If you liked Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon you'll love this movie: 2004's House of Flying Daggers.
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A subtitled, Chinese film from the director of Jet Li's Hero [also worth seeing], this is a beautiful, "stylized" martial arts movie and romance drama. The only actor you'll probably recognize in Flying Daggers, also happens to be in Crouching Tiger, Ziyi Zhang.
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It's set in ancient China where a corrupt government rules. The local police are charged with getting rid of the House of Flying Daggers, a ruthless group with a secret martial art who are trying to stage a coup. The police see their way in when it's discovered a new dancer at the local club (Zhang) has ties to the Daggers. But the cop who infiltrates the clan didn't plan on falling in love with the dancer. Complications ensue...
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Like Crouching Tiger it's got great action. But it requires suspending disbelief for the really amazing looking, albeit impossible, martial arts and effects. Thrown daggers curve around obstacles to hit their intended targets, for example.
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But this movie is so much more beautiful than Crouching Tiger. It was nominated for the Oscar in cinematography and how it didn't win is a mystery to me. It's the most visually stunning film I think I've ever seen. It's worth watching just for the scenes in the bamboo forest - THAT's how pretty this film is! It also should have been nominated for [if not won!] the Oscar for best foreign film.
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Watch House of Flying Daggers and when you do, watch it on the largest screen possible.
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