April 25, 2010
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Sequel Weekend is only 5 Nights Away…
I know most of the world (including myself) is really looking forward to being possibly let down by Iron Man 2 this coming weekend, but over here, it actually has some stiff competition in the form of IP Man 2. Although I know people will flock to see Iron Man, I guarantee a very large number of people are going to be lining up to see the second installment of the story of IP Man. Never seen the first one? You are truly missing out!!!
IP Man came out about a year and a half ago and stars one of today’s best martial artist actors, Donnie Yen. He’s always been kind of a secret weapon in movies, never the really big name, but always the center of some of the best action around. Hell, half the movies he has been a part of he has been the action director as well. In this movie he stars as the very subdued Master IP (Yeep), one of the best Chinese Kung Fu masters around, but he never trains anyone. He stays home with his wife and child while everyone else is training and fighting. He always gets asked to ‘practice’ with other masters, but he is always dominant. The movie tells the story in two parts, first, his life in China as a wealthy Kung Fu master, and the second as a victim of the Japanese invasion where he must fight to survive day by day. I know it may sound a little cheesy, but this is actually the true story of one of the greatest martial arts teachers in the world.
How great? The second movie tells the story of his time in Hong Kong, where he begins his school to train people in the art of Kung Fu… including a little guy named Lee Show Long. We know him as Kato. Or Bruce Lee. There are actually two dueling stories of IP Man this year and his training of Bruce Lee, one which comes out next week, following in the footsteps of the first IP Man movie with all the same stars, and a second by over-glorified Hong Kong Director Wong Jar-Wai who blew many movie goers away with movies like Chungking Express and Ashes of Time, as well as putting many to sleep with 2046, In The Mood for Love and Happy Together. I’m glad the IP movie is the first off the blocks as Wong will take a very different approach to the story with Tony (I’m Better Than You) Leung in the role of Master IP. Rumor is Tony injured himself in filming a month back and the movie is on hold. Who would have seen that happening to a non-Kung Fu artist playing Master IP?
Chinese movies, especially those out of Hong Kong, are seen, but not widely admired over here as much as the cinematic drivel that comes across the Pacific for the moviegoer’s money. What should be big releases, with big stars become second run movies that only true aficionados will go to and enjoy. IP MAn did well in it’s release, a nd I am sure the second will as well, but most movies hit theaters one week, are gone in two (three if they are lucky) and end up on video in two months, only to be knocked down to a measly $100nt to buy in under a year ($3US). It’s sad and frustrating at the same time. I love the movies, and will watch almost anything that comes out of Hong Kong, China and Taiwan these days (with the exception of the latest Andy Lau movie Super-X Cops which makes Howard the Duck look like cinematic gold). Sometimes I wait for a movie to be released, but can’t see it on opening weekend, and by the time I can, it’s already gone and I have to hope for English subtitles on the DVD release (90% will have them).
We saw Kick Ass this past weekend and really enjoyed it (Clash of the Titans was playing too late and there were no good Chinese releases), but it’s IP Man 2 I really am looking forward to. I know this weekend Iron Man is going to try to break some of those records those gelled up, metro-sexual neck-biters have been creating (I refuse to call something that looks like that a vampire), but my money is going first to IP Man and Hong Kong cinema, then maybe Iron Man after.
I know Scarlet Johannsen is now in Iron Man 2 as Black Widow, and yes, she is hot, IP Man 2 has something much better. Just one word for those who know HK cinema and Kung Fu movies… SAMMO!!!
Here’s a little of what you guys are missing over there with your GQ vampires, time traveling hot tubs and too much Johnny Depp…
Seriously… this is the kind of movie I will line up way in advance for!!! Donnie vs Sammo. They kicked ass in SPL a few years back and I can’t wait to see them do even more this time…
Comments (3)
SPL – I was lmao at the ultimate fighting at the last showdown! The commentary was funny, too (worldwide release version). I’m looking forward to Ip Man 2, too. I take Donnie Yen for the badass he is and his mother is just an amazing teacher. I’ll watch everything I can get a hold of with him in it. But I love the funny reviews he gets from my favorite HK movie review site here: http://www.lovehkfilm.com/
@Lenore_Happenstance -
I use that site too… Kozo likes to rip on Donnie a little in his reviews. Have you ever seen Dragon Inn? It’s an older movie that I didn’t even realize had Donnie in it as he was young, but playing a crazy old Kung Fu master who gets, well, kinda skinned at a point in the final battle and actually fights with a bone fist and foot! Very funny and you can’t even tell it’s Donnie.
@BrysonMC -
Dragon Inn and what happens to Donnie’s leg! Ha! I have a copy of that here. I miss Bridgette Lin. I guess Donnie is now close to the age when she retired which makes me feel extra old. Bless his almost 50 year old abs.