One Night in Mongkok

All I can say is "WOW". Derek Yee returns strong after his extremely well-directed "Lost in Time".

One Night in Mongkok is a very interesting movie. More of a contemporary film than a narration, it pits the 36 hour cycle in the dense jungle of Mongkok after a gang related car accident that left one of its leader and son to a powerful mob boss death. Daniel Wu plays a novice hitman hired by the mob boss to take down the the leader of the gang that caused the car collision. Although paid to kill, Wu is a sensible young man that only took the job due to his poor background and a chance to take out some skeletons in his closet. Wu met up with Cecilia Cheung, a mainland prostitute who work in order to support her large family back in China, and is the one who guides Wu in crowded Mongkok. The film goes to show how something so insignificant and small could escalate into something so dangerous and deadly.

The film doesn't have a core focal point, it alters between Daniel and Cecilia's progression in the conjested street corners and alleyways of Mongkok, and a police group led by Alex Fong to find Wu and stop him from making things worst. It's obvious to see that Derek Yee isn't looking to film a cop thriller; what he wants is to create a picture box where viewers are make to feel like watching a true eye glass into the urban jungle that is Mongkok, one of the most populated area in the world. The screenplay is predicable, but what is amazing about the movie is the way it is presented. From the subtle roaming of streets in Wu and Cheung's perspective, to the tense and thrilling moments in the police group, the film creates more of a telescopic view of life instead of a staged theater. Some may feel that the film's conclusion feels almost forced, but it is simply another factor of life that no one can ignore as a possibility. The movie doesn't tie up all the loose ends and the final statement is trying to say more than it is meant to, but to only focus on such small downfall only ruins the movie as a whole.

Derek Yee is a master of showing, not telling; I cannot wait for him to make another film with this level of caliber.

Year: 2004
Director: Derek Yee

9.3/10

My Name is Fame

Strong lead from Lau Ching Wan help this movie from befalling into "just another Hong Kong comedic drama".

The premise of this movie is simple: Lau Ching Wan a middle age actor with plenty of acting talents, however he was never fully appreciated or liked in the film industry. Ching is basically going through his midlife crisis and begins to wonder if acting is what he really wants to do with the rest of his life.

The movie feels more like a satire to Lau Ching Wan's own film career because he has never won the Best Actor in the Hong Kong Film Awards prior to this movie (This film gave him his first ever Best Actor award last April). Although he is never really liked or used in movies, his love for movies and acting is unquestionable on screen. Instead of making his character seem angry at everyone in the industry, Ching plays his role extremely well as more of a grumpy forty-year-old. The film also stars newcomer Hou Siyan, a rookie actress trying to make it big no matter what it took. The two begin a teacher-student relationship and soon lead to spontaneous romance. With Siyan's career starting to rise, it also sparks a renewed loved for Ching on his profession.

The film premise itself isn't very interesting or fresh, but the way it portrays the Hong Kong film industry should be appreciated because it shows how much actors, directors, and everyone else who is involved do and enjoy their work. The writing in the film is surprisingly witty and truthful; Siyan's performance does leave something more to desire, but Ching's performance is superb (Although I feel that his past performances in past movies were better). It should also be noted that the ending to this movie is awesome. One of the most memorable I've seen in a long time, this is what good endings should be like.

This is a good film to watch just for Ching's performance, especially for his first Best Actor Award.

Year: 2006
Director: Lau Kwok-Chen

8.2/10