Film Quiz
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(in reverse chronological order)

From: Teddy  [錢安良]
Sunday, December 10, 2006 09:59 PM

The Departed

這部由大導演Martin Scorsese執導, 有多位大明星演出的影片, 是2006年中一部出色的片子。 劇本是改編自香港影片”無間道“。 背景自香港搬到了Boston.

Martin Scorsese 過去導過不少具代表性的電影, 包括70年代的”Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”, “Taxi Driver” ; 80年代的 “Raging Bull”,  “The Last Temptation of Christ”; 90年代的”Good Fellas”, “Gangs of New York”。 他的特色是片中人物多硬漢, 衝突尖銳。

兩位年輕男主角Matt Damon 和 Leonardo DiCaprio的演出都相當出眾。 Matt Damon 是第一次演反派;  Leonardo DiCaprio 是越來越邁出觀眾對他過去所演的t eenager 的角色的印象 (“Titanic”, “Catch Me If You Can”)。 這兩位再配上Jack Nicholson 非他莫屬的角色, all of a sudden, there is powerful dynamics in this picture and it keeps the audience captivated.

其他的配角Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin 及 Mark Wahlberg 都是赫赫有名的明星。 在這部片子裡,扮演有限度的角色, 都很稱職。

整部片子劇情緊湊, 交代算清楚負責。 對白中粗俗語不必要的多, 暴力部分付諸於想像的多, 沒有太多gross out 的鏡頭 。

電影結尾的幾個twists 稍嫌 abrupt, 但因電影已演超過兩小時半, 觀眾也欣然接受這個有一點easy way out 的結局 。

我對這部片子的評論是 :
þ I highly recommend that you see it in a theater. This is a must see.
 □ I recommend that you see it in a theater and you won’t be disappointed.
 □ It is not worth seeing it in a theater but you can wait to see it on a VCR/DVD.
 □ Pass it .
 

31

From: 中文系二十屆戴文采 
Saturday, September 23, 2006 1:49 PM

＜千里走單騎＞

中國各單位也從此饒了老謀子吧 , 求財立功都不難 , 方法多的是 , 最不值得的就是糟塌拍＜十面埋伏＞的大師 , 正如中國的繁華得來多麼辛酸 , 大師一生名望來得多麼艱苦 , 什麼都沒有了 , 就只有那一點點藝術美名 , 請中國好好珍惜半世紀出不了一兩個的大師 !
 

From: PATRICIA P FU [傅裴湘] 
Tuesday, September 19, 2006 10:51 PM

“THE ILLUSIONIST,” THE MESMERISM

When “The Illusionist” opens, the main intrigue has actually occured in the middle of the story. The spectators have to be guided forward as if lured in by a magic trick to see what had happened before.

The magician is Edward Norton, who is Eisenheim in this film.  Norton, one more time, proves that he is the best actor among all the young movie stars.  His acting is magic itself.  When he was younger, he performed a seemly innocent alter boy in “The Primal Fear,” then the truth revealed that he was deeply involved in killing.  In “American History X,” Norton evolved successfully from a vicious racist to a humble loving young man.  Norton also was a cute comedian in his own acted/directed “Keeping the Faith.”

Eisenheim is brought up in a lower class carpenter’s family. The puppy love between him and a princess is forbidden.  After departing from his hometown for 15 years, he comes back with a strong desire to reunite with this girl.

Norton’s goat beard in this movie covers his half face, but his eyes still exercise indescribable melancholy.  In order to win back his sweetheart, he has to utilize magic to outwit a royal who wants to marry the princess and usurp the throne of Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Movies combine many effects, such as editing, lighting, natural scenery. Magic tricks on the other hand, are supposed to be performed live – a disadvantage in movies. Eisenheim is so unfortunate though that the viewers accept the portrayed illusions on the screen.  Eisenheim fools a very influential police chief and finally takes his princess away.

This movie’s music adds to the illusion by building to the many peaks during spooky tricks, then slowly calming down our anxieties.  The happy ending is a satisfying for the entire audience.
 

From: PATRICIA P FU [傅裴湘] 
Wednesday, August 16, 2006 11:52 PM

THE POIGNANT CHARACTERS IN “THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA.”

"The Devil Wears Prada" is still in the theaters after months of release.  The movie’s profits probably match the content of the story:  The tough ones stick around.
 
This film’s script is based on author Lauren Weisberger’s bestseller, which exposes how cruel the fashion empire is at “Runway” magazine.  Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly is based on the infamous Vogue editor Anna Wintour.  Emily Blunt plays Emily, Miranda’s first assistant.  When this pair of actresses appear in together, their fabulous acting steals all the attention.  Poor rookie Anne Hathaway, who plays new assistant, Andy Sachs, does not have the skills to compete with them.

Miranda manipulates the company’s designs and management, she intimidates all her subordinates as well.  Andy tolerates all this abuse, because working for “Runway” is her first job after four years of college.  She survives picking up Miranda’s clothes on the floor, taking out coffee from the store for Miranda, and fetching the not yet published “Harry Potter” for Miranda’s twin daughters.

Darwin’s “the survival of the fittest” is not a joke under Miranda’s demand.  Andy’s adjustment to her workplace are:  possessing more expensive clothes, accessories, high heel shoes, flattering her boss, working longer with low wages, and decreasing time with her boyfriend.  Finally she meets Miranda’s requirements.  Andy is chosen over Emily to accompany Miranda to a Paris fashion show.  During the trip, Andy witnesses lots of plots hatched by other people in the fashion industry.  She realizes that she truly does not fit in, hence she decides to leave the position for good.

 This movie entertains viewers, who can watch other people’s battles and feel fortunate they are not on the bottom of the fashion world food chain.
 

From: Kang Ting-yi [康定怡]
Sent: Sunday, August 13, 2006 12:19 AM

For those who seek a break from often predictable Hollywood movies, WATER is a good candidate to bring you surprising delight and sadness. The story is framed in the Indian caste society around 1930’s. A young girl was arranged to merry an old man and suddenly became a widow at a very young age. She then was forced to retire to a reclusive religious living for the rest of her life. Before you became aware, you were drawn by the movie into the depth of an unshakable situation with no easy way out. The wealthy husband married many wives with this girl as the youngest. She then began her slow learning to understand what a widow’s life was with the messy helps other wives offered. Life evolved along a riverbank. People lived and died mostly without a fight. How confined those widows’ lives were lived within a few square miles of the land. Somehow, the movie managed to keep you from falling into an abyss of despair.

The movie seems to strike your emotional chord in several ways:

The innocence of the girl keeps the unbearable life going and going with hope. Hinduism believes that human suffering result from sins committed in your previous life. (forgive my over-simplification) You basically live through your life with whatever conditions as a given to hopefully redeem yourself. The young girl acts like a breeze of fresh air flowing through a few cracks that may exist in the rigid society under caste system. Her natural acting is a treat and reminds me of the two girls in the movie 城南舊事.

Water is everywhere. You drink, you bath, you wash, you cleanse, you travel, you enjoy, and you die cremated on the bank of river and ash spread. All things related to water go on at the same time with no event escaping from the other. It is such a tight universe that you can only enjoy distance at night when you look at the stars. It feels like that all lives start at the end because hope may exist beyond and all lives end at the start because all journeys are predetermined.

Along the persistently grey cinematographic line, there is a moment of intense color which coincides with the celebration of festivities in the movie. It is so memorable that this rare moment of joy lingers a long time even after the movie is long gone. For a while, you are lured to believe that life can be ultimately triumphant until you are near the end of the movie. I hope this modest revelation of the story end can only enhance your desire to see the movie. The color, in my opinion, flows with story line like match between hands and gloves.

In traditional China, widows were coerced into carrying husband’s name and staying single. People erected 貞節牌坊 to acknowledge the value of such practice. Between India and China, each has her share of blame due to similar practices. India still has the caste system in place although not as vigorously practiced. And China, well, is a vastly different country now from, let’s say, seventy years ago. The journey from there to here has been long and winding. A tentative conclusion seems to be that the gripping power of Confucianism is less omnipotent than Hinduism. This late note about the movie “Water” may offer no comfort of catching the movie in regular movie theaters. But it will be still rewarding even if you watch it on DVD.
 

From: PATRICIA P FU [傅裴湘] 
Tuesday, July 25, 2006 1:45 AM

What does "Only Human" show us?

The advertisement of the hilarious Spanish movie "Only Human" is not noticeable, except it deserves more resonance. “Only Human” is similar to “Guess Who Is Coming to Dinner?” but this film renders us a story showing even Jews and Palestinians can love each other and leave their hatred behind.

In Madrid, Leni, a Jewish daughter, hopes her family will accept her boy friend, Rafi, a Palestinian; therefore, Rafi is invited to eat dinner at her house.

To please his beloved Leni, Rafi pretends he is also a Jew, originally from Jerusalem. In history, Palestinians and Jewish have been coexisted and tangled in Jerusalem, Rafi has no problems answering questions regarding his faking “roots.”

The awkward parts come from her family members. Leni’s brother is practicing Hebrew rituals, which include trashing all non-kosher food. Her atheist sister flirts with any man she meets. This sister has a six-year-old daughter who imitates pregnant women’s behaviors . Her old blind grandfather has not forgotten lifting his rifle to fight against Palestinians.

Leni’s passionate mother insists that she is not a racist; however, when she finds out Rafi’s origin is her “enemy,” she compares her daughter’s romance to “Romeo and Juliet.” By the way, where is this family’s father?

Rafi is very nice, but not agile enough to stop misfortunate results. An icy container slips out his hands then falls from the kitchen window. Possibly it has hit and taken the life of Leni’s father who happened to be under their apartment. While Rafi’s conscience tells him to turn himself in, Leni chooses to hide this secret.

Funny yet complicated segments wrap follow one by one, until Rafi and Leni cannot avoid arguments. A few simple sentences outline the prolonged conflicts between these two groups:
“... you attack us.” “Yes, with rocks and hand made bombs. You have nuclear weapons.”
“Israel has to survive.” “There was no Israel.”

Opposite to another real war that just launched one week ago in the Middle East, this charming comedy ends without violence. May the peace be with the world. Amen.
 

From: PATRICIA P FU [傅裴湘] 
Wednesday, June 14, 2006 12:18 AM

＜姚之年＞的連想

NBA打得如火如荼 , 兩大愛將姚明與Duncan出局 , 實屬憾事。身為姚迷 , 去年曾在戲院裡 , 與座滿四成全似華裔 , 共賞＜姚之年＞ (The Year of Yao)。記錄片內 , Barkley因輕看姚明得分潛力 , 打賭輸後 , 在眾目睽睽下吻驢臀。大家也跟著姚明樂不可支。觀新出影碟時 , 請翻看此插曲數次。

東西方較勁兒 , 包括運動 , 只是著眼點不同。一乒乓名手宣告 , 受往生主席感召 , 才能奮發奪冠 , 西方人以為不可思議。＜姚之年＞首景 , 拍姚明老家開歡送會 , 鼓勵不離 “你為國家民族爭光 , 我們以你為榮 ! " 對此類期盼 , 洋人多覺太沉重。好在姚明本人不呼口號 , 和媒體記者輕鬆言談 , 機智幽默瀟灑 , 極為討好。 

姚之至交兼翻譯潘克倫 Colin Pine , 是另一令人欣慰例子。教華語時杞人憂天 , 擔心全球各洲莘莘學子 , 錢途無亮。沒料到風水輪轉 , 中文漸成顯學 , 將是政 , 學 , 工 , 商各業實用工具。潘克倫大膽往前走得好 !

稍早一雜誌爆料 , 姚明於優生學政策下出生。創造優良基因 , 為男女配對 , 過去在日本 , 德國不算新聞。無論真偽 , 或起於上一代文革遺怨 , 如此刨姚明根 , 於心何忍？幸虧沒再胡攪蠻纏。＜姚飯館＞在德州開得火紅 , 走資本主義路線挺好 !

談起隱私 , 凡人常愛偷窺 , 名人也愛現。但鏡頭幾次掃描姚明桌面 , 都被擋駕。姚明不讓女友倩影或消息暴光 , 這種老練 , 出現在年輕人身上 , 很能看出他的修養。狗仔八卦沒輒兒 , 他的公關也始終為他 , 包裝健康正面形象。

姚迷遍布各地 , 眾友戲謔 , 贈臺貓熊應取名＜姚姚＞ , ＜明明＞ , 而非一相情願的 ＜團團＞ , ＜圓圓＞。在國際場合 , 大張其鼓開記者會 , 擺出姿態 , 並非純粹送禮 , 著實叫對方為難。體育整合 , 親和力強 , 勝過文攻武嚇。咱們兒就打打球多好 !

姚明加油 !
 

From: PATRICIA P FU [傅裴湘] 
Sunday, May 28, 2006 11:22 PM

侯孝賢的電影時光

洛城正放映侯孝賢的<最好的時光> (Three Times) , 讓人又有機會重溫他的電影 , 捕捉懷舊時光。八零年代的新浪潮導演 , 已成前輩 , 淡出影界的有張毅 , 萬仁 , 陳坤厚等。楊德昌與侯孝賢 , 還於影展中露面。其中侯孝賢 , 最能展現獨特的臺灣經驗 , 作品找不著遭人詬病的媚外痕跡。故事環繞著眷村 , 鄉野 , 童玩；慘綠少年不碰聯考 , 補習班 , 在外或遊蕩 , 或謀生。雲淡風清。國際影評人雖未曾親身經歷 , 卻愛煞了侯孝賢的生態環境 , 並且認同。

陸陸續續在臺北看過侯孝賢編的<小畢的故事> , 來美後在影院看<悲情城市> , <海上花>。同時 , 教漢語的大學 , 或加州公視演過<冬冬的假期> , <風櫃來的人> , <戀戀風塵>。<最好的時光> 可以與這些影片 , 接上同樣的風格 , 因為他的靜慢遠鏡 , 總是緩緩流出歷史感與悲情感。

<最好的時光>散作三部分: 1966 的戀愛夢, 1911 的自由夢, 與2005 的青春夢。意味最醇的是第二段<自由夢> , 背景是1911年的臺灣。獻唱娛客的春樓 , 有詩意盎然的雅舍 , 雕樓 , 古鏡 , 燭燈 , 妝臺。重顯<海上花>精緻細膩的裝璜。寬袖鑲邊仕女袍 , 工筆隸體契約書。鋼琴獨奏 , 繞樑通過劇院 , 予耳目一場饗宴。

經過侯孝賢的調教 , 跟發掘潛能 , 張震洗盡浮佻 , 沉潛斯文。舒淇雍容華貴 , 溫柔婉約。他倆擁有韜光養晦後氣質 , 對坐堂屋 , 談家事 , 論國情。舒淇所扮藝妲的一句“先生所提 , 可是戊戌變法失敗的梁先生?”把當時的歷史勾勒出來了。張震這位公子 , 是當年追隨梁啟超的革命青年。片中姑隱其名 , 雖然呼之欲出 , 但不便對號入座。

<自由夢>是默片 , 無聲勝有聲。深色字幕佔滿銀幕 , 因打出上下直排語體文 , 如看插畫線裝書。帶著政治影子 , 連接<悲情城市>裡的啞藝術家。同樣失聲吶喊 , 卻直搗人心。

<自由夢>的精髓 , 應在它的悲情成分。除含<冬>片與<風>片之淡 , <自由夢>還附加對世態炎涼之嘳歎。公子和名妓 , 有情卻無緣。公子慷慨解囊 , 幫藝妲姐妹淘贖身 , 反乏力將紅顏知己 , 救離風塵。有一場令人心戚對手戲：舒淇站在張震椅背後 , 探問自己贖身可行否 , 再慢轉 , 背向鏡頭 , 哀怨以絹拭淚。張震慘臉 , 面向觀眾 , 同步用手擦眼眶。悲情氛圍 , 久久不散。

老闆不但不放手 , 又添一髫女入風月。成年人在她四周 , 摸摸比比 , 猶如購買商品。旋即又派師父 , 授以彈弦歌技 , 幼旦無從脫離歹命。此劇以藝妲拆閱公子尺素 , 感時憂國未減 , 前程茫茫 , 南管樂音悠然停格。
 

From: PATRICIA P FU [傅裴湘] 
Tuesday, May 09, 2006 12:57 AM

從大而無當的<無極>看陳凱歌的作品

在戲院內按耐荒謬劇情結束 , 我才能呼應電影<無極>的許多負面觀點。第一反感 , 是半空重覆賣弄旋轉功夫 , 將武俠片之美學 , 銷毀殆盡。<無極>號稱耗費超億人民幣 , 成品卻如此慘烈：介紹故事的播音員 , 承襲了文明戲之浮誇造作 , 配樂震耳突兀 , 色彩粗俗 , 佈景偽裝 , 琉璃黃瓦輕薄 , 道具怪誕 , 武士竟在馬戲團中 , 供摩拖騎士奔馳的圓球內決鬥。眾星中演技上乘的真田廣之 , 也像傀儡般僵硬 , 真是糟蹋了日片<黃昏清兵衛>之靈魂人物。

擺脫考據學的包袱 , <無極>牽強希臘神話的宿命 , 附會於不知年月的古國。沒有借鏡封神榜或鏡花緣 , 因它們與<無極>命運無關。女主角傾城 , 簡直仿冒木馬屠城的海倫：女神源於記恨 , 用海倫之絕世美貌 , 招惹城邦互戰多年。而幼兒傾城因為饑餓 , 奪人饅頭後 , 不慎將之落入水中 , 天仙滿神拾起 , 讓傾城果腹 , 並乖乖尊救命神為主人。美人從此得不著愛 , 且成禍水 , 害多名男子喪命。無歡因為失去饅頭 , 聚眾自立 , 既蓄奴 , 又殺生 , 真讓人看不下去。滿神又為何與天下男子 , 如此不共戴天 ?

命定論或自由意志論 , 哲學界探討了數世紀。<無極>有心探究 , 卻剪不斷 , 理還亂。奴隸崑崙縱使武功超人 , 卻懵懂愚忠。他和傾城因為孤貧 , 受神人擺佈。影片對為了溫飽無奈 , 封建低層的小人物 , 喪失悲憫之情。愛情固然可歌可泣 , 人性卻單一平板。

片中的金鳥籠 , 白羽衣 , 黑袍 , 盔甲 , 饅頭 , 均沾點生與慾之象徵 , 然過浮濫 , 畫虎成犬。陳凱歌早期的<黃土地> , 農民在乾涸的環境裡 , 咬牙認命 , 也跟天譴無關。全片黃褐寫實 , 老調但感人。

以西式之觀念 , 輸入中國架構內 , 也屬創新。<霸王別姬>是舊瓶新酒佳作。編劇李碧華 , 擅寫言情。她可把梨園伶人之生涯 , 在政局頻頻交替下 , 寫成軼詩。男女戀情 , 捲進佛洛依德的情結 , 故事立體 , 充滿了張力。有些濫情 , 但也得某幾影展青睞。

陳凱歌的<大閱兵> , 是文革後產品：冷颯飄風 , 旌旗滾動 , 配上熱情年輕的面膛。因為攝影突出 , 當時很轟動。但意識形態太重。兩岸在威權時代 , 都有類似活動 , 群體高於個人。已離開那環境的人 , 不但不共鳴 , 而且邊看邊覺受罪。

<無極>之前的影片<和你在一起> , 泫淚的情節有餘 , 理性不足 , 像剛出道之作。陳導客串一鋼琴大師 , 專喜沽名釣譽。彷彿下意識的自嘲：暗示從此將以商業片為生計 , 不搞藝術了。
 

From: PATRICIA P FU [傅裴湘] 
Friday, March 31, 2006 11:26 PM

The enjoyable “Joyeux Noel”

People who feel painful after seeing the movie “Crash” should try the French film -“Joyeux Noel” which lost in the competition for the best foreign movie category in this past Oscar. “Joyeux Noel” also deals with diverse races who were fighting during W.W.I.: solders from Scotland, France, and Germany. This real incident took place on Christmas evening, 1914.

An opera soprano goes to visit her husband, who was a tenor before the war, in the trenches, where every fighter is nervous to face death; however, Christmas brings joyful ambiance in time. With a tacit understanding, they believe that they should cease the fire. First, a Scottish priest decides to play Christmas carol with his pipe astonishingly.

The delighted melody inspires the two professional singers to sing. Despite that he might become an easy target to be shot, this brave tenor soldier sticks out his body, walks outside the shelters, and let out his voice magnificently. Gradually all hearts are melted to sing together and each one climbs up to the ground excitedly.

One German solider finds his lost cat, Felix, which is now named Nestor by his new French owner. The French leader’s wallet is returned by a German who keeps it because he is very fond of the pictures inside.

Under the influence of wine, they cheerfully share family photos. Some trilingual persons adapt to the situations to chat with new friends in English, French and German. The next day, they bury the frozen corpses to memorize Jesus’ birthday. Then the following activity is soccer time! Unavoidably a few slick players trick their rivals to fall down, but no scrabbles are ignited. They all play with childlike minds.

When everybody is sober, this military is even more humane: the German lieutenant tells his “enemies” to hide in the holes of his side, because he remembers the artilleries from his base are going to bomb his “friends.” Consequently, French and Scottish armies return favors to protect their German enemies by hiding them in the caves built on their sides.

These insubordinate behaviors upset their superiors. The German company is sent to fight against the Russians, hardly if they can survive in the front line next time. The Scottish priest is discharged and is reprimanded by his bishop who says the war is a “crusade” to destroy the evils. (At what government are they trying to mock?)

Too bad that nowadays we are not as innocent as these ordinary bakers, shopkeepers, and farmers in “Joyeux Noel.”
 

From: PATRICIA P FU [傅裴湘] 
Tuesday, February 01, 2005 12:56 AM

THE ECCENTRIC “CAPOTE”

I thought the violence in the movie “Capote” would be as explicit as it is in the book “In Cold Blood.“ In fact, there are few dreadful moments, but the playwright - Dan Futterman, skillfully conveys how Truman Capote is dedicated to an unprecedented “non fiction novel” for six years. The center of the script is that Capote forms a friendship with one of the two murderers - Perry Smith, then uncovers the details of the killing, yet ends up ruining his own writing career.

Capote is performed by Philip Seymour Hoffman who has shown acting potential in other films as supporting roles. This time, being the leading figure, besides loosing weight, Hoffman also speaks in a high pitch nasal tone with low sound volume, his tongue tip blurs with words. His hands stretch out back and forth, not a masculine body language, which suggests what his sexual orientation is. Hoffman totally blends into Capote, making us believe they are the same character.

Capote’s other books were well-known at an early age. In 1959, a quadruple murder case in Holcomb, Kansas shocked the whole nation. In an effort to surpass his peers, Capote used his chance to visit the perpetrators to start a new genre of creative writing - partly news report, partly in literature style. All his fans and the “New Yorker’s” publisher were anticipating the final draft of this new book - In Cold Blood, Capote won the trust of Perry Smith, at the same time he needed the confession revealing how those two killers cruelly destroyed four lives of one family.

It is very engrossing to watch the camera zooming in, shooting Capote and Smith’s interactions. They both are insecure, Capote’s occasional tics and trembles on the left face beneath his nose, accompanying Smith’s constant blinking eyes. We see how Capote feeds Smith with soft canned food when Smith refuses to eat, Smith even receives Thoreau’s “Walden” from Capote. In letters Smith requests Capote hire the best lawyer to escape capital punishment.

In their childhood, they both are poor, without normal family lives. Capote is very ambivalent, he feels sympathy for this criminal, is obsessed with their ongoing friendship, but he has to give his readers the facts. In 1965, finally Capote tells Smith that he wants to know how they committed the crime: This movie’s flashbacks display bloody pictures of the horror: At the beginning, they are merely intent on robbery, then they tie the victims up, and in a sudden impulse, they shoot the gun to slaughter them all.

Capote is broken by the reality since he has cheated himself into believing that Smith is a normal person as anybody else. On the other hand, for the purpose of giving “In Cold Blood” an epilogue, he betrays his friend. In his book, he details the cruel massacre, and Smith is hanged to pay the price. Afterwards, Capote forever is living lonely with all his admirers, fame, and wealth. He cannot write anymore, can only be addicted to alcohol which terminates his life. We know actually his guilt kills him.
 

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From: PATRICIA P FU [傅裴湘] 
Saturday, January 14, 2006 9:34 PM

TWO LITTLE GIRLS IN TWO RELIGIOUS MOVIES

At this year's turning-point, people with different faiths are celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa...etc.  Two very religious films coincide with this holiday season: “Bee Season” and “The Chronicles of Narnia.”   In these two films, two little girls pluck up the courage to save their worlds, to stand out, being different from other beings around them. Respectively, they are young actress Flora Cross, who is Eliza in “Bee Season” in a Jewish family; and Georgie Henley, who is Lucy in “The Chronicles of Narnia,” based on C. S. Lewis’ Christian allegory.

The prelude for the audience in “Bee Season” presents an ostensibly harmonious family riding in a car, that moves around on the smooth road  The music’s movements are as the waves in the ocean.  Eliza is watching outside through the vehicle’s windows.  Only she pays attention to a big “A” which is hung outside of a helicopter.  This plane flies in search of the destination for “A.”  Finally we see the letter “A” being inserted in the landmark sign “OAKL ND;” however, this story goes beyond spelling contests.

Saul Naumann (Richard Gere) is the father of this upper crust family. Saul is not only teaching Jewish theology, but also a true follower of Kabbalah, which makes him believe that words create the reality.  He pursues spiritual perfection.  When he finds that his younger daughter is able to exist with words, not by memorizing, but by seeing them, he decides to “train” Eliza to the highest religious level.

Now the Naumann family collapses because of this tension.  His son is being put aside by Saul-- instead of playing an instrument with his father formerly, he is recruited by another religion group.  Following an illusion, the mother feels that she is repairing the world when she actually is stealing inexpensive jewelry.  Saul is so focused on his prodigy daughter, that he does not notice any change in the family.

Eliza observes subtle elements, senses that she might have altered the steadiness of her home.  She wins the championship from the bottom to the toughest competition.  On the evening before the big challenge, she encounters the experiment that the ordinary people cannot reach - all the “words” circle her until she is struck on the floor.  Awakening next morning, she makes her own decision. When she confronts the last competitor, she gives the wrong answer.  In the end she and her brother embrace their father who cries in public immaturely.

C. S. Lewis liked to instill Christianity into his writings, he also interpreted theology within his stories.  Little Lucy is a good example, Lucy is the youngest one among her four siblings.  Without Lucy’s entrance to the backdrop of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” nobody could enter the significant episodes to witness all the touching experiences.  Certainly the repentance, the sacrifice, and redemption is not possible to occur.

Lucy is honest, innocent, kind of too naive to recognize the insidious mankind.  When playing the game of hide and seek, Lucy accidentally falls into a forbidden “wardrobe,” she meets a faun - Mr. Tumnus.  Her gentle nature makes her forget keeping a distance from this stranger.  Lucy accepts Mr. Tumnus’ invitation to his house for tea.  In fact, a witch has ordered this faun to turn in all humans. Mr. Tumnus appreciates Lucy’s friendship, decides not to obey his master, hence he tells Lucy to leave.

Another plot point is when the symbol of the Christ, - the lion, dies on a big rock, Lucy is extremely heartbroken, she weeps and does not escape to abandon her friend, although she does not understand why the lion has died for her brother.  This scene matches the description about Jesus’ death in the New Testament.  Lucy’s deeds fits two verses in the Book of Matthew as well - “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven,” “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Presently our earth is divided:  Being holy or secular, being sanctified or commercialized, pro or con war, celebrating or disdaining Halloween, even to supporting or attacking “Harry Potter.”  Many members in different groups insist on their own principles. Arguments are above discussion. Youngsters suffer from adults’ disputes.  The behaviors of Eliza and Lucy’s can stimulate us, the grown-ups to think deeper about how we should act in our own lives.

To contribute this article to my 8 months old niece, Kyra Campbell
 

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「功夫」是2005年11月台北金馬獎的大贏家。

我近兩三年來已經很少看電影了, 不過這部片子我在幾個月前還曾經特地去借了「功夫」的VCD回家看。

不知道是家中的音效比電影院的差太多, 還是因為自己囫圇吞棗, 看完後也實在看不清個中奧妙。除了正式領教到什麼是周星馳的「無厘頭」之外, 看到後面也差不多忘了前面有哪些精采的畫面了。把漫畫的手法拿到電影中來, 我只有苦笑的份了。

我很佩服那些影評人, 每次都能把我看不懂的電影分析得頭頭是道。「功夫」得獎了, 偉大的影評人再一次讓我覺得自已真像是個電影白痴。

唯一有一件是影評人, 好像都沒有人直接點明劇中的「斧頭幫」在影射當前的中國共產黨、「癩蛤蟆精」影射的就是江澤民。這不是我意識形態太重, 實在是影射得太露骨了。解謎都在電影最後的十分鐘, 這是我唯一覺得自已不那麼白痴的一部電影。

有興趣的人 可以從 http://shs.tngs.tn.edu.tw/camp/camp_041.asp  連到更多的影評與「功夫」的官方網站。
 

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TO END FRIENDSHIP IN THE ERA OF “GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK!”

On one evening fifty years ago, two of my favorite writers - Elia Kazan and Arthur Miller, had to take opposite stands.  When they were separated in this last meeting of their lives, I wonder if they bade, “Good night, and good luck?”

George Clooney’s - Good Night, and Good Luck, a black and white docu-drama genre film, depicts the period of time when Senator Joseph McCarthy was engaged in a “communist” witch hunt in1954.  The HUAC - The House Un-American Activities Committee, called different witnesses to give up the names of the suspected communists.

Kazan on that particular night decided to tell the names of his friends, but Miller refused to do so; therefore, Miller left for Europe the next morning.

Clooney stays focused on how a crew of newsmen fight firmly against HUAC, and all the pressure on them.  The main setting is in CBS’s newsroom.  Although everyone’s mouth puffs out cigarette smoke which circles their faces, the dialogue is so wise and vivid, that the audience does not want to miss any word.

McCarthy fails to continue his hunting, because these news workers prevail over him, based on how they strongly disbelieve that McCarthy is privileged to put labels on other people, and can fabricate the “crimes” that those “communists” do not intend to commit.

The splendid actor, David Strathairn, plays Edward R. Murrow, who is the leader of these newscasters.  Strathairn exudes his charisma as well as Gary Cooper did in the good old Western movies.  The wrinkles in the corners of his eyes even bring tension to the movie.  Murrow’s farewell in the conclusion of Friday night’s “Person to Person,” is “Good night, and good luck!”  After little luck with rebuttal, McCarthy disappears from the political stage.

However, the price for hunting the “traitors” was horrendous. Numerous writers could not publish forever.  Some used their wives’ names to win Oscar Awards.  Additionally, the trust and friendship between friends was damaged.  There were two professors who pretended to be strangers on USC’s campus for their life time.

Kazan had many masterpieces, including “Splendor in the Grass” which sympathizes with a woman who is not allowed to marry a rich guy, “On the Waterfront” which shows a man who is steadfast in resisting corruption. Kazan’s compassion for human beings is highly respectful, but it is said that for economic reasons, he needed to betray his fellows.

I watched Arthur Miller’s play - “Crucible” twice, was horrified by how humankind could persecute a group of young ladies who were accused of having exercised witch crafts.  Miller utilized a drama to imply how McCarthyism could mislead people.

Three years ago, I had a serious debate with a social studies teacher who defended Kazan, and said that Miller’s personal life was immoral. Contrary to Kazan and Miller, we still discuss various subjects quite often because we are not forced to take sides.

But what if the majority of my country is more gullible than before?  Why is it that “patriotism” and “religion” can control people’s minds and lead to a war?  How can we find out the truth when it is covered by the so-called “proofs?”
 

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From: PATRICIA P FU [傅裴湘] 
Saturday, September 16, 2005 9:56 PM

A GOOD ROAD MOVIE

As the casting list starts in the movie of “Broken Flowers,” we observe bundles of letters being put in the production line to be sorted.  All envelops are combined from the same regions, then divided into each individual residence.  Later, this movie’s protagonist - Don, portrayed by Bill Murray, goes on the road. The traffic lines are merged and diverged. This metaphor makes us wonder if we are also alienated from the real world sometimes?

Don initiates a personal journey because a mysterious letter informs him that the writer of the letter, 19 years ago, was pregnant with his son, and now his son is on the way searching for his father.  Bill Murray’s performance is perfect for a bored middle age man who suddenly becomes curious about revisiting his past to find something he never knew.

Don’s grandiose mansion stands out in a seemingly housing project community.  Similar to the story of Oscar Wild’s, all the playing kids are isolated from a lonely giant who has luxurious furniture and modern equipment, but Don is not sharing with any one.

Luckily this lonely giant has a zealous neighbor, Winston, who aspires to be a sleuth as good as Sherlock Holmes.  Winston encourages Don through cell phone even when they are facing each other, to dig out who had mothered his son.

Then Don begins to visit four women to resolve this riddle. Now respectively they are closet designer, realtor, animal communicator, and the last female is in a very depressed state. This film does not flash back to show how they were, but Don just cannot link up with them any more.  In the end he becomes paranoid on the street, suspecting any stray young man could be his son.

Among those four characters, Sharon Stone is the designer and Jessica Lange, the animal communicator.  These two stars have also hit the glass ceiling of the their professions due to their ages.

Besides Woody Allen, Murray is another good actor who can make brilliant fun of his middle age self.  Not knowing how to deal with the late 1/3 life, he is puzzled, unhappy, motionless... We can identify his pessimism, yet not indulge ourselves in the same trap.

 

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From: PATRICIA P FU [傅裴湘]
Saturday, July 30, 2005 8:20 PM

GOD! LIFE IS TOUGH!

The documentary - March of the Penguin, makes me sigh, “Life is but a series of ordeals!” for those  emperor penguins inhabiting Antarctica.

Morgan Freeman, the Oscar winner and the prince with a British Accent in the movie - Shakespeare’s Story,” sarcastically narrates, “It is not negotiable.” when we see the fledging penguin chicks are abandoned by their mothers.  Actually the real predicaments come after this when these babies grow up to be five years old.

When thousands of emperor penguins are ready to reproduce offspring, they dive out of the deep ocean, cuddling together on the dry land which only occupies 2 % of the South Pole, to meet their mates. 70 miles of expedition in harsh wind, 100 miles an hour, and -70 degree climate would kill some who are slow to catch up, yet the crowd still keeps going.  The camera on the sky covers the mass of their dark blue skin as if they are pilgrims dressed in burkha.

The most amazing part is how they suffer in starvation.  The period of mating, giving birth and hatching eggs, caring for the newborns, and exchanging parenthood responsibilities causes them to loose 1/2 or 1/3 of their weight.  Months later each male or female has to waddle back to the sea to be fed then go back to feed their youngsters.

Too many of them do not survive the cold weather, hunger, and predators, but there are many cozy scenarios such as how they use bellies to protect eggs, and take turns at the center to be warmed up by the outsided companions.  The spouses tangling their necks is very intimate; however, there is no X rated pictures on the screen.

According to some environmentalists, emperor penguins pretty soon will be endangered species.  Their hardships include the problems of pollution.  I am afraid their life cycles would be similar to the fate of Sisyphus’ - the stone can never reach to the peak of the mountain, and we are the curses to make their lives more miserable.
 

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From: PATRICIA P FU [傅裴湘]
Sunday, July 17, 2005 7:31 PM

THE WAR OF NOWHERE

We Americans are attacked by vicious aliens this time in Steven Spielberg’s movie - War of the Worlds. Fortunately we have stored enough WMDs to defeat the enemies in the end.

Unlike Spielberg’s previous movies - “The Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and ‘E.T.”, where The Extraterrestrial creatures were hospitable and cute, the evil monsters that come out in this new movie have ugly appearances and intend to invade the east coast, from New Jersey to Boston. There are no horrible scenes on the west coast yet.

There are many tripods controlled by the aliens that were buried under the earth decades ago, then they emerge to catch human beings.  This image reminds me of cicadas.  I hope the insects beneath us are never able to develop weapons to start turf wars against the human race.  And they better not be inclined to suck mankind's blood as grotesquely as the movie shows.

This film convinced me that a father - Ray Ferrier, portrayed by actor Tom Cruise, can take responsibility, even though Ray does not know the answer raised by his son - Where is the capital of Australia?   For emergency purposes, his son cannot find food, but only tomato sauce in his father’s refrigerator.  The domestic war is solved finally, because Ray demonstrates what a brave father should do.  He saves his alienated daughter.  He neither escapes to be with another woman as the father does in “E. T”., nor  does he only focuse on his own research like the father in “The Close Encounters of the Third kind.”

In general, most science fiction movies attract the audience through special effects, not the plots.  Spielberg’s talent in such technology is admirable, but I prefer watching his “Schindler’s List “ and “Saving Private Ryan” far more. I feel the wars in his non-science fiction movies have more realities and human emotions.
 

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我最喜愛的一部電影應該是【這是一個美妙的人生】It's A Wonderful Life 吧 ! 詹姆斯史都華演的一個想自殺的男人, 被一個 外貌是一個老頭兒的天使救了回來, 整個故事我好感動。

有一回東海建築系的朋友辦藝術週的活動, 他選在體育館放映的電影就是【單車失竊記】, 裡面是描寫一個義大利的窮苦家庭單車失竊的故事, 好感人, 這故事也影響我很大。

兩個月前, 我們去台中的新光影城看電影, 猶豫不決, 不知道應該選【戰慄時刻】、【雙重翻譯】還是選竹內結子演的【今天, 很想見妳】來看 ? 好心的售票員告訴我們【2005 撒哈拉】很好看, 原本我抱著懷疑的心去看, 我先生買爆米花進場, 結果我們發現這部電影實在精采極了, 我好像去了一趟充滿異國情調的地方回來, 它而且是動作片。

據說, 男主角馬修和女主角潘妮因演這部片而戀愛了, 不管怎樣, 我真感謝這個售票員小女生, 她帶給我們一個非常快樂的夜晚。
 

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From:  PATRICIA P FU [傅裴湘]
Sunday, March 13, 2005 10:35 PM

A SHINING PEARL

Compared to ”The Sea Inside, the French movie, ”The Chorus” is like the palm of the bear versus the fin of the shark. Both of them are philosophical enough to enlighten us.

Since “The Sea Inside,” won the Foreign Movie Award of Oscar this year, I would highly recommend this pearl. Although it was left out in the big ceremony, it still shines brightly. On the other hand, probably “The Chorus” has a very similar backdrop to my own workplace, so there are more echoes for me when watching it. Because my school enrolls students who are falling behind academically, they also have many behavior problems.

Several beautiful songs string the whole story back and forth. From the beginning, we can predict that a group of problematic teenagers will be influenced by a very shy teacher; however, the evolution does not follow clichés or bore the viewer. Indeed, while the music teacher successfully edifies these juvenile delinquents, he also fulfills himself and his own interests. We can see that those young people take singing as a special honor to get together under the instructor’s directions.

Funny and sentimental moments are juxtaposed. Among my own unruly students, I sometimes can find a few angels who have good natures to encourage me in my daily life, too.
 

From: PATRICIA P FU [傅裴湘]

Thursday, March 03, 2005 1:08 AM

I am not touched by the film - Finding Neverland, as much as how the other audience are moved from it. There is a very intriguing portion in the movie I want to point out though.  The two supporting roles in the story, Dustin Hoffman, as the impresario; and Julie Christie, as the grandmother, are totally contrary to what their characters were before. In my young age, (sad to admit this.) the above mentioned actor and actress were always the typical rebellious individuals in both British and American movies.  They fought against the bigotry in their rigid societies.  Julie Christie often reacted differently from the majority’s behaviors in her background.   Dusty Hoffman was the anti-hero small potato during the 70’s.

Now in Finding Neverland, Dusty is very practical in order to make money.  He cannot appreciate fantasies on the stage, dares not to accept a human being impersonating a dog, or fairies flying over his head.  Julie has to carry too many responsibilities.  She needs to control her daughter as well as her grandchildren.

I feel that I bear a strong resemblance  to them now.  I lost my naivety and my Neverland, too.
 

PATRICIA P FU [傅裴湘]  also published these marked  articles on TaiwanDaily.net which is not affiliated with tunghai74.org