" It's an epic that breaks the laws of gravity. " New York Times " Over 100 critics name it the best picture of the year！" 10 Academy Award Nominations including best picture， best director， best adapted screenplay！People's Choice Award at 2000 Toronto Film Festival！
The reviews are out and there's a loud buzz in Hollywood.Who would have thought a subtitled， foreign language kung-fu movie would make it into mainstream American cinema and all the way to the Oscars？ Hooray1 for us！
Regardless of what the Academy members have in mind for Crouching Tiger， Hidden Dragon， the votes have come in from the American public and there is no question that we are head over heels2 in love with this soulful and romantic，energetic yet serene，feminist and gusty3 master epic.
TIME ＆ PLACE
One of the reasons why people flock4 to movies is to be transported5 to unfamiliar times and places. Crouching Tiger， Hidden Dragon certainly takes its viewers on a scenic and breathtaking6 journey into China's ancient past and through the country's best landscapes.
These exotic settings greatly add to the aesthetic7 appeal of the movie. Americans are not only pulled into the story but are also fascinated by the incredible scenery.
LOVE STORY
My mother once said， " Michelle， always remember to include love in every story you write. Not just love between men and women but love between friends， between parents and children， between brother and sister， between teachers and students， between men and nature." No doubt， love is universal. It's the international language through which Crouching Tiger， Hidden Dragon speaks to all cultures. Although many consider Crouching Tiger， Hidden Dragon to be foremost an excellent kung-fu movie， the story depicts many forms of love， the most memorable of which is the poignant8 romance between the two star-crossed lovers played by Chow Yun-fat and Michelle Yeoh.They are childhood sweethearts who because of unfortunate circumstances never managed to consummate their affection for each other until it's too late. （Every culture has a famous couple that tells this story.）
To Americans， love is passion and we must express it loudly， strongly and intensely. But in my opinion， love that stands the test of time is without words， without ceremony or grand gestures. It is in those quiet moments of gentle hand-holding and soft， tender gazes between the actors that best convey their characters' love for each other. Now， that's romance in the traditional Chinese style. And Americans are swooning9.
POETIC ACTION
Oh， yes. Americans are suckers for10 action flicks that are infamous for senseless explosions， car chases， bar brawls11， shootouts. These action sequences are often messy， violent and bloody. So when we see two lithe12 women leaping from wall to wall and vaulting13 from treetop to treetop， like Fred Astaire dancing on air， we realize that action can be adrenaline14 charged and wonderfully poetic at the same time. I remember the audience bursting into applause after every bout15 of the superbly choreographed16 fight sequence.
WOMAN WARRIORS
Fragile， submissive17， demure18 and mysterious. That's how some Americans think of Asian women. But what they don't know is that behind the porcelain19 masks， these soft， delicate women can wield a sword and throw a punch20 better than the best-trained soldiers.Much of the fighting in this film is done by its female figures. One of the most memorable images of this movie is Zhang Ziyi balancing on a bending branch at the top of a bamboo forest with Chow Yun fat. She reminds us of those lyrical tree nymphs in Greek mythology.
It won four Oscars at the 73rd annual Academy Awards. One thing is for sure， a Chinese director and his crew， along with a group of topnotch21 Chinese actors have taken one of the corner stone genres in Chinese cinema into the heart of another culture. And we should feel very proud， indeed！
听我们咆哮，看我们翱翔
《纽约时报》评论说："它是一部打破引力定律的史诗般的影片。""100多位评论家称之为'年度最佳影片'！"获奥斯卡金像奖10项提名，其中包括最佳影片、最佳导演和最佳改编剧本奖。获2000年多伦多电影节"大众喜爱奖".
评论铺天盖地，好莱坞也反响热烈！谁能想到，这部加字幕的外语功夫片能进入美国主流影院，并一路问鼎奥斯卡？为我们喝彩吧！
不管奥斯卡金像奖评委们怎么看《卧虎藏龙》，美国公众可是投了它的票，而且毫无疑问，我们被这部饶有兴味的史诗大片迷得神魂颠倒了。这部影片情感深切、浪漫传奇、活力充沛而又宁静平和，它还主张男女平等。
时间和地点
人们纷纷拥入影院的原因之一是因为被带入了陌生的时代和地点。《卧虎藏龙》确实把观众带回了中国古代，踏上一段风景优美、激动人心的旅程，领略了中国最秀丽的风光。
这些充满异国情调的场景大大增加了影片的美感。美国人不仅故事看得入迷，还陶醉在这不可思议的美景中。
爱情故事
我母亲曾对我说，"米歇尔，一定要记住你写的每个故事都应包含爱。不只是男女之爱，还要写朋友之间、父母与子女之间、兄弟姐妹之间、师生之间、人与自然之间的爱。"毋庸置疑，爱是普遍存在的。《卧虎藏龙》正是通过这种通用语言与所有文化沟通。尽管许多人认为《卧虎藏龙》首先是部极好的功夫片，但影片描写了多种形式的爱，其中最令人难忘的是周润发和杨紫琼扮演的那对不幸恋人间辛酸的浪漫。他们是青梅竹马的恋人，由于时运不济未能使相互的感情实现圆满，后来可又为时已晚了。（每种文化都有这么一对著名的恋人演绎着同样的故事。）
对美国人来说，爱是激情，要大声表达，强烈而热切。但依我之见，经得起时间考验的爱是无需言语的，也不需要仪式或大事张扬。这种爱体现在演员轻柔的牵手和脉脉温情的亲切凝视那些无言的时刻里，这最佳地传达了片中人物相互之间的爱。而正是这种传统的中国式浪漫，使得美国人为之心醉神迷。
诗意的动作
噢，是的。美国人对那些差劲蹩脚的动作片一向很入迷，尽是那些无意义的爆炸、追车场面、酒吧斗殴、激烈枪战。这些动作场景通常是混乱的，充满暴力和血腥。所以当我们看到两个轻盈的女人从这个墙头蹦到那个墙头、从这个树梢跃到那个树梢，就像弗雷德·阿斯泰尔在空中舞蹈时，我们认识到动作可以使人激动兴奋，同时又可以富有美妙的诗意。我记得每看完一段精彩的经过舞蹈设计的打斗场面，观众都报以热烈掌声。
江湖女侠
一些美国人对亚洲女性的看法是，她们纤弱、顺从、娴静而又神秘。但他们所不知的是，在这瓷器般精美的外表后面，这些温婉柔弱的女性也可挥剑、击拳，比训练有素的武士还要出色。这部影片大部分的打斗都由女性角色来完成。印象最深刻的一幕是章子怡与周润发在竹林里弯弯的竹梢头上对打。她使我们想起了希腊神话中如抒情诗般的树之仙女。
该片在第73届学院奖评选中获四项奥斯卡大奖。有一点可以肯定的是，一位中国导演和他的一班人马及一批一流的中国演员，已成功地把中国电影中最为基础的一类打入另一种文化了。我们真应为此深感自豪。
注释：
1.hooray vi.=hurrah叫好，喝彩
2.headoverheels[口]完全地，深深地，非常
3.gusty adj.饶有兴味的，津津有味的
4.flock vi.蜂拥，成群行动
5.transport vt.把…带入特定境地
6.breathtaking adj.令人兴奋的
7.aesthetic adj.美学的，美感的
8.poignant adj.辛酸的，令人痛苦的
9.swoon vi.狂喜，心醉神迷
10.besuckersfor对…入迷
11.brawl n.争吵，斗殴
12.lithe adj.轻盈的，轻巧自如的
13.vault vi.跳跃，腾跃
14.adrenaline n.兴奋
15.bout n.一场，一段
16.choreograph vt.设计舞蹈动作
17.submissive adj.顺从的
18.demure adj.娴静的，庄重的
19.porcelain adj.瓷的，瓷制的
20.punch n.一拳，一击
21.topnotch adj.第一流的