The Grandmaster

This achingly beautiful film tells of the merging of various schools of Kung Fu from about 1930 into the 50s.  It follows the life of Ip Man, the Wing Chun master as he must meet the challenges of the up and coming masters.  These episodes are illustrated with exquisitely choreographed fight scenes, each introduced with an explanation of the style and philosophy.  I was reminded often of the work of Peter Greenway and his painterly approach to art direction.  There are several tableaux of such striking beauty you know they were constructed with finesse and intellect.  This is Wang Kar Wei's first martial arts film and he took several years to bring it to fruition.  This is a must see for anyone interested in martial arts [Ip Man was Bruce Lee's Master] history and legacy, but it is also a perfect 2 hours of true art and beauty.