Wang Hui-Ling
- 2009
John Woo turns his sights on romantic epic territory with this Lion Rock/Fortissimo Films production starring Chang Chen and Song Hye-kyo. Lust, Caution's Wang Hui-ling provides the screenplay for the picture, set at the tail end of China's Civil War. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chang Chen, Song Hye-kyo, (more)
- 2008
John Woo's historical drama The Battle of Red Cliff re-creates the legendary Chinese battle from 208 A.D. that led directly to the end of the Han Dynasty. The film charts how different factions joined forces to create this turning point in history. Chow Yun-Fat stars in the film that is adapted from part of the beloved Chinese book Romance of the Three Kingdoms. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, (more)
Academy Award-winning director Ang Lee adapts this Eileen Chang story set in World War II-era Shanghai that details the political intrigue surrounding a powerful political figure named Mr. Yee (Tony Leung) in Japanese-occupied Shanghai. Spanning the late '30s and early '40s, the movie introduces us to Hong Kong teen Wong Chia Chi (Tang Wei), a shy college freshman who finds her calling in a drama society devoted to patriotic plays. But the troupe's leader, Kuang Yu Min (Wang Leehom), isn't just a theater maven -- he's a revolutionary as well, and he's devoted to carrying out a bold plan to assassinate top Japanese collaborator Mr. Yee. Each student has an important role to play, and Wong puts herself in a dangerous position as Mrs. Mak; she befriends Mr. Yee's wife (Joan Chen), and slowly gains trust before tempting him into an affair. While at first the plan goes exactly as scripted, things suddenly take a deadly turn and Wong is emigrated from Hong Kong. Later, in 1941, the occupation shows no signs of ceasing and Wong is simply drifting through her days in Shanghai. Much to her surprise, the former actress finds Kuang requesting that she resume the role of Mrs. Mak. Now, as Wong again gains intimate access to her dangerous prey, she must struggle with her own identity in order to pull off the performance of a lifetime. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Tang Wei, (more)
Historical fact blends with high-flying fiction as Jackie Chan steps into dual roles as a determined archeologist and a loyal general of China's first emperor in director Stanley Tong's lavish historical action film. Jack (Chan) is an intrepid archeologist in search of a mythical gemstone that is said to have the power to defy gravity. Though Jack's days are spent traversing the globe with scientist sidekick William (Tony Leung Ka-fai) in hopes of finding the elusive gem, at night in his dreams he assumes the role of General Meng-yi, devoted servant of Emperor Qin Shi-huang. As Jack and William venture to the mystical Heavenly Palace -- a wondrous fortress rumored to have been built by Qin Shi-huang himself -- Jack's vivid nocturnal journeys find him falling head-over-heels for the emperor's comely Korean consort Ok-soo (Kim Hee-seon). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan, Kim Hee-seon, (more)
- 2002
A romance born of a tragedy follows a tragic path of its own in this drama from Chinese auteur Zhang Yuan. Wang Yi (Tong Dawei) is a young man whose best friend is soon to marry a beautiful woman, Du Xiaoju (Xu Jinglei), to whom Yi finds himself attracted. When Yi's friend tragically dies shortly before the wedding, Yi becomes friendly with Xiaoju, and in time he confesses his love for her. Yi and Xiaoju soon marry, but while they're quite happy together at first, clouds soon appear on the horizon; she enjoys teasing him about his past lovers, while he becomes angry when she wears makeup or shows physical affection toward him in public. Yi and Xiaoju begin quarreling often, and he becomes moody and distant. One night, she confronts him while he's drinking with friends, and he responds with violence. Yi asks Xiaoju for a trial separation, which upsets her greatly; he decides to give their relationship another try, and all seems well on the surface. However, in time Xiaoju becomes convinced Yi no longer loves her, while she has become more emotionally dependent on him than ever, and her desperation begins to manifest itself in dangerous emotional instability. Wo Ai Ni received its American premiere at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
A remake of Ang Lee's family comedy Eat Drink Man Woman, Maria Ripoli's Hispanic-American ensemble feature set in Southern California about a veteran chef named Martin Naranjo (Hector Elizondo), who is slowly losing his sense of taste. He has three daughters, all of whom have chosen different paths. There is Letitia (Elizabeth Pena), the oldest and most repressed of the bunch, a rigid schoolteacher who is a member of the Christian faith. His youngest, Maribel (Tamara Mello), is the most assured, though plagued by doubts. His middle daughter Carmen (Jacqueline Obradors) is most like him and shares his taste for cooking, but has chosen a career as a corporate consultant, which makes for a more secure lifestyle. She is offered a high-profile job in Barcelona, which causes a rift in the family setting. Maribel soon finds herself drawn to a handsome Brazilian student (Nikolai Kinski), and Letitia is gaining affection for Orlando (Paul Rodriguez), an awkward ballplayer whom her students have sent mistaken love letters to without her knowing. Also at their dinners are a shy single mother (Constance Marie) and her obnoxious mother (Raquel Welch), who has her sights set on Martin's affections. Tortilla Soup is Maria Ripoli's second major feature, after her whimsical 1998 feature Twice Upon a Yesterday. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hector Elizondo, Jacqueline Obradors, (more)
Taiwanese filmmaker Ang Lee took a break from making Western period dramas to fashion this wild and woolly martial arts spectacular featuring special effects and action sequences courtesy of the choreographer of The Matrix (1999), Yuen Woo Ping. In the early 19th century, martial arts master Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) is about to retire and enter a life of meditation, though he quietly longs to avenge the death of his master, who was killed by Jade Fox (Cheng Pei-pei). He gives his sword, a fabled 400-year-old weapon known as Green Destiny, to his friend, fellow martial arts wizard and secret love Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh), so that she may deliver it to Sir Te (Sihung Lung). Upon arrival in Peking, Yu happens upon Jen (Zhang Ziyi), a vivacious, willful politician's daughter. That night, a mysterious masked thief swipes Green Destiny, with Yu in hot pursuit -- resulting in the first of several martial arts action set pieces during the film. Li arrives in Beijing and eventually discovers that Jen is not only the masked thief but is also in cahoots with the evil Jade. In spite of this, Li sees great talent in Jen as a fighter and offers to school her in the finer points of martial arts and selflessness, an offer that Jen promptly rebukes. This film was first screened to much acclaim at the 2000 Cannes, Toronto, and New York film festivals and became a favorite when Academy Awards nominations were announced in 2001: Tiger snagged ten nods and later secured four wins for Best Cinematography, Score, Art Direction, and Foreign Language Film. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, (more)
Director Ang Lee's follow-up to his surprise box-office hit The Wedding Banquet is another look at ethnic and sexual conflicts in a Chinese family, with meals as a centerpiece of the film. Master chef Chu (Sihung Lung) is a long-time widower who lovingly cooks large Sunday dinners for his three daughters, who view the meals as too traditional. Secretly, however, successful airline executive Jia-Chien (Chien-Lien Wu) loves traditional cooking and would like to be a chef like her father, if women were permitted to do so. Her older sister Jia-Jen (Kuei-Mei Yang) is unmarried and cynical about men, but she becomes attracted to a volleyball coach and eventually pursues him vigorously. The youngest daughter, Jia-Ning (Yu-Wen Wang), is a college student who becomes pregnant from her frequent sexual escapades. As the film progresses, the personal relationships between the daughters and their significant others change unexpectedly. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sihung Lung, Yang Kuei-Mei, (more)
