Apologies to everyone for not having written in two weeks. Week 1 was a busy one, hence no entry, but this week I have been on vacation, but have been far too lazy to write, to be honest. Still a week of lazing around the house doesn’t really give you much to write about either.
I will just mention a few birthdays, as it is rather obligatory. Firstly Paloma’s over a week ago, but celebrated last Saturday (that was lots of fun!), then my dad’s last Monday, and today is my brother, Del’s.
It’s not quite all laziness, though. Yesterday was the L.E.K. Christmas Party, which was quite an event. I’m not trying to avoid mentioning any happenings last night, but since I hadn’t stayed right to the very end, I really don’t have many stories to tell. But I’ll certainly catch up on them when I get back into the office, I’m sure.
* HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS *
Anyway, aside from lazing around, I have managed to catch a few films on DVD. As the US and UK release of House of Flying Daggers has approached, I have finally watched my copy on DVD.
Starring Andy Lau (recently famous for his role as Inspector Lau in Infernal Affairs) as Leo and Takeshi Kaneshiro (Turn Left Turn Right) as Jin, both local captains of the police force, they look to infiltrate a radical group called the House of Flying Daggers. Believed to be using a brothel as a hideout, Jin is asked to go undercover to infiltrate the group and expose the new leader, one of the suspects believed to be Mei (Zhang Ziyi), the blind daughter of the previous leader. In an elaborate plot of deceit and desire, Mei deserts the House, leaving Jin needing still to uncover the leader, yet whilst beginning to fall for Mei.
For me, it is better than Zhang Yimou’s other offering earlier this year, Hero. A better storyline, lots of creative cinematography and use of colour, like Hero, although the story and the characters aren’t quite as intense. Having receive acclaim at Cannes, I reckon it is well worth seeing.
* CHINESE ODYSSEY 2002 *
Now before anyone says it’s a bit late of me to watch a movie from 2002, all of you who watched Hero this year should know that that was actually released in China in 2002 as well. The only reason why I decided to see this was a recent review in a popular London newspaper, and given two of my favourite HK actors are in it (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Faye Wong), I thought I had to see it. Leung and Wong last appeared in the same film in Chungking Express and will appear again in 2046. I say will, because it hasn’t quite reached us here in the UK yet, but will in January – my DVD however is on order and I should get it in a couple of weeks!
Anyway, I sidetrack. Chinese Odyssey 2002 is a humorous look on love in, or rather outside of the Imperial Palace, as the emperor (Chen Chang) and his sister (Faye Wong) escape from protocol and go to a small village looking for love. Dressed as a man to avoid suspicion, she meets a bandit (Tony Leung) whom she falls for. However, in the confusion, he tries to set her up with his sister, Phoenix (Vicki Zhao). It’s all very funny and with the added Chinese operatic moments added, it does provide a nice uplift in spirits.
* FOR BAD BOYS ONLY *
An old movie I decided to rewatch. King (Ekin Cheng), his sister, Queen (the absolutely delectable Kristy Yang) and Jack (Louis Koo) make up the Bad Boys detective agency. They are asked by two people to look for someone they loved who have gone missing, Kwan Chin, a former Olympic champion, and Shadow, a girl twenty years her junior, but looks exactly the same as her. Meanwhile, a mysterious girl by the name Eleven, who looks exactly the same as Kwan and Shadow, turns up. A puzzle here needs to be solved by the aces and jokers in the pack… (Sorry, I just couldn’t resist…)
A good action flick, it falls down in the storyline and editing. Why they had to make it look like a TV series where every 10 minutes, the Bad Boys logo comes up, I don’t know. But what is probably worse is the unashamed overuse of the "What is love?" question. Clichés lie everywhere else, this overuse was probably the worst.
Shu Qi does a great job playing three different personalities in the form of Kwan Chin, Shadow and a very innocent Eleven. It probably was the first evidence that her performances can be credible, even if the film itself borders on the absurd.
Mind you if you don’t mind a bit of brainless fun, this isn’t a bad film to watch. But there are plenty of other action films that can trump this one.
* IT’S ALMOST CHRISTMAS ALREADY *
Time to get the Christmas cards ready to send… Ah, good thing I have another week to work this one out!