Tag: Jamie Chung

  • This is one high-quality ‘Band Aid’

    This is one high-quality ‘Band Aid’

    Adam Pally and Zoe Lister-Jones in ‘Band Aid’

    “We are not Groupies. Groupies sleep with rockstars because they want to be near someone famous. We are here because of the music, we inspire the music. We are Band Aids” – Kate Hudson as “Penny Lane” in the film Almost Famous

    Tough love and brutal truth from strangers are far more valuable than Band-Aids and half-truths from invested friends, who don’t want to see you suffer any more than you have” – Author Shannon L. Alder

    “Anna” (Zoe Lister-Jones – Lola Versus, Consumed) is married to “Ben” (Adam Pally – Night Owls, A.C.O.D.).  Something happened to them that we don’t learn about until much later into the film that overshadows their lives.  Neither is working at what they want to be doing and that isn’t helping.  Naturally, they fight.  A lot.  About trivial things, like whether or not the dishes are done.  About non-trivial things, like their sex life.

    Don’t misconstrue, they are definitely in love with each other.  The problem is, how do they get past this anchor and deal with their repressed feelings; without tearing each other apart.  The answer comes almost by accident when Ben is cleaning out the garage and comes across the guitars he used to play.  They decide to write songs about their disputes rather than fight about them and plan to form a band and perform.

    Enter the crazy next-door neighbor “Dave” (Fred Armisen – The Dictator).  Turns out beside being very strange, he is a talented drummer.  As he gets involved with the band, we find out that he is a recovering sex addict.  His two BFFs, “Cassandra Diabla” (Jamie Chung – The Man With the Iron Fists) and “Crystal Vichycoisse” (Erinn Hayes – The Watch) are also members of the same sex addict support group and Dave is their sponsor.  It makes for an interesting dynamic, especially when events transpire that cause Ben to spend the night with the trio.

    Adam Pally, Fred Armisen and Zoe Lister-Jones in ‘Band Aid’

    The event that is the primary cause of the rift between Anna and Ben isn’t the only problem.  Ben aspired to be much more than the designer of corporate logos.  Anna never dreamt she would be driving for Uber rather than making a living with the written word.  Her being an Uber driver allows for a brief but excellent moment for Colin Hanks as a passenger in her car.  His character is credited as “Uber Douche” which is a slick double-entendre.

    The struggle in Hollywood over the possessory (some prefer “vanity”) credit in filmmaking will probably never end.  But if ever a movie was worthy of such a credit, it is Band Aid.  Zoe Lister-Jones wrote, directed and produced the film; in addition to being its star.  She also wrote the lyrics for the songs that she and Adam Pally perform in it.  She also chose to undertake the added challenge of recording that music live during filming rather than dubbing it in later.  It was an excellent choice.

    Lister-Jones and Pally have a rapport on-screen that feels honest.  The writing, the story and the peaks/valleys of their relationship ring true.  This is fine filmmaking, indie style.

    [imdb id = tt5816374]

  • ‘The Man with the Iron Fists’ packs real punch

    ‘The Man with the Iron Fists’ packs real punch

    Russell Crowe is a hard-hitting Englishman in 'The Man with the Iron Fists'
    Russell Crowe is a hard-hitting Englishman in ‘The Man with the Iron Fists’

    There’s a certain logic problem with the notion of a slave, freed by his owner and yet forced to flee because of an accident, ending up shipwrecked on the coast of China.  In other words, leave your disbelief at the door, because that is how RZA’s “Blacksmith” came to be in Jungle Village in China, making weapons for the clans that war on one another there.  Along the way he spent time with monks, learning patience and inner strength, both of which he will need as the story progresses.

    The Man With the Iron Fists is a collaboration between RZA and Eli Roth and springs from the former’s infatuation with Kung Fu films and Asian philosophy.  Aided by an un-credited Quentin Tarantino, the duo came up with a film that is thoroughly enjoyable and truly action-packed, provided you can suspend disbelief prior to taking your seat.

    The Blacksmith is in love with “Lady Silk” (Jamie Chung), who toils in the brothel known as the Pink Blossom, owned and run by “Madame Blossom” (Lucy Liu).  They want to save enough money to leave Jungle Village.  Fate intervenes when the Governor arranges to have the Lion clan’s leader, “Gold Lion” (Kuan Tai Chen), guard a shipment of gold being sent to provision troops fighting far from the capitol city.  However Gold Lion’s subordinates “Silver Lion” (Byron Mann) and “Bronze Lion” (Cung Le) decide this is time for a change in leadership and plan to take the gold for themselves, aided by a shadowy figure.

    Gold Lion’s son “Zen Yi, the X Blade” (Yune) learns of his father’s death and vows to avenge him.  The new Lion leadership knows they cannot defeat him so they engage “Brass Body” (WWE star Bautista), who is impervious to the blades of Zen Yi, to kill him.  He is defeated in combat but escapes before being killed and the Blacksmith and Lady Silk rescue him.  They plan to nurse him back to health.  The Lions torture the Blacksmith to learn the location of Zen Yi and when he won’t talk, cut off his forearms to prevent him from making any weapons ever again.

    Jamie Chune in 'The Man with the Iron Fists'
    Jamie Chung in ‘The Man with the Iron Fists’

    This is when the Englishman, “Jack Knife” (Crowe), who has been hanging out at the Pink Blossom and enjoying all of its delights, steps in.  He helps the Blacksmith and ends up assisting in the process of forging the new forearms that give Blacksmith the “Iron Fists” of the title.  Then revenge and control of the gold becomes the focus of all of the key characters.  Time is of the essence, because a large force of elite government troops is en route to re-take possession of the governor’s gold and get it to the North.

    Modern music, sunglasses, and other touches mix modern times with an older era. This isn’t a new concept (A Knight’s Tale comes to mind), but it’s done well in The Man with the Iron Fists.  The storyline and its multiple character arcs are easily followed, interesting and hold the viewer’s attention.  The acting by Crowe, Yune, Mann and Lucy Liu is first rate.  The always excellent Gordon Liu has a brief role that would have benefitted from expansion.

    Unfortunately, while RZA delivers a good directorial debut, his biggest mistake was casting himself in the title role.  He just doesn’t have the acting chops yet to carry a lead, even in a ‘fu’ film.  And while the fight sequences are brilliantly choreographed and were clearly well executed in filming, the editing and close-ups in how they ended up on screen is less than optimal.

    Some added suspension of disbelief is required.  The Blacksmith’s iron fist feature flexible fingers, something that wasn’t possible in that era, and is still problematic even today.  The weight of two such appendages forged of heavy iron would require incredible strength and balance just to walk or do anything ordinary, let alone engage in unarmed combat.  But these issues can be easily ignored in favor of the exciting action that the audience is treated to.

    The homages to masterpieces of martial arts are a treat.  A quick mirror scene and the notion of the Blacksmith, Jack Knife and Zen Yi working together are reminiscent of Enter the Dragon.  RZA himself says that his use of music was inspired by the late Isaac Hayes.  The typical aerial, wire work reminds us of countless masterpieces of Chinese martial-arts movies.

    This is a fun film… as long as you don’t think too hard about the logic.