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.
30 November, 2008
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
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