Category Archives: Reviews

Champions | aka Duo Biao (2008) Review

"Champions" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Tsui Siu Ming Writer: Tsui Siu Ming Producer: Tom Cheung, Amy Lee, Tsui Siu Ming Cast: Dicky Cheung Wai Kin, Tse Miu, Debbie Ng Tin Yu, Priscilla Wong Cuiru, Chui Heung Tung, Wai Chi Ho, Yu Rong Guang, Maria Cordero, Lee Fai Running Time: 117 min. By HKFanatic If you thought “Ip Man 2” and “Jet Li’s Fearless” went a wee bit overboard with their jingoistic ‘ra ra China’ … Continue reading

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Dream of a Warrior (2001) Review

Director: Park Hee-Joon Producer: Kim Hyung-Joon Cast: Leon Lai Ming, Lee Na-Young, Park Eun-Hye, Yoon Tae-Young, Kim Ji-Moo Running Time: 84 min. By JJ Hatfield A tale of romance and time travel begins with action in a futuristic? form of Korea. Having a question mark in the first sentence should serve as a warning to the reader – there are many questionable aspects of this movie. This film is billed … Continue reading

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Detective Dee & the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010) Review

"Detective Dee & the Mystery of the Phantom Flame" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Tsui Hark Cast: Andy Lau Tak Wah, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Carina Lau Kar Ling, Li Bing Bing, Deng Chao, Richard Ng Yiu Hon, Du Yiheng, Yao Lu, Teddy Robin Kwan Running Time: 123 min. By HKFanatic As a longtime Tsui Hark fan, it’s great to see the master director return with a film that’s easier for audiences to latch on to. “Detective Dee & the Mystery of the … Continue reading

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Easy Money (1987) Review

"Easy Money" Theatrical Poster

Director: Stephen Shin Cast: George Lam Chi-Cheung, Michelle Yeoh, Kent Cheng Jak-Si, Ku Feng, Dennis Chan Kwok-San, Chan Ging, Blacky Ko Shou-Liang, Lo Hung Running Time: 92 min.  By Numskull Easy Money is a lot of things. It’s the 6th film in which Michelle Yeoh appeared, and the 4th in which she had the lead role. It’s the last film she made before marrying producer Dickson Poon (whom she divorced … Continue reading

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Crying Fist (2005) Review

"Crying Fist" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Ryoo Seung-wan Cast: Choi Min-Sik, Ryu Seung-Beom, Im Won-Hee, Cheon Ho-Jin, Seo Hye-Rin, Byeon Hee-Bong, Na Mun-Hee, Gi Ju-Bong, Kim Su-Hyeon, Lee Jun-Gu Running Time: 134 min. By Equinox21 The problem with most, if not virtually all, sports movies is that you can tell who is going to win the big “game” at the end. Not so with Ryu Seung-wan’s latest movie, Crying Fist. This is a movie focusing … Continue reading

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Taxi Hunter (1993) Review

Director: Herman Yau Cast: Anthony Wong, Yu Rong Guang, Fung Woo, Ng Man Tat, Athene Chu, Chan Fai Hung, Lam King Kong, Lam Chiu Wing, James Ha Chim Si Running Time: 88 min. By Numskull Cabbies beware! Stop rigging those meters! Curb those sloppy driving habits! Don’t snap at those passengers and then expect a generous tip! There’s a new force in town to be reckoned with, and he’s got … Continue reading

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Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol | aka M:I-4 (2011) Review

"Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Brad Bird Cast: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Michael Nyqvist, Vladimir Mashkov, Samuli Edelmann, Anil Kapoor, Josh Holloway, Léa Seydoux, Tom Wilkinson, Ving Rhames, Ivan Shvedoff, Pavel Kríz Running Time: 132 min. By HKFanatic Defying age and box office results, Tom Cruise is back with another entry in his venerable “Mission: Impossible” series. Although the second installment threatened to turn the franchise into a Cruise vanity … Continue reading

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Lost World, The: Jurassic Park (1997) Review

Director: Steven Spielberg Writer: David Koepp Producer: Kathleen Kennedy, Gerald R. Molen, Colin Wilson Cast: Jeff Goldblum, Julianne Moore, Vanessa Lee Chester, Pete Postlethwaite, Arliss Howard Running Time: 129 min. By HKFanatic When we’re first introduced to Jeff Goldblum’s character in “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” he’s yawning in front of a fake painted backdrop. Clearly something is amiss: if the acclaimed thespian can’t even muster any excitement for this … Continue reading

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Man from Nowhere, The (2010) Review

"The Man from Nowhere" International Theatrical Poster

AKA: Ajeossi Director: Lee Jeong-beom Writer: Lee Jeong-beom Cast: Won Bin, Kim Sae-ron, Kim Tae-hoon, Kim Hee-won, Kim Sung-oh, Thanayong Wongtrakul Running Time: 119 min. By HKFanatic “The Man From Nowhere” is probably the best blind buy I’ve ever made. I decided to pick it up during release week based on the little positive word-of-mouth I’d read online. I figured: hey, it’s a new gritty Korean revenge movie, it has … Continue reading

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Mission, The (1999) Review

"The Mission" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Johnnie To Writer: Nai-Hoi Yau Cast: Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Francis Ng Chun-Yu, Jackie Lui Chung-yin, Roy Cheung, Suet Lam, Simon Yam, Tin Lam Wong, Eddy Ko-Hung Running Time: 88 min. By Woody “The Mission” concerns a rich businessman hiring a diverse group of men, including Anthony Wong, Lam Suet, and Francis Ng, to protect him from killers trying to take him out. After they have successfully completed their mission, … Continue reading

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Chaser, The (2008) Review

"Chaser" Theatrical Poster

AKA: Chugyeogja Director: Na Hong-jin Cast: Kim Yun-Seok, Ha Jung-Woo, Seo Yeong-Hee, Park Hyo-Joo, Jung In-Gi, Jo Duk-Je Running Time: 123 min. By HKFanatic It took me a second viewing to realize it but “The Chaser” is probably one of the best films I’ve ever seen. It’s also an extremely frustrating experience. “The Chaser” is a thriller that refuses to behave like one as writer/director Na Hong-jin embraces the sad … Continue reading

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2LDK (2002) Review

Director: Yukihiko Tsutumi Cast: Maho Nonami, Koike Eiko Running Time: 70 min. By Alexander I think we’ve all had a Worst Roommate Ever, a roommate we secretly  wished would plummet to their death from the bumper sticker-covered windows of our 4th floor college dorm rooms. A roommate whose laundry “hamper” was the floor, the backs of our chairs and the bottom of the shared closet. The roommate whose idea of … Continue reading

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Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City (2010) Review

Director: Takashi Miike Writer: Kankuro Kudo Cast: Show Aikawa, Riisa Naka, Tsuyoshi Abe, Masahiro Inoue, Naoki Tanaka, Guadalcanal Taka Running Time: 106 min. By HKFanatic No matter what, you can always count on Takashi Miike to do the last thing you expect of him. Just a few months before “13 Assassins” hit theaters in Japan, becoming yet another benchmark in the director’s storied career, Miike directed a sequel to his … Continue reading

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Human Centipede 2, The: Full Sequence (2011) Review

Director: Tom Six Writer: Tom Six Producer: Tom Six, Ilona Six Cast: Laurence R. Harvey, Ashlynn Yennie, Dominic Borrelli, Vivien Bridson, Lee Harris, Peter Blankenstein, Bill Hutchens, Dan Burman, Daniel Jude Gennis, Kandace Caine, Maddi Black, Lucas Hansen, Georgia Goodrick, Emma Lock, Hugo Sampson, Tom Six Running Time: 84/87 min. By Laser Beahm I’m not a huge fan of the horror genre, but I have respect for the art. Films … Continue reading

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Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008) Review

Director: Guillermo del Toro Writer: Guillermo del Toro, Mike Mignola Cast: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, Jeffrey Tambor, Luke Goss, Anna Walton, John Hurt, Seth MacFarlane Running Time: 120 min. By JJ Hatfield In some ways Hellboy II: The Golden Army surpasses the first movie especially when it comes to creatures of all sizes and personalities. Director Guillermo del Toro deserves much of the credit for making the movie … Continue reading

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