Till We Meet Again 生前約死後 Year: 2019 Director: Steven Ma Writer: Steven Ma Cast: Steven Ma, Josephine Ku, Jennifer Yu, Himmy Wong Running Time: 97 minutes Country: Hong Kong Steven Ma directs this extremely personal story dealing with mental illness, which might be almost too dark and realistic.
Mui leaves her family after an irreversible mistake made by her son
Ka-wai. Years have passed, and Ka-wai is living a solitary life, now
working as a salesman, still trying to look for an explanation for it
all and desperately hoping to see his mother again. As the truth is
gradually unveiled, Ka-wai’s own world begins to crumble.
It's clear from the start, this is a story based on real experiences. Steven Ma, who wrote, directs and stars in this film, based it on his own battles with mental health and how he dealt with his mother's death.He literally wears his heart on his sleeve for this film and doesn't shy away from showing how scary it can be to live with a mental illness, especially if the help you are getting is not working. Steven Ma does a decent job acting throughout, he shines more in the mental breakdown scenes rather than the emotional moments with his family.
The film doesn't focus on a plot, it's more about showing how dark the world can seem when you are dealing with grief and depression. And this is something the film is extremely successful at. There are moments throughout that are so troublesome and realistic, that it was tough to watch. The way they depict panic attacks is downright scary. This is eye-opening for someone that hasn't experienced this themselves. The sheer realism and not shying away from these elements, no matter how dark it gets, is something that needs to be applauded.
While the story is a little bumpy, between the psychosis and the flashbacks, the film never becomes too confusing. In part this is due to the flashbacks being colour-graded differently from the rest of the film. If it wasn't for this subtle touch, it could become confusing as some of the flashbacks so long that you might forget as you slowly adjust to the visual style.
Oddly, there is something else going on which leads to a twist later on
in the film. This feels like it was added to give the film more of a cinematic feel. It's not clear if they thought the writing was more clever
than it actually is, because everyone can see this coming. It's not
bad, just very predictable. However, after the twist, they spend too
much time explaining what happened, but it's already crystal clear to viewers. They
could have cut out most of the explanation and the film work have
flowed better overall. Although the film is only 97 minutes, it could
have used a bit of a trim to fix some pacing issues.
Problems
aside, this feels like an important film and story. It's one of the most realistic
portrayals of mental health issues problems that we have had on
screen. And while it might feel dark and depressing at times to watch,
that is how it keeps up its accuracy. Till We Meet Again might not be for
everyone, but if this is a topic of interest for you, then
there is plenty in here to digest.
6.5/10
Till We Meet Again is streaming as part of the Focus Hong Kong Film Festival from the 9th of February at 10:00 GMT until the 15th of February at 23:59 GMT.
Top 10 Asian Films of 2015 It's always hard to do a top 10 list of Asian films for a certain year, with release dates varying worldwide. A Japanese film that comes out in Japan in 2014, might not be released in the UK or USA until 2015... If at all. So, allow me some freedom with the release year. Some films on this list might have came out in their home country in 2014. Anyway, on to the list!
Hou
Hsiao-Hsien's The Assassin is a stunning film. With beautiful costumes,
sets and exquisite fight scenes, packed with a wild original
soundtrack. Unfortunately the confusing plot and lack of emotion causes
the story to drag and almost feel like a chore at times. Nie
Yinniang(Shu Qi) is a deadly female assassin who has been raised and
trained as a killer by a nun Jiaxin. After failing to kill her target
out of sympathy during a mission, Yinniang is punished by receiving the
ultimate test from Jiaxin. She is sent to Weibo to kill the military
governor Lord Tian Ji'an(Chang Chen) and send the region in to chaos.
This is no easy task as Yinniang was originally arranged to marry Lord
Tian before her disappearance. This
sounds like a basic plot, and it should be. But with the story telling
and dialogue that HHH uses in his film, the story ends up extremely
muddled. Rather than flashbacks, we are treated to more dialogue of
characters explaining previous events, which doesn't make the story any
clearer. There
are a few great fight scenes in this film. Excellently choreographed.
With an interesting style which sometimes is so quick it takes you a
second to release who has the upper hand or dealt the last blow. This is
not a Kung Fu film, and don't expect House of Flying Daggers.
This
is one that I think everyone has to see for themselves and make up
their own mind. Many love it. And many hate it. It won best director at
Cannes which is a high accomplishment!
9. Yakuza Apocalypse
Takashi
Miike goes back to his roots with the Yakuza genre. Only this is no
ordinary Yakuza film, this is a Yakuza Vampire Martial Arts Comedy. And
it is completely Barking mad!
When Kageyama is bitten by his dying vampire boss, he must get used to his new powers before seeking revenge.
This
is one of those films where you have to be on Miike’s wave length to
really get it. It's crazy and chaotic but it's also a well made film.
The
action is great, some well executed fight scenes. And Mad Dog(The Raid)
really shines as a skilled Fighter who disguises himself as a geeky
tourist. The main villain, the toughest opponent, the person everyone
fears…. Wears a giant frog mascot costume. This really has to be seen to
be believed.
A
wild fantasy film from Miike, which may not be accepted by everyone.
But if you let your guard down and accept the craziness, you are in for a
highly entertaining ride.
8. Wild City
Ringo
Lam is back with his first feature film in 12 years! It's not his
greatest film, but it's a solid entertaining action flick
reminiscent of the Golden age of Hong Kong cinema.
A
cop-turned-bar owner befriends a drunken woman at closing hours and
finds himself pursued by her former lover and the thugs he employs. The
chase turns deadly when the bar owner's deadbeat brother and a suitcase
full of cash enter the picture.
The
streets of Hong Kong have never looked better in Ringo’s City Trilogy.
Stylishly shot with beautiful cityscape backgrounds, visually Wild City
is a treat for the eyes. And for something to keep your eyes on the
screen, can you spot the giant UK boyband poster in the background of a
serious fight scene?
Louis
Koo and Shawn Yue are both excellent leads, and believable as half
brothers. Koo always brings the charm and has great star appeal. While Yue is
still fresh and cool as a representative of a modern Hong Konger.
Full
of great action, from chase scenes, to fight scenes, to shoot outs and
some stellar car chases which are equally gripping and stunning.
One
of the great Hong Kong directors is back, not with the loudest
bang we had hoped for, but a bang nonetheless. And now we can be
optimistic in what Ringo’s next film will be.
7. Assassination
The
latest big blockbuster hit to come out of South Korea, becoming the 8th highest grossing film in Korean cinema
history.
Assassination
is a highly enjoyable espionage action film directed and co-written by
Choi Dong-hoon who gave us 2012’s big hit The Thieves.
While
Korea is occupied by the Japanese Army in 1933, the resistance plans to
kill the Japanese Commander. But their plan is threatened by a traitor
within their group and also the enemies' forces are hunting them down.
A
fun historical drama that has elements of a western film with a bit of
John Woo chucked in. Fantastic action from the stylish shoot outs to car
chases. The costumes, sets and locations are all excellent in painting
the picture of 1930’s Korea.
The
story can be somewhat complex as it unravels. Full of twists, some you
see coming and some that surprise you. Double crosses and Triple crosses
are present so be sure to give this film your undivided attention.
The
only really downfall is the length, at 2 hours and 20 minutes it felt a
little bloated and could have done with about 15 minutes taken off.
A very fun enjoyable film which will satisfy the fans of Korean cinema and the fans of Hollywood period adventure films.
6. SPL 2
A great new Hong Kong action film starring Wu Jing, Tony Jaa and Max Zhang.
A follow up to the 2005 hit film SPL(released Internationally as Kill Zone), this is a sequel in name only.
A undercover cop attempts to find the mastermind of a drug syndicate. When his cover is blown, he winds up in a Thai prison. Surprisingly, he is a bone marrow match for a guard's daughter.
The storyline can be a bit confusing, and gets a bit muddled near the end. But that takes a back seat to the action, which is superb.
Think of the classic SPL fight scenes but add in a bit of The Raid and you'll know what you are in for. Some great bone crunching fight scenes with some in your face brutality. A highlight is a massive prison riot with Kit (Wu Jing) trying to get a phone signal while taking on Jaa!
The story may drag a little but it's worth it for the insane fight at the end, which might get a little silly, but it is fantastic. One of the better Hong Kong action films of recent years, highly entertaining.
5. Saving Mr Wu
A surprisingly sharp, intelligent thriller from China. Directed by Ding Sheng who brought us The excellent Little Big Soldier and Police Story 2013 and starring Andy Lau and Liu Ye.
Saving Mr Wu is based on the real case of a TV actor Wu Ruofu being kidnapped and held for ransom.
Police race against time after criminals posing as cops kidnap a Hong Kong movie star (Andy Lau) and threaten to kill him.
Told in an interesting way with flash backs and shot handheld, this is a fun fast paced thriller which never gets dull.
Andy Lau basically plays himself, the character Wu has been changed to suit Lau more, and it works well with some charming moments. Andy again shows just how great an actor he is in this one.
But it's Qianyuan Wang that steals the show. Wang plays the villain, the brains of the operation, the main guy behind the kidnapping. And he is superb! He plays the psychopath brilliantly and his last scenes are chilling.
Very enjoyable film which probably hasn't received the recognition it deserves.
4. 100 Yen Love
100
Yen Love is an independent Japanese sports drama. Directed by Masaharu
Take and starring the wonderful Sakura Ando(Love Exposure).
Ichiko
(Sakura Ando) lives at her parents' home. She rarely hangs out with
other people. Ichiko and her sister's relationship goes bad, causing
Ichiko to move out and live alone. What brings happiness to Ichiko is to
watch a middle-aged boxer (Hirofumi Arai) practice at a boxing gym. The
boxing gym is located between the 100 yen shop where she works and her
home.
The
real selling point of this film is the lead actress, Sakura Ando. She
delivers a stunning physical performance as a 32 year old slacker who
discovers herself through boxing and embarks on a drastic life
journey.
100
Yen Love isn't full of clichés and doesn't play similar to other big
sports and boxing dramas. The story and characters develop in such a way
that you never quite know where the story is going and make the result
hard to guess.
A unique blend of drama, tears and comedy will have you hooked on this acclaimed Japanese film which certainly packs a punch.
3. Black Coal, Thin Ice
Released in 2014 but it's UK cinema release was 2015.
A very dark Detective thriller, Black Coal, Thin Ice. A great mainland Chinese film which surprisingly made it past their censors. An ex cop and his ex partner decide to follow up on investigation of a series of murders that ended their careers and shamed them, when identical murders begin again. Fast paced Noir filled with twists and turns and some truly gobsmacking shocking moments. Excellent performances from all the leads especially Gwei Lun-Mei who is really incredible.
Winner of the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. Black Coal, Thin Ice is actually getting better reactions from the critics than the viewers.
Brilliant film! Tense and exciting start to finish.
2. Veteran
Veteran went on to become a huge hit for South Korea in 2015, and ended up making it as the 3rd all-time highest grossing film in South Korean cinema history.
Detective Seo Do-cheol is tough and merciless when it comes to crime. But while investigating a high-profile case, Seo finds out that arrogant young millionaire Jo Tae-oh the third-generation heir to powerful conglomerate Sinjin Group is pulling some strings behind the scenes. However, no matter how rigorously Seo's team pursues him, Jo always escapes with the help of his wealth and connections.
Made by successful director Ryoo Seung-wan who gave us hits such as Crying Fist, The City of Violence, Arahan and The Berlin File and starring Hwang Jung-min(A Bittersweet Life/A Man Who Was Superman) and Yoo Ah-in(Antique/Tough As Iron).
Veteran is a great Action Comedy which is reminiscent of some Koreans films from the late 90s and early 2000s. It's a solid flick helped along by the lead performances. Seo Do-Cheol is a great badass Detective who is likeable and lights up his screen with his excellent fight scenes. And Jo Tae-oh is one of the most memorable film villains I have seen for a while, he is pure evil and completely smug which will have you eagerly waiting for him to get what he deserves.
Extremely fun film!
1. Ip Man 3
Donnie Yen is back as Master Ip, the role which really propelled him globally as a mainstream martial arts star. Director Wilson Yip returns to team with Donnie for their final Ip Man installment.
When a band of brutal gangsters led by a crooked property developer make a play to take over the city, Master Ip is forced to take a stand.
Ip Man is the grandmaster of Wing Chun martial arts. But if you aren't aware of this then go watch Ip Man 1 and 2 immediately.
Legendary fight choreographer Yuen Woo-ping takes over from Sammo Hung who choreographed the previous 2. This doesn't make a drastic change in the fighting style as it comes off very similar and with many returning signatures such as the quick chain punches.
Ip Man 3 is first and foremost a Martial Arts film. And it definitely delivers with fantastic Kung Fu and some of the best fight scenes you will see all year. There is a fight in a lift against a Muay Thai fighter which is exhilarating!
But, the final fight scene against Max Zhang(The Grandmaster/SPL II) steals the show here. Not only is it the best fight scene in the film, but it's on the best in the Ip Man series. The style, the moves, the weapons, the speed. It's hard to think of any recent martial art scenes that are so crisp and accurate.
A large bulk of the story focuses on Ip Man’s relationship with his wife Cheung Sing-wing(Lynn Hung). Previously she hasn't had a large role and more just watched from the sidelines. But in Ip Man 3 the pair have to deal with something which brings them closer together and gives the film more of an emotional boost than the previous outings.
Mike Tyson also delivers a great role as a villain. Not the best actor, but he suits this role very well. And the fight scene is handled nicely with Tyson using his powerful punches for an up close hard hitting fight.
Fantastic film. Better than Ip Man 2 but not as good as the first. But that's still good enough to make it my top Asian film of the year.
So there we have it, my top 10 of the year. Some surprises in there! And some which have probabley been left out. There are also some I haven't got to see yet and some haven't been released English friendly. So let me know if I am missing anything!
A real masterpiece. Kitano at his finest. An incredible piece of cinema!
Kitano stars as Murakawa, an extremely powerful and intimidating Yakuza. As one of the most trusted in the gang, he is sent on a mission with some of his men to Okinawa to help end a dispute between rival factions. This is no easy task as chaos erupts around them. Realising they have been had, Murakawa and his men decide to retreat and lay low at a seaside hideaway.
From the trailer and synopsis you might be lead to believe this is an action Yakuza film. But it's far from it. There is shoot outs at the beginning and end, and a few set pieces in between. But a large chunk of the film is Kitano and his men just killing time at a beach, and that's actually when the film is most interesting and entertaining.
Like his acclaimed and arguably best film Hana-Bi, Sonatine is a relatively peaceful film but with moments of extreme violence inserted in.
Some of the games the men play to kill time are a real highlight of the film. Such as shooting cans off of each others head. Or Russian roulette, with Murakawa(Kitano) joining in, you never know what to expect. And lastly, after playing a game with paper Sumo wrestlers, they decide to have a go for real. After a Sumo match, the paper Sumo game almost becomes real. While the men stand frozen like the paper wrestlers and the spectators bang the floor around them while they bounce up and down and into one another. Truly bizarre yet highly entertaining.
Another beautiful dream like soundtrack composed by the excellent Joe Hisaishi. The main theme is spectacular and sets the mood of the entire film.
Hana-Bi may be Kitano's masterpiece. But part of me will always prefer the charm and wit of Sonatine. Hidden behind all the juvenile games and humour, there is actually a deep moving story.
An extremely fun early outing from cinematic genius Takeshi Kitano. Although not as polished as some of his later work, it's still a fine film and an important stepping point in Kitano’s career.
Masaki(Masahiko Ono) is a simple reserved man, who loves his motorbike and playing on his baseball team. After accidentally crossing a member of the local Yakuza, he flees to Okinawa to buy a gun to help defend himself. Upon arrival he ends up being befriended by a psychotic gangster Uehara (Takeshi Kitano) who is also looking for revenge on the Yakuza.
Boiling Point is important in many ways for Kitano, the main being it is his first film as writer. And his second as director. You can really see the charms, themes and style Kitano becomes famous for throughout this career.
One of the key surprise elements to this film is the visual comedy. Takeshi previously working as a stand up comedian which really perfected his comedy timing, and Boiling Point is full of great, sometimes disturbing comedy with real laugh out loud moments. Some of the gags including showing the setup, and the punch line, without the in between. Such as a young punk acting cocky and riding a motorbike for the first time with no license. Then later showing him sitting on the ground with his face bloody and the bike smashed. The film is full of great visual jokes like this.
Of course some would say the comedy would be used to balance out Takeshi’s other trademark, which is rampant in this film, violence. Boiling Point has plenty of slow paced violent shoot outs, people getting beaten and slapped about and even a few hints of sexual assault.
The majority of the violence is down to Kitano’s character Uehara who is a complete psychopath. He is extremely crude, disturbing and bordering on insane. But also charming and absorbing. One of the flaws of this film was how little screen-time Uehara had. Unless it was done purposely to leave you wanting more and leaving the character mysterious.
Boiling Point is a very minimal film. With long cuts, and no music. Although another Joe Hisaishi soundtrack would have been excellent, it doesn't feel needed for this film, it works on it's own and still manages to deliver emotion without any help.
A great Kitano film, not his best but a worthwhile and enjoyable effort. Still a must see for Kitano and Yakuza fans. But newcomers to the Cinema of Takeshi Kitano who lust for the gangster/violence films might want to start with ‘Violent Cop’ or ‘Sonatine’ instead.
Fans of Takeshi Kitano and Yakuza films in general will have been impressed with his return to the violent crime films that propelled him to stardom in Outrage. It was a brilliant Yakuza drama and also pretty brutal! The film must have been a success as Kitano is making a sequel, Outrage Beyond, which will be released across Japan in October and continue from where the original left off. Takeshi will again be starring in and directing the flick.
"We need them to swing across that river on a rope and try to stick to the Velcro wall"
Synopsis: Sanno-kai—the major yakuza organisation within the Kanto
region and the main focus of the first film—butts heads with
Hanabishi-kai from the Kansai region as police try to take them all
down. Kitano returns as crew
boss and all-around dirty-job-doer Otomo.
Hmm interesting... If you have seen the first film you will know why this synopsis is intriguing. If not, then go watch it! It's available everywhere on DVD on also to stream on US Netflix!
