Mulan

Cast: Liu Yifei, Jet Li, Gong Li

Mulan first came out as an animated Disney movie for children in 1998, but this version, directed by New Zealander Niki Caro ( Whale Rider), has been rewritten to introduce the sword-swinging hero to a new generation in a more realistic and less fantastical way.

Many will lament the loss of the songs and Mulan’s dragon sidekick Mushu, but in its place is a decadent visual spectacle filled with stunning Asian actors and compelling fight scenes.

Mulan’s story of a daughter who pretends to be a son in order to fight in an approaching war and save her ailing father will hopefully allow for audiences far and wide to be introduced to this world of tradition, mythology and beauty, as well as offer a rare Hollywood blockbuster with Asian heritage at its core.