The Wedding Banquet (1993)

[baumer]

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[Blankments]

The Wedding Banquet is a beautiful film about family, and how family can cross so many culture boundaries to not only still be recognizable, but also a treasure. The rare dramedy that gets the mix down perfectly, the film is both outrageously funny and emotionally evocative, frequently in the same scenes. The five main characters are all drawn in a human way, and Ang Lee shoots the film with gusto, frequently choosing alongside Jong Lin the exactly perfect framing to bring the most out of each individual shot.

 

It's a film where every scene is drenched in melancholy and dread, but also hope and longing. You'll want every character to have a happy ending, but fear throughout the whole film that's impossible. This is a family in the best sense; not only bonded by blood but by love and respect for one another in each individual character. With its excellent equally comedic and dramatic tone, The Wedding Banquet is an powerfully human work that can speak to families everywhere. A masterpiece. A+

[bartonfink]

Ang Lee's one of better films.