06-06-2020, 10:23 AM
Stacy chose this one because she has the O'Neil play in her library. This is not that. This is a Chinese existential noir film by Bi Gan, an up-and-coming writer, director, poet with an abstract artsy flair. It's a study in textures and memory - lots of lingering pauses, muted color schemes, broding slow dialog accentuated by hanging cigarette smoke, cluttered eroded environments. The main character returns to his rain-drenched hometown for his father's funeral, searching for a lost love, an old gangster buddy and the mysteries left by his mom.
At first, we were like 'this isn't O'Neil, is it?' but we were hypnotized by the artistry of the cinematography. It's dreamy, bordering hallucinogenic, and the film takes its sweet time. It's a riddle, like 'what is happening?' so much so that after the film was released, the hashtag for 'can't understand LDJiN' trended. It was recognized at Cannes and the Golden Horse. It's long - 138 mins.
Then there's the last 59 mins. A oner. A ridiculously complex oner.
The film was 2D until that point. The segue is a scene where the protag is in a rundown movie theater, and everyone dons 3D glasses. Then the scene cuts to the title card for LDJiN. Stacy and I were like 'oh, now it's starting?' Then it starts and it is a technical and artist masterpiece as oners go. The film converts to 3D, which we weren't able to enjoy on our Netflix DVD. I only found out later as I looked it up on wiki to figure out wtf was up with this movie.
In the end, the film has really stayed with me. No, I 'can't understand' it, but the overall experience washed over me like a visual poem of nostalgia, regret, and unredemption. That last 59 minutes. I'd watch that again but we've already returned the dvd. There were digital stitches but it achieved something powerful.
No sword fights but some gun brandishing. High DOOM recommendations for sinophile cinophiles.
At first, we were like 'this isn't O'Neil, is it?' but we were hypnotized by the artistry of the cinematography. It's dreamy, bordering hallucinogenic, and the film takes its sweet time. It's a riddle, like 'what is happening?' so much so that after the film was released, the hashtag for 'can't understand LDJiN' trended. It was recognized at Cannes and the Golden Horse. It's long - 138 mins.
Then there's the last 59 mins. A oner. A ridiculously complex oner.
The film was 2D until that point. The segue is a scene where the protag is in a rundown movie theater, and everyone dons 3D glasses. Then the scene cuts to the title card for LDJiN. Stacy and I were like 'oh, now it's starting?' Then it starts and it is a technical and artist masterpiece as oners go. The film converts to 3D, which we weren't able to enjoy on our Netflix DVD. I only found out later as I looked it up on wiki to figure out wtf was up with this movie.
In the end, the film has really stayed with me. No, I 'can't understand' it, but the overall experience washed over me like a visual poem of nostalgia, regret, and unredemption. That last 59 minutes. I'd watch that again but we've already returned the dvd. There were digital stitches but it achieved something powerful.
No sword fights but some gun brandishing. High DOOM recommendations for sinophile cinophiles.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse
