roddy Posted January 7, 2014 at 10:34 AM Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 at 10:34 AM Rare chance to see some Chinese movies on the big screen here in London, with a Feng Xiaogang season at the BFI Southbank. And they've got the man himself in conversation. What have we got... 手机 I'm definitely going to see. Assembly - don't know anything about this one (even the Chinese name). Recommended? If You Are the One? Hmmm, maybe. I don't feel a great need to see it, but seems a shame not to. Because Shu Qi. Aftershock - ah man, don't they have any of the old comedies? Earlier discussion Back to 1942. Never heard of this one, but looks interesting. Oscar nomination for 2014. China’s nomination for 2014's Best Foreign Language Oscar, although it didn't get shortlisted. And I'll go to the conversation thing if I can. Tickets go on sale on the 14th of this month, hopefully BFI members won't snap them all up (they get to buy earlier). Having gone through the list of films though I feel really disappointed they don't have some of the earlier comedies. 不见不散，大碗, even 天下无贼。 This day of Chinese documentaries looks interesting, and look what's coming in the summer: A Century of Chinese Cinema An unprecedented celebration including martial arts movies, Golden Age classics and cutting-edge modern masterpieces. June – October. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorin Posted January 7, 2014 at 11:15 AM Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 at 11:15 AM Assembly - don't know anything about this one (even the Chinese name). Recommended? Saw it two years ago and don't remember a lot, but I liked it. It's kind of the Chinese "Saving Private Ryan", showing the reality of warfare on the battlefield and the aftermath of it for the small soldiers, and these kinds of things. But I also loved Aftershock (minus the corny "desaster movie" beginning), so you can take that with a grain of salt if you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abcdefg Posted January 7, 2014 at 12:41 PM Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 at 12:41 PM Back to 1942. Never heard of this one, but looks interesting. Oscar nomination for 2014. I'll bet it's this one. Saw it in Kunming last year. A well done historical drama, but not a lot of laughs. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2113822/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorin Posted January 7, 2014 at 05:32 PM Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 at 05:32 PM Back to 1942. Never heard of this one, but looks interesting. Oscar nomination for 2014. Oh, one more thing, where did you get that from? If the information at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_submissions_to_the_86th_Academy_Awards_for_Best_Foreign_Language_Film is correct, the movie was the Chinese submission for this year, but didn't make it to the nomination shortlist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted January 7, 2014 at 05:37 PM Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 at 05:37 PM Oops, that's my bad, misunderstood "His recent award winning film Back to 1942, featuring Adrian Brody, is China’s official nomination for 2014's Best Foreign Language Oscar." Will edit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorin Posted January 7, 2014 at 05:52 PM Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 at 05:52 PM On that note, I just saw on the same webpage that the Hong Kong submission for Best Foreign Language Film, Wong Kar-wai's "The Grandmaster", did make it to the nomination shortlist. If we just go by the numbers, it will have about a 50% chance to be amongst the nominees next week. Though I must say, I'm not a big fan of Wong Kar-wai. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imron Posted January 7, 2014 at 08:24 PM Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 at 08:24 PM 手机 I'm definitely going to see. I thought this was pretty ordinary. Not nearly as good as some of his other stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted February 11, 2014 at 11:11 AM Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 at 11:11 AM Saw 手机. Wasn't full, maybe 2/3rds. Bog-standard subtitles. Was nice to see a Chinese movie on the big screen though.Anyway, more excitingly, there are a few more details on the BFI's upcoming A Century of Chinese Cinema season: The season will be divided into five distinct strands running over subsequent months until the end of September: Golden Age; A New China; Swordsmen, Gangsters and Ghosts; New Waves and New Directions. There will be rarities of the silent era and modern masterpieces, pioneering social dramas, lavish costume epics and classic martial-arts cinema. Highlights of the season include The Goddess (1934), one of the most powerful silent films of all time, starring screen legend Ruan Lingyu; Yuan Muzhi’s Street Angel (1937) a major hit on its release in Shanghai; and Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love (2000) Elsewhere Farewell my Concubine is mentioned. There's no way I'm missing the chance to see In the Mood for Love on the big screen, and I'm looking forward to seeing what else they have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted February 11, 2014 at 01:46 PM Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 at 01:46 PM And another thing... I'm kind of surprised at the BFI's list of Feng's five essential 'steps to the top' - there's nothing before 手机 in 2003, and by a remarkable coincidence these are the exact same five films the BFI is showing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imron Posted February 11, 2014 at 02:57 PM Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 at 02:57 PM With the exception of 天下无贼, all his best stuff was before 手机. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted February 11, 2014 at 03:03 PM Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 at 03:03 PM We should rewatch the old ones. You busy at all in the next couple of weeks, Imron? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imron Posted February 11, 2014 at 05:33 PM Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 at 05:33 PM Yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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