Title: Three Summers: Tony Leung’s Poetic Meditation on Time, Identity, and Hong Kong’s Pre-1997 Soul In the vast constellation of Tony Leung Chiu-wai’s filmography, Three Summers (1992)—alternately titled 哥哥的情人 (The Lover of a Brother)—occupies a quiet yet profound space. Directed by Lawrence Ah Mon (Liu Guochang) and co-starring Jacklyn Wu and Cherie Chan, this understated […]
Title: The Butterfly Sword: Tony Leung’s Dazzling Dance of Love and Betrayal in Hong Kong’s Wuxia Renaissance In the golden age of 1990s Hong Kong cinema, where martial arts met melodrama, The Butterfly Sword (1993) stands as a glittering anomaly. Directed by Michael Mak and starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai, this film—often overshadowed by Wong Kar-wai’s […]
Title: The Eagle Shooting Heroes: A Carnivalesque Masterpiece of Hong Kong’s Postcolonial Anxiety In the annals of Hong Kong cinema, few films embody the chaotic energy of the 1990s like The Eagle Shooting Heroes (1993), also known as 射雕英雄传之东成西就. Directed by Jeff Lau and starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai, this absurdist comedy—often overshadowed by Wong Kar-wai’s […]
Title: Tom, Dick & Hairy: Tony Leung’s Subversive Comedy of Hong Kong’s Pre-Handover Identity Crisis In the golden era of 1990s Hong Kong cinema, Tom, Dick & Hairy (1993), colloquially known as 風塵三俠 or The Three Tomboys, remains a criminally underappreciated gem that blends raucous humor with poignant social commentary. Directed by Peter Chan and […]
Title: *Time-Travel, Taboos, and Tony Leung: Reclaiming Identity in *Hero Beyond the Boundary of Time* In the kaleidoscopic realm of 1990s Hong Kong cinema, Hero Beyond the Boundary of Time (1993)—colloquially known as The Raunchy Adventures of Wei Xiaobao or 正牌韦小宝之奉旨沟女—stands as a paradoxical gem. Directed by action maestro柯受良 (Blacky Ko) and starring Tony Leung […]
Title: The Magic Crane: Tony Leung’s Forgotten Martial Arts Odyssey in Hong Kong’s Identity Crisis In the golden age of 1990s Hong Kong cinema, where wuxia epics like Swordsman II and Ashes of Time dominated screens, The Magic Crane (1993) remains an overlooked gem—a film that marries martial arts spectacle with biting political allegory. Directed […]
Title: He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Father: Tony Leung’s Time-Travel Ode to Hong Kong’s Vanishing Values In the golden age of 1990s Hong Kong cinema, few films blend humor, nostalgia, and social commentary as deftly as He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Father (1993), directed by Peter Chan and starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Tony Leung […]
Title: The Saint of Gamblers: Tony Leung’s Overlooked Gem in Hong Kong’s Post-Colonial Satire In the neon-lit pantheon of 1990s Hong Kong cinema, The Saint of Gamblers (1994)—also known as 神龙赌圣之旗开得胜—stands as a chaotic yet brilliant fusion of slapstick comedy, gambling tropes, and subversive political commentary. Directed by Pang Kee-Wah and headlined by Tony Leung […]
Title: Love Me, Love My Money: Tony Leung’s Charming Ode to Love Beyond Wealth in Post-Colonial Hong Kong In the bustling cinematic landscape of early 2000s Hong Kong, Wong Jing’s Love Me, Love My Money (2001), also known as You Qing Yin Shui Bao (literally “Love Makes Water Nourishing”), stands out as a deceptively lighthearted […]
Title: Chinese Midnight Express: Tony Leung’s Unflinching Portrait of Justice in a Corrupt World In the shadow of Hong Kong’s 1997 handover, a lesser-known gem emerged from the city’s cinematic landscape: Chinese Midnight Express (1997), also known as Black Prison Story: Framed or Hei Yu Duan Chang Ge Zhi Qi Sheng Zhu Rou. Directed by […]