Yee Chung-man Movies

Invisible Target director Benny Chan draws inspiration from the 2004 English-language thriller Cellular for this tense tale of a self-centered debt-collector who risks his life to rescue a desperate mother and her young daughter. Bob (Louis Koo) is a single father with a dead-end job as a debt collector. Essentially an easygoing, helpful guy, Bob tries in earnest to perform well in his new position while dealing attempting to clean up his act so his sister won't move to China with his son. He's making progress too, so when he receives a frantic phone call from a woman named Grace who claims she's been kidnapped, he reports the disturbing call to the local police. Although the detective on duty dismisses the call as a prank, Bob's instincts tell him differently and he quickly makes the decision to investigate. Realizing that he's the only personal capable of saving Grace and her daughter from a painful demise, Bob prepares to risk everything - including his own family - in order to save two people he's never met, and may not even exist. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Two very different men vie for the affection of a beautiful and powerful woman in this historical epic from Hong Kong. During the Era of the Warring States, two rival kingdoms are fighting for control of China, the Yan and the Zhao. Muyong Xuehu (Donnie Yen) is leader of the Yan armies and guides his forces to victory, but not before the Yan emperor is murdered. Muyong is declared the new emperor of the Yan territories, angering Wu Ba (Guo Xiaodong), the late leader's nephew who killed his uncle in hopes of taking the throne. There is much public discord over Muyong's appointment, so he names as his second in command Yan Fei'er (Kelly Chen), the late king's beautiful daughter and only child. Muyong is in love with Yan Fei'er and wants to protect her, but she's a brave and headstrong woman, unafraid to put herself in the heat of battle. When a would-be killer attempts to murder Yan Fei'er, she's rescued by an unlikely benefactor, Duan Lanquan (Leon Lai), an aspiring inventor who loves in the woods. Yan Fei'er falls for the clever Duan, who has invented a machine that can fly, and when she learns that the Yan kingdom is once again under attack, she must choose between her two lovers as she returns to her people's battle for freedom. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Traditional basketball and the practice of kung fu intersect with startling and surprisingly humorous results in Chu Yin Ping's martial arts comedy Kung Fu Dunk. Jay Chou stars as Shi-Jie, a child bereft by his parents as an infant but ceremoniously adopted by the master of the local kung fu school. Unsurprisingly, growing up in this environment, Shi-Jie trains aggressively in kung fu and develops an intuitive ability to predict his opponents' moves before they occur - an ability that translates effortlessly to skills on the basketball court. In time the youth catches the eye of Chen-Li, a businessman who sees Shi-Jie's potential for monetary exploitation and convinces him to play basketball for a nearby college. Chen-Li buries his real motives beneath his phony expressed desire to help the young man regain contact with his family, and unfortunately, Shi-Jie fails to see through it. He's far more fixated on achieving team stardom for personal reasons that involve wooing the sister of team captain Ting-Wei. Meanwhile, the entire team must face the prospect of squaring off against a rival team so vicious and brutal that their on-court tactics have caused them to be banned in the United States. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

One Night in Mongkok director Derek Yee takes a trip into the underworld with this crime drama starring Andy Lau, Lewis Koo, Daniel Wu, and Anita Yuen. An undercover cop infiltrates a major heroin ring, skillfully ascending the ranks from low-level dealer to middle management. After falling for a beautiful addict, the policeman is hand picked by the ailing crime boss to take over the entire syndicate once he's gone. His priorities blurred by an infernal combination of money, power, and seven years undercover, the cop chosen to clean up the streets finds his true identity gradually slipping away as a malevolent new persona begins to take hold. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

A dying love between two powerful people leads to deceit, infidelity, and conspiracy in this epic-scale historical drama from director Zhang Yimou. During the latter days of the Tang dynasty, the Emperor (Chow Yun-Fat) returns home from the war with his son Prince Jai (Jay Chou) in tow. However, the monarch gets a chilly reception from the Empress (Gong Li); though she's eager to see her son, her marriage has become deeply acrimonious, and she's taken a lover, Crown Prince Wan (Liu Ye), her stepson from the Emperor's first marriage. The Emperor, meanwhile, has his own plan for dealing with his failing marriage -- he's ordered the Imperial Doctor (Ni Dahong) to find an exotic drug that will drive the Empress insane and administer it to her without her knowledge. However, the doctor's ethical dilemma is intensified by the fact his daughter Chan (Li Man) has fallen in love with Crown Prince Wan and the two wish to elope. As the Emperor and Empress allow their estrangement to sink into violence and retribution, their youngest son, Prince Yu (Qin Junjie), struggles to keep the peace in the household. Curse of the Golden Flower (aka Man Cheng Jim Dai Huang Jin Jia) received its North American premiere at the 2006 American Film Institute Los Angeles Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

What first began as a short-form study in terror now expands to a full-fledged, feature-length fright fest as director Fruit Chan explores the high price that people are willing to pay for youth and beauty. Originally one third of the horror anthology Three...Extremes, Dumplings tells the tale of a traditional Chinese dish infused with a disturbing, but rejuvenating twist. Mrs. Lee is a retired television star whose once-glamorous visage is slowly succumbing to the degenerative effects of time. Her career has ended and her husband is beginning to wander astray. Upon learning that a mysterious chef known as Aunt Mei (Bai Ling) has a secret recipe for dumplings that is rumored to turn back the clock and restore one's youthful appearance, the desperate former starlet contacts the cook in order to arrange a tasting. But these aren't your typical dumplings. In order to achieve the powerful effects that her clients demand, Aunt Mei has substituted the traditional pork for the meat of aborted fetuses. Impatient that the unique form of rejuvenation isn't working as fast as she had hoped, Mrs. Lee soon begins seeking out an even more potent recipe. Though the new and improved recipe does indeed give Mrs. Lee the results she has been longing for, an unexpected complication soon leads to some decidedly unusual side effects, and it's not long before Mrs. Lee's curious husband appears in the kitchen of the alluring Aunt Mei looking for answers. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Hong Kong action star Michelle Yeoh serves as both producer and leading lady for this bit of slam-bang adventure. By day, Lulu Wong (Yeoh) is a mild-mannered environmental activist, but when the going gets tough, she transforms herself into Silver Hawk, a battle-ready heroine who finds herself chasing after Alexander Wolfe (Luke Goss), a suave British rogue agent. Wolfe has abducted a brilliant Chinese scientist (Chen Daming) who has invented a new artificial intelligence technology that could have dramatic worldwide impact; Silver Hawk sets out to find Wolfe and his captive before he forces him to reveal his secrets, but matters become more complicated when the daughter of a powerful industrial tycoon also goes missing. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A subtle study in the deterioration of relationships and the strains of a broken marriage, director Ann Hui's character driven drama draws on Chinese poetry to tell a tale of infidelity and pensive yearning. Tempted by the advances of an amorous student, Chinese Literature professor Lam (Jackie Cheung) considers an extramarital affair while still reeling in the pain of wife Man Ching's (Anita Mui) previous infidelity. As depression and boredom push the couple further apart, Professor Lam's moral devotion to his wife places him at odds with the pain he harbors from their tumultuous past. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

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

In this fast-moving, light-hearted thriller from Hong Kong, Macy (Kelly Chen) is supposed to marry her Japanese boyfriend Takahashi (Toru Nakamura) during a trip to Las Vegas, but instead he leaves her at the altar. Told that Takhashi has returned to Tokyo, Macy and her friend Yung (Ekin Cheng) decide to fly to Japan and find him. Macy and Yung decide professional assistance may be in order, so they retain the services of Lam (Tony Leung Chiu-wai), a detective from China now living in Tokyo. Lam and his right-hand woman Saori (Cecilia Cheung) swing into action, learning that Takahashi's situation is a bit more complicated than anyone imagined. What's more, a dangerous gangster, Ito (Hiroshi Abe), has gotten involved in the case. Dungging Gungleuk was a major box-office hit in Hong Kong but went directly to video in the United States under the title Tokyo Raiders. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Renowned actor/director Sylvia Chang created this richly layered film about memory, regret, and lost love. The film opens as successful filmmaker Cheryl (Chang) discusses a script idea about young love with a young screenwriter. She pitches a story about Shao-rou (Gigi Leung) a beautiful though clumsy schoolgirl who falls for a quiet, guitar-playing young man named Ho-chuen (Takeshi Kaneshiro). They develop a deep and enduring passion in spite of meddling parents, jealous friends, and their own naïveté. Yet when they are caught stealing away for a night at far-off Lantau Island, they face the wrath of Shao-rou's mother. The strain proves too much and they tearfully break up. Shao-rou's best friend Li (Karen Mok) responds to the news by offering both emotional sympathy and a bungled attempt at physical affection. The already distraught teen flees, ending their long friendship. Later, when Hou-chuen and Shao-rou meet by happenstance in Tokyo, they quickly realize that time has not altered their feelings for each other. She has become a successful fashion designer while he has become a less-than-successful tour guide. The twist comes when we learn not just that Hou-chuen is married but also who his wife turned out to be. As Cheryl describes the affair, it becomes increasingly difficult to tell if she is outlining a storyline or reminiscing about an old flame. Leung and Kaneshiro, one of Asia's biggest heartthrobs, give sensitive and charismatic performances as both awkward teenagers and world-weary adults. Chang employs a complex narrative structure of flashbacks and flashforwards to tell this beautifully wrought, quietly touching story. This film was screened at the 1999 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

Destiny brings two people together, but they aren't sure if they're meant to be friends or lovers in this romantic comedy-drama. In 1986, Xiaojun (Leon Lai) arrives in Hong Kong from mainland China, full of dreams about life in the big city and determined to make enough money to send for his fiancée and marry her. Xiaojun knows no one in Hong Kong except his aunt, but with her help, he finds a room in a cheap hotel and picks up a job peddling a delivery bicycle for a butcher. On his day off, Xiaojun decides to get lunch at a McDonalds, which he's heard about but never seen. Xiaojun is waited on by Chiao (Maggie Cheung), a pretty girl who has also moved to Hong Kong from the mainland to seek her fortune. Chiao is taken with Xiaojun, but thinks he's too much the country bumpkin, especially since he can't speak Cantonese or English. Chiao arranges for Xiaojun to get lessons in English and teaches him about life in Hong Kong and how to get rich quick; she also ropes him into helping with her latest business scheme, using his delivery bike to sell flowers. Xiaojun and Chiao become best friends -- indeed, each is the only real friend the other has in Hong Kong -- and one night, on New Year's Eve, the two find themselves alone together and end up making love. The next morning, both Xiaojun and Chiao are certain they've made a mistake; Xiaojun goes on to marry his sweetheart from home, while Chiao opens a flower shop and becomes involved with a kind man who has ties to organized crime. As the years pass, however, Xiaojun becomes convinced that his mistake wasn't sleeping with Chiao, but letting her go, and eventually he decides he must find her and win her heart. Comrades: Almost a Love Story was a runaway success in Hong Kong, where the film won nine trophies at the 1997 Hong Kong Film Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Actress. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Derek Yee Tung-sing remakes Jacob Cheung's Goodbye Hero with this tale about an aging stuntman and motorcycle racer. Joe's (Andy Lau Tak-wah) formerly stellar career is languishing with a suspended license. Worse, he hates his father and is bored by his timid, dull girlfriend, Yee (Gigi Leung Wing-kei). Some young hotshot named David Kwan (David Wu Tai-wai), who has joined his father's racing team, is threatening to top him on the racing circuit. With new license in hand, Joe gets into an ugly accident that lands him in the hospital for a very long time. There, Joe re-evaluates his life and realizes what is really important to him. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide