Escape Plan 2: Hades (鋼鐵墳墓2) is an 2018 movie. The film stars Sylvester Stallone, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Dave Bautista, Huang Xiaoming, Jaime King, Jesse Metcalfe, Titus Welliver, and Wes Chatham. The movie is a sequel to Escape Plan.
Huang Xiaoming as Shu is taken to a jail. Sylvester Stallone as Ray needs to break them out. The then go through the motions of trying to find the weakness and of course, you break out. Huang ends up being the main star of the movie with even more screentime than Sly in the first half. Eventually Sly's role increases and it ends with him.
A third installment is already in the works and this installment was released to Redbox, digital, and the box office at the same time. If you like Sly and b-movies, you'll be slightly entertained. I for one didn't really enjoy this. Got this via Redbox T-Mobile Tuesday gift.
The Last Tycoon (大上海) is an 2012 film out of Hong Kong. The movie stars Chow Yun-Fat, Sammo Hung, Francis Ng, and Huang Xiaoming. The gals in the film include Yuan Quan, Monica Mok, Tong Fei, Yuan Li, and Feng Wenjuan. The movie is based on the high life of Shanghai-ers from the fall of the Qing Dynasty to its occupation by the Japanese.
Chow is the man in charge in Shanghai, outside of the military, no one else has more influence. We flashback to his country bumpkin days played by Huang Xiaoming. We also see that he has a crush on his neighbor sweetheart who will end up as one of the most famous opera performers in Zhong Guo. We see the tycoon, how he earned his strips and how he maintains his power. Along the way, there are women that enter their lives and it comes to a hedge on the heels of the Japanese's war into the Shanghai area.
This movie was long and sort of boring. It's like a drama of how Chow's character of Cheng Daqi rise to power from country bumpkin to the most powerful man in Shanghai. A Godfather take if you will. However, the women in the movie take up a lot of time, but you need the eye candy is my guess. Or its the presentation that the men are there due to their influence. Why try to be the most powerful man in Shanghai? Because you want to become so powerful that you can protect your woman?
Movie wise, it was well made. But the story lacked the heart that made me care for the individuals.
瑪德2號 (Saving Mother Robot) was released in Taipei this past weekend. It didn't do so hot the box office and placed 13th. So far, this summer has been brutal for Taiwan's very own. However, I can see why locals would assume it was just another film from the mainland. Starring the mainland's current go to leading man in Huang Xiao Ming. That guys IS in everything it seems.
The movie combines fantasy and the real world in the minds of a child and the creative nature of a photographer. The trailer is super confusing and I really don't have a need to watch this. But I will someday, it stars Vivian Hsu, one of my favorite actresses, still.
Sacrifice (趙氏孤兒) is an 2010 film out of Zhong Guo. The movie stars Ge You, Wang Xueqi, and Huang Xiaoming. The supporting cast includes Fan Bingbing and Vincent Zhao. The movie is directed by Chen Kaige.
Two Generals have beef with each other. One general frames the other general by poisoning the Duke. The framed general's whole clan of ~300 is killed. The only survivor is baby Zhao. A local doctor is the one that saves the baby from the grips of the general that wins. When the manhunt for baby Zhao takes the life of the doctor's son, he vows revenge. But a long drawn out revenge plan is hard to pull off, especially if it take 15 years. The doctor decides to raise baby Zhao and use him to take revenge on the general for his son. In the process, he sacrifices his wife, son, and his honor.
This movie was pretty good. Good acting, engaging story, and rather suspenseful. The matter of how things plays out kept me at the edge of my seat. I really didn't know which way things would go. Fan Bingbing's part was rather small, but quite emotional. Huang Xiaoming also plays a bit part. The main acting is left to Ge You and Wang Xueqi. Even though them two aren't the prettiest things to look at, their acting was superb.
血滴子 (The Guillotines) is an 2012 film out of Hong Kong and Zhong Guo. It was released in the US of A on June 14, 2013 in theaters and VOD. The movie stars Ethan Juan and Huang Xiaoming. Shawn Yue and Li Yuchun round out the rest of the supporting cast. This film was very loosely based on the Guillotine movies of the 1970s. However, this movie is completely new.
During Qianlong's rule, he inherited a secret squad called the Guillotines. They carried out secret missions effectively, efficiently, and ruthlessly. Each head was a reward of 10 teals. When a messiah figure called Wolf appears, the Guillotines are sent to squash the rebellion. However, they do not and one of their squad members is kidnapped. Forced to recover their friend, but also take down Wolf, they are left with very little options. When the emperor sends the firearm squad to replace them, all heck breaks loose.
This film was loooooonnnnnnnng. At least it felt that way. I was very bored watching it. The first half was completely confusing. I kept asking myself, what is going on and what does this all mean. If I wasn't watching with someone else, I may have turned it off never to return. At last, I sat through the second half. And the payoff left me very disappointed. The confusing parts of the first half are answered slowly, but in a very unsatisfying way.
In the end, it went soapbox as they talked about rebellion, equality, and peace in life. I wasn't sure how this was playing out in terms of their view on mainland Zhong Guo. Which is massively controlled by the government, yet deals corruption that bankrupts the people's trust. Sucking it up and moving on can only last so long and as Zhong Guo continues to move into the global market in not only exports, but thought leadership. A bubble "burst" is definitely possible, but I think gradual change is more likely.
Fit Lover (愛情左右/愛情呼叫轉移2) is a 2008 film out of China. The film stars Karena Lam. A host of others make cameos throughout the film. Including Huang Bo, Nie Yuan, Alec Su, Huang Xiaoming, Deng Chao, Tong Dawei, Huang Lei, Fan Wei, Leo Koo, Lu Yi, and Lin Shen. Jessey Meng plays a best friend and sounding board. This film is related to Call For Love.
Karena Lam plays Bing, a talk show that gives really really good love advice. But Bing hasn't been successful in her love life. One foggy afternoon, sorry...one afternoon, Bing receives a car from an angel. This angel tells her that she will meet 12 men via this vehicle and one of them will be her mate. But you must do it within 12 months or you'll never get hitched.
There you go, that is the movie. Bing goes on to meet 12 men. All 12 are very different and have qualities you either love or hate.
I wasn't into this movie as much as I was into Call for Love, its predecessor. But Karena put on a good show and even tried to change up her mando dialect to resemble Beijingers.
