ENTER THE FAT DRAGON becomes available today from Well Go USA on digital, Blu-ray & DVD

Well Go USA

Presents

Enter the Fat Dragon / Fei lung gwoh gong

Directed by Kenji Tanigaki

Hong Kong, 2020, 97 minutes

Enter the Fat Dragon, starring Donnie Yen (the Ip Man franchise & oh, so many other fine action films) debuts on Digital, Blu-ray™ and DVD today, July 14th from Well Go USA Entertainment. This review is based on watching the Blu-ray.

The film is a reimagining of the popular comedy martial arts film of the same name that starred Sammo Hung, which in turn derived it’s title from Bruce Lee’s ground-breaking Enter the Dragon (1973). This Enter the Fat Dragon was directed by Kenji Tanigaki (Legend of Seven Monks) and costars Teresa Mo (Hard Boiled), Niki Chow (Heavenly Mission) and Wong Jing (Kung Fu Mahjong).

Fallon Zhu (Yen) is a super-fit, by-the-books cop with a fiancée who’s a lovely aspiring actress. His over-enthusiasm at work results in him being demoted into a records clerk . On top of this, he’s dumped by his fiancée. As a result he develops a major snack cake habit and becomes most morbidly obese. A routine assignment escorting of a prisoner extradited to Japan goes wrong, providing Zhu an opportunity to redeem himself at work and in the eyes — and heart — of his fiancée.

Enter the Fat Dragon is a good film with some very fine stunts, lots of action, and some nice comedic touches.  Stick around during the end credits for a time-lapse segment of Donnie getting his “fat face” put on and for some outtakes.

Disc Specs:
— Audio:
  — Cantonese DTS-HDMA 5.1
  — Cantonese Stereo
— Subtitles:
  — English
  — English (Full Version)
  — Traditional Chinese
  — Off
— Trailers:
  — International Trailer
  — U.S. Trailer
— Previews:
  — Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula Teaser
  — Cut Throat City
  — Is Man 4: The Finale

AsianCineFest Rating: 3 out of 4 stars

ENTER THE FAT DRAGON Debuts on Digital, Blu-ray™ & DVD on July 14th

Well Go USA

Presents

Enter the Fat Dragon / Fei lung gwoh gong

Directed by Kenji Tanigaki

Hong Kong, 2020, 97 minutes

International martial arts icon Donnie Yen [Ip Man, Mulan (2020), Rogue One: A Star Wars Story] is back in the action-comedy Enter the Fat Dragon, “a hilarious, hyper-paced, rock-em sock-em blast of a movie!” (Ultimate Action Movies) debuting on Digital, Blu-ray™ and DVD July 14 from Well Go USA Entertainment.

The film chronicles the events that transformed super-fit super-cop Fallon Zhu (Yen) into a records clerk with a major snack cake habit—and one shot to regain his job and his fiancée. A hilarious parody of Bruce Lee's 1972 film Way of the Dragon and a reimagining of the popular comedy martial arts film starring Sammo Hung, Enter the Fat Dragon was directed by Kenji Tanigaki (Legend of Seven Monks) and costars Teresa Mo (Hard Boiled), Niki Chow (Heavenly Mission) and Wong Jing (Kung Fu Mahjong).

Synopsis:

Enter the Fat Dragon is a hilarious chronicle of the events that transformed super-fit super-cop Fallon Zhu (martial arts phenom Donnie Yen) into a glorified records clerk with a major snack cake habit. After a desperate request from an old colleague, Zhu teams up with a wily, wok-wielding restaurateur to solve a mysterious murder—and take his one last shot at regaining both his job and his fiancée.

LOST IN HONG KONG coming to home video on March 1st

Well Go USA

Presents

Lost in Hong Kong / Gang jiong

Directed by Xu Zheng

Hong Kong/China, 2015, 114 minutes

The Sequel to Lost in Thailand from Director Xu Zheng

Arrives on Blu-ray™, DVD & Digital HD March 1

From the producers of Lost in Thailand and No Man’s Land comes the road trip comedy LOST IN HONG KONG, debuting on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD March 1 from Well Go USA Entertainment. Xu Lai had a dream once; to be an artist and marry the girl of his dreams. 15 years later, he’s sick of designing bras, humoring his baby-crazy wife and catering to his loopy in-laws. Now on a family vacation that includes his DVD-pirating, aspiring-documentarian brother-in-law, he has a hidden agenda: a chance meetup with his old flame. But ditching his clan for a clandestine hookup might be the least of his worries. There’s been a murder and the cops want a word with him. Lost in Hong Kong is directed by and stars Xu Zheng (Lost in Thailand, Breakup Buddies), with Zhao Wei (Red Cliff, Shaolin Soccer) and Bao Ber’er (Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal, The Four) rounding out the cast.

Synopsis:
In the mid-1990s, university art majors Xu Lai (Xu Zheng) and Yang Yi (Du Juan) fell in love, but then Yang was transferred to the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Xu hasn’t seen her since. Almost twenty years later, Xu has long forgotten his dreams of becoming an artist, but he can never forget Yang even though he enjoys a comfortable life with his loving wife Cai Bo (Zhao Wei), the only major problem between them being the repeated failure of conceiving a child. During a vacation in Hong Kong with Cai’s overbearing family, Xu plans to secretly visit Yang, but Cai Bo’s goofy young brother Cai Lala (Bao Bei’er) — always carrying a video camera in hand for his documentary project — tags along like his unwelcome shadow to spoil the rendezvous. Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, Wong Jing is filming another riotous gangster movie, while two police officers (Sam Lee and Eric Kot) investigate a murder.

Bonus Features Include:
-- Making of Featurette
-- Blooper Reel

GOLDEN CHICKENSSS at NYAFF

Star (and producer) Sandra Ng (fourth from left) and some of her "Golden Chickens"

Golden Chickensss / Gam Gai SSS

Written and Directed by Matt Chow

With: Sandra Ng (who also produced), Ronald Cheng, Louis Koo, Nick Cheung,
Anthony Wong, Dayo Wong, Chin Ka-lok, Chapman To, Jinny Ng,
Elena Kong, Eman Lam, Rainky Wai, Monna Lam, Fiona Sit,
Michelle Wai, Ivana Wong, Carl Ng, Eason Chan,

Lo Hoi-pang,Tony Leung Ka-fai,… and others

Hong Kong, 2014, 102 minutes

Language: Cantonese with English subtitles

When: Friday, June 27, 8:30pm

and Tuesday, July 1, 4:00pm

Where: The Film Society of Lincoln Center

Walter Reade Theater, 165 West 65th Street, NYC

North American Premiere

Purchase Tickets

In the Hong Kong comedy Golden Chickenss, Sandra Ng Kwan Yue reprises her role as Kam, first seen as a charming prostitute (i.e., a "Golden Chicken") in Golden Chicken (2002) and then in Golden Chicken 2 (2003). After this eleven year hiatus, Kam is now a highly successful madam with a large roster of her own "chickens." (Ms. Ng will attend the Friday evening screening of  Golden Chickensss and will be presented with the Star Asia Star Award. Golden Chicken will be shown at NYAFF on Saturday, June 28th at 12:30pm)

She shepherds them to clubs, beach parties, whatever and wherever there's a way to cash in on the "do-anything-for-money spirit" of Hong Kong. She even goes with two of her girls to Japan to learn about their blowjob parlors, where customers stand on one side of a wall while the employees -- including Takuya (Wyman Wong), a man who excels at his job -- sit on the other. Access is provided by holes in the wall. Other lessons are learned in the "20 second subway grope" cars.

As you can tell from the above partial list of those appearing in the film, there are a ton of Hong Kong's film stars who are present, some in significant roles, others in brief cameos. My favorite occurred early on in a brief scene in which Donnie Yen plays Ip Man, only he's dressed like Tony Leung Chiu Wai as Ip Man in Wong Kar Wai's The Grandmaster! Hilarious!

Louis Koo has a terrific bit as a Lous Koo look-alike from -- get ready -- Bumfuck, China. And be sure to stay through the credits or you'll miss Sandra Ng wrestling with Andy Lau in a spoof on his popularity. (A running joke in Hong Kong is that he's so beloved that he could be elected Chief Executive.)

I really enjoyed Golden Chickensss. Just about all the comedy comes across well, which is not an easy thing in a film with subtitles, especially one from a place that has its own idiosyncratic sense of humor. There's more to appreciate in the film if you're familiar with Hong Kong cinema and its major screen personalities. I recognized quite a few, but there were some that I didn't until I saw who they played on the film's IMDb cast page.

AsianCineFest rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars; highly recommended.

These screenings of Golden Chickensss, presented with the support of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office New York, are part of the HONG KONG FOREVER! spotlight section of the New York Asian Film Festival 2014.

ACF 1632: Select theatrical release of Hong Kong comedy VULGARIA begins next Friday, September 28th

China Lion Film Distribution

Presents

 Vulgaria

Directed by Pang Ho-Cheung

Hong Kong, 2012, 93 minutes

Select Theatrical Release Starts Friday, September 28, 2012
In Cantonese with Mandarin and English subtitles

Vulgaria, which had its North American premiere on the opening night of the 2012 New York Asian FIlm Festival, will  be released on September 28th at select theaters throughout North America.

Synopsis: A second rate movie producer must go to extraordinary lengths in order to finance his latest film, Confessions of Two Concubines, a softcore extravaganza set to star an actress well past her prime – all as his personal life unravels around him.

The film stars Chapman To as the producer, Ronald Cheng as a Mainland gangster who has some bizarre culinary and sexual appetites and wants to bankroll the film, and the voluptuous Dada Chen as a would-be-starlet with an incredible talent for bringing men to sexual orgasm. For my review of this hilarious, raunchy film, click here.

The currently scheduled theatrical release locations are listed below, subject to change.

Boston:
- AMC Loews Boston Common 19 175 Tremont St. Boston, MA 02111 (888) 262-4386

Chicago

- AMC River East 21 322 East Illinois Street Chicago, IL 60611 (888) 262-4386

Houston
- AMC Studio 30 2949 Dunvale Houston, TX 77063 (888) 262-4386

Los Angeles Area
- AMC Atlantic Times Square 14 450 N. Atlantic Ave. Monterey Park, CA 91754 (888) 262-4386
- AMC Puente Hills 20 150 S. Azusa Ave., City of Industry, CA 91748 (888) 262-4386

Miami
- AMC Sunset Place 24 5701 Sunset Drive South Miami, FL 33143 (305) 740-8904

New York
- AMC Empire 25 234 West 42nd Street New York, NY 10036 (888) 262-4386

- AMC Village VII 66 Third Ave (11th Street) New York, NY 10003 (888) 262-4386

San Diego
- AMC Mission Valley 20 1640 Camino Del Rio North San Diego, CA 92108 (888) 262-4386

San Francisco Area
- AMC Loews Metreon 16 101 Fourth Street San Francisco, CA 94103 (888) 262-4386

- AMC Mercado 20 3111 Mission College Blvd. Santa Clara, CA 95054 (888) 262-4386

Seattle
- AMC Pacific Place 11 [Note: Starts October 5th] 600 Pine St. Seattle, WA 98101 (888) 262-4386

Toronto Area

- Cineplex Odeon Yonge & Dundas 24 10 Dundas St. Toronto, ON M5B 2G9 (416) 977-2262
- SilverCity Richmond Hill 8725 Yonge Street Richmond Hill, ON L4C 6Z1 (416) 646-0444

Vancouver Area
- Cineplex Odeon International Village Cinemas 88 West Pender, 3rd Floor Vancouver, BC V6B 6N9 (604) 806-0799

Washington D.C. Area
- AMC Loews Rio Cinemas 18 9811 Washingtonian Ctr. Gaithersburg, MD 20878 (888) 262-4386

Official North American VULGARIA Facebook page

Official North American VULGARIA Twitter page

China Lion Film Facebook page

ACF 069: "Royal Tramp" DVD Collection

The latest release from The Weinstein Company and Genius Products' Dragon Dynasty label is The Royal Tramp Collection. This tw0-disc DVD contains Royal Tramp and Royal Tramp II, both originally released in 1993 and starring Stephen Chow.

Chow plays Wei Siu Bo, a fanciful story-teller and conman who gets drawn into a conspiracy to restore (or perhaps it's to save) the Ming Dynasty. His quick thinking and glib tongue save him from numerous skirmishes with death, and enable him to score with a bevy of beauties.

Man Cheung as the Empress Dowager

The ending of the first movie sets up the second, so it was both a smart and considerate move to issue both in one release. There's a good bit more action in the second film, which also benefits from the presence of Brigitte Lin, one of my all time favorite Hong Kong actresses, once again doing one of the many androgynous roles for which she is well known.

Wei Siu Bo (Stephen Chow) is carried away by Hoi Tai Fu (Man Tat Ng)

I'm in the middle of reading Asian Cinema: A Field Guide by Tom Vick, film programmer for the Freer and Sackler Galleries of the Smithsonian Institution. In it, without mentioning any specific films, he describes Chow as the slapstick star of Cantonese "nonsense comedies" before his international breakthroughs with Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle. He certainly could be referring to the two Royal Tramp films. (I must mention that I highly recommend Vick's book; it's both very informative and enjoyable.)

The story line, such as it is, goes all over the place. Further compounding things are the numerous betrayals and shifting loyalties. Still, a great deal of the comedy comes across even with subtitles, and the action sequences - particularly in the second film - are well done, considering when they were made. (I did notice one wire in the climactic fight seen at the end of the first film.)

Both discs have Cantonese and English-dubbed soundtracks or a feature length audio commentary by Hong Kong cinema authority Bey Logan to chose from; optional English, English for the deaf and hard-of hearing, and Spanish subtitles; and the original theatrical trailer. Disc 2 also has an interview with writer and co-director Wong Jing.

I've only had time so far to watch the films in the original Cantonese with English subtitles, so I can't comment with authority on Logan's commentaries or the English-dubbed soundtracks. I have a feeling that it might work really well to first watch the films with Logan's commentary on, so that you get a sense of what's gong on. Then go back at some time and watch them with subtitles. You just might get a better sense of the story line and plot twists. As for the dubbed versions, I tend to watch them only when I'm too tired for subtitles or otherwise mentally impaired.

These are not great films, certainly not ones that an Asian Cult Film Fan would absolutely have to own. But packed together with the audio options, the two-disc set is a worthwhile purchase. I certainly appreciate that The Weinstein Company and Genius Products have offered them so attractively packaged and reasonably priced. The films give some interesting perspective on Stephen Chow's early career. And did I mention that Brigitte Lin is in Royal Tramp II!!!

Considering the two movies as a package, I give them an ACF rating of 2.5 out of 4 stars (fairly good). The extras get a 3 out of 4 star rating (good). The only thing that I would have liked to have been included is an interview with Stephen Chow.