Film Name: 我和我的父辈 / My Country、My Parents
This year’s “platter movie” My Country, My Parents (hereinafter referred to as “My Parents”) came very suddenly, a little parachuted into the flavor of the Fourth of July gear …… Of course, come to all come, see or to see.
The past two years “My People,My Country” and “My People,My Homeland” successive success, “My Parents” in the path of dependence at the same time, the director lineup is getting weaker and weaker, in addition to the three films are involved in the comedy director Xu Zheng, only the genre director Wu Jing, as well as the newcomer director Zhang Ziyi and Shen Teng.
Although we can’t easily use experience to draw conclusions about the work, after watching the screening of My Parents, I have to regretfully say that my worries have come true:
This hastily launched melodramatic movie is really lackluster, in the proposition of a vague framework, each hastily written test essays more or less with a bit of far-fetched flavor, the foundation is not solid, and the results are not outstanding, such a film, can not impress too many viewers.
[Friendly reminder: there will be spoilers below].
Ride The Wind” takes place in 1942 during the war period, Ma Renxing and Ma Xifeng from the cavalry regiment of the Eighth Route Army join the revolution, and in the course of their production and combat career, there is the cold-hearted affection between father and son, and the selfless spirit of sacrifice of anti-Japanese fighters.
The story of this short film is relatively complete, and the integration of the cavalry soldiers into the production life during the anti-sweeping period is also in line with the historical facts. The teenage fervor of Ma Yanfeng, the pain of Ma Renxing’s abandonment of his son, as well as the main idea of passing on the revolutionary flame from generation to generation are all the infectious strengths of this film.
However, Wu Jing shoot “Ride The Wind” is really some “shortcomings to avoid strengths”: the film only a handful of real action scenes, but instead of a large section of the text-based scenes, in order to fully express the emotions of the characters, but also often over-exertion of force …… which is destined to be The upper limit of this film will not be much higher (PS: Although the horse multiplied by the wind is a troop correspondent, but looking at Wu Lei neck hanging a headset handsome teenage image, the old let me out of the theater).
In addition, I do not know whether it is because of the relationship between specializing in melodramatic films, always feel that Jing is too nervous, too formal, cavalry regiment impact on the Japanese position of the climax of the scene, the whole process is a slow-motion, emotional tension is there, the flavor of the war did not come out, far less than to shoot his own “Wolf Warriors” series to be free to put it, it is a pity.
Poetry” takes place in 1969 during the period of national construction, showing the first generation of Chinese astronauts in their humble beginnings, and using highly symbolic images of fathers, mothers, and children to write a ‘flying romance’ of family and country.
There is a say a, Zhang Ziyi first time director really something, the opening played a long shot of the era, the end of the daughter of the Shenzhou spacecraft and parents involved in the manufacture of the Dongfanghong No. 1 met in space to form an intertext, and then with poetic inscription to sublimation of the Chinese astronauts to pass on the spirit of the intention and style is not generally high.
In recognition of the “Poetry” has excellent performance at the same time, it must also be recognized that Zhang Ziyi there are many shortcomings of the new director, for example, excessive pursuit of skills and symbolism, carving and axe chiseling of the pile of traces of heavier, while the characters depiction of feelings and slightly dried up, sacrifice, pain, and other emotions are there, but it is difficult to cover up the force of the “hard to squeeze the tears”! ……
Overall, “Poetry” film as the name suggests, with a more abstract texture to give the motherland builders of romanticism, for the process of remembrance of sweetness to save a lot of pain – as for more achievements, not a hobbling on the road to the dedication of the short film can be done.
Duck Prophet” takes place in 1978 at the beginning of the reform and opening up period, the sales section chief Zhao Peng in order to sell the factory’s stagnant wine, with the help of his son Dong Dong and others, relying on the new China’s first TV commercials to complete the reversal of the situation.
As a director, Xu Zheng has been on a bit of a downhill slide in the past two years, but in terms of basic skills and specialties, he’s still the best of the four directors in My Parents. …… Of course, this is largely due to the fact that he’s still working hard on his own image of the “little man from Shanghai”, which is his specialty. “The image of the most skillful “Shanghai little man” on the deep plowing and meticulous work, in the context of the market economy reform, with a lively brain, thinking ahead of the trend as the protagonist, and then supplemented with some elements of the times, the play will soon come out.
Unfortunately, the short film “Duck Prophet” is still superficial when it comes to showing the “pioneers” who dared to be the first to eat crabs during the period of reopening. Compared with Xu Zheng’s own works, it’s not as funny and refined as “Alirón” from 19 years ago, and not as exaggerated and touching as “The Last Lesson” from 20 years ago, so it’s true that the light comedy is quite good, and it’s true that Xu Zheng’s ability is not enough. But then again, XU Zheng has always been a good actor.
But then again, Xu Zheng has always been a smart man, he added a lot of classic commercials in the end credits (in the past, when there was a lack of all kinds of popular cultural and creative works, TV commercials were also an important carrier of cultural memory), and echoed back and forth to emphasize Shanghai’s dramatic changes, which made Duck Prophet the most “sentimental” movie in My Parents. This makes “Duck Prophet” the short film with the most points for “sentimentality” in “My Parents”.
In the current year of 2021, Xiao Xiao, who has lost his father, meets Xing Yihao, an intelligent robot who has traveled back from the year 2050, and the two of them become a temporary father and son by mistake. When Xing Yihao returns to the year 2050, he realizes the wonderful bond between himself and Xiao Xiao as a father and son.
I’m basically unimpressed with this short film – I understand that “Junior Walk” is trying to show the spirit of scientific and technological workers’ perseverance in researching without fear of failure, as well as that emotional attachment is a source of strength for people to strive for excellence, but it’s pretty much all about pulling the rug out from under them, and I’m afraid that all that’s left to see is a few laughs contributed by the Happy Mahua team! The only thing left to watch is the few laughs contributed by the Happy Mahua team.
The biggest problem with “Young Walkers” is that it uses a standard answer to design a set of crooked and twisted questions, from Xiao Xiao recognizing Xing Yi Hao as his father to Xing Yi Hao making a big splash at school to Xing Yi Hao sacrificing himself to save Xiao Xiao from inexplicably falling into the water, all of it is being pushed forward by a weak logic in a stiff way, even though many viewers have already guessed that Xiao Xiao Xiao in the future created Xing Yi Hao, which doesn’t help the previously uninformed narrative. The movie is a short sci-fi movie, but it’s not a movie.
In terms of a sci-fi short film alone, “The Boy’s Journey” isn’t even that good, and it’s even more embarrassing by the standards of a tribute film – I hope that Mr. Shen Teng will concentrate on being an actor, and won’t wade through the muddy waters of being a director.
The “platter tribute movie” to say goodbye!
Even if there is no national/industry level cooling, I also think it’s time to stop this mode of filming, not that I have a problem with the platter movie or the main theme of the tribute film, but objectively speaking, the content of these movies is declining sharply, and if we continue to shoot, I’m afraid that it will backfire. ……
Two years ago, “My People, My Country” was a big project for the “70th Anniversary of the Founding of New China”, with a very strong directorial line-up, including Chen Kaige + Guan Hu + Zhang Yibai + Xu Zheng + Xue Xiaolu + Ning Hao + Wen Muye, seven historic moments, a combination of personal and grand narratives, and even with varying levels of storytelling, the combination of strong actors can be successful. Even if the level of storytelling is uneven, the combination can be successful.
Last year, “My People, My Homeland” is based on the former, relying on the general director Ning Hao’s control, with the “comedy film + vernacular love + melodrama” strategy to make a coincidence, in fact, the film’s thematic relevance and the level of the director’s team have dropped a notch, although the box office results are still possible, but has quickly let many viewers have aesthetic fatigue. Although the box office results are still okay, but has quickly made many viewers have aesthetic fatigue.
This year’s “My Country, My Parents” gave me the illusion that the movie was not intended to be made, but the director changed his mind and brought in people to make up the numbers – the director-in-chief was left vacant, and the four crews each made their own movie; The theme of “fathers” is extremely disorganized, and the fragmentation of the four short films is very obvious; even if we only focus on the individual short films themselves, “My Parents” lacks highlights.
It is true that making short films is more time-saving and labor-saving than making feature-length films, but it does not mean that short films are easy to make, and if we consider the limitation of space, it is actually more difficult to tell a good story than a feature-length film.
As a commercial movie, “good looking” is the first place, “melodrama” and other additional attributes is not a panacea for everything, I hope that this year’s National Day will be “My Country, My Parents” to let everyone understand! I hope this year’s National Day movie will make everyone realize this truth through My Country, My Parents.
Please specify：Yescase Store » My Country、My Parents 2021 Film Review: Hasty test taking essays