Reviewed by: Sydneyguy Date: 08/20/2008 Summary: I agree with Inner strength Looks like a im in the minority, its just a little too over the top and unrealistic to me. The first half seems to be a love triangle story then changes direction to............im not sure!! TAkeshi keneshiro's novel becauses part of the movie then............??? Just a little confused, but its great to see all the cameo's, and its sad but intially i didnt reckonise Lesley Cheung. Still its worth a look, just to see all the beautiful people!! Reviewer Score: 6

Reviewed by: dandan Date: 07/27/2006 Summary: not a biopic of bach's lady-friend... chan kar-fu (takeshi "he's so dreamy" kaneshiro) is a shy piano tuner. one day, he goes to a house, to tune their piano, and finds that the couple are breaking up as he works. yau wing fu (aaron kwok), packs his belongings into an orange box and joins chan kar-fu on his way home. yau wing fu is a novellist; well, actually, he does nothing, but he does like the occassional flutter on the horses. yau wing fu imposes himself on chan kar-fu and the two end up sharing his apartment. all is rosy until mok man-yee (kelly chen) moves in upstairs and begins tormenting yau wing fu with her piano playing. chan kar-fu likes the piano playing and mok man-yee, but his shyness prevents him from expressing this, whilst yau wing fu has no fear and dives right in to a relationship with her. things take a turn for the strange when mok man-yee dumps him, he moves out and writes a fantasy love story about two people; cross (chan kar-fu) and zero (mok man-yee), which is then relayed to the viewer. takeshi kaneshiro is great as the quiet and reserved man who can't express his feelings, whilst aaron kwok does some good work as the brash womaniser. kelly chen is also (suprisingly) good as the object of both men's affection. the film plays out as a romantic comedy with a healthy dose of unpredictable hong kong randomness thrown in for good measure; creating a fable about those who are prepared to take a chance pursuing romance and those who aren't. good stuff.

Reviewed by: pjshimmer Date: 09/14/2003 Summary: Original and innovative? This magical movie lights up the screen! It is an absolutely adorable and unique feature. If you like movies that deviate from the norm, You must see Anna Magdalena for yourself. Funny and compassionate at the same time. The best scene has Takeshi Kaneshiro and Kelly Chan travelling in a van, singing love song with a guitar for a living. [9/10] Reviewer Score: 9

Reviewed by: JohnR Date: 05/20/2003 Summary: Charming Life-affirming Film I put off and put off buying this dvd. And when I did buy it, along with some others, it got put on the bottom of the stack to watch. What a mistake! This is a really enjoyable movie. The plot has been summarized by other reviewers so I won't rehash it; the main thing is it examines the differences between the love lives of shy/polite/cautious men (most of us) and hyper-extroverts who live for the moment (the guys we wish we were). The former seeming to deserve the women, but the later seeming to get them. But don't get me wrong, it's gently and lovingly told; no preaching or moralizing. Very well balanced. The three stars do really good jobs. This is the best I've ever seen Kelly Chan. It's true the early part of the movie moves slower than the later part, but that's not a defect. I was in the mood to just drift along with it; no hurry at all. Very well done by all parties involved.

Reviewed by: Inner Strength Date: 01/12/2002 Summary: Good at times This movie seemed to drag for the first half, everything was set at a slow pace. However, the second half seemed to change, and it became a lot more enjoyable and quite funny. The story line is pretty strange, as there are 3 stories going on, one of which was with Anita Yuen and Leslie Cheung which seemed to only last 10 minutes and that was it. The story is of two men, Chan Ka Fu (played by Takeshi Kaneshiro) and Yau Win (Aaron Kwok) who although both live completely different lives, both love the same women, Mok Man Yee (Kelly Chen). Chan Ka Fu is a quiet shy character who works as a piano tuner, and seems happy with life, were as his new friend Yau Win is a loud ‘between-jobs’ person who uses all of his money on gambling. His girlfriend Mok Man Yee is always getting mad at Yau Win for his ways, and is always splitting up with him. This pleases Chan Ka Fu who thinks he has a chance with her. Then all of a sudden half way through the plot and speed changes, Chan starts writing a romance novel which is really a fantasy story about him and Yee. The story then takes off into this story which turns into some kind of adventure. One thing did confuse me though, although an impressive cast list, it is really only 3 main characters, the rest play cameos. Everyone else seemed to be on the screen for 5 minutes, especially Anita Yuen, they should have given her a better role. Jacky Cheung, Leslie Cheung, Anita Yuen, and Eric Tsang (luckily!) were given tiny roles, they might have well not been in the film. Slow at first, but enjoyable at times. Stick with it as it gets much better after the first half. Rating (of 5): 3 (This rating is based on the year & genre, so don't think it's based as a comparison on new releases etc.) Reviewer Score: 6

Reviewed by: Souxie Date: 01/05/2002 Summary: ROFLMA I watched this and Rolled On the Floor and Laffed My Ass Off.... the story of three people trying to get on with their lives. Very, very funny stuff, so many excellent scenes to wear out your DVD remote by! Takeshi Kaneshiro has frightful hair but a solid part, Kelly Chen has a great part I think she relishes, but none of this can compare with Aaron Kwok in his underwear, Aaron Kwok in his shorts, Aaron Kwok and his many many swear words... Fantastic. Simply fantastic. 9/10! Reviewer Score: 9

Reviewed by: future113 Date: 05/28/2001 Summary: Mixed movie brings mixed feelings Ok I saw this movie last night and have mixed feelings about this one. Kelly Chan was cute in this movie but seemed somewhat 'bitchy' so as an audience viewer you really couldn't feel anything for her. And this love triangle, it's nice to see it develop but disappointing also. The second half of the movie was funny, I liked the 1000 candle scene, very romantic even if it was in a church. The music box idea was a nice touch. Overall I would say to check it out if you before you buy the dvd or vcd, if not then it's still worthy of a dvd purchase under $12.

Reviewed by: lordmanji Date: 12/05/2000 Summary: Half Poetry/ Half Entertainment Anna Magdalena boasts a cast of commercial powerhouses, the three main stars being Aaron Kwok, Kelly Chen, and Takeshi Kaneiro. One would expect a very commercially formulaic film, but halfway through it takes a detour from commercial and as the name itself suggests, this is no ordinary Hong Kong love story from that point on. The plot revolves around Takeshi, AAron, and Kelly's love triangle. AAron and Kelly for a good deal of the movie attempt to consumate a relationship, while Takeshi waits in the wings, happy for his quirky offbeat friend but at the same time wanting to kill him (strangle sequence; hilarious stuff!) for ruining his chances. This is told in a very conventional way. Not until the second half kicks in is the theme of the story more clear -- that we all have a love, whether we find it and consumate it is entirely left up to both fate and chance, as AAron was Kelly's love (half-consumated) and Kelly was Takeshi's love (unconsumated). AAron represents the freewheeling soul never meant to love fully, and just as Kelly is Takeshi's unfulfilled dream, AAron is Kelly's. This is explained in the second-half of the movie, and it is such a twist from the conventional first half that I wondered if i popped in another vcd by accident when changing to disc two. However traditional the first half is, the second half is not -- it is outright quirky, humourous, and philosophical -- and it works. The entire movie is very well-acted, from AAron's goofy annoying but lovable character to Takeshi's bookworm, except for Kelly Chen's lukewarm rigid performance. The second half especially has beautiful cinematography, with gothic atmosphere while at the "castle" and vibrant, poetic imagery in the meadow while Takeshi waxes on philosophically. The 2nd half's premise is from pure imagination, and it works magically. All in all, the characters lovableness and subsequent humor, and half-orignal script makes this movie a delight for the eyes, mind, and heart. * Added bonuses - Watch for cameos from Jacky Cheung and Leslie Cheung!

Reviewed by: grimes Date: 04/02/2000 Because this had the two main actors from Lost and Found, Takeshiro Kaneshiro andKelly Chan, I had very high, probably unreasonable, expectations for this film. It didn't quite match up to Lost and Found, but Anna Magdalena is an excellent film in its own right. I like a film that is daring and this film is definitely daring. This film tells the story Chan Kar-Fu (Takeshi), Yau Muk-Yan (Aaron Kwok), and Mok Man-Yee (Kelly Chan). Chan Kar-Fu is an extremely quiet and reserved piano tuner who can't play the piano (in a bit of perhaps too obvious irony). Yau Muk-Yan is a charming and shiftless womanizer and Mok Man-Yee is the beautiful, but aloof, woman who lives above them. The film is divided into four unequal length parts, two movements (I wonder about the translation here. Maybe it should have been 'solo' or 'theme'), a duet, and variations. In the first movement, 'Yau Muk-Yan', Chan Kar-Fu and Yau Muk-Yan meet, and for some reason, Yau Muk-Yan ends up moving into Chan Kar-Fu's apartment. I guess Chan Kar-Fu is just too nice. However, there is also an element of envy in their relationship. Part of him wishes that he could be as 'successful' with women as Yau Muk-Yan. In the second movement, 'Mok Man-Yee', Mok Man-Yee moves into the apartment above them. She has a grand piano upon which she constantly attempts to play Bach's Minuet in G from his Notebook for Anna Magdalena. This is a set of pieces that Bach wrote while courting his soon to be wife, and this piece is the most famous of them. Mok Man-Yee is a horrible piano player and her playing tortures Yau Muk-Yan, although it enchants Chan Kar-Fu, who falls in love with her. Up to this point, the movie has been a good, but not terribly original, love triangle story. Fortunately the acting, particularly Takeshi, is enough to keep you interested. It is in the fourth section, variations, that the movie truly shines, both in the script and visually. This fourth section tells the story of Cross and Zero, played by Kelly Chan and Takeshi, orphans who grow up to be adventurers. The sets in this section are gorgeous, sort of a cross between the baroque (appropriate given the presence of JS Bach) and the modern, reminding me very much of the look of Saviour of the Soul. This fourth section features a number of variations on Bach's Minuet in a G, including a rock version. This section is pure magic, and is what makes the film special. We get inside Chan Kar-Fu's head and really learn what he is thinking. I enjoyed all the performances, although Kelly Chan really doesn't have much to do until the last section of the film. Don't expect to see much of Leslie Cheung or Anita Yuen, as they have very little screen time. Part of the appeal of Anna Magdalena was that I really empathized with Chan Kar-Fu, being a person who is not terribly forward myself. I've also observed that all too often, women appear to prefer the 'bad boy' to the person who would probably be be good for them (does this apply to men as well?). There's also some interesting original music for the film. Much of the incidental background music is based on Bach's 'Anna Magdalena' minuet. This is fairly subtle but a nice touch to reward a careful listener. (ok, I have a music degree so I find this extra fascinating).

Reviewed by: sharon Date: 03/26/2000 Summary: A Light Romance Story Such a wonderful, light movie that focuses on a love triangle. Takeshi Kaneshiro plays a shy, piano tuner who doesn't have the guts ot tell his neighbour, Kelly Chan how he feels for her. Instead, he watches his friend, Aaron Kwok fall for her. The fantasy sequence in the movie is beautifully done and the eye catching scenery is gorgeous. This is not a heavy love story, but it's still touches the viewer on a emotional level. An added bonus, was watching all the cameo apperances from Anita yuen to Jacky Cheung. If there's one thing I learned from the movie, that's not to waste life on regrets! ******** 4 Stars/5 ******** Reviewer Score: 8

Reviewed by: SUPERCOP Date: 12/25/1999 Summary: One of the best of 1998... The UFO Film Group and Japan's Amuse Entertainment collaborated to bring the audience this lighthearted approach to love between opposites. Filled with cameo's by stars of UFO's past (Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing, Anita Yuen Wing-yee, Eric Tsang Chi-wai, and Jacky Cheung Hok-yau), along with stars from a newer generation (Takeshi Kaneshiro, Kelly Chan, and Aaron Kwok), the cast is star-studded and talent filled. A fun and quirky script, along with stylish yet unpretentious cinematography by Peter Pau, makes this one of the top ten films of 1998. Rating: 8.5/10 Reviewer Score: 8