Friday October 9, 10pm (9.30pm for SA and WA)
Flying Swords of Dragon Gate
M
China, 2000
Genre: Adventure, Action
Language: Mandarin
Director: Tsui Hark
Starring: Jet Li, Siu-Wong Fan, Xun Zhou, Kun Chen, Lunmei Kwai, Yuchun Li, Mavis Fan
What's it about?
Tsui Hark has remade his own Dragon Inn (1992) which is itself a reimagining of King Hu's 1967 film of the same name. Jet Li plays Ming Dynasty general Chow Wai-On who clashes with evil power-hungry eunuch Yu Hua-Tia. When these two adversaries cross paths at the titular Dragon Gate Inn, the scene is set for an epic confrontation. A visceral opening fight in a shipyard is not to be missed due to masterful effects that'll make you feel like you're in the middle of the action. According to SBS Movies critic Russell Edwards, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate is 'setting the bar very high for the wuxia movies to follow'.
[link title="Read the 4-star Flying Swords of Dragon Gate 3D Review" url="node/5720"]
Source: SBS Movies
Friday October 16, 10pm (9.30pm for WA and SA)
The Medallion
M
Hong Kong, USA, 2003
Genre: Thriller, Fantasy, Action, Comedy
Language: English
Director: Gordon Chan
Starring: Jackie Chan, Lee Evans, Claire Forlani, Julian Sands, John Rhys-Davies, Carl Ng
What's it about?
In this fast-paced production bursting with spectacular stunts and special effects, Jackie Chan plays Eddie Yang, a Hong Kong detective working with Interpol to capture a crime lord who kidnapped a boy gifted with special powers and a magic medallion that grants immortality. Eddie and Interpol agents manage to free the boy, but Eddie dies during the operation. The boy applies the powers of the medallion on him, and Eddie is reincarnated with superhuman powers.
Source: Film still
Friday October 23, 10pm (9.30pm for WA and SA)
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
M
Taiwan, 2000
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller, Fantasy, Adventure, Action
Language: Mandarin
Director: Ang Lee
Starring: Ziyi Zhang, Michelle Yeoh, Chow Yun-Fat, Chen Chang, Sihung Lung, Pei-pei Cheng, Fa Zeng Li
What's it about?
Ang Lee's epic, mulit-award winning wuxia film pits a wise master against a fierce young female fighter. Margaret Pomeranz gave the film 4 and a half stars in her Movie Show review saying: 'Ang Lee worked with master fight choreographer Yuen Wo Ping to create truly beautiful fight sequences; they are balletic in their elegance and much of the credit must go to Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Zi Yi'.
[link title="Read the 4 and 1/2 star Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Review " url="node/4104"]
Source: Film still
Friday October 30, 10pm (9.30pm for WA and SA)
14 Blades
M
Hong Kong, 2010
Genre: Action, Drama, History
Language: Mandarin
Director: Daniel Lee
Starring: Donnie Yen, Wei Zhao, Chun Wu, Kate Tsui
What's it about?
Ming Dynasty-era secret agent Qinglong is recognised for his skill as a commander and gifted 14 blades. However, he is framed, branded a traitor and pursued by the secret police He must find a way to leave the city, and enlists the help of a hapless agent. "Whoever's sword is the fastest shall rule the world."
Watch the trailer
Source: Film still
Friday November 6, 10pm (9.30pm for WA and SA)
13 Assassins
MA 15+
Japan, 2010
Genre: Action
Language: Japanese
Director: Takashi Miike
Starring: Takayuki Yamada, Kôji Yakusho, Yusuke Iseya
What's it about?
The sadistic brother of the Shogun satisfies his bloodlust by brutally terrorising the people and gets away with it because of his political connections. A master samurai, Shinzaemon Shimada, is summoned to assassinate him and bands together a motley crew of 12 men to plot a complicated ambush. The 45-minute long final battle is 'really something to behold', according to SBS Movies critic Peter Galvin. 'Not only is the action imaginative and exciting, its positively dazzling to see a contemporary director rejecting fashionable camera technique where manic energy is favoured over all other considerations.'
[link title="Read the 4-star 13 Assassins Review" url="node/5497"]
Source: Film still
Friday November 13, 10pm (9.30pm for WA and SA)
The Raid
MA15+
Indonesia, 2011
Director: Gareth Evans
Starring: Iko Uwais, Ananda George, Ray Sahetapy
What's it about?
Deep in the heart of Jakarta's slums lies an impenetrable multi-level safe house for the world's most dangerous killers and gangsters. Until now, the rundown apartment block has been considered untouchable to even the bravest of police. Cloaked under the cover of pre-dawn darkness, an elite SWAT team is tasked with raiding the safe house in order to take down the notorious drug lord that runs it. But when their cover is blown, all the building's exits are blocked. Stranded on the 6th floor with no way out, the unit must fight their way through the city's worst to survive.
Deep in the heart of Jakarta's slums lies an impenetrable multi-level safe house for the world's most dangerous killers and gangsters. Until now, the rundown apartment block has been considered untouchable to even the bravest of police. Cloaked under the cover of pre-dawn darkness, an elite SWAT team is tasked with raiding the safe house in order to take down the notorious drug lord that runs it. But when their cover is blown, all the building's exits are blocked. Stranded on the 6th floor with no way out, the unit must fight their way through the city's worst to survive.
[link title="Read review" url="node/5797"]
Source: SBS Movies
Friday November 20, 10.15pm (9.45pm for WA and SA)
The Crow
MA15+
USA, 1994
Director: Alex Proyas
Starring: Brandon Lee, Rochelle Davis, Ernie Hudson
What's it about?
A year after young rock guitarist Eric Draven and his fiancée are brutally killed by criminals, Draven returns from the grave to exact revenge.
Watch the original Movie Show review
Source: SBS Movies
Friday November 27, 10pm (9.30pm for WA and SA)
Shaolin
M
Hong Kong/China, 2011
Genre: Action, Drama
Language: Mandarin, Cantonese
Director: Benny Chan
Starring: Fan Bingbing, Nicholas Tse, Andy Lau, Jackie Chan
What's it about?
China is plunged into strife as feuding warlords try to expand their power by warring over neighbouring lands. Fuelled by his success on the battlefield, young and arrogant Hao Jie sneers at Shaolin’s masters when he beats one of them in a duel. When his family is wiped out by a rival warlord, Hao is forced to take refuge with the monks. As the civil unrest spreads and the people suffer, Hao and the Shaolin masters are forced to take a fiery stand against the evil warlords and they launch a daring plan of rescue and escape.
[link title="Shaolin: Growth through discipline" url="node/13856"]
[link title="Read review" url="node/5312"]
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