Best Modern/New Wave MA Films of All Time..

[Chen Zhen]

just noticed that since there are stickies for the best SB films on the SB board, and stickies for the best Classic KF films on the Classic KF board, there may as well be one for best modern actioners. so everybody leave their top 10 or 15 or however many u can think of.

Fav post oldskool MA flix (in no particular order):

1/ Police Story
2/ Pedicab Driver
3/ Righting Wrongs
4/ Dragons Forever
5/ Tiger Cage 2
6/ My Father is a Hero
7/ Fist of Legend
8/ Drunken Master 2
9/ Iron Monkey
10/ Fong Sai Yuk
11/ Death Games
12/ License to Steal
13/ Hitman
14/ Kiss of the Dragon
15/ Police Story 2

Fav recent MA flix:
1/ Danny the Dog
2/ SPL
3/ Fearless
4/ Master of Tai Chi (TV)

all i can think of at the moment. subject to change. add on everybody.

[Tosh]

Just started one of these in the Samurai section :hat
In no particular order -

Iron Monkey
Ong Bak
Shaolin Soccer
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
Hero
Legend of Drunken Master
Operation Scorpio
SPL
Green Snake
The Blade

[peringaten]

My favourites:

Drunken Master 2
Burning Paradise
What Price Survival?
Beheaded 1000
Fire Dragon
New Dragon Gate Inn
Seven Maidens

I'll update, but these are first to spring to mind as those i feel most affectionately towards - for varying reasons...

[theportlykicker]

Hmmm lets see.

In no particular order:

Pedicab Driver
Police Story 1 and 2
Drunken Master 2
Crime Story
Heart of the Dragon
Skinny Tiger Fatty Dragon
Eastern Condors
Righting Wrongs
Angry Ranger
My Lucky Stars
Hitman
Tiger Cage 2
Shanghai Express
Project A
Mr Vampire

That's what I got from the top of my head but it may well change in the future.

[peringaten]

I kind of can't imagine Jackie's Drunken Master 2 not appearing on everyone's list - surely no one disliked that film?
It's got to be at the very apex surely, a masterpiece of the genre...

[limubai2000]

This is definetly a "loaded thread" hehehehe. Anyways here's mine in no particular order -

OUATIC 1 and 3
Police Story 1, 2, and 3
Chinese Ghost Story 1 and 3
Fist of Legend
Drunken Master 2
Mr Vampire 1 and 3
SPL
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
Burning Paradise
Iron Monkey
Pedicab Driver

(Subject to change at any time :p )

[Yi Long]

Portlykicker: what's that animation in your avater from?

Anyway, my favourite modern/new wave MA movies are:

-Fist of Legend
-Drunken Master 2

(These 2 are definately on top. They are my favourite martial arts films EVER. Obviously I'm talking about the uncut original versions, and not the crap Weinstein/Miramax made from it...)

- Burning Paradise: I like it as a movie, and I feel the lead (Willie Chan I believe?) is brilliant as Fong Sai Yuk. I liked him better then Jet Li, Fu Sheng (who was horrible as FSY in Shaolin Temple) and the others I've seen in that role.
Sadly though, it's not a great MARTIAL ARTS movies, as in it doesnt have enough and not good enough fights.
But it's a great movie nontheless.

- Dragons Forever: Probably my favourite 3 brothers movie, as Yuen Biao is absolutely awesome in it. Lots of fun, good action. It looks a bit dated though. Has that typical 80's vibe.

- The Once Upon a Time in the West trilogy.
It's OK I guess, but I dont really like the main characters enough. Jet Li does a good job as WFH, but that doesnt make the character very interesting. Aunt Yee and all the other cast... meh... I dont really care about them.
But the fights are very cool, and cinematography is done very well.
Part 3 is pretty forgettable though...
Too bad in pt 2, Donnie and Yen didnt have an unarmed fight.
Both are great kickers so it was a shame to see them only using poles.

- Tai Chi Master: Starts out GREAT, with alot of fun and many many fights. then falls apart with too much wirework and bad choreography... plus the story isnt all that great either. Really liked the beginning though. First 30-40 minutes orso.
It's a good movie, but could have been great if it had kept up the quality of the first half.

- In the Line of Duty 4: Martial arts wise it's Donnie's best movie, although I havent seen Tiger Cage 2 yet. As a movie it's pretty forgettable.

- Iron Monkey: Donnie's best movie overall I guess. Good story, nice production value, and some great fights (although too much wirework at times). Jean Wang is the most gorgeous woman EVER btw.

Millionaire's Express; Good fun and good action. Not much else to say. Too bad they had to wrap up production at the end so we didnt get a big fight with the japanese fighters.

Police Story 2: That mute deaf guy is awesome (fastttt), and the playground fight is a classic.

Heart of the Dragon: OK drama with a great finale. Yuen Biao is the best action-director/choreographer Jackie ever had. Wish we would have seen more fights in this one.

Gorgeous: I liked this movie, much better then trash like Who Am I and First Strike. Jackie's in an actually entertaining comedy/drama, with a good supporting cast, yet still manages to get in 2 good fights against Brad Allen (why wasnt that guy used more often btw?)

Scorpion King: Didnt like it the first time I saw it, and after having given it a couple of retries, still dont like it. Chin Kar Lok seems like a nice guy and is a good martial arts performer, but just doesnt cut it as a leading man. Story is absolute shite as well. ONLY good thing about it is the Korean superkicker. Even Lau Kar Leung wasnt all that great, apart from the fight when they enter the mansion and he's using the pole(s) I believe.

Ong-Bak: Nice movie, simple story, some nice comedy and great GREAT action. Only thing missing is a worthy opponent. But definately a big milestone in modern-day martial arts flicks, and Tony Jaa is the next big thing.

Tom Yum Goong: Even better action/fight scenes then the ones in Ong-bak, but sadly the movie in it self isnt all that great. In fact it's pretty bad. But the action is better then anything I've ever seen, when it comes to performances and originality and diversity. Sadly it would have deserved to be in a better movie, so Fist of Legend and Drunken Master 2 will stay on the top of my list.

My Father is a Hero: Cool Jet Li in a good movie with some very good action, yet somehow not a classic.

Drive: OK movie, very good action. A shame that Mark hasnt gone on to better things.

Hero: Good movie, beautifull to look at, great acting performances by everyone involved. Too much wirework for my liking but I still like the movie alot.

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: Zhang Ziyi is awesome, acting by most of the cast is pretty good, nice story, and action is OK as well. Would have preferred a REAL martial artist in the role of Li Mu Bai, instead of CYF. Too bad Jet Li didnt take the role.

House of Flying Daggers: Less Arthouse, more martial arts flick. Very good and entertaining movie, while still gorgeous to look at. Could have been even better with better male leads.

[Chen Zhen]

nice reviews Yi Long..dont agree with some of them, but theyre well written.btw portly's avatar is from Tiger Cage 2.


mods, sticky?

[peringaten]

i 2nd stickying...

[Yakuza954]

1. The Blade
2. Mirage of Martial Arts
3. Iron Monkey
4. Pedicab Driver
5. Once Upon A Time in China
6. Fist of Legend
7. Police Story
8. Tai Chi Master
9. Ong Bak
10. Operation Scorpio
11. Legend of the Wolf
12. Righting Wrongs
13. Tiger Cage II
14. Sha Po Lang
15. Heart of the Dragon

I haven't seen Deadend of Beseigers, so I don't know if that would crack my list. I also have a big distaste for the movies made specifically for the Chinese New Year, like Millionare's Express and Dragons Forever. They're distorted movies that try to form a plot with a bunch of forced cameos and cheesy Catonese humor. Millionare's Express in particular feels half finished. Their only saving grace is the impressive end fights and thats not nearly enough to get them on my list.

[thundered mantis]

The absolute best, no order:

-Drunken Master 2
-Innocent Interloper
-Gerd Ma Lui 3
-Death Games
-License to Steal
-Pedicab Driver
-Police Story I & II
-Wheels on Meals
-Dragons Forever
-Twinkle, twinkle l. stars
-Mirage of MA
-Tom Yum Goong
-Undercut
-Tiger Cage 2
-City of Darkness
-Outlaw Brothers
-Angel
-Heart of the Dragon
-Angel Terminators I & II
-Magic Crystal
-PantyHose Hero
-Iceman Cometh
-Millonaire´s Express
-Oh! Yes, Sir!
-Project A I & II
-Sha Po Lang
-Where´s Officer Tuba
-Fist of Legend

[theportlykicker]

@Yi Long- Yeah, Chen's right. It's from Tiger Cage 2.

[Chen Zhen]

i have a feeling Contour may make my list when i get that on DVD...

[mits777]

As far as recent titles i vote for Ong Bak, Tom Yum Goong, Drive, Guyver 2, Danny the Dog, Fearless and the 2 Shanghai Knights and Noon.

[theportlykicker]

Sticky? Mods? Anyone?

[Yi Long]

Portly: thanks for the info on the avater :)
It's about @#%$ time that they release that movie on DVD.

[Chen Zhen]

no sticky?

[JinMode]

-Tiger Cage 2
-Fist of Legend
-Drunken Master 2
-Iron Monkey
-SPL
-In The Line of Duty 4
-Righting Wrongs
-Drive
-Legend of The Wolf
-Eastern Condors
-Ong Bak

[DragonMa55]

I have a feeling I'll just be repeating titles already mentioned but oh well.

Angels:
Just a terrific modern martial arts action film. The raid on Madam Siu's house deserves to be listed on any top 10 list and the fight at the end between Moon and Yukari is fast and brutal.

Fight to Win:
Just a goofy fun film with an absolute cracker of an ending, seriously, what could be better than Yukari Oshima and Yasuaki Kurata fighting at the end, it also has a 10 year old kid cracking a bottle of Jack Daniel's over some goon's head, that's worth the price of admission alone.

Yes Madam:
I guess the only reason to watch this is for the ending but still, what an ending it is.

Magic Crystal:
Just a superb display of skill alround. The ending is one of the top 10 best fights EVER.

Born to Fight:
Even the HK stuntmen wouldn't do what these guys do in this film, the story might not be much but it's great to see these Thai stuntmen do whatever it takes to break the next barrier.

Fearless:
I realize it might be too early to list this as it's only just been released but I think it's a great film and a perfect capper to Jet's period films, I can't imagine him going out any more gracefully.

[Thekfc]

In no perticular order:
The Blonde Fury
Magic Crystal
Fire Dragon
The Bride With White Hair 1 & 2
Burning Ambition
She Shoot Straight
License to Steal
Yes Madam
Fist Power
Mahjond Dragon
Shanghai, Shanghai
Iron Monkey
Eastern Condors
Pedicap driver
SPL
Millionaire's ExpressThe Blade
OUATIC 1-3
Fist of Legend
The Blade
Dragon's Forever

[theportlykicker]

Come on guys, why has this still not been stickied? The Shaw Bros thread has about 10 stickies so why can't this section even have one?