Just saw Shaolin Soccer

[MAME]

Pretty different from what I thought. Entertaining though, just a little surprising that there was almost no soccer in the movie. I was expecting more of a competition leading to the final game...or at least more detailed games. It was also pretty random too...like they didn't have a single goal in mind when they wrote the script.

Anyway, what was the general consensus about it? Was it from the early 90's, because when that girl got dressed up, she looked out of date!

 

[hawkeye81x]

2001 Release
Film was ok. Nothing too amazing. Everything way over the top as I expected.

 

[DanTMWTMP]

Originally posted by: MAME
Pretty different from what I thought. Entertaining though, just a little surprising that there was almost no soccer in the movie. I was expecting more of a competition leading to the final game...or at least more detailed games. It was also pretty random too...like they didn't have a single goal in mind when they wrote the script.

Anyway, what was the general consensus about it? Was it from the early 90's, because when that girl got dressed up, she looked out of date!

it was entertaining hehe....they coudl've had more matches though...agree w/ that.......about the girl being dressed up.......she had a bad makeover person do it....and the results were out of date and horrible...film was made in late 90's or 2000 or later? forgot...was pretty recent....

EDIT:

l hawkeye confirms it...2001

 

[helpme]

I liked god of Cookery better.

 

[thereds]

I just watched it yesterday as well.

Fair movie with a few genuinely funny parts.

*** out of 5

 

[Ikonomi]

My score: 4.5 soccer balls out of 5. I thrive on this kind of stuff.

I believe Shaolin Soccer is from 2001? That chick's clothes were just scary. It pissed me off that you never got to see her looking normal and pretty -- she goes from acne-d up to '80s China to bald.

Out of curiosity, which version did you see, the Hong Kong or US DVD? I've never seen the US Miramax one, but I hear/it looks like some stuff was cut.

I loved the movie. It was crazy as hell and didn't make you think. It reminded me of DragonBall Z on a soccer field, to some extent. Most of the special effects were stunning, and it was really well paced and genuinely funny. Each brother's personality was excellent and really came through. The random musical number was great -- not laugh out loud ha ha ha funny to me, but the kind of funny that makes you sit there with a stupid smile on your face. Good stuff. The way they incorporated kung fu training into soccer was awesome, too. I don't think anyone ever thought of using or portraying iron leg or weight vest training like that, until this movie.

The main character reminds me a lot of Onizuka from the Japanese Great Teacher Onizuka drama, just without the moral lessons.

Overall, it's a pretty feel-good movie with a whole lot of quirk that makes it really wonderful to watch. I have to admit that I was a little disappointed with the ending. I don't remember what specifically let me down, but I think there should have been something more. Of course, I feel the same about most Hong Kong movies I see, and in this case, it wasn't enough to outweigh the awesomeness that was the rest of the movie.

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: helpme
I liked god of Cookery better.

your kidding right? thats the kind of hk movie that makes me embarassed to be chinese.

shaolin soccer beats it by a mile. fun little cheesy movie.

still waiting for hero to be released in the us.. grr

 

[MAME]

I saw the 2001 date but was that the US version or the original? I thought the original could be been much older (like Iron Monkey or something....) so I wasn't sure

 

[MAME]

Originally posted by: Ikonomi
My score: 4.5 soccer balls out of 5. I thrive on this kind of stuff.

I believe Shaolin Soccer is from 2001? That chick's clothes were just scary. It pissed me off that you never got to see her looking normal and pretty -- she goes from acne-d up to '80s China to bald.

Out of curiosity, which version did you see, the Hong Kong or US DVD? I've never seen the US Miramax one, but I hear/it looks like some stuff was cut.

I loved the movie. It was crazy as hell and didn't make you think. It reminded me of DragonBall Z on a soccer field, to some extent. Most of the special effects were stunning, and it was really well paced and genuinely funny. Each brother's personality was excellent and really came through. The random musical number was great -- not laugh out loud ha ha ha funny to me, but the kind of funny that makes you sit there with a stupid smile on your face. Good stuff. The way they incorporated kung fu training into soccer was awesome, too. I don't think anyone ever thought of using or portraying iron leg or weight vest training like that, until this movie.

The main character reminds me a lot of Onizuka from the Japanese Great Teacher Onizuka drama, just without the moral lessons.

Overall, it's a pretty feel-good movie with a whole lot of quirk that makes it really wonderful to watch. I have to admit that I was a little disappointed with the ending. I don't remember what specifically let me down, but I think there should have been something more. Of course, I feel the same about most Hong Kong movies I see, and in this case, it wasn't enough to outweigh the awesomeness that was the rest of the movie.

Good call. I saw the US version but it DID have the dance number in there so it wasn't totally cut. The HK version was 20 minutes longer according to IMDB.com so who knows what was changed. I guess at the end end, the main character hooked up with the girl huh? I couldn't tell from the pic on the Time mag but I presume they became an item afterwards.

I have seen many of the GTO's and I guess there's some simularities...but not a whole lot. The main character wasn't much of a clutz or an idiot like Onizuka.

I think it's funny that the other 5 players (the non-brothers) didn't do crap...even the SUPER skinny guy who gave the main character 30 cents in the beginning.

 

[yukichigai]

Just watched it this weekend. I thought it was damn funny, though slightly jumpy in plot development sometimes. It had some of the best scene transitions I've ever seen though. And yes, I thought when the girl had her makeover she looked really really bad. Worse than before.

Before that I watched Mura... Mira... erm, can't remember, but I know it's the highest-budget Korean film ever made. It's about the Korean envoy that gets sent to negotiate with China and winds up being blamed for the death of the Chinese envoy, so they decide to save a kidnapped princess to show they're still good folks. The guy with the spear -- Yeosol I think -- was a complete badass. The movie was really good.

P.S. I can't read chinese (yet) so I couldn't decypher the credits, but I noticed the name Terry Chan in there. I thought the villian looked remarkably like Jackie Chan; was he played by Terry Chan? Are they brothers or cousins or something?

 

[TallBill]

lol, I wasn't a big fan at all. but thats just me.

 

[Ikonomi]

Good call. I saw the US version but it DID have the dance number in there so it wasn't totally cut. The HK version was 20 minutes longer according to IMDB.com so who knows what was changed. I guess at the end end, the main character hooked up with the girl huh? I couldn't tell from the pic on the Time mag but I presume they became an item afterwards.

Yeah, I can only assume they got together. I dunno what else could have possibly happened. I'd like to find a list of what Miramax cut for the US release... I shall Google.

I have seen many of the GTO's and I guess there's some simularities...but not a whole lot. The main character wasn't much of a clutz or an idiot like Onizuka.

I'd have to watch the movie again to see what gave me that impression, but I can't find my DVD right now. Maybe it was the way he handled karate girl, or maybe I just think all Asians with the same build are alike. I don't know.

I think it's funny that the other 5 players (the non-brothers) didn't do crap...even the SUPER skinny guy who gave the main character 30 cents in the beginning.

Haha, that guy... Well, what can they do? They're just normal dudes who begged to join this team of Shaolin-trained brothers with crazy abilities. Maybe they were just there to give the team enough people to join the big competition; I dunno!

Edit: And I should clarify that I meant the SFX were stunning in a completely insane, cartoony sort of way that fit the movie. Some of them were great, and some were just grating (weirdly-animated guys flying through the air after being hit by the ball).

 

[HiTek21]

Did that movie ever come out in theatres? I kept seeing previews and posters but it never saw any theatre in LA with it.

 

[yukichigai]

Oh yes, the copy I watched had a special version you could watch as well, with a few extra scenes. That's probably why there's a 20-minute discrepancy.

 

[Ikonomi]

Was the pulling-down-underwear part in the US version? Dang, I need to refresh my memory of this movie so I can talk all smarty about it.

 

[MAME]

I think it's funny that the other 5 players (the non-brothers) didn't do crap...even the SUPER skinny guy who gave the main character 30 cents in the beginning.

Haha, that guy... Well, what can they do? They're just normal dudes who begged to join this team of Shaolin-trained brothers with crazy abilities. Maybe they were just there to give the team enough people to join the big competition; I dunno!

Lol, yeah. Just to have 11 players. It was great when they played the first game and the guy scored two goals really fast.

 

[andylawcc]

MAME: did you watch the English or Cantonese version?
I am VERY curious how well did English version transulate the jokes and humor... i mean, those jokes only makes sense when spoken in Cantonese.. (not even in Mandarin).


anyway, as popular concensus confirm, I think it IS the best performance by Stephen Chow in years. God of Cookery is not bad too. King of Comedy is CRAP! UTTER CRAP!
I still enjoy his good old one where he swears ALOT!

 

[gunblade]

Originally posted by: andylawcc
MAME: did you watch the English or Cantonese version?
I am VERY curious how well did English version transulate the jokes and humor... i mean, those jokes only makes sense when spoken in Cantonese.. (not even in Mandarin).


anyway, as popular concensus confirm, I think it IS the best performance by Stephen Chow in years. God of Cookery is not bad too. King of Comedy is CRAP! UTTER CRAP!
I still enjoy his good old one where he swears ALOT!

I watched both Mandarin and Cantonese version(I am kind of suck in Cantonese). I think the difference is minor except that the mouth shaping sometime don't match the sound. However, I do agree that in order to really enjoy the movie, Cantonese version is the way to go.

 

[StageLeft]

I give the movie 2/5, but I've not seen it, so I base this on a single ad I was forced to endure at best buy.

 

[andylawcc]

cool, glad to know that the Mandarin version work out fine... (I've watch it myself)


anyways, anyone watched the group-sing/dance (maybe an extra scene in the DVD) it is SOOOOOOOOOO tacky.....

 

[FrugalGuy]

A bit off topic I just saw a asiandiscs.com selling Infernal affairs 3 for $19.99

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: FrugalGuy
A bit off topic I just saw a asiandiscs.com selling Infernal affairs 3 for $19.99

whao? DVD or VCD?

(ack.... could have checked myself)

anyway, I saw it today in TST for sell, $79 HK dollars (roughly 10 US) for 4-disc pack. $45 (7 US) for 2-disc.

 

[Jeraden]

I loved Shaolin Soccer. Awesome movie!

 

[dethman]

is this out in theaters now? i watched the english translation and the funny stuff just does not translate over. too bad.

 

[Nitemare]

Where do you rent this movie from, it's been in my netflix queue as unreleased forever.