Mr Six
Guan Hu
The story: Mr Six (Feng Xiaogang), a legend among the old-timers of Beijing’s hutongs, is highly respected. His relationship with his son Xiaobo (Li Yifeng) is in shreds, though. But when Xiaobo is held hostage by rich, spoilt brat Xiaofei (Kris Wu) for scratching his car, his father pledges to raise the sum required for his release.
For his tremendous turn as the title character, Feng Xiaogang deservedly won the Golden Horse Award for Best Actor last November. He creates an indelible figure, a man of honour and principles who is an anachronism in these materialistic, might-is-right times. As someone remarks in the film: “I thought people like you existed only in novels.”
If Mr Six is a fish out of water today, what does it say about the world we live in?
The opening scene shows a pickpocket about to chuck a wallet into the garbage after he has rifled through it. Then, a calm, measured voice cuts through the wintry night, suggesting that he return the contents since he has already taken the cash. That turns out to be Mr Six, with birdcage in hand, stepping in with quiet authority when others would have turned a blind eye.
The English title Mr Six does not convey the reverence the denizens of the neighbourhood have for him – either “liu ye”, Master Six, or “liu ge”, Brother Six. Ironically, his relationship with his own son is in tatters, the price he pays for having neglected his family in the past.
The film is a compelling character study meshed with a thriller that gives it a sense of urgency. Director Guan Hu, whose debut rock music movie Dirt (1994) established him as a major voice among China’s Sixth Generation film-makers, handles the material with a sure hand.
Packing plenty of observations about contemporary Chinese society, the Golden Horse-nominated script by Guan and screenwriter Dong Runnian is darkly cynical about the erosion of values and loyalty. Yet it never comes across as didactic and the story manages to surprise even as it feels inevitable. The ending is spectacular. Guan stages with great visual flair a showdown on a frozen lake – a clash between generations, between value systems, between the brute force of might and courage to do what is right.
(ST)
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Experimental Debut Album: From M.E. To Myself
JJ Lin
Having the word “experimental” in an album’s title is a risky move. Here, it does home-grown singer-songwriter JJ Lin no favours.
Key single Bu Wei Shei Er Xie De Ge (Twilight) seems to be a statement of intent as the Chinese title literally means A Song Not Written For Anyone. As the rest of the album title suggests, this is meant to be a deeply personal record.
He sings on Twilight: “Perhaps in truly facing myself, I’ll throw it all to the wind/And probe what I was afraid of facing.”
Genre-wise, the lovely ballad would not be out of place on his other records. The same goes for ballads such as The Key.
It is not till You Meng Bu Nan (Adolescent), a track about pursuing one’s music dreams, that the listener gets something that sounds different. Lin sings the chorus, but guest musicians Shin and Mike rap and sing the stanzas and the disparate parts manage to coalesce into a cohesive whole.
A pity, then, that the inclusion of previously released movie theme songs, instrumental numbers, non-revelatory alternate versions and even bits of chatter only serve to make the disc feel unnecessarily bloated at 18 tracks long.
Despite the proclamation, this is more of a hodge-podge collection than a truly bold venture.
(ST)
JJ Lin
Having the word “experimental” in an album’s title is a risky move. Here, it does home-grown singer-songwriter JJ Lin no favours.
Key single Bu Wei Shei Er Xie De Ge (Twilight) seems to be a statement of intent as the Chinese title literally means A Song Not Written For Anyone. As the rest of the album title suggests, this is meant to be a deeply personal record.
He sings on Twilight: “Perhaps in truly facing myself, I’ll throw it all to the wind/And probe what I was afraid of facing.”
Genre-wise, the lovely ballad would not be out of place on his other records. The same goes for ballads such as The Key.
It is not till You Meng Bu Nan (Adolescent), a track about pursuing one’s music dreams, that the listener gets something that sounds different. Lin sings the chorus, but guest musicians Shin and Mike rap and sing the stanzas and the disparate parts manage to coalesce into a cohesive whole.
A pity, then, that the inclusion of previously released movie theme songs, instrumental numbers, non-revelatory alternate versions and even bits of chatter only serve to make the disc feel unnecessarily bloated at 18 tracks long.
Despite the proclamation, this is more of a hodge-podge collection than a truly bold venture.
(ST)
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Port Of Call
Philip Yung
The story: Teenager Jiamei (Jessie Li) is the victim in a gruesome and bloody murder in a Hong Kong tenement. The cop investigating the case is Chong Sir (Aaron Kwok). Things seem to be open-and-shut when van driver Ting (Michael Ning) confesses to the crime, but Chong continues to dig deeper into the case.
A horrific murder is the start of this crime drama. But writer-director Philip Yung (who co-wrote the Golden Horse-nominated 2013 horror flick Rigor Mortis) is not interested in a straightforward whodunit.
Like the South Korean film The Chaser (2008), the identity of the killer is revealed fairly early, after which Yung delves into the lives of the key players rather than playing up the tabloid sensationalism of a murder involving dismembered body parts.
But those who are squeamish about blood and violence should be warned that he does not shy away from graphic depictions of the butchering.
Jiamei’s tale is a tragic one as she moves from Dongguan in Guangdong, China, to live with her mother and sister in Hong Kong and ends up becoming a prostitute in secret so that she can make more money.
Ting’s story is one of lonely desperation as well, although his explosive temper immediately raises a red flag for audiences.
Newcomers Jessie Li and Michael Ning are well cast in the lead roles and were both nominated for Best New Performer at the Golden Horse Awards. The film had nine nominations and one win – for Best Supporting Actor for Ning.
Kwok might have been in the running for Best Actor once again, but his portrayal of the quirky Chong feels a little too calculated with his salt-and-pepper hair and kendama toy.
The movie is also hurt by jerky pacing as it moves back and forth constantly between the present and flashbacks, making it harder to get into the flow of the story.
At least, after all the digging around by Chong, there is, cathartically, more than meets the eye in the case, making Ting’s murder confession chilling, stomach- turning and also unbearably sad.
(ST)
Philip Yung
The story: Teenager Jiamei (Jessie Li) is the victim in a gruesome and bloody murder in a Hong Kong tenement. The cop investigating the case is Chong Sir (Aaron Kwok). Things seem to be open-and-shut when van driver Ting (Michael Ning) confesses to the crime, but Chong continues to dig deeper into the case.
A horrific murder is the start of this crime drama. But writer-director Philip Yung (who co-wrote the Golden Horse-nominated 2013 horror flick Rigor Mortis) is not interested in a straightforward whodunit.
Like the South Korean film The Chaser (2008), the identity of the killer is revealed fairly early, after which Yung delves into the lives of the key players rather than playing up the tabloid sensationalism of a murder involving dismembered body parts.
But those who are squeamish about blood and violence should be warned that he does not shy away from graphic depictions of the butchering.
Jiamei’s tale is a tragic one as she moves from Dongguan in Guangdong, China, to live with her mother and sister in Hong Kong and ends up becoming a prostitute in secret so that she can make more money.
Ting’s story is one of lonely desperation as well, although his explosive temper immediately raises a red flag for audiences.
Newcomers Jessie Li and Michael Ning are well cast in the lead roles and were both nominated for Best New Performer at the Golden Horse Awards. The film had nine nominations and one win – for Best Supporting Actor for Ning.
Kwok might have been in the running for Best Actor once again, but his portrayal of the quirky Chong feels a little too calculated with his salt-and-pepper hair and kendama toy.
The movie is also hurt by jerky pacing as it moves back and forth constantly between the present and flashbacks, making it harder to get into the flow of the story.
At least, after all the digging around by Chong, there is, cathartically, more than meets the eye in the case, making Ting’s murder confession chilling, stomach- turning and also unbearably sad.
(ST)
Monday, January 11, 2016
Amei|Amit Utopia World Tour
National Stadium
Last Saturday
By the end of the three-hour-plus concert, Singapore had brought A-mei to her knees.
Several times during the concert, faced with the thundering fervour of 20,000 fans, the Taiwanese singer had said admiringly: “You guys are just too much.”
At one point, she added: “Do you know how loud you are? Even those at the airport can hear you.”
After a high-octane party finale which started with the brash Booty Call and took in fan favourites Bad Boy and 3 Days & Nights, A-mei was spent.
She took some time to catch her breath as she knelt on stage, tired but triumphant.
She did well to last that long, switching between slower-paced segments and bursts of energy on stage.
The evening kicked off with her appearing as Amit, her edgier music alter-ego under which she has released two albums.
With a towering red headpiece and a black outfit, she perched atop a throne on a platform suspended above the stage as she performed Freak Show.
She tore through Straightforward, Black Eats Black and What Do You Want, tracks which rocked hard and bristled with attitude.
Adopting the monicker, her aboriginal name, has freed her to be more adventurous in her music- making as she explores new genres from reggae to hard rock and unleashes anger and disdain.
But it was on the ballads with which A-mei made her name that the crowd really came to life, belting out each line fervently on hits such as May I Give You A Hug? and Remember.
Her newer ballads Would You Still Love Me? and March are gorgeous and more sophisticated, but they are no match for the classics on the singalong index.
While she sounded noticeably raspier, her voice still retained its warmth and power. It started to get a little ragged though towards the end and the strain of the high notes began to show.
This also meant that the sound system was clear enough to make all this out; the poor acoustics that plagued the concert by Mandopop king Jay Chou at the same venue in December 2014 did not surface.
One gripe for A-mei’s show, though, was the awkward placement of some equipment in the middle of the aisle which led to the centre of the stage, blocking the view of some audience members seated on the field. The obstruction, however, could not hinder the energy emanating from the stage and the fans.
A-mei, who was previously prohibited from singing the gay- friendly Rainbow at the outdoors Spring Wave music festival in June 2014, performed the song last Saturday night. Before she sang it, she made a plea for every kind of love to be “respected, cherished and wished well”.
This was followed by My Dearest, an apt choice since “my dear” is her favoured form of address for her vociferous supporters.
Singapore fans might have brought A-mei to her knees but that was only because she had already won their hearts.
(ST)
National Stadium
Last Saturday
By the end of the three-hour-plus concert, Singapore had brought A-mei to her knees.
Several times during the concert, faced with the thundering fervour of 20,000 fans, the Taiwanese singer had said admiringly: “You guys are just too much.”
At one point, she added: “Do you know how loud you are? Even those at the airport can hear you.”
After a high-octane party finale which started with the brash Booty Call and took in fan favourites Bad Boy and 3 Days & Nights, A-mei was spent.
She took some time to catch her breath as she knelt on stage, tired but triumphant.
She did well to last that long, switching between slower-paced segments and bursts of energy on stage.
The evening kicked off with her appearing as Amit, her edgier music alter-ego under which she has released two albums.
With a towering red headpiece and a black outfit, she perched atop a throne on a platform suspended above the stage as she performed Freak Show.
She tore through Straightforward, Black Eats Black and What Do You Want, tracks which rocked hard and bristled with attitude.
Adopting the monicker, her aboriginal name, has freed her to be more adventurous in her music- making as she explores new genres from reggae to hard rock and unleashes anger and disdain.
But it was on the ballads with which A-mei made her name that the crowd really came to life, belting out each line fervently on hits such as May I Give You A Hug? and Remember.
Her newer ballads Would You Still Love Me? and March are gorgeous and more sophisticated, but they are no match for the classics on the singalong index.
While she sounded noticeably raspier, her voice still retained its warmth and power. It started to get a little ragged though towards the end and the strain of the high notes began to show.
This also meant that the sound system was clear enough to make all this out; the poor acoustics that plagued the concert by Mandopop king Jay Chou at the same venue in December 2014 did not surface.
One gripe for A-mei’s show, though, was the awkward placement of some equipment in the middle of the aisle which led to the centre of the stage, blocking the view of some audience members seated on the field. The obstruction, however, could not hinder the energy emanating from the stage and the fans.
A-mei, who was previously prohibited from singing the gay- friendly Rainbow at the outdoors Spring Wave music festival in June 2014, performed the song last Saturday night. Before she sang it, she made a plea for every kind of love to be “respected, cherished and wished well”.
This was followed by My Dearest, an apt choice since “my dear” is her favoured form of address for her vociferous supporters.
Singapore fans might have brought A-mei to her knees but that was only because she had already won their hearts.
(ST)
Wednesday, January 06, 2016
Mojin – The Lost Legend
The story: Hu Bayi (Chen Kun), Shirley Yang (Shu Qi) and Wang Kaixuan (Huang Bo) are a team of renowned grave robbers who have given up the trade. They are drawn into the fray once more when a cult-like group tasks them with tracking down the Equinox Flower, which is associated with the painful history of Ding Sitian (Angelababy) – a woman Hu and Wang had both fallen for in their youth. Based on Zhang Muye’s 2006 novel Ghost Blows Out The Light.
As the China box office takes off, there is a hunger for local content in every genre.
Monster Hunt (2015), a fantasy adventure packed to the gills with all manner of computer-generated creatures, is the highest-grossing movie there.
Recently, Mojin – The Lost Legend raced off to a strong start, earning close to 600 million yuan (S$130 million) in its first three days. Think of it as Tomb Raider crossed with Indiana Jones, but with Chinese characteristics. So the key to unlocking the puzzles the intrepid trio encounter lies in the bagua, eight trigrams used in Taoist cosmology. And Equinox Flower (bi an hua, literally, flower on the other shore) is associated with death in Buddhism.
In the movie, which links the world of the living with the world of the dead, the adventure mostly takes place underground. Director Wu Ershan (Painted Skin: The Resurrection, 2012) does a good job depicting an other-worldly landscape of dim rocky caverns, treacherous bridges, booby-trapped statues and subterranean rivers.
Grounding the fantasy is the bickering and banter that the couple Hu and Shirley engage in a la Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner in the action-adventure romantic comedy Romancing The Stone (1984). The homage – or rip-off, depending on your point of view – works because the unshaven Chen possesses some roguish charm and Shu Qi proves that she can easily straddle pop entertainment with more highbrow fare such as Hou Hsiao-hsien’s feted-at- Cannes The Assassin (2015).
The tone can be uneven at times and the plot gets a little too busy, but Mojin does deliver some escapist fun.
(ST)
The story: Hu Bayi (Chen Kun), Shirley Yang (Shu Qi) and Wang Kaixuan (Huang Bo) are a team of renowned grave robbers who have given up the trade. They are drawn into the fray once more when a cult-like group tasks them with tracking down the Equinox Flower, which is associated with the painful history of Ding Sitian (Angelababy) – a woman Hu and Wang had both fallen for in their youth. Based on Zhang Muye’s 2006 novel Ghost Blows Out The Light.
As the China box office takes off, there is a hunger for local content in every genre.
Monster Hunt (2015), a fantasy adventure packed to the gills with all manner of computer-generated creatures, is the highest-grossing movie there.
Recently, Mojin – The Lost Legend raced off to a strong start, earning close to 600 million yuan (S$130 million) in its first three days. Think of it as Tomb Raider crossed with Indiana Jones, but with Chinese characteristics. So the key to unlocking the puzzles the intrepid trio encounter lies in the bagua, eight trigrams used in Taoist cosmology. And Equinox Flower (bi an hua, literally, flower on the other shore) is associated with death in Buddhism.
In the movie, which links the world of the living with the world of the dead, the adventure mostly takes place underground. Director Wu Ershan (Painted Skin: The Resurrection, 2012) does a good job depicting an other-worldly landscape of dim rocky caverns, treacherous bridges, booby-trapped statues and subterranean rivers.
Grounding the fantasy is the bickering and banter that the couple Hu and Shirley engage in a la Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner in the action-adventure romantic comedy Romancing The Stone (1984). The homage – or rip-off, depending on your point of view – works because the unshaven Chen possesses some roguish charm and Shu Qi proves that she can easily straddle pop entertainment with more highbrow fare such as Hou Hsiao-hsien’s feted-at- Cannes The Assassin (2015).
The tone can be uneven at times and the plot gets a little too busy, but Mojin does deliver some escapist fun.
(ST)
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