I hadn’t watched Jackie Chan’s “Police Story Trilogy” in so long that I’d forgotten the franchise also had a fourth entry (First Strike), a Michelle Yeoh spinoff (Supercop 2), and at least two movies described as reboots but in which Chan plays unrelated characters who also happen to be police. During most of that time… Read More What We Need Is a Super Cop! | Police Story III (1992) 4K Ultra HD
I’m genuinely excited for the latest episode of the Film After 11 podcast, because this week I get to introduce my son Thomas to the cinematic wonder that is Jackie Chan at his prime, in 1985’s Police Story. I don’t think the kid had any idea what to expect, and had never seen a real… Read More Film After 11 Podcast | Jackie Chan’s Police Story (1985)
Like countless fictional films about the making of other fictional films (Day for Night, The Player, etc.), French director Olivier Assayas’ 1996 comedy (?) Irma Vep attempts to blur some sort of line between fantasy and reality. However, this one begs a particularly frustrating question: Can a movie really be a satire of pretentious French… Read More Pretentious French Movies About Pretentious French Movies Are Still Pretentious | Irma Vep (1996) Criterion Collection Blu-ray
Upon its belated release in this market in 2004, Zhang Yimou’s Hero set a milestone as the first foreign-language film to open at the top of the American box office. That achievement was notable in a few respects, not least of which is that the movie was already two-years-old by that point and a good… Read More How Swift Thy Sword | Hero (2002) ViaVision Imprint Asia Limited Edition Blu-ray
