Edwards Design Solutions

Life sucks. That truth, along with death and taxes, are inevitable and the mainstay of any pessimist. Any real optimist will tell you that bad things happen to everyone and things will get better. I don’t believe things get better for good. I believe that we all go through times of good and bad. Unfortunately, I feel my life has seen more bad than good. I’d like to believe that I will finally be going through some good times here soon.

If any of us were to list all the bad times, or bummers in life, one could easily become depressed to the point of considering suicide. But the good times don’t always happen to us specifically, they tend to happen to those around us. These occurrences can also have residual side effects to those of us who happen to be around those that the good things happen to. It’s kind of like having “good luck” rub off on you! But we can make our own luck, to enjoy some good times.

I am prepared to make my own luck, and good times, by living my dreams through my children. I have worked to try to provide the best for them and give them the things and stability I haven’t always enjoyed. One of the things I have always wanted, was to take Martial Arts. Well this last month, my oldest daughter started taking Mixed Martial Arts (mainly Japanese Karate). The really scary thing is, she’s already pretty good. She may only be a white belt, but all of her instructors are already complimenting her on her form and expertise. I can even see her ability and potential. She’s picking it up so fast.

But now my youngest is to begin gymnastics in September and she is ecstatic. Continue reading »

Rated: PG-13 for Martial Arts Action/Violence and brief Sexuality. 1hr. 25min.

I had the pleasure of watching Iron Monkey for the first time last night. I have once again been reminded why I love everything the amazing Yeun Woo-ping touches (i.e. Matrix, Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Kingdom, etc). The thing I respect most of the genre, is the un-abated display of the many actors’ and actresses’ Kung-fu. A great Kung-fu movie reminds me that I want to learn at least one style before I die. That style may most probably be Krav-Maga, for its readily accessible training facility where I live and for its relevance to today’s society and usefulness.

Of the Chinese culture, besides the highly respected discipline of Martial Arts and the complexity of its heritage, one of the most amazing things is its history. One of the greatest cultures and societies in the world, China also has some of the greatest folk-lore in both imaginary legends and real heroes of the times. Iron Monkey is a Hong Kong cinematic adaption of Wong Fei-Hung, one of the most recent and greatly loved folk heroes. There have been quite a few movies on the different aspects (and ages) of Fei-Hung’s life. Some of the most notable are the Once Upon a Time in China series, the Drunken Master series, the Eight Bandits (earliest) and many others; including Iron Monkey as the early years of his life. The total count of films that include Fei-Hung number into the hundreds!

Iron Monkey is included in the particular sub-genre of Kung-fu films being designated as “wire-fu” or “CG-fu”, but the momentum of the film and storyline kept me enthralled so that it was not as noticeable to me as some movies can be. I feel that the story is very well written, the acting is perfect and the fight scenes are impeccable. The following is a brief mash-up of the movie’s story and the history of Wong Fei-Hung: Continue reading »

R (for violence)- 1hr. 54min.

I have a new movie to write about! I have always loved kung-fu movies, but this one has more drama and less action. Most of the action doesn’t happen until the last third of the movie.

This has been recorded as the most expensive movie ever to come out of Beijing, with a $45 million production budget! Nothing is wasted when you see the elaborate sets, wardrobe and Chinese stars that are littered throughout this film. For those movie buffs like me, we always want to know how true a story is. This masterful retelling of a 1930′s chinese play is just that, a rewritten play. Continue reading »

PG-13 (for martial arts action, some violence) – 2hr. 35min.

I have just enjoyed watching the Forbidden Kingdom on the weekend, starring martial arts masters Jackie Chan and Jet Li. Many review sites, including Rotten Tomatoes, give the film mixed accolades as it was originally thought to be made as a serious Kung-Fu flick for adults. The truth is, it’s meant to be a family friendly fantasy.

A masterful retelling of the ancient Chinese folktale “Journey to the West” is not the goal of the Forbidden Kingdom, but it is the reproduction of a fanciful “dream” version the main character has of the old story. Of course who can blame the embellishments along the way, as is the norm from both Hollywood and Hong Kong story writers alike? This tall tale of the Monkey King is common among the yarns of the East and it is nearly as impressive as the fight sequences and the vast amounts of “Wire-Fu” that are common in Woo-ping Yuen films (i.e. Crouching Tiger, Matrix, Kill Bill).

But being westernized, the story smacks of a 1980′s “Neverending Story” remake, where a local boy (Michael Angarano) gets roughed up by bullies and forced to do things he wouldn’t normally do. Throw in the fact that he’s a lover of martial arts movies, with the dream of being anything more than the inept wannabe, and there is a new feel to an otherwise over-used main character story.

Of course the mundane becomes fantastic when he finds himself tossed head-long into one of the oldest eastern folktales, as the protagonist on his way to save the Monkey King, the Drunken Master and find his own enlightenment. He even learns his Kung-Fu along the way and finds a sweetheart to boot.

If you like Jackie and Jet, and don’t mind the nuances (or major flaws) of the main character, than you’ll enjoy the Forbidden Kingdom as much as I did and you won’t mind letting the kiddies watch either!