Today's list:
Celebrity women who should hang it up because their best days are far behind them (and are annoying me by sticking around)
Madonna
Demi Moore
Ashley Olsen
Mary-Kate Olsen
Monday, July 24, 2006
My little ode to the Killer
On the weekend I bought a DVD copy of The Killer (I already own a VCD version) and went home to watch it straight away.
So now I want to write about this, because it is in some ways one of the most influential films that I’ve seen. It’s a shame that to most movie audiences outside of Hong Kong, Chow Yun Fat will be remembered for such turkeys as Bulletproof Monk and the Replacement Killers. Crouching Tiger was a fantastic movie but it wasn’t really a Chow Yun Fat movie. And Chow Yun Fat is NOT a martial artist.
It’s a shame because the man had a very impressive body of work during the 80s and 90s that most people aren’t even aware of.
The Killer, in my opinion, represents the apex of the careers of both Chow Yun Fat and director John Woo, and set the standard for countless action movies to come.
This may not be Woo’s most polished (Face/Off) or his most visceral (Bullet in the head) work. And it certainly isn’t Chow’s most accomplished acting role (try All about Ah Long or Prison on Fire or a slew of others). But it is their most iconic work. Watch it and you will see many other post 1990 action films in it. It is the ultimate show of choreographed gunplay and bloodbath reinterpreted as dance.
But like many classic films, it’s not perfect by any stretch. The fashion is horribly outdated (striped suits all around!). The script is overly simplistic by today’s standards. And Woo’s obsession with themes of brotherhood/friendship/male bonding becomes grating at times. (Get over it!)
Watch it, though, if you’re at all a fan of action films or if you want to see why Chow is a huge name in Asia despite his crappy Hollywood films or if you want to see John Woo at his peak. Watch this and you will no longer think of Quentin Tarantino or Robert Rodriguez as being original filmmakers.
This is an important film. And now I have a copy to lend out. I’m here to spread the word.
Other Chow Yun Fat recommendations
All about Ah Long (drama comedy)
Prison on fire 1 & 2 (action drama)
God of gamblers (action comedy)
A better tomorrow (action)
A better tomorrow 2 (an exercise in excess)
An Autumn’s tale (romantic comedy)
Hong Kong 1941 (drama)
Once a thief (action comedy)
City on fire (action)
I write more as I think of them.
On the weekend I bought a DVD copy of The Killer (I already own a VCD version) and went home to watch it straight away.
So now I want to write about this, because it is in some ways one of the most influential films that I’ve seen. It’s a shame that to most movie audiences outside of Hong Kong, Chow Yun Fat will be remembered for such turkeys as Bulletproof Monk and the Replacement Killers. Crouching Tiger was a fantastic movie but it wasn’t really a Chow Yun Fat movie. And Chow Yun Fat is NOT a martial artist.
It’s a shame because the man had a very impressive body of work during the 80s and 90s that most people aren’t even aware of.
The Killer, in my opinion, represents the apex of the careers of both Chow Yun Fat and director John Woo, and set the standard for countless action movies to come.
This may not be Woo’s most polished (Face/Off) or his most visceral (Bullet in the head) work. And it certainly isn’t Chow’s most accomplished acting role (try All about Ah Long or Prison on Fire or a slew of others). But it is their most iconic work. Watch it and you will see many other post 1990 action films in it. It is the ultimate show of choreographed gunplay and bloodbath reinterpreted as dance.
But like many classic films, it’s not perfect by any stretch. The fashion is horribly outdated (striped suits all around!). The script is overly simplistic by today’s standards. And Woo’s obsession with themes of brotherhood/friendship/male bonding becomes grating at times. (Get over it!)
Watch it, though, if you’re at all a fan of action films or if you want to see why Chow is a huge name in Asia despite his crappy Hollywood films or if you want to see John Woo at his peak. Watch this and you will no longer think of Quentin Tarantino or Robert Rodriguez as being original filmmakers.
This is an important film. And now I have a copy to lend out. I’m here to spread the word.
Other Chow Yun Fat recommendations
All about Ah Long (drama comedy)
Prison on fire 1 & 2 (action drama)
God of gamblers (action comedy)
A better tomorrow (action)
A better tomorrow 2 (an exercise in excess)
An Autumn’s tale (romantic comedy)
Hong Kong 1941 (drama)
Once a thief (action comedy)
City on fire (action)
I write more as I think of them.
Monday, July 17, 2006
I lost my internet connection a couple of weeks ago, which is not that bad a thing, except that it happened on a night when I needed the internet to send off an application. But the application wasn't so important, seeing as though I felt it rather unlikely that I would get a positive response. So it wasn't so bad after all. What am I trying to say? No much.
On the other hand, this gives me a perfect opportunity to upgrade to broadband. This (I know) will turn me into a pirate (because I am weak) and I hate that. But I will do it anyway. i'll be downloading my 10GB limit every month, I'd say.
Speaking of pirates, I watched Superman Returns last week. That has nothing to do with pirates as such, but it does give me a convenient entry point to say that I also watched Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, whch I personally thought was better than Superman. It was still a somewhat awkward middle movie (it's a trilogy and part 3 will have Chow Yun Fat in it!) but fun nonetheless.
With no internet and no Xbox in the meantime (I lent the Xbox to a friend for further pirate activity) I have been reading books and have now started my project of trying to watch every single movie that Johnny Depp has been in.
So far, I have seen:
Edward Scissorhands
Ed Wood
Sleepy Hollow
Finding Neverland
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
From Hell
Pirates 1
Pirates 2
Dead Man
Once Upon a time in Mexico
Chocolat
The Ninth Gate
Donnie Brasco
Benny and Joon
Nightmare on Elm Street
There's a long way to go.
And last night I had leftovers for dinner. And then I read a book and then I played a new computer game (well new to me) called Heroes of Might and Magic V for way too long. And then I went to bed.
These are exciting times.
PS. My friend is organising to get me an old laptop so I can take it anywhere and do more writing. If this doesn't turn me into a better, more productive writer, then nothing will. This has little to do with anything that I've been speaking about. So I thought I'd tack it at the end.
On the other hand, this gives me a perfect opportunity to upgrade to broadband. This (I know) will turn me into a pirate (because I am weak) and I hate that. But I will do it anyway. i'll be downloading my 10GB limit every month, I'd say.
Speaking of pirates, I watched Superman Returns last week. That has nothing to do with pirates as such, but it does give me a convenient entry point to say that I also watched Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, whch I personally thought was better than Superman. It was still a somewhat awkward middle movie (it's a trilogy and part 3 will have Chow Yun Fat in it!) but fun nonetheless.
With no internet and no Xbox in the meantime (I lent the Xbox to a friend for further pirate activity) I have been reading books and have now started my project of trying to watch every single movie that Johnny Depp has been in.
So far, I have seen:
Edward Scissorhands
Ed Wood
Sleepy Hollow
Finding Neverland
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
From Hell
Pirates 1
Pirates 2
Dead Man
Once Upon a time in Mexico
Chocolat
The Ninth Gate
Donnie Brasco
Benny and Joon
Nightmare on Elm Street
There's a long way to go.
And last night I had leftovers for dinner. And then I read a book and then I played a new computer game (well new to me) called Heroes of Might and Magic V for way too long. And then I went to bed.
These are exciting times.
PS. My friend is organising to get me an old laptop so I can take it anywhere and do more writing. If this doesn't turn me into a better, more productive writer, then nothing will. This has little to do with anything that I've been speaking about. So I thought I'd tack it at the end.
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