Didi review: A brilliantly observed drama, WRITES Brian Viner

As a cinephile with over four decades of movie-watching under my belt, I must say that revisiting the timeless charm of Mary Poppins is always a delight. The 60th anniversary of this cinematic masterpiece brings back fond memories of watching it as a child and being enchanted by its whimsy and magic.

Verdict: Brilliantly observed drama

As the long, barren stretch of summer vacation looms before some parents, much like the vast, sun-baked Gobi Desert, let’s give a round of applause to our country’s movie theaters for offering a few refreshing spots of amusement.

As a devoted follower of films, I highly recommend this week’s top pick: Didi. This film is a humorous yet profound exploration of adolescence that resonates deeply with both teenagers and adults who can still recall the struggles of those years. From acne to crushes, awkward encounters, peer pressure, and strained sibling relationships – it covers it all.

Additionally, Sean Wang’s partly autobiographical film, an outstanding first feature, holds a deeper connection for those whose adolescence was marked by immigrant parents, single mothers offering guidance, or opinionated grandmothers living in the same household. In this story, the thirteen-year-old character Chris (performed brilliantly by Izaac Wang) finds himself dealing with all three situations.

In the year 2008, Chris, affectionately known as “Didi” to his loved ones and “Wang Wang” to his friends, resides in Fremont, California. He shares this home with his mom Chungsing (Joan Chen), his older sister Vivian (Shirley Chen), and his paternal grandmother Nai Nai (Chang Li Hua). Chris’s father is living in Taiwan, sending money back to the family, but his absence is a point of resentment for Chungsing and a constant source of friction with her mother-in-law.

In this home, tension is palpable as Chungsing observes her fully Californian offspring adapting, a mix of pride and apprehension on her face. Meanwhile, Chris and Vivian frequently clash loudly. However, with the presence of three women in the house, Chris’s connections develop in a more nuanced way. The script and performance are particularly touching.

Beyond the comfort of his home, his life remains equally complicated. He harbors a crush on his classmate Madi, with both thrilling and anxiety-inducing signs suggesting she might be interested. Instead of seeing her comment, “You’re pretty cute for an Asian,” as an insult or racist remark, he chooses to interpret it as a positive gesture.

In terms of his friendships with males, they fluctuate due to Chris’s clumsy navigation through the rapidly expanding landscape of social media. At school, he confronts bullies, which lands him in hot water. At the local shopping mall, he strikes up friendships with some popular older kids, a group of skateboarders who ask him to be their official videographer. He’s pleased and excited about this opportunity, but as is often the case in other aspects of his life, he stumbles due to his eagerness to belong. It doesn’t take long for his skateboarding endeavor to fall apart.

Parts of it are tragic and funny, but everything feels authentic, intriguing, and captivating. The director cleverly refrains from wrapping things up neatly with conventional endings, steering clear of the typical story arcs common in coming-of-age films.

Instead, he manages to maintain it just slightly over ninety minutes, which might not seem ideal for a leisurely afternoon during school holidays, but demonstrates the concise and captivating storytelling style that some seasoned filmmakers seem to have forgotten, unfortunately.

Verdict: Erases the original

For smaller kids, the movie “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” named after a beloved book from their past by the same title, unfortunately doesn’t capture the essence as skillfully directed by Carlos Saldanha.

In 1955, Crockett Johnson penned a delightful narrative about a small child who, using a violet crayon, brought to life a captivating nocturnal realm. This imaginative boy would eventually find his way back home by sketching a frame around the Moon itself.

20 years ago, the end of that movie used to bring a contented, sleepy sigh from our kids. Now I’m hesitant to tell them that in reality, Harold, played by Zachary Levi, is not just a kid but a goofy grown man who becomes friends with a boy named Mel (Benjamin Bottani), whose crayon brings his drawings to life.

The show has enjoyable moments that bring back a faint reminder of the 1970s TV series Mork & Mindy. Zooey Deschanel, portraying Terri (Mel’s widowed mother), seems to have been chosen for her likeness to Pam Dawber, who played Mindy in the past. Jemaine Clement is hilarious as the cunning librarian Gary, who harbors feelings for Terri.

But none of that stopped my gently simmering indignation, so far removed is the story from Crockett’s original.

Verdict: Oddly retro

Kensuke’s Kingdom is another adaptation, an animated version of a novel by author Michael Morpurgo.

The protagonist is Michael, a young lad voiced by Aaron MacGregor, who accidentally falls off a ship during their global sailing voyage with his parents, Sally Hawkins and Cillian Murphy, along with the family pet Stella. They end up stranded on a secluded Pacific island, where an elderly Japanese war survivor, portrayed by Ken Watanabe, resides and looks after him.

In other words, Kensuke’s Kingdom seems to offer much more than it actually provides, given its talented voice actors and storyline penned by Frank Cottrell-Boyce.

It pulsates with wholesome charm but the line-drawing animation in particular is disconcertingly retro, oddly reminiscent of another 70s classic, Scooby-Doo.All films are in cinemas now.

Mary celebrates 60 supercalifragilistic years! 

Having grown up watching Mary Poppins as a child and being fortunate enough to attend a Q&A session with Dame Julie Andrews at the Venice Film Festival years later, I can confidently say that this classic film holds a special place in my heart. The way it combines magical storytelling, catchy music, and timeless messages about love, family, and the importance of imagination makes it a truly remarkable piece of cinema. Hearing Dame Andrews talk about her experiences bringing Mary Poppins to life only deepened my appreciation for the film, and I believe that its message resonates even more strongly today than it did when it was first released 60 years ago.

1. She didn’t possess any gossip to share. The 1964 film earned her an Oscar for Best Actress. The atmosphere on set was jubilant, in no small part due to her co-star Dick Van Dyke, who portrayed Bert the chimney sweep and may have struggled with his Cockney pronunciation, but radiated positivity wherever he went.

Karen Dotrice, the actress portraying Jane Banks, shares delightful anecdotes about how Van Dyke assumed a paternal role towards her, and cherishes warm recollections of Walt Disney as well.

During leisurely weekends, Disney often arranged for him, his mother, and sisters to jet off to his luxurious Palm Springs ranch on his personal aircraft, affectionately known as ‘Mickey Mouse One’. However, due to young Dotrice’s fear of flying, he personally customized the interior to resemble a candy store.

It’s quite delightful to discover that creating Mary Poppins was just as enjoyable as watching her all these years.

To put it simply, despite finding the 2013 movie “Saving Mr. Banks” enjoyable, I believe it softened some of the sharp characteristics of P.L. Travers, the creator of Mary Poppins, who was portrayed by Emma Thompson in the film, to a degree that may not fully capture her true formidable nature.

Richard Sherman, who formed the exceptional songwriting duo with his brother Bob for the movie, recently passed away this summer, recalling Travers as a person “frozen solid,” or in simpler terms, an individual as cold as an ice cube.

Mary Poppins is screening now in selected cinemas and is available to stream on Disney+.

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2024-08-02 03:49