To Live

Rating:
Summary: Best
Review: If you want specifics, please scroll through some other reviews. I'll just say this. This is one of the most touching, beautifully heartbreaking movies I have ever seen. Hollywood probably doesn't have a chance in Hell of equaling this. A movie well worth checking out. Too bad most people don't know what good films come from China....

Rating:
Summary: Perfect Black Humor¿ a must-see movie
Review: This is absolutely my all-time favorite movie! "To Live" takes a different approach to narrate the confusing periods in Chinese history in the 20th century, to tell a store of life, and a history of a nation. Don't get me wrong! It's not a heavy movie like other portrayal movies of Chinese History such as "Farewell My Concubine", "Blue Kite" or "the Last Emperor" (they're good movies as well, but no comparison to "To Live"); quite the contrary, "To Live" is humorous, delightful, positive, and encouraging. It's not only a good comedy that makes you laugh, but also makes you laugh with tears in your eyes, sad and sore in your heart.

The main story line is how am ordinary family of Fu Gui (Ge You) and Jia Zhen (Gong Li) went through their lives in various movements, wars and revolutions in China. A careless gambler, Fu Gui, lost everything he had - money, property and family - only left with a set of puppets. It's the same set of puppets that went through all the ups and downs with Fu Gui, his family and friends. Through all the tragic and comic moments and events, through all the bitter-sweetness and irony, the characters were in such a positive spirit that they could make jokes of anything in life, but only through the body languages and their eyes, you could see the heartache.

There is an old Chinese proverb that states, "the old man lost his horse, but it turned out to be his good luck". The entire movie is based on this theory: whether you gain or lose, promote or demote, you would never know if it were good for you at the end. Life is a series of comedic dramas; if you don't face it with a positive attitude and joke back, even during the hardest struggle, you would not be able to survive.

This movie is a masterpiece if you want to find out the meaning of Life, and how meaningful it is "to live"!

Rating:
Summary: A profound work of art, infinitely sad, infinitely wise.
Review: I saw this movie a few years ago and it has never left me. All that cinema can achieve but so rarely does is accomplished in the telling of this somber story. I am heartend to see the moving testimonies to its greatness by so many Amazonians. If I may steal a line from one of the poets, this movie takes us to the center of sorrow, to the center of the earth. No other movie I can think of compares to it for deep emotional impact. Like Greek tragedy it elicits both pity and terror. It is a work of art and an act of love. Again, as the poet said, truth too is a suffering and may not be had for less. See this film.

Rating:
Summary: The most Under rated movie of all time
Review: Unfortunately foreign movies do not get the credit and publicity they deserve. If only people would be more open minded about foreign movies, they would discover the movie "To Live". To Live is a movie about life itself. It reflects what the common people in China experienced during the Cultural Revolution. We follow the life of an ordinary family that goes through many hardships, wondering if they would live or die. Through the hard times, it makes them realize how important life, family, and love really is. Ultimately in a country where there is so much chaos and tragedy, the only thing the people want, is TO LIVE. The actors/actresses in this movie are splendid, Gong Li is absolutely beautiful. I believe that her role in To Live is the most powerful and finest compared to all of her other movies. Somehow I can not explain it but Chinese movies have a way of portraying a person's character, their emotions in such a way that hits you right on the spot. That is something that American movies have not achieved yet. This movie will make you cry, laugh, and be thankful that you are alive. We win, we lose, life is not easy. I recommend this movie for anyone and everyone. It will make you think about your own life and be more thankful for what you have and don't have. It is just unfortunate that most people would never consider watching a Chinese movie, well they are missing out on the greatest movie.

Rating:
Summary: The Best Movie on the Planet
Review: If there is a better film made, I have yet to see it. This is a joyous, tearful, radiant film with brilliant acting, wonderful filmed and music to break your hear. It contains so many small precious scenes that are so terrific, I can't name them all. A favorite of mine, however is the return from war of You Ge as he walks into his hometown at night to find his daughter and Gong Li (is there anyone better?) delivering water. What a great film with a great cast. See this movie!!!

Rating:
Summary: A Stirring, Emotional Portrayl of Bitter Times in China
Review: "To Live" was the first Asian film I saw and awed me tremendously. The film is truly a piece of cinematic art. Its acting is supurb - of all the Zhang Yimou films I have seen (four or five) this is the best acted. Gong Li and You Ge give fabulous performances, with excellent body language and characterization.

The story, like Chen Kaige's "Farewell My Concubine" (also a portrayl of Chinese history, with more emphasis on the people than the history), follows people through the Communist Revolution, the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution, all highly influential events in Modern Chinese history. (If you are unfamiliar with these events, the first is when the Communists took over China; the GLF is when the country tried to increase production through very extreme measures and failed horribly; the Cultural Revolution was an entire social reorganization aimed to stir up the passions of the people and to weed out Capitalists.)

Anyhoo, the people are Jiazhen (Gong Li) and Fugui (You Ge), husband and wife. In the beginning, Fugui bets away his entire family fortune, which eventually saves them from being labelled Capitalists by the Communists. More events transpire - including two tragic deaths that could have destroyed Jiazhen and Fugui's family for good - until finally thirty years of revolution and tragedy bring them to the 1970's.

In addition to the beauty of the film, the soundtrack by Zhao Jiping is incredible, and almost makes me cry from its sheer power.

This film is truly a winner!

Rating:
Summary: An amazing film, a triumph
Review: This is the first Gong Li movie I have seen and it's been the best one I've seen thus far. The story takes place in China before and after the Communist take over. It centers on one family during this time that has survived amidst all the drastic changes and diversities they faced. This movie clearly presents the way life was and the way life became When Mao Zedong took over China. It is overall a drama, with historical significance, and I would recommend this to all who are interested in Chinese history and for those who love meaningful stories.

Rating:
Summary: Better than most American movies
Review: There is literally no flaw in this movie. The acting is top-notch, the story is gripping and powerful, the cinematography is beautiful.

There's rarely a movie that is all of the above, and still remains sincere. Sincerity is a virtue most movies in America today are seriously lacking.

This movie will have a profound effect on you. It is a simple yet deep look at normal people caught in a difficult situation.

I can't find many American movies that can compete with it.

Rating:
Summary: a memorable saga
Review: This is the most complex of Zhang Yimou's beautiful films and tells the story of a married couple from youth to old age, living through the turmoil of war and revolution. This tale has many lessons, and an answer to the question "what is success?"...which simply is "to live !". Superbly acted, Gong Li and Ge You are amazing in it. They will make you cry and laugh. This isn't an easy movie to watch, but it's always rewarding..and you get more out of it with each viewing.

Rating:
Summary: To Search... To Find....
Review: To watch this boldly georgeous extravaganza is akin to a movie miracle, like seeing "The Godfather" or "GWTW" for the first time. There is simply no level on which it will fail to move you, even if you've no inkling of the true-to-life historical dilemmas its characters suffer through. Gong Li and Ge You are so radiantly wonderful mere hyperbole fails. Please see it only if you're searching for one of the greats of world cinema. You may thank me later.