Wandering Ginza Butterfly (1972)

Director: Kazuhiko Yamaguchi

Notable Cast: Meiko Kaji, Tsunehiko Watase, Akiko Koyama, Koji Nanbara, Tatsuo Umemiya

Wandering Ginza Butterfly had me excited. Just the idea of combining the onscreen presence and talents of Meiko Kaji with the director of Sister Street Fighter and Karate Bull Fighter screamed awesome. It could have been a match made in heaven. Could have. Wandering Ginza Butterfly is not nearly as exciting or awesome as I thought it would be. The film is not necessarily bad and in many ways the story is one ripe with some interesting social commentary and some fun performances. However, the film is also super scattered in its approach to its narrative and it feels uneven in a lot of ways because of it. It’s almost like the film was a bit unsure of what genre it wanted to be and so it just took turns leaping from one genre to the next. It’s easy to see why it has the cult following it does, but it’s also a film that pales in comparison to what it might have been or even to any other films in the filmographies of Kaji or director Kazuhiko Yamaguchi

Lady Snowblood (1973)

Director: Toshiya Fujita

Notable Cast: Meiko Kaji, Ko Nishimura, Toshio Kurosawa, Masaaki Daimon, Miyoko Akaza, Eiji Okada, Sanae Nakahara, Noboru Nakaya, Takeo Chii, Hitoshi Takagi, Akemi Negishi, Ko Nishimura

Occasionally, there are films that will grow with you over time. In many ways, a great film is one that strengthens with time and overcomes the bane of its own time context to reach a universal state. Lady Snowblood is one of these films that only gets better with time, in overall context and for me personally, which is something that not many films can say. There was always a knack for the Japanese cinema to produce these kinds of films including the likes of Lone Wolf and Cub, the Zatoichi franchise, and other iconic exploitation films of the yakuza genre, but Lady Snowblood might be one of the most interesting ones. On the surface, the film is often eclectic and abrasive – thanks to a leaping narrative and stylized approach – but with repeated viewings it opens up its many layers of detailing, symbolism, and intense off beat moments. This allows Lady Snowblood to only strengthen with time instead of collapse under its own contextual surroundings.

Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion (1972)

Director: Shunya Ito

Notable Cast: Meiko Kaji, Rie Yokoyama, Yayoi Watanabe, Yoko Mihara, Akemi Negishi, Keiko Kuni, Yumiko Katayama, Emi Jo, Isao Natsuyagi

Exploitation films can be a massively hit or miss kind of thing. Firstly, either you get it or you don’t conceptionally speaking and secondly, the quality within that concept can be hugely diversified. For every Ms. 45 in quality there are a hundred pieces of generic cash in rape and revenge flicks. That’s my opinion anyway. It’s also the reason that my expectations for Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion were decently low. *For the record, I will just be referring to the film as Scorpion from this point out as that title is a bitch to type. It might also be the reason that I was impressed with the film as a whole too. While at times the exploitation can be a bit eye rolling as it seemingly forces in tons of ‘women in prison’ clichés, the resulting film is quite steeped in artistic merit and one that deserves to be seen as such. This is not just another pinku Japanese flick, this is one that rises above it in many ways.

Stray Cat Rock: Delinquent Girl Boss (1970)

Director: Yasuharu Hasebe

Notable Cast: Akiko Wada, Meiko Kaji, Koji Wada, Bunjaku Han, Yuka Kemari, Tatsuya Fuji

Also known as: Allycat Rock: Female Boss

Thanks to companies like Arrow Video, a whole new generation can be introduced to films that are probably best understood by a completely separate generation. In the case of the Stray Cat Rock series, the first film and focus of this review Delinquent Girl Boss, there is a sense that the film is a slice of life and a capsule of time. It’s not always a good thing, mind you, and while Delinquent Girl Boss is certainly entertaining in its own ways, it definitely feels dated and the themes and stylistic approaches seem to be lost in the decades since its release. More or less, despite the wonderful release that this franchise received, this is about as cult as films get and you are either going to love what it has to offer or it's going to seem like an exercise in futility…unfortunately, I feel as though I fall more into the latter than the former.

Lowlife Love (2016)

Director: Eiji Uchida

Notable Cast: Kiyohiko Shibukawa, Denden, Shugo Oshinari, Kanji Tsuda, Beni Ito, Yoshihiko Hosada, Maya Okano, Chika Uchida, Kanji Furutachi, Houka Kinoshita

I had the pleasure of seeing an advanced screening of Eiji Uchida's newest film, courtesy of Adam Torel, the producer of the film, almost two months ago. I felt very honored to see it so ahead of time, and didn't really know what to expect going into the film. I had followed its production from the get go. Torel's company, Third Window Films, completely 100% funded this film all on their own, marking TWF's full film produced to call their own, via Kickstarter and various other means of obtaining the funds, including the offing of some of Adam's own personal vinyl collection. Dedication right there. I'm bringing this up prior to reviewing the actual film, because this film was shot so fast and rapidly, that I honestly worry it may not be up to snuff with some other films they've distributed, or Adam's produced previously, or even Uchida's previous work for that matter, Greatful Dead, which I adore, but it quickly washed my worries away, and gladly so.

Fuku-chan of FukuFuku Flats (2014)

Director: Yosuke Fujita

Notable Cast: Miyuki Oshima, Asami Mizukawa, YosiYoshi Arakawa, Kami Hiraiwa, Toshiyuki Kitami, Kanji Furutachi, Tateto Serizawa

Sometimes a film comes along that you are obligated to watch, though deep down you really have no interest. You keep trying to hype yourself up, only to let that steam dissipate and your mind travel elsewhere. Suddenly you are pushing a deadline and are forced to sit yourself down and watch a film for review. You fall in love, laugh, shed a couple of tears, and laugh some more. When the credits roll, you cheer aloud, for you just had one of the happiest film viewing experiences of your life. You look back at yourself prior to seeing the film and wonder why the hell you weren't excited before. You're an idiot. You are me! Joking aside, I don't really understand why I had prior doubt before seeing this, but looking back, I wish I would have sought this out immediately. For my sin, I will now share with you the utter delight that is, Fuku-chan of FukuFuku Flats!

Land of Hope (2012)

Director: Sion Sono

Notable Cast: Isao Natsuyagi, Naoko Otani, Jun Murakami, Megumi Kagurazaka, Yutaka Shimizu, Hikari Kajiwara, Denden


On March 11th, 2011, a massive earthquake and following tsunami devastated the country of Japan. The entire nation suffered and a large chunk of its citizens continue the suffering caused by nature that very same day. It was a disaster no one expected, and sent shock around the world. Local filmmaker Sion Sono (Cold Fish, Love Exposure), was instantly inspired to make two films from this unfortunate event: Himizu, a more angry film about confused youth in this time, and this film, the quiet, desolate, but slightly hopeful (unavoidable), Land of Hope.

The story here is quite simple. An earthquake happens, causing a nearby nuclear station to explode, thus making the area and it's surrounding areas, inhabitable. The main characters, an elderly couple played wonderfully by Isao Natsuyagi and Naoko Otani, are set in their ways and wish not to move, so much so that they stay put, despite the evacuation line being put right across their front yard. The man is a farmer, and his business is his business, and he intends to keep it that way. The two stay, but their son (Jun Murakami) decides to bounce. The son's wife, played by Sono's wife and muse, Megumi Kagurazaka, nails her performance as usual. Her character finds out she is pregnant, and still staying in the infected zone with her in-laws.

"I ain't going nowhere!"

I quite enjoyed this movie. For some weird reason, this and Himizu tend to have a divided audience, no pun intended, of either one loves Land of Hope and hates Himizu, or visa versa. I personally do not understand the debate and division of such preference, as I find the films to be two completely different creatures, both with pros and cons, though both are minor in quantity of said cons. I will speak of what I like about the film first and foremost.

The cast here is excellent and all believable as the family in this dire and awful situation. From the constant bickering, to the more tender and subtle love, they truly give off a realistic family vibe, which is what had to be most believable in this picture, and it really is. As previously stated, the couple is perfect. The more subtle, quiet in nature mother, who wants to remember her youth and passions before the hazards take her into the afterlife, and the husband, a grumpy old pissed-off hoot that you just want to slap at times, but deep down sympathize with and understand his refusal to leave, no matter how crazy it may seem.

"Good ole' shopping in the hazmat day!"

Megumi (above), as praised above, really does quite well in her role. Most of her characters before this that she had played prior to this were really sexual in some way, whether more internal or openly, but none of that either way you view it is present in this film. What we get here is a subtle, but raw realistic portrayal of a woman who wants nothing more to live, and once she is aware, protect her soon to be child. She also sports a pretty dapper hazmat suit, so there is always something to shine on with that in a film.

There are some qualms with this film, though few and far between, and maybe only one to speak of that is worth it. The time. This film is quite long, clocking in at a hefty 134 minutes in total, and I really can see that being a turn off for some people. Now, length of film is in no way a problem for me, as long as it makes since within the context of the film, and to a degree it does here. Destruction, aimless wandering, but sometimes the slow air becomes a little too stale for its own good, and has you wondering when the next fragment of cinematic gold will happen. This guy (Sono) made Love Exposure, which sits in at around 4 hours and keeps you there the whole time, so obviously time isn't an issue, but it has to be done right, and at times this falters a bit within its own rhythms.

One of Sono's finest.

In the end I found exactly what I was looking for in The Land of Hope, a quality and more quiet film, from a quality and typically loud filmmaker. I cannot complain with his decisions to make this film (+ Himizu) when he did, as an artist often finds inspiration within some of the toughest times, personal or national. The result here in particular is a fantastic film, few issues aside, that has and will stay with me for the remainders of my days as a reminder, it could always be worse, but even when it is, keep true to your nature and carry on. I don't want to get into my personal philosophy and such, but this film speaks to the true nature of human beings, and that is something worthy of praise. Highly recommended.

Written by Josh Parmer

The Land of Hope is available on blu-ray and dvd courtesy of UK distributor Third Window Films.

Third Window Films' Official Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/thirdwindowfilms/

Follow Third Window Films through Twitter:

https://twitter.com/thirdwindow

Official Third Window Films Website:

http://thirdwindowfilms.com/

Land of Hope blu-ray available here:

http://astore.amazon.co.uk/thiwinfil-21/detail/B00C78PX1Y

Land of Hope dvd available here:

http://astore.amazon.co.uk/thiwinfil-21/detail/B00C78PXAU

Q&A With Director Pang Ho-cheung

The Intro:

As promised, and I apologize to you, the reader, for taking so long. Here is the interview / Q&A with Hong Kong director Pang-Ho Cheung, but 1st I just want to give a shout-out and thanks to Veronica Bassetto for making this interview happen to the effect it did, with multiple translators helping to translate from Cantonese to English on their side of things. We had no one to help on our end, so high praise to Pang and his team for all their hard work. 

Enjoy!

JP will refer to Josh Parmer, written in black, and red in bold for director Pang Ho-Cheung (PHC).

The Q & A:

JP: I think 2015 has been a great year for movies. What are some stand out titles for you, or just films you've been into recently?

PHC: The documentary, Batkid Begins, to me is the most outstanding film in 2015. It is a really touching film. Sometimes, I like the documentaries more than feature films, as it involves more true feelings. I think Batkid Begins is one of the best movies I’ve watched thus far.

Image from the documentary, Batkid Begins.

JP: Any local films that have stood out to you recently?

PHC: I prefer to differentiate the movies by their good or bad stories only. Whether it's a local production or not, to me, is not really important.

JP: So what made you want to be in the film industry? Where did it all start for you?

PHC: John Woo’s A Better Tomorrow Trilogy inspired me to join the industry. In the very beginning, I dreamed of becoming a movie star, but most of my attempts to be an actor had failed. So I shifted my goal and started off to be a television screenwriter, and eventually become a film director.

JP: I've recently revisited a lot of your films, and seen a few for the very 1st time, and one thing I noticed is how varied your catalog is. You do comedy, drama, violent thrillers, and you do them all well, with signature flair. You never seem to be bound by a genre and mix a lot of things up in all of them. What is the deciding factor in what type of projects you do?

PHC: I actually like including various genres in my film works, just as I preferred having a buffet than a specific cuisine when I was a kid. I concerned more with if the film is enjoyable than if it can suit a specific genre. We should always think out of the box and not be constrained by any genres.

Pang Ho-cheung sporting his favorite jacket!

JP: There has always been an edgier, darker side (usually in the humor) to your films. It helps set you apart from other directors working in Hong Kong today. You never seem to strive for doing what's popular. Do you have a particular desire to see other filmmakers (veterans and newcomers on the rise) to think outside of the box?

PHC: I think the Hong Kong industry is now under a transitional period. The quality of Hong Kong movie is not decreasing; only that Hong Kong directors have moved somewhere else to make their films. Although they are making movies outside Hong Kong, they are also bringing in various elements and style to the market, creating an impact to the local industry.

JP: Speaking as a fan of Hong Kong cinema, I think there has been a great decrease in the amount of quality films coming out, even in the more martial arts or thriller driven genres the country is known for. Where do you think the state of Hong Kong is right now, in terms of cinema?

PHC: In my opinion, Hong Kong’s movie is now under a transforming period. As I mentioned before, the quality of Hong Kong movie is not decreasing, but Hong Kong directors indeed make their films somewhere else. No matter where they produce/shoot their films, they still keep the Hong Kong essence in their films, and those movies still carry on the Hong Kong spirit.

JP: Though I am not able to read, due to the language barrier, I noticed when digging around on your site, that you have published a lot of your films in the form of paperback. Is this you converting your films to novel form at some point, or are your screenplays usually published for the public to read?

PHC: I am publishing my screenplay collection soon. As per I would like to show the original scripts and ideas to my audiences. This can also be a good reference for people whose career aspiration is to become a director. For example, everyone knows Columbus’ achievement, but if you got a chance to read his diary, Diario de Navegacion, then you will be able to further understand the reason behind his every decision.

Movie novels are usually a re-creation of the story from the film. I personally seldom re-write the movie novel by myself, instead they are usually written by my co-playwright or other writers. Unless it has an original novel, like one of my works Trivial Matters.

Collection of published Pang Ho-cheung screenplays.

JP: Aside from some of the more over-the-top delivery in some of your earlier works, for comedic effect, what made you want to bring a more naturalistic approach to the way your performers deliver dialogue? It's always so down to Earth, sometimes filled with vulgarity, but most importantly, it feels real. Now, I am sure I can't quite truly appreciate it, considering I know zero Cantonese, but when I watch a Pang Ho-cheung flick, I feel like I am just right there among the people. Was that a conscious decision early on, or is it just something that feels right?

PHC: When I design the dialogues, especially for comedy, I usually ask myself whether or not foreigners could also understand the humor too. The punch line can always be in verbal gags or local culture, thus can easily make Cantonese speakers laugh. Yet, despite from only depending on the punch line / gimmick, I also consider on how to enhance the comedic conflict, by actors’ gestures and other visual elements, as such for those who cant understand the language and could also enjoy the humor when they watch the film.

JP: You are an artist who likes to keep himself busy putting out content for the fans, and you do a lot of different things in the entertainment business. Acting is something you haven't really done a whole lot of. I read that you were co-starring alongside Derek Kwok in Chapman To's directorial debut, Miserable World. I haven't been able to find any real news on it,so I am assuming it hasn't begun shooting yet. How do you feel about taking on a new challenge as a leading actor?

PHC: It is indeed a pity that this project has been cancelled already due to investment issue, but there’s another film project in development, which I am planning to participate in as the main actor. I wanted to be an actor at the very beginning of my career, so I would say I still have the fantasy to act on screen.

JP: Going back to directing, which of your works are you most proud of and why?

PHC: I like Isabella the most. The leading actor and actress had excellent performances,  and you could see the excellent sparks between the two from their performances, and I put lots of effort to finish this movie. I seldom watch the movies I've directed, except this one.

Isabella (2006)

JP: What made you decide to pack up and open shop in Beijing? I think it was a smart move, and Love in the Buff proved to be a smash hit.

PHC: After the production of Love in the Buff, I wondered how I could further understand the mindset of Chinese youngsters if I want to continue to produce co-production movies. Obviously, it is easier for me to achieve if I live in Beijing.

JP: Speaking of the Love in a Trilogy (I don't know how to refer to it), you recently announced a 3rd film was being developed. Is there anything we can expect from it, or are the details still on the hush side of things?

PHC: Many are expecting this, but indeed I don’t have any plans so far.

JP: If you had to pick one specific genre of film you haven't gotten to dip your toes into and make something within it, which would it be?

PHC: As a fan of action movie, I’m pretty eager to make one in the future, especially since I have never tried the genre so far.

JP: What's been your favorite moment out of your entire career (on-set or off)?

PHC: I started off my career as a fiction writer, so I always like the process of writing. The most favorable moment to me are the times that I am developing on a new story, where I create everything beyond my imagination. Sadly, that imagination in the script usually got manipulated when the film production starts.

JP: Your most recent venture, Women Who Flirt, was your 1st time making a Mandarin speaking movie. What was that experience like, and were there any difficulties, if any, such as the possible language barrier?

PHC: To me, a story is a story, so a change of language does not create any obstacles to my way of telling the story.

Women Who Flirt (2014)

JP: Though I can't speak on a personal level about the movie, as I have yet to see it, tell us a little bit about your involvement in the recent film, Lazy Hazy Crazy. It isn't a Pang Ho-cheung film, per se, but it most certainly feels like something I could have seen you making.

PHC: Lazy Hazy Crazy is only a film that I produced and cannot be classified as A Pang Ho-cheung film. From the very beginning, I promised the Director, Luk Yee-sum, that I wouldn't interfere with the creative directions of this project when I took up the role as the producer. Director Luk and I have been working together for a long time. She was the screenwriter of many of my movies, including Love in the Buff, Vulgaria and Women Who Flirt, etc. I believe because of this, we share a lot of common ways of story telling.

JP: Finally, on a fun note (though not if you were really in the situation), if you were stranded on a remote island, and for some reason there was a nice HDTV with a magical non-realistically working media player attached, and the tv worked as well... what would be the absolute one film you just so happen to have on you, that you can watch on repeat for the rest of time, and be happy with, or at least until you get rescued?

PHC: I’ll bring Shawshank if I’m being trapped on an uninhabited island.

Actually I was talking to you, but it's over now Mr. Pang.

Thank you so much!

Written by Josh Parmer

Over Your Dead Body (2016)

Director: Takashi Miike

Notable Cast: Ko Shibasaki, Ichikawa Ebizo

One of the problems of being an international cinephile is that it will sometime take years for a movie to get a legitimate release in the US. If at all. For a director as prolific as Takashi Miike, who has recently been dropping two films a year, it can be somewhat grating to wait. Two years is how long it took for his horror flick Over Your Dead Body to reach the US, thanks to Scream Factory, but it’s here and it’s going to be a cult classic for sure. Atmospheric, haunting, and nightmarish are all very effective words to describe what you’re likely to latch onto in this film and while it may not find a widespread audience here in the US, fans of the director and his work are going to want to jump right in.

One Missed Call (2003)

Director: Takashi Miike
Notable Cast: Kou Shibasaki, Shinichi Tsutsumi, Kazue Fukiishi, Shimizu Seinami, Anna Nagata, Renji Ishibashi

The J-horror explosion of the 2000s was a big key to my exploration of foreign film markets. Films like Ju-On and Ringu paved the way for me to start exploring a lot of different styles of film in my teenage years and so I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the genre as a whole. Yet, one of the strangest and most challenging films from this boom is Takashi Miike’s One Missed Call. The American remake couldn’t possibly try and translate its often odd story for American audiences and even to this day I find this film’s social commentary and strange twists to be off setting at times. Leave it to Miike to take a fairly formulaic and popular horror style and throw his own spin on it to develop a rather silly concept to make an impactful film. A film that shockingly holds its own to this day.

Yakuza Apocalypse (2015)

Director: Takashi Miike

Notable Cast:Hayato Ichihara, Yayan Ruhian, Riko Narumi, Lily Franky, Reiko Takashima

Takashi Miike remains one of the most ambitious, if not insane, directors working today. The man puts out two movies a year (I think that might be his minimum) and the sheer eclectic nature of his films, whether it’s style, genre, or approach, makes each one a rather riveting experience no matter if the quality is great or not. Going into Yakuza Apocalypse, I expected a rather serious mix of horror and dramatic action with perhaps a bit of the exploitative elements that Miike used on the yakuza films of his early career. However, Yakuza Apocalypse is not held back by genre as it goes for broke on insane set pieces and awkward bits. It’s a very in-cohesive film that suffers from its leaping genre bends and hanging plot threads, but I have to admit – this still might be one of the most entertaining and vicious film experiences that I’ve had with his material.

Love in a Puff + Love in the Buff (2010, 2012)

             

Director: Pang Ho-cheung

Notable Cast: Shawn Yue, Miriam Yeung, Cheung Tat Ming, Sharon Luk, Charmaine Fong, Xu Zheng, Yang Mi, Vincent Kok, Ekin Cheng, Huang Xioaming

Original Cantonese title(s): 志明與春嬌 / 春嬌與志明

The Love in a Trilogy (that's not what it's officially called, but we'll go with it; the third has yet to start shooting) is one of my favorite series of films, not because of the ambition and scale (like a lot of Hollywood franchises thrive on), but because these are great hang out films. The lead characters of Jimmy and Cherie (played to perfection by Shawn Yue and Miriam Yeung) are two of my favorite characters in all of cinema. Again, they aren't overly written or that unique, but they are very much real, so much so, that I often forget when watching them, that I am watching people act. They (aside from how nice they look visually) both [films] have this almost documentary quality to them, especially the 1st one. Love in a Puff has an interesting element of interviews with each of the characters for a documentary that is being made in the film. Fantastic!

Cherie and Jimmy

To keep things organized, and to not bounce back and forth between films constantly, I am going to primarily be reviewing Love in a Puff, with a little add-on paragraph below on Love in the Buff, which feels like more of an expansion to the film, rather than a sequel that takes us into a very, very different place, despite the actual setting be different (Beijing instead of Hong Kong). With that out of the way, let's get to it and talk about one of my favorite Hong Kong films of the decade, the quick-witted, always vulgar and yet charming, Love in a Puff.

PUFF:
2010 marked an awesome year for me. I discovered a new (to me) director working in my favorite area of cinematic gold (Hong Kong was my place at the time), Pang Ho-cheung. I saw two of his films that year, both very different films: Dream Home (維多利亞壹號), and the subject of this review. I was completely blown away by both films as they were both so different from each other (one a slasher film and the other a love story), and yet similar in how they handled real characters and very realistic dialogues. Now, I will say, I am no speaker nor even an understand-er (new word) of the Cantonese language, but what I will say is my ears can differentiate that over-the-top theatrical dialogue that films have (no matter the language spoken) versus a more naturalistic approach. This film has so much swearing in it, that it sort of reminded me of a Kevin Smith film, without going in to that so far-fetched that it feels fake territory that Smith films often do. Pang and his dialogue felt to me like the closest thing I'd get to hanging out with local Hong Kong people than actually being right there in the country. It was something fresh that I hadn't really gotten with other films from the area, and it excited me.

Love in a Puff, as said before, is quite the simple tale, in which two people meet up and begin to fall in love, with the backdrop to the romance being the smoking situation in Hong Kong that had began around that time (smoking at designated posts in public). The two lovebirds to be, Jimmy and Cherie, have some of the best chemistry as a couple of any romance film I've seen. They are completely real and believable. I think to this day, this is still the best character Shawn Yue has played. He's so loose and comfortable and never once does his star image ever seep through. He is Jimmy. The exact same praise goes for Miriam and her character.

Singing in the red room!

Some of the best scenes in the film are the interactions between their group of friends, whether it's just a more mundane story, or something more exotic like the pubic hair caught on the wristband of Jimmy's ex-girlfriend, whilst the gang was eating at a very fancy restaurant one night. It always kept me intrigued and constantly sporting a goofy grin on my face for most of the entirety of the film. To add to that, and to transition a little, the film also goes into more serious areas later on, nothing crazy or dark, but true to life nonetheless. The film greatly shows that human relationships are equal parts simple and complex. A 'romance', no matter which way you approach it, is a very layered thing to even attempt. Two humans having to put trust in to one another and try to slowly begin to understand, appreciate, and bond together, despite differences in personalities and viewpoints on life, is something that it is very difficult to convey realistically in cinema, and I think Pang has done an excellent job in doing so whilst also juggling that this movie has mainstream appeal. I'm not saying the film is much deeper than it leads us to believe, but I am saying it has a certain depth in its naturalism that it showcases within people's everyday lives, and I think that is a beautiful thing.

I won't blab on too long, for fear of a 50 paragraph review, but if I had to pick one romance film that could appeal to anybody, it'd be Love in a Puff. It's genius!

BUFF:
Love in the Buff, the 2012 sequel to one of my favorite films, now sees Jimmy in Beijing with his job, working mega hours and being stressed out. He has also developed a relationship (which we see unfolding throughout) with a local woman, Youyou Shang (Yang Mi), a person whom he seems to enjoy time with. By chance, and sort of the thing about the film that annoyed me [though I understand it needed to happen for the film's sake], Cherie magically shows up in Beijing due to her work as well. The two bump into each other and that old flame reignites. They can't seem to get out of each others' lives, both mentally, and now physically. Things seem to start picking up for the two, but Jimmy's current relationship with Youyou seems to make things complicated, and all the while Cherie seems to have something going with a man named Sam (Xu Zheng). Will the two lovebirds of yesteryear reunite and finally fall truly in love with one another? Have they been in love this entire time? Well, you'll have to see and find out.

Cherie and Jimmy: Strikes Back

I really don't want to go too much into the sequel, other than to sort of give a small two cents on it. I think the film is fine. I don't think it is a strong as the 1st, but a nice continuation it certainly is. Ekin Cheng (of, well... he's Ekin Cheng, fame) has a small, but awesome role as a crush of Cherie's, and he is fantastic in the film. I'm usually not a big fan of the guy, but he totally works here. Everyone's acting is fine, the cinematography is fantastic as usual in a Pang film. The writing is fresh, but sometimes feels too familiar. It's nice seeing familiar faces pop up, whilst also developing and having new characters to enjoy and get to know.

New Area, New Lover?

I have only seen Buff once, but it is an effective movie. The relationship and previous feelings between Cherie and Jimmy from the 1st film, is what keeps this film's momentum going. You just want the two to get together, but you know it is subtly more complicated than that. Knowing that there is a 3rd film now in the works, I really hope we get to see where their relationships will ultimately lead them. Love in the Buff is a fantastic follow-up, but not one I am sure if was absolutely necessary to come out when it did. I don't feel enough time had past for me to really, really invest back into what was going on between the two, but it still got me in the end, and it's a solid watch.

Written by Josh Parmer

Aberdeen (2014)

Director: Pang Ho-cheung

Notable Cast: Louis Koo, Miriam Yeung, Eric Tsang, Gigi Leung, Ng Man-tat, Carrie Ng, Chapman To, Shawn Yue, Dada Chan, Jacky Choi, Lee Man-kwai

Original Cantonese Title: 香港仔

This is one ambitious film. Aberdeen tells the stories, and there are a lot of them, of a ton of people in a pretty broken family. Louis Koo plays a well off, handsome man, with a daughter who he loves, but help can't but think that she won't succeed in life, due to her size and her physical appearance. He's sort of a dick, even if he doesn't mean to be. Gigi Leung plays as the mother of said ugly kid, who is a model and an actress who is down on her luck as age is starting to work against, well, her work and particularly how much of it she is getting. Eric Tsang plays a doctor who has a fling with a young nurse (Jacky Choi), and is a good man at heart, just full of sexual angst. Miriam Yeung plays as Tsang's wife, a woman with the past of her Mother's death constantly haunting her and causing her to have major writer's block. Lastly, Ng Man-tat and Carrie Ng play another couple, set with their own personal problems as well. Essentially, in a nutshell, this movie is about the hardships that people face and the ways they can stay hidden even from the people your are very close too, and sometimes those hardships, as difficult as they can be, can truly bring people together. That's a lot of set up, I know, but this is a difficult movie to describe.

Isabella (2006)

Director: Pang Ho-cheung

Notable Cast: Chapman To, Isabella Leong, Anthony Wong, Josie Ho

Original Title: 伊莎貝拉

The 5th film in Pang Ho-cheung's filmography, Isabella, is hands down absolutely one of his best. It's a slow, subtle, and moving character study on two broken people who bring themselves together in a most unusual scenario. I don't want to go to into the plot or specifics of the movie, as I think this one is best to go into with little to no knowledge of the film. All the slower and artier than most of Pang's other films, this shows a mature side to the filmmaker that I honestly didn't knew existed. That's not to say his films aren't good, I clearly wouldn't enjoy doing a film series on a director I disliked, but the films of his I had seen prior to this, all sort of have this rock 'n roll swagger to them, and this film has none. It reminded me that even the loudest of people have their quiet moments. I don't want to start comparing this and contrasting that, as I am not here to lecture, but instead I will focus on the film at hand.