Don't expect a long life if you are one of the emperor's fourteen sons! For instance, Ninth Prince meets an "accident" while hunting. The (unnamed) Manchu emperor is old and ill, and speculation about his successor is rife. But the powerful Lord Long, who is not a son of the emp, wants the throne as well. To stay alive, Fourth Prince keeps secret his kung fu lessons and plays the fool. Fourth Prince then leaves palace life to live among the poor. He befriends a ragged band on commoners and, eventually, returns to the palace to prevent Lord Long's rise to the throne after the last prince is killed.
From its visually stunning opening credits, which show women dancing through a forest to musical rhythms that sound almost primal, to its quiet, heartbreaking final frame, Mona Fastvold’s historical rendering of the Shaker religious movement is an experience that will stay with me for a long time.
So with the recent (rightful) public apologies to Britney from comedians and media for trashing her image in the 2000s, perhaps some people should also give Crossroads the fair chance it deserves. It won't be everyone's cup of tea, and that is fine. Personally, I will take my girl Britney and her movie, over the next testosterone "Dude Flick" any day.
I was able to sit down and talk with up and coming producer and director Ryan Polomski who talked about his latest project Raymond Lewis: LA Legend. It's a documentary about basketball star Raymond Lewis and here is what I found out.
“And I think to myself….what a wonderful world”. Louis Armstrong sang about this notion via his classic 1967 song, an ode to witnessing elements of our life that should be but some reminders of exactly what that concluding line of each verse indicates. Now we see our contemporary realities and, just being honest, it makes a sentiment like this seem SO overtly far away….perhaps even impossible….to accept or believe could be. It sounds harsh, but again, so much of what is occurring speaks not to beauty, but bedlam.
If you’re looking for an engaging female-led film that touches on the genres of action, drama, and thriller, look no further than Le-Van Kiet’s "Furie".
For a troubled teen, Will discovers what is important in life when he attends a summer camp: the people who care about his well being.
