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Director : Peter Chan Ho-Sun
Cast : Andy Lau, Jet Li, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Xu JingLei
Synopsis
The nineteenth century was an era of conflict: the Franco-Prussian War and the establishment of the German Empire in Europe; the Civil War in America; the Meiji Restoration in Japan; the Opium War in China followed by the Taiping Rebellion in Nanjing… all critical events that shaped the world today. At times of chaos, heroes are born yet innocence is forever lost…
Director : Johnny To
Cast : Simon Yam, Suet Lam, Ruby Wong, Maggie Siu, Eddy Ko, Hoi-Pang Lo, Ho-Yin Wong, Jerome Fung and Frank Michael Liu.
Synopsis
Over the course of one night, a team of cops frantically search for their colleague’s missing gun.
Review
by Edward Tang
The first time I saw PTU was in a room full of 35 people, a small screening of some type. I don’t really remember. Anyways, I remember walking out and feeling that the film was basically 90 minutes of nothing, just a bunch of standing around and nothing to show for it. For sure I wasn’t going to give it a second glance, why should I? But of course, I got a Christmas gift from some relative, he heard that I liked Asian flicks. He bought me about 20. Included in such was PTU, and I thought I’d never watch it again. But hell, why not? Surely the film could have some redeeming qualities in it, and I was glad that I did give it a second chance. Johnnie To is a master at his craft, showing the seedy underbelly of the night, and being able to actually see the characters for once. (rather than in some flicks that have night scenes and you see a bunch of rumbling and tumbling). Simom Yam leads the cast of PTU as they search as it seems, endlessly into the night for Lo’s gun. I must admit that I was expecting a bunch of action and shootouts after watching To’s other vehicle “The Mission”. The story is simple in structure and the acting follows that suit, but something about the direction and how the story moves along, gives us a hope that something might just occur that we don’t expect.
Director : Ringo Lam
Cast : Chow Yun Fatt, Tony Leung Kar Fai, Roy Cheung, William Ho, Tommy Wong
Synopsis
After being framed for a murder and sentenced to an anarchic prison ruled by a brutal guard, a naive businessman finds an ally in the ever-honorable Mad Dog in this brutal but touching action drama from master director Ringo Lam.
Review
Lo Ka Yiu (Tony Leung) is the new “fish” at a prison run by the nefarious “Scarface” Hung (Roy Cheung), who rules the institution with an iron fist and a perpetual sneer. Lo immediately starts off on the wrong foot by demonstrating both anxiety and a stiff, by-the-rules attitude that alienates both the corrupt guard and the entrenched Triad hierarchy. Meanwhile, “Mad Dog” (Chow Yun Fatt), an easy going veteran convict, takes Lo under his wing and protect him. Prison on Fire is a not just a typical HK prison movie, but a much truly great HK flick in the 80s. Its a tense, understated melodrama that’s Hong Kong’s answer to Cool Hand Luke.Ringo Lam won Best Director at the Hong Kong Film Awards for this movie which followed by another fairly good sequel, Prison on Fire II.
Director : Jackie Chan
Producer : Leonard Ho Koon-Cheung
Writer : Jackie Chan,Edward Tang King-Sun
Action Director : Jackie Chan’s Stunt Team
Cast : Jackie Chan, Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung, Charlie Cho, Yuen Chor, Danny Chou, Mars, Kwok-Hung Lau and Bill Tung.
Synopsis
The story is about a police raid on a drug gang goes awfully wrong, and for detective Jackie Chan, nothing seems to go right from there. The gang boss is acquitted at his trial, when Jackie’s evidence mysteriously disappears. Jackie’s attempt to rescue a beautiful but reluctant key witness results in his being framed for murder. Now on the run from both the gang and his own squad, Jackie must stay alive long enough to bring the gang to justice and convince his colleagues of his innocence.
Review
by Edward Tang
There are some films that will always live because they truly are the best of the genre. Police Story for example has everything you could ask for, truly humorous moments and some of the best action you could ever ask for on screen. Jackie Chan hit bad in America so he decided to come back to Hong Kong and make a true action film, and that’s exactly what he did. The film contains probably one of the best stunts you could ever have seen, literally this stunt looks insane, but gives the film something you’d never see from a Stallone or Ah-nuld vehicle. This film still lives on as one of Jackie’s finest (his favorite “action” film) and one of the films that is COMPLETE 100% entertainment from beginning to end.
Director : Edmond Pang Ho Cheung
Cast : Simon Yam, Nick Cheung Ka Fai, Maggie Siu, Irene Wan, Annie LIU
Release Date : 4th October 2007
Synopsis
Yuan is a poor and quiet girl from Taiwan who got married and settled down in Hong Kong. However, her marriage was soon over and she is separated from her husband Bing. One day, Bing goes missing and the police looks for Yuan to record statement. Ye is a policeman who happens to be involved in an earlier case where Bing is caught for peeping in the washroom. Bing had earlier explained to Ye that he had discovered an incredible secret: a lot of women were planning secretly to destroy men and they were exchanging their ideas in the washroom. Ye was feeling bizarre about the whole case, as whenever he found some evidence, they would go missing at a blink! Ye soon developed feelings for Yuan and the both soon discovered that Bing was killed because he knew too much about the secret organization. The both are in danger too…
Director : Wai Ka Fai
Producer : John Woo
Screenplay : Wai Ka Fai
Cinematographer : Wong Wing Hang
Cast : Chow Yun Fat, Cecilia Yip, Chin Ho, Lau Shun, Annabelle Liew, Ng Sin Lin
Synopsis
The death of his wife provokes the ‘King of Killers’ to go on a killing spree. After murdering dozens of men single-handedly the Killer has an epiphany. He decides to open the ‘Peace Hotel’, a place where criminals fleeing for their lives can find a save-haven. The rule of the ‘Peace Hotel’ is observed by all including mobs and the local law-keepers– while under the roof of the Peace Hotel, any man or woman comes under the protection of The Killer. Ten years after the hotel first opened its doors, a young woman arrives who tries to hustle the occupants of the hotel. The Killer decides to throw her out, but when a lynch mob appears outside he has to decide whether to extend his protection to the troublemaker and risk endangering the lives of everyone living in the building, or to sacrifice her to the angry crowd
outside.
Review
by Martin Cleary
In his last Hong Kong role before disappearing to Hollywood, Chow Yun-Fat quite aptly takes the role of The Killer (sounds familiar!) a man who is searching for redemption after the death of his wife and his subsequent murdering of dozens of people. The film opens with a flashback sequence of carnage, images which later haunt the hotel like a ghost.
Director : Sammo Hung
Producer : Raymond Chow
Screenplay : Edward Tang, Johnny Lee
Cast : Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Lola Forner, Benny Urquidez, Keith Vitali
Synopsis
Thomas (Jackie Chan) and David (Yuen Biao) are fast food traders working out of a van in a town square in Barcelona. They cross paths with a young girl called Sylvia, who is – unknown to them – a pickpocket and seems to be in trouble as she is chased by some dodgy looking men. Private Investigator Moby (Sammo Hung) is also looking for this young girl and uncovers a plot to kidnap her. After initially disliking each other the two brothers form a friendship with the private detective, and when the kidnappers snatch Sylvia they decide to go to her rescue.
Review
by Martin Cleary
If you’re a Jackie Chan or have been a Hong Kong film fan for any real period of time, then the chances are you’ve already seen Wheels On Meals. This is one of those classic eighties action-comedies that HK produced rather well. And in this case it has the magic of the three brothers: Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao.
Director : Bruce Lee
Written by : Bruce Lee
Cast : Bruce Lee, Nora Miao, Chuck Norris, Ping-Ao Wei, Chung-Hsin Huang, Robert Wall and Ing-Sik Whang
Synopsis
Tang Lung (Bruce Lee) arrives in Rome to help his cousins in the restaurant business. They are being pressured to sell their property to the syndicate, who will stop at nothing to get what they want. When Tang arrives he poses a new threat to the syndicate, and they are unable to defeat him. The syndicate boss hires the best Japanese and European martial artists to fight Tang, but he easily finishes them off. The American martial artist Colt (Chuck Norris) is hired and has a showdown with Tang in Rome’s famous Colosseum.
Review
by Edward Tang
“Let him know. If I ever see him here again… HE WON’T LEAVE ALIVE!”
Being a huge fan of the martial arts genre, you can’t help but know Bruce Lee’s films by heart. My first experience with his flicks was when I bought a piece of crap VHS of Fist of Fury (The Chinese Connection) with horrible picture on dubbing. But still, amongst that, you could still witness Bruce Lee and how much presence the man has on the screen. This film in general is so basic, yet is probably one of the true gems in the particular genre. Everything is pretty basic, from the over-sized ugly ass goons, to your basic plot described in a few minutes, and so so acting. But in watching this film, it showcases why Bruce was great, every fight scene was entertaining and the final confrontation between him and Mr. Walker Texas Ranger is a classic and shouldn’t be missed by anyone. I’ve actually renamed this film “Smiley” because even though shit doesn’t go everyone’s way, smiles are always consistent on their faces.