Friday, May 1, 2015

Hong Kong Cinema

Hong Kong cinema, what makes you so magical?  You fill me with joy!!!

All right, my international cinema friends, make sure you answer all the questions below for each movie, and really put thought and heart into your answers if you want full points.  I'm excited to see what you share!  Also, remember, you need to respond to three of your fellow classmates posts before the end of the term.  AND, it is a really good idea to write your response in a different location first - like in an e-mail or a google doc, make sure you've saved it, and then cut and paste it here.  Sometimes it doesn't send, and you may lose everything you wrote (which would be tragic!) unless you have your response backed up somewhere else.


Okay, question time!

I hope you've enjoyed this week we've spent enjoying Hong Kong and what it has to offer to the world of cinema!

I adore films from this part of the world.  They are so unique, so confident in what they are, and so enjoyable!  They made their movies for their people, and gave them all the emotion, humor, and action they could for the price of a ticket!  Because of that, we get some pretty cool, crazy, awesome stuff!



First we watched the comedic, wild, fun and frenetic Kung Fu Hustle (2004).  The movie is very funny, is full of "what the" moments, and has a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, a film critic website.  That means 9 out of 10 critics loved this movie.  So, the questions are:

  • Did you like this movie?  Why or why not?
  • Why do you think it got such good critical reviews, it was just a silly comedy, right (or is it more than that)?

Next, we watched some SWEET Jackie Chan action in one of his most legendary and favorite films among Kung Fu cinema fanatics,  Police Story (1985).  Different from King Fu Hustle, Chan did all his stunts cgi and wire-free, how did you:

  • Enjoy this film in comparison to Kung Fu Hustle?  More, less, the same?  Why? 
  • Did you like the wire-fu fighting or Jackie's no-wire fighting better?  Why?

Then we watched Ocean Heaven!!!  Wow.

  • how was it watching a non-kunfu Hong Kong film?
  • How was it watching Jet Li in a drama, not kicking butt?
  • Did you like this movie, why or why not?

And, finally, we watched Iron Monkey!!!

  • Do you see why Quentin Tarantino is so passionate about this film?  Do you agree with his passion for it?
  • Of the four films we watched for our week in Hong Kong, which one did you like best?

39 comments:

  1. Kung Fu Hustle:

    I am not entirely sure if I like this move or not. It was fun to watch, but it felt like it had a very odd pace and strange characters/character development. The way the three kung-fu masters fought off the bad guys, and then basically disappeared after their second fight was distracting. They seemed pretty useless; but they were fun to watch fight. Perhaps that was the point of the movie?

    I think it got good critical reviews because it’s kind of a fresh take on kung fu movies (at least from what I’ve seen); and it had a very unique feel to it. I can legitimately say that I have never seen a movie like it before, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I never see one like it again. I think it was more than just a silly comedy, but I can’t put a finger on what exactly put it above that genre. It definitely had some dark parts; and there were character arcs of sorts and I think that those things helped it a lot.

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    1. William McAllisterMay 7, 2015 at 8:02 PM

      Great response, good sir! Yes, it is a bit different, isn't it? And, that can take some getting used to. I wonder if some of the differences in pacing, and the interesting use of the three kung fu masters had anything to do with Chinese culture?... Honestly, I don't know. But, I truly appreciate your thoughtful response!!!

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  2. KUNG FU HUSTLE: I like this movie its fun and intreating to watch. I thought the blend of kung fu and cartoon was awesome. I think it got good reviews because of the cartoon weirdness, and the fact that if you look in to it the story was a lot more in depth then meets the eye.

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  3. Kung Fu Hustle.

    I really enjoyed this film. It was silly and refreshing. It was very different from the regular super serious kung fu movies I'd become used to.
    I think that Kung Fu Hustle got great critical reviews because it was more than just a surface-heavy comedy. The story was very deep. It was a powerful film about rebirth and becoming a hero. I think that's why I loved it. Because you could really read into it and see the meaning behind the comedy. Also, who wouldn't like this movie? It was freaking awesome. 9.5/10.

    Police Story.

    I really love Police Story. I actually liked it a lot more than Kung Fu Hustle because it was more believable and real. While the cartoon-y violence of Kung Fu Hustle was refreshing, it doesn't compare to the Keaton-esque action/comedy combination of Jackie Chan. Every joke had me laughing. Every dark moment made me sad. This is a film that truly connected with the audience in a way that Hustle's CGI never could. 10/10 -Carlos Perdomo, New York Times.

    Ocean Heaven.

    First of all, Will McAllister. Crying in your room is never something I enjoy. It's a weird feeling that I don't exactly look forward to. That being said, Ocean Heaven made me cry a lot. But, who wouldn't? All the sentimentality was so heavy handed that only a heartless monster would feel absolutely nothing. The mom kills herself, the son is severely autistic, no one will take him in, and the father is struggling to survive cancer and taking care of his son on his own. He even tries to kill himself and take his son (who's name escapes me at the moment) with him!
    I did really enjoy watching a movie that didn't rely on the kung-fu action to get through the story. And Jet Li's performance in it was really powerful. He did an amazing job. But again, I have mixed feeling about this film, I really enjoyed it and it made me cry, but it had the heavy handed sentimentalism of Titanic that I despise so much. So, overall? 7/10. It would be a 10 if I didn't feel like I was being spoon fed a soup that is equal parts sadness and guilt.

    ...I was not here for Iron Monkey.

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    1. William McAllisterMay 7, 2015 at 8:09 PM

      Carlos! This response had me rolling with laughter. Especially that last sentence of Ocean Heaven's response. You're a good writer, sir.

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  4. Police Story: I really like this one i mean its Jackie Chan it hast to be good at least in my mind. I did like this movie better then kung fu hustle i like the character development better and just the plot better. But i do like kung fu hustle for the magic that it had. I do like wire fu a lot for the mysticalness it puts up on the screen but jackie Chan doing stuff himself is awesome as well.

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    1. William McAllisterMay 7, 2015 at 8:10 PM

      Totally agreed. Oh, Jackie Chan. You have blessed this earth with your awesomeness!

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  5. Police Story:

    I loved this movie. It was my favorite movie out of all of the Hong Kong movies we watched, and one of the coolest action movies I have ever seen. Jackie Chan was fantastic in it and I want to see more of him now. I really enjoyed how it would go from goofy to gritty in just a few moments, and the fights scenes were brutally beautiful.

    I thought that the Jackie Chan fights were much more impressive than the wire-fu, because you knew that what he was doing was actually happening. The scene where they drove through the slums and the final fight scene stand out the most. I thought I was in for a silly, ridiculous movie filled with plot holes and poor scripts. I was very wrong.



    Ocean Heaven:

    I didn’t ever think Jet Li would turn my face into a blubbering fountain, but life is full of surprises. I liked this movie a lot; it was sweet, touching, and sad. I don’t think that I would watch it again though, it would feel very empty. I thought it was cool to see the non-kung-fu side of Hong Kong, and seeing Jet Li in a drama was kind of neat.



    Iron Monkey:

    This movie was super-duper fun; and I totally get why Quentin Tarantino is so passionate about it. It truly was the Robin Hood of Hong Kong. It kind of gave me that childish I used to get from watching Batman and seeing the bad guys get beat up. Seeing everybody fight alongside each other at the end was really cool and the fire fight scene was one of the coolest scenes of anything ever. I expected the wire-fu fighting style to distract me from the film, but it was actually kind of beautiful to watch. I thought it was was a close second to Police Story.

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    1. William McAllisterMay 7, 2015 at 8:15 PM

      Nicely said, Sam. Well written, all of this. Kung Fu cinema is so cool, and always full of surprises. I'm glad you liked what we watched.

      Seriously, that final fight on the poles, over the flames... so good.

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  6. Kung Fu Hustle
    I like this film a lot, and i remember feeling the same the first time i watched it a few years ago. I know a lot of people like films that are more realistic with their fighting and editing but thats one of the reasons i like this movie more than others. It's not realistic, and very out there. I like how different it is.
    I think it got such good reviews because apart from just being a comedy it actually has a good moral base, shows some cultural humor, and has a good story line. It not only had a lot of different genres but also different themes. It's also obvious how much it satirizes different kinds of films, like martial arts films, westerns, and superhero movies as a few examples.

    Police Story
    I didn't enjoy this film nearly as much as Kung Fu Hustle. It's a good movie, and I can see why so many people love it but in a way i don't like how realistic it is. I find that usually films that are more realistic in the context and only exaggerate elements aren't nearly as interesting to me as ones that are really out there, or depress the context to get into the grimy details of life.
    Again, I like things that are more out there so i like the wire-fu in Kung Fu Hustle more because it's unfamiliar. But I have a lot of respect for Jackie's live action Kung-fu seeing as i grew up around and learning Martial Arts.

    Oceans Heaven
    I thought this movie was lovely. I had never seen any movie from Hong Kong that didn't have some kind of fighting in it. It was really interesting to have a small taste of their take on dramas. I also just found this film very aesthetically pleasing. All of the blue tones, and aquarium shots really appealed to my taste.
    I thought Jet Li did amazing in this film. I have only seen a few of his other movies but seeing him in a drama was a nice change. You got to see him as a completely different character and it reminded me that he's not just in movies because he's good at Martial Arts, but he's also a really talented actor.
    I really enjoyed this movie, I found that I could make a few parallels from the story line to my own life. So in a way I could relate to the situation which made it all the more powerful.

    Iron Monkey
    I can definitely see the value in it any why Tarantino is so passionate about it. I enjoyed it a lot, but I can't say i have the same passion for it he does. I've seen this movie a few times now and every time I can say I enjoyed it, but also that i wouldn't have chosen it over something else.
    I liked Oceans Heaven the most, partly because it was one i hadn't seen. I really enjoyed the story line and how it was put together. Also, the cinematography was beautiful.

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    1. William McAllisterMay 7, 2015 at 8:20 PM

      Nicely said. It was the first time I'd seen Ocean, actually, too. My sister recommended it for the class, and I trust her. And, I'm so glad I did. I love it for all the reasons you do, and have many personal connections to it, too! Go Hong Kong dramas!!!

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    2. I think it is rather odd that you like Kung-Fu Hustle more than Police Story. I really like Jackie Chan, and I feel like Police Story was one of his best movies. However, the attraction to the bizarre is really cool. I personally like more realistic and plausible movies, but if you're into really bizarre things I can see how you would like Kung-Fu Hustle more. It was a really good movie, I just wasn't quite full sold on it.

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  7. Ocean Heaven: This movie was great it was cool seeing a non kung fu hong kong film, they made a pure drama really well. I've only seen one other movie with Jet li so it wasn't that weird for me seeing him in a normal movie not kicking butt. one of my favorite things in this movie was cinematography it wasn't anything fancy but the framing was beautiful at least i thought so but the overall movie was good it was a really sad movie but it was so hopeful as well it was interesting.

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    1. William McAllisterMay 7, 2015 at 8:22 PM

      I love how much you love Hong Kong cinema, and how much you get into international movies. You are so cool, Isaac Van Duren!!!

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  8. I was absent the day we watched Kung Fu Hustle but I'm sure it was a good movie. I thought Jackie Chan's no wire fighting was super cool. Watching him do all those stunts and knowing he did them himself made me more interested in the movie. I really liked the movie Ocean Heaven. I didn't think it would be as good as it was because it wasn't a Hong Kong kung fu movie but I actually liked it more than the other movies we watched. To be honest I didn't know who Jet Li was till I saw this movie but I like him and if he can perform in both kung fu movies and dramas he must be a really good actor and a hard worker. I really really liked this movie, in fact I liked it more than american dramas. I liked that it was something different and I loved the storyline and just everything about it pretty much. I wouldn't mind watching it again or checking out other Hong Kong dramas. Iron Monkey was a really good movie and I can see why Quentin Tarantino is so passionate about it. I liked this movie a lot but I'll probably never get as passionate about it as Quentin does. My favorite out of the Hong Kong films we watched this week was Ocean Heaven, but Police Story is a close tie.

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    1. William McAllisterMay 7, 2015 at 8:25 PM

      Nice! You should check out Jet Li in some of his Kung Fu stuff! Thai Chi Master is my favorite of his. The dude's so talented!

      Great response, Zari! Thanks for putting thought into your reasonings :)

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  9. Iron Monkey: Awesome this movie awesome i do agree with Tarantino passion i like seeing hong kong movies like this baste in old china with a big bad guy that the hero has to defeat and save whatever is at stake and at of all of the films we watch i do like this one the best its just a hong kong classic.

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    1. William McAllisterMay 7, 2015 at 8:26 PM

      Totally a Hong Kong classic! So good, and I knew you'd love it. Thai Chi is still your number 1, though, right?

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  10. Kung-Fu Hustle
    Did you like this movie? Why or why not?
    Honestly, I’m not quite sure I know if I like this movie. It was a very entertaining show that contained a lot of comedy and a good deal character development as well. However, I don’t really like the cartoony feel. Personally, I like my kung-fu movies to be a bit more real. I was somewhat surprised by the amount of serious moments that were there with all the comedy. The script slowly revealed things about all of the characters as people and most everything had a clear motivation. I feel the movie was really well done, but it isn’t the style of movie I personally like.
    Why do you think it got such good critical reviews, it was just a silly comedy, right (or is it more than that)?
    The characters all slowly are made more human. The entire script has a lot of motivation and it builds very nicely to a clear climax and resolution. While it was a very zany comedy, and honestly not something I’m sure I liked, Kung-Fu Hustle had a lot of the elements of a well developed movie with serious characters.

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  11. Police Story
    Enjoy this film in comparison to Kung Fu Hustle? More, less, the same? Why?
    I liked this movie a lot more than I liked Kung-Fu Hustle. The plot was more serious, the comedy was more subtle, and all of the stunts flowed with the movie. I enjoyed watching the way they showed really cool stunts over and over again. It was a really interesting accent to the movie that I feel Hong Kong does really good. I really liked the plot evolution as well and how the characters interact with each other. For me it was the perfect blend of comedy, action, and character development.
    Did you like the wire-fu fighting or Jackie's no-wire fighting better? Why?
    For me, that depends on the movie. I feel like wire-fu can create very beautiful scenes. It looks really nice and it makes for a nice way to set a tone. I prefer kung-fu without wires for fight scenes, though. Wire-fu I feel should be used as an aesthetic art and not a way to fight. No-wire fighting looks better and more natural in fight scenes to me.

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  12. Ocean Heaven
    how was it watching a non-kunfu Hong Kong film?
    I really enjoyed it. I have watched a few Hong Kong television dramas, and I really enjoyed being able to have a similar experience without having to commit to a series. The story was extremely touching and I found myself crying a few times throughout the movie. It felt a lot more personal than a lot of Hong Kong movies are.
    How was it watching Jet Li in a drama, not kicking butt?
    I honestly haven’t watched Jet Li in too many movies at all. I don’t really have much to compare the viewing experience on, but I feel that he was a brilliant actor. He was able to portray a character with a tragic story, but he didn’t overly it or beg for sympathy with how he did it. I really liked how he contributed to the tone of the film as a whole.
    Did you like this movie, why or why not?
    I really liked this movie. This kind of drama feels more like a western-European plot. It commands attention very subtly and maintains a fairly sad tone all the way through. Unlike a lot of Hong Kong movies I have seen, it didn’t break for comedy or prolonged fight scenes. Personally I like the more direct stories. I am not a huge fan of movies that mix too many genres or feel like they are packing too much in. While I understand the reasons and can appreciate them, I would choose to watch a drama like Ocean Heaven before something like Kung-Fu Hustle any day.

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  13. Iron Monkey
    Do you see why Quentin Tarantino is so passionate about this film? Do you agree with his passion for it?
    I see why he was so passionate about this movie. I think the wire-fu in it was really good. While I generally don’t like watching wire-fu in fight scenes a lot, I felt this movie was able to pull it off. The fight scenes were just crazy enough to work. I can see how Tarantino was inspired by this movie, and I can definitely see the Hong Kong inspiration in his films. I feel like this is a movie that is really easy to be excited about. I think the passion is completely justified and it is a really good movie. I can see myself watching this movie at least once more, I really enjoyed it.
    Of the four films we watched for our week in Hong Kong, which one did you like best?
    Ocean Heaven was easily my favorite of the four movies.

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    1. William McAllisterMay 7, 2015 at 8:31 PM

      Your responses rocked my socks! Very well written, all of them. I enjoy your insights quite a bit. Especially the idea of the characters being slowly made more human as the story progresses in Kung Fu hustle. I had never thought of that before, and I love that idea.

      Nice work, everything here. Good job!

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  14. Personally, I loved Kung Fu Hustle. It was an amazing movie that made me laugh several times, and I greatly enjoyed it. I can see why it got such awesome reviews. I believe that a lot of American critics loved it, because it was so funny and authentic.

    As for police story, I really liked it. But it didn’t click to me as much as Kung Fu Hustle. Like, the story was really confusing to me. And the characters weren’t very relatable or deep. but I did like the action and comedy. That was wonderful. It was kind of refreshing, considering wire-fu can get a little old. But I like them both just as much.

    I very much enjoyed Ocean Heaven, and can say it was probably my favorite film this week. It was so real, and showed how a good father will stay by his son, no matter what. As well as doing anything to make sure he’s okay. He taught him so much, and its so realistic. I felt so absorbed in this films story. I loved seeing more of Hong Kong culture than just Kung Fu. It was very refreshing.

    As for Iron monkey, It was very fun and lovely to watch. But I didn’t like it as much as the rest of the films, Maybe because we already watched so many kung fu films. It seemed like an old concept at that point. But I did really enjoy the Robin Hood like hero. So I can’t say I agree with Tarantino.

    As I said earlier, I liked Ocean Heaven the best. It was so amazing. And so original, compared to the rest of the movies this week.

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    1. William McAllisterMay 7, 2015 at 8:34 PM

      Yay! Ocean Heaven!!! I'm glad you enjoyed it, my friend.

      Great response. Thank you for taking the time to really explain your answers. Very good, sir! Very good!

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  15. Kung Fu Hustle:
    Yes, I liked this movie. It was very funny, and I really liked the effects that were used in the movie, it made it very goofy and unrealistic, but i found that enjoyable.

    It was a very silly comedy, and it probably got a lot of good reviews for that. Im sure it has a message behind it though, I doubt they made it just for laughs.

    Police Story:
    I didn't enjoy this film as much, it just seemed too serious for me. Im not really a huge action fan, but this movie was still really good and I still enjoyed it.

    I liked the wire-fu fighting a lot better. it was just more entertaining in my opinion.

    Ocean Heaven:
    Watching this non-kung fu movie was amazing! I really enjoyed every minute of it.

    Watching Jet Li in Ocean Heaven was really cool. It was a little strange to see him not doing any fighting or anything, but it really shows you what a great actor he is.

    I absolutely loved this movie. I can honestly say that it was my favorite movie out of all of them. It was so sad! The feels!

    Iron Monkey:
    To be honest, I wasn’t fond of this movie. I didn't really understand why he would be so proud of it. I mean, it was cool and everything, but i just didn't really enjoy it. I didn't understand the plot.

    Ocean Heaven!!!! It was such a good movie, I would love to watch it again. All of the movies were pretty good though, this was a hard choice.

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    1. William McAllisterMay 7, 2015 at 8:38 PM

      The feels!!! Oh yes, indeed, so many feels!

      I'm really glad you like that film the most. It is so good. Thanks for your responses! Well done, Hailee. Well done, indeed.

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  16. i didn't watch kung fu hustle but i thoroughly enjoyed police choice and i would probably enjoy it more than kung fu hustle because i like the real stuff better than the un real stuff.

    ocean heaven was incredible honestly i think the fact that we were watching kung fu movies all week until we saw this just made it a little bit better than it already is and i think jet li played this role very well, would deffinitely watch it again just because of how real it was.

    unfortunately i fell asleep during iron monkey i would have probably liked it though

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    1. William McAllisterMay 7, 2015 at 8:41 PM

      Thanks Ben!

      I'm sorry your previous answer got eaten by the cyber monsters of the net, but I'm glad this one made it through. Oceans Heaven is a really surprising film, isn't it? And Police Story? So good! I'm glad you dug it.

      Sometime, my friend, watch Iron Monkey. I'm certain you'd love it!

      Ben, I think you are so great. You've got such a great vibe about ya. Thanks for being in my class, spreading your Ben cheer. :)

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  17. -- Kung Fu Hustle --

    I really enjoyed watching this movie. It was really entertaining and there never was a dull moment. I believe that every choice made in this film was made for a legitimate reason. I think it easy for American audiences to quickly judge this film based simply on the silliness that it contains. I think that it is definitely an acquired taste, and it won't be very enjoyable to certain people. I think that this is such a critical success because of the amazing stunt work and how much love and hard work that director put into this piece. I think that most critic agree that this film is a fun, non-stop, zany slice of kung fu cinema, and I completely agree.

    --Police Story--

    This movie was an awesome action flick. It's plot was a little lacking, but the amazing stunts and set pieces definitely made up for this film's shortcomings. Jackie Chan is an amazing director/stunt man. Just the amount of dedication he has for pulling off an incredible stunt in order to create a very entertaining film is outstanding. All the actors did a very good job at playing their characters, and the final act was a high-octane suspense fest that was a joy to experience.

    I definitely love both types of fighting. it all depends on what kind of feel the filmmakers are going for. If the atmosphere is more mystical or fantastical, wire-fu is definitely the way that you want to go. But, for a film like Police Story where the story takes place in present day (1985 at the time), it really enhances the film by using actual martial arts that can be achieved in real life.

    --Ocean Heaven--

    It was an awesome change of pace to see a very calm story that slowly unfolded and had a very satisfying ending.

    It was definitely an adjustment from what I am used to seeing Jet Li, but he did a very good job at convincingly performing the part of a father close to death who's only real desire is his son how to survive without him.

    This movie was very good. It had a nice, steady pace that wasn't too fast, or too slow. Everything was revealed in a comfortable pace and it really paid off. The story itself was very well written and the execution was phenomenal. It was a really good character drama, and I was satisfied immensely.

    --Iron Monkey--

    I think that Quentin is so in love with this film because it is sort of a collection of his inspirations. I definitely see a lot of resemblance between Iron Monkey and a majority of Quentin's work.

    My favorite out of these four would probably be Ocean Heaven, simply because of the amount of emotions that it was able to make me feel. I was on the verge of tears simply because of how good the characters were developed and how much it hurt me to see them go through pain.

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    1. That was really gooooooooood

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    2. William McAllisterMay 7, 2015 at 8:47 PM

      Well said, Mr. Stoddard! I especially think "this film is a fun, non-stop, zany slice of kung fu cinema" was enjoyably well said.

      I love your love for movies, very much. Carry on loving them, good sir, carry on.

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  18. Kung Fu Hustle:
    I really enjoyed this movie because of the cartoon elements and humor. I believe that it also had a great story about a gang that has authority over a region of hong kong. And a few master band together to defeat the leader of that gang. my favorite part was when the wife (who is also one of the masters) chases that one guy that wanted to be part of that gang but wasn't. I think it got goo critical reviews because of how high quality that movie is.

    Police Story:
    I liked this movie more than Kung Fu Hustle because it was a lot more real and had a better reason for things happening while still being comedic. I liked Jackie Chan's style because It makes him seem more like a normal human being rather than a superhuman thing that can fly through the air.

    Ocean Heaven:
    I feel like people in hong kong can do so much more than just kung fu movies and comedies. They did this drama perfectly and i want to watch it again. I have never seen any movie with Jet-Li in it but from what i heard he's pretty good. but i thought his performance was outstandingly good. Yes i would very much so like to watch this movie again.

    Iron Monkey:
    I thought this resembled Quentin Tarentino's work very much and that is why I think he likes it so much it is also a very good movie. I am not as passionate as he is about it but again i can see why he loves it so much.

    My favorite movie that we watched this week was Ocean Heaven because I love how it shows that honk kong can deviate from normal films and i like how they acted in this drama.

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    1. William McAllisterMay 7, 2015 at 8:54 PM

      Well said, Mr. Stephens, well said.

      I think it's great that you liked Ocean Heaven the most. A really great movie, isn't it.

      Thanks for your responses, Dakota. Kung Fu forever!

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  19. Hong Kong Cinema
    Richard Cady

    —Kung Fu Hustle—
    I did like this movie. I absolutely loved the zany humor, of all that was my favorite thing i liked about the move. It definitely could have just been all action and brutality but no, it had comedy to it which made it interesting

    I think this movie got such high reviews because its absolutely not just a silly comedy. Yes there was humor but while watching this movie, personally there wasn't a single moment where i wasn't entertained. That's why i believe that this movie got such high reviews

    —Police Story—
    I enjoyed this move much more than i enjoyed Kung Fu Hustle. Simply because it wasn't “wire fu’, also i feel that the character development was better in this movie. I just personally feel that it was all around better.

    Like said i enjoyed the non wire fu much better because it is better for the actors and more challenging for them and i think thats what its all about. If someone can do the fighting without a wire.

    —Ocean Heaven—
    I must admit it was odd not seeing people getting dome wrecked. It was a pretty much new experience but it wasn't a bad one.

    Seeing Jet Li not hitting and kicking people was odd. Though it shows that he isn't just someone who can beat people up, it shows his acting skills

    Honestly for me this movie was hard to get into. The beginning of the movie was very confusing for me especially the way they showed them committing suicide then they were home again. Yes they explained it but it was confusing for about half of the movie.

    —Iron Monkey—
    I absolutely see why Quentin Tarantino holds this movie in such high praise. Yes i do agree with the way he feels about this movie

    Of all four films we watched from Hong Kong Cinema Police Story was my favorite it was action and the stunts were amazing and so was the Fight Choreography

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    1. Nice! I'm glad you watched and enjoyed these movies, good sir!!!

      Man, Jackie Chan in a wrestling ring... what do you think? Would he whale his opponents?

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  20. i liked it because the kung fu was really neat. The characters became more relatable as the movie went on so it was fun to watch.
    Even though it was silly, it still addressed the real problem of gangs and so that’s why i think it did so well.

    I liked this movie more, mostly because i like Jackie Chan and so that made me like it slightly more.
    i like no wire fighting better, just because it’s more real and i like that. Sometimes the wire fu is really cool but only in certain times. like when the whole movie has a more “magical” effect i like wire fu other than that i like no wire better.

    I liked it. i do like kung fu but i liked seeing a non kung fu movie a lot.
    Well i haven’t really seen him in any other movies so it’s not that big of a thing for me.
    i did. it was really an emotional roller coaster but i loved it a lot.

    I can see why he is so passionate about it. it’s a really amazing movie i’ve seen it before and still its so great.
    I honestly think i liked ocean heaven the best.

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  21. Kung Fu Hustle:
    Kung Fu Hustle was the first movie from Hong Kong that i’ve ever seen. As an introduction to Hong Kong cinema, I think this film was hilarious. The random comedy and cartoon-likeness of the film made it really enjoyable. Plus the addition of kung fu just really brought the whole movie together.

    Police Story:
    this movie was straight up awesome. Jackie Chan is straight up awesome. In comparison to Kung Fu Hustle, I prefer this one. I know that Kung Fu Hustle is more of a comedy and not as serious but Police Story made a lot more sense. The storyline was easy to follow and it wasn't overwhelming. Also, I liked the no-wire fighting better. It makes the kung fu seem much more believable.

    Ocean Heaven:
    wow this movie was amazing. It was a real tear jerker. Watching a non-kung fu movie was really different. Though i did enjoying seeing the more emotional side of Hong Kong, I prefer kung fu. Seeing Jet Li in a drama movie wasn't that different. I don’t remember watching a Jet Li action movie, so it didn't really effect me at all.

    Iron Monkey:
    Seeing the Chinese version of Robin Hood was kinda cool. The story was easily connectable with Robin Hood and I just really enjoyed it.


    Of the four films we watched, I think my favorite would have to be Police Story. I can’t not watch a movie without a plot so, understanding the plot and have it be interesting was a winner for me.

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  22. -Kung Fu Hustle-
    My personal opinion is this movie sucked. i wasnt such a big fan of everything. you can tell everything was fake. i mean dont get me wrong it was good humor wise but not for an actual fighting movie intel the two guys playing the strings and it throwing the knifes or small daggers. that scene was amazingly funny i and the scene was actually pretty fun to watch also. and the old lady checking on em telling em to be quiet than she took care of the problem. just sayin', the movie was horriable besides that one scene.

    -Police Story-
    i think it was good i liked how they started it out by looking like it was like some super undercover stuff, and that they were like spec ops or somethin'. then you found out their cops! haha it was truly amazing to watch and my absolute favorite part was the court room haha i love how she made it sound weird and we were just laughing cuz we thought she was being stupid. but, when we herd it in the court room it sounded different than we thought!! and him trying to cover it up was funny cuz he just made it worse. but i would totally give this show a five star! amazing job Jackie Chan!

    -Ocean Heaven-
    This show really was truly amazing and emotional for me.
    my brother has Lucrodistrophy and Severalpultsy (spelt wrong) but he had so many diagnosis that you might as well mark what he doesnt have when you go to the doctors like, you cant even take him out of the house and he has his own nurce that comes out to the house every day. like they told my mo he wouldnt live past three and god bless his soul hes eighteen years old turning nineteen in december. and my little biological brothey died at age six the day after mothers day from bleeding internally and when i left the house when the court took me away from the family my brother had so much issues not seeing me around and he was soo depressed he was miserable. but this movie just got to me i couldnt stop crying man and the ending hit me the worse it was painful i know how he felt. it felt as if someone stabbed you in the chest and threw you on the side of the road and no one could find you.. my little brother died in 2006 and im still not ready to go visit his resting site. just thinking about this converstation is making me shake and my chest hurts and im feeling depressed and when ever my parents or anyone talk about my brother i get mad and irratated that he left us so soon its too much for me to handle.. but the way it ended i broke down crying in class i had to be the first one out the door so no one would see me. Amazing movie a complete five starts!

    -Iron Monkey-
    Amazing movie i love how it reminded me like the childhood show we all know and loved " RobinHood" and i also loved how it showed the guy doing everything he could do to get him son out of the prison before he was spared. and he wouldnt eat knowing that his son wasnt eating or anything. i just absolutley loved it. couldnt say anything bad about it the story line and everything was amazing.

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