So I wrote about 850 words on Ridley Scott's horrible 2010 adventure film Robin Hood and when I tried to post it, my Safari quit and I lost everything. I had awesome Bryan Adams and Kevin Kostner references, made the blanket statement that Ridley Scott done considering the fact he hasn't made a good film in almost a decade (Black Hawk Down) and hasn't made a great film in close to 30 years (Blade Runner). I also discussed the superior Disney cartoon adaptation, and how Robin Hood isn't Robin Hood unless he is introduced by a lute strumming rooster.
Disney's Robin Hood
Oh well, what can you do? I'll tell you what you should't do and that is watch this film. It is boring and terribly acted, the musical score is hackneyed, and we all know the famous Englishman that is Robin Hood should be played by a fox, not an Australian.
The complete disregard for historical accuracy in films is nothing new. Films like Braveheart, 300, The Last Samurai, and Apocolypto have all told enthralling stories while veering from the path of reality. They are mostly full-of-crap, and that is totally all right with me. Sticking obsessively close to facts does not a good movie make.ip Man poster
Ip Man is no different. Set before and during World War II, the movie tells the story of Ip Man, a master of the Chinese martial art Wing Chun and a local legend of his hometown Foshan. In the film, Foshan is presented in a similar fashion as the dilapidated apartment building in Stephen Chow’s Kung-Fu Hustle. Foshan is famous for its martial arts schools, and each school has a unique fighting style and appearance. The humble and unassuming IP Man attempts to keep a low profile in Foshan, but because he is far and away the best fighter in the area, he is constantly bombarded with challenges and requests to train the less skilled. Eventually WWII kicks off, and through a Cinderella Man method of time transition, we find Ip Man living in a shack with his wife and son. This whole portion of the film is almost an exact rip off of the Ron Howard boxing movie. There is even a scene where Ip Man is competing with other men at a coal mine, where the boss only chooses 10 guys to work that day. Anyway, the Japanese have invaded China, and they are all ruthless trigger-happy bastards. The Japanese general put in charge of Foshan, General Miura, is a master of karate and holds daily martial arts challenges where the winner gets a bag of rice. Without spoiling the rest of the plot, I will say there are of course betrayals and double crosses, murders, heartache, loss, and the common uplifting moments commonly seen in a film of this type.
The hand-to-hand combat in this film is amazing. I mean spectacular. The choreography and performances are as finally tuned as any movie you will see, and graciously it lacks many distracting “wire-fu” or CGI enhancements. These actors are so capable, their hands and bodies move so incredibly fast it really takes you by surprise. It is beautiful. They do embellish at times, like when Ip Man turns into E. Honda from Street Fighter II and strikes his opponent in the chest (or face) with his fists so many times and so fast his movements blur on screen. It did look cool, but I thought it lessened the experience.The Real Ip Man
This brings me to my first major complaint with Ip Man; our hero is too damn good! Again, I do not want to spoil anything, but Ip Man is so proficient in Wing Chun that there is absolutely no apprehension he will always succeed. This lack of stakes seriously disabled my interest in the story. There has to be a chance that your protagonist can lose in a film like this, or what is the point? Imagine if Danny Laruso was kicking the crap out of The Cobras throughout The Karate Kid. By the time he got to the tournament, you would have no investment in the outcome of the big match against Johnny, no matter how many times he tried to sweep the legs. The biggest handicap Ip Man has is the fact he has not trained in three years, but when he is forced to fight again he thoroughly destroys his opponents… and by opponents I should clarify that there are 10 of them!
My other complaint is the lack of respect it shows to its female characters. The only female lead is Ip Man’s wife, and she only serves to either set-up a jumbled attempt at comic relief at her expense (because she is a nag or a bitch) or to cry. She never supports her husband, and Ip Man has no real interest in her other than the typical scenes of a man taking care of his family. It was a missed opportunity for some sincere emotion in a film almost devoid of anything close to feeling. All dialogue and plot progression is in place solely to help move the film along to the next fight scene.
I did enjoy my time with this film don’t get me wrong. Donnie Yen does a great job at nailing the quiet stoicism that makes the titular brawler so interesting, and his physical dexterity and finesse are a joy to watch. The pace is solid, I never really found myself getting bored, mostly due to the abundance of skirmishes, scraps, contests, and altercations presented, each with its own mesmerizing fist-de-ballet. The fact that Ip Man was not only a real guy, but went on to teach Bruce Lee only added to my enjoyment of the film. Still, although Ip Man is based off of a real Wing Chun master, this film never comes close to historical accuracy. Check out the films wiki page if you want to learn more on the film, or Ip Man’s wiki page if you want to read a more authentic portrayal of the master and his life.
Also, I want to thank Everlyn Chen for generously donating on the site. She requested I watch Ip Man and settle a dispute she was having with a mutual friend in regard to the films quality. Not sure if I helped, kind of in the middle on this one. If you like martial arts films, you really cannot miss Ip Man; it defines “badass.” However, I also cannot say it is a good film. It is unoriginal and redundant, and there are far too many plot holes and missed opportunities to qualify it so highly. Either way, I am glad I watched it, so thanks again Everlyn!
What a waste of time, a waste of money, and most of all a wasted opportunity. Truly pathetic film making. I refuse to waste anymore of my time on this film... and that includes thinking about it. If you want to watch a trailer, go find it yourself because I am done.
Of all the movies I watched on the way to South Korea, somehow A-Teammanaged to be the best. And I say that not really liking the film. This is the Las Vegas stripper of movies. It is pretty, everything looks big and fake, and you can tell it cost a lot of money to make. It is fun, at least in small doses (again, like a stripper). The action set-pieces are top notch and exciting, and there are enough to keep you awake when the director was dead set on letting his characters speak. The tv show this movie is spawn from worked because it had three funny dudes running around and blowing stuff up with Mr. T. Lets just say it right here, "Rampage" Jackson is NOT Mr. T! He makes Mr. T look like Sidney Poitier. In fact, the only actor I did like was Liam Neeson as Hannibal Smith. Bradley Cooper was fine, but Neeson was the only guy that could carry a character like Smith with both 1980's cheese and naturalistic bravado. He is fun to watch, even when he is just grunting and gnawing on a cigar.
The A-Team (2010) CastWatch it, why not? Of the blockbuster type movies this is a better one I guess, especially compared to something like Transformers and the like. Let me know what you guys thought, I am sure most people liked it more than I did.
THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS PAPER!!!! READ WITH CAUTION
The titular Ghost Dog lives by a code. He wakes everyday, ritually prays and practices swordplay, tends to his pigeons, and is in constant pursuit of refinement. His code is that of the samurai, and his induction into the world of Bushido arrived while reading the transcribed utterances of Yamamoto Tsunetomo in the book Hagakure. More than a handbook, Hagakure is manual for the samurai, filled with short anecdotes and reflections intended to serve as lessons for the aspiring warrior. When Ghost Dog is betrayed by his master and the men he works for, the urban samurai strives to honor both his lord and his code until the very end. Of all the messages to be found in Hagakure, self-improvement, striving to be a flawless warrior, and loyalty to one’s master, are at the forefront of Ghost Dog. This paper will cite passages from Tsunetomo’s book to better discuss these three elements of the code that the samurai of the film employs with perfection.Ghost Dog poster
Early into the first chapter of Hagakure, Tsunetomo speaks of a council member who guarantees a man even though he had once been a participant in a drunken brawl. The council member’s reasoning was simple; “I can guarantee him by the fact that he is a man who has erred once. A man who has never once erred is dangerous.” (34) This excerpt defines the genesis of Ghost Dog. He too was a participant (perhaps unwillingly) of a brawl, and was selflessly saved by his future master Louie. There are many stories and instructions found in Hagakure that Ghost Dog found a way to interpret, the most evident being self-improvement. Tsunetomo warns that riches and honor are the two things that will blemish a retainer, and it can be seen on screen that Ghost Dog lives less than humbly. His home is a small shack that lies atop a misshapen apartment building, painted daily with a fresh coat of bird droppings. The Buddhist priest Tsunetomo consistently cautions against projecting one’s affairs out into the open. Through expositional dialogue from a little girl, it is learned that Ghost Dog abides strictly to this suggestion. The young girl explains how her mother believes Ghost Dog has no friends, speaks to no one, and lives quietly and alone with his birds, which it seems Tsunetomo would find acceptable. When in public, Ghost Dog still follows the Way found in Hagakure, “People who have an intelligent appearance will not be outstanding even if they do something good.” (169) Ghost Dog does not come off as intelligent, or even very clever. He understands the purpose behind Tsunetomo’s words. By presenting one’s self as gentle and slow, the samurai’s actions will always be underestimated by his enemy. This illusion will give the warrior the benefit of surprise, as seen in the film when Ghost Dog happens to drive upon two bear-hunters. The film’s samurai strives for self-evolution daily, ceaselessly studying the code to find ways to become a better man, which will lead to becoming a better warrior.
It could be argued that over any other lesson on martial valor found in Hagakure, Ghost Dog best adheres to that of decisiveness. There are a handful of quotations found in the book that stress the importance of immediate action, that a samurai should never hesitate or consider his options for too long. “It is said that one is not truly a samurai if he does not make his decisions quickly and break right through to completion.” (92) Ghost Dog embodies this portion of the Bushido unconditionally. He plows into any situation presented to him, no matter the violence and pain that may wait. When Ghost Dog is resolved to killing Louie’s boss Sonny Valerio, he first attempts a stealth kill with a sniper rifle. However, after a small bird obstructs his shot, the samurai must decide between waiting for second shot and finding another course of action. Remembering the teachings of Tsunetomo, Ghost Dog intrepidly storms Valerio’s castle, expertly killing the boss and his Italian retainers. The hooded samurai adapted the lessons found in Hagakure to fit his environment and utilized Tsunetomo’s teachings while taking part in warfare.
Forest Whitaker in Ghost Dog
A samurai is only a samurai if he is completely dedicated to his master. When Louie saved Ghost Dog from his would-be killers, Ghost Dog swore total loyalty to Louie. Because he was now a retainer, the film’s warrior executed every mission given to him without fail. Louie himself defends Ghost Dog to his bosses, explaining to the old Mafiosi, “For the past four years, he’s done, maybe, twelve perfect contracts. Perfect, like a ghost.” Any samurai would be proud to hear their lord speak so highly of them. Ghost Dog remains faithful to his master throughout the picture. Ghost Dog takes Tsunetomo’s advice and takes time to learn everyone and everything his master is involved with, something that both surprises and impresses Louie. Nakano Jin’emon is quoted saying, “A person who serves when treated kindly by the master is not a retainer, but one who serves when the master is being heartless and unreasonable is a retainer.” (139) Ghost Dog understands this principle well. He defies better judgment by remaining dutiful to his lord even when he is informed of the master’s betrayal. It would then seem reasonable that the samurai would willingly offer his own life to his master, if that were what is needed. Ghost Dog knows however that Sonny Valerio will have Louie killed just as soon as he is taken care of, so what at first appeared to be cowardice by not immediately committing seppuku was actually the opposite. Ghost Dog works throughout the film only surviving to protect his master, by eliminating all that would harm him. This is the true way of the samurai.
Master Ittei said, “If one were to say what it is to do good, in a single word it would be to endure suffering. Not enduring is bad without exception.”(65) And so is told the story of Ghost Dog. Although not born of the time and place of the original Japanese samurai, Ghost Dog was as dedicated to the code as any medieval warrior that came before. He took advantage of the teachings of Yamamoto Tsunetomo, and lived his life according to the wisdom found in Hagakure. Through self-improvement he evolved into a humble and unassuming man. From there he labored to become a perfect warrior, always remaining steadfast and quick-witted. It was his loyalty to his master that he lived for most, never hesitating to perform any task given to him and always willing to endure harm for his master’s sake. It is from this loyalty in life that eventually brought death, when Ghost Dog gladly and without reluctance offered his life to his master, by way of a modern day kaishaku.
Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 9:34PM 
Robin Hood 2010
Disney's Robin Hood
