Editor's Note: I came across John Snadden's Facebook page recently and noted its sharp reports on new Chinese films going through the Melbourne multiplexes. This is the first re-post of the notes and I hope to keep them coming. Thanks John.
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| Battle of Memories |
A quick catch-up on the new Mainland pic BATTLE OF
MEMORIES (Leste Chen, China, 2017) which is showing in Melbourne's multiplexes at the moment. In short,
it's an ungainly cinema stew of film/literary references such as ETERNAL
SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, Philip K. Dick, THE TIME MACHINE (pick your
version), William Gibson and a rushed Agatha Christie plot. Sounds pretentious,
eh? I tell you it's too silly to be pretentious and all summed up perfectly by
a line of dialogue during a heated three way conversation: "Can someone
tell me what is happening here?!"
BATTLE OF MEMORIES might sound and feel silly but
it does look tremendous with top-notch production design which goes a long way
in producing the often required steampunk style of this movie.
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| Love off the Cuff |
Pang Ho-Cheung's new pic LOVE OFF THE CUFF is now
on release in Melbourne as is Andy Lau's latest law and order feature SHOCK
WAVE* helmed by veteran Canto film-maker Herman Yau (THE UNTOLD STORY, 1993, IP
MAN: THE FINAL FIGHT, 2013).
Apart from the not very convincing wigs the stars wear, DRUG WARN (aka DEALER/HEALER), (probably opening 25 May simultaneous with China) could be a pretty good new release HK crime drama. It stars stars Lau Ching-Wan, Louis Koo and Gordon Lam and is directed by veteran film-maker Lawrence Lau (QUEEN OF TEMPLE STREET, SPACKED-OUT, TACTICAL UNIT: NO WAY OUT). Much of the film seems to be set in the 1970s and takes place in the criminal enclave of the Walled City.
* For another more extended enthusiastic report on SHOCK WAVE by veteran Sydney supercinephile Barrie Pattison click here.
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