Fat Choi Spirit
2002 Directed by Johnnie To, Ka-Fai Wai
Synopsis
Andy is a legendary Mahjong player. Years ago Andy's passion for Mahjong cost his family their entire fortune, his brother Louis then turned against him. Thus now Louis suffers from economy downturn. Andy offers to take care of him and their aging mother. Meanwhile, Louis is being trapped by a job interview supervisor and her cons, Sean. Andy revenged Sean by beating him at the game table. Gigi, Andy's ex-flame, is increasing disappointment in Andy's rejection, she wishes he'll never win at the Mahjong table again. Oddly, Gigi's words come true....
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Who knew a comedy framed as a sports movie about mahjong could have so many crane shots? To has fun with applying sports movie clichés to the tile game (there are suspenseful zooms into each player's hand, a sense of cosmic stakes to a meaningless game, even some strains of Morricone-esque showdown music between rivals), but he also brings out the humanity of it. No film that comes to mind has better visualized and narrativized the concept of sportsmanship, and the notion that how one behaves in a game reveals deeper character. Hell, this movie makes me buy that rich load more than anything in the loftiest of sports writing. The topsy-turvy capriciousness of To's filmography gets to play out…
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The best thing one can say about a film based around games is how effective it is at keeping those unfamiliar in the loop while installing respect for the strategy and a desire to learn. To does this better then anyone else I can recall (including televised pro events) by letting his camera float free. Feels like the forefather for Sparrow's whimsical genius, it even captures finesse elegantly. (Just watch their hands)
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The best thing one can say about a film based around games is how effective it is at keeping those unfamiliar in the loop while installing respect for the strategy and a desire to learn. To does this better then anyone else I can recall (including televised pro events) by letting his camera float free. Feels like the forefather for Sparrow's whimsical genius, it even captures finesse elegantly. (Just watch their hands)
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Who knew a comedy framed as a sports movie about mahjong could have so many crane shots? To has fun with applying sports movie clichés to the tile game (there are suspenseful zooms into each player's hand, a sense of cosmic stakes to a meaningless game, even some strains of Morricone-esque showdown music between rivals), but he also brings out the humanity of it. No film that comes to mind has better visualized and narrativized the concept of sportsmanship, and the notion that how one behaves in a game reveals deeper character. Hell, this movie makes me buy that rich load more than anything in the loftiest of sports writing. The topsy-turvy capriciousness of To's filmography gets to play out…