{"id":9738,"date":"2021-11-24T23:19:36","date_gmt":"2021-11-24T15:19:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cusp.hk\/?p=9738"},"modified":"2021-11-24T23:19:38","modified_gmt":"2021-11-24T15:19:38","slug":"if-theres-an-extra-ticket-would-you-watch-with-me-%e3%80%8c%e5%a6%82%e6%9e%9c%e6%9c%89%e5%a4%9a%e4%b8%80%e5%bc%b5%e6%88%b2%e9%a3%9b%ef%bc%8c%e4%bd%a0%e6%9c%83%e5%94%94%e6%9c%83%e5%90%8c%e6%88%91","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cusp.hk\/?p=9738","title":{"rendered":"If There&#8217;s an Extra Ticket&#8230; Would You Watch With Me? \u300c\u5982\u679c\u6709\u591a\u4e00\u5f35\u6232\u98db\uff0c\u4f60\u6703\u5514\u6703\u540c\u6211\u4e00\u9f4a\u7747\uff1f\u300d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>By Karen Tang<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Decidophobia. The irrational or prolonged fear of making decisions. From picking a lunch set, to choosing a cover photo for Instagram posts, I always take a few more moments before resorting to a random decision. Hence, to navigate you through the endless rummages in the sea of Netflix recommendations and exaggerated reviews, this snippet, a.k.a FILM 1000 \u201cIntroduction to East Asian Culture Through Movies,\u201d serves to relieve your distressed concern on movie-picking.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Movie 1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>Happy Together \u300a\u6625\u5149\u4e4d\u6d29\u300b<\/p><p>[cheun1 gwong1 ja3 sit3]<\/p><p>(1997), Dir. Wong Kar Wai<\/p><p>Made in Hong Kong.<br><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>As a highly acclaimed filmmaker and probably the most famous one in Hong Kong, Director Wong Kar Wai\u2019s films are the ones to start with. Accompanied by handpicked soundtracks, lifestyle in 90\u2019s Hong Kong projected under his lens seems exceptionally aesthetic and melancholic. <em>Happy Together<\/em> showcases the turbulent relationship between a homosexual couple, Po-Wing and Yiu-Fai. For non-Chinese speakers, the English title failed to do the movie justice, as their relationship is neither as shallow nor vibrant as the title makes it seem. The Chinese title, a proverb, can be described as \u201cthe blooming spark of light in spring has just been leaked out.\u201d Spring (\u6625 [cheun1]) does not only represent the colour green, it also signifies a spark of hope, and a rekindling love between the two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Released much earlier before blockbusters like <em>Brokeback Mountain (2005)<\/em> or <em>Call Me By Your Name (2017)<\/em>, <em>Happy Together<\/em> stirred up numerous controversies among conservative regions. One is notably named as the \u2018steamy sex scene\u2019 which captures the intimacy between Po-Wing and Yiu-Fai under black and white lens. Another highlight of the movie is how Dir. Wong portrays the main characters Fai and Po-wing, to be insanely in love. This does not mean the movie is filled with swoony dialogues or skinships. Instead, their love is rather crooked, with Po-wing being the violent dominator, and Fai as a pitiful masochist. After several break-ups and make-ups, the development of characters leads us to reconsider, what does love mean? When Po-wing suggested the two to part ways because he felt bored in a relationship, has their love died down? Or would the feelings rekindle once they meet again? An extreme version of love, known as domination, always seems to destroy affectionate feelings between a couple, and this is no exception for the two. Arguments, mistrust, disbelief, lies, violence become scars of pain, sadly leaving the two soaking in blood. Being plunged into a whirlpool of scattered memories, both Fai and Po-wing were losers in this game called love.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The year 1997 is significant in Hong Kong\u2019s history, as it symbolises the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to China. In that period of political instability, Dir. Wong carefully selected this couple to express his ideas on self-identity and the future of Hong Kong. After being awarded as Best Director in the 1997 Cannes Film Festival, he also emphasised his determination to continue producing local movies. Dir. Wong captured the uncertainty of one\u2019s social identity by highlighting British National (Overseas) (BNO) passports in the couple\u2019s quarrels. From the Extradition Bill (2019), National Security Law (2020), to the recent Immigration (Amendments) Bill, this brewing political turmoil has provoked fear and conflicts in many Hongkongers. Coincidentally, with UK&#8217;s lenient BNO policy and Prime Minister Boris Johnson\u2019s welcoming attitude towards BNO passport holders, more than 27 thousand applicants are determined to escape from their hometown. [1] Revisiting <em>Happy Together<\/em> in the midst of such instability clearly proves that Dir. Wong never fails to mix social issues in his artworks. However, if you wonder how ongoing disputes between Hongkongers will end up, I am sorry that this movie doesn\u2019t shed light on what Hong Kong will turn into. Still, just like Fai and Po-wing\u2019s journey, a destination is always there, awaiting for our arrival, someday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>More like this:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Farewell My Concubine \u300a\u9738\u738b\u5225\u59ec\u300b(1993), Dir. Chen Kai Ge [China]<\/li><li>The Handmaiden \u300a\u4e0b\u5973\u8a98\u7f6a\u300b(2016), Dir. Park Chan Wook [South Korea]<\/li><li>Us And Them \u300a\u5f8c\u4f86\u7684\u6211\u5011\u300b (2018), Dir. Rene Liu [China]<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Movie 2<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>You are the Apple of My Eye \u300a\u90a3\u4e9b\u5e74\uff0c\u6211\u5011\u4e00\u8d77\u8ffd\u7684\u5973\u5b69\u300b<\/p><p>[na5 se1 nin4 ngo5 mun4 yat1 hei2 jeui1 dik1 neui5 haai4]<\/p><p>(2011), Dir. Giddens Ko<\/p><p>Made in Taiwan.<br><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>With COVID-19 taking over the globe, our ordinary campus life seems like nothing but a blur. To brush up memories of our \u2018historical\u2019 school life memories,&nbsp; <em>You are the Apple of My Eye<\/em> takes the audience on a time machine to Changhua county, Taiwan in the 90\u2019s.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just mentioning this movie, many would instantly think of the theme song \u201cThose Bygone Years\u201d, sung by Taiwanese singer Hu Xia. Between the lines of lyrics like \u201cthose years where we missed the rainstorm, those years where we missed our love. I want to embrace you, to embrace the courage that I missed\u201d unfold the bittersweet moments between Ching-teng and Chia-yi. Earlier parts of the movie records how Ching-teng was attracted to his \u2018goddess\u2019 Chia-yi, and how they eventually got together. However, when the couple were accepted into different universities, their love withered and the two slowly drifted apart. If only time could take them back\u2026 sadly, there are no alternatives in life. So what makes Ching-teng and Chia-yi\u2019s relationship memorable but painful? It is about all their regrets as a couple. The incomplete dates, the unspoken words, these reflect how life is never perfect and flawless. Unlike any other generic romantic comedies with \u201cpink bubbles\u201d almost floating out from the movie screens, <em>You are the Apple of My Eye<\/em> captures humans\u2019 vivid and rawest emotions. That is what makes it such a heart wrenching piece.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why does this movie appeal to such a large crowd of audience? Its enchanting theme song, its heartbreaking plot, its portrait of everyone\u2019s childhood memories, and its realism. In fact, the plot is based on Dir Ko\u2019s semi-autobiography, which shares the same title with the movie. Coincidentally, directors seem to prefer using their own products as platforms to unleash their raw feelings towards a specific person. Dir. Richard Linaklater created the megahit <em>Before Sunrise<\/em> <em>(1995)<\/em> (and the <em>Before<\/em> trilogy) to search for his Celine after their fleeting encounter in a toy shop in Philadelphia. Back to this movie, Dir. Ko\u2019s movie is to deliver his feelings to his highschool crush, who shares the same name as the female character Chia-yi. When Dir. Ko revealed his story as the blueprint of the movie, Chia-yi in real life was exposed to be a wife of a businessman. Of course, he knows that adapting his experience means that factual matters should be clearly communicated to the audience, to prevent harming others by people\u2019s fantasies. Still, he insisted on keeping the last 10-minute segment in his production, which is a bittersweet and imaginative scene. Some may say that is unnecessary and weird to watch. But after all, movies are places for people to pour out their creativity.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Whisper of the Heart \u300a\u5fc3\u4e4b\u8c37\u300b(1995), Dir. Yoshifumi Kond\u014d [Japan]<\/li><li>Our Times \u300a\u6211\u7684\u5c11\u5973\u6642\u4ee3\u300b(2015), Dir. Chen Yu-shan [Taiwan]<\/li><li>Let Me Eat Your Pancreas \u300a\u6211\u60f3\u5403\u6389\u4f60\u7684\u80f0\u81df\u300b(2017), Dir. Sh\u014d Tsukikawa [Japan]<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Movie 3<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>Departures\u300a\u79ae\u5100\u5e2b\u4e4b\u594f\u9cf4\u66f2\u300b<\/p><p>[lai5 yi4 si1 ji1 jau3 ming4 kuk1]<\/p><p>(2008), Dir. Y\u014djir\u014d Takita<\/p><p>Made in Japan.<br><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>While the topic of death itself may still be perceived as a taboo in some East Asian regions, producers tend to incorporate the theme of life and death in movies. <em>Departures<\/em> is a well-received film telling the story of Daigo, a cellist-turned-n\u014dkanshi. N\u014dkanshi is a Japanese-based traditional ritual mortician, who plays a key role in funerals by applying cleaning and applying makeup to the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When someone in a family has passed away, other members of the family normally treat funeral service workers humbly with respect, so their relatives can be sent to the afterlife in peace. Otherwise, the job nature of these workers may be labelled as \u201cdirty and indecent.\u201d Due to the social stigma of the industry, Daigo was ostracized by his friends and social circle. He also told his wife that he was working for a \u201ctravel agency,\u201d before his true occupation was found out. The tension built up when his wife, feeling disgusted and disappointed, threatened Daigo to move out until he quit his job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Departures<\/em> not only portrays the misconceptions brewed in society, but also brings out the message of celebrating life and acknowledging death. Funeral traditions are important in Asia, especially for Buddhists and Taoists. Daigo\u2019s job includes dressing the body in white, putting on makeup and performing rituals before putting the body in a casket to be sent to the afterlife. Daigo gradually feels his job is not only about completing procedures, but soothing the heart-stricken ambience by bringing calmness. The goal of a n\u014dkanshi is to let families of the deceased bid farewell to the deceased in his or her best appearance. When all the rituals come to an end, family members of the deceased greet the n\u014dkanshi with a thankful smile. Frankly speaking, no one knows how the afterlife functions, or whether an afterlife actually exists. But solemn procedures captured in <em>Departures <\/em>serve as a recollection of memories, before keeping the departed in people\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More Like This:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Made in Hong Kong \u300a\u9999\u6e2f\u88fd\u9020\u300b (1997), Dir. Fruit Chan [Hong Kong]<\/li><li>Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds \u300a\u8207\u795e\u540c\u884c\uff1a\u5169\u500b\u4e16\u754c\u300b (2017), Dir. Kim Yong Hwa [South Korea]<\/li><li>Little Big Women \u300a\u5b64\u5473\u300b (2020), Dir. Joseph Hsu [Taiwan]<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Movie 4<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>Silenced \u300a\u7121\u8072\u5436\u558a\u300b<\/p><p>[mou4 seng1 naap6 haam3]<\/p><p>(2011), Dir. Hwang Dong Hyuk<\/p><p>Made in South Korea.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Movies serve as a point for us to reflect on our community through adapting events in society. <em>Silenced<\/em> (<em>Dogani<\/em> in Korean) is adapted from a novel by the writer Gong Ji Young, and the novel is based on real events in Gwang Ju, a province in South Korea.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Silenced<\/em> tells a story about a school for the hearing-impaired in Mujin. Young disabled students are the victims of malicious sexual assault by the school principal and several teachers. As much as the audience is disgusted by sexual abuse, they are also outraged by police corruption and the inefficacy of Korea\u2019s judicial system. Although the plot may seem absurd, this is accurately reflected by real-life figures. With a staggering 23 thousand arrests for sexual assault in the country last year, the poor kids are only a small portion of many more helpless victims. [2]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides shedding light on sexual assault, <em>Silenced<\/em> infers different characters staying silent throughout the movie. The young victims initially remained silent out of fear and horror of threats. Surrounding teachers and citizens kept their mouths shut for the reputation of their community. On top of that, executive officers who violently obtained evidence to prosecute the perpetrators, were muted by money laundering. In reality, victim-blaming is sadly a common phenomenon in sexual assault cases, especially when two parties show a significant difference in social status. Despite the young victims crying desperately for assistance, none of them received any aid. Instead, they were viewed as \u2018seducing\u2019 the principal and consenting. The misty fog of Mujin traps rumours of the school from leaking out, while social stigmas bars victims from seeking help. Although the protagonists were determined to rescue the kids, they could hardly fight against the institution and the corrupt police.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The protagonist once said, \u201cWe should fight not to change the world itself, but to stop the world from changing us.\u201d In the movie, when protestors advocated justice for the victims, they were dispersed by merciless police and cannon trucks. This is sadly, a vivid image associated with heartbroken memories of many Hong Kongers. At this devastating moment, the urge to fight for criminal justice is rekindled in many South Koreans\u2019 hearts. This emotional ride sparks off national sentiment around the country, and even prompted lawmakers to introduce legislation to convict sexual offenders. Korea\u2019s parliament passed the \u2018Dogani Bill\u2019 which raises the punishment of sexual criminals to life imprisonment. The physical and mental trauma scars forever, but amendments in the law means that culprits like the principal have to compensate heavily for their unforgivable wrongdoings. In this way, movies like <em>Silenced<\/em> serve as an alarm for people about societal affairs and the importance of upholding justice.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Memories of Murder \u300a\u6bba\u4eba\u56de\u61b6\u300b (2003), Dir. Bong Joon Ho [South Korea]<\/li><li>Ten Years \u300a\u5341\u5e74\u300b(2015), Dir. Kwok Zune, Dir. Wong Fei Pang, Dir. Jevons Au, Dir. Kiwi Chow, Dir. Ng Ka Leung [Hong Kong]<\/li><li>A Taxi Driver \u300a\u9006\u6b0a\u53f8\u6a5f\u300b(2017), Dir. Jang Hoon [South Korea]<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Movie 5<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>Still Human \u300a\u6dea\u843d\u4eba\u300b<\/p><p>[leun4 lok6 yan4]<\/p><p>(2018), Dir. Oliver Chan<\/p><p>Made in Hong Kong.<br><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The Chinese title of <em>Still Human<\/em> means people who encounter misfortune. This comes from a famous line by the Tang dynasty poet Bai Juyi (\u767d\u5c45\u6613): \u201cThose who bear the same illness sympathise with each other\u201d (\u540c\u662f\u5929\u6daf\u6dea\u843d\u4eba). Starring best actor Anthony Wong and Pilipino rookie actress Crisel Consunji, this movie dives into the ordinary lives of a disabled old man and his domestic helper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike Western countries, it is common for people in Asian regions to hire domestic maids who are mainly Indoenisan or Filipino. When Evelyn, Cheong-wing\u2019s domestic helper first entered his home, they would bicker on minor issues like cleaning the floor or the pronunciation of Cantonese slang. As the season changes and time slips by, they gradually develop a strong bond. Reflecting on real-life scenarios, minor conflicts are unavoidable within families. Hins Cheung, a famous Hong Kong singer-songwriter, has been hilariously sharing his snippets of life with his newly hired domestic helper. His Instagram updates about breakfast meals to the use of cooking utensils precisely reflect the \u2018adjustment period\u2019 in households. While this topic hilariously becomes the talk of the town, posts on a Facebook group called \u201cSupport Group for HK Employers with Foreign Domestic Helpers (FDHs)&#8221; show another side of arguments between employers and FDHs. Complaints from employers range from hygiene practices to daily attitudes, such as talking on the phone for several hours a day. Certainly, a few words of platitude may resolve this deep-rooted problem among many families, but <em>Just Human<\/em> portrays important elements for employers and FDHs to get along\u2014compassion and respect.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No one should be deprived of their right to dream. Even FDHs who left their home country and work for six days a week, should be allowed to pursue their goals in life. In the movie, Cheong-wing discovered Evelyn\u2019s passion and talent in photography. Being physically constrained in his wheelchair, Cheong-wing knew his daring hopes would most likely turn to ashes. So, he decided to turn Evelyn\u2019s photography \u2018spark\u2019 into his own, by buying her a digital camera to participate in competitions. Taking photos seems like an easy hobby for most of us, but it almost seemed like an impossible aspiration for Evelyn. <em>Just Human<\/em> tells a simple but easily forgotten message, and that is to follow your heart and chase for your dreams. It doesn\u2019t matter whether your aspirations are as ambitious as becoming a millionaire, or simply being healthy and safe. Once you have sorted out what sparks joy in your heart, work towards it, and that will be the cure to your illness.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Echoes of the Rainbow\u300a\u6b72\u6708\u795e\u5077\u300b (2010), Dir. Alex Law [Hong Kong]<\/li><li>Mad World \u300a\u4e00\u5ff5\u7121\u660e\u300b (2016), Dir. Wong Chun [Hong Kong]<\/li><li>Memories to Choke On, Drinks to Wash Them Down \u300a\u591c\u9999\u30fb\u9d1b\u9d26\u30fb\u6df1\u6c34\u57d7\u300b&nbsp; (2020), Dir. Leung Ming Kai [Hong Kong]<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[1] BBC News \u201c<strong>\u9999\u6e2f\u4eba\u79fb\u6c11\uff1aBNO\u7c3d\u8b49\u7533\u8acb\u9060\u8d85\u9810\u671f\uff0c\u82f1\u570b\u653f\u5e9c\u64a5\u6b3e\u52a9\u6e2f\u4eba\u878d\u5165\u7576\u5730\u201d<\/strong><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[2] Statistica.com, \u201cNumber of arrests for sexual assault in South Korea from 2013 to 2019\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Karen Tang Introduction Decidophobia. The irrational [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8209,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[421,289],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cusp.hk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9738"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cusp.hk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cusp.hk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cusp.hk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cusp.hk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9738"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cusp.hk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9738\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cusp.hk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cusp.hk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cusp.hk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cusp.hk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}