Rating: 
Summary: wonderful movie
Review: After renting this movie 3 times from Netflix, I decided that I should just buy it. It's one of those movies that I can watch over and over again because it's not just a plot; it's a reaffirmation of the important and pure things in life. It's simply "refreshing" every time I see it again (excuse the pun)!
Rating:
Summary: wonderful movie
Review: After renting this movie 3 times from Netflix, I decided that I should just buy it. It's one of those movies that I can watch over and over again because it's not just a plot; it's a reaffirmation of the important and pure things in life. It's simply "refreshing" every time I see it again (excuse the pun)!
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie! Moving!
Review: Da Ming is the elder son of a bath house owner, who has escaped the drudgery of small town life for the life of a modern executive in Shenzhen. Or has he? When he receives a postcard with a drawing on it which looks like his father has passed on, he returns to his home town believing his father has died.
Instead, Da Ming finds his father in good health, and is himself the proverbial "heart" of the small town. Da Ming's father doubles as match maker, therapist, and friend to the troubled people who come to his bathhouse to bathe and relieve the stress of day-to-day life. While at first Da Ming resents his father, and is ashamed of his slow brother, he eventually finds himself lured into the family business, albeit unintentionally. After a tragedy strikes, will Da Ming have the courage to remain true to his father's wishes and care for his brother? Or will he buckle under the stresses of modern life and societal expectations? I really loved Shower. The Interactions between Er Ming and his elderly father was really charming. Da Ming's bafflement at his father's quaint ways and his embarrassment of his younger brother were realisticly portayed and well acted. Shower is a fascinating tale of redemption, renewal and growth set in an emerging China.
Rating:
Summary: Shower this one with praise!
Review: Even Pig Pen wouldn't mind taking a shower after watching this heart-felt movie about a father, the bath house he runs, and his relationship with his two sons. I really enjoyed this movie--what a great story, great acting, and the subtitles were clear. My husband also really enjoyed it.
Rating:
Summary: shower
Review: I loved this movie so much.I had to buy it,so that my children will one day watch it and understand what it means to be chinese.The story is about an older son who went to the big city to leave the small town he was born into,to make his mark in the modern world.He leaves behind an aging widower of a father and his mentally challenged younger brother.He comes home because his brother sent him a post card with a drawing on it.He thought his father had past away.Upon arrival he sees that his dad is well,so he asks his brother what the postcard is about.The brother answers that he misses him.His stay becomes longer and longer due to circumstances.Finally he has to tell his wife about his brother,[who hangs up on him]that he will be living with them in the future.The movie shows the difference between city people and country people in modern china.I like the country people better.
Rating:
Summary: An Outstanding Production
Review: I need not add to what others have written about the themes nor the plot of this excellent film. I would merely like to add that the acting is so outstanding that, in many instances, one need not read the subtitles to understand what's transpiring. Though the plot is offbeat and the setting is in a culture vastly different from our own, the themes and the emotions are universal and are conveyed very skillfully. At the showing my wife and I attended, spontaneous applause erupted from the appreciative audience at the end of the movie. I haven't experienced that very often of late.
Rating:
Summary: A great movie that tells you about today's China
Review: I often felt troubled when people asked me to recommend some Chinese movies, not because there weren't any good ones, but because those good ones did not depict today's China. Some of Yimou Zhang's and Kaige Chen's movies are not only good, but also, in my opinion, among the greatest ones that the world has produced. However, the stories in those movies happened many years ago; and these years are the ones that have seen the most dramatic changes of a country in history. My trouble ended with the introduction of Xizao (Shower) in North America. The humors are Chinese styled, but the emotions are, as someone has said in his comment, universal. The values on intimate family relationships, genuine friendships, and concerns for the general public are exemplified in a society that is trying to find a balance between modernization and tradition. When economic development and new technologies menace thousand-year-old lifestyles, people, especially the elderlies, become ambivalent towards them. A country with an extraordinary history and tradition experiencing the most rapid development in the world, today's China can be a perfect set for many more good movies. I often wonder why there are so few movies like Xizao. As it has proved, you don't have to touch heavy politics to depict an authentic picture of today's China. (Kaige Chen's Together is disappointing.) One of the commentators said the movie is uneven at some points. This is probably true, and unsurprising, given that the director is not as experienced as Zhang or Chen. However, I didn't notice the unevenness because I was captured by the actors' wonderful performances. You will be easily amused by Wu Jiang's performance as Er Ming; you would be more impressed by Xu Zhu's Master Liu and Cunxing Pu's Da Ming if you understand Chinese. These are the finest Chinese actors of their respective generations. I noticed that some commentators thought the story happened in a small village. This is a misunderstanding. The set is actually Beijing. Although bathhouses like the one in the movie exist in many Chinese cities, you feel more amazed by the changes that China is experiencing when you know this story happened in a metropolis, right? If you want to understand today's China, watch this movie. If you want to understand the China before and during the Cultural Revolution (1966 to 1976), you should check out Huozhe (To Live) and Ba Wang Bie Ji (Farewell My Concubine). Artistically, Xizao may not be a masterpiece compared to the latter two, but it is definitely worth watching. In today's world, movies as warm as this one remind us of the beauty of life.
Rating:
Summary: Loved it!
Review: I was so surprised at how caught up I got in this movie! I loved the sincerity of the characters and the story was so charming. Rarely do you see a movie with strong relationships between fathers and sons and between brothers. Although not sugar coated, it is a joy to see a movie from China that does not involve politics, sex or violence.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Waterworks!!
Review: I went into this film absolutely clueless as to what I should expect... But from it's opening shots to it's gentle ending, I was amazed, inspired, enlightened and overwhelmed. It is a quiet and simple tale of family and community. It is timeless, and has no borders. You will love the quirky characters and the interesting situations. I loved it, all of it, and plan to re-watch many times. If you liked "Smoke Signals" or "Adrenaline Drive," you owe it to yourself to check this one out!
Rating:
Summary: Two thumbs up! Worthy of repeated viewings
Review: I won't go into the movie plot as you can read them from every other review. This is one of the few movies that is worth your time watching it multiple times, and each time you watch it you'll learn a few new things about the characters and grow to like them like they are members of your family. You'll want to live their lifes, to listen to their tales, to share their pain, to respect their ways of living, and yes, even to take a bath with them. 5 stars and one of the best movies I saw in the past 2 years.
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