Shanghai Dreams

recounts history of China in 1970 Most is accurate and gives some morals Characters r very realistic some aspects very appealing and humorous most appealing to Chinese that lived in the 1970s and experienced the relocation from larger cities Fair, worth watching if one has patience Most of the characters are especially boring and boring some events and reactions of characters r interesting Only watch the movie if u have nothing better to do if you start you must finish the movie The movie may leave you either displeased or nostalgic it may disappoint if you're one of those action thriller seekers this movie does not offer a vicarious experience but a reflection of China's past

The conflict between authoritarian fathers, expecting respect, and their children is a common theme of contemporary Chinese movies; so are the political changes of the recent past (although don't expect to see a film about the Tiannanmen Square massacre). 'Shanghai Dreams' fits this pattern, and there are some highly effective scenes in it: one, a showdown in a factory, with the sound of the machines providing a hideous underscore to the threat of violence; another, where an attempted escape is followed entirely from within the back of a vehicle. But I'm not quite sure it deserved its Cannes prize; Goa Yuanyuan appears a little too old for her character, some of the dialogue is a little expository (at least in translation), and the sense of claustrophobia supposedly felt by its characters (exiles from Shanghai, stuck in a remote industrial town) is not entirely conveyed: I didn't feel that I was pining for Shanghai when watching this movie, and perhaps I should have done. And I didn't quite know what to make of the ending, which though shocking, has a slightly incidental feeling to it. This does not make this a bad movie; but I've seen other films (for example, 'The World'), which have offered more original insights into the fast-changing face of modern China

Qing Hong gives a great historic insight in the Chinese life in the 70's. Unlike films like 'Das Leben der Anderen' and 'Hotel Rwanda' Wang achieves this with a good story. Even though the films mentioned above are realistic, Wang tells the story from the everyday live perspective and I feel it makes it easier for the audience to connect with it. I also think the film isn't made too dramatic like 'Hotel Rwanda' and 'Das Leben der Anderen' tend to be. Of course it is dramatic, but it isn't like you're watching pure fiction. This film had a thorough impact on me, considering the fact that I'm writing this comment a year after I've seen it. I just saw Beijing Bicycle, which is supposed to be better than Qing Hong (I read a review somewhere), and it made me think of Qing Hong, since they're both films directed by Wang. To make a long story short: great film with an interesting historic touch to it.

8/10

In good company such as "Broken Flowers" which won the "Grand prix" at Cannes this year, "Shanghai dreams" brought home the "Prix du jury" which it well deserves. The movie has little to do with Shanghai except as a backdrop. The story takes place in Guiyang in the province of Guizhou in the '80s.

The centre character of the movie, Qinghong (the Chinese title of the movie), is a bright, sensitive and sensible teenage girl who moved with her family from modernised coastal Shanghai to the more backwards interior 10 year ago. Her father was initially happy to be a worker participating in the strategic scheme to form a "third line of defence" in the event of war against the Soviet Union, but soon started to blame her mother for persuading him into this folly. He became bitterer every day as Shanghai prospered and longed to return at the first available opportunity which, unfortunately, seemed elusive.

This historical background adds another dimension to the familiar and universal story of general gap and family strife. Added to this is social and class conflict, when Qinghong develops a romantic attachment to a young local factory worker. There are also subplots that give the audience insightful glimpses, through various well-depicted character, into the life of the industrial-rural community.

The movie starts at a characteristically slow pace, but picks up momentum towards the end with a tinge of a suspense thriller (just a tinge though). It has a solid ensemble cast, mesmerising photography of the bleak but character-rich landscape and great direction. Thoughtful attention to details is very evident in, for example, some of the simple scene of family dinner. There are also crisp montages (particularly towards the end) that tell the story in a remarkably efficient and interesting way.

"Shanghai dreams" is one of those movies that starts feeling a bit slow but gets more and more engrossing once you get into it. You come out with a feeling that your experience has been enriched. It's a movie that you would want to talk about afterwards.

While flicking through some random TV channels i stumbled onto Shanghai Dreams. The main character Qinq Hong's yearning for freedom from her father is expressed by Red High Heels (made me think of Wizard of Oz) The lightness of touch at the beginning seeks to help absorb the viewer into the Story. The Director works well in forcing us to empathise with an initially ogre like father, the frustrations of being sold a lie are all too obvious. I did feel that Qinq's best friend could have been given more time, also the Wrist Cutting scene lacked impact and realism, Back on her Sewing Machine sitting bolt upright?

I would also agree about confusion at the end, who was executed? was it the Prisoners or the Family