Modern Maestros: Zhang Yimou

Robert here, with another entry in my series about great contemporary directors.

Maestro: Zhang Yimou
Known For: films about the lives of women in China and more recently wuxia epics.
Influences: American Noir, Chinese fantasy and mythology
Masterpieces: Raise the Red Lantern
Disasters: none
Better than you remember: If you're among those who think his recent films aren't as good as his older ones, you might be right, but if you think they're bad, then I'd say they fall into this category.
Box Office: 53 mil for Hero
Favorite Actor: the beautiful, ravishing, talented Gong Li

It's entirely possible that Zhang Yimou's greatest achievement of the past ten years had nothing to do with film. He garnered his largest audience and highest place on the world stage for directing the Opening Ceremonies to the Olympic Games. Those who saw the spectacle were blown away by the beauty and artistry. Those who knew of Zhang Yimou's work in the cinema, were also blown away, but not surprised. For over twenty years, Zhang has been making films with light and color and human passion and emotion as his cornerstones. Audiences who've discovered Zhang lately have found a series of gorgeously staged wuxia epics. Anyone quick to dismiss these films as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon clones or less substantial than Zhang's earlier films should take another look. Hero and House of Flying Daggers are among the most beautiful films of all time. Their produciton designs and cinematography are at times simply jaw dropping.

Has any director turned on a dime like Zhang Yimou has? Could his early films been any different from his recent ones? Well, "yes" to answer my own question. While there is indeed a gap between those films thematically, they all adhere to Zhang's powerful aesthetic. Consider 1992's Raise the Red Lantern and how its use of color to evoke emotion is really no different from Zhang's recent movies. Yes, the film has less color overall, but that simply sets up the amazing pop of red that accompanies the joy of the lanterns' arrivals (at the house of whichever wife is in the husband's favor that night). Zhang loves color and finds uses for it everywhere in his filmography. And just in case you worried that while his use of color has flourished, his penchant for emotionally evocative films has faded, right in the middle of epics, Zhang released the little seen Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles, proving that he can still tug a heart string or two whenever he wants.

After a long break after the Olympic Ceremonies, Zhang returns with his latest film, A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop (a remake of the Coen's Blood Simple) and proves quite adept at noir influence as well. He is a man of many trades and faces, Zhang Yimou, all saturated in beauty and meaning. His next film The Love of the Hawthorn Tree will be released this month in China. It's another period drama/romance to continue to quell the fears of those who think Zhang's serious work is behind him. Although any lover of cinema will tell you, it doesn't matter what kind of movie Zhang is making next, whether it be a drama or adventure, noir or romance, or all four, it's release will be colored with excitement and anticipation.

Tang & Takeshi Together? Excitement Meter Off the Charts

Behold this paparazzi shot of Tang Wei and Takeshi Kaneshiro together. [Thanks Tony!] Be still my heart. It appears they may be co-stars in Peter Chan's (The Warlords) next project which is titled, simply, Wuxia.

Tang, Donnie Yen (in sunglasses) and Takeshi.

... isn't that like calling a film Horror or Period Epic or Musical or Action or some such? Though supposedly Wuxia is a remake of The One Armed Swordsman (or maybe a reboot of that 70s franchise in general?)

Anywei... since that sexist ban on the Lust Caution hussy* lifted, she's been busy. (As well she should be given how tremendous that performance was, truly one of the most confident and complex movie acting debuts ever.) Tang Wei has had one new film released in Hong Kong (Crossing Hennessy). Her new film Late Autumn will be at TIFF (pictured left) and now, there's this. No word yet on her connection to Takeshi in the movie but she'll be married to Yen onscreen.

Peter Chan had apparently been hush hush about the female leads of Wuxia -- even denying Tang Wei was involved at all -- but this photo may say otherwise. Last I heard was an offer going out to Gong Li. This report, though, is semi-confusing about which movie is actually shooting, calling this movie Wu Xia or Jincheng Wu and then later implying that The Swordsmen is a different and second film project for 2010. Though it could be a case of the writing just not being totally clear else why do the earlier reports list the same cast members for the remake of the One Armed Swordsman? Here's a couple more pics of Tang & Takeshi at a nearby restaurant.

*sarcasm. be not offended
Wei Tang

Link-Fest at Tiffany's

Stale Popcorn Glenn surveys the 19 eligible films for the Australian Oscars.
I Need My Fix Jane Lynch gets a wax figure. Glee has now officially taken over the world. Watch it take over the Emmys next.
Hot Blog in depth Sissy Spacek interview. Goes all the way back to the early years.

I didn't work until I was 20. I just looked like I was 13.

HKMDB Daily Stills from the Chinese remake of What Women Want with superstars Gong Li & Andy Lau
Towleroad Jennifer Aniston as Barbra Streisand? People...


Scanners looks at how the reviews of Salt deal with Angelina Jolie's super-sized star persona
Box Office Mojo some release date shifts for Disney and two cancellations. Is the Beauty & The Beast 3D death another sign that 3D is over? If so, YAY! B&tB is perfect as is thankyouverymuch.
His Eyes Were Watching Movies Volver collects another fan. I honestly think that movie will continue to do so until it's regarded as one of Almodóvar's very best. Because it so is.
That Obscure Object old paparazzi photos sometimes freak me out. This is the Thelma & Louise stars: Susan, Geena and Brad. Ah, sweet bird of 1991 youth.
Empire when I read the capsule header or this article about Dolphin Tale starring Ashley Judd, Harry Connick Jr and Morgan Freeman -- that cast! -- I actually thought I had clicked on the wrong link and gone back to an article from the 1990s. True story, I did.
Low Resolution Have you read Joe's entertaining & thought provoking personal Emmy ballots? You should.

I'm a dancer!
One more round of applause for the "best shot" participants in case you missed their entries: the neon gynecology, the phallic solar plexus, the starry eyes, the sabotage, the makeup and the vomiting dolphin.

must read contemporary post of the day
Op-Ed Maureen Dowd and Sam Wasson, the author of that Breakfast at Tiffany's book discuss the sorry wrist-slitting state of the romantic comedy. They name names. Wonderful discussion. I just may read it again and buy Wasson's book.

must read retrospective post of the day
Nick's Flick Picks reviews James Cameron's The Abyss (1989). As per usual his insights are totally invigorating. He always makes me want to see movies again. You can miss so much. I love this bit on Ed Harris

Harris, whose charisma, gaze, and body were like a periodic table of virile emotion during this period in his career, is tremendously moving throughout this key sequence, and really throughout the movie.

"A periodic table of virile emotion"...god, what a gorgeous distillation of Ed Harris. When is his honorary Oscar coming (since the real thing seems ever out of reach)?

Falling in Link Again

cinema
Self Styled Siren terrific piece on memorable movie costumes. The Siren writes beautifully. My favorite write-ups are those for Breathless and Strangers on a Train.
Dennis Cozzalio has an amazing piece about the 35th anniversary of Robert Altman's Nashville, one of the best movies ever made.
Boy Culture on the new Burlesque stills and out writer/director Steve Antin. I'm excited for this movie but also fearful that it'll just be the Christina Aguilera show. That would be epically disappointing given the rest of the cast list: Cher, Tucci, Cumming, Bell.
Cinema Blend Viggo & Fassbender on the set of David Cronenberg's Freud/Jung picture Dangerous Method. Can't wait. So excited to see two of today's best actors in character.
Cinematical Neil Gaiman is sick of vampires.

movie stars
I Need My Fix Jude Law in the Czech Republic. Apparently Sadie Frost is writing a book about their marriage. Uh oh.
Old Hollywood Ernest Hemingway to Marlene Dietrich. Awesome quote.
Diva Asia Apparently Gong Li is now divorced. I'm not that concerned with her marriage. I just want her in some incredible movies again. Like something as good as Ju Dou? That's too much to ask, right? I can dream.

a Buffy moment
Flickr Holy Hellmouth, this "Buffy Alphabet" is awesome thus far.
Low Resolution has a three-part incredibly detailed interview with one of the writers on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. If you love Buffy you'll want to read it.

just for fun
pop licks "Best Headline Ever?" Maybe it is. It is pretty vivid.
Chateau Thombeau "Been There" hee x several.

....and because it's just amazing, the video "Big Bag Big Boom" by Blu.

BIG BAG BIG BOOM - the new wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

Sprecken Zie Link?

IndieWire Precious takes the audience prize at Toronto. Could this season be another like the Slumdog last when everything was a foregone conclusion before the big night. If so, zzz and uh-oh. The buzz is so deafening now it might sadly become one of those movies where everyone's opinions are pre-formed and no one's can fully be trusted. Hate it when that happens (but I am totally dying to see the film. Very soon. very soon)
Quiet Earth Concept art for Mute, the follow up to Duncan Jones Moon
Pop Culture Nerd wonders if you'll go to the Harry Potter theme park. My god, not me. I'll be so relieved in 2011 when it's all finally over. NEXT!


Cinema Styles has a fascinating take on Francis Ford Coppola's One From the Heart. I love reading modern takes on this movie
NY Times Robert De Niro and Spike Lee are developing a Showtime series about NYC's Alphabet City in the 80s. That's the creatively fertile time / place that brought us Keith Haring, David Wojnarowicz (where are their biopics?) and Madonna among other artistic luminaries
First Showing on Leaves of Grass starring Edward Norton. I've heard from two readers who wondered why there aren't more reviews of this on the web so maybe you're interested, too? I've become agnostic on Norton over the years but sure did think he was back in form for The Painted Veil

Finally, there's yet more updates and posters added to the Oscar Foreign Language Film pages over at the original site...

• Afghanistan to France
• Georgia to Morocco
• The Netherlands to Venezuela
• Current Predictions

I've also done a little bit of restructuring and digging to see which countries have been most popular with voters over the past 20 years and which stars are "good luck charms" for their films. Bet you didn't know that Russia's Oleg Menshikov held the first place position if my calculations are correct. Two of the world's most beautiful women (Gong Li and Penélope Cruz) are just behind him as foreign film rabbit's feet. Click on the following link to see more. There's even links to program your own international film festival at home.

• Oscar Records By Country
  (link fixed)

But back to 2009. Brazil (Salve General), Serbia (Here and There ...starring Cyndi Lauper!!!) and France (Un Prophète -- don't bet against that one) have announced. Israel, Spain and Mexico are about to. Canada will announce on Tuesday. Do you think they'll pick I Killed My Mother (see previous post)?
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April Showers: Miami Vice

In between Michael Mann (Public Enemies) movies I always forget that I really like his work. If you could reach into one of his movies you would be able to feel something... a cold surface maybe, vibrations from a loud noise or a drop of sweat hitting you. He has a real gift for atmosphere and texture. And apparently he has a thing for sex in the shower since two of Miami Vice's three big sexual scenes take place there.

The first shower scene is basically relationship detail. The music is soothing and we're just observing the easy intimacy of co-workers/lovers Naomi Harris's Trudy and Jamie Foxx's Tubbs.


The second shower scene is curious. We've spent several minutes watching Gong Li's Isabella and Colin Farrell's Sonny fall in love/lust (same thing in the movies on account of time is sped up). They've just realized that their relationship is a bad idea. Or maybe they've just decided it's a good idea to vocalize that obvious conclusion. The shower scene following this announcement begins oddly though it follows the same structure as the first shower scene. The man is lost in thought or zoning out, as one sometimes does when the hot water is drumming into one's skin. The woman enters and the intimacy begins. Only this time the music moves into ominous chords as we see Gong Li approaching the shower. She's all blurry like killers are as they approach shower curtains.

She tears open the shower curtain in a rather violent edit. It's the cinematic language of threat. Michael Mann is trying to ratchet up the tension in this dangerous affair (they're violent business partners and Sonny is also an undercover cop and could bring her down) but there's something about the shower entrance that feels little cheap. Like a 'Boo! Gotcha... she's just there for more nookie' red herring.

It probably shouldn't have tipped that threatening. After all, what's threatening about showering with Gong Li or Colin Farrell? Unless you have a heart condition, jump in and grab the soap!


But I love that Michael Mann is determined to keep the audience off balance. This next bit works better. He's been pulling us into the relationship and then suddenly, he's pushing away. The lovers kiss and stare and Isabella whispers something into Sonny's ear. See, we can ogle. We can practically touch the wet tendrils of hair clinging to hot skin but we're not allowed any closer. We're no longer privy to this conversation.

[Come see the new blog. We'll renew this series in April]
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100 Favorite Actresses

It's a Tuesday Top Ten blow-out. Top 10 multipled by 10. In other words, a Top 100. Can you tell I'm exhausted this week? Guest bloggers start pitching in Thursday --I've got freelance stuff due, friends visiting for the Yaz reunion concert [insert synthesized "woot" here] and more.

Enjoy fumes...

(For best results hit play in the "video of week" sidebar so that this gif has Old Hollywood musical accompanient!)

Nathaniel's 100 Favorite Actresses -in animated gif format... don't look for a link ;)
Extremely subject to change as I see more older movies. The goddesses appear in very rough ascending order... (Ask me tomorrow and the order will vary considerably but the actresses will remain the same, give or take a dozen of them... cuz you know it'd be a top 200 if I had the time)

Did you see your favorites? If not, too bad. They're mine. Mine. All mine! Jealousy will do you no good. Feel free to discuss them or make a case for some of yours.

April Showers

Beauty, Tripled

Shouldn't red carpets have some kind of quota or maximum capacity on beauty? Not too much all at once lest we all be blinded from the sight of it. This photo is from Cannes last summer. I'm confident that the only reason my eyes are still working is that time has destroyed the purity of the photograph thereby creating an effective actressexual ozone layer against all the radiance.

What am I talking about?

Unrelated: new nominee categories at the FB Awards are up including Best Sex Scene, and Best Adapted / or Song Score and Sexpot of the Year
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Dystopias, Divas, and Drugs

new on DVD

The Must See
Children of Men -The ideal place to see this was on the big screen since it's truly cinematic (t'was frightfully robbed of the cinematography Oscar) but this dystopian vision should still prove potent on your TV. It's strong thematically as well.

Viewing Tip: Turn the sound way up. Keep your cats close by for comfort. And report back if you're just now discovering this fine film (12 FB nominations and 4 gold medals)

Also Worth a Look
Curse of the Golden Flower -Zhang Yimou's follow up to House of the Flying Dagger is a litle less adventurous and operatic --this ones more implosive than explosive --but it's still a visual feast. Zhang Ziyi (an Yimou regular) does not appear. Yimou's original muse Gong Li is back for leading lady duties (praise be). If you like diva performances your heart may go boom.

Drinking game suggestion (for those who want to be very very drunk): A swig every time the Empress gives any of the other characters a dirty look.

Satisfy Your Curiousity
Candy an Australian drama about two drug addicts. For those who've wondered who the hell this Abbie Cornish person is that people keep talking about. And for those who've wondered how Heath Ledger followed up his tour de force as Ennis Del Mar


Relive Your Childhood...
The Brady Bunch: Complete Series ...not that your childhood involved a perfectly gender matched blended family, a cousin named Oliver and a wisecracking maid with a butcher for a beau... but still.

You Could Also Rent:
Happy Feet In case you were wondering if it's as weird as people said. (It is)
Night at the Museum In case you were wondering if all the best laughs were in the trailer.
The Pursuit of Happyness In case you were wondering if Will Smith deserved that Oscar nomination. I think it'd shoulda been James Bond's personally.
Tempest In case you were wondering what Molly Ringwald, Gena Rowlands, Raul Julia, Sam Robards and Susan Sarandon were all up to in 1982.

Friends of the Experience #5

One of my favorite geeky things about the behind-the-scenes efforts on the website is looking at maps of where readers are coming from. For todays friends of the experience, we're taking long flights to highlight Paul in Hawaii and two Aussie readers James and Stephen G who donated to the site & blog. Time is money and money is time -- I'm trying to write full time...

Paul sent me an enthusiastic note detailing his journey with The Film Experience (4 years!) He shares my enthusiasm for the work of Gong Li, Clive Owen, Juliette Lewis and Joan Allen in particular. I got a kick out of this particular bit...

Recently, I've revisited my adoration of Gong Li and have 'taught' my friends and family that we should bow down to her greatness and then sit back and watch in awe. (LOVE her in Raise the Red Lantern and To Live)

I 'teach' my friends all the time who they should love. I relate. In college my friends were even forced to watch weekly themed double features. We labelled it 'Cinema 260' with yours truly as the dictator/professor of the imaginary course. Oh the bossiness of me.

Over in Australia (you know it well: the land of perpetual movie star hatchings), James has been reading the site since the 2001 Oscar race. His favorite film is a tie between Woody Allen's Manhattan and Volker Schlondorff's The Tin Drum with his apologies going out to The Leopard, Eight and a Half, Bladerunner, Mulholland Drive, Rebecca...(he trails off. There's obviously more) In short: James has good taste. And I am humbled to tell you that he lists this site as one of his top three along with Jonathan Rosenbaum and another which he discusses...

The Film Experience has been a staple in my movie site diet. I must say we have a bit of a push and pull thing going on with matching our film tastes. I too loved Marie Antoinette, Brokeback Mountain & Before Sunset, but loathed Far From Heaven, Dancer in the Dark and Thirteen. But really, that's what makes reading a particular film critic interesting.
...I'm going to recommend my other favourite film site It's the site of the Australian version of Ebert and Roeper, I guess. They really know how to review a film, because a) like yourself, they aren't afraid to give something full marks or a failing grade (the worst type of critics are the ones who are perpetually stuck in 3 and a half star land) and b) also like yourself, they talk about a rich variety of art house and mainstream without unfairly biasing esoteric films or conforming to the majority opinion (their good review of Showgirls was notoriously famous here in Australia)

I'm happy to check them out. And I wholeheartedly agree with that 3 and a half star problem. How can every film be worthwhile? The "we love everything" school of film criticism always suggests to me: paycheck and corporate directives to be kind to the majority of releases. Not that there's anything wrong with being paid, mind you. But in a perfect world would critics really be paid by the same corporate parent that's distributing the movies?

Stephen is also a very generous soul from Australia. He discovered The Film Experience through Oscar Watch a site that I've had a long and happy friendship with. Stephen lost his Oscar virginity in 1986 (a race that was also impactful to me... the Kathleen Turner loss fixation, don'cha know) and has been into the Oscars ever since. His favorite films are ABBA: The Movie, This Sporting Life, Sunset Blvd., A Clockwork Orange, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Gods and Monsters, The Accidental Tourist, Brief Encounter and Children of Men. I think it's worth pointing out that none of his favorites won the Best Picture prize and most weren't even nominated. Isn't that the problem for Oscar obsessives: continual fascination and frustration. Stephen sent along several great suggestions for potential upcoming articles topics: I will definitely tackle a couple of them. I love getting recommendations as much as I love giving them. Stephen writes

You've turned me on to everything from Channing Tatum to Wong Kar-Wai to the Birth soundtrack. Even better, you've helped me appreciate things that my boyfriend of 14 years' standing loves, but I've never really gotten into (like Sweeney Todd, Tori Amos, comics). And we are both forever in your debt for getting us hooked on Project Runway.

As ever I'm glad to be of service. And I love demanding suggesting that my favorites become all of yours.

Questions
What other film writers do you respect and read? What actor or film would you like to "teach" the world to love?

They Don't Do Windows

It takes a certain amount of entitlement, arrogance, and self-absorption to be a proper diva. In the classical sense it takes a booming voice and one of our contestants has that in spades, but some divas are so large and in charge that they can control their fans / peons with a mere whisper or a look that could kill. One diva is a straight up killer. Another, you get the sense, is only a diva by circumstance and privilege but she helped set the mold. She's an ur-diva.

Bow down. It's the best cinematic Divas of the Year

Other Updates: Best Heroes. They're more worthy of your worship but they're not going to ask for it. They're too down to earth. Even if they're up in the sky. Best Casting (click and scroll down). Which movies made winning choices before filming even began? And a Best Actress poll @ headquarters.


Tags: marie antoinette, movies, al gore, gong li, jennifer hudson, dreamgirls, diva, Film, casting, casting directors

Hump Day Hotties: ScarJo and the Twins

It's been 3 months since Scarlett Johansson Week here at the blog, so I figured it was time to bow down to Hollywood's hottest PYT again. If not bow down, at least --um-- lean forward. Please and thanks.

You know if they remade 9 to 5, Dabney Coleman version 2.0 would be knocking pencils off his desk for Scarlett to pick up.

I thought Scarlett's last performance (The Black Dahlia --my review) was pretty stinky but the one before that (Scoop) was lots of fun once I got acclimated to Scarjo's throaty awesome voice coming at me in stammering Woody cadence. Scoop just arrived on DVD yesterday. So snatch it up. It's got Hugh Jackman shirtless, Scarlett Johansson in a red bathing suit (and even hotter in glasses and sweaters), and Woody Allen being funny. Worth a rental.

UPDATE: Oh and it's Scarletta's b-day too. Duh, I forgot to mention.


She is a beautiful woman. In honor of Scarlett and the Twins, let's play a game of 'who goes with the cleavage?' Guess in the comments! UPDATE: Game is over!

Suggested musical accompaniment:
Bette Midler's Otto Titsling
Scissor Sisters' T**s on the Radio
A Chorus Line's Dance: Ten; Looks: Three
and my personal favorite...
Loudon Wainwright's Rufus is a T*t Man


a. Gong Li finally guessed by Agent69
b. La PFEIFFER says Nick
c. Halle Berry --trashbag kid is correct.
d. Rachel Weiz --Klemen got it.
e. Holly Hunter -goes to Marco.
f. & g. Pitt's personalized girlfight: Aniston and Jolie -agent69 guessed it.
h. Kirsten Dunst -samurai frog knows Kiki when he sees her.

Previous Hump Day Hotties: Daniel "Bond, James Bond" Craig long time fancied, pre-007 * Brad Pitt golden über hotness and exhibitionist tendencies * Qi Shu & Chen Chang 3 times is not enough * Jamie Dornan & Asia Argento burning up Versailles * James McAvoy randy king of Scotland * Naomie Harris pretty chameleon * Hot on TV from "Agent Cooper" to "Faith" * Channing Tatum steppin' up and out * Hugh Jackman dancer, mutant, god * Uma Thurman 18 years of hotness. * Cheyenne Jackson Broadway to Hollywood * Season One of HDH Gyllenhaal, Li, Bernal, etc...

tags: Scarlett Johansson, movies, cinema, boobs, babes, academy awards, celebrity, Woody Allen

Gong Li vs. Ziyi Zhang

Given that official news is coming in fast and furious regarding this year's Foreign Film Oscar Race, this news may be outdated as soon as you read it. Israel and Spain have picked finalists but not their representative films. China hasn't announced finalists but there's a potential battle of screen icons brewing.


A few years back China's greatest movie goddess Gong Li seemed to be abdicating her crown to upstart Ziyi Zhang. She had all but disappeared from the screen as Ziyi performed the deja vu trick of playing muse to Zhang Yimou (The Road Home, Hero, House of Flying Daggers) and launching herself into international fame (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon). If perception is reality than Gong definitely wants the crown back. Since Ziyi's rapid ascendance, Gong Li is acting frequently again and branching out into American films. Most recently she danced and romanced Colin Farrell in Miami Vice and, perhaps to underline her point, blew Ziyi off the screen in Memoirs of a Geisha .

Now they're battling for Oscar consideration again --or, rather, their films are. Zhang Yimou reunites with his original muse Gong Li in the upcoming Curse of the Golden Flower , another martial arts epic and Xiaogang Feng directs Zhang Ziyi in the upcoming The Banquet which is loosely based on Hamlet. And both of these directors want to represent their country at the Oscars.

[editors note: I'm aware I'm supposed to call Gong Li "Li Gong" now but I refuse. I've been saying it this way for 15 years. I'll compromise on Ziyi since she's new.]

In other 'Foreign Movie Star' news...

German thespian Sebastian Koch (pictured to your right) is having a great decade. He's already proved himself an awards magnet in Germany over the past few years. Now, he's starring in not one but two official submissions for Oscar's international screen outreach program... better known as the Best Foreign Language Film category. He is the top billed male in Paul Verhoeven's Dutch submission Black Book (which is said to be as outre as Verhoeven usually is despite the deceptively Oscar-friendly setting of WW II) and the lead of the ecstatically received German film The Lives of Others, which some folks are saying could even win the prize this year (...well, if Almodovar's Volver isn't submitted by Spain. And it might not be.)

For more on the first 15 official submissions...
Australia, Bosnia, Colombia, Denmark, Egypt, Finland
France, Germany, Greece, Japan, Netherlands
Phillipines, Romania, Slovenia, Venezuela

The European Films site also keeps a frequently updated list here.

Related Posts
UPDATED OSCAR PREDICTIONS --for September in All Categories
Mexico and Korea which amazing films will they choose? * Verhoeven for the Gold re: Black Book * The Race Begins re: Ten Canoes * Yimou and Gong Li an epic reunion.

Tags
foreign films, China, Germany, movies, Oscars, Academy Awards, cinema, Film...

An Asian Moment (Pt. 1)

Sony Pictures Classics has acquired the latest still-filming event from Zhang Yimou whose terrific 2004 double-header Hero and House of Flying Daggers is still all shimmery in my minds eye. Those two films were not related in anything other than genre and the presence of one Ziyi Zhang. This latest Curse of the Golden Flower is also a stand alone but this time Ziyi is nowhere to be seen. Yimou has returned to his original muse Gong Li and Nathaniel's jaw has just dropped to the floor. Excuse the drooling.

If this means nothing to you, you really ought to have an immediate DVD double feature of the following: Raise the Red Lantern and Ju Dou, the two films which made the international reputation of both director and actress, who were also a real life couple (scandalously so, he was married). This new collaboration is on par with, say, a screen reunion of Warren Beatty & Julie Christie(sorry Annette my diva, but that gives me the chills to imagine). Or Woody & Mia … if they could work out their differences while fighting off mutual enemies and balancing on tree branches. I don’t know. It’s exciting at any rate.

Still, I found the press release amusingly overstated [the emphasis is mine]

From Gong Li's stunning performance to Chow Yun Fat's commanding presence to opulence one has rarely ever seen on screen, this movie will have it all: brilliantly executed action set pieces as well as compelling intimate drama against the most colorful historical canvas imaginable.

If I were the scribe here I would definitely remove the “on screen” part of the bolded phrase and replace it with “since the last time you saw a wuxia film” but ... this is probably why I don’t work in PR.

Hump Day Hottie: Gong Li

As a peace offering to those readers offended by my dismissal of Memoirs of a Geisha, I stop for a moment to honor the enduring beauty and exquisite talents of Gong Li. I know. I know. I'm supposed to call her Li Gong now since all the Asian stars are starting to rebill themselves with their names flipped in the American order. But I can't part with 15 years of habit that easily when it comes to one of the world greats.

Fifteen years you say, incredulously? Yes. For those just marvelling at the Gong Li magic for the first time due to the Geisha hoopla, 2005 marks a major comeback for this once dominant Chinese superstar. Think people are enthused about Ziyi Zhang these past few years? That ain't nothing compared to the lusty fuss over Gong Li in the 1990s. She was ubiquitous in the films of Zhang Yimou, at your local arthouse, and in Academy Award nominated foreign films.

Any of these six titles are great places to start if you want to fall under her spell for the first time (or all over again): Ju Dou (1990) --one of Memoirs of a Geisha's most beautiful camera shots, the fabric in the water, is like a lift or tribute (intentional or not, I don't know) to this movie. Raise the Red Lantern (1991) was her second consecutive appearance in an Oscar nominated foreign film. The Story of Qui Ju (1992) won her the first of her two Chinese Oscars known as "Golden Roosters" and delivered the Best Actress trophy at the Venice Film Festival, too. Farewell My Concubine (1993) was arguably her most famous film in America. It received two Oscar nominations and also generated much buzz for a supporting actress nomination for Gong Li herself (it didn't come to pass but she did receive the NYFCC prize). To Live (1994) won the BAFTA for foreign film and was a Golden Globe nominee. And Shanghai Triad (1995), won an Oscar nomination for cinematography. It helps to have a subject as breathtaking as Gong Li to shoot if you're a DP.



Previous Hump Day Hotties for your distraction... Madonna, Cillian Murphy, Rachel McAdams, Jake, Madonna, & "Give 'Em Hell" Harry, Orlando Bloom, Lady Tottington, Daniel Craig, Viggo & Maria , Emmanuelle Béart, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Fiennes & Weisz