The Way We Are (Ann Hui, 2008)

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Michael Kerpan · #1 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:52 am

David Bordwell offers a glowing review

More on the film

King Prendergast · #2 Post by **King Prendergast** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:18 am

How many blinks per minute in this?

Michael Kerpan · #3 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:56 am

King Prendergast wrote:How many blinks per minute in this?

We'll just have to wait and see.

Just recently watched Hui's old "Boat People" -- and found it brilliant (but distressing). (Nice new HK DVD -- at last!)

foggy eyes · #4 Post by **foggy eyes** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:26 pm

Michael, where would a Hui novice begin?

This article from Senses of Cinema has made me curious about Song of the Exile - is there a DVD available anywhere?

Michael Kerpan · #5 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:01 pm

foggy eyes wrote:Michael, where would a Hui novice begin?

This article from Senses of Cinema has made me curious about Song of the Exile - is there a DVD available anywhere?

Alas, there may be an unsubbed VCD of Song of Exile somewhere -- but there is no English-subbed version (of any sort) still in print. Similarly her much-praised "Summer Snow" is also completely unavailable.

My personal favorite Hui film is "July Rhapsody" -- but that may because it is the most Ozu-esque (or, even moreso, Naruse-esque).

Her 2-part wuxia film Romance of Book and Sword (part 2 being called Princess Fragrance) outstrips the recent high-budget work of Zhang Yimou, Ang Lee et al. -- despite the fact that it was made for a tiny fraction of the cost of these (and every now and then shows a few signs of economization). While these were once available on DVD, VCDs are all that has been available for several years (subbed -- with both Mandarin and Cantonese dialog -- the former probably being primary in this case).

Other films to look for Eighteen Springs, Visible Secret (uncategorizable romantic comedy-ghost story-straight romance -- with a darling SHU Qi performance)., and Postmodern Life of My Aunt (unforgivably ignored in the West).

ltfontaine · #6 Post by **ltfontaine** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:55 pm

Another Hui film worth tracking down is Ah Kam, a.k.a. The Stunt Woman, from 1996, currently out-of-print in a subtitled version, but still available in some rental stores with good martial arts sections. Michelle Yeoh is excellent as the titular action film daredevil, but the real appeal is Hui’s detailed behind-the-scenes look at the rough and tumble world of Hong Kong filmmaking. Yeoh was seriously injured during filming; part of the shot is included in the finished film, with additional documentary footage included as a coda.

The first two thirds of the film, prior to Yeoh’s injury, constitute a satisfying comedy drama, with strong support from Sammo Hung, but the final third is something else and hard to define. Without resorting to spoilers, suffice it to say that the film takes a startling turn, stylistically and otherwise. Has Hui ever described how Yeoh’s injury and subsequent convalescence factored into the final creative direction of the film? Ah Kam would be a prime candidate for a director’s commentary on DVD if Hui were not so unaccountably marginalized commercially in the west, even among specialty imprints.

A similarly abrupt, if less extreme, shift of tone in the finale of a more recent film, Jade Goddess of Mercy, left me uncertain whether the swerve in narrative was intentional, or if Hui had somewhat lost the thread. Either way, it’s an engaging film, though not as strong as July Rhapsody or The Postmodern Life of My Aunt, released before and after it, respectively.

Michael Kerpan · #7 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:17 pm

I actually see Ah Kam as breaking into three quite separate parts. This film is good on a scene-by-scene basis -- but maybe the very good parts don't add up to a fully satisfying whole.

I don't think Goddess of Mercy actually slips gears -- but it certainly is grim and downbeat. A good movie -- but not for Ann Hui novices.

I thought the quasi-documentary-esque Ordinary Heroes was pretty good...

And there was a decent subbed VCD edition of Love In a Fallen City:

And, by all means, dop't pay more than a nickel for the utterly abysmal US DVD of Story of Woo Viet (renamed God of Killers for the US) -- the worst DVD release I've ever encountered.

sidehacker · #8 Post by **sidehacker** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 3:35 pm

Hui is a bit of a mixed bag, at least to me. I saw July Rhapsody first and it (more or less) blew my mind, but everything else I've seen since has greatly paled in comparison. Goddess of Mercy starts really great, but ends up being almost completely silly. I would go as far as to call it a pretty conventional HK drama that is just really well made. Within the first five minutes of Visible Secret you'll know whether or not you like it. I quite like that type of playfulness, especially when the film has some sporadic moments of truth. But for the most part, both of those films were extremely disappointing. I didn't expect something as great as July Rhapsody, but I was hoping for something at least as competent. She's great at what she does, but I wish she'd make more lowkey stuff like July Rhapsody.

That said, those are only three films. I still look forward to Ordinary Heroes, Boat People, and The Postmodern Life of My Aunt. I can't see dragging myself into wuxia films, though. Call me close-minded. :/

Michael Kerpan · #9 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 3:44 pm

Ann Hui's 2-part wuxia film is very much a character-based one -- but has some remarkable action scenes. The best parts of this are absolutely devastating. I can't imagine anyone not being impressed with it overall (but even the VCDs may be out of print by now).

foggy eyes · #10 Post by **foggy eyes** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 5:51 pm

Excellent, thanks for all the information. I'll be checking out July Rhapsody and moving on from there (whilst keeping my eyes peeled for The Way We Are).

sidehacker · #11 Post by **sidehacker** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 10:58 pm

The DVD is out now. Anybody see it yet?

Michael Kerpan · #12 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 10:41 am

sidehacker wrote:The DVD is out now. Anybody see it yet?

I just got this -- but my copy is basically a coaster. It can only play the first couple of chapters before beginning to die. And trying to play the trailer crashes my DVD player.

;~{

franco · #13 Post by **franco** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 11:37 am

Michael, I am so sorry to hear that. I just placed an order last night and let's see if my copy does the same thing.

Cosmic Bus · #14 Post by **Cosmic Bus** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 10:43 pm

I ordered a copy yesterday, as well (along with July Rhapsody and Postmodern Aunt) and hopefully will not have any issues...

Michael Kerpan · #15 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 11:42 pm

I can send my copy back to YesAsia -- but it hardly seems worth the bother until one knows whether it is possible to get a good copy.

sidehacker · #16 Post by **sidehacker** » Fri Nov 14, 2008 11:17 pm

It's a masterpiece. Almost as great as July Rhapsody, even.

Michael Kerpan · #17 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Sat Nov 15, 2008 12:08 am

sidehacker wrote:It's a masterpiece. Almost as great as July Rhapsody, even.

I take it that your copy of the DVD wasn't defective? (But I can't imagine Ann Hui ever topping July Rhapsody).

sidehacker · #18 Post by **sidehacker** » Sat Nov 15, 2008 11:38 am

It had a few freezes here and there, but I did get to see the whole thing. I don't see her ever topping July Rhapsody, either, but it is nice to know that she's capable of doing something in the same ballpark quality-wise.

franco · #19 Post by **franco** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 3:28 am

My copy didn't even skip once! I guess I am lucky... As for the film - I didn't even know such a thing can come from Hong Kong! I didn't even know movies could be made about hardworking Chinese mothers and boring grandmothers and neurotic sons! What a rarity!

Many thanks to Michael for introducing me to the wonderful cinema of Ann Hui. I just got totally blown away by The Romance of Book and Sword (or literally Story of Book, Sword, Gratitude and Revenge). Now Princess Fragrance is on its way.

Visible Secret is such a lovely film that I now kind of want to go out with a Taiwanese girl.

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