When I was very young, I would go with my father as he would run errands, take care of errands, and visit friends. These distant memories are from the early 1960’s at a time when America was competent, growing, healthy and full of promise. At that time, the only threats that faced America were the Beatles and the Soviet Union. It was a time when a single nickel (a coin) could buy you a long necked soda, and a dollar bill could purchase  a full hamburger platter at the local diner.

In those days my father would periodically  visit friends and drag me along with him.  Of course, I was always happy to go. In those days it was all very casual, and not formal at all. He would maybe tell them that he was going to stop by in a day or two, and then a few days later we would visit. Depending on the friend it might be us sitting in a dim living room while a show was playing, and my dad and his friend drank a beer or two. At other times it might be the two sipping coffee while soft jazz or classical music played in the background.

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I well remember one visit. I was given these sweet cookies to smuch on while the television set was on. The show had these dancing chicks moving and grooving inside these hanging cages. They wore long white boots that went up to their knees. They wore these scandalous dresses that exposed their legs, and had these large hairdoos. The would clutch on the bars of the cage and swing and sway to the music. Their super colorful outfits would be stunning, and they seemed to really be enjoying themselves.

There would be this small crowd of folk dancing under the girls. The walls would be a constant cascade of flashing colors and these bright colored blobs that would change shape like honey or syrup on the walls. The guys and gals were always so fashionable. Even I could see that. Yes. Even at that early age. They were all in their twenties, more or less. Ancient in my eyes, but my father said that he really liked watching them dance.

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I guess that time changes. Duh! But you don’t realize it because most of the time the change is rather slow. For instance, at that time, the big scandal was the Beatles and their insane haircuts. They had bangs and the hair even touched the tops of their ears! Scandalous! And people started wearing patterned shirts. Then when I was attending middle school in the 1970’s we “graduated” to FM music. And an entire world opened up to us. No longer would we endure the static of the AM radio as we drove on a bridge, or when a big truck passed us on the road.

University years consisted of high-end stereo’s and these big ass speakers that inhabited our poster encapsulated cinder-block rooms. Depending on the friends that I was hanging out with we listened to either progressive rock, country and western, or The Grateful Dead which always seemed to lie in a class by itself. It wasn’t until the last few days of my final year that I was exposed to MTV. And when exposed to it, the girl that I was seeing at the time, and I spent hours in front of the televisions (in her parent’s rented hotel room) watching it.

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Working life as an adult was pretty much a completely different  situation. I only listened to the music going to or from work. And given that most of the radio (the radio stations during the 1990’s were all pretty much gobbled up by enormous radio syndicates) presented a very bland and uninspired mix of “classic” tunes, I ended up escaping to talk radio.

Today, with the internet, you can watch videos, and encounter all sorts of music. All you dare need do is explore and use various applications that you might favor. Whether this is Trance, Disco, Country and Western, Soul, Reggie, Classic, or anything in between.

But in America, I’ve noticed the same-old, same-old reoccurring all over again. Big, powerful forces, are monopolizing the internet narratives. Whether it is the “news” or the applications that we use, everything in the United States eventually migrates to one or two “big guy” corporations that squeeze out everyone else. And they end up with a monopoly on whatever venue that they control. This is true, whether it is the “news” or music.

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But I am not in the United States. I am in China. And the music and “news” environment is quite different here.

Here, in this article we are going to chat a little bit about some of the more popular contemporaneous music that is floating around in China these days. And so, yes you are right, this is a China Music post.

The Wandering Earth

As the sun is dying out, people all around the world build giant planet thrusters to move Earth out of its orbit and sail Earth to a new star system. Yet the 2500-year journey comes with unexpected dangers, and in order to save humanity, a group of young people in this age of a wandering Earth fight hard for the survival of humankind. -IMDB

Here in this post. We’re going to talk a little bit about contemporaneous Chinese videos, music videos and movies. Life is too colorful and interesting to assume that the only worthwhile entertainment comes from the United States. It’s silly, and it’s false.  The world is filled with all sorts of interesting and provocative entertainment; you all just have to be aware of it.

So you give it a try and look about and see what is presented to you.

The very first video is a music video that was released in association with the Chinese movie titled “The Wandering Earth”. It’s actually a very very good movie.  It has a lot of borrowed elements obtained out of Hollywood.

(Which is for the most case, obtained through purchasing the Hollywood companies directly. As well as hiring the workers, hiring the actors, and the organizations and businesses that made the elements of Hollywood that we see today.)

Minus of course, the progressive “improvements” that you see in the latest Hollywood movies.

In a sense, the problem with “Ghostbusters” is similar to the ongoing problems with strong female characters in general. From the parts I saw, the approach to that movie was shallow and crass in that it painted nearly every male supporting character a bumbling idiot in need of female guidance. This was especially true of Kevin, the dim-witted secretary played by Chris Hemsworth.

I get that some of that approach was an effort to inject the kind of humor that made the original Ghostbusters so funny and memorable, but it really fell flat, almost to an insulting degree. It reinforced the notion men somehow need to be denigrated or taken down a peg for female characters to be strong.While it didn’t offend me, personally, it certainly undermined the story. 

A world full of idiot men isn’t that bad. That’s a huge part of the appeal for shows like “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy.” However, that kind of appeal doesn’t fit with that of Ghostbusters.

-The Mixed (And Misguided) Messages Of All-Female Movie Remakes

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Anyways back the “The Wandering Earth”…

This movie depicts a scenario that is quite cataclysmic and rather upsetting. It’s sort of a Chinese version of the American staple starring Bruce Willis.  You know which one… ”Armageddon”.  In fact I would even go as far as to say that it’s a cross between “Mad Max at thunder dome” and the “end of the world opus “Armageddon”.

It has everything. It has heroes, a greater purpose to save the world for humanity, people working together, interpersonal relationships, a Love story, technology, Fear and horror. All wrapped up in an exciting package.

Plus there isn’t any of that social revisionist nonsense that seems to drive American Hollywood movies these days.

This movie was released in early 2019 during the CNY holiday. And, it made a big splash all throughout China and the world with one major exception; The United States. The fact is that hardly anybody in the United States heard of the movie.

Here’s a Bing Search for Science Fiction movies in 2019…

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Oh, don’t misunderstand me. There were theater releases… a few. And some token showings. Here and…

…there.

But that’s it.

It’s not that the movie itself was banned, it’s just that all promotional activities for the movie itself was suppressed. You won’t find any promotional activities or promotions for this movie in the United States and there’s a reason for that.

And of course the reason is no longer in office.

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Anyways it’s an enjoyable science-fiction movie. And, um, it’s touching on many levels. It differs from American movies that were also made in the same year at the same time. And because of that you’ll notice that there are no gay people, lesbians or transgenders in the script.

It’s refreshing.

Now, it’s not that I have a problem with people of alternative lifestyles, it’s just that I don’t enjoy watching them. It’s the same way I feel when I watch two dogs having sex. It’s not repulsive, but it’s also not entertaining for me.

OK.

Don’t believe me. Check out this review…

“The Wandering Earth” cured my winter depression. 

Seriously: on opening night, I happily joined a packed Times Square auditorium-full of moviegoers watching this science-fiction adventure, which stars a talented ensemble of of Mandarin-speaking actors trying to stop the Earth from crashing into Jupiter. I left the theater hoping that “The Wandering Earth” would be one of this year’s Chinese New Year’s hits. It grossed $300 million in China during its opening week alone, a hopeful sign that we’ll see more entertainment as assured as this.

The setup might seem familiar at first. Two teams of astronauts fight to save the Earth years after its leaders transformed it into a planet-sized spaceship to escape destruction by an overactive sun. The first team is a two-man skeleton crew: the square-jawed Peiqiang Liu (Jing Wu) and his Russian cosmonaut buddy Makarov (Arkady Sharogradsky). The other is a small exploratory group led by Peiqiang’s feisty twentysomething son Qi Liu (Chuxio Qu) and his upbeat partner Duoduo Han (Jinmai Zhao). These factions respectively spend most of their time battling MOSS, an unhelpful computer in a remote space station; and exploring an ice-covered Earth in stolen all-terrain vehicles (some of which bring to mind “Total Recall,” specifically the tank-sized drill-cars).

But while director Frant Gwo and his writing team blend Cixin Liu’s source novel with elements from American-made sci-fi disaster films—including “Armageddon,” “The Day After Tomorrow,” and “Sunshine”—they synthesize them in a visually dynamic, emotionally engaging way that sets the project apart from its Western cousins, and marks it as a great and uniquely Chinese science fiction film.

For one thing, rather than build the tale around a lone hero ringed by supporting players, “The Wandering Earth” distributes bravery generously amid an ensemble that includes action hero Wu; rising stars Qu and Zhao; and comedy institution Man-Tat Ng, who plays a grey-bearded spaceman named Zi’ang Ha. The script, credited to a team of six, never valorizes a singular chest-puffing hero, nor does it scapegoat a mustache-twirling antagonist (not even MOSS, the sentient, HAL-9000-style computer program in the space station). 

The teamwork theme is cross-generational, too. Both Peiqiang and Ng (formerly the straight man to film comedy superstar Stephen Chow) are treated with reverence because they’re older, and are therefore presumed to have more experience and stronger moral fiber. The veterans work well with the film’s younger astronauts, whose optimism makes them as brazen as they are idealistic. 

This apolitical blockbuster about a post-climate-change disaster extends its belief in teamwork to the rest of the international community. The movie is filled with narrative diversions that reassure viewers that no single country’s leaders are smarter, more responsible, or more capable than the rest—except, of course, for the Chinese.

Second, “The Wandering Earth” looks better than most American special-effects spectaculars because it gives you breathing space to admire landscape shots of a dystopian Earth that suggest old fashioned matte-paintings on steroids. Although Gwo and his team realized their expensive-looking vision with the help of a handful of visual effects studios, including the Weta Workshop, they have somehow blended their many influences in bold, stylish ways that only Hollywood filmmakers like James Cameron and Steven Spielberg have previously managed.  

Third, the film’s creators breathe new life into hackneyed tropes. Gwo and his team take a little extra time to show off the laser beams, steering wheels, and hydraulic joints on their space cars and exoskeleton suits, to make the gear seem unique. And the storytelling goes extra mile to show viewers the emotional stress and natural obstacles that the characters must overcome while solving scientifically credible dilemmas (all vetted by the Chinese Academy of Sciences). This movie may not be the next “2001: A Space Odyssey,” but it’s everything “2010: The Year We Make Contact” should have been (and I like “2010,” a lot).

A week after seeing “The Wandering Earth,” I’m still marveling at how good it is. I can’t think of another recent computer-graphics-driven blockbuster that left me feeling this giddy because of its creators’ can-do spirit and consummate attention to detail. The future is here, and it is nerve-wracking, gorgeous, and Chinese. – Simon Abrams

The movie itself has a very interesting back-story.

For starters, no one wanted to make it…

Chinese movie industry had contacted some famous directors: James Cameron, Luc Besson, Alfonso... to name a few. All rejected the proposal. 

The job eventually landed on a not-so-famous director Frant Gwo, who was most passionate about the original story. 

Gwo and his colleagues wrote an outline of 25,000 words, which was way above normal. They spent 6 months together, working day and night, writing then rewriting the draft. In the end the draft alone has one million words. 

Each character you see in the film has detail background and stories.

And the funding for the film dried up. It was abandoned in mid-stride and left swinging in the wind for a spell.

Wanda Media originally invested heavily in this film, but later pulled out the fund for another romantic film. 

This move almost halt the film production, but luckily the team persuaded the actor Wu Jing to forfeit his pay, even made him investing in the film. Wu jing had one condition, that they must make it a "good film", which they faithfully achieved. 

The movie became a smashing hit in Chinese market, and Wu Jing will get his money back and much more. 

Interestingly, Wanda Group's other subsidiary, AMC theaters, is the major distributor of the film in the US. However, you will watch the film in subtitles without English voice dubbing.

A large portion of the story was removed from the movie. Leaving some head-scratchers as to what was actually going on…

Many scenes didn't make the final cut which made the story a bit confusing at times. 

For example, the original novel mentioned there's a growing distrust towards the United Earth Government among people as a conspiracy theory spreads stating that the Sun is not going to die any time soon and the whole Wandering Earth project is just a cover for elites to have total control over the population. 

This explains why those rescue teams carry weapons. And it also explains why Li Yiyi (the nerd) was very aggressive (swinging a wrench) when the main protagonists entered his truck as the truck was probably sacked by rebel forces. 

Also in the final scenes protesters are seen walking on streets of underground Beijing. This also explains why the "Firing Rock" (Lighter Core) is not stored near the earth engines. As earth engines are fusion cores and to start a fusion reaction it takes a lot of energy. 

It can be assumed that the "Firing Rock" (Lighter Core) is similar to a nuclear bomb and can't be lost to rebel's hands.

And there were some “nods” to actual events and international “tie-ins”…

The order in which the various international crews turned around to help push in the firing pin is the same order in which the various nations arrived to help China in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.

When reading the American reviews, you will find that many of them are actually negative. Many were upset at the idea of people working together for the greater good. They wanted to see movies about singular heroes working alone and over coming odds.

Yeah.

The American way.

"While it might seem like it’s common sense to give up your seat on the bus for a pregnant person, it turns out some people don’t understand this concept and are so entitled, they think this world is entirely every person for themselves. 

Someone on Reddit asked if they were in the wrong for not giving up their seat on a public bus for a pregnant person after they had worked a long shift and had tired feet..."

-An unrelated discussion about giving up your seat to a pregnant woman.

They were also upset in the idea that the earth would pull together to save humanity.

In 2019, just about EVERY SINGLE REVIEWER believed that there would never be a threat or catastrophe that would end up pulling people together to fight a common cause…

…One year later the Coronavirus COVID-19 hit.

And the American audience was quite right.

In America it was every man (or women) for themselves. It was the rest of the world that pulled together to fight the common threat. Not America. Meanwhile a large segment of the population refused to work together and that proved to be an absolute fiasco with over a half a million deaths as of this writing.

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Incidentally, an ex-girlfriend's sister's husband just died by the Coronavirus. It started as a light shallow itch in the back of his throat. He thought nothing about it. Two weeks later it hit him like a ton of bricks. He was hospitalized, and died in the hospital.

Anyways, many of the movie reviews were terribly negative. In fact, the reviews were SO ABSOLUTELY NEGATIVE, and the lack of MOVIE PROMOTION within the United States points to suppression.

And so, yeah the American movie reviews were negative.

But that’s actually meaningless, because many of the reviews were from “bots”. And you can spot them easily. Most movie reviews on IMDB are either one sentence comments, or three or more juicy paragraphs with great details and comments about specific scenes. These reviews all fit the following profile…

• One paragraph long.
• Two groups. A low rating between 1 and 3, and a “high” rating between 4 and 6.
• No specific scenes, or characters mentioned.

"The Wandering Earth is an overly ambitious, laughably implausible, thoroughly confusing, clumsily edited mess. The plot runs amok with too many hollow characters making stupid decisions without reason. Action sequences were so badly shot and edited it was hard to figure out what was going on. The CGI varied from passable to worse than a 90's video game. Acting was stilted and expressionless. Dialog was rambling and inefficient with an overuse of weird computer voices to explain what was going on. By the end I couldn't care less about the characters and fell sleep." 3/10

-Overly ambitious, laughably implausible, clumsily edited mess 

Thus, the movie drops to the bottom of all Science Fiction listings. It falls like a stone.

Which is why you can’t find it in general searches.

I’ll tell you, this nonsense about trying to influence what others do by swarming ‘bots on comment sections is irritating. I can take it on Amazon, and other product venues, but in the entertainment world, it’s just irritating.

Anyways…

The movie was released with a number of songs. In this case, the song was有种 by孟美岐 . It’s a catchy tune, and is a great listen. It has all sorts of scenes from the movie, that many Americans (apparently) think are “stale”, “boring”, and “uninspired” according to the internet.

Check out the video it opens up in a separate tab.

Here’s the Music Video (it is in a zipped file) so that it will not take forever to download…

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I think that one of the biggest problems that Americans have about this movie is that it is culturally too different from the American culture. This movie is about people coming together to fight a disaster. Whereas, in most American Hollywood far, it’s a single lone person who takes a lead to fight an enemy single-handedly.

• Die hard
• Armageddon
• Commando
• Predator
• Terminator
• Dirty harry
• Death Wish

But as much fun as it is to imagine yourself in the hero role fighting impossible odds, the truth is that the reality is something far different. We all need to grow up a little bit and come to this conclusion.

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If the human species is to advance, it will be by group participation. Not by a handful of extraordinary people.

Don’t believe me?

How do you think a star basketball player would fare against an entire basketball team that trains and works together as one?

Plot Elements

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The first plot element to go viral was an automatic “warm reminder” recited repeatedly by the giant carrier vehicles in the film, becoming somewhat of a catchphrase:

“道路千万条，安全第一条；行车不规范，亲人两行泪。”
“Routes are countless. Safety is foremost. Unregulated driving, loved ones end up in tears.”

Not long after the film’s opening day, this robotic voice message could be heard both on Alibaba-owned navigation app Amap and Tencent-owned QQ Map, with variations also to be found on ride-hailing app Didi Chuxing.

People who had driven to reunite with family for the Spring Festival could also see these lines on public LED screens lining highways around Chongqing, Suzhou, and Shanghai:

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Anyways, long story short.

I personally believe (all internet manipulation aside) the movie “The Wandering Earth” appeals (resonates) to Chinese people because it…

• Shows people working together for the common good.
• Shows that governments can create huge constructions.
• That by shared sacrifice, by both young and old, a future can manifest.

As such, these points are the opposite of what contemporaneous America stands for. In America…

• The lone individual is far better than any group of people.
• Governments cannot create huge constructions. Only private industry can.
• No one need sacrifice anything. It’s a human Right to do your own thing.

No need to type away and aggressively tell me how wrong I am. I could be right or I could be wrong. It’s all a matter of opinion. Nothing more. Don’t get too caught up in it.

When I was a boy

Although news coverage brought increasingly disturbing reports as the decade progressed, prime-time programming presented an entirely different picture. The escapist fictional fare of prime time made little reference to what was being reported on the news. That began to change in the late 1960s and early ’70s, but the transition was an awkward one; some shows began to reflect the new cultural landscape, but most continued to ignore it. 

That Girl (ABC, 1966–71), an old-fashioned show about a single woman living and working in the big city—with the help of her boyfriend and her “daddy”—aired on the same schedule as The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS, 1970–77), a new-fashioned comedy about a single woman making it on her own. In the same week, one could watch The Lawrence Welk Show (ABC, 1955–71), a 15-year-old musical variety program that featured a legendary polka band, and Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In (NBC, 1968–73), an irreverent new comedy-variety show plugged into the 1960s counterculture. 

The 1970–71 season was the last season for a number of series that had defined the old television landscape, including The Ed Sullivan Show, The Lawrence Welk Show, The Red Skelton Show, The Andy Williams Show, and Lassie, all of which had been on the air since the 1950s or earlier. Such traditional sitcoms as That Girl and Hogan’s Heroes also left the air at the end of that season, as did a number of lingering variety programs.

CBS was the first of the three networks to radically overhaul its program schedule, eliminating several shows that were still delivering very high ratings. Such CBS hits as The Jim Nabors Hour (CBS, 1969–71), Mayberry R.F.D., and Hee-Haw were all in the top 30 the year they were canceled by the network. The Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres were also eliminated at the end of the 1970–71 season, and not a single rural comedy was left on CBS, the network that had based much of its competitive dominance in the 1960s on that genre.

Even before 1971, however, more-diverse programming had gradually been introduced to network TV, most notably on NBC. The Bill Cosby Show (1969–71), Julia (1968–71), and The Flip Wilson Show (1970–74) were among the first programs to feature African Americans in starring roles since the stereotyped presentations of Amos ’n’ Andy and Beulah (ABC, 1950–53). Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In was proving, as had The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (CBS, 1967–69) a few seasons earlier, that even the soon-to-be-moribund variety-show format could deliver new and contemporary messages. Dramatic series such as The Mod Squad (ABC, 1968–73), The Bold Ones (NBC, 1969–73), and The Young Lawyers (ABC, 1970–71) injected timely social issues into traditional genres featuring doctors, lawyers, and the police. In another development, 60 Minutes (CBS, begun 1968) fashioned the modern newsmagazine into a prime-time feature.

-The late 1960s and early ’70s: the relevance movement

When I was a young boy, I watched televisions shows such as “The Lone Ranger” and “Superman”. And even “Diver Dan”, and the “Man from U.N.C.L.E.”. Whether it was “The Rat patrol”, or “Mr. Ed”, the stories all revolved around a singular person and their adventures. You couldn’t help but believe that one person can become great, do great things, and make a difference in the world… all by themselves.

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Not to mention that this singular person can become filthy rich and successful and have everything. All they needed to do was follow the dream offered to them by “democracy” and the promise of “freedom” and “Liberty” out of Washington DC.

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Perhaps I am not the only one affected by all this programming. Perhaps entire generations have been programmed in such a way as to believe that all is well and good as long as they stay separate and don’t form into groups or organize themselves.

It’s an interesting thought.

Why would the government not want people to form associations? It seems really odd you know. But with the television programming in the 1960’s and 1970’s came a direct drop-off and collapse of independent clubs and fraternal organizations. Organizations such as the Polish Falcons, the ELK’s Lodge, the MOOSE lodges, and the Good-fellas Clubs all were restructured. And this restructuring was NOT organic, as many of us are expected to believe…

I’ll have to revisit this thought over some beer and (with) some pretty girls.

Or…

Maybe something really different.

It’s been a while since I ate some Greek food, or at least the Americanized versions. Maybe I should smunch on some delicious lamb and drink some frosty ones instead…

Let’s talk about other music videos associated with Chinese movies.

The Great Wall

Starring global superstar Matt Damon and directed by one of the most breathtaking visual stylists of our time, Zhang Yimou (Hero, House of Flying Daggers), The Great Wall tells the story of an elite force making a valiant stand for humanity on the world's most iconic structure.

-Amazon.com: The Great Wall [Blu-ray]

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Again, more mixed reviews. Most Americans hated it.

Why is this, one must wonder. Perhaps Simon Abrams can give us a clue.

Chinese/American co-produced action-fantasy “The Great Wall” doesn’t feel like a McDonald’s-ified version of a Chinese film. True, when square-jawed Matt Damon fights alien monsters side-by-side with Chinese soldiers, the film sometimes feels like a spectacular big-budget action epic with a golden-age western-style hero. But the makers of “The Great Wall” succeed where many westerns fear to tread, namely by un-ironically valorizing the selfless collectivism that has become a cultural touchstone of modern Chinese cinema. “The Great Wall” has significant problems—namely with Damon and sidekick Pedro Pascal’s lack of bromantic chemistry—but chief among its rewards is its ability to marry its Eastern and Western sensibilities.

Damon and Pascal play William and Tovar, respectively, wandering European mercenaries who are captured by the Chinese army of the Nameless Order shortly after they slay a mysterious green monster. The monster, they are told, is a “Tei Tao,” one of a horde of creatures that attacks the now-famous Great Wall of China once every 60 years. William and Tovar are initially unmoved by the Nameless Order’s considerable plight; they want to make their fortunes by stealing gunpowder from their hosts, and selling it to European traders. But eventually, William and Tovar’s agendas drift apart after William becomes seduced by the formal control and selfless zeal that defines the Nameless Order.

And who wouldn’t be impressed? The Nameless Order marches around in colorful suits of armor that come in hues of indigo, crimson and cerulean. They launch themselves at their enemies using pulleys, bungee cords, hot-air balloons, boulder-spewing catapults, and many, many arrows. Each crowd shot in this film is remarkable, but not because director Zhang Yimou (“Hero,” “House of Flying Daggers“) and his assistant directors know how to direct extras. On the contrary, the impassive faces of the Nameless Order’s soldiers remind us that all of these people, together, are remarkable. In that sense, the scene where William admits that he killed a Tei Tao “alone,” without the aid of Tovar or his slain mercenary colleagues, is a significant reminder of the film’s communal ideology: William, as an undisciplined loner, must prove that he’s worth just as much as a selfless Chinese soldier. 

The film’s action scenes also exemplify a sense of precise, shared responsibility that one rarely sees in action-spectaculars. The army works together as a unit, just as the Tei Tao do. You can imagine how hard that philosophy might be to enforce given that it demands a big enough budget to focus on two warring armies’ clashing maneuvers. But no, the film’s action set pieces are not only thrillingly large-scale, but visually rapturous, despite a preponderance of computer-generated imagery. There are a handful of well-choreographed and well-directed, Damon-centric action sequences, but it’s very easy to be seduced by scenes that focus on impersonal warfare. In the latter scenes, the art department flexes their collective muscles with every lionhead-shaped helmet and barbed offensive weapon. Who could remain unmoved after watching a group of individuals dangle, thrust, and throw everything they’ve got at a legion of deranged-looking creatures?

Unfortunately, the film slows down whenever it becomes a buddy comedy starring William and Tovar. If I had to guess, I’d say that screenwriter Tony Gilroy (“Duplicity,” “The Bourne Legacy“) was brought on to the film to punch up Damon and Pascal’s wobbly scenes of light banter. But there’s no spark between the two actors. In these scenes, Damon and Pascal perform time-honored roles that you’ll find in many Asian films: the Caucasian performers who look like they wandered onto the wrong set and are unsure of what acting is. Damon orates through clenched teeth, which suits his fight scenes, but makes him sound constipated. Combine that with a weird Irish-inflected accent that presumably is meant to be generically European—his character boasts about fighting in various European conflicts—and you’ve got a crucial black hole where your leading man should be.

Thankfully, “The Great Wall” isn’t really about Damon’s character. In fact, it works best when he’s part of a group, though he does predictably drift into a leadership role eventually. William’s story is an assimilation narrative, after all, one where the hero sees the error of his past and tries to fit into a society that values utilitarian goals over individual needs. “The Great Wall” is unlike any American blockbuster you’ve seen, a conservative movie with action set pieces that are actually inventive and thrilling enough to be worthwhile. See it on as big a screen as you can.

The point is that in China, it is the group working together for the group that defines what China is. While in America it is the individual doing his “own thing” under the watchful eyes of his approved overseer. No wonder there is a clash in cultures.

• China – The group works together as one.
• America – The individual is supreme and does his “own thing” alone.

And no wonder why many Americans despise this move with it’s pretense that the group can accomplish great things for all, as opposed to a lone hero that accomplishes amazing feats, basks in endless glory, climbs to the top of a mountain of gold and gets the girl in the end.

Never the less, America withstanding, the reviews from the rest of the world were interesting…

I just saw it in Romania in a good 3d cinema. The movie tells a legend. And it tells it so beautifully! The cinematography is breathtaking and for all the duration I was more than a movie spectator, I felt part of that legend, a character from that story, present among the troops defending the wall. If a movie succeeds in delivering such an experience, the rest is not important anymore.

In this point, I don t care anymore about plot holes or historical inaccuracies, because I came to cinema to see a fantasy, a Chinese legend with monsters and heroes. And there I was, in a war story, set in a different world, filled with amazing elements of the old Chinese culture, surrounded by exceptional warriors, beautiful landscapes and bloodthirsty monsters. I am very saddened to see the negativity among critics and public surrounding this movie. Complaining about historical inaccuracies or being racist about the mix of races is so misplaced. I hope people will go see it and ignore the bad criticism and prejudices about it.

-There are many legends about The Great Wall, this is one of them

And here’s one from China…

I'm Chinese and I don't think to have Matt Damon as the main character is a white-washing or anything racist. 

Some foreigners are needed to show foreigner's perspective of the magnificent China : the Great Wall, the weapons, the army, etc.While the CGI, costume designers and production staffs are whites, 90%+ of the casts are Chinese. Even the directors are Chinese. The director Zhang Yimou pick Damon by his artistic choice. 

This is not a Chinese film, nor a Western film, this is definitely a collaboration, which prove that if we human, from East, and West, if we trust each other and to work together, we could achieved great things. 

If even Chinese are not offended, why white people called this film racist?

-The Opposite of White-washing

Some Americans enjoyed the movie…

I'll be honest, I thought that this movie will be very bad. 

Came out in the month where movies expected to be blessed with negative reviews, it was no surprise that I thought it would be one of those ill-fated movies.

In the end, I've underestimated it.

"The Great Wall" follows William (Matt Damon), a mercenary who tries to obtain the "Black Powder", a deadly explosive, only to get caught in a battle against monsters that awakens every 60 years. 

For those who doubt that it will be good, mark my words: Don't underestimate this movie. 

The movie was a surprise all the way to finish. 

The acting was great, The visuals were amazing, the cinematography was breathtaking, and the action were incredible. 

Matt Damon as always gives a fine performance as the hero (Heck, even his Mandarin, although only a word, is very good). 

Andy Lau were also great as Strategist Wang in his first Hollywood movie. 

The biggest surprise was the female lead played by Jing Tian, she's really good and surprisingly, pretty fluent in English. William Dafoe (I not expect him to be in this movie) is also very great. 

Lu Han (Yes EXO-L's! It's EXO's Luhan!) is a scene stealer. 

Although he has a small role, He's very good at acting and truly one of my favorite characters in the movie. 

My criticism was it's plot. 

It's basic idea is like Independence Day with Chinese culture mix. Although it actually worked very well, but *SPOILER ALERT!!!* Kill the queen or we all die?", come on writers, you can do better than this. 

Another one is the length. 

A 100 minute movie isn't enough for a story with this kind of scale. If only the studio made it like 2 hours, it would be better for more character development and understanding the story.

Additionally, I don't understand all the negative reviews, especially from Chinese audiences. 

I'm a Chinese-Indonesian, and I absolutely love this movie. 

I saw criticism about the main lead being American. 

I'm telling you, there are 5 main leads in the movie, and *SPOILER ALERT!!!* 3 of them are Chinese, Plus most of the focus IMO are directed to the Chinese main characters. 

Another one is that the movie isn't based on the legend of The Great Wall. 

This is a fantasy movie, so of course it's not! 

The film even mentioned it in the beginning!!! 

To me, these negative reviews are purely hate for this movie. I think that most of them haven't seen the movie and simply hate it for no reason.

Overall it was a surprisingly good movie, and arguably one of the greater movies in January. If you want to see a fantasy movie, this is a perfect movie for you.

-I've never thought it would be THIS good.

Yes. Those that did enjoy the movie were much like this fella…

I can't stand these unfair and unreliable reviews.

So, this is my first review for a Chinese film. I would say I felt the same feeling of excitement when I watched Lord of the rings (LOTR). 

I even like The Great Wall more than the hobbit.

We've watch hundreds of movies with bad reviews and we knew that as long a film has at least one 10/10 fair review, don't hesitate to watch a movie. 

Ignore the noise of negative people. 

Let them get sick with their views.This is great movie that combines history and fiction. Enjoy it! Just like what the actors said.. "TRUST"!!!

-I enjoy it a lot. Ignore the critics.

Maybe it’s just misunderstood…

I love the movie. If you haven't decided yet whether to watch it or not, well, it is a very entertaining popcorn flick with a LOT of monsters. Enjoyable to look at and pleasant to listen to.Here I just want to point out a few facts about the movie that many people might get wrong, mostly because of their preconceptions.

Spoilers ahead.

First, there are apparently some "white savior" moments in the movie, but there are also a lot of "Chinese savior" moments. So who saves whom doesn't really matter. The wall was miles long and there were hundreds of thousands of monsters, so Matt Damon shooting down three of them doesn't really make that much difference. 

The true contribution that he made in the movie was that he helped capture a monster alive with his whaling experience in Spain, which makes perfect sense because the other characters, living in inland areas, probably hadn't seen a whale in their life. People simply have different experiences and helping out each other is great.

Second, the relationship between the male and female protagonists was not a romantic one. In the end, they became two soldiers who understood, admired and trusted each other. It is not a clichéd love story. So, the white guy did not get the Asian girl -- and there is nothing wrong if they did love each other.Third, the movie is very fast paced and full of details. Reserve your judgment when you think there is a plot hole or something like that. Have a happy discussion with others before rushing to an angry or condescending conclusion. 

For example, I noticed someone mentioned in his or her review, as an example to show how stupid the movie is, that the catapults could not move and yet could hit the target at different spots. The fact is the catapults could move and the movie spent one second showing you exactly that. 

Also, the Crane Corp, which I heard many people claimed to be useless, was actually practical and powerful in killing and distracting the monsters in that the only weak spots of the monsters were the eyes, which were difficult to aim at from far away, and the monsters were much more dangerous horizontally than vertically.

Last but not least, I'd like to talk about the message of the movie. Some people think the movie just wants to make money. Some think it is China's propaganda tool. While I believe there is some truth in both arguments, the movie can be interpreted from a much brighter perspective and is by no means meaningless. 

Actually the movie has so many meanings that it struggles a little bit to deliver all of them. Trust, greed, courage, sacrifice, and so on. Too many for the movie to have a definite and strong theme. One interesting interpretation I read is that the movie intends to convey that the US and China should work together to defeat terrorism, the core of which is an ideology whose iconic color is also green (like the queen of the monsters). 

My own understanding though is one simple message: what truly differentiates us is not race or culture, but what we believe and how we act. Not a wholly fresh idea but definitely a peaceful one, especially from a U.S.-China co-production.

To put it in a nutshell, the movie is much smarter and much more considerate than many people think. I hope there will be sequels or prequels that can be even better.

-An easily misunderstood movie 

Personally, I thought the movie was pretty epic, but swords and monsters isn’t really my thing. So I gave it a “6”. But the negative review are wholly out of line. If you want a story about magic, barbarians, and conflict on a grand scale this movie does deliver. But it’s made in China, so that is going to automatically turn off the American sheeple. There’s no denying that fact.

Sheeple hate the Chinese. It’s what’s bread into them after four sustained and aggressive anti-China propaganda years. It’s a fact of life. It’s what it is. No more and no less.

And, here’s the video that was released in association with this movie. It’s pretty good, and was on the tops in China for a couple of years. I have it zipped up, and presented when you click on the link. As I stated earlier, this is the music video that came out along with the movie. It’s how Chinese Cinema seems to release movies these days…

And then there is this movie…

Passengers

But this movie was well received in America.

The spaceship, Starship Avalon, in its 120-year voyage to a distant colony planet known as the "Homestead Colony" and transporting 5,258 people has a malfunction in one of its sleep chambers. As a result one hibernation pod opens prematurely and the one person that awakes, Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) is stranded on the spaceship, still 90 years from his destination.

“Passengers is a truly brilliant movie, it’s hard to place it into a genre, but it is very much a sci fi love story. The concept is a great one, and it poses a fabulous question, could you force someone to spend their life with you, or live a solitary life. The idea is very original and very clever, the special effects are breathtaking, and the cinematography is first class. The main trio of actors do a superb job, but it’s the dazzling Jennifer Lawrence that stood out for me.”

Here’s the zipped music video that was released in China along with the movie. The song itself was a long-duration hit as well. I don’t think that it did so well in the USA. It seems that there wasn’t enough “booty wagging” and transgenders LGBT activity to render it of interest to Americans.

And what this is all about…

The next video is not associated with a movie. It is just a simple Chinese music video. Note that it is about the future and the dreams that we all have.

Indeed this is what it’s all about…

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And seriously folks, I do wish and hope that your “Tomorrow 9” occurs for you. You have my wishes and good will. – Metallicman.

Do you want more?

I have more posts in my Chinese Music Index here…

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