Jin ling shi san chai
Tags: melodrama, violence, murder, haunting, flashback

Plot synopsis:
An American mortician, John Miller (Bale), arrives in Nanjing in order to bury the foreign head priest of a convent for Catholic girls, just after the city was bombed and invaded by the Japanese forces. A short time after his arrival at the convent, a group of flamboyant prostitutes from the local red-light district find their way to the compound looking for shelter, as foreigners and foreign institutions seem to be left alone by the marauding Japanese soldiers. While the prostitutes hide out in the cellar, Miller struggles with and finally gives in to his feelings of responsibility to protect the teenage schoolgirls, and poses as the convent's priest when the compound is repeatedly visited by Japanese soldiers looking for girls to rape. With the help of Chinese collaborator Mr. Meng (Kefan), who is the father of one of the girls, he starts to repair the convent's truck in case there should be an opportunity to bring the girls out of Nanjing.Japanese Colonel Hasegawa (Watabe) finally promises to protect the convent by placing guards in front of the gate, and requests that the girls sing a choral for him. After the performance, he hands Miller an official invitation for the girls to sing at the Japanese Army's victory celebration. Fearing for their safety (especially since the guards' main concern seems to be not letting any of the girls leave the compound), Miller declines. Hasegawa informs him that it is not a request, but an order and that the girls are going to be picked up the next day. Before they leave, the Japanese soldiers count the girls and erroneously include one of the prostitutes (who has strayed from the cellar looking for her cat), totalling 13.Induced by their de-facto leader Yu Mo (Ni), the prostitutes decide to protect the girls by meeting the Japanese on their behalf. As they are only twelve, the former convent priest's adopted son volunteers as well. Miller initially opposes their self-sacrificing decision, but ultimately assists in disguising them, using his skills as a mortician.The next day, the 13 are led away by the unsuspecting Japanese soldiers. After they have left, Miller hides the convent girls on the truck he repaired. Using a single-person permit Mr. Meng was able to obtain, he drives out of the town. In the last scene, the truck is seen driving on a deserted highway in Western direction, away from the advancing Japanese army, towards safety.

Review: Good movie is like a mirror, some people might get upset watching it, while others see love for others, respect for life, and the human spirit of fighting for peace out of tragedy.
Almost everything in this movie is based on real history, including how Japanese tortured Chinese war victims, how prostitutes stood up to protect other women during the Rape of NanJing, as well as how some westerners resided in China at the time helped local Chinese.
I have read a few reviews on this film and I have noticed most people saying ''Its too graphic'', it is a war film and the graphic effect was a great way of showing the audience the true form of war and the violence the soldiers/people experienced.The cast was wonderful, I was amazed by the outstanding performance of the young Chinese actresses, I had goosebumps when they started crying or displaying any form of drama.
The story is about how a dozen of prostitutes saved girl students from uncivilized Japanese soldiers during the Nanjing(Nanking) massacre period (starting from Dec. 13, 1937, lasted for two weeks, 300,000 murdered, 80,000 raped).
The more shocking and repulsive aspect is, till today, the Jap government has denied the atrocities committed in Nanking and attempted several times to rewrite their school history text books; failing only due to the constant protest of the Chinese government and the integrity of its own purist historians.An amazing movie with a brilliant Chinese cast, under the usual exceptional insightful direction of Zhang Yimou.
Movie has lots of works - Zhang Yimou attempting Hollywood style movie inspired by a novel 13 flowers of Nanjing based on true events, with massive budget with over 100 mn , multiple casts from different country, and nominated for 2011 Oscar nominated film among foreign language films, all the works justifies 2 and half hours film An American born mortician john miller (acted by Christian bale), upon arrival in Nanjing for a burial of a priest, finds himself caught between bunch of orphan students, encroached prostitutes of qin hu river (the 13 flowers) in church trying to escape Nanjing and from the bloody brutal of Japanese army.
A Chinese soldier loses his battalion and himself for the students/flowers A Chinese father becomes traitor to save his only daughter, bunch of prostitutes trying to save the students, A Chinese boy George enacting as a prostitute And john plays a formidable role as a priest to protect the children, giving up his last chance to escape, and his newly found lovehumanity rages a war with the mighty armed and brutal minded Japanese, the movie puts Japanese to shame, something Japanese needs to regret for their brutalities of their fore fathers.
After the movie one could walk with hatred , I for one proud of Chinese , for exhibiting their humanity, Zhongu jiayau it is said who wants to understand the Nanking massacre should watch "City of Life and Death," directed by Lu Chuan, and the documentary "Nanking," by Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman..
I thought I would be ready for this movie."The Flowers of War" tells the story of a roguish American mortician John Miller (Christian Bale) who was sent to a Catholic church/convent in Nanking to prepare the body of the priest for burial, who was then under siege by the Japanese.
A visually stunning war epic from Chinese director Yimou Zhang, this film tackles the infamous rape of Nanking by the Japanese in 1937.
Within a short period of time, several prostitutes arrive at the church to hide from the rampaging soldiers.Bale is great in the lead, as always, as commanding a presence as any actor working today and his female counterpart, newcomer Ni Ni, is someone to watch out for, she is beautiful and has a star quality that is undeniable.
For someone who is known for the action- choreography in his movies (such as "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers"), Zhang keeps the viewer riveted to the seat through the first 30 minutes or so when Japanese forces run through Chinese the city of Nanking, unleashing mayhem and violence.The framing and editing work in tandem to create stunning visuals that convey both the widespread destruction due to the heavy artillery, as well as the intense pain and angst of those hit.
I could not help but get reminded of movies like Full Metal Jacket (1987), Saving Private Ryan and Thin Red Line (1998).The scene where young Chinese soldiers run in an "in-line" formation towards an advancing Japanese tank, with the hope that the last man in the formation, who is a human-bomb, will get close enough to the tank and immobilize it, is outstanding.
The lone surviving Chinese soldier forsaking the safety offered by a convent of nuns and going back to take on the well-armed invaders; the decision of the prostitutes to stand-in for the young and adolescent nuns who are called into the Japanese garrison for a "performance" at a celebration party and the young errand-boy at the nunnery making the choice to step in as a substitute to make up for the count for the choir are some great moments.Zhang gets Christian Bale to show his slow but complete transformation from being a drunken mortician with hedonistic leanings to a determined man who sees the protection of the innocent victims (nuns, prostitutes and the young boy) as his calling.The violence and gore notwithstanding, this movie is one emotional roller-coaster that is sure to make you take a pause and think about the casualties of war and the power of keeping up hope when in despair..
its really great movie but from my point of view it could be more greater with a different ending showing what really happened for the prostitutes and the young boy i give it 9 its really amazing sound effect motion picture casting i really fill that am watching something real.
Fortunately therefore, though Zhang Yimou's take begins on an overtly jingoistic slant, it eventually settles for a nuanced approach that exudes the very humanity at the heart of Yan Geling's story, becoming a moving and poignant account of heroism and self-sacrifice.Opening with the first of just two battle sequences throughout the whole film, Yimou starts off emphasising the heroism of the Chinese soldiers who were outnumbered and outgunned by the invading Japanese troops.
And despite boasting none of the gaudy excesses of Yimou's previous big- budget extravaganzas (a la 'Curse of the Golden Flower'), production designer Yohei Tanada deserves credit for the visually intricate designs of both the cathedral as well as the war-torn streets of Nanking.Nonetheless, what will likely resonate most at the end of the day are the film's twin messages of courage in the face of fear and humanity in the face of atrocity.
Yimou's confident direction also makes for a multi-faceted movie that offers various perspectives on the war through its myriad characters, while placing Miller, Yu Mo and a thirteen-year old convent girl Shu (Zhang Xinyi) at the heart of it.
Then the tearful hugging with whispering farewells, such as, "You live a good life for me", reminding the viewer of what captain Miller whispered to private Ryan before passing away: "Earn it" in the movie Saving Private Ryan.The love scene between the lead prostitute and John was not as contemptuous to Christianity, or insulting in the solemn context of Rape of Nanjing, as some critics might have suggested.
Nanking has always been at the centre of controversy for the Japanese's refusal to admit to the atrocities committed and to downplay the number of casualties involved, and this has led to numerous films from documentaries to Lu Chuan's excellent City of Life and Death to have dealt with the pain and suffering by the Chinese during the Japanese invasion and occupation thereafter.The central character to Zhang Yimou's Nanking tale happens to be a young schoolgirl by the name of Shujuan (Zhang Xinyi), escaping from the soldiers who have come to occupy the city, and seeking refuge at their own church and convent school.
If anything, this also becomes John's story in keeping things harmonious amongst the groups, and finding it within himself to hold the key to everyone's survival as much as he can, given he's a foreigner and by and large having whatever little influence to keep the Japanese at bay, which is right outside the gated courtyard.Nanking atrocities have been told countless of times through various mediums and through film, and Zhang had probably decided not to overdo, or overly place a focus on the atrocities committed by soldiers, which becomes tempting to focus on the plenty of blood, gore and of course the much talked about sexual violence against the womenfolk in the city, whatever their age.
Since the tale started with the invasion of the city, Zhang Yimou sees opportunity in presenting a mini war action film, that deals with one small squad's, and then one Captain's, relentless fight against impossible odds to keep the convent girls safe from harm.Then it became John's story-arc in his transformation from uncaring drunkard with his skirt- chasing ways, to a man finally woken to the harsh realities of war, and the atrocities that are being committed from right under his nose should he choose to be passive, stand around and watch, or better yet, escape when being presented a chance to do so.
Bale got to exercise his Mandarin again, which is nothing new to the actor, although here his attempts were confined and limited to keywords rather than phrases, communicating with the schoolgirls, and Yu Mo (Ni Ni) the prettiest amongst the working girls, using English since they have been schooled in a convent.Unlike most Nanking films, Zhang Yimou's film, based upon the novel by Yan Geling, chooses to focus on what would be a great escape, and a singular primary challenge that everyone had to overcome through sheer wit with death as a possible outcome, that makes the film really moving when it broaches the theme about sacrifice.
The starring, Christian Bale , and the rest of the cast are excellent with special mention to gorgeous Ni Ni ; as the movie is powered by splendid performances in charge of Chinese and Japanese actors who during filming suffered some inevitable discussions .
In the massacre of Nanking 1937 ,an American takes shelter in a church along with a group of girls..Starring-Christian Bale ,Ni Ni,Zhang Xinyi,Tong Dawei Director-Zhang YimouFlowers Of War is a brutal movie which captures the terrors that the Chinese faced during the massacre of Nanking.The movie is well shot and has a solid cast...The first half of the movie, which is action packed,is lead by Tong Dawei who plays Major Li ..The second half is more of drama and it is taken up strongly by Christian Bale and Ni Ni...The good points of the movie are its top class war scenes at the beginning of the movie, and the performances of the entire cast..
It can't be overlooked in analysis also that for a film costing north of 90 million American dollars it's a slight event picture that rarely ventures out from the church in which the survivors of the invasion hold out in, which seems a wasted opportunity considering the stories just waiting to be told outside the churches gates.Obviously striking a chord in its country of origin (where it's one of China's highest grossing films of all time), viewers (who rate it a staggeringly high 7.5 on IMDb) and some industry experts (the film was nominated for Golden Globe) Flowers of War feels like a mighty misstep of a film upon watching now.
It is set in 1937, Nanjing, China, during the "Rape of Nanjing", at the time of the Second Sino-Japanese War. A group of escapees, finding sanctuary in a church compound, try to survive the plight and persecution brought on by the violent invasion of the city It was named the top-grossing Chinese film of 2011.
Posing as a priest, he attempts to lead the women to safety (plot), No doubt, The Flowers Of War is one of the best films in of 2011, director Yimou Zhang present a really great film, Cinematography, story, screenplay, acting, custom, art direction and everything in this film was perfect, and the best thing in the film was Christian Bale!
>> If I was one of the academy judge i will give another Oscar to Christian Bale, he was amazing in the film present a really great performance, anyway, it's a powerful movie, highly recommended..
Most of the movies i was waiting to see this year when they release....all of them disappointed my expectations ....then all of sudden this movie caught my attention no because its a Chinese movie because its a war movie and i like very much war and world war 2 based movie and i have heard a little bit about"Nanking"i watched it till end credits ends because i remained still for sometime ...wordless...i never expected it from Chinese director "Yimou Zhang"...and i said it is the best movie of the year and if this movie didn't get the 2 or 3 Oscar then hell with Oscar organization...what a movie,Chinese actors did their job perfectly and "christian bale" did the right thing for picking up a serious role rather than "batman" thing and especially soundtrack really touched my heart,i cant speak and understand Chinese,but i heard it as Chinese is my native language...a song named "Qin Huai Legend I (Falling in Love)" ...i heard it again,again and again ....so much emotions in it....Chinese director has beat the Hollywood this year and for sure ...a must watch...my rating is 10/10 for this great movie..
I was deeply moved by the courage of those girls when facing such misfortune...After movie, I was thinking ...certainly, it was immoral and wrong for Japanese soldiers to do dishonorable things such as "the rape of Nangking", but if it was not because of the corrupt of Ching Government, China definitely would not be invaded by the Western Powers and Japanese...I guess it's fine to forgive those Japanese criminals if they've punished, but as a Chinese man/woman should never forget about this history which filled with blood and tears.
During the 2 hours this film displays the horrors that were evident during Japan's rule of Nanking, and the fear and sadness it spread amongst the Chinese.Christian Bale plays a good performance and develops as a character from the start as a money directed man who has no intention of helping others without compensation.
As John Miller (Bale) tries his best to direct the students to safety, he cannot stop the force of the Japanese.Yimou Zhang's direction in Flowers of War is 'spielbergian' in it's action scenes, and captures the scale of battle at a realistic level.
I found the Christian Bale (one of my preferred actors) character role script a bit too stupid and out of place, as is as I found the soldier who revenge, Rambo style, the first Japanese incursion in the church really fun but unbelievable, even more in his last attempt.Don't get me wrong the movie tells a nice story about heroism where you least expect it, where least you can expect integrity and strong, but it really didn't engage me, because forced and flat.
Filled with various languages including English, Chinese, and Japanese this film attempts to do something very rare and bring these two cultures of filmmaking together in hopes to create something truly special, through a painful time in history.The Flowers of War follows a mortician who arrives at a Catholic church to prepare the priest for burial, but is thrust into the middle of the Sino-Japanese war, among the convent girl students and prostitutes of a nearby brothel.
As the LA Times critic stated, 'The Flowers of War has broken new ground for China's movie industry: It's among the first domestically financed films to star a high-profile Hollywood actor (Christian Bale), and its reported budget of close to $100 million makes it the country's priciest production to date.
But when it comes to storytelling, Zhang Yimou's 19th feature is decidedly backward-looking: A lavish period weepie set against the atrocities of the Nanking Massacre, "Flowers" abounds with well-worn movie archetypes and slathers on schmaltz.'Briefly stated, in 1937 China, during the second Sino-Japanese war, a mortician, John (Christian Bale) arrives at a Catholic church in Nanjing to prepare a priest for burial.
Watching it you get the feeling there is several artistic agendas going on such as War porn that'll appeal to war film junkiesArt house cinema especially to those people who don't like war porn A Chinese version SCHINDLER'S LIST where a flawed human being saves the innocent from evil People who enjoyed the BATMAN reboot down to Christian Bale All these aspects seem to get in the way of one another and cancel each other out which makes for a relatively unsatisfying epic movie .
THE FLOWERS OF WAR feels like it should be a true story, a kind of Chinese version of SCHINDLER'S LIST if you will, but despite the fictional nature of this production it proves to be a heartwarming and moving tale of courage and bravery in the face of oppression.We're back in Nanking and the invasion of the Japanese in 1937.
It's difficult to pull off, and I wouldn't say it always works, but for the most part, this is a brilliant movie.Flowers of War has received a lot of "The Color Purple"-style criticism along the lines of, "some things are too ugly to be made so beautiful." And while I disagreed with that analysis of Purple, I do, to some extent, agree here.The movie immediately shows typical Zhang flourishes, like a small but marvelous moment where a cart full of fleeing people cuts the strings of a musical instrument as Japanese soldiers are hunting down and killing Chinese civilians in the famous Rape of Nanking.The opening scenes are intense and disturbing.