palmetto, Deep Blue Sea) as Les, a meter maid that gets put into a drug trial for a new drug that makes one feel "Special". Les quickly comes to believe he has super powers, and sets about using his newfound abilities to help the helpless and make something out of his mundane life.
Unfortunatley for Les, everything spirals out of control, and he soon finds himself wrapped up in a sinister plot. With only himself to rely on, Les comes to realize that having super powers isn't neccessarily all he had hoped for, and that maybe he was a hero all along.
Dirty Ho
"You haven't lived until you've fought Dirty Ho, and then you're dead", such is the tagline for the Hong Kong martial arts classic Dirty Ho. With Gordon Liu as director and star, the greatest title and greatest tagline EVER, Dirty Ho has everything going for it.
If you like Hong Kong martial arts films like The 36TH Chamber of Shaolin, Come Drink With Me, or The One Armed Swordsman, you've either seen Dirty Ho already, or should soon. To call it a cinema classic is entirely apropos, as Dirty Ho has all the superb elements of it's Shaw Brothers pedigree, and the Hong Kong martial arts genre. Watch it for the tagline, watch it for the title, watch it for the star, you can't go wrong, as long as you watch it.
Next Post: John Woo's Red Cliff, finally.
Iceman Cometh
Directed by Clarence Fok, starring Yuen Biao and Maggie Chung. Biao plays an ancient Chinese guard that is charged with pursuing a fallen member of the royal guard. While in pursuit, he, and the bad guy, are frozen solid at the bottom of an avalanche. Three hundred years later, they are found and accidentally unfrozen.
Playing a pious, righteous guard, Biao is dedicated to catching and stopping his former fellow guard, who happens to be a psychotic, murdering rapist that intends to return to the past to take over the world. Along the way, Biao happens upon a beautiful, outspoken young woman (Maggie Cheung), and he has many humerous interactions with the "new" world.
Iceman Cometh is a lot like Demolition Man. There are plenty of laughs to be found in Iceman Cometh, but it certainly isn't a must see. Biao produces an interesting enough character, and uses plenty of martial arts to entertain. Never boring, but never really more than a time killer (pun intended), Iceman Cometh is a pleasing piece diversionary entertainment. Also, it features Maggie Cheung before she learned how to act.
The Seventh Curse
An uber cheezy Indiana Jones knock-off that "stars" Chow Yun-Fat, Chin Siu-Ho, and Maggie Cheung, and was written by The Master of Crap, Wong Jing. The Seventh Curse is a bad film, but, what it lacks in quality, characterization, and originality, it makes up for in laughs. If you're looking for a film featuring a cameo from Chow Yun-Fat that received top billing, a Maggie Cheung that had yet to figure out that whole "acting" thing, a bunch of scenes lifted from the trilogy of Indiana Jones films, and a healthy dose of gore, boobs, and gags, The Seventh Curse is for you. Yay for you!
Full Moon in New York
Directed by Stanley Kwan (Rouge, Centre Stage, Lan Yu), and starring Sylvia Chang (All About Ah-Long; C'est La Vie, Mon Cheri), Maggie "I learned how to act" Cheung (Centre Stage, Days of Being Wild, In the Mood for Love), and Siqin Gaowa (In the Heat of the Sun, The Postmodern Life of My Aunt).
Full Moon in New York, to put it simply, is a film about the troubles in the lives of three Chinese women living in New York. I'm not going to get into the characterization of the women as it relates politically to where the characters originate in China; Taiwan, Hong Kong and Mainland China; or the emotion of the film as it pertains to the director, if you want to learn more about either or both, check out Shelly Kraicer's writings.
Full Moon in New York is an incredible film that tackles more subject matter than you could shake a stick at. It is thoughtful, beautiful and elegant cinema that is deserving of praise and respect. Though it isn't a film to be taken lightly, Full Moon in New York is an accomplished work that has layers of meaning and miles of talent.
Killing End
Directed by Herman Yau (Nightmares in Precinct 7), and starring Andy Hui (Nightmares in Precinct 7), Loletta Lee (Nightmares in Precinct 7), and Simon Liu (Nightmares in Precinct 7). Do you see a pattern emerging?
Killing End is a fun noir directed by the director of Nightmares in Precinct 7, and starring pretty much everybody that was in Nightmares in Precinct 7. Everything about Killing End is good. Direction, acting, story, ending. It may not be the best noir ever, but it is engaging and the chemistry between leads Andy Hui and Loletta Lee, coupled with the brotherly bond between Hui and Simon Liu, make Killing End (and Nightmares in Precinct 7) utterly watchable and extremely entertaining.
Killing End is good. Go watch it, and Nightmares in Precinct 7.
Silk
An entertaining supernatural thriller starring Chang Chen (Happy Together; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Red Cliff) that is interesting and watchable due to it's star, though it fails to reach it's potential due to a ridiculous number of subplots that serve only to take away from the main story. However, Chang Chen is a terrific actor, so much so that you don't really care that the movie has more subplots than an entire season of Scrubs. Having Karena Lam (July Rhapsody, Koma, Kidnap) in a supporting role doesn't hurt either. Silk may not be super scary, or even that great, but it is enjoyable, and better than anything you'll see out of Hollywood.
The Intruder
Directed by Roger Corman and starring William Shatner. The Intruder is not what one would expect from either it's director or star. An intelligent film made in the 1960s, The Intruder bravely tackled the sensitive subject of racial integration.
William Shatner, playing a racist troublemaker, puts forth the greatest performance of his career in portraying a smooth, sly bastard of a man that attempts to turn a town on it's own people in the name of racist ideals. The Intruder is not an easy film to watch, as it openly shows the evil that unfounded hatred can breed. The Intruder shows the ugly side of men, and how just one person with bad intentions can turn a society on its head. However, it also shows that even in the darkest of times, some men are willing to stand up for what is right.
The Intruder isn't a deep or subtle film by any means, but it possesses the unsightly truths of what lies in the hearts of some men. Both inspiring and enraging, The Intruder puts forth a believable story that, hopefully, causes one to detest Shatner's character, which very accurately represents the ridiculousness of racism in general. An insightful film that should be watched, and respected.
Special
An interesting film starring Michael Rapaport (True Romance, Palmetto, Deep Blue Sea) as Les, a meter maid that gets put into a drug trial for a new drug that makes one feel "Special". Les quickly comes to believe he has super powers, and sets about using his newfound abilities to help the helpless and make something out of his mundane life.
Unfortunatley for Les, everything spirals out of control, and he soon finds himself wrapped up in a sinister plot. With only himself to rely on, Les comes to realize that having super powers isn't neccessarily all he had hoped for, and that maybe he was a hero all along.
Dirty Ho
"You haven't lived until you've fought Dirty Ho, and then you're dead", such is the tagline for the Hong Kong martial arts classic Dirty Ho. With Gordon Liu as director and star, the greatest title and greatest tagline EVER, Dirty Ho has everything going for it.
If you like Hong Kong martial arts films like The 36TH Chamber of Shaolin, Come Drink With Me, or The One Armed Swordsman, you've either seen Dirty Ho already, or should soon. To call it a cinema classic is entirely apropos, as Dirty Ho has all the superb elements of it's Shaw Brothers pedigree, and the Hong Kong martial arts genre. Watch it for the tagline, watch it for the title, watch it for the star, you can't go wrong, as long as you watch it.
Next Post: John Woo's Red Cliff, finally.
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