A Better Tomorrow: See It Today—Movie

Wild gunfights, almost operatic in nature, help make John Woo’s 1986 “A Better Tomorrow” so much more than your standard violent for violent’s sake movie. Shown as part of the 18th Annual Made in Hong Kong Film Festival (DC), “A Better Tomorrow” gives today’s audience the opportunity to view director Woo’s early work as well as that of actors Chow Yun Fat and Leslie Cheung … and see why all three became big stars.

At its core “A Better Tomorrow” is about two sets of relationships and what happens when they intersect. The first revolves around the friendship of two criminals working for a major Hong Kong crime syndicate involved in counterfeiting–Ho (Lung Ti) and Mark (Chow Yun Fat).  The second centers on Ho and his brother, Kit (Leslie Cheung), who is beginning a career in law enforcement. Kit is unaware that his brother is a criminal and he eventually discovers Ho’s involvement under horrible circumstances.  It’s that discovery which causes an estrangement between the two and drives much of the plot forward.

Chow Yun Fat is a force of nature. He simply dominates the screen without even trying. His wicked smile lights up the room and yet he can give an empathetic turn as well. And I have to note that what he can do with a toothpick is astounding–I have never seen someone smoke with a toothpick in his mouth and, to be honest, I found that fascinating. Leslie Cheung is wonderful as the impulsive and stubborn Kit. Lung Ti’s role is the least flamboyant of the three, but his performance is the heart of the movie and he is terrific.

The supporting cast is very strong. Waise Lee’s understated performance as Shing is riveting. He is wonderful as Ho’s and Mark’s novice partner-in-crime with plans of his own. Mention must be made of Emily Chu’s portrayal of Jackie, Kit’s girlfriend. When we first meet her she is the klutz of all klutzes, but by film’s end she has morphed into someone of substance. In a movie dominated by machismo, she is a real standout.

With “A Better Tomorrow” John Woo’s career as a director took off in earnest and it’s easy to see why. He pays attention to details… from the clothing to the cigarette smoke to the pointing of the guns. His gunfight scenes are something to behold and the movie’s explosive finale merits the price of admission (if the Freer and Sackler Galleries charged admission).  I kept waiting for Mark to shout, “Yippee Ki Yay, mother f**kers!”  It would have been wholly appropriate.

Some of the film’s subtitles make no sense and cause the movie to be hard to follow at times. And, yes, a little of the movie is dated…the music…the technology. But the story itself is timeless and so is the action.

If you’re looking for one of the best in this genre, you can’t do much better that “A Better Tomorrow.”

The 18th Annual Made in Hong Kong Film Festival at the Freer and Sackler Galleries runs through August 4. Admission is free and the final films are a tribute to Leslie Cheung. For more information go to http://www.asia.si.edu/events.

3 ½ nuggets out of 4

Cold War: Explosive to the Very End—Movie

Corruption, politics, car chases, gunfights and explosions—“Cold War” has it all.

Set in Hong Kong “Cold War” begins with a blast…literally…and never looks back. The blast leads to a terrific car chase and spectacular gunfight and that’s just in the first minute.

Written and directed by Lok Man Leung and Kim-ching Luk (both are first-time directors), “Cold War” follows an investigation into the hijacking and kidnapping of an EU vehicle with five members of the police department inside. With Hong Kong’s reputation as Asia’s safest city (although judging from the movies shown at the Made in Hong Kong Film Festival this seems hard to believe) at stake, the powers that be want this case solved quickly. Since the police commissioner is out of the country, Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations, M.B. Waise Lee (Tony Leung Ka-Fai), is appointed acting commissioner. He leads what is called the “Cold War” rescue operation and favors an aggressive approach to finding and punishing the kidnappers. However, Deputy Commissioner of Police from Management Division, Sean Lau (Aaron Kwok), wants to take a more pragmatic approach to solving the crime. Both men are in line to become the next police commissioner, so the scenes between these two as they vie for power are very intense and fun to watch. Entering the mix is Billy Cheung (Aarif Rahman), an ICAC investigator. Because the kidnapping happened despite the police department’s advanced surveillance system, he and his superiors believe that the kidnapping is either an inside job or the department has a mole. At the top of their list of suspects–Lee and Lau. Cheung’s scenes with these two are just as entertaining as the explosive beginning of the film. As a matter of fact, most of the film’s dialogue is very clever, and as corruption is discussed before the media, Watergate even comes into the conversation (this received quite a chuckle from my DC viewing audience).

Although some of the film is confusing, and that might be because certain nuances are lost in sub-titles, “Cold War” holds your interest from its very beginning through its riveting conclusion which holds the promise of a sequel.

Shown as part of the 18^th Annual Made in Hong Kong Film Festival (DC) at the Freer and Sackler Galleries, “Cold War” is a film that should be on your viewing list.

3 nuggets out of 4