Who's in It: Nick Cheung, Josie Ho, Anthony Wong, Simon Yam, Francis Ng, Roy Cheung
The Basics: Hong Kong gangster Wo (Cheung) wants out of the business and to settle down with his wife and newborn baby. But the criminal life won't let him. Two of his childhood friends want to kill him, and another two want to save him. Together, however, the five men end up running off together for one last score: stealing one ton of gold.
What's the Deal? The gunfights are staged as elaborately as any old-fashioned musical number, and they really make the film. But what elevates it beyond simply exciting gunplay is the script, which combines elements of spaghetti westerns with real emotional stakes and questions about "honor" in the world of criminals.
Pedigree: Director Johnny To is the king of Asian gangster movies, and it's been really nice so far this year to have three of his movies get an actual American theatrical release. A limited one, but still it's cool that at least some people will get a chance to see his stuff on a big screen. The rest of you will have to deal with DVD, but they're worth it on either format. Just don't watch it on your iPhone or something because his shoot-'em-up choreography is too cool shrink down to tiny screen size.
My Favorite Scene: After their initial gun battle, the five friends clean up the mess they've made of Wo's new apartment and help him and his wife move their furniture. Then they all make dinner and sit down together to eat it. Even Scorsese probably wouldn't shoot a scene like that.
Product Placement I Didn't Mind at All: Unfortunate cans of Red Bull make a cameo appearance in a major battle of bullets that will make you a fan of the drink even if, like me, you hate the taste of it.