Cities of Last Things (2018)

Confusing story but well made

This was a weird rabbit hole to fall into. I eventually clued in that it was centred on one person at three different stages of his life (as an old man, then a young man, and lastly as a child). The best story is the young man, but the world of the old man was catching with its futuristic technology. I didn't like or really understand the ending, but I can appreciate it well enough as a starting point for this mans life.

It is a strangely beautiful, and well made film. It combines a few genres and is an impressively multicultural production. The acting was fantastic, with a really talented cast. The main flaw is that the story is hard to follow and not that likeable.

I wouldn't recommend this to almost anyone. I would recommend it to those who truly enjoy questionable circumstances, appreciate unacceptable views, and often buys unpopular art.

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Good premise but confusing

This was barely coherent.

My order of how much I liked the acts goes 3 > 2 >1 of appearance, but everything really did not have to be in reverse chronology in the first place. It was confusing and the film basically asked me to care about all these unlikeable characters before it showed me why I should.

Act I. There was no reason for the genre to be dystopian sci-fi. It was a pretty interesting set-up in the first act but started to feel forced, not thorough, confusing...and by the time we got to the other acts it was forgotten anyways. The film showed nothing about how society became that way and why it mattered.

I actually enjoyed the dark and grittiness of the film (especially in the later acts) and the setting in the first act should've just stuck with being in a world with lots of corruption and wealth inequality (like Gotham). That would've been a lot more believable.

The acting in the first part was also the worst in my opinion. I already mentioned not really liking the characters, but I also found the performances all just very blah.

Act II.Lee Hong Chi was the only good part here. The acting was great but there was really no good story to work with. The cliche of the Unforgettable Girl You Meet One Sad Night And Then Lose Contact With Forever is cliche and boring.

Act III. This one was actually my favorite because it actually did have a story and decent character writing — until it all devolves just like the other parts.

Generally, all the parts had something going for it until it tries to do something violent for the shock factor. It makes every sub-story end on an unsatisfying note and it sucks because I think the cinematography is pretty good.

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