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The Underdog Knight (DVD) (English Subtitled) (China Version)
Liu Ye (Actor)
| Anthony Wong (Actor)
| You Yung (Actor)
| Yu Rong Guang (Actor)
The oddly entertaining The Underdog Knight deserves special recognition for being one of the more bizarre co-productions in recent memory. Wong Jing produced this questionably commercial action drama that plays like a PRC-approved mash-up of Forrest Gump, Taxi Driver and about five other films. Liu Ye stars as Wang Tao (called Lao San, because he's the third son in his family), a discharged naval officer in the People's Liberation Army. When rescuing a drowning comrade, Wang Tao spends too much time underwater, and the lack of oxygen results in reduced mental function. Luckily, he has an incredibly patient girlfriend named Daffodil (Liu Yang of Bullet and Brain), and is helped through his... [read more]
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Lady Cop & Papa Crook (DVD) (US Version)
Sammi Cheng (Actor)
| Eason Chan (Actor)
| Zhang Guo Li
| Michelle Yip
Lady Cop and Papa Crook is a film which has attracted publicity for all the wrong reasons, having been delayed after a battle with the notoriously strict Chinese censors. This is a shame, and it is great to see the film finally emerge, as it offers fans of Hong Kong cinema plenty to get excited about, marking as it does the return to screens of popular singer-actress Sammi Cheng in her first role since 2005's less than successful Everlasting Regret. Here, she teams with another A-list talent in the form of Eason Chan (who recently impressed in low-key gangster drama The Pye-Dog) along with a whole host of notable co-stars including the likes of Chapman To (Trivial Matters), Patrick Tam (best... [read more]
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My Wife Is 18 (US Version)
Ekin Cheng (Actor)
| Charlene Choi (Actor)
| Twins (Actor)
| James Yuen (Director)
James Yuen is famous of his whimsical light-hearted romantic comedy. Films like Your Place or Mine and Every Dog has His Date are all about awkward love relationships that seem to be a misfit at the beginning, while romances gradually kindle on the way. Therefore, it is really not a surprise to see him come up with the idea of My Wife is 18. Some people tend to think that the plot of this film is too irrational, but if you compared it to Yuen's previous film Every Dog has His Date, you'll feel that it is not that crazy indeed. Actually, Yuen has already played around with this kind of love affairs with a young girl and mature man before. In Your Place or Mine, The pairing of Tony Leung and... [read more]
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Champions (DVD) (2-Disc Edition) (Hong Kong Version)
Dicky Cheung (Actor)
| Yu Rong Guang (Actor)
| Xie Miao (Actor)
| WU TIAN YU (Actor)
With the coming of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a slew of related sports related films were always inevitable. One of the first major productions now hitting DVD is Champions from director Tsui Siu Ming, who recently produced the likes of The Equation of Love and Death and Battle of Wits. The film marks the return to the screen of popular actor and singer Dicky Cheung, who stars in a patriotic tale (very) loosely based upon the real life exploits of the first Chinese Olympic participation. The film is set back in 1936, with Cheung playing a martial artist called Fung, who along with his friend Shue Po (former child star Xie Miao, also in My Father is a Hero) dreams of taking part in the coming... [read more]
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Home Run (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Chapman To (Actor)
| Fan Bing Bing (Actor)
| Zou Yan Wen (Actor)
| Fang Gang Liang (Director)
Despite its title, Home Run is not a film about baseball, but about urban living and relationships in modern urban China. The Mainland-Hong Kong co-production was directed by Fan Gang Liang, whose first outing The Story of Xiao-Yan won a slew of accolades, including Best Directorial Debut and Best Film for Children at the 2004 Golden Rooster Awards. Here, he again follows the story of a plucky youngster, this time to explore themes of changes in Chinese society, more specifically the way in which the increasingly intrusive media has come to dominate people's lives, and how families are starting to take second place to careers. The film stars gorgeous actress Fan Bingbing (recently in the... [read more]
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The Bravest Revenge (DVD) (English Subtitled) (Taiwan Version)
Shang Kuan Ling Feng (Actor)
| Tien Peng (Actor)
| Yi Yuan (Actor)
One of the great things about being a fan of martial arts films is that no matter what the current state of the genre may be, there is always a seemingly endless back catalogue of gems available on tap. One such blast from the past, originally released back in 1970 and now seeing the light again on DVD is The Bravest Revenge from director Lung Chien, who was also responsible for the likes of King of Boxers and Queen of Fist. The Taiwanese film marked the reunion of Shang Kuan Ling Feng and Tien Peng, who starred together in King Hu's classic 1966 version of Dragon Gate Inn. The film starts as aging constable Long is brought out of retirement to catch an escaped villain called Chau Mutien who... [read more]
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Legendary Assassin (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Wu Jing (Director, Actor)
| Alex Fong Lik Sun (Actor)
| Ronald Cheng (Actor)
| Sammy Leung (Actor)
Legendary Assassin sees Chinese martial arts sensation Wu Jing step behind the camera for the first time, co-directing along with Nicky Lee Chung Chi, who also provided the stunt choreography for the likes of Invisible Target and Lady Cop & Papa Crook. Wu has been building an impressive resume through appearing in the likes of SPL and Fatal Contact and here takes centre stage in a familiar though entertaining tale of a moody hitman and his violent misadventures. The film starts with Wu as the titular assassin Bo (whose legendary status never really comes up) arriving on a picturesque island and beheading a fugitive mob boss after laying waste to his incompetent goons. Prevented from leaving... [read more]
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All About Women (DVD) (US Version)
Zhou Xun (Actor)
| Guey Lun Mei (Actor)
| Kitty Zhang (Actor)
| Tsui Hark (Director)
After the disappointingly lacklustre Missing, it's hard not to view All About Women as yet another comeback film for the once mighty Tsui Hark. Although a Sex and the City-style comedy exploring the inner turmoil of women in modern China may not sound like the most obvious choice of projects for a film maker still best known for fantasy blockbusters like Zu Warriors and A Chinese Ghost Story, Tsui Hark certainly knows how to do screwball set pieces, and the emphasis here is firmly on the wacky. Interestingly, the film was co-written by My Sassy Girl director Kwak Jae Yong, which gives a good indication of the tone and behaviour of the female characters. Their collaboration turns out to be a... [read more]
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Home Run (DVD) (US Version)
Chapman To (Actor)
| Fan Bing Bing (Actor)
| Zou Yan Wen (Actor)
| Fang Gang Liang (Director)
Despite its title, Home Run is not a film about baseball, but about urban living and relationships in modern urban China. The Mainland-Hong Kong co-production was directed by Fan Gang Liang, whose first outing The Story of Xiao-Yan won a slew of accolades, including Best Directorial Debut and Best Film for Children at the 2004 Golden Rooster Awards. Here, he again follows the story of a plucky youngster, this time to explore themes of changes in Chinese society, more specifically the way in which the increasingly intrusive media has come to dominate people's lives, and how families are starting to take second place to careers. The film stars gorgeous actress Fan Bingbing (recently in the... [read more]
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All About Women (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Zhou Xun (Actor)
| Guey Lun Mei (Actor)
| Kitty Zhang (Actor)
| Tsui Hark (Director)
After the disappointingly lacklustre Missing, it's hard not to view All About Women as yet another comeback film for the once mighty Tsui Hark. Although a Sex and the City-style comedy exploring the inner turmoil of women in modern China may not sound like the most obvious choice of projects for a film maker still best known for fantasy blockbusters like Zu Warriors and A Chinese Ghost Story, Tsui Hark certainly knows how to do screwball set pieces, and the emphasis here is firmly on the wacky. Interestingly, the film was co-written by My Sassy Girl director Kwak Jae Yong, which gives a good indication of the tone and behaviour of the female characters. Their collaboration turns out to be a... [read more]
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The Postman Fights Back (VCD) (Joy Sales Version) (Hong Kong Version)
Chow Yun Fat (Actor)
| Cherie Chung (Actor)
| Leung Ka Yan (Actor)
| Ronny Yu (Director)
Although the box art for The Postman Fights Back would have you believe that Chow Yun-Fat is this star of the movie, the truth of the matter is that he is neither the star nor the "fighting postman" of the title. That distinction falls upon actor Leung Ka-Yan, who takes on the lead role of Ma, a courier who faithfully delivers the mail throughout rural China. Things seem to be going well with the whole postman gig, but after being told that the town can no longer afford his services, Ma's luck begins to run out. But instead of "going postal" on the community in retaliation, nice guy Ma looks for another job that best suits his talents. Soon enough, he finds himself embroiled in a covert... [read more]
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If You Are The One (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Shu Qi (Actor)
| Ge You (Actor)
| Feng Xiao Gang (Director)
| Vivian Hsu (Actor)
Feng Xiaogang takes a break from movies featuring war, martial arts or Andy Lau for If You Are The One, a commercial romance that hearkens back to Feng's days as China's number one purveyor of popular comedies. Starring Feng's usual leading man Ge You, If You Are The One was inspired by the 1998 Taiwanese film The Personals (that film's writer-director, Chen Kuo-Fu, serves as producer and co-writer of If You Are The One) and proves entertaining and unusually smart for a commercial film aimed at the masses. A laggy third act and an anticlimactic ending bring things down a notch, and the film isn't as forthcoming as it could be, with more said than is actually shown. However, Feng Xiaogang's... [read more]
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Runaway Blues (DVD) (Multi-audio) (Hong Kong Version)
Andy Lau (Actor)
| Lu Hsiu Ling (Actor)
| Blackie Ko (Actor)
| Tanny Tien (Actor)
Runaway Blues was originally released back in 1989 and was directed by David Lai, who was also responsible for the classic Saviour of the Soul as well as a number of 1980s Hong Kong genre favourites such as Spiritual Love, Lost Souls, and Possessed. The film is another of the gangster dramas that were so popular at the time, and features the immortal Andy Lau in the lead, appearing just before his acting and singing careers launched him to superstardom. Interestingly enough, the film's theme song, "Do I Really Have Nothing at All", was performed by Dave Wang rather than Lau, and became a popular hit on its release. Here Lau plays Kwong, a Taiwanese gang member who flees to Hong Kong after... [read more]
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Nobody's Perfect (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Stephy Tang (Actor)
| Kary Ng (Actor)
| Patrick Kong (Director)
| Sammy Leung (Actor)
Patrick Kong takes a break from back-up lovers and unnecessary plot twists for Nobody's Perfect, his third film of 2008 and the first that qualifies as an intentional comedy. Nobody's Perfect does feature two-timing and crappy boyfriends, but those details are minor compared to the main theme of the film. What is the main theme? Probably a prosaic lesson about being a better person, but the film is far more notable for mercilessly savaging Hong Kong-specific pop culture and engaging in crass promotion, courtesy of twin bankrollers Gold Label Music and the Neway karaoke chain. At every chance, the film makes reference to Gold Label's contingent of singers (e.g., Ronald Cheng and Justin Lo),... [read more]
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Rule#1 (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Ekin Cheng (Actor)
| Shawn Yue (Actor)
| Stephanie Che (Actor)
| Fiona Xie (Actor)
Rule#1 is the latest offering from young Singaporean director and former critic Kelvin Tong, who has quickly established himself as one of the more interesting and quirky film makers working in Asian cinema today thanks to the likes of Love Story and The Maid. Although he has dabbled in the horror genre before with the comedy Men in White, here he thankfully takes a far more serious and downbeat approach, managing to temper his eccentric sense of humour with genuine chills and surprising unpleasantness. The result is his best effort yet, and what is probably one of the most accomplished and indeed effective genre films to have come from Hong Kong in recent years. The film opens in suitably... [read more]
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Shanghai Affairs (DVD) (Kam & Ronson Version) (Hong Kong Version)
Donnie Yen (Actor, Director)
| Athena Chu (Actor)
| Yu Rong Guang (Actor)
| Benny Chan (Actor)
As Donnie Yen's inexorable rise to superstardom continues with box office hits like Painted Skin and Ip Man, it's good to see some of his earlier films reappearing on DVD. Following on from the recent reissue of his hilarious disco dancing classic Mismatched Couples comes Shanghai Affairs, an outing from 1998 which he actually directed himself. The film is basically a remake of the Bruce Lee classic The Big Boss set in 1900s Shanghai, with Yen stepping into the master's shoes to provide plenty of flying fists and martial arts action. Yen plays Tong Shan, a righteous doctor who along with his friend Bond sets up shop in one of the city's poorest areas. Soon enough he is butting heads with the... [read more]
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4 Bia (AKA: Phobia) (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Banjong Pisonthanakun (Director)
| Parkpoom Wongpoom (Director)
| Yongyoot Thongkongtoon (Director)
Horror anthologies can be rather hit and miss affairs, ranging in quality from the excellent Three to the rather shabby Black Night. The awkwardly titled 4 Bia (apparently playing on the word "Phobia" though causing no end of problems with pronunciation and search engines in the process) from Thailand is the latest film to take a stab at attempting the difficult task of delivering a package of consistently entertaining and sufficiently original short shockers. In its favour, the film does showcase the talents of four of the country's most promising new helmers, most prominently Banjong Pisanthanakun and Pakpoom Wongpoom, whose Shutter and Alone have ranked among the very best Asian horror... [read more]
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Storm Rider - Clash of Evils (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Nicholas Tse
| Richie Jen
| Raymond Lam
| Hins Cheung
If you can't wait for the live-action sequel to Storm Riders, you can satiate your Wind and Cloud lust with Storm Rider - Clash of Evils. Directed by Dante Lam (Beast Cops), this animated feature functions as almost a de-facto sequel to the 1998 Andrew Lau blockbuster. Clash of Evils basically starts where the live-action Storm Riders left off, with orphaned martial artists Wind and Cloud taking on Conquer, the man who murdered their parents in order to make them his disciples and secure his rule of the martial arts world. Wind and Cloud defeat Conquer, but afterwards Wind is possessed by the Kylin Blood, which he obtained when he previously slew the Fire Kylin, a fierce fire beast. The... [read more]
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True Women For Sale (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Prudence Liew (Actor)
| Anthony Wong (Actor)
| Race Wong (Actor)
| Sammy Leung (Actor)
Director Herman Yau revisits Whispers and Moans territory once more with True Women For Sale, except this time he has a little more fun. Taking place in local Sham Shui Po, the film details an assortment of lower class characters muddling through situations that are unique to Hong Kong and its people. Anthony Wong is Lau Fu-Yi, an insurance salesman who caters to working class stiffs, including temporary construction workers, one of whom cashes in his chips after an accident. Lau is charged with delivering the meager insurance payment to the widow, Wong Lin-Fa (Race Wong), a Mainland immigrant with one daughter and one more child on the way. Like many girls from the Mainland, Lin-Fa desires... [read more]
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Come Drink With Me
Ngok Wah
| Cheng Pei Pei (Actor)
| Chen Hung Lieh
| King Hu (Director)
Come Drink with Me was made in 1966. It was King Hu's first attempt at Wuxia genre, as well as Cheng Pei-pei and Yue Hua's debut in a Wuxia movie. Before the release of this film, Wuxia was not a popular genre in Hong Kong. In some senses, it is not inappropriate to say that Come Drink with Me was the first movie to arouse the attention of Hong Kong audience to new style Wuxia film. King Hu was also known as a synonym of Wuxia genre later. The story begins with the kidnap of a government official by the notorious "Five Tigers". In response to this case, Golden Swallow (Cheng Pei-pei), the sister of the government official, starts her rescue mission. Being pure and inexperienced, she does not... [read more]
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