Boy (Photo taken in Hong Kong, Mar2009)

12. ORZ Boyz! (囧男孩) [*****]

If I have to choose between Cape No. 7 (海角七號) and OZR Boyz! (囧男孩) (both are low budget Taiwan local movies), I’ll go for the latter. This movie really set its foot on the ground and show us the real Taiwan and a bitter-sweet friendship.

The movie titles, both Chinese and English are worth mentioning. First, ORZ is an emoticon representing a kneeling or bowing person, in this case it means you would prostrate yourself before the 2 main characters (No.1 and No.2) in admiration/surprise. Second, the character 囧 is an old Chinese character, means light or bright, but the character has a different meaning in the Internet world. The netizens think this character looks like a person who is surprise or facing an awkward situation (mostly when one hears some gags or sees people doing stupid things).

No.1 and No.2 (we don’t know their real name because they were not mentioned. They got the nicknames Misbehave No.1 and Misbehave No.2 from their class teacher and everyone called them by No.1 and No.2 since) are super naughty kids who always fool around and make jokes on other people. No.1 was always the mastermind of all tricks and No.2 was the soft-hearted follower.

The main storyline was about No.1 and No.2′s friendship, which was pure but fragile. A little argument led to the sudden break up of their friendship. Although they didn’t really hate each other, sometimes it’s not up to the children themselves to sort things out. The first taste of regret and disappointment was the sign of growing up. How sad but it can’t be helped.

The movie is portraying the decline of family, an important social problem in Taiwan (also in HK and other big cities). No.2′s parents left their child to the grandmother and didn’t care a bit for him. It was heart breaking to hear the grandmother said, “Why brought the children to this world if you don’t have time to love or raise them?” The absent of parents seemed don’t bother No.2 much because he could have more free time to play. Sadly, the only parent who was around the kids all the time was No.1′s mentally ill dad. He was present, but unable to take care of his child. He could not even tell No.1 how much he loved and cared for him.

13. The Equation of Love & Death (愛失償) [***]

A very bizarre movie about love. How far can you go in love?

The ability of earning money seems to be one of the most important criteria to win your lover’s parents’ hearts in today’s China. I think it’s quite sad to see Chinese people are very keen in making quick money and the truth is, a lot of people are desperate to get out of poverty or just to prove themselves they are capable to make money.

Children of our time (Photo taken in Hong Kong, Mar2009)

Movies I have watched so far (part 3)

9. Slumdog Millionaire [***]

The movie is not as good as people say it is, still the plot is quite smooth and the children are lovely.

India has the biggest slum in the world, and with the straight class system in the country, it’s almost impossible for the poor to climb the social ladder. I hope the rise of Bollywood and IT industry can change the situation but not to worsen it.

10. Milk [****]

Sean Penn was wonderful in the movie. He was so gay.

The screenplay was not prefect because it has too much to tell. I think it has also omitted some important issues such as the AIDS problem. Still, I am glad that someone is willing to make a movie like this one to promote equality. I have some good friends who are homosexual and I hope they can enjoy what heterosexual do.

One of the climaxes of the movie was the gay activists fighting against Anita Bryant’s Save Our Children (anti-gay) campaign. She made a statement during the campaign (the original TV clip was used in the movie), “As a mother, I know that homosexuals cannot biologically reproduce children; therefore, they must recruit our children” and “If gays are granted rights, next we’ll have to give rights to prostitutes and to people who sleep with St. Bernards and to nail biters.” Her statement was very discriminating and unacceptable in today’s standard, but I am sure there are still people who think the same as Anita nowadays. Anita also stressed that homosexual couldn’t form proper family so they shouldn’t exist. I can’t help wondering if I am one of the enemies Anita wanted to eliminate. I am not a homosexual (because so far I just fall for boys only, but I don’t know what will happen in the future), but I decide to stay celibate and not to have any children. Does this decision make me less human?

Below is a clip about Anita got a pie on her face during her speech.

11. Rachel Getting Married [***]

The cinematographer used handheld camera for almost the whole movie. I felt really dizzy…like motion sickness…

We have an old saying in Chinese: 家家有本難念的經 (meaning: every family has its own problem) and I think this movie is a good illustration of love and conflicts in a modern family (parents divorced, drug addict daughter, an horrible accident happened long time ago that still haunted all the family members). Anne Hathaway played Kym, the drug addict younger sister who took some days off  from the rehab facility to her sister Rachel’s wedding. Although she was a bit old for this role, I think she did a good job. Kym was a very typical young person who lacked sense of responsibility. She blamed everyone and everything for her misfortune. She might not intend to do so, but her behavior still annoyed everyone around her and herself. The reason of her frustration, I think, was guilt. She was deeply wounded by the accident of her baby brother and she blamed herself every minute about that.

Kym’s sister, on the other hand, was the responsible one. She, too, had her own frustration. She wanted more attention from her father whose focus was always on Kym, but she suppressed her feelings until she exploded. The director did a good job presenting the conflicts between family members and how they dealt with things differently.

One interesting element in the movie was about a special ops cousin of the groom. He was mentioned by Kym’s father and other relatives a few times, wishing he could come home safe from Iraq. This is something special in the USA. People’s fear of losing love ones are deeply rooted in everyone’s live.

Tha way to BC (Photo taken in Hong Kong, Mar2009)

Caption: I always walk to Cinematheque from my parents home in Waterfront, from . It’s funny to see the differences between a luxury residential area to one of the old districts in Kowloon.

—————————————————————————————

Movies I have seen this year so far (aslo see yesterday’s entry):

5. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button [****]

I didn’t want to watch this movie at first because I know how it’s going to end. I’m glad I didn’t miss it. The story was well said and not too surreal. To me, Benjamie’s uniqueness (he grew younger when everyone else grew old) was like other disabilities we might have. He could still feel and see the world. He could also be loved or to love.

Brad Pitt did well. I think he acted better under the makeup than his original handsome face. Nevertheless, Brad , I mean Benjamin was really handsome when he grew “young”, many of the audience (both male and female) gasped in admiration of his look when he was on his yacht (you know which scene I am referring to  if you have watched the movie).

Cate Blanchett was wonderful as always. She danced beautifully. I feel sorry she didn’t get the Oscar nomination.

6. Marley and Me [***]

A pet movie. A good weekend movie.

7. Seven Pounds [**] (potential spoiler)

Sad sad sad story. I don’t really approve of Ben Thomson’s  (Will Smith) “death wish. He killed his wife and 5 other in a car accident. He was in despair and lost his strength to live. Later he came up with a plan to die. He spotted out some strangers that were very ill and needed organ transplant. He paid them visits and assessed them. He finally killed himself in order to donate his heart to the girl he just had sex with.

This movie reminds me of the fairy tale Happy Prince (The statue of the prince collapsed after he gave out all his jewelery to the poor), but Thomson’s actions were not noble at all.  He was playing God by choosing who he thought might deserve to be helped. He just wanted to justify his suicide by giving these “gifts” (his body parts) to his brother and other strangers. He forced people to receive these gifts because they won’t say no when their lives were in danger. It’s a very typical attitude of rich people when they do charity, only Thomson’s choice was ultimate. He actually made the people he helped as his suicide accomplices. I don’t think anyone of them would be grateful if they knew what Thomson would do to himself.

I actually don’t mind Will Smith playing action hero. I like him making people happy instead of being a tragic hero who thinks he has all the world on his shoulder.

8. Doubt [****]

The truth isn’t that important when one’s so blindly believe in something or him/herself. Sister Aloysius Beauvier’s (Meryl Streep) doubt was so overwhelming so she couldn’t believe in otherwise, even there was no proof to back her doubt. A battle with only one person fighting can be very exhausting.

The tension between Sister Beauvier and Father Brendan Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) was well played by both the actor and actress. The director did a good job at the details such as the gestures and body movements, which helped to illustrate the personalities of the characters.

Back Alley of Cinematheque (Photo taken in Hong Kong, Mar2009)

I am a member of the Broadway Cinematheque and buy the “Insight Pass” (year pass) in the begining of the year.  I spend many of my free nights in Cinmeatheque watching movies. You’ll be amazed how much time one can squeeze if he/she is single and live alone.

I have watched 13 movies since 2009. Most are good movies, but none of them can be in my most favorite list.

Here is the list so far (my rating: *poor, **so far so good. ***good, ****very good, *****must see!):

1. Blow up [****]

A 1964 English classic by the great Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni (his first English movie). A movie about photography and murder. I think every photography lover should watch this movie!What really happened in the movie? Is our mind playing tricks on use or something fishy is going on?

The term “blow up” is rarely used after the popularization of DC because now we use photoshop in our computer to edit out photos instead of develop them in a dark room. IF I will be rich someday, I’ll build a dark room in my house and develop my own photos!

2. If you are the one (Fei Cheng Wu Rao/非誠勿擾) [****]

Directed by XianGang Feng, starred by You Ge and Qi Chu. I watched this movie right after Blow up (that’s right people, 2 movies in one night!). It was like winning a lottery to watch 2 good movies in one single night . The moive was much better than I expected because Qi Chu was way better than I thought. I think she should quit taking up roles such as mistress of marfia boss or hooker anymore. Her character was very sentimental but not weak. The screenplay was really good with a lot of funny and exquisite lines. Still you could see the bitterness of a middleage person who lived long enough to be frustrated and happy about life and live not enough to die in You Ge’s character Qin Fen. I fear that my life will turn out like Fen’s, live half my life without family and a home. Freinds and family are all over the world but none is around. Completely lonely.

Nevertheless I love Fen’s matrimonial notice (the last 4 characters of the notice is also the movie title 非誠勿擾, means : if you are not sincerely want to know me, please don’t bother ):

你要想找一帥哥就別來了,你要想找一錢包就別見了,碩士學歷以上的免談,上海女人免談,女企業家免談(小商小販除外),省得咱們互相都會失望。劉德華和阿湯哥那種財貌雙全的郎君是不會來征你的婚的,當然我也沒有做諾丁山的夢。您要真是一仙女我也接不住,沒期待您長得跟畫報封面一樣看一眼就魂飛魄散。外表時尚,內心保守,身心都健康的一般人就行,要是多少還有點兒婉約那就更靠譜了。心眼兒別太多歲數別太小,允許時常有不切實際的想入非非,但三句話就能給轟回現實還不氣惱頂多有點兒難為情地咧嘴一笑就該干嗎干嗎去了。我喜歡會疊衣服的女人,每次洗完燙平疊得都像剛從商店裡買回來的一樣。說得夠具體了吧。

3. Ponyo on the Cliff by the sea [****]

Directed by the one and the only Hayao Miyazaki. No CG, all hand drawing animation. You know what, no commentary is needed for this movie.

4. Labyrinth of Passion (**)

Perdro Almodovar’s 1982 production. Crazy movie…remind me of those crappy HK new year movies, only this one is crazier and really liberate…sex and sex and sex the whole time…