6. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Ang Lee, 2000)
I had never liked martial arts films.
I used to think of them as the mindless entertainment that could only keep brutish, ignorant, heterosexual males occupied.
Then I saw this movie.
The minute Michelle Yeoh's character high kicks and then begins to fly I was in a trance.
With its sweeping mix of epic adventure, mythology and sweeping romance it redefined what I thought of as genre.
After watching this movie I became more open to genres I'd never even consider watching before.
Lee became a master of genre bending. Just see how his "Hulk" is more psychological drama than superhero flick and "Lust, Caution" is one of the greatest spy thrillers to arrive in the form of erotic essay.
When he delivered "Brokeback Mountain" he was again establishing his disdain for established cinematic rules by making a revisionist Western with tragic romance.
I think I'm the only person who didn't like that movie, but I respected what he was trying to do.
To me however "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" was his pinnacle.
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