Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

I was introduced to this module by watching Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives by Apichatpong Weerasethakul (2010) during the third week of class since I enrolled in late...and for my last film diary entry, I shall do a response to this movie using my film photos I took in Chiang Mai, since this movie transported me back to the enjoyable relaxing holidays I had in Thailand before the hectic university life commenced.

Be White. Live White. Like this.

“Listen carefully. Everyone make mistakes. But if you committed a sin, you have to make an atonement for that sin. Atonement, do you know what that means? Big Atonement for big sins. Small Atonement for small sins.”

I caught Sympathy for Lady Vengeance by Park Chan-wook (2005) a few years back and this easily became one of my favourite films. Starring Lee Young Ae who is famous for her role in the popular Korean drama Dae Jang Geum, I watched the film out of pure interest for Lee Young Ae’s performance (my family and I were fans of that drama during then), and indeed, she delivered her role in the movie with such a powerful concoction of emotions, it totally knocked me over.

My Magic

My Magic by Eric Khoo (2006) is the third movie I have watched from this director and is by far, having the most amount of interactive dialogue as compared to Be With Me (there is only 3 minutes worth of dialogue) and 12 Storeys (well, the grandma rattled on quite a lot in movie but it is more of a monologue).

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

I have never ever been a fan of martial arts movie or dramas, but Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon by Ang Lee (2000) won me over with the lush sceneries and fluid camerawork. I especially loved the fighting scenes among the bamboo forests, the gentle sway of the bamboo shoots due to the moving breeze is similar to how Mu Bai and Jen “fly” and pit their skills against each other – it is graceful and with ease, yet definitely powerful.

To Live

“馒头长大就不骑牛了，坐火车，坐飞机，那时候，日子会越来越好。”

To Live by Zhang Yi Mou (1994) is a socially and politically aware film that was banned by the China government and the director himself was barred from filmmaking for two years. Out of the Zhang Yi Mou films that I have watched, To Live would be my favourite. Watching this film two years back in class, I barely had any interest in the movie when it started – I thought the movie would be grim, serious, tragic and too politically involved, yet my initial feelings were wrong, at the end of the movie, the plot left a lasting impression on me.

Days of Being Wild

For my response to Days of Being Wild by Wong Kar-wai (1990), I have created the following poster, using bold red as the background and the traditional Chinese characters of the movie title in the foreground.

Faith, have faith.

"I think we keep living with faith because we need it. Even atheists believe in something - in something else. Yet, I didn't want to make a movie about faith, really, but a reflection on what goes on inside us. Cinema is a great tool, a way to talk about the invisible through the visible." - Lee Chang Dong

Secret Sunshine by Lee Chang Dong (2007) chronicles a lady, Shin-ae, dealing with grief, anguish and her doubt of faith, the role being performed by one of my favourite Korean actress, Jeon Do-yeon. Life seems to be peaceful for Shin-ae after she moves to the town Miryang, but the kidnap and murder of her son plummeted her into depths of despair, agony, and even madness. To overcome her grief, she decides to pay a visit to the kidnapper with the intention to forgive him under the grace of God, yet feelings of betrayal overcame her when the kidnapper told her that God had already forgiven him.

The Host

I did not expect myself to enjoy The Host by Boon Joon-Ho (2006), but the comedy elements with the drama made me chuckle throughout the movie, especially the slapstick moments with regards of the monster in the movie. The subtle digs at political issues were humorous too!

Nobody Knows

Out of the many films that I had watched for this module, the mothers portrayed in the movies are selfless and willing to sacrifice themselves for the sake of their children, but Nobody Knows by Hirokazu Koreeda (2004) certainly is an exception. A movie based on an actual event, Nobody Knows is about four children abandoned by their mother and left to survive on their own, and the main lead of the movie Yūya Yagira won the award for Best Actor at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival for his performance in the movie.

Romance in Taipei

Au Revior Taipei by Arvin Chen (2010) is a light-hearted romance comedy, to describe it aptly using the words from a critic’s review on it, the movie is alike to “Taiwan delicacy ‘Pearl Milk Tea’ -- sweet, bubbly, with something tasty to chew on”. After watching many of the films in my 40 movies list which almost all inevitably touches on something dark in life, Au Reviour Taipei is purely sweet and cheery. I loved the ending scene of the both leads doing the lindy hop, it makes me wanna do the same too, hahaha.

The Cloud-Capped Star

The Cloud-Capped Star (Meghe Dhaka Tara) by Ritwik Ghatak (1960) was a completely different viewing experience from watching Mother India by Mehboob Khan (1957), though both films are considered among the representative ones of India cinema.

Yureka

Eureka by Shinji Aoyama (2000) is a lengthy movie of three and a half hours. A story about a road trip, a pair of siblings survived a violent bus hijacking ride, along with the bus driver, who is the only other survivor.

Qiu Ju Goes To Court

Gong Li is transformed into a frumpy, down-to-earth, silly yet adorably stubborn village woman in movie The Story of Qiu Ju by Zhang Yi Mou (1992), very unlike her performances in other movies of Zhang Yi Mou’s that portray her in roles that are highly sensual, feminine and tragically themed.

Departures

Departures by Yōjirō Takita (2008) touches on the theme of “death”, depicting the profession of funeral embalmers. Daigo, a former cellist, takes on the job of a funeral caretaker, and throughout his journey, he gains new insights on professionalism, respect for the previously shunned (i.e. he learning to see his career in a new light), relationships, and ultimately, life and death. The movie definitely shed a new light on how the funeral profession is like, and after watching the movie, I have newfound respect for these workers, their job certainly encompasses more than what we can imagined.

Fireworks

Hanabi by Takeshi Kitano (1997) is a film that speaks more with violence rather than the use of dialogue.

12 Storeys

Watching 12 Storeys by Eric Khoo (1997) was very much “Singaporean-identifiable” to me, with stereotypes of the characters in our society that I can easily relate to.

The movie starts with an unexplained suicide of a young man, even though it is clear that the plump and withdrawn lady San-San contemplates suicide, yet, the plot begins with the young man ending his life; and slowly unfolds the stories in the movie with the ghost of the young man occasionally being the silent narrator (we see him appearing in random scenes – especially those when sorrow is felt).

Seven Samurai

For my diary response to Seven Samurai by Akira Kurosawa (1954), I have designed a poster, which compromises of the samurai sword, the movie title, and of course, the flag used to represent the seven samurais in the movie.

Lust, Caution

I have created a poster as my response to Lust, Caution by Ang Lee (2007).

Tokyo Story

“As long as life goes on, relationships between parents and children will bring boundless joy and endless grief.”

Monrak Transistor

Monrak Transistor by Pen-Ek Ratanaruang (2001) is a delightful movie filled with retro themes. The way the director inserted slapstick moments despite the twist and turns in the plot makes the movie slightly more light-hearted to watch. I loved the radio Pan gave Sado, it is such a pretty piece of vintage charm!

Ugetsu

Ugetsu by Kenji Mizoguchi (1953) is a Japanese ghost story that is full of cinematic poetry, every scene rolled in front of the audience eyes is simple yet beautiful.

Out of the movie, the famous lake scene left a lasting impression on me, the fog and mist shrouds the characters, then a boatman appears. I loved how the mist slowly unveiled the boatman, and the accompanying singing of the traditional Japanese songs add on to the charm of that scene.

A Woman’s Fate

Raise the Red Lantern by Zhang Yimou (1991) traces a young lady Songlian’s marriage into the wealthy Chen family, in which she realises the power struggles among the wives and she herself pitting against the domestic battles confined in the walls of the courtyard house, eventually losing her sanity after many turns of events.

Insiang

A movie considered to be Philippines director Lino Brocka’s best, Insiang (1976) is a movie that recounts the transformation of young and innocent Insiang to circumstantial manipulative lady, seeking revenge on her selfish mother Tonia, the rapist Dado, and her boyfriend Bebot, who dumped her.

Oldboy

“Even though I'm no more than a monster - don't I, too, have the right to live?”

My brains are blown away after watching Oldboy by Park Chan-wook (2005)...the violence, the anguish, the purpose, the gore, the movie generated ripple effects of art responses, and even the responses from fans all over the world is tastefully done.

"Be with me, my beloved love, that my smile may not fade."

I had always wanted to watch Be With Me by Eric Khoo (2005) since I got to know about it, but the year when the film premiered, the M18 barred my viewership and it is only till now that I’m of the legal age to be finally able to watch this movie.

“Is true love truly there, my love? Yes, if your warm heart is.”

After the introductory credits rolled in, the movie started off with a close up shot of two hands slowly typing away on a typewriter, churning out the quote above. My attention was immediately fully captured. To me, there is a charm to understated words that speak of philosophical wisdom, I believe in the beauty of simple words that bring out the many emotions, feelings and facets of life.

Promise Of The Flesh

“If a man despises me and deceives me, I’ll never forgive him.”

Watching Promise of The Flesh by Kim Ki-Young (1975) was an uncomfortable experience. A story about a broken soul Sook-Young whose self-esteem is battered after encountering rape by a few men, she meets a thief, Hoon, on the train and a strange relationship blossoms between the two. Although Hoon manages to restore some humanity faith for Sook-Young and the two made a promise to meet after two years, there is little hope that Hoon would appear due to his arrest.

空中小姐，而不是地上少奶奶

Air Hostess by Yi Wen (1959) is a straightforward movie about a lady’s career journey in being an air-stewardess, from the newbie brimming with hope and aspiration, then being frustrated and worn-out with work, and lastly, recognising the value of her work and taking pride in it.

Where Is The Friend’s Home?

Where Is The Friend’s Home? by Abbas Kiarostami (1987)is a simple film about an eight years old boy named Nematzadeh who is on a journey to return a notebook to his classmate, or else his classmate would be expelled if his homework is not written in the notebook one more time. Along the way, Nematzadeh faces obstruction from adults who think that he should be doing other things instead, subliminally paralleling the contrasting differences of “importance” value of children and adults, what is significant to a child might be barely attention worthy to an adult.

Fleeting, Subtlety, Yearning…Lasting.

“花样年华是指少年男女二十岁左右青春焕发的岁月.”

In The Mood For Love by Wong Kar-wai (2000) takes on a Chinese idiom for the movie title, to which I found it quite thought intriguing. The definition of the phrase 花样年华 is not easy to define, as it represents a very ephemeral concept – mainly used to describe the years in one’s youth, alike to blossoming flowers, pretty, yet not everlasting. For the movie, I would describe it in these four words – fleeting, subtlety, yearning and lasting.

Nang Nak

Nang Nak by Nonsee Nimibutr (1999) is a Thailand horror movie based on an ancient Thailand legend which spoke about a female ghost Nak’s undying love towards her husband, which entailed her lingering spirit by her husband Mak’s side and eventually, wrecking lives in the village when there were attempts to inform Mak that Nak is actually a ghost.

"Death exists, not as the opposite but as a part of life."

“I once had a girl. Or should I say, she once had me.” – Norwegian Wood, The Beatles

I managed to catch Norwegian Wood by Tran Anh Hung (2010) in the cinemas yesterday, along with two friends. An adaptation of the novel by Japanese author Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood is a 1987 novel which brought the author to national recognition, which was ironically, to his dismay.

The Butterfly Lovers

The Butterfly Lovers (梁山泊与祝英台) is a well-known folklore in the Chinese history, along with The Legend of White Snake (白蛇传), Meng Jiangnu’s Bitter Weeping (孟姜女), Cowherd and Weaving Maid (牛郎织女), these four ancient love stories play an important part in Chinese literature.

I was a kid when I had my first exposure to The Butterfly Lovers. Flipping through a simple Mandarin Chinese storybook, the beauty of the story had me in awe, and also the relentless bugging of my mum with the question, “did they really turn into butterflies?”

For, a Hero Fears No Bullets

“Oh 英雄本色! 好看! 周润发,很帅!”

My dad, despite his broken English, is a huge fan of war films and action flicks, prefers his movie appetite to be everything Western, seldom giving praises to Hong Kong movies or shows. A Better Tomorrow by John Woo (1986) is one of the rare movies which my mention of it garnered a positive response from him.

At the Height of Summer

The Vertical Ray of the Sun by Tran Anh Hung (2000) is a movie that revolves around three sisters, Suong, Khanh and Lieb, Suong being the eldest, Khanh the middle, and Lien the youngest. The film is set in Vietnam’s Hanoi, and with cinematographer Pin Bing Lee (who also did the cinematography for movie In The Mood for Love), viewers of The Vertical Ray of the Sun are presented a luscious, pastel and dreamy Hanoi, with a tinge of amorousness charm to the tropical city. The movie seems timeless, it felt like it had suspended in time and moves at an unhurried pace, as how Lien slowly stretches and dances across the room with tender grace.

House by the Sea.

Il Mare by Hyun-Seung Lee (2000) is a very simple film dealing with a complex theory of time-travelling. Il Mare, a beautiful house along the seaside, houses the protagonists who are apart by two years, corresponding by sending letters through the magical mailbox.

Shutter

I watched Shutter by directors Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom (2004) few years back, despite the passing of years and watching a few other horror movies after this film, I have to say The Shutter remains one of the best horror flicks I have ever watch, it still makes me jump from my seat when I watch it!

"Sorry, I'm a cop"

Infernal Affairs by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak (2002) is one of my favourite Hong Kong movies of all times.

I am not a huge fan of crime dramas, it is easy to get desensitized by crime-thriller plots, more so those that are made in Hong Kong – “the good versus the evil” plot is a widely used storyline for countless of movies and dramas.

Mother India

Mother India by Mehboob (1957) is an epic film depicting the life of an Indian woman, Radha, from her early life when she just got married till the days when she aged into a frail old lady, having going through a life of hardships and poverty.

来，去Jiak Hong

Eating Air by Kelvin Tong (1999) is a heavily Singaporean flavoured film, about an Ah Beng who falls in love with an unassuming girl, yet ended up losing his life to honour his friendship with a fellow street hooligan.

What is your 4:30am moment like?

“我觉得一部对白不多的电影，也能感动别人。因为听不到的声音，可以用心来感受。说不出的言语，可以用眼神来流露。触摸不到的人，可以用回忆来重温。那，就是我心里的4：30。”

I feel that a movie without much conversation can also touch the hearts of the audience. Because a voice that cannot be heard, can inevitably be felt, by the heart. Words that cannot be spoken, can instead be conveyed through one’s eyes. And a person that you cannot physically intereact with, can be relieved, and relished, with memories. And that, is my true definition of “4:30”.

- Royston Tan

This is my first time watching an arthouse film directed by local filmmaker, Royston Tan, even though he is best known for his awards-winning feature “15” and commercially successful movie “881”.