The Screengrab : the forbidden kingdom

Thursday Morning Poll for April 24, 2008

Paul Clark — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Forbidden Kingdom's battle between martial arts superstars Jet Li and Jackie Chan is one that has been fought many a time in the hearts and minds of kung fu fans the world over these past two decades. However, in the year 2008, it's clear from last week's poll that Jet reigns supreme. In our head-to-head battle between Li and Chan, Li racked up an impressive 62% of the vote, compared to 31% for Chan (8% believed it was too close to call). This was to be expected, I suppose- neither of them is in the shape they once were, but Jet was always more of an asskicker while Jackie was more into physical comedy. Still, to quote Vern from Stand by Me, "it'd be a good fight, though."

This week, a salute to one of Hollywood's hardest-working and most respected actors, Philip Seymour Hoffman. 2007 saw Hoffman give three of his most acclaimed performances, all of which have arrived on DVD in the past two weeks. While we wait for the continued Hoffman goodness 2008 is sure to bring (with both Charlie Kaufman's Synechdoche, New York and John Patrick Shanley's Doubt on the way), we urge you to choose your favorite Hoffman performance of last year.

As always, feel free to sound off in the comments.

Thursday Morning Poll for April 17, 2008

Paul Clark — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:00:00 GMT

You know what they say- timing is everything. So perhaps it was unfair of me to wonder after your favorite Paul Thomas Anderson a scant two days after the DVD release of There Will Be Blood. In the end, the film walked away with a victory in last week's poll, racking up an impressive 44% percent of the vote. Running neck and neck for the runner-up spot were Boogie Nights and Magnolia. The comparatively modest Punch-Drunk Love and Hard Eight- awesome though they are- just couldn't keep up.

This week, in advance this weekend's release of The Forbidden Kingdom, we settle the age-old question that the film itself attempts to answer: who would win?

If you want to be more specific about your answer- say, "Jet circa Black Mask" or "Jackie in his Project A/Police Story days" feel free. You know what to do.

Trailer Review: The Forbidden Kingdom

Paul Clark — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:00:00 GMT

Ten years ago, I would've been excited as hell at the prospect of a Jet Li/Jackie Chan movie. Alas, in the intervening decade these two stars have lost their luster — Jet's kept some of his dignity, but Jackie's become mostly a children's entertainer, and both have made some pretty subpar American vehicles. So I was kind of hoping that the Forbidden Kingdom trailer might rekindle some of that old glee, but alas, it didn't happen. For one thing, Chan and Li are the top-liners, but it looks like they're mostly in it to train a young kid, and an American no less, in the ways of kung fu. Laaaaaaaaaaame! Come on, we want to see these guys fight each other. Yeah, I know that Chan is way past his prime, and even in Chan's heyday Jet would've mopped the floor with him, but it would've been fun all the same, especially since Jackie's always funniest when he's clearly overmatched. Perhaps the trailer is misleading, but I really don't have much hope for the potential awesomeness of this. After all, how awesome could a martial-arts epic be when it's directed by the same guy who made The Haunted Mansion?