As I heard a student say in a very different context: "I *wanted* to like this movie a lot." She had just seen Twilight for the third time, evidently in an effort to convince herself that she DID like it more than she thought at first. I, however, have only seen Mongol once, and I don't know that I would want to see it again.
The story of the rise of Genghis Khan to power focused on family rivalries, old grudges, and a love story. (Not being very girly, I suppose I had hoped for strategic--and not just mildly gross--battle depictions.) The scenery is lovely, the costuming is great, and the acting is acceptable. However, to me, there seemed to be a lack of motivation.
Why do Temudjin (Genghis' real name) and Borte fall in love? Why does Jamukha decide to be Temudjin's blood brother? Why does Jamukha agree to help Temudgin attack the Meerkits (sp?) when he first affirms strongly that he wants to wait until the next year? Why is Temudjin's strategy described as clever so often when we see so little of it? Questions, but no answers.
This is described as the first of a trilogy, and I can imagine that it was the most difficult of the three to make, since almost certainly this is the phase of Genghis Khan's life of which least is known; perhaps the remaining two thirds of the story will fill in the gaps and redeem the failings of this first installment.
“The Way Home” by Jeong-Hyang Lee. Rating: PG, 2002, 88 minutes.
When I went looking for movies, I wanted to find ones I could show to my middle schoolers. This one fit’s the bill and could be shown to upper elementary, also. It is the story of a Sang-Woo, a young boy of about 8. His mother is a raising him alone and has lost her business. She takes him from Seoul, while she looks for a job, to stay with her mother in rural Korea. She has not been in contact with her mother since she ran away at 17.
Sang-Woo is angry, not only because he is being left, but it is obvious that he spends lots of time by himself with objects to play with. His grandmother is mute and he calls her names and tells her how stupid she is. She does not respond in kind, but offers him food and candy which he refuses. He eats the “city food” (canned meats and drinks) that his mother left. He has stomach problems in the middle of the night and instead of showing him to the outhouse, has him use a beautiful bowl, that is precious to her, as a chamber pot.
When the batteries for his gameboy die, he demands new ones, but she does not have any nor any money. He gets angry and kicks the pot off the porch. As she sleeps, he steals her hair stick and runs to the village to get batteries, but is unable to find the ones he needs there or elsewhere.
We start seeing a slow change in him as he reluctantly threads needles for his grandmother. Then one day he is napping and she hung clothes to dry. A downpour happens and he runs and gets his clothes off the line, turns around and gets hers, also. The rain is quickly over and he hangs the clothes up again, making sure that his alternate with hers.
At one point they visit a friend of hers who is very ill and talks of dying.
He slowly comes to love his grandmother, though he does not realize it until his mother sends a letter to say she is coming to get him. Then he spends the evening teaching her to write “I’m sick” and “I miss you”, after which he threads all of her needles.
The scenery is beautiful and you get a feeling for how slowly life moves in the country. The movie shows how generations change when they move to the city - Sang-Woo had no like of anything to do with dirt or nature. It will bring good discussions on taking care of family, how we show love to each other and could be used to talk about not getting “even” with a group that is conscious of every slight.
It would have been good to use when I taught students who were emotionally disturbed because they can see faults in others behaviors and discuss the way someone else should behave long before they recognize anything like that in themselves.
The Film I’m reviewing is “ China’s Stolen Children”. It was a documentary done for HBO. This was aired right before the Olympics. The documentary discussed through the personal stories of several families and individuals affected by the stolen-child black market that still goes on today. When Morgan Pitelka lectured about the chin dynasty and what they did with their children, it is very similar to practices still going on today. This documentary was made entirely in secret because the government doesn’t want the outside world to know that these practices are still going on. This documentary looks at the issue from all sides. They feature a detective, who specializes in looking for stolen children. They focus on him and the family that has hired him. The family had their 5-year-old son stolen from them while his grandmother was watching him. They also interview a trafficker who sold his own son many years ago. Another major issue they talk about is the effect of the one child law in china and how many couples are handling it. They featured one couple that already has a child and doesn’t want to pay the fines so they are having the child then contemplating what to do with that child. Lastly was a young coupe, too young to be married so their child would have no rights. They also were trying to figure out what to do with their child. I found this documentary very interesting> the fact I found the most interesting was the fact that as many as 40 million girls have been aborted because of the one child law so in years to come Chinese men will have to go elsewhere to find a bride because they’re won’t be enough in the country to marry. I highly recommend this documentary.
i am not sure if anyone went to see the movie "cape 7" (mentioned in our seminar, and shown in taiwan film festival at ucla). i watched the movie with friend. it has become recently the most accomplished movie produced in taiwan after a long period of silence in taiwanese movie industry. the movie is a love story and shows beautiful taiwan scenes to the audience. however, the movie also attempts to deal with many unknown/little-known facets of the taiwan society, the minority in taiwan (not the immigrants from main land through many different periods), the folk music nurtured by hokkien culture (a major components of oversea chinese community in addition to cantoonese)/taiwan local minority culture , the japanese legacy in taiwan, taiwan local grass-root democratic powers, taiwan nationalism, and etc. i have to admit the movie did an excellent job to present all these elements within a series of related stories; and the young couple involved in this love story are from different national background, one from taiwan and the other from japan.
another movie made in taiwan, "three times", by one of the most influential taiwanese directors (we learned about an lee in class)-hou, xiaoxian. three times is love stories of one couple but set in 3 different times. 1st story was set in 50-60s under nationalist party control. 2nd story's background is very interesting, the late imperial china period (the movie itself is made in a fairly interesting way; it is made into a silent movie). it is easy to spot the struggle of the rights/powers and feel the setting, while the qing government was declining and other powers were rising. last story is set in the current time, a very neat glimps of current taiwan.
one thing, i must say about "mongol" is that i am extremely impressed by that the movie is in mogolian language (a little part is in china when genghis khan was captured in china), well just compared to foreign made movies about world war two Germany (foreign as compared to gemany/japan), those movies are majorly in English (I might be wrong).
If you have IFC/Sundance channel, you can watch it on their channel. It just showed on TV (through either IFC or Sundance) during winter break. Another piece about this movie, it was based on a real stories. I love the children in the movie. I feel bad now because I watched this movie twice; a very touching movie (i might make an announcement for it when we meet again on Jan.13)
Because I have IFC/Sundance at home, sometimes I got to watch some excellent foreign movies. If you are interested in movie and have these channels, you really need to check it out. The two channels also show many exclusive documentaries.
I caught the latter half of this movie and when it was done, I was left with an open mouth and so many questions. I had hoped that watching this movie from the beginning would shed some light. However, that was not the case. Synopsis: This 2006 Chinese film was directed by Zhang Yimou. It stars Chow Yun-Fat, Gong Li, Jay Chou, Liu Ye, Qin Junjie, Ni Dahong, Chen Jin, Li Man, and many others. It takes place in the 10th Century A.D during the Tang Dynasty. It is entirely in Chinese with English subtitles. This story is based in the Palace during the Chrysanthemum Festival. The Emperor is powerful and power hungry, the Empress is extremely ill. Involved are their sons, many innocent people, and many deep dark secrets. My opinion/classroom use:
First of all this film is rated R and is inappropriate for my 6th grade students. However, I may use pieces of the film. The visuals are stunning; I believe my students will be as enthralled with the palace, clothing, and amazing display of chrysanthemums that are set up in the courtyard as I was. Speaking of clothing: I have never seen so much cleavage! The women’s clothing was amazingly beautiful, but I do not believe that much skin would have been showing in the 10th Century A.D (I could be wrong). I was also impressed by the acting. The facial reactions were so believable. I felt the Empress’s pain each time she took her “medication”, I felt the love between The Empress and her step-son as well as the honor in which the doctor tries to save his wife and daughter. I felt sick when the Emperor struck his youngest son over and over until there was nothing left. I kept holding out for some glimmer of hope as the movie continued, but was left with the darkness each of these characters faced until the bitter end. I’m not sure of the movies historical accuracies, although I am aware that this is a fictional story. Again, this movie in its entirety is completely inappropriate for the 6th grade classroom. I would like to break it into pieces to show my students some visuals that relate to what they are learning. Curse of the Golden Flower, in my opinion, was beautifully horrendous.
I viewed the movie “The Forbidden Kingdom” by renting a DVD of the film. It was released on this past September 9 by Lionsgate film and stars martial arts stars Jackie Chan and Jet Li, along with several Asian actors and actresses (Collin Chou, Yifei Lui, and Bing Bing Li) and (unknown?) Michael Angarano American actor whose character becomes a martial arts hero by the end of the film.
The story is of the action-fantasy variety that sets martial arts fights and magical powers within the context of a struggle between good and evil. Woo-Ping Yuen served as action choreographer. American moviegoers are familiar with Mr Yuen’s action-sequence work from all three installments of “The Matrix,” both installments of “Kill Bill,” and the comedy “Kung Fu Hustle.” “The Forbidden Kingdom” adds to his prior work with Jet Li (“Fearless” and “Unleashed”)
The underlying story in “The Forbidden Kingdom” is the quest to deliver to The Monkey King (Jet Li) his magical staff so that he can be released from his self-inflicted frozen-in-stone state and save the “Reign of the Dream World” from being ruled by the Jade Warlord (Collin Chou). The Jade Warlord succumbed to a desire to rule when the Emperor of the Dream World departed for 500 years of meditation.
The Monkey King, whose powers include the ability to clone himself by plucking and releasing a strand of his hair, accepted the Jade Warlord’s challenge to a duel of fists. During the battle, the Jade Warlord, who also has magical powers, hurled some sort of magical spell at the Monkey King, who had previously laid his Magical Staff aside. Thus, instead of fighting the Monkey King with bare hands as stated in his challenge, the Jade Warlord attempted to win by trickery.
Upon realizing the Jade Warlord’s deceit, the Monkey King retrieves his Magical Staff, hurls it away, and transforms himself to stone. In response, the Jade Warlord confines the inanimate Monkey King to a room that prevents the Monkey King’s Magical Staff from reaching him and returning him to life.
Somewhere along the way, Jason (Michael Angarano), who is a timid South Boston teenager who loves martial arts movies but can not defend himself against neighborhood bullies, obtains possession of the Monkey King’s Magical Staff. Jackie Chan portrays Lu Yan, who is the elderly proprietor of the video store from which Jason obtains his martial arts movies.
After rescuing Jason from an attack by the leader of the neighborhood bullies, Lu Yan transports Jason to a medieval-era tea tavern, informs Jason of the legend of the Monkey King and announces that he, Jason, must return the Magical Staff to the Monkey King and free him from his prison of stone.
During their conversation, however, the Jade Warlord’s soldiers enter the premises in pursuit of Jason and the Magical Staff. Golden Sparrow (Yifei Lui), an Asian teenaged female who plays a 4-string, wide neck instrument while resting between martial arts fights, helps Jason and Lu Yan escape the soldiers.
Golden Sparrow relishes fighting against the Jade Warlord’s soldiers because (1) they murdered her mother in retaliation for her father’s opposition to the Jade Warlord and (2) the soldiers have a history of kidnapping princesses from Golden Sparrow’s village. Ultimately, Jade desires to kill the Jade Warlord using the jade dagger hairpin that she uses on hair because the pin can kill any warlord.
As Jason, Lu Yan and Sparrow flee the soldiers, they encounter Jet Li in his second role in the movie as the character “.Silent Monk,” who has been on a life-long mission to find the carrier of the Monkey King’s Magical Staff. After a lengthy (15-minute) fight scene between Lu Yan (Jackie Chan) and Silent Monk (Jet Li) using numerous martial arts fighting styles and aimed at possession of the Magical Staff, the four individuals – Jason, Lu Yan, Golden Sparrow, and Silent Monk, decide to travel through the desert toward eventual battle with the Jade Warrior’s Jade Army in order to deliver the Magical Staff to the Monkey King. In the process, Lu Yan and Silent Monk agree to train the timid and non-athletic Jason to become a martial arts fighting machine.
While the group is en route, they do not realize that they are being pursued by an Asian female villain who flies through treetops and is an expert at using an extra-long bullwhip and long-distance arrows. She pursues that the four would-be heroes in order to obtain from the Jade Warrior the elixir of immortality. As the heroes flee the villainess, one of her arrows strikes Lu Yan in his back, which severely weakens him to a point that requires a life-saving elixir that is in the Jade Warlord’s palace. Thus, the heroes are certain to have to fight the Jade Warlord’s soldiers for two reasons (deliver the Magical Staff to the Monkey King and obtain the elixir that Lu Yan needs to avoid death.
Ultimately, the heroes reach the Jade Warlord’s Palace, fight his soldiers, and deliver the Magical Staff to the Monkey King. Both the Jade Warlord and the female villain are defeated just before the Emperor of the Dream World returns from his 500 years of mediation. Because he is grateful that his world was saved from the Jade Warrior, the Emperor grants Jason’s wish to be transported through time and space back to Boston.
Upon arriving, Jason immediately encounters the leader of the neighborhood bullies and decisively beats him using martial arts. Moments later, Jason discovers that the elderly proprietor of the video store from which he obtains martial arts movies is Lu Yan, who, in reality, is immortal. Poignantly, Jason also encounters Golden Sparrow (with whom romance developed during the journey to the Monkey King), who works across the street from Lu Yan’s video store in a restaurant named “Golden Sparrow.”
“The Forbidden Kingdom” is full of messages that can be useful for classroom instruction. Even though I teach Algebra, the movie’s events would reinforce my frequent admonishments to my students (13- and 14-year old eighth graders) about the value of honesty and integrity and that greed and selfishness destroy respect and credibility and, ultimately, do not lead to success. I spend a lot of time trying to convey life lessons to my students because they still possess enough innocence to be impressionable in a constructive way and it appears that a significant number of students do not receive such teaching in their home environment.
All in all, the movie was very entertaining. I highly recommend it.
Adelina is right about several aspects of this movie. I think it rates as one of Zhang Yimou's worst efforts -- a great disappointment since it also represented his return to collaborating with Gong Li, one of the great actresses of our day. Chou Yun-fat also comes off badly in this flick. Ang Lee got a much better performance from him in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Zhang got his start as a cinematographer and the colors and spectacle of this film are dazzling. He's become over-reliant on CGI and gore. The Tang dynasty was a skin-filled time at the palace, though probably not in the way shown here. There was also plenty palace intrigue then and at other times. The scale of this film, though, suggests why Zhang was the perfect choice to oversee the Olympic ceremonies.
I watched the movie "Not One Less" by Zhang Yimou. It is a movie about a young schoolteacher (really a substitute) in rural China who goes searching for a student who ran away to the city. The movie is set in modern China and has a realistic, almost documentary feel to it. The plot is very basic and the movie drags on somewhat, but I am positive this movie offers a great learning experience for students when covering modern China. For one thing, the students will grow to like the movie as it progresses because it is a real emotional epic. During the climax of the movie the protagonist makes an emotional appeal on National T.V. that only the hardest of hearts would not be moved by. So the emotional tale hooks the students in, but how is this educational? This movie breaks down misconceptions of exotic China, with a look at the everyday struggles of the poor. It contrasts rural poverty with urban development, and demonstrates the disconnect and callousness of an overpopulated society. Their are also less overt suggestions of tradition and communism holding on against the tide of the times, which has given me a renewed view of Chinese society. Images such as the authoritarian government "releasing" a young girl from poverty (and family) to train her as an athlete will stick with your students, as they come to build a nuanced and tempered view of modern communism. I highly recommend this movie and I know it can add an appreciation of a contemporary culture to a classroom unit.
I really enjoyed this movie! We watched the ending with Prof. Ye, and was very interested. I wanted to incorporate this movie with my curriculum project on Shi Huangdi. I decided to make Cornell Notes as the students watch the movie. I was making the template as I watched the movie so I can specifically have the students monitor what I want them to learn about the Qin dynasty and its unification. I think its appropriate for my 6th graders however I would fast forward the one sexual scene. I will have my students do a debate after this movie, since it makes Qin look positive, on whether or not he was a tyrant etc. The movie shows some of the edicts of emperor Qin and also some things he accomplished, he also discussed his desire to standardized the language of China. It also demonstrates Qin increasing paranoia due to the assassination attempts. I liked also how you can see the geography of China etc. If anyone would like my Cornell Note handout for the movie let me know! [Edit by="mari_montes on Jan 8, 5:44:51 PM"][/Edit]
This video is great! If you need a film to go over the major details of the dynasties of China this is it. The dynasties it covers in detail are the Shang, Zhou, Qin and Han. The maps in the film are great, as well as the recreations. The recreations that they have on film are good. For example, they show oracle bone reading, casting bronze, war battles etc. They are not silly and I think show events and details well. There are a lot of facts and details that were given that are useful for classroom. This movie would only be good for the 6th grade history curriculum. I think it could also be used as a precursor to 7th grade standards to get the students prior knowledge working. The section on Qin is great as well. You can get the film through the LA public library. [Edit by="mari_montes on Jan 8, 5:57:03 PM"][/Edit]
I like to use Mulan too, however I also teach my students how to eat with chopsticks, a chinese invention, and they eat the popcorn with chopsticks only while viewing. I like to use the movie The Prince of Egypt to transition from Egypt to Hebrews. I also make my students take notes, and a lot of the times I have Cornell Notes made out already with questions they should answer through out film.
I also watched this film and agree it is useful in the classroom in short clips. THe film shows the political change in China at the time. It does not have much use for me in terms of the historical sense, but I would use it to show the culture of China. The scenes of what the Opera are very useful I think to show students what it is like. I also would use it to show attitudes of gender roles, toward the poor, actors and lower members of society. I really don't recommend it to be shown at middle school age in no more than short clips.
I chose to watch and review Zhang Yimou's epic Hero after Professor Ye showed us clips of it the "Using Films to Teach About China" session. As Professor Ye suggested this film lends itself to an introduction to early Chinese history, especially the scene he chose to show us in which the emperor and the nameless assassin dialogue on the importance of using force to maintain peace. I had heard of the movie but had never watched it. After that session in September, I went out and borrowed it and I enjoyed it. As an English teacher, however, I thought I could use this film a few different ways.
First of all, Hero is a wonderful example of beautiful film-making in general, but it also serves as a beautiful sample of Chinese film-making. So it serves as a good cultural artifact. We could discuss the possible political subtexts of the film. Since the line between villain and hero blurred in the story, a good discussion of archetypes can be had.
When beginning to analyzing literature students often point out the obvious. When this occurs, I often follow up their comments with the question "To what effect?" To introduce this concept, I begin with showing students a famous or thought provoking piece of art like Edvard Munch's painting "The Scream." I then have students divide the picture into quadrants and make as many observations as possible about each quadrant. Then, I proceed to ask them, "To what effect?" after each observation they make. After using a picture, I could easily use a film, which would actually help students with understanding how to analyze a larger work like a novel or epic poem. Hero lends itself to an analysis of the aesthetic features of a film and to a discussion of "To what effect?". The cinematography is amazing as is the unconventional plot development. It can be used as an exemplar of how to critique a film for its literary or aesthetic value. For example, since the story is developed using mostly flashbacks, students can evaluate the effect of using flashbacks rather than a basic rising action-climax-falling action pattern.
Each flashback has a color theme in the film. We could divide the film into flashbacks, identify the color theme and discuss the effect of the director's decision. Afterwards we could read an interview I found on line with the director in which he discusses his use of colors (which were completely aesthetic decisions and were not meant to represent anything). This can lead to a great discussion of the meaning beyond the intended meaning of texts.
Although I have never shown Mulan to my students, I have used it as an option among a list of options when I introduce the concept of archetypes. We begin with a definition of archetype and then a presentation on the characteristics of the archetypal hero using the guiding question "What do Batman, Simba [from the Lion King], Luke Skywalker [Star Wars], and Moses all have in common?" After outlining their similarities in detail, I assign for homework an explanation of how any other character in literature, film, myth, or even history fits that pattern of character. For students who have trouble coming up with one, I give them a list in which Mulan is one option.
I use Joseph Campbell's Hero With a Thousand Faces as an outline.
I too see why Zhang was chosen to oversee the Olympic ceremonies. The stunning visuals presented in Curse of the Golden Flower are utterly amazing. I enjoy the work of Chou Yun-Fat, but agree that this was not his best performance. Gong Li is an actress that I would like to learn more about. Sheis so beautiful, her pain and suffering showed true, and I believe she carried the movie.
" On the eighth day of the eighth month of 2008, 2 billion TV viewers and thousands in attendance in the now famous Bird's Nest were treated to an unforgettable spectacle at the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games.
"Behind it all was the creative genius of Chinese film director Zhang Yimou. Drawing from the depths of the cultural heritage and ingenuity of the Chinese people, showcasing ancient Chinese inventions — paper, printing, gunpowder, ceramics and the compass — that have shaped civilization and channeling the sensibility and spirit that unite his fellow 1.3 billion citizens, Zhang told China's story to a watching world. He created arguably the grandest spectacle of the new millennium, and it was viewed by nearly one-third of the world's population. With this work, Zhang obtained a stature shared by very few peers."
What is especially striking is that this essay was written by Steven Spielberg. Spielberg, of course, publicly withdrew as a member of Zhang's advisory group to protest what he described as Chinese inaction on Darfur. What is the significance of Spielberg now celebrating Zhang and the ceremonies?
How can it be that no one has commented yet on this magnificent and now award-winning film? I saw it only a couple of weeks ago and found the plot line ludicrous, but the bigger story mesmerizing. It is not a documentary and it misrepresents locations and so on, but offers larger truths and does so in a compelling way. I encourage you to click on the link below to read a recent op-ed about the film:
In their essay, Matias Echanove and Rahul Srivastava begin,
"IT does not take much to galvanize protest against a movie in India, but few thought the word “slumdog” would cause so much anger — especially as hundreds of Bollywood titles translate into much worse slurs. We had to pay attention, though, when friends from Mumbai’s sprawling Dharavi area joined hands with those demonstrating against the Oscar-nominated film “Slumdog Millionaire.” The Indian media widely reported that the outrage was over the word “dog.” But what we heard from Manju Keny, a college student living in Dharavi, was something else. She was upset at the word “slum.” We could not agree more.
"In truth, the movie never claims to be a portrait of Dharavi, though some of the most spectacular scenes were shot there, including depictions of the anti-Muslim riots of 1992. The director, Danny Boyle, constructs a cinematic slum out of many pockets around Mumbai. The opening sequence has children playing near the airport, being chased by policemen and ending up — in a moment of pure Hollywood magic — a few miles away in Dharavi.
"The imagery represents what most middle-class residents of Mumbai (and now all over the world) imagine Dharavi to be. The urban legend of its squalor has taken root because few Mumbaikers have ever been there — just as most Manhattanites still avoid stepping anywhere near Bedford-Stuyvesant, that beautiful neighborhood in Brooklyn. Times may have changed since the mid-’70s, when the community worker Barry Stein described Bed-Stuy as the “largest ghetto in the country,” but prejudices die hard, in New York and India.
"Its depiction as a slum does little justice to the reality of Dharavi. Well over a million “eyes on the street,” to use Jane Jacobs’s phrase, keep Dharavi perhaps safer than most American cities.
In regard to my posting for viewing an Asian film, "Mishyma" (spelling may not be accurate) depicts the life of the famous, award winning Japanese writer, whose life eventually spirals out of control - culminating in "kari Kiri."
Although this is a visually stunning and compelling film, it must be heavily edited for viewing by students (after the necessary parental forms and administrator permission slips have been obtained).
Consequently, only brief 5 - 10 minute excerpts can be used in the classroom to show how one's obsession can spiral out of control.
Educators can use this to show that one's emotional I.Q. is more important than one's intellectual I.Q. This film can lend itself to critical thinking skills.
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art will screen KUROSAWA Kiyoshi's Tokyo Sonata at 7:30 pm on Monday, March 9, 2009. The director will attend and speak following the film.
The film takes inside a middle class Japanese family at a moment of great stress: the salaryman father loses his job. He tries to keep this a secret. The film has garnered a number of awards.
I found the op-ed very interesting, perhaps because it left me thinking, "So?" While I can understand the irritation that some residents may have over their community apparently being misrepresented as a slum, focusing on this issue seems so fruitless and trivial when one stops to consider the larger problems that the film challenges us with. I spent a semester of college in 2003 in India and visited Mumbai twice. Admittedly, I experienced the country from an outsider's perspective. Still, I will never forget the image of the seemingly endless sprawl of tin houses and garbage that I saw as my bus approached the city. I first saw the city at dawn and remember the sidewalks being covered with people sleeping everywhere there was space. In most cities, any time I walked around there were instantly child beggars following, aften holding infants exactly as the film depicted. The issues of poverty, child abuse, religious prejudice, and social (caste) inequalities are what drive the movie. So maybe the writer or director gave the community depicted in the film the wrong name, but is that what really matters?
The award-winning film "Wings of Defeat" will make its U.S. broadcast debut on May 5, 2009 on the PBS program "Independent Lens." Please check your local PBS station's listings for more information.
"'Wings of Defeat' brings viewers behind the scenes of World War II’s Pacific theater to reveal the truth about the Kamikaze—the “suicide bombers” of their day. Interviews with surviving kamikaze, rare battle footage and Japanese propaganda reveal a side of WWII never before shown on film. American vets from the greatest generation tell harrowing tales of how they survived attacks. Wings of Defeat shatters the myth of the fanatical kamikaze to reveal a generation of men forced to pay for an empire’s pride with their lives."
Based on Professor Yamashita's recommendation, I watched The Twilight Samurai. It's a 2002 Japanese movie with English subtitles about a low-ranking samurai circa 1870, just before the Meiji Restoration. It tells the tale of Seibei Iguchi (the samurai) and his conflict between duty/expectation and family/love. It was highly entertaining and I give it a big thumbs up.
What did I learn? Many samurai of this late Tokugawa era were civil servants, working in offices with bosses, gossipy co-workers, and plenty of paperwork. This is a side of their lives that I hadn't seen before and the film is worth watching just for that. Outwardly, Seibei is not your typical samurai and his devotion to family and inner truth sets him apart from his peers and on a collision course with his duty as a samurai. And it is here that the film really stands apart from other samurai films I have seen (not so many). This is not your ordinary slash-em-up samurai movie. It is a realistic, modern-day update that presents samurai as fully complex human beings. How accurate is it? I don't know. I would guess fairly accurate however. Not that most samurai took the path the Seibei takes in this film, but they were certainly multi-dimensional beings, not the staid characters from the 7th grade textbook.
Teachability? Good. I would use the scenes of the film that show 1) samurai's daily activities 2) samurai relationships with their lords. This would reinforce content from other sources. This includes a scene where Seibei tells his lord about his inner struggle and also a scene where Seibei and his foil Zenemon discuss their personal motivations. This would give the students a good balance between samurai as members of a feudal hierarchy and samurai as members of the human race.[Edit by="mlloyd on Apr 16, 9:33:01 AM"][/Edit]
Zatoichi- professor Miyake mentioned this film in last night's lecture. This movie has a lot of violence but it has great images, very bright and colorful- definitely worth checking out. Like professor Miyake mentioned, this movie takes place in Tokugawa Japan. There are several scenes in the country, some in a gambling house. Weaved into the story are 2 geishas and they're shown dancing and playing music. The soundtrack is cool too- after the movie ends there is also a closing scene, like a musical, the entire cast is drumming and dancing.
Samurai Fiction, set in the early 17th century, is a movie about a ronin that steals a sword from a clan. This sword is like a family heirloom, given to the clan by the Tokugawa Shogunate. The son of the clan leader, and his friends leave in search of the ronin. The movie is in black and white, but it very modern and the soundtrack is great- very contemporary and dramatic! i think its a MTV Japan production.
This movie is not rated an the violent scenes are somewhat censored. Instead of showing the blood, when somebody is fatally wounded, the scene is flooded with red, implying the wounded is dying or died. In my classroom, it is a great example of clans and the hierarchy of the warrior class (shogun, daimyo, samurai and ronin).
I found at the library the film Beijing Bicycle by a sixth generation director Wang Xioshurai. This film could be used in the class in whole or part. There is much to discuss about social status of the main characters who share a bicycle. Guei as new immigrant to Beijing owns a bike that he ends up sharing with a seventeen year old boy, Jian, from a upcoming Beijing family. There is a kind of bike "crew" not really a gang or a club but bunch of boys who do some tricks both nasty and technical.
I wondered if the movie showed the last visage of the old Beijing hamlet/towns that one used find in Beijing before the Olympics. The movie is from 2001 and so Beijing is surely different now.
I liked the close-ups most in the beginning of the film of Guei the immigrant and his co-workers, they become carriers in Beijing.
The choices at the library are very interesting, however I had left my recommendations from Dr. Ye at home. So off the cuff I decided to try something new. Although I intend to go back and get Hero, Eat Drink Man Women, etc. I found a "modern" Chinese movie, "Hooked on You". A "Chick Flick" if you will. This, of course, is not really a movie to show in the classroom, although maybe clips to show modern life. I found it an interesting comparison to modern Hollywood films. The girl in this movie has a "specific" plan for her life and doesn't want to detract from it. It's interesting because she is conflicted between duty: to her father, to his debt, to her plan, and what she really wants. In the end when she finally gives in to what she really wants, it is too late. Unlike a Hollywood movie with the "happy" ending. To be honest, I was very bummed with the ending because I like "happy" endings. This movie did really show a "modern" "independent" Chinese woman, which was good to see, after hearing how woman were in ancient China
Netflix continues to bring Asian cinema to one's home. Recently I've been enjoying Thai movies.
There was 2008's: Chocolate Acclaimed Thai action director Prachya Pinkaew helms this martial arts drama, which follows Zen (JeeJa Yanin), a young autistic woman who discovers that she has the uncanny ability to absorb precision fighting skills just by watching martial arts movies. When her cancer-ridden mother's creditors come calling, Zen attempts to settle the debts by standing up to a hard-nosed gang of criminals who have wrongfully swindled money from her family.
I don't know what's suitable for high school, but it wasn't sexed up or too violent.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:05:19 PM"][/Edit]
Action explodes on-screen in this cinematic re-creation of one of the grandest battles in Thailand's history. As King Textron struggles to shield his Ayuthaya Kingdom from the spears of Myanmar invaders, his wife, Queen Taya, is airing her passions with a dashing swordsman. Little does she know that her lover may actually be a Myanmar traitor with plans to bring down the Ayuthaya Kingdom from within.
Based on the historical facts of the founding of the Thai modern state, this movie held my interest but was a bit far-fetched. Knowing some of the historical data will help you weed out the drama from the realism.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:04:57 PM"][/Edit]
When a sacred Buddha statuette called Ong-bak is stolen from Ting's (Tony Jaa) village by a shady businessman intent on realizing a profit from his ill-gotten gain, Ting takes it upon himself to reclaim the pilfered religious treasure by following the trail of clues to Bangkok. And Ting's the right man for the job, as he possesses an impressive array of Muay Thai fighting skills that can lay out all his adversaries.
This movie is a pop breakthrough in Thai cinema. Tony Jaa is touted as the next Jackie Chan. This is a fun movie to watch and for those who have been to Thailand can enjoy the sights and sounds of the city. High school appropriate?[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:04:37 PM"][/Edit]
With plenty of martial arts action and a hefty dose of Thai humor, this crime comedy tells the story of hapless personal bodyguard Wong Kom (writer-director Petchtai Wongkamlao). When his failure to protect his boss, successful businessman Choti, leads to the magnate's death, Choti's son fires Wong. But he soon has a chance to redeem himself when a gang of clumsy hit men -- intent on gaining control of Choti's fortune -- targets the son.
Some movies are pretty bad, but enjoyable. The director and main star is famous in Thailand for his humor and antics and this movie doesn't disappoint in that department. It's more slapstick than anything but worth a look if only to see that Thai cinema can move beyond the serious period dramas, and sappy soap operas and tear-jerkers.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:04:18 PM"][/Edit]
The Secret Service enlists flatfoot Kum Lhau (Petchtai Wongkamlao) to infiltrate a Thai record label, where he's tasked with investigating covert weapons dealings while masquerading as a pop singer -- but before long, he becomes the country's biggest music star. Meanwhile, he discovers that a co-worker (Jacqueline Apitananon) is a CIA operative assigned to the same mission in this fast-paced action comedy also starring Janet Khiew.
Even worse than the first, you'll be shaking your head at the recycled jokes from the first movie (think Airplane! 2). This movie is really a prequel to the first, and the star is really the reason one sticks around to see this flick.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:04:03 PM"][/Edit]
Two Mafia kingpins vie for control over Bangkok's Yaowarat district in this action-packed thriller. When a hired killer hits his intended target, the truce between rival underworld crime bosses Tong and Dada is over, sparking an all-out gangland war. Local ammo stores run out of stock as the enemy syndicates fight to the death to rule Yaowarat. Shahkrit Yamnarm, Darawan Wilaingam, Suwannaparp, Suthida Harnwisej and Sattawat Dullayawijitt star.
What makes this movie interesting is that it takes place exclusively in the Chinatown portion of Bangkok. Some parts unsuitable for children, but a interesting look at a part of Thailand many people forget exist.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:03:45 PM"][/Edit]
In this sadistic horror tale set in ancient Thailand, Lord Rama showers favors and affection on his many young concubines -- a policy that doesn't sit well with his jealous wife. Unable to bear Lord Rama a child, his bitter wife is determined to punish all those who are able to deliver what she cannot. Thavachai Minmukda and Chutima Avery star in this erotic chiller from director Jarin Vongraen.
A period piece set in ancient Thailand and interesting enough if only for the setting and costumes. The cover reflects erotic, and the title horror - it's neither. It isn't really that good either, but worth a look if ancient Thailand is your kick.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:03:29 PM"][/Edit]
Villainous sorcerer Mahesak (Amornrit Sriphung) and his vicious gang can be taken down only by the mythical Tiger Blade, and it's up to rebel cop Yosthana (Atsadawut Luengsuntorn) and his sexy sidekick, Deungdao (Phimonrat Phisarayabud), to find the sword and save the city. Chalad Na Songkhla co-stars as the deadly Five Bullets Bandit in this Thai action fantasy with a playful sense of humor.
This was a fun movie. A buddy picture with magic, humor, action, and explosions. I think this is the movie I saw with the Tuk-Tuk chase scene a-la The Italian Job with the Mini Coopers.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:03:11 PM"][/Edit]
An abstract drama told in two parts, this Thai film uses poignant and humorous memories from director Apichatpong Weerasethakul's childhood to simply evoke emotions as well as tell the story of his parents' budding relationship. Though the settings of each part are similar, one centers on a woman physician at a small clinic, and the other on a male doctor at a metropolitan hospital, and both include semblances of his parents' courtship.
I was made to turn this off within 15 minutes because of the slow pace, but I promise myself that I'll go back to it some day.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:02:54 PM"][/Edit]
After witnessing the brutal murder of his parents, young Jone (Dan Chupong) vows to avenge their deaths and make the killers pay, a mission that lands him in the dangerous world of cattle rustling. Spurred on by his grief and a desperate need for revenge, Jone sets out to catch the culprits and return the stolen cattle to their rightful owners in this supernatural thriller set in 1920s Thailand.
Fun and over-the-top movie. Magic, roaring 20's, western, and Thai all mixed into one movie. I mean come on the guy rides on top of a giant stick of dynamite! These funny movies (subtitled) are a good way to introduce students to foreign movies that don't have to have "a theme" or "meaning." Too often foreign movies are made with some message and the room begins to snooze. Students need to know that beyond Jackie Chan and the Yakuza, there are other types of Asian cinema that can be incorporated into their viewing routine.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:02:35 PM"][/Edit]
In Bangkok, a mob shooting thwarts a suicide attempt by Japanese librarian Kenji (Tadanobu Asano) and leads him to meet a woman named Noi (Sinitta Boonyasak), whose beachside shack makes the perfect hideout and the perfect backdrop for an unlikely romance. He's a prim neat freak. She's a pot-smoking slob. As their relationship deepens, Noi learns more about how Kenji became suicidal in this offbeat, stylish film.
I was surprised by this movie. It really is offbeat. Slow at times, but well done and interesting. A bit too violent for students.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:02:15 PM"][/Edit]
Star-crossed lovers Dum (Chartchai Ngamsan) and Rumpoey (Stella Malucchi) fight to be together as the world conspires to keep them apart in Thai director Wisit Sasanatieng's genre bender. Though Rumpoey's big-wig father arranges for her to wed the police chief -- who's out to take down Dum's underworld boss -- her heart belongs to gangster fugitive Dum. Hitting on all cylinders, this turbocharged tale builds to an unforgettable climax.
This movie is unique in many ways. Even for those with a casual interest in Thai cinema, this one stands out because of the Northeastern influence. The bright colors, the language is specific to this region of Thailand. If ANY Thai movie is on your list, put this on it - you won't regret it. For students, be cautious. That said, the 60's look of the film is worth a look as one can discuss with students the look of Thailand didn't jump from Ancient times to the year 2000. They too had an evolving sense of fashion, hairstyles, etc.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:01:57 PM"][/Edit]
Englishman Adam (Stuart Laing) never expected to find new love in Bangkok, especially after his girlfriend dumps him on their first night in the exotic city. But into his life walks an alluring local named Em (Napakpapha M. Nakprasitte), who soon has him believing in relationships again. But in true Adam fashion, he complicates the situation, hurting Em and putting their bond to the test. Can their short-lived couplehood survive?
This not-student rated movie is interesting enough about a tourist "going native" and his decent into decadence before embracing Thai culture and looking beyond his preconceptions of relationships.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:01:37 PM"][/Edit]
In the wake of a deadly SARS outbreak that's turned ordinary people into flesh-eating zombies, Thailand stands alone as the only nation to successfully block the pandemic. But when the virus finds its way into a crowded Bangkok apartment complex, it's up to an unlikely hero to make his way into the building -- and make it out alive. Supakorn Kitsuwon and Suthep Po-ngam co-star in this outrageous horror comedy.
This is aptly described as a horror comedy. Students will enjoy it as they have the Ring, and all those other horror movies. The comedy is what keeps the gore from getting out of hand.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:01:20 PM"][/Edit]
Best friends Alice (Claire Danes) and Darlene (Kate Beckinsale) journey to Thailand to celebrate their high school graduation. But after falling in with a charming con artist, they're busted at the Hong Kong airport for smuggling narcotics. Their only hope: the dazzling skills of lawyer "Yankee" Hank Green (Bill Pullman), a magician at helping defendants beat impossible odds.
I enjoyed the movie if only to get a look at a Thai prison. This isn't a women in prison movie however, and it takes a serious look at the consequences of drug smuggling in Thailand which truly does take this vice as serious as it is portrayed. [Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:01:01 PM"][/Edit]
Oliver Stone helped bring this oft-forgotten story -- set in the 18th-century Thai village of Bang Rajan, where 11 villagers stood their ground as the Burmese army invaded -- to U.S. theaters. Armed with only machetes, the brave few were up against an army of 100,000. Providing background, the film begins with the ascension of King Mang Ra of Burma, whose invasion of Thai territory aimed to shrink the country's ruling arm.
You'd think this movie came after the movie "300." A small group of warriors defending a village from the massive invasion of a superior force, but this came out well before that. The similarities between the movies stops there of course. Here, the villagers are not well trained or well-equipped but have the inner courage to fight of their nemesis, the Burmese. The movie is well done, authentic, and Oliver Stone's cut does justice to the material that could have weighed it down here in the U.S.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:00:45 PM"][/Edit]
Hi Folks, I love all these contributions -- please keep them coming. To help those scanning the subject lines, please take a moment to put the name of the film you are discussing in the subject line. Also, please post film posts to either the film festival thread or to a thread for the particular subject (e.g., contemporary Japan) or grade level (e.g., elementary school ideas).
You can change the subject line by just deleting whatever's there and typing in your own subject.
Vice, vengeance and violence collide when a maneuvering politician hires steely hit man Tanthai (Chatchai Plengpanich) to bump off a drug lord, upsetting the precarious balance between Bangkok's crime syndicates. As an all-out turf war erupts, Tanthai finds himself with a bull's-eye on his back in this engrossing Thai thriller from director Sananjit Bangsapan. The supporting cast includes Sarunyu Wongkrachang and Santisuk Promsiri.
This Netflix feature was a typical shoot 'em up with characters trying for redemption and the bad influences that pull them back in. The editing in the middle was somewhat choppy so there are scenes that just don't add up. No particular value for students, but watchable for those wanting to spend an hour or so.
The Japanese film Totoro My Neighbor or Tonari no Totoro is a sweet and nostalgic film about magical creatures and spirits who live in rural Japan. These Totoros come in many shapes and sizes, and befriend two young children who move to the countryside with their father. There are some themes in the film that reflect certain aspects of Japanese culture. First, the father is hard working, but is a good caregiver for his children. He allows them to explore their surroundings, but comforts them when they are scared. This character shows us the Japanese ideal of fatherhood. The film also expresses Shinto themes. At one point the father formally thanks a tree that is in the yard of the families home for protecting his child. There are also numerous images of shrines in the film. I suppose that these are Shinto or Buddhist shrines. As an American it is funny to think that as a child in Japan you could be walking around in the woods and discover an ancient shrine! To me this film is about the magic and imaginings of childhood. Only children seem to be able to se Totoro, and when you see him, he does magical things for you. It shows that it is important to stay “young at heart”. I am not sure if this is a Japanese value, but it seems universal. This film is a great example of Japanese anime because it is sweet and innocent without any of the sex and violence that is prevalent in some cartoons in this genre. It would be a great film to show a class before reading something in the genre of magical realism. The story takes place in a real time and setting, but uses magical elements to express some aspects of the plot.
another Zhang Yimou film (Hero, Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles, To Live) this film was released in 2004, two years after Hero. Although there's feminist and political undertones, I have to recall Professor Ye's reminder that sometimes we try so hard to find meaning in works of art, that we fail to appreciate the beauty and creativity behind it. I followed his suggestion to focus on form more so than content in watching this film. This movie is so colorful and vibrant- it has many parallels to Hero:
1. there are many scenes where color is used to show transition in location, political alliance, deceit and truth 2. weaved throughout the story is a perpetual chase, always running to rescue a lover 3. alliance twist- characters are not really who or what they claim to be/ zoom out into the bigger picture 4. fighting- slow motion, exaggerated, flying 5. loving self sacrifice/ angry or betrayed lover causing death of loved one 6. political dissent/cause much greater than relationships between individuals
I was curious about the feminism depicted. The film does not reveal whether the "old leader" was male or female. The current leader of one of the most powerful rebel groups is Nia, a woman, and all of the members of the house of flying daggers, with the exception of the mole, Leo, are women. Being mindful of the fact that the power of women in China depended on the social/political position of the men in their lives- the House of Flying Daggers stands apart from that in that the leader and members are not tied to or rely on any male figure. Furthermore, throughout the movie, when any male characters try to assert their power, they are unsuccessful. Was Yimou being creative/ feminist- or did this really happen?
Can anybody direct me to find more information about this group, if it really existed?
As I heard a student say in a very different context: "I *wanted* to like this movie a lot." She had just seen Twilight for the third time, evidently in an effort to convince herself that she DID like it more than she thought at first. I, however, have only seen Mongol once, and I don't know that I would want to see it again.
The story of the rise of Genghis Khan to power focused on family rivalries, old grudges, and a love story. (Not being very girly, I suppose I had hoped for strategic--and not just mildly gross--battle depictions.) The scenery is lovely, the costuming is great, and the acting is acceptable. However, to me, there seemed to be a lack of motivation.
Why do Temudjin (Genghis' real name) and Borte fall in love? Why does Jamukha decide to be Temudjin's blood brother? Why does Jamukha agree to help Temudgin attack the Meerkits (sp?) when he first affirms strongly that he wants to wait until the next year? Why is Temudjin's strategy described as clever so often when we see so little of it? Questions, but no answers.
This is described as the first of a trilogy, and I can imagine that it was the most difficult of the three to make, since almost certainly this is the phase of Genghis Khan's life of which least is known; perhaps the remaining two thirds of the story will fill in the gaps and redeem the failings of this first installment.
“The Way Home” by Jeong-Hyang Lee. Rating: PG, 2002, 88 minutes.
When I went looking for movies, I wanted to find ones I could show to my middle schoolers. This one fit’s the bill and could be shown to upper elementary, also. It is the story of a Sang-Woo, a young boy of about 8. His mother is a raising him alone and has lost her business. She takes him from Seoul, while she looks for a job, to stay with her mother in rural Korea. She has not been in contact with her mother since she ran away at 17.
Sang-Woo is angry, not only because he is being left, but it is obvious that he spends lots of time by himself with objects to play with. His grandmother is mute and he calls her names and tells her how stupid she is. She does not respond in kind, but offers him food and candy which he refuses. He eats the “city food” (canned meats and drinks) that his mother left. He has stomach problems in the middle of the night and instead of showing him to the outhouse, has him use a beautiful bowl, that is precious to her, as a chamber pot.
When the batteries for his gameboy die, he demands new ones, but she does not have any nor any money. He gets angry and kicks the pot off the porch. As she sleeps, he steals her hair stick and runs to the village to get batteries, but is unable to find the ones he needs there or elsewhere.
We start seeing a slow change in him as he reluctantly threads needles for his grandmother. Then one day he is napping and she hung clothes to dry. A downpour happens and he runs and gets his clothes off the line, turns around and gets hers, also. The rain is quickly over and he hangs the clothes up again, making sure that his alternate with hers.
At one point they visit a friend of hers who is very ill and talks of dying.
He slowly comes to love his grandmother, though he does not realize it until his mother sends a letter to say she is coming to get him. Then he spends the evening teaching her to write “I’m sick” and “I miss you”, after which he threads all of her needles.
The scenery is beautiful and you get a feeling for how slowly life moves in the country. The movie shows how generations change when they move to the city - Sang-Woo had no like of anything to do with dirt or nature. It will bring good discussions on taking care of family, how we show love to each other and could be used to talk about not getting “even” with a group that is conscious of every slight.
It would have been good to use when I taught students who were emotionally disturbed because they can see faults in others behaviors and discuss the way someone else should behave long before they recognize anything like that in themselves.
The Film I’m reviewing is “ China’s Stolen Children”. It was a documentary done for HBO. This was aired right before the Olympics. The documentary discussed through the personal stories of several families and individuals affected by the stolen-child black market that still goes on today. When Morgan Pitelka lectured about the chin dynasty and what they did with their children, it is very similar to practices still going on today. This documentary was made entirely in secret because the government doesn’t want the outside world to know that these practices are still going on.
This documentary looks at the issue from all sides. They feature a detective, who specializes in looking for stolen children. They focus on him and the family that has hired him. The family had their 5-year-old son stolen from them while his grandmother was watching him. They also interview a trafficker who sold his own son many years ago.
Another major issue they talk about is the effect of the one child law in china and how many couples are handling it. They featured one couple that already has a child and doesn’t want to pay the fines so they are having the child then contemplating what to do with that child. Lastly was a young coupe, too young to be married so their child would have no rights. They also were trying to figure out what to do with their child.
I found this documentary very interesting> the fact I found the most interesting was the fact that as many as 40 million girls have been aborted because of the one child law so in years to come Chinese men will have to go elsewhere to find a bride because they’re won’t be enough in the country to marry. I highly recommend this documentary.
i am not sure if anyone went to see the movie "cape 7" (mentioned in our seminar, and shown in taiwan film festival at ucla). i watched the movie with friend. it has become recently the most accomplished movie produced in taiwan after a long period of silence in taiwanese movie industry. the movie is a love story and shows beautiful taiwan scenes to the audience. however, the movie also attempts to deal with many unknown/little-known facets of the taiwan society, the minority in taiwan (not the immigrants from main land through many different periods), the folk music nurtured by hokkien culture (a major components of oversea chinese community in addition to cantoonese)/taiwan local minority culture , the japanese legacy in taiwan, taiwan local grass-root democratic powers, taiwan nationalism, and etc. i have to admit the movie did an excellent job to present all these elements within a series of related stories; and the young couple involved in this love story are from different national background, one from taiwan and the other from japan.
another movie made in taiwan, "three times", by one of the most influential taiwanese directors (we learned about an lee in class)-hou, xiaoxian. three times is love stories of one couple but set in 3 different times. 1st story was set in 50-60s under nationalist party control. 2nd story's background is very interesting, the late imperial china period (the movie itself is made in a fairly interesting way; it is made into a silent movie). it is easy to spot the struggle of the rights/powers and feel the setting, while the qing government was declining and other powers were rising. last story is set in the current time, a very neat glimps of current taiwan.
one thing, i must say about "mongol" is that i am extremely impressed by that the movie is in mogolian language (a little part is in china when genghis khan was captured in china), well just compared to foreign made movies about world war two Germany (foreign as compared to gemany/japan), those movies are majorly in English (I might be wrong).
If you have IFC/Sundance channel, you can watch it on their channel. It just showed on TV (through either IFC or Sundance) during winter break. Another piece about this movie, it was based on a real stories. I love the children in the movie. I feel bad now because I watched this movie twice; a very touching movie (i might make an announcement for it when we meet again on Jan.13)
Because I have IFC/Sundance at home, sometimes I got to watch some excellent foreign movies. If you are interested in movie and have these channels, you really need to check it out. The two channels also show many exclusive documentaries.
maybe you can try the Japanese name to find the movie "Dare mo shiranai"
Film review—Curse of the Golden Flower
I caught the latter half of this movie and when it was done, I was left with an open mouth and so many questions. I had hoped that watching this movie from the beginning would shed some light. However, that was not the case.
Synopsis: This 2006 Chinese film was directed by Zhang Yimou. It stars Chow Yun-Fat, Gong Li, Jay Chou, Liu Ye, Qin Junjie, Ni Dahong, Chen Jin, Li Man, and many others. It takes place in the 10th Century A.D during the Tang Dynasty. It is entirely in Chinese with English subtitles.
This story is based in the Palace during the Chrysanthemum Festival. The Emperor is powerful and power hungry, the Empress is extremely ill. Involved are their sons, many innocent people, and many deep dark secrets.
My opinion/classroom use:
First of all this film is rated R and is inappropriate for my 6th grade students. However, I may use pieces of the film. The visuals are stunning; I believe my students will be as enthralled with the palace, clothing, and amazing display of chrysanthemums that are set up in the courtyard as I was. Speaking of clothing: I have never seen so much cleavage! The women’s clothing was amazingly beautiful, but I do not believe that much skin would have been showing in the 10th Century A.D (I could be wrong). I was also impressed by the acting. The facial reactions were so believable. I felt the Empress’s pain each time she took her “medication”, I felt the love between The Empress and her step-son as well as the honor in which the doctor tries to save his wife and daughter. I felt sick when the Emperor struck his youngest son over and over until there was nothing left. I kept holding out for some glimmer of hope as the movie continued, but was left with the darkness each of these characters faced until the bitter end. I’m not sure of the movies historical accuracies, although I am aware that this is a fictional story. Again, this movie in its entirety is completely inappropriate for the 6th grade classroom. I would like to break it into pieces to show my students some visuals that relate to what they are learning. Curse of the Golden Flower, in my opinion, was beautifully horrendous.
I viewed the movie “The Forbidden Kingdom” by renting a DVD of the film. It was released on this past September 9 by Lionsgate film and stars martial arts stars Jackie Chan and Jet Li, along with several Asian actors and actresses (Collin Chou, Yifei Lui, and Bing Bing Li) and (unknown?) Michael Angarano American actor whose character becomes a martial arts hero by the end of the film.
The story is of the action-fantasy variety that sets martial arts fights and magical powers within the context of a struggle between good and evil. Woo-Ping Yuen served as action choreographer. American moviegoers are familiar with Mr Yuen’s action-sequence work from all three installments of “The Matrix,” both installments of “Kill Bill,” and the comedy “Kung Fu Hustle.” “The Forbidden Kingdom” adds to his prior work with Jet Li (“Fearless” and “Unleashed”)
The underlying story in “The Forbidden Kingdom” is the quest to deliver to The Monkey King (Jet Li) his magical staff so that he can be released from his self-inflicted frozen-in-stone state and save the “Reign of the Dream World” from being ruled by the Jade Warlord (Collin Chou). The Jade Warlord succumbed to a desire to rule when the Emperor of the Dream World departed for 500 years of meditation.
The Monkey King, whose powers include the ability to clone himself by plucking and releasing a strand of his hair, accepted the Jade Warlord’s challenge to a duel of fists. During the battle, the Jade Warlord, who also has magical powers, hurled some sort of magical spell at the Monkey King, who had previously laid his Magical Staff aside. Thus, instead of fighting the Monkey King with bare hands as stated in his challenge, the Jade Warlord attempted to win by trickery.
Upon realizing the Jade Warlord’s deceit, the Monkey King retrieves his Magical Staff, hurls it away, and transforms himself to stone. In response, the Jade Warlord confines the inanimate Monkey King to a room that prevents the Monkey King’s Magical Staff from reaching him and returning him to life.
Somewhere along the way, Jason (Michael Angarano), who is a timid South Boston teenager who loves martial arts movies but can not defend himself against neighborhood bullies, obtains possession of the Monkey King’s Magical Staff. Jackie Chan portrays Lu Yan, who is the elderly proprietor of the video store from which Jason obtains his martial arts movies.
After rescuing Jason from an attack by the leader of the neighborhood bullies, Lu Yan transports Jason to a medieval-era tea tavern, informs Jason of the legend of the Monkey King and announces that he, Jason, must return the Magical Staff to the Monkey King and free him from his prison of stone.
During their conversation, however, the Jade Warlord’s soldiers enter the premises in pursuit of Jason and the Magical Staff. Golden Sparrow (Yifei Lui), an Asian teenaged female who plays a 4-string, wide neck instrument while resting between martial arts fights, helps Jason and Lu Yan escape the soldiers.
Golden Sparrow relishes fighting against the Jade Warlord’s soldiers because (1) they murdered her mother in retaliation for her father’s opposition to the Jade Warlord and (2) the soldiers have a history of kidnapping princesses from Golden Sparrow’s village. Ultimately, Jade desires to kill the Jade Warlord using the jade dagger hairpin that she uses on hair because the pin can kill any warlord.
As Jason, Lu Yan and Sparrow flee the soldiers, they encounter Jet Li in his second role in the movie as the character “.Silent Monk,” who has been on a life-long mission to find the carrier of the Monkey King’s Magical Staff. After a lengthy (15-minute) fight scene between Lu Yan (Jackie Chan) and Silent Monk (Jet Li) using numerous martial arts fighting styles and aimed at possession of the Magical Staff, the four individuals – Jason, Lu Yan, Golden Sparrow, and Silent Monk, decide to travel through the desert toward eventual battle with the Jade Warrior’s Jade Army in order to deliver the Magical Staff to the Monkey King. In the process, Lu Yan and Silent Monk agree to train the timid and non-athletic Jason to become a martial arts fighting machine.
While the group is en route, they do not realize that they are being pursued by an Asian female villain who flies through treetops and is an expert at using an extra-long bullwhip and long-distance arrows. She pursues that the four would-be heroes in order to obtain from the Jade Warrior the elixir of immortality. As the heroes flee the villainess, one of her arrows strikes Lu Yan in his back, which severely weakens him to a point that requires a life-saving elixir that is in the Jade Warlord’s palace. Thus, the heroes are certain to have to fight the Jade Warlord’s soldiers for two reasons (deliver the Magical Staff to the Monkey King and obtain the elixir that Lu Yan needs to avoid death.
Ultimately, the heroes reach the Jade Warlord’s Palace, fight his soldiers, and deliver the Magical Staff to the Monkey King. Both the Jade Warlord and the female villain are defeated just before the Emperor of the Dream World returns from his 500 years of mediation. Because he is grateful that his world was saved from the Jade Warrior, the Emperor grants Jason’s wish to be transported through time and space back to Boston.
Upon arriving, Jason immediately encounters the leader of the neighborhood bullies and decisively beats him using martial arts. Moments later, Jason discovers that the elderly proprietor of the video store from which he obtains martial arts movies is Lu Yan, who, in reality, is immortal. Poignantly, Jason also encounters Golden Sparrow (with whom romance developed during the journey to the Monkey King), who works across the street from Lu Yan’s video store in a restaurant named “Golden Sparrow.”
“The Forbidden Kingdom” is full of messages that can be useful for classroom instruction. Even though I teach Algebra, the movie’s events would reinforce my frequent admonishments to my students (13- and 14-year old eighth graders) about the value of honesty and integrity and that greed and selfishness destroy respect and credibility and, ultimately, do not lead to success. I spend a lot of time trying to convey life lessons to my students because they still possess enough innocence to be impressionable in a constructive way and it appears that a significant number of students do not receive such teaching in their home environment.
All in all, the movie was very entertaining. I highly recommend it.
Adelina is right about several aspects of this movie. I think it rates as one of Zhang Yimou's worst efforts -- a great disappointment since it also represented his return to collaborating with Gong Li, one of the great actresses of our day. Chou Yun-fat also comes off badly in this flick. Ang Lee got a much better performance from him in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Zhang got his start as a cinematographer and the colors and spectacle of this film are dazzling. He's become over-reliant on CGI and gore. The Tang dynasty was a skin-filled time at the palace, though probably not in the way shown here. There was also plenty palace intrigue then and at other times. The scale of this film, though, suggests why Zhang was the perfect choice to oversee the Olympic ceremonies.
I watched the movie "Not One Less" by Zhang Yimou. It is a movie about a young schoolteacher (really a substitute) in rural China who goes searching for a student who ran away to the city. The movie is set in modern China and has a realistic, almost documentary feel to it. The plot is very basic and the movie drags on somewhat, but I am positive this movie offers a great learning experience for students when covering modern China. For one thing, the students will grow to like the movie as it progresses because it is a real emotional epic. During the climax of the movie the protagonist makes an emotional appeal on National T.V. that only the hardest of hearts would not be moved by. So the emotional tale hooks the students in, but how is this educational? This movie breaks down misconceptions of exotic China, with a look at the everyday struggles of the poor. It contrasts rural poverty with urban development, and demonstrates the disconnect and callousness of an overpopulated society. Their are also less overt suggestions of tradition and communism holding on against the tide of the times, which has given me a renewed view of Chinese society. Images such as the authoritarian government "releasing" a young girl from poverty (and family) to train her as an athlete will stick with your students, as they come to build a nuanced and tempered view of modern communism. I highly recommend this movie and I know it can add an appreciation of a contemporary culture to a classroom unit.
I really enjoyed this movie! We watched the ending with Prof. Ye, and was very interested. I wanted to incorporate this movie with my curriculum project on Shi Huangdi. I decided to make Cornell Notes as the students watch the movie. I was making the template as I watched the movie so I can specifically have the students monitor what I want them to learn about the Qin dynasty and its unification. I think its appropriate for my 6th graders however I would fast forward the one sexual scene. I will have my students do a debate after this movie, since it makes Qin look positive, on whether or not he was a tyrant etc. The movie shows some of the edicts of emperor Qin and also some things he accomplished, he also discussed his desire to standardized the language of China. It also demonstrates Qin increasing paranoia due to the assassination attempts. I liked also how you can see the geography of China etc. If anyone would like my Cornell Note handout for the movie let me know! [Edit by="mari_montes on Jan 8, 5:44:51 PM"][/Edit]
This video is great! If you need a film to go over the major details of the dynasties of China this is it. The dynasties it covers in detail are the Shang, Zhou, Qin and Han. The maps in the film are great, as well as the recreations. The recreations that they have on film are good. For example, they show oracle bone reading, casting bronze, war battles etc. They are not silly and I think show events and details well. There are a lot of facts and details that were given that are useful for classroom. This movie would only be good for the 6th grade history curriculum. I think it could also be used as a precursor to 7th grade standards to get the students prior knowledge working. The section on Qin is great as well. You can get the film through the LA public library. [Edit by="mari_montes on Jan 8, 5:57:03 PM"][/Edit]
I like to use Mulan too, however I also teach my students how to eat with chopsticks, a chinese invention, and they eat the popcorn with chopsticks only while viewing. I like to use the movie The Prince of Egypt to transition from Egypt to Hebrews. I also make my students take notes, and a lot of the times I have Cornell Notes made out already with questions they should answer through out film.
I also watched this film and agree it is useful in the classroom in short clips. THe film shows the political change in China at the time. It does not have much use for me in terms of the historical sense, but I would use it to show the culture of China. The scenes of what the Opera are very useful I think to show students what it is like. I also would use it to show attitudes of gender roles, toward the poor, actors and lower members of society. I really don't recommend it to be shown at middle school age in no more than short clips.
I chose to watch and review Zhang Yimou's epic Hero after Professor Ye showed us clips of it the "Using Films to Teach About China" session. As Professor Ye suggested this film lends itself to an introduction to early Chinese history, especially the scene he chose to show us in which the emperor and the nameless assassin dialogue on the importance of using force to maintain peace. I had heard of the movie but had never watched it. After that session in September, I went out and borrowed it and I enjoyed it. As an English teacher, however, I thought I could use this film a few different ways.
First of all, Hero is a wonderful example of beautiful film-making in general, but it also serves as a beautiful sample of Chinese film-making. So it serves as a good cultural artifact. We could discuss the possible political subtexts of the film. Since the line between villain and hero blurred in the story, a good discussion of archetypes can be had.
When beginning to analyzing literature students often point out the obvious. When this occurs, I often follow up their comments with the question "To what effect?" To introduce this concept, I begin with showing students a famous or thought provoking piece of art like Edvard Munch's painting "The Scream." I then have students divide the picture into quadrants and make as many observations as possible about each quadrant. Then, I proceed to ask them, "To what effect?" after each observation they make. After using a picture, I could easily use a film, which would actually help students with understanding how to analyze a larger work like a novel or epic poem. Hero lends itself to an analysis of the aesthetic features of a film and to a discussion of "To what effect?". The cinematography is amazing as is the unconventional plot development. It can be used as an exemplar of how to critique a film for its literary or aesthetic value. For example, since the story is developed using mostly flashbacks, students can evaluate the effect of using flashbacks rather than a basic rising action-climax-falling action pattern.
Each flashback has a color theme in the film. We could divide the film into flashbacks, identify the color theme and discuss the effect of the director's decision. Afterwards we could read an interview I found on line with the director in which he discusses his use of colors (which were completely aesthetic decisions and were not meant to represent anything). This can lead to a great discussion of the meaning beyond the intended meaning of texts.
Although I have never shown Mulan to my students, I have used it as an option among a list of options when I introduce the concept of archetypes. We begin with a definition of archetype and then a presentation on the characteristics of the archetypal hero using the guiding question "What do Batman, Simba [from the Lion King], Luke Skywalker [Star Wars], and Moses all have in common?" After outlining their similarities in detail, I assign for homework an explanation of how any other character in literature, film, myth, or even history fits that pattern of character. For students who have trouble coming up with one, I give them a list in which Mulan is one option.
I use Joseph Campbell's Hero With a Thousand Faces as an outline.
I too see why Zhang was chosen to oversee the Olympic ceremonies. The stunning visuals presented in Curse of the Golden Flower are utterly amazing. I enjoy the work of Chou Yun-Fat, but agree that this was not his best performance. Gong Li is an actress that I would like to learn more about. Sheis so beautiful, her pain and suffering showed true, and I believe she carried the movie.
" On the eighth day of the eighth month of 2008, 2 billion TV viewers and thousands in attendance in the now famous Bird's Nest were treated to an unforgettable spectacle at the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games.
"Behind it all was the creative genius of Chinese film director Zhang Yimou. Drawing from the depths of the cultural heritage and ingenuity of the Chinese people, showcasing ancient Chinese inventions — paper, printing, gunpowder, ceramics and the compass — that have shaped civilization and channeling the sensibility and spirit that unite his fellow 1.3 billion citizens, Zhang told China's story to a watching world. He created arguably the grandest spectacle of the new millennium, and it was viewed by nearly one-third of the world's population. With this work, Zhang obtained a stature shared by very few peers."
So begins the essay about why Zhang was named a runner up to Barack Obama for person of the year honors. Click below to read the full article:
http://www.time.com/time/specials/2008/personoftheyear/article/0,31682,1861543_1865103_1865107,00.html
What is especially striking is that this essay was written by Steven Spielberg. Spielberg, of course, publicly withdrew as a member of Zhang's advisory group to protest what he described as Chinese inaction on Darfur. What is the significance of Spielberg now celebrating Zhang and the ceremonies?
You can read Spielberg's letter at:
http://china.usc.edu/ShowArticle.aspx?articleID=941
Click here to see his 2007 letter to Hu Jintao.
How can it be that no one has commented yet on this magnificent and now award-winning film? I saw it only a couple of weeks ago and found the plot line ludicrous, but the bigger story mesmerizing. It is not a documentary and it misrepresents locations and so on, but offers larger truths and does so in a compelling way. I encourage you to click on the link below to read a recent op-ed about the film:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/21/opinion/21srivastava.html?_r=3
In their essay, Matias Echanove and Rahul Srivastava begin,
"IT does not take much to galvanize protest against a movie in India, but few thought the word “slumdog” would cause so much anger — especially as hundreds of Bollywood titles translate into much worse slurs. We had to pay attention, though, when friends from Mumbai’s sprawling Dharavi area joined hands with those demonstrating against the Oscar-nominated film “Slumdog Millionaire.” The Indian media widely reported that the outrage was over the word “dog.” But what we heard from Manju Keny, a college student living in Dharavi, was something else. She was upset at the word “slum.” We could not agree more.
"In truth, the movie never claims to be a portrait of Dharavi, though some of the most spectacular scenes were shot there, including depictions of the anti-Muslim riots of 1992. The director, Danny Boyle, constructs a cinematic slum out of many pockets around Mumbai. The opening sequence has children playing near the airport, being chased by policemen and ending up — in a moment of pure Hollywood magic — a few miles away in Dharavi.
"The imagery represents what most middle-class residents of Mumbai (and now all over the world) imagine Dharavi to be. The urban legend of its squalor has taken root because few Mumbaikers have ever been there — just as most Manhattanites still avoid stepping anywhere near Bedford-Stuyvesant, that beautiful neighborhood in Brooklyn. Times may have changed since the mid-’70s, when the community worker Barry Stein described Bed-Stuy as the “largest ghetto in the country,” but prejudices die hard, in New York and India.
"Its depiction as a slum does little justice to the reality of Dharavi. Well over a million “eyes on the street,” to use Jane Jacobs’s phrase, keep Dharavi perhaps safer than most American cities.
The rest of the essay is equally interesting.
Here's the movie's official Fox Searchlight website:
http://www.foxsearchlight.com/slumdogmillionaire/
In regard to my posting for viewing an Asian film, "Mishyma" (spelling may not be accurate)
depicts the life of the famous, award winning Japanese writer, whose life eventually spirals out of control - culminating in "kari Kiri."
Although this is a visually stunning and compelling film, it must be heavily edited for viewing by students (after the necessary parental forms and administrator permission slips have been
obtained).
Consequently, only brief 5 - 10 minute excerpts can
be used in the classroom to show how one's obsession can spiral out of control.
Educators can use this to show that one's emotional I.Q. is more important than
one's intellectual I.Q. This film can lend itself to critical thinking skills.
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art will screen KUROSAWA Kiyoshi's Tokyo Sonata at 7:30 pm on Monday, March 9, 2009. The director will attend and speak following the film.
The film takes inside a middle class Japanese family at a moment of great stress: the salaryman father loses his job. He tries to keep this a secret. The film has garnered a number of awards.
http://www.lacma.org/programs/FilmSeriesSchedule.aspx
I found the op-ed very interesting, perhaps because it left me thinking, "So?" While I can understand the irritation that some residents may have over their community apparently being misrepresented as a slum, focusing on this issue seems so fruitless and trivial when one stops to consider the larger problems that the film challenges us with. I spent a semester of college in 2003 in India and visited Mumbai twice. Admittedly, I experienced the country from an outsider's perspective. Still, I will never forget the image of the seemingly endless sprawl of tin houses and garbage that I saw as my bus approached the city. I first saw the city at dawn and remember the sidewalks being covered with people sleeping everywhere there was space. In most cities, any time I walked around there were instantly child beggars following, aften holding infants exactly as the film depicted. The issues of poverty, child abuse, religious prejudice, and social (caste) inequalities are what drive the movie. So maybe the writer or director gave the community depicted in the film the wrong name, but is that what really matters?
The award-winning film "Wings of Defeat" will make its U.S. broadcast debut on May 5, 2009 on the PBS program "Independent Lens." Please check your local PBS station's listings for more information.
From the "Wings of Defeat" website:
"'Wings of Defeat' brings viewers behind the scenes of World War II’s Pacific theater to reveal the truth about the Kamikaze—the “suicide bombers” of their day. Interviews with surviving kamikaze, rare battle footage and Japanese propaganda reveal a side of WWII never before shown on film. American vets from the greatest generation tell harrowing tales of how they survived attacks. Wings of Defeat shatters the myth of the fanatical kamikaze to reveal a generation of men forced to pay for an empire’s pride with their lives."
Based on Professor Yamashita's recommendation, I watched The Twilight Samurai. It's a 2002 Japanese movie with English subtitles about a low-ranking samurai circa 1870, just before the Meiji Restoration. It tells the tale of Seibei Iguchi (the samurai) and his conflict between duty/expectation and family/love. It was highly entertaining and I give it a big thumbs up.
What did I learn? Many samurai of this late Tokugawa era were civil servants, working in offices with bosses, gossipy co-workers, and plenty of paperwork. This is a side of their lives that I hadn't seen before and the film is worth watching just for that. Outwardly, Seibei is not your typical samurai and his devotion to family and inner truth sets him apart from his peers and on a collision course with his duty as a samurai. And it is here that the film really stands apart from other samurai films I have seen (not so many). This is not your ordinary slash-em-up samurai movie. It is a realistic, modern-day update that presents samurai as fully complex human beings. How accurate is it? I don't know. I would guess fairly accurate however. Not that most samurai took the path the Seibei takes in this film, but they were certainly multi-dimensional beings, not the staid characters from the 7th grade textbook.
Teachability? Good. I would use the scenes of the film that show 1) samurai's daily activities 2) samurai relationships with their lords. This would reinforce content from other sources. This includes a scene where Seibei tells his lord about his inner struggle and also a scene where Seibei and his foil Zenemon discuss their personal motivations. This would give the students a good balance between samurai as members of a feudal hierarchy and samurai as members of the human race.[Edit by="mlloyd on Apr 16, 9:33:01 AM"][/Edit]
Zatoichi- professor Miyake mentioned this film in last night's lecture. This movie has a lot of violence but it has great images, very bright and colorful- definitely worth checking out. Like professor Miyake mentioned, this movie takes place in Tokugawa Japan. There are several scenes in the country, some in a gambling house. Weaved into the story are 2 geishas and they're shown dancing and playing music. The soundtrack is cool too- after the movie ends there is also a closing scene, like a musical, the entire cast is drumming and dancing.
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Samurai Fiction, set in the early 17th century, is a movie about a ronin that steals a sword from a clan. This sword is like a family heirloom, given to the clan by the Tokugawa Shogunate. The son of the clan leader, and his friends leave in search of the ronin. The movie is in black and white, but it very modern and the soundtrack is great- very contemporary and dramatic! i think its a MTV Japan production.
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This movie is not rated an the violent scenes are somewhat censored. Instead of showing the blood, when somebody is fatally wounded, the scene is flooded with red, implying the wounded is dying or died. In my classroom, it is a great example of clans and the hierarchy of the warrior class (shogun, daimyo, samurai and ronin).
I found at the library the film Beijing Bicycle by a sixth generation director Wang Xioshurai. This film could be used in the class in whole or part. There is much to discuss about social status of the main characters who share a bicycle. Guei as new immigrant to Beijing owns a bike that he ends up sharing with a seventeen year old boy, Jian, from a upcoming Beijing family. There is a kind of bike "crew" not really a gang or a club but bunch of boys who do some tricks both nasty and technical.
I wondered if the movie showed the last visage of the old Beijing hamlet/towns that one used find in Beijing before the Olympics. The movie is from 2001 and so Beijing is surely different now.
I liked the close-ups most in the beginning of the film of Guei the immigrant and his co-workers, they become carriers in Beijing.
The choices at the library are very interesting, however I had left my recommendations from Dr. Ye at home. So off the cuff I decided to try something new. Although I intend to go back and get Hero, Eat Drink Man Women, etc. I found a "modern" Chinese movie, "Hooked on You". A "Chick Flick" if you will. This, of course, is not really a movie to show in the classroom, although maybe clips to show modern life. I found it an interesting comparison to modern Hollywood films. The girl in this movie has a "specific" plan for her life and doesn't want to detract from it. It's interesting because she is conflicted between duty: to her father, to his debt, to her plan, and what she really wants. In the end when she finally gives in to what she really wants, it is too late. Unlike a Hollywood movie with the "happy" ending. To be honest, I was very bummed with the ending because I like "happy" endings. This movie did really show a "modern" "independent" Chinese woman, which was good to see, after hearing how woman were in ancient China
Netflix continues to bring Asian cinema to one's home. Recently I've been enjoying Thai movies.
There was 2008's: Chocolate
Acclaimed Thai action director Prachya Pinkaew helms this martial arts drama, which follows Zen (JeeJa Yanin), a young autistic woman who discovers that she has the uncanny ability to absorb precision fighting skills just by watching martial arts movies. When her cancer-ridden mother's creditors come calling, Zen attempts to settle the debts by standing up to a hard-nosed gang of criminals who have wrongfully swindled money from her family.
I don't know what's suitable for high school, but it wasn't sexed up or too violent.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:05:19 PM"][/Edit]
Action explodes on-screen in this cinematic re-creation of one of the grandest battles in Thailand's history. As King Textron struggles to shield his Ayuthaya Kingdom from the spears of Myanmar invaders, his wife, Queen Taya, is airing her passions with a dashing swordsman. Little does she know that her lover may actually be a Myanmar traitor with plans to bring down the Ayuthaya Kingdom from within.
Based on the historical facts of the founding of the Thai modern state, this movie held my interest but was a bit far-fetched. Knowing some of the historical data will help you weed out the drama from the realism.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:04:57 PM"][/Edit]
When a sacred Buddha statuette called Ong-bak is stolen from Ting's (Tony Jaa) village by a shady businessman intent on realizing a profit from his ill-gotten gain, Ting takes it upon himself to reclaim the pilfered religious treasure by following the trail of clues to Bangkok. And Ting's the right man for the job, as he possesses an impressive array of Muay Thai fighting skills that can lay out all his adversaries.
This movie is a pop breakthrough in Thai cinema. Tony Jaa is touted as the next Jackie Chan. This is a fun movie to watch and for those who have been to Thailand can enjoy the sights and sounds of the city. High school appropriate?[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:04:37 PM"][/Edit]
With plenty of martial arts action and a hefty dose of Thai humor, this crime comedy tells the story of hapless personal bodyguard Wong Kom (writer-director Petchtai Wongkamlao). When his failure to protect his boss, successful businessman Choti, leads to the magnate's death, Choti's son fires Wong. But he soon has a chance to redeem himself when a gang of clumsy hit men -- intent on gaining control of Choti's fortune -- targets the son.
Some movies are pretty bad, but enjoyable. The director and main star is famous in Thailand for his humor and antics and this movie doesn't disappoint in that department. It's more slapstick than anything but worth a look if only to see that Thai cinema can move beyond the serious period dramas, and sappy soap operas and tear-jerkers.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:04:18 PM"][/Edit]
The Secret Service enlists flatfoot Kum Lhau (Petchtai Wongkamlao) to infiltrate a Thai record label, where he's tasked with investigating covert weapons dealings while masquerading as a pop singer -- but before long, he becomes the country's biggest music star. Meanwhile, he discovers that a co-worker (Jacqueline Apitananon) is a CIA operative assigned to the same mission in this fast-paced action comedy also starring Janet Khiew.
Even worse than the first, you'll be shaking your head at the recycled jokes from the first movie (think Airplane! 2). This movie is really a prequel to the first, and the star is really the reason one sticks around to see this flick.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:04:03 PM"][/Edit]
Two Mafia kingpins vie for control over Bangkok's Yaowarat district in this action-packed thriller. When a hired killer hits his intended target, the truce between rival underworld crime bosses Tong and Dada is over, sparking an all-out gangland war. Local ammo stores run out of stock as the enemy syndicates fight to the death to rule Yaowarat. Shahkrit Yamnarm, Darawan Wilaingam, Suwannaparp, Suthida Harnwisej and Sattawat Dullayawijitt star.
What makes this movie interesting is that it takes place exclusively in the Chinatown portion of Bangkok. Some parts unsuitable for children, but a interesting look at a part of Thailand many people forget exist.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:03:45 PM"][/Edit]
In this sadistic horror tale set in ancient Thailand, Lord Rama showers favors and affection on his many young concubines -- a policy that doesn't sit well with his jealous wife. Unable to bear Lord Rama a child, his bitter wife is determined to punish all those who are able to deliver what she cannot. Thavachai Minmukda and Chutima Avery star in this erotic chiller from director Jarin Vongraen.
A period piece set in ancient Thailand and interesting enough if only for the setting and costumes. The cover reflects erotic, and the title horror - it's neither. It isn't really that good either, but worth a look if ancient Thailand is your kick.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:03:29 PM"][/Edit]
Villainous sorcerer Mahesak (Amornrit Sriphung) and his vicious gang can be taken down only by the mythical Tiger Blade, and it's up to rebel cop Yosthana (Atsadawut Luengsuntorn) and his sexy sidekick, Deungdao (Phimonrat Phisarayabud), to find the sword and save the city. Chalad Na Songkhla co-stars as the deadly Five Bullets Bandit in this Thai action fantasy with a playful sense of humor.
This was a fun movie. A buddy picture with magic, humor, action, and explosions. I think this is the movie I saw with the Tuk-Tuk chase scene a-la The Italian Job with the Mini Coopers.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:03:11 PM"][/Edit]
An abstract drama told in two parts, this Thai film uses poignant and humorous memories from director Apichatpong Weerasethakul's childhood to simply evoke emotions as well as tell the story of his parents' budding relationship. Though the settings of each part are similar, one centers on a woman physician at a small clinic, and the other on a male doctor at a metropolitan hospital, and both include semblances of his parents' courtship.
I was made to turn this off within 15 minutes because of the slow pace, but I promise myself that I'll go back to it some day.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:02:54 PM"][/Edit]
After witnessing the brutal murder of his parents, young Jone (Dan Chupong) vows to avenge their deaths and make the killers pay, a mission that lands him in the dangerous world of cattle rustling. Spurred on by his grief and a desperate need for revenge, Jone sets out to catch the culprits and return the stolen cattle to their rightful owners in this supernatural thriller set in 1920s Thailand.
Fun and over-the-top movie. Magic, roaring 20's, western, and Thai all mixed into one movie. I mean come on the guy rides on top of a giant stick of dynamite! These funny movies (subtitled) are a good way to introduce students to foreign movies that don't have to have "a theme" or "meaning." Too often foreign movies are made with some message and the room begins to snooze. Students need to know that beyond Jackie Chan and the Yakuza, there are other types of Asian cinema that can be incorporated into their viewing routine.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:02:35 PM"][/Edit]
In Bangkok, a mob shooting thwarts a suicide attempt by Japanese librarian Kenji (Tadanobu Asano) and leads him to meet a woman named Noi (Sinitta Boonyasak), whose beachside shack makes the perfect hideout and the perfect backdrop for an unlikely romance. He's a prim neat freak. She's a pot-smoking slob. As their relationship deepens, Noi learns more about how Kenji became suicidal in this offbeat, stylish film.
I was surprised by this movie. It really is offbeat. Slow at times, but well done and interesting. A bit too violent for students.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:02:15 PM"][/Edit]
Star-crossed lovers Dum (Chartchai Ngamsan) and Rumpoey (Stella Malucchi) fight to be together as the world conspires to keep them apart in Thai director Wisit Sasanatieng's genre bender. Though Rumpoey's big-wig father arranges for her to wed the police chief -- who's out to take down Dum's underworld boss -- her heart belongs to gangster fugitive Dum. Hitting on all cylinders, this turbocharged tale builds to an unforgettable climax.
This movie is unique in many ways. Even for those with a casual interest in Thai cinema, this one stands out because of the Northeastern influence. The bright colors, the language is specific to this region of Thailand. If ANY Thai movie is on your list, put this on it - you won't regret it. For students, be cautious. That said, the 60's look of the film is worth a look as one can discuss with students the look of Thailand didn't jump from Ancient times to the year 2000. They too had an evolving sense of fashion, hairstyles, etc.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:01:57 PM"][/Edit]
Englishman Adam (Stuart Laing) never expected to find new love in Bangkok, especially after his girlfriend dumps him on their first night in the exotic city. But into his life walks an alluring local named Em (Napakpapha M. Nakprasitte), who soon has him believing in relationships again. But in true Adam fashion, he complicates the situation, hurting Em and putting their bond to the test. Can their short-lived couplehood survive?
This not-student rated movie is interesting enough about a tourist "going native" and his decent into decadence before embracing Thai culture and looking beyond his preconceptions of relationships.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:01:37 PM"][/Edit]
In the wake of a deadly SARS outbreak that's turned ordinary people into flesh-eating zombies, Thailand stands alone as the only nation to successfully block the pandemic. But when the virus finds its way into a crowded Bangkok apartment complex, it's up to an unlikely hero to make his way into the building -- and make it out alive. Supakorn Kitsuwon and Suthep Po-ngam co-star in this outrageous horror comedy.
This is aptly described as a horror comedy. Students will enjoy it as they have the Ring, and all those other horror movies. The comedy is what keeps the gore from getting out of hand.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:01:20 PM"][/Edit]
Best friends Alice (Claire Danes) and Darlene (Kate Beckinsale) journey to Thailand to celebrate their high school graduation. But after falling in with a charming con artist, they're busted at the Hong Kong airport for smuggling narcotics. Their only hope: the dazzling skills of lawyer "Yankee" Hank Green (Bill Pullman), a magician at helping defendants beat impossible odds.
I enjoyed the movie if only to get a look at a Thai prison. This isn't a women in prison movie however, and it takes a serious look at the consequences of drug smuggling in Thailand which truly does take this vice as serious as it is portrayed. [Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:01:01 PM"][/Edit]
Oliver Stone helped bring this oft-forgotten story -- set in the 18th-century Thai village of Bang Rajan, where 11 villagers stood their ground as the Burmese army invaded -- to U.S. theaters. Armed with only machetes, the brave few were up against an army of 100,000. Providing background, the film begins with the ascension of King Mang Ra of Burma, whose invasion of Thai territory aimed to shrink the country's ruling arm.
You'd think this movie came after the movie "300." A small group of warriors defending a village from the massive invasion of a superior force, but this came out well before that. The similarities between the movies stops there of course. Here, the villagers are not well trained or well-equipped but have the inner courage to fight of their nemesis, the Burmese. The movie is well done, authentic, and Oliver Stone's cut does justice to the material that could have weighed it down here in the U.S.[Edit by="dcolato on May 6, 6:00:45 PM"][/Edit]
Hi Folks,
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Vice, vengeance and violence collide when a maneuvering politician hires steely hit man Tanthai (Chatchai Plengpanich) to bump off a drug lord, upsetting the precarious balance between Bangkok's crime syndicates. As an all-out turf war erupts, Tanthai finds himself with a bull's-eye on his back in this engrossing Thai thriller from director Sananjit Bangsapan. The supporting cast includes Sarunyu Wongkrachang and Santisuk Promsiri.
This Netflix feature was a typical shoot 'em up with characters trying for redemption and the bad influences that pull them back in. The editing in the middle was somewhat choppy so there are scenes that just don't add up. No particular value for students, but watchable for those wanting to spend an hour or so.
The Japanese film Totoro My Neighbor or Tonari no Totoro is a sweet and nostalgic film about magical creatures and spirits who live in rural Japan. These Totoros come in many shapes and sizes, and befriend two young children who move to the countryside with their father.
There are some themes in the film that reflect certain aspects of Japanese culture. First, the father is hard working, but is a good caregiver for his children. He allows them to explore their surroundings, but comforts them when they are scared. This character shows us the Japanese ideal of fatherhood. The film also expresses Shinto themes. At one point the father formally thanks a tree that is in the yard of the families home for protecting his child. There are also numerous images of shrines in the film. I suppose that these are Shinto or Buddhist shrines. As an American it is funny to think that as a child in Japan you could be walking around in the woods and discover an ancient shrine!
To me this film is about the magic and imaginings of childhood. Only children seem to be able to se Totoro, and when you see him, he does magical things for you. It shows that it is important to stay “young at heart”. I am not sure if this is a Japanese value, but it seems universal.
This film is a great example of Japanese anime because it is sweet and innocent without any of the sex and violence that is prevalent in some cartoons in this genre. It would be a great film to show a class before reading something in the genre of magical realism. The story takes place in a real time and setting, but uses magical elements to express some aspects of the plot.
House of Flying Daggers
another Zhang Yimou film (Hero, Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles, To Live) this film was released in 2004, two years after Hero. Although there's feminist and political undertones, I have to recall Professor Ye's reminder that sometimes we try so hard to find meaning in works of art, that we fail to appreciate the beauty and creativity behind it. I followed his suggestion to focus on form more so than content in watching this film. This movie is so colorful and vibrant- it has many parallels to Hero:
1. there are many scenes where color is used to show transition in location, political alliance, deceit and truth
2. weaved throughout the story is a perpetual chase, always running to rescue a lover
3. alliance twist- characters are not really who or what they claim to be/ zoom out into the bigger picture
4. fighting- slow motion, exaggerated, flying
5. loving self sacrifice/ angry or betrayed lover causing death of loved one
6. political dissent/cause much greater than relationships between individuals
I was curious about the feminism depicted. The film does not reveal whether the "old leader" was male or female. The current leader of one of the most powerful rebel groups is Nia, a woman, and all of the members of the house of flying daggers, with the exception of the mole, Leo, are women. Being mindful of the fact that the power of women in China depended on the social/political position of the men in their lives- the House of Flying Daggers stands apart from that in that the leader and members are not tied to or rely on any male figure. Furthermore, throughout the movie, when any male characters try to assert their power, they are unsuccessful. Was Yimou being creative/ feminist- or did this really happen?
Can anybody direct me to find more information about this group, if it really existed?
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