An action heroine is born in the explosive new blockbuster Chocolate from director Prachya Pinkaew and action director Panna Rittikrai, the tag team behind Ong Bak and Tom Yum Goong. With only her first film, Jija Yanin Vismitananda already stands peerless as Asian Cinema’s next big female action star. Discovered five years ago by Prachya Pinkaew during casting sessions for Born to Fight, the 24-year-old actress makes a jaw-dropping debut with a full arsenal of Muay Thai moves that belie her petite frame. Originally trained in taekwondo, Jija Yanin Vismitananda underwent four years of training with Panna Rittikrai, plus personal tutelage from Tony Jaa, in preparation for her debut, and she certainly delivers the action in Chocolate. In an interesting international crossover, popular Japanese actor Abe Hiroshi (The Sword of Alexander) co-stars as Jija Yanin Vismitananda’s father.

Tensions are high as Thai gangsters and yakuza bump heads in Bangkok. Yakuza Masashi (Abe Hiroshi) further crosses the Thai underworld when his relationship with Zin (Ammara Siripong), an underling of Thai kingpin No. 8 (Pongpat Wachirabunjong), is revealed. Masashi is soon forced to return to Japan, leaving Zin and their unborn child behind in Thailand. Toughing it out as a single mother, Zin gives birth to an autistic daughter. Clearly a bit different from the rest of the kids, Zen (Jija Yanin Vismitananda) has unnaturally fast reflexes that she channels into learning Muay Thai. Though times are tough, Zen grows up healthy and happy until her mother is diagnosed with cancer. To pay for the medical care, Zen and portly buddy Moom (Taphon Phopwandee) decide to collect Zin’s old debts, speaking with fists when payment isn’t forthcoming – which is basically every time. Zin’s old cronies aren’t about to just sit around though while Zen blazes a path of damage through the underworld.

Very good muay-thai movie with a new face. Although the actress is not trained in muay-thai prior she did a very convincing take in this movie.

Trailer

Making Of:

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Martial arts superstar Tony Jaa returns in Ong Bak 2, an unrelated sequel to the jaw-dropping Ong Bak. Jaa stars and also co-directs the film alongside frequent collaborator Panna Rittikrai, action choreographer for Jaa’s Tom Yum Goong and Ong Bak. Not content to dish out the same Muay Thai that made him an international sensation, Jaa mixes it up in Ong Bak 2, demonstrating a wider range of martial arts including styles made popular by Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee. Also, Jaa performs his own perilous stunts, and engages in a spectacular duel with Dan Chupong (Dynamite Warrior) on the back of an elephant. The climactic action sequence is a breathless twenty minute-plus fight that finds Jaa squaring off against hordes of foes in a Thai jungle village. A must-see for Asian action aficionados, Ong Bak 2 should be the perfect appetizer before Tony Jaa returns in Ong Bak 3.

Orphaned when the treacherous Lord Rajasena (Saranyoo Wongkrajang) kills his parents, young Tien is saved from slavery and raised by Chernang (Sorapong Chatree), leader of a renowned band of guerillas. Growing to adulthood, Tien (Tony Jaa) becomes proficient in a variety of martial arts styles including boxing, kung fu, and Muay Thai, as well as numerous forms of exotic weaponry. With his training behind him, Tien begins his journey towards his ultimate goal: revenge against Lord Rajasena for his parents’ death. However, infiltrating the enemy brings Tien in contact once again with childhood sweetheart Pim (Primorata Dejudom), who has become Rajasena’s top dancer. Inflicting an initial blow on Rajasena, Tien makes his return to the jungle, only to find his enemies – and a shocking revelation – waiting for him.

Videos from Ong Bak 2:

Attacking the slaver camp

Graduation Test

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Legendary director John Woo (A Better Tomorrow, The Killer) returns to Asia after fifteen years in Hollywood with Red Cliff, his adaptation of the Chinese classic, The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Woo’s epic is much more faithful and grand than the recent Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon, but the director still puts his own personal stamp on the material, concentrating on his human heroes, their personal relationships, and above all the brotherhood they forge in the heat of battle. The first of two films chronicling the legendary battle, Red Cliff is without doubt the Chinese film event of the year.

In Red Cliff 1:

208 A.D., The Battle of Chang Ban. Liu Bei (You Yong) and his followers narrowly escape the armies of Prime Minister Cao Cao (Zhang Feng Yi), but Cao Cao’s lust for power continues to grow. Fearing that Liu Bei and the Kingdom of Shu cannot oppose Cao Cao, strategist Zhuge Liang (Kaneshiro Takeshi) proposes an alliance with the Kingdom of Wu. However, Wu ruler Sun Quan (Chang Chen) is uncertain on challenging Cao Cao. Zhuge Liang instead looks to persuade Sun Quan’s chief strategist Zhou Yu (Tony Leung Chiu Wai), and discovers in Zhou a kindred spirit versed in the arts as well as battle. The two men form an instant bond, and decide to battle Cao Cao at the water port of Red Cliff. Their alliance comes not a moment too soon, as Cao Cao approaches with an army that vastly outnumbers the combined Wu and Shu forces. But Zhuge Liang has a plan -- one that will hopefully enable the smaller force to emerge victorious.

The battle takes place in Red Cliff 2:

Picking up where the first film left off, Red Cliff 2 finds Wu princess Sun Shang Xiang (Vicki Zhao) behind enemy lines. As she plays spy for Shu strategist Zhuge Liang (Kaneshiro Takeshi), Sun Shang Xiang strikes up an inadvertent friendship with an unknowing enemy (Tong Da Wei). Beset by typhoid, Liu Bei (You Yong) and the Shu forces retreat, leaving only Zhuge Liang to aid the remaining forces of Wu. Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu (Tony Leung Chiu Wai) resort to subterfuge and cunning mindgames, seeking any advantage against the increasingly overconfident Cao Cao (Zhang Feng Yi). However, their forces are still vastly outnumbered by Cao Cao’s, and with the battle fast approaching, victory seems far from assured. In the end, their only hope may by an unexpected plan launched by Zhou Yu’s wife, the beautiful Xiao Qiao (Lin Chi Ling), as well as a surprising change in the wind…

Red Cliff 1 Battle of the 8 Trigram Formation: Zhuge Liang’s plan to entice Cao Cao’s advance guard to chase some skirmishers, and then trap them in a battlefield maze and destroy them.

Part 1 of video:

Part 2 of video:

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Da Tang You Xia Zhuan (Paladins in Troubled Times)

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Adapted by China director/producer Zhang Ji Zhong from Liang Yu Sheng’s wuxia trilogy and released in Aug 2008. This is the producer’s latest work right after his epic Bi Xue Jian.

It tells the story of Tie Mo Le’s adventure in wu ling as he hunts the killer of his family. Brought up from young by a leader in the Flying Tiger Mountain clan he was schooled in martial arts but endowed with a hot temper that controlled him.

He was repeatedly defeated by the henchmen surrounding his sworn enemy An Lu Shan but fortunately  encountered a very highly skilled begger who imparted to him various martial arts skills. As he became better in his martial arts he also was able to restrained his bad temper. He made friends with other righteous fighters as well as some court officials of the Tang Dynasty.

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Collaborating with director Wilson Yip for the fourth time, action star Donnie Yen takes the leading role in a momentous biopic of martial arts legend Ip Man, the Wing Chun grandmaster whose many students included Bruce Lee. Set in 1930s and 40s China during the Sino-Japanese War, Ip Man follows in the spirit of blockbuster period actioners like Fearless and Once Upon a Time in China with a rousing bout of folk hero patriotism and a breathtaking display of martial arts. Endorsed by Ip Man’s son who served as a consultant for the film, Ip Man takes some liberties with history, but cuts no corners when it comes to the intense action scenes choreographed by Sammo Hung. Donnie Yen delivers perhaps the best acting performance of his career, along with his usual jaw-dropping martial arts machismo. Ip Man co-stars Simon Yam (Fatal Move), Gordon Lam (Sparrow), Wong Yau Nam (AV), martial artists Fan Siu Wong (The Moss) and Xing Yu (Kung Fu Hustle), and Japanese actor and judo black-belt holder Ikeuchi Hiroyuki (Karaoke Terror) as Yen’s main rival.

Ip Man opens in 1930s Foshan, a town steeped in kung fu heritage and lined with an abundance of martial arts schools. The undisputed toast of Foshan though is Ip Man (Donnie Yen), known not only for his superb martial arts, but also for his great humility and integrity. Content with his wealthy, low-key life with his wife (Lynn Xiong Dai Ling) and son, Ip Man refuses to take disciples, though he is at times forced to give sound beatings to rash challengers. Everything changes, however, when war hits. There’s no more time for martial arts as Ip Man works hard to support his family through this time of poverty and oppression. But he can stay silent no longer when a Japanese general (Ikeuchi Hiroyuki) begins challenging Chinese martial artists to fatal duels.

I have to say this is one fantastic martial arts movie.

Ratings: 4 out of 5

Local Foshan master challenges Ip Man.

A northern martial arts master challenges the various Foshan masters and easily defeated them. Ip Man saves the day.

After the Japanese forces occupied Foshan commerce collapsed and everyone is reduced to scrapping for food. The local Japanese commander organises martial arts fights for Chinese to win rice bags.

The local Foshan master enters the arena and takes on a Japanese fighter.

Local Foshan master takes on 3 Japanese exponents in the arena.

Ip Man fights the Japanese in the arena.

Ip Man fights to protect his family.

The northern master has turned bandit and harasses the Foshan automotive plant and Ip Man comes to their rescue.

Ip Man defeats the local Japanese commander.

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