Editor’s note: With Tai Chi Zero now officially released in theaters, here is a re-run of our Fantastic Fest review, originally published on September 30, 2012. The martial arts genre has always featured period films fairly prominently, but it seems the Hong Kong and mainland China film industries have made a home there in recent years with no intention of leaving it anytime soon. Truth be told the biggest problem with the pseudo genre is that it’s swallowed Donnie Yen whole. He hasn’t made a contemporary film since 2007′s bone-crackingly brilliant Flash Point! But Yen aside, there are so many of these films that it’s getting difficult to tell them apart. Writer Kuo-fu Chen and director Stephen Fung recognized this fact and set out to tell a tale that would stand apart from the herd. The ace up their sleeve is a visual style that brings slow-mo, onscreen graphics and the inclusion of steam-punk elements...
- 10/20/2012
- by Rob Hunter
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Tai Chi Zero
Directed by Stephen Fung
Written by Kuo-fu Chen, Cheng Hsiao-tse and Zhang Jialu
China, 2012
If you find yourself at the cinema, and you happen to have a fistful of quarters, then, by all means, go and see a discount matinee of Stephen Fung’s Tai Chi Zero. But if for whatever reason you can’t, if the nickelodeon is inexplicably full, the tickets sold out, or if you’re just tired of watching yet another Chinese kung fu extravaganza, then take your quarters to the theatre arcade. Deposit the necessary amount of credits into the machine, and treat yourself to an action-packed game of Street Fighter. You won’t miss a thing.
However, if you do decide to see the movie, for one reason or another, you’ll be thrust into the life of Yang Luchuan (played by Yuan Xiaochao, a martial arts gold medalist at the...
Directed by Stephen Fung
Written by Kuo-fu Chen, Cheng Hsiao-tse and Zhang Jialu
China, 2012
If you find yourself at the cinema, and you happen to have a fistful of quarters, then, by all means, go and see a discount matinee of Stephen Fung’s Tai Chi Zero. But if for whatever reason you can’t, if the nickelodeon is inexplicably full, the tickets sold out, or if you’re just tired of watching yet another Chinese kung fu extravaganza, then take your quarters to the theatre arcade. Deposit the necessary amount of credits into the machine, and treat yourself to an action-packed game of Street Fighter. You won’t miss a thing.
However, if you do decide to see the movie, for one reason or another, you’ll be thrust into the life of Yang Luchuan (played by Yuan Xiaochao, a martial arts gold medalist at the...
- 10/18/2012
- by Justin Li
- SoundOnSight
Tai Chi 0
Directed by Stephen Fung
Written by Kuo-fu Chen, Cheng Hsiao-tse and Zhang Jialu
China, 2012
If you find yourself at the cinema, and you happen to have a fistful of quarters, then, by all means, go and see a discount matinee of Stephen Fung’s Tai Chi 0. But if for whatever reason you can’t, if the nickelodeon is inexplicably full, the tickets sold out, or if you’re just tired of watching yet another Chinese kung fu extravaganza, then take your quarters to the theatre arcade. Deposit the necessary amount of credits into the machine, and treat yourself to an action-packed game of Street Fighter. You won’t miss a thing.
However, if you do decide to see the movie, for one reason or another, you’ll be thrust into the life of Yang Luchuan (played by Yuan Xiaochao, a martial arts gold medalist at the...
Directed by Stephen Fung
Written by Kuo-fu Chen, Cheng Hsiao-tse and Zhang Jialu
China, 2012
If you find yourself at the cinema, and you happen to have a fistful of quarters, then, by all means, go and see a discount matinee of Stephen Fung’s Tai Chi 0. But if for whatever reason you can’t, if the nickelodeon is inexplicably full, the tickets sold out, or if you’re just tired of watching yet another Chinese kung fu extravaganza, then take your quarters to the theatre arcade. Deposit the necessary amount of credits into the machine, and treat yourself to an action-packed game of Street Fighter. You won’t miss a thing.
However, if you do decide to see the movie, for one reason or another, you’ll be thrust into the life of Yang Luchuan (played by Yuan Xiaochao, a martial arts gold medalist at the...
- 9/9/2012
- by Justin Li
- SoundOnSight
Today we bring you this just-released, full trailer for Tai Chi 0, courtesy of /Film. Somehow, the trailer makes a mindlessly entertaining mix out of martial arts, steampunk, and dubstep. That’s certainly an impressive feat, as who would have thought that these three things could go together without coming off as completely ludicrous?
This film is directed by Stephen Fung, with a script written by Kuo-fu Chen. Its ensemble cast – consisting of stars from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mainland China – features Xiao-chao Yuan, Angelababy, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Daniel Wu, and Qi Shu.
The official synopsis is as follows:
Young genius Yang Luchan (Yuan) travels to Chen Village to learn the forbidden secrets of martial arts, but learns that the village is menaced by a formidable battalion of Steampunk soldiers. The villagers realize that in order to save their home, they must trust this strange outsider with their knowledge of Tai Chi.
This film is directed by Stephen Fung, with a script written by Kuo-fu Chen. Its ensemble cast – consisting of stars from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mainland China – features Xiao-chao Yuan, Angelababy, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Daniel Wu, and Qi Shu.
The official synopsis is as follows:
Young genius Yang Luchan (Yuan) travels to Chen Village to learn the forbidden secrets of martial arts, but learns that the village is menaced by a formidable battalion of Steampunk soldiers. The villagers realize that in order to save their home, they must trust this strange outsider with their knowledge of Tai Chi.
- 8/27/2012
- by Karen Huang
- We Got This Covered
Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame Directed by: Tsui Hark Written by: Kuo-fu Chen, Lin Qianyu (story), Jialu Zhang (screenplay) Starring: Andy Lau, Carina Lau, Li Bingbing, Chao Deng, Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Jean-Michel Casanova If you thought Guy Ritchie was the only one capable of taking a well-known detective and turning him into an over-the-top action hero, well, then you haven't seen Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame. Directed by Hong Kong veteran Tsui Hark, the movie is inspired by a real-life historical figure from the Zhou Dynasty named Di Renjie, who served as chancellor to Wu Zetian, the first and only female Emperor of China. Prior to that he had been a magistrate and judge, which was the basis for the 18th century novel The Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee. This new big budget wuxia film re-imagines him as not only a crime-solving super sleuth,...
- 12/15/2011
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
Director: Tsui Hark.
Writers: Kuo-fu Chen, Lin Qianyu (original story) and Jialu Zhang (screenplay).
When Chinese producer, director and writer Tsui Hark is heavily involved in a production, he often leaves a huge cinematic stamp on it and the international world pays attention. The last film he directly worked on was Seven Swords (2005), which borrowed on some ideas from Akira Kurosawa's Shichinin no Samurai (Seven Samurai). But these days, his most recent work that’s getting noticed is Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame.
Although Hark is not involved in the writing of this detective mystery thriller, his trademark for phantasmagorical storytelling and gorgeously framed visuals is certainly consistent throughout. The only shame is the larger dependence on CGI in modern Hong Kong Cinema to recreate the sprawling cityscape around Daming Palace, which is the backdrop for most of this film. Also, not all of the...
Writers: Kuo-fu Chen, Lin Qianyu (original story) and Jialu Zhang (screenplay).
When Chinese producer, director and writer Tsui Hark is heavily involved in a production, he often leaves a huge cinematic stamp on it and the international world pays attention. The last film he directly worked on was Seven Swords (2005), which borrowed on some ideas from Akira Kurosawa's Shichinin no Samurai (Seven Samurai). But these days, his most recent work that’s getting noticed is Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame.
Although Hark is not involved in the writing of this detective mystery thriller, his trademark for phantasmagorical storytelling and gorgeously framed visuals is certainly consistent throughout. The only shame is the larger dependence on CGI in modern Hong Kong Cinema to recreate the sprawling cityscape around Daming Palace, which is the backdrop for most of this film. Also, not all of the...
- 10/31/2011
- by noreply@blogger.com (Ed Sum)
- 28 Days Later Analysis
Chinese director Tsui Hark finally got back in good shape. His latest film Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame is by no definition Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Nevertheless, his film provides a somehow solid and entertaining story.
In 690 Ad, Wu Zetian (Carina Lau) is about to be the first woman to wear the Chinese crown. However, when many highly placed officials die in the palace, her coronation might be threatened. The future Empress believes that because she's a woman, someone wants her away from the throne.
This is why she gets Di Renji (Andy Lau), a former dissident who opposed Wu Zetian's regency eight years earlier, out of his exile in order to investigate. With the help of Pei Donglai (Chao Deng), another official, and Shangguan Jing'er (Bingbing Li), the Empress's right-hand "woman", Di Renji will discover that someone is actually preparing a conspiracy against the Empress.
In 690 Ad, Wu Zetian (Carina Lau) is about to be the first woman to wear the Chinese crown. However, when many highly placed officials die in the palace, her coronation might be threatened. The future Empress believes that because she's a woman, someone wants her away from the throne.
This is why she gets Di Renji (Andy Lau), a former dissident who opposed Wu Zetian's regency eight years earlier, out of his exile in order to investigate. With the help of Pei Donglai (Chao Deng), another official, and Shangguan Jing'er (Bingbing Li), the Empress's right-hand "woman", Di Renji will discover that someone is actually preparing a conspiracy against the Empress.
- 7/15/2011
- by anhkhoido@gmail.com (Anh Khoi Do)
- The Cultural Post
Ready for a double dose of Chinese pathos? Here are the first teaser and trailer for Kuo-fu Chen’s (producer of The Equation of Love and Death, The Assembly) espionage thriller The Message formerly known as Sound of the Wind.
The film is set in 1942 where the then Chinese capital Nanking has fallen into the hands of the Japanese. After a serious of assassination attempts on the established puppet government and sabotaged military mission, a group of suspects gets “invited” to a mansion house for interrogation. One of them is a Chinese code-breaker who has to send out a message decisive for the outcome of the war without compromising his own identity.
Teaser
[See post to watch Flash video] Trailer
[See post to watch Flash video] Share...
The film is set in 1942 where the then Chinese capital Nanking has fallen into the hands of the Japanese. After a serious of assassination attempts on the established puppet government and sabotaged military mission, a group of suspects gets “invited” to a mansion house for interrogation. One of them is a Chinese code-breaker who has to send out a message decisive for the outcome of the war without compromising his own identity.
Teaser
[See post to watch Flash video] Trailer
[See post to watch Flash video] Share...
- 6/12/2009
- by Ulrik
- Affenheimtheater
Morse film nom fuels controversy
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- American actor David Morse's nomination Wednesday for one of this year's Golden Horse Awards, which honor Chinese-language films, has sparked a dispute within the nominating committee and among members of the media over the matter of language. Morse was nominated for his performance in Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia's Double Vision, even though his dialogue is completely in English. The movie, helmed by Taiwan's Chen Kuo-fu, is the first Taiwanese film Columbia Asia has invested in since the worldwide smash Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Golden Horse executive committee official Ya-Mei Li admitted that the choice of Morse had been contested, but she said jury members found Morse's performance compelling enough to take a chance. She added, however, that "there are no rules about the language used by actors, only about the main language of the movie, and on that count, Double Vision conforms to the regulations."...
- 10/17/2002
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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