Michelle Yeoh

Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

ByChristian Sauvé 2019-04-202023-03-19 Movie Review

(On Cable TV, April 2019) Upon its release in theatres, Crazy Rich Asian was widely hailed by its publicists as a turning point in Hollywood history; the first studio-led big-budget film featuring an almost entirely Asian cast, heralding a new landmark for mainstream cinema inclusivity. I remember not quite getting the fuss, having seen a whole lot of Kong-Kong pictures, being able to cite precedents all the way to the admittedly problematic Flower Drum Song, and having tracked China’s growing influence over Hollywood throughout the 2010s. But of course, it’s different. No amount of bringing up The Joy Luck Club or Better Luck Tomorrow actually lessens Crazy Rich Asians’ achievement as a box-office and cultural success. But here’s a lot to unpack here, from the nagging feeling that this is another nail in America’s global dominance to the cross-cultural appeal of well-worn romantic comedy tropes, most notably the crazy wish fulfillment of marrying into a rich family. It’s great to see Michelle Yeoh back in a leading role as the family’s matriarch—she’s perfect for the role. The film is remarkably warm and funny, gradually easing American audiences into the titular craziness through a variety of western-educated viewpoint characters. Constance Hu headlines and does well, but Awkwafina steals every scene she has as a crazy Westernized friend who proves to be the protagonist’s sole reliable ally. You can argue that Crazy Rich Asians uses well-worn plot elements and merely dresses them up in new surroundings, but that’s the entire point of the exercise. Much of the film’s sheer sense of fun and accessibility can be attributed to John M. Chu’s excellent job directing, as he snappily brings together the experience he gathered while directing previous musical comedies and big-budget action blockbusters into something immediately compelling. He is certainly an efficient filmmaker—for a film about crazy rich Asians, the film does manage to put a lot of money on-screen, one of the set pieces being one of the most memorable wedding scenes in recent memory. No matter my qualms about the film’s publicity and meaning, I enjoyed it thoroughly. In fact, Crazy Rich Asians is so much fun that I was sorry to see it end so soon. Sequels? I’ll be there.

Movie Review

Babylon A.D. (2008)

ByChristian Sauvé 2008-09-012023-03-14 Movie Review

(In theaters, September 2008) From a promising start, this action/adventure tale sadly devolves into an incomprehensible mess, not unlike the source novel Babylon Babies by French author Maurice Dantec. Director Mathieu Kassovitz has a certain sense of style, and that eye for strong visuals is what props up the film long after it has descended in self-contradictory nonsense. It’s too bad, really, but Vin Diesel and Michelle Yeoh walk away mostly untouched by the mess: There’s little doubt that the worst thing about the film is the increasingly silly script, which goes from a number of interesting premises to an indescribable mess. The film’s reportedly troubled production history shows up in slap-dash action sequences and an abrupt ending that defies audience satisfaction. This is one of those films whose highlights fit in a single five-minute trailer reel; the rest is entirely useless.

Movie Review

Memoirs Of A Geisha (2005)

ByChristian Sauvé 2006-02-122023-03-14 Movie Review

(In theaters, February 2006) Saying “I wasn’t bored!” is the very definition of faint praise, but expectations ran low for this historical drama seemingly more concerned with cinematography and costumes than intrigue or suspense. The trailer itself just looked like a bunch of fancy images. And yet director Rob Marshall should be given more credit: He doesn’t lose any time in making this story of female servitude become interesting: Power plays, historical re-creations and a good sense of plotting all make this a far more interesting tale than it first appears. Ziyi Zhang is fine as the lead character, but it’s Michelle Yeoh who steals the show as her mentor. The film is hardly perfect, of course: The third act feels superfluous (though the sense of dread in seeing all of those American faces suddenly invading the screen is very effective) and the film often gets caught up in its own aesthetics. Then there’s the very real and uncomfortable idea that this film is all about a form of female exploitation, and that’s difficult to forgive even with the historical context. But even though the film may not arouse more than minor admiration for its lush set design and costumes, it’s not a bitter pill to swallow. There are certainly worse films on the Oscar-nominated list.

Movie Review

Dong fang san xia [The Heroic Trio] (1993)

ByChristian Sauvé 2004-04-042023-03-14 Movie Review

(On DVD, April 2004) Fans of the usual wacky Hong Kong action cinema antics will find plenty to like here as three of the loveliest Hong Kong actresses are unleashed on a film that could best be described as… strange. Kidnapped babies are the MacGuffin here, but the real attraction is seeing Maggie Cheug, Anita Mui and (woo) Michelle Yeoh star in a series of action sequences. Strange stuff, well-directed with a tremendous amount of style. This isn’t for everyone, though: Even Hong Kong cinema connoisseurs are likely to wince at some of the casual violence inflicted on babies in this film, especially when it’s glossed over in favour of more heroic images (To quote: “…most of the babies were returned unharmed…” Eeek!) On the other hand, the film has an undeniable sexiness, especially when the lead trio is allowed to, er, stretch their legs. Don’t miss the “exoskeleton” finale. The bare-bones American DVD is another fine hatchet job by Miramax, which can’t even be bothered to include an original-language track.

Movie Review

Wo hu cang long [Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon] (2000)

ByChristian Sauvé 2000-12-182023-03-14 Movie Review

(In theaters, December 2000) It was about time that someone married good drama with cool action scenes, and it took a director clearly more renowned for drama (Ang Lee: Sense And Sensibility, The Ice Storm) than action to do it. The result is an impressive blend of classical tragedy and modern imagery, where the plot is almost as interesting as the fights and the actors seem to switch effortlessly from one mode to the other. Michelle Yeoh and Chow Yun Fat turn in some of the best performances of their career, with impressive screen presences and convincing physical ability. The action scenes are impressive to behold and will warrant another viewing. Only the script isn’t as good as it might have been, with serious structural problems (there’s a twenty-minute flashback in the middle of the film that just kills all pacing) and a disappointing ending. But even with these flaws, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon stands on its own as one of 2000’s best films, a deliciously impressive experience that will manage to delights such diverse crowds as action junkies, feminists, art-house audiences and popcorn crowds.

Movie Review

Chao ji ji hua [Supercop 2] (1993)

ByChristian Sauvé 2000-09-032023-03-14 Movie Review

(On VHS, September 2000) Standard action film saved by two Hong Kong tricks. The first is a good car chase filmed as if the stunts were actually dangerous. The second is an impressive martial arts sequence between the petite Michelle Yeoh and a bulked-up American stereotype, filmed with an appreciable lack of quick cuts, which allows the actors to shine in their acrobatics. The rest of the film is fine, but ultimately forgettable. The Jackie-Chan-as-a-matron shtick cameo not only isn’t very funny, but feels totally out of place in this somewhat humorless film.

Movie Review

Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

ByChristian Sauvé 1997-12-032019-09-29 Movie Review

(In theaters, December 1997) So this is what happened to James Bond after The Rock: A lot of action, but not much of a solid plot. Still, better than Goldeneye. Pierce Brosnan is a great James Bond. As if killer gadgets, a lovely credit sequence and a few great lines weren’t enough, we get Michelle Yeoh as the very best Bond girl ever. Tomorrow Never Dies is far from being a very good Bond (Bad usage of Teri Hatcher, strange impression of deja-vu versus other Bond movies) but it’s as entertaining as anything we’ve come to expect from the franchise. Even spending the entire movie being half-sick standing against the rear wall of the movie theatre didn’t torpedo the experience for me.

(Second viewing, On Cable TV, September 2019) Time has been kind to Tomorrow Never Dies, especially when you compare it to some of the later entries in the series. Fresh off the renewal that was Goldeneye, this second Pierce Brosnan outing gets back to the basics of the Formula without too much second-guessing. We’re back to grandiose villains, Bond girls, big stunts and ingenious gadgets, handled competently. Brosnan’s take on Bond is endearing in these second installments, blending character traits in a format acceptable to the 1990s… and later decades. Jonathan Pryce turns in a striking villain, one that still has relevance now in an era of normalized lying. Teri Hatcher doesn’t have much of a role here, but Michelle Yeoh remains one of the best bond girls in the series, combining beauty, wit and action chops to rank as Bond’s equal. (It helps that in the Brosnan era, Bond actually cares quite a bit about his partners). Action-wise, we’re in the late nineties and that means over-the-top action sequences, a bit too aggressively edited but impressive in their panache — I particularly liked watching the Hamburg parking-lot chase (with Bond chuckling in the back seat at the effectiveness of his gadgets), but the Hanoi motorcycle chase also has its strong moments. The James Bond theme gets one of its better remixes here thanks to David Arnold. Ricky Jay shows up at the brains of the evil outfit, while Judy Dench once again takes the M role to the next level. Compared to the Goldeneyeand a surprising number of its successors, Tomorrow Never Dies is straight Bond formula competently executed, something that I’d like to see once more after the off-brand and intermittently interesting entries in the Craig era. You liking of it (especially compared to its immediate predecessor) will depend on whether you’re in the mood for a straight-up, no-flourishes Bond adventure.

Movie Review

Ging chaat goo si III: Chiu kup ging chaat [Police Story 3: Supercop] (1992)

ByChristian Sauvé 1997-11-032023-03-14 Movie Review

(On VHS, November 1997) Jackie Chan paired with Michelle Yeoh? Wowsa! This Hong Kong-produced comedic action movie takes more than a while to rock, but the final half-hour’s remarkable. Once again, Chan proves he’s got the right stuff, and Yeoh assumes a presence far beyond even the most capable Hollywood heroine. Among the movie’s biggest assets (apart from the two leads) is that it doesn’t takes itself seriously at all.

(Second viewing, On TV, June 1999) Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh in the same movie? Don’t look for me anywhere else but in front of my T.V. Screen! Upon a second viewing, Supercop is actually more enjoyable. For one thing, you get to expect the very slow pace of the first hour, and to expect the Really Good Scenes. Plus, you do get to appreciate the totally incredible Chan/Yeoh dynamic duo: Will there ever be a better onscreen action couple? The U.S. Re-release includes a quirky hip-hop soundtrack, in addition to the required bad dubbing.