By 
THE ASSASSIN ***
Through the whispering of the winds rubbing the trees into the woods, a decisive meeting takes place, where a hired killer is given instructions for her next murderous task. In a previous take, shot in B&W, the angel-looking-like warrior exposes her tactical skills as she meticulously observes a prey, waits for the right moment and finally attacks. A few moments later, she clearly reveals evidences of weakness and disturbed emotions, allowing this discouragement to take control of her assignments. Her discipline, moral and loyalty will be tested as she’s been put in the middle of a war of interests between two political leaders in 9th Century’s China, surfacing memories from her past and connections she had lost through the battles. Winner of the Best Director award at Cannes, director Hou Hsiao-hsien composed a visually arresting film that penetrates as a meditative experience on human instincts, commitment and faithfulness. His magnificent lens captures images of astonishing beauty following his characters inside the palaces, into the forests, on top of the mountains, and on movements and choreography of the martial arts. Hsiao-hsien gives his first take on the martial-arts genre, a lyrical, mystical and suspenseful atmosphere, creating a sense of anxiety within the unexpected violence breaking the silence. Shu Qi is mysteriously gorgeous as the fearless femme fatale, and Chang Chen proves his sex-appeal as the quiet Emperor devoted to his family. With elements of Ang Lee’s masterpiece “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, incredibly honest performances and filled with breathtaking landscapes, Hsiao-hsien reinvents the aesthetic of the martial arts in cinema with a dominant delicacy. (Opens Friday at Film Society Lincoln Center, 165 West 65th Street NYC)
“TAXI” ****
Brilliant Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi defies his country’s severe dictatorial regime once again with this irreverent comedy. A blend of social-political exposé, fiction and documentary, he drives the vehicle himself, picking up strangers in the streets and with his hidden camera he collects throat-cutting testimonies about the pleasures and challenges of the Iranian daily life. Among the passengers, a bunch of weirdos, a bleeding groom, a thief, two confusing ladies, a social worker who helps young political prisoners and a hilarious black market salesman; and then, when he picks up his niece in school, and she demands his help to make her movie-project, based on the rules stated by censorship, he introduces his reflection, as someone struggling and battling to be heard and to accomplish the right of self-satisfaction. Winner of the Golden Bear in Berlin, Panahi remains strongly attached to his passion for the art and for the freedom of his people, risking his own life to let the world be aware of such injustices through his inspiring stories. (Playing at IFC Center, West 4th Street 6th Avenue NYC)
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