Waise Lee Movies
Visions of the dead haunt a young woman and the psychologist who falls for her in this romantic supernatural thriller from director Lo Chi-Leung. Though psychologist Jim believes that Yan's otherworldly visions have been brought upon by traumatic events in her past, he attempts to cure her and is soon deep in love with his troubled patient. As Jim's love grows ever stronger, Yan's visions fade, and it isn't long before the visions transfer into the horrified eyes of the caring doctor. Now haunted by the very same specters that plagued Yan, his memories of a girlfriend's suicide 20 years prior begin to surface. If the power of love was enough to drive away Yan's ghosts, will her love be enough to help Jim confront his dark past and vanquish the restless spirits? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leslie Cheung, Karena Lam, (more)
- 1998
Patrick Leung (Beyond Hypothermia, Somebody Up There Likes Me) directed this Hong Kong action-crime comedy-drama, centered on plainclothes crimebuster Rod Lin (Leo Ku), who narrates. Lin is the son of a cop who died after he was shot by a thug (John Lone). Crime has overtaken the Mongkok district, where Lin falls for prostitute Fanny Chan (Charlie Young), who loves Killer (Allen Moo). Other characters include Shirley (Karen Mok), abused by her boyfriend, and divorced womanizer LuLu Tong (Eric Tsang). John Woo appears in a cameo as a policeman. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leo Ku, Charlie Yeung, (more)
- 1996
The title phrase refers to the crossing of lines. In Cantonese opera, an actor who literally becomes his or her character, leaving all sense of the original self behind is said to have crossed the imaginary hu-du-men. This comedy drama centers on Lang Kim-sum (portrayed by one of Hong Kong's finest actresses, Josephine Siao Fong-fong), a much-loved opera star and owner of a distinguished theatrical troupe who finds herself faced with many lines to cross as she prepares to retire and move to Australia with her husband. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Cynthia Khan stars in this fast-paced action thriller from Hong Kong. A glamorous model becomes involved with organized crime -- but decides that the mob has gone too far when they plan to steal a valuable artifact from a museum. The model joins forces with a daredevil Interpol agent, and together they set out to foil the robbery and make sure that the artifacts stay in the right hands. Angel on Fire was written and directed by Phillip Ko, who also co-stars. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Derek Chiu Sung-kei directs this loopy comedy about an organized tour to Bangkok that goes horribly, horribly wrong. Upon arriving in Thailand, the men of the group are propositioned by a beautiful, if unnervingly young, prostitute named Ann (Gloria Yip Wan-yee). Later, the women of the tour group save the lass from an irate john. Unfortunately, the john proves to be a notorious gangster from whom Ann swiped three million dollars in phony bills and soon every thug in Bangkok is chasing Ann and the tourist. Meanwhile, the tour's devoutly Christian leader Graham (Waise Clee Chi-hung) discovers that he is exchanging money with the wrong person. Cynthia Yang Li-ching, Loletta Lee Lai-chun, Dayo Wong Chi-wah, and Fung Hark-on also appear. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gloria Yip Wan-yee, Waise Lee, (more)
This Hong Kong actioner is basically a remake of Brian DePalma's 1987 The Untouchables. A tough cop is determined to bring down a powerful gangster but also has to fight corrupt elements both in the police department and the political establishment of the city. He is befriended by a federal agent (Maggie Cheung) who is also determined to bring down the gangster. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide
Yu Ming-sang spins this martial arts fantasy loosely adapted from Romeo and Juliet. The Chun clan and the Ha Hou clan are desperately vying with one another to regain their respective former glories. Though their families are at each other's throats, Choi Siu-ling (Michelle Lee Kar-yan), the princess of the Chun, and Ha Hou (Lau Sek-ming), of the similarly named family, have fallen in love. This is particularly galling to Ha's wrathful aunt (Kara Hui Ying-hung), who is single-minded in her pursuit for family glory. Meanwhile, one of Choi's guardians, General Lau Qun-hung (Lau Chi-hung), tries to steal her magical jade pipe in order to give it to the evil Wizard of Yin (Lau Shun) but accidentally takes a fake pipe instead, planted by Lau's wife, General Choi Siu-ching (Cynthia Yang Li-ching). ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
Hong Kong filmmaker Nam Nai-choi (The Seventh Curse) returned with this science-fiction disaster film centering around the popular Asian character Wisely, portrayed here by Waise Lee as a horror writer who discovers a bizarre alien plot. Two aliens come to Hong Kong searching for a pair of ancient eight-sided objects which will destroy the gelatinous monster terrorizing the city. The aliens send their magical cat to get one of the octagons from a museum, but the monster stops it from getting the other one. Thinking that the aliens are also evil, Wisely gets a large dog to chase the cat, leading to an appalling fight between the two animals which -- despite the use of several obvious special effects gimmicks -- also includes real animal violence. The cat finally defeats the dog, although it loses its tail in the battle. When the aliens come looking for Wisely to retrieve the tail, they find that his house has been destroyed by a rogue policeman who was possessed by the blob. The monster grows ever larger, and the cat must join with the second octagon to save Hong Kong in a stupefyingly ridiculous conclusion. Gloria Yip leads a familiar cast including Christine Ng, Phillip Kwok, and the omnipresent Lau Siu-ming. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
In this second of three "Swordsman" martial arts thrillers, the swordsman Ling Jet Li is traveling with his sister to a religious retreat when they are informed that the leader of the sect has been captured by a mysterious being who has been transformed into a nearly immortal woman through the agency of a sacred scroll. At the same time, the Japanese are once again threatening to take over the Chinese mainland, and this dire fate can only be thwarted by a heroic few. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jet Li, Brigitte Lin, (more)
David Lam delivers this straight-ahead police drama about the exploits of a band of rogue cops during the 1960s, a period of massive corruption in the police force. Luk (Danny Lee), Lui (Simon Yam), Yiu Hung (Waise Lee), and Fatty B (Kent Cheng Chuk-see) are all old friends working the beat in different districts of the colony content while living off of petty graft and lucrative kick backs. Yet things change when they run afoul of psychotic drug runner Sam (Vincent Wan Yeung-ming) who is hell-bent on getting rid of everyone who stands in his way. When Sam has his men disfigure Lui's girlfriend Yim-ping (Yolinda Yan Cho-sin), the four begin to plot bloody revenge just as Sam tries to learn the formula for making high-grade heroin. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
Following up on his 1989 masterpiece The Killer, superstar action director John Woo directs this emotionally wrenching look at three friends waylaid in war-torn Vietnam. Set in 1967, when clashes between leftists protesting British rule and the police were tearing the colony apart, the film opens with Frank (Jacky Cheung Hok-yau) offering the deed to his parents' home as collateral to a loan shark, so that he can pay for his buddy Ben's (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) wedding party. Unfortunately, Frank is ambushed by a thug named Ringo and his associates who make off with the money. Ben and Frank vow revenge and end up accidentally killing the guy. Wanted by both the law and the triads, Frank, Ben, and their pal Paul (Waise Lee Chi-hung) head for Vietnam with a case of fake Rolexes and dreams of making a quick buck. Immediately upon arrival, those dreams are dashed -- their wares are blown up in a tin-can military coup, they are almost shot by the South Vietnamese army, and their passports are seized. Though tempted to throw in the towel, Frank and Ben are convinced by Paul into joining forces with shady hit man named Luke (Simon Yam Tat-wah) to shake down club owner Leong (Lam Chung). The scheme goes horribly wrong, ending with the death of a beautiful drug-addled singer named Sally (Yolinda Yan Chi-sin) and our three heroes accused of being CIA agents in a North Vietnamese POW camp. Later, though, Frank saves Paul's live and get injured in the process, Paul can only think of financial gain and saving his own neck. He shoots Frank in the head when he fears his friend's cries of agony will tip off the Vietcong. Unfortunately, the bullet doesn't kill Frank, leaving him brain damaged, drug-addled, and in chronic pain. After Ben learns of Frank's condition, he confronts Paul who has since returned to Hong Kong to become a prominent businessman. John Woo was originally planning to make this film under the name A Better Tomorrow 3 until Tsui Hark took the franchise away from him, fashioning his own version. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jacky Cheung, Waise Lee, (more)
- 1990
Not to be confused with Fritz Lang's 1953 classic, this film is a gritty two-fisted police drama directed by Johnny To Kei-fung and Andrew Kam Yeung-wah. John Wong (Waise Lee Chi-hung) is a grizzled cop faced with quitting the force after an injury impairs his reaction time with a gun. He changes his mind when his co-worker and buddy -- who once saved his life -- is killed in Malaysia. Aided by his partner Kam (Phillip Kwok Tsui) along with rookie Lun (Matthew Wong Hin-mung), John ventures to Malaysia and soon figures out that shady businessmen Han Ching (Paul Chu Kong) and Ho Ka-nin (Sai-kit Yung) are responsible for the slaying. It turns out that John's friend was blackmailing the two with a film of Ho engaging in homosexual sex and Han with Ho engaging in illegal activities. Desperately trying to keep his drug enterprise afloat, Han was in turn blackmailing John's dead friend. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
Cinematographer-turned-director David Chung Chi-man spins this taut homage to Alfred Hitchcock. The film opens with high-powered lawyer Jane (Brigitte Lin Ching-hsia) receiving a blackmail letter from someone threatening to reveal some creative accounting she did a few years back to get out of debt. In the process of immigrating to Canada, she immediately suspects her assistant May (Pauline Wong Siu-fung) whom she refused to take along with her. Jane has May shred all documents related to her crime, but along the way May learns that Jane herself is blackmailing Mimi (Elizabeth Lee Mei-fung) and stashing piles of cash in her luxe home. Later, May's childhood friend Queenie has learned that her twin sister Catherine (Joey Wang Tsu-hsien) has just gotten out of jail and is deep in debt. May soon comes up with a way to dig up some cash fast. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
Following the bloody climax of the previous film, A Better Tomorrow -- again directed by John Woo -- opens with Sung Chi-hi (spelled Tse-ho in the first film though still played by Ti Lung) getting released from jail on the condition that he rat out his gangland associate and a shipyard owner, Lung (Dean Shek). Chi-ti's younger brother, a young cop named Chi-kit (Leslie Cheung), is working undercover on the case and has already gotten into the gangster's good graces by dating his daughter, Peggy (Regina Kent). Fearing that he might put his brother's life in danger, Chi-hi cooperates with the cops. Meanwhile, Lung comes to believe that he is responsible for the death of a competitor and flees to New York. There he promptly goes crazy while under the care of Ken (Chow Yun-fat), the twin brother of the sunglass and trench coat-sporting Mark who died in the previous film. During a gun battle with the Mafia who tried to blackmail the exiled crime boss, Lung miraculously regains his sanity. Together he and Ken return to Hong Kong to settle a few scores. This film's onscreen mayhem was almost matched offscreen. Director John Woo and producer Tsui Hark had radically different views of how the film ought to progress. As a result, Hark reportedly recut the film without Woo's consent, ending a long-time professional relationship between the two filmmakers. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chow Yun-Fat
Internationally renowned filmmaker Tsui Hark produced this amiable screwball romantic comedy from Hong Kong director Chor Yuen. Popular action star Chow Yun-fat plays Chow Ting-fat, a stockbroker who is in love with two different women. Joey (Joey Wang) is a beautiful boutique owner and Sally (Sally Yeh) is a glamorous stewardess. Chow wants to marry them both, and manages to do that very thing, but naturally must keep each woman unaware of the other's existence in his life. The usual farcical situations ensue, with Chow's friend Chi-hung (Waise Lee) aiding him in the constant subterfuge necessary to keep his activities a secret. One person who does notice when two different women claim to be Chow's wife is Inspector Cheng (Kent Cheng), who starts investigating Chow's situation with a grim dedication rarely seen outside of homicide units. As might be expected, Chow's luck eventually runs out after one too many near-misses, and Joey and Sally join forces to get revenge on the two-timing bigamist. It's a familiar plot, but the exuberant actors and Yuen's skilled direction make it constantly seem fresh and amusing. Carrie Ng leads an impressive supporting cast including David Wu and Shing Fui-on. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
In this stylish Hong Kong thriller, Tony Leung stars as a cop in Shanghai during the 1930s. His department is overrun with corruption, while gangsters rule the city via the opium trade. The young cop recruits the aid of some rickshaw drivers who turn out to be men he served with during the war, and in the tradition of The Untouchables of U.S. television and film, the group leads a crusade against the mob. This is an early work by Kirk Wong, who later directed the 1998 film The Big Hit starring Mark Wahlberg. ~ Jonathan E. Laxamana, All Movie Guide
John Woo established himself as one of Hong Kong's premiere action directors with this ultra-hip, ultra-violent action classic. The film centers around the complex relationship between two brothers: Sung Tse-kit (Leslie Cheung) is a recent graduate of the police academy while Tse-ho (Ti Lung) runs a massive counterfeiting ring along with his gangland associate, Mark Lee (Chow Yun-fat). Tension between the two brothers comes to a head when their father is murdered after a crime deal goes sour and Tse-ho lands in jail after being double-crossed. In perhaps the most influential scene in Hong Kong cinema in the 1980s, Mark avenges his friend by staging a dinner table assassination. As Mark tries to shoot his way out of the restaurant, pulling a series of hidden pistols from potted plants and alcoves, he gets horribly injured. With both founding members of the counterfeiting syndicate incapacitated, the operation falls into the hands of Shing (Waise Lee Chi-hung), Tse-ho's former underling who has little of his boss' élan or experience. When Tse-ho gets out of jail, he reunites with his now-crippled comrade, Mark, to take out Shing and to protect Tse-kit whose life is in danger for investigating their former subordinate. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung, (more)
