In the blink of an eye, 2022 has come to an end. This is also the third year that the "What to Watch This Week" column has accompanied you. This year, we have recommended hundreds of film and television works to you. Not only have we received many recommendations for good works in the comment area, but we have also received many "Easter Egg" contributions and support from friends. Perhaps this year there are not as many amazing works as usual, but there are also some interesting, wonderful, or unexpected surprises. Regardless of whether they are the best of the year, they all deserve an award.
So it’s our annual “What to Watch This Week·Award Ceremony” again. This time we have invited as many column authors and editorial members as possible, hoping to bring you more diverse annual recommendations. Which works have left a deep impression on you, and which ones make you feel that the popularity is not worthy of the reputation? You are welcome to join us in the comment area to award awards to your favorite works , and welcome 2023 together!
(Note: The works appearing in the article are all released, released or launched in 2022)
@SHY: Cyber Vagabond
Work information: 022-09 / Japan / Animation / Science Fiction / 24 minutes × 10 episodes /
Reason for award: In 2021, "Cyberpunk 2077" was named the worst game in the world. Why? False marketing is endless, and the number of incredible bugs ranks first in the world. However, nearly two years after its release, this game that was once sentenced to death has once again topped the best-selling list, with the number of online users rising steadily, helping developer CDPR record its best financial quarter in history. What made this shift happen wasn't some big update or free DLC, but an anime.
If there is any irreplaceable core competitiveness in "Cyberpunk 2077", it is Night City, a bizarre future metropolis. Due to the drag on the completion of the game, the highlights are always overshadowed by the shortcomings. It was not until the launch of "Cyber Drifter" that the charm of the world view was conveyed to the majority of the audience for the first time. Taking the Mantis Blade and Black Mewtwo as the starting point, the scenery and gameplay that are familiar to game players are unveiled one by one. The rich characters and details complete the already established framework, making the cold night city truly come alive.
In just 10 episodes, "Cyberpunk" can be said to be the best interpretation of " cyberpunk " in the category of commercial animation. A small accident suddenly overturns the peaceful life of a poor man at the bottom. In one episode, this decadent society that eats people without spitting out their bones is vividly displayed, and then turns to a self-destructive journey of no return. The consistent suppression and explosion turned into fireworks that lit up the night sky in an instant. Nothing changed, but the dream of the person I loved was fulfilled. The emotional resonance that directly touches the soul creates a nothingness that makes countless people find it difficult to calm down.
To be fair, the narrative of this work is not novel. Whether it's the eldest brother who collapses in the middle of the road or the bittersweet ending where the sugar is mixed with knives, it is a drama paradigm that Imaishi Hiroyuki's old audiences will never be unfamiliar with. However, in the context of cyberpunk, the much-criticized "Waste Burn" has found a foothold in realism. Under the control of the upper-level rulers, the futile resistance implies a mockery of fate, adding a touch of tragedy to the already determined ending. The daily decadence and absurdity blend with the psychedelic romance of the moon landing, giving people unlimited reverie and endless stamina.
To a certain extent, "Cyber Drifter" can also be seen as a new starting point for Trigger Club's transformation. Unlike those previous radio works that were more scientific, this one is like a well-polished hexagon, with its edges somewhat restrained, but without sacrificing the unique charm of this one. The iconic highly stylized aesthetics complement the outstanding performances to create bursting images and dramatic tension. In addition to the old faces, Kai Igarashi still performs amazingly in the third storyboard. The portrayal of "cyber psychosis" in episode 6 is amazing. The future is unlimited. I look forward to his directorial debut.
A sincere cooperation with complementary advantages has created an outstanding original animation and redeemed "Cyberpunk 2077" which was at the bottom of its reputation. The feedback effect is unprecedented and it is a cross-media planning miracle that is bound to be imitated.
@Kuanji: White Lotus Resort Season 2
Work information: 022-10 / American drama / 60 minutes × 7 episodes /
Reasons for the award: The second season of "White Lotus Resort" tells the audience a "telling story" of the 21st century with an unsparingly cruel attitude, and uses a lens as sharp as a knife to cut through modern life that is heavily wrapped in civilization, decadence, wealth, poverty, order, chaos, revelation and loss, allowing us to see the contradictory beliefs and sincere absurdities hidden in it.
But you must not mistakenly think that this will be a "literary and boring film". The brilliance of director and screenwriter Mike White lies in his skillful integration of the above-mentioned complex and unspeakable modern dilemmas into the settings of the characters themselves and the interactions between the characters, and condensed these stories into a laboratory-like environment: the upper class 1% Travelers, a week's vacation, a vacation "enclave" far away from home - this extraordinary setting vividly demonstrates the daily hardships. For me, the movie-going experience was as five-star as the hotel where the characters stayed.
The story begins with a bizarre death, hinting at the turbulence hidden behind the seemingly relaxing vacation. With this suspense, we slowly follow the camera to review the stories that happened this week: Young girls are tired of all the routines in love, but when faced with a sincere and good student and a playboy, they are uncontrollably attracted to the latter; a good model man who respects women cannot understand the attitude of his father and grandfather towards women, but he can never win the game of love. He thought he had met the right girl, but in the end he just didn't. Careful performance; the intellectual woman who originally despised the "silly and sweet" rich wife lost her way in reason and emotion, and looked back to realize the transparency behind "pretending to be confused"; the rich woman who was always worried that others would only stay with her because of money, after she lowered her guard in front of a group of "old money", she realized that the latter was the real danger...
I think the most successful thing about "White Lotus" is that it has found a dramatization method that I would like to call "profound blood": here, blood is not just a simple stimulation, nor is it an artificial gimmick, but is rooted in the profound contradictions that exist in reality. The reason why we keep holding our breath while watching the drama is because we ourselves are more or less facing similar dilemmas, and we ourselves don’t know what the answer should be. What’s interesting here is that now it’s hard for me to recall the names of the characters in the play, even though I’m already familiar with each of their temperaments, actions, and demeanor.
I believe that not everyone will appreciate "White Lotus", just as not everyone is willing to really face all the unbearable things in life, and not everyone has the luxury to consider these " first world problems ". But judging from the performance of "White Lotus" itself in terms of screenwriting and acting, this is a rare masterpiece.
@ The Knower Wu Xianxian: Into the Dust
Work information: 022-07 / Mainland China / Movie / 133 minutes /
Reasons for the award: Ma Youtie, a bachelor in the northwest countryside, was introduced to a woman with a hidden disease, Cao Guiying, as a couple. This pair of low-class farmers stayed together and cared for each other after marriage - the main body of the film also revolves around the simple and romantic love details between them. It's a pity that beauty is always short-lived, the claws of fate still grasp them tightly, and the glimmer of light that was just ignited in their lives eventually came to nothing.
In terms of the details of the narrative, " hid in the dust " is undoubtedly successful.Compared with those deliberately concocted love scenes of "the boss's spoiled wife" in popular Chinese movies, although Ma Youtie and Cao Guiying's love is rarely spoken, it is undoubtedly more contagious: love is the pot of hot water warming in Cao Guiying's arms, and Ma Youtie's bargaining. The lady's coat that they bought with money they owed in the end was the mud bricks of the new house that the two of them saved in the heavy rain, and the nest of chicks in the glowing cardboard box that heralded hope - these details are undoubtedly the most touching and tear-jerking part of the film.
In addition, in terms of film language, the director also pays special attention to creating a sense of beauty. Decorated by the lens, the northwest countryside is comparable to scenes in world-famous paintings. One of the scenes shows Guiying gleaning wheat ears, which is a tribute to Miller's "The Gleaners ". The appeal of the scene is evident.
However, it is precisely because of these scenes and story lines that are almost unrealistic that many public opinions have come to the other side. Some critics believe that it fails to reflect real rural life and that it is literature and art for the sake of literature and art. Other critics believe that it consumes suffering, beautifies the love between the two protagonists, and then pushes them into the abyss of suffering. By the end of September, the film, which had only been online for only three months, was somehow removed from the entire network. The uproar of public opinion ended in an instant. Just like the title of the film and the fate of the protagonist in the play, after an extremely unrealistic splash, it disappeared into dust again.
Undoubtedly, it can be more pragmatic and truly reveal the real problems in rural areas; it can also be more profound, not just content to describe an almost ideal love that is rare in the world. But this does not hinder its efforts: this film uses poetic visual language, concerns some serious themes that are rarely mentioned in Chinese-language films today, and talks about them in a delicate way. From this point of view, "Into the Dust" is still an excellent movie.
@ Pan Yuhan: Tang Dynasty Strange Stories
Work information: 022-09 / Domestic drama / Suspense / 45 minutes × 36 episodes /
Reasons for the award: The black tea that is popular in Chang'an City is hard to find, and its involvement in the death of court officials and the disappearance of the bride has cast a mysterious veil on the name of "Chang'an Black Tea." Jinwuwei Zhonglang Lu Lingfeng was ordered by the prince to pursue the case. Su Wuming, a close disciple of Di Renjie who came to Chang'an to take up the post, also began to investigate the black tea case. Two completely different people met on a narrow road and worked together to solve strange cases, giving us nine strange cases of the Tang Dynasty with different styles.
Domestic suspense, dual male protagonist casting, and the male protagonist Yang Zhigang’s brother is the producer of this drama. These information are combined in a TV series, no matter how you watch it, you feel that it is not so trustworthy. I sorted out my mood and organized some words in my mind that I could use to complain. When I opened the first episode, I found that what greeted me was an unexpected surprise.
The sophisticated production is very attractive. The evil under the bright night of Chang'an is the ugliness and danger hidden under the magnificent the atmosphere of the prosperous Tang Dynasty. The seemingly prosperous and prosperous world and the "ghost market" set in the series, which is only active at night, seem to be twins, one bright and one dark. They are obviously in the same era, but they seem to be two completely different worlds. The story of the series is very strong, and the clever combination with fantasy also brings a different point of view to the whole show. Although the story of each unit is told using strange phenomena as an introduction, the final truth of the case is still explained with facts.
The main characters of this drama are very cute. The two male protagonists with very different personalities, represented by Su Wuming and Lu Lingfeng, investigate the case in a real way. One civil and one military are perfect partners. One old and one young live in harmony. Moreover, it is rare that there is no prostitution. The emotional line also achieves the love and restraint of love and etiquette in ancient times. The political power-seeking hidden behind the case is also very interesting. The princelings and the princesses are fighting openly and secretly to the death. The emperor who looks cheerful is actually a smiling tiger.
At the end, it turned out to be a "never expected series".
@张奕元Nick: BLUE LOCK Blue Prison
Work information: 022-10 / Japan / Animation / Sports / Serializing /
Reason for award: 2022 is the year of the World Cup. Shortly before the start of the World Cup, the football comic "Blue Prison" (BLUE) LOCK) animated version aired.
The story setting of "Blue Prison" is very unique. Different from the purely realistic style of most sports animations, "Blue Prison" has a certain degree of overhead - in 2018, the Japanese national football team lost to Belgium in the World Cup and stopped in the top 16. The Japanese Football Association launched the subversive "Blue Prison" plan in order to achieve a major breakthrough in the World Cup results, selecting 300 18 players from across the country. Excellent forward players under the age of 10 undergo brutal elimination training in the "Blue Prison" football base. Those who remain in the end will be qualified to be selected for the Japanese team , and Japan will also use its own super forwards to compete for the World Cup championship.
The protagonist of the story, Kiyosichi (いさぎ よいち), is one of the 300 forwards selected for the "Blue Prison" project. Compared with others, his skills, speed, physical fitness, passing ability, etc. are not the best, but he has unique talents-strong spatial perception and a sense of opportunity. "Talent" is the core element of "Blue Prison". In the story, Jie Shiyi will meet football players with various talents. He needs to learn the talents of others to achieve growth while creating opportunities to let his teammates unleash their talents, and eventually become the strongest striker in Blue Prison.
Whenever the protagonist has a new understanding of football, the puzzle in his mind will gradually take shape
In the public perception, football is a team sport that relies on the cooperation and cooperation of teammates to achieve victory, but Blue Prison has subverted this perception. Blue Prison Infinite encourages players to become absolutely selfish forwards, even willing to devour their own teammates in order to win and score goals. This superficial encouragement of selfishness is actually the annotation and interpretation of the original author Soyuki Kaneshiro and the cartoonist Yusuke Nomura on the Japanese football spirit of "trying your best and playing with your life". It is also the underlying rhythm in the entire anime that touches the audience the most.
Interestingly, "Blue Prison" has a small linkage with the Japanese football team in this World Cup, launching a comic image based on the real Japanese team. In the just-concluded World Cup, the Japanese team defeated the powerful German and Spanish teams in succession, as if the anime came into reality. Because of this, "Weekly Shonen Magazine", which serialized the "Blue Prison" comic, also sold 2 million copies during the World Cup , which shows how exciting this work is to fans.
In the main poster of the collaboration between "Blue Prison" and the Japanese team, the players of the Japanese team surpassed those of Germany and Spain, which is a shocking prediction.
@Sholmes: Magpie Murder
Work information: 022-02 / British drama / suspense / 45 minutes × 6 episodes /
Reason for winning: This British drama produced by ITV is adapted from the original work of the same name by Anthony Horowitz, ITV He has also produced Agatha Christie 's "Poirot" and "Miss Marple". "The Magpie Murders" also has the "gene" of my grandmother's works - country mansion + nursery rhyme murder.
Best-selling author Allen has decided that the recently completed mystery novel "The Magpie Murder" will be his final work. When his editor, Susan, received the proofs, she discovered that the book had no ending. Susan, who originally disliked Allen, was about to question the author, but news of the author's death came. In the novel, Allen does not shy away from writing about real people and watching them make fools of themselves in a joking way. Angry readers, a revised will, and many people had a motive for killing Allen. Susan was surprised to find that she was unknowingly working with Atticus Pound, the detective in the book, while searching for the lost manuscript and solving the dual mysteries in the book and reality.
Douban wrote in the introduction of the original work: "Did the chaotic characters in the book leap into reality? Or has reality already written a fateful script?" Reading 's original reasoning novel, the picture is the refreshing battle of wits and courage with the author, the pleasure of revealing the mystery, and the peace of mind of watching the fire from the other side. "The Magpie Murders" goes in the opposite direction. Not only is there no truth in the case, it also puts readers in danger. The confusion and excitement created by this setting are very engrossing. There are no eye-catching elements such as bloody violence. There are only three old British actors performing online, which supports the subtle relationship between the character and the author, the novel and reality, which is difficult to fully reflect based on the original text alone.
Silk top, floral skirt, every time the heroine Susan appears, the matching of clothes is very tasteful. There are many questions in the Douban group discussion about the same style of skirt and necklace. Detectives often give people a slovenly impression, and Susan undoubtedly adds a touch of brightness to this slovenly and boring group. Although life is always as unpredictable as mystery novels, Susan still maintains her elegance.
@Leeds and the Blue Bird: My Talented Girlfriend Season 3
Work information: 022-02 / Italian drama / Drama / 60 minutes × 8 episodes /
Reason for award: This film is produced by HBO The Italian drama series produced is adapted from the novel "Naples Tetralogy" by writer Elena Ferrante . It takes the friendship spanning half a century as the main line between two women born in the poor lower class of Naples, recreating the turbulent social scene of Italy in the changing era of the old and the new. While the first two seasons were a hit, they also continued to receive high scores and reputations. Even among the many top dramas produced by HBO, it can rank among them and occupy a place. The third season of the
drama series corresponds to "Things That Leave, Those That Stay" in the "Naples Tetralogy". Time came to the 1970s. Lenon, Lila's "genius friend" in Lila's eyes, left her hometown, successfully published a novel, and married a professor from a Kochi family. Lila stayed to work in a local sausage factory, tried to learn computer technology, and lived a difficult life under multiple pressures. The two took different paths in life, but they never stopped fighting against the destiny of women. In 8 episodes, the production team perfectly reproduced the atmosphere of a specific era for the audience. The characters in the play were connected with the student movement, labor movement, and feminist movement that were in full swing in Europe at that time. Public events and private events, grand propositions, and personal destiny were intertwined with each other.
In the film and television adaptation, due to the long time span of the original work, the entire story uses the first person to narrate the inner feelings of the characters. The production team uses the narrator's narration in each episode to enhance the appeal of the TV series' narrative. The third season gives full play to the unique expressive charm of audio-visual language. The opening title that people are unwilling to skip is a collection of clips shot by a handheld Super 8 camera. With the original soundtrack created by Max Richter, the slightly rough but lifelike reality comes to mind. In order to reproduce the complex psychology of the original characters, the lens and color design of the third season are also quite meaningful, adding many metaphorical original image segments to carefully depict the dilemma of women in marriage and the alienated state of people under the collusion of power.
"My Genius Girl" is often defined as a female work in publicity, but whether it is the original work or the series, the creators are committed to removing rigid and blunt labels, and are never afraid to describe the mixture of good and evil in human nature, and faithfully present the vivid appearance of the characters resisting class order, loving, hating, and pursuing freedom under the shells of different classes, genders, and ideologies. The conflicts and contradictions in it are of course sharp, but they are also delicate and real, so they transcend the limitations of time and country. This is why the audience fell in love with this work.
@sainho: Truth Capture Season 2
Work information: 022-08 / British drama / suspense / 6 episodes × 60 minutes /
Reason for award: If in 2019 In the first season of "Truth Capture" in 2010, personal privacy and technology ethics were only discussed in detail. In the second season, these topics were directly exposed in front of the audience, making people say "it's scary to think about it" after watching it.
As a "technological thriller" with a similar positioning to " Black Mirror ", the second season of "Truth Capture" places the main conflict in the game between citizens, government and big technology companies. The so-called "thriller" does not come from an overly exaggerated or doomsday prophetic storyline, but from making the story as close to reality as possible and placing the foreseeable future directly in front of the audience, so that every audience can experience the depression when that day comes.
What is commendable is that this is not a drama that tries to preach. The main forces in the drama are not stereotyped good guys or bad guys (⚠️ spoiler warning: the protagonist is good to the end!). This setting not only makes the idea of the drama more realistic and supports it, but also ensures that the "reversal, reversal and reversal" in the drama is also reasonable and logical in terms of drama structure.
As an ordinary viewer, you may fall into a pessimistic mood after reading this. So to borrow a famous line from "Tenet", I would like to give you some advice for those who have not watched the show yet: Don't try to understand it, just feel it.
@sweetjohn: Hunting
Work information: 022-08 / Korea / Movie / Action / 125 minutes /
Reason for award: In 1979, Park Chung-hee, the then president of South Korea, was assassinated. In the same year, Chun Doo-hwan launched a military coup, and in Became President of South Korea in 1980. At that time, the dictatorship in South Korea was intensifying, the social democratic movement was rising, and relations between North and South Korea were extremely tense. South Korea fell into unprecedented chaos. The movie "Hunting" is based on real events in the 1980s. It tells the story of Park Pyong-ho (Lee Jung-jae), the overseas team leader of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency, and Kim Jung-do (Jung Woo-sung), the domestic team leader. ) are jointly responsible for intelligence and security work. After a presidential assassination, the two were ordered to find the North Korean spy "Donglin" lurking in South Korea. However, during the investigation, more and more secrets surfaced...
is a film that tells the story of North-South issues. The central spy film is a mixture of action, gunfights, explosions, suspense, twists and other elements. It has a tight structure and a tight rhythm. Especially the action scenes in the film, it is obvious that the production cost is burning. The narrative mode of the two male protagonists is also quite a bit like a classic Hong Kong film. The overall view is very enjoyable. "Hunting" continues Korean film's consistent critical consciousness. The film not only reproduces real historical events such as the Gwangju Movement, the Yangon bombing, and the defection of North Korean pilots, but also contains the director's personal emotional expression and profound thinking about faith and truth, nationalism and idealism. It is both entertaining and thoughtful, and has a high degree of completion.
Lee Jung-jae, who became famous all over the world for "Squid Game", wrote, directed and acted this time. Not only did he constantly compete with Jung Woo-sung in the film, performing a "Cheongdamdong couple" fusion, he also invited Hwang Jungmin, Lee Sung-min, Ju Ji-hoon, Kim Nam-gil, Park Sung-woong and other big names are "walk-ins". Even the production team is the top lineup in the Korean film industry. The results once again demonstrate the highly free creative environment of Korean films, the mature and complete industrial system, and the unimaginable vitality. Regrettably, the film contains too much information, lacks motivation for character changes, and is slightly abrupt, which compromises the overall viewing experience.
The scarred memory of national division provides a steady stream of narrative possibilities for the Korean film and television industry, whether it is called 21 "Joint Security Area ", which is the "first work" on the north-south theme in the century, is still the best-produced "Iron Rain " and " Agent ", or last year's "Mogadishu" selected by South Korea as the "Olympic bid film". It is not difficult to find that the national genre narrative of Korean movies is becoming more and more perfect, and "The Hunt" has undoubtedly enriched this genre, and it can be regarded as a spy action movie above the standard.
@Running Goldfish: New Ultraman
Work information: 022-05 / Japan / Movie / Science Fiction / 112 minutes /
Reason for award: and the "hot-blooded" Ultraman TV in recent years with the theme of friendship, hard work and victory. Different from the drama, the movie " New Ultraman " truly explains to the audience from Ultraman's perspective why Ultraman wants to fight monsters and protect mankind. It is a movie dedicated to children who have grown up but still believe in light. "New Ultraman" returns to the original essence of Ultraman - the light of hope that will appear at the end only after humans have tried their best. As advanced intelligent creatures, humans have sensibility that Ultraman does not possess. This courage to live toward death allows humans to sacrifice for the sake of progress. This also allows Ultraman to see the infinite possibilities of human growth and choose to protect human growth. The essence of Ultraman's story has always been about human beings themselves. Only those who have the courage to face desperate situations and face themselves squarely can be the true hymns of human beings. Compared with the TV version of the unit drama, the
movie is no longer limited to 24 minutes per episode. It uses the story to connect the choices of human beings when faced with the temptation of huge power, and the change in Ultraman's mentality after observing and thinking, deciding to believe and help human beings. It logically answers the core question of the movie: "Do you like humans that much, Ultraman?" In addition, CG The application of technology and the bright silver reflective skin material make Ultraman more "divine" while maintaining a sense of mystery. This is also the temperament pursued by the creators of Ultraman in the Showa era. Similarly, the restoration of the monster's voice and various tribute scenes all make this "New Ultraman" a must-see masterpiece of this year's special photography works.
