The character and the figure we know as Genghis Khan does not appear until the very end of the two-hour epic. Instead, we see Temudjin, that conquered and contgrolled the largest contiguous empire in history of man kind. This movie is thought to be the first of trilogy for the the director who makes and ambitious epic movie.

Mongol is very much a story based on true event movie. However, we can't be sure if it is entirely historically accurate. As with most movies based on true events, the film is marked with historical inaccuracies, he is captured three times during the film, where as he was only captured once. However, historical accuracy is not Bodrov's intent. Sergei Bodrov, grew up in the Soviet Union, a place where Genghis Khan is painted as a nothing more than savage killer. Mongol attempts to put a human face on the myth. This is where the film shines.

There is a cast of thousands including the extras that don't get the credit. The movie is colorful and visual masterpiece, the battle scenes are graphic and violent, and men, women, and horses all look great. The acting was excellent, especially the lead roles, Tadanobu Asano as the grown man, and the beautiful Khulan Chuluun as Börte, his wife.

While the movie probably will not appeal to those seeking a traditional myth riddled characteristic of Khan, those who lack this expectation will enjoy the movie's pace and execution. Mongol is a rarity among war films as the battles are not the focus of the story. Instead, the man behind the conquest and war It's worth a look, and maybe a purchase once the second and third part of the films are released.

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Asian movies in general have a different feeling and overall look that I think are distint to Asian directors. So having Rob Marshall who directed Chicago step in is a risk, and for most part of the movie he stays away from the visual style from Chicago and slows down the pace to truely capture the mood and tone of the novel.

The story follows a Japanese peasant girl whose father sends her and her sister to a famous geisha house. Her less attractive sister is sent to be a prostitute, and Chiyo is given domestic tasks until the time when she can be trained to be a geisha.

The main appeal of the film is the glimpse into the true nature of the geisha. How a geisha becomes the companion, a master of entertainment and a royal agent of many talents, how she sells her skills and not her body, how she keeps the tradition, and how she can stop a man in his tracks with only one look… Yet the film postulates that a geisha's ultimate goal is her debut as a flamboyant dancer, sell her virginity, and pride herself on being well paid for it.

Zhang Ziyi was great, but she was terribly hard to understand at times. Nonetheless, her facial expression and acting was pretty good. Although, I wonder how Kim yun jin would have done as the lead role.

This is a fairly complex movie and does not spoon feed the audience. If you do not like a movie that makes you think and contemplate, skip this one. However, if you like thought provoking movies with outstanding visual treats, make sure you see this before the critics make it go away.

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Paul Verhoeven has had strange career. He's responsible for some of the most watchable science fiction such as Robotech and Total Recall. He's also directed the only Basic Instinct, commercial success, and Show Girl, commercial flop. With Black Book he returns to Dutch root and delivers a great WWII genre epic.

The movie tells you the story of a young Jewish woman portrayed by Carice van Houten during the waning months of World War II in occupied Holland. She goes through many trials . Rest assured, she survives, but only to witness a new war. She witnesses the misery and profiteering done by greedy people during and after the war.

The acting is strong, too. In particular the heroine is not only breathtaking in her beauty and charm, but in a defining role of her career. No phoney emotions just a great performance. The other players are also solid - all the main Dutch and German characters are well played, with particular credit going to the lawyer - a wonderfully ambiguous performance.

Acting is superb, characters are good, bad, and everything in between where we cheer for some and hope for miserable death for others. It brings emotion, the occasional grin and a good bit of tension.

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This film really injects the image of CAUTION throughout the film - at least till close to the finale. There are number of instances when I was reminded of the film's appropriate title, "Lust, CAUTION"! The movie achieved a remarkable visual achievement that cooks up metaphors to provide so much food for thought.

A terrific ensemble cast. Tang Wei, who played the soul of the film, transformed herself into the leading character successfully through an unfamiliar face to wide audiences and has the acting of unattached perfection just like Zhang Ziyi in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Though she got set up to get involved with this role by Lee, the result shows that her efforts worth every second.

The best performance of Tony Leung by far to the date, every look and movement is very perfect. Though it's also postmodern and the same kind of costumes, the effect is totally different from the images in Wong Kar Wai movies. Even he has been through several villain characters, the devotion and outcome that he put in this role is never been seen before.

As for the controversial sex scenes that received some spotlight, they all take important places in the film just as Lee said. Even there's no sign of sex in Chang's story. Except the power demonstration of the leading role by Mr Lee, Wang learned to use her sex power, the abreaction from the huge frustration of both their occupations and the struggle and joy they soaked in the functioning sex. They could very likely be the perfect match for each other that they can never find another one in this lifetime.

Lust, Caution is an espionage story that works on many levels, and being set in a tumultuous era helped loads in the eagerness and sense of urgency required, and how patience in getting everything set up for that one shot one kill opportunity makes it a constant tussle, both for the characters, and how events get played out.

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The secret to success, it has been argued, is to display an ambidextrous plot that can be understood as both a simple narrative structure and a complex narrative structure. In this way District 13 fulfils its purpose. There is a story for those who are unable to grasp or understand complex narratives yet it also allows the 'thinking man' a topic of debate.

In 2010, the dangerous districts in the periphery of Paris are surrounded by walls, and the dwellers do not have school, hospital and even police in the area, which are ruled by drug lords. In the 13th District, Leito (David Belle) is a honest man that lives in a clean building and does not permit drug dealers nearby his neighborhood. When he destroys one million Euros in heroin of Taha Bemamud (Larbi Naceri), the criminal abducts Leito's sister Lola (Dany Veríssimo) and the corrupt police arrests Leito. Six months later, the tough and honest Capt. Damien Tomaso (Cyril Raffaelli) is assigned to find and deactivate a stolen bomb that might destroy the 13th District and the two million dwellers. Together with Leito, they have to face the gang of Taha and disclose a despicable secret behind the robbery of the bomb.

The movie is thinly plotted—who cares—but the characters, except for woman-in-distress Lola (Dany Verissimo), are vibrant, quirky, and fascinating. There are so many surprises in this movie, so many jaw-droppingly beautiful action moments, that you will quickly fall for this movie. It's enough to make many Americans forget they hate the French. At least for an hour and a half.

IF you like Chun Yow Fat kind of stuff and the over the top martial arts gun-fu style.. this has a lot of that style of scene -but with a mildly futuristic low budget sci fi plot as a backdrop- in a neighborhood full of armed gangstas.

I would have liked a whole lot more bloody gory finishing moves and a whole lot more rampant sexuality. There's just a few too many muscled men and only one girl in this movie.. it was almost like a prison flick in some parts.

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Zhang Yimou was a very highly regarded filmmaker 5 years ago, before I had ever heard of him. Then he earned a place in my heart by directing both Hero and House of Flying Daggers. With those last two I felt like I was in martial arts movie heaven, so I would instantly be interested in any other future films that could approach those two in scope, talent, and action. Curse of the Golden Flower focuses mostly on the first two of those three traits, but besides, anything starring Chow Yun-Fat will earn my attention like a bullet to the head. I do own The Corrupter after all.

This is a film about a royal family, rather dysfunctional at that, in the 928 AD Tang Dynasty. Chow Yun-Fat is Emperor Ping, who from the way he handles his family and can anticipate any kind of attack or counterattack seems like quite the ruthless warlord. He has three sons: one is a teenager, who isn't given much regard but knows more than others think. The eldest of the three is the current crown prince, but doesn't seem to have any special talents, other than drawing the affections of the wrong women. The middle son is a great warrior and, of course, is now the favorite of the father. But these characters may be just pawns to Empress Phoenix (Gong Li), who is mother to the younger two brothers and step-mother to the eldest. Under normal circumstances she might be a great mother, wife, and Empress, but current circumstances, including a mystery illness, have forced her to take actions involving a secret plot to remove her husband from the throne.

Kudos goes to Chow Yun Fatt and Gong Li. Chow has improved on his accent tremendously (which was very strange in Crouching Tiger) and portrayed the Emperor with magnitude and hysterical outrage. Look out for the scene as the usually mild mannered Chow punishes his son with both rising temper and hair.

While the film obviously banks on Gong Li's bosoms, they shouldn't distract audience from her exceptional acting. It may be over-the-top at times, but she shows that nobody else can play this vengeful and solitary empress better than her. At this moment, she is the queen of the Chinese cinema.

Zhang quotes an old Chinese saying, "Gold and jade on the outside, rot and decay on the inside," and "Curse" has it all, although the gold-and-jade surface is so ostentatiously brilliant that all that portentous stuff within lacks depth and believability. At some of the most dramatic moments, there is laughter in the audience: the fun is too much to bother with what's supposed to be hot and heavy, the intended drama turns into melodrama. But, again, the fun is great and nonstop; bosoms may well heave merrily in the seats as well as they do, dramatically, on the screen.

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After absolutely loving 'Hero', I couldn't wait for Zhang Yimou's latest Wuxia Pien feature to arrive on Blu-ray. After watching it, I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed, as it is another sumptuous, stylistic feature, which deserves all the accolades it is likely to receive.

The plot of the film is told in a more linear narrative when compared to that of 'Hero', but that is not to say it is any more straightforward. Set in the Tang Dynasty, the basic premise is nothing to write home about, featuring government officials on the trail of an underground rebel alliance 'The House of Flying Daggers'. However, there is enough characterisation and depth to hold your attention, while the (sometimes predictable) plot twists keep you guessing. Unfortunately, there is nothing entirely new about this story and it's probably familiar ground to fans of the wuxia genre. Nevertheless, it flows at a decent pace and is punctuated with enough stylistic action sequences that the 2-hour running time is quickly exhausted.

Director Yimou Zhang's work in Hero was more epic, more heroic, but SMMF has a more refined sense of story. The cast, the scenery, the music, including vocal performances by the legendary Kathleen Battle; all elements conspire brilliantly to convey subtle and nuanced meaning in moments. The story, as do all good stories of this genre, revolves around a delicate interplay of love, betrayal, deception and heroism of many different kinds, and, oh yes, those stunning ballets of combat layered with evocative sounds and effects.

In a nutshell, the plot goes something like this. A beautiful blind showgirl is captured as a spy. Her captors conspire to trick her into leading them to her leader. Along the way, both hunter and quarry become entangled in a web of subterfuge and deception. Add in a beautifully tragic romantic story line, again, as all such movies must have, and never forget that the essence of all truly great tragedy is inevitability.

I highly recommend this film to all. Don't be afraid of the subtitles. The Chinese film industry is really on a whole other level of film making than America. It's poetic with every shot and reminds you of old medieval tales in its unfolding. It is seriously a great and grand film. The fight scenes were excellent. Especially the scene of Mei mimicking the sounds on the gourds as a dance. It was sexy and delicate at the same time. The way the fabric of her clothing moved was visually stunning and breathtaking. I could immediately see this film taking place in North Africa, particularly Morocco, with black actors in the roles. The cultures seemed so similar, that's why I could envision it. Hey, it could work. Let's think about it America...lol. It was earthy, yet divine and lofty. I don't know how else to describe it. A beautiful movie by all my standards.

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This is a sequel of "Nochnoi Dozor" (English: Night Watch), the first part of a trilogy on the ever-lasting fantasy battle Good versus Evil, called here Light and Dark, respectively. Beware: the episodes of this trilogy are hard to watch on their own.

This is a world where dark ones and light ones live in an uneasy truce among the unsuspecting living. Once you get your head around this world's rules it starts to make sense and it becomes an action drama like any other, yet unlike any other. And for that, you should see it- but don't expect to understand it very much at first.. it helps if you saw the first film of this series- Night Watch, but that film sucked in comparison to this one in my opinion- and maybe that was just budgetary constraints but hey- it still sucked.

This is epic story telling and it covers a great deal of ground. Do not blink or go to the bathroom with out being able to pause this since this moves like the wind. Unfortunately even with close attention a good deal of the plot is going to be clouded. There are lots of characters, lots of plot points many carried over from the first film (which in retrospect I should have watched before I dove into this film). You can fee the film's origins as a novel bleeding off the screen giving this version of Moscow a very real sense of place.

The action and craftsmanship of this film is almost without equal. The set pieces are spectacular, there are things in this movie to make your jaw drop open (the influx of American money can be seen on the screen in sequences that top the first film). The cast is amazing, creating some really good guys and some vile bad ones. Its first rate all around.

The music could have been a bit more diverse, instead of consisting of three themes you can hear throughout the film (one for the action, one for the drama and a third one I can't put my finger on). the visual effects, however, make up for it. the gloom looks cooler, the fights more dangerous and entertaining, and the opening is just great because of all the horses ramming through fortified walls and crow-ninja's somersaulting the army of Tamerlane.

For non-fans of the first movie, you'll probably give this one a miss, or for those who have not watched Night Watch, then you might walk out halfway given that it's relatively difficult to follow (there were walk outs in the screening I attended). But for the fans, then this movie is a reason to celebrate closure. Definitely an acquired taste!

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Chow is no stranger to direction. In 1994 Chow co-directed Love on Delivery and since then a number of other self starring projects and many of these projects are considered the best of his acting career. However his skills as a comedian - be it his brash physical comedy (Shaolin Soccer), his manical scenarios (Tricky Brains) or epic historical parodies (A Chinese Oddsey) - have never outshined his talents as a director. Kung Fu Hustle not only reminds us of Chow's terrific comedic timing, it introduces us to his stunning visual eye and exhilarating action direction.

Kung Fu Hustle was one of the most visually imaginative and unique movies I have seen in quite some time. Upon first viewing the trailer, I thought we would have another Kung Pow: Enter The Fist on our hands but, boy, was I wrong. Unlike Kung Pow, the jokes did not grow tired on me and the special effects were definitely top notch. The scene with the two assassins playing that stringed instrument (don't know the name of it) in such a way that it kills was incredible.

From kung fu showdowns to dance sequences featuring tuxedoed mobsters, you've never seen martial arts action this outrageous! With jaw-dropping fight sequences by Yeun Wo Ping (famed action choreographer of Kill Bill Vol.1 & 2 and The Matrix) Kung Fu Hustle will blow you away! Chow's movie is set in 1940s Guangdong Province, China. Chow plays Ah-xing, a street rascal who fools around constantly. He is good at talking glibly, but at the core he is feeble-minded and stuck in poverty with an unknown future. So, it doesn't look good for A-xing at the beginning of the movie. It doesn't get any better, either a little later as we discover it is A-xing's goal is to become a member of the notorious Axe Gang, the fiercest, cruelest and most widespread gang of the city.

"Kung Fu Hustle" wasn't a perfect film by any means, but the criticisms I have about it are completely nitpicky. For instance, the romance between Sing and the mute girl was just kind of thrown in, though some of it was necessary for background on his character. And a purely aesthetic complaint; I wanted more dancing by the Axe Gang. Chow shouldn't have teased us with the little bit that they danced and then abruptly take it away for the rest of the film. Hey, it's a review – I've got to air the good and the bad.

This movie is pure entertainment from beginning to end. Hollywood should start paying attention - THIS is what movies are all about.

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It's been a long and almost 3 year wait for the coming of Stephen Chow's new movie CJ7, on the heels of his international success with Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle, both of which were adapted/parodied/copied in the other two competitive movies this holiday season in Kung Fu Dunk and Ah Long Pte Ltd. If imitation is the best form of flattery, that goes to show who's the boss and who calls the shots in the innovation and creativity departments, that there's only one force to be reckoned with in drafting comedy that appeals to the world.

If you love shaolin soccer and kungfu hustle, you may feel very different about CJ7, even disappointed, because it feels almost nothing like a Chow movie, except for some very funny jokes. Sure you will still laugh at few scenes where dark humor or hard jokes fly around. The story is no longer serious or ambitious, it's simply about a kid who discovered a new alien cute friend and learned the meaning of life.

After many years, I think Stephen Chow finally can sit down and build a story of his own without worrying about film market or what other people may think.This time he is not even the leading actor in this film. No Kungfu, no strange costumes, no play-like-a-fool jokes, it's pure imagination for kids, maybe one of Chow's dream when he was a child.

The acting was top notch. So the ladies had little time, less and less in each of his new movie but more and more prettier if I may add, it was the little girl who played a boy that was perhaps the very reason why this movie is so good. I watched the Cantonese version which meant it was dubbed but it was very well dubbed actually. Xu Jiao was not just cute, but also handsome in a boyish way, tall for her age but looks believably skinny as a poor malnourished boy and her actions were boyishly charming. She was in almost every single scene and yet she was totally mesmerizing. Towards the end in that one single scene when he was told of a news that no child should ever hear, her performance was flawless. If this kid is not nominated for the Golden Horse, I don't think anyone should. The supporting actors, from adults to children were good too.

The ending, however, does leave a little bit to be desired. While not necessarily bad or detracting from the movie, it ends a bit after it should have. Again, though, because it's a children's movie, it's very easy to see why it ended the way that it did.

Overall, I have to say that I enjoyed "CJ7" very much. Its blend of comedy and drama works very well, while retaining more than a hint of Stephen Chow that keeps audiences coming back to his movies.

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