Reviews

When too much information is weaved/stuffed into such a visual spectacle in just two hours, then some details must be missed out during the (first-time) viewing process. I really enjoyed the strain and the thrill that the movie offered in Act 2 , but it took me some time to realize who's who and I had to carefully follow up on everybody's lines and subtext in Act 1 (even if I speak Mandarin). It also feels a bit abrupt when we see things are all settled in the end. Clarity is inevitably compromised when the narrative sometimes requires the audience to connect dots by themselves , in a blink of an eye.

Structure of the story and light-hearted yet profound music play significant roles in this "quiet" romantic comedy that shines, which is a rare case even in Chinese-language cinema. (Although most of the dialogue is done in Mandarin, most of the humor lies not verbally, or precisely speaking, also lies not on Taiwanese the local dialect.) Comedic timing was almost pure and perfect for me until I was surprised by my tears when I saw a man showing up onto the night bus in that semi-philosophical sequence towards the end of the movie. All of a sudden, I realized it's way more than a comedy. Wow!

"Love yourself well, because someone out there has been in love with you." As this shows up on screen like a last missing piece for this poetic modern fantasy about love and lost and found... I feel happily relieved, and of course, heart-warmed. It feels like watching Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain years ago.

One of the strongest dark horses in theaters during this year's Chinese New Year-Spring Festival holidays is this high-concept dramedy adapted from the director's own original sketch. You'd almost forget "Hi, Mom" is actually the director's debut direction since its whole set-up, conflicts and pay-offs are purely smooth and effective. Not too careful, yet not over-the-top, the humor and emotions in the film are just real and well-balanced in a way consistent with its tone, and that's probably why people laugh and shed a tear or two, (or lots of tears) towards the end of the movie. And....be prepared to expect more tears if you come out of theater finding your mom just leaving you a message.

People would hardly resist "Bang! Shao Nian"(aka "Tough Out") because it's so authentic, with kid baseball players originally from orphanages or poor families to be trained at a charity baseball base in the suburbs of Beijing. These kids learn to face up to life's difficulties that they are born with, and to try to deal with them positively through the fun and challenges playing baseball, with the help of the baseball team, their coaches and fellow kid players. Their baseball base, too, have been experiencing difficulties over recent years. Following MA Hu and Xiaoshuang, the team's two players with the most distinct character and varied potential, we see how their daily trainings and a baseball match invitation from the world's No.1 baseball country could possibly transform the kids on their way growing into adult baseball players. The documentary rings a bell, though. "A Way Out", a 2017 documentary that (for six years) follows three young Chinese of different social class, different regions and different mindsets into their adult lives, reveals an even crueler part of the social reality in modern-day China. Let us look forward to the upcoming "Tough Out" docu-series online, and laugh and cry, and be inspired again by these baseball kids.

Following the dual point of view from the filmmaker (- as a documentary director as well as a refugee), we, far from the war zone, are taken into a long journey named uncertainty, with the filmmaker's own family on the run towards EU. With its main characters full of love and determination, and regardless of the imbalance on the film's technical side, this docu-drama is simply so engaging not just because of the whole run/adventure being dramatic and suspenseful in nature, but because the filmmakers are deeply honest, reflective, and COURAGEOUS. A decent reminder to all of us --Life is hard, but let's be courageous!

I wonder why there is a "Dear" in the film's English title. A confession to the protagonists' past relationships, or a revenge? Or, maybe both.

Hovering in my head for hours and hours after the emotionally powerful film-viewing experience is the main theme named Bali Song, unpretentious background music for a stage drama considered to be the Ex's brainchild in the film. The song is a ballad mixed with a bit folk and some dreamy, laidback and even sexy retro pop, with its arousing opening whistle notes sentimentally visualizing a pleasant and romantic vacation, an ideal escape and an Utopia...for anyone longing for true freedom in his/her same-sex romantic relationships against the so-called social convention. The use of music here is such a gentle and subtle move within the film's melodramatic context and a breath of fresh air out of the "traditional" conventions in the still relatively conservative Chinese culture, or even in most Asian cultures. To my surprise, though, the music and lyrics of Bali Song also work as a nice replacement (instead of a compliment) to the mediocre stage drama that it's echoing in the film.

At times, this film quietly reminds me of works from Taiwan New Cinema spearhead Edward Yang, while its music, its character-driven plot, and somewhat overacting with surely a purpose breaks my illusions immediately. It is a sharp reflection as well as honest observation of life in Taipei, for the first decade of the 21st Century or so, not of life more than 25 years ago, when Ang Lee's Wedding Banquet came out.

The film is never comfortable to watch. Literally, it is a love confession (-starting with Dear) to whoever has once been either an annoying adolescent or adult ( a.k.a. the most stupid creature on earth ). So, get your tissues ready if you wouldn't mind taking a HOME-bound emotional roller-coaster with the family drama, and then...getting bombarded by that song!

This film will be well remembered, not for its ink paint style of cinematography, but for its characters, dialogue and ensemble performance. Deng Chao, who plays both the Shadow and the Commander at a time and can be often seen in the same frame with the help of marvellous visual effects, deserves all the attention and compliments for his commitment to acting. Didn't expect the adapted-from-historical-events drama turns out to be an action thriller ending with heavy blood stains, and the film almost reminded me of Feng Xiao-Gang's "The Banquet" when the ending credits rolled. But then, when I thought of the body moves of the Shadow, the Commander and his wife among Yin and Yang in the fight-practicing scene, and those tender moments between Shadow and his love, and their passion covered or burned through eye contact and physical distance in the light and the dark, I realised this is a Zhang Yimou film. The craftsmanship is simply for storytelling!

Didn't expect this local comics adaptation to be that emotionally effective at all! Casting is superb in picking Peng and Zhang as the role of brother and sister respectively. Under the helm of Taiwanese director Fen-fen Cheng, the young talents shine with their sibling chemistry, which is perfectly displayed and elevated, and the chemistry works like magic...just like the magic of that birthday wish Shi Miao made in the film.

I simply like how the director turned this comic series into a moving and believable live-action family drama with a female touch. When fantasy meets realism in film, if done carefully, even the most demanding audience give in. And it's relatively rare for Asian films!