Lam Ka-tung Movies
- 2008
- Add Ip Man to Queue
Behind ever great man there lies a teacher, and this was certainly true of Bruce Lee, who claimed as his mentor a martial arts expert named Ip Man (1893-1972). A genius of Wushu (or the Chinese martial arts school), Ip Man grew up in a China nearly ripped to pieces by racial hatred, nationalistic strife and warfare. He rose like a phoenix above these ashes, however, courtesy of his participation in matches against various Wushu masters and kung-fun warriors - ultimately training martial arts icons such as Lee. This biopic from director Wilson Yip dramatizes Ip's life story. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donnie Yen, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi, (more)
A psychotic ex-policeman with a mysterious supernatural gift proves invaluable in the case of a missing police firearm and its vanished owner in this tense police thriller from co-directors Johnny To (Fulltime Killer) and Wai Ka-fai (Running on Karma). Bun is an outcast detective who always seems to crack the case despite having some rather serious personality flaws. When Bun slices off his ear and offers it up as a gift at a party staged to honor one of his superiors, he is promptly forced into early retirement. Subsequently withdrawn into his own world and tormented by the specters of his former vocation, Bun finds his unique ability to see the hidden personalities and inner demons of everyone he meets nearly driving him to insanity. As a policeman Bun's gift of second sight helped him to solve some of the department's most difficult cases, but now that the visions serve no purpose, they simply serve to erode his already fragile sense of reality. Yet despite Bun's bad reputation, ambitious inspector Ho (Andy On) still believes in him. Recently, Ho has been assigned the difficult case of a locating a missing policeman named Wong (Lee Kwok Lun), who disappeared after pursuing some suspects into the nearby mountains. While Bun is indeed eager to help out with the case, he soon finds his volatile personality clashing with the seven conflicting personalities of Wong's apparently schizophrenic partner Chi-wai (Lam Ka-tung). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lau Ching-Wan, Andy On, (more)
Three maestro Chinese action directors - Ringo Lam, Tsui Hark and Johnny To - co-helm the adventure saga Triangle. The film actually constitutes a film serial, divided into thirds, with each filmmaker responsible for one episode. Three drinking buddies, Fai, Sam and Mok are visited one dark and stormy night by a strange old man who dazzles them with the tale of an ancient treasure. The artifact in question - worth untold amounts of money - lies buried beneath an almost impenetrable government facility. The retrieval mission is theirs, if they wish to accept it, and if they can claim the treasure, they get to keep it. Indeed, the "loot" - a magnificent robe of interwoven golden strands, its monetary value inestimable - outstrips everyone's expectations. But in time, the friends' greed and selfishness begin to overshadow their considerations of loyalty, trust and friendship. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
Law Wing-cheung's Asian-language drama 2 Become 1 explores the tribulations of a middle-class woman named Bing (Miriam Yeung). When we first see her, Bing's life is relatively tranquil and easy, with an office job and a cadre of female friends. But when she discovers a malignant lump in her breast, the ground trembles, and the world that she has come to lean on as dependable and reliable falls to pieces. One day at a time, Bing must struggle to keep her life and sanity in check, as she struggles to contend with her illness -- with the helping hands of an affable physician, V (Richie Jen), and teenage boy Sing (Justin Lo). ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Miriam Yeung, Richie Jen, (more)
Acclaimed Hong Kong filmmaker Johnny To returns to the characters of his international success The Mission (aka Chueng Fo) with this action-packed thriller. It's 1998, and the Portuguese colony of Macau, a city along the Southern coast of China, is about to be handed over to Chinese authorities under a long-standing agreement. As the people of Macau ponder how their new leaders will deal with the criminal underground that's long been part of the city's support system, a pair of hit men from Hong Kong arrive in town to execute a gangster who has turned his back on the syndicate to make a new life for his wife and children. While the Chinese syndicate want to be sure he doesn't share anything he learned while in their employ, two strong-arm men also arrive in Macau, determined to see to the former gangster's safety. Starring Nick Cheung, Simon Yam and Francis Ng, Exiled received its world premiere at the 2006 Venice Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Wong, Francis Ng, (more)
Superstar action director Johnny To's Hong Kong gangster picture Triad Election (aka Election 2) revolves around Jimmy (Louis Koo), a second-tiered triad member vying aggressively for the position of godfather in the current election. He is restrained in his pursuits by the current mob boss, Lok (Simon Yam), who wants to hold on to his seat, despite the fact that his two years are up and he isn't officially eligible for reelection. This leads to a bloody, cutthroat, do-or-die battle of wills between the two men, carried out in some of the most astonishing set pieces ever constructed for an action opus, including a psychotic interrogation with knives and rabid dogs, a hide-and-seek battle at an outdoor café, and a shocking, ultraviolent denouement. To ads an additional level to the film by turning it into a scathing critique of the voraciousness encouraged by a laissez-faire economic system. Wong Tin-lam, Yao Yung, Lam Suet, Nick Cheung, Lam Ka-tung, and Mok Sing-lun co-star. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- 2006
In the tradition of Calendar Girls and The Full Monty, a group of older Cantonese women are liberated when their original dance class is canceled and switched to belly dancing in the life-affirming comedy drama My Mother Is a Belly Dancer. The film focuses on Mrs. Wong (Kristal Tin), Mrs. Chan, (Amy Chum) and Mrs. Lee (Sydney), three ladies who find catharsis by performing a dance that most of their community considers lurid and uncivilized. The film was screened at the Rotterdam International Film Festival and was directed by 2005's All About Love's screenwriter Lee Kung-lok. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kristal Tin, Amy Chum, (more)
A crime family flirts with democracy, leading to a fierce gangland battle in this stylish crime drama from Hong Kong director Johnnie To. With over 50,000 members, the Wo Shing Society is one of the largest and most powerful Triads in Hong Kong, and when the leadership committee needs a new head man, they decide to put the matter to a vote of their underlings. The two candidates are Lok (Simon Yam), a cool leader who doesn't rattle easily, and Big D (Tony Leung Kar-Fai), who has a short temper and is prone to violence. After Uncle Weng (Wong Tin-lam), an elderly and well-regarded member of the Triad, gives Lok his endorsement, he wins by a landslide, which does not sit well with Big D's uncertain temper. A ceremonial walking stick which is given to the Wo Shing Society's elected leader has disappeared, and Big D will stop at nothing to make sure it stays out of Lok's hands; meanwhile, the Hong Kong police are determined to bring down the Triad, and Big D ends up behind bars. The Wo Shing Society falls into chaos as in-fighting threatens to tear the Triad apart before the walking stick can be returned and Lok can be inaugurated as their new chief. Election (aka Hak Sewui) was a major box office success in Asia, and the story continued the following year in Election 2 (aka Hak se wui yi wo wai kwai). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Simon Yam, Tony Leung Kar-Fai, (more)
Mrs. Do (Sammi Cheng) is sure that that her millionaire ex-husband is behind the theft of her new fiancé's family jewels. She is determined not to let him control her anymore, so she goes on a quest to get him to confess. What follows is a complex web of jealousy and sabotage. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Andy Lau, Sammi Cheng, (more)
Infernal Affairs III picks up where the first film left off. Ming (Andy Lau) is cleared of any charges involving Yan's (Tony Leung) death, and is eventually assigned to the Internal Affairs division. He discovers that another cop, Yeung (Leon Lai of Fallen Angels), quickly rising through the ranks of the police department, has a mysterious link to Shen (Chen Daoming of Hero), who was apparently Sam's (Eric Tsang) connection to the mainland. Ming strongly suspects that Yeung is another one of Sam's moles, and is determined to expose him, while keeping his own connection to Sam a secret. It's a tricky proposition because Yeung also seems to suspect Ming, and appears to have the same goal in mind. With the help of Dr. Lee (Kelly Chen), Yan's psychiatrist, Ming looks deeper into Yan's final days, and flashbacks explore the undercover cop's dealings with both Yeung and Shen. Eventually, Ming finds an incriminating tape of Sam conversing with his mole, and has a climactic confrontation with Yeung. Anthony Wong and Chapman To also reprise their roles from the first two films in flashbacks. Infernal Affairs III was shown, along with the rest of the trilogy, at the 2004 New York Film Festival, presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Andy Lau, (more)
As Infernal Affairs opens, Ming (Andy Lau of Full-time Killer) is being initiated into the criminal underworld by triad boss Sam (Eric Tsang of The Accidental Spy), who ends his speech to his young charges by wishing them success in the police department. Ming enters the police academy, where he excels, but sees his classmate, Yan (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai of In the Mood for Love), expelled for "breaking the rules." It turns out that Yan wasn't actually drummed out of the force, but recruited by Superintendent Wong (Anthony Wong of Hard-Boiled) as an undercover operative. Just as Ming is achieving success in the police department while secretly working for Sam, Ming is gaining Sam's trust as a triad member, while reporting to Wong. Ten years later, both men, still undercover, have grown confused about their true identities, while their bosses, Sam and Wong, wage a battle of wits against each other. Each boss learns that the other has a mole working for him, and unwittingly entrusts the mole himself to ferret out the culprit. Ming and Yan scramble to expose one another's identity in an effort to save their own skins. Infernal Affairs was co-directed by Andrew Lau (who worked as a cinematographer on several of Wong Kar-Wai's films) and Alan Mak. Renowned cinematographer Christopher Doyle served as "Visual Consultant." The film was shown at New Directors/New Films in 2003. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Andy Lau, (more)
