Loving summer in Sydney!!! Especially the outdoor movies.
Watched "Mao's Last Dancer" this evening at the Centennial Park with about 500 other people and a well equipped picnic basket (chilled beers / cheese / crackers / nuts / pizzas) in 24 degree pleasantness!
Brilliant film!!! It's directed by an Australian - Bruce Beresford (only other film of his that I know is Driving Miss Daisy - won 4 Oscars). The movie is based on the real story of Cunxin Li - now a renowned ballet dancer and stock broker who lives in Australia.
It's an inspirational story - Cunxin was born in a far flung Chinese province to peasant parents. He was selected (fairly randomly according to the movie) to learn ballet at Chairman Mao's wife's dance institute (would she be called chairwoman Mao then?). He grows up at this school and impresses a visiting US delegation who subsequently invite him to come over.
While he blows everyone away with his dancing, he also meets a white American girl, and marries her (was a marriage of convenience - else he would have to leave for China - and by then he didn't want to!). So he went to the Chinese embassy to tell them he wasn't going back and was held against his will. With some political pressure he was released and continued dancing. In the meanwhile, his marriage broke up.
Eventually he meets another dancer, marries her. China forgives him and he returns. Finally settles down in Australia! Happy ending.
The story is an inspirational one and makes the movie worth watching. The dancing is intense - I'm not into ballet and even I was impressed. The camera-work and casting (especially his mother) left a bit to be desired, but all in all - it's a must watch! Trailer below:
