The Review: Still Life (2006)

 

Still Life 7/10

Did y'all know that Laemmle be releasing movies online? I didn't. Never even thought to look. Last week Camille mentioned to me that a film called Still Life was available to stream there and that we should watch it. We had seen the directors previous film Ash If Purest White and loved that movie so I was for sure down to watch this one. I knew nothing about it and didn't care. This is how I used to watch movies with her back in the day meaning every year but this one so it was a nice flashback feeling. It is actually kind of difficult for me to explain what this movie was about mostly because I have no idea about what is going on in Fengjie, China. Hell, I don't even know what's going on in North Hollywood. This movie was made in 2006, released here for a moment in 2008, and then re-released in 2016.

This takes place in a part of China near Three Gorges Dam. This place has markers that show water levels. It is being torn down and intentionally flooded to bring in tourism. This dude named Han shows up looking for his wife who left him 16 years ago and his daughter. A driver brings him to the last known address he has and it is underwater. Everyone gives him the runaround as to his wife's whereabouts and he starts working breaking down buildings and living in a hotel. As I was getting into his story it switches to a woman named Shen who comes to the same town looking for her husband who left her two years prior to let him know that she wants a divorce. This guy got a whole new life going and has the nerve to ask her who she is love with. I think the best word I could use to describe this movie is compelling. There was no crazy fights, action, or sex. Just an interesting story about people who seemed real. I still don't know what was up with the UFO's and such. I'll have to read more about that.

Han Sanming as Han Sanming

Zhao Tao as Shen Hong

Li Zhubing as Guo Bin

Wang Hongwei as Wang Dongming

Ma Lizhen as Missy Ma

Zhou Lin as Brother Mark

Luo Mingwang as Brother Ma

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