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Last Site Update: May 7th, 2008
Site Review Count: 1620
   

Red Cliff

Tony Leung Chiu-Wai is Zhao Yun

Are you excited for John Woo's
Red Cliff? We sure as hell are.
We're so excited that we've
stopped sleeping. Wait, that may
actually be the jet lag. Anyway,
the prospect of big battles,
Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro,
Vicki Zhao, Chang Chen, and
Chow Yun-Fat in one movie together
is simply too much for any Asian
film fan to resist. Hold on, Chow
Yun-Fat isn't in this picture. He dropped
out and is making, uh, Dragonball.
Our theory is that he grew a mustache
and is actually "evil Chow Yun-Fat"
from the Mirror Universe. It could explain
his participation in that damn
Pirates of the Caribbean
movie.

Recent Stuff
- Review: Happy Funeral Added 5-07
- Review: Tactical Unit - The Code Added 5-07
- Review: The Forbidden Kingdom Added 5-07
- Review: The Glorious Team Batista Added 5-07
- Review: Seven Days Added 5-07
- Review: All About Lily Chou-Chou Added 5-07
- Review: Run Papa Run Added 4-16
- Review: Love is Elsewhere Added 4-16
- Review: Winds of September - The Taiwan Chapter Added 4-16
- Review: High Noon Added 4-16
- Review: Love Exposure Added 4-16
- Review: Welcome to the Quiet Room Added 4-16
- Awards: 27th Hong Kong Film Awards Added 4-13

A Long Vacation
Posted 5-7-08

We took a long vacation from this website thanks to that Italy trip, Internet problems, jet lag and work. Now we're back with the first of what we'll be calling our Red Cliff Update Series. Basically, each update will have a new Red Cliff poster and even more reviews. The question is how many reviews we can muster by the time we run out of Red Cliff pictures. The suspense is almost ghastly.

On to the reviews: Kozo looks at Happy Funeral, the first PTU movie Tactical Unit - The Code, and the Japanese medical thriller The Glorious Team Batista. Sanjuro checks out that Jackie Chan-Jet Li movie The Forbidden Kingdom, LMFDean9 watches Seven Days, starring that woman from Lost; and JMaruyama visits the past to watch the 2001 Japanese drama All About Lily Chou-Chou.

Next time: Johnnie To's Sparrow.


News, Notes and Nonsense
Updated April 16th
Previous Updates archived at LoveHKFilm.com - MySpace

10th Udine Far East Film Festival
Posted 4-16-08
It runs from the 18th to the 26th, and it features some fine Hong Kong films, including the yet-to-show-in-HKSparrow and the first PTU TV movie, both from some guy named Johnnie To. For a change, LoveHKFilm will look at Hong Kong film from a place not called Hong Kong or California, because that's where we're going. What we do there is anyone's guess, but it'll probably involve seeing movies, sleeping, and seeing even more movies. If there's extra time, we'll sleep. As you can probably guess, it's our dream vacation. Read about the 10th Far East Film Festival here. Knowing Italian would help.

Now we're up to 13! Score.
Posted 4-16-08

Last week, we said we would publish 10 reviews in 10 days. Well, we actually managed 13 in just 7 days, which basically means that we hit this one out of the park. I would be happier at this achievement, but it's been tarnished by the fact that we were only able to do it thanks to some timely injections of Human Growth Hormone. Congress has just served us with a subpoena.

Oh yeah, the reviews: Hong Kong commercial releases Run Papa Run and Love is Elsewhere, plus the Hong Kong and Taiwan chapters in the Eric Tsang-produced Winds of September trilogy. Reviews of the Korean film Love Exposure and the Japanese film Welcome to the Quiet Room round out this update. See you after Italy.

Warlords wins everything
Posted 4-13-08

Congratulations to Warlords, which took home more awards than any film truly deserves at the27th Hong Kong Film Awards. The results were handed out on April 13th, 2008, and among the winners were Jet Li, Peter Chan, cinematographer Arthur Wong, and a bunch of other people that we can't remember. We'd like to thank Hong Kong Cinema, Media Asia, and everyone's mothers.

7 down, 3 to go
Posted 4-12-08

A few days ago, this site promised it would publish 10 reviews in 10 days. Well, we're already up to 7. This accomplishment is obviously of massive importance.

Away, this time there are reviews of HK horror flick scare 2 die, plus the Korean film Resurrection of the Butterfly, the award-winning Japanese film I Just Didn't Do It, and the Taiwanese lesbian double feature: Drifting Flowers and Candy Rain.

10 Days, 10 Reviews
Posted 4-09-08

We've been quiet for a while, but in the next 10 days, we will publish at least 10 reviews. Guaranteed. The insanity kicks off today with reviews of Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon and the Korean film My Father. Yep, that's only two reviews right there, but there will be at least eight more during the next 10 days.
If not, you can all have your money back.

Also, you might want to tune in early next week for the results of the latest Hong Kong Film Awards. We're betting on black.

Hong Kong Film Award Contest
hosted by
The House Where Words Gather

Posted 4-01-08

Sanney Leung is hosting a special contest on his blog, The House Where Words Gather. Predict the results of the upcoming Hong Kong Film Awards, and win one of many fabulous prizes, including some posters and other schwag that you would probably not be able to get otherwise. We think. Anyway, Sanney has been kind enough to take care of all the details and logisitics. Just click through and make your choices. Good luck!

BTW: We know that it's April Fool's Day, and sadly, we aren't doing anything special. We did change the header though. Visit one of our classics instead to remember when we used to have fun.


Previous Updates

NEW for May 7th, 2008
- Added Kozo's reviews of Happy Funeral (2008), Tactical Unit - The Code (2008), and (JAPAN 2008).
- Added Sanjuro's review of The Forbidden Kingdom (2008).
- Added LMFDean9's review
of Seven Days (KOREA 2007).
- Added JMaruyama's review of All About Lily Chou-Chou (JAPAN 2001).

NEW for April 16th, 2008
- Added Kozo's reviews of Run Papa Run (2008), Love is Elsewhere (2008), High Noon (2008), and Winds of September - The Taiwan Chapter (TAIWAN 2008).
- Added LMFDean9's review
of Love Exposure (KOREA 2008).
- Added JMaruyama's review of Welcome to the Quiet Room (JAPAN 2007).

NEW for April 13th, 2008

- Added the results of the 27th Hong Kong Film Awards.

NEW for April 12th, 2008

- Added Kozo's reviews of scare 2 die (2008), Drifting Flowers (TAIWAN 2008), and Candy Rain (TAIWAN 2008).
- Added LMFDean9's review
of Resurrection of the Butterfly (KOREA 2007).
- Added JMaruyama's review of I Just Didn't Do It (JAPAN 2007).

Featured Review

Happy Funeral
Elanne Kong and Tian Yuan

Happy Funeral
Given that her last movie was the unfortunate Wonder Women, director Barbara Wong can only improve - and she does just that with her new film Happy Funeral. A sequel to the 2003 sleeper hit Truth or Dare - 6th Floor Rear Flat, Happy Funeral is a youth film exploring your usual youth issues, e.g. love, responsibility, maturation, and the ever-growing fascination with Facebook. The film has plenty of problems, but also some genuine humor, and Wong manages to offset the obvious themes and overbearing montages with decent emotions and performances. Happy Funeral isn't earth-shaking, and wheezes to a finish thanks to a protracted and overly-sentimental finale. Still, Wong's intentions and execution are agreeable, and the film itself is a vast improvement from the crass clumsiness of Wonder Women. (more)

 

New HK Reviews New PanAsia Reviews
Look Ma, I'm on television!
Tactical Unit - The Code
Never equate television with the movies. With that caveat, Tactical Unit - The Code can survive initial scrutiny, and qualify as a competent, interesting cop drama. (more)
 
Who's your daddy?
Run Papa Run
Louis Koo returns to triad territory in Run Papa Run, but this isn't your typical triad movie about gang violence... (more)
 
Is it ever
Love is Elsewhere
Even more new idols get a shot at the big screen in Love is Elsewhere, an agreeable though average take on the youth romance film. (more)
 
Big budget battling with Andy Lau
Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms, here we come. Chinese cinemas will be assaulted this summer by John Woo's Red Cliff... (more)
 
Not starring Gary Cooper
High Noon
The Hong Kong chapter of the Eric Tsang-produced Winds of September youth film trilogy, High Noon quickly establishes its own distinct personality. (more)
 
One Pang Brother only
scare 2 die
Another horror piece with Pang Brother paws on it, scare 2 die serves up effective technique and atmosphere without much logic or lasting impact to distract.. (more)
 
A Pouting Princess
An Empress and the Warriors
An Empress and the Warriors is dumb fun - with an emphasis on dumb. Directed by Ching Siu-Tung... (more)
 
Love still sucks, but the movie is better
L For Love, L For Lies
Relationships suck, and any reconciliation or sweet words are merely veiled lies that mask even further sucking. (more)
 
Jackie and Jet
The Forbidden Kingdom
Who do you think would win in a fight: Jackie Chan or Jet Li? I'm sure plenty of Hong Kong Cinema fans, both young and old, have posed that question... (more)
 
Lots of surgery, not much heart
The Glorious Team Batista
The Glorious Team Batista offers fans of heart surgery a front-row seat for plenty of open chest cavity action. Non-fans or the squeamish will have to fight the urge to look away... (more)
 
She got off the island
Seven Days
Finding a killer hook is half the battle for a successful commercial film. The Korean thriller Seven Days has accomplished just that with its casting... (more)
 
Thank you for the music
All About Lily Chou-Chou
When recent footage of Florida teen Victoria Lindsay being attacked by classmates in her home was posted on YouTube, it generated overwhelming public outrage and condemnation. (more)
 
Those damn Taiwanese kids
Winds of September
Produced by Eric Tsang and Hong Kong-based Big Pictures Limited, Winds of September - The Taiwan Chapter is the first of three films from three different Asian countries... (more)
 
More movies about cheating
Love Exposure
A rather serious examination of infidelity and modern relationships is given the slick urban romance treatment in Love Exposure, the latest from …ing director E. (more)
 
Shojo, Interrupted
Welcome to the Quiet Room
As with many young male fans, my heart was stolen by the stunning model/actress/singer Uchida Yuki... (more)
 
It causes cavities
Candy Rain
Director Chen Hung-I's Candy Rain could be the most perfectly titled film ever. Like candy, the film is sweet and tasty in small doses. (more)
 

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Newer Hong Kong Reviews:
- Beauty and the 7 Beasts
- Blood Brothers
- Breeze of July
- Brothers
- Bullet & Brain
- CJ7
- Contract Lover
- The Detective
- The Drummer
- An Empress and the Warriors
- Exodus
- Fatal Move
- Flash Point
- Happy Funeral
- High Noon
- Hooked on You
- Hong Kong Bronx
- In Love with the Dead
- Invisible Target
- Kidnap
- Kung Fu Dunk
- L For Love, L For Lies
- Linger
- Love is Elsewhere
- Lust, Caution
- Mad Detective
- Magic Boy
- Mr. Cinema
- Naraka 19
- Playboy Cops
- The Postmodern Life of My Aunt
- Protégé
- Run Papa Run
- scare 2 die
- Secret
- See You in You Tube
- Shamo
- Simply Actors
- Tactical Unit - The Code
- Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon
- Triangle
- Trivial Matters
- Undercover
- The Warlords
- Who's Next
- Wonder Women
- Yes, I Can See Dead People

Newer China reviews:
- The Assembly
- Call For Love
- Lost in Beijing
-
Love in the City
-
The Magic Gourd
-
The Sun Also Rises
-
Two Stupid Eggs

Newer Taiwan reviews:

- Candy Rain
- Drifting Flowers
- Island Etude
- Keeping Watch
- The Most Distant Course
-
Summer's Tail
-
Winds of September - The Taiwan Chapter

Newer Japan reviews:

- All About Lily Chou-Chou
- Always - Sunset on Third Street
- Bugmaster
- Bubble Fiction: Boom or Bust
- Christmas on July 24th Avenue
- Dog in a Sidecar
- Dororo
- Freesia
- Gegege no Kitaro
- Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea
- The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
- The Glorious Team Batista
- Heavenly Forest
- Hero
- Hula Girls
- I Just Didn't Do It
- The Inugamis
- L: Change the World
- Like a Dragon
- Love Tomato
- The Many Faces of Chika
- Memories of Tomorrow
- Midnight Eagle
- Monkey Magic
- Rainbow Song
- Strawberry Shortcakes
- Sugar and Spice ~ Fumi Zekka
- Sukiyaki Western Django
- Talk, Talk, Talk
- Tears For You
- Tokyo Serendipity
- Tokyo Tower
- Udon
- Unfair: The Movie
- Vexille
- Waiting in the Dark
- Waters
- Welcome to the Quiet Room
- Yellow Tears

Newer Korea reviews:

- Attack on the Pin-Up Boys
- Breath
- Black House
- D-War
- A Day for an Affair
- For Eternal Hearts
- Hot for Teacher
- Hwang Jin Yi (2007)
- I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK
- Like a Virgin
- Love Exposure
- M
- My Boss My Student
- My Father
- My Wife is a Gangster 3
- The President's Last Bang
- Resurrection of the Butterfly
- The Restless
- Seducing Mr. Perfect
- Seven Days
- Soo
- Swindler in My Mom's House
- The Worst Guy Ever

Other PanAsia reviews:
- Anna and Anna
- Chocolate
- DOA: Dead or Alive
- The Forbidden Kingdom
- Jade Warrior
- Just Follow Law
- My Blueberry Nights
- Rush Hour 3
- War

Site Resources
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Glossary of HK film terms

Regional Coverage:
Hong Kong
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Los Angeles, USA
- The Asian Film Foundation
San Franciso, USA
- Four-Star Theater

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