Wang Zhongjun Movies
- 2009
This Cantonese-language romantic serio-comedy features multihyphenate Andy Lau as playboy Sam Ching. Many regard Sam as one of the most eligible and desirable bachelors in Hong Kong, given his carefree attitude toward life's obstacles, remarkable intelligence, and vast fortune. Unfortunately, despite Sam's professional success, he suffers from a long and rocky history in his personal life that includes a lengthy series of dysfunctional relationships and three prior divorces. Life improves dramatically when a sassy young woman named Milan (Shu Qi) waltzes into his world and takes over emotionally; Sam falls in love at first glance when he spots her at a Macau casino. Unfortunately, her twin careers -- she works as a cabaret dancer and poker dealer -- mesh poorly with Sam's social status, especially given his high-profile image. The couple soon make headlines in all of the major newspapers, and their perceived incongruity leads Milan to undergo preparations as a society woman, Hong Kong's number one "It Girl." A complication arises when Sam grows concerned that Milan might actually be after his money; he asks the girl to sign a prenuptial agreement; she grows indignant and instantly leaves him. When he recognizes her sincerity and the depth of his love for her once and for all, he'll do anything to win her back. But it just may be too late. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maria Cordero, John Chiang, (more)
A veteran of China's Civil War rails against modern bureaucracy in hopes of finally receiving recognition for his bravery and to honor the memory of his fallen comrades in director Feng Xiaogang's big-budget war drama. The year was 1948, and the fighting between the Nationalist KMT and the Communist PLA is raging. In a small, northeast China town, Captain Gu Zidi (Zhang Hanyu) leads the Ninth Company in a fierce skirmish against the a rapidly weakening KMT unit. His blood boiling over the death of a political officer in battle, Captain Gu vengefully kills a KMT soldier despite the fact that the leader and his unit have just surrendered. Imprisoned for a few short days as a sort-of token gesture, Captain Gu makes the acquaintance of imprisoned political officer Wang Juncun (Yuan Wenkang, who has just been accused of cowardice and will likely receive the death penalty. Later, when Captain Gu is ordered to take the Ninth out on a dangerous mission, he requests that Wang join the brigade in battle. Unfortunately for the majority of the squad, the KMT forces are much more substantial this time around, and though a few men claim to have heard the signal for retreat, Captain Gu commands them to stand their ground: In the aftermath of the slaughter, Captain Gu is the last man standing. Still, the valiant soldier stages a remarkable recovery, and goes on to save the life of North Korean Er Dou (Deng Chao) during a battle against the Americans and South Koreans. A few years later, Captain Gu enlists the aid of Er Dou and Wang's widow in regaining his honor, and ensuring that his fellow soldiers didn't die in vain. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Zhang Hanyu, Yuan Wenkang, (more)
Chinese director Hua Tao-Teng's Mandarin-language gothic horror picture The Matrimony (AKA Xin zhong you gui) unfurls in Shanghai, during the 1920s, when the fiancée of wealthy Junchu is killed in a bizarre accident. Junchu allows his mother to talk and pressure him into marrying Sansan, another woman all but unknown to him. He agrees - begrudgingly - but in time Sansan's body is occupied by Junchu's dead fiancee's vengeful spirit, which drives Sansan over the edge and sends her plummeting into insanity and homicide. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- 2006
A World Without Thieves director Feng Xiaogang shifts his focus from modern-day con artists to tenth century intrigue with this tale of internal turmoil in the age of Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms starring Zhang Ziyi, Daniel Wu, and Ge You. Her empire on the verge of a massive revolution as storms begin to brew both within the royal court as well as in the outlying kingdoms, the entrancing Empress Wan (Zhang) gazes upon her stepson, Prince Wu Luan (Wu), with the eyes of a forbidden lover rather than a caring mother. When the emperor dies an unexpected death and his younger brother Li (Ge) ascends to the throne, Empress Wan marries the newly appointed sovereign as a means of both protecting her beloved Wu Luan and cementing her position within the royal court. When assassins dispatched by Emperor Li fail in their attempt to silence Wu Luan and his majesty subsequently announces a lavish banquet, Empress Wan and Wu Luan realize that the time has finally come for them to take action against the murderous despot. The film demonstrates tremendous influence by Shakespearean plays, specifically Hamlet and Macbeth. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Zhang Ziyi, Ge You, (more)
- 2006
Jeffrey Lau's epic, mythological fantasy adventure A Chinese Tall Story unfurls in the distant past, when a small band of travelers - monk Tripitaka (Nicholas Tse) and his (human) companions Monkey King (Chen Bo-lin), Piggy (Kenny Kwan) and Sandy (Steven Cheung) - embark on a lengthy, danger-filled quest through the Himalayan foothills to retrieve some Buddhist scriptures. En route, they encounter all manner of obstacles, such as being sabotaged by The Tree Demon and attacked by a band of cannibalistic lizard men. In a more realistic episode, Tripitaka must grapple with the unrequited love that a homely outcast, Yue Meiyan (Charlene Choi) feels for him; he then ultimately winds up in the midst of an elfin storybook village where he encounters an empathetic waylaid princess (Fan Bingbing). Throughout, director Lau plays aggressively with the film form, packing in everything from witty puns to cinematic allusions to postmodern cultural asides. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicholas Tse, Charlene Choi, (more)
A lone hero comes to the rescue of a village about to be overrun by a marauding army in this historical epic from Hong Kong. In the year 370 B.C., China has been torn apart by a handful of warring factions, and the Zhao State has set out on a long march to invade and conquer the Yan State. En route, the ten thousand-strong Zhao army will pass through the town of Liang City, home to four thousand souls. Led by Lord Liang (Wang Zhiwen), an ineffectual and alcoholic leader, the people of Liang City fear the worse, and beg the warriors of the Mozi clan to come to their aid in protecting the city. As Zhao general Xiang Yanzhong (Ahn Sung-ki) and his men loom on the horizon, a single Mozi fighter, Ge Li (Andy Lau), arrives in Liang City; while the townspeople are certain the battle is already lost, Li is a brilliant strategist, and convinces the handful of Liang soldiers that they can indeed fend off the Zhao invaders. With the help of Liang cavalry woman Yi Yue (Fan Bingbing) and Zi Tuan (Nicky Wu), a master of the bow and arrow, Li is able to fight the Zhao soldiers to a standstill; however, Lord Liang is humiliated by the success of the interloper, and his right-hand man (Wu Ma) plants seeds of doubt in the villagers' minds about their new champion. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Andy Lau, Ahn Sung-ki, (more)
- 2006
The Jackie Chan-headlined action farce Rob-B-Hood concerns Slipper (Chan), a character caught up in a hornet's nest of problems. Raised by poor parents and expelled from school at an early age, Slipper became notorious for his lightning-fast footwork and quick-fingered hijinks, but managed to tally up a massive amount of gambling debt. With no other choice, he accepted his crooked landlord's bid to participate in a series of crazy heists. They paired up with another shady character, Octopus (Louis Koo), and successfully kidnapped BB, a tycoon's grandson, but unforeseen complications led the trio to keep the baby longer than they had originally intended. Now, when the men learn that a triad intends to collect on some unpaid ransom and kill the child in the process, they decide to keep the baby indefinitely, as an unofficial "adopted son," and train him in the ways of burglary. They receive assistance, in this endeavor, from a teenage hanger-on, Pak Yin (Charlene Choi); a nurse named Melody (Gao Yuanyuan); and the landlord's missus, (Teresa Carpio). Suddenly, however, the rollers and the triads begin to close in, and the men must figure out a way to return the baby to his folks. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Louis Koo, Michael Hui, (more)
Directed by He Ping, the multi-layered Warriors of Heaven and Earth combines traditional Chinese cinema with the hallmarks of spaghetti Westerns. Set in the eastern portion of the Silk Road, a popular eighth century Asian trade route, the film chronicles the stories of two heroes: Tang Dynasty imperial emissary Lai Xi (Kiichi Nakai) and soldier-turned-mercenary "Butcher" Li (Jiang Wen). After having served the Chinese emperor for some 20 years, Lai is eager to return home, though he must complete a final task before doing so; specifically, tracking down Li, as he once led a mutiny against the emperor's orders. Li, meanwhile, is busy recruiting a caravan to help him escort a Buddhist monk to the capital of China. While Lai is successful in finding Li, they agree to postpone their duel-to-the-death until the monk has been safely transported. Of course, after dealing with marauding Turks, the heat of the desert, and local bandits, it becomes unclear whether either man will survive to kill the other. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jiang Wen, Kiichi Nakai, (more)
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)
- 2003
A beloved -- but unlicensed -- family pet is confiscated by Beijing authorities, leaving its owners scrambling as they attempt to recover the critter before it is set free outside the city limits in director Lu Xuechang's 2003 comedy drama Kala shi tiao gou (Cala, My Dog). Working class patriarch Lao Er (Ge You) is left with a large licensing fee as well as a fine after his wife mistakenly walks their unlicensed family dog Cala. The dog is taken away by the police, leaving the family with a deadline of 18 hours to pay the bill before the dog is cast out of town. As the family income cannot support such an exorbitant sum of money, they resort to other means in order to retrieve the canine -- ranging from attempting to coerce family members with connections into aiding them to convincing a neighbor to pulling a scam on the police with the license for Cala's mother. Cala, My Dog had its first official screening as part of the Forum program for the 2003 Berlin International Film Festival. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ge You, Ding Jiali, (more)
In this tense thriller, Ma Shan (Wen Jiang) is a Chinese police detective who awakes one morning after a night of heavy drinking at his sister's wedding reception to discover that his gun has been stolen. Since only police officers are allowed to carry firearms, Ma Shan is alarmed about the deadly possibilities of the theft, and he sets out to find his weapon; however, the memories of Ma Shan's friends are as hazy as his own regarding the wedding, and no one can tell who drove him home. The situation comes to a head when Ma Shan's former girlfriend arrives in town for a visit and is soon found shot dead with the bullets matching those used in his gun. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
