The Guillotines - 血滴子

血滴子 (The Guillotines) is an 2012 film out of Hong Kong and Zhong Guo. It was released in the US of A on June 14, 2013 in theaters and VOD. The movie stars Ethan Juan and Huang Xiaoming. Shawn Yue and Li Yuchun round out the rest of the supporting cast. This film was very loosely based on the Guillotine movies of the 1970s. However, this movie is completely new.

During Qianlong's rule, he inherited a secret squad called the Guillotines. They carried out secret missions effectively, efficiently, and ruthlessly. Each head was a reward of 10 teals. When a messiah figure called Wolf appears, the Guillotines are sent to squash the rebellion. However, they do not and one of their squad members is kidnapped. Forced to recover their friend, but also take down Wolf, they are left with very little options. When the emperor sends the firearm squad to replace them, all heck breaks loose.

This film was loooooonnnnnnnng. At least it felt that way. I was very bored watching it. The first half was completely confusing. I kept asking myself, what is going on and what does this all mean. If I wasn't watching with someone else, I may have turned it off never to return. At last, I sat through the second half. And the payoff left me very disappointed. The confusing parts of the first half are answered slowly, but in a very unsatisfying way.

In the end, it went soapbox as they talked about rebellion, equality, and peace in life. I wasn't sure how this was playing out in terms of their view on mainland Zhong Guo. Which is massively controlled by the government, yet deals corruption that bankrupts the people's trust. Sucking it up and moving on can only last so long and as Zhong Guo continues to move into the global market in not only exports, but thought leadership. A bubble "burst" is definitely possible, but I think gradual change is more likely.

漂浪青春 - Drifting Flowers

漂浪青春 (Drifting Flowers) is a 2008 film out of Taiwan. The movie is made by the same director of Spider Lilies, Zero Chou. The movie is broken up into 3 story arcs and are connected in a non linear fashion. The movie stars Serena Fang, Pai Chih-ying, Chao Yi-lan, Lu Yi-Ching, Sam Wang, and Herb Hsu.



The first arc is about pair of sisters that live on their own. The elder sister is blind and works as a singer in a nightclub. The younger sister is a second grader. The younger sister leads her sister to work each night and has started to fall behind at school. Prompting social services to investigate and to suggest foster care for the younger sister. An accordionist has recently started at the nightclub and enters the two sisters life. The younger sister fantasizes about a love relationship with the accordionist. But in real life, the accordionist falls for the elder sister, causing a rife between the two sisters. The result is the younger sister going to a foster family.



The second story is about Lily, who's come down with Alzheimer. Yen, Lily's husband has come to visit and ends up staying due to his AIDs. The two form a strange bond.



The third arc tells the coming of age story of Diego, from the first story arc. Diego and Yen from the second story arc are close friends. Diego grows up in a puppet troupe and has entertainment in her blood. Lily from the second arc is a performer in a competing troupe and strikes up a bond with Diego.

The movie has a running theme of a train on tracks drifting. As the movie ends, characters from all three arcs are on the train, but time isn't in continuum.

I was drawn to the movie by the trailer which highlighted Serena Fang, the elder sister in the first arc. The song and the premise of her blindness. I didn't know this was a lesbian film until I started watching. In all, the stories are coming of age stories at different times in life. You might come of age in certain stages but grow out of age as you drift to the next stage.