The blockbuster global "Mummy" franchise takes a spellbinding turn as the action shifts to Asia for the next chapter in the adventure series, "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor".
When he won a coveted admission spot tothe Naval Academy at Annapolis local kid Jake Huard ( Franco) thought all his dreams had come true - but his battle to become the man he wants to be is only just the beginning. Now uncertain if a regular kid from a poor blue collar family can fit into the Academy's pressure-cooker atmosphere and barely making the grade as a Freshman ""plebe"" Jake has one last shot at proving he has what it takes to become an officer in an institution that boasts a venerable 137-year history of focused discipline and determined excellence. With nothing left to lose Jake decides to enter the notoriously fierce Navy boxing competition known as the Brigade Championships - and face off against his arch-nemesis Midshipman Lt. Cole (Gibson). Everything Jake has ever hoped for stands in the balance: the chance to make his father proud to validate his Lieutenant's faith in him to stand up for his fellow plebes and most of all to forge a different future....
Made barely a year after Claude Chabrol's debut Le Beau Serge, Les Cousins featured the earlier film's same starring pair of Jean-Claude Brialy and Grard Blain, here reversing the good-guy/bad-guy roles of the previous picture. The result is a simmering, venomous study in human temperament that not only won the Golden Bear at the 1959 Berlin Film Festival, but also drew audiences in droves, and effectively launched Chabrol's incredible fifty-year-long career. A gripping and urbane examination of city and country, ambition and ease, Les Cousins continues to captivate and shock audiences with its brilliant scenario, the performances of Brialy and Blain, and the assuredness of Chabrol's precocious directorial hand. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present Claude Chabrol's breakthrough film in a beautiful new Gaumont restoration on Blu-ray and DVD for the first time in the UK. Special Features: Gorgeous new Gaumont restoration of the film in its original aspect ratio New and improved English subtitles Original theatrical trailer A 47-minute documentary about the making of the film L'Homme qui vendit la Tour Eiffel [The Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower], Chabrol's 1964 short film A lengthy booklet with a new and exclusive essay by critic Emmanuel Burdeau; a new and exclusive translation of a rare text about actress Franoise Vatel provided for this release by its author, the filmmaker and critic Luc Moullet; excerpts of interviews and writing by Chabrol; and more
Jet Li can always be relied upon when it comes to action movies, and Meltdown is no exception. No surprises with the story line: Kit Li witnesses his wife blown up in a gangster attack masterminded by the nefarious Doctor, only to be confronted by the same "no risk, no reward" gangster two years later, now aiming to steal the Russian crown jewels from a hotel complex. The shadow of Die Hard falls heavily across the action, with its skyscraper stunts and marauding helicopter, given an appropriate twist by the high-velocity martial-arts sequences and director Wong Jing's stylish take on the high-tech metropolis that is Hong Kong. Jackie Cheung adds a comic element as Frankie Lane, the action-movie star seemingly past his sell-by date, and Kwan Sau Mei's Doctor is the epitome of suave nastiness. On the DVD: Meltdown on disc has a 1.85:1 widescreen picture that reproduces the plethora of monochrome conference rooms and exploding glass panels with dizzying clarity. This release comes ready dubbed into English--don't check the synchronisation too often and you'll hardly notice--with subtitles in 12 languages. The photo gallery is enlivened with Jet Li trivia, while the filmographies are unusually frank about the commercial nature of the Hong Kong film industry in general and Wong Jing's contribution in particular. But done with this degree of panache, films such as Meltdown are never less than 110# entertainment. --Richard Whitehouse
Four young people are caught in a tug-o-war of evil between an Imperial Wizard and a corrupt General. With the help of the kind Wizard Ning escapes from jail where he was unjustly put. On the run he meets a young scholar and two sisters who are trying to rescue their father from the ruthless General... A second all-action instalment of the saga of the supernatural from Ching Siu-Tung the action director of such classics as Hero House Of Flying Daggers
Miss Julie is a claustrophobic class study set within a 19th-century Count's kitchen. It chronicles the events of one midsummer night when the housemistress--an obstinate and confused Julie (Saffron Burrows)--is beaten in a round of sexual gaming with footman Peter Mullan. Based on the play by August Strindberg, the film maintains a constant sense of theatre by only having three speaking parts (the other coming from Maria Doyle Kennedy as Christine, the long-suffering cook and fiancée), just one set and a penchant for hand-held camerawork by director Mike Figgis. Known for his experimental approach to storytelling, this is technically a predecessor to Figgis' Timecode, since the all-important rape scene is conveyed through a disorientating split-screen technique. He'd worked with fellow Brit Burrows before on The Loss of Sexual Innocence and One Night Stand, but gives the gal with the outsized cheekbones top billing here and is rewarded with a thoroughly rounded performance. Backed by the director's own musical score, this melodrama has a very personal feel to it. --Paul Tonks
Twin Warriors: An action-packed high-octane tale of two boys who grew up together but whose lives took very different directions and are in later life brought back together on a collision course! Fist Of Legend: When Chen (Li) discovers that his beloved teacher and mentor has been murdered he swears to avenge his death! Then with an unwavering commitment to vengeance Chen puts everything on the line to settle the score! International superstar Jer Li explodes on the screen in this thrilling martial arts action story about courage honour and revenge! The must see modern remake of a Bruce Lee classic 'Fist Of Fury' Fist Of Legend packs hard hitting excitement and incredible hand to hand combat into one unstoppable adrenaline rush! The Legend: Hard-hitting international superstar Jet Li (Romeo Must Die Lethal Weapon4) delivers nonstop action in this thrilling story of a young martial arts expert fighting to save his father's life! A ruthless emperor is targeting members of an underground revolutionary group that is attempting to overthrow his powerful regime. When Fong Sai Yuk (Li) learns that his father is part of the resistance movement and has been marked for retribution he boldly seeks a head-on confrontation with the might of this evil empire!
In the third of the 'Streetfighter' adventures action star Sonny Chiba reprises his role as James Bond-esque agent Tsurugi who this time embarks on a deadly road of revenge when heroin manufacturers kill his girlfriend...
In a remote mountain village, the teacher must leave for a month, and the mayor can find only a 13-year old girl, Wei Minzhi, to substitute.
Jet Li stars in Fist of Legend, a 1994 remake of The Chinese Connection (also known as Fists of Fury, which starred the greatest martial arts legend of them all, Bruce Lee). This film is set in 1937, when Shanghai was occupied by the Japanese and racial tensions were high. Jet Li is Chen Zhen, who returns to Shanghai to avenge the death of his master, whom he learns was poisoned. His popular freestyle fighting technique and Japanese girlfriend do not endear him to his former friend, now his master's successor at the martial arts school. If Jackie Chan is inspired by Buster Keaton, Li seems to be channelling Steve McQueen here. He speaks softly and carries a big kick, and like Steven Seagal, even when he is under siege by a horde of attackers, no one can lay a finger on him. The dialogue and dubbing are atrocious, but the fight sequences are incredible (they were choreographed by Woo-ping Yuen, who lent his expertise to The Matrix). Perhaps most memorable is a bout between Chen and his girlfriend's uncle during which the combatants wear blindfolds. This is essential viewing for martial arts buffs and Li's growing legion of fans. --Donald Liebenson, Amazon.com
Chang a Kung Fu expert becomes the sheriff of a town ruled by bandits.His prime target is to wipe these bandits out. With the help of seven serving prisoners picked from his jail he begins his mission. Will they succeed or will the price of victory be too high?An action packed film filled with drama suspense and humanity. It's certainly one of Bruce Li's greatest starring roles.
Beijing Bicycle kicks off like an updated Chinese reworking of the 1948 Italian neo-realist classic Bicycle Thieves: a worker, dependent on his bike for his job, has it stolen and doggedly sets out to get it back. But pretty soon Wang Xiaoshuai's film mutates into something more elemental: a battle of wills between peasant lad Guei, original owner of the bike, and Jian, a surly urban schoolkid who claims to have bought it second-hand. For both the bike is status: for Guei it secures him his job as a courier, while for Jian it lets him keep up with his peers and chat up the girl he fancies. Each sees himself as the rightful owner and neither will give way, so the bike swaps hands back and forth, stolen and re-stolen, as the duel waxes increasingly personal. There's a diverting subplot about a beautiful, stylishly dressed girl glimpsed by Guei who turns out be something other than she seems, but essentially the battle over the bike is the meat of the film. The fascination of Beijing Bicycle--perhaps especially for non-Chinese viewers--is its portrait of present-day Beijing as a buzzing, high-pressure, neo-capitalist boomtown, impersonal and seemingly as lawless as any Wild West frontier burg. At no point, in all the thefts and counter-thefts and mounting violence, does anyone think to call the police--everyone is left to fight his own battles. Wang, one can't help suspecting, is slipping in a hint of social criticism in this vision of an uncaring society where possessions are all that matter. On the DVD: Beijing Bicycle on disc has the original theatrical trailer (the French version, oddly enough), filmographies for the director and four of his lead actors, notes on the film by Nick Bradshaw and trailers for other Metro Tartan foreign-language DVD releases. The transfer's in the full anamorphic widescreen of the original, with good Dolby Digital sound. --Philip Kemp
Chow Yun Fat stars as Francis Li a maverick and notoriously lazy HK police sergeant who is partnered with ""by the book"" rookie cop Michael Tso (martial arts legend Conan Lee). Their investigations into a drug trafficking operation lead them to a beautiful aerobics instructor Marydonna (Nina Li Chi) the sister of one of the gangsters under suspicion. When her brother is murdered by his associates for attempting to double-cross them Marydonna finds herself being sought by the same
The amazing Jet Li plays a cop whose job keeps him from attending his son's junior kung fu competitions in The Enforcer. When sent undercover to infiltrate the gang of a brutal mob boss, his arrest--part of his cover story--exposes his son to humiliation in school. Meanwhile, his wife falls deeper into illness. The Enforcer is a classic Hong Kong blend of dazzling kung fu action and outrageously sentimental subplots. Yet as silly as some situations may seem (and let's be honest, they aren't any more ridiculous than your average Sly Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger movie), they're never boring, and when the spectacular fights begin it doesn't matter--Jet Li's stunning skill and natural charisma make him magnetic. Anita Mui--co-starring as a police detective tracking Li down--gets to do her share of fighting as well. In the finale, father and son team up for a battle as funny as it is spectacular. The stunts are jaw-dropping and the special effects, while not always perfectly realistic, are bursts of pure imagination.--Bret Fetzer, Amazon.com
In The Mood For Love (2 Disc Edition Within The Set): Hong Kong 1962. Chow (Tony Leung) is a junior newspaper editor with an elusive wife. His new neighbour Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung) is a secretary whose husband seems to spend all his time on business trips. They become friends making the lonely evenings more bearable. As their relationship develops they make a discovery that changes their lives forever... In this sumptuous exploration of desire internationally acclaimed director Wong Kar-Wai creates a world of sensuality and longing that will leave you breathless. 'In the Mood for Love' has seduced audiences and critics alike winning awards at Cannes 2000 for best actor cinematography and editing. As Tears Go By: Low-level triad ""big brother"" Wah (Andy Lau) has a hot-tempered ""little brother"" Fly (Jacky Cheung) who can't keep out of trouble and consequently is in constant need of being bailed out by his protector. Wah is super cool but lacks the ambition to rise in the ranks of the triad societies and once he meets his cousin (Maggie Cheung) and falls in love with her he decides he wants to leave ""the life"". But it turns out that he has to bail out Fly one more time. And this time Fly may have gone too far.... Days Of Being Wild: Hong Kong 1960. In a sweltering hot summer York (Leslie Cheung) an amoral disillusioned and cruel young man is kept in luxury by his foster mother a retired courtesan who gives him everything but the one thing he needs to know; the identity of his natural mother. A self-obsessed man desperately seeking his true identity York plays carelessly with his lovers a lonely submissive bargirl (Maggie Cheung) and a beautiful club hostess/dancer (Carina Lau) and his friends before leaving them all for Taiwan in search of the truth that has been denied and may ultimately destroy him...
In the last Big Boss Cheng Chao-On was arrested after killing Hsiao Mi ""The Big Boss"". In this sequel his brother Cheng Chao-Chun visits his brother in Thailand. He then finds a job as an ice factory worker at the same ice factory that his brother worked at. While the previous film never explained why Chao An promised never to fight again it was actually due to the fact that their father was killed in a fight. However the villain in this film is the man who was responsible for th
The plot line may sound familiar: Two mismatched cops are assigned as reluctant partners to solve a crime. Culturally they are complete opposites, and they quickly realize they can't stand each other. One (Jackie Chan) believes in doing things by the book. He is a man with integrity and nerves of steel. The other (Chris Tucker) is an amiable rebel who can't stand authority figures. He's a man who has to do everything on his own, much to the displeasure of his superior officer, who in turn thinks this cop is a loose cannon but tolerates him because he gets the job done. Directed by Brett Ratner, Rush Hour doesn't break any new ground in terms of story, stunts, or direction. It rehashes just about every "buddy" movie ever made--in fact, it makes films such as Tango and Cash seem utterly original and clever by comparison. So, why did this uninspired movie make over $120 million at the box office? Was the whole world suffering from temporary insanity? Hardly. The explanation for the success of Rush Hour is quite simple: chemistry. The casting of veteran action maestro Jackie Chan with the charming and often hilarious Chris Tucker was a serendipitous stroke of genius. Fans of Jackie Chan may be slightly disappointed by the lack of action set pieces that emphasize his kung-fu craft. On the other hand, those who know the history of this seasoned Hong Kong actor will be able to appreciate that Rush Hour was the mainstream breakthrough that Chan had deserved for years. Coupled with the charismatic scene-stealer Tucker, Chan gets to flex his comic muscles to great effect. From their first scenes together to the trademark Chan outtakes during the end credits, their ability to play off of one another is a joy to behold, and this mischievous interaction is what saves the film from slipping into the depths of pitiful mediocrity. --Jeremy Storey
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