#fei-hung lee

[chinesefirethorn]

Watched Drunken Master with the Glugs this morning. These are chaos doodles brought about by a discussion on what if Lee and Gaara adopted a third child but he’s as chaotic as Fei-Hung (Jackie Chan) in the movie?

Introducing Fei-Hung Lee, the menace of Suna! (In the first page, the kanji on Gaara's forehead means "worry", "concern", and "anxious".)

@bananahwormz @reject-tiefling

[fantasy-svt]

Wrong Room

Previous | Magic or Not Masterlist

Synopsis: Chan wanted to travel like before, get a break, and he happens to meet the love of his life in a small town.

Pairing: Lee Chan x fem!reader

Word Count: 3.2k words

Chan was lonely. Not in a literal sense, but rather a figuratively sense.

His friends had all moved on in their lives, finding their partners and moving on to the next stage of their lives. Hoshi and Fei were soon having their first child, Seokmin and Delia were marrying next week, and Joshua and Aria were getting married during spring time to come. Seungkwan was often not even home, traveling the sea with Ember while Minghao and Kaida had gone off for travels of their own. The rest was still near, but most of the time they were together with their partners or too busy with work.

The times that they hung out in the tavern had gone by, Chan had often found himself there alone on a Friday night as he wallowed in self-pity. He could barely remember the last time they actually hung out together, much less a time where it was just them without their lovers joining in.

It annoyed him slightly, not that he wished for his brothers' unhappiness. Rather, he just wished for his family back in the way they were before. Because now, even when he was surrounded by his friends, he felt alone in every sense. Conversation didn't often include him anymore, most of them about marriage or growing the family,and even when they tried to include him, it was no use.

And thus came his grand idea. He'd just travel for a bit, get to know new people and just relax without stressing about his problems.

So he set off to a neighboring country, packing just essentials and bidding his friends goodbye for the two weeks to come.

"Didn't know fairies boys were so pretty." The man that was following him did not even try to hide his intentions, gaining speed to catch up with Chan. The long strides that Chan took did not help, the man was taller and his steps were in turn much bigger. The man's hand on his shoulder made Chan shiver, trying to pull away from the grip before gasping as he was shoved against a wall. The impact hurt him, especially his wings as he felt a pang of pain throughout his whole back. He would fly if he could, but having just arrived in the two after flying for 6 hours did not grant him that. But even if he could fly away, the heavy rain also didn't grant him that as his wings got soaked. Soaked fairy wings resulted in no use for them, which was promptly one of the reasons that he stopped in this town.

"You could get me a nice price, maybe a thousand." The man took ahold of Chan's face, inspecting it with great care before flinching as Chan tried to bite his hand. A loud thunder was heard, followed by a bright flash that revealed a shadow. Seconds later, the man before Chan was down on the ground with a woman on top of him.

A woman with wings...

Although Chan was scared, the woman made him feel safe for some reason as she got back up.

"You shouldn't walk around with your wings exposed like that." Her voice made the hairs on his arms stand up, shivers shooting up his spine while he tried to ignore the warm feeling of your jacket over his shoulders.

"But yours are..." He pointed at your wings, surprised by the sheer sight of them alone. The were as tall as you and the wingspan had to be at least double that length, brown and black feathers that turned lighter closer to the middle. He also didn't miss the few feathers in your hair, standing up and moving slightly as you raised your eyebrow at him.

"I can actually fight, besides mine aren't worth anything. Just normal wings like any owl." Your voice was slightly raised to be louder than the pouring rain, but Chan could still barely hear you. You exhaled softly before grabbing his hand, dragging him through the streets before stopping in front of a hotel tavern. Entering made Chan sigh in relief, the warmth hitting him and making him forget about the fact that he was drenched from head-to-toe.

"2 chocolates ales please!" You called out to the barkeeper, who smiled and gave you an okay sign before continuing their work. You sat at a small table in the corner, the seats just some pillows and blankets that Chan just wanted to bury himself in. He watched as you pulled and moved the pillows and blankets, settling in between them with a smile before looking up at Chan.

"Go wild, don't worry." You gave him a bright smile and Chan sat down before taking one of the blankets and wrapping it around himself before grabbing some pillows to put around him. Once happy with the lay-out, Chan looked back up to you. You had shifted again, now wearing large round glasses. They looked quite ironic with you being an owl, but he wasn't sure whether that was on purpose or not. The drinks were put on the table and Chan smiled at the woman before flinching when he noticed the fork tongue of the waiter along with bright yellow snake eyes.

"He doesn't bite." You chuckled at Chan's reaction and the waiter hisses in a teasing tone, but Chan couldn't help but smile brightly.

"This is a magical tavern?" "Duh, you'd think I'd bring you to a normal one?" You gave a soft scoff before pulling out some money and tossing it to the waiter with a smile, who returned it with a grin that showed of his fangs. With a smile, Chan let go of the blanket before stretching his wings slightly while ignoring the painful stretch. He was confused when he watched your eyes widen, his wings weren't that special looking compared to other fairies (more specifically water fairies, who's wings were usually unique to themselves).

"Your wing is torn." You jumped up as you rushed to his side, your hands gently touching his wing and inspecting the tear. It was at the top of his right wing, about a finger deep into his wing. Chan hissed when your hand touched the tear, head snapping around to stare at his wing in shock.

"Don't move." You patted his shoulder before walking to the bar, talking to the bartender before going behind the bar. Chan didn't pay much more attention to you, rather he stared at his wing. Wing tears were a bit difficult to treat, often they remained as a scar and could lead to hardship with flying as well as phantom pains. He hadn't even noticed when he got hurt, but he was sure that it was around the time that he met you.

"Ah, that's cold!" He yelped loudly when he suddenly felt your hands on his wing again, well aware of the bandages that you were now applying to the tear. His wings started to feel heavy, so he gently started to lower it, not that you seemed to mind as you continued your work. Only when the wing was completely wrapped did you back off, staring at your work before looking at Chan.

"Did you not feel that?" You asked and Chan shook his head, trying to get out of his trance as he took a sip from his drink. His eyes widened at the sweetness of the drink, a smile following as he took another sip while he seemingly started to glow.

"You're certainly a fairy." You chuckled as you took your place opposite of him again, taking a sip of your own drink as well. Neither of you said much more and Chan decided to sleep after finishing his drink. It had been a busy day, but he was glad that he met you in all the chaos.

"Okay, get over here!" Kaiser was excited and it was honestly making Chan smile brightly, even when he was just crying his eyes out. Your wings was still protectively around him, but it was less than before when you noticed that Chan had calmed down a bit. It had only been two weeks or so that he had arrived in the town, but he was easy to befriend. This, of course, meant that all your friends quickly latched onto him as well. Kaiser being one, the snake man didn't usually befriend others so Chan did indeed create some miracle, and he had basically adopted Chan as his little brother.

Chan stepped out of your range and into Kaiser's spread arms, accepting the hug with a grin before stepping away again, continuing down the road with a happier spring in his step.

"He changes emotions quick." Kaiser spoke and you harshly nudged him in the ribs, making the snake double over and give you a glare.

"He misses his family, you can't blame him for that. You were a mess when your family took a month vacation away from here." "They left without telling me!" Kaiser screamed back and you chuckled at him before nodding, patting his back before raising yourself up in the sky with a wink thrown his way. With a flap of your wings, you raced towards Chan before lifting him up in the air with ease. He yelped, but ignored it when he noticed that it was you. You flew up, making sure that you held onto Chan tightly as he still could not fly. Within a few minutes, you were at the fields and Chan's smile could not be brighter at this point. As you set him down, he was quick to place himself between the flowers as he let nature surrounded him. The flowers around him seemed to move closer to him, almost like they were hugging him. If your didn't know any better, you would assume that Chan was the sun that the flowers sought for.

"Are you not going to lay down?" Chan lifted his head, looking at you with a frown and you chuckled before walking closer to him. You crouched down before placing your hands next to his head and leaning your body above him.

"I can't see the sun..." He sputtered, probably out of embarrassment as you watched the tips of his ears go red. You did give up though.

"Really? I can see it right in front of me though." You gave him a smile before laughing softly as you watched him go completely red. You moved away, opting to lay beside him instead as you placed your head on his arm and folded your wings to lay next to you. Chan looked at you as you closed your eyes, staring at you in pure awe. Your eyes were closed, your face relaxed as you basked in the sunlight while your wings softly twitched with every slight movement from the grass below you. He couldn't really stop staring, unaware of the reason for this as he turned on his side. He fell asleep seconds later, unaware that you were now staring at him.

"You just left-" You were quick to shush Kaiser, pointing at the snoring fairy beside you. He paused before laying down beside you as well, smiling softly at Chan.

"He looks peaceful for once, huh?" "Oh, shut it and go to sleep."

It had been a month into Chan's vacation, but not a single letter was sent and Jeonghan couldn't help but be worried. Now, he knew that Chan could take care of himself and all, but he was still worried nonetheless. He wasn't alone, the whole group shared the same thoughts. They had never gone so long without even seeing him, it was unusual to not hear anything from the fairy.

"He's fine, hyung. He's probably just enjoying his vacation!" Seokmin commented with a reassuring smile, but he looked unsure of his own comment. Soonyoung was quick to agree with Seokmin, but he too looked unsure. The doors slammed open right then, revealing Amber with an angry person following.

"She was searching for you guys." Ember stated before removing herself from the awkward atmosphere, walking out and shutting the door again after sending a kiss to Seungkwan. The men all stared at the winged woman before Seokmin asked who she was.

"Chan's friend." With crossed arms, she glared at them and all 12 of them could all feel shivers run down their spines. She had an aura that basically made all of them want to sink through the floor, but they were curious as well since she mentioned Chan. The first one to move again was Soonyoung, eyes set firmly on the winged woman before him as he gingerly approached.

"Is Chan okay? We haven't heard from him in a long time... Is he here as well?" He was persistent, almost desperate as he tried to figure out whether Chan was here or not. The others were keeping an eye on the woman, hoping that her expression would break and reveal any kind of clue and yet she didn't.

"So now you care, huh?" "Of course we do, don't insult us." This time Jihoon spoke up, getting pissed off by the attitude of the woman and yet he still remained uncomfortable as her gaze shifted to him.

"Yet you can't answer his letters? Some friends you are." The scoff felt insulting to all of them, but it was promptly ignored at the mention of letters. Sensing the confusion, she frowned and crossed her arms.

"You have seen his letters, no?" "We have not... None arrived, not that we know of." Seungcheol spoke before turning his head, calling for Hazel and asking her about any letters.

"Letter sorting is the butler's job, but I can ask for him to come by. Chances are that he might have misplaced it." Hazel spoke and Seungcheol nodded, waving his hand as a thanks before focusing back on the woman before him.

"Is he here?" "Yeah, yeah. I'll get him." She spoke as she turned to leave, letting the others remain in their rooms while they tried to figure out what happened.

"Chan!" Calling out to the fairy, you tried to find him in the courtyard to no avail. Another thing you had discovered about Chan, he was an excellent hider when he wanted to be. Luckily, he was not feeling like a little mischievous fairy this time as he approached again before hugging you from behind.

"What did they say?" His voice was quiet and it was a slightly hoarse, but you paid no mind as you turned around in his grip. His head moved to rest on your chest, arms lazily around your waist as he stared at your face for any reaction. You sighed, hands moving to pet his head before speaking again.

"Apparently they didn't see any letters pass by, they're investigating it." You spoke and it seemed to make him perk up, wings moving up to straighten behind him and twinkling slightly. He smiled, clearly happy that the radio silence had been a mere accident and not intentional to remove him from the family he so loved. Hearing a shout of his name, your wings instinctually wrapped around his form before loosening when Chan turned to face the crowd. The first to hug him was the brown haired man that had spoken to you earlier, wrapping himself fully around the fairy. You stepped back, letting the younger meet all of his family in peace.

Then you felt all eyes suddenly on you while Chan had gone bright red.

"Whatever you're thinking, don't." You spoke and Chan let out a soft laugh before pulling you beside him, introducing you quickly as he tried to contain his embarrassment from previous teasing. With a smile to Chan, you wrapped your wing around him again which was quickly met with Chan's hands as he petted the feathers like usual.

"So, what happened to the letters?" You turned back to the king before you with a questioning look and he sighed softly before explaining that the letters had been placed in a wrong pile of letters, which was a pile of none important letters that he would only read when he had time to do so.

"So, you're staying for dinner right? We want to hear all about Chan's adventures from outside perspective." Jeonghan, you assumed it was Jeonghan based on what Chan had told you about him, asked and you shrugged at him. You didn't see why not.

"What are we eating then?"

It was late at night, yet you were still outside on the roof as you stared at the sky. You didn't realize how close Chan was with his friends until now, but it was much different than your relationship to him. Although it wasn't any problem to you, it did make you wonder. Would you and Chan ever be so close or would you remain casual friends that met on a journey? Deep in your heart, you wished for the first to be true and yet something in your heart told you that the second one was the truth. It gnawed at your brain, making you anxious for something that probably didn't matter so much.

"What's going on in your head?" Chan's voice pulled you out of your thoughts, the fairy hanging upside down before you with his face in front of yours. He was smiling, but that smile dropped when he noticed your serious gaze. He lowered and turned himself, sitting beside you and shuffling closer to you until he was sat under your wing. The silence was a bit awkward, but comforting at the same time as you leaned your head on his shoulder with a soft sigh.

"Just thinking..." You mumbled and Chan looked at you with slight confusion. He wanted to ask what you were thinking about, but he decided not to as he noticed how down you were. Instead, he just stared at you. You were illuminated by the moon and starlight, your features shinning much brighter than before and making you look even more ethereal to Chan.

"Am I that beautiful?" You joked as you noticed his gaze, not expecting him to actually answer with a yes. Cue for you to blush as you awkwardly lifted your head from his shoulder, to which he just pulled you back while hugging you.

"What, you can flirt but I can't?" He asked and you looked up before getting up, grabbing his hand and pulling him up before flying into your room while dragging him behind. You dragged him to your bed, laying down and pulling him on top of you. He was flustered by the sudden action, but cuddled closer to you nonetheless.

"I like you, so please don't leave." He said and you looked up again before kissing his forehead softly, moving your head to the crook of his neck.

"I won't leave, don't worry." You smiled softly as you noticed his wings twitch at the confession, lifting his head and kissing his nose before placing another kiss on his cheek. The red blush on his cheeks was adorable, but him hiding his face was even cuter.

"That's not fair." He mumbled and you let out a laugh before flinching as you felt something move beside you. You turned your head, dropping your wing low enough to see what it was and you were met with a pink haired Jihoon, who was clearly not happy.

"It's cute that you're in love and all, but wrong room." And with a loud laugh, both of you rushed out of the window to your actual room next door.

[megahorous]

Played Cammy and Dee Jay’s stories this time ! 

-- Two of the original DLC guys....one happy and fun-loving, the other haunted by her traumatic past !

-- And they both wear their flags on their clothes

-- There seems to be a lot of Cat representation in this game.  MEOW

-- Dee Jay’s a musician too; you might say a few of the Street Fighters are artists in some way

-- It’s nice that there are “lighter” stories like Dee Jay’s and Marisa’s

-- I wonder if Fei Long is low-priority because every fighting game and its mother has a Bruce Lee-like character...someone should make a Sammo Hung clone; that would up the fat fighter representation to some extent [?]

[ulkaralakbarova]

Once Upon a Time in China III

Master Wong and his disciples enroll in the ‘Dancing Lion Competition’ to stop an assassination plot and to battle an arrogant, deceitful opponent. Credits: TheMovieDb. Film Cast: Wong Fei Hung: Jet Li 13th Aunt: Rosamund Kwan Leung Foon: Max Mok Siu-Chung Kwai Geuk-Chat: Xinxin Xiong Wong Kai-Ying: Shun Lau Tomansky: John Wakefield Chiu Tin-Bai: Chiu Chin Lee Hung Cheung: Ge Cunzhuang Yan: Wong…

[librairiemelodieensoussol]

Il était une fois en chine (Tsui Hark / Jet Lee) Vost La secte du lotus blanc (Tsui Hark / Jet Lee) Vost La danse du dragon (Yuen Bun / Chiu Man Chuk) Vost Il était une fois en Chine (黃飛鴻, Wong Fei Hung) est un film hong-kongais réalisé par Tsui Hark, sorti le 15 août 1991 Son histoire se répartit sur cinq volets. SynopsisModifier Il était une fois en Chine narre l'histoire de Wong Fei-Hong (1847-1924), personnage historique devenu une figure emblématique de la Chine Populaire. Descendant de la lignée des moines de Shaolin et médecin, Wong Fei-Hong doit se battre contre des brigands, mais aussi les Britanniques et les Américains qui s'immiscent de plus en plus en Chine. Succédant à de nombreux comédiens de talents, Jet Li (Wong Fei-hong) s'est imposé comme l'incarnation idéale du héros en 1991, avant de céder la place à Chiu Mang Cheuk pour les volets 4 et 5. https://www.vinted.fr/divertissement/musique-and-video/video/vhs/2228666289-cassette-video-vhs-hk-video #oiseaumortvintage #melodieensoussol #jetli #onceuponatimeinchina #tsuihark #hkvideo https://www.instagram.com/p/ClYRDJtMnjH/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[its-maemain]

I’m Not Her (and I’ll Never Be) - Chloé knew she was late, she was always late, you say whatever you want about Marinette but she wasn’t late in the ways that mattered.

Dwelling In Epoch - Zoé Lee was many things, a sister, a friend, a model, an actress, a protector of ancient magic, a company heir, and despite how many people all those titles surrounded her in…she was alone.

Out of Reach - Tim flopped onto the couch of the private parlor room.

All I Need To See - The moonlight filtered through from between the cloth curtains, and the light showed the dust floating in the dark room.

Taking Flight (Chapter 20) - Damian found Fei Wu an interesting person of character to have around.

Coral Rose Thorns - “Don’t say it,” his voice came out hoarse, scratchy one could wager.

The Hope For Something More - She watched the horizon, a feeling of indistinguishable sadness.

A Bundle of Heliotropes (Chapter 3) - When Marinette woke up her room was quiet.

Til My Last Breath - The knight’s head hung as their foe stood high above him.

Non-Magic = Primitive - The new king sat upon his new throne, head held high and pride in his wake.

Note: I did not include the poems.

I think I'm just very much trying to be dramatic. I'm trying to grab people like bowling balls, I don't know how to describe it. This is all after joining my Journalism class too, so you have to either one: give the basic information a person can live with and then leave, and/or two: get their attention, hook them.

Conclusion? Dramatic, and Journalist writing making its way down town.

Tags? @tinybrie @ggomomomo

10 First Lines Challenge

Rules: Share the first line of your last ten published works or as many as you are able to and see if there are any patterns!

Thanks for the tag @zorilleerrant :)

1. beware the dreamers lie (ao3) - "Breathing was supposed to be simple."

2. Take it back now y'all (ao3) - "The plan was simple."

3. World's End (short original story) - "The skies lit up with flames, a red-orange glow of impending doom."

4. Dismiss (short original story) - "When he got the call, it was already past one."

That's all I've got for now. A lot of my old works are on old hard drives so I couldn't add them.

It's seems simplicity is a trend here lol.

Anyways I'd like to tag for this @wolfsbanesparks @penny-anna @thisiswhereikeepdcthings @billy-and-friends @rema-writes

[brody75]

Enter the Fat Dragon (1978)

[dragoni]

How To See Martial Arts Films |  Museum Of Modern Art

❤️ Hui’s appreciation and analysis. Donnie Yen also hates how fragmented fight scenes. 

What makes a true kung fu film? Many directors and actors have been associated with the kung fu genre, Hong Kong cinema’s most unique creation, but no one compares to Lau Kar-leung (1937–2013) as a purist of the genre and the kung fu form.

Associate curator La Frances Hui explores the history of the kung fu films, the actors and filmmakers associated with the genre like Bruce Lee, Gordon Liu, and Jackie Chan, and why Lau Kar-leung has been hailed as the grandmaster of kung fu films.

"The Grandmaster: Lau Kar-leung" exhibit is over (July 5-17) but it’s still worth checking out the MoMA site.

[vintagegeekculture]

RIP to Jimmy Wang Yu, One Armed Swordsman, the first modern Kung Fu movie star

RIP to Jimmy Wang Yu, who passed on today, the first truly modern Kung Fu star of our current age, best known as the One Armed Swordsman. Jimmy Wang Yu was the first Kung Fu star of the modern day. A brooding, intense, smouldering James Dean or Marlon Brando-like figure, Wang Yu was always at his best when he had an arrogant father or authority figure to rebel against. Bruce Lee was a star because of his physicality, his flawless movements and inhuman, terrifying speed and strength. Jimmy Wang Yu was a Kung Fu star because of his personality and star power. He was a bad boy on screen and off, and eventually left the Shaw Brothers Studio because he hated being controlled by puppeteer producers that paid him a pittance.

In 1967, Kung Fu movies were very different. First, they were not that popular, and really hadn’t been since the silent era explosion of swordsman and Wong Fei Hung movies made in Shanghai petered out. Second, Kung Fu movies were, like all movies in Hong Kong, aimed at women. Yes, Kung Fu movies used to be aimed at women, a fact that seems to startle people whenever I mention it. In an age when TV was not yet a universal technology, movies were assumed to just be for middle class housewives, the only group with the time to go to the movies. So, Kung Fu movies starred women (Cheng Pei Pei and Li Lihua), and were about issues important to women, like love triangles, or two lovers in rival martial arts schools. A few, like Temple of the Red Lotus (the first Shaw Brothers Kung Fu film), even were partly musicals, with the warbling old school Huangmei musical sound.

All of these lightweight semi-musicals felt like another planet to the conflict and riot filled Hong Kong of 1967, which the affluent, elderly producers like the Shaw Brothers, who spent all their time hanging out with guys who owned boats, didn’t really understand. At this point, the Hong Kong riots were racking the city in opposition to British colonial rule, as well as the large scale poverty and hopelessness that created slums like the Walled City of Kowloon, the largest ghetto on earth, with 250,000 people who mostly didn’t have running water and the police were not allowed to enter. The riots were led by student radicals and communists, who were horrified by the startling inequality and poverty of the city, as well as by a nationalist desire to unify Hong Kong with the nation it was removed from by an unequal treaty. In the developing world, communists are usually nationalists instead of anti-nationalists, representing national resistance and public unity to resist colonial occupation and exploitation. At this point, Jimmy Wang Yu was a Shaw Brothers player, yes, but his roles were unmemorable, as nice guys and boyfriends who were clean-shaven babyfaces. He didn’t even have a speck of the stud stubble he’d be known for. It’s funny how little things change...when he was a product of the studio system, he was a Disney Channel style vat-grown nonthreatening boy.

The Shaw Brothers, being old men who survived the war, were confused by the changing youth movement. But all that changed with the arrival of one director, who, unlike the yacht-loving Shaw Brothers and their hoary old huangmei musicals, spoke the language of the very angry young men that filled the city: Cheng Cheh. He knew a thing or two about generational conflict, defiant, angry young loners, and rebellion himself, since he was the son of a warlord during China’s Warlord Era of the 20s-30s, who instead became a director and screenwriter. To say he has daddy issues would be an understatement. His movies centered the angry young man seeking a cause and self-sacrifice. In an age when Kung Fu movies were semi-musicals aimed at women and starring female swordswomen like Cheng Pei Pei, Cheng Cheh’s movies were about the language that men use and speak in when we are with each other: honor, loyalty, brotherhood, trust, betrayal, humiliation, self-sacrifice in pursuit of a noble or higher cause, his movies are full of suicide missions taken without complaint, sons rebelling against fathers, cool outlaws who live by their own code, brothers fighting to the death over a woman, secret societies seeking liberation from oppressors. They were bloody and violent, too, inspired by the carnage of Sergio Leone and Sam Pekinpah. Tarantino, as you might expect, loved Cheng Cheh, and dedicated Kill Bill Part 2 to him.

To that end, Cheng Cheh made a Kung Fu movie that made boys and men want to see movies for the first time: One Armed Swordsman. His star, personifying James Dean or Marlon Brando-like like intensity and unfocused rebellion, was Jimmy Wang Yu.

One Armed Swordsman is a movie that explicitly deals with themes of disability and despair. A young rebel swordsman has an arm chopped off in a senseless accident. Unable to use his arm, he feels useless and lapses into depression and hopeless despair. Someone who was once one of the greatest fighters of all is, by his disability, made to flee from fights in humiliation against children and mooks he looked down on before, who beat the crap out of him. But little by little, stumbling and aching and tripping and falling every step, he relearns to use his left arm with a special extendable sword and overcome his disability.

One-Armed Swordsman was a movie that, like Rebel Without a Cause, spoke the language of angry young men who felt misplaced by society, at a time of widespread anxiety and cultural unrest. Just like Peter Fonda’s Easy Rider (which also came out in 67), One Armed Swordsman was a very counterculture movie. It was the first Kung Fu movie that de-Confuciused its brain, with the instructors as abrasive authoritarians our rebel young man goes against. Tradition is a straightjacket that holds heroes back. It perfectly personified the spirit of its age, and was a huge hit, and singlehandedly made Jimmy Wang Yu the first Kung Fu star of the modern age. He also changed the entire market for movies, as men were now a reliable audience for movies. In other words, they started making actioners on a regular basis as a result of this film. 

There are many other Kung Fu movies starring Wang Yu worth seeing, nearly all directed by Cheng Cheh, naturally, and for years, he and Wang Yu were a partnership like Scorcese and Robert de Niro.

Wang Yu didn’t just play a rebel or bad boy, he really was one in his real life, with all the stubborn independence and tendency toward self destruction that implies. He left the Shaw Brothers, and became a director, making the One Armed Boxer movies and the famous Flying Guillotine films as both director and star. One Armed Boxer has Wang Yu use Chinese Kung Fu against Japanese judo and karate experts, the first occasion a movie was centered on a style vs. style conflict. Unfortunately, that often led to trouble, like for example, he borrowed money from one triad in order to pay another. Frankly, it’s kind of a miracle he survived this long, actually. In his directed movies, like “The Screaming Tiger,” he always had a bit of anger at his core, at himself, at society. Inner peace and serenity were a gift of the martial arts that didn’t seem to come to him at all. I hope he finds it wherever he is now.

[sunstone-smiles]

HELLO! just got into ace attorney and there’s a lot of stuff BUT i would love to see my man phoenix be a lee hehe

now that’s quite literally all i’m asking here, you can do whoever you want with any context, just anything with lee phoenix if you don’t mind :D

Hello Anon! Yay! That’s great that you’re getting into the series! It’s one of my favorites! I’m currently replaying the Trilogy, so I chose Maya and Pearl for this! I hope you enjoy!

A Spirit Medium's Curse

Series: Ace Attorney

Characters: Phoenix Wright, Maya Fey, Pearl Fey

Words: 1,344

Summary: When Phoenix tries to remove a poster Maya hung in the office, Maya uses any tactic she can to stop him, even if she has to make up a playful curse to do so. Enjoy!

—

The edge of a poster droops downward like a wilting flower, revealing its plain white backing as the glass panel that was once flattening it is removed from the wall. With the sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up, Phoenix lifts the see-through plate from the picture frame and carefully leans it against the side of his desk. The ringing sound of glass vibrating and bumping into other solid material makes a bit of a ruckus in the office, which catches Maya’s attention while she watches TV on the couch. She turns herself around and sits on her knees, leaning over the back of the cushions to see Phoenix.

“Nick? What are you doing?” Maya asks after hearing the small commotion of noise.

Phoenix dusts his hands off and stares at the picture on the wall. “I’m taking down the Steel Samurai poster you hung here.”

“What?!” In a flash, Maya launches herself off the couch and dashes over to the lawyer. “Why?!”

“Because it’s not very professional to have it hanging in the office.”

“What’s so unprofessional about the Steel Samurai: Warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo! Pearly and I like it. Isn’t that right, Pearly?”

Maya’s little cousin peeks her head over the couch. “Yes! Mystic Maya is showing me these things called reruns of the Steel Samurai! He’s a defender, so he kind of reminds me of you, Mr. Nick!”

“See! Pearly gets it!” Maya gestures towards her.

“Thank you Pearls,” Phoenix says sweetly to the little girl, then narrows his eyes at the older spirit medium, “But I’m still taking the poster down.” Soon after, the lawyer turns his back on her to continue what he was doing.

“Wait, Nick don’t! Or you’ll…um…” Maya tries to think of an explanation, “Or…You’ll be cursed!”

Phoenix glares at her again. “Cursed? Really?” he has to keep himself from rolling his eyes at her attempt at an excuse.

“Uh…Yes!” she proceeds with her lie. “A legend from Kurain Village says that if you go against not one, but two medium’s wishes, a spirit will come to haunt you with its ghostly hands!” Maya waves her arms up and down for a spooky effect.

“Uh huh…Right,” Phoenix responds sarcastically. He completely ignores her reasoning and turns around once more with his arms raised to take down the poster.

“Wait Nick!” Maya yells again in a desperate attempt to stop him. She has to think of something quick, or the poster is history! In a last-ditch effort, she goes with the first idea that pops into her head and shoots her hands forward to tickle his exposed sides. Phoenix immediately yelps and clamps his arms down as giggles start to pour from his mouth. Success! He stopped going for the poster! 

Mayahahaha!” Phoenix wraps his arms around himself and twists his body to try and escape the corner he’s trapped in. “Cuhuhut that ohohout!”

“But I’m not doing this Nick!” Maya feigns innocence with a smile, “I told you, the spirit would come down to curse you! They’re being channeled through me and are using my hands to tickle you for all eternity!”

“I knohohow thahahat’s nohohot true Mayahaha! Quihihit it!” He attempts to shake her away, but Maya shifts next to him and starts wiggling her fingers into the front of his side, causing Phoenix to completely spin around and stumble backwards towards the couch. He grabs the arm of the sofa with one hand to catch himself while he uses his other to try and push her away, but a quick scribble into his ribs sends him toppling over the arm of the seat. Pearl leaps off the piece of furniture right before Phoenix plops into the cushions, and she watches as her older cousin runs to the front of the couch to continue her playful attack on the lawyer.

Maya quickly scribbles back into Phoenix’s sides before he can escape, not giving him a single moment to rest while he returns into a giggling mess. Phoenix kicks his legs and tries to scoot away as far as he can, but his route is ultimately cut off when his head reaches the other, dead end of the couch.

Pearl giggles at them while she watches them play. “That’s why you should always listen to Mystic Maya, Mr. Nick!”

“Exactly!” Maya responds to her cousin and wiggles her hands up towards Phoenix's ribs, making him jump with increased giggles from this new spot. “Come help me, Pearly! Go for Nick’s ribs, he’s really ticklish here!”

“Nohoho! Pehehearls! Dohohon’t listen to heheher!” Phoenix thrashes about as he tries to push Maya away from his weak point.

Pearl pulls up her little sleeve. “Sorry Mr. Nick, but if it makes Mystic Maya happy, then it has to be done!” She trots over to the couch where the flailing Phoenix is and Maya steps out of the way, moving her hands down to his sides, to make room for Pearl.

“Nohoho! Wahahait—AH! Hahaha! Pehehearls!” Phoenix’s laughter rises even higher when her little hands scribble into his ribs, their small size easily gaining access to the ticklish gaps between each of the curved bones. He gently tries to grab the girl’s wrists away to stop her, but a few quick squeezes to his sides by Maya makes him jolt in place and lose his grip on Pearl.

“So Nick, will you leave the poster up?” Maya gives him a smug grin while she claws into his sides.

Phoenix attempts to roll himself into a protective ball. “Buhuhut I dohohon’t wahahant to!” he responds through his giggles like a schoolchild.

“Are you suuure?” Maya smirks and moves one of her hands to tickle his belly, while her other creeps up his side to the lower half of his ribs, only adding on to the tickles that Pearl is already delivering there. Phoenix lets out a little squeal of laughter and quickly curls up his middle to try and shove Maya’s teasing hand away, but he flops back into the cushions and dissolves into giggles when he can’t hold himself up any longer.

“Fihihihine! Fine! Yohohou twohoho win!” Phoenix leans his head back, “Yohohou cahahan keep the pohohoster! Now plehehease stohohop! Hahaha!”

“Deal!” Maya moves her hands away, with Pearl following close behind. Phoenix sinks back into the couch as his chest rises and falls, placing a hand on his stomach to relax his previously attacked center. The assistant puts her hands behind her back and tips her weight forward to lean over him with a smile. “See? That wasn’t so hard now was it?”

Phoenix slowly turns his head towards her while he catches his breath. “You can…be a real pain sometimes…you know that?” 

“I know,” she grins, “But you still care about me.”

“Mr. Nick! Don’t be mean to Mystic Maya! Or we’ll have to punish you again!” Pearl chimes in with a determined look.

Phoenix’s eyes go wide and he immediately sits up. “No! No! I’ve had enough for one day!”

Maya chuckles. “We’ll let him off the hook this time, Pearly. But only if he finishes straightening the poster in its rightful spot.”

The lawyer sighs and rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I’m on it…” 

He gets up off the cushions and heads towards his desk while the two girls take over the couch again to continue watching TV. With extra caution, he smooths out the curved edges of the poster so that it’s completely flat, then lifts up the plate of glass to place it into the frame. Once the fragile piece is secured, he takes a step back to look at his finished handiwork. 

As the Steel Samurai in its iconic pose stares back at him, Phoenix suddenly understands the significance of why it belongs in the office. He glances over at the girls on the couch, smiling as they cheer on the heroic warrior on the television screen. The Steel Samurai poster may not be completely professional, but it does remind him of the good times he’s able to have with friends like them.

[banachen]

Taiwan Beats at SXSW Online 2021 ⠀ - 演出名單 Lineup｜鄭宜農 Enno Cheng、滅火器 Fire EX.、椅子樂團 The Chairs、妮可醬 主辦單位 Official Organizer｜文化部影視及流行音樂產業局 Bureau Of Audiovisual And Music Industry Development,MOC. 承辦單位 Executive Organizer｜Young Team Productions 協辦單位 Cooperation｜火氣音樂 FIRE ON MUSIC⠀⠀ 監製 Executive Producer｜好秀有限公司 Good Show Lab 影像製作 Video Production｜順天堂影像製作工作室 Soft Paradise Studio 導演 Director｜順 Shaun Liu、陳容寬 Chen Jung Kuan、林悅恩 Wayne Lin 攝影師 Cameraman｜郭彥澤 Kuo Yen Ze、陳貞文 Chen Chen Wen、高興萱 Kao Hsing Hsuan、順 Shaun Liu、莊竣瑋 Chun Wei Chuang 製片 Line Producer｜古朝瀚 Harry Goo 燈光師 Gaffer｜吳儼育 Yen Wu 燈光助理 Lighting Technician ｜陳龍達 Lung da Chen、沈源 Yuan Shen、楊鈺銘 Yu Ming Yang、田俊榮 Jun Rong Tian 剪接師 Editor｜白欣田 Cordelia Pai、朱威 Wei Chu 調光師 Colorist｜李子璇 Chih Xuan Lee、魚魚 Fish Fish 製片助理 Producer To Assistant｜宋佾庭 Yi Ting Sung、賴俊亘 Jyun Lai 平面側拍 Still Photographer｜陳奕筑 Bana Chen 妝髮 Make Up｜顏維音 Echo Yen、湯淑琳 Wawa Tang、王禎旎 Aura Wang、丁詩穎 Ting Shih yin、鄭飛鴻 Cheng Fei-Hung、吳岱蓉 Wu Tai-Jung 音樂總監 Music Director｜盧律銘 Lu Luming 音響工程 Audio Engineer｜角局音響 TCM Sound 現場錄音師 Recording Engineer｜黃勝偉 Kane Huang 混音工作室 Mixing Studio｜112F Recording Studio 混音師 Mixing Engineer｜錢煒安 Zen Chien 媒體企劃 Media Organizer｜子 皿 In Utero　 國際策略顧問 International Strategy Consultant｜嚴敏 Mia Min Yen 主視覺設計 Key Visual Design｜宋政傑 Cheng Chieh Sung⠀ 特別感謝 Special Thanks｜露境東岳 Camping East Site、艋舺青山宮 Bangka Qingshan Temple、至善釣蝦場 Zhishan Shrimp Fishing

[caprice33]

It all began with ...

Introduction to Asian Cinema began when I was around 7 with Sayanora, starring Marlon Brando & James Garner in a post-WWII story about occupied Japan. The tragic love story between Red Buttons and Miyoshi Umeki sticks with me even today. That and Ricardo Montalbam ("Khan!") as performing a Kabuki lion dance. It's all very dated now.

Moving on, there was Jackie Chan! (Big jump between 1957 and the '90s). Ha-ha! Anyway, Warner Archive Collection has remastered "Drunken Warrior II." Between Jackie and Bruce Lee - and the work of Kurosawa - it was opened the door. My brother just finished a review of the remastered "Drunken Master II" if you'd like to have a look.

Disagree with the editor's addition to video, "[some scenes] are plagued with digital noise reduction. The natural film grain goes up and down and waxy faces appear at times." On 60" sets and smaller, the picture is perfect. I've got a 4K and it looks great. He's got some kind of specialized, theater-sized bit rig. If there's any flaw, he'll find it.

Lion dance performer. Now here I am, stuck in the midst of MDZS and Untamed [and other series/films] and loving it so much!

[aion-rsa]

Best Martial Arts Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now

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Search ‘Martial Arts Movies’ on Amazon Prime and you’ll get over a thousand results ranging from the classics to the campy, to the critically acclaimed. It’s an overwhelming library for the uninitiated and the mother lode for stalwart fans of the genre. There are so many gems buried in Amazon Prime that digging out the favorites is dirty challenging work but extremely rewarding.

When it comes to martial arts, Amazon Prime has a killer Kung Fu collection. The ‘80s were the ‘Golden Era’ of Kung Fu films when Hong Kong film studios cranked out films faster than any grindhouse ever. Many Hong Kong filmmakers put out up to half a dozen films a year, and most have hundreds of credits on IMDb. This glut of Kung Fu films spread to every Chinatown ghetto theater on the planet. And like with horror, American networks broadcasted late night Kung Fu Theater shows because there was so much cheap content available.

Consequently, Amazon Prime’s Kung Fu film selection leans heavily that way, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t include some non-Chinese favorites too. Martial Arts movies cross over to all other genres and nations. There are comedies, romances, horror, fantasy, sci-fi, and art house films. From countless cheesy low-budget exploitations, many so funky that they’re totally awesome, to the brilliant ground-breaking works that are staggeringly sensational, here’s some classic jewels and hidden treasures currently included with Amazon Prime membership.

Fist of Fury (1972)

Despite his fame, Bruce Lee only lived to see three of his martial arts movies premiere because Enter the Dragon and Game of Death were released posthumously. His impersonators are innumerable, so many that Bruceploitation is its own genre.

But Fist of Fury is the real Bruce in all his nunchuck spinning glory. It’s loosely based on the history of the Chin Woo Athletic Association, which remains one of the largest international martial arts organizations to this day. When Bruce shattered the ‘No Dogs and Chinese Allowed’ sign with a soaring flying kick, it became a battle cry for the racially oppressed worldwide, firmly cementing Bruce as the world’s first Asian global superstar.

Come Drink with Me (1966)

Long before Charlize Theron went Atomic Blonde, Cheng Pei Pei blazed a path as Golden Swallow, the mysterious invincible swordswoman, and all female action heroines are in her wake. Fiercely independent and savagely lethal, Cheng delivers several sophisticated long-take fight scenes, the hallmark of real Kung Fu skill, with the poise and precision built upon her foundation in ballet. Cheng is remembered in Hollywood as Jade Fox from Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and played the matchmaker in Disney’s live-action Mulan. Note that Amazon Prime also has the sequel, Golden Swallow, but it’s not nearly as good.

Once Upon a Time in China (1991)

This tour de force from director Tsui Hark and Jet Li launched a six-film franchise and a TV series. Jet plays Wong Fei-hung, a real-life folk hero and Kung Fu master who has been depicted in well over a hundred films and TV shows. Set during the late 19th century, the film examines themes of Western colonization and Chinese cults, and while blatantly nationalistic, it captures Jet in his martial prime and contains some of his finest fights.

Read more

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Wira Review: Meet the Next Martial Arts Movie Star

By Gene Ching

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The Forgotten Bruce Lee Video Game From the ’80s

By Craig Lines

Amazon Prime also has Once Upon a Time in China II, which is an excellent sequel, however the third installment (not on Amazon Prime) falls apart, allegedly due to disputes between Jet and Hark.

Ashes of Time Redux (2008)

This was internationally acclaimed director Wong Kar-wai’s first stab at the martial arts genre. It’s sumptuously artsy and laboriously dystopic, not one to see for the action but the art. Based on a classic wuxia (wuxia is Chinese for martial arts genre books and film) titled The Eagle Shooting Heroes, Wong simultaneously filmed a parody titled after the book with the same cast. Wong did the Redux after the original print was lost, salvaging what was left, reediting and re-scoring it. 

(Prime US only)

The Assassin (2015)

Director Hou Hsiao-hsien won Best Director at Cannes for this magnificent epic, which was also submitted as Taiwan’s Foreign Language entry at the Academy Awards. Starring the ever-glamorous Shu Qi, who made an early Hollywood crossover attempt with The Transporter, The Assassin is based on another wuxia tale that’s parallel to The Manchurian Candidate but instead of Korean brainwashing, it’s 9th century Chinese sorcery.

Read more

Movies

Best Horror Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now

By Alec Bojalad and 2 others

Movies

Ninjas All The Way Down: The Mysterious World of Godfrey Ho

By Craig Lines

The exquisite filmmaking makes this spectacular–panoramic landscapes, lavish costumes, intricately detailed sets, all gorgeous. Every shot is a stunning composition of light and shadow, and the camera lingers on each frame with ponderous and quiet respect, the kind that film students will gush over for years.

(Prime Video in the US, rent only in the UK)

Fearless Hyena (1979)

When people cite Rush Hour to reference Jackie Chan, it just goes to show they don’t know Jackie at all. Long before Jackie crossed over to Hollywood, he made dozens of films that truly captured his astounding Kung Fu skills, unrestricted by U.S. insurance liability. His late ‘70s period was particularly ripe because he was in peak physical shape and first creating his unique acrobatic comedies. Remember that chopstick dumpling training scene between Po and Shifu in Kung Fu Panda? In Fearless Hyena, Jackie and his shifu (James Tien) do it in live-action, no wires, no CGI, and the choreography is absolutely mind-blowing.

Wheels on Meals (1984)

Jackie Chan earned his Kung Fu prowess from being trained from childhood in traditional Chinese Opera. Many of his classmates also became stars in martial arts film. This is one of two collaborations between him and his two martial brothers, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao (the other is Dragons Forever).

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Movies

Jackie Chan’s Project A Movies Are Spectacular

By Craig Lines

Movies

Jackie Chan’s Hard Road to Hollywood

By Craig Lines

A modern comedy shot in Barcelona, the chemistry between Jackie, Sammo and Yuen is magical as they bring the fastest three-person sparring scenes ever captured. On top of that, Jackie faces off against real-life kickboxing champion Benny ‘The Jet’ Urquidez in what is considered by many as the greatest fight scene ever filmed. 

(US only)

Knockabout (1979)

Knockabout is Yuen Biao’s first lead role after dozens of supporting roles. His acrobatic skills are unparalleled, stronger than Jackie’s because his body frame is built like a gymnast. Sammo Hung’s girth has typecast him as villains and buffoons. Nevertheless, he’s a leading director and choreographer and serves as both in this film, on top of playing a comic beggar who trains Yuen in jump rope monkey Kung Fu (that’s right–jump rop –you have to see it to understand).

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Movies

10 of the Weirdest Kung Fu Movies Ever

By Craig Lines

TV

Cobra Kai and the Legacy of The Karate Kid

By Gene Ching

It’s a slow build past some goofy comic hijinks, because Yuen’s skills improve over the course of the film. In a fight against Hoi Sang Lee, Yuen pummels so many goose-egg bruises into his noggin that he looks like the coronavirus. But once the training begins through to the final fight, Yuen and Sammo show why they are legends in the industry. 

(US only)

Dirty Ho (1979)

When this film came out, the title wasn’t as funny as it is now. But it still works in a way because this is one of the best Kung Fu slapstick comedies. Starring some of top talent from Shaw Brother studios, including Gordon Liu, Wang Yue, and Lo Lieh, it’s full of the stylish long-take choreography and blazing stunts using real fire long before CGI.

Read more

Movies

King Boxer: The Enduring Legacy of a Martial Arts Classic

By Craig Lines

Movies

The Man From Hong Kong: A Genuinely Dangerous Action Movie

By Craig Lines

It’s a classic tale of hidden master, a punk student, and notorious villains, including hilarious absurdities like sex change tea, and wheelchair and crutch fighting. The discreet Kung Fu challenge while sampling rare wines out of crazy cups is ludicrous fun; the sort that only master fight choreographer Lau Kar-leung can deliver.

The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter (1984)

Here is another classic from Gordon Liu and Lau Kar-leung, but serious and somber. Alexander Fu Sheng, a prominent leading man, died in a tragic car crash during production, making this his final film. His character suffers PTSD after losing his family in a horrific opening ambush, but his storyline dangles unfinished.

Read more

Movies

A Beginner’s Guide to Chinese Black Magic Movies

By Craig Lines

Culture

Ip Man: The Man, The Myth, The Movies

By Craig Lines

The film was rewritten to focus Gordon and Lau, as well as the always brilliant Kara Hui. The cast goes all out to honor their fallen comrade’s legacy, showcasing some of the finest weapon choreography ever shot. Based on the legend of the Yang family generals, the untimely death tugs hard on the heartstrings for anyone in the know. 

Return to the 36th Chamber (1980)

Just one more Gordon Liu and Lau Kar-leung project, this is the sequel to The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, which is also amazing and available on Amazon Prime. However, Return to the 36th Chamber has such an odd concept for a sequel that warrants special attention.

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Movies

The 36th Chamber Trilogy‏ – Essential Kung Fu Movie Viewing

By Craig Lines

Liu plays a swindler impersonating the Shaolin monk San Te, the character he played in the first film. When his clan is oppressed by the Manchus gang, Liu sneaks into Shaolin, only to be deceptively trained by the real San Te, then returns for vengeance. His clan are cloth dyers, which makes for colorful pools for villains to plunge.

Liu’s uproarious rooftop Kung Fu and his battle with Wang Lung-Wei’s bench-fighter gang are outstanding. Kara Hui has the best retort after Gordon tries to play off his lack of Kung Fu, claiming it’s only for “universal peace,” and not revenge. She claps back “Huh! That’s a stupid Kung Fu.”

The Lady is the Boss (1983)

Kara Hui (aka Kara Wai) is one of the greatest Kung Fu divas of all, yet she’s only known by true devotees of the genre. If you’ve never heard of her, here is one of her finest comedy vehicles. Set in modern-day Hong Kong, Hui plays an American master returning to save her father’s Kung Fu school after his passing. Lau Kar-leung is the eldest student in charge (also the choreographer) and he resists her attempts to modernize.

Long take fights are staged in a topless club, a disco, and finally, a gymnastic gym replete with rings, parallel bars, and a beam, perfect for the choreographic shenanigans only Lau can bring. Gordon Liu appears with hair, which feels wrong because he built his reputation on playing bald monks. 

Crippled Avengers (1978)

From director Chang Cheh, the “Godfather of Kung Fu Films,” Crippled Avengers stars four members of the Venoms crew, from Chang’s classic The Five Venoms (also available on Amazon Prime).

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Movies

The Five Deadly Venoms: An Essential Martial Arts Movie

By Craig Lines

It was repackaged as The Return of the Five Venoms (and also Mortal Combat), however it is its own standalone masterpiece and has nothing to do with the original beyond the cast.

Lu Feng (Centipede from the Venoms crew) gets his arms chopped off and replaced by iron arms (a plot device that RZA echoed The Man with the Iron Fists). Lu and his father, played by the rough and tumble Chan Kuan Tai, cripple the heroes, who must then walk the road of vengeance while handicapped. The portrayal of the disabilities is dated (arm tied behind the back for the amputee, eyes closed for the blinded) but the choreography is ingenious. 

Five Elements Ninjas (1982)

Another echo of The Five Venoms from the sanguineous Chang Cheh, Five Elements Ninjas showcases the director’s unique eye for fantasy. It’s an orgy of weird fantasy weapons and ultraviolence, bloody fight scene after bloody fight scene, a cult film of truly epic proportions. As the title says, the ninjas are based on the five elements.

The gold ninjas don gold lame suits and switchblade shield hats. The wood ninjas look like rejected apple trees in The Wizard of Oz. If you turn this film into a drinking game where you take a shot whenever blood is spilled, you won’t make it past the first half hour. 

The Web of Death (1976)

What is the ultimate Kung Fu WMD? It’s a tarantula that roars like an elephant and shoots acidic webs, sparks, and death rays, and it decimates the wuxia world. The Web of Death has everything a cult film requires: crazy weapons, cross dressing, romance, complex set-pieces, halls of traps, including acid pits, spiked poles and dragon-headed sparkler cannons, silly superheroes and villains in costumes that would make MCU heroes blush. Filled with jaw dropping WTF moments, it’s a real treat for anyone into cheesy over-the-top Kung Fu cinema.

The Bride with White Hair (1993)

Based on a wuxia novel, The Bride with White Hair is a surreal plunge into the Kung Fu subgenre of Fant-Asia which blossomed in the ‘90s. It’s a doomed romance between rival cult members set in a world of swords and sorcery that stars Brigette Lin in the spurned titular role and the dreamy heartthrob Leslie Cheung.

What makes this stand out was the visionary direction of Ronny Yu. His pre-CGI special effects hold up surprisingly well. Lin’s characterization of the bride was so compelling that it spawned an homage in The Forbidden Kingdom and a remake in The White Haired Witch. The Bride with White Hair II is also available on Amazon Prime which reunites Lin and Cheung, but without Yu’s direction it’s not nearly as special. 

(US only)

Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010)

Fant-Asia has been revitalized with the advent of CGI. Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame marked a triumphant return to form for director Tsui Hark. Armed with quixotic special effects, Hark casts Andy Lau as the legendary detective Di Renjie, who is like a Tang Dynasty Sherlock Holmes. Wuxia films are akin to comic book movies, filled with glaringly overdone heroes and villains, super saturated color schemes, and a lot of flying about.

It’s high fantasy wirework in front of CG backgrounds with physics-defying fight choreography by Sammo Hung (Kung Fu physics are not subject to the laws of gravity). Most of all, it takes unexpected turns like the old Fant-Asia story arcs have always done. 

(US only)

Tai Chi Zero (2012)

Director Stephen Fung took Fant-Asia another step into an emergent subgenre of Shanghai Steampunk (Legend of Korra is another example). It’s an action comedy about the legendary forefather of Tai Chi, Yang Luchan, in what was meant to be the launch of a trilogy. However, it was filmed back-to-back with the second installment, Tai Chi Hero (not free on Amazon Prime), which was released only a month later and that proximity depleted their box office returns.

Nevertheless, Tai Chi Zero was an Official Selection at several notable international film festivals because it was so stylish and funny. Both films end on cliffhangers in anticipation of the next chapter, but Tai Chi Hero loses the momentum of its predecessor, except for the final cliffhanging tease. There’s been no further development on the final chapter Tai Chi Summit since Tai Chi Hero flopped. 

(US only)

JCVD (2012)

Jean-Claude Van Damme opens this French film with a remarkable long take fight, showing he still had it on the brink of turning 50, but it’s not really a martial arts film. He plays a self-deprecating caricature of himself, although not as comedic as his lampooning self-portrayal in the Amazon Original Series Jean-Claude Van Johnson.

There’s some top-notch cinematography including more complex long takes, remarkable displays of technical skill, and directorial timing. But it’s all about Van Damme’s confession scene when he breaks the fourth wall and discusses his filmmaking process in that weird recursive, artsy French film way. It’s a long-take monologue, and Van Damme nails it emotionally with a heartfelt confession that’s not so much amazing acting as it is brutally honest. He lays it out, bares his soul, and surprisingly, it’s a sympathetic soul. It’s a truly captivating scene, a dramatic triumph that no one ever saw coming, completely redefining Van Damme as an actor. 

(US only)

The Man from Nowhere (2010)

This was Korea’s highest grossing film that year. It’s a gritty and brutally bloody tale of a pawnshop owner, played by Won Bin, who unwittingly receives a camera bag filled with stolen heroin, attracting the attention of the drug ring gangsters.

However, he’s a retired special agent with fierce combat skills, tossed into a ghetto tale with exotic dancers, organ harvesting, an innocent child who needs protection, and gang wars. Won Bin won many dramatic accolades with the five films he made, including Taegukgi and Mother. This was his final one to date and he sells the ultraviolence with remarkable panache. 

(Prime Video in the US, rent only in UK)

Kundo: Age of the Rampant (2014)

This is another outstanding Korean martial arts film, set in the Joseon period. It echoes Robin Hood, complete with a fighting monk like Friar Tuck, a Maid Marian type, only she’s a keen archer, and a Little John character wielding a shot-put ball on a rope for brutal ultra violence. Ha Jung-woo stars as the lead, a butcher who wields butcher knives, which just adds to the bloodiness. The fight choreography is fun and sanguineous, and the characters were well fleshed out, even the villain. Like a lot of Korean cinema, it takes some surprising turns in the details, little scenes that feel fresh in their presentation. And the panoramic shots are visually epic. 

(US only)

Redeemer (2015)

Marko Zaror brings an exotic Chilean actioner full of fight choreography that’s merciless, witty, and precise. Zaror is cut and yoked like a beast. He can catch great flying kicks air, roll well for nods to MMA, and handle complex continuous fights. Redeemer includes several long take scenes with the camera aggressively circling around battle, showcasing a masterful command of action and cinematography.

Set in Chile’s cool seascapes and weather worn graffiti-covered ghettos, Redeemer has a strong Catholic theme, lots of crucifixes and pondering about divine justice, which totally works as atmosphere for this fascinating fight flick. 

The Octagon (1980)

Before Chuck Norris became an invincible meme, he churned out a handful of Hollywood martial arts feature films. His third effort, The Octagon, co-starring Lee Van Cleef, is one of his best. It’s a ninja tale, pitting Chuck against noted masters like Richard Norton, Tadashi Yamashita, and his brother Aaron Norris, fighting his way into a ninja terrorist camp where the central ring is “the Octagon.” It was this film that inspired Jason Cusson to design the trademarked Octagon used in the Ultimate Fighting Championships. 

Ninja III: The Domination (1984)

In the ‘80s, there was a proliferation of cheesy Ninja films and Sho Kosugi dominated the trend. This is one of those movies that is so horrible, it’s awesome. And it’s Sho’s masterpiece. Lucinda Dickey was a Solid Gold Dancer, who starred in the breakdancing films Breakin’ and Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo, which bookended Ninja III. While she wasn’t a martial artist in real life, she has the moves, adding to the huge stable of martial actors who started as dancers (even Bruce Lee was a cha cha champion).

It’s incredibly dated with references to video games, aerobics, and the most gawdawful soundtrack ever. The choreography is horrible; Sho overacts whenever it comes to selling a punch; it’s all about Lucinda who tries–really tries–to act her way through a ridiculously dumb story about being possessed by a ninja. But the final sword fight has a ninja zombie and it’s the funniest example of what we had to endure during the ‘80s ninja craze. 

(US only)

Shaolin Dolemite (1999)

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There was Oscar buzz about Eddie Murphy’s depiction of Rudy Ray Moore in the biopic Dolemite Is My Name, but if you haven’t seen a Dolemite film, you really don’t know. Moore played Dolemite half a dozen times, but ironically in this film, he plays Monk Ru-Dee instead, and this is the only one with any real martial arts in it.

Moore took the cuttings from a 1986 Taiwanese film titled Ninja: The Final Duel, and spliced himself in to create his own story, and it’s just so cray. Beyond Moore, there are bizarre characters like the drunken Sam the Spliff, the topless Ninja Ho, and the coonskin cap wearing Davy Crockett. The story barely makes a lick of sense, but who cares? It’s mother-effin Dolemite.

The post Best Martial Arts Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3hp08F7

[manueljiniesta]

"The Masters by Manuel J. Iniesta Los cuatro grandes maestros de las artes marciales. -Bruce Lee, nacido en San Francisco, criado en Hong Kong maestro de artes marciales, actor, cineasta, filósofo y escritor estadounidense de origen chino, reconocido en el mundo entero por ser el renovador y exponente de las artes marciales dedicando su vida a dicha disciplina, buscando la perfección y la verdad, llegando a crear su propio método de combate y filosofía de vida, el Jun Fan Gung-Fu, que tiempo después y sumado a su concepto filosófico se llamaría, el Jeet Kune Do (el camino del puño interceptor) -Jackie Chan, es un artista marcial, comediante, cantante, actor, acróbata, doble de acción, coordinador de dobles de acción, director, guionista, productor y actor de voz chino. Nacido en Hong Kong donde le pusieron por nombre «Gang Sheng», el cual significa «Nacido en Hong Kong», aunque en China se le conoce mucho más por su nombre cantonés: «Sheng Lon». Su familia es de Yantai, una ciudad que se caracteriza por haber sido cuna de grandes luchadores. -Jet Li, artista marcial, actor y productor chino, nacionalizado singapurense en 2009. Después de retirarse a la edad de 17 años del wushu, disciplina en la que ganó 15 medallas de oro y se retiró invicto, debutó como actor en la película El templo de Shaolin. Estrella del cine internacional, protagonizó muchas películas de artes marciales aclamadas por la crítica, entre ellas la saga de Wong Fei Hung. -Donnie Yen, artista marcial, actor y coreógrafo chino. Considerado por muchos como la mayor estrella del cine de acción de Hong Kong y uno de los actores más rentables de Asia. Antiguo medallista olímpico de wushu. En contraste con otros actores asiáticos de artes marciales, Yen destaca en la gran pantalla por su estilo violento y técnico a la par, protagonizando coreografías de gran intensidad. #arte #art #draw #drawing #jetli #donnieyen #brucelee #jackiechan #artesmarciales #martialarts #manueljiniesta (en Málaga, Spain) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzzkV4_CyO2/?igshid=tgfot0gyljr0

[anthonywongblog]

The Justice Of Life | 他來自江湖 (1989)

The unstoppable trio of Stephen Chow, Ng Man Tat, and writer-director Lee Lik Chi ruled Hong Kong cinema in the 1990s with blockbuster comedies like Flirting Scholar, God of Cookery, and The King of Comedy, but their golden collaboration actually began in television. In 1989, they collaborated in two extremely popular TVB dramas, the nonsensical martial arts comedy The Final Combat and urban drama The Justice of Life, launching Stephen Chow into great fame. Fondly remembered as one of the best TVB dramas of all time, The Justice of Life features Stephen Chow and Ng Man Tat as a memorable father-son duo, with Chow displaying his unique brand of motormouth "mo lei tau" everyman humor that would later drive his films. Leading the cast is film and television star Alex Man, along with his future wife Tanny Tien and many actors who now form the backbone of Hong Kong cinema, including Anthony Wong, Teresa Mo, Hui Siu Hung, and Wong Yat Fei. Truly one of the classics of Hong Kong television, The Justice of Life draws both laughter and tears with its down-to-earth humor and moving depiction of family, love, and brotherhood.

After the death of his fiancee (Pauline Yeung), triad legend Ming Tin (Alex Man) washes his hands of the underworld, retreating to a quiet life running a small mahjong parlor. He originally disavowed himself of romance as well, but two very different women (Tanny Tien and Teresa Mo) wander into his life. Ming Tin lives with his mother (Lee Heung Kam), uncle (Ng Man Tat), and cousin Yam Miu (Stephen Chow). Ming Tin and Yam Miu are as close as brothers, but Yam Miu's father has a grudge against Ming Tin, leading to many barbs and bickers in this odd family. When Yam Miu and his father unwittingly stumble onto the wrong sides of the track, it's up to Ming Tin to pull them back with his old connections. (YesAsia)

[brody75]

Enter the Fat Dragon (1978)