Great document. Compulsory viewing for understanding horrors of war and hypocrisy of American politics.
Reviews
11 Reviews
Mojin: The Lost Legend
(2015)
Chinese Version of Indiana Jones
10 February 2016
Warning: Spoilers
This is the Chinese version of Indiana Jones and Chen Kun has played a satisfactory part with the support of Shu Qi and Huang Bo.
Based on a radio programme "Gui Cui Deng" the plot and characters hold enough interest from the audience though the special effects made the film more CGI based that plot-based. The best part in the the romance between Shu Qi and Chen Kun while the mock at the innocence of the Red Guard spirit and the use of revolutionary romance to sustain the first part of the story was commercially driven which has money rather that meaning and story depth in mind.
The best part is really the finale where Angelababy's equninox flower emerge to put more meaining in the the first part where she fell to her depth due to her love for our hero.
All in all, I would like to see the movie more character and plot driven than CGI and 3D. Good enough to sustanin a sequel but not enough to win commerical hit or any critic acclaim. But another plus for Chen Kun.
Based on a radio programme "Gui Cui Deng" the plot and characters hold enough interest from the audience though the special effects made the film more CGI based that plot-based. The best part in the the romance between Shu Qi and Chen Kun while the mock at the innocence of the Red Guard spirit and the use of revolutionary romance to sustain the first part of the story was commercially driven which has money rather that meaning and story depth in mind.
The best part is really the finale where Angelababy's equninox flower emerge to put more meaining in the the first part where she fell to her depth due to her love for our hero.
All in all, I would like to see the movie more character and plot driven than CGI and 3D. Good enough to sustanin a sequel but not enough to win commerical hit or any critic acclaim. But another plus for Chen Kun.
Good relevance to Present Day Hardship
4 February 2016
Naruse Mikio's Sannin-shimai is a down-to-earth description of life in Tokyo in the 1930s when both Japan and most of the world were in economic depression. The three sisters at Asakusa, the low-life part of Tokyo, have to work hard for their lives as well as for broken romance.
O-ren, the eldest sister, is the toughest and the first to leave the family and the hahaoya but with much hardship and disappointment. She was followed by the second sister O-some, who is more understanding and more compromising. The youngest sister is the luckiest of them all, being more cherished by Mom when, I suppose, there is less hardship with more saving from the miser and hard-hearted hahaoya during her better life-time.
It is good to see three such otome-gokoro (maiden-hearted) ladies traddling their lives in pre-war Japan and tried best to solve their economic and emotional problems which may be of good relevance to those of us at present who may need to face poor economic environments and possible global breakout of world-wide conflict and or depression in the coming future, such as those in Europe which is full with immigrants from Midde-East or in Japan which is suffering from post-tsunami depression and emotional turmoil.
O-ren, the eldest sister, is the toughest and the first to leave the family and the hahaoya but with much hardship and disappointment. She was followed by the second sister O-some, who is more understanding and more compromising. The youngest sister is the luckiest of them all, being more cherished by Mom when, I suppose, there is less hardship with more saving from the miser and hard-hearted hahaoya during her better life-time.
It is good to see three such otome-gokoro (maiden-hearted) ladies traddling their lives in pre-war Japan and tried best to solve their economic and emotional problems which may be of good relevance to those of us at present who may need to face poor economic environments and possible global breakout of world-wide conflict and or depression in the coming future, such as those in Europe which is full with immigrants from Midde-East or in Japan which is suffering from post-tsunami depression and emotional turmoil.
Saving Mr. Wu
(2015)
A Tribute from China to Kurosawa's Tengaku to Jigoku
4 February 2016
I regard this film is somewhat a remake or tribute to Akira Kurosawa's Tengoku to Jigoku (Heaven and Hell) - a detective story of a kidnap that depicts the detectives, the kidnapper and the kidnapped (though for the former it is the father of the kidnapped that is the main character).
With both being shot in semi-documentary styles (the film is actually based on a true story in China) and focused on the investigation procedure, it is the kidnapper in both that steal the show. Ruthless, relentless and with hatred for the society, both are ready to do anything for money. Lau, who played the victim in the present film, even with good acting and a script tailored-made for him, actually overshadowed by the kidnapper.
With the case slowly reviewed, the evils of present-day 21st century China are also reviewed. The use of apple as the main source /key for solving the case is a nice human touch to a very depressing and inhumanistic story and make the key message more in line with the Chinese official (i.e. criminal listen you rip what you sow) or the cause and effect Buddhist philosophy.
All in all, despite its conventional tone, it is a good film with a good acting, good script and good cinematography all round and a positive message for the folks of a socialist society that turn more materialistic and capitalistic day by day.
With both being shot in semi-documentary styles (the film is actually based on a true story in China) and focused on the investigation procedure, it is the kidnapper in both that steal the show. Ruthless, relentless and with hatred for the society, both are ready to do anything for money. Lau, who played the victim in the present film, even with good acting and a script tailored-made for him, actually overshadowed by the kidnapper.
With the case slowly reviewed, the evils of present-day 21st century China are also reviewed. The use of apple as the main source /key for solving the case is a nice human touch to a very depressing and inhumanistic story and make the key message more in line with the Chinese official (i.e. criminal listen you rip what you sow) or the cause and effect Buddhist philosophy.
All in all, despite its conventional tone, it is a good film with a good acting, good script and good cinematography all round and a positive message for the folks of a socialist society that turn more materialistic and capitalistic day by day.
Taipei Exchanges
(2010)
Time to Open a Coffee Shop
26 November 2015
I have always wanted to open a coffee shop and naturally when I saw this film it had touched my heart. What is the value and objective in life, this is the main theme of the film. Saving money, said the elder sister played by Kwei. I wanted to travel round the world, said the younger. At the end of the movie, the objectives of life of the two sisters swapped and their mother nagged of their changes. But there is no change, said the taxi-driver, one daughter wants saving money and the other want travelling around the world.
I read a book that says there are three main objectives in life: security, meaning and novelty. The difference is your priority. If you want saving money, you seek security and if you want to travel around the world, you seek for novelty. Romance, well, meaning of life.
But then there are the exchanges - the 36 stories for each soap collected from around the world in 36 cities. Exchanges mean swapping your value system with some one else. No man is an island. I like the exchanges part of the movie, be it romantic exchange or money exchange or barter - change of commodity.
Taipei Exchange is a light-hearted but a soul-searching journey and a nice exchange with the director. And of course, the like the part of opening and operating a coffee shop too.
I read a book that says there are three main objectives in life: security, meaning and novelty. The difference is your priority. If you want saving money, you seek security and if you want to travel around the world, you seek for novelty. Romance, well, meaning of life.
But then there are the exchanges - the 36 stories for each soap collected from around the world in 36 cities. Exchanges mean swapping your value system with some one else. No man is an island. I like the exchanges part of the movie, be it romantic exchange or money exchange or barter - change of commodity.
Taipei Exchange is a light-hearted but a soul-searching journey and a nice exchange with the director. And of course, the like the part of opening and operating a coffee shop too.
Spectre
(I) (2015)
A Bond Film Learning with Tribute to Classics
9 November 2015
Warning: Spoilers
The Spectre is a Bond film I like as I could tell Mendes have picked up some good tricks from film classics.
The opening scene in Mexico City is a tribute to Godfather's scene where Robert de Niro walked in rooftop to kill the gangster boss in Godfather Part II. Taken in one take, this time not in New York but in Mexico City but also in a manner of a parade. This scene is indeed a credit to the whole film.
The next scene from classic is the train and the Roll Royce picking up James and Madeleine amidst nowhere. A scene paying tribute to Hitchcock spy classic of North by Northwest played by Cary Grant and Eva Mari Saint, only with more explicit sex than crossing a tunnel and the dusting of crop by the aerophane coming also from nowhere.
Then come the scene with torture of Bond in tribute to Woman with a Dragon Tattoo where the same actor (i.e. Daniel Craig) being tortured by a Nazi in a close chamber. A helpless Craig rescued only by a woman.
All these scene, together with the cinematography that captures Mexico City, Rome and London so beautifully that makes Spectre one of the best of Bond films with violence and dockside's that matches the 21st century.
The opening scene in Mexico City is a tribute to Godfather's scene where Robert de Niro walked in rooftop to kill the gangster boss in Godfather Part II. Taken in one take, this time not in New York but in Mexico City but also in a manner of a parade. This scene is indeed a credit to the whole film.
The next scene from classic is the train and the Roll Royce picking up James and Madeleine amidst nowhere. A scene paying tribute to Hitchcock spy classic of North by Northwest played by Cary Grant and Eva Mari Saint, only with more explicit sex than crossing a tunnel and the dusting of crop by the aerophane coming also from nowhere.
Then come the scene with torture of Bond in tribute to Woman with a Dragon Tattoo where the same actor (i.e. Daniel Craig) being tortured by a Nazi in a close chamber. A helpless Craig rescued only by a woman.
All these scene, together with the cinematography that captures Mexico City, Rome and London so beautifully that makes Spectre one of the best of Bond films with violence and dockside's that matches the 21st century.
The Grandmaster
(2013)
Simply the Best Kung Fu Film Ever Made
27 January 2013
Some may say Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon (You can't beat its award score), other may say Zhang Yimou's "Hero" or Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury or Chow's Kung Fu Hustler if you like comedy. I would will say Wong Kar Wai's Grandmaster is the best Kung Fu movie ever made.
First Crouching Tiger is more wuxia than kung fu, as it is about swordfight and you do not know any style of kung fu used in the film (are they really Wudang?). Then comes Zhang Yimou's "Hero" with a classic fight scene between Jet Li and Donnie Yen which is simply the best sword-fight in film history, only to be matched by the classic fist-fight between Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris in Way of the Dragon. But I would say Zhang's film is too political in context and Bruce's top notch is more physical than spirit (and the whole of his top kungfu film is not satisfying).
Wong's Grandmaster wins in spirit, in style more than in physique and awards. With long research and a semi-documentary style film-making, Wong has made a film about kung fu in its naked self, i.e. in blood, in sweats and in tears (hard work, stamina, suffering, sacrifice and national / world heritage). I prefer the title "Grandmasters" instead of "Grandmaster" as the film is more about an age represented by many martial artists and styles in kung fu depicted and above all in Ip Man (Tony Leung), Gong Er (Zhang Ziyi) and Yixiantian (Zhang Chen). Though in order to make the film shortened from 4 to 2 hours, perhaps significant parts about Yixiantian has been cut out so that the film may look unfinished but the unfinished parts only makes one long for seeing more - its full form.
In martial art, it is always the heart that counts, or in this respect, any kind of arts, inclung of course film art. For filming the Grandmaster, Wong has justified himself a film director with a heart of a grandmaster, not only in China, but also in the world like Ip Man.
First Crouching Tiger is more wuxia than kung fu, as it is about swordfight and you do not know any style of kung fu used in the film (are they really Wudang?). Then comes Zhang Yimou's "Hero" with a classic fight scene between Jet Li and Donnie Yen which is simply the best sword-fight in film history, only to be matched by the classic fist-fight between Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris in Way of the Dragon. But I would say Zhang's film is too political in context and Bruce's top notch is more physical than spirit (and the whole of his top kungfu film is not satisfying).
Wong's Grandmaster wins in spirit, in style more than in physique and awards. With long research and a semi-documentary style film-making, Wong has made a film about kung fu in its naked self, i.e. in blood, in sweats and in tears (hard work, stamina, suffering, sacrifice and national / world heritage). I prefer the title "Grandmasters" instead of "Grandmaster" as the film is more about an age represented by many martial artists and styles in kung fu depicted and above all in Ip Man (Tony Leung), Gong Er (Zhang Ziyi) and Yixiantian (Zhang Chen). Though in order to make the film shortened from 4 to 2 hours, perhaps significant parts about Yixiantian has been cut out so that the film may look unfinished but the unfinished parts only makes one long for seeing more - its full form.
In martial art, it is always the heart that counts, or in this respect, any kind of arts, inclung of course film art. For filming the Grandmaster, Wong has justified himself a film director with a heart of a grandmaster, not only in China, but also in the world like Ip Man.
A Woman's Sorrows
(1937)
Forerunner for the Later Masterpiece Meshi
23 January 2013
The film title Nyonin Aishu means the sadness of women and this summarizes this story of a "conservative and indecisive" Japanese woman (played by Irie Takako) who marries for security rather than to the man she loves.
This is of the same theme of Naruse's later masterpiece Meshi. Both films are about estranged housewives with the former more conventional and the latter (Mrs Okamoto) more subtle, more suitable for a changed Japanese society after the second world war. Hara Setsuko is also more powerful actress than Irie Takako though both serves well as two dutiful wives in a pre and post Word War II traditional Japanese family that win much of our pity. Ken Uehara also played a more realistic husband that could win some of our men's sympathy, if we men deserve any.
Together they serves a nice couplet of Naruse in his portrayal of sadness of modern married women.
This is of the same theme of Naruse's later masterpiece Meshi. Both films are about estranged housewives with the former more conventional and the latter (Mrs Okamoto) more subtle, more suitable for a changed Japanese society after the second world war. Hara Setsuko is also more powerful actress than Irie Takako though both serves well as two dutiful wives in a pre and post Word War II traditional Japanese family that win much of our pity. Ken Uehara also played a more realistic husband that could win some of our men's sympathy, if we men deserve any.
Together they serves a nice couplet of Naruse in his portrayal of sadness of modern married women.
The Road I Travel with You
(1936)
Will Follow You in the Path of Romance Rather Than Material
21 January 2013
This is Naruse's early piece of romantic tragedy involving two pairs of romantic lovers with their lives destroyed by materialism. Asaji and Yuji are two brothers with a money-minded mother. The two brothers fall for two girls - Kasumi and Tsukiko while their mother have other options for them with the intention of preparing big money and prospect for her two sons.
Family name and responsibility come first rather than romance is the conventional mindset in Japan in the 1930s. (Spoiler Ahead) In the process of rebellion, the elder brother lost hope in future and died tragically with his love interest following him (Resonating the title of the film). Will the mother learn from the terrible experience. Will you as the audience choose the same path. What will happen to the romance of his younger brother Yuji who is under the same spell. Kimi no yuku michi is a nice piece of romantic drama.
Family name and responsibility come first rather than romance is the conventional mindset in Japan in the 1930s. (Spoiler Ahead) In the process of rebellion, the elder brother lost hope in future and died tragically with his love interest following him (Resonating the title of the film). Will the mother learn from the terrible experience. Will you as the audience choose the same path. What will happen to the romance of his younger brother Yuji who is under the same spell. Kimi no yuku michi is a nice piece of romantic drama.
The Actress and the Poet
(1935)
A Nice Family Comedy
16 January 2013
In this nice family comedy about a Japanese couple in the 1930s with wife as actor (joyu) and husband as poet/writer (shijin), Naruse has created a parody of the dilemma of a modern couple - wife being the breadwinner and husband, writing novel for small money (only good enough to buy cakes).
Could the man still hold the honour and be the real "master" of the house? Naruse portrayed this change in the traditional values in modern Japan in a comical way where play intermingled with real life. The solution: just follow the man and if husband is happy, wife is happy too. As the saying goes: An angel with only one wing could not fly. But could such happy ending only happen in play / movie and not in real life? A rare piece of Naruse romance which are more often portrayed as a sophisticated tragedy rather than a light-hearted comedy.
Could the man still hold the honour and be the real "master" of the house? Naruse portrayed this change in the traditional values in modern Japan in a comical way where play intermingled with real life. The solution: just follow the man and if husband is happy, wife is happy too. As the saying goes: An angel with only one wing could not fly. But could such happy ending only happen in play / movie and not in real life? A rare piece of Naruse romance which are more often portrayed as a sophisticated tragedy rather than a light-hearted comedy.
Tsuruhachi and Tsurujiro
(1938)
Naruse's early masterpiece
14 January 2013
With Yamada Isuzu and Hasegawa Kazuo as its female and male lead, the film was endowed with two movie legends in the making. Yamada Isuzu as the mature samisen player in partner with the male-centred and restrained Tsurujiro played by Hasegawa.
However being a performing artist in the 1930s in Japan, and in fact anywhere else in the world, with the depression and the second world war looming large, is not an easy job. Love, friendship, financial problems intermingled with great performances in their partnership to bid for the meijinkai as great Japanese performers with honour. Throughout, Naruse has made a great tapestry of a delicate feelings of two human souls. A must for Japanese movie lover.
However being a performing artist in the 1930s in Japan, and in fact anywhere else in the world, with the depression and the second world war looming large, is not an easy job. Love, friendship, financial problems intermingled with great performances in their partnership to bid for the meijinkai as great Japanese performers with honour. Throughout, Naruse has made a great tapestry of a delicate feelings of two human souls. A must for Japanese movie lover.
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