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Title: Gorgeous Zhang Yimou film
Review: Zhang Yimou knows how to paint a beautiful picture even against a backdrop of gray death and despair. I thought this story was told with amazing skill from the point of view of the Chinese people on the occupation of Nanking. Considering that not all the Japanese were portrayed as rapists and murderers, Zhang displays a deft hand at attempting to make all his characters as three-dimensional as possible with what little screen time the Japanese soldiers have. What the Japanese did to the people of Nanking was beyond imagining. Unfortunately for even the few that were cultured and not rapists and murderers of women and children, going against their orders was not an option for a Japanese man. Wonderful performances coupled with gorgeous cinematography (the lush green and gold color of a cheongsam against the gray dust and concrete of a ruined city) make this film a must-see.
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