#if he acts with andy lau...

[qilingxiong]

九龍城寨之圍城 | Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (2024)

I've rewatched this movie more than once, since seeing it in theatres back in August, and each time was just as good as the first if not better. Given that, I now have many thoughts so I'm subjecting y'all to listening to why you should watch it:

Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (九龍城寨之圍城 or gau2 lung4 sing4 zaai6 zi1 wai4 sing4) is a martial arts action/crime film directed by Soi Cheang. It is an adaptation of the manhua City of Darkness by Andy Seto, and its source novel of the same name by Yuyi. The film's cast has established Hong Kong names folded in with newer-generation actors, starring Raymond Lam, Louis Koo, Sammo Hung, Richie Jen, Terrance Lau, Philip Ng, German Cheung, and Tony Wu (Aaron Kwok gets a cameo role, too).

At a broad glance, the movie follows several major triads in 1980s Hong Kong and their power struggle to control the Kowloon Walled City (a densely populated urban enclave, which for decades evaded direct governance by either the British colonial or Chinese powers in the area). We're introduced to the KWC and the triads' major players through the eyes of Chan Lok-Kwan (Raymond Lam), a man fleeing Vietnam and attempting to make a life for himself in HK. He winds up seeking refuge in the KWC, and comes to call both the city and the people he meets in it a home worth defending.

The narrative itself is not the most complex, but if you enjoy '80s Hong Kong films in these genres, it's solid fare and a harkening back to that decade. All the major themes like brotherhood (and brotherhood vs blood), vengeance, and struggle with conflicting loyalties are there, alongside an internal search for identity and belonging within Hong Kong. But the highlight in it is that the plot connects feast after feast of utterly stunning fight choreography, made all the more impressive by the fact that, according to Louis Koo, quite a few major cast members had never filmed this kind of action before. All their training was done just for TotW, and oh, does it pay off. I can't make good gifs, so you'll have to watch and see for yourself. It's not action for action's sake, either; listening to the head stunt choreographer discuss how different characters' fighting styles were crafted shows off how fight scenes aren't breaks in the story, they tell the story, and deepen our understanding of the characters.

The setting of the Kowloon Walled City truly makes the action in TotW stand out. It's a unique space to stage all these major fights, as the KWC's buildings at the time were packed together close enough to resemble a singular block from the outside. Once inside, it's a stacked, dark maze of uneven paths, stairs, and rickety roofs, with electrical and television cabling snaking over/around/through everything. Fight scenes in these streets feel thrillingly claustrophobic, with lots of acrobatics and near-dodges as characters navigate these tight alleys of the KWC. Each impact as a character goes flying into a wall, or is launched down a flight of stairs or onto a roof, is wonderfully visceral to watch.

All credit and hopefully awards are due to the production and set design teams for their work, in crafting this environment for the story and its fights. The visual/spatial representation of the KWC is the film's other glorious highlight, alongside the choreography. Whole streets of the KWC were recreated for this, filled with every mundane, period-accurate detail from the lives of ordinary people who would have lived there. It's impossible to catch all the intricacies put into making the KWC come to life again onscreen, just from watching the film. Shots like the credits sequence offer close-ups of harder-to-see details, and videos like a tour of the KWC set by Terrance Lau, acting as his character Shin, show off things from the drinks in the fridge at the corner store to the scribbled writing on the walls by the public taps. This film was designed with a drive to faithfully represent what the Kowloon Walled City had been like, how it looked when it was lived in, and they achieved it to an incredible degree.

That dedication extends to more than just the sets, though. The emotional core of TotW revolves around the KWC's inhabitants, and how they were the ones who made the city what it was, a home for about 35,000 people at a time. The film doesn't treat the KWC as just an eye-catching location to stage some fights; its characters might be fictional and overloaded with jianghu powers, but it goes out of its way to show how ordinary people might have lived, worked, and socialized within the historic city. It shows off why, despite its (not unwarranted) dark reputation, so many chose to live in a place that was once the densest urban center on the planet.

And this brings us to the acting, because the cast all do a very good job bringing their characters to life as the heart of the KWC. Louis Koo is fucking fantastic and arguably the scene stealer of the film as Cyclone, the triad leader in current charge of the KWC. He's grumpy, magnetic, and dangerous when he must be, but he also cares so very, very deeply about the inhabitants within his jurisdiction. Terrance Lau's Shin acts as his charismatic and capable right hand man, as well as protégé to Cyclone, befriending Chan Lok-Kwan and helping him become accustomed to life in the KWC. These two, along with the snarky Twelfth Master (Tony Wu) and the masked + imposing AV (German Cheung) become a quartet with great chemistry and friendship, the next generation to watch over and protect the Kowloon Walled City. Outside the KWC cast, antagonist figures like Sammo Hung, Philip Ng, and Richie Jen's characters are intimidating and compelling as threats to the city, and the lives people have etched out within its walls.

All of these things put together, and Twilight of the Warriors is a deeply fun, enjoyable, and rewatchable film (so good, in fact, that Hong Kong has submitted it as its nomination for the 2025 Oscars). The movie doesn't lose its emotional throughline in the promise of an action-packed ride it fully delivers on, and it uses its narrative, setting, and choreography to pay tribute to an earlier era of Hong Kong, as well as highlight + humanize a piece of the region's history that might not be quite as well known to some.

(The Kowloon Walled City was demolished and its inhabitants relocated in 1993. The area where it once stood is now a park, with some historic buildings preserved. If you're curious about people in the KWC before demolition, City Of Darkness: Life In Kowloon Walled City (1993) by Greg Girard and Ian Lambot is a collection of photographs and first-hand recountings from residents, recording their lives and stories. I'm in the midst of reading it right now.)

If anything I've said has piqued your interest whatsoever, I say to give Twilight of the Warriors a try, if you have a free two hours to spare. Something in it will be worth it for you. And if I've failed to convince you with any of this, or you need one more push, here's the trailer for the film:

And if I did manage to actually get anyone to seek out this movie, please tell me! I'd love to know your thoughts.

[skz-jae-lynn]

RE-UPLOAD! STRAY KIDS EXTRA MEMBER AU / JAE-LYNN

pronouns: she/her (but chill with she/they too)

birth name: jae-lynn reyes-wang

legal name: jae-lynn king

korean name: ji-ae (지애)

stage name: jae-lynn / jae

nickname: jae, lynnie, jade, jae-jae, jae-lynn hyung, the american girl doll, the queen (rap persona)

birthday: may 1st, 1999

zodiac: taurus(sun) scorpio (moon) pisces (rising), year of the rabbit

birthplace: east elmhurst, queens, NYC

nationality: american

ethnicity: korean and russian (dad's side), filipino (mom's side)

languages: (fluent) english, korean, spanish, tagalog, (learning) japanese & chinese

height: 5'2" / 157.48 cm

group position: main dancer, lead vocalist (vocalracha), songwriter, sub-rapper and visual

instruments: piano, guitar (electric and acoustic), bass guitar, orchestral bass, and learning drums

skzoo character: jade the purple raccoon 🦝

──────── ❝ skills ❞ ────────

rapping: ●●●○○

dancing: ●●●●●

singing: ●●●●○

producing: ●●●○○

song writing: ●●●○○

acting: ●●●●○

──────── ❝ traits ❞ ────────

positive: honest, hard-working (driven), “street smart”, confident when she wants to be, trustworthy, creative, supportive

negative: loner / introvert, blunt (doesn’t ‘beat around the bush’), impulsive, no filter, can be very lazy, idealistic, stubborn

personality type: INFP-T

face claim: Beatrice Kristi Ilejay Laus (beabadoobee) [I will also be using a variety of pics from an assortment of ig users]

voice claim: jini, devita, sabrina carpenter

dancing style: Bailey Sok, Jade Chynoweth, Briar Nolet, Autumn Miller

──────── ❝ family ❞ ────────

father - james wang (1979) [deceased]

mother - elessia reyes-torres (1982)

(c. ‘19) step father - richard torres (1980)

older brother - aleksandr "aleks" reyes-wang (1995)

older adopted sister - faith reyes-wang (1998)

little brother - ezra reyes-wang (2002)

baby half-sister - andrea “andie” reyes-torres (2020)

─────── ❝ fun facts ❞ ───────

Born in East Elmhurst, Queens, NY to Elessia and James King in 1999.

Since 2019, her mom has been remarried. 

As of 2021, Jae has 4 siblings: Aleks, Faith, Ezra, and Andrea.

Her dad died when she was 9 years old (as stated in Jae’s vlive, he was a cop and got killed on the job)

She began to dance at age 2 (ballet and jazz) and as she got older she took on more styles of dance - her favorites being contemporary and hip-hop.

Her and her older sister (Faith) were in the same dance classes for most of their lives. 

She attended PS 329Q East Elmhurst Community School (K-5) and Louis Armstrong Middle School (6th grade)

She moved to Korea at age 12 after getting scouted at her school’s dance competition and completing several at-home auditions.

She lived with her grandmother in Gwangjin-gu when she starting training  at JYP Entertainment. 

She completed middle school at Shingu Middle School and then transferred to Cheongdam High School to finish out her schooling. 

She struggled greatly with her Korean when she first moved into the country.

Her hobbies are: playing video games, watching horror movies, listening to/ playing music, doing makeup, and skateboarding. 

She has a Minecraft server (that she runs with her younger brother) where she plays with Stay almost every weekend

She is obsessed with drag race shows (especially Dragula)

She also watches a lot of youtube, mostly Trixie Mattel and Katya, spooky content youtubers (Loey Lane!!!), and gamers :P

She learned how to play the piano from her grandfather and she taught herself how to play the guitar and bass guitar. 

She loves snow and enjoys the colder seasons more than the warmer ones. 

When she first started training under JYP, her main focus was dance, but she naturally became a rapper.

As time went on, she transformed into a vocalist to fit into Stray Kids.

She was a trainee at JYP Entertainment for 6 years before debut with skz.

She was supposed to debut with Twice in 2015. 

Since 2018 she has been in a groupchat  called 'ghoulfriends’ that includes idols: Son Chaeyoung (Twice), Rosé Park (BlackPink), Jeon Somi (soloist), Kim Yeri (Red Velvet), Jeon Jiwoo (Kard), Momo Hiari (Twice), Shin Ryunjin (Itzy), and Alexa Schneiderman (soloist)

She was a co-host of Dive Studios’ show 'How Did I Get Here’ with Jae Park and AleXa (late 2020 - June 2021).

She is now a co-host to an all new series under Dive Studios, 'That's Like, Really Crazy', where the co-host that works alongside her changes per-week (the show mostly focuses on foreign members of kpop groups / the idol world, and covers korean/world media news in the form of each week being a new trending topic).

Her rapper persona used to be 'The Queen’, but now she only references the name in present-day work. Now she just goes by Jae-Lynn (/Lynnie) or Jae-Lynn King.

Her role models are Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Prince and Billie Joe Armstrong. 

She has two dogs, a golden retriever named Looney and a bulldog named Beaver, that live back in nyc.

She also has one black cat named Brownie.

Currently she has two guinea pigs, Blini and Dulce, and a cat named Naysu.

Her mom co-owns a salon with Jae’s aunt. 

She loves spicy food, and has a strong tolerance for it.

She hates aegyo, and refuses to do it. 

She has a lot of stuffed animals that she sleeps with, her favorite being a bear her and Bang Chan made at build-a-bear one year (named Roger).

LOVES BUILD-A-BEAR WITH A PASSION

She is a Hufflepuff (Harry Potter house)

Her favorite color is purple.

She has said that if she weren’t in Stray Kids she wouldn’t know what she’d be doing. 

She often releases covers or original songs for Stay. 

Calls her vlives, ’Jae-Lynn’s weekly date with Stay’ (usually happens every Friday), where she likes to react to new music that had come out during the week and give feedback, and sometimes she practices guitar or dances. 

Her, Han and IN shared a dorm room, which she called the 'J³ room’. 

In 2020, her and fellow idol, AleXa, moved in with each other into a new apartment, however later in the year, they decided to live separate.

As of 2021, Jae-Lynn now lives alone in an apartment (in the same building as the other skz members).

She has been on 5 survival shows:  Sixteen, Unpretty Rapstar 3, Stray Kids, Good Girl, and Kingdom.

She is very close with NCT’s Mark Lee - they have been best friends since they met in 2nd grade. 

She has her driver’s license, and drives her grandmother’s old car. 

She has 7+ tattoos (& counting) and she also has her nose pierced.

She has said that she doesn’t like to define her sexuality, but if she were to put a label on herself she’d be bisexual. 

She collects crystals and incense sticks (has burned sage in the old skz dorm before bc “the vibes are all off”)

She is deathly allergic to strawberries, and is mildly allergic to nutmeg and grass. 

Jae-Lynn has several solo mixtape/ep/album releases, and a wide discography (she has around 115 KOMCA credits).

Her motto: “Until you’re ready to look foolish, you’ll never have the possibility of being great” - Cher

Jae-Lynn’s Type: Jae has said that she thinks all people are beautiful as long as they bring beauty to the world through their actions.

─────────────────────

[post originally from my other page @ignooy-nim. I decided to make a full page for jae-lynn just for shits and giggles, and because I was slowly losing my mind with the amount of drafts I had accumulated on that account LMAO, hope y'all enjoy this, and remember that none of this is supposed to be super serious, and that at the end of the day I AM ot8. this is just meant to be a creative writing project for me on a group I really love, so lets just have fun and create some madness together! - mars]

© ignooy-nim / skz-jae-lynn 2023 - all posts tagged with the ’skz-jae-lynn’ tag on this tumblr account are my genuine work unless stated otherwise. I only post this au on this tumblr account from here on out, so if you see anything pertaining to my work elsewhere, please be kind and reach out to me to let me know. thanks 💞

─────────────────────

[chiveburger]

there was some post floating around a long time ago on twitter, probably not viral or anything but it was just someone questioning where the jang donggun, wonbin, adjacent actors ect were of this generation. just because there didn’t seem to be any who were excelling in their craft to somehow project that sorta long lasting image into media but firstly in korea at least, there are. secondly, it’s kang haneul. I think this statement falls more into line with hong kong entertainment because there really isn’t any new and upcoming, relatively “young” actors that seems to be following the direction of let’s say, andy lau or louis koo... they just don’t work enough and people don’t pay attention enough for that to seem accurate. In korea though? I feel like there are a lot of younger actors who do a lot and could potentially be the next hyunbin or something. even though a lot of those aged actors named still acted nowadays anyways, other than wonbin. It’s also a time issue like I’m sure nobody watched sung dongil when he was 25 and was like “this man is going to fucking slap when he’s 46!!!!!!” It’s a growing process and korea has a much better list of people who could go down that road of continued stardom compared to hong kong. with that being said, back on the topic of kang haneul. he’s definitely one of those stars who I can see taking on any role and growing old as an actor, and being a household name. he has a good boy image, but can easily play bad boy roles. I think he’s the perfect package and if there was a question in regards to which actor nowadays that give off the "vibe” of being a true outstanding breakout actor, it’s him. 

[dailylesliec]

Leslie on Louis Koo - "I feel like he would fit any kind of role"

​This dates back to a radio show in 1994. Leslie who was already an industry titan at that time made a guest appearance on Sandra Ng’s radio show. Wyman Wong asked Leslie who he would pick as a successor, but Leslie thought that would give them a lot of pressure and it wouldn’t be very fair to them. Therefore, Leslie suggested that he instead talk about rookies that he found promising. Leslie: If we’re talking about films, you guys can keep your eye out for one particular guy. He’s still new to the industry - he’s so new I barely know how to describe him. If you keep up with TV though (well usually we just watch that channel anyways), he has a role in one of the programmes. The guy I’m talking about is Louis Koo. I feel like he would fit any kind of role. Sandra: What roles has he played before? Leslie: He hasn’t really done anything; he’s only acted in a movie and a TV drama. He’s playing some minor roles right now, but I think he can make it… Sandra: You’ve worked with him before? Leslie: No, I’ve just seen his acting. Sandra: You were watching his acting from afar? Leslie: Not really, I’ve only watched him onscreen. I feel like he’s a bit of a mix between Andy Lau and Aaron Kwok. My sixth sense regarding people is pretty good.

Translated by me (@dailylesliec on Twitter/Tumblr), do not repost without credit. If you like this translation, consider following me or buying me a Ko-fi. Did this one quite a while ago for Louis' birthday! If anyone has the link to the original, would be very grateful if you shared it with me ^^

[happylifeeveryday]

Why Wait ‘Til You’re Older (童梦奇缘) is a Heartbreaking Fairy Tale About Time and Regret

If you’re tired of Hollywood’s clichéd “coming-of-age” stories, Wait ‘Til You’re Older (2005) offers a hauntingly original take on growth, family, and the irreversible passage of time. Directed by Teddy Chan and starring Andy Lau (Liu Dehua), this underrated gem blends fantasy and raw emotional drama to deliver a film that’s equal parts whimsical and profound. Here’s why it deserves a global audience.

A Role That Shatters Andy Lau’s Action Hero Persona Andy Lau plays Kwong, a rebellious 12-year-old boy trapped in an adult’s body after accidentally ingesting a mysterious aging potion. While the premise sounds playful, Lau’s performance is anything but. He captures the duality of Kwong’s psyche: the childlike frustration of being misunderstood and the existential dread of rapidly aging. His physical transformation—from a sprightly young man to a frail, wrinkled elder in mere days—required hours of prosthetic makeup daily, a testament to his dedication . The role subverts Lau’s typical heroic image, revealing his versatility in portraying vulnerability and regret.

A Dark Fairy Tale with Universal Resonance The film begins as a whimsical fable but evolves into a meditation on mortality. Kwong’s desperate wish to “grow up fast” becomes a curse, forcing him to confront the consequences of his hatred toward his father (Wong Yat-fei) and stepmother (Karen Mok). The narrative twist—revealing that Kwong’s biological mother was actually the “other woman”—flips audience expectations, critiquing societal judgments and the fragility of family bonds . The film’s central message, delivered by a cryptic old man (Feng Xiaogang), lingers long after the credits: “Life is a journey. The tragedy is that it cannot be relived; the comfort is that it need not be relived.”

A Visual Metaphor for Time’s Ruthlessness The film’s most striking imagery lies in its use of a giant tree. When Kwong steals the aging potion, the tree sprouts from a sapling to a towering giant overnight—only to wither and die as his own life accelerates. This parallel mirrors Kwong’s journey: his initial excitement at adulthood fades into horror as he realizes time cannot be rewound. One scene shows him begging the old man for an antidote, screaming, “I just want to go back!”—a moment that crystallizes the human fear of irreversible choices .

A Quiet Critique of Parental Failure Beneath the fantasy lies a scathing indictment of parental neglect. Kwong’s father, torn between guilt and duty, fails to address his son’s trauma, while the stepmother’s silent sacrifices go unrecognized until it’s too late. The film challenges the audience: Who is the real villain here? Is it the child who acts out, or the adults who refuse to communicate? This ambiguity elevates the story beyond simple melodrama, making it a poignant study of generational conflict .

Legacy and Cultural Impact Though overshadowed by Andy Lau’s action films, Wait ‘Til You’re Older was a box office success in Hong Kong, grossing over HK$20 million and earning multiple awards nominations, including Best Actor for Lau at the Hong Kong Film Awards . Critics praised its bold narrative risks, though some dismissed its heavy-handed metaphors . For international viewers, it remains a gateway to Hong Kong cinema’s willingness to blend genre experimentation with philosophical depth.

Why Global Audiences Should Watch -Wait ‘Til You’re Older* transcends cultural barriers by tackling universal themes: the longing for control over one’s life, the pain of misunderstood love, and the bittersweet acceptance of impermanence. Its mix of dark humor, surreal visuals, and emotional gut-punches will resonate with fans of Benjamin Button or A Christmas Carol—but with a distinctly Hong Kong flavor.

Where to Watch: Available on select Asian streaming platforms with English subtitles.

[watchingalotofmovies]

The Movie Emperor

The Movie Emperor    [trailer]

Actor Lau Wai-Chi has a huge following of devoted followers and is always keeping an eye on his rivals. After accepting to play the lead in a modest indie drama, he begins the laborious process of mastering the acting skills for the role.

Another satire about the process of movie making, the different goals and vanities of the various parties involved, in this case with main focus on the perspective of a popular actor.

It's low-key funny. That the lead is played by actual superstar Andy Lau is a big plus.

[devonebriewie10050212]

Kenny Lín Gēngxīn 林更新 Featurette In The Great Wall Movie (2016)

=======================

~ THROWBACK ~

Before The Fourth Master Yuwen Yue in Princess Agents, long before The High Ancient God Xing Zhi in The Legend Of Shen Li, there was Commander Chen (Chen Jiangjun). The head of Eagle Troops faction (archers, red cloaks and armours), one of the five elite forces called Nameless Order in The Great Wall movie. He caught my attention because of Matt Damon and Legolas. Why? First, it's Matt Damon. One of the few Hollywood actors that I really respect their projects and personality. He's so normal. And Legolas? Yeah, I really have something with archery, so...

Some people may have already known it, but the others haven't. Yet. Because most of them, their main focus is on television series, not the big screen. In fact, if you are looking at Gengxin's portfolio, all the movies that he starred in - although it's less than the other actors done (Gengxin is known for his carefulness in choosing a role, and never plays the same typical character twice) - are no less exceptional than the others. And still made him one of the highest paid actors in China. In 2014, he became the main lead in The Taking Of Tiger Mountain along with Zhang Hanyu and Tony Leung. Two years later in 2016, he played a major role as Hsieh Shao Feng/Ah-Chi, The Third Master, collaborated with Peter Ho, in Sword Master film. And in this particular film, he acted together in one frame and one table with Matt Damon, Willem Dafoe, Pedro Pascal also Andy Lau.

So, when some time ago, a lot of people said that he was riding on his partner's (and his very best) name Zhao Liying for fame, perhaps they only knew him after The Legend Of Shen Li. Or... Maybe as usual, haters that apparently will always be haters.

=======================

Production: Legendary Pictures, China Film Group, Dentsu Inc., Fuji Television Network

Country Origin: China, USA, Japan

Released Date: 6 December 2016 (Beijing)

Director: Zhang Yimou

Starring: Matt Damon, Jian Ting, Pedro Pascal, Willem Dafoe, Andy Lau, Lu Han, Kenny Lin, Eddie Peng, Zhang Hanyu

Language: English, Mandarin

Music Director: Ramin Djawadi

Video Intro: Nameless Order (The Great Wall: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Ramin Djawadi

© 2016 Universal Pictures

=======================

PS: Only on the big screen, that you will really hear his actual voice. Because most of his television series is done by voice over actors (which is a common in the Chinese film industry).

One thing that I remember, back then these elite forces, people on the internet called them Power Rangers 😅

[in-your-walls]

literally andy's acting is so on par!!.. you can tell officer lau really does care for his son and wife. but he's also literally tearing his family apart in the process of this case lol (he's asking his wife to leave hong kong with the kids for a few months without him

[hong-kong-art-man]

Why Should You Watch The Recent Murder Mystery Film The Goldfinger (金手指)? Is It A Good Movie? Did Tony Leung (梁朝偉) Act Well?

The recent Hong Kong film The Goldfinger (金手指) is a 2023 film written and directed by Felix Chong (莊文強), and staring 2 Hong Kong superstars Tony Leung (梁朝偉) and Andy Lau (劉德華).

Some expected to be a very exciting action crime thriller. They are wrong. The film turns out to be a nostalgic and heartrending biography of the most notorious swindler in the 1970s and 80s. It is also a tale of episodes depicting the vanished years of Hong Kong when money could buy anything and the pursuit of voluptuous life had corrupted the whole society.

The story is well-known. In the 1970s: a Malaysian man who had nothing came to look for money opportunities in Hong Kong. Within a few years, he, by dishonest means, became a Mr Moneybags. His improper schemes were finally unmasked and this scoundrel was put in jail. Incident to the long and complicated saga, 3 men i.e. the lawyer, the accountant and the judge who acquitted the scoundrel during the first trial mysteriously died. Up to now, nobody has been found responsible for the ghastful deaths. 

Murder mysteries are puzzles that are fun to resolve. The film The Goldfinger however did not attempt to resolve ‘whodunit’ and in fact is quite distanced from the crime truth. It may want the audience to speculate the truth by themselves. This is why some audience were disappointed because this murder movie, unlike those of Agatha Christie, did not make the ‘Q&A’ neatly wound up at the end of the story.   

From indulgent nightlife to lavish parties, the film depicts the heyday of Hong Kong in the 1970s and 80s, when money could be easily made from the newly flourishing stock market. The film also foreshadows the economic doom that would follow. Businessmen, lawyers, accountants and bankers all looked happy but ‘everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.’ Regrets were before these people became criminals or after they became ghost.  

This great film is loved by me because it is about the good old days, or bad old days, that I actually went through when I was young. It might be loved by me for nostalgic reasons, but in any event, I have a high opinion of the work because the film is sincere, well-prepared and well-produced with meticulous artistic care. Actors like Tony Leung, Andy Lau and Simon Yam (任達華) are extremely glittering and their acting is impressively successful. 

This wonderful film makes us feel like we have journeyed with the story and characters. Some said film is a dream. I would say film can also be a reality which is an emotional echo forcing us to remember and think. I recommend The Goldfinger to anyone who is looking for a good movie to watch.

Creativity takes courage and I am proud that Felix Chong has the guts to do a not really commercial film.

Maurice Lee

Movie The Goldfinger trailer

Acknowledgement-Emperor Motion Pictures

Movie The Goldfinger Press Conference

Acknowledgement-Emperor Motion Pictures

Movie The Goldfinger trailer

Acknowledgement-CSCinemas

[xiaosean]

aaaahhhhhhhhhhhh xz is trying to kill us

xiao zhan douyin, xiao zhan 6 sec hd bathtub scene, xiao zhan possible andy lau collab ??? 😳😳😳

[ririsasy]

For Tony Leung new fans here 10 movie from the legend that you shouldn't miss. Tony is an exceptional movie stars simply because all of his movie is a masterpiece. High chance if you decided to try to watch even some of the movie in this list, You will fall in love with him even more.

He is truly the best, his sheer eyes acting talent alone is otherworldly. He is literally the king of romantic movies, be prepared to fall in love with him over and over again.

1. In the mood for love | 2. Happy together,

In the mood for love is the best romantic movie ever made in my honest opinion, simply because I am not even much a fan for romance genre but the romance in this movie is all about the longing, about loyalty and also betrayal, about the kind of love in the most hopeless place, I guarentee you will not be disappointed by this movie at all as your first dive into tony leung cinematic universe.

And for Happy together, it's just simply a classic, if you love brokeback mountain and think it was a classic then Happy together is just right beside brokeback mountain in term of quality good top tier LGBTQ theme movie. It's everything, you shouldn't miss this.

3. Hero | 4. 2046,

Despite the poster here Hero is actually the most beautiful cinematography in a movie ever shot, simply breathtaking scene after scene with wuxia style of movie but actually so poetic and profound, I have so many feeling about Hero. It's hauntingly beautiful. It will bless your eyes with all the vibrance color just simply watch Hero please to know what I meant.

2046 is kind of a sequel to in the mood for love so if you like in the mood for love, big chance you don't want to skip this one.

5. The grandmaster | 6. Red cliff

Tony broke his arms three times filming the grandmaster so he could embody the master truthfully, this man literally said that he will not give less even in his injury, that's why he end up broking his arms three times, but seriously everything pay off because here he made another masterpiece.

Red Cliff is an epic war film based on the Battle of Red Cliffs (208–209 CE) and the events at the end of the Han dynasty and prior to the Three Kingdoms period in Imperial China. So it's based on true story and the scale of this story is so grand. I am just in awe of the battle with the turtle formation they did in this movie. Truly epic!

7. Chungking Express , 8. Infernal Affair

Chungking Express is another wong kar wai masterpiece with Tony leung, they work so well together as actor and director because they know each other style so they collaborate well, the story should be simple love story but in wong kar wai hands with tony leung amazing acting, it will put you in awe too, I guarantee.

And

Infernal affair is a movie where the departed, the movie martin Scorsese made with Leonardo DiCaprio based off, don't you want to know the original of that movie? And it's with Tony leung and Andy Lau, and for anyone who didn't know Andy Lau, this man is just as big as legend as Tony is (try Shaolin if you're curious about Andy Lau acting, that's my most favorite movie of him, when I think about shaolin, it reminds me of Daniel day lewis acting in Lincoln, ..so that's the taste of what kind of actor Andy Is) okay this post was about Tony anyway I just want to make it clear that Infernal affair literally have two most amazing actors to play against each other in this movie. Just check it out.

And they are also making new recent movie together that's under production "once upon a time in Hong Kong" ,can't wait to watch them together again.

9. A city of sadness | 10. Lust, Caution.

Since I just recently watched both of this movie so I am gonna explain it a bit more in detail.

A city of sadness by director Hou Hsiao-hsien is a movie like no other, I have never watch a movie like this before. The way it was shot feels so intimate and personal. It's like watching documentary and even history unfolds just right before your eyes.

I love the wide shot they did to film each scene, like it's seldom focus on one character face, but to all the surrounding, and even Tony as the main character is often out of frame even though he was present in the scenes. I got to experience something so unique with this movie.

It's so fitting to it's title..A "city" of sadness. It's the city who was grieving, everyone was losing everything, one by one people disappeared or dead. It felt too real for someone who grow up in warzone area. Tony played a deaf character, he didn't speak but his eyes told the story more than words could. His character showed the innocent side of humanity that we all just want to live our lives and to have a right to exist. No wonder this movie actually have tons of awards.

And

Lust, Caution directed by Aang lee I feel like this movie actually covered the similar story with a city of sadness but from different point of view from the people in this era, this time Tony played in the other side of the story where he's a bad man that made so many people suffered, a cunning man that was so calculating and cruel.

Tony didn't often get to play a villain, so this role is something fresh for him , and actually one of Tony's own favorite movie of his. This movie is super explicit. Like at one point I even wonder how could they shoot this scene without tony and the actress didn't actually sleep with each other, it was borderline porn, but again it's Ang lee, this man always know how to make a good story, even all the sex scenes tell the stories of these two characters true identity. If you wanted to see Tony's balls then watch this movie.

Summary :

If you're looking for action from tony leung start with the grandmaster, if you want cunning bad guy tony and p*rn start with lust caution lmao and if you want best eyes acting tony start with in the mood for love and happy together. If you want cinema like no other start with A city of sadness, if you want wuxia style start with hero, and if you want mafia undercover police then start with infernal affair. He has everything.

(Bonus if you want comedy like something you have never seen before , watch kungfu hustle by Stephen chow, it's not tony movie but this man looks a lot like tony leung 🤣 and actually is Tony's best friend. Guaranteed you will laugh your ass off with his movie. This is just for people who is new to hong kong cinema, they have gems.)

I hope this list convinces you enough to try watching more of Tony's movies. My dm always open to discuss about Tony's projects don't hesitate to drop by!

[rainbowsky]

Hi! I love yizhan and love your blog. I'm a new turtle who is absolutely obsessed with them and I firmly believes in their strong relationship which is quite obvious from the recent candies they've been throwing at us lol.

But there's one incident that i haven't been able to wrap my mind around or get an explanation for, and i hope you will have an answer to finally calm my turtle heart...

If GG and DD have always been so close (which I don't doubt at all) then why did GG act so weird towards DD on tencent night last year? I understand they would try to avoid each other so as to avoid drama but why didn't GG tell DD beforehand that he was going to act that way towards him? Wouldn't that be easier and less awkward if DD had known beforehand that they're supposed to avoid each other like GG wanted? I mean why do you think DD was so clueless about the way GG acted towards him which honestly broke my heart. Please answer me TT

I don't know where you get the idea that DD was unaware of the plan to act like they didn't know each other. Be careful of relying on emotional reactions, assumptions or things you read in fan fic to interpret things. People often accidentally invent interpretations that can be very far from true.

Fake, fan fiction, CPN.

While it makes a moving story to imagine DD being bewildered by GG's behavior (especially with how adorable and vulnerable DD looked that night in his glasses and little blue Chanel jacket), that definitely wouldn't have been the case. He would have known full well what the plan was. They both would have been given strict instructions on how to behave.

It is standard industry practice in that region for romantic leads in a drama to do ‘fan service’ to appeal to the fans. They will often openly flirt onstage, say deep, meaningful things to each other into the microphone and hug, kiss or playfight in order to get the fans to squeal over the ‘cute couple’.

There’s a current CP that has done an exceptional job of using fan service to drum up a lot of extra interest in the actors, in the show and online, and surely for the joint endorsements they are doing. This is the entire purpose of fan service. To promote the show, build hype around the lead actors, and to make extra money.

Once the promotional period for a drama is over - which is usually a month or two after the show is done airing and all the fan meets are done (or until the parties involved feel they’ve hit the peak of what promo is going to give them) - they will be instructed to ‘break the ship’.

Basically it’s just what it sounds like. The lead couple in the series will be told to simply stop interacting, stop being seen together, often to the point of appearing to completely ignore each other when on the same stage. This can be perceived by fans as the couple having had a ‘falling out’ or argument or to have broken up or no longer be friends, but in reality all that’s happening is the management and promotional teams are sending a signal that ‘shipping’ time is over and it’s time for everyone to move on to the next drama and the next couple.

It’s pretty cruel to the fans in a lot of ways, and there have been some extreme examples of ships being broken abruptly and heartlessly, but the goal is to get fans to move on so that the actors can start building up fan service for their next big drama with a different person, so they can continue to build their individual careers, and also so that the actors won’t be perceived to be in a real relationship.

Romantic/sexual availability is a huge element of how celebrities are marketed in China, and any perception of being in a relationship can kill a career as fan fantasies of one day being romantically involved with the celebrity are destroyed. Celebrities will often hide relationships in order to maintain their appeal and fame. Andy Lau hid his wife and eventual children for 24 years before it came out.

So, long story short - Weibo night was just the time when GG and DD would have been told to break the ship, and they would have both known about it in advance. They would have been instructed by their management and by the Powers That Be that under no circumstances were they to show any interactions or connection with each other.

And it felt abrupt for fans. Tencent was less than two weeks prior to Weibo Night (Tencent was on 28 December 2019, Weibo Night was 11 Jan 2020), and they were seated together, chatting and huddled together even onstage, for the entire event. Then suddenly Weibo night comes around and they can’t even look at each other.

However, even on Weibo night there was a very subtle interaction that a lot of people didn’t notice. GG got up to leave his seat and had to pass by DD to get out of the aisle, and as he passed by DD he tapped DD’s shoe with the tea flask he was carrying. It’s blatantly obvious when you watch the clip that it was intentional, a cute gesture of affection/acknowledgement that didn’t ‘break the rules’ of breaking the ship.

There were some other significant interactions that happened that night, which you can read about here (a bit later in the post).

Anyway, that’s what happened on Weibo night, and that would also be why GG and DD have had no public interactions since that night. It is how these things go. A ship is killed and the people involved are not seen together again for years in order to ensure it’s well and truly over in the minds of fans.

So if the ship is over and if they are being told to stop interacting, why are the supertopics still up, and why are they more popular than ever? Why are GG and DD still by far the most popular ship by most fandom measures? That’s a whole other topic I've had a post about in my drafts for weeks, but mainly I think the supertopics and the CP provide cover for GG and DD and their relationship, and also much-needed support from BXG.

Will GG and DD ever interact publicly again? I feel it’s highly likely that they will. The Untamed finished airing 2 years ago. Enough time has passed and enough other projects have aired or will be airing, that the ship will be dead in the minds of most people and they will be able to begin acting more ‘normally’.

Even though the supertopics are millions strong, they represent only a small fraction of the overall fanbase and an even smaller fraction of the general public. But given the popularity of their ship it’s always possible that GGDD will continue to be warned against interacting publicly.

And in case I wasn’t clear enough about this - how they interact publicly has nothing to do with their relationship. It’s just the public face of things.

You can read more about fan service here. More info about ‘breaking a ship’ can be found here. Pie did an excellent post on breaking ships as well, which can be found here.

A post about possible reasons they remain publicly distant can be found here.

More on the supertopics here and here.

[theji]

SDOC 4 Ep 5 Commentary

Weekly round-up before hotpot later!

•  I was wondering how they formed the teams in the last ep. Glad they featured the bts.

• It was interesting to see how the different team leaders approached the challenge and bonded with their team members. I especially like Ye Yin's approach to have them express their thoughts via drawing - it's a brilliant way to overcome the language barrier; at the same time, it allows everyone to have a say. It's smart and respectful.

• AC looks cute with the hair cut.

• I enjoyed Auju's krump freestyle and mini battle. S4 gave me a deeper appreciation of Krump as a dance type. It's more than just arm swings (sorry, Lay!). I definitely see the appeal and I'm interested to see more of it being incorporated with the subsequent team routines.

• Zyko singing their assigned song in French. That was awesome.

• Every episode there's something new to love about Acky-san. He is just so humble, respectful and genuinely cares for everyone, and a little goofy. Him giving his team red packets with handwritten well wishes in Chinese, that was so sweet. I got a lump in my throat watching that segment. He just exudes positive vibes all around. I want an Acky-san in my life.

• Acky Family's performance is as Chinese as it gets. Super on point. The song name Gongxi Facai is an auspicious phrase we usually say during Chinese New Year, to wish the other party happiness and prosperity. The act of giving red packets is also a common practice in Chinese culture. If you found the chorus familiar, that's because DD performed a version of it with Andy Lau (original singer) earlier this year during CCTV's Chinese New Year show.

• Just like kids. Always excited to receive red packets from the elders. Look at DD doing that little popping move while receiving it from Acky-san. And his expression. He's so extra but also so cuteee.

• My Top 3 performances of the ep are:

Team Ye Yin - easy on the eye and soothing. I like the symbolism. Also, a good performance doesn't have to be explosive and involve all the big moves.

Team AC - powerful, heart pumping. And it's AC!!!

Team Nelson - while the choreography wasn't as neat and synchronised as Team GOGO, the routine was quite rich despite the uneventful song. Plus I've always liked tutting.

• Is gremlin behaviour contagious? I thought HG was immune to it but then he did the whole hiding ladder thing. 😅 (Look at DD's little smile in the 2nd gif, like 'now you know the trick, ya?')

• LOL at Lay and Henry preparing a written speech.

• Nobody can say no to dd. HG and DD's dynamics on the show always makes me go awwww. What he said to Nelson in the room about DD. 🥺 HG is so indulgent towards the boy.

• It's a pity we didn't get to see Liang Liang's team performance. I thought the editing was a little unfair cos it made it seem like the dance was cut out from the ep because of their mistakes. I read about the alleged reason on weibo but I won't repeat it here cos it's unverified info.

• Dd looks so good in next week's preview. I'm looking forward to the captain performances!

I read some online comments saying that HG is biased, or that he's nice to DD only cos of DD's status, or that they are just playing it up for the cams cos why would HG keep acceding to DD's requests? HG and DD go way back; he literally watched DD grow up - from trainee to entering the industry and getting to where he is today. He let DD have some of his former trusted staff members. And DD respects him. What's wrong with him doting on his little brother? DD was just being himself - pursuing what he wants. He dares to ask, HG is willing to give. What's the issue?

For those who says they are just play-acting, clearly you don't know DD well. No one can make him do something if he's not willing to. DD doesn't play along.

And you think just anybody can hold DD's hand? And the few times HG spoke fondly of DD being hardworking and all that. They obviously have a deeper relationship, beyond SDOC and other public interactions. Not everything needs to be shown on social media in order to be real.

[theahgamag]

WEEKLY ENCORE 2022 – Week 4 (January 24-30)

Greeting to my fellow ahgases!

We are already in the last week on January. Time sure does fly by, especially if you are an ahgase and it is GOT7s anniversary month.

Lets take a look what went on the final days of January 2022.

 JayB had a physical release of an Ep. as Def. this week: LOVE came out on 26th. And in true Station Z move, they have arranged Def.s guesting on Jayb’s R&B. no you heard that right, Jaebeom guested on his own radio show.

And it was hilarious.

JayB acted as three different personas throughout the show, Bbomdi, Def and Jaebeom (guesting on phone). As a new artist Def seemed so nervous, he was quite and shy; a man of few words.

We noticed JayB’s Youtube account is now verified. Now I can’t say for sure when this happened, but it is definitely a nice update.

  Our shy Mark was on Twitch Rivals this week. On Friday he played Among Us with quite a few big streamers. It was quite funny to watch him struggle as an imposter, not being able to lie to any of them. Apparently Mark had a hard time lying to them as he didn’t know them well enough. Interesting huh?

The games were fun, the other streamers were very nice and open to Mark. I can’t wait to see similar events in the future.

Mark apparently got his nails done too, we saw his new nail art on the nail artists Instagram photos. The look so pretty that it makes me want to try it too.

We got another picture of Mark from Director Park Jeongah this week. the lighting in this one gives me feelings. Mark looks so nice there.

  We all know Jackson doesn’t know what rest means. And this week he continues to show this.

Thanks to Esquire we got to see Jackson’s accessory closet this time. It is just as impressive as his clothes collection.

This week there were preparations for the Chinese New Year performance he was going to be part of. He shared another episode of his “Know Me” series that shows the behind of his preparation for the Spring Festival Gala.

It was also revealed that Jackson is going to be part of a special music video for the winter Olympics theme song “for a shared future”. The music video includes quite a lot of important Chinese artists such as Jackie Chan and Andy Lau. A behind video was shared on Weibo.

We also got a story or two from Jackson, hinting that he is working on new music. Afterall he did promise one Chinese and one English album within this year, add GOT7 and Panthepack in the mix and woah. Jackson please remember to rest too.

  Jinyoung started the week with teasing ahgases. He shared a story of himself in Distract’s studio with the caption that birds are curios what he’s working on. Well he definitely knows we have been speculating a lot.

Jinyoung’s Japanese Fan club continued the teasing with sharing a behind photo from The Devil Judge with the club members. The rest of us just cried in international.

But he quickly made it up to us with a short impromptu Instagram live. He even switched back and forth from Korean to English. Thanks to birdies we have the videos on YT if you want to check it out. One thing I will spoil is birds told him that Bambam spoiled the GOT7 comeback in which he replied Bambam is always making problems and trouble. Ah the never ending fun banter between the boys.

We also got to see Jinyoung in KSTyle’s 10th anniversary video. It is nice to see that he still remembers Japanese.

And lastly, this week marked the start of A Christmas Carol’s filming. Some ahgases ran into Jinyoung and the filming crew and shared a few pictures and videos with us. Talk about lucky!

We got to see him running around, shouting, and even with blood and bruise make up all over his face; Jinyoung seems to be switching between the twins quite frequently. Best of luck to him and the crew. it is not an easy story to tell.

 Youngjae is still continuing as Daldi on Dream Radio, DJing everyday. He is giving us quite a lot of content with his daily 2 hour radio show, we even get to witness cute interactions between him and his family.

This week he also had Bambam as a guest. Needless to say it was fun and full of energy. They chatted about a lot of things, showed us the elevator trick once again and talked about how Hard Carry was one of their favourite GOT7 song. Very interesting that Hard Carry is being mentioned a lot lately, should I put on my clown mask?

Talking about GOT7, Youngjae asked Bambam what does he know, both of them trying to deflect that they know nothing at all about the comeback. Sure, not like we saw how Youngjae looked slightly panicked.

Youngjae also shared an old dog photo on twitter, which seems to be part of an exhibition of Saul Leiter. Ahgases were quick to jump on and teasingly ask him about Coco. Makes me wonder, how jealous is Coco?

  Bambam continued with his promotions on the second week with live performances on music shows and radio programs. Apart from Daldi, he has been guesting with Wheein and Eunji, and with Kim Shin Young whom he’s known since pre debut. Do check them out, they were quote nice and fun.

The performances varied from Slow Mo to Ride or Die this week. Bambam and his dance team has formed a nice bond by now, it is very entertaining to watch them on stage.

We also got more dance challenge videos of him with other artists on backstage of music shows.

While busy with performances, Bambam also shared a reel of him with YSL. The video itself looked pretty cool, I wonder if Bambam edited it himself.

 And Yugyeom. This week it looks like he worked hard on upping his ninja skills. Good job to our Maknae. However, we hear that you can get a glimpse of him if you visit his family restaurant Steak House.

 And that is all for this week. Thank you for reading!

See you on our next post!

Y.

[aion-rsa]

The Real Martial Arts Behind Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

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This article contains some minor spoilers for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

In the pages of Marvel Comics, Shang-Chi is known as the “Master of Kung Fu.” So when Marvel Studios announced the character to help usher in MCU Phase 4, the one thought on every fan’s mind was that whoever gets cast in the lead role better really know Kung Fu. 

In the wake of Netflix’s Iron Fist, Marvel’s other Kung Fu master, there was a lot of skepticism. Marvel had scored with the previous Netflix series Daredevil, which delivered some of the best small screen fight choreography we’d ever seen. But Iron Fist was sorely lacking. Finn Jones just couldn’t sell a punch as Danny Rand, leaving fans of Marvel martial arts masters overwhelmingly disappointed. If there’s one thing that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings had to nail, it was the Kung Fu. 

Like Jones, Simu Liu had little martial arts experience before taking on the role of Shang-Chi. However, he already had the physique, so much so that appearing shirtless was a running joke when he played Jung in Kim’s Convenience. What’s more, Liu bulked up, added 10 more pounds of muscle while training for the film. 

Unlike a character like Daredevil, Shang-Chi doesn’t wear a mask, so Liu had to quickly pick up enough cinematic Kung Fu to appear masterful on screen. Fortunately, he was backed by a top-notch team of stuntmen and surrounded with a cast of veteran film fighters including Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Star Trek: Discovery), Tony Leung (Hero, The Grandmaster), Yuen Wah (Kung Fu Hustle), Florian Munteanu (Creed II), Andy Le (The Paper Tigers), and others. Even though Liu was new to Kung Fu, he carries the action scenes with panache.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is not only a good Marvel movie, it’s a good Kung Fu movie. It has the best fight scenes seen in the MCU so far. And although the movie doesn’t get bogged down in the specifics of Kung Fu style, there are telling nods throughout the film that shows the filmmakers knew their Kung Fu too. “We knew the martial arts had to be authentic,” says Director Destin Daniel Cretton. “In order for that to feel real, we worked with people who understood Chinese Kung Fu.”

Let’s take a look at some of the Kung Fu roots and martial arts Easter Eggs underlying Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsdone..

The Ten Rings are Real…Kind of

Wenwu (Tony Leung) is the villain of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and he wields ten magical rings that he wears on his forearms. These are the source of his power, as well as the name of his criminal organization. The origin of these rings is a prevailing mystery in the movie; however, their inspiration is not. 

Traditional Kung Fu practitioners use rings akin to these while training, particularly in Southern Chinese styles. Such rings are called tit waan in Cantonese, which literally means “iron rings” or “iron bracelets.” Iron rings are constructed of heavy metal, typically brass or steel, and are worn loosely on the forearms when practicing solo forms and doing arm drills. 

They serve two purposes. Firstly, they are heavy, usually weighing over a pound a piece, so they act like wrist weights. Secondly, unlike Wenwu’s magical rings which conform to fit his forearms perfectly, real iron rings are looser. They must be narrow enough so that they stay on when the practitioner makes a fist, but they are far from form fitting. This gives them play to bang against the practitioner’s forearms when they are shadowboxing. The banging conditions the user’s forearms, hardening them to withstand the impact of blocking. Some iron ring practitioners have forearms that are so tough they can severely damage an adversary’s punch with their ring-hardened blocks.

Although iron rings are not conventionally considered as weapons, Kung Fu practitioners have figured out ways to weaponize just about everything. Some wield iron rings like brass knuckles, holding them in their fists for punching. 

Kung Fu Hustle

Weaponized iron rings are used in the 2004 comedy Kung Fu Hustle. The character Tailor (Chiu Chi Ling) fights with them. Chiu is a genuine master of Hung Ga Kung Fu, a southern style that uses iron ring training extensively. 

Director Destin Daniel Cretton claims that Kung Fu Hustle is one of his favorite martial arts movies so there are other nods to it in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, including when a Kung Fu Hustle poster can be seen on a bedroom wall in the background. What’s more, Yuen Wah also appears as the warrior leader of Ta Lo who oversees Katy’s (Awkwafina) archery training. Yuen played the Landlord in Kung Fu Hustle and is a veteran martial arts actor with nearly 200 film credits. He is also the Kung Fu brother of Jackie Chan. 

Yuen Qiu, who plays the Landlady in Kung Fu Hustle is a mutual Kung Fu sibling. Jackie, Yuen Wah and Yuen Qiu were all pupils of Yu Jim-Yuen, a master of Chinese opera who trained them all from childhood.  They all took stage names that included the “Yuen” part of their master’s name (Jackie Chan was known as Yuen Lau as a child). Others among that troupe were many of the movers and shakers of Hong Kong’s golden age of Kung Fu films, such as Sammo Hung (a.k.a. Yuen Lung) and famed action choreographer, Yuen Woo-Ping (The Matrix, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Kill Bill). 

Tiger Head Hooks

The signature weapons of the Ten Rings are Tiger Head Hooks. These are those black glowing hooked swords that the gang members wield. They also appear on the Ten Rings banner. It’s an excellent choice because Tiger Head Hooks are one of the most distinctively Kung Fu weapons of all. 

In Chinese, these are called Hu tou shuang gou, which literally means “Tiger head paired hooks.” “Paired” because they are typically used in pairs. Sometimes they are just translated as Hook Swords. They have a sword blade with a hooked tip, a crescent-shaped blade for a knuckle guard, and a dagger blade for a pommel. Every edge is sharp. The only place they are not sharp is the handle. This makes them very difficult to wield. Consequently, Tiger Hooks are considered an advanced Kung Fu weapon. 

The reference book Ancient Chinese Weapons by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming dates Tiger Head hooks back to China’s Spring Autumn Period (771-476 BCE), however those ancient hooks likely took on a different form. The modern style of Tiger Head hooks as seen in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings rose to prominence around the 1800s. They are still practiced today, mostly by Northern schools of Kung Fu.

What Style of Kung Fu Does Shang-Chi Practice?

Kung Fu is renowned for its diverse collection of styles like Shaolin, Wing Chun, Tiger style, and countless others. There’s even Drunken style and Toad style. In the movie, Shang-Chi doesn’t adopt a particular style of Kung Fu. Some of his moves have characteristics of Wing Chun or Bajiquan, but there’s nothing in the choreography to indicate a very specific style.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

The warriors of Ta Lo are different. While their style is not explicit, their peacekeeping philosophy is expressed through the soft, internal styles of Kung Fu like Tai Chi. When Ying Nan (Michelle Yeoh) schools Shang-Chi in their first match, it’s reminiscent of how airbending is depicted in Avatar: The Last Airbender. 

However, the connection is deeper than that. Despite its fantasy elements, Avatar based its martial arts sequences on authentic Kung Fu by mo-capping Sifu Kisu, a renowned martial arts master. Kisu designated specific styles for each school of bending. Airbending was based upon an internal style of Kung Fu known as Baguazhang, or Eight Diagram Palm. Like Tai Chi, it has a soft expression. It relies on circular movements and pivoting evasions. Several of Yeoh’s techniques are plucked straight out of Baguazhang.

The Masters Behind Shang-Chi’s Martial Arts

Credit for Shang-Chi’s Kung Fu authenticity falls on the film’s top notch stunt team. Two are leading graduates of the legendary Jackie Chan Stunt Team. The fight on the hi-rise scaffolding is a homage to Jackie’s parkour-inspiring choreography. Andy Cheng worked on around half a dozen of Jackie’s films including his first two Rush Hour films, Shanghai Noon, The Tuxedo, and Who Am I? where Jackie does one of his all-time greatest stunts, sliding down the Willemswerf skyscraper in Rotterdam. He was also the action director for Into the Badlands. When Jackie inevitably stepped back from doing his own stunts, Cheng stepped in for him. 

“We were very concerned [about Kung Fu] from the very beginning,” says Cretton. “Marvel was also concerned and wanted to get it right. [They] knew that Marvel fans, wouldn’t have let it slide if we did a Hollywood version of a whitewashed Kung Fu movie. To be able to, we brought in Brad Allan.” Brad Allan was the first non-Asian to make Jackie’s stunt team. He also worked on around a dozen of Jackie’s films (this is approximate because stunt work wasn’t always credited).

Who Was Brad Allan?

You can’t miss the credits in any MCU film. In Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, there’s a prominent dedication to Allan at the very end. Tragically, on August 7th, 2021, Brad Allan died unexpectantly at the early age of 48, sending the martial arts world reeling from the loss of one of its brightest stars. Beyond Shang-Chi, Allan leaves behind an exemplary legacy of action films where he served as the Second Unit Director including Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Cuban Fury, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and the Kingsman trilogy. 

Allan was obsessed with the martial arts from childhood and rose to compete internationally in Wushu, representing Australia where he was born and raised. Through a chance encounter, he was able to demonstrate his skills to Jackie, and Jackie liked what he saw so much that he took Allan under his wing. 

In 1999, Allan played Alan, the villain in Jackie’s film Gorgeous, which coincidentally also stars Tony Leung. With Allan clad in black and Jackie in white, their finale fight is, well, it’s gorgeous. It’s two of the greatest masters of the craft delivering top notch fight choreography. Allan spent most of his career modestly behind the scenes, so Gorgeous is the outstanding example of his speed and agility. It’s heartbreaking that Allan didn’t get to see the premiere of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Allan’s final work will be seen in The King’s Man later this year.

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Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is now playing in theaters.

The post The Real Martial Arts Behind Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings appeared first on Den of Geek.

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