A Touch of Sin (Jia Zhangke)

johnny_ultimate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUJt_kf7uKQ

Out in Irish cinemas (sadly that's only barely plural) today, also available on US VOD / Netflix.

One of China's most notable directors, Jia Zhangke's latest is a bold and uncompromising critique of modern China. Presenting four different stories - each focused on forms of violence and revenge - it's a dark, ambitious and absolutely fascinating work. On one hand, it's a very blackly comic thriller and series of character studies, while on the other it's a troubling exploration of corruption, exploitation, class / geographical inequality and much more besides. Zhangke is committed to encouraging the audience to understand and critique the characters' actions and the reasons behind them, even if they're not always forgivable. Further moving away from the militantly lo-fi presentation that defined his earliest films, it's also a very atmospheric film with plenty of visual flair (and no small amount of sinister smog creeping into the frame throughout).

Check it out if you can: it's a deep and intelligent film that challenges conventions in a consistently engaging way.

aficionado

Really enjoyed this, I had been waiting for a movie like this to come from China for quite awhile.
It still hasnt been released in China, but I really hope it gets the green light, great visuals and hits some recent political issues

Fysh

I've just been reading about this in S&S, sounds pretty interesting so I'll try to get into a cinema screening if one's happening near me.

aficionado wrote: »

Really enjoyed this, I had been waiting for a movie like this to come from China for quite awhile.
It still hasnt been released in China, but I really hope it gets the green light, great visuals and hits some recent political issues

Apparently this has been compounded by a leaked copy doing the rounds online, which has caused the distributor some understandable concerns about the feasibility of turning a profit on the theatrical release. Hopefully it'll get out there anyway.

johnny_ultimate

aficionado wrote: »

Really enjoyed this, I had been waiting for a movie like this to come from China for quite awhile.
It still hasnt been released in China, but I really hope it gets the green light, great visuals and hits some recent political issues

Have you seen any of Zhangke's other films? The others I've gotten around to all explore social and political concerns too: in fact, you can see a lot of them pop up time and time again, such as the rural / urban divide and the disaffection of Chinese youth and its various consequences.

I think A Touch of Sin will probably appeal to a wider audience than any of his other work though. Whereas the other three or four I've seen have all been very slow, considered arthouse dramas, this explores similar territory but with much more 'action'.