Sucker Punch

I was thoroughly entertained by Sucker Punch (2011). But I think most people won't be as amused as I was.

Sucker Punch is about a girl (Emily Browning) who gets sent to an insane asylum by her wicked stepfather (circa 1950s) and has to escape before she's lobotomized. She enlists the help of 4 other inmates.

OK, it's not long on plot. But it is weird. And cool. It has amazing action scenes. Did I mention odd? ...And did I mention Fun?

I cannot claim to fully understand this movie. But I don't care. I was still entertained and I'm recommending it anyway. To a select group, that is.

I was drawn in from its opening scene with its dream-like haunting beauty. The soundtrack works perfectly. (Emily Browning actually sings a few of the songs on the soundtrack, including the initial scene's.) And it works!

The action scenes are the best part of this movie. Yes, they're obviously green-screened, a la Sin City, and there is CGI galore. But it's all done very well. It was like watching a live-action anime! (And the other scenes don't detract enough that I ever got bored with the movie).

And here we come to the crux of the situation. If you like action movies, and like amazing visual effects... Rent this!
If not, you'll probably want to pass.

Sherlock

Again, it's not a movie. But it's good. And streaming (dvds, available) on Netflix. And British.

Sherlock is a 2010 BBC mini-series (each episode is 90 min) - but only 3 episodes?? I want more! - created by 2 guys who wrote a bunch of (the new) Dr Who shows.

It was critically acclaimed, according to the number of Emmy's it was nominated for (4) and it also won a boat-load of other (FOREIGN, OH NOOO!) awards. Sherlock was so well received that they're filming a new set of 3 due to air next year!

This is a cool update of the classic set in modern day London. Yet it has all the hallmarks of Sir A.C. Doyle: incredible observation and deduction by Holmes (on the borderline of too incredible but hey: it's Sherlock Holmes, the greatest detective ever! Sit back and have fun.); great cases, including a famed "locked-door murders"; Holmes is as inept and awkward socially as he is utterly brilliant; and, most importantly, it's genuinely suspenseful.

This show has great writing, acting... maybe a few glitches with directing here or there, but I really enjoyed it! ...Until the ending of the last episode. I'd like to hear other people's opinions but I thought it was a bit contrived.

However, this detraction did not dissuade me from really liking the series. I was riveted throughout. Rent, watch, lemme know what you think.

Bunraku

Again, sorry for the hiatus. I haven't been super-excited about any movies that I've seen recently. Everything seems to be just ok.

I wasn't even super-excited about this movie. But mostly-excited works.

Bunraku (2010) is an odd mix of genres, with an odd mix of visuals (a bunch that are cool), a bunch of talented actors and a whole bunch of good action.

This movie is not to be taken very seriously. It's an amusing action film that takes itself lightly. From the opening annimation to the pseudo-noir narration (by Mike Patton, lead singer of Faith No More!) to the overly obvious art direction - where everything looks like a set - (and a few others examples I could rattle off), this movie purposefully crosses lines and pokes fun at more serious films.

This, besides the great action scenes, is what I liked about this movie. It doesn't fit neatly into a box. And for good reason.

Writer/director Guy Moshe fittingly named it Bunraku, which is an ancient Japanese version of puppetry where you can see the puppetiers on stage all dressed in black as they manipulate their puppets.

But even more, it's a pop-up book movie. You've seen comic books turned into movies (like Sin City or 300 that tried to convey that medium into the movie) but Moshe may be the first to do this with pop-up books. And it actually works.

Oh, I totally forgot to give the plot synopsis. And I don't think I will. Moshe does a great job of taking the viewer for a good, long ride with a pretty simple premise.

So, if you're a fan of action movies but are tired of the norm (especially out of Hoolywood) and you 're open-minded enough to bend genres, Rent Bunraku!

Robot Chicken: Star Wars Trilogy

I'm going Off Script again, so to speak. Yes, it's TV, but it's based on the movies, so I'd ask the judge for a little leeway here. Oh, and they are available on Netflix (they may be available only as individual dvds).

Robot Chicken's Star Wars trilogy is one of the funniest things ever to grace the small screen.

For those who are unfamiliar with Robot Chicken, it's a short little TV show that pokes fun/mimics other TV shows and movies. Animated using only plastic figures (think GI Joe with the Kung Fu Grip) and voiced by the creators and sometimes celebrities, it's just a series of short scenes cut together. Each ranges from a second to several minutes long.

Obviously, the Star Wars trilogy is dedicated solely to poking fun at the Star Wars franchise. Surprisingly, they did get some Star Wars big wigs to lend their voices - like George Lucas, himself!

I thought I saw a box set collection of all three in a store, but you'll have to rent them

separately.

Rent! Laugh out loud! Enjoy! These are a Must See - For the casual Star Wars fan as well the obsessed!
 One of the best things about Robot Chicken is it caters to every sense of humor. There's something here for everyone.

Start with the first episode. Not because you need a chronological order. But it is the best.

Bonus Post Script:  Family Guy did a Star Wars trilogy too that are almost as funny as Robot Chicken. It's in story format, rather that skit. I recommend this, too!

The Conspirator

Allow me to suggest an atypical Hollywood historical drama.

2010's The Conspirator is atypical because it does not alter facts drastically to add drama. Nor does it have a silly, contrived romance thrown in for no good reason. (Like we need to look at history by how it formed/changed/enhanced a romantic relationship??)

What you do get from The Conspirator is the true story of Mary Surrat, a widowed boarding house owner, accused in the plot to assassinate Abe Lincoln, his VP and cabinet.

For me, the main source of drama was of not knowing the outcome of this interesting and important story. But there are other dramatic threads weaved in - a mother's love for family, just to list one.

Robert Redford (director) is a little heavy-handed in spots but not nearly as bad as in Lions for Lambs.

But this movie really shines in the performances of the actors. All are excellent (including a couple who had to adopt seamless American accents)!

Rent this for an entertaining, true story.

Constantine's Sword

Here's an excellent, thought-provoking documentary. Based on James Carroll's book of the same name, Constantine's Sword came out in 2007.

There are three subjects intertwined in this movie: the indictment that the Air Force Academy was trying promoting Evangelical Christianity and turning a blind eye toward the discrimination of others, especially Jewish cadets; James Carroll's fall from grace (or faith), a former Catholic priest; and a history of the Christian church's anti-semitism.

This is way too much to cram into one documentary. It's just a precursory view of the history. But an actual in-depth investigation would take days. 

It is good at what it does. It gives a well researched, far-reaching history, and actually takes you to the places it talks about. And it leaves you with a wanting to learn more. (I really want to read his book now!)

My favorite quote from Constantine's Sword: "If you want to make religion a constructive force in society, religions must begin with an honest admission of those moments when they haven't been a constructive force...when they've been a DESTRUCTIVE force."


I have very different politics, but I certainly agree on the last two thirds of that statement.

The Orphanage

I'd never heard of The Orphanage until it was suggested to me about 2 weeks ago. I liked it so much, I'm blogging about it. So thank you for the suggestion, Sezduck!


This is a 2007, subtitled movie from Spain (original title: El Orfanato), which is a nice mix of thriller, drama and a tiny bit of horror. It's produced by Guillermo Del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth), but that's the limit of his involvement.


It's about a family who moves into the abandoned house that used to be the orphanage where the mother grew up. Soon, the son is playing with invisible friends... You know that means plenty of strange things are afoot.


First, my only complaint: it does start a bit slowly. But stick with it. It gets interesting!


If you're worried about having to read a subtitled movie of this genre... Don't be. It works.


All the actors do fantastic jobs, as does the director. But my favorite part of this movie is how well this is written. 


Sergio G. Sanchez makes it realistic and plausible enough. Very little suspension-of-disbelief in needed. There's a fair amount of drama (done well) incorporated to make this work. But where he really shines is making it a throw-back to older, and I dare say, better horror movies. Incorporating little gore and more suspense. And best of all, attention to detail!

Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns)

In the spirit of taking things lightly for the summer...
Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns) (2002) is an entertaining and educational look at the band They Might Be Giants.

If you are not already a fan of tmbg I'd suggest you skip this. But if you like the band - anyone from a die-hard fan who owns all their albums, to the (very) casual fan - this is a must.

I should point out that this documentary was made before they started doing albums aimed at children. (When tmbg lost my interest.)

For me, this documentary was a welcomed trip down memory lane. But I also learned a lot. Gigantic - employing interviews with band members, colleagues and fans, as well as concert footage and videos - gives a history of tmbg, including their tumultuous relationships with record companies, their instant fame and influence on MTV, and especially the friendship of John Linnell and John Flansburgh

And then they delve into the depths. Looking at how freakishly dedicated some of their fans actually are. This is entertaining too.

Speaking of freaky fans. About 56 minutes into the film you need to pay close attention. There's concert footage looking out into the crowd... And you can see one especially unfortunate guy who has the eerie and uncanny resemblance to a clean-shaved, yours truly, minus glasses.

Anyway, back to topic. This documentary not only seeks to explain tmbg's quirky sense of humour, they employ it. And this is why Gigantic is perfect for any fan.

Pandorum

Under the category of "They can't ALL be 5-stars...", comes this (modest) recommendation.

I was in the mood for a sci-fi movie that I hadn't seen before. Pandorum is what I found streaming on Netflix.

You've already guessed that this isn't going to be a glowing endorsement. But it was entertaining enough to make The Blog.

Pandorum is about 2 astronauts who groggily awake from their hyper-sleep, isolated on an enormous spacecraft, and have to piece together their identities, mission status, and even mission goal. They wrestle with all these factors and, oh yeah, they're being hunted by super-quick ravenous creatures.

OK, The plot is trite: Amnesia, close-quarters, becoming potential prey... It definitely borrows from a lot of other films.

But what I liked most about Pandorum was just that borrowing. It is some of the best parts of Das Boot, Predator and Rear Window.

It's not the most mind-blowing movie ever. That's safe to say. But if you have Netflix streaming, Rent it.

The Lives of Others

Here's a highly recommended German film. It's 2006's, The Lives of Others.

It's set in 1984 East Berlin -where Politics means keeping an eye on potential dissenters and incarcerating the nonconformists - a meticulous, by-the-book Stasi (East German [GDR] secret police) agent is given a high-level assignment to spy on a local playwright and his lover. And to paraphrase the Netflix synopsis: none of their lives are ever the same again.

This may be the best debut drama by a first-time writer/director since John Singleton's Boyz in the Hood.

But the comparisons stop there. Whereas Singleton uses a sledgehammer in Boyz, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck uses a paint brush in Lives.

I keep reading reviews of this movie that use the term, "deeply nuanced". And I can't come up with a better way to put it.

In a dvd extra, Florian briefly talks a little of the research he did to write the screenplay - a year and a half worth. He talked about the roller coaster ride of personally interviewing people who had their lives ruined by the secret police and the next day interviewing a ex-Stasi agent who, with some pride, recounted his accomplishments.

Florian puts this roller coaster into the movie. I knew it's set in the GDR, but I kept guessing which way the movie would take me. This is why Lives is also listed, aptly, as a thriller.

Not only is this movie well written and direct, I give extra special credit to the acting (subtle, sincere, and effective) and art direction (I've never seen the GDR look so authentic).

I really enjoyed this movie. I think you will too.

The Man Who Skied Down Everest

I just found this old documentary and am really glad I did. I think a lot of different people will like this, for at least one of multiple reasons.

Released in 1975, The Man Who Skied Down Everest, tells the story of a world-class Japanese alpine skier, Yuichiro Miura, who got the bright idea to, you guessed it, ski the tallest mountain in the world.

So in 1970, he and a huge crew try to first climb one of the most dangerous peaks, then film as he tries to ski down eight thousand feet - on a slope of 40-45 degrees! (Ask anyone who skis the degree of difficulty of that kind of angle!) To add to the insanity...

No, I'm not going to spoil it. But it truly is crazy!

This is fun to watch for many reasons. It's old, so you can laugh at the outdated fashions. It's narrated using Miura's own diary, and he uses that cool, very-Japanese kind of poetry in his writing. It's touching and sad at points. It's adventurous and harrowing, to say the least - no one's ever tried this before (or since!).

Trivia: this was the first sports movie to win the Academy Award for Best Documentary.

Rent this and I'd bet you'll re-watch at least some parts before you return it.

The Tourist

OK, This movie is very mainstream. But it got very mixed reviews. I think it deserves better than that.

It's called The Tourist (2010).

I had no expectations going in. Maybe that's the key. It is a bit cliche: bad guys are bad, Interpol doesn't have a clue to what's going on....

This is not the most suspenseful movie ever, nor the most original or least predictable.

But I don't think it's trying to be.

I think it's more of a light-hearted, easy-to-watch-after-a-really-bad-day-of-work romp of international intrigue - not many brain cells required.

It does have enough of a good story to keep your interest.

I found myself totally engrossed in Johnny Depp's character for 2 reasons. He is the common man - a tourist on vacation: not overly smart, witty, good with his fists, or a knack for getting out of trouble. And Depp plays him perfectly.

Angelina Jolie is pretty good too. She could be better. I think she kinda relies on her looks too much. But hey, they are good looks.

I guess I would classify this under the bad/great movie category. I'd probably be upset if I paid top dollar to see it in the theatre. But now that it's out on DVD. Rent. Relax. Don't think too much. Just enjoy.

Goya's Ghosts

I am recommending Goya's Ghosts, a 2006 drama set around the life of artist Francisco Goya.

Here's what I knew going in: Goya was a Spanish painter. That's it. I was totally unfamiliar with his works, his historical relevance or even time period.

What I liked most about this movie was that it has a very engrossing story and that I learned some stuff too - stuff that I later confirmed to be true.

In Goya's Ghosts Stellan Skarsgard (Pirates of the Caribbean) plays Francisco Goya, chiefly commissioned by the royal family and The Church near the end of the Spanish Inquisition, was skating on thin ice. Goya, it's rumored, was using common whores as models (as ANGELS??!!). Even More alarming to The Church were his drawings of the suffering.

The actual main story in the movie is of the upheaval of Spain: end of the Inquisition, conquest by Napoleon, injustice, civil strife, etc. Goya happens to be caught in the middle and depicts it in his art. Goya had such a remarkable eye for capturing images as is - no bias nor romanticism. And as such he almost becomes the AP photographer of this period.

The best part of the movie is Goya's actual artwork as it's interjected. He was amazing, but I found his drawings of mobs particularly unsettling and oddly beautiful, despite the simplistically.

The acting in this movie is top notch! Natalie Portman (Star Wars Ep I, II & III), Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men), Skarsgard and even Randy Quaid are all great! (Quaid actually playes the violin! For real!)

Goya's Ghosts was directed and co-written by Milos Forman, director of Amadeus (a movie he didn't help write). And similarities abound. The music is good in each (better in Amadeus - go figure!). Both are historical fiction. The main -as well as some supporting - characters of both were actual real people of the same time period. Their interaction with each other is where things get fuzzy. And whether or not the things portrayed in the movie actually happened to these real people....even fuzzier.

Watch this! The story, acting and artwork will keep you enthralled.

Lord Stanley

Yes, it's that time again.

Hockey playoffs take preference to blogging. Sorry. But I'll be back soon...

...Thank you for the comment Sezduck!

But instead of reviewing a movie, here's a list of good hockey movies....

1 Mystery, Alaska (1999) - quirky comedy and Cinderella story.

2 Miracle (2004) - re-enactment of the 1980 USA gold! (the hockey scenes are really close to the actual games!)

3 Slap Shot (1977) - DATED comedy!! But still funny if you like (and know there's not that much fighting anymore in) hockey.

4 The Mighty Ducks (1992) - funny, cliche, what else can I say?

5 Hockey Mom (2004) - drama. better than I thought it'd be (though a bit cliche). Worth a peek.

Touching The Void

Here's an incredible story of survival!

Touching the Void is a 2003 docudrama that will make you go "WOW!" out loud at least a few times while watching.

This is the amazing true story of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates trying to summit a very remote, very tall peak in the Andes by themselves. Oh yeah, and they're attempting this by a route that had never previously been successful.

On their descent (where most climbing incidents occur) is where they run into trouble. Joe falls and breaks his leg badly. Without the personnel of a large expedition, this is a death sentence. But Simon, risks his own life and tries to lower Joe off of the mountain. More complications ensue!

You don't need to be a climber, a survivalist, or a voyeur of viciousness to appreciate (or love, I dare say) this movie. This is captivating to anyone who's still breathing.

This movie's best feature is that it keeps the suspense. You know both climbers live - they narrated the movie. You know it's an incredible feat of survival. You just don't know how damaged the climbers become. To pull this off they use a simple and effective technique: every shot of the narrators is a head shot.

This is one of the most captivating movies, let alone docudramas, I've seen!

Chocolate

If you enjoy a good, stupid Kung Fu movie from time to time as much as I do you need to see Chocolate!

This movie defines the term "obscure". Released in Thailand (where it's from) in 2008, it only opened on SEVEN screens in the USA a year later, obviously to no advertising or fanfare.

Chocolate was directed by Prachya Pinkaew, who also did The Protector (which has, I think, the best long, uncut martial arts scene ever!) It introduces and stars, and I do mean STARS, JeeJa Yanin as Zen, an autistic young lady who can copy complicated martial arts moves just by seeing them. She uses her remarkable skill to collect money to help her sick mother - money owed to the mother from her shady past.

Yes. The plot is silly and unrealistic. But in this case, I say who cares! This is a great, stoopid martial arts film! There are plenty of other problems and plot holes, all equally overlookable.

I'm no expert, but I don't think autistics have the physical dexterity to have this skill. But, as stated at the beginning, the film was made to celebrate people with special needs. The film, indeed, does very well not to treat Zen as a freak but as an actual person. This movie is actually touching at times too!

The biggest problem with this is getting through the first 20 minutes. Slow, boring, not well written, if you can get through the back story, a real treat awaits. Stick it out!

Chocolate has some of the best, most intense martial arts scenes. Quite brutal at times (a sure sign of a good Kung Fu movie) they are amazingly choreographed. The filming of the fight scenes is great - no jump cuts, so you can see exactly what happens and how hard the blows land. They also mix up the martial arts styles nicely- Muay Tai and Kung Fu are the most used there are others too.

I'm adding this to my soon-to-come list of Best Martial Arts Flicks!

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

Time to change things up again! I'm actually blogging about a TV mini-series. A very clever, delightful comedy/musical: 2008's Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.

No one knows this. But, yes, it was on TV. It even won a prime time Emmy (Outstanding Special Class - Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Programs).

Everyone who's already seen this thinks it went straight to the Internet. Where it gained so much fame (Joss Whedon fans are devoted!) that you can no longer view it at its website. It is, however, available on Netflix (streaming!) or to buy via Amazon.com and other places, I'm sure.

As eluded to, Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy, Angel, Firefly) and his brothers Jeb and Zack wrote this... I'll just call it a Short (42 min total). It stars Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie Howser, MD.) as Billy who is trying to cement his role as Dr. Horrible, evil genius/super villain, and impress his wanna-be girlfriend, Penny. Standing in his way is Captain Hammer, played by Nathan Fillian (Firefly, Castle).

The Whedon brothers are very crafty mixing live action with Dr. Horrible's blog (actually a podcast), and the musical numbers fit in perfectly. Most of the songs are really good, too. Maybe not Roger's & Hammerstein, but they are surprisingly complex (in places), catchy, witty, drive the story...you know, good. But the biggest surprise: Doogie Howser can sing!!

The writing is spectacular. Very few could execute so well the idea of someone trying to become a member of the "Evil League of Evil", and still make the character sympathetic and real.

I found this an absolute joy to watch. But I should point out that this is not all flowers and wine - after all the main character is an anti-hero.

Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight

This review falls under the category of "I can't believe some of my friends have never seen this movie".

In 1995 HBO brought their award-winning series to the big screen with Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight. A Classic was born.

Like the TV series, it's an homage to B movies: kinda campy, and a bit adult (gore, nudity & language). But, also like the series, it's totally engrosing, not too scary or long (92 min), funny, well written and acted.

I'm not going to tell you the plot. Don't look it up. It's not very complicated. Just watch it!

I'll just say I love this movie for what it is: a perfect distraction. Not Academy Award material but just plain fun. Its witty writing, decent story and awesome acting (esp. Billy Zane!) keep me watching it to this day.

GasLand

Here's a MUST-SEE: 2010's GasLand!

Josh Fox kinda does a Michael Moore - rising from obscurity by finding a huge problem close to home and he makes a really good documentary about it.

Josh takes on the unregulated, insidious practice of "fracking" - natural gas mining by Big-Oil in rural America. Unfortunately, fracking is so demonstrative I'm not even going to attempt a description of the method or to spell out the many, many serious effects. See the movie!

Big-Oil gets away with this because in 2005 the George W. Bush's administration (and more specifically their "Environmental Board" which contained all Big-Oil reps and zero actual environmentalists) passed a law stating Big-Oil is no longer subject to the clean water and clean air acts enabled in the 1970s. The EPA no longer regulates drilling inside the USA.

Josh Fox doesn't include the humor of a Michael Moore, nor does he really "take on" Big-Oil. But there are a few humorous bits and a few attempts at getting interviews with the companies. And it does start a bit slow, but that ends abruptly. I was engaged and outraged soon enough.

This is as upsetting and thought-provoking documentary as I've ever seen!

House on Telegraph Hill

Here's an old movie (1951) but definitely worth your time.

House on Telegraph Hill is billed as a Film-Noir. But I think that's a misnomer - it is much more of a Hitchcockian thriller.

The story is about a WWII concentration camp survivor who, after the war, assumes the identity of her dear friend so she may come to San Fransisco to look after her friend's son. Things soon unravel when she gets to the states and odd "accidents" consume her imagination, paranoia, and/or guilt.

I really liked this movie because it's an edge-of-your-seat thriller...FOR THE TIME. Aside from the first 20 minutes or so, this is paced like a good Hitchcock mystery - slow, deliberate, and very suspenseful!

Some (not most!) of the acting, dialogue and direction/editing you could easily point fingers at - criticizing for not being up to today's standards.

This is missing the point. This is a 1951 movie. Take this for what it's worth: a great story, told well!

...and those of you who "cannot watch black & white films"... Grow up.

Dersu Uzala

Here's an older movie. 1975 according to imdb.com but that may just be the US release date - there were 2 copyright dates on the dvd box ('71 and '74), so I'm very confused...

I am positive, however, that I really liked this movie - Dersu Uzala.

Akira Kurosawa was commissioned to direct this Russian epic adventure: the story of an early-20th century mapping quest into the Siberian wilderness. The company of Russian soldiers happens upon an older nomad (Dersu), who at first seems antiquated and eccentric. Dersu soon earns their trust and much more as he guides them through the uncharted, vast, VAST wilderness. But over the course of just a few years, as the wilderness becomes tamed, Dersu's usefulness comes into question...

This is a sloooooooooooow (old!) movie, yes. But anyone interested, REALLY interested in film should see this. It is a cinematic masterpiece. An absolute wonder to look at. This is what kept my interest throughout the film. I don't think any other director could pull off this movie.

Akira captures the bleakness of the landscape, he catches it's rugged beauty. EVERYTHING is in focus (thanks to his use of long lenses). But there are a few scenes that will stay with me, if not forever, for a long, long time - not for the action (old movie!), but for the absolute beauty in the picture!

The dvd case did not say anything about remastering or enhancing the video. But the colours were so vibrant, so clear I'm not sure they didn't lie. That's how good this film looks.

Rent to watch. Watch and learn from the master.

Ip Man (eep mun)

Sorry for the long delay in posts. But I haven't been really passionate about anything I've seen lately.

...That was until I watched Ip Man (2008).

Here's an amazing movie that, unfortunately, I think only a very few people I know will enjoy. This is a great drama with a lot of great martial arts. I felt equal parts sad, happy, touched, and that adrenaline rush that you get from amazing action scenes.

Set in the 1930's, more specifically the Japanese occupation of China, it follows the life of a man aptly named Ip Man. He's an expert it Wing Chun kung fu and a gentleman of leisure (very much a gentleman) before the war. Then during the occupation a Japanese general tries to prove that Japanese martial arts is superior to the Chinese. Ip Man refuses to fight. Conflict ensues.

The cast is excellent. Especially Donnie Yen as the lead. He's so engaging and charismatic in both dramatic and action scenes that I was on his side almost instantly. And if you didn't know any better you'd think he had been practicing Wing Chun all his life (rather than 9 months prior to shooting). But the supporting cast is very good too.

There are a couple caveats to watching this movie: 1) Some of the action is a bit brutal here and there. occasionally it looks really, REALLY painful. They did a really good job keeping the various styles of martial arts specific and accurate. A little wire-work seeps in, but it's mostly good old fashioned butt-kicking and is shot really well.

2) Watch this (please!) in it's original Cantonese with English subtitles. I prefer when the actors' mouths sync up with what it sounds like anyway. But there are subtleties that the English dubbing does not do justice to. But more importantly, there are a couple times during the film that they explain stuff that happens historically. And unless you can read Chinese you will miss a lot.