Yi Yi

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</TABLE></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="579" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="575"><div> <B>Yi Yi </B>**** (Not Rated)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Reviewed By George O. Singleton</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="549" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 23 ><NOBR><div> At every age, you wonder about getting a second chance</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="580" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> NJ Jian: Wu Nienjen</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Mr. Ota: Issey Ogata</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Min-Min: Elaine Jin</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Ting-Ting Jian: Kelly Lee</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> Yang-Yang Jian: Jonathan Chang</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> A-Di: Chen Xisheng</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Sherry: Ke Suyun</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Da-Da: Michael Tao</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Xiao Yan: Xiao Shushen</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Lili Jiang: Adrian Lin</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Fatty: Yupang Chang</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Grandma: Tang Ruyun</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Mrs. Jiang: Xu Shuyuan</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><div> Yun-Yun: Zeng Xinyi</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="269"><div> Director: Edward Yang</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="304"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="304" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <B>30 Second Bottom Line</B>: <I>Yi Yi</I> is a slice of life film of an extended family that covers ages from the newborn to the elderly; lovers; friends and neighbors in a way that shows how what each person does today affects tomorrow and beyond.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Story Line:</B> Set it Taipei, Taiwan <I>Yi Yi</I> starts off with lots of excitement that only a big wedding with a very pregnant bride and spurned former fiancé could generate. </div> <bR> <div> Mr. & Mrs. NJ and Min-Min Jian (Wu Nienjen and Elaine Jin) are in their late forties who live in a middle class high rise apartment building with their two children Ting-Ting (Kelly Lee) who is fifteen and eight year old son Yang-Yang (Jonathan Chang). The story starts with them being on the way to the wedding of Min-Min's brother, A-Di (Chen Xisheng) who is going to be married to Xiao Yan (Xiao Shushen). The wedding has been put off for months because he has been waiting for what be believes is the luckiest day of the year. But by this time, his bride to be is almost ready to deliver the baby. Just prior to the wedding, Yun-Yun (Zeng Xinyi) meets with A-Di's mother (Tang Ruyun) to apologize because she is not the bride they both wanted her to be.</div> <bR> <div> As it turns out, the day of the wedding becomes eventful for the entire family. Grandma has a stroke from which she may never recover and NJ has a chance meeting with Sherry (Ke Suyun) in the lobby of the wedding hotel of his first love of 30 years ago.</div> <bR> <div> The symbolism of a man walking away from the ability to make love with a virgin is one of the aspects that weaves through various characters. NJ graduated with a degree in engineering because his parents and Sherry wanted him to go in that direction. That was not his passion and for his working career, he has been unfulfilled. When his company sends him on a mission to negotiate with Mr. Ota (Issey Ogata) on a plan that could reverse their bleak financial position, he meets a man who has passion for what he does as well as integrity in how he does it. On this same trip to Japan, he reunites with Sherry and they spend a few days together trying to discover what future they <B>may</B> have. </div> <bR> <div> Clearly he is in love with Sherry; when he first saw her walk off the elevator in the hotel lobby, he was literally speechless throughout their conversation. Had she not given him her name card, he would have had no way to contact her. NJ has a reserved demeanor and seems happily married and attached to both of his children. As he is rethinking his decisions of 30 years ago, will he try and turn the clock back and pursue his first love?</div> <bR> <div> Ting-Ting is a young woman who has a passing interest in the teenage relationship of her neighbor Lili Jiang (Adrian Lin) who is dating Fatty (Yupang Chang). Fatty stands up Lili on a date and when he becomes remorseful because she will no longer see him, he uses Ting-Ting as a go between to deliver his letters intended to get them back together. Eventually Ting-Ting refuses and when she realizes that the current letter is for her, she is soon dating Fatty. When Fatty decides "it's not right" to take their relationship to the next level, he is so ashamed that he will no longer see her. Because Lili is jealous of Ting-Ting, she starts dating Fatty again. What he does not know is just how much the Jiang household is so highly dysfunctional. Tragic consequences result because the Jiang's do things that others only think about. </div> <bR> <div> Yang-Yang likes to take photographs of people from a perspective they never see such as the back of their heads. It's symbolic for learning the truth that you do not know. He continually thinks outside the box. At the tender age of eight, he wants to impress an older girl at school who is a great swimmer by learning how to hold his breath a long time under water. He locks the bathroom door at his apartment and practices holding his breath in the face bowl. </div> <bR> <div> With the exception of an infant child, every person regardless of age is trying to shape their future, sometimes with more success than others.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell Me More About It</B>: Director Edward Yang says this film is "simply about life, portrayed across a spectrum of its span…".</div> <bR> <div> Were it not for the subtitles in most of the film, I would think I was looking at a middle class Asian American community in a large city in the USA. We see product placements like Dove, Head and Shoulders, McDonald's, and even Century 21 as well as NJ wearing a Stanford sweatshirt around the house. They drive Honda's and BMW's, eat out in restaurants like we do, take the subway, have dates at a local coffee shop, and family events at local hotels complete with drunkenness and family blow ups. </div> <bR> <div> With recent films from the East such as <I><B>Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,</B></I> <I><B>Nowhere To Hide</B></I>, and <I><B>Chunhyang,</B></I> we may see a wider acceptable of subtitled films in general and of Asians movies in particular. </div> <bR> <div> <I>Yi Yi</I> is a multi layered film with many things that are very clear and easy to understand along with subtleties in relationships and events that can slip by you in the moment only for you to think about after having left the theater. Although the film is almost three hours at 173 minutes, ones attention is maintained because of the interesting complexity of the relationships which eerily reminiscent of ones own family. Supporting the acting is wonderful cinematography and directing. No one could argue with it winning the Best Director award at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival.</div> <bR> <div> The acting in the film outstanding for the lead characters to the bit parts. Although no one character is dwelled on other than NJ, Sherry and Ting-Ting, you are allowed to understand the points of view of the all the characters. While the norm for a film is much closer to two hours rather than three, this depth of character development is the pay back you get for that investment of your time.</div> <bR> <div> Learning something about the human condition is one of my major filters in deciding which films merit four stars. This passes that test in spades. It's a fantastic movie.</div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="591" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="587"><div> Not Rated</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="587"><div> George O. Singleton © 2001</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="587"><div> <A HREF="mailto:Reelmoviec@aol.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:Reelmoviec@aol.com"><U><U>George@reelmoviecritic.com</U></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>