Green Zone

Starring: Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Amy Ryan, Brendan Gleason

Directed by: Paul Greengrass

Plot: Army Inspector Roy Miller and his team are searching for WMDs during the early days of the US occupation in Iraq and they uncover a conspiracy that could throw the region into chaos.

Rotten Tomatoes Freshness: 48%

Critic Consensus: “Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass return to the propulsive action and visceral editing of the Bourne films — but a cliched script and stock characters keep those methods from being as effective this time around.”

Remember Me

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Emilie De Ravin, Pierce Brosnan, Chris Cooper

Directed by: Allen Coulter

Plot: A troubled young man in New York City falls for a girl and begins to heal from a family tragedy.

RT Freshness: 31%

Critic Consensus: “Its leads are likeable, but Remember Me suffers from an overly maudlin script and a borderline offensive final twist.”

She’s Out of My League

Starring: Jay Baruchel, Alice Eve, TJ Miller, Mike Vogel

Directed by: Jim Field Smith

Plot: A nerdy airport worker stumbles into a relationship with a gorgeous girl, much to his friends’ confusion.

RT Freshness: 45%

Critic Consensus: “She’s Out of My League has moments of humor and insight, but it’s bogged down by excessive vulgarity and cartoonishness.”

Our Family Wedding

Starring: America Ferrara, Lance Gross, Forest Whitaker, Carlos Mencia

Directed by: Rick Famuyiwa

Plot: A young couple tries to get ready for their wedding but their competitive fathers threaten to throw the whole thing off the rails.

RT Freshness: 17%

Critic Consensus: “Our Family Wedding is a mirthless, contrived affair that does little with its promising premise and talented cast.”

So since A2 Classics began we have covered a lot of American work but today I would like to cover something a bit more foreign. If you recall, in December I wrote about the Jackie Chan movie, Who Am I which was produced and marketed mainly for a Hong Kong audience and therefore constitutes what Action/Adventure film lovers call a Hong Kong Cinema picture. Since the 70’s there have been a ton of great, and very underrated action, adventure and martial arts pictures coming out of the island city of Hong Kong. HK was almost single handily responsible for the influx in martial arts films within the united states. One of the HK cinemas biggest stars in the early 90’s was Jet Li and today we will be looking at one of his films, The Defender.

The Defender (as the American title goes), or its original title Zhong Nan Hai bao biao (Hong Kong title: The Bodyguard from Beijing) is a 1994 action flick starring the ever impressive and youthful Hong Kong martial arts master Jet Li as a bodyguard from the Beijing secret police, sent to Hong Kong to protect a beautiful young witness to a mob killing, played by Christy Chung (dream girl!!). Li turns her home into a high-security prison, complete with video cameras surveying every room, even her bedroom. Furious, Chung resists his efforts to protect her–until the threat to her life is made abundantly clear in a spectacular shopping mall shootout. As is natural under such circumstances, romance begins to bloom, much to the dismay of Chung’s lawyer boyfriend, who hired Li in the first place. Made in the last few years before the British province of Hong Kong was returned to the rule of mainland China, The Bodyguard from Beijing makes many (possibly anxious) jokes about the differences between the austere Communist bodyguard and the lackadaisical H.K. police.

As with most HK films you get a super combination of both weapons and martial arts through out. It makes for a really entertaining up and down ride with a crazed unseen individual in the drivers seat. I have to say that the use of weapons in this film is really well done to. Guns are used quite often, though mostly hand guns which makes for more skilled shoot outs. There is a scene in a large shopping mall involving Li and two lowly H.K. Police officers vs. a seemingly endless stream of pen and silenced 9mm toting assassins. Even in the climax of the film guns are used right up till the point of the ‘boss fight’ where we launch into Li’s familiar Wushu martial arts styling. In all, I would say that the action in this film is of the highest quality.

As with most H.K. flicks from this time period, The Defender is full of a spectacular strawberry red violence. Basically what I mean is that the blood that is frequently drawn through out the picture is so red that it is ridiculous. While gory and horrifyingly epic, the violence is almost of a fantasy nature. It helps ground the viewer a bit. The action is however very amazing and epic in scale and variety. Jet and the assassins use everything from flashlights to skateboards and the baddest baddie comes equipped with this super evil looking Red Army bayonet that creates a three sided, easily recognizable and sinister wound. And how often do you get to see venetian blinds used as an offensive weapon? It is simply marvelous.

Unfortunately I can’t say the same thing about the cinematography and the editing. While it captures exactly what needs to be captured and does include some pretty good scenes, I feel that a lot of the shots were a bit wonky and some of the picture could have been cut down. Its hard to explain with the H.K. film style being so different and possibly more advanced than american cinema from an action standpoint, but I just felt like the camera could have been positioned better and perhaps some different lighting effects used in various places. But hey, they are the film makers creating enjoyable flicks for big bucks and I am just a filmophile sitting at home wishing I could kick as much ass as Li and Chan, who am I to judge.

In any case the films character development played right to Li’s strengths as an actor. His character is quiet, shy and very good at what he does. That is the impression Li gives off in most his roles so it was almost fitting to see him play a character in The Defender that is just that type. You do however notice a somewhat dynamic nature to the what portrays his character toward the end. She is no longer just an assignment but more of a person and possibly a love interest.

Which brings me to the next point about why you should watch this movie. If the gunfights and car chases don’t entice you, or the awkward dinner scene then perhaps the fact that the year ‘2000 Hottest Woman in Asia,’ Christy Chung is playing the part of the female lead/body needing to be guarded opposite Jet Li. She is a beautiful, demanding, whirlwind next to Jet’s quiet and shy yet dangerously protective character. All I have to say is Night Gown and you gents should be running for the dvd shelves. She is beautiful, and classy while at the same time a tad naughty, and in real life she is Canadian. Right on, eh?!

One of the other great subjects touched on during The Defender was the whole Communist China vs. Hong Kong idea that you see display quite often. The up tight and very efficient Jet Li represents China where as the laid back and fun yet wildly irresponsible H.K. police officers represent, obviously Hong Kong. This movie was filmed right around the time where it was decided that the Chinese government would again take over Hong Kong so they clearly display this contrast between the Red China Bodyguard and the H.K. Police in the same situation and how working together they can accomplish the impossible.

I can honestly say that of all Jet Li films (and there are a ton out there), The Defender aka The Bodyguard from Beijing is one of my favorites. Please check it out as soon as you can and I promise you will not be disappointed. Take care and as always, kick back, relax and throw on a classic.

• Name: Jonathan Cabot
• Occupation: World Champion Gymnast, Secret Agent
• Family: Colonel Cabot (Father)
• Allies: Princess Rubali, The Kahn, the Secret Intelligence Agency
• Enemies: Zamir, Ninjas, Cannibalistic villagers, Thorg
• Weapon of Choice: Gymkata
• Body Count: Unknown
• Memorable Quote: “Out of the way, Thorg.”

See Jonathan in Action:

So we’re all gearing up for Iron Man 2 in a couple months but next year Marvel is unleashing the God of Thunder into theaters with the Thor movie.  Chris Hemsworth (most recently seen as Papa Kirk in Star Trek) is set to wield Mjolnir and the movie is also starring Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Kat Dennings, Ray Stevenson and Idris Elba.  Paramount released a plot summary earlier this week and it seems that Odin casts Thor out of Asgard after Thor’s reckless actions restarts an ancient war.  Thor is cast down to Earth and meets the beautiful scientist Jane Foster and he decides to change his ways and become a true hero, just in time to face off against one of Asgard’s most deadly foes.  As with most of the Marvel movies coming out, Thor is going to link up with the Iron Mans, The Incredible Hulk, Captain America and, ultimately, The Avengers.  Expect Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury to come calling sometime during the movie.

Back in 2007 we were introduced to one of cinema’s greatest villains, Donkey Kong champion Billy Mitchell.  Seemingly unstoppable, one man rose up to challenge him, school teacher Steve Wiebe. The two battled back and forth and   Wiebe had the record for a few fleeting moments before Billy wrenched it back.  Now, a new challenger has arisen and has finally brought down the mulleted one.  In two and a half hours Dr. Hank Chian scored 1,061,700 points, putting him 11,500 above Mitchell and 12,600 in front of Wiebe.  Dr. Chien is a plastic surgeon from New York who started playing Donkey Kong 8 or 9 months ago.  Will Billy Mitchell let this stand? Only time will tell.

We all know that Jack can be extremely convincing but he had his work cut out for him last night as he spent most of the episode trying to negotiate with young terrorist Marcos.  Marcos, with his detonator disabled by CTU, was furiously trying to rewire his bomb vest and kill himself to avoid capture.  Jack tried to reason with him but Marcos was too fanatical to listen.  Chloe and CTU got a work up on Marcos and found that his mother lived in NYC and Hastings dispatched the recently returned Cole to retrieve her.  Hastings chewed both Dana and Cole out and demoted Dana to reporting to Chloe, previously it was the opposite.  Just when Dana was about to finally get back to work, Kevin’s parole officer Privey called and wanted to know where Kevin was.  Dana tried to lie but was caught by Privey’s phone records stating that he called Dana numerous times.  Privey wanted to meet and Dana agreed.  Dana tried to call Cole for support but he just said to lie, “because you’re good at it” Burn!

At the UN, Hassan and his wife Talia reunited but only for the purpose of finding their renegade daughter.  Talia tried to reach Kyla on her phone but she was “busy” with Tarin and ignored the calls.

Back at the hospital, Jack had the recently arrived mother try and talk her son into giving himself in but Marcos, while almost breaking, refused.  Samir had two of his men tapped into the surveillance feed of the hospital and they were monitoring Marcos’ progress.  When his mother obviously wasn’t going to convince him, Jack turned it up a notch and stole a play from season 3.  He told Marcos that if he blew himself up, first Jack was going to make his mother clean up the mess and then Jack would bring her to the site of the attack and intentionally expose her to radiation.  Marcos finally caved and came out of the pressure chamber.  Samir’s men saw this and activated a fail safe on the vest, giving Jack sixty seconds to disarm the bomb.  Jack couldn’t do it in time and barely got Marcos back into the chamber before he exploded.  Jack was able to get a name out of Marcos before he died however, Tarin Faroush, and it turns out Hassan wasn’t as crazily paranoid as we thought.  Jack contacted Hassan and Talia finally reached Kyla.  Kyla refused to believe it at first but Talia convinced her and CTU got her location, so Jack and Cole were off.  Be sure to come back next week as the preview promises some sort of huge, shocking twist.

So way back at Comic Con last year Disney debuted the first teaser/test footage for Tron Legacy, the sequel to the 80’s classic.  This weekend before Alice in Wonderland we had the first official trailer and my brain liquefied a bit from it’s awesomeness.  The CG looks absolutely amazing and combined with the Daft Punk soundtrack and it being in 3D I think there’s going to be a lot of exploded brain matter on the backs of seats.  Check it out below and then start the long wait until December 17.

Up in the Air

Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire

The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day

Old Dogs

Capitalism: A Love Story

Planet 51

Walker, Texas Ranger Season 7

UFC: Best of 2009

The second trailer for Iron Man 2 premiered during Jimmy Kimmel’s after Oscars show and it has a ton of new footage and plenty of action.  This trailer introduces us more to Tony Stark’s industrial rival, Justin Hammer, played by Sam Rockwell.  He and Mickey Rourke’s Whiplash team up to build an army of drones based on the Iron Man armor in an attempt to destroy Tony.  Also in the trailer is a better look at War Machine and the debut of Tony’s suitcase armor, which offers less protection but comes with the titular advantage of fitting in a suitcase.  Check out the trailer below and start counting down the days until May 7th.

Alice in Wonderland destroyed everything in it’s path this weekend, easily making more than the rest of the top ten combined and probably even the top 20 combined. Tim Burton’s latest pulled in $116 million, making $41 million of that on opening day alone. In a distant second was the other new release, Brooklyn’s Finest, which made $13.3 million and just barely beating Shutter Island in it’s third week. The rest of the field suffered between 40%-50% drop offs, with the only exception being Crazy Heart. Four movies are opening this weekend but none really strong enough to take on Alice, especially if it maintains it’s momentum.