A

ALL FOR THE WINNER (Stephen Chiau, Ng Man-Tat, Sharla Cheung) 7/10 HKD #252

AMSTERDAM CONNECTION (Jason Pai, Fan Mui-sang, Bolo Yeung) 2/10

AN AMOROUS WOMAN OF TANG DYNASTY (Pat Ha, Alex Man) 8/10 HKD #233

ANCIENT CHINESE WHOREHOUSE (Yvonne Yung, Kent Cheng, Ching Suet-ngan) 5/10 HKD #165a

ANGEL FORCE (Moon Lee, Hugo Ng) 5/10 HKD #166

THE ANONYMOUS HEROES (Ti Lung, David Chiang) 6/10 HKD #145

THE ASSASSIN (Zhang Fengyi, Rosamund Kwan) 5/10 HKD #139

THE ARCH (Lisa Lu, Roy Chiao) 6/10

ARMAGEDDON (Andy Lau, Michelle Reis, Anthony Wong) 4/10 HKD #114

AS TEARS GO BY (Andy Lau, Maggie Cheung Man-Yuk) 7/10 HKD #138

ASTONISHING (Alex Fong Chung-shun, Christy Chung) 2/10
"Astonishing" is certainly the key word here. This film (about an affluent woman whose identity is stolen) manages to be astonishingly contrived, astonishingly predictable, and astonishingly dumb. Christy Chung gives her all in the role, and is moderately effective, but the movie would have been a lost cause even with a better performance at its core. Some movies have a bad ending; this one has THREE! Alex Fong co-stars in this Herman Yau effort, which represents a real backward step for the director, who was showing considerable improvement in recent years. (written December 2004)

THE AVENGING FIST (Stephen Fung, Kristy Yang, Gigi Leung, Sammo Hung) 4/10
Andrew Lau and Corey Yuen's overblown TEKKEN ripoff bombards the viewer with fewer CGI effects than THE LEGEND OF ZU but ends up seeming more gratuitous. Those not addicted to anime and video games will stop caring about the uninspired storyline a half hour in. Of the high-powered cast, only veterans Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, and Cecilia Yip manage to make an impression amidst all of the computer generated eyestrain. (written May 2002)

B

THE BASTARD (Lily Li, Lau Dan) 6/10
A lesser but still quite watchable Chor Yuen period effort that benefits from Lily Li's persuasive performance in a non-action role. Intercontinental's R3 is up to their usual standards. (written April 2003)

THE BATTLE WIZARD (Danny Lee, Tanny Tien) 6/10 HKD #250

BISHONEN (Daniel Wu, Terence Yin, Stephen Fung) 4/10

BEAUTY AND THE BREAST (Francis Ng, Daniel Wu, Michelle Lee) 4/10
All-too-typical HK romantic/comedy dreck partially salvaged by Francis Ng's game performance and a quality cast. (written April 2003)

BEIJING ROCKS (Daniel Wu, Hsu Chi, Geng Le) 5/10 HKD #95

BET ON FIRE (Sharla Cheung, Cherie Chung, Paul Chun) 7/10 HKD #204

BIG BROTHER CHENG (Chen Kuan-tai, Wong Yue) 5/10 HKD#155

BLACK MAGIC (Ku Feng, Lo Lieh, Tanny Tien) 6/10 HKD #219

BLACK MASK 2: CITY OF MASKS (Andy On, Traci Lords) 2/10
What a disaster! Over produced, over edited (the action is so ill-covered and jerkily cut together, it is a pain to follow), badly written and acted (in a cast consisting mostly of wrestlers, Traci Lords probably gives the most competent line readings), annoying comic relief (including a gwei mui equivalent of Karen Mok's character in #1 who freezes whenever she is touched by a man), and mind numbingly idiotic plotting. Tsui needs to give up on English language productions and start collaborating with someone that will help keep him focussed and reign in his eccentricities. He seems to be flailing around here, trying this, that, and the other thing, without a clue of what he really wants to do. The screen is constantly filled with people running and flying around amidst eyestraining CGI (most of which looks not so much fanciful as horribly unconvincing) but the film almost never engages one's interest. Dubbing this movie in Cantonese for the HK release is an excellent idea. With the talent involved, it should never have been produced in English in the first place. I haven't seen too many 2002 HK releases yet but, once you eliminate the DTV junk from that list, this is easily the worst movie of the year. (written January 2003)

THE BLACK PANTHER WARRIORS (Alan Tang, Brigitte Lin, Tony Leung Kar-fai, Carrie Ng, Simon Yam) 2/10 HKD #291

BLIND FIST OF BRUCE (Bruce Li, Simon Yuen) 5/10
Better than average Bruce Li effort, thanks mainly to the always welcome Simon Yuen as his blind martial arts teacher. Brentwood's DVD is fullscreen and has some sound problems but still ranks as one of their better products. (written May 2003)

THE BLOOD BROTHERS (Ti Lung, David Chiang) 6/10
Slightly draggy Chang Cheh martial arts entry could use some trimming but is still well worth catching. Incontinental's R3 DVD looks great, though the stereo re-mix often calls attention to itself.

BODY PUZZLE (Kent Cheng, Patrick Tam, Gigi Lai) 3/10 HKD#102

BODY WEAPON (Angie Cheung, Vincent Zhao, Elvis Tsui) 3/10 HKD #127

THE BOXER FROM SHANTUNG (Cheung Kuan-tai, David Chiang) 7/10 HKD #200A

THE BRAVE ARCHER (Alexander Fu, Tien Niu) 7/10 HKD #261

BREAKING NEWS (Nick Cheung, Kelly Chen, Richie Ren) 7/10
Kelly Chen is merely fair in a critical role as a no-nonsense police officer, but the highly variable Nick Cheung and Richie Ren are not bad at all in this Johnny To crime drama, which centers on how the media and technology effect a police standoff with some Mainland criminals. The opening action sequence (one long unbroken take) is especially well-staged. Mega Star's R0 DVD looks and sounds quite good. (written February 2005)

BROTHERS FROM THE WALLED CITY (Chin Siu-ho, Phillip Ko, Kwan Hoi-shan) 6/10 HKD #294

BROTHERHOOD (Alex Man, Danny Lee) 6/10 HKD #210

BRUCE LEE'S SECRET (Bruce Li, Tang Pei, Hsia Ling-ling) 3/10
Also known as STORY OF THE DRAGON, this Bruce Li vehicle is a lame, outright laughable revamp of THE CHINESE CONNECTION set (but clearly not shot) in San Francisco. (written 2003)

THE BUDDHIST FIST (Yuen Shun-yee, Tsui Siu-ming) 6/10 HKD #130a

BUDDHA'S PALM (Alex Man, Derek Yee, Cho Tat-wah) 8/10 HKD #174

BULLETS OF LOVE (Leon Lai, Asaka Seto, Terence Yin) 5/10

BURNING PARADISE (Willie Chi, Carman Lee) 7/10 HKD #141

BURY ME HIGH (Chin Kar-Lok, Moon Lee, Yuen Wah) 6/10 HKD#132

BUTTERFLY & SWORD (Michelle Yeoh, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Joey Wang) 8/10 HKD #153

THE BUTTERFLY MURDERS (Michelle Mai Suet, Lau Siu-ming, Wong Shu-tong) 7/10 HKD #258

C

THE CASINO (Yueh Hua, Lily Ho) 5/10 HKD #248

CASINO RAIDERS (Andy Lau, Alan Tam, Idy Chan) 8/10 HKD #172a

CAT VS RAT (Alexander Fu, Adam Cheng) 8/10 HKD #258a

CAUSE WE ARE SO YOUNG (Leo Ku, Kathy Chow) 5/10
Intermittently effective but rarely truthful look at four young men and their relationships with a variety of women. (written April 2003)

CHALLENGE OF THE GAMESTERS (Patrick Tse, Chen Kuan-tai, Wong Yue) 7/10 HKD #172

CHALLENGE OF THE MASTERS (Gordon Lau, Lau Kar-leung) 7/10 HKD #233a

CHICKEN AND DUCK TALK (Michael Hui Koon-man, Ricky Hui Koon-ying, Sylvia Chang) 8/10 HKD #279

THE CHINESE BOXER (Jimmy Wang, Lo Lieh) 5/10 HKD #242

CHINESE HEROES (Chin Kar-lok, Lee San-san, Ken Wong) 4/10 HKD #247

A CHINESE LEGEND (Joey Wang, Jacky Cheung, Sharla Cheung) 8/10 HKD #192

A CHINESE ODYSSEY PART ONE AND PART TWO (Stephen Chiau, Ng Man-tat, Karen Mok, Athena Chu) 8/10 HKD#141a

CHINESE ODYSSEY 2002 (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Faye Wong, Vicki Zhao, Chang Chen, Athena Chu) 5/10
The cinematography and costumes are gorgeous and the cast is uniformly good (especially Athena Chu, essaying a character quite unlike any she has ever played) but, outside of three or four genuinely inspired situations and sight gags, the laughs are just not there and the romance is unconvincing. Another disappointment from HK's most overrated director, Jeff Lau. (written May 2002)

CHUNGKING EXPRESS (Brigitte Lin, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Faye Wong, Tony Leung Chiu-wai) 9/10 HKD #262

CLAN OF AMAZONS (Liu Yung, Ching Li, Yueh Hua) 7/10 HKD #240

CLAN OF THE WHITE LOTUS (Gordon Liu, Lo Lieh, Kara Hui) 8/10 HKD #265

THE CLONES OF BRUCE LEE (Dragon Lee, Bruce Le, Bruce Lai) 1/10
This Dick Randall cheapie is as ridiculous as its title but, aside from a handful of unintentional laughs spread very far apart, it is mostly a chore to sit through. (written April 2004)

CODE OF HONOR (Chow Yun-Fat, Dick Wei) 5/10 HKD #145a

COLOR OF PAIN (Kenya Sawada, Raymong Wong Ho-yin, Josie Ho) 5/10 HKD #104

COLOUR OF THE TRUTH (Anthony Wong Chau-sang, Raymond Wong Ho-yin, Jordan Chan) 6/10 HKD #177

COMEUPPANCE (Patrick Tam, Jordan Chan, Sunny Chan) 8/10

CRADLE 2 THE GRAVE (Jet Li, DMX, Tom Arnold) 3/10
There is a fine line between stoopid and stupid when it comes to action movies and this Joel Silver misfire is firmly into the latter category by its final third, obliterating the little good will it built up before then. At least Warner's widescreen R1 DVD looks and sounds excellent. (written September 2003)

CRIME OF A BEAST (Samuel Leung, Natalie Ng, Grace Lam) 2/10 HKD #98

CRIME OF BEAST 2 (Grace Lam, Sophie Ngan) 2/10 HKD #132a

THE CRIMINALS (Shih Szu, Lo Lieh, Tanny Tien) 7/10 HKD #205

CRIPPLED AVENGERS (Chen Kuan-tai, Phillip Kwok, Lo Mang) 8/10 HKD #242a

CRYSTAL FIST (Billy Chong, Simon Yuen) 6/10
You know you're in for Old School fun from any movie featuring Simon Yuen in his "Ol' Dirty Bastard" persona and this Billy Chong vehicle delivers on most levels, though the climactic battle is a bit disappointing. Xenon's DVD (inexplicably retitled JADE CLAW) is partially letterboxed and better quality than usual for this label. (written June 2003)

D

DANCE OF THE DRUNK MANTIS (Simon Yuen, Hwang Jang-Il) HKD #236

DANGER HAS TWO FACES (Leung Kar-Yan, Paul Chu Kong) 6/10
Bloody HK action fare that entertains provided one does not taken it the least bit seriously. Intercontinental's R3 DVD looks great and the stereo re-mix is bearable. (written January 2004)

DAUGHTER OF DARKNESS (Lily Chung, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Hugo Ng) 3/10 HKD #287

DAYS OF BEING WILD (Leslie Cheung, Maggie Cheung Man-Yuk) 7/10 HKD #138

THE DEADLY BREAKING SWORD (Ti Lung, Alexander Fu) 7/10 HKD #269

DEADLY CHINA DOLLS (Angela Mao, Carter Wong, Lung Fei) 6/10
A pretty good Angela Mao vehicle (aka THE OPIUM TRAIL) available only in English dubbed form on a crummy bootleg DVD derived from an incredibly worn MGM print. (written May 2004)

DEATH DUEL (Derek Yee) 8/10
First rate Chor Yuen period effort with Derek Yee (impressive in his film debut) as a world weary swordsman who cannot find peace even after staging his own death. A consistently engrossing mixture of what one would expect from this type of scenario and new, intriguing elements. Intercontinental's R3 DVD looks excellent and the stereo re-mix is bearable. (written February 2003)

DESCENDANT OF THE SUN (Derek Yee, Cherie Chung) 7/10 HKD #266

DEVIL TOUCH (Pinky Cheung, Iris Chai, Alex Fong) 6/10 HKD #101a

DIRTY HO (Gordon Lau, Wong Yue, Kara Hui) 8/10 HKD #273

DIRTY KUNG FU (Wong Yue, Wilson Tong, Kara Maka) 6/10 HKD #234

DISCIPLES OF THE 36TH CHAMBER (Gordon Lau, Hsiao Hou) 7/10 HKD #179a

DON'T LOOK BACK OR YOU'LL BE SORRY (Deanie Yip, Dayo Wong, Anita Yuen) 5/10

DOWNTOWN TORPEDOES (Jordan Chan, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Charlie Young) 7/10 HKD #260

DRAGON CHRONICLES: THE MAIDENS OF THE HEAVENLY MOUNTAIN (Brigitte Lin, Gong Li Sharla Cheung) 6/10 HKD #205a

DRAGON FROM RUSSIAN (Sam Hui, Nina Li, Maggie Cheung) 6/10 HKD #239a

DRAGON INN (Tony Leung Ka-fai, Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung Man-Yuk) 8/10 HKD #184

DRAGON ON FIRE (John Liu, Dragon Lee, Phillip Ko) 5/10
One of Godfrey Ho's goofiest movies, this Asso Asia production (aka THE DRAGON, THE HERO) boasts a solid cast of genre faves and some quality kung fu, and actually plays better with the ridiculous English dubbing (one fighter gets a look at apeman Bolo Yeung's substantial chest and exclaims "I'll pick your fruits!"). Xenon's dubbed version is cropboxed and okay quality but was derived from a UK release that is cut by about 3 minutes. (written June 2003)

DRAGON SWAMP (Cheng Pei-Pei, Yueh Hua) 8/10 HKD #234a

DREAM OF THE RED CHAMBER (Brigitte Lin, Sylvia Chan) 7/10
I don't know the genre well enough to say how this Li Han-hsiang film compares to earlier Huangmeixi productions, but the pronounced theatricality never interfered with my enjoyment and the movie looks superbly colorful and detailed on Intercontinental's R3 DVD (which features the original mono audio). A definite must for Brigitte Lin and Sylvia Chang fans, both of whom are photographed in highly flattering fashion throughout. (written February 2005)

DRUNKEN MASTER (Jackie Chan, Simon Yuen, Hwang Jang-il) 8/10 HKD #214

DRUNKEN MONKEY (Gordon Lau, Lau Kar-leung) 5/10
While it is certainly nice to see a new Shaw Brothers kung fu film (particularly one directed by Lau Kar-leung and featuring Gordon Lau and Chi Kuan-chun), the results are barely adequate and offer only a marginal improvement over Lau's previous film, the infamous DRUNKEN MASTER III. Asia Video Publishing's R3 DVD is 4:3 letterbox but looks nice. The Cantonese track, however, is plagued by a number of dropouts. (written September 2003)

DRUNKEN TAI-CHI (Donnie Yen, Yuen Cheung-yan, Lydia Shum) 6/10 HKD #164

THE DUEL (Andy Lau, Ekin Cheng, Nick Cheung, Vicki Zhao) 6/10 HKD #116

DUMPLINGS: THREE ... EXTREMES (Miriam Yeung, Bai Ling, Tony Leung Ka-fai) 8/10 HKD #267

DYNAMO (Bruce Li, Ku Feng) 5/10 HKD #164

E

EASTERN CONDORS (Sammo Hung, Yuen Wah, Joyce Godenzi) 8/10 HKD #194

THE EIGHT DIAGRAM POLE FIGHTER (Gordon Lau, Alexander Fu, Philip Ko, Kara Hui) 9/10 HKD #214a

ENCHANTING SHADOW (Betty Loh Ti, Chao Lei, Yang Chi-ching) HKD #184a

THE ENCHANTRESS (Max Mok, Yung Jing-jing aka Mary Jean Reimer Lau) 4/10
Repetitive, disappointingly dull Shaw Brothers fantasy follows an all-too-familiar course and is further burdened by unfunny comedy relief. Some of the production design is nice, if a bit impoverished (this movie has mmore haze floating around than ten British mysteries), and the cast (including Liu Yung, Max Mok, Lo Lieh and Yueh Hua) is game, but you would be better off watching BUDDHA'S PALM or HOLY FLAME OF THE MARTIAL WORLD instead. Intercontinental's R3 DVD looks nice and includes the original mono sound. (written April 2005) Reviewed HKD #285

ENCOUNTERS OF THE SPOOKY KIND (Sammo Hung, Chung Fat) 8/10 HKD #142

ENTER THE PHOENIX (Daniel Wu, Eason Chan, Karen Mok, Stephen Fung) 5/10 HKD #225

ESPRIT D'AMOUR (Julian Cheung, Loletta Lee) 6/10
This middling ghost anthology (based on a novel by the ultra-prolific Simon Lui) is low on scares but contains a number of fine performances that help to keep one engaged. (written July 2002)

ESPRIT D'AMOUR [1983] (1983; Alan Tam, Joyce Ngai, Cecilia Yip) 6/10 HKD #209

THE ETERNAL EVIL OF ASIA (Ellen Chan, Elvis Tsui, Ben Ng) 5/10 HKD #118

EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN (Lo Lieh, Lily Li, Chen Kuan-tai) 8/10 HKD #212

EXPLOSIVE CITY (Simon Yam, Alex Fong, Sonny Chiba) 3/10
This crime thriller (about a framed policeman trying to avenge the murder of his wife and save his kidnapped son) sounds promising on paper, but proves to be a major disappointment. Good performances by Alex Fong and Sonny Chiba do little to salvage an awful, first-draft level screenplay filled with glaring plot holes and ludicrous coincidences. Deltamac's R0 DVD is not bad, but the English subtitle translation is among the worst seen on a recent HK film. (written April 2005)

EXTREME CHALLENGE (Ken Chang, Yeung Chuen-ai, Jacqueline Li) 4/10 HKD #96

EXTREME CRISIS (Julian Cheung, Hsu Chi, Theresa Lee, Kenya Sawada) 6/10 HKD #129

THE EYE (Angelica Lee, Laurence Chou) 7/10
The Pang Brothers score again with this stylish and surprising variation on the "I Can See Dead People" premise found in so many horror movies these days. (written January 2003)

THE EYE 2 (Shu Qi, Jessdaporn Pholdee, Eugenia Yuan) 6/10 HKD #245a

F

FAIRY, GHOST, VIXEN (Tang Qing, Bai Bing, Chen Fang) 6/10 HKD #292

THE FAKE GHOST CATCHERS (Alexander Fu, Lily Lee) 5/10

FALLEN ANGELS (Leon Lai, Michelle Lee/Reis, Karen Mok, Charlie Yeung) 8/10 HKD #161

A FIERY FAMILY (Gordon Liu, Shallin Tse, Kwan Lai-Kit) 5/10 HKD #125a

FIGHTING ACE (John Liu, Kwan Young-moon, Lung Chun-er) 5/10
Decent old school fair notable mostly for John Liu's ever formidable kicking. Brentwood's dubbed and cropboxed DVD is pretty good. (written May 2003)

THE FINAL WINNER (Jackie Lui, Grace Lam, Michael Tse) 3/10 HKD #99

FIST OF FURY (Donnie Yen, Joey Meng) 2/10 HKD #151

FIST OF LEGEND (Jet Li, Chin Siu-ho, Ada Choi, Yasuaki Kuroda) 8/10
Jet Li is a bit too stoic in the lead, but this remake of Bruce Lee's FIST OF FURY/THE CHINESE CONNECTION features thrilling martial arts and a fine supporting cast (notably Yasuaki Kuroda and Ada Choi) that put it leagues above director Gordon Chan's other work to date. (written March 2005)

THE FIVE VENOMS (Chiang Seng, Lo Man, Ku Feng, Wei Pai, Lu Feng, Philip Kwok) 8/10 HKD #198

FLASH FUTURE KUNG FU (Ray Lui, Eddy Ko, Jimmy Wang) 6/10 HKD#224

FLYING DRAGON, LEAPING TIGER (Sammo Hung, Jade Leung, Fan Siu-wong) 5/10 HKD #152

THE FLYING GUILLOTINE (Ku Feng, Chen Kuan-tai, Frankie Wai) 6/10 HKD #207

FLYING GUILLOTINE II (Ti Lung, Ku Feng, Shih Szu) 7/10 HKD #213

FORBIDDEN CITY COP (Stephen Chiau, Carman Lee, Carina Lau) 8/10 HKD #196

FOX GHOST (Sophie Ngan, Ng Ting) 1/10 HKD #146

FREEDOM RUN Q (Alfred Cheung, Lawrence Cheng, Yvonne Yung) 6/10
Action and stunts take precedence over credibility in this entertaining buddy comedy featuring Alfred Cheung and Lawrence Cheng as policemen out to destroy drug smugglers operating from inside a travelling Mainland acrobatic group. Yvonne Yung co-stars, and her fans should enjoy seeing her in an action-oriented role. Deltamac's budget-priced DVD looks quite nice. (written April 2003)

FRUGAL GAME (Miriam Yeung, Carol Cheng, Eason Chan, Eric Tsang) 6/10 HKD #121

FULL ALERT (Lau Ching-wan, Francis Ng, Monica Chan, Amanda Lee) 8/10 HKD #167a

FUNERAL MARCH (Eason Chan, Charlene Choi) 7/10 HKD #91

G

GANGLAND ODYSSEY (Alex Man, Kelly Yiu, Andy Lau) 5/10
This routine, slow moving triad thriller, from director/star Michael Chan, benefits from a quality cast, including Alex Man, Kelly Yiu, Andy Lau, Shing Fui-on, and Alan Tang. (written October 2002)

GHOST FOR SALES (Ricky Hui, Wilson Lam, Sheila Chan) 3/10
Cheap, dull ghost comedy from the end of the cycle. (written October 2002)

THE GHOST SNATCHERS (Wong Jing, Stanley Fung, Joyce Godenzi, Joey Wang) 5/10 HKD#149

THE GOLDEN BUDDHA (Paul Chang, Jeanette Lin, Fanny Fan) 6/10
After a somewhat dull first half, this picturesque Shaw Brothers adventure transforms into the slick James Bond imitation one hoped for. Campy fun, though be prepared (as was generally the case with Shaw productions from this period) for an especially uninteresting male lead completely eclipsed by his female counterparts (Jeanette Lin Tsui and Fanny Fan Lai in this case). Intercontinental's 16:9 R3 DVD is more than satisfactory. (written July 2003)

GOD OF GAMBLERS (Chow Yun-Fat, Andy Lau, Joey Wang) 6/10 HKD #202a

GOD OF GAMBLERS II (Stpehen Chiau, Andy Lau, Charles Heung) 7/10 HKD #227a

GOD OF GAMBLERS III: BACK TO SHANGHAI (Stephen Chiau, Ray Lui, Gong Li) 8/10 HKD #228

GOD OF GAMBLERS' RETURN (Chow Yun-Fat, Chingmy Yau, Sharla Cheung) 7/10 HKD #189

GOLDEN SWALLOW (Cherie Chung, Anthony Wong Yiu-Ming, Eric Tsang, Richard Ng) 7/10 HKD #117

THE GOLDEN SWORD (Cheng Pei-pei) 5/10 HKD #244

GREEN SNAKE (Joey Wang, Maggie Cheung Man-yuk, Zhao Wenzhou) 9/10 HKD #213a

H

THE HAPPIEST MOMENT (Michael Hui, Tanny Tien Ni) 5/10 HKD #159a

HAUNTED OFFICE (Shu Qi, Karen Mok, Stephen Fung) 5/10 HKD #138a

HE IS MY ENEMY, PARTNER, AND FATHER-IN-LAW (Nick Cheung, Danny Lee) 6/10

HER NAME IS CAT 2: JOURNEY TO DEATH (Almen Wong, Roy Cheung) 2/10
Aside from the presence of Almen Wong, I have no idea why this is called HER NAME IS CAT 2. If anything, it should have been titled MASTER SHOT THEATER, as a number of scenes drag on and on with little or no coverage. Wong has reportedly given up acting in order to run a yoga studio and, if this dismal excuse for an action movie and ANGEL COP: FINAL CRISIS are all she can get nowadays, it must have been a no-brainer for her. (written May 2002)

HER STORY (Ellen Chan, Law Koon-lan, Jamie Luk Kin-ming) 1/10
Even by the bottomless standards of HK DV movies, this exploitation drama (starring Ellen Chan as a troubled young actress whose travails are obviously based on the life of Pauline Chan) is jawdroppingly shameless, obvious, and inept. (written March 2004)

HERO (Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Maggie Cheung Man-yuk) 8/10
While a bit too obsessed with its florid visuals, this period epic still dazzles and is worthy of multiple return visits. The all-region Guangdong Face DVD from China and the R3 Edko double disc set from HK feature the same transfer and audio, though only the latter translates the opening and closing crawls. (written April 2003)

HERO OF THE BEGGARS (Michael Hui, Sandra Ng, Alfred Cheung) 6/10
Minor but entertaining Michael Hui vehicle (previously difficult to find with English subtitles) that boasts some decent sight gags and a genuinely hilarious bit at a blood donor clinic. Universe's R0 DVD is not anamorphic but fine overall. (written April 2005)

HEROES OF SUNG (Lo Lieh, Chang Pei-shan, Shi Szu) 4/10 HKD #194a

HEROES OF THE EAST (Gordon Lau Kar-fai, Yasuaki Kurota) 8/10 HKD #271

HEROES TWO (Alexander Fu, Chen Kuan-tai) 6/10 HKD #160

HEX (Tanny Tien, Wang Jung) 6/10 HKD #237

HEX VS WITCHCRAFT (James Yee Lui, Chan Shen) 5/10 HKD #298

HIS NAME IS NOBODY (Lau Kar-Wing, Dean Shek, Leung Kar-yan) 5/10 HKD #99a

THE HK TRIAD (Francis Ng, Lau Ching-wan, Athena Chu) 7/10
An entertaining return to the period crime sub-genre made popular by the success of LEE ROCK I & II, THE H.K. TRIAD features solid performances from Lau Ching-wan and Francis Ng as small-timers who gradually rise through the ranks and take control of all the illicit activity in The Walled City. Wong Jing's screenplay features some of the usual implausibilities but Clarence Fok's direction is more controlled and impressive than his other recent work. (written May 2003)

HOLY FLAME OF THE MARTIAL WORLD (Max Mok, Mary Jane Reimer, Philip Kwok) 8/10 HKD #197

HOT BLOOD (Chow Yun-fat, Sarina Sai) 4/10 HKD #232

HUMAN LANTERNS (Chen Kuan-tai, Lo Lieh, Liu Yung) 7/10 HKD #161a

I

THE IMAGE OF BRUCE LEE (Bruce Li) 5/10 HKD #264

IN BETWEEN LOVES (Maggie Cheung Man-yuk, Alfred Cheung, Sandra Ng) 6/10 HKD #147

IN THE LINE OF DUTY III (Cynthia Yang Li-ching aka Cynthia Khan, Michiko Nishiwaki) 5/10 HKD #283

IN THE LINE OF DUTY V: MIDDLE MAN (Cynthia Yang Li-Ching aka Cynthia Khan, David Wu, Alvina Kong) 6/10 HKD #284

INFERNAL AFFAIRS (Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Andy Lau, Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang) 7/10
A slick, well-acted crime thriller that, alas, falls to pieces when one mulls it over after the final credits roll. Still worth seeing. (written September 2003)

INNER SENSES (Leslie Cheung, Karena Lam) 8/10 HKD #235

INTERACTIVE MURDER (Andy Hui, Nicola Cheung, Irene Santiago Casiano) 6/10 HKD#106a

INTIMATE CONFESSIONS OF A CHINESE COURTESAN (Lily Li, Betty Pei, Yueh Hua) 8/10 HKD #217

THE INVINCIBLE ARMOUR (John Liu, Hwang Jang-li, Tino Wong, Philip Ko) 5/10 (viewed August 2005)

INVINCIBLE SHAOLIN (Lu Feng, Sun Chien, Lo Mang) 7/10 HKD #199

IRON FIST (Terry Fan, Moon Lee) 7/10
Adapted from the TVB miniseries "Southern Fist, Northern Kick," this is a rather choppy, but surprisingly engrossing effort with good action and fine performances by Terry Fan Siu-wong, Moon Lee Choi-fung, and Johnny Wang Lung-wei among others. Tai Seng's double disc set looks and sounds decent. (written December 2004) Reviewed HKD # 259

IRON BODYGUARD (Chen Kuan-tai, Yueh Hua) 7/10 HKD #164a

ISLAND OF FIRE (Tony Leung Kar-fai, Andy Lau, Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan) 6/10 HKD#175

J

JET LI THE LEGEND OF THE SWORDSMAN (Jet Li, Rosamund Kwan, Michelle Reis) 4/10
This is the Miramax version of SWORDSMAN II, a movie that I would normally award 9/10. However, this version is a disgrace. To their credit, Dimension left in almost all of the original score and foley FX but they sound so flat compared to the new voices, the mix is now unbalanced. The new voices rarely suit the performers, the English script stinks, and (in addition to narrative trims totalling about 9 minutes), some of the violence and bloodshed have been snipped to ensure a quick "R" rating. The picture quality and digital compression are better on Dimension's DVD than on the HK Mei Ah disc but do not take that as a recommendation. (written October 2002) Also see HKD#149a.

JIANG HU (Andy Lau, Jacky Cheung, Shawn Yue, Edison Chen, Jacklyn Wu) 5/10 HKD #230

JUST ONE LOOK (Shawn Yue, Wong Yau-Nam, Charlene Choi, Gillian Chung, Kot Man-Fai, Anthony Wong) 7/10
Gentle, nostalgia-laden comedy/drama with a fine performance from Anthony Wong. Fans of vintage HK cinema will also find much to enjoy here. Tai Seng's DVD is marred by burned-in subs and some smearing. (written June 2003)

K

THE KID (Leslie Cheung, Ti Lung, Carrie Ng) 5/10
Good performances (particularly from Leslie Cheung and Ti Lung) can only do so much to counter the clichés in this predictable weepy. (written April 2003)

KIDNAP (Lo Lieh, Fan Mui-sang) 6/10
Based on a group of real-life HK criminals called "The Wolves," this Shaw Brothers thriller is well-acted (particularly by underrated character actor Fan Mui-sang) but not quite as dramatically potent as one might hope. A series of jarring jump cuts (apparently the result of censorship) also do not help. Later remade by the Mak Brothers as SENTENCED TO HANG, which is slightly more successful. Intercontinental's R3 DVD looks nice, though the stereo re-mix is annoying at times. (written June 2003)

THE KILLER (Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh) 10/10 HKD #147a

KILLER CLANS (Yueh Hua, Danny Lee, Lo Lieh) 7/10
Involved but entertaining Chor Yuen period effort based on the same source material as BUTTERFLY & SWORD. Intercontinental's R3 DVD looks fine but could have done without the stereo re-mix. (written June 2003)

KILLER DARTS (Chin Ping, Yueh Hua) 7/10 HKD #257

THE KILLER SNAKES (Kam Kwok-leung, Maggie Li Lin-lin) 6/10 HKD#183

KILLING END (Andy Hui, Loletta Lee) 7/10 HKD #103a

KING BOXER (Lo Lieh, Tian Feng) 7/10 HKD #253

KING GAMBLER (Chen Kuan-tai, Tsung Hua) 6/10 HKD #196a

THE KISS OF DEATH (Chen Ping, Lo Lieh) 5/10
Rape/revenge, Shaw Brothers-style. Very well shot and quite competently assembled, this Ho Meng-hua thriller (remade 15 years later by Simon Nam Nai-choi as HER VENGEANCE) still fails to transcend the pronounced limitations of its slimy sub-genre. Intercontinental's R3 DVD looks fine but features somewhat noisy audio. (written July 2003)

KNOCKABOUT (Yuen Biao, Leung Kar-yan, Sammo Hung) 8/10 HKD #208

KOMA (Angelica Lee, Karena Lam) 8/10
Slick, suspenseful thriller with some great twists and excellent performances by leads Angelica Lee and Karena Lam. Panorama's R3 DVD has some minor flaws but is good overall. (written September 2004; reviewed HKD #250a)

THE KUNG FU CULT MASTER (Jet Li, Chingmy Yau, Sharla Cheung) 6/10 HKD #232a

THE KUNG FU MASTER (Donnie Yen, Lo Lieh) 6/10 HKD #158

KUNG FU HUSTLE (Stephen Chow, Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu) 5/10
The highest grossing HK film of all time boasts scattered laughs and a few nice nods to the kung fu classics, but a large percentage of its repetitive humor relies on CGI. By the time the 50th person got blasted through a wall or 100 feet into the air by a super punch/kick, I was really growing weary of the whole thing. In addition, Yuen Qiu's supposedly amusing landlady character actually had me yearning for the subtle comic stylings of Sandra Ng. Sony's R3 looks and sounds very nice, though beware of the Malaysian version, which has two very obvious cuts in it. (written April 2005)

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LA BRASSIERE (Lau Ching-Wan, Louis Koo, Gigi Leung, Carina Lau) 5/10

THE LADY IS THE BOSS (Kara Hui, Lau Kar-leung) 5/10 HKD #220

THE LADY HERMIT (Cheng Pei-pei, Shih Szu) 8/10 HKD #255

THE LADY PROFESSIONAL (Lily Ho, Chan Shen) 6/10 HKD #191

LAST HERO IN CHINA (Jet Li, Dicky Cheung, Gordon Lau) 7/10 HKD #192a

LEGACY OF RAGE (Brandon Lee, Regina Kent, Michael Wong) 6/10 HKD #288

LEGEND OF ZU (Ekin Cheng, Cecilia Cheung, Louis Koo) 8/10

LEGENDARY WEAPONS OF CHINA (Gordon Lau, Alexander Fu) 9/10 HKD #241

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF WU ZHONG XIAN (Mok Chiu-yu, Lindzay Chan Ling-chi) 8/10
Director Evans Chan presents a very interesting look at one of HK's most dedicated but least known political activists. This digital video production also touches briefly on the early life of John Woo and includes a clip from one of his B&W experimental shorts. Coming soon on VCD from Ying E Chi (www.yec.com). (written October 2003)

THE LIZARD (Yueh Hua, Connie Chan, Lo Lieh) 7/10 HKD #163

LONG ARM OF THE LAU (Andy Lau, Elizabeth Lee, Elvis Tsui) 6/10 HKD #289

THE LONGEST SUMMER (Tony Ho, Sam Lee, Jo Kuk) 4/10

LONG GOOD BYE (Chow Yun-fat, Rosamund Kwan) 5/10 HKD #231a

LOOKING FOR MR. PERFECT (Shu Qi, Andy On, Simon Yam, Ruby Wong) 5/10 HKD #171

THE LOSER'S CLUB (Eric Tsang, Francis Ng, Ruby Wong, Maggie Siu) 4/10
The talents of Francis Ng, Eric Tsang, and Ruby Wong are wasted in this limp and disjointed satire set behind-the-scenes at a HK TV network. China Star's 16:9 DVD (now OOP) is quite good for the most part. (written February 2004)

LOVE CORRECTION (Nick Cheung, Athena Chu, Monica Chan) 4/10 HKD #166a

L-O-V-E LOVE (Michael To, Nat Chan, Shu Qi) 5/10
Fairly enjoyable entry in Nat Chan's "Chasing Girls" series, though Ah Leck looks old enough to almost be the grandfather of some of the ladies (including Shu Qi, Vivian Hsu, Angie Cheung, and Teresa Mak). Michael To's spot-on Chow Yun-fat imitation provides most of the fun here. (written April 2003)

LOVE AND LET LIVE (Julian Cheung, Theresa Lee) 4/10
Theresa Lee and Julian Cheung make an unconvincing couple in this flat romantic fantasy about a dead lover returning from the beyond. (written April 2003)

LUST FOR LOVE OF A CHINESE COURTESAN (Candace Yu, Nancy Hu) 6/10 HKD #229

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THE MAD MONK (Stephen Chiau, Maggie Cheung Man-yuk, Ng Man-tat) 6/10 HKD #134

MAD MONKEY KUNG FU (Lau Kar-leung, Lo Lieh, Hsiao Hou, Kara Hui) 7/10 HKD #207a

MAGIC COP (Lam Ching-ying, Michiko Nishiwaki, Wong Mei-wah) 8/10 HKD #183a

MAN WANTED (Simon Yam, Yu Rongguang, Christy Chung) 3/10 HKD #185a

THE MAP OF SEX AND LOVE (Bernardo Chow, Victor Ma, Cherie Ho) 8/10 HKD #225a

MARKET'S ROMANCE (Ellen Chan, Loletta Lee, Elle Choi) 5/10 HKD #146a

MAROONED (Andy Hui, Gigi Leung, Edmond Leung) 3/10

MARTIAL CLUB (Gordon Lau, Kara Hui) 6/10 HKD #251a

THE MEDALLION (Jackie Chan, Lee Evans, Claire Forlani) 5/10
Not the train wreck some reviews claim but, by the same token, this latest Jackie Chan effort is mediocre in most respects and the final reel is pretty weak. The action is enjoyable up to the time he becomes Superchan; at that point, virtually anyone could have played the part with similar results, which defeats the whole point of casting Jackie Chan. There are very noticeable inconsistencies in the storyline thanks to the 30 minutes cut at Sony's insistence. By the same token, extra running time probably won't do all that much to help when the premise and script are the prime culprits. (written August 2003)

MERRY-GO-ROUND (Laurence Chou, Zeny Kwok, Eric Tsang) 6/10 HKD #92

METADE FUMACA (Nicholas Tse, Eric Tsang, Hsu Chi) 6/10

THE MIGHTY PEKING MAN (Danny Lee, Evelyne Kraft) 5/10 HKD #131 (Rolling Thunder version), HKD #155a (Intercontinental version)

MOON, STAR & SUN (Maggie Cheung, Carol Cheng, Cherie Chung) 4/10 HKD #204a

THE MOON WARRIORS (Kenny Bee, Andy Lau, Anita Mui, Maggie Cheung Man-yuk) 7/10 HKD #190

MOONLIGHT EXPRESS (Leslie Cheung, Takako Tokiwa, Michelle Yeoh) 6/10
A weak storyline and perfunctory wrap-up are the only drawbacks in this diverting romantic thriller. Leslie Cheung and Takako Tokiwa are highly photogenic leads and Michelle Yeoh impresses in a cameo. (written April 2003)

MORTUARY BLUES (Corey Yuen, Lowell Lo, Sandra Ng) 5/10 HKD #235a

MR. VAMPIRE (Lam Ching-Ying, Chin Siu-Ho) 7/10 HKD #142a

MURDERER PURSUES (Ray Lui, Danny Lee, Kent Cheng) 6/10 HKD #296

MY HORNY GIRL FRIEND (Grace Lam, Yumi Hirano, Bessie Chan) 3/10 HKD #168

MY NAME AIN'T SUZIE (Pat Ha, Betty Ting, Anthony Wong) 6/10 HKD #170

MY SCHOOLMATE THE BARBARIAN (Nicholas Tse, Stephen Fung, Joey Yung) 5/10
Passable high school action/comedy of note mostly for Tony Ching Siu-tung's fight choreography and Nicholas Tse's smooth turn as its anti-hero. (written March 2003); also see HKD #174a for the review of the Tai Seng DVD

MY WIFE'S LOVER (Vincent Lam Wai, Noel Chik King-man, Maria Tung Ling) 5/10 HKD #173

MY YOUNG AUNTIE (Kara Hui, Johnny Wang, Hsiao Hou) 8/10 HKD #212a

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NA CHA THE GREAT (Alexander Fu, Donald Kong) 6/10 HKD #186

NAKED KILLER (Chingmy Yau, Carrie Ng, Kelly Yiu) 8/10 HKD #140a

NAKED POISON II (Sophie Ngan, Ng Ting) 3/10 HKD #146

NAKED WEAPON (Maggie Q, Daniel Wu, Anya) 3/10
When a movie is as self-consciously awful as this Wong Jing production, about the only question one can ask is "Was it any fun?" Unfortunately, outside of a few unintentional laughs courtesy of wretched acting and even worse CGI, the answer is "No, not really." (written March 2003)

NEW MR. VAMPIRE (Lui Fong, Chin Siu-ho, Chung Fat) 5/10 HKD #295

NEW POLICE STORY (Jackie Chan, Charlie Yeung, Nicholas Tse, Daniel Wu, Charlene Choi) 5/10
Jackie Chan's latest is a 50/50 mix of good and bad. On the down side, we have preposterous plotting, awkward melodrama, and a shaky dramatic turn by the star, who has no chemistry at all with token love interest Charlie Yeung. On the plus side, the action is often exciting, Nicholas Tse is likeable in support, the supporting cast is solid (save for the ever-irritating Charlene Choi, as the most ridiculous excuse for a policewoman in memory), and the old Chan magic occasionally shines through at full wattage. The unexpectedly dark tone also helps maintain viewer interest. Joy Sales' 2-disc 16:9/2.35:1 DVD looks and sounds quite good. (written December 2004)

NIGHTMARES IN PRECINCT 7 (Andy Hui, Loletta Lee, Fennie Yuen) 7/10 HKD #94

NINJA KILL (Richard Harrison, Stuart Smith, Sorapong Chatri) 1/10

NINTH HAPPINESS (Leslie Cheung, Jacklyn Wu Chien-lien, Kenny Bee, Gigi Lai) 5/10
Hit and miss Lunar New Year musical comedy remains watchable mostly because of its all-star cast. (written April 2003)

NO PROBLEM 2 (Takashi Okamura, Wakana Sakai, Sam Lee, Candy Lo) 5/10
Embarrassingly bad slapstick (every bit as awful as that found in director Chin Kar-lok's '97 ACES GO PLACES) alternates with some genuinely clever movie send-ups (particularly CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON), making for a very uneven film. Yuen Biao (with his own voice, for a change) and Korean martial arts champ Yuen Jeung (OPERATION SCORPIO) are in fine form, though, and their fans will definitely want to catch this. Universe's Region 3 coded DVD looks and sounds quite good. (written November 2002)

NOTORIOUS EIGHT (Liu Yung, Lo Lieh, Chen Kuan-Tai) 7/10 HKD #171

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ODD COUPLE (Sammo Hung, Lau Kar-wing, Leung Kar-yan) 8/10 HKD #228a

OILY MANIAC (Danny Lee, Chen Ping, Lily Li) 3/10
No one expected all of Celestial's Shaw Brothers releases to be masterpieces but we can only hope that the majority are better than this laughable production, which stars Danny Lee as a vengeance-seeking cripple who can transform himself into a murderous pile of glop. Intercontinental's R3 DVD does not look as good as their other releases but this is apparently more due to the original production than any flaws in restoration. (written August 2003; reviewed HKD #198a)

OKINAWA RENDEZVOUS (Leslie Cheung, Faye Wong, Tony Leung Kar-fai, Ruby Wong)
Formula bound HK romantic/comedy kept watchable by a first rate cast (including the all-too-rarely seen Faye Wong). (written April 2003)

ON THE WRONG TRACK (Andy Lau, Prudence Liew, Yen Chiu-hua) 5/10 HKD #208a

ONE NITE IN MONKOK (Daniel Wu, Cecilia Cheung, Alex Fong Chung-shun) 7/10
Well-acted (particularly by Cecilia Cheung and Alex Fong -- even Daniel Wu isn't bad) crime thriller from director Derek Yee, with solid production and a compelling storyline. (written January 2005)

ORGANIZED CRIME AND TRIAD BUREAU (Danny Lee, Anthony Wong, Cecilia Yip) 7/10 HKD #163a

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PARA PARA SAKURA (Aaron Kwok, Cecilia Cheung) 4/10
Jingle Ma's update of vintage movie musicals looks wonderful and boasts a couple of dance sequences that are genuinely invigorating. Unfortunately, everything else clomps along with a complete lack of grace and the characters run a slim gamut from annoying to not-quite-as-annoying. The Golden Harvest DVD is very good quality. (written July 2002)

THE PEEPING (Teresa Mak, Daniel Wu, Grace Lam) 4/10 HKD #122a

POLICE STORY (Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung Man-yuk) 8/10 HKD #143

THE POSTMAN FIGHTS BACK (Chow Yun-fat, Cherie Chung, Eddy Ko) 6/10 HKD #256a

THE PRODIGAL SON (Yuen Biao, Sammo Hung, Lam Ching-ying) 9/10 HKD #150

PTU (Simon Yam, Lam Suet, Ruby Wong, Maggie Siu) 8/10 HKD #169

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QUEEN OF UNDERWORLD (Amy Yip, Gigi Lai) 5/10 HKD #197a

A QUEER STORY (George Lam, Jordan Chan, Christine Ng) 6/10

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REBEKAH (Cammy Choi, Lee Suet-man) 3/10 HKD #151a

RED FISTS (Yu Rongguang, Sharon Kwok) 5/10
Mainland agent Yu Rongguang and HK cop Sharon Kwok team up to wipe out counterfeiters in this Sil-Metropole production, which offers terrific (not to mention, very painful-looking) stunts, but little in the way of realistic or interesting plotting. Aside from the awful English dubbing, World Video's letterboxed DVD is not bad at all.

RETURN OF THE DEADLY BLADE (David Chiang, Norman Tsui, Yasuaki Kurota) 5/10
Semi-incoherent martial arts fantasy (at least in this English dubbed version) with energy to spare and a rare heroic role for Yasuaki Kurota. David Chiang and Norman Tsui (as a kung fu master who can defeat enemies even when confined to a wheelchair!) co-star. Ground Zero's fullscreen DVD has horribly oversaturated and inaccurate colors and will only play on certain brands of players (like the Jaton). (written June 2004)

RETURN TO THE 36TH CHAMBER (Gordon Lau, Power Lee) 8/10 HKD #179

REVENGE OF THE KUNG FU MASTER (Donnie Yen, Nick Cheung, Erica Choi) 5/10 HKD #226

RICH AND FAMOUS (Chow Yun-Fat, Alex Man, Andy Lau) 6/10 HKD #110a

RIVALS OF THE DRAGON (Yuen Tak, Jeffrey Chan) 2/10 HKD #264

ROUGE (Anita Mui, Leslie Cheung, Alex Man, Emily Chu) 10/10 HKD #211

ROVING SWORDSMAN (Ti Lung, Ou Yang Pei-shan, Kwan Hoi-shan) 5/10 HKD #257a

ROYAL WARRIORS (Michelle Yeoh, Hiroyuki Sanada. Michael Chan) 7/10 HKD #286

RUMBLE IN HONG KONG (Jackie Chan, Charlie Chin) 4/10 HKD #264

RUNNING OUT OF TIME 2 (Lau Ching-Wan, Ekin Cheng, Kelly Lin) 3/10

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SALON BEAUTY (Ellen Chan, Catherine Hung, Iris Chai, Sherming Yiu) 3/10 HKD #109

THE SCORPION KING (Lau Kar-leung, Chin Kar-lok, Kim Won-jin) 7/10 HKD #148

SEOUL RAIDERS (Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Shu Qi, Richie Ren) 5/10
2000's TOKYO RAIDERS was a pleasant surprise, but this late-in-coming, IIA-rated sequel is merely passable and even more superficial. The female cast members supply some enticing eye candy, at least. Mega Star's DVD looks and sounds quite good. (written May 2005)

SEVEN SWORDS (Leon Lai, Charlie Yeung) 7/10
Even in its 150 minute general release version, Tsui Hark's period epic is clearly missing a multitude of character development and connective plot elements. That said, SEVEN SWORDS remains a stylish and engaging effort that showcases his strengths as a director, while also displaying a degree of discipline largely absent from his work during the past decade. Seen at the Toronto Film Festival, but available on HK DVD later this month. (written September 2005)

THE SEVENTH CURSE (Chow Yun-fat, Chin Siu-ho, Maggie Cheung Man-yuk) 8/10 HKD #133a

SEX AND THE BEAUTIES (Athena Chu, Cecilia Cheung, Carina Lau, Yoyo Mung) 2/10
Wondering why very few contemporary HK films are reviewed on this site anymore? Well, it's because practically every one I see is painfully awful, this Wong Jing atrocity being the latest case in point. Built around elements lifted from about five other movies and featuring some of the SAR's most fetching actresses, this incredibly limp farce has almost no entertainment value whatsoever. The sole (and I mean sole) saving grace is Athena Chu Yan, who is wonderfully appealing as a writer whose trashy sex novels are a huge success despite the fact that she knows almost nothing about sex. When she is chewing up the scenery, you can temporarily forget the by-the-numbers plotting, Tony Leung Kar-fai's unbearable whining, and the CGI booger jokes. (written November 2004)

SEX AND ZEN II (Loletta Lee, Shu Qi, Elvis Tsui) 6/10 HKD #156

THE SEXY KILLER (Chen Ping, Yueh Hua, Antonio Ho) 6/10 HKD #203

THE SHADOW BOXER (Chen Wo-fu, Frankie Wai, Yang Chi-Ching) HKD #206a

THE SHADOW WHIP (Cheng Pei-pei, Yueh Hua) 7/10 HKD #195

THE SHAOLIN BROTHERS (Carter Wong, Tong Wai) 5/10 HKD #160a

SHAOLIN HANDLOCK (David Chiang, Lo Lieh, Michael Chan) 5/10 HKD #193a

SHAOOLIN INTRUDERS (Derek Yee, Jason Pai) 7/10 HKD #293

SHAOLIN MANTIS (David Chiang, Gordon Lau) 8/10 HKD #223a

SHAOLIN VS EVIL DEAD (Gordon Liu) 4/10
I'm not entirely sure just what countries to credit for this period horror/comedy/thriller, which was produced by My Way Film Company and shot in China. Gordon Liu/Lau Kar-fai toplines and Tai Seng's R0 DVD understandably plays up the star's appearances in the KILL BILL films. Unfortunately, producer Sharon Yeung Pan-pan emulates Quentin Tarantino's decision to split his film into two parts. In sharp contrast to KILL BILL VOL. 1, the first half of this tepid, CGI-infested saga simply does not stand on its own. We get a glimpse of the sequel's highlights under the end crawl and it certainly looks to be the more spectacular and worthwhile picture. The non-anamorphic disc looks decent and has plenty of audio options, including an utterly pointless Ric Meyers commentary (he doesn't like the movie and struggles to find anything to even say about it). (written June 2005)

SHARP GUNS (Alex Fong, Wu Anya, Eric Wan) 6/10 HKD #96a

SHE SHOOTS STRAIGHT (Joyce Godenzi, Tang Pik-wan, Carina Lau) 7/10 HKD #278

THE SIAMESE TWINS (Idy Chan, Tong Chun-chung, Mak Tak-law) 3/10
Extremely dull Shaw Brothers horror that does not really deliver on any level. Intercontinental's R3 DVD is good. (written December 2003) Full review in HKD #211a

SILVER HAWK (Michelle Yeoh, Richie Ren, Luke Goss) 5/10 HKD #218

SKINNY TIGER AND FATTY DRAGON (Sammo Hung, Karl Maka) 7/10 HKD #152a

SNAKE & CRANE ARTS OF SHAOLIN (Jackie Chan, Kam Kong, Nora Miao) 5/10 HKD #240a

SNAKE IN THE EAGLE'S SHADOW (Jackie Chan, Hwang Jang-li, Simon Yuen) 7/10 HKD #182a

SO CLOSE (Vicki Zhao, Shu Qi, Karen Mok) 7/10 HKD #248a

SORCERESS OF THE NEW PIANO (Margaret Leng Tan) 7/10
Even if you have no interest in avant-garde music, this is still an engrossing portrait of Margaret Leng Tan, a remarkable piano virtuoso who can make music with just about every component of the piano, and can also tickle the ivories of toy pianos with panache. This Evans Chan documentary is currently making the rounds of the North American festival and university circuit. (written September 2004)

SOUL OF THE SWORD (Ti Lung, Ku Feng, Lin Chen-chi) 7/10 HKD #189a

THE SPIRIT OF THE SWORD (Liu Yung, Cecilia Wong, Lo Lieh) 7/10 HKD #246a

THE SPIRITUAL BOXER (Lau Kar-leung) 6/10
Lau Kar-leung's much-admired, little seen kung fu fantasy emerges as a bit of a disappointment, falling far short of ENCOUNTERS OF THE SPOOKY KIND, the Golden Harvest production it obviously influenced. Matters are not helped by the R3 DVD, which is made almost unwatchable by an absolutely asinine stereo re-mix that messes with the original sound design to an aggravating degree. (written November 2004)

SPL (Sammo Hung, Donnie Yen, Simon Yam) 8/10
While the success of the INFERNAL AFFAIRS trilogy no doubt helped get it before the cameras, Wilson Yip Wai-shun's SPL is a very welcome reminder of HK cinema at its height during the late '80s and early '90s. No CGI or no vapid teen stars, just a tense, down and dirty police action/thriller with skillful performances and splendid fight choreography. Sammo Hung impresses in a rare (truly) villainous role and Donnie Yen shows impressive dramatic chops to go with those sublime physical skills (his fights with Wu Jing and, later, Hung are amazing). Only major complaint: two endings too many. Seen at the Toronto Film Festival -- general release in Asia sometime in November. (written September 2005)

STAGE DOOR JOHNNY (Kara Hui, Idy Chan) 4/10 HKD #170a

THE STEWARDESS (Sam Lee, Lee San-San, Seina Kasugai) 5/10 HKD #113a

STORY OF KENNEDY TOWN (Aaron Kwok, Mark Cheng, Waise Lee, Sharla Cheung) 6/10 HKD #156a

THE SUPER INFRAMAN (Danny Lee, Terry Liu) 7/10 HKD #187

THE SWORD (Adam Cheng, Norman Tsui) 8/10 HKD #148a

SWORDSMAN II (Jet Li, Brigitte Lin, Rosamund Kwan) 9/10 HKD #149a

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TAKE FIVE (Athena Chu, Edmond Leung, Cheung Tat-Ming) 3/10

TASK FORCE (Leo Koo, Charlie Yeung, Eric Tsang) 8/10 HKD #268

THE TEAHOUSE (Chen Kuan-tai; Wong Yue) 6/10 HKD #144a

THAT FIERY GIRL (Cheng Pei-pei, Tang Ti, Cheng Lei) 6/10 HKD #253a

THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN (Gordon Lau, Lo Lieh) 9/10 HKD #162

THREE (Leon Lai, Eric Tsang, Eugenia Yuan) 5/10
Peter Chan's flawed but well-acted and moderately intriguing film, "Going Home" (featuring Leon Lai, Eric Tsang, and Eugenia Yuan), is the highlight of this tepid triptych.

THREE...EXTREMES (Miriam Yeung, Bai Ling, Tony Leung Ka-Fai) 8/10
A vast improvement on its forerunner, this is a far more compelling trilogy, with Park Chan-wook's invigoratingly intense contribution the standout. (written January 2005)

THREE AGAINST THE WORLD (Andy Lau, Rosamund Kwan, Norman Tsui, Teddy Robin) 6/10 HKD#218a

THE THUNDERING MANTIS (Leung Kar-yan, Wong Yat-lung, Eddy Ko) 6/10
A very uneven Old School mixture of comedy and bloody vengeance, distinguished by an impressively physical and imposing performance by Leung Kar-yan. Wong Yat-lung and Eddy Ko Hung also appear. (written August 2004)

THE THUNDERING SWORD (Cheng Pei-Pei) 4/10 HKD #241a

TIGER ON THE BEAT II (Danny Lee, Conan Lee, Ellen Chan) 7/10 HKD #134a

TIGER OVER WALL (sic) (Phillip Ko, Hwang Jang-il) 4/10
A terrific final battle between Phillip Ko and Hwang Jang-li is all that distinguishes this low-rent effort, which is marred further by some truly annoying dubbing. Ground Zero's DVD is mediocre and also contains a letterboxed and better quality (but cut) version of the enjoyably wacky GOOSE BOXER. (written June 2003)

TIME 4 HOPE (Athena Chu, Nick Cheung) 4/10 HKD #109a

TO BE NUMBER ONE (Ray Lui, Cecilia Yip, Kent Cheng, Tommy Wong, Amy Yip) 6/10 HKD #280

TO ERR IS HUMANE (Sammo Hung, Joey Wong, Carrie Ng, Kenny Bee) 5/10
Sammo Hung does well in a rare, non-martial arts role but this strained comedy that is more abrasive than funny. Deltamac's DVD looks good.

TO HELL WITH THE DEVIL (Ricky Hui, Stanley Fung, Paul Chun, Chung Fat) 5/10 HKD #210a

TO KILL A JAGUAR (Nora Miao, Ling Yun) 3/10 HKD #199a

TO WHERE HE BELONGS (Simon Yam, Gigi Lai, Ben Ng) 4/10

TRAGIC HERO (Chow Yun-fat, Alex Man, Andy Lau) 5/10 HKD #110a

TREASURE HUNT (Chow Yun-fat, Jacklyn Wu, Gordon Lau) 6/10 HKD #217a

THE TREASURE HUNTERS (Alexander Fu, Gordon Lau, Yeung Ching-ching) 7/10 HKD #282

A TRUE MOB STORY (Andy Lau, Gigi Leung, Alex Fong) 3/10

TSUI HARK'S VAMPIRE HUNTERS (Michael Chow, Anya Wu, Lam Suet, Yu Ronggong) 6/10 HKD #162a

THE TWELVE GOLD MEDALLIONS (Yueh Hua, Ching Miao) 6/10 HKD # 157a

TWILIGHT GARDEN (Julian Cheung, Annie Wu, Helena Law) 1/10 HKD #93a

TWINKLE, TWINKLE LITTLE STAR (Cherie Chung, James Yi, David Lo) 3/10
Desperate Shaw Brothers comedy about UFOs, bumbling private detectives, and a pea-brained knockout (Cherie Chung) is too scattershot and incoherent to be much fun. Intercontinental's R3 DVD (which is in the correct ratio of 2.35:1, not the 1.85 listed on the packaging) is fine, save for the unnecessary stereo re-mix. (written April 2003)

THE TWINS EFFECT (Charlene Choi, Gillian Chung, Edison Chen, Ekin Cheng) 3/10 HKD #180a

TWO CHAMPIONS OF SHAOLIN (Lo Mang, Sun Chien, Yeung Ching-ching) 6/10 HKD #187a

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UNDISCOVERED TOMB (Marsha Yuan, Ken Wong, Yoko Shimada) 3/10 HKD #254

UNITED WE STAND, AND SWIM (Sammy Leung, Anthony Wong, Pace Wu) 3/10 HKD #92a

UNLEASHED (Jet Li, Morgan Freeman, Bob Hoskins) 5/10
Jet Li impresses in the first Western movie that allows him to do some genuine emoting, but the script is trite and obvious, and the entire picture overproduced (desaturated color, film speed manipulation, etc) to no positive effect. The potentially fascinating premise (a man brought up in the manner of a dog and transformed into a mindless, invincible killer) is explored only in the most obvious ways and even Yuen Woo-ping's action choreography is lacklustre. (written June 2005)

U-MAN (Anthony Wong, Sam Lee, Gillian Chung) 3/10 HKD #111a

THE UNTOLD STORY II (Paulyn Suen, Emotion Cheung, Anthony Wong Chau-sang) 4/10 HKD #255a

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VENGEANCE IS A GOLDEN BLADE (Chin Ping, Yueh Hua) 6/10 HKD #249a

THE VENGEFUL BEAUTY (Chen Ping, Yueh Hua, Lo Lieh) 6/10
Minor but entertaining Shaw Brothers martial arts meller, with Chen Ping as a pregnant swordswoman out to avenge the murder of her husband. Those who haven't seen THE FLYING GUILLOTINE can catch just about all of its guillotine action recycled here. Intercontinental's R3 16:9 DVD looks and sounds fine. (written April 2004)

VISIBLE SECRET II (Eason Chan, Cherrie Ying, Jo Kuk) 7/10 HKD #121a

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THE WARLORD (Michael Hui, Tina Ti Na) 6/10 HKD #159a

WARRIORS TWO (Sammo Hung, Leung Kar-yan) 8/10 HKD #158a

WATER MARGIN: THE TRUE COLORS OF HEROES (Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Elvis Tsui, Joey Wang) 4/10 HKD #244a

THE WESLEY'S MYSTERIOUS FILE (Andy Lau, Shu Qi, Rosamund Kwan) 3/10
Everything you've heard is true: this jaw-dropping amalgam of awful dialogue, dreadful gweilo actors, wretched comedy relief (from Wong Jing, also to blame for the nonsensical screenplay), and gratuitous CGI has to be experienced to be believed! If this and BLACK MASK 2 are China Star's idea of movies that will go over well in the West, one can only shudder in horror wondering what atrocity they will inflict on the world next. (written March 2003)

WE'RE GOING TO EAT YOU (Norman Tsui, Melvin Wong) 7/10 HKD #254a

WONDER SEVEN (Michelle Yeoh, Kent Cheng) 5/10 HKD #201a

Y

YES, MADAM (Michelle Yeoh, Cynthia Rothrock) 6/10 HKD #281

YOU SHOOT, I SHOOT (Eric Kot, Cheung Tat-Ming, Audrey Fong, Asuka Higuchi) 7/10
This clever black comedy has more genuine laughs than any other HK movie I've seen in some time and makes excellent use of Eric Kot and (especially) Cheung Tat-ming. (written June 2002)

YOUNG AND DANGEROUS: THE PREQUEL (Nicholas Tse, Frankie Ng) 5/10
Charismatic turns by Nic Tse and Frankie Ng are the only reasons to bother with this tired attempt to wring yet another movie out a bankrupt concept. (written April 2003)

OTHER

2002 (Nicholas Tse, Stephen Fung, Danielle Graham) 5/10
Wilson Yip's big-budget supernatural action/comedy has some wonderful Eastern horror concepts and imagery but is too inconsistent to fully succeed. Nicholas Tse's world-weary spirit fighter should have been played by a rumpled, middle-aged character actor, making the character's partnership with the equally young Stephen Fung more believeable. (There is also some pronounced gay subtext in their relationship that will likely leave some Western viewers chuckling in the wrong places). A further debit is newcomer Danielle Graham's jaw-droppingly awful performance in a key role. The Golden Harvest DVD looks and sounds terrific. (written July 2002)

2046 (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Zhang Ziyi) 9/10
The wait seemed endless, but Wong Kar-wai's latest film is one his finest works to date: an intoxicating, heartfelt and poetic journey through the sort of fascinatingly self-referential and overlapping universe only he could create so well. Mei Ah's R0 2-disc set is not the definitive rendition, but is still good and a fine way to see the movie (though the big screen would be more ideal). (written March 2005) (full review in HKD #274)

9413 (Francis Ng, Amanda Lee, Christine Ng) 7/10