Chinese New Year is just around the corner! What better way to kick into Chinese New Year other than eating? Watching Chinese movies! Here are some of my personal favourite movies to watch
-
CJ7
Hong Kong cinema maestro Stephen Chow is known for merging kung fu and humor in his immensely entertaining flicks Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle, and most people who saw it have likely forgotten about it. With a narrative about construction worker Chow Ti mistaking a mystery sphere he finds in a garbage tip for the new toy his kid has been coveting, CJ7 adds sci-fi to the mix. Strange things are going to happen soon – what does the orb do and what is the root of it all? The movie can be found on Netflix.
-
Fight Back To School
Yet again with another Stephen Chow classic. Stephen Chow plays Detective Sing Chow, a SWAT squad captain who goes undercover into a high school to collect a stolen pistol for the Commissioner.
Like many of Stephen Chow’s others, the show is full of slapstick humor and ludicrous action-comedy. Chow demonstrates his ability to act as he attempts to deal with the munitions smugglers who invade the school and kidnap a bunch of children. In the midst of all the chaos, Sing’s infatuation for school administrator Miss Ho provides a touch of romantic humour (Sharla Cheung). The movie can be found on Netflix.
-
Police Story
Maybe I’ve overdone it, but nothing beats Jackie Chan’s movies or shows. The tale itself may be the only thing more mundane than the title “Police Story,” which is exactly as it should be. This exuberant 1985 success of humour and fistfights was clearly created for an audience that loves to take things straight to action and helped propel Jackie Chan as an action star beyond his already massive Asian following that we all know and love today. The movie can be found on Netflix.
-
Journey to the West – Conquering the Demons
Directed by Stephen Chow, Journey to the West – Conquering the Demons starts of with a stirring opening sequence features a phony demon hunter, a fake water monster, and Chen Xuanzang (Wen Zhang), a Taoist monk (the man who would become Tripitaka) committed to demon expulsion by love, kindness, and a collection of 300 nursery rhymes.
After failing to complete the task and being accused of being a fake, Xuanzang stands impotent as the true water demon comes and causes havoc in a tiny community. Real-life Duan (Shu Qi) and her Infinity Flying Ring save the day in the end. Despondent about his failure, Xuanzang returns to his instructor (Cheng Sihan), who informs him that his lack of faith was the source of his demon-banishing ineptness. And such he thus prepares to embark on a journey of self-improvement and enlightenment. The movie can be found on Prime Video.
-
Mulan
Who doesn’t love Mulan? Mulan is based on a popular Chinese narrative in which the titular young rebel, unable to fulfil her wifely obligations, attempts to save her family’s blushes by posing as a man and fighting the Huns.
Our plucky heroine joins the Imperial Garrison, aided by obligatory (and completely unnecessary in my opinion) comic sidekicks a cricket and a talking dragon. Cue basic army training (including the likeable comedy song I’ll Make A Man Out Of You), Mulan’s attraction to dashing Captain Shang, and some stunningly staged skirmishes with the bad guys that we all will remember fondly. The movie can be found on Disney+ or Prime Video.
Apart from the usual Channel U, Channel 8 and Channel 5 shows your family leaves on after the reunion dinner, what other movies do you watch? If there isn’t any, we recommend you to check these shows out.
This article was brought to you by Han. I pretend to be broke in order to stay wealthy, yet I’m not wealthy.
–
