Crazy Stone (2006)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Memorable, crazy movie

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Due to many reasons such as censorship, financial problems etc. Chinese movie industry has been at the bottom of food chain for decades. Only few people can make money from movie industry without the help of government. Later, many directors such as Zhang Yimou, Chen kaige turn to make all those blockbuster movies with high volume of investment. However, it does not seems to be a good way to keep Chinese movies alive. Empty plots, awkward performance of good-looking actors and actresses could not save movies. They are rip off money from people once, twice but never thrice.Crazy Stone was born under the circumstance that Chinese people are so disappointed by those movies made by zhang Yimou and Chen kaige that they only spend few us dollars buying illegal DVD copies on streets rather than going to movie cinemas. The enriched plot, excellent performances of unknown actors and hilarious story save the last hope of this country's movies. The movie is produced by famous Hongkong actor Andy Lau's company with very little investment, however, it does not bother the quality at all. In fact, the quality is I believe as one of the best in Chinese movie history.All those black humors in the movies deserve to be mentioned. However, people who have not lived in China for years could not understand why it's funny, or even worse, it kills interests of people who get used to the vision effects of Hollywood productions or the romance and depressions of European movies.In a conclusion, this movie is highly recommended for people who are living in China and would like to learn about this country. Hopefully, you will enjoy and understand it.

The popularity of this movie in China is quite logical: black comedies to the extent that this movie has gone are still a novelty and it is quite well done. If the movie makers have been inspired by only one "foreign" movie, it would probably be "Lock, stock and two smoking barrels", as someone has already mentioned. But of course they have seen a lot more, many of which have been reflected in this movie, as intentional parodies or otherwise."Crazy stone" has a somewhat convoluted plot, which is not necessarily hopelessly complicated. All it requires is a little attention. Filming technique and editing is not as avant-garde as some of the classic which have become familiar by now – Pulp Fiction, Memento, Amores perros, 21 Grams, just to name a few. There are just enough sleight-of-hand montages to keep it interesting. So does the proliferation of characters – a least a dozen, in four or five "interest groups". Dickens' type caricature or more flesh-and-blood, they are all well acted.Together with my recommendation, I would like to mention one interesting thing that captured my attention – filmmakers shooting a movie in Chongqing seem to be fond of showcasing the cable car across Chang Jiang (Long River). Saw one recently in another quality Chinese movie, "Sheng huo xiu".

Actually, I don't like too many China movies, their story is pale, although I am a Chinese. But The "Crazy stone" is excepted, it's really a good story. We could see rare movies which story and presentation like Crazy Stone in China, so we can say it become a milestone for china movie (no including HongKong and Taiwan, you know what i mean). Splendid story and wonderful actors performance, making this film more special. Also, you can learn something true about China daily life, so it doesn't just make us happy, but some blue and black deep inside. We can see the shadow of "Pulp Fiction" in this movie, I just guess the director HaoNing is the fan of Quentin Tarantino, who knows, but we see his shadow indeed. And this never happened in any other China mainland movie, although HongKong movie is the teacher of Quentin Tarantino. In a word, I favor this movie for its good creativity and good cut.

From plot to transition, from angle of lens to rhythmic montage, from editing to tone, from contrast to freeze frame..., you can get the impression involving Guy Ritchie, who may be referred as the Godfather of Film Noir. This story starts with a priceless emerald, a squad of slack guards and two gangs of thieves, one of which is amateur, while the other is professional judging from the looking. It is not difficult to speculate what would happen from this kind of stereotyped beginning. We can't tell which part is the imitation and which is the original. It's a concise and smart comedy, somehow, whose genre is quite different from traditional dramas we can watch at the Chinese cinema. Anyway, for the director, we can say, it's almost an perfect homework. It would make somebody laugh, but it is difficult to have the audience impressed as a milestone movie.