One of the posts I haven’t gotten around to writing was going to talk about the New York Asian Film Festival I attended this Summer. I really wish a festival like this would happen in Portland. Ever since Christine stopped booking films at Cinema 21 many years ago, things have looked bleak. She would always try to insert Hong Kong film festivals into the schedule there, and it was thanks to her efforts that I was introduced to Jackie Chan (pre-Hollywood!) and saw Hard Boiled for the first time.
I only managed to see a few films at the New York festival, but Johnny To’s Exiled (Fong Juk) was my favorite. And now it is showing in Portland at the Living Room Theaters through October 4th. Check it out. If you like gangster films, if you like Hong Kong gangster films, if you like character-driven stories about bad men who are good men, and the things they have to do for loyalty, honor, or just to save their neck, check it out! The final photo booth scene is awesome.
IK