Eastern Condors (1987)

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Posted on March 11, 2007 by Justin

Eastern Condors is a hell of a lot of fun, and an interesting film to boot. It’s a modern war film (set in post-war Vietnam) which is a quite a rarity in Hong Kong cinema. It’s also got a very strong cast of late-80’s action stars, including Sammo Hung (who also directs), Yuen Biao, Yuen Wah, Corey Yuen, Yuen Woo-ping (in an acting role), Lam Ching-Ying, Chin Kar Lok… the list goes on and on.

The story starts in America, … (read more)

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Enter the Dragon (1973)

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Posted on March 11, 2007 by Jonathan

I love Enter the Dragon. I love everything about it. Critical distance? I think not. This is a film I feel particularly strongly about, and one I refuse to discuss in a removed manner. I love Bruce Lee. I love Bruce Lee’s performance. No matter what anyone says, Lee is not just a fighter – he’s also a fine actor and a snappy dresser. I love Lalo Schiffrin’s score – it really is too cool for words. I love … (read more)

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The Eye 2 (2004)

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Posted on March 11, 2007 by Alison

Another entrant in the done-to-death ‘I see ghosts’ sub-genre of Asian horror, and it faces some tough obstacles. We’ve already been bombarded by so many films of this kind that, by now, the appearance of a pallid presence evokes nothing more than a yawn. Oh, yeah, another dead person. Where’s the fun in that?

And there have been some fine films in this genre, such as the original The Eye, the tense Thai film Shutter, and the lavishly … (read more)

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The Eye (2002)

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Posted on March 11, 2007 by Ching Yee

Two words. Angelica Lee. She carried this film. I hear Hsu Chi is in the sequel but the only thing you can be sure of is her hair will look great in it. Anyways I’m digressing. So what is the film like? Well, very creepy indeed — in the goosebumps-raising, arm-chair gripping, eyes-rivetted and teeth-grinding way. And the ocassional jump [if you’re a wuss like me]. In short, it’s good.

Mun [Angelica Lee] has been blind since young and after … (read more)

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Elfen Lied (2004)

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Posted on March 11, 2007 by Alison

This series is a disturbing mix of the salacious and the sick-making, with a side order of slapstick. The first 10 minutes or so consist of a bloodbath conducted by a fragile-seeming, pink-haired naked girl, strolling through the corridors of the facility in which she’s held. The soft curves and the long pink hair create a serious dissonance with her inhuman aspect: she kills without touching, and her face is hidden within a bulky metal helmet. She’s really an anime … (read more)

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Farewell My Concubine (1993)

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Posted on March 11, 2007 by Alison

Farewell, My Concubine is not an easy film to watch. It deals with social and political upheaval in China from the Japanese invasion through to the Cultural Revolution, by following the three main characters through those difficult times. But it is still a very moving, and very beautiful, film, with some superb performances.

The story follows two boys training in a Beijing Opera school, who grow up to be major stars. Shitou, the older of the two, is a strong … (read more)

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Everlasting Regret (2005)

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Posted on March 11, 2007 by Ben Jennings

If the idea of one of those ponderous European romantic dramas – only Asian! – appeals to you, then look no further than Stanley Kwan’s disappointing latest effort. A woman leads her life (which is, naturally, only ever defined in terms of her relationships with men) set against the background of this event and that event; and if it sounds like I am failing to pay proper respect to the impact of World War 2 and the Cultural Revolution on … (read more)

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The Emperor and the Assassin (1999)

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Posted on March 11, 2007 by Alison

It’s by Chen Kaige, who made Farewell, My Concubine, so you know it will be huge and detailed. It stars Gong Li and Zhang Feng Yi, both mainland megastars, so you know it’s big budget. And it garnered lots of attention internationally, so you know it translates well. But for my money, it’s a bit too big, and a bit too overblown, although given that it’s one of the biggest stories in Chinese history that’s understandable. Just don’t watch … (read more)

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