Rob Marshall 's Memoirs of a Geisha. Considering the controversy which Zhang's casting in the latter caused (the Japanese were outraged about Chinese actresses playing geishas; the Chinese banned the movie for its sympathetic portrayal of the Japanese), there's something naughtily subversive about her role here, in which she sings and speaks a peculiar blend of native Mandarin and phonetic Japanese.

Filmed before Memoirs of a Geisha, but clearly benefiting from the high profile which that film gave its star, Princess Raccoon showcases another side of Zhang's adaptive talents, her sweet smile, fl ashing eyes and extravagant wigs perfectly complementing the kitsch tone of the scenery. The camera loves her, but her response to its adoration is admirably arch, bordering upon satirical.

What's most extraordinary, however, is the manic levelTag Archive | "delivering happiness"

DCWEEK came to an official start this past weekend when we hosted an opening party Friday night at the Longview Gallery & Blagden Alley in Washington, DC. The party featured tons of entertainment – everything from bands and individual musicians, to performance artists, film projections, dancers and an interactive gratitude graffiti wall presented by Shiny [...]