Master Li Wu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) has asked fellow warrior Shu Lien (the amazing Michelle Yeoh) to deliver is beloved sword (the "Green Destiny") to a friend as a present, signifying that his fighting days are over- much to Shu Lien's approval. Perhaps now he'll finally confess his love for her and the two can settle down. But someone else interrupts their plans. After the sword is delivered, a thief steals the sword (it is the fight scenes between Shu Lien and the thief that are among the best). Enter the Governor and his daughter (Zhang Ziyi), who dreams of escaping her arranged marriage and prefers to become a warrior instead. She, too, has a few secrets up her elegant sleeves, as does her governess (Pei-Pei Cheng). The best thing about this movie is the way Ang Lee pulls so many stories together, yet they all intertwine perfectly without disruption or confusion. The cinematography is breathtaking.

I've read many people who had a hard time buying the fact that these warriors can fly. I'm not sure if it's meant to be a "mind over matter" thing- personally, I think it's more for cinematic drama than anything else. I didn't give it a second thought- I was too busy getting wrapped up in this wonderful tale. If you're into hard-core martial arts, this movie probably has too much storyline and dialogue for you. If, however, you're looking for a foreign film that well earned it's 4 Oscar awards, you've found it!