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| Wai's Romance (1994) Directed by: To Hoi-Sun |
KENNETH'S REVIEW: The busy adventures of ex-triad Wai includes copious amounts of sex, an almost creative fight with his jojo, a gig at an antique company with shady behaviour behind the scenes, karaoke bar duty, appearing in Category III films and one not so carefully injected plot point about him needing to revenge his parents (especially heightened when he finds evidence of who's responsible, carefully organized in a folder). Furthermore there's Hong Kong/Mainland cops, dopey assassins of sorts and indeed, the plate seems rather full. But going about it in light fashion translates more into casual behaviour and Wai's Romance doesn't become as fun as its opportunities are. In quite the big role reversal, Charlie Cho is timed and afraid of the other sex but rest assured, he gets in on the action eventually. Ku Feng and William Ho also appear. Buy the DVD at: |
| Walking Beside Me (1986) Directed by: Chen Fang |
Joey (Joey Wong) works at an advertising agency and her superior has his younger brother coming back to Hong Kong. Having had money invested in gold lost at the hands of his brother, the younger brother Chao (Louis Kong) finds himself starting over in Hong Kong and being infatuated with Joey. Eventually falling for the childish dope Chao is, what future does such love hold? Plus, Joey has some surprises of her own hidden... It's the utmost basic, uninteresting and unconvincing romance-beats being offered up in Walking Beside Me. Despite having Joey Wong owning the screen with her presence, her chemistry with Louis Kong lacks the punch intended. Truth be told, Kong is apt at playing this rather immature character but the problem starts there as there lies no interest in the contrasting nature between him and Joey. Eventually bringing in heavier melodrama and the subplot of Joey trying to pair up her mom with a new man adds no substance, director Chen Fang's not so subtle work only dips from beginning all till the final, expected frame. Also with Pau Hei-Ching and Shek Sau. Buy the DVD at: |
| The Web Of Death (1976) Directed by: Chor Yuen |
Early on in The Web Of Death, we get a clear look and indication of the special effects limitations that is going to make or break this Chor Yuen directed Wuxia piece. The sought after weapon in the martial arts world for this one is the Five Venoms Spider and the effects guys are certainly pushing it as far as they can. This beginning appearance and its subsequent manifestation during the finale could disrupt the straight mood the filmmakers are going with, for certain viewers but I've learned to love the charm of SFX limitations in Hong Kong movies so I'm not easily bothered. Especially not since this is yet another very fetching Chor Yuen work visually. The various trickery and weaponry are wonderfully showcased on the intricate sets, captured like very few directors at Shaw's could. It's not another Killer Clans or The Magic Blade but The Web Of Death, with only a fairly complicated plot by scriptwriter I Kuang's standards, is still memorable. With Yueh Hua, Ching Li, Ku Feng Lo Lieh. Lily Li and Norman Tsui logs smaller roles. Buy the DVD at: |
| Web Of Deception (1997) Directed by: Billy Tang & Takkie Yeung |
Investment manager Fion (Francoise Yip - Rumble In The Bronx) is scammed into putting 100 million USD into an acquisition deal by business man Donson Woo. When trying to look him up again, she finds out Donson Woo is some other person entirely (played by ass kicking Michael Chow). The two join together to untangle this web of deception, ending up being wanted criminals and lovers in the process. Co-directed by Billy Tang (Run And Kill, Sharp Guns), little of his visual strength or cinematic strength for that matter is evident in Web Of Deception. The movie may go to exotic locations but it's still an awfully cheap looking movie further enhanced by the fact that the plot carries such traits as well. The twists along the way causes some slight interest to manifest itself while Tang's Category III background remains evident in one sex scene as well as in the casting of Diana Pang (nothing that fits the actual story but it sure as hell is audience pleasing). But in the end, there's nothing to care for really. May Yuk Sing's action directing has some neat ideas but is hindered by the low-budget clearly. Plus the casted henchmen add an unwelcome hokey flavour that stops any desires of Ma's to create hard boiled action. Buy the DVD at: |
| Wedding Bells, Wedding Bells (1980) Directed by: Yim Ho |
The anti-movie to Yim Ho's violent The Happenings in that it's a broad comedy and not good by any stretch of the imagination, Wedding Bells, Wedding Bells may be very local in design but something should've translated. Tai Shui (Suet Lee) almost gets run over by wealthy 70+ Mr. Chow and this opens up the opportunities to squeeze something out of the rich man to benefit her fishing family. Her younger sister sets in motion the needed requirement that Tai Shui must marry though and awkward Ah Kiu (James Yi) is chosen. Tai Shui bails on the wedding to pursue what she thinks is Mr. Chow (but is instead his younger assistant), Ah Kiu follows and one of many complications arises when Tai Shui is standing there about to be wed to a 70 year old man in need of a son... Possibly Yim Ho is commenting on different social status in broad slapstick form but the film clearly isn't a bellyful of laughs despite. Featuring the Star Wars theme but whistled instead, loud banter, people falling over, in water, Tai Shui being pushed into the entertainment industry (she even takes a slimming pill making her violently allergic to eating) and all culminating in a deserted island scenario that tries desperately to be over the top crazy. Tries. Fails. A sleeping pill. Even locally. Buy the VCD at: |
| Wells Up In My Heart (1981) Directed by: Lau Lap-Lap |
Hsia Ying-Lan (Shirley Lui) is the newly appointed secretary of Mr. Hsiao but little voices around the office start to spread correct rumours about the Hsiao family that basically are recruiting secretaries as well as wives. Hence never hiring any ugly girls. Nice. Ying-Lan does befriend one of the common workers though, Ah-Chi (Liu Wen-Zhen) and love is in the air. That is until those who has experienced ache in connection to the Hsiao's reveal that Ah-Chi is in fact part of the family. Confusion, lack of bliss and heartache follows... As with his Errant Love, Lau Lap-Lap doesn't set out to amp filmmaking techniques and style of Taiwan romance cinema. Some shots with gelled up lenses, bliss- and ache-montages set to moody soundtracks, it's all here and Wells Up In My Heart is truly a cinema soap of its time. What it does offer up that rises it ever so slightly above others is an continuing back and forth for the characters that seems to be heading towards a fate of not knowing what to or how to love anymore, with so much conflicting truths around them. This complexity probably deserves better filmmaking skills but the movie stands out when placed in correct context. Leads Shirley Lui and Liu Wen-Zhen also display good chemistry. Co-starring Nancy Lau. |
| We're Going To Eat You (1980) Directed by: Tsui Hark |
Behind its goofy title actually does lies a goofy, gory Tsui Hark movie, his 2nd. One that combines imagery and elements from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 2000 Maniacs and cannibal movies in general, that were hot at the time. The end result is plagued with more broad Hong Kong comedy than I can take but admittedly, Tsui churns out some funny gags from time to time, both when it comes to the low-budget gore and visually. The finale takes on a wild aura as it's just very active and Tsui manages to find entertaining ways to introduce roller-skates into it. Norman Chu's Agent 999 character, just like the world's best known secret agent known by another number, has an amusing running gag that he manages to get out of the most hairy situations when dealing with them cannibals. You also get what could surely be the inspiration for the nose-picking transvestite in several Stephen Chow movies and a fun, if not overly clever, Wong Fei Hung reference towards the end (involving one of the reoccurring actors in the old Wong Fei Hung films starring Kwan Tak Hing). Corey Yuen's martial arts choreography also adds a little fun to the mix. There's enough here to like for Tsui Hark followers but We're Going To Eat You is more of a precursor of greatness to come, which obviously makes it essential viewing if you're studying the development of one of Hong Kong cinema's main trendsetters of the 80s and 90s. The cinematography for instance is a combination of well accomplished and typical Tsui Hark nuttiness, something I've always been fond of. And it has to be said, how uneducated it may come off as, the concepts for this and Tsui's debut The Butterfly Murders are cool. Co-starring Eddy Ko, Melvin Wong and Margaret Lee. Buy the DVD at: |
| Whampoa Blues (1990) Directed by: Blacky Ko |
We've seen this one before, when it was both called Top Gun, Proud And Confident and to a much lesser extent No, Sir. Therefore Blacky Ko has not so much made a movie but extracted a template and dressed the human pieces of it with different faces. On the army training grounds in Taiwan there are therefore comrade, performance rivalry, strict training in order to bond and improve these soldiers as well as emotional twists where sickness may turn proceedings on its head. Plus you have the romance subplot straight out of Top Gun re-molded a bit and put into this movie but never followed through on so it's safe to say director Ko merely needed some filler. A variation on Europe's "The Final Countdown" is heard before the boys enter their examination mission but then real life circumstances turn into a real, albeit small war. Who saw that one coming? A lot of us and aside from an assured act from Miu Kiu-Wai as the typical drill sergeant with a heart, none of the performers such as Max Mok, Wilson Lam or Kenny Ho inhabit anything else but a shell that holds zero character. Compared to dreck like No, Sir however, Blacky Ko knows how to spice up the training sequences more and some of the more epic shots register favourably. Buy the DVD at: |
| What A Wonderful World (1996) Directed by: Samson Chiu |
At times a little cheesy and uneven pace-wise, Samson Chiu's What A Wonderful World is still a worthwhile study of sensationalistic journalism and newly found humanity in the face of terminal disease (a plot device that's been used fairly frequently by Hong Kong filmmakers). Some of the characters, especially the reporters and the police are a fair bit overblown and stereotypical but the performances by Andy Lau, Kenny Bee and Teresa Lee carry the film well enough to not let those things bother in the long run. Jacky Tang's beautiful scenic photography greatly enhances as well. Paul Fonoroff and Kent Cheng logs cameos. Buy the DVD at: |
| When East Goes West (1990) Directed by: David Chiang |
KENNETH'S REVIEW: Lam Fei Hong (Bill Tung) goes through with his emigration plans and meets up with his son Michael (Lui Fong) in Canada. On the plane and subsequently when having landed, Uncle Lam makes sure Wong Yim-Chao (Ng Suet-Man) gets home safely to her Auntie Wong (Wong Wan-Si) but she believes someone has kidnapped Wong as she wasn't present at the airport. This triggers love/hate relationships but a tale between father and son where both have to find the one to settle down with. And they've just met them in actuality... It's a fairly professional looking but sedated atmosphere provided by otherwise solid director David Chiang. No doubt, Bill Tung is much of the time spot on in playing the driven but not harsh Uncle Lam and his banter with Wong Wan-Si is often times enjoyable. So is the sweet youth romance hopefully happening between Michael and Wong Yim-Chao but the overall flame in the movie can barely be seen or felt before the final 10 minutes where finally a sweet, basic aura is achieved. Lawrence Ng and Paul Chun also appear. |
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