Yes I have reached 2000! Ok not that exciting. Why? There was nothing much to choose from this year.
I had to go to Touchstone..and even there I was not overwhelmed. I decided to go with a touchstone/Spyglass production Shang Hi Noon. The reason is..it is a very Disney like film. Comedy, action, adventure in the old west.
The film starts in China where Princess Pei Pei (Lucy Liu) is kidnapped (unknowingly) and brought to "The Old West", and is being held for ransom. Chon Wang (a terrible cowboy name, played by Jackie Chan) A clumsy Imperial Guard (Jackie Chan) joins a group of guards sent to Nevada to pay the ransom to get back the princess. Eventually Chon gets separated from the other guards and after many odd circumstances he becomes partners with Roy O'Bannon (Owen Wilson).
There is a lot happening in this movie, a marriage to an Native American. The race for the gold ransom. The race away from the law. While rescuing the princess. It all works. The chemistry between Wilson and Chang is perfect, and that makes the movie work. Two bad guys Lo Fong and Xander Berkeley are wonderfully sinister. I always think a movie does not work if the bad guys are not fully vested at being bad (Die Hard does not work without Alan Rickman).
Also wanted to note that Brandon Merrill playing the Native American wife is so funny without saying much at all. Plus great acting by the horse!
Faults: You have be able to turn away from a good many coincidences. The last fight scene seems to go on forever, it could have been edited.
Well fun and not so fun facts:
Brandone Merrill who plays the Native American wife is a real life rodeo champion.
The movie was well liked by critics., with a 79% score on Rotten Tomatoes. calling it "Fast and furious and sometimes very, very, funny". The movie was made for 55 million. It grossed 99 million.Leading to a just ok follow up..Shanghai Knights.
Well Shanghai Noon is a very good Disney like film. For the family it does have violence, however almost cartoonish (like Roger Rabbit) with no blood.There is a scene in a brothel..not much happens but there are innuendos. I would give Shanghai Noon 3 1/2 out of 5 Mickeys. Four if that last fight scene was not as long, it seemed to drag the movie down a bit.
Next week I go back to Disney making a choice between two popular films, an anitmated and live action.
As always thanks for your time.
Have a peaceful week.
I had to go to Touchstone..and even there I was not overwhelmed. I decided to go with a touchstone/Spyglass production Shang Hi Noon. The reason is..it is a very Disney like film. Comedy, action, adventure in the old west.
The film starts in China where Princess Pei Pei (Lucy Liu) is kidnapped (unknowingly) and brought to "The Old West", and is being held for ransom. Chon Wang (a terrible cowboy name, played by Jackie Chan) A clumsy Imperial Guard (Jackie Chan) joins a group of guards sent to Nevada to pay the ransom to get back the princess. Eventually Chon gets separated from the other guards and after many odd circumstances he becomes partners with Roy O'Bannon (Owen Wilson).
There is a lot happening in this movie, a marriage to an Native American. The race for the gold ransom. The race away from the law. While rescuing the princess. It all works. The chemistry between Wilson and Chang is perfect, and that makes the movie work. Two bad guys Lo Fong and Xander Berkeley are wonderfully sinister. I always think a movie does not work if the bad guys are not fully vested at being bad (Die Hard does not work without Alan Rickman).
Also wanted to note that Brandon Merrill playing the Native American wife is so funny without saying much at all. Plus great acting by the horse!
Faults: You have be able to turn away from a good many coincidences. The last fight scene seems to go on forever, it could have been edited.
Well fun and not so fun facts:
Brandone Merrill who plays the Native American wife is a real life rodeo champion.
The movie was well liked by critics., with a 79% score on Rotten Tomatoes. calling it "Fast and furious and sometimes very, very, funny". The movie was made for 55 million. It grossed 99 million.Leading to a just ok follow up..Shanghai Knights.
Well Shanghai Noon is a very good Disney like film. For the family it does have violence, however almost cartoonish (like Roger Rabbit) with no blood.There is a scene in a brothel..not much happens but there are innuendos. I would give Shanghai Noon 3 1/2 out of 5 Mickeys. Four if that last fight scene was not as long, it seemed to drag the movie down a bit.
Next week I go back to Disney making a choice between two popular films, an anitmated and live action.
As always thanks for your time.
Have a peaceful week.