Wall

A sumptuous visual feast that doubles as a crash course in Chinese culture, traditions and recent history. The acting is superb and Chen's direction is deeply personal. Worth watching for the scenes about the destruction of traditional Chinese culture under Mao alone.

SALESK

31Mar12

It takes its time to get cooking, but once we get to the cultural revolution, things really pick up. Stylistically, it was hard for me to get into. Obviously, costumes and sets are top-notch. Leslie Cheung goes for the jugular, and it pays off. Not gay enough, but that's a minor gripe. Sometimes the direction is so staid, I was imagining what Wong Kar Wai would have done with the material.

ramosbarajas

12Feb12

Obviously epic. The three-hour film is shot fantastically, in terms of images and style. I found the backdrop of modern China to be spectacular since it creates such a paradox of tradition vs change. And, in spite of it all, it manages to be a very personal film- with emphasis on the characters at all times. It provides an look on the issues of art when real life threatens to tear it down. It is indeed very nice.

Daniela

17Nov11

Tsk, tsk, fifty years and he still can't get the line right?

Ursulino

14Sep11

It's certainly one of my top-few most loved movies. Its constant musical atmosphere, like it was itself a chinese opera... One of these movies that make us sad because they are so rare...

Zhuliya

15Apr11

possibly one of the greatest and best directed dramas of Chinese cinema. Leslie Cheung gives of course and unforgettable performance that becomes the topping on the cake of this amazing masterpiece.

Zachary George Najarian-Najafi

25Dec10

I'm not sure what I think of this one yet. I was completely lost for the first hour or so, because we're just thrown right into it and I couldn't keep the characters straight, and even after that I had a hard time getting into it. The cinematography is beautiful, especially Kaige's use of mirror shots, but the film needs a restored release. I think I'll need to give this a second viewing. To Live is much better.

Kurt Öhrström

27Nov10

A masterpiece in many ways. It was very interesting too see the relationship between the three people in the story.

Harry Rossi

17Oct10

I can't decide whether I like this movie or not. I think I need to revisit it.

Gokhan

24Aug10

İşte sinema budur arkadaşım...

Dennis Lyons

26Jun10

Chen Kaige's devastating saga of a pair of opera performers in a rapidly changing nation is both a history lesson and personal melodrama simultaneously. Leslie Cheung's performance and character in particular defy the nation of the films origin by honestly projecting a man trained to be a woman and his unfulfilled desires. Gong Li's supporting performance is also of special heartbreaking note.