Francis Ng Movies

Hoping to cash in on the popularity of the Young and Dangerous series, Wong Jin produces and Billy Tang directs this yarn about Marble (Lee Lai-chun), Wan (Karen Mok), Fai Chick (Mariane Chan), and Little Star (Teresa Mak Kar-kei), a quartet of gangland street chicks working their turf around Causeway Bay. Marble has long been in love with their gang leader Brother One, and even spent a year in jail for him, taking a weapons rap. There Marble became enemies with the unfortunately named lass Aids (Lily Chung), who was One's former girlfriend. Soon Aids is out and looking to settle the score. Marble is saved by her friends and cowardly thug George (Francis Ng), but Aids vows revenge and is soon plotting more dastardly deeds with a sociopath named Lurcher (Ben Ng). ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

Andrew Lau Wai-keung spins this mobland thriller adapted from Niu Lo's cult comic book Cow Man. The film opens with members from the Hung Hing Society whacking another gangster from a rival group who is deep in debt. A comrade with the slain man, sociopathic crime boss Ugly Kwan (Francis Ng Chun-yu) vows revenge and sets his sites on Hung Hing members Chan Ho-nam (Dior Cheng Yee-kin) and Chicken Chiu (Jordan Chan Siu-chan). The two are spirited away to Macau only to be jumped by Kwan's henchmen. Chan's friend is killed while Chan is captured, drugged, and shot on tape having sex with Chicken's girlfriend. Crushed by his friend's perceived betrayal, Chicken leaves for Taiwan while Chan is punished by his gang. Meanwhile, Kwan plots to take over the Hung Hing Society. A surprise box-office smash, this film spawned sequel after sequel. Young and Dangerous 2 hit the theaters a mere two months after the original premiered. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

This sequel, released only four months after the first film, takes place during a 12-hour period when a pimp (Francis Ng), a punk (Roy Cheung), and anti-triad bureau cop (Cheung Tat-ming) get involved in the battle between opposing gangs (including shots showing the arrival of real Hong Kong police). The title translates as "Go! Top Dog Army." Shown at the 1997 Vancouver Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Triad boss Kwan (Francis Ng), wounded by Japanese associates, arrives at the hospital where, with voiceover and flashbacks, he recalls how he was betrayed by his boss, friend, and girlfriend. After telling this tale, however, he reveals it was all a lie and outlines the brutal truth, describing those he killed during his rise in Hong Kong's criminal society. The title translates as "Mongkok Top Dog," a reference to Hong Kong's criminal district. Shown in 1997 at the Vancouver Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Unusual for its straightforward handling of gay themes and homophobia, this commercially-oriented Hong Kong comedy-drama chronicles the upcoming wedding of marriage counselor Law Kar-Sing. But Law is gay and the thought of marrying Chuen, to whom he has been informally betrothed for many years, strikes him as pointless. This does not stop his parents from continuing to pressure him. Chuen too is becoming more aggressive with her demands. But marriage is only a part of Law's problems. Other pressures come from his career, his secret lover Sonny, and an aunt with a few secrets of her own. There is also Law's friend professor Kim who is dying of AIDS. Kim's family does not want his long-time lover to attend the funeral for fear of public scandal. This prompts Sonny to take a radical stance and only makes matters worse. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Three Hong Kong cops working in different divisions of the same police station realize that all of their cases contain a troubling common thread in director Donald Lam's suspenseful police detective film. Chicken (Francis Ng Chun-Yu) is an undercover cop whose cool head has earned him a solid reputation on the street beat, and his lover Zita (Amanda Lee) is the female cop in charge of the notorious "garbage" team. Upon realizing that the recent rash of internet-related murders each is investigating seem to have more in common that they previously suspected, Chicken and Zita confer with police computer expert Wing (Christine Ng) only to discover that she too has been on the trail of the elusive killer. With time running out before the next victim turns up, Zita must now act as bait in a last-ditch attempt to coax the murderous maniac out from behind the keyboard and restore the safety of the information superhighway. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

One of Hong Kong's brightest young directors, Winston Yip, whose previous work, Mongkok Story, received a 1996 Hong Kong critics' prize, returns to the screen with this character-driven reworking of the gangster genre. Mike (Francis Ng) and his younger partner Brian (Louis Koo) are plainclothed policemen hot on the trail of a violent band of bank robbers. Their search leads them to a grotty old Hong Kong tenement. Expecting a long surveillance, the pair hole up in the apartment of the building's owner, an old woman called Granny (Helena Law), who is alternately gruff and kind toward them. While there, they get to know some of the locals and eventually fall in love -- Mike with a beautiful pregnant single mom who runs a laundromat (played by 1991 Miss Malaysia Stephanie Lin) and Brian with a teenaged slacker (Michelle Alicia Saram). Just as the two get comfortable in their new surroundings, the crooks make their inevitable return, resulting in gunplay and stylized over-the-top violence. This film was screened at the 1999 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

In 1998, Andrew Lau's groundbreaking smash hit The Storm Riders came out of nowhere and resurrected the ailing Hong Kong film industry. Lau's follow-up, using much of the same cast and crew, is another martial arts epic set largely in New York's Chinatown. The film opens in the early 20th century with a young Hero Wah (Ekin Cheng) going to study under Master Pride (Anthony Wong). When he returns to his parents, he learns that they have been murdered by a band of evil Westerners. After impregnating his wife Jade (Kristy Yang), Hero Wah ventures to New York in search of his parents' killers. Sixteen years later, Hero's son Sword Wah (Nicholas Tse) along with family friend Sang (Jerry Lamb), arrive at Ellis Island in search of Hero's dad. Once the tearful reunion finally takes place, much of the rest of the story is related through flashbacks involving a fearsome fight with Japanese ninjas and the death of Jade at the hands of the ninja ring leader. The film climaxes a la Alfred Hitchcock or Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985) with a battle to the death against the ninja grand master at the Statue of Liberty. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

After witnessing the death of his brother at the hands of murderous secret agents, helpless Peter must summon the courage to clear his brother's name and save the world from a forthcoming catastrophe in director Gordan Chan's action-packed tale of high-tech espionage. Peter's brother Greg was one of the best computer programmers on the planet, but when Greg is killed in a horrific act of violence and Peter bears witness to his brother's death, the CIA, the Hong Kong Police, and a mysterious Singaporean special agent are hot on his trail. When a woman claiming to have been Greg's fiancée appears, Peter vows to elude his pursuers long enough to find out the truth behind his brother's untimely demise and being the men responsible to justice before the citizens of the world suffer the consequences. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

The prequel to Andrew Lau and Alan Mak's smash hit Infernal Affairs opens in 1991, with Inspector Wong (Anthony Wong) explaining the frustrations of police work to gangster Sam (Eric Tsang). He also expresses his desire to see the seemingly reasonable Sam take over he reins of the local triad from the current boss. When that boss is murdered, with no apparent heir, it seems that Hong Kong is going to explode in an all-out gang war. But the boss' bespectacled, soft-spoken, and well-mannered son, Hau (Francis Ng), unexpectedly takes charge, calmly and cleverly defusing the situation. Meanwhile, Yan (Shawn Yu, reprising his role as the younger version of Tony Leung's character in the first Infernal Affairs) is thrown out of the police academy for breaking the rules, and it's discovered that he's Hau's half-brother. Wong recruits him to work undercover in Hau's organization. Ming (Edison Chen playing the younger Andy Lau) is a corrupt cop secretly working for Sam. His progress up the ranks of the police force is swift, but his relationship with Sam is threatened when he finds himself falling in love with Sam's girlfriend, Mary (Carina Lau). For his part, as the handover of Hong Kong to China approaches, Hau plots to become involved in "legitimate" politics, and to avenge himself against those he believes responsible for his father's death. Chapman To reprises his role as the goofy Keung. Infernal Affairs II was selected by the Film Society of Lincoln Center for inclusion in the 2004 New York Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide