Reviews
Siu Lam juk kau (2001)
Funny for most viewers!
Who is the biggest movie star in HK? Your answer would be Jackie Chan, Chow Yun Fat, or Jet Li. Unbelieveably, you are wrong. It is Stephen Chow! After his first breakthrough, Du sheng (All for the Winner), most of his movies have been on the top ten list in HK. However, his dame works only in HK becaus only HK viewers fully understand his comdey. It's like Woody Allen movies for New Yorkers.
'Siu lam juk kau' is an exception. Most of comic scenes are slapstick. So even you don't know Kantones Chinese and Today's HK society, you can enjoy it. But if you are a Stephen Chow's long time fan, you might be disappointed little bit. Like these days' Adam Sandler, Chow's gave up his original style for more viewers. Still, this is very fun. Buy, watch, and laugh!
Zhi zun wu shang (1989)
A good guy movie.
Even in HongKong, the city of copycats, Jing Wong is infamous for his shameless way of movie making. While other HK directors are imitating Hollywood movies, he copied other HK directors' movies. 'Casino Raiders' is one of them. If you watch it carefully, you will find that this is so similar to John Woo's 'A Better Tomorrow'. (Like Chow Yun Fat in 'ABT', Andy Lau got lost his everythig for his best buddy!)
Fortunately, this one is a good movie. The running time is a little bit too long. But the title song and performance is good and the twist in the last scene is splendid!. If you really want to Jing Wong's movie (or gambling movie), 'Casino Radiers' and 'God of Gamblers' is a safe bet.
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China Girl (1987)
Not so bad at all!
Shakespeare's 'Romeo & Juliet' has been made on screen so many times and 'China Girl' is my favorite one. I agree that this is not a greate movie or even romantic one. However, I like this movie for it's truthful depiction of love and hate.
In 'China Girl', the bosses of Italian and Chinese gang make endless tension between their gangs to maintain their power in families. Unlike orginal play, these two poor lovers' death couldn't solve their fmilies' hatred but made it worse. Se la vie!
For Your Eyes Only (1981)
One Fine Bond Film!
This is Roger Moore's 'From Russia with Love'! Great action and realistic story makes this film almost the best Bond film. However, it has two-not critical but unavoidable-flaws.
One, Roger Moore was too old to play Bond-especially active Bond! It is true that he looks younger than Sean Connery even though Moore is actually three years older than him. But he was already in the mid of his fifities then. I believe that Moore could be the best Bond actor if he starred only in 'For your eyes only' and 'The Spy who loved me'.
Second, there is no juicy villains. Why didn't they use some great Bond's enemy like Goldfinger, Rosa Klebb, or Grant?
Still, it is very rare 007 classic. Carole Bouquet playe cool and sexy Bondgirl-not those brainless bimbos!. And the openning scene's inside joke is fine.
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
The Best Bond Film!
Or, at least the best Moore's Bond Film. I don't understand those Bond fans who complain that Roger Moore is too gentle and light to be James Bond. They forget something.
First of all, the timing was so bad. He was third Bond. The whole series began to look outdated. Also he was in the mid of forties when he took the license to kill. So he had to make a new Bond. Even worse, he had no chance to fight against Blofeld !
This movie shows that Moore finally established his own Bond. Action, sex, and humor make a perfect cocktail. Barbara Bach shows a new intelligent and independent Bondgirl. Richard Kiel's Jaws is a memorable henchman. Still I miss Blofeld and his SPECTRE. Albert R. Broccoli tried to use this character but had to replace him with Karl Stromberg. (Thank you so much Kevin McClory!) Today, Blofeld is more needed than ever because the coldwar era was ended.
I wish Moore did not take the role or took only twice. 'The Spy who loved me' and 'For your eyes only'. If he started his post-Bond carrer a little bit earlier, he could get more success. Like, Garner, James Garner.