一九四二 - Back To 1942

一九四二 (Back To 1942) is an 2012 film out of Zhong Guo. The movie stars Zhang Guoli. The supporting cast include Chen Daoming, Li Xuejian, Zhang Han-Yu, Zhang Mo, Wang Ziwen, Xu Fan, Tim Robbins, and Adrien Brody. There were many more, but the ensemble cast is too numerous to name. The movie is based on a book recollecting the famine of Henan in 1942.

Zhang plays Fan, a wealthy business man in the Henan countryside. When the famine hits, that part of Henan becomes a lawless arena of who can get the most grain. Fan's family decides to head towards the Xianxi border to "wait out" the times. Along the way, he starts to lose his fortune, grain, and family. All the while, the government is helpless to help. Brody plays Theodore H. White, a journalist for Life magazine. Seeing the famine first hand, he summits an article of the true face of the family, gov't neglect. Along the way, the refugees get no breaks from their countrymen and the Japanese bombers.

This movie was very hard to watch. I don't like to see so much suffering. Yet, someone had to make a film about it. Which is good for historical purposes, but it may not be the most entertaining in value. I didn't feel very good when watching the movie. I was sad for the victims, that history could play out in a similar way, and hatred for those in power that didn't do more. The corruption that played out in the film seems to reflect even the human nature of today. When you're in a position of power, how will it be used? The movie portrays the corruption as part of life.

風聲 - The Message

風聲 (The Message) is a 2009 film out of China. The person behind the film is Taiwanese film-maker, Chen Kuo-Fu. The film stars Zhou Xun, Li Bing Bing, Zhang Hanyu, Huang Xiao Ming, Alec Su, Wang Zhi Wen, and Ying Da. The film is based in 1942 Nanjing during the Japanese occupation.



After the fall of the nationalist Chinese capital of Nanjing during the Nanjing Massacre, the Japanese have set up a puppet regime. But an underground resistance movement has been established and they have successfully assassinated many high level Japanese officers. The puppet government works in conjunction with the Japanese find that there may be a mole in their ranks. They than set out on a spy hunt. With a fake message sent and seen by only 5 people, these 5 are brought to a secluded castle where they are interrogated. One by one, they are subject to psychological games. Will any of these 5 survive? Will they turn on each other? What horrific methods will the captors be subjugated to?



The movie has a pretty star studded cast. Huang Xiao Ming plays the Japanese interrogator out to find the spy. Zhou Xun, Li Bing Bing, Zhang Hanyu, and Alec Su play the captors. Their job is the survive and get out alive. When put in that situation, how will you react?



I've been a big Alec Su and Li Bing Bing fan for many years now. From Alec Su's post military service days to Li Bing Bing's turn in wuxia dramas. I haven't seen much of Alec these last few years. Li Bing Bing has transitioned from a wuxia lady to leading lady. Although both have matured with age, they are still both very good.

Zhang Hanyu is starting to grow on me. Zhang has quietly established himself as one of the top tier actors of China.



I liked the movie for the most part. There are quite a few subplots that you won't see in the movie summaries that give the storyline added complexity and meaning.



The Message has done well at the box office in China and Taiwan so far. I don't think it'll make it here to the states other than in film festivals and eventually DVD. I bought an imported China version from a local DVD place for $10.

There are lots and lots of promo and press junkets for this movie. I've included some of the ones that I enjoyed.

The Equation of Love and Death - 李米的猜想

The Equation of Love and Death (李米的猜想) is a 2008 film out of China. The film stars Zhou Xun, Zhang Han Yu, Deng Chao, and Wang Bao Qiang.

Zhou Xun is a taxi driver named Li Mi in Kunming. Li Mi drives people around asking them if they've seen her boyfriend. Who disappeared from her life four years ago. But during these four years, Li Mi's boyfriend has periodically sent her letters. These letters tell of what he's up to and professes his love to Li Mi. Even though he is not around.

Things turn strange when a couple drug smugglers enter the picture. In a bizarre chain of events, Li Mi finds the answer to why her boyfriend has gone missing.

The English title is weird to say the least in relation to the Chinese title and to the story of the film. The title in my translation, means, "Li Mi's Suspicion". Which is only apparent 75% into the film. There is love and death and the movie starts with Li Mi rambling numbers off in hops that there is a pattern.

In any case, I enjoyed the movie, even though it was a tough watch. I really enjoyed the dialects and the urban city.

Look For A Star - 游龍戲鳳

Look For A Star (龍戲鳳) is a 2009 film out of Hong Kong. The 2 main stars are Andy Lau and Shi Qi. The other 2 couples make up the other 2/3 of the 3 couples. They are played by Zhang Han Yu with Denise Ho and Dominic Lam with Zhang Xin Yi. David Chiang and George Lam make appearances.

The movie follows the funny and rocky beginnings of how 3 couples seek and find love. Andy Lau is a real estate tycoon with his executive assistant Denise Ho and driver Dominic Lam a la Happy Hogan and Pepper Potts. Andy is in Macau for business and bumps into a card dealer there played by Shu Qi. Shu Qi doesn't know that Andy is a tycoon and they eventually fall for each other. Denise Ho is a very powerful women and very in control. However, she's presented as a complete failure in her love life. A carpenter played by Zhang Han Yu steps into her life. Dominic Lam is a very very picky man. He's gone through dozens of dates without finding someone of interest. Andy sets him up for a blind date with Zhang Xin Yi. But there is a catch, Xin Yi has a elementary age daughter.



The movie goes from the wooing stage, to the honeymoon stage of a relationship, and the cold realities of when real life gets in the way. Most things us regular folks can only dream about.

In the end, they somehow get on a television show that matches people up.

This is part romantic comedy and part soap opera. If you're a Andy fan, you can't miss this. If your into Andy's romantic flicks, you can't miss this one.

The star of this film was Zhang Xin Yi. With a weird hairstyle, her beauty stood out and I looked forward to her short story arcs.

The Assembly - 集結號

The Assembly (集結號) is a 2007 film out of China. The film stars Zhang Hanyu.

The movie starts with the Chinese Civil War in 1948. The CPC vs. the KMT. The battle sequences are "Saving Private Ryan" like. The first third of the movie is during the Chinese Civil War. Since this is a China movie, the CPC are the eventual winners of the War. The climatic war sequence is blacked out to Capitan Gu's troop making the ultimate sacrifice.

The movie shift than to the post war life of Captain Gu. Gu is trying to pick up his life after the war and make a living. Gu finds out that his troop is considered AWOL and not honored. Gu sets on a mission to say that his troop sacrificed their lives for the CPC and that they should be honored and not considered traitors. Gu's way proving this is to find their bodies. The site of the the troops last battle is now under tons of coal. Gu starts digging.

The movie doesn't go for or against sides of the war. The war happened, life needs to go on after. In that sense, it sidesteps any political statement.

The movie instead focuses on the life of Gu and those that come into it. Because of this, the movie succeeds in entertaining.

I thought the movie was good and recommend it.