Kung Fu Hustle

I watched Shaolin Soccer for the first time last week, and I already fell in love with writer, director and star Stephen Chow. The movie was filled with physical comedy, but it was about soccer, so it remembered me of Captain Tsubasa, one of my favorites anime series from my childhood. It was like a dream come true seeing something onscreen that was kind of like it. And since last week I've been pumped to see Chow's next work, Kung Fu Hustle, and it didn't disappoint, in fact, it's one of the best movies I've seen so far this year, and one that's probably going to be a classic for me.

The characters are amazing, from Landlord and Landlady of Pig Sty City to the Taylor to the Axe Gang to the Beast to the Lollipop Girl and finally to Stephen Chow's Sing. And they have powers, different ones, and they way they use them and are revealed, just excellent. That's when this remembered me of Dragon Ball Z, another of my favorite anime series, because there are kung fu masters, and super kung fu masters, and ever more.

The story is simple, happening in China in the 40s, where we have the all powerful Axe Gang (they look like Kill Bill's Crazy 88s) battling the people of Pig Sty City, normal and peaceful people, most of them at least. So when the Axe guys get their asses kicked (and not know by who exactly), they decide to get the #1 Killers to help them, and after more fights, The Beast (who's the real #1 on the killers list only he was in jail) is also battling and that's when new fighters are born, and powers are awakened, and it all becomes a big masterful clash of mighty forces.

Stephen Chow is one step away of becoming my favorite filmmaker, it all depends if his next movie is something even close to armor-wearing fighters, the signs of the zodiac, and Greek mythology (it's possible, I just know it), but right now, he already is one of my favorites, because his movies are funny, exciting, full of fantastic characters, and most important, his movies are fun. Watching Kung Fu Hustle with mostly a college crowd was probably the most fun I've had at a movie in years, if not ever.