Reviews

Good watch

In my opinion, this movie was nothing short of a masterpiece . The cinematography itself was beautiful while the pacing was a little slow at times the amazing cast acting made up for it. The story itself may not be unique but it was a story well told. I for one was so immersed in the movie itself I didn’t even anticipate the ending and when it came I cried. It’s been a long time since I cried too. Probably because I got myself attached to the characters of the movie which made my heartstrings break at the end of the movie but that’s also one of the reasons why I think it’s such a good movie, hence the high rating.

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Genesis

Time and Tide is Tsui Hark's Genesis, his attempt to start again, a rebirth. Made after his failure to break into the American market with his Van Damme duology, Time and Tide is a question of trust, renewal and the ebb and flow of time that lead both its characters and the narrative, a very confusing narrative but a narrative nonetheless. The film's appeal lies in its contemporaneousness, of its time yet still ringing true today, not seeming outdated in the slightest with Hark's style is all over the movie and yet not at all. There are his usual tried and tested techniques but at the same time something totally different; that alone makes his movies oh-so utterly fascinating, evocative of older wuxia flicks. While it might seem generic on the surface, Time and Tide is a fabulous take on an action noir thriller with a new wave twist.

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Beautiful

A Simple Life is simply divine. Expressing hope in human nature which befits the challenges of taking care of our sick and elderly, while its premise is rife with potential for sentimentality it remains remarkably restrained. It's a subject matter that Director Ann Hui handles with tender care and attention that's complimented by a plangent piano soundtrack to tug at the heartstrings tempered with a downbeat reality and tear-jerking performances from both Andy Lau and Deanie Ip that are just the icing on the cake. While these sorts of films aren't normally my cup of tea, you must have a heart of stone if this doesn't leave you unaffected by the sheer wholesomeness of its depressing reality.

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A true cinematic wonder

Peking Opera Blues is a testament to the eccentric genius of Tsui Hark, his bizarre sensibilities and almost impenetrable filmmaking style which hasn't always yielded the best results, but here everything works. Blues is a movie that combines more genres and Hong Kong-specific themes than one could possibly imagine. An unlikely concoction of historical and political intrigue, acrobatic action, screwball comedy and unabashed romanticism; all the while it mocks China for its complete ignorance of democracy. Peking Opera Blues is a true cinematic wonder and a genuine Hong Kong classic.

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Lusciously daft and laughable

Tsui Hark's first big success at the box office, All the Wrong Clues marks a drastic change in style from his first films. Rather than tackle any serious or depressing subject matter, Hark consciously tried to create something lusciously daft and laughable. You can't deny that the man succeeded because All the Wrong Clues is just genuine insanity combined with outright hilarity. Despite being a parody of Hollywood detective and noir fiction, the film isn't any more absurd than most actual stories of that genre, there are some brilliantly staged slapstick routines and a likeable cast delivering great jokes where it counts. Although I found myself heavily distracted for most of the film by the gorgeous Yiu Wai and her choice of wardrobe 😳. I was looking respectfully 😳. Honest.

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Historical melodrama mixed with goofy comedy

Although seemingly co-directed by Yim Ho, King of Chess has Tsui Hark written all over it, with Hark taking full control later in production leading Ho to disown the movie entirely, the end result mixes their styles but Hark's is way more prevalent than Ho's historical melodrama. The decidedly goofy comedic beats and experimental editing feel out of place for a movie like this, dealing directly with the uneasy history of Mainland China under Mao - Hark's movies often take a more symbolic or allegoric stance on the matter, so makes for a nice stylistic discrepancy in his filmography. However, the cross-cutting narrative between Mao's China and 90s Taiwan draws up some interesting results of paralleling struggles and combined with Lo Ta-yu's infectious synth-driven musical score leads to a movie never quite in focus and equal parts infuriating as it is charming in a way only Tsui Hark can deliver.

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Tsui Hark's debut

The film debut of legendary Hong Kong director and producer Tsui Hark, The Butterfly Murders is a blend of everything and anything into what I'm going to say is an 88-minute new-wave wuxia murder mystery spectacle. If I'm honest, whatever you thought going into this film with a title like that, will not be what you get. Hark's visual style and later hallmarks are on clear display but also tangled up in a plot so confusing that if you look away for a second or even blink, you'll miss vital details and thus the whole story. There is one thing you can infer from the title, however... the butterflies do indeed kill people.

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For a good cause if nothing else

Seemingly roping in about 95% of the Hong Kong Cinema industry, pretending that The Banquet qualifies as anything but a throwaway romp would be nonsensical. The story is strung together with the subtlety of a screaming competition and the plot twists are hackneyed and lame. The cameos and walk-ons are obviously meant to satisfy fans. The film's message is a well-meaning one, but the steps taken to get there are far from creative or interesting. While occasionally amusing, the film isn't really that good, as it was solely made to contribute to the relief efforts of the Yangtze River flood victims, so you can't deny the noble intentions of everyone involved as, ultimately, it does everything it's supposed to.

The most pressing issue for me however was the clear absences of Chow Yun-fat and Jackie Chan, must have been busy that weekend.

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Director's Cut

With Tsui Hark's first two movies supposedly bombing at the box office, he decided to lay it all bare and go for broke with Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind, one of the angriest and seriously fucked-up coming-of-age teenage dramas you will ever see, one that never has a happy moment. An unforgettably disturbing piece, that's dark and nihilistic to the utmost extreme, with scenes that will undoubtedly make your skin crawl even if you are the most seasoned of gorehounds. The scenes of on-camera animal cruelty aren't even the worst parts which really tells you how fucked-up the movie truly is. There's a great use of music here, although most of has been stolen because I highly doubt Hark managed to get the rights to Oxygene, Jerry Goldsmith's score to the first Star Trek movie or Dawn of the Dead. Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind is one of the most uncomfortable viewing experiences you could ever watch with seemingly no characters to like but with an abundance to think about, this is a movie that takes balls to view but even bigger ones to make.

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Truly mad

Picking up shortly from where the first film left off, A Chinese Ghost Story II is a very entertaining sequel, one that amps up the horror, comedy and special effects wizardry. Providing the same type of action and romance that made the first film so popular, this sequel has its faults because it can't match the first film's originality or ability to surprise. Still, as Tsui Hark's thinly disguised response to Tiananmen Square, the film works wonders, criticising authorities and reflecting on the meaning of hope. This is a film made to go all out to please and thrill an audience. All stops are ignored in this wild rollercoaster, one with stunning colour and photography, wild changes of pace and characters suddenly and unexpectedly changing form all over the place. Surrealistic scenes, gorgeous music, suspenseful situations and imaginative production designs accompany the great performances by the cast. Although A Chinese Ghost Story II is very good, it doesn't quite compete with the amazing beauty of the original, regardless, this is still very worth checking out for something a little bit more mad.

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