House Of Fury (2005)

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Posted on August 28, 2005 by Alison

Well, it’s not Doctor Zhivago. But then, who thought that it would be? Director “Dimples” Fung shows once again that he’s got a fair grip on the mechanics of film-making, and can direct a popular film.

Okay, the star roster doesn’t hurt: there’s Dimples and Daniel Wu for those that like looking at pretty young men, there’s both Twins for those that like them, and there’s Anthony Wong and Wu Ma for those who enjoy watching good acting. And … (read more)

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Unleashed (2005)

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Posted on August 25, 2005 by Justin

David and Margaret of The Movie Show didn’t really like Unleashed, giving it a good panning, although admitting that they liked the action sequences and some of the performances. This raised my hackles a little — I liked this film, though I can see why some would feel that it’s a little cliched and lacking in dramatic depth. Nonetheless, I really think it’s the best thing that Jet Li’s done in the Western cinema world and very like several … (read more)

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AV (2005)

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Posted on August 25, 2005 by Eugene

Ah hah! Porn. Ain’t it just wacky. No matter how much we try to deny it exists or think we’re above it, there it is – in our face.

Of course, this is the internet and it takes a serious problem of denial to not believe the vast majority of hard drives contain some pornographic material.

Not being one of those (in denial – not with a clean hard drive) I still approached AV with a bit of trepidation. After … (read more)

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About Love (2005)

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Posted on August 4, 2005 by Eugene

There is always a sense of fondness when looking at the short film. Part of that has to do with being exposed too often to ideas and stories forcibly drawn out to meet certain time expectations, so that when one comes across a short film that gets to its point and does it well, it’s always refreshing. Besides which, that sense of a bite of culture without the commitment of a full feature appeals to my capricious, contrary nature.

This … (read more)

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Legend of Speed (1999)

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Posted on June 29, 2005 by Alison

Fine mindless action entertainment. You’ve got Ekin and his hair, with the extra treat of long legs swathed in leather pants. You’ve got Kelly Lin in teeny tiny shorts. You’ve got Simon Yam being a suave triad boss and Moses Chan being the doofus brother. There’s lots of car racing, some angst, Blackie Ko as the long-lost father, and Patrick Tam doing a damn fine turn as the stammering mechanic. Turn your brain off and make “vroom vroom” noises and … (read more)

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The Water Margin (1972)

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Posted on June 26, 2005 by Justin

The Water Margin is big. Really, really big. Even for a Shaw Brothers production directed by Chang Cheh at the height of his popularity, it’s huge. Involving just about all of the action stars on the Shaws payroll at the time, enormous sets, lots of outdoor shots and four action choreographers, it really does show off the ‘house style’ that Shaw Brothers are famous for.

The film is an adaptation of a small part of the Chinese classic of the … (read more)

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The Blade (1995)

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Posted on June 26, 2005 by John Snadden

Produced and released in 1995, The Blade is seen by many HK buffs and cineastes as Tsui Hark’s best film and, for a martial arts movie, is the antithesis of his earlier Once Upon a Time in China series. You won’t find do-gooding Wong Fei-Hongs or righteous no-shadow kicks — the realm of The Blade is a very unheroic one. The Blade is down and dirty, muddy and bloody, ultra-realistic action film-making. Initially, sold as a remake of Chang Cheh’s … (read more)

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My Schoolmate the Barbarian (2000)

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Posted on June 23, 2005 by Alison

There are times when you need some mindless entertainment to help you shed the worries of the day. This is just such entertainment, from the master of mindless entertainment, Wong Jing, although this time it’s one for the girls. Within the first five minutes we see Nic Tse with his shirt ripped and his hair falling over his eyes, in a variety of heroic poses of which Wong Fei Hung would be proud.

A lot of people disparage Wong Jing, … (read more)

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