donleavy

Part of the new wave of Hong Kong productions, very modern and unique.

Takeshi Kaneshiro's best movie persona is that of the lovable loser. (e.g., ANNA MAGDALENA, CHUNGKING EXPRESS) He begins the movie as a completely hopeless and messed up loner who's foolish enough to be beaten and thrown out of a bar, and then goes back in for more beating. You just want to give him a hug.

Carman Lee is the same sort, looking bruised and makeup-less throughout most of the movie, but still beautiful. She needs a hug, too. Doesn't take a genius to figure out that these two orphan-like people end up clinging to each other.

The ending is heart-rending - so much is told without words. It had me clutching my chest with both my hands.

Also, the music is great. Xylophones reminiscent of TWIN PEAKS, and a wacky samba beat is played over a tragi-comic scene in which a gang desperately scrambles to find ice to put their boss's severed fingers in. It's just absolutely cool.

Some violent scenes (aforementioned beating, creative finger-slicing) and a lot of character-building with visual elements. Pre-coital grooming rituals include clipping their nails, and the lovers try on each other's clothes and give each other bad haircuts. Yup, it's that sort of a movie.

A biopic of Chinese silent film actress from the 30's, Ruan Lingyu, with Maggie Cheung as Ruan. This movie tells the sad story of a young woman who is rescued from poverty by show business, and is subsequently destroyed by it. It's a classic story of the patriarchal double standard in which an adulterous woman is punished by society while an adulterous man is not.

Maggie Cheung's performance is quite good. First of all, she pulls off being an actress playing an actress who is very immersed in her work.

Everyone in this movie is exceedingly composed - they speak carefully, and walk perpetually as if on eggshells. No one really comes alive until a scene at a dance hall near the end. But despite all the sugary politeness, Cheung successfully conveys a woman who is being slowly destroyed by her oppressive environment. And there are a couple scenes in which she completely loses it, and it's very affecting to watch.

The movie is very interestingly interspersed with clips from Ruan's movies, documentary footage of Ruan's surviving contemporaries, and the actors' conversations with the director.

The other actors, such as Tony Leung Ka Fai, Carina Lau, and Waise Lee, who are so interesting in other movies, all have little to nothing to do, except to look nice in period costume.

Also interesting is the fact that Carina Lau (who plays fellow actress Lily Li) looks much more like the real Ruan Lingyu than Maggie Cheung does.

Watching this film is a bit like watching a PBS documentary - edifying, educational, but not exactly fun.

Chow Yun Fat gives another energetic performance as Ching, a good-natured prisoner driven to the edge by a sadistic warden. The warden in this movie is more clearly a villain than in the first, since he enjoys pitting various prisoners against each other, as if for sport.

There is more emphasis on Ching's background than in the first movie, and more scenes take place outside of the prison. But despite the dramatic possibilities, one major flaw in the story line is that Ching never reaches an understanding with his wife.

But despite such a flaw, this movie is more about action, even more than the first, so it's not a big deal. This movie (as well as Prison on Fire, Part I) effectively conveys the futile and oppressive life inside a prison, and you can't help but feel happy for anyone who survives it.

Tony Leung stars as Yiu, who has been jailed for manslaughter. Chow Yun Fat stars as Ching, another prisoner also jailed for manslaughter. Ching is a good-natured prisoner who tries to make the best of his situation, and helps naive Yiu out.

It's a familiar story of the savagery of prison life, as Yiu & Ching must deal with intra-prison triads and a sadistic warden.

The pressure of these elements pushes them to the edge, and by the end of the movie, Ching & Yiu completely lose it. This is a very violent and uncomfortable movie to watch. The storyline doesn't make any profound social observations. But Chow Yun Fat's acting is very intense: he really turns into a bug-eyed wild animal. And Tony Leung is good as a man who would easily fall apart in such an environment if not for Ching's support.

The movie also has other Ringo Lam regulars like Tommy Wong & Roy Cheung (playing Billy & Officer Hung, respectively.)

A cops-n-robbers movie, but not at all typical. An interesting departure from the stylized violence of classic HK movies, such as those directed by John Woo. Despite the chaos of those movies, there was always something "neat" and organized about the action, a choreography. Kind of like a fireworks display. As exuberant and fun as that style is, Beast Cops is an example of a new sort of HK cinema.

And it's a bit messy. Even the characters are somewhat sloppy; spitting on sidewalks, flinging beer cans in the backseat, etc. No one in this movie looks particularly dashing.

Even the violence is messy. For some reason, guns are seldom used, and most of the damage is caused by beating people with sticks or stabbing them with knives. And the knives aren't even cool-looking, they look like kitchen cleavers. So there's a more "hands-on" and labored feeling about the violence as opposed to the more effortless killing accomplished by guns.

But the slapdash feel and somewhat primitive action actually amounts to a very purposeful sophistication and insight about the characters. All the characters are realistically flawed, and the emotions feel genuine. The usual conflicts of loyalty/betrayal and the notion of brotherhood are all addressed, but the outcome is not formulaic or predictable.

Over all, this is a very well-made movie. The acting is first-rate, with Anthony Wong (as Tung) being especially good, as his character spans a confident wise-ass, a dejected lover, a ballsy hero, to a full-on psycho. Instead of a fireworks display, this movie is more like abstract art - a whole different kind of pleasure.

The 3rd in a series, which is actually a prequel. Mark Gor (Chow Yun Fat) goes to Saigon to fetch his cousin and uncle during the Vietnam war. Directed by Tsui Hark (who produced the first 2 movies) instead of John Woo. Not as great as the first, but worth a look.

True to the "Better Tomorrow" series, as well as the whole John-Woo-aesthetic, the movie's about male-bonding. But this movie also focuses on romance: Mark and his cousin Mun (Tony Leung Ka Fai) both fall for sexy gang leader Kit (Anita Mui).

It was great to see a woman as a gangster for once, and Anita Mui was cool as hell. She looks fabulous while mowing down a dozen men without smudging her makeup once - speaking of which, she overdid the lipstick. Her neon-orange-red lips practically glow and bleed into every scene she's in.

Of interest to fans: the movie shows Kit teaching Mark how to shoot a gun, and explains where Mark got his trademark coat and sunglasses.

Also notable is that this movie contains Chow Yun Fat's most authentic kiss with a woman. Usually, he just slams into the girl's face violently in a convulsive fit - which looks intense but not very real. In this movie, he's much more gentle. Probably because he didn't want to eat her lipstick.

A fun sequel to "He's a Woman, She's a Man" that focuses more on the sex-comedy aspects and less on the Canto-pop music industry. The movie begins right where the first one left off, and shows the fallacies of fairy-tale endings.

As with many sequels, it should really be watched with the first one. But to its credit, this is a must-watch if you enjoyed the first, and is in many ways superior to its predecessor.

Leslie Cheung gives a wonderful performance, as his character goes through more complex emotions than in the first movie. He looks absolutely bereft and heartbroken in some scenes, and manages to elevate the movie from being just a pleasant retread of the first. And he makes you believe that the ending in this movie is hard-won and worthwhile, and not a result of caprice and self-indulgence.

Anita Mui is a welcome addition as the woman who stirs everyone's feelings. She's made to look remarkably similar to Anita Yuen in some scenes, and the chemistry between the two Anita's is uncanny.

Anita Yuen is fine: somewhat less endearing since she's no longer a wide-eyed guttersnipe as in the first. But amazingly effective as both genders, since she pulls off a woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman.

The title is very appropriate: "Who's the Woman, Who's the Man?" and really pushes the limits of all the bizarre sexual entanglement possibilities. Demonstrates the no-holds barred wackiness possible in foreign movies.

Teresa Lee plays a cute and cheerful lesbian who only seems to wear bathing suits and rollerblades. (Chinese Rollergirl?) Fish (Jordan Chan), while just a sidekick in the first movie, gets to enjoy a romance in this one. Eric Tsang returns as the wise old gay man "Auntie," who is privy to the hearts of both sexes.

A beautiful love story. Shot entirely on location in NYC. Chow Yun Fat, as a gambling slacker, falls in love with his recently jilted distant cousin, Jennifer. The plot is relatively simple, with a predictable O'Henry-ish twist, but the power of this movie comes from the details.

Chow Yun Fat, in a completely different mode from his action films, is subtle, vulnerable, and amazing. Just watching his expression shifting from elation to despair as the camera lingers on his face is heart-breaking.

The direction isn't flashy, but a few shots make very good use of the NYC locale: the sight of CYF running through the graffiti-covered streets, skipping with happiness, is contrasted by him dejectedly strolling while an endless line of taxicabs file past him. And as the title suggests, the autumn season is effectively evoked.

The movie is a bit old, so the wardrobe/hairstyles look dated. Also, the quality of the picture & general production value leaves something to be desired. Will disappoint CYF fans who are used to seeing him just be ultra-cool. But well worth the effort. (Also, you do get to see ultra-cool CYF in the final scene.)

Chow Yun Fat has 2 modes in his movies: super-cool & super-goofy. These 2 modes are often signalled by his hairstyle: the slicked-back hair (e.g., "The Killer") and the scruffy hair (e.g., "City on Fire.")

This movie is fun because it incorporates both modes, and the movie itself also veers from tragic to super-silly - and it works. There are things in this movie that are so wacky that you have to see it to believe it.

The gambling scenes in this movie, especially the earlier ones, are staged more like sporting events, and are the most entertaining gambling you'll ever see in a movie. Again, if you're hung up on realism, you'll find it preposterous.

But if you're prepared to loosen up and enjoy a fun movie, you won't be disappointed.

As evidenced by the survey of comments on this site alone, people either love or hate this movie. Unfortunately, I hate this movie.

I wanted to love this movie. Really. I loved the first one. But "Babe 2" was the worst sort of sequel - not only was it just disappointingly bad, it actually ruined the pleasure you got from the first film.

One of the greatest thing about the first film was Babe's relationship with Farmer Hoggett. In "Babe 2," the formerly dignified Farmer Hoggett is only in it for about 10 minutes, but in that short time, he's flung down a well, and then makes goofy gestures. He's completely robbed of his dignity. I mean, did anyone enjoy seeing Farmer Hoggett's head being slammed over and over and passing out?

In fact, all the humans in "Babe 2" are frighteningly abused, for no good reason. Mickey Rooney, a very creepy clown, literally just drops dead. Mrs. Hoggett is strip-searched by drug agents, is doused with a bucket of glue, and then is flung around a ballroom on a bungee, dressed in the dead clown's costume, no less. Was this all really necessary? In a movie that kids watch? It wasn't funny, it was just sad. Very sad. Abysmally sad. Not to mention completely pointless.

And in the first movie, Babe the pig had a unique mission, making his triumph truly sweet and heartwarming. The storyline was singularly original. And the first movie dealt with some real-life issues (at least in the animal world), which gave weight to the notions of fate and destiny, which was nicely intoned throughout the movie by the narrator.

In "Babe 2," all the obstacles are contrived and trivial, so the attendant triumph becomes hollow and pointless. And if you think about it, Babe the pig doesn't actually do anything. He just gets chased around, or just acts witless, and does things that everyone tells him to do. The first movie was about Babe's courage and originality. In this movie, he's led around like... a sheep. (how very ironic.) You never root for him, because he has nothing to accomplish.

I was deeply disappointed. I had to watch the first movie over again, just to cleanse my palate, but I'm still in mourning.

This movie stars 3 Chinese pop stars, so on the surface, it's like a Chinese equivalent of such American teeny-bopper fare as Dawson's Creek. But of course, it's much better.

The story has a more thoughtful and philosophical bent to it, and doesn't have silly and manipulative romantic entanglements like its American counterparts. That is, no one whines about their broken heart very much - but you still feel the pain.

Takeshi Kaneshiro is the best of the 3 leads as a lovelorn but reserved loner, and he conveys a lot of emotion while being very subtle. The other 2 actors, Kelly Chan and Aaron Kwok, are fine, too.

The all-important novel that Takeshi's character writes fulfills its promise of being an artlessly simple but incredibly sweet love story.

I'm increasingly impressed by foreign movies and their ability to convey the complexity of love, while by contrast, most American movies seem to make it much simpler and less realistic. This movie is one such foreign movie.

Leslie Cheung & Anita Yuen have small but effective roles as 2 people touched by the novel that Chan Kar-fu (Takeshi) writes.

This movie is much more than a conventional romance, with the typical meet-cute sequence and plot-convenient obstacles that get neatly resolved. I'm thinking of the typical American Meg-Ryan-Julia-Roberts movie, where everyone is inexplicably wealthy, no one has any real problems, and all the "wrong" boy/girl-friends are shrews or dorks ... so the audience has nothing to do but wait for the inevitable and unrealistic end.

This movie represents some other real-life complications, such as coping without a lot of money, and shows the characters struggling with, and taking responsibilities for, their relationships and commitments.

The two leads, Maggie Cheung & Leon Lai, are terrific. Also wonderful is the supporting performance by Eric Tsang as Pao Au-Yeung. This is a thoughtful and beautiful movie about real people and real love.

Rose (Lau) & Sam (Cheung) are a superstar singer and her brilliant manager. They are also lovers. Wing (Yuen), a spunky and resourceful young woman, is one of their biggest fans. When Sam holds a contest to find a new male pop star, Wing cuts her hair and ... you can guess the rest. Misunderstandings and love triangles!

"Tootsie" & "Victor, Victoria" are two movies that deal with similar issues of gender and fame, and this movie is just as entertaining. Anita Yuen is very good (& attractive) as BOTH a boy and a girl, and it's easy to see why Sam and Rose fall for her. Leslie Cheung sings a terrific song called "Chase," and Carina Lau makes a great bossy diva.

This is a lighthearted and funny movie that everyone will enjoy. Yes, some people get shot and a few vehicles explode. After all, it's John Woo. But it's very different from the usual heavy, brooding loyalty/betrayal theme of his other movies, and the love triangle is really ... cute. That's right, cute. This is as cute as John Woo will ever get.

Chow Yun-Fat is as bad-ass as ever, and you get to see him flirt and be very funny. Leslie shows off his ubiquitous tango skills. And at least 3 very good action scenes. All in all, this is one John Woo movie that's also a date movie. You can even watch this with your Mom.

This movie is the predecessor of many American movie storylines in which an undercover cop, in his effort to assimilate to the world of crime, loses himself. "Donnie Brasco" and "Rush" are such movies with a similar theme.

Tarantino very obviously lifted the plot for his "Reservoir Dogs," even though Tarantino's movie is more notable for its snappy dialogues and unbearable torture sequences. "City on Fire" develops the characters more, and gives them a background.

But other than that, the major difference between the 2 movies is that, ultimately, there's a very different take on the notions of honor, loyalty, and brotherhood - I was surprised by both endings, in very different ways.

This movie is also a good companion piece to "The Killer" by John Woo. Chow Yun-Fat and Danny Lee star in both movies, but in reversed roles of cop and thief.