Shu Qi Movies

A gay romantic mystery, Bishonen is roughly based on an incident that was the biggest scandal to hit the Hong Kong Police force. A cache of photographs was discovered in the home of a wealthy playboy, which all featured handsome young men in police uniforms, some of them half nude, others holding law enforcement paraphernalia such as clubs in suggestive poses. An investigation by the Police Department revealed that some of the men were indeed policemen, whereas others were hustlers and gigolos. The focus of Bishonen is not this scandal, but rather the highly unusual meeting of two different worlds, illustrated in the romantic entanglement involving a policeman, two male prostitutes and a gay pop singer. The film starts with a simple love story and a series of emotional knots, some of which are impossible to untangle. Tragedy is inevitable. Jet is the star of a group of male hustlers in the steaming city of Hong Kong. He is arrogant and sexy; everyone is in love with him but he loves no one, until one day he meets Sam, the best looking policeman around. After meeting Sam, Jet tries to change into someone he is not: innocent, sweet, clean and pure. This is his way of setting a trap to catch Sam, but he falls into a trap himself. In the process, he discovers that the righteous young cop has a darker side. Things go out of control when Sam's past and Jet's present become intermingled -- not unlike Hong Kong itself, a cauldron of traditional Chinese ethics and modern Western values. Happiness will be achieved only in the harmony of the discordant elements. All four leading actors are newcomers to the big screen; Steven Fung who plays Jet, has become one of the biggest teen idols in Asia. The film begins on a good premise; however, it slowly slides into comfortable melodrama with a predictable ending. Bishonen was screened in the Panorama section of the 49th International Berlin Film Festival. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, All Movie Guide

A spin-off from Hong Kong's popular "Young and Dangerous" action series, this fast-paced tale of a lesbian's rise to the top of the Triad hierarchy features top-notch acting and plenty of martial arts excitement. Most of the characters from the series return, and many events taking place in this story occur simultaneously to those in the others; as a result those familiar with the "Young and Dangerous" series will delight at the many inside references to it. Told in flashback, this narrative centers on leather-jacket-wearing, pompadoured Sister Thirteen (Sandra Ng). Those around her believe that she was always a lesbian, but her past story reveals otherwise. As the teenaged daughter of a low-level mobster, she had a crush on Coke (Alex Fong) a handsome but taciturn boxer. When he did not return her affection, Sister Thirteen turned to women for love. She entered Hong Kong's organized crime network via a scruffy band of low-level gangsters in the Mongkok district. There she earned her nickname and was mentored by Scarface (Shu Qi), a female drug-addict with a horrifying history of abuse. Under Scarface's tutelage, Sister Thirteen toughens up, learns to fight, and becomes the leader of the gang. From there, she and her cohorts fight their way to the highest echelons of the Triad. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

International action star Jackie Chan shifts gears in Bolei Cheun, in which martial arts are put on the back burner and romantic comedy is in the forefront. Bu (Shu Qi), the daughter of a pair of Taiwanese restaurant owners, one day finds a bottle floating near the docks with a message inside. The note reads, "Do you know I'm waiting for you?" and is signed "Albert," with an address in Hong Kong attached. Bu, convinced this is her destiny, flies to Hong Kong to meet the mysterious Albert, only to find he's a gay cosmetologist (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) who intended for the note to be found by his ex-boyfriend. But Albert is understanding and lets Bu stay at his apartment. Albert lets Bu tag along for a photo shoot he's working and she meets multi-millionaire C.N. Chan (Jackie Chan) when she helps him ward off a gang of toughs hired by L. W. Lo (Emil Chow), who became Chan's enemy in their schooldays and is still out to make his life miserable. Chan is single and a bit lonely, and quickly finds himself attracted to Bu. Bu discovers she likes Chan as well, but things become sticky when her boyfriend flies in from Taiwan to find out what she's done -- and Lo sends an American martial arts champion out to kidnap Chan's new love. While Bolei Cheun does feature a few sequences displaying Jackie Chan's unique fighting style and acrobatic dexterity, the emphasis is on the story and characters rather than the action, with Chan in a rare romantic lead, Leung cast against type and Shu Qi dominating most of the film's first act. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Riley Ip directs his melodrama about a man haunted by his memories. Ailing from Alzheimer's disease, Roy (Eric Tsang) returns to Hong Kong after 30 years in Brazil to track down his former enemy, Nine Dragons. Claiming that he was previously a notorious gangster called Mountain Leopard, he enlists the help of young street tough Smokey (Nicholas Tse). Roy tells Smokey that back in the 1970s, he and his arch-nemesis were rivals for the attention of an enigmatic beauty (Shu Qi). When she seemed to favor Roy, Nine Dragons shot him and ditched him on a barge for Brazil. Yet as the hunt continues, Smokey learns that the truth is a bit different. Meanwhile, Smokey's young heart yearns for the very female cop (Kelly Chen) who once arrested him. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

Renowned director Stanley Kwan spins this parable about post-handover Hong Kong, the second in a trilogy about the former colony that began with Hold You Tight (1998). Inspired from the 1998 "bird flu" that killed several people and prompted authorities to order the wholesale slaughter of that city's chickens, this film centers on seven disparate people trapped on an island because of a government quarantine. The film opens with Haruki (Takao Osawa), a Japanese writer suffering from consumption, trying to write his next novel. Other characters that populate the film include Sharon (Michele Reis), a lesbian Chinese-American businesswoman who lived on the island as a child, Sharon's married Japanese friend Marianne (Kaori Momoi), and party girl Mei Ling (played by former pin-up model Shu Qi), who came to the island to meet a Brit with whom she shacked up the night before. Also, there is young actor Han (Julian Cheung), hailing from Hong Kong, and Bo (Gordon Liu) the gay middle-aged manager of the island's hotel. After the aforementioned people cross paths, news comes that the government has stopped all traffic to and from the island for an indefinite period of time in order to prevent the spread of the "stone virus." As the long night wears on, the inhabitants have little to do except wait and talk. Soon they begin to reveal more and more of themselves. This film was screened at the 2000 Berlin Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

A team of adventurers are out to save the world in this tongue-in-cheek action comedy from Hong Kong. Mac (Leon Lai), Michelle (Michelle Saram), Bird (Jordan Chan), and Sam (Sam Lee) are the Skyline Cruisers, a team of elite, super-intelligent, crime-fighting secret agents who are called in for only the most important assignments. When it's learned that arch-villain Kam (Patrick Lung) has stolen the latest innovation from one of the world's leading medical research labs -- a possible cure for cancer -- the Skyline Cruisers are sent into action, and they travel to Kuala Lumpur to track down Kam's compound and bring back the formula. However, the Cruisers are met by an unexpected ally -- June (Shu Qi), who says she's Kam's secretary and wants to help them recover the drug. San Tau Chi Saidoi was originally announced as a sequel to the 1997 Hong Kong hit Downtown Torpedoes, though the producers later denied any connection between the two films. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A young girl witnesses a horrific street accident. A man (Anthony Wong in a pivotal cameo) is hit by a trolley and decapitated. Fifteen years later, June (Shu Qi) is all grown up, and doesn't even remember the accident. One night at a club, Peter (Eason Chan), an unhappy young man, sees June dancing, wearing an eye patch, and approaches her. She quickly uses him to get away from another man, and drags him to a karaoke bar. Just as abruptly, they leave the karaoke bar, and she has him take her to his place. The next morning, he awakens to find his apartment splattered with red paint, and fifty dollars missing from his wallet. He and his roommate, Simon (Sam Lee), then discover Peter's father (James Wong) lying in the bathtub, jabbering about how he doesn't have Alzheimer's, but he's possessed. Eventually, Peter runs into the elusive June again, and they seem to be developing a relationship. But despite his romance with this mysterious woman, things continue to go badly for Peter. He loses his job as a hairdresser, and his father commits suicide. Soon, he discovers June's secret. Ever since she was a little girl, she's seen ghosts. She wears dark glasses or an eye patch sometimes, so she won't have to see them. Soon, it becomes clear that one ghost in particular is haunting June--the ghost of a man demanding his head back. As Peter gets closer to June, he begins to unravel the mystery, and discovers a connection to his own family's past. Visible Secret was written by Abe Kwong and directed by Ann Hui (Ordinary Heroes). Kwong would later direct the sequel. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

An outlaw finds his life becoming all the more dangerous when he turns against a gang of criminals in this action drama. Frank Martin (Jason Statham) is a former Special Forces officer who lives on the French Mediterranean and has a lucrative second career as a underworld courier for hire. Martin will deliver anything anywhere, but he has three iron-clad rules - once the plan is in motion it cannot be changed, neither he nor his customers are to ever use their real names, and under no circumstances will he open the package. Martin is hired to make a delivery to a wealthy but unscrupulous American known as Wall Street (Matt Schulze), but after taking possession of the package he realizes that whatever is inside happens to be alive. Breaking his own rule, Martin opens the bag to discover a beautiful Asian woman, Lai (Shu Qi), who is bound and gagged. Lai briefly escapes, but Martin captures her, and delivers her to Wall Street as promised. However, after being given a parcel to deliver by Wall Street, Martin finds out what Wall Street is up to - in partnership with Lai's father Mr. Kwai (Ric Young), Wall Street is part of a scheme to smuggle Asian illegal aliens into France. Martin's conscience gets the better of him, and he sets out to rescue Lai and put Wall Street and Mr. Kwai out of business; however, as if this wasn't enough of a challenge, Martin discovers a French detective, Tarconi (Francois Berleand) has gotten wind of his illegal business. The Transporter was the first English-language feature for Hong Kong-based director Corey Yuen, who along with directing a number of HK action flicks designed fight choreography for several American films. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A spirited female detective who never had time for love realizes just how complicated romance can be after meeting Prince Charming while vacationing in Malaysia with her best friend. Grace is completely dedicated to her job, and as a result she's never had the time to seek out the man of her dreams. Invited by her best friend Joey to take a trip to Malaysia where he's scheduled to shoot a commercial, Grace decides to take the trip but gets caught off guard when she meets the perfect man. Unfortunately for Grace, this is only the beginning of a most unusual nightmare. Shu Qi, Andy On, and Simon Yam star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

The Chinese Cultural Revolution of the 1970s -- in which urban intellectuals were relocated either by choice or through force to rural areas in the interest of educating the poor or aiding farm labor -- provides the backdrop for this romantic drama from filmmaker Lu Yue. Ye Xingyu (Shu Qi) is an idealistic young woman who lives in the Yunnan province, where she teaches language classes and is pledged to marry Yuan Dingguo (Fang Bin), who works on a rubber plantation. Xingyu's father is seriously ill, and she wants to move to Kunming to be with him, but getting permission from local and federal authorities proves all but impossible. One day, Xingyu meets Liu Simeng (Liu Hua), who has moved from Beijing to Yunnan to work in an educational program. While Xingyu is initially put off by Simeng's big-city ways, she comes to admire his sincere dedication to duty, and he is clearly infatuated with her. But a scuffle between locals and Simeng's fellow transplants from Beijing leads to a simmering rivalry, which comes to a boil when Dingguo becomes fiercely jealous of Xingyu's blossoming friendship with Simeng. Meiren Cao was written for the screen in part by Shi Xiaoke, whose novel Chulian provided the basis for the story. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Three best friends who are barely getting by as fishermen in the small village of Zhujiajiao depart to seek their fate in Shanghai in director Alexi Tan's reworking of the John Woo action classic Bullet in the Head. Feeling trapped by circumstance in the only place they have ever known, Kang, his brother Hu, and their best friend Fung decide to take their fate into their own hands by moving to Shanghai. Upon arriving in the bustling city, the naïve trio gradually finds their innocence corrupted as they fall into the deepest depths of the criminal underworld. The starting point for their harrowing descent is the infamous Paradise Club: the most popular - and dangerous - nightclub in all of Shanghai. In the Paradise Club, Lulu is the songbird that every man wants to capture, yet she remains locked securely in the cage of owner and underworld crime kingpin Boss Hong - or so he thinks. Because when the stage lights go down and the big guy isn't around, his right hand man Mark starts making the moves on Lulu. Of course Lulu is no innocent either, and as this pair conduct their dangerous affair both enemies and allies alike begin plotting a way to wrestle control of the city from the ruthless Boss Hong. As the tense situation between Boss Hong and his many conspirators begins to boil over, Kang, Hu, and Fung make a desperate grab for power that quickly pays off. But success in Shanghai doesn't come cheap. With their power nearly cemented in the land of plenty, Fung will be forced to choose between love and a life of crime while wrestling with his troublesome conscience, Hu will enter into a monumental struggle against his own inner weakness, and power-hungry Kang will allow nothing to prevent him from realizing his own ambitions. Now, as lives hang in the balance and blood begins to flow, the chance for redemption fades with each passing day. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide