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.
1 comment:
Nice selection of films.
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