tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-519151984917331758.post6938042222387807738..comments2023-10-10T08:59:34.075-07:00Comments on Movies In The Attic: Cynthia Rothrock bingeKennerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01664118447662130586noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-519151984917331758.post-15844912043842348012010-12-11T21:50:10.934-08:002010-12-11T21:50:10.934-08:00For me, HK film died in 1997 with the takeover- th...For me, HK film died in 1997 with the takeover- that's when movies started going in the toilet; but it was happening even before then in the mid-90s after the whole Wu Xia revival died down. After the exodus of people like Jackie and Chow and Jet Li (who all eventually came back), the movies really sucked bad; the rise of piracy affected it a bunch too. THere were flickers of hope for it with stuff like 'Infernal Affairs,' but they quickly died down too. And I know 'Martial Law' was cheesy, but I loved it when I was a teenager- I just thought it was awesome seeing Sammo on American tv- I was always a huge mark for him and thought he made the best overall films out of the three brothers anyway (I can watch something like 'The Victim' or 'Warriors Two' over and over again and still love it, but can barely watch some of Jackie's stuff nowadays).elementarybeatboxoperator,storylikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15645449097453423234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-519151984917331758.post-91226486053051747792010-12-11T21:44:22.771-08:002010-12-11T21:44:22.771-08:00Yes, Dragons Forever and Wheels On Meals are absol...Yes, Dragons Forever and Wheels On Meals are absolute classics, but I don't really consider those outside the context of the "three brothers" era of Jackie, Sammo, and Biao. Like, 'Project A' is a tricky one too, because it's obviously mostly a Jackie film, but something like 'Dragons Forever,' there's a more pronounced collaboration going on between the three that I take more into consideration. Here, with 'Above the Law,' (or something like 'Prodigal Son'), Biao is obviously carrying the picture as the lead (along with Rothrock), so I would classify it differently than a 'Wheels on Meals' or 'Twinkle Twinkle' film.<br /><br />As far as Hk's film industry being in the toilet now, you're right. That's why I had high hopes for the Thai movie industry and someone like Tony Jaa being the future- guess that didn't work out too well, what with him going crazy and joining a monastery (but I still love those films). I still think Johnny To does some phenomenal work. But yeah, the only movies I've really been wowed in the last few years have been the 'Triad Election' movies- as well as anything by Johnny To ('Running on Karma' was great too), 'SPL', the 'Infernal Affairs' trilogy and like two of Jackie's past, maybe 10, HK films. Even Wong Kar Wai has started to really slip. Honestly, I've been looking to Korea more and more the past 10 years- that's where the best stuff has been happening, dramatically, action-wise, and horror-wise as well.elementarybeatboxoperator,storylikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15645449097453423234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-519151984917331758.post-80524872486946130112010-12-10T07:37:48.974-08:002010-12-10T07:37:48.974-08:00I just realized that now that you said it that you...I just realized that now that you said it that you don't have the Gutenberg ratings anymore. You need those, they were a staple of your old site. That's why I don't do stars or thumbs up or anything like that. Mine is simply what I would pay for it, and why I would. It gives me much more wiggle room.Direct to Video Connoisseurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02310858965138247572noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-519151984917331758.post-17102522972612817742010-12-09T04:54:57.954-08:002010-12-09T04:54:57.954-08:00You had me at "kung fu lawyer".You had me at "kung fu lawyer".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-519151984917331758.post-71912936773317191352010-12-09T00:57:45.846-08:002010-12-09T00:57:45.846-08:00I would say Wheels On Meals or Dragons Forvever wo...I would say Wheels On Meals or Dragons Forvever would be Biao's best to date. The Prodical Son and Iceman Cometh would be up there though. This though is his best movie to date without Chan or Sammo. Yuen Biao is always overlooked which is a shame. I sort of though am glad he never came to the U.S because he never had to sell out like Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Chow Yun Fat did. Even Sammo Hung sold out with that show he did with Aresenio Hall which was lame. That said the HK industry isn't that great off now, as the only last great movie I saw was Red Cliff and Exiled, which is few and far between in the seas of style over substance Triad gangster flicks with Ekin Cheng. Indeed U.S cinema is not the only one who has descended into mediocrity. Hong Kong was even dead for awhile...now there's a pulse but all the life is still only from old talents like John Woo,Tsui Hark and Johnnie To.Kennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01664118447662130586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-519151984917331758.post-10473715108536164862010-12-08T22:32:09.300-08:002010-12-08T22:32:09.300-08:00You are completely right about 'Above the Law&...You are completely right about 'Above the Law'- not only Yuen Biao's best film (and he made some great ones), but one of the greatest HK films of the 1980s. It's a shame that Biao didn't reach greater success away from Jackie or Sammo. Where Sammo gave him great leading roles in films like 'Dreadnaught' and'Prodigal Son,' he kind of floundered after the end of the 1980s after the three brothers collaborations. I always thought he did some quite good movies on his own (I remember fondly 'Iceman Cometh' for one), but the 90s were quite hard for me seeing him in so much lowbudget crap and bad movies. He did great in that 'Don't Give a Damn' movie with Sammo in 1995 or so, but don't really know what he's been up to since. Great reviews, and thanks for hilighting a true gem that deserves to be rediscovered.elementarybeatboxoperator,storylikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15645449097453423234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-519151984917331758.post-77234632342444899172010-12-08T20:36:38.468-08:002010-12-08T20:36:38.468-08:00Here is where I have my dilema on films. See, thi...Here is where I have my dilema on films. See, this is what sucks about the star rating. For instance Cyborg and Showdown In Little Tokyo are actually well made movies, but Undefeatable isn't. It's like R.O.T.O.R, I'm thinking about bringing back the Guttenberg rating, and if so I will change it to such. Undefeatable is recommended highly for it is hilarious and the action is good. Indeed this is the true dilema I face whenever I venture out into camp territory. Indeed what makes matters worse is that this indicates that Undefeatable and Lady Dragon 2 are on par, but that's not the case. I have to come up with something, i'm still in transition. Another one will be American Kickboxer 2 and Live By The Fist, these are totally awful movies but yet they are so entertaining. I don't know maybe I should just bite the bullet and just give ratings based on entertainment. I'll think about it. So if you this jump to a three star rating you know what happened.Kennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01664118447662130586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-519151984917331758.post-32929945541961329462010-12-08T16:31:11.916-08:002010-12-08T16:31:11.916-08:00I'm agreement with you on everything, only I&#...I'm agreement with you on everything, only I'd give <i>Undefeatable</i> three stars. The only turn-off for me was how Niam gouged out women's eyes when he killed them. Otherwise, this was so funny it was a amazing.Direct to Video Connoisseurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02310858965138247572noreply@blogger.com