Dragon Eyes with Cung Le
According to a sage old man, having the "Dragon Eyes" is commensurate with possessing the wisdom, heart and resolve of the old grandmasters. In the run-down, crime-ridden small town of St. Jude, a man with Dragon Eyes is just what the denizens need to expurgate the filth from their atmosphere. Enter a newcomer, Mr. Hong (Cung Le). He is an ineffable quantity but immediately he makes a first impression. Mr. Hong's first act is to obliterate three gang attackers in broad daylight. He dispatches them easily despite their initial overtures of toughness. From beginning to end Mr. Hong's checkered past is gradually unveiled and in it is a mentor named Tiano (played the immortal Jean-Claude Van Damme).
Shaolin with Jackie Chan (Xin shao lin si)
Shaolin (Xin shao lin si) is a masterful Buddhist martial arts epic. That is a loaded sentence for sundry reasons that we shall explore in the coming paragraphs. Sufficed to say, this is a film unlike any other. From the cinematography to the choreography to the acting, the direction, and the setting, Shaolin is a movie to behold. Andy Lau and Jackie Chan, among other superb actors, have contributed to this special film. Audiences are treated to yet another struggle between tradition and modernity, righteousness versus villainy, and nationalism versus greed. In the end lives have crumbled, wars have been waged, and perhaps most importantly, lessons have been learned about selfishness and humility that will last for eternity.
Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen
Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen is directed by cinematographer/producer/director Andrew Lau. It is one of the finest martial arts movies ever produced. It covers a broad spectrum of emotions stemming from Chinese nationalist undercurrents. Donnie Yen (Chen Zhen) has become something more than a modern Bruce Lee because he is not only as gifted as the most famous martial artist of all time, he is also blessed with the benefit of all that modern cinematography has to offer. Legend of the Fist is scintillating in maximum Blu-ray high definition. Portraying 1920s China has never appeared to be so effortless. Yen has become a symbol for modern China. His films are a relic from the past that contain something modern America lacks in this day and age of class warfare and economic paralysis: national pride.
Ip Man 2 with Donnie Yen
Ip Man 2 is thematically and fundamentally different than its predecessor. As with any great trilogy or storyline, the setting, the time frame and the core essence must shift. Ip Man 2 occurs after the Japanese invaders had been subdued and the Chinese citizenry were embroiled in a great struggle to regain their identity amidst a whirlwind of political and cultural changes. Donnie Yen returns as Grand Master Ip Man, except in this new China his legendary reputation does not precede him, nor does it lend itself to special adulation or treatment. When Ip Man begins his new life far-removed from the dangers of Japanese occupation, he maintains his resolve and begins a Martial Arts Club focusing on teaching Wing Chun to the downtrodden that need focus and structure in their lives.