tdao360

This movie is beautiful. In every single way. From the cinematography, to the score, to the acting, to the fights, and the costumes. WOW.

First off, if you plan on renting the DVD, it starts off dubbed. WATCH IT IN IT'S ORIGINAL MANDARIN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES!!!! I have no idea why they programmed the DVD's default to have dubbed English, I suppose it's the same reason why this movie began playing only in art houses for a month before Sony Classics found they had a goldmine in their hands. Then again, Life Is Beautiful was released in English in the 2nd release, so I shouldn't be surprised.

This is a romantic fantasy epic with martial-arts action interwined within. Yes, it is a love story fantasy movie first, martial-arts movie second. While the story is a bit simplistic, it is grand and powerful. Chow Yun Fat does an amazing job, as he did in Anna and The King (even if I didn't like that movie much). and of course the fight scenes are incredible. This movie is just beautiful.

This ranks up there as one of the three most powerful movies I have ever seen in my lifetime (Full Metal Jacket and Grave of The Fireflies being the other two). This movie shows the brutal honest side of addiction and over-indulgence. Not just drugs, although it heavily shows drug addiction. Also shows how one addiction can lead to another and how damaging it can be for you. I watched this alone, and felt so stunned afterwards, I had to call a friend just to calm my nerves. Seriously, this is a brutal (one more time) BRUTAL film. The acting is wonderful - Ellyn Burnstyn and Jenniffer Connely are just wonderful in this movie, and Marlon Wayons was such a shocker in a serious role. Everyone must watch it, for it's entertainment value, and more importantly, it's educational value. But it leaves chills down your spine for it's honesty and unforgiving lessons.