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Summary: IT IS VERY BEAUTIFUL
Review: IT IS A GOOD MOVIE ,YOU HAVE TO SEE.I WISH YOU LIKE IT
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Summary: Gamble debt leads to a change in life...
Review: Fugui loses everything in gambling, which leads to his wife Jiazhen leaving him. He then loses all his possessions and his father dies. In shame he has to move into the slums and begin a new life that demands that he stop gambling and begin to take responsibility for himself and those whom he cares about. Slowly he regains some value in his life as his wife returns with his children and he begins a new life as a puppeteer. To Live brings Fugui through 40 years of happiness and pain as he is experiencing the bliss and troubles of life. In the end, Zhang leaves the audience with a terrific cinematic experience, which offers both tragedy and humor as life does to us all.
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Summary: Both an artistic and political movie masterpiece...
Review: This is among the greatest of Asian films. It received two Cannes Film Festival awards (Grand Jury Prize and Best Actor). Its director has been previously nominated for an Oscar. If you enjoy a good melodrama or want to see an authentic viewpoint about Mao Zedong's Communist China, see this movie...
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Summary: Sad and noble, and full of hope
Review: To Live is the best Chinese film I have ever seen. It gives a wonderful view of modern Chinese history, with as honest a perspective as can be hoped for. It is honest about the hard times the Chinese have faced in recent years, but without the bitterness one often finds in narratives of this period of Chinese history. The sadness of the film was wonderfully portrayed -- strangely sad and hopeful. This is a film that invites multiple viewings. If you liked to be challenged by what you watch, buy this DVD.
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Summary: A foreign film you will never regret owning
Review: This film is perhaps one of my favorites of all time. It is nothing short of beautiful, tragic, inspiring and extremely involving. If you are looking to add a classic to your foregn film collection, this picture is indispensible. Even for those of my friends who are not really into subtitles, it is always greatly enjoyed and well-received by all. Don't pass this one up!
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Summary: An absolute masterpiece
Review: Zhang Yimou is a truly gifted storyteller, a rare film director able to hook to you in right from the start. This is a masterpiece that follows the sweep of Chinese history from the mid-1940's onwards through the hardships of one ordinary family living through extroadinary times. The acting is uniformly excellent. I only wish more people would see this and then compare it with the trash that Hollywood seems to be great at churning out. Watch it & you will want to watch it agaian and again.
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Summary: Historical drama about a Chinese family
Review: Brilliantlly filmed, beautiful,lush locations, and overwhelming drama about a family and the twists and turns parallelling the history of China from end of the Emperor to the Cultural Revolution. Don't let the subtitles scare you away from the brilliant performace of Gong Li, one of China's biggest stars.
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Summary: One of the best from the director of Raise the Red Lantern
Review: As a film, it is visually beautiful, equipped with a strong and coherent plot, and clearly supported by excellent casting. More interestingly for me, the film would work in a history classroom environment, because it does cover the a period that spans from post war repulican China, through civil war, to the Cultural Revolution and beyond. The fact that it misses out on certain sensitive historical issues in Chinese history (e.g. the famine that preceded the Cultural Revolution) actually serves as an opportunity for a class discussion on the dynamics of censorship on filmmaking. I cannot recommend this film highly enough.
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Summary: A breathtaking epic tale of the cultural revolution
Review: Given the subject, it would be easy for a director to get carried away and offer some monumental slant regarding the political repercussions of an obstinately socialist regime on a common man's life in China. No, not with Yamou Zhang. This is a simple, stirring tale that takes us through 3 generations of ordinary people in extraordinary times. Whether it is some knowledge of the cultural revolution you crave, or a basic poignant movie, just watch it instead of reading these reviews. In my book, this ranks right next to Yume or Farewell My Concubine as epics from the orient. Little can be *said* about this movie that would not be much better *felt* firsthand. 6 out of 5 stars.
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Summary: Great Film, Mediocre History
Review: As a film, To Live is grand. It tells an interesting story. Fugui (You Ge) seems to ruin things for himself and his family, Jiazhen (Gong Li) leaves Fugui in disgust, but history intervenes to change everything. These two are tossed about amidst the tumultuous events of mid 20th century China, but endure. Their story is one of great sorrow, fleeting joy, and incredible irony. This is a first rate production. The acting, filming, and sets are all excellent. As for authenticity, I know nothing of the particulars of life in China at this time, so I cannot comment. As for the general historical events, this film falls far short of depicting the suffering inflicted by the Nationalists and Communists both. To Live depicts the tragedy of the combat between Marxist and Nationalist forces well. It shows a political execution and depicts the fear inspired by the Maoist regime. This reveals only a small part of the tragic events of mid 20th century China. The Chinese Nationalists carried out purges and 'bandit extermination' eventually killing more than ten million. The atrocities of Chiang and the Kuomintang are not needed for the storyline of this movie, but the absence of these facts diminish this films' historical accuracy. Not to be outdone by their rivals. The Maoists killed more than 35 million. You would know none of this from this film. It rightly depicts political persecution and the absurd dictates of the Cultural Revolution. But it ignores the famines that killed millions. In one scene, an attendant in a common kitchen shovels out food like it exits in abundance. If fact, famine and malnourishment stalked tens of millions and the number of executions was staggering. This film is highly entertaining, and partially correct in terms of history. Of course, an authentic history of this period would probably have been censored, so one can hardly blame the producers for this. It is a fine film, well worth watching. But for an accurate history lesson, one should look further.
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