Average Rating: 6.2/10
Reviews Counted: 49
Fresh: 35 | Rotten: 14
Charmingly sweet, Shadow Magic captures the sense of wonder of audiences experiencing the world of motion pictures for the first time.
Average Rating: 6.9/10
Critic Reviews: 19
Fresh: 15 | Rotten: 4
Charmingly sweet, Shadow Magic captures the sense of wonder of audiences experiencing the world of motion pictures for the first time.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 860
Chinese-born, American-based director Ann Hu debuts with this epic historical drama about the introduction of motion pictures to China during the beginning of the 20th century. The film is based on a true story of Liu Jung (Xia Yu), a Peking photographer who struggles to start a film industry in China in spite of the strong anti-Western sentiment of the time. At the film's outset, Liu Jung is scolded by his autocratic boss Master Ren (Liu Peiqi) for his obsession with Western gizmos after he
Oct 1, 2000 Wide
Sep 11, 2001
Sony Pictures Classics
All Critics (56) | Top Critics (20) | Fresh (36) | Rotten (14) | DVD (6)
Some of the hostile reactions to Wallace and his movie machine may seem heavy-handed, but the film reminds us that China had been exploited by Western culture, making the opposition a bit more palatable.
Why not trust the subject matter instead of shaping it all to fit a formula?
Makes us appreciate what today's audiences take for granted: the miracle of the cinema.
Gives us a glimpse of what it must have been like to be mesmerized and seduced by images that still convey magic and mystery.
Shadow Magic isn't interested in psychology or character study. It's a series of tableaux and on that level succeeds admirably.
Top CriticIt's a film about film, and Hu's love of the medium's storytelling power shines through every frame.
In her debut film, director and producer Ann Hu creates a beautiful world with strong characters, both main and supporting.
Despite the fact that it's occasionally corny, Shadow Magic is also so low-key and so charming that you might not care.
Hu's affection is contagious, and there are wonderful moments.
resonates with modern values but maintains its old world charm
What an unremarkable movie this is.
In "Shadow Magic," it is Peking in 1902 where Liu(Xia Yu), the chief photographer for a prestigious photo studio, is seeking innovative ways to help, including playing a recording of western classical music during a photo shoot. His boss(Liu Peiqi) thinks he needs to settle down and arranges a marriage between Liu and
November 13, 2007Super Reviewer
based on true story of film coming to China, this interesting inter-cultural film shows much about how culture affects the world.
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