Lan se da men (2002)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Chih-yen Yee

Writer:

Chih-yen Yee (writer)

Release Date:

27 September 2002 (Taiwan)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

An is-she-or-isn't-she gay comedy focused on a Taiwanese teen, the boy she might like, and the girl she may love. |

Plot Keywords:

Taiwan | Bicycling | Closeted Homosexual | Love Triangle | Platonic Love

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Bo-lin Chen	...	Zhang Shihao
Lunmei Kwai	...	Meng Kerou
Shu-hui Liang	...	Lin Yuezhen
Joanna Chou	...	Mrs. Meng

Directed by
Chih-yen Yee

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Chih-yen Yee		writer

Produced by
Peggy Chiao	....	producer
Hsiao-ming Hsu	....	producer
T'ung Wang	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Chris Hou

Cinematography by
Hsiang Chienn

Film Editing by
Ching-Song Liao

Production Design by
Shao-yu Hsia

Sound Department
Du-Che Tu	....	sound (as Duu-chih Tu)

Production Companies

• Arc Light Films
• Pyramide Productions

Distributors

• Peccadillo Pictures (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• Strand Releasing (2003) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• trigon-film (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• BuyIndies.com Inc. (USA)
• Filmfreak Distributie (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Peccadillo Pictures (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Teodora Film
• Tri-m Pictures Inc.
• trigon-film (2006) (Switzerland) (DVD) (subtitled)

Also Known As:

Blue Gate Crossing (France) (International: English title)

Runtime:

Canada:85 min | USA:85 min

Country:

Taiwan | France

Language:

Mandarin

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:PG | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud)

Company:

Arc Light Films

Soundtrack:

Accidently Kelly Street

One of the most delightful films I've seen. It's not just for kids.

Dreamy, Romantic, Tender. OK We've been given those on the poster. They are not ones I would use. Instead I'd go with: Adorable, Sweet, Sensitive, Well-acted, Well-directed, Well-written. It was a JOY to watch this film.

It took me a few minutes to warm up to the characters, but only a few. We meet the two girls first, a girly-girl who seems to be in control, and a brooding follower. Not much to go on with that. Girly girl spots sensitive boy and wants him, but insists that brooding girl act as the go-between.

The film focuses on the friendship that develops between brooding girl and sensitive boy after that. Brooding girl becomes razor-sharp, adorably mixed up commando teen when paired up with sensitive boy who has fallen in love with her.

This film did a remarkable job of capturing teens as they are: insecure and passionate; as easily hurt as they are to fall in love. They provoke each other without knowing why. One of the many highlights of this film is when the boy and girl, when they've run out of verbal ammunition, begin a shoving match. It goes on for some time and then the director simply cuts to a scene of the two of them straightening up their surroundings together. The director makes many decisions like that to keep us focused on the big picture: (stuff) happens, and then something else happens. There's no stopping it.

I have to point out that watching this Taiwanese film with English subtitles added quite a bit to the adorableness of it. For example, after brooding girl sets up sensitive boy with girly-girl, who knows he likes brooding girl, (you have to see the film to see how that happens), sensitive boy walks girly-girl home. After an uncomfortably done good-bye, girly-girl calls out after sensitive boy as he's about to mount his bicycle and says: "Zhang Shihao, (pause) can you date with me?" I don't know exactly what was said in Taiwanese, but that odd translation seemed to capture the moment perfectly.

I smiled from ear to ear while watching this movie from the time sensitive boy was introduced until the very end. This is an exceptionally well done film.