Willy Tsao Movies
- 1997
- NR
The film's title is Chinese slang for the bathrooms located on the edge of Tiannamen Square, favorite haunts of Beijing gays. Billed as the first mainland Chinese drama to deal openly with the subject of homosexuality, the film angered censors and this resulted in mainland authorities confiscating director Zhang Yuan's passport shortly after his return from Hong Kong on April 10, 1997 therefore preventing him from attending that year's Cannes Film Festival along with the film. Primarily a psychological drama, it centers on a verbal cat-and-mouse game played between a gay writer and the straight policeman who arrests and interrogates him. The two meet in the square park, a place where many gays gather to pick up lovers and make out. Though homosexuality is not illegal, those who openly practice it are subject to often brutal police harassment. It is during one of the cops' frequent raids on the park that writer A-Lan kisses officer Shi. Later he sends the cop a gift; shortly thereafter, the cop happens to arrest Shi. During the interrogation, shameless A-Lan tells his life story, episodes of which appear via flashback. Many of his tales seem designed to provoke Shi into challenging his own sexuality. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1994
The inner workings of Chinese bureaucracy are sliced open in this cutting Hong Kong satire. Wang is the ambitious assistant director of the Cultural Center in Xi'an. Though an excellent manipulator who is respected and admired by his staff, Wang cannot seem get promoted. Wang and his staff are outraged when the newly vacant director's post is filled by Old Ma, an old-fashioned Communist cadre member. They immediately begin devising plots to get Old Ma out of the office and into a new post. They succeed only to find a new bureaucrat, Yan, has been hired to fill it. Yan is wise to Wang and not easily fooled. Wang's father gets involved and devises a situation that gets Yan humiliated in public. Unfortunately Yan survives the derision with his position intact. He gets revenge on Wang who ends up hospitalized with a nervous breakdown. Wang's staff turns around and gets revenge on Yan. But when Wang returns, he is a changed man. He now knows that there are more important things in life than ambition. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Niu Zhenhua, Lei Gesheng, (more)
- 1994
In this metaphysical adventure two very different men come to the same mountain to hunt a special fox and end up hunting each other. The Thin One works as a projectionist whose family theatre is forced to close because of commercial pressures. He sees his doctor and then heads up into the mountains to hunt. He accidently shoots at a hunter whom he thinks is a fox. The man retaliates and they begin to hunt each other in the snow. During a sudden storm, the other hunter saves the Thin One's life. They become friends. As the Thin Guy is heading down the hill, he meets another urban nerd coming up. A nifty ending ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gong Hanlin, Tu Men, (more)
- 1994
This dramatic film compares and contrasts Chinese and American cultures. It is based upon real events which took place in New York during the mid-'80s when a deranged white male pushed a Hong Kong immigrant off a subway platform. The movie begins in modern Hong Kong and follows the life of Mo-yung, a middle class single woman. In order to get her out of Hong Kong before the Chinese take over the colony in 1997, her parents arrange for her to marry a Canadian man. But Mo-yung demurs and instead follows Benny, a hip, but shady photographer, to New York. Benny is doing more than taking pictures and frequently shuttles between Hong Kong and New York. Her involvement with Benny gets Mo-yung into real trouble. While in New York, Mo-yung meets Rubie, a half white woman who is being followed by a crazy Caucasian schoolteacher with an obsession for Asian women. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anita Yuen, Simon Yam, (more)
- 1992
Rubie lives in Hong Kong in the period just prior to its being turned over to mainland Chinese rule. She edits a magazine and has a relatively successful and prosperous life. However, like all of her friends and relatives, she is transfixed by the upcoming changeover. Should she leave or plan to stay in Hong Kong permanently? Arrange for a safe exit, but remain behind for a while? The issue is neatly symbolized by the (true) protest staged by Swedish film star Liv Ullmann in 1990. Hong Kong feared to anger the mainland government by providing shelter to around 50 desperate Vietnamese boat people and shipped them back. In this film, the editor has begun an imaginary correspondence with the actress in which she discusses the issues she is facing. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lindzay Chan, Wong Yu-min, (more)
- 1990
The moneymen who put up the cash to support artistic enterprises are the same the world over. For the most part, they are much more interested in the prestige which comes from their support than in the art itself, and this takes a toll on the artists, as for most of these investors, older is better. They tend to favor predictable, tried-and-true formulas. In this story, a dancer with one of the more conservative Chinese troupes is increasingly frustrated with their stodgy repertoire, and she and her photographer boyfriend want to start a new, more innovative company. They go to the moneymen and eventually arrange this, but the photographer is so overwhelmed by the difficulties he has endured in the process that he has a nervous breakdown and separates from the dancer, who goes on to ever greater success. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cora Miao, Lindzay Chan, (more)
