evening1 I liked this best for its glimpse into modern China, and specifically its look at a city of 10 million most Westerners do not even know exists, Wuhan.When Westerners think about China, they may conjure images of traditional values and filial piety. But here we see the remnants of a dysfunctional family and the profound depression that haunts a father and daughter.Mr. Li made an error in his youth that got him exiled to the countryside for manual labor. He apparently thought his daughter would make good in the city, but she'd wound up settling for a job as a karaoke-bar prostitute. Mr. Li's son, her brother, apparently had the poor judgment to play cards with the gangster Da Ge, ending up paying with his life.I saw this film on the TV channel of the City University of New York, where commentator Jerry Carlsson noted that it had its premier in Wuhan. It's interesting to see that a film that portrays the seamy underbelly of a Chinese mega-city can have an airing there -- and that it eventually gets here. The beautiful Yuan Tian, who plays Yanhong, turns in an interesting and nuanced performance. Her pillow talk with the loathsome Da is the psychological nadir of this dark tale.The movie's parting shot, of an accepting Mr. Li awaiting the birth of his grandchild, offers a bit of hope. Not much, though.

AfroPixFlix Like UNIFORM, this visually-beautiful film demonstrates the struggles of modern-day Chinese people. The protagonist, an attractive so-called bar girl, has left her rural roots to find big city success. She hides her less-than-noble occupation from her father, who searches for her brother, also a city newcomer. Most of the film dwells on their cat-and-mouse game of secrets, but there is an amazing connective scene after the one-hour mark. It takes place in a luxury car, and its four passengers each harbor unspoken individual turmoil. Thereafter, the film races to an ending fitting of 3 luxury AfroPixFlix detanglers. Luxury Car (Jiang cheng xia ri) 2006; Director/Writer: Chao Wang

nmegahey As his wife is dying from cancer, an old school teacher from the provinces journeys to Wuhan hoping to find the son they haven't seen for years. He stays with his daughter, unaware that she is a call-girl working in a karaoke club, but enlisting the help of a policeman approaching retirement, he soon becomes aware of the character of the big city, the dangers it poses and the compromises it forces from people.Luxury Car gives a rounded perspective on the circumstances of people in present day China, presenting it as a well-placed drama without obvious political or social commentary, but it there if you want to look for it – in the changing values, in the striving for power and influence, in criminality, and of course in the dangerous dream of the lengths one will go to in order to own a luxury car. It even makes reference to the past through the father's background and his expulsion from the city during the Cultural Revolution.Beautifully made, the dark tones and colour of the film all play a part in conveying the image of cheap superficial glamour, which – like the spray-painted stolen luxury car – hides the reality underneath.

talkfest I love this film! I felt it really gave me a window into a slice of current Chinese culture. Seeing how people are dealing with the challenges of the contrasts between old china vs new china and country vs city. The characters had me thoroughly engaged. Fantastic acting and casting. I know it's not PC to say you like happy endings but I saw it at Melbourne film festival and I really enjoyed the positive outcome of the re-opened communication between the father and the daughter that resulted from the whole experience. Especially in the context of so many bleak films. Some obvious conveniences in the plot. I was so interested to see the rich cultural aspects woven into the story from design to behavior that I hadn't seen before. Some wonderful, some surprising and shocking. All fantastic. Can't wait to get it on DVD.