200+ Great Films for Chinese Language Film Lovers with REVIEWS
Title entries in this list with comments that ends with "read more", you can go to my blog http://ramblerwithoutborders.blogspot.com/p/film-review-table-of-contents.html to read the rest of the reviews, which is simply too long to place them here.
The Chinese titles in the comments refer to literal translation from the original Chinese titles if they're different from the English titles.
This list contains my favourite Chinese language films that come from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore. It also serve as vehicle to show the development of the Chinese language cinema. To this end, this list consists films that mark the milestones in the development, movies that represent the best in their genres, game changer films or simply great, entertaining films. This should give you a panoramic - in Shawscope and other anamorphic lenses - view of Chinese language film industry.
I will try to include my favourites in all genres from art-house to Western (yes, they make Westerns).
I'm nowhere near completing this list. The way I'm going, it probably takes me another century or 2 to keep it up to date (I hope so. I like to live that long). Yep, this is a work in progress. So I could make some howlers from time to time (I'm only human. Just kidding. I'm actually a clever AI algorithm). It should be minimal, and WILL be corrected in due course. The list should contain over 300+ movies or so when I'm done. But do enjoy what I got so far.
____________________________________________________________
If you want to look at my list as a history of HK film development (my angle for creating this list), then you should sort it according to chronological order by Release Date. If not, just leave the list with default sorting.
In this list, if leave unsorted, the genres are grouped together that are headed by the following movies (and chronological order within each group):
------------------------------------ Page 1 ------------------------------------
Black & White (silent & talkie) starts @ The Sing Song Red Peony (1930).
Musical/Huangmei Opera starts @ Diau Charn (1958).
Martial Arts (wuxia & kungfu) starts @ Come Drink with Me (1966).
Crime (action & drama) starts @ The Story of Woo Viet (1981).
------------------------------------ Page 2 ------------------------------------
Art-house/Social Drama starts @ Yellow Earth (1985).
Horror/Cat III starts @ We are Going to Eat You (1980).
Historical/War/Biopic starts @ The Magnificent Concubine (1962).
Comedy starts @ Crazy Money (1975).
Romance (action & drama) starts @ Hong Kong, Hong Kong(1983).
Family/Relationship Drama starts @ The Song of the Exile (1990).
LGBT Drama starts @ Peking Opera Blues (1986).
------------------------------------ Page 3 ------------------------------------
WKW Films starts As Tears Go By (1988).
Other starts @ The Monkey King (1962).
________________________________________
The following link contains terms that are useful when discussing Chinese martial arts flicks. At least, it makes you sounds like an expert, especially if you don't look Chinese.
http://ramblerwithoutborders.blogspot.com/2007/01/glossary-for-chinese-language-film.html
The Chinese titles in the comments refer to literal translation from the original Chinese titles if they're different from the English titles.
This list contains my favourite Chinese language films that come from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore. It also serve as vehicle to show the development of the Chinese language cinema. To this end, this list consists films that mark the milestones in the development, movies that represent the best in their genres, game changer films or simply great, entertaining films. This should give you a panoramic - in Shawscope and other anamorphic lenses - view of Chinese language film industry.
I will try to include my favourites in all genres from art-house to Western (yes, they make Westerns).
I'm nowhere near completing this list. The way I'm going, it probably takes me another century or 2 to keep it up to date (I hope so. I like to live that long). Yep, this is a work in progress. So I could make some howlers from time to time (I'm only human. Just kidding. I'm actually a clever AI algorithm). It should be minimal, and WILL be corrected in due course. The list should contain over 300+ movies or so when I'm done. But do enjoy what I got so far.
____________________________________________________________
If you want to look at my list as a history of HK film development (my angle for creating this list), then you should sort it according to chronological order by Release Date. If not, just leave the list with default sorting.
In this list, if leave unsorted, the genres are grouped together that are headed by the following movies (and chronological order within each group):
------------------------------------ Page 1 ------------------------------------
Black & White (silent & talkie) starts @ The Sing Song Red Peony (1930).
Musical/Huangmei Opera starts @ Diau Charn (1958).
Martial Arts (wuxia & kungfu) starts @ Come Drink with Me (1966).
Crime (action & drama) starts @ The Story of Woo Viet (1981).
------------------------------------ Page 2 ------------------------------------
Art-house/Social Drama starts @ Yellow Earth (1985).
Horror/Cat III starts @ We are Going to Eat You (1980).
Historical/War/Biopic starts @ The Magnificent Concubine (1962).
Comedy starts @ Crazy Money (1975).
Romance (action & drama) starts @ Hong Kong, Hong Kong(1983).
Family/Relationship Drama starts @ The Song of the Exile (1990).
LGBT Drama starts @ Peking Opera Blues (1986).
------------------------------------ Page 3 ------------------------------------
WKW Films starts As Tears Go By (1988).
Other starts @ The Monkey King (1962).
________________________________________
The following link contains terms that are useful when discussing Chinese martial arts flicks. At least, it makes you sounds like an expert, especially if you don't look Chinese.
http://ramblerwithoutborders.blogspot.com/2007/01/glossary-for-chinese-language-film.html
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- DirectorAntony SzetoStarsSammo Kam-Bo HungFengchao LiuWenjie WangTen years ago, five students joined a martial arts school and learned the disciplines of Wushu and the bonds of friendship. Today, both will be put to the test after they and a former student stumble into a child kidnapping ring.
- DirectorShichuan ZhangStarsButterfly WuXianzhai WangXia PiezhenThe first Chinese sound film. It tells the story of Hong Pion (Red Peony), a singer-songwriter who, after her marriage to the depraved Faxiang Chen, not only tormented and suffered, but also endured the decline of her artistic career.Alternative title: Songstress Red Peony.
The 1st Chinese sound movie. Made in Shanghai China.
I don't believe the film is available today. - DirectorWancang BuStarsLingyu RuanYan JinLili ZhouThe daughter of a peasant family that works on a landowner's property is in love with the owner's son but the parents force them to separate.She lands up having a child out of wedlock.Chinese title: Peach Blossom Weeps Tears of Blood (桃花泣血記).
English title: The Peach Girl.
For English speakers, 1 of the great thing about watching this Chinese silent film is that you don't need to worry about English subtitle. Not that they don't have dialogues because they're silent. They do have dialogues. It's ...read more - DirectorYu SunStarsLingyu RuanCongmei YuanLi-li LiSister Ye is the master craftswoman in a village of toymakers that is subject to outside attacks. A series of personal tragedies reduces her to a shell of herself, until she breaks and rallies the townsfolk to fight their oppressors.
- DirectorYonggang WuStarsLingyu RuanTian JianZhizhi ZhangStreet walker by night, devoted mother by day, a woman fights to get her young son an education amid criminal and social injustice in China.There's also New Women (1934), which IMDB doesn't have a entry in their database.
- DirectorYu SunStarsYan JinYanyan ChenLi-li LiSix young men from the city take jobs on a road crew, building a highway of strategic importance to the Chinese Army. The story relates the men's interactions with each other, the local community, and two friendly and flirtatious young local girls who become part of their circle. Meanwhile, their hard work is countered by a traitorous foreman bribed by Japanese agents to sabotage the road.
- DirectorHan Hsiang LiStarsDai LinLei ZhaoPei ChiBased on Romance of the Three Kingdoms, movie is a retelling of a familiar tale with iconic actress Linda Lin Dai (Lam Doi) in the titular role of Diau Charn, one of the four storied beauties of ancient China.Many of the early SB's historical costume dramas are done in Huangmei Opera format (also called Huangmeixi) from a period of 1950s up until the mid 1960s.
Huangmei Opera isn't hard to appreciate by newbies who want to ...read more - DirectorHan Hsiang LiStarsDai LinLei ZhaoKing HuA bored Ming Dynasty Emperor decides to take a vacation from his regal duties to a village that boast to have beautiful women. He then happens on a local beauty Li-feng, an innocent waitress who works in a local wine shop.Although Diau Charn (1958) is the 1st Huangmei Diao ever made, it was this 2nd Huangmei Opera feature that gave the genre a real boost, and gave this art form a good run for almost a decade.
When cars arrived on the streets, people called it ...read more - DirectorHan Hsiang LiStarsBetty Loh TiIvy Ling PoLi-Chu ChangThe story about the life of the students at a university in Hangchow. Chu Ying-Tai is a female who has to be disguised as a man in order to gain entry into the school.Chinese title: Liang Shanbo & Zhu Yingtai (in Mandarin)
This is another Huangmexi directed by Li Han Hsiang. When people heard this name, they may say ...read more - DirectorKing HuStarsBetty Loh TiLei ZhaoYin FangAs this is the early 1960s, nobody, not even King Hu could escape from making Huangmei Opera for SB. To be fair, this is his 2nd film, and the 1st 4 films he made ....read more
- DirectorKing HuStarsPei-Pei ChengHua YuehChih-Ching YangBandits kidnap a governor's son and demand their imprisoned leader to be set free in exchange. The governor's daughter, a skilled martial artist, is sent to rescue him, but eventually finds herself overmatched and in need of assistance.Chinese title: The Great Drunken Xia.
Not a bad wuxia movie in itself. But what I find interesting because it marks ...read more - DirectorKing HuStarsPolly Ling-Feng Shang-KuanChun ShihYing BaiWhen the children of an executed General are pursued in 1457 China, some heroic martial arts swordsmen intervene.Chinese title: Dragon Gate Inn.
This is the next King Hu masterpiece that followed on the success of his seminal work, Come Drink with Me that he made in SB the year earlier. This one, however, was made ...more - DirectorCheh ChangStarsJimmy Wang YuChiao ChiaoChung-Hsin HuangA noble swordsman, whose arm had been chopped off, returns to his former teacher to defend him from a villainous gang of rival swordsmen.This movie is the 1st among many that earned Chang Cheh many ...read more
- DirectorCheh ChangStarsPei-Pei ChengJimmy Wang YuLieh LoThe indomitable martial arts team of director Chang Cheh and stunt choreographer Liu Chia-liang continues the compelling saga of Golden Swallow from King Hu's Come Drink with Me in this sequel of heartbreaking romance, jianghu intrigue and stunning action.English title: Golden Swallow.
I mentioned in Come Drink with Me that it was the 1st wuxia with a nuxia. That's only partly true. Although Cheng Pei-pei was indeed played ...read more - DirectorCheh ChangStarsPei-Pei ChengLieh LoLei ChengA wandering swordsman protects a family from the wrath of a clan chief.English title: Flying Dagger
The movie started with a rape scene. When I watched this picture the 1st time in the early 1990s, my 1st reaction is that this opening scene ...read more - DirectorMeng-Hua HoStarsPei-Pei ChengHua YuehChung-Hsin HuangA young swordswoman named Fang Ying-qi sets out to join a gathering of the martial world's leading warriors under the banner of Lord Xia and the Flying Dragon Clan. Their mission is to defend their country against invading forces.By now, Cheng Pei-pei apparently had a loyal following judging from the number of wuxia flicks she appeared since the seminal Come Drink with Me.
Had no fear, fans of nuxia, even with Chang ...read more - DirectorCheh ChangStarsDavid ChiangLung TiChing LeeYing Ke-Feng, head of Peerless Manor, is an expert swordsman whose escort business transports 200,000 taels of silver to the capital each year. This year, however, he is afflicted with an infirmity that renders him unable to use his sword. Rather than give up this important commission and let the martial world know of his precarious health he means to entrust the consignment to two young knights in his manor, Hsiang Ting and Yun Piao-Piao. As it happens, these two are also betrothed; clearly they have their swordsmanship in common. At Peerless Manor, everyone is suspicious of malevolent strangers who may be sniffing around the silver transport. So when Le I appears astride a high-quality charger but otherwise clearly down on his luck, Hsiang Ting thinks Le I may be a spy for the bad guys in the Flying Tiger Manor. It doesn't help that Le I and Yun Piao-Piao hit it off right away. Even or especially when Le I saves Yun Piao-Piao from a Flying Tiger thug, Hsiang is not assuaged. Yun Piao-Piao is torn, though it seems that a certain sisterly compassion finally wins the day when she arranges to reunite Le I with his horse. It's a cute horse, and Le I seems rather attached ... When the silver convoy passes by a pagoda that happens to house the Flying Tiger gang, Chiao Hung, the Flying Tiger chief, tries to steal the shipment. To win the day, Hsiang and Le must fight together, despite their mutual disaffection.Chinese title: Security Guard (保鏢).
This is 1 of the earliest film where Chang Cheh teamed up his favourite duo David Chiang and Ti Lung in his wuxia flick. Lee Ching also made her early appearance in this wuxia to ptovide the romantic interest in this unrequited love triangle. - DirectorChang-hwa JeongStarsChiao ChiaoLiang ChenHsieh WangThis tale is about a decapitating swordswoman who will let nothing stand in her way when she falls in love with a bandit's son. Chiao Chiao, made famous in One-Armed Swordsman, is the girl who won't let such trifles as craniums keep her from freeing her man from jail. The one villain who manages to keep his head (in every definition of the phrase) is Fan Mei-sheng.English title: Heads for Sale.
Chinese title: Nuxia Sells Heads.
Another nuxia flick, and its number could only be matched by the inordinate amount of qing-gong (light or leaping) skills and ...read more - DirectorCheh ChangStarsDavid ChiangLung TiPing WangChina 1925, a man returns to track down a kill the men who murdered his brother.English title: Vengeance (報仇).
This is a departure of Chang Cheh's main stable genre of wuxia for his previous 20 years of film making except for only 2 (and none of the 2 are in the same genre as this film).
This is an action flick that's neither classified as a wuxia nor a kungfu flick ...read more - DirectorPao-Shu KaoStarsLily HoSeok-hoon NamHsieh WangA young woman tries to find a group of villains responsible for her eldest sister's death, but is shocked to discover that her fiancé is one of them.English title: Lady with a Sword.
"Feng Fei Fei" is the name of our heroine. This is another nice addition to the SB's nuxia subgenre. This time the baton, or more accurately, the ...read more - DirectorCheh ChangStarsDavid ChiangChing LeeLung TiLei Li lost his right-arm in a sword duel with the master of a martial arts school, long ago. Now, he is able to defend himself well with just his left arm, and kung fu techniques. That he proves with just the help of his friend Chung-Chieng, when he crosses his path with a beautiful girl in need, Pao Chiao. Even against impossible odds, he will prove a great warrior.Unlike The One-Armed Swordsman, where there's only a singular hero played by Wang Yu, this movie has 2 heroes ...read more
- DirectorKing HuStarsFeng HsuChun ShihYing BaiA lady fugitive on the run from corrupt government officials is joined in her endeavors by an unambitious painter and skilled Buddhist monks.Chinese title: Xia Nu (俠女).
This is arguably the most famous flick of the nuxia subgenre, albeit that Cheng Pei-pei ...read more - DirectorWei LoChia-Hsiang WuStarsBruce LeeMaria YiJames TienA young man sworn to an oath of non-violence works with his cousins in an ice factory where they mysteriously begin to disappear.Alternative English title: The Big Boss.
Chinese title: Big Brother From Tangshan (唐山大兄).
it's easy to understand why they wanted to change the Chinese title ...read more - DirectorKang ChengShao-Yung TungStarsHua TsungMei Sheng FanChung-Hsin HuangThe cast of The 14 Amazons is a veritable "who's who" of golden age of Shaw Brothers swordplay adventures, and was not only a major box office hit.Chinese title: 14 Heroines (十四女英豪).
English title: 14 Amazons.
The 2 years period 1971 - 72 saw the greatest change, a turning point in HK martial arts film genre.
In this period, the female embodiment of ...read more - DirectorWei LoStarsBruce LeeNora MiaoJames TienA young man seeks vengence for the death of his teacher.Alternative English title: The Chinese Connection.
Chinese title: Jing Wu School (精武門).
This movie has made the Chen Zhen character so successful that both Jet Li and Donnie Yen ...read more - DirectorJimmy Wang YuStarsJimmy Wang YuYeh TienHsin TangAfter his schoolmate and master is killed and he loses an arm, student Tien Lung has to learn the art of one-arm boxing.Being made so close after the 2 Bruce Lee's movies, it isn't hard to see that his influence on this flick is ...read more
- DirectorCheh ChangHsueh-Li PaoStarsKuan Tai ChenLi ChingDavid ChiangLeaving the poverty of his life in Shantung to seek fortune in Shanghai, The Boxer is instead drawn into a world of corruption, gang warfare and evil... Where his only protection is his famed fighting technique.English title: Boxer from Shantung
Chinese title: Ma Yong Zhen (馬永貞).
Some director like the legendary King Hu, who sticks to his ...read more - DirectorFeng HuangStarsAngela MaoCarter WongSammo Kam-Bo HungThree graduated Hapkido students return to China from Japanese-occupied Korea in order to set up their own school. However, problems start to arise when a local Japanese martial arts school tries to run the new school out of town.Alternative English title: Lady Kung Fu.
Chinese title: Hap Ki Do
As in One-Armed Boxer, both of these 2 movies are made by GH, and being made right after The Chinese Connection, which is arguably the most important Bruce Lee's movie, it's little wonder this movie got made.
Hollywood had made quite a number of movies ...read more - DirectorBruce LeeStarsBruce LeeChuck NorrisNora MiaoA man visits his relatives at their restaurant in Italy and has to help them defend against brutal gangsters harassing them.Alternative English title: The Way of the Dragon.
Chinese title: River-Crossing Dragon (猛龍過江).
In order to control all aspects of his movie, he decided to produce, direct and act in this movie. With this film, Chinese kungfu genre has broken out of Asia and gone international.
There's that iconic scene of Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris kicking each other senseless at the Roman Colosseum. At least this movie is very well known in Italy. - DirectorCheh ChangHsueh-Li PaoWu MaStarsDavid ChiangLung TiKuan Tai ChenTells the story of the 108 Heroes who stood up against a corrupt government. Each hero has his own unique fighting skill, but they are all willing to die to uphold justice.A Chinese classic of sweeping epic about 108 men and women who are outlaws. Trying to put the whole book into one movie is like trying to squeeze a harddrive into your camera memory card slot. This film focuses on chapters 64 - 68 of the classic (out of 100. Nice round number to stop writing). Even then, it has some 15 or so characters, most of which are well known to Chinese audience.
For people who has no background about the story, it could be quite confusion, and in fact, quite daunting a task to watch it. Seems like this movie started int the middle of the actions. But it works for Star War, and Crouching Tiger, and Hidden Dragon. You would enjoy this one if you're a Chinese history buff and/or Water Margin fans. - DirectorYuen ChorStarsLily HoHua YuehBetty Pei TiThe Four Seasons Brothel is run by a ruthless madam, Lady Chun Yi. Countless young girls have been kidnapped or bought and then sold into a life of servitude, prostitution, and torture at this brothel. Ai Nu, an honest, but poor family's only daughter, is one of the newest girls that was recently kidnapped and sold to Lady Chun. To complicate matters even more, Lady Chun is a lesbian and quickly falls in love with the virginal Ai Nu, who will not let her spirit be broken and tries to escape again and again. This causes Lady Chun to use all of her resources to break her, including auctioning off Ai Nu's virginity to a group of wealthy businessmen. She eventually entrusts Ai Nu with a number of ancient kung-fu secrets like the Ghost Hands, which allows you to thrust your fists into an opponent's chest. Soon after murder erupts within the brothel. A diligent detective, Chi Te, visits the brothel and becomes increasingly involved in the murder investigation. He realizes he must do everything he can to prevent Ai Nu from taking her much deserved revenge on everyone that has wronged her over the years.Chinese title: Love Slave (愛奴).
This movie adds somewhat a more lurid twist to the popular ...read more - DirectorFeng HuangStarsAngela MaoJhoon RheeCarter WongDuring the Japanese occupation of Korea in the 1930's, the leader of a small resistance movement attempts to get information to sympathizers in China.English title: When Taekwondo Strikes.
Alternative English title: Sting of the Dragon Masters. This alternative title tells nothing about the film. In fact misleading.
After the making of Hapkido, it was only fair that the ...read more - DirectorKing HuStarsLi Hua LiRoy ChiaoFeng HsuLee Khan, a high official under Mongolian Emperor Yuan of the Yuan dynasty (year 1366) procures the battle map of the Chinese rebel Chu Yuan-Chang's army. Rebel spies, aided by treachery within Khan's ranks, strive to corner him in an inn.Chinese title: Turbulence in the Welcoming Spring Pavilion (迎春閣之風波).
There're 2 title roles in this movie - Lee Khan is the English title role while the inn or tavern ("Welcoming Spring Pavilion") supplies the Chinese title role. In fact, 2 of his previous notable wuxia films have the inn as the focal point where the story takes place. These include Come Drink with Me (1966), and Dragon Inn (1967).
Indeed, the inn appeared nearly twice as ...read more - DirectorRobert ClouseStarsBruce LeeJohn SaxonJim KellyA Shaolin martial artist travels to an island fortress to spy on an opium lord - who is also a former monk from his temple - under the guise of attending a fighting tournament.First sizeable budget kungfu movie made with Hollywood money.
This was his last COMPLETE movie that he made. When he died, the size of the crowd of morners that lined the streets was the biggest before or ever since his death in HK. HK has a colonial Queen from UK, but he was the real, unofficial King that the HK citizen recognize.
I always knew that Bruce Lee's effect on the HK martial arts genre was great before. Now that I have made this list, I realize I was wrong. His effect on the HK martial arts genre wasn't great, it was complete. At least in the decade of the 1970s. If you read everything that related to the martial arts genre in this list in the Bruce Lee decade, you see that no major actors, directors, movies that hadn't touched by him. Some greater than other. His effect on subsequent Wang Yu films are total, which isn't surprising as they were both working with GH at the same time. And the great wuxia film director from SB, Chang Cheh, begun to make kungfu flicks. While King Hu was 1 of the very few martial arts directors who was fairly cool from the whole Bruce Lee Fever.
Warning: you may find yourself kicking your friends and making weird noises uncontrollably after the movie. Please refrain from doing so. If your girl friend is doing that to you, it's far safer to stick with chick flicks on your next date. - DirectorJohn LittleBruce LeeStarsBruce LeeKareem Abdul-JabbarPeter ArcherA documentary showing the life of Bruce Lee up-close.There were literally more than 100 works had been made since his death from movies with Bruce Lee impersonators, to movies that based on parts of his lives, movies that were inspired by his movies, flicks made by people who had the cheek to call themselves Bruce Lee, and last but not least, the many docos that chronicled his life.
This 1 is the best docos I have seen on his life. I must admit I have only seen 6 docos about Bruce Lee. So this may not be the most informed choice. Still, it's quite well done. - DirectorSteve WebbStarsKareem Abdul-JabbarJackie ChanMargaret ChoHow Bruce Lee Changed the World explores the amazing multitude of ways that Bruce Lee - the first international Asian superstar - has influenced pop culture.This is another excellenet doc on Bruce Lee. The name of this doco should be clear what it's all about.
I'm not going to make a laundry list of how Bruce Lee changed the world. You could find out from this movie yourlsef. But I will ...read more - DirectorCheh ChangChih-Hung KueiStarsChung WangLily LiBetty Pei TiA low budget kung fu movie - an ambitious martial arts student infiltrates a murderous gang in the hope of finding the man who killed his father.Chinese title: The Angry Youth
- DirectorMeng-Hua HoStarsKuan Tai ChenFeng KuHung WeiAn assassin, trained in the use of a throwing weapon that can behead its victims from a distance, questions the morality of his missions and becomes a fugitive hunted by his former comrades.Never mind the History Channel's struggling for explanations of the what, how, and when of this exotic, fabled weapon from the East. This movie will supply you with all those answers. If it lacks in acuracy (definitely), it's more than made up for it in fun factor. Plenty of headless, body twitching, legs kicking corpses (if that's your kicks).
The audience liked this form of brainless - I mean headless - entertainment so much that the sequel to One-Armed Boxer (1972) included the baddie who wields this head hunting weapon, and was renamed to Master of the Flying Guillotine (1976) to highlight this Flying Wheel of Misfortune. - DirectorJimmy Wang YuStarsJimmy Wang YuTien Wu ChuKang ChinAfter his students are killed by the One Armed Boxer, a vengeful and blind Kung Fu expert travels to a village where a martial arts contest is being held and vows to behead every one armed man he comes across.
- DirectorChia-Liang LiuStarsYue WongChia-Hui LiuLieh LoA prince enlists a thief to serve as his bodyguard to protect him from assassins.English title: Dirty Ho.
Chinese title: Rotten Head Ho (爛頭何).
When is a fight not a fight?
Watch it and you will know why!
The Chinese title for this kungfu flick is Rotten Head Ho. You could see the herbal medicine patch on his forehead. The more accurate title should be Block Head Ho because ...read more - DirectorWei LoStarsJackie ChanNora MiaoSing ChenA young man sets out to avenge his grandfather's death and prove his martial arts mastery.English title: New Fists of Fury.
This isn't 1 of my favourite, but a 'milestone' film in a sense. It's a film that illustrates the whole wave of Bruceploitation that HK martial art film industry gone through ...read more - DirectorWoo-Ping YuenStarsJackie ChanSiu-Tin YuenJeong-lee HwangAn orphan who has been raised at a kung fu school, where he is treated as little more than a dogsbody and practice target for the students, has a life-changing experience after helping an old peripatetic beggar.Jackie Chan, Like Bruce Lee's rise to fame 'seem' to have occured overnight. In fact, both of them had been ...read more
- DirectorWoo-Ping YuenStarsJackie ChanSiu-Tin YuenJeong-lee HwangWong Fei-Hung is a mischievous yet righteous young man, but after a series of incidents his frustrated father has him disciplined by a master of drunken martial arts.This movie is a classic among kungfu fans because of 2 people. The 1st person is so obvious that I won't name him. The other isn't obvious because ...read more
- DirectorSammo Kam-Bo HungStarsSammo Kam-Bo HungChun YangRoy ChiaoAn apprentice farmer (Sammo Hung) ventures to the city and helps his family battle a gang of thugs.English Title: Enter the Fat Dragon.
People didn't grow up in the 1970s may still feel the effects and influences of Bruce Lee via ...read more - DirectorChia-Liang LiuStarsChia-Hui LiuLieh LoYue WongA man studies kung fu at the Shaolin Temple to fight back against the oppressive Manchu government.The birth of this and a few SB's early kungfu flicks since Bruce Lee's death were a direct result of the ...read more
- DirectorChia-Liang LiuStarsChia-Hui LiuYuka MizunoYasuaki KurataA Chinese man (Liu) marries a Japanese woman through an arranged marriage and manages to insult all of her Japanese martial arts family by issuing a challenge to her that is misinterpreted by the others. He must then prove how good Chinese Kung Fu really is through a series of duels with the seven Japanese martial artists who come to meet the challenge.Chinese Title: Chinese Husband.
I have little doubt that this kungfu flick is inspired by Bruce Lee's The Chinese Connection. Before Bruce Lee, the HK film industry shunned away from ...read more - DirectorWoo-Ping YuenStarsSammo Kam-Bo HungTak-Hing KwanBiao YuenA hot headed young butcher, who is also a kung fu disciple, gets embroiled in a feud with a rival shaolin temple.English title: The Magnificant Butcher.
Sammo Hung played Lin Shirong (Lam Sai-Wing), who was 1 of Wong Fei-Hong's student. Wong Fei-Hong on the other hand ...read more - DirectorChung SunStarsYue WongKuan Tai ChenHsiu-Chun LinWong Yu is an upstart young fighter who gets a job to deliver a box which he is not allowed to know the contents of, but will be paid a fortune once its delivered.Starring Wong Yue, better known for his title role of Dirty Ho, playing as martial arts student to Gordon Liu.
Don't confuse Wong Yue with Wang Yu. Both are SB's martial arts actors around this period. Wang Yu is better known as the man who single-handedly created the One-Armed Swordsman cult (I never get tired of the one-armed joke). Even an IMDB reviewer on this movie, who obviously knows his stuff, got confused between the 2. And he isn't the only 1. We should call the older SB star Jimmy Wang Yu to avoid any possible confusion.
Wong Yue died quite young (for somebody with his fitness) in 2008. This is the reason we don't hear much from him.
Seasoned audience would probably be able to anticipate the many plot twists in this kungfu flicks. It also has a large cast. Despite this 2 things, the plots aren't at all confusing. Many weapons are being used in this flick, and Wong Yue's weapon is an umbrella that has the words "With Me, Witout You". Translation: "Better You Die Than Me". - DirectorPatrick TamStarsChi-Chi ChenAdam ChengNorman ChuA swordsman and a samurai work together to find a blade.English title: The Sword.
This wuxia is made at a time when SB was winding down its studio, which was best remembered the world over for their wuxia flicks, and to a small extent, Huangmeixi. So a new wave of new wuxia directors will be making their presence felt in this new era without SB.
Patrick Tam is 1 of those ...read more - DirectorSammo Kam-Bo HungStarsBiao YuenChing-Ying LamSammo Kam-Bo HungA young man discovers that his reputation as a fearsome martial artist is manufactured by his rich father, after meeting a real martial arts master, who's also a master thespian, and is determined to apprentice under him to learn kung fu.The similarities between this movie and The Magnificant Butcher are many.
They're both comedy kungfu ...read more - DirectorChia-Liang LiuStarsChia-Liang LiuKara WaiHou HsiaoCheng Tai-Nan (Kara Hui) is an honest and faithful servant of a dying patriarch who wants nothing more than to protect his vast wealth from his selfish, conniving nephew, Yung-Sheng. Tai-Nan is young enough to be his granddaughter, but still agrees to marry her master so that all of his wealth will be lawfully safe with her so she can then transfer it to Ching-Chuen (Lau Kar-Leung), her new husband/master's favorite nephew. This angers the hateful Yung-Sheng greatly, who sends multiple thugs after Tai-Nan, but she is a highly skilled martial artist who is not easily defeated. Amazingly, things become even more complicated when Ching-Chuen's son, Yu Tao (Hou Hsiao), arrives home from a university in Hong Kong and discovers a mysterious women in his house and attacks her, not realizing she is actually his new great aunt, Tai-Nan. Complicating things even more is the uncomfortable sexual tension between Yu Tao and Tai-Nan. Next Yung-Sheng finally manages to steal all the paperwork, titles, and deeds to Ching-Chuen's wealth. Left with no choice but to lead an all-out attack against Yung-Sheng at his booby-trapped mansion, Tai-Nan decides to get Ching-Chuen and his older brothers back into fighting shape.Chinese title: The Elder or The Senior.
Both the Chinese and English title provides tantalising clues as to what this story is all about.
Liu Chia-Liang took Gordon Liu ...read more - DirectorHsin-Yen ChangStarsJet LiHai YuChenghui YuA young man, hounded by a psychopathic general, learns martial arts at the Shaolin temple to avenge his father's death. To achieve this he forgoes a budding romance with his kungfu master's daughter, a shepherdess.In terms of plot, characters development, and choreography that looks good and entertainment on the screen, Mainland China is still a long way – even today – in catching up with HK’s kungfu flicks.
Having said that, what this film has distinguished it from ALL HK kungfu flicks ever made BEFORE or ever SINCE is ...read more - DirectorChia-Liang LiuStarsChia-Liang LiuChia-Yung LiuKara WaiA band of killers from an ailing kung fu and magic society are sent on a manhunt for a former member of the society, whose bad mouthing threatens its existence.The Liu's "brothers" (Liu Chia-Liang, and Liu Chia-Hui) once again teamed up for another kungfu flick.
This movie is slightly unusual for the ...read more - DirectorChia-Liang LiuStarsChia-Hui LiuSheng FuLily LiMongols with the help of an insider, ambush the influential Yang Family, defenders of the dynasty. The Mongols must hunt down all Yang survivors so their insidious plot to overthrow the dynasty will not be uncovered.Don't watch this movie late in week nights because it's full of sounds and fury that would wake up your neighbour. And a lot of meelee to match.
Gordon Liu is in his element - or should I say Shaolin - in 2 movies with numbers in its titles. The other is 36th Shaolin Chamber. Another thing these 2 movies share is the patriotic theme.
There're a few unforgetable images such as men die like men - standing up. And Yang Fifth's (played by Gordon Liu) own conversion into monkhood and burning his freshly shaved head with joss sticks. And the Tartars' coiling weapons that I suspect it was invented for this movie.
As Shaolin is a religious order, its weapon of choice is a pole, which has no sharp edges that kill. So Yang Fifth removes the spearhead from his spear, thus turns it into his monogrammed pole before entering Shaolin Temple. The training in this movie is only skimmed over briefly.
If action is what you looking for, this one is non-stop.
They could tone down the emotional intensity. But if you like that, you'll love this historical costume kungfu flick. - DirectorEric TsangStarsSamuel HuiKarl MakaSylvia ChangA "James Bond" type burglar named King Kong (Sam Hui) tries to redeem himself and joins forces with Albert "Baldy" Au (Karl Maka), a bumbling police detective from the states, to try to track down a rare set of stolen luscious diamonds before it ends up in the hands of a notorious European gangster named "White Gloves." The two unlikely duo are supervised by Supt. Nancy Ho, a masculine, fiery-tempered policewoman.English title: Mad Mission.
Alternative English Title: Aces Go Places.
Chinese title: Best of Partners (最佳拍檔).
This is a milestone film because it's a truly very first HK action flick. What? You say. Of course, there were action flicks in HK cinema before this movie. After all, action has always been the ...read more - DirectorEric TsangStarsSamuel HuiKarl MakaSylvia ChangBlack Gloves (Joe Dimmick), a European Assassin, is seeking to avenge his brother White Gloves' death against reformed criminal King Kong (Samuel Hui) and Detective Albert "Baldy" Au (Karl Maka). While evading Black Gloves, the duo are framed for robberies by Hong Kong Mafia members, who have their own plans against King Kong and Baldy. The duo is forced to deal with the Mafia's motor bike gangsters and Black Glove's weaponry-laden robot.English title: Mad Mission 2
- DirectorSammo Kam-Bo HungStarsSammo Kam-Bo HungJackie ChanJohn ShamFresh from prison, five friends try to stay crime free but inadvertently find themselves caught in a Triad war.This is a milestone film for Jackie Chan.
This isn't JC's best movie by any yardstick, but it's the first HK film that marked his change of direction in the types of ...read more. - DirectorJackie ChanSammo Kam-Bo HungStarsJackie ChanSammo Kam-Bo HungBiao YuenFighting against pirates at the turn of the 20th century, the Hong Kong navy are failing miserably. It's up to Sergeant Lung (Jackie Chan) to take matters into his own hands.
- DirectorJackie ChanChi-Hwa ChenStarsJackie ChanMaggie CheungBrigitte LinA virtuous Hong Kong Police Officer must clear his good name when the drug lord he is after frames him for the murder of a dirty cop.
- DirectorCorey YuenStarsBiao YuenCynthia RothrockMelvin WongYuen Biao plays Jason Chan, a lawyer angry at the way the law seems to protect the bad guys. He decides to take the law into his own hands when a key witness and his entire family are murdered. But Cindy Si is soon on his case and it all spirals into a situation only a few will survive.Alternative English title: Righting Wrongs.
This isn't the 1st (1 of the earliest), nor the last of Cynthia Rothrock's roles in HK action flicks. It's the best to date in my opinion. This is arguably aso the best in ....
It's good to see that to see that things have come full circle. In the 1970s we had Bruce Lee ......read more - DirectorRonny YuStarsBrandon LeeMichael WongRegina KentBrandon Ma is an average Joe but his best friend, Michael, is a sinister drug dealer with a crush on Brandon's girlfriend, May. When Michael murders a dirty cop and frames his friend, sending him to jail, Brandon returns for vengeance.English title: Legacy of Rage.
Chinese title: Dragon in Jiang Hu.
The 'Dragon' in this Chinese title is obviously a reference to Bruce Lee's Chinese name, as well as 2 movie titles that made by Bruce Lee (Enter the Dragon & The Way of the Dragon).
This is Brandon Lee's 1st main feature, and also his best HK action flick he made.
It seems that in the 1980s, HK was in a trend of importing action stars from the States, some of the well known ones included Cynthia Rothrock & Karren Shepherd in Above the Law (1986), and Brandon Lee & Michael Wong in this one. - DirectorJackie ChanEric TsangStarsJackie ChanAlan TamLola FornerAsian Hawk (Jackie Chan) and his bumbling sidekick are sent on a quest through Europe to find a mysterious treasure held by a shadowy organization of monks.
- DirectorJackie ChanStarsJackie ChanMaggie CheungKwok-Hung LamThe Hong Kong supercop must stop a group of blackmailing bombers, while the villains of Police Story (1985) are out for revenge.
- DirectorSiu-Tung ChingKing HuRaymond LeeStarsSamuel HuiCecilia YipJacky CheungA kung-fu manual known as the sacred scroll is stolen from the Emperor's library. An army detachment is sent to recover it. Meanwhile, a young swordsman and his fellow disciple are accidentally drawn into the chaos.Chinese title: Smiling, Proud Wanderer (笑傲江湖), name based on Louis Cha's novel.
While the 1970s - what I like to call the Bruce Lee ...
King Hu was the 1st director in HK film industry who introduced us to the crafty cast of secretive castrates on the silver screen in his wuxia masterpiece ...read more - DirectorJackie ChanStarsJackie ChanCarol 'Do Do' ChengEva CoboJackie is hired to help the UN find Nazi gold hidden in Sahara. He's accompanied from Spain by 2 (later 3) cute women. As there are others wanting the gold, lots of kung fu fighting and comedy follows.
- DirectorHark TsuiStarsJet LiRosamund KwanBiao YuenLegendary martial arts hero Wong Fei-Hung fights against foreign forces' plundering of China. When Aunt Yee arrives back from America, Wong Fei-Hung assumes the role of her protector.
- DirectorHark TsuiStarsJet LiRosamund KwanSiu Chung MokArriving by train in Guangzhou, 1895, the trio fight off White Lotus followers, who want to kill all foreigners and the cute, European dressed 13th Aunt. It's not kung fu master Dr. Wong's (Jet Li) last fight.
- DirectorSiu-Tung ChingStarsJet LiBrigitte LinMichelle ReisLing Wu Chung decides to hide from the chaotic world. Before leaving, he visits his friends, a tribe of snake-wielding women warriors. However, he finds that the tribe have been attacked, and their leader Yam Ying Ying has been abducted.This is the 2nd instalment of The Swordsman Trilogy.
If you're brand new to wuxia genre (where have you been?), or had been only exposed to the old-school wuxia (you're showing your age), you would find the prequel The Swordsman (1990) a bit over the top. It's actually only served as appetiser for this instalment where its wushu action takes on even more fantastic proportion. And it isn't just the martial arts, but the ...read more - DirectorRaymond LeeSiu-Tung ChingHark TsuiStarsTony Ka Fai LeungBrigitte LinMaggie CheungDuring the Ming Dynasty, Tsao Siu-yan, a power-crazed eunuch who rules his desert region of China as if he were the Emperor, ruthlessly thwarts plots against him and sets a trap for one of this enemies at the Dragon Gate Inn.Chinse title: New Dragon Gate Inn.
A remake of King Hu's masterpiece made in 1967 (in my list).
In terms of plot, the remake is more elaborate. Some may say ...read more - DirectorWoo-Ping YuenStarsRongguang YuDonnie YenJean WangA martial artist/doctor steals from the corrupt authorities as a masked thief to give to the poor while another martial artist/doctor is forced to hunt him down. But a major threat unites them as a powerful and traitorous shaolin monk takes over the authorities.Somewhat breaks the convention of kungfu genre. The martial arts in wuxia - sometimes called sword play - can and do defy the law of gravity. And these movies take place in ancient antiquity. They all have long hairs ...read more
- DirectorAng LeeStarsChow Yun-FatMichelle YeohZiyi ZhangA young Chinese warrior steals a sword from a famed swordsman and then escapes into a world of romantic adventure with a mysterious man in the frontier of the nation.This is the most noted nuxia flick since A Touch of Zen, and it's the most famous nuxia flick outside Chinese community.
Feminist theme is what gains ...read more - DirectorYimou ZhangStarsJet LiTony Leung Chiu-waiMaggie CheungA defense officer, Nameless, was summoned by the King of Qin regarding his success of terminating three warriors.This is Zhang Yimou's 1st wuxia flick, hot on the heels of Crouching Tiger, and given the wuxia genre another leg up in the international awareness. The wuxia genre had finally lept off the air with qing-gong after decades of languishing in the studio of Shaw Bros.
If any director should give a title "Hero" to this movie, Zhang Yimou should. This is one of the few, if not the only movie, where it's featured a hero. All his other movies are about heroines. Not that I have any problem with it, looking at my recommendation of his films in this list. Zhang is clearly a feminist, and from the many earlier movies that he made, a champion of the downtrodden. - DirectorYimou ZhangStarsZiyi ZhangTakeshi KaneshiroAndy LauA romantic police captain breaks a beautiful member of a rebel group out of prison to help her rejoin her fellows, but things are not what they seem.With this wuxia film, along with "Hero", Zhang Yimou has proven to himself that he could do commercial wuxia films as well as art-house film, which he was famous for
- DirectorWilson YipStarsDonnie YenSimon YamSiu-Wong FanDuring the Japanese invasion of China, a wealthy martial artist is forced to leave his home when his city is occupied. With little means of providing for themselves, Ip Man and the remaining members of the city must find a way to survive.Ip Man comes to fame as he taught Wing Chun to Bruce Lee. This is the first instalment of the trillogy of his semi-biography.
The story takes place in Foshan, China. Foshan is a area in Guangdong that is the mecca for Chinese southern style of martial arts. Many famous Cantonese kungfu practictioners opened schools here, including Wong Fei-hung.
This flick - no, this film, has the best hand-to-hand combat sequences since The Chinese Connection. This is my opinion, but I know many people share it. What's more, it also has the same historical backgrop as The Chinese Connection - i.e. a Chinese kicking the butts of the Japanese invaders. And of course, last but not least, Ip Man just happened to be Bruce Lee's sifu.
So if you put all these things together, this is probably the closest thing of being a remake of The Chinese Connection without actually remaking it. There's no higher compliment one can pay to a kungfu genre movie. - DirectorTung-Shing YeeStarsJackie ChanNaoto TakenakaDaniel WuA simple Chinese immigrant wages a perilous war against one of the most powerful criminal organizations on the planet.One of the few film where Jackie Chan is given an action, but serious, dramatic role. This is realistic action that is a departure from his usual slapstick, acrobatic choreography.
Anyone expects this to be his typical commercial action flicks rather than a gritty real life drama would be kicking (him/her)self like Jet Li in Lethal Weapon 4 - DirectorTeddy ChanStarsXueqi WangTony Ka Fai LeungJun HuIn 1905, revolutionist Sun Yat-Sen visits Hong Kong to discuss plans with Tongmenghui members to overthrow the Qing dynasty. But when they find out that assassins have been sent to kill him, they assemble a group of protectors to prevent any attacks.
- DirectorWilson YipStarsDonnie YenXiaoming HuangSammo Kam-Bo HungCentering on Ip Man's migration to Hong Kong in 1949 as he attempts to propagate his discipline of Wing Chun martial arts.This is the second instalment of the trilogy. The story takes place in Hong Kong.
You get 2 of the finest Chinese martial arts superstars having a vigorous 'sparring'. From the top of my head, I could think only think of 1 other movie where this happens, Kill Zone.
This pair of old hands performed their martial prowess on a removable table top, and the fighting sequeces make them appears almost like 2 Chinese dishes rotating on a lazy sussan in a Chinese restaurant. Wonderfully delectble scene.
What more can a kungfu fan asks? - DirectorAnn HuiStarsChow Yun-FatCora MiaoCherie ChungWu Viet is a Vietnamese refugee who wants to leave his country behind and start over in the United States. First, he must make his way to Hong Kong, but as he passes through Thailand, he meets a beautiful woman who travels with him. Wu and his new love end up in a refugee camp in Thailand, where they discover many of their countrymen are disappearing under mysterious circumstances. As Wu tries to learn the truth about what's happening, he discovers his life is in danger, and he must flee to the Philippines for safety.Original title: The Story of Woo Viet.
Ann Hui makes serious movies. Not commercial genre like heroic bloodshed action movies. I enjoy heroic bloodshed movies, but ...read more - DirectorJohnny MakStarsJing ChenLung ChiangLing ChowFour men sneak into Hong Kong to rob a jewelry store. Before the robbery, they're hired by a local triad to kill a man, who turns out to be a cop. They have to execute the heist while hiding from the police hunting them down.This crime flick started off the so called heroic bloodshed genre.
This genre is going to broaden and deepen by John Woo.
Waiting for the IMDB technical people to revcover the stuff I've written for this description that was lost due to a system bug. It used to be sit on the top of the list. - DirectorJohn WooStarsLung TiLeslie CheungChow Yun-FatA reforming ex-gangster tries to reconcile with his estranged policeman brother, but the ties to his former gang are difficult to break.Chinese title: True Colours of a Hero.
Alternatively, the Chinese title could be shortened to True Colours. Don't know why this title is changed to something rather mild, bland, in fact, lame? This original Chinese title ...read more - DirectorJohn WooStarsLeslie CheungChow Yun-FatLung TiA restauranteur teams up with a police officer and his ex-con brother to avenge the death of a friend's daughter.All Chow Yun-Fat trademarks in John Woo crime action flicks are in this poster: double barrels action, trench coat, black shades, and the matchstick in his mouth that's probably too small to see (Leonardo diCaprio like that matchstick look so much, he copied it in The Departed. Split out the matchstick to signal the start of a shooting spree. Why not? Since The Departed is a knock off from HK, why not also copy Chow's trademarked move? 2 Birds with 1 stone).
- DirectorTung-Shing YeeStarsLung TiTony Leung Chiu-waiTony Ka Fai LeungA bumbling pair robs a bank, taking everyone inside hostage when it goes wrong. However, one of the hostages turns out to be a notorious wanted criminal and he takes over the hostage situation.English title: People's Hero.
This is HK's Dog Day Afternoon minus the media circus.
Going from the poster, Ti Lung has almost the same pose as Chow Yung-Fat in A Better Tomorrow in the list just above, one may incorrectly assume that this is one of those ...read more - DirectorRingo LamStarsChow Yun-FatTony Ka Fai LeungKa-Kui HoInside a Hong Kong prison, two inmates form a friendship and face the difficulty of life on the inside.
- DirectorRingo LamStarsChow Yun-FatSung-Young ChenElvis TsuiChing escapes from prison to see his young son, who he has been put in an orphanage. And that puts him in great danger.
- DirectorJohn WooStarsChow Yun-FatDanny LeeSally YehA disillusioned assassin accepts one last hit in hopes of using his earnings to restore vision to a singer he accidentally blinded.This HK crime action flick of the heroic bloodshed subgenre had reached a high level of artistry when the 2 seasoned pros Chow Yun-Fat and John Woo had got together to begin a beautiful friendship of making movies of killing and violence looking beautiful, sexy and stylish. The tall Chow who has the shoulders to carry a cool trench coat, and Woo who had the eyes to exploit that coolness. Yeah!
The master of the heroic bloodshed consolidated this subgenre with this flick. Let's shed some blood, hero! Perferably not your own...by now, the term 'heroic bloodshed' has gain so much prevalence that the alternative title for this action flick is Bloodshed of Two Heroes. This is quite close to the literal translation of the Chinese title (喋血双雄). Go figure, right?
Chow is the epitome of coolness. And you know what they say, if you're looking cool enough, you can get away with murder. Well, not only is Chow got away with murder, he did it many times with maximum body counts. Oh yeah, bebe! - DirectorJohn WooStarsTony Leung Chiu-waiJacky CheungWaise LeeWhen three close friends escape from Hong Kong to war-time Saigon to start a criminal's life, they all go through a harrowing experience which totally shatters their lives and their friendship forever.This is amother good example of John Woo's heroic bloodshed subgenre movie.
I don't like the name 'heroic bloodshed', not so much because ...read more - DirectorJohn WooStarsChow Yun-FatTony Leung Chiu-waiTeresa MoA tough-as-nails cop teams up with an undercover agent to shut down a sinister mobster and his crew.An Ode to this and other Hollywood movies (guess which 1. No prizes are given out for getting it right):
I said "Hard boiled,
not sunny side up", boy!
He's totally shaken,
like a stir fry chicken!
Words are cheap,
guns are hip!
With one gun, he can shoot,
with two, he's really a hoot!
No kiss, no kiss,
We're Chinese!
Just bang bang,
thank you Ma'am!!! - DirectorYimou ZhangStarsGong LiBaotian LiXiaoxiao WangA provincial boy related to a Shanghai crime family is recruited by his uncle into cosmopolitan Shanghai in the 1930s to be a servant to a ganglord's mistress.Zhang Yimou's directing career could be LOOSELY divided into 2 phases. The 1st phase when he MOSTLY made artsy dramas, and the 2nd part when he made ...read more
- DirectorTat-Chi YauJohnnie ToStarsTakeshi KaneshiroCarman LeeChi-Shing ChiuThe secret world of contract killing comes to focus in the dark, comical tale of Hong Kong's triad. A lowlife gangster is offered a huge fee to commit a murder. He accepts, but there's a catch - he just won a huge fortune and wants to back out of his contract!Chinese title: Only One Out of the Two Will Live (两个只能活一个).
Patrick Yau Tat-Chi started his career working for TVB, and moved onto working for Johnnie To as assistant director. He left TVB to make this 3 solid, and entertaining crime flicks in barely over 1 year. He made the trio of gems: The Odd One Dies (1997), The Longest Nite (1998), Expect the Unexpected (1998) that could be characterised as ...read more - DirectorTat-Chi YauJohnnie ToStarsChing Wan LauTony Leung Chiu-waiMaggie SiuA corrupt cop named Sam handles negotiations between two Triad leaders who plan to join forces. However, he meets a suspicious bald man named Tony, who keeps following him around and disrupting his personal business.Alternative English title: Hidden Reward.
Chinese title: Dark Flower (暗花).
In term of plot, this story could be described as a game of Cat & Mouse. Sam the Mouse wears a moustache and a bullet proof vest, and is a ...read more - DirectorTat-Chi YauJohnnie ToStarsSimon YamChing Wan LauYoYo MungA group of inept Mainland criminals botch a jewelry store robbery. The cops, led by the straight-laced Ken and the wise-cracking Sam, begin to investigate the case and quickly confuse the jewel thieves with a group of hard-ass Mainland robbers staying in the same area.
- DirectorChi-Ngai LeeStarsTakeshi KaneshiroMirai YamamotoKippei ShînaKabukicho is a forgotten world. A place where people of different tongues and races meet, where they fight against each other to gain money, power and territory. The struggle which never ends. Based on a dangerous love story which unfolds a dangerous town.English & Chinese title: Sleepless Town.
Very few people who can watch this movie without subtitle, except for Kaneshiro Takashi, who can understand all the dialogues speaking in its native tongues. Thanks to his ...read more - DirectorGordon ChanDante LamStarsAnthony Chau-Sang WongMichael WongStephanie CheTung is a street cop in Hong Kong who's friends with a Triad named Fai. Fai hires a hit man to murder a business rival; the hit goes wrong and Fai, implicated in the incident, goes on the run.English title: Beast Cops.
Our dynamic HK cops duo aren't too different from the Odd Couple (1968) played by Jack Lemmon and Walter Maltthau that later ...read more - DirectorJohnnie ToStarsAnthony Chau-Sang WongFrancis NgJackie Chung-yin LuiTriad boss Lung, who has just escaped being killed in an assassination, hires five killers for his protection. Their grown solidarity is under compulsion when Lung gives a special order.Chinese title: Gun Fire.
The all-star cast consists of line-up of the usual suspects of the all the old hands in HK crime genre films - every single 1 of them.
There's little doubt that this movie is a prelude (not prequel) to ...read more - DirectorHark TsuiStarsNicholas TseWu BaiCandy LoA streetwise young man becomes a bodyguard to score quick cash. He befriends a disillusioned mercenary determined to begin life anew. They find themselves working together to foil an assassination attempt, but their partnership can't last.
- DirectorAndrew LauAlan MakStarsAndy LauTony Leung Chiu-waiAnthony Chau-Sang WongA story between a mole in the police department and an undercover cop. Their objectives are the same: to find out who is the mole, and who is the cop.This is the definitive undercover subgenre.
This has been made into The Departed by Martin Scorsesee. - DirectorAndrew LauAlan MakStarsEdison ChenShawn YueAnthony Chau-Sang WongIn this prequel to Mou gaan dou (2002), Chan Wing Yan has just become an undercover cop in the triads while Lau Kin Ming joins the police force. Both the triads and the police find an enemy in a rival crime boss.Not quite nearly as good as the previous instalment, but still worth a looksee. Don't bother to watch Infernal Affairs III. there're better fishes in the ocean. At least in this list
- DirectorJohnnie ToKa-Fai WaiStarsAndy LauCecilia CheungEddie CheungA monk turned body-builder, with the gift to see into people's lives, befriends a female cop, and uses his gift to change the force of Karma and her destiny.Chinese title: Big Guy with Big Wisdom.
Alternative Chinese title (appears in this poster): Big Guy.
The Big character, played by Andy Lau in a full prosthetic suit, reminds me of superhero from DC Comic. ...read more - DirectorXiaogang FengStarsAndy LauRene LiuBaoqiang WangA con-team couple (Andy Lau & Rene Liu) head west after taking a city businessman for his BMW. But an encounter with a naive young carpenter travelling home with his life savings challenges their fate as thieves.It's property thief on the express, and the whole movie pretty much takes place on a train. It's a feel good crime drama.
Wang Baoqiang, who played a naive but good country chap in Blind Shaft, is also playing what he does best in this movie as a victim of a ring of con artists circles over his savings like vultures over a carcuss. 1 of the vultures turns into a stork.
Feng Xiaogang is one of China's well known directors that make commercial films. This could be seen in the casting of 2 leads with star power (Andy Lau, and Rene Liu). I think it's probably aiming for the HK and Taiwan market with these 2 singers/actors from the respective countries (I should say regions).
His directorial standards are quite uneven, with hits as well as unbelievable misses.
This 1 has some interesting ideas and original with a reasonable plot.