HK Movies - What's Current?

[TSkillet]

Here in Houston, we don't really have a great Chinatown DVD store . . .but I have a good friend who will be in Hong Kong in early June. And I miss HK movies, but unfortunately, I don't know what I'd like her to buy on DVD for me.

This is what I've liked in the past:

1. Stephen Chow movies

2. Action movies (they don't even need to be smart - I loved Downtown Torpedoes - but if they're smart (say Infernal Affairs, Where a Good Man Goes, A Moment of Romance) - even better

3. Stupid romantic comedies starring the current pop stars - okay with these I need to be a little discerning, because there are so many really bad ones. I did like the first two Feel 100% movies.

So - what do you suggest I get? I haven't been to HK since August of 2003 - so I'm out of the loop on a lot of current pop culture.

[Quest]

How about the two 100% Feel drama series?

[skylee]

There was a section in this year's HK International Films Festival called "Hong Kong Panorama 2004-2005", which might give you an idea of what are relatively current. You can find a list of these films here -> http://www.hkiff.org.hk/hkiff29/eng/prog/search.php

For the same list for 2003-2004 -> http://www.hkiff.org.hk/hkiff28/eng/prog/search.php

And the list for 2002-2003 -> http://www.hkiff.org.hk/hkiff27/eng/prog/search.php

Personally I would recommend "向左走 向右走", "大事件", "PTU"

[in_lab]

As far as Chinatown DVD stores, I think they are very uncommon, unless they've started to pop up in the last few years. Most rental stores are VHS, with a good proportion of pirated videos. I have seen stores that rent VCDs, but I've never seen a large selection of DVDs.

[pikachew]

it's too bad there aren't any in Houston. In NYC Chinatown there are several stores that sell VCD's and DVD's, but there are like 3 or 4 that have a great selection and you can find most anything there amongst those 3 or 4 stores - old and new.

[TSkillet]

yeah - I mean I can also go to San Francisco and get what I'm lookng for too - but this is easier - I have a friend leaving Houston and swinging through Hong Kong.

THanks for the list - but does no one have personal recommendations? I mean, you know and I know that there's quite a lot of crap shoveled out by HK studios in the last decade - in fact, I'd wager that only 10% of HK movies are worth owning on DVD.

[chengdude]

So, did Star Laser Video close up shop...or move completely into anime? What about LaserPlus?

[TSkillet]

I went down there - the majority of the selection is Korean drama series and HK TVB series - not really what i'm interested in