zhang ziyi

CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON Trailer: Re-Live The Classic Action And Romance This February!

Sony Pictures Classics is handing wuxia fans an encore presentation with Ang Lee’s decorated 2000 release, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in theaters everywhere on February 17. The studio made the announcement several days ago via social media and a brand-new trailer which you can view at the bottom of the page. The film toplines actress and Time Magazine’s Icon Of The Year 2022, Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once, Master Z: Ip Man Legacy) along with actor Chow Yun-Fat, Zhang Ziyi, and Chang Chen for a story adapted for the screen from author Wang Dulu’s serialized novels in the 1940s. Set during the 19th-century Qing Dynasty, the film unravels a soaring, sweeping, and poetic epic revealing long-lost romance, and betrayal, ensuing battles of martial skills when a beautiful aristocrat catches the attention of two warriors in the wake of the theft of a legendary sword. There’s plenty to learn […]

Fight Scene Faves: A Short List Of Memorable Fight Scene Moments In Film

Lee B. Golden III

Years ago, I became obsessed with listing my “top-tens” or “fives” in final fight scenes. There was a UK website that produced such lists and for their final fight scene list, it bothered me for the longest time that it never had the one featured in Drive between Mark Dacascos and Masaya Kato, so you can imagine how fulfilled I felt when the page loaded and I finally saw it listed. That website has long since disappeared, but the practice of listing fight faves stands strong among the action genre fandom to this day. Thus, I felt compelled to just list my own top ten in final fight scenes just to feel it out some and see what folks think. For this, I applied several factors into this analysis; While choreography and cinematography are both important elements, I made other deductions as well which include the scene’s connection to the […]

Daniel Lee’s THE CLIMBERS Lands A February Blu-Ray/Digital Release From Well Go USA

Lee B. Golden III

Invariably one of the most fun screenings I had last year was director Daniel Lee’s The Climbers, a compelling and epic survival drama with Wu Jing and Zhang Ziyi. It’s a film that this website is especially proud to have reviewed with respect to now sharing the frontal artwork for its home release in a quote from our review in September. Here’s a longer excerpt from that piece: Lee’s take on the historic journey of The Climbers is beholden to the usual array of interpersonal relationships to cohese to drama and enhance the imminent danger our protagonists face. Wu’s Fang proves to be the most physically apt and capable through as he performs impressive feats of climbing, course running and stunts – from what would have been one of the most endearing on-screen marriage proposals, to pulling grand-scale feats of life-and-death manuevers akin to those seen in movies like Cliffhanger […]

THE CLIMBERS Review: A Wild And Wintery Survival Tale That Endures The Elements

Lee B. Golden III

You can’t deny that the last several years have been the most versatile for actor Wu Jing. Any expectations of him always being the pound-for-pound heavy-handed screenfighting contender for every scene he’s done continues their descent out of the proverbial window and down the canyons of the Himayalas where the celebrated cinematic action hero journeys next in Daniel Lee’s The Climbers. 1960 was the year that three surviving members of the Chinese Mountaineering Team summitted to the top of Mount Everest (“Qomolangma” in Tibetan). For laureates Fang Wuzhou (Wu Jing), Qu Songlin (Zhang Yi) and Lin Jie (Chen Long), their harrowing climb to the top was the greatest moment in history with a notable national heroism cosigned to their efforts in the years to come. It was also resigned to a short celebration in an unfortunate turn of events brought to light by questions surrounding a lack of photographic and […]

THE CLIMBERS Ascend To A U.S. Release In The Official Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

Not to many formalities here… Just a great, big, grand-scale and epic AF official trailer to share for the North American release of Daniel Lee’s new survivalist adventure opus, The Climbers. Fans can check out this release in IMAX in sync with its China roll out on September 30 before a wide theatrical release on October 4. Based on a true story from award winning director Daniel Lee (Three Kingdoms, 14 Blades), featuring China’s biggest stars Wu Jing (Wandering Earth, Wolf Warrior 2) and Zhang Ziyi (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Grandmaster), and with a special guest appearance from superstar Jackie Chan. THE CLIMBERS is a cinematic retelling of the first Chinese climbers to summit Mount Everest – the first ever to do so from the North Ridge. Well-known as the most challenging side of the mountain, the perilous journey takes its toll on the mountaineers, […]

THE CLIMBERS: Wu Jing Takes The Leap In The Official Teaser

Lee B. Golden III

A festive mood in Shanghai encompassed a raft of reveals this weekend, including the first official teaser for The Climbers. Rejoining director Daniel Lee and producer Tsui Hark, the film is officially poised for a September 30 release. May 1960. Mount Everest, the second step under the cliff. The four members of the China Everest Climbing Commando are attacking the most difficult and most difficult “second step”. This is their fifth assault. The first four failures have cost them too much physical strength – …finally, the wind and snow stop the gap. Lee co-penned the script for a cast led by none other than actor Wu Jing whose box office returns have enjoined him with great favor in the industry with hits like Wolf Warrior 2 and The Wandering Earth. Zhang Ziyi also stars along with appearances by Jing Boran and Zhang Yi among others, including an expected appearance by […]

CLIMBERS: ‘Dragon Blade’ Star And Director Reteam For Wu Jing Mountain Climbing Epic

Lee B. Golden III

This news already dates back a few months when Twitter rumors began circulating over Jackie Chan’s involvement in a Wu Jing-led biopictoral climbing action epic. Alas, The Hollywood Reporter is now freshly confirming out of Hong Kong that Climbers is now underway, reteaming Chan with Jing eight years since co-starring in Andy Lau’s Benny Chan kung fu actioner, Shaolin. May 1960. Mount Everest, the second step under the cliff. The four members of the China Everest Climbing Commando are attacking the most difficult and most difficult “second step”. This is their fifth assault. The first four failures have cost them too much physical strength – …finally, the wind and snow stop the gap. Chan further reunites with Dragon Blade director Daniel Lee who directs from a script co-written with Ai Lai. Also starring are Monster Hunt star Jing Boran, The Grandmaster actress Zhang Ziyi and Chan’s 1911 co-star Hugh Hu […]

GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS Reveals An Epic Clash Of The Titans In The Official Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

The crowd at CCXP this year in Brazil got plenty of reason to stay hyped before anyone else with a tease signaling the newest official trailer now out for Michael Dougherty’s Godzilla: King Of The Monsters. The weekend tease was already enough to pull us in and the footage we now have collects for us on that promise tenfold, featuring a grandshowcase of our titular sci-fi monster protag and the line-up of gigantic creatures whose presence have completely flipped the script on mankind’s place in the universe. Following the global success of “Godzilla” and “Kong: Skull Island” comes the next chapter in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ cinematic MonsterVerse, an epic action adventure that pits Godzilla against some of the most popular monsters in pop culture history. The new story follows the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god-sized […]

GODZILLA 2 Casts Zhang Ziyi

Lee B. Golden III

Actress Zhang Ziyi (Hero, 2046, The Grandmaster) is back and upping the ante with a role now forthcoming in the upcoming sequel to Gareth Edwards’s monster hit, Godzilla. Legendary has closed a deal for the actress to star in a role that will have her outfitted within the covert Monarch organization in a story set several years following the events of the 2014 film. Zhang will be joined by Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown and Bradley Whitford, along with returning actor Watanabe Ken. Michael Dougherty will direct from a his own script written with scribe Zach Shields for its March 22, 2019 release prior to Adam Wingard’s pending Monsterverse follow-up production, Godzilla Vs. Kong which opens on May 22, 2020. Ziyi is a Golden Globe award-winning actress with BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild nominations for her role in Rob Marshall’s 2005 drama, Memoirs Of A Geisha, as well […]

THE GRANDMASTER 3D Re-Release Issues New Posters And A Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

Aside from all its accolades, director Wong Kar Wai‘s most recent kung fu epic, The Grandmaster, is probably the most lauded by critics for the tedious approach its helmer has taken to bring about a perfect version, of which there have already been several in the past year or so. Nontheless, Wong took it upon himself earlier this year to take the film back under the knife once more for a 3D conversion announced earlier this year in the hopes of creating a more streamlined and cohesive film, one that will likely be much more shorter than its original Chinese release. Alas, the newly 3D-converted film will be getting a 111-minute duration with some newer footage for its China audience beginning on January 8, 2015. SYNOPSIS (from TWC): Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Wong Kar Wai, THE GRANDMASTER is an epic action feature inspired by the life and times of the […]

Matt Damon To Be Cast In Zhang Yimou’s THE GREAT WALL

Lee B. Golden III

It’s taken a few years to get off the ground, but the latest long-awaited project, The Great Wall, finally found a new director back in March with Going Home and Hero helmer Zhang Yimou left since The Last Samurai director Edward Zwick’s departure. This month now following previous casting efforts, the project is looking to bring Matt Damon on board, according to Deadline. Damon, recently confirmed to return to the fray as Jason Bourne for a new film with Paul Greengrass, may star in an epic story set in 15th century China about British warriors who come across the titular wall during its construction in lieu of a threat greater than the Mongols. The actor is among those in an accumulating list that tentatively casts Henry Cavill (Man Of Steel), Benjamin Walker (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) and Zhang Ziyi (The Grandmaster). Carlo Bernard and Doug Miro are producing the script […]

THE GRANDMASTER Will Get A 3D Re-Release This October

Lee B. Golden III

Fun fact: martial arts action auteur Yuen Woo-Ping is awesome, a given fact for any martial arts action cinema fan familiar with his name and stellar credits, most notably the long-awaited release of director Wong Kar-Wai‘s biopictoral martial arts action romance epic, The Grandmaster. Starring actor Tony Leung in the prolific role of late martial arts pugilist and Wing Chun master, Ip Man, the film is Wong‘s most expensive project to date, following an arduous production between its announcement in 2008 and its installment of three different versions for China and Hong Kong, its premiere at the 63rd annual Berlin International Film Festival and finally in North America between January and August 2013. The film has been the recipient of dozens of awards and nominations ever since, and has been the subject of a 3D conversion by Vancouver-based top-tier Hollywood conversion company, Gener8 Media Corp. in conjuntion with distribution by […]

Zhang Ziyi Officially Retires From Kung Fu Movie Roles

Lee B. Golden III

Reports are being forwarded from Chinese media with breaking news that actress Zhang Ziyi, star of director Wong Kar-Wai’s latest martial arts epic, The Grandmaster, is announcing her retirement from kung fu movies, citing longstanding injuries dating back to filming director Ang Lee’s 2000 kung fu adventure, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. “I don’t believe there’s another role that can surpass this. And I’ve had so many injuries from a long time ago during Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon when I injured my neck.” she tells the public. “Those old injuries really bother me and after three years of this one, my body cannot take it any more. So I think this is a pretty good finale.” It was a year ago in January at the height of The Grandmaster movie’s promotion and film festival circulation prior to its theatrical and home releases thereafter, when Ziyi went on record in Chinese media, […]

Zhang Ziyi May Return In CROUCHING TIGER: HIDDEN DRAGON 2: THE GREEN DESTINY

Lee B. Golden III

It has been announced that actress Zhang Ziyi is back in the fray for a role in the Spring 2014 filming of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2: The Green Destiny. Entertainment Weekly reports the actress may reprise her role as Jen Yu, the youthful kung fu warrioress who takes a leap of faith off of the side of Wudang Mountain, spiriting herself away at the end of the first film, the Oscar-winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, directed by Ang Lee and released in 2000. The film will reportedly utilize Zhang‘s role in flashbacks to explain what happened to her character after the first film. Also returning to the set next year will be actress and international action star Michelle Yeoh reprising her role as noble swordswoman Yu Shu Lien, joined by fellow Wing Chun and Butterfly And Sword co-star, international action sensation Donnie Yen who will play the character, Silent […]