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Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

List Price: $14.95
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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: I SIMPLY DON"T GET IT!
Review: Why do Americans complain about the fact that this Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon movie is not in English? DUHHHH! This is a Chinese movie! What do people expect? American movies are in English. Chinese movies are in Chinese. And what is wrong with reading subtitles? You must never read at all if you can't even keep up with the reading. The average fourth grader can keep up with it. Personally I prefer subtitled movies over dubbed because it makes the movie a lot more realistic. Dubbed movies often sound fake and it just doesn't go along with the movie at all. It's too bad that Americans are so critical and expect everyone to conform to their needs. If you can't keep up with the reading, there is something wrong with your reading skills!! And to expect every movie that hits the US to be in English is totally narrow minded and ignorant. Everyone has preferences but to not like a movie just because it's subtitled is totally ridiculous. Again, it's the "you have to be just like me" mentality of Americans. At least give this movie a chance.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Say What??
Review: I dont know, maybe its just me...But I have a hard problem watching a movie when I dont understand one word they say. The action sequences are good, but other then that...either I should invest on learning some more Oriental Languages or they should get a quality English dubber.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: better then i ever thought it owuld be
Review: Ok I am not much on movies that are subbed or dubbed and I also stay away from movies the critics seem to like since they have rotten taste in movies, but I found this dvd cheap so I tried it out and man I loved it. I like epic scale movies and classic type such as this and the battles are jaw dropping. Nothing was done with computer other then to take out cables and it's amazing, it's a movie you will want to own. Also the dubbing was done very good so you never really think about it being dubbed, or if you like you can watch it subbed and it's just as good but i'm a dub fan.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: An amazing, epic film!
Review: I came into "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" knowing it was a martial-arts fantasy (as if people actually could run up walls and skip among bamboo trees), and was not disappointed in the least. The story itself was a little hard to explain to others who hadn't seen it, but as it breaks down, two warriors and close friends (the always cool Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh) hunt down a thief (Zhang Ziyi) who may be the student of one of their oldest enemies. Suffice to say, things get complicated from there. Although this is technically the middle story in the series of books from which it's based (hopefully, those rumors of a prequel will come to pass), I managed to follow the story easily and have to admit it had a lot more characterization than I came to expect in other martial-arts epics (not that I have a problem with films where I have to turn my brain off, mind you). The action sequences in this film border on stunning (the woman-to-woman fight in the dojo definitely ranks up there as one of my favorite action scenes ever), and the photography (definitely worth winning an Oscar for) was nothing less than beautiful. Even though the ending itself appears to be open to a lot of interpretation, I have to admit this is one of those epics that doesn't insult my intelligence (although I have to admit clichéd lines like "You will pay for my master's death" and so forth did give me a slight chuckle upon hearing them) and manages to be quite intoxicating. This is truly a great dramatic opera, and like all great movies, is definitely worth revisiting again and again.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: GREAT ACTION SCENES BUT WHERE IS THE BLOOD
Review: When I first Saw Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon I thought it was really good. Michelle Yeoh is brilliant in action and acting. float over rooftops. The swordfighting is very good for people who like gentle and fun action but for me it is good but poor. There is hardly any blood when Jen fights a heap of men. This a very good kung fu film but if you want a bit more blood and violence try Dragon Gate.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: GREAT ACTION SCENES BUT WHERE IS THE BLOOD
Review: When I first Saw Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon I thought it was really good. Michelle Yeoh is brilliant in action and acting. The first fight scene is excellent the way they gently kick and punch and when they float over rooftops. The swordfighting is very good for people who like gentle and fun action but for me it is good but poor. There is hardly any blood when Jen fights a heap of men. This a very good kung fu film but if you want a bit more blood and violence try Dragon Inn.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Fantastic Film!!
Review: This is my favourite film of 2000 I have to say. I've heard that many people found the plot of this movie very confusing but I think if you concentrate on the movie and pay proper attention to it you shouldn't have any problems. This movie has elements of many genres in it and would suit practically anyone's tastes. It's a love story but don't worry if you're not into that sort of thing the action scenes more than make up for it. There are many people who think that the action scenes aren't up to scratch with the action scenes of a traditional Hong Kong martial arts fantasy film. I disagree however but if you haven't been exposed to many of these films it wouldn't matter at all. Also, I wouldn't miss seeing this film just because it doesn't fit in with the traditional conventions of the genre. I guess as a person who does not speak Chinese I can't place a judgement on the acting in the sense of the general expression of speech of this film but to me it didn't seem to matter, the actors were able to convey all of their emotions not with their voice but with their facial expressions particularly their eyes. Everything about this film is beautiful from the costumes right down to the harsh scenery of the desert. The action sequences are great and I enjoyed the magical/fantasy element of the film, ie the flying and the ending of the film which I don't want to spoil for people who haven't seen it. This DVD hasn't got a particularly fantastic treatment to it, although the making of featurette is good for fanatics of the film or people who tend to have an interest in the making of films. As per usual the actors bios aren't really great at all but once again the interview with Michelle Yeoh is good for people with an interest in the behind the scenes of the movie. The DVD also comes with a fairly informative booklet with a plot synopsis, quotes from Ang Lee and from the actors as well as some great stills from the movie as well as stills from the making of the movie. I think though if you want to get the full widescreen effect of the film buy it on DVD. It's well worth it and Ang Lee has done a fantasic job, so have the actors. Also, just so you get an idea of what type of martial arts sequences there are, the martial arts choreography has been done by Woo Ping, the same man who choreographed the sequences for the Matrix. A lot of time and dedication on behalf of the crew and cast has obviously been put into this film and it's definitely been worth it. Warning for parents, there is a sex scene in the film, so cover your kiddies eyes! Happy watching!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The best film of 2000
Review: 'Forrest Gump' over 'Pulp Fiction.' 'Titanic' over 'L.A. Confidential.' To a very long list of mistakes, the Academy can add its most grievous offense yet: naming 'Gladiator' best picture over 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.'

It isn't so much that 'Gladiator' is a shallow, shoddy piece of work that shouldn't be within a ten-mile radius of the best picture category; it's more that 'Crouching Tiger,' Ang Lee's visionary martial-arts epic, is the sort of blazing masterpiece that seems to redefine the purpose of movie-watching as an activity. It is that good.

Since its rapturous critical reception and its overwhelming popular success, 'Crouching Tiger' has suffered the inevitable backlash by people who choose to call it an unremarkable twist on the wuxia genre, a movie that seems impressive only because we haven't seen all the similar movies that came before it. If this is true, if 'Crouching Tiger' is indeed just another wuxia film, then we might as well call 'Gone With the Wind' just another romance. We might as well call 'Double Indemnity' just another film noir. We might as well call 'The Godfather' just another Mob movie. You get the picture.

Not that 'Crouching Tiger' doesn't echo genre conventions. On the contrary, director Ang Lee freely and unabashedly flirts with clichés; the difference is that rather than merely rehashing them, Lee breathes new life into them with the sort of bold, breathtaking imagination you only encounter in an artist at the peak of his powers. He tweaks them with a sort of childlike glee that's half-mischievous, half-enchanted--and the result is a seamless entertainment that manages to fuse several elements at once without ever losing its shape. It's as fluid and controlled as anything Lee's directed, the rare film that you admire as much for its careful craftsmanship as for the way it makes your spirit soar.

It begins with two powerful warriors, Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun Fat) and Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh), who have always restrained their feelings for one another out of respect and honor for Shu Lien's slain husband, who was Li Mu Bai's friend. A stolen sword, a secret manual, and an evil assassin eventually figure into the ridiculously elaborate plot, and by that point you can tell that Lee is having a lot of fun with the details. The most volatile catalyst in the story turns out to be Jen (Zhang Ziyi), a young, vivacious beauty who longs to be a warrior and demonstrates

incredible fighting prowess. Unfortunately, she's trapped by her aristocratic upbringing and is being forced into marriage, even though she's secretly in love with a roguish bandit named Lo (Chang Chen), which is revealed to us in a long, absorbing flashback that would indeed be ponderous and distracting if it weren't so deliriously entertaining.

Lee juggles these elements with astonishing skill, moving from humor (the scene in which Jen single-handedly destroys the restaurant may be one of the giddiest sequences in comedic history) to drama (the film's final scenes, which are haunting beyond words) without dropping a stitch. What elevates 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' above the roots of its genre, and what short-sighted critics seem willing to ignore, is the superb ensemble cast, from which the film derives its considerable emotional power. The most notable are Yeoh, who can kick the ... out of anyone and still look elegant, and Ziyi, who more than deserved an Oscar nomination for her supremely hot-headed ingenue.

It's the brilliance of 'Crouching Tiger' that these actors manage such surprising depths of emotion even while they're spinning out one unforgettable fight scene after another. If 'Crouching Tiger' were merely the derivative, one-dimensional flick so many people say it is, it would still be a viscerally dazzling entertainment. There's just something about the sight of Yeoh and Ziyi soaring from rooftop to rooftop, clashing swords with enviable grace, that inspires and gratifies like nothing else. The word 'intoxicating' comes to mind. As it is, the action sequences are only one recommendable aspect of a film that attempts everything and nails everything, without a single false note from beginning to end.

Just another wuxia film? Ha. They should all be this good.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Modern classic, don't miss!
Review: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon looks great on DVD, with great sound and lots of interesting extras, including fascinating interviews with Director Ang Lee and Michelle Yeoh (who looks and sounds far different in real life).

The movie itself transcends the romance and martial arts genres with a mystical, magical fusion that is breathtaking.

From the moment the actors fly over the first rooftops to the last final leap, the movie is mesmerizing, taking us into a fully realized vision of old China, and its martial arts gang underworld.

The acting is first-rate, the cinematography revolutionary and the fight scenes weave tales of their own...

This is Ang Lee's second masterpiece. Check out Sense and Sensibility for the other.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Review: My experience with the film- I saw the movie twice in theater and recently purchased the DVD.

Initial impression- I was blown away by the whole concept of the movie. The movie is based on a very familiar martial arts theme. The way the movie was conceptualized by the creators and actors brought out the best in martial arts and cinema. The story line is very nice, not to complicated, and easy to follow. There are various themes woven into this film which demonstrate and create conflict and action during the movie.

Sound- The music to the film is excellent and assist in creating the overall ambiance to the film. Between the drums and cello action, space, and time are creatively balanced.

Quality- Film quality and DVD are top notch. The DVD is nice with the extras that are provided, especially the ability to choose between subtitles and dubbed.

Bottom Line- The movie has some of the best martial arts scenes I have seen on film. Story line, plot, quality of picture and sound excellent, actors are all class act. You will not be disappointed.

I also recommend "Circle of Iron" also known as "The Silent Flute". This is the best martial arts movie ever made considering the period it was made, concept, martial arts, lesson of introspection, and theme.


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