Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Movie Reviews - June 2, 2009

Source: LoveHKFilm





City of Life and Death - Nanjing! Nanjing!
(China)

Lu Chuan's City of Life and Death impresses by eschewing patriotic pride for a surprisingly balanced portrait of the Nanking Massacre. The themes sometimes speak louder than the characters or the situations, but overall this is a powerful achievement and required viewing for anyone who cares for Chinese film.



Youtube Link


The First 7th Night (HK)


It looks like a horror movie, but it really isn't one. Director Herman Yau takes elements of horror, crime film and supernatural drama and mixes them into an unassuming and engaging little genre film.



Youtube Link


Tombstone of the Fireflies
(Japan)

It’s an admirable attempt at a live-action adaptation of the classic anti-war story, but Tombstone of the Fireflies is too calculated in its portrayal of war to leave any lasting impact like its animated predecessor did.



Desires of the Heart
(China)

A female-centered comedy-drama, Desires of the Heart possesses well-observed characters hidden beneath its deceptively lightweight exterior. The resolutions to each of the love stories don't completely satisfy, and director Ma Liwen's technique is a bit clumsy. Nevertheless, this is worthwhile commercial stuff and much better than it initially seems.

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