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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
After the CrescentMeme isn't living the most enviable of lives. Her mother has died, her widowed father spends much of his time still mourning the loss, she has to essentially play both mother and father to her slightly mentally challenged brother, and on top of all this, she's pregnant by a now-departed boyfriend. Not sure whether or not to seek an abortion, she makes the rounds of her friends seeking advice, and at the club where her friend Sau works, she encounters a bouncer/security guard she forms a strong attraction to. It looks like the two of them might be on the verge of something that could lift Meme out of her rut, but will fate allow her to finally achieve what she's been seeking? After The Crescent has a somber air of sadness hovering over it, but don't let that keep you from seeing this memorable film and spending a couple of hours with its characters. You won't soon forget it, or them. After the War: A Family AlbumA 35-minute documentary video produced by the children of several Hmong familes to document their experiences during and after the war. Interviews and archival footage tells of their difficult transition from losing their old country to making a fresh start in their new one. Directed by Melissa Littig Gotoy. Running time: 35 minutes. Ah ChungAh Chung is a basically good young man who lives with parents who don't understand him and constantly belittle his dreams, and a sister whom his father physically abuses, as he tries to lead a good life but finds more incentive not to, and few if any role models he'd want to follow. This Chinese version of Rebel Without A Cause was a highlight of the 2001 Chinese Film Showcase. Ah KqanNearly everyone is familiar with Japanese animation. This film gives us a rare look at the apparently very different breed, Taiwanese animation. The film opens up like an animated version of Hong Kong youth films like the motorcycle-racing Full Throttle, with the surly, sullen Ah Kqan racing about Taipei on his bike with his girlfriend while working as a sculptor in a business that makes stone and wooden Buddhas. But as his violent involvement with local thugs increases, he's looking for another way out... and, surprisingly, seems to have found it in the Buddhist spirituality that has kept his girlfriend stable and sane. When a film starts out like Rebel Without A Cause and winds up more like Kundun, it should logically come across as a bit schizophrenic or confused... especially when the animation blends the more common "realistic" style of anime with a more cartoonish approach on certain characters. But it all makes a very cohesive whole, a film both entertaining in its plot and characters, but meaningful in its spiritual message. Definitely a movie filled with unexpected pleasures. Ai-YingAs the story begins, Ai-Ying, a young girl of about ten, is standing in a crowd next to her father, watching her mother being publicly punished for being "a whore" (in father's judgment, that is) and literally ridden out of town. That kind of thing can obviously traumatize a child, and when you learn that the story subsequently involves rape, murder and revenge, you probably imagine you're in for a predictable... if not exactly comfortable to watch... story. But Ai-Ying is by no means predictable (the other part of that statement is very true, however). Though this is a Chinese film, it borrows more than a little from Japanese culture, particularly in the way the various characters' recollections of what happened contradict each other make the film seem like a remake of Rashomon, and the highly stylized manner in which most of the "flashbacks" (and some of the "present-day" scenes) are played out (often with the direct participation of ghosts and spirits) is very reminiscent of Noh and Kabuki theatre. This is a very naturalistic story told in a very un-naturalistic manner, and you won't be able to readily make logical sense out of all of it, but you won't find it easy to get it out of your head, either. Directed and co-written by Chiou Gang-Jiann, starring Wang Tzu-shyan, Gau Jye, Hwang Yaw-ming and Yu Harn. AkiraClassic anime about a futuristic society thirty years after an apocalyptic war. The apocalypse seems on the verge of happening again, as Tetsuo, a young boy who runs with a bunch of cycle-riding pals, is found by a mysterious governmental agency seeking youths who have the innate ability to unlock a mysterious power available to all but mastered by few... a force known as "Akira." This is the movie that has spawned countless, inferior imitations in the years since... nearly all the films featuring mysterious governmental secrets, end-of-the-world scenarios and long, spectacular battles between almost supernaturally-powered opponents have their source here, but this is one of the relatively few that does it right. Even the English-language dubbing sounds natural. Akira is a large-scale epic that doesn't lose sight of the "little things" like story, ideas and character that make a film worthwhile. If you're curious about these kinds of films and want to give one a try, it might as well be the one that's become the standard by which the others are measured. Written and directed by Katsushiro Otomo. Alan and Eric: Between Hello and Good-byeNow, here we have a movie whose bare bones plot summary makes it sound like the purest of hokey, Hollywood style soap opera shlock, but turns out to be a deeply effecting, even moving, story about love, life-long friendship, and what happens when the two come into conflict. The film co-stars Alan Tam and Eric Tsang as characters named Alan Tam and Eric Tsang (hey, if Jackie Chan can do it, why not?). We see briefly at the beginning of the film what devoted friends they were as children, then see the events that caused them to drift apart, though their friendship never wavered. When they come back into each others' lives years later, and go into business together (raising chickens), it seems all is well... until Eric meets and falls in love with the lovely Olive (Maggie Cheung... this naming the character after the actor playing it goes only so far). He's totally smitten by her and allows himself to believe that her deep friendship with him means she returns his feelings, even though she really doesn't. But then she meets Alan... and it's love at first sight on both their parts. Now, Eric is torn between the woman he loves and the FRIEND he loves... what to do? This ought to be enough right here, but then we have Alan's ascent into stardom as a popular singer, which strains his relationship with Olive... and Eric's serious illness... and you have a movie that by all rights ought to be so unbearably sappy that it could induce diabetes. Instead, what we have is a wonderfully insightful story filled with genuine feeling that will be guaranteed to jerk your tears if you have any tears to be jerked. A much better script than this type of movie usually gets is only part of the reason why it's so surprisingly effective... some of the best performances its three leads have ever given also help make them real people you can't help but feel for, especially the perennially under-rated Eric Tsang, who makes Eric one of the most touching characters you've seen in a very long time. If this movie seems to you to have a few things emtotionally and stylistically in common with Comrades: Almost A Love Story (the highest compliment a romance can be payed is to be compared to that film), note that not only does it feature two of the stars of that film (Cheung and Tsang) several years earlier, but it was also directed by the director of that film, Peter Chan. If you're tempted to think of this as a dry run for that one, though, know this: everything right about Comrades was already in place, and this is a terrific movie in its own right. For anyone who's seen and loved Comrades and wants to know what else to see that can give them the same reactions as that film: check out Alan And Eric: Between Hello And Goodbye. You will NOT be sorry. All the Wrong CluesAn amusing piece of slapstick about a private detective who put a notorious gangster known as "Ah Capone" (that's really his name) in prison several years before, and is now in a panic about what he's going to do with Capone about to be released and sure to want revenge. The local police chief, a friend of the detective's since childhood, offers him protection. But instead of simply hiding out and staying put, the two of them wind up fighting Capone and his gang while trying to put a halt to his latest schemes. This isn't the most hysterical movie ever made, but you'll most likely find your fair share of laughs... particularly with the character of Capone (played by Karl Maka), who is so mean that when confronted, un-armed, by a sniper about to shoot him, is able to stop the attempt simply by snarling directly into the sniper's site, which is enough to break the glass. Directed by Tsui Hark, and starring Teddy Robin, Karl Maka and Kelly Siu. All the Wrong SpiesA sequel of sorts ("of sorts" because though the lead characters have the same names and are played by the same actors, it's set some 40 years earlier during World War II), the story involves a Jewish scientist who's developed the formula for a deadly nuclear weapon who has escaped pursuing Nazis and come to Hong Kong to hand it over to the Allies... as represented here by our heroes, Inspector Robin and detective Yoho. Overall, the film is a bit more consistently funny than its predecessor, and seems to be taking a kind of Airplane approach in spoofing all sorts of films popular both in the era in which it's set (several blatant steals from Casablanca in particular) and in more modern times (a white-suited dance floor Saturday Night Fever bit). The spy genre appears to offer more possibilities to the film makers than did private eye stories, and they make the most of them. Tsui Hark steps out of the director's chair this time to take both a producer's role and an actual role in the film (as Japanese villain Hiroshima Tora), and the directing is handled by co-star Teddy Robin. A funny little romp, though the ending is a little off-putting, as we learn the REAL reason the bomb was dropped on Japan... The Amazing World of Koji YamamuraA feature-length collection of short animated pieces by Japanese animation wizard koji Yamamura. There are truly amazing things to be seen in each of the pieces in this 90-minute anthology, but three particular highlights would probably have to be: The Elevator (in which a young boy's trip on a defective elevator sends him to a land below the earth filled with bizarre creatures), Bavel's Book (in which a boy waiting at a bus stop finds what has got to qualify as the ultimate "pop-up book" of all time), and Imagination, featuring probably the simplest, most basic animation of any of the pieces, a tribute to the powers of a child's imagination to build the most astounding adventures out of the smallest of materials. Yamamura shows that same kind of imagination himself, and young and old alike will find much to be amazed by in The Amazing World Of Koji Yamamura. Among the StarsHollywood has released more than its share of movies recently on the theme of fate... generally arguing that our entire lives are pre-destined, and everything that happens to us was meant to happen (Serendipity, anyone?). Among The Stars deals with a number of characters who would certainly agree with that philosophy, but in the end argues that fate, or destiny, is what we make it, and that if we simply sit back and accept everything that we feel was "meant to happen", we could be missing out on a lot. The story opens with Doug and Ling, two former lovers, in a coffee shop in Hong Kong discussing old times and what's happened to each since they were together, Doug arguing firmly in favor of the notion of fate. Ling isn't so sure, and as the story proceeds we see her try to take her own destiny in hand regarding her latest relationship. As she does so, she's being watched by Wu Siu-Kwai, a young woman who sets down her observations on Ling in a notebook, hoping that what she learns can help her decide on a direction for her own life. As one character circles around another, and the story eventually circles around back to its own beginning, everyone learns some hard lessons about not letting anyone but themselves take control of their own destiny. Director Chang Wai-Hung has given us a moral lesson that goes down painlessly, and evokes a few tears along the way. And when was the last time one of those Hollywood "destiny" movies did that? Another CountryNot the actual feature film by Eric Chao and Johnny Kee, but rather what be referred to in Hollywood as a reel of "Dailies"... a collection of takes of various scenes, minues dialogue, soundtrack or special effects... "raw footage," essentially. A menacing masked figure brandishes a knife, then removes the mask, a man wakes in panic from a nightmare, etc. About 15 minutes in length. Apple Rabbit EarsTaka is a young boy nick-named "Rabbit," both for his fascination with the aforementioned animals but for his dedication to training for a footrace for the local schoolchildren (he runs swiftly as a rabbit). It's suggested that Taka is not just running for the sake of the race, but running to escape a number of unpleasant situations in his family: a father who means well but for various business reasons is virtually never home, a mother who seems to be suffering some mysterious unspecified illness (Taka overhears her talking on the phone to, presumably, her husband about this and often breaking into tears for no apparent reason)... and so on. He even gets it into his head to try and free a cage full of rabbits (if he can't have his "freedom," at least they can). Apple Rabbit Ears certainly has all the ingredients necessary for a powerful, emotional family saga, and at times gets SO close to verging on that, it gets a little frustrating that it doesn't QUITE cross over that line. The child actors aren't from that rare group of young performers that make you forget you're watching actors and really believe you're looking in on a real life... these are kids clearly reading lines they've memorized. Several storylines just sort of fizzle out without ever really coming to any definite conclusions... in particular, that of the mother's mystery illness. It isn't easy to give a "thumbs down" verdict to a film with as much to recommend as Apple Rabbit Ears, but when a movie sends you away filled mainly with thoughts of "what might have been," that seems the best course. Directed by Koji Kobayashi. (Review written: 12/11/02.) Armour of GodA true Jackie Chan production... written and directed by Jackie as well as starring him. He plays "The Asian Hawk", an Indiana Jones-like soldier of fortune, who has to rescue a former girlfriend being held hostage (the ransom being the Armour Of God, a five-piece set of armour said to have been forged by God himself... a strange cult wants it in order to destroy it and eliminate God's power on Earth), with the help of several assistants, one of whom is his old buddy/rival, Jackie's ex-love's CURRENT boyfriend. This is one of Jackie's essential films, an excellent example of his blend of comedy and action that never degenerates into mere spectacle for spectacle's sake. Fans might also be interested to know that this is the film containing the legendary stunt that very nearly killed him (shown in truly painful detail in the out-takes). If you want to take a tour of Jackie's best, this might not be the very FIRST film you should see, but it's one you definitely shouldn't miss. Armour of God II: Operation Condor (aka., Operation Condor)Released in the U.S. in 1997 as simply Operation Condor in a dubbed, edited (shortened by about 8 minutes) version that also featured a different score, this is the original as it was meant to be seen, and makes you wonder about why American distributors think certain things will or won't appeal to U.S. audiences (most of what was cut were among the comic scenes, a large part of what makes Jackie unique). In this story, he's in search of a huge stash of gold abandoned by Nazi troops as they fled Egypt, and is once again accompanied by several assistants who hinder his quest as much as they help it... primarily a trio of women from three different nations (to appeal to audiences in three different countries, perhaps?). Some of Jackie's best material is in this film, including one his really legendary fight sequences (the big climactic battle in the wind tunnel). Even so, as highly entertaining as it is, the sequel does fall prey a bit to the common tendency to be bigger and flashier than the original, qualities which don't always work for Jackie, and the women somehow manage to be expert fighters in some scenes, and helpless, incompetent maidens in need of rescue in others. It's still a very fun 100 or so minutes, but it's no Armour Of God. As Tears Go ByEarly Wong Kar Wai. A story not unlike those you've seen in other films: an innocent young woman (Maggie Cheung) is sent to live with her cousin in Hong Kong (Tony Leung) so that she can take advantage of the superior doctors there (she has a respiratory illness). Her cousin is involved, though, with some very unsavory types, especially his friend Fly, always in debt to one triad type or another. Meanwhile, innocent Ah-Ngor becomes more and more attracted to her cousin, unaware of the "other life" he leads. This movie is a BIT more conventional than those Wong Kar Wai has since become famous for, but he was already demonstrating his facility for taking a standard genre and working remarkable changes on it, letting you see the real people and the real loneliness behind the stereotypes (as he has done since with martial arts in Ashes Of Time and romance in In The Mood For Love, for example). It also helps that he has two of the best actors in Hong Kong playing the leads. Definitely worth a look even if you have no idea who Wong Kar Wai is (though it's hard to imagine anyone familiar at all with Hong Kong movies who wouldn't be). The AssassinWhile escaping from government agents (after him for his anti-government activities), Po Ka is separated from his fiancee Yu and imprisoned for four years by an evil government official, during which time his eyelids are sewn shut (yes, you DO get to actually see it done). At the end of four years ONE prisoner is allowed to go free, sort of... whoever can kill all the others while remaining alive will become the new official assassin. Naturally, Po Ka is the man. (If you were in this situation would you be so eager to go to work for the guy who'd kidnapped you, imprisoned you for four years, etc. ... just wondering.) If you've seen more than a few movies in your life, of course, you KNOW that Yu is going to turn up again with a family of her own, and this is going to cause Po Ka to have a crisis of conscience about whether to betray his master. Still, this is the sort of storyline that has plenty of potential for big, tragic, emotional moments, as well as the expected blood, guts and other assorted violence. Well, one out of two ain't bad. You definitely get all the explicitly bloody battle action you could hope for (this is the kind of movie where a character chops off another's head and then says to the headless body "e;you will never understand"... well, not NOW, no!). But the characters are never quite authentic enough. You see Po Ka and Yu separated before you even have any idea what their relationship was like or what they meant to each other, and when Po Ka and Wong Kau, the young swordsman who has become his disciple, get into a civil war type "brother vs. brother" situation, it doesn't have the impact it should, since we never really got any scenes showing us the depth of THAT relationship, either. And viewers who are familiar with Rosmund Kwan's marvelous performances as "Auntie Yee" in the Once Upon A Time In China films will be dissappointed to see what a colorless character Yu turns out to be... she does her best, but isn't really given much to work with. Of course, those who are fans of pure action and nothing but will get all they could possibly hope for and more in The Assassin. But while this film can certainly be recommended to that group, anyone looking for something more substantial should just keep looking. Also starring Zhang Fengyi and Max Mok. Directed by Billy Chung. (Review written: 12/6/02) The AssociationFan-Yi, a young woman who arrived home to find both her father and mother dead at the hands of a henchman of the notorious Major Choy (and killed him, thus getting HER convicted of murder) is executed as the story begins. But Lieutenant Wong believes her assurances about who is really responsible and swears to her that he will never rest until he brings Major Choy to justice. The trail to Choy, however, will lead him to an illicit abortion ring whose "clients" all too often wind up dead, and a mysterious "Association" for young women that turns out to be a prositution ring with ties to the abortion group. No, they haven't forgotten about Choy... he really IS at the end of the trail that takes us through all of this. For quite a lot of the time this 1970's period piece is entertaining in all of the unintentional ways that so many of these cheesy 70's numbers often are: really bad dubbing (including Chinese characters who speak in the thickest of Cockney accents), badly written dialogue that makes certain characters seem too stupid to believe (after a price of 110 dollars is bid on a prostitute, another man exclaims "Thirty more... one hundred and FIFTY!"), and a lack of consistency that is truly bewildering (the lead character is mostly referred to as "Wong," but at times also as "Wang"... which is it?). And when a group of sinister hooded figures surround a woman on a slab you certainly don't expect the robed woman who enters the room to wander around the slab performing what looks EXACTLY like a late 60's/early 70's go-go type dance for at least a good five minutes (you'll find yourself thinking you've gotten an Austin Powsers movie by mistake)... and then this turns out to be one of the abortions!! It's difficult not to like such a mind-boggling assortment of lunacy (this is only a very small part of what you get). There is, however, an uncomfortable amount of sleazy sexploitation (the film-makers would probably cry "it's set in a brothel, you gotta have sex and nudity!", but the explicit and frequent nature of it in this film is nothing but pure pandering). Of course, there are people for whom this will be just the ticket, and they will probably love it. As for everyone else, there's always the fast-forward button. It WOULD, after all, be a shame to miss the pleasures of this gigantic slice of cinematic cheese just because of its less savory elements. Historical note: although his name wasn't big enough at the time to be featured in the credits, Lietenant Wong's right hand man Tiger is played by none other than Sammo Hung. Starring Byong Yu, Angela Mao and Carter Huang. Directed by Cheng Chang-Ho. (Review written: 12/23/02) Autumn MoonClara Law writes, directs and co-produces this story about a 15-year-old schoolgirl (Li Pui Yau) who is moving to Canada shortly and visiting favorite old Hong Kong haunts for what she knows will be the last time, reliving the memories of what they meant to her. She encounters a wealthy Japanese tourist (Masatoshi Nagase) who tours the world whenever he gets to feeling bored with and disconnected from his own country... but he knows essentially nothing about Hong Kong and has no connections with the people there. This "odd couple" forms an unusual relationship by which they help each other adjust to their individual situations and a unique friendship blooms. Probably not the kind of movie you think it's going to be... and that's a good thing. You can to discuss the reviews. |
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