3 comments about Asian Cinema 4-pack (Curse of the Golden Flower / Memoirs of a Geisha / Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon / House of Flying Daggers).

1. My family liked the Flying Daggers and Crouching Dragon movies the best of the four pack. More action in the aforementioned - Memoirs of a Geisha was a good story but I like the other movies much better.



2. I was sitting actually watching "Daggers" when I received an email notification from Amazon to leave a review on this 4-pack. The irony!
   
   I immediately hopped on this purchase when I saw it was available through a Gold Box offer for $28. I already owned "Geisha", but still felt it was worth the value.
   
   Daggers has excellent cinematic scenes and an easy to follow plot. The DVDs have English, Chinese, and French languages for your listening pleasure, although you can also read the subtitles. The DVD also has some excellent bonus features including commentaries.
   
   Again, I'd already seen Geisha (and read the book). I thought it was an excellent movie loosely based on the author's version.
   
   I'd also seen Crouching Tiger long ago when it was first released on DVD , but I've never owned it.
   
   Ziyi Zhang, Gong Li, and Chow Yun Fat are the main stars in these four movies. I've always been a fan, so ordering these was a no-brainer.
   
   What I mean to say is for the price, no one skimped on this 4-pack. They're all shown in widescreen with excellent DVD quality. Now my main television is not flat screen, HDTV 1080i/p/g/r/c (or whatever), it's just a good movie with no graininess or film skipping. That's my amateur opinion! :-)
   
   Bottom line, add this to your collection asap!
   
   What I wouldn't do, is pay the $60 premium some of these folks are trying to sell them. Wait for another Gold Box or buy them used to add to your library. You'll come out on top and have an excellent collection in your hands.



3. Only Crouching Tiger is worth it. The rest is very average with a bad plot and just a pain to watch.

5 comments about The Killer-Unrated.

1. I don't know much about the secondary "market" for DVD's, but when I look to buy a copy of "The Killer" on amazon, I am filled with disgust. $300.00 for a copy of a !@&%$*@ DVD? It's time that whoever owns the distribution rights to re-issue this film and take control of this situation back from these scalpers.
   
   This comment refers to the "Criterion Collection" version.



2. I first got interested in Woo's work after seeing "Broken Arrow" in 1996. I was able to get my hands on a VHS copy of The Kiiler and watched it thinking it would be at least as food as Broken Arrow.
   
   
   
   It wasn't.
   
   
   
   It was ten times better.
   
   
   
   The plot is similar to the Rock Hudson film Magnificent Obsession (although Rock is not an assassin). Chow-Yun Fat is an amazing actor who portrays the title character with great depth and believability.
   
   
   
   But let's get down to why everyone REALLY likes this film: The action scenes are AMAZING. When the shooting starts, all hell breaks loose and you'll probably have to watch the scenes in slo-mo or rewind and watch them again. There is so much going on that it's hard to beleive that anyone would be able to choreograph and film such stylistic and hectic battle scenes, but John Woo does just that.
   
   
   
   My biggest question is, why aren't Woo's Hollywood films just as wild and stylish. Woo's Hollywood work is very good, but why are his Hong Kong features so much better? They seem to be gritty and real whereas his Hollywood features seem to be glossy and watered down.
   
   
   
   No matter. If you like action films, this is one of the best, but be warned. This film is VIOLENT and much of the violence is very graphic, so it's not for everyone.
   
   
   
   Also, sometimes the dialogue seems a bit hammy, but I feel that it may be because of the loss of translation when the film was dubbed in English. If you're able to, watch the original Chinese version with English subtitles. I know it's heard to read while your trying to watch the action, so watch the dubbed version a couple of time to where you pretty much know what's happening and then watch it with the subtitles. The original actors' voices convey much more emotion and intensity.



3. John Woo:you either love him or hate him but there is no way of looking at him except as a force of nature. The Killer was one of Woo's greatest Hong Kong features; long before he came to America and made films such as Face/Off and Mission Impossible 2.
   
   Made on a small budget this film is an homage to the classic action directors of Hollywood. There are shades of Peckenpah and of Scorsese. The films grainy look makes it almost perfect for this genre.
   
   The story of a killer with a penchant for justice and loyalty has been done many times before but Chow Yun Fat and Danny Lee make it their own as the killer and the renegade cop who follows him.
   
   Many have complained about the violence in this film. The film is extremely violent but the violence comes off as campy rather than as serious. When you have two men fighting hundreds it is hard to take anything too seriously.
   
   The disc that I reviewed was the Criterion Collection edition. This edition gives a pristine transfer of the film and has a decently subtitled audio. Beware of editions that have any English dubbing since these editions tend to heighten the camp elements of the story rather than give a true translation of the dialogue. Also note that the Criterion Edition is expensive but you get what you pay for. Some of the lower priced editions of this film are known bootlegs that should be avoided.
   
   The disc contains a commentary track by Woo and producer Terrance Chang and five deleted scenes.
   
   If you can find or afford it this is essential viewing for action genre fans and for fans of purist Hong Kong cinema.



4. I can't even count how many times I've watched this movie. The action is great, but it's the storyline that just blows me away. It's one of my favorite movies of all-time and I totally recommend this to anyone and everyone. If you haven't seen it, make it a priority to check it out at your earliest convenience. I've seen thousands upon thousands of movies and this one definitely sticks out as a killer. ;)



5. I found this movie absolutely horrible--overloaded with gratuitous violence, violence for violence sake. It's for people who enjoy watching people murder people. There were no real characters in this monstrousity of a movie--only killing machine people. No one, that's right, no one was believable. Even the so-called story line--a hitman killing to raise money to enable a blind woman, whom the hitman accidentally blinded, to see, was a farce. Movies like this only raise the potential level of violence in society, make it glorifiable, without the slightest redeeming virtue. This piece of junk is strictly for the serial killer who's looking for inspiration for his next hit. I trashed my copy--I wouldn't even give it to charity because of what it stands for. Do yourself a favor--don't buy terrible heap of garbage!!!!!

4 comments about God of Killers.

1. "God of Killers" is yet another in a long line of retitled Hong Kong films designed to get the unsuspecting public to either rent or buy a title that they may have previously seen. This 1981 film was Chow's first major starring role and he's excellent here. But why change the name of the film from the original "The Story of Woo Viet?" There's really no need to do so. "The Story of Woo Viet" is a serious drama/character study and features fine acting from Chow who had worked for years in Hong Kong television and was trying to make the move to feature films. In Fact, "The Story of Woo Viet" did well at the box office, but for the next several years, Chow's films did not do so well and it wasn't until 1985 that he finally broke through and he hasn't looked back since. By the way, those looking for a John Woo style action film will be sadly disappointed; this is very definitely a character study, with an unhappy ending, that showcases Chow's acting talent.

   In all honesty, I cannot rate the VHS versions being offered by Amazon, as the copy that I have of this film was presented on DVD (that I picked up for five bucks at a Pathmark grocery store!). However, based on internet research that I have done on this film, I recommend that potential buyers stay away from the Arena Video version. While there's very little in the way of the usual crappy English dubbing (there are a few scenes spoken in English), the Arena version has the English subtitles cut-off at the bottom of the screen for large chunks of the film as does my budget DVD from Beverly Wilshire Filmworks (who are based in New York!).

   Bottom line: As this was Chow Yun-Fat's first major film role in a superior Hong Kong film, viewers ought to give it a look. Just be careful with the version that you are buying. Buyer beware!




2. One of the worst DVD transfers we have seen to date. Subtitles were imprinted on the original film, and frames jump all over the screen, making them impossible to read. Not to mention overall bad quality of video and audio. Otherwise, could be a something for Chow Yun Fat fans.



3. This transfer is absolutely horrid. I have probably hundreds of 'budget' dvds and this is absolutely the worst transfer that I have seen to date.
   
   To further amplify the first reviewer's comments, the subtitles are not only hard to read but generally IMPOSSIBLE to read. The bottom line of the subtitles is nearly always unreadable.
   
   Stay away from this and look for a Hong Kong version instead. Beverly Wilshire transfers are always among the worst of the budget dvd's.



4. If you are idiot! do not buy this DVD!!! it is the worst copy of this film!!! Poor images, and the subtitles look like a madmans breakfast!!! As they said to Big Julie, on the way to the Forum, dont do it Big Julie!!!

5 comments about Anna and the King.

1. This is a great film with different cultures that manage to accept each other..... just love watching it



2. This was a good purchase. I wanted to see it to compare to the King and I. I like it. High quality it came in a reasonable time span.



3. I love this movie! It is beautifully filmed and generally well-acted. The story portrays the cultural and philosophical differences and subsequent personal growth of the characters without being "preachy". It is easily as good as any Jane Austen remake and has better storylines and incredible scenery. The role of king is brilliantly portrayed by Chow Yun Fat and shows the deep and thoughtful wisdom of this leader. Great movie.



4. The DVD Anna and the King was fine. I'm so glad I found it on Amazon



5. I purchased a new copy of the 'Special Edition' of "Anna and the King" which was listed as being widescreen in the product description of this web site--and it is actually full-screen! The back cover of the case lists the DVD as being anamorphic widescreen and there is no way of choosing full-screen vs widescreen in the menu--so buyer beware. Perhaps it was just my copy that was in error. Has anyone else had this problem?

5 comments about Hong Kong 1941.

1. I like Hong Kong Cinema and have seen several of the Neo style Hong Kong classics from the mid eighties to the mid ninties. In fact a couple of the reviews I read here peeked my interrest in watching it. I have to say however, that this film was a real snoozer for me.

   The plot centers around three freinds who stick together during the Japanese occuapation of 1941. During this time the British have been temporarily defeated in Hong Kong, and several Hong Kong residents turn on there own in order to profit from the Japnaese. Chow Yun-Fat and his two new found friends scheme to escape Hong Kong but are delayed when they fail to make it out together. Over the course of the film Chow Yun-Fat and Ceclia Yip begin to develope an attraction to one another, even though she is arleady attached. A pathetic love triangle type scenario starts to arise but is never fully realized. Things between the three sort themselves out in the end. I won't spoil it for you.

   I tried watching Hong Kong 1941 twice and had a hard time getting into it. I finally finished it the second time but was unimpressed with the characters and their plight. The love triangle never goes anywhere, the Japanese occupation is not potrayed well enough, (in my opinion) and the side plots seem like filler to make the movie more dramatic and lengthy.

   One of my two stars is for Chow Yun-Fat's presence, which probally saved the film from bombing. The second is for the occassionl stunnig cinematography throughout the film. Other than than that, I can't think of anything else deserving of a star.

   I'll also worn those of you who view this film on the DVD release from 20th Centruy Fox. (subsiderary is Fortune Star) The Englsih dub version is awful and makes the film seem more like a cheap B movie with it's poor choice of voice dubbing actors (particualarly Chow Yun-Fat and Ceclia Yips characters) and the re-orchestrated synthiser sounding score which replaces the original films score is just as awful. At least they included the origianl language track and score which was a good choice on the part of 20th Century Fox. It makes the movie easier to take. 20th Century should take some lessons from Taiseng's recent releases. They take the job of dubbing and scoring more seriously.

   Overall I would say if you're interested in Hong Kong 1941 you might consider renting it. I can't really recommend it, but who knows, maybe you'll find more in it to admire than I did.




2. I saw this in a video format in the sale accidentally yesterday, the only copy left. There are so few movies made about this period in the history of Hong Kong, my birth place ( I might not have been able to keep up-to-date with the movies produced there.) I grabbed this one out of sheer necessity to know something about my homeland and my people. The thing that struck me most is the wonderful expression on the face of Chow Yun-Fat who conveys the transformation of an easy-going, ambitious young man to a real man who loves his country, who summons up the courage, dignity, intelligence, profound human dignity, and calmness to face down the brutal, devious, humiliating conquest by a foreign power. The other main actors are also quite good. Overall, the movie struggles a bit between being an epic of monumental historical importance and the intimate stories of three young people. But to a Chinese like myself, the opportunity to enter into the mind and world of a character such as Chow is gratifying enough. Chinese people are very serious about their national identity, and being a traitor is just the worst thing if one is a Chinese. China did not fall to the Japanese despite being vastly overwhelmed by the enemy's military might because there were enough, far more than enough, Chinese who were like Chow's character.



3. I adore this film. I have watched it millions of times, and it never gets old. I started watching it because i wanted to learn to speak Cantonese, but i soon realized that this movie is actually quite a masterpiece. There is romance, action, and a bittersweet twist at the end. You really need to see this movie!



4. I will leave the other reviewers of 'Hong Kong 1941' to analyze the film for you. I have written this review to inform potential customers that the English subtitles on this Fox Home Entertainment edition are not up-to standards, especially for a major movie company such as Fox. There are some spelling (!!) errors but the most annoying aspect of them are that there are basic English grammatical mistakes. I watched the movie in the original Chinese audio with English subtitles and was duly disappointed.
   
   The movie itself is ok and quite enjoyable, yet the subtitles are a major nuisance. Not only are they poorly done, but there are times throughout the movie where conversation is heard for quite a while, and you are certain subtitles are needed, but they never appear! Thus, the inevitable consequence is that at times, the movie lacks fluidity if you want to watch the movie in its original audio (The English dubbed version is very bad as well).
   
   The picture and sound 'quality' on the DVD are great, but the subtitles simply ruin it.



5. 1984 unrated WWII film set in Hong Kong. A love triangle drama set against the background of war. Also known as "Dang Doi Lai Ming," "Waiting for Daybreak," "Waiting for Dawn."
   
   DVD Features: The DVD contains the movie, trailers, and some special features. The movie can be heard in English or Chinese (Cantonese) and can be read (subtitles) in English or Chinese. The trailers are for: 1) City Hunter (Jackie Chan, PG-13), 2) Naked Killer, 3) Magnificent Warriors (R-rated, Michelle Yeoh, WWII movie), 4) Magnificent Butcher (PG-13, Sammo Hung), 5) Heart of the Dragon (R, Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan), 6) Kiss of the Dragon (R, Jet Li, Bridge Fonda), and 7) The Transporter (PG-13, Jason Strathon as Frank Martin). The Special Features include: 1) this film's trailers (two), 2) photo gallery, 3) Interviews (two, one with Cecilia Yip (had been a model), and one with Paul Pui, actor ("film was very realistic, not dramatic"), 4) Chow Yun-Fat Movie Photo Gallery and Biography (born May 18, 1955 in Hong Kong; won the "Best Actor Awards at both Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards and the Asian Pacific Film Festival for" his role in this film; starred in "City on Fire . . . served as the inspiration for much of Quentin Tarrentino's, "Reservoir Dogs""), 5) Promotional Materials (posters and stills), and 6) Production Notes (synopsis, cast/crew list, and Chow Yun Fat Filmography). One final note, the music on the DVD menu screens sounds like something out of the Twilight Zone.
   
   Credits: Chow Yun-Fat (Yip Fai, or as the synopsis credits the part as "Yip Kim-fay"; "The Killer"), Alex Man (Huang Kong, or as the synopsis credits the part as "Wong Hale Keung"; "The Con Man in Vegas"), Cecilia Yip (Anna Shin, or as the synopsis credits the part as "Ha Yuk-Nam"; "May and August"), Paul Chu (Fa Wang), and Sai-Kit Yung (General Kanezawa). Directed by Po-Chih Leong ("Out of Reach"). The movie is written by Koon-Chung Chan ("Kiss Me Goodbye").
   
   Plot: The movies opens before the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, with the British attempting to send the women to safety in Australia. Food is rationed, and a minor riot occurs when the rice warehouse owner refuses to pay his workers. Then the Japanese invade and occupy Hong Kong. Before and during the occupation, three friends struggle to survive, with each attempting a different method of survival (Kong, Fai, and Anna). At the beginning of the movie Fai is living with his aunt and uncle (and attempts to stow-away on a boat to Australia), while Kong works for the rice people, and Anna wanders around screaming (apparently she has some genetic disorder, and is the daughter of a rich man that owns the rice warehouse and who is attempting to marry off his daughter (arranged marriage) to his new business partner's son (even though she and Kong have some kind of relationship). The three friends decide to try to leave for Australia, but the day they attempt to leave, the Japanese attack. Fai makes it onto a boat, but the other two do not. He decides that he cannot leave without them.
   
   Review: The movie opens with a woman remembering her darkest days, which occurred in 1941 in Hong Kong. The woman occasionally offers some narration during the movie. A strange movie that opens slowly and, for the most part, continues to be slow. The movie picks up, a little, when the Japanese invasion starts and the Hong Kong citizens riot and loot.
   
   Interesting movie about a strange time in Hong Kong history. The inhabitants either collaborate (and some do it to help others), attempt to hide in the shadows, or actively work against the occupation. Some of the collaborators really take advantage of the situation, torturing others, stealing money, and generally being overall evil.
   
   The spoken English and subtitle English seems to be the same (except the profanity which is only in the subtitles, and I believe that occasionally a couple words are different). The dubbing isn't the best, though it is harder to tell considering that it isn't always easy to see their mouths.
   
   The slow movie has a somewhat strange story-line (not enough of the resistance action shown, not enough of any action, really, shown). The acting appears to be good. The music is good. Overall, I would give the movie 3.40 stars.

5 comments about The Postman Fights Back.

1. A very interesting film (1982). I admit, it was odd to think of Beardy (Leung Kar-Yan) and
   Chow Yun Fat working on screen together in co-starring roles, yet its an enticing
   proposition nonetheless. I'm hardly a CYF completist, but I always enjoy a flick
   with him up front and center. PSB is really Beardy's flick, but Chow's easy
   charisma is never overshadowed - if anything, that `grin and a toothpick' charmer is well forshadowed
   here - and as we see him do a few martial moves, even an early Mu Bai of sorts is glimpsed (he not only fights but uses darts that shoot from his wrist!!!).

   Yuen Woo Ping's touch is also evident here and so the choreography is decent and fairly
   fast, though the movie is more on 'conspiracy' and 'plot' than 'action' per se. The characters are low-key
   and a bit somber, but this, I feel, is a reflection of the movie's intended mood. Having said that,
   Beardy et al deliever some tight moves, when we get them. I noted while watching this, that

   many of the characters smoke: Chow is constantly smoking and Beardy smokes a lot. The
   excellent outdoor scerey further removes this from anything resembling a standard chop-socky flick, and yet, its
   not yet hong kong's `modern era' - this movie seems to exist in its own somber (not depressing!) place and time. I can't say it feels "original," yet it wasn't ever boring, imo.

   "During the Republican era, an evil warlord instructs his right hand man to find four suitable
   candidates to transport his valuable gifts across dangerous grounds. He recruits four men; a
   postman (Leung Kar Yan), a thief (Yuen Yat Chor), a dynamiter and a conman (Chow Yun
   Fat). The only instructions they are given are to never open the cargo and to deliver it within
   seven days. After numerous ambush attempts the group begin to become suspicious but they
   have no idea of the horror that awaits them and the consequences of completing the mission
   successfully." (Dragon'sDenUk)

   I'm not sure who the villain is (an arms-selling ninja believe it or not - it works), but
   I've seen him in several films. This movie sets a tone of uncertainty and the lead players

   feel as cold and distant as the beautiful and still snow-covered lands that often serve as a
   backdrop. Theres a little love, a little betrayal a little rvenge and some bitter-sweet, like
   most hong-kong dishes and that will leave you satisfied if you love the genre. The film is
   at least a three star, but wants that extra half star too, so at 3.5 stars you should check it out.




2. This movie left quite a bit to be desired. The plot had potential, however, for me, it never seemed to get off the ground and get moving. The fight scenes were well done and fast, moving along very well. I enjoyed the fight scenes much more than the rest of the movies, these scenes stood out as well done. Chow Yun Fat stole the show with his easy going mood and quick reactions when attacked. I glimpse of what was to come in his future movie making.
   
   Overall, I was disappointed with the movie and feel I must rank it below average.



3. During a time when Ronny Yu was just starting out, he made not just a kung fu movie, but a real movie that involves kung fu. Set in China during the time when soon to become Emperor Yuan Shikai was trying to gain that royal spot, Chow Yun Fat, Leung Kar Yan, Fan Mei Sheng, and Yuen Chat-Yor(one of Woo Ping's many brothers)are hired to make a delivery to one of Yuan's Generals. They find out why they were meant to deliver this and it is not for a good reason. Constantly being atacked on the road leads to lots of bloodshed. While it is an exciting movie, it is still a kung fu drama. It gets pretty dark but don't worry, this turns into a pure revenge flick.
   
   The story is well done, but there are some things involved that are just pure nonsense. Don't expect Sho Kosugi type of action but I wasn't really expecting this to be a ninja flick. Eddy Ko was great in 'Duel to the Death', but that was meant to be cheesy. This is a serious movie and the gimmicks just didn't fit in even though they were well done. Eddy Ko is great as always as the villian though. Also on the positive side, Ronny Yu does show some great cinematography with beautiful locations and it is directed well enough.
   
   There are no long extended action sequences but Leung Kar Yan gets to show off quite a bit. An unusally high amount of kicks from him. Chow Yun Fat also looks great even though he can only do a limited number of moves in each take. He still holds his own and looks outstanding. Fan Mei was awesome too. It seems like the fighting is meant to be more realistic but I could have used at least 1 good 1-on-1 extended fight sequence. There is 1 fight with Chow that is about 2 minutes long but that is not really what I was looking for. Still, good action. The choreography is done by the Yuen Clan with Yuen Shun Yi and Yuen Chung Yeung doing most of the work. 3.5/5
   
   The DVD from Fox/Fortune Star is very good. It is presented in a letterboxed widescreen format. Picture quality is acceptable and it has the original Cantonese language track! It also has a bad mix job on both the English and Cantoneses 5.1 tracks but it is always nice to have an English dub. No special features but I consider the original language track to be a big bonus. The way it was meant to be heard is what I always prefer.



4. Many of Hong Kong films have a backdrop of historical intrigue in the Qing Dynasty (circa 1644 to 1911). Golden Harvest's The Postman Fights Back takes place a few years after this period in 1913 just after the establishment of the Republic of China with Yuan Shikai and the Northern Warlords fighting Dr. Sun Yat-Sen. The historical aspects behind this is quite fascinating (though only mentioned a little in this film) because Sun was originally elected the first Provincial president after the Qing Dynasty and then helped get Yuan elected as First President of the China Republic, was most likely coerced into doing this and later would rebel against this (Sun would go to Japan shortly after the failed coup and Yuan would die a few years later in 1916.) Back to the story: bandit Zhao Long holds the northern mountain pass named Laoma that is of great use to Yuan militarily and sends envoy Hu (Eddy Ko Hung) to persuade Zhao to side with Yuan.
   
   Hu enlists the help of a courier named Ma (Leung Kar-Yan from Drunken Dragon) a stoic no-nonsense man whose own job is fraught with little money, unappreciative little sods who do not appreciate the melted chocolate he has brought them and the fact that he knows his living is in jeopardy as transportation like the railroads become more commonplace. Even then he was reluctant to help Hu until his troublemaker friend Yao Jie (Yuen Yat-Choh) decided (or was it another reason ...) to employee himself under Hu. Now there is a little confusion on why he eventually took this job. Ma was confronted earlier by his sister Guihwa (Cherie Chung Cho-Hung) who had told him that father sold her 15-year old sister to Shanghai and needed money to get her back. Unfortunately this plot angle did not go anywhere (several story lines are mentioned in the film without resolution or sometimes without even being alluded to again like this one and Ma's career demise).
   
   For 300 taels of gold per person, four cases of an unknown matter need to be delivered to Zhao Long before his birthday of December 20th. If anything gets compromised they are ordered to blow up the contents and to not look at them. Hu hired Fu Jun to join the group -- a cigarette smoking, scarf wearing gambler (reminds me a little of Tatsuya Nakadai in Yojimbo) who has baggage of his own -- played by a skinny Chow Yun-Fat in an early movie role. Joining Ma are friend Bu (played by great character actor Fan Mei-Sheng) a man who is an expert with explosives, Ma's sister Guihwa, and Southern rebel Li Fu whom they save later in the trip and possibly has eyes for Fu Jun (another dissipated angle). They all band together to deliver the goods or perish trying. Several of them would choose the latter.
   
   Several negative aspects hurt an otherwise interesting film. There are too many loose ends, disappearing characters and conflicting storylines with the narrative. This could have been because of the use of four writers including the director Ronny Yu for the script. There is also too much exposition that slows the middle of the story without any progressing of the story. Sometimes Leung Kar-Yan would be too wooden in his acting approach though sometimes his austere nature was appropriate. The only problem I had with the filming was with the night scenes because they are appear murky probably because they are filmed on location and at night.
   
   However, I think there are enough positives to make this an enjoyable movie. The cinematography is excellent and the use of the camera was ingenious in many scenes of a very cold Korean landscape (of course if you notice this then maybe the adventure was stagnant). Ronny Yu's (Fearless, The Bride With White Hair, Freddy vs. Jason) direction is quite good and consistently chooses interesting shooting techniques with hand-held cameras in many exterior shots. Eddy Ko Hung's is excellent as the villain. Ideas were impressive from the ice-skating bandits to Fu Jun's wrist bow to exploding rats. The fight scenes are interesting if a bit short with Chow fighting two bandits at once with one standing on a platform attached to the back of his partner and an excellent finale with the unmasked ninja fighting the protagonist Ma. The penultimate action sequence with Fan Mei-Sheng is probably the best scene in the film with a Ramboesque and Wild Bunch feeling to it. Ultimately though, the cohesion of all the elements is lacking and a tighter script and faster pacing could have made this a splendorous film. Though the movie may not be sublime at least you get to see an exploding ninja and Chow Yun Fat in a non-starring role attempt Kung Fu with his aggressive scarf-style. You may also learn that a compass can save your life against underground enemies.
   
   The DVD copy I have is the Fortune Star/Fox release. It has a good transfer and unlike the earlier releases from this label it does not have dubtitles. There are really no extras except trailers which is normal for the bare-bone releases of Fortune Star/Fox. Of an interesting note here is what Bey Logan of Dragon Dynasty has to say about this film and its Fox release: "I hope one day we can do Postman Strikes Back justice on a future DVD re-issue. ... The Fox US edition, though technically decent, didn't have much in the way of extras." Of course, extras would be nice though I do not see Dragon Dynasty doing a better job of a transfer.



5. Chow Yun Fat plays a minimal role; maybee because its one of his early movies; cheapie moive with some nice Run Run Shaw type fights which does not measure up to the newer ones. If you are looking for satisfcation, forget this one.

5 comments about Peace Hotel.

1. I bought this movie without seeing it before hand (which is how I see a lot of Hong Kong movies), and thought it just another Chow Yun-Fat vehicle, which was, to be honest with you, fine by me. I thought it would just plain be interesting to see CYF in a western. Well listen, in this movie, it's the acting that shines, not so much the gunplay. Sure, we lead junkies get our fix with a gunfight (and an even cooler sword fight), but the story here is deep. Much deeper than I expected. For one thing, subtlety is at play here, and that's a new thing for me while watching Hong Kong movies. I mean, I suppose it was there before, in other movies, and maybe I didn't pick up on it (d'oh! I think this sentence is turning into an oxymoron...), but here they don't slap you in the face with plot points, and they leave you to your own devices to try to figure out what a character is thinking and feeling. Some people may not care for that, but it always impresses me when a film doesn't insult it's audience's intelligence and perceptiveness.

   Peace Hotel is a visually impressive movie as well. The film appears to have been washed, giving everything a dusty brown tint to it, which lends itself to great atmosphere in a western. There are subtle little tricks that may or may not have been intended by the director, such as...well, I'm not going to ruin it for you. It's quite an interesting film, and anyone who wants to see Chow Yun-Fat's acting chops should give it a try.




2. THIS MOVIE IS DIFFERENT THAN ANY OF CHOW'S MOVIES, IT'S A PERIOD PIECE, AND ONCE YOU GET IN TO IT YOU WILL LIKE IT. IT HAS A FUNNY ROMANCE STORY THAT'S VERY UNUSUAL AND THE FEMALE LEAD WAS GREAT FOR CHOW'S CHARACTER! THE ENDING IS SOMETHING YOU REALLY CAN JUDGE FOR YOURSELF, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO INTEREPT IT!!



3. "Peace Hotel" is a great movie. Chow Yun-fat's acting in this movie is unquesitonably wonderful. I am a big Chow Yun-fat's fan, but I didn't like any of the movies that he made in the U.S. It was a shame that this was the last movie that he ever made in Hong Kong.



4. Directed by Wong Kar Wai who consistently makes good movies but slips up sometimes just like everyone else. I would only consider this average because of Chow Yun-Fat but in every area it is actually below average. The story starts out unclear but it all comes together by the end of the movie. Chow runs the Peace Hotel and has so ever since he had a very bad day which they will show shots of at the start. Cecilia Yip shows up saying she is Chow's mistress but she is really on the run from some bad men. There has always been an agreement that when someone flees to the Peace Hotel, the pursuers must give up their chase and turn back until that person leaves. When this woman shows up it looks like the bad guys with their fierce leader are going to storm into the hotel and take the girl regardless of the agreement that has been made. The movie is funny at times, has a couple of good action sequences, but ultimately falls short of being a good movie. Chow steals the show from everyone and I was expecting a much bigger impact from the end which fell way short of my expectations. Great music also and some AMAZING cinematography but an average movie needed at least a decent ending.
   
   The version from Mei Eh has ok picture quality and pretty good subtitles. This movie won a Hong Kong film award for the best original film song. Personally I didn't think it was that great but it has subtitles which you may know is a rare thing for songs in Chinese movies.



5. I thought this was a great movie. The story was an interesting idea, only matched by the great supporting case. Chow Yun Fat, as always, shines. My only criticism is that the ending falters a bit. I do not want to spoil it for everyone, but it almost seemed anti-climatic, and not in the best direction. But regardless I thought it was great and enjoyed it.

5 comments about A Better Tomorrow III.

1. Now, better tomorrow series made people all over asia bowing down to chow yun fat as he played as mark. a smooth, laid back gangsta cappin everyone...

   However, this one was the worst out of the series. unique storylines.....but actions were so weak, it's like chow yun fat's old movies has more actions and better storylines...

   but stil...u gota respect better tomorrow series...they are true classics




2. I OWN ALL OF THE BETTER TOMORROW SERIES, ANY CHOW YUN FAT FAN WOULD NOT OWN JUST ONE, THEY FIT TOGETHER, BUT BETTER TOMORROW III IS MY FAVORITE OF THE THREE. THERE IS A GREAT LOVE STORY, QUITE UNLIKE 1 AND 2(THOUGH THEY ARE REALLY GREAT MOVIES). ONE OF CHOW'S BEST PERFORMANCES. THE LAST SCENE OF THE MOVIE HAS ME IN TEARS NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I WATCH IT. A MUST HAVE!!



3. As a fairly big Chow Yun-Fat fan I'd have to say this is my least favorite. I think it's a lack of John Woo. The story never really caught my attention like the first two. Even thought there was more of a love sceen for Chow Yun-Fat, I don't think it showed enough of his passion as did this first one, or even the second one. if you have the first two, or even one you have to buy this movie, just to keep the collection together.



4. I purchased this film hoping for an action film along the lines of the first two entries in the series. What I got was an epic love story set during the waning days of Saigon. And I liked it! The emotions in this film are real and the response to the them are earned. As a fan of the John Woo films I hate to say it but the gunplay in this film interfered with the human interactions. As a Chow Yun Fat fan I was really impressed with the range he displays here. Instead of the brash cowboy he played in the first two films he shows, gasp, vulnerability. And what can you say about Anita Mui: beauty, brains, brawn, and charisma. A perfect capper to a terrific series of films.



5. As a big fan of the first two films in the series, I had been wanting to see Tsui Hark's A BETTER TOMORROW III for a while. I had mixed expectations for the film. I'd heard that it wasn't too good, that the series was nothing without John Woo. But I was also very intrigued by the storyline and the fact that the film was a prequel.
   
   The film is set at the end of the Vietnam War. Young Mark Gor (Chow Yun Fat, reprising his role from A BETTER TOMORROW) travels to Saigon to bring his cousin, Mun (Tony Leung), and his uncle back to Hong Kong. Once there, Mark finds Mun - and everyone else - caught up in the war, forced to involve themselves in shady underworld crime. As Mark is drawn into the criminal underworld, he meets Chow Ying Kit (Anita Mui), a beautiful gangleader who quickly grows close to Mark and Mun. Though both Mark and Mun are in love with Kit, Mun realizes that she loves Mark and lets him have her. Just when it seems their problems are solved, along comes Kit's old flame, criminal lord Ho Cheung Ching (Tokito Saburo).
   
   Everyone knows that Tsui Hark, though a talented director, is nowhere near as skilled as action master John Woo. Under the direction of John Woo, action sequences seem beautiful, almost like dancing; under the direction of Tsui Hark, they seem dull and hokey. Though Hark fails to make A BETTER TOMORROW III's action sequences interesting, he does a fine job with the dramatic/romantic scenes, of which there are many. Anita Mui and Chow Yun Fat are both talented actors, and they each perform very well. The script lags just a little at times, but for the most part, it's very well-written. The best parts of the film were the "origin" scenes, explaining how Mark Gor became the super-cool killer he was in A BETTER TOMORROW - Mark getting his sunglasses, Mark getting his trenchcoat, Mark becoming hardened from all the violence. I would've liked to see more of those.
   
   As a sequel, A BETTER TOMORROW III is rather weak, but it's not such a bad film. It's a poor action film, but an intriguing romance-drama. Fans of the first two films should give it a shot.

No comments about The Killer.

5 comments about Treasure Hunt (Special Edition).

1. From the perspective of someone who has a much higher appreciation of CYF's action film history than CYF's romantic-comedy/drama history, this film is a winner. People are right when they accuse it of "genre hopping." One minute a bloody gunfight will lead into some corny cop jokes. Then some supernatural acts will lead into a love story which is then followed by quirky Asian comedy. Some might chafe at the thought of such a stew, but it does work.

   So, if you already have A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard Boiled, City On Fire, Full Contact, City War, etc. and are looking to branch out into CYF's less-action more-light fare, this would be a great first stop. Also, check out CYF in Once A Thief, another film light on the bloodshed, but still interesting enough to own.




2. This movie isn't a perfect blend of action, comedy, drama and romance, but it still works despite it's slightly too uneven mix. (Thus, I actually give this four and a half stars, but the rating bar doesn't allow halves.)
   Chow Yun Fat is a gorgeously charismatic scene stealer whether being a killer, comedian or gushing romantic.



3. The versatile Chow Yun Fat once again shows that he's capable of delivering action, comedy and romance in one character. I was pleasantly suprpised at the extent to which this movie is entertaining. It is now a part of my collection.



4. The story is about a man which this new task is go to Shaolin to protect "Treasure" , he is also not known that what is the treasure that he need to protect.But after manythings happened he finally found that the thing that he really need to go to protect is his love , a girl whom has natural power,she is so kind and nice(led by Wu Chien Lien)since he had found for his real love in all of his life,that he didn't known before that his love is really in China in Shoulin,Wu Chien Lien's performance in this movie is so pure and natural,she can made the audience to believe in her, nice and kind could make the man can left the life that he were in US.to live with her in China,the romantic through this movie is so nice and really made me feel deeply romance in my heart.



5. The movie starts out pretty weird. There are a lot of things that are thrown at you pretty quickly. But, if you have ever seen a Jeffrey Lau movie before this mon't come as a surprise. Chow Yun-Fat is on a mission for the CIA and is told to stay at a Shaolin Temple. Being a huge kung fu fan I was more than happy to see Gordon Liu as one of the senior monks. So Chow doesn't really fit in but meets a girl who just happens to show up to Shaolin. Chien-lien Wu and Chow have amazing chemistry in this movie and with literally NO action other than a pole fight and a couple of quick shootouts, they had to fill a lot of screen time and they did very well.
   
   So Chow and the girl fall in love and we learn that the girl has supernatural powers.
   
   Phillip Kwok('5 Deadly Venoms', 'Hard-boiled' is the action choreographer and really doesn't get to do much in that department but does have a great role as a taxi driver you will love to hate. He is such a smartass that you can't help but like him. Out of nowhere he shows up at Shaolin and Gordon Liu says that the head abbot said for him not to come back. WHAT!?!?!?!!? Like I said, Jeffrey Lau directs this movie and it is all the better for it. Phillip Kwok doesn't appreciate Gordon talking down to him and challenges him to a fight. So this of course was the highlight of the movie for me but the relationshipo between Chien-lien Wu and Chow was almost as good. I would of liked more action and the finale wasn't spectacular what so ever but the movie still had a very good ending.
   
   The Mei Eh version of this movie is pretty good picture quality and the subttiles are pretty good.