Romancing in Thin Air: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong/China, 2012
Director: Johnnie To
Writers: Wai Ka-Fai, Yau Nai-Hoi, Ryker Chan, Jevons Au
Cast: Louis Koo, Sammi Cheng, Li Guangjie, Gao Yuanyuan, Wang Baoqiang, Huang Yi, Tien Niu, Wilfred Lau 

Release Date: April 20th, 2026 (UK), April 20th, 2026 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 111 Minutes 45 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: PG (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Stereo Cantonese, DTS-HD 5.1 Cantonese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"Movie star icon Michael (Louis Koo, Throw Down) sinks into a depression after being publicly dumped at the altar by his former fiancée. After embarking on a drunken bender, he is found in a mountain forest, lost and barely responsive, by Sue (Sammi Cheng, Infernal Affairs), who runs the local guesthouse and is still grieving the loss of her husband, who mysteriously disappeared in the woods several years prior. As Sue slowly nurses Michael back to health and the pair learn more about their shared pasts, they embark on a journey to find catharsis in each other." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “Romancing in Thin Air was transferred in high definition by Media Asia Films and supplied to Radiance Films as a high-definition digital file.”

Romancing in Thin Air comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.8 GB

Feature: 31.8 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones and colors look correct; image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid; and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 5/5 (Both Audio Tracks)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM stereo mix in Cantonese and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in Cantonese. Quality- and range-wise, these two audio tracks are comparable. That said, dialogue comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented. Included are removable English subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (35 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), extended behind-the-scenes footage (25 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an archival making-of featurette (9 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an interview with screenwriter Ryker Chan (14 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), a video essay about Johnnie To’s romantic melodramas by Sean Gilman titled Another Side of Johnnie To (28 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Hong Kong cinema expert Dylan Cheung, reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 32-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) with cast & crew information, an essay titled The Rise of Johnnie To and Milkyway written by David Bordwell, an essay titled Altitude Sickness: Johnnie To’s Romancing in Thin Air written by Jake Cole, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

After his fiancée publicly dumps him at the altar, a movie star sinks into a deep depression. He drowns his sorrows in alcohol, and after one drinking binge, he finds himself at a remote lodge in the mountains. The woman who runs the lodge is still grieving the loss of her husband, who disappeared a year ago in the nearby woods. Although combative at first, the movie star and the woman forge a bond as they help each other heal old wounds.

No matter what genre Johnnie To works in, the characters in his films are a common link. The way Johnnie To portrays his characters is not defined by a specific type but rather by their interactions. In many of his films, characters are unable to accomplish their goals individually; instead, they achieve more when they come together as a collective. Case in point: Michael the movie star and Sue the grieving widow from Romancing in Thin Air.

While Romancing in Thin Air has all of the elements that are central to romantic comedies, the result is anything but remotely typical for this genre. In many romantic comedies, there are a mix of highs and lows; however, in Romancing in Thin Air, the characters predominantly face lows throughout the narrative. Despite this downbeat tone, the story remains engaging and ultimately leads to a cathartic and uplifting finale.

The two leads, Louis Koo (Election) in the role of Michael and Sammi Cheng (Infernal Affairs) in the role of Sue, are exceptional in their roles. Both characters are attempting to heal their emotional wounds. Michael copes by drinking heavily, while Sue, a creature of habit, clings to the past, wanting everything in her life to remain unchanged since her husband's disappearance. They have a tremendous amount of onscreen chemistry, which makes their characters' journeys all the more believable.

The well-crafted narrative does a superb job fleshing out characters and building momentum to a beautifully realized finale that pulls at your heartstrings. The most surprising aspect of Romancing in Thin Air is how effectively it employs humor, notably in a scene where Michael discovers a room of his movie memorabilia and Sue’s reaction when asked about it. Johnnie To typically sets his films in urban landscapes, but in Romancing in Thin Air, he is presented with a different canvas that he skillfully utilizes. Ultimately, Romancing in Thin Air offers a thoughtful exploration of love, loss, and grief, maintaining a steady emotional rhythm throughout.

Romancing in Thin Air gets an excellent release from Eureka Video that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras. Highly recommended.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Big Heat: Hong Kong Cinema Classics – Shout! Factory (UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1988
Directors: Johnnie To, Andrew Kam
Writer: Gordon Chan
Cast: Waise Lee, Joey Wong, Matthew Wong, Phillip Kwok Chun-Fung, Kirk Wong

Release Date: February 10th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 97 Minutes 2 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10 Dolby Vision
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Cantonese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $39.99

"Inspector Waipong Wong has to put his life and resignation from the Hong Kong Police Department on hold to investigate his former partner's mysterious murder. What he and his crack team of three other cops uncover is a plot far more sinister than they originally anticipated." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (4K UHD, Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "4K Scan from the Original Camera Negative."

The Big Heat comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 64.1 GB

Feature: 63.8 GB

This is another exemplary restoration; flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

The Big Heat comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 40.7 GB

Feature: 27.6 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 5/5 (Both Audio Tracks)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Cantonese and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Both audio tracks sound excellent; dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and action sequences sound robust. Included are English subtitles for the Cantonese language track and English SDH subtitles for the English language track. It should be noted that subtitles and audio can only be chosen via the audio setup menu, and they cannot be turned off while watching the main feature.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an audio commentary with author and film critic David West.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 41 seconds, DTS-HD mono Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with film critic James Mudge titled The Heat Is On (15 minutes 6 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Cantonese film clips), an interview with academic Gilbert Po (22 minutes 23 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Cantonese film clips), an interview with actor Waise Lee titled Big Shot! (17 minutes 58 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with David West.

Other extras include a slipcover.

Summary:

Johnnie To co-directed The Big Heat. His other notable films include All About Ah-Long, Running Out of Time, The Mission, Fulltime Killer, PTU, Breaking News, Thrown Down, Election, Election 2, and Exiled.

An investigator postpones his retirement after his former partner's murder. He forms a team that looks into and brings to justice his former partner’s killer. His investigation uncovers that those responsible currently serve on the police force, and they will do anything they can to stop him from exposing them.

Although most people were introduced to the cinema of Johnnie To via his crime films from the later 1990s onward, my introduction was his forays into melodrama (All About Ah-Long), fantasy (The Heroic Trio), and martial arts (The Mad Monk). Looking back on that selection of films and getting to know more of Johnnie To’s filmography, it's clear how diverse of a filmmaker he is. This brings me to The Beat Heat, a film made during the height of the heroic bloodshed film cycle.

While The Big Heat contains elements typical of heroic bloodshed films, it does not fully belong to this genre. This distinction is particularly evident in its portrayal of violence, which adopts a more realistic style, contrasting with the stylized carnage characteristic of heroic bloodshed films. That said, it is intriguing seeing how Johnnie To's approach to the crime film genre greatly differs almost a decade before he turned it on its head.

Hong Kong cinema of the 1980s was driven by its stars, and when it comes to The Big Heat’s cast, it takes the opposite approach. Waise Lee (A Better Tomorrow) is cast in the role of the protagonist, Inspector Waipong Wong, a character who's ready to walk away from law enforcement when he’s first introduced. Known for mostly portraying villains, he delivers a solid performance in the role of the hero.

The most notable cast member is Joey Wong (City Hunter); she portrays a nurse who becomes involved with a cop. Her character sporadically pops up and it feels like she was brought in as a star in a cameo role to add some name recognition. Another performance of note is Phillip Kwok Chun-Fung (Hard Boiled), who portrays a detective that lives on the edge. He was also one of The Big Heat’s action choreographers.

Although Johnnie To is the credited director, he took over for Andrew Kam, who was fired by Tsui Hark, a hands-on producer who often clashed with his directors. That said, The Big Heat is more of a Tsui Hark film than a Johnnie To, as it bears more of the former's hallmarks. The narrative unfolds at a swift pace, effectively balancing exposition with action sequences. Regarding the latter, the action scenes are outstanding, and The Big Heat reserves its finest moments for a blood-soaked revenge finale. Ultimately, The Big Heat is a solid action film that fans of gun fu should thoroughly enjoy.

Shout! Factory gives The Big Heat an exceptional release that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras. Highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

A Hero Never Dies – Chameleon Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1998
Director: Johnnie To
Writers: Szeto Kam-yuen, Yau Nai-hoi, Milkyway Creative Team
Cast: Leon Lai, Lau Ching-wan, Fiona Leung, Yoyo Mung Ka-wai, Lam Suet

Release Date: January 7th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 98 Minutes 16 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 Cantonese, LPCM Stereo Cantonese, LPCM Stereo Mandarin
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $39.95 AUD (Australia)

"Jack (Leon Lai) and Chau (Lau Ching-wan) are rival bodyguards whose bosses are engaged in a bloody power struggle that has spilled out of Hong Kong and into Thailand. The two opposing gunmen butt heads, cars, and wine glasses, though they are mirror images, alike in the belief that their destiny stems not from the stars but from the barrel of a gun. Much blood and even more red wine will be spilled in extremes of violence and loyalty. You know the feeling. You have an automatic pistol in each hand, and you walk into a room full of people who need to be shot…" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Digitally cleaned-up & restored feature presentation."

A Hero Never Dies comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.3 GB

Feature: 30.4 GB

No information is provided about the source; that said, this transfer looks excellent. Flesh tones and colors look correct; image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid; and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 5/5 (All Audio Tracks)

This release comes with three audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in Cantonese, a LPCM stereo mix in Cantonese, and a LPCM stereo mix in Mandarin. Quality- and range-wise, all audio tracks are comparable. That said, dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds are well represented. Included are removable English subtitles, which tell you if someone is speaking Cantonese, Mandarin, or Thai, and there are a few dialog exchanges in English.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a photo gallery with music from the film playing in the background (8 stills), a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 16 seconds, LPCM stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), outtakes (5 minutes 1 second, LPCM stereo with music from the film playing in the background), an archival interview with actress Yoyo Mung Ka-wai (2 minutes 45 seconds, LPCM stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with Milkyway Image sound designer Martin Chappell (41 minutes 47 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), screenwriter Yau Nai-hoi, and action choreographer/actor Yuen Bun (25 minutes 41 seconds, LPCM stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), a video essay by filmmaker Zach Closs titled Escaping Fate (9 minutes 16 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Hong Kong cinema expert Frank Djeng, a slipcase, and a 16-page booklet with cast & crew information, and an essay about A Hero Never Dies written by Tim Youngs.

Summary:

Rivals, whose triad gangs are engaged in a war, forge a friendship and unite against their former bosses who have betrayed them.

While Johnnie To is known for his action/crime films, it was not until he directed A Hero Never Dies that he finally solidified himself as one of the key directors making heroic bloodshed films. Another clear influence that permeates A Hero Never Dies is the spaghetti western, in particular, Sergio Leone's Dollars trilogy. Johnnie To follows Sergio Leone’s example of less is more when it comes to dialogue. That said, A Hero Never Dies is a perfect fusion of the heroic bloodshed film and the spaghetti western.

The narrative does an exceptional job fleshing out its two lead characters, Jack and Chau. It is clear early on that both of them have solid instincts that keep them alive and one step ahead of anyone out to get them, and they have no fear of death. While they are from rival triad gangs, it is these traits that they share that bring them together. Another thing that they have in common is strong women in their lives, who are just as fearless and willing to put their lives on the line.

All around, the cast are excellent in their roles, especially Leon Lai (Fallen Angels) and Lau Ching-wan (Running Out of Time) in the roles of Jack and Chau. Their characters' relationship is reminiscent of the two leads from John Woo’s The Killer, and they have a tremendous amount of onscreen chemistry, which elevates their performances and everyone around them. The unsung heroes of A Hero Never Dies are Yoyo Mung Ka-wai and Fiona Leung in the roles of Jack and Chau’s girlfriends. Another performance of note is Lam Suet, a frequent collaborator of Johnnie To, in the role of a triad member.

Although the narrative effectively captures your attention, it is in the action sequences where Johnnie To’s direction truly excels. The first sequence that stands out is an ambush at a hotel in the middle of nowhere in which the bullets fly and the bodies start piling up. It is an intense sequence that culminates with Jack and Chau shooting each other through a wall. The second sequence that stands out is an equally carnage-filled finale where Jack and the recently deceased Chau take on their former bosses and their henchmen. By pretending that Chau is still alive, Jack allows him to die honorably while participating in the revenge. Ultimately, A Hero Never Dies is an exhilarating film that strikes the perfect balance between exposition and style.

If you appreciate the work of Johnnie To and have an interest in Hong Kong cinema, you should definitely take note of Chameleon Films, a home media company worth your attention. All of their releases are region-free and English-friendly and free of any ugly ratings logos. There is no reason to wait for a U.S. release, as it is unlikely to match the quality of these offerings. A Hero Never Dies gets an exceptional release from Chameleon Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras. Highly Recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Hong Kong New Wave Essentials – Shout! Factory (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Hong Kong, 1988 (Painted Faces), Hong Kong, 1990 (The Story of My Son), Hong Kong, 1985 (Women)
Directors: Alex Law (Painted Faces), Johnnie To (The Story of My Son), Stanley Kwan (Women)
Cast: Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, Lam Ching-ying, Cheng Pei-pei, John Shum, Wu Ma (Painted Faces), Damian Lau, Cheng Pak-Lam, Huang Kun-Hsuen, Lee Sze-Kei, Ng Man-Tat, Lam Suet (The Story of My Son), Cora Miao, Chow Yun-fat, Cherie Chung, Elaine Jin (Women)

Release Date: December 16th, 2025
Approximate Running Times: 112 Minutes 31 Seconds (Painted Faces), 78 Minutes 20 Seconds (The Story of My Son), 95 Minutes 6 Seconds (Women)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (All Films)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Cantonese (All Films)
Subtitles: English (All Films)
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $45.99

Painted Faces: "Long before the world discovered Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung, they were members of a children's Peking opera troupe. Painted Faces is the colorful story of the adolescent years of Jackie, Sammo, and others who grew up to transform Hong Kong cinema." - synopsis provided by the distributor

The Story of My Son: "Li Tzu-liang (Damian Lau) is newly widowed and leading an impoverished life with two young sons (Huang Kun-hsuan and Cheng Pak-lam). He attempts to make a fortune gambling at the horseracing track but is subsequently debt-laden even as more heart-wrenching events begin to unfold." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Women: "A woman (Cora Miao) joins the carefree 'Spinsters' Club' when she discovers her husband (Chow Yun-fat) is having an affair. Despite the seemingly happy front that her 'sisters' put on, underneath it all each of them secretly yearns for a man in their lives. When her repentant husband begs forgiveness, she is forced to decide on what she truly wants." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5 (All Films)

Painted Faces comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.3 GB

Feature: 29.2 GB

The Story of My Son comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 24.3 GB

Feature: 20.3 GB

Women comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 41 GB

Feature: 24.7 GB

All three films are in excellent shape; flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and compression are solid, black levels are strong, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4.25/5 (All Audio Tracks)

Each film comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Cantonese. The Story of My Son includes some dialogue in English, while Women features some dialogue in French. All audio tracks are free of distortion or any background hiss; dialogue comes through clearly and ambient sounds are well represented. Included are English subtitles that can only be removed via the audio setup menu.

Extras:

Extras for Painted Faces include two theatrical trailers (5 minutes 33 seconds, DTS-HD mono Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with film historians John Kreng and Ric Meyers titled Brush Strokes: A Look Into Painted Faces (11 minutes 29 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Cantonese film clips), an interview with film critic David West titled A Formidable Face, in which he discusses Sammo Kam-Bo Hung (20 minutes 31 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with screenwriter Mabel Cheung titled Painted Provocations (28 minutes 44 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with film historians Frank Djeng And F.J. DeSanto.

Extras for The Story of My Son include a Celestial rerelease trailer (1 minute 20 seconds, DTS-HD mono Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with John Kreng and Ric Meyers titled The Story Behind My Son (12 minutes 41 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Cantonese film clips), and an audio commentary with James Mudge, veteran Hong Kong film critic at EasternKicks.

Extras for Women include a Celestial rerelease trailer (1 minute 29 seconds, DTS-HD mono Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with John Kreng and Ric Meyers titled Jade Vases (11 minutes 30 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Cantonese film clips), an interview with academic and author Lin Feng titled Hong Kong Romance (15 minutes 32 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Cantonese film clips), an interview with academic and author Victor Fan titled Female Problems (22 minutes 57 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Cantonese film clips), an interview with actor Fung Chi Fung titled A Woman's World (21 minutes, DTS-HD stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with James Mudge.

Summary:

Painted Faces: The story revolves around Master Yu, who operated a Beijing opera school. His students included notable figures such as Jackie Chan, Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, Yuen Biao, Yuen Qiu, Yuen Wah, and Corey Yuen.

Painted Faces was the directorial debut of Alex Law, who would only direct two other films, Now You See It, Now You Don’t and Echoes of the Rainbow. He’s more known for his work as a screenwriter; his notable credits are The Illegal Immigrant, An Autumn’s Tale, Eight Tales of Gold, and Beijing Rocks.

Painted Faces is just as much an autobiographical account of Master Yu and his Peking opera school as it is an origins story for Jackie Chan and Sammo Kam-Bo Hung. In the case of the latter, he appears in Painted Faces in the role of Master Yu, the man who trained him. That said, Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, who was one of Master Yu’s best students, is central to the story that unfolds; a child and teenage version of himself are portrayed by two actors.

People most remember Master Yu's school for his seven most celebrated students, whom they refer to as the Seven Little Fortunes. Although Painted Faces features Jackie Chan, Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, and Yuen Biao prominently, it does not feature the other four little fortunes. That said, the lack of screentime for the other little fortunes does not lessen Painted Faces' overall impact.

Painted Faces is unflinching in its depiction of the harsh and grueling training Master Yu put his students through. The narrative is engrossing; it does a superb job holding your attention by showing the characters' ups and downs. The most poignant moment is a scene where a former student of Master Yu badly hurts himself doing a dangerous stunt and he has a nervous breakdown. That said, the cast are all excellent in their roles, especially Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, who pays tribute to his mentor. Ultimately, Painted Faces is an exemplary biographical drama about some of Chinese cinema’s most significant stars.

The Story of My Son: Debt overwhelms a widower with two sons following his wife's death. When he is unable to repay the money he borrowed from a loan shark, his life spirals further out of control.

Johnnie To directed The Story of My Son. His other notable films include All About Ah-Long, Running Out of Time, The Mission, Fulltime Killer, PTU, Breaking News, Thrown Down, Election, Election 2, and Exiled.

The Story of My Son is a Hong Kong remake of Luigi Comencini's Misunderstood. While it retains the core elements of the original—a father, two sons, a grieving family, and the father and older brother concealing the mother's death from the youngest son—it also recreates several moments from Misunderstood.

While Johnnie To is most known for his action/crime films, he’s actually a versatile filmmaker who excels in any genre he’s worked in. Case in point, The Story of My Son, a drama about a man whose choices have put him and his two sons in danger. The protagonist is a proud man, who refuses help from his father-in-law, and instead of fleeing Hong Kong, he stubbornly remains. Although The Story of My Son is a film that fits firmly into the melodrama genre, there are moments where it veers into the crime film genre.

All of the cast are excellent, especially Huang Kun-Hsuen (All About Ah Long), who portrays the protagonist's eldest son. He tries to keep his family together as things spiral out of control and many of his actions lead to conflict with his father. Damian Lau (Royal Tramp) delivers a sympathetic performance in the role of the father. A cast member of note is Lam Suet (The Mission), who makes his first appearance in a Johnnie To film. He’s appeared in over 20 films produced or directed by Johnnie To.

Don’t let The Story of My Son’s brevity, 78 minutes in length, deceive you. It actually covers a considerable amount of ground for its running time. The narrative is well-executed, and it does an exemplary job building momentum via a succession of tense moments that come to a head in a gut-punch climax. Ultimately, The Story of My Son is an intense melodrama that quickly grabs you and stays with you long after its conclusion.

Women: A woman attempts to start anew and move on from her husband, who left her for another woman after having an affair.

Women is Stanley Kwan’s directorial debut. His notable films include Love Unto Waste, Rouge, Center Stage, Red Rose White Rose, and Hold You Tight.

The further I explore the filmography of Stanley Kwan, the clearer it is that he’s a filmmaker who’s more interested in his characters than in creating stylized visual moments. Women is a richly textured film that centers on a woman at a crossroads. The protagonist's discovery of her husband's infidelity sets everything in motion. Although she still loves her husband, his infidelity deeply wounds her, and his inability to walk away from his mistress adds further insult.

Instead of wallowing in her sadness, the protagonist makes her son the main focus. She also finds comfort and happiness in a core group of women who have suffered a similar betrayal. While the narrative sees her making attempts to reconcile with her husband, its ultimate power lies in how she retains agency over her life.

Women is a different kind of role than what Chow Yun-fat is now known for; it was made a year before his breakout film, A Better Tomorrow. Although he delivers a solid portrayal of a man unable to acknowledge his faults and mend the relationship he’s damaged, the main draw of Women is Cora Miao (Boat People) in the role of the protagonist, Liang Bo-Er. The narrative is told entirely from her character's viewpoint, and she delivers a remarkable performance. Another performance of note is Cherie Chung (Once a Thief) in the role of the mistress.

From a production standpoint, Women is a film that far exceeds the sum of its parts. The narrative does a superb job drawing and holding your attention as it builds to a bittersweet finale where the protagonist and her husband come to a compromise. At this point in his career, Stanley Kwan’s direction is solid, notably evident when it comes to his instincts. Ultimately, Women is an emotionally charged melodrama that never delivers a false note.

Shout! Factory’s Hong Kong New Wave Essentials is a solid release that gives each film a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras. Highly recommended. 

Written by Michael Den Boer