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: “Once a Thief”
It may have been released only a year before his action masterpiece “Hard Boiled,” but John Woo’s 1991 action-comedy “Once a Thief” is so different from his typical fare that you wouldn’t guess it was made by the same filmmaker. Though it contains familiar faces like Chow Yun-Fat and Leslie Chung, who starred together in Woo’s “A Better Tomorrow” films, “Once a Thief” is a more light-hearted crime caper that swings so wildly between tones that it’s hard to figure out what kind of movie Woo is trying to make. In true Woo form, the film contains a handful of exciting set pieces, but the overall story is a bit lacking, and the cartoonish humor doesn’t work. Fortunately, the pros just about outweigh the cons, resulting in a mixed bag that is entertaining at times but fails to capture the magic of Woo’s other movies from that period.
Extras include an audio commentary by film critic James Mudge; new interviews with Woo, co-writer Clifton Ko, cinematographer Poon Hang-Sang, producer Terence Chang and editor David Wu; and much more. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
Also Out This Week:
“King of Beggars” — Stephen Chow is certainly an acquired taste, but for my money, he’s the best comedic actor in all of Hong Kong cinema. Best known for pioneering mo lei tau, an absurdist comedy style that blends slapstick physical comedy with nonsensical situations, Chow is responsible for starring in (and directing) some of the funniest Hong Kong films ever made. Though 1992’s “King of Beggars” isn’t among his best movies, it’s a fairly entertaining martial arts comedy that benefits greatly from Chow’s performance. He doesn’t get to engage in his silly antics quite as much as other roles, but those mo lei tau-inspired moments garner the biggest laughs, which makes you wonder just how much better “King of Beggars” could have been had it dove further into the absurd. Extras include an audio commentary by film historian Frank Djeng, an interview with director Gordon Chan and a video essay by cinema scholar Gary Bettinson. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
Disclosure: Bullz-Eye was provided a copy of the above titles for review purposes.
