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DBMA Martial Arts Forum => Martial Arts Topics => Topic started by: Crafty_Dog on November 29, 2004, 06:16:35 PM

Title: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on November 29, 2004, 06:16:35 PM
I don't know what happened to my original post, which included the WSJ review by Joe Morgenstern, querying about the movie "Alexander the Great", and somehow Tuhon Rafael's post wound up on the Knife thread, so here is the review once again, then Tuhon Raf's post:

============

By JOE MORGENSTERN  
WSJ  
'Alexander' Grates: Stone
Delivers a Grecian Formula
That Can't Conquer Boredom

Epic Digital Battles Are Gripping,
But History Lesson Drags On;
An Inviting 'Long Engagement'
November 26, 2004; Page W1

Oliver Stone's "Alexander" is a tale of two battles -- one of them fought by Alexander the Great against the rest of the world, the other by the filmmaker against himself in an elephantine production that's constantly torn between extravagant action (elephants figure heavily in the climax) and extended history lessons. History defeats Mr. Stone. His instinct for showmanship has been throttled by his penchant for pedantry, and that comes as a real surprise. For almost two decades Mr. Stone's films have been many things, sometimes simultaneously -- smart, sharp, crazed, bizarre, ludicrous, pretentious, insightful, irresponsible, powerful, over the top, around the bend. Never, until now, have they been emotionally inert or quite so flat of foot.

 
Colin Farrell plays Alexander (who died at the age of 32) as the world's most powerful brat. Blond-wigged, Irish-brogued and a chronic brooder, this Oedipally unsettled victim of bad parenting loves a man (his boyhood friend Hephaistion, played as an adult with eyeliner by Jared Leto), though eventually he takes a beautiful Asian woman, Roxane (Rosario Dawson), for his queen. (And really takes her, in a shockingly graphic replay of the rape that he witnessed, as a little boy, when Angelina Jolie's mommy dearest was taken by Val Kilmer's drunken dad.)

Then Alexander becomes the world's most powerful bore, thus betraying the promise of the movie's preface. In that long, turgid, pseudo-scholarly equivalent of an infomercial, the narrator, an aged Ptolemy, played by Anthony Hopkins in a flowing robe, recalls the Macedonian king, 40 years after his death, as a colossus, a force of nature, a man who built an empire of the mind, and a leader in whose presence, "by the light of Apollo, we were better than ourselves." Well, by the sweet breath of Dionysus, we are worse than ourselves after suffering through the silly speechifying that defeats drama in this colossal mess.

Several outsize battle sequences provide sporadic relief from the prevailing torpor, even if the hackings and whackings are staged no more imaginatively than those in the sword-and-sandal epics of the 1960s. (These days, the standard battle formation consists of live extras to the front, digital replicants to the rear.) And Ms. Jolie's Olympias is a hoot with her Transylvanian accent and an incandescent loathing of her husband, who is finally murdered, evidently at her behest. At one point Olympias, who has always wanted her son's hot body but settles for his tortured soul, asks Alexander: "What have I done to make you hate me so?"


Elliot Cowan and Colin Farrell in "Alexander."

  
Yet there's no zest to the general depravity, no coherence to the script or the spectacle -- clarity is missing in some of the camera work -- and, most important, no character to give a Greek fig about. With writing as shallow as this, everyone is an extra. I don't want to beat a dead horse, but you won't find a single moment in the movie to match the simple humanity -- or even the suspense -- of that scene near the beginning of "The Black Stallion" when the father tells his son the classic story, with charming embellishments, of young Alexander taming the wild horse Bucephalus. (Child and horse are also trotted in by Oliver Stone, but for a retelling distinguished only by lack of surprise.)

"Alexander" cost at least $160 million, a figure that will grow by many more tens of millions for global marketing. After I cited the staggering budgets of other recent follies, including the risibly ramshackle "Troy," several readers sent e-mails to say that since it wasn't my money, it was none of my business how studios or producers chose to spend it. I take the point. More than that, I put it in the context of a Weekend Journal piece last week in which my colleague John Lippman reported that "Troy," for all its failure to connect with a domestic audience, will turn a significant profit in the global market. But the movie medium is mine -- is ours -- to care about, and to worry about. With each new heedless squandering of our interest and trust, with each monster domestic dud that justifies its shoddiness through overseas success, the movies as we've known and loved them are closer to becoming ancient history.


* * *
DVD TIP: A friend who shared my dismay at "Alexander" reminded me that a model already exists for the glorious, fabulist adventure that might have captured the conqueror's spirit. It's a movie I've recommended before, John Huston's masterful "The Man Who Would Be King" (1975). Michael Caine and Sean Connery co-star as Victorian British soldiers mistaken for gods in Kafiristan, a province of Afghanistan that was once ruled by Alexander the Great.
 


===========

And Tuhon Raf writes:
===

Film does drag a bit but not the train wreck many reviewers seem to give it. It could have used more editing. It should have included some of the more interesting aspects of Alexander that displayed his wit. For example, no scenes devoted to the Gordian Knot or the Ten Brahmins. Hopkins was phoning his work in.. a hungrier actor could have stolen the film if this was cast differently.

Focusing on the fight scenes. I liked that the film showed Alexander training at a young age. There's some snips of good work but the cinematography was better than the actual action. The copis was shown in some portions, there's some phalanx work even though the visual focus on it faded later on. There was no martial flavor between a Persian, India or Macedonian outside of visual costuming and props. There's some factual bits in the tactical end of things, but there's so many other cool and documented scenarios that the film missed. There's some poetic license in the final battle... it never happened that way. There was no battle with elephants in the woods but on open ground.

Alexander retreated rather than fighting the even larger force that was awaiting him in India. After a hard fought battle that the Macedonian/Persian forces encountered in India, they were not about to go against a much larger force consisting of 6000 elephants. That was never included in the film. Other segments that was lost was the way Alexander could exhibit mercy and then turn around and wipe out a whole city on a whim.

So cinematography was very good, costumes was good, even the directing was good in many sections. Alexander lost points in factual omission of character development, too much emphasis on his mother (then straying away from showing her wickedness) and some lackadaisical work from Hopkins who unfortunately was the person responsible for the transitions.

--Rafael--
Title: Movies of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on December 02, 2004, 09:04:47 AM
This review is from whom I guessing is the son of noted Suppy Side economist Jude Wanniski upon whose site it appears ;-)

===================

A Review of "Alexander"

Dec  2 2004

Memo To: Website Moviegoers
     From: Matthew Wanniski
     Re: A Tantalizing Bid for Epic Greatness

Moviemaking can be like a military campaign - you spend bundles of cash to win the hearts and minds of a wary audience, marshalling a troop of actors to deliver a blockbuster and not a dud. Can a film about the most famous conqueror in history be as good as the legend of Alexander? Can $150 million buy greatness?

"Alexander" comes tantalizingly close. Directed by Oliver Stone, the film opens with a montage of graven images of Alexander and what appears to be his name in the languages of the ancient world, a subtle but effective reminder of his world-wide renown. He pushed ever further how people conceived of the world and their place within it, opening up the East and instigating the flow of ideas between the East and the West. A captivating mix of the human and the superhuman he was, a perpetual motion machine that unhappily burned itself out too soon.

The film engages both heart and mind as it explores all aspects of Alexander's life. In the role of Alexander, Colin Farrell is so natural and effortless, we almost forget he isn`t Alexander himself. We witness all the bravery, vigor, and hubris of the Greek heroes he admired and envied. We feel his visceral reaction to the overwhelming, even oppressive personalities of his mother and father, both of whom tragically used him to best suit their own personal interests and ambitions. Farrell makes Alexander accessible, while preserving the myth.

The rest of the cast is equally impressive. Anthony Hopkins, in the role of Ptolemy, one of Alexander's generals, serves as the film's narrator, ensconced in the pristine luminosity of Alexandria in Egypt and reciting to his scribes the history behind Alexander's achievements. This is a great service to the audience, as it gives them a solid background in the past and puts the events of the film into their proper historical context.

As Alexander's strong, shrewd, and beautiful mother Olympias, Angelina Jolie sparkles. An extremely talented actress, Jolie slithers and slinks across the screen like one of the queen's pet snakes. The serpent is indeed an apt symbol for her, as she is a hypnotic and dangerous woman. Her pushing and cajoling of Alexander is not exactly motherly (he calls himself "the cracked mirror of her dreams"). Where his brilliance is on the battlefield, she is far more practical and political in domestic affairs. The relationship between mother and son, borderline incestuous and pseudo-Oedipal, is fascinating to watch play out. Alexander wavers between love and hate for Olympias, simultaneously wishing to please and to escape from her influence.

Val Kilmer plays Philip, Alexander's father and King of Macedon. Kilmer gives a glowing performance as the man whose efforts to unite Greece under one rule laid the basis for Alexander's desire to bring the rest of the world into the fold. Kilmer swaggers as the grizzled and drunken king who casts a long and terrible shadow over his son. When he tells Alexander "there is no glory without suffering," we see a man who has been tempered by loss and life, who has gained a degree of wisdom from his drive to unify the Greeks and push out their old enemy, the Persians, who had sacked and burned Athens roughly 150 years before. His wisdom offsets his brutish behavior, making him a sympathetic character that recognizes how glory and ambition can make slaves of us all. He surely winds heavy chains around Alexander, meanwhile urging him to be free. Audiences will surely have a love-hate relationship with Philip that is every bit as fierce as the one between Alexander and his mother.

All the women in Alexander's life appear to be iron-willed lionesses, including Rosario Dawson, as Roxanne, a woman from Bactria (present day Afghanistan) whom Alexander marries. Alexander had several wives and mistresses, but Dawson appears to symbolize them all, as well as all the enemies he's ever conquered and treated as equals.

The sets are lavish and on an appropriately grand scale in the spirit of Lean, DeMille, and the other epic filmmakers of Hollywood's golden years. The depiction of Babylon in particular stands out among the rest. Audiences will likely react much the same way Alexander himself did when he rode through its gates to the adulation of its citizens, all of whom turned out to welcome him-that far from being the barbarians that Aristotle and others claimed, the Persians were just as civilized, if not more so, than the Greeks believed themselves to be. That feeling of equality and respect for ones foes makes Alexander appear much more enlightened than his tutor, Aristotle.

Rodrigo Prieto's cinematography vividly brings those ancient cultures to life. Pushing the boundaries of the possible, it blends the real with the surreal to show where myth overlaps reality (eg, using infrared film to depict Alexander's near-death experience while fighting an elephant-backed tribe in India). Under Prieto's able hand, the battle scenes become bloody, brutal, and epic in scope, capturing the chaos and madness of war, and highlighting the differences in tactics between Alexander's forces and those of his enemies. Yet these scenes carry less weight than the complicated relationships between the characters. Prieto renders the more intimate and personal scenes that explore Alexander's kinships and liaisons as effectively as the battle scenes. They are what truly propel the story forward.

The film handles Alexander's bisexuality in a respectful manner, placing it in its appropriate historical context. Primarily focusing on his relationship with Hephaestion, played by Jared Leto, the film has received more than its fair share of controversy for it. Despite the fact that Greeks were well known for their lack of strict sexual mores, especially among their soldiers, who turned toward one another during the frequently long campaigns that took them far from their wives and mistresses back home. Perhaps in an effort to reach a wide audience-no doubt influenced by reports that voters cared more about morality than any other issue in the last election-Stone and Co. were forced to re-edit the love scenes between Alexander and Hephaestion. The result is that, unlike the other love scenes, the scenes between them seem nearly platonic. In fact, Alexander comes off so well, he seems even better than he may have been in life.

Fortune favors the bold, and "Alexander" is a bold film. While it leaves out some of the good and the bad, Stone deserves credit for presenting Alexander with warts and all, and allowing audiences to decide his greatness for themselves. That's the way a biopic should be, uncensored and unbiased. Audiences may have stayed away on its opening weekend in favor of more holiday family fare, but it deserves a chance to prove its greatness.

Rated "R" for violence and some sexuality/nudity.
Title: Movies of interest
Post by: sting on December 06, 2004, 03:29:50 PM
I watched "Alexander" last weekend.  My take is that this movie is good in the theater but not worth a rental on DVD.  The massive battle scenes were visually stunning, but given the altitude of the fly-overs, the features will probably be reduced to a mass of crawly, zig-zaggy dots on a regular TV.  Most of the battle scenes were a wash of shaky, blurry action interrupted by the occasional, overly graphic spurt of blood.  "Hero" easily exceeds "Alexander" in battle.  Even "House of Flying Daggers" does a better job in small skirmishes.

As a movie about the expansion of an empire, this film was too touchy feely.  It seems as if this movie was designed for the average contemporary audience, offering a taste but not a meal for anyone:  indistinct action for the guys with an equal dose of relationship-wallowing for the gals.   The bisexual theme was repeated excessively throughout the entire movie.  The primary royal fairy displayed breasts rather than pecs, making him nearly indistinguishable from a woman.  If homosexuality is about male-male attraction, why do are all of the "guys"  in "Troy" and "Alexander" look like women ?  At least in "Fight Club", a pretty boy, also Jared Leto, was directly destroyed .

As for the female characters, the initially prominent sexual dimorphism of his East Indian bride was also effectively neutralized.  Each mammary gland (excuse me, breast) was the size of Alexander's head, yet she capably resisted Alexander and eventually held a knife to his throat.  Well, we know who wears the pants.  "Alexander" is just another instantiation of the prime-time wimp husband/boyfriend shows such "Everybody loves Raymond", "Friends", "Married with Children", that Paul Rodriguez show, etc. In yet another gender-equalization scene, the harem was again overpowered by the Alexanders's draw to the royal fairies.

As for other characters,  Angelina Jolie performed wickedly , so, I'd assign her the star role of the movie as she seemed to run the show.  Anthony Hopkins was a detached bumbler with yet another staff of pretty boy scribes.  

"Alexander" is an action movie for the metrosexual.  "There's nothing like spending a day with a good glass of Cab on my marble island in my kitchen."  I'm waiting for "Blade Trinity " .  In the meantime, I suppose I'll have to hold my breath for a car chase or some sort of demolition in a Julia Roberts movie.
Title: Movies of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on December 17, 2004, 01:07:16 PM
The fully formatted report may be found at http://wanniski.com/showarticle.asp?articleid=4047

--------------------------------------------------------

A Review of "House of Flying Daggers"

Dec 16 2004

Memo To: Website Moviegoers
     From: Matthew Wanniski
     Re:  An Intimate Martial-Arts Romance

It is appropriate that December features films that explore beginnings and endings (see last week's review of "Closer"). The new film by Zhang Yimou, "House of Flying Daggers," is another excellent example, a real feast for the eyes and for the heart. While this summer's hit film "Hero" was a martial arts story with a romantic edge, this latest is a romance masquerading as an action film. One can argue that the action scenes in "House of Flying Daggers" are almost incidental to the story, but they are dazzling to witness and enjoy, and quicken the pulse as much as the love scenes do.
 
Set in China near the end of the illustrious T'ang Dynasty, the story revolves around a gorgeous and deadly blind assassin named Mei, played by the lovely Ziyi Zhang (she now uses the Westernized order of her first and last name), a member of the insurgent House of Flying Daggers, which is attempting to bring down the government, one official at a time. Ms. Zhang continues to make an impact with Western audiences, growing better with each performance. In such films as "Hero" and "The Road Home," (both directed by Yimou), and of course "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," she has continually proven her talent as a dramatic actress and an action star. Here again, her looks and athleticism are on fine display. With this role, she could very well become the breakout star of the year.

Two men factor into Mei's life, and with her they form more than a simple love triangle, but a tightly woven web of deception, loyalty, and sacrifice. Takeshi Kaneshiro plays Jin, an undercover police captain sent to infiltrate the House of Flying Daggers. A carefree playboy, Jin would rather laze the day away with one arm around a woman and another around a wine bottle, but he fights with determination and great skill when necessary. His relationship with Mei causes him to question his duty, and sets the stage for a heated and ongoing battle between reason and passion.

While the two leads share real chemistry, Kaneshiro's charming performance as the conflicted officer isn't quite as compelling as Tony Leung's remarkable turn in "Hero" (truly one of the year's best). Of the two, Leung's role is the more memorable one. Still, Kaneshiro imbues Jin with enough substance and goodness that, combined with his inner turmoil, goes a long way toward making him a sympathetic character.

Andy Lau plays Leo, Jin's fellow officer, who in contrast to his insouciant friend, appears to reek of duty from head to toe. Lau gives a capable if largely unexceptional performance until late in the film. Then the simmering anger and desperation of a man betrayed by those he trusted most boils over with great intensity. You can feel the heat of his furious desire coming off the screen.

Emotional intensity aside, the characters could have been more rounded out and made as engaging as they deserve to be. Still, on the whole the actors manage to deliver fine performances despite the occasional thinness of their roles. It is not exactly the characters that move the story along, but the romance itself, the belief that empires may crumble, but true love endures.

That's an upbeat message, yet a deep sense of melancholy still pervades the film. The settings and the mood often create the feeling of a huge and terrible prison, the most obvious being the jail cell at police headquarters, and later the fight in the bamboo forest. The latter is the subtler of the two, and is all the more dramatic because of it.

Cinematographer Xiaoding Zhao paints a picture that is just as beautifully lavish, but less dreamlike, than "Hero." The patterns and textures of the costumes and the scenery appear to leap from the screen. Unlike "Hero," the fight scenes in this film look more grounded and less obviously exaggerated, although they are just as fantastically choreographed. No CGI was used for those scenes. Where it is used, it's entirely unnecessary and strikes a discordant note. Somehow, it's easier to accept the gravity-defying stunts and extraordinary visual effects than it is to accept a noticeably faked scene of a forest path, down which Jin travels after Mei. It adds nothing to the story and no one would miss it if it were removed.

While most theatergoers may not pick up on one very brief, computer-generated image, they may find it difficult, to say the least, to suspend their disbelief over the ending. Many may leave with a strong feeling of dissatisfaction.

"House of Flying Daggers" is a much smaller, far more intimate film than the spectacular martial arts epics we've been treated to over the last few years. Despite its weaknesses, it has a good story that keeps you engaged. While audiences will be divided over which film they prefer most, "House of Flying Daggers" stands as an excellent example of the magic of movie-making and the joy of story-telling, not just a fine addition to the martial-arts genre, but to the annals of filmdom.

Rated "PG-13" for sequences of stylized martial arts violence, and some sexuality.

Matthew Wanniski is a writer, editor and story analyst for Anonymous Content, a talent management and production company in Los Angeles. He can be reached at Mattsreviews@aol.com. His Thursday reviews here have been appearing Fridays to a much wider audience at http://www.worldnetdaily.com.


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Title: Movies of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on April 21, 2005, 04:05:08 PM
A Review of ?Kung Fu Hustle?

Apr 21 2005

Memo To: Website Moviegoers
From: Matthew Wanniski
Re: A Supreme Martial-Arts Film

There?s a Chinese proverb that goes: ?A single spark can set a prairie on fire.? Hong Kong comedy/action star Stephen Chow knows this well. He used it as the moral of his latest film, ?Kung Fu Hustle,? the follow-up to last year?s state-side release of ?Shaolin Soccer? ? the most successful Hong Kong-made film ever made on its 2001 release (only to be surpassed by ?Kung Fu Hustle? in February 2005). Miramax acquired the film a few years ago along with ?Hero,? but by delaying their U.S. release, they unintentionally yet ultimately ensured very big prairie fires when they finally hit theaters here.

Chow, an extremely talented and creative individual with outstanding comic timing and bold physicality (think Jackie Chan meets Buster Keaton), wrote, produced, directed, and stars in ?Kung Fu Hustle,? a story about discovering your destiny by tapping into the inner strength of the heart and the spirit. Chow plays Sing (coincidentally, the same name of the character he played in ?Shaolin Soccer?), a mop-topped wannabe gangster in 1940s Shanghai. He desperately wants to join the infamous Axe Gang, a group of top-hat wearing, Michael Jackson-style dancing thugs who are so brutal even the police hide when they stroll past. Brother Sum, the dapper leader of the Gang (gleefully played by Kwok Kuen Chan), will only accept Sing as a new member if he kills someone.

Sing?s trouble is that despite his best intentions, he?s just not very good at being bad. He?s tried, but eventually decided that a life of crime pays better. His rotund sidekick, played with a childlike innocence by Lam Tze Chung, fails to provide him with the edginess and toughness he seeks, and he?s troubled by the childhood memory of the young girl he once tried to defend (unsuccessfully) from a bunch of bullies.

Sing?s career begins to take a new path after witnessing the residents of a slum known as ?Pig Sty Alley? take on the Axe Gang and beat them black and blue. The residents are aided by the Landlord, played by martial arts veteran and Bruce Lee stuntman Yuen Wah (?The Chinese Connection?) and the perpetually house-coated Landlady, who is very humorously played by veteran actress and former Bond Girl Yuen Qiu (?The Man With the Golden Gun?). Three others join in the fight against the Axe Gang, exhibiting remarkable and improbable martial arts skills. It would appear that Pig Sty Alley is a virtual retirement home for kung fu masters, reminiscent of ?The Incredibles? superhero relocation program.

When The Axe Gang calls in the most notorious killer of them all, a man known only as ?The Beast,? to settle things once and for all, Sing ? a practitioner of the questionable ?Open Palm? style of Kung Fu ? realizes that his true destiny literally lies in the palm of his hand. Played with exceptional humor and athleticism by the famous martial arts master and 1970s actor Leung Siu Lung, The Beast ?like the Landlady? lulls his opponents into letting down their guard with his decidedly non-threatening appearance.

Stephen Chow delivers a truly amazing performance. His film combines a wonderful blend of comedy and action, and he easily draws fantastic performances from the rest of the cast. The exceptionally choreographed fight scenes are jaw-dropping in their execution and mixed with remarkable special effects that reflect Chow?s extensive influences, which include all the martial arts films he grew up watching, such as Bruce Lee?s films, but also ?The Matrix? trilogy, and (my personal favorite) Bugs Bunny. The result is a truly over-the-top movie-going experience unlike anything else out there.

Pig Sty Alley and its hardscrabble residents, including an effeminate barber with a disturbing inability to keep his rear end adequately covered, are all lovingly portrayed by Chow, in homage to the Hong Kong neighborhood where he lived as a boy. A place, he says, where ?there was much that was unknown and hidden underneath the ordinary neighborhood life.? This mirrors the unknown and untapped resources hidden within Sing as he determines what direction his life will take.

In many ways, ?Kung Fu Hustle? is very similar to ?Sin City,? in that both films are cartoonishly violent (though with very little blood and gore) and amazing visual spectacles. Both utilize revolutionary filmmaking techniques to deliver a highly unique style. Both will likely spark massive prairie fires throughout the filmmaking industry. While in the end, ?Sin City? appears to be about the never-ending cycle of violence, ?Kung Fu Hustle? is more upbeat. Despite its ?R? rating, it?s not about violence for the sake of violence or pandering to audiences? perceived bloodlust. It?s about redemption and transcendence. Of course, it also presents a world where such things are possible. It?s a hopeful message that will resonate loudly with audiences, whether they are fans of martial arts films or not. It?s one of the best films of the year.

Rated ?R,? for sequences of strong stylized action and violence.
Title: Kung Fu Hustle
Post by: Sun_Helmet on April 29, 2005, 12:40:37 PM
Funniest knife projectile scene on film!
----
Btw, Check out OLD DOG... there's an extended fight scene in hallway that's excellent. This is how a CONAN film should be choreographed.

--Rafael--
Title: Movies of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on April 29, 2005, 09:49:07 PM
Woof Tuhon Raf:

A pleasure to be graced by your presence once again.  

I'm not familiar with the movie "Old Dog", but by its name and your recommendation I am favorably disposed.  What can you tell us about it?

Woof,
Crafty Dog
Title: Movies of interest
Post by: Stickgrappler on May 02, 2005, 02:25:37 PM
some notes and thoughts from me:

Quote from: Matthew Wanniski
A Review of ?Kung Fu Hustle?

Chow plays Sing (coincidentally, the same name of the character he played in ?Shaolin Soccer?),


HK films sometimes names the characters after the actors because the actors are so well-known. Stephen Chow's name in cantonese is Chow Sing-chi. there are some movies of Jackie Chan's where his character is "Jackie".

Stephen Chow movies have bigger box offices than Jackie Chan movies from what i've heard. he is the biggest asian star, bigger than Jackie.

Quote
...martial arts veteran and Bruce Lee stuntman Yuen Wah (?The Chinese Connection?)


Yuen Wah is one of the Seven Little Fortunes (in cantonese:  Chut Siu Fook) and amongst his "martial brothers" are Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao. all the SLF's stage names are named after their instructor in the Peking Opera, Yu Jim-yuen, with the exception of Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan who have used their real surnames instead of their stage names.

Quote
Three others join in the fight against the Axe Gang, exhibiting remarkable and improbable martial arts skills.


the styles of the 3 who fight agains the axe gang are real styles - 2 forms from the hung ga system of CMA and 3rd one may or may not be, i'm not up on the 3rd:  1) the pole style is "5 elements 8 diagram pole" (mm hung baat gwa gwun), 2) "iron wire fist" (teet sin kuen), and 3) tam tui, the kicking/legs style. i don't know if there is a "real" toad style that the beast used towards the end of the movie, or if there is a real "lion's roar" or also the "buddhist palm", but in the chinese wu xia novels, these styles exist. cool seeing it cgi'd.

Quote
When The Axe Gang calls in the most notorious killer of them all, a man known only as ?The Beast,? ... Played with exceptional humor and athleticism by the famous martial arts master and 1970s actor Leung Siu Lung


my friend said his best movie was, sorry - the name escapes me at the moment. my fave movie of his is released currently as THE LEG FIGHTERS, available on dvd commercially. back then he was known as Tam Tao-Liang, Delon Tam (after french movie idol Alain Delon), and various other spellings. incredible kicks. and yes they are high and flashy. i am not saying it's good or bad in real life/self defense, just saying he has good kicks as seen in his 1970's movies.

i liked this movie alot. the addition of cgi was realistic enough or seamless, unlike say tsui hark's LEGEND OF ZU. in LOZ, i felt like tsui was banging my head with a blunt ax saying, look at me, ooh ahh, cool cgi, see what i can add to the movie. in LOZ, the cgi was excessive. in SHAOLIN SOCCER, the cgi was very obvious but it was not excessively used which is a good thing. some critics complained of george lucas of overdoing the cgi in episodes 1-2. some of stephen chow's earlier HK movies involved a lot of wordplay and humor was lowbrow, i am glad he has evolved and that the west is getting a chance to see 2 of his recent movies. i recommend stephen chow movies to my non-cantonese speaking friends and i always wonder if they will find it as funny as me.
Title: Movies of interest
Post by: Sun_Helmet on May 02, 2005, 05:38:55 PM
Quote from: Crafty_Dog
Woof Tuhon Raf:

A pleasure to be graced by your presence once again.  

I'm not familiar with the movie "Old Dog", but by its name and your recommendation I am favorably disposed.  What can you tell us about it?

Woof,
Crafty Dog


Hey Crafty,

Must be my OLD age hitting me... probably cause I'd just seen a preview of Jet Li's new film, the film is actually called OldBOY. It is a South Korean film. It is a dark film about a man held prisoner in a room for many years and he turns into a sadistic vengeance seeking machine when he finally escapes. More twists and turns but I do not want to ruin it. The highlight is the hallway fight. It is how Conan should be staged, not stylistically but emotionally.  

Been thinking of Conan lately... wonder why ;)

--Rafael--
Title: Movies of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on May 02, 2005, 06:47:21 PM
I enjoyed Conan 1 (Sandahl Bergman :-) o==8 ) simply by putting aside the knowing that it could have been so more more.  Howard's Conan is a figure deep in the dark primal archetypes.  If only someone had been at the helm with the vision and courage to have gone there something truly great could have been made.  Ah well, forward.

Conan 2 was a joke-- and a waste of Wilt Chamberlain.  PG Conan!?!  Oy vey.
Title: Movies of interest
Post by: metis on May 02, 2005, 07:01:46 PM
i get the same feeling watching the 'Riddick' character from "Pitch Black" : the morally neutral survivor.

and i watched Conan (again) the other night w/ buddy who's a powerlifter and he was commenting on all the actors and how they were the 'old school' bodybuilding elite, even excluding Arnold.
Title: Movies of interest
Post by: Black_Grass on May 04, 2005, 06:18:16 AM
Quote from: Crafty_Dog
I enjoyed Conan 1 (Sandahl Bergman :-) o==8 ) simply by putting aside the knowing that it could have been so more more.  Howard's Conan is a figure deep in the dark primal archetypes.  If only someone had been at the helm with the vision and courage to have gone there something truly great could have been made.  Ah well, forward.

Conan 2 was a joke-- and a waste of Wilt Chamberlain.  PG Conan!?!  Oy vey.


A new Conan movie is in the works "King Conan". Robert Rodriguez (Sin City) is set to direct replacing John Milius ( the director of Conan the Barbarian). Rodriguez still hopes to get Governor Arnie in the lead role.

So I ask "what is best in life ?"

Vince
Black Grass
Title: Movies of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on May 04, 2005, 10:42:55 AM
I think our Guv is not up to it physically any longer.  After his heart surgery, one suspects he may be leary of further use of hormonal supplements.

With a bit a vision, this could have been a powerful series, a barbarian James Bond (in the sense of a franchise) if you will.  But too late for that.

Suggestions for the new Conan?

I thought the Rock showed the capability for athleticism (always a weak point for the Guv IMHO) arrogance and sense of humor in that movie where he played a bounty hunter bringing back Jason Something Something from Brazil.
Title: Movies of interest
Post by: metis on May 04, 2005, 11:52:17 AM
Milius had planned on using the wrestler 'Triple H'. they felt he could be made to look younger and older to fit different parts of the story.
Title: KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
Post by: Sun_Helmet on May 07, 2005, 05:53:41 PM
Some PC peppering here and there but never the less, I liked this film. I'd like to see the whole thing unedited as I believe Ridley Scott had to trim nearly an hour of footage. The battle scenes are well done. You can see formations better than in most recent Hollywood epics. Better than ALEXANDER and TROY.

Small nitpick, I didn't like the choice for Richard the Lion Hearted, too stately - he was the closest thing to Conan in real life. Ed Norton's Baldwin is well done, the visual reminds me of this image that I drew fifteen years ago:

http://members.aol.com/kayanancomicart/mask.html

And the design for Saladin (pardon the westernized sp) looks close to this one:

http://members.aol.com/RafKayanan/NewArt2002/vulture.html

Wait a sec... someone owes me a royalty check!!!  :)

The scene with the two armies is VERY well done and paced to build up so that by the time we see the appearance of the True Cross (supposedly a remnant of the cross which Jesus of Nazareth was crucified on), it is striking.

This film sets up the more interesting Crusade from my POV, the battles between Richard the Lion Hearted and Saladin. There's no closure to what happens to Guy, even though those of us who've read about Saint Joan de Arc knows where he eventually ends up.

Some well done fight scenes and battles in this one with the gore and blood intact as only the man who brought us GLADIATOR could do it.


--Rafael--
Title: Movies of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on May 12, 2005, 10:31:58 AM
Woof All:

Being a father of a 5 and 2 year old, my wife and I don't get out much, so the reviews I post rarely are of movies I have seen, so I just share reviews that seem interesting.

Crafty
=============================

Memo to: Website Moviegoers
From: Matthew Wanniski
Re: A Great Film ? and That?s No Accident

Coming off the great success of his screenplay for ?Million Dollar Baby,? Paul Haggis takes the director?s seat to deliver another emotionally-driven, powerfully-told story: the Lion?s Gate release, ?Crash.? The film is ostensibly about racism and it examines the issue from all sides from the streets of Los Angeles. It comes at a time when most people may no longer consider it with any great urgency, if they ever did at all. Haggis? film shows that, sadly, racism is still alive and kicking, still impeding our progress, so preventing us all from living happy and peaceful lives.

The story begins with a carjacking (inspired by a similar experience that Haggis and his wife once faced), an event that sets everything in motion. Two young black men pause in their discussion of racism to steal a car from white District Attorney Richard Cabot and his wife Jean. Larenz Tate and rap star Ludacris play the carjackers, and it is their argument that sets the tone for the rest of the film. While Richard contemplates the political impact, Jean feels as if her sense of security as been violated, affecting her far more acutely than her husband. Brendan Fraser and Sandra Bullock play the victimized couple very well. Fraser?s emotionally stand-offish D.A. stands in marked contrast to Bullock?s Jean, who really makes you feel her trauma, her anger, and her fear. There?s a distance between them, which Haggis deftly reveals to be just one small piece of the yawning chasm between everyone in the film, between everyone in the city, a distance even between body and soul.

On the other side of town, black L.A. police detective Graham and his Hispanic partner/lover Ria, played by Jennifer Esposito, investigate the murder of a young black man, whose body has been dumped along the road. Don Cheadle, who also produced the film, plays Graham, a tired and jaded man who doesn?t quite have his life together as it seems. Like everyone else, he has his own demons to deal with, and he tends to push away even those he loves most. Like D.A. Cabot, his career comes first, much to Ria?s dismay. It?s a familiar coping mechanism these men seem to have, cutting themselves off from everyone else to avoid the pain of love and loss. Such actions do have a tendency to backfire, however, and the characters are forced to face the consequences of their selfish actions.

There are several moments of such intensity and emotional impact, that they hit you in the gut and leave you reeling, such as the dramatic rescue from the burning car of the black wife of a successful black television producer. Thandie Newton delivers a fantastic performance in this role. Her torment over being saved by a racist white cop, played by Matt Dillon?who had earlier humiliated her and her husband when they were pulled over for no other reason than that they were black?is so incredibly raw and real that it?s just devastating to watch. Terrence Howard, who plays her husband, another emotionally distant man more interested in his career than his marriage, offers a wonderful performance of his own as a man coming to terms with his own identity as a prominent black man who masks his race behind his success.

The most poignant performances, however, comes from Michael Pena, who plays Daniel, a Mexican locksmith, and Ashlyn Sanchez, who plays Daniel?s 5-year-old daughter, Lara, who is afraid of being shot and killed while she sleeps, supposedly safe, in her bed. Their scenes together are truly beautiful and heartbreaking.

The film also takes the time to explore religious tension in the form of a Persian shopkeeper who is treated poorly by white men who believe he is an Arab, and therefore must secretly be a terrorist.

A overwhelming sense of foreboding seeps into you as you watch, filling you with dread and the belief that this is all going to end badly. Haggis is a very clever filmmaker, however. He turns expectations on their head, defying audiences to figure out how things turn out in end.

It?s no accident that this is an extraordinary film. Haggis and co-writer Robert Moresco expertly weave together the lives of these seemingly divergent characters, and does so in an unpredictable way, forcing us to look at the world through different sets of eyes and then turning our eyes inward for a good, hard look at ourselves. The film suggests that we don?t know ourselves as well as we think we do. It?s an uncomfortable fact to accept. Reusing to shy away from edgy, controversial subject matter is a bold move, and it?s an environment in which these actors shine. Haggis pulls tremendous performances out of his actors, even from those playing minor characters. They all make it look so effortless. Come Oscar time, this will be the one to watch.

Rated ?R,? for language, sexual content and some violence.

Matthew Wanniski is a writer, editor and story analyst for Anonymous Content, a talent management and production company in Los Angeles. He can be reached at Mattsreviews@aol.com. His Thursday reviews here have been appearing Fridays to a much wider audience at http://www.worldnetdaily.com, and can also be found at www.rottentomatoes.com.
Title: Movies of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on July 08, 2005, 12:46:39 AM
Woof All:

Assured by by a friend of its suitability, I took Conrad to see Batman Begins today.? As my son Conrad has had more exposure to and more conceptual tools for matters concerning aggression than most 5 year old boys (he's 6 August 29).? That said, this movie required all my fathering skills as we watched it together and we will be continuing to discuss it on the long drive home from the Bay area tomorrow. (Friday).

Putting that aside, I would like to say that I thought this was an excellent movie-- and quite unlike the other Batmans-- none of which resonated for me.

In contrast this movie's script operated on several levels including an interesting three way dynamic instead of the usual good versus bad wherein two concepts of justice war with each other as well as with bad.

Woof,
Crafty Dog
Title: Movies of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on January 24, 2006, 08:43:05 AM
I really enjoyed King Kong.
Title: Awesome
Post by: outcast on January 24, 2006, 01:15:08 PM
Hey, I'll tell my brother you liked it.  He did some of the animation on it (in the credits he is).  He saw me watching some of RSF 1 and it reignited his want to train.  Woof!
Title: Movies of interest
Post by: ponytotts on January 24, 2006, 02:51:46 PM
its not a fight movie, but has anyone seen " what the bleep do we know"?
Title: Movies of interest
Post by: Guard Dog on January 24, 2006, 05:28:44 PM
Another one I want to bring up is "Four Brothers."  It has a hand gun disarm in it that is textbook.



Gruhn
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: bjung on October 14, 2006, 09:26:55 PM
swords! guns! war elephants!!

i caught a preview for yet another thailand vs. burma war epic...the trailer isn't on the website yet, but the trailer i saw looked promising...

http://kingnaresuanmovie.com/
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: matinik on October 19, 2006, 10:03:15 PM
woof y'all

speaking of which, what do you guys think of ong bak with tony jaa. i thought they did a great job presenting krabi krabong
and muay thai. tony jaa had the skills that i haven't seen on sceen in a while. granted, he took some liberties
doing the techniques, but alll in all, it was kind of refreshing to see wire free action for a change.

i really dug the final fights in the cave. they must've played with every thing but the kitchen sink :mrgreen:!

where oh where can we see some GOOD movie FMA action.? :cry: (beside the HUNTED or Borne identity/supremacy)


matinik
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: buzwardo on October 20, 2006, 09:38:20 AM
woof y'all

speaking of which, what do you guys think of ong bak with tony jaa.

I just rewatched it and still want to learn how to throw the knee that ended, with one blow, the first "fight club" fight toward the beginning of the flick. Looked like he brought the knee up, leaned, turned the hip over, then cranked his down foot outward while brining the knee across. Anyone know what it's called or done it?
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: Guard Dog on October 20, 2006, 11:30:27 AM
Quote
Anyone know what it's called or done it?

First off may I say that TJ is a prodigy when it comes to being able to manipulate his body in space.  His gymnastic ability coupled with his MA knowledge is extremely impressive.  With that said IMHO I think you need to have extreme flexibility and balance to be able to execute that knee.  Secondly, that is the only place I have ever seen that done, let alone ever work.  I think the most important thing we shoudl remember when watching it is that it is meant for show more than anything.  My advice on learning how to throw it is make sure you can do full splits in all directions, then go from there.

Gruhn
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: SB_Mig on October 20, 2006, 11:34:58 AM
I have to put The Protector's (Tom Yum Goong) last fight sequence (Tony Jaa versus the world) among the most amazing displays of martial arts in a film. Pick a style and he uses it to dismantle a somewhere around 30-40 guys. Incredible athletic ability on display.
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: C-Kumu Dog on October 20, 2006, 04:54:15 PM
Yeah at the end is a great fight sequence.  I checked this site and there is going to be a Ong-Bak 2

http://www.tonyjaa.org/film_ongbak2.shtml

Accoding to his site there are 2 more movies he is planning on making that look really good as well.

Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: C-Kumu Dog on October 20, 2006, 07:37:15 PM
****SPOILER****

Only click on the link if you want to see the fight, who knows maybe it will make yo want to see the movie....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqGxP5bvJUk
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on October 20, 2006, 09:00:14 PM
Tony Jaa simply is one of the most impressive screen fighters I have ever seen.   The quality of the movement, the coordination and timing, the grace, the athleticism, the apparent martial arts skills, the aura he projects are all outstanding.

I've never seen his movies with/in English-- doesn't matter.  The opening scene of Ong Bak (the tree climb competition) is a remarkable piece of film.
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: bjung on October 21, 2006, 08:31:22 AM
Tony Jaa definately has the charisma to go along with his talent. I can't wait to see his next movie. On a side note, the concept of six degrees of seperation always tickles me.  My aunt is close friends with a popular dance performer here in Thailand who is in turn good friends with tony. i'm not sure if tony has ever studied dance though...
tony vs. capoeria in tom young goong is probably my fave one on one fight scene right now, though his battle up the flights of stairs pretty much dropped my jaw too...
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: peregrine on October 22, 2006, 01:12:01 AM
Robert808 i just picked up Tom Young Guun.. and Spirit(sp?) Tony Jaas other 2 movies, i'll let you borrow if you got something to trade like some of that Mordern Arnis or bubblegum.
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: matinik on October 23, 2006, 07:45:12 PM
yup, the man got skills. i sure hope he doesn't do a bone head jackie chan move and try to cross over to hollywood. every time that happens, they either emasculate what makes the guy cool or water him down to a shadow of himself (shades of around the world in 80 days :-o)) am i the only one bugged about this trend? :x

btw, there's a movie coming out called pathfinder. the story is about this viking kid that got stranded in ancient america, learned to go native, then has to fight off a viking horde that comes back to claim the land (if memory serves). interesting premise. have to wait and see how they handle the swordplay on this.

also take a gander at zatoichi the original series, out on dvd. some really fly? :mrgreen: old school samurai action. funny as all git out.

ps.?  pls. check out my blog, all. i'm attempting to launch a comic book about a kali/silat character. it's at blogger.com
do a search for wavmostudio. that's my space.

matinik
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: the spaniard on October 28, 2006, 03:04:17 AM

Frank miller's comic "300" adaptation to film representing the last stand of 300 Spartans against the Persian Army in Thermopylae in 480 BC.
http://www.themoviebox.net/movies/2006/0-9ABC/300/trailer.php
Sadly we'll have to wait until next year :cry:
You can see Spanish film Capitan Alatriste starring Vigo Mortennsen about a soldier and mercenary in Spain of 17th Century.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAcrIr84OdQ
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: C-Kumu Dog on December 09, 2006, 09:48:08 AM
OK, so I know this thread is about movies but I didnt think it was worth creating a whole new thread..
I was playing World of Warcraft (yeah.. Im a geek, whatever.. lol) but I totally forgot about this interesting reference, this character is a weapons trainer.

(http://islandwarrior.com/images/WoW/sayoc.jpg)

Also if you ever read sci-fi / science fiction there is a series by Terry Goodkind called Sword of Truth. I believe it is in the 1st or maybe the 2nd book. There is a tribe that is very skilled in blades and the name is similar to Bakbakan interesting yeah? Not only is FMA in movies but also paid tribute or referenced in Sci-Fi fantasy books as well. I will have to dig mine up and find out which one they are in and maybe Ill even type or scan the paragraph in which the main character does battle with them.
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: Dog Greg Brown on December 09, 2006, 10:22:28 AM
I've been seeing the previews for 300 and it looks great. Sort of that same filming style that I loved from sin city and added to one of the most amazing feats in the history of warfare. I think this may be an old subject, but Tony Jaa spent time learning the old thai boxing (mae ma muay thai) with some of the trainers at Sityodtong.
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: MonyetNakal on December 09, 2006, 05:04:31 PM
OK, so I know this thread is about movies but I didnt think it was worth creating a whole new thread..
I was playing World of Warcraft (yeah.. Im a geek, whatever.. lol) but I totally forgot about this interesting reference, this character is a weapons trainer.

(http://islandwarrior.com/images/WoW/sayoc.jpg)

If you look hard enough you will find at least two more references to Kali or Silat in that game... one of which is Dog Brothers specific (...or maybe I should say specific to a specific Dog Brother) both of them are weapons.

 :wink:
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on December 09, 2006, 09:53:41 PM
You do have my curiosity aroused.  Do you have a URL?
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: C-Kumu Dog on December 09, 2006, 11:28:02 PM
Guro Crafty,
Here is a URL to search through all the weapons.
http://wow.allakhazam.com/dyn/items/weapons.html

I scanned through but I am not sure if this was what he referencing it will take a little bit of time to find the other references.

Bludgeon of the Grinning Dog
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=10627

Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: C-Kumu Dog on January 01, 2007, 12:35:31 PM
While I was visiting WA back in Sept.  I bought this video for .50 cents  :-D  Now the movie isnt all the great but it is interesting that they Datu Inocalla from Modern Arnis and Kimo.  Is the video worth watching? Welll... I would just fast forward to the fight scenes, lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocqqizJ_d6I

IMDB.com doesnt not provide much info about the movie either..
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: peregrine on January 02, 2007, 12:04:43 PM
Killzone- cool Hong Kong flick - very good asp baton verse reverse grip knife
The Promise- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417976/
Finghter in the Wind- a flick about Mas Oyama... here is a link on review http://www.kungfucinema.com/reviews/fighterinthewind_010605.htm
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: ponytotts on May 10, 2007, 01:34:25 PM
i cant wait 4 this 1 !!!!! :mrgreen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GbvNL6s45U&mode=related&search=
Title: Re: John Rambo
Post by: C-Kumu Dog on May 21, 2007, 11:21:21 PM
New Rambo movie coming out.. I had no idea they were making this ....
Some gorey moments in this clip.

Quote
During the opening weekend of the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, footage from the upcoming "Rambo" sequel, entitled "John Rambo," made its rounds among distributors. The footage hit the internet shortly thereafter, and here it is in all its non-PC, R-rating friendly, slap-happy violent glory...

http://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=features&Id=1946
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on May 21, 2007, 11:24:41 PM
It has recently come to my attention that Stallone is a major anti-gun rights guy.  What a hypocrite.
Title: Blizhniy Boy
Post by: Bandolero on May 23, 2007, 05:41:31 AM
Starring Cung Le, but also has Bolo and David Carradine.  I've always liked Bolo:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780484/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJpx3t1eJjg
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: Tom Stillman on May 23, 2007, 04:05:21 PM
Here is a little gem of a movie you do'nt want to miss. Back in the late 70's in Los Angeles, this movie use to pop up from time to time on SELECT Cable TV on the "MIDNIGHT HORROR" show. One of my favorites for sure!.  I think George Lucas borrowed some music from this movie for Star Wars... Or was it the other way around?  Just the tempo was slower. TS                                                      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAJSWcPb7AM
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: Tom Stillman on May 23, 2007, 04:16:43 PM
Here is the music.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPNai1EDos4&mode=related&search=
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: DougMacG on May 17, 2008, 09:47:25 PM
Crafty wrote: "...the movie "Miracle" (2004).  My son is getting involved in playing hockey and this could be a good movie for us to watch.  To help me with my search, do you remember the name of the lead actors?

Kurt Russell played the coach Herb Brooks.  Like the original Rocky, it is more about training, winning and the human side than about the sport.  Here's a clip: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi379191577/
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: Guard Dog on May 18, 2008, 07:33:50 AM
The Foot Fist Way:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXaR4wlGu3s[/youtube]
Title: Re: Miracle
Post by: Crafty_Dog on May 18, 2008, 08:46:14 AM
Thank you Doug.
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: maija on June 20, 2008, 06:15:19 PM
Ong Bak 2 Promo Reel: http://youtube.com/watch?v=3wMNQwF2Wk4
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: matinik on August 18, 2008, 09:39:26 PM
greetings

ong bak 2 is coming out on dvd this year and it looks like another winner from the great tony jaa.
this movie is not related to the first in any way other than the name. it looks like a period piece, with
lots of cool krabi krabong action. and get this: there seem to be a group of warriors from different
parts of southeast asia that some how becomes tony jaa's character's mentors in the movie, one of
which is a SILAT man :mrgreen: and the clip shows him using a pair of kerambit. that alone is
worth checking out on you tube. this is a must SEE!
matinik
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on August 19, 2008, 05:16:56 AM
URL?
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: SB_Mig on August 19, 2008, 09:06:10 AM
http://www.filmstalker.co.uk/archives/2008/06/ong_bak_2_trailer.html (http://www.filmstalker.co.uk/archives/2008/06/ong_bak_2_trailer.html)
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on August 24, 2008, 06:27:20 AM

UPDATE: Stressed Tony Jaa abandons ‘Ong Bak 2,’ tearfully vows return
By Mark Pollard • July 28, 2008

This is not the kind of entertainment news I like to write about but it could have a far-reaching impact on the future of Thai action cinema and its greatest champion. In confirmation of swelling rumors and reports emerging from Thailand over the last several weeks, Variety now reports that international action star Tony Jaa has walked away unannounced from production on his directorial debut, ONG BAK 2, just as it was reaching the final stretch of production and was being marketed overseas at Cannes with an impressive promotional video.


Somsak Techaratanaprasert, a spokesman for the film’s production company, Sahamongkol, held a press conference and stated that the film would be completed on time for its scheduled release on December 5th.

Prachya Pinkaew, director of the original ONG BAK confirmed that he will be stepping in to complete what remains of the shoot and edit the entire footage.

“Jaa has little experience directing,” said Pinkaew. “He’s spent nearly $7.8 million. The film is almost finished, so I’ll try to see what I can do with the footage that he’s shot.”

Meanwhile, rumors have been flying around in the Thai media speculating on reasons for Jaa’s absence since June. Techaratanaprasert put to rest suggestions that the star had run away with the film’s investment capital.

“I guarantee that this is not a case of financial fraud, and I have no intention of pursuing any legal action against him,” Techaratanaprasert said. “We’re running behind schedule, and some of our international contracts have been cancelled because of that. I know he loves this film very much, so I just want him to finish the film because there’s only a little work left.”

Jaa’s family have reportedly come forth to suggest that the star has been under great stress and literally retreated into the jungle. Fans of Jaa who are familiar with his background will know that he was raised in a rural part of North Eastern Thailand where he and his family raised elephants.

-

In other words, Jaa has pulled a Dave Chappelle. Chappelle is the popular American comedian who, at the height of his fame, abruptly walked off the set of his hit Comedy Central series in 2005 to retreat in South Africa. He eventually cited stress and disagreements with the show’s producers as reasons.

What makes this situation far worse is that Jaa was the star and the director of a feature film so all production literally ground to a halt. Making matters worse, other sources in Thailand are suggesting that Jaa ran the film way over budget. I haven’t confirmed these numbers but the roughly $2.7 million budget approved by the investors may have swelled to as much as $8 million.

Additional rumors suggest misuse of the budget and frustration from Jaa over his contract.

As an outside observer, it looks to me like Jaa took on too much responsibility too quickly and at the wrong time. Unlike many of his Hong Kong peers, Jaa has had a very short rise to superstardom in an industry that lacks the same mature support network of Hong Kong’s once thriving action filmmaking community. It took over 20 years and dozens of movies for Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung to reach the level of international fame that Jaa has managed to claim after only starring in a few movies. Years of working alongside dozens of equally talented stunt actors and filmmakers gave the Hong Kong stars all the time they needed to learn, not only the craft of filmmaking but also the business of it.

It’s still too early and there is still too little information to accurately project how this will all shake out. It looks fairly certain that ONG BAK 2 will be completed but what becomes of it is anyone’s guess. Uncertainty like this is like the plague to potential buyers. It’s going to hurt overseas sales and distribution.

Artistically speaking, the film will not be the same once Pinkaew gets his hands on it. I can’t say if it will be worse or better. However, that promo footage showed tremendous potential for Jaa to surpass Pinkaew as an action director. Then again, Jaa’s current actions cast doubt on how much involvement he had with the creation of that promo.

If Jaa wasn’t up to the task of directing and starring I just wish he would have had the good judgment to say something before accepting the task. When offered the chance to direct a big screen version of THE GREEN HORNET, Kevin Smith wisely admitted the limits of his directing ability and bowed out graciously instead of getting in over his head.

Yet even the best directors stumble. Terry Gilliam, one of the most gifted filmmakers of our time has had production nightmares throughout his career, none worse than the disaster that befell his ill-fated take on “Don Quixote.”

Unfortunately, this current situation with Tony Jaa could be career ending for a number of reasons. Investors will be less likely to back him now while overseas distributors will be even more cautious. Likewise, you can’t walk out on hundreds of people all depending on you and not expect to garner some ill will. I doubt he wants his action film career to end and certainly none of the millions of fans he has around the world do.

We can only hope that this situation will get sorted out and Jaa gets his head screwed back on. He’s still the best martial arts star of his generation and it would be a shame to see his talents thrown away due to lack of stress and financial management. I’ve long been concerned about the level of support he’s receiving in Thailand. There are undoubtedly a lot of good people working in the industry there but I wonder if its time for Jaa to move on to Hollywood where his action might get dumbed down but at least he’ll have enough support and guidance to carry on. He could always take that experience back to Thailand, much as Yuen Woo-ping and Jet Li have done.

-

UPDATE: Tony Jaa came out of hiding for the first time since walking off the set of ONG BAK 2 to give a tearful interview for local Thai TV where he said that he was ready to return to work. Meanwhile, local tabloids are having a pitiful field day with the unfolding drama by latching onto rumors that Jaa is obsessed with black magic. The star actually had to address these rumors and deny them during the interview. Blogging on the interview, Wise Kwai’s Thai Film Journal calls it a soap opera and says, “it’s painful to see [Jaa] like this.”

http://www.kungfucinema.com/?p=2594
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: Brian_A on August 25, 2008, 11:14:56 PM
I don't know if anybody here is into Korean films but these three are really good

'Vengeance Trilogy' is a term used to describe three films directed by South Korean film director Park Chan-wook which dealt with the theme of revenge. Tartan Films released the three films on DVD in 2007. They are:

    * Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002)
    * Oldboy (2003)  There is a fighting scene in this movie that really kicks ass.  Its when the main character is fighting his way out of a hallway.  I don't want to spoil it for   
                             you.. you just have to watch it.
    * Lady Vengeance (2005)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vengeance_Trilogy   

Another really good Korean film is 'Silmido'

Backdrop:
On January 31, 1968, 31 commandos from North Korean Special Unit 124 infiltrated South Korea in a failed mission to assassinate President Park Chung-hee.

As a means of retaliation, the South Korean military assembled a team of 31 social outcasts and death/life criminals, training them on the island of Silmido, off the coast of Incheon, in order to execute Kim Il-sung. The mission, regarded a suicide mission, was seen as the only way for these new recruits to redeem themselves and show their loyalty to their country. If they succeeded, they would win their freedom and a new life. With this goal in mind, they endured gruelling, almost inhumane training, becoming finely honed killing machines. 

A good filipino film I would recommend is Dekata 70.

I haven't seen any asian or foreign films in a couple years.. when i use to rent them i would rent them online here http://www.cinflix.com/... but i think netflix carries alot of Asian films now.

Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: peregrine on August 28, 2008, 05:37:32 PM
Street Kings- fast and brutal.  :mrgreen:

Korean films-
Tae Guk Gi(korean war) :-o
Fighter in the Wind(mas oyama) :-D
Bichunmoo :-)
The City of Violence :-)
Restless Sword :|
Typhoon :-)
Soo :-)
Sword in the Moon :-D

Chinese films-
Three Kingdoms :-D
Invisible Target 8-)
Dragon Inn :-)
Warlords :-D
The Banquet :|
Curse of the Golden Flower :|
Ghengis Khan :-D

Chok Dee

Lone Wolf and Cub :-D
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: tankerdriver on September 23, 2008, 09:10:52 AM
Anyone catch the documentary SOLO Lost at Sea on National Geographic yesterday. Man what a heartbreaker.
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: Ronin on September 23, 2008, 09:30:29 AM
Fighter in the Wind, a korean-ized biography of Mas Oyama.
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: matinik on July 22, 2009, 01:09:38 PM
there was a mention (in this thread?) about denzel washington training some bolo techniques with jeff imada.
well, here's the rest of the story: a movie will come out next year, i believe, called the Book of Eli, starring the
erstwhile washington as a man wandering a post apocalyptic US, some 30yrs after a nuke strike. some cool
zombie vs kali stuff might be on the horizon!
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: Stickgrappler on July 22, 2009, 07:38:54 PM
there was a mention (in this thread?) about denzel washington training some bolo techniques with jeff imada.
well, here's the rest of the story: a movie will come out next year, i believe, called the Book of Eli, starring the
erstwhile washington as a man wandering a post apocalyptic US, some 30yrs after a nuke strike. some cool
zombie vs kali stuff might be on the horizon!

woof matinik:

cool. thx for the update... i think the thread you are referring to is the 'movie fights' thread.
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: matinik on July 23, 2009, 11:26:15 PM
i see it now. thanks 4 the correction, SG. Btw, the trailer is out now.
www.thebookofelimovie.com (http://www.thebookofelimovie.com). denzel INDEED does some Kali!!! :mrgreen:
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: Stickgrappler on September 10, 2009, 09:42:19 PM
woof:

do we have a thread for TV shows? if so, apologies for posting here.

-----------------------------------------



"You have to kill the lemon. And don't let any lemon hit your face." ~General Amnat Pooksrisuk

did anyone watch Travel Channel's "Johnny Colt: At Full Volume"? pilot ep. had Johnny Colt, the bassist of the Black Crowes, an admitted adrenaline junkie, visit Thailand. Gen. Pooksrisuk taught Colt some Muay Korat. FYI, Tony Jaa also trained with the Gen. this was awesome for the Muay Korat!

mainly the Tiger Walk was shown. some applications of the Tiger Walk also. and the Tiger Walk moves translated to knife! at the end of the show, Colt had to fight one of the other Muay Korat students.

~sg

p.s. animated gif's to come when i have time :-)
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: matinik on September 18, 2009, 08:52:12 PM
caught that SG! cool show.  :mrgreen:

here's another interesting tidbit: tony jaa's next film was supposed to be a film called Sword featuring, you guest it, krabi krabong!
TJ, however, had a falling out with a producer and cancelled the film altogether :cry:!

BUT.....

"‘Ong Bak 3′ shooting as Magnolia nabs ‘Ong Bak 2′

News | Film News | by Mark Pollard

ONG BAK 2 Magnolia Pictures has announced today the acquisition of U.S. rights to Tony Jaa’s ONG BAK 2. The company previously released the original ONG BAK and now plans to release the Thai martial arts sequel in theaters later this year through their Magnet genre label. This news comes on the same day that Prachya Pinkaew’s autistic martial arts actioner CHOCOLATE arrives on DVD and Blu-ray courtesy of Magnet.

“When we first saw the original ONG BAK, after picking our jaws off the floor, we knew we wanted to be in the Tony Jaa business. It put us on the map as a home for the best in genre fare, and helped make our genre label Magnet possible,” said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. “We’re beyond thrilled to be able to carry the franchise forward and continue our relationship with Tony, Sahamongkol, and the entire creative team involved.”

The film and its star were involved in controversy last year when it was reported that Jaa, then also director of the production, had walked off the set amid rumors of runaway budget costs. After a televised admission by a teary-eyed Jaa that he was basically in over his head as a first-time director, he handed the production over to longtime mentor, action director Panna Rittikrai (BORN TO FIGHT). The film was completed and released to theaters in Thailand in December of 2008.

In the same announcement, it has been confirmed that production on ONG BAK 3 has already begun and is scheduled for release in December 2009. Sahamongkol Film has already stated that the third film will feature more fighting between Tony Jaa and DYNAMITE WARRIOR star Dan Chupong. Also, Jaa’s character will suffer crippling torture that forces him to fight without using his bones. Presumably that means no knee or elbow action, which should be very interesting given that Jaa’s specialty is Muay Thai."

this could be some sort of homage to jackie chan's last great film, drunken master 2, since, TJ is reportedly a big fan of JC!
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: Stickgrappler on September 23, 2009, 02:17:59 PM
woof matinik,

ack! i didn't know Tony Jaa's movie Sword is now cancelled :-( was so looking forward to it.

will have to check out DYNAMITE WARRIOR.

--------

finally saw 2 Korean movies, CITY OF VIOLENCE and THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE WEIRD. both were awesome! COV is like the Korean Ong Bak, in that it takes tae kwon do and showcases it. beautiful onscreen. loads of action scenes.

TGTBATW is a 'kimchi western'. a recent western i want to watch is called a 'sushi western', "SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO" dir'd by Takashi Miike (best known for ICHI THE KILLER, AUDITION, etc). this is nothing like his others. this is homage to westerns.

TGTBATW was inspired by Sergio Leone's THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY. awesome action scenes. The Ugly and The Bad steal the movie.
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: matinik on September 26, 2009, 11:55:22 PM
SOV is cool! korean action movies are among the best, so it really galls me that will smith and speilberg is trying
to remake old boy :?. can't they leave well enough alone!?  and don't get me started on the remake of
ENTER THE DRAGON WITHOUT MARTIAL ARTS AT IT'S CORE ! :x :x :x

but i digress.... :wink:

SG, you might want to check out "throwdown" by johnny to. the flick was released a few yrs back and it featured
judo. kind of interesting since the art is seen from the chinese prespective. i thought johnny to did a good
job on it. as for dynamite warrior, SG, i'm gonna suggest that you watch it without any expectation that it is
up to par with ONG Bak1 or 2, and enjoy it for all it's glorious wackiness :-D

another film that's out is Merantau featuring menangkabau/harimau silat. nice just to see silat on screen.
www.merantau-movie.com (http://www.merantau-movie.com)

and on a sad note: one of the most talented action actor/director around, donnie yen will be retiring some time soon
(2012 if memory serves) BUT will concentrate on directing/fight choreography. guess dacades of making great movies has taken it's
toll on the body. he has assassins and bodyguards next, followed directly by ip man 2 (more wing chun goodness) :mrgreen:
Title: Re: Movies of interest
Post by: Stickgrappler on January 11, 2010, 10:28:25 AM
i see it now. thanks 4 the correction, SG. Btw, the trailer is out now.
www.thebookofelimovie.com (http://www.thebookofelimovie.com). denzel INDEED does some Kali!!! :mrgreen:

woof matinik et al:

any day now! cannot wait.

-----------------

on  a diff movie -- sherlock holmes starring robert downey jr... it's out since christamas day of 2009. haven't seen it yet, want to. my training partner says downey trains WCK via the william cheung lineage.

~sg
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: prentice crawford on January 22, 2010, 02:37:59 AM
Woof,
 A couple of new flicks out that are worth watching, are The Hurt Locker and Blood: The Last Vampire
                                        P.C.
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: maija on January 22, 2010, 08:43:52 AM
I think its 'Blood: The Last Vampire' unless I'm missing something else out there ....
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: G M on January 22, 2010, 10:43:37 AM
Saw Book of Eli. Best movie i've seen in quite a while.
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: prentice crawford on January 22, 2010, 04:05:32 PM
I think its 'Blood: The Last Vampire' unless I'm missing something else out there ....
Woof,
 And you are correct Maija, my bad.  :|
              P.C.
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: CrazyCossack on January 26, 2010, 10:42:37 PM
Was watching the Book of Eli and before that there was a trailer for the new Mel Gibson movie...

Anyway, I could be wrong but I think he uses the Dog Catcher (or something that looks very similar) from DLO to fend of a knife attack

Here's the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvRdGKxsmD8

bit with the knife is just a few seconds before the 2 minute mark.
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on January 27, 2010, 05:48:58 AM
Bless you for the thought but I caught and paused it at 1:59 and what I see there is an X-block against an icepick attack.
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: matinik on April 18, 2010, 09:43:35 PM
a couple of documentaries are coming out this year:
a film called eskrimador (www.eskrimadorsdocu.com/) and the bladed hand
(www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=345346948419).
Both looks great with the latter interviewing guro Dan Inosanto, guro Jeff Imada and other luminaries featured
such as Topher Ricketts of Ilustrisimo USA and his sons Bruce and Brandon. the trailer
for the latter is posted in youtube.
:mrgreen:
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: ponytotts on April 22, 2010, 03:26:16 AM
woof everyone,
I haven't posted in a while but, I have been following with great interest as usual. I am curious if any one has seen the show "lie to me". it is based on the concept of "micro expressions" that guru brought to our attention in another thread some time ago. interesting stuff and watching is a seminar of sorts. thoughts?
tony
Title: Spartacus
Post by: Crafty_Dog on July 14, 2010, 06:42:41 AM
My wife and I are fans of this show.

http://www.deadline.com/2010/06/spartacus-star-andy-whitfield-is-cancer-free-ready-to-return-to-the-starz-series/
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: Stickgrappler on September 22, 2010, 01:27:45 PM
Ponytots,

Sorry for the belated reply. Thought I posted, cyberspace ghosts ate my post it seems.

I haven't watched the show completely, but watched a bit of it one time... looks like I should watch it. Looks good. Thank you for the heads up.

Guro C,

Thank you and a few other DBMAA'ers, it's on my list to watch.




--------------------------------

Hawaii Five-0 premiered Monday night. If you missed the episode, catch it here:

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/hawaii_five_0/ (http://www.cbs.com/primetime/hawaii_five_0/)

A quickie GIF I made of Grace Park's fight scene.

 
(http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac105/dbma4eva/tv/gracepark-h50-s01e01-sg.gif)


Of course, any mention of Hawaii Five-0 needs the obligatory Theme played.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/v/AepyGm9Me6w?fs=1&hl=en_US[/youtube]

Enjoy!
Title: Re: Spartacus
Post by: Glewis007 on September 28, 2010, 06:41:45 AM
My wife and I are fans of this show.

http://www.deadline.com/2010/06/spartacus-star-andy-whitfield-is-cancer-free-ready-to-return-to-the-starz-series/
Love this show also ,but bad news . Andy Whitfield has quit the show due to health reasons. I hate to see it end. Don't know if they are going to recast.
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on September 28, 2010, 01:10:38 PM
I am very sorry to hear that Andy Whitfield's health problems continue and pray for his health to return.

I know they have been advertising a prequel season (The Rise of Krixus seems to be the theme), but still AW's withdrawal leaves a huge and perhaps fatal gap in the show for the show's future.  How can he be replaced at this point?
Title: Megamind
Post by: Crafty_Dog on November 10, 2010, 05:02:34 AM
We took the kids to the early show this past Sunday ($6 instead of $10, or $12 for 3D IIRC).  An excellent family movie.

Also, my wife and I have become big fans of the TV show "The Mentalist" about a high IQ consultant to the homocide squad for the "California Bureau of Investigation".   It is on Wednesday or Thursday nights; I foreget which because we just have it set to record.
Title: Despicable Me / Toy Story 3 / Inception
Post by: Stickgrappler on December 01, 2010, 01:55:52 PM
Although Despicable Me / Toy Story 3 are "kids' movies", my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed it as did our children.

Despicable Me was touching in that the protagonist is a villain and he adopts 3 girls with the idea of using them to steal back a shrinking ray gizmo from his competitor who stole it from him earlier in the movie. Along the way, he begins to love the girls as daughters and not as pawns in his evil machinations.

Toy Story 3 is about Andy all grown up and off to college. He wants to save his toys and put in storage but somehow the toys get donated to a pre-k daycare center. The toys' mission, find their way home while dealing with some 'evil' toys. Fans of Toy Story 1 and 2 should definitely watch 3 if they haven't already.

Inception blew my mind, I really liked the complexities of the storyline. Not a Leonardo DiCaprio fan, but liked him in this. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was awesome in this. I kept scratching my head thinking he looked so familiar and I couldn't place him. After the movie, my sis-in-law mentioned that he played Tommy from the TV sitcom Third Rock From the Sun and it hit me. Christopher Nolan did an outstanding job on the story as well as direction IMO. DiCaprio is a thief who can enter people's dreams and steal their secrets. He is hired by Saito for a job to plant an idea in Saitor's competitor. Of course DiCaprio has his own demons he deals with. There is one scene where Gordon-Levitt does his own stunts and he is fighting someone else.. they are both floating, much like zero gravity. Don't want to spoil the movie too much with more details.

All 3 are highly recommended by me.
Title: Walking Dead
Post by: G M on December 05, 2010, 08:08:43 PM
I'm not a huge horror fan. I've found reality to be horrible enough without adding any imagination, however this is an awesome show. Best thing I've seen in a long time.

http://walkingdead.wikia.com/wiki/The_Walking_Dead_%28TV_Series%29
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: bjung on January 07, 2011, 09:00:29 AM
A friend sent me this clip of a korean film. it's pretty violent, but there are two nice action sequences. starting at around 5 min and then at 11 min. knife vs multiple attackers and knife vs kerambit. lot of intensity.

http://www.wat.tv/video/themanfromnowhere-39aml_39ak3_.html
 (http://www.wat.tv/video/themanfromnowhere-39aml_39ak3_.html)
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: Stickgrappler on January 07, 2011, 09:45:14 AM
A friend sent me this clip of a korean film. it's pretty violent, but there are two nice action sequences. starting at around 5 min and then at 11 min. knife vs multiple attackers and knife vs kerambit. lot of intensity.

http://www.wat.tv/video/themanfromnowhere-39aml_39ak3_.html
 (http://www.wat.tv/video/themanfromnowhere-39aml_39ak3_.html)


Woof Porn Dog:

I saw that  a few weeks ago and wanted to write a formal review ... never got around to it. Not an original idea, protagonist is a former SpecOps type, has troubled past, trying to leave past behind, gets dragged back into trouble... shades of Leon aka The Professional thrown in. Refreshing fight scenes, very CQC, one of the fights was in a bathroom stall. Thai actor plays the Vietnamese killer... he is best known from a Thai movie which escapes me ATM. Really cool for fight scenes, lead actor was strong silent smouldering type... liked his performance/initeraction with the little girl.

~sg

EDIT:  http://www.wat.tv/video/themanfromnowhere-39am7_39ak3_.html

around the 7:30 mark is the protagonist's background discussed by the police hunting him.



http://www.wat.tv/video/themanfromnowhere-39an7_39ak3_.html

Action starts shortly in the bathroom when clip starts
Title: Perhaps the greatest TV show ever
Post by: G M on February 04, 2011, 10:16:33 PM
http://www.anidiotabroad.com/

I'm pretty jaded (shocking, I know) but this show had me in tears I laughed so hard.
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on February 08, 2011, 11:05:48 AM
SG:

He is probably too shy to bring it to your attention, but Brian's DB name is "Porn Star Dog" not "Porn Dog".  The latter gives the impression he masturbates a lot, whereas the former gives the idea to the girls that he is qualified to be the star of a porn movie. In realit though, we are just riffing on the fact that his last name ends with the letters "porn".  :lol:
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: Stickgrappler on February 08, 2011, 01:15:19 PM
 :oops: *red-faced with embarrassment*  :oops:

er, I knew it was Porn Star Dog, but for some reason, what was typed left off the "Star"


My sincerest apologies to Porn Star Dog!
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on February 08, 2011, 01:39:00 PM
No worries I am sure.  I was once embarassed to discover that I had been misspelling his last name for years without him telling me :lol:

Changing subjects:  Spartacus keeps getting better and better.  This weeks episode was AWESOME!
Title: Coolness
Post by: G M on February 21, 2011, 05:09:45 PM
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmlkmVoPuQA&feature=player_embedded#t=151s[/youtube]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmlkmVoPuQA&feature=player_embedded#t=151s
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: Vicbowling on March 03, 2011, 10:58:28 AM
Anyone check out the movie Skyline yet?
It's a B-list movie but I watched it last night and it was actually pretty good.
Cheesy in some areas but the effects and action where pretty awesome!

royal plaza hotel (http://bookit.com/us/florida/orlando/hotels/hotel-royal-plaza-in-the-walt-disney-world-resort/)
Title: BATTLE: LOS ANGELES
Post by: G M on March 12, 2011, 09:05:15 AM
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHKYA07KBuQ&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

A couple of good reasons to see this movie.

1. Escape from the all too real horrors we are seeing in Japan. God bless them.

2. It is quite possibly the most pro-military film out of Hollywood since WWII.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHKYA07KBuQ&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: maija on March 14, 2011, 02:21:10 PM
I liked Battle:Los Angeles - Thought the filming, editing and sound were all well done. For a pretty unrelenting 2 hours of continuous fighting they paced it pretty well, and ....... one of the trailers they showed:
The New Conan Movie ....
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUGA9zw4_wA[/youtube]
Title: Re: BATTLE: LOS ANGELES
Post by: G M on March 18, 2011, 02:21:24 PM
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHKYA07KBuQ&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

A couple of good reasons to see this movie.

1. Escape from the all too real horrors we are seeing in Japan. God bless them.

2. It is quite possibly the most pro-military film out of Hollywood since WWII.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHKYA07KBuQ&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]


http://declarationentertainment.com/take-movie-work-battle-los-angeles

If you haven't seen it yet, go!
Title: ABC and People's Magazine's Best in Film
Post by: Stickgrappler on March 23, 2011, 11:02:38 AM
Last night, ABC had a program on called Best in Film as voted on by fans

Take a 10 question quiz to test your movies trivia knowledge

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Best_Film/page?id=12183249 (http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Best_Film/page?id=12183249)

--------------------------

Typed this up myself during lunch -- i'm such a dork

--------------------------

ABC News and People's Magazine Best in Film


BEST COMEDY OF ALL TIME

5. Tootsie (1982)
4. Young Frankenstein (1974)
3. Some Like It Hot (1959)
2. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

1. Airplane (1980)


BEST SCI-FI FILM OF ALL TIME

5. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
4. The Matrix (1999)
3. Avatar (2009)
2. E.T.:  The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

1. Star Wars (1977)


BEST MUSICAL FILM OF ALL TIME

5. West Side Story (1961)
4. Singin' in the Rain (1942)
3. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
2. Grease (1978)

1. The Sound of Music (1965)


GREATEST SCREEN KISS OF ALL TIME

5. Casablanca (1942)
4. An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)
3. Lady and the Tramp (1955)
2. From Here to Eternity (1953)

1. Gone With the Wind (1939)

GREATEST LINE OF ALL TIME

5. "Here's looking at you, kid."
4. "I'll have what she's having."
3. "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse."
2. "Go ahead, make my day."

1. "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."


BEST ACTION FILM OF ALL TIME

5. Gladiator (2000)
4. Die Hard (1988)
3. The Lord of the Rings:  The Return of the King (2003)
2. The Dark Knight (2008)

1. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)


BEST SUSPENSE/THRILLER OF ALL TIME

5. Pulp Fiction (1994)
4. The Shining (1980)
3. Pyscho (1960)
2. Jaws (1975)

1. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)


BEST ANIMATED FILM OF ALL TIME

5. Fantasia (1940)
4. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
3. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
2. Toy Story (1995)

1. The Lion King (1994)


GREATEST FILM CHARACTER OF ALL TIME

5. Indiana Jones in the Indiana Jones films
4. Dr. Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs
3. Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With the Wind
2. James Bond in the James Bond films

1. Forrest Gump in Forrest Gump


MOST ROMANTIC FILM SCREEN COUPLE OF ALL TIME

5. Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn
4. Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman
3. Richard Gere, Julia Roberts
2. Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh

1. Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet










BEST HORROR FILM OF ALL TIME

5. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
4. Carrie (1976)
3. Poltergeist (1982)
2. Halloween (1978)

1. The Exorcist (1973)


BEST WESTERN FILM OF ALL TIME

5. The Magnificent Seven (1960)
4. Unforgiven (1992)
3. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
2. Dances With Wolves (1990)

1. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)


BEST CHICK FLICK OF ALL TIME

5. The Way We Were (1973)
4. Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
3. Pretty Woman (1990)
2. Dirty Dancing (1987)

1. The Notebook (2004)


BEST POLITICAL/HISTORICAL FILM OF ALL TIME

5. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
4. All the President's Men (1976)
3. 12 Angry Men (1957)
2. Doctor Zhivago (1965)

1. Schindler's List (1993)



BEST FILM OF ALL TIME

5. E.T.:  The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
4. Casablanca (1942)
3. The Godfather (1972)
2. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

1. Gone With the Wind (1939)
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: Vector_Joe on March 26, 2011, 06:42:50 AM
The Bladed Hand (which was mentioned above) was supposed to be released last fall.  Looks like the revised release date is next month (April) at least in Manila.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Agi42bf_e (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Agi42bf_e)
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: matinik on May 13, 2011, 04:44:55 PM
it would appear that mr tony jaa is poised for a comeback: :mrgreen:


Courtesy of twitchfilm.com

by Todd Brown, April 26, 2011 10:26 AM

Tony Jaa is taking another very big step towards reclaiming his position as the top martial arts screen fighter in the world. And this one is more than a little bit surprising on a great number of levels.

We brought word earlier this month of a new Hong Kong based project that would match Jaa with fight choreographer Sammo Hung and now Thailand's Sahamongkol Film have announced that Jaa will reunite with director Prachya Pinkaew and fight choreographer Panna Rittikrai for Tom Yum Goong 2.

Missing elephant jokes aside, this is big news for Jaa with the original Tom Yum Goong - released as The Protector in North America - marking both his last true hit and the beginnings of his troubles. It was immediately after Tom Yum Goong that Jaa essentially declared Pinkaew unnecessary and unwanted, announcing that he would direct his next film himself. Pinkaew was deeply insulted and the relationship between the star and the director who built his career degraded to the point where they weren't even on speaking terms. Pinkaew would go on to groom Jija Yanin in Chocolate while Jaa would crumble badly under the pressure of directing Ong Bak 2 himself, eventually losing control of the badly over budget and over schedule project.

But Tom Yum Goong 2 will reunite the entire Tom Yum Goong / Ong Bak team with Jaa in the lead, Pinkaew directing, Rittikrai handling fight choreography and Chocolate star Jija Yanin also handed a significant role - the first time Jaa has ever shared the stage with another marquee fighter. Like the upcoming Chocolate 2, this film will be shot in digital 3D.

The big surprises in this are twofold. First, Jaa and Pinkaew have patched things up and are working together again. This can only be viewed as a good thing because, frankly, neither has been as good without the other. The bigger surprise, though, is that Jaa is once again in the Sahamongkol fold, which I would never, ever have expected to happen. Jaa's original ten year contract with the company will have expired before this film goes in to production, meaning that they have struck a new deal. Consider that at the peak of the Ong Bak 2 debacle Jaa took refuge in a police station claiming that the studio had sent gangsters after him and, well ... the prospect of the star willingly signing up with the studio again seemed unlikely to say the least. Whether there was any basis to the gangster story isn't even the point - if Jaa believed there was enough truth to it that he sought police protection that says something about how incredibly bad the situation between star and company had gotten and I'm amazed that they've gotten back together.

Pinkaew's Chocolate 2 is scheduled to go in to production in May and will need to be completed before this can begin, so don't expect Tom Yum Goong 2 any time soon. But fans should be happy to know it's coming.
Title: Game of Thrones
Post by: G M on May 15, 2011, 07:34:18 PM

http://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones/index.html

Best thing on TV right now. Awesome acting, especially the "Imp".
Title: Re: Game of Thrones
Post by: Stickgrappler on May 16, 2011, 09:26:14 AM

http://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones/index.html

Best thing on TV right now. Awesome acting, especially the "Imp".

a friend posted this clip elsewhere... too many cool shows to watch... but adding this one to the list.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qaxzwlg9N_Q&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
Title: Re: Game of Thrones
Post by: G M on May 16, 2011, 06:52:26 PM

http://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones/index.html

Best thing on TV right now. Awesome acting, especially the "Imp".

a friend posted this clip elsewhere... too many cool shows to watch... but adding this one to the list.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qaxzwlg9N_Q&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

The best description i've heard was "The Sopranos in Middle Earth".  :-D
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: bjung on July 05, 2011, 03:08:49 AM
Haven't watched the Game of Thrones yet, but I enjoyed the books (and waiting for book 5 later this month)

They have ben airing the second season of Top Shot on the history or discovery channel over here. I'm not really a gun guy but i like some of the shooting/marksmanship challenges they have
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on July 05, 2011, 08:25:07 AM
I found most of the actors in Game of Thrones completely unbelievable as fighting men, and laughed at the perfection of some of the clothing-- e.g. natty fine Italian looking leather for a medieval knight type, but somehow the show drew my wife and then me in; I loved the seeing some beautiful women's bodies :-D  I thought the character of the Dwarf was very interesting and very well done by the actor in question. 
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: C-Yo Dog on July 05, 2011, 11:12:25 AM
What do we say to the God of death?
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: G M on July 05, 2011, 05:57:01 PM
What do we say to the God of death?

Not today!
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: matinik on August 03, 2011, 09:18:04 PM
here's an interesting indie film about irish travellers, http://knucklethemovie.com/
the doc deals with this bare knuckle fighting sub culture that still exist in ireland.

matinik
Title: Re: Game of Thrones
Post by: G M on September 18, 2011, 06:57:33 PM

http://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones/index.html

Best thing on TV right now. Awesome acting, especially the "Imp".

Peter Dinklage wins Emmy for 'Game of Thrones'

by James Hibberd


 

Game of Thrones picked an Emmy on Sunday night, with Peter Dinklage taking the award for best supporting actor in a drama series for his portrayal of Tyrion Lannister.
 
One of the more eagerly anticipated acting categories had the actor thanking his dogsitter, as well as his wife Erica Schmidt. “Wow, I followed Martin Scorsese,” Dinklage marveled. “I couldn’t do this without David Benioff and Dan Weiss, the producers, they were the first to call me and tell me about this part. HBO you’re quite simply the best place to work for you — you let artists create.” Stay tuned, Thrones is also up for best drama series (though is considered a long-shot).
Title: Prediction: Big hit!
Post by: G M on October 15, 2011, 02:33:09 PM
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dS7XkRcD-c[/youtube]

Well, I'm glad that only 10 years after 9/11 we can start having movies that show the military as heroes. I guess it's ok since BooooOOOOOOooooosh is no longer president.
Title: Avengers!
Post by: G M on October 16, 2011, 03:04:52 PM
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOrNdBpGMv8&NR=1[/youtube]


Can't wait!

Great line from Tony Stark.
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: jcordova on October 16, 2011, 05:14:59 PM
Can't wait :-D :-D :-D
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: C-Yo Dog on November 02, 2011, 09:27:32 PM
If you haven't see this movie and like zombie films, this is a must see.

Great action and some really gritty fight scenes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY4ui929TiE
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: Cranewings on November 07, 2011, 03:09:26 PM
Holy Smokes! Was that snake range followed by a false diamond and Florette?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ptg2hIUw3jw&t=12m6s
Title: One of my new favorite movies
Post by: G M on December 03, 2011, 04:29:16 PM
http://www.amctv.com/broken-trail/videos/broken-trail-trailer

Visually amazing. IMHO Duvall's best movie.
Title: Great historic drama!
Post by: G M on February 14, 2012, 03:08:38 PM
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34x6m-ahGIo&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34x6m-ahGIo&feature=player_embedded

Still more accurate and true than a Michael Moore "documentary".
Title: Re: Prediction: Big hit!
Post by: G M on March 04, 2012, 09:13:33 AM
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dS7XkRcD-c[/youtube]

Well, I'm glad that only 10 years after 9/11 we can start having movies that show the military as heroes. I guess it's ok since BooooOOOOOOooooosh is no longer president.

A movie everyone should go see. It may be the best action movie ever made.


Be sure to stay through the credits. A good reminder why the fight is fought and the price is paid.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxm7uk7I07w[/youtube]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxm7uk7I07w
Title: If you were wondering about the guys in the boats.....
Post by: G M on March 04, 2012, 09:35:19 AM
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqoja3iWWaE[/youtube]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqoja3iWWaE

SWCC
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: Mick C. on April 14, 2012, 03:42:40 PM
I'm always a couple of years behind in my film-watching, so I apologize if this has been discussed before, but has anyone seen "Elite Squad 2: The Enemy Within"? It's available on Netflix streaming video in subtitled format.

It sounds like a cheesy sequel to an even cheesier Jean Claude Van Damme movie from the 1980s, but it's an absorbing, exciting, gritty  Brazilian film from 2010 starring Wagner Moura as an officer from the Brazilian military police's SWAT team BOPE, who gets a disciplinary transfer (which turns into a promotion) from BOPE to the internal intelligence service that oversees BOPE after a controversial shooting of a cartel leader inside prison.  It's a very exciting (and violent) action film from the writer of CITY OF GOD  that also explores the nature of police corruption, the interplay of politics and media in Brazil, trying to stay connected with one's family after a divorce, and especially, the law of unintended consequences.  Kind of like THE WIRE set in Rio de Janeiro. It's a sequel (unsurprisingly, from the number in the title) to an earlier film that I haven't yet seen but want to check out. It won an award at the Berlin Film Festival.  Well-done firearms sequences, fairly realistic if brutal hand-to-hand, even a couple of BJJ scenes (Moura and his son at a Rio BJJ tournament, and drilling with his son at the BOPE matroom) which advance the plot in some interesting ways.

Also available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Elite-Squad-The-Enemy-Within/dp/B005TZFYUM/ref=pd_bxgy_mov_text_b

Well-worth seeing if you haven't yet, and as I said, free for the viewing if you have Netflix streaming.
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: G M on April 14, 2012, 03:51:35 PM
Sounds interesting. If I didn't read this review, I'd never look it up. I met a few Brazillian cops about 12 years ago at a seminar in Quantico. I got the impression from some things they said that they had done things that would get an officer in the US imprisoned and it seemed like part of their police culture. It was interesting getting their take on the Jon Benet Ramsey case, to say the least.

I'm always a couple of years behind in my film-watching, so I apologize if this has been discussed before, but has anyone seen "Elite Squad 2: The Enemy Within"? It's available on Netflix streaming video in subtitled format.

It sounds like a cheesy sequel to an even cheesier Jean Claude Van Damme movie from the 1980s, but it's an absorbing, exciting, gritty  Brazilian film from 2010 starring Wagner Moura as an officer from the Brazilian military police's SWAT team BOPE, who gets a disciplinary transfer (which turns into a promotion) from BOPE to the internal intelligence service that oversees BOPE after a controversial shooting of a cartel leader inside prison.  It's a very exciting (and violent) action film from the writer of CITY OF GOD  that also explores the nature of police corruption, the interplay of politics and media in Brazil, trying to stay connected with one's family after a divorce, and especially, the law of unintended consequences.  Kind of like THE WIRE set in Rio de Janeiro. It's a sequel (unsurprisingly, from the number in the title) to an earlier film that I haven't yet seen but want to check out. It won an award at the Berlin Film Festival.  Well-done firearms sequences, fairly realistic if brutal hand-to-hand, even a couple of BJJ scenes (Moura and his son at a Rio BJJ tournament, and drilling with his son at the BOPE matroom) which advance the plot in some interesting ways.

Also available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Elite-Squad-The-Enemy-Within/dp/B005TZFYUM/ref=pd_bxgy_mov_text_b

Well-worth seeing if you haven't yet, and as I said, free for the viewing if you have Netflix streaming.
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on April 16, 2012, 04:53:26 PM
"It was interesting getting their take on the Jon Benet Ramsey case, to say the least."

Do tell , , ,
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: G M on April 16, 2012, 05:50:43 PM
Well, as far as they were concerned it was clear that the parents were the perps (I agree) and then they made statements to effect that as case like that in Brazil would be adjudicated outside of a courtroom.
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: Mick C. on April 18, 2012, 06:19:01 PM
Well, as far as they were concerned it was clear that the parents were the perps (I agree) and then they made statements to effect that as case like that in Brazil would be adjudicated outside of a courtroom.

Yeah, from what I've seen of Brazilian law enforcement it seems to be run more on the model of the American frontier.
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: Stickgrappler on January 21, 2014, 08:26:40 PM
Woof:

*puts left palm to right fist and bows deeply*

Wrote this up for elsewhere, copying and pasting here of some recent movies and quickie reviews I wrote up:

1)      Drive – I cannot rave enough about how great this movie is! The retro 80’s-sounding soundtrack plus the acting (or lack of acting) of Ryan Gosling. Bryan Cranston, Ron Perlman and Albert Brooks were all awesome. It brings back the feel of the 1960’s-70’s  lone tactiturn protagonist like Clint Eastwood and Charles Bronson. It’s a bit slow at first, but the opening scene ‘car chase’ (if you call that a ‘car chase’ – another ‘car chase’ scene I’m reminded of was in Way of the Gun) whets your appetite, it promises you more if you stick with it. And at the critical juncture in the movie, it EXPLODES from 0 to 60 in 1 second.  Like a neo-noir for me. Sequel in the works. Based on 2 books by crime fiction author James Sallis. On my To Read list.



2)      Yamada - Loved it for the Thai bareknuckle scenes. It was a kick (pun intended!!) to see Buakaw.



3)      Jack Reacher – not a Tom Cruise fan, but was entertained – liked it. Despite what anyone says about KFM, cool to see it in the fight scenes – change of pace from many of the fight scenes from Hollywood and Hong Kong. Did not read the books, but may read some soon.  Of the fans who’ve read the books, their major criticism is that Reacher in the books is like 6’5” where Cruise is what 5’8”?



4)      Oblivion – Sci-fi movie, Tom Cruise starred. Started off slowly for me, I’m not the sharpest knife in the bunch, but I saw the second plot twist coming, didn’t see the first twist though – but in hindsight, it was foreseeable. Entertaining enough, liked it. Heard slightly more positive reviews than negative. Can pass if you have no time.



5)      The Thieves is on my To Watch list. A friend highly reco’d it. A Korean heist movie.



6)      Man of Tai Chi – deriviative plot, but despite that, fight scenes weren’t bad – choreographed by legendary Yuen Woo-ping (Matrix, Charlie’s Angels and a whole lot more) mixes Tai Chi moves with MMA moves … Keanu Reeves directs (first-time IIRC) and co-stars. His friend, Tiger Chen, whom he met on Matrix, stars. Iko Uwais (The Raid:  Redemption), wasted on a cameo role sadly. Keanu pushing 50 if not already 50, has decent moves, some high kicks were stiff. Overall watchable.



7)      Ip Man:  the Final Fight – Anthony Wong Chau-san stars and is one of the A-list actors in Hong Kong. Lifelong Monkey Stylist, cool to see him do some WCK moves. Movie was not really so much about the fights or Ip Man, but about TMA values. I’ve not seen Eric Tsang in an action movie. Don’t think he has done any. It’s either comedies mostly or sometimes drama. He was playing against type with nice Hung Ga moves. Can pass if you have overdosed on Ip Man movies. Speaking of Wong and Tsang, if you haven’t watched Infernal Affairs I, check it out. Scorsese’s The Departed was the remake of IMO the superior Infernal Affairs. Both Wong and Tsang were great in that also.



8)      Ip Man:  The Legend is Born – Dennis To stars. He played Sammo Hung’s student in Donnie Yen’s Ip Man 2, the one with the beanie and beard/moustache starting trouble. He is wooden, new to acting, was a wushu champ. Some nice fights. Opening fight is Sammo Hung vs Yuen Biao in blindfolded chi-sao. Ip Ching, real life son of Ip Man, played in a cameo as Leung Bik, who furthers Ip Man’s WCK knowledge. Can pass if you have overdosed on Ip Man movies.



9)      The Grandmaster – directed by auteur Wong Kar Wai (Chungking Express, Ashes of Time, In the Mood for Love, Happy Together, etc)… this project has been in the works for ~10 yrs. Despite the timing of the release, Wong has announced his project ages ago. Rumored to be a 4 hour cut existing and he had to trim it down. Hope we the 4 hr cut is released as a director’s cut or something. Hoping for more fight scenes. Overall it’s a very good movie. Wong is meticulous with details in some of his shots… some of his signature arthouse touches grace the movie throughout. Unrequited love is his main theme throughout his films, and this one is no exception. Although it’s supposed to be about Ip Man, director WKW also wanted to document how various styles made its way into Hong Kong. If you can, don’t watch the confusing American version that is advertised as “Martin Scorsese Presents…” that was chopped down to 108 mins from the Chinese Cut of 130 mins (although the Chinese Cut is a little confusing, but less than the American).  Cung Le had a cameo fight in the beginning of the film. Overall, good fight scenes, but choreographer Yuen Woo-ping’s (there he goes again!) were sometimes re-shot when Wong wanted to make them more dramatic. That Cung Le fight was re-shot to be a fight in the night and in the rain. Any fight film fan wants their fight scenes clear and not the usual film artifice of closeups, fast editing and shaking cameras to create the false energy. Can pass, but if you are a WKW fan, you will want to check this out. This IMO is his most commercial film.

 

10)   Robot and Frank – was heart-warming… don’t usually watch these types of movies. Sis-in-law visited and popped the movie in. I didn’t know the plot before beginning the movie. Watched it with my children. I wasn’t sure which direction the movie was going. Glad I stuck with it until the end. Truly heart-warming. We enjoyed it. Frank Langella plays Frank.

 

11)   Older movies I’ve watched in honor of director Lau Kar Leung after his passing:

Martial Club – young Wong Fei-hung (played by Gordon Liu aka Master Killer or Pak Mei) being tested by experienced Northern master (played by Johnny Wang Lung-wei, first and only movie he plays a ‘good guy’!) who was tricked into helping a rival southern school. No one dies, this movie like most of Lau’s films, teach the TMA values.

Drunken Monkey Kung Fu – Lau stars and directs. Monkey style! More TMA values. Lau boasted of his kung fu skills and drank to excess one night and a jealous rival master exploited the situation.

36th Chamber of Shaolin aka Master Killer – ‘nuff said.

Heroes of the East aka Shaolin vs Ninja aka Shaolin Challenges Ninja – Gordon Liu marries a Japanese bride who practices karate. Misunderstanding between husband and wife which eventually is a misunderstanding between her sensei and his associates has the 7 of them come to Hong Kong to challenge Gordon. Again, Lau Kar Leung directs (has a cameo as the drunkard ‘teaching’ Gordon drunken kung fu). Great showcase of styles – both Chinese and Japanese. And again like Lau’s other movies, TMA values (“Wude” in Mandarin, “Mo Duk” in Cantonese = Martial Morality … and no one dies. My favorite oldschool Shaw Brothers movie (yes even over 5 Venoms and Master Killer)


12)   Donnie Yen’s new movie Special ID – I went to the NYC premiere of this movie and wrote about it for my site:

http://www.stickgrappler.net/2013/11/i-met-donnie-yen-at-4th-annual-new-york.html (http://www.stickgrappler.net/2013/11/i-met-donnie-yen-at-4th-annual-new-york.html)

Bottom line:  some good fight scenes, rottie Tian Jing, plays opposite Donnie, has some nice moves… made GIFs of some of the fight scenes, have some more GIFs which I’ll be posting soon:

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hcZnBS5GTnA/UsIJg3Yz3tI/AAAAAAAAFKI/v6Z4IQzVLG4/s1600/SpecialID-TianJing1a-400-sg.gif)

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aPsRm0FBAgA/UsEbR5qHhCI/AAAAAAAAFIQ/Voe8b-4WiKk/s1600/SpecialID-DonnieYenXKenLo1a-400-sg.gif)

http://www.stickgrappler.net/2014/01/donnie-yens-special-id-gif-set-1-donnie.html (http://www.stickgrappler.net/2014/01/donnie-yens-special-id-gif-set-1-donnie.html)
http://www.stickgrappler.net/2014/01/donnie-yens-special-id-gif-set-2-donnie.html (http://www.stickgrappler.net/2014/01/donnie-yens-special-id-gif-set-2-donnie.html)
http://www.stickgrappler.net/2014/01/special-id-gif-set-3-donnie-vs-ken-lo.html (http://www.stickgrappler.net/2014/01/special-id-gif-set-3-donnie-vs-ken-lo.html)

http://www.stickgrappler.net/2014/01/special-id-gif-set-4-tian-jing.html (http://www.stickgrappler.net/2014/01/special-id-gif-set-4-tian-jing.html)


But if you are expecting Flash Point – sadly it’s not. I think every Donnie fan and Donnie himself wanted Special ID to be Flash Point or better.

 

13)   Pacific Rim – watched it with my kids, they loved it. They DIDN’T watch Godzilla really, but know of it. Afraid to watch Godzilla with them though, as Stickgrappler Jr. (10 yrs old) – “that SFX is so cheesy dad”. And I have to go into my spiel about “when Dad was a kid, that SFX was SOTA”. He criticized Star Wars 4-6 also. LOL. Highly reco if you like the daikaiju genre of movies.

I made some GIF’s from this movie, not of the Daikaiju vs Jaegers, but of the human fight scenes – LOL at me … for anyone who likes GIF’s, please check out:

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iSzkYXdx23s/Ulx1vOI0QQI/AAAAAAAAEIA/RlIlfYx-UGc/s1600/PacificRim-400-00-sg.gif)

only Jaeger GIF i made... more here:

http://www.stickgrappler.net/2013/10/balisong-knife-in-movies-pacific-rim.html (http://www.stickgrappler.net/2013/10/balisong-knife-in-movies-pacific-rim.html) (balisong!)
http://www.stickgrappler.net/2013/10/pacific-rim-2013-animated-gif-set-1.html (http://www.stickgrappler.net/2013/10/pacific-rim-2013-animated-gif-set-1.html)
http://www.stickgrappler.net/2013/10/pacific-rim-2013-animated-gif-set-2.html (http://www.stickgrappler.net/2013/10/pacific-rim-2013-animated-gif-set-2.html)
http://www.stickgrappler.net/2013/10/pacific-rim-2013-3rd-final-set-of-gifs.html (http://www.stickgrappler.net/2013/10/pacific-rim-2013-3rd-final-set-of-gifs.html) (some trapping and an omoplata!)

 

14)   Turbo – a Dreamworks movie. Stereotypical animated movie. Watched with my children (15, 12, 10) – we all enjoyed it very much. Snail due to freak accident is racing in the Indianapolis 500! Themes of dream big and you can accomplish anything if you set your mind to it… well done. Highly reco if you have young children.
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: Bob Burgee on March 16, 2015, 05:45:57 PM
I understand there is an interesting story behind the two images listed here? Notice the difference?

Guro Crafty, would you mind sharing with us?

(http://dogbrothers.com/images/dolph-01.jpg) (http://dogbrothers.com/images/dolph-02.jpg)
Title: Re: Movies/TV of interest
Post by: Crafty_Dog on March 18, 2015, 04:46:27 AM
On March 14th Dolph Lundgren was doing a photo shoot at the gym yesterday. I'm gym buddies with his stunt double Tony and so after the shoot was over he and I got to talking a bit. Very nice guy! He said he had heard of the Dog Brothers and asked me to let him know when our next event was and then suggested that his wife take a photo. I got us a pair of sticks and he asked how to best stand with it.

He looked at the first photo and was not satisfied. "Let's take another with you closer to the camera so you will look bigger."

Above you see the two pictures.
Title: movies to avoid
Post by: ccp on December 09, 2015, 11:14:30 AM
Barack Obama woos Michelle Robinson on a 1989 date in Richard Tanne's sure-to-be-dissected Southside With You. Documentarians Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg got full access to Anthony Weiner's New York mayoral campaign and the sex scandal, and wife Huma Mahmood Abedin, Hillary Clinton's adviser, plays a big role. "What's riveting is it's less about him and more about watching Huma's reaction," says Cooper.

Huma's reaction to Weiner, is "riveting.    :wink:

Brock "wooing" Michelle in love story.    :wink:
Title: Bruce Willis vs. Steven Colbert
Post by: Crafty_Dog on December 27, 2015, 09:40:29 PM
https://www.facebook.com/100001369896912/videos/932576893464632/
Title: Probably a good history movie
Post by: ccp on January 26, 2016, 05:23:36 AM
I wondered why a movie of Nat Turner was never made.  The ending must be sad however as we know how it turns out.  The irony of the title is no accident.  Obviously a slap back to the 1915 film of the same name:

http://deadline.com/2016/01/birth-of-a-nation-premiere-sundance-stunner-nate-parker-1201690343/

Title: Ben Hur
Post by: ccp on August 15, 2016, 02:08:25 PM
Movie critic ,  Cal Thomas ( :lol:)  likes the new Ben Hur.  I actually never liked the 1959 one preferring 'The Ten Commandments'.  This one sounds good:

http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/thomas080416.php3
Title: movie out 4/18
Post by: ccp on November 15, 2017, 05:31:02 PM
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/chappaquiddick/
Title: Karate Kid Sequel
Post by: Crafty_Dog on May 02, 2018, 12:27:16 PM
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/on-television/the-karate-kid-sequel-cobra-kai-will-transport-its-ideal-audience-back-to-the-eighties?mbid=nl_Daily%20050218&CNDID=50142053&spMailingID=13429745&spUserID=MjAxODUyNTc2OTUwS0&spJobID=1400190701&spReportId=MTQwMDE5MDcwMQS2
Title: Apocalypse Now
Post by: Crafty_Dog on August 11, 2019, 12:42:39 PM
https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/08/apocalypse-now-greatest-war-movie-ever-made/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WIR%20-%20Sunday%202019-08-11&utm_term=WIR-Smart
Title: the politics of movie critics
Post by: ccp on February 10, 2020, 09:14:40 AM
critics loved leftist associated. Obama movie

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_factory

and at best lukewarm on Eastwood Richard Jewell movie:

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/richard_jewell
Title: movie
Post by: ccp on November 15, 2020, 03:19:34 PM
1902 Jack and the Beanstalk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U12rUOQAqNk

before flight and almost all cars
TR president
during tzarist Russia
before Browning 45 Cal handguns
the Lincoln penny
income tax
world wars
sound
Titanic
Prussia
the Great flu
Japan Sino war
and many states Arizona New Mexico   
Poncho Villa