I haven't had a Chinese film in a long, long time, allowing me to enjoy still lifes and portraits so comfortably.
While many call it a companion to Daylight, I don't think so.
While Fireworks by Day is a repression, The Gathering at South Station is an allegorical release.
In about ten minutes, half of my attention shifted from the plot or characters or themes to photography, composition, props, lighting and even color grading.
There are many good films that reflect the themes of the bottom of the society, such as "Blessed with the Ear", the picture is easy to appear dirty, because it is too "grounded" and the screen is full of dust (last year's "Break and Silence" also had a similar situation).
But The Gathering at South Station is not.
For example, the abandoned house where Hu Ge was hiding. Walls, old newspapers, bottles and jars on the table... Every prop can be seen carefully. Composition, light, color.
I am a lover of western painting and photography art. It is natural to enter the art appreciation mode. And this is actually a purely domestic dialect film.
Sometimes it reminds me of American photographer Robert Polidori:
Compared with "Fireworks in the Day", Gui Lunmei's role is finally enough. So they became Hu Ge and Gui Lunmeibiao's acting skills, but they were also rivals.
The director has an idea. Under the existing taboos, it is already rare to be able to make some ironic hints and reveal the desolation and even animal nature of human nature. (like the scene at the zoo). After all, words cannot be said.
Some substitution and contrast techniques have outstanding effects. For example, the scene of dividing the sphere of influence according to the map in the den of thieves and the scene of dividing the scope of case handling in the police station, such as the Hu Ges riding motorcycles to steal cars and Liao Fans riding motorcycles to handle cases, and so on.
Some small details are also very appropriate. For example, the broken glass of Liao Fan's car, such as the mouthwash on Guilunmei Lake...
If you're going to be picky, one, the ending is a little weaker. Of course, it is understandable that the compromises necessary for the release of domestic films, you cannot exact the concept of the Korean film "New World". Second, the explanation of different time lines is slightly traditional. At that time, I thought that it would be even better if there was a narrative of "Two Smoking Guns".
Overall, an enjoyable two hours. recommend.
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