Journey To The West: Conquering The Demons - 西遊:降魔篇

Journey To The West: Conquering The Demons (西遊:降魔篇) is an 2013 film out of Zhong Guo. The film stars Wen Zhang and Shu Qi. The supporting cast include Huang Bo, Show Lo, and Chrissie Chau. The movie is the highest grossing film out of Zhong Guo. It also was the highest grossing film for several months in early 2013.



Chen is a demon hunter that travels where evil energy is strong. Chen lands in a fishing village and takes on a fish demon. When he tries to turn the demon via love, another demon hunter comes and captures the demon through brute force. Chen goes back to his master for advice. The master tells him that his path is right and not to waver. Chen than finds the den of a pig demon. When the brute force demon hunter that captured the fish comes to his rescue, they are both defeated. When Chen ask his master for advice, the master points him to the Monkey King Demon. On the way there, Chen is faces with some obstacles. The other demon hunter is Duan and falls in love with Chen. Duan risk her life to save Chen over and over.



This movie was very well made. If you watched enough cartoons, movies, and dramas from Zhong Guo, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, the story of the Journey To The West and the Monkey King will show itself. It is like the Brothers Grimm tales of the "western" countries, but the Asian countries have Journey To The West among other stories.



This movie was Wu Li Tou to the max. You would expect that from the forefathers in Stephen Chow. From nose bleeds, to getting K'd, it was a flashback to the HK movies hi jinx of the 1980s and 1990s that made me love HK cinema so much.

Shu Qi is showing her age whilst trying to play a youngster, but she did pull it off. This is Shu Qi that got all of Asia forgetting her teen coming out party. Shu Qi keeps on keeping on and we all love her for that.

All for the Winner - 賭聖

All for the Winner (賭聖) is 1990 film out of Hong Kong. The movie stars Stephen Chow, Sharla Cheung, Ng Man-tat, and Sandra Ng. The movie was a parady of Chow Yun-fat's highly successful movie, God Of Gamblers (1989). Although Chow appears in numerous films in 1990, include God Of Gamblers II, many believe this was the movie to push him to stardom.

Chow plays Sing, a country bumpkin visiting his uncle Blackie in Hong Kong. Blackie is a addicted to gambling. Sing has special powers that allow him to see through things and to change cards. Blackie uses this to his advantage. Sing eventually falls for femme fatel, Mong played by Sharla. When Sharla is in trouble, Sing is forced to join a gambling competition to save her and his uncle Blackie.

Very hard to give a short synopsis of this film without giving spoilers. However, it was a very funny film. This was one of films I did watch back in the 90s while visiting my late grandparents in Monterey Park. I recently rented this via Netflix in DVD form. Although the comedy was very 90s and early Chow, it was still very funny. Films like that just can't be made today. I think this generations of HK writers have lost it. The absurd comedy of Chow wasn't unique to that era. Yet, nothing would compare to it in 2013 or even since 1997.

Sharla was among my favorite actresses and she shows why in this film. Beautiful still in her 80s style HK makeup, we believe we would do the same if in Sing's shoes.

Jay Chou as Kato

2 days ago, it was announced that Jay Chou (周杰倫), Taiwanese music and movie superstar, was cast to play Kato in the upcoming Green Hornet movie starring Seth Rogen.

I am actually pretty shocked by this announcement. But also a little excited as its Jay Chou. Jay Chou continues to make great music out of Taiwan and land roles in interesting movies out of Asia.

If you didn't follow the rumor mill for the Green Hornet, the first star attached to play Kato was Stephen Chow of Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle fame. When Stephen Chou drop out of the project completely, the casting call for any "Asian" was broadcast. Korean hunk Kwon Sang Woo was than rumored for a week or so, before Kwon denied the rumors.

So, my initial thoughts are that he's got very little time to prep his English. The movie is set for release on July 9th, 2010. I don't know where Jay's English is now, but in the past, there's a strong FOB accent to it. Second is that we're not going to see the normal Jay Chou output for the next 12 months. Jay seems to work like a madman to release a CD every year with crazy videos. Jay has also been attached to several movies.

Being on the Hollywood schedule means he's going to have only 1 thing a year. And if the Kato role rumors are true, this will be the only thing he does in 2010.

Best of luck to Jay. I've included Jay's Double Blade MV as it seems to be filmed in the US and has a little of his English on display.

And for those of you that do not know who Kato or what the Green Hornet are. Kato was the sidekick to the Green Hornet made famous in the 60s by the late Bruce Lee. The Green Hornet was only able to last 1 season.

CJ7 - 長江七號

CJ7 (長江七號) is a 2008 film out of Hong Kong. The movie stars Stephen Chow and Kitty Zhang and a computer generated space creature. The main star of the movie is actually a pre-teen, Xiao Jiao.

Stephen plays a poor construction worker with a son. On his way from home, he picks up a ball from a landfill. The ball however is an alien. He give the ball to his son, Dicky. The ball comes to life and Dicky starts to find out its power.

The movie didn't live up the hype for me and for the international audience. The movie bombed in terms of how Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle performed. Stephen Chow hasn't been in the spotlight in awhile too.

Kung Fu Hustle - 功夫

Kung Fu Hustle (功夫) is a 2004 film out of Hong Kong. The movie stars Stephen Chow and launched the career of Eva Huang.

Stephen Chow plays a loser named Sing. Trying to get through life, he joins the Axe Gang to make ends meet.

But little does he know that the kung Fu manuals that he's been reading since childhood are real and has given him the foundations of real kung fu.

The movie was so hyped from the success of Shaolin Soccer. The movie was a smash hit around the world and solidified Stephen Chow as an international super star. Eva Huang's career took off from here too, even though she doesn't show up much.

The title in Chinese is really just "Kung Fu" and Stephen Chow has in the past express confusion to the addition of "Hustle" to the title. I do too.

Shaolin Soccer - 少林足球

Shaolin Soccer (少林足球) is a 2001 film out of Hong Kong. The movie stars Stephen Chow and Zhao Wei and plenty of other supporting characters.

The movie is about Sing played by Stephen Chow. Sing is trained in Shaolin Kung Fu and has made it his goal to tell the world about it. However, the world doesn't want to hear it. As a result, Sing is dirt poor and wanders the streets of Hong Kong. Fung is a down and out soccer legend. Fung and Sing hook up to form a team to play soccer.

That is all you need to know that this movie is going to kick ass and make you smile, laugh, and LOL! It's hard to remember the days before Shaolin Soccer. Stephen Chow was no international star and the classic Kung Fu genre in HK was bleek. But not after this film. HK cinema was back on the international map again after this film.

The movie still stands as a classic and will forever be one of those that you watch again every few years.