The Way Back (2010)

I often fear that film interpretations of fact based epics will default towards the emotional rather than take pains to help the viewer enter the pain of the protagonist. The Way Back tackles the incredible trek of gulag escapees from the Soviet north down into northern India. It becomes clear that while they can not spend time on each of the characters, they do not default to a soft retelling. The harsh realities are depicted unfettered by too much orchestral dazzle.

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Ningen No Jôken (1959)

The Human Condition, a Japanese saga lasting 9 hours 39 minutes, gives a sobering look at empirialism, socialism, and humanism.

It is set during the 2nd World War in Manchuria where the Japanese have set up labour camps among the Manchus. Kaji, the lead character, is young and idealistic believing that the world can be better and people will respond well if they are only treated with basic dignity. He is placed as a supervisor over a team of coal miners and is continually at odds with his fellow supervisors. As such, he makes several enemies. The epic story takes Kaji away from his wife and into the infantry where he is put into training, then battle. The story spirals into despair as the Japanese lose ground and later the war. Kaji struggles with his ideals and how they collide with the brutality surrounding him.

The film is black and white and could be accused of being a little melodramatic, but the story and struggle is superb giving the viewer a lot to mull over.

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Dark Matter (2007)

A close look at the pressures of doctorate studies for foreign students in the United States and their choice to sell-out or give-up. The lead actor, Ye Liu, gave a riveting performance as the astrophysicist with a new idea.

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Shi mian mai fu (2004)

House of Flying Daggers is a disappointment storywise, though it contains some elegant and elaborate visual effects.

A group of rebel fighters who throw, um, daggers, are fighting the corrupt establishment. A luscious blind woman dagger thrower is captured but is rescued by an enchanted police officer. The plot cavorts like a live shrimp on a hot grill until it finally falls dead.

The film shared its eggs among the basket of special effects and flowing fabric and the basket of sentimentality.

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Yi yi (2000)

This Taiwanese film graced many top ten movie lists of the past decade and that's how I heard of it. I had to prepare myself for the nearly 3 hours of slow-paced drama and wide angles.

Set during the dotcom boom of the late nineties, a modern, upper middle class family faces individual struggles. The mother faces her mother's recent descent into a coma. The moral father faces his former lover and lack of integrity at work. The bright teenage daughter discovers romance. The young son finds his own voice and battles ridicule.

If a scene can be shot without actually showing the actors directly, it is done. Reflections, barriers, and distant wide shots are used to convey the feeling of voyeurism, the feeling that you encounter situations like this everyday without knowing.

While there are some dramatic events on the periphery, the characters themselves encounter internal struggles and the triumphs at the end are beautifully depicted.

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Kung Fu Hustle (2004)

Stephen Chow possesses unique film making powers and he demonstrates them most effectively in Kung Fu Hustle.

The Axe Gang is terrorizing neighbourhoods in Shanghai in the 1940's. The borough called Pig Sty is usually untouched because of its poverty, but a wannabe gangster troubles the water and the residents of Pig Sty are soon embroiled in a war with the Axe Gang. The most unlikely characters emerge as kung fu masters and some great fighting sequences ensue.

For me, the comedic elements are as interesting and entertaining as the action ones. Some of the comedy falls flat on western ears however and it's important to keep this in mind when one views Chow's films.

The film begins with a very graphic scene of violence in order to show the bestial nature of the villain. It is very rough for a film that is borderline cartoonish.

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The Painted Veil (2006)

I've come to expect good things from all the actors involved in this film, so I didn't hesitate to see it, though I anticipated some depressing story of love lost.

The story is beautiful and rich and an interesting complement to Love in the Time of Cholera. We are drawn into China a few years before Mao's revolution as cholera outbreaks take over parts of the country. A scientist volunteers to help fight the outbreak at a British outpost. He drags his unloving wife with him threating to shame her if she doesn't come.

The scenery is breathtaking and we get a strong sense that this film was entirely shot on location (though I imagine a good portion of the indoor scenes were shot in sets) because of all the Chinese characters. It was odd to me that the three main characters playing Brits were American actors - I couldn't find fault with their accents, but I'm sure it didn't appeal to audiences in the UK.

The couple's relationship is the most interesting part of the film. We see how honesty, respect, and forgiveness play roles in their falling in love. The historical backdrop creates tension as riots and cholera daily threaten the protagonists.

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Wo Hu Cang Long (2000)

Ang Lee directs us to an imaginary China of the not too distant past where martial arts experts are able to fly. And really, it is such a thrill to watch that I dreamt about flying after watching this film. This is sort of an Adult version of Peter Pan that is set in a slightly more realistic land.

Aside from the exquisite beauty of the Chinese wilderness, we are given an intimate look at a relationship that never is, but should have been (kind of like Brokeback Mountain). We also look at expectation vs. desire through the life of a young female warrior. So this film becomes a rich story with rich characters set against a rich backdrop.

What appreciate too, more than the first time I watched the film, is the surreal and tragic ending that leaves us wondering a fair bit. Not many recent films achieve such bittersweetness for their viewers.

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