Director : Johnnie To
Cast : Aaron Kwok, Louis Koo, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Jordan Chan, Siu-Fai Cheung, Calvin Choi, Hoi-Pang Lo and Cherrie Ying.

Synopsis
A former judo champion quits the tournament circuit and runs a nightclub. However, when a new challenger appears as well as an old rival and a judo master in need of reviving his school, the young man must go back in training and prepare for the ultimate challenge.

Review
by Edward Tang

I read a review recently about Throw Down, which basically went into how this film was one of the worst he had ever seen. He so apply titled his review “Let Down”, which gave me a laugh for some odd reason. Now this is far from the worst Hong Kong flick ever created and there are a few shitty Aaron Kwok films that make this film look like masterpiece. Throw Down is directed by semi-great Johnnie To, a man who for the most part, delivers the goods when his flicks come out. All too recently, I had one hell of a time watching Fulltime Killer. But Throw Down goes into my pocket and basically rapes me with it’s beat-to-death story and worthless scenes of slow motion crap. Granted, this film is about Judo and the entire fight scenes include a bunch of rolling around on the floor, so I didn’t expect something great. But even though this film is short and to the point, it felt very long to me, mostly because I was bored. Johnnie throws in our direction, pointless characters whom really seem to be just reading their lines, rather than acting.

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Director : Yuen Woo Ping
Cast : Jet Li, Michelle Yeoh, Siu-hou Chin, Fennie Yuen, Cheung-Yan Yuen, Shun Lau and Hai Yu.

Synopsis
Jet Li was a monk in Shaolin. In a friendly competition for a higher place in Shaolin, he was betrayed and framed for using weapons (which cannot be used in the competition). He and his friend got kicked out of the Shaolin. They met rebellions at that time of China. His friend betrayed Jet Li and his rebellion friends for money from the China government. Jet Li went crazy and discovered the art of Tai Chi at the recover period. Revenge seem to the only thing he is going to do.

Review
by Edward Tang

I bought a Jet Li pack that was sent out by Dimension a few years back. It included most of his classics, butchered and without the original language track. For the most part, these “versions” were pretty decent with good picture, but basically fuckin’ up what the film was, cutting scenes and replacing the dialog. But “Tai Chi Master” or as it’s known here “Twin Warriors” still remained my favorite Jet Li flick, just because it had great fight scenes, and good characters for one thing. Michelle Yeoh is a great presence (for what she is given in her short role), and made movies like Police Story 3 and Tomorrow Never Dies worth seeing, and in this as well. Yuen Wo-Ping directed this flick, and you can tell, the fight scenes are some of my favorite, not because they standout like your Jackie Chan/Benny “The Jet” style, but they just are loads of fun. The story is average but the characters are pretty damn cool, I especially thought that Siu-hou Chin (Chin Bo) had a great transition to the main villain of the film. But this film remains as one of my favorites, for the sheer fact that it never gets old. Plus you get to see Jet Li act like a crazy and talk to ducks.

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Director : Wilson Yip Wai Shun
Produced by : Carl Chang
Action Director : Donnie Yen
Screenplay : Szeto Kam Yuen, Ng Wai Lun
Cast : Donnie Yen (Inspector Ma Kwan), Simon Yam (Chan Kwok Chung). Sammo Hung (Wong Po)
Co-Starring : Liu Kai Chi, Danny Summer, Ken Chang, Austin Wai, Timmy Hung, Kenji Tangki
Special Introduction : Wu Jing (Jack)

Synopsis
A powerful crime lord who constantly eludes the law…a senior detective at the end of his career who will go to any lengths to catch him…and a deadly martial arts expert who is about to take the reins of the serious crime unit. Over the course of one special day – a time when family bonds are supposed to take precedence – a bloody confrontation will take place between the underworld and the police.

Review
by Gary Cheah

WARNING : Might contain some spoilers

It seems that all the hype about this crime-thriller flick was true. SPL is definitely one of the most anticipated film to come out from the ever great Hong Kong movie industry in recent years. This is the movie that will be remembered as the one that recapture the glory of HK’s action movies. So, what is this SPL? It stands for Sha, Po and Lang which derived from the names of three renegade stars in Chinese astrology which symbolize the three main characters (destruction, conflict or avarice).

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Director : Jimmy Wang Yu
Cast : Jimmy Wang Yu, Kang Kam, Chung-erh Lung, Chia Yung Liu, Lung Wei Wang and Tsim Po Sham

Review
by Edward Tang

The Ultimate Uncut Version. Wow, this is a film I’ve always remembered, not because it displays the best martial arts on film, just because it is probably one of the most unique and obscure titles out there. Jimmy Wang Yu has an impressive background, a lot of his films are classic. He wasn’t the best “fighter” but he had charisma that others lacked. In this, he plays the one-armed boxer, a good fighter with good morals. Wang Yu also directed this film, and as you notice if you see it, it might just be one of the campiest films ever created. But don’t get me wrong, martial arts is truly shown in the best sequence in the film, about 25-30 minutes of pure action. All different types of fighting are shown from long swords to yoga.

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aka 18 Legendary Weapons of China

Director : Lau Kar-Leung
Cast :  Gordon Liu, Alexander Fu Sheng, Hsiao Ho, Kara Hui Ying-Hung, Lau Kar Wing and Lau Kar-Leung.

Synopsis
During the Boxer Rebellion, gun toting foreigners invade China and begin slaughtering all who oppose them. Finding their skills no match for this deadly new firepower, Lei Kung retreats, but finds himself pursued by other kung fu schools who want him silenced. Using every Chinese weapon available, Lei takes on his informer brother in a battle to the death.

Review
by Edward Tang

Let me first start off by saying that this film is loads of fun that delivers old school kung-fu at its finest. Lau-Kar Leung shines as both director and star of “Legendary Weapons of China”, a film that has no bullshit fighting and a great cast of characters. What really impressed me about this film was that even with a basically stupid plot, they made it more of a simple message, about trying to avoid death with mindless attempts to survive bullet wounds. The cast is very impressive, going down from Lau himself to Gordon Liu, Alexander Fu Sheng, Hsiao Ho, and Kara Hui-Ying Hung. These characters all get their licks in and are very impressive in every fight scene available to the viewer. There’s something about these films that always interest me, and this one shines as one of the better Lau-Kar Leung films of all time. Of course, you can’t go wrong with one of the best fight scenes I”ve seen in a while, where the Lau brothers take each other on in classic fashion. This is a no bullshit fight either, no fancy music, just plain action.

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Director : Stephen Chow
Music : Raymond Wong
Action Choreography : Yuen Woo Ping
Visual Effects : Centro Digital Pictures LTD
Editor : Angie Lam
Production Designer : Oliver Wong
Photography : Poon Hang Sang
Co-Producers : Rita Fung, Connie Wong
Executive Producers : Bill Borden, Zhao Hai Cheng, David Hung
Writer : Stephen Chow, Tsang Kan Cheong, Lola Huo, Chan Man Keung
Produced by : Yang Bu Ting, Wang Zhong Jun, Chui Po Chu, Han San Ping, Wang Zhong Lei

Cast : Stephen Chow, Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu, Kwok Kuen Chan, Hsiao Liang, Zhi Hua Dong, Yu Xing and Chi Chung Lam.

Synopsis
Set in Canton, China in the 1940s, the story revolves around a hapless wannabe gangster who aspires to become a member of the notorious “Axe Gang.” Other characters include an obnoxious landlady and her apparently frail husband who exhibit extraordinary powers in defending their turf.

Review
by Edward Tang

Best picture winner and top grossing film of all time? There’s not too many films here in the USA that really can match to such. Titanic is the only film that could say it has already passed these waters (ho-hum) but we all know that Titanic is basically a fuckin’ waste of time, unless you like to watch people in anticipation of death. Kung Fu Hustle however has a bunch of overused (good) CGI, great martial arts scenes (Yuen Wo Ping? What did you expect?) and Mr. Stephen Chow whom is the reigning King of Comedy in Hong Kong. Basically I had high expectations for this film, it’s truly hard not to. Chow’s films have a desire to explore different subplots including this film that tries to go into a love story that just doesn’t do anything for my eyes. I guess we are done naming the negatives, because this film is loads of fuckin’ fun. Considering that Hong Kong cinema is on a skid right now, I’ll always look forward to Chow’s films because he delivers when he needs too. On a sidenote, my friend compared this little film to Kung Pow: Enter the Fist, please God no.

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Director : Yuen Woo-Ping
Producer : Tsui Hark
Action Choreography : Yuen Woo-Ping
Cast :  Donnie Yen, Yu Rong Guang, James Wong, Tsang Tze-Man, Jean Wang

Synopsis
When a mysterious figure starts stealing from the rich and giving to the poor in a small town, the corrupt governor decides to hunt him down. Anyone suspected of being the Iron Monkey is jailed (or worse). Wong Kay-Ying (Donnie Yen) and his son, Wong Fei-Hung, arrive in town and - after getting into a fight - they are arrested under suspicion of being the Iron Monkey. The governor recognises Wong Kay-Yings fighting skills and keeps his son locked up unless he agrees to try to capture the outlaw.

Review
by Martin Cleary

Iron Monkey is a classic film. It’s one of those films which has just the right mix of good story, nice sense of humour, great performances, and – of course – loads of brilliant action scenes.
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Director : Andrew Lau Wai Keung, Alan Mak Siu Fai
Cast : Jay Chou, Anne Suzuki, Edison Chan, Jordan Chan,
Anthony Wong, Shawn Yue, Kenny Bee, Chapman To

Synopsis
It’s a story about the fastest street racer of Mt Akina. Takumi, a delivery boy; Ryousuke, an engineer of speed; and Kyouichi, a professional racer: the three of them become duelists of drifts. For five years, 18-year-old Takumi has been delivering tofu in his father’s obsolescent Toyota AE86 every morning. Not only has he become a good racer, but he has also unwittingly perfected the art of drifting. He was never an aficionado of hill racing until he is asked by his father to drive his AE86 in a David and Goliath race against Night Kids’ EVO IV. A glorious but unexpected victory awakens the competitive genes in his blood, while his overnight fame inevitably leads to hellraising races one after another, each one more perilous and exciting than the previous one.

Quick View
Based on the popular Initial D anime, here comes the live-real-action Initial D movie. Directed by the award-winning directors (Infernal Affairs), Andrew Lau and Alan Mak. Star-studded with young talented actors/actresses, Initial D is arguably one of the best movies in 2005! It may not be an Initial D fan’s favorite movie because some elements has be altered. For example, the missing character of Keisuke Takahashi and the changes on Itsuki’s character. Besides this, some Initial D’s fans thinks the movie is kinda rush because it contains scenes from the anime Stage 1 to 3. From the ending, we know that it may have a sequel to this movie. But overall, i think its an enjoyable movie for all Asian movie fans and Initial D fans.

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