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Curse of the Golden Flower [2007]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Martial Arts
starring: Yun-Fat Chow, Li Gong, Jay Chou, Ye Liu

September 03, 2007
This film is the 'ROlls ROyce' or the 'Ritz' version of 'Crouching Tiger, hidden Dragon'. However, in my opinion, Hero still has to reign supreme over these 3 most well-known chinese masterpieces.
There is no doubt that no expense has been spared producing and making this film. It is opulent, extravagant and has the most luscious, and grand sceneries, backdrops and costumes of the 3 films. Its storyline is just as if not a lot more complex to follow as well, especially if you're being distracted by all the extravagance and action. Gong li as ever is seductively, sublimely, beautiful. If nothing else, buy this to watch and admire her. I would give this 3 and a half stars.

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Quentin Tarantino Presents: Hero [2004]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Martial Arts
starring: Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Ziyi Zhang, Daoming Chen
directed by: Yimou Zhang

February 21, 2005
I have a problem with these 'dancing on air' martial arts films, a-la Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: they look daft. Once you've seen one guy on a wire you've seen them all. Once you've seen a guy stamping his feet forty feet up a bamboo tree you say `Oh, look, a bird'. The only place where these effects have ever seemed anything other than laughable is in The Matrix: because it isn't a real world environment. There you can make allowances. Hero has lots of stylish fighting, but if you can't take it seriously, what's the point? An exercise in futility.
Hero is additionally befuddled by the message it attempts to impart: totalitarian societies are okay because although they are born in bloodshed they lead to a united, peaceful society. ... Read More:

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Enter The Dragon (Special Edition) [1973]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Martial Arts
starring: Bruce Lee, John Saxon, Kien Shih, Ahna Capri, Angela Mao
directed by: Robert Clouse

August 02, 2004
This, Bruce Lee's final feature film before his untimely death, is an extravaganze of martial arts, containing some of the most visually impressive and electrifying fight scenes in the martial arts genre. It was also the first 'Hollywood' film to really bring the martial arts genre and an oriental landscape into the mainstream.

The plot is weak, but this doesn't matter, as Lee's perfromance is strong, his acting charismatic and fascinating. Within the martial arts genre, he has his own very unique and distinctive style, comprising a vast array of weird noises and manic facial expressions.

On a mission to avenge his enemy 'Han' for the deaths of his Mother and Sister, Lee systematically fights a veritable army of fighters in a ... Read More:

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Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon [2001]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Martial Arts
starring: Yun-Fat Chow, Michelle Yeoh, Ziyi Zhang, Chen Chang, Sihung Lung
directed by: Ang Lee

June 18, 2001
I watched this for the first time recently and couldnt understand why it was so popular, i found this film utterly boring and very stupid for e.g the flying and stupid jumps, for me its very unrealistic as in the fight scenes two people throwing swords at other full pelt and no blood no one hurt no nothing, but the only reason it got 2 stars rather than 1 is because of the way its filmed, apart from that found it very very boring.

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House Of Flying Daggers [2004]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Martial Arts
starring: Ziyi Zhang, Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro
directed by: Yimou Zhang

August 15, 2005

Some people say this is a masterpiece. Only the last half an hour came close, the first hour is boring, unrealistic and tedious. There are two main problems, the first is that the acting is like watching paint dry. I can't believe Zizy Zhang was in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, (that was so much better than this). In Hidden Dragon she was entertaining. In this she acts like a scared puppy. Her fellow actor Takeshi Kaneshiro is atrocious, and Andy Lau isn't much better. The second problem is that apart from the end fight scene it's seriously unrealistic.
Luckily the story line makes it watchable.
It is very romantic and touching, so If you like that and a bit of action this is worth renting, otherwise don't bother.

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Fearless [2006]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Martial Arts
starring: Jet Li, Nathan Jones
directed by: Ronny Yu

October 23, 2006
Some of the fighting is great. The fights against westerners are the best, other action sequences rely too heavily on clumsy computer effects.
There is a lack of story which is a shame considering the wealth of material on Huo Yuanjia. (The real life martial artist on whom the film is based)
The notion that it is propaganda is absurd, it is one sided but the west really did treat China badly at the time of the opium trade. Also the mutual respect between the Japanese and Chinese martial artists goes against a trend of frosty relations between the two countries. the film fails to live up to such an interesting premise

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Warriors Of Heaven And Earth [2003]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Martial Arts
starring: Jiang Wen, Kiichi Nakai, Zhao Wei Wei
directed by: He Ping

December 13, 2004
Hmmmm... I have alot of asian movies (alot), you could say im an asianmaniac. But what can i say about this movie. The action and special effects, to be honest, are quite lousy. And thats a bit of a shame knowing that this movie could have been awesome with such a story line.
Judge for yourself, just see it, its not a total waste of time.

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The Way Of The Dragon [1972]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Martial Arts
starring: Bruce Lee, Nora Miao, Chuck Norris, Robert Wall, Jon T. Benn
directed by: Bruce Lee

June 11, 2001
Badly dubbed, sloppily edited, poor translation, not very good acting and muddy colours. So why would you want to watch this movie? For Bruce Lee of course! The honorable country boy who just happens to be a fighting genius. He comes over from Hong Kong to Italy to sort out the syndicate trying to muscle in on his friends nieces restaurant. There is a great fight at the end between Lee and Chuck Norris(his film debut). But beware the video version has been very badly cut to censor a fight in the restaurant which I presume involved NumChukkas and is an insult to the viewers intelligence so its probably best to seek out the DVD version which I'm sure is uncut.

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Romeo Must Die [2000]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Martial Arts
starring: Jet Li, Aaliyah, Isaiah Washington, Russell Wong, DMX
directed by: Andrzej Bartkowiak

April 09, 2001
I absolutely LOVE this movie! Jet as always is GREAT in this movie and Aaliyah's acting is outstanding. This is defiantly a movie to watch! You automatically get drawn to the characters and fall in love with them all...WATCH THIS MOVIE!
*RIP* Aaliyah

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Kung Fu Hustle [2005]

Childrens Toy Shop > DVD > Martial Arts
starring: Stephen Chow
directed by: Stephen Chow

October 24, 2005
This is a hard film to give a review too as it is an absolute diamond and I want it to be as successful as possible but it is guaranteed not to be liked by everyone.
It is based around the Kung-Fu we all know and love but is one of the funniest films of 2005 without a doubt. The humour is not to everyones taste and the marital arts background is another vice to which some people will hold a grudge. However if you wish to sample a truly great piece of cinema which is different enough to be like nothing you have seen before, Kung-Fu Hustle is bound to interest you.

Some of the fight sequences put Kill Bill to shame, and without being overly gory they remain enjoyable to watch throughout. Chows performance is fantastic, and the prolific Paris and Helen of troy characters ... Read More: