Athena Chu Yun Movies
- 2007
A young warrior intent on avenging the death of his father finds his mission unexpectedly complicated by his love for the daughter of the very man he aims to kill in this television series inspired by author Louis Cha's enduring tome. Hu Fei is a fearsome warrior whose father was rumored to have met his demise at the hands of Miao Ren Feng. Now, Hu Fei is determined to make Feng pay for his crime. On his way to meet his fate at the top of a snowy mountain, however, Hu Fei falls deeply in love with Feng's beautiful daughter Ruolan. Could true love hold the key to diffusing a blood-soaked family feud that once threatened to carry on for generations? Anthony Wong, Athena Chu, and Gillian Chung star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Chinese Odyssey 2002, produced by Wong Kar-Wai, is writer-director Jeff Lau's energetic parody of Chinese kung fu epics, with a bit of Shakespeare thrown in. Chang Chen (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) plays the Emperor, who, desperate for the free-spirited life of a wanderer, tries to escape from the royal palace with his sister, the Princess (Faye Wong, little seen since starring in Wong's Chungking Express). He's caught and returned to his angry mother by the royal guards, but the Princess, disguised as a man, manages to escape. Meanwhile, King Bully (Tony Leung, who also starred in Chungking Express) has returned to his hometown, where he is widely despised for his bullying ways, to run a restaurant with his tomboy sister, Phoenix (Vicki Zhao of Shaolin Soccer). They have a very close relationship. In fact, King Bully mistakenly believes that he can read his sister's mind. When the Princess arrives in town, King Bully finds himself drawn to her, but, believing she's a man, decides that his attraction is some kind of empathy with Phoenix. King Bully and the Princess spend a night eating and drinking together. In the morning, the Princess leaves. King Bully, determined that the Princess will marry Phoenix, vows to bring the charismatic young "man" back. She does return, but soon realizes that the royal guards are following her. Meanwhile, the Emperor convinces his mother to let him leave the palace to go look for the Princess. By the time he gets to town, the Princess has been carted off by the royal guards, with King Bully in hot pursuit. He's immediately attracted to Phoenix. More confusion ensues. Chinese Odyssey 2002 had its U.S. premiere at the 2003 Tribeca Film Festival. The film was awarded Best Film, and Faye Wong Best Actress, by the Hong Kong Film Critics Society. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Faye Wong, (more)
A famished peasant who has inadvertently mastered the lethal art of king fu sparks a brutal gang war in a hard-hitting martial arts adventure starring Hong Kong superstar Donnie Yen. In addition to contributing to the fall of Fuehein's two most feared gangs, lowly peasant Tangsan has also aided in restoring a 1000 year old Maehu Statue and saving his friends from a life of slavery. Now, thanks to Tangsan's heroic efforts, a massive gang war is about to explode, and Tangsan is caught directly in the crossfire. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1998
A registered dentist moonlighting as a rapist embarks on a relentless killing spree before framing another man for his crimes in this bloody sequel to Lau Wai-Keung's 1993 exploitation flick Raped By an Angel. Phillip is a psychotic sexual sadist with a penchant for women in uniform. When Phillip tries to rape Jenny and the determined girl resists him with all of her strength, he brutally murders her and sets the crime scene to make it appear as if Peter is responsible for the horrific transgression. Despite Po Wan's suspicion that Phillip is the true perpetrator, she must get dangerously close to the madman in order to get the evidence needed to put him behind bars where he belongs. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1995
- R
The second part of Hong Kong filmmaker Jeff Lau's extravagant visualization of the classic novel Xi You Ji (Journey to the West), this follow-up to the same year's A Chinese Odyssey, Part One -- Pandora's Box continues the fantasy-driven story of the introduction of Buddhism to China. This installment takes up where the original left off, with Joker (Stephen Chow) stranded five centuries in the past and falling for a Spider Web immortal called Lin Zixia (Athena Chu Yun), who is actually part of Buddha's lampwick-given flesh. The other part of the wick is Zixia's evil sister, Lin Qingxia (Ada Choi), who is just one of many enemies whom Joker must face and defeat in his efforts to change the past and save the dying Pak Jing-jing (Karen Mok), who was poisoned by the 30th Madam (Lam Kit Ying) in the first film. The film's most spectacular invention, other than its zombies, giant spiders, and so forth, is King Bull, who has an army of animal-headed mutant warriors and his own personal cadre of oversized bloodsucking fleas. Superbly choreographed by Ching Siu-tung, the film also contains a number of inside jokes, including several at the expense of Asian pinup queen Brigitte Lin (whose real name is Lin Ching-hsia, thus the sound-alike Lin Qingxia character) and a delightfully flamboyant production design by James Leung. Ng Man-tat co-stars with Law Kar-ying. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Peter Chan Ho-san and Lee Chi-ngai deliver this engagingly loopy romantic comedy about a trio of roommates. Tom (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) is a quiet, reserved lad about to enter into an arranged marriage with upper-class ice queen Joyce (Jay Lau Kam-ling); his roommate Dick (Tony Leung Kar-fai) is an incorrigible womanizer who dubs himself "The Terminator"; and Hairy (Lawrence Cheng Tan-shui) is generally a loonball who's obsessed with both his potted plants and idol Vivian Chow. As Tom's doubts about the marriage start to take their toll, he finds himself having visions of talking with a massive version of his own penis. When he meets sexy party girl Cat (Ann Bridgewater), Tom's immediately falls for her and soon his life starts to make some sense. Meanwhile, Dick uses and abuses Tom's sister Pearl (Athena Chu Yun) and quickly pays the price for it, while Hairy finally meets Michelle (Michael Chow Man-kin), the woman of his dreams. Unfortunately, Michelle is a guy. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
Kung Fu Hustle star Stephen Chow offers a hilarious slice of Hong Kong action in this tale of a demoted traffic cop looking to regain his reputation as the strong arm of the SDU. Despite being demoted to the equivalent of a human traffic signal, devoted cop Sing longs to win back the respect of his peers. When Sing is reassigned to an exclusive international school and uncovers a lucrative arms smuggling ring, he may have finally stumbled upon the case that will get him back on the beat and ridding the streets of the criminal element. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
