|
| Movie Review: Last Train Home Alternate Title: You Can't Go Home Again
Story: Try to recall the worst
travel experience you have ever had and then multiply it by one thousand.
That is the plight of 130 million Chinese migrant workers as it is Government
mandated that they travel to their respective homes for the Chinese
New year. Director by Lixin Fan ( a Chinese
Canadian) delivers a powerful documentary about China's people and recent
generational clash. He focus' on one family and follows them for three
years. The family drama slowly unfolds before our eyes and it is both
riveting and depressing. Parents Zhang and Chen have worked for 15 years
stictching garments for export while their children have been raised
by the Grandmother, far, far away. To say that there is literally no
relationship other than biological between parents and children is an
understatement. As the old ways fall by the wayside and new thinking
of independence grows inside the minds of the children - there is no
other expectation than a culture clash between tradition and modernity. Watching millions of people labor and toil is
dehumanizing but watching this one family is personal. You will feel
for them. Another fine film about Chinese laborers was called 'Up the
Yangtze.' Check out my review here: http://judylobo.wordpress.com/2008/05/01/movie-review-up-the-yangtze/ The film is in Mandarin, and Sichuan dialect,
with English subtitles.Watch the trailer
here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STPJiR1eu_I Acting: This is a documentary - so this category
does not apply. Trivia: Last Train Home won Best Feature-Length Documentary
in the (2009) Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival and
was Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize World Cinema - Documentary at
the 2010Sundance Film Festival.
Predilection: I like documentary films.
Critters: All sorts of livestock including pigs and
chickens and a few insects.
Food: Dare I say there was lots of Chinese food?
Sex Spectrum: None
Opening Titles: The film opens over an incredible
sight of millions of Chinese swarming to try to catch a train home.
Visual Art: The landscape is spectacular.
Theater Audience: About 10 other cineastes.
Weather: Cold and rainy.
Sappy Factor: 0
Quirky Meter: 0
Squirm Scale: 0
Drift Factor: I paid attention throughout. Predictability Level: I was not sure what to expect.
Tissue Usage: 0
Oscar Worthy: Perhaps this film could get a nod.
Big Screen or Rental: If you can find it go for the
big screen.
Length: 90 minutes.
LOBO HOWLS: 8
|