Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame - A special request from "Mulan" (we all have code names like that, because we're nerds), she didn't have to twist my arm too hard seeing as it stars KFF favorite Andy Lau in the title role of the famous Tang Dynasty folk hero. It co-stars this month's poster star, Bingbing Li (who played Forbidden Kingdom's Bride with White Hair analog), and if it's good, I hope they turn this into a franchise adapting some of Detective Dee's other mysteries.
The Front Line - In honor of Remembrance Day, I've selected this Korean film about the Korean War, South Korea's submission to the 2011 Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Films category. It didn't make the short list, but I've heard good things regardless.
Super Inframan - Literally "Chinese Superman", this is another request, this time by "Furn Sai Yuk", and in line with Furn's aesthetic, it looks completely ridiculous. A Shaw Brothers superhero movie?! Danny Lee plays the eponymous hero, but Bruceploitation fans will note Bruce Le in a smaller role. Anyone else getting a Power Rangers' vibe from this? There's no denying the Japanese influence, but Inframan predates the Super Sentai by 17 years.
Doctor Who and the Talons of Weng-Chiang - Wha?! When Kung Fu Friday falls on November 23rd, Doctor Who's Anniversary (the show's 49th), I have to do SOMEthing. Talons of Weng-Chiang not only deals with Chinese concepts (the Yellow Menace through a science fiction/horror lens), it's also one of the best classic Doctor Who stories, if not THE best.
Running Out of Time - More Andy Lau? I told you he was a favorite, as is maverick director Johnnie To. The two of them worked together for the first time on this crime caper which was popular enough to spawn a sequel (so you know what's going to happen in December). Andy's character has only four weeks to live... Wait, how does that sequel work?
And that's November, ladies and gents. Five Fridays, five unique viewing experiences. It's gonna be awesome.
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