Torgo Tours Hong Kong While Dodging Bullets

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It's worth a watch thanks to a pretty phenomenal final twenty minutes (it helps that Jackie Chan shows up), but I found the sense of humour a bit of a challenge (there's an extended comedic set piece where the heroes scheme to basically grope the most significant female character). I slightly prefer the first movie, Winners and Sinners, as it doesn't demean it's female character to the same extent (and actually gives her a pretty sweet relationship with Sammo).
Ooh, good to know that Winners and Sinners is entry #1. I figured it was My Lucky Stars.
My next entry promises to be spine-tingling. Keep reading!



A Chinese Ghost Story -




If you're a fan of Hong Kong action movies, it's important to take a break and explore the country's love stories every now and then like this one. Granted, it's one involving a destitute debt collector, Ling (Leslie Cheung), who has no choice but to stay in a haunted temple and a ghost, Lip Siu Sin (Joey Wang), who is betrothed against her will to a terrifying demon. Assisting Ling is Ying Chek Ha (Wu Ma), a swordsman who has spent so much time pursuing ghosts that he's not sure if he's alive or dead. Well, I guess it's not much of a break after all, but whatever it is, it's not a bore.

This is one of those movies that manages to be every genre at once. There is more than one segment that shifts from exciting due to Ying's swordplay, romantic due to our leads pining for each other and terrifying - whether it's the claymation temple zombies or Lip's less appealing fellow ghosts - in a manner of minutes. At the same time, though, it manages to be as simple and elegant as my synopsis makes it out to be. Cheung is as funny as he is charismatic, and Joey Wang is charming, gorgeous and has an appropriately ethereal presence. As for Ma, he's a true wild card for how his interest in ghosts makes him seem like the craziest person in the room at some times and the sanest one at others. Luckily, their shared journeys lead to a confrontation that is best described as phantasmagorical.



I've called out how oddly abrupt the endings of Hong Kong genre movies are one too many times already, but I'll do it again anyway. Also, this movie is fast paced, which ends up being a blessing, and for lack of a better word, a curse. The pace suits the action scenes, but there are times when I wish it would let me stop and smell the flowers more often, if you will. Besides the fact that it doesn’t let up, this is because it’s a beautiful movie, particularly for its blue light filters, and a unique-looking one with its fisheye lenses and Evil Dead-like first person dashes through the woods. Its pace also makes me wonder if director Siu-Tung Ching and company didn't slacken the pace for fear that I'd think the whole affair is bananas. That's the movie’s appeal, though, and they also deserve credit for making a movie that is suitable for a project like this and for an October horrorthon.

My guy (or gal): Ying Chek Ha, as long as he's on the side of the living at the time, that is.




Sorry if I'm rude but I'm right
A Chinese Ghost Story
I've rewatched the trilogy in one sitting, and the first one was incredible. Just like I remembered it. The other two installments were very very good, but I enjoyed them a little bit less than the first time around. The fact I watched them all, one after another, back to back, is probably the reason why the next two parts didn't feel as amazing as the first one.

I, too, would have preferred a more pronounced ending. Sure, you do get the overall tone and meaning of that ending, but I wish they had stayed on that melancholy a little bit longer. This is the only real issue I have with this otherwise perfect film.

Of course, Joey Wong is everything.

And this is quite possibly the best scene every made:




Welcome to the human race...
I also watched and rewatched this trilogy recently. Will obviously agree that the original is the best, but the sequels manage to adequately perpetuate the same vibe and that makes them worthwhile in their own right. I swear they replay that scene Minio linked multiple times throughout the series because it's just that good.
__________________
I really just want you all angry and confused the whole time.
Iro's Top 100 Movies v3.0



Sorry if I'm rude but I'm right
Yeah, There's a Cantopop montage later on in the film that replays short scenes from the entire movie up to this point. Cantopop montages were a thing in HK cinema back then.

I don't remember if this scene was replayed in the other parts, though. Maybe at the beginning of the second part as a recap of what happened before.



I enjoyed that one a lot when I watched it back in October. (The ghostly levitating Joey Wong scenes didn't hurt.) If anything, I was a bit overwhelmed with how much great imagery the movie kept piling on without letting the energy level drop. But that's like complaining a buffet has too much food.


Also, if you're looking to get your Joey Wong fix, City Hunter is worth checking out if you haven't seen it. Also notable for a fight scene that pays homage to Street Fighter, a musical number, the great Chingmy Yau (Naked Killer), and a billion other things.



Sorry if I'm rude but I'm right
Also, if you're looking to get your Joey Wong fix, City Hunter is worth checking out if you haven't seen it. Also notable for a fight scene that pays homage to Street Fighter, a musical number, the great Chingmy Yau (Naked Killer), and a billion other things.
It's also notable for lots of misogyny and non-PC humor, which means it's AWESOME!!! One of Jing Wong's best. And I mean, you can't go wrong with all these beautiful ladies!


城市獵人 [City Hunter] (1993) -








FINALLY some great entertainment! TOO STRONG XDD The best Jackie Chan film, but you need a very high IQ to appreciate it. Basically, everything a (12-year-old me) man wants, which means:
  • Seijun Suzuki-core opening with Michael Wong
  • LOTS OF HOT WOMEN BEING HOT
  • Women getting hit (they get hit up, too, and when that fails, they get beat up, or they get beat up just like that, always a good thing in film and never fails to make me laugh)
  • Attempted rapes and molesting of women (could use rape or two but oh well)
  • A blithering gay rape attempt (Wong Jing doesn't give a damn about being politically correct, a very funny scene)
  • Kumiko Goto (Mitsuo's girlfriend from Tora-san) playing a top loli. She's so cute. (obviously, Jackie has to feel her up at some point)
  • Joey Wong getting a cake-to-the-face
  • Joey Wong trying to beat up a blond strong man and he takes it for foreplay and hits back - funniest scene ever made
  • Joey Wong marry me please. * _ *
  • Jackie Chan thinking about nothing but gettin' some ass and having a harem of hot chicks
  • Badass references to the God of Gamblers series
  • Chingmy Yau and Carol Wan sporting some fancy clothes, being badass and TOTALLY NOT HAVING KINKY LESBIAN SEX BETWEEN THE SCENES
  • Out-of-nowhere musical number in the middle of the film (the song is awful) but I appreciate the randomness
  • Tons of slapstick; basically a live-action version of Looney Tunes
  • Jackie Chan dressed as Chun-Li fight the blonde strong man dressed as some other Street Fighter character
  • Wong Jing being the kind of cash cow that gives the Russo Brothers a run for their money.

All in all, a misogynist, homophobic, unfunny, cheesy, and cringy piece of garbage. Not recommended.

Just kiddin'. Frig the haters. This is a classic!



It's also notable for lots of misogyny and non-PC humor, which means it's AWESOME!!! One of Jing Wong's best. And I mean, you can't go wrong with all these beautiful ladies!

I'd like to get more into Wong Jing, as I've only seen this, Prince Charming (which is probably just fine, but the combo of Cherie Chung and Maggie Cheung is too powerful) and Magic Crystal (the Cynthia Rothrock and Richard Norton fight scenes transcended the shitty YouTube copy I watched).


I think the Casino Tycoon movies are on Canadian Netflix. I also assume God of Gamblers is a priority, but I haven't been able to track it down yet.



Also, Torgo should watch Naked Killer, which is great and less sleazy than its title suggests.























No, those are not in order. But it was very important that I ended with the two hats.



Sorry if I'm rude but I'm right
I loved both Prince Charming and Magic Crystal! Natalis Chan having his feet and hands swapped in the latter is one of the most hilarious scenes in the history of cinema.

Throughout the last two years, I've grown into a kind of expert on Jing Wong. Though I still have lots to watch, I've seen 33 Jing Wong films so far. More than Chris Marker, Aleksandr Sokurov, John Ford, or Yasujiro Ozu. There goes my arthouse film lover reputation.

The two-part Casino Tycoon is one of Jing Wong's best, believe it or not. Or anyway, it's one of my favorites of his. It's better than any Scorsese gangster film. The legend has it Scorsese watched Casino Tycoon and tried making a film as good. He failed. But his Casino (1995) was a good film anyway, all thanks to Jing Wong! Now, this is only a legend. But if Scorsese never watched a Jing Wong film, it only means he's got poor film taste!

Anyway, Casino Tycoon is a crazy amalgamate of a Gangster Film and Soap Opera. It's cute. It's hilarious. It's scary. It's alluring (then again, which film that stars both Joey Wong and Chingmy Yau isn't). It's AWESOME!!!

Anyway, as far as other Jing Wong films go, I'd recommend you check out the following:
  • Girl with the Diamond Slipper - my favorite early Jing Wong. Starring Maggie Cheung looking incredible and Natalis Chan overdoing his buffoonery to infinity!
  • How to Pick Girls Up! - the film doesn't teach you that, but you will die laughing
  • Double Cause Troubles - another great one with Maggie
  • Royal Tramp I + II - Jing Wong does Wuxia Slapstick and it ROCKS
  • Kung Fu Cult Master - WTF total masterpiece, part two was never made, the greatest loss for cinema right next to Sergio Leone's Stalingrad
  • Whatever You Want - simply amazing
  • Meltdown - Jet Li finally put to a good use
  • Sixty Million Dollar Man - basically live-action Looney Tunes but much better

I really don't get the bad rap Jing Wong gets in the West. Sure, he made some middling films, and it's better not to talk about his post-2000 output, but his films from the 80s and 90s were almost consistently funny and enjoyable if not downright great. Most people who criticize him usually watch the exact same kind of films made in the US, which are, arguably, much much worse! I really thought I was lost and there was no film that can make me laugh and then I discovered Jing Wong!

I mean, can you go wrong with the half-naked Michael Wong genie?



Also, Torgo should watch Naked Killer, which is great and less sleazy than its title suggests.
Yeah, I've seen it twice. Clarence Fok is a great director, a wonderful stylist. I recommend all of his films!

Anyway, Torgo should watch Raped by an Angel. Also starring Chingmy Yau. And yes, it is as sleazy as it sounds, which means it's awesome!!!



I've rewatched the trilogy in one sitting, and the first one was incredible. Just like I remembered it. The other two installments were very very good, but I enjoyed them a little bit less than the first time around. The fact I watched them all, one after another, back to back, is probably the reason why the next two parts didn't feel as amazing as the first one.

I, too, would have preferred a more pronounced ending. Sure, you do get the overall tone and meaning of that ending, but I wish they had stayed on that melancholy a little bit longer. This is the only real issue I have with this otherwise perfect film.

Of course, Joey Wong is everything.

And this is quite possibly the best scene every made:

A damn satisfying scene, although he probably would have drowned in that bathtub. Still, what a way to go.
Also, let's not forget the awesome "Dao rap" scene. It was the era of MTV, after all:




I enjoyed that one a lot when I watched it back in October. (The ghostly levitating Joey Wong scenes didn't hurt.) If anything, I was a bit overwhelmed with how much great imagery the movie kept piling on without letting the energy level drop. But that's like complaining a buffet has too much food.
Glad I'm not alone in thinking that everything comes at a barrage, but like you said, it's not like it's piling on a bunch of junk or anything. Besides, that's partly what the pause button is for and there is no shortage of screenshots and clips out there.

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone, especially the ones with more Joey. I'm especially intrigued by the one that sounds like the X-rated version of that Roma Downey TV series.



The Big Boss -




This is Bruce Lee's first major movie and the first one I've watched. While I was impressed with Lee's charisma and athleticism and now understand why he became an international superstar, I found the movie to be just pretty good. It tells a tale like On the Waterfront's - with more punching and kicking, of course - that follows Cheng Chao-on (Lee), the newest employee at a corrupt ice factory. When some of his co-workers reject the company's dishonesty and disappear as a result, he investigates, and when the managers fail to spirit him away as well, they entice him into joining their ranks.

I like how the movie does not involve Cheng Chao-on in any fighting right off the bat. Besides building anticipation, the delay goes along with the character's and Lee's philosophy that fighting should be a last resort. Also, while Lee's screen presence and martial arts abilities are legendary, this movie proves he was also a fine actor. I was especially impressed with how he conveyed his struggle to resist the company's attempts to seduce him with drink, women and good food. The jazzy score is also a highlight, and while I found it as cool as audiences likely did in 1971, it's a shame that such music would likely be considered ironic or tongue in cheek if it were in a modern action movie.

Complaining about the story in movies like this one is as needless as complaining about mosquitos ruining picnics, especially since their main purpose in movies like this to set up the good stuff. Even so, while the story has a few unexpected moments here and there, it's still predictable to a fault. Not to mention, while the fights involving Cheng Chao-on are exciting and suspenseful, the fight scenes in general have so many players and lack focus that they come across like free-for-alls. Again, despite being rough around the edges, I enjoyed the movie on the whole, and best of all, it sold me on the legend of Bruce Lee enough to make me hungry for more.

My guy (or gal): Umm...this guy right here. You can't lose a fight if he's on your side.



Just kidding. Well, duh!




The real reason Lee doesn't did any cool stuff early on is that the movie was originally intended as a star vehicle for James Tien. Lee is magnetic enough to make his scenes entertaining but I found the movie pretty leaden otherwise. The problem is Lo Wei's direction. Fist of Fury, also from Lo, is better but has a lot of dead air as well. (Aside from his association with Bruce Lee, Lo is known for giving Jackie Chan his start, although the movies they made together have less than stellar reputations, and he apparently kept Jackie in a pretty exploitative contract. You can see evidence of that exploitation when Jackie stuffs snakes in his pants in one of their movies.)


That being said, while he's generally regarded as a shite director, I do think his Shaw Brothers movie The Shadow Whip and one of his Jackie Chan movies, Spiritual Kung Fu, are quite enjoyable (even if the latter contains the snake pants scene).



The real reason Lee doesn't did any cool stuff early on is that the movie was originally intended as a star vehicle for James Tien. Lee is magnetic enough to make his scenes entertaining but I found the movie pretty leaden otherwise.
That's interesting, I didn't know that. I think the movie is better for not having Lee show his hand too early. That makes me wonder if Lo Wei was a bit of a hack for that not being an intentional decision.

That being said, while he's generally regarded as a shite director, I do think his Shaw Brothers movie The Shadow Whip and one of his Jackie Chan movies, Spiritual Kung Fu, are quite enjoyable (even if the latter contains the snake pants scene).
Well, I have to add it to my watchlist for this reason alone.



That's interesting, I didn't know that. I think the movie is better for not having Lee show his hand too early. That makes me wonder if Lo Wei was a bit of a hack for that not being an intentional decision.

Well, I have to add it to my watchlist for this reason alone.
The snake pants scene is recycled in Fearless Hyena 2. Both movies are on the Criterion Channel.



Yes, Madam! -




A blast from frame one, this movie was directed by Corey Yuen and stars Hoi Mang and John Sham as Aspirin and Strepsil, two of the unluckiest thieves imaginable (if you assume their names lead to a pharmacy joke, you're right). Not only are Michelle Yeoh and Cynthia Rothrock's cops pursuing them for stealing a piece of that choice MacGuffin from the '80s, microfilm, they have to fend off Dick Wei's super assassin, who works for big boss Tin (James Tien), who wants it destroyed. The "pill pals" have another associate, Panadol (Tsui Hark, yes, that Tsui Hark), a forger whose apartment is littered with so many security measures and weapons that it's a wonder he isn't always injured.



If this plot summary sounds convoluted and rife with coincidences, it is. Almost every time I thought I was in the loop, another complication arose. It all comes together in the end, though, and you don't have to be 100% informed to enjoy the superbly-directed action scenes. They're snappily edited, seem sped up as if they were filmed at 1.5 speed and utilize slow motion at the best moments. The highlights are an airport chase to pursue one of Panadol's more dangerous customers and one with Panadol himself in which he tries to outwit Dick Wei with all of the traps and cages in his labyrinthine apartment. That's not to take away from any scene in which Yeoh and Rothrock do their thing, the latter of whom made her debut in this. In fact, the success of this movie led to a slew of female-focused action flicks like The Inspector Wears Skirts. Again, despite its complications, there's never a moment when it's not entertaining and it satisfies on the hand-to-hand, gunplay and comedy fronts. I didn't find out until I started watching it that it's part of a series - the Hong Kong title is In the Line of Duty II - but it's unnecessary to see its predecessor first.



Also, doesn't it seem like every main bad guy in these movies looks like this?

My guy (or gal): Despite being a henchman of Tin and having obviously fake facial hair, Fat Chung's Mad Dog is a guy who will use any means necessary way to kill an opponent, even it means he might be blown up himself.




How did you watch that? It's been on my radar for quite some time but I haven't been able to get ahold of a copy (legally, anyway).



How did you watch that? It's been on my radar for quite some time but I haven't been able to get ahold of a copy (legally, anyway).
You can rent it on Amazon Prime Video (here in the States, anyway).