Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever

Verity Robins Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Haven Kaycee It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

Justina The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Desertman84 Inspired by actual events, director Chen Shi-Zheng's socially conscious psychological drama entitled,Dark Matter follows the journey of an ambitious Chinese scientist working towards his doctorate degree in the United States, only to be marginalized to the extent that he ultimately loses his way.It stars Liu Ye,Aidan Quinn and Meryl Streep.The screenplay was written by Billy Shebar.All Liu Xing ever wanted was to study the origins of the universe at a Western university. Upon arriving at the school, Liu immediately rents a modest apartment with a few other Chinese students and begins flirting with the pretty American who works at the local coffee shop. Personally welcomed into Department Head Jacob Reiser's select cosmology group, Liu remains dedicated to his studies and optimistic about the future. Things continue to look up as Liu becomes close with wealthy university patron Johanna Silver after the two become acquainted at an orientation for foreigners sponsored by a local church. Eventually, Liu becomes Reiser's protégé, and makes a sizable impression at a prestigious conference attended by the pair. But attitudes start to shift when Liu's studies in dark matter come into direct conflict with his mentor's prominent theories and well-established studies. His excitement about a potential breakthrough causes him to ignore repeated warnings that he must pay his dues, and Liu's findings are eventually eclipsed by that of more studious fellow student Laurence. Determined to have his studies published, Liu goes behind Reiser's back, but he ultimately becomes the target of ire rather than accolades, with Johanna's naïve encouragement prompting him along a dangerous collision course. While Liu remains enamored with the concept of the American dream and optimistic about American science being a free market of ideas, he begins to grow dejected after his dissertation is rejected, the girl at the coffee shop blows him off, and his roommates all find lucrative jobs. Essentially left behind at the university, Liu rejects Johanna's offer for help and vows not to return home to disappointed parents. Now, as he coasts on the fumes of his unrealized dreams, the dishonored student prepares to lash out with one final act of devastating annihilation. The movie is a thrilling examination of the origins of the universe, the dark side of cutthroat academics, and the pursuit of the American dream.Director Chen Shi-Zheng's film has a graceful energy, and three strong performances help make this serene drama and its shocking conclusion a quietly moving film.What makes it not great is the fact that the creaky plotting, inscrutable characters, and unconvincing ending make it difficult for audiences to connect with it.But despite of being imperfect, the high caliber of acting as well as these lucid moments in the earlier part of the film are strong and memorable highlights with which to leave the theater.

jotix100 Some foreign students coming to American universities don't adapt easily to the environment they find, however nice the professors and mentors are to them. No matter how brilliant they are, there seems to be a sort of wall between their higher goals and the reality of the culture they find in a land that, for all practical purposes might be the moon, as far as they are concerned.This is a story based on an actual incident at the University of Iowa in 1991. Not remembering the actual incident, watching the film we are taken to a sort of situation that probably parallels the original tale in which a Chinese student's relationship with a professor is examined. The casualness of Jacob Reiser's approach to science clashes with his protégé Liu Xing in ways that will end in tragic results. Liu Xing dreams about a possibility of winning a Nobel prize as he begins to question his mentor in aspects concerning the cosmology matters.The film, directed by Chen Shi-Zeng, who is well known for his direction of operas that have played in America, is a beautiful piece of film making. The trouble though is one's own detachment from the lofty subject at the center of the piece. The picture will be appreciated much more by people in this particular field. The main asset is the magnificent music in the background by the Beijing Angelic Choir in the interpretation of classics such as "Ode to Joy", "Beautiful Dreamer" and Schubert's "Serenade" that blend well within the content of the piece.As far as the performances, Ye Lui, a Chinese actor makes a case for his Liu Xing. Meryl Streep, who appears as Joanna Silver, a sort of unofficial counselor to the Chinese student population, has no other explanation of being in the film because of her name, more than what she is asked to do. Aidan Quinn is good as Professor Reiser.

uncdrose At least I rented this movie through Redbox, which means I only lost a dollar on the rental. If anything, this movie made me realize what a vast cultural divide there is between Americans and people who come to our country. Liu Ye's entire focus was on coming up with such a phenomenal concept that he would win the Nobel Prize and give his parents great honor. He has no real perception of what a dissertation is supposed to be. He lives and thinks in clichés and is clueless about what is really important. The previews that I had seen of this movie were much better than the actual film. I am shocked that Meryl Streep and Aidan Quinn were part of this production.

AjaxMinoan I thought the movie was interesting and well made, but had a lot of negative messages in it. I felt it was very anti-Western and pro-Chinese. Little self criticism comes from Chinese films, so it's hard to be impressed with the film overall. They do disguise the sentiments of the movie well, because the main character is at first thrilled to be in America; and is very polite.For starters, all the students that seem to be studying Cosmology at the College seem to be Chinese. This might be partly justified since Asians tend to do well in math in US schools.What bothered me was how familiar the film was to other Chinese movies with anti-Western sentiment. All the white people in this movie seem to be jerks or stupid, except the woman played by Meryl Streep; who happens to be heavily into Chinese culture. Having personally been told by an Asian that Americans all put their parents into nursing homes, I didn't enjoy it being repeated in the movie.In the end, the main character of the film shoots the Chinese guy who converted to Christianity; then three white people who held him back in his academic pursuits; then himself. By the movie's end, I considered it pretty lame.