Reviewed by GREG KING Director: Hou Hsaio-Hsien Stars: Shu Qi, Chang Chen, Yun Zhou, Nikki Hsin-Ying Hsieh. The superb wire work and spectacular martial arts work in Ang Lee's Oscar winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon produced a massive cross over hit. Unfortunately it is unlikely that the latest Chinese art house martial arts film The Assassin will have quite the same appeal. Winner of several prestigious …
THE NIGHTINGALE
Reviewed by GREG KING Director: Philippe Muyl Stars: Li Baotian, Xin Yi Yang, Hao Qin. This French Chinese co-production is a beautiful and moving film, with a lot of heart and charm, and it has broad appeal. When her workaholic parents have to go on trips, young Ren Xing (Xin Yi Yang) is reluctantly left in the care of her estranged grandfather Zhu Zhigen (veteran Chinese actor Li Baotian , from Shanghai …
THE GRANDMASTER
Reviewed by GREG KING Director: Wong Kar Wai Stars: Tony Leung, Ziyi Zhang, Qingxiang Wang, Zhang Jin. We have seen several films already charting the early exploits of Ip Man, the legendary Chinese kung-fu master who taught the young Bruce Lee. In a couple of the films he was played by action star Donnie Yen, who had a credible physical presence to carry off the role. Yen's films were more accessible and crowd …
FLYING SWORDS OF DRAGON GATE
Reviewed by GREG KING Director: Tsui Hark Stars: Jet Li, Chen Kun, Mavis Fan, Gordon Liu, Zhou Xun Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate is a follow up of sorts to Tsui Hark’s 1992 martial arts film New Dragon Gate, which itself was a reworking of King Hu's 1966 martial arts film Dragon Gate Inn. The film is set in ancient China, during the Ming dynasty, a time the country was still divided into …
OVERHEARD 2
Reviewed by GREG KING Directors: Alan Mak and Felix Chong Stars: Shaun Lau, Louis Koo, Daniel Wu, Kenneth Tsang, Michelle Ye, Woo Fung, Kong Ngai, Felix Lok, Kwok Fung. This pacy thriller about high finance, greed, corruption, betrayal, murder and revenge is a sequel of sorts to Alan Mak and Felix Chong’s 2009 thriller Overheard. Although the film features the same three stars, albeit in different roles, …
LAST TRAIN HOME
Reviewed by GREG KING Documentary Director: Lixin Fan. After seeing this documentary from China I am never going to complain about catching a crowded train in peak hour in Melbourne ever again. In China every year millions of peasants from the countryside make their way into the big cities to toil away in menial jobs to earn good money to make a better life for their families. Most of them have …
