Chan Man-Keung Movies
The work of international superstar Stephen Chow, Kung Fu Hustle is a humorous, special-effects-filled, action-packed martial arts epic set in early '40s China. A bumbling thief named Sing (Stephen Chow) desires to be the toughest member of the dreaded gangster hit squad known as The Axe Gang, but to completely join the gang he has to commit murder. When Sing attempts to rob a crowded run-down apartment complex known as Pig Sty Alley, the locals begin to defend themselves with some high-flying kung fu skills, and a tiny war erupts between the local masters and the axe-wielding gang. After the gang busts the ancient kung fu king known as The Beast (Leung Siu Lung) out of jail, tensions reach a boiling point as Pig Sty Alley's landlady (Yuen Qiu) leads an all-out attack against the gang and Sing discovers his true heroic fate. Kung Fu Hustle, which set box-office records across Asia during its December 2004 release, also stars Yuen Wah and Xing Yu, and features fight choreography by legendary masters of martial arts cinema Yuen Woo Ping and Sammo Hung. ~ Jason Gibner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Chow, Yuen Wah, (more)
Hong Kong director Johnny Mak (Long Arm of the Law) helmed this drama detailing triad links to Taiwanese politics, with a several real-life political parallels. In 1995, a corrupt official (Li Li-chun) positions wealthy mob kingpin Chou (Tony Leung Kar-fai) as a candidate in upcoming elections. Aggressive cop Fang (Andy Lay) raids one of Chou's clubs, but Chou gets off without a conviction. However, Chou is no longer a nominee after Fang exposes his illegal tie to government construction contracts. Chou then becomes an independent candidate, proclaiming revenge on all his betrayers. Action scenes include wild gunplay in the Shihlin night marketplace and cabdrivers' riot that brings Taipei traffic to a standstill. The film's original title, Hei Jin, translates literally as "black gold," colors indicating the underworld. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Andy Lau, Tony Leung Kar-Fai, (more)
After wowing audiences both in Hong Kong and abroad with her jaw-dropping stunts during Supercop, Michelle Yeoh stars in this melodrama -- directed by Ann Hui -- about a stuntwoman struggling to survive in Hong Kong's notoriously cutthroat film industry. Kam (Yeoh) is a fearless stunt double trying to gain the respect of a ornery, battle-worn action director known only as "the Chief" (Sammo Hung). Though a father-daughter relationship of sorts eventually forms between the two, their relationship to the craft of stunts is complicated. Kam gets pulled away from her profession first through a bad relationship and then through looking after the Chief's kid Long (Jimmy Wong). The Chief, in turn, gets killed during a scuffle with the Hong Kong triads. This film, however, is perhaps best remembered because of a serious injury Michelle Yeoh incurred when she misjudged an 18-foot jump from a bridge to a truck. In venerable Hong Kong cinema fashion, the outtakes of Yeoh's brush with death are included as the film's end. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
Ng Min-Keng spins this kung-fu revenge fantasy featuring Brigitte Lin Ching-Hsia. As a child, Snow witnessed her family getting murdered at the hands of dark-hearted martial arts masters looking for a priceless, magical lyre. The highly sought-after instrument plays music that has the power to kill, and over her upbringing, Snow (Lin) learned to harness its might, making her a formidable kung-fu master in her own right. Once she reaches adulthood, she sets her sites on the villains responsible. In their first bloody encounter with Snow, featuring scores of flying swordsman being evaporated lyre's music, the baddies learn of the whereabouts of the legendary stringed instrument. As a violent struggle between the bad guys ensues, Snow's quest for vengeance is hindered some when she learns of her long-lost brother Lui Lun (Yuen Biao). ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
In this Hong Kong comedy drama a father's illness brings him closer to his daughter-in-law. May is married with a teenage son. She works as an executive in a trading company. After her mother-in-law drops dead from a stroke, she and her husband, Sun Bing, reluctantly take in Old Sun, a former air force lieutenant (none of his other children will take him). The family is immediately thrown into turmoil as they try to deal with Sun's strange behavior. He frequently wanders away, acts strangely, and suffers from rapid personality changes alternating between a child-like and extremely irritable state. They finally get medical help after they catch him eating a soap sandwich. The old man is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. May must now balance her career, her family and Sun's needs. She tries hard, but eventually the strain is too much for her. They must place Old Sun in a nursing home. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
In this unorthodox family drama, Big Sis Wah (Sylvia Chang) is the no-nonsense madam of a brothel in Kowloon. Aside from the nature of her business, she is a down-to-earth, thoroughly traditional mother of a teen-aged daughter. She and her daughter are going through a difficult period, but her love and common sense prevail in this situation over extraordinary odds. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sylvia Chang, Rain Lau, (more)














