December 16, 2013

The Lady Assassin (Quang Dung Nguyen, 2013)

The Lady Assassin, a martial arts blockbuster, is my first Vietnamese film. A light Sunday night screening at this year’s Fantasia Festival, it was attended by a notable number of people from Montreal’s Vietnamese community. Billed as a Vietnamese wu xia, in the film, a princess sold in marriage is taken in by a team of high-flying, ass—kicking, thieving assassins […]
November 28, 2010

Bodyguards and Assassins (Teddy Chan, 2009)

In Bodyguards and Assassins, Chinese patriots pledge their lives to safeguard a revolutionary named Dr. Sun as assassins are sent to kill him.
November 24, 2010

A Frozen Flower (Ha Yu, 2008)

I’ve heard good things about the Korean film, A Frozen Flower. Outside from the gorgeous production value and box-office success, it has also been heralded for its inclusion of homosexuality in a period setting. I was hoping I would get to see it at this year’s festival and was glad to see it on the schedule, even if for only […]
March 26, 2013

Starry Starry Night (Tom Lin, 2011)

Starry Starry Night is a coming-of-age story of love and adventure. And, thanks to some interesting formal elements, it’s an enjoyable viewing.
November 28, 2010

Woochi (Dong-hoon Choi, 2009)

Woochi starts out as a magic-driven wuxia-like set in the Joseon era in Korea, but segues into an unsophisticated popular fare.