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What else would you recommend? Thanks!!
Follow Ups:
To get a taste of the real thing for a contrast. Crouching Tiger was a politically correct, pandering, preaching movie, really intended for ignorant audiences. By the traditional old school standards, it was actually quite boring. Go for some foreign films not intended for American audiences.
I disagree with all of your statements
To get a taste of the real thing for a contrast. Crouching Tiger was a politically correct, pandering, preaching movie, really intended for ignorant audiences. By the traditional old school standards, it was actually quite boring.
With all due respect, but you are in fact an ignorant audience. I'm quite familar with this style of film, and in my opinion it is very true to its style with even more boldness and sophistication (probably due to a bigger budget). And in fact, I think it is a fresh air for the American audience, as it's been shown to be so. It is intended to be released in America, but is not catered to the American tastes and cultures. It can not be placed in the same category as Jacky Chan's or Jet Li's movies.
I'm not sure what the "real thing" and "old school standards" are. I guess it's not to your taste, and I understand the "preaching" part, which has been more or less present in most Chinese literature.
Go for some foreign films not intended for American audiences.
It's fashionable and somewhat politically correct -- ironically -- to be self-demeaning/critical, but some of the foreign films I have seen this year are quite excellent. Amelia comes to mind.
***Go for some foreign films not intended for American audiences.
***It's fashionable and somewhat politically correct -- ironically -- to be self-demeaning/critical,You are dead wrong, of course. It is politically correct to be completely oblivious of one's deficiencies. Being critical is the sign of maturity.
***but some of the foreign films I have seen this year are quite excellent. Amelia comes to mind.Well, I think you missed his point. It is the fact that the American "taste" plays important role today. Just like the BMW can't overlook its largest market, so can't the folks from the European studios, if they want to make any money.
American influence has damaged their movie industries to great extent, as they are unable to be profitable without the US distribution. Put the blame for that on both parties.
Amelie... cute, not bad, warm. But excellent? Hardly. Not a major effort. Its sucess not surprising - the Americans are big naive children, they love fairy tales, it is the truth and realism that they can't take. Amelie was just another Shrek.
What does a particular film have to do with this discussion?
hi, I wasn't very clear. I thought that Adriel meant that this film was made with American ingredients, styles and values so that it's easy for the audience to identify with. I couldn't detect that. In fact, I think that most people who don't like this film is because of its strange taste.With respect to truth, realism vs fairy tales. Each has their own place in literature. Art is an expression of imagination, not necessarily a reproduction of reality. Nobody complains about the imagination of Kubrick. People complain about Star Wars mostly because of its lack of depth not because the impossibile existence and control of "the force".
Smart foreigners don't make "American films"; they make films for Americans. The difference is in degree not substance admitedly. But it's a big difference. The weakness lies in the customers "enjoyment of foreign pieces", not necessarily the true quality of the pieces themselves. Also, when I say "self-critical", I mean "self" in a national sense as I think it's fashionable for people to complain what they have, to degrade the quality of American products.
Nothing is wrong with fairy tales per se. My general beef with the American taste is that it replaced the subject of human beings and their sufferings, emotions and pain with machines, social deviants and excitement.I don't see degrading the American qualty as the prevailing attitude, though. Unfortunately the predominant one is that of undeserved satisfaction and self-congratulation. And in art the tension is everything, the perpetual unhappiness of the artist with the results of his labor.
But I think we are straying. The ongoing Hollywoodization of the world cinema is unfortunately something that is happening, whether we admit it or not. And as I said - those other guys share in that responsibility at least equally. No one is forcing them to prostitute themselves.
I don't have any patience for this stuff.When it becomes "popular", I immediately become suspect that it's not the Real Thing, but some kind of culturally diluted concoction, that panders to be "popular". If I want the Real Thing, I know where to go, and I don't need something to become stylish, to "tell" me it's "good".
Just looking at a few minutes of this film, and you can tell it's highly stylized, to the absurd point of trivializing the genre.
Who really finds it genuinely entertaining ? I would rather see a good Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan film, than this stuff, any day.
***Go for some foreign films not intended for American audiences.What a damning observation regarding our culture.
This movies and many others explored a fraction of reallly long stories written by a Chinese author a few decades ago. Those stories were absolutely facinating, and I'm not even Chinese. When some of these stories were adapted into really long films, people stayed all days watching them. Almost all Americans don't really know or understand this, and find CTHD boring or not to their tastes. It's like Lords of the Ring, Star Wars, etc. to other folks. But I found those Chinese stories much more facinating and captivating. The mystiques, the fantacies, and the martial arts from different schools....There is a generation of folks from several countries, growing up with them.If all you're interested in is swords fighting and some kicking, then Jet Li's and the newer Hollywood movies will probably do. But just to give you a perspective of where it came from.
!
NT
Chinese Ghost Story, you have to see that one, it's my favourite film from Honk Kong and maybe the most entertaining film ever made. If you like CTHD, you will surely like Chinese Ghost Story... even if you dont' like CTHD. A Classic. Consider it as CTHD in a fantasy world of ghosts.Drunken Master II (aka Legend of Drunken Master), consider by many as the best film from Jackie Chan. CTHD without the unreal moves. Jackie is real! man.
The Bride with White Hair, well similar to CTHD, but not as good.
Temtation of a monk, a mixture of CTHD and Braveheart, but much much much ... better than the later. Maybe the most violent film I ever seen. A masterpiece and one of the best keep secret in filmaking.
PS. I recommend you to see it in original version with subtitle, the dubbed version lost it authenticity.
nt
"Iron Monkey"
I did like CTHD better but Iron Monkey wasn't bad and I enjoyed it.I'm one who doesn't disappoint all the much with movies because I have fairly low expectations. The money spent doesn't bother me, but the time spent does if it is something I didn't enjoy. So long as a film holds my interest for the most part and is my cup of tea, I'm happy!!
For the best swordfighting sequence EVER filmed, try "The Blade ("Dao")." Tsui Hark's remake of Wang Yu's One-Armed Swordsman story has a supercharged action climax.For a blend of swordplay, romance, and mysticism, try the "Swordsman" series with Brigitte Lin as the androgynous Asia The Invincible. Also try Lin as "The Bride With White Hair." Going further back, there's always the classic: "A Chinese Ghost Story."
For swashbuckling fun and hilarious situations, try "Peking Opera Blues."
.
If you like martial arts action with a compassionate Chinese hero in a more contemporary Western/European storyline, I'd highly recommend "Kiss of the Dragon" with Jet Li; it's one of my faves. If you prefer oriental storytelling devices in a more traditional Hong Kong style movie I'd recommend "Once Upon a Time in China I." Note: There are at least 3 films in this series, the first being the best, IMHO.AuPh
I believe "Kiss of the Dragon" will be next up as I read a few positive recommendations on this board for it when I did a search for Jet Li films.I'm contemplating but unsure about "Romeo Must Die" as far as being martial arts with a hero as that movie may be a different storyline. I'll have to read some reviews on that one to see what it is about.
Hardly. Its major claim to fame was to reach the pinancle or boredom...Well, it failed even in that category.
FYI, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" was a magnifiicent film; too bad you couldn't relate to it either from the standpoint of it's beauty, culture or allegorical content.BTW, I hope your wife's recovery is progressing well, and we're glad you're back, you old curmudgeon, you! :o)
AuPh
***FYI, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" was a magnifiicent film; too bad you couldn't relate to it either from the standpoint of it's beauty, culture or allegorical content.I guess I missed all three, didn't I? Oh well, there will be other films, I hope. Perhaps we simply have different definitons of "magnificent". But you have to agree - or *I* have to give you that, dunno... - that putting someone obsessed with swords to sleep was no mean achivement.
Sounds to me like the "allegorical content" is the last refuge of an inept hand.
Thank you for good words, I will forward them to the proper "authorities".
It is an inept fable ( fairy tale ) for brains who have nothing to loose...The " flying " scene were nicely done.....
Well Patrick, like I said, different strokes for different folks; perhaps you'll post something with a little less invective directed towards folks who like this movie when you've freed up your other hand.Regards,
AuPh
ok..ok..do not take is so seriously...As a french from the south we always make it a little " bigger "..But it is my view of this picture and so it remains...
I saw that you like old series...do you have seen " The Prisonner " ?...this one I really did like !
PatrickPS: I have always have fun in hyberbole...not been invective ( or just at first glance) just agressively ( sometimes) funny...
... and doesn't seem quite as dated as most 60's era TV series. With only 17 episodes filmed the story arc remains fresh and varied; yes, I've seen them all.One old SF series worth checking out on just released DVD is the 1st season of Outer Limits (i.e., early 60's, B&W); not all episodes are good, but the writing and execution of some are as powerful as the day they were filmed. If I'm not mistaken, Harlan Ellison's "Demon With a Glass Hand" should be one of the first season epsiodes featured. If you've never seen this, rent it if it's available to you. Outstanding story and program.
> > > "ok..ok..do not take is so seriously..." < < <
No problem.
Sorry about mistaking your hyperbole(?) for personal invective. I suppose anything filtered through the internet is subject to being misunderstood. Unfortunately, I kept trying to find some element of humor or cheekiness to your post, but none presented itself. We'll just chalk it up to miscommunication.
Cheers,
AuPh
Hope your wife's recovery is going well.We need you back here to contribute film reviews. Did you catch Rachel Portman on a repeat of Isaac Mizrahi's Show today (finally, a reason for a guy to watch the Oxygen Channel)? Attended public schools, no acting classes, stunning.
Thank you Steve. No, I didn't see that one, as we watch even less TV these days. Rachel Portman... hmmmm, I recall her Ratchatcher - a remarkable film, but can't quite remember her music.For some strange reason most of our films lately have been Russian, so even though there were some quite interesting ones, they would be of, shall we say, very limited interest to this group. On the bright side is the fact that the average quality has been quite decent, with some simply marvelus. I mentioned to Dmitry the "Fortuna" by Georgi Daneliya, every film by whom is an event. Well, I would probably exclude his "Kin-Dza-Dza" (1986) from that list, but if you happen to stumble over any of his works, most definitely get it. I suspect some of it has been released here, as he is a tremendous director. His "Osennij Marafon" is available from Amazon (not his most colorful film, but a great one if you can delve into the Russian life of that period). His "Don't Grieve" and "Mimino" are part of the world classic and a must for every movie buff.
We also saw a bunch of unremarkable French and Italian films, their names now escape me
I meant NATALIE Portman.
Quite a slip. Did you see the pictures of Natalie in the LA park with her arm up to an elbow in her pants? Looked like she was desperately trying to catch some crawler there.Why is that that so many beautiful actresses look so decidedly awful off the screen? Audrey wasn't like that!
> > Did you see the pictures of Natalie in the LA park with her arm up to an elbow in her pants? < <Sounds like a photo for a documentary: "In Search of George Michael."
On the TV show, she and Isaac were giving her dog, Harry, a bath.
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