No, we didn’t forget. It’s time for another countdown from a LoveHKFilm Reader Vote! Simon Yam and pals are excited:

“Oh boy! We gotta get to a computer to check out the results!”

After a couple of weeks of tallying and formatting, we’re counting down the Top 100 Hong Kong Films of the Nineties, as voted upon by LoveHKFilm.com’s readers. Response was pretty good; we received over 130 entries and over 250 total films were nominated. We barely got any sleep over here.

First of all, an apology: a lot of good stuff didn’t make the cut, but that’s to be expected. This vote is a totally subjective thing, so if you disagree with the results — well, that’s your problem. Next time you can participate to help sway the vote.

Also, our apologies to everyone who voted for GOD OF GAMBLERS and A CHINESE GHOST STORY, but both those films actually came out in the eighties. You’ll have to vote for them another time.

This entry lists Numbers 81-100 of the Top 100. We’ll follow next time with 20 more, before getting really annoying and cutting it back to 10 or even 5 per entry as things progress. We’ll try to add a new entry every 1-2 days, but that’s not a promise.

Let’s get started:

100. A CHINESE GHOST STORY III (1991), directed by Ching Siu-Tung - 17 points - LoveHKFilm Review

No Leslie Cheung, no real problem - Tony Leung Chiu-Wai makes a more than adequate replacement. Ching Siu-Tung and Tsui Hark deliver more of the same, which isn’t bad at all. Joey Wong may be the most iconic flower vase in Hong Kong Cinema history.

99. RED TO KILL (1993), directed by Billy Tang - 18 points - LoveHKFilm Review

If you must see one movie about a serial rapist who runs a care center for the mentally disabled, then make RED TO KILL that movie. Grady Hendrix says, “there are a lot of great, sleazy films from the 90’s, but the one film to rule them all is RED TO KILL. Bloody Billy Tang makes a movie as meticulously crafted and auteurist as anything by Dario Argento, but it’s so offensive that just owning a copy automatically reserves you a place in Hell.”

98. MY FATHER IS A HERO (1995), directed by Corey Yuen - 18 points, 1 first place vote - LoveHKFilm Review

Jet Li’s strong presence anchors MY FATHER IS A HERO, but what makes it special is kung-fu dynamo Tze Miu and a supremely charismatic Anita Mui. An action film with over-the-top sentimentality that works. Corey Yuen’s action choreography is top notch, as usual. This is the first movie on this list that Wong Jing had something to do with.

96 (TIE). TEMPTING HEART (1998), directed by Sylvia Chang - 18.5 points - LoveHKFilm Review

Hey, Gigi Leung can act! If her work with Derek Yee hinted at it, Sylvia Chang’s TEMPTING HEART confirms it. Karen Mok and Takeshi Kaneshiro - they aren’t so bad, either.

96 (TIE). EBOLA SYNDROME (1996), directed by Herman Yau - 18.5 points - LoveHKFilm Review

Nothing beats Anthony Wong raping and killing - except when he’s spitting ebola-infected blood onto people. Wong and co-conspirator Herman Yau do their bloody best to outdo THE UNTOLD STORY. Some people think they succeeded.

95. ROYAL TRAMP II (1992), directed by Wong Jing - 19 points - LoveHKFilm Review

Stephen Chow brings the snarky comedy, Brigitte Lin the charismatic presence, and the bevy of babes - Chingmy Yau, Michelle Reis, Fennie Yuen, Vivian Chan - the eye candy. Fun action and a side-splitting SWORDSMAN II parody do the rest. Wong Jing really did make good movies once upon a time.

94. A CHINESE GHOST STORY II (1990), directed by Ching Siu-Tung - 19 points - LoveHKFilm Review

As if Joey Wong wasn’t enough beautiful enough, CHINESE GHOST STORY 2 actually has the nerve to add Michelle Reis to the cast. Straight girls and gay guys get Leslie Cheung. The genre fans get flying kung-fu and Jacky Cheung as the Wu Ma stand-in. Horror fans get the evil tree. Everybody gets something.

93. THE ODD ONE DIES (1997), directed by Patrick Yau - 19 points, 1 first place vote - LoveHKFilm Review

Johnnie To was only the producer, right? Patrick Yau’s quirky crimer is a great little movie about lost souls connecting on the way to oblivion and/or paradise. Reader WillJayRod calls ODD ONE DIES “darkly humorous, with one quirky soundtrack. Outsourced assassinations, stinky socks, bad haircuts, amputated fingers on ice…good times!”

92. LIFELINE (1997), directed by Johnnie To - 19.5 points - LoveHKFilm Review

Basically a firefighter soap opera, LIFELINE features stirring heroics and some unabashed human drama. Reader Lord Garth says, “More Lau Ching-Wan and Johnnie To goodness. HK’s answer to BACKDRAFT is actually a beautifully shot, intense film that stands on its own. The fire cinemotography is stunning and all the more impressive that the stars did their own stunts.”

91. SHE SHOOTS STRAIGHT (1990), directed by Corey Yuen - 20 points -LoveHKFilm Review

Few fighting female films can outdo SHE SHOOTS STRAIGHT. This 1990 actioner had melodrama and cheesiness to spare, but the painful girl-on-girl fisticuffs more than compensate. Joyce Godenzi = action goddess.

90. SWORDSMAN (1990), directed by King Hu, Tsui Hark, Ching Siu-Tung, Raymond Lee, Andrew Kam and Ann Hui - 20 points - LoveHKFilm Review

Tsui Hark and company brought the wuxia back to prominence with SWORDSMAN, helping to spur the genre’s incredible nineties boom. The glut of costume action films only lasted 4-5 years, but they were good times, weren’t they?

89. SEALED WITH A KISS (1999), directed by Derek Chiu - 21.5 points - LoveHKFilm Review

Back when Milkyway Image produced more than fan-baiting crime films, they delivered this unheralded little gem set on rural Peng Chau. As for why it’s so good, reader WillJayRod cites “Louis Koo’s underrated performance coupled with a great, if depressing, ending.”

88. ARMOUR OF GOD II: OPERATION CONDOR (1991), directed by Jackie Chan - 22.5 points - LoveHKFilm Review

Despite terrible racial stereotypes, OPERATION CONDOR is one of Jackie Chan’s most enjoyable action-adventures, with awesome set pieces and bravura stuntwork aplenty. Proof of Chan’s one-of-a-kind talent. Released by Dimension Films in the US. Remember?

86 (TIE). JUSTICE MY FOOT! (1992), directed by Johnnie To - 23 points - LoveHKFilm Review

One of Stephen Chow’s biggest box-office successes, JUSTICE MY FOOT! features laughs-a-plenty, a dynamite supporting cast and most of all, the scene-stealing Anita Mui as Chow’s kung-fu kicking wife. Directed by some guy named Johnnie To.

86 (TIE). CRIME STORY (1993), directed by Kirk Wong - 23 points - LoveHKFilm Review

Jackie Chan sweats seriously in his intense Golden Horse Award-winning performance. Based on a real kidnap case. Despite the serious pathos at play, CRIME STORY still has Jackie Chan-type action, e.g. sometimes he runs up walls and uses props on people. Jackie Chan aims to please.

85. CASINO TYCOON (1992), directed by Wong Jing - 23 points, 1 first place vote - HKMDB Page

Andy Lau plays Josie Ho’s father in this melodramatic, action packed biopic that’s probably more than a little divergent from reality. Not based on the popular PC simulation game, nor is the game based on the movie. Would be cool if it was, though.

84. HIGH RISK (1995), directed by Wong Jing - 25 points - LoveHKFilm Review

Jet Li and balls-to-the-wall DIE HARD-inspired action rule this over-the-top actioner, but casting Jacky Cheung as Jackie Chan? What genius thought of that awesome idea? What, it was Wong Jing? In 1995, Hell froze over.

83. THE EAGLE SHOOTING HEROES (1993), directed by Jeff Lau - 25 points - LoveHKFilm Review

Super all-star silliness that rises above similar fare produced by Raymond Wong and Clifton Ko. Maybe it’s Jeff Lau and Jet Tone Pictures that makes it work. Maybe its the A++++ cast. Maybe it’s Tony Leung Chiu-Wai’s sausage lips.

81 (TIE). HAIL THE JUDGE (1994), directed by Wong Jing - 26 points - LoveHKFilm Review

Stephen Chow owns all in this Justice Pao-inspired period comedy. Ng Man-Tat and Tsui Kam-Kong make fine partners in crime. Not even Wong Jing can ruin this one.

81 (TIE). ANNA MAGDALENA (1998), directed by Yee Chung-Man - 26 points - LoveHKFilm Review

Quirky, charming and magical fantasy-romance that manages to expand upon Kelly Chen’s very limited acting range. Also featuring a vintage Takeshi Kaneshiro performance and probably Aaron Kwok’s best acting of the nineties. Came out the same week as BEAST COPS and HITMAN. 1998 was a great year.

Next time: Numbers 61-80. We’ll try to blaze through these.

This entry was posted on Sunday, March 14th, 2010 at 9:01 pm and is filed under Reader Votes, Top Hong Kong Films of the 90s. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.