Red Amnesia (2014) New York Asian Film festival

Am I seeing a ghost or something else?

Supernatural tinged film about an old woman being tormented by strange phone calls and a seemingly ghostly figure of a young man. Her kids are hesitant to believe her until the calls start up at their homes. Could it be ghosts or a business associate who wants to get paid?

Possessing a very rare and Oscar worthy performance from Lu Zhong as the old woman, this is film I'm finding a hard nut to crack. The film is an overlong supernatural tinged tale for the first hour and then some we watch as the Lu Zhong goes through her day and deals with what life has thrown at her. Yes there are the calls and hints of the supernatural, but at the same time the film is largely variations of a theme of the woman's existence where very little happens. We are just watching life. It isn't until the second hour when the film begins to come together. What the film is all about (the guilt we carry about the things we did)  is compelling once it's revealed, but it takes a very long time to get there. I'm not sure if it's worth it even if it deals with the guilt felt by accusers during the Cultural revolution.

As I frequently say- despite my reservations worth a shot if you run across it- though definitely try and be patient.