Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy (2018)

The martial arts scenes are well-choreographed fun, especially the glass of whiskey scene, and the fight atop the famed neon signs of Hong Kong. But the rest of Master Z is god awful. There is a combination of Mandarin and English; no Cantonese despite taking place in 1960s Hong Kong. It's near impossible to tell which Chinese people understand English and which white people understand Chinese. There are some half-hearted efforts to translate in the scene, but the biggest question remains...does Bautista's character understand Chinese? There are some unintentionally funny scenes amidst the bad dialogue. The movie is abnormally chaste for an action movie, there being only a slight tease of a romantic story line. And one note on the sound effects. Good sound effects usually have the quality of not particularly standing out because they sound natural. Just imagine how bad the sound effects have to be for me to notice. It's like they've never heard what gift wrap sounds like.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

This Chinese classic is one of the best martial arts films I have ever seen.  The choreography is complex, fast-paced and mesmerizing. Action choreographer Yuen Wo Ping is returning to direct the sequel.  It is very impressive that these actors do their own fighting sequences.  Attached to invisible strings, the actors fly through the air in fantastical chase sequences.  Consider this film an introduction for the western world to the Chinese wuxia genre, which follows the adventures of heroic martial artists in ancient China. And a good one at that, mostly free from the cheesiness that westerners might perceive from Asian films. As an introduction to China, the film does an unusual tour of the vast country, from the well-known regal courtyards of Beijing to the lesser-known barren deserts of China's western region, to the majestic temples of the mountains straight from a painting.

The story is not particularly unique, but it is engaging and under Ang Lee's direction, the story is told beautifully.  Lee creates a grand fantastical world full of wonder, supported by very likable characters in Chow Yun-fat and Michelle Yeoh.  Tan Dun takes traditional Chinese sound and gives it searing melodies and a driving force in Yo-Yo Ma's beautiful cello solos.  Altogether, Lee strikes a perfect balance between action, emotion, beauty and substance.