A Thousand Years of Good Prayers (2007)

I like Black Panther, but I didn't like this movie.

A Disappointing Continuation

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

An older Chinese man is seen arriving at an airport in an unspecified American city. His daughter, Yilan, is there to meet him. They have not seen each other in years. Their encounter is not exactly a warm one. It is clear the two have grown apart. Yilan has been living in American for some time. She has made a somewhat nice life for herself in her adopted country. Yilan lives in one of those sterile condominium complexes where everything looks cold. Mr. Shi, as the father is known, speaks some English; he jots down new words he sees, but he lapses into his own language, when he cannot find the right words to express himself. He does not appreciate the way his daughter is living. Going through her things, he discovers she has fondness for Russian things, like the Matryoshka dolls she keeps on top of her dresser. Mr. Yi feels his daughter is not eating properly, so he begins to cook meals that are hardly touched by Yilan.The old man goes out to a nearby park just to get out of the apartment. He happens to meet a lovely Iranian lady who is also living a similar experience as Mr. Shi. Even though they cannot speak fluent English, they manage to talk about many things. The lady is of a certain age, she is proud of having come to America, leaving the chaotic world of her native country behind. She is also grateful to be living with her doctor son in a nice environment. One day she stops coming to the park, so one of her friends stop by the bench to inform Mr. Shi the Iranian lady is now living in a Seniors' home, something that surprises the old man.Yilan is not too happy with the new addition in her life. She has been secretly avoiding her father to stay away from the apartment. Coming home late one evening the truth emerges. Yilan has been seeing a Russian colleague who happens to be married. He has a family back home; it is obvious the affair is over. When Mr. Shi questions her about what he learned, she becomes defensive. She goes on to accuse her old man to have lived a lie all his life. What's more, Yilan knows he had cheated her mother with a mistress. Years of bitterness surfaced between father and daughter. Finally, Mr. Shi decides to explore whatever he can from the country he is visiting riding trains to get to his destinations.A lovely story based on stories by Yiyun Li is explored by director Wayne Yang, whose films have delighted movie going audiences for the way this creator views complex situations, mainly involving Chinese characters and culture. The film is basically a study about two generations that have grown apart. The older father, has stayed in his native country, China, where he felt his work was needed, in spite of his troubled past within that society. Yilan, in contrast, adapted well to her new country, viewing the situation with her family with different eyes. She has a new set of values, but keeping some of her native culture alive. The arrival of the father puts a strain in Yilan's life. Suddenly, her world begins to crumble right in front of her eyes; she begins to resent the intrusion in her home of a man she does not even relate to, anymore.Beautifully acted by Henry O as Mr. Shi, and Feihong Yu, who is seen as Yilan. The generation and culture gap are clearly the focal point in their relationship. Vida Ghahremani makes a good contribution as the only friend Mr. Shi finds in his new surroundings.

1000 years is a small film built on a simple premise: a Chinese father visits his daughter. He is nearing the end of life and the film is at all times reflective and quiet. His daughter is recovering from a bad divorce and they have never felt close. He arrives in America feeling alienated and the film centers around themes of reaching out and alienation. He makes friends in the park with an Farsi woman - they don't share language, but they share communication.Of course, the journey they all take is in their conversations and silences is the film.If that doesn't sound like your cup of tea then you won't enjoy this: however if you can let this wash over you it is surprisingly involving and beautifully rendered.It is film for the mature, the small gestures and meanings of the words in different languages hold meanings within meaning but there is something implicitly human on display here.Shot in natural tones with a washed out feel to it the cinematography lends much.One to be savored and strongly reminiscent of Swedish cinema this is real film in one sense, but it fails in being too staged in places.All in all a small film that will appeal to those who enjoy reality in film.

There is some warning in this story and it is well worth watching. Henry O performs admirably in his role as the watchful father that harbors his own secrets. His best intentions fall short of the mark and despite his efforts, life seems to follow a path that is not of his making.The writer and author is revealed in the title. Just search on it. If you don't like stories like this or Samuel Beckets "Waiting for Godot" (all on a park bench) then don't watch it. I found the story humorous and uplifting but it saddened and worried me that the relationship between a father and his child will not get better.This is a good film and deserves its awards.

It is so refreshing to see a director (Wayne Wang) so courageously has his audience go through watching and listening to conversations in mixed dialogues exploring the "human relationships and communications" that goes beyond common language! There is an understanding that masterfully is being established during the movie with the audience, interestingly enough, the old man (Henry O) fails to establish this with his daughter, but it is being established with the audience, "with subtitles at times." Then the climax, the scenes/conversations in the park between an Iranian old woman (Vida Ghahremani) and the Chinese old man (Henry O) in mixed languages, Mandarin, Farsi, and English, "with No sub titles!" which the audience has no problem understanding it and it is fluent, enticing and absolutely delightful. This is an amazingly smart and fascinating movie with masterful acting, specially the old couple, the Iranian old woman (Vida Ghahremani) and the Chinese old man (Henry O). Warning: if you are looking for an Action or Kong Fu movie, this may not be your top choice.