Don’t be swayed by the man’s innocent act. He’s dangerous. And, uh, young, too.

[Periodically, Ronin on Empty will be taking a look back at some Hong Kong cinema classics, albeit with a specific emphasis on “Great Moments” — i.e. classic scenes that no Hong Kong cinema fan (old or new) should miss. Of course, “classic” will not only entail super-cool, gobsmacking moments, but also the downright ridiculous stuff, too. The numbers — #1, #2, etc. — are not indicators of ranking, but merely a way to keep a running tally of how many “great moments” we can list here. Readers are welcome to send in their own fave scenes as well.]

While studies say we’ve become increasingly numb to movie violence in recent years, I would argue that there are some filmic displays of violent acts that stick with you long after the film has ended. Perhaps Joe Pesci’s demise in Casino (1995) really got to you. Maybe the torture porn gore of the Saw and Hostel series was too much for you. Or maybe you even flinched at what that carpenter had to suffer in Mel “I’m not racist, I’m insane” Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ (2004).

No matter. All of those violent scenes pale in comparison to what poor Shing Fui-On (RIP: Big Sillyhead) had to endure in the first installment of the Young and Dangerous series. In the film, LoveHKFilm.com’s favorite actor, Ekin Cheng, plays a young and dangerous (naturally!) triad member named Chan Ho-Nam who has a bone to pick with Brother Sau (Shing Fui-On). For reasons I’ve never particularly understood, Ekin is absolutely obnoxious as Ho-Nam in this first film. Thankfully, his character improved in the sequels. Still, it was this first film in which we were introduced to his altogether unconventional triad weapon of choice — a plastic chair. Prepare to wince at the ferocity!

I’ve embedded the vid so it’ll start at the appropriate scene about forty-five seconds into the clip. Chan Ho-Nam’s insidious hate crime occurs sometime around the 1:03 mark, but be sure to stick around to 1:52 for the hilarious capper to an all-out gang brawl like none you’ve ever seen. I bet gang members in America don’t celebrate a beatdown in quite the same way as the Hung Hing boys. In fact, I’m sure of it.

Just what in the heck does Rockstar Games’ Red Dead Redemption have to do with Hong Kong cinema or Asian films in general? Absolutely nothing. It’s just what I’ve been playing since classes ended and final grades were turned in this past Monday. But me being able to play video games calls attention to the very fact that I now have possession of an elusive, oh-so-precious resource known as “free time.” As such, I suppose it’s about high time I call off my self-imposed hiatus from this blog and start contributing to the site again.

So stay tuned to this spot. There will be some new regular features like “Great Moments in Hong Kong Cinema,” “Fist of Manhua,” and much more! In the meantime, enjoy the summer!

What is the point of a prequel? Is it meant to flesh out the backstory of a popular character in order to understand how he or she came to be the hero or villain audiences have come to love? Or is it merely a crassly commercial move made to capitalize on the success of a character or series that has probably run its course, but just might have enough juice left to make a few bucks at the box office? I don’t think it’s necessarily an either/or proposition.

Still, there’s a tendency to roll one’s eyes at the mere mention of a prequel (a film trend that is already being supplanted in Hollywood by the reboot — see the back-to-basics Spider-Man 4 for evidence of that). Let’s call it “prequel fatigue.” After all, the most anticipated prequels, if not films of all time were Star Wars: Episodes I-III, which after all that fanfare, ended up disappointing both die-hard and casual fans alike. Of course, not all prequels are bad, but for every one Infernal Affairs 2, there are dozens of shoddy “origin” flicks like Hannibal Rising (Lecter was a samurai!) and Butch and Sundance: The Early Days (Who needs Newman and Redford? We got the Greatest American Hero and the Substitute!).

Why do prequels often suck? Well, sometimes they tell us a story we already know, so there’s no dramatic tension. We’re basically just watching a movie go through the motions to reach a predetermined outcome. At least with Star Wars, there was a central mystery to be uncovered — what made Anakin Skywalker  turn to the Dark Side and become Darth Vader? And as we all found out, it was something we never anticipated: yep, mass genocide was a direct result of everybody calling him “Annie” all the time. But I digress. The point I’m trying to make here is that sometimes prequels just can’t live up to the originals.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but for me, a good prequel is consistent with the events covered in the source text, shows us something we didn’t know about the character, and if it actually does contradict things we already know, then it’s done in an elegant and purposeful way. On top of that, a good prequel should be able to stand on its own, so newcomers can understand everything without seeing the original film or reading the Wikipedia page before showtime.

And that brings me to Turning Point — the prequel to a TVB drama called E.U. that focuses on the origin and exploits of the popular undercover cop, Laughing Gor, played by Michael Tse. I’ve seen the movie twice: once in Mandarin during the summer of 2009 in Singapore and once more just recently in Cantonese on DVD. With two viewings under my belt, here are some of my thoughts in this “not-ready-for-the-LoveHKFilm.com archive” review.

Is Turning Point a proper prequel? Well, Michael Tse does reprise his role as Laughing Gor, his physical appearance and dress in the flashback scenes do resemble that of the character in similar sequences in the original series, and the five-dollar coin Laughing is constantly flipping on E.U. makes an appearance as well. Heck, Ron Ng and Sammul Chan even show up as the characters from the show, and “Hau” (Michael Miu) gets namechecked at the end. Even more amusing, there’s also an in-joke involving a certain ubiquitous ringtone — EVERYBODY in E.U. had the same ringtone, and it’s no different here.

But other than those references, the film is mostly incompatible with E.U. None of the original TVB writers were involved with the film, and it shows.The funny thing is, Laughing’s backstory was already covered in the TV series. He was a model police academy student who is asked to go undercover. Because of his mission, Laughing ends up alienating himself from his policewoman girlfriend, a lifelong regret that he’ll take to the grave. He’s a low level triad until he saves the life of To Yik-Tin (Lam Lee), an up-and-coming gangster. Laughing also ends up falling for the boss’s girlfriend-turned-wife (Kathy Chow), but he keeps that a secret until much later in the series.

In Turning Point, his path is completely different. Here, Laughing is a convenience store worker, who joins the triads to follow Brother One (Anthony Wong). His new boss orders him to join the police academy and once there, Laughing gets handpicked by his superiors to go undercover as a triad. And guess who he ends up “spying on”? — that’s right, Brother One. The “triple agent” status of Laughing is pretty funny on its own, but it doesn’t jive with what we’re told in E.U. Further, his love interest is neither Sam (Kathy Chow) nor that aforementioned policewoman. Instead, we have a new character, Karen (Fala Chen), who is the sister of a rival gangster, Zatoi (the incomparable Francis Ng).

So, as a prequel, it doesn’t line up with what came before. But how about taking the film on its own merits then? Well, Turning Point doesn’t quite work in that department either. The movie positions Laughing as an important guy, and then keeps him on the run for most of the first act. Michael Tse is likable, but he isn’t allowed to show much of the charisma that he displayed in the television show. He’s basically just running around and fighting for his life with minimal characterization. Further, the “triple agent” storyline doesn’t adequately address whatever loyalty issues he’s grappling with; in E.U., he’s an out-and-out tortured hero; here, he’s kind of a human ping-pong ball.

The sad thing is that Michael Tse largely overshadowed by his two co-leads — IN HIS OWN MOVIE! Whether Anthony Wong or Herman Yau is to blame, I don’t know, but Wong makes some eccentric acting choices that are absurd, distracting, and, to my mind, a bit too self-indulgent. Maybe he was tired of playing this type of role and wanted to do something different, but his pronounced eye shadow, ruby red lipstick, and tragically hip chapeau make him look more like a Eurasian Boy George than a credible Hong Kong gangster. He’s coded as gay, but surrounded by beautiful women. I didn’t quite get what they were going for, but I kinda felt like, if this guy was in the triads, Simon Yam or Nick Cheung from Election would probably beat him to death.

Anthony Wong’s performance aside, I have to compliment Francis Ng, who delivers a pretty interesting acting turn. Sure, he’s got a topknot and dresses like Kurt Cobain’s redneck cousin, but he’s magnetic in the role, effectively negotiating the spectrum between “gangster loose cannon” and caring older brother.

I don’t have much to say about the other big names in the cast. Yuen Biao is a welcome presence as Laughing’s police superior, and Fala Chen is pretty likable as Laughing’s love interest. The biggest cameo is from Eric Tsang, wo could probably play a gangster boss in his sleep and probably does so in Turning Point. The guy basically shows up on set, eats some takeout, barks some orders, and cashes a paycheck. Not a bad day’s work.

So what’s the verdict? Well, I have to admit that Herman Yau delivers a well-shot, largely well-acted, and competent piece of filmmaking. It’s an entertaining diversion to be sure. But it’s not really a good movie. As prequels go, it’s wildly flawed. It invalidates pretty much everything we know about Laughing. And even with its “original” spin on the character, it doesn’t quite work as its own film. Like all Hong Kong undercover cops in the movies, this film is suffering from a serious identity crisis — one that it can’t quite resolve.

**************************************

Since this isn’t a proper review, I’m going to commit a cardinal sin and tell you “how I would’ve done it” if I would’ve been asked to write and direct this movie. Look, I totally recognize the need to have big names like Anthony Wong and Francis Ng in the movie version — really, I do. What I would have done differently is simply fleshed out what was already provided in E.U. and then used those big-time actors accordingly.

In my version, Anthony Wong would’ve taken over the role of To Yik-Tin, and I would’ve brought back Kathy Chow as his wife “Sam” to have some continuity with the series. Further, Michael Miu would’ve made a short cameo to reference the crucial drug smuggling backstory that is shown in flashback in the TVB show. Eric Tsang and Yuen Biao would’ve stayed in the film, but probably renamed to better reflect similar characters in the show. Fala Chen could’ve played Laughing’s policewoman girlfriend, and their relationship would’ve been the tragic, romantic crux of the movie. And Francis Ng? Well, I would’ve brought him in as a much better dressed version of the character he plays in Turning Point– who turns out to be a doomed undercover cop and the “model” for Laughing’s future bad-assery. After all, Laughing is the kind of role Francis Ng would play if E.U. had been a movie.

That’s my take anyway. But it’s not like I went to film school or anything. Just idle chatter.

 .

I did it! I completed all thirty episodes that comprise the TVB drama known as E.U. Is this a real “accomplishment” worthy of praise or a complete waste of time meriting nothing but scorn and pity? You decide.

I’m working on a review for the website, so for now, I’ll just shoot from the hip in terms of my general observations on the show.

At least at the beginning of the series, the limitations of television — both in terms of the show’s production values and perceived audience expectations — impact E.U. in ways that you’d NEVER see in a major Hong Kong film or American television show. These constraints make for some very “un-cinematic” heroes and villains. If you look at American television shows like Law and Order, CSI, 24, or NCIS, the characters retain a slightly larger-then-life feel. Not so in E.U. That obvious difference is something I’m really interested in talking about in a full review — as cool as Laughing Gor (Michael Tse) may be, he and his brethren aren’t Johnnie To/John Woo/Young and Dangerous-style gangsters. Further, the cops ain’t exactly Hard Boiled’s Tequilla Yuen or Infernal Affairs‘ Chan Wing-Yan either. The strangely  “ordinary” feel of all these characters is something I’m interested in analyzing.

I have no idea why the show is called E.U. — unless it’s merely a promotional tool for that particular branch of the Hong Kong police force. Sure, ONE of the main characters works in E.U. when the show begins, but he is promoted to OCTB about halfway through the series. The co-protagonist has no official connection to E.U. and works for the vice squad, before getting an undercover gig. The other characters of substantial interest are triads themselves. By story’s end, the only people in E.U. are the supporting characters, who aside from the annoying Yuck Bo, aren’t really material to the overarching narrative.

If this show is meant (as it seems to be — there are PSAs at the end of each episode) as a recruiting tool for the Hong Kong police force,, I’m not sure why they decided to have almost all the cops be self-righteous prigs, incompetent jerks, or some combination of the two. A comeuppance of sorts turns out to be in the cards, but the generally “goody goody” outlook of the cops is annoying in its earnestness.

In the romance department, the “blogging” stuff between the characters played by Elanne Kong and Ron Ng is sappy yet somehow still fun to watch despite being so incredibly stupid. I liked their characters, but their subplot could’ve used a lot of work.

As I watched the show, I wondered how we’re meant to read Michael Miu’s slick, Janus-faced performance. The motivation behind his quick turns from wannabe family man to lovestruck dope to cold-blooded, calculating sociopath seemed wholly dependent on what his actual endgame was.  I’m sad to say that he really didn’t have one — or it was a confused one, at the very least. Whatever the case, Michael Miu had that Andy Lau-style smarminess down pat.

 And what is the point of Leung Ka Ki’s character, Yuck Bo? I think she’s supposed to represent “perseverance,” but after fifteen episodes, it’s clear her character has no business being a cop. By story’s end, she, too, gets a comeuppance of sorts, but I found her character lacking.

The stuff with the dog at the end is absolutely ludicrous, and an example of how off the rails this show goes in the last batch of episodes. The story simply could not sustain a thirty-episode run.

As popular as Laughing may be, I was disappointed at how he goes from super-charismatic to kind of sappy and ridiculous by the time he’s killed off.

There’s no way in hell Ron Ng’s character could have worked his way up the ladder (even with the one year montage). In fact, all the undercover agents in this show would have been killed off immediately once their cover was blown. Their ability to maintain their status in the gang stretches the limits of believability.

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Okay, those are just some random comments for now. Check back on the main site, sometime in the future for the full low down. Oh, and check back here, too…

  NEXT TIME: ENCORE — Herman Yau’s Laughing Gor prequel, TURNING POINT

When I visited Singapore in the summer of 2009, I was delighted to have the opportunity to watch English-subtitled Hong Kong movies in theaters. One of those films that I went to see during my trip abroad was Turning Point, a 2009 undercover cop flick helmed by the prolific and underrated director, Herman Yau. Mostly out of the loop when it comes to the day-to-day pop culture of Hong Kong, I was surprised as heck that Young and Dangerous veteran Michael Tse was featured prominently on the poster alongside Anthony Wong and Francis Ng. More surprising to me was that not only was it a starring role for Tse, but that Turning Point was created expressly for him — that is, his character was meant to be the film’s primary draw. How the heck did this happen?

Well, as many of you might know, Turning Point is a prequel/spin-off of a popular TVB show called E.U. (”Emergency Unit”). Michael Tse played a supporting role as Laughing Gor, a triad heavy who ended up stealing the show out from under the leads and becoming the most popular character in the process.

Upon learning this, I really wanted to see the original show, and while television and DVD stores in Singapore proved fruitless, I hit the jackpot in Genting, Malaysia, as one of the stores (in a casino, no less) had an official DVD set of the entire series. Running thirty episodes, I was a little skeptical that I would be able to muster the strength to start, let alone finish watching the series. After all, my previous commitments to certain Korean dramas have always been a chore even if I actually liked the shows in question. To be honest, shortened series like Dexter and Curb Your Enthusiasm are more my speed.

Well, I had some free time, and on a whim, I popped in the first disc (five episodes) and have been watching them on and off for the last few days. I don’t know when I’ll complete my viewing, but I’m definitely gearing up to write a full review once I finish the series. But until that time, I thought I might share some initial thoughts about the program that may eventually form the basis for a more formal critique of the show. Some of you may have seen Turning Point, but not E.U., so maybe I can help fill in some of the gaps.

(more…)

1. In the Mood for Love (2000)

Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai are In the Mood for Love

Did you honestly think I would pick My Wife is 18? Well, I didn’t. If it’s any consolation, Wong Kar-Wai’s In the Mood for Love does deal with a seemingly inappropriate relationship of its own — a budding romance between a man and a woman who just so happen to be married to other people. But then again, their respective spouses are having affairs — with each other, no less – so the line between what’s right and what’s wrong gets more than a little hazy as the story unfolds. The two wounded lovers (played by Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Maggie Cheung) end up forming a peculiar sort of friendship, borne out of a mutual pain and a fervent desire to both understand and hopefully come to grips with their spouses’ cruel betrayal. The results of their experiment are nothing less than movie magic. In the Mood for Love is a rare movie romance where entire pages of dialogue can be conveyed in a single look and the “real action” may just reside somewhere between the lines (or edits, as it were).

Although there’s no need to elaborate, I saw In the Mood for Love – like many of Wong Kar-Wai’s other films — at a particular crossroads in my own life. What I can say is that my undergraduate university advertised a free screening, and when I saw the name Wong Kar-Wai, I immediately recognized him from that wonderful film of his, Chungking Express. If the wording of that sentence sounds a little strange coming from a Hong Kong film enthusiast, let me remind you: like my unfamiliarity with both Category-III skin flicks and Stephen Chow comedies, I was also practically Wong Kar-Wai illiterate at that time. I think some of those same books that I read about Hong Kong cinema suggested his films were pretentious, and taking them at their word, I pretty much avoided his work — that is, until Chungking Express showed up on the shelf of the foreign film section of my local Hastings (it’s a video/books/music store).

In any event, I went to the theatre by myself, not knowing a single thing about the plot or what to expect. Nowadays, with the advent of internet, it has become very easy to spoil a movie — either we have movies spoiled for us or we actively seek out spoilers due to unbridled enthusiasm and curiosity for a certain filmmaker’s work. Well, going in completely ignorant of what In the Mood for Love would entail turned out to be a pretty good move.

When I walked out of the small theatre after the lights came up, I have to admit that I didn’t know what to think. The film held my attention throughout, as the characters, the music, the rhythm, and the idiosyncratic editing style just washed over me.  I couldn’t really articulate anything. All I really knew was that I liked it. I eventually bought the Criterion Collection DVD (on sale for $20! Score!) as soon as I saw it in stores, and through multiple viewings I came to understand why it had affected me so. Heck, I even liked the deleted scenes!

If you couldn’t already tell, this is quite possibly my favorite Wong Kar-Wai movie EVER and probably the best film the critically-acclaimed auteur will ever make, although 2046 came close. I still hold out hope that he can again craft something as wonderful as In the Mood for Love, a beautiful film that improves with every subsequent viewing. Credit must also go to William Cheung Suk-Ping, Christopher Doyle, Lee Ping-Ban for the film’s look, as well as Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Maggie Cheung for delivering career-defining performances that are sure to be remembered for a very long time. I mean, after all, Tony Leung has become so associated with Wong Kar-Wai, that My Blueberry Nights suffered considerably in his absence.  Without “Little Tony,” the film was WKW-lite. Like Kurosawa without Mifune, it just ain’t the same. On a similar note, it’s a damn shame Maggie Cheung retired from acting. She’s a rare talent among actresses in Hong Kong cinema and is sorely missed.

As I hope my comments show, I firmly believe that In the Mood for Love is a shining example of the very best that Hong Kong cinema has to offer. Without reservation, I’d recommend it to anyone as the top Hong Kong film of the decade. Really, it doesn’t get any better than this.

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Here’s a recap of the top 25, but now expanded to a full fifty top picks:

1. In the Mood for Love (2000)
2. Shaolin Soccer (2001)
3. Needing You… (2000)
4. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
5. Red Cliff (2008/2009)
6. 2046 (2004)
7. Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
8. The Heavenly Kings (2007)
9. Hero (2002)
10. Infernal Affairs (2002)
11. Time and Tide (2000)
12. July Rhapsody (2001)
13. Chinese Odyssey 2002 (2002)
14. Infernal Affairs II (2003)
15. Invisible Target (2007)
16. One Nite in Mongkok (2004)
17. Lost in Time (2003)
18. SPL (2005)
19. Election (2005)
20. Election 2 (2006)
21. My Mother is a Belly Dancer (2006)
22. Love on a Diet (2001)
23. The Eye (2002)
24. Connected (2008)
25. CJ7 (2008)
26. Fearless (2006)
27. Just One Look (2002)
28. Colour of the Truth (2003)
29. House of Flying Daggers (2004)
30. Running on Karma (2003)
31. Dumplings…Three Extremes (2004)
32. My Name is Fame (2006)
33. My Wife is 18 (2002)
34. Fulltime Killer (2001)
35. Visible Secret 2 (2002)
36. Exiled (2006)
37. The Beast Stalker (2008)
38. The Protege (2007)
39. Throwdown (2004)
40. Run Papa Run (2008)
41. Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)
42. Infernal Affairs III (2004)
43. Breaking News (2004)
44. My Left Eye Sees Ghosts (2002)
45. Warlords (2007)
46. Sausalito (2000)
47. Initial D (2005)
48. Shinjuku Incident (2008)
49. Secret (2007)
50. The Duel (2000)

While I’m at it, I thought I’d throw out some additional “Honorable Mentions” (listed below in alphabetical order). I’m not ashamed to say I dug all these films, but for one reason or another, I just couldn’t bring myself to put ‘em in the top fifty. For some titles, the reasons behind that hesitation might be obvious; for others, not so much. For instance, I didn’t know what to do with Three — “Going Home” and Eros — “The Hand” since they’re both short films, and even though I liked it better than some of the films in the top 25, Ashes of Time Redux is not really a new movie, but more of a tune-up of a 90s model picture, complete with a new paint job.

If your favorite movie isn’t listed here or anywhere else on my list, chances are that a) the movie completely slipped my mind or b)  I simply haven’t had the opportunity to see it yet. My sincerest apologies. This whole process reminds me a lot of an epigram that concludes one of the film’s on this list:

He remembers those vanished years. As though looking through a dusty window pane, the past is something he could see, but not touch. And everything he sees is blurred and indistinct.

Honorable Mentions:

Ashes of Time Redux (2008), Bullets of Love (2000), The Detective (2007), Divergence (2005), Dragon Tiger Gate (2006), Dry Wood, Fierce Fire (2002), Eros — “The Hand” (2004), The Eye 2 (2004), Eye in the Sky  (2007), Fat Choi Spirit (2002), Fighting for Love (2001), The Floating Landscape (2003), Good Times, Bed Times (2003), Hooked on You (2007), I’ll Call You (2006), Ip Man (2008), Leave Me Alone (2004), The Mad Detective (2007), New Police Story (2004), Perhaps Love (2005), Re-Cycle (2005), Rule #1 (2008), Running Out of Time 2 (2001), So Close (2002), Sound of Colors (2003), Summer Holiday (2000), Three — “Going Home” (2002), Tokyo Raiders (2000), Turn Left, Turn Right (2003), Turning Point (2009), Wo Hu (2006)

*Whew*

Well, that’s it. I hope you enjoyed this stroll down memory lane. Let me know what you think! It’s been a fun decade. Let’s all hope for a wonderful new year of Hong Kong cinema and a helluva decade to come! HK filmmakers, don’t let us down!

Prediction: Wong Kar-Wai will direct one of these two in the next decade. Or not. 

Compiling a top ten list of the decade’s best movies is tough work. There are a ton of great Hong Kong films out there, and some just couldn’t make the cut on so short a list. To compensate for any perceived oversights, I’ve decided to list choices #11-#25. I’m certain that some of my picks might be a little unorthodox or downright surprising, but I’m just going to have to follow my gut here, folks — critical or reader consensus against me be damned.

BEST OF THE REST

11. Time and Tide (2000) — I unabashedly love this movie, and it came very close to making the top ten. Whatever hesitancy I had in embracing Nicholas Tse as a leading man disappeared completely thanks to this movie, as his little brother/big brother chemistry with rugged rock n’ roller Wu Bai (who provides a killer soundtrack) is just part of what makes this movie so good. The other part is the action — in particular, that breathless, suspense-filled sequence that makes up a good chunk of the film’s second half. I’m hard pressed to forget that pulse-pounding tenement assault or the decidedly unconventional baby delivery sequence that caps the film. Time and Tide is an action fan’s dream, and, the last great Tsui Hark movie (so far) – and yeah, I saw Seven Swords.

12. July Rhapsody (2001) – I’m not really sure what to say about this heartbreaking Ann Hui film other than that I found it considerably moving. July Rhapsody seems like a straightforward tale of a high school literature teacher (Jacky Cheung) on the verge of a mid-life crisis. After all, one of his students (a fetching Karena Lam) has an obvious crush on him, and it probably doesn’t help the situation that he seems to have some unspoken problem with his wife (the great Anita Mui). But July Rhapsody might not be quite the movie you were expecting, as there are quite a few secrets to be uncovered as the film unfolds. Cheung, Mui, and Lam deliver pitch-perfect performances in this subtle, emotionally gripping tale. 

13. Chinese Odyssey 2002 (2002, duh) — Without a doubt, this is one of the best comedies of the “aughts.” This hilarious little film feels an awful lot like Jeff Lau’s take on what a Wong Kar-Wai-directed mo lei tau comedy would look, feel, and sound like. There are a lot of laughs to be had in Chinese Odyssey 2002 thanks to winning performances from Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Faye Wong (especially during that goofy Kingdom and the Beauty song parody). The fact that this movie is actually able to reroute the comedy into dramatic territory late in the film is an achievement in itself.  Oh, and Zhao Wei is also pretty damn adorable here, too.

14. Infernal Affairs 2 (2003) — A lot of people seem to think this prequel is superior to the original. And on certain days, I share their opinion — just not today. What I found most interesting about this film was neither the backstory between Sam (Eric Tsang) and SP Wong (Anthony Wong) nor the origin of Yan (Shawn Yu) and Ming (Edison Chen), but Francis Ng’s characteristically magnetic performance as a brand new character — Yan’s older brother, Hau.

15. Invisible Target (2007) — What’s this movie doing here, you say? You were expecting maybe SPL? Well, I’m unashamed to admit that watching Invisible Target was (at that moment) probably the most consistently fun experience I’ve had with a Hong Kong movie in years. Seriously. Benny Chan has made an occasional misstep or two, but this is a prime example of what he does best — fun, energetic action with amusing characters. Invisible Target also made me not only reconsider my opinion of Jaycee Chan, but actually like him, which is a feat I thought was a virtual impossibility after the travesty that was his performance in Twins Effect II (see below).

16. One Nite in Mongkok (2004) – Daniel Wu and Cecillia Cheung are great in this amazing crime thriller from director Derek Yee. It starts out like a simple “on the run” story and spirals into something far richer and involving. Thanks to One Nite in Mongkok, I’ve made a concerted effort to catch every film Yee has made since.

17. Lost in Time (2003) — Hey, it’s another Derek Yee film! Lost in Time proves that Wong Kar-Wai doesn’t have a strangehold on stories of lost love and hidden pain. Lau Ching-Wan contributes another great acting turn in this heartfelt, emotionally honest film, but the real marvel is Cecilia Cheung. Her HKFA award-winning performance here is one of her very best. 

God, I wish she’d never met Edison Chen.

18. SPL (2005) — Okay, Donnie fans, I’ll give you one. Donnie Yen squaring off with Sammo Hung may mark the climax, but it’s Donnie’s short fight with Wu Jing that everybody loves. And you know what? Me, too.

19 & 20. Election 1 & 2 (2005/2006) – Sorry, Johnnie To acolytes. I know Needing You probably wasn’t the film you would have picked from the famous director’s filmography to crack the top ten, but as they say, “them’s the breaks, kid.” Election is perhaps best known for its crazy downer of an ending, which forever robbed the term “Gone Fishin’” of its pastoral innocence. Despite how I’ve ordered them for convenience (I actually sort of see them as one film), I think I prefer Election 2 as it is a more successfully gripping, dark-hearted take on classic Greek tragedy, albeit one modified for contemporary Hong Kong/China relations. The Man with the Tan is at his best here.

21. My Mother is a Belly Dancer (2006) – This tale of personal liberation through belly-dancing for a group of middle-aged housewives is fun, affecting, and a nice change of pace from youth-skewed romantic comedies or the more male-centered genre pictures coming out of Hong Kong. It’s not perfect — there’s a somewhat unnecessary Andy Lau cameo (his Focus Films backed this project) and My Mother is a Belly Dancer doesn’t quite stick the landing — but I couldn’t help but be charmed by its engaging portrait of a rarely-catered-to demographic.

22. Love on a Diet (2001) — This funny follow-up to Needing You from director Johnnie To works largely due to the presence of Andy Lau rather than his lovely co-star, Sammi Cheng. While Andy Lau preserves his overweight character’s dignity by playing him as a real person, Sammi Cheng’s take on obesity verges on gross parody, as she seems to think that putting on weight lowers a person’s IQ and stunts your social skills exponentially. Bad acting, Sammi! Bad! Still, Andy gives it his all, and somewhere between his chemistry with Sammi and To’s directing skills, an engaging romantic comedy emerges.

23. The Eye (2002) – It’s the scariest Hong Kong film of the decade – well, an intentionally scary one, anyway. Angelica Lee is great, and the directing duo of the Pang brothers ain’t bad either.

24. Connected (2008) – Okay, I know I’m gonna take some flack for listing this so high, but what can I say? – Benny Chan got me again. I mean, how can you not get involved in the thrill-a-minute adventures of a sweaty, constantly apoplectic Louis Koo? The crackerjack, if inane plot makes this a fun, fun ride. I also love how the producers thought that billing it as a Chinese remake of a so-so American film was actually an important selling point.

25. CJ7 (2008) –  I actually liked it. And why not? I know people were expecting Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle-type filmic trancendence, but isn’t that setting the bar a little too high — even for Stephen Chow?  At its core, CJ7 is a an amusing children’s movie that works quite well, containing some fun parodic moments regarding Chow’s recent filmic output to amuse the older crowd. And it sure beats the hell out of The Magic Gourd.

*  *  *

Okay, that’s it for now in regard to the “top picks.” When I list my #1 choice, I’ll do a complete tally of 1-25, PLUS choices #26-50. But before I sign off, here’s a very different kind of list…

BEST OF THE WORST

Y’know, it’s no fun crapping on bad movies that never even had a chance. So, in compiling this list, I tried to stay away from easy targets — movies with low budgets and/or no name actors or directors. It’d be like shooting fish in a barrel. Movies with big budgets and big stars that turned out to be big disasters? Those are fair game. But to clarify, this is not a list of the “bottom ten” — while some of these movies I hate with a passion, there are a few I simply hate to love (or like, as it were).

1. Gen-Y Cops (2000)

Upon watching this sequel to Gen-X Cops, I wondered, “Where’s Nicholas Tse?” It’s a question that I’m guessing Sam Lee and Stephen Fung were asking themselves, too, especially if they were privy to any of the dailies while filming this horrible, horrible film. In Tse’s place, we have an annoying poseur named Edison Chen whose idiotically phony ”gangsta” slang is actually topped in sheer atrociousness by co-star Richard Sun’s. That cute Grace Yip from the original is replaced by Christy Chung and Maggie Q. Based on the latter two’s good looks, you might be inclined think it’s not big loss. But then when you saw them act, you would think someting quite different, I imagine.

Simply put, Gen-Y Cops is the absolute nadir of Hong Kong action filmmaking. It was only after Benny Chan made Invisible Target seven years later that I finally found it in my heart to forgive him for this cringe-inducing mess. Despite being relegated to minor supporting roles, Sam Lee and Stephen Fung look like they’re having a blast, and Paul Rudd makes an odd appearance, but on the whole, this is a terrible film. It also might be a sign of the apocalypse as it was Edison Chen’s cinematic debut.

2. For Bad Boys Only (2000)

How cool are titular bad boys King Chan (Ekin Cheng) and Jack (Louis Koo)? They’re so damn cool they wear designer suits without shirts underneath to highlight their tanned, trimmed, but not really toned bodies. And hey, you know those samurai duels where two fighters lunge at each other, but are both left standing with their backs to one another until one falls and the other is left standing? Well, that happens in For Bad Boys Only — except the geniuses behind this film take it to THE EXTREME. Louis Koo is driving a car and the bad guy is riding a motorcycle, and they have guns! Badass, right?

In any event, LoveHKFilm.com mascot Ekin Cheng is uncharacteristically annoying for the first ten minutes of the film, until his lecherous character hits the motherload when he encounters the exotic Shu Qi. She plays — wait for it –  a clone of a former Olympic Track Star (Shu Qi in a dual, actually triple role). Since the clone is kinda dumb and eager to learn about human relations, Ekin’s character is all-too pleased to be her teacher. Yeah, it’s gonna go there. Is this every lonely heterosexual man’s fantasy or an example of gross misogyny? I think it’s both.

But wait, there’s more…

Can I tell you a secret? I kinda enjoyed this movie. Maybe it was Kristy Yeung. Maybe it was Shu Qi. I really don’t know. Never mind the idiotic cloning plot or strung together action sequences. Guess that makes me a bad boy…with occasionally bad taste.

3. Twins Effect II (2004)

After seeing this movie, I wanted Jaycee Chan banned from acting for life. Mumble-mouthed, lifeless, and possessing all the charisma of a pet rock, the guy was practically comatose as an actor. Luckily, he did some penance with a few dramatic roles, eventually hooking up with Benny Chan,  himself still needing to apologize for Gen-Y Cops since none of the six films he made after that piece of crap could totally wipe it from our collective memory. The two of them won me over by making – you guessed it – Invisible Target, which is essentially Gen-Z Cops, but much, much better than either of the previous two films.

4. Flash Point (2007)

This movie makes Dragon Tiger Gate look like the Citizen Kane of martial arts movies by comparison. Not even the always likeable Louis Koo can save this movie. The premise of this film is basically Donnie Yen preening and swaggering around for the majority of Flash Point’s running time and then proceeding to kick Colin Chou’s ass for the entirety of the finale. Clearly, Donnie Yen and Wilson Yip should have watched ANY Indiana Jones or Rocky movie (even Rocky V, for crying out loud!) and tried to learn a thing or two about the inherent joy of watching an underdog hero prevail over a more skilled opponent. Hell, even Bruce Lee’s adversaries put up more of a fight than Colin Chou!

5. Lust, Caution (2007)

Okay, so it’s not a terrible movie. I included it here because it’s such a prominent film, and it failed to make my top 50 (which I’ll reveal with my #1 choice tomorrow). With that in mind, I felt I had to include it here as a way to explain its omission. Lust, Caution is well-made, boasts great production values, and contains two daring performances — but I’m hard-pressed to see how it adds up to a cohesive whole. I think it’s Ang Lee’s worst movie since Ride with the Devil, although admittedly, I seem to be in the minority. One moment in the film that I cannot deny the power of is the one where Tang Wei sings a Zhou Xuan song to a visibly moved Tony Leung. It moved me, too. And for that reason alone, I might give this film another chance one day in the future.

Other notable dishonorable mentions: #6) Love Undercover 2 (aka: Miriam Cashes a Paycheck), #7) Shopaholics (a thoroughly annoying film with the stars of Lost in Time), #8) Legend of Zu (WTF happened in this movie?), #9) Ming Ming (the annoying ADD editing made me I want to find the director and shake her. Hard), #10) Jiang Hu (this movie had “epic” written all over it — Jacky Cheung and Andy Lau gangstering it up! — and then it turned out to be a complete and utter turkey).

Any list of bad Hong Kong movies for the decade should probably include stuff like Where is Mama’s Boy? (Two words. William. Hung. One more: Ugh), but since I had the good sense to avoid it, I did not list it here. There are certainly worse movies than the ones I listed above, but since I’m under no obligation to watch EVERY Hong Kong film ever made, I’ve remained blissfully ignorant of the worst that Hong Kong has to offer.

Well, I guess that’s it for today. Although…I kinda I feel like I forgot to list a really important movie. What could it be? Oh well, never mind. Check back soon for my number one film of the decade. Here’s a clue:

“I know Calvin’s #1 choice!”