R E V I E W

Spacked Out

Mei Ah  |  2000  |  90 minutes
Directed by Lawrence Lau

M O V I E

plot, performances, production

Early adolescence is a time of blinding confusion and emotion. It is captured quite authentically in Spacked Out, which focuses on four early-teenaged girls as they attempt to come to grips with the growing complexity of their lives.

Director Lawrence Lau and cinematographer Lai Yu Fai give the film a quasi-documentary look but do not overdo the effect. In other words, it has a hand-held camera feel but not the irritating jerking back-and-forth that is the mark of a truly mannered film. Most scenes are just the right length: they make their point and then get of the way for the next scene. The four lead actresses are not too polished, and their sometimes amateurish performances work to the good. The screenplay by Yeung Sin Ling keeps the focus on the girls without wasting any time on their male companions, which is refreshing.

Toward the end, director Lau becomes a bit heavy handed in two sequences; they are longer and, how can I say, more opinionated and appear out of sorts with the overall tone (you have to see them to have an idea of what I'm talking about, and I don't want to give away the subject matter - by the way, don't read the box text or it'll do the same thing). The final scenes allow for recovery and overall this is a very well-made and vital movie -- a fine addition to the Milkyway Productions canon.

D V D

look
The print (letterboxed, 1.85:1) is very good and sharp. The colors are reproduced quite accurately, with deep black tones, although a bit muted in the exteriors (under overcast skies), which is in keeping with the documentary look.

sound
Because of the nature of the film, the less-than-dynamic sound does not detract. Cantonese/Mandarin DD 5.1 and DD 2.0 audio tracks are included.

subtitles
The subtitles are white and were easy to read with few obvious mistakes. Also included are traditional and simplified Chinese subtitles.

features
Original theatrical trailer (very stylish and quick-cutting, the antithesis of the film as a whole), a "data bank" (just a brief synopsis and listing of main cast & crew), and "best buy" recommendation (a trailer for Unstoppable Mania).

R E C O M M E N D A T I O N
buy, rent, or pass?

Rent. Highly recommended. It may have limited replay value, but it's definitely worth at least one viewing.

(Reviewed 09/16/00)

THIS DVD IS AVAILABLE AT HKFLIX.COM