Johnnie To

The film revolves around a gang member who finds himself surrounded by cops. In an act of desperation he shoots himself, so the police can't take him in but have to take him to the hospital. There he tries to stall until his mates arrive, the police are onto his plan, playing along while hoping to book the entire gang in one go.

With Louis Koo and Zhao Wei in the leads the cast is solid. The film also looks pretty polished, though it isn't until the finale that some of To's genius finds its way to the surface. Other than that, this is a fun and entertaining genre film, with no real issues or downsides. It just doesn't stand out enough among To's other films.

The plot is pretty crazy too. I think this might be the first musical about a company going to market (though I'm certainly not an expert of the subject). When the company goes public, auditors arrive and find some creative bookkeeping, which reveals a hidden relationship between the CEO and one of the board members. Who wouldn't start singing in such a situation.

What will forever stay with me is the superb aesthetic. To plays with lines like nobody has ever done before him. The number of straight objects that zigzag through the screen is simply insane (I realize it sounds a bit odd, but you'll get it while watching). The cast is pretty good and the musical bits are pretty contained, but they still bugged me enough in the end. Worth a watch though, I'm pretty sure you've never seen something like this before.

When a famous film star is stood up in front of the altar, he retreats and moves to a place high in the mountains to process his loss. There he tries to reconnect with himself, but one of his biggest fans gets wind of his location, and she travels after him. He isn't interested in what she has to say, but she will prove to be exactly what the doctor ordered.

Louis Koo and Sammi Cheng are a nice duo, though I will say that I would've preferred Andy Lau in Koo's place. His cinematic history with Cheng is a bit more precious. The cinematography is nice enough, the score is solid, and the romance is cute. It's not a very exceptional film, but if you're looking for a pleasant romance, this won't disappoint.

The story revolves around Yen, a young Mainland Chinese woman who works for an IT firm in Hong Kong. She has just been dumped by her boyfriend and feels quite down, when she sees a handsome man who works in the office across the street. They start communicating with each other using post-its, but somehow they struggle to actually meet in person.

The performances are decent, the setting makes for some attractive romantic encounters and there is enough chemistry between the leads. To does little to set his film apart from other romantic films, but his execution is on point and people looking for some prime romantic filler won't be disappointed. Not up there with To's best, but I don't think anyone expected it to be.

Three people are in desperate need of money. A cop whose wife made a down-payment on a flat they can't afford, a petty thief who wants to help out his friend, and a bank employee who took too many risks on the stock market. Their lives intersect when they meet each other at a loan shark. Luck is not in their side, because the man just got robbed.

There's really nothing wrong with this film. The performances are solid, the cinematography is fine, and the soundtrack has a typical signature. At the same time, there's nothing that really jumps out. It's perfectly fine To filler and fans are sure to have a good time, but if you're hoping for that little extra, it's not here.

The drama is a little slow to start and the performances aren't quite strong enough. Better leads could've made the difference here, but they're just a little too poppy. The presentation is nice (but not exceptional), and the finale does hit home, but on the whole, I wasn't as impressed as the first time I watched this. It's still a good film though, and To shows he's capable of more than just good old genre cinema.

When the police are trying to catch a criminal gang, they suffer an embarrassing defeat. To make thing worse, they find out that their failure was broadcast live on television. The trust in the Hong Kong police is at an all-time low, so they come up with a plan to use the media in their favor and catch the bad guys in one single swoop.

Breaking News is a slick crime/action flick, with a cool score, some flashy editing and some nifty action scenes. The whole media angle isn't that well realized though and putting the best scene at the very start of your film is always a risk. It's a must-see for Johnnie To fans and there's a lot to love here, but I don't count it as one of his best films.

Mr and Mrs To are a happily married couple. They're also both thieves. They're at their happiest when they can challenge each other, and they love their job as much as they love each other. Until one day Mr To decides to file for divorce, abandoning his happy marriage. Two years later, the two meet again when they are both working on the same jewel heist.

To loves to fool around with the medium from time to time, this is another one of those films where he seems to throw all genre expectations out of the window and just tries to have fun with the material. And he's pretty successful too. The cinematography is solid, the soundtrack quirky, the performances on point. To maybe tries a little too hard to fool the audience, other than that this was a really fun ride.

Yan works in a hospital where the doctors have lost all will to do a proper job. Yan isn't willing to simply accept defeat, and when an old colleague joins her crew she figures it is time to get the hospital care back on track. It won't be easy to get everyone excited about their work again, but Yan is determined to bring her mission to a good end.

The main trio (Jordan Chan, Ekin Cheng and Cecelia Chung) do a good job, the plot has plenty of quirky details and To adds the necessary flair. Help is a somewhat odd, atypical comedy that stands out among the other Hong Kong comedies, which is exactly what Hong Kong cinema needs from time to time. Not one of To's very best film, but fans looking for some lesser known To gems should definitely give this one a go.

When a professional criminal learns he is mortally ill and only has a couple more months to live, he comes up with a plan to spend the remainder of his life usefully. He plans a heist on a jewelry store, of which the owner allegedly killed his father. The closer he gets to his goal, the more he begins to doubt the info he was given.

The two Laus are in excellent form, the setup of the plot is pretty entertaining and there are some nice visual touches spread throughout the film. It's all a bit simple and not as stylish or refined as To's best work, but he was clearly having fun playing around with genre elements. For those wondering about the films leading up to To's best period, this one is a must-see.

Michael is a former Triad boss who spent quite some time in prison. When he finally gets out, he finds himself a small apartment where he hopes to reboot his life. It doesn't take long before he falls back into his old ways. His landlord sees the danger and tries to show him there is more to life that being a big shot gangster.

Don't take it too literally, but there were moments this felt a bit like a Ki-duk film, with a central character who isn't too likeable, but gains the respect of the audience regardless. The night scenes look pretty lush, the soundtrack stands out and the performances are on point. It lacks that final bit of polish, other than that a very good film.

We follow Jack and Martin, two members from warring Triad gangs who are tasked with protecting their bosses. The two bosses like to use the same Thai mystic for telling them their fates, so they were bound to run into each other. What follows is a heavy shootout that puts both Jack and Martin in the hospital.

The first half of the film is by far the best. Lai and Lau are great opposite each other, the action scenes are superbly shot and the tension tangible. The second half tilts more towards drama, but To had still some ways to go to make that work. The soundtrack wasn't quite there yet either. A very worthwhile film still, but not one of To's true classics.

If you know a thing or two about Hong Kong cinema, you may look at the dates and think "Oh, but that's a pretty dire period for Hong Kong films". Fair enough, but apparently Yau's films didn't suffer from the industry's local depression. The two films I've seen so far (that's 50% of is his feature film oeuvre) are well above average, even signalling Hong Kong's return to form during the early '00s. So why didn't Tat-Chi Yau's career take off? Well, your guess is as good as mine, the fact of the matter is that he made at least two worthy films, one of which is Um Fa [The Longest Nite].

Um Fa feels almost like a stepping stone to Johnnie To's '00 successes. That's not even all that far-fetched if you consider To produced Yau's first feature film only one year earlier. At its core, Um Fa is a pretty simple Triad film, resulting in a game of cat and mouse between the police and a killer hired by the Triads. Tony Leung Chiu Wai takes on the role of stone cold cop, Ching Wan Lau is the ruthless killer.

Leung and Lau are excellent, but it's Yau's deliberate direction that stands out. A remarkable soundtrack and lots of visual prowess complement Yau's flair and make Um Fa a film to remember. All of this comes together in a kick-ass finale, where the stand-off between Leung and Lau reaches a more than satisfactory conclusion. It would take To a couple years longer to reach the quality of Um Fa's finale, which is saying something.

Tat-Chi Yau is one of the mysteries of Hong Kong cinema. If you're a fan of Johnnie To's 21st century films then I can wholeheartedly recommend Yau's films, Um Fa in particular. I'm not sure why his films haven't garnered a greater following or how I could've missed his films for so long, but I'm glad that wrong has been righted once and for all.

Lau is a less than admirable police detective. He doesn't take his work too seriously and his marriage is just a shell of its former self. But then he gets shot in the head and Lau loses all sense of smell and taste. He is forced to rely on his wife to take care of him, even though she is carrying the child of a different man. Still, Lau's condition helps them to reconnect.

Chung Wan Lau's performance isn't that great (certainly not the dramatic parts - he would notably improve in the coming years), but he does have a tremendous screen presence. The soundtrack is a little iffy too, luckily, the shoot-outs are excellent and To's visual flair is already present. A fine film, but not at all close to his best work.

Lo Han is an angel who loves to gamble. One day, he boasts about being able to gather three souls in a mere three days. The bet is on when he reincarnates as a monk and is tasked with convincing a prostitute, a beggar and a criminal to follow him. Han believes this to be a piece of cake, but his mission will be a lot tougher to complete than expected.

Chow and Ng are a superb duo, add Maggie Cheung in the mix, and you have a pretty great central cast. The film is a typical Chow comedy, which is certainly no negative, but it does lack To's signature style. Chow fans are sure to have a blast with this one, if you're not quite familiar with Hong Kong comedy yet, I believe there are better films to get acquainted with the niche.

Sung is a gifted but rather amoral lawyer. He solves cases at incredible speed, his wife isn't too happy with his the way her husband behaves. She is a veritable martial artist, so Sung promises he'll stop his work as a lawyer. When a pregnant woman is wrongly accused of murder, Sung is willing to make one final exception.

Chow is a delight, To's direction is above average and the hectic, rapid-fire dialogues are a lot of fun. It's not a very leisurely comedy, the energy levels are high from the very start and Chow doesn't really let up. It's a very solid film for people who like this kind of thing, as long as you're in the right mood you can't really go wrong with this one.

I'm not a fan of nostalgia and sentimentality, many of the directors present aren't really equipped to deal with these themes either. It would've been a lot better if they'd stayed closer to their signature craft, that's what the anthology concept is for. A little disappointing, though I can't say I'm all that surprised. Hark deserves lots of props for his short though.

Hong Kong's oldest and most influential Triad is about to change leadership. This is always a volatile time, but things get worse when the traditional scepter has gone missing. The scepter has to be found as quickly as possible, before others get wind of the disappearance, which may jeopardize the future of the syndicate.

The cast is superb, it's nice to get a somewhat more serious and down-to-earth rendition of the Triad genre, and some of To's trademark skills are already in full effect. The first half was a bit too slow and dry for my liking though, and compared to the second film, it's just a bit too basic. Still, if you care about Hong Kong crime cinema, this is essential viewing.

Big isn't just very muscular, he can also see people's future. It's a very handy skill, certainly for the police corps. Yee, a police detective, makes good use of Big, and they work well together, until one day Big finds out Yee is going to die soon. Yee commits to finding the murderer of Big's best friend before she dies, Big will try to change Yee's fate in the meantime.

Andy Lau in a bodysuit is simply hilarious, the story is pretty wacky and To uses every visual trick he has to his disposal. The result is a somewhat messy film, but one that is not short of surprises. The only downside is the rather sentimental ending, which doesn't go well with the rest of the film. Worth a watch, but a bit too uneven for me.

Andy is addicted to mahjong, so much in fact that he broke off relations with his family. His luck changes when he meets Gigi, a young girl who seems to be increasing his chances of winning his games. The only problem is that Gigi is a very sore loser herself, whenever she doesn't win she throws a veritable temper tantrum.

The film features an all-star cast and puts quite a bit of focus on the mahjong games, but it's essentially just a very basic romcom. The cast is fine, there are some funny scenes and the pacing is solid, there just isn't enough here to make it a true To classic. Hardcore fans of his work (and his collaborations with Ka-Fai Wai) won't mind, I just wanted a little more.

The title should be pretty self-explanatory. When May becomes a widow, she discovers she can suddenly ... see ghosts with her left eye. The ghosts quickly catch on and bug May with requests. She isn't too interested in helping them, she only wants to find the soul of her deceased husband. For that, she seeks help from a shady psychic.

Sammi Cheng is always a pleasure, Lau is solid too, though you have to be able to stand a hefty bit of overacting. The mix of genres is fun (just don't expect any horror elements, this is basically a quirky romcom) and To's direction is on point, only nowhere near his best work. An amusing diversion for fans of To and Hong Kong comedy.

Mimi is a Hong Kong girl who lives in Japan. She has a relationship with a Japanese composer, who tells her he has to go to the US to pursue his career. They promise each other to meet up again a decade later, but Mimi is so heartbroken that she gains a bunch of weight. When the deadline draws close, she wants to lose the extra pounds, helping her is Fatso, another sizeable Hong Kong fella living in Tokyo.

If you can't stand fat jokes and a little body shaming, it should be obvious that you're better off avoiding this film. Apart from that, the comedy is pretty docile and the plot not too exceptional, though the star power attached to this project more than makes up for it. Not a To highlight, but decent fun regardless.

Detective Ho Sheung Sang returns and finds himself entangled in another tricky case. A master thief approaches him and wants to involve Sang in a revenge plot against a hardened business lady. Sang will need all of his wits to play along, while trying to build a solid case against the thief. Only this way could he hope to arrest the thief.

Ekin Cheng is a somewhat mediocre substitute for Andy Lau and the lack of fixed deadline for the immediate danger makes the film a little less tense. The cat and mouse games are fun and Ching Wan Lau is pretty good though, add some standout To moments (like the bike scene) and you have a pretty entertaining film. It's just nowhere close to his best work.

Mo-Yim is destined to marry the emperor, before her marriage, she frees a fairy from captivity. The fairy is grateful, but she also falls madly in love with the emperor. In order to stop the marriage, the fairy disfigures Mo-Yim, but she isn't willing to just give up on her destiny and she comes up with a plan to keep the marriage going.

The result is a court comedy with lots of ploys, misunderstandings and people dressing up as other people. The performances aren't that great and not all the jokes land, but the pacing is solid, and the chaos is pretty fun to watch. It's not one of To's better films, but as simple comedy filler there's enough to look forward to.

Wah and Kinki both work at the same company. At first, they can't really stand each other, but after a while, a fondness grows between them. Then Wah's ex suddenly turns up again, hoping to get Wah back. To makes things more complicated, she also tries to set up Kinki with another man. Wah is going to have to decide who he cares for the most.

It's still a relatively early To, which shows in the lesser polish. The cinematography isn't too great, the score a bit lazy. Performances are good though and with Ka-Fai writing the script there's a bit more intrigue than usual. It's perfectly fine filler, just not up there with the best of his films.

The plot revolves around an eclectic group of personal bodyguards who are hired by a gang boss. Their mission is to protect the man, even though they have never worked together before. After a somewhat rough start the gang of five begins to learn each person's strengths and friendships and brotherhood start to form.

The structure of the film is pretty odd. The titular mission takes up the first 60 minutes, which is followed by a half hour long epilogue. The cinematography is promising, the cast is solid, and the action is stylish, though a little subdued. The score is quite weak and the mix of crime and drama didn't really work for me either. To would make good on the potential on display here in later films, so for that reason alone this is worth seeing.

Chicken Feet and Uncle Fan are running a local gambling joint. They are quite successful, so much that a local gang boss takes an interest in their operation. He wants to take over the business, but Chicken Feet doesn't care for his proposition. He is too busy preparing for his next gambling tournament. The gang leader won't take no for an answer.

Andy Lau is fun (though hardly challenged by his role), Anthony Wong notable in a minor part. There's some decent action, the gambling scene is properly developed and the pacing is pretty much perfect. The problem is that this film doesn't really stand out from the crowd, and that others have done a better job in the past. Ideal filler in other words.

The world is in shambles after a nuclear event. While the government is mostly interested in saving itself, a villain has seized control over the water supply of the city. He is trying to force a military coup by levering access to the water. A trio of female heroes takes it upon themselves to save the city from this harrowing fate.

While everything was there to make this into a great film, the result feels a bit lackluster. To's direction is okay but doesn't stand out, and neither do the action scenes. There's a bit too much drama hidden away in the plot, time that would be better spent on developing the futuristic setting or simply adding more and better action scenes. It's not bad, but for a '93 HK action film, not very memorable.

The titular character moves to the city to go and work for one of his father's friends. Competitors of the company hire a gang to mess up their business, but the kid is a skilled martial artist and protects the company. He isn't praised for his efforts though, as the owners fear retribution, and so they fire him. Unsure of where to go next, he joins the criminal gang.

The Shaw Bros signature is more visible than To's personal style, which was to be expected. The film looks rather polished, the action scenes are proper and the runtime is fine, it's just the middle part that feels a little sluggish, with some unnecessary drama and romance scenes holding everything up. Not a bad film, but hardly a highlight within To's rich oeuvre.

Chan is a malicious criminal who kidnaps Bou, his little nephew, for ransom. The boy ends up dead, the random stashed away in a well-guarded house. Chan needs the money and hires two cronies to help him get the ransom. When they find out what Chan did, they decide to help the boy's spirit in his quest for revenge.

The comedy isn't too subtle and the plot is all over the place, but that is part of the charm. With guys like Tony Leung and Anthony Wong on board, the cast is well fleshed-out, the cinematography is pretty solid too and the pacing is perfect. It's not the most memorable film, but good fun and a perfect oeuvre filler for fans of Johnnie To.

Sean and Yen's relationship didn't last, Sean was too much of a womanizer to remain faithful to her. They each go their own way, but years later they run into each other once again. Yen is about to get married, while Sean is in a somewhat stable relationship. It is obvious the two are still attracted to each other, and that there is unresolved business between them.

Romantic woes between the rich and unfaithful only work when the characters are somewhat nice to hang around with, which isn't really the case here. The film looks slick and To makes good use of their rich lifestyles, but cinematically there isn't all that much happening. A pointless sequel, and one of To's lesser films in recent memory.

Hoping to kick-start his political career, Lau joins the army and gets a job as a pilot. The Japanese are pushing back the Chinese army and Lau is tasked with delivering an important message. On his way, he is shot down by Japanese fighter planes and ends up in a small mountain village. There he meets Ting, a sweet and innocent girl who takes care of his injuries.

Andy Lau is decent and the cinematography has its moments, but it's not enough to balance out the glaringly unsubtle score and the predictable plot. This isn't really a Wong Kar-wai contender, instead, you get some bland romance with a pretty picture here and there to take your mind off the sentimentality. Not the worst film, but unless you're a big fan of commercial Hong Kong cinema, it's best to keep your expectations in check.

A villain is plotting to overtake China. She kidnaps 18 babies, hoping that the new Emperor will be among them. One of the babies belongs to a prominent detective, who calls in the help of two women to help him get his baby back while saving China from a hostile takeover in the process.

The performances are decent, there are some pleasant enough action scenes and the pacing is zany (as it should be). I'm still not sure whether I was watching a sci-fi, fantasy, or martial arts film though, and I'm not sure even To had a clear idea what this film was supposed to be. It's not a terrible feature, it has its moments, but too many ideas simply didn't land and there were just too many boring parts.

Two longtime partners (Beach Boy and Mrs. Chow) are put on a counterfeiter case. During the investigation, Beach Boy meets Ah Yuk, whose father-in-law was arrested by him. He falls for her charms, but that doesn't please Beach Boy's boss, who tries to incriminate him and his partner.

With Leung and Tat on board, there is certainly some fun to be had. The comedy helps to liven up the police investigation, but there's not really enough here to set the film apart from similar work. It's a far cry from the films that would make To famous a decade later, but completists won't have too bad of a time with this one. Decent oeuvre filler.

Two elderly women each have amassed a sizeable fortune. In order to protect their wealth after they are gone, they want to marry off their grandchildren. They can't stand to be around each other, so marriage looks pretty unlikely. Still, the two women won't simply give up on their plan.

The film starts off pretty well, but as the plot grows clearer and takes up more and more of the runtime the film gets a little stale. Chow is nice, Li Chi isn't bad either, there are some interesting soundtrack choices and some elegant shots, but in the end, this is a pretty basic romcom that relies purely on star power and general accessibility. Decent filler.

May is a skilled martial artist who wants to learn the "Heartbroken Sword" technique. Her master pushes her to go out into the world and experience heartbreak firsthand, for that May consults Tiger Hung. A womanizer she helped out before and should be the ideal person to help break May's heart.

The film wants to be a full-blown comedy, which is tricky since it's dealing with heartbreak. The two objectives don't go well together, the somewhat overstated performances don't really help the film either. Some decent action scenes make sure this isn't a complete disaster, but I wanted a lot more from Love for All Seasons. Somewhat of a letdown.

Li Chi-Leung is a single dad who raises his two sons on his own. He is short on cash, a problem he tries to solve by going to the race tracks. Time and time again he squanders his money on gambling, which only makes his situation worse. When he can't pay back his creditors, they come for his sons to teach Li a lesson.

The performances are pretty weak, the cinematography is bland and the score is negligible. Though the film isn't too long, the middle part is pretty repetitive and predictable, which makes it dull. The ending is right on the mark though and that almost saved the film for me. To can do so much better, this is mostly for To completists.

Ah Long is a former race champ who became a contractor in order to take proper care of his son. When his ex returns from America a wealthy woman, she wants to have custody over their son. Neither Ah Long nor his boy is won by the idea, so Ah Long needs to find a way to get his life back on track. With the help of his son, he tries to revisit his former glory.

Chow may have been popular back then, but he wasn't really ready to take on more dramatic roles. To's signature is virtually unrecognizable, the plot and styling are pretty bland, and the ending is ill-fitting and well over the top. The pacing is fine though and the film isn't too long, but this is far from To's best work. For completists and hardcore 80s fans only.

Lu is a prisoner who is waiting for his execution. The government isn't too keen on going through with it, as they suspect he knows the location of a secret treasure. Their torture techniques aren't very successful and Lu manages to escape. As he flees, he runs into Yu, an attractive young woman on the way to collect her father's ashes.

There isn't too much martial arts here (and the bits that are there are pretty crummy), instead, the film focuses more on the titular case. Sadly, that case isn't all that enigmatic and apart from some smaller interludes, there is very little of note here. It's just simple genre filler, a perfect film for a beginning director to learn the trade.

The film follows a firefighter squad as they go about their daily routines. They face difficult situations on the job, but they also have to deal with personal issues. After an hour-long intro where we get to know the characters, the film is ready to start its more than half-hour-long finale, with a pretty predictable outcome of course.

Ching Wan Lau is a decent lead, but that's about it. The rest of the cast isn't on the same level, which is a problem for a film that is quite drama-heavy during its first half. Sadly, the big finale isn't all that tense or exciting either, though it does have its moments. There just wasn't enough To here, poor oeuvre filler from someone who can do so much better.

Three young men are short on cash, and their self-esteem suffers from it. To give their lives some flair, they decide to get married. For that, they need girlfriends first, so they set off on a quest to find women that are interested in marriage. Easier said than done, but they are very committed to their goal.

People who only know Chow Yun-Fat from his heroic bloodshed work should definitely give this film a go, you'll never look at him the same way. The rest of the cast is pretty terrible too, including the odd dump of cameos at the end of the film. The plot is bland, the comedy is cringey and the direction is uninspired. Not To's finest hour.

A rather unsuccessful singer can't believe her luck when she finds out she is slated to reincarnate into a very musical family. On her way to the hospital she bumps into Mr. Hung, causing her to miss her window of opportunity. This happens twice, leaving her just one chance to get it right. The problem is that she has fallen in love with Hung.

The performances are very poor and overstated, the effects are extremely crummy, and stylistically there's no sign of To's signature elements. The only thing that slightly redeems this film is the final 20 minutes, which do get pleasantly absurd. It's not enough to wholeheartedly recommend the film to fans, but at least To completists will have something to look forward to.

The plot is as generic as can be, but that's not at all uncommon for this type of film. Inspector Wong is ready to resign from the force when his longtime partner is suddenly found murdered. Wong assembles a team and starts an investigation, which leads to some very unexpected (but not really though) revelations.

I'm not the biggest fan of the genre, but with a proper cast and/or with some extended action scenes, these films can still be quite fun. There's none of that here. The styling is also completely rubbish and even though the film is on the shorter side, it hardly matters since most of it serves no purpose beyond simple genre filler. Disappointing.

Willie and Sylvia have been married for seven years. The romance has disappeared from their relationship, and they both start to worry about their future. Willie sees his chance when he has to go to Singapore for work. There he tries to hook up with Lam, a crafty thief who wants to take advantage of Willie's gullible nature.

Raymond Wong isn't terrible and Eric Tsang is perfect for his part, but that's about it for the positive feedback. The plot is dumb, the ample misunderstandings are annoying, and the presentation is third-rate. Unless you're a major Hong Kong comedy fan, or you just want to complete To's oeuvre, there's no good reason to prioritize this film.