Directed by Naoko Yamada
About a girl, Nishimiya, who is deaf and joined this elementary schoo but bullied by Shoya Ishida. A story about friendship, Jap culture, bullying in schools, suicide, depression, ostracism, and many real (teen) issues.
Very moving and love the lighting, colours and compositions. How each of them overcome their issues and the complex relationships between friend especially during high school days.
Also about dreams and the beliefs in a higher power to communicate thought and make decisions. E.g. a ticket stub which sells bread as a sign to hang out at the bridge, a place where Nishimiya feeds the carp. The symbol of butterfly as the soul of her granny. Having a dream of a peaceful death to show the granny is gone. And communicating through dreams. The dream and spiritual angles are very strong and a reflection of current Jap beliefs and practices.
Saturday, June 24, 2017
Tuesday, June 6, 2017
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman, a DC comic
I like that a female director (Patty Jenkins) directed this show of a female superhero.
So disappointed there were no post-show teasers! Why why DC comics? Since there is a line up of so many other Superheroes this year.
We see Wayne enterprise or Batman delivering a photo to Wonder Women. She recalls her story...
WonderWomen, fashioned out of clay by her mom, Queen, and given life by Zeus. Played by this Isareali mother of two. She's so beautiful in that honest, pure way. We see her growing up and training to be this strong Amazonian warrior. They live on this island surrounded by a magical bubble. One cannot see this island from outside. Only sunshine and strong Amazonian women warriors living on this island.
WW saves this German spy during WWII. Steve was trying to escape them for stealing Dr Poison's book of poisonous concoction. They both leave to fight the war - Steve to save people from the war, WW to kill Aries, God of war who welds lightning as weapon, and who defeated Zeus and everyone else on god island, and now continues to corrupt the hearts of men. They pick up a seemingly good-for-nothing bunch - a smooth talker, a drunk who is a snipper and haunted by ghosts, and a misplaced Red Indian who lives in the in-between spaces collecting rent. They save folks from no-man land, which sadly parallels so many war-torn places such as Albania, Kosovo, and charge to the Gala but fails to kill the Commander.
WW only defeats him at this industrial site where they unload all that poisonous gas, since it has successfully killed everyone at no-man's land on that day of the Gala. She was shocked that the war did not end, since she was sure she has defeated Aries. Aries turns out to be this high ranking official on the side of the British, calling for armatice. He can levitate, control metal, lightning and teleport! But was killed by WW who used the lightning against him.
I was a bit disappointed that was so quick! She drew strength from Steve who sacrificed himself by flying away with the poisonous gas. Fast forward to present time, WW lives on Earth now and gears up for the fight presumably leading to Justice League later this year.
I like that a female director (Patty Jenkins) directed this show of a female superhero.
So disappointed there were no post-show teasers! Why why DC comics? Since there is a line up of so many other Superheroes this year.
We see Wayne enterprise or Batman delivering a photo to Wonder Women. She recalls her story...
WonderWomen, fashioned out of clay by her mom, Queen, and given life by Zeus. Played by this Isareali mother of two. She's so beautiful in that honest, pure way. We see her growing up and training to be this strong Amazonian warrior. They live on this island surrounded by a magical bubble. One cannot see this island from outside. Only sunshine and strong Amazonian women warriors living on this island.
WW saves this German spy during WWII. Steve was trying to escape them for stealing Dr Poison's book of poisonous concoction. They both leave to fight the war - Steve to save people from the war, WW to kill Aries, God of war who welds lightning as weapon, and who defeated Zeus and everyone else on god island, and now continues to corrupt the hearts of men. They pick up a seemingly good-for-nothing bunch - a smooth talker, a drunk who is a snipper and haunted by ghosts, and a misplaced Red Indian who lives in the in-between spaces collecting rent. They save folks from no-man land, which sadly parallels so many war-torn places such as Albania, Kosovo, and charge to the Gala but fails to kill the Commander.
WW only defeats him at this industrial site where they unload all that poisonous gas, since it has successfully killed everyone at no-man's land on that day of the Gala. She was shocked that the war did not end, since she was sure she has defeated Aries. Aries turns out to be this high ranking official on the side of the British, calling for armatice. He can levitate, control metal, lightning and teleport! But was killed by WW who used the lightning against him.
I was a bit disappointed that was so quick! She drew strength from Steve who sacrificed himself by flying away with the poisonous gas. Fast forward to present time, WW lives on Earth now and gears up for the fight presumably leading to Justice League later this year.
Monday, June 5, 2017
Together Apart: The Anthology
The first and third pieces were especially captivating. Esp. The third work which was especially human and focuses on life and the similarities of human beings.
Watch it online here
Watch it online here
Sunday, June 4, 2017
Bleak Street
Bleak Street at the Projector
As part of the Mexican Film Fest SG
The almost continuous shot of this black and white film made the narrative slightly confusing. It didn't really help that the actress of the twin's mom and the prostitute looked alike.
I was slightly disappointed by the narrative of the film but the cinematography was stunning. Most scenes were very fine art in formal elements such as composition, shadows and light.
What was also apparent was the superstition believes such as do not utter their names, else God will take them away. Or do not do utter the wrong things on e.g. the day of your match, else you might lose etc.
There is prevalent Catholic traditions e.g. grace before meals, and iconography in all the character's homes, most of which are melded with superstitious beliefs. Like hiding money within figurines maybe because it is a means of protection?
When the twin boys died, I emphatised with the mother and got her side of the story. She gave birth to twins but they turned out small (dwarf). Yet the children the twins beget are of usual height and appeared normal. At their passing they look like little children who do not belong to this world. They just appeared to be sleeping. All their lives they are being teased and have to stand up for themselves. They look at their mom like she was a saint yet she doesn't do anything at all. The men in this show are mostly good-for-nothing. Not sure if this is a reflection of three Mexican society? The boys have to seek their own identity as shadows of the usual sized boxers. The younger twin (presumably) also appe as red to have difficulty standing up to his boxer which he shadows. No attire which he wants, gets scolded by his wife, adores his brother and goaded for it. I wonder if this is a younger twin syndrome? To be always in the shadow of the older twin?
The boys won the fight but lost their lives to two elderly senior citizen prostitutes, who over-drugged them. All these ladies wanted was their money which does not seem a lot even though they won. That was how sad. The price the boys paid for their lives! Though it seemed that it was the druggist who over drugged them by suggesting the usual sized dosage for putting eye drops into hard liquor. Her rationale was because they were dwarves. Cruel! This highly educated young lady, who will most likely not be prosecuted. What shocked me was the Mexican police's rationale. To quickly close this controversial case so that it is out of public eye asap.
I pity the elderly prostitutes too. One who has an elderly mother to feed and the other who has a useless husband and whore for a daughter. I remember clearly the pimp's reply to one of them- that experience does not count. The woman recalls how satisfied eachcustomer was. Such professionalism! The one with the elderly mother. Brings her out to beg yet at the same time cuddles her to sleep. This reflection of love-hate stems from the mother's treatment of her when the mother was still of good health. She couldn't bear to see her mother uncared for after she goes to jail, and decides to end the life of the mother for her. The other elderly prostitute with a gay husband. Caught in her beautiful clothes and all she thinks about is how he had stretched them- get means to livelihood. And a daughter following in her footsteps just to splurge on the latest handover model. I detest her behaviour yet pity her as Life had dealt her a cruel hand. I pity both senior citizens who choose the wrong career path. How much is this a reflection of the Mexican society? I wonder what other elderly prostitutes do after they reach a certain age? Maybe become a pimp? Sadly these two women are still working so hard even though it's such a short-sighted move.
As part of the Mexican Film Fest SG
The almost continuous shot of this black and white film made the narrative slightly confusing. It didn't really help that the actress of the twin's mom and the prostitute looked alike.
I was slightly disappointed by the narrative of the film but the cinematography was stunning. Most scenes were very fine art in formal elements such as composition, shadows and light.
What was also apparent was the superstition believes such as do not utter their names, else God will take them away. Or do not do utter the wrong things on e.g. the day of your match, else you might lose etc.
There is prevalent Catholic traditions e.g. grace before meals, and iconography in all the character's homes, most of which are melded with superstitious beliefs. Like hiding money within figurines maybe because it is a means of protection?
When the twin boys died, I emphatised with the mother and got her side of the story. She gave birth to twins but they turned out small (dwarf). Yet the children the twins beget are of usual height and appeared normal. At their passing they look like little children who do not belong to this world. They just appeared to be sleeping. All their lives they are being teased and have to stand up for themselves. They look at their mom like she was a saint yet she doesn't do anything at all. The men in this show are mostly good-for-nothing. Not sure if this is a reflection of three Mexican society? The boys have to seek their own identity as shadows of the usual sized boxers. The younger twin (presumably) also appe as red to have difficulty standing up to his boxer which he shadows. No attire which he wants, gets scolded by his wife, adores his brother and goaded for it. I wonder if this is a younger twin syndrome? To be always in the shadow of the older twin?
The boys won the fight but lost their lives to two elderly senior citizen prostitutes, who over-drugged them. All these ladies wanted was their money which does not seem a lot even though they won. That was how sad. The price the boys paid for their lives! Though it seemed that it was the druggist who over drugged them by suggesting the usual sized dosage for putting eye drops into hard liquor. Her rationale was because they were dwarves. Cruel! This highly educated young lady, who will most likely not be prosecuted. What shocked me was the Mexican police's rationale. To quickly close this controversial case so that it is out of public eye asap.
I pity the elderly prostitutes too. One who has an elderly mother to feed and the other who has a useless husband and whore for a daughter. I remember clearly the pimp's reply to one of them- that experience does not count. The woman recalls how satisfied eachcustomer was. Such professionalism! The one with the elderly mother. Brings her out to beg yet at the same time cuddles her to sleep. This reflection of love-hate stems from the mother's treatment of her when the mother was still of good health. She couldn't bear to see her mother uncared for after she goes to jail, and decides to end the life of the mother for her. The other elderly prostitute with a gay husband. Caught in her beautiful clothes and all she thinks about is how he had stretched them- get means to livelihood. And a daughter following in her footsteps just to splurge on the latest handover model. I detest her behaviour yet pity her as Life had dealt her a cruel hand. I pity both senior citizens who choose the wrong career path. How much is this a reflection of the Mexican society? I wonder what other elderly prostitutes do after they reach a certain age? Maybe become a pimp? Sadly these two women are still working so hard even though it's such a short-sighted move.
Friday, June 2, 2017
You'll Know What To Do With Me
"You'll Know What To Do With Me"
at Projector on 2 June 2017,
as part of the Mexican Film Festival Singapore
Post screening discussion with director, Katina Medina Mora (one up for female directors)
I thought it was a great film in the sense of narrative style, cinematography and development of character.
Film begins with a pan of the underwater in clear blue palette that hints at freedom.
Next we see lights in stripes which is Nicholas point of view as he is wheeled in for an brain check. Results are ok and it is in the hospital that he meets Isabel who is visiting her mother who has yet again attempted suicide. He zooms in on her exquisite neck and takes a photo of her as a pick-up liner and invites to the opening of his photography exhibition. He is a lecturer of photography and comments on the photographic image ability to freeze that moment to capture something. For him he wants to capture that moment of life and living. It's quite beauty and poetic and the black and white photos look surreal. In the after exhibition party he expresses interest in meeting her by giving a riddle to solve something about page 425. In his home, she comes on hard and urgent, initiating all the making out and wanting to exert control. He rejects that and she leaves. In the next scene he brings her for scuba diving lessons in the swimming pool. To him this is the place where he feels most at peace. That deafening silence. She gives up on the scuba diving. They end up in his house next where he prepares dinner and they quarrel about their differences in interests and beliefs. She leaves but return and they make slow fulfilling love to each other. He has an epileptic seizure in the middle of the night and camera cuts to a recount of the above experiences from Isabel's point of view.
There are subtle differences and camera angles and we found out that in shooting Nicholas's viewpoint, they keep the camera fixed, for Isabel's, they use a handheld camera to reflect the unsteadiness of her character and in the final chapter when they get together, they shoot using a steady rolling camera.
She lost her brother at 16, her dad left them because of that and her mom tries to commit suicide every two weeks. Sure actually threw away Nicholas's exhibition opening invite and it was her friend who invited her down for it. Right after this hospital scene, she goes to Angel's place for sexual release before meeting her friend, who invited her to the exhibition. I think she bought one of the works, which is a female lounging in a bath tub, which I think is get mother but that's logically impossible. Maybe it's a hint of their intertwined fate? She was real depressed after I think another attempt of suicide and dates Nicholas at a club. Real drunk they head back to his place where he fends her desperate attempts to feel something.
It's interesting because both have issues linked to mortality and both handle it very differently. Despite his brain tumour, Nicholas lives life to the full, scuba dives and is one with nature and himself. Isabel is constantly seeking sexual release, is unable to confront her mom about the death of his brother even though it has been 17 years since his passing!
Their love blossoms and she takes on to scuba diving, adopts his outlook of life, slows down and enjoys every day. Board games, helping her mom, who is a seemingly weak woman but so intense in her gaze. I think while helping her mom, Nicholas used this opportunity to capture her mom in the bathtub and that look of light and strength... One cannot tell she's depressed and suicidal.
The ripple effect of life and real love. They seek treatment for tumour and quarrel over the surgical solution. Escalating quarrel at the car park which surprisingly breaks off on a light hearted note about the search for car keys. They talk about Nicholas's insecurity over losing all this good things. Isabel's character grows to be a giving one in their love making relationship.
Nicholas packs up his photographs and we hear a playback of doctor's appointment by Isabel upon their return from a trip together. They have a wonderful dives together and chats of the future with family, babies and building a life together. However, he has an epileptic seizure while diving and dies due to lack of oxygen. The ocean now contains a part of him and we see label going out to sea again, alone this time, to be with him.
We see many kinds of love in this film. Obsessive love, living to the full, self-giving love, pitying love, filial love Also grieve or inability to grieve, hatred, inability to let go, crave for more, loneliness as an individual, as a migrant, as one without family, as one that has a family but seems like they are not alive.
All based on true stories from the director, her screenwriters and the actresses and actors.
When Isabel is able to have her inner demons, she summons the courage to speak about it with her mom and Isabel gains peace and freedom, which I read from her ability to scuba dive and smoking less.
Honestly I don't believe one can change his or her spot. Contact me if you have stories of otherwise.
at Projector on 2 June 2017,
as part of the Mexican Film Festival Singapore
Post screening discussion with director, Katina Medina Mora (one up for female directors)
I thought it was a great film in the sense of narrative style, cinematography and development of character.
Film begins with a pan of the underwater in clear blue palette that hints at freedom.
Next we see lights in stripes which is Nicholas point of view as he is wheeled in for an brain check. Results are ok and it is in the hospital that he meets Isabel who is visiting her mother who has yet again attempted suicide. He zooms in on her exquisite neck and takes a photo of her as a pick-up liner and invites to the opening of his photography exhibition. He is a lecturer of photography and comments on the photographic image ability to freeze that moment to capture something. For him he wants to capture that moment of life and living. It's quite beauty and poetic and the black and white photos look surreal. In the after exhibition party he expresses interest in meeting her by giving a riddle to solve something about page 425. In his home, she comes on hard and urgent, initiating all the making out and wanting to exert control. He rejects that and she leaves. In the next scene he brings her for scuba diving lessons in the swimming pool. To him this is the place where he feels most at peace. That deafening silence. She gives up on the scuba diving. They end up in his house next where he prepares dinner and they quarrel about their differences in interests and beliefs. She leaves but return and they make slow fulfilling love to each other. He has an epileptic seizure in the middle of the night and camera cuts to a recount of the above experiences from Isabel's point of view.
There are subtle differences and camera angles and we found out that in shooting Nicholas's viewpoint, they keep the camera fixed, for Isabel's, they use a handheld camera to reflect the unsteadiness of her character and in the final chapter when they get together, they shoot using a steady rolling camera.
She lost her brother at 16, her dad left them because of that and her mom tries to commit suicide every two weeks. Sure actually threw away Nicholas's exhibition opening invite and it was her friend who invited her down for it. Right after this hospital scene, she goes to Angel's place for sexual release before meeting her friend, who invited her to the exhibition. I think she bought one of the works, which is a female lounging in a bath tub, which I think is get mother but that's logically impossible. Maybe it's a hint of their intertwined fate? She was real depressed after I think another attempt of suicide and dates Nicholas at a club. Real drunk they head back to his place where he fends her desperate attempts to feel something.
It's interesting because both have issues linked to mortality and both handle it very differently. Despite his brain tumour, Nicholas lives life to the full, scuba dives and is one with nature and himself. Isabel is constantly seeking sexual release, is unable to confront her mom about the death of his brother even though it has been 17 years since his passing!
Their love blossoms and she takes on to scuba diving, adopts his outlook of life, slows down and enjoys every day. Board games, helping her mom, who is a seemingly weak woman but so intense in her gaze. I think while helping her mom, Nicholas used this opportunity to capture her mom in the bathtub and that look of light and strength... One cannot tell she's depressed and suicidal.
The ripple effect of life and real love. They seek treatment for tumour and quarrel over the surgical solution. Escalating quarrel at the car park which surprisingly breaks off on a light hearted note about the search for car keys. They talk about Nicholas's insecurity over losing all this good things. Isabel's character grows to be a giving one in their love making relationship.
Nicholas packs up his photographs and we hear a playback of doctor's appointment by Isabel upon their return from a trip together. They have a wonderful dives together and chats of the future with family, babies and building a life together. However, he has an epileptic seizure while diving and dies due to lack of oxygen. The ocean now contains a part of him and we see label going out to sea again, alone this time, to be with him.
We see many kinds of love in this film. Obsessive love, living to the full, self-giving love, pitying love, filial love Also grieve or inability to grieve, hatred, inability to let go, crave for more, loneliness as an individual, as a migrant, as one without family, as one that has a family but seems like they are not alive.
All based on true stories from the director, her screenwriters and the actresses and actors.
When Isabel is able to have her inner demons, she summons the courage to speak about it with her mom and Isabel gains peace and freedom, which I read from her ability to scuba dive and smoking less.
Honestly I don't believe one can change his or her spot. Contact me if you have stories of otherwise.
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