Time To Lift The Curse

So, I'm thinking to myself, this could be a long and arduous task for me, and the people who hear my stories, to constantly be subjected to long posts about trailers of underwhelming movies. That's why I think it's a wise idea to offer up at least one positive view on a teaser trailer to break the monotony of my own assholishness. I feel it's at least my duty to do that much. Besides, it's not just you who thinks my cynacism gets a little grating. This is as much for me as it is for you. Nevertheless, don't get too used to me being in a leniant and praising mood.

Ok, so whatever. I've dug into the archives and selected one of my true recent favourites, the teaser trailer to Curse of the Golden Flower. To many suboridinates, just another foreign movie with Mandarin dialect with tiny men flying about Ancient China like teetering sparrows. To them, all these melt into one undesirable and subtitled bore. But for me, this is like, the highlight of any blessed movie year. The release of a new Zhang Yimou film.

And to say his films are visually stunning would be the understatement of the decade, while even the description of the scope of said understatement would be an understatement in itself. Zhang Yimou is a poet, his cinematographer is his pen, the world is his flow of words and sounds. It really is a breathtaking experience, and I'm not just saying that because English teachers dictated me to think as such. There really is balletic and artistic beauty to pretty much every element of Yimou's film choices. And the brief showcase of concise footage shown in the Curse of the Golden Flower teaser will show you exactly what I mean if you havent had the pleasure of seeing Yimou's latest films, Hero, House of Flying Daggers and Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles (which has yet to be released here).

Filled with all the fluidity, symmetry, colour and spectacle that has come to be expected, this is sure to be a one fucking awesome film. Chow Yun Fat and Gong Li are safe, yet extremely established and smart casting choices. There is an epic feel that is strong in a lot of Zhang Yimou's works, but traditionally, storylines are rather simple, and that often juxtaposes what is seen with what is taken in. However, Yimou's films, Curse included it seems, succeeds in being a rich cinematic experience, something that is hard to come by these days. And with this being the most expensive movie in Chinese history, how can one not expect great things!?

AND if anyone can deny being at least a little excited when seeing that huge army wielding unsheathed swords, running towards the camera, then I pity what little of your soul is left.

Curse of the Golden Flower - Sony Pictures Classics
Anticipation Level: Very high.
Look out for: All the gorgeous visuals. There are so so many. I mentioned the army charge. There's the ninjas flying through the canyon, Yun Fat as the badass looking king. There's also an unusual amount of rapid cleavage shots, if that's your thing.
US Release date: 22nd December, 2006.
Trailer Source