My Kingdom - 大武生

My Kingdom (大武生) is an 2011 film out of Zhong Guo. The movie stars Wu Chun, Barbie Hsu, and Han Geng. I actually saw this movie in my hotel room while on a business trip in Zhong Guo.

In the world of Chinese Opera, when a master is challenged and loses, he must exit his studio and remove himself from that world. When Wu Chun and Han Geng's master loses, they are forced to retreat into seclusion and gain their skills to mount a challenge when they are older. The practice for many years until their adulthood. They head back to what appears to by Shanghai and take over the studio their master lost to by beating the reigning master. Once they are the head of the Opera, they become famous and rich in the city. However, they both have a bit of bad boy in them. Will their new found fame and glory go to their heads?

This movie was quite boring. I was waiting for it to get more interesting. However, it wouldn't. It refused. It must have said to itself, "Hey, no one else here, let's make the story confusing, lead characters unlikable, and throw in a love triangle. Seriously, they should have stuck to a simpler story.



My Kingdom

Ip Man: The Legend Is Born - 葉問前傳

Ip Man: The Legend Is Born (葉問前傳) is 2010 film out of Hong Kong. The movie stars Dennis To, Fan Siu-wong, Huang Yi, Yuen Biao, and Rose Chan. The supporting casts includes Sammo Hung, Lam Suet, and Bernice Liu.

The movie starts with Ip Man, played by Dennis To, joining a Wing Chun association. The association is headed by Sammo Hung as Chan Wah-shun. Ip Man joins with his god brother Ip Tin Chi, played by Fan Siu-wong. Ip Man goes off to school in Hong Kong, where he learns English and a separate style of Wing Chun. After he graduates, he heads back to Foshan to rejoin the Wing Chun association. But the Japanese want to take over the association and even plant a spy. Ip Man finds out who this spy is and saves the association. But not before they do lots and lots of fighting.



The movie was a brisk watch over a period of 3 days. On and off I watched and it wasn't a film that made me want to finish it in one sitting. The fighting was ok. Nothing spectacular. If anything, Dennis To's Ip Man seemed slow.

Turning Point - Laughing Gor之變節

Turning Point (Laughing Gor之變節) is a 2009 film out of Hong Kong. The film stars Felix Wong, Anthony Wong, Michael Tse, Francis Ng, and Fala Chen. The movie also has cameoes from Eric Tseng and Yuen Biao.

The film follows the life of Michael Tse as Laughing Gor during what seems like a 1 week period. Laughing Gor is an undercover cop. But Laughing was first sent to the police academy to be an undercover cop by the triad. But while at the police academy, Laughing is picked out to go undercover. What the?! Did you get all that. So, now, in a routine tip to the cops, Laughing is busted and caught. The bosses think he'll rat them out. So, there's a hit put out for him. Laughing can't go to the cops because the only cop that knows he's also a cop was injured and hasn't woken up yet. So, Laughing ends up running from both the cops and the triad guys.

The movie was a Michael Tse sighting for me. Tse seemed like he would also be a star in many HK movies after his Young and Dangerous years and his Storm Rider role. But he went MIA for me until now. Much older now and without the soul patch, Tse did what he could to make the role look young. But its a 40 year old making a movie about his early 20s. I had to close my eyes and believe. Fala Chen, the girlfriend look like she could have been his daughter.

But the movie was entertaining and a spin on a spin of the whole undercover cop and triad formula. Connected to a TVB drama that I'll never watch, the movie was enough.

Once Upon a Time in China - 黃飛鴻

Once Upon a Time in China (黃飛鴻) is a 1991 movie out of Hong Kong. It was also a spark of what would be a long line of martial movies that dominated the HK film industry in the 90s. This movie is the first of 6. The movie starred Jet Li, Yuen Biao, Jacky Cheung, Rosamund Kwan, and Kent Cheng.

The film begins with a lion dance demonstration. Jet Li as Wong Fei Hong shows off his skills to the locals and foreigners on hand. Wong is ask to lead and train a local militia to defend civilians from both locals and foreigners. From here, we're slowly introduced to the many members of Wong's militia. Including the very fresh faced Jacky Cheung. Lots of lowbrow hijinx ensue, but we get a glimpse of Wong's kung fu artistry. The main protagonist is a band of local gangsters that are in cahoots with the Americans to sell local gals as prostitutes in America. Wong must face them when they capture 13 Aunt, played by Rosamund Kwan.



This isn't among my favorite films by Jet Li and is probably 3rd on the list for the series of 6. But I remember watching this back in 1991 and thinking how awesome it was. The epic ending battle was a masterpiece. I still enjoy putting this on in the background while I wash dishes and can't really pay that much attention. Tsui Hark followed "The Swordsman" with a totally new style of Kung Fu presentation that dominated the 90s wuxia landscape.

Back in 1991, my grandparents live in Monterey Park and we would visit them every month or so. When it was a bigger gathering with other cousins. We would run off to the local video store and rent the latest HK movie. I remember how much I enjoyed this. And it is fond memories of my teens with relatives and my late grandfather.