City of Life and Death takes place in 1937, during the height of the Second Sino-Japanese War. The Imperial Japanese Army has just captured the then-capital of the Republic of China, Nanjing. What followed was known as the Nanking Massacre, or the Rape of Nanking, a period of several weeks wherein tens of thousands of Chinese soldiers and civilians were killed..
✓ Released: [realease]
✓ Runtime : 132 minutes
✓ Genre: Drama, History, War
✓ Stars: Liu Ye, Gao Yuanyuan, Hideo Nakaizumi, John Paisley, Beverly Peckous
✓ Director: Han Sanping, John Chong, Lu Chuan, Lu Chuan, Tong Liu
The City of Life and Death (2009) is another solid showing, complete with good performances and an intriguing mystery, but there's a lack of artistic ambition here that keeps it from elevating to the higher tiers of the genre.Although its storytelling isn't particularly innovative, The City of Life and Death (2009) is an absorbing piece of television, with the potential to boost the appeal of Polish productions for an international audience."
City of Life and Death (2009) is staring with Liu Ye, Gao Yuanyuan, Hideo Nakaizumi, John Paisley, Beverly Peckous, a compelling, flawed story of true crime and obsession - and its flaws are part of what make it so intriguing. the movie can be very difficult to watch; it's haunting and incredibly sad. But that's also what made it all the more moving, in the end, to see the survivors join together: bonding, smiling, and living their lives in the light.
What gives Cursed its edge is the source material, which subverts centuries of lore and oppressive systems. The Netflix adaptation isn't nearly as captivating, but it still manages to be a quaint escape from reality. For better or worse, filmmaker Han Sanping, John Chong, Lu Chuan, Lu Chuan, Tong Liu juggles two parallel storylines. Basketball fans will be able to follow along with no problem, most already familiar with the story, but newcomers might find all the jumping around confusing.