A Stalker's Guide to Takenouchi Yutaka
One and only Leung Tony
I don't think there are the right words to describe this man and portray him in all the glory and magnificence he deserves. He is that impressive and honestly I knew this was going to be a really hard task to do but I had to. I had to write an article about him and introduce him to the MDL members and other people who get to read this because I don't think he gets all the recognition he should. And when I say this, I mean mostly to the younger audience, it's such a pity that more youngsters don't know about him.
When he is the one who made Hong Kong, China, Asia (beside few others) to be popular and famous in the beginning. I still remember when I saw him for the first time and I am happy that I got to watch him since long time ago and enjoy his acting for so many years.
It was the movie Hard Boiled that did that introduction and made me fall for him, his magical eyes, his charming smile, his deep voice and his attractive way of making expressions. It was only the beginning of that amazing journey where I went into every video rental shops in my town to search for all of the movies they had with him and impatiently waited for a new movie to be released where he'll be the main role. It was 1994 and I was 10. But those memories are so vivid in my mind, all that excitement, buying newspapers to read if there's something about Asian movies, watching tv constantly looking for Hong Kong movies, etc. ;)
He, Cheung Leslie, Chow Yun Fat and Bruce Lee were my heroes and the first ones from Asia that I wanted to meet so much. I mean just look at those names. Freaking legends! ♥
- Anyway that's how my admiration, respect and love for Tony started. the rest is a history. :P
As for his private life, I have no idea, I just know that he's born in 1962 and that he's happily married to the woman of his life, Hong Kong famous actress Lau Carina and that's all to it. ;) Oh, I also know that he speaks English well, that he's also a singer (honestly, I don't know his songs - shame on me :P), that he's good friend with Takeshi Kaneshiro (which is logical since they starred in 4 movies together during so many years) and I simply adore their together moments, both very private, low key, modest and intelligent men. My two favourite actors. ♥
Okay, I think I should start with his movies now. But from where to start and which ones to mention, which ones not to? Cause let's be real, there are too many roles and movies for this guide but I'll try to talk about those that left the biggest impressions on me. ;)
So I'll make few categories of similar movie genres, I think it'd be easier to follow and decide what to watch based on what you prefer.
If you want to watch Tony in Historical movies:
Ancient China and wuxia genre:
1. Red Cliff (2008) and Red Cliff 2 (2009)
Red Cliff is well known in the movie industry. I talked and wrote about this movie many times but it doesn't hurt to write once again, right? ;)
Coming from fantastic world-famous director John Woo with a superb top-notch cast (all those grand names give me goosebumps every time) it hit box offices like crazy. Well, it's worth it. The cinematography is stunning, acting fantastic, fighting scenes so real and writing very clever. It tells about a period of history known as the period of Three Kingdom, to be specific - an event called 'Battle of Red Cliffs' which occurred right before the beginning of the Three Kingdoms.
Tony plays charismatic military general leader who together with perfectly intelligent strategist Zhuge Liang (played by Takeshi) is helping in the battle against evil General Cao Cao. The whole movie doesn't stop being interesting not for a second. Takeshi and Tony have such a fantastic chemistry and they make this movie so great. The whole movie simply screams EPIC in its purest shape. This is in my top 5 movies and I'll love it forever, I'm willing to rewatch it anytime. It's worth the watch if you love the intelligent script, great acting, lots of battles, inspiring characters where women also play a big role, and breathtaking cinematography.
"We must fight even if we cannot win."
2. Hero (2002)
One more visually stunning piece of art. This one comes from my favourite director Zhang Yimou, and trust me, if, for nothing, Hero is worth the watch cause of visual effects and astonishing breathtaking cinematography. All those colours, so many metaphors in them, it really takes one's breath away.
The whole movie revolves around warrior Nameless played by Jet Li, in ancient China, before the reign of the first emperor, who arrives at the Qin- capital city to meet the king of Qin, who had survived an attempt on his life by three assassins Long Sky, Flying Snow, and Broken Sword. When he tells the king that he killed assassins and brings the proof to that, king summons him to tell the story of his victory.
The story is very captivating, not giving you time to think of something else., it really pulls you into the world of Nameless and his journey. Tony plays one of the assassins named Broken Sword and all his scenes looked like a dance, when he fought and portrayed all those martial skills- it really looked like some elegant dance. I love when I see such art in movies like this one.
The cast is so amazing starring the biggest stars of Hong Kong and China, and each one of them is represented in poetic artistic style. I like how this movie also tells about a big event in history, about forming a Qin dynasty and claiming the first emperor in Chinese history. Give it a try, it's really good.
"The sword resides not in the hand but in the heart. Even without a weapon, the warrior can slay his enemy from a hundred paces."
3. Ashes of Time (1994)
This movie is guilty of making me fall in love with Cheung Leslie. ;) Yes Tony is there but the whole story revolves around this guy as he crosses paths with other characters. It's directed by the genius the best freaking director ever Wong Kar Wai and it is in his style totally-less focus on the plot and more on the feelings, characters' portrayal of emotions and fully artistic way of storytelling.
The characters were inspired by characters from the book The Legend of the Condor Heroes and in the center is a man called Ouyang Feng played by Leslie, who although being the antagonist in Condor Heroes, here Kar Wai humanized him and made him a protagonist while depicting the events that lead to his ruthlessness.
You'll get to see various wuxia masters, to hear their stories, their connections and sufferings, their losses and love they felt, and their ending. Among them is Blind Swordsman played by Tony, who approaches Feng asking for a job to help pay for his journey back home to see the cherry blossom. I actually like Tony's story a lot and I got attached to him.
Actually, I got attached to all of them, felt sorry for them and in some way understood them. I guess I really enjoy movies like this and in Kar Wai's direction and writing style. If nothing, the movie is pretty unique. ;)
"Do you know the difference between drinking wine and drinking water? The more wine you drink, the warmer you'll get. Water will only make you feel cold."
During first half of 20th century:
4. The Grandmaster (2013)
Ip Man.Okay, I think everyone heard and knows about him. The most famous Wing Chun martial art grandmaster whose student was Bruce Lee. How awesome is that, right? Well, this movie is exactly about him, his life, his fights, encounters during his lifetime, his experiences in the middle of the war, and it focuses on the story between him and Gong Er, the daughter of Gong Yutian, martial arts grandmaster from northern China. Both of them are the main characters in this movie and plot revolves around them while they're separated and when they spend time together.
Tony plays Ip Man while Gong Er is played by gorgeous amazing Zhang Ziyi. Both of them delivered such wonderful performances and it was delightful watching them in swordplay, everything looked like a play in some theatre. The cinematography is top notch and never some snow scene looked more beautiful than here. Again if you're into some more serious plot that involves only Ip Man and his life, don't watch this one cause Grandmaster is more like a poem, like a painting, like art focusing more on cinematography, beauty and facial expressions of the actors than real conversations and happenings. I did like it tho, it was everything I expected it to be.
"Remember when I told you that there is nothing to regret in life? It's all bullshit. If life had no regrets it would be really boring."
5. Lust, Caution (2007)
Personally, it's one of my favourite romance movies. Because this is a romance movie above all. And well, one pretty intensely erotic one. I've never seen such real, raw and natural way of making love like it's in this movie.
The actors did a phenomenal job really. The story is placed in Hong Kong in 1938 and Shanghai in 1942 during the occupation of Imperial Japanese Army and it's about a group of Chinese university students who plot to assassinate a high-ranking agent (played by Tony) of the puppet government using an attractive young woman (played by Tang Wei) to lure him into a trap.
And that's only the beginning. During the whole movie, you'll feel what they feel, you'll experience her regret, love, passion, anger and fear, you'll feel his lust for her, his love, jealousy, disappointment and anger. Everything. It's really powerful what those two actors managed to do. Plus when you have one big name as Ang Lee to direct it and great writing, it's worth the watch.
"Only love that lasts through hard time is true."
6. The Silent War (2012)
Based on a book "Plot Against", the movie tells a story about a blind man who works for a piano tuner until one day he is recruited by a government for a spy mission because of his extrasensory perception. During the movie, I got more attached to secret service agent played by great Zhou Xun than to Tony's character because sadly his role wasn't challenging at all and somehow I think he was there just cause of his name and not cause he wanted to do some interesting roles like he always does.
He is noticeable of course, it's impossible for him to pass unnoticed, and there are few scenes where he shined but comparing to her, to her devotion to the country, to her conflicted feelings, he was just less interesting. I liked the last half an hour the best, I find it powerful and emotional. Not one of my faves but for the leads, subtle romance developing, and ending, I liked it.
7. A City of Sadness (1989)
Historical drama tells the story of a family embroiled in the tragic event called White terror where thousands of Taiwanese people were massacred and brutally killed by the Kuomintang government (KMT) after their arrival from mainland China in the late 1940s. The film was the first to depict that monstrous incident which happened on February 28th of 1947, and till this day is considered a masterpiece of Taiwanese television as well one of the most important movies in Taiwanese history. And it is indeed.
The film follows the Lin's family destruction during that time and focuses mostly on three brothers and their struggles, difficulties and tragedies they experience along the way. Tony plays the youngest brother Wen-ching who is both deaf and mute, and who hopes to flee to the mountains with his friend to fight in the anti-KMT resistance movement. It was one of his earliest roles and even then you could see those eyes of his that got him famous and where today he is, thanks to those eyes, considered one of the few actors who can and portray every tiny emotion and detail with their eyes solely.
The whole movie is not concentrated on massacre but on one family and also on consequences that the family members, as individuals, experience. I found this movie to be very hard to watch, it's very slow and sometimes you feel overwhelmed but it's one of those movies that needs to be seen at least once in your lifetime. When you're in the right mood, of course.
If you love seeing him in romance roles:
Where all are the works of mister Wong Kar Wai. ♥
8. 2046 (2004)
2046 is my all time favourite romance movie. I've seen it more than 5 times and I could watch it anytime. I admit I am subjective when it comes to this movie, it's just too beautiful for me. it has breathtaking cinematography, the best music, the best usage of colours, the cast is epic, acting flawless and portrayed with so many emotions and in a such a strange and weird way., That's why I love Kar Wai, he does make movies that aren't to everyone's liking, but the man is a genius and those who love him, they never turn to some other director and writer to love more, they stay faithful to the end. Just like me. :P
Anyway, 2046 is indeed a fully truly romantic movie but with elements of sci-fi and fantasy. It's a sequel to another masterpiece In The Mood For Love and although the main guy is the same and his memories do tell us about his love from that movie, still 2046 can be watched separately. Of course, it's better to watch in the right order.
It follows the story of writer Chow Mo-wan after he loses the woman he considers his true love and the women who enter his life over the course of a few years. There are four main story parts in the film. Three is about those women who come into his life and the fourth takes place in Chow's mysterious world of 2046 and concerns a Japanese passenger falling in love with a gynoid. Typical of Wong Kar-wai films, the arcs are presented in pieces and in non-chronological order. It does get confusing and maybe not be understood after one watching but that's the thing with this movie, it gets each time you watch it more and more appreciated, understood and loved. So many details that start to fit into a puzzle, so many metaphors and powerful quotes, so many gorgeous women and fantastic actresses (Gong Li, Zhang Ziyi, Wong Faye), I really do have a strong love for 2046 and I'd recommend it to everyone.
"Love is all a matter of timing. It’s no good meeting the right person too soon or too late."
And that soundtrack. OH MY GOD how I love music in this movie. Specially Adagio by Secret Garden. Pure perfection. ♥♥♥
Secret Garden- Adagio
9. In The Mood For Love (2000)
Like I said, this is another masterpiece. This movie and 2046 are truly the most wonderful, artistic, stunning romance movies I've seen. With all the shine, brightness, melancholy, loss, happiness, passion, love, loneliness and missed chances it delivers. Only In The Mood For Love is much more realistic and in my opinion, more deep and meaningful cause it concentrates solely on the two leads and their conversations, glances, subtle touches, all the feelings they bring us from the beginning till the end.
Tony plays Chow Mo-wan, a journalist who rents a room in an apartment of a building on the same day as So Lai-Zhen (Cheung Maggie), a secretary from a shipping company and since that day they become neighbours. Each of them has a spouse but with time they start to suspect that their spouses have an affair together. So they slowly start to spend time with each other and naturally developing feelings along the way.
But decide to strictly remain in a platonic relationship as they didn't want to become like their spouses. It was so exciting watching them, expecting in every next scene something between them, honestly, I barely managed to withstand till the end and not to be spoiled, their chemistry was off charts and there was insane sexual tension during the whole movie but mixed with true emotions of falling in love. I can not praise the movie enough, it simply needs to be seen and experienced fully. A majestic movie, that's all I have to say.
" I CAN'T WASTE TIME WONDERING IF I MADE MISTAKES. LIFE'S TOO SHORT FOR THAT."
10. Happy Together (1997)
Much more daring than Wong's other movies, breaking lots of taboos, this movie will make you fall in love so hard with the actors, characters, you can't help but relate to them and want only to see them happy. I think this is Tony's most challenging role and not only cause he plays a gay character, it's more because he delivers such deepness, such intensity, desire and despair that is shown in his every look, in his every interaction with Leslie's character.
Tony's character is the opposite of Leslie's, first one is more reliable, more devoted, more stable and committed where latter is more destructive, player, the unfaithful guy who tries but not enough to make that love work. The whole movie shows periods and stages of their relationship as they visit Argentina hoping to renew their love. They break up, then stay apart for a while. then get back together, and then over and over again same unstable and cheating side of Leslie's character appears and ruins everything. Until one day when things changed... Which you'll find out if you watch the movie. ;)
The chemistry between the actors is so real, so natural, so full of sexual tension where Leslie contributes with his explosive acting, so many various emotions and pure rawness. By far this is my dearest movie that portrays gay/homosexual relationship and I don't think I'll love some movie more than this one in that genre. Watching two of them is a real heaven. ♥
"Turns out that lonely people are all the same.”
11. Chungking Express (1994)
One of the first Wong's movies which happened to be a breakthrough for Takeshi into the world of show business. Filed with good humour, quirky characters and capturing writing, it definitely belongs to one of the Kar Wai's best works. The energetic cinematography was breathtaking and stole the whole movie plus Takeshi and Tony were so good, those two actors really know how to capture your heart and stay in there forever.
Plot consists of two stories told one after the other, each about a lovesick policeman and his relationship with a woman. The first story stars Takeshi as a cop who is obsessed with the break-up of his relationship and his platonic encounter with a mysterious drug smuggler. The second stars Tony as a police officer suffers from the break up with his flight attendant girlfriend but who soon meets a quirky snack bar worker who likes him. Both stories are very engaging and comedic, both cops will win you over and you'll cheer for both of them to have a love that is reciprocal. Add in there great music especially track from The Mamas & the Papas "California Dreamin" and you get to watch one memorable movie indeed.
"If memories could be canned, would they also have expiry dates? If so, I hope they last for centuries."
12. See You Tomorrow (2016)
More comedy than romance movie but still in the center of it is romance where the main characters are: a woman (played by Angela Baby) who falls in love with married painter but whose wife is unfaithful to him, Chen Mo played by Tony - the bar owner and 'ferryman', who is facing his own traumatic past while helping the people around him, and his co-partner Guan Chun played by Kaneshiro Takeshi who tries to restore the loss of memory of the girl he fell in love with. All of them are connected in some way and during the movie, they all encounter so many hilarious moments but also sweet and romantic ones. For me Takeshi shined the most here, I mean his facial expressions, his funny and comedic character, he made me laugh so hard many times.
Definitely my favourite character and the one who actually carried the movie. Also, music is amazing, so many classics you could hear and honestly all the songs fitted so good in certain scenes. If you want a good laugh, great acting (well except female lead), amazing music, quirkiness and weirdness all the way, this is the right choice.
" Memories stand forever behind us. They can't be abandoned, only embraced."
And if you're into thriller, crime, action styled Tony:
13. Infernal Affairs (2002)
And this is what I call true crime thriller movie. With glorious cast and even more glorious acting, excellent writing and awesome plot twists. I believe you all have seen American remake "The Departed" and yes it's a great one but no way it can be in the same category as the original.
Original is way better. I mean, more exciting, thrilling, smart and honestly those characters are simply written for Tony and Andy. They were so damn cool and amazing. One (Tony) plays the cop who goes undercover as a mole into the mafia gang as their member, the other one (Andy) is a mafia member who is a mole infiltrating into the police. In years after they race against time to discover who is the mole in each of the organizations- both in police department and mafia.
Logically, the movie won many awards and became a classic of Asian cinematography, where afterwards two more sequels were filmed. They're good but not as good as the first part where both leads play only in the third part. I'd say if you want to watch a real cop/mafia crime movie with insane quality, then start with Infernal Affairs. Definitely.
"Remember this, if you see someone doing something but at the same time watching you... then he is a cop."
14. Hard Boiled (1992)
My first movie where I met these two adorable human beings. ;) I was 10 and totally obsessed with Bruce Lee and Hong Kong movies and when I watched this one, that was it. I knew I'd be loving Asian movies for the rest of my life and that Tony Leung will become my favourite actor.
One more directed by great John Woo and is one of his most famous older movies. But no matter how old it is, it's still one of the best in terms of action. Tough, full of violence, guns, fights, blood and with the epitome of coolness - Chow Yun Fat and Tony, Hard Boiled promises a crazy ride where you get to meet strong, impulsive tough cop who together with undercover agent plans to take down a leader of criminal triads and save innocent lives.
There isn't some plot around here that happens nor some wow moments but seriously the action is so damn entertaining and tandem those two make is beyond awesome. This movie has and will have a special place in my heart forever.
"Give a guy a gun, he thinks he's Superman. Give him two and he thinks he's God."
-I haven't even realized that I wrote this much and yet I didn't mention all the movies I wanted. Like I said, with Tony and his enormous number of roles, is impossible to do so. ;)
Just a few more that may seem interesting to you:
Romance:
- Healing Hearts (2001) - Tony plays a surgeon who falls in love with a woman who woke up after a year-long coma. It's a romance drama that follows their feelings and how they fell in love with each other over time.
- Love Me, Love My Money(2001) - a cute rom-com about a rich guy and a girl who form some kind of deal to help each other and along the way they fall in love.
- Fighting For Love (2001) - love story where the guy who already has a girlfriend but whom he doesn't actually like, falls in love with another girl. This one is kinda sweet and I liked it.
Action:
- Bullet In The Head(1990) - the story is about three childhood friends who are members of a gang. They're very loyal to their families and each other, but when some incident happens and they have to escape from Hong Kong, everything about their lives and friendship will be questioned. Also, work of our dear John Woo and worth the watch.
- Confession of Pain(2006) - I mentioned this movie when I wrote a guide about Kaneshiro but let's mention it again since my two faves are there as leads. ;) It's not some good movie, has plot holes but for the two of them, it was a must for me. Two detectives, girlfriend of one of them commits suicide, mystery elements, crime, all entangled in one mess.
Tony is an actor who gives his best, even when he doesn't-he still is. He is an actor who is born to be on top of the world, an actor who isn't afraid to try all kind of roles and practice them to the perfection. Which for him isn't hard because the guy is magical and phenomenal.
I truly hope this article of mine will help those who heard of him and aren't sure from where to start, those who are fans already and this guide just makes them happy like it's the case with me :P, those who didn't get a chance to watch him and after this their curiosity will awake and they will want to meet this charming brilliant actor.
I just hope that with this article's love and admiration for this man will become even larger and that he'll act in more and more movies for a long time. ♥
For the end of this guide, I'm putting a video of him speaking English and talking about movie 2046 and his role there. What a voice and I love when he speaks English. Tony, YOU'RE THE MAN! :P ♥♥♥
Tony's interview in English
So let us spread more love for this grand master of acting! ;)
I'm grateful to those who have read this and share the same thoughts with me. Thank you. ♥
