Thursday, October 7, 2010

Curse of the Golden Flower


If you think the box art looks cool then you have NO idea of what you are in for with this Chinese historical drama. It is one of the most amazing movies I have seen in any language with an unbelievably gorgeous visual style. Imagine 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' set in the Emperor of China's palace within the walls of the 'Forbidden City'.

I won't tell you anything about the story except to say that it revolves around the five members of the royal family - the Emperor, his wife and his three sons. You get drama, betrayal, cruelty, heartbreak, and death - everything you need for an enjoyable evening of viewing.

Remember the Olympics in Beijing? The opening ceremonies? Multiply that by a faction of ten when you think of what possible battle sequences the filmmakers could come up with. They are mythic and unlike anything you have seen in western cinema.

I love these kinds of films out of China. If you like this one then I recommend the aforementioned 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' and add to the list - 'Red Cliffs', 'Hero', and 'House of Flying Daggers'

The movies is subtitled in English but that shouldn't turn you away. You will be paying so much attention to the screen that you will not miss a single thing that is spoken even if the spoken language is Chinese.

Let me know what you think.

No comments: