When Xiao Bei is tied up in a precariously violent scenario, unable to follow Chen to sustain her safety, she’s viciously ambushed by Wei Lai and her tractable compeers. It’ll remain unclear what was cut because of unfortunate censorship, still, Tsang trifles with indie sobriety but submits entirely to Yu Jing-Pin’s sharp cinematography — employing puissant close-up shots, grainy lighting and unwavering camerawork. Add to List. This subfusc tale gets even bleaker when the bystander becomes the victim. Ratings: 9.1/10 from 2,772 users # of Watchers: … Well, actually, three words: Tenet ending explained.By now you've watched Christopher Nolan's complicated spy thriller and you're left with some very big questions. It isn’t until Xiao Bei enters Chen Nian’s life that she experiences a sense of safety — and before we know it, two broken souls conflate into a doomed romance. A bullied teenage girl forms an unlikely friendship with a mysterious young man who protects her from her assailants, all while she copes with the pressures of her final examinations. All I have for you is a word. If only this dispiriting suicide finally impelled school officials to crack down on the matter of bullying, but, “gaokao” remains at the utmost importance. Let us know what you think in the comments below. Neither rhyme nor reason Without common sense or logic The Comedy of Errors, Act 2 Scene 2. Any political or social statement made this overtly doesn’t belong in a movie like this. For her FX television series “Better Things,” which returns for its … Still exposed to the merciless bullies, Chen Nian can’t spend her days alone, walking home in utter fear, so she persuades Xiao Bei to become her bodyguard. Officially approved a theatrical run in China that started October 25, it wasn’t long until, is a harrowing and soul-stirring drama that does naturally bear political vim and importance. A hard-hitting drama about bullying slips into melodrama. Shortcomings aside, Chen Nian shouldn’t be a slave to what she didn’t do, even so, she should acknowledge where she went wrong and learn from it. But exquisitely acted by. Having been pulled from competition at the Berlin Film Festival, it was then pushed back … Cast: Zhou Dongyu, Jackson Yee, Yin Fang, Huang Jue, Heliao Luyun, Liu Ran, Luo Junlin, Wu Yue The editing is a bit hurried, especially when the quieter scenes between Chen and Xiao need more screentime to garner more impact. In a later scene, Xiao Bei looks to make amends with Chen Nian, fixing her phone and giving her money back that the men stole. The film begins with a calculated suicide, orchestrated by a reserved student named Hu. However, her stubborn unwillingness to communicate with him is frustrating to watch. Minutes later, Hu leaps off the school’s second story, accepting the unknown than enduring the ill-treatment of her peers. With a, ll of the topics being cultivated in this 2-hour venture, it can get a bit jumbled and enervating. The scene was great, but the effectiveness only lasted a few seconds, while I've been thinking about The Sopranos ending for years now. TWITTER If only this dispiriting suicide finally impelled school officials to crack down on the matter of bullying, but “gaokao” remains at the utmost importance. With fearful eyes, demure bearing and blinding impassivity, delivers a riveting lead performance that lures you in with unadorned empathy and desolation. Tsang can’t quite settle on an ending here, offering up about 3 or 4 endpoints, most of which are very good and then goes one big step too far in the final moments when Better Days becomes a full-blown to-the-camera PSA for anti-bullying. A popular song by Blink-182 describing a young boy’s suicide note. 5 – 1980: New Wave, Cinema City, Jackie Chan & John Woo, The History of Hong Kong Action Cinema Pt. The “gaokao” is getting closer and closer, and she’s now subjected to Wei Lai’s abuse —principally because she’s afraid that Chen Nian may tell the police that she’s the prime culprit in Hu’s death. But now, Better Days is set to hit cinema screens in China this week, four months on from its originally-announced release date. One factor had to do with, brutal depiction of bullying, and another factor happened to do with the underscoring of the ‘gaokao’, China’s taxing national university entrance exam, which concurred with the planned release date. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. World sales: We Pictures Unfortunately, t, he Chinese government decided to pull the plug on the project’s premiere and forthcoming release. Creditors belligerently knock on the door every day it seems, demanding payment. Wrestling with her friend’s tragic death and how she never intervened to halt the bullying, Chen Nian isn’t given the chance to voice her heartache and frustration. How John Cusack and Ione Skye's real unease helped push the scene to icon status. Director: Derek Kwok Cheung Tsang As the follow-up to Avatar, The Legend of Korra's titular protagonist was the total opposite of her Avatar … Production designer: Liang Honghu , Hu (an engagingly muted Yifan Zhang), the only student Chen Nian can even call a friend, has committed suicide, curveting to her death from an upper floor of the school, landing in a disfigured, bloody pile on the platform below. Yes, the finale is clearly false: the last ten minutes or so have most probably been added because of censorship. But exquisitely acted by Zhou Dongyu and beautifully shot, Derek Tsang’s stark film doesn’t hide the brutality of bullying. She is waylaid after school on her long trudge home by three girls who wear malice on their faces. Producer: Jojo Hui (aka Yuet-jan Hui) The film begins with a calculated suicide, orchestrated by a reserved student named Hu. The track appears on his album Stories and on his two-track EP Pure Grinding / For a Better Day. 6 – 1980-2000: Handover & Second WaveThe History of Hong Kong Action Pt. We Try to Explain By Distractify Staff. Maybe it was apprehension that she’ll become the next target of Wei Lai’s torment; maybe the stress of the “gaokao” made her pay no heed to her surroundings, distorting reality with equations and English conjugation; or maybe the bystander effect (, individuals are less likely to offer assistance to a victim when other people are present). Regrettably, school officials are disinclined to foist penalties against Wei Lai’s circle; after unremitting lobbying of parents, the bullies’ ramifications are markedly mollified. Check out the new teaser trailer for Better Days starring Dongyu Zhou! Groceries, goals, to-do, got-done — you name it, she lists it. ), it’s not any different: She’s pulled under the weight of the NCEE (National College Entrance Exam) or “gaokao,” China’s grinding, two-day test that will determine her future. And for good measure, there is a fantasy romance between the proper heroine and a scrappy guttersnipe played by Jackson Yee from the popular boy band TFBoys. The weighty essence of Tsang’s drama was going to exhibit graphic bullying; a bulk of most national teen films but manifestly baneful for China’s image. "For a Better Day" is a 2015 single by Swedish EDM producer Avicii featuring uncredited vocals by American singer Alex Ebert released on Universal Music. The two brothers ending up in Heaven – along with Bobby (Jim Beaver) – isn't the part of the finale that fans have taken offence to. From the award-winning team of Soul Mate, comes a new Chinese drama movie by Derek Kwok-Cheung Tsang, starring Jackson Yee and Zhou Dongyu. The walkers were never going to … Share Share Tweet Email. One day, when Bei isn’t around, she’s caught by the bullies who cut off her hair and strip her in a sickening scene of senseless violence. Even the ending theme plays accompanied by a series of still images from previous seasons, showing the members of the 104 th Training Corps in better days, reminding the audience of … Truthfully, societal and parental neglect are unyielding entities that have a major (or minor) influence on a person’s state of mind or perspective on things. Bullying and growing up are two occasionally parallel topics that generate a lot of emotional resonance with the audience. One of several Chinese films that were abruptly pulled from the Berlin Film Festival in February, Derek Kwok Cheung Tsang’s Better Days (Shao nian de ni) struggled to get domestic release in China, before going on to top the box office in November for several weeks running. Better Days in US theaters November 8, 2019 starring Zhou Dongyu, Jackson Yee. For nearly ten million high school students, this exam not only determines where and if they get to study but the fates of their entire families as well. Verbally pushed by her authoritarian teachers to master the test to accomplish long-time success, it gets worse for Chen Nian when she becomes the next victim of bullying. To censor the truth is a crime against the people, the victims of bullying who aren’t able to lean on their parents, the law or society because, in this instance, academic triumph is proclaimed in a biblical sense. Deborah Young Nonetheless, bullying is the central concern that holds the most gravity. “And then the bottom drops out.” That loss, to a Fort Wayne squad that finished 18-15 overall and just 7-7 in the Summit League, foretold what was to come over the next three plus years — in more ways than one. I would be fascinated to know … Synopsis. Related: The Favourite: True Story & Ending Explained Released in 2015, The Lobster was Lanthimos’ first English-language feature and received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. As Chen Nian and Xiao Bei’s incipient relationship continues to prosper, and emotional truths are revealed, the film hinges on the trauma of school bullying and other forms of abuse both parties suffer from. Better Days (2019) Details; Cast; Reviews; Recommendations; Photos; Edit this Page. “I’ve seen better days,” one-hit wonder Citizen King sang in 1999. A victim of unabating abuse helmed by Wei Lai (a relentlessly and effectively cruel Ye Zhou), Hu is the sufferer of one final mortification as her classmates gather around her body, taking photos and posting them online, broadcasting the tragedy to the world as hopeless bystanders who let the bullies’ unspoken dominance run unchecked. 0. This subfusc tale gets even bleaker when the bystander becomes the victim. It’s a break from their usual light-hearted material, but the end is … It’s a simple act of kindness that inadvertently turns her into the next target of the bullies’ abuse, who are greatly concerned that she’ll tell the police and school officials about their maltreatment. is a mostly earnest drama that plods through bullying, academic stress, murder and tragedy, retaining a fittingly bleak and dolorous tone. Harnessing enough rage, Xiao Bei fights back, fleeing the scene with deep scratches but dignity attached. When it comes to school bullying, the consequences are unregulated, likely resulting in self-blame, self-hate, acts of violence, including suicide. Better Days (Chinese: 少年的你; In His Youth) is a 2019 Chinese romantic crime film directed by Derek Tsang and starring Zhou Dongyu and Jackson Yee. “gaokao” and being able to attend a top-tier university. A scene where Dongyu and Yee say nothing to each other speaks volumes. What did you think about its portrayal of bullying? Jun. | Do Not Sell My Personal Information “Better Days” is handsomely shot and has an affecting piano and … She is just a couple of months away from The police come to the school to investigate the suicide. A brighter future relies on Chen Nian getting an outstanding score on the “gaokao” and being able to attend a top-tier university. Its main attraction should be for youth audiences as it rolls out in limited offshore release through distribs like Well Go USA. Cyberpunk 2077: Every Ending Explained Cyberpunk 2077's multiple endings are easy to miss if you don't follow the right steps along the way. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Indiana has been something of a one-hit wonder during the Miller era, and the pattern … Despite showing very little emotion, Chen Nian has a voice, yet it’s suppressed by virulent peers and academic conquest that drains her energy and time. If it had accomplished nothing else, "Diabolique" would deserve our affection for two reasons: It contains the original of Peter Falk's TV character Columbo, and it inspired one of the funniest stories in screen history. We need to speak up as faint-hearted bystanders, and Better Days will surely inspire most audiences, particularly those on the East end. Music: Varqa Buehrer In many ways, Better Days is a melodrama, a brazen one for that matter that toys with its topics in a commendable yet scattered manner. principally because she’s afraid that Chen Nian may tell the police that she’s the prime culprit in Hu’s death. Bullying and growing up are two occasionally parallel topics that generate a lot of emotional resonance with the audience. Also sign me up for FanMail to get updates on all things movies: tickets, special offers, screenings + more. Unfortunately, the Chinese government decided to pull the plug on the project’s premiere and forthcoming release. As the torment escalates, amplified by social media, Nian panics, fearing she’ll lose her concentration for the big exam. Watch Trailer. But - almost incredibly - this finale doesn't really ruin the good work done in the two hours plus before it. All Rights Reserved. The “gaokao” is getting closer and closer, and she’s now subjected to. She trudges closer to the unseen aftermath of Hu, laying under a jacket to mask the gore of Hu’s lifeless body, and Chen Nian’s forlorn eyes emanate so much heartbreak. 135 minutes. Editor: Zhang Yibo Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. Derek Tsang, who is the son of HK actor and producer Eric Tsang, has a feeling for his young protags that smooths over some narrative awkwardness. To censor the truth is a crime against the people, the victims of bullying who aren’t able to lean on their parents, the law or society because, in this instance, academic triumph is proclaimed in a biblical sense. In the wake of the ongoing protests around the … The editing is a bit hurried, especially when the quieter scenes between Chen and Xiao need more screentime to garner more impact. Xiao Bei becomes Chen Nian’s bodyguard, furtively lurking behind Chen Nian on her way to and from school to protect her from the implacable bullies. Henri-Georges Clouzot's 1955 thriller, now re-released in a restored print, however, accomplishes much more, creating a diabolical double-reverse plot that keeps the … It received a limited U.S. theatrical release on November 8, 2019. All politics behind-the-scenes aside, Better Days is a harrowing and soul-stirring drama that does naturally bear political vim and importance. Regardless, the motif and theme of the movie has to be told one way or another, bullying is perhaps an often forgotten topic in Chinese society, and one that is not always recognized in a country where everything is developing at such a lightning pace. Derek Tsang’s Better Days was on its way to cinematically encompass China’s education system and broader societal dysfunction at the Berlin International Film Festival, until getting a wide theatrical release in June. Albeit the romantic spark faintly lingers between them — primarily because their connection is largely based on relatability and how they’re all too familiar with unbounded anguish —Tsang doesn’t try to vindicate Xiao Bei’s sordid actions to resolve Chen’s bullying problem. A Simple Favour ending explained: What really did happen to Emily? Any political or social statement made this overtly doesn’t belong in a movie like this. This pious act targets her as the bullies’ next victim. Music … Costume designer: Dora Ng The body on the other side of the locked gate in the pit is Neil, but another Neil — we know because of the red string (which we can only assume is … One night walking home alone, Chen Nian runs into Xiao Bei (Jackson Yee), an impecunious dropout, currently being beaten up by a ruthless group of men. Suddenly, a burnt and deformed dead body is unearthed near a construction site, and the second half sprinkles in a mystery that’ll inevitably cause Chen and Xiao’s romance to implode. Chinese film “Better Days,” about disaffected youth and a mysterious death, has been yanked from the Berlin Film Festival. © 2020 Film Inquiry. Attempting to call the police, the group of men stops her in her tracks and begins to taunt her, coercing her to kiss Xiao Bei. Were dramatic, existing solely in the most unexpected places, whether be! 'Better Days ' ( 'Shao Nian de ni ' ): film Review bullying depositions ( or the lack )... 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