The Banquet (Ye Yan) by Zhang Ziyi

By Jian Shuo Wang on 2006-09-16 23:15 · Movie

Went to see The Banquet by Zhang Ziyi. The movie was directed by Feng Xiaogang…

It was 35 RMB at 10:20 PM at the Cinema of Grand Brand Mall.

I don’t have too many comments for this movie. It is not as interesting as other Feng Xiaogao movies, but it is not as bad as Wuji…

From the logical analysis perspective, I feel although the director changed, the style is not too much different from the previous several movies, like House of Flying Daggers, or Wuji. The team (the photographer, creative designers, music, and act designer) are the same as other Chinese movies. Now, the scene is good, but the story is not as strong. It takes time for the staging and story to catch up, and it will be really a great movie.

Image in courtesy of The Banquet

Zhang Liangying (one of the winner of the Super Girl) performed very well in the ending song. It is one of the highlights for the movie.

****powered by ODEO

20 Comments

I have not seen the film,so I do not have any comments on it. You certainly had a good time in the cinema.It's my only comment.

— qingtingwei · 2006-09-17 21:52

I would like to know: how variable are the movie ticket prices in Shanghai, and in other parts of China these days?

— bigbro · 2006-09-18 00:22

Basically, it is unified - like The Banquet, it is 70 RMB across the city. However, for rush hours, like weekend in Xujiahui, they charge 90 RMB per person. Some cinemas offer half price, like Tuesday in Peace Cinema, and 9:00 PM in Super Brand Mall...

— Jian Shuo Wang · 2006-09-18 01:01

At first, I think you have Banquet with Zhang Zi Yi.

But I'm wrong...

— ZPL · 2006-09-18 12:55

pictures from the premiere of The Banquet:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/69913255@N00/sets/72157594277642861/

— jfk2pvg · 2006-09-21 16:09

I saw the movie on tuesday.. tickets were half price as Wang said.

The best part for me was the girl singing at the end.. other than that it was quite boring and odd. Basically it's about greed and power.. it's what goes around comes around..

— Shaun · 2006-09-21 17:32

I'd love to see The Banquet... but I just got to Shanghai about a month ago and my chinese is really bu hao. Is there anywhere showing chinese movies with english subtitles?

— Anagi · 2006-09-22 00:18

No such service, as far as I know. You may need to wait for the DVD to come out, and maybe they have the feature of English subtitle.

— Jian Shuo Wang · 2006-09-22 01:45

I am also eager to see The Banquet, I loved A World Without Thieves and have heard lots of good things about Cell Phone (though I've yet to find a English subbed version - not been looking that closely though).

@Anagi: I'd be surprised if you couldn't find it somewhere displayed with English subtitles in Shanghai. For a big international release like this, they've usually got them. I'm not sure about Shanghai, but up in Dalian they regular featured the big Chinese releases with English subtitles at the larger cinemas.

Sometimes the International release dates are later and so the English subs aren't done up yet - but this debued at the Toronto Film Festival about a week ago - and i'm guessing that it had subtitles there.

@Jian Shuo: I liked HotFD, but The Promise was a bit... meh. Overrated, Yunnan polluting garbage was the first thing that came to mind... but yeah.. 'meh' fits better. It did have good points. The movie I'm sorta keen on seeing is this new Zhang Yimou film. I had originally heard it was Chow Yun-Fat and Gong Li... had no idea that Zhou Jielun was going to be in it... Jay Chou in a frigin' Zhang Yimou film... is this the beginning of the end?

— The Humanaught · 2006-09-22 22:32

Well I went to peoples square cinema and they HAD english subtitles.. this is not normal? I mean, that's how I follwed the movie.. lol ^-^

— Shaun · 2006-09-23 15:55

Went to see this movie the other night, I found it terribly boring and was playing video games on my phone and falling asleep towards the end of the movie. Boring Boring Boring.

Got a punch in the arm off my girlfriend to wake me up at the end.

— ash · 2006-09-26 23:52

I hate to say these garbage so-called "famous directors" just don't know history. There are lots of famous banquets in chinese history and art works which support telling stories. Tha fact that these illiterates are in power is a shame!

— moviefan · 2006-09-28 02:16

i haven't seen the movie yet! but my dad said that this movie is pretty good.. is there any english subtitle in this movie cuz i'm still learning my mandarin.. and eniwei where did the shooting banquet take place? was it in an ji?

— lene · 2006-10-08 17:03

sorry...anyone have other song in The banquet movie..after singing it the girl die..i dunno her name =( but i like it so much...anyone help me to find :(( thank you alot

— Vic · 2006-10-13 23:18

I haven't seen the Banquet yet, but I wish to see it soon.

Don't know if they are in my country yet or not. :(

I like Zhang zi yi ( the actress ) alot. Anyone knows any more website of this movie?

I like this song playing on this page.

:)

Sherry

— Sherry · 2006-10-18 13:37

Not my type of movie. The ending is too obvious for commercial reason. Feng (the director) just wanted people to talk and ask about it in forums and bbs. too obvious. My review: http://geeklog.blogspot.com/2006/10/banquet-ending.html

— Geek · 2006-10-25 00:51

Not my type of movie. The ending is too obvious for commercial reason. Feng (the director) just wanted people to talk and ask about it in forums and bbs. too obvious. http://geeklog.blogspot.com/2006/10/banquet-ending.html

— Geek · 2006-10-25 00:55

well, the movie is nice.. prince wu luan is handsome..

but oits very disgusting bcoz we're ougth to write a philosophical reaction bout the movie.. any1 hu cud hepl me out ther?

— mary ann · 2007-02-11 13:41

good day! can anyone PLEASE tell me who threw that dagger at the empress at the end of the movie? is it supposed to be obvious, or am i just slow in the head? i've just seen the dvd version, and i've eliminated all the possible suspects? aren't they all dead?

— mami · 2008-05-27 13:18

hi..?? just asking if where do i get the theme song of "banquet"?? please tell me..

— phryan · 2008-11-02 19:19