Supelice Dreadfully Boring

Sameer Callahan It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Keeley Coleman The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Yazmin Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Jackson Booth-Millard This Chinese film is one I found in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, I didn't know anything about it beforehand, but it was rated highly by the critics, so I hoped for something good. Basically set in the 1920s and continuing through to the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution, this is the story of how performers Douzi (Leslie Cheung) and Shitou (Fengyi Zhang) became friends and talented actors in the Beijing Opera. Later however Douzi wants to be more than friends, Shitou does not give into his advances, the situation worsens when courtesan Juxian (Li Gong) manipulates Shitou into rescuing her from a life of prostitution, and then marrying her, while Douzi is in fact homosexual. The friendship and relationship status between Douzi and Shitou goes up and down through the changing times over fifty years of Chinese history, but they remain close, but it is unclear whether they can return to the way things used to be, and the show must go on. Also starring Qi Lü as Master Guan, Da Ying as Manager, You Ge as Master Yuan, Chun Li as Xiao Si as a teenager, Han Lei as Xiao Si as an adult, Mingwei Ma as Douzi as a child, Zhi Yin as Douzi as a teenager, Yang Fei as Shitou as a child and Hailong Zhao as Shitou as a teenager. I will admit having to read the subtitles I could not follow absolutely everything going on, but the acting is certainly well done, the colourful sets and costumes certainly grab your attention, and the theatrical performances are interesting to watch, all in all I think the film is a worthwhile art house drama. Good, in my opinion! It won the BAFTA for Best Film not in the English Language, it won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, and it was nominated the Oscars for Best Cinematography and Best Foreign Language Film. Good!

x-00739 I saw this movie in 2013, when I was 14. I didn't quite understand what was this movie about when I watched it for the first time. Then I read though some information about the history background and finally I understood a bit. 2013 was the tenth year since Leslie Cheung had passed away. After watching this movie, I became one of his fans, overwhelmed by his fascinating performance. This movie creates the unique Dieyi in the world, also the unique Leslie Cheung in people's hearts. The historical tragedy of The Cultural Revolution is the deepest memory for every Chinese people and also the timeless theme. I've watched this movie a few times and will never get tired of it. No matter how many times I have watched, I'll be still moved to tears. I know I am too young to understand the thoughtful meaning of this movie, but all I know is that it is the best movie I have seen and it will be the best movie I would have seen in my life.

lreynaert In this movie based on Lilian Lee's masterpiece, Chen Kaige has mainly developed the evolution of the 'sentimental' link between two actors (one gay one) through the turbulent history of China in the 20th century, with the fall of the Empire, the Japanese occupation, the civil war, the communist victory and the Cultural Revolution. The Chinese opera "Farewell My Concubine" functions marvelously as a leitmotiv. The sentimental relationship between the two actors, and later with the lover of one of them played superbly by Gong Li, will be seriously shaken during the political earthquakes. Although 'everyone should be responsible for his own fate', everybody, if he isn't strong enough physically or psychologically, could be forced to betray his friend by false accusations, particularly during violent public interrogations. The political message of the film can be summarized by the slogan: 'Cursed are the tyrants who plunge their people into misery.'With unforgettable scenes, like the abandonment of a child by his mother, the rigorous training of the young aspirant-actors, the public political trials or the meeting of 'old friends', Chen Kaige translated perfectly in moving pictures (with sublime color grading) Lilian Lee's text.Nevertheless, Lilian Lee's book transcends all personal relationships with her sublime meditations on art, the artist, individual life, love, death and politics. One example from the book: in the ordinary world, victory and defeat, life or death are only during the time of a wink. But art and artists are not part of this world, where politics with its slogan 'kill or be killed' only sow pain, suffering and misery. Through art, the spectators escape during the spectacle for a few hours the harsh reality of life and enter into a world of dreams and deepest emotions, which are embodied in the actors (of Chinese operas). This movie is a must see for all lovers of world cinema.

Robert J. Maxwell I'm beginning to wonder if you can't measure a society's participation in the global economy of what used to be called "the free world" by the quality of its movies. China is still a monolithic and authoritarian structure but it's loosening up. It was only ten or so years ago that a friend who had visited mentioned that there were only ten McDonald's in all of Beijing. Now the city is more sophisticated than the one I live in, which is served by a weekly train of burros from the nearest cavalry fort. "Starbucks" is the name of the Mimbreno Apache who brings me an occasional jack rabbit carcass.But, all seriousness aside, this is a pretty good, and quite subtle and adult, film. It's a longie, so I was unable to catch the last half hour or so, but what I did see should be applauded for its acting, direction, and production design.It squeezes a long period of time, from 1932 to beyond Mao's take over, into the story of two orphan boys at a school that trains performers for Chinese opera. The female parts are played by men and boys, as in Shakespeare's time, and in fact Cheung, who plays the female part, looks pretty appealing in make up. Cheung's friend, Zhang, is masculine and plays the role of the King of Chu in gaudy make up.Chinese opera is a demanding art. As children, the two friends are beaten without mercy -- and I mean BEATEN -- for any mistakes they make. One of them is beaten even when his recitation is perfect, "to remind you how good you were." The two grow up to become famous actors in the opera -- Zhang as the demanding and desolate king, and Cheung as his devoted concubine who kills herself.But then -- cherchez la femme. And who is the femme? The luscious and beautiful Gong Li (or Li Gong, to put her clan name first.) She's a knockout. It's no wonder that she's able to finagle Zhang into rescuing her from the whorehouse -- The House of Blossoms -- and marrying her. But, as new wives will, she's jealous of Zhang's close friendship with Cheung, who by this time has become gay. Disruptions ensue. Politics rears its ugly head. And at that point -- three in the morning -- I had to shut it off and go to bed.I don't know what happens at the end. I hope Cheung gets his head straight and becomes heterosexual again, that Zhang is satisfied with the arrangement, and that Gong Li becomes an eager participant in a polyandrous marriage. Things would be so much easier all around.