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“The Road Home” Directed by Zhang Yimou Starring Zhang Ziyi and Sun Honglei

“The Road Home” proves that two of the best talents in modern Chinese cinema, director Zhang Yimou (“Raise the Red Lantern”) and actress Zhang Ziyi (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”), can express themselves in this quietly moving story as fluidly as in their more explosive and well-known works. For Yimou, who was banned from making films in China for two years after 1996’s “To Live” which criticized Mao Zedong’s political reign, a simple love story seems almost too easy for this controversial auteur. And for 22-year-old Ziyi, who wowed audiences worldwide with her breakthrough role that required the physical agility of a dancer and fighter, the role of a country girl pining for her village’s only teacher still doesn’t seem to exhaust her potential. On the other hand, when two intuitive artists collaborate on what seems like the simplest of stories, the result is a love story that’s not only well-crafted and well-shot, but moving. The film begins with a Jeep making its way through a dirt road to Sanhetun, a village in North China, where Yusheng (Sun Honglei) has come back home to attend his father’s funeral. Once there, he must carry out his mother’s wish that he and the local men carry the coffin down the road to the village while quelling the mayor’s worry that too few men can complete the task. This gives Yusheng an opportunity to reflect on his parents’ courtship. His mother Di (Zhang Ziyi) was 18 when the new 20-year-old schoolteacher Changyu (Zheng Hao) came to town. At first sight, Di was immediately smitten; she passed by the school just to glimpse at him through the bamboo gate. She memorized his walking routes in hopes of passing him, and she cooked her best dishes in hopes he would come to her house. Changyu eventually warmed to her charm, but unfortunately, it was too late. Di’s object of Petrarchan love was dragged away by government officials just as the couple seemed to be starting something. But since viewers know they end up together in the end, there are still certain risks of Romeo and Juliet proportions made by both Di and Changyu before they could stay together. “The Road Home” is not a dialogue picture, but more a series of tableaus that chronicle both the heartfelt pain and the giddiness of a person in love. Yimou takes us on this journey through his heroine’s expressions, which lead viewers to sympathize with her. There is also quite a funny yet heartbreaking scene where Di is just running and running after Changyu, for what seems like miles, while clutching onto a bowl of dumplings. Yimou also does interesting work with the coloring of the film. The flashback love story is filmed in vivid colors while the present is filmed in black and white, adding another layer of mood from the story of first love to the story of loss. All of this leads to an undeniably poignant experience at the movies. “The Road Home” is like a love poem that speaks volumes for the old story -- girl likes boy. Unlike his other films, Yimou doesn’t provide the political backdrops of the era that rendered many such relationships problematic; instead, he attests to the power of love that led to his characters’ dogged willingness to defy the odds.

Sandy Yang Rating: 9

“What’s the Worst That Could Happen” Starring Martin Lawrence and Danny DeVito Directed by Sam Weisman

“What’s the Worst That Could Happen” comically blurs the distinction between thief and victim. Self-proclaimed “businessman” Kevin Caffrey (Martin Lawrence) and multi-billionaire Max Fairbanks (Danny DeVito) engage viewers in a ruthless and hilarious game of one-upmanship. When Caffrey is caught breaking into one of Fairbanks’ opulent homes, Fairbanks decides to steal Caffrey’s lucky ring right off his finger claiming it as a “spoil of war.” As the police are unsympathetic and refuse to believe that the ring actually belongs to Caffrey, much comedy ensues in the process of trying to reclaim it. The film immediately makes use of Lawrence’s signature comedic stylings – different voices, wild body movements and animated gestures – in the opening scene at an auction house. Here Lawrence encounters his love interest, and after their initial encounter the budding romance quickly evolves. The pace of the film moves rather quickly with the cat-and-mouse chase between Caffrey and Fairbanks upon which the film relies for most of its humor. While the movie lacks something in the sense of plot development at the onset of the story, the basic idea of professional thief versus less-than-ethical billionaire that carries the film is enough to sustain the audience. Based on the novel by Donald E. Westlake, director Sam Weisman and a talented cast bring a truly funny movie to the silver screen. While the situation is cause for humor in itself, the film definitely delivers as the paired comedic talents of Lawrence and DeVito prove to be a winning combination. The film also includes a glowing supporting cast including John Leguizamo, Ana Gasteyer and Richard Schiff, who bring their roles to life and make them their own. The movie reels the audience in with great comedy despite a conclusion that some could find less-than-satisfying. Clever characters and winning performances both serve to make “What’s the Worst That Could Happen” one of the funniest films of the season.

Kristen Lara Rating: 8

“Himalaya” Starring Gurgon Kyap and Lhakpa Tsamchoe Directed by Eric Valli

It’s no wonder why the foreign language film “Himalaya” won the Cesar Award for Best Original Music. Throughout the film, music is a powerful vehicle that manages to speak and move the hearts of the audience. When the rebellious son of the enemy clan Karma (Gurgon Kyap) returns with the yak caravan to the Dolpo region of Nepal in the Himalayas from trading, the thunderous music races with the people who hurry to greet them. When Pema (Lhakpa Tsamchoe) steals a few moments to be alone and falls to her knees, cupping her face in her hands crying for her dead husband, poignant and moving music channels the anguish of her loss. The frequent music that plays throughout the film has a universal language that livens many of the scenes with sounds of joy, sorrow and glory. Another unique aspect of this film is that it is portrayed from a documentary angle. It captures the mountains of the Himalayas with its animals soaring and racing above and upon its valleys. Even more, the film captures the traditions of a Tibetan culture situated in the challenging conditions of the Dolpo region in Nepal using unknown actors. While this may render the film too educational and not entertaining, it actually incorporates an interesting plot that adds to the success of the overall production of the film. The death of the chief’s son begins the tale of two contending members in the village of the Dolpo region. When Karma returns with the dead body of Chief Tinle’s son Lhakpa, the obstinate and despotic Chief Tinle (Thinlen Lhondup) rashly blames Karma and accuses him of murdering his son to be the next chief. A yak caravan must leave and trek across the dangerous mountains of the Himalayas to trade the village’s salt for other provisions although they have no leader. Chief Tinle will not let Karma lead the caravan. The rebellious Karma sets off with a group of young male villagers, while the old chief leads another and older group several days later in accord with a traditional forecast determined by rituals. Before Karma leaves, he asks widow Pema and her young son Passang (Karma Wangiel) to join his caravan. Pema, the quiet heroine in the film, reinforces her loyalty to her father-in-law Chief Tinle by refusing. It is a harrowing and life-threatening journey, but Chief Tinle and his caravan are able to catch up to Karma. After a short rest, with no tensions ironed out, the two leaders leave on different days. This makes way for the rescue of Chief Tinle, who gets left behind from the rest of his caravan, and is found by Karma almost frozen to death in the wintry mountains. Finally, Chief Tinle grants Karma the title to be the next chief and dies in the mountains before the journey is complete. The story of the conflict and voyage becomes framed in a fresco that the lama and second son of Chief Tinle, Norbou (Karma Tenzing Nyima Lama) paint in his monastery. This is a beautiful touch to the film before its final closure. “Himalaya” is a unique combination of documentary and tale, and the music that infuses the two together leaves a profound impression in the hearts of the audience.

Jinjue Pak Rating: 9

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