I'm just hoping for the best with this one. I hope the story is well done, and more so I hope the fights are good and not too wirey. The use of wires really turned me off of Ip Man and makes it so I don't even want to see part 2.
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I'm just hoping for the best with this one. I hope the story is well done, and more so I hope the fights are good and not too wirey. The use of wires really turned me off of Ip Man and makes it so I don't even want to see part 2.
I really like Donnie Yen and feel he's the best in MA movies currently. But...I don't think Donnie will ever get tired of doing Bruce Lee's mannerisms in a movie whenever the opportunity comes along.Quote:
Originally Posted by doug maverick
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Originally Posted by jethro
alll martial arts films use wires...all of them no exception...but the over use of them sux...if they aren't being used for a safety standpoint they should just be calmed down.
Anyone see The Flock?Quote:
Andrew Lau denies slump after 'Infernal Affairs'
By MIN LEE (AP) – 11 hours ago
HONG KONG — Three years ago, Andrew Lau was the toast of Chinese cinema.
Martin Scorsese had just won a long-overdue best director Oscar for a remake based on his 2002 crime thriller "Infernal Affairs" and thanked Lau in his acceptance speech. The Hong Kong filmmaker was getting ready to release his Hollywood debut starring Richard Gere and Claire Danes.
But that lone American production, "The Flock," ended up getting a limited release in the U.S. His Chinese-language work since "Infernal Affairs" — which spawned two follow-ups — hasn't received similar acclaim. Some have described the period as a letdown for the 50-year-old director who was a special effects pioneer and crafted handheld cinematography for art-house icon Wong Kar-wai.
"Right now he seems to be having a hard time aligning his sensibilities with the market," said Grady Hendrix, one of the organizers of the New York Asian Film Festival.
Lau, however, has returned to the limelight in recent weeks with a new kung fu blockbuster starring Donnie Yen. "Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen" screened at both the Toronto and Venice film festival ahead of its Sept. 23 premiere in Asia. In Venice, the 106-minute action thriller was one of the event's two opening movies. Just hours after returning from Toronto, the still bleary-eyed director called his upcoming release a personal breakthrough.
"The audiences really enjoyed the visuals of the movie," Lau told The Associated Press. "They feel it's very different from what they've seen before. It's like watching live combat. It looks very real."
The subject matter is a curious choice. The character of Chen Zhen was made famous by Bruce Lee in his 1972 classic "The Chinese Connection" and has already seen other film and TV reincarnations since then.
But Lau said his 120 million Chinese yuan ($18 million) production breathes new life into the role while paying homage to Lee, whom he considers an idol. He and screenwriter Gordon Chan crafted a new story that picks up at the ending of "The Chinese Connection," in which Chen avenges the murder of his martial arts teachers by the Japanese. In "Legend of the Fist," Chen goes into hiding in France, where he outsmarts German soldiers with bullet-dodging gymnastics and ruthless punches on the battlefields of World War I. When he returns to Shanghai, he assumes a fake identity as a night club partner but continues his crusade against Japanese imperialism in secret.
Lau says Yen, who played Chen in a 1995 TV series, came up with new moves and that he instructed the action star to fight with more rhythm. Lee's spirit is still felt, with Yen donning Lee's classic white tight-collared Mao suit, flashing a nunchaku and emitting high-pitched growls. He also fights in a mask, evoking Lee's Kato characters in the short-lived 1966 American TV series "The Green Hornet."
The reviews have been mixed. Hollywood trade publication Variety called Lau's lighting and color schemes "dazzling" but criticized its jerky pace and lack of elegant action sequences.
Lau said he isn't nostalgic about the success of "Infernal Affairs," which he attributed to timing and luck. The hit came at a time when the Hong Kong industry was suffering, he noted. The Scorsese remake, "The Departed," helped generate headlines and greater prestige.
"I tell people to stop talking about it. That's in the past. That was eight years ago. We need to look to the future. You can't come up with new things unless you constantly forget the past. There's no reason to keep wearing the same pair of pants," Lau said.
But he disputed the characterization that he went into a slump after the "Infernal Affairs" trilogy. His body of work since then is diverse. Besides "The Flock," there's a street car racing story inspired by a Japanese comic book series ("Initial D"), a Korean-language action film set in the Netherlands ("Daisy"), another Hong Kong-set thriller ("Confession of Pain") and a Macau-set romantic comedy ("Look for a Star"). The eclectic mix gives the impression that Lau is experimenting while he searches for a project that truly excites him, Hendrix, the film festival organizer, said.
"I was able to make many different kinds of movies," Lau said. "They enriched me on many different levels."
The cinematographer-turned-director said he was especially proud of "Initial D" because it was much more difficult and dangerous shoot than "Infernal Affairs" and a hit in Hong Kong, mainland China and Japan. He thinks he handled romance better in "Confession of Pain."
"I don't want to repeat myself. I don't want to shoot 10 installments of 'Infernal Affairs,'" he said.
I'm changing the title of this thread from "Legend of Chen Zhen" to "Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen"
http://images.china.cn/attachement/j...0e0269240f.jpg
http://images.china.cn/attachement/j...0dfbd22d04.jpgQuote:
Legend of the Fist has gala premiere in HK
CRI, September 21, 2010
The new kung fu blockbuster "Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen" has had a gala premiere at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center.
Cast members Hsu Chi (left) and Donnie Yen promotes the film in Hong Kong, September 20, 2010.
Director Andrew Lau, lead actor Donnie Yen and lead actress Shu Qi were all in attendance.
The film marks Yen and Shu's first collaboration. Shu says she admires Yen's work ethics.
"Donnie Yen wakes up early to practice martial arts and shape his figure. He watches his diet, and doesn't eat that much unless needed. He is highly self-disciplined and really respects his work. I learned a lot from him."
And the admiration is mutual.
"I also learned a lot from Shu Qi. Besides her acting skills, she is such a sincere person and she is an actress with real personality. I am looking forward to our next collaboration. I don't know when but I hope soon."
"Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen" opened on the Chinese mainland on Tuesday (September 21). It will open in Hong Kong and Taiwan later in the week.
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Red Carpet at the premiere of Legend of the Fist
CRI, September 16, 2010
Director Wai-Keung Lau, cast members Donnie Yen, Shu Qi, Anthony Wong, Huang Bo, Yue Shawn, Huo Siyan, Ryu Kohata, Ma Yue, Akira, Ma Su and Chen Jiajia were all in attendance, posing on the red carpet for fans and media alike.
Senior executives from the film's production companies, including CEO of Enlight Media Wang Changtian, Chairman and CEO of Media Asia Group Peter Lam, CEO of Shanghai Film Group Corporation Ren Zhonglun, producers Zhang Zhao, Zhuang Cheng and Zhang Guoli, were also there to promote the new film.
Even Chinese singer Han Geng made an appearance, and received a screaming welcome from his fans along the red carpet.
Host of the ceremony Liu Yiwei, Chinese comedians He Yunwei and Li Jing, actors Vincent Chiao, Xu Zheng, Gong Beibi, Sun Feifei, Xu Jinjiang, singers Ma Tianyu, Sha Baoliang, Chen Sisi, Xu Fei, Aduo and **** & Cowboy also graced the red carpet.
I do want to see this but I'm having a hard time getting past the Kato mask...Quote:
Thu, Sep 23, 2010
Quick takes: Legend of the First: Chen Zhen
By Yong Shu Hoong
FOR a gongfu star like Donnie Yen, whose career was overshadowed by the popularity of Jackie Chan and Jet Li in the past, it is heartening to see him getting his fair share of the limelight in recent years.
He has been on a roll with lead roles in numerous films like Painted Skin (2008) and Bodyguards And Assassins (2009).
But what best sealed his heroic image were the two Ip Man films, in which he tackled the title role of the legendary Wing Chun master who was Bruce Lee's martial-arts teacher.
There is another Bruce Lee connection in Yen's latest film, Legend Of The Fist: The Return Of Chen Zhen. He takes on the main role of a fictional folk hero whom Lee made famous in his 1972 film, Fist Of Fury.
One problem is that the Hong Kong actor's heroic posturing here, with lots of patriotic moments to rouse the sentiments of Chinese people worldwide, is a tad too similar to the spirit of his Ip Man films.
Director Andrew Lau, who made his name helming 2002's Infernal Affairs, appears overzealous in his attempts to establish Zhen's legendary status.
In the opening scene set in France in 1917, for example, we find our hero among Chinese labourers who are assisting the French military in its fight against invading Germans.
Soon, we are treated to Zhen's death-defying antics, dodging bullets with ballet-like movements before slashing rifle-wielding Germans with the dexterity of a sashimi chef.
As the story shifts to Shanghai in the 1920s, the proceedings don't necessarily get better.
The glitzy song-and-dance sequences set in a posh cabaret club owned by an influential mobster (Anthony Wong) feel routine and all-too-familiar.
Shu Qi doesn't exactly melt into her role as the nightclub's sultry crooner, while Yen looks out of place when his character resurfaces as a debonair spy (Zhen now masquerades as a piano-playing entrepreneur to keep tabs on Japanese military officials in control of most parts of the city).
Due to the lack of onscreen chemistry between the two, it's hard to sense the emotional and sexual tension that supposedly permeates their relationship.
Just as Shanghai nightlife can get over the top, the way patriotism is stirred up here is unfortunately more reliant on melodrama than the conveyance of heartfelt emotions.
So, as invincible as Zhen is made out to be in the film, he gets captured almost effortlessly by his enemies. The bloody torture scene that follows seems to be designed with the sole purpose of drilling in the message that the Japanese are very, very bad.
Some scenes - like one in which a cowardly police officer (Huang Bo) starts berating his obnoxious European boss - feel put-on to vent grievances against any foreign power that has lorded over the Chinese in the past.
Of course, there's nothing more literal than the image of Zhen pounding Japanese villains to pulp in the final showdown.
The fighting sequences that we have come to expect from a Donnie Yen movie don't impress enough for us to overlook the flaws. It's a pity. If a more honest approach were taken, instead of manipulating nationalistic fervour, this film would have been a worthier celebration of the Chen Zhen legend.
http://news.asiaone.com/A1MEDIA/news..._donnieyen.jpg
interview with donnie, he admits to the whole kato thing, and actually he says his fear is that people will see him in this and see ip man, which is what the above reviewer mentioned;
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Donnie Yen Returns for an Interview: I'm Chen Zhen, Put Ip Man Behind
Tackling Chen Zhen again, do you fear being shackled by past conventions and not moving forward?
Donnie Yen: Yes, Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen presented me with two major challenges, how to break away from Ip Man's image. Initially, I didn't want to take on this role, given that I'd already done it over a decade ago, it was after much negotiations and debates before I finally relented.
Secondly, it's been quite a while since I last worked as a martial arts choreographer, when I accepted Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen, I gradually discovered that I still had inspirations. Being in the filmmaking business, without challenges, there won't be progress, perhaps, the audience have been very supportive of me, but I have been doing action films for years, I'd be doing action genre a disservice.
Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury was very successful, was the character Chen Zhen in Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen intentionally reinvented to set it apart from Bruce Lee's Chen Zhen?
Donnie Yen: To me, Chen Zhen was created by Bruce Lee, there wasn't such a person in history, the Chen Zhen that we see was basically Bruce Lee. Chen Zhen reaches out to the audience with grassroots values and sentiments, such as "I've had little education, don't you cheat me!", "Chinese are not Sick Men of the East!", he lets his fist and martial arts do the talking, stirring up the emotions within the masses.
But here, Chen Zhen has dual identities: By day, he's the nightclub's boss, Anthony Wong's assistant; by night, he dresses up like a comicbook superhero to do his stuff - rescuing patriots, resist the enemies. Our Chen Zhen is a lot more comical than Bruce Lee's version.
How's working with Andrew Lau?
Donnie Yen: I have known Andrew Lau for ages, the past few years, we've been planning to collaborate, before eventually settling on Chen Zhen. He's the quickest-paced director I've ever worked with, we all know that he'd only knock off early, never later. He's highly experienced, finding the focal of the film, he immediately gets down to the business of filming. He's also very liberal, very receptive to suggestions.
Your acting was acknowledged by the audience after Ip Man, but many of them also say they'd think of Yip Man whenever they see you.
Donnie Yen: I really don't want the audience to remember only Yip Man, while that character was a great boon to me, it's already history. This time around, I've retained many traits from Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury: he would train in nunchaku, build muscle, his signature battle cries, taking off his shirt, reclaiming dignity of the Chinese, we're merely using a new way to present them, and remind the audience of Bruce Lee, and for nostalgia, we're turning Chen Zhen into Green Hornet's Kato.
Compared to Yip Man's introverted, humble and relenting nature, Chen Zhen represents confidence, frenzy, advancement, and passion. When there's a conflict, Ip Man would try to reason politely first before taking up arms, while Chen Zhen would just strike preemptively. Perhaps because of Chen Zhen's background, I might exaggerate some elements, but the final battle is closer to realism, to wushu concept, I like MMA, it's equivalent to the concept behind Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do, encompassing moves from various sects. Thus, you'd see grappling, wrestling, tumbling, Wing Chun, and weapons, all bearing the typical Donnie Yen fighting style.
During the premiere, some noted that this type of films is forever confined to one kind of plot: it's always the Chinese hero beating up the Japanese invaders or US adepts, there is no breakthrough whatsoever, the main theme is always so parochial.
Donnie Yen: That's the mechanics of successful movies, the good defeating the bad, just that this movie dons the folk hero mask. But the actual story is different, the characters are different, the entertainment values are different, the audience will feel something different.
Many are saying that you've been accepting films excessively after Ip Man.
Donnie Yen: I'm feeling more inspired these few years, actually, I only do three films per year, some do six, seven films. Louis Koo is doing quite a handful too. Most importantly, it's about sustaining the audience's interests and excitements. Let's not talk about shooting 3 Yip Man films in one year, even if it's two, the audience would be bored already.
Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen is completely different from Ip Man, while The Lost Bladesman is altogether yet another different film. It's the audience who are paying for the tickets, I'd consider what this role could bring to the audience. I cannot keep working with director Wilson Yip, would run of ideas. The effect would be different if I work with him again two years later. Ultimately, filmmaking is a form of business, you have to handle it shrewdly.
And I wouldn't take on roles of villains such as maniacal murderer, arsonist, etc. Why should I introduce negative influences to the society, just for the sake of hearing, "Wow, what a class act."? I'm not that kind of actor, I don't seek the artistic self-fulfilment. For I feel that I'm not just an actor, but also a disseminator.
Some actors would demand having certain martial arts directors such as Yuen Wo Ping or Sammo Hung onboard, do you make such requests?
Donnie Yen: The word of mouth is definitely very important, there is an assurance to the quality of their works. As an actor, when shooting action films, I'd still consider seeking the professionals.
You're playing the piano in Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen, is this a showoff to your fans?
Donnie Yen: No, I objected to this scene at first, and even asked, "Director, have you made a mistake?" But it just happened that, in the script, Chen Zhen has picked up music, and it develops quite naturally.... Argh! It's never easy being an actor, not only do you have to act, to fight, but be skilled in playing piano.
When did you learn playing the piano?
Donnie Yen: I've been studying wushu under my mother since young, but later, I thought that wushu tends toward aggression, violence, so I started taking up piano lessons. My father plays the violin and erhu. Music can give me inspirations, it calms me down, and lets me ruminate.
You've attempted directing some films in the past, but they weren't very successful. Would you consider directing in the future?
Donnie Yen: Yes, but I'm tied up right now, I have to ride on my own coattails... Actually, Ip Man was my Lady Luck, I'm rather proud of it, not only does it have depth, but it also induced the kungfu trend.
To the audience, the name Donnie Yen is synonymous with martial arts film genre, have you ever thought of doing an arthouse film with no action?
Donnie Yen: No one wants me. I would if I had the chance, but no matter what, I have spent all these years on wushu, that's a whole lot of knowledge in there, it's my forte. Chinese Business Morning View
Awesome fight scenes, a very hot Shu Qi? Say no more...Quote:
Let his fists do the talking
Legend Of The Fist: The Return Of Chen Zhen / NC16, 106min
by Jaclyn Ying
05:55 AM Sep 24, 2010
AFTER his considerable success with Ip Man films and 14 Blades earlier this year, Donnie Yen and his abs are back again in Andrew Lau's Legend Of The Fist: The Return Of Chen Zhen.
Set in war-ravaged old Shanghai circa 1930s, hero Chen Zhen (Donnie Yen) returns disguised, seven years after he was believed to have died while fighting the Japanese. A local mafia boss (Anthony Wong) takes him in for reasons unknown and the still-alive chap falls in love with the sultry hostess/singer Kiki (Shu Qi). He's business partner by day, masked crusader by night. Robin not included.
Even looking past the film's historical inaccuracies (there were no female generals in the Japanese army until after the World War II), the weak on-screen chemistry between the hero and an unlikely heroine still disappoint. Thankfully, Legend Of The Fist pulls no punches when it comes to scenes involving fists. Yen tries to portray the man within the hero, but he does best when he's taking out a dojo full of extras.
Awesome fight scenes, a very hot Shu Qi, and Yen's abs are the only reasons to watch this flick. JACLYN YING
There's a nice little interview vid sidecarring the article below - click the link.
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* September 22, 2010, 6:30 PM ET
‘Legend of the Fist’ Director: ‘The Market Is Looking for Action’
By Dean Napolitano
Hong Kong director Andrew Lau returns to action in his latest film, “Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen.” The film reworks the iconic character Chen Zhen, first played by Bruce Lee in “Fist of Fury” (1972), and will be released in the U.S. by distributor Well Go USA next spring.
This time around, kung-fu star Donnie Yen plays the hero against the backdrop of 1920s Shanghai when Japan’s power and presence in China was growing.
“The market is looking for action,” says the director of such box office hits as the “Infernal Affairs” trilogy, which Hollywood adapted into the Oscar-winning “The Departed.”
Lau established himself as a leading Hong Kong director with the “Young and Dangerous” series of triad movies in the 1990s, but more recently has directed a Korean romantic drama (“Daisy”) and Hollywood thriller (“The Flock” with Richard Gere).
“I want to make movies that go for a big audience,” Lau says. “We grew up like this. The most important thing is box office because then we can make more movies.
A lot of prominent Hong Kong directors now work in mainland China.
We are very focused on China. It’s a complete turnaround and China has become our main market. Luckily, we are not new to China….They still look at us as Hong Kong directors, not as Chinese directors.
What are the challenges to working in China?
We have to learn their language—not just Mandarin, but their slang, their attitudes, how they think,how they spend money… it’s different from Hong Kong.
You have worked in all kinds of genres: action, crime drama, comedy.
As a director, you must be able to handle all kinds of movies…otherwise it’s so boring.
Director Martin Scorsese thanked you by name when he accepted the best-director Academy Award for “The Departed.”
After “The Departed,” everyone knew that “Infernal Affairs” came from Hong Kong. That was very good for me.
Come to think of it, Toy Story 3 did have really good sound.
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Sept. 27, 2010, 9:00 p.m. EDT
Media Asia's Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen Marks the Debut of Dolby Surround 7.1 in Chinese Cinema
HONG KONG, Sep 27, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Dolby Laboratories, Inc. /quotes/comstock/13*!dlb/quotes/nls/dlb (DLB 58.61, -3.31, -5.34%) announced today that the new Chinese kung fu movie, Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen, was released in Dolby(R) Surround 7.1 this month in Hong Kong. Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen marks the premiere of Dolby Surround 7.1 in a Chinese film.
"With this film, we hope to bring our audience a new and special experience, not only by providing outstanding kung fu performance, but also by delivering more exciting and immersing cinematic audio. This is why we chose Dolby Surround 7.1 to mix our film," said Andrew Lau Wai-Keung, Director. "Dolby Surround 7.1 will provide audiences with extraordinary and enveloping audio entertainment."
Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen was shown in the out-of-competition category on opening night of the 67th Venice Film Festival and was subsequently released in select cinemas in Hong Kong.
"As a partner to studios and exhibitors for 40 years, Dolby pioneered surround sound in the movies and helped filmmakers to realize their artistic vision through its continued innovation in audio and visual technologies," said Mahesh Sundaram, Vice President, Asia Pacific, Dolby Laboratories. "Dolby supported Disney-Pixar's release of Toy Story 3 with Dolby Surround 7.1 just a few months ago. Today, Dolby is pleased to offer this advanced technology to Chinese filmmakers, giving them greater control over the definition and placement of sounds. Dolby Surround 7.1 offers outstanding audio quality to match today's great advances in visual production."
About Dolby Surround 7.1
The latest innovation from a pioneer in cinema sound, Dolby Surround 7.1 improves the spatial dimension of soundtracks and enhances audio definition. The result: full-featured audio that better matches the visual impact of movies.
With the ability for content creators to mix in a discrete format, Dolby Surround 7.1 provides four surround zones to better orchestrate audio channels in a movie theater environment. The four surround zones incorporate the traditional Left Surround and Right Surround with new Back Surround Left and Back Surround Right zones. The addition of the two Back Surround zones enhances directionality in panning 360 degrees around the theater.
Dolby Surround 7.1 uses eight discrete audio channels and has the following channel layout: Left, Center, Right, Low-Frequency Effects (LFE), Left Surround, Right Surround, Back Surround Left (new) and Back Surround Right (new). For more information on Dolby Surround 7.1 visit www.dolby.com. Watch a Dolby Surround 7.1 video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPjI_GJLADM.
About Dolby Laboratories
Dolby Laboratories /quotes/comstock/13*!dlb/quotes/nls/dlb (DLB 58.61, -3.31, -5.34%) is the global leader in technologies that are essential elements in the best entertainment experiences. Founded in 1965 and best known for high-quality audio and surround sound, Dolby creates innovations that enrich entertainment at the movies, at home, or on the go. Visit www.dolby.com for more information.
Dolby and the double-D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. S10/23444 DLB-G
SOURCE: Dolby Laboratories, Inc.
The fights are up on youtube. Being the weirdo I am I went right into the final fight. It was enough for me to look forward to the movie when it comes out. Nothing too special, but good. I like that the use of wires is extremely limited, and the wirework that’s there is pretty decently done.
With Donnie being the action director, I was expecting more. Maybe it was budget, or they ran out of time, but most likely Donnie is being overworked right now and wasn't able to give it his full attention. But I suppose it's good enough. I think I got spoiled by the final fight in Flash Point, because it is easily my favorite fight from the last 3 years or so.
Spoiler alert- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHFOh...layer_embedded
Yen's take on Chen Zhen is more like an iconic superhero. He dresses up like Kato and that was just a little odd for me, kind of like how Black Mask was odd for me. It's hard for me to conceive of Kato as so iconic coming from the Western point of view. Yen does a lot of parkour wire work, which is amusing. In the first hour, there's two fight scenes which were nice doses of the old ultra-vi, but do the math. I'm an hour in and there's only been two fights? The first is at the very beginning. That's a long gap.
The film is pretty opulent, sort of a roaring 20s Cabaret set. There's a lot of drinking and smoking. There's too much Shu Qi - she does like three songs in a row. She's also drunk most of the time, or pretending to be drunk. I should note that I'm a fan of Shu Qi and never thought I'd be saying that there's too much of her in a film.
The last half hour was better. There were two more fights and a decent plot twist that I didn't see coming although I might have seen it if I had a better grasp of Mandarin. The third fight was entertaining. The finale was Donnie trying to re-do Bruce in Fist of Fury. It was a good fight, but it didn't work for me. After all, you can't touch Bruce, even if you're Donnie. Jet's spin on Bruce was better as he took it to a different place (as did Jackie and Stephan Chow arguably) but Donnie didn't really deliver. Nevertheless, I'm not about to fault Donnie for wanting to do Bruce. We all want to be Bruce. Anyone who's ever seen a kung fu flick wants to be Bruce.
I'm a bit at a loss in deciding whether I liked this film or not. It's got some good stuff, but it doesn't hang together well. Donnie's action sequences are excellent, what we've come to expect from him, but too few and far in between. The film itself is magnificent - it has the sets, costumes and cinematography worthy of a great Chollywood film. It just needed more action in that first hour. It lost me there.
is it out. Doug where do you get your hk dvd's now that our favorite spot on Elisabeth street is closed?
yea i hated that...that spot closed down...very disheartening...now i wait till there is a comic convention and one of the dealers always gives me all the latest stuff for free. i picked up like twenty films...but i still havent watched all of them yet.
gonna call this a quarter review in lue of my full review...and like gene the kato thing just annoys me, but probably not for the same reasons. i actually liked the idea of it in black mask it was a cool nod to bruce. but donnie is already playing one bruce lee character, no need to role up another one into it. i feel like this is just like dumbing the nose at the hollywood remake or something. i like the idea so far of the era the film takes place in, and the whole spy thing, thats cool. but i just wish they would have been more creative with the superhero part. also the dialogue scenes are boring so far, im bored out of my mind watching them, cause they made the grave mistake of just making the scenes talking heads, and explaining everything thing we just saw which is folly in filmmaking. so far im kinda liking it, but its gotta start picking up pace wise, or this quarter review will be it.
I was very dissapointed with this movie. As mentioned the Kato thing but overall everything was undercranked and way too cartoonish. It was really rather cheesey and a let down from some of Donnie's better movies.