Movies
Not the greatest anthology. Don't be fooled by the names involved, I know they include some of the biggest Hong Kong directors from the past few decades, but the anthology itself is quite rigid and singular. Only Tsui Hark dares to do something different, the rest all went for sentimental throwbacks. Much like their Chinese counterparts. The stories are pretty simple, Sammo Hung reminisces about classic martial arts training, To looks at the stock market, Ann Hui digs up the old school life and Patrick Tam finds two lovers torn apart. Hark is the only one who had a bit of fun, throwing us inside a mental hospital where doctors and patients are too alike to distinguish. 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.Read all
My Heart Is That Eternal Rose
A film that reminded me of Wong Kar-Wai, Johnnie To and John Woo. Quite a handful, sadly Tam isn't as great a director. The terrible score, mediocre performances and lack of slick editing downgrade this film from what could've been a masterpiece. The potential was there, the execution was a little lacking though.
Patrick Tam's first film is a nice showcase of his talents. It's a pretty basic martial arts film, but executed with considerable attention to detail. What it gains in proper cinematography and acting though, it loses in pure adrenaline. The drama in between can get pretty cheesy, but apart from that this is a solid effort.
Patrick Tam does his best to deliver a stylish thriller, but his attempt isn't entirely successful. The film is a little too reliant on the plot, not all actors are up to the task and visually it's a mixed bag. It's definitely better than the average Hong Kong genre effort, but despite some decent moments the film fails to engage.