leighm Reviews

Siu sang mung ging wan (1987)

About as much fun as moldy toadstools.

[1/10 · 7 April 2000]

Ugh. I hate this movie. I hate the fact Chow Yun-Fat is in this movie. If there is one film I wish I could obliterate from my consciousness, this would be a Top Ten candidate.

In a rip-off of a number of Hollywood movies, Miu Kiu Wai plays a guy who has the ability to enter the dreams of others. This is how he twigs to the fact that there is a crooked cop on the force. While mucking about in other peoples' dreams he encounters vampires, monsters and just general stupidity.

Eric Tsang, surely one of the most annoying individuals ever born, portrays the trouble-magnet buddy as well as a salacious robot. He looks like a demented Tele-Tubby.

Chow Yun-Fat plays the cop. Anita Mui plays a reporter with a boyfriend who should know not to eat birthday cake with a hunting knife. Emily Chu Bo-Yee plays a piece of wood. Well, it just seems that way.

Terrible, awful and good only for making fun of at parties, this film is solidly in my list of CYF's Bottom Five movies. If you must see this one, try and get a friend to spring for the disc so you won't feel bad about wasting your own money on it.

Xue han jin qian (1983)

A solid B-movie.

[31 March 2000]

Made when Chow Yun-Fat was 28 years old, when "Bloody Money" was released he already had hundreds of television episodes and a fair number of films behind him. That experience shows in this interesting, if a bit depressing, film about a family of stuntmen.

CYF portrays Bullet, the handsome younger son of a veteran stuntman. Bullet and his older brother Chin live in a tiny flat with their father in poverty. With the Hong Kong film industry in a slump, especially in regards to the kung-fu movies which had been their bread and butter as stuntmen, times are hard for the family. Things become worse still when two homeless relatives seek refuge in the household, living illegally in Hong Kong without immigration papers.

When Bullet is offered a movie contract from a Taiwanese studio he is glad that he now has the chance to bring some money into the household and support his aging father, but this idea is met with resentment and jealousy by the older man; he is not quite ready to admit that he is no longer able to perform the hair-raising stunts that once made him famous. After Bullet leaves for Taiwan to find success in films, his father finds out to the family's sorrow that his abilities as a stuntman will no longer see him through.

Though there are some silly plot-twists and an apparent disregard for the fact that Bullet ends up marrying his first cousin, there is some solid acting in this film which make it worth watching. The scenes between Chow Yun-Fat as Bullet and Lam Gaau as Bullet's father are low-key, very realistic and well played. Some of the mannerisms, body language and depth of expression which would come to characterize Chow Yun-Fat's performances in later years are already evident here; this is no longer just the good-looking soap opera star with a flair for acting, but a solid talent on the rise.

Though this title has been available on "underground" copies for quite a while, it has recently been re-released by Pearl City on VCD. The video quality is excellent for a film of this era. The audio is also good. The subtitles (white), in both English and Chinese, are readable, though a bit small.

For someone interested in the early career of Chow Yun-Fat, but not quite interested enough to suffer through some of his early Goldig exploitation films, this is a good start and a chance to see one of the most talented actors of the modern era before he became a global superstar.

Treasure Hunt (1994)

A wonderful fairy tale.

[10/10 · 16 September 1999]

A beautiful and moving fairy tale, set in modern times. Chow Yun-Fat is cast as Chang Ching, a CIA operative sent undercover in Mainland China. Hidden in Shaolin Temple he meets Mei, a young woman with paranormal powers. Mei is the center of the grasping greed of a number of political entities and individual crooks, and it's up to Chang Ching to save this 'national treasure'... a treasure he comes to covet for his own, not for her powers but for her own sweet self.

This film is a gentle fantasy but like most fairy tales it has bitterness and violence entwined with the sweetness which makes it all the more poignant. Those who are expecting non-stop bloodletting for its own sake will be disappointed; for those who recognize Chow Yun-Fat at his best - in a touching romance with sprinklings of comedy and action - you will love this film for its warmth and dedication to the ideal that love conquers all.

Phillip Kwok has a marvelous role as the sarcastic taxi driver. It's good to see him in a role which allows for both his martial arts and stunt skills as well as gives him a chance to show he is also a fine actor. He was also the stunt director for the film.

Ng Sin-Lin (Wu Chien-Lien) as Mei shows again that great onscreen chemistry she has with Chow Yun-Fat; if you remember her from "God Of Gamblers Returns" you will see her take it to even greater effect in this film.

One of the most outstanding features of this film is the cinematography of Peter Pau. Beautiful photography and lighting give the screen a warm glow.

The use of "Reflections of Passion" by Yanni in this film was inspired; the references to the book on which the television show "The Bund" was based (the show which made Chow Yun-Fat a star in Asia in his youth) give some cute self-referential moments.

The subtitles on the Mei Ah DVD are a bit on the uneven side; it starts off with a pretty rough translation but evens out as you go along.

A wonderful movie. 10 out of 10.

Tragic Hero (1987)

Too bad Danny Lee has such a small part.

[4/10 · 13 September 1999]

Danny Lee's performance as a wisecracking cop is the only spot of interest in this film, even though it has an excellent cast including Chow Yun-Fat, Carina Lau, Andy Lau, Shing Fui-On and Alex Man. CYF plays a triad boss who wants to settle down to a life of peace and plenty but Alex Man, a total psycho who has a big grudge against CYF, won't let him. CYF tries to escape to Malacca but to no avail. After his family is blown to bits, his cronies dead or turncoat, wounded and broke, CYF returns to Hong Kong to get into some serious revenge.

It sounds a lot better than it is. CYF is well-dressed and handsome, looks pained, grimaces and cries on cue, but somehow or another you just don't care. Andy Lau looks great, but that's about it. Carina Lau has a tiny, tiny little part which was nice, but she gets a bullet in the head early on so that ends that. Alex Man is a cartoon villain he's so over-the-top which at times can be intriguing but the writing here is so flat that he just comes across as a garden-variety nut.

Danny Lee is great though - too bad he's only a small blip on the screen of this dark (literally) and essentially boring movie.

Rent it, don't buy it. Or just skip it altogether.

This is the sequel to "Rich And Famous", even though it apparently was filmed simultaneously; it was released first because of CYF's boxoffice power.

Lost Romance (1986)

Beautiful tragedy.

[10/10 · 3 September 1999]

Maggie Cheung is the Rose of the title, as first a girl who suffers a broken heart and then as a woman who only dares to love again ten years later. Her performance spans the spectrum from a spoiled and bubble-headed teenager, living a life of early '80s excess and breaking the hearts of men - married, single, she doesn't care - to that of a world-weary sophisticate. Cared for by her secretly seriously ill brother (Chow Yun-Fat), Rose falls in love with the wrong man and is ultimately spurned, leading to her world of self-satisfaction to crumble around her. Fleeing to Paris, she tries to forge a new life and identify for herself, never realizing that the one stabilizing force in her life, that of her brother, is about to be wrenched from her.

After her brother's death, Rose returns to Hong Kong, now a divorcee from a loveless marriage with a young daughter. Men are still interested in her because of her beauty and sorrowful poise but she does not allow herself to thaw... until she meets, by chance, the true love of her life - a man who could be her dead brother's identical twin (also played by Chow Yun-Fat).

This film is shamelessly sentimental, with beauty and sorrow as its central themes. It unfolds like a painted scroll and allows the viewer to take from it what he or she will from the glimpses into the hearts of its characters.

Written and directed by Yeung Fan, who is re-releasing this title from 1986 in a new and re-dubbed version. Unfortunately the new dub is with different actors, not simply a cleaned up audio. Try to find a copy of the original if you can, but even if not this film is worth watching at least once to see the ethereal Maggie Cheung and Chow Yun-Fat in a dual role.

The English subtitles on the version I have seen (subs by SBS) are excellent, probably the best subtitling work I have ever seen on a Hong Kong film. Correct grammar and spelling, good translation, with a readable font in yellow for clarity. If only all subs were this good!

Fractured Follies (1988)

Fabulously funny farce.

[9/10 · 26 August 1999]

Okay, so it's not sophisticated humor, but this is a great comedy romance with two HK greats, Chow Yun-Fat and Joey Wong. How can you go wrong? Add in Nina Li Chi and you've got a great triangle going.

Joey Wong plays May, a girl who was born with one leg an inch shorter than the other and thus walks with a slight limp. One day while she and her family are sprucing up the dumpy supermarket they just bought, May is involved in an accident with a runaway taxi driven by Joe (Chow Yun-Fat). His insurance had expired two days before, so he ends up being a sort of indentured servant to May's family to repay her medical costs and to assuage his guilt over having crippled her for life (or so he thinks, and May doesn't disabuse him of the notion).

Nina Li Chi plays Scarlet, May's hot-to-trot cousin who has her sights set on the nerdy Joe. Joe falls for May, and Joe's brother Sea falls for Scarlet and... well, you get the idea.

There are some really funny moments in this film - not only does Chow Yun-Fat dress up as Nina Li Chi at one point, but we also get to see him in pineapple drag talking about fresh fruits.

The romance between Joe and May is sweet and has some awfully cute moments... right up to the point where Joe blushingly admits he's a virgin to May and asks her to take it easy on him on their wedding night.

So it's not Voltaire, okay... there are jokes about piles, flashers in public toilets, Nina Li Chi pouting because she's horny and has already killed three husbands by wearing them out in bed. Still, this is great fun, Chow Yun-Fat as a nerd complete with thick glasses does a great job of some silly physical comedy and Joey Wong is just the prettiest thing you've ever seen.

The scene where Buddah tells Joe about dating girls in Heaven ("they're very open-minded these days") is a hoot.

Lots of fun. Put your brain in neutral and give it a watch.

Why Me? (1985)

Heartbreaking story of a mentally retarded man.

[8/10 · 26 August 1999]

This is not a film to cheer you up. Erik Cheng won a Hong Kong Film Award as Best Actor for his performance as Fat Cat, a mentally retarded man living in poverty with his widowed mother. Olivia Cheng portrays the social worker on her first case who is put through the wringer trying to believe in a system which is failing all around her. While she has the best of intentions, her efforts seem doomed to fail, as she has to fight both the staggering caseload of the system, the ignorance of the villagers who both fear and torment Fat Cat, and the apathy of her boss/boyfriend (a small role played by Chow Yun-Fat).

Even though there are comedic touches, the dual storylines of the genial retarded man suffering at the hands of the government and local punks coupled with the social worker's irresponsible bum of a father (played briefly but poignantly by Paul Chu Kong) being a burden to everyone around him is almost unbearable. Watching this film is almost a struggle, as it brings home all too clearly the misfortunes of the characters and their pain. Having said that, to see Kent Cheng act in this film, no matter how depressing, is a wonder. The mother's deathbed scene is an exquisite portrayal that can't be obscured by tears.

Those who are only looking to see Chow Yun-Fat may want to give this one a miss, but if you have the heart, watch it for Kent Cheng's incredible talents.

City War (1988)

Violent and emotional.

[8/10 · 23 August 1999]

Chow Yun-Fat and Ti Lung are a good team, and any film with these two actors in it has an automatic quality quotient. Without these two, City War would have been just another violent, blood-spattered look at the never ending-battle between good and evil as played out in the streets of Hong Kong.

Ti Lung plays Ken, a 20-year veteran cop with a temper who ten years ago shot not to kill but to capture a criminal named Ted (played with an astounding amount of malevolence by Norman Chu); Chow Yun-Fat as Dick Lee is a younger cop, a crack shot and skilled mediator who, though ten years less on the force, is his buddy's superior officer. When Ted gets out of prison the first thing he does (after an unsuccessful quasi-rape of his girlfriend) is go looking for the guy who sent him to prison. Hiring some Mainland baddies to do the dirty work, he plots his revenge but things go wrong and only Ken's wife and daughter are killed and his son seriously wounded.

Because of the way things happened leading to his son's injury, Ken blames his friend Dick for the mishap; Dick, in order to redeem himself in Ken's eyes, goes on a murderous rampage which sees bodies flying left and right.

The chemistry between Chow Yun-Fat and Ti Lung makes this film worth watching at least once. The final scenes in the bus terminal are violent enough for any HK action fan. For those sensitive to such things, there's a fair amount of violence involving women being beaten and shot and there is violence done to children in the storyline.

The character of Dick Lee is interesting, and there is a very erotic scene between Dick and his flame-of-the-moment in a discotheque. The real emotion though is reserved for the "until death do us part" relationship between Dick and Ken.

Rent it for the performances of the two leads. Just to see these two greats performing together is worth the time and money spent.

The Head Hunter (1982)

Don't. Just don't.

[2/10 · 17 August 1999]

Only the most rabid of Chow Yun-Fat fans will want to see this film, let along own it. (I must admit I own a copy.) This is far below the standards of even the "B" pictures which were his bread-and-butter in the early days after he left television for films (it's hard to believe today he was once nicknamed "box office poison"). Execrable production values, a muddy and trite plot, annoying music and unlikeable characters make this film one that you will want to watch only for one of two reasons: 1) You have to see everything in which Chow Yun-Fat has appeared or 2) you are planning a Hong Kong version of "Mystery Science Theatre 3000".

Chow Yun-Fat sleepwalks through this role; Rosamund Kwan is pretty but that's about it. Most of the actors seem to be embarrassed to be there. Me too.

Wild Search (1989)

Uninspired.

[7/10 · 14 August 1999]

Another one of the formulaic action/romance films made by CYF from 1989. This was the same year as "God of Gamblers" and "The Killer" were released, both A pictures. This is definitely one of the B pictures, really only worth watching for the more completist CYF fans.

CYF plays "Mew Mew", a widowed cop. While investigating the murder of an female arms dealer he meets Cher (played by his frequent castmate Cherie Chung), a country divorcee and sister of the dead arms dealer.

It is love at first sight for Mew Mew, even though he feels twinges of guilt before the memories of his dead wife and son. Cher and Mew Mew are thrown together while Mew Mew investigates Cher's sister's death, mainly by the existence of Ka Ka, the orphaned girl and niece of Cher.

There are some touching scenes between Mew Mew and Ka Ka; while it is never touched upon in the script, it seems as if Mew Mew enjoys taking care of the child as he might have done his own dead boy.

Unlike the other rough cops CYF has played in these B pictures, Mew Mew seems fastidious and neat, knows how to cook and treats his girl at least as well as his best friend. While in this film there are really no romantic moments between Mew Mew and Cher after that first fateful glance, there are some sweet scenes between them, but unfortunately they are brief at the expense of some of the action sequences - sequences which really aren't good enough to warrant pulling away from what little there is to the story.

A slight story doesn't give CYF or Cherie Chung, both consummate professionals, much to work with but they try. Miss Chung is always at her most interesting when portraying less sophisticated, more down-to-earth women and one really wishes she had had more to work with in this role; the scenes of her cutting bamboo and mixing traditional Chinese medicines for the new love in her life are solid and seem very natural. This pair of two of Hong Kong's finest actors are given wooden characters and while they manage to paint them in realistic colors, Mew Mew and Cher never really come to life except for some very brief moments.

The subtitling is very bad on this film (the Mei-Ah DVD version); it looks as if the translation was done by machine, and not by a very sophisticated piece of software at that. For those who have seen a lot of these HK flicks subtitled in English you will be able to take the Canto-English and translate it on the fly; those who are unused to doing such may find the subtitling confusing at times and downright frustrating at others. At least most of the words are spelled correctly, even if misused; I would give the effort a 2 of 10 rating just for that (and that's being generous).

The direction, even though by Ringo Lam, is unexciting and unoriginal. It may be that he, apparently like CYF and Miss Chung, was simply uninspired by the whole idea of this film.

CYF looks good as usual, but a bit tired. 1989 saw the release of "A Better Tomorrow 3", "God of Gamblers", "The Killer", "Triads - The Inside Story" and this film. Two classic pictures, one very good one and two not-so-good ones in one short year is a remarkable achievement. Rent this one if you just want to see CYF and Cherie Chung together again, but only buy it if you are a CYFanatic looking to complete your collection.

Flaming Brothers (1987)

A better film than first glance might have it.

[8/10 · 14 August 1999]

Alan Tang (Alan) and Chow Yun-Fat (Ah Tien) play two men who grew up together as street urchins on Macau. When they were boys, Ah Tien was caught stealing rice from the kitchen of the local orphanage by the girl Ka Hsi; instead of reporting him, she hid the theft from the Sisters and started smuggling food to him and the other street kids until she was adopted and left Macau for Hong Kong. Even as a young boy, Ah Tien loved Ka Hsi as much for her kindness as her food and was hurt deeply when she departed.

Younger, less experienced or fierce than the older boy Alan, Ah Tien is taken under Alan's wing. Together they become pickpockets and learn to survive as petty thieves in the streets of Macau. One day they they witness a local "Boss" extracting tribute from the same bullying adults who had recently terrorized the two little pickpockets, and the two boys made a vow that they would one day be in that position of power.

Fast forward to late 1970's Macau, where Alan and Ah Tien are now successful underworld figures on a small scale. The film begins in earnest at the opening of their nightclub, and hear we learn the dynamics of their business and of their personalities. Alan and Ah Tien are now as close as blood brothers, Alan as the Boss and Ah Tien as his second in command; they deal in illegal weapons, gambling and prostitution but according to Alan's principles they do not touch drugs. (Think of the speech of Don Corleone to the assembled Dons in "The Godfather".)

Because they are young and successful, they attract the ire of an older established Boss and the double-crossing begins. On a fateful trip to Thailand wheels are set in motion which will change the lives and loves of the two brothers.

The character of Alan is one of a man who is deeply devoted to the younger Ah Tien, and prizes him above all others. Alan is fierce, arrogant and cock-sure yet there is an underlying current of vulnerability about him which he tries desperately to hide. When he meets Jenny the cocktail lounge singer, he loves her for her rough bravado - she is his twin, a tough woman who deep inside is hiding a wealth of emotion. She is crass (dressed in her huge cow-print fur coat she looks like a walking ad for Gateway Computers) and has a big mouth. Alan says she is "bitchy, but I like that in a woman". After a humiliation at his hands in front of two Thai prostitutes, Jenny seems to have found the man who can tame her and joyfully comes home to Macau with Alan when he leaves Thailand.

In the meanwhile, Ah Tien has been ambling about on Macau in his usual amiable way. Ah Tien is young, handsome and obviously a protege of Alan only out of loyalty; his humor and carefree manner seem to mask all kinds of insecurities, and his baby face (even though CYF was 32 when the film was made, he looks 10 years younger) seems to be better suited to expressing genial good humor than hate and anger - unless he witnesses any slight to Alan, at which he explodes in rage.

A chance encounter (so often important in the course of HK film romance) connects him with Ka Hsi again, now back on Macau and teaching at the convent where she grew up, and where Ah Tien's godson is attending school. At first afraid to tell her who he is, Ah Tien romances Ka Hsi and falls in love with her; after having received his life-long wish to see her again, he never wants to be parted from her. She seems to hold for him the possibility of redemption for his former life of crime as much as being his dream woman; Ah Tien's affection for Ka Hsi is kind and gentle and seems pale in comparison to his fierce love for his brother Alan. Yet he is willing to forego his place in Alan's underworld in order to marry the righteous Ka Hsi, who will only marry him if he gives up all of his illegal activities. When confronted with the possibility of losing his beloved lieutenant, Alan demands that Ah Tien choose between Ka Hsi and himself, and though torn by the choice Ah Tien says he cannot live without Ka Hsi and leaves Alan's house and life with regret.

Upon the separation of ways of Alan and Ah Tien there are a few references by other characters to the sexuality of Alan and Ah Tien; Jenny, who is told that she will always come second to Ah Tien, spits out that Alan can "just go be gay" with Ah Tien. Later one of Alan's henchmen says that Alan should not grieve so openly at his quarrel and parting with Ah Tien, or people will "make fun of them as homosexual". We are left with the clear impression that their love for one another goes beyond brotherly bounds (as they are not blood brothers, but by bond of affection); this explains the jealous rage of Alan upon being rejected by Ah Tien for Ka Hsi, and also of Ah Tien's decision at the end of the film to face death with Alan rather than continue to live with Ka Hsi.

Because of the subplots of the emotional dynamics of Alan, Ah Tien and the two women in their lives, this film is taken above the usual action shoot-'em-up and begins to land in solid territory. Without the tension between Alan and Ah Tien the ending would have been sterile, but as it is their final words are poignant and touching. Jenny, the bad girl who will do anything once, is an interesting character which of the two women is fleshed out a bit more and gives some interest to the story, whereas Ka Hsi as the woman of God seems to be bloodless; we can see why in the end Ah Tien realized that his path lay with Alan and not her.

There is the usual amount of violence in this film, nothing which will be shocking to those to have seen a goodly amount of HK action films. There is one *very* funny scene in which CYF dresses up in makeup drag and does a sort of Boy George impression, leading a karaoke to some Cantonese pop song about being a bad girl last night.

While the action story is very formulaic, the talents of Alan Tang and CYF make the romantic subplots interesting and well worth watching. Alan Tang was considered one of the handsomest leading men in his day, with a very stylized appearance and method of acting. CYF, with an acting style as sheer as that of Catherine Deneuve, is more informal and relaxed. This is a happy combination for this film about two men who are essentially different but who choose to conform to a standard out of love and loyalty.

This is a film that both action and romance fans will enjoy, as long as they are not overly sensitive to the gay undertones. For my money, this makes the performances all the more interesting. A good choice of earlier CYF flicks, even though he is not cast in the leading role.

The Fun, the Luck & the Tycoon (1990)

Fizzy comedy.

[8/10 · 8 August 1999]

A broad comedy that is as sweet and fizzy as soda pop. Not something on which to base your film diet, but a fun addition.

Chow Yun-Fat plays the richest man in Hong Kong who is not pleased with the arranged marriage with a shallow socialite which awaits him in just a few weeks. Leaving behind everything on a whim, he journeys out into the world and gets a job as a bus boy at a noodle restaurant and finds the girl of his dreams.

Not much plot, but some funny scenes and Chow Yun-Fat has rarely looked cuter. A good candidate for rental; probably not a movie you'll want to see over and over.

Be sure to look for CYF in a small role as Stink the taxi driver. One of the highlights of the film, especially since this was one job which Chow actually had before he became a superstar.

An Autumn's Tale (1987)

Warm, sweet story.

[7 August 1999]

A warm, sweet film about the love between a simple man and a shy young woman adjusting to life outside her family and upbringing. Very understated with many touching and funny moments.

A young woman named Jennifer leaves Hong Kong to study in the USA with her boyfriend. Upon her arrival she meets "Figurehead", who is watching out for his "4th aunt's 13th cousin". Jennifer is cultured and refined, 180 degrees away from Figgy as he is called, a former sailor who is now a waiter in Chinatown. Though he is crude and uncouth he is faithful and kind, unlike Jennifer's cheating boyfriend.

After seeing her through homesickness, a bit of culture shock and a broken heart, Figgy falls for Jennifer... but of course there are complications and that's basically what this movie is about: the complexities of love.

Chow Yun-Fat gives a great performance as Figgy - while he is often lauded for his action roles, he is under-appreciated as a dramatic and comedic actor. Cherie Chung is superlative as usual.

This film won Best Picture at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 1988, and Chow and Chung were both nominated as Best Actor and Actress, respectively.

A beautifully shot film, directed with style and humanity. Good for the entire family.

Tiger on Beat (1988)

Fluff, but fun fluff.

[7/10 · 6 August 1999]

A pleasant police/buddy comedy starring Chow Yun-Fat and Conan Lee. The requisite action scenes are there as well as a few dramatic moments, but this one is still played more for laughs. It reminded me of a Hong Kong "48 Hrs", but brightened considerably by the two leads. A fun way to waste a couple of hours.

The Eighth Happiness (1988)

Non-stop fun.

[9/10 · 6 August 1999]

While the plot of this movie is funny unto itself, the one true reason to see this film is the *incredible* performance by Chow Yun-Fat. You've seen him as the ruthless cop, the compassionate assassin, the toughened prison inmate. Now you can see him as " a sissy girl" (to quote the subtitles in the plot) - but it's all a sham to cover the fact he's a shameless womanizer. Well, it makes sense when you see the film.

Also included is one of the wildest spoofs of Chinese opera you'll ever see.

Funny from the opening credits ("The Blue Danube Waltz" with Chinese lyrics!) to the end of the closing credits. Obscene telephone calls, Chow Yun-Fat crossdressing, a sword-wielding mom and Cherie Cheung in a wild cameo role as a girl just wanting to have fun. What more could you want?

Super fun.

Witch from Nepal (1986)

Awful, but with one saving grace.

[5/10 · 6 August 1999]

As a die-hard Chow Yun-Fat fan, I had to see this film just to be completist. Unless you're in the same category, forget it. An embarrassing attempt at a mystic fantasy, this film seemed to be made by people who couldn't decide whether they really wanted to take it seriously or not. As a result you have a film which is so bad that it's scary - not only because of the enchanted testicles which the main character wears around his neck, either. The final battle atop a skyscraper is okay, but the film's only real (albeit momentary) saving grace is the steamy sex scenes between Chow Yun-Fat and Chu Po Yee.

This film is rated as Category II (not for children).

The God of Cookery (1996)

Absolutely hysterical.

[10/10 · 4 August 1999]

This film is laugh-out-loud material throughout. For those familiar with Hong Kong cinema, you'll get an extra kick out of the razor-sharp spoofs of various genre by Stephen Chow, but even if this is your first-ever HK film you'll find it non-stop laughs.

Chow plays the so-called "God of Cookery", a media hype creation who is a legend in his own mind, but not necessarily the kitchen. When he involves himself in a shady business deal, he is publicly shamed and loses all of his wealth and fame. After meeting up with the tough-as-nails Sister Turkey, a street food vendor (played to the hilt by Karen Mok), he seeks to regain his fame and fortune... but still hasn't quite learned his lesson yet - that takes a bit more plot and dozens more jokes.

Highly recommended! I rate it a 10 out of 10.

Once a Thief (1991)

Frothy fun.

[9/10 · 3 August 1999]

A light froth of art theft, Hong Kong-style action and campy comedy from John Woo. A trio of street urchins are raised by a Fagin-like character to lives of crime, something at which they excel. There's something here for everyone, plenty of laughs, suspense and action. There are also a few sly spoofs of previous HK films, including one tip of the hat to Chow Yun-Fat's own "God of Gamblers".

Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung and Cherie Chung's characters are attractive, bright and have an interesting three-way romance going. From the (highly campy and very funny) ending, you're never quite sure if all those kids have the same father.

Of special note is Chow Yun-Fat's ability to make a character in a wheelchair believable as a total kick-ass thief and ballroom dancer. > This is no heavy Woo-drenched classic but it's a fun watch and definitely worth the price of admission.

Hong Kong 1941 (1984)

A solid small film.

[8/10 · 3 August 1999]

A quiet, solid film about three young people caught up in the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong. Filmed as if it were originally a stage play, the story focuses on the relationships which develop between the three main characters as they fight to keep their dignity when faced with the physical and emotional terrors of war.

This is a good one to rent for a quiet afternoon in front of the television. There are some violent scenes (after all, it takes place in a land invaded by a foreign army) but not overly graphic. Cecilia Yip gives an understated performance; Chow Yun-Fat is seen here in his pre-superstar days but does well in a somewhat sparse role.