Two highly anticipated movies, one that's delayed (again), and another getting ready to storm theaters in just over a week, so let's get to it…
Originally slated to hit theaters in China this month, Wong Kar-Wai's "The Grandmaster" has been delayed yet again, and is now set to arrive on January 8, 2013. But it seems everyone is certain this date will stick, as the promo for the movie continues to roll out in full force, dropping yet another featurette that we wish had English subtitles. It's another peek behind the movie, and this one is probably worth watching if only to witness Tony Leung — who plays the titular Ip Man — break a board by punching it. Awesome.
Next up is a 13-minute helping of Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," providing lots of new footage, cast interviews and more. The 48fps thing is still up in the air with critics, and oddly enough, the buzz is a bit underwhelming on this entry in the new Tolkien trilogy (though we're not sure why people are suddenly having an issue with length after a trio of three-hour movies from the filmmaker). But according to our review, once the film gets to the action setpieces, you will not be disappointed.
Check out both featurettes below. [WongKarWai/The Film Stage]
Ugh, that looks painful. You have to admire Leung, Zhang and Chang's patience and dedication to their work. I think to be in a Kar Wai film you need all of that and more.
The take-home message from the "Grandmasters" featurette is that all the martial arts consultants believe Wong's film will get to the soul of what each martial arts style is about. It's interesting because these consultants(who are also master practitioners of their craft) speak very passionately – as if they have actually seen the movie.