Review Of The Day: A Critic's Review Of A Movie You've Probably Never Heard Of
Submitted by stooky on Sat, 10/02/2004 - 01:10
Tags:
- Book: Asian Cult Cinema
Dr. Lamb (1992)****(highest rating)
- This is easily one of the best Hong Kong films around: both barbarous and stylish-at the same time.
- Based on a true story, Simon Jam plays Lam Gor Yu, a demented serial killer on a mission from Got to eliminate bad women from the world. He's a taxi driver who has the opportunity to see street walkers putting their worst foot forward. After he begins his murderous behavior, he can't stop. And he's not content to simply strangly and forget. Lam takes the bodies back to his apartment, where he systematically dismembers, photographs and (in some instances) has sex with them. His photos eventually get him into trouble with the law. When he takes the negatives to be developed, the concerned store owner contacts the police. The result is a harrowing police-procedural study.
- Actor Danny Lee suprised critics and audiences alike with his assured direction, never flinching from the savage portrayal. His characterizations and camerawork add an air of credibility and class to the brutal subject matter. Yet it should be mentioned that this film-making debut was obviously aided by the talents of his codirector, Billy Tang of "Vengeance Is Mine & "Run And Kill" fame. The film was produced by Parkman Wong.
- Book: Video Hound Golden Retriever
The Reincarnation Of The Golden Lotus (1989) ****(Highest Rating)
- In this highly erotic story of love and revenge, Wong escapes China for decadent Hong Kong by marrying a wealthy but foolish man. She has numerous sadomasochistic affairs and begins having flashbacks, revealing her to be the reincarnation of the Golden Lotus, a courtesan of ancient China. In Mandarin with English Subtitles.
- Book: Time Out Film Guide
Lovers Of The Arctic Circle (1999)
- Otto is just eight years old when he falls in love with Ana. The first time she lays eyes on him, she sees her dead father looking back at her. And Otto's father, Alvaro, he too falls in love, with Ana's mother Olga. They make a family with a faultline running through its heart. Teasing, allusive and elusive, this is also Medem's (director) most deeply felt movie to date. He can't resist games, patterns and strategems; his latest is a kaleidoscope of circles revolving within circles as his young lovers settle into an uneasy and intense emotional orbit. He alternates points of view, relating events from Otto's perspective, then from Ana's. It's an inspired ploy, accomplished with a magical sleight of hand; both these youngsters live -and love- inside their heads, their relationship is almost telepathic, a secret from the parents and, virtually, themselves. As they get older and look back, there's also much play on something Ana likes to call "fate" but which we're free to read as coincidence, recurring motifs interface the fleeting years. Witty, thrilling, ineffably and tragically romantic, with a distinguished, delicate score by Alberto Iglasias, and sharp, shrewd performances, this is fabulous film-making. A love story which burns like ice.
- Book: Asian Cult Cinema
Dr. Wei In The Scripture With No Words (1996) ****
- Inevitably, this film will be compared to Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones, but that's less than half correct. There's also a clever homage to story-within-a stoyr movies like La Magnifique (1974) and Stunt Man (1980). Yet, the bottom line is this film stands on its own and emerges as one of the best HK productions of 1996. Director Ching Siu Tung (Best known for his Chinese Ghost Story films) delivers an intelligent, great-looking, effect-laden actioner filled with an impressive array of endearing characters.
- Everybody is worried about Chow Si Kit (Jet Li). He's a writer with writer's block, and even though he's under contract to produce a 9-volume series within a year, based on the adventures of his fictional character Dr. Wei, three months have passed and, after one installment, he's out of steam. His editor is pissed off, his agent/wife is concerned and his assistant writers are beyond frazzled.
- Most of Chou's problems stem from his crumbling marriage; Wife Monica is demanding a divorce. At one point, assistant Takeshi Kaneshiro tries to get the writer back on track by explaining "A tortured life is the food of a creator." But Cho's heart is broken, and he can't concentrate on writing. Chow and his two assitants fly to the Chinese wilderness in search of inspiration. En route, while their boss is sleeping, the two helpers begin writing for him. This starts the ball rolling; Chow, isnpired by the out-of-kilter direction his story has taken, adds his own twists and turns. Soon, the literary work becomes an amalgamation, with three different authors propelling the story in unexpected but delightful directions. As they individually try to be more and more outrageous, the plot shifts constantly and the characters (each based on a real-life people) changer personaities (E.g. Rosamund Kwan drifts effortlessly from a "nice woman" to a whip-wielding bitch and back to nice again).
- Most of screen action takes place within the visualization of the ongoing novel, wherein the king of adventurers, Dr. Wei (also Jet Li), is searching for a scred scripture that must be kept from the invading Japenese patriots. But the story, obviously due to the fertile multi-writer input, is a roller-coaster ride with incredible stunts, explosions, train wrecks, magic swords, flying sumo wrestlers, monsters, plane crashes, ninjas, fireballs and much more--simply this is the most impressive collection of special effects ever amassed for one movie, including some very good monster makeup (A far cry from the rubber centipede lurking at the center of Chinese Ghost Story 2).
- In the past, Jet Li has been criticized for his stoic no-nonsense presene, in direct contrast to the more accessible light-n-breezy performances of top competitor, Jackie Chan. This time, Li is very likable. He actually smiles a number of times in the film.
- Plus, as if accepting a direct challenge from Jackie himself, Li even finds himself a drag segement. But as a girl, Jet Li is definately the prettiest.
- Hope that helps ya Luke.
- Book: Variety Movie Guide
The Quiet Earth (1985)
- One of New Zealand's top directors, Geoff Murphy has taken a man-alone theme and turned it imaginatively to strong and refreshing effect in The Quiet Earth.
- Plot centers on scientist Zac Hobson (Bruno Lawrence) who wakes one morning to discover he is alone in the world. A global top-secret energy project he has been working on has malfunctioned and altered the fabric of the universe. WHile humanity appears to be wiped out, all its materialistic trappings remain. For a time, Zac lives out his fantasies. Then begins to search for other survivors. He finds two -a woman Joanne (Alison Routledge, and a man, Api (Peter Smith). The emotions unleashed by this trio in their struggle for survival propels the story, which has an intrigueing mystical dimension, to a shattering conclusion.
- The film is notable for high production values. Acting isn't far behind. Lawrence; a verteran of NZ films turns in a performance that is funny and moving, while Maori actor Smith makes a bold debut. But it is Alison Routledge who is the real find. Possessing a special, delicate, Madonna-like beauty, she invests Joanne with sparky intelligence and strength.
- Book: Halliwell Film Guide
The Gay Divorcee (1934) ****(highest rating)
- A would-be divorce in an English seaside hotel mistakes a dancer who loves her for a professional co-respondant.
- Wildy and hilariously dated comedy musical with splendidly archaic comedy routines supporting Hollywood's great new dance team (Astaire & Rogers) in their first big success. Not much dancing, but "The Continental" is a show-stopper.
- Book: Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook
The General (1999) ***1/2
- here
- Book: Blockbuster Guide To Movie & Video
Celine And Julie Go Boating (1974) ****1/2
- A magician and a librarian visit a strange house and get caught up in the residents lives. An unusual and lyrical movie adapted from Henry James' stories. The film develops on its own terms with an often dreamlike quality. Quite marvelous.
- Book: TLA Video & DVD Guide
A Woman's Tale (1991) **** (Highest Rating)
- The delightful tale of aging is a life-affirming, realistic and often hilarious mini-masterpiece. Filmmaker ox tailor-made this semiautobiographical story of a spirited modern woman of almost 80 years for acclaimed actress Florance. Her character, Martha, finding the world too cynical and heartless, refuses to accept society's constraints on her lifstyle and fights the establishment with compassion and humour. Her friends include her pets, a bed-ridden neighbor and even a local prostitute. Her sexuality is still important to her, and her frank talk is revealing, touching and hilarious.
- Book: Halliwell Film & Video Guide
The Battle Of Algiers (1965) ****
- **In 1954 Algiers an ex-convict joins the terrorists in rebellion against the French government.
- Politically oriented reconstruction of a bitter period of French colonial history, made better propaganda by its wealth of effective detail.
Now this sounds like one for my list of serial killer movies.
Nothing against you, but the more I get into this genre the more suspicious I get about their claims to be 'based on a true story'. I mean, surely there haven't been *that* many cases of serial killers.
See what I mean about such killers wanting to be caught? How dopey or desperate to be caught would he have to be to treat photographic evidence of his crimes like holiday happy snaps?
Being a Hong Kong film, "based on a true story" probably means: a cop saw a dirty picture at a film developement place while standing near a taxi-driver.:?)
Pretty darn desperate, but isn't that one of the purposes of what they do, to garner attention.
T'ho
:?)
Wow, this could quickly become my favorite list if you keep it up (even if it's not every day).
Though, your title says "A critic's review..." so perhaps you have no intentions of doing more?
Every day! (allowing for spates of laziness) I have many books at my fingertips, bwahahahahahahaha! :?)
yippee!
While not that interested in seeing Lovers Of The Arctic Circle (1999), I'm glad to see you keeping this up. Maybe one day you'll do one of a rarely seen but excellent cross between Blade Runner and Indiana Jones and really make my day :-)
And I definitely added Dr. Lamb and The Reincarnation of the Golden Lotus to my 'to see' list. Thanks!
No, no - keep writing up all kinds of movies. I was just commenting.
Never heard of Dr. Wei In The Scripture With No Words, so I'll have to add that to my list as well (even though it got a 5.8 on IMDB).
Keep 'em coming! :-)
That's my problem with a lot of these movies. Many sound interesting, but when I click over to IMDb to check 'em out pre-queuing them, I notice they largely get panned!
hahaha "pre-queuing" - that's great, because that's exactly what I do. My Netflix queue is so painfully slow I've long since moved to adding movies I want to see to a text file.
If it helps I think IMDb is the sight of a mass generic cinephile conversion to licking critical butt. ie. Not very adventurous.
T'ho
:?)
Oh, I agree - there are countless times when I completely disagree with an IMDB rating. But it's not any more common than me disagreeing with an RT or metacritic rating (or, of course, a single critic's review), and the IMBD at least has ratings for films that aren't on RT or especially metacritic. So, it's not a 'supreme decider' for me.
Nice! Keep 'em coming, buddy!
Comin' I keep 'em. Almost lazed out this morning though, it was a close one. :?)