lexm4
Joined Jan 2000
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Reviews16
lexm4's rating
A lot of films about subject of alienation were made. I imagine there is this kind of film that would be overtly depressing and boring for first 80% of the time on purpose, just to caliberate audience's mind-set, similiar to cleaning the palate, so the final 20% would really make some impression.
Most of them failed. However for "all or nothing", after almost 2 hours of watching indifferently, near the end of the film I was crying with my whole body shaking (good thing it's an afternoon showing and only 10 ppl in the theatre). I cry like this only once 2 or 3 years, I think last time was in 1999. Yeah, I got chocked up every now and then, but not like this, this is weeping. And afterwards I felt as relax as just had s3x.
The film was unfocused for quite a while, I personally think the teenager love stories can be cut at least by half. But again I am not sure since without the seemly depressing wandering "distractions", I might not be touched as deeply as I was.
Your enjoyment is greatly depend on your experience, I suspect. To me some of the dialog is just like taken out of my family conversation when I was a kid. People worry about money and job and kids, so much so that they forgot each other's feelings.
Most of them failed. However for "all or nothing", after almost 2 hours of watching indifferently, near the end of the film I was crying with my whole body shaking (good thing it's an afternoon showing and only 10 ppl in the theatre). I cry like this only once 2 or 3 years, I think last time was in 1999. Yeah, I got chocked up every now and then, but not like this, this is weeping. And afterwards I felt as relax as just had s3x.
The film was unfocused for quite a while, I personally think the teenager love stories can be cut at least by half. But again I am not sure since without the seemly depressing wandering "distractions", I might not be touched as deeply as I was.
Your enjoyment is greatly depend on your experience, I suspect. To me some of the dialog is just like taken out of my family conversation when I was a kid. People worry about money and job and kids, so much so that they forgot each other's feelings.
This film is like an old women's selective memory. (well, it is, literally) The past is being filtered and idealized via cinematic "trickery". Women were prettier, food tasted better, grass were greener. I enjoy the vivid color of women's cloth and grass on the sloping hills and things as simple as schoolyard fence.
And unpleasant political event (Cultural Revolution in China) was hardly mentioned. I understand this approach because many past chinese films are so politicalized to a point that they started to look the same. It's time to make some different kind of films.
I heard that Zhang YiMou (director) loves recent films came out of Iran. And the film certainly is a prove of that. Those snow scenes reminded me Iranian film "Time for Drunken Horses". That's a complement, because "drunken horse" got a Cannes award for photography.
Here are some minus:
1) Too much close-up. Hitchcock said "To make a good film you only need a camera and a beautiful actress" (paraphrase). It seems to me that Zhang Yimou over-did it. The camera stays on Zhang Ziyi's face ALL THE FREAKING TIME.
2) What's that music ?! Was director afraid that audience can't get the point? he plays mellow music just to ramp it through. Yeah yeah yeah I know she's heart broken, yeah yeah I know he's glad to see her again... IMHO a good film should leave interpretation to the audience.
It makes me think the director uses Titanic poster as a homage (also as contrast), not as satire. I just hope it's not the case.
Overall, 8.5 out of 10.
And unpleasant political event (Cultural Revolution in China) was hardly mentioned. I understand this approach because many past chinese films are so politicalized to a point that they started to look the same. It's time to make some different kind of films.
I heard that Zhang YiMou (director) loves recent films came out of Iran. And the film certainly is a prove of that. Those snow scenes reminded me Iranian film "Time for Drunken Horses". That's a complement, because "drunken horse" got a Cannes award for photography.
Here are some minus:
1) Too much close-up. Hitchcock said "To make a good film you only need a camera and a beautiful actress" (paraphrase). It seems to me that Zhang Yimou over-did it. The camera stays on Zhang Ziyi's face ALL THE FREAKING TIME.
2) What's that music ?! Was director afraid that audience can't get the point? he plays mellow music just to ramp it through. Yeah yeah yeah I know she's heart broken, yeah yeah I know he's glad to see her again... IMHO a good film should leave interpretation to the audience.
It makes me think the director uses Titanic poster as a homage (also as contrast), not as satire. I just hope it's not the case.
Overall, 8.5 out of 10.
Romantic without being sentimental, sexy without a naked-love scence. Wong's film proved that human's imagination is much more powerful than anything best film maker could put on screen.
Perfect use of camera, music score, set design, give this film's simple story an irresistible rhythm. Actors come and go like tango dancing.
(Hollywood bashing ahead) Hollywood film always portrain women as wives, mothers, girlfriends not as individuals with their own need and intelligence. If they want to portrait women as individual (e.g. Bridge of Madison County), they somehow tell you flatly from viewpoint of others (e.g. "Gee, I never knew mom had a lover, I guess she was not happy with dad")
This film treat both male/female charactor as human, in fact, it doesn't show their spouse's face at all. You don't see them as husbands or wives, even they were locked in traditional moral code, instead you feel their character transcends their time, profession, marital role, hobby (reading martial-art novels), it became you. (sorry, maybe a little cliche)
It was said that this film took 15 mon. to shot, and during the time there was no script, and actors never know what role they are playing. It was also said that he was going to shot this film more like "Chungking express" style, with 2 or 3 stories, but somehow other stories ended up on the cutting room floor. (Hollywood bashing ahead) In light of more and more films are based on previously published material (TV, novel, comic book), I appreciate Wong Kar Wei's genius on created a satisfying piece fully utilized unique appeal of the art of film.
Perfect use of camera, music score, set design, give this film's simple story an irresistible rhythm. Actors come and go like tango dancing.
(Hollywood bashing ahead) Hollywood film always portrain women as wives, mothers, girlfriends not as individuals with their own need and intelligence. If they want to portrait women as individual (e.g. Bridge of Madison County), they somehow tell you flatly from viewpoint of others (e.g. "Gee, I never knew mom had a lover, I guess she was not happy with dad")
This film treat both male/female charactor as human, in fact, it doesn't show their spouse's face at all. You don't see them as husbands or wives, even they were locked in traditional moral code, instead you feel their character transcends their time, profession, marital role, hobby (reading martial-art novels), it became you. (sorry, maybe a little cliche)
It was said that this film took 15 mon. to shot, and during the time there was no script, and actors never know what role they are playing. It was also said that he was going to shot this film more like "Chungking express" style, with 2 or 3 stories, but somehow other stories ended up on the cutting room floor. (Hollywood bashing ahead) In light of more and more films are based on previously published material (TV, novel, comic book), I appreciate Wong Kar Wei's genius on created a satisfying piece fully utilized unique appeal of the art of film.