The superstar is excited about his latest assignment to play Nair San in a biopic to be shot in India, Japan and Mongolia, reports Utpal Borpujari

Mohanlal, Malayalam cinema’s superstar and one of India’s finest actors, has essayed many a fascinating character in his long screen career, working with some top directors. So, when he says that rarely does an actor come across a role like that of Nair San, one has to sit up and take it seriously. Indeed, Nair San, a film in Japanese and Malayalam to be directed by Chennai Film Institute alumni Albert has all the potential to be great cinema.

To be shot extensively in Japan as well as India and Mongolia, the film also has action superhero Jackie Chan in a cameo, and while Mohanlal will obviously act in the title role of Nair San, the film’s makers are considering Mumbai star Anil Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Lara Dutta and Japanese actress Koyuki for major roles.

Nair San’s is a story waiting to be told. Like so many great heroes of India’s Freedom Struggle whose stories have never travelled outside their respective regions, his story too has remained restricted mostly within Kerala. Addressed as Nair San by the Japanese, Ayyappan Pillai Madhavan Nair’s life story is a captivating one. A highly-respected industrialist in Japan, Thiruvananthapuram-born Nair had gone to Japan as an engineering student during the Freedom Struggle. The story goes that he was sent so that he was kept away from his rebellious activities back home.

But in Japan, he got in touch with the likes of Subhash Chandra Bose, Rash Behari Bose, Pratap Singh, Barkatullah and many others, and, in fact, went on to become Netaji’s Japanese translator as well as a key member of the Indian National Army. Though he actively campaigned against the British from Japan and some other Asian countries, he kept himself away from politics after India’s Independence. He was awarded the order of Merit of the Sacred Treasure by Emperor Hirohito in 1984. And not to be forgotten, it was he who had raised a protest when after India won the 1964 Olympics hockey gold in Tokyo, the Pakistani national anthem was played by mistake.

With scope to perform a great character like this, Mohanlal is visibly worked up. As he says, “See, I am from a place called Kerala, and once is a blue moon, actors like me get the chance to do a film like this.” Around 160 days shooting of the film will be done in Japan and Mongolia, he says.

“Nair San’s is a story that deserves to be told in such a big scale, as his life was an extraordinary one. I am sure Albert will be able to bring him alive in an international standard film,” Mohanlal says.

Albert, whose debut film Kanne Madanguka in 2005 was screened at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa as part of Indian Panorama, got the idea to make the film when he tried to find out about the Nair San Hall near his house at Mudavanmugal in Thiruvananthapuram. He found out more details about the man from a Tamil translation of Nair’s biography, and was immediately taken in by the persona behind the man. In his director’s note on the film, Albert says, “The topic is so thrilling that it will surely capture the mind of the cinema lovers all over the world.”

With music by A R Rahman, the film with an estimated budget of 12.5 million dollars will surely be a film worth waiting for.

 (Published in Sakaal Times, www.sakaaltimes.com, 10-10-2008)

La mauvaise performance des interprètes rend The Forbidden Kingdom horrible. Si des combats divertissants constituent votre seul critère d’amusement, eh bien sortez vos dollars et allez le louer.

Jackie Chan (Rush Hour) et Jet Li (Hero) n’ont rien à prouver aux arts martiaux. Depuis plus de six ans, les médias parlaient d’une réunion de ses légendes pour l’occasion d’un film. Eh bien, après plusieurs années de rumeurs, voilà le film! On aura beau dire, l’attente, en bout de ligne, n’a malheureusement pas valu la peine.

Ce film basé sur le roman Journée vers l’Occident, un classique de la littérature chinoise, suit Jason (Michael Angarano, Lords of Dogtown), un jeune passionné d’arts martiaux qui découvre dans un magasin un bâton ayant appartenu au Roi Singe. Une fois propulsé dans la Chine ancienne, Jason apprend de Lu Yan (Jackie Chan, Rush Hour) et du Moine Silencieux (Jet Li, Hero) qu’il doit retourner l’arme au Roi Singe afin que celui-ci mette un terme au règne abominable du Seigneur de Jade (Collin Chou, Flashpoint). Dans sa quête, Jason est aussi aidé par une orpheline (Liu Yi-Fei).

Avec deux légendes asiatiques qui n’ont pas compris que Hollywood ne sait pas faire des films d’arts martiaux intelligents, ce film promet énormément en termes de divertissement. Évidemment, les chorégraphies de Yuen Woo-Ping (Tigre et Dragon) sont spectaculaires. Considérant la proportion basée sur la durée du film et le nombre de combats, vous serez drôlement bien servis.

D’ailleurs, le combat opposant Chan et Li vaut, à lui seul, vos dollars pour la location du film quoique Chan a recours à la magie des câbles et de l’ordinateur. Bref, on voit deux écoles de pensées s’affronter avec élégance et rudesse. Évidemment, cela est une gracieuseté des chorégraphies de Yuen Woo-Ping .

Sur une autre note, l’histoire, par sa simplicité, n’utilise pas des tours de manches irréfléchis et suit un chemin apparemment logique. Un peu plus et The Forbidden Kingdom mériterait plus qu’un film de Bruce Lee d’être inscrit dans le firmament des chefs-d’œuvre du cinéma! Non sérieusement!

Malgré sa simplicité, le scénario est bancal – alors qu’il se veut excitant – et aussi prévisible que beaucoup de cochonneries estivales hollywoodiennes. En gros, ce film d’action a juste le malheur de s’apparenter à un conte qu’on croit avoir vu en boucle depuis la nuit des temps, car il suit la même structure de scénario que la majorité des films hollywoodiens.

Il n’est pas difficile de trouver un film dans lequel un héros doit relever un défi et finit par le gagner. Même prémisse, dirait-on, mais histoire différente.

Donc, le héros du film se fait passer à tabac par les méchants? N’ayez crainte, le scénario prévoit qu’il va l’emporter envers et contre tous!

De plus, avec un scénario suscitant aucun intérêt, la performance des interprètes n’aide pas la cause de ce navet. Cela n’est pas dû à leur l’incompétence abyssale. À vrai dire, ils sont juste pris avec des personnages aucunement attachants ainsi que des dialogues aussi intéressants qu’une conversation de souper (ex : «passe-moi le sel»). Qui plus est, hormis des rares moments d’émotivité, les performances semblent dénoter d’un manque d’enthousiasme au travail.

En plus, les acteurs s’expriment comme des robots! À cet effet, pensons à la scène dans laquelle l’orpheline raconte – sur un ton soporifique – sa jeunesse brisée par la mort de ses parents. Pour ce qui est des «méchants» joués par Collin Chou et Li Bing-Bing, ils sont tout sauf menaçants.

Finalement, The Forbidden Kingdom est juste un film qui décevra les gens ayant attendu pendant plus de six ans pour voir Jackie Chan et Jet Li réunis ensemble. Si le scénario est passable, le film, lui, manque cruellement de profondeur. Cela se voit dans les dialogues trop simplistes et une performance monotone des acteurs. Bref, voici plutôt un film s’adressant à la masse plutôt qu’aux amants de films comme Hero ou Tigre et Dragon.

Note: 2.5/5

***

The Forbidden Kingdom
États-Unis (2008), 113 minutes
Drame de fantaisie scénarisé par John Fusco et réalisé par Rob Minkoff
Disponible en DVD

• Makino, oh,.......Makino?! : They recently announced who would be playing the female lead, Makino, in the Korean "Boys Over Flowers" set to come out late this year. An actress named Goo Hye Sun and all I have to say to that is......WHO?! [caption id="" align="alignright" width="140" caption="And the role of Makino goes to.....WHO?!"][/caption]

  Apparently she recently starred in a drama called "Strongest Chil Woo" and another drama "Pure 19" which, obviously, I haven't seen yet. I looked her up on DramaWiki and so far it looks like she has a pretty respectable resume so it may not be as bad as I'm thinking. I must say I was rather impressed with the fact that she had a cameo in "August Rush" which is one of my favorite movies. Now I have to go home and pull a "Where's Waldo?" because as of this moment I don't remember seeing her at all. "Hana Yori Dango" forum participants are freaking out a little because she's older than the boys who will playing F4......which is depressing because she's only two years older than me. Let's face it though: Most Asian actresses don't look their age until they hit ohhhhh....... 60!! And even then they only look like they're in their late 40's or at least they're early 50's. I was a bit nervous about this announcement because I have loved this character in every version and it'd be a shame if they ruined it in the Korean version of all versions.  So here it is ladies and gentleman, the lead actors in the Korean "Boys Over Flowers":

Koo Hye Sun as Yeon Woo (Makino Tsukishi) (Shan Cai)

Lee Min Ho as Go Jun Pyo (Domyouji Tsukasa) (Dao Ming Si)

Kim Hyun Joong as Yoon Ji Hoo (Rui Hanazawa) (Hua Ze Lei)

Kim Bum as So Yi Jung (Sojiroh Nishikado) (Xi Men)

Kim Joon as Song Woo Bin (Akira Mimasaka) (Mei Zuo Ling)

They're all a little TOO pretty don't you think? I have to admit that I am hopelessly devoted to "Meteor Garden" while the production is not nearly as good as the Japanese version was and what the Korean version will be it WAS, technically, the original. Plus I kinda have a semi-crush on Jerry Yan. Not only

 is he abnormally cute but he is an ambassador for World Vision Taiwan (he

sponsors a rather LARGE handful of children,) AND he pulled an Angelina Jolie by adopting a child!! Talk about bringing your work home with you!!! Although one thing that none of the "Hana Yori Dango" remakes can claim is that they have Jun Ki Sang directing it. Jun Ki Sang directed "Delightful Girl, Choon Hyang", "My Girl", and "Witch Amusement"-all awesome, all will be in the next issue of "Of the the Asian Persuasion". So far it looks like they have got all the necessary ingredients to make "Boys Over Flowers" a MAJOR HIT!!! But it hasn't air yet and in the "biz" what seems like a sure fire thing could turn out to be a sure fire bomb.

• All that hype.....FOR THIS?!: Well, they finally announced who would be leaving "We Got Married" and turns out it was.......well, Andy and Solbi. That's right. The mystery couple leaving.....is the [caption id="" align="alignright" width="194" caption="Thanks!!......FOR NOTHING!!"][/caption]

  couple we already knew was leaving. All the other couples will be sticking around for a little while longer and they have added two other couples bringing the grand total up to five couples. Of course I'm ecstatic to know that Alex and Shinae are sticking around. This episode was especially special to any "Alshin" lovers.  I'm excited about the other couples sticking around but they all feel like their expiration dates are coming up fast. Crown J and In young are now the only couple that have been together since the very beginning and now that they are going on a year pretty soon here. While the show is fun I'm sure doing this every week can be tiring. Even I would be tired of it after a while. As you may have noticed Kim Hyun Joong is all set to start filming "Boys Over Flowers" so we'll see how long he'll be able to stick around. Between filming, publicity, and the pure mania this role has in store for him he may have to choose between the two shows. My gut is telling me that he won't be choosing WGM over BOF anytime soon. Honestly, I wouldn't either. Lastly, as much as I love to see Alex every week the fact of the matter is that he is still having back issues and I would rather he give up the show if it gets to be too much for him than to continue the show in pain. Then to top it all off one of Shinae good friends committed suicide this past week and I hear she's taking it pretty hard. There, unfortunately, seems to be a string of suicides happening in the entertainment industry over there. Prayfully, the trend will cease and desist ASAP.

• Stephen Chow is the SHIZZZ!!!!: I recently found out that the oh-so-lovable Stephen Chow will [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="132" caption="The SHIZZZ!!!"][/caption]

  be directing and co-starring in The Green Hornet......coming out in

  [caption id="" align="alignright" width="107" caption="The Green....WHO?!"][/caption]

  2010. Yes, I know it's a long ways off but that doesn't mean it's not worth getting excited about. Double bonus: Seth Rogen will be starring in the film and the script was written by him and Evan Goldberg. You know? Evan Goldberg. The OTHER guy who wrote Superbad. Honestly, I could care less about The Green Hornet (I'm a Superman fan), there's a good chance that this could go completely wrong, and I think the first few people that see this will have to be established fans of any or all of the people involved.  I've been trying not to be so pessimistic lately but, honestly, I don't know one person who sat and thought to themselves, "Wouldn't Stephen Chow and Ken Miller from "Freaks and Geeks" make a GREAT TEAM?!?" Of course I don't think anyone was thinking of teaming Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan and that turned out pretty nicely for all parties involved.

Baixe os papéis de parede que ilustram este texto: o do alto, com Po e Shifu, dublados originalmente por Jack Black e Dustin Hoffman; o do meio, com a tropa de rinocerontes; e o de baixo, com os Mestres Tigressa e Macaco, ou Angelina Jolie e Jackie Chan.

Para ler mais, clique nas palavras com links no texto acima. Para ver mais papéis de parede, escolha a franquia e clique:
•Kung Fu Panda  •Shrek  •Madagascar

For those of you not in the know, here's what I'm referring to.

Now are we on the same page? Good. I didn't want to leave you in the dark. And for the record, I happen to know that you're asking the same question.

What's with Korea and trying to dominate the musical/entertainment world? How many companies think they have the next "it" star for Americans to oogle at? I'm pretty sure 3 of Korea's finest can say they have 'em. But, I hate to break it to them: "You don't."

Hurts doesn't it?

I'm American and I'm Asian. It's quite a lovely combo. The thing is, I live in America: The land of "Joe-six-pack" and "McDonalds galore" and whatever other stupidity you can find. It's all here. It's a place where Asians are considered "all Chinese" and either "Geniuses", "Jabbawockeez", or "Japanese porn stars". It's tough to be an Asian. And let me tell those 3 significant Korean entertainment labels (heck, throw in some of Japan, China, and what other Asian countries in ) something else: "Asians don't get the spotlight here."

Let's list the failures shall we?

• Lucy Liu - Sorry, but if you consider her to be successful, you live under a rock.  If you think "Charlie's Angels" and her random cameos on "Ugly Betty" are successes, you seriously need to get out more. Poor girl. She has yet to have a breakthrough success in Hollywood with a decent movie.
• Tila Tequila - Don't you love trailer trash Asians? It's great hearing people talk crap like "Oh, I wonder if they all act like that in Asia" just because she happens to be Asian. Um, well, let's see. No, not everyone in Asia acts, dresses, or talks like that. And no, not all Asian women enjoy making out with men or other women on television. And for the record, not all Asian women are retarded bimbos.
• Jackie Chan - Yeah yeah yeah, everyone knows him. I bet you're asking why I consider him a failure. Well, the answer is quite simple really. Has the guy played a role that wasn't acting on his role as a Chinese person?
• JYP artists - Can you name them off the top of your head? No, not the Wonder Girls (although, now it's obviously a possibility). Not even Joo. Yeah, I'm talking about those 3 random people you saw performing at the New York Chuseok Festival this past month.  Ok, maybe not so random for the few that have been following JYP and his horde of talent, but for everyone else, the 3 unknowns happen to be: J Lim, Min, and G-Soul. They're all signed under JYP, but have remained relatively on the downlow. Heck, had I not been a fan of the Wonder Girls, I probably never would have heard about them. And if I never watched Goong, J Lim would be just some other person.

And I guess this whole "debuting in America" thing is just another trend. The saying goes "If your friend jumps off a cliff, would you follow them?" In terms of Asian artists, apparently yes. In a heartbeat.

I'd like to bring up some Asian artists that have tried to break through in the America scene, but with minimal success. Actually, almost abysmal to the point where I pretty much would like to call it "failure". Some of these artists haven't even started yet, but you can't help but smell the failure that they're brewing up.

• Utada Hikaru - I guess her legion of American followers are mostly from those dorky gamers that are a fan of the "Kingdom Hearts" video game series that she sang "Simple and Clean" and "Sanctuary". But does anyone actually remember this?

Can you tell me what the hell was that? I guess the cheap red lipstick and "Japanesey" lyric used to rhyme with "breezy" makes her look good, neh? Uh, no. Sorry, try again. The song was terrible. If you're actually smart enough to realize it was about something with a significant meaning, good for you, but the video was primarily focused on sexing up Hikki with cheap red lipstick. Sorry, but Hikki, your American debut was an epic fail.

• BoA - Best of Asia? Ho ho ho, sure. I love her attempt to be taken seriously by Americans in this music video right here:

I think people have a weird obsession with putting cheap rep lipstick on Asian women. I find that relatively annoying. And the music video was just as absurd. Sorry. "I'll eat you up"? Um, excuse me? We realize that sex sells and all, but seriously? SM, I realize your cash cow nowadays is DBSK, but I think it's just plain barbaric sending the "Best of Asia" looking like a tramp with a sad attempt at an "American" song. I like her, truly, but this is just plain cruel.

• Se7en - I'll be one to admit that I never really followed him. Here's his attempt at American music:

NecessERY. Right. At least his English isn't as painful to listen to as BoA's. How about actually debuting now, Se7en?

• Rain - Rain, rain, go away. I honestly pity the guy. He tries so hard and yet all we get is a movie flop like "Speed Racer", where he stereotypically plays an Asian guy. Whoop-de-doo.

Seriously everyone, the man needs your prayers. And he actually stated my main point: "There has been no Asian artist that has succeeded in the American music industry."

Ok, I'm finished bashing all the above. But, folks, I bash with nothing but love. I bash because I care. The American industry is a ruthless piece of crap. The people just happen to be much worse. I am a firm believer that a fair amount of ignorance still remains among the majority of the population. That right there was your answer to why Asians just can't win here in America. Ignorance is bliss.

And yet here are the YG, SM, and JYP entertainment companies, walking on their golden paved streets, foolishly believing that their artists have what it takes to succeed in America. HA HA HA! I have quite a number of reasons as to why I find most of their decisions foolhardy. Look at the 4 artists above. The only one that can speak incredibly fluently is Hikki. The other three, err...not so much. Problem number one: Language barrier. It leaves these artists wide open for some heavy hitting bash attacks from the American masses. Comedy Central, MadTV, heck throw in Best Week Ever: Here's your latest source of joy. Have fun bashing Asian stereotypes, ok?

Problem Number Two: YG, SM, and JYP are Korea's three largest entertainment industries. Completely unstoppable...in Korea. We all knew SM had an ego, JYP can get borderline crazy, and YG is run by a relatively chill dude, but what are they getting high off of that makes them think they can conquer? Let's bring in the I.E.'s

1. BoA was SM's cashcow for a significant amount of years. Then DBSK came along. Then Super Junior. Then SNSD. BoA's still raking in the dough, but come on, nothing beats DBSK nowadays. At this point in time, BoA had already conquered Korea and Japan. What was left? America, I guess.
2. JYP was caught up in some media confusion about the whole "PEREZ HILTON LOVES THE WGs" scoop last month. Some people are firm believers that he paid him off. Uh, ok. So Perez does happen to have a large following, but come on. Perez? Of all the entertainment people out there...PEREZ? What the hell? I'd like to believe JYP was smart enough not to pay that geezer off. And if he didn't pay him off, my theory would make more sense. If Perez wasn't paid off, JYP would look at his girls' publicity off his site as something close to an "ego boost" of sorts. And let's not forget Virgin Records recognizing the Wonder Girls as one of the 8 girl groups to look forward to. Not only where they mentioned, but they happened to be the only Asian female group mentioned.

Now I'm just having a brain fart. I'm all over the place.

Problem Number Three: America ain't Korea...or Japan, China, whatever.

Sure, boy groups and girl groups are ALL the rage in Asia, but have you seen America lately? We've got the Pussycat Dolls and Danity Kane. Destiny's Child officially called it quits. Heck, ever 90s group I know called it quits. Now, what makes JYP think he can succeed with the Wonder Girls. Seriously? I can hear it now: "What kind of idiots would call themselves the 'Wonder Girls'?" or how about: "BoA? You mean Bank of America?" If the message wasn't received in Korea, they should eventually realize that stupid names and quirky dances don't equal success in America.

They should realize that most people in America have no idea who BoA, Rain, the Wonder Girls, etc. are. Not everyone is going to be as kind as they are in Korea. Sure, you can be a flop in Korea, but at least you die out quietly. In America, we like to make you roll around in dirt before we toss you aside for good. No hard feelings, but we gotta stick to our reputation and such.

Just kidding, but seriously, it's like tossing a steak to a bunch of starving hyenas. And what exactly are my personal concerns about the Wonder Girls and their "special projects" in America? To put it bluntly: I know they'll get eaten alive should they walk into America with the concepts they have now. So Hot would be taken relatively well, I guess, if people with half a brain can understand that they were trying to be sarcastic. But Tell Me and Nobody would make them...er...laughing stocks? I'm not trying to be mean, but this is no laughing matter. America is the land where "Soulja Boy" was considered awesome. And then there were actual hits like "Umbrella" that made sense to some people. The American public is used to the crap they hear on the radio and there are two problems that lie within that common fact:

1. Should they hear something different, they could dislike it and just bash bash bash they're dying hearts out.
2. They are open enough to try something new.

"Something new"? Since when was that a guarantee? Entertainment companies always boast about having the "next best thing" when in reality, all they have is an upgrade of the current popular hit. It's the same processed bull with a new image. The reason why Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears are still so popular is because no one has been able to be "the next best thing".

And the weird thing about it is: I hate how Asian entertainment companies in general believe that putting on this "image" will mean automatic success for their artists. Look at BoA and Utada Hikaru's videos again. What did you find? Cheap red lipstick and sexualized undertones. That's a great way to display talent, right? We all know that sex sells, but come on. Americans (some of them anyway) aren't dense enough to not see talent. They know talent when they see/hear it...it's just that most times sometimes, stupidity gets in the way. And that's what I fear with the Wonder Girls. Erm, yeah. From Nobody to an image like...oh I don't know, the Pussycat Dolls-esque. Something over the top and sexy. Now, I don't think I'd mind, but the contrast of images from Korea to America would just seem overwhelming to me. Should their image be something of the sort, I don't know how I'd react to it. And how would their music change? What about their personalities? If you didn't get the memo, "cute" doesn't work here, unless you work for the Disney Channel. It's like digging your own grave.

The main problem lies with the entertainment companies themselves. The fact that they jump into this whole American scene without thoroughly thinking it through is what leads to the downfall of their artists. They don't spend enough time fine-tuning their English. They don't spend enough time with routines and vocals. They don't think about the image thoroughly. To put it simply: They just don't think. These American debuts are impulsive and large bouts of stupidity on their part. I'm all for world domination, but one step at a time, please.

I think I'm basically saying I don't want them to change. I don't want them to go to America and get eaten alive. I don't want them to Americanize themselves. I realize that the Korean industry is basically dead nowadays, but this is just as bad as keeping them in Korea to rot along with the industry. Maybe I'm being a little close-minded. Maybe I'm just being selfish. But I do know one thing: Should the girls, and all the other brave and stupid souls out there in Asia, wish to debut in America, they should pray a helluva lot of prayers before jumping headfirst into their graves.

Titulo Original: Robin B Hood

Director:Benny Chan Muk Sing

Productores: Benny Chan Muk Sing, Jackie Chan, Willie Chan Chi Keung, Solon So Chi Hung, Wang Zhong Lei.

Director Acción: Jackie Chan, Nicky Li Chung Chi, Sing Ga Ban

Interpretes :Jackie Chan, Louis Koo Tin Lok, Michael Hui Kun Man
Gao Yuan Yuan, Charlene Choi Cheuk Yin, Convoy Chan Chi Chung, Yuen Biao, Chen Bao Guo, Teresa Carpio, Matthew Medvedev.

Precio: 12 euros aprox.

Descripción: Fong (Jackie Chan) es un ladrón sin suerte. Con habilidades excepcionales par el robo, Fong pierde todo lo ganado en sus golpes en las apuestas. La gran oportunidad le llegará cuando un mafioso le pida a él y a su socio Octopues (Louis Koo) que secuestren al bebé de una de las mujeres más poderosas de la ciudad. El problema será que éste deberá quedarse unos días bajo los cuidados del propio Fong. Dos ladrones y medio supone el retorno de Jackie Chan al género de la comedia. Magníficamente dirigida por Benny Cham, director de blockbustters como New police story o Who i am? interpretadas ambas por Jackie Chan. Junto a Chan, destacar la delirante interpretación de Louis Koo, quien demuestra una gran versabilidad después de su espectacular papel en Election 2.

Comentarios: Jackie Chan vuelve al genero donde mas exito y donde siempre mas convenció para mi gusto al espectador, a la comedia de acción, pero con un detalle mas que importante, made in Hk, despues de su viaje en Hollywood, haciendo bodrios como: "El esmoquin", "Shanghai Kid" o "El poder del talisman", Chan decidio volver a sus origenes, y la verdad que el resultado es brutal.
Un film plagada de viejas caras conocidas como Yuen Biao o Michael Hui,no se trata de simples cameos sino de papeles protagonistas, en Hk aun siguen siendo muy queridos y siguen protagonizando alguna serie de T.V o pelicula, pero en España les perdimos la pista tristemente muy pronto en cuanto la industria de fue decallendo al igual que las pelis de Artes Marciales,por lo cual verlos de nuevo junto fue de una satisfacción enorme.

Despues de ir amasando el terreno como muy buenos titulos como: "New Police Story" o "El mito", Jackie volvio al genero de la comedia, la interpretación es perfecta llena de acción y recordando a viejas peliculas suyas como "Los supercamorristas",mezclando las escenas de luchas con las de acrobacias, como esa tan espectacular por los terrados de las casas, utiliza todos los elementos que hicieron de exito el cine de los 80´s cantones, sabiendo elegir la formula ganadora, mezclando sutilmente los tiempos actuales y mezclandolo con las viejas glorias del genero, debo reconocer que el coprotagonismo compartido por Louis Koo Tin Lok estrella del cine actual en Hk, en cual personalmente no sigo, me agrado muchisimo y un final que recuerda a "Rosa" o "City Hunter" sensacional.
La pelicula nos emociona enormente, tanto por encontrar tantos guiños del cine que tantas alegrias nos dio, como el plantamiento del guión: sensible pero directo.

Jackie, Louis Koo y Michael hui son 3 ladrones de guante largo (no os recuerda a Winners and Sinners?), que se dedican a robar, estafar, apostar y llevar una vida desenfrenada, pero todo cambia cuando deciden dar su ultimo golpe, secuestrar a un Bebé, Michael es arrestado 2 semanas en la carcel y Yuen Biao es el poli encargado de llevar el caso, y Jackie y Louis deven hacerse cargo de el pequeñin, pero todo empieza a cambiar ya que se van encariñando y empiezan a replantearse su mala vida, al darse cuenta de las terribles intenciones de su secuestrador (posible abuelo de la criatura), todo cambia y comienza una aventura que cambiara sus vidas para siempre.

Conclusión, estoy ante para la que es para mi la mejor pelicula desde la decada de los 90´s encuanto al cine de acción se refiere, todo el fan del genero esta de enorabuena por que Jackie volvio a sus raices, y en los ultimos años esta demostrando que aunque ajenas a Obras Maestras, aun se puede hacer buen cine y divertir al espectador, lo que esta claro que estas peliculas jamas las volveremos a ver en el cine, y dificilmente en Dvd asi aprovechemos esta oportunidad.

    Last night they invited me to the birthday party of their nephew.  There were something like forty people there, from the elderly to a bunch of screaming kids. Again, they were all very friendly and pretended that I spoke decent Spanish (that is a stretch).  I, of course, was the only one with naturally German-wheat blonde hair (and one of the few in all of Costa Rica; I've never felt so conspicuous before) and thus was a real novelty for the kids.  They immediately zoned in on the "gringa," which apparently is not considered an insult here but is their way to describe Americans.  They wanted to see if I could speak Spanish -- what is this?  That is your hair-teeth-chair-purse-eyes-ears.  Lucky for me they were asking intro vocab, or it may have been a different story.  Then they wanted to hear everything in English, and a few wanted to try out the English they were learning in school.  What is your name?  It was incredibly cute.  One of them told me my voice sounded like Lindsay Lohan (compliment?).  And - since everyone in America knows each other - were interested to see if I knew, of all people, Jackie Chan (I don't).  

    The grandmother of my host momma asked me what my last name was. I say, Lutkenhaus.  My host momma turns around upon hearing the word and is is like, what?  And I say, oh that's my last name.  She responds, that is difficult!

2.  My adventure in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints:
    So this morning my host momma asks if I want to go to church.  Me, not having anything to do and wanting to get out into Costa Rica, say sure.  Since the country is 90% Catholic, I don't bother to ask what type of service it is, I just borrow some nice clothes (I have to explain I don't have any heels because I have been tramping about in the jungle) and go.  We get there, sit down, actually next to three English-speakers who were very nice to me.  And then...SURPRISE!  Its Mormon!  And even better, it is their biannual conference so the service was broadcast live from Utah for 2 and a half hours.  It was in Spanish, so I only understood about half of it, but it was interesting at least (1/2 an hour was devoted to the story of the persecution of Jose Smith).  Do I go back?

3.  Cheerios
    San Jose is a somewhat large city - more than 2 million people.  They have everything we have back in America, except Chipotle, to my utter resignation.  My host momma asked what I wanted for breakfast, and presented me with Cheerios.  Her daughter, Raquel, has more Disney princess stuff than I do (almost).  Classes start tomorrow.  Its a return to high school, Spanish from 9-3.  At least my Spanish should get better quickly!  The best part is that after class they offer cultural lessons, like cooking and dancing.  So I'm pretty much going to be cultured by the time I come back, I may even have manners.  Be prepared.

    Our election news is everywhere.  I haven't broached the subject with my host family, but I get the feeling the W is not too popular down here.  Which is great, because Obama is up to 65 on intrade.com.  Kansas still predicted as over 90% McCain though. Its interesting how knowledgeable they all are about the US, though I suppose it isn't really surprising.  Everyone asks me what state I'm from, and seem to have a basic idea of where Kansas is.  A lot of my friends at school don't have a basic of idea of where Kansas is (I'll give you a hint: it was not a part of the Confederacy). You know who you are.  

    I feel more connected now that I'm back in an actual town.  I may even get my nose pierced (that is for you Mom and Dad - reaction? haha if I can't guess already).  But it all makes me miss everyone back home! Enjoy your visits with Joe Biden at the Home Depot.

My initial reaction after seeing the film was very positive, as I gained an emotional attachment to the story's characters and greatly enjoyed the overall homage to the genre.  On repeating viewing of the movie, my reaction has not changed.  I really love this film!

The film re-tells the famous Monkey King story, one the most well-known and popular tales in Chinese culture, and along the way pays respect to a slew of martial art films, cliche characters and corny ideas of yesteryear.

Jackie Chan and Jet Li share equal billing, but this is actually an American directed film, with a mostly English-language performance.  The movie pays equal homage to American films, from Wizard of Oz to Karate Kid.

I've read some criticism of the film by many people around the internet.  I'm actually not sure what their problem is with this film?

Are they looking for something original?  = Sorry folks, but pretty much all martial art films have the same revenge/quest storyline.

Did they want more Jet Li and Jackie Chan?  = Well, I would think that both actors occupied as much as 90% of the film, altogether.

Upset that Asian actors are speaking English? = Umm.. clearly this is an American film for an English-speaking audience.

Lighten up people.  This isn't the perfect martial arts film, but it is an excellent movie.

8 out of 10.

Del secondo capitolo di "Kung Fu Panda" si occuperà la stessa creatrice, Jennifer Yuh Nelson, e torneranno nel cast vocale Jack Black, alias Po, l'agguerrita Tigre Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogen-Mantide, la Vipera Lucy Liu e Jackie Chan la Scimmia.

Anche la storia sarà scritta dagli stessi autori di del primo film, Jonathan Aibel e Glenn Berger.

Il seguito della storia racconterà delle vicende di Po, che pur restando il più grande fan del Kung Fu, deve adesso proseguire nel suo compito di prescelto e realizzare l'antica profezia, insegnando l'arte marziale.

L'uscita è programmata per il 2012.

it.movies.yahoo.com

What do you think of when you hear the word "magic"? As a Christian, growing up, I always heard that magic was devilish, you know, spiritual and all that. Not the good spiritual.

And that's how some magicians spin it. That it's supernatural... blah blah blah. Well, that's some magicians.

In my opinion, some magic is cool. And one magician, that I know, helped solidify this opinion. His name is Jorge Blass.

When I returned from Los Angeles, many people asked if I met any famous people. Well, I met Jorge Blass. And he's famous. In Spain.

Jorge Blass is known all over Spain and has his own TV show. The thing is, he went to my school and was one of my classmates. He's such a nice, down to earth guy. He is always smiling. ALWAYS. And so when he says he's a magician and he has his own TV show in Spain you're like, "oh, ok, cool." Kinda brush it off as a small cable show. But it's more than cool. And it's bigger than cable. Jorge Blass is BRILLIANT! See for yourself!

LINK TO HIS SITE!!!!!

See! I told you. He has worked with famous magicians, has done tricks for famous people, (like Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson), has been featured in magazines and has received many awards.

And he did a few tricks for us at school. I still can't figure them out. Crazy!

I was just looking at his site today and was amazed yet again. That's why I decided to post about it. Oh and notice how I always use his full name? Well, that's because the way he says his name is so cool. That's all I called him for 6 weeks. Jorge Blass. That's all.

What do you think of magic?

Keith D. Yates, author of The Complete Guide to American Karate & Tae Kwon Do, started teaching karate in 1967 while still a brown belt (there were not many black belts back then). In addition to his 40+ years of martial arts experience, Yates has written over 400 articles and authored or co-authored 9 books. He is the founder and president of the American Karate and Tae Kwon Do Organization, and travels the country teaching and lecturing on the American martial arts. In the following interview, Yates discusses how he began his lifelong pursuit of martial arts, the nuanced differences between the terms "karate" and "tae kwon do," and why video games and energy-drink commercials are both good and bad for martial arts.

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

The Complete Guide to American Karate & Tae Kwon Do “is meant to be a comprehensive reference to American methods of karate and tae kwon do.”  What inspired you to write this guide and how does it differ from the other books available on the market concerning similar subjects?

Of course there are many other books on the shelves but I have found them to be either very basic (meaning only of interest to raw beginners) or very highbrow (meaning new or intermediate students won’t understand much of it). I always prepare a reading list for my own students but there didn’t seem to be a definitive text on the American approach. So I tried to use my decades of experience to bridge the gap and write a book that all students could enjoy and benefit from.

The comprehensibility and easily decipherable language of The Complete Guide make it approachable even for beginners.  Do you intend for this book to reach such an audience or is it designed with someone else in mind?

One of the things my students, my editors and my readers have always told me is that I can take a complicated subject and make it understandable. So yes, this book is for those who don’t know much about American karate and tae kwon do. But I’ve included enough interesting and little known facts about these arts that even the most seasoned instructors will learn something new.

In the introduction of your book you explain, “American karate and American tae kwon do aren’t really so much styles of martial arts as much as ways of approaching the martial arts.”  Can you please expand on this?

America has been called a “melting pot,” and that is certainly true when it comes to taking activities and sports from other cultures and stripping them down to the essentials. Because Americans don’t have the prejudices that someone from a certain country might have concerning their martial arts we can pick the techniques that work best for us. Bruce Lee, ironically not American born, was the man who popularized this approach in the United States.

You use the term “traditional” to refer to martial arts practice that places the emphasis on the “self-defense and character building aspects” and you use the term “modern” to refer to martial arts as sports, those geared toward “tournaments and competition techniques.”  Are both found equally in America?  Do you believe either one to be superior?

Well, I think it boils down to what you want out of your training. If you want to add another sport to your lifestyle, if you like competition and the spoils that come with winning them then you’ll enjoy the more modern approach. If you are interested in things like getting into better shape, improving your self confidence and self discipline, then you’ll probably be drawn to a more traditional approach to the martial arts. Having said this I doubt you will find many schools in North America that totally ignore one or the other of these aspects. It’s more a matter of degree. I will say that the more traditional the approach, the longer the students probably stay with it (I’m talking decades here). You probably won’t want to be competing in tournaments into middle age.

Your book addresses the martial arts of karate and tae kwon do and you, like many tae kwon do specialists, use these two terms interchangeably.  You also explain that karate is the general term for “any striking martial art.”  Will you please clarify any important differences in the history or practices of karate versus tae kwon do?

The term karate (empty hand) came into practice in the 1920s. The term tae kwon do (way of kicking and punching) was coined in 1955. So both are fairly modern names. Karate became popularized in America after servicemen returned from World War II. When I was growing up in the 1950s and ’60s, we read tales of “karate experts” in comic books and saw them on TV ("I Love Lucy" and "Dick Van Dyke" to name a couple). So when the new Korean martial art of tae kwon do was introduced into this country, the first teachers used the term “karate” because it was already in common usage (and, of course, early tae kwon do WAS karate—read the book).

By 1988, when tae kwon do was introduced into the Olympics, the art had enough of a following that the term was recognizable by most Americans. So most of the Olympic style practitioners (call them the Korean Kuki schools) hate using the word karate. And if your karate school proudly traces its lineage directly back to Japan proper you, no doubt, refuse to use the term tae kwon do. Still, there are hundreds of thousands of Americans who just call what they do American karate no matter the origin of their systems (remember the “melting pot”).

Throughout all of the chapters there are profiles of martial artists, providing the readers with a great deal of information on many of the most influential people in the field of martial arts.  Do you have any personal heroes?  Is there anyone you believe to have had an unsurpassed influence on martial arts and its history?

The two who wrote the introductions to the book are my martial arts heroes. My relationship with Jhoon Rhee (the man who brought the Korean martial arts to the America) goes back forty years. And although I also met Chuck Norris in the 1960s I didn’t really get to know him until ten years or so ago when I started working with his Kick-Start Foundation. Both of these guys have had a tremendous influence on the arts in this country and the world. I think it is safe to say that the martial arts would be totally different without the influence of these two.

You are a 10th-degree black belt and someone who has dedicated his life to martial arts.  How did you become involved in the arts originally?  What fueled your interest and training?

I started at the age of 14 when my mom saw an ad for “karate” lessons at the local community center (even though it was technically tae kwon do we called it karate). We had a neighbor by the name of Marian Erickson who had just started training with the same instructor (Allen Steen) and she told my mom how great it was. Three and a half years later Marian and I tested for black belt the same day. Sometimes I don’t know how I lasted in Steen’s school. I was practically the only kid (admittedly I was small for my age) and Marian was just about the only woman. Karate, in those days, was an activity for testosterone-filled men. Still, I never even considered quitting the martial arts and today I am about the only one of Steen’s original black belts still active and teaching. I guess, for me, it became a lifestyle. That’s what I try to instill in my students—and maybe even those who read my books.

At the end of each chapter you provide a list of questions from that chapter.  How does this aid the reader in using The Complete Guide?  Why did you decide to include this section?

One of the things I do in my rank exams is have both a written and oral test. The questions serve as a starting point for instructors who might want to do the same thing. Of course, it also acts as a reminder of what the reader has learned from his or her reading (I am, after all, a teacher).

One section in the introduction of your book recommends ways to choose a martial arts school.  What are some institutes at which you trained and how did you choose them?  Is it more important for a student to select a school based on an individual instructor or the institute as a whole?

Well, you must take everything into consideration but ultimately I think it comes down to the teacher. Is this someone you can learn from? Is this someone who makes you want to learn? And is this someone whom you want to emulate? Just like you’ll find good and bad teachers in public schools you’ll find good and bad sensei (actually there is even a broader spectrum because karate teachers don’t have to take any classes on teaching methods—they don’t even have to be high school graduates for that matter). I have earned multiple black belts and that’s the way I have chosen my own teachers. I am attracted to instructors who model the characteristics that I’d like further develop in my own life.

Before delving into the chapters on history, philosophy, procedures, physical aspects, training patterns, sparring and self-defense, you provide a question and answer section addressing the basics of American karate and tae kwon do.  What are the most common questions you are asked by readers and students?

Those question are the ones I am most asked by both beginning students and those people I run into who don’t know anything about the martial arts other than seeing Jackie Chan movies. There are so many “myths,” if you will, about karate and tae kwon do that I wanted to address some of them in an easy to access format. People are most surprised, I think, to find out there are no standards for black belt. A black belt in one school might be equivalent to a green belt in a school down the street. And I’m just talking about physical skills—the knowledge level of instructors varies wildly. I hope that’s one of the things this book can help correct.

Your book considers aspects of karate and tae kwon do ranging from history and culture to competition to religion.  Is it fair to say that martial arts involve spirituality, sport, art, and culture?  How are martial arts a lifestyle more than merely a form of defense or exercise?

Yes, they involve all the above if you want them to. It depends on your motivations for training and the competency of your instructor. You can do karate for a couple years, win a few trophies and then move on to another sport. You can even stick around long enough to earn a black belt but then find you don’t have time to devote to it anymore. But if you have learned to love the art then you can become an artist much like a musician or painter or writer.

Recently the martial arts have been more and more present in American media—from energy drink commercials to martial arts fighting video games.  How do you feel about this trend and the way in which our country’s media portray the practice of martial arts?

I have to say I have mixed feelings. On one hand any exposure for the martial arts is good because it creates an interest and brings more people into the schools. On the other hand TV and video games serve to create those “myths” I alluded to before. Perhaps with more people involved in the arts there will be a greater understanding of what they are truly all about (hint: it's not Zen meditation and/or extreme violence).

Is there anything that you have learned throughout your lifelong participation and achievements in karate and tae kwon do that you would like to pass on to those who are just beginning their pursuit of the martial arts?

I used to believe that the martial arts were for everyone but I don’t anymore. Oh, everyone can benefit from a little more self-discipline and could probably stand to exercise some more but you can get that from plenty of other activities. And knowledge of self-protection tips are certainly needed by all but you can attend a neighborhood watch group or take a self-defense class at the rec center for that too. The martial arts are a serious pursuit and while a good instructor can make it enjoyable he or she must also strive to impress the student with the fact that it’s more than sport, more than fun, it’s a way of life (however corny that may sound).

CLICK HERE to learn more about The Complete Guide to American Karate & Tae Kwon Do
CLICK HERE to read more about Keith D. Yates

Existem no google diversos sites com tutorias, caso você tenha se interessado pelo assunto. Pesquise, entre, e se divirta.

E já que os dioramas em questão são sobre guerra, o vídeo de hoje traz essa maravilhosa cena do Hora do Rush 1, em que o Jackie canta a música War(What Is It Good For).

Beijinho, beijinho, tchau, tchau

MOVIE INFO:

Legendary martial arts stars Jackie Chan and Jet Li come together onscreen for the first time ever in director Rob Minkoff's time-traveling take on the Monkey King fable that finds an American teen transported back to ancient China after wandering into a pawn shop and discovering the king's fighting stick. Once there, the adventurous teen joins an army of fierce warriors who have sworn to free their imprisoned king at all costs. In addition to appearing as the mythical Monkey King, Li assumes the role of a silent monk, and Chan appears in the role of kung fu master Lu Yan. Famed action choreographer Yuen Woo Ping presides over the fight sequences.

MY THOUGHTS:

What more do you want from a kung fu movie when it's striked with the 2 greatest martial arts stars? Jackie Chan and Jet Li pummeled successfully through the big screen with their latest action flick.

From the great cinematic effects to the raw bare bone kung fu sequences, this movie will keep your eyes glued to the screen.

The story is innovative; from an ancient tale with a modern twist. A must see!

PERSONAL RATING:

9 / 10