The public library here has become my accelerated film school of late -- thanks to their seemingly limitless selection of titles both new and old -- and the savings in blind buys from Amazon to see such gap-fillers frees up more cash for Hong Kong goodies.
In other welcome news, my favourite haunt in downtown Chinatown, the Wa Yi Trading Co., is no longer going out of business, but simply moving a couple of doors down the street, to a lower-level location rather than an upper level location, apparently to save on rent. It's a bit sad to see the shop downsizing once again (this is the third move in the past decade), but I'm just glad he's sticking it out for as long as he can. He's had a going-out-of-business sale on for the past couple of years or more, with his vast selection of VCDs (many for films still unreleased on DVD) priced to move, even cheaper in recent months (4/$10). His DVD stock, on the other hand, with the exception of the Shaw Bros. titles (some of which Cal picked up as I recall), remained at regular prices for most of that time, and a bit high compared to what I could pay at DDD House or Buyoyo. But last weekend, I discovered that his
entire stock of DVDs, excluding new releases, is now 30% off in anticipation of the relocation. Frankly, I wish he'd just make these his regular prices; he'd probably get a few more stragglers buying from him rather than funding the pirate shops in the area.
Anyways, here's just over a month's worth of Hong Kong (and Chinese) DVD purchases, both from the Wa Yi and other vendors in the city's north-end Chinese areas, some of whom seem to be doig at least a little better these days thanks to the continued decline of the bootleggers. Some old stuff, some new stuff, some revisits for eventual review purposes:
DVDsBRUCE LEE, MY BROTHER
MERRY-GO-ROUND (still bummed that I couldn't a charity screening of this in Richmond Hill, near my office, with Nora Miao in attendance)
FORGET ME NOT
EX
PERFECT WEDDING
FROZEN
THE HAUNTING LOVER
VAMPIRE WARRIORS
GO LALA GO
THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED
IF YOU ARE THE ONE II
ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL 2011
I LOVE HONG KONG (how can you
not want to see this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc_AUo_S3ts They even redid the classic song! And that
cast!)
MARRIAGE WITH A LIAR
MR. & MRS. INCREDIBLE
GLAMOROUS YOUTH (been trying to find this one for a while)
FLYING DRAGON LEAPING TIGER
UNFORGETTABLE FANTASY
SIXTY MILLION DOLLAR MAN
Legendary Collection DVDs (all from Wa Yi)
FOUR WINDS
STOOGES IN HONG KONG
ALL IN THE FAMILY
THE DEVIL'S TREASURE
RUN TIGER RUN
SPRINGTIME IN PATTAYA
Some other recent Blu-rays (barring Tangled, all previously seen, but not owned)
TANGLED (4-disc 3D Blu-ray/Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy)
THE INCREDIBLES (4-Disc Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy)
CARS (2-Disc Blu-ray/DVD)
TRON LEGACY + TRON (5 disc 3D Blu-ray/Blu-ray/2xDVD/Digital Copy)
KUNG-FU PANDA (2-dsc Blu-ray/DVD reissue) still on for $14.99 at Amazon, if anyone's looking for it . . .
CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS (Blu-ray/DVD)
GALAXY QUEST
THE MACHINIST
NINE (cheap WalMart blind buy; may sell if so-so)
STAR TREK (2009) (Blu-ray/DVD) used
G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA (Blu-ray/DVD) used
G.I. JOE: THE MOVIE (animated) (Blu-ray SE)