It’s #AsianApril and Jackie Chan’s 65th birthday! I actually wrote out a whole giant Twitter thread about this to celebrate it all as an alternative to writing this article. But just as I clicked “Send,” it all disappeared. So, here I am. Back on my blog. Trying to not feel frustrated and just keep moving … Continue reading Happy Birthday, Jackie Chan: A Look at His Career
Category: Chinese Cinema
Into the Badlands: Why a Brief Harold Lloyd Reference was the Most Amazing Thing Ever
It’s been criminally overdue, but I’m finally catching up on Season 2 of Into the Badlands, and - mark my words - I will never let another season go by to be caught up later! I feel like AMC developed a technology to go into my head, scour the depths of my psyche for everything … Continue reading Into the Badlands: Why a Brief Harold Lloyd Reference was the Most Amazing Thing Ever
Iron Fist and the Lack of Stylistic Consistency
Since posting my last post on Iron Fist, I’ve completed the series and kept telling myself that I was done with it. As the show went on, I liked it less and less but wanted to write about it more and more. I still have some Iron Fist demons that need to be exorcized, because … Continue reading Iron Fist and the Lack of Stylistic Consistency
Netflix’s Iron Fist and the Failed Expectations of Chinese Martial Arts Cinema
So I’m finally getting around to Iron Fist (I’m only 6 episodes in at the time of this writing) and I think I’ve come to certain realizations. Episode 6, in particular, helped crystallize a lot of the thoughts that were bubbling and percolating in my head throughout the first five episodes. Let’s start with the … Continue reading Netflix’s Iron Fist and the Failed Expectations of Chinese Martial Arts Cinema
An Appeal to Chinese Martial Arts Cinema
So I finally watched Yuen Woo Ping’s True Legend (2010) last night and had a thought. Well, I had many thoughts, most of them negative, but one main thought. Martial arts cinema – especially from Mainland China – seems to be adapting to the requirements of a globalized cinema audience in all the wrong ways … Continue reading An Appeal to Chinese Martial Arts Cinema
A Few Thoughts on Storytelling in Chinese Cinema
Just a quick post to briefly share/develop some thoughts on the current state of entertainment cinema in the People’s Republic of China. This is a result of my own ongoing research interests in the mainstream film industry of Mainland China as well as what I’ve read in some articles recently. One of the things … Continue reading A Few Thoughts on Storytelling in Chinese Cinema
China’s Homegrown Hit Films Don’t Need to Come Overseas
My sister shared this article with me today titled “China’s Homegrown Hit Films Getting Lost Overseas” and it made me want to offer somewhat of a response. Not because I think it’s wrong, but because I think there are other variables that continue to be ignored in these kinds of articles. So really, this response … Continue reading China’s Homegrown Hit Films Don’t Need to Come Overseas
BACK TO 1942 or: FLOWERS OF WAR 2
I recently read a film review, which I’ll discuss more below, and wanted to jot down some thoughts that I’ll probably return to and expand later. A lot of this connects back to issues I've discussed before. Do you know about Feng Xiaogang? He’s widely referred to as the PRC’s “Box Office King,” with almost … Continue reading BACK TO 1942 or: FLOWERS OF WAR 2
Keanu Reeves and the Future of Martial Arts Cinema
I am a fan of Keanu Reeves. The Bill and Ted movies and cartoons were a childhood favorite. Speed blew my mind, and I’ll never forget that movie’s score. I walked out of The Devil’s Advocate (I was way too young and should have never been allowed in that theater in the first place!). And … Continue reading Keanu Reeves and the Future of Martial Arts Cinema
THE FLOWERS OF WAR: A Non-Review
...or, The Eternal Burden of Chinese Cinema The other day I finally got around to watching Zhang Yimou’s The Flowers of War. It was alright. Christian Bale and Chinese movies are pretty high up on my list of favorite things, so the film didn’t have to try very hard to keep me interested. There are … Continue reading THE FLOWERS OF WAR: A Non-Review