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Neomu masisseoyo!
Jinny’s Kitchen S2 added a new cast member and took the show to scenic Iceland. With cold winds whipping across Reykjavik, the team served up nourishing hot soups to warm their customers.Lee Seo Jin-“Boss Dimples”, Yung Yu Mi-“Queen of Serenity”, Park Seo Joon “Ace Pitcher”, Choi Woo Shik-“Class Clown”, Go Min Si-“Rookie MVP”, and Relief Dishwasher-“Mr. Beanie” manned the dining room and kitchen doing their very best to give Iceland delicious Korean dishes. Unlike Mexico where the crew served up very simple dishes, the cast took cooking lessons to be able to prepare the more complicated soups which required more prep work as well. Also, unlike Mexico, where Woo Shik had to try and drum up customers on the boardwalk, the line wrapped around the block on the first day much to the cast’s surprise!
Once again, the cast showed off their cooking skills, this time under greater pressure with a continually full dining room. My absolute favorite was Go Min Si. She was quite impressive as a prep chef, Dolsot Bibimbap preparer, dishwasher, and pretty much anything else the head chef of the day needed. She never complained and simply stepped up and did whatever needed to be done no matter how tired she was. Yu Mi was the epitome of calm and organized as usual. Seo Joon managed 6 or more burners with his intense organizational skills. Woo Shik had his day as head chef dancing and joking but also taking the food seriously. He and Seo Jin also took care of the customers in an orderly fashion.
There was a wide variety of customers, both Icelandic and tourists. For the most part English was the communal language for customers and cast. On the first day an Indian American showed up. While familiar with some of the cast, she’d been in Iceland for 48 hours and hadn’t had any rice and was looking forward to the meal. A Korean American customer had lived in Iceland for 4 years and as he ate said he felt most Korean when eating Korean food. People from all over the world settled in and enjoyed the different dishes and drinks. Most assuredly, the popularity of season 1 on Prime brought people to the restaurant eager to be on television, but most weren’t too overt about it. The show didn’t share how much the dishes were this time which I was quite curious about. The only bill I saw revealed was for two women which came to 20,000 Kronur/144 USD which seemed a bit pricey.
While this year was more hectic than last year, I thought it had its own charm. The pop-ups and music made for a lively kitchen scene. Min Si was a great addition as she learned quickly and made the head chef’s job easier. Of course, each of the cast members played to their own strengths and kept things positive with humor and camaraderie. Jinny’s Kitchen is a hidden gem no longer and wherever they might go for S3 they can expect their global audience to show up.
Some of the menu items to tempt you:
Beef Galbijjim
Dolsot Bibimbap
Dakgalbi
Sundubu Jjigae
Ttukbaegi Bulgogi
7 September 2024
*Neomu masisseoyo-So delicious! (according to the subtitles)
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"Your love has sustained me"
Long lasting love was explored in Netflix’s My Love: Six Stories of True Love. Couples from six different countries who had cohabitated from 40-60 years were shown going through their mundane days and facing challenges that arose in their lives. The couples were a mixed bag with something for everyone.1-USA. Ginger and David
“First time I saw her, I loved her.”
The focus of Ginger and David’s segment seemed to be on the financial aspects and paperwork for dealing with aging and dying. The large family gatherings and business on the farm were also highlighted. This segment wasn’t my favorite and some aspects felt staged.
2-Spain. Nati and Augusto
“You have to be strong at this age---like a warrior.”
I loved this couple, they were by far my favorite. They teased and goodheartedly bickered as they showed the importance of humor and companionship in a successful relationship.
3-Japan. Kinuko and Haruhei
“Alone it would be hard for you but together we can manage if we try.”
This couple faced a lifetime of discrimination because Haruhei had developed Hansen’s disease/Leprosy as child. For 15 years he’d been institutionalized even after he was cured. They showed how perseverance and hope sustained them as they faced negative attitudes, fought for justice, and dealt with a terminal illness.
4-Korea. Saeng Ja and Yeong Sam
“I still feel young at heart. But my body can’t keep up.”
Saeng Ja suffered debilitating back pain from decades of hard work and abalone farming. Yeong Sam scolded her whenever she did too much. Their surviving son didn’t want to take over the business and the two were left wondering if they had enough money to survive without the farm and boating business. The loss of a child, regrets, and physical ailments took a toll.
5-Brazil. Nicinha and Jurema
“Dreams are built, little by little.”
The two women had been together for 43 years and lived most of it with their children and grandchildren in a dilapidated house on the crowded hill of Rocinha with a view of the ocean. Three hours away in a quiet village they had bought a small plot of land where they were building a house little by little for retirement. Regardless of their poverty and age they had a determination to fulfill their dreams. An interesting couple that unlike the others were open about infidelity.
6-India. Satyabhama and Satva
“We are getting older but the work doesn’t cease.”
Satyabhama and Satva lost their millet and cotton crops during an unexpected deluge. Their grown children were forced to leave to work in the factories along with everyone else their age. Only the old and the very young remained. The couple were too old to handle the fields themselves leaving them in a precarious position. This segment focused on the “ceaseless cycle of migration.” This segment felt overproduced and the names of the couple weren’t authentic so I was left wondering how much of it was real.
Each story had a different director which showed in how the episodes were developed. At over an hour, some of the episodes were too long with not enough compelling material to fill them. Others went by quickly. The first and last episodes were the weakest for me as they both felt overly staged. Many of the couples faced a lack of financial resources as bodies aged and were unable to work like in their youth, illnesses, and their own mortality. Regardless of their circumstances all but one of the couples were still close and supportive of each other even after decades of dealing with life's challenges which was encouraging.
18 August 2024
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Michelle Yeoh and non-stop action!
In the Line of Duty: Royal Warriors showcased Michelle Yeoh’s rising star power. Only twenty-four at the time she had no problem carrying this film. Sanada Hiroyuki joined her making for an appealing and high kicking duo!Flying home to Hong Kong, Officer Michelle Yip and retiring Interpol agent Yamamoto become involved in a high jacking. Air Marshall Michael Wong is along for the ride as well. After defeating the two criminals, they are hailed heroes. What they don’t realize is that the now deceased “Tiger” has buddies who are seeking vengeance. From there family members are murdered, a break neck car chase takes place, later a shootout in a nightclub raises the body count, and finally an explosive battle determines who will live and who will die.
Royal Warriors was a quintessentially 1980’s cop film. It was ultra-violent, there were numerous explosions, it had a destructive high speed car chase, and a shootout in a nightclub with flying glass and bodies everywhere. You did not want to be the loved one of a cop in this era because the odds of you making it out alive were zero to none. And the nostalgia factor also shown through for me. There was a poster for my favorite movie, LadyHawke, in the background. Items you don’t see anymore like audio cassettes, boom boxes, video tapes, phone booths, and cell phones that resembled WWII walkie-talkies made their appearances.
The complex fights were no problem for Michelle Yeoh as she was athletic, fast, and agile making the moves look natural. She was in great form in this film. Sanada Hiroyuki was also able to deliver fists and kicks believably. Mang Hoi’s choreography made for thrilling fights as the two officers battled the different bad guys in deadly confrontations. No two fights were alike and the stars of this film were exciting to watch. One fight even included a chainsaw and another, a coffin! There was also plenty of gunplay for those who prefer their violence to be packed with not just punches but high-speed lead.
Lam Wai and Michael Chan conveyed their villains in quiet deadly fashion. Pai Ying preferred to chew the scenery with his maniacal “Bandana”. As I mentioned, Michelle and Hiroyuki played their roles quite well. Michael Wong’s Michael seemed out of place. Everyone else was in a brutally violent film and he acted like he was in a romantic comedy. The character seemed badly out of place. I suppose the writers felt the need for some humor in the dark and deadly film, but Michael came across as annoying instead of funny. The attempt at a romance also failed.
Though the technology and ultra-violent deaths for civilians date it, the movie largely holds up today. The action was nearly constant and well choreographed making for an entertaining movie. The writers did Michelle a solid and didn’t make her have to be rescued or have the male lead take down the bad guy in the end as so many films have done with strong female leads. There were no histrionics, just a powerful woman doing her job and taking out the trash. Michelle Yeoh shone brightly and would develop her screen persona even more after this film. If you like martial arts films, 1980’s crime films, or the girls with guns genre, this is one try.
4 March 2024
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"You are responsible for what you do"
The Last Emperor was epic in scope with filming for the first time in the Forbidden City, stunning costumes, and an enormous cast. It covered sixty years of Chinese history largely through the eyes of one man…the last emperor of China.The film bounced back and forth in Emperor Pu Yi’s life in chronological order from his coronation at the age of 3 with his future life as a prisoner of the PRC. From the time he ascended the throne he was told he could do anything, anything that was except leave the Forbidden City. All of his needs were taken care of with the exception of having no friends, his company primarily old eunuchs. As he aged, he was given a Scottish tutor named Reginald Johnston with whom he became close. While safely ensconced behind the city’s walls, different factions gained and lost power outside. Instead of escaping those walls, he escaped into marriage with his Empress and concubine.
After the Beijing Coup in 1924 he bid a final farewell to The Forbidden City and was sent to Tientsin where he lived a hedonistic lifestyle. The Japanese army convinced him and/or coerced him into becoming the emperor of Manchukuo, previously Manchuria and Pu Yi’s ancestral home. Instead of finally becoming the ruler he had dreamed of being, he found himself a puppet of the Japanese. Things went from bad to worse there when the Japanese lost WWII and were looking for the exit door. Pu Yi was captured by the Russians and later turned over to the PRC where he was imprisoned for ten years in order to be “re-educated”.
As glorious as the sets, scenery, and costumes were, Pu Yi wasn’t always the most fascinating character. He went from being a figurehead to a puppet to a prisoner. He had no say in the government and often led an insular life. Dramatic events in China and globally impacted him on the periphery but politically speaking he was as impotent as his eunuchs had been. Prison gave him new insights into himself, others, and the war. A person who had his share of damaging tantrums, he had to learn to grow up. He’d never put toothpaste on his toothbrush or learned how to tie his shoes, soon he had to also learn to pee correctly and to garden. While imprisoned Pu Yi was shown a WWII film demonstrating how the people had suffered and the terrible atrocities committed. After the reality check his reformation and realization began to take hold.
I wish Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci had briefly explained some of the political upheavals better instead of just showing another set of beige uniforms in charge. The cinematography was good and maybe it was because they were trying to show a more realistic view of the places Pu Yi lived in or perhaps it was mood lighting, but many scenes seemed abysmally dark. The version I watched had most of the dialogue in English with some Japanese in a few scenes which was disappointing. I would have much preferred for the dialogue that was supposed to be Chinese dubbed in Mandarin. The Last Emperor’s greatest achievement was not the long glossed over historical events covering six decades, for many in 1987 it was the first look into the magnificent 9,999 room palace and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Joan Chen’s performance as Wan Rong plumbed emotional depths as the Empress became more isolated and dependent on opium. John Lone did his best with Pu Yi, but the character was one I felt little sympathy toward. The wars and tragedies never really touched him except for preventing him from being sole ruler over China. The late Peter O’Toole showed up in the role of Pu Yi’s tutor adding some gravitas to the cast.
The film didn’t touch on the cost to Pu Yi’s people during all of the political upheavals. Even during the various battles and revolutions he ate and dressed well, always had whatever he wanted while many of his people struggled for safety and daily needs. The film ended with Mao’s rule and cult of personality. Despite eliminating the imperial court, they traded one Emperor for another of sorts.
13 February 2024
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To live and dye in Taiwan
If you created a weave out of a screwball rom-com and a gangster film with vulgar humor, you might end up with something like Miss Shampoo. Vivian Sung and Daniel Hong certainly gave it their all and they did make a strange but fitting couple. Hair warning, if you are looking for a sweet rom-com of opposites attracting, the humor is quite crude. And yes, there may be a few styling puns plugged in hair and there.On a dark and stormy night, a wounded gangster stumbled into the shop where Fen was a shampooer. She managed to cover for Tai when the assassins barged in searching for him. Tai later returned with enormous gifts and had Fen cut his hair. Soon all the gangsters and those dependent on them were coming into the faltering shop to have her work on them. She was either a visionary or a terrible stylist as the cuts were often vibrant and bizarre. It took nearly half the movie for the two to finally hook up which was actually pretty funny as it included an introduction to her equally odd family. They didn’t have a problem with her dating a “hard working” gangster as long as he didn’t become scary and kill the family if they broke up. The gangster plot included finding the murderer of the previous boss, an urban renewal project with election ramifications, a lieutenant’s dissatisfaction with the direction of the gang, and lopping off fingers-so many fingers.
Daniel Hong was a good sport as was his gangster boss Tai. He wore several hideous wigs, including a bizarre bowl cut mullet, blonde dreadlocks, and a 1990’s ahjumma perm. Vivian Sung made for a perky shampooer with a strange vision for hairstyles. Tai had a soft side and Fen had a wild side which brought the couple closer together until the classic misunderstanding was inserted between them which would take time to straighten out. The uneven humor did have some highlights. There were unspoken dialogues that were quite funny---one between Tai and Fen’s mom and one between Tai and his lieutenant, Long Legs. Some of the humor was too crass for me and there were many crude sexual references. The director didn’t wave away the brutal lifestyle of a gangster and the permanent retirement plan for the bosses. A two-hour run time was also a drawback for this film. Few violent rom-coms can withstand 120 minutes of tangled plot progression. That’s not to say there weren’t entertaining moments and even touching ones because there were when the plot moved at a nice clip. The story even threw in an emotional twist near the end.
Miss Shampoo could be bubbly and bloody, hairlarious and cringe-worthy. The lovers both dealt with living on the fringe of society, unable to move ahead socially. While the movie gave supporting characters memorable moments it was too long and was in dire need of a cut. If you don’t mind lewd humor braided into a romance with a side of bobbed fingers this might be a movie worth giving a curl.
28 Dec 2023
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"Life itself, shines down on its own"
Ghost Walk told the story of an unremarkable woman who became entangled in rather remarkable supernatural and natural events. The film was more of an exploration of Hye Jung’s existential dilemma than horror. Though there were high stakes for several characters involved, the movie played out like a gentle slice of life.The story began on October 8th, Korean Thanksgiving. Hye Jung works at a textile factory and has cut all ties with her family hoping to make it on her own and be free of them. After work, a co-worker walks her home, gives her a birthday gift and declares himself. She tells him she's incapable of having a relationship and turns him down. In fact, she has no close relationships with anyone, including her roommates. Three days later she wakes up to find to find those roommates being questioned by the police and a large blood stain soaked into her bedroom carpet. From there her un-life will become entwined with a little girl, a loan shark, and her roommates. Each day she wakes up one day earlier than the previous day as she discovers how they are all linked.
Ghost Walk may have had a murder mystery to solve, but it seemed to focus more on the isolating nature of financial and familial social pressures. Hye Jung preferred being alone and suddenly she was well and truly alone. To her credit, the reserved young woman handled the supernatural events in her life with aplomb and without breaking down. The effects of gentrification also played a small role. Hye Jung’s connection to the world was Soo Yang, the daughter of the loan shark, with their destinies depending on one another. The music, like Han Hae In’s acting, was never overwhelming, never loud, only softly and mildly accenting the action in select places.
There were times the film attempted to be too clever and enigmatic, especially the film’s ending quotes. It's unhurried pace will not be for everyone. Ghost Walk didn’t break any new ground, this type of story has been told before but it was a quiet ghost story that helped an unremarkable woman gradually break out of her shell. Whether her actions would aid her or anyone else remained to be seen.
10/9/23
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In this fantasy drama, the most unbelievable thing for me was not the sex crazed and pervy ghosts lurking about, it was that the lovely Lee El and Kang Kyung Joon, 37 and 36 years-old respectively (in 2019) were supposed to be playing university students. I might have bought it if they were working on their second PhD or if they’d been professors, but as youthful as they appeared they didn’t look like college kids.
Despite the distracting age issue, the actual love story was sweet, funny, and bittersweet. Unfortunately, it didn’t take up enough time so more time was given to middle-aged people banging all day or the cops trying and failing to play ghostbusters. Son Byung Ho who usually plays wealthy CEOs, played a shaman with a good heart in a nice change of pace. The comedy was hit or miss and the sex romps began to wear thin. I really wish they’d devoted more time to the budding romance, it would have strengthened the story greatly. If you’re looking for a ghost story with humor (some funny, some not) and pathos, with a short running time, this might be a film to check out if you keep your expectations low, real low.
10/9/23
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"So many people have died, even hell is packed."
The Flowers of War was released shortly after the 74th anniversary of the Nanking Massacre. A drunk Westerner with no political alliance, a dozen church school girls, and a dozen prostitutes take refuge in a cathedral compound as the rest of the city lies in ruins. Surrounded by Japanese soldiers, the unlikely group of people will have to work hard to find a way to survive.This film is not for the faint of heart. Dead bodies line the streets and civilians are shot whenever found. Children are raped and adult women are gang raped, tortured, and murdered. Where this film did not work for me, and I say this as an ardent Zhang Yi Mou fan, there was too much sexual flirting and beautiful images in such a stark and unsavory story. The film was based on a novella inspired by an American missionary's diary. The missionary, Minnie Vautrin, fought to protect students and refugees at Ginling College where she was president. Instead of someone like Minnie, we were given John Miller, a drunken reprobate. He transformed into a heroic knight willing to do whatever was necessary to save the girls overnight. His character growth was shockingly unbelievable. The prostitutes had the same saintly transformations just as quickly. We never learned the names of most of the school girls or prostitutes. It ended up being simple. Virgins must be saved. Prostitutes are expendable. I thought John's makeover time came across too lighthearted when the mortician was basically working his magic on women who were going to a terrible death. The Japanese were almost uniformly categorized as evil. It's not surprising. With a national trauma of 200,000-300,000 killed and countless women raped, that's a wound that does not heal easily.
Christian Bale was serviceable as John. Though a big name, his acting style doesn't appeal to me. John wasn't a very sympathetic set of western eyes to view the atrocities through. Ni Ni in her first role showed she had acting chops, even more impressive in a role that called for her to speak English much of the time. Her Yu Mo was seductive, strong, and sorrowful. I hated that they had Yu Mo fall for the uncouth John, it was more relatable when she used him for his western face to help save her and her friends. Huang Tian Yuan as sweet George made the most of his pivotal and heroic role.
Every action in this film was designed to elicit an emotional reaction and get the viewer's tear ducts flowing. It felt too contrived most of the time. It was hard to emotionally bond with female characters, both young and older, who had no names. The time was catastrophically devastating and those who survived the murderous onslaught faced horror after horror, there's no easy way to put that on film. Had there been more believable character growth and fewer flirty moments, I could have gotten on board with this film better.
9/27/28
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"Tastes of life"
My Wiggly Friend takes viewers on a taste tour of rice noodles in China. The documentary covered different dishes as well as the devoted chefs who lovingly prepared them. Each short episode focused on three different restaurants from three different regions. First developed in Jiangxi 1800 years ago, Jiangxi alone produces more than 1.4 metric tons of rice noodles a year! Suffice to say this documentary only opened the door to a wider array of noodle creations.Episode 1 covered Sour Noodles made by a bad-tempered chef with tomatoes that had been fermented for a year. The dish was garnished with Litsea oil. In another city, two brothers created River Snail Rice Noodles with pickled bamboo shoots. The draw for customers was the "stinky" aroma. I'm not sure if it was a bad translation but the narrator called the pickled bamboo shoots a "biochemical weapon." At the last place, an older couple made Old Friend Rice Noodles out of pork and chicken, fermented black soybeans, and fermented bamboo shoots. The "stinky" soup was said to make you "sweaty and full". All of the dishes were described as strange which could have been a subbing problem.
Episode 2 began with truck drivers stopping at a 24-hour truck stop where Mutton Rice Noodles were served by a mother and daughter. The soup began with a goat skeleton being used to make the broth. Scalding Rice Noodles was the next stop with father and son chefs. They were known for their spicy tripe noodles. The father tested his son's ability to make Rice Noodles with Eel Gravy before agreeing to hand the restaurant over to him. Finally, Termite Mushroom and Chicken Rice Noodles was cooked by an older chef for his wife using his family's traditional method of slow cooking it in a wooden chest.
Episode 3 began with a family famed for their Lard Stirred Noodles made with lard extracted from pork belly. Next a bickering mother-in-law and daughter-in-law sold Spicy Noodles out of their food truck to hungry office workers. Lastly, was the bland but strong Brine Soaked Noodles with crispy pork and pickled string beans described as something of which you "cant dodge the strong smell".
Episode 4 was for the more adventurous as it featured a small breakfast shop in a market across from an open-air butcher. The sour and bitter soup was made using cow intestines with the digested grass still inside-Beef Sapei Noodles. It was accompanied by fried beef skin. From turf to surf, the next culinary adventure was Seafood Rice Noodles made with fresh seafood and sand worms. The last stop in the episode was food from the mud-Cattail Root Rice Noodles made from Cattail roots and jellied pork blood.
Episode 5 explored different shaped rice noodles. The first up was a dish made by a rice roll master who filled Cloth Rice Rolls with meet or eggs, like one might a crepe or burrito. Stop 2 featured Diamond Rice Stir Fry and also a beef bone soup with rice lumps. The final visit was to a place where the chef made Duck Soup with Rice Pellets. Said to have a mild flavor, it was good for children and older people because it required little chewing.
Most of the restaurants shown were run by families or friends and had been in business from 20-50 years. Some of the people gave back by teaching a new generation the old techniques. The people running the businesses and cooking, like hard working people in the food industry everywhere, worked long hours. They were all doing something they loved and found rewarding, but it was time consuming. The documentary could be heavy-handed with the older couples being romantic and glossing over the families where the children of the busy owners missed out on attention. I did feel bad for the son being tested on the eel rice noodle dish. He'd been cooking since he was twenty and it took his elderly father over twenty-five years to give him a compliment!
I can't say that the majority of dishes made my mouth water but I'm fascinated with what people eat and how they prepare the dishes. It was also interesting how different places utilized the local food sources whether it was termite mushrooms or sand worms. The photography was skillful during the food preparation scenes and also gave glimpses into the varied cities and villages. Word of warning: if you are a vegan or squeamish you may want to avoid this show as there were butchering scenes and numerous animal prep scenes.
I enjoyed the insight into the creative and dedicated cooks who not only worked to keep traditions alive but innovated as well. If you enjoy food documentaries, this ode to China's love affair with rice noodles would be worth a try.
"Those who work hard definitely have some good luck."
3/25/23
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We are the stories we tell
Taipei Exchanges is a gently introspective slice of life about two sisters who ponder what stories hold value when they set up a barter system in their coffee shop. This film is not for everyone. The changes in the sisters and their customers are small and quiet and will go unnoticed if you don't pay attention from your table in the corner of their café. If coffee and discovering the meaning behind the stories people tell about their lives and belongings interest you, pull up a chair, order a coffee and cookie and see where the film and memory takes you.If someone gave you the money to do one thing, which would it be? Use the money to study or travel?
Doris is practical and has always wanted to open an elegant coffee café. When she finally has the opportunity fate turns her dream into the quirkiest shop in Taipei. Without giving too much away, on her opening day she ends up with a plethora of calla lilies and invites people to bring something to exchange for them. Afterwards with their shop full of junk, her sister has the idea that customers can bring something to exchange for whatever is in the shop thinking it will create more foot traffic and people will stay longer and drink and eat more. Doris reluctantly agrees hoping it will lead to financial freedom for her. Josie wants a car for herself and a set of bone china for her mother.
Along the way, the sisters find that what things are worth is a deeply personal belief. What is the story behind it? Love letters, songs, a mirror ball, stuffed alligator, and even cleaning out the backyard drain are up for exchange. As Doris hears the stories of the places people have traveled, a shift begins to take place in her.
What do you treasure the most?
Doris makes a decision that seems radical and perhaps it's radical self-love to realize that what we value may change over time. The sisters believe that whatever you are looking for, someone has and it's only a matter of time before the need to have and the need to release meet each other. Often our lives can be changed by one small incident and decision, in Doris' case a fender bender with a small truck full of calla lilies led to small change after small change leading to a larger change in her life and the lives of those around her.
Taipei Exchanges is beautifully and thoughtfully shot, within the store and around Taipei. The OST is soothing and won't jar you out of the existential questions that arise over what we value, why, and what is our inner value to ourselves and others. For the most part the acting is natural and the sisters have good chemistry in the way that sisters who love each other still bicker. Some of the basic business issues are touched upon when starting up a business, but don't weigh the story down. People off the street answer two of the questions above and though some may sound more scripted, others are quite relatable.
Everyday we tell ourselves stories about our failures, hopes, dreams, and even the lies about ourselves that help us sleep at night. We cherish the stories behind an object or even despise an object because of the emotional baggage that it carries. Is a song worth a book? A Barbie dollhouse worth a mirror ball? What happens when people exchange goals and dreams? This film will not turn your world upside down, but it may cause you to take a moment to look around and even within yourself and wonder what has value and why?
If you had the choice between money and calla lilies, which would you take?
2/24/23
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Misfortune Teaches Us the Truth
What would you do if you had six months left to live? When we are young, aflame with dreams and a perfect view of what our world will be we never think that one day due to life circumstances we might become a mere cog in a machine and the weight of corporate or public bureaucracy will extinguish that flame with its inertia crushing in on us. If we are not careful each day can become the same without making any difference in the world. Director Kurasawa breaks through the darkness of merely enduring the days by elevating a civil servant nicknamed "The Mummy" who hasn't really lived in 20 years to hero status. The hero's journey is not without suffering and heartache, and a behemoth of a monster to face before he leaves this plane of existence. With the sands of the hourglass rapidly streaming out he has one goal to reach, one thing to do to have made his life worth living and in the final moments to give it meaning.Ikiru begins with a death sentence being handed out to the Public Works Chief, Watanabe Kanji. Watanabe sits at his desk stacked high with papers just as he has for 30 years without taking a sick day, shuffling and stamping the papers validating his reason for being there. Once 20 years ago, he submitted a proposal for making the job better only to be shot down. Now he uses the proposal pages to wipe his glasses.
Upon finding out he has stomach cancer he is devastated. Kurasawa gave us a brilliant scene as Watanabe leaves the hospital so absorbed in his own thoughts that the world is silent. When he is jarred into reality the loud noises of life intervene once again. His son and daughter-in-law only want his money to buy a house and don't even ask what's wrong when they find him sitting in the dark. With no one to talk with, in a powerful moment he covers his head and cries himself to sleep.
At a chance meeting in a bar, Watanabe meets a small time writer. The writer plants seeds in his brain about no longer being a slave to life but being its master. Never having ordered a drink before Watanabe asks for help in having a night of fun out. The writer takes him out on a raucous night on the town. At their last stop the piano player asks for suggestions and Watanabe asks for "Life is Brief". In a low deep voice, the older man sings as the pianist plays silencing the revelers around them as the listeners reflect on the words of the song and Watanabe's grief.
A young girl from his office shows up the next day at his house because she needs his stamp to hand her resignation papers in. When he asked why she is leaving she tells him the boredom is killing her, that the only thing of interest that's happened in over a year is when he didn't come into the office. Her youthful exuberance and their casual meetings lay the step for his next revelation. He needs to make something to feel useful and relevant. Happy (Re)Birthday Watanabe Kanji!
With the energy of a man possessed he determines to answer the pleas of some local women who have been given the run around about a cesspool in their neighborhood. The women want it filled in and turned into a park but had been shuffled between 20 different departments before being sent back to Public Works.
The film jumps to his funeral and the last half of the movie is shown in flashback as the mourners piece together his motivations and what courageous steps he took as he fought the machine he was a cog in by wearing it down to have the park built. At first the upper echelon patted themselves on the back saying he had nothing to do with the new park. After they leave the cogs in different departments start comparing notes and realize how hard he fought even as he was dying to do something worthwhile, no small feat in a world of petty bureaucratic fiefdoms.
The cogs are jarred out of their complacency and vow to make a difference and not let the machine kill their desire to make meaningful changes. But as they find out as well, the machine doesn't like change, making Watanabe's work all the more heroic.
There are moments in Ikiru that will give you pause, make you misty-eyed, and even laugh. As the mourners gossip and take credit your blood will boil at the injustice and cause you to cry out for Watanabe. The silenced voices of small cogs eventually join the viewer in being advocates for the man willing to change and willing to make a change, regardless of the cost. A man no longer afraid to keep persevering in the face of the word "no". No longer having the time or energy to hate. No longer afraid of death. This hero had only one enemy-time and only one super power-tenacity.
Watanabe had faced an existential crisis. Not only had he been handed a death sentence but he was faced with the realization that he had only been going through the motions for 20 years, wasting the precious gift of life. We are all handed a death sentence the moment we are born, we just don't know its date. Ikiru is a beautiful film that asks the viewer as much as the central character to self-reflect on their life and its meaning, whether it is being lived with purpose. The final scene of Ikiru is poignant and reminds us all that Life Is Brief, remember to live it while you can.
9/16/22
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"Only sincere ones need apply"
If You Are the One is a pragmatic love story infused with gentle humor, but not your typical romcom. Stars Shu Qi and Ge You were able to cover over the obvious problems with the story with their enormous likeability.Ge You played Qin Fen, a 40ish man, who had recently come into money and was ready to find a wife. He found a dating site and listed his honest qualifications and what he expected in a spouse. "Only sincere ones need apply". Of course, at his age and prerequisites he had several humorous takers including a woman selling grave plots, a stock broker who assessed his continually devaluing worth, and an old Army buddy who had hoped he'd changed teams. One of his blind dates was with Smiley, the luminous Shu Qi. It didn't take long for the two to realize that they weren't compatible but they ended up going for drinks and revealing their dark secrets in a very human moment. Smiley, it turned out, was in love with a married man who kept dangling marriage in front of her but who was unwilling to leave his wife.
Though the two swore to never see each other again, destiny had other plans. Serendipity kept dropping them into each others' paths. Smiley decided to become Qin Fen's girlfriend with the caveat that her heart still belonged to her ex-lover though she would never act on it. The two take a trip to Hokkien, Japan for her to make peace with her decision and hopefully leave the memory of her lover behind. The incongruous couple engaged in a long road trip with Qin Fen's tour driver buddy Wu Sang. Realizing his good fortune of a lovely, young girlfriend Qin Fen stopped at a Buddhist temple to pray only to interrupt a Yakuza funeral. He later went to a Catholic chapel where he confessed every sin since kindergarten to a priest who didn't speak Mandarin, finally driving the priest to tell him he needed a bigger cathedral to confess in because the chapel was too small to hold all his sins!
If You Are the One was not a typical head over heels falling in love film with a race to the airport at the end. It was far more practical as Qin Fen reflected upon his lonely life and Smiley realized her great love affair was not going anywhere, that maybe the two misfits could rely on each other and love would slowly bloom from friendship.
The second half of the film devolved into more of a scenic Japanese road trip, though the scenery was beautiful. There was also a nice tour of the West Brook Wetlands and Hangzhou earlier in the story.
It would be hard to fault the acting, Ge You and Shu Qi played their roles brilliantly. The lapses come in the narrative. The huge age gap between the two was never directly addressed. Why gorgeous Smiley was attracted to a bald, cranky middle aged man, especially when she was hopelessly in love with her sexy lover also was glossed over. Shu Qi did an amazing job as the emotionally wounded character, unable to find meaning in her life without her lover, utterly drowning in despair. As pragmatic as Smiley was though, it was difficult to understand some of the decisions she made over a failed love affair.
There were some interesting topics brought up that I haven't seen in recent movies. A gay character was introduced as something completely normal, clearly against more recent rules. During Qin Fen's blind date with a Taiwanese woman, the two debated whether there had been a liberation or a regime had fallen in regards to the exodus to Taiwan during the 1940's. And finally, a woman was reported to the authorities for wanting to find a way to stay in the United States. Usually, these sensitive subjects aren't broached.
For a slow burn romance with scenic cinematography and more than capable acting, If You Are the One is a nice change of pace from so many frenetic romantic comedies. It could be uneven at times but Shu Qi and Ge You managed to charm me enough to enjoy my time with them.
9/7/22
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Ice Bar delivers a nostalgic, joyful story that goes down like a soothing ice bar on a hot summer day.Enthusiastic ten-year-old Young Rae and his single mother struggle to make ends meet in 1960's Korea. His mother sells smuggled cosmetics and gets into fights using most of her money on fines and not on Young Rae's tuition. Young Rae is often the target of harassment because he's a fatherless "brat" though he can give as good as gets. His best friend, Dong Su, is an orphan who hustles to make money anyway he can, and during the summer it's selling ice bars. The summer starts off with a bang when Young Rae hears his mom's drunk best friend tell him that his father is not dead, but alive and well in Seoul. His mother denies it, but Young Rae determines to make enough money to take the train to Seoul. Dong Su hooks him up with a job selling ice bars through his shady boss at the factory and that's when the fun begins. Young Rae struggles with ice bar turf wars and bullies and written and unwritten rules about where he can and can't sell. Finally, with some help from Dong Su and a young man, In Bak, the son of a "commie", who works at the factory he starts to figure out how to successfully sell the frozen treats.
The boys get into and out trouble, with no severe consequences for the most part. The biggest hurdle for Young Rae aside from earning the money is his mother who is firmly against him finding his father for fear he will take her son away from her.
Ice Bar is a lighthearted comedy that occasionally dips its toe into melodrama only to rise to a bubbly surface once again.
Park Ji Bin's bright performance as the young entrepreneur was the heart and soul of this film. His laughter and tears were infectious and touching. Future ahjumma Shin Ae Ra as his mother managed to turn what could have been a shrewish role into a sympathetic one, never letting you doubt her love and devotion for her son.
The pace of the story kept the events moving forward, tying together small side stories in aid of Young Rae's goal. Much of the action was child high, taking us on their adventures running through the streets and down to the train station. There was a real feeling of community among the regulars in the scenes as they interacted with the boys. Certain sets could feel artificial, but the characters' interactions made up for the almost play like settings.
Though a largely child friendly film, told through Young Rae's eyes, it does have the typical bullying and hitting so many older Korean movies and dramas have. There is also a disturbing incident in the last quarter of the film. Despite those detriments, Ice Bar is a feel-good movie with an effervescent score and delightful performances. Though narrow in scope, it's big in heart.
If the ending felt a bit contrived, that's okay, ice bars during childhood summers are meant to be enjoyed and not suffered through.
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Michelle Yeoh’s sister married a wealthy banker. Maggie Cheung’s sister married the revolutionary and ultimately leader of the Nationalist party, Sun Yat Sen. Later she was an integral part of the communist party. Vivian Wu’s sister married Chiang Kai Shek who would take over the Nationalist party after Sun’s death and later she would become the First Lady of Taiwan. And that’s about the extent of my knowledge on this subject.
I take all historical movies with a grain of salt, everyone has their own agenda or message they want to get across. I’m even more skeptical when governmental censoring is always lurking in the background. Someone else with more knowledge about Chinese history will have to judge the accuracy of the historical aspects of the story.
Purely as a work of art, The Soong Sisters was lovely to look at. The cinematography, sets, and costumes were lush. The OST gave the right amount of mood to the scenes that took place across several decades. Plus, I'm always happy when a film is F rated, Mabel Cheung was the director.
The actresses all gave strong performances. Wu Hsing Guo was quite charismatic as the mercurial leader, Chiang Kai Shek as well.
Where the movie faltered for me was that the sisters were rather thinly drawn. Ostensibly a movie about three powerful women, two who were the wealthiest in China at one point, the other a communist icon, should have fully developed the complex characters and given these talented actresses something to sink their teeth into.
Maggie’s Soong Ching Ling was the only sister who came across as three dimensional as she worked with the communist party to maintain the integrity of her husband’s legacy. Michelle’s Soon Ai Ling had the smallest role of the sisters. The tag line indicated she loved money, but there wasn’t much evidence of that. Vivian’s Soong Mai Ling seemed more like an infatuated school girl for most of the movie, finally developing a backbone in the last quarter of the story.
It felt like the three women were ignominiously dropped from era to era and place to place. Much of the time I wasn’t sure where or when the story was taking place. Their father’s story would have been fascinating to see made into a movie, but by devoting so much time to him and the women as children we missed out on the real meat of the story. His presence did loom over them as he had wanted a new China. Was his dream all that motivated them? What were they thinking? What kind of relationships did they have with these powerful men? Two of the them never had children, did that cause any conflict in their relationships? Extreme hardships were glossed over. The film did touch on the political conflicts between Chiang Kai Shek and Soong Ching Ling, he was bitterly opposed to the communist party and she had given up on the Nationalist Party when he took over and ordered purges. I can't even imagine how strained those family dinners were when they got together.
With all the wealth, power, egos, and rivalries, there should have been more depth to the characters and story. The Soong Sisters was a beautiful pool of water to look at, unfortunately these still waters didn’t run very deep.
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Lena is a descendent of Koreans who were forced to work for the Japanese mining coal in Sakhalin and then later trapped there after WWII. Their story would make an interesting film in and off itself as they fought for citizenship and many fought to go back to South Korea. They became second class citizens in Russia and those who made it home were less than in South Korea as well. Lena wants to bury her parents' ashes in South Korea and becomes a mail order bride to make the trip. This aspect is barely touched on and again, would have given more depth to the story to explore that process.
The male lead is a tea farmer in a remote area which lends itself to some lovely cinematography. He tries very hard to make Lena feel welcome and give her anything she needs. Lena in turn tries to help with different chores to show that she is invested in the relationship. She calls him ahjussi throughout the movie which seems to make their relationship an even further oddity. As she walks to the fields she makes friends with a photographer who is traveling through and begins learning to take photographs. Both the film's cinematography and her photos play a large role. Lena tends to be quiet, walking and taking pictures as she has much on her mind. I wish we'd been more privy to what was weighing so heavily on her.
The last thirty minutes or so give the movie the emotional thrust it sorely needed. While this was a beautiful, quiet movie, it could have been more meaningful if only the director had stirred the calm surface with the emotions running beneath.
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