A new comedy unlike anything you have seen before

Roger Ebert said "Imagine a film in which Jackie Chan and Buster Keaton meet Quentin Tarantino and Bugs Bunny." Nothing could be closer to the truth when talking about Kung Fu Hustle. From director/actor Stephen Chow (Shaolin Soccer) comes a quirky comedy set in 40's Shanghi. During a period of unrest, the gangs run rampant, and none are as deadly as the Axe Gang, run by Brother Sum (Kwok Kuen Chan-Shaolin Soccer). When an aspiring criminal, Sing (Stephen Chow), causes a poor neighborhood called Pig Sty Alley to fall under the boss's vengeful eye, hilarity ensues. Also starring Wah Yuen (Hidden Heroes), Qiu Yuen (The Man With The Golden Gun), and newcomer Siu Lung Leung.

I watched this film with a silly grin. I didn't know what to expect, and I was surprised at every turn. I laughed out loud, and shook my head in amazement and wonder, and marveled, sometimes all at once. The martial arts were as impressive as one could expect, with phenominal wire work, and stunning choreography, but Kung Fu Hustle adds a little of the bizarre with the use of CG and other visual effects. This film is like a live action cartoon with grown up humor. It is quirky, silly, and downright enjoyable. I will admit, the swerving plot, crazy antics and wacky gags will not be for everyone, but this is a comedy in Shaolin Soccer style. If you're a fan of Chow, you'll love this film.

Rating: 3.75 (out of 5)

Labels: Action, Comedy

posted by Lisa at 9:01 a.m. |

 
Walk down the right back alley in Sin City and you can find anything

It's rare that a tagline actually fits a movie, but Frank Miller's Sin City lives up to it. Enter Basin City, a world of secrets, darkness and violence. This is a movie with no real stars, entwined stories, and the most visually stunning camera work I've had the pleasure of seeing.

This is worth seeing for the visual aspect alone. This film looks like a comic book. It is dramatically lit, and shot for shot looks like it has been pulled from the pages of a graphic novel. Incredible use of color in a black and white film -red blood, the blue of a whore's eyes-add depth and intensity to an already stunning scene. More than once I found myself simply staring at the screen and thinking 'Wow!'

Even the costumes, while staying mostly true to the genre with trench coats and fedoras, added intergity to the film as a comic adapatation. The whores wore leather that squeaked and fishnets that sometimes had a run in them. The men were looked tough, even if they were not always stylish. In addition to the great hair and makeup work, one was really transported into the world of Sin City.

Then you add the character work. At any given moment, you can call to life even the most insignificant of characters. Everyone in this film is startlingly real. Example: The Man (Josh Hartnett: Wicker Park). He is on screen for less than 2 minutes. In that time, you discover he loves women; in fact, they are his specialty. He is sensitive, charming, and good at what he does. You remember him. In any other movie, this character would scarcely have warranted a second thought.

Yes, the performances by (nearly) everyone were quite impressive. Cut to Hartigan (Bruce Willis: The Whole Ten Yards), a good cop in a town where the species is endangered. It's a story about a dame -isn't it always about a dame? - by the name of Nancy Callahan (Jessica Alba: Honey). He's a tough guy with a good heart, something made all the more tragic by the fact he's got a heart problem. Not once during his story arch do you think of Willis as any of his memorable characters of the past. He makes the character his own. In fact, this can be said about everyone in the film.

Then we've got Dwight (Clive Owen-Closer), a hit man who's come back to Sin City after making some, er, changes in his life. He hooks up with a barmaid by the name of Shellie (Brittany Murphy: Little Black Book) and finds himself in insane situations and questioning his own sanity. This particular story line is film noir at its best. Owen took the genre and added his own pizazze, and one was riveted. The chemistry between Clint and Gail (Rosario Dawson: The Rundown) is believable, and interesting to watch. The only real disappointment about this arch was the poor performance from Alexis Bledel (Gilmore Girls). She couldn't hold her own amongst the more experenced actors and was painful to watch.

Now we'll talk about Merv. Merv is played by Mickey Rourke (Man on Fire) and he steals the show. When he awakes to find that he's being framed for the murder of a whore by the name of Goldie (Jamie King: Bulletproof Monk), he goes on a mission of revenge. Merv is the ultimate bad guy with a good heart and Rourke is amazing in the role. I loved every moment of this story arch, and would go see the movie again for Rourke's performance alone.

A special note has to be added for Nick Stahl (T3: Rise of the Machines) as Rourke Jr./Yellow Bastard, and Elijah Wood (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) as the silent and deliciously creepy Kevin.

Sin City is a fabulous example of film noir, and is surely what all comic book adaptations should be. One is sucked into the world, and caught there for the entire film. Hollywood will be hard pressed to top this one.

If you haven't seen it, why the hell not?! See it. Twice.

Rating: 4.75 (out of 5)

Labels: Action, Adventure

posted by Lisa at 9:10 a.m. |