The Eagle Huntress

2016

1 hr 27 min

G

Foreign Documentary

5 Stars

This documentary is absitively posolutely fantabulous!! The true story of a 13-year-old girl, Aisholpan, a Kazakh nomad who bucks tradition to become an Eagle Huntress. And very possibly goes back to the old times, pre-Islam, when Mongol women had more autonomy. She does not rebel, there is no great teenage angst, there is a loving and supportive family. Her father is an Eagle Hunter, and undertakes her training, including the capture and raising of her own eagle.

Fantastic photography, heart-warming story, an interesting glimpse into another culture. Recommended for the entire family.

Trailer:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vfi5JS6HTH0

The Bride with White Hair

1993

1 hr 29 min

Chinese / English

Martial Arts

4 Stars

Enjoyable movie. A young boy saves a young goat and is then surrounded by wolves. A young girl calls off the wolves and saves him. Thus begins their improbable story of forbidden love, for the girl belongs to the conjoined and evil twins and the boy is the heir apparent of the (good) warlord. While the story may not be all that compelling, the photography and choreography and costuming surely are. If you enjoy Chinese fairy tales combined with martial arts (what could be better?) check out this movie!

Probably not for the youngsters.

Trailer http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106342/videoplayer/vi1820301849?ref_=tt_ov_vi

Shaolin

2011

2 hr 11 min

R

Chinese / English subtitles

Martial Arts

4 stars

More story than I expected, well done. A warlord who ambushes and kills his rival loses everything he ever loved or cared about, and ends up a fugitive who finds refuge in a Shaolin monastery. There he finds redemption. At least for a while.

Marvelous choreography, great fight scenes, just an over all first rate wuxia movie. A little long in places, but worth the time to watch. And Jackie Chan steals the show.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUF8_EhO6vU