acinemalens

Monty Python's Life of Brian may have provided an absurd story that focuses on the character and plotline. Both that its predecessor lacks but it could never match the comedic genius that made The Holy Grail so great.

It is rare these days to find Chinese historical films that could be hailed as epic and a masterpiece, as most films that fall into those genres are usually intervened with production companies for profit, instead of achieving critical success. However, Shadow finally broke through these conventions back in the 2000s with its similar -- if not, exact -- the quality of Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), or John Woo's Red Cliff (2005). The artistic merit, along with the well-told story and rich cultural backdrop, notably marks Zhang Yimou's return to his prime after his disappointing film The Great Wall (2016).

Shadow is a tale of a Chinese court set in one of its Dynasty. The Commander of Pei CIty, Ziyu (Deng Zhao) creates a scheme to acquire the throne -- seated by an ambitious yet cowardly king (Zheng Kai) -- by employing a "shadow," a figure serving as a body double that looks similar to the commander named Jingzhou (also played by Deng Zhao). The plot thickens as Ziyu asks Jingzhou to take over a neighboring city that once fell into Pei's authority through a duel with the city ruler Yang Chan (Yu Chun). As convoluted as it may seem, Yimou took the time to detailly explain the plot during the first half of the film. Yet, the visual feast he offered made the complex expositions bearable.

I used to watch some of Yimou's films in the past and while I was too young to understand them (so I guess it doesn't count as watching his films?), the visuals with its rich color palette and beautiful scenes were memorable aspects that never disappeared from my mind. However, instead of being colorful, Shadow's visuals resemble the black-and-white Chinese calligraphy -- entrancing and beautiful, mysterious, and elegant. This aspect, enhanced with the hues of human skin tone and the saturated colors from a certain object, makes the audience unable to move away from the screen. There's also another fascinating cinematography aspect that I always thought was impossible to do. Long shots during which Ziyu and Jingzhou share the screen together, facing the camera and making contact with each other, is an impressive feat that I believe is still unthinkable for Yimou to accomplish.

When the second half came, it turned 180-degrees into a thrilling sensation that did not lose its artistic quality. The choreography was stylistic and mind-blowing, which was influenced by the philosophy of Yin and Yang. The masculine saber serves as an aggressive fight tool that resembles the Yang meets with the Yin, the feminine umbrella that carries itself similar to calm water. As a result, the fight between them appears to be a fierce waltz that is wonderfully exquisite, yet the red blood serves as a reminder that it is a dance to the death. Backed by traditional music arrangement, we watch them slaughter one another in a beautiful, appealing manner. Not to mention, the third-act insanity can easily be compared to Bong Joon-ho's Parasite (2019) insane climax. Yet, it leads to many philosophical questions of how much does Yin and Yang still present in its conclusion.

As much as I love the film, the acting was very troubling to watch at a time. The deliverance was similar to Shakespeare's, which is visible when they would give the over-the-top acting. Nevertheless, it is only the highly dramatic acting that made me cringe. It brings the question of how accurate the film depicts conversations with each other. In conclusion, Shadow was indeed a very satisfying film filled with eye-pleasing visuals, elegant action choreography, and escalating tension that deeply resonates with the Yin and Yang symbolism. Truly recommended for those who long for visually beautiful Wuxia films similar to the 2000s quality.

Another Wim Wenders retrospective screened in the Busan Cinema Center. This time, it was Paris, Texas (1984). What caught my attention by the positive raves it received, such as the 1984 Palm D'or, the FIPRESCI Prize, BAFTA Best Direction for Wenders, and other prestigious awards. It is not surprising that many claimed the movie was one of the best in Wender's filmography. Entering the theater with no knowledge at all (seriously, I was clueless about the story this time), I came out with tears in my eyes and still feeling speechless of what I just watched and felt, knowing that this film will stay in my memories for a while, and if not, for ages.

The film opens with a man named Travis Henderson (Harris Dean Stanton), walking alone in the Texan desert. Working with Wenders' long-time collaborator Robby Muller, who really took advantage of the vast, empty land into a visually appealing, imagery-filled landscape that captures the essence of our main character. Accompanied by Ry Codder's acoustic guitar arrangement, the film not only introduces us to a western genre that seems bizarre but also strengthens the feeling of loss and loneliness of the main character. Moreover, Codder's absorbing tune really absorbs us deeper into the character, pulling us further into the story where we do not know what will happen next. This combination of cinematography and soundtrack is truly well built, leading to ambiguity and suspense.

Next thing we know, Travis lost consciousness and a German doctor examines him. As Travis did not say a word or possess a telephone number, he calls the number that connects to Walt, Travis' brother. Despite having not seen him for 4 years, Walt went to pick him up, which leads to a flashback sequence where we follow the story of Travis's past and try to connect with the people he encountered in his previous life before his disappearance. Now, I'll just stop the synopsis here and hope that I do not spoil the story too much already. In my opinion, this is a film that is best experienced when clueless, similar to our main character wandering in the desert.

The screenplay, which is penned by Sam Shepard, is an absolute powerful screenplay not because of the storyline, but rather, because of the emotions that serve as the core of the film for our audience to explore. Joy, sadness, fear, anger...Name any other emotions and most of them would be present in the film. Wenders served those emotions raw, without any fabrication even though the story felt almost impossible to happen in real life. Just small moments, like the way Walt and Travis interact with each other, would really lighten up my feelings. But what is more fascinating is how Wenders scattered the emotions throughout the film in a way that fits neatly with the atmosphere and builds the proper momentum. This is especially true in two of my favorite scenes in the film - one of which is when Travis looks at his past recordings to recollect his memories. It's an extremely wonderful moment where I just laughed with tears of sadness flowing through my cheeks. As for my other favorite scene...I will discuss it later down below. But I am certain, I believe everyone can connect to the story through the same reasons: in order to feel those emotions that I strongly felt.

The actors' performances were something I rarely experienced. They were on another level...it was another reason why they perfectly managed to capture my emotions and evoke such strong reactions. Now, I never really watch Harry Dean Stanton films since I wasn't really into old films until today, although I do know he has been usually cast in laid-back, supporting roles. Regardless of the films he had played, Stanton perfectly fits the part with his range of emotions, whether through expressions, dialogue, or aura. Hunter Carson, who played as Hunter (yes, they both have the same name) also magnificently nailed the role. His performance was unlike most child actors that have a tolerably stiff performance; it was almost like a professional, despite being a debut. Lastly, Nastassja Kinsky, who played as Jane, might have short screen time but made a lasting impression in the film. I especially love the scene when she converses with Travis. It's just unbelievable. Most of it was done with long takes and no cuts, yet they are so into character that we were transported into their world and what will happen next, paying no attention to the technical detail of that scene. For me, the conversation between those two characters was truly the highlight of the film, thanks to its additional eccentric production design, colorful cinematography, and Codders' beautiful soundtrack. In fact, I am listening to it right now as I'm writing this review.

All in all, Paris, Texas is just a perfect film that will stay in my memories for a long time. I would usually analyze the movie's external and technical aspects but as I am too emotionally invested in the film, guess I'll skip the commentary for this time and maybe analyze it the second time watching. That says a lot about how good the film was. It truly is a must-watch! A very fascinating story with incredibly real and raw moments.