How long has it been since you went to the cinema to watch a Hong Kong movie?
Many people say that for the same movie ticket, which costs dozens of dollars, they would rather watch a big Hollywood production than a Hong Kong movie.
Or, from the perspective of casts and special effects, Hong Kong movies cannot compare with Hollywood movies. Since they are all for entertainment, why do we still watch Hong Kong movies, especially when many Hong Kong movies are no longer shot in Hong Kong?
It is a fact that the quality of Hong Kong films varies. It is also true that many Hong Kong movies have long looked north to China. But the trajectories of these Hong Kong movies actually read a Hong Kong story at the same time - movies tell stories, and many of the stories are also a reflection of the times. We will see that some Hong Kong movies are very un-Hong Kong, but when many famous directors leave the local market, some new directors appear and tell another kind of Hong Kong story.
I support Hong Kong movies because I don’t want one day to show only non-Hong Kong “Hong Kong” movies in our theaters, and we don’t want only big-budget movies that are watched by the whole world.
So, apart from watching Hong Kong movies, how can we understand what is lacking in Hong Kong movies?
Referring to other Chinese-language films may be a way out, especially Taiwanese films. In recent years, we have seen Taiwan's recovery, producing one critically acclaimed movie after another, and even caused a craze in Hong Kong. When many people talk about making local Hong Kong movies, what exactly are local movies? Are only local movies that talk about politics?
Taiwanese movies tell you that this is not the case. A film that cares about its own country can talk about politics, but not necessarily politics. It can also talk about history, land, and social climate. This is an area that Hong Kong movies still need to explore.
Chinese-language films also include Chinese films, Malaysian films, and Singaporean films. These movies are also worthy of reference. What constitutes a good story shows that more investment does not mean a better movie.
In addition to feature films, documentaries are also talked about. Hong Kong has always ignored documentaries, and the official Academy Awards does not have relevant awards. Even so, the importance of documentaries is unquestionable. Through real images, it presents the neglected people and affairs in the city and records every major and minor incident, which often carries the power of surveillance and prosecution.
Reading Jiaming's film reviews, we understand how to read movies, what processing techniques are good, and what needs to be improved. This is a requirement for art. As a medium, movies are a leisure interest for many people, but they are actually more than just entertainment. In the freeze-frame of light, shadow and sound, an era is presented, recording not only the story, but also the style of the entire city and the characteristics of the era.
More importantly, what kind of person should the person who makes the movie be, and what kind of person should the person who watches the movie be? How should we become better people by watching movies. This is a lifelong practice.
