Outlander - Series, Season 1

2014 Season 1

8 episodes (2 discs)

5 Stars

I read the first Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon, as they came out years ago, and have been reading them since. I figured it had been long enough, I could see and enjoy someone else's interpretation. I was right. This series is delightful, and it will be difficult to wait until next year for Season Two. Claire Randall Frazier accidentally tumbles through a stone in the Highlands of Scotland from 1945 where she is on a second honeymoon with her husband after WWII into the war-torn countryside of Scotland of 1743. The costumes are magnificent, though probably not all that historically accurate, and the kilts are a tad long. Sigh. Some nudity, some sex, some violence. Probably not for Family Night at the movies, unless you're prepared to have discussions with the wee bairns. Wonderful scenery.

Trailer

Once Upon A Time in China, Part 1

Once Upon a Time in China

Mandarin, English subtitles

1991, 134 Minutes

5 Stars

This story, based on the life of Wong Fei-Hung (Jet Li), takes place when the Foreign Devils (Europeans) are moving into China and carving it into their own colonies. The story is from the Chinese perspective of this era, and shows how fiercely they wanted to preserve their culture against the onslaught of Westernization. If you are an aficionado of Martial Arts movies, this is one to watch! Wong Fei-Hung was a martial artist, a physician, an acupuncturist and a revolutionary. Jet Li has one of the best lines (and all of the really good fights) when he says, "You can't fight guns with kung fu!" Marvelous costuming, fantastic fight scenes, and, of course, Jet Li;-) (Rainy Day likes Jet Li, can you tell?) Part 2 & 3 are in her queue!

For a 3 minute trailer of Part 1, click here. There are several sites with information about this national hero, click here for the Wong Fei-Hung site.

47 Ronin

47 Ronin

Japanese, English subtitles

1994, 129 Minutes

3 Stars

Many reviewers on Netflix rated this movie at 2 or 3 stars.  There is another movie out, about the same history that Rainy Day has not yet seen, Chushingura. 47 Ronin is a typical story of Samurai revenge, with a great deal of time spent on character development, and not so much on action, culminating at the end with the requisite sword battle. The photography, for the most part, was the most engaging except for the final battle, which took place at night, and much of it inside, and was just too dark to see and fully enjoy. If you have a bad cold, and don't want to tax your brain with 'thinking' movie, this is fine.  There are many samurai movies out there that are better. Good acting, good look into the life of Samurai. Based on history.