# Chinese films appreciation thread!



## TrolleyDave (Aug 1, 2010)

I've always been a huge fan of Chinese cinema since I was a kid.  Ever since seeing my first Run Run Shaw film "The Five Venoms".  Of course, Chinese cinema has come a long way since the Run Run Shaw/Golden Harvest films dominated the market (or at least the Western market!).  Films are no longer dubbed after completion, special effects have improved, and just the quality in general has improved.  It began to really improve in quality during the John Woo/Tsui Hark days.  Stuff like Hard Boiled, The Killer and Once Upon A Time In China took Chinese cinema to another level.

There isn't really much talk on the temp about Chinese cinema, so being the kind soul that I am I thought I'd open one up to introduce the world of Chinese cinema to those who might not have had a chance to appreciate some of the finer titles available.  If you're an action fan or martial arts film then Chinese cinema is a must.  We hear of actors like Jackie Chan and Jet Li obviously, but we hear very little about actors like Simon Yam, Donnie Yen, Tony Leung and many other fine actors.  Directors like Ang Lee and John Woo have of course broken out into the Western market but we don't hear about directors like Johnnie To, Wilson Yip, Wong Kar Wei or others.

So here's your chance to talk about some of your favourite films, actors, directors or whatever you choose!  Make suggestions so those who haven't seen some of the greats can experience them for themselves.


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## Phoenix Goddess (Aug 1, 2010)

Didn't you and I talk about Chinese cinema before or was it someone else?


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## TrolleyDave (Aug 1, 2010)

phoenixgoddess27 said:
			
		

> Didn't you and I talk about Chinese cinema before or was it someone else?



It was me and you!  We were talking about Jackie Chans Hong Kong stuff and how awesome Donnie Yen is!


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## Phoenix Goddess (Aug 1, 2010)

TrolleyDave said:
			
		

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I remember! And we recommended movies to each other 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 *has the urge to translate more and watch an old Chinese movie*


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## TrolleyDave (Aug 1, 2010)

phoenixgoddess27 said:
			
		

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Yep!  I'm already ahead of you in watching a Chinese film though.  I'm currently watching Twins Mission! lol


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## Icealote (Aug 1, 2010)

So what have you guys seen? So far I'm getting back into watching the HK movies I never got to when I had the time.

Recently I've watched an Andy Lau with Loius Koo in Century of the Dragon. It's an old 90s gangster film yet I like because of the manipulations that happen within the triads.

I'd name more but I'd have to look into what I got first!


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## TrolleyDave (Aug 1, 2010)

I've not seen Century of the Dragon, keep meaning to grab it.  A couple of my favourite gangster films have been the 2 Election films and Hong Kong Godfather.  I really enjoy the HK gangster flicks as they're very different to Western ones.  Not just in style but in the way the gangsters themselves are.

edit : Oh, and I really enjoyed Exiled when I saw it not long ago.


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## Phoenix Goddess (Aug 1, 2010)

I think I've already seen Twin Mission.


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## TrolleyDave (Aug 1, 2010)

phoenixgoddess27 said:
			
		

> I think I've already seen Twin Mission.



Yeah, I've seen several times! Woke up today and had the sudden urge to watch all 3 Twins films though. lol


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## Icealote (Aug 1, 2010)

Well I'm trying to avoid the 80s stuff only because I'm so used to the 90's antics in HK movie making (and well the film back then are too gritty for my eyes o.O)

I haven't seen Exiled quite yet. I'm trying to get a hold of the Mission which is before that.

Since you mentioned Donnie Yen earlier... I hope you had a look besides the Ip Man movies like Flash Point, Sha Po Lung (a.k.a Killzone), the not so great movie called Dragon Tiger Gate (lol don't know why I mentioned this and also has Nicholas Tse and Shawn Yue in it). ANDDDDD I'm still waiting for his film coming out later this year called "The Legend of Chen Zhen".

Jackie Chan's movie has been too "Hollywoodish" therefore crap. I'd prefer he stick to HK types as this really brings his performace to a high. There's a action-comedy (not sure how to classify this) called Little Big Soldier. He's a farmer/soldier who kidnaps a Wei prince/general in attempt to get some acres of land. I liked this however Jackie doesn't fight which is something new. Like his first drama movie in Shinjaku Incident.



			
				TrolleyDave said:
			
		

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You like the film or just the so called "twins"


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## TrolleyDave (Aug 1, 2010)

Yeah I know alot of people that won't watch pre-Bullet Ballet era stuff because it looks and sounds cheap, but I've been a fan since the 70's so have got used to it.  You're missing out on alot of great flicks if you skip the Run Run Shaw era.  Although I gotta admit, they are an acquired taste!

Exiled is a fantastic watch.  Very slow paced, but very tense and very well acted.  It's watchable as a standalone film as well.

Heh, of course I've seen more than the Ip Man films!  I've been a fan of Donnie Yen since Drunken Tai Chi!  Not one of his best flicks but you could see he was great back then and was gonna go places.  I've been telling people for over a decade how great he is, and with each film he gets better and better.  Flash Point and SPL are two of my favourites though.  And what's wrong with Dragon Tiger Gate! lol  It's a little cartoony and a little cheesy but still an enjoyable watch!  Some great action scenes in it, the fight in the restaurant  at the beginning was great!  Seven Swords is another one of my favourites.

I know exactly what you mean about Jackie Chan films as well.  They're far too worried about insurance costs to let him really do his own thing.  His first couple of American films (not very well known films), Battlecreek Brawl and The Protector, weren't too bad.  Battlecreek Brawl was handled by Golden Harvest though so that really helped alot.

edit : Heh, well "the twins" help alot! lol  They are decent action flicks though!  The first was just average but Twins Effect 2 and Twins Mission are good old fashioned no-brainer action films!


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## Icealote (Aug 1, 2010)

I was born in the late 80's so I was raised with the 90s stuff lol! I still remember watching one of Jackie's first movies where he wasn't the lead and died a slow painful death. Can't remember what it was but I do know I was like "aww he died" switched the tv off afterwards.

Was it just me or was Donnie wearing mascara back then? lol I noticed quite a bit in the early movies, especially facing Jet Li in Once Upon in China


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## George Dawes (Aug 1, 2010)

I'm a big fan of some asian cinema, but I don't find a lot of it very conversation inducing (understatement of the year).  :-)

Goodbye Mr Cool (九龙冰室 / Jiu Long Bing Shi / Gau Lung Bing Sat) by Jingle Ma and starring Ekin Cheng Yee Kin is the last HK movie I watched (also saw it about 8 years ago on TV and loved it - forgot all about it until this week so had to get it to see if it was as good as I remembered).

Lots that you would expect from HK cinema (former triad boss out of prison and wanting to reform but ex-partners and former rivals not taking it well, along with life in general conspiring against him), but some stuff done differently (the way the relationships are built, whilst pretty generic do have some interesting twists).  ...but I'm no critic, so read a full review or give it a watch yourselves.


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## elixirdream (Aug 1, 2010)

talking about donnie yen
then you should try ip man 
ip man is bruce lee's teacher 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




EDIT: wait you had seen it... but make sure you don't miss the new one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Jackie? a couple of his action movie during the 80's are pretty nice 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



you should try to catch them all 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Ever watched those chinese vampire show?


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## TrolleyDave (Aug 1, 2010)

Icealote said:
			
		

> I was born in the late 80's so I was raised with the 90s stuff lol! I still remember watching one of Jackie's first movies where he wasn't the lead and died a slow painful death. Can't remember what it was but I do know I was like "aww he died" switched the tv off afterwards.
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> Was it just me or was Donnie wearing mascara back then? lol I noticed quite a bit in the early movies, especially facing Jet Li in Once Upon in China
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Seen it and own it! lol  The second one is very different to the first.  It's like each one pays respect to the film style of where it's set.  The first was set in Mainland China and is alot more character driven, with lush scenery and a more detailed story with more going on.  The second one set in HK pays alot more respects tot he style of HK cinema.  More focus on and driven by the action, grittier scenery, very different character styles.  Both equally as good as each other obviously, but still very different.

Not seen Chinese Vampire Show but just looked it up and it sounds great.  Gonna try and hunt a copy down.  There's no sign of it on Play-Asia or YesAsia.


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## Icealote (Aug 1, 2010)

George Dawes said:
			
		

> I'm a big fan of some asian cinema, but I don't find a lot of it very conversation inducing (understatement of the year).  :-)
> 
> Goodbye Mr Cool (???? / Jiu Long Bing Shi / Gau Lung Bing Sat) by Jingle Ma and starring Ekin Cheng Yee Kin is the last HK movie I watched (also saw it about 8 years ago on TV and loved it - forgot all about it until this week so had to get it to see if it was as good as I remembered).
> 
> Lots that you would expect from HK cinema (former triad boss out of prison and wanting to reform but ex-partners and former rivals not taking it well, along with life in general conspiring against him), but some stuff done differently (the way the relationships are built, whilst pretty generic do have some interesting twists).  ...but I'm no critic, so read a full review or give it a watch yourselves.



Speaking of that movie, ah memories of hate. I despised the ending! And I'm sure most people would too when they see it if they were a fan of Ekin Chengs earlier works. Nowadays he really makes either a cheesy comedy types or those weird kinds of movies (e.g. My Wife is 18 or #1 Rule: There is no Ghosts


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## ZPE (Aug 1, 2010)

Love all the Chinese films Sammo Hung was in back in the "days" including the likes of Project A and Encounters of the Spooky Kind (that gave me nightmares when I was a kid).


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## FAST6191 (Aug 1, 2010)

With the exception of die hard 1 and 2 which are Christmas films it seems if we ever need a cheesy film (or just something action based we know to be good) the Chinese seem to have us covered and Ip Man was a much needed breath of fresh air for my friends and I. Indeed part of the reason I no longer watch TV/film channels is because I know if they play hard boiled that night I will be there in until it ends adverts and all.

One I did actually enjoy somewhat recently was The Sniper- never would I knock Golden Harvest (indeed their credit sequence is up there with transformers, sonic drowning and various tetris music in things that will make me pay attention) but it was nice to see something different.
I also saw a psuedo history type film (edit: I Corrupt All Cops was the name) of the pre handover HK police and corruption in it but I have forgotten the name- the director is usually known for bad comedy films but this one put me in the same mindset as Get Carter (the 1971 version naturally) and if I dare say the Infernal Affairs series.

I will have to pick up Twins Effect 2 though, the first I did not regret watching but it was close and if the second is good for the mindless action I am game.

This being said I am not enjoying much of the OTT CGI these days- damn near ruined Dragon Tiger Gate, Kung Fu Hustle and Shaolin Soccer (not that I care about football so I was onto a loser from the start really) for me. It can be done right (the obvious example being Crouching tiger and some of Jet Li's last few "epic" films) but for me those did not sit well.

Naturally I am going to end on a zombie film- Sun faa sau si aka Bio Zombie. Almost took my mind off my mistaken watching of the last few offerings from Romero.


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## Icealote (Aug 3, 2010)

lol At least someone agrees with me with Dragon Tiger Gate. I bought it and I'm disappointed about it.

IMO I loved Conman movies with Andy Lau and Nick Cheung is such a crackup!

I would link some videos yet I haven't gotten the grasp of how to work it (thanks to TrolleyDave for the previous link!)


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## Ryukouki (Aug 3, 2010)

OMG Ip Man and Dragon Tiger Gate, fuck YES!


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## Dr.Aqua (Aug 3, 2010)

Jay Chou's <u>Secret</u> is no doubt my favorite
Its so touching at the end lol



Spoiler



Secret (traditional Chinese: 不能說的秘密; simplified Chinese: 不能说的秘密; pinyin: Bùnéng shuō de mìmì), also known by its translation The Secret That Cannot Be Told, is a 2007 Taiwanese romance film. It is the directorial debut feature film of Taiwanese musician Jay Chou, who also stars in and co-wrote the movie.

The film has won several awards, including The 2007 44th Golden Horse Award, Best Visual Effects, The Outstanding Taiwanese Film of the Year, and Best Original Film Song.
Contents

The film tells a "simple but very beautiful" love story, which Chou denies was adapted from his personal experiences.[3] When the film debuted, Chou admitted that he drew from childhood experience for the plot, although his personal story was not as romanticized.

Filming for the movie began in January 2007 and was completed in March. Despite previous experience in filming music videos, Chou admits that movies are comparatively more challenging due to storyline and time constraints.

Because Chou was worried that people might question if he actually directed the film himself, he even refused veteran director Andrew Lau Wai Keung to visit him during shooting. However, Chou says that he did send a pilot film to Lau afterwards.

Unofficial sources strongly indicate, that as of 2009, Secret Part Two is in talks.[citation needed] Chou is preparing for Secret 2 and is planning to invite Andy Lau to star in it.
Cast:

* 周杰倫 (周杰伦) Jay Chou as 葉湘倫 (Ye Xianglun): Music student majoring in piano and lives with his father.
* 桂綸鎂 (桂纶镁) Kwai Lun-mei as 路小雨 (Lu Xiaoyu): Music student who lives with her mother.
* 黄秋生 (黄秋生) Anthony Wong Chau-sang as 小倫爸爸 (Xianglun’s father): The discipline teacher of Xianglun's school and his father.
* 曾愷玹 (曾恺玹) Alice Tzeng as 晴依 (Qing Yi): The girl Ye Xianglun met when he joined Dangjian. She always admired Ye Xianglun.
* 宋健彰 Devon Song as 阿宝/阿寶 (Abao): Not a well-behaved student. Member of a rugby team.
* 黃俊郎 (黄俊郎) Huang Junlang as 阿郎 (Alang): Abao's good friend, captain of the rugby team. Organised a dance party where he performs.
* 詹宇豪 Yuhao Zhan as 雨豪 (Yu Hao): "Prince of the piano", a talented piano player, had a "piano battle" with Ye Xianglun.

Plot

Ye Xianglun, a music student majoring in piano, transfers to Tamkang(Danjiang)Secondary School

. It is a school famous for musically talented students, especially for those who play piano. On the first day of school, as he wanders through the piano building, he hears a mysterious melody being played that leads him to Lu Xiaoyu, another piano major. When he asks her about the song she was playing, she tells him that it is a secret that cannot be told. The two develop a relationship that is clouded in mystery. When Xianglun tells Xiaoyu of the demolition of the piano building on graduation day, she teaches him the song that he heard on the first day of school.

However, when a mis-passed note leads to Xianglun's accidental kissing of Qing Yi, Xiaoyu disappears for five months, only to return on graduation day and mysteriously disappear again. Xianglun asks around and discovers through Xiaoyu's mother and his own father that Xiaoyu was actually a student from the class of 1979, who graduated 20 years ago. His father tells him claimed she time traveled to the present via a piece called "Secret" that she played on an old piano in the piano building. She had fallen in love with Xianglun, but the only barrier is that, in the present, the first person she sees on each trip is the only person that can see her.

When Xiaoyu was misled that Xianglun liked Qing Yi, she returned back twenty years to her normal time. During her absence, her story spread and everyone believed that she was crazy. Remembering that the piano room would be destroyed on graduation day of 1999, she tried time traveling to see Xianglun one last time, but was misled once again that he liked Qing Yi as she saw Xianglun was wearing Qing Yi's bracelet, loaned to him for good luck for playing at the graduation ceremony. Xiaoyu retreats back to her own time and faints due to an asthma attack, while writing on her desk, to which Xianglun desperately tries to write back by writing on a desk with white out.

After finally learning of Xiaoyu's story, Xianglun realizes that the piece that she taught him was "Secret", which had the power to take the pianist forward or backward in time depending on the tempo at which it is played. He rushes off to the piano room, which is about to be torn down. Xianglun's father retrieves the manuscript of Secret that Xiaoyu had given to him for safekeeping, then realises that Xiaoyu had written a secret message to which he finds out was for Xianglun. Meanwhile, Xianglun enters the piano building where the old piano is. As the demolition begins, Xianglun begins "Secret" from memory, recalling something Xiaoyu told him while teaching him the piece: "I always play it that fast when I go back". Just before the piano room is completely destroyed, Xianglun travels back to 1979. He sees Xiaoyu, and she sees him and smiles, but doesn't seem to know him. The last scene is when the 1979 Tamkang (Danjiang) Secondary School graduation picture is taken, in which Xianglun and Xiaoyu are present. As the old piano and the piano building have been destroyed, Xianglun stays forever in the past living a normal life with his love Xiaoyu.




Second is Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.



Spoiler



Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (simplified Chinese: 卧虎藏龙; traditional Chinese: 臥虎藏龍; pinyin: Wòhǔ Cánglóng) is a Chinese-language film in the wuxia  martial arts style, released in 2000. A China-Hong Kong-Taiwan-United States co-production, the film was directed by Ang Lee and featured an international cast of ethnic Chinese actors, including Chow Yun-fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi and Chang Chen. The movie was based on the fourth novel in a pentalogy, known in China as the Crane-Iron Pentalogy, by wuxia novelist Wang Dulu. The martial arts and action sequences were choreographed by Yuen Wo Ping, well known for his work in The Matrix and other films.

Made on a mere US$17 million budget, with dialogue in Mandarin, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon became a surprise international success. After its US premiere at the Hawaii International Film Festival, it grossed US$128 million in the United States alone, becoming the highest-grossing foreign-language film in American history. It has won over 40 awards. The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film (Taiwan) and three other Academy Awards, and was nominated for six other Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The film also won three BAFTAs and two Golden Globes, one for "Best Foreign Film" as well as additional nominations for ten BAFTAs including "Best Picture".
Contents

* 1 Plot
* 2 Production
o 2.1 Post development
* 3 Soundtrack
* 4 Marketing
o 4.1 Video game
o 4.2 Novels
o 4.3 Comics
* 5 Reception
o 5.1 Critical response
o 5.2 Accolades
* 6 References
* 7 External links

[edit] Plot

The film is set in the Qing Dynasty during Emperor Qianlong's reign. Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-fat) is an accomplished Wudang swordsman. Long ago, his master was murdered by Jade Fox (Cheng Pei-pei), a woman who sought to learn Wudang skills. Mu Bai is also a good friend of Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh), a female warrior. Mu Bai and Shu Lien have developed feelings for each other, but have never acknowledged or acted on them. Mu Bai, intending to give up his warrior life, asks Shu Lien to transport his sword, also referred to as the Green Destiny, to the city of Peking, as a gift for their friend Sir Te (Sihung Lung). At Sir Te's estate, Shu Lien meets Jen (Zhang Ziyi), the daughter of Governor Yu (Fa Zeng Li), a visiting Manchu aristocrat. Jen, destined for an arranged marriage and yearning for adventure, seems envious of Shu Lien's warrior lifestyle.

One evening, a masked thief sneaks into Sir Te's estate and steals the sword. Mu Bai and Shu Lien trace the theft to Governor Yu's compound and learn that Jade Fox has been posing as Jen's governess for many years. Mu Bai makes the acquaintance of Inspector Tsai (De Ming Wang), a police investigator from the provinces, and his daughter May (Li Li), who have come to Peking in pursuit of Jade Fox. Jade Fox challenges the pair and Sir Te's servant Master Bo (Xian Gao) to a showdown that night. Following a protracted battle, the group is on the verge of defeat when Mu Bai arrives and outmaneuvers Jade Fox. Before Mu Bai can kill Jade Fox, the masked thief reappears and partners with Jade Fox to fight. Jade Fox resumes the fight and kills Tsai before fleeing with the thief (who is revealed to be Jade Fox's protegée, Jen). After seeing Jen fight Mu Bai, Jade Fox realizes Jen had been secretly studying the Wudang manual and has surpassed her in skill.

At night, a desert bandit named Lo (Chang Chen) breaks into Jen's bedroom and asks her to leave with him. A flashback reveals that in the past, when Governor Yu and his family were traveling in the western deserts, Lo and his bandits had raided Jen's caravan and after a protracted desert chase, kidnapped her. However, Lo and Jen soon fell passionately in love. Lo eventually convinced Jen to return to her family, though not before telling her a legend of a man who jumped off a cliff to make his wishes come true. Because the man's heart was pure, he did not die. Lo came to Peking to persuade Jen not to go through with her arranged marriage. However, Jen refuses to leave with him. Later, Lo interrupts Jen's wedding procession, begging her to come away with him. Nearby, Shu Lien and Mu Bai convince Lo to wait for Jen at Wudang Mountain, where he will be safe from Jen's family, who are furious with him.

Jen visits Shu Lien, who tells her that Lo is waiting for her at Wudang Mountain. After an angry dispute, the two women engage in a duel. Wielding the Green Destiny, Jen gains the upper hand by destroying every weapon that Shu Lien uses, despite being on the defensive more often than not. But Shu Lien finally uses this to her advantage, surprising Jen by pressing a broken sword to her throat. However, rather than acknowledging her defeat and handing over the sword, Jen injures Shu Lien when she lowers her broken weapon. Mu Bai arrives and pursues Jen into a bamboo forest. A duel ensues where Mu Bai over comes a challenge Jen sets before him (to determine whether she will be his pupil), regaining possession of the Green Destiny. But when Jen still refuses his offer, he throws the sword over a waterfall. In pursuit, Jen dives into an adjoining river to retrieve the sword, and is then rescued by Fox. Fox puts Jen into a drugged sleep and places her in a cavern; Mu Bai and Shu Lien discover her there. Fox suddenly reappears and attacks the others with poisoned darts. Mu Bai blocks the needles with his sword and avenges his master's death by mortally wounding Fox, only to realize that one of the darts hit him in the neck. Fox dies, confessing that her goal had been to kill Jen, because she was furious that Jen hid the secrets of Wudan from her.

As Jen runs off to prepare the antidote for the poisoned dart, Mu Bai prepares to die. With his last breaths, he finally confesses his love for Shu Lien, and dies in her arms as Jen returns too late to save him. The Green Destiny is returned back to Sir Te. Jen later goes to Wudang Mountain and spends one last night with Lo. The next morning, Lo finds Jen standing on a balcony overlooking the edge of the mountain. In an echo of the legend that they spoke about in the desert, she asks him to make a wish. He complies, wishing for them to be together, back in the desert. Jen then leaps over the side of the mountain into the clouds.


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## DunkrWunkah (Aug 3, 2010)

Drunken Master 2 is one of my favorite Chinese movies of all time. Also Oldboy is good, although it's Korean.


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