My bookshelf

A parody of 2020. Full of inside jokes, which might be tiring if not familiar with them.

Eager to see this highly-praised film, I watched it immediately. The intention is good, offering encouragement to the soul, telling us that the meaning of life is in the connection with our bodies and nature. We should focus on ourselves and nature and not get lost in a mindset that disconnects us from the natural world. Some scenes deeply moved me with their portrayal of the soul, but honestly, the plot development is rather shallow and nonsensical. The contrived conflicts are clichéd, preventing the emotions from resonating continuously. It leaves you with a loud message, "Keep going, you can do it, life is beautiful, Earth is beautiful," but it offers little comfort to those who truly need help, like '22'. So, I'm a bit disappointed personally. However, maybe some people will still feel empowered, especially in this particularly challenging year.

The production is well-crafted, featuring a good number of impressive scene recreations and lays out an organized albeit incomplete foundation for the impending downfall. The downside is that the only introspection shown in the film is the incompetence of the Qing dynasty's royal family at its end. Why limit it to this? Are other significant experiences/moments of the Old Summer Palace thus forgotten? Why does the film not show the allied forces burning down the Old Summer Palace, or the participation of commoners, high officials, and even royalty in looting and selling off stone and timber? The contrast between the Palace after the fire in 1860 and its current state is vast. Does satisfying the audience with mere resentment towards the ineffectual late Qing emperors and the stereotypical view of foreign invaders suffice for the production team? The production quality is quite good, yet the historical event's retelling still has ample room for narrative and reflection. This simplified, biased narrative with a nationalistic perspective is unsatisfactory, leaving one to hope for better renditions in the future.

After watching it, I didn't remember much. It felt like a lecture, stiff and monotonous, carefully listing time, place, characters, and reviews in order, causing the mind to wander. The film's pursuit of exquisite visuals, on the other hand, was impressive; every frame was crafted with effort, and countless experts and scholars were invited to speak. Extensive shooting locations across various places—truly a well-funded endeavor. While there's a focus on visual effects, it lacks a corresponding depth of content. The narrative is flat and devoid of a human touch, making the whole experience feel unreal, more like distant pavilions and towers than human warmth and reality. It’s puzzling whether this film would captivate children or endear them to Su Shi—a consideration that should have been in the translators' minds. Despite many touching stories, they came across as unaffected and sterile, reminiscent of watching a high school textbook's companion DVD. To get a vivid impression of Su Shi, unfortunately, this film might not satisfy. It's a shame to discard it—shouldn't waste it altogether, thankfully it's not too long. I might revisit it, jotting down key points.

Couldn't find a high-definition version, watched the unclear version on fast forward

Some parts were not translated well, and some sections were cut. The book is good, and its arguments effectively summarize the noisy world today, emphasizing what seems like common sense is very necessary. Unfortunately, after reading for a month and a half, I still hadn't finished, no longer having enough patience to continue and skipping many parts. This book should be read by the general public, but its sheer size has already alienated them. Reading it was tedious, but this is mainly my fault for being too impatient. Why settling down to read this book has become a luxury, represents the greatest sadness of our times.

A wonderful child’s perspective, how can this kid act so brilliantly? A successful comedy that maintains realism. Admirable mother and officer handling danger with humor and wit, making it a hopeful and great film. The ending does not shy away from humanity—the scene where he lies about Germany winning, fearing she would leave, was too realistic.

Didn’t recognize the cast, couldn't see why it was well-reviewed. The serious title might have set expectations too high. A delightful revel in Indian scenery, a light-hearted, nonsensical, motivational film better suited for fans.

It's hard to evaluate. The setting is interesting, the story is flavorful, and the characters are great, but the texture is poorly handled, and the story presentation is not complete. It's like listening to a fascinating tale but the narrator has a communication barrier, always failing to make it clear. It's vague, disjointed, and lacks logic, so it can't fully present the story to the audience, which is a pity.

The profundity of the piece leaves one speechless, which really suits Jiang Wen's style. Gong Li's performance isn't outstanding; in moments where emotion was expected, she suppressed it with her overly articulate Mandarin. The ambiguous/surreal expression should also be docked points, as it feels bizarre and affected, as if she couldn’t speak normally. Aside from that, the brewers' acting was adequate, and there was a generous investment in the set. Overrated.