Hong Kong | Wildside Cinema

Film Review: Yuen Wo-Ping Introduces the Action World to Donnie Yen in Kung-Fumedy ‘Drunken Tai Chi’ (Siu taai gik – 1984)

Action, Asian Cinema, B. Woodell, Comedy, Hong Kong, Martial Arts No Responses »

Jan 282012

Drunken Tai Chi is an absolute Yuen Woo-Ping gem from 1984, and is the very first film by the great Donnie Yen. Like many kung fu films made in the late 70’s and early 80’s by the Yuen clan, Jackie Chan, and Sammo Hung, Drunken Tai Chi is filled to the brim with mind bending feats of physical abilities, amazing kung fu sequences, revenge and comedy galore.

Being a revenge film, it follows the formula we’ve all come to know and love. Chan Chuen Chung’s (Yen) brother embarrasses Ta Sha, a rich schoolmate, and a rivalry ensues. It escalates to the boy having his father pay Iron Steel to kill Chan and his family. Chan is not home, but instead is fighting in a gambling hall Continue reading »

Film Review: Lieh Lo’s ‘Black Magic with Buddha’ (Nao mo – 1983) Combines Outlandish Gore & Stunning Amounts of CAT III Sleaze

Asian Cinema, CAT III, Exploitation, Extreme, Fantasy, Hong Kong, Horror, J. Andersson, Revenge No Responses »

Nov 282011

I’ve learned something today. Evil Thai mummy brains aren’t something you should mess about with; it’s as simple as that. And if you do feel like keeping them for your own personal gain, make sure you feed them regularly. They tend to get rather mad if they are hungry. Like any other pet really. That’s something the protagonist of low budget Hong Kong sleaze Black Magic with Buddha learns when he goes to Thailand, takes home a brain with magic powers to use for his own personal gain. You see, our hero is somewhat of a looser. Only somewhat though, for a CAT III hero he is actually fairly likeable. He means well I suppose, he just doesn’t seem to think of the consequences of what he is doing, and the fact that it kills his sister and his wife’s family, well, he never seems to care that much about it. He comes off as Continue reading »

Film Review: Benny Chan’s ‘Shaolin’ (Xin shao lin si – 2011) is a Strong Return to HK Cinema’s Glorious Heyday

Action, Adventure, Asian Cinema, B. Harris, Drama, Hong Kong, Jackie Chan, Martial Arts No Responses »

Nov 172011

A darkness falls upon China when warlords and their armies clash in bloody combat and the noble Shaolin temple’s warrior monks find themselves caught in the middle. Intent on remaining separate from the violence of the outside world, yet willing to offer a helping hand to all those in need, their way of life is put to the test when a fallen general seeks medical help, and eventually enlightenment, from the very same monks he offended.

To those who doubt the Hong Kong film industry’s ability to continue Continue reading »

Film Review: Tsui Hark Returns to Form with Action-Packed Whodunit, ‘Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame’ (Di Renjie – 2010)

Action, Adventure, Asian Cinema, B. Woodell, Drama, Fantasy, Hong Kong, Martial Arts No Responses »

Sep 272011

Theatrical Poster

Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame brings something to Hong Kong cinema that really has been missing for as long as I can remember; a mystery crime solver film. Yes, there are instances where hidden identities need to be discovered in previous films, but Detective Dee is one hundred percent a mystery crime solver set in the Tang Dynasty.

A monument is being built in honor of Empress Wu Zetian (Carina Lau), and one day two of the supervisors burst into flames for no reason. No one is sure exactly what the cause is, so the Empress free Detective Dee from prison to solve the mystery. Empress Wu sends her right hand swordswoman, Jing’er (Bingbing Li) to not only watch Dee, but to help him in his quest to find not only what Continue reading »

Film Review: HK Legend Hung Goes Toe-to-Toe with Action Superstar Yen in ‘Ip Man 2′ (2010)

Action, Asian Cinema, Drama, Hong Kong, J. Felton, Martial Arts No Responses »

May 152011

DVD Artwork

My introduction to the force that is Donnie Yen was through the quite excellent Kill Zone from 2005. That movie also starred the deceptively agile Sammo Hung as well as Simon Yam, both of whom feature to varying degrees in this sequel to the 2008 flick Ip Man. With these three stellar actors together you could well expect fireworks, at least in the action department. Well rest assured my good friends they, along with director Wilson Yip (who also directed the aforementioned Kill Zone), do deliver big time.

Ip Man, who is played with wonderful subtlety by Yen, has set up home in British ruled Hong Kong and is looking to start up a school teaching his own style of Kung-Fu. The style he teaches Continue reading »

Film Review: The Legendary Yuen Woo-ping’s ‘True Legend’ (2010) Not-So-Legendary Wuxia

Action, Adventure, Asian Cinema, B. Harris, Drama, Fantasy, Hong Kong, Martial Arts, Revenge, Yuen Woo-ping No Responses »

Apr 042011

Theatrical Poster

After leading an army into an enemy stronghold and rescuing his prince from execution, the great warrior General Su passes on a promotion to Governor of Hu Bei, instead graciously insisting the prince grant his adopted brother Yuan the honor. No longer interested in the thrill of battle, Su hopes to return home, start a family and open a school in which to teach Wushu.

Five years later, Governor Yuan pays an official visit to Su’s home on the day of his adopted father’s birthday intending to take his revenge on the old man for the execution of his biological father. Now a corrupt monster and Master of Five Venom Fists, Yuan unceremoniously dispatches the old man and takes his Continue reading »

Film Review: Ling Pan’s ‘Brutal Sorcery’ (1983) Casts a Spell on Taste

Asian Cinema, B. Harris, Exploitation, Hong Kong, Horror, Martial Arts, Revenge No Responses »

Mar 292011

Poster Artwork

Born in a bad year and month, on a bad day and time, Alan Chang finds himself plagued by disturbing ghostly encounters. Local medium Lady Luck informs his family that he must dig up the bodies of two spirits in particular and bring them to Thailand where they can be reunited in death in order to end the nasty mojo afflicting him. During his trip abroad, Alan hooks up with the sister of one of the deceased and a short love affair ensues. Agreeing to return to his lover in three months time, he heads back to his family in Hong Kong and gets on with his life. When three months come and go without a trip back to Thailand, Alan once again begins experiencing strange occurrences but this time it’s no mere haunting, it’s the blackest of black magic… Continue reading »

Film Review: The Shaw Bros. Offer More Horror Insanity with ‘The Killer Snakes’ (She sha shou – 1975)

B. Harris, Exploitation, Hong Kong, Horror, Revenge, Shaw Bros. No Responses »

Oct 282010

DVD Artwork

Chen Zhihong is a deeply disturbed young man, psychologically scarred by his prostitute mother’s vocal proclivity for S&M. Now a homely, put-upon wimp, Chen hops from job to job trying to make ends meet and scrape enough money together to take out the lovely Xiujuan, a young woman that works in the local market next to his home.

One lonely night Chen is confronted by a wounded Cobra, maimed for it’s gall bladder. Instead of killing or shooing the reptile away, he stuffs its innards back in, stitches it up and makes it a nice comfortable place to recover. The snake befriends him Continue reading »

Film Review: Simon Yam Stars in Nasty HK CAT III Classic, ‘Dr. Lamb’ (Gou yeung yi sang – 1992)

Asian Cinema, B. Harris, CAT III, Crime, Exploitation, Extreme, Hong Kong, Horror, Simon Yam, Thriller No Responses »

Aug 242010

DVD Artwork

When a rattled photo development employee contacts local police about some suspicious pictures, Inspector Lee and his police force are horrified to discover pictures of what they believe to be dead women. The paper trail leads back to one Lam Gor-Yu, an odd introvert working as a night shift taxi driver. Believing the snapshots to be genuine, the cops raid his home and place him and his family under arrest.

Tortured by the detectives working the case and beaten by his outraged family members, Lam cracks under the pressure and agrees to confess to the crimes of murder. A further thorough search of the premises turns up not only VHS video Continue reading »

Black Magic (Jiang Tou – 1975)

Asian Cinema, Fantasy, Hong Kong, Horror, Shaw Bros. No Responses »

May 122008

DVD Artwork

Hong Kong’s Shaw Brothers are most famous for their kung fu flicks, but early on they produced this stylish horror movie about love, lust and greed. Set in the 70’s, Black Magic creates a juxtaposition of ancient beliefs against the backdrop of modern society and technology.

Shan Jianmi is a magician for hire, specializing in black magic. He will cast spells for death, love and more, but the cost is high. We first meet him when a woman comes to request a death spell be cast on her husband and his mistress. Jianmi casts the spell and the lovers are found dead in the morning. Another magician who practices white magic recognizes the spell used, and casts a counter-spell, which almost kills Jianmi. He barely manages to escape Continue reading »

Forest of Death (Sum yuen – 2007)

Asian Cinema, Crime, Hong Kong, Horror, Thriller No Responses »

Aug 152007

Theatrical Poster

Is it possible to fluke a really great move? Danny And Oxide Pang created what I consider to be one of the best Asian horror films of all time. The Eye. But since then their films haven’t been as warmly received in the horror community. Did the Pang’s pull off one hell of a fluke with The Eye, or are the Pang Brothers just going through an extended blip that most movie directors go through at one stage in their careers?

I really hope it was no fluke.

Detective C.C Ha (Shu Qi) is investigating the rape and murder of a young girl in a mysterious forest that has become Continue reading »