Top 10 list from Jay Wassmer
1. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - Okay, to be absolutely technical this is not a HK film. But, it features HK stars, HK choreography, and a Chinese setting, plus, it’s filmed in Chinese (Mandarin, not Cantonese). In most people’s minds this Taiwanese/ American/ Chinese production will forever be linked to HK cinema, which gives me reason enough to include it. CTHD is not only my favorite HK-related film it’s rapidly becoming my favorite film of all-time. The fights are great, but they’re not the reason I rate it as the best, the scenery and cinematography are incredible, but again that’s not the reason I rate it at the top. The reason I feel the way I do about this film is simple, I love the characters and the story is one of those rare things, a genuine examination of the simplicity of emotion and the complexity of life’s challenges. This is truly a remarkable movie.
2. A Better Tomorrow II - John Woo enters the realm of myth making in this mid-80’s example of heroic-bloodshed. Everything about this film is over-the-top and more melodramatic than a month of soap operas. Chow Yun Fat becomes a living-legend as he takes his ultra-hip, super-cool persona to a new level of extreme. Sure, the story is a never-ending list of coincidences and sometimes obviously forced plot-twists, but the ride is more fun than one should be allowed to have without a prescription.
1. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - Okay, to be absolutely technical this is not a HK film. But, it features HK stars, HK choreography, and a Chinese setting, plus, it’s filmed in Chinese (Mandarin, not Cantonese). In most people’s minds this Taiwanese/ American/ Chinese production will forever be linked to HK cinema, which gives me reason enough to include it. CTHD is not only my favorite HK-related film it’s rapidly becoming my favorite film of all-time. The fights are great, but they’re not the reason I rate it as the best, the scenery and cinematography are incredible, but again that’s not the reason I rate it at the top. The reason I feel the way I do about this film is simple, I love the characters and the story is one of those rare things, a genuine examination of the simplicity of emotion and the complexity of life’s challenges. This is truly a remarkable movie.
2. A Better Tomorrow II - John Woo enters the realm of myth making in this mid-80’s example of heroic-bloodshed. Everything about this film is over-the-top and more melodramatic than a month of soap operas. Chow Yun Fat becomes a living-legend as he takes his ultra-hip, super-cool persona to a new level of extreme. Sure, the story is a never-ending list of coincidences and sometimes obviously forced plot-twists, but the ride is more fun than one should be allowed to have without a prescription.