The Green Hornet

M and I went to see The Green Hornet this afternoon, and let me say this about that: I am in love with Jay Chou, who plays Kato in this movie. He's brilliant at his part and dead sexy (no offense meant to Seth Rogan, but even with all the lost weight, he's still not dead sexy. Jay Chou, on the other hand, is). Of course, a quick Google session assures me that I'm telling you something that a very large number of people already know - you see, Jay Chou is also a huge pop star in Asia. From Taiwan, he's known all over China, where he's made movies and music videos and modeled and more.

Seth Rogan co-wrote and co-produced this movie, and I hand him massive props for not shying away from writing a role for himself in which he essentially comes across as a dick for much of the film. I would think that the temptation might be to tame that down, if one is writing a role for oneself, yet Rogan doesn't. He just puts it all out there, unattractive though it might be, and it is that sort of commitment to a role that makes me a happy filmgoer.

The gadgets are awesome (the Batmobile has nothing on the car in this movie), and Kato's insistence on being a partner and not merely a sidekick is awesome. There is a brief tribute to Bruce Lee, the original Kato, within the film itself, as he is seen in one of his movie roles on TV.

The film opens with James Franco, a small-time meth-dealer, standing up to Christoph Waltz, the crime boss in L.A., and it's all completely awesome. Incredibly violent, as well, so anyone thinking of taking small children might want to think again, is what I'm saying. And there's language. And violence.

But oh, the gadgets. And the chemistry between Rogan and Chou is awesome. And the chemistry between Cameron Diaz (as Lenore, a savvy secretary) and Chou isn't bad either. So many great lines. So many great stunts. Such great costuming (no tights or capes, either). And, of course, Jay Chou: