Film Festival

[Anonymous]

I just finished watching "The Weeping Camel." This film was produced by a German consotium in Mongolia.
The film is primarily a look at the lives of Mongolian Camel herders. The people and events are contemorary, but the life style is such that it could be just about anytime in the last 2 or 3 millenia. The story revolves around a female camel that gives birth then rejects the colt. The family attempt to get the mother to accept the colt, but she will not. So, the famil send off two of their sons to retrieve a mucician to come and perform in a ceremony to unite the mother and child.
The film is quite well made and is an intersting look into the lives and culture of these people. Again, other than plastic tubs and a couple of tv and radio references, this film could be depicting just aboput any time in the last couple of thousand years. This is the best part of the film, you get a good overview of their lives and culture. You also get a good view of how hard their lives are as they tie down their gers(most people use the Russian word 'yurt' which is actually a different structure) in the face of a strong storm.
As for the classroom, I would never show the whole film as it would be too "slow" for most students, no explosions, comedy or much "action." There is actually very little dialogue in the film which is subtitled (another detractor for showing it to students). I might use a few clips to demonstate the life style and the environment. This is another stong part of the film as it has many spectacular vista shots of the Gobi desert.
It could also be useful if you were wnating to show images of camels as the film is filled with them and their various antics, whci include their wistful gazes and spitting when annoyed. The camels are real scene stealers.
Overall, it is a wonderful film with limited usefulness in the classroom.

David Dandridge

[Anonymous]

Last Samurai summary: Set in Japan during the 1870s, (yet filmed in New Zealand) "The Last Samurai" conveys the tale of Capt. Nathan Algren (a very pompous and melodramatic Tom Cruise), as an American military officer hired by the young Emperor of Japan to train the country's first army in the art of modern warfare. As the government attempts to dispose of the ancient Samurai warrior class in preparation for more Westernized and trade-friendly policies, Algren falls in love with the Samurai way and grows to love the people, which puts him in the center of a battle between two eras and two worlds, with only his own sense of honor to guide him.

I knew going into this movie that everything would tend to focus toward Tom Cruise, but that he was in no way the last Samurai. I learned that the "last Samurai" were indeed a people. I found it arrogant of the director to assume that a visit to the emporer was a natural thing. However, I did like the relationships built between Cruise, Katsumoto, and Taka. One thing that struck me as sad was the tremendous loss of life due to "dying with honor". Watching this film was very interesting, though the snow was a weird touch!

[Anonymous]

I want to add another film review, Lost In Translation. What a wonderful film, a bit odd at times but thoroughly enjoyable with several hilarious scenes. Basic summary: A famous film actor goes to Japan to make some wiskey commercials (he's being paid $2 million). He hates it and has a series of encounters with a young American women who is there with her husband and she also is not happy in Japan.

Not many uses for the classroom unless you are trying to make a point about translations. There is a great scene when he is actually shooting the commercial with a director who only speaks Japanese and a translator who appears to alter/embelish her translations. A hilarious few minutes.

David Dandridge

[Anonymous]

The movie Quitting, directed by Zhang Yang, is the story of a real life Chinese actor and his battle with drugs and finally his recovery with the support of a very loving family. Jia Hongsheng and his family, the orderlies, and friends are the actual people playing themselves. The irony in this is that Jia uses the excuse of quitting acting because its phony.

His parents realize that their son is heavily into drugs and his father opts for early retirement and they move in with their son and their daughter (the sister) who has been enabling Jia. Jia is disgusted with his parents, repeatedly calling them “peasants” because they are not from a city. He is critical of how they speak and so forth. The parents basically serve him, wait on him hand and foot and he continues to disrespect them. He is obsessed with John Lennon and starts saying that he is the son of Lennon, denying the lineage he has from his parents. This sends his mother over the edge. Perhaps the director is making a commentary about the influence of the west, breaking up the lineage.

Once he becomes clean, he embraces his Chinese heritage and no longer claims to be the progeny of John Lennon. At about the half way point you realize that this has become a stage play and you see the separate rooms of the apartment divided from the new focal point of the audience, a very nice touch in my opinion. I really liked all the symbolism.

The film is rated R, however I did not notice any really violent scenes, the worst was when he slapped his father. Additionally, there were no truly illicit graphic drug scenes. Although this is not something I could show my students, basically because it would not fit into the Social Studies standards and of course its rating, I think it would be meaningful to them in that it covers a lot of topics and problems they are having, such as drug issues, identity, caring parents, etc. I enjoyed the film.

[Anonymous]

Frank,

I just recently watched "To Live" based on your recommendation during class. It was a fantastic film, an epic story following the family over a long period of time.

I plan to use it in my classes also but of course I would not be able to show the whole film but might need to show just certain clips. I agree that it is an excellent film to use in a government class as well as economics. When reviewing economic systems the film does a good job of showing the transition from an agricultural economy to a centrally planned economy and the sacrifices made by the people for the good of the state, such as the metal collection quota. Additionally, the symbolism of Mao as the dictator was everywhere, depicted on posters, murals, etc. It was so pervasive in the movie I think that the students may actually remember what it all is in 5 years. One could also tie in propaganda, public opinion and those types of issues wit this film.

[Anonymous]

A Major Korean hit (hilarious if you like Fast Times at Ridgemont High type films)

genre: youth oriented comedy
setting; high school, roller rink, small town
synopsis: BMOC (although a thug, flunky, falls and gets straight-A girl, nearly loses his status and cool factor when another tough kid transfers to the school. Major a$$ kicking by boys and girls throughout and hilarious adolescent situations.

warning: rife with foul language but some scenes are presentable

Class Use (w/caution)
connections to US culture: young love/lust, 1st kiss, thugs, bullies, rumbles, defending the innocent, brand name conciousness, BMOC.

differences: respect for authority, punishment, banned Prince songs (censorship), intense emergency drills, martial arts

[Anonymous]

Delightful, hilarious & sad- 2 thumbs up

genre: situational comedy

setting; city, modern day

synopsis: 50 year old bachelor desparate to find a wife- he does (his 18th fiancee) but can't afford her. Lies (his specialty) his way to her heart, she pawns off her blind ex-step daughter Wu (her father moved away, mom dead) on him, he pities/protects Wu, and coerces his friends to help & lie w/him to support Wu's independence from evil stepmother.

rating: ok for classroom

Class Use
connections to US culture: Cinderella characters, free enterprise, love, relationships, materialism

differences: respect for authority, courtship

[Anonymous]

Ruang Rak Noi Nid Mahasan (Last Life in the Universe) is a Japanese film primarily set in Thailand. The film was very different and eccentric but was again a beauty to look at. Kenji is working as a librarian in Thailand and fantasizes about his own suicide. His fantasies are played out and the viewer is not always sure if you’re in one of his fantasies or if it is actually happening. He’s a loner and is obviously severely depressed. He wears monochromatic light blue which goes with the color of his very clean fastidiously organized apartment and he is definitely the poster child for obsessive-compulsive disorder.

A bizarre chain of events leads him to a Thai girl named Noi who is a complete sloppy filthy disaster and he actually begins to connect with her. Initially there is a huge language barrier and they speak English to communicate with each other (Noi is also trying to learn Japanese). The end is bizarre, lots of death, hit men, jealous ex-boyfriends, and the spirit of Noi’s dead sister. Again, not appropriate for the classroom (unless it is a film class), but the film definitely had its merits.

[Anonymous]

Note to self: actually read the back summary of the movie before renting it and not rely on a good DVD cover with no rating. This is the latest installment of a Chinese movie I viewed and it is without a doubt the most bizarre and sick film I’ve seen in a long time. I would never show this to students or subject anyone I know to watching it. The River, a film by Tsai Ming-Liang follows a weird family that lives in Taipei, the son who apparently contracts some excruciating neck condition after playing a floating dead body in a movie that was being filmed. This event lasted all of 1 minute. The mother and father sleep in separate bedrooms and you later learn that she is dating a porno distributor and the father frequents homosexual bathhouses. The are generally always eating some sort of take-out food and the apartment appears not to have a real kitchen.

I’ll spare all the twisted weird details. Unlike other Chinese films I’ve seen this one did not have the aesthetic beauty and cool camera angles. It actually had these long drawn out shots that lasted to long and made the film just drag on. But perhaps the director did this on purpose to show how drawn out and painful their lives are. As with the other film I saw which took place in Taipei, there was very little dialogue, but unlike it no visual eye candy.

[Anonymous]

Miike's films are not appropriate for classrooms. He does, however, stand alongside Miyazake, Wong Kar-Wei, and Hou Hsiao-Hsien as one of the important figures in contemporary Asian cinema. Miike appears to be a filmmaker whose renown is inevitable in circles that regard experimental film as worthwhile and controversy as a partner in art. He is prolific, making 24+ films between 1999-2002. His movies are unpredictable in every way, always making for an interesting viewing. It's been said that he will make any movie he's asked to. Miike's movies are always memorable, for every time I encounter someone whose heard of him, there are always scenes burned into their consciousness to discuss. I should mention that Miike has a reputation of making amazingly grotesque and gruesome thrillers.
He is most famous for the movie Audition, a drama turned horror which upends any notions about the roles of Asian women with a final sequence that is tough for some to stomach. Other notable movies are Visitor Q (quite possibly the most dysfunctional family EVER), Gozu (the ending has been called the "most disturbingly graphic" scene in cinema), Ichi the killer (intense well shot & edited mind bender, though not a good movie to be a woman character in), and The Happiness of the Katakuris (a horror/musical/comedy).
Not a cup for the common denominator to drink from.[Edit by="jluesse on Jul 30, 11:42:33 AM"][/Edit]
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[Anonymous]

I particularly enjoyed watching the Red Violin again recently. Throughout the movie violin does almost take on its own life, or personality at least. The scene where the music teahcher is punished for teaching western music does illustrate the anti-western sentiments of the time. This is a powerful and beautifully sequenced movie, buI agree that it would not be appropriate to students due to the sexual content.

[Anonymous]

I watched this movie last night, and as I was watching it I realized I had seen it 10 or more years ago when it forst came out.

The cinematography in this movie was just fantastic, with the lighting and the weather often setting the mood. The emotions and determination of the main character, Songlian are very effective as they change throughout the movie. Very well acted. Makes you understand the frustrations of being a woman, educated, and a concubine as well. The twists the movie take are quite unpredictable and the ending is almost haunting.

I would reccommend this movie for showing to students to help them to understand what life was like in this young woman's shoes during this time period. Also, the set and costumes are very authentic.

[Anonymous]

Raise the Red Lantern, a film by Zhang Yimou was an outstanding film about China in the 1920’s. According to the movie sleeve, it was originally banned in mainland China because it does not display Chinese society in a positive light. I highly recommend it.

The movie depicts the clash of modern with tradition. Songlia becomes the 4th mistress to a Chinese nobleman, but she is different from the others in that she has been to university and is educated. He is fastidious about following the tradition of his ancestors. The mistresses all try to sabotage each other to win the affection of the master. Whomever he chooses to share a bed with each evening, his servants raise the red lanterns at their home. Is this where “red light district” came from? Adultery on behalf of one of the wives is punishable by death. For the master of course, polygamy is his right and it’s just.

Songlia, in a drunken stupor accidentally lets the beans out about mistress #3 and the good doctor. The opera singer is hauled away to the death room and hung. Songlia goes mad and the nobleman takes yet another mistress, number 5. It’s a powerful commentary of how society is structured and its very patriarchal control.

[Anonymous]

Through the use of color, subtle gesture, and artful cinematography Wong Kar-Wai has crafted a gorgeous slow burner. The lush colors highten the moods and characterization and overall texture of the film, which quietly builds into a crushing drama like a trickling stream that grows into a gushing torrent beneath the surface. The story revolves around neighbors, Mrs. Chan and Mr. Chow, whose spouses are having an affair with one another. In an attempt to understand and cope with the situation, the two befriend one another and develop an unrequited love that highlights their integrity and loneliness. There are never blatant ovations of their growing affections, rather, delicate scenes where an expression or gentle movement expresses the increasing sexual tension.
There are some stunning shots combining rich colors and exquisite composition; drab alleys and common workplaces become striking tableaus. The care with which the movie was made is clearly evident in the settings-colors correspond with the characters, events, and moods creating a sensual whole.

I don't think the movie would be a success in most classes, it would seem ponderously slow and probably unbearable to students. It is a good film to check out and should whet enthusiasm for the excellent sequel 2046 (notice the room # where the two meet/write). Kar-Wai has established himself as an important young filmmaker, and In The Mood For Love could be a great introduction to those unfamiliar with his work.

[Anonymous]

Battles Without Honor and Humanity begins with characters, in blood red, stylishly arranged over intense black and white photos in the opening credits. The movie is visceral and relentless, from the opening scene depicting an attempted rape of a woman by an American GI to the final funeral scene. Scenes are composed of grim off-colors: grays, muted browns, dark blues and bland tones, that is until bright red blood sears through the celluloid. Many cuts are sharp, causing some jarring sequences. There are portions where the plot is developed and dialogue dominates, however violence is looming above and around, always quick to step in for a bit. The editing never allows any shot to become stagnant and there are plenty of stylish shots.

The movie is a crime drama, a gritty look at the yakuza underworld. Fukasaku was one of the early filmmakers to portray the world of crime in Japan with some realism. The line between good and evil seems to be blurred in the film-there is a protagonist, but he is a criminal who engages in a bloody street war against a rival gang. There are moments of dark humor, for example when the chopped off finger is lost resulting in the yakuzas' comical search under the tables. It is an engaging movie and one I would never show to a class due to the violent nature.

It is clear that Fukasaku's legacy will not rest simply on the more recent success of the controversial Battle Royale movies or the novelty of picking up legend Kurosawa's Tora!Tora!Tora! but also on a series of important crime movies, which 1973's Battles Without Honor and Humanity would be prominantly included.[Edit by="jluesse on Jul 30, 2:30:28 PM"][/Edit]
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