5CENTLE55 APPRENT1CE

I was very excited to see this movie because Jet Li is one of my favorite Hong Kong Action movie stars of all time. I've been watching his films since the release of Shaolin Temple and I must say that his extravagent martial art skills rival those of even the great Bruce Lee.

"Romeo Must Die" does not disappoint and unlike his first American movie, "Lethal Weapon 4," Jet Li once again takes the persona of the hero. The story is interesting and somewhat original. I cannot ever recall seeing an American made martial arts film that dealt with the relations between the Chinese Triad and Black Gangsters.

Jet Li's acting is not bad but not superb either. It's funny seeing him dress up in "hip hop" gear when entering the club with Aaliyah and acting all "cool." Kind of reminds me of my early years of high school.

The chemistry between Jet Li and Aaliyah was pretty good. I liked the scene where Jet Li and Aaliyah fight together against the hot Chinese female motorcyclist. I thought that was pretty well choreographed even though it was mostly done through special effects.

The only things that I didn't like too much about this film is that it focussed mostly on the Black Gangsters and the Chinese had very few lines of dialogue. Also, Russell Wong should have been given more screen time. His prescence is radiant and it was a shame that the director did not allow the audience see his great acting abilities. Most people did not like how Jet Li's fight sequences were edited with special effects but I didn't mind it too much. Still, it would have been better to have let Jet Li do his own stunts because, as in his Hong Kong movies, he can perform any physical activity with ease.

Another funny thing about the film is the dialect between the Chinese actors. One person will start talking in Mandarin and the other will respond in Cantonese. I thought that was pretty hilarious but if this film is to be marketed towards an American audience I guess it doesn't matter.

All in All, Romeo Must Die is a great film that does Jet Li justice. American audiences will love this film and hopefully they will realize just how great an action star he really is. Also look for a great soundtrack with songs by DMX and Aaliyah. The rap/hip-hop songs that are played throughout the duration of the film truly enhance the "gangster" feel of the movie.

"The Red Violin" is a great film that shows the travels and exploits of a "Red Violin" that was made during the 16th century, I believe. The story shows how the violin gets passed from one owner to another. The violin is, at first, constructed by a violin craftsman and then is given to a monastary, some gypsies, a wealthy British violinist, an owner in China and finally at a present day Montreal auction. What I found amazing about this film is how each of stories come together seemlessly by the end of the movie. That is typical of most "Canadian" movies and I think that formula is great. I also liked how the Talot card reader's predictions match the events of the film. It gives the story a sense of spirtuality.

Being a violin/viola player myself, I highly enjoyed this film cause I could relate to why the owners of the Red Violin were so intrigued by the little instrument. This is a movie that I would recommend to anyone. It also has a very nice soundtrack.

"La Vita e bella" is a great movie that really touches your heart. I just love the concept of this film. The father must protect the innocence of his child by making the Nazi concentration camp seem like a very fun game. It's amazing how the director maintains the "happiness" in this film even though it is set in a very "dark" place. After viewing this movie, you will have a totally different perception about the world. It proves that NOTHING can destroy the human spirit and the film gives you a good reason to continue living on. It also teaches us to keep an optimistic perspective even during times of distress.