Su Qi-Er - True Legend

Su Qi-Er - True Legend
China
2010
Starring:  Man Cheuk Chiu with Xun Zhou and guest appearances by Michelle Yeoh and David Carradine  


Su Qi-Er is a great fictional movie about the founder of the drunken boxing style.  

Do you remember the kung fu flicks of days past?  The awesome striking, kicking, blocking, and unique techniques?  The awesome moves all the way around with names to match?  Have you watched one lately?  I find them cheesy now.  This movie though, True Legend, is one awesome display of martial arts!

I find when looking at reviews that this movie is under appreciated.  True Legend though involves so much that it is one awesome movie.  The story begins in the Qing dynasty (1644-1911).   Su Qi-Er opens with one of the best martial arts scenes.  The movie incorporates battles of good against evil, of family against the forces seeking to tear it apart, of love against separation, and of devotion and believing.

I dare not tell too much about this movie for fear of spoiling it.  This movie though involves daggers and swords.  Gods and poison. And amazing scenes.  I recommend this movie as a top notch hand to hand martial arts flick, a well choreographed and artistic display of Asian cinema, and as a story worth hearing that has survived a millennium.  There is no aspect of this movie that is lacking.  From mortals to gods and everything in between it should be seen by martial arts fans around the world.  It will get you pumped and keep you there all the way through.  Even if just strictly for its martial arts this movie is awesome; watch the firsts 10 minutes and say no to the rest, I dare ya!  It is easily one of the best Kung Fu movies I have seen in a decade.  The choreography of Woo Ping is at its best in this movie and the scenes are just spectacular.  I didn't see this movie nominated for any awards yet, but by the time 2012 hits my assumption is that it will win awards in movie festivals across the world.  I rate this movie as a must see!!

Joong-cheon - The Restless

Joong-cheon - The Restless
South Korea
2006
Starring:  Jun-ho Heo, Woo-sung Jung, and Kwang-il Kim

The Restless presents life and death in a distinctly unique fashion.  From hoards of demons, legendary swordsmen, ethereal guardians, legions of the dead, and of course one beautiful love this movie moves through the life and afterlife with stunning visual sequences.

This movie is listed as a horror in virtually every database, but it's certainly not what I as a westerner consider a horror.  The movie has elements of adventure, action, fantasy, and romance.  All the ingredients I need to sit down and try to dedicate a couple of hours to something.

Joong-cheon  is also full of visually stunning sequences.  It was nomiated for the Most Visually Stunning movie in the 2007 Asian Film Festival and it won the Best Art Direction award in the Grand Bell Awards.  It contained some very well choreographed fight scenes too.  The Restless is a unique journey through this world and the afterlife.  For fans of the fantasy martial arts genre I recommend this movie.  There are some parts that I had to shake my head at, but all in all this is a pretty cool movie.

Jadesoturi - Jade Warrior

Jadesoturi - Jade Warrior
2009
Finland
Starring:  Tommi Eronen, Markku Peltola, and Jingchu Zhang

Is a fusion of an epic Finnish poem called The Kalevala and Chinese feudal wuxia this movie is the first from Finland to make it into Chinese cinemas.

Kai, the main character in this movie, remembers his past when he was a master blacksmith in China.  His blacksmith past from another life is riddled with mystery, love, sacrifice, and challenge.

I rated this movie a 3 on netflix because I liked it, but I didn't love it.  This movie wasn't overly spectacular and I was watching a subtitled version, but it did have some cool concepts.  A blacksmith must save the world for his love of lifetimes ago to be his again; can he rise to the occasion?  For the story alone I would rate it a 4 or 5, but I personally have a hard time with most movies from Scandinavia; sad, yet true and I cannot say why.  Even with all that said I would recommend this movie.  The action and intrigue come in irregular intervals and just in time to pull your attention back to the story.  Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think.  In cases like this one I am more than happy to pay for the rental just to do the little I can to encourage the cross cultural collaboration.

Quote:  "That kind of oath should not have been sworn alone.  It becomes a curse."

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Ip Man

Ip Man
2008
Hong Kong
Staring:  Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Siu-Wong Fan

Ip Man is an awesome movie!  If you're a martial arts fan all the of the Ip Man trillogy really are must see movies.  Donnie Yen pulls of some of the smoothest bone crunching, jaw dislocating moves I've seen in a movie in years.  This movie will certainly go down in the annals of martial arts movies as one of the greatest.

Ip Man was a teacher to many world renown martial artists; one of the most famous was Bruce Lee.  This movie is a semi-biographical account of Ip Man's life prior to teaching Wing Chun in Hong Kong.  From the annoying sessions of being challenged in front of his wife, to kicking ass all the way up the local Japanese command during their occupation in Foshan Ip Map is nonstop action done with some class.  This movie is not to be missed!!

Quote:  "Good Kung Fu does not depend on age or sex, but on how well you fight.  You will understand in a bit."