World-Class ëHeroí Zhang Yimou Directs Beautiful Martial-Arts Action Masterpiece by Ky N. Nguyen People have asked me lately what movie I would recommend they see. My answer has been unequivocally "Hero." After two years on the shelf, Miramax is finally releasing this mesmerizing, beautiful Academy Award-nominated martial-arts action flick. Despite being cut by Miramax for the international version, the film remains a must see. World-class filmmaker Zhang Yimou lives up to his threat to focus on making genre films. Heís leaving behind his relationship-focused dramas, often with former muse Gong Li, that garnered him international critical and commercial success: "Raise the Red Lantern," "Qiu Jiu," "Red Sorghum," among others. A former director of photography for Chen Kaige, Zhang has a keen visual sense. Still, he had the smarts to hire Hong Kong-based Australian Christopher Doyle (Wong Kar-Waiís regular photography director for "In the Mood for Love," "Chungking Express"), perhaps the worldís best cinematographer. The result is a jaw-dropping kinetic painting that leaves the viewer with vivid impressions of movement and color. The all-star cast includes Jet Li ("Once Upon a Time in China"), Tony Leung Chiu Wai ("In the Mood for Love"), Maggie Cheung Man Yuk ("In the Mood for Love"), Zhang Ziyi ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") and Donnie Yen ("Iron Monkey"). Their innate charisma and emotion seep beyond their restrained performances. As for the plot, the yet-to-be-crowned first emperor of China is under constant threat of assassination. The principal actors play lethal killers on the royal most-wanted list. If any of them succeed, the brutal king will fail to create the Qin Dynasty that unites the Chinese people, ironically bringing peace born out of the most violent of wars. "Hero (Ying Xiong)" (Mandarin with subtitles; 99 min.) is now playing at area theaters. Civil Disobedience in ëRosenstrasseí Most accounts of German citizenry during World War II indicate an obedient populace supporting the martial Nazi regime. In "Rosenstrasse," director Margarethe von Trotta presents an amazing exception. During the Rosenstrasse Womenís Protest, Aryan women in Berlin during WWII stood on the street outside an internment building to rally for their husbandsí freedom. The story begins with post-funeral mourning, featuring a grieving widow in modern-day New York City. The surprising disclosure of an unexpected guest prompts her daughter (Maria Schrader of "AimÈe & Jaguar") to investigate her motherís hidden past as a childhood Holocaust survivor in Berlin. Schrader and the other cast members give fine, convincing performances that refrain from excessive cheap melodrama. Von Trotta directs the structurally rich story with sensitivity, both in flashbacks and in the present. "Rosenstrasse" (German and English with subtitles; 136 min.) is now playing at the Avalon Theatre and Cinema Arts. 6 Million ëPaper Clipsí and Counting The surprisingly engaging documentary "Paper Clips" is another Holocaust-themed movie with a "happy" ending. Washington, D.C.-based director Joe Fab and Elliot Berlin create a heartfelt documentary in which every "talking head" emotes genuine feeling that seems refreshing rather than repetitive. The film details a remarkable experiment in Holocaust education, in which middle school students from Tennessee attempt to gather 6 million paper clips to conceptualize the number of Jews killed in the Holocaust. Whatís even more remarkable is the projectís origin, a rural "depressed" community with homogeneous demographics of nearly all white Protestants. What started as a lesson in diversity, inspired by an assistant principalís conference, ended up becoming a global phenomenon fueled by media coverage. Millions of paper clips poured into the school, prompting the students to create a permanent Holocaust memorial in the most unexpected of settings. "Paper Clips" (English and German with subtitles; 80 min.) opens Fri., Sept. 10. Siamese ëBraveheartí The thrilling Thai war film "Bang Rajan" will of course draw comparisons to last yearís "Suriyothai" by Prince Chatrichalerm Yukol. Both cover legendary accounts of Siamese heroism against an invading Burmese army and were big box office hits at home. Although the U.S. releases of both were significantly streamlined, "Bang Rajan" ends up being only half the length of "Suriyothai" on American screens. With "Bang Rajan," director Thanit Jitnukul skips the melodrama in the royal court, as the story centers on common villagers. The action involves the epic war between the Burmese and Siamese empires in 1765. In a plot reminiscent of "Braveheart," a small village manages the unlikely feat of holding off 100,000 Burmese troops advancing on the Siamese capital. The tale is embedded in the Thai nationalistic pride. Jitnukul chooses to go the ultra-realistic route, putting so-called real battle scenes from "Saving Private Ryan" to shame. Third-World filmmaking standards and costs result in cheap labor, a lack of Western safety standards, and low special effects budgets. That in turn results in a cast of thousands doing a lot of actual fighting thatís hard to fake. "Bang Rajan" (Thai with subtitles; 71 min.) opens Fri., Sept. 3 at Landmarkís E Street Cinema. A Yakuza Horror Although prolific Japanese director Takashi Miike ("Audition") is best known for his shocking horror films, he actually dabbles in a variety of genres. With "Gozu," Miike uniquely blends supernatural horror with the traditional Yakuza gangster flick. Yakuza member Ozaki has been behaving so strangely that the head of the clan is fed up. Minami is ordered to kill his big brother Ozaki, whoís saved Minamiís life. Ozakiís corpse disappears, kicking off a macabre ghost story with bizarre happenings. Miike certainly succeeds in shocking the audience, making the cinema of David Lynch seem mainstream by comparison. More than simply a splatter movie hack, Miikeís daring innovation has placed him on the international festival and art house circuit. "Gozu (GokudÙ kyÙfu dai-gekijÙ: Gozu)" (Japanese with subtitles; 129 min.) opens Fri., Sept. 10 at Landmarkís E Street Cinema. Repertory Notes On Sept. 4 to 5, the National Gallery of Art presents Raymond Depardon: Profiles From the Road, featuring documentary films of "difficult locales" and "hot spots." From Sept. 11 to 25, The Extraordinary Mr. Barnet series features early Soviet comedies by actor-director Boris Barnet. ((202) 842-6799, www.nga.gov/programs/film.htm) On Sept. 7, the National Museum of Women in the Arts presents Depardonís first feature film: "Empty Quarter: A Woman in Africa." Beginning Sept. 21, Korean Cinema Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow features films by Korean women filmmakers. ((202) 783-5000, www.nmwa.org/calendar) The Korean Film Festival D.C. begins Sept. 16 at the Freer Gallery of Art. A highlight on Sept. 17 is Hong Sang-sooís "Woman Is the Future of Man," in competition at Cannes in 2004. On Sept. 25, the Panel Discussion: The Past, Present, and Future of Korean Cinema includes distinguished Korean filmmakers and film scholars. (202) 357-2700, www.asia.si.edu/events/films.asp) Ky N. Nguyen is the film reviewer for The Washington Diplomat.