Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		4.0

I Wish I Knew Blu-ray Movie Review

A beautiful documentary receives an impressive Kino Lorber presentation.

I Wish I Knew is an impressive documentary production which was featured as an official selection “Un Certain Regard: Cannes Film Festival” in 2010. The documentary explores the lives of the participants involved in the feature-film as the interviewees discuss their unique histories and relationships with living in Shanghai, China. A must-see documentary.

The documentary features an array of thought-provoking interviews with an assortment of interviewees, including acclaimed filmmaker Hsiao- Hsien Hou. Some of the participants interviewed for I Wish I Knew include the artists, politicians, and countless others from all walks of life and ages.

Featuring interviews with Hsin-i Chang, Danqing Chen, Mei-Ru Du, Ming-yi Fei, Han Han, Baomei Huang, Chia-Tung Lee, Giong Lim, Rebecca Pan, Peimin Wang, Toon Wang, Ran Wei, Wei Wei, Huaiding Yang, Ziao-fo Yang, Yuan-sun Zhang, and Qiansheng Zhu.

A wondrous journey through Shanghai.

The documentary is fascinating as an exploration of Chinese life within Shanghai. The interviewees manage to explore everything from their own personal experiences to events from their ancestors. These interviewees delve in to their personal stories with depth, emotion, and vitality. The film is incredibly powerful for showcasing these portraits.

The visual component of the filmmaking is exceptional as well. Featuring cinematography by Nelson Lik-wai Yu (All Tomorrow's Parties, Love Will Tear Us Apart), I Wish I Knew has many compelling sequences which showcase the beautiful outdoor environments in Shanghai. Actress Zhao Tao is a perfect guide as she traverses across the Shanghai World Expo Park (who helped to produce the feature-film). The stunning outdoor vistas help the documentary soar.

The original music score composed by Giong Lim (Long Day's Journey Into Night, The Assassin) is another compelling element of the production. As a gifted composer, Lim brings heartfelt depth. A score can always break or make a feature-film – and documentaries are no different in that regard. Composer Lim brought forth his best and the filmmaking is all the better for it.

Written and directed by Zhangke Jia (Ash Is Purest White, A Touch of Sin), I Wish I Knew is invigorating and inspired filmmaking. The interviews are deeply personal and heartfelt. The film manages to avoid feeling like a travelogue or like a work of propaganda. Instead, the film is an enormously personal portrait of peoples from all walks of life in Shanghai. A truly exceptional documentary.

I Wish I Knew Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, I Wish I Knew is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 widescreen. The release features an enormously high bit-rate of 34.99 mbps. The encoding is top-notch and greatly benefits the film. Visuals are outstanding. For a documentary production, the style of filmmaking is highly artistic. Throughout the encode, the outdoor landscapes are serenely photographed with the encoding giving ample room for the video-quality to breathe. The encode doesn't struggle with the cinematography and the results are outstanding.

I Wish I Knew Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes two lossless audio options: Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. The lossless sound quality is superb and manages to greatly enhance the experience. The score music sounds remarkably crisp and clear throughout. Dialogue is crisp, clear, and easy to understand. Though the film is a documentary production (and has an unsurprisingly limited 5.1 surround sound track), the occasional ambiance of the surrounds is engaging and manages to make the film more involving. A strong audio presentation.

English subtitles are provided. The subtitles were excellent and were free from any egregious spelling or grammatical errors. The subtitles are optional and can be turned on/off.

I Wish I Knew Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

14 page booklet featuring an essay on I Wish I Knew written by Adam Nayman, production credits, interview credits, and information on the Blu-ray production.

On disc extras:

I Wish I Knew Theatrical Trailer (HD, 1:57)

The release also includes a selection of additional trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: Mountains May Depart (HD, 1:58) and A Touch of Sin (HD, 2:01).

I Wish I Knew Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I Wish I Knew is a mesmerizing documentary. The film features a number of interviews with those who have lived in Shanghai and grown to know its beauty. With outstanding cinematography by Nelson Lik-wai Yu (All Tomorrow's Parties) and a beautiful score by Giong Lim (Long Day's Journey Into Night), I Wish I Knew is a profoundly moving experience. The Blu-ray release from Kino Lorber features a top-notch video-audio presentation. Highly recommended.