Can't knock the Hustle

In an attempt to cut down on my DVD backlog, I picked out "Kung Fu Hustle" (2004) this evening, and found it a most enjoyable Hong Kong romp. Ostensibly set as a 1930's gangster piece, Stephen Chow's film references spaghetti westerns, the mindless violence of the classic Warner Brothers cartoons, and I guess, "The Matrix" (itself somewhat influenced by the late-90's HK fave "A Man Called Hero"). The set pieces are often very funny and energetic, the wirework and fight choreography are top notch, and there's enough of an engaging story to prevent this becoming yet another standard-issue chop-socky fest. If you (like me) are a bit of a sucker for HK fare, then this would definitely be up your street.