Hong Kong Cinema
Hong Kong had a prolific pre-1970s film industry, but it was the supremely talented and determined Bruce Lee who brought Hong Kong film to the international stage. This tiny island nation has been integral to the introduction of the martial arts genre to the rest of the world. One look at Uma Thurman's yellow jumpsuit in the Kill Bills is enough to show us this influence is still alive and very much kicking. After Lee's death in 1973 the industry lost some of its momentum and stuck to the tried and true chop socky formula, but by the 1980s a new talent was emerging in the form of John Woo, inventor of so-called 'balletic gunplay'. This style of shooting shoot-outs captured the imaginations of many young American film makers and emerges in films as diverse as 'Reservoir Dogs' and 'The Matrix'. The martial arts genre was reinvigorated by talents such as Jackie Chan and Jet Li who wanted to introduce more story into the action, and in recent years film maker Wong Kar Wai has challenged what it means to be an HK film, steering clear of Kung Fu and concentrating on more personal, quirky stories. Undoubtedly there is more to see from this exciting port of call...
Right: There can be no more an iconic figure in the martial arts world, than the master himself, the late, great Bruce Lee.
Run Tiger Run ( Liang zhi lao hu ) (1985)
5.1/10
Director: John Woo
Starring: Hark Tsui
A comedy from John Woo's early career, Run tiger Run is a madhouse style, slapstick tale of mistaken identity. When his estranged son of a billionaire... Read more
Ip Man 2 (Blu-ray) (2010)
7.5/10
Director: Wilson Yip
Starring: Donnie Yen, Sammo Hung, Simon Yam, Xiaoming Huang, Lynn Hung
Picking up from the hugely successful "Ip Man", this sequel sees Donnie Yen return in the titular role as he immigrates to Hong Kong in 1949. After pr... Read more
A Chinese Ghost Story 2 (1990)
Director: Tony Ching Siu-Tung
Starring: Michelle Reis, Leslie Cheung, Joey Wong, Jacky Cheung
The mystic fantasy spectacular continues as four teenagers led by Leslie Cheung, find themselves in the middle of a nasty supernatural war between an... Read more
Cat and Mouse (2003)
5.3/10
Director: Gordon Chan
Starring: Andy Lau, Cecilia Cheung, Anthony Chau-Sang Wong
Zhan Zhao is a deputy to the wise Judge Bao. When Zhan heads back home for a vacation, he uncovers a plot to assassinate Bao so that a rebel group can... Read more
My Left Eye Sees Ghosts (2002)
6.7/10
Director: Johnnie To
Starring: Sammi Cheng
A car accident gives a spoiled, troubled young woman the ability to see ghosts, including one of a former classmate. Read more
Jackie Chan: My Stunts (1999)
7.6/10
Director: Jackie Chan
Starring: Jackie Chan, Ken Lo, Mars
A documentary where Jackie Chan and his stuntman team show you the secrets of some of the great stunts they do in films. The film also takes you on th... Read more
Hapkido (1972)
6.8/10
Three graduated Hapkido students return to China from Japanese-occupied Korea in order to set up their own school. However, problems start to arise wh... Read more
Miracles (The Canton Godfather) (1989)
7/10
Director: Jackie Chan
Starring: Jackie Chan
A country boy becomes the head of a gang through the purchase of some lucky roses from an old lady. He and a singer at the gang's nightclub try to do... Read more
Kung Fu Yoga (2017)
5.2/10
Director: Stanley Tong
Starring: Jackie Chan
Two professors team up to locate a lost treasure and embark on an adventure that takes them from a Tibetan ice cave to Dubai, and to a mountain temple... Read more
Black Sun: The Nanking Massacre (1995)
7.5/10
Director: T F Mou
Portrays the ordeals of the members of a poor Chinese family as they try to survive the Japanese occupation of their city. This is an uncompromising p... Read more