Member Milkyway Posted January 25, 2008 Member Share Posted January 25, 2008 one of my top favorites actually, along with Where A Good Man Goes, The Mission, PTU, Throw Down, Election 1 & 2 and Exiled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Alex Posted January 26, 2008 Member Share Posted January 26, 2008 See, now I'm completely opposite. I couldn't stand A hero never dies, to me it was just an empty exercise in style, so over-stylized in fact that I can't even enjoy on the simple action level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Milkyway Posted January 26, 2008 Member Share Posted January 26, 2008 it's more like an exercise in twisting a subgenre (heroic bloodshed) I would say, with DIFFERENT approaches to certain aspects typical of that genre. it sure is more specialty than substance, but again that's one of things that the Milkyway camp are so great at. everything considered in most To movies become something much complex and unique that storytelling at this point don't matter as much as it should be. Fulltime Killer, however, I felt it just wasn't Johnnie To. it's too "ordinary" to even be recognized as his own movie. story was more important, the relaxing/slow momentic tone is gone and the execution was staying busy but didn't go so smooth (Wai Kai Fai's style is the only explaination to this). but like I said, I like it more these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Milkyway Posted January 27, 2008 Member Share Posted January 27, 2008 Mad Detective is another serious recommendation. Sean Lau rocks in that one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Alex Posted January 29, 2008 Member Share Posted January 29, 2008 can't wait to check out mad detective, believe me even though we disagree on some of the titles I am as excited for anything new To puts his hands to as you are Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Milkyway Posted January 29, 2008 Member Share Posted January 29, 2008 I believe you, we can't dig all of them movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member mark187 Posted January 30, 2008 Member Share Posted January 30, 2008 so the important question now is...what's next for Johnnie To? Linger is out with relatively negative reviews, and I can't say that I'm overly interested in seeing it. The Sparrow, on the other hand, looks quite good and hopefully the HK release will be not too long after the premiere at Berlin. I know Andrew Lau wanted him to direct the 2nd part of a proposed Water Margin trilogy, but I'd rather he not go there honestly. The idea of him working w/ Chow Yun-Fat again sounds promising however, and I heard that his possible project w/ Orlando Bloom may have been put on an indefinite hold. So then, anybody have any fresh news on Johnnie To projects!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Alex Posted January 30, 2008 Member Share Posted January 30, 2008 wasn't he supposed to do something with Alain Dellon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Milkyway Posted January 30, 2008 Member Share Posted January 30, 2008 he's been chosen to remake Jean-Piérre Melville's The Red Circle, that John Woo originally was approached to direct, and other french projects. I believe he's in the process of making a sequel to PTU too which is great. lets pray for the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Alex Posted January 31, 2008 Member Share Posted January 31, 2008 here's to hoping the Melville remake really happends. It would be an interesting comparison to make - Woo when at the top of his game re-made Le Samourai and it was his masterpiece. Now To, also currently at his peak I think, has a chance to remake another key Melville feature - will he come up with something comprable to the Killer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member mark187 Posted January 31, 2008 Member Share Posted January 31, 2008 I've been unsure about that PTU sequel thing, if I'm remembering correctly, I thought that it turned out to be a TV series according to Simon Yam and not a sequel to the film. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Milkyway Posted January 31, 2008 Member Share Posted January 31, 2008 there's two PTU movies being made at the moment: the true sequel that To will direct and an unofficial one by Lawrence Lau (who made many unrelated straight-to-dvd sequels) that To also produces. True sequel: http://ent.sina.com.cn/s/h/2007-10-30/23571770635.shtml (in Chinese) Unofficial sequel: http://www.dianying.com/en/title/21162 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member mark187 Posted January 31, 2008 Member Share Posted January 31, 2008 ok, that's good news then. I liked Lawrence Lau's film My Name is Fame, so hopefully he'll do a good job with this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member mark187 Posted February 1, 2008 Member Share Posted February 1, 2008 well, speaking of Johnnie To, finally here's an update on him over at Variety Asia Online, sounds like he won't be doing the Water Margin afterall, which is good news to me as I hope for him to continue making more personal and creative projects for Milkyway Image. also included is a set photo from PTU 2 which confirms that Lam Suet is back! check out the link- http://www.varietyasiaonline.com/kaijushakedown/JOHNNIE-TO-UPDATE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Milkyway Posted February 1, 2008 Member Share Posted February 1, 2008 great to have it on the go. can't wait for it and The Sparrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member I Am Caine Posted May 29, 2014 Member Share Posted May 29, 2014 So I have been watching forum-recommended HK cops and robbers movies and naturally have been catching up on Johnnie To movies. Any fans that would like to discuss his style? What would you recommend to a guy that has seen: The Mission Election Throw Down and just finished Drug War? Was thinking Exiled might be my next watch. What else? Regarding style, I read that this prolific director-producer works in multiple genres (I have never seen any of his comedies or romances) and that he went through a lull in his career and the career of his production company but that he's back on his A-game. Style-wise, man, I love it, it always seems a bit unexpected - slick like the best HK gangster movies, but also more gritty, realistic, but also with unexpected touches, subtle shifts in plot and great characters. Like when I watched Drug War, I was really drawn in by the informer and the cop. In the scene in which the captain, undercover, portrays first one gangster and then another you can see the captain changing his mannerisms to suit the shift: first he is stone cold as the deadpan Chang and then he starts blurting out lines and laughing to imitate Haha. So subtle, so cool. And the informer, you're never quite sure what he is thinking, and his cowardice, what seems to be his driving force, is never at the forefront of his mannerisms - this is a guy that can kick ass with the best of them but you don't realize until the film evolves just how far he will go to save his own skin. You can practically see him struggle with obeying his honor as a triad and his own need for self-preservation. I'll take any recommendation, btw, not just gangster films - I mean Throw Down was part gangster, part comedy, part I don't know what. Oh, and Louis Koo was great as usual but Sun Honglei as Captain Zhang - WOW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DiP Posted May 29, 2014 Member Share Posted May 29, 2014 His style... In short, he likes to keep his stories slow-paced and moody -- much like his biggest influences: Jean-Pierre Melville, Akira Kurosawa, and Sergio Leone. Two of his most obvious trademarks are his obsession with long takes for certain scenes, as well as domino-like sequences of important scenes that doesn't appear to be anything but simplistic until something happens. Other trademarks are themes of brotherhood/love/loyalty, and his take on drastic changes in HK society. Films I would recommend are: The Big Heat Loving You Beyond Hypothermia The Odd One Dies Too Many Ways To Be No. 1 Expect the Unexpected The Longest Nite A Hero Never Dies Running Out of Time Where a Good Man Goes Fulltime Killer PTU Breaking News Election 2 Exiled Eye in the Sky Triangle Mad Detective Sparrow Vengeance Accident Punished Life Without Principle Motorway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member I Am Caine Posted May 29, 2014 Member Share Posted May 29, 2014 And, boom, that's why I love this forum. Oh, you need a Johnnie To list? Here you go BLAMMO IN YA FACE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member masterofoneinchpunch Posted May 29, 2014 Member Share Posted May 29, 2014 If you are interested I have a thread with a lot of mini-reviews (and some full reviews), links and other additional information on Johnnie To here. Exiled would be a great next watch, so would the second Election film (don't wait too long on this.) His early career was more problematic than we he started his auteuristic streak (which he himself tends to say started with Loving You.) There are some films like Lucky Encounter I downright dislike, while some of his comedies I am ambivalent about like The Fun, the Luck and the Tycoon. Also there is a book by Stephen Teo: Director in Action Johnnie To and the Hong Kong Action Film which is a must purchase if you want to learn more about Johnnie To. If you want to understand To's see some of the films by the directors DiP mentions above, especially ones like Melville's Le Samouraï and Le Cercle Rouge (both films an influence on John Woo as well.) Now here's a great little list from Johnnie To: Johnnie To's top 10 Criterion films: Click link above for explanations: 1.Seven Samurai 2.High and Low 3.Straw Dogs 4.Harakiri 5.Le Samouraï 6.Le Cercle rouge 7.In the Mood for Love 8.Brazil 9.The Last Emperor 10.Yojimbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member I Am Caine Posted May 29, 2014 Member Share Posted May 29, 2014 Excellent. Thank you. So I've seen almost everything on the Criterion list, that's good. But I'll head over to those reviews. I may have to rewatch Election before going after Election 2, because I've forgotten most details of the characters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DiP Posted May 29, 2014 Member Share Posted May 29, 2014 And, boom, that's why I love this forum. Oh, you need a Johnnie To list? Here you go BLAMMO IN YA FACE! Ya mon, no sweat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member mpm74 Posted May 29, 2014 Member Share Posted May 29, 2014 A prequel to A HERO NEVER DIES. You know the two characters worked with each other at one point. Both actors still look the same, they can pull it off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ToryK Posted May 29, 2014 Member Share Posted May 29, 2014 I'd actually hold off on Exiled and watch The Longest Nite, A Hero Never Dies, Election, Fulltime Killer, and Breaking News first. Running Out of Time too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member abbotwhite Posted May 30, 2014 Member Share Posted May 30, 2014 Hi, I noticed that some on the list or "Milky Way Productions", so have a Johnnie To feel but are directed by Wai Kar Fei or a protegee. I really like "Exiled" and love seeing "The Mission" cast together, so not sure why people are saying to hold off on that. I also have a very soft spot for "Expect the Unexpected" Since he makes so many movies, sometimes there are standout scenes in his films but the whole thing might not hang together as well as expected. For instance, the opening scene in "Breaking News" is a tour de force but the rest of the film struggles to match that intro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DiP Posted May 30, 2014 Member Share Posted May 30, 2014 A prequel to A HERO NEVER DIES. You know the two characters worked with each other at one point. Both actors still look the same, they can pull it off! Good idea actually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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