By
Rating:
Director:
Starring: | | | |

Yi miao zhong

Original language title: Yi miao zhong

Country: china, hong_kong

Year: 2022

Running time: 104

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8959680/reference/

Chris says: “SHADOW was Zhang Yimou’s best film in years; this follow-up is not as innovative, but it does feel faintly reminiscent of his smaller-scale 1990s dramas (his most fertile period), if perhaps a little goofier. Set in a remote area of 1970s Cultural Revolution China (near the desert/mountains – first shot left me wondering if I was watching DUNE by mistake), it’s a fable about a Zhang (Zhang Yi), a man hoping to see a newsreel containing footage of his 14-year-old daughter at a communal movie night in a small village. The only problem is, Liu, a homeless teenage girl keeps trying to steal the film reel.

“Eventually, the reel is recovered, but only after the film has been disentangled and dragged through the sand. Enter Mr. Movie (Wei Fan), the village’s swaggering projectionist who orchestrates an elaborate celluloid rescue effort. Meanwhile, the truth about both Zhang and Liu come out as the village works to save and exhibit that evening’s presentation. Cineastes, projectionists and even casual moviegoers will find a lot to admire here and to his credit, Zhang Yimou mostly avoids sentimentality and keeps the coincidences and outlandish plot twists at a minimum. I wouldn’t put ONE SECOND in the director’s top tier, but for someone over three decades since his first features, it’s pleasant and accomplished enough. 3.5 cats
 
“(Screened at IFF Boston 2022; Neon has picked up US distribution.)”
One Second

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *