Agreement:91% of 134 voters agree with William Giordanella's reviews Gender: Male Location: Byron Georgia
Bio: I really prefer the older movies and I've been watching alot of Fu Sheng and Ti Lung films lately. No matter how many films I watch, my favorite is still Sammo.
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Shaolin Temple Strikes Back (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure This is a terrific old school martial arts film! Mark Lung is awesome playing the drunken monk, but Chen San is equally good as an evil general looking to steal the princess from the grips of the Shaolin monks. I had never seen Wong Goon- hung before, but he is also good as a young bodyguard to the princess. I highly recommend this film for those that like old school kung fu movies featuring training scenes and tons of fights.
Shaolin Ex-Monk (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure This isn't Liu's best, but it is an above average old school flick. The comedy is hit or miss in this one--sometimes it works and sometimes it just falls flat. Still, Liu's kicking style is used a lot (which is always a plus), and he even shows some pretty quick hands in this one. Nothing really out of the ordinary as far as the training scenes go, but what elevates this from your standard flick is the interesting mystery storyline in this (which I won't ruin for those who haven't seen it). Throw in Mark Long and you have a pretty good old school flick.
Two Toothless Tigers (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure What a shame!! This film has only one fight during the first 50 minutes. It also has some terribly unfunny comedy. However, once Wang Lung Wei enters the movie, everything changes and this flick turns into some of Sammo's best work I've seen. This one is hard to find but I recommend any fan of old school martial arts to find it. Just have patience through the first half and you'll be happy you did.
Young Hero Of Shaolin (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure This version works for me. Shut Bo Wa is no Jet Li, but you knew that going in. Lots of cool training scenes and a pretty solid plot. Recommended for the old school folks out there.
Shaolin Invincible Sticks (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure I'm split on this one. On one hand the performances of Wong Tao, Hsia Kwan lee, Kam Kong and Chang Yi are solid (Chang Yi is downright awesome). On the other hand, the excrutiatingly unfunny comedy and terrible limey dubbing [in the version I watched] almost ruin it for me. This could have been great had they stuck to the plotline and left out the comedy. Recommended only if you have nothing else to watch.
I'm tempted to give this only 2 1/2 stars due to bad comedy, a wandering plot, and the abundance of ugly characters: the imbecile, the shrewish aunt, the oafish "brother." Wong Tao elevated the movie. Some good fights.
Bastard Swordsman (product link) Martial Arts / Swordplay/Sword(s) Normally, nobody complains more about wirework than me, but this movie is so well done that you can't help but sit back and enjoy. Everything about it works for me with the exception of the silkworm stuff at the very end, which was just a little too overboard, which is why I knocked off 1/2 a star. If you go into this film expecting a wuxia fantasy, you'll be happliy impressed. If you are expecting a realistic martial arts swordplay movie, look elsewhere. Highly recommended if you want something a little different.
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Exactly right. I prefer realistic martial arts,but this film is a kick.
36 Crazy Fists (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure This film has everything one could hate in a kung fu movie: a teacher that speaks with a chipmunk voice, cartoon sound effects when people get hit, poor film quality, and the list goes on. However, the action and acrobatics of the lead actor are actually pretty decent and the story isn't bad, although nothing we haven't seen before. Don't look for Jackie Chan in this one either. I guess another big plus is that this is a relatively short movie. I don't recommend this one unless you have nothing else to watch.
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The title was clearly an attempt to cash in on Jackie's name
Chinese Super Ninja (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure If you like old school Kung Fu with a lot of action, then this movie is for you. It has lots of great fighting scenes and is really a fun movie. The plot may seem a little hokey, but the action more then makes up for what may lack in the plot. Definitely recommend.
The Flag Of Iron (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Not the best Venoms movie, but still worth seeing. The action scenes are very good, but the constant dialogue slows the movie down. Venoms fans will see a lot of familiar faces.
The World Of Drunken Master (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure It would be pretty hard to make a bad movie with Jack Long, Mark Long and Simon Yuen in it. Although Drunken style isn't one of my favorites, this is a very good movie. Tons of action. Highly recommended.
The Shadow Whip (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure "The Shadow Whip" is more story-driven than action-driven, and I found this to be quite enjoyable. Cheng Pei-Pei is very good in this, although as one reviewer stated, a whip is not the most terrifying of weapons. Regardless, this one is definitely worth checking out.
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Cheng Pei-Pei was 24 when she made this: Very appealing then, and very appealing now, at 63.
Ip Man (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Terrific story, great acting, and some awesome fight scenes make this a must-have for martial arts fans. Even those that don't care for Donnie Yen will appreciate the fantastic job he does in this film. This is definitely Yen's shining moment in his career thus far.
Iron Monkey [1993] (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure As a fan of old school [kung fu], there was a lot for me to dislike in this movie. Non-stop flying around wirework and sped up fights are just two things that normally drive me crazy about martial arts movies. It just baffles me why anyone would have to "speed up" a guy as fast as Donnie Yen!
Now that I have that out of my system, I have to admit that this movie does have a lot of cool fights; and had they decided to keep this a little "purer", that may have made this 4 1/2 stars. I also must say that the story was very interesting as well.
As a sidenote, this movie has nothing to do with the Chen Kuan Tai classic of the same name.
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I agree on every count. Wires bite but this movie is awesome. Good point about speeding up Donnie too. He was like the Flash on a gallon of red bull.
I agree with your rating, and you have every right to dislike wire-fu, but I think wirework and supernatural abilities are very much a part of the old school (1920s-60s) Hong Kong wuxia.
City Of Darkness (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Although Donnie Yen's picture is displayed on the box, he really has a small role in this one. On the plus side, there are tons of fights in this flick and most of them are very good. I knocked a 1/2 star off for some misplaced childish humor and unneccesary wirework. I also deducted another 1/2 star off for a very disappointing ending. If you like your kung fu flicks for non-stop action, you'll like this, but this is by no means perfect.
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Very true. Not perfect but still quite good. i wonder what happened to some of the younger actors in this that seemed to disappear from movies after this one.
The Kung Fu Emperor (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure A snoozer from Ti Lung. This may be his worst movie. I'm a big Ti Lung fan, but I can't recommend this, unless like me you just want to add it to your collection.
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yea, definately a dud but I still think Inheritor of Kung Fu was his biggest bomb
The Avenging Eagle (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure One of the best Fu Sheng - Ti Lung collaborations. I actually liked the storyline, and the action was very good. Highly recommended.
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Ti Lung is his usual excellent self, and Fu Sheng gives a much more fully formed character than usual. I like this quite a bit.
Five Fingers Of Death (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure This is a pretty good movie, and it was fun to see Lo Lieh playing the hero instead of the villain. Not nearly as bad as many reviewers have said.
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Lo Lieh does a great job in a rare heroic role. The choreography shows its age, but so what? It's very worthwhile.
Drunken Master 2 (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure I'm always critical when Jackie puts comedy in his movies, but the comedy in this one is really funny and the fight scenes are amazing. This is an all time classic! Highly Recommended.
Grand Master Of Death (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Great movie starring Alexander Fu Sheng as the only person willing to stand up to the thugs in his village. Wang Lung Wei is an awesome villain with help from Leung Kar Yan (Beardy). My only complaint was the director's choice to stop the action in the end fight between Wei and Fu Sheng to flashback to show Fu Sheng training. Highly recommended.
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A good story and perfect casting. Fu Sheng's characters could be annoyingly naive, but I really like this one.
Alexander Fu Shing is one of my favorite martial arts stars, he really excels in this film as the only guy not intimidated by a bunch of thugs. Wang Lung Wei as usual is a great villain, as you stated this is a great film!
Blade Of Fury (product link) Martial Arts / Swordplay/Sword(s) I didn't care for this one at all. I can handle the flying and jumping around if it is done well, but it just looks ridiculous in this movie. The movie seems to drag on forever (I fell asleep twice watching it) and is just not interesting. I give it two stars only for Ti Lung, but even he can't save this one.
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The film is difficult to follow, somehow, and perhaps not worth the effort.
The Shaolin Avengers [1976] (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure This is a great movie, but it sure felt like I had seen some of the exact scenes in "Men From The Monastery". Nevertheless, Fu Sheng and Chi Kuan-Chun make a great team once again. Highly recommended.
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The plot has been recycled many times, but these stars give excellent performances. I recommend this highly.
The Savage 5 (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure This movie definitely has the feel of a spaghetti western, including the background music. I would have preferred if they didn't bring guns into the storyline toward the end, but that's a minor complaint. This film is really cool and the action is quite good also.
Dragon Fist (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure One of Jackie's better movies. I recommend it over a lot of his silly comedy movies.
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It's the first film I know of in which JC played it straight. Considering his relative youth at the time, he did a very good job of the dramatic end: It goes without saying the action is high quality.
The Iron Monkey [1977] (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Chen Kuan Tai's performance is what stands out in this movie. This story has been told many times before, but he makes it worth watching. Definitely recommended for those that like old school kung fu.
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Without Chen Kuan Tai, this would have been very ordinary. With him, it's quite good.
Avenging Warriors Of Shaolin (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure It's kinda hard not to like a movie with Lo Meng, Phillip Kwok, Lu Feng and Chiang Sheng in it. Great action, and if you are a Venoms fan you'll enjoy this one.
Killer Army [Ground Zero] (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure If you're a Venoms fan, you'll love this movie. If you're not a Venoms fan (???), you'll still enjoy this movie. Phillip Kwok, Chiang Sheng, Lo Fung and my favorite Lo Meng are all here. Loads of action and a solid plot, although with the Venoms, the plot is not neccesarily that important. Very, very good movie and highly recommended.
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I don't really care for non-Venoms fans' opinions! This isn't my favorite Venoms film, but nearly all of them are quite good.
The Naval Commandos (product link) Action/Adventure / War First and foremost, it must be said that this is more of a war/espionage movie than a martial arts movie. There is some martial arts action, but considering the cast, it could be a little disappointing to some to see such little martial arts action. The cast is top notch, with David Chiang, Ti Lung, Fu Sheng, and some Venoms thrown in to boot. If you go in understanding this is a war picture I think you will enjoy it because it is quite good. Just don't expect non-stop martial arts mayhem.
Millionaires' Express (product link) Action/Adventure / Martial Arts There's very little action in this movie until the very end. The comedy was actually okay, but I thought there would be a lot more action.
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I liked this much more than you did. The action seemed sufficient, and the stunt cameos were worthwhile.
Drunken Monkey (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure This is a tough one to rate. Lau Kar Leung and Gordon Liu (in a small role) are outstanding and fun to watch. The younger cast mates are trying but this movie just seems to drag too much in the middle to be considered anything more then average.
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Director Lau's handling of himself and the veteran actors was quite good; His handling of the three young co-stars was awkward and unfunny.
I'm with you and Mad Monkey on this one. This flick just failed to utilize its full potential. I also agree that t is not total garbage. It does have a degree of charm but it is altogether just so-so.
I concur. This movie was hailed as the first real martial arts movie of the millennium done in old-school style. It was a huge disappointment. I thought the choreography was lackluster. It should have been great, combining monkey & drunken kung fu.
Versus (product link) Martial Arts / Horror This movie has it all: zombies, gangsters, cool fights; and it's quite unique. My only complaint, and it is a minor one, is that it loses a litle steam towards the end but soon picks back up. Highly recommended if you want to watch something just a little different.
Painted Skin [2008] (product link) Ghost / Drama As I sit down to write this review, I have to admit I'm not really sure what I just watched. This flick is part horror, part fantasy, part love story, a little martial arts thrown in, some wire work...it's just all over the place. But I have to admit, it kept my interest throughout and was never boring, even though I often wondered "where the hell is this movie going?" If you're looking for something a little different, I recommend you pick this up. However, make sure you keep an open mind when watching it.
Hanuman: The White Monkey Warrior (product link) Martial Arts / Fantasy Let's see...the story was confusing and dumb, the martial arts were lame and CGI-infused, and the only way you could tell that the lead was "The White Monkey Warrior" was because he scratched behind his ears like a monkey from time to time. Throw in some bad acting and you get a movie that I recommend you stay away from at all costs. Don't say I didn't warn you.
The Good, The Bad, The Weird (product link) Action/Adventure / Western I think if you could have taken the better parts of this film and the better parts of "Sukiyaki Western Django", you could have had one hell of a flick. I found both films to be uneven, despite the fact that both had their moments and both were indeed fun. I do recommend this film, although it could have been better and a lot shorter.
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A very strange film, but 3.5 stars-worthy: It has its moments.
Flying Dragon, Leaping Tiger (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure I'm surprised more people haven't seen this, because it's very good! I love when Sammo cuts back on the comedy and tweaks up the action instead. There is some wirework but it doesn't detract from the story. If you can find this, get it. You won't be disappointed.
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This was a good movie .I particularly enjoy the desert setting.
One Armed Swordsmen (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure A really cool idea executed to perfection by Wang Yu and David Chiang. Throw in a minor performance by the always great Lo Lieh and you have a movie that doesn't disappoint. Highly recommended.
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I WANT A WIDESCREEN RELEASE! And I HATE VIDEO ASIA! :)
Five Superfighters (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure This is really a fun "old school" kung fu movie. I thoroughly enjoyed the villain known as the "Kung Fu Corrector". The action was good and the comedy didn't ruin the flow of the movie (like some kung fu comedies so often do). Highly recommended.
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The quality of the martial arts makes up for some budget and set decorating weaknesses.
The Magnificent Butcher (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Another great performance by Sammo. This is one of his better movies. I balk at saying it's the greatest kung fu movie of all time, but this is an excellent flick. Highly recommended.
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I'd go so far as to say it's the best film starring Sammo Hung - and that's saying quite a bit.
Shaolin Martial Arts (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Not bad, but not really good either. I just couldn't get into this one. I felt Gordon Liu was wasted and Fu Sheng's performance was just okay. A lot of time between fights [was spent with] Fu Sheng flirting with a girl. Only recommended if you're a Fu Sheng fan or you're topping off your Gordon Liu collection.
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I'm a sucker for the "train hard and get revenge" genre, and like the cast. Yes, the plot is rather episodic, but that's OK.
The Buddhist Fist (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Awesome movie! A kung fu classic. The last fight scene alone is worth the price of admission. Highly recommended!!!
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I wouldn't go to five stars, but this film is a lot of fun.
Five Deadly Venoms (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure This movie belongs in every kung fu fan's collection. This is classic stuff!! I highly recommend getting a remastered version if possible. Great movie.
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This was in the first five HK films I bought, and it is still one of the best. The Celestial and other Chinese language versions are much better than the English dub.
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