My Prince Edward 金都 Year: 2019 Director: Norris Wong Writer: Norris Wong Cast: Stephy Tang, Chu Pak-hong, Jin Kai-jie, Nina Paw, Eman Lam Running Time: 91 minutes Country: Hong Kong The directorial debut of Norris
Wong has been one of the most popular and acclaimed Hong Kong films of
recent years, winning multiple Best Film, Best New Director and acting
awards and screening at festivals around the world.
My Prince Edward is set in Prince Edward district’s Golden Plaza, a
shopping mall in Hong Kong best known for bridal shops and cheap wedding
supplies. Fong (Stephy Tang) is a clerk at one such bridal shop. She
has been with Edward (Chu Pak Hong), the owner of a wedding photography
shop in the same mall, for seven years. Everyone sees Edward as Fong’s
Prince Charming, destined to head to the altar. The problem is that Fong
must first sort out the sham marriage that she was paid to take part in
years ago before she can get married for real. (Focus Hong Kong)
My Prince Edward is a clever play on words, set in the Prince Edward district and one of the main characters being named Edward. This small detail made me think the film was going to be a fun Rom-Com, similar in tone to something like My Best Friend's Wedding. But I was pleasantly surprised. My Prince Edward has the romance angle, but there's much more to it than that. This is a very well written story dealing with complicated topics, such as the stigma around divorce, and political issues between Hong Kong and China. The film is very honest, heartfelt and touching. This could easily have become another familiar story, but it's tackled in such an interesting and fresh way, and it leaves many parts of the story up to the viewer's interpretations.
This is not a fairy tale by any means. Stephy Wong's character Fong deals with a lot of problems that are deeper than surface level tropes. It shines a spotlight on Hong Kong marriage culture and questions who is it really for. Is it for the happy couple? Or is it to please the family? Or maybe it's a contract to stop you from leaving each other? Or maybe it's for a VISA or residency? There are clever metaphors and imagery sprinkled throughout to drive these ideas home. Fong is also feeling pressure to get married because of her age, even though she is still in her early thirties. The film is packed full of ideas that viewers can relate to.
My Prince Edward is wonderfully directed, especially for a debut director. The film has snappy pacing and editing. And at a trim 91 minutes, it never outstays its welcome. It also takes its time with the characters and gives them time to develop and breathe. There's some stunning camerawork and cinematography placed throughout. Their apartment has a massive neon sign attached to the building which often illuminates the street and their bedroom with a pink haze. One shot that stood out, in particular, involved an overhead camera while both characters lay in bed with the neon shining in the window to light their faces. There's also a subtle nod to a famous shot from In The Mood For Love if you really pay attention.
The small cast were excellent and their character differences made them all stand out from one another. Stephy Tang has turned into a brilliant actress, and this comes across as a very natural performance for her. She received a nomination for Best Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards for this role, which is well deserved. Chu Pak-hong plays the role of Edward, and during half of the film, you will spend your time wanting to strangle him. His character is overprotective, a tad annoying and even sometimes disinterested. But deep down you can tell that he honestly loves Fong. None of the characters in this film are perfect, and it doesn't ever try to pretend they are.
My Prince Edward is a modern and uniquely Hong Kong story. It's made specifically with Hong Kong in mind, and it wouldn't quite work if it was set anywhere else. But, the story and the characters are completely universal, and everyone could get something different out of it. Norris Wong has cemented her name as a new director to keep an eye on.
8/10
My Prince Edward is streaming as part of the Focus Hong Kong Film Festival from the 31st of March until the 6th of April.
Tetsuya Mariko's follow up to his 2016 controversial hit Destruction Babies is 'Miyamoto,' an adaptation of an award-winning manga and TV Mini-Series. Sosuke Ikematsu won the Kinema Jumpo Best Actor Award for his role in this film.
A quirky tale of high-octane love is told through the eyes of a
hot-blooded stationary salesman, Miyamoto (IKEMATSU Sosuke), as he falls
hard for Yasuko (AOI Yu) upon their introduction. At first using
Miyamoto to get rid of an unwanted boyfriend, Yasuko ends up growing
attached to the overzealous admirer and the two enter a relationship.
Soon however, their love is put to the test when he fails to protect her
from a violent assault and their volatile relationship devolves with
increasing pace until it reaches an explosive and melodramatic finale. (Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme)
Going into this film blind made for an interesting experience. I had only seen the poster on the Japan Foundation website and underneath it was listed as "Quirky, Romance, Drama," so I had assumed it would be a Japanese romance similar to something like Cyborg She. This couldn't have been further from the truth. What I watched was an extreme, violent, unpredictable and sometimes humorous story dealing with themes of toxic masculinity (not a term I use often, but it is what it is). Looking back at the listing, there is a warning stating it features "scenes of a very strong violent/sexual/abusive nature." While the experience of the film is heightened when you watch it unprepared, I am glad they attached this warning because the sexual abuse scene is realistic and tough to watch. It completely caught me off guard and it might be distressing to people that don't watch as much violent cinema.
Hiroshi Miyamoto is played by actor Ikematsu Sosuke and he channels everything about this character. He spends most of the film either whispering nervously while he speaks or full-blown shouting while he is losing control of everything around him and seeking revenge. Even though he is a flawed character, and quite selfish, you will be rallying behind him by the end. His overall goal is to become more of a "man" and summoning up the bravery to protect his wife and have a happy relationship... Although, his reason for doing this is much more complicated than it originally seems.
Yu Aoi is a wonderfully talented actress. Her strengths in convincingly handling the emotional scenes in Miyamoto are simply remarkable. Yu Aoi carries the weight of these events and adds much-needed depth to the serious issues that this film tackles. The sexual abuse and the fallout leaves many questions up to the viewer. What is the correct response and action? Is it more violence? It also challenges the viewer to question, are you are getting revenge for the person that has been wronged, or is it for yourself?
For the most part, the storytelling is crafted very well. The pacing sags a touch in the middle but picks up for an enthralling finale. The non-linear plot adds to the suspense of the story as you are greeted by Miyamoto looking battered and bruised, and then discover what happened to him through a sequence of flashbacks. This enhances the overall unpredictability of the film, where you often assume the worst. It becomes a little convoluted at times, especially trying to figure out the current timeline. Thankfully, that never becomes a major issue, but a little more clarity would have been welcome at times.
The antagonist of Takuma Mabuchi played by Wataru Ichinose is completely despicable in every way. There is no grey area involved with him. Takuma Mabuchi is exactly the driving force the film needed, and I don't think there will be one single viewer who doesn't want to see him get his comeuppance. The final confrontation between the protagonist and antagonist is brilliantly staged. It's a no-nonsense, realistic and violent brawl. It pulls no punches and some moments will have viewers squirming in their seats. The payoff is definitely worth the wait and viewers are rewarded with a thrilling piece of filmmaking.
Miyamoto is a unique film. The clever marketing from the poster and synopsis, leave the majority to your own assumptions. This could also be seen as a negative, as some people might skip on it, believing it to be a general romantic drama. If you don't mind violence and dark themes in your films, this is worthy of watching and dissecting the meaning behind it all.
City of Glass 玻璃之城 Year: 1998 Director: Mabel Cheung Writer: Mabel Cheung, Alex Law Starring: Shu Qi, Leon Lai, Daniel Wu, Nicola Cheung Running Time: 110 mins Country: Hong Kong
City of Glass was another commercial success for the tried and tested team-up of director Mabel Cheung and writer Alex Law. But can it match up to their other hits such as An Autumn's Tale, Eight Taels of Gold and The Soong Sisters?
Raphael (Leon Lai) and Vivien (Shu Qi) tragically died in a car accident on their way to a New Year's celebration in London, England. They met and fell in love during their days at the University of Hong Kong in the 1970s, but many challenges and obstacles would often come between them. In the present day, after their funeral, Raphael's son, David (Daniel Wu) and Vivien's daughter, Susie (Nicola Cheung) met for the first time and go on a journey together to discover more about their parent's secret lives.
Following two extremely different love stories, a nostalgic romance in the past and a fresh romance in the present. One story is about destiny and tragedy while the other is more uplifting and positive. Although the film is well written and the characters are extremely likeable, the shifting between stories and time affects the overall drama and impact that the film could have had. It also somewhat hinders the authenticity of the story as Shu Qi and Leon Lai's characters appear to age extremely well. With that being said, Shu Qi is thoroughly engaging and possibly one of the most beautiful screen actresses of all time.
The film is full of stunning still moments with excellent cinematography, dazzling art direction and gorgeous locations, especially capturing the nostalgia of the seventies. Mabel Cheung manages to brilliantly take this period of energetic youth and excitement and frame it all beautifully. The musical soundtrack fits the film perfectly, the choices of songs really set the mood and feelings of the scenes. Leon Lai's rendition of Try to Remember will be lodged in your brain after watching and no doubt you will be humming it for days.
David and Susie are played very well by Daniel Wu and Nicola Cheung. Both are fun characters with a story which unfortunately doesn't receive as much time to blossom. With more development, their romance and side story could have really felt more important. Even with less screen time, the young actors manage to showcase and capture the self-doubt of the Hong Kong youth, some of which is still prevalent to this day.
City of Glass has a lot going on, some of the side-stories and plot devices add to the story, like the Diaoyu Islands dispute, but you are left wondering if it was really needed for the overall story. But in contrast, the Hong Kong handover is used during the story with Wu and Cheung's characters and it embodies the feeling of the whole film. Both sets of love stories can be used as a metaphor for the end of British rule in Hong Kong and the handover to China with an uncertain future ahead.
Overall, it's a flawed film but definitely worth watching. The story, romance and light melodrama are commendable but it's more of a stunning cinematic showpiece with exquisite performances from Shu Qi and Leon Lai that really makes the film feel significant.
Il Mare 시월애 Year: 2000 Director: Lee Hyun-seung Writer: Yeo Ji-na, Kim Eun-jung, Kim Mi-yeong, Won Tae-yeon Starring: Jun Ji-hyun, Lee Jung-jae Running Time: 96 mins Country: South Korea
Il Mare is the Italian translation for "The Sea" which is the name of a beautiful house which both protagonists live in but tragically they are separated by two years in time.
Eun-joo (Jun Ji-hyun) moves out of her house "Il Mare" on the lead up to Christmas in 1999. She leaves a Christmas card in her mailbox for the future owner, asking them to forward any of her mail to her new address in the city. Sung-hyun (Lee Jung-jae) is the original owner of "Il Mare", he moves into the house in 1997 and discovers the Christmas card in his mailbox from Eun-joo, it is signed with the date 1999, Believing it to be a joke, Sung-hyun writes her back telling her so and reminds her that it's actually 1997. The two eventually realise that they live in the same house but are separated by two years of time, after discovering that they can communicate through the mailbox, they start to bond through the letters they send each other.
Jun Ji-hyun has superstar written all over her in this performance but she actually didn't become a megastar until a year later with the release of My Sassy Girl. Il Mare surprisingly did poorly at the box office but later developed a big following among Korean film fans after the home release and Jun Ji-hyun's popularity explosion. It's now regarded as a bit of a classic! Lee Jung-jae and Jun have great chemistry even though they hardly spend any screen-time together. You really believe in both characters and root for them to overcome their obstacles to meet and be together.
Il Mare is a stunning film with exceptional cinematography and stunning locations. The beach and the house sets are breathtaking and inspiring. It really makes you want to live in a location similar to this. The locations for the film were Ganghwa Island's Sukmodo and Jeju Island's Udo, I'm not sure if these are popular locations for movie-fans to visit, but if they aren't then they should be.
The beach setting and calm pacing, topped with a beautifully relaxing piano musical score give the film a tranquil feeling and peaceful vibe. The story and subplots also develop organically at a slower pace which allows viewers the time to piece together clues and absorb every little detail. That being said, the story involving two different timelines can be puzzling at times and a second watch really does the plot justice!
For fans of modern Korean dramas, there is plenty to keep you entertained and plenty of familiarities. The story has many dramatic moments and tears will be shed. Il Mare has similar beats, ideas, acting and pacing. It also has an engaging plot from beginning to end which will keep you emotionally invested.
In 2006 Hollywood attempted a remake of Il Mare titled The Lake House starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. It really doesn't come close to the original, especially by simplifying the ending. Avoid it and seek out the far superior original!
Back in 2013, I wrote an article highlighting 3 of my favorite Asian Christmas films from Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea. After rewatching
more this year, I figured a follow up was due with 3 more of my
favourites! So sit down in front of the TV with your family, grab a
Christmas KFC and some mulled wine and let the holiday festivities
begin.
すべては君に逢えたから It All Began When I Met You Year: 2013 Director: Katsuhide Motoki Writer: Atsuko Hashibe Cast: Hiroshi Tamaki, Rin Takanashi, Fumino Kimura, Masahiro Higashide, Tsubasa Honda, Miwako Ichikawa, Saburo Tokito, Nene Otsuka, Nenji Kobayashi and Chieko Baisho Running time: 106 minutes Country: Japan
In 2013 Japan released their Love Actually inspired romantic Christmas film. Following 6 different semi-interlinking stories focusing on 10 different characters in the lead up to Christmas. The film revolves around the location of the magnificent Tokyo Station which was used in celebration of its 100th anniversary.
The characters and their stories feature a wide range of diversity. A train driver has received the news that his illness has left him with only 6 months left to live and he is faced with the difficult decision of telling his son. A long-distance relationship between a fashion designer in Tokyo and a construction worker in Sendai is facing some real tough issues. Will they be able to resolve their schedules and meet each other for Christmas? A miserable company president with severe trust issues meets a woman at a restaurant in Tokyo Station. He believes all women are only after his money but that accusation doesn't sit well with the woman. A 7-year-old girl who lives at an orphanage hopes and prays that her mum will come back to pick her up for Christmas. The owner of a cake shop at Tokyo Station is reminded of a promise she made to her partner 49 years ago while she watches one of her part-time workers nervously try to approach her crush.
The romantic element of "It All Began When I met You" is actually more suited for the Japan setting than it is for the British setting of Love Actually. In Japan, Christmas not being a national holiday, is actually more about couples and dates than it is about family. Many singles desperately try and find someone they can date and spend Christmas with.
While the film may play out like a romantic comedy. The film is actually far from it. Some of the stories are sad and others are downright tragic. Plus some of the "love" stories feature some characters acting like jerks. Some of the stories don't quite touch the heart as much as they should, but still does a fair job of feeling Christmassy and some of the stories shine on their own!
A solid Christmas film with great performances and a beautiful setting. You will laugh, you will cry and probably cry again.
타워 The Tower Year: 2012 Director: Kim Ji-hoon Writers: Kim Sang-don, Heo Jun-seok Cast: Sol Kyung-gu, Kim Sang-kyung, Son Ye-jin Running time: 121 minutes Country: South Korea
2012 saw the release of the surprise Christmas disaster film, The Tower, inspired by The Towering Inferno(1974). Set on Christmas Eve in Seoul and released on Christmas Eve across South Korea on Christmas Day. It's not exactly your everyday standard festive film, think of this one as more of a Die Hard or Batman Returns.
It's Christmas Eve at Tower Sky, a luxury twin-skyscraper in central Seoul as the staff and president prepare for a massive Christmas party. Dae-ho the maintenance manager has a crush on the restaurant manager Yoon-hee, which often causes him to screw up in her presence. Dae-ho's daughter arrives for the Christmas party, but he has to leave her in the care of Yoon-hee as he is forced to deal with security issues including a faulty sprinkler system. While everyone is enjoying the party, the Sky Tower manager dazzles the guests with fake snow being dropped from above from hired helicopters. However, strong winds cause serious disaster as one of the helicopters loses control and crashes into one of the towers. Raging fires soon begin to spread across the building, engulfing floor by floor. Veteran firefighter Young-ki leads the fire department to the scene to try and stop the disaster.
The Tower is easily one of the best disaster films in years. While most disaster films struggle to hold the viewer's attention in the opening act while they patiently wait for the action and chaos to start, The Tower manages to be entertaining from the very start. All of the characters are intriguing and their stories as captivating as you try to suss out who will become the heroes and who will be the victims. The pacing is frantic with none of the acts really dragging out or leaving you bored.
For being a lower budget film than Hollywood counterparts, all of the visual and special effects are brilliant. The scenes with the fire spreading are genuinely scary as are the exploding flames. The film often leaves you feeling on edge and tense and almost claustrophobic as the fire surrounds all the poor guests.
The film definitely has it's Christmas moments. From the party setting, to the Christmas music to the family drama and romance. The first half hour introduces you to the characters and makes you care for them. The next hour and a half is an adrenaline rush and those characters you now care about trying to survive. If you are looking for a 2 hour no-nonsense gripping thrill-ride this Christmas then this one is for you.
MIRACLE デビクロくんの恋と魔法 Miracle: Devil Claus' Love and Magic Year: 2014 Director: Isshin Inudo Writers: Kou Nakamura (novel), Tomoe Kanno Cast: Masaki Aiba, Nana Eikura, Han Hyo-Joo, Toma Ikuta, Hitori Gekidan Running time: 115 minutes Country: Japan
The most original film on the list is easily Miracle: Devil Claus. Not being based on or inspired by another movie but based on an original Japanese novel, this makes Miracle feel all the more uniquely Japanese.
A bookshop worker Hikari(Masaki Aiba) is extremely kind and reserved, not really getting himself out there, his kindness often makes him look pathetic to others. Hikari dreams of becoming a successful manga artist and he spends his free time spreading mysterious flyers called "Debikuro Communication" around the city. He meets a girl one cold winter night that he immediately falls for. Anna(Nana Eikura) has been Hikari's best friend ever since they were children but she secretly wants more from him. It turns out she works with the girl that had the chance encounter with Hikari, a successful lighting designer So-Young(Han Hyo-Joo). Meanwhile, Kitayama(Toma Ikuta) who was friends with Hikari is back in town, he is now a popular manga writer and his life is just about to cross with Hikari once again.
The Devil Claus from the title is actually a fictional character that Hikari creates for one of his manga comics. The character pops up from time-to-time as an animated cartoon character in a real-world setting, looking like a similar effect to Roger Rabbit. It is only Hikari that can see him like an imaginary friend, offering wisdom and often added to scenes for great comic effect.
While not being as cliche as you might first think, it is still a somewhat familiar story of misunderstood love and finding your way, set to the backdrop of Christmas. The story has just enough Christmas and romance to be in that genre without becoming to sickly-sweet. Pretty predictable from start to finish, it never pretends to be anything more than a fun Christmas drama. This is one that will certainly leave you feeling in the Christmas spirit and maybe even hoping for a Christmas miracle. 7/10
So there we have it. Another Christmas is nearly upon us. But there is still some time to sit down with a few festive films and get into the spirit of the holidays.
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
Windstruck 내 여자친구를 소개합니다 Year: 2004 Director: Kwak Jae-yong Writer: Kwak Jae-yong Cast: Jun Ji-hyun, Jang Hyuk Running Time: 123 minutes Country: South Korea
Windstruck is a Korean Rom-com/Drama that's a spiritual companion piece to My Sassy Girl, featuring the same lead actress and same director. In it's own right, this is still a very good film.
Myung Woo(Jang Hyuk) is a mild-mannered teacher who gets mistaken for a purse snatcher while chasing after the real culprit. An off duty tough as nails police officer Gyeong Jin(Jun Ji-hyun) ends up catching and arresting him to his suprise.
Although this hilarious case of mistaken identity is eventually sorted out, Myung Woo has to return to the police station only a few days later in order to carry out some "community service" by accompanying a police officer while he walks his day-to-day beat. However, Myung Woo is shocked to learn that he's going to be following Gyeong Jin! After spending the entire night handcuffed to his sexy, but dangerous partner as she chases down no-good criminals, Myung Woo begins to discover that he's falling for the brassy, and yet, sassy law enforcement agent!
Windstruck is definitely a film of two halves. The first hour is so entertaining and laugh out loud funny. It's directed so well, that even though many scenes are rom-com cliches the hour passes so quickly that you want the story to just continue you like this, although deep down you know that it can't. Jun Ji-hyun(My Sassy Girl) is brilliant in the lead as usual. Maybe a bit of a stereotypical character for her to play, but she plays the part of the sassy girlfriend so convincingly. She also really gets to exercise her acting chops with some heavy emotional scenes and even a bit of action! Jang Hyuk(Volcano High) is perfectly fine as the love interest in this story. His facial expressions and mannerisms are a little over the top, but they are extremely funny and charming and add to his dim-witted likability.
However, the second hour marks some drastic changes to the film as the whole story gets flipped upside down. Gone are the light hearted comedy and fun montages and instead we get some heavy melodrama and scenes that will deliberatley tug at your heart strings until you almost feel like you can't take it anymore. The second half is still great, although the change of pacing and direction can be quite jarring. The film also goes in to genre-busting territory as we end up with some quite dark action scenes as the police are involved in some bloody shoot outs with criminals. These scenes might seem out of place for a Rom-Com but I actually found it quite refreshing, especially to split up all the tears and dramatics. The second hour doesn't flow as well as the first, and certain scenes feel like they could have been omitted to help the story flow more organically.
A real highlight of Windstruck in the stunning soundtrack. Whoever chose the music for this film deserves big praise. The use of the classic song Stay by Maurice Williams is used very effectively in a few scenes that will melt your heart and make you fall in love with the characters. There is a sweet cover of Knockin' On Heaven's Door by Youme which sets up the whole film. The use of X Japan - Tears is so perfectly placed it almost feels like it was written for this scene. Another brilliant song on the OST is BK Love by MC Sniper, no idea what the song or lyrics are about because it's Korean rap, but the style, the beat and flow fits perfectly with some of the later darker scenes.
All in all, problems aside, Windstruck is a very good film. Ultimately it doesn't live up to My Sassy Girl, but then again, how many films can? It deserves to be watched and admired in it's own right. But if you are a superfan of My Sassy Girl there are many connections, scenes and easter eggs relating to it. One scene in particular caught me off guard on my first viewing, and it nearly broke me. If you try hard enough, and ignore the plot holes it would create, you could almost link Windstruck and My Sassy Girl together, which is a fun and rewarding task.
This film is definitely worth a watch, especially for fans of Korean romantic dramas
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.
One of the most emotionally charged anime films ever made. A Silent Voice revolves around elementary school student delinquent Shoya Ishida. When a hearing impaired girl Shoko Nishimya transfers to the school, she starts to get bullied, especially from Ishida. Several years later he meets her again and sets himself on a path to redemption by trying to make it up to Nishimya and to help reconnect her with her old classmates that she never had the chance to befriend.
A Silent Voice is an anime adaptation of the manga of the same name, sometimes translated to The Shape of Voice. The film is produced by Kyoto Animation and directed by Naoko Yamada who brought us K-On! and Tamako Market. On release in Japan the film opened at #2, directly behind mega hit 'Your Name'.
Tackling many different subject matters such as bullying, suicide, redemption, friendship and love. A Silent Voice is one of the most ambitious anime films ever made, without using giant robots or time travel or any type of fantasy, it achieves it's praise by focusing just on raw human emotions. Bullying is the main subject of the first act. Often shown lightly and during montages, some of these scenes are actually surprisingly amusing. But you soon realise that this poor girl is being bullied, and it's really not funny at all. Any feeling of amusement you had quickly changes to anger as Nishimya is tormented by her classmates. It's hard to think of an anime film that brings out so much feelings of outrage while you watch on helplessly. And that is ASV's main achievement, it captures and plays on your emotions to the fullest.
Yamada directs her film is a polarizing way with many subtle story telling elements which really need your full attention. There are many characters whose stories aren't fully spelled out or explained. There are choices such as the characters communicating in sign language which don't have any subtitles or voice overs. This leaves the viewer trying to piece together what the characters are expressing and how they feel. A Silent Voice also looks like it's going to be a romance. The posters and trailers make it look like a romance drama, but that's not the case at all. It's there if you look. But it's not the theme of the film. These are all elements which have divided critics and fans with many giving it paradoxical reviews.
The films main shortcoming for me is the amount of underdeveloped characters. Without reading the manga, I can't compare the differences. But there are a few supporting characters who don't receive enough screen time or character development to the point you don't really understand their purpose. Apparently in the manga these characters are more developed, so one can assume these were trimmed for time constraints. But I couldn't help feel some of these characters could have been cut out completely. That being said, a real highlight is Tomohiro Nagatsuka, the loveable loser that Ishida befriends when his classmates isolate him. Nagatsuka offers some real comic relief to the sombre tone of the film. He seems hilariously overprotective of his friend which delivers some laugh out loud moments. And one scene with him smoking a french fry left my cinema audience roaring with laughter.
The animation style of the characters and backgrounds are completely stunning. Although there are animes out there with higher production values which might look technically better, A Silent Voice is bright and sparkling and beautiful to look at. The film's soundtrack is subtly perfect. It might open with a bang as My Generation by The Who kicks off the opening. The audio then transitions in to a lighter soundtrack with piano and soft musical scores which suits the underlying themes.
A Silent Voice is a must see for anime fans. It's not as rewarding a watch as recent emotional anime film hits like When Marnie Was There and Your Name, it's also not as accessible. But it does deliver something much deeper. It's one of the most powerful animations dealing with a subject that is more important than any film, life.
8/10
See this if you liked:
Your Name
Only Yesterday
Tamako Love Story
Coming to the UK from 15th March. Look for screening locations and dates on their official website here or check Anime Limited on Facebook.
I attended the screening of A Silent Voice at the Glasgow Film Festival on the 23rd February.
A Hong Kong comedy set during the government introduction of the indoor smoking ban. The plot revolves around the love story of cosmetics sales girl Cherie(Miriam Yeung) and marketing executive Jimmy(Shawn Yue) who meet at an outdoor smoking area and begin to fall for each other.
Director Pang Ho-cheung is well known for his comedies, and Love In A Puff is one of his funniest. A little more tame and subtle than his other hits like Vulgaria and Men Suddenly In Black, but not any less entertaining. It's a great modern slice of Hong Kong which captures perfectly how the natives really talk to each other and go about their daily lives.
The film doesn't rely on a complex plot, it is more about interactions and situations. Very heavy in dialogue, in which most scenes feature workers standing around smoking and chatting. This is made exciting by witty writing which keeps you entertained as the characters tell each other disgusting, embarrassing or scary stories.
Many of the funniest parts of the films are situations the characters accidentally get themselves in to. Such as Jimmy's friend trying to smoke creatively through a takeaway cup. Or the side-splitting moment were the 2 leads get caught smoking by the police in a banned area and try to get off with it by pretending to be Japanese and Korean tourists.
The heart of the story comes down to the love interest between Shawn and Miriam's character. Although it isn't the deepest or most loving relationship we have seen on screen, there is something charming and somewhat cute about how they fall for each other. Both are fantastic actors, and carry the film well. There is an age difference between the two stars which is addressed as part of the story.
An extremely enjoyable modern and real Hong Kong comedy
Jay Chou’s directorial debut is an interesting and engaging drama with an original story full of twists which will leave you dumbfounded. Starring Jay Chou(Initial D) and Gwei Lun-mei(Black Coal, Thin Ice).
Yeh Hsiang-lun/Jay (Chou) is an exceptionally gifted pianist who has recently transferred to the Tan Jiang College of Arts at the behest of his father (Anthony Wong). One day, while walking through the school's soon-to-be-demolished conservatory, Yeh hears an intoxicating melody being performed by talented Lu Hsaio-yu/Rain (Guey Lun-mei).
Jay Chou rocking that school uniform
Secret is one of those films that you really can't describe too much in the synopsis or go into too much depth in discussion because that will ruin the entire point of the film. Everyone should avoid reading message boards or spoiler reviews before they see this film, it's the best way to enjoy it and get the full effect. The first hour almost plays out like a love triangle drama, then suddenly the film becomes much much more.
While Jay Chou might not be known as the greatest actor. He pulls off roles like this. Jay has the charisma and charm to make it work. Gwei Lun-mei is a stunning actress and carries the emotional side of the film, as well as making the chemistry between her and Jay believable.
Kung Fu and action scenes are replaced in Secret by intricate piano battles and compositions. Director, writer and actor Jay Chou really gets to show off his musical genius with not only the piano playing scenes but also the soundtrack, many of the songs were composed and performed by Jay himself. The title song “Secret” went on to win Best Original Song at the 44th Golden Horse Awards. The score is fantastic, offering drama to the simplest scenes, and sending the exciting scenes through the roof.
Listen to my award winning soundtrack
Anthony Wong plays a great supporting role as Jay’s father, which is the second time he's played this role, Initial D being the first. Anthony is instantly likable in this role and actually gets to exercise those acting chops in some important scenes. There is great screen chemistry between Jay and Anthony Wong, some more scenes focusing on their relationship would have been a bonus.
Visually, Secret looks fantastic. The school chosen for the story is a stunning building with wonderful interiors and green surrounding parks. Another high point of Secret is the visual effects. For a film with a relatively low budget there is some wonderful looking added special effects. This of course all looks even more spectacular on this excellent Blu-Ray release from Edko Films.
Secret is a really great film! It was probably aimed at the teen audience, but it is more complex than a standard love drama and I think it is fitting for everyone. Plus, it further cements just how creative the writer, musician, actor and director Jay Chou is.
8/10
Be wary, this disc was locked to Region A. Blu-ray.com has it listed as Region Free, so there may be various editions out there.
The Mermaid is the latest film from fan favourite Stephen Chow. Unfortunately for viewers Stephen Chow yet again doesn't star in his own film, but he is a marvelous comedic Director and his comedy timing is perfect in his new fantasy-romantic-comedy film.
Real estate tycoon Liu Xuan (Deng Chao) has been making a fortune using new sonar technology which happens to destroy all near by sea-life. Liu buys up a large area of protected land which he intends to use for real estate development, it just so happens this area is the home to a group of mermaids. The mermaids hatch a plan to take down Liu Xuan and get him to abort his new development. The plan involves getting one of the mermaids to seduce and then kill him. Shan (Lin Yun/Jelly Lin) is chosen as the sexiest mermaid, she gets modified and trained to blend in with the humans then complete her mission.
From the synopsis, you can almost guess where this film is going. The basic story isn't that fresh but the film as a whole is completely original and distinctive from pretty much any film for years. Comparable to possibly only Splash and The Little Mermaid, this is such a refreshing take on the mermaid rom-com genre.
The Mermaid is genuinely hilarious. Full of great entertaining and creative gags, there's something that makes you genuinely laugh every few minutes, the pacing is brilliant. There is great uses of subtle humour in a scene with Liu trying to explain to the police that he was kidnapped by mermaids which had the cinema roaring. But there is also plenty of crazy slapstick comedy, one scene in particular is of Shan trying to kill her target and failing miserably, it gets stretched out with each gag getting funnier and more absurd.
A Mermaid... half person, half fish.
The cast are all brilliant in their roles. Liu Xuan comes off great as a wealthy jerk who is actually misunderstood and looking for real love. The Octopus played by Show Luo was surprisingly good and involved in a couple of hilarious scenes, one involving him pretending to be a chef and part of his body ends up getting cooked for customers.
But Shan(Lin Yun) is the star of the show. Unknown to most audiences, the 19 year old's performance is adorable and incredibly cute. Full of quirkiness, from her facial expressions, to reactions, to her waddling about pretending to be human. Lin Yun has an ocean full of charisma and could go on to be a big star. She reminds me of a young Shu Qi mixed with Zhang Ziyi, only a lot more warming.
I hope no one notices I'm peeing right now.
Like a lot of Chinese comedies, the tone of the film changes drastically at points. Towards the end it gets a little too dark, which shocked me considering how light in tone the rest was. But this is more as part of their environmental message, which is still as important today as ever. Using real footage of water pollution and dying sea-life, The Mermaid does contain an underlying message from Chow which should be applauded.
The CGI in The Mermaid is hit or miss. In some scenes it actually looks pretty great. In others, it stands out too much and is quite jarring with how fake it looks. But for a comedy, this isn't actually too important. And in some ways, it almost adds to the charm of the film.
A shock to many, The Mermaid has not only gone on to become the highest
grossing film in China. It is also now the 2nd highest grossing film in the WORLD this year, so far!
Sitting right behind Deadpool, it's second in terms of money. But for me The Mermaid is first in terms of laughs.
7.5/10
The Mermaid is currently showing in many cinemas across the UK, USA, AUS/NZ and of course Asia. So check if any cinemas near by are showing it now!
Classic Hong Kong Cinema at it's very finest. Superb film by Benny Chan with a wonderful story and characters and a career defining performance from Andy Lau.
Queue the montages.
Wah Dee is a skilled motorbike rider and getaway driver but is still seen as a small time gangster in the Triad ranks. After a botched heist where Wah Dee is working as the getaway driver, to avoid being caught by the police he takes a young girl Jojo (Wu Chien-Lien/Jacklyn Wu) hostage. The rest of the gang decide they want the girl dead after she sees all of their faces, Wah Dee volunteers to take care of her, but actually sets her free. This starts an unlikely romance between a low level Triad and an innocent rich girl.
Moment of Romance isn't the most original story, in fact there were many similar films from Hong Kong around this time. But the depth of the characters and the directing is what makes it stand out.
There is nothing cooler than Andy Lau riding a motorbike!
Andy Lau is instantly likable as the calm cool gangster, who, although being a Triad, he seems like he secretly wants a clean happy life. His motorbike riding scenes along with the music is so iconic it will stay with you! And has also now been spoofed and copied many, many times.
The music is also excellently fitting. The score and original songs fit the movie like a glove. And the cantopop slow motion montages aren't used in a cheap way, but instead they progress and develop the story.
The violence and action scenes are shot gritty and realistic in an unflinching way which suits the Triad drama and makes some scenes uneasy to watch, and also makes you really feel and worry for the characters.
Speaking of iconic. The ending to the film, and the last shot before the credits are extremely haunting and will stay with you for a long time.
A real gem of Hong Kong filmmaking. Recommended to all. If you are a fan of Hong Kong cinema this is on your must watch list.
