Yi yi

Released 2000
Stars Wu Nienjen, Elaine Jin, Issey Ogata, Kelly Lee, Jonathan Chang
Directed by Edward Yang

The movie is a portrait of three generations of a Taiwan family, affluent and successful, but haunted by lost opportunities and doubts about the purpose of life. Only rarely is a film this observant and tender about the ups and downs of daily existence; I am reminded of "Terms of Endearment."

Summary by Roger Ebert

"Yi yi" is so intimate it feels like a documentary. It has no score and the performances are so natural it doesn't seem like a movie. The camera work contributes to this feeling with many static shots that often linger on an empty room as the subject moves offscreen. There's a large cast, and we discover the characters as the film goes. In that sense it's reminiscent of Cassavettes, and all of these factors combine to create an ingenuous experience where we feel like a fly on the wall instead of an audience. Edward Yang cast each role perfectly. He used many new-comers and even dragged one beautiful woman out of retirement. He knew what he wanted for each role, and he was dead bang on. Of course the little boy, Yang-Yang, was incredible. He showed no trace of acting, and I can't imagine how Edward Yang drew this performance from him. My favorite moment was when I realized why he had taken so many pictures of the backs of people's heads. --Bill Alward, October 4, 2001