A Simple Life - 桃姐

A Simple Life (桃姐) is an 2012 film out of Hong Kong. The movie stars Andy Lau and Deanie Ip. The movie was based on true life events of the screenwriter, Roger Lee.

Deanie Ip plays Sister Tao or Ah Tao. Ah Tao has been a "maid" of the Leung family, based in Hong Kong, since she was 13. And 60 years later, she is still the family "maid". The Leung family have all but migrated away from Hong Kong. The lone leftover, Roger, has come back to Hong Kong after an 10 absence. The movie starts with the daily life of Roger as an film producer. After a trip back from Beijing, he sees that no one is on the window. Ah Tao usually waits at the window for Roger to come back. Ah Tao has just suffered an stoke and is moved to a elderly nursing home. We see her life from recovery to a relapse. Along the way, Roger becomes her god-son and takes care of her, a little like how Ah Tao took care of the Leung family members through the years. The story than follows Roger taking care of Ah Tao, Ah Tao's life in the nursing home, the Leung family in its current state.



The movie is well made and very simliar to The Way We Are. It is very much based on life in Hong Kong. It shows the "way it use to be" and the transformation of Hong Kong as well. When you follow this storyline, there's both a sense of tenderness and sadness. You see that relationships are based on reciprocity, action, and ultimately time spent together. Roger does not just throw Ah Tao into a nursing home for her to rotting away, like we see happening to the others around her. But Roger spends time with her and cares for her. As I see my aging family members, I hope I will be just as or more loving.

It is well deserving of all the awards its won. The Asian awards market is nothing like the Oscars, it really does judge the best of the best, because the market is so small in general.

Call for Love - 愛情呼叫轉移

Call for Love (愛情呼叫轉移) is a 2007 film out of China. The film stars Xu Zheng and a host of women. Among these women include Fan Bing-bing, Eva Huang, Annie Yi, Ning Jing, Qin Hailu, and Bai Bing.

The movie starts with Xu Zheng as Xu Long getting a divorce from his long time wife due to boredom. As the divorce goes through, an Angel gives him a cell phone that will allow him to meet 12 women. Among these 12, he will find his next mate.

You guessed it, Xu dates twelve women that are all crazy in the head and hilarious situations ensues. Queue laugher and lol!

Xu didn't really fit the part, but very few men that originate from the China market have been able to do modern films well. Ancient films, no problem. Modern films in China, fail.

But all those women in the film. Most if not all are very easy on the eyes. I stayed around mainly to see who the next one was. And so should you. That can be your only reason.

Career As a Teacher - 我的教師生涯

Career As a Teacher (我的教師生涯) is 2007 film out of China. It stars Tony Leung as Chen Yu and Qin Hailu as his wife Zhou Min.

The movie spans roughly 60 years. From 1963 to 2000. The movie starts with Yu being sent to the country side in 1963. There he starts his life as a teacher and meets the city that he'll spend the rest of his life in. Yu was not a teacher before and has to learn it on the go. The classroom next door is lead by Zhou Min. The two eventually marry and have a kid named Taotao.

The movie starts at 1963, jumps to 1968, 1984, 1998, and finally ends on 2000.

It is an epic movie as it covers roughly 40 years of the life of someone who started his career during the cultural revolution. And in 2000, when China was emerging as the next world power. Along the way, you see the upgrades to life at school, around the city, and in their home.

It was pretty slowed paced and I fast forwarded all the walking, silent stares, and bike riding. You should to.

I couldn't find much english information about this film and youtube didn't net any good results.