alianiara Reviews

The Shannara Chronicles (2016–2017)

a teen show with all problems of a modern-day show

[5/10 · 24 January 2016]

So this is our new generation of actors: can't breathe while closing the mouth; can't walk while straightening the back; can't make an expression without an identical frown. That is really like a teenager looking into a mirror.

Again I can see this is alarming that while sexual and nudity scenes are limited for the targeted audience, violent and gory stuff hasn't met with half as much caution. As has been said by Goerge Martin, our taboos are much too biased. Most of us probably will have sex one day, but murder and killing? Are some of the bloody close-up really necessary or is it just to account for the bug-get?

You really can't blame anyone for falling for the old "the chosen one" scenario. If we have been falling for that since the Old Testament it must have been a human weakness. What happens when we find out that we are not?

Pope Joan (2009)

a wonderful but ill told story

[3/10 · 3 January 2016]

Even as a feminist, I could not stand a movie so ridiculously and awkwardly narrated in a so-called feminist's perspective while all other aspects are neglected. As if had Johanna been born a man, she would have smoothly made her way to the chair of saint peter and become the greatest pope of all time.

Johanna was first and foremost a human being, with flaws and limitations, facing obstacles far more complex than that of her female identity.(poverty being one) The men in this movie, were either female-friendly saints or unreasonable prejudiced beasts. No reason were given to why they were such, nor were there any transitions of any kind.

I know it is difficult to tell a biography story within two hours, but I still have to say it was not very well timed. Nor did give a good focus on Johanna's character. Yes she was a woman, she wanted to do good in the world, but that is applicable to millions of people in history. As a modern woman I wasn't even born so confident to believe that I am no less than a man, but our heroine was so genius that she didn't need to struggle a bit realize her strength. As a story about a pope, it is so superficial on religious matters that it didn't even bother to quote a few lines that we haven't heard of. no wonder there isn't any religious community seeking trouble about this movie---it's not even worth it.

This movie really won't serve as a good example of a feminism movie.

Farewell My Concubine (1993)

One of the best movies made by Chinese

[10/10 · 3 January 2016]

It came astounding to me that a Chinese movie made in 1993 could present so delicately people on such personal levels, as real imperfect human beings, without a haunting habit of moral judgment.

As a movie that has a story line flowing with the stream of history, it is better that Huo Zhe, the highest rated Chinese Movie to date, in an artistic sense. May be because the protagonist, a true artist, is much more sensitive, idealistic and paranoid, thus giving the movie more color and vigor. The story of Huo Zhe on the other hand, is applicable to the majority of Chinese, the ones that do not fight back. Also this is a masterpiece where not even one line or one scene is abundant.

This is not a movie to be missed. The story telling is friendly to those who have a limited knowledge of Chinese history.

Adolphe (2002)

a male version of Anna Karenina

[6/10 · 3 January 2016]

The story line is typically about a male Anna Krenina， though not so good a movie. Love has limited power, and the power will be exhausted one day. As a matter of fact, it is never that pure itself.

The movie is beautifully shot, and the lines are elegant, the characters has different dimensions though not impressive, but after all this is not a movie you will remember the day after you watched it. Adjani was as beautiful as she ever have been, but even she cannot wield too much power in a movie weak as stagnant water.

"You will walk deadly alone among the people that you are so eager to be with." That may count as the best line in the entire movie.

Lilting (2014)

The mother is the actual protagonist

[6/10 · 3 January 2016]

Throughout this movie, about the half Chinese man or his partner, we don't know their jobs or other status. Nor do we know much about their characters; when they appear they are mostly either discussing or describing the Chinese mother. Yet about her, we know every detail.

The one who refused to learn the language while attracted to the culture; the one who continued to control her son even though he is a total grown-up; the one who contests for her son's affections and attention with whoever comes across; the one who deliberately remained incapable of taking care of herself so that the son cannot leave her alone. So typically a Chinese mother.

Spanking the Monkey (1994)

really good movie about parental pressure

[8/10 · 3 January 2016]

I first came across this movie while looking up for incestuous movies in a boring day, but it was nothing like a low taste erotica. The whole concept of immorality attached to incest because you can never underestimate the influence of a parent, and the damage it can cause by the abuse of it.

We are quite familiar in fact, about the negligent father type as in the movie. What we don't usually see is the poison of love as the mother in the movie, that suffocates with all tenderness.

We see a promising MIT medical student stuck in the house with a blue mother, who infiltrates every aspects of his life and denies him access to the outside world, in the name of love. The boy could not say no, because the one he loves has that power over him, the attraction of the motherly love allures him daily to go backwards and crawl back into the womb. It is common and applicable to all of us, the growing sexual tension is but a external presentation. Also, for the mother, the fear of a separate and independent identity growing inside her child will constantly and subconsciously make her try to stop the child from his development, which without the intervention of rationality, could be dangerous.

I don't usually see this kind of parental pressure addressed in movie and this is a good one.

The Assassin (2015)

Beautiful movie but no so viewer-friendly

[5/10 · 3 January 2016]

The first impression of this movie was nothing but viewer-friendly; they tried to present the beauty of the ancient Chinese language and made it intelligible to modern day Chinese people, but I don't think they managed either of these. I could still go on until I realized more than three names were used simultaneously for some of the main characters, which might be historically accurate but could not be more improper in a movie that would end within two hours. That is when I, a great fan of traditional Chinese culture, stopped to download an English subtitle, in which at least only one name was used for each character.

Then the beauty of the movie unfolded. People of the Tang Dynasty were much less introverted than modern day Chinese, which the movie did well to capture. It was not a time that the Confucius or other ethics prevailed; people were much more conscious about themselves rather than play their part in the social machine, of which the heroine was certainly a representative. She was rebellious all along, though at first we seldom saw her speak; others spoke for her. She remained silent while we looked from her perspective and guessed her feelings. Then at last she broke away from the people, the land, once and for all.

It was also the time when the Tang Chinese were heavily influenced by their Persian and Turkic neighbors. One of the dance scene where the Lord and his concubine danced in partly Turko-Persian styled dancing(which was all the fashion at that time) was particularly delicate, because they did not go too far as to make it too Turkic, which would seem odd in this film. Also I am grateful that they did not use a Turkic costume in the dance; even the turks at that time were much Sincised and preferred Chinese dressing on many occasions. Though it might be too subtle for I don't see any other viewer noticing that.