No comments about Green Hornet vol.5 The Sting of the Hornet.

5 comments about The Moon Warriors.

1. What a disappointment this film was for me!
   
   Let me say first that I have a terrific fondness for good martial arts films, and many of the Hong Kong films of the genre, while certainly showing and revelling in elements that are cheesy, yet succeed in being extremely entertaining. But this...!
   
   I think it's fairly well understood that the Hong Kong martial arts film genre deliberately utilises many American westerns. It's not exactly unusual to see a tumbleweed go rolling across a deserted plain or through a deserted Chinese village, however silly that may seem. But in the case of this film, it went too far. My willingness to suspend disbelief and criticism came to a crashing halt. It began, I'm afraid, with the very opening scene. As soon as I heard the Chinesified western theme (borrowing heavily from the well-known musical theme that you'll recognise the instant you hear it), I flinched and said, "Oh Lord, please let it improve."
   
   The film's score is just a mishmash of inappropriate melodies and songs. Featuring far too heavily are those frankly appalling songs sung with sugary sweetness by Chinese popstars who moo their way through lyrics of awful saccharine fake emotion. Chinese lyrics and poetry can be so delicate and powerful (exciting our admiration especially when they use miniature to create a sense of space), but the flip side is that they can also be horribly vulgar and overly sentimental. This film showed the flip side.
   
   The story is predictable: displaced prince (Brother Yen) wants to regain his throne after travelling like a nomad through the land for years. His faithful follower, a beautiful Chinese girl, turns out to be hired by his evil brother (who usurped the throne), but switches sides yet again (after failing to kill the prince's betrothed) to fight for the prince in the final showdown. A young fisherman named Fei, with fabulous martial arts skills, defends the prince's party in a surprise ambush, and consequently bonds with the prince, falls in love with the prince's betrothed when he's sent to fetch her, and plays artlessly with a large dolphin called Wei. (There's a truly awful song at this point, by the way - it tries to be a lovely innocent "love the environment" song, but oh dear... oh no... it's one of those moments where one cringes and fast-forwards through the embarrassing music.)
   
   Fei hides the prince's party in an underground tomb accessible only by a path which he knows (but that doesn't stop the evil usurper from finding it without difficulty) and also by sea. The final show-down reveals that: a) an evil usurper can generally fight off as many attackers as need be; b) rightful emperors (aka the prince) can be defeated by said pole-bearing evil usurper without difficulty; c) the girl who doesn't get the guy (aka the girl who joined the prince's forces in order to betray him but ended by loving him, even though his emotions were centred upon the daughter of his old friend General NanNing (I think that's the name)) is sure to be killed by the evil usurper, and to murmur, "Even though I could not live for you, I am happy to die for you, my prince"; d) the general's daughter is of course torn between the prince and Fei, loving both of them, and of course she dies; and e) (this one's the killer) it takes a dolphin to kill an evil usurper. Yes, indeed - I joke not. The finale includes Wei surging through the river that leads to the cave in which the underground tomb is built, LEAPING out of the water to whack the evil usurper in mid-attack, and pulling down the entire tomb structure to kill everyone except Fei who finishes the film by looking at the flower-covered ground below which is the tomb, and making a philosophical comment that harks back to an earlier moment in the film.
   
   The film's not all bad. The actors all look fine, and the swordplay is neither better nor worse than most of these types of film. I did become exasperated with some aspects of the fighting, because too much of it was dancing around attacking each other's weapons rather than each other - a big no-no in martial arts. "Have at you, you foul sword of my enemy! Let me beat you, o most hideous polearm of my foe!"... There's a good idea for a spoof there.
   
   The story is, again, neither better nor worse than many another film of this genre - except for the laughable ending.
   
   The cinematography is only adequate, not wonderful. It certainly isn't a patch on some of the magnificent films in this style which have emerged just recently.
   
   The insistence on having the terrible enemy be undefeatable is a peculiarity one often meets with in Chinese films of this sort. I confess I have never become accustomed to it. Why is the hero not able to defeat his evil foe? They are both mortal. They're both skilled. It's clearly a cultural element that is difficult for non-Chinese to understand.
   
   But by far - BY FAR - the worst thing about this film is the soundtrack.
   
   Comparing this film favourably to "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "The Emperor and the Assassin", "House of Shining Daggers" and "Hero" is unbelievable. The aforesaid films are not just nice-looking - they're gorgeous. The cinematography is superb. In most cases, the plots are good (in the case of "Crouching Tiger", the plot is superb and intricate). In each case for the films I've mentioned, the acting is magnificent and the fight scenes beautifully done. I'm afraid "Moon Warriors" will disappoint those who expect the same standard.
   
   Recommended only for those who want to collect every film in this genre.



2. I watched this recently after a space of about 10 years... the first time i thought it was silly but had great action scenes. Now I think its quite a bit deeper than that. By the way, when Maggie Cheung burns the paper mid-film, I believe they are paper ingots which are burned to give money to the dead in repentence for all the innocent people she's killed...



3. this movie was one of the greatest martial arts flicks i've ever seen. It had every thing one would expect from a kung-fu flick-drama,betrayal,lost love revenge and one of the best swordsplay i've ever seen in a very long time.Kudos to this movie and i highly recommend this movie to any one who craves martial arts as much as I do.



4. Directed by Sammo Hung who has one of the best eyes for action in all of cinema, and overall an unbelievable team of directors that also includes Corey Yuen Kwai. In 1982 Ching Siu Tung made his directorial debut and also choreographed the action for 'Duel To the Death', a movie that broke new ground for wire fu. Since 'Moon Warriors' was made 10 years later, big improvements were expected and he does not disappoint. There are times when 2 actors are fighting for up to a minute not showing eithers face, and it is still totally believable. If anyone has seen 'Death Duel of Kung Fu' with John Liu and Don Wong Tao (and many other movies also), then you know that stunt doubles just aren't filmed correctly sometimes. In 'Moon Warriors', the stunt doubles are the reason the action is so thrilling. Add in Ching Siu Tung's use of trampolines and wires, and the result is pure magic. He is truly a master. Ngai Sing I would have to name star of the movie since you can clearly see his moves when doubling Andy Lau and others. I also spotted Hsiao Hou and I think he doubles Maggie Cheung.
   
   The story is not memorable, but very well done. There is an awesome cast, including a killer whale! The action is definitely the reason to see this. It doesn't get much better than watching Chang Yi think about what to do when 20 or 30 swordsmen are coming at him. So what does he do? Charges right back at them of course!
   
   Old school fans, and I mean really old school fans will recognize Chang Yi from the famous Shaw Brothers swordplay 'Bells of Death' made in 1968. He looks better than ever wielding a sword in this! I wish I knew the secret of not aging. And I had to point out the great Chang Yi since there is literally only a couple of words spoken about him in the commentary.
   
   3.5/5
   
   If you like this movie, it would be best to get the Hong Kong Legends version. There are more special features and most likely it is presented in the proper widescreen format. The Tai Seng release is acceptable, and for a budget release, I loved it.
   
   The back of the DVD case says it's letterboxed, WRONG!!!! It is cropped, but still widescreened good enough. Sound is very good with DTS(it says Cantonese DTS, but I don't have the capability to test it), 5.1 English and Cantonese, and a mono Mandarin track. It also has a mono Cantonese track which I usually prefer, but this doesn't sound like the original.
   
   Special Features include an alternate closing credits that shows Andy Lau training with the killer whale.
   
   Other special feature included is a commentary with Frank Jane and Ric Meyers. I list Frank Jane first because Ric actually lets him talk! The best part about havin Frank Jane helping Ric out is that Ric keeps his incorrect information to a bare minimum. I think it's the first ever commentary where I didn't hear Ric Meyers make any errors! Frank Jane does make an odd comment at the start saying he heard that this film inspired George Lucas to write 'The Phantom Menace'. The problem with Frank's comment is that it's very well known that the action choreography in this movie gave Lucas inspiration, but I have never heard that this is where he got the idea for the story. I am sure a Star Wars fan will rip him to shreds, but maybe not (that is a big maybe though). Other than that, the commentary is very good since they focus on Hong Kong movies. You could call Frank Jane a real Hong Kong fim expert when compared to Ric Meyers. So instead of Ric's solo commentaries, they actually talk about the movie! Frank Jane is similar in at least 1 way to me. I can talk up a storm abotu Asian cinema, but tend to keep my comments on American movies much more brief. Ric Meyers can get very annoying along with his constant habit of ALWAYS making mistakes, but Frank Jane keeps a tight leash on him. Great commentary and plenty of info on the movie and all of the more popular actors.



5. I am a huge Andy Lau fan! I just discovered him a few months ago when I became aware of the excellence of Chinese cinema and music. I have many Andy Lau movies, music videos and cd's. Andy Lau can do absolutely everything and do them perfectly! He can sing beautifully, dance like a professional dancer, play a killer, a romantic hero, a geeky guy, a feudal fighter, kung-fu master and swordsman. He can ride a horse most impressively, make you laugh and cry with his superb acting talent and the list goes on and on. In this movie, he rides a whale! Yes, it's really him and he's really riding, swimming with and hugging a whale! America has no one who comes anywhere close to being his equal when it comes to talent. He's a genius in so many different areas. I sometimes wonder if Chinese directors and movie moguls realize the extent of his greatness or, because he does everything with such ease, they just take his talent for granted? This particular movie is a great adventure/love story. I won't describe the plot, etc. because other reviewers have done that. I just want to bring your attention to the multi-talent genius of Andy Lau. Check out some of his other movies, and you will soon understand why I am such a huge fan.

No comments about Praying Mantis Kung Fu - Bong Bo Kuen.

1 comments about Bamboo Mountain Chi Kung.

1. I'm a student of Joi and Betty and have been for over 13 years and I do this form. Watching this form on film with the peaceful
   settings, the beautiful grounds on which it was made and the soothing voice of the narrator- Joi- makes a person really want to learn this beautiful, yet easy to learn, form. The photographer- Perry - did a superior job of capturing the simple graceful movements and scenery. It's a job well done.

2 comments about Mike Swain's Judo.

1. I have purchased this DVD and found it 25% useful. Why 25%? Well the rest of the DVD seem to have no sound (i.e. both the replaced and original order). I have notified Black Belt as well as Amazon of this problem and hopefully they will address this issue ASAP as it is frustrating and disappointing to say the least. However, from what I have previewed so far (with sound) is quite good and very useful for the budding judoka. I am crossing my fingers to preview a working version of this DVD (2nd replacement) and provide some positive feedback.
   Loven
   Australia



2. I enjoyed this video by an excellent technician and competitor -- Mike Swain. The filming and editing really makes it enjoyable to watch, and the explanations and demonstrations are clear and accurate. Anyone can learn new things from watching the techniques performed in this video.

3 comments about Shinobi: Complete Collection.

1. Okay, why does Amazon, place a non-ANIME film into the ANIME section??? Although this film(s) collection is sort of good, with a somewhat good story. But is it on the level of the Lone Wolf and Cub level Series NO WAY CLOSE.
   
   It reminds me of a made-for-tv-movie, which it probabely was by Japanese standards. One scene has a woman raped, which make the rating R, due to person being raped exposing her breasts. NOT FOR KIDS....
   
   The sword play is nice, not allot of blood, not like on the level of other Japanese films.
   
   Anyways, if you are thinking of buying it as ANIME like Basilisk is.. This isn't that at all. SOOOOO DON'T BUY IT.



2. I had bought this on the notion that this took place before the Shinobi: Heart Under Blade movie, and boy was I sadly mistaken. I had spent $30.00 on a movie series that I expected to at least hold my interest, and have some decent action sequences in. What I saw was a somewhat interesting plot line, with characters dressed up in modern day clothing, and actors that gave a direct performace. When I seen the Three Stooges of Japanese action movies, I could no longer handle it. I'm sorry but I've actually seen better acting and action sequences in a Power Rangers televison episode. I didn't expect a Kill Bill blood scene, but I did expect that type of action. I will say that the actress that portrayed Aoi was a very pretty actress that I would like to see in other movies, and both main actors who portrayed, Aoi and Kageru, were the only ones who I think will ever show up in other movies in the future because of their acting abilities. I'm sorry for those who are fans, but this should never have been released.



3. Made the unfortunate mistake of buying this under the impression it had something to do with Basilisk or Shinobi: Heart Under Blade. Wrong and wrong again. This is hand cam ninja soap opera. Interesting, but ultimately not too good and definately NOT what I was hoping it would be.

5 comments about The Evil Cult.

1. Jet Li plays Chang Mo Kei, a young fellow who was injured as a child by a life threatening Kung Fu move called the "Jinx Palm", which has made him weak and unable to learn Kung Fu. Plus on the same day his parents were both forced to commit suicide, which, as you might expect, was also no fun. Mo Kei is raised by his father's former master, a spry 100 year-old played with great aplomb by an unrecognizable, white-haired Sammo Hung, who also did a very good job as the fight choreographer for the film. The plotline is too complex to summarize, but needless to say Jet Li starts kicking ass and taking names pretty quickly. The film is of the fantastic Kung Fu variety, with people flying through the air, and using magical Kung Fu powers which put Jedi Knights and Neo to shame.
   
   "The Evil Cult" has a variety of english titles and is based on a chinese martial arts novel which hasn't been translated to any western languages as far as I'm aware. It was supposed to be the first in a trilogy, but it didn't make enough money and so even though Jet Li, Sammo Hung, and the others involved fought to make them, it never came to pass. Apparently there have been some other films and TV Series made following the same story, but the most recent TV Series from 2003 hasn't made it to North America yet.
   Still this first part of an incomplete saga is a great kung fu flick, primarily because of the incredibly quick pace, intricate plotline, bad humour, and non stop ass-kicking fun. It overwhelms the senses and if this type of flick is your cup of tea, I think you'll find this is as good as it gets. It seems to be a style of film you either get or you don't, so don't be put off by any bad reviews you see. This isn't Proust, but has its own virtues. If you like it, you likely be frustrated when it ends before resolving much of anything plot-wise, but just hold on, I'm sure they'll do a proper remake in ten years with genetic clones of the original cast or thereabouts. We'll see.



2. I didn't care for this movie the first time I watched it. It is pretty far from believable. But the 2nd time I watched it and I knew what to expect I enjoyed it a lot more. No, humans don't shoot lightning colored chi out of their hands. And people can't live being strapped to a large boulder. But it is still a good kung fu flick.
   
   This one is SUB-TITLED and sometimes hard to read. White letters on a white background. I would like to find another version of this movie that has been dubbed in English for my collection.



3. Now I will go over later about the version that I have which has very easy to read subtitles.
   
   This movie is so freaking weird, I still cannot figure out what the hell is going on. Jet li's parents are killed in a very dramatic scene, and jet gets touched by a cursed palm. The cursed palm makes it so jet cannot become good at martial arts. So guess what, he is gonna get his skills. Ya probably did not have to guess that, but this movie really goes out of it;s way for jim to learn. Definintely not your average revenge tale.
   
   So I can't tell you exactly what I liked about this film because nothing really stands out too much, but there are so many crazy things that happen it would be impossible to list half of them. So for all you people like me who are always looking for that next great hand-to-hand movie, then this is a pretty good break.
   
   Also this movie has a ton of stars in it. And it really tries to be a BIG movie, just doesn't quite live up to what it was supposed to be, but maybe it did, give your opinion.
   
   Also-the version i have comes from widesceen, good picture quality, and BLACK OUTLINED subtitles. So you won't miss a thing, the sunbs are imbedded, but are easy to read, a first in my mind. The subs do run a little fast sometimes, but you can always pause. This has Dr. Wai on the other side(unwatchable picture quality), and comes in the JET LI COLLECTION. Don't get that boxed set with twin warriors and the bodyguard, but get the one that is like 11.99, and has a disc that has early jet li footage and also has a lengthy crowd lethal weapon 4 interview.
   I would call those special features and when I classify them like that they are certainly some of the best special features that I have ever seen.
   
   So get the jet li collection that HAS 4 MOVIES IN IT. Evil Cult master, Dr. Wai(unwatchable), lee-thal weapon, and I can't remember what the early footage feature is called.
   
   Good stuff but don't buy this version unless it is longer than 103 minutes. Also people are saying you can't read the subs for this version which is a shame bacuse it didn't have enough action in it to excuse unreadable subs.



4. Of all the movies I've heard, "Lord of Wutang" is undoubtedly the one... with the fastest pace.
   
   Really. This movie never even pauses for breath, hurtling from one plot development to the next, and barely allowing the viewer to catch up. But if you can keep up with the rapid-fire pace, it's a rewardingly bizarre and comic adventure story with a fantastical little twist.
   
   As a child, Mo-Kei (Jet Li) was hit with the deadly Jinx Palm, just before the terrible deaths of his parents. Mo-Kei grows up under the tutelage of a great master, but the Jinx Palm leaves him unable to fight or have sex -- until he and the sprightly marial artist Siu Chiu (Chingmy Yau) fall off a cliff.
   
   There, Mo-Kei encounters a wacky old hermit embedded in a boulder, who teaches him the great "Solar Stance" kung-fu and cures him of the Jinx Palm. Now Mo-Kei can seek revenge for his parents' deaths, but he and Siu Chiu find themselves in the middle of a massive power struggle between the martial-arts schools, Shaolin monks, and the Evil Sect (which doesn't seem that evil).
   
   "Lord of WuTang" is really kind of confusing -- revenge vendettas spring out of nowhere, battles start without warning, and the plot is so fast-moving that the whole thing seems to be about a day and a half's worth of action -- as soon as one subplot ends, another instantly starts. And yet, somehow despite all this craziness, it's still pretty entertaining.
   
   Perhaps that's because this isn't intended to be a serious revenge epic. It has lots of verbal and physical comedy ("Get my head off of my a**!") and bizarre characters who are thrown in just to be bizarre, like the Red Cross sex freaks and the old hermit who rolls around inside a boulder.
   
   But they don't neglect the kung-fu aspect, with lots of energy blasting, flying shields, and a great fast-paced duel between Li and a roaring Shaolin monk. It strikes a pretty good balance between the fantastical violence (flying killer shields?) and the realistic stuff that looks pretty bloody.
   
   It's hard to keep the dozens of characters straight, especially since some of the girls are almost identical in dress and body language. But Li is appealing as the naive, peace-loving guy, and Yau is just as fun as his sprightly, spunky love interest. She even gets the kung-fu equivalent of a catfight.
   
   "Lord of Wutang" is almost too fast paced to follow, but it still has a bizarre charm. Definitely worth watching.... so long as you don't leave the room.



5. Many people do not know that this is only part of a 60 volume serial.
   The main reason most people are confused about what is happening is a lack of understanding about internal energy or "Chi". This is the magic of the Orient. Many various legends of certain types of "secret" Kung Fu have existed for centuries in China and the chinese audinces are not so confused by the plot line.
   If you suspend you dis-belief this is a fantastic, fuuny, deadly serious, bloody tale of sweat revenge; betrayal and ultimate victory for the underdog. I can't find a better movie that works on all these levels.
   The english sub-titles are washed out by the background in some frames but can be gleaned if the movie is watched enough which you are sure to do.

3 comments about ADCC: Best of ADCC Vol. #3.

1. For those of you looking to see the best of the best grapplers from UFC and Pride (Ortiz, Kerr, Belfort, Hughes, Sperry etc) competing in the most prestigious submission grappling tournament in the world, this is the DVD for you. For those people looking for all these great submission experts to be placed in the greatest submission grappling tournament in the world with tons of "action", this probably isn't the DVD for you.

   It's important to remember that this is a submission grappling tournament. That means the majority of the matches are going to be spent either stalking, the guard, side mount, or mounted position. If you hate these positions and want something with a faster pace, then this is not the DVD for you.

   This DVD IS for:
   -People who don't mind when UFC or Pride fights stay in the guard for 5+min (in this case without striking)
   -People who understand the very technical aspects of grappling instead of seeing people "Just lying there"
   -People who can appreciate ground grappling

   This DVD is NOT for:
   - People who want tons of action
   - People who don't understand submission grappling strategy (position and points)
   - People who look for the "ground and pound" seen in UFC and Pride
   - People who hate when matches go to the ground

   The broad casting quality is decent. They have different camera angles, but is no where close to the quality we're use to in NHB competitions (KOC, UFC, Pride). I give this DVD 3 stars because it gives THE best submission experts in the world, puts them in a tournament and delivers what it says it does. On the other hand, even for someone who studies BJJ with a Gracie, I found a lot of the matches kind of slow myself.




2. Historic grappling matches in the richest country on the planet.

   This is the ONLY tournament where you get to see the best against each other.




3. I love this DVD but i must reiterrate this is for the serious grappler / grappling enthusiast. This is not for the casual wrestling / MMA fan.

No comments about Secrets of Billy Chong, Vol. 2: Kung Fu Executioner/Sun Dragon.

No comments about Fearless: A Chinese Hero - The Complete Uncut Series.