Reviews
1911
The revolutionaries who fought to free China from nearly 3,000 years of dynastic oppression deserve a worthier cinematic monument than "1911."
The Mill and the Cross
This visually ravishing, surprisingly beguiling gamble won't fit any standard arthouse niche.
The Star and the Sea
A well-appointed if very old-fashioned meller charting the impoverished childhood of early 20th-century Chinese composer Xiang Xinghai.
Looking for Jackie
"Looking for Jackie" is a cameo-packed swing through the mainland's industry.
Scratch Movie Review
Somewhat old-fashioned in subject matter, symbolism and production design, Michal Rosa's Scratch shows how a couple's strong 40-year marriage is mortally wounded by a secret that undermines their entire life together.
My Left Hand
Looking like a Chinese army propaganda pic on paper, one-armed soldier drama "My Left Hand" develops some real emotional smarts via strong performances and smooth production values.
Old Fish
Marbled with mordant humor, this realistically observed drama about an aging bomb-disposal worker is both written and largely played by real-life cops.
An Appointment With Life
Bucking its gung-ho, moralistic title, "An Appointment With Life" checks in as a gentle, autumnal movie about learning from other people and coming to terms with past mistakes. At the least, "Appointment" deserves modest fest dates.
White Gardenia
Mainland Chinese actress Jiang Lifen turns multihyphenate with "White Gardenia," a promising bow as writer-director that could squeeze into sidebars of Asia-friendly fests on its modest charm.
Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The WindPorco RossoThe Cat Returns
In one of those glib turns of phrase that's accepted as true even though it isn't, the most imaginative and talented Japanese animator of his generation, Hayao Miyazaki, has become to be known in the U.S. as "the Disney of Japan." This may appear to be reinforced by the Mouse House's
