5 comments about Wild Search.

1. Another one of the formulaic action/romance films made by CYF from 1989. This was the same year as "God of Gamblers" and "The Killer" were released, both A pictures. This is definitely one of the B pictures, only worth watching for the more completist CYF fans.

   CYF plays "Mew Mew", a widowed cop. While investigating the murder of a female arms dealer he meets Cher (played by his frequent castmate Cherie Chung), a country divorcee and sister of the dead arms dealer.

   It is love at first sight for Mew Mew, even though he feels twinges of guilt before the memories of his dead wife and son. Cher and Mew Mew are thrown together while Mew Mew investigates Cher's sister's death, mainly by the existence of Ka Ka, the orphaned girl and niece of Cher.

   There are some touching scenes between Mew Mew and Ka Ka; while it is never touched upon in the script, it seems as if Mew Mew enjoys taking care of the child as he might have done his own dead boy.

   Unlike the other rough cops CYF has played in these B pictures, Mew Mew seems fastidious and neat, knows how to cook and treats his girl at least as well as his best friend. While in this film there are really no romantic moments between Mew Mew and Cher after that first fateful glance, there are some sweet scenes between them, but unfortunately they are brief at the expense of some of the action sequences - action which really isn't good enough to warrant pulling away from the story, such as it is.

   A slight story doesn't give CYF or Cherie Chung, both consummate professionals, much to work with but they do their best. Miss Chung is always at her most interesting when portraying less sophisticated, more down-to-earth women and one really wishes she had had more to work with in this role; the scenes of her cutting bamboo and mixing traditional Chinese medicines for the new love in her life are solid and seem very natural. This pair of two of Hong Kong's finest actors are given wooden characters and while they manage to paint them in realistic colors, Mew Mew and Cher never really come to life except for some very brief moments.

   The subtitling is very bad on this film (the Mei-Ah DVD); it looks as if the translation was done by machine, and not by a very sophisticated piece of software at that. For those who have seen a lot of these HK flicks subtitled in English you will be able to take the Canto-English and translate it on the fly; those who are unused to doing such may find the subtitling confusing at times and downright frustrating at others. At least most of the words are spelled correctly, even if misused, so I would give the subtitles a rating of 2 of 10 just for that (and that's being generous).

   The direction, even though by Ringo Lam, is unexciting and unoriginal. It may be that he, apparently like CYF and Miss Chung, was simply uninspired by the whole idea of this film.

   CYF looks good as usual, but a bit tired. 1989 saw the release of "A Better Tomorrow 3", "God of Gamblers", "The Killer", "Triads - The Inside Story" and this film. Two classic pictures, one very good one and two not-so-good ones in one short year is a remarkable achievement. Rent this one if you just want to see CYF and Cherie Chung together again, but only buy it if you are a CYFanatic looking to complete your collection.




2. This movie shows the soft and caring of CYF. It is a must have if you are a CYF fan. This movie is one of my favorite CYF films....it truly is a good movie.



3. This is one of the good movie acted by Chow Yun Fat. The story is very warm and caring. The acting for all the actors/actresses are pretty good. It is worth it to see. I don't need to read the subtitle, so I don't rate this movie based on the quality of the subtitle. But, as a Chinese, I am willing to give it a 5 stars.



4. Chow Yun Fat plays Hong Kong Police Sergeant Lau Chun Pong, nicknamed "Mew Mew". Mew Mew is a man on the ragged edge. He is, we learn a widower whose wife and child were killed by a robber, he is a man in a downward spiral. He seems numb to life that swirls around him--when he is first introduced, he's sitting in a car, chain smoking cigarettes and drinking from his flask, watching the drama of street life before him as he awaits the arrival of an informant. His expression is disinterested and weary--he pursues the arms dealers who are his prey with a curious detachment. He is going through the motions of being a policeman, yet one senses, that it is only his work that is keeping him going at all. He still commands the loyalty, respect and affection of his colleagues, including his supervisor. He's a good cop and a good man who has lost his way due to overwhelming grief.

   Cherie Chung plays the sister of the murdered arms dealer--whose death sets the plot in motion. Chung's Cher Lee is a woman of quiet strength and dignity. Life has not been kind to her. Her husband betrayed her, leading a secret second life with a woman from the Chinese interior, fathering a son. During their marriage he berated her for being clumsy and stupid. Rather than continuing to suffer the humiliation, Cher has divorced him and lives quietly with her father, working along side him in the village fields, harvesting bamboo.

   Her sister's death brings Mew Mew--pursuing the arms case--into her life in a dramatic fashion. Their relationship is at first contentious as he suspects her and her father of complicity in the dead sister's arms dealing. The relationship begins to transform as Mew Mew aids Cher in tracking down the father of her sister's illegitimate 4 year old daughter--who turns out to be the kingpin of the arms smuggling operation that the police are investigating.

   Their bond is forged as the arms case heats up--thrown into each others company, facing adversity and danger, these two wounded souls begin to blossom. A tentative, tender relationship grows and is tested time and again through Mew Mew's suspension from the force (a result of threatening the powerful, rich arms kingpin); a domestic drama within Cher's family concerning her young niece and her father: the complication of Cher's ex-husband reentering the picture determined to
   win his wife back; and an assassination attempt on Mew Mew's life by one of the kingpin's henchman--the murderer of Cher's sister.

   To be sure, these are restrained performances, yet one only has to watch Cherie Chung as Cher as she sits at the bedside of the wounded Mew Mew, not knowing if he will live or die, her worry, longing and love playing over her features, to appreciate her work in this film. Chow's Mew Mew may lack the flash and dazzle of some of his bullet ballet roles, but the transformation from grief stricken widower to a man being brought back to life by love is fascinating to watch. His scenes with the young actress playing the daughter of the murdered woman are especially touching and heartwarming.

   Action fans and bullet ballet junkies will be disappointed by this film. But those of us who enjoy character driven drama will find much to enjoy in Wild Search.




5. generally an above average movie, except for the most touching scene in the movie where the grandfather punishes the little girl by hidding her behind bundles of dried twigs(tree branches used for firewood) and locking her in the barn all for just crying. watch it and you will realise the subtleties of human emotions.

No comments about Kingdom of Heaven/Anna and the King.

5 comments about Full Contact.

1. After Tsui Hark and John Woo, Ringo Lam is probably one of the greatest HK directors. Some innovative POV shots make this a must see. Plot is predictable but it has some great lines.
   
   If you like HK action, this is worth owning.



2. I gave it two stars because while I didn't hate it, it was dull and predictable. I see beter plots on TV's Starsky and Hutch. It probably wouldn't have been so bad if I didn't have to use subtitles; I found myself more interested in looking at the text than watching the movie. I know, that's only my opinion, but I watch a lot of DVD's and I think I know what I like and don't like.



3. This loose adaptation of "Point Blank" will not let you forget the original Lee Marvin version. The film eschews characterization for gratuitous pyrotechnics and bloodshed. The heavies here are so cartoonish that they're never truly menacing. On the plus side, Chow Yun Fat as Jeff, the bouncer quick with fist, switchblade, or firearm is as magnetic as ever. Director Ringo Lam keeps you engaged with his superb feel for action even if the proceedings are somewhat ridiculous. This film does not rate with Chow Yun Fat's collaborations with John Woo but if you want no think entertainment this film fills the bill.



4. Before the review to this edition, my reverence for this Powerful action classic of all times. First, don't let our man Chow Yun Fat's presence misleads you: This a Ringo Liam movie, very different from the talented genious melodrama-action director John Woo.
   
   This Ringo Liam tale of betrayal and revenge is far more based on graphic raw violence than the honor and brotherhood bullet-ballet aesthetics of John Woo. Skiping most of the melodrama, this movie is a modern western and a trademark hong kong style masterpiece. Outrageous and over-the-top, the characters have so much charisma, they are almost three-dimentional: Jeff (chow yun fat) is a stereotype in his hard-case role of a stone-cold honorable killer, the butterfly-knife fight sequence is a statement in heroism. Sam (anthony Wong) is coward and insecure as he can be. His cousin, the Judge (Simon yam in one of his best performances ever) is a flamboyant, vicious, and sleazy gang leader, a bulls-eye expert shooter, and a character hard to forget. The rest of the Judge's band, the mindless big thug and the hard-laughing prostitute, are just dysfunctional as human beings and dangerous as poison.
   
   The directing style of Ringo Liam is more direct than his famous counterpart J.W., and he introduced new fresh concepts like the bullet's eye-view (from out of the pistol, flying throught the flesh) and the mentioned 3-d characters. Loan sharks, vengeful gansters, heavy weapons truck hijacks, explosive cars... Here, we can find more, much more than that. Like John Woo's "Hard Boiled", this is the closest concept to a missile attack over urban grounds. But despite that fact, there's no unnecesary bloodsheds in here, the masterful direction creates balance to the story and rhythm between the ballistic showdowns.
   
   Ok, the Tai Seng DVD edition: What's new about it? First the DTS cantonese soundtrack, uneven and unbalanced sometimes but very apreciated. It sounds terrific in the explosions and the action in general, but of course the character's voices stay in a lower level. The english dubbed soundtrack is good, and so the cantonese and mandarin mono, and the usual "comments" by Hong Kong films expert Rick Meyers. 5 tracks to choose and enjoy, english and cantonese subtitles and 8 trailes as the only extras. Too bad, this movie earned his extras, and how.
   
   Worth the price? Absolutely YES! Recommended DVD edition to enjoy this action masterpiece, but unfortunately nothing more. Your choice.



5. Chow Yun Fat is pretty well known for the action movies he has starred in, but this is one of the few that features openhand combat. Chow uses a butterfly knife, and action director Lau Kar Wing makes him look like an expert. As if he isn't already cool enough, he's rides a motorcycle and wears biker clothes, and he has a haircut that looks like Will Smith when he was on Fresh Prince. I think this is the first Chow Yun fat movie I have seen that is directed by Ringo Lam. It's darker than most Chow movies and the story actually holds together all the way through, unlike most John Woo movies.
   
   The story is about Chow and his friend played by Anthony Wong teaming up with Wong's cousin (Simon Yam) to do a robbery. The robbery goes fine, but Wong's cousin has plans to kill Chow. Simon Yam is great as the psycho homosexual killer. I don't want to give anything away, so that's all I will say about the story.
   
   If you're a fan of violence you will really lke this. It's one of those movies where a guy will ask an old friend "hey, I thought we were friends", and instead of getting an answer he gets shot in the chest. There's a lot of cool stuff like that. People get shot in the head, the neck, all over. It's just a lot of bloody fun. If there were a few more action scenes, this movie would no doubt get the full 5 star rating. The character development is good, and the acting from everyone is outstanding, especially the 3 lead actors.
   
   I didn't know where to fit this into my review, but I must mention the shootout scene in the bar between Chow and Yam. It has the coolest bullet visuals I have ever seen.
   
   4/5
   
   The Sony DVD has very good picture quality, and the Chinese language track sounds good. There's also an English dub if your ears can stand it.

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.

2 comments about Code of Honor.

1. This is a good movie. A kind of "Godfather". But you will only see Chow Yun Fat briefly. Despite of this, Code of Honor is a nice movie, a good story about loyalty and comradness, in the same line of John Woo`s movies.



2. David Lam Wai (the co-star of Project A2), Ko Chun Hung, and Dick Wei are the lead actors, and it is a rare oppurtunity for Lam Wai and Dick Wei. Lam Wai usually just gets bit parts and Dick Wei almost always plays the bad guy, and similiar to Billy Chow, he rarely speaks in any of his movies. I am a huge fan of both of these guys so I was overjoyed to see them as 2 of the lead actors. And Ko Chun Hung is the best actor in the movie. He gives a great performance. Chow Yun Fat, Danny Lee, and Dennis Chan appear briefly, so that is just a bonus. Just to give you a little info on the director, Billy Chan directed All Men are Brothers: Blood of the Leopard (starring Elvis Tsui and Tony Leung Ka Fai) and Crazy Safari (a Lam Ching Ying Mr. Vampire type movie). He is best known for working with Sammo Hung as an action director on movies like Knockabout and Warriors Two, and also many other Sammo movies. This movie is completely different from all of those. It is probably Billy Chan's masterpiece as a director. The only reason I say probably is because I have not had a chance to see all of the movies he directed.
   
   First of all, I need to point out that this movie is pretty dark. People rarely smile, there is some sexual abuse against a woman, and the violence is very graphic. A guy gets stabbed in the back with blood running out everywhere, a kneecap is broken, good stuff like that. There are a couple of fight scenes, and they are brutal as can be. They are choreographed very well, but the best part about the fights is how brutal they are. I don't know if these guys are wearing padding or not, but it doesn't look like they are. There is some real contact, and you will probably be wondering like I was how they achieved this. The best way to describe this movie is that it feels like real life. Nothing feels fake. Even though I watched this with the English dub, the movie still felt extremely real to me. This was made in 1987 and in my opinion it is one of the best of its era. ALL of the actors are good and Dick Wei is the worst actor in the movie, and even he gives a good performance. If this movie sounds interesting to you, then you don't even need to read the rest of this review. Just go and get it. It is a cheap DVD.
   
   The movie begins with a man named Hank (David Lam Wai) saving Uncle Ho's life. Uncle Ho (Ko Chun Hung) is a crime boss who controls 3 of the 5 major Triad gangs in Kaloon, and the other 2 gangs don't do anything without letting Uncle Ho know. Hank is a Vietnamese who was living in a refugee camp when he saved Ho's life. Hank and Ho become good friends and to show his appreciation Ho gives Hank a business to run. While all of this is going on, there is a cop (Dick Wei) who has been after Uncle Ho for 10 years because Ho killed his father. Uncle Ho has changed and he is not the ruthless man he used to be, but he is still loyal to the gangs he controls. But he shouldn't have remained loyal. Dick Wei manages to convince the leader of one of the gangs to rat out Uncle Ho and he may go to jail. So as you can imagine, his friend Hank is not too happy about this. This is like somebody ratting out The Godfather (Marlon Brando). So what happens next? Watch and find out. And I only described the first 40 minutes, so don't worry, I didn't give away too much.
   
   WARNING- spoiler alert. Recently I have been trying my best to break down all the fight scenes in movies. I try not to spoil anything, but only read below if you really want to know what the action is like. And at the very bottom of my reviews I always like to talk about the DVD quality, so you should at least read about that.
   
   
   There is not much action, but when it happens it is very good and very brutal. The first fight is not really a fight. Shing Fui On plays the leader of one of the 5 gangs. He finds out that there is an undercover cop working in his gang. After jamming a fork through the undercover's cheeks and cutting his fingers off, Dick Wei shows up. Turns out the undercover is Dick Wei's brother, and Wei is not too happy. He gives Shing Fui On a major beatdown and there may have been a couple of bones and a nose broken because this fight looks completely real.
   
   The next fight is only about 30 seconds long, but man is it amazing. Dick Wei fights a Japanese guy and they go at it hard. It looks like a real fight. They are both throwing a bunch of wild punches extremely fast. Also some good legwork is mixed in.
   
   Next fight has the Japanese guy against Lam Wai. Its about 2 minutes long and just as good as the other fights. Amazing stuff!!!
   
   The last major action scene is a foot chase. I don't really want to describe it because that would probably be giving away too much, but I will tell you that it is a long and thrilling chase and there are some really cool lifelike stunts. One of the best chase scenes ever filmed.
   
   
   Rating- 4.5/5
   
   The picture quality on the Tai Seng DVD is decent. It is one of the Ocean Shore prints so it is full screen, but it doesn't really affect the movie. There is an English, Mandarin, and Cantonese dub included, so that is nice. And there is a special feature on this DVD, a great commentary from Bobby Samuels, Frank Jane and Ric Meyers. Ric Meyers is one of the worst commentators around and he basically just reads stuff out of a book or off of the internet during the commentary. But the commentary is still worth listening to because Frank Jane and Bobby Samuels give tons of good information. And at least Ric Meyers is funny at times. Meyers- "What is this, Hung Gar?" Bobby Samuels (a Hung Gar man himself)- "Actually this is just a fight".

5 comments about Rich and Famous.

1. This is one of the worst Chow yun-fat movies ever.



2. I want to know the Rich and Famous it is including the mandarin languages.



3. I want to know the Rich and Famous it is including the mandarin languages. Is audio track has Chinese(Mandarin).



4. This is a particularly dire early Chow Yun Fat Hong Kong gangster movie that occasionally flirts with competence without ever going all the way. It's the usual good brother/bad brother plot, but it's rarely been done as shoddily as this. Danny Lee has little to do, Andy Lau isn't on top form here and only an underused Chow Yun Fat gets by on charisma alone. The film looks like it's been shot in a hurry (the first fight in the betting shop looks as convincing as a schoolgirl pillow fight) by people who'd rather be somewhere else.
   
   No surprises, badly staged and pretty amateurish all round except for a last reel wedding shootout, its hard to believe this was a big enough local hit for a sequel, Tragic Hero. Even more surprising is that Tragic Hero is actually GOOD, focusing on Chow Yun Fat's fall from power as he is abandoned and betrayed - that one has style, flair and a bit of weight to it, as well as much better action scenes. But Rich and Famous is just a waste of your time.



5. I've seen the other reviews for this movie here and was quite surprised. I bought this and Tragic Hero together because I simply love Chow Yun-Fat. The movie is obviously not up to the standards of the early John Woo's but non-the-less, it is a quality film! Yun-Fat delivered well, the story was proficient, and the pacing was good. All in all, I love this film - it has charm even if not a budget. The over the top emotions and fight scenes are truly the beauty of it, though it's obviously not enough for most people to love it. Strangely enough, people will watch bad American 80's movies for less reason than that (I confess, I am among them). Who can resist the simpering B movie quality wrenching hearty emotions that ooze from the screen? If you're into Chinese low-budget high-emotion gangster flicks, as all irrational beings out be, then this movie is a must see!

5 comments about Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

1. Crouching Tiger is not really a Kung Fu movie. The fight sequences are stylized and interjected with gravity-defying feats, flying, fantastical jumping, and flips. The fight scenes become almost a 3D ballet. I liked it, but don't come into this movie expecting Bruce Lee action sequences. The fight scenes are more of a dance. The fights are mainly sword fights, although there are a few hand-to-hand battles as well. The acting is superb. The story line is more of a fairy tale than straight fiction, but the movie works superbly well. Michelle Yeoh's physical acting are displayed as well as her emotional range. Chow is great as the swordsman and Zhang Ziyi is very good as well.
   
   The movie tells the story of several stories of love, of revenge, of loyalties, and of duty. It concerns duty to one's family, to society and to one's self. A fairy tale is used to tie the plot lines together. The movie has a great medieval setting. The scenery switches from deserts, to Peking, to bamboo forests, and to mountains. In every case, the views are breathtaking. The bamboo forest fight is very strange, but it works.
   
   My wife didn't like the movie because if its fantastical elements, but it is one of the best movies I have seen for a long time. I don't know much about the superbit technology, but my DVD looks great and the sound is good too.



2. How do you sum up Crouching?
   Brilliant, touching, amazing!!!
   Incredible acrobatics, incredible scenery, an awesome script and great actors and martial artists.
   What's not to like about this movie?
   Not my favorite, I liked Hero and Curse of the Golden Flower better but for different reasons.
   Still, a must see if your new to the recent wave of martial arts flicks.
   A word of advice, watch it with the subtitles on and not the English voiceovers as they are terribly done.



3. This movie was good until the ending which made no sense and sucked. Also all the people just "flying" around seemed kinda silly... And I like kung fun movies, but this one was a little over the top unbelievable...



4. I was expecting so much out of this movie because of all the hype following it. I am an avid reader and do not normally mind subtitled movies (ie.. Pan's Labyrinth and Kung-Fu Hustle.. BTW, Kung-Fu Hustle is LOTS OF FUN!) but there were PARAGRAPH AFTER PARAGRAPH, NOT SENTENCES, OF DIALOG.. FAR TOO MANY SUBTITLES GOING ON AND ON FOREVER, AND GOING BY QUICKLY, that I could not figure out who was who or what was what in this movie. I lost the plot in the first half hour. I was so busy trying to read that my contacts kept drying out and I could not enjoy anything else going on in the film. If you're a martial arts purist, maybe you would enjoy it more than myself. Also, maybe I could have enjoyed it more dubbed in English.



5. Now, I know a lot of people don't love this movie. But hear me out before you disagree.
   I acknowledge that this film was made with a western audience in mind. That means that as a typical wuxia film it is watered-down by comparison. It was also apparent that they tried to do a lot with the script, probably too much, so as to please the arthouse crowd.
   
   Because of those things I can't review it as a traditional HK film. Also, this movie was the final part in a three-part process that was absolutely critical to American cinema.
   
   Part 1: The introduction of Jet, Jackie, Michelle, John, Chow, Tsui and Ringo to American audiences. It got them used to seeing the kung fu, the wires, and stylistic, kinetic bullet ballet.
   
   Part 2: "The Matrix". "The Matrix" took HK choreography, wires and all, and made it mainstream acceptable. Sure, a lot of our directors tried it and failed, but at least the audience was ready for it (and even now anticipating it).
   
   Part 3: "Crouching Tiger". A full Asian film, starring Asian actors, loaded with HK choreography and stylish wirework. A film that 5 years prior would have been an arthouse flick, at best, was now a mainstream, widely accepted, critically acclaimed, award winning film. This film finally made it acceptable to import more and more of HK to our shores.
   
   Look at what has happened since this film came out. Look how many more Asian action films find their way to our theaters...and not just the little theaters. We've been given Dragon Dynasty so we can get great picture quality, no editing to our movies, subtitles that actually mean something, and extras that have translation to them. Asian re-makes are all the rage in the US. And on and on. . .
   
   As an up and coming filmmaker who grew up watching all the great classic asian action films, it is now acceptable for me to incorporate a true HK style into my work. When I tell the studio I want to hang 2 of my actors from wires and have them fly around fighting one another, there's no fights or strange looks. Hellboy 2 was loaded with wire work. And we owe it all to CTHD.
   
   Besides that I do enjoy the film immensely. I got a little choked-up during the first fight between Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi when people in the theater were cheering, watching something I'd known existed for decades. Better late than never.
   
   Wo Ping is a true artist, and CTHD gave him the talent and the leeway to create- talent and leeway that the Matrix was lacking. The visuals are spectacular. The performances are incredible. I always liken Chow to Morgan Freeman. No matter what role they play, they always bring a certain degree of respect and sophistication, with just a hint of the regal, to it.
   
   It is a fantastic movie. And more than that, it is an important movie. No, it is not pure HK. It is watered-down and it does have its flaws. But I love it and I will always be grateful to it for the doors it opened.

4 comments about Tiger on Beat.

1. Outside of Kowloon, Chow Yun Fat is seen as an action star, and who could be blamed for thinking so. Given the popularity of "The Killer" and the "Better Tomorrow" series, it seems that you couldn't watch Fat unless he was racking up a body count. So, you can imagine how much of a departure "Tiger On The Beat" may seem for him.

   In all actuality, Chow is an actor with a broad range, with most of his recent Hong Kong films more drama-based than anything else. Still, he doesn't let you down with this one.

   Paired with a straight-laced cop (Conan Lee) Chow is the Jim Belushi to Lee's Schwarznegger. Tracking a drug ring in Hong Kong, the action comes at the right moments and the comedy is enough to tide you over until the high-speed ending.

   When compared to his more well known work, this doesn't rank as high a body count, but with the comedic edge, this is worth adding to any hard-boiled Woo fan's collection. Oh, and is there anything cooler then when CYF brings out the machette?




2. Chow Yun Fat plays an experienced & some what arrogant cop to Conan Lee's rookie cop. The movie does have some Lethal Weapon themes, but I don't remember Danny Glover getting scared enough to wet his pants. If you are a Hong Kong cinema fan you won't be disappointed.

   If Conan Lee looks familar to you Jet Li fans, its because he played Mr. Li's brother in LW 4.




3. This movie is a cool buddy cop action comedy with the best (and only?) chainsaw fight ever! I got this movie just to see that fight, because up until I bought it, I had only heard about it. The story is ok and the dubbing isn't the worst, but the action is what I think typical chinese gunplay.......which is awesome! I could watch this movie over and over again. It just has a happier feel to it. The only time is seems to get gloomy is during action scenes which I don't think are at all a disappointment. This is one you shouldn't pass up if you like Chow Yun Fat, chines gunplay, or just plain old action movies with a chainsaw fight! I loved it!



4. 
   
   Tiger on the Beat is a straight-up weird movie. It really has a cartoon feel to it with Chow Yun-Fat's clothes and especially the Mini Cooper he drives. The title song from the great James Wong is classic too. Conan Lee(Ninja In the Dragon's Den) becomes Chow's partner after a cartoony first meeting between the two which involves Chow peeing his pants. Jet Li's real life wife Nina Li plays drug smuggling Phillip Ko's sister and when Phillip Ko is killed she is in Chow's hands. This is the only part of the movie I really didn't like. After Chow beats the crap out of her to get information on the drug smuggling, 2 scenes later she is making him dinner hoping that he becomes her lover. Now supposedly this was well received in Hong Kong because Nina was known as being stuck up but it certainly won't work for most normal people.
   
   Now the movie doesn't have a ton of fights except a few here and there but the end is spectacular and there are some really good car stunts. Ti Lung also has a brief fight cameo which was AWESOME!!!!
   
   The version I have from Zoke Movies has perfect picture quality and great subtitles. I don't know if it is a bootleg but it is the same as the Hong Kong Legends version with interviews with the producer(in English) and Gordon Liu(in Chinese with no subs)and commentary from Bey Logan.

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.

1 comments about Curse of the Golden Flower [UMD for PSP].

1. All I can really say is wow. The battle sequences are fantastic and Gong Li and Jay Chou are really great actors. I really loved Gong Li's Character. She knew she was being poisoned, but she kept taking the medicine. It's quite a bloody film, but I enjoyed every moment of it.