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Elmyras
Reviews
Se diu ying hung: Dung sing sai jau (1993)
Forget about storyline
This movies is best viewed as a series of sketches with a loose background story. I'd previously watched it on VHS but I think somebody borrowed and never returned it as it has gone missing. I finally got the DVD version and watched it today. It's a no frills DVD - looks like it's been transferred straight from video.
Anyway, it is as funny as it was the first time round. I had such a stomach ache from laughing so hard and I could feel the tears welling up.
The most memorable 'sketches' are: Jacky Cheung vs Tony Leung in the forest (this one is long and just hilarious from beginning to end) and the dancing and singing number with Leslie Cheung and Tony Leung Ka Fai. There are other funny moments throughout but if you get the humour, then these two scenes will kill you. The 4 above mentioned actors give the funniest perfomance.
One thing that has to be said is that I watched a Cantonese version which had Chinese and English subtitles. If these English subtitles are the only translation available then I feel sorry for anyone watching with those as they are truly dreadful. Some of the lines are literally translated (resulting in nonsense) and others, I have no clue what script they are translating from. Shame really, as the delivery of some of the lines is just too funny, especially from Tony and Jacky. Brigitte Lin has also got to be the most beautiful woman in the film and Leslie is cute, cute, cute.
The only weakest link to me was Veronica Yip who's popularity at the time had recently risen due to baring all in some movie or other. Hence her appearing in a movie with all these huge stars. I have no complaints with the other actors. Carina Lau is one of my favourite actresses. She does a good job albeit in a slightly kooky role. A lot of overacting at times but it's goes with the spirit of the film - it's just for fun and I sure had a lot of it from watching.
8/10, mostly for the laughs.
Sing si lip yan (1993)
Of my favourite Jackie Chan movies...this one would NOT be up there as one of the
*minor spoilers*
The jokes are mostly juvenile and are accompanied with too much 'funny' face pulling. I particularly detest the running gag with the woman who can't hold up a gun for long because her 'load' is too heavy. Now, I'm no feminist so maybe it's not the joke so much as how badly delivered it is and how predictable it gets each time it happens. That said, this movie does contain some genuinely funny scenes, for instance when Joey Wong pretends to seduce the bad guy by playing with the bottom of his T-shirt and then proceeds to whip it up and trap his head in it. This is then spoiled with an excess of violence directed toward her by the villain and she reacts by falling into stupid positions and pulling funny faces. Joey Wong is a good actress with a lot of charisma but she does tend to Ham it up here. There's not much to say about the other three female leads except that they're just, well, there. Frankly, the movie could've done without the two undercovers and Leon Lai, whose presence irks me.
There are however two stand out moments the first of which isn't exactly funny but more a homage to Bruce Lee. This happens in the a theatre where Jackie finds himself up against two 7 ft+ tall bad guys and he finds inspiration from the master himself (whose movie is playing in the background) to give them a good pounding. The second is of course the Street Fighter scene. This game was huge at the time and it was such a treat to see this part of the film for the first time.
The last fight is also fun to watch although there is the presence of that face pulling again. I'll forgive him this time since the action is so good and at times laugh out loud funny you realise that this is the Jackie Chan of old where his stunts still wow you. Speaking of stunts, there is one where he somersaults from one balcony and lands on his feet about 10ft below.
Humour: 6/10 - some genuinely funny moments dragged down by an abundance of dreadful humour.
Action: 9/10 - Jackie Chan at his near best.
Plot: Hey, this is a Jackie Chan movie we're talking about.
Overall, I'd give it a 7/10.
Starship Troopers (1997)
Bad and incredibly boring
This move was so bad and boring it made me want to walk out of the cinema for the first time ever.
When it came on tv my sister recorded it and told me she loved it and thought it was hilarious. I tried to give it another chance.
Great SFX does not save this movie.
*spoiler abound*
Dina Meyer's was quite a likeable character but this was completely ruined when she flashed her boobs and was then killed off. The nude scene seemingly gave her bimbo status and acted as a sign that this character's death was imminent. I haven't read the book but I only wish they'd substituted this death with one for Denise Richards' character's. Watch out for Denise Richards' inane and permanent grin. Her impression of a Thunderbirds puppet driving a spaceship is brilliant.
Event Horizon (1997)
Scary stuff
This is possibly the only film I watched in the cinema that made me literally hide behind someone's shoulder. These aren't the typical jump out of your seat scares but more on the psychological side.
Sure, the 'dimension of pure evil' aspect is a little corny and the acting at times Hammy but when it comes to the scares, this film delivers right up to the very end.
The casting is a bit of a surprise - Sam Neill and Joely Richardson in a sci-fi horror? - not Oscar winning stuff but they give solid performances.
Loses it's edge on repeat viewings but it's enjoyable to watch with someone who hasn't seen it before.
Above average but far from perfect. Would be a 7 but an extra mark for frightening me more than any other film - 8/10.
Shi di chu ma (1980)
Now one of my all time favourite JC movies
I only saw this movie two weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised by it.
Its starts out a little slow but picks up as soon as Jackie's character leaves home to find his big brother. I found myself laughing out loud at various parts of the film, in particular when Yuen Biao or his father were on the screen. Jackie's character is pretty cocky and it was hilarious to see him winding the old man up. The icing on the cake is when Jackie is being attacked by him with a sword and he somehow manages to get hold of the old guy's prized pipe.
I thought the humour was quite fresh and unforced unlike it sometimes tends to be in his later films. Furthermore, his making funny faces actually works here and isn't overused.
Humour aside, the action sequences are good. Excluding the final fight, they may appear slow by today's standard but are still highly watchable.
The final fight itself is a sight to behold. It seemed to progress by chapters and so you could say developed a story of it's own. Watch it and you'll know what I mean.
Now one of my all time favourite JC movies. Highly entertaining I give it 10/10.
This was based on the Cantonese version unsubtitled.