Film Reviews
Farewell My Concubine
“Farewell My Concubine” tells the life stories of two Peking opera performers, portraying the topics of love, betrayal, and identities between their relationships. Spanning half a century, it captures their struggles amidst the most turbulent era of modern Chinese history.
To Live
“To Live” tells the tragedy of Fugui’s family through decades of suffering. During this time, he lost all his wealth, endured the Chinese Civil War, the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution, and suffered the loss of both his son and daughter. Yet, he continues to live, merely for the sake of living. Through Fugui’s tragic life, the film explores the meaning of life, and the themes of death and nihilism, while critiquing the Chinese Communist Party of that era.
Blade Runner
“Blade Runner” are replicant cops tasked to hunt down and retire older replicant models, and the protagonist, “K”, is a Blade Runner. Through this film, the audiences follow the journey of K investigating the secrets behind an unprecedented naturally born replicant. The film explores themes of existentialism, identity, and morality, as the line between humans and replicants blurs. Amidst stunning visuals and philosophical messages, the story delves into what it means to be truly alive.
Tenet
“Tenet” is a secret organisation, established for an important mission of saving the world from extermination. Through the complicated and intertwining timeline, the “protagonist” goes on his mission of protecting past humans from future humans. As he progresses in his mission, the secrets of time travelling and the parties involved in this mission are slowly uncovered…
Blue Kite
The film Blue Kite tells the story of an ordinary woman, Chen, who seeks a simple life but ultimately cannot escape a tragic fate. It portrays a regular family affected by various reforms and policies during the early years of the Chinese Communist government in the 20th century. Despite facing numerous struggles and challenges, they are unable to avoid the cruel twists of fate that shape their lives.
Chungking Express
Police officer 223 Takeshi Kaneshiro, heartbroken after a breakup, briefly finds emotional warmth with the assassin Lin Qingxia, but their relationship ends. Meanwhile, fast-food worker Faye Wong falls for officer 663 Tony Leung, learns of his heartbreak through a breakup letter, and secretly enters his apartment to subtly change his life. Eventually, her actions lead him to feel an emotional reconnection.
To Kill a Mockingbird
In a southern town called Maycomb, Atticus Finch lives with his children, Scout and Jem. Despite their mother’s death, the family thrives in warmth and harmony. Atticus, both strict and loving, teaches them not to harm mockingbirds, as they are innocent and harming them is a sin. Atticus is also a courageous lawyer, who defends Tom Robinson, a Black man accused of rape by a white woman, Mayella Ewell. In a time of deep racial prejudice, Tom’s fate is dangerous. Though Atticus proves his innocence, the town’s ingrained biases still convict him.
