Wolf Warrior 2 战狼2 Year: 2017 Director: Wu Jing Writers: Wu Jing, Dong Qun, Liu Yi Cast: Wu Jing, Celina Jade, Frank Grillo, Hans Zhang, Wu Gang Running Time: 121 Minutes Country: China
2017's surprise blockbuster hit Wolf Warrior 2 is one of those rare cases of the sequel not only being better than the original but surpassing the film in every single way.
After the events of Wolf Warrior, Leng Feng (Wu Jing), China's deadliest special forces operative settles into a quiet life on the sea. When sadistic mercenaries begin targeting nearby civilians, he must leave his newfound peace behind and return to his duties as a soldier and protector. A Chinese destroyer arrives to evacuate strictly Chinese civilians caught up in the middle of the civil war, but after overhearing guards talking about needing someone to rescue workers at a factory and an important doctor who knows the vaccination for Lamanla, Leng Feng volunteers.
Viewers will realise within the first few minutes if this film is for them. Kicking off with an immense fight scene between Wu Jing and Somali pirates which takes the fight into the ocean. Cleverly orchestrated, they are submerged underwater into one of the best underwater-fight scenes ever filmed, which is neatly edited to look like one take. It's fun, ridiculously over the top and sets the tone for what's to follow for the next two hours.
Many viewers and critics had issues with the original Wolf Warrior, mainly due to its propaganda feel and the fact it came across like a recruitment video for the Chinese army. This sequel essentially strips all that away. While still being highly Nationalistic, it actually works to the plot and doesn't feel quite as contrived. The film has less in common with The Founding of a Republic and it's more in line with a Chinese version of Rambo. Wu Jing directs the film, as well as starring once again. Wu has improved leaps and bounds as a director and this time he keeps the plot simple and straight to the point, which allows the story to flow without the need to ever over-complicate things. If at any time your mind starts to wander during some of the character development scenes, don't fret because there is another exciting action scene right around the corner.
The location of Africa is also a fresh setting for the series, while not explicitly stating which country the film is set in, it's only ever mentioned as Africa. The setting emerges the viewer right into the heart of Africa. Full of wild interesting locations, including the slums which play host to an exhilarating car chase. There's also the introduction of some very fun African characters. There is a touching relationship with a boy that Wu Jing becomes a godfather too. The boy and his mother are both hilarious characters and inject some humour into the violent action story. The stereotypes of some of the Africans may be bordering on offensive to some, but it all seems in good fun.
Wolf Warrior 2 is probably the best action film of the year thus far! It's filled to the brim with some breathtaking action scenes and set-pieces throughout. The action is on a huge scale and with great stunt work that would make a Hong Kong stuntman proud. There are highly intricate martial arts hand-to-hand fights which Wu Jing shines throughout. There are also plenty of shoot outs full of a wide variety of guns and tanks, topped off with knife fights and loads of explosions. Some of the action scenes are ridiculously over the top, such as Wu Jing stopping a bazooka in the most ridiculous yet entertaining way possible. But that's all part of the fun! Suspend your disbelief and have some fun. Although Scott Adkins is missing from the film, Frank Grillo steps up and plays an excellent villain. Grillo also helps deliver a brutally skilful final fight-scene with Wu Jing which doesn't disappoint at all.
Remain in your seat after the film is finished for a mid-credit Marvel-esque teaser scene that reminded me of a Coors Light commercial... And will give fans of the series something to look forward to.
Wolf Warrior 2 is a highly entertaining film. If you like your old school action films, this is for you. It's fun from start to finish and the action never lets up. Given all of this, it's really not a surprise that the film is doing so well at the box-office. As a side note; this is the first time in years, outside of festivals, that I've watched a film in the cinema that received a round of applause.
Once Upon A Time - Shi Li Tai Hua - 三生三世十里桃花 Year: 2017 Director: Zhao Xiaoding, Anthony LaMolinara Starring: Liu Yifei, Yang Yang, Luo Jin, Yan Yikuan Based on: Three Lives, Three Worlds, Ten Miles Peach Blossoms by TangQi Gongzi Running Time: 110 mins Country: China
Once Upon A Time is the latest Chinese CGI-heavy fantasy-romance drama. Big budget Chinese films brimmed of CGI have become increasingly popular over the years but with many previous films not having special effects up to Hollywood's standard, how does Once Upon A Time compare?
This is the story of Bai Qian, a goddess and monarch from the Heavenly Realms. In her first life, she was the disciple of Mo Yuan. Due to a devastating war, Mo Yuan’s soul was destroyed while sealing the Demon Lord. Seventy thousand years later while Bai Qian was trying to reseal the Demon Lord, she was sent to the mortal realm to undergo a trial to become a High Goddess. There, she meets Ye Hua with whom she falls in love and eventually married. However, their love ends tragically. Many years later, the two star-crossed lovers meet again as deities but all her memories have been erased due to her request. Ye Hua, who is now a crown prince black dragon 90,000 years younger than Bai Qian, gets a second chance at love with her.
Sounds confusing? Well, it is. Prior knowledge of the original book "Three Lives, Three Worlds, Ten Miles Peach Blossoms" or maybe even the TV series would have helped. But with this being my first time discovering this story, I was left scratching my head a few times. The confused identities, the forced romance and the convoluted plot would work better over the 58 episode TV series. The enormous task of trying to cram all of this story into under 2 hours was always going to be tricky. That being said, the 2 directors almost manage to pull it off, with only a few of the ideas not entirely clicking. The story revolves around two seemingly star-crossed lovers who continue to encounter each other over numerous lifetimes, in its simplicity. Keep telling yourself that.
Surprisingly Once Upon A Time is actually beautiful to look at. Shot almost entirely against green-screen with limited physical sets and props, the visuals are stunning! Being co-directed with visual-effects artist Anthony LaMolinara, whose credits include Hollow Man and Spider-Man 1 and 2, appears to have certainly helped in that department. The backdrops all look mesmerising and seem to go on for miles; the visual-effects creatures look more real than what most Chinese films have to offer. The costumes are also exquisite with many remarkable embroidered outfits and complex hairstyles which are worthy of recognition. The same praise can be given to the music which is full of traditional sounding Chinese instruments and reminiscent of big blockbuster scores from films such as House of Flying Daggers.
The two lead characters Liu Yifei (Bai Qian) and Yang Yang (Ye Hua) are both great in their respective roles. There is good on-screen chemistry between them and their love story is charming, even if it does seem a little contrived at the beginning. Once you discover more about these complex characters and their stories unfold with twists and turns, it ultimately results in some emotional and heart-warming scenes delivered from the pair.
Another exciting aspect of the film is the action scenes. There is more action in the film than the trailers and advertising would lead you to believe. Some of these are executed fairly well with fun wire-fu sword fighting magic and battles with CGI monsters including a tiger, a dragon and some bizarre giant earth-tree creature. All of these are a welcome break from the drama and they give your brain time to recover.
The film is flawed but still enjoyable overall. With many good elements to it, especially being a treat for your eyes and ears. The plot is bewildering but eventually, the main points become clear and allow you to relax and soak it all in. If you like big fantasy fairy tales then you will enjoy this one, but make sure you keep your thinking cap on!
Love Off The Cuff 春嬌救志明 Year: 2017 Director: Pang Ho-cheung Writers: Luk Yee-sum, Wan Chi-man, Pang Ho-cheung Cast: Miriam Yeung, Shawn Yue, Paul Chun, Jiang Mengjie Running Time: 120 minutes Country: Hong Kong-China
Pang Ho-cheung re-teams Shawn Yue and Miriam Yeung for his third installment in the romantic-comedy Love In A Puff series. Is this story starting to show signs of fatigue? Or is this an inevitable set up for a fourth film? Picking up after the events of 2012's Love In The Buff, Cherie (Miriam Yeung) and Jimmy (Shawn Yue) are now a relatively happy couple, living together and dealing with their daily ups and downs. Jimmy still has trouble growing up and taking the relationship seriously, while Cherie can be a bit overbearing and her demands make it somewhat challenging to live with. Furthering their stress, Cherie's father (Paul Chun) returns to town out of blue to introduce them to his new young fiancee. At the same time, Jimmy's childhood friend, who also happens to be his godmother, comes to visit with the request of wanting Jimmy to father her child through artificial insemination. After a disastrous trip together to Taipei, the couple are finally forced to confront their doubts about their future together. The plot is very bare, as was the rest of the series, but that's never what drives these films. It's about the characters, their realism and their situations together. It almost has an intimate documentary feel as we peek in to a couples insecurities as we watch Cherie snoop through Jimmy's phone. Or her worrying about their younger lodger walking around the apartment in her bra. Jimmy is constantly doing something wrong or upsetting his partner by accident, which is a character trait that a lot of men, including myself, can relate to. And that's the driving force behind these films, how relatable and real that they feel. Love Off The Cuff, like the rest of the series, is a very local Hong Kong film. The characters talk and act like Hong Kongers which is part of the appeal of Pang Ho-cheung's work. He isn't afraid to possibly alienate some viewers by keeping it brutally realistic. Some of the humour is distinctive to Hong Kong, so some of the jokes may go over your head. And there are references throughout to HK pop-culture such as jokes about the Young and Dangerous films, Nick Cheung, Leon Lai and even some Canto-pop songs. There is a karaoke scene featuring a pop song(that i'm unfamiliar with) which is used rather effectively and even if you are unfamiliar with the song, you still understand the sentiment. But if you are a local, i'm sure it would have even more depth. Pang Ho-cheung handles humour excellently in his films, and Love Off The Cuff is dirtier and more outrageous than before. There is a scene involving a gag about "literally shit" as Cherie puts it. It's childish, it's crude, and it's genuinely funny, it received a loud roar of laughter in the cinema hall I was in. There is some situation and shock humour throughout the film, but it's all executed well. A memorable scene has cops finding the 2 leads in a mistaken sexual act situation which gets funnier and funnier as it progresses, this is similar to comedy you may see in American Pie or Superbad. It's not always possible to get humour to work this well for the Hong Kong audience that the Western world also understands, but I think this series has tackled that very well, even if that wasn't their overall intention.
Shawn and Miriam have grew together throughout these films. They have always had great chemistry but now after 7 years, it almost feels like they have became these alter egos and it makes the whole experience more worthwhile. Both do a superb job in their roles, and none of their acting could be faulted. The supporting cast are also great with Cherie's regular friends returning for shenanigans. And her dad played by Paul Chun has some brilliantly funny scenes which boosts the film with some needed energy. 120 minutes didn't feel overly long, but it could have been trimmed down by about 15 minutes or so to help the overall flow of the story progression. There is also one scene which came across as being a bit too dark and startling for this genre of film, it caught me off guard and stayed with me for a while afterwards. But Pang Ho-cheung is a genre busting director at heart, which is evident by his bizarre intros to his films. This time is was a highly entertaining story about Gat Gat Gong... Which almost makes me hope he directs a monster horror film next. Although I wouldn't go as far to say that fatigue is setting in, I'd rank this film better than part two but not as good as part one, it did feel like more could have been done to progress the characters story further as a lot of the film is familiar territory. With the ending we are left wondering, is this the end of the trilogy? Or will there be a fourth to let us fans know what happens next? I personally think there is enough story left in these characters to make another film. So how about we get the next installment "Love Up The Duff" (That name has been shamelessly stolen from my partner who suggested it after our viewing).
7/10
Love Off The Cuff is currently showing from the 28th April in cinemas across Hong Kong, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the UK. For more information check here
Cast: Daniel Wu, Shu Qi, Geng Le, Faye Yu, Henry Ng
Running Time: 109 minutes
Mabel Cheung (An Autumn's Tale/City of Glass) directs another satisfying film this time focusing on the Bejing rock 'n roll culture, a love triangle and social commentary about being Chinese but coming from different cultures and countries.
Michael Ng(Daniel Wu) is a struggling singer-songwriter who has been sent by his father(Richard Ng) to Mainland China to stay while he improves his Mandarin. He discovers a wannabe rock band which catches his interests as does their dancer Yang Yin(Shu Qi) whose boyfriend Ping lu(Geng Le) is the lead singer of the rock group. When they go on a local tour "hole hopping" Michael tags along for the adventure but ends up falling in love with Yang.
The most interesting aspect of Beijing Rocks isn't actually the Rock scene, it's the different character's stories and backgrounds intertwining. Daniel Wu was likely cast as Michael Ng for not only his star power but also his similarity to the character. Michael is a Chinese-American who admits that his Mandarin is terrible, just like his English. He is often teased for his Hong Kong background and seems hesitant to embrace it. Michael appears to not really fit in to Beijing but after discovering the Rock band he sees something in them he can relate to.
Ping Lu is a much more complex character. He is an extremely rebellious rocker, to the point it could be holding back not only his band but also his relationship. In contrast he also has many similar traits that you would find in modern Chinese youth. Ping doesn't just want to play music for the sake of it, he wants to be different, he wants to stand out and he wants to deliver a message. Being a bit of a bad boy he is hard to feel sorry for, but credit to Geng Le, he manages to make you feel for him in some of the more sentimental scenes with his dad.
Shu Qi is loveable as usual. Delivering a sweet performance as Yang, a Taiwan native who has fell in love with a rockstar and believes they are bound to be together, even if her significant other doesn't feel quite as strong. Shu Qi really is a wonderful actress. This performance was still quite early on after her run in Cat III films, and she really got to exercise her acting chops in this role. Showing off some powerful emotive moments while also keeping you glued with her star screen presence.
Beijing Rocks has a road movie feel to it, which makes the story flow better than it probably should. The audio is handled superbly, and at times it almost feels like a rock musical while we endure full songs performed by the band. And I don't use endure lightly. Some of the songs are real stinkers! Not the most accessible music and you can understand why the band hasn't made it big. There is a great musical nostalgia moment during one heart warming scene when Yang has to take over the vocals for a song.
The setting of China is used effectively for the characters and story and it's actually refreshing that it's just used as another country without being soaked in political statements. There are plenty of Chinese landmarks and historical sites on display as we are shown these through the eyes of the tourist Michael and his trusty handycam.
Not without it's flaws, during the last 20 minutes the film changes it's course and the melodrama starts to seep in. The ending, although suited to the theme of the film, does seem a bit rushed and unsatisfactory. It feels like a different approach could have left the characters with a more gratifying conclusion.
None of this takes away from the positives of the film. It has great characters and a very personal and intimate story. Mabel Cheung is an extremely interesting director and her films are always entertaining even if somewhat unconventional.
7/10
See this if you like:
An Autumns Tale
City Of Glass
Eight Taels Of Gold
Couldn't actually find a trailer. But here is a MV for the film. Probably best not watching all the way through in case of spoilers. But it gives you a feel for the film.
This year the world fell in love with La La Land. Why not also fall in love with Perhaps Love.
Acclaimed director Peter Chan takes the helm for this lavish, award winning musical concerning the love triangle between a handsome actor, his beautiful co-star, and a talented film director. Lin (Takeshi Kaneshiro) and his ex-lover Sun (Zhou Xun) are shooting a movie for celebrated director Nie Wen (Jacky Cheung) when the flames of their former passion are gradually rekindled. A charismatic director who has poured his entire heart and soul into making a movie about a passionate love triangle, Nie finds his entire production about to collapse as Lin does everything in his power to win back the ravishing Sun.
Perhaps Love was marketed as the first Chinese musical for 40 years, which is highly surprising when you consider how many talented pop stars and singers work in the Hong Kong Film industry. This film definitely plays up to those strengths with the singing being on a much higher level than something a Ewan McGregor or Ryan Gosling could deliver.
A compelling movie-within-a-movie story that works extremely well with disguising the fact it's actually a musical. Rather than random outbursts of songs as a main character casually walk down a street, we are treated to the musical numbers happening as part of the movie the characters are filming. This is genuinely a breath of fresh air for people who aren't usually invested in the musical genre as it comes across less jarring.
The cinematography is exquisite! The locations and sets are remarkable! The costumes are dazzling! Perhaps Love really looks like a big budget film. It plays up to it's strengths and remarkably it's one of the most ambitions Chinese productions ever.
The songs are incredibly powerful and compliment the heart-wrenching love story perfectly. One of the main songs is a haunting number by Jacky Cheung with stunning operatic vocals accompanied by grand orchestral music backing it. The songs and moments like this are what take the film to another level!
There is a few missteps along the way. The general feel comes across rather depressing and some joy or humour injected throughout wouldn't go a miss. The story also gets somewhat muddled towards the end of the third act. But these are minor criticisms on the whole.
Brilliant performances all round from the main cast of Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhou Xun and Jacky Cheung, fortunately there is no weak link in sight. Another great outing from legendary Hong Kong go-to director Peter Chan(Comrades: Almost A Love Story, Dragon, The Warlords).
For the best experience I would highly recommend this blu-ray release from Tai Seng, it delivers stunning picture quality and fantastic sound, and it is region free!
7.5/10
25th Hong Kong Film Awards
Won: Best Actress (Zhou Xun)
Won: Best Art Direction (Chung Man Yee, Pater Wong)
Won: Best Cinematography (Peter Pau)
Won: Best Costume & Makeup Design (Chung Man Yee, Dora Ng)
Won: Best Original Film Score (Peter Kam, Leon Ko)
Won: Best Original Film Song (Peter Kam, Jacky Cheung)
A very average Hong Kong Film which doesn't really offer anything new to the genre but it's still a fairly entertaining ride mostly due to the cast.
Jersey is the self proclaimed King of Gamblers in Hong Kong. When he hears the story about his idol, Cool, disappearing for 3 years, he hopes to one day find him. After winning big his girlfriend, Banana, decides that they should go to Tokyo for shopping. One night, they go to a Chinese restaurant, where the owner turns out to be Cool. Cool was betrayed by old friend Yeung Kwong, who married Cool's girlfriend Nancy. Cool wants revenge but first, he must deal with the #1 Asian Gambler, Tetsuo.
Nick Cheung and Louis Koo star and both deliver fine performances but not enough to elevate this beyond gambling movie mediocrity. There are some great special effects for its time with Louis Koo's character Cool being able to throw cards and use them as a weapon, which will be repeated in gambling films for years to come. Cheung often over acts and becomes a bit hammy, but his character is usually used for silly fun.
There are actually some decent action pieces through-out with some good gimmicky fight scenes which help pad out the running time. Nick Cheung actually delivers some fun Kung Fu scenes which was unexpected for this film and role.
However, it's not enough to save this film from being generic fluff. Wong Jing is the producer and it has his name all over it. If you enjoy the crazy Hong Kong gambling films, I'm sure you'll enjoy this. Otherwise it's just an extremely average time waster.
5/10
See this if you liked: God of Gamblers Poker King From Vegas To Macau
Note: This film is a sequel in name only to the 1999 film The Conman in Vegas starring Andy Lau.
2016 has been a brilliant year for Asian Cinema with big hits coming from everywhere! Records have been shattered and some of films have went on to become international hits! South Korea had an extremely strong year and have actually dominated this top 10 list.
As always, there are many films from 2016 I haven't had a chance to check out, because of release schedules many wont be out till later this year in the UK... if at all!
China kicked off a great year of Asian Cinema with the wildly original and at times completely bonkers fantasy romantic comedy The Mermaid.
Shan, a mermaid, is sent to assassinate Xuan, a developer who threatens the ecosystem of her race, but ends up falling in love with him instead.
Directed by Stephen Chow, The Mermaid was always going to guarantee laughs but I don't think anyone expected it to turn out as hilarious as it was.
Laughing it's way to bank, The Mermaid went on to become the highest grossing Chinese film of all time!
Read my full review here.
Surprise hit from Korea is disaster movie The Tunnel. Directed by Kim Seong-hun(A Hard Day - 2014) and starring Ha Jung-woo(Berlin File/Yellow Sea) and Bae Doo-na(The Host/Sympathy For Mr Vengeance)
Lee Jung-soo (Ha Jung-woo) drives home for his daughter's birthday. While driving through a tunnel that goes through a mountain, the unthinkable happens. The tunnel collapses. When Lee Jung-Soo regains consciousness, he finds himself trapped inside his car. The car itself is buried under tons of concrete and debris. All he has inside the car are his cellphone, two bottles of water and his daughter's birthday cake. He forms a kind of special bond with the head of the rescue team, Dae-kyung, who teaches him how to survive in the tunnel.
What makes The Tunnel so gripping is rather than using the tried and tested formula of character development and story until about midway when the disaster hits, directed Kim Seong-hun has the disaster happen very early on, then we get to know and understand the character as he tries to survive. The film falls heavily on Ha Jung-woo as the films 2 hour running time is mainly focused on him being trapped underground in a car, luckily his strong performance anchors it. Throw in some social commentary undertones about politicians trying to make themselves look good and large companies and media running the country and you have a very interesting disaster film.
8. Lowlife Love (Japan)(IMDb 6.5 - Rotten Tomatoes NA)
Lowlife Love in an independent Japanese film which also happens to be the debut production for UK Asian cinema distributor Third Window Films and directed by Eiji Uchida (Greatful Dead)
Tetsuo is a lowlife. As a film director, he had an indie hit many years back, but refuses to go against his artistic integrity. One day, two new students come to his school: Minami, a naive girl from the countryside who wants to be an actress, and Ken, a scriptwriter. Tetsuo thinks Minami could be a real star, and Ken has a brilliant script that could relaunch his career as a director. With the help of an unsavory film producer, they strive to turn this project into something tangible, but Minami's ability starts to impress others, and Tetsuo's world soon falls apart.
A brilliant tale exploring the dark seedy side of low budget film making in Japan and the 'lowlifes' involved. A great cast with many familair faces popping up that Third Window Films fans will recognise. Kiyohiko Shibukawa shines as Tetsuo, playing a mixture of admirable and a complete sleezeball. Although unfamiliar with her previous work Maya Okano is breathtaking as the innocent Minami and gives off a great sense of vulnerability. An incredibly fun yet also disturbing picture.
Trivisa is an excellent example of the classic Hong Kong cinema of yesteryear and gives you hope that the future of Hong Kong cinema could return to what it once was.
In early 1997, mobsters Kwai Ching-hung, Yip Kwok-foon and Cheuk Tze-keung, whom have never met one another, known in the underworld as the "Three Kings of Thieves", are plotting together to score a final hit before the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong. However, none are initially aware of the rumour. Yip is living as a fugitive after a gunfight with the Royal Hong Kong Police. He now makes his fortunes by smuggling counterfeit electronics. Kwai is very cautious and uses several pseudonyms to hide his identity. Although the scale of his crimes is nowhere as large as Yip's and Cheuk's, but he has managed to commit repeated robberies that are totally unknown to the police. Cheuk has recently abducted the son of a rich tycoon and successfully extorted a ransom, all while under police surveillance. Wanting to raise the bar for himself, he hears about the rumour and becomes obsessed with the idea, going to extreme lengths to seek out Yip and Kwai.
Produced by legendary HK director Johnnie To and directed by 3 up and coming directors from Milkyway Image, Trivisa is full of energy and has a lot to say. Full of metaphors for current Hong Kong life from dealing with the effect of the Hong Kong and Mainland divide. Each one of the Three Kings of Thieve's stories gets their own director and although the stories intertwine they are all very different. Jordan Chan really shines as the flamboyant Cheuk Tze-keung and although all of the stories are great, his isn't as devolped, but that's balanced out by his outstanding performance.
The one film on the list that I urge everyone to go in blind with. No trailers. No reviews. Nothing. See this film without any of it being ruined, the experience will be worth it.
Himeanôru depicts the story of co-workers where one of them is gunning to make a cafe's waitress his. When the co-worker visits said cafe to see the waitress his friend is yearning for, he also meets an old class-mate he has not seen in some time. In a twist and transition the waitress tells the visiting co-worker that she is being stalked by a man. That man is none other than the old class-mate.
That's as much as one can say without ruining any of the surprises. Gaku Hamada(Fish Story/Sake Bomb) delivers another great performance in his typical awkward but lovable role, I have become a big fan of his work over the past few years even if he does tend to play similar characters. Again, I really don't want to kill the effect this film can have on you, it really caught me off guard and I'm glad I went in blind. You should too!
5. Inside Men (Korea)(IMDb 7.1 - Rotten Tomatoes - NA)
Inside Men has 2 different versions on release. The theatrical version is 130 minutes, while the directors cut is 180 minutes. It was the longer version I viewed, so I can't comment on the theatrical version, but I personally believe the 3 hour length is justified.
Lee Kang-hee, an editor at an influential conservative newspaper, raises congressman Jang Pil-woo to the position of leading Presidential candidate using the power of the press; behind this is his secret deal with the paper's biggest sponsor.Ahn Sang-goo, a political henchman who supported Lee and Jang, gets caught pocketing the record of the sponsor's slush fund, resulting in a dismembered hand. Woo Jang-hoon, an ambitious prosecutor, starts to investigate the relationship between Jang and the sponsor, believing that it's his only chance to make it to the top. While getting down to the brass tacks of the case, Woo meets Ahn, who has been methodically planning his revenge. Now the war between the one blinded with power, the one hell-bent on vengeance, and the one eager for success begins.
This is easily one of the best political thrillers to be made in years. Lee Byung-hun is back in Korea and doing what he does best, act. One of the greatest actors working today and he delivers another stellar performance as gangster Ahn Sang-goo. The film has an extremely tight woven intricate plot which keeps you on your toes as the story unravels and the 3 hours flies by.
Inside Men went on to sweep the Grand Bell Awards(South Korea's Oscars) by winning Best Screenplay, Best Planning, Best Actor for Lee Byung-hun, Best Director and Best film. Incredible!
Park Chan-wook is back on top form with a very unique and peculiar film.
Helmed by acclaimed director Park Chan-wook (Oldboy), this period drama set in 1930s Korea explores the relationship between a Korean handmaiden and a Japanese heiress. The handmaiden (Kim Tae-ri) is secretly a pickpocket who is working as part of a scheme to swindle the heiress (Kim Min-hee) out of her fortune, but that plan takes a backseat when the two women begin to fall in love. The Handmaiden was adapted from the novel Fingersmith by Sarah Waters, although the setting was changed from Victorian England to Japanese-occupied Korea.
Fantastic performance all round from the entire cast. The cinematography is stunning. The story is mesmerizing, although a little baggy and confusing in places. It's essentially told in 3 parts, from different points of view with many twists and turns. Just when you think the story is going one way, it goes the complete opposite.
If you don't like your movies to have sexual content then probably best avoiding this one as some of the sex scenes can be a little startling. But if you don't mind... then fire away!
One of the very best zombie films ever made. It's just that damn good!
Seok-Woo (Gong Yoo) is a fund manager in Seoul. He is separated from his wife and lives with his daughter Soo-An (Kim Soo-Ahn). Seok-Woo doesn't spend much time with his daughter or show affection to her. On the night before Soo-An's birthday, Soo-An insists on seeing her mother for her birthday. Seok-Woo has no other choice, but to take her to Busan. Early the next morning, they board the KTX train for Busan at Seoul Station.Before the KTX train leaves Seoul Station, a zombie like girl jumps onto the train. The girl is infected with a horrific virus that is spreading like wildfire. Seok-Woo, Soo-An and the other passengers on the KTX train must now fight for their lives.
This is a brilliant edge of your seat thrill ride. That may be an over used metaphor but it is extremely appropriate for Train To Busan. When all hell kicks off, the film is incredibly exciting and tense. I just about chewed all my nails off as I prayed for my favourite characters survival.
The setting of the train adds to the dramatics as they are stuck fighting for survival against the odds with no weapons. Trying to navigate between each carriage is nerve wracking viewing as their luck gets worse and worse.
The strong point of the film is the cast. Every character is important and fleshed out. The father is a bit of an asshole, but he goes on a great character journey throughout. One of the passengers on the train is almost the real villain of the story and is probably actually the most hated character I have seen since that old crazy Christian women in The Mist. You really do care about the well-being of all the characters on this wild train ride which is commemorable.
You have probably heard all of the hype surrounding this film. Believe it all.
2. Your Name (Japan)(IMDb 8.7 - Rotten Tomatoes 97% - 8.3)
The only animated film on the list, and it is simply a beautiful work of art.
Mitsuha Miyamizu, a high school girl, yearns to live the life of a boy in the bustling city of Tokyo—a dream that stands in stark contrast to her present life in the countryside. Meanwhile in the city, Taki Tachibana lives a busy life as a high school student while juggling his part-time job and hopes for a future in architecture.
One day, Mitsuha awakens in a room that is not her own and suddenly finds herself living the dream life in Tokyo—but in Taki's body! Elsewhere, Taki finds himself living Mitsuha's life in the humble countryside. In pursuit of an answer to this strange phenomenon, they begin to search for one another.
Kimi no Na wa. revolves around Mitsuha and Taki's actions, which begin to have a dramatic impact on each other's lives, weaving them into a fabric held together by fate and circumstance.
Your Name has owned 2016. It came around at the right time and everything just fell in place and felt perfect. It has went on to become the highest grossing anime film of all time. And it has got so popular the director has asked people to stop seeing it because he is worried it has became too big and he doesn't think it is healthy. Ha!
Your Name is more than just a body swap drama. It's a moving sci-fi fantasy melodrama with a compelling story that also examines current Japanese youth culture.
It is one of the most stunning animated movies ever made, the backgrounds and scenery are incredibly accurate and the animated time lapses might trick you in to thinking you are actually watching a 4K recording of a genuine time lapse.
The musical soundtrack is upbeat bouncy rock composed by J-Rockers 'Radwimps' which suits the theme and image of the film perfectly. Their songs accompany some great montages which are real highlights of the film and their hit song Zen Zen Zense is unbelievably catchy.
Your Name will tug at your heart strings and in the end will leave you feeling like you have just witnessed something truly special.
The Chaser. The Yellow Sea. The Wailing.
Na Hong-jin is now 3 for 3 with films. Each one is a masterpiece!
Within a seemingly peaceful village, a plague of mysterious & violent deaths suddenly take place. The police conclude poisonous wild mushrooms are the cause of the deaths. Police Officer Jong-Goo (Kwak Do-Won) hears a rumor from a coworker about a mysterious Japanese man (Jun Kunimura) living nearby. The rumor points to the Japanese man as the man causing these mysterious & violent deaths. Jong-Goo, while on duty, meets Moo-Myeong (Chun Woo-Hee). She tells Jong-Goo that she saw the Japanese man where the last deaths took place. Jong-Goo's doubts about the man begin to waver.
What an incredible piece of cinema!
The Wailing has everything going for it. It's a genre blend starting off as a mystery thriller with some comedy elements mainly delivered by the incompetent bumbling police force. But when the film shifts, it turns in to an incredibly haunting and compelling horror.
There is an unbelievable 3 way inter-cut scene with the Shaman performing a ritual, the girl contorting in pain and the Japanese man performing his own rituals that will leave you feeling uneasy and stressed.
The small Korean town is a perfect backdrop for The Wailing with a slew of stunning locations to suit the story and mood. The cinematography is wonderful with every frame delivering it's purpose.
The Wailing has one of the most suspenseful endings of any horror film, it literally leaves you on edge as you try to put the pieces together and figure out what is about to happen. It is truly extraordinary.
The Wailing is easily film of the year for me. It stays with you. It haunts you. You will think about it nonstop afterwards. You might even go on the internet to read peoples interpretations and opinions of the film afterwards... That's what I done anyway.
The Wailing has the power to go on to become the new Oldboy, the next cult film that's so good it crosses over and introduces the mainstream audience to great Korean cinema. That is, if it doesn't get overshadowed by the popularity of Train To Busan.
Benny Chan's latest Hong Kong action film Call of Heroes is getting a select UK cinema release on September 2nd. For a full list of cinemas check out the official website here
Set in 1914 following the collapse of the Qing dynasty, the film tells the story of a group of villagers standing up to a cruel young warlord.
Police Story: Lockdown (aka Police Story 2013) Although this entrant is probably the weakest of the Police Story series, it is still a decent dramatic thriller with JC getting to execute his acting chops. Police Captain Zhong Wen (Chan) knows all about sacrifice. He's always been too busy chasing bad guys to be a father to his daughter, Miao. Tonight however, he's seeing her for the first time in years, and meeting her fiance, club owner, Wu Jiang (Liu Ye, Curse of the Golden Flower). But, Wu has a dark side, and a secret score to settle with his soon-to-be father in law, and plans to take Zhong, Miao and the whole club hostage. Only Zhong can avert the carnage, but is he willing to risk everything to stop this night going down in history? First you need to realise that Jackie was nearly 60 when this was made. Don't go in expecting his fast paced Kung Fu and incredible stunts. Instead you will get a more dramatic story with some small more grounded action scenes.
Jackie has adopted a MMA style in the sparse fight scenes we get in Lockdown. The main fight being a one on one inside a cage which is hard hitting and brutal. This is actually a very well done fight and the newly adopted style takes any humour out of the fight along with adding believability. The bulk of the action is over by that point, and we don't get the usual big action finale like in old school Jackie films. The end fight is more of a tussle, although it is still executed rather excitingly. The story is very compelling with twists and turns along the way which all lead up to the big reveal. Although the reveal is exciting, there is too much exposition. There are a lot of flashbacks to explain what happened which can be a little tiresome. In fact this is prominent throughout most of the film. This ends up being convoluted with the villains main plan being questionable.
Police Story Lockdown looks brilliant and has a great style. Director Ding Sheng(Little Big Soldier) has an eye for detail and delivers stylish productions. This puts it ahead of a lot of mainland China and Hong Kong films just in terms of look and visuals. However, the editing in Lockdown is pretty wild, so many quick cuts can be jarring. The fight scenes could have been filmed in this way as Jackie has aged and can’t go as well as he used to. But it's edited like this throughout, even in slow dialogue scenes. It does seem to become less noticeable and persistent as the film progresses. The main thing to take away from Lockdown is that Jackie is a superb actor. He really delivers those dramatic scenes so well. His face is always full of emotion to the point were if Jackie is sad, then you are sad. Many people have complained there isn't enough action in this film. But Jackie has gave us so much of his health and body over the years that now he can really do whatever the hell he wants. He is getting older and slowing down, but he is an action star who is aging gracefully.
The trailer for The Great Wall has dropped... And it looks insane!
Directed by legendary director Zhang Yimou(House of Flying Daggers/Hero), starring Matt Damon & Andy Lau and featuring an all star international cast of Willem Dafoe, Pedro Pascal, Eddie Peng and Jing Tian.
When a mercenary warrior (Damon) is imprisoned within The Great Wall, he
discovers the mystery behind one of the greatest wonders of our world.
As wave after wave of marauding beasts besiege the massive structure,
his quest for fortune turns into a journey toward heroism as he joins a
huge army of elite warriors to confront this unimaginable and seemingly
unstoppable force.
The Great Wall is Zhang Yimou's first English language speaking film and is currently the largest budget Chinese film of all time with a budget of $135 million.
A genuinely funny comedy from China which is surprisingly about a sex shop!
Shunzi (Jun Zhao) is in a bad way. Not only has his girlfriend recently left him, but he has been sacked from his job as a taxi driver. Back living with his parents and with no income of his own, Shunzi's prospects seem bleak. When a successful former school friend (Xiduo Jiang) points him in the direction of Iggy (Masanobu Otsuka), a cut-price supplier of adult goods, Shunzi decides that anything is worth a try. He proceeds to open his own adult shop, with the help of his friend, Lili (Vivid Wang), but will the residents of the neighbourhood dare to visit the store?
The idea of China releasing a comedy film about a sex shop is rather surprising given the stories about their film censorship laws. But at the time of it's UK release, Red Light Revolution still didn't have a Chinese distributor, rather not surprising. The film is directed by Sam Voutas, an Australian living in China, and it explores his views on a capitalist and Communist China.
Red Light Revolution doesn't rely on shock tactics and isn't as racy as American comedies such as American Pie. The humour is more subtle and grounded and there are no boobs in sight. The comedy is used appropriately for the situations and doesn't go for cheap laughs.
Blow up doll was made in China
Jun Zhao delivers an excellent performance as Shunzi, who is as much of a loveable loser as you could hope for. A real character that you sympathise with, empathise with but also can't stop laughing at. The character is played with hilarious self-deprecation.
Vivid Wang is an excellent co-lead as Lili and plays a role which is a lot more than a standard love interest. The on screen chemistry of Lili and Shunzi is extremely fun and their comedy timing is great which really makes the film fly by it's 90 minute run time.
Filled with many laughs, some a little risky and some clever and witty. But it's the kindness and love between the characters that makes Red Light Revolution heartwarming and a really fun watch.
It's a new day, yes it is!
The film slightly loses it's footing towards the end. There should have been more scenes with the characters working in the sex shop and showing their daily lives and wacky customers which was one of the most intriguing and entertaining parts of the story.
One of the best comedies to come out of China and easily the most universally accessible. Every joke and character really translates well to the western audience and that isn't always the case with Asian comedies.
Shallow, uneven, messy, barely funny comedy which doesn't star Jet Li.
When a spate of murders erupt across Hong Kong, two kick-ass cops are assigned to the case. Chaos soon escalates when they reach a dead end and the detectives must play a deadly game to lure the killer out.
Everything about the marketing of this film, including that synopsis(which I lifted from Amazon.co.uk) makes it looks like a Jet Li action/shoot ‘em up film. The trailer and the cover both paint a very different picture from the actual film.
Firstly, Jet Li isn't the main star. To their credit, he is used in a lot of fight scenes though. The main star is Wen Zhang who plays a cop called Wang Bu-Er and partners with Huang Fei-Hong(Li). Wang is used for more comic relief, although he gets involved in the action and chase scenes he usually ends up messing it up and constantly embarrassing himself. Huang is more of a straight laced cop but often saves the day with his Kung Fu skills. This doesn't actually sound too bad, but there are just far too many issues.
... Do you owe someone a favour as well Jet?
The comedy is really hit or miss, probably depending on the audience. Some of the comedy is just way too stupid and over the top that it draws no reaction. There are a few genuine chuckles in there, which would be fine, if it wasn't supposed to be a comedy!
Badge of Fury could have been like an 80s Hong Kong Film. The plot, the action and some of the comedy is similar. But it suffers from some aspects that many modern Chinese films do, including a reliant on bad CGI, too much wire work and complete over the top wackiness. Some of the scenes could have genuinely been lifted from a kids cartoon.
There are enough cameos from Chinese/Hong Kong actors to mostly keep you entertained. Along with the ridiculous movie spoofs from Men in Black to Star Wars to Police Story, there is always something going on, just most of it isn't very good.
If you like Asian comedies and go into this one expecting that and not expecting much of Jet Li, and definitely don't take any of it seriously, then you may find some fun to be had. But it more or less fails on nearly every level of film-making.
Arriving 16 years after the original, Sword of Destiny doesn't live up to it's predecessor as a sequel, but as a film on it's own merits it is decent, entertaining and reminiscent of 90s Kung Fu films.
Renowned warrior Yu Shu-Lien comes out of retirement to keep the legendary Green Destiny sword away from villainous warlord Hades Dai.
An extremely basic plot, but it works with the style of film. The main point that can't be emphasised enough is, do not go in to this expecting the original Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Times have changed. The budget is smaller. It has a different director, different producers, different writers and the only returning cast member is Michelle Yeoh. It can't match the original. But it is a fun Wuxia film in it's own right.
Could this be Yen's last Wuxia film?
If you are wanting some great fight scenes, then you will get your Netflix money's worth. That's one of the high praises CTHD2 has, the great Martial Art scenes. Directed by legendary Yuen Woo-ping and starring Michelle Yeoh and Donnie Yen, the fights were always going to be good. But they honestly surpassed expectations. The fights are fast, furious and vicious and all completely varied throughout. There is a fight in a tavern which has great comedy elements. There is a stunning fight on a frozen lake which was innovative. And the last fight with Yen and Jason Scott Lee is extremely well choreographed and very exciting, even if it has a little too much CGI.
Something that Sword of Destiny relies on that the original didn't is CGI. Filmed in New Zealand instead of China, CGI is used to add in backgrounds or buildings or mountains to make the film’s setting look more like China. The majority of these are used tastefully and are actually pretty to look at. However, the CGI added to the fight scenes is when it becomes a little jarring, especially the last fight when it comes across unnecessary but it never ruined the scene or made it unwatchable.
Michelle Yeoh is superb in her role as usual. And Yen always delivers. The rest of the cast all vary from acceptable to good. Jason Scott Lee is a great villain, a little over the top but all in the best way, and he looks like he is having a blast in the role. The rest of the English speaking cast do a fine job in their limited roles, some of the dialogue may sound a little cheesy but acceptable. It is pretty amusing to see a Wuxia film with Asian actors with accents varying from American to Australian to English.
The magnificent Michelle Yeoh Yeoh playing the teacher to Snow Vase (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) is one of the most interesting dynamics. The 2 characters have great chemistry together and a relationship that should have had more screen time. These scenes were done wonderfully and another great highlight of the film.
For the purists who are going to complain about this film regardless, one of the main issues they have is that it was filmed in English. Well, an interesting option is you can change the audio language to Chinese with English subtitles. After checking this out it does add a bit of authenticity to the film, although there is no real issue with the original English language. But the option is there.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny is an interesting experiment. The name has obviously been used for marketing purposes. People who loved the original will watch it out of curiosity and people who already have Netflix will surely watch it just out of interest. I just hope that the film gets great viewing figures because Netflix is the future and I would love to see them fund more Kung Fu films or Asian films in general.
