Change Your Image
public_enemy
Reviews
Dai zek lo (2003)
Andy Lau's best.
So far this year for mine the contenders had been City of God[(Brazil), Infernal Affairs(Hong Kong) and Auto Focus] (United States). But on Saturday night a new film stepped up to the plate and made it's claim to the throne heard, (one may say it threw down the gaulent) the film was Running on Karma, (Hong Kong).
Some background to the cast and crew of R.O.K.. Directing duties were handled by Johnny To, a mainstream director known for smart scripts of intervening nature compounded with heavy bloodletting long before Tarantino had left that video store, and Wai Ka Fai, an art house director known for making beautiful looking films which usually had under-developed characters, (think Chow Yun-Fat's Peace Hotel).
The main actor is Andy Lau. Easily the biggest actor to never try to break into Amerikkkan mainstream from Asia, Lau is like a Tom Cruise type, young and fashionable (but now like Cruise is aging), and his films usually make a llllllloooooottttt of money, even if they aren't all that great. Oh and yes, on the side he's a bit of a popstar. I'd never actually liked Lau, but he had done a couple of decent films recently, the passable Fulltime Killer (another Johnny To/Wai Ka Fai film) and the excellent Infernal Affairs with the king on Wong Kar-Wai films Tony Leung Chui-Wai, (think John Woo's Bullet in the Head and Hard Boiled plus Wong Kar-Wai's Chungking Express, In the Mood for Love and Happy Together). The supporting actress is twenty-three year old Cecilia Cheung, (think Shoalin Soccer, Tokoyo Raiders and Tsui Hark's The Legend of Zu)who really has done anything of real note to a non-Hong Kong fanatic.
Ok now for the film. To label this in one genre would be the height of arrogance, because despite being advertised as an action film, it is far from it. In fact it's far from anything. I went with a seasoned Hong Kong film watcher, and a mainstream American orientated viewer. Not one of us could tell which way this film would go. None of us could predict what was going to happen next. The plot of this film is fantastic. However one must go into this film with no preconceptions, so to read anymore than I will lay out below would be foolish.
The opening scene shows Lau[ doing a strip act in a nightclub in believe or not, a huge rubber suit that's meant to make him look more buff than Vin Diesel. Ok, Hong Kong doesn't have the biggest budgets, this suit is here to stay and folds whenever Lau moves, (and funnily enough he's naked for about a quarter of the film). Nearby a C.I.D. investigation is proceeding and when the victim runs from the scene at the same time that Lau the stripper runs from an undercover cop (Cheung) the paths cross but the story doesn't come together as one might expect. What does happen? Get into the film and find out.
Now the film starts out as a sleazy comedy, moves to a crime thriller, moves to a martial arts flick, to a romantic comedy, to a supernatural thriller, to a ...it goes on and on, and it would seem to a mess, but except for a small flat spot about and hour and twenty in this film stays brilliant. Unlike P.T.U. Johnny To actually remembered to write a third act, and let me just say that the last act has some absolutely classic scenes, (and yes, I can see American cinema copying it in five years or less). Wirework is used how it should be done, as is what has always been Asian style cinema, but in the west has now been dubbed Matrix-like fights.
Some classic scenes I can mention without ruining the plot: about five or so tasteful but bloodily decapitations by a Japanese with a samurai sword. An almost vigilante like police-captain hitting a bag with a very flexible man inside it with the butt of his shotgun until the bag becomes bloodstained. An amazing fight in front of a huge statue of Budda. A classic scene that I can't describe due to spoilers involving a rock, a stick and a handy cam, (you'll known what I mean when you see it). And oh yes the one scene I can definitely see American copying involving a tissue, (yes that's right a tissue)!
Now how can you see this film? Well I saw it on a one-night only preview screening in Adelaide on Saturday the 27th of September, despite it being released in Hong Kong on October 1st, (this coming Wednesday). I've heard that it will be showing in Melbourne this week, if you can't catch it you may have to wait for dvd and vcd import. Hopefully Miracut won't touch this one.
Eight out of Ten.
Peace. Scott.
Dip huet seung hung (1989)
Defining action film....recommended for all fans of cinema
This film is a character study. Steeped in a moral code from a time past the two main individuals in this story find themselves bonding in the mist of which is a combination of serious camp and bloddy gunplay.
145 deaths. Let's get that point out the way. The final scene also is a 20 minute shoot-out. Now that this points have been established let it also be established that the dialogue, score, acting, directing and cinematography is top notch.
Chow Yun-Fat (A Better Tommorow, Crounching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Hard Boiled, Anna and the King) plays a hired assain who views loyalty and honour as highly as completing the hit. We find his character in a church, contemplating his moral fabric at the beginging of the film, (it is also Chow's pinacle, needing no lines to memorise a room) before performing a hit. Relishing his chance to dispose of his caged energy he enters the hit energentically, finding killing an art form to perform beautiful ballet to, (ignore the Hollywood films this is where John Woo won his reputation). The hit leaves Jenny (Sally Yeh), a innocent singer injured with both her eyes shot out and in desperate need of a cardaric operation to prevent total blindness. In is here that The Killer's moral quest for redemption sets in as he befriends Jenny and ultimatley falls in love with her, (camp sensationly stylised). The character of Jenny is underwritten compared to others, but doesn't falter as a one dimensional exsistance, but rather has some screen time of her own to develop her character, (dispite Sally Yeh's unprofessionalism). On the oppisite side of the fence is Inspector Li (Danny Lee), a cop with a passion for justice increasingly confused and frustrated by the people around him in the police force.
When Sydney Fung (played with a glow of warmth by Kong Chu) is sent to offer one more hit to John, The Killer, John accepts due to his want to fund Jenny's operation. Inspector Lee is sent to protect the target and their paths cross.
For reasons of spoling the beautifully timed film, I'd rather not mention what occurs next although other might. What does however occur is a film about friendship, mostly male bonding, in a sea of betrayl and bullets. Sounds like another dumb action film? Think again! This film unfolds in multifacited layers.
The film to some does play out to a homoerotic tone, (which I don't think it does) but that shouldn't matter, (homophobes beware). The ending is brilliant and the emotions play out to an over the top action sence. Yes the action probably is better in other Chow Yun-Fat films on face surface. But what makes it so good is the plot which carries the action. The emotional depth of the characters is reached through the bullet ballet.
Visually Peter Pau (Crounching Tiger Hidden Dragon) acts as cinematographer creating what may well be the described as the coolest film ever made. Lowell Lo creates a great atmospheric score, enrich with a beautfull main theme which plays out in the final 20 minute shootout.
Nothing much more I can say about this film. Too smart for mainstream viewers. Go hire XXX. Too different culutrally for many westerns. Go hire Hard Boiled. Too daring in it's reach for some. For those who turn their brain off for any action film, this is not for you, most probably you will end up writing a review saying how Woo "can't direct non-action scenes." But for lovers of great cinema highly recommended, even if your never liked an action film before.
5 stars out of 5 stars.
Fat Pizza (2003)
Seen it, loved it all australians should watch it
Ok, in actual truth this film is terrible, and if your not Australian don't bother, but what's so good about the satire is it's what's occurring on the streets. Real people you can relate to.
Be warned thought, every single ethnicity, skin colour, gender, sexuality etc etc is made fun of in this film.
But seeing Ghandi trash talk someone in the boxing ring is worth the price of admission alone.
2 and a half stars out of five.