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Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks - Part 1: Rust 铁西区

  • Directed by Wangbing

  • 2003

  • 4h 00m

Over the course of four hours, the film intimately observes and records factory life with minimal camera intervention. The subjects occasionally glance back, sharing their inner concerns about the present and future. Both at the start and end, a train whistles through Tiexi District's factories, its journey captured in a moving long shot that follows the workers, documenting their toil in grim, decaying surroundings. Their steps are laden with weariness and resignation.

The camera sometimes stands back, offering a calm, detached view of their existence. Amidst this setting, occasional arguments and curses arise, often masking deeper anxieties about what lies ahead. As history's heavy wheels roll on, akin to the relentless train, lives are inexorably crushed, sometimes abruptly, sometimes without warning. Left behind are only faint grievances and the mundane chatter of daily life.

In the face of such raw and vivid imagery, words lose their power, seeming feeble and inadequate. Any romanticized notions of the past are stripped away, exposing an ugly truth and revealing a landscape ravaged by neglect and hardship.

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A City of Sadness 悲情城市

  • Directed by Hou Hsiao-Hsien

  • 1989

  • 2h 37m

This film intricately weaves together the narratives of an era and two families, set against the backdrop of tumultuous historical events. Within this stormy period, the family unit is depicted as fragmented and vulnerable, with both their ideals and realities teetering on the brink of disintegration. The film portrays people as transient as grass, buffeted by the relentless winds and rains of fate, which often arrive unexpectedly and without warning. Differing from Hou Hsiao-hsien's previous works that evoke memories spanning across time and space, this movie offers a more intimate experience, transcending time and place. It resonates as a living, breathing experience, one that the viewer doesn't just observe but feels deeply, as if living through it themselves.

“清王朝把我们割走的时候,可曾问过我们愿不愿意?”那张纸条上写:“要有尊严的活”。一个时代一段历史需要的并不一定是刀光血影战士英豪,每一个身处其中却并不被问询是否愿意的人们才是见证岁月的第一人称。就如同好几次镜头并不直对的饭桌,饭还是要吃的,可吃饭的人变了,饭的味道或许也大不相同,只有咀嚼的人才能尝出那酸甜苦辣咸,而做饭的人却不一定能体会到其中的五味杂陈。在历史折腾的光阴里,我们每个人都是悲情的佐料,被下厨被拒绝被唾弃被消化被排泄被挥发。

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Yi yi: A One and a Two 一一

  • Directed by Edward Yang

  • 2000

  • 2h 53m

"Since the dawn of cinema, the scope of human existence has been expanded at least threefold."

The film masterfully examines the textures of life with a nuanced approach. It intertwines scenes of wedding banquets and funerals with the ephemeral nature of daily existence. However, it only reveals half of the picture, leaving the rest to the audience's imagination. This use of strategic blank spaces in the narrative not only makes it efficient but also avoids any sense of cliché.

Dramatic conflicts are subtly enfolded into the fabric of everyday settings, transforming them into a seamless extension of the mundane. The film shuns the overused motif of 'reincarnation' to dissect the complexities of life. Instead, it employs parallel narratives of a father and a daughter, each enshrined in their own cocoon of solitude, echoing the intrinsic loneliness of the human soul.

A poignant moment is captured when a child confronts death, engaging in a silent dialogue with the concept of 'aging,' thereby creating an immortal moment in film history. The film records the multifaceted aspects of life, yet it deliberately refrains from providing definitive answers. This open-endedness invites viewers to contemplate and interpret the narrative in their own unique way.

"如果你没看到我看到的东西,你怎么知道我看到什么?如果你说爱我只是年轻的冲动,那你和乱性的英文老师有什么区别?如果你很认真过度的照顾一盆花,它却因此反而不能开花,那你猜花是难过,还是开心?如果你活着只是为了在一年一次的吉利日子结婚看八字,看风水发大财,那和畜牲有什么不同?如果你做生意几十年,都在做自己不喜欢的事,那你怎么会开心?如果你忘不掉初恋的原因,只是因为空虚,那你到底忘不掉的是什么?如果你每天对着昏迷的妈妈说一样的话,到了庙里又听大师讲一样的话,那家里和庙里又有区别?如果你学会记忆宫殿,只是为了给魔术师证明自己很聪明,那你变得还是魔术吗?如果人生注定只能看见一半的东西,那我觉得,我已经老了。"

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The Pickpocke 小武

  • Directed by Jia Zhangke

  • 1998

  • 1h 53m

The film's portrayal of the 1990s is richly textured, with its gritty cinematography and extensive use of long shots adding a layer of authenticity. Xiao Wu, the protagonist, is a relic of a bygone era, struggling to adapt as time relentlessly propels society forward. His friend abandons his old ways to amass wealth, his girlfriend leaves for someone with a brighter future, and amidst the smooth transition of Hong Kong, everything seems to be moving ahead. Xiao Wu, clinging to traditional ways, finds himself at odds with the newly implemented criminal law, leading to his downfall.

Despite his unremarkable existence, Xiao Wu's life is not devoid of hope. A glimmer of salvation appears through love, encapsulated in the words "Today I will be with you." He begins to express himself through song, embraces romance, and even updates his wardrobe and gets a pager, seemingly reborn. However, this renewal is short-lived, and he soon finds himself back at rock bottom, suffering even greater setbacks.

There is no way out; even though everything is hopeless and struggling is futile, we still have to live like this. Life is so mediocre.

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Stray Dog 野良犬

  • Directed by Akira Kurosawa

  • 1949

  • 2h 02m

Stray Dog delves into the process of looking for a missing gun, providing a gateway into the darker aspects of society. It boasts a well-organized structure, precise cinematography, fluid storytelling, and vivid imagery. The characters Murakami and Yusa, both ex-soldiers turned "wild dogs," navigate the challenging post-war economic landscape of Japan, marked by depression, scarcity of resources, widespread unemployment, and societal decay. Interestingly, they share a common experience of being robbed of all their money. Eventually, their paths diverge dramatically—one turns towards righteousness, while the other descends into madness.

The film probes the critical question: what led these two protagonists, with strikingly similar backgrounds, down such divergent paths of light and darkness? Are they fundamentally similar yet somehow distanced from one another? This exploration is a central theme of the film. The contrast between the characters is gradually unveiled through the narrative of gun hunting and case investigations. It highlights how individuals with nearly identical histories can choose vastly different paths of morality and corruption.

The film seems to suggest that these trajectories are a result of personal choice and free will. It posits that regardless of the environment, different outcomes can arise from individual decisions. Additionally, the influence of wise guidance, the resilience to resist the allure of nefarious shortcuts, and the strength of willpower play significant roles in shaping these paths. 

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 Gojira ゴジラ

  • Directed by Ishirô Honda

  • 1954

  • 1h 36m

Unleashed upon the world in 1954, "Gojira" (later known internationally as "Godzilla") stands as a monumental film in cinema history, merging science fiction with a chilling allegory of nuclear devastation history. Born from the depths of the ocean and awakened by atomic tests, Godzilla emerges as a colossal, prehistoric beast, symbolizing the uncontrollable forces of nature and the fearsome consequences of human folly. This groundbreaking Japanese film masterfully blends breathtaking special effects with deep, poignant themes, reflecting the post-war anxieties and traumas of its time. "Gojira" is not just a monster movie; it's a cinematic experience that confronts the viewer with the haunting specter of atomic power and its irreversible impact on humanity and the environment. As Godzilla rampages through Tokyo, the film poses a critical question to its audience: Can humanity survive its own destructive inventions? Prepare to witness the dawn of the King of Monsters, in a tale where myth, horror, and reality collide.

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