Chinatown Video releases for June 2000
Weasel Alert: I occasionally do a bit
of work for Chinatown Video.
CHEAP KILLERS (1998) Rated R. 93 mins.
Rental. Madman Entertainment release.
I might pass out from sheer delirium if I wind myself up again about how wacked-out
this film is. Just thinking about the way Kathy Chow smokes that cigar
makes me go all light-headed. So, choof off and read my review
instead, will ya? Get some friends, get a six-pack, and get into this sleazy and gory
crime flick.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA AND AMERICA (1997) Rated M. 135 mins. Rental.
Allow me to quote from Phil Anderson's Top Ten Hong
Kong films: Wong Fei-Hong and his chums visit the rellos in the Old
West (it was the New West then, but ... you know what I'm saying, right?) More
tendon-stretching, balletic martial arts action, awkward heart-felt romance (Fei-Hong and
Aunt Yee just never get a break, do they?) and questionable acting from the Anglo members
of the cast. For those reading the punctuation-challenged subtitles, the best line in the
freakish, parallel universe version of the film is: "I've been to Missisippi Hell,
I'd go there again!" There's your money's worth right there...
This sixth and final film in the series reunites Jet Li and
producer Tsui Hark for one last fling at Wong Fei Hung - and this time,
they're in it for the laffs. Maybe that's director Sammo Hung's doing,
but the result is a dippy and delightful Chinese Western. Ex-Melbourne martial artist Joe
Sayah is the wolf-killin' buddy-betrayin' high-kickin' villain. Rent this one
without fail.
Also out this month on sell-through:
A Man Called Hero (Ekin Cheng & Hsu
Chi. Dir. Andrew Lau). Rated M.
112 mins. $29.95
Bullet in the Head (Tony Leung
& Simon Yam. Dir. John Woo). Rated R. 126 mins. $29.95.
