THE KNIGHT OF SHADOWS reviewed; available today from Well Go USA

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The Knight of Shadows / Shen tan Pu Song Ling

Directed by Jia Yan (a.k.a. Vash)

China, 2019, 109 minutes

The Knight of Shadows (a.k.a. The Knight of Shadows: Between Yin and Yang), the newest action-comedy from Jackie Chan, debuts today on Digital, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD from Well Go USA Entertainment. I watched the Blu-ray version.

Chan stars as Pu Songling, a legendary demon hunter who tracks down beasts that enter the human dimension, assisted by a lawman protégé and a motley group of friendly monsters. Most specifically, Pu is asked to investigate the mysterious disappearances of young girls from a small village. When he discovers evil forces are kidnapping the girls to feast on their souls, he sets out to save humanity from the inhuman invasion journeying through hidden worlds and colorful dimensions in this fantastical martial arts action-comedy.

First off, I must say that I immensely appreciate Chan and his incredible contributions to Asian cinema, especially in terms of action and comedy. I had the great fortune of attending all three events at which he appeared in New York when he received the Star Asia Lifetime Achievement Award at the New York Asian Film Festival in June, 2013. He even signed my copy of his autobiography, I Am Jackie Chan: My Life in Action.

That aside, Jackie is nearing his 66th birthday, and simply can't do what he used to. And at times it shows in this film. I'm thinking, for example, of a set-piece in which he fights off a number of peace officers who are being controlled by a demon. There's the kind of moves using a chair that fans will be familiar with, but they're much less complex and vigorous then what we used to see, a shadow of their former selves. Others may not notice this, or care if they do, but I was saddened to see moves that I thought brought out when Chan used to be able to pull off but no longer can.

On the other side, some things do come off very well. Of lesser significance is Chan's face, which seems to have been digitally de-aged, somewhat like what was done to De Niro and others when they played younger versions of themselves in Scorsese's The Irishman. On the more positive side, there's a terrific scene in which Pu faces off against a female demon in a room filled with mirrors. It's snappy, well-edited and the effects are top notch.

Personally I hope that Jackie will continue to make action-comedies. Straight dramas have always been beyond his range and natural talents, and straight, heavy action films are now beyond his physical capabilities.

The Knight of Shadows is a period piece, and personally I prefer Chan's action-comedies set in contemporary times, such as Chinese Zodiac (2012) and Kung Fu Yoga (2017). While both Chan's period and his contemporary action-comedy films may have more faults and be less spectacular than earlier films made when Jackie was much more fit and able, I find them pretty much delightful.

Disc Specs:
-- Audio
    -- Mandarin DTS-HDMA 5.1
    -- Mandarin Stereo
    -- English DTS-HDMA 5.1
    -- English Stereo
-- Subtitles
    -- English
    -- Off
-- The Knight of Shadows trailers
    -- Teaser (English Dub)
    -- Trailer A (International Version)
    -- Trailer A (English Dub)
    -- Trailer B (International Version)
    -- Trailer B (English Dub)
-- Previews
    -- Kung Fu Monster
    -- Ne Zha
    -- Kung Fu League

All-in-all, The Knight of Shadows is a pleasant martial arts, action-comedy, most definitely worth watching.

AsianCineFest Rating: 3 out of 4 stars (good)

THE KNIGHT OF SHADOWS will debut on Digital, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack & DVD on January 21

Well Go USA

Entertainment

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The Knight of Shadows / Shen tan Pu Song Ling

Directed by Jia Yan (a.k.a. Vash)

China, 2019, 109 minutes

Jackie Chan, internationally beloved martial arts comedy icon, is back with his newest action-comedy explosion, The Knight of Shadows, debuting on Digital, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD on January 21st, 2020 from Well Go USA Entertainment. Chan stars as a legendary demon hunter tracking down beasts that enter the human dimension, assisted by a lawman protégé and a motley group of friendly monsters. Directed by Jia Yan on an epic scale, The Knight of Shadows co-stars Lin Peng (Dragon Blade), Ethan Juan (The Assassin) and Elane Zhong (The Resistance).

Synopsis:
Pu Songling (Jackie Chan), a legendary demon hunter, is asked to investigate the mysterious disappearances of young girls from a small village. When he discovers evil forces are kidnapping the girls to feast on their souls, he sets out to save humanity from the inhuman invasion journeying through hidden worlds and colorful dimensions in this fantastical martial arts action-comedy.

POLICE STORY/POLICE STORY 2 coming April 30th from Criterion!

Police Story (1985) and Police Story 2 (1988), two of Jackie Chan's finest films, will be available from The Criterion Collection on April 30th, 2019, on Blu-ray (two discs) and DVD (3 discs).

Here's what Criterion has to say about this upcoming release:

The jaw-dropping set pieces fly fast and furious in these breathtakingly inventive action comedies, two smash hits that made Jackie Chan a worldwide icon of daredevil spectacle. The director/star/one-man stunt machine plays Ka-Kui, a Hong Kong police inspector whose methods are, ahem, unorthodox; the phenomenal Maggie Cheung, in a star-making role, plays his much-put-upon girlfriend, May. (Police Story, it's worth mentioning, also features the fabulous Brigitte Lin.) Packed wall-to-wall with astoundingly acrobatic fight choreography, epic explosions, charmingly goofball slapstick, and awesomely 1980s electro soundtracks, Police Story and Police Story 2 set a new standard for rock-’em-sock-’em mayhem that established Chan as a performer of unparalleled grace and daring and would influence a generation of filmmakers, from Hong Kong to Hollywood.

Special Edition Features include:
- New 4K digital restorations of Police Story and Police Story 2
- Alternate 5.1 surround and English-dubbed soundtracks for both films
- 35 mm subtitled theatrical print of the condensed Hong Kong version of Police Story 2, presented in 2K for the first time
- New programs on Chan’s screen persona and action-filmmaking techniques featuring author and New York Asian Film Festival cofounder Grady Hendrix
- Archival interviews with Chan and actor and stuntman Benny Lai
- Television program from 1964 detailing the rigors of Peking-opera training, akin to the education that Chan received as a child
- Chan stunt reel
- Trailers
- New English subtitle translations
- An essay by critic Nick Pinkerton

For years I've owned DVDs of each of these fantastic films in both their import and their Dragon Dynasty versions. Still, I can't wait to get my hands on the Criterion releases. Will certainly be reviewing them as soon as possible.

Sci-fi thriller RESET debuting on Digital & Blu-ray February 6th, 2018

Well Go USA

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Reset

Directed by Hong-Seung Yoon

Starring Yang Mi 

China, 2017, 107 minutes

From producer Jackie Chan and director Hong-Seung Yoon (The Target) comes the action-packed sci-fi thriller Reset, which will arrive on digital and Blu-ray February 6th from Well Go USA Entertainment. Yang Mi (Brotherhood of Blades II) stars as a scientist trying to save her son from death at the hands of kidnappers by using an experimental universe-hopping/time-travel technology to save him. Reset also stars Wallace Huo (Our Time Will Come), King Shih-Chieh (The Final Master), Liu Chang (“The Kings Woman”) and newcomers Hummer Zhang and Wang Lidan. Reset was nominated as Best Film at the 2017 Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival.

Synopsis:
In the near future, scientist Xia Tian (Yang Mi) is on the verge of a major discovery: time travel. After she successfully sends living tissue back in time by 110 minutes, her years of work seem to have paid off, but everything unravels when her young son is kidnapped and held for a hefty ransom - all of her research. When the drop goes sour and her son is killed, Xia Tian desperately sends herself back in time using her prototype, where she discovers multiple versions of her future self. Now, all of the Xia Tians must band together to save their son in this action-packed sci-fi thriller from producer Jackie Chan.

RAILROAD TIGERS reviewed; debuts in a Blu-ray+DVD combo pack and on DVD today, June 20th

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Railroad Tigers

Directed by Ding Sheng

Starring Jackie Chan, Huang Zitao, Wang Kai, Darren Wang 
China, 2016, 125 minutes

Railroad Tigers is an action-comedy set in China during World War II. Today, Tuesday, May 20th, it becomes available as Blu-ray™/DVD Combo Pack and as DVD only, from Well Go USA Entertainment. (It's been available on digital since Tuesday, May 9th.)

Ma Yuan (Jackie Chan) is the head porter at a railroad station in part of China occupied by the Japanese. He and several cohorts  (the titular "Railroad Tigers") are just a bunch of regular guys who really want to do something great for their country. Thus far they've engaged in various small-time action against the Japanese, but nothing of any real consequence.

They have an opportunity to change that when they learn that the Hanzhuang Bridge, along a major route vital to the Japanese for bringing supplies to their front line, must be destroyed. Although the Chinese Eighth Army Route soldiers have been unsuccessful in accomplishing this, Jackie and his rag-tag compatriots take on what looks to be a suicide mission.

Japanese aggression during WWII has been the subject of numerous Chinese (as well as Korean) films. Such movies seem find a receptive audience in these two countries, but they can seem like a worn out trope to North American audiences. Sad to say, such is the case here, because the film is weak in almost every regard. The story line is simple (as opposed, say, to the psychological complexities in the somewhat similarly themed The Bridge on the River Kwai). There's nothing particularly compelling about the characters, and the action (choreographed by He Jun) and stunts (performed by the Jackie Chan Stunt Team and involving lots of wire-work) are not top drawer, and the CGI often is not very good.

That the film has problems becomes evident in the first few minutes. As each character is introduced, the frame freezes and text, in Chinese and English, gives the character's name and occupation. In the case of several of the "Railroad Tigers", their catchphrase is also indicated. Do we really need to be told that Jackie's character's catchphrase is "Shut up!" when we will hear him say it several times in the course of the movie? Or that "Let's go!" is the catchphrase of Xiaohun, a railroad porter? This freeze frame introduction -- which visually brings the film to a screeching halt -- is employed for seventeen characters! Not good cinema technique at all.

No one should begrudge the fact that Jackie, who became 62 years old this past April, can't handle the kind of stunts and action sequences that he performed so brilliantly in years gone by. With his terrific sense of timing and ability to poke fun at himself, he's better served at this stage of his career with  comedic fare that includes some action, rather than an action-drama with some comic touches, as is the case in Railroad Tigers. Thus, Kung Fu Yoga, which opened in North American theaters on January 27th and will soon be offered by Well Go, showcases him to much better advantage.

Disc Specs:
-- Audio
    -- Mandarin DTS:X
    -- Mandarin 2.0 Stereo
    -- DTS Headp;hone X
    -- English 5.1 DTS HDMA
    -- English 2.0 Stereo
-- Subtitles
    -- English
    -- Off
-- Bonus
    -- “Director’s Featurette”
    -- “The Dangers of Shooting”
    -- “The Making of ”
    -- “VFX Featurette”
    -- “The Characters”
    -- Trailer
    -- International Trailer
-- Previews
    -- Kung Fu Yoga
    -- Operation Mekong
    -- Cold War 2

Die-hard Jackie fans will probably enjoy Railroad Tigers well enough, but for the rest of us it's just an almost pleasant watch.

AsianCineFest Rating: 2.5 out of 4 stars; fair, but shy of being a truly good film.

RAILROAD TIGERS debuts on digital today; will be coming to Blu-ray & DVD on June 20th

Well Go USA

Entertainment

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Railroad Tigers

Directed by Ding Sheng

China, 2016, 125 minutes

Hong Kong’s cheeky, lovable and best-known film star Jackie Chan (Rush Hour franchise) reunites with Director Ding Sheng (Little Big Soldier) for a third time with Railroad Tigers, debuting on digital today, Tuesday, May 9th and on Blu-ray™/DVD Combo Pack and DVD June 20th from Well Go USA Entertainment.

With his patented blend of martial arts action and comedy, Chan plays a railroad worker in 1941 China who leads a team of freedom fighters against the Japanese in order to get food for the poor. The action-packed Railroad Tigers also stars Huang Zitao (Edge of Innocence), Jackie Chan’s son Jaycee Chan (1911), Wang Kai (The Golden Era), Hiroyuki Ikeuchi (Ip Man), Ping Sang (Saving Mr. Wu), Alan Ng (Young Bruce Lee) and Darren Wang (Our Times).

Synopsis:
In this action-comedy caper hearkening back to Jackie Chan’s classic Hong Kong films, a railroad worker (Chan) and his ragtag group of freedom fighters find themselves on the wrong side of the tracks when they decide to ambush a heavily armed military train filled with desperately needed provisions. Unarmed and outnumbered, they must fight back against an entire army using only their wits, in a series of dazzling set pieces and action scenes rivaling anything seen on the big screen.

Bonus Materials Include:
-- Five Featurettes:
    -- “Director’s Featurette”
    -- “The Dangers of Shooting”
    -- “The Making of ”
    -- “VFX Featurette”
    -- “The Characters”
-- Trailers

KUNG FU YOGA reviewed; opens in theaters today

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Directed by Stanley Tong

Starring Jackie Chan, Aarif Rahman, Lay Zhang, Sonu Sood,

Disha Patani, Amrya Dastur, and Eric Tsang

China/India, 2017

Kung Fu Yoga, an action/adventure comedy starring Jackie Chan, opens in several theaters across the U.S. today, Friday, January 27th and will open in more on February 3rd. (Click here for my post listing the cities and theaters.) The film reunites Jackie with acclaimed director Stanley Tong, who directed him in Supercop (1992),  Rumble in the Bronx (1995) and Police Story 4: First Strike (a.k.a. Jackie Chan's First Strike, 1996).

Nothin' like an archaeology prof who knows how to fight

The film opens with a segment that has the look of video game CGI. It depicts a rivalry between two houses for rule of an Indian kingdom and the disappearance of treasure sent by Princess Gitanjali of Magadha to the Tang Emperor in 647 A.D.

Prof. Chan and his assistant Nuomin (Miu Qimiya) are both bedazzled by Ashimita's beauty

The film then fast-forwards to the present (no more CGI look, just straight live action), where renowned archaeology professor Jack Chan (Jackie, of course) is teaching a class. He and his team are approached by Dr. Ashmita (the super-lovely twenty-four year old Disha Patani, appearing here in just her third film), of the Palace Museum Research Institute of Rajasthan, India. She seeks his help in locating the long-lost treasure. Also seeking the treasure is Randall (Sonu Sood). He is a descendant of Arunasya, who was a would-be usurper of the throne of Magadha back in the day.

This shot explains why Chan and Nuomin were bedazzled. (Note Ashimita's "dimples")

At this point in his life, action comedy is the type of film that Jackie should be concentrating on. He just doesn't have the body to pull off really demanding stunts, or the acting chops for straight action drama (witness Railroad Tigers, also 2016). In Kung Fu Yoga, as in Chinese Zodiac (2012), he gets to perform less-demanding stunts, share some of the stunt/action load with younger supporting members of the cast, and to fully utilize his endearing personality. And, also as in Chinese Zodiac, the viewers -- and here I'm thinking primarily of us guys -- are treated to several very fine-looking young actresses, sometimes displaying a fair amount of skin.

Nuomin (Miu Qimiya) displays her own charms

It may not be a great movie, but Kung Fu Yoga does nicely display Jackie's current abilities and provides solid entertainment, including a Bollywood-like dance number.

AsianCineFest Rating: 3.5 out of 4 star; highly recommended; a most enjoyable action/adventure comedy.

List of U.S. theaters where KUNG FU YOGA will be opening next Friday

Well Go USA

Entertainment

presents

Directed by Stanley Tong

Starring Jackie Chan, Aarif Rahman, Lay Zhang, Sonu Sood,

Disha Patani, Amrya Dastur, and Eric Tsang

China/India, 2017

Here's the current list of theaters where Kung Fu Yoga is scheduled to open next Friday, January 27th and then expand to on February 3rd.

OPENING IN THEATERS JANUARY 27th

NEW YORK CITY

AMC Empire 25

234 West 42nd Street

New York, NY 10036

LOS ANGELES

AMC Atlantic Times Square

450 N Atlantic Blvd

Monterey Park, CA 91754

AMC Puente Hills 20

1560 South Azusa Avenue

City of Industry, CA 91748

AMC Orange 30

20 City Blvd West

Orange, CA 92868

BOSTON

AMC Loews Boston Common 19

175 Tremont St

Boston, MA 02111

CHICAGO

AMC River East 21

322 East Illinois Street

Chicago, IL 60611

PHOENIX

AMC Centerpoint 11

730 South Mill Ave

Tempe, AZ 85281

SAN FRANCISCO / BAY AREA

AMC Cupertino Square 16

10123 N Wolfe Rd

Cupertino, CA 95014

AMC Van Ness 14

1000 Van Ness Ave

San Francisco, CA 94109

SEATTLE

AMC Pacific Place 11

600 Pine Street - Ste 400

Seattle, WA 98101

OPENING FEBRUARY 3RD

INDIANA

AMC Showplace Bloomington 11

1351 S Colleg e Mall Rd

Bloomington, Indiana 47401

COLUMBUS

AMC Lennox Town Center 24

777 Kinnear Rd

Columbus, OH 43212

HOUSTON

AMC Studio 30

2949 Dunvale

Houston, TX 77063

SAN DIEGO

AMC Mission Valley 20

1640 Camino Del Rio N

San Diego, CA 92108

KUNG FU YOGA is coming to theaters on January 27th, 2017

Well Go USA

Entertainment

presents

Directed by Stanley Tong

Starring Jackie Chan, Aarif Rahman, Lay Zhang, Sonu Sood,

Disha Patani, Amrya Dastur, and Eric Tsang

China/India, 2017

Jack (Jackie Chan), a world-renowned archaeology professor, and his team are on a grand quest to locate a lost ancient Indian treasure when they are ambushed by a team of mercenaries and left for dead. Using his vast knowledge of history and kung fu, Jack leads his team on a race around the world to beat the mercenaries to the treasure and save an ancient culture in this breakneck action-comedy that reunites Chan with acclaimed director Stanley Tong (Rumble in the Bronx, Supercop). 

RAILROAD TIGERS opens in theaters today, Friday, January 6th, 2017

Well Go USA

Entertainment

Presents

Directed by Ding Sheng

Starring Jackie Chan, Huang Zitao, Wang Kai, Darren Wang 

China, 2016, 124 minutes

Railroad Tigers is an action-comedy set in China during World War II. It opens in thirty-six  theaters in major U.S. markets today, Friday, January 6th, 2017.

Ma Yuan (Jackie Chan) is a head porter at a railroad station in part of China occupied by the Japanese. He and several cohorts  (the titular "Railroad Tigers") have engaged in various small-time action against the Japanese, but nothing of any real consequence. They have an opportunity to change that when they learn that the Hanzhuang Bridge, along a major route vital to the Japanese for bringing supplies to their front line, must be destroyed. Although the Chinese Eighth Army Route soldiers have been unsuccessful in accomplishing this, Jackie and his rag-tag compatriots take on what looks to be a suicide mission.

Japanese aggression during WWII has been the subject of numerous Chinese (as well as Korean) films. Such movies seem find a receptive audience in these two countries, but they can seem like a worn out trope to North American audiences. Sad to say, such is the case here, because the film is weak in almost every regard. The story line is simple (as opposed, say, to the psychological complexities in the somewhat similarly themed The Bridge on the River Kwai), there's nothing compelling about the characters, the action (choreographed by He Jun) and stunts (performed by the Jackie Chan Stunt Team) are second-rate, and the CGI is not very good.

That the film has problems becomes evident in the first few minutes. As each character is introduced, the frame freezes and text, in Chinese and English, gives the characters name and occupation. In the case of several of the "Railroad Tigers," their catchphrase is also indicated. Do we really need to be told that Jackie's character's catchphrase is "Shut up!" when we will hear him say it several times in the course of the movie? Or that "Let's go!" is the catchphrase of Xiaohun, a railroad porter? This freeze frame introduction -- which visually brings the film to a screeching halt -- is employed for seventeen characters! Not good cinema technique at all.

No one should begrudge the fact that Jackie, who will be 62 years old this coming April, can't handle the kind of stunts and action sequences that he performed so brilliantly in years gone by. But it's kind of sad to see him in a film like this, in straight-up action sequences that are beyond his current abilities. With his terrific sense of timing and ability to poke fun at himself, he'd be better served at this stage of his career with more comedic fare. Perhaps the upcoming Kung Fu Yoga, coming to theaters January 27th, will showcase him to better advantage.

In the meanwhile, Railroad Tigers will probably only be of interest to die-had Jackie fans.

AsianCineFest Rating: 2 out of 4 stars; fair.

RAILROAD TIGERS opening in theaters on January 6th, 2017

Well Go USA

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Directed by Ding Sheng

Starring Jackie Chan, Huang Zitao, Wang Kai, Darren Wang 

China, 2016

In this action-comedy caper harkening back to Jackie Chan’s classic Hong Kong films, a railroad worker (Chan) and his ragtag group of freedom fighters find themselves on the wrong side of the tracks when they decide to ambush a heavily armed military train filled with desperately needed provisions. Unarmed and outnumbered, they must fight back against an entire army using only their wits, in a series of a dazzling set pieces and action scenes rivaling anything seen on the big screen.

AsianCineFest expects to have more information as the opening date approaches.

POLICE STORY: LOCKDOWN is available today from Well Go USA

Well Go USA Entertainment

Presents

Police Story: Lockdown / Jing cha gu shi 2013

Written and directed by Ding Shen

China/Hong Kong, 2013, 107 minutes

Police Story: Lockdown (a.k.a. by its world wide English title Police Story 2013) is the sixth and latest film in the franchise that began with the original Police Story in 1985. It's available today, Tuesday, August 11th on Blu-ray and DVD from Well Go USA Entertainment. (I watched the Blu-ray version.)

Captain Zhong (Jackie Chan) in one of the relatively few scenes not set in the Wu Bar

This time around Jackie is no longer a member of the Hong Kong police force. Instead, in a sign of the times, as well as the primacy of the mainland China market, he portrays a Beijing police captain named Zhong Wen. A widower, Zhong is an ultra-upright law enforcement officer who has put his professional duties ahead of his families needs. Consequently his daughter Miao Miao (actress Jing Tian) is estranged from him. Partially to spite her father, she's become involved with Wu Jiang (Liu Ye), the owner of the Wu Bar. This establishment -- in which the bulk of the film takes place -- is only partially remodeled from its earlier incarnation as a factory, leaving lots of exposed pipes and walkways.

Miao Miao (actress Jing Tian)

When Zhong goes to meet his daughter at the bar, things take an unexpected turn when he, Miao Miao, and a number of other patrons are taken prisoner. Their kidnapper (whose identity I won't give away) initially asks for a huge ransom, but then changes his demand. Zhong is place in the position of being the only one who can protect those being held.

Wu Jiang (Liu Ye)

The reason for the kidnapping turns out to be related to an incident that took place several years previously. The film gets very talkie in explaining this. There's also a somewhat complicated back-story about Wu and two members of his family.

There are a few action sequences, mainly of the fighting variety. These include Jackie in a cage fight and some Muay Thai matches that don't involve him.  Gone, however, are the kind of stunts and the employment of props that marked the first Police Story films, as well as most of Jackie's other movies, even including the recent Chinese Zodiac (2012). While I love and respect Jackie's numerous contributions, the fact is he's getting too old to carry this type of film on his own. Here, he looks tired and beat in ways beyond what the script calls for in terms of what happens to his character.

Miao Miao, without her red wig, and Zhong

For my money the Police Story franchise has gone downhill since Police Story 3: Supercop in which Michelle Yeoh came out of a five year retirement to give Jackie a run for his money stunt- and action-wise. Police Story: Lockdown does nothing to reverse that trend. Should there be any future installments, I expect they will only serve to further sully the image of a once-great series.

AsianCineFest Rating: 2.5 out of 4 stars; a bit better than fair, but not close to being really good.

DISC STATS

Audio Options:
-- Mandarin DTS HDMA or 2.0 Stereo
-- English DTS HDMA or 2.0 Stereo

Subtitles
-- English / Off

Bonus Features
-- Interviews:
  -- Director Ding Sheng
  -- Jackie Chan (Zhong Wen
  -- Actor Liu Ye (Wu Jiang)
  -- Actress Jing Tian (Miao Miao)
-- Behind the Scenes featurette
-- Police Story: Lockdown Trailer

Note: The press materials provided by Well Go USA refer to Police Story: Lockdown as "the fifth installment of the action-packed franchise." However, it's really the sixth. The series so far consists of:

- Police Story (1985)
- Police Story 2 (1988)
- Police Story 3: Supercop (1992)
- Police Story 4: First Strike (a.k.a. Jackie Chan's First Strike, 1996)
- New Police Story (2004)
- Police Story: Lockdown (2013, a.k.a. Police Story 2013)]

Happy Birthday wishes Jackie Chan!

AsianCineFest wishes to extend Happy Birthday wishes to Jackie Chan on the occasion of his 60th birthday. As an actor, director and producer, he has provided audiences with incredibly entertaining movies. It's hard to imagine anyone who has risked himself so often doing amazing stunts. And he pretty much created the sub-genres of comic kung-fu and action pictures.

Jackie receives his Lifetime Achievement Award from Goran Topalovic. Grady Hendrix is in the background, partially obscured by Samuel Jamier. Photo by Julie Cunnah.

For two wonderful days in June, 2013, Jackie was in New York City for three special events. On June 10th he received the Star Asia Lifetime Achievement Award at the Walter Reade Theater of the Film Society of Lincoln Center. The award was presented by Goran Topalovic of Subway Cinema, the group that began the New York Asian Film Festival more than ten years ago. The presentation followed an on-stage interview by Grady Hendrix, who, like Goran, was a founder of NYAFF. Afterwards there was a screening of Jackie's then newest film Chinese Zodiac.

Jackie handing me my copy of his autobiography, which he has just signed, after the press conference at the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office. Photo by Christopher Bourne.

The next morning, Jackie gave a press conference at the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office. I happened to have brought my copy of his autobiography, I Am Jackie Chan, with me and when he mentioned it in the course of giving an answer, I held it up. Afterwards, he graciously signed it for me.

Jackie cracks up La Frances Hui at Asia Society. Photo by C. Bay Milin.

That evening, Jackie was at Asia Society, where he was interviewed by La Frances Hui. Afterwards there was a screening of The Legend of the Drunken Master (1994).

Attending any of these events was a treat. I was most fortunate in that I was at all three!

So on this, his 60th birthday, AsianCineFest joins the many, many fans around the world in celebrating Jackie Chan and expressing appreciation for all he's given us.

ACF 1936: Jackie Chan Retrospective - SNAKE IN THE EAGLE'S SHADOW

Pai Cheng-Tien (Hsiao-Tien Yuan) and Chien Fu (Jackie Chan)

Went to see The Snake in Eagle's Shadow (1978) this afternoon. It was the first film playing in the Jackie Chan retrospective at the Munroe Film Center of the Film Society of Lincoln Center. It's about the deadly rivalry between the Snake and Eagle schools of Kung Fu.

The 35mm print was pretty faded with a yellowish-tan look overall, and had a fair number of scratches. So it was a bit of a grindhouse experience visually. But the reel(s) with the climactic fight at the end was in much better shape, which was very nice.

And, hey, it's Jackie in a great comic kung fu performance, the kind that would pretty much define his style for years to come, so I didn't really care all that much about these visual flaws. Plus it was directed by Yuen Wo-ping, probably best known to non-aficionados as the action director of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

All-in-all, it was a terrific experience, shared with a decent-sized and very enthusiastic, into it audience.

Complete information about the remaining films, showtimes, and ordering tickets for the thirteen film Jackie Chan retrospecte, which runs through Thursday, June 27th is available here.

ACF 1934: The Jackie Chan Experience film retrospective begins tomorrow

Just a quick reminder that "The Jackie Chan Experience," a five-day, thirteen-film retrospective of great films starring, and in some cases directed by, Jackie Chan begins tomorrow at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center of the Film Society of Lincoln Center. The films will be shown in 35 mm prints, except for the two Armour of God films and Miracles; these three will be shown as digital projections.

I'll be at the 12:30 screening of Snake in the Eagle's Shadow (1978) tomorrow and at several other screenings during the retro.

Complete information about the films, showtimes, and ordering tickets here.

"The Jackie Chan Experience" is dedicated to the memory of Daniel Anderson Craft, a film fan and director of Subway Cinema who died earlier this year. The retrospective is a co-presentation of the Film Society of Lincoln Center, the New York Asian Film Festival and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office.

ACF 1920: Fantastic Asian Film Trifecta coming to NY in June and July

Around this time of year I start experiencing two things. One is excitement in anticipation of the annual New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) and the JAPAN CUTS Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema. The other is a slight feeling of guilt because I get to cover and enjoy these outstanding events and many others, who would like to, can't. This year the situation is compounded by the addition of a thirteen film Jackie Chan retrospective that will run from June 23-27. Oh, and as Steve Jobs would say, just one more thing:

JACKIE CHAN IS COMING TO NEW YORK!!!!!

That's right, the great Jackie Chan will be in New York for two very, very special events. On Monday, June 10th, there will be "An Evening with Jackie Chan" at the Film Society of Lincoln Center, which will also be the site of the retrospective and once again of the NYAFF. Jackie will receive the NY Asian Film Festival's Star Asia Lifetime Achievement Award and there will be an onstage Q&A that will precede a premiere screening of Chinese Zodiac (2012), Jackie's 101st movie. The following evening, Asia Society will present "A Night with Jackie Chan." Another onstage Q&A will precede a screening of Drunken Master 2 (1994).

Not surprisingly, the initially available tickets for both of these events sold out almost immediately, although some additional tickets did later became available.

Fortunately, yours truly is set to attend both of these events, as well as to participate in a Chinese and English language press conference with Jackie that will take place late in the morning on the 11th. Needless to say, I'll be  coveraging these events as much as I can both here and at the VCinema website.

As far as the Jackie Chan Retrospective goes, ten of the films will be shown as 35 mm prints; only Armour of God (1986) , Armour of God 2: Operation Condor (1991), and Miracles (a.k.a. Mr. Canton & Lady Rose, 1989) will be digital projections. Synopses all the films that will be shown, as well as ticket and showtime information, can be found here; for a direct link to the schedule alone, click here.

The 12th New York Asian Film Festival will run from June 28th, the day after the Jackie Chan Retrospective ends, through July 15th. Sixty-three films are scheduled to be shown (59 features and 4 shorts). There will be 3 world premieres, 5 international premieres, 21 North American premiers, 4 U.S. premieres, and 13 other films making their NY City debuts! Awards will be presented, directors, actors, and actresses are sure to be in attendance, and there will be five areas of special focus: Korean actor Ryoo Seung-Beom; Manilla Chronicles: The New Filipino Cinema; Hong Kong Cinema Now & Beyond; Taiwan Pulp: Tales of Gangsters, Female Avengers, and Ninjas!; and a spotlight on Asian film distributor Well Go USA. Read more about the 2013 NYAFF offerings and events here.

As this time there isn't a great deal of information about this year's JAPAN CUTS film festival. I have been informed that it is scheduled to run from July 11-21. As has been the case in the past, JAPAN CUTS and NYAFF will co-present some films, and the two series will overlap from July 11-14. Japan Society's Samuel Jamier (who also is on the Subway Cinema team that puts together NYAFF) will again curate JAPAN CUTS. He expects there to be about twenty-five films altogether for this series. I'll be providing further information about JAPAN CUTS after it becomes available.

As was the case last year, Colleen Wanglund and I will be providing the lion's share of VCinema's onsite coverage of NYAFF and JAPAN CUTS, though other staff writers will also be contributing some reviews. Many of the films that will be screened will subsequently be shown at other festivals, get theatrical releases, and/or come out on DVD (maybe even Blu-ray!). This, in part, is why these festivals are so important.

So look forward to pretty extensive coverage both here at AsianCineFest and at VCinema. What with the Jackie Chan Retrospective as well, it's going to be an intense 29 or 30 days coming up for all us Asian film fans.

ACF 1860: Happy Kung Fu Birthday wishes to Jackie Chan!

Jackie Chan was born 59 years ago today in Victoria Peak, Hong Kong. As a young child he was apprenticed a Chinese opera school, where Sammo Hung was an "elder brother" and which Yuen Biao also attended. The three later starred together in several movies, such as My Lucky Stars (1985) and Dragons Forever (1988). At the school Jackie learned acrobatics, singing, and martial arts.

Rumble in the Bronx (1995)

Based on his ability to perform amazing stunts and to portray likeable characters in Hong Kong action and action/comedy films, Jackie became one of the most popular stars of international cinema. For many years he unsuccessfully tried to break into the U.S. mainstream. His earliest attempt was in Battle Creek Brawl (1980), also known as The Big Brawl. He finally achieved success in this regard with Rush Hour (1998) and again with Shanghai Noon (2000).

Mr. Nice Guy (1997)

In 2010 he co-starred with Jaden Smith in the remake of The Karate Kid, which I thought was a fine re-imagining of the 1984 original that starred Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio. (Of course, it more correctly should have been titled "The Kung Fu Kid," but I believe there were issues that necessitated keeping the same title in the remake.) Not too long ago Jackie could be seen on U.S. television in V-8 commercials, which reference certain scenes from his movies. (Watch one here.)

Jackie Chan's First Strike (1996)

His success in English-language films has not precluded him from continuing to make Asian films as well, such as Shaolin and 1911, both of which came out in 2011. While he's getting a bit "long in the tooth" for some of the more demanding stunts for which he became famous, he still has the capacity to please, entertain, and amaze, both in live-action films and in doing voice overs for such films as Kung Fu Panda (2008) and its sequel.


So, Happy Birthday, Jackie, and many, many, many happy returns to the big screen!

ACF 1420: Happy Birthday, Jackie!

Jackie Chan was born 58 years ago today in Victoria Peak, Hong Kong. As a young child he was apprenticed a Chinese opera school, where Sammo Hung was an "elder brother" and which Yuen Biao also attended. The three later starred together in several movies, such as My Lucky Stars (1985) and Dragons Forever (1988). At the school Jackie learned acrobatics, singing, and martial arts.

Rumble in the Bronx (1995)

Based on his ability to perform amazing stunts and to portray likeable characters in Hong Kong action and action/comedy films, Jackie became one of the most popular stars of international cinema. For many years he unsuccessfully tried to break into the U.S. mainstream. His earliest attempt was in Battle Creek Brawl (1980), also known as The Big Brawl. He finally achieved success in this regard with Rush Hour (1998) and again with Shanghai Noon (2000).

Mr. Nice Guy (1997)

In 2010 he co-starred with Jaden Smith in the remake of The Karate Kid, which I thought was a fine re-imagining of the 1984 original that starred Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio. (Of course, it more correctly should have been titled "The Kung Fu Kid," but I believe there were issues that necessitated keeping the same title in the remake.) Currently Jackie can be seen on U.S. television in V-8 commercials, which reference certain scenes from his movies. (Watch one here.)

Jackie Chan's First Strike (1996)

His success in English-language films has not precluded him from continuing to make Asian films as well, such as Shaolin and 1911, both of which came out in 2011. While he's getting a bit "long in the tooth" for some of the more demanding stunts for which he became famous, he still has the capacity to please, entertain, and amaze, both in live-action films and in doing voice overs for such films as Kung Fu Panda (2008) and its sequel.

So, Happy Birthday, Jackie, and many, many, many happy returns to the big screen!

P.S. - There's probably no better way to  celebrate Jackie's birthday than to order your ticket for the special screening of Police Story (1985) at the Walter Reade theater of the Film Society of Lincoln Center on Monday at 6:15 PM. Info here.

ACF 1412: Special screening of POLICE STORY next Monday

© 2010 Fortune Star Media Limited.  All Rights Reserved

Police Story

Directed by Jackie Chan

Hong Kong, 1985, 101 minutes, 35mm

When Monday, April 9, 2012 at 6:15 PM

Where: The Film Society of Lincoln Center

Walter Reade Theater

165 West 65th Street, NYC 

Co-presented by New York Asian Film Festival

Buy Tickets

As part of the Film Society of Lincoln Center's ongoing series 50 Years of the New York Film Festival, there will be a special, single screening of Jackie Chan's POLICE STORY next Monday. The film was shown at the 1987 NYFF.

Here's what the FSLC has to say about it:

Cited by Jackie Chan as his personal favorite among his more than 100 feature films, Police Story marked the action superstar’s triumphant return to his home turf after an ill-fated attempt to break into the American market, and paired him with two equally legendary leading ladies of the 1980s Hong Kong new wave: Maggie Cheung and Brigitte Lin. The plot—which serves mainly to carry us from one magnificent, death-defying set piece to the next—finds Chan’s honest cop, Chan Ka-Kui, pursuing a triad kingpin while trying to protect the kingpin’s imperiled secretary (Lin) and assuaging the jealousy of his own girlfriend (Cheung). On wheels and on foot, through layers of glass and concrete he goes, resulting in several of the most crazily balletic, duly celebrated sequences in the Chan canon—including Jackie’s perilous dangle from a speeding bus with nothing more than an umbrella for support. Take that, Gene Kelly!

“Superb, unpretentious entertainment from one of the world’s two remaining centers of truly popular cinema, Hong Kong.” —NYFF25 program note

“In Police Story Jackie’s manic urge to make the scene maximally gripping is itself a little scary. Nonetheless, when a director isn’t afraid of tapping the real power of movies, a fight scene can give us an adrenalin transfusion. Who needs 3-D?” —David Bordwell, Observations on Film Art

ACF 972: Happy Birthday, Jackie Chan!

Jackie Chan was born 57 years ago today in Victoria Peak, Hong Kong. As a young child he was apprenticed to the same Chinese opera school, where Sammo Hung was an "elder brother" and which Yuen Biao also attended. The three later starred together in several movies, such as My Lucky Stars (1985) and Dragons Forever (1988). At the school Jackie learned acrobatics, singing, and martial arts.

Rumble in the Bronx (1995)

Based on his ability to perform amazing stunts and to portray likeable characters in Hong Kong action and action/comedy films, Jackie became one of the most popular stars of international cinema. For many years he unsuccesfully tried to break into the U.S. mainstream. His earliest attempt was in Battle Creek Brawl (1980), also known as The Big Brawl. He finally achieved success in this regard with Rush Hour (1998) and again with Shanghai Noon (2000).

Mr. Nice Guy(1997)

Last year, he co-starred with Jaden Smith in the remake of The Karate Kid, which I thought was a fine re-imagining of the 1984 original that starrd Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio. (Of course, it more correctly should have been titled "The Kung Fu Kid," but I believe there were issues that necessitated keeping the same title in the remake.)

Jackie Chan's First Strike (1996)

His succeess in English-language films has not precluded him from making continuing to make Asian films as well. While he's getting a bit "long in the tooth" for some of the more demanding stunts for which he became famous, he still has the capacity to please, entertain, and amaze, both in live-action films and in doing voice overs for such films as Kung Fu Panda and its sequel, which is due out this year.

So, Happy Birthday, Jackie, and many, many, many happy returns to the big screen!