4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking.
Today is Harrison Ford’s 83rd birthday. There’s not much I can say about Ford other than my movie going life pretty much started as a 4 year old with the STAR WARS movies. As I was growing up, he was one of the biggest stars on the planet, and his movies were almost always really good. He’s quite simply one of the best.
(Bottom to Top) Francis Ng, Roy Cheung, Lam Suet, and Anthony Wong!
THE MISSION is the 1999 film that helped me fall back in love with Hong Kong cinema after many of its great actors and directors had left for Hollywood in the mid 90’s. With Chow Yun-Fat, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and John Woo no longer working in Hong Kong, there was a huge void, and Director Johnnie To stepped in and helped fill it with some of the best Hong Kong crime films ever made. Through his Milkyway Image production company, To directed THE LONGEST NITE (1998), EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED (1998), A HERO NEVER DIES (1998), RUNNING OUT OF TIME (1999), ELECTION (2005), and MAD DETECTIVE (2007), to name a few, all of which are crime film masterpieces in my opinion, and feature some of the best actors still working in Hong Kong at that time. I put Johnnie To’s body of work up against the best directors working anywhere in the world in the last 40 years. The quality and volume of his movies are outstanding, and they’re prime to be discovered for the uninitiated!
THE MISSION has a relatively simple plot…five bodyguards are assembled to protect Hong Kong triad boss, Lung (Eddy Ko), after assassins try to take him out while he’s having dinner at the Super Bowl restaurant. Lung’s brother, Frank (Simon Yam), puts together quite the badass group: Curtis (Anthony Wong), a completely trusted former associate who’s now working as a hairdresser; James (Lam Suet), a firearms expert and nonstop eater of pistachios; Roy (Francis Ng), a super busy guy who seems to be rising in the ranks as a local criminal leader; Shin (Jackie Lui), Roy’s underling and the inexperienced, weak link of the team; and Mike (Roy Cheung), a guy who’s awesome with a gun and currently stuck in the pimp game. We follow this group as they protect their boss from repeated attempts on his life, and also try to help figure out who’s ordered the hits. Needless to say, their mission takes a few detours along the way, and the men will ultimately have to decide where their true loyalty lies!
THE MISSION is a crime film masterpiece, and I give Johnnie To most of the credit. Clocking in at just 84 minutes, the film is so simple, and yet it creates such a distinctive vibe that you can’t take your eyes off of the screen. To seems most interested in building the relationships between his main characters during the boring downtimes of their mission. We see them go from not talking to each other, to begrudgingly acknowledging each other, to finally playing soccer with a paper ball as they wait for their boss to leave his office. Just as we’re really getting to know and like our characters, the film will spring an intense action sequence out of nowhere. The director’s signature restraint is on full display in these limited action scenes, which are built around our characters’ professional expertise and a rising spacial tension with the would-be assassins. The action is incredible without relying on the over the top action sequences expected of the genre. As a matter of fact, I rank the “mall shootout” from THE MISSION as one of the best action scenes that Hong Kong cinema has to offer.
The cool poster for THE MISSION (1999)
The writing is also top notch in THE MISSION, which is not a real surprise because Nai-Hoi Yau has written almost all of Johnnie To’s best films. Yau and To have quite the working relationship as the screenplay, like the movie, hints at way more than it says. The audience isn’t spoon fed everything that happens, but it’s easy to look back upon repeat viewings and see that the clues are there based on what we know of the characters. There are also some interesting surprises sprinkled throughout the film. For example, a character shown as a coward in the opening scene re-emerges later in the film and redeems himself in a completely unexpected way. These moments are fun and exciting even for a film that is often relatively still and quiet. One other technical credit I want to mention is the film’s musical score by Chi Wing Chung. I’m not the kind of reviewer to spend too much time on a score, but I haven’t been able to get THE MISSION’s theme out of my head from the first time I saw it. Like the rest of the film, it’s simple, but it is the perfect synthy, background music for men walking and looking cool. I absolutely love it.
Last, but not least, I have to highlight the cast that Johnnie To assembled for THE MISSION. It’s full of Hong Kong film award winners, beginning with five time winner Anthony Wong, and then Francis Ng and Simon Yam, also single winners of the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor. Each of these guys are outstanding here, with Anthony Wong and Francis Ng as the standouts of the movie. Anthony Wong, known for so many over the top characterizations in the classic Hong Kong films of the 90’s, delivers a perfectly understated and subtle performance here, which makes him that much more powerful when he needs to be. Francis Ng has a lot more dialogue, but his underlying sense of frustration and boiling-over intensity is the perfect counterpoint to Wong’s patience and calm. Roy Cheung, Lam Suet, Eddy Ko, and Tian-Lin Wang (Wong Jing’s dad) are all perfectly cast and bring excellent characterizations to the table. My only complaint about the cast is the fact that Lau Ching-Wan isn’t in the film. He’s been the star of so many of To’s best films, that I wish there would have been a part for him here.
Overall, THE MISSION is an incredible crime drama with a simple plot that primarily focuses on loyalty and betrayal within the triad underworld, punctuated by intense and precise action sequences, and performed by many of the very best actors in the Hong Kong film industry. It gets my highest recommendation and is well worth searching out.
I’ve included a trailer for THE MISSION below. I honestly don’t think it’s a great representation for the movie itself, but it appears to be the best we’ve got!
I went through my Asian movie phase beginning in the mid to late 90’s. I started with Hong Kong cinema before adding in South Korean cinema in the early 2000’s. One of the first South Korean films I watched was JOINT SECURITY AREA (2000), which was directed by the great Park Chan-wook and starred Lee Byung-hun and Song Kang-ho. It’s an amazing film so I started following the work of all the talent involved. Lee Byung-Hun would make A BITTERSWEET LIFE in 2005, and it’s probably my favorite film of his. He’s a complete badass in it. I bought my DVD of the film from a cool movie shop in Chicago when I was visiting on business back in 2011. Lee would eventually start appearing in Hollywood films like the GI JOE movies, RED 2, and THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN remake, but my favorites are his Korean films, with the violent I SAW THE DEVIL (2010) a real standout. Heck, he’s even in the popular THE SQUID GAME series that’s currently playing on Netflix. I didn’t realize that until a few weeks back, so I even watched a few episodes.
Today, July 12th, 2025 is Lee Byung-hun’s 55th birthday. I’m celebrating here on the Shattered Lens by sharing a badass fight scene from A BITTERSWEET LIFE. Lee looks great in a suit or tux, but he’s also a believable tough guy who isn’t afraid to get bloody like he does here.
So, enjoy this brutal fight scene from A BITTERSWEET LIFE, and be sure to stay for the humorous punctuation from the gravediggers at the end!
4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking.
I noticed that today, July 11th, 2025, is actor Thomas Mitchell’s 133rd birthday in cinema heaven! I can guarantee that I, along with most of you, watch him every year around Christmas time. I also found out today that he worked with my movie hero Charles Bronson on THE O. HENRY PLAYHOUSE TV series back in 1957. That combination of appearances makes Mitchell about as close to a cinematic immortal as a person can get!
Enjoy 4 shots from 4 films, with Thomas Mitchell!
Stagecoach (1939)Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)The O. Henry Playhouse: Two Renegades (1957)
Happy Birthday in cinematic heaven to one of the great actors and movie stars, Yul Brynner! Brynner was born on July 11th, 1920, in Vladivostok, Russia. He would win an academy award in his career for his performance as King Mongkut of Siam in THE KING AND I (1956), but I will always appreciate him the most for his part as Chris, the leader of those seven magnificent men on the lookout for justice! In honor of Brynner’s birthday, my scene of the day is from the classic western, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN!
Korean Actor Gong Yoo was born on July 10th, 1979, in Busan, Korea. He stars in one of my favorite South Korean films, TRAIN TO BUSAN, which also happens to be one of my favorite zombie films. I highly recommend it, and for those interested, it’s currently streaming on Netflix. In honor of Gong Yoo’s birthday, enjoy this graphic and intense scene from TRAIN TO BUSAN.
Charles Bronson and Gene Davis, together again 5 years after TEN TO MIDNIGHT (1983)
A couple of years ago, I decided I would rank my favorite Charles Bronson films. The rules were fairly simple… 1) only starring roles, so movies like THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN and THE GREAT ESCAPE were excluded, 2) no TV movies were included, and 3) my rankings were based on how much I like watching the movies, and not on some BS critical consensus. It was an interesting undertaking, and while I’ve played around with the rankings a little bit, for the most part I’ve kept them the same from that initial ranking. Because I’m obsessed with Charles Bronson, it’s fun for me to write about him and share things about his movies. As such, about once a week or so, I’ll probably share a movie from my list, give my ranking, and talk a little bit about the films. These will not necessarily be reviews, but mostly just some basic thoughts on the films.
My first Bronson movie of the week is MESSENGER OF DEATH (1988), which I rank as 33rd out of 41 Bronson starring roles. What’s interesting is that even though that’s a pretty low ranking, I still enjoy the film for trying to do something different with Bronson at that point in his career in the late ’80s, mainly by casting him as a reporter and not as a cop. He destroys the opposition with superior investigative reporting skills, without having to resort to oversized handguns. Now that his filmography is complete, and has been for over 25 years, I’ve grown to appreciate the times Bronson tried something a little different (with the exception of LOLA). MESSENGER OF DEATH also benefits from a solid cast of veteran actors and actresses, including Trish Van Devere, Laurence Luckinbill, Daniel Benzali, Charles Dierkop, Jeff Corey, John Ireland, and Gene Davis. It’s fun watching these seasoned performers, many of whom have worked with Bronson in the past, do their thing. And last, but not least, with filming locations at the Colorado National Monument and the mountain town of Glenwood Springs, CO, it’s definitely a beautiful film to look at! The older I get the more I appreciate movies that get out of the cities and show us beautiful sights around the country and world. Jeff shared some of his own thoughts on MESSENGER OF DEATH back in 2017!
As of the date of this post, MESSENGER OF DEATH is streaming on Amazon Prime and Tubi if you want to watch it yourself. It’s a film that I’ve enjoyed more with repeat viewings. I’ve also included the trailer below for your viewing pleasure. Feel free to let me know your thoughts on MESSENGER OF DEATH, starring the legendary Charles Bronson!
Brian Dennehy directed, co-wrote and starred in this made-for-TV movie about Chicago homicide detective Jack Reed. This is the third TV movie based on Reed’s exploits, following 1992’s DEADLY MATRIMONY, and 1993’s BADGE OF HONOR. In A SEARCH FOR JUSTICE, Jack Reed (Brian Dennehy) investigates the murder of pregnant stripper Lorelei Bradley (Marjorie Monaghan), who also happens to love children, even running a daycare center in the trailer park she lives in. Reed’s investigation quickly identifies the politically connected businessman and strip club owner, Win Carter (Miguel Ferrer), as the prime suspect. As if trying to solve the murder isn’t tough enough, Reed must also deal with corrupt superiors within his own department and train his new boss Charles Silvera (Charles S. Dutton), the latest in a long line of men to be promoted over him. No matter what obstacles Reed encounters, he remains determined to bring the killer to justice!
JACK REED: A SEARCH FOR JUSTICE, is my first “Jack Reed” film, and I enjoyed it. The character of Jack Reed is based on real life Cook County, Illinois Sheriff John “Jack” Reed, with each of the different movies loosely based on cases that Reed investigated throughout his career. As you might imagine, Brian Dennehy is excellent in the lead role as the tough, principled cop who will stop at nothing to catch criminals. The Chicago backdrop adds a nice wrinkle to the proceedings with its strong reputation for corruption, something that plays strongly into this installment and makes Reed’s job that much harder. I also really like Charles S. Dutton’s character, Lieutenant Charles Silvera. Initially promoted due to the color of his skin, and as a way to stick it to Reed, Silvera turns out to be an incorruptible lawman who develops a great working relationship with Reed. I’ve always been a fan of Dutton as an actor, mainly because of his ability to project decency and integrity on screen, and I’m looking forward to seeing them work together in future installments. Miguel Ferrer is also a good villain. He doesn’t go over the top here, rather he plays the part as low key, politically connected, amoral, and ultimately, very dangerous. It’s a good choice.
The fact that JACK REED: A SEARCH FOR JUSTICE is based on real life cases helps bring a little more realism than you might get in most TV movie cop movies of the time. As an example, our cops are more concerned about putting together solid evidence and getting a conviction over anything else. There is some action, but after watching this installment, I realize that these movies are just as likely to end with lawyers cutting a deal than with a big shootout. On the flip side, there are elements of the story that don’t seem realistic at all, such as Reed’s wife Arlene (Susan Ruttan) doing her own undercover work at one point, and our victim’s unlikely dual life as a stripper and daycare operator. What can I say, it’s not a perfect movie, but if you enjoy 90’s TV cop dramas like I do, you should enjoy this film and this series. The cast is good, and the characters are men of integrity trying to bring justice to a corrupt world. That’s a recipe for enjoyment as far as I’m concerned, and I’m looking forward to watching the rest of the film series!
I’m a big fan of tough guy actor, Brian Dennehy. I especially liked it when he teamed up with James Woods in the badass cop/hitman flick, BEST SELLER! In honor of Dennehy’s 87th birthday in cinema heaven, I thought I’d share him pummeling a very deserving Woods in one of the film’s many standout scenes!
It was the summer of 1990, my last summer as a high schooler, as I would be graduating in the spring of 1991. Our family headed out on vacation. We left Toad Suck, Arkansas on a trek that would eventually lead us to Pigeon Forge, TN. My dad loved to take the scenic route anywhere we went, so the five of us (dad, mom, Donnie, Pam and myself) would always take in a lot of beautiful sights along the way. The first night we stayed in the town of Fort Payne, Alabama, the home community of Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry, and Jeff Cook, better known as country music supergroup, Alabama. The second night we stayed in the community of Ela, North Carolina along a beautiful stream. On the third night, we arrived at our final destination in Pigeon Forge, where we’d spend a few extra days before heading back to Toad Suck. It didn’t matter where we stayed, though, because every night my sister Pam would control the remote and make us watch MTV. You see, we didn’t have cable television in Toad Suck, so this was Pam’s only chance to possibly catch a video of the group she was obsessed with, the New Kids on the Block, and their latest single “Step by Step.” It didn’t matter if the current program was Yo MTV Raps, my sister refused to let go of the remote for fear she would miss her hero, the pelvis thrusting Jordan Knight. Sitting on my deck tonight listening to crickets and watching deer, I started thinking about things I enjoy and those memories came back to me. I don’t care if I’m cool or not, but I sure did enjoy opening up YouTube and watching the “Step by Step” video this evening. I even shared it in my text group with my Mom, brother and sister. We’ve all enjoyed it tonight! Now it’s your turn! 😎🎶
Through the Shattered Lens 