bainbridge621
Lifetime Total
25+
Lifetime Filmo
5+
Lifetime Trivia
5+
IMDb Member
23 years
Reviews
Toddstock (2010)
This is Just a home movie
This is just a home movie about some rich music guy who threw a party for himself at his Hawaiian mansion to stroke his own ego. It really is a home movie, shot on home video and amateurishly assembled. What the heck is this?
Double Happiness (1994)
a very disappointing feature
"Double Happiness" is a very disappointing first feature from director Mina Shum.
The characters thin, the writing lackluster, and the direction uninspired, this film received attention due to its "ethnic" subject matter at a number of festivals upon its release in 1995. "Double Happiness" garnered favorable reviews from a handful of critics who, in the progressive world of cinema and media arts, were probably reluctant to note the film's many flaws for fear of being labeled insensitive to Asian culture. (It was this critical attention that probably managed to secure the film limited distribution in North America.)
However, despite a strong performance by newcomer Sandra Oh (HBO's "Arliss") and strong lensing, there's little to distinguish this empty comedy from the myriad of low budget features that, deservedly, never find an audience. There's little originality in "Double Happiness" and that's a shame. This reviewer won't give away any spoilers, but suffice it to say the story moves along at an expectable pace, and every story beat and and plot point comes in a paint-by-the numbers fashion. Jade Lee is the free-spririted, hip young woman in conflict with her traditional family. She must stand up for herself and seek her own identity. That's probably a compelling story but, in "Double Happiness," it's one not well told. Rather than portraying the character and theme through real development of character, conflict and emotion, we're given about 90 minutes stiff dialogue and forced drama/comedy. This story deserved better and so did the audience. A real shame indeed.
The characters thin, the writing lackluster, and the direction uninspired, this film received attention due to its "ethnic" subject matter at a number of festivals upon its release in 1995. "Double Happiness" garnered favorable reviews from a handful of critics who, in the progressive world of cinema and media arts, were probably reluctant to note the film's many flaws for fear of being labeled insensitive to Asian culture. (It was this critical attention that probably managed to secure the film limited distribution in North America.)
However, despite a strong performance by newcomer Sandra Oh (HBO's "Arliss") and strong lensing, there's little to distinguish this empty comedy from the myriad of low budget features that, deservedly, never find an audience. There's little originality in "Double Happiness" and that's a shame. This reviewer won't give away any spoilers, but suffice it to say the story moves along at an expectable pace, and every story beat and and plot point comes in a paint-by-the numbers fashion. Jade Lee is the free-spririted, hip young woman in conflict with her traditional family. She must stand up for herself and seek her own identity. That's probably a compelling story but, in "Double Happiness," it's one not well told. Rather than portraying the character and theme through real development of character, conflict and emotion, we're given about 90 minutes stiff dialogue and forced drama/comedy. This story deserved better and so did the audience. A real shame indeed.