Vincent Kok Movies
The All's Well, Ends Well franchise - a sequence of Hong Kong-produced comedies that began in 1992 - checks in as one of the most popular of all Asian film series. Marked by the utmost wackiness, wall-to-wall visual gags, and pop culture spoofs that often reference Hollywood films, the titles purposefully demonstrate very little regard for story or character, instead seeking one belly laugh after another. All's Well, Ends Well 2009 follows this formula verbatim, weaving its irreverence around the loosely-knit tale of a Hitch-like love guru, Koo Chai (Louis Koo) who teaches socially inept men to successfully court women. Hollywood titles spoofed in this outing include the 2006 Casino Royale and Singin' in the Rain. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle director Stephen Chow returns to the helm for this sci-fi comedy about a struggling single father whose quest to find the perfect toy yields out-of-this-world results. Ti (Chow) is a poor construction worker who breaks his back to ensure that his young son Dicky (Xu Jiao) can stay enrolled in an exclusive private school. But while Ti does everything possible to give his son the opportunities that he never had, Dicky still feels like a classroom reject due to his tattered clothes and lack of the latest toys. Dicky's classmates all play with the coolest and most expensive gadgets that money can buy, so how is a kid who gets his toys from the local junkyard ever supposed to fit in? One day, while scrounging through the trash heap in search of a new toy, Ti discovers a mysterious orb and brings it straight back to Dicky. Though at first the "CJ7" appears to be little more than an unidentifiable oddity, it proves to be much, much more once the young boy starts to play with it. This isn't your average action figure, but a living "pet" with extraordinary powers. Realizing that his new toy may be just the thing to help him fit in with his demanding classmates, Dicky brings the CJ7 to school with him in order to show it off and have some fun. But the CJ7 has its own ideas about how to have fun, and it isn't long before the situation at school gets hopelessly out of hand. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Chow, Xu Jiao, (more)
A cheeky beer promotion girl (Miriam Yeung) falls for a hard-drinking, hard-luck French-Chinese fusion cuisine chef (Daniel Wu) in a dazzling romantic comedy from One Night in Mongkok director Derek Yee. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniel Wu, Miriam Yeung, (more)
An undercover cop makes the transformation into stunning supermodel in order to protect a male model from a falling victim to a dangerous stalker in this comedy starring Reginald Cheng and Karena Lam. World-renowned supermodel Mandom (Cheng) has just received a serious death threat, and as a result he may not be able to compete in the upcoming "King of Supermodel" contest. When undercover officer Chu (Lam) is assigned to the case, she realizes that the only way Mandom will be able to safely compete is if she, too, participates in the contest. Now, in order for Chu to learn the secrets to strolling the catwalk in time for the big event, Mandom attempts to transform the street-smart cop into a gorgeous supermodel overnight. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ronald Cheng, Karena Lam, (more)
A spoiled rich boy and his two unruly friends are enrolled in Police Cadet training school to hilarious results in this Hong Kong comedy starring popular actor/singer Ronald Cheng. Lung (Cheng) is a rowdy brat with no sense of respect or responsibility, and his father has grown increasingly concerned about the rabble-rousing youngster's future. In a desperate bid to teach his son, and the boy's equally obnoxious friends, a lesson in adulthood, Lung's father enrolls all three in the cadet training program that's sure to whip them into shape. Despite his best intentions, Lung's father finds that his efforts are in vain as the three slackers vow to get into as much mischief as needed to get expelled from the prison-like school. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ronald Cheng, Stephy Tang, (more)
From filmmaker Vincent Kok, this Hong Kong romantic comedy centers on a unique battle between two competing masters of the art of Feng Shui. Looking to put an end to a life of endless misfortune, Yip (Miriam Yeung) hooks up with Lai (Tony Leung) with hopes that his knowledge of Feng Shui can help improve her luck. As Yip and Lai begin to fall for one another, it becomes more and more clear that Yip is the victim of the dastardly machinations of Lai's rival. My Lucky Star was originally titled Hung Wun Chiu Yun. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
A man expecting to give a woman a new hairstyle instead winds up giving her his heart in this romantic comedy from Hong Kong. Zhang Tian (Richard Ng) is the successful proprietor of an automobile company who has just made the surprising discovery that he's the father of a grown daughter, Zhang Ning (Vicki Zhao Wei). Ning has been living on the poor side of Shanghai for years, and in Tian's mind doesn't look like the daughter of a business tycoon. Thinking she needs some sprucing up, Tian hires Joe (Ekin Cheng), a cosmetologist between jobs, to give Ning a makeover and show her how to behave in polite society. It doesn't take long for Joe to discover his job is harder than he expected, but things get especially complicated for him when he realizes he's falling in love with her. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ekin Cheng, Vicki Zhao Wei, (more)
Featuring an appearance by Cantopop megastars Twins and set in 1970s Hong Kong, this nostalgic comedy drama from director Riley Ip concerns itself with a young man as he contemplates revenge on the gangster he believes responsible for his father's death. Though his policeman father had committed suicide in a movie theater toilet ten years earlier, Fan (Shawn Yu) still believes that the local kingpin called "Crazy" (Anthony Wong) is somehow responsible for his death. Making a living by selling his family wares in front of a local theater, Fan and his best friend Ming (Wong You-Nam) decide to enlist in a kung fu class to impress the master's daughter Nam (Charlene Choi). Things later get complicated when Fan falls for a mysterious country girl (Gillian Chung). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gillian Chung, Charlene Choi, (more)
One of Hong Kong's top screen comics, Stephen Chow, co-wrote, co-directed, and headlines this three-way blend of sports, action, and humor. Sing (Stephen Chow) is a modern-day Shaolin monk who has become a master of traditional fighting skills, and is renowned for his "leg of steel." However, these days there isn't much call for a Shaolin warrior, and Sing and his fellow monks earn their keep working menial jobs until a soccer coach gets the bright idea of translating Sing's talent for kicking to the soccer field. Sing becomes the lynchpin of a team playing in a tournament that could net them a $1 million purse, but even with Sing's footwork, beating the steroid-fueled champions will be no easy task. Shaolin Soccer also features Man Tat Ng and Vicki Zhao. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Chow, Zhao Wei, (more)
As the Hong Kong economy takes a hit and the killer-for-hire business falls into a slump, a camera man and a professional killer team up to offer the perfect package deal in director Pang Ho Cheung's dark urban comedy. Despite the Asian financial crisis, there are still people in the overcrowded metropolis of Hong Kong that need to die. Bart is a seasoned hit-man dejected by the lack of work, and Chuen is a talented assistant director in search of a fascinating subject. When the desperate pair discovers that both have a talent for "shooting," they decide to pool their resources and offer their clients visual proof that the murderous missions have been successfully executed. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eric Kot, Cheung Tat-Ming, (more)
Stand-up comedian Eric Kot directs and stars in this drama about love and artistic originality. Produced by auteur Wong Kar-wai, the film shares both a similar sumptuous look, thanks to Christopher Doyle's brilliant cinematography, and a familiar bifurcated narrative as that of the Hong Kong master. The first half concerns Kot who, after getting the green light from Wong, is trying to direct a film called First Love in which a love-smitten garbage collector (Asian heartthrob and Wong veteran Takeshi Kaneshiro) follows around cute young kleptomaniacal somnambulist (Lee Wai-wai). Realizing that he is too influenced by Wong, he quits that production and starts another film called After Love, in which a spurned girlfriend (Karen Mok) stalks her ex-boyfriend. This film was screened at the 2000 Berlin Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Takeshi Kaneshiro, Eric Kot, (more)
Leslie Cheung stars as a psycho killer in this Hong Kong bullet fest. Nick (Cheung), a former shooting range champion who has been forced to drop his career due to injury, is persuaded to compete again by his girlfriend Colleen (Ruby Wong). Nick's comeback competition is interrupted by a suicidal lunatic, whom Nick duly dispatches with a bullet to the skull. Three years later, a trial witness and four policemen are found murdered, which leads several observers to the conclusion that Nick has become a psychotic killer. With his girlfriend in custody, our anti-hero goes into hiding, vowing to kill a cop a day until his beloved is released. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leslie Cheung, Alex Fong Chung-sun, (more)
A romantic drama, Bolei chi sing/City Of Glass begins with a car crash, in which Raphael (Leon Lai) and Vivian (Shu Qui) are killed in London on New Year's Eve. The two were lovers, but both were married to other people. Raphael's son and Vivian's daughter, both adults, meet in Hong Kong to collect their parents' remains, and as the two get to know each other better, we learn more about Raphael and Vivian's relationship in flashbacks that trace the past 25 years. Director Mabel Cheung uses the relationships of these two couples as a metaphor for the changes Hong Kong went through over the past three decades. ~ 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
- Starring:
- Kelly Chen, Stephen Fung, (more)
Martial arts star Donnie Yen serves as producer, director and leading man of this stylish Hong Kong crime drama. Cat (played by Yen) is a killer for hire who is eager to leave the business, but agrees to one last hit to get even with a former friend who turned on him when they were both police officers, forcing Cat into a life of crime. Meanwhile, Cat discovers Carrie (Annie We), a female cop, has been put on his trail, and he kidnaps her -- only to find himself falling in love with her. Satsat Yan, Tiutiu Mo was Donnie Yen's second directorial assignment, following the period drama Legend of the Wolf. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donnie Yen, Annie Wu, (more)
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
- Starring:
- Jackie Chan, Shu Qi, (more)
The narrative of The Hitman unfolds following the assassination of a sleazy Japanese businessman in Hong Kong. Various groups come together at a meeting held by the administrators of the dead man's Revenge Fund, which offers a $100 million reward to find the killer. Fu (Jet Li), a penniless mainlander, walks into the meeting by accident and is taken under the wing of Ngok Lo, a smooth-talking agent for professional hit men who proposes Fu help him track down the killer. Some of the funniest scenes are when Ngok Lo buys Fu new clothes and coaches him in Hong Kong ways. Ngok's daughter, a young lawyer who is unhappy with her father's background, seems to fancy Fu. Fu and Ngok are busy trying to stay one step ahead of the psychotic son of the murdered man, who is also after the assassin -- a reputed mythical Killing Angel. A genre film reflecting the current zeitgeist in Hong Kong following the Chinese take over, The Hitman was screened as part of the International Forum of New Cinema section of the 49th Berlin Film Festival, 1999. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jet Li, Eric Tsang, (more)
Inept in martial arts, Fat (Stephen Chiau), the emperor's personal bodyguard, spies on agents of a rival dynasty, exposing their claim of a captured extraterrestrial as a hoax. Fat next visits a local prostitute as a possibility for the emperor, but problems arise when his wife (Carina Lau Kar-Ling), unaware that Fat is a secret agent, learns that her husband is seeing a prostitute. Surreal comedy and special effects surface amid kinetic martial arts in this fast-paced actioner, the number-two highest grossing ($4.8 million) Hong Kong flick of 1996. Shown at 1998 film festivals (Berlin, Palm Springs). ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Chow, Carina Lau, (more)
Action director Tony Leung Siu-hung helms this Lethal Weapon inspired action yarn starring Jade Leung Ching as Jade Leung, a tough-as-nails Hong Kong cop with strong suicidal tendencies. Sent to Singapore as a part of a joint police effort with the FBI to bust a weapons ring, Jade is paired up with fellow cop Ellen (Anita Lee Yuen-wah). Together they manage to recruit the head gangster's lawyer as an informant. Later after dodging a hail of bullets and battling some truly fearsome Indonesian thugs -- including one with a bionic hand -- Jade first finds herself lost in the jungle and then hanging from a helicopter. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jade Leung, Anita Lee, (more)



























