Hero

As most of you know, I am a movie fan. I love going to the movies. I love watching movies on television. I love watching movies on DVD. Yes... I even love watching Freddie Prinze Jr. movies. (Side note -- a friend of a friend was just cast in a bit part in a Freddie Prinze Jr. movie. I have to go pretend to be her boyfriend so I can meet him.)

Movies are released and there is a certain amount of hype that they are released around. Often times, the movie meets the hype and or exceeds it. Most of the time however...the movie fails to meet the hype and muh expectations created by the hype.

A couple of examples of the latter include:

Garden State -- It was a good movie but not as tremendous as everyone made it sound.
Jurassic Park -- Ok... fake dinosaurs... I get it... I get it...
Titanic -- This was an overly blown up movie that basically took 3 hours to tell me... yeah... you can love a fat girl.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon -- Good movie again... but still... something missing.
Men in Black 1& 2 -- WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT CRAP?!!?!?!?

There are also some movies that are better than the hype

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind -- It got good reviews but far exceeded my expectations.
Blair Witch Project -- Yes... the movie itself is a poor movie..but the payoff was tremendous the first time I watched it. I knew there was a twist... but it still got me.
Singing in the Rain -- I really really really didn't want to like it... it is a top tenner.

and Hero.

Hero is the new import from China that features Jet Li. It is set over 2000 years ago and is one of the most gorgeous movies I have ever seen. The fight sequences were tremendous and really something that needs to be seen on the big screen. I am not ruining anything for you but the fight scene where the two women are fighting in the autumn leaves is still breathtaking...some 3 days later.

I read some of the reviews and they described the movie as a masterpiece in filmmaking. They described the film as perfection in directing and cinematography and dammit -- they are 100% correct. The colors are brilliant. The acting is understated. The action sequences are phenomenal, fantastical, and elegant. (Yes... elegant...the movie barely pulls a PG-13 rating. It could be PG.)

If you have/had any interest in seeing this movie, you should..and you should do it on the big screen. It is simply gorgeous.