Edward Yang's four-hour study of Taiwanese youth gangs in 1960 and their search for personal and national identity is a stunning film; its scope and narrative power reminded me of seeing "The Godfather" for the first time. One remarkable thing about Yang's direction is the virtual absence of close-ups. The action is often shot through a doorway, window, or facade that obscures part of the world within; there's always a sense of life going on beyond the boundary of the frame. That this film hasn't been released in America is a crime.
Review of A Brighter Summer Day
