Mini Movie Reviews

[SimonM]

The Myth

This has been all the rage in China. EVERYONE in Lishi seems to have seen this movie. Jacky Chan plays two characters: an ancient general/swordsman and a modern explorer/businessman. The one may be a reincarnation of the other... Not quite sure about that.

Anyway; magic swords, levitation stones, immortality and some of the best special effects in a Chinese Gong Fu movie to date make this worth watching.

A Chinese Tall Story

Yet another take on the Journey into the west story. Colourful and at times rediculous but infused with enough humour to make it worth while. It includes the best Matrix rip-off-evar. Even better than the episode of Tripping the Rift that I previously touted as the best Matrix rip-off-evar.

Tony Jaa's latest film

Pfft. Didn't like it. Some OK fights, lots of rediculous plots and at least one overblown chase scene. Then again I also was not too thrilled with Ong Bakh.

The Promise

I'll let you know tomorow.

Fearless

I'll let you know as soon as it's available in Lishi. Considering what happened with the myth and seven swords that will be BEFORE it comes to the cinema in Lishi.

Donnie Yen's latest film

Relatively typical cop movie. Some very good fight scenes. Helen Lovejoy would scream "oh won't someone please think of the children".

[SimonM]

The Promise

Wow!

That's about it. Wow!

If you like high-flying, over the top, unrealistic Wuxia films this is THE ONE FOR YOU!

If you want realism in your gongfu movies look elsewhere, this is pure fantasy. But it was an amazing movie. Beautiful cinematography, a captivating story, good CGI, good wire work and the Pratchett-like moral that even the smallest and most inconsequential decision made by a person can change everything.

Watch this movie

[GeneChing]

The Myth: I liked The Myth, but I'm a huge Jackie Chan fan. I loved the India part and am in love with Mallika Sherawat (but don't tell my wife, ok?) The ending was a bit much (too much CGI), and it was longwinded, but I still enjoyed it. Great to see Jackie still going at 51!

A Chinese Tall Story: I haven't heard of this one. Tell me more.

Tom Yum Goong: discussed here! (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39718)

The Promise: I've heard some buzz on this one. Glad you liked it. I'll be looking for a good vcd of it. I enjoy Chen Kaige and am in love with Cecilia Cheung. Don't tell my wife. I fell for her in Legend of Zu and saw her perform live at the 1st World Traditional Wushu Festival in 2004. Good thing there were a lot of monks to keep me restrained or there might have been a scene. I enjoy Chen Kaige's work, but I've heard this one is too heavy on the CGI. Is it?

Fearless: discussed here! (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39765) But you knew that. Eager to hear about this one!

Sha Po Lang: discussed here! (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38795) I've been hearing decent buzz on this one, at least for the fights - Donnie and Sammo.

And I'll add a few:
Seven Swords: discussed here. (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37299) I didn't like it (and I'm a huge Tsui Hark fan) but a lot of other people do.

Dragon Squad: official website (in Chinese) (http://www.dragonsquad.hk/html/). Been hearing some great buzz on this one. Sammo, Simon Yam, and some old friends, Phillip Ng and Bey Logan.

Spirited Killer: This is an old Tony Jaa film, pre-Ong Bak, that's going to be distributed to the US market soon. There's a lot of old Jaa films, as well as stuff from his mentor, Panna Rittikai, but it's all only on Thai VCD, no subtitles.

[GeneChing]

Dead or Alive: Choreographed by Corey Yuen. Here's the trailer (http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/media/player.php?id=2288). Tentative release date is Sep 2006.

[SimonM]

There is a lot of CGI in the Myth but there is also some quite good wire work too. I like CGI so that was not something I found detrimental...

Unlike A Chinese Tall Story the CGI was quite well done.

More on A Chinese Tall Story...

It's colourful and was probably designed with children in mind. It's a Journey into the West story but there is little of Monkey, Sandy and Piggsy in it since they get imprisoned early in the first act and only Tripitaka gets away. He spends most of the movie trapsing around the cosmos with a girl who is done up in "ugly" makeup (messy hair, bad teeth, warts, a ragged dress with a hump on it) for most of the movie.

It includes a host of insect demons and remarkably Chinese looking aliens along with various spirits, gods, dragons and goblins. Lots of CGI that is (at times) good and sometimes quite awful. One REALLY REALLY good rip on the robot vs. mecha fight scene from the third matrix movie that had me in stitches. Oh yeah and the Buddha himself does make an 11th hour appearance.

Next time I buy a DVD I'll see if I can't get a copy of Dragon Squad. I've seen it about Lishi on VCD but Wo bu xihuan VCD; wo xihuan DVD.