http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/festival/2013/manoftaichi

http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/festival/2013/manoftaichi

Keanu Reeves makes his directorial debut with this spectacular martial-arts epic starring former Matrix stuntman Tiger Chen and featuring fight choreography by the legendary Yuen Woo-ping.

A bone-crunching, high-flying, supercharged saga of self-realization through martial arts, Man of Tai Chi follows a quiet delivery man recruited to take part in illegal, no-holds-barred fights, where financial rewards can be dizzyingly high — often at the cost of one's soul. The directorial debut of iconic actor Keanu Reeves speaks to his rigour, sensitivity to process, and willingness to learn from the many great filmmakers with whom he's collaborated.

Linhu (Tiger Chen) lives in a Beijing tenement block. When not working, he studies English and practices a form of tai chi called Ling Kong, which means "Empty your spirit." Everything changes when Linhu receives an offer from a mysterious businessman, Donaka Mark (Reeves), to compete in an underground fight club.

Initially Linhu turns Donaka down, until he realizes how his earnings could rescue his tai chi master's dilapidated temple from being demolished. But success as a fighter — fuelled by his deeply traditional, disciplined mode of martial art — brings out a savage side in Linhu. The film's real battle becomes an internal one, between Linhu's pacifist principles and his violent impulses.

It's hard to imagine a better vehicle for Reeves' directorial ambitions. As his screen persona shifted from awestruck youth to action hero, an undercurrent of spiritual searching evolved. This was nowhere more apparent than in The Matrix, which was as much a parable about struggling with age-old existential questions as it was a mind-blowing science-fiction spectacle. The Matrix was also where Reeves met legendary fight choreographer Yuen Wooping and stuntman-turned-star Chen. Man of Tai Chi reunites these three, showcasing their established skills while posing each with considerable challenges. See this dazzling and thoughtful film, and you will understand just how brilliantly those challenges have been met.

Cameron Bailey

TIFF is also giving Imax audiences in Toronto super-sized screenings of Keanu Reeves' Man of Tai Chi and Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity from Warner Bros., both of which are to receive North American bows here.

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/manoftaichi/

oh, and MOTC goes to Woodstock :D
http://www.indiewire.com/article/woodstock-film-festival-unveils-2013-official-line-up

http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/man-of-tai-chi-trailer.php

didn't I just recently ignore film school rejects? I just can't even remember anymore.

http://youtu.be/o8BoApN5XFI

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/fantastic-fest-keanu-reeves-will-623180

that indie film fest in Austin, Texas.

and then I stumbled upon this:
http://theflickcast.com/2013/09/05/heres-another-trailer-man-tai-chi-keanu-reeves/
"And yes, there’s also a bit of story in there too, for those of you who like that kind of thing."

there's still hope ;)

Later edit:
http://www.toplessrobot.com/2013/09/keanu_reeves_directed_a_movie_and_it_actually_does.php
*hope level just went up. slightly ;) *

http://www.tgdaily.com/games-and-entertainment-brief/79162-keanu-reeves-is-highly-underrated

Keanu Reeves is highly underrated
Posted September 7, 2013 - 12:08 by Emory Kale
People should stop ragging on Keanu. He is a talented, sincere guy who may be on his way to becoming a great action director. We submit the trailer for Man of Tai Chi. This is not your geezers in a park Tai Chi.

Keanu Reeves has done some pretty cool movies in his time: River's Edge (86), Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (89), My Own Private Idaho (91), Point Break (91), Speed (94), The Matrix trilogy (99, 03), A Scanner Darkly (06), and now, Man of Tai Chi (13), his directorial debut. This guy has been a part and parcel of some seminal movies: Speed and The Matrix both changed the face of their respective genres and have been repeatedly emulated and copied. Not to great effect, either. Keanu owns those movies, with a little help from Sandra Bullock and Larry Fishburne, of course.

He also produced Side by Side, a documentary that took an in-depth look at the revolution in digital film processes. Keanu interviewed luminaries from Martin Scorsese through to James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez. He explores all aspects of filmmaking - from capture to edit, visual effects to color correction, distribution to archive. He explores what has been gained, what is lost, and what the future might bring. The guy is deep. Find it and watch it for yourselves. It's a pretty cool piece of work. Hence, Keanu is a pretty sincere guy.

In Man of Tai Chi, well, judge for yourself from this trailer. We love you, Keanu. Haters can suck it.

https://twitter.com/Filmaluation/status/377160140031410176

YES.

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Tiger finds himself in a veritable world of Keanus

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Screw backstory and exposition, just be evil.

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I love that review.

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I'm thinking Svengali...