Reviews

"Every place is the same"

Xiu Xiu the Sent Down Girl was a haunting and angry film set during the Cultural Revolution. The Tibetan steppes with an ocean of green and endless blue skies belied the ugliness taking place in a small, ragged tent.

Xiu Xiu waves goodbye to her family as she and other youth from her community are sent to the “countryside” during the Cultural Revolution. At fifteen years of age she is assigned to work with a horse herder in order to learn the skills to come back in six months to lead the Iron Girls Cavalry. Lao Jin is a skilled horseman who understands the land he lives on. During a battle twenty years ago he was castrated, something none of the local men let him live down. Xiu Xiu doesn’t care for her remote assignment but gamely works with Lao Jin in the sun and rain. When the six months come to an end, homesick Xiu Xiu packs her belongs and eagerly waits to be picked up. The bus home never arrives. One by one men come to her and convince her that they can help arrange her permission documents if she will give them the favor of using her body. Desperate to leave the steppe and return to her mother and father she opens herself to the degenerate men while slowly and surely her hope and dignity begin to ebb away.

This was an infuriating movie to watch. Director/writer Joan Chen left most of the politics out and focused more on human nature. Xiu Xiu was a naïve child who wanted to go home. The vast steppe wasn’t freedom to the teenager, more like being stranded on a desert island. As evil men do who have power over women or in this case a beautiful teen girl, they took what they wanted offering empty promises in return. Like the child she was she committed to the only path she could see that might help her escape. Lao Jin allowed her to make her own choices even when he saw how disastrous they were. Only when something happened that wasn’t her choice did he spring into action.

The connection between Xiu Xiu and Lao Jin was engaging. The difference in age was substantial which Lao Jin respected if the men at headquarters did not. He cared for her more as a ward than possible love interest. Xiu Xiu tended to boss him around yet Lao Jin tried to make her as comfortable as possible. Li Xiao Lu (Lu Lu) and Lopsang gave natural heartfelt performances that drew me in as the mismatched work couple.

Both Joan Chen and the author* of the novel this film was based on lived during the Cultural Revolution which gave them some basis for their artistic endeavor. Watching a child willing to do whatever was necessary to break through the corrupt bureaucratic red-tape and institutional abuse of human rights and dignity was devastating. Joan Chen took advantage of the stunning scenery and cloudy skies as the backdrop for the film. Even when human darkness began to erode Xiu Xiu’s self-worth the sun shone brightly. The juxtaposition was jarring. With these kinds of films I worry that they can be more exploitive than revealing. Instead, there was a coiled fury underlying the manipulation and mistreatment of a child who had no money, no power, and no knowledge of the ways of the world. The Cultural Revolution didn’t have a monopoly on those vices. To quote Lao Jin, “Every place is the same.” Every place is the same when those in power are free to do as they will to those with less power.

31 August 2024

*Yan Ge Ling wrote the short story Celestial Bath in 1981

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In a Taiwanese village, surrounded by a picturesque landscape, two teenage best friends, Yan Ming and Shao An, have known each other since they were children, play together and maintain a close friendship. Although they share very different personalities, they both complement each other. One weak and one strong, one calm and one active.
As Shai An tries to win the interest of Yu Xuan, a girl, Yan Ming discovers new feelings for his best friend. Meanwhile, both children will play typical adolescent games, activities that serve to uncover, or activate, a sensuality that springs from all the pores of young people.
All this happens in a violent, bleak and claustrophobic atmosphere, as Yan Ming is harassed by the other students, so he must be defended by his friend. These characteristics increase in their own homes, since they live their particular drama in their humble homes. With absent mothers in their respective homes, without the presence of other loved ones, Shao An lives with his violent father, while Yan Ming has his alcoholic and negligent father as his only family member.
Shao An and Yan Ming are experiencing an effervescence of their sensuality. The former is very comfortable with girls, while Yan Ming begins to realize his attraction to his friend and feels guilty for harboring a forbidden love within him.
Let's point out the sad scene of the two boys' arrival at school, with a happy Yan Ming attached to Shao An's back while he pedals his bicycle to school, which represents the catharsis in the face of the first's incipient and misunderstood homosexuality (see how the boy they are in love with chases the girl as soon as he sees him at the school entrance), and that anticipates the open crack, and the discomfort that Yan Ming begins to suffer with his friend.
Jealous of Yu Xuan, Yan Ming decides to play a prank on her to get her away from Shao An, which provokes the two's anger when they discover the author of the prank. Confessing his secret will cause the brotherhood to face an unprecedented challenge, in addition to increasing the ridicule of his companions about him.
The film portrays the pain of growing older, of not escaping the terrible gaze of those who will never understand your emotions, of the stupidity of others.

ISSUE
The 2016 Taiwanese romantic drama 'The Confession' (Native title: 男孩心事/Nan Hai Xin Shi) is about friendship, sensuality, discovering sexuality and how it affects them personally, and hidden passions.
It is a film that, in its scarce 25 minutes, shows the germ of homosexual attraction, the awakening of the sexuality of some boys who are defining their sexual orientation, who explore their body and their emotions, at the same time as a love triangle.
It is also about the agony that Yan Ming suffers from knowing that he is in love with his heterosexual friend, the shame that this forbidden love causes him, the pain of seeing how Shao An also falls in love with a girl in the classroom and the breakup of a friendship.
It is the pain of becoming an adult and leaving behind the joy of childhood; We will see Yan Minh, with his heart wounded by the blows of life, perhaps the first of many, looking at himself with pain through the reflection of the mirror in his room, while marking the sadness on his face with paint. His gaze also gets lost in the horizon, in the nature that surrounds his house, the school and the park where he once played with the friend who now, after hearing his confession, abruptly separates him from his life. When the secret is revealed and coldness conquers the heart of the loved one, game time is over and it is time to face the harsh adult reality.
SCENERY
Everything takes place in a humble town in Taiwan, which is surrounded by natural landscapes, which will serve as an escape route, games and walks for the protagonists.
Despite the suffocating atmosphere in which the characters operate, the director divides the short film well into two moments, which will show the moods of the protagonists, that of the joy of the innocence of youth, and that of sadness, discord and misfortune.
The young protagonists, new actors, play their roles quite correctly, giving verisimilitude to the restlessness typical of an adolescence that awakens to sexuality.
The narrative focuses more on the experiences of Yan Ming, who carries the weight of the anguish and the plot of the film, whose suffering and dismay are transferred with notable note from the script to the screen.
It is a visual film, where it is described more with images and silences than with the characters' dialogues. This circumstance forces the viewer to pay more attention to the viewing.
Despite its low budget, the rich photography helps the staging of the film, with beautiful framing and use of light, although it intentionally uses dark scenes, but not to recreate it, but to associate it to a certain extent point to the emotional state of its protagonists.
In short, it is not a film that will brighten your day, and the approach of inviting tolerance and not discriminating against homosexuals is too vague, and of course the adult characters do not help, as if between alcohol, violence and depression would have aged prematurely and would have bequeathed their own unease to new generations.

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Forget where did I stumble on this one. But really happy can watch this.

Story about 2 teenage boys, Song Xuan (SX) and Liu Wen (LW). LW's school comes a new boy, SX, an a cold and introverted but smart boy. Because of his introvert personality, SX have no friend. One day LW stumble SX who having problem with neighborhood bad boy, LW help SX. And with their friendship begin.

SX start to open up with LW & SX told LW he has no friends cause his parents like to move from place to place due to their work. Since that day, SX also start help LW with his study & their friendship deepen...

Yeah... Unfortunately this only short video. So not much I can tell you about this. But for sure... This one hell good short BL from China. Oh yeah... Don't lie to ourselves and said it just bromance. No... Their eyes tell much more than any word can describe their relationship. The only missing is kissing and hugging to make it official... Haha...

If you want to see a little BL from China this really good examples... :D

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I don't want to say much about the plot, or the film's main theme -- because, in the end, this is one of those films where every viewer can and must(!) find their own meaning behind what they've seen. This film expects you to find your own take -- especially the "last scene" is packed with layers upon layers of -- sometimes contradictory -- meaning.

If you saw a light teenage summer film, fine! If you saw an allegory about modern tiktok-shorts, easily consumed and easily forgotten, versus feature-length old-style slow-paced films, good! Or if you saw an essay about how similar rival relationships in classic samurai films (and also wild west movies and thriller dramas, btw) are to love relationships, also nice!
And if you saw a completely different meaning in the film, especially in the last scene -- impressive! The author is dead. It's your film as soon as you watch it.

Maybe one word about the cast -- they were all great! I love the subtle pining of Bito-Ban's, I love the banter between the technical crew of the samurai movie. And Ito Marika, who played Hadashi was overwhelmingly good -- I loved how she managed to change her body language depending on the mood and setting her character is in: Awkward and angular at school, relaxed and engaged when with her friends and when directing, focussed and precise when imitating Samurai fighting. Her facial expressions range from subtle to exaggerated. I cannot imagine another actress taking this role.

Thank you, Elisheva, for giving me the push to finally watch this film. I'm glad I did.

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Rollercoaster

I want to start by saying it was an enjoyable watch with great actors and supporting cast, the atmosphere worked and the location was perfect.

My main gripe is the very beginning of the series. After the happy conclusion of the first series, scene 1 of series 2 completely put a damper on the first series final. I was not expecting their relationship to be perfect, can’t have a show about that, but what we got I felt was a bit extreme and unrealistic after what we sure previously.

I also understand this review is more opinion based than I usually do but I felt a little ripped of for the first half of series 2 and initially regretted starting the second series.

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Still lingering...

Where Your Eyes Linger was my very first BL.

Before watching it, I did not know what BL meant (thank you, google! lol!). This was the drama which led me down the BL rabbit hole I don't seem to be able to free myself of (just like CLOY led me down the k drama rabbit hole, I fortunately managed to get out of but that is another story!).

I remember loving the initial bodyguard premise, the chemistry, the dark cinematography, the beautiful ending scene. But I also remember there were things that kept bugging me while I was watching the drama. The first time I just decided not to pay attention to them. Unfortunately, I rewatched it a few times since then and even though I still enjoy it as much as the first time, I keep finding more and more flaws with it and consequently, my ratings keep dropping.

The drama was too short which left some things out: most importantly Kang Guk's backstory. We know NOTHING about him only that he has been Taeju's bodyguard for 15 years. Since Taeju seems to be in high school probably 18 years old, how old is his bodyguard? Probably much older than Taeju, logically speaking! Even though he goes to school with him, he must be older than 18. I am surprised nobody's screaming scandal, grooming!!!! Maybe the father? Taeju's father is a big company chairman but looks and acts like a mafia don. He sends his son away but lets him come back three years later?!? He must have had a change of heart? Yeah, right, like that is going to happen....

I haven't seen either the drama or the film in a long time so I cannot tell you what differences there are: apparently the voiceover, present in the drama is back in the film and it truly helps with explaining the plot and the title. It looks like they recorded additional voiceover for some of the final scenes.

I love this director's films and dramas: they are practically the only ones I rewatch regularly (To My Star is by far my favourite BL!). But that does not mean that I am blind to their flaws which, in spite of excellent stories, sometimes sound false and cringy...

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Would be better if it were longer

After the rather heated production woes of the previous film, John Woo split from Tsui Hark and went off to self-finance his original draft for A Better Tomorrow III and in the process create his masterpiece, Bullet in the Head. With Woo and Hark's working relationship having deteriorated, Hark decided to helm his vision of a prequel himself. Unfortunately what we get ultimately feels like Hark being lazy, cashing in on the name with Hark's take on the heroic bloodshed genre, one of which he grounds into a harsh reality. The biggest problem with this film for me is its writing, it doesn't really feel like a prequel to A Better Tomorrow because the character depth and dynamics we loved so much about the previous two just aren't here.

However, there's still some good stuff to be found in A Better Tomorrow III, Hark's direction is fabulous with so many of his trademark imaginative camera shots and the action is brilliant, especially the finale involving machine guns, a tank and a motorbike; the music by Lowell Lo is lovely and makes good use of Joseph Koo's cues and, despite him really not giving a shit about this film or how his character was written, Chow Yun-fat turns in a marvellous performance as Mark once again. All in all, if you go in with much lower expectations, A Better Tomorrow III: Love and Death in Saigon will deliver an enjoyable if immensely flawed ride.

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An enjoyable mess

The fact that A Better Tomorrow II somehow manages to form a somewhat cohesive narrative and deliver some more uproarious Woo action is nothing short of a miracle. While the moment-to-moment editing is extremely questionable, seriously, the number of hard cuts in this movie that feel like we're jumping over some very necessary details; all get thrown out the door for an absolutely brilliant finale that is more than a highlight in Woo's already-stacked repertoire.

The absolute mess of its production is infamous, with John Woo and Tsui Hark constantly disagreeing with each other over how the film should go eventually resulting in two different versions of the film being shot, separately edited and then edited together again by another team. Honestly, if someone were to find the original film elements of this movie, you could most likely cobble together, at minimum, 5 different cuts putting Blade Runner to shame.

Chow Yun-fat is completely unhinged in this one, be it crying over some rice or nearly being blown up due to an explosion gone wrong, I love it. Ti Lung and Leslie Cheung retain their great performances of certified bromance which made the original so endearing. Joseph Koo's soundtrack is great, at least when he isn't egregiously overusing the main theme at every possible moment. For what it's worth, however, while this film may be an unfocused mess, it's still ridiculously entertaining with all of Woo's loveable trademarks still very much in place.

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Simply Marvellous

Considering A Better Tomorrow was produced on a relatively small budget and sent into cinemas with virtually no advertising, it's simply incredible to witness what is the birth of Hong Kong gangster cinema as we know it today. Pretty much any of the film's wonkier moments are bolstered by its captivating musical score by Joseph Koo, the gripping story, epic shootouts and incredible leading performances of Ti Lung, Leslie Cheung and, the epitome of coolness himself, Chow Yun-fat. In 95 minutes, John Woo redefines his entire filmmaking career into one that is very often imitated but never matched, his ballads of heroic bloodshed and emotional male leads leave me enchanted every time. A Better Tomorrow is simply marvellous.

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Ultraman Dyna and the cameoing Tiga

Greatly benefitting from a larger budget and its theatrical status, Ultraman Tiga & Ultraman Dyna: Warriors of the Star of Light ultimately plays like two TV series episodes cut together as a movie and less like the team-up promised by its title. Sluggishly paced but exceptionally well-directed the film does at least look pretty fabulous, Kazuya Konaka did a great job here while Tatsumi Yano's music is as great as it has always been. The model and practical effects work is marvellous and looks tremendous in the widescreen format, although the CG character work is abundant and extremely rough. The acting from its cast is solid, but like the show, I still haven't gelled with Asuka's character as a protagonist, even if this film largely focuses on his inner turmoil and occasional suicidal thoughts. The Tiga aspect of this film is more set dressing than anything else, with the titular Ultra only showing up during the climax but conspicuously missing his host, Daigo. While it is lovely to see most of the cast of the GUTS squad again, the conspicuous absence of Hiroshi Nagano doesn't make the reunion feel authentic. Ultimately, I wish the story for this one was better, there's a lot of good stuff in here but it just fails to stick the landing.

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A wonderful show!

The King and the Clown is an enjoyable movie about a clown, who is so beautiful, that even the king coveted after his beauty.

It shows the tyranny of the king and the helplessness of common folks like the clowns. Even though the beautiful clown wanted to leave the king's service, he couldn't because he was helpless. He was forced to serve the king's tyranny even though he didn't want to. His friend lost his eyes simply because he tried to protect the beautiful clown.

It showed friendship. I like how the partner of the beautiful clown protected him and tried his best to keep him safe. Also, one of the clowns sacrificed his life to protect the beautiful clown.

Also, it depicts a subject much frowned upon by society-- male prostitution. The theme that even in the past, beautiful males are subjected to sexual abuse is shown in this movie without reserve. The beautiful clown was often subjected to sexual abuse because of his beauty... first by official, then by the king.

Furthermore, it explored the corruption in the palace-- how officials accepted brides and how a queen could be wrongly killed. It explored the repercussions of such a corruption-- how the king turned up the way he did partly because his mother was wrongfully killed.

Overall, I enjoyed this show.

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"Who can throw a stone?"

Love Letter was actress Tanaka Kinuyo’s first film to direct. WWII was over and the censors had left so she could address sensitive issues about American G.I.’s having Japanese lovers. The subject for her first film was a tough one and the 1950’s attitude of the male lead was difficult to sympathize with.

Five years after WWII, Reikichi lives with his younger brother, Hiroshi, who pays most of the bills. An old friend brings him into his business translating and writing love letters in English for women who have been involved with American soldiers. Most of the women are asking for money and Yamaji makes the letters flowery and eloquent. Reluctantly, Reikichi begins work there to bring in more money. He’s despondent because he has never forgotten his first love who married someone else. When he discovers that she’s a widow he goes to the train station every day to search for her. As luck would have it, she comes into the shop to have a letter written to an American soldier who had fathered her baby.

First the positive. I enjoyed Tanaka’s fluid directorial style. Despite the year and cultural values, she showed Michiko in a mostly sympathetic light. Mori Masayuki gave a wonderfully complex performance, even when I wanted his character to erupt in flames. Yuga Yoshiko brought a damaged, yet sweet spirit to Michiko. Michiko was a woman who had lived through her own hell and was still able to be kind to others. The supporting characters were also strong. Tanaka made a guest appearance as a woman needing a letter written by Reikichi but instead received an earful about her lifestyle from the sullen man.

Much was made of Reikichi’s loyalty in waiting for Michiko for five years. They made a point of him standing next to the Hachiko statue, the dog who had waited faithfully for his deceased owner every day at the station for nearly 10 years. For Michiko to have sullied herself with a foreigner from the country that had defeated them was too much and the diatribe Reikichi buried her in was vile. That she’d also given birth to a “blue-eyed baby” who had died made her acts even worse. He knew nothing about her and the struggles and pain she had faced. He was unable to comprehend that the man she’d been involved with had been what she needed at the time. This kind of overly precious attitude about women’s virtue struck me as false given the horrors the Japanese military committed against women during the war.

What saved this film for me was that both Hiroshi and Yamaji called Reikichi on his stupidity and stubbornness. “Who do you think you are? A saint? You can’t be proud of the way you lived.” They knew that the war years and post war years were brutal for women, especially single women without a family to support them. For Hiroshi, Michiko’s actions could be forgiven as she had only been with one guy, unlike the prostitutes who made a living off the white bread foreigners. Michiko was a kind and elegant women who condemned herself for being “depraved” which was awful to hear. Reikichi wasn’t exactly a great catch. Though well educated he’d been sponging off his brother since he came home.

Japan had much to process after the war. Soldiers had experienced traumas and civilians had lived through their own. Most people had either visible or invisible battle scars. Reikichi was learning the hard way that forgiveness was hard to come by and sometimes harder to give when clinging to rigid ideals.

30 August 2024

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Revolver with misfired bullets

An extremely classy looking loot revenge crime thriller that was made up of 100% pure melodrama without any action sequence. Despite its stylish appearance and full of dark conspiracy threats, the storyline never really takes off into anything worthy, it didn't had enough pressure or stakes to make it intimidating, and the side characters are mostly useless for the story. At the end the mission seems easily fulfilled without shock ending or huge fights, after all the extended buildups it turns out to just be an underdeveloped arthouse film that only feels like a revolver with misfired bullets.

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