Jack the Giant Slayer
Inventive British re-imagining of the Jack in the Beanstalk tale with lots of action. Outstanding cast who do it justice. More entertaining than I thought it would be. **
Shanghai Dreams
Superb Chinese film by Wang Xiaoshuai about a family in a tiny factory town trying to get back to Shanghai. A lot of Chinese history I didn’t explain. Excellent acting, Wang’s beautiful and cinematic directing, and an excellent study of familial and community relationships. Very, very good. ****
Drifters
Excellent, though hard to watch, Chinese film about a man recently returned from the U.S. who is not allowed to see his son. Very well directed and acted. Beautifully composed shots. Want to see more films by Wang Xiaoshuai. Very good. ***
A Beautiful Life
Cheesy, but well-enough done, Chinese movie about the romance between a staid policeman and a beautiful, glamorous real estate agent. Way too much like it was written by Nicholas Sparks. But the parts about Chinese life and culture were interesting. **
