house of flying daggers

no. 77 House of Flying Daggers

My LOST buddies have been picking a film a week to watch in lieu of the Wednesday night void. I have a feeling it's going to be a Asian summer, but I'm not complaining. I have a list of DVD titles that need to have the dust blown off and watched. Case in point, HOFD. So often, I own a DVD because I really love a movie, but since I've gotten the full monty in cable, they've been neglected. If I see they are running, I will tune in mid stream. The problem is that I'm not getting the whole story. There are all these classic movies that I remember key scenes word for word, but when you don't see the whole picture, the meaning is lost.

The Echo Game. I remember both times it is played, but until I sat through the whole movie today, I forgot that they played it against each other, that it wasn't a new game for Leo and Mei, that Leo chose this game to be her "out" and not to be arrested (which of course, wasn't the whole game plan!)

Yimou Zhang is a masterful storyteller, whether he's directing or not. Love at any cost? It didn't even hit me that this was a martial arts film, that fell into the background of a timeless Romeo and Juliet theme. Although this includes a little triangle, the lengths these characters go through in the name of love is clear and strong.

Andy Lau, Ziyi Zhang and Takeshi Kaneshiro are brilliant performers - not just actors, but skilled athletes to pull this off. There's something about a tear that falls directly from the middle of the eye onto a cheek that just gets me. When Andy Lau can do that and manage to kick someone's ass in the next scene, you know you got yourself an amazing piece of art.