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Posted on 06.20.07 by David @ 10:05 am
 Part 2 of our report on the 2007 Subway Cinema New York Asian Film Festival, which starts this weekend: The Banquet  The Banquet is a lugubrious tale of palace intrigue from Mainland China starring Zhang Ziyi. Clearly pitched at the international arthouse audience, the film is ostensibly a pseudo-Shakespearean period piece concerning a struggle for power following the death of the Emperor among the late Emperor’s lover, brother, general, and others. However, the film is far more concerned with lavish set design than it is with plot mechanics or characterization. To be fair, though, the set design is pretty amazing; nearly every scene takes place in elaborate palace rooms filled with unusual statues and other odd details which bring to mind the work of Matthew Barney. Filed under: Movie News and Movie News: Hong Kong and Movie Reviews and Movie Reviews: Hong Kong and Contributors: David and Film Festivals: News and People: John Woo and People: Kuo Cheh (5 Venoms) and People: Zhang Ziyi and Movie News: China and People: Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Contributors: Jeff and People: Chow Yun-fat and Film Festivals: New York Asian Film Festival 2007 and Movie Reviews: Capsule Reviews and Movie Reviews: China Comments: 1 Comment |
Posted on 02.02.06 by David @ 8:33 am
 Hollywood makes a silly movie in the “Exotic Orient” mold that might have flown 40 years ago, but simply looks old-fashioned now. They compound their error by casting of predominantly Chinese actresses in Japanese roles in a misguided attempt to cash in on the perceived US marketability of anyone connected with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, thus pissing off both China and Japan . China has a nationalist hissy fit, and bloggers and journalists run increasingly shrill articles castigating anyone connected with product, turning a minor stupidity into a genuine cultural incident with complete idiots calling for the death of Zhang Ziyi. To top it off, the Chinese government then bans the film instead of letting it die a quick, natural death at the box office, further cementing its perceived role as a prickly, ham-handed censor. Nobody is coming out of this one smelling like roses. ::: China ban for Memoirs of a Geisha Filed under: Movie News and Movie News: Hong Kong and Movie News: USA and People: Michelle Yeoh and Studios: Sony Pictures and People: Zhang Ziyi and Movie News: China Comments: None |
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Posted on 06.24.05 by David @ 8:48 am
AKA: Operetta Tanuki Goten; Raccoon Palace Review By: David Austin
I love Seijun Suzuki. The man is in his eighties, and is still producing movies more fun, original and energetic than almost anybody working today. Princess Raccoon, his first (and wildly successful, emphasis on “wildly”) stab at a musical, is no exception. It left me with a huge grin on my face and the fervent hope that Suzuki lives to one hundred so he can keep working his magic. (Click Here To Read More…) Filed under: Movie Reviews and Movie Reviews: Japan and Contributors: David and Rating: Great ★★★★ and Movies: Princess Raccoon (2005) and Film Festivals: New York Asian Film Festival 2005 and People: Seijun Suzuki and People: Zhang Ziyi Comments: 1 Comment |
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