Sex and Zen & a Bullet in the Head: The Essential Guide to Hong Kong's Mind-Bending Films

A book for those with an interest in the far-out from the farside of the globe. A well-written guide to films that are action-packed, sexy, and in several cases, just plain odd. Well worth the read for anyone looking for an introduction into the world of Hong Kong Cinema. Read, enjoy, learn, then start trying to track down these films that range from classic to trashy.

Got baptized under fire with A Better Tomorrow, Part 2... but then what? Especially now that Tower is starting to keep up a "Hong Kong" section, how in blue blazes do you seperated the phat from the fodder? This is a funny book; informative and hip without being slick. Hollywood, look out!

From the first few words of the introduction, it's clear what the purpose of this work is: "...over-intellectualizing film denies the primary purpose of moviegoing: entertainment." This book reads more like a high quality trade magazine published by true fanboys, rather than a traditional movie-review book spun up by professional critics. This is a GOOD thing! It's the very reason I awarded it 5 stars; if your cup of tea is highbrow social critique, check out Stokes' and Hoover's City on Fire.Sex and Zen & A Bullet in the Head is instead an unapologetic, unabashed celebration of Hong Kong cinema that waggles its tongue at the conventions of political correctness. The authors have also packed in fun trivia and interesting tidbits all fans ought to appreciate. (The sections on poorly translated subtitles floored me with laughter!) This is the book you want to purchase if you want a guided tour into the amazing world of Hong Kong cinema.And to address the criticism of a previous reviewer, yes, this work does contain plot breakdowns and spoilers, but if you use a bit of discretion, this ceases to be a problem. In fact, in many cases this isn't a problem to begin with. The Jackie Chan-type films in particular aren't known for plot; you're riveted by the action, definitely not the melodrama. As any HK film fanatic can tell you, descriptions utterly fail to convey the overwhelming cinematic wonders these films possess.

I have been a Hong Kong cinema fan for years, and there was lots stuff in here I didn't know. The review style is short and to the point, plus there's a 10 Best section, as well as sections on Jackie Chan and John Woo. My favorite section is all of the hilarious quotes from bad subtitles. A definte must for anyone who has seen a few HK films and wants more, but doesn't know where to start.

If you are looking for an easy way to navigate around Hong Kong cinema this is it. These well researched, savvy movie commentaries cover it all from wholesome blockbusters to exploitation films, yet each film is in possession of that elusive Hong Kong element that makes these films irresistible. Not only will you find cogent reviews that can clarify a storyline in seconds flat, but the information in the sidebars is the sort of trivia that can make a diehard fan's heart sing. And don't miss the bilingual film index in the back -- a godsend for the American gweilo.