“An Invisible Guest” - a must-see

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The movie “An Invisible Guest” is one of the best I’ve seen. The name may hint at its being a detective story. It is indeed a suspense movie about a murder case (actually a case within a case). But instead of describing the police’s attempts to solve the case, the movie is, for the main part, about a defense lawyer questioning the murder suspect on the details of the incident that had led him to be trapped in the scene. 

As often as not, my reflections on a movie include some of its content. But I know I must be careful this time as any details disclosed may reduce the viewing pleasure. The exchange of questions and answers between the lawyer and the suspect keeps us audience mentally engaged throughout the movie, trying to figure out the hidden truths behind the case. Questions flash through our minds: How much truth is there in the suspect’s story? Why does the lawyer sound so impatient and agitated? Is she really trying to help her client? In fact, what makes the movie entertaining is the feeling of anxiety and tension developed from the unexpected circumstances as the mystery slowly begins to unfold. I think I am somehow aware of a plot twist, a strange direction of the story, when the lawyer suddenly presents her own interpretation of the case, trying to make the suspect accept it. And, the surprise ending greatly enhances the movie’s splendor and impressiveness.

I have always enjoyed movies about smart people trying to outwit one another. This is the first movie since “the Thomas Crown Affair” (a 1999 film) that has given me the satisfaction of racking my brain trying to solve the mysteries together with the characters in the story. It being a Spanish movie, however, dependence on the subtitles somehow affects the understanding of some details. This is felt especially towards the end when the dialogue exchange, accompanied by the playbacks of related incidents with swift scene switching, becomes increasingly heated. This is perhaps an added delight to the movie viewing experience.

I enjoy the movie for one more personal reason. Unlike most of the other European movies with realistic depictions of sex and violence, “The Invisible Guest” presents the murders without terrifying bloody scenes. Even for fatal assaults, nothing more than sound effects is used. I would see this as an important feature of a highly refined cultural production.

“The Invisible Guest” is a movie too good to miss. I may consider watching it again for a better understanding of some neglected details.

Heartache --- Reflections on the movie “Loveless”

I bought a ticket online for the very first screening of the movie “Loveless”, much attracted by the movie title, the picture of a sad-looking boy, and the remark “screening with heart-ache (心痛放映)” that accompanied the screening schedule. I was thus prepared for a tear-jerker when I went to the cinema. 

The movie is a realistic portrayal of human nature. As the name suggests, it is an accusation against an aching void of love between people, resulting in their selfishness, pretentiousness, jealousy and greed. The discontented wife has endless complaint about her unhappy marriage, which she claims to have resorted to as an escape from her nagging mother. Her mother has, in fact, brought her up with strict disciplines and stringent religious rules. Even years later, when mother and daughter meet, the exchange of words serve only to hurt each other rather than mending a withered relationship. She is thus thirsty for love outside her marriage. The husband, though less verbally aggressive, is also obsessed with an extramarital affair. 

What and whom is the heartache about then? It is their twelve-year-old boy who has been thrown into the abyss of despair, loneliness and misery. He is undoubtedly the victim of his parents’ “lovelessness”. For, instead of feeling sorry for having neglected him, they have seen him as a hindrance to their pursuit of what they call genuine love. The mother even mentions more than once that his birth has ruined her life. Therefore, his sudden disappearance one day does not come as a surprise. 

The details of the search procedure are depicted vividly and profoundly, keeping us audience emotionally engaged. The scene of a forlorn, desolate underground structure beneath a forest region suspected to be the boy’s hideout is distressing. Imagine the boy hiding himself in a place so shabby and dilapidated in his eagerness to avoid witnessing the constant quarrels between his parents. The agony he suffered must have been traumatizing! 

The director succeeds in drawing attention to the evil consequences of parental divorces. The movie is indeed a wake-up call to parents at this time when broken families have become a common social phenomenon.

I did not shed a tear but I felt a heartache that lingered long after I had left the cinema.

A piece of advice for the would-be viewers :Be prepared for certain scenes unsuitable for children and teenagers. 

Book review - "A Pale View of Hills" by Kazuo Ishiguro

It did not take me long to realize that I had made the wrong choice of the book “A Pale View of Hills” as the one following “The Remains of the Day” on my reading list. By comparison, it is inferior to the latter in its content and linguistic appeal. There is no surprise at all, though, as it is Kazuo Ishiguro’s very first novel.

I won't say I don’t enjoy the reading. But the pleasure from the perusal must have somehow been affected by the Japanese elements that pervade the entire story - the Japanese names, the frequent exchange of bows, and whatnot - which I find a bit exotic in an English novel. 

The frequent use of long conversations serves, I think, to enhance the reader's understanding of the background of the story. From the exchange of words between father and son, we learn about the generation gap in the wake of the bombing of Nagasaki and the subsequent increase of the American influences on the youths. The writer mentions repeatedly the couple's divided opinions about the election of a political candidate, which was unknown to the Japanese culture prior to the arrival of the Americans. What happened to a Japanese woman and her daughter also hints at the tendency towards intermarriages and emigration to the United States. The author is intent on impressing the reader with this part of the Japanese history. Aside from these details, however, there are few focuses of dramatic interest.

The one I’ve read is a New York Times publication. On the book cover the name of the author is highlighted with the phrase “Author of the Remains of the Day”. Though the need for the borrowed fame is understandable, “A Pale View of Hills” is itself the winner of the Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize.

Perhaps it would be fairer if I would not bother to compare the two books or if the comparison serves only to encourage me with the truth that diligence pays, for Kazuo Ishiguro has made amazing improvement since his first novel.

“A right time" – movie review

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There is a time for everything. This concept, implied in a Bible quote beginning with the verse "To everything there is a season", is the theme for the movie "A right time" (有時), one of a series named “Macau Stories”.

Though the concept may imply that life is decided by forces beyond our control, it does not set a sad tone for the movie. Quite on the contrary, what happens to the three main characters shows how people, and, in this case, Macau people, respond to inevitable situations with a come-what-may attitude and with the readiness to make the best move when the right time comes.

Ah Ming, for example, decides to clear up the mess in his home. This somehow symbolizes his realization that it is time to organize his hitherto disorderly lifestyle. An old woman, Ah Ming’s neighbour and also his mother’s friend before her death, understands that the time has come for her to prepare herself for life in a care home though she is still in good shape. A teenage girl, seemingly hanging around doing nothing serious, finally grows into a mature lady, thus suggesting that the right thing happens at the right time.

This story, simple but refreshing, weaves through the three characters and brings them together at certain moments of their lives. What causes their paths to cross is their shared interest in photography. Their interaction throughout the story appeals to the viewers with the fun of photo-taking. With the camera in hand, they spread cheer to people around them. Apparently, photography is of central importance in the movie, which starts with a few snapshots and ends with an exhibition displaying those taken by the teenage girl in replacement of the old woman’s lost ones. What is the link between photography and the main concept about the inevitability of life’s realities? Could it be the director’s intention to show that though there seems little we can do to decide about the time when something happens, we can, with the help of the camera, capture the moment while it still lasts?

And the three characters are fascinating on their own. Despite his nonchalant personality, Ah Ming is actually a very caring person. He pays regular visits to his mother’s tomb and looks inside through the gate every time he walks past the old woman’s home. The lovely smile on the old woman’s lined face makes one think that there is nothing scary about ageing. And I take great delight in the very careful description of the young girl’s fondness for her idol, the photographer, whom she addresses as “Ah Sir”. She would sit hidden in a quiet corner watching Ah Ming arranging the bouquet on the tomb and later go and trim the stalks with a prepared knife. She would even try to detect his presence at home by looking up at the lighted window.

It being one of the Macau stories, there is reference to some of the city’s changes since the Handover. This inspires us to reflect on the Bible quote from a broader perspective: there is a time for the end of an administration and a time for the beginning of another. 

There is also frequent appearance of a Macau landmark and its vicinity. I marvel at a touch of humour in the word choice for the label of a photo of this landmark displayed at the exhibition mentioned above. It is “Neither 3 Nor 4”, which is of a very interesting meaning if interpreted in Cantonese (不三不四). To find out which landmark this is referred to and why, you can come to watch this movie and the other four of the series.

Reflections on the movie "Passing Rain"

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Language teachers sometimes ask their students to tell a story about a given picture to encourage creative and associative thinking. When presented a picture such as the one above, can you come up with any story ideas? Not easy, is it? That was how I felt when offered this postcard at the entrance to the filming room. Could any link be established among such images as a clown, a man holding an unlighted cigarette, a boy in a raincoat, a battery, a ring and a bitten apple? But these, as I later found out, are the very small yet important details that make up the story of “Passing Rain”, a movie I enjoy very much.

There are scattered shots in the movie that may be a bit puzzling in the beginning when the viewers are still unfamiliar with the various characters and scenes. For example, the driver who keeps trying to light a cigarette is suddenly seen to be playing the guitar with a hand bandaged. When and how did he sustain the injury? Outside the funeral home, a tall girl offers to help a lady seemingly suffering from pain due to her pregnancy. Whose funeral has the girl just attended? A child in high spirits throws a battery up to the sky murmuring something about a space-shuttle soaring. Will the battery fall and hurt him? The scene changes before we even have time to harbour any doubt. As shown on the above mentioned postcard, there seem to be puzzle pieces waiting to be put together to form the complete picture.

As the story proceeds, however, the doubts clarify themselves one by one. The rotten apple picked up intentionally from the forgotten corner of the house signifies a mended relationship. The fall of the battery has indeed caused an injury, without resulting in a tragedy, though. The man’s wedding ring that ends up on another woman’s necklace may be a symbol of the latter’s determination to bid farewell to a rotten lifestyle. The related incidents are thus not all presented in chronological order. This is perhaps what makes the movie appealing especially for viewers who prefer films that go in strange and unexpected directions.

Albeit the characters may be strangers to one another, their paths cross. And on several occasions, it is a passing rain shower that brings them together. One such occasion is when the pretty woman from the mainland is seeking shelter from the rain at a church entrance while a few kids in yellow raincoats are guided in a queue down the street. Among them there is the lovely boy with his toy space-shuttle. The shots are, in fact, very well organized and presented to achieve the desired effect. And it is also clear how passing rain serves to establish connective links, hence the choice of the movie name.

The movie mirrors the reality of life in our city. What happens in it may actually be everyday occurrences in the vicinity of our home or workplace. We may take no heed of them just as we tend to be heedless of the passing rain. And, while there seems not much to expect from living in a city like ours, this is a movie with a lot of pleasant surprises right to the very end. It is a very good movie worth my enthusiastic recommendation. And I, in particular, appreciate the short positive message that comes after the closing credit roll. So be sure to remain seated till then.

A perfect butler … a brilliant novel

The book “The Remains of the Day”, authored by Kazuo Ishiguro, is one of a series of Nobel Prize winners a friend has kindly gifted me. I feel the urge to write a few lines about it as I have derived immense pleasure from its perusal. But, in all honesty, this is far from being a book review, which is beyond my ability. My intention is simply to recommend a good read to other English book lovers like myself.

As stated in the back cover blurb, the book presents a portrait of Stevens, the perfect English butler who had served for more than thirty years in Darlington Hall in postwar England. The main part of the story is a description of a country drive, during which Stevens embarked on a journey down memory lane. He recalled the remarkable events he partook in and the people he associated with in his long years of service, thus giving a picture of the social and political phenomenon of Europe in that era.

Initially, I found the story a bit monotonous. There is, for example, a prolonged account of the butler’s interpretation of the term “dignity”. I questioned his need for being so careful with details when explaining how his opinion differed from others’. As I proceeded with my reading, however, I gradually got a grasp of his sincerity in providing such explicit details. What he means by “dignity” borders on our understanding of an employee’s “die-hard loyalty” in the current terminology. Stevens’ father, a self-demanding butler before him, made strenuous efforts to maintain his work efficiency even during his last days. Stevens went about his tasks of serving the guests one evening without pausing for a moment to take a look at his father, who was reported to be taking his last breath. Such behaviour may be deemed as cold-blooded in today’s world when so much is talked about employees being treated with respect and empathy. But Stevens saw this as a butler’s dignity. This concept is, in fact, a main focus of the story and appears repeatedly even towards its very end. 

Impressed by the label “Winner of the Nobel Prize – Literature”, I had expected very difficult terms, complicated sentence structures and lengthy paragraphs. To my delight, the story displays the beauty of the English language in its simplicity. It is, nevertheless, not short of beautiful words and phrases, which I appreciate so much that I have made a list of them for keeping just as I did as a school girl ages ago.

Yes, this is a brilliant novel, one I would talk more about if invited to.

Time to curb the masses of tourists

                     picture from "Macau Daily News"

The huge number of tourist arrivals has made headlines these days.

Pictures of tourists packed like sardines in the streets are a terrible sight. They remind me of my own experience some years ago.

I was travelling in a place named 周莊, known for being a collection of beauty of China's water townships. I had seen it in pictures and been craving to be there myself. But that experience was horrible beyond words. What could have been charming sights were all hidden behind the masses of tourists. Instead of admiring the scenery, I was forced to spend most of my time walking along a narrow lane lined with shops thronged with bargaining tourists. What made things worse was that the serenity of the stream, so charming in the pictures, was spoilt by the singing of village women rowing long narrow boats, cheap imitations of the Venetian gondola!

I also recall an incident in Tibet a number of years ago. With the opening of a new railway linking Tibet to 1.3 billion people in other parts of China, the increasing number of tourists was found to be threatening the security of the Potala Palace. It was becoming harder to safeguard the jewel of Tibetan Buddhism, the symbol of Tibet.  Efforts were needed to stem the rising tide of visitors.

What about our own city, where tourism has long been an important sector of the economy?  I wonder whether mass tourism is a blessing or a curse. In fact, while the spending of the tourists may be a welcome boost to Macau’s retail business, there are a lot of complaints about its adverse effects. Imagine its interference in the daily lives of the local citizens. We cannot turn a blind eye to its negative impacts on the local transport, social security, the environment and our cultural heritages. Even if we do not mind the long wait for a taxi and the contaminated environment, it pains us to see the damage done to our treasured heritage sites.

In addition, mass tourism could ruin Macau’s reputation as a tourist destination. What fun is there travelling in jam-packed streets? My unpleasant experience in 周莊 is enough evidence.

It's high time the government took action to curb the masses of tourists descending on us every day.