Blu Tuesday is a weekly column where we review the newest Blu-ray and 4K releases, along with a brief rundown of the included bonus material, to determine whether they’re worth buying, renting or skipping.
Pick of the Week: “Gorgeous”
Jackie Chan has made plenty of bad films throughout his career, but 1999’s “Gorgeous” stands out perhaps more than others because it’s not a traditional Chan movie. With that said, this incredibly cheesy rom-com definitely earns its reputation due to a poorly written script that makes less sense the more you think about it and a complete lack of chemistry between Chan and the much younger Shu Qi. Though it contains a few good laughs thanks to Tony Leung’s horribly stereotypical gay best friend, the film’s only real saving grace is a pair of arbitrary (but no less incredible) fight sequences between Chan and Australian martial artist Brad Allan. The final duel, in particular, is easily one of the best fight scenes of Chan’s career and a major reason why fans continue to return to “Gorgeous” after all these years.
Extras include two audio commentaries on the Hong Kong cut (one with film historians Frank Djeng and FJ DeSanto, and another with film historians Mike Leeder and Arne Venema), as well as a third commentary track with Chan on the international cut, a making-of featurette and more. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
Also Out This Week:
“Flashdance” (4K) — This 1983 cult classic may boast a great soundtrack and a charming performance by a then-unknown Jennifer Beals, but it’s an otherwise terrible movie that drowns itself in soap opera-level writing. Instead of focusing on its protagonist’s dream of becoming a professional dancer, which would have made for a much more interesting film, “Flashdance” spends most of its time on a lame (and somewhat inappropriate) romantic plot between Beals’ 18-year-old welder/cabaret performer and her much older boss (played by Michael Nouri). The whole thing feels kind of gross, especially under the eye of director Aidan Lyne, whose leering male gaze is on full display in the music video-style dance sequences. “Flashdance” is by no means intended to be high art, but considering how many better like-minded movies there are from that era, it’s frankly quite amazing that it remains a pop culture touchstone. Extras include a trio of behind-the-scenes featurettes. FINAL VERDICT: SKIP
“Heart of Dragon” — It’s hard to imagine what was going through Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung’s heads when they set out to make 1985’s “Heart of Dragon” because it’s the kind of spectacular misfire that would normally threaten to end careers. Though the film seems to be aiming for a “Rain Man”-style dramedy about an ambitious Hong Kong cop and his mentally disabled brother, it plays more like “I Am Sam,” with Hung’s depiction of a mentally disabled person proving extremely problematic. The movie’s issues go much deeper than that, including an extended action sequence in the final act that’s entertaining in its own right yet feels totally misplaced, but “Heart of Dragon” never had a chance with such an ill-conceived premise (and performance) at its core. Extras include an audio commentary by film historians Frank Djeng and FJ DeSanto, as well as a making-of featurette and interviews with Chan, Hung and cinematographer Arthur Wong. FINAL VERDICT: SKIP
Disclosure: Bullz-Eye was provided a copy of the above titles for review purposes.
