Once A Gangster

飞沙风中转 (Fei Sha Feng Zhong Zhuan)



May, 2010, Hong Kong release that stars Jordan Chan and Ekin Cheng as warring ex-gang members who are supposedly vying for the head-dragon spot left open by Chan's gang boss who is so heavily in debt that he can't think of any, other way out but to have someone else appointed to take his place.

Roast Pork (Chan) was once a gang member who wanted to save his family's small food stall from ruthless extortionists who are actually under the head dragon he now works to protect.

Sparrow (Cheng) knows his way around a sword, and he ends up spending twenty years in the slammer as a result, but his drug-addicted mother is as brash and powerful as ever, vowing to make her 'baby' the head dragon at all costs.

Turns out Roast Pork is only interested in keeping his thriving restaurants afloat while Sparrow has turned over a new leaf inside prison, coming out a learned man whose soul has also been saved.

This is obviously meant as a comedic endeavor that brought back a few of the bad-ass hoods from the Y & D series, and the director made sure to throw in a few, other movie references as well ... especially some hilarious scenes robbed from the Infernal Affairs saga.

I've just been so STARVED for stuff like this from Hong Kong, that even if it turned out to be a total disaster, I'd probably have still enjoyed the watch - but wait!

This was funny, it was interesting, and SO close to what Hong Kong film once represented that I had to give it five hearts.

I'm not looking forward to it, but I still await the day when Cheng and Chan start to show their age - and after watching Once a Gangster, it looks like I'll still have to wait, because neither, handsome gentleman appeared any older or worse-for-wear imho.

Ekin Cheng and Jordan Chan in Once a Gangster

The first time I ever heard about the unlikelihood of there being such a product on any market as this ...



was when I watched Anna Magdalena, starring Takeshi Kaneshiro and Aaron Kwok Fu Sing.

It puzzled me then as it still does now how something like this is even plausible, much less functional or even desirable to anyone in the whole world.

I don't get it, but if I am ever blessed with the opportunity to travel Asia, you can bet it will be one of the FIRST items I search for AND buy when shopping over there.

Ok - I know my first crush is married now and totally off-limits more so than ever before, but since he IS my first crush, it isn't likely I'll ever get over him.



... so that means I'm still able to and likely always will continue to dream about a guy as amazing as Jordan Chan.

Here's the trailer if you're interested, and I've linked the blog title to the video at youtube, but I don't know how long it'll be before they shut it down ~ so quick! watch this one, cause I know you'll enjoy it!

Once A Gangster (trailer)

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My (me) Time

Today is the unexpected but first day of my Christmas break from work (school), thanx to an anticipated snow storm that promised (and then actually DID deliver) more than ten inches of snow.
It's only two o'clock in the afternoon, and the storm has now passed, though the prognosticators DID say it would end at four p.m.
At least THAT much is true about the meteorologists ability to predict accurately about mother nature.


It isn't until next Thursday that I have to be back in the city, visiting with relatives for the holiday, and that makes me even happier.
Perhaps I'm at a crossroads in my life, I can't be too sure, but I don't miss my family the same way that I don't miss the fuss & bother that goes with the season.
Shopping is much, more fun online than at a crowded mall.
Sending an e-mail once in awhile, to ask about the in-laws or nieces & nephews is more informative & relaxing than being there and seeing/hearing it all for real.
Whatever the case, I value & appreciate my alone time, and maybe because I teach third grade, I know how priceless even a few moments of absolute silence can be.


Anyway, my plan is to hunker down for the next, several days (and nights, no doubt) watching Green Rose.
I know, this is a Korean drama from 2005, and the entire world has already watched it ... but, not me.

Isn't this pretty?
Green Rose is one of those dramas that I never watched because at the time, I wasn't interested in anyone other than Kim Nam-jin, so I spent all my time, effort, and $$$ on his and Jordan Chan's DVDs.
Go Soo is handsome I guess, and though she starred alongside Kim Nam-jin in 1,000 Years of Love, I cannot recall Lee Da Hae, but now I know her from East of Eden.
Lee Jong Hyuk is good-looking!
I haven't seen any of his dramas or movies, though.

I downloaded the OST to Green Rose, and it's very pretty, so maybe that's what got me so interested in the drama?
I also haven't had the time or the inclination to watch a 20 episode drama from Korea, because in all honesty, I prefer Japanese & Hong Kong movies anymore.
I began my love of all things Asian with Hong Kong flicks that starred Jordan Chan, and after ten years, I suppose I've just come full-circle is all.
I've got until January 7th, though!
Plenty of time to watch a K-drama and not feel as if I just robbed myself of what precious, little alone time I have in actuality.


Last year at this time, I had every intention of writing my story for the entire length of Christmas break, and then, two days before I had to return to work, I wrote a blog entry lamenting my wasted vacation time having spent it joining web sites, creating web pages, and chatting with friends online via MSN instead of spending even one hour on my story.
This year, I thought that if I did the blog first, when the vacation break comes to an end, I can read it again and see if I actually followed through with a plan already written in stone so to speak.

We'll see what actually transpires between now and January 7th.

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Bet To Basic 《打雀英雄傳》 (2006)

Lloyd (Jordan Chan Siu-Chun) is Flying Dragon's cousin (Chin Kar-Lok). Flying Dragon is not a good gambler, but he does it anyway and is now in to some heavy debt with gangsters.

Lloyd returns from America in time to bail out his hapless cousin, and because his late mother left him with a Jade pendant, Lloyd's luck is extremely good.



No matter what the situation, Lloyd always wins at Mahjong,



... so Flying Dragon takes him around to gambling houses in order to win big money to pay off his debt.

Lloyd is cute, innocent, and naive ~ so when he meets Peggy (Rain Li), and falls for her, he gives up the lucky Jade pendant easily.




Of course, Peggy isn't who she really seems, and she gives the pendant to Lloyd's nemesis, Mahjong master Scott (Eric Kot), whom she is engaged to marry.



I watched this ONLY because Jordan Chan stars, and not for the content.

Apparently, there are more Mahjong movies out there, and a majority of the reviews aren't favorable.

I thought that it was a silly movie, but I've also come to the realization that a lot of silly movies hail from Hong Kong!

Silly, straight-forward, outlandish, sappy, brutal, graphic, or intense ... what difference does it make if a guy you're in love with is the star?!



There were funny scenes, ridiculous moments, actual serious parts, and so on, so what's not to like ~ and how can you not expect weirdness from a movie that centers around Mahjong?

I like to play the game on my PC,



... but I suppose that's a lot different from the actual, Chinese version that Jordan was so good at in Bet 2 Basic.

I wouldn't mind learning how to play that game, either, but it'd probably be a lifetime before I figured out exactly what to do, so I probably won't bother.

One, more screen shot, and the movie trailer is below.

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Jing mou moon / Kung Fu Hip Hop

DIDN'T think I'd like this one, but because it stars my HUNNY, Chen Siu-chun (Jordan Chan), I had to give it a whirl.
Maybe it was just, really REFRESHING to see his royal sweetness in a flick again, or maybe it's because the OST wasn't all, that bad ...
Whatever the case, Kung Fu Hip-Hop was actually WORTH the watch!

The reviews elsewhere aren't as favorable, though.
But, in all fairness to Huayang Fu (the director), the majority of these reviews seemed to come from hard-core street boppers, or those who THINK they are.


cast
Jordan Chan, Fan Bing Bing, Nan Xian Jun, Pan Xiao Ting, Gao Min, YANG YANG , Xing Ao Wei


Fan Bing-bing


Nam Hyun Joon / 남현준


hot-TAY Siu-chun

Jordan's character plays a street-smart mechanic/hustler who tries to remain a disciplined martial artist (to appease his late grandfather), though his style has always moved to the beat of a hip-hopper.
He has the responsibility of taking care of his younger, going-blind sister, who needs an operation.

Fan Bing-bing is a popular DJ who discovers Chu Dong (Chan) when there is a glitch in the big screen at a nightclub where she works, and where Chu Dong hawks his online wares outside. Chu Dong dances to the beat between customers, and Tina (Fan Bing-bing) claims he caused her fingers to be resurrected.

Chu Dong isn't interested in competing in a Dance-Off against Korean, Nam Hyun Joon, better known as Poppin Hyun Joon, but he pulls together the mechanic-boys to form a spectacular dance troupe anyway.

Since Michael Jackson's Thriller, it has always puzzled me how and why a single dancer can be sited as awesome, when he has anywhere from six to sixteen people around him, doing the exact, same thing!?
Aren't they ALL great, or talented, or special?

I still, don't get it.

I've never been there, but I know I would never WANT to visit Beijing, and Kung Fu Hip-Hop gave me yet, another reason not to like that Capitol city.
The film was gritty & cold, which is the ONLY impression I've ever had, or probably ever WILL have, of Beijing.

No thanks.

If I didn't have such a mad crush on Jordan Chan, then I probably never would have bothered to watch Kung Fu Hip-Hop, but here is the trailer, just in case you might be interested.

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