Day 112 continued - Leonie (Japanese)

"The film is based on the life of Léonie Gilmour, the American lover and editorial assistant of Japanese writerYone Noguchi and mother of sculptor Isamu Noguchi and dancer Ailes Gilmour."-Wikipedia

A truly terrible film that was bland to the point it was almost unwatchable if not for the fact that I like interracial relationship movies and movies that showcase multiple cultures. I don't like the way that Emily Mortimer acted but I do appreciate a film with a strong female character. I didn't feel like this movie had any amount of depth, it also seemed quite rushed. At times I had a time enjoying the film due to the poor direction choices. I understand that you can only do so much when making a film based on someones life but still there could be better historical accuracy and more realistic human emotions. If you are interested in Japan at all then this the movie for you. 

0.5/5

Starring

Also Appeared in:

The Ghost and the Darkness

Scream 3

Disney's The Kid

The Sleeping Dictionary

Howl's Moving Castle

Our Idiot Brother

Day 90 continued - Fist of Legend (Hong Kong)

 

" In 1937, a Chinese martial artist returns to Shanghai to find his teacher dead and his school harassed by the Japanese."

Wow, seeing Jet Li like I have never seen him before. He is a little younger but virtually he hasn't changed in appearance all that much. His martial art abilities stand out in this film and I even like the addition of boxing footwork.  This film is a very good blend, I loved the interracial relationship between Jet Li and Shinobu Nakayama. That forbidden love made Jet Li's character more human in a way, in better words it made him more realistic. It really impressed me that they would allow that kind of relationship in the script. A good director was present during this film but where was he at during the action scenes? Don't get me wrong, the action scenes were pretty good but some of the effects were a bit too weak. I quite enjoyed this film a lot, so if you are a fan of Jet Li then watch this film and enjoy seeing this legend as a younger man. 

3.8/5

Side note 

The final fight scene was the inspiration for the dojo fighting scene in The Matrix

Jet Li played Chao Zen and he would later play his master, Huo Yuanjia, in the film Fearless

Bruce Lee also played Chao Zen

Day 63 - Seeking Asian Female (American)

"Two strangers -- an elderly American man and a young Chinese woman -- pursue a marriage brokered by the internet, but they get more than they bargained for when she moves across the Pacific to start a new life with him in America, in this intimate and quirky, personal documentary about modern love. "

Debbie Lum did a remarkable job with this documentary, it was very personal to see how these three grew as the camera continued to roll. I enjoyed the way Steve realized the truth about Asian stereotypes and the way that his relationship with his new younger wife wasn't a dream but a reality. At times reality is harsh, so it was nice that he was able to understand that you have to work with a relationship not force it just because you believe in a false stereotype. Debbie Lum did get a bit more personal than needed but it helped the documentary have a more realistic feeling to it. If you are interested in interracial marriages and interracial relationships plus movies about Asian stereotypes then this is the movie for you.


4/5