Asian Film Festival of Dallas 2010

It was once explained to me by a close friend from Hong Kong that Bruce Lee was the action master and Jackie Chan is a “clown.”  But after seeing crime-drama writer-director Derek Yee transform the usually over-the-top comic stunt master Jackie Chan in Shinjuku Incident, you may never look at Chan the same way.  Yee explains it best himself: “People are too familiar with the image of a fighting Jackie Chan.  It’s time for him to move on to drama.”  This film represents a high-water mark for not only Yee as a filmmaker and Chan as a dramatic actor, but an achievement for the entire genre.

Being nominated for Hong Kong Film Awards Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Action Choreography (Chin Ka Lok) should offer a clue as to what to expect from the film.  Set largely in the 1990’s Tokyo district of the same name, Shinjuku Incident is a rich, full and multi-faceted telling of much more than a rise and fall crime-boss story.  This is an eye-opening tale of East Meets Far East with a masterful ensemble of some of the best Asian actors ever assembled.  In addition to Chan’s break-through performance of a strong, caring rural Chinese immigrant-on-a-mission, Japanese film veteran Naoto Takenaka plays a seasoned detective, highly placed in the Tokyo police.  Takenaka’s Inspector Kitano is a wonderful balance as a pragmatic yet principled foil to Chan’s Steelhead street-gang boss-with-a-conscious.  Also strong is Daniel Wu as “young brother” Jie, who starts his journey to a new life in Tokyo as a young immigrant with a dream who is transformed into a tragic, drug-ravaged criminal.  Chan also exercises his strength as producer as well.

Yee’s gritty style of Asian noir, reminiscent of One Night in Mongkok, propels Shinjuku through what could have been a tedious tale of multiple story lines, but manages to add suspense and a level of unpredictability to the whole affair.  A thoughtful examination of the rarely told story of illegal mainland immigrants and their plight added to an interesting meeting of Hong Kong triad drama with Japanese Yakuza drama.  The action sequences are realistic, awkward, violent, and gritty – far from the usual well-polished choreography.  Chan’s rise as the boss over the other Chinese immigrant crime sub-bosses is a real triumph.

The object of Chan’s initial quest of finding lost love is Xu Jinglei (Warlords) as the village girl he dreams of marrying who gets lost in the big city and ends up married to a Yakuza crime lord (Masaya Kato, Gozu).  Steelhead makes a dramatic transformation when fate interrupts their journey of idealistic fortune hunting to rising to the top of street gang life.  Later, he is drawn to another immigrant success story, “companion” nightclub owner Lily (Fan Bingbing, Lost in Beijing).  Jinglei and Bingbing offer strong performances, pulling Chan’s character between the past and one possible future.  The Chinese immigrants’ often-repeated credo in Shinjuku is “Fate is only 30%,” the rest being a struggle to those willing to fight, which illustrates the common thread of struggle they share.  One of many threads woven in this finely crafted film.

The track record for films remaking / re-imaging / re-imagining / re-animating the dead, or whatever marketing people want to call it this week, is very poor. It is always sad to see a popular story with iconic characters which has genuine nostalgia and relevance across generations paved over by a train wreck of thoughtless, uncreative indulgence. Thankfully, in the ‘Smith family affair’ calledThe Karate Kid, this didn’t quite happen. A lot of filmmaking did happen, some quality acting (and some uneven), and Kung Fu action also happened. But there are also problems with Director Harald Zwart’s (Agent Cody Banks, One Night at McCool’s, Pink Panther 2) re-telling / re-imaging / re-hash of The Karate Kid.

The film tries to be many things – too many, which probably prevents it from excelling in any one area. With being a re-make of such a well-known classic surely to draw scrutiny, its like fighting with one hand tied. You have the classic “coming-of-age” story and the “heroic-overcoming-a-great-challenge” story, mixed with a “learning-to-pick-yourself-up” story, added to the “forgetting-the-awful-past-by-helping-someone-through-a-struggle-and-then-finding-the-strength-to-move-on-with-your-life” story all wrapped up nicely in an “East-meets-West”, aka “fish-out-of-water” story that is supposed to be a heartfelt family “message” movie.

The now classic Pas de deux of karate mentor and kid-on-a-mission are played wonderfully by Jackie Chan as a humble Chinese Kung Fu master (and has some great fight action, although brief), now turned maintenance man and the up & coming Jaden Smith (originally “produced” by great stars Will & Jada Pinket Smith). There is genuine on-screen chemistry between the 12-year-old ‘Dre Parker’ who is uprooted from living in Detroit with his widowed mom (Taraji P. Henson) to go live in China to work for an unspecified time at an unspecified auto plant. Moving to China is the major change from the original which serves as a springboard for fresh story elements with the charming young lady classmate and violin virtuoso Mei Ying, played delightfully by Han Wen Wen, whose star is surely to rise as she is capable of stealing scenes as well as your heart. And Jaden is definitely a chip off the ol’ block who definitely pulls off the spunky street-smart “tween” filled with pride and genuine screen presence with style.

But the fresh departure from the East coast vs. West coast of the original 1984 classic to going on-location in Beijing also provided the opportunity for the worst indulgence of the film – so much at times you wondered are they showing commercials during movies now? Is the Chinese Tourism Board footage the world’s biggest product placement? Honestly, one more shot of the much touted Beijing Olympic Stadium and I might take a chop at the film. And speaking of editing…Coming in at a ridiculous 2 hours 20 minutes, the film slowed down at times worse than the Beijing traffic! Nonetheless, the cinematography was stunning and major highlights of the film were the sojourn to the great Kung Fu temple in the clouds to meet the fascinating ‘cobra woman’ and the Kung Fu montage of form and training on the picturesque rooftop (one more flyby, please!), and along the Great Wall. (Make your reservations today!).

As a family film, it’s way too long. At my screening, kids got bored and wandered the aisles after about an hour until the action picked up at the end. And as a remake of a classic, it’s NOT a train wreck, but it is a long, slow, and extremely scenic train ride. And it is a journey we have taken before, so we know we’re going to the music-filled training montages. So why are we seeing the Beijing Olympic stadium again? And we know we’re going to the tournament to take on the bully. So why are we seeing the Great Wall and Forbidden City at sunset again? And we know we are going to see the fruits of the Karat—er, Kung Fu Kid’s efforts in growth and transformation which enriches and lifts the spirit of his sensei. So why are we seeing groups of people doing tai chi in the park again and again?

In the world of groundbreaking documentaries, a common key to success is unprecedented access.  And rarely in life do you find a more intimate setting than a mother and her newborn baby in their own home.  Babies is quite possibly the best example of intimate access in the history of documentary filmmaking.  Directed by Thomas Balmès (based on an original idea by Alain Chabat), Babies is an amazing exploration of intimacy and growth without a word of narration.  The decision to present a documentary this way (which at times resembles the human version of PBS Nature) proves to be the catalyst for enhancing the sense of closeness to the subjects.  They are the only ones making any sound at all, along with their parents, siblings, pets, and the natural background.

The four subjects are followed from birth to their first steps in painstaking detail.  The presentation of the beginning of life in a basic, yet extraordinary fashion was made possible by simple, expert camera work in natural lighting with basic, unassuming editing.  The fact that the cinematography didn’t get in the way of the presentation offered an uninterrupted feeling of wonder as you are taken back and forth between four corners of the globe as easily as you would enter a different room.  And in each room, a baby!  Soon, you get the feeling you are part of each family, becoming familiar with their surroundings.

The four settings alone prove a fascinating journey.  The film follows Ponijao in a village in Namibia, Bayar in rural Mongolia, Mari in Tokyo, and Hattie in San Francisco.  The settings also give a mind-boggling glimpse into the cultural and technological differences around the world.  Helping you feel comfortable through the bouncing across the globe, a familiar sight, the babies!  You are seeing their new worlds through their eyes as they acquire a repertoire of movement;  learning behavior in the first year of life.  A simple, charming and melodic score weaves itself through the film and each child’s development.

Even if you are not a “baby person” (contrary to the movie poster’s insistence that “Everybody loves babies”), there is much to be gleaned from this study.  After seeing Babies, I considered my own movements, and when and how I learned them.  And, seeing the dedication and devotion of each baby’s parents, I thought of my own parents.  Capturing a sense of wonder and innocence seldom seen in movies today, Babies will delight with only a few moments of repetitious tedium.  A thoughtful “reality-style” keeps one’s interest, as an evenly paced glimpse at what’s happening in the “next room” makes for an interesting, funny, and inviting tour through these highly-impressionable early days.