"A sword by itself does not rule. It is manipulated by skillful handling." This line in director Ang Lee's international classic, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," sets the tone for this movie, which I recommend to any Martial Arts fan.
Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun Fat) is a legendary swordmaster in China's Jiang Hu (a class of warriors). He wields the awesome straight sword Green Destiny, which is sharp enough to sever a blade from the hilt. Master Li is currently in turmoil, first because he had a painful experience while meditating on Wu Dan mountain, secondly because he has yet to avenge the murder of his beloved mentor Master Pen by Biya Hu Ri (Jade Fox). As a result, he decides to leave the Jiang Hu world and entrust the Green Destiny to a good friend, Bel Lai Ye. His former compatriot and love interest, Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh), who runs Sun Security Escort, offers to take the Green Destiny to Bel Lai Ye in Beijing and wait for Li to arrive after visiting his mentor's grave. In Beijing, Shu Lien meets Yu Shao Long (Zhang Ziyi), the daughter of recently appointed Governer Yu. That night, a thief steals the Green Destiny and gets away, despite being confronted by Shu Lien.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has quite a few plot twists that will have you wondering what's next. There are lessons to be learned from this movie, such as forgiving someone who has spited you, and learning self-control. "There are many things you can learn to do with the Green Destiny," Li Mu Bai tells another character. "But first you must learn to hold it in stillness." Even today, people wield powerful weapons, from the tongue to the tank. How often do we fail to hold our tongues in stillness?
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is rated PG-13 for martial arts violence and some sexuality. The sex scenes are few and far between. The violence is mostly kicking/punching action and swordplay, but there is a scene where a character takes a thrown bladed weapon to the forehead and another scene where a character stabs another character with a sword (although in this scene the camera is behind the stab victim).
Discussion:
1. In one part of the movie, a character uses the martial arts to attack people in a building. Why is it never right to attack people? In what ways should the martial arts be used?
2. Li Mu Bai has never professed his love for Yu Shu Lien, although he does love her. Or does he? In what ways do we see Li Mu Bai loving Shu Lien? Should love be kept hidden at any time? Why or why not?
3. Soon after we find out who Jade Fox is, we learn that she has been training a student with a stolen martial arts manual. How do we discern good teachers from bad teachers (in terms of morality)? If you were in this student's place, would you trust Jade Fox?
4. During a part in the movie, Shao Long's wedding parade is interrupted by a former lover. Does this lover really love Shao Long? Why or why not?
Monday, March 21, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Braveheart Movie review
I remember watching "Braveheart" for the first time. It was the first R-rated movie I ever watched. For sure, Braveheart deserves its R rating, but that is no reason to avoid this movie. In fact, I recommend it to people in their late teens on up. It's certainly a profile on courage in the face of heavy odds.
It is the 14th century. Scotland has long been under the thumb of its more powerful neighbor, England. The Scots have been feeling that "thumb" more than ever in recent times, thanks to England's current monarch, King Edward "Longshanks." The movie begins with two Scots searching for a friend, who was part of a party of nobles gone to discuss peace terms with King Edward. The two discover that Longshanks' promise of peace talks was in reality a death trap. These two are father and older brother to the movie's hero: William Wallace (played mostly by Mel Gibson). After the two of them die in battle shortly afterward, young William is taken in by his Uncle Argyle, who teaches him how to use his brain as well as a sword. Years later, after the unjust execution of his wife, William Wallace starts leading a rebellion against the tyranny of England.
As I said before, "Braveheart" deserves its R rating. The movie is heavy on bloody battles and laced with obscene language ("Jesus" is used more than once, and so is "b****rd. "Arse" is used several times). There is one scene where the silouhette of a naked woman with a naked man is shown (although this is soon after a secret wedding, so this can be considered a tribute to the beauty of a wedding night) and two scenes of one or more Scots showing distain for the English army by showing it their bare buttocks. There is a scene where a man tries to rape a woman. There is a part in the movie where William is being tortured and disembowled.
Even so, "Braveheart" is a story of courage in the face of oppression. Just make sure kids aren't watching while you're watching.
It is the 14th century. Scotland has long been under the thumb of its more powerful neighbor, England. The Scots have been feeling that "thumb" more than ever in recent times, thanks to England's current monarch, King Edward "Longshanks." The movie begins with two Scots searching for a friend, who was part of a party of nobles gone to discuss peace terms with King Edward. The two discover that Longshanks' promise of peace talks was in reality a death trap. These two are father and older brother to the movie's hero: William Wallace (played mostly by Mel Gibson). After the two of them die in battle shortly afterward, young William is taken in by his Uncle Argyle, who teaches him how to use his brain as well as a sword. Years later, after the unjust execution of his wife, William Wallace starts leading a rebellion against the tyranny of England.
As I said before, "Braveheart" deserves its R rating. The movie is heavy on bloody battles and laced with obscene language ("Jesus" is used more than once, and so is "b****rd. "Arse" is used several times). There is one scene where the silouhette of a naked woman with a naked man is shown (although this is soon after a secret wedding, so this can be considered a tribute to the beauty of a wedding night) and two scenes of one or more Scots showing distain for the English army by showing it their bare buttocks. There is a scene where a man tries to rape a woman. There is a part in the movie where William is being tortured and disembowled.
Even so, "Braveheart" is a story of courage in the face of oppression. Just make sure kids aren't watching while you're watching.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
National Treasure movie review
"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government and to provide new guards for their future security." Before I watched Disney's "Nationial Treasure," I didn't know that this was in the Declaration of Independence. This sentence from one of our "national treasures" sets the tone for the entire movie.
Ben Gates (played magnificently by Nicholas Cage) is a member of a family of treasure hunters (although Ben would say they're treasure protectors) whose passion for seeking a particular treasure, called the Templar Treasure, has made him unpopular with scholars. When Ian Howe (Sean Bean) agrees to fund an expedition to the arctic to find a ship known as the "Charlotte," Ben takes him, tech-savvy Riley Poole, and others to find it. He doesn't find the treasure, but he finds a clue that leads him to believe that the treasure map is hidden on the back of the Declaration of Independence. Ben is reluctant to steal the Declaration, which he would most certainly have to do in order to find the map. Ian, on the other hand, is willing to do anything to get his hands on the treasure. All of a sudden, Ben has a rival who wields a gun and three cronies. After getting back to the States, Ben and Riley try to warn the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and American History specialist Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger), but their warnings go unheeded. Ben then sees he has no choice but to steal the Declaration in order to preserve it.
"National Treasure" is heavy on action and American history. It also begs the question "Is it right to steal something when you've warned those responsible for its care of the lurking danger?" One lesson that's definitely learned from this movie is "Don't give up just because you're told it can't be done." In the words of Thomas Edison, "I found a thousand ways to not make a light bulb. I need to find only one way to make it work." Ben is told twice that something couldn't be done: Riley told him that the Declaration couldn't be stolen because it was too heavily guarded and his father, Patrick Gates (Jon Voigt) tells him he can't find the treasure because it doesn't exist.
"National Treasure" is rated PG for Action Violence (including shooting and a man falling to his death) and Some Scary Images (including frozen skeletons on board a wrecked ship). The movie is well worth the rating, however.
Ben Gates (played magnificently by Nicholas Cage) is a member of a family of treasure hunters (although Ben would say they're treasure protectors) whose passion for seeking a particular treasure, called the Templar Treasure, has made him unpopular with scholars. When Ian Howe (Sean Bean) agrees to fund an expedition to the arctic to find a ship known as the "Charlotte," Ben takes him, tech-savvy Riley Poole, and others to find it. He doesn't find the treasure, but he finds a clue that leads him to believe that the treasure map is hidden on the back of the Declaration of Independence. Ben is reluctant to steal the Declaration, which he would most certainly have to do in order to find the map. Ian, on the other hand, is willing to do anything to get his hands on the treasure. All of a sudden, Ben has a rival who wields a gun and three cronies. After getting back to the States, Ben and Riley try to warn the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and American History specialist Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger), but their warnings go unheeded. Ben then sees he has no choice but to steal the Declaration in order to preserve it.
"National Treasure" is heavy on action and American history. It also begs the question "Is it right to steal something when you've warned those responsible for its care of the lurking danger?" One lesson that's definitely learned from this movie is "Don't give up just because you're told it can't be done." In the words of Thomas Edison, "I found a thousand ways to not make a light bulb. I need to find only one way to make it work." Ben is told twice that something couldn't be done: Riley told him that the Declaration couldn't be stolen because it was too heavily guarded and his father, Patrick Gates (Jon Voigt) tells him he can't find the treasure because it doesn't exist.
"National Treasure" is rated PG for Action Violence (including shooting and a man falling to his death) and Some Scary Images (including frozen skeletons on board a wrecked ship). The movie is well worth the rating, however.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Expelled movie review
"We are losing freedom in one of the most important sectors of society: science," Ben Stein tells us in "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed," his documentary on the war between Darwinism (Evolution) and Intelligent Design. He then shows us clips from interviews he had with prominent scientists and one neuro-surgeon who had been cut loose from the scientific community simply because they had dared to question the theory of Evolution in public. "I was viewed as an intellectual terrorist," one scientist told Ben. His act of terrorism? He had published an article by Dr. Steven Meyer, a well-known supporter of Intelligent Design (ID). The other interview clips go by fairly quickly, each one ending with an "Expelled" stamp on a "rap sheet."
Ben goes on a journey that spans from Seattle to Germany, covering Biola University, Paris, and other places. Along the way, we learn some interesting scientific facts that the public school textbooks don't tell us, such as the Miller Experiment being a failure. Ben also goes to Germany when he's told that Charles Darwin's theory influenced Hitler's "final solution." We're introduced to Eugenics, which is still around under the name of Planned Parenthood.
Ben's message is not "Get rid of Evolution and replace it with Intelligent Design." It's more along the lines of "Let both sides of the Evolution/ID debate be heard." The side Ben picks is obvious as the documentary progresses. Still, he has a point. If both sides were equally heard, people could discuss both sides rationally instead of just one side pushing the other side out the door and locking it out of public institutions.
Ben goes on a journey that spans from Seattle to Germany, covering Biola University, Paris, and other places. Along the way, we learn some interesting scientific facts that the public school textbooks don't tell us, such as the Miller Experiment being a failure. Ben also goes to Germany when he's told that Charles Darwin's theory influenced Hitler's "final solution." We're introduced to Eugenics, which is still around under the name of Planned Parenthood.
Ben's message is not "Get rid of Evolution and replace it with Intelligent Design." It's more along the lines of "Let both sides of the Evolution/ID debate be heard." The side Ben picks is obvious as the documentary progresses. Still, he has a point. If both sides were equally heard, people could discuss both sides rationally instead of just one side pushing the other side out the door and locking it out of public institutions.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Star Trek movie review
"I am and ever shall be your friend." Those were the last words spoken by Spock to Captain Kirk in "Star Trek II-The Wrath of Khan." Like "Star Trek," Star Trek II helped save the Star Trek franchise that was started by Gene Roddenberry. As a result, Star Trek fans went on to enjoy Star Treks III, IV, V, and VI, as well as Star Trek The Next Generation, Star Trek Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek Voyager. After 9/11, Star Trek went back to the beginning. The problem was it went too far back. Star Trek Enterprise didn't last long on the air and it seemed as if Star Trek was about to pass into history, where every man has gone before. Then J. J. Abrams stepped in. Whether or not you've heard of him, you've certainly heard of his works, which include the popular TV series "Lost" and the movie "Armageddon." Star Trek starts with the death of Lieutenant George Kirk, who dies holding off a vastly superior foe while the rest of the crew and passengers escape, including George's wife, who is going into labor. As the fight continues, we witness the birth of George's son, James Tiberius. As the movie progresses, we see Jim become a rebel without a cause from growing up with an abusive step-father (we hear verbal abuse that contains threats of violence over the phone in one scene). After an ugly confrontation in which Kirk deliberately provokes four husky Starfleet cadets into a fight, Captain Christopher Pike, who worked with George Kirk before George's death, implores Jim to join Starfleet. Jim's story isn't the only story we're exposed to. On Vulcan, Spock is constantly being picked on by his peers for being half-human. Spock takes it fairly well until one of the boys insults Spock's mother. Spock attacks him after that. After the fight, Spock is reprimanded by Sarek, his father. "Control your feelings so that they do not control you," he says. Years later, Spock is ready to join the Vulcan Science Academy. He had also applied to Starfleet. He explains to the members of the board that it was logical to consider more than one option. When one of the board members (the only board member in the scene who talks) regards Spock's "human mother" as a weakness, Spock politely declines entrance into the VSA and instead joins Starfleet. Kirk and Spock meet in an unfriendly way: Kirk has been caught cheating on the Kobiashi Maru, a simulation program that Spock designed. The hearing is cut short due to a distress signal from Vulcan. As the advertisments for this movie say, this isn't your father's Star Trek. How right they are. There is more violence (including a man being impaled and a Vulcan being crushed), some strong language (the strongest word used is b****rd), and one sex scene that involves Kirk and a female student. All in all, the movie is entertaining, although there isn't a moral lesson behind it ("save the whales" and "don't follow blindly" come to mind from Star Trek IV and V, respectively). I give this movie 4 stars out of 5.
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