81%
16 Reviews
Tomatometer
70%
Fewer than 50 Ratings
Audience Score
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Marcus H
The life history of an ordinary man told in reverse. Partly due to being confined to sub-titles and to the odd convention of the story going back in time instead of forwards this is not an easy watch. I was confused watching this and needed to refer to other resources to keep track of the characters.
Nevertheless, great casting and convincing performances told in a dramatic way without resorting to special effects of a man's revenge against those that wronged him, make for a very satisfying experience. If you are Chinese, or can deal with sub-titles it's top shelf. For us mere mortals nevertheless, there are a lot of satisfying nuances in character development to be intrigued.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
12/05/23
Full Review
Vanja V
I started watching this movie without knowing what to expect, and it has been in my top five movies ever since.
A few months after watching the movie, I saw the movie's relatively low reviews and realized that the biggest (and it seems the only) problem people have with this movie is its depiction of women in it. It can be said that women impact the protagonist's life but, coming from a woman, this movie is not about that. Most of us live mundane lives, with a few major events in them that will shape us or change our direction. This is a story about three events in a man's ordinary life. No pointing fingers. No throwing blame. It is a captivating, poignant tale elevated by creative storytelling, breathtaking cinematography, and Lee Hong Chi and Ding Ning's performance. Its effect lies in the power a few events have on a person's life and, more importantly, how such events can happen to anyone. Watch this movie with an open heart and open mind and enjoy this beautiful piece of art.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
08/16/23
Full Review
Zach L
if you are interested with crimial stories this is worth of watching. Here s the life of a man turned cop and parts his life in inverse from future to when he was teen wit important points that stigmatized his life and family with a very nice point of view from himself.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
10/27/22
Full Review
Audience Member
Gross from the start. Didn't make it halfway through. Revolting.
Rated 0.5/5 Stars •
Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars
02/05/23
Full Review
Audience Member
The excel of cinematography and concept compared to its convoluted story and structure might create the perception of style over substances. Only when everything is connected it become a spark that, Cities of Last Thing is a complex character journey layered with critics that are remarkably ambitious.
Full review: acinemalens.com/movie_review/cities-of-last-things-2018/
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/16/23
Full Review
georgan g
Once you know this is in reverse chronological order, relax and enjoy the ride. It's quite a journey.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
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20%
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Hover
TRAILER
for Hover
20%
31%
Let Yourself Go
TRAILER
for Let Yourself Go
20%
31%
Perdida
86%
73%
The Nightingale
89%
%
The Father's Shadow (A Sombra do Pai)
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Ben Kenigsberg
New York Times
As the full picture comes into focus, the narrative can tend toward the trite. The chief pleasure of the movie is the 35-millimeter cinematography of Jean Louis Vialard.
Jul 11, 2019
Full Review
Robert Abele
Los Angeles Times
"Cities of Last Things," which adroitly makes the most of handcuffs as a visual metaphor, displays a keen, wry understanding of that gimmick, and it makes for a surprisingly effective slice of dystopian noir.
Jul 11, 2019
Full Review
Jessica Kiang
Variety
The story does reward the effort it takes to unkink it, turning into an ever-decreasing circle of broken connections...
Sep 17, 2018
Full Review
Andrew Heskins
easternKicks.com
A sombre history of a vengeful man told in reverse, from the near future to the past...
Rated: 3.5/5
Sep 23, 2020
Full Review
Panos Kotzathanasis
Asian Movie Pulse
In general, "Cities of Last Things" is a good looking, meaningful and entertaining film, which manages to retain interest and occasionally even shock throughout the 107 minutes of its duration
Jan 19, 2020
Full Review
Brian Costello
Common Sense Media
Sex, violence, suicide in thoughtful noir drama.
Rated: 4/5
Jul 17, 2019
Full Review
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