Chinese Movie Reviews »
14 Blades (2010) Movie Review
Of all the period action movies that the Chinese are cranking out lately, “14 Blades” is the one I’ve been anticipating the most. It stars Donnie Yen in his usual Donnie Yen role –...
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The Storm Warriors (2009) Movie Review #2
With “The Storm Riders” having been a huge blockbuster hit back in 1998, taking the fantasy wuxia genre to a new level with its amazing special effects, it is perhaps surprising that it took...
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Bodyguards and Assassins (2009) Movie Review
The biggest Hong Kong event film of the last couple of years arrives in the form of “Bodyguards and Assassins”, the latest blockbuster from director Teddy Chan and producer Peter Chan. A historical piece...
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To Live and Die in Mongkok (2009) Movie Review
With its familiar sounding title and ex-con trying to go straight premise, “To Live and Die in Mongkok” is not immediately a particularly appealing prospect. However, the impeccably acclaimed cast should certainly arouse the...
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Mulan (Hua Mulan, 2009) Movie Review
Given the continuing popularity of the Chinese costume epic, it’s pretty much inevitable that all manner of legends and enduring tales will be dusted off and brought to the screen as blockbusters. And so...
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Painted Skin (1993) Movie Review
Not to be confused with the recent big budget blockbuster from Gordon Chan of the same name is King Hu’s “Painted Skin”, originally released back in 1993, and now finally resurfacing as a decent...
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Vengeance (2009) Movie Review
With Hong Kong director Johnnie To having long been admired as an auteur by French film critics, his desired collaboration with European talent has been a much mooted and anticipated possibility. Finally, it arrives...
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Rebellion (2009) Movie Review
Does Herman Yau take holidays? Does he take weekends? Does he even sleep? On the evidence for 2009, it seems not, as he managed to churn out no less than 4 films, “Split Second...
Read More »Vengeance (2009) Movie Review
Hong Kong’s crime cinema God Johnnie To goes International in “Vengeance”, a film that is at once different and yet familiar for the director. The film stars French rocker Johnny Hallyday as Costello, a...
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Empire of Silver (2009) Movie Review
Given the current world financial crisis and banking dilemmas, the release of “Empire of Silver” certainly comes at an opportune time, charting as it does the rise of the Shanxi merchants towards the end...
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Murderer (2009) Movie Review
One of the eternal cinematic debates is to whether or not a film can truly be so bad that it actually becomes good. For most connoisseurs of trash film, or of high camp excess,...
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24 City (2008) Movie Review
“24 City” is the latest offering from sixth generation Mainland China director Jia Zhangke and sees him continuing to explore themes of the country’s modern history and economic progress. Here, he does this through...
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Palisades Tartan’s Asian Horror: Essential Collection Review
Just in time for Halloween, Palisades Tartan has grouped together three of the most successful Asian horror films of recent years in one region 2 DVD collection. Although terms such as ‘essential’ are woefully...
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On His Majesty’s Secret Service (2009) Movie Review
Wong Jing goes back to the old school with “On his Majesty’s Secret Service” a truly madcap period set comedy in the classic early 1990s style. Although the master of the form himself, Stephen...
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Tracing Shadow (2009) Movie Review
“Tracing Shadow” marks the fourth directorial outing for popular Hong Kong Star Francis Ng, and sees him again co-helming with Marco Mak, who he previously worked with on “Dancing Lion”. The film itself is...
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Metallic Attraction: Kungfu Cyborg (2009) Movie Review
With so many Chinese films still being called ‘Kung Fu’ something or other, and with the continuing global success of Michael Bay’s blockbuster “Transformer” franchise, “Kung Fu Cyborg: Metallic Attraction” was pretty much inevitable....
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Till Death Shall We Start (1990) Movie Review
Originally released back in 1990 when the Hong Kong ghost comedy was enjoying somewhat of a resurgence, “Till Death Shall we Start” joined the ranks of films with suspiciously familiar sounding titles, including the...
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Buttonman (2008) Movie Review
Grim crime drama “Buttonman” is the latest offering from rising Taiwanese director Chien Ren Hao, previously responsible for “The Underground Order”. The film is the first from Taiwan to be produced by Hong Kong...
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Pretty Ghost (1991) Movie Review
It’s time again for that most uniquely Hong Kong of genres, the ghost comedy romance, with the re-release of the 1991 outing “Pretty Ghost”. The film, which apparently also went under the bizarrely inaccurate...
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Team of Miracles: We Will Rock You (2009) Movie Review
Directed by Adrian Kwan, previously responsible for the likes of “The Miracle Box” and the Sam Lee horror “Scaremonger”, turns his attention to the age-old sports underdog story with “Team of Miracles – We...
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