A Chinese epic based around the rise and fall of General Pang who, on behalf of the ruling Qing dynasty, retook the cities of Suzhou and Nanjing during the unsuccessful Taiping Rebellion during the 1860s. The film starts with a beaten Pang meeting and allying with two bandits, Er-Hu and Wu-Yang, and forming the Shan Army. As they slash their way to victory they become the victims of their own disputes and rivalries and, with victory achieved, no longer the masters, but the wretched pawns in a bi find out more...

"Josephine Decker has created a new style of thriller that employs allegory, incorporates touches of David Lynch as well as Magritte -esque imagery. Decker's setting of a remote farm feels like a metaphor for what turns out to be hell. The raw and emotional (and yes, sometimes funny) dialog tells a story that can seem familiar at points but really is meant to keep you guessing and off balance. I really enjoyed how the undertones of this film came to life through her very deft contrast of the find out more...