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Movie Review: Kung Fu Hustle (Gong fu)
Director: Stephen Chow
Cast: Stephen Chow, Yuen Wah, Yuen Qui, Shengyi Huang, Leung Siu Lung
Theater: Muvico Egyptian 24, Hanover, MD

Writer/director/producer/star Stephen Chow's homage to the classic Shaw Brothers kung fu films of the '60s and '70s is the most visually inventive film since Amélie. Fans of martial arts films will love every frame of this film and its deft combination of highly kinetic action sequences, campy comedy, and touching romance. The story takes place in the gang-ruled Shanghai of the 1930's. Chow plays a street beggar who wants to be a gangster, if only so he could be someone important. He starts impersonating a gangster and acting tough. His hijinx result in an escalating conflict between the dominant gang and the residents of the poorest neighborhood in Shanghai, Pig Sty Alley. The story is actually very clever and my description simply cannot do it justice. Suffice it to say that the characters and the roles they play in the story are constantly evolving and will keep you guessing up until the climax. In addition to many classic kung fu film references, Chow's film also references The Matrix, Road Runner/Wile E. Coyote cartoons, Kubrick's The Shining, and Ghostbusters. This film may not be for everyone, but I think a lot of people who aren't fans of the martial arts genre would still enjoy it. Kung Fu Hustle is one of the best movies I've seen so far this year and certainly the most enjoyable.