A loving homage to the 1973 Bruce Lee kung fu classic Chinese Connection, updated with increased production values, a Romeo and Juliet-style romantic subplot, and a more temperate view of the Japanese enemy. A martial arts protege (Jet Li) leads his classmates in revolt after their teacher is poisoned by the invading Japanese. The final fight scene is arguably one of the best of all time. Fights choreographed by Yuen Wo Ping, action director of The Matrix.

This is by far my favourite retelling of Jing Wu Meng’s Chen Zhen, this time acted by Je Li with an awesome display of his superb martial arts skills. This version is unique for 2 reasons: 1) this is the only version with a happy ending where Chen Zhen gets thru this alive, 2) the Japanese in this movie are not all portrayed as bad. His Japanese love interest and her uncle are both shown in a very positive light  Don’t read this if you do not like spoilers. And believe me when I say this is the best version of the Chen Zhen story.

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The classic Chinese story collection Strange Tales of Liaozhai receives its most opulent adaptation yet with Painted Skin. A remake of King Hu’s 1993 film of the same title, this Gordon Chan-directed release mixes old-style Hong Kong Cinema panache with new generation stars and visual effects, resulting in an unexpected and wildly entertaining mixture of action, drama and tragic romance. Top Chinese actresses Zhou Xun and Vicki Zhao face off as two women who love the same man, a soldier played by the handsome Aloys Chen. Donnie Yen lends the film a solid martial arts presence, while Betty Sun (Fearless) and Singapore actor Qi Yu Wu (881) fill out the supporting roles. A box office hit in both China and Hong Kong, Painted Skin is Hong Kong’s official entry into the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2009 Academy Awards.

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Jason Wu Jing returns with a bang again. This time he’s the good hearted hired killer Bo who head over to a small island off Hong Kong where a triad leader is hiding. His job is to kill and return with the head. This is a revenge killing by his hirer.

Bo  easily kills and takes the head but he cannot get off the island when it’s closed down in a typhoon warning. Last ferry brought some hoods sent by the triad leader’s Japanese wife who was unable to contact her husband. They found the body and was instructed by the dead triad leader’s wife that the missing head must be recovered at all cost. As the gangsters comb the outlying village, Bo befriended a local policewoman, Holly,  when he helped her rescue a cat that had climbed up a tree. Later, Holly confronted 3 strangers in a small eatery on suspicion that they were wanted robbers and a fight ensured. Bo saved her and subdued the 3 robbers.

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After inspiring an anime series, hit TV dramas in Taiwan and Japan, and a blockbuster movie, Kamio Yoko’s immensely popular romance manga Hana Yori Dango comes to Korean television! KBS’s highly anticipated Boys Over Flowers spins the modern-day Cinderella tale of a poor, but spunky schoolgirl at an exclusive academy who attracts the interests of the four ultra-rich and ultra-handsome princes of the school known as F4. Ku Hye Sun from The Strongest Chil Woo and The King and I stars as the tough-cookie heroine of the drama. As for the male leads, meet Korea’s F4: breakout star Lee Min Ho from school dramas I Am Sam and Mackerel Run, idol heartthrob Kim Hyun Joong from boy band SS501, rising star Kim Bum (East of Eden), and Kim Jun of pop group T-max.

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This is the latest production by Zhang Ji Zhong the China maestro of wuxia pians, and completes Jin Yong’s Condor Trilogy which started with The Legend of the Condor Heroes, follwed by The Return of the Condor Heroes.

HSDS09  stars Deng Chao as Zhang Wuji, Ady An as Zhao Min, and Liu Jing as Zhao Zhirou. The story centres on the legendary set of weapons comprising of the Heaven Sword and the Dragon Sabre which were forged by Yang Guo and Huang Rong

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