I Wish I Knew

It is stunning how many people who witnessed capital H History are still alive in China (or were in 2009, anyways). The style of documentary with its focus on talking heads (as pretty as they may be!) may not be my favorite, but Jia, who already does a great job portraying China's changes with his fictional work, brings together a fantastic amount of stories. Just too bad they only get two hours in total - plenty of stories I would like to learn more about!

Jia makes a film about Shanghai by focusing on people and history, the very elements that give any place its vitality. We also get numerous looks at the city from a variety of angles, both wide and close up. All of this gives us a sense of Shanghai as a human place. My favorite moments come not in the particular stories, but in these quiet moments between conversations, as Jia gives us a chance to gaze at Shanghai and its people.