In his 2006 film, Still Life, Jia Zhangke creates an enigmatic case study of alienation and

Opening the movie is a newsreel style of narration which sets up how Arizona was in 1879. It began with the explanation that silver-based riches were being found and founded in the Arizona area through mining for the gem and providing goods and services. Promise of this paradise prompted "farmers,

Lixin Fan’s Last Train Home aims to depict the strenuous lifestyle of laborers’. It demands the viewer to consider the cost at which products are made by foreign manufacturers that are clearly exploited and exposed by their employers. We must watch the films above in order to completely grasp the spectrum of work from the laborer to the consumer to truly comprehend the future of work.

They Live, a si-fi classic, visually reveals its characters and shapes its viewer’s feelings using many functions of mise-en-scene. The setting, lighting, and costumes used in the film all relay a different, undercover message to it’s audience.

To begin with, the narrator’s point of view captures your attention straight from the beginning of the film. The story is told by the main character Gordie Lachance who is an author having a flashback to 1959 in his hometown of Oregon. I feel this choice to make the

The film starts off with our main character, Joseph C. Gillis, found dead in a swimming pool. A flashback begins leading moments to his death. Joe Gillis is an unsuccessful screen writer that lives at Alto Needo Apartments in Los Angeles Hollywood, California. Joe Gillis is desperately trying to find a job to pay off his

The three men, the only good ones, participate in a ritualistic funeral ceremony. Wang Lifa picks up the death money. Wang ends up committing suicide. And so, good men die, and the corrupt survive and thrive. The Tea House becomes a set-up for spying. The government gets worse. One wonders if Lao She is really predicting the increasing corruption of the communist government which was to

Perhaps, the powerful storyline of the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was what encouraged one of the greatest cinematic martial arts directors Ang Lee, to make a film out of the Chinese novel. In this film, Lee’s primary function is not only to portray skillfully choreographed fighting scenes, but also to connect powerful sequences of events that touches upon the emotional complex human condition that is associated with both the Taoist and Buddhist belief systems. By not allowing action to be the sole guiding force of the narrative of Crouching

Not only is this story about politics, there are also hidden themes throughout that are not easily discernable by some. One of those hidden themes is friendship and effects the relationship has on the process of changing one party’s original opinion. Both Gao and Zhu see the world differently, yet despite their differences they still remain friends. One follows all the rules of the government, and the other walks to the beat of his own drum when it comes to politics. It is the difference of opinions we have that keeps the world running smoothly. Our difference of opinions is what makes us grow, and sometimes we change our opinions for the better. When we disagree and argue we make one another better people making one another see outside their box. These two characters grow and change by the end of the story by showing each other a different view on government. They both end up understanding the other person’s point of view. This story displays political themes and themes about friendship, disagreements, and changing of friend’s opinions.

The scenery is drawn with many dark shades on the walls and floor, depicting it as an alley or a similarly secluded location. Here, the Chinese man partakes in his devious acts, away from the public eye. This sets a dark, mischievous tone, and in the drawing the little boy is smoking a cigar, presumably as a result of the Chinese man’s negative influence. The little boy is underage and is engaging in immoral behavior. The Chinese man has corrupted him simply through association, and by smoking a cigar at his age he has been corrupted. This depiction shows the underlying perception that the Chinese were an infestation that were negatively influencing and corrupting the population.

In subsequent years following the establishment of the People’s Republic of China came a revolutionary new approach to not only producing films, but also film’s very role in communist society. During this period the state gained complete control of the filmmaking industry, decreeing that the utilitarian functions of art and literature were to become a powerful weapon in serving the revolutionary struggle. In an otherwise artistically stifling period in which socialist realism pervaded all creative outlets, Xie Jin managed to retain some autonomy and emerged as one of the cleverest Chinese directors in the early 1960s. In his 1961 film Red Detachment of Women, Jin provides a classic revolutionary melodrama, yet also displays elements of formalism so that the viewer becomes conscious of the manipulations of his film technique. To analyze this film, I will use Mao Zedong’s 1942 “Talks at the Yan 'an Forum on Literature and Art,” clip #10 “Landmark 2,” and clip #6 “We are joining the red army” to elaborate on the major themes and cinematic style that distinguish Xie Jin’s work from his contemporaries.

Ang Lee’s Crouching tiger Hidden Dragon is probably one of the most successful foreign films to ever be screened in America. Being the number one film of the year in 2000. On the other hand it was reportedly considered a flop in China. While it was influenced by American film styles, it still kept true to many aspects of its Chinese film heritage. With very apparent love story, it lacked the Extreme amount of Kung Fu fight scenes eastern audiences have come to enjoy. This is a stunning love story between a monk and widow. While it does have its share of over the top fight scenes, when you start to dig deeper the films many social implications become apparent. With ties to subjects such as religion, martial arts, philosophy, love, and even gender issues. This film is a representation of the modern era and how long practiced traditions are being challenged. Each character and plot line allows a glimpse into the Social and Traditional understanding of a culture.

The film opens with the excellently cast unnamed protagonist as he prepares to tee off amidst the wild and atmospheric moorland of West Donegal, a deeply foreboding and evocative landscape. On the technical side it is mostly without fault, cutting from scene-setting close-ups to breath-taking aerial views, a stylistic marker

This film, being action packed, utilizes a lot of fast paced and even fast-forwarded movements to emphasize the intensity of the situations. An example of this is the scene when Huo Yuanjia

This shows the respect that families had for each other during this time. He greets his mother for the first time in 7 years and doesn’t recognize her face. She then talks of how she is proud of her son as the Emperor of China. I saw it interesting how ordinary people have to turn away; they are not allowed to look at the Emperor because he is too important. He seems very harsh and demanding even at a young age. He tells his brother he cannot wear imperial yellow because it’s only for the emperor. I noticed how woman seem to be treated poorly in this time period.

The last emperor is a very famous film about Pu Yi's life story. The film is directed by Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci (1). The film uses time and space staggered dramatic structure, with flashback, narrative, narrative way of telling stories. Respectively, is part of the memory and reality, the two space-time continuous switching, the formation of the rhythm-sharp story. Bernardo Bertolucci, with his unique shooting style, conquered all the audience. In 1988, sixtieth Oscar won the award for best film, best director, best-adapted screenplay, best photography, best art, best costume design, best editing, best sound, the best original music, nine awards. In this article, we will discuss how the Chinese and Western cultures in the film