In fact, the story described in the film is life in the United States in the 1970s, which is far away from us. Perhaps it is not without distance for Ang Lee, after all, in 1973, he had not yet arrived in the United States. But you have to admire Ang Lee's extraordinary ability to control the story and characters. I have no way of judging how many details in the film reflect the epitome of American society at that time. I only know that he handled the relationship between characters incisively and vividly, between husband and wife, between father and son, between mother and daughter, between brothers and sisters, and youthful sprouting. . What he allows you to keep finding in these relationships is a microcosm of your own memories and feelings. And when all the contradictions are poured out naturally and silently in the film with the storm, you will feel like you have had a nightmare, the kind of nightmare that you want to cry and escape but can't wake up.
So, this is not a film about American society, nor is it a stylized Hollywood production. It's just a story about family relationships, maybe it's Ang Lee's version of a thunderstorm. I thought of watching another film that reflected American society in the 1970s just a few days ago, Robert Altman's Nashville. Compared with Nashville, I personally think that "Ice Storm" is much thinner for the rendering of American politics and culture at that time-although there are many related plots and scene settings, it always makes me think it is superficial. Especially the grumpy flute in the film even took me out of America. . "Ice Storm" is actually another "Wedding Banquet", another group of "Diet Men and Women", a continuation of the Ang Lee family series trilogy. It's just that the contradictions in Chinese-style stories are never so intense. Probably has something to do with the Chinese character and philosophy. We hold everything in our hearts. So on the surface, you can still get married, have children, eat and drink. Perhaps, I guess, it is precisely because in this film that Ang Lee's inner conflicts and helplessness about family issues have been exploded and released, he will claim that this film is his favorite work.
After watching it, I kept thinking, if a movie is too heavy, is it a good movie? There is no doubt that Ang Lee's expressiveness is a success. But how many people can afford it? Even if we have the courage to face life, how many people are willing to experience pain in a movie again?
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