Saturday, January 31, 2009
MELODRAMA
Today's NYTimes Best 1176 Film was
Huozhe / To Live (2008)This is a Chinese film covering one family's experiences from the 40s when Mao starts to take over the country until the late 60s when the cultural revolution is in full swing.
It is one damn thing after another.
But a great movie. Things move along. The view of life is extraordinary. I assume that it is true to the real thing.
It is gorgeous. Brilliant photography. Some epic scenes but not enough to lose the family focus.
I liked it a lot. Many times I thought I would have to bail out because one tragedy or another struck the small family but I stayed with it and found that, like life, if you stick to it and keep on going, it gets you somewhere very rewarding.
This film proves again that I am almost totally ignorant about life in other parts of the world. I have stereotypical impressions, from print media, for the most part. A film like this opens up panoramas that I had not imagined. How could I?
I think that this ignorance, almost willful, is particularly deep around Asia and China in particular.
I have seen a lot of Japanese films and have been there for awhile. China is by no means the same. Surprise! Hello!
Another thing is that we see the Communist takeover and its evolution into a crazed cult. This is somewhat familiar to me historically but the evidence here, although hedged a bit at times, is confirming. It is a Chinese picture after all and had to pass censorship. It is amazing to see how much comes through. Maybe they are not as shut down as I think. Maybe.
I would give this a 5 but that would obligate me to see it again so I will not go there. I will give it a 4 and plan to see it if the opportunity arises again.
Labels: best films
