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.
Stunning action thriller from hit Hong Kong director Johnnie To with the star team up on Andy Lau and Sean Lau(Lau Ching-wan).
Andy Lau plays Cheung, a master criminal who learns that he is suffering from a terminal illness and only has 72 hours to live. Determined to use this time to revenge himself on the police and his gang rivals, the criminal genius initiates a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the authorities. Only tough police negotiator Inspector Ho (Lau Ching-wan) can see through his plans, but during a confrontation between the two men, Cheung reveals his deadly trick...
The strong point of Running Out Of Time is how clever and intricate the script is. The story unravels at a steady pace without giving too much away, this keeps you intrigued as you start to discover what Cheung's plan actually is. Along with some twists and turns this film keeps you on your toes.
If you are familiar with To's body of work you will know what to expect. A sleek stylish intelligent film, with some great action scenes in between. Not necessarily what many would call an all out action film, but enough to keep the masses happy.
The cast all deliver great performances. Andy Lau shines in his role that seems like it was made for him, he went on to win best actor at the Hong Kong Film awards for this role. Lau Ching-wan is great as the co-star, delivering an intelligent but humorous role without getting too hammy. Elsewhere, Waisee Lee plays a decent role as a bald villain. And Shiu Hung Hui delivers the comic relief as Chief Inspector Wong, this part could have easily went over the top to slapstick territory but he managed to keep it grounded while still hilarious. A real highlight is a side-splitting gag between Shiu Hung Hui and Lau Ching-wan regarding a mix up with cancer pain medication.
Oddly, one of the weakest elements of the film are some of the action scenes. This will come as a surprise to most To fans. There is a shoot out half way through the film which falls flat, it is a little dull to watch and comes across rather silly, it doesn't live up to the exciting stylish shoot outs we are used to with Johnnie To films.
Small problems aside, Running Out of Time is a very fun Hong Kong film which will satisfy To fans but will also be a great introduction point to his filmography for new comers.
7.5/10
See this if you liked:
Exiled
Infernal Affairs
PTU
Since it's approaching Halloween I thought I'd sit down to an Asian horror classic.
This entry to the J-Horror collection is directed by Takashi Shimizu(Ju-On: The Grudge/Marebito). While not quite reaching the heights of Ringu and Ju-On, Reincarnation still holds it's own as a fine supernatural thriller.
When a young actress gets a role in a film based on a series of grisly murders in the 1970s, she begins to experience the killings as if they are happening in front of her. When she discovers an 8mm camera that appears to contain footage of the murders, she decides to develop the film, with terrifying consequences.
Japanese subways are always so crowded
Shimizu is great at creating an eerie atmosphere and tension. This is the real strong point of Reincarnation. Although the film might start off a little slow, it gets more and more tense as the film progresses. By the start of the third act, you'll be on the edge of your seat as the story unravels and plot elements running parallel with each other join up to give a thought provoking and compelling conclusion.
Yuka delivers a stunning performance as Nagisa Sugiura, an actress cast in the lead role of the horror film within the horror film. The film seems to be partly influenced from The Shining with the setting of the hotel, some similar plot points and also her acting style adds to this.
Traditional Japanese head massage
J-Horror isn't for everyone. It is much slower paced than American counterparts. And it doesn't have the constant jump scares, although, Reincarnation is quite creepy and does have a jump scare or two. But it's the story that matters, Reincarnation will have you guessing and questioning throughout the entire film until everything clicks in to place wonderfully at the climatic ending.
If you are looking for a Horror film to watch this Halloween, you could do worse.
7/10
See this if you liked:
The Ring
The Grudge
Dark Water
Generic Triad movie but it's brilliant cast and dark themes make it entertaining.
Charismatic Louis Koo is David Chow, a small-time businessman whose successful rise in the triad underworld comes in a deliberate means to an end. He's forced to join the triad of Boss Sing (Alex Fong) in order to bail out his buddy (Edmund So). Ann (Kristy Yang), the girl David loves works at a bar and catches the eye of Boss Sing who attempts to win her heart honestly. A clash between David and Sing seems inevitable.
Rules Of The Game is standard Triad affair. You are getting what it says on the tin. Expect lots of bad-ass knifes getting swung around as nameless gang members are getting chopped and stabbed. The story isn't very original and themes and ideas have been borrowed from other HK gangster flicks. But all this isn't necessarily a bad thing. If you like Triad films then you will like this. It really doesn't glamorise Triad lifestyle at all.
The cast all do a great job. Louis Koo is brilliant as David, full of charisma and comes across as a real bad ass. Alex Fong plays the role of Sing with so much conviction he is almost likeable, even though he commits some horrendous crimes. Kristy Yang lights up her role with charm and innocence. The only real let down is Sam Lee, a brilliant actor that has a role where he doesn't get to shine like his usual self.
Some of the music is fantastic in the montages and the others are downright cheesy. A few of the musical queues are extremely questionable and you have to wonder if this melodrama was supposed to gauge more of an emotional reaction in these scenes.
It all comes down to a conclusion which is half exciting and half a let down. Definitely shocking, but a more satisfying ending is expected after everything that unfolds.
Not the best Triad film, but certainly not the worst. See it for the performances, the wacky story, the violence and have a few beers and enjoy.
