Blog Archives

Legend of Speed (1999)

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Posted on June 29, 2005 by Alison

Fine mindless action entertainment. You’ve got Ekin and his hair, with the extra treat of long legs swathed in leather pants. You’ve got Kelly Lin in teeny tiny shorts. You’ve got Simon Yam being a suave triad boss and Moses Chan being the doofus brother. There’s lots of car racing, some angst, Blackie Ko as the long-lost father, and Patrick Tam doing a damn fine turn as the stammering mechanic. Turn your brain off and make “vroom vroom” noises and … (read more)

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Six Strong Guys (2004)

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Posted on September 13, 2004 by Eugene

How exactly does one start reflections about a film titled Six Strong Guys when there with only really four main characters? Should one start with the rationalisation that there are two supporting men to make up the half dozen? Or perhaps conclude that they couldn’t make the other two interesting (or short) enough to fit into the movie?

Well the fact of the matter is Six Strong Guys basically the story of four men so self absorbed that they consider … (read more)

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Anna in Kungfu Land (2003)

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Posted on December 29, 2003 by Eugene

The opening sequence held so much promise. Cheesy animation evocative of Powerpuff Girls with all the various participants in their computer-generated alter egos in a five second animation that pretty told you all you really needed to know about the characters, aka their schticks. With the title Anna in Kungfu Land, there was the hope of a mindless but enjoyable farce of a live action cartoon.

Thankfully, a significant chunk of the film plays on this and milks it … (read more)

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Second Time Around (2002)

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Posted on September 7, 2003 by Mark Morrison

Jeff Lau has directed some of Hong Kong’s most inventive comedies — films such as All for the Winner, Eagle Shooting Heroes, Chinese Odyssey and others. He’s been absent from the screen since Black Rose in 1997, so it’s great to see him back behind the lens — particularly with Johnnie To in the producer’s chair.

The result is Second Time Around, which is a time travelling gambling comedy romance drama. If that’s defying classification, that’s because Jeff Lau … (read more)

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My Wife is Eighteen (2002)

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Posted on September 7, 2003 by Mark Morrison

The premise is dodgy – older guy has arranged marriage with teenager – but I thought it might have some saving graces. I mean, the older guy is Ekin Cheng, and he was a teen idol himself as recently as Legend of Speed, and the teenager was Charlene Choi, who really excelled in her debut Funeral March.

Alas, sometimes movies have no saving graces.

The premise never really rises above the half-joke that it is; as teen bride … (read more)

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