Reviews

Movies

The Secret of the Magic Gourd

Directed by John Chu, Frankie Chung, starring Zhu Qilong

Disney goes a step further than Mulan by cooperating with a Chinese film company to work on a local story. It shows how a little Chinese boy learns the importance of earning something by himself after he comes to possess a magic gourd.

The collaboration is successful. The lovely tale is simply structured with an easy appeal to children. There is hardly any preaching in the narration. While being fun and light-hearted, the story manages to put across its moral.

The computer-generated gourd leads the rest of the human cast. Although designed by Hong Kong's Centro Digital, the gourd bears a clear Disney imprint. However, the child actors don't quite match up.

The film still focuses onDisney'score values, such as family, friendship, diligence and love. At a time when many are talking of making subversive cartoons that will appeal to more people than just children, the film does well to focus on what's best about humanity. Liu Wei

Blind shaft

Directed by Li Yang, starring Li Yixiang, Wang Shuangbao, Wang Baoqiang

This is a harsh and compelling commentary on society and humanity. Song and Tang are coal miners who live by extortion from the mine owners. They kill fellow miners under the shaft and claim they are the victims' relatives. Theirs is an easy life until Song gradually grows sympathetic toward their next target, a 16-year-old boy.

Director Li Yang never lets his own feelings interfere with the story-telling. There is no rage, agony or even sympathy. The story and narrative style reminds one of Jia Zhangke's works which also focus on society's nobodies, set against the huge transformation taking place all around. But Li is even more of an objective and precise social observer.

The film ends in accordance with conventional morality. But we know reality can be more cruel - even as we hope it is not. LW

Dance

Moon Water

Moon Water, a repertoire of Cloud Gate, the famed Taiwan modern dance company, lives up to its expectations.

While the dancing is a mix of taichi elements and Bach's cello suites, it goes beyond both. The show's creative setting includes a mirror reflecting the 19 dancers' movements and water flowing on stage. Moon Water is not just dance but an unforgettable physical and psychological experience. LW

(China Daily 07/18/2007 page20)