InFilm to Watch: Chak De! India (2007)

Chak De! India (2007)

Disgraced field hockey champion Kabir Khan volunteers to teach the women's national field hockey team – a position that most regard as a joke or cushy government job. The girls are all from different areas of India, proud of their individual accomplishments and unwilling to work as a team. Kabir does his best to unite the girls, even pitting them against him, but nothing works until he is about to leave and the girls defend one of their teammates from some sexual harassment. Then they must prove themselves to the Association in order to receive funding to attend the World Championship in Australia by playing the Men's field hockey team. Will they be able to defeat the men and go to the World Championship? If they do, will they be able to make a name for India while in Australia?

*This is your typical ragtag sports team story, but it was interesting to see how another country portrayed the issues common in a competitive sport. Entertaining. I might watch this again.*

ChFilm to Watch: Shaolin Soccer (2001)

Shaolin Soccer (2001)

Crippled, former soccer star Fung is humiliated by former teammate Hung and is determined to seek revenge. Fung then meets kung fu master Sing who wants nothing more than to promote Shaolin kung fu because he thinks it can benefit any and all who use it. Fung then gets the idea to use Shaolin kung fu in soccer as a way to beat Hung, and he convinces Sing to find and recruit his kung fu brothers. Will they be able to defeat Hung's team and promote the Shaolin way of life?

*This was a silly little film, with very slapstick, exaggerated and clearly CGI effects. Fun and clean. It comes with English captions, but the script is half Mandarin, half Cantonese – similar to the Indian films that are part Hindi, part English. Good for a giggle, might watch again.*