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rainleaf
Reviews
Scrubs (2001)
Scrubs - Entertainment at its peak
Scrubs is a ridiculously great show. And sometimes there are only two words needed to explain why: exceptional screenplay. It is, without a doubt, extremely well-written. Even if there are those that find criticisms with this show, I think that's a fact that's almost unarguable. Most mainstream comedy shows these days doesn't seem to concentrate on the sitcom formula, rely on background laughter to tickle the audience's favor, have unrelatable scenarios & characters and seem to blend into each other because they're so similar. That's where Scrubs comes in, almost like a breath of fresh air. It's a sitcom the way it's supposed to be, yet ironically the kind rarely seen on TV. Alongside the entertaining characters (and there's every kind of personality present, from the doting Carla to the ranting messiah Dr. Cox) and amazing screenplay, I realize that the real reason why Scrubs works for me is because of its unique narration - in the form of J.D.'s (protagonist played by Zach Braff) thoughts when observing the day-to-day workings of a hospital and the people he encounters. There is always a 'reel' playing in his head, molding hilarious flashbacks and scenarios's from real-life events happening around him. The connection to the main character is thus cemented... and because J.D. is always faced with problems, and tries to squeeze through them with optimistic goofiness, he almost seems to reflect a little bit of ourselves. Also unlike other comedy shows, Scrubs always has time for serious afterthought - reminding us that while there is hilarity in life, the confrontation with reality is inevitable. This show always has the ability to make me laugh, and also think - and I truly believe that's the missing link I really wanted to find in comedy shows I've seen (and not grown to love as much as Scrubs). Scrubs uses that link to the fullest extent, and develops to one of the best shows out there nowadays.
Wo de fu qin mu qin (1999)
a breathtaking story that transcends time
"the road home" is the story of a city businessman, luo yusheng (honglei sun), whom upon learning the death of his elderly father, rushes back to his widowed mother in rural china. the elderly mother, zhao di (yulian zhao), insists that his father, luo changyu, be buried in the village with the traditional custom of carrying the body from the city to the village - so that the soul can find its way home. luo yusheng arrives in hopes to comfort his mother and ease the burial processions of his father with the money he has collected over the years - but returning to his native village teaches him far more than he could have ever imagined.
on the night luo yusheng begins to remember the story of his mother and father, a nostalgic aura surrounds the processions of present-day and we are transported back into the past, to reveal a heartbreaking tale that transcends time. from the black and white present, resonating coloured memories filter in.
an entrancing love that blossoms between a young woman and a new village teacher in a rural Chinese village during the 1950s envelops the screen and radiates from the duration of the film to much, much later when one gets a chance to fully contemplate the beauty of "the road home". the story is told in stunning colours, with an equally stunning landscape of the village and beyond. the characters, as raw and bare as their surroundings, live in a world enclosed from hate and prejudice, despite the cultural revolution that is steadily taking hold of china (during the film). the bare and raw emotion is best portrayed by zhao di (the younger zhao di played by zhang ziyi) in her devotion to the man she loves, luo changyu (hao zheng), the new village teacher from the city. it's the kind of innocent love tale that reaches far, deep into the heart. the lovers speak less with words, and more with their eyes. and even more so with their commitment to each other, despite the hardships they begin to face.
this is one of zhang ziyi's finest performances yet - and it really makes you fall in love with her, and her portrayal of zhao di.
the road home is a simple tale, of simple people, but it's message applies in every aspect of modern-day life. wherever the inevitable occurrences of love, death of loved ones, moving away from parents etc. still very much exists.
many are quick to dismiss the road home as being a boring, slow story that fails to match the fast-paced reputation of most films today, but it's also the kind of film that makes you want to stop your life, and rewind it a little bit. to think of all the important events that happened before you, and that continue to take place everyday that you never stop to acknowledge. i think few films can make you feel that way, but "the road home" accomplishes this feat in flying colours, brightening your life while you're watching it, and long after you've watched it.