Se diu ying hung: Dung sing sai jau

This is one of the wildest, most confusing and most enjoyable films I have seen in awhile. There are 6 or 7 plotlines (I think) and I couldn't even keep straight who was male and who was female much less what their story was. Granted I can't speak cantonese and I don't get a lot of the cultural references but I think even if I was Chinese I would have a hard time figuring out what the heck is going on.

But ultimately it doesn't matter! If you like HK epic costume/swordfighting/kung fu period pieces, then don't miss this. There are love triangles/quadrangles/pentangles, guys running around in gorilla suits, centipedes crawling around in people's stomaches. They put everything they could think of in this one. I particularly like the announcement of all the ridiculous "techniques". (try and guess what move "monkey stealing peaches" is)

If that doesn't convince you, Bridgette Lin AND Maggie Cheung. Just turn your brain off and watch.

Fast in pace and rich in adventures, extravagance, color and music, "Eagle Shooting Heroes" adopts the same characters of "Ashes of Time" but, unlike Kar-Wai's epic movie, here they stand on the screen with the sole purpose of entertaining... and they fully succeed!

The movie can be roughly divided into 3 parts: in the first part, which takes place over a wide landscape, we get to meet the 9 (!) protagonists one by one, and learn about their quest (it can be love, world domination, revenge or achieving nirvana). Lin Ching Hsia and Chiu-Wai in particular shine and deliver the first ferocious confrontation of the movie, by showing us two terrific kung-fu moves: the "Sea can't be Measured" and the "Toad Shen-Kong".

Once we have met all the characters, the second part gathers them together in the enclosed space of an inn, so we see them interact. Hysterically funny is Joey Wang, who may be Leslie Cheung's sweetheart, but apart from that bears very little that can be referred to as sweet. Highly entertaining are also Ka-Fai and Jacky Cheung, who try to win the resistance of their loved ones with their musical talent.

Finally, the third part shows the ultimate confrontation. The ending may actually be the only flaw of the movie, and I personally agree with the character interpreted by Leslie Cheung, who at one point states "too ridiculous!".

However, apart from the bizarre ending, this is an excellent movie... but be prepared for many surprises! And if you thought the cross-dressing of Ranma and Final Fantasy VII are extreme, be ready to change your rankings, as far as extravagance is concerned! 9/10

PS: The DVD (from Ah-Mei) allows selection of Mandarin or Cantonese language (with English/Chinese subtitles burned on the movie), but other than that, no extra feature is included at all.

This comedy from Jeffrey Lau is supposed to be a parody of Louis Cha's novel. When it comes to the plot, it's impossible to synopsize, but that's not a problem, because it's really about people acting in silly fashions, mockery of normative and romantic sexual relationships, and Sammo Hung's comedic fight choreography. A lot of it seems to be modeled on the Three Stooges.

There are comedies in which no one does anything funny. It's simply that things turn out well, according to the classical distinction between Comus and Momus. Then there are a lot of comedies in which people do lots of funny stuff, until someone says "This is all well and good, but we're ignoring the story." So they stop being funny to show us how things turn out well according to the classical distinctions between etc. and the change in tone makes me yawn. The boy gets the girl? Well, I'm glad you told me. Sorry I nodded off there.

This movie works at keeping you laughing through the end. Some of the boys get some of the girls and some of the boys get the boys in the next life, when it will be all right, and some of the boys get to go to Heaven, even if they don't get the girls, so that's all right too. And the baddies get their butts kicked. Is it a well told tale? No. But it was funny through the end.

Wang Kar Wai Present's...it's absurdly funny, especially after just having watched "Chungking Express" and "In The Mood For Love", because a lot of the same actors, are here at their most ridiculously over the top.

The first scene, is like Kill Bill on a Bollywood stage, and one of the best fight sequences, anywhere in general. Outside of the lightning fast camera moves, and garish bright colors oozing with 70's Kung Fu Fantasy nostalgia, there's a very Stephen Chow type rhythm kept between slapstick gags and zany skits, and flying feet and fists.

The movie does slow down a bit, as it starts mixing together a diverse array of characters and stories, a prince trying to achieve immortality by meeting his true love, a ruthless villain who can't kill a suicide beggar, as a favor, no matter how much the beggar begs, without injuring himself , a cross dressing Kung Fu master determined to avenge her lover or find someone with suitable "pecks" to substitute, and then there's a an ape and a dinosaur in a cave (the worst movie monsters since Ed Wood), which are there because....

It's fun, and immaculately casted. But a bit of a drag of times. It's hard not to smile at the silliness of it all though. Still, Wang Kar Wai and his crazy friends, are alright by me.

It's a rainbow Sake shot of Hong Kong screwball fury, with flying boots and invincible killer bees.

This movies is best viewed as a series of sketches with a loose background story. I'd previously watched it on VHS but I think somebody borrowed and never returned it as it has gone missing. I finally got the DVD version and watched it today. It's a no frills DVD - looks like it's been transferred straight from video.

Anyway, it is as funny as it was the first time round. I had such a stomach ache from laughing so hard and I could feel the tears welling up.

The most memorable 'sketches' are: Jacky Cheung vs Tony Leung in the forest (this one is long and just hilarious from beginning to end) and the dancing and singing number with Leslie Cheung and Tony Leung Ka Fai. There are other funny moments throughout but if you get the humour, then these two scenes will kill you. The 4 above mentioned actors give the funniest perfomance.

One thing that has to be said is that I watched a Cantonese version which had Chinese and English subtitles. If these English subtitles are the only translation available then I feel sorry for anyone watching with those as they are truly dreadful. Some of the lines are literally translated (resulting in nonsense) and others, I have no clue what script they are translating from. Shame really, as the delivery of some of the lines is just too funny, especially from Tony and Jacky. Brigitte Lin has also got to be the most beautiful woman in the film and Leslie is cute, cute, cute.

The only weakest link to me was Veronica Yip who's popularity at the time had recently risen due to baring all in some movie or other. Hence her appearing in a movie with all these huge stars. I have no complaints with the other actors. Carina Lau is one of my favourite actresses. She does a good job albeit in a slightly kooky role. A lot of overacting at times but it's goes with the spirit of the film - it's just for fun and I sure had a lot of it from watching.

8/10, mostly for the laughs.