茶碗蒸

距離最初聽說迪士尼要以南島民族為題材製作一部年度動畫長片不知不覺也已經過了兩年，但當初看到概念圖稿時的興奮與期待直至前天踏入電影院的那一刻我才意識到真的是有增無減。雖然自己在血緣上並不算是屬於少數民族 (至少這輩子不是XD)，但好歹也是在(據說)五千年前南島文化始源地的台灣出生，在原住民雲集的台東度過一小段童年，又成長在南島民族遷移路徑的最後一站 - 紐西蘭… 就算對他們整體文化以及語言的理解上有限，但長時間生活上的接觸跟學校教育的薰陶所造就的親切感正象徵著一種不置可否的牽絆。

***(警告: 以下有雷!!)***(SPOILERS AHEAD!!)***

Moana是一個關於生存與找尋自我的冒險故事。劇情以一位島嶼公主 (Moana) 對海洋的熱愛跟憧憬為起點，並描述她如何在逐漸滋長的航海欲望以及族人的期許之間作出抉擇，又是如何在這掙扎的過程中用她的勇氣跟善良克服自我認知上的迷惘。而她最終不僅在祖靈的引導下完成了拯救部落的重大使命，也擊敗了內心的黑暗迎來真正的海闊天空。

雖然一直知道原住民對家庭跟部落凝聚力的重視，但要不是這次突然發覺Moana與花木蘭這兩位同樣堅強又獨立的迪士尼女主角之間的相似之處，大概也不會把島嶼文化跟華人的價值觀相提並論 (畢竟普遍來說前者的樂天實在跟後者的嚴謹有隔閡啊)。當然無論是兩位女主角犧牲小我完成大我的抉擇，還是她們異於常人的英勇跟毅力在動畫的呈現下難免會與現實不符。但這在某種潛藏的「責任」下不顧一切為家庭付出的行動 – 無論是華人口中的孝順也好，還是島嶼部落公認的領袖職責也罷，或許華人與島民在這方面可說是頗有異曲同工之妙呢！(是說如果都歸功於人性中原本就存在的「無私的愛」那這不受種族限制的共通點也不足爲奇了) 不曉得兩位女主角雖然都惆悵地唱出與她們無緣的「perfect daughter」一詞，但分別在她們心中浮現的身份定義又到底有多相似呢？

但Moana勾起的迪士尼回憶可不只花木蘭一個！大概是因為知道Moana是出自迪士尼所屬的皮克斯工作室，在觀賞的同時就會不斷下意識的搜尋著其他迪士尼人物的影子。像是Maui 跟「刺青Maui」擊掌的片段就立刻讓我想到阿拉丁中精靈跟魔毯的互動，還有充滿生命力的南洋風配樂 – 特別是片頭讓人心頭一凜的呼喚 – 不只是跟獅子王中取自非洲土著風格的配樂有精彩的呼應，也與毛利還有台灣原住民的音樂非常的相似 (像是毛利儀式中的迎賓karanga)，讓我感受到一種難以形容的溫暖。但當然除了歌曲動聽之外，最讓我感動的還是跟我心中所瞭解的台灣原住民與紐西蘭毛利人文化有所連結的許多其他細節跟片段。尤其是今年才剛完成博物館毛利文化的導覽集訓所以較能體會一些原住民習俗背後的意義 - 無論是歌曲中一閃而逝的島民生活型態 (編織籃子，用烤熱的石頭烹飪等等) ，Maui透過刺青訴說的傳說 (還記得小學有讀過他用繩索拖住太陽神的神話!)，還是主要角色們穿插的一些熟悉動作 (戰舞，把象徵性的項鍊傳承給下一代) ，都讓我深刻的感受到迪士尼在製作與籌劃的過程時對島民文化的尊重跟用心。最讓我動容的一幕是當Moana面臨Maui的背叛而心灰意冷時，部落祖靈好像在指引她似的在繁星點綴的汪洋上乘風破浪勇往直前，使她又再度尋回了方向以及堅持到底的勇氣。這段不僅配樂震撼人心，隨著Moana的心境從黯然到澎湃，祖靈的引用還有「傳承」的描繪更是讓我因為一股油然升起的愛國之情而莫名的熱淚盈框。在那一刻實在是非常以(勉強)身為太平洋群島大家庭的一員為傲!! (當然這一段滿天星斗下的祖先開導感覺也有呼應到獅子王中辛巴在大草原上跟Mufasa的對話呀~~)

說實話Moana（海洋奇緣) 的劇情可說是非常簡單易懂，走向也極度容易預測，因此故事發展如同Frozen (冰雪奇緣) 一樣並無太多驚艷之處。反倒是五年前 (!) 的Tangled (魔髮奇緣… 真是夠了，這些翻譯到底有沒有認真翻呀 囧) 在劇情跟對白設計上都比較突出。尤其是幾位主要人物個性上的成長蛻變 (包括那些動物配角XD)，以及對白上的笑點表現似乎都是Tangled略勝一籌。但我不得不說迪士尼這次繼Brave (勇敢傳說) 後再度勇敢嘗試不在劇情裡加入男女情愛元素實在是值得嘉獎。記得當初許多觀眾對Brave裡主要描寫母女羅絆的故事情節反應並不熱絡 (對小朋友來說太深奧??)。上次Frozen裡雖然有些許浪漫成分 (即使收尾得很殘酷XP)，迪士尼則是嘗試把重心放在姐妹情懷上，結果卻意外的大獲好評。因此這次圍繞著Moana與族人/祖靈的故事主軸究竟夠不夠維持小朋友們的興趣呢？就讓我們好好拭目以待！

也不知道是不是因為沒有所謂用來當「love interest」的男主角，還是因為原住民公主都需要顯現出機靈撟捷的身手 (也辛苦多年前風中奇緣中的寶嘉康蒂了)，這次的女主角真的是出乎意料的英氣煥發啊~~ 不管是為了從Kakamora海盜們手中奪回Te Fiti之心的戰鬥，還是為了躲開岩漿怪獸Te Kā而勇敢掌舵的鏡頭，Moana可說是名副其實的帥氣女英雄。但很不幸的這就讓明明出現在許多南島民族傳說中，本該大顯神威出盡風頭的Maui幾乎淪落為除了吵鬧就沒啥用處的丑角。雖說他的確有教Moana航海技巧，但感覺這就是整片他唯一的用處 (!?)。不過我還是有點慶幸迪士尼選擇了偏寫實的人物設計而並沒有給他一個帥氣瀟灑但無聊刻板的形象 – 至少他在說 「Nan'ya business」時我還是被逗笑了 (但可能是因為隔壁的男生笑得很誇張 XD)。重點是這部動畫裡出場人物都那麼少了我再嫌棄他難道要Moana整片都只能在汪洋大海上跟一支秀逗的雞對話嗎? (笑)

另外值得一提的是不管我看皮克斯的動畫看多少次，我都少不了要重新讚嘆一番他們高超又生動的動畫技術。好比這次的Moana – 光是兩位主角的頭髮想必就費了不少功夫!! Moana一頭蓬鬆滑順的捲髮簡直是絲絲分明到讓我目瞪口呆，更不用說那彷彿一伸手就能拍掉的沙粒，還有碧藍閃爍的海水… 我想這其他動畫公司再怎麼模仿都不及其萬分之一的功力就是為什麼多年來迪士尼一直居高臨下的重要原因了。

如果說了這麼多還沒辦法讓你下定決心馬上去電影院觀賞Moana的話，那至少讓我強力推薦要用可以媲美劇院音效的音響觀賞 – 相信我，聽有戰鼓的配樂是超乎所值的!! 還有要記得要看電影前依照慣例會附贈的小短片 (這次對極度不想上班或是懷有夢想的人真是如同打了一針強心劑 XD) 以及片尾後還有一個不可錯過的驚喜喔！

「 I am a girl who loves my island

I am a girl who loves the sea

It calls me

I am the daughter of the village chief

We are descended from voyagers

Who found their way across the world

They call me 」

- From "I am Moana (Song of the Ancestors)"

Sewing. Savvy. Small Town. Secrets. Subterfuge.

Revenge.

It takes some quirky wit and master-class storytelling to weave these words into one vibrant tale, and The Dressmaker has done just that.

To be honest I had my doubts about seeing this film. Despite having absolute confidence in the amazing acting skills of Kate Winslet and the attractive element of gorgeous dressmaking incorporated into the story, I have never understood the art of black comedy as much as I should have. On top of that, I had heard many mixed reviews and there just didn’t seem to be a strong enough incentive to push me over the fence. That is, until last week, when both Anne and one of my lovely technician colleagues mentioned going to see it and loving it so much that they expressed a strong desire to go and see it again. Anne, in particular, felt a deep connection to the story as she had lived in the rural town of Murchison in the 60’s (as opposed to the 50’s setting of Dungatar in The Dressmaker), and she could not contain a smile as she reflected on the odd parallels between the two in terms of the strange personalities and gossip culture in such close-knit communities. Upon hearing these heartfelt accounts, I hardly needed any more encouragement.

Based on the novel of the same name by Rosalie Ham, The Dressmaker follows the journey of Myrtle ‘Tilly' Dunnage as she returns to her hometown of Dungatar in rural Australia in 1951 after being sent away on murder charge at the age of ten. Although initially set on revenge, Tilly was determined to shed light on her past with the help of her sewing machine and a strength in character that was to take the quiet little Victorian town by a storm. Along the way, the audience is introduced to a whole array of strange characters that make up the unique community, each bearing secrets that could be essential for untangling the truth behind Tilly’s tumultuous departure.

The theme of transformation was portrayed heavily through Tilly’s sensational haute couture skills, and the costumes of course did not disappoint. Changes in character and a revealing of a catastrophic past are no strangers to any film, yet The Dressmaker took this a step further in the sense that emphasis was put on what remained unchanged even though the façade of each character may have undergone an irreversible evolution. Yet the film cleverly ensures that the plot did not come back full circle, for even though characters still proved to be largely their old self in the end, the circumstances had altered such as to at least promise a foreseeable transformation. All the dresses whipped up by Tilly were absolutely stunning and worthy of being salivated over exactly as the townspeople in the film had done, yet I think the most entertaining garment would have to be the ridiculous puffy wedding dress made by Tilly’s opposition Una Pleasance. It had been a long time since I had to furiously wipe away tears after erupting into fits of helpless laughter along with everyone else in the cinema. I don’t know – maybe it was something to do with seeing a person repeatedly tripping over layers and layers of fabric while attempting to wobble uphill in the head wind… if there was ever a perfect imitation of a tumbleweed in the desert this shot would have taken top prize without a doubt!

The audience last night was again another fantastic bunch that just added to the experience. There was the old man next to me that would mutter “Oh!” or “Oh dear!” under his breath whenever a character popped unexpectedly on screen, and his lady friend that found it extremely difficult to hold back an appreciative murmur of “Doesn’t she look gorgeous!” (but I admit I was a little worried this particular pair would talk the whole way through the film – especially when they were commenting on every single actor and actress in the trailers and their recent gossip news) Then there was the group of middle-aged friends behind me that would howl with laughter at all the right moments (especially one of the ladies who had the most infectious snorting laugh). Not to mention the wife of the couple sitting next to me that would double over with a gasping laugh every time that I was beginning to worry she wouldn’t get her breath back. Talk about personalities in a small town – just a simple movie outing could demonstrate that quite well perhaps! (Speaking of this - the characters of Sergeant Farrat and Molly Dunnage in the film were simply brilliant! Remembering Molly screaming “RUN!!!” while watching a romantic movie would keep me entertained for quite a while I dare say!)

Surprisingly, although perhaps unavoidable, there was also a few emotional scenes in the film that helped to change the pace of the storytelling and keep the audience engaged. I admired the director for highlighting the cruel and hurtful side of provincial life together with the humorous aspects, for it was a sobering reminder that there were real people leading similar lives to those in the film, just without the frills and exaggerations. And their lives were likely a far cry from the black comedy portrayed throughout much of the movie, no matter how much the latter is appreciated. It is a bold slap of reality in the light-hearted tone of the movie, but a necessary one at that.

So, is The Dressmaker a movie worth seeing? Absolutely. And do I see it as a good English exam material? Heck yes. I wish this was around before we had to study The Piano in Year 13! I would have loved to hear what the teachers had to say about the symbolisms and foreshadowing used… especially in the epic introduction and conclusion!

Ever since Anzac weekend, when it was highly recommended to me by our long-time family friends Anne and Brian, the idea of seeing this movie has been playing on my mind. And yesterday I thought – why on earth not? It has been a hectic few weeks at work, the temperature is dropping by the day, and huddling up in the calming darkness of the movies for a couple of hours with a cup of hot chocolate would serve as a fitting reward, a welcoming escape from the everyday pressures and a proper chance to unwind especially after having to work Saturday morning.

And so off I went in my little red Yaris at 8pm, making sure I had wrapped up warmly in a woolen scarf, my favourite pair of beige boots, and a vest that was so thick I felt like I was wearing a duvet.

As it turned out, I was not quite in the mood for hot chocolate (after over-indulging on sugar from devouring a big bowl of Anne’s beautiful apple pudding that evening – surely I can blame that on my body telling me to store away some fat in preparation for Winter??), so instead I opted for a small popcorn in combination with the water bottle sneakily hidden in my handbag. The cinema was absolutely chocker – the queue to the snack bar stretched all the way across the foyer, and the broken electronic ticket kiosk machines did not help. Luckily I had the foresight to arrive twenty minutes early, so was happily chomping on my popcorn and comfortably seated in the soft seats of Cinema 6 without any dramas in time for the movie to start.

Woman in Gold, directed by Simon Curtis, portrays the true story of Maria Altmann and lawyer Randol Schoenberg, as they embark on a battle with the Austrian Government to recover a painting of Maria’s aunt Adele Bloch Bauer (otherwise known as the famous Woman in Gold) that Maria believes rightfully belongs to her family. During World War II, the painting was taken by force from the Altmann family by the Nazis along with many other prized possessions. As the film progresses, the tragic and haunting story behind the glamorous painting is revealed, along with the emotional conflicts as both Maria and Randol faces their pasts and make discoveries about not just others, but also themselves.

One of the main points that make a film memorable is the growth of characters. It was intriguing to see what started off as such a small and seemingly harmless seed, like a woman’s curiosity about a shred of her past, can thrive quickly and end up having such a huge impact on not just those around her and even two separate countries, but can also have the ability to forever transform themselves. Academy Award-winning Helen Mirren brilliantly brought Maria to life, and she began the film as a headstrong lady with a strong determination to do justice for her family. Her willfullness and resilience in spirit shines through in the humourous speech made at the beginning of the film at her sister's funeral - "I truly love her, but truth is, we were always competitive. If life is a race, you beat me to the finish line. But if life is a boxing match, I'm the last one standing." However, as the layers of truth are gradually peeled back, her fear of the past returned and she withdrew into the shadows of her heart, reluctant to pursue justice to the end for fear of that it might only mean the past could replay itself and her aunt would once again be ripped out of her grasp. At this point, she described this as “letting go of the past”, and even advised Randol to do so. But later on, moved by the persistent enthusiasm of her lawyer, she finally found the strength and courage to fight for her family. Until finally, she was able to thank Randol for “keeping the memories alive”. The two quotes clearly demonstrated a change in her thoughts and acceptance of her past at long last; this was one of the main reasons why I found the film so powerful – for it allowed us to not only witness the complicated legal battles on the outside, but also subtly glimpse into the inner wars of Maria’s mind.

Randol’s transformation was also evident. From being disinterested in the case and pursuing it only for the possibility of fame and money that might be involved, to rediscovering his family connections and as a result being able to empathize and understand Maria on an unexpectedly more personal level, which eventually motivated him in helping her right through to the end at the risk of his own career and family. I found it invigorating to see his growing attachment and passion about the case and the underlying stories, and it was certainly difficult not to nail-bite my way through the two hours and cheer him on through the court battles. His dedication was inspiring and it was greatly encouraging to see that his good heart took him further than would be expected of any lawyer.

The blossoming friendship and witty dialogues exchanged between the pair of main characters were also a joy to watch. The chemistry, sense of support, and companionship between the actors were fantastic, and I just couldn’t help but chuckle at the familiar aloof manner with which Maria spoke a lot of the time (something to do with the old ladies at work again I think!). And once again I found myself wishing I could grow old to be as independent, elegant and graceful as Maria. A quietly stylish little clothing shop that matches the tidy curls of the lady owner and the glowing string of pearls often sitting at her throat, a cozy bungalow filled with photographs subtly displaying the traces of memories throughout life – who wouldn’t want such a peaceful content lifestyle to enjoy the lingering glimmers of your life?

As well as intense and heart-racing actions in the Nazi-pursuing scenes, there were also plenty of heart-wrenching moments like when the young Maria had to bid farewell to her parents before her escape from Austria, with both sides knowing it is very likely to be the last in their lives. It was no surprise that I could hear the lady sitting in front of me in the theatre blowing her nose after that particular scene was played, for my vision also seemed terribly blurry (damn those viscous eye drops!) It is fortunate that I cannot imagine even in the slightest what a goodbye under such harsh and ruthless situations must feel like. And to think that this happened countless times - in probably every household - during war is simply horrific. It really makes us appreciate the immense courage it must have taken for Maria to return after even so many years, and also to reflect on how blessed we are to be born and raised in peace, and not having to feel threatened or terrified for our loved ones every second of the day.

So, in the end, it was with a full heart and teary smile that I stood up from my seat and returned home. Hence allow me to also urge you to enjoy this wonderful depiction of Maria and Randol’s story - it will leave you thinking long and hard, that’s for sure. And, last but not least, I will leave you with a quote by an American Government worker in the film that had everyone around me snickering - "I want to go to Austria sometime with my daughter - she loves kangaroos!"

The waves were angry as they crashed dramatically over the rusty iron chains along Rocks Road yesterday, sending up sprays of foam that showered over the road like tiny white bullets. My windscreen wipers worked ferociously as I drove directly into the firing range, and after a while I could no longer tell if they were fighting forces from the sea or the sky, for rain was also pelting down in sheets of needles, mingling with the waves to form a soundless icy web that enveloped my little cocoon of safety in the car.

Such was my determination, and excitement, to be part of something beautiful and that only happened once a year in Nelson.

I first knew of the French film festival in Nelson about a month ago, while browsing the local cinema website for my next movie adventure. While looking through the list of showings at the time, quite a few had caught my eye but there was only one that seemed to follow on perfectly from my Saturday work roster. And that was “La belle et la bête” – otherwise known as Beauty and the Beast, one of my all-time favourite fairytales.

So without a moment’s hesitation, I booked myself a ticket one month in advance to ensure that I would not miss out on this opportunity to immerse myself in a bit of elegant lilting Français J

When I arrived at the cinema, the lobby was unusually crammed with people. It was most probably from the wet weather coinciding with the first week of the festival. But I didn’t let that put me off getting a lovely cup of hot chocolate (already had my flat white earlier in the day – boohoo), and snapping a few photos of the cute little French touches in the decorations around the bustling place.

To be honest, I'm sure everyone is already very familiar with this famous folklore and I must say the movie was very loyal in including all the elements that made the story the legend it is today. The strong bond between a father and daughter that propelled the first to stumble into the path of danger, and gave the later courage to make an enormous sacrifice. The magic castle with a dark and mysterious secret. The beast hiding an equally undecipherable past. The rose. The predictable plot aside though, I think the film did incredible justice to the beauty of storytelling. Especially through the magical way the scenes seemed to slide into one another as smoothly as melting butter off a hot knife. There were cliché moments, of course – such as the movie beginning with the opening of a great ancient book, and the antagonists being all-too-obvious that’s who they were. But I was way too mesmerized by the way the ink from the pages came to life to care much, and the absolutely stunning visuals the movie was able to depict down to such extraordinary detail more than made up for it from my point of view.

Even after the movie had ended, and people were filtering out of the theatre in low thoughtful murmurs, I found myself replaying images from the castle in my mind in awe. The crumbling pillars wrapped in thick ivy, the cracked and pitted marble floors scattered with crunchy rose petals, the bleak and eerie statues frozen in a frightening stare through their sparkling ruby eyes. It was just astonishing - the level of effort and attention that went into conjuring up the scenes and to set the mood as Belle took in the grandeur of the castle. To put it simply, watching the film was a feast to the senses. The director and his team took care of everything to throw the audience right into the castle with the characters – not just with the breath-taking visuals or even sounds like the soft tinkling of water as it trickled into the pond, but what impressed me was the attempt to incorporate touch and taste into the experience as well. Such was the wonder I felt as I watched a character bite into a juicy chicken drumstick (smacking lips and all), and as Belle slowly ran her fingers along the smooth hide of a deer spread over her bed… let me assure you it is definitely worthwhile to watch the film just to see why I was so amazed!

As you can probably imagine just from the vivid portrayal of the scenes, the costumes were just equally dazzling. Perhaps the French reputation of being one of the top countries in the fashion industry has something to do with this, but by golly, what an overwhelming array of gowns this film has staged for the audience! Right from the beginning, in fact, I found myself waiting in excited anticipation for the next gown to make an appearance – is it going to be red? Pink? Yellow? And what other extravagant headpieces and jewelry is it going to be matched with? Perhaps it would make me sound hopelessly vain and romantic, but I blame the old love for fantasy stashed away inside me. Besides, who doesn’t like to appreciate something beautiful?

In terms of the acting though, I must say it was a bit disappointing. It was all very well that all the characters looked suitable for their parts, but this was definitely not meant to be an Oscar-nominated piece. Belle, in particular, was quite aloof in some parts of the film when I was expecting her to be more warm and filled with laughter (maybe she was, according to French standards??) The relationship between her and the Beast could also have been developed further – their love appeared quite abrupt in my opinion, and it just simply didn’t make a lot of sense for her to fear him one day, then love him the next. Perhaps this was difficult in the time constraints of a film under two hours, but I think her change in attitude towards the Beast could be more obvious as his past was gradually revealed to her.

A side note that I feel strongly inclined to add though – my goodness the moving stone giants were brilliant! Their chiseled faces and cold expressions as they were awakened… 太帥啦~~ XD (What strange taste I have hahaha)

So overall, a very entertaining film to see as part of the French Film Festival! I do hope that I will get a chance to savour a few other intriguing-looking works on the pragramme, for this was indeed a fantastic way to kick-start my appetite!! (Gosh I hope this isn't a sign I should be learning French too - barely keeping up with Italian as it is!! XD)

Nelson Anniversary Day began with a dark and menacing cloud draped over the city, covering the top of the houses with a fine mist of soft grey. Needless to say, the rain followed soon after – the pitter-patter of droplets striking the window panes as I sipped on my tea and luxuriated in the joy of not going to work had a startlingly calming quality, silencing the orchestras of cicadas and other music of Summer that would normally have struck up early in the morning.

So it is, not surprisingly, a day I thought would be perfect for a movie. An artsy movie – preferably with a bit of light humour and romance.

The solution I found was a delightful little piece called “Midnight in Paris”, directed by the famous director Woody Allen in 2011.

The plot itself is a bit like a twisted version of Cinderella – the main character in the film Gil is a writer and also a hopeless romantic who has always had a passion for the past and, in particular, considered Paris in the 1920’s to be the golden era to live in. While on a trip to Paris with his fiancée and her parents, he embarks on an adventure every night as the clock struck twelve as he travels back in time to the 1920’s, and has fascinating encounters with many of his literary and artist idols from the era. Through these experiences, he gradually came to realise that while appreciating the past is important, it is also vital not to lose yourself, for people often forget to treasure as well as make the most of the present.

There was a quote from the movie that Paul said to Gil which I found quite intriguing – “nostalgia is denial of the painful present”. It reminded me of something the JET Programme coordinator said before we left for Japan, about how cultural shock is often from people’s minds being able to block out the negative side of memories when they were remembering the past, hence the old environment often appear to be more appealing than the harsh challenges arising in the present. So people start digging themselves a hole wishing that they could go back to where things were nice and familiar, when in fact the reality back then wasn’t actually as glamorous as they thought anyway, it is just how human memory tend to smooth out the rough edges and beautify things by throwing over a foggy film of sparkling contentment.

There were a few cliché moments in the film that was quite typical of Hollywood romantic comedies, but also quite a few quick witty moments that I couldn’t help but smile at (the scene at the art gallery when he corrected Paul on Picasso’s painting and everyone stared at him like he was a lunatic – classic XD). Owen Wilson’s shocked stuttering throughout the film as he repeatedly met famous writers, directors, and painters from the past were always very amusing to watch, and it was at those times that I wished I was a bit more up to speed with famous artists back in the 1920’s so I could share at least a wee bit of his awe and amazement. I knew Pablo Picasso and Mark Twain, but had very limited knowledge of Ernest Hemingway, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Luis Brunuel, Gertrude Stein… and that’s only to name a few that had made an appearance in this film!

Another odd fact that I found fascinating was the overall presentation of Inez in the film. I have to say Rachel McAdams was one of the main motivations for me to see this when I saw the cast list, and true to my expectations she was glamorously portrayed as the fashionable, modern, though not particularly likeable fiancée of Gil. I don’t know if I was over-analyzing again (post-traumatic stress syndrome from high school English??), but I did wonder whether her choices of costume with chic and elegant styles but plain neutral colours were deliberately selected to emphasize her practical, uptight, and unromantic personality. This was in contrast with Gil’s, which was the complete polar opposite. The way the two of them interacted throughout the film also served as a subtle reminder for couples to take the time to communicate and try to understand each other, and the importance of trust and sharing interests (or if not, then trying to understand and support the other’s interests). Of course the catastrophic differences in characteristics for the two were no doubt a little exaggerated for effect, but clashes do happen in real life because one or the other in a relationship fail to recognize the need to encourage thought-sharing and positive support from the beginning. Hence it is great to see that the movie has captured a little of the essence of relationships from that angle at least.

So all in all, I really enjoyed this film as a bit of light entertainment. Nothing too thought-provoking (despite all of the above ramblings haha) but nevertheless fun to watch. And just as I feared before I clicked the play button – I now have an even stronger desire to visit France and walk the old cobblestoned streets of Paris under the warm lights of the dimly glowing gas lamps (I’m sure they are not still gas…. But you know which ones I mean!), or breathe in the scent of freshly baked baguettes while strolling down the banks of the Seine River... Funnily enough a similar feeling also happened after I saw Letters to Juliet five years ago – let’s hope it won’t take me another five years to fulfill this tickle of the travel bugs!

One of the best things about being back in Nelson is the easy access to the wide range of arty films that I have within a short ten-minute drive from home. This afternoon I made another wise decision to see one of these at the local cinema, and it left me wanting to smile and snort and cry all at the same time.

At first glance, Elsa & Fred seemed like another cheesy American love story that beautified reality and magnified the impossible. It has a simple enough plot about an elderly man whose grey outlook on life after his wife’s death is gradually changed after meeting a passionate woman next door with boundless energy and a fiesty youthful spirit. Perhaps I really am getting old – somehow this theme of “don’t let age limit what you do” has been getting to me quite a bit lately (just look at what I wrote in my last article… goodness). But I just find the humour for elderly people so adorable and easier to relate to (forget jokes about sex and hangovers, I found myself cracking up at the scene where Fred’s daughter found all of his medicines bobbing up and down in a colourful jumble in the toilet after he had thrown them out… oh yes, SO easy to imagine that happening at work hahaha)

Needless to say, there were many touching moments in the film as well as the crazy and witty dialogues. I was aware that both Shirley Maclaine and Christopher Plummer are Academy-winning actors before I went and watched the movie, however I was still amazed at their effortless acting and the natural chemistry between the pair that just completely brought Elsa and Fred to life. (果然薑還是老的辣!! XD) Elsa’s elegance and fun personality was no doubt one of the highlights of the film, and even though there was a tragic shadow to her character that was not revealed until later as the story unfolded, it added depth and made her all the more loveable. Fred's hostility in the beginning and his foreseeable transformation were also wonderfully portrayed by Christopher Plummer (who I only found out after the film was the very same man who played Captain Von Trapp in Sound of Music!!). Call me a softie or a hopeless romantic, but one of the teary moments I had during the movie was seeing the warm smile on Fred’s lips and the twinkle in his eyes as he looked at Elsa, it was a love that was as subtle as a whisper but as joyful as seeing the first rays of sun in Spring. And the interactions between the pair were impossibly adorable – I simply cannot find the right words. If only all couples were as forgiving and treasured each other as much as them, the world would no doubt be a far more peaceful place!

One more thing that I do have to point out is I loved Elsa’s elegant (or is it flamboyant?!) choice of clothes (my Lord I definitely am getting old!) – perhaps it was all part of the package (along with her amazingly varied hairstyles) to get her liveliness across to the audience, but I kept finding myself admiring her selection of scarves and shawls. Hopefully when I am up there in age I will be able to pull off a fashion sense like hers too! XD

“Only the dead rest in peace.”

“If something is priceless, what is there to pay?”

“I don't like parks. It makes me feel I'm already in the cemetery.”

...And understandably there were many more memorable quotes from the movie. Unfortunately I could only remember a few, but I think this would be one of those films where different dialogues strike a chord with different hearts. So if I haven't convinced you enough already, let this be yet another encouragement to pop into the nearest cinema and see what pleasant surprises this movie may have in store for you! :)

No matter what age you are at, it is always possible to achieve amazing things.

No movie I have seen has EVER brought this message so much to life before.

Today I was fortunate enough to get the chance to book in to see a newly-released Kiwi film called “Hip Hop-eration” at the cinema… and boy was I blown away!! What a stunning, honest and hilarious portrayal of the strength of Kiwi spirit, and a glorious depiction of a heart-warming tale. I cannot express how honoured I felt afterwards for an opportunity to share this journey with the cast, and how proud I am to have grown up in this amazing country that is filled with such joy even in the most unexpected places.  

To be honest, I had pondered over whether to go and see this movie at the cinema or wait for it to come out on DVD and watch it at home for the few weeks since its first showing, simply for the reason that I had watched quite a few movies over the past few weekends. However, when I saw the trailer before the last movie I saw (possibly Gone Girl?) I quickly had my mind set on spending just that few dollars extra and properly supporting the movie. So here I was this afternoon armed with my beloved flat white in one hand and ticket in another, preparing to set off on an adventure with a special group of Kiwi oldies, that honestly already felt somewhat familiar because of the nature of my work!

And before the movie had even started, there was already a scene that made me smile as I was about to enter the cinema room. A woman had taken her mother to see the same film, but because her mother is in a wheel chair the cinema staff had to move one of the seats on the edge of the small cinema to accommodate for that. So after some shuffling and wheeling, there was the old lady happily sitting a few seats away from me with her daughter by her side, and happily licking on a chocolate-dip ice-cream cone. It was truly heartening to see how accommodating the cinema and how content the old lady was – I'd imagine it was not a particularly frequent choice of outing and it really lifted my spirits to even share that small source of excitement. And gosh I have to mention how sorely I have missed the Kiwi (or maybe Nelson in particular??) audience at the cinema!! As well as this mother-daughter pair beside me, it was so easy to feel the enjoyment other people in the theatre with me today were experiencing from the movie. I find that the infectious responses from the surrounding people really do help me relax and immerse myself in the world the movie was portraying. Be it laughter (there was one lady behind me today that had seriously the most hilarious hooting laugh – I think I would have laughed along even if I was watching a horror film hahaha), or gasps of surprise, or little grimaces of disgust, they all add just that last splash of colour to the experience at the pictures!

Basically, Hip Hop-eration is a documentary with a rather simple plot but an extremely inspiring theme that stirs up a lot of reflection and thinking. It portrays the journey of a group of elderlies (oldest being 94!) from the Waiheke Island (near Auckland) to their performance at the world hip-hop dance championships in Las Vegas. The courage, optimism and life burning strong in each member of the dance crew, as well as the incredible determination and good heart of the woman, Billy, who thought up the idea and led the group to achieve this seemingly impossible feat, brought tears to my eyes on numerous occasions and surprising bursts of laughter on others. In particular, to see the particular life stories of the few selected elderly ladies has provided me with a completely new perspective and respect for the older generation, which will no doubt cast a new light for my job too. There were of course too many memorable quotes to keep track of (so much cheeky Kiwi humour XD) , but here were some of my favourites that I remember:

“I've always wanted to die dancing… but not in Las Vegas!”

“You look like a lunatic!” (Billy to an oldie with a head full of hair-sprayed hair)

“When I saw Michael Jackson dancing and grabbing his crutch, I didn't like it at all. But now here I am doing the same thing!” (I can't remember the exact wording but it was something along those lines! XD)

And... definitely that particular letter someone wrote to the group after one of their NZ performances (had one of the rather teary moments there QQ)

What I found amazing as well was that Billy isn't even a professional hip-hop dancer! She learned all she needed to put together a routine for the oldies from just Youtube and a few books. Her passion and dedication really moved me and will no doubt spark many other inspirations after the release of this film. 

Another thing I loved about the crew was their costumes!! It was just such a conflicting image to see silver-haired senior citizens in black ganger hoodies with baggy pants and bling-blings that it was... refreshing! Bloody brilliant even. It gave not only the ladies behind me, but also me endless amusement. Absoloutely loved it.

So even though by now many cinemas in NZ are probably doing the last of the showings for this movie, please please please go and support this fantastic film!!! It may not be as glamorous or dramatic as those from Hollywood, but it does capture the truest side of Kiwi communities and attitudes just as well as the other two wonderful NZ movies I have seen (Kiwi Flyer and Second Hand Wedding), if not better! If you DO need that last little push though, here is a little teaser video the group made for the NZ annual school stage challenge competition last year XD

I do hope it will be your cup of tea!! Because it certainly was mine :) 

哎呀~感覺這幾個月真的太對不起我的網誌了!! 自從開始工作/實習的生活, 以及沒辦法每天跟道釩一起窩在房間喝茶後... 感覺種種壓力還有煩惱也隨後而來. 當然以我現在在老姐家白吃白喝白住的狀況來說我想很多人都會對我這些所謂的 “煩惱”嗤之以鼻, 而我的確是很幸運的! 況且藥局的同事也都很好…但相信以我這種個性不可能都完全沒煩惱的 (苦笑) 從小到大容易焦慮操心沒安全感的毛病看來還是一點都沒變…有人說是自我要求太高, 也有人說是悲觀, 或是急性子. 雖說已經比幾年前稍有好轉, 但看來還是要再多加努力~ 至少在人格跟過生活的態度上!! (反省) 謝謝我身邊的人至今如此的包容我的種種怪癖跟缺點…真的很感謝上天賜給我那麼愛我的人跟衣食無缺的生活. 接下來的人生打拼…是時候靠自己了! 也應該時時刻刻提醒自己把吝嗇自私改成慷慨體貼, 以正面的態度去看待事情, 不管遇到什麼不如意的事都遲早會渡過的, it’s not the end of the world XD 是說人生的確是不斷地在反省啊…感覺口頭上一直說要改變, 但真的去實行也是需要去勉強自己一段時間的. 就像改變習慣一樣有一段反抗期(?) 也許個性的話反抗期就不止三個禮拜了吧…所以說難道要改變個性要戴超過三個禮拜的面具? 要樂觀就要偽裝開朗的態度至少三個星期? 雖然聽起來很困難但這樣子如果有效我倒還蠻想試試看的…

說到習慣就讓我想到前幾個禮拜在電影院看的電影 “The Vow”~ 真是一部讓人深思的影片啊! 雖然劇本乍聽之下有點老梗的錯覺, 但也是因為這樣讓我對這部片獨特的劇情轉折跟拍片手法有了更深的印象. 電影的故事是圍繞著一對恩愛的新婚夫妻. 妻子因為一場無情的車禍而不幸遺失了過去五年的記憶, 因此她的先生必須歷經各種身心的掙扎與孤獨的奮鬥來試著喚回他所深愛的人對他的記憶. 就像老姐說的, 喪失記憶是多麼無法想像的恐怖經驗啊…如果在失去記憶前有很多討厭的物品被堆積在房間, 是不是在失憶後便會誤以為自己是喜歡這類東西的人呢? 而在失憶後心中真的就像一片空虛的白紙嗎? 彷徨無助也不曉得誰是值得信任誰想加害於你…那會是多麼可怕的感覺啊Oo 還有很多現在連想都不用想的習慣跟喜好, 在失憶後也會不翼而飛…也就代表所有能定義你這個人的特質都在一瞬間消失殆盡. 而且極有可能是永遠的失去, 只因為一時的大意或疏忽. 要是感覺自己的一大部分被抹滅或剝奪, 感覺需要依賴別人來瞭解你自己, 感覺心中與過去有一個再怎麼努力也無法恢復或彌補的空洞…我想這些都是沒經歷過就沒辦法體會的痛苦吧..! 而且更重要的是或許連自己在為什麼而痛苦都不曉得, 畢竟或許連自己在尋找什麼也不清楚…那聽起來才是最悲慘的地方><

當然在失憶的人身旁的人們或許在某方面也會比本人更加難受…畢竟在電影中的男主角我想應該恨不得把自己腦中的所有影像跟回憶都輸入他妻子的腦海中吧…尤其是當最愛的人明明就伸手可及, 但靈魂上又是如此的遙遠>< 想想如果在前一天你還如此親密的融入另一個人的生活中, 甚至到深信沒有對方活不下去的地步, 但隔天便被踢出來並被強迫要與他形同陌路…那種冰冷的孤獨感, 悲痛, 跟驚恐應該足以把一個人吞噬吧. 如果自己如此珍惜的記憶跟感覺永遠無法與另一個人分享了, 是我的話或許就會開始否定跟懷疑我的記憶了? 雖然那麼美好的事情的確是發生過, 但如果沒有人相信那它也不再存在了..就等於沒發生過吧? 但如果自己深深相信那些記憶, 緊緊地抓住並收藏了那些重要的片段, 可是卻被所有人否定跟排斥那究竟會是多麼的殘酷啊…電影中的男主角便是如此的在心靈上被折磨, 但雖然電影中擁有如此多的傷痛跟掙扎, 我並沒有感到無法承受. 或許是因為影片中有適時穿插許多幕緩和氣氛的劇情, 也或許是女主角逐漸的成長或是男主角令人動容的付出跟對他妻子溫柔且濃厚的愛…總之感覺劇情很自然的展開而且也巧妙地在我心中引起了共鳴. 讓我感到有趣的是女主角在失憶前跟失憶後的個性其實在經過了一段時間的摸索後還是一樣, 這對我來說或許算是一種安慰吧..讓我覺得就算失去了記憶也不會失去自我, 變成任人擺佈, 任人塑造的玩偶. 還有知道這個劇本其實有一大部分是真實故事時我也蠻震撼跟感動的…讓我不禁瞭解到愛是多麼偉大也多麼重要, 還有那對夫妻的執著跟樂觀也很令人敬佩. 但當然感動的同時也很替現實生活中的那對夫妻感到心痛, 我想誰都不願意經歷失去最重要的人吧…不管是哪一種形式.

說說我在電影中最喜歡的一幕吧~ 老實說有兩幕, 但因為一幕是結局所以在此就先不泄露劇情了~ 而另一幕是接近電影一開始男主角在工作室騷女主角癢時 –女主角自然的開懷大笑聲跟無法抵抗而倒到地上的那幕讓我不知為什麼有深刻的印象? 好奇怪的嗜好…哈哈~但或許是感受到某種共鳴吧? (笑)

恩~ 總之我是會推薦大家去看的~~ 雖然說覺得女生或許會有更多感觸(老姐的忠告 :要自備很多衛生紙??) ...更何況還有許多可口但並不是非常必要的男主角半裸鏡頭或許對某些人來說是一大賣點吧!? xPP 是說Rachel McAdams的甜美我也越來越欣賞了~~她的笑容真的好美...會讓人心頭一暖啊x3 但當然除了看女主角我想有些男生其實也會懂得欣賞的吧!! 說不定已經有很多都被女友/老婆拖去看然後被洗腦要重視跟珍惜她們了?? (笑)

唉呀呀~ 又回到了荒廢許久的網誌啦 ^^" 其實自從上禮拜二去看完玩具總動員3後就想寫一篇觀後感想的可是一直找不出時間啊~ 沒想到竟然拖到今天又看完了一部迪士尼卡通後才想說應該補寫一下... 而且既然都是迪士尼的還可以合併著一起寫? ==+ (有夠懶)

老實說玩具總動員系列我並不是非常熟悉...畢竟第一集推出時還是2D的年代所以比起擁有寫實動畫以及先進特效的3D卡通, 當時小女生的心靈還是比較嚮往有唯美線條以及感人音樂的2D作品. 雖說第一集的確有看完, 但只隱約記得大略的故事情節以及畫面片段而已. 至於第二集我是連看都沒看過 (唉 還真是對不起皮克斯啊)... 本來第三集我也因為沒看第二集所以不是特別有興趣的 (還偷偷的在埋怨皮克斯為什麼只不過是出了個玩具總動員3就不推出另一部年度動畫了==), 不過因為班上同學的邀約, 而以迪士尼粉絲的身分又不太好意思拒絕 (XD), 所以就跟著去看了.

看完之後我只能說... 我錯了. 我完完全全的錯了啊啊啊~~!!!

真的沒想到我事到如今還會再次低估皮克斯的作畫能力以及編劇才能... 也真的沒想到會有一個系列中的第三集會比前作都好看! 而且那連我這種只知道Woody(是"伍弟"嗎?? 天啊 連中文名都忘了 冏) 跟巴斯光年的人都能跟得上的流暢度及趣味性...只能說在這兩小時多的作品後面嘔心瀝血的幕後工作人員們各個果真都是菁英中的菁英啊XD 尤其這次玩具總動員因為是第一次以真正立體3D技術呈現, 所以更是充分的發揮出了許多場景中的刺激感及身置其境的效果, 讓我好幾次幾乎是相信自己是身在片中的托兒所而不是坐在漆黑的電影院中喝著燙舌的熱茶(說個題外話... 這次可是很有毅力的拒絕在放映前去買零食喔~ 還從家裡自備裝滿熱茶的保溫壺==+).

至於劇情的創意度更是不用講了... 完全不具任何能讓人無聊遐想的空檔, 那融和幽默及溫馨的敘述, 以及包含著濃濃友情及正義的主題是多麼的新鮮又另人意猶未盡啊~! 這種能時而讓我笑到噴茶(literally!)卻在下一瞬間讓我落淚的電影實在是少之又少啊...更不要說是卡通了. 沒錯... 皮克斯的笑點真的都很不辜負眾人的期望~ 豐富, 創新, 生活化, 且完全沒有只會讓人乾笑的老梗. 好比說這次終於在眾多玩具中出現的Ken(芭比的配對)就有許多令人噴飯的鏡頭及台詞...我想必定能令不止所有在座的小孩, 也能令所有在童年時期接觸過玩具的成年人們露出會心的一笑吧! 當然也因為這部續集的時間是設定在原作的十年後所以對我這種念舊的人來說相當的賺人熱淚耶(?)... 畢竟安迪正面臨著因為要上大學而是否要捨棄這些陪伴他度過童年歲月的玩具的困難抉擇呀!! 唉唉 真沒想到我會哭得這麼慘OO (可能是想到在台灣那幾箱小時候玩到快爛掉結果幾年前也同樣被送給別人的玩具吧... 還真是感同身受, 感觸良多啊><) 另外關於人物方面我對兩位主要角色的印象便是...Woody=帥!!! 巴斯光年=太搞笑了XDD 不過在此因為可能有還沒看過電影的人所以我就不多說囉XD

至於今天中午去看的美女與野獸3D特別版... 雖然同樣是無比的感動, 卻是以相當不同的心情去觀賞的. 或許因為是非常熟悉的電影, 我並沒有因劇情而感動到落淚 (開玩笑, 台詞跟歌詞大概一半都會背了吧XD). 不過也因為是如此熟悉的電影, 所以更能享受3D技術在特別版中所增加的美妙變化. 像是影片一開始的森林加城堡鏡頭一浮現在螢幕上時, 我周圍的每個人都不禁發出小小的讚嘆聲 - 那有夢幻層次感的森林就像是一幅清晰的浮雕般真實, 而經過特別繪製處理的外圍藤蔓更是生動的像是攀爬在螢幕周圍的裝飾似的. 不過因為畢竟是從原是2D的動畫修改而來, 所以3D的效果大多也只能局限在於風景, 建築, 以及一些其他的小細節. 而且因為是2D的畫風, 所以就算加上3D的層次感有時也只像是把許多張畫有不同景象的紙張隔開擺放而已, 並沒有完全的立體效果. 但是能因此保存原有的平面風格也代表畫面跟原作的差距並不會太大. 想不到迪士尼不但保存了原有的風格, 還成功的增加了動畫的鮮明度 - 最後得到的畫面果真是非常令人驚艷.

不過最令我印象深刻的一幕 (除了被第一幕的3D森林加城堡震撼到之外XD) 應該還是Belle在華麗燦爛的舞廳裡與野獸翩翩起舞 - 也就是那所謂的經典畫面吧! 耳中迴響著溫柔動人的旋律, 眼前閃爍著幾乎伸手可及的蠟燭吊燈, 還有在柔和的燭光下優雅旋轉的兩位主角, 真的是美到讓人不陶醉也難..... 我想把3D的技術發揮得最淋漓盡致的地方務必於此處了.

這次能有機會第一次在大螢幕上觀賞到這麼多年前的經典鉅作還真的有點美夢成真的感覺!! 感謝迪士尼重新製作的決定讓我們這種喜歡懷舊的(老)人能再次用劇院中的立體音效及視覺效果重溫那永恆不變的感動. 可是原來沒有後來加的那首歌"Human Again"影片會變得那麼短啊~ 還真的有點意猶未盡的感覺><

果然無論是舊作的新版, 還是舊作的延續, 迪士尼永遠都能在我們的心中添滿無限的暖意和歡樂.

Thanks to one of my lovely flatmates, I had an opportunity to indulge in one of the funniest chick-flicks I had ever seen a couple of Saturday nights ago (not that this says much since I haven't actually seen that many!)... and that was "Letters to Juliet", directed by Gary Winick.

To be honest, I wasn't expecting all that much when I stepped into the dim lights of the cinema in Hoyts. Thinking it was just going to be "another one of those girly movies" - which was soon confirmed by the opening credits consisting of a series of classical paintings portraying lovers kissing - I was prepared to spend the study break daydreaming with my large bag of sour cream and chives chips. But from the part where the protagonist Sophie went on a pre-honeymoon to Italy with her food-obsessed fiancé Victor, I simply could not stop the giggles that kept bubbling up my throat. And when that giggle eventually turned into howls of laughter - I knew I had somehow succumbed to the spell the director of the movie was trying to cast onto the audience.

I guess I'd better start with the plot first - don't worry, I'll ensure I don't spill some of the juicy details which some people just simply can't resist blurting out XD. As I've mentioned before, Sopie is an American girl (blonde too, mind you - what's with this connection between chick-flicks and blonde hair?) who decides to travel to Italy with her fiancé in search of a romantic and memorable holiday. There she finds an unanswered "letter to Juliet" dated fifty years ago - hidden amongst thousands of messages and queries left at the fictional lover's Verona courtyard, which are usually answered by a group of women who named themselves the "Secretaries of Juliet". Hence she goes on a quest to help reunite the lovers in the letter - while making many emotional discoveries of her own along the way.

One of the most successful aspects of this film was probably its organization of dialogue. The light, humorous lines not only set up a sunny and cheerful atmosphere, but also portrayed the characters who brought them to life. There was the endlessly amusing verbal sparring between Sophie and Charlie, of course – but also the hilarious interactions between Charlie and his grandmother (Claire) which emphasized the depth of their bond as well as their rather playful and relaxed attitudes toward one another. I admit I was quite charmed by many lines spoken by both Charlie and Claire and was sent into fits of laughter on multiple occasions because of their rather ingenious comebacks. Their fantastic British accent made the jokes all the funnier too, I think XD

The beautiful scenes of Verona, Siena and Tuscany were also a lovely bonus in the movie. They were stunningly shot and the country views rolling by on the screen were simply breathtaking – ahh how it makes me want to go and see Italy! The crisp greenery, honey-coloured sunlight, and classy buildings in the cities were perfectly captured, and helped portray the golden hue of warmth and sentiment in the storyline.

I also found the letter Sophie wrote as a reply to Claire quite touching. It was thoughtful, filled with gentle encouragement and glimmering with hope. Although – I suppose in a way – a very typical Hollywood-style creation…

“What ,and if. Those two words standing alone are basically harmless, but link them together and those two words possess great power. What if?

What if I didn't listen to all the messages, signs and ignored my destiny? What if I had not recognized true love when it came to me? What if? What are your what ifs?

Transition time is a time when we wonder about all the roads not taken. For some dreams and ideas the time has past and we must gently set them aside. Other dreams are still attainable if you have the courage to try. The choice is yours...”

There was also a very interesting point Jenn made the other day when we were discussing the movie over lunch – and that was how Claire was so fearless and courageous when she was advising other people in their relationships, yet when it came to facing her own love life she was overcome with a sudden panic and fear. And how true that emotion often is in real life! It was a very intriguing message indeed… and a fascinating reflection of reality in a subtle sort of way.

However, being a romantic comedy – moments of cliché were unavoidable and some people would surely roll their eyes at those. Yet I thought the film lovely on many levels and a definitely worthwhile one to rent out and enjoy on a lazy Sunday afternoon – when just a dose of sweetness is all you need to light up the day.

And... guess what? I only realised that I had finished the whole bag of chips at the end of the movie, so the movie must have been reasonably good! XD

哇啊~~ 一轉眼一個多月又飛逝而去, 歲月還真是不饒人... (怎麼每次都進入老人模式??)

不過說起來這過去的三十幾天真的還是一塵不變哪...

讀書讀書讀書....吃飯....上課上課實驗實驗實驗....作報告作報告考試....睡覺....

嗯 每天都以這種無趣的方式度過, 情緒也因為課業以及明年租房子的事不停的變動. 現在終於知道在我體內火爆的牡羊還有冷酷的天蠍互相爭鬥的可怕啦~ 難道這就是所謂的"分生"嗎.... (♪分裂前的熱~淚 分裂後的冷~眼♪...XD) 加上目前距離最擔心的Dispensing Exam只剩下兩個禮拜... 而且之前練習考每次都會粗心的出差錯O__O (我是智障嗎?? 明明是那麼明顯的錯誤我就一定要犯...*打自己巴掌*) 雖然說最重要的是要從錯誤中學習...可是那麼多錯誤信心要不被摧毀真的很難啊!! 唉唉~~So depressing... 有時候真的會懷疑我一定是瘋了才會來讀藥學系 (冏) 不過人總是會出差錯吧, 要跌倒才會更堅強!! (這是哪門子的老套台詞啊|||) 只要真正的考試讓我順利Pass我就了無遺憾了><

呃 抱歉 好像又開始碎碎念了 (有一瞬間陷入黑暗的漩渦之中) 總而言之, 好消息還是有的... 那就是-

春天來了!!

星期天吹起的暖風, 鐘塔前的粉紅花海, 窗外行人的清涼衣著
劃下了寒冷冬天的句點.
金黃色的陽光, 日日漸晚的夕陽, 房間窗前的枝芽嫩葉
就好比春天親切的笑容

能不用每天都穿著同一件大衣衝去上課真是值得慶幸....
(唯一想小抱怨一下的大概就是實驗室的溫度....怎麼每一間都這麼悶啊!? 雖然還不到需要冷氣的地步啦...可是好歹也給我們夏天款式的白袍嘛 ==)

沒錯, 擁有醞釀新生命的季節確實來臨了(至少在南半球這裡XD)....
想趁機推薦一部卡通給大家
是一部有如這個季節般溫暖
讓觀眾會浮現會心的一笑的日本卡通
就好比沐浴在春天的陽光般舒服...
(好吧 我承認好幾次我都舒服得快睡著了orz不過絕不是因為無聊啦!!)

"夏目友人帳"訴說的是一個看得見妖怪的男孩的故事
因為繼承了奶奶年輕時因制伏無數妖怪而收集而成的妖怪名簿 - "友人帳"
他被莫名其妙的追殺, 直到結識了"貓先生"才得知帳簿能掌控妖怪的能力
但善良的他非但不想隨意使喚妖怪
還想把被奪走的名字與自由還予給他們
也因此他經歷了一段段溫馨可愛的冒險與歷練
了解了許多醜陋面目後的動人故事
也幫助了很多妖怪完成原本不可能實踐的夢想
不過當然也有幫不了忙的時候...
像是第一季的第八集裡, 雖然沒有驚人的劇情或是令人錯愕的發展
但那淡淡的 又牽繫著某種幸福的悲傷
讓我第一次在看日本卡通時紅了眼眶
而不僅是那集, 每一個極短的故事中都有它獨特的背景以及深刻的人物
整部卡通真的有種療傷的效果喔~

當然 系列中主要人物之一, 身為男孩的"保鑣"的貓先生也是可愛到令我無法自拔!!
圓滾滾的 (超像橘橘貓的啊!!XD) 懶散貪吃愛喝酒
卻其實藏著體貼的一面(雖然有時難免會嘴硬 呵呵)

說實在的 這年代真的已經很少看到這麼純淨溫情(英文的話就是mild吧 哈哈)的卡通了呢...
沒有激烈血腥的戰鬥, 沒有轟轟烈烈的愛情
沒有複雜的人物關係,  更沒有波離曲折的誤會情節
"夏目友人帳"是一部有如春天般扣人心弦, 能令人感動落淚, 又能令人充滿希望的作品.

個人也覺得"夏目友人帳"的片尾曲無論是第一或第二季都挑得非常棒!
兩首雖然給人的感覺有小小的差異, 但都非常的寧靜舒服
怎麼說呢....可能是為了搭配片尾曲的畫面,
這兩首曲子其中一首有種"涼爽"的感覺, 而另一首則是"暖和"....
也許大家看過片尾曲就會明白啦~

在此給想要感受一下"夏目友人帳"裡那種溫馨平靜的氣氛的人
獻上"涼爽"的一曲....

...你能感受到微風輕輕佛過臉頰嗎?

註: 演唱的人可是海角七號裡有出場的日本歌手中孝介喔~

夏夕空

詞曲: 江崎とし子     歌:中孝介

歌詞來源: http://www.wretch.cc/blog/zoro332/5964683

This, is a masterpiece. There’s simply no other way to describe it.

With the amazingly smooth 3-D animation that has become universally associated with Pixar, the gorgeous soundtrack which brought out the desired mood of each scene, the original and heart-warming plot which Dreamworks has failed to come up on numerous occasions and even attempted to copy (cough cough!), and the depth the film possessed despite it’s target audience being potentially children (which, I cannot emphasize enough, is not true – at least I have always believed the fact that Pixar and Disney animated films are suitable for all ages; they have somehow never failed to include both the innocent humour and the more mature touch.) – Wall-E easily lives up to most people’s expectations from the most famous animation studio of all time.

As most of you are probably already aware of – I am a huge Disney fan. So if you think this review is slightly – or very – prejudiced then I am afraid you are right, and why shouldn’t I be? Disney has claimed almost every single Best Animation award in the history of the Academy Awards so there must be a reason for it. A very good reason… okay, let’s not ramble on about all the marvels of Disney just yet (we’ll be here for centuries I swear), so I’ll start at a reasonable place – when I walked into the cinema.

The Dunedin Rialto Cinema is much more luxurious than any I’ve been to in New Zealand. It had a quiet sense of age, and that gave me a sophisticated impression as I waited patiently in line to collect my ticket (the old couple in front of me took forever to get their family ticket sorted out, and took even longer buying ice-cream for their grandchildren yelling enthusiastically over the snack counter). I have to admit I felt positively ancient as I charged up the dim stairwell leading to the four cinemas on second floor – and wondered for a brief moment what I was doing there mingling with all the kids and their guardians. But nothing could possibly repress any of my own excitement to see this long-anticipated annual Disney feature animation, so it was not hard to smile pleasantly along with the other young audiences as we strode into the theatre without having had our tickets checked (there was no staff at the entrance – caused quite a bit of confusion). And when I laid my eyes upon the interior of the cinema, I gaped. I had no idea it was that big!! The rows of seats were even wider than the Warner Bros village in Taipei… and the screen was massive, of course. I couldn’t have asked for a better place to watch Disney!

So with intense anticipation and tingling happiness, the film began. Although I didn’t fall instantly in love with it – the beginning was grey and gloomy. Shots of starry constellations and planets, and then focusing on Earth itself – a planet so polluted with rubbish that the continents no longer appeared green, but a murky brown. In fact, Wall-E himself didn’t appear for so long that the kid behind me was starting to wonder aloud “Where’s Wall-E?”… although I wouldn’t consider that of any significance since he wondered about anything and everything throughout the entire film (felt like strangling him by about half-way through… but I give full respect to his dad, who patiently whispered an explanation to him every single time).

The animation was flawless, as always. I loved how Pixar managed to capture the characteristic motion of everything – from the limited mechanical movements of robot limbs to the subtle flicker of cockroach legs. Especially when the film used so little dialogue and relied so much on general body language and personal interpretation. The effect was simply marvelous. And the beautiful soundtrack, of course, has to be given credit to for the atmosphere different parts of the film portrayed. The melancholy sections had the strongest impact on me – and there were quite a few of those in this particular animation. Right from the beginning when Wall-E entered the scene accompanied by what sounded like a 60’s kind of song, with a retro beat and fuzzy old-fashioned quality, and then the scene when Wall-E was nearly crushed by the waste allocation load lifter on Axiom and Eve discovered his burnt circuit board (at which I cried ==), to the silence towards the end of the film when Wall-E lost his memory and Eve was attempting to call him back (there’s my second tear-shed moment)… there were many scenes I felt a painful bang in my chest for, and the music and sound effects definitely played a vital role in that.

The plot… what can I say? One would often wonder just how many geniuses exist in Pixar – from bugs to fish, cars to rats, and now robots. And not just any robot – a robot that had been left by the humans to clean up after their mess while they retreated to a spaceship miles away in space to wait for the day when Earth would return to being inhabitable again. A robot who became the key to the revival of mankind, and the union of technology and humans. A robot who developed a warm affection for another robot, Eve (who I could not help but adore – her voice and eyes were too cute!! In fact… all of the robots eyes and voices were splendidly done), who came to understand and return the care and kindness Wall-E showed for her. The humour intercepted at various intervals were wonderfully done - the parts where I loved the most were the scenes when Wall-E first "got out of bed" and bumped into the wall then drowsily struggled to put on his tracts, the part when Wall-E accidentally squashed his cockroach and let out a horrified scream, and the part when Wall-E was trying to show Eve all the magnificence of mankind tools... they were absolutely hilarious (I felt like an idiot chuckling to myself in the dark). To tell the truth, I was not expecting very much when I walked into this movie in terms of an intriguing plot – since sci-fi and futuristic storylines are generally not my cup of tea. Especially after last year’s Ratatouille, which dealt largely with living animals and humans and – my favourite – food. Yet I was astonished at the magnificent structure of the film as it unfolded before me… so much creativity, humour, and heart-wrenching twists… I had underestimated Pixar’s ability to cater for all types of audiences, even those who had shamefully thought they knew what this film would be about – like me.

The message Wall-E communicated to the audience was a brilliant one. Not only is it a vitally warning to the present world regarding pollution, but also a reflection of the modern society’s growing reliance on the use of technology. It was all I could do to refrain from clapping my hands together in admiration for Pixar and its talent for addressing current issues when I saw the scene illustrating the daily life of mankind in the future – obesity, lack of exercise, “doing nothing”. The people in the spaceship retreat simply sat on floating chairs which moved about according to their will, and everything they ever desired could be easily ordered by the buttons on the arms of the chair or by oral cue. It was all so true. I mean, even now the problem of obesity has become a major global issue so such a prediction was only too likely to happen in eight hundred year’s time. I especially loved how the humans were described to have suffered from “a slight bone loss” and the x-ray diagrams were shown of progressive replacement of bones by fat. So clever. And the pollution issue – how the whole film basically revolved around the miracle of a single green sprout and its role of proving Earth was again habitable. And how all humans aboard the ship had come to forget the beauty of mother nature – it was no doubt a reflection of the fast-paced present society and a reminder to pause, admire, and preserve the little natural environment left on our planet. The over-reliance on technology as well – how the evil party ended up being machinery, the “auto-pilot” was a wonderful touch. There were also many other fantastic morals, of course, and the one I think touched me was the continuous hint of Wall-E’s desire to hold Eve’s hand – a motif of love which finally became the key to retrieving Wall-E’s memory. It was an extremely emotional moment and it must have resonated with most audience’s soul – for it certainly touched me to the core.

So in the end, I think the conclusion is obvious enough – go see it. Support it, laugh with it, shed tears for it… it may come easier than you expect. Trust me… it is more than worthwhile.

"Corpse Bride"...又是一部超級經典動畫...還沒看過的人千萬不可繼續閱讀!!
令人感動的情節, 觸人心弦的配樂, 溫馨生動的畫面
個個都令我深深的感受到導演Tim Burton的偉大 
故事內容是關於一對因父母而即將成婚的未婚夫妻
新郎在婚禮彩排上說不出誓言而傷透腦筋
雖然自己已對新娘產生好感, 心裡的話卻還是說不出來.
結果當他到森林裡練習時不小心喚醒了幾十年前在那喪生的Corpse Bride
結果被喚醒的Corpse Bride把他帶到了陰間,
男主角拼命想回到現實生活中, 但當他聽到未婚妻因某原因被強迫嫁給一位壞將軍時
心碎的他決定與和他同樣熱愛鋼琴的Corpse Bride成婚
但因為婚禮的誓言其中之一的"Until Death parts us"已經實現
因此活人和死人唯一能在一起的方法便是讓活人喝下毒藥
結果當男主角要喝下毒藥時, Corpse Bride良心發現其實男主角是屬於現實世界的
於是她捨不得卻又欣慰的把男主角交還了給躲在柱子後面的未婚妻
但在這時壞將軍衝了進來, 卻發現Corpse Bride是他以前拋棄在森林的未婚妻
Corpse Bride的身世終於揭曉, 發現她是因被拋棄所以只有找到真愛附在身上的詛咒才能破解, 而她才能安息.
結果她果然報了仇, 並化身為數十隻偏偏起舞的白蝴蝶飛向圓月高掛的夜空.
而男主角與她的未婚妻則是又幸福又感謝的目送著Corpse Bride的離去

Corpse Bride (Emily)的婚紗是我最喜歡的部分之一
如迷霧一般的絲綢飄蕩在身旁, 銀白色的光芒隨著她的動作散發出耀眼的色彩
而她泛藍的膚色則是更加襯托出她生前高雅的氣質.
尤其是當她漫步在森林間與最後在教堂時的自信與嬌豔,
更是令我看得目不轉睛.
而且她細長的睫毛替她添加了一點叛逆的感覺,
因此當她從身體裡裡拔出為了保護男主角而承受的劍並準備應戰時,
真有一股威風的神情.
因此跟那位只會躲在男主角身後的柔弱未婚妻比起來...我果然還是比較喜歡Emily,
雖然那位未婚妻的長相也設定得很高貴美麗.

我也非常喜歡當男主角為了讓Emily打起精神時而利用鋼琴來挑戰她的那一幕.
總覺得很有趣又很自然.
而且女主角不認輸的表情也非常可愛^^

至於由強尼戴普負責配音的男主角...實在是太可愛了!
雖然明顯缺乏自信(緊縮的眉頭從頭到尾沒有鬆開過),
但忠厚老實的個性以及對鋼琴的熱愛與才華卻一直隱瞞不了
他答應Emily要喝毒藥時的乾脆更是令我感動
因此我在電影結束後的幾個小時還是為他沒和Emily在一起的事感到難過與失望

電影裡人物唱的歌曲雖然沒有Tim Burton的前作"The Nightmare Before Christmas"多,
但配樂卻是每個音符都完美符合搭配的場景.
我尤其喜歡的是當Emily在森林裡跟在男主角後面時的配樂,
以及男主角的鋼琴獨奏還有他與女主角較量實力時的曲子.
其實我覺得男主角彈琴時的模樣很像Adrien Brody在The Pianist海報上的樣子
搞不好應該是找他來配音才對...

因為這部電影是和朋友一起看的, 而電影票又是她們買的, 所以看電影時有些地方實在有些不滿.因為我看的這場只是Preview,
所以在電影正式上映前這部電影只有在小的電影廳放映.
但因為訂的位置是最後一排最靠右邊的四張椅子, 所以我當然是被擠到最旁邊的位子.
加上旁邊的同學在電影感傷的時候還會發出一連串笑聲, 讓我好幾次想轉過去海扁她一頓.
更好笑的是這位跟上次看查理與巧克力工廠時發出笑聲的是同一位同學...強尼戴普真有魅力哪!
而且前面幾排有一個小孩子一直發出煩人的哭聲...到底是誰會蠢到會帶那麼小的孩子去看有恐怖畫面的電影啊!?

不過這雖然這和電影無關, 但我有看到另外一版的Harry Potter預告唷~!! (興奮)
Ron一樣可愛呢! 還有Harry...(口水滿地)
不過這次Cho的鏡頭比較久一點...在更仔細觀察她的長相後, 結論還是一樣...
醜‧斃‧了
其實那樣說有點誇張...不過她的確長得非常普通...一點也沒有書裡形容的那麼美.
如果是找很典型的亞洲女生(←鳳眼)那也就算了, 但那個女的竟是一點特色也沒有,
眼睛也沒特別有魅力...唉~~~(無言)
J.K. Rowling真是一點眼光也沒有
看來人不可能是完美的啊!

總之, 回到"Corpse Bride"這話題...正式上演時一定要去支持喔!!
畢竟用Claymation製作的動畫可是非常費時間的啊! 
好像是拍兩秒就需要工作整整兩天的樣子.
保證值得喔! 另人超級感動的...(熱淚盈眶) OO

Rating: **** (←不過會貼上來的大概都是三或四顆星吧...我可能永遠都不會給五顆的^^|||) 

如果你現在有時間讀這篇文章卻沒時間去看查理與巧克力工廠的話
我勸你還是馬上停止然後去訂票吧!
因為這部電影實在是一部不得錯過的經典
不僅強尼演技超棒, 佈景也做得非常夢幻.
配樂更是一流中的一流
(注意! 以下的內容將會說到故事情節的發展...還沒看過的人請別繼續讀)

我自己覺得最成功的配樂是在一開始當那些人名出現時.
那時螢幕上以影像描述著巧克力的製作過程
經過了各種機器的烘乾, 分割, 運送
一塊塊的巧克力終於漂亮的呈現在眼前
而cinema 1的"豪華"音效更加顯現出那配樂的震撼與和影像完美的組合.
我尤其喜歡那些用來在工廠內運送巧克力的白色降落傘,
會想得出這種東西的人真是令人佩服啊. 
接下來就是強尼戴普無可挑剔的演技.
蒼白的皮膚, 紫色的瞳孔,
加上瘋瘋癲癲的語氣和詭異的笑容.
雖然給人一點Michael Jackson的感覺, 
但強尼的角色卻只會惹人憐愛.
他如小孩般天真無邪的想法和舉止只會受到歡迎而不是厭惡.
而且我還是覺得他在第一間巧克力房間說的一句話是經典中的經典...
"Everything in this room is edible. Even I'm edible. 
But that's called cannibalism, my dear children, and is frowned upon in most societies."

我也喜歡他在看那些Oompa-Loompas表演時著魔似的表情...
不過我這種程度的喜歡跟一些鳥人 / 強尼迷比實在不算什麼.
像是當我第一次看這部電影時旁邊坐的那一個激動的鳥人女生
如果是看到強尼出現時興奮也就算了,
但是連聽到他的聲音她都要發出討人厭的傻笑聲...T__T
而且好死不死第二次看時旁邊也是坐著同一種人, 只不過這次是我朋友...|||
但其實我也不太有權利說人家啦...^^"
畢竟我是個連看哈利波特的預告都會變激動的人...
所以我想我看哈利波特時的樣子大概也和她們差不了多少吧!
(只是喃喃自語時說得是"Daniel..."而不是"Johnny...")

可是這部電影裡我還是最喜歡那條用巧克力形成的瀑布和河了...
看起來好逼真, 好好吃喔~~(口水直流)
看來我好像命中注定會被第一個淘汰掉吧^^"
一定會像那個胖子一樣受不了誘惑結果掉入河中反而得不到最終獎品...|||

我對這版本的查理與巧克力工廠唯一不滿的地方
大概就屬那些Oompa-Loompas的造型了,
雖然本來的確就是要長得一模一樣,
但是這次找得那個人我覺得太過蒼老.
不過也許只是我看那書的插圖看習慣了吧!

還有一個非常溫馨的部分.
那就是當強尼回去找他身為牙醫的爸爸時.
當年他為了找尋自己對糖果的夢想而離家出走,
而且一直對他爸嚴格的教育懷恨在心,
卻不知道他爸其實很思念他, 還把他巧克力工廠的一切報導小心的保存了起來.
這情節雖然不在書中卻差點令我感動得熱淚盈眶.

總而言之, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 真的非常非常好看!
覺得幼稚而拒絕觀賞的人將保證會後悔得唷!

Rating: ****