Cops And Robbers Review 1979 Hong Kong 點指兵兵

Hong Kong new wave thriller 'Cops and Robbers' is brutal, exciting and very effective.

Sergeant Chan Lap Kei(Wong Chung) leads his team including fresh faced Pretty Boy(Cheung Kwok Keung) on a mission to bring down a gang of bank robbers. Unfortunately their maniacal leader Biu(Hui Bing Sam) manages to escape and goes on a murderous rampage of revenge against the cops and their unsuspecting families.

Directed by Alex Cheung in 1979, this was actually made before the heroic bloodshed era began and it probably helped inspire the likes of John Woo, Johnnie To and Ringo Lam. While having violent and bloody shootouts, Cops and Robbers also focuses on themes of brotherhood and loyalty.

Each character’s story and relationships are built up effectively so when the time come for them to confront the psychopath Biu, you actually care for them. And when characters start getting killed off, it is a genuine worry. The last half hour is incredibly nail biting as it gets more brutal and violent and literally no one is safe.

Director Cheung often let's the story take a back seat while the action unfolds. From violent in your face shoot outs to great chase scenes, there is plenty of action to enjoy. The heist scenes are extremely tense, gritty and realistic. Another real highlight of the film is an incredible foot chase of the cops hunting Biu through a shanty town which is brought to life wonderfully, an intriguing and exciting edge of the seat scene which shows how great a director Alex Cheung is.

All of the actors deliver a fine job, although their performances aren't what captures your interest. Hui Bing Sam does deserve special credit for his role as Biu. He is genuinely one of the most frightening villains in any Cop thriller. He gets more and more psychotic as the story unfolds to the point were he becomes a complete maniac.

Cops And Robbers may be very dated in some ways. Technically speaking, it doesn't look as polished or stylish as recent Hong Kong thrillers. There are also some scenes which would be omitted if this was made now such as the intro with the kids and the musical numbers. But the story, themes and characters are still very relevant to this day and the film still holds up wonderfully while its 90+ minute running time zooms by. Cops And Robbers is definitely due a remastered release before it is lost for good and we are all robbed of a classic.

A must see part of history for Hong Kong cinephiles.

8/10

Red Light Revolution Review 2010 China

A genuinely funny comedy from China which is surprisingly about a sex shop!

Shunzi (Jun Zhao) is in a bad way. Not only has his girlfriend recently left him, but he has been sacked from his job as a taxi driver. Back living with his parents and with no income of his own, Shunzi's prospects seem bleak. When a successful former school friend (Xiduo Jiang) points him in the direction of Iggy (Masanobu Otsuka), a cut-price supplier of adult goods, Shunzi decides that anything is worth a try. He proceeds to open his own adult shop, with the help of his friend, Lili (Vivid Wang), but will the residents of the neighbourhood dare to visit the store?

The idea of China releasing a comedy film about a sex shop is rather surprising given the stories about their film censorship laws. But at the time of it's UK release, Red Light Revolution still didn't have a Chinese distributor, rather not surprising. The film is directed by Sam Voutas, an Australian living in China, and it explores his views on a capitalist and Communist China.

Red Light Revolution doesn't rely on shock tactics and isn't as racy as American comedies such as American Pie. The humour is more subtle and grounded and there are no boobs in sight. The comedy is used appropriately for the situations and doesn't go for cheap laughs.

Blow up doll was made in China

Jun Zhao delivers an excellent performance as Shunzi, who is as much of a loveable loser as you could hope for. A real character that you sympathise with, empathise with but also can't stop laughing at. The character is played with hilarious self-deprecation.

Vivid Wang is an excellent co-lead as Lili and plays a role which is a lot more than a standard love interest. The on screen chemistry of Lili and Shunzi is extremely fun and their comedy timing is great which really makes the film fly by it's 90 minute run time.

Filled with many laughs, some a little risky and some clever and witty. But it's the kindness and love between the characters that makes Red Light Revolution heartwarming and a really fun watch.

It's a new day, yes it is!

The film slightly loses it's footing towards the end. There should have been more scenes with the characters working in the sex shop and showing their daily lives and wacky customers which was one of the most intriguing and entertaining parts of the story.

One of the best comedies to come out of China and easily the most universally accessible. Every joke and character really translates well to the western audience and that isn't always the case with Asian comedies.

7.5/10

http://www.redlightrevolution.com/

Red Light Revolution is released in the UK by Terracotta Distribution. It is an excellent release, with great video quality and packed full of extras.

Badge of Fury Review 2011 China 不二神探

Shallow, uneven, messy, barely funny comedy which doesn't star Jet Li.

When a spate of murders erupt across Hong Kong, two kick-ass cops are assigned to the case. Chaos soon escalates when they reach a dead end and the detectives must play a deadly game to lure the killer out.

Everything about the marketing of this film, including that synopsis(which I lifted from Amazon.co.uk) makes it looks like a Jet Li action/shoot ‘em up film. The trailer and the cover both paint a very different picture from the actual film.

Firstly, Jet Li isn't the main star. To their credit, he is used in a lot of fight scenes though. The main star is Wen Zhang who plays a cop called Wang Bu-Er and partners with Huang Fei-Hong(Li). Wang is used for more comic relief, although he gets involved in the action and chase scenes he usually ends up messing it up and constantly embarrassing himself. Huang is more of a straight laced cop but often saves the day with his Kung Fu skills. This doesn't actually sound too bad, but there are just far too many issues.

... Do you owe someone a favour as well Jet?

The comedy is really hit or miss, probably depending on the audience. Some of the comedy is just way too stupid and over the top that it draws no reaction. There are a few genuine chuckles in there, which would be fine, if it wasn't supposed to be a comedy!

Badge of Fury could have been like an 80s Hong Kong Film. The plot, the action and some of the comedy is similar. But it suffers from some aspects that many modern Chinese films do, including a reliant on bad CGI, too much wire work and complete over the top wackiness. Some of the scenes could have genuinely been lifted from a kids cartoon.

There are enough cameos from Chinese/Hong Kong actors to mostly keep you entertained. Along with the ridiculous movie spoofs from Men in Black to Star Wars to Police Story, there is always something going on, just most of it isn't very good.

If you like Asian comedies and go into this one expecting that and not expecting much of Jet Li, and definitely don't take any of it seriously, then you may find some fun to be had. But it more or less fails on nearly every level of film-making.

3/10

Sake Bomb Review 2013 Japan

 Sake Bomb is an American Japanese film which falls somewhere between a low budget American comedy and an indie Japanese drama while retaining most of the good points and a few of the bad from both.

A comedic road movie about a sarcastic Asian American and his Japanese cousin. Sebastian is a bitter, self-deprecating wannabe Internet star from Los Angeles. He is recently dumped by his girlfriend and on the look out for someone new. When his cousin Naoto, a naive sake maker from Japan, shows up to find his own ex-girlfriend, Sebastian takes him to northern California to find her. They are a clash of cultures waiting to happen. Someone has to break first. Together they meet a colourful group of characters as they come to grips with who they are and the true nature of the girlfriends they're pursuing. 

Never take your shoes off when entering an American house...

A Sake Bomb is a shot of Sake dropped in to beer and then downed, this accurately describes the film as a Japanese man is dropped in to American culture head first. Co-starring Gaku Hamada and Eugene Kim as the Japanese and American cousins respectively, who both deliver great performances while also representing the different cultures of the East and West.

Gaku Hamada(Fish Story/See You Tomorrow, Everyone) is easily one of the most likeable actors working today. While delivering a subtle role he still always manage to convey a vulnerability which makes you rally behind him. His character of Naoto is very much Japanese, from his mannerisms to his shyness, he is used perfectly in this fish out of water role which often leads to extremely comical moments.

Eugene Kim plays the role of Sebastian who is the opposite of Naoto is nearly every way. Loud, opinionated, obnoxious and bordering on racist, he isn't the most likeable character. Although, as you get to know the character and understand the root of his problems, you do feel more sympathetic towards him and he will even be relatable to some.

Every time you hear a racist joke, do a Sake Bomb!

Tackling the issues of Eastern stereotypes by Westerners is handled extremely well for a low budget comedy, some of these scenes can actually be pretty emotional and recieve a good reaction. Other racial views are used for shock, which can also generate proper laughs, but it's not done in a cheap way.

The issues with Sake Bomb are it's let down by the familiarity. The story is pretty straight forward and there are no real twists or anything unexpected along this way. That could have elevated the film from good to great. However, there is a great emotional payoff with Sebastian's character which is worth it.

Sake Bomb is a fun buddy road movie, which isn't essential viewing but still an entertaining watch, it's similar to other American indie comedies in story but tackles subjects which are very different.

7/10

Phone Review 2002 South Korea 폰

Phone is a solid slice of Asian horror which was released during the wave of popular horror exports from The Ring to The Grudge to Dark Water to A Tale of Two Sisters. But does Phone live up to the hype of it's counterparts?

Stylish Korean horror starring Ji-Won Ha as an investigative reporter who, having recently published a controversial article about sex scandals, has begun receiving a series of menacing phone calls. In an effort to escape the calls, she changes her number and moves house. But the calls keep coming - and when her friend's young daughter innocently answers the ringing phone, she starts to scream in terror and goes on to exhibit increasingly crazed behaviour. As she tries to unravel the mystery behind the phone calls, Ji-Won uncovers the terrible secrets that lie behind her new phone.

Something that is always striking yet refreshing about Asian horror films is that the vast majority of them play out like a mystery thriller. The frights are there. The tone is creepy. But your interest is usually kept until the very end because you are waiting for the unveil. And Phone is no exception.

The real strong point of Phone is the story which is actually clever and complex. Full of twists and turns, it takes you till the end to figure out exactly what is happening and why. And just when you have pieced it all together... They throw another twist at you!

Don't know if cute... Or creepy...

Ha Ji-won is a great lead who is likable and convincing with her desperation of trying to help her friends daughter and solve this mystery. But the little girl Young-ju played by Eun Seo-woo delivers the best performance of the film. For a child, her acting and delivery is brilliant. She can change it from cute to creepy half way through a sentence., which is remarkable.

Going in to Phone, as a horror, you are going to want to be scared. In all honesty the film doesn't fully scare you. The tone and setting is definitely creepy. But there are no real moments that will leave you feeling terrified. There is also no real "jump scares" so don't go in expecting any of those modern Hollywood scares. Phone isn't as scary as Ju-On, but it is a completely different breed of Asian horror.

All in all, South Korea did deliver another good horror film with Phone. Some of the plot and story feels similar to other Asian horrors, and maybe it wasn't as scary as it could have been. But it's a fun film with a compelling story and a stand out performance from the young girl that's definitely worth checking out.

7/10

Secret Review 2007 Taiwan 不能說的秘密

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 Admiral: Roaring Currents Review South Korea 2014 명량

Director Kim Han-min’s(War of The Arrows) 16th century historical epic is one of the greatest naval battle films ever made. And it now happens to be the biggest grossing South Korean film of all time. Starring Choi Min-sik(Oldboy/Lucy), Ryu Seung-ryong(Blades of Blood), Cho Jin-woong(Nameless Gangster), Jin Goo(Mother), Lee Jung-hyun(Juvenile Offender) and Kim Myung-gon(Masquerade).

South Korean war drama based on the Battle of Myeongnyang which took place in 1597. After being disgraced and demoted Yi Sun-shin (Min-sik Choi) is reinstated to Admiral and commands the last 12 ships of the Joseon Navy in a battle against the invading Japanese forces and their fleet of 200. Against the odds, can Yi lead his men to victory?

Spectacular looking film based on the true battle led by revered Admiral Yi Sun-shin. Domestic audiences are well aware of the history and facts of this legendary battle, but international audiences are in for some surprises and a real treat.

Squad Goals.

Yi was known for his strategies. Using unorthodox tactics, “turtle” ships and even the current to win battles. The story is interesting from beginning to end, but it's the battle scenes were things really get compelling and exciting. You never know exactly what Yi has up his sleeve, and some of his tactics are rather surprising.

Visually the battle scenes are spectacular and intense. A fine blend between CGI and replica ships, the scenes look extremely realistic with only a few sketchy CGI moments. The ships look fantastic, especially up close, and especially while they are being blown to pieces sending woodchips and bodies flying everywhere.

Stunning costumes in The Admiral.

The 2nd half of the film is action filled, but the first half is filled of backstories and character development. This causes some issues as there are too many side stories and characters being introduced from both sides that it gets complicated and hard to keep up.

Minor issues aside. Choi Min-sik delivers another stunning performance. A reserved but still charismatic, intimidating performance. The Japanese characters(played by Korean actors) are also extremely interesting in their methods and the costume designs are stunning with the Samurai-esque outfits,

A great war film from South Korea which is extremely different from their usual North Vs South war story. Highly recommended.

8/10