New Members lianweipz Posted April 16, 2011 at 09:26 AM New Members Report Posted April 16, 2011 at 09:26 AM Just saw 大红灯笼高高挂 (raise the red lantern) and thought it was great. Anyone got any recommendations for films in a similar vein? I'm not really interested in martial arts or anything. Quote
skylee Posted May 1, 2011 at 01:45 PM Report Posted May 1, 2011 at 01:45 PM I just watched 抱抱俏佳人 on my flight from Bangkok to HK. I chose this film because the journey was short and I was too tired to watch anything more serious. It was like watching TVB comedy (because it was produced by Shaw Brothers and TVB with a lot of TVB actors). It was not too bad a choice, as it was free and I just wanted to kill the time. I also watched 非誠勿擾2 on a flight a couple of weeks ago. It was OK, but not as good as the first one. Emirates airlines offers a good film selection, including about 10 each of Chinese, Japanese/Korean, Bollywood films. Indian films seem to be very entertaining with all the colours and dancing. Quote
jbradfor Posted May 2, 2011 at 02:35 PM Report Posted May 2, 2011 at 02:35 PM Anyone got any recommendations for films in a similar vein? Watch anything from the same director (Zhang Yimou) pre-"Hero", To Live and Ju Dou in particular. Xiu Xiu: The Sent-Down Girl may be what you want as well. Quote
skylee Posted May 29, 2011 at 12:40 PM Report Posted May 29, 2011 at 12:40 PM I watched 不再讓你孤單 today, because someone had told me that it was pretty good, Liu Ye's performance in particular. The film is quite tear-jerking. Overall I think it is OK. And it seemed that the other audience found the film quite satisfying. I am not sure if Shu Qi is perfect for the role, which is a girl from HK who works in Beijing. Her Cantonese is so heavily accented that it just doesn't sound right. (王菲 and 劉嘉玲 speak Cantonese much better than Shu Qi.) I have no other big complaints, though. I think Liu Ye is a pretty good actor. I saw him on stage in Amber in HK and he was extremely charming. Note the film is 98% in Putonghua. Trailer on youtube Trailer on youku http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjY2MjI5NTM2.html Quote
skylee Posted June 18, 2011 at 08:08 AM Report Posted June 18, 2011 at 08:08 AM Has anyone seen 最愛? If you have, would you recommend it? I like the director and I like how Aaron Kwok looks in the film. But I am not sure about Zhang Ziyi. Any views? Quote
abcdefg Posted June 18, 2011 at 09:26 AM Report Posted June 18, 2011 at 09:26 AM Has anyone seen 最愛? If you have, would you recommend it? I saw it about a month ago. It was easily the best Chinese movie I've seen this year. Zhang Zhiyi plays her role modestly and doesn't try to puff it up into a "star vehicle." Kwok is also restrained. The movie had some sad parts, of course, but I did not find it depressing. The characters, especially the main ones, became quite real and understandable in their deeds, views and motivations. The ending is "strong" and might offend some. I liked that the movie did not follow a "standard" formula. It seemed the director was willing to take chances. It was made thoughtfully and with great skill. Highly recommended. Quote
skylee Posted June 18, 2011 at 10:37 AM Report Posted June 18, 2011 at 10:37 AM Thank you, the information is useful. I will see it tonight or tomorrow. Like you I also enjoy watching films in cinemas. Quote
heifeng Posted June 18, 2011 at 04:45 PM Report Posted June 18, 2011 at 04:45 PM 保持通话 was the last movie I watched. Good enough to entertain me during the duration (which means 'ok- to not bad range' )....and made me realize I haven't watched anything that 大S has acted in since 流星花园...oops. I really liked 刘烨 in the TV series 肉色浪漫 & 向天真的女孩子投降, but this movie sort of made an unconvincing villian out of him. (Oh sure, the bad guys must always dress in black with black sunglasses...no one will see them coming that way...oh yes, let's cue the typical villain laugh-o-evil.) So it probably wasn't his fault--no one really 'shined' in this movie. (Also note to self, don't run in the middle of an open road when you escape your kidnappers when there is a tall grassy field to hide in...seriously, who writes this stuff). But it must have kept my goldfish-like attention b/c it certainly is packed with some good chase scenes, which when it's all said 'n done that is what an action movie is all about anyway. B) ) Anyone got any recommendations for films in a similar vein?Watch anything from the same director (Zhang Yimou) pre-"Hero", To Live and Ju Dou in particular. Xiu Xiu: The Sent-Down Girl may be what you want as well. Oh god, don't watch XIU XIU! ok, well of course you can, but maybe I thought was disturbing, but some people like disturbing movies. For me, watching this movie was just about as pleasant as watching The Accused or Casualties of War. Sure they are good movies, but you may not be able to wipe out the mental images. Moving right along, here are some other recommendations, which I must admit were part of my Gong Li collection :rolleyes: The Story of Qiu Ju 秋菊打官司 Shanghai Triad 摇啊摇，摇到外婆桥 The Emperor and the Assassin 荆柯刺秦王 Farewell My Concubine 霸王别姬 Quote
skylee Posted June 18, 2011 at 04:51 PM Report Posted June 18, 2011 at 04:51 PM 保持通話 is quite entertaining. I've watched it more than once in the same hair salon. I watched 最愛 tonight. It is ok. Quote
heifeng Posted June 18, 2011 at 05:23 PM Report Posted June 18, 2011 at 05:23 PM 保持通話 is quite entertaining. I've watched it more than once in the same hair salon. At the risk of a hair-obsession (and playing 1 degree of separation b/t every thread and the subject of hair today)...what WAS going on with 古天乐 & 刘烨's hair in this movie. I know you must have been thinking of this too while you were getting your hair done did (twice) at the salon (My eyes were glued to their hair throughout 1/2 of the movie wondering...why! why!) Quote
gougou Posted June 20, 2011 at 02:39 AM Report Posted June 20, 2011 at 02:39 AM I wasn't impressed by 珍爱。I didn't like that it added so many comedic parts (such as the scene where the woman rides through town on a pig), which led to the audience being in such a good mood that they laughed even at the serious parts (such as a villager dying of AIDS). That can hardly have been the director's intention? I also didn't like how it portrayed a large part of the HIV-infected villagers pretty much as nutcases - it's not like there isn't enough prejudice already... What I did like was Aaron Kwok's performance - I don't think I've seen anything by him before, so his face wasn't familiar, and had anybody told me that he was a locally cast villager, I would have readily believed it. Zhang Ziyi didn't seem quite so natural. Also loved the scenic shots of the village. Just those made me not regret going to see this movie in a theater. I watched 太阳照常升起 again yesterday, finally on the big screen. I still have no clue what it is about (even though reading reviews on 豆瓣 gave some ideas), but man is it beautiful! Might even go see it again next Sunday... I had the same impression ("this is beautiful, but I don't get it") after watching Let the Bullets Fly, curious to see 鬼子来了 now to see whether that'll be the same. Quote
skylee Posted June 20, 2011 at 04:44 AM Report Posted June 20, 2011 at 04:44 AM I wasn't impressed by 珍爱 Is this the name of the film on the Mainland (or part of it)? Not sure if there were nutcases ... I think many things in the film appeared to be stupid. For example, shouldn't there be a better way to cool off a feverish body? Shouldn't the feverish guy be put in the cold water instead? Why did people sell blood in the first place, anyways? But aren't these exactly the background of such a story? They were not well educated, and people were prejudiced and unwilling to help, and there was no support / cure for these patients. I don't particularly like the film, but I think it is OK. Aaron Kwok is good in this film. Quote
gougou Posted June 20, 2011 at 04:53 AM Report Posted June 20, 2011 at 04:53 AM Is this the name of the film on the Mainland (or part of it)? No, just my bad memory... Quote
abcdefg Posted June 20, 2011 at 05:01 AM Report Posted June 20, 2011 at 05:01 AM 珍爱。。。Is this the name of the film on the Mainland (or part of it)? My ticket stub says 最爱。 Saw it in Kunming on 2011.5.13. I liked it a lot and found it moving, but I realize taste in movies is a very personal thing. There's no "right" or "wrong" response. I agree that the woman riding the pig seemed out of place. My best guess is that the director felt in rather desperate need of some comic relief because of the grim subject matter. EDIT: I now see @gougou's correction. Quote
gougou Posted June 20, 2011 at 05:12 AM Report Posted June 20, 2011 at 05:12 AM I was later told that the actress was the director's wife. If I was directing a movie with my wife in it, I'd probably also find a reason why there has to be scene where she has to ride on a pig... 2 Quote
Brian US Posted June 20, 2011 at 03:14 PM Report Posted June 20, 2011 at 03:14 PM I watched 最爱 in my class a couple weeks ago and it only added to my typecast of Chinese dramas...everyone dies in the end. My earliest experience with Chinese movies might be the Curse of the Golden Flower. Everyone dies in the end, except the character of authority being the emperor. Last year I watched 我们俩, which was a cute story until the old women dies. I've tried the romantic comedies, but I just don't get the humor. Maybe I'm just a sucker for Hollywood endings of revenge/getting the girl/destroying asteroids/epilogue voiced by Morgan Freeman. Quote
imron Posted June 21, 2011 at 12:04 AM Report Posted June 21, 2011 at 12:04 AM Have you seen Beijing Bicycle? No-one dies at the end. 1 Quote
Brian US Posted June 21, 2011 at 03:27 AM Report Posted June 21, 2011 at 03:27 AM I'll try to watch it next week, but do I really have to go back to 2001 to see a Chinese movie without characters dying off? Quote
gato Posted June 21, 2011 at 03:48 AM Report Posted June 21, 2011 at 03:48 AM my typecast of Chinese dramas...everyone dies in the end. Shakespeare likes to have everyone die in the end, too. The Greeks used to have a thing for it, too, in fact. Quote
roddy Posted June 21, 2011 at 07:18 AM Report Posted June 21, 2011 at 07:18 AM You'll like Beijing Bicycle. Very uplifting. 1 Quote
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