REVIEW: Frugal Game
07-30-02, 10:32 PM
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REVIEW: Frugal Game
Frugal Game
directed by: Derek Chiu
Starring: Miriam Yeung, Eason Chan, Dodo Cheng, Eric Tsang
Synopsis:
Unemployed and cash-strapped Dodo Cheng and Eric Tsang team up as a family to join a gameshow called Frugal Game. The goal of the game is to live through 7 days by spending as little of their $400 as possible to win the big cash prize. The show is headed by a young director (Eason Chan) who is obsessed with making traditional martial arts movies starring the legendary Ti Lung. The combination of the director and mismatched family leads to high-jinxs throughout Hong Kong...
Thoughts:
If you've been watching all the "reality TV" recently, you'll like this movie. The idea is a gameshow, where two families have to compete against each other to be as frugal as possible for 7 days. Whomever has the most money left, from their starting pot of $400, is the winner, and must avoid getting disqualified by the many rules of the game. Each family is housed in a studio apartment, where they have to be together all day, and are allowed out to the city as they desire. Everything in their apartment costs money, except for the lights. Food, water, drinks... $5 a pop.
The contestants has to find ways to sustain themselves without spening money, but it's all much harder then they think. There's also some small insight into the economic problem facing Asia here.
This is not a Miriam movie, as she shares equal screen time with Eric Tsang, Dodo Cheng, and even Eason Chan. The result is quite charming and enjoyable. Eason's character is great! He tries to use traditional martial arts thinking in all his
shows, to the dismay of the producer. Eric is his usual self (albeit less annoying) and Dodo gives a fun performance as a snobish person. Miriam is... Miriam. Always fun to watch.
Ti Lung's awesome cameo is worth the admission price alone! You guys that are familiar with Ti Lung's martial arts movie career will *LOVE* his scenes.
DVD info:
Publisher: Universe Entertainment LTD (exclusive worldwide distributor)
All Region
NTSC
DVD-5
runtime: 101 mins
Letterbox (non-anamorphic)
subtitles: Optional Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), English
audio: DD 5.1 Cantonese and DD 5.1 Mandarin
Image:
Image is clean and clear, but is obviously an interlaced source.
On one large panning scene, the image got blurry. Otherwise, it's pretty decent.
Subtitles:
Fairly good English subs, with no spelling or diction errors (none that I can remember). Chinese to English translations is quite good too.
Audio:
Clean and clear audio with surround effects where needed, but on the quiet side. Just turn up the volume to enjoy.
Extras:
Fairly detailed Bios for main cast.
Very short interview segment joined into the movie trailer. Has bloopers mixed in there too.
Thoughts:
I am somewhat dissapointed by Universe's output. It should have been a much better DVD. I am sure Mei Ah would have done a superior job, but this is better than WideSight's DVD of Miriam's previous movie, "Dry Wood, Fierce Fire".
Ratings:
Highly recommended (not your usual comedy fluff)
Movie: 7/10 **revised** (8/10 was a little too high)
DVD: 7/10
directed by: Derek Chiu
Starring: Miriam Yeung, Eason Chan, Dodo Cheng, Eric Tsang
Synopsis:
Unemployed and cash-strapped Dodo Cheng and Eric Tsang team up as a family to join a gameshow called Frugal Game. The goal of the game is to live through 7 days by spending as little of their $400 as possible to win the big cash prize. The show is headed by a young director (Eason Chan) who is obsessed with making traditional martial arts movies starring the legendary Ti Lung. The combination of the director and mismatched family leads to high-jinxs throughout Hong Kong...
Thoughts:
If you've been watching all the "reality TV" recently, you'll like this movie. The idea is a gameshow, where two families have to compete against each other to be as frugal as possible for 7 days. Whomever has the most money left, from their starting pot of $400, is the winner, and must avoid getting disqualified by the many rules of the game. Each family is housed in a studio apartment, where they have to be together all day, and are allowed out to the city as they desire. Everything in their apartment costs money, except for the lights. Food, water, drinks... $5 a pop.
The contestants has to find ways to sustain themselves without spening money, but it's all much harder then they think. There's also some small insight into the economic problem facing Asia here.
This is not a Miriam movie, as she shares equal screen time with Eric Tsang, Dodo Cheng, and even Eason Chan. The result is quite charming and enjoyable. Eason's character is great! He tries to use traditional martial arts thinking in all his
shows, to the dismay of the producer. Eric is his usual self (albeit less annoying) and Dodo gives a fun performance as a snobish person. Miriam is... Miriam. Always fun to watch.
Ti Lung's awesome cameo is worth the admission price alone! You guys that are familiar with Ti Lung's martial arts movie career will *LOVE* his scenes.
DVD info:
Publisher: Universe Entertainment LTD (exclusive worldwide distributor)
All Region
NTSC
DVD-5
runtime: 101 mins
Letterbox (non-anamorphic)
subtitles: Optional Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), English
audio: DD 5.1 Cantonese and DD 5.1 Mandarin
Image:
Image is clean and clear, but is obviously an interlaced source.
On one large panning scene, the image got blurry. Otherwise, it's pretty decent.
Subtitles:
Fairly good English subs, with no spelling or diction errors (none that I can remember). Chinese to English translations is quite good too.
Audio:
Clean and clear audio with surround effects where needed, but on the quiet side. Just turn up the volume to enjoy.
Extras:
Fairly detailed Bios for main cast.
Very short interview segment joined into the movie trailer. Has bloopers mixed in there too.
Thoughts:
I am somewhat dissapointed by Universe's output. It should have been a much better DVD. I am sure Mei Ah would have done a superior job, but this is better than WideSight's DVD of Miriam's previous movie, "Dry Wood, Fierce Fire".
Ratings:
Highly recommended (not your usual comedy fluff)
Movie: 7/10 **revised** (8/10 was a little too high)
DVD: 7/10
Last edited by jtkv; 08-01-02 at 11:14 PM.
07-31-02, 11:26 AM
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yes, Dodo is one of the most talented actresses ever to appear in the HK movie horizon. One look at a movie like Her Fatal Ways can confirm her talent. It's good to see her back on the big screen after quite a few years away from it, instead working on the small screen, as a game show host, and as an emcee.
08-01-02, 11:16 PM
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I just changed the movie rating to 7/10... 8/10 is a little too high. It is still a good and charming movie. Just not 8/10...
I don't wanna mislead you guys too much
J.T.
I don't wanna mislead you guys too much
J.T.
