That Yamada movie looks so sick!
here’s donnies next film [media=youtube]z0fEb7YMjJg]YouTube - Wu xia Teaser Trailer 2011 (Donnie Yen) [Full HD[/media]
meh… the last Bladesman was a bit of a let down.
The Guan Yu movies isnt that bad, some real sick guan dao wielding on Yen’s part. Him and the dude fighting on horse back and afterwards was sick.
I have a movie journal that I keep of movies watched each week. I’ve only viewed about 25 kung-fu flix this year. I thought maybe I’d share those here and add a little info/thoughts about only some for now. If anyone’s interested, I can type up the rest.
Abbot of Shaolin (少林英雄榜) (1979)
Come Drink with Me (大醉俠) (1966)
Dragon Gate Inn (龍門客棧) (1966)
Dragon Tiger Gate (龙虎门) (2006)
Enter the Dragon (龍爭虎鬥) (1973)
Green Snake (青蛇) (1993)
Hero (英雄) (2002)
Kung Fu of 8 Drunkards (醉八仙拳) (1980)
Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen (精武風雲－陳真) (2010)
Moon Warriors (戰神傳說) (1992)
Mystery of Chessboxing (a.k.a. Ninja Checkmate) (双马连环) (1979)
New Dragon Gate Inn (新龍門客棧) (1992)
Seven Steps of Kung Fu (七步迷踪 / 少林武当) (1979)
Shaolin Mantis (螳螂) (1978)
Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow (蛇形刁手) (1978)
Swordsman II (笑傲江湖之東方不敗) (1992)
The 7 Grandmasters (虎豹龍蛇鷹絕拳) (1978)
The Invincible Armour (鷹爪鐵布衫) (1977)
The Lady Hermit (钟馗娘子) (1971)
The Spiritual Boxer (神打) (1975)
Way of the Dragon (猛龍過江) (1972)
Zu Warriors (a.k.a. The Legend of Zu) (蜀山传) (2001)
Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain (新蜀山劍俠) (1983)
Shaolin Mantis (螳螂) (1978)
Deceiving title, Mantis style only present last 10% of movie at most. Guest appearance Gordon Liu (劉家輝) at beginning. Overall great kung-fu flick, because of memorable characters, acting and varied environments. Good romance story 2/3 of movie. Most random, left-field ending of kung-fu film I’ve seen–WTF moment.
Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow (蛇形刁手) (1978)
Movie to break-out the kung-fu/comedy genre into mainstream appeal and making Jackie Chan a HK star. Great movie. Important for use of Western synthesized music (Jean-Michel Jarre’s “Oxygène”) in HK kung-fu/action cinema.
Swordsman II (笑傲江湖之東方不敗) (1992)
Jet Li, Brigitte Lin and Michelle Reis (李嘉欣). Entertaining movie. Heavy fantasy elements. Lots of wire-work. Michelle Reis is particularly memorable, has unrequited crush on Jet Li, gets pranked and is cute. Works best if seen after “Swordsman (1990).” Perhaps pacing could have been done better. Still undecided on this one.
The 7 Grandmasters (虎豹龍蛇鷹絕拳) (1978)
Great film, if one is just craving some old-school kung-fu action. Many kung-fu styles to entertain. Simple movie. Solid pick.
The Invincible Armour (鷹爪鐵布衫) (1977)
Good primary story, secondary stories not written in well. Pacing issues. Likeable main character. Good early/middle fights. Didn’t care for later fights. Not the best ‘armour’ kung-fu movie (see “Executioners from Shaolin (洪熙官) (1977)”). Think it’s overrated.
The Lady Hermit (钟馗娘子) (1971)
One of the best Cheng Pei-pei (郑佩佩) films. Directed by Ho Meng Hua (何夢華) in the vein of King Hu’s (胡金铨) style. Interesting movie, seen as one of the important intermediary points between kung-fu movie style of 1960s and later 70s Shaw Bros. films. The story is good, but fatal flaw is a co-star who plays selfish, very annoying teen girl, Cui Ping.
The Spiritual Boxer (神打) (1975)
Funny film. Important early movie in the development of the Kung-Fu/Comedy genre. Entertaining film and fun fights. Can’t forget Lin Chen Chi (林珍奇) who plays a tomboy following the main guy around!
Way of the Dragon (猛龍過江) (1972)
I think it’s the second best full Bruce Lee movie next to “Fist of Fury (a.k.a. The Chinese Connection).” Famous Chuck Norris fight scene at end. Bruce has humble personality in this film, tries not to fight. ‘Foreigner in new city’ theme.
Zu Warriors (a.k.a. The Legend of Zu) (蜀山传) (2001)
Then famous for groundbreaking use of CG in HK cinema. Good soundtrack. HQ video resolution version is critical for viewing experience. Almost no hand-to-hand combat, most fights are weapon & CG based. Watching first movie and reading a bit about Zu mythology will help storyline more meaningful.
Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain (新蜀山劍俠) (1983)
I think the storyline is more interesting than the 2001 sequel, and the characters more memorable. Famous for it’s use of Western special effects and HK action. A lot of entertaning early action scenes. And Brigitte Lin!
That would be True Legend. Directed by Yuen Woo-Ping. Some jaw-dropping fight scenes. It has some hokey cg, and the story is incoherent. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rREc1qH5k8
How’s Ip Man 2? Found the bluray being sold for a good price at my usual shop.
I can truly say that I didn’t like that movie. Saw it last month. I did like the fight scenes when he was fighting the Wushu God.
So anyone watch that Gaun Yu movie yet? Wanna know if it’s worth the time to grab when I’m home from Summer Break. Just finished Love & Honour and Twilight Samurai, not many fight scenes in either but the story was good and the few fight scenes were great.
it was sick but the end “fight scene” was a disgrace. Not too many martial artist that can match donnie or Jet onscreen.
Love & Honor & Twilight Samurai are amazing films…Twilight one of my all time fav…You should check out The Hidden Blade if you haven’t seen it yet, it completes the Yamada Trilogy…
Yeah I need to get in on that one, it’s on my que back home.
Worth watching once, but I wouldn’t pay money for it…
Aw I really liked the first movie, will try to rent it at least.
So did everyone else. It is a good movie for that first/last viewing, but for some reason, it didn’t come anywhere
close to what the first movie did. Dunno what was up with that. Donnie Yen was the man, but dang, it was missing
something…
Ip Man 2 was pretty lame, very poor fight scenes…Watch Ip Man 3 Legend is Born, fights are plenty & much better then Ip Man 1 &2 in terms of fight quality…B film actors though without much charisma but it was fun to watch…
Finally watched Yamada…Pretty solid film overall but lacked any long fight scene…The japanese dude lack power when doing the Muai Thai scenes but he did a solid job acting throughout. The one who stole the show was the Thai curly mustache elbow kneeing crazy mother fucker…That guy just goes fucking crazy, dude is intense & would like to see more of him.
@rcaido- Thanks for the info, I’ll see if my shop can get Ip Man 3.
BTW I’d like some Jackie Chan movie recommendations, so far I got (note that for some I use their Chinese titles)-
Armour of God 1 & 2
City hunter
Dragon fist
Drunken Master 1 & 2
Hand of death
Police story 1-5
Project A 1 & 2
Shaolin wooden men (Mokujin~)
Snake in the eagle’s shadow
The fearless hyena
Wheels on meals
I’d reccomend Miracles, it’s not that popular a Jackie movie, not to many fight scenes but the ones it has are pretty good, it’s funny, and the music is pretty good.
Beat me to it, Miracles is Jackies most underated film, the end fight scene is sick.
Cant really go wrong with Jackie Chan film pre US invasion…
Dragons Forever probably has one of the best end fight ever Jackie vs Benny the Jet prt2, Yuen Biao steals the show though…Sammo was in it but busy directing, so he didnt do as much…
Gorgeous & Who Am I are also pretty good…