Moderator One Armed Boxer Posted May 2, 2013 Moderator Share Posted May 2, 2013 We all have those movies that we know we should hate, not least because everyone else does, but for some reason we find ourselves inexplicably enjoying them. I thought I'd create a thread for people to list their own guilty pleasures, and what is it about them that somehow makes them find their way into your DVD player more often than they should - 1. China Strike Force (2000) - Yes, it's got Coolio as the main villain who spends the whole movie yelling "I could get used to this shit!", yes it gets rid of the two main fighting talents - Mark Dacascos & Kim Won-jin - in completely unsatisfying style. But...it does have some fantastic vehicle stunts including an F1 car vs a Lamborghini, & a motorbike jumping onto the back of a bus. Not to mention a killer 3-way final fight on a suspended piece of glass hanging from a crane high above the city, I still want to know how this was filmed! OEqFoFT3DmY 2. Heroes Shed No Tears (1983) - This early John Woo movie set in Vietnam often gets written off as just Woo finding his feet, and it's well known to be re-cut from his original vision, but I still find it thoroughly enjoyable. It's surprisingly vicious for a Woo movie, with one poor guy getting impaled on a set of nasty looking spikes, and poor Eddie Ko even having his eye lids sewn open at one point. However above all, this movie has Lam Ching Ying as a psychotic one-eyed general, which immediately makes it a priceless viewing experience. biM2WSe9Bz4 3. High Risk (1995) - Made by Wong Jing as a cheap stab at Jackie Chan after the two of them didn't get along particularly well during the making of 'City Hunter', I actually find 'High Risk' to be surprisingly fun. Jet Li acts as the talent behind Jacky Cheung's action star persona, but when a building is taken over by terrorists (think 'Die Hard'), plenty of fisty cuffs and gun action get unleashed, including a car tearing through the lobby while shooting up the scenery. Throughout the movie there's the type of manic HK action which just doesn't exist anymore. cHjP1fZwx3U 4. Lethal Panther 2 (1993) - Normally the words Yukari Oshima, Philip Ko Fei, & the Philippines should be enough of a warning for people to stay away, however there's something about this collaboration between them that I find ridiculously entertaining. Be it the endless gun fights, ripped off set pieces from other movies, and hilarious wirework (at one point Oshima actually flies across the width of the screen while firing a maching gun!), 'Lethal Panther 2' is low budget action trash, but it's my type of trash. NzBOzc9bd3s 5. Naked Weapon (2002) - Yes it's a completely derivative rehash of its predecessor 'Naked Killer', but in spite of this it does contain endless laughable English dialogue, Daniel Wu giving us an ultra-rare display of his wu-shu skills, & Maggie Q in a topless scene. As if that wasn't enough, there's a fight scene were she balances on her opponents head with one leg while the camera spins around them, what more could you want? Lw1GrVUHU3M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Drunken Monk Posted May 2, 2013 Member Share Posted May 2, 2013 Great thread. I always find guilty pleasures an interesting topic as it's fun to reveal what we really shouldn't, haha. My number one... I really, really really love "City Hunter." I'm a fan of everything to do with the film: the comedy, the fight scenes, the characters and yes, even that bizarre "Will this ever end?" musical number. I'm not entirely sure why I love it but I do. It just doesn't grate on me at all. I find myself laughing throughout and enjoying the action sequences. What's even worse is that I love the dub track. When Peter Lai does his, "Crane, white tiger, dragon, claaaaaaaw!" I break out in hysterics. Oh god, what's wrong with me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member TibetanWhiteCrane Posted May 2, 2013 Member Share Posted May 2, 2013 I have no guilt when it comes to pleasure... if I like something, I like it... and there is no guilt, shame or embarrassment attached. Most people I know think that my taste in movies is weird, since it isn't the latest hollywood mainstream crap, and I couldn't give less of a fuck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Drunken Monk Posted May 2, 2013 Member Share Posted May 2, 2013 I have no guilt when it comes to pleasure... if I like something, I like it... and there is no guilt, shame or embarrassment attached. Most people I know think that my taste in movies is weird, since it isn't the latest hollywood mainstream crap, and I couldn't give less of a fuck. I think "guilty pleasure" is more of a buzz term. It should be translated to "films you love but other people would think you're weird for loving." I don't think there's any literal guilt involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member OpiumKungFuCracker Posted May 2, 2013 Member Share Posted May 2, 2013 I have no guilt when it comes to pleasure... if I like something, I like it... and there is no guilt, shame or embarrassment attached. Most people I know think that my taste in movies is weird, since it isn't the latest hollywood mainstream crap, and I couldn't give less of a fuck. That's the way I feel man.. If I like something why should I feel guilty or afraid to admit something I like and they don't? I never understood guilty pleasure unless Guilty meaning you're a fan of Michael Bay and I can understand why someone would be afraid to admit that because Michael Bay has as much talent as a Scandinavian hooker during the Cold War. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member TibetanWhiteCrane Posted May 2, 2013 Member Share Posted May 2, 2013 Whoa.... we had some mighty fine hookers here in Scandinavia ..... or so i've been told. Oh and props on the Merenda avatar.... I love that guy! Well, DM... if it's movies that other people think im weird for loving, then that about constitutes 86% of my collection. I always hear like... "Why are you watching a Molly Ringwald movie from the 80's?" eeeh, because Farmer Ted is fucking awesome, and because I felt like it, mofo! or "Chuck Norris is lame!" Yes, you are correct, Chuck Norris IS lame... however... Ranger J.J. McQuade, Maj. Scott McCoy, Col. James Braddock and Agent Matt Hunter ARE NOT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShaOW!linDude Posted May 2, 2013 Member Share Posted May 2, 2013 Well, let's see.... #5 --- a toss up between Brave starring Mike B (because so many find him to be annoying and unoriginal in his fight sequences, though I would beg to differ) giXrOAZtjaE and Fatal Contact starring Wu Jing (because so many feel he can't act and that the fights in this were bland as well). wDQ_p3wU0oc #4 --- Never Back Down (I really enjoy the fights in this though the premise is wholly unlikely. Yes, it's schmaltzy, but I can't help it.) _JIiXPBm_bE #3 --- Bangkok Adrenaline (So many hate on this because there are many instances where stuntmen are standing around waiting to get hit as well as the break-dance fighting. True. I still think it's full of good stuff though.) gkdamlzTUtU #2 --- The Protector starring Jackie Chan (I don't understand why some can't stand this film. I guess it's special to me because it's the 1st JC film I ever saw and it blew me away. I like the HK version, especially the extra added footage to the end fight with Bill Wallace, but I think the US version is great.) 3f_vTpJKpU4 And my #1 guilty pleasure is....Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li starring Kristin Kreuk (Yes, it's a bad plot; yes, the training sequences are goofy; yes, some of the fights aren't very good. But I find KK to be fun to watch. She's cute, sells her fights, and shows potential...to me anyway.) eNRuX8aGGus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member TibetanWhiteCrane Posted May 2, 2013 Member Share Posted May 2, 2013 Never understood the hatred for Fatal Contact.... sure there is some wonky looking wirework now and then, but other than that it's pretty entertaining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member blue_skies Posted May 2, 2013 Member Share Posted May 2, 2013 I guess when I read this thread idea the first title that came to mind was Naked Weapon but to be fair I usually think of guilty pleasures movies coming from movie snobs who say they only like Oscar-winning, critically acclaimed and/or foreign dramas and really don't want to admit they love something like Top Gun. And before anyone jumps in I love Top Gun so I'm not dissing it. By the way OAB & SD I don't think Heroes Shed No Tears, Bangkok Adrenaline,and Fatal Contact should be classed as guilty pleasures. Not sure what my other guilty pleasures could be??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Drunken Monk Posted May 2, 2013 Member Share Posted May 2, 2013 Never understood the hatred for Fatal Contact.... sure there is some wonky looking wirework now and then, but other than that it's pretty entertaining. Agreed. I think both the fights and the drama work quite well and I'm happy to label it as a very solid watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member fatcat Posted May 2, 2013 Member Share Posted May 2, 2013 Whoa.... we had some mighty fine hookers here in Scandinavia ..... or so i've been told. Oh and props on the Merenda avatar.... I love that guy! Well, DM... if it's movies that other people think im weird for loving, then that about constitutes 86% of my collection. I always hear like... "Why are you watching a Molly Ringwald movie from the 80's?" eeeh, because Farmer Ted is fucking awesome, and because I felt like it, mofo! or "Chuck Norris is lame!" Yes, you are correct, Chuck Norris IS lame... however... Ranger J.J. McQuade, Maj. Scott McCoy, Col. James Braddock and Agent Matt Hunter ARE NOT! Molly Ringwald from the 80s!!! I thought I was the only one:tongue: .... thinking about it a little longer, I guess all of the movies Id list here are all from about that time period. Rocky and Rambo, couldnt get enough of them, I also liked car themes, Smokey and the Bandit, Two Lane Blacktop, etc.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member AlbertV Posted May 2, 2013 Member Share Posted May 2, 2013 Here are my top 5 guilty pleasures: 5. Dance Fu - it's definitely not to be taken seriously, with Kel Mitchell playing both the hero, Chicago Pulaski Jones and the villain One-Eyed Willie. But with Larnell Stovall and Kerry Wong handling stunt and fight duty, and a cameo by Cedric the Entertainer (who also directed), it's a pizza and beer kind of movie. 4. Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown - It may seem like a sequel in-name, but Evan Peters does return as Max Cooperman, now the man who creates the Beatdown in New Orleans. It is great to see Michael Jai White in both the lead as the coach and directing for the first time. The four fighters all have martial arts backgrounds so that's a plus, plus once again, Larnell Stovall in charge of the fights...nice! 3. Battle B-Boy: Absolutely love this martial arts version of YOU GOT SERVED. The fresh young cast, combined with John Kreng's fight, ahem "DA-FI" choreography, made me wish the YOU GOT SERVED sequel, BEAT THE WORLD (which included parkour), was this! 2. Prodigal: A real-life preacher playing a "prodigal son" who must use his martial arts skills to take on the gang he once worked for was nicely done for an indie film. D.A. Jackson also does one of the most insane stunts I've seen without wires: a run off a car and a side flip off of it...think of Jackie Chan's TWIN DRAGONS car run with a Yuen Biao-esque side flip to add and that was what I'm talking about. and my #1 guilty pleasure is... Future Cops: With the success of the famous STREET FIGHTER II-inspired fight scene in CITY HUNTER, Wong Jing took the STREET FIGHTER characters and made his own SF-II inspired action comedy. Andy Lau as Vega, Jacky Cheung as Guile, Simon Yam as Dhalsim, Aaron Kwok as Ryu, Richard Ng as Blanka, Chingmy Yau and Kingdom Yuen as Chun Lis, and Dicky Cheung as DRAGON BALL hero Goku?! A nice fantasy sequence between Lau and Yau spoofs SUPER MARIO BROTHERS....fun cheesy film!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member massa_yoda Posted May 2, 2013 Member Share Posted May 2, 2013 I definitely love this thread idea. I have many movies, non-martial arts as well, that could easily be classified as guilty pleasures. I'm pretty easy to please I guess. As far as modern MA guilty pleasures: 5. RUMBLE IN THE BRONX - Many call this a terrible film. And they are right. The plot is silly, the acting is bad, but I still love watching it. Sentimental value mostly, but Jackie was still in his prime here. He never looked quite as fast after this. 4. SEVEN SWORDS - Overlong and a mess, this film actually has very epic qualities...you just have to search very hard to find them. As in, doing research on the original novel, then applying that knowledge to the film. I enjoy revisiting this one because I like the action, the epic quality of the story, I LOVE the weapons, and, well, Donnie. 3. FORBIDDEN KINGDOM - There's a certain charm to this one that gets me. Sure, Li and Chan aren't giving us anything we haven't seen before, but I still love seeing them together. 2. AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS - This one is a little sappy, very old-fashioned, but Donnie is very good here and I like his big fight scenes at the end. Stupid blur effect, though. 1. DRAGON SQUAD - Bey Logan is right when he says nobody gives a shit about these kids, I don't either, but the veterans are THE reason I like watching this one. Sammo has a fight scene near the end that I really like...though he was no doubt doubled for a lot of it. I also like Biehn a lot. Bonus pick: Legend of the Fist. Donnie in superhero costume: plus. Slick production value: plus. Fight scenes: okay, but occasionally good. Not sure if this one qualifies, but still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Tex Killer Posted May 3, 2013 Member Share Posted May 3, 2013 We all have those movies that we know we should hate, not least because everyone else does, but for some reason we find ourselves inexplicably enjoying them. I do not have any of those. Heroes shed no tears is ACE. Ok, it does not have great actors like in "better tomorrow" but it has 10 times more lasting appeal than. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Yang Wu Liang Posted May 3, 2013 Member Share Posted May 3, 2013 1. Legend of Zu : Although it's not a patch on the original I love the visuals of this film CGI and all. 2. Slave of the Sword : Soft porn and wuxia, definately a film for a crafty viewing when no one else is in the house! 3. Descendant Of The Sun : A bit old for this topic but I've never seen a good word written about this one.... what would have happened if Superman had come to earth in ancient China? - wacky effects and plenty of wirework, that's what. 4. Child of Peach Movies - Stupid, cheap and childish but a lot of fun IMO. 5. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon : Seems almost everyone on this forum hates this film for some reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted May 3, 2013 Member Share Posted May 3, 2013 4. SEVEN SWORDS - Overlong and a mess, this film actually has very epic qualities...you just have to search very hard to find them. As in, doing research on the original novel, then applying that knowledge to the film. I enjoy revisiting this one because I like the action, the epic quality of the story, I LOVE the weapons, and, well, Donnie. I wouldn't call this one a guilty pleasure. Granted it's pretty long and hard to understand, but it's also a very good movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator One Armed Boxer Posted May 3, 2013 Author Moderator Share Posted May 3, 2013 Great choices guys! Just to be clear, this thread is just a bit of fun. When I say 'guilty pleasures', I mean more like watching an adult movie while your girlfriend is out, as opposed to sitting in a corner analyzing why you enjoyed something that nobody else does. (DISCLAIMER: I have never done either of these things recently) I came up with five more - The Story of Ricky (1991) - Nam Nai Choi's ultra-violent take on the Japanese manga has a beefed up Fan Siu Wong tearing through a prison & peoples stomachs with gory abandon. The movie doesn't let up on the blood splattered detail for it's whole duration, with head explosions, strangulation by intestines, bodies put through meat grinders, and a whole lot more. Exploitation - yes, but a whole lot of fun - an even bigger yes! ZgTkFroCf9Q No Retreat, No Surrender 2: Raging Thunder (1989) - Much better than the original in my opinion, this movie has Loren Avendon and his friends Max Thayer & Cynthia Rothrock frolicking their way through Thailand on the search for Avendon's fiance. On the way their actions get a whole village wiped out, but they still find time for a joke and some snake blood shots. While Hwang Jang-lee gets to do nothing in this, the movie is saved by one of the most laugh out loud has-to-be-seen-to-be-believed final fights ever, classic stuff! GcWW-Q-mWtw Invincible Super Chan (1971) - The movie which provided the inspiration for certain scenes in 'Matrix Reloaded', 'American History X', and no doubt countless others, 'Invincible Super Chan' opens with the man in question single-handedly taking on an army of hundreds, then continues with him facing off against flag surfing scoundrels, abacus wielding killers, and an ultimate villain whose weapon of choice is a slinky. Delivering goofy violence in liberal doses, especially for 1971, this movie has something for everyone! R3d1JDpaZkE Bloodmoon (1997) - Containing such scenes as cop Chuck Jeffreys arriving at a murder scene only to start performing magic tricks, Darren Shahlavi delivering lines such as 'Welcome to hell!' as if in a Shakespearean play, and Gary Daniels cruising around as if he's in a commercial for a protein shake, 'Bloodmoon' delivers the cheese in spades. Thankfully inbetween all this, director Tony Leung Siu Hung delivers some sweet fight action from the gweilo crew, including a great three-on-one against Shahlavi within the confines of an apartment. The final seconds of the movie are beyond description. aLTLXHhkoWs Shaolin Invincibles (1979) - This movie holds a special place in my heart, as it simultaneously introduced me to the wonders of Carter Wong, kung-fu fighting gorillas, long tongued kung-fu wizards, flying guillotines, and the fact that you could cut out one of the egg holders from a cardboard egg box and successfully use it to make it look like you had a freaky eye. Is it any good? No not really, however there's so much weirdness taking place on screen you won't care. P70ctzUmgy0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member AlbertV Posted May 3, 2013 Member Share Posted May 3, 2013 And shame on me...I just thought of four more LA Street Fighters - also known as Ninja Turf, this stars Jun Chong as a high school gang leader...yes a 40-year old high schooler?! It also has early appearances from Philip Rhee, James Lew (as the main villain, a rival gang leader), Loren Avedon (as one of Lew's gang members), Peter Malota (as a syndicate member), and Back to the Future's Biff, Tom Wilson (as a member of a racist gang Chong's gang takes on). Oh, and Mark Hicks plays one of Chong's crew as well. Miami Connection - re-issued 25 years after its initial release, taekwondo grandmaster YK Kim's only film where he is part of the rock band Dragon Sound and he, along with his band, are martial artists taking down bikers and ninjas!!! Silent Assassins - Jun Chong teams with Sam Jones...yes THE Flash Gordon...and Philip Rhee as they take on a cartel. This is the first time we see the Rhee brothers, Phil and Simon, fight each other before their what I like to call "epic" fight in BEST OF THE BEST. Street Soldiers - Jun Chong trains high school gang in martial arts to take on a rival deadly gang when a friend of the high school gang leader dates the rival leader's ex-girlfriend. Jeff Rector really hams it up as the rival gang leader Priest, but we also have Hwang Jang-Lee (credited under his son's name) as Priest's new right hand man, who is mute, but lets his kicking do the talking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShaOW!linDude Posted May 3, 2013 Member Share Posted May 3, 2013 Silent Assassins - Jun Chong teams with Sam Jones...yes THE Flash Gordon...and Philip Rhee as they take on a cartel. This is the first time we see the Rhee brothers, Phil and Simon, fight each other before their what I like to call "epic" fight in BEST OF THE BEST. Street Soldiers - Jun Chong trains high school gang in martial arts to take on a rival deadly gang when a friend of the high school gang leader dates the rival leader's ex-girlfriend. Jeff Rector really hams it up as the rival gang leader Priest, but we also have Hwang Jang-Lee (credited under his son's name) as Priest's new right hand man, who is mute, but lets his kicking do the talking. Don't suppose there are any US dvd releases for these, are there? I see a UK release for Silent Assassins. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_8?url=search-alias%3Dmovies-tv&field-keywords=silent+assassins&sprefix=silent+a%2Cmovies-tv%2C312 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member TheGrimReaper Posted May 4, 2013 Member Share Posted May 4, 2013 Well, nice thread indeed I'll give my 50 cents for the cause: The Myth - yes, it is cheesy and lots of people out there express negative feelings towards it, but I find it quite interesting (despite the stupid green screen at the end and no true final fight), but when I put it next to The Medallion, Tuxedo and The spy next door, it's way better than these House of Fury - it is weak in plot and character development, cheap humour and so on, but inside there is a certain charm and the fight scenes are prety good for my taste. And I always watch it with a silly smile on my face. Magic Cop - one of the first movies with Lam Ching Ying I came across long time ago, when I was introduced to the magic of martial arts movies universe. It's not Mr. Vampire class, however it has a special place in my heart and soul. The Forbidden Kingdom - the 3 minutes fight between Jet & Jackie is the one POV which was talked about over and over again, it is not a perfect example of the genre, but the crisp visuals and pieces of philosophy scattered around were enough for me to get back to him more than once. Karate Kid - yes it looks like a vehicle to pump more selfesteem into Will Smith's son, but there was something different for me, ignoring the simple plot and recycle of the old story, but Jackie was pretty good as the master and certanly gave a good performance heavy on the drama (well, not as good as in Shinjuku Incident) and this is something for me - versatility. Honorary mentions - Last hero in China (Wong Jing mess, but quite watchable), The Avenging Fist, Tiger on a beat (Chow Yun Fat like sissy cop) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShaOW!linDude Posted May 5, 2013 Member Share Posted May 5, 2013 I'm going to have to add the Zack Snyder film.....Sucker Punch because I'm just a sucker for it. Love the action. Love the f/x. Interesting premise. Oh, and the cute girls. It's like a visual comic book. XAnnWoXD2tI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member AlbertV Posted May 6, 2013 Member Share Posted May 6, 2013 Don't suppose there are any US dvd releases for these, are there? I see a UK release for Silent Assassins. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_8?url=search-alias%3Dmovies-tv&field-keywords=silent+assassins&sprefix=silent+a%2Cmovies-tv%2C312 IDK about DVD releases, but I actually have the original VHS retail tapes, which I had gotten on EBay for a buck each from a video outlet store in Pennsylvania. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted May 9, 2013 Member Share Posted May 9, 2013 LA Street Fighters - also known as Ninja Turf, this stars Jun Chong as a high school gang leader...yes a 40-year old high schooler?! It also has early appearances from Philip Rhee, James Lew (as the main villain, a rival gang leader), Loren Avedon (as one of Lew's gang members), Peter Malota (as a syndicate member), and Back to the Future's Biff, Tom Wilson (as a member of a racist gang Chong's gang takes on). Oh, and Mark Hicks plays one of Chong's crew as well. Miami Connection - re-issued 25 years after its initial release, taekwondo grandmaster YK Kim's only film where he is part of the rock band Dragon Sound and he, along with his band, are martial artists taking down bikers and ninjas!!! These 2 look like fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShaOW!linDude Posted May 9, 2013 Member Share Posted May 9, 2013 LA Street Fighters (Ninja Turf) has some very good choreography in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator One Armed Boxer Posted December 6, 2017 Author Moderator Share Posted December 6, 2017 On 5/4/2013 at 4:13 AM, AlbertV said: Silent Assassins - Jun Chong teams with Sam Jones...yes THE Flash Gordon...and Philip Rhee as they take on a cartel. This is the first time we see the Rhee brothers, Phil and Simon, fight each other before their what I like to call "epic" fight in BEST OF THE BEST. Agreed on this one being a guilty pleasure! I watched it recently and had a lot of fun. Probably the noisiest 'Silent Assassins' I've ever seen! I gave it a review here - http://cityonfire.com/silent-assassins-1988-review-ninja-sam-jones-linda-blair-phillip-rhee-exorcist-flash-gordon/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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