An Unusual Romance - Movie Review: The Souvenir

(Picture from https://www.theartsshelf.com/2019/07/24/curzon-presents-the-uk-poster-trailer-for-joanna-hoggs-the-souvenir/)

As suggested by its Chinese name "我們的相愛時光", the film The Souvenir tells a love story, though not the kind common among feature movies.

Initially, the encounter between Julie, the young film student, and Anthony, a man who is years her senior, seems to prepare the audiences for a poetic romance, the hint being a classical portrait of an elegant lady in love, which actually appears twice in the film. And it is interesting how the two share a bed with a few toys symbolizing the border between them, thus implying their pure friendship.

When the man comes back from Paris with a souvenir, the film takes an unexpected turn: the few brief sex scenes that follow somehow imply that they gradually get entangled in a lusty relationship. Over time, the relationship is threatened on the discovery of the man’s drug addiction, causing the woman to fall into an abyss of misery from which there is no escape. The tragic story then drags on with no surprises until it comes to an abrupt ending.

The film could have achieved brevity and persuasiveness with the removal of a few unnecessary scenes. For example, the scene of the nude man she smiles at in her bedroom is repulsive though it somehow serves to disclose her need for sexual satisfaction to overcome her sadness about the loss of her lover. In fact, this is by no means consistent with her natural artistic charm. Then there is the scene at which she finds herself face to face with a strange man when she comes home one day. How did the man come to be in her house and what was he doing there? If this is meant to show Anthony’s bad company because of his drug addition, it does not serve the purpose. In addition, the slight touch on politics and his instructor’s advice does little to enhance the film’s dramatic appeal. 

Conversely, I greatly appreciate the role Julie’s mother plays in the film. In spite of her rare appearances, she makes a great impression on the audiences with her elegant, refined manners and her concealed worry about her daughter’s shattered dreams. The way she puts Julie to bed as if she were still an infant touches our hearts. We feel the sorrow of a loving mother who can do nothing to soothe her daughter’s pain.

On the whole, instead of a romantic film, I would see The Souvenir as a sad story with a warning against falling in love with the wrong man.

Love Conquers Everything - Film review: Day One

Day One, a documentary film directed by Lori Miller, tells how a unique public school in Louisiana takes care of a number of children who have fled from their war- torn countries with their families to start a new life in America.

The film focuses much on the teachers’ selfless dedication to preparing the refugee children for transition to mainstream schools in two years. The school motto, which the principal keeps the kids repeating, is: “All students will be prepared for global academic success”. However, the children are given far more than mere academic guidance. In fact, a lot is done to help them navigate, acclimatize, feel welcome and safe.

To cater to their various needs is an uphill battle as the children are from different cultural backgrounds, each with a different sad story. Behavioral problems occur occasionally because of the children’s ingrained habit of fighting to be the first to be safe. Some children need individual counselling as they are still haunted by past traumas as well as current disturbances from unfriendly neighboring communities.

In addition, there are challenges related to US administration’s refugee resettlement policies. President Trump’s refugee ban, slashing the overall admission numbers, has made it stressful for the students already admitted to the country. There is also argument about spending the money on immigrant children at the cost of the welfare for American children. To this, the teachers’ answer is that all children should have equal access to education.

The consolation is that there are contributions from charity organizations, whose kindness helps to reaffirm the value of refugees and immigrants, turning the cycle back to the world in which children, regardless of their national origin, are shown care and concern. And the teachers’ efforts pay when they see their students ready to pursue their aspirations in mainstream schools finally. The principal sees herself as a missionary answering a call from God to make miracles happen. And upon her retirement, she says with joyful certainty that she has seen encouraging changes since her first day.

The film delivers the positive message that love can conquer everything. It well deserves the honour of being the winner of the Best Documentary Award at Dublin International Film Festival 2019.

Currently, there are over 22.5 million refugees worldwide, over half of whom are under the age of 18. Let us be inspired by this movie to do what we can to help these children to have a better future.

Less is More!

It was Robert Browning who introduced the expression 'less is more' in a poem in which the painter Andrea del Sarto addressed his beautiful but unfaithful young wife. (http://www.abstractconcreteworks.com/essays/lessismore/ls_s_mor.html )The concept 'less is more' can actually be a way of life. It is living in a way in praise of simplicity.

In one of my previous posts, I discussed people's craving for a life of affluence. Can more and more material comforts and luxuries of life lead to greater happiness? As I see it, having too much would only result in huge unnecessary wastage. On the other hand, it would be interesting to consider how we could do more with less.

If we have less time for our work, we will take better care to avoid wasting time on unnecessary discussions, planning and amendments. We will focus our attention on the core tasks disregarding other trifling matters, thus achieving higher speed and better quality. As evident from previous experiences, no matter how much time is allowed for a project, it is usually completed only at the eleventh hour. Less time is definitely a competitive advantage in this case.

If we have less money to spend, we will economize by refraining from unnecessary purchases. Imagine a wardrobe bursting with clothes that may have gone out of fashion before you have the chance to wear them. Small kids with a lot of lucky money may also acquire wasteful attitudes and habits. How much more treasurable their toys would be to them if they are usually kept waiting for a long time for a new addition?

When traveling, it is advisable to avoid carrying more than what is needed for the trip. In fact, the less luggage, the better, even without the consideration of baggage allowance for a flight. We have seen travelers weighed down with excessive luggage. How much more enjoyable the tour would be to them if there were no worry about theft or damage?

In brief, a life of simplicity is a way of living that is outwardly simple but inwardly rich. The path to simple living is one that we should pursue. If we can take more responsibility for what we consume and how we live our lives, the world would be a better place to live in. So, let us try to transform our life by doing more with less.

Experiencing the Power of Resurrection in Tough Times

Picture from https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/15/world/coronavirus-pope-francis-blessing-trnd/index.html

We have experienced a different Easter this year. Our hearts have been heavily weighed down by fear and worries over the past few months. In fact, the coronavirus outbreak seems to have been a curse cast on the entire earth, throwing our lives off course for a time.

In line with the anti-virus measures, church services and activities have been suspended to avoid crowds and gatherings. Churches are closed except during the short hour of the daily mass. And the seats have been so arranged as to set the churchgoers wide apart. It is only in recent weeks that parishioners have been granted the opportunity of the actual reception of the Holy Communion in church. Such acts of social distancing seem to have greatly undermined what used to be an intimate relationship between the believers. 

The picture of Pope Francis administering his blessings to a desolate St. Peter’s Square is a saddening sight. It pains us to see our kind Holy Father walking along the empty streets of Rome to pray in a lonely church for the coronavirus victims. Just like Jesus, who felt abandoned on the cross, could Pope Francis also have been asking why God had left him alone in these miserable times, incapable of saving his flock from the devastating attacks of the wolf-like virus?

Has God really forsaken the Pope? Has He forsaken us? Definitely not! Though not allowed long hours in church, we have been able to attend Sunday Mass broadcast live on the internet. The weekly hour is now a much- treasured family occasion. When the time comes, members who used to go to church separately, each at his own favored hour, attend the online Mass together, listening to the sermon with joined attention and responding to the celebrant unanimously. They exchange the sign of peace with an embrace much warmer than before, knowing that family peace is now a lost blessing in some parts of the world where the pandemic has claimed many lives. Indeed, there has been a remarkable growth in family harmony over the past three months.

In addition, online activities were available to help us Christians through the Lenten season. We were no less dedicated to Lenten activities such as the Way of the Cross, the Palm Sunday Procession and the Veneration of the Crucifix on Good Friday than we had always been when participating them personally. Moreover, Lenten retreat materials of various kinds were also provided to serve different age groups and different communities. Consequently, all Christians, ranging from small Sunday school kids to long-time Christians, have had their craving for spiritual enlightenment much fulfilled.

Indeed, though the coronavirus pandemic may have kept people aloof from one another, we are united in prayer. While unable to make his usual address from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis has been talking on giant screens via video from his private library, thus reaching every home with his warm regards. 

Therefore, we can see the tough times as a test to our loyalty to God as well as our care for one another. It is hoped that the coronavirus pandemic will gradually be brought under control. While waiting for this to happen, however, let us look deep within and try to find out how the power of resurrection will heal and transform us. Let us also reflect on the need for greater environmental concern and for a healthier lifestyle. Indeed, despite the global pandemic threat, we have reasons to revel in the joy and peace that our Risen Lord has brought us.

To Avoid the Worst Consequences of Change - Film Review: Pandemic

(Picture from Google Images)

“Pandemic” is a six-episode documentary series about the prevention of a pandemic outbreak. For my analysis I have chosen two of the episodes in the belief that they include ideas particularly inspiring at this time when COVID 19 is causing world panic. 

As I see it, the docuseries is intended to impress the audience with the global need for pandemic prevention and the efforts to overcome the hindrances on the path to success. Besides using maps and data to highlight the universal impact of a pandemic outbreak, the filming team has been to different parts of the world, bringing the viewers to the fields and laboratories where scientific research is done and to quarantine infested areas where there are strict government measures to break the transmission chain.

“Pandemic is now” (episode 2) is focused on the challenges involved in the implementation of a vaccination program. One challenge is from the strong opposition against a Vaccination Bill aimed to eliminate non-medical vaccine exemptions for school children in Oregon. Among the protesters is a mother of five children, who, when interviewed, questions the vaccine’s safety standard and asserts her right to decide what is best for her children. Conversely, Elizabeth, an Oregon state senator, demands that the votes for the Bill, though tough, are necessary as immunizing the children would be like protecting them in front of a traffic light while vaccine hesitancy can be a world threat. 

In addition to protecting the children, a vaccination program, if well accepted, also serves to prevent human-to-human transmission of viruses. This is the purpose for which the refugees held in US custody at the Mexican border in TUSCON are vaccinated before being granted the permit to settle down in the country. 

But the WHO Health Vaccination Program aiming to stop the transmission of Ebola virus is not so well accepted in democratic Goma. The communities, each with an established hierarchy not easy to cut through, tend to see the vaccine as a means to perpetuate the ruins by infecting the population with the virus. What adds to the problem is the frequent threat from armed attacks against the Ebola teams in the War Zone. Moreover, the program is hampered by the fact that vaccines cannot be mass produced fast enough to beat the quickly mutating virus.

Trust, therefore, is essential to the acceptability of a vaccine. Efforts are directed towards the development of a universal flu vaccine that can provide a broader protection against different classes of the influenza virus. This, according to Jacob Glanville, President of a biotech company, would be a biotechnology revolution, a dream to strive for. Accordingly, researchers test the vaccine on the pigs available at Guatemala at a comparatively low cost and this has achieved encouraging results.

Episode 3 – “Seek, don’t hide” - focuses on the efforts to track down the origin of viruses as this would enable the scientists to move from being reactive to being proactive -- to predict and prepare.   

The docuseries directs specific attention to the issue about avian viruses especially in densely populated regions. To broaden the surveillance strategy, field teams are sent to look out for emerging threats from wildlife to livestock and then to humans. The researchers collect blood samples from ducks to see if they have a pandemic potential when added to human blood samples in laboratory tests later. Likewise, influenza viruses are tracked in both wild and domesticated animals throughout the Middle East before they mutate.

Such surveillance studies have led to valuable findings. Bats have been proved to be the reservoir for the flu while raising livestock at unprecedented levels is deemed a culprit behind the spread. Alarmingly, animal caretakers are the most vulnerable population for an epidemic to start. Moreover, the seasonality of viruses entails the anticipation of the trends of birds as huge bird migration can trigger virus transmission.

The viewers meet the heroes -- the scientists and medical professionals – in shots that have captured their work and private lives. Every research project is seen as a positive learning opportunity for the researchers as well as the students working with them. Likewise, young scientists also get motivated by the chance to try new things not tested before in the laboratory. However, overworked and inadequately funded medical staff are under tremendous stress and some resort to Bible reading and spiritual gatherings for strength and consolation.

On the whole, the informative docuseries casts light on scientific and medical knowledge comprehensible to the average viewer. Attention is also drawn to the health perspective that “anything can affect any country and any country can affect other countries”, thus raising an awareness about the rapid and widespread impact of a pandemic outbreak. In fact, it teaches a moral lesson and ends with the advice of Dr. Dennis Carroll, director of USAID’s Emerging Threats Unit, that as nothing is eternal, we have to change the way we live on this planet to avoid the worst consequences of change.


I recommend this docuseries enthusiastically especially to people with curious questions about the large amount of information circulating online about the viruses these days.

Movie Review: The Two Popes

When a friend recommended The Two Popes on Netflix to me, I was not even aware of its prestige of being an Oscar nominee. I was prepared merely for a story about the two pontiffs I had always held in high regard. With a certain amount of knowledge about their backgrounds, I was curious to find out how close the film was to the truth.

The film centers on a number of conversations as it follows Pope Benedict XVI in his attempts to convince Cardinal Bergoglio to reconsider his resignation as an archbishop while he expresses his own wish to abdicate the papacy. The scenes are crafted to humorously play off what is already known about what will finally happen to the two men. The well-designed dialogues throw light on their interesting personality traits, Pope Benedict’s adherence to established traditions and values in contrast with the Cardinal’s liberalness and flexibility. Big close-up shots are used where facial expressions do better than words to illustrate the change in their inner thoughts as the conversation goes on. Though divided in their opinion about the distinction between change and compromise, their mutual understanding becomes more observable as the story unfolds. And, much to the delight of the audience, they finally compromise on the need for bridges rather than walls to be built between people.

Humour is used to lend credibility that the two pontiffs are human beings just like the rest of us. At the very start of the movie, Bergoglio is heard booking his own flight, which is taken for a joke about a forged identify. Then there is a scene with the two men watching a televised soccer match together, each cheering for his national team and another showing them enjoying a home-delivered pizza lunch. It is interesting, too, to see Cardinal Bergoglio take an attendant by surprise with a sudden casual question and then refuse a chauffeured car service in favour of a trip by train. When Benedict approaches the cheering crowd, Bergoglio stops the body guards going after him, thus allowing him to enjoy the moment he has long been deprived of. All these incidents convince the audience of the cheerful side of life behind the scenes at the Vatican. 

On the other hand, a more serious approach is used to show that they are not faultless or immune to criticism. With the use of black-and-white flashbacks, The Two Popes provides a few glimpses of the young Bergoglio’s life in Buenos Aires during the Argentina’s junta rule in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. This detail about his past mistake serves to explain why he turns down Pope Benedict’s invitation to take over his papacy. And the most touching moment is when Pope Benedict makes his confession to Bergoglio in a half kneeling position.

One important aspect of The Two Popes is the scenery -- the spectacular locations chosen for the Papal Palace, the pope’s summer residence and the Sistine Chapel. The actor playing the role of Pope Francis appears at the very window where the real Pope greets the immense crowd in St. Peter's Square. Besides, though filming is limited only to the grounds of the Vatican, the detail of its insides is faithfully represented with a number of rooms recreated, including the Room of Tears, Vatican offices and the Sistine Chapel. The replacements, as I see it, well serve the purpose even for viewers who have visited the Vatican themselves. 

I enjoy the film though there is some criticism about its being fictitious and for not accurately representing Pope Benedict and Pope Francis. The brilliant performance of the two leads is reminiscent of the real popes. And this is reason enough for watching the movie more than once.

picture from:
https://konica.al/2020/01/mos-e-humbisni-historine-e-vertete/

Will “Parasite” walk away with an Oscar?

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For a winner prediction at the 2020 Oscars, I would name the Korean film “Parasite”, written and directed by Bong Joon-ho. In my opinion, it stands a good chance of winning the Best Screenplay Award and the Foreign Language Film Award. 

One reason for my prediction is that “Parasite” has a well-crafted screenplay. It is a black comedy set in Seoul and, with the use of irony and satire, it sheds light on the wide gap between the rich and the poor. The film’s name itself invites reflection on the reality that the poor, just like a tree plundering parasite, often depend on the rich for their survival.

The story delivers the message that the Korean society is stratified, with the poor condemned to the lower stratum, hopeless of ever climbing up the social ladder. The Kims, living in a shabby basement apartment, have to sneak into a Wi-Fi signal for internet access and put up with men urinating outside their home. Conversely, the wealthy Park family enjoy bountiful space and luxury in their well-designed modernistic house. There is also Park Myung-hoon, who has secretly been living in the bunker beneath the big house for long years. In fact, the audience are deeply impressed by the stark contrasts portrayed so vividly in the film. 

The emphasis on the peculiar smell the Kims cannot do away with is a sarcastic touch. The smell, assumedly from the underground train, is an indelible mark of poverty enabling the Park family to tell them apart. And, finally, it is that smell that triggers an unplanned murder, thus implying that social divisions, if not bridged in time, will lead to unamendable conflicts.

Another attempt at sarcasm is the philosophical humor used in the dialogue. Song Kang Ho, the father, often remarks on money’s ability to iron out all problems. When Chang Hyae Jin, his wife, says, “If I were rich, I would also be kind”, the audience smile approvingly at the sarcasm well used. The mind behind the film also intends to mock the Koreans’ blind adoration of Western products; the Park couple have confidence in the tent’s durability in the thunderstorm because “it is American made”. 

Instead of being a medium for slapstick humour, “Parasite” provokes much compassionate thinking, with no laughs getting in the way. The most bitter sarcasm of all is the reference to the fact that it is useless making plans, as is mentioned more than once by Song Kang Ho. And there is rigorous evidence throughout the entire film. The planned camping birthday celebration, for example, has to be put off because of the thunderstorm. What materializes instead is a spontaneous garden party. While the audience are gleefully engaged in the festivity, the film takes a dramatic turn; what is meant to be a war game ends up being real violence. Above all, Ki-woo, Song Kang Ho’s son, is the one intent on having everything well planned. He tries in vain to seek wealth and status first through his success in university education and later through his intended marriage with the rich girl who is the daughter of the Park couple. And towards the end of the movie, his voice-over narration is about another grand plan of rescuing his father trapped in the bunker, leaving an unanswered question about its success. This gives the story an impressive wind-up. 

All in all, Parasite” has an award-worthy screenplay. However, in view of the severe competition from the other nominees, I have more confidence in its chance of walking away with the Best Foreign Film Award.