Mao's Last Dancer

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: The true story of Li Cunxin (Chi Cao), who was taken away from his family as a boy in Moaist China, to train at the Beijing Dance Academy, and later recruited to the United States where he was accused of turning his back on China, and denied re-entrance to his homeland. Meanwhile, in America he becomes an acclaimed ballerino.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Chi Cao, Bruce Greenwood, Kyle MacLachlan, Joan Chen, Amanda Schull, Shuang Bao Wang, Madeleine Eastoe, Aden Young, Chengwu Guo, Wen Bin Huang, Camilla Vergotis, Su Zhang, Gang Jiao, Ferdinand Hoang

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! This film is so beautiful, its beauty can only be properly expressed in French with tears in your eyes. So here goes... C'est beau! (sniff-sniff)

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: There's one musical cue that's kind of funny, although I'm not sure it's deliberately funny. You see, the film takes place in the 70s, so for authenticity's sake, they have no choice but to cut to disco music once in a while.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: I predicted what they were going to do, I knew it was gonna make me cry, and I still cried, full on tears, both eyes.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: This is the kind of slow and important film that the Academy goes crazy over. The only thing it has going against it is that I like it, too.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: After watching Bruce Greenwood play very straight and very powerful men, in both Dinner for Schmucks and Star Trek, it is fascinating to see him pull off a man who is obviously gay, but in no way flamboyant. Joan Chen is delightful as the dancer's mother, with touching moments of both anger and joy. And it deserves a mention that Chi Cao, who is an amazing professional ballerino, but has no acting experience to speak of, makes you believe that you are watching a documentary, and not a scripted movie.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Despite a few passing moments that are pointlessly showy, Bruce Beresford's directing is impressive both in the flawless coverage of the numerous ballet numbers, and in the little touches, like making the film negative look like grainy stock footage, straight out of the 70s and 80s, when he shows us the date of each sequence.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Obviously, it's a true story and a tear jerker. My only complaint is that for those of us that know structure, there are a few moments which feel like they're approaching the ending but then don't, which makes the film feel momentarily longer than it is. But all is forgiven, as the last 10 minutes are worth the wait.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/maos-last-dancer/10014074/trailers

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A Single Man

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A man (Colin Firth) tries to cope with the sudden death of his lover, who-- it might interest some people to know-- was also a man (Matthew Goode).

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Colin Firth, Matthew Goode, Julianne Moore, Nicholas Hoult, Ginnifer Goodwin, Ryan Simpkins, Paulette Lamori, Lee Pace

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This is what people call a "beautiful film", meaning that it has a dramatic score and meditatively seems to be addressing something grand and important. You know in your heart, simply from reading that last sentence, if that's the type of thing you respond to.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Apparently, some people in my theater think suicide is funny.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you have recently experienced a loss, you will find the emotions here unbearable, and shouldn't go. If you haven't recently experienced a loss, you probably won't cry. So, either way, it's a no.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: It's got buzz. Having seen it, I'm not exactly sure around what...

Q: How is the Acting?

A: What I love about gay films by fashion designers is that the men are hot, tan, and dressed impeccably (when they're dressed). Over all, there's more eye candy than acting. And speaking of eyes, what exactly is the symbolism behind all those eye close-ups supposed to be?

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Tom Ford, Gucci's savior, debuts his visual style on the big screen, and while the lighting choices seemed a thoughtful way to differentiate the cold dead present from the warm lively past, I later read that this was supposed to all take place on the first day after Colin Firth finds out about the death of his lover (not counting the flashbacks to when his lover was alive). Well, it was specifically those lighting choices that confused me as to the time line, because they were not consistent, and sometimes the present shifted from a cold and grey, sepia color scheme to a happier looking warm yellow. Also, there are some scenes that drag on, while not advancing anything.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: To me this is one of those scripts that tries so hard to be subtle and meaningful without spoon feeding anything, that it ends up feeling self important. And in its efforts not to talk down to the audience, it ends up slapping them in the face with an uppity pretension.

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eafJ4jvf-sY

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