list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Crouching_Tiger_Hidden_Dragon/154828/default.aspx Title: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Year: 2000
Director: Ang Lee
Plot: Taiwanese filmmaker Ang Lee took a break from making Western period dramas to fashion this wild and woolly martial arts spectacular featuring special effects and action sequences courtesy of the choreographer of The Matrix (1999), Yuen Woo Ping. In the early 19th century, martial arts master Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) is about to retire and enter a life of meditation, though he quietly longs to avenge the death of his master, who was killed by Jade Fox (Cheng Pei-pei). He gives his sword, a fabled 400-year-old weapon known as Green Destiny, to his friend, fellow martial arts wizard and secret love Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh), so that she may deliver it to Sir Te (Sihung Lung). Upon arrival in Peking, Yu happens upon Jen (Zhang Ziyi), a vivacious, willful politician's daughter. That night, a mysterious masked thief swipes Green Destiny, with Yu in hot pursuit -- resulting in the first of several martial arts action set pieces during the film. Li arrives in Beijing and eventually discovers that Jen is not only the masked thief but is also in cahoots with the evil Jade. In spite of this, Li sees great talent in Jen as a fighter and offers to school her in the finer points of martial arts and selflessness, an offer that Jen promptly rebukes. This film was first screened to much acclaim at the 2000 Cannes, Toronto, and New York film festivals and became a favorite when Academy Awards nominations were announced in 2001: Tiger snagged ten nods and later secured four wins for Best Cinematography, Score, Art Direction, and Foreign Language Film. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 124
Number of Lists: 120
Number of blog posts: 9
Number of discussion threads: 11
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:27:57 GMTCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon2000Ang LeeTaiwanese filmmaker <a href="/players/P___166472/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Ang Lee</a> took a break from making Western period dramas to fashion this wild and woolly martial arts spectacular featuring special effects and action sequences courtesy of the choreographer of <a href=/films/132089/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>The Matrix</a> (1999), <a href="/players/P___194746/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Yuen Woo Ping</a>. In the early 19th century, martial arts master Li Mu Bai (<a href="/players/P____22826/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Chow Yun-Fat</a>) is about to retire and enter a life of meditation, though he quietly longs to avenge the death of his master, who was killed by Jade Fox (Cheng Pei-pei). He gives his sword, a fabled 400-year-old weapon known as Green Destiny, to his friend, fellow martial arts wizard and secret love Yu Shu Lien (<a href="/players/P___223709/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Michelle Yeoh</a>), so that she may deliver it to Sir Te (Sihung Lung). Upon arrival in Peking, Yu happens upon Jen (<a href="/players/P___280898/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Zhang Ziyi</a>), a vivacious, willful politician's daughter. That night, a mysterious masked thief swipes Green Destiny, with Yu in hot pursuit -- resulting in the first of several martial arts action set pieces during the film. Li arrives in Beijing and eventually discovers that Jen is not only the masked thief but is also in cahoots with the evil Jade. In spite of this, Li sees great talent in Jen as a fighter and offers to school her in the finer points of martial arts and selflessness, an offer that Jen promptly rebukes. This film was first screened to much acclaim at the 2000 Cannes, Toronto, and New York film festivals and became a favorite when Academy Awards nominations were announced in 2001: <a href=/films/171277/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Tiger</a> snagged ten nods and later secured four wins for Best Cinematography, Score, Art Direction, and Foreign Language Film. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide124Tag Target (>10)1209113http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t76194w2em9.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Crouching_Tiger_Hidden_Dragon/154828/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Re_Which_of_these_recent_Chinese_period_martial_ar/657/42786/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: divinemsjunebug
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 6/24/2009 12:49:44 AM
Body: These are all excellent movies. Most of them are just visually stunning. The cinematography is just breathtaking. This was a hard decision and I have to say it's a tie between House of Flying Daggers, Curse of the Golden flower and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. But I also loved Hero... MOst of them Heartbreaking too. [quote user="Risselada"] Please reference this thread for the rules of this group. Thanks again to tadiv for the idea for this one. Again I'm always open to suggestions for future polls. Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:Crouching Tiger, Hidden DragonCurse of the Golden FlowerFearlessHeroHouse of Flying DaggersThe WarlordsThe Warrior (Musa) [/quote]
]]>Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:49:44 GMTdivinemsjunebugMovie Polls6/24/2009 12:49:44 AMThese are all excellent movies. Most of them are just visually stunning. The cinematography is just breathtaking. This was a hard decision and I have to say it's a tie between House of Flying Daggers, Curse of the Golden flower and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. But I also loved Hero... MOst of them Heartbreaking too. [quote user="Risselada"] Please reference this thread for the rules of this group. Thanks again to tadiv for the idea for this one. Again I'm always open to suggestions for future polls. Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:Crouching Tiger, Hidden DragonCurse of the Golden FlowerFearlessHeroHouse of Flying DaggersThe WarlordsThe Warrior (Musa) [/quote] http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Which_of_these_recent_Chinese_period_martial_arts/657/42771/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 6/23/2009 2:31:49 PM
Body: Please reference this thread for the rules of this group. Thanks again to tadiv for the idea for this one. Again I'm always open to suggestions for future polls. Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:Crouching Tiger, Hidden DragonCurse of the Golden FlowerFearlessHeroHouse of Flying DaggersThe WarlordsThe Warrior (Musa)
]]>Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:31:49 GMTRisseladaMovie Polls6/23/2009 2:31:49 PMPlease reference this thread for the rules of this group. Thanks again to tadiv for the idea for this one. Again I'm always open to suggestions for future polls. Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:Crouching Tiger, Hidden DragonCurse of the Golden FlowerFearlessHeroHouse of Flying DaggersThe WarlordsThe Warrior (Musa) http://www.spout.com/blogs/the_mow/archive/2009/5/7/42169.aspx Post By: The_MOW
Post To: The_MOW Blog
Post Date: 5/7/2009 10:23:42 PM
Body: A Mudan warrior (Chow Yun-Fat) gives his sacred, yet blood-tainted sword to his love (Michelle Yeoh) in an attempt to ease his mind after experiencing a vision. He tells her to take it to a friend of his. She, however, decides to keep it for him, and it gets stolen by a ninja. The warrior sets off to get it back, fearing it was stolen by the one who murdered his master. So he sets off to find his sword, and to avenge the death of his master. The movie is beautifully shot, with fast-paced fight scenes. The fight scenes are simply amazing, despite it is quite obvious that the ones doing these gravity-defying stunts are in a harness and propelled by wires. If you ask me, the harness makes much of the movements very awkward and limited. The wardrobes look very authentic, as does the sets. There are mostly earth-tones, and not many bright colors in the sets or clothing. I saw the movie dubbed into English earlier this morning on Starz. If you ask me, the English actors did a good job in conveying the lines nearly perfect. None of the voice-overs were over the top like the 1960's "Godzilla" movies. Also, the voice-overs appear to be in perfect sync with the movement of the lips of the on-screen actors. I didn't see any on-screen actors stop talking and the English translation of what they said continue as the camera angle changed. From what I could tell, the on-screen cast were real good in their roles. They made the characters believable. From the looks of it, for the most part, none of the main cast used a stunt double. For those who had to do the high-speed fights, which did not look as if they were sped up, they must have been in amazing shape to not look like they were wearing out too quickly. A nod has to go to the director and editor. Both did a good job at putting together this movie. The editor has to get a bigger nod due to having to put together the fast-paced fights with the multiple camera angles he had to pick from to get it the way the director wanted. The movie moves fairly slow many times, and many scenes drag too long. The fight scenes, though impressive, seemed a little too short at times. I wouldn't put this on a "Must See" list, but I would say this would be a pretty good second choice the next time you go to your local rental place.
]]>Fri, 08 May 2009 02:23:42 GMTThe_MOWThe_MOW Blog5/7/2009 10:23:42 PMA Mudan warrior (Chow Yun-Fat) gives his sacred, yet blood-tainted sword to his love (Michelle Yeoh) in an attempt to ease his mind after experiencing a vision. He tells her to take it to a friend of his. She, however, decides to keep it for him, and it gets stolen by a ninja. The warrior sets off to get it back, fearing it was stolen by the one who murdered his master. So he sets off to find his sword, and to avenge the death of his master. The movie is beautifully shot, with fast-paced fight scenes. The fight scenes are simply amazing, despite it is quite obvious that the ones doing these gravity-defying stunts are in a harness and propelled by wires. If you ask me, the harness makes much of the movements very awkward and limited. The wardrobes look very authentic, as does the sets. There are mostly earth-tones, and not many bright colors in the sets or clothing. I saw the movie dubbed into English earlier this morning on Starz. If you ask me, the English actors did a good job in conveying the lines nearly perfect. None of the voice-overs were over the top like the 1960's "Godzilla" movies. Also, the voice-overs appear to be in perfect sync with the movement of the lips of the on-screen actors. I didn't see any on-screen actors stop talking and the English translation of what they said continue as the camera angle changed. From what I could tell, the on-screen cast were real good in their roles. They made the characters believable. From the looks of it, for the most part, none of the main cast used a stunt double. For those who had to do the high-speed fights, which did not look as if they were sped up, they must have been in amazing shape to not look like they were wearing out too quickly. A nod has to go to the director and editor. Both did a good job at putting together this movie. The editor has to get a bigger nod due to having to put together the fast-paced fights with the multiple camera angles he had to pick from to get it the way the director wanted. The movie moves fairly slow many times, and many scenes drag too long. The fight scenes, though impressive, seemed a little too short at times. I wouldn't put this on a "Must See" list, but I would say this would be a pretty good second choice the next time you go to your local rental place. http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_Ass_Kicking_Heroine_Films/190/39396/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: seely
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 1/12/2009 11:38:25 AM
Body: Crouching Tiger is one I always go back and forth on--she is strong, skilled and deadly, but at the same time weak and sexually vulnerable. Almost a paradox. I can't decide if I consider her an ass kicking heroine or not...? [quote user="mercurial"] Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon For me, I either loved or hated these films. Kill Bill and Alien are probably my favorite female action protagonists. [/quote]
]]>Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:38:25 GMTseelyTop 51/12/2009 11:38:25 AMCrouching Tiger is one I always go back and forth on--she is strong, skilled and deadly, but at the same time weak and sexually vulnerable. Almost a paradox. I can't decide if I consider her an ass kicking heroine or not...? [quote user="mercurial"] Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon For me, I either loved or hated these films. Kill Bill and Alien are probably my favorite female action protagonists. [/quote] http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_Ass_Kicking_Heroine_Films/190/39333/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 1/9/2009 5:19:28 PM
Body: Let's see: Resident Evil BloodRayne Buffy the Vampire Slayer Aeon Flux Charlie's Angels Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc Elektra Freeway Coffy Foxy Brown La Femme Nikita / Point of No Return The Long Kiss Goodnight The Quick and the Dead My Super Ex-Girlfriend Cutthroat Island Red Sonja Supergirl Ultraviolet Catwoman Barb Wire Silver Hawk Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Lady Vengeance For me, I either loved or hated these films. Kill Bill and Alien are probably my favorite female action protagonists.
]]>Fri, 09 Jan 2009 22:19:28 GMTmercurialTop 51/9/2009 5:19:28 PMLet's see: Resident Evil BloodRayne Buffy the Vampire Slayer Aeon Flux Charlie's Angels Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc Elektra Freeway Coffy Foxy Brown La Femme Nikita / Point of No Return The Long Kiss Goodnight The Quick and the Dead My Super Ex-Girlfriend Cutthroat Island Red Sonja Supergirl Ultraviolet Catwoman Barb Wire Silver Hawk Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Lady Vengeance For me, I either loved or hated these films. Kill Bill and Alien are probably my favorite female action protagonists. http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_Overrated_Movies/190/37449/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: seely
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 11/19/2008 2:48:42 PM
Body: I guess a lot of those are movies that didn't particularly change my life, but I'm not particularly offended by either. One thing I will say about 'Amelie' (and I agree that it is quite overrated) is that I feel foreign films often get a critical and audience nod simply because they are foreign. Its kind of like how people with an accent are inherently more attractive and interesting than your non-accented compatriots. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is a good example of this as well. Its a mediocre Asian film, but floored audiences stateside, I would argue, simply because it was foreign and different. Its a film I enjoy, but ultimately was not as amazing as it was hyped up to be, especially in the light of other great selections from Asian cinema. [quote user="SkyPilot"] 1. The Shawshank Redemption 2. The Usual Suspects 3. Amelie 4. Forrest Gump 5. Braveheart I enjoy all of these to some degree (especially Braveheart, which is deeply un-good in some ways)...but let's be honest...these aren't great films. Who disagrees with me? I was prompted to post this by the Most Overrated Movies group. [/quote]
]]>Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:48:42 GMTseelyTop 511/19/2008 2:48:42 PMI guess a lot of those are movies that didn't particularly change my life, but I'm not particularly offended by either. One thing I will say about 'Amelie' (and I agree that it is quite overrated) is that I feel foreign films often get a critical and audience nod simply because they are foreign. Its kind of like how people with an accent are inherently more attractive and interesting than your non-accented compatriots. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is a good example of this as well. Its a mediocre Asian film, but floored audiences stateside, I would argue, simply because it was foreign and different. Its a film I enjoy, but ultimately was not as amazing as it was hyped up to be, especially in the light of other great selections from Asian cinema. [quote user="SkyPilot"] 1. The Shawshank Redemption 2. The Usual Suspects 3. Amelie 4. Forrest Gump 5. Braveheart I enjoy all of these to some degree (especially Braveheart, which is deeply un-good in some ways)...but let's be honest...these aren't great films. Who disagrees with me? I was prompted to post this by the Most Overrated Movies group. [/quote] http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/11/13/37289.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 11/13/2008 5:00:46 PM
Body: Danny Boyle’s new crowd-pleasing film Slumdog Millionaire was originally intended to be shot entirely in English, but apparently due to the preferences of a casting director, about a third of the movie is in Hindi. While this fraction may not be enough to call it a foreign-language film, it could have been enough to turn off subtitle-fearing audiences were the movie not so otherwise accessible due to its feel-good, “Hollywood-style” story involving star-crossed romance, destiny and an ultimate “love conquers all” message. Also, the movie breaks free from one off-putting foreign film tradition by following Man on Fire, Night Watch and TV’s Heroes into the realm of non-traditional subtitling. Slumdog received a standing ovation at the Toronto Film Festival, where it won the People’s Choice Award, and it could very well extend its popularity in the direction of the multiplex crowd. If it’s a hit with moviegoers who aren’t typically open to world cinema, this could be the chance for similarly feel-good foreign films to cross over and reach a wider audience, whether they be upcoming releases like the Sundance-winning Captain Abu Raed or titles from the past that could always use more Netflix-queue love. And so, in the hopes that Slumdog could help open the door to further foreign film consumption, SpoutBlog presents this guide to the most accessible world cinema titles from the past ten years. For every entry-level film on the list, we name a couple of more intermediate titled in the same vein — just in case you get hooked. Amelie Spout.com user leeroy711 recently referred to this imaginative French film as the foreign-language cinema’s “gateway drug.” And it’s certainly true that its fanciful romantic story and colorful tone have won the favor of many a young adult not previously accustomed to European cinema. Never mind that it makes stalking seem a little too precious and innocent — the film’s whimsical title character (played delightfully by Audrey Tautou), full of good intentions and lots of heart, will have you wishing you had such a thoughtful and inventive pursuer. Also worth checking out: A Very Long Engagement; Love Me If You Dare The Chorus Hollywood sometimes seems to have cornered the market on movies about inspirational teachers, especially those involving music instruction. But this French film proves that foreign films can have similarly motivational stories about great educators and their newly encouraged students. Also worth checking out: Small Voices; Monsieur Ibrahim City of God This Brazilian film set in the favelas of Rio can be quite violent, enough to have been compared to gangster films like Goodfellas (though Goodfellas doesn’t have any little kids being shot in the foot). But at its center is the uplifting tale of a boy who makes it out of the slums in order to become a successful writer. Also worth checking out: City of Men (both the TV series and the feature film) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Martial arts cinema has long been an accessible genre to a large enough portion of Americans, but this film, which became the top grossing foreign-language title in the U.S. (not counting The Passion of the Christ), has managed to acquire fans that don’t normally go for kung fu and wuxia. The main attraction that makes this title more appealing than most is likely its production value, which with its beautiful cinematography and well-crafted special effects allows it to compare to romantic epics out of Hollywood. Also worth checking out: Hero; House of Flying Daggers Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India The running time of 3 hrs. 43 min. probably seems like a deterrent, but this Bollywood film really does feel a lot shorter than it is. Really. And anyway its compelling story of an underdog cricket team is familiar enough that you don’t have to pay too much attention if you don’t have the time — though it will be difficult to let your attention stray except for during some of the less-adequately translated musical numbers that aren’t so significant or relatable to most Western viewers. Just think of this film as your typical Hollywood sports movie, except instead of the final game being quickly highlighted in the last 30 minutes, it’s seemingly depicted in its entirety for more than an hour. And yes, the ending is a crowd-pleaser. Also worth checking out: The Cup; Monsoon Wedding Life is Beautiful This Oscar-winning film is so feel-good that it comes close to overkill. In fact, a decade after its release, it’s easy to forget just how entertaining it is. Just as we’re more likely to remember the stomach ache after gorging ourselves with delicious sweets or the hangover that follows a great night of drinking, moviegoers often recall only the obnoxiousness that came with an overexposed and over-awarded Roberto Benigni. But don’t let the cynics keep you from enjoying such a heartwarming and inspiriting tale of a “real life Prince Charming.” Also worth checking out: I Served the King of England The Motorcycle Diaries Hollywood could actually take a cue from this film the next time it wants to make one of those prequels detailing the life of an iconic villain (ex: Hannibal Rising), at least if it wants audiences to like the guy enough to forget he grows up to be a murderous rebel. Whether or not you like who and what Ernesto Guevara becomes in the years after The Motorcycle Diaries takes place, you’ll have no trouble falling for his younger self as he ditches his privileged life and devotes himself to a colony of lepers. Also worth checking out: Downfall Pan’s Labyrinth In the tradition of such dark yet magical stories as Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, a little girl encounters strange creatures and kind of winds up a princess. It’s ultimately a very sad and depressing film, but the ending at least pretends to be happy, enough that you might think your eyes are watering with tears of joy. Also worth checking out: City of Lost Children Run Lola Run It’s extremely fast-paced, a little bit MTV, a little bit video game, and it features a character you really want to root for, especially because she’s narratively allotted a few do-overs in order to make things right. And mainstream moviegoers love stories of both chance and second chances. Roger Ebert also noted in his review that it’s the kind of film that could play in a sports bar, so perhaps it’s even more of a gateway foreign film for sports fans than Lagaan. Also worth checking out: The Princess and the Warrior; Amores perros Tsotsi Like City of God, this film involves a crime-ridden ghetto, but it’s even more accessible than that film despite its lack of inspiring upward mobility. It could probably appeal most to fans of American “urban” gangster films, but any mainstream moviegoer should enjoy the conventional plot involving a thug who accidentally kidnaps a baby and then changes morally as a result. Also worth checking out: Kolya; Central Station Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:00:46 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com11/13/2008 5:00:46 PMDanny Boyle’s new crowd-pleasing film Slumdog Millionaire was originally intended to be shot entirely in English, but apparently due to the preferences of a casting director, about a third of the movie is in Hindi. While this fraction may not be enough to call it a foreign-language film, it could have been enough to turn off subtitle-fearing audiences were the movie not so otherwise accessible due to its feel-good, “Hollywood-style” story involving star-crossed romance, destiny and an ultimate “love conquers all” message. Also, the movie breaks free from one off-putting foreign film tradition by following Man on Fire, Night Watch and TV’s Heroes into the realm of non-traditional subtitling. Slumdog received a standing ovation at the Toronto Film Festival, where it won the People’s Choice Award, and it could very well extend its popularity in the direction of the multiplex crowd. If it’s a hit with moviegoers who aren’t typically open to world cinema, this could be the chance for similarly feel-good foreign films to cross over and reach a wider audience, whether they be upcoming releases like the Sundance-winning Captain Abu Raed or titles from the past that could always use more Netflix-queue love. And so, in the hopes that Slumdog could help open the door to further foreign film consumption, SpoutBlog presents this guide to the most accessible world cinema titles from the past ten years. For every entry-level film on the list, we name a couple of more intermediate titled in the same vein — just in case you get hooked. Amelie Spout.com user leeroy711 recently referred to this imaginative French film as the foreign-language cinema’s “gateway drug.” And it’s certainly true that its fanciful romantic story and colorful tone have won the favor of many a young adult not previously accustomed to European cinema. Never mind that it makes stalking seem a little too precious and innocent — the film’s whimsical title character (played delightfully by Audrey Tautou), full of good intentions and lots of heart, will have you wishing you had such a thoughtful and inventive pursuer. Also worth checking out: A Very Long Engagement; Love Me If You Dare The Chorus Hollywood sometimes seems to have cornered the market on movies about inspirational teachers, especially those involving music instruction. But this French film proves that foreign films can have similarly motivational stories about great educators and their newly encouraged students. Also worth checking out: Small Voices; Monsieur Ibrahim City of God This Brazilian film set in the favelas of Rio can be quite violent, enough to have been compared to gangster films like Goodfellas (though Goodfellas doesn’t have any little kids being shot in the foot). But at its center is the uplifting tale of a boy who makes it out of the slums in order to become a successful writer. Also worth checking out: City of Men (both the TV series and the feature film) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Martial arts cinema has long been an accessible genre to a large enough portion of Americans, but this film, which became the top grossing foreign-language title in the U.S. (not counting The Passion of the Christ), has managed to acquire fans that don’t normally go for kung fu and wuxia. The main attraction that makes this title more appealing than most is likely its production value, which with its beautiful cinematography and well-crafted special effects allows it to compare to romantic epics out of Hollywood. Also worth checking out: Hero; House of Flying Daggers Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India The running time of 3 hrs. 43 min. probably seems like a deterrent, but this Bollywood film really does feel a lot shorter than it is. Really. And anyway its compelling story of an underdog cricket team is familiar enough that you don’t have to pay too much attention if you don’t have the time — though it will be difficult to let your attention stray except for during some of the less-adequately translated musical numbers that aren’t so significant or relatable to most Western viewers. Just think of this film as your typical Hollywood sports movie, except instead of the final game being quickly highlighted in the last 30 minutes, it’s seemingly depicted in its entirety for more than an hour. And yes, the ending is a crowd-pleaser. Also worth checking out: The Cup; Monsoon Wedding Life is Beautiful This Oscar-winning film is so feel-good that it comes close to overkill. In fact, a decade after its release, it’s easy to forget just how entertaining it is. Just as we’re more likely to remember the stomach ache after gorging ourselves with delicious sweets or the hangover that follows a great night of drinking, moviegoers often recall only the obnoxiousness that came with an overexposed and over-awarded Roberto Benigni. But don’t let the cynics keep you from enjoying such a heartwarming and inspiriting tale of a “real life Prince Charming.” Also worth checking out: I Served the King of England The Motorcycle Diaries Hollywood could actually take a cue from this film the next time it wants to make one of those prequels detailing the life of an iconic villain (ex: Hannibal Rising), at least if it wants audiences to like the guy enough to forget he grows up to be a murderous rebel. Whether or not you like who and what Ernesto Guevara becomes in the years after The Motorcycle Diaries takes place, you’ll have no trouble falling for his younger self as he ditches his privileged life and devotes himself to a colony of lepers. Also worth checking out: Downfall Pan’s Labyrinth In the tradition of such dark yet magical stories as Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, a little girl encounters strange creatures and kind of winds up a princess. It’s ultimately a very sad and depressing film, but the ending at least pretends to be happy, enough that you might think your eyes are watering with tears of joy. Also worth checking out: City of Lost Children Run Lola Run It’s extremely fast-paced, a little bit MTV, a little bit video game, and it features a character you really want to root for, especially because she’s narratively allotted a few do-overs in order to make things right. And mainstream moviegoers love stories of both chance and second chances. Roger Ebert also noted in his review that it’s the kind of film that could play in a sports bar, so perhaps it’s even more of a gateway foreign film for sports fans than Lagaan. Also worth checking out: The Princess and the Warrior; Amores perros Tsotsi Like City of God, this film involves a crime-ridden ghetto, but it’s even more accessible than that film despite its lack of inspiring upward mobility. It could probably appeal most to fans of American “urban” gangster films, but any mainstream moviegoer should enjoy the conventional plot involving a thug who accidentally kidnaps a baby and then changes morally as a result. Also worth checking out: Kolya; Central Station Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Depressing_holidays_dysfunctional_families_fo/190/37175/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 11/10/2008 10:32:44 PM
Body: Most Accessible Foreign Language Films of the Last 10 Years: 1.) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2.) Kung-Fu Hustle 3.) Y Tu Mama Tambien 4.) Pan's Labyrinth 5.) Ringu 6.) Talk to Her 7.) The Spanish Apartment 8.) The Motorcycle Diaries 9.) CIty of God 10.) Amorres Perros
]]>Tue, 11 Nov 2008 03:32:44 GMTmercurialTop 511/10/2008 10:32:44 PMMost Accessible Foreign Language Films of the Last 10 Years: 1.) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2.) Kung-Fu Hustle 3.) Y Tu Mama Tambien 4.) Pan's Labyrinth 5.) Ringu 6.) Talk to Her 7.) The Spanish Apartment 8.) The Motorcycle Diaries 9.) CIty of God 10.) Amorres Perros http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Depressing_holidays_dysfunctional_families_fo/190/37174/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 11/10/2008 10:25:59 PM
Body: [quote user="SkyPilot"] 10 Most Accessible Foreign Language Films of the Last 10 Years** **I had to laugh when Risselada called Amelie the "gateway drug" of foreign films in this Top 5 Overrated Movies discussion. (Hey Rizzo, I can't find that quote now, did you delete it?) [/quote] That was me. I was adding to what Rizzo had allready said something to the effect that Amelie seems to be the movie that people who maybe wouldn't otherwise see foreign movies will cling to as "their favorite foreign film" So........... with that, here's my list: 1. Pan's Labyrinth (2006) 2. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) 3. Run Lola Run (1998) 4. Amélie (2001) 5. Downfall (2004) 6. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) 7. The Lives of Others (2006) 8. Night Watch (2004) 9. City of God (2002) 10. Volver (2006)
]]>Tue, 11 Nov 2008 03:25:59 GMTleeroy711Top 511/10/2008 10:25:59 PM[quote user="SkyPilot"] 10 Most Accessible Foreign Language Films of the Last 10 Years** **I had to laugh when Risselada called Amelie the "gateway drug" of foreign films in this Top 5 Overrated Movies discussion. (Hey Rizzo, I can't find that quote now, did you delete it?) [/quote] That was me. I was adding to what Rizzo had allready said something to the effect that Amelie seems to be the movie that people who maybe wouldn't otherwise see foreign movies will cling to as "their favorite foreign film" So........... with that, here's my list: 1. Pan's Labyrinth (2006) 2. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) 3. Run Lola Run (1998) 4. Am&eacute;lie (2001) 5. Downfall (2004) 6. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) 7. The Lives of Others (2006) 8. Night Watch (2004) 9. City of God (2002) 10. Volver (2006) http://www.spout.com/groups/Martial_Arts_Films/Re_Martial_Arts_starter_kit/456/33465/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: TheWorkingDead
Post To: Martial Arts Films
Post Date: 8/2/2008 7:57:48 PM
Body: [quote user="Smooth_J"] This is sort of a selfish thread, but I figured it might be useful to anyone's who trying to get into the genre. What are the next steps? What are the best ones? What are the most acclaimed ones? Discuss... [/quote] So far all of the recommendations have been excellent, and you really can't go wrong with early Jackie Chan(bypass any of his American films) or Jet Li(ditto). Jet Li's Once Upon a Time In China is superb, but you could also check out Fist of Fury, which isn't really early Jet Li but it's still all kinds of awesome. For Jackie Chan check out Young Master, which was really when he started to get the slapstick kung fu style down, or Drunken Master II. And here's a quick rundown of some other greats:Master of the Flying Guillotine, which is an old-school tournament film showcasing some pretty cool fights with various styles. Yellow River Fighter sounds dirty, but is actually a totally awesome film featuring drunken sword fighting. Iron Monkey is one of the best 'wire-fu' films out there, and so is Michelle Yeoh's Wing Chun. And for pure silliness, also in the old school vein, check out Buddhist Fist(with work from Yuen Wo Ping, who choreographed the Matrix and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon), which has a chinese zombie fight scene. All of the ones listed were bought in the U.S., so you shouldn't have to go to far to find them(although there are some seriously cool imports floating around out there).
]]>Sat, 02 Aug 2008 23:57:48 GMTTheWorkingDeadMartial Arts Films8/2/2008 7:57:48 PM[quote user="Smooth_J"] This is sort of a selfish thread, but I figured it might be useful to anyone's who trying to get into the genre. What are the next steps? What are the best ones? What are the most acclaimed ones? Discuss... [/quote] So far all of the recommendations have been excellent, and you really can't go wrong with early Jackie Chan(bypass any of his American films) or Jet Li(ditto). Jet Li's Once Upon a Time In China is superb, but you could also check out Fist of Fury, which isn't really early Jet Li but it's still all kinds of awesome. For Jackie Chan check out Young Master, which was really when he started to get the slapstick kung fu style down, or Drunken Master II. And here's a quick rundown of some other greats:Master of the Flying Guillotine, which is an old-school tournament film showcasing some pretty cool fights with various styles. Yellow River Fighter sounds dirty, but is actually a totally awesome film featuring drunken sword fighting. Iron Monkey is one of the best 'wire-fu' films out there, and so is Michelle Yeoh's Wing Chun. And for pure silliness, also in the old school vein, check out Buddhist Fist(with work from Yuen Wo Ping, who choreographed the Matrix and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon), which has a chinese zombie fight scene. All of the ones listed were bought in the U.S., so you shouldn't have to go to far to find them(although there are some seriously cool imports floating around out there). http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/love/MemberTagFilms.aspxlove
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