Product: Shadow Magic [VHS] (2001)
Rating: 3.0
A feel=good movie a bit on the syrupy side
Don't get me wrong - this is a fine movie. It's full of feel-good moments and light, humorous touches. It's beautifully photographed and each scene is shot and editted with equisite care. It has colorful costumes and exotic street scenes of old Beijing. It's a charmingly-dressed tableau of traditional China at the turn of the 20th century.But perhaps it is a little too charming, from the spotless costumes to the immaculate sidewalks. Our hero bounces through life encountering a cast of well-intentioned characters who conveniently come around at the most opportune moments. The movie aspires to serious drama, but delivers mostly cliches. It reminds one of Cinema Paradiso at places but is much more like Mediterraneo in tone. At least Cinema Paradiso has some real heartbreaks. In this film our hero gets the girl, keeps the job, and to top it off, the closing credits tell us he went on to make a fortune.Perhaps that's The Arnold's reality. But it sure ain't ours.