5 comments about Kung Fu Hustle (Axe-Kickin' Edition).

1. What a great film,this was one of the suprise imports in the movie theaters,very funny stuff indeed,a very funny kung fu flick with a great story line too,The evil cigarette smoking landlady is very funny and memorable,as well as all the other great elements of this ultra cool film!!! I've had it twice on DVD (the original Widescreen and Axe Kicking Edition),but this Blu Ray Disc takes it even a step further witn great visuals,sound,and pretty much the same extras that were on the original Widescreen DVD release!!! A very recommdended Blu-Ray release!!! Two thumbs up!!! A+



2. I've heard a number of glowing reviews of this movie. I'm in a martial arts movie phase right now. In my opinion, this movie is just "not good." It had a few rather funny moments (few being the operative word). Other than that it was pretty much just an unredeemed bloodbath and not especially funny.
   
   I really didn't care much for this one, sadly. I'll stick with some of the better actual martial arts movies and keep an eye open for a GOOD martial arts spoof. The White Dragon just didn't do it for me either. I'm hoping that Kung Pow - Enter The Fist, Kung Phooey! or Where Is Mama's Boy will be better send-ups of the genre.
   
   Again, Kung Fu Hustle was pretty much an abominable, bloody mess of a movie (both literally and figuratively), in my opinion (having recently watched MUCH better fare like Hero, Fearless, Curse of the Golden Flower, Legend of the Black Scorpion, Tai Chi Master, The Warrior, The Forbidden Kingdom, The Myth, etc).



3. This movie is fantastic. I could watch it once a week... maybe even more. The visuals, the story line (if you're a kung-fu enthusiast) the characters... everything is so fun.



4. 
   
   Stephen Chow outdid himself in "Kung Fu Hustle", a movie he wrote, directed and stars in. The humor is slapstick and off the wall, reminiscent of Road Runner vs. Wile E. Coyote in some scenes.
   
   The plot is as follows: Chow and his chubby sidekick want to become members of the Axe Gang. The two commit a few petty crimes to prove they are worthy criminals. When they enter the tacky slum run by a chainsmoking landlady and her womanizing landlord husband and try to intimidate the slum dwellers, the real hilarity begins. The scenes with the knives and snakes are beyond funny! ("Hey! Who's throwing handles!" the landlady squawks.) The leader of the Axe Gang sends Chow on an assignment to release the most fierce criminal of all time. If Chow accomplishes this feat, he will be accepted into the gang. In the final scene, the "world's greatest criminal" and Chow face off and Chow's chi is ultimately realized.
   
   Along the way, the viewer is introduced to a cast of interesting characters including the "coolie," the tailor, the noodles and congee maker, the buck-toothed siren, the gay hair-cutter, and the deaf/mute vending girl who has a special tie with Chow's character that he has forgotten, but she never has.
   
   Kung Fu Hustle is an odd mixture of violence and comedy and it works. There are so many comedic surprises in this movie it's easy to watch it numerous times. I own it and it is one of my children and my all time favorites.



5. Version: U.S.A / Region A, B, C
   MPEG-2 BD-25
   Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
   Average video bit rate: 16.22 Mbps
   Running time: 1:38:55 (cut)
   Running time: 1:39:25 (uncut version - overseas)
   Movie size: 17,62 GB
   Disc size: 23,16 GB
   LPCM 5.1 4608Kbps Chinese
   DD 5.1 640Kbps English / French
   
   Subtitles: English / English SDH / Latin / French / Chinese / Korean / Thai / Portuguese
   
   #Audio commentary (in Cantonese with English subtitles)
   #Behind the Scenes (41m:55s)
   #3 Deleted Scenes
   #Ric Meyers Interview with Stephen Chow (27m:55s)
   #Outtakes and Bloopers (4m:46s)
   #HD trailers

5 comments about Remo Williams - The Adventure Begins.

1. This is the only movie from the destroyer book series. A gumg ho go america film thats fun for all



2. The Destroyer was NOT given a fair shake in this outing. Though it was a good try, it falls short. You can tell there were many involved who did not have a clue about Remo, Chuin, or the Glorious House of Sinanju. I wish they could have done better by them. Though Fred Ward is PERFECT cast as Remo!



3. Good plot line, good acting, lots of energy, here's a movie that's custom made for sequels. What happened? No Hollywood hype machine. Would have made Fred's career. Love Joel Grey, but not as an Asian character, this was before Hollywood realized that Asian's can play Asian characters. Not as awful as Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany's though. That was the worst I've ever seen. I remember when I saw Breakfast at Tiffany's I didn't know he was supposed to be Asian, I just thought he was "special".And Mickey is a good actor, but that performance was just embarrassing for him and the audience. Too bad about this movie though, it would have been a fine jumping off point for Fred's career.



4. Enough has been written here about this typical action film, but an ignored beauty is Joel Grey's deft performance of an old Korean master. Though in heavy makeup (Grey is not as ancient as the character Master Chuun) Grey was commended for the most sensitive and accurate performance of an Asian character by a white actor. Sounds racist, but the critics at the time really meant it. Yellowface was still in vogue. Very true to the culture, from his accent to the attitude that women are fairly worthless, from his love of soaps to his love of assassination, Grey nails this character. I doubt that the great Keye Luke himself could have done it better. Since America had only cheap Chinese "kung-fu" films, and samurai films were limited to Kurosawa's output, "Remo Williams" is not so bad. Jackie Chan had a small cult following then, and his films were a delight, but I was there when "Remo" was newly released, and I was jaded by all there was to see from Asia. Yet "Remo" moved me. It showed me a good time, and didn't kill me at the box office or when I originally bought it on VHS. Few youngsters today realize the impact it had on the martial arts genre American-style. It gave the genre a hope it had never nejoyed. Bottom line: see this film and decide for yourself, and be merciful to the 1980's for once!



5. As a kid, I LOVED this movie. After I read the series, I didn't like it as much. Fred Ward and Joel Grey certainly had the right look (although Chuin's attire wasn't proper, but his acting was perfect as Chuin). The origin was totally stupid, and McCleary wasn't portrayed right, either. This movie deserves a remake!

5 comments about The Pit Workout.

1. It was awsome! I have not felt sore like this for a while. I started with the upper body and let me tell you... when he forgets what number he is on and keeps going its funny the first time but by the end not so much. I was actually hating life about half way, until my wife wanted to join. When we were shadow boxing we hit herself in the face so that gave me enough to finish! AWESOME VIDEO!!!!!



2. This workout is no joke, and it improved my cardio/conditioning in my martial arts training almost immediately. The Pit Master is hilarious, but I still hate him for putting me through these TOUGH workouts!!!



3. This is a great DVD. It takes very little room and gets the job done. Having said that, I think if you're not the "athletic" type - (into sports-especially boxing or martial-arts) then this may not the type of
   workout you're looking for.



4. This is an excellent workout for boosting cardio endurance! This is not an easy workout by any means. You should expect to push your limits and over exceed your own expectations. I recommend this for anybody who trains in any martial arts and/or kickboxing. I love this workout, and so will you!!!



5. I respect the ice man ,and his trainer ,but this is a very confusing dvd,if you are looking for a dvd ,highlighting a mma workout and to help with your work out ,this is not it,this a low to high impact very very basic martial arts and general fitness workout ..most of you will already be doing this kind of stuff anyway and its done at a very dismal pace.. i am very disappointed ,at least some thing of the iceman working out would have been nice,insteads its some guys and girls working out ...really nothing to do with mma nor thai pad work nor mma combat training ...very misleading ....sad

5 comments about Rush Hour 3 [Blu-ray].

1. 
   I am sorry folks, but after waiting over 6 years for the sequel to Rush Hour 2, I found this film to be disappointing. I was underwhelmed by The stale gags that were very entertaining in Rush Hour 1&2 but were just stale in this one. Jackie Chan was actually Cris Tucker's sidekick here. I would have liked a different plot that after such a time lag might have stood alone without the references to bits and pieces of the first 2 movies.
   The film opens with Chris Tucker directing traffic in a street cop uniform only to pick up a couple of girls. Once again we see the Triad as a weak plot theme that brings us back to the Chinese ambassador and his now teen aged daughter with their lives in danger that the good Inspector Lee has to protect again.
   
   The friendly banter is not as funny between Chan and Tucker and although Jackie Chan can still do his own stunts, but he is obviously not as young as he was when he was still doing his karate action stuff so the action sequences are more shoot em up and swinging from flying flags off the side of the Eifel Tower with a long lost "brother" from his past who we never heard about. The Max Von Snydow character as the villain is underutilized as the French ambassador. And there is no plot tie up of loose ends.
   
   If you like the Rush Hour films, the film is watchable not as entertaining as the previous films. Paying full price for it would be frustrating. I think Rush Hour 4 would be superfluous.



2. Well, I think this movie got a lot of bad reviews somewhat unfairly. There was a lot of anticipation building for YEARS for Rush Hour 3. Contract disputes, etc.. I think those years built up a lot of unrealistic expectations from fans. So when it finally arrived - folks were expecting a miracle. No such luck here. It's basically the same formula/premise that made the first two movies successful. I think the third made for a nice trilogy. Nothing earth shattering, nothing groundbreaking. Just the same silly, funny, buddy comedy we would expect. Some great stunts/action sequences, an interesting setting, and some really funny moments. I very much liked the french cabbie and his "warming up" to American culture! There were a couple of low lights... a "who is on first?" comedy routine fell flat, Elton John's "sorry" love song plays during a fight, and a scene with Lee (Chan) singing while being lowered on a swing was just too gay. That aside, a good movie, and worth renting/owning. Enjoy it for what it is... Rush Hour 3. More of the same silly fun. No Oscars to be won here. Just good fun.



3. I remember 2007 has been the year of the three-quel's, and at long last--after the ambitious excess of "Spiderman 3," the lackluster of "Shrek the Third," the love-it-or-hate-it logic to the "Pirates" finale, the return to glossy form of "Ocean's 13," and the tense, engaging "Bourne Ultimatum" (which gave a great ultimatum to its own franchise)--we come to its end with the fun, campy adrenaline-rush of Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker re-teaming for "Rush Hour 3." At the end of watching this I though it was okay but I felt a bit sad that it had to come to an end like this because I enjoy the first two very much.
   
   Jackie Chan (Lee) acts well as usual (have some problem for pronouncing things but I didn't mind that) and Chris Tucker is still hilarious and he's still loud as ever. The jokes are decent and I had my shares of laughs here and there, the only problem I have with the comedy is that sometime they try to stretch it far to much and you're ending up saying "We get it already", The chemistry between the two leads is still there which makes these movies fun in the first place.
   This was an unneeded yet entertaining entry into the series, but it is basically the love child of the first two. The outtakes as usual are the best part of the film.
   
   Rumors of filming a fourth Rush Hour film immediately after this third installment were apparently scrapped due to unknown reasons, but one could easily venture that failing interest in the series hamstrung such a project (but who knows ...maybe there will be a fourth). Plenty of eye-candy awaits those guys who like to see marvelously curvaceous women whom you normally would only see air-brushed on magazine covers. Most notably is French actress Noémie Lenoir who plays Genevieve, a dancer with a very special head on her shoulders.
   
   But beyond that, you're not going to see much that'll intrigue you. The story has been done ad nauseam, as have all the jokes. Let 'er rest in peace, guys.



4. loved, loved, loved this movie very funny from begining to the end,i love chris tucker and jackie chan a great combonation



5. Wow i love this this movie. the movie came on time and was in great condtion.

5 comments about War [Blu-ray].

1. Caveat #1: I love action films. Caveat #2: This is not a martial arts film.
   
   Which is fine with me--I love action films, regardless of what kind of action it is. Well, some action films. This is one.
   
   After an assassin named Rogue killed his partner and his partner's wife and child, finding Rogue is federal agent John Crawford's (Jason Statham) raison d'etre.
   
   Meanwhile, Rogue's (Jet Li) purpose is a little less straightforward. Presumably working for the Triad, it becomes clear that he's manipulating the Triad into an all-out war with the Yakuza.
   
   So basically, it's tailor-made for me: lots of action, a intriguing mystery (why is Rogue causing a war?), some nice eye-candy (Jason Statham), and a couple of really good twists.



2. Ok. am a big Jason Statham fan and a Jet Li fan also, but the movie started off crapy and it didn't get good til mid end. Then they gave it a really crappy ending. Its quite a dissapointment for me. For anyone who wants to buy this movie and havn't seen it yet,RENT IT. am sure you wouldn't want to own it after you watched it.



3. Jason Statham...LOVE HIM! Jet Li...LOVE HIM! I picked this up and thought....how could this go wrong. Obviously, I was disappointed. What could have been a great action/martial arts movie was tepid. As someone else mentioned Jet Li had little spark, which is unusual for him, and when/if you see this the twist will give you pause. He should have been angry, rightous, but I didn't get any of that.
   
   Statham had some moments, and I will say the ending irked me being a fan of his, but the last five minutes of the movie...just seemed to pat.
   
   If you like Statham see Crank. A Li fan see Unleashed, BUT if you have a few hours and are bored, you could do worse.



4. JetLi and Jason- what a combination, their engrossing (film) personalities and their acting skills make this an enjoyable action flick.



5. I would have to say this movie was much better than most of Li's other films. There is plenty of action, not as much hand-to-hand combat, but the twist in the story line was plenty to satisfy most viewers. Both Statham and Li are headliners and the acting in this film was superb. However, the biggest negative was the actual audio--one could barely make out what the actors were saying in the most crucial parts of the film. If you can read lips, then you won't have the frustration we did, straining to hear the lines most relevant to the plot.

5 comments about T'ai Chi for Health: Yang Short Form 37 Form.

1. I studied this form in the early 1990's but got out of practice and can't find a good teacher of this form. This DVD is the next best thing to having my early teachers with me. It has a few minor production issues but is generally excellent.



2. Sorry, very hard to use as a work out guide. The various exercises do not follow one another smoothly, but each one loops until you click Next. Having done that, the next exercise does not pick up where the other one left you so you have to scramble to get into the position being shown. The guide mixes up his left and right, putting his weight on his right leg and telling you to put it on the left, for example. The darned FBI warning and a cute Panda bear can't be fast forwarded through so you are left to do warmups waiting, with the clicker in your hand. A new production would be very welcome as he obviously knows his stuff, but we want to follow and imitate, not just watch!



3. I really liked the way he described everything. His warmth and gentleness was very pleasant and did not get old, on the contrary became more endearing with use. I am not an expert on ability, so I can say only that he seems to be very, very good at both doing and teaching this art.
   
   Now I must say why I had to stop using his videotape (yes, it's that old). There is a synthesized soundtrack that slowly became unbearable to me. I really tried to do what he was saying, and this meant that I rewound the tape over and over again as I attempted to follow his instructions. Let me stop right here to state that I did not find his mixing up of left and right to be a problem: one viewing...yes; two viewings...a little clearer; three, four and five viewings...come on people, it's not an issue. Now back to what I was relating. The soundtrack: I am a musician, very sensitive to such things, so perhaps this will not be an issue with most of you--and I know the producers thought this would be a relaxing addition to the overall effect. However, in my case (and perhaps in the case of a small minority of you all) it ultimately became unbearable. I would like to go back to this recording if I could obtain a version without the pervasive, synthesized, 1970's "feel-good" sounds filling up the spaces between the instructions. Terry, can you help me on this?



4. I had the long form version on video tape originally, and to be honest with the business in my life, I rarely got beyond the warm up exercises...for gravity alone sufficed with what Terence was doing. I ordered the short form dvd after checking out various Tai Chi videos thru rental outlets. I have a past in martial arts, and understand the importance and thinking behind forms, the balance...and am happy to report that I am getting it. I do believe I would have stuck with it earlier had I got the short form right away.
   
   For a more specific crit...its nice on one had that each movement introduced replays and replays til you get it, but it would be nice if there was an option where say perhaps three movements could play at a time consecutively; helping you piece movements together better. It is a hassle to get the remote after each movement and go to the next one. Also, while it is aesthetically cool to see Terence in the last section do the entire form with his Tai Chi outfit, and lights low...it would have been better for students to have had more lights in the production so there is no question to reminders of hand movements, distribution of weight and flow...etc.,
   
   I read reviews before buying this one myself, and to the crit I read complaining of the music that plays along...I too am a musician, but ssheesh....get over it, or don't bother ever visiting any other country or culture. Should be able to rise above Terence's choice of music I would think.



5. As another reviewer pointed out, this is not an exercise video. It is an instructional video that divides into 4 parts. First, a demonstration of the form accompanied by a monologue about the history and purpose of T'ai Chi. Then, a long warmup with emphasis on introduction to the basic postures of the form. Third, 37 lessons divided into 49 parts. Finally, all the parts are again demonstrated in one continuous movement. At the very end of the video, Dunn states what he should have pointed out at the start: it takes 6 to 18 months to master the forms on the video. That would have alerted some of the people who made negative comments that this is not meant to be just an exercise video. The video accomplishes all it is meant to accomplish and I would have given it a 5 except there are lapses and slowness in places that become annoying.

5 comments about Denise Austin: Burn Fat Fast - Cardio Blast.

1. This is a great, fun workout. It will make you sweat and it will give you great results. Denise is fun as always. I know alot of people say that she drives them nuts, but I personaly think she is very good at what she does. This DVD lets you interchange 4 different workouts. It has a 5 minute warm up and a 5 minute cool down. All the workouts are fun and very easy to learn. I usually do the warm up, 2 workouts then the cool down. Nothing better than staying in my own home and not having to go to a stinky gym and workout!!!!



2. This was my first Denise Austin video and WOW was I disappointed! Being new to Denise Austin, I found her a very annoying instructor (her voice sounds like she is trying to be sexy). Her cueing was terrible (even the other girls behind her made numerous mistakes) and the choreography was a mess. Her counts were never the same. I bought this video because after reading many reviews I thought Denise was a great instructor and could really take my body to the next level. That will not happen with this video. The first time I viewed it, I tried all four 10 minute sections and I knew this will not be a DVD I use a lot. The first two sections were pretty good and I worked up a little sweat, then I did the second two sections. Don't waste your time. Why do instructors think Mambo's, Grapevines and any other baby step movement will give you a good cardio workout? The last two sections were a big waste of time. The good thing about the way this DVD works is you may customize it to play whatever 10 minute interval you want. So now I play the Kickboxing section twice and the Cardio Interval twice to give me a decent 50 minute workout. If you want a great Interval Heart Pumping workout try Jillian Michaels. She makes you feel like you have a personal trainer in your home.



3. Not a bad workout but Denise is really hard to follow and can be annoying with her voice. I think there are better Dance workouts out there!



4. This is so upbeat and fun, it felt like I wasn't exercising at all! This is great for beginners and fun for a change from the mundane workouts for intermediate exercisers. The option to choose the order, and what segments you want to play is fantastic, it makes it easy to workout a little or a lot without having to stop your workout. Denise really tones it down in this one, she isn't as scarily perky as in previous DVDs that she has done. This really is a great fun workout! Enjoy!



5. This exercise DVD gives you a good workout. The dance steps are easy to follow and could get boring, but since each segment is only 10 minutes it doesn't matter. Denise can grate on your nerves, but she was okay on this DVD.

5 comments about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

1. well i say this was a great movie but sometimes the turles say damn but thats ok



2. TMNT really delivers on all fronts, good story, great acting, great directing and amazing action from guys in animatronic rubber suits.
   
   This movie is a perfect blend of the dark atmosphere of the original comics and the zany fun of the cartoon series, all the while maintaining a feeling of reality which takes it to the next level.
   
   The voice characterizations are right on and the acting from April and Casey Jones gives the validity to the story that it was really in need of.
   
   The first confrontation between Casey Jones and Raph in the park is one of the more memorable moments, while the Foot ninja attack on April's apartment is an amazing fight scene even by today's standards.
   
   I almost wouldn't consider this a kids movie, even though that's how it's marketed. It's more along the lines of Spider-Man, than say, Power Rangers. It got some "Damn It's" and the violence it pretty intense at times.
   
   Really a great movie and worth your money.



3. This movie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, should go down in history as one of the truly grandest achievements in this epoch of human civilization. This is about as close to perfection as can be reached when telling a story about turtles.
   
   Wanna know how to make a movie? THIS is how you make a movie. Specifically a movie of the comic book/superhero genre. Let me explain exactly why this works, and exactly why the following movies in this genre fails.
   
   --Failures:
   
   Transformers // Spider-Man 3 // Superman Returns//Elektra // The Punisher // The Crow // Star Wars Episodes 1-3
   
   All horrible movies. There's more to this list but I'm gonna limit it to these since I've written reviews on most of them, and my opinions are already explained.
   
   Wanna know what all those other movies have in common? They share one or both of the following traits: they either 1) cater too much to kids, or 2) lack characters with realistic emotions.
   
   Trying to make a comic book/superhero movie that's catered to kids is synonymous with making it for MORONS. You go out of your way to cater it to simple minds, and you have a simple, moronic movie lacking all the fundamentals on what constitutes a STORY with characters. It means that all bets are off, and you're no longer carefully crafting art. Any semblance of our reality is out the door, and all you're left with on screen are empty entities moving around, making sounds, and doing actions arbitrarily (e.g. every movie I named above, and unfortunately the two sequels to this movie).
   
   NINJA TURTLES part 1 is a movie that can be enjoyed by kids, but they didn't completely dumb it down and insult their intelligence, that's why even watching it now I can enjoy it. If someone described a movie to you as being dark, and featuring complex characters, a movie with talking turtles may not be the first guess. The turtles may as well not even been turtles, this could've been a movie about four human brothers, and it would've worked the same way because of the great characterization. That's how you know a movie is good, when it doesn't rely on its "gimmick" to get by.
   
   3 points that jump out at me:
   
   --Splinter. I'm in complete absolute amazement at how UNCHEESY he was. The most amazing thing about his character were his LINES. I mean, this dude says some of the most profound things I've ever heard in my life, let alone in a movie, LET ALONE from a disheveled, talking rat puppet. Everything he said had such weight and substance. He was not stereotyped as some elderly martial arts master with trite, cliché "wise man" phrases. This was truly an endearing character.
   
   --Raphael. Look at the list of movies that I wrote up top. Combine all the atoms that make up each individual character from those movies, and they still wouldn't hold a candle to the weight and complexity that just a single molecule that Raphael carries. End of story.
   
   --The rooftop fight. Remember the part where Shredder has Leo on the ground, and tells Donny, Raph, and Mikey to throw away their weapons? If you've read any of my other rants, you'd know that a big thing for me is for characters to react realistically in situations. This scene here epitomizes what I mean. After Shredder tells them to throw their weapons away, they specifically had Raph ponder it for a quick second, then begrudgingly throw his weapon away with a grunt, followed by Mikey (who also grunts, a subtle touch) and Donny. This perfectly shows the dynamics of their relationship to each other at work here, because in this type of situation you would hesitate and wait to see what your leader does. It's just like if you and two co-workers are doing something, and then a CEO type person who you've never seen before walks in and makes a comment/questions you three, most times you would let the default leader among you (whether that assignment is subjective due to personality type, or more tangible, such as job position) do the talking for you. And that's what happened here. Mikey and Donny had no clue whether to surrender their weapons or not, their leader and brother is on the ground, about to get killed, so they had to wait to see what their other older brother would do, and then follow suit. This was a great example of great writing, and I love the subtle touch of having Mikey copy Raph's grunt, just like a younger brother would do.
   
   Action movies of today can learn from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. If you have good characters, the story almost doesn't matter, as it pretty much writes itself. All the viewer cares about at this point is to see if the characters all make it out ok. There's no need to concoct some over the top plot line as a means of being interesting or original, if we don't care about your characters, we couldn't care less on where the story takes these 1-dimensional caricatures.



4. I'll admit that I was at first only a reluctant fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoons back in the late 80's and early 90's, if for no other reason than I was pretty much forced to watch it by the simple fact that my brother and sister both watched it while they babysat me. But as time got on I did grow to genuinely enjoy the series. I mean, who can watch the show and not laugh at the bumbling antics of Shredder and his goons as they try to gain the advantage against the turtles? So when I heard that a TMNT movie was in the works (it came out as I recall in the summer of my tenth year back in 1990), I was at least willing to give it a whirl.
   It should be noted that in quite a few important ways the movie is as unlike to the cartoon as night from day. The actors aren't even the same, for one thing. Not that this detracted from my enjoyment of the film or its two sequels, it didn't. But certain elements of the characters' past, Splinter and Shredder's in particular, were altered, more I think to be more true to the comics than anything. Splinter goes from being the mutated form of a Ninja warrior named Hamato Yoshi to being the pet of said Ninja. Raphael, who in the cartoon was always the wsecracker of the group, becomes a much more solitary, angry character often given to acts of rashness that nearly cost him his life. This behavior almost creates a rift in the turtles at one point, but they reunite in an effort to save their beloved master from Shredder. There's another character much changed from his cartoon persona. Gone is the often petulant, whiny villain, to be replaced by a sinister and ruthless criminal mastermind with an ominous voice. In short he changes from someone to be laughed at to a man to avoid at any cost.
   All in all I was very impressed with the movies. I only wish I still had my VHS copies, but then again I so rarely watch those anymore that it seemed more advisable to get them on DVD, which I intend to do next month if finances permit. So if you haven't already seen them, pop on over to your local video rental and pick up the three TMNT films. I personally liked the first one best, but Secret of the Ooz was close behind. The third one took a bit of getting used to but I eventually did conclude that I liked it just as much as the others.



5. Great movie, my brother loves it :)
   
   Shipping bit too expensive however i did get the movies alot quicker then expected.
   
   Thanks :)

5 comments about A Soldier's Story.

1. Just so happens this is one of my all time favorites and I got it at a very reasonable price in a short amount of time.



2. Cerebral mystery story operates on several levels. We get to know the murdered man through flashbacks and see how many people had a motive to kill him. Set on top of this is the condescension with which investigation is treated by the white brass. All ingredients make for a meaty, involving murder tale shedding light on racism of the time. Young Denzel is particularly strong in a pivotal role, and Caesar was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of the loathsome Waters.



3. I'd been looking for this film everywhere and I finally checked on amazon and not only was it a great price, but I had it in my hands in no time.



4. SOLDIER'S STORY is one of my favorite Afro American films. The adaptation of the play to screen was superb. A stellar cast featuring a young Denzel Washington, this film is powerful and speaks about honor and dishonor, courage and cowardice, prejudice and acceptance, tragedy and justice. Best of all, SOLDIER'S STORY is based on a real courtroom case. This is a must have for those who collect Afro American films.



5. Great Flick! Classic in my opinion which is why I purchased it. I enjoy looking at my classics at least once a year. Unfortuantely, this movie does not appear on TV much.

5 comments about The Rebel.

1. I first saw this movie at the film festival in LA after overhearing a lot of good reviews from people who saw this film at the previous film festival.
   
   First, you don't really expect anything from the movie made in Vietnam. I've never paid attention to films made in Vietnam. So when I heard that this film was made in Vietnam and it's action movie. I was expecting to be cheap Hong Kong style cinema.
   
   Well, I was wrong.
   
   Good plot. Good story. And fabulous action sequence throughout the movie, including a lot of explosions!
   
   If you like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.... although the story takes place in 1920... you MUST watch this film.



2. first, i mostly watch only chinese movies (about 99% of the time). so grudgingly i borrowed this movie from my brother to watch when i get bored. it's a good thing i wasn't expecting anything out of it.
   
   about 10 minutes into it, i was riveted. the actions (fight scenes) were very solid and the casts were great! i was just going "wow!" whenever the characters fight. it was that good! everyone fought like they all learned martial arts when they were born which makes those scenes that much more convincing!
   
   pay attention to the lead actress; for such a skinny gal, she sure fought with surprising agility and strength. she really impressed me!
   
   the plot, action and storyline flow nicely together. quality of the film is very evident as the story unfolds - everything looked good. if you are a martial arts fan or just love kung fu or action movies, this will leave you satisfied. the story is fast paced so you won't get a chance to get bored! :D
   
   pick this up (especially the new special release by dragon dynasty) and you'll have a great (action) movie on hand! i know i will!



3. Set in French-occupied Vietnam in the 1920's, "The Rebel" tells the story of Vietnamese agent Cuong (Johnny Nguyen, "The Protector") who works for the French, putting out the fires of home-spun rebellion. After a time, his conscience starts eating away at him, which seems to coincide with the capture of the BEAUTIFUL daughter (Thanh Van Ngo) of a rebel leader. He helps her escape, but is he going to assist his fellow countrymen, or does he want her to lead him to her father?
   
   Beautifully filmed on location in Vietnam, the movie's look gives you a feel for how hot and humid it must've been. The film boasts some good, but inconsistent, martial arts. The flick's main bad guy, Sy (Dustin Nguyen, former star of TV's "21 Jump Street"), is cold, multi-dimensional, and well played, but ridiculously indestructible. Especially for this having more "down to earth" fight scenes. It's certainly an interesting movie and I've never seen another one quite like it. This is hopefully the first of many Vietnamese martial arts-historical-romance-dramas. Don't let all the categories intimidate you. In terms of theme, it is similar to, but works better than, "House of Flying Daggers", and with more fights. It is funny to me how capricious love will sometimes refashion one's political stance, regardless of how strong and ingrained it may be. For the record I very much enjoyed watching it and it is recommended for those who want to expand their range of outlook.
   
   I would like to have seen more native martial arts. Johnny Nguyen uses a style called Lien Feng Kwon (invented by his Grandfather), but most of the fights look like a cross between Muay Thai and Wushu. Which is not to say that they're bad: Quite the contrary. It's just that he was a member of the U.S. Wushu team, so it's hard to discern any distinguishable characteristics of the art. Hopefully, this film will at least serve as notice of Johnny Nguyen's abilities. This was a big enough hit in Southeast Asia that we will likely see a lot more of him. I, for one, hope that happens. Thanh Van (Veronica) Ngo also delivers some sweet moves, which is impressive because she is not a martial artist, and her foot was broken during the filming of the final fight.
   
   This version from Dragon Dynasty is in Vietnamese (and some French) with English subtitles, or English dubbed. The 3 leads all speak English, dubbed their own voices, and provide commentary, along with Bey Logan. The special features are what you've come to expect from Dragon Dynasty: A "making of" featurette, lengthy interviews with the 3 leads, and a martial arts demonstration from Johnny Nguyen, which is cool, but far too short. 3.5 to 4, out of 5. Tough to decide. I'll guess you'll just have to see for yourself.
   
   2006



4. I thought it was just a typical, Hong kong-style Martial arts movie when I rented it from Blockbuster and it rocks! I've never watched any Vietnamese movies before until The Rebel and it totally exceeded my expectations!
   
   This movie feels like a big production despite its small budget. Besides the fight scenes, the story and the acting are all good. Many kudos to the lead actress who deserves recognition for her acting.
   
   I'm gonna purchase this movie because it's a keeper.



5. I'm not too good at explaining plots so I will direct you Mantis Lake's review. He does a very good job explaining the plot and gives an excellent overall review.
   
   The fights are very good in this movie. A lot of real contact, and surprisingly realistic choreography with a lot of elbows and knees. And while they focus on realism, there's still a lot of flash and slow mo. Maybe a bit overdone on the slow mo, but a lot of it I thought was needed. Johnny Nguyen's skills look great as do Veronica Ngo's. The villain of the movie, Dustin Nguyen, doesn't seem to have that great of martial arts skills, but I could be totally wrong, because he certainly looks like he has been trained in many areas, but I didn't think he looked nearly as good as Johnny Ngyuen. Like I said, I think Veronica Ngo's skills look good, and then I find out she's not even a martial artist. But one thing I will say about Dustin is that he must be a very tough guy to take all those blows (he uses iron armor style in this movie). He must have had some serious bruising when the shooting was finished.
   
   I enjoyed this movie quite a lot. I didn't think the story was great or anything, but not bad, but the 3 lead actors give great performances and it really elevates the movie.
   
   After watching this movie a couple of times, I was still undecided on whether I should give it a 3 or a 4 star rating, but after hearing the commentary I developed a much greater appreciation for the movie and I can give it no less than 4 stars. And that leads me to the special features. Amazing stuff. I almost feel like giving this DVD a 5 star rating because the special features are so good. The commentary is one of the most enjoyable commentaries I have ever heard. Bey Logan is joined by the 3 lead actors and it is very informative and funny. There are several short behind the scenes featurettes, a 37 minute making of featurette (including some very funny stuff!), lenghty interviews with the 3 lead actors (each one over 30 minutes long), and a short martial arts demonstration by Johnny Nguyen. You know what, I feel that this DVD does deserve 5 stars, so that is what I am going to give it.