Sixteenth. Love and Duty by Bu Wancang (1931)

Love and Duty (1931)
Director: Bu Wancang

Love and Duty is a silent film about a woman's struggle in pursuing her true love and fulfilling her duties as a mother of three (who have different fathers). This is also the first time, I am able to catch my first glimpse of the infamous China's first prima donna in the silver screen, Ruan Lingyu. While watching the film, Ruan cinematic standards in front of the camera was really one of the best during that time. In a silent film, it is exceptionally hard to express one's feelings. Yet Ruan did it gracefully in showing her pain, pleasure, passion and desire. Many critics say that she set a high standard for the actors and actresses for the Chinese film industry in the 1930s and even now. To me, it were as if the film was made for her.


Ruan's pain and reluctance

I felt that the use of typography in silent film is something that is quite unique to me. Well, I guess something 'old' can always be 'new' to someone, especially in such a different generation. I think it was handwritten and carefully calligraphed.






However, I felt that the story line of Love and Duty is expectable, maybe this was because I had watched too many of these kind of films for this course. But I'll definitiely give thumbs up for the kind of narrative provided in this film if I were to be in the 1930s when it is first screened.

[1] A Century Of Chinese Cinema: The 25th Hong Kong International Film Festival and beyond by Frank Bren. Retrieved on 29 April 2011 from http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/festivals/01/14/hongkonged.html
[2] Ruan Lingyu. Retrieved on 29 April 2011 from http://shanghai.cultural-china.com/html/History-of-Shanghai/History/Historical-Figures/200810/31-954.html
[3] The 25th Hong Kong International Film Festival by Frank Bren. Retrieved on 29 April 2011 from http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/festivals/01/14/hongkonged.html

Fifteenth. Cannot Live Without You by Leon Dai (2009)

Cannot Live Without You (2009)
Director: Leon Dai

I decided to do a poster for Cannot Live Without You.




[1] No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti (Cannot Live Without You) by Jeffree Benet. Retrieved on 29 April 2011 from http://www.cinemalicious.com/film-reviews/drama/55-family-life/378-no-puedo-vivir-sin-ti-cannot-live-without-you.html
[2] Movie Review – Leon Dai’s “No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti” by Christopher Bourne. Retrieved on 29 April 2011 from http://www.meniscuszine.com/film/no-puedo-vivir-sin-ti-20091222/index.html
[3] NO PUEDO VIVIR SIN TI REVIEW. Retrieved on 29 April 2011 from http://twitchfilm.com/reviews/2010/03/no-puedo-vivir-sin-ti-review.php
[4] Not Without You - Film Review. Retrieved on 29 April 2011 from http://www.moviexclusive.com/review/notwithoutyou/notwithoutyou.html

Fourteenth. The Twilight Samurai by Yoji Yamada (2002)

The Twilight Samurai (2002)
Director: Yoji Yamada



A quiet samurai film that was film during the modern times. The Twilight Samurai is a film which I realised I had fallen in love with after the credits had finished rolling. I sat there, looking at the blank screen on my laptop and there was a strange, really strange feeling in my heart. It was a moving film where Yamada took his time to build up before the film's climax towards the end of the film. Somehow, I did not want to deliberate my feelings and comments after watching it because the feeling might disappear.

How did Hiroyuki Sanada play the role of Seibei Iguchi so well? It was so real and so sincere. His dilemma in accepting the orders of his clan and his happiness when Tomoe visits to play with his daughters. He does not smile nor tries to talk to Tomoe when she visits, yet his little gestures like gazing over them with a gentle look, I'd knew he had so much feelings for her! It was really sweet when he finally confesses his feelings to her knowing that he may not return alive. I must say that Yamada did a brilliant job in resurrecting the 1700s during the era of the samurai in Japan. During the fight with Yogo, the scene brought me into the realm of samural, where such things do happen during that period of time. It was so exciting, that might be because in my mind I really hoped that I would not see Seibei die. Seibei Iguchi's simple character had so much depth and understanding. It were as if he only existed in a fantasy world and that this kind of charisma cannot be found. I admire him.

Not even my blog entry, nor good reviews of the film will do The Twilight Samurai any justice. One has to watch it and truly experience Yamada's version of a samurai to fall in love with it. I am glad I did (:

[1] The Twilight Samurai by Collin Souter. Retrieved on 28 April 2011 from http://efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=8211
[2] The Twilight Samurai (Film Review) by Nicholas Rucka. Retrieved on 28 April 2011 from http://www.midnighteye.com/reviews/twilsamu.shtml
[3] The Twilight Samurai. Retrieved on 28 April 2011 from http://www.asianmovieweb.com/en/reviews/the_twilight_samurai.htm
[4] The Twilight Samurai (2002) FILM REVIEW; He's a Meek Bookkeeper, but Don't Get Him Riled. Retrieved on 28 April 2011 from http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C07E7DC143AF930A15757C0A9629C8B63

Thirteenth. Bodyguards and Assassins by Teddy Chen (2009)

Bodyguards and Assassins (2009)
Director: Teddy Chen
Award: Best film in 29th Hong Kong Film Awards

At first look, bodyguards and assassins seems like the usual action kungfu movies where the good guy went through hardships and fight his way through and eventually got the hard earned victory. But director Teddy Chen opt to deviate from the norm and focus more on political and historical build up in the movie.

The movie basically comprises of two portions: the first part focuses on character development and place them into historical context of the movie and how the characters are related to one another. Despite effort in developing characters, I think that due to the larger number of characters involved in the story, some of the character development are not complete or lacks the depth such that it still leaves the audiences scratching heads thinking how he comes to play in the story. An example will be the character played by Leon Lai, a martial art expert previously from a rich family who later became a beggar. His character is being called upon late in the movie and mainly flashbacks are given to portray how he comes about. It seems that his appearance in the movie is very abrupt and less convincing.

The second part is where the carnages set in with the bodyguards, recruited by Li Yutang, protecting Sun Wen as he attends the meeting to discuss his plan for revolution and leaves Hongkong safely. They are met with assassins from the Empress Dowager Ci xi, led by Yan Xiaoguo, who will try by all means prevent the meeting to occur. It is near an hour of intense fighting and bone breaking moments, with actions which I think are choreographed nicely, action flicks are sure to love it! I think that director Chen succeed in building up the atmosphere and tension for this portion of the movie.

The ending of this movie is unexpected and definitely bring tears to the weak hearted, with the bodyguards all sacrificing themselves for the safety of Sun Wen. This is unlike normal Chinese films where the good triumph and everyone lives to see the good days ahead. I feel that this is to portray the true historical context whereby it is never easy to achieve freedom and build a republican government, sacrifices have to be made. Judging by the action choreography and the effects provided, I felt that it is a good film. However, I did not really like the film probably because all his bodyguards died. I wanted to like it but I did not. Maybe in my mind, I really did not like the triumph of evil in the movie.

[1] Bodyguards and Assassins Review. Retrieved on 28 April 2011 from http://twitchfilm.com/reviews/2009/12/bodyguards-and-assassins-review.php
[2] Bodyguards and Assassins. Retrieved on 28 April 2011 from http://www.lovehkfilm.com/reviews_2/bodyguards_assassins.html
[3] Donnie Yen heads 'Bodyguards and Assasins'. Kungfu Cinema. Retrieved on 28 April 2011 from http://www.kungfucinema.com/donnie-yen-headsbodyguards-and-assassins-6195
[4] Bodyguards and Assassins - Film Review. Retrieved on 28 April 2011 from http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/bodyguards-and-assassins-film-review-29227
[5] Bodyguards and Assassins Review. Retrieved on 28 April 2011 from http://martialartsmoviejunkie.com/movie-reviews/bodyguards-and-assassins-review/

Twelfth. When the Tenth Month Comes by Dang Nhat Minh (1985)

When the Tenth Month Comes (1985)
Director: Dang Nhat Minh

Duyen's undying love for her husband who had lost his life while in the military during the Vietnamese War has brought out the different percepts of the Vietnamese culture of duty and sacrifice. However, this had drove her to insanity where her plan to hide the fact that her husband is dead from her family affects herself too. As she receives fake letters from her husband every now and then, she slowly believed that he is still alive. Dang Nhat Minh did not specifically distinguish who were ghosts or the living in scenes where it was ambiguous. It was only known where there was mention of her husband or when she really sees him. At one point of the film, the hallucinations were so real to Duyen that the director tried to bring it across to the audience by having a usual marketplace where the ghosts looked 'touchable'. His style is very different from usual horror films, where normally the ghosts were translucent and full of vengeance.

In the scene where she finally meets her husband in her hallucination, she wants to hold Nam's hand, but as they look at each other, their hands were in a position as though they were holding hands, but they do not touch. Through this way, the audience can understand that although her late husband looked so real to her, there is still an absence of the element of touch.

Duyen: Do you have something to tell me?
Why are you silent?
Have I done something wrong?
Then why do you look so sad?
Nam: I want those still living to have happiness.
Duyen: Happiness?
Nam: Only living people can bring happiness to each other.
I've completed my role in the living world.
Duyen: No. You're still with me, I still feel you near me everyday.
Nam: What remains of me is something intangible.

I felt that even though she's in a state of denial in such a way that she starts to have hallucinations of her husband, that particular scene is her own hallucination but Nam said "what remains of me is something intangible", deep down inside she knows that her husband is dead.

In a surprisingly good way, Khang had fell in love with Duyen in the process of writing fake letters from her husband for her. Is it probably because he really assumed the role of her husband that he could find the feelings for her? That as he thinks slowly of Duyen everytime he writes a fake letter, his own heart follows its way to her?

I couldn't imagine how many widows in Vietnam have suffered as their husbands, fathers and family members sacrificed themselves for the war that lasted for almost 20 years. Dang Nhat Minh's interpretation and version may not be the worst one.


[1] Bao Giò Cho Đến Tháng Mười (When the Tenth Month Comes). Retrieved on 28 April 2011 from http://forgottenclassicsofyesteryear.blogspot.com/2009/12/bao-gio-cho-en-thang-muoi-when-tenth.html
[2] Bard in China Presents “Vietnamese Cinema: Past, Present, and Future,” Two Evenings of Film and Discussion, February 4-5. Retrieved on 28 April from http://www.bard.edu/news/releases/pr/fstory.php?id=1390

Eleventh. A Borrowed Life by Wu Nien-jen (1994)

A Borrowed Life (1994)
Director: Wu Nien-jen
Award: Grand Prize at The Torino Film Festival in Italy

A Borrowed Life was the first film that talked about the intergenerational gap of the rural working class as one of the social colonial effects in post-second World War in Taiwan. In the film, the protagonist's father, Duo Sang, faces a huge generation gap with his son and daughter because they lived in an era of changing times. While Duo Sang was Japanese and Minnanese educated, his children were Mandarin educated and know little of the Minnanese dialect. Throughout the film, we could see that there was an erosion of culture and the replacement of another just within a family. Duo Sang felt that he was not living his own life anymore. Although his son, Wen Jian, tries to be emphatic towards his father, it was never appreciated. In fact, I felt that whenever Wen Jian tried to help his father or gave him money, Duo Sang had let his ego take place and rejected it. It was as though Duo Sang was trying to tell his son that no matter how emphatic he is, he could never understand how he felt in this agonizing changing society. At the same time, it reminds and pains Duo Sang of his misplacement in the society.

I felt that this generation gap issue is also evident in our own society as well. Although it is not as drastic as having language barriers as we could still communicate with our parents, however I felt that there was still a slow distancing cultures and ethos in this fast changing global community. As we have known, the proliferation of the Internet exposes all of us to different cultures in the world and people could choose how they wanted to be educated. At the same time, while the younger generation is adapting to the global culture, it leaves the older generation behind in their own times. More often than not, we do see a hybrid of cultures and acceptance of other cultures. Unlike in A Borrowed Life, Duo Sang's daughter could not appreciate her father's love for Japanese music and stuff. A simple example can be that there is an increase in the number of Chinese in Singapore being attracted to the anime or manga from Japanese, at the same time watching Hollywood blockbuster films are also part of their favourite past times. Traditions were often lost, if not argued as something that is superstitious and that it is not practical.

I felt that in this aspect, it is good in a sense that the new generation starts to be able to appreciate other country's culture. However, the dilution of traditions is not a good thing as I believe that some of the traditions actually has an imbedded certain moral value which holds the community at peace, at where it is now.

[1] A Borrowed Life (1994) FILM REVIEW; Generation Gap for a Generation. Retrieved on 27 April 2011 from http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=990ce5db1038f93aa15750c0a963958260
[2] Island on the edge: Taiwan new cinema and after By Feiyi Lu.
[3] Borrowed Modernity: History and the Subject in A Borrowed Life by Chaoyang Liao; Vol. 24, No. 3, Postmodernism and China (Autumn, 1997), pp. 225-245

Tenth. Taste of Cherry by Abbas Kiarostami (1997)

Taste of Cherry (1997)
Director: Abbas Kiarostami
Award: Palme d'Or in Cannes Film Festival 1997



After watching the film, I was puzzled regarding the ending scene where Kiarostami and his crew were filmed filming Taste of Cherry. To me, there was no link and that there was no ending either. But having said that, it was mentioned that Abbas Kiarostami once said in a conference at Paris many years ago that,

I believe in a cinema which gives more possibilities and more time to its viewer — a half-fabricated cinema, an unfinished cinema that is completed by the creative spirit of the viewer, [so that] all of a sudden we have a hundred films.

- Abbas Kiarostami

In that case, I was inspired to have my own kind of ending to the story. Well, I did not bother to thinking about why did Mr Badii want to commit suicide nor did he have any family members, kids or is he even homosexual. I just had an imagination that he did kill himself. And that was because the film had set to be so solitary, so lonely. The use of almost monochromatic scenery as Mr Badii's car drove through the dirt hills and roads. There were almost no life. Trees were absent and I felt that because all of them have died. They gave up on living.

Colours but not colours at all.





Even the poster for Taste of Cherry is in the same monochrome tone as the movie.

Many may argue that Taste of Cherry is about Kiarostami breaking the taboo in the Iranian film of committing suicide and that the theme of the movie is about suicides. Yet to me and some of the critics, Taste of Cherry was not about the theme of committing suicide. It is about living. What the taxidermist told Mr Badii in the car struck me the strongest.

I'll tell you something that happened to me. It was just after I got married. We had all kinds of troubles. I was so fed up with it that I decided to end it all. One morning, before dawn, I put a rope in my car. My mind was made up. I wanted to kill myself. I set off for Mianeh. This was in 1960. I reached the mulberry tree plantations. I stopped there. It was still dark. I threw the rope over a tree but it didn’t catch hold. I tried once, twice, but to no avail. So then I climbed the tree and tied the rope on tight. Then I felt something soft under my hand. Mulberries. Deliciously sweet mulberries. I ate one. It was succulent, then a second and third. Suddenly I noticed that the sun was rising over the mountaintop. What sun, what scenery, what greenery! All of a sudden I heard children going off to school. They stopped to look at me. They asked me to shake the tree. The mulberries fell and they ate. I felt happy. Then I gathered some mulberries to take them home. My wife was still sleeping. When she woke up, she ate mulberries as well. And she enjoyed them too. I had left to kill myself and I came home with mulberries. A mulberry saved my life. A mulberry saved my life.

I came to the conclusion that Mr Badii did kill himself because there were no mulberries to save him. One can only realise how precious life can be only through his own experience and enlightenment. Mr Badii was advised, but he was not convinced. Maybe he realised it when he was lying in his own grave but maybe not. I chose not.

[1] Taste of Cherry, Review by Jonathan Rosenbaum. Retrieved on 27 April 2011 from http://www.jonathanrosenbaum.com/?p=6553
[2] Taste of Cherry by Roger Ebert. Retrieved on 27 April 2011 from http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19980227/REVIEWS/802270309/1023
[3] Taste of Cherry - Abbas Kiarostami. Retrieved on 27 April 2011 from http://www.filmref.com/directors/dirpages/kiarostami.html#cherry
[4]Taste of Cherry (1997); Dir. Abbas Kiarostami: The Taboo of Suicide. Retrieved on 27 April 2011 from http://www.sheilaomalley.com/?p=7982
[5] Concepts of Suicide in Kiarostami's Taste of Cherry by Constantine Santas. Retrieved on 27 April 2011 from http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/00/9/taste.html

Ninth. Drunken Master 2 by Lau Kar-leung (1994)

Drunken Master II (1994)
Director: Lau Kar-leung

When people talk about martial arts directing and choreography, one would always mention action directors like Yuen Woo-ping, Sammo Hung and not forgetting Lau Kar-leung. Until I read the reviews, I never recognised that this familiar face in Hong Kong martial arts films, the so called 'bad guy' was actually Lau Kar-leung himself! I am really impressed not only with his own martial arts skills, his action choreography and the desire to be part of his film is truly amazing. Notably, I do agree with the rest of the reviews that the last fight scene at the steel factory which lasted for fifteen minutes, was food to the eyes for kungfu lovers.

The long shots of the action sequence of sheer aggressiveness, memorising each move, the mistakes and injury each martial art character has to bear took 4 months to shoot for the last scene! The degree of danger implanted in that particular scene together with life-risking action, the film deserves the respect of many martial arts fans. Especially the part where Jackie Chan (Wong Fei-hung) fell into the area of hot fiery coal and he had to quickly get out of the area. It was really 'ouch!' and it was filmed in slow motion. This shows the director's great editing and he comes to understand how to engage the audience.

Hollywood martial art/action films like The Matrix, XXX, Rush Hour were great, but they had no form of pure martial arts as there were big guns, big bullets, bigger guns and bombs and stuff. It just takes a gunshot for one to kill another. However, I can say that in Drunken Master 2, the film is made for martial arts, it is made for kungfu.

Like what my friends always say, it's like

'ONE KIND OF FIERCE'. hehe...

Attached below is the last ten minutes of the final scene in Drunken Master 2. Enjoy!



And yes! We see Miss Ho (何仙姑) again (:


Wong Fei-hung's Miss Ho, with a naughtier look this time...

[1] Drunken Master 2 (1994), Review by Joe Wong. Retrieved on 26 April 2011 from http://www.moviemutterings.com/reviews/d/dm2.htm
[2] Kung-fu Movie Review - Drunken Master II by Derek. Retrieved on 26 April 2011 from http://dereklieu.wordpress.com/2009/01/23/kung-fu-movies-drunken-master-ii/
[3] New! King of Fists: the Legendary Lau Kar-leung. Kungfu Cinema. Retrieved on 26 April 2011 from http://www.kungfucinema.com/new-king-of-fists-the-legendary-lau-kar-leung-1883

Eighth. Drunken Master by Yuen Woo-ping (1978)

Drunken Master (1978)
Director: Yuen Woo-ping, Hsu Hsia (Action)

Drunken Master may just have a typical and ordinary story line of most films, but I must say that the action/kung fu choreography is extraordinary. It is a film where it stretches the limits of it's characters like Jackie Chan and Hwang Jang Lee. Due to the restriction in the editing of films and the limited ways of having a stunt man perform the stunts, most of the fighting was done in long static shots where we see Chan and Hwang maneuver themselves (like a form of dance) in the screen. The characters are actually the stuntman themselves! I am really impressed with the level of fitness, stamina and gracefulness of the different techniques available. At the same time, I felt that Jackie Chan at that point was at his peak when he was able to bring in comedy as well as superb technique and form while fighting. Martial arts film have always been one of my favourite film genres and this film is still considered one of the best yet. Not to mention, I had a good laugh watching the English dubbed version on YouTube.

Kung fu techniques in Drunken Master are often inspired from of different animals, particularly for each animal's special strength/ability, such as the crane and the snake. In Drunken Master, Wong Fei-hung had to master the 8 different forms of the drunken fist technique, that is the infamous "Eight Immortals" in the Chinese legend. It was a joy to see him display all of the eight immortals and how he used it so flexibly to fight his arch enemy. The most enjoyable part was when he decided to have his own version of Lotus Ho (Miss Ho) (何仙姑), that was because he did not want to train her style of fighting thinking that it's very feminine. I still wonder though, whether one who trains the drunken fist technique really have to be drunk. He does look sober even when he's drunk fighting.


Wong Fei-hung's Lotus He


Miss Ho

[1] REVIEW: Drunken Master by Mark Pollard. Kungfu CInema. Retrieved on 26 April 2011 from http://www.kungfucinema.com/drunken-master-1978-247
[2] Legend of the Drunken Master, The, Review by James Berardinelli. Retrieved on 26 April 2011 from http://www.reelviews.net/movies/l/legend_drunken.html
[3] Drunken Master (Yuen Woo-ping), A Review by Jarret. Retrieved on 26 April 2011 from http://www.coldbacon.com/movies/drunkenmaster.html

Seventh. A Short Film About the Indio Nacional by Raya Martin (2005)

A Short Film About the Indio Nacional (2005)
Director: Raya Martin


A short road,
I retrace my steps,
A long journey.

[1] A Short Interview with Raya Martin by Mark Peranson. Cinema Scope. Retrieved on 25 April 2011 from http://www.cinema-scope.com/cs27/int_peranson_martin.html
[2] Disappointingly Beautiful: Raya Martin’s Maicling Pelicula Ñang Ysañg Indio
Nacional (O Ang Mahabang Kalungkutan Ng Katagalugan), 2005 by Richard Bolisay. Retrieved on 25 April 2011 from http://lilokpelikula.wordpress.com/2007/09/22/disappointingly-beautiful-maicling-pelicula-nang-ysang-indio-nacional-o-ang-mahabang-kalungkutan-ng-katagalugan-2005/
[3] Indio Nacional (Raya Martin, 2005) by Noel Vera and Ogg Cruz. Retrieved on 25 April 2011 from http://criticafterdark.blogspot.com/2007/07/indio-nacional-raya-martin-2005.html

Sixth. Forever Fever by Glen Goei (1998)

Forever Fever (1998)
Director: Glen Goei

Forever Fever was a good refreshing film for me during this revision period. After watching all the previous films that touch on deep impactful societal issues and with so many problems, this film was definitely a breather for me. Forever Fever brings out light humour through the actions of its character but with something extra - the Singaporean touch. Adrian Pang portrays Ah Hock as a normal guy with aspirations (to have a motorbike). It kind of allowed me to reminiscence the past during the 1990s when I was a teenager. I found this enjoyable because I really miss those days in my childhood where things were not as worrisome as the current era. Nobody talked much about global warming, workers riots or labour rights. But this was probably cause I was young and ignorant that these things didn't even bother me at all. Yet this image has been pushed further and further back into my mind where everything just felt like it was a dream.

Even so, the film is not as simple as it seemed. The issue on sex change and transvestite, which was a taboo topic during that time, was brought out and addressed. The film may not be as melodramatic as other films but I just felt that the director was trying to lift the mood and let his audience know that, 'Hey, maybe the problem is not as bad as it seems...' which I really appreciate it because nowadays Singaporeans are getting so 'kan chiong' (frustrated and panicky) about the smallest things.

If only everyone would just chill, step back, look at the big picture and deal with it with an open mind.

On the bright side, being curious how similar Forever Fever draws itself to Saturday Night Fever by John Badham (1977), I decided to investigate the characters of both movie. From John Travolta to Adrian Pang...



Well, it seems like the costume and the actions of both characters are quite similar. The only difference was the expression on John Travolta's and Adrian Pang's face. While Travolta was trying to portray the cool and 'hot' kind of expression, Pang just had to have a wide smile. I guess that is justifiable because during the show when he tried to look very serious and 'cool', I burst out laughing at Pang's expression. However, there's just another added element which is the reason why I loved Ah Hock in the movie. That is...



The epic Bruce Lee kick... in disco?

I hoped when Forever Fever came out during that time, disco dancers in Singapore didn't follow Ah Hock to do a Bruce Lee kick on the dance floor.

I really had a good laugh. Thanks to Glen Goei and Adrian Pang.


[1] Forever Fever by Adele Tan. Retrieved on 25 April 2011 from http://inkpot.com/film/foreverfever.html
[2] Forever Fever Review by Calvin McMillin. Retrieved on 25 April 2011 from http://www.lovehkfilm.com/panasia/forever_fever.htm
[3] Film Review: Forever Fever - That's the way I like it by Celeste Heither. Retrieved on 25 April 2011 from http://www.thingsasian.com/stories-photos/3509
[4] Forever Fever: Movie Review by Harvey Karten. Retrieved on 25 April 2011 from http://celebritywonder.ugo.com/movie/1999_Forever_Fever_harvey_karten.html

Fourth. To Live by Zhang Yimou (1994)

To Live
Director: Zhang Yimou

Through Zhang's films, I can see that he really wants to convey traditions and virtues of the past. Yet as I reflect on this film, it is not exactly very sad. But I felt that at the point if I were to ever have my husband left me alone for so many years or watch my children die, I really would not know what to do or how to live on after that. It is a kind of thing that, maybe while watching the movie, this thought would have never come to your mind. However, at the same time, I felt that the director was trying to educate us and let us know how his characters pull through the various ordeals faced in life.

As I compared the current generation with those times in the movie, where it was during the Revolutionary War, communist movement by Mao Ze Dong, the times have really improved and gotten much better (just like what Fugui always tells his son and grandson). In fact, I find it very ironic. During the times where there were war and many activists movements, people really worked hard to live and survive. Life was valued as the most important thing. No matter how poor or how people seem to be at trapped in a certain alley of their lives, they still had to live on.

Yet in the society nowadays, everyone have a comfortable living with good living environment, water, food, entertainment and luxury products, we are often unhappy with what we have. It is saddening to hear that some people end their lives for relationship problems that are not worthwhile, or stress due to work and study. Some are more concerned about their social status than anything else. And more often than not, sometimes I am guilty of it too, that we neglect how people who care about us would feel if we hurt them through irresponsible actions.

It is easy to give up and die, but it is so hard to live.

Life has got to go on.

[1] Zhang Yimou by Mary Farquhaar, Senses of Cinema; Retrieved on 23 April 2011 from http://www.sensesofcinema.com/2002/great-directors/zhang/
[2] The Exquisite Muse of Zhang Yimou by Stu Kobak; Retrieved on 23 April 2011 from http://www.filmsondisc.com/features/zhang/zhang.htm
[3] Huozhe (1994), A Review by Damian Cannon; Retrieved on 23 April 2011 from http://www.film.u-net.com/Movies/Reviews/To_Live.html

Third. The Road Home by Zhang Yimou (1999)

The Road Home
Director: Zhang Yimou
Awards: Silver Bear Award in 2000 Berlin International Film Festival, Jury Grand Prix




The Road Home by Zhang Yimou tells a love story of the Yu Sheng's (Sun Honglei) parents. As the film begins, Yu Sheng arrives in his home village on the news of his father's death. He is back in the village to discuss with his mother, Zhao Di (Zhang Ziyi), on the funeral service for his father, Luo Changyu (Zheng Hao). His mother insisted that it is tradition that his father would be carried from the city to the village by men to let him remember that it is his road home. However, due to the cold winter and the lack of manpower, carrying out this tradition was posed to be a challenge. Suggestions such as using technology like tractors to bring his father's body back were raised. Yet, his mother's resolve remained strong. This whole starting scene at the present time was screened in monochrome. It symbolizes dilemma and the monotonous tone in the village after his father had passed away.

Yu Sheng recalls how his parents got together. It was the central love story of the village at that period of time. Zhang Yimou uses stereotypes in The Road Home. Zhao Di fell in love at first sight with Changyu as soon as he arrives at the village to be the new school's teacher. Her undying love for him brought her to desperate attempts to get him to notice her, such as going to fetch water from the well beside the school, when in fact it is the furthest one from her house. Together with the housewives, she too, made meals for the men who were working together to build the school. However, Zhao Di was able to show her innocence and embarrassment from being so daring when he finally notices her. Several close up shots of her were taken as she looks at her love from far. It brings out her curiosity, desire and intentions without explicitly expressing her love for Changyu. Although they were separated due to the politically unstable situation in the city, she had waited 2 years for Changyu to return to her side. Finally.


Innocence

Towards the end, the film was switched back to the monochrome present. Yu Sheng, as he recalled his parent's love story, finally understand the meaning of the road in which they had to follow to bring his father back home. The funeral service was held in a snow storm. Despite that, many of his father's students returned to solemnly send his father back to his home village. A simple yet heartwarming film that shows the importance of Chinese tradition. In it, lies the very soul of the people who created them and those who followed them. Zhang Yimou also uses the highest form of purity. Zhang Ziyi looked like a typical pretty Chinese doll with great facial features. Zhao Di's purest love for his husband.

I felt that Yu Sheng's father was a symbol of colour and life in the film. When he was alive, the film was in vibrant colors (not forgetting Zhang Yimou's favourite use of red). When he passed away, he took all the colours away with him, leaving the village with a black and white theme. Upon watching this film, I reflected on the society now and the people in the village then. It seemed that it is a rare sight where there is true undying love, where one would sacrifice so much for the other, in this materialistic and practical society. Most traditions were lost as their meanings were not understood by later generations. I do hope that there is still some form of purity in the society now. Just a little bit more compassion, and a little bit more love will do.

[1] Variety Reviews: The Road Home. Retrieved on 20 April 2011 from http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117778683? refcatid=31
[2] Boston Review: Zhang Yimou's Long Road Home by Alan A. Stone. Retrieved on 20 April 2011 from http://bostonreview.net/BR26.5/stone.html

Second. White Valentine by Yang Yun-ho (1999)

White Valentine
Director: Yang Yun-ho (1999)



White Valentine tells the love story of two lonely people in a small town. A pet shop owner (Park Shin-yang) moved into this small down in reminiscence of his love whom he lost in a car accident. Everyday he writes a letter and sends it off in a white pigeon, hoping that one day his love will reply from the sky above. On the other side of the town, a 20 year old girl who have been writing letters to the same guy while he was in the military, chanced upon this very white pigeon at her window. Slowly, they conversed through the white pigeon, pouring their soul to that anonymous person and awaits by the window for a reply. Eventually, the love story did not develop like the usual love story. It is a slow-paced, tender and sad piece of film where each character's sorrow is portrayed through their actions or poetic form of dialogue.

The white pigeon was their link and salvation from solidarity, yet they never realised how close they were and how often they met. The settings and characters in this film had a common trait, that is, all of them are lonely in one or another way. In this small town, life is peaceful but somehow I felt that it is too peaceful. The girl lost her parents when she was young. The pet shop owner lost his love in a car accident when he was young. She lived with her grandfather who eventually passed away in later part of the film. There was so much pain in the character's heart but non of it is shown on their faces.

The film is set in a small town with beautiful scenery where one can just stare at the sunset and watch autumn leaves fall. Yet from the character's expressions, there is a lot of thoughts going through his/her mind. Yang Yun-ho uses a medium or long shots to express how lonely the characters were. At the same time, he always uses the same camera angle at certain scenes to draw a relation to the point that he wants to bring across, that is, their loneliness. In the long shot of the male protagonist in the story being half drunk and talking to himself, he blurts out and sings his sorrow of how he yearned for his loved one to come back. The same camera angle in his room was used from the time where he walks into his room at night, till the next morning where he wakes up to a hangover. Similarly, in the last two long shots of the film, the camera is set at the same angle and each characters move on and off-screen.

In the film, Yang has the tendency to film his characters in big open spaces such as the park, or the street. The camera is often far away from the protagonists. The use of big spaces in this film is to show that kind of loneliness and solidarity this film has. There is so much space and a beautiful scenery, yet more often than not, there is only one person who is in the middle of the screen, walking, drawing, looking and thinking.

On the side note, I love the song that was played and supposedly the male protagonist's favorite song. I guess it is a song that calm's our soul and allows us to quietly listen to it. Sang by Linda Eder who played Lisa in Jekyll and Hyde musical.

Magical.

First. The Host by Bong Joon-Ho (2006)

The Host
Director: Bong Joon-ho (2006)
Awards: Best Film at Asian Film Awards and Blue Dragon Film Awards



Never judge a book by it's cover. Many people may feel that The Host may just be a brainless monster horror movie that appeared in the Han River. This film addresses many social issues that is apparent in South Korea and the world. It is definitely not a typical horror movie where the monster is carefully designed to have special alienated abilities nor will it be kept in suspense until it is revealed in the middle of the movie.

In the first scene, it shows an American scientist asking his Korean assistant to pour away all of the formaldehyde into the sink because the bottles were dusty. Knowing that the toxic chemical will reach the Han River, where many Koreans go to as a place of relaxation and recreation activities, the American scientist had ignored his assistant's concern and showed that he didn't care. This portrays the wastefulness of mankind (stereotypically, Americans) and their disregard of the natural environment. I felt that the filmmaker is trying to tell us that for every action there are consequences, and more often than not, we make decisions so hastily that we have never considered them at all.

Bong may have chose this film to criticize how nation's government have forged lies to the people. They have also resort to underhand methods to reach their goal, some sacrifices have to be made. The fact that there was no virus contracted from the river monster and yet the military and government officials insisted on doing extreme medical tests on the protagonist was unbearable to me. He had missed his chance to save his only daughter because of their ignorance. Bong also wanted to show that people with power and authority would betray, cheat and lie for money.

Bong also used a good mix of irony and humour in this film. In the protagonist point of view, they may be devastated upon the news of their family member's death. But in the audience's point of view, they look clumsy and we do laugh at their clumsiness even though no jokes were told. In the operation room scene, we can see the desperation of the protagonist to save his daughter although he cannot do anything about it. Everyone would ignore him thinking that he is mentally unsound. I could feel his vent of frustration when Bong used a long shot on his facial expression during this scene. The protagonist could change his tone and attitude towards the nurses who were going to extract his brain cell. At first he was pleading with them and the next moment he was scolding them, it shows how frustrated he is in trying to save his daughter.



Gang-du saving his daughter Hyun-seo.


Hunting the fish monster.

Overall, I felt that it was a good film as it is very evident that the issues addressed in it is apparent in many societies in the world. The impact of the American military and mindset may be poisonous to many communities. I realised that although these social problems were addressed, it may still be inevitable in a world that we live in now.

[1] http://www.greencine.com/central/node/102
[2] http://www.hostmovie.com/press/KoreanFilm.html
[3] http://www.papermag.com/arts_and_style/2007/01/toxic-avenger.php
[4] http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/350881/The-Host/overview

From edveNTUre to blogspot

I have decided to create a blog for this film diary so that it would really look like a blog to me. I'm not sure if it is because of the edveNTUre website that makes me feel that I had to write 40 essays about the films (dreads!). I hope I did the right move in changing the layout and means of my workspace for me to feel all comfortable (: I have some personal space now!

Being able to revisit this film diary after I graduate sounds like a great idea.

So here we go.