Reviews

Actress Jiang Wen Li wrote and directed the film Lan. This was a slow, slice of life and coming of age film set during the Cultural Revolution. Grandfather Tang and Jiang Xiao Lan had only each other after her parents were sent to the countryside for re-education. Xiao Lan not only had to bear the shame of her parents' situation but politically it was a trying to time to have the same surname of a loathed political figure.

During the 1960’s at the age of three, Jiang Xiao Lan’s parents were sent to the “countryside”. Her 89-year-old grandfather was left in charge of her. Initially enforcing his authority with a ruler style whacking stick, the neighbors convinced him to use his words instead. At school Xiao Lan was ridiculed and taunted mercilessly as a “bastard of counter revolutionaries.” Grandpa wanted Xiao Lan to have a skill so that when she grew up she would not be sent to “the countryside.” She joined gymnastics but was never accepted and always considered an amateur. Lan missed the parents she scarcely knew. The only connection she had to them were their letters that Grandpa read to her. After a time jump, not much changed for Xiao Lan as she entered adolescence.

Lan was beautifully shot as if each scene was a painting, featuring both photogenic actresses who played Lan. Most of the scenes contained either rain or snow with Lan carrying her ubiquitous umbrella. Lovely music accompanied Xiao Lan’s growth from small child to teenager. Zhu Xu as Grandpa Tang gave a tender performance as the man who cared for and tried to shield Xiao Lan from the harsh realities of her life. Yao Jun and Zhu Yinuo seamlessly portrayed the melancholy Xiao Lan who desperately wanted to fit in somewhere and longed for her missing parents. Director Jiang created several whimsical scenes such as Xiao Lan flying across the Huai River with her umbrella to the north to find her parents. There were also several references to missing teeth, the meaning of which eluded me.

Jiang Wen Li composed a touching film showing the consequences of the cultural revolution on families. The relationship between Grandpa Tang and Xiao Lan came across as loving and realistic. While it was beautiful to look at it, I kept waiting for some sort of emotional climax which never came. I enjoyed Lan and maybe on a different day would have rated this graceful film higher.

9 August 2024
(7.75)

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worth watching

didn't even noticed it came out today ahah saw the date here, random watch on Netflix tonight

I wasn't expecting much, but I enjoyed this movie. I read the synopsis and I thought it could be interesting
- I think the idea of the plot in general is interesting.
- the acting was good
- had some funny moments
- For me a bit slow at first and I was waiting for her to find out
- I enjoyed the action and fighting scenes
- I like the part when they rescued the guy. I was like how the hell will they out, but the plan was pretty perfect after all. I'm still sad he died. When he said his wife disappeared after ML stopped working... I was like well damn! but later on it all made sense why it seemed to easy to get him out
- I was truly shocked with the plot twist for the villain, didn't saw it coming
- the ending was okay

It's a good watch to pass time in my opinion, I would recommand

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Amazing movie

This movie shows what humans will act like if a disaster appears but then again we, the humanity cause and destroy the world, are selfish and don’t let others in when they need somewhere to stay, music is good too and the whole movie is interesting, if only the world was peaceful then we won’t have anything bad like a war but we destroy this world and are selfish, humanity is what destroys the world and harm the climate.

Definitely recommend this film to everyone as it’s an amazing film to watch and shows the truth of us humanity, shame on our humanity, we need more of the video’s I’ve seen online where people are friendly and willing to help and not these people in this movie who let everyone die in the cold.

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Unique premise but predictable story

Bastards are more despicable than dogs

Look, this was really fast-paced, 20 minutes in, there's so many things going on, from the main characters and side characters, action scenes are GREAT, cgi is average, but the characters didn't have that depth that i was looking for, like, the connection wasn't there, i guess they could've used more gore on this but it's still a good watch for a political, action , sci-fi, and drama kmovie

The last scene's parallelism between jung won's paternal love to kyung min and e9's maternal love towards her children :( a really sad reality..

RIP Lee Sun Kyun, I'll miss you and your works, such a great actor, and the child and the granny from train to busan is here too!such an interesting crossover

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A masterpiece

I usually don’t like overly stylish movies that look like a perfume commercial or music video, but when it’s so incredibly well done like this one, I make an exception. Everything was top-notch: the directing, photography, editing, music, writing, and acting. I was especially impressed that the actors playing the students were actual teens, and they did an amazing job. And I need to give a shout out to Masaki for totally nailing his role as the inspiring young teacher from the typical J drama or movie, but this time subverted as a clueless laughing stock. He was absolutely perfect for the part.

Out of all the Japanese movies I’ve seen from this millennium, Confessions, along with Love Exposure and A Bride for Rip Van Winkle, were the greatest.

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Could have used more rom and more Tang Wei

Despite starring Tang Wei and Jacky Cheung, this ended up being Jacky and Pau Hei Ching’s movie. Tang Wei was criminally underused. Crossing Hennessy was a scrambled ensemble that too often pulled focus from the main couple.

Loy is a 41-year-old man who sleeps until noon and has difficulty with responsibility. His mom owns an appliance store where he fixes equipment and does installs near as I could tell. His aunt dotes on him while his mom berates everyone around her. Queenie, the mom, sets him up for a matchmaking dinner with the woman whose uncle owns a shop across the street. Oi Lin, much like Loy, has no intention of following through with the match. She has a jailbird boyfriend and Loy is seeing his ex-girlfriend. Later, after meeting coincidentally the two find they share an interest in mystery novels. Kismet! Queenie, family friend Uncle Ching, and Loy’s aunt end up in a love triangle of their own.

I watched this film mainly because Tang Wei was starring in it. Before the hour mark she all but disappeared from the screen until the end of the film which was quite disappointing. Her character was given little to do overall. I also struggled to understand what thirty-year-old Oi Lin would see in a forty-year-old man (49-years-old in real life) who had no direction and nothing to offer her but the ability to make her laugh. Jacky Cheung’s acting style is not my cup of tea. I find his mugging for the camera and eyerolling more annoying than cute. It was difficult to understand what lit the attraction between Oi Lin and Loy. Pau Hei Ching as Loy’s mother was continually loud and overbearing with no nuance. I kept waiting for her older sister to finally snap after being continually rundown by the family diva. I only know Danny Lee from old kung fu movies so it was interesting seeing him as the henpecked, dog carrying Uncle Ching. The veterans’ love triangle dominated the second half of the film along with Loy’s challenges while Oi Lin sold toilets offscreen in her uncle’s shop.

Crossing Hennessy had some cute moments but then the film would go in another direction leaving the burgeoning romance on the backburner. Tang Wei’s return to film after being blacklisted (apparently, she did those spicy Lust, Caution scenes all by herself? None of the men suffered any consequences) should have highlighted her acting abilities instead of sidelining her in her own romance. Jacky Cheung’s hangdog, lazy character and verbally abusive mother weren’t interesting enough to carry the film for me.

8 August 2024

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The Fine Line Between Laughter and Tears

In this movie, two aspects stood out as less appealing. Firstly, the transitions between flashbacks and the present storyline were challenging to follow. It felt as though the editing or execution wasn't as seamless as it could have been, making it difficult to fully grasp the timeline at first. Secondly, a key character who tampered with evidence or ignored a critical situation was not held accountable. This lack of justice left a loose end that was hard to overlook.

Despite these issues, the film was a blend of humor and deep emotion, successfully tugging at the heartstrings. It made you laugh, cry, and genuinely connect with the characters' journeys. The movie's ability to evoke such a wide range of emotions is a testament to its overall impact, even if certain elements fell short.

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fascinating

This movie is a fantastic series of twists and turns. One of the few I've seen recently where I genuinely couldn't predict what would happen next the majority of the time. Very decent quality too - pretty good actors, cinematography, etc. And the effects aren't terrible.

Some later parts in the film might be a little unsatisfying (no spoilers here) but even those parts are thought-provoking and interesting so I'm unbothered. When it's funny it's very funny, and when it's dramatic you can feel the suspense. Overall a very decent movie much better than the cheap lighthearted film I figured I was getting into.

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terrible but fun

Far from the worst movie I've ever watched but also far from the best. The aesthetics are pretty great even though they're cheesy and dated - that's the point. Same with the fight scenes. Watch for that and you're good.

The actual plot isn't great but at least it's fairly original. The acting is decent enough and I like the actors themselves.

My main issue was that despite it being an action movie I was repeatedly left bored for long stretches despite how the weird premise should've kept me very entertained. When it was fun, it was very fun. It just isn't fun all the time, so loses a couple stars for that.

Not a bad thing to watch anyway. Turn your brain off for a bit and enjoy.

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weird and great

In some ways it's a really standard action movie of its time and not very good. In other ways it's an incredibly weird, twisting adventure. I loved and hated it at the same time.

I mostly watched for the dated aesthetics which are great, as well as the actors. The plot is mediocre, effects are mediocre, but the fight scenes are extensive and visually appealing. Sometimes a little too long, but it's the kind of movie where you expect that, if not look forward to it.

Without giving spoilers... the skeleton part was my favorite part, hands down. How bizarre.

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The Forbidden Kingdom is a fun-filled martial arts adventure that pairs Jackie Chan and Jet Li in a unique East-meets-West fantasy. The film’s strength lies in its thrilling action sequences and the undeniable chemistry between the two legendary actors. The choreography, courtesy of renowned stunt coordinators, is impressive and showcases both Chan’s and Li’s incredible skills. The whimsical plot, centered around a young American who travels back in time to ancient China, provides a fresh twist on classic adventure tales.

However, the film’s story can feel overly simplistic and somewhat predictable, especially for those familiar with the genre. The dialogue and character development are often shallow, which can detract from the overall experience. Additionally, the film’s pacing occasionally lags, and some of the humor misses the mark. Despite these shortcomings, The Forbidden Kingdom delivers enough high-energy action and nostalgic charm to entertain fans of martial arts cinema. Overall, it's an enjoyable watch with memorable fight scenes, Must watch and highly recommendable!

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Dragon Blade (2015), directed by Daniel Lee, presents an epic blend of Eastern and Western cinema, anchored by Jackie Chan’s dynamic performance. Jackie Chan delivers a performance that is both charismatic and physically impressive. As Huo An, a former general who becomes a defender of the Silk Road, Jackie Chan brings his signature martial arts skills to the forefront, offering some of the film’s most dynamic and engaging action sequences. His ability to convey both physical prowess and a sense of honor and justice is a highlight of the film. John Cusack, playing the Roman general Lucius, provides a grounded but somewhat restrained performance, while Adrien Brody's portrayal of the villain Tiberius is intense but occasionally melodramatic.

The film’s story, set during the Han Dynasty, attempts to merge Roman and Chinese elements but ends up feeling predictable and underdeveloped. The script’s dialogue is often stilted, and the pacing is uneven, affecting overall engagement. However, the action sequences are a highlight, featuring impressive choreography and grand-scale battles that capture the epic nature of the narrative.

Visually, Dragon Blade impresses with its elaborate sets and costumes, enhancing the historical atmosphere. Despite its flaws in storytelling and character depth, the film offers an entertaining spectacle, particularly for fans of action and historical epics. Overall, it’s a solid 7/10, with notable strengths in action and visual presentation.

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