Review of Shadow Magic (2000) by Michelle A — 05 Sep 2010

I noticed this movie at the library because I think I had, years ago, seen a documentary about the same topic that was rather interesting.

It takes place in Peking in 1902. Locals live a life grounded in tradition, loyalty, and respect. Along comes Mr. Westerner with a moving picture reel, and the assumptions of the past few millenia are in danger. This film shows us the essence of the history of the beginnings of motion pictures in China. The motivation for one main characters, a young Chinese man smitten with Western ingenuity, to get involved in motion pictures was because he wanted to capture what life was like for his people at that time. He realized that changes were coming that couldn't be reversed, and he didn't want his culture or his people to be forgotten. The story was well-told, and included a sweet side story about the young man's longing for a beautiful young woman. I really liked this movie, but some of the acting felt a bit lacking, especially by the Westerner.

Appropriate for adults & kids. In Chinese and English, with subtitles in yellow (subtitles for English scenes too, because of various heavy accents).