A Little TLC(w): A Chinese Ghost Story III (1991)

Okay, I really enjoyed this movie. It’s probably in line some of the other stuff in Tony Leung Chiu-wai’s filmography, where I fully recognize and admit that the quality is a little questionable, but I had a great time anyway.

A Buddhist monk and his disciple encounter a variety of spirits while taking shelter in the haunted Orchid Temple. The monk uses his knowledge of secret arts to fight the ghosts, but the disciple, Fong, is increasingly taken with Lotus, one of the ghosts. Although she tries to seduce him in order to entrap him as a victim for her mistress, the Tree Devil, Lotus starts to genuinely like Fong, and the two wonder if there’s a way to stop the Tree Devil and keep everyone else safe by working together.

As you can see from the title, this is the third in a series and I haven’t seen the first two. I know that Joey Wang, who plays Lotus, stars in the earlier films as well, which also star Leslie Cheung (as the central human, I presume?) This film begins with a very short clip of Leslie Cheung’s character and someone else fighting ghosts, including the Tree Devil, and then jumps ahead 100 years, so I assume any connection between this movie and its predecessors is loose at best (side note: Cheung isn’t credited on IMDb, so it might just be a clip from the first or second movie.) All of which is to say I don’t know how it compares to what came before it.

For me, though, coming to it on its own, I liked it. There’s the kind of grungy, ludicrous effects that I’ve come to associate with martial arts/wuxia films of this caliber – the Tree Devil has this ridiculously enormous tongue that she attacks people with, and in the first scene, the tongue splits open to reveal what looks like a crocodile mouth, which is in turn filled with like 10 more tongues! It’s so absurd, you can’t not respect the ballsiness of it. The film offers an amusing mix of action, spookiness, broad humor, and romance, keeping everything cranked up to 11 for the brunt of the proceedings.

Thee best part, for me, is the connection between Lotus and Fong. From their farcical introduction to one another, in which she pretends to be a helpless woman running from a ghost and then proceeds to throw herself at him in increasingly-outrageous ways, they spark together delightfully. As a novice monk, Fong has sworn off women, so he’s terrified to have this beautiful woman getting up in his business in various states of undress, to the point where it’s almost a relief for him to discover that she’s actually a ghost trying to seduce him for untoward purposes. Meanwhile, although Lotus does the Tree Devil’s bidding (or at least goes through the motions of it, depending on the situation,) she isn’t inherently evil; she’s trapped. Her soul is bound to the place where her ashes are held, and as long as she’s stuck there, there’s only so much she can do to oppose the powerful Tree Devil. If Fong and Lotus are going to work together, it means Fong rejecting what he’s been taught to believe and Lotus going against the only “family” she’s had (albeit an abusive one) since she died.

Joey Wang does a nice job as Lotus, a ghost whose heart isn’t quite in it. In life, she was hurt and exploited, and so in death, she’s wary to trust, but she still can’t get behind the Tree Devil’s indiscriminate killing of humans. The movie also features an appearance from Jacky Cheung (who I’ve seen in quite a few Hong Kong films now, but who I remember best from As Tears Go By and Bullet in the Head) as an enterprising swordsman for hire, wielding his abacus as well as his sword.

Leung’s performance as Fong is really fun. He sells me on this novice monk who’s genuinely devoted to what he believes but also not the best at the actual follow-through. He spends a lot of the time scared, confused, or panicked, but that doesn’t stop him from continually trying to do what’s best. Even though his master is prepared to fight any and all ghosts he encounters, Fong can’t quite help feeling compassion for Lotus, trying to protect her from his master even as he’s still nervous about having anything to do with her.

I like that a lot, a bumbling little hero with a lot of principles that he’s not always sure how to uphold. A male lead who squirms away when a beautiful ghost-woman throws herself at him, frantically trying to put more clothes on her and being laughably transparently when they inevitably have to pretend to kiss as a ruse at some point (I know Fong is a monk rather than an asexual, but that’s my jam right there.) His good heart outpaces his abilities/knowhow at times, but that doesn’t stop him trying.

Recommend?

In General – I would, as long as you understand it’s a little low-rent and more fun than outright good. Entertaining, with nice central performances.

Tony Leung Chiu-wai – Sure! Fong is a very sweet character, and Leung is equal parts funny and endearing in this role.

Warnings

Lots of violence, sexual content/suggestiveness, drinking, and thematic elements.

A Little TLC(w): Butterfly Sword (1993)

This is another instance where, although I can objectively recognize this film isn’t what you’d call good, I kind of like it anyway.  It really grew on me as I was watching it, and even while I laughed at the hokiness and insanity, I did genuinely enjoy it.

Ko, Sing, and Yip Cheung have been one another’s unofficial family since childhood, where they banded together as street kids to fight for food and shelter.  Now grown up, matters between are more complicated than when they were kids.  Not only are they all martial artists, enlisted by Ko to help thwart a revolutionary group from taking over, but love of the unrequited variety has sprouted in more than one place, and as they fight with swords on the streets and in the forests, they try to reconcile how they all fit together now.

This is my first sort of “non-fancy” wuxia film.  I entered the genre via beautifully-designed prestige pieces like Hero and Ashes of Time, as well as big commercial films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.  But this is the first that, I think, is just a regular, more run-of-the-mill wuxia film, maybe even tending toward the B-movie side of things.  I quickly realized that the effects work in the film were done pretty cheaply, but that matters a lot less when you can lean on the human special effects of talented martial artists – in particular, Michelle Yeoh and Donnie Yen as Ko and Yip Cheung light up the screen when they get going (Tony Leung Chiu-wai, playing Sing, obviously doesn’t have the training that either of them do, but acquits himself well to my still relatively-novice eye.)  Rather than the highly-artistic swordplay of, say, Hero, this is down-and-dirty wuxia with hardcore wire work and insane violence.  Seriously, insane.  We’re talking kicking guys’ heads clean off and one person busting straight through another’s torso.  It gives off kind of a grindhouse vibe in places, bold and bloody and sensationalist.

The story is a bit of a cross between an action film and a romance drama.  I’ll admit to being a sucker for the trio’s backstory – as soon as I saw the flashbacks of them meeting as kids, I was sold.  It’s an intense web of interpersonal relationships between these people who’ve only ever had each other to lean on, and as they struggle with evolving feelings, new revelations, and the introduction of new people (interlopers?) into their circle, all the while just trying to keep each other alive, they find out what their bonds are really made of.

Leung’s Sing is a fun character with quite a bit going on.  In addition to all his drama with the other two and the ongoing plot to stop the rival group (at Ko’s behest, he works to infiltrate them,) he’s also attempting to start a new life with Butterfly, the lover he’s head-over-heels for.  Since she has bad family history associated with martial arts, Sing leads a double life, pretending to be a merchant and keeping his dangerous activities from her.  Unfortunately, the deeper he gets drawn into the plan, the more he brings that danger to his doorstep.

There are a lot of angles to play here.  Sing gets a lot of offbeat humor (my favorite being when, unable to catch any fish the usual way, he has to “cheat” and use wire fu,) along with plenty of action and some nice dramatic scenes.  He obviously has it bad for Butterfly but tends to get stuck between her and Ko, who don’t get along, and he tries to figure out how far his loyalties extend now that he has three people to care about instead of just two.  Leung flits easily from self-possessed warrior to lovesick puppy to goofball to fierce friend, and he plays especially well off of Yeoh – the relationship between Sing and Ko is probably my favorite part of the film.

Recommend?

In General – I don’t know.  I came away with the impression that, even though it feels like it shouldn’t quite work, it kind of does, but I’m not sure if I’d necessarily recommend it.  If you don’t mind stuff with an audacious B-movie vibe, you might have fun.

Tony Leung Chiu-wai – Maybe.  While the movie is more uneven, I was hugely entertained by Sing.  It’s a versatile role and Leung plays each aspect of it well, and it’s a treat to watch him share the screen with Yeoh.

Warnings

Some suggestiveness, drinking, and some truly insane violence.

Favorite Characters: Broken Sword (Hero)

First off, here’s my A Little TLC(w) addition to my Hero review:  “Recommend?  In General – Absolutely, yes.  It’s undeniably artsy and can be a little pretentious, but this gorgeous film features an interesting narrative, great acting, and a stunning color palette.  Tony Leung Chiu-wai – Yes, yes, yes.  I really love Broken Sword, and despite having his dialogue dubbed, Leung tears it up in this movie.”  Now that that’s taken care of?  Broken Sword (some spoilers.)

As with most things in Hero, Broken Sword is hard to pin down precisely, because we see several different versions of him, only one of which is the real thing.  Nameless’s original story paints him as a brilliant swordsman, an artist as well as a killer, who writes the secret of his swordplay within the lines of his calligraphy.  He’s still in love with Snow despite three years’ of distance between them, and it’s that love that makes him lash out when he sees unavoidable proof of Snow’s continued affection for Sky.  He plays mind games to hurt her, and they result in his death.  A passionate genius, but impulsively emotional.  Meanwhile, the Emperor’s supposition about Broken Sword sees him as far more noble.  Still a brilliant swordsman, this Broken Sword is a dedicated lover, in sync with Snow in all things.  Although Nameless only needs one of them for his scheme to work, Broken Sword and Snow agree to die together, both sacrificing their lives to further Nameless’s aim of assassinating the Emperor – and if she ultimately goes instead of him, it’s only because her sword is faster than his in delivering a non-fatal wound to keep him from meeting Nameless in combat.

There are elements of both of these characterizations in the real Broken Sword.  Still brilliant with both a sword and a brush.  Still impulsive, but in a much quieter, subtler way.  Still a dedicated lover, still willing to die for what he believes in.  But there’s an important aspect missing from the false Broken Swords – over the years, the assassin has become a pacifist.  He’s particularly steadfast in his belief that the Emperor shouldn’t be killed, feeling that there’s no other way to unite the kingdoms, but he’s learned to shy from the sword altogether.  This is the reason he and Snow have drifted from each other, nothing to do with infidelity, and though he still loves her more than nearly anything in the world, he won’t bend when it comes to his belief in bringing the kingdoms together.

A pacifist assassin – not too many wuxia films have one of those!  Broken Sword is still and strong, drawing fortitude from a well deep within himself.  His love is enduring, and there’s only one ideal he prizes more dearly than that, but it’s the one thing standing between him and the one he loves.  Faced with the choice, he can do nothing but follow what he believes, endeavoring until the end to make her see what he sees.

I can’t quite remember how the order went, but this was either the first or second movie I saw Leung in (it’s between this one and Infernal Affairs,) and I was completely captivated by him.  He and Maggie Cheung aren’t the best martial artists in the film – when you have an extended scene of Jet Li and Donnie Yen fighting each other?  Forget about it – but their acting is on a whole other level.  In every iteration of the story, Snow and Broken Sword are its soul.  They’re fire and water, Broken Sword fluid and calming in the wake of Snow’s heat (I know this write-up is about Broken Sword, but it’s really hard to discuss one without bringing in the other.)  And I just love how, of all the warriors in the film, the one who uses his sword the least is still so strong, so sure in his resolve.  In Leung’s hands, Broken Sword carries himself with such a quiet dignity, overflowing with love for both his lover and his country, but he’s never diminished for that love.  I could watch him all day – so, so masterfully done.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (2016, PG-13)

I remember Netflix sending me emails about this movie when it first came out, but I didn’t get around to it until much later.  Like many sequels in which the original film doesn’t really call for it, it’s not all I want it to be.  Though it has its good points, my biggest reaction coming away from it was a desire to watch the original again.

18 years after the events of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Yu Shu Lien fights to protect a mythic sword, the Green Destiny, keeping it out of the hands of the warlord who covets its power.  With little cover and few allies, she enlists the help of a handful of swordsmen/women to help her.  Among them are Snow Vase, a fiercely determined young woman who still has a lot to learn, and Silent Wolf, a stunning warrior and a figure from Yu Shu Lien’s past. 

For starters, the story is somehow thin and overcomplicated at the same time.  Several major characters all have important secrets in their pasts that complement one another a little too neatly and rely on exposition-heavy reveals that mostly lack drama.  The villain, Hades Dai, is a credible threat in that he’s powerful and has a big army, but he isn’t very compelling as an antagonist.  And a few major plot elements feel transparently designed to echo important beats from the first film without investing them with the same level of heart.

I feel a little weird about bringing this up, but it also looks cheap.  I don’t know if it’s something about the lighting, the film itself, or some sort of effect, but a lot of shots have this slightly fake look to them, almost as if the actors are standing in front of a matte.  Although there’s nothing wrong with having a small budget, in this case, I feel like it either wasn’t enough or the production didn’t know how to use what funds it had effectively, because I can see that lack in the movie.

Not that there’s nothing to like.  Snow Vase has an interesting character arc for me, and I like her interactions with Yu Shu Lien (she also has the best of the “secret past” reveals, which has some real emotion in it and is presented more show than tell.)  While I don’t think they’re used especially well, the small band of hired swords who help Yu Shu Lien are enjoyable and definitely have their moments (although some of the humor from this group is pretty forced.)  Yu Shu Lien herself is wonderful – over a decade-and-a-half later, Michelle Yeoh doesn’t miss a trick in the role.  Though the writing for her scenes with Silent Wolf can be hit-or-miss, she and Donnie Yen still bring it whenever they’re onscreen together.  (Side note:  the film also features Harry Shum Jr., Mike from Glee, in a major role, which is kinda fun.)  The fighting is mostly pretty good – Donnie Yen in particular is excellent – and I feel like some of the movie’s best storytelling comes in these scenes.  Overall, however, this a movie that feels kind of messy and a little hollow, which is not what Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (or Yu Shu Lien) deserves.

Warnings

Lots of stylized wuxia violence, thematic elements, and some drinking.