Peter Ngor Movies
- 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)
The prequel to Andrew Lau and Alan Mak's smash hit Infernal Affairs opens in 1991, with Inspector Wong (Anthony Wong) explaining the frustrations of police work to gangster Sam (Eric Tsang). He also expresses his desire to see the seemingly reasonable Sam take over he reins of the local triad from the current boss. When that boss is murdered, with no apparent heir, it seems that Hong Kong is going to explode in an all-out gang war. But the boss' bespectacled, soft-spoken, and well-mannered son, Hau (Francis Ng), unexpectedly takes charge, calmly and cleverly defusing the situation. Meanwhile, Yan (Shawn Yu, reprising his role as the younger version of Tony Leung's character in the first Infernal Affairs) is thrown out of the police academy for breaking the rules, and it's discovered that he's Hau's half-brother. Wong recruits him to work undercover in Hau's organization. Ming (Edison Chen playing the younger Andy Lau) is a corrupt cop secretly working for Sam. His progress up the ranks of the police force is swift, but his relationship with Sam is threatened when he finds himself falling in love with Sam's girlfriend, Mary (Carina Lau). For his part, as the handover of Hong Kong to China approaches, Hau plots to become involved in "legitimate" politics, and to avenge himself against those he believes responsible for his father's death. Chapman To reprises his role as the goofy Keung. Infernal Affairs II was selected by the Film Society of Lincoln Center for inclusion in the 2004 New York Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang, (more)
- 1997
This sequel, released only four months after the first film, takes place during a 12-hour period when a pimp (Francis Ng), a punk (Roy Cheung), and anti-triad bureau cop (Cheung Tat-ming) get involved in the battle between opposing gangs (including shots showing the arrival of real Hong Kong police). The title translates as "Go! Top Dog Army." Shown at the 1997 Vancouver Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Francis Ng, Roy Cheung, (more)
- 1997
Triad boss Kwan (Francis Ng), wounded by Japanese associates, arrives at the hospital where, with voiceover and flashbacks, he recalls how he was betrayed by his boss, friend, and girlfriend. After telling this tale, however, he reveals it was all a lie and outlines the brutal truth, describing those he killed during his rise in Hong Kong's criminal society. The title translates as "Mongkok Top Dog," a reference to Hong Kong's criminal district. Shown in 1997 at the Vancouver Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Francis Ng, Loretta Lee, (more)
- 1994
Hong Kong filmmaker Derek Yee's highly lauded and sentimental tearjerker swept the 1993 Hong Kong Film Awards and was warmly embraced by audiences due to its well-developed characters and exceptional performances. Anita Yuen stands out as Min, an ebullient young woman who came from a street-singing family and now lives in a broken-down apartment house. Her upstairs neighbor is Kit (Lau Ching-wan), an aspiring songwriter who has just broken up with his fiancée, a successful singer (Carina Lau). Kit knows that his perky downstairs neighbor has the charisma and talent necessary to become a star herself; he is re-energized by the prospect of shepherding her career and begins falling in love with her. Unfortunately, Min's childhood bone cancer -- which had been in complete remission for a decade -- returns and she soon finds her declining health sapping most of her excitement for both life and her career. Kit devotes himself entirely to getting Min back on her feet, setting the stage for the obligatory weepy denouement. Despite its "Disease of the Week" story line, Yee (who also wrote the screenplay) never allows his film to become trite or maudlin, and his strong cast (notably Yuen and Lau, Hong Kong's Best Actress and Actor winners of 1993 for their performances) never overplay the material. Paul Chun and Petrina Fung took home awards in the supporting categories, ably backed up by Carrie Ng, Sylvia Chang, and Jamie Luk. Herman Yau appears in a cameo. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Andy Lau, Carina Liu, (more)
- 1993
Michael Mak directs this Category III box-office smash loosely based on a notorious 17th century text. Mei Yeung-sheung (Lawrence Ng) is a scholar who has a hard time keeping his mind on his studies because of his raging libido. When he cannot satisfy his appetites with his seemingly insatiable wife, Chau-yin (Amy Yip Chi-mei), he gets an operation on his undersized phallus which literally leaves him hung like a horse. He sets out to give his new addition a test drive by seducing the wife of abusive merchant Wong Chut (Tsui Kam-kong). As he moves on to the sexually adventurous though emotionally unbalanced Shui Chu (Yip again), Wong Chut sets out for revenge by luring Mei's abandoned wife Chau-yin, who spends her free time learning new uses for calligraphy brushes. Athletic coupling in gauzy soft focus ensues. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- 1991
In this romantic melodrama, Wu Mei-yi sings for the guests at her father's nightclub in Shanghai. It's the middle of the Japanese occupation, and her father has just been arrested by the Japanese. She is pregnant, and knows it. Her baby's father is a man she truly loves, but he's not here and may even be dead. Meanwhile, the Japanese are in charge. She responds to the proposal of one of the Japanese officers and marries him. Just after the war, We Mei-yi's long-absent Chinese boyfriend tracks her down in Japan, where she lives with her husband and child. He is heartbroken at the choice she's made and is accusatory, but she defends herself ably. Not only that, but she has come to love her new man and is not prepared to give him up for a past love. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anita Mui, Tony Leung Kar-Fai, (more)
- 1990
Loosely based on Kazuo Koike's famous manga Crying Freeman, Clarence Fok Yiu-leung spins this wild and woolly gangster drama. The film centers around a ruthless band of criminals called "The Eight Hundred Dragons," who pitilessly track down and kill any defecting members. Snooker (Dean Shek Tien) has held out the longest by hiding out in Russia. When the grand master of the clan learns of Snooker's whereabouts, he kidnaps him and his young daughter. Meanwhile, the villainous master also orders the kidnapping and brainwashing of Snooker's friend Yao (Sam Hui Kook-kit). After his memory has been erased with mind rubbers, Yao is given over to elder master Chimer (Nina Li Chi) and turned into a secret hired gun. When he whacks the Godfather of Japan, who is protected by the wrathful Hunteress (Carrie Ng Kar-lai), Yao soon finds a hit out on him. During the assassination, he runs into May (Maggie Chueng Man-yuk), Yao's former girlfriend. Since she is a witness to the crime, Chimer orders her dead too, but Yao can't bring himself to do it -- even though he has no memory of her. Soon, finds himself protecting May from both Chimer's and the Huntress' henchmen. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
Ricky Lau directs this fantastically successful horror yarn that successfully fused high-flying slapstick with creepy genre atmospherics. The film opens with Taoist priest Kau (Lam Ching-ying) along with his two hapless assistants, Chou (Chin Siu-ho) and Man Choi (Ricky Hui Koon-ying), set out to fix the Yam family's recent streak of bad fortune. The priest soon concludes that a vengeful feng shui master had tricked the family into burying its elder in a manner that was bound to reap bad luck. Yet before the problem could be corrected, grandpa comes bursting out of the ground and kills his son. When the son returns from the great beyond to reek havoc on the living, Kau eventually manages to put him to rest for good, though gramps continues to terrorize. Meanwhile, Chou has been seduced and bitten by a beautiful spirit and will turn into a vampire unless Kau comes to the rescue. This film not only launched four sequels, but the whole horror-comedy subgenre that exemplified Hong Kong cinema during the late '80s and early '90s. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
