Movies from Asian Cinema

Farewell My Concubine: This is definitely one of the best movies I have seen. It's a sweeping account of two friends' lives from childhood to adulthood against the volatile political background of China.

The Blue Kite: Zhuangzhuang Tian was banned for making this movie. It totally destroys the idea of communism and exposes how much people had to suffer because of so called Cultural Revolution.

To Live: This  is my favorite movie from one of my favorite directors - Zhang Yimou. Like The Blue Kite, it also narrates the story of a family who had to suffer because of Cultural Revolution. It's also got amazing background music.

Not one less: Zhang Yimou again. A simple and moving movie which has lots of realistic elements.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Perhaps the most well known movie to come out of China.

Oldboy: Watch it for the intensity and the fierce atmosphere it creates. Brilliant direction, back-ground music, cinematography and action scenes.

Confessions:
Another psychological thriller that was supposed inspired from Oldboy. Not as grappling as Oldboy but yet worth a watch.

The Road Home A really simple, touching and nostalgic movie with breath-taking cinematography.

Raise the Red Laltern: Considered as one of the best films ever made, I had my expectations too high while I was watching this movie. It has the trademark stunning cinematography of Zhang Yimou, and can be interpreted as highly symbolic in nature. It's one of those movies that grow on you gradually.

Spring Summer Fall Winter and Spring:
I don't have much idea what makes this film so critically acclaimed.

Chungking Express: Brilliant movie! I became a fan of Wong-kar Wai after watching this movie. It's a movie that will haunt you for days after you have watched it.

Laskar Pelangi: Another example of simplicity and sentiment combined to create a beautiful movie.

In the Mood for Love: A critically acclaimed movie which I failed to appreciate.

The Scent of Green Papaya: Yet another critically acclaimed movie which I failed to appreciate.

Himalaya: One of those lesser known gems everyone should know. If you want to see how the life of people living in the one of the remotest areas in the lap of Himalayas is, watch this movie. The scenery is undoubtedly jaw-dropping.

Comment(s)

Stuck

The clock is ticking, and I am stuck.

There has been no traveling and no elements of novelty of late; even those irregularly paced phases of high-spiritedness have ceased to zap me. Optimism is letting up gradually. There is consumption - consumption of knowledge, of information. That is one good thing. Necessary but not enough!

To beat the dullness and keep one's brain ticking, there has to be a stimulant in one's life. For me the element of novelty works as the stimulant. One can also call it strangeness or unfamiliarity.

There is an amorphous world of possibilities out there. The key is to pick one, outfit it with your skills and substantialize it.. I don't find it hard to learn something, I can consume information at a fast pace. What I find difficult is using all this information to come up with something appealing. I find it a daunting task to tame the randomness that skims over the masses, or to weave patterns to rein in the randomness. 

As the clock ticks, the scope of my ambitions and my plans diminishes. Every passing second the audacity of my thoughts gets watered down. The chores of mundane life have started to bother me again. The necessary evil of seeking financial stability goads me constantly to resort to the consistency of pragmatism devoid of hope.

Let's hope it ends soon. I know it will end soon. 

Comment(s)

「我為什麼來台灣？」

我目前的時期該稱做變動的時期變形期。

我去年開始旅遊行的時候想不到我有一天會住在個一點都不熟悉的地方。我第一次來這裡的時候,我幾乎看不懂大家寫什麼，也聽不懂大家說的話。我連一個人都不認識。也許我之所以喜歡這裡，是因為我需要有新奇的氣氛和陌生的感覺讓我好動。我需要當好動讓自己快樂。

上個半年我目睹自己的變化。我這個有陌生的感覺漸漸減少。我有跟這裡的方式多配了。我去年想不到有一天我要幾乎把我會說的語言都不用去年的同個時期，我做夢也想不到，有一天我會放棄使用我原本會說的任何一種語言，想不到我會開始用一種全部新的語言。

我常常在這裡的舊的馬路逛街。我觀看人，攤子，汽車什麼什麼的之類的等等。我常常去爬山。你才座搭乘一個多鐘頭的車，就可以到一片海灘還或是高高的山。台灣人的熱情還沒被消費主義掠奪。這裡的這些方面迷住我來。對我來說這裡是很理想的地方。

我後來發現台灣必然絕對有有點壞處，可是一共似然是很特別的地方。

我超喜歡每天早上去這裡的窄巷上中的早餐店吃飯。我超喜歡這個城市下雨以後怎麼要變成了一個充滿各種顏色的一張畫。我在這裡有很多這裡的難忘的回憶。我不能忘記在花蓮的那一晚。我不能忘記跟很多人說過的話。

某一個人人很少有機會了解一個與其家鄉迥異的地方，了解那裡的當地人。我為什麼來台灣？希望你現在知道。

Comment(s)