I recently decided to start my Chinese movie kick again. It has been awhile so yea.

(M) Sheng Si Jie (Stolen Life). (Shaohong Li, 2005) Grade: B-

Thoughts: Yan’ni (Xun Zhou) has been left to be raised by her aunt and grandmother. She makes it into a local university where she meets Muyu (Jun Xu), a local delivery boy. They fall in love and he gets her pregnant, however Muyu is not who he pretends to be. It was a sad disturbing look into what is going on in parts of China. One review of the film stated it was a commentary that intellects should not associate with working class people because they will try to wrong you.

(M) Fu Zi (After This Our Exile). (Patrick Tam, 2006) Grade: B-

Thoughts: Shing (Aaron Kwok) takes the award for worst dad ever when his wife Lin (Charlie Yeung) walks out on him and their son (Goum Ian Iskandar). Done in a very art house movie style with gorgeous shots of Malaysia, we watch the father and son try to pull their lives back together, with little success. Goum Ian Iskandar does an excellent job as the young boy and Aaron Kwok wasn’t too bad either considering he is a pop star.

(M) Luen Oi Chor Gor (Love @ First Note). (Dennis Law, 2006) Grade: C+

Thoughts: I am obsessed with Justin Lo. So much so that I decided to rent the one film he starred in. Kristy (Kary Ng) and Kei (Justin Lo) are best friends. Kristy falls for rich boy Tony (Alex Fong) but will she realize Kei is her true love? The entire premise is much like Pretty in Pink, however with singing. The acting and plot was pretty terrible but I added the plus to the C due to Justin’s singing.

(TV) The Wingless Bird. (David Wheatley, 1997) Grade: B

Thoughts: Based on the novel by Catherine Cookson, Anges Conway (Claire Skinner) is a good daughter and older sister. She meets Charles Farrier (Edward Atterton), a weathly gentleman, who comes into her family candy shop and they fall in love. I enjoyed the mini series for the most part but the ending dragged a bit.

(TV) Rag Nymph. (David Wheatley, 1997) Grade: B

Thoughts: Based on the novel by Catherine Cookson, orphan Millie Forester (Honeysuckle Weeks) is taken in by street lady Aggie Winkovski (Val McLane) and her young teenage warden boy Ben (Alec Newman). Another entertaining mini series and I really liked seeing Alec Newman because he was Paul Atreides from the Dune.

(TV) The Fifteen Streets. (David Wheatley, 1989) Grade: C+

Thoughts: Based on the novel by Catherine Cookson, John O’Brien (Owen Teale) lives near poverty in the Fifteen Streets area. He falls in love with well-to-do Mary Llewellyn (Clare Holman), a local school teacher, however their love is doomed due to social classes. This series was not as well done as the other two and a bit dull at times.

(TV) Emma. (Diarmuid Lawrence, 1996) Grade: B+

Thoughts: Emma Woodhouse (Kate Beckinsale) is in the business of playing matchmaker, especially for young Harriet Smith (Samantha Morton). Unfortunately, she doesn’t realize her own true love is waiting for her in Mr. Knightley (Mark Strong). This was a great adaptation and it was interesting to see a young Beckinsale and Morton.

Movie Count: 36