Ever Star

差一剎的地老天荒《富貴門》追追　趕趕　推推　撞撞 Jeui jeui　gon gon　cheui cheui　jong...

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:01:00 -0600

差一剎的地老天荒《富貴門》

追追　趕趕　推推　撞撞
Jeui jeui　gon gon　cheui cheui　jong jong
I run, I hurry, I push, I hit

目空一切　理想燒光
Muk hung yat chai　lei seung siu gwong
I am disdainful, my ideals are burnt

真真　假假　跌過　痛過
Jan jan　ga ga　dit gwo　tung gwo
It’s real, it’s fake, I fall, I hurt

愛的花火　只給我願與望
Ngoi di fa fo ji kap ngo yun yu mong
Only fireworks of love, am I willing to look

天黑　天光　天清　天蒼
Tin haak tin gwong tin ching tin chong
Dark sky, bright sky, pure sky, blue sky

曾經廝守　暗地向往
Chang ging si sau am dei heung wong
We once had each other, once secretly longed for each other

可惜這夜　煙花已謝　沒法被仰望
Ho sik je ye yin fa yi je mut faat bei yeung mong
However, tonight when fireworks are gone, it is impossible to look

差一剎　我信地老天荒
Cha yat chaat ngo seun dei lou tin fong
On the verge of eternity, I still believe

只差一步　欲望幻化星光
Ji cha yat bou yuk mong waan fa sing gwong
A single step short from realizing those starry illusions

誰和誰存活愛　誰和誰埋沒愛
Seui wo seui chyun wut ngoi seui wo seui maai mut ngoi
Who will have love, who will have no love?

天堂在哪方
Tin tong joi na fong　
Which is paradise?

我怕就怕　失望
Ngo pa jau pa sat mong
I’m afraid only of disappointment

其餘一切也不枉
Kei yu yat chai ya bat wong
Nothing else really matter

所有代價　通通捨割　心血都流光
So yau doi ga tung tung se got sam hyut dou lau gwong
When all prices paid, all efforts gone

抹去害怕　撕掉稀罕
Maat heui hoi pa si diu hei hon
Erase the fear, stop the yearning

忘情才游到彼岸
Mong ching choi yau dou bei ngon
Forget floating feelings that cannot reach the shore

我命裏鑽不出因果
Ngo meng leui jyun bat cheut yan gwo
May the inner works of fate surpass with no consequences

真假如浮雲　天也在看
Jan ga yu fau wan tin ya joi hon
Let truths and lies drift on with clouds, for Heaven is still watching

最幸福的事...

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 23:28:00 -0700

最幸福的事 《護花危情》

就算雨傘破了身體濕透　沒法子
就算冷笑冷到不是味兒
就算我向世界飛奔千百里　又再輸
就算跌過百次　再尋下次

溫室無非逃避災或雨
心鎖從來沒有鎖匙
心弦若果　頻率很類似
相看像照鏡子　淚痕仍似詩

曾想像太好　歷太多失意
孤單的滋味　天知我知
太幸福的事也許要變卦幾次
方悟到珍惜的意思

失望太多　就試多一次
不捨的思念　不可竭止
最著緊的事已經錯過無限次
請讓我將心中句子　認真講你知

閉起門窗　誰願給耐性
心聲原來是最真誠
失眠日子　年月很動聽
天際倦到再黑　夜闌仍有星

曾失望太多　就試多一次
不捨的思念　不可竭止
最著緊的事已經錯過無限次
請讓我將心中句子　認真講你知

LostWinds is a game adapted for Apple touch devices and was...

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 17:28:39 -0600

LostWinds is a game adapted for Apple touch devices and was featured a while ago. I decided to give it a try since the icon is very cute and the description does sound appealing. The story is centered around our main character, Toku, after meeting a trapped wind spirit and his journey to restore peace. LostWinds is not an RPG, but it is a rather cute and engaging adventure story.

I really enjoyed the plot of LostWinds, the different flying mechanims, as well as the background sceneries and music. What I enjoyed most was having Toku fly on the water and make the water trickle over his head, glistening in the bright sunshine. Movements of the water, grass, trees, flowers, rocks, fire, and so on using the wind by simply swiping my finger made me feel like I was in control of something wordly. Althought it was somewhat frustrating to figure out where I was supposed to go next and to master the control functions, it was a lot of fun exploring the different hills and caves along with their mysteries. My attention was completely captured from beginning to end. But the story was too short and so, I don’t think this is a game I would play again and again.

朝花夕拾《我的如意狼君》...

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 17:05:00 -0700

朝花夕拾 《我的如意狼君》

傷透的芯花睜不開　灰的天等你回來
一天一天應不應該　思憶中聽你示愛

彷似朝花一息間開　凋萎一刻照夕來
漆黑的天一絲星光　悲傷中感到被愛

回頭期望見你在步近　如途人
我數百次轉身站在問
為何還望再見　為何還要等

回頭能望見你在步近　如行人
你我隔世可相聚沒恨
離離合合錯過　仍還要等

其後若相見　可認出聲線
情若是不變　愛沒完沒了

Jealousy, the Tyrant of the Mind

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 16:55:00 -0600

What state of life can be so blest,
As love that warms the gentle brest;
Two souls in one: the same desire
To grant the bliss, and to require?
If in this heaven a hell we find,
Tis all from thee
O Jealousie!
Thou tyrant, tyrant of the mind.

All other ills, though sharp they prove,
Serve to refine and perfect love:
In absence, or unkind disdaine,
Sweet hope relieves the lovers paine:
But, oh, no cure but death we find
To sett us free
From jealousie,
Thou tyrant, tyrant of the mind.

False in thy glass all objects are,
Some sett too near, and some too far;
Thou art the fire of endless night,
The fire that burns, and gives no light.
All torments of the damn’d we find
In only thee,
O Jealousie!
Thou tyrant, tyrant of the mind.

Dryden

In “JIN 2” (Episode 7) Jin: What can be called...

Sun, 21 Aug 2011 16:47:00 -0600

In “JIN 2” (Episode 7)

Jin: What can be called happiness in a life is when at long last, you grasp your dream. I wonder if even I won’t be granted that dream?

Saki: Nokaze-san’s dream has come true, has it not? It may be while Sensei is trying to change history for people of the future, history may be adding your life to those changes. However, if it could be said that your wish for a different future is for Nokaze-san and the people of this era to have strong wills, then this is no longer a history that needs to be changed. But just an ordinary history, is it not?

Jin: What do you mean?

Saki: Nokaze-san most likely knows… That Sensei comes from the future; that the person you desired may be one of her own descendants. That is why even at the risk of her life, she wants to give birth. Of course, you could also say she wishes for the child of her adored Lelong-san. However, it is not only for that. In the next world, does this not mean Nokaze-san will try and encounter Sensei once again? To go to the extent of crushing her wished-for dream, I would like to believe that Heaven is not so cruel.

Nokaze: Saki-sama!

Jin: There is a legend that says the person who catches the bride’s bouquet will be the next one to find happiness…

In “JIN 2” (Episode 6) After meeting up with...

Sun, 21 Aug 2011 14:28:00 -0600

In “JIN 2” (Episode 6)

After meeting up with Ryoma-san again and learning about his smuggling of weapons, Jin felt that something had changed; that Ryoma-san was no longer the lighthearted and carefree man Jin once knew. Ryoma-san’s words had a darkness to them that disturbed and disappointed Jin. In his confrontation with Ryoma-san, Jin reminded Ryoma-san that his ideal could be achieved in many other ways than war; that whichever side soldiers were on, they were still all people of this country; that “violence will only beget violence”. These words rang a bell in Ryoma-san’s heart, yet he left begrudgingly due to his prideful self.

Back at the Western medical school in Nagasaki, Tanaka-san (famous engineer and inventor) approached Jin to thank him for his time lecturing at the school. And the conversation brought hope and a hint of enlightenment to Jin.

Jin: You can make anything, can’t you?

Tanaka: Whatever I create, the reaction is the same.

Jin: The same?

Tanaka: When people see my mechanical doll, they burst into laughter. When my inexhaustible light shines, they burst into delight. Seeing those faces is all that’s taken to get me this far.

Jin: You’ve had a wonderful life, haven’t you? I’m envious.

Tanaka: My son and grandson were both killed…

Jin: Ki-killed?

Tanaka: My son was an engineer, who together with a Soga soldier went to Nagasaki to buy a warship. That soldier slashed both him and my grandson.

Jin: Why would he do that?

Tanaka: I don’t know. That soldier too, had studied abroad and was with the enlightenment faction, so their wills should have been the same. But one day, suddenly, it became like that.

Jin: How could such… Such a heartbreaking thing have happened?

Tanaka: In the whirlpool of this era, I think he became consumed by it.

Jin: The whirlpool of this era?

Tanaka: Today’s ally may be tomorrow’s enemy. And then it reverses. Inside it, as it spins around and around, you can become confused about the place you’re standing at. You can lose track of what it was you were aiming for.

Jin: My friend right now… Is caught up in that whirlpool. I wasn’t able to pull him out of it.

Tanaka: Both of you being swallowed up by the whirlpool would be senseless. Shouldn’t your friend become a signpost for what you shouldn’t become, Sensei? From within even the darkness of the whirlpool, you can become a blinding light so that they don’t lose sight of their destination. Sensei, you can be just like that inexhaustible light.

Lotus Moon

Sat, 20 Aug 2011 16:27:00 -0600

Poetry of Otagaki Rengetsu

Lotus Flower

If I, too, could somehow
Open the lotus blossom
Within my own heart
And color it pure white
How happy I would be…

Heart

Coming and going
Without beginning or end
Like ever changing
White clouds
The heart of things.

Incense Burner

A single line of
Fragrant smoke
From the incense stick
Trails off without a trace
One’s heart, as well?

Death Verse

How I hope to pass away
While gazing at a full moon
In a cloudless sky
That shines over lotus flowers
In full bloom.

In “JIN 2” (Episode 5) Jin: Brandishing around my...

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 01:02:00 -0600

In “JIN 2” (Episode 5)

Jin: Brandishing around my own feelings, I couldn’t properly diagnose the patient. I was caught up in trying to give them longer lives.

Saki: Is the purpose why Sensei was sent here not to just save the lives of individuals?

Jin: What do you mean?

Saki: Could it be you have a much bigger purpose that goes beyond the world of each individual’s life? Though I cannot say what it may be.

Jin: Beyond the world of life…

In their attempt to save Kichijuurou-san and resolve his relationship with Yokichi-chan, Jin found something more to life.

Jin: A momentarily longer life, yet it may even be he couldn’t have had a longer life. There is even the possibility his life was shortened by doing this. However, at this moment, there is meaning to life which can’t be told by its length. It could be said that allowing an individual to leave behind a shining moment is what makes medical care meaningful. Like a performance passed down through generations, that is what lies beyond the world of life. The power to make corrections to history, I too want to pass that down.

A Touch of Aesthetics

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 01:56:41 -0600

I like ancient costume dramas, particularly those of the wuxia and fantasy genres. No doubt I watch more of them than modern dramas. Personally, I find that they occasionally offer more than just narrative entertainment and thematic or moral value. An effort is put forth to add a touch of artistic, beautiful presentation to them that rarely exists in TVB modern dramas. This care for visual aesthetics is especially evident in Ghost Writer as far as setting and emphazising the mystical atmosphere or current events. It is the main element that kept me reeling with the show, and the image above is specifically what inspired me to think twice about the presentation of Ghost and ask what the crew and camera were perhaps seeking to do.

As with many TVB dramas, I can count the major locations with one hand and Ghost is no different. Leaving out the various mountains, rivers, and forests, notable places in Ghost are the Po’s home, the factory/shop, Ko’s home/restaurant, Ling Wu’s abode, and liaozhai. For the purpose of this post, I want to focus on the Ling Wu’s “Peach Blossom Grove” because it stands out the most to me.

I don’t know about you, but the first time Siu Tsui (Fala Chen) took Pu Song Ling (Steven Ma) to her home in episode 13, I was insanely mesmerized. Not that I haven’t seen a gorgeous setup before, but it’s because this place ignited a feeling of nostalgia. It reminded me of past TVB productions where the same little edifice can be an entirely different world. Now, I’m not sure if the crew went out of their way to build this new location. But they had apparently put a lot of energy into its design, decoration, and lighting.

The Ling Wu’s home lies inside a forest protected by magic, allowing for the innocent grandfather and child fox to exclude themselves from the fearful human world outside and beyond. In the beginning, “Peach Blossom Grove” was a place of calmness, meditation, and healing. It was a divine paradise. However, once the jealousy, greed, despairs, sorrows and many more emotions of mankind entered and filled this quiet paradise, “Peach Blossom Grove” became a sad, sad place where loved ones were separated, innocent beings were injured, and lives were lost. Through these occurrences ands the growth of our characters, “Peach Blossom Grove” witnessed everything, changing its ethereal cloudiness and shadows to match that which we (the audience) may be feeling.

When done well, the background aesthetics of a scene can enhance the mood, solidify the scene, and bring you into the imagined world. And sometimes, there is a lot more to what we see. Little things like flowers, food, candles, jewelries can have hidden messages or emphasize possible implications the producer desires be made.

I’m not saying that I’m okay with a plotless yet gorgeous show. If a show can use its “eye candies” to support the plot, then more power to it. As in the image above, it alone is not enough to explain what Pu Song Ling may be feeling or thinking. Without the context of the story, we wouldn’t know that Pu Song Ling is in a serene piece of mind because he had been through rougher times and thus, cherishes what he has now. It would also be difficult to understand that Pu Song Ling chose this way of life, this dark world along with the spirits and away from the humans, because he had been utterly wounded and despaired. It’s not that Pu Song Ling has given up on humanity, but he chose not to be a part of it. For him, peace and happiness reside in the dark and mythical rather than the colorful and chaotic world. Along this line, his emotions are supported by the scenery. The cloudiness and the moon contrasts with the darkness of his residence, perhaps indicating that Pu Song Ling is a man who deserted the world of man for his own paradise. Is Pu Song Ling living a reality? Or a dream?

In “JIN 2” (Episode 3) Jin asked Saki for a moment...

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 22:14:00 -0600

In “JIN 2” (Episode 3)

Jin asked Saki for a moment to speak with her. The two settled on the hilltop watching over the city of Edo, under the sky of an illuminating sunset.

Saki: You had an opportunity to return to the future?

Jin: When I was nearly killed… Well, it might have been just an illusion though. But, at the time, I… I thought that I didn’t want to go back. About not being able to see Miki anymore and not being able to see Saki-san anymore, I thought long and hard about that. Ah… Even if I feel I don’t want to return, it may be I could be returned someday. So I don’t know if I’m the sort of man who can ask you this, Saki-san, though could you and I be together?

Upon hearing such words, words that she had probably longed for since meeting him, Saki was confused.

Saki: It is a beautiful sunset, is it not? Such beauty, what makes it so?

While looking far into the distance, Saki remembered words that Nokaze-san had said to her earlier that day, “Sensei and thee… be happy. Please promise me.” The event and conversation with Nokaze-san had trembled Saki’s heart, and it trembled more so now that she was suddenly approached with what she had been longing for yet was unsure of, because she never thought it would be possible. A moment of silence passed between the two while Saki gathered her emotions. Slowly, Saki answered.

Saki: I decline. My happiness is not by being together with Sensei. My happiness is to bequeath Jinyu-do to the future ages. When I consider that Sensei would one day return to his world, it makes me feel miserable. When I ask my heart for the reason why, it is because when Sensei does return to the future, I would not be there… In that case, I feel it would be best if things were left as is. I… We… Every day we live here with Sensei may be fleeting.

Jin: I don’t know if I may go back.

Saki: No. You will surely return. The truth is, that is not the most important thing to me. Not knowing when you may disappear someday, I guess I do not have the courage to live a life like that. Having been only filial, I believe the least I can do is make my mother and brother happy by obediently finding a partner in marriage. Even so, I will be, as before… Sensei’s student and will do as much as I possibly can for you. From here on as well, please work with me! Well then, as I must prepare for dinner, I will go first…

Saki quickly rushed off, leaving Jin nothing more than her shadow, the setting sun, and time to reflect.

Jin: Saki-san is an adult, far more than I’ve always thought. But even if I was rejected, all of them were thinking for my happiness. Those feelings are not lies. In that case, the one thing I can do is live each moment with all of my might, and with my own will, I will change this era’s tomorrow.

Watched “Lie To Me” (Episode 16) A decent and...

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 02:04:00 -0600

Watched “Lie To Me” (Episode 16)

A decent and predictable ending for a poorly crafted romantic comedy. The beginning of the drama was a fun and laughable ride that eventually got tiring and irritating with repetitive scenarios and “gimmicks”. The main couple has a lot of chemistry and the acting was commendable, making certain moments in the drama lovable and memorable. But the love triangles were unnecessary and secondary characters became nothing more than plot devices. The last few episodes were scattered and seemed like the writer had no idea what to do but trial-and-error, except an airing drama is not really a trial! The attempt to insert as many scenes of the main couple near the end in order to save the drama didn’t make it complete. The resolution was convoluted and not sound. Happy yes, but not deep and understandable. Indeed, good acting cannot save poor writing. What a waste for great actors!

Life's Little Lines

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 17:30:00 -0600

"Nothing, ere they fade away,
The little lines of yesterday.”

LIFE’S ”little lines;” how short, how faint,
How fast they fade away;
Its highest hopes, its brightest joys,
Are compassed, in a day.

Youth’s bright, and mild, and morning light,
     Its sunshine, and its showers,
Its hopes and fears, its loves and tears,
     Its heedless, happy hours;
And manhood’s high and brightened noon,
     Its honours, dangers, cares,
The parents’ pains, the parents’ joys,
     The parents’ anxious prayers;
Fade in old age’s evening gray,
     The twilight of the mind;
Then sink, in death’s long, dreamless night,
     And leave no trace, behind.

Yet, though so changing, and so brief,
Our life’s eventful page,
It has its charms, for every grief,
Its joys, for every age.

In youth’s, in manhood’s, golden hours,
     Loves, friendships, strew the way
With April’s earliest, sweetest flowers,
     And all the bloom of May;
And when old age, with wintry hand,
     Has frosted o’er, the head,
Virtue’s fair fruits, survive the blast,
     When all beside, are fled;
And faith, with pure, unwavering eye,
     Can pierce the gathered gloom;
And smile upon the spoiler’s rage,
     And live, beyond the tomb.

Be ours, then, virtue’s deathless charm,
And faith’s untiring flight;
Then shall we rise, from death’s dark sleep,
To worlds of cloudless light.

Rev. George Washington Doane, D.D., LL.D.

Watched “Can’t Buy Me Love” (Episode 10) LOL....

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 13:09:00 -0600

Watched “Can’t Buy Me Love” (Episode 10)

LOL. So ridiculous and stupid and utter facepalm material that it’s funny. Everyone is so OTT and sometimes even OOC whenever they’re together. They also lack “heart” (not really trying to act or trying way too hard) that the few sweet moments are overshadowed. The clapping is annoying. The rapping is excessive and nonsensical. The gold is blinding. The comedy is… how to explain… not slapstick and not mindless or asinine… more like it’s tiresome and blatantly aggressive?

Despite the terrible plot devices and idiocy, I think the dialogue deserves some praise. The rhyming is a fun listen and the 4-character idioms are often clever. The references to and jabs at other shows like Beyond the Realm of Conscience, Rosy Business, and certain TVB cliches are certainly great.

Watched “Chinese Paladin 3” (Episodes...

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Watched “Chinese Paladin 3” (Episodes 32-37)

Finished. Glad I wasn’t spoiled beforehand about the most touching, gruesome death in the show and thus, cried buckets of tears. The character did not deserve to die! He was the most innocent, pure, loyal person in the entire show. If Jing Tian (Hu Ge) had to save anyone, it should have been him! I don’t know, maybe I’m just a really mean person, but Jing Tian shouldn’t have sacrificed most of his lifespan to save strangers’ lives without being able to save the family and friends he loves most. Sure, those background people running around are innocent but they aren’t worthy either. They only think about themselves during hardship and famine, and complain, blame, complain, blame. Let them die. (Okay, yeah. I’ll never become a saint.)

As for the ending between Jing Tian and Xue Jian (Yang Mi), it’s bittersweet. They’ll know to treasure their time together. But having caught the clip of the game’s Xue Jian ending, I prefer it. Then again, I didn’t really like the romance between Jing Tian & Xue Jian anyway. There wasn’t enough focus on them, especially when Xue Jian didn’t do anything significant. I mean, she wasn’t even a helping factor when Jing Tian was in his lowest emotional state. She faded into the background after her trip to Heaven and learning of her origin. I thought that was the best phase for her character, but the script failed to grow her character into a memorable one. Even at the end, she didn’t mature or become any more insightful and considerate. The writers really failed Yang Mi, who gave such an adorable performance that made it hard to dislike her character. However, Yang Mi did fantastic as Xi Yao, the total opposite of Xue Jian and my favorite character. Her chemistry with Hu Ge also worked magic!

Contrary to why I dislike the romance between Jing Tian & Xue Jian, Chang Qing (Wallace Huo) and Zi Xuan’s (Tang Yan) romantic story is way too draggy. They get together, misunderstanding occurs; angst, break up, make up, rehash. If not for the actors’ excellent portrayals, I would have screwed it and fast forward. However, I love their ending. The final break up scene is perfect and really sent the message that “sometimes, to love is to let go”.

I definitely like the friendship between Jing Tian and Chang Qing more than any of the romances in the show.

Overall, a fairly enjoyable fantasy-driven adventure with lots of (maybe a little too much) creativity. Great cinematography, decent CGI, above average action sequences, okay characters, awesome cast, and acceptable storyline. (Whoa. Almost wrote a review here. Sorry for rambling.)

Watched “When Lanes Merge” (Episodes 1-2) I picked...

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Watched “When Lanes Merge” (Episodes 1-2)

I picked up When Lanes Merge because the theme song by Ryan Lau caught my ears. Lame reason to rush head first into a TVB series, I know. But I don’t regret it because Lanes is great. The script is tight (with some exceptions I will attack another time). It’s not trailing at snail pace. And what do you know? There is realism. There is cause and effect! Not everything is about fate and destiny and coincidence and weak or indecisive people, and nothing passes by without consequences. Human action is purposeful and Lanes does a heartfelt job showing that. I think Lanes is a much, much improved version of A Journey Called Life (also written by Ga Wai Nam), by about 120 miles per hour, and it has nothing to do with the female cast.

Now, let’s talk about the best part of our first episode and the hook that’s holding my neck tight, pulling me toward future episodes to see how our father and son duo deal with the terrible crash that will haunt them forever …

I honestly can’t remember the last time I watched a TVB car accident. Nevertheless, they definitely went out of their way to make this car crash leave an impression. It was powerful. I knew it was coming. Turbo (Raymond Wong) was drunk and STILL drinking while speeding. I wanted so much to stop the inevitable. I wanted so much to slap the guy and wake him up. I kept shaking my head and fist at him. Then, I saw his neighbor Fat (Kwok Fung) on the sidewalk. I knew it was coming. Fat started to cross the road. Turbo approached the same intersection. Turbo noticed Fat and slammed on his brakes. It was coming! No, Turbo twirled his steering wheel and BAM! He smashed into another car and they both go flying upside down. It did come. The driver died. Turbo became a murderer.

While the accident was awesomely filmed, the aftermath was truly heartfelt. I think TVB will benefit from promoting Raymond Wong. No doubt he is not extremely popular but the guy has a well of acting talent, and his chemistry in Lanes with Kent Cheng is undeniable. The two of them really anchor the show. The emotions they displayed were raw. Raymond had a hint of regret in his eyes but the stubbornness of Turbo remained in his firm face. He clearly wanted to say that he was sorry and that he hated himself but those phrases were meaningless at that time. Kent had disappointment all over his face, wondering why Turbo didn’t listen to him or why he didn’t teach his son better. There was also a speckle of concern. Words were completely unnecessary, but I could feel that they were trying to reach one another and I wanted so much to help them rewind. (Possible in dramas but not real life, mind you.)

From there, their lives got worse and worse. I like how everyone involved don’t forget the accident and it just continues to pop back into their everyday interactions and relationships—not only that between Taxi Gor (Kent) and Turbo, but also between them and the neighbors. I could only ask, “How could you ever pay back for ruining someone’s life?” Seriously, how? You can’t, right? It’s impossible to revert an effect that has already been caused. You can only do your best to support the victims and assist them in moving on, but it’s not easy to stomach the blatantly, rightfully painful accusations. And no matter what you do, you will always be guilty.

Jail was not hard for Turbo. Life is.

Watched “Fly With Me” (Episode 2) Lives on Earth...

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Watched “Fly With Me” (Episode 2)

Lives on Earth have experienced some great yet inexplicable leaps forward during their billion years of evolution, as if there’s a master behind the curtains wanting to wake everyone up overnight and make a big, important leap forward in their lives. The evolution of species makes compromises in order to thrive with the environment. However, when men on Earth become less and less trustworthy, women must count on themselves. In the end, they become superhuman.

In my drama-devouring ventures, I seldom truly care about who produces, who writes, or who acts in a drama unless I find out there’s someone involved whom I must avoid at all costs. (In this case, I only really care about Ada Choi.) I might do a little research on the drama beforehand like reading the synopsis and watching the trailers, and if I then decide to watch that drama, I just do. And while I do, I don’t think about anything outside of the drama itself until something strikes at me that maybe I’m missing a little piece of information, a little necessary pre-warning.

Who the hell penned this drama? Don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t asking that in a negative way. Rather, it’s because I felt a sense of familiarity and nostalgia. And indeed, the pace of Fly With Me and how things begin to unravel are reminiscent of Chik Kei Yi‘s long-time partner Chow Yuk Ming, the writer of hit production War and Beauty as well as The Dance of Passion and The Gem of Life. The pace at whichFly is developing for me resembles the beginning of Dance and Gem quite a bit. They are all slow and require more patience than I probably have. However, Fly has a different, lighter tone and presents the modern life of our leading lady in a very bittersweet, quirky, touchy way while retaining the subtle thematic depth and dialogue that Chik and Chow exceed at. So keep that in mind when you watch Fly.

Like I said last episode, Yvonne lacks security and in this episode, I can see that she has an inferiority complex when it comes to her and other women. But when it comes to her and men, I’m not sure what her problem is. She’s picky, that’s for sure, and she’s foreign to love. However, more so than that, she’s disgusted by the men around her because her standards are too high. Or maybe she has an inferiority complex with men too, to the extent that she hides that weakness of her by telling them off. I’m not sure which it is but it will be an interesting embarkment to see if gaining the abilities to help others will allow her to have a little more “heart”. With the prediction that she will change, I’m curious as to what Chik and Chow are trying to do. Are they banking on how average modern women have the capacity for greater things? Or are they signifying that no matter what, women need men and vice versa? I’m very curious how Fly is going to play out and more so curious about how we will reach the ending and what kind of ending it will be. I’m sure though that Fly is more than just a bizarre comedy.

Watched “Fly With Me” (Episode 1) In this vast...

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Watched “Fly With Me” (Episode 1)

In this vast universe, there’s a planet inhabited by a funny kind of living organism. They have gone through the process of evolution for a long, long time. But their genes are still so active at all times. They are never satisfied with the environment that they have already adapted to. They are forever curious about the unknown future in their lives. They are so proud of themselves. They are in control of all the possibilities for the rare changes in lives. They are the female species of the human race … They are women.

HUMANS! “They are humans!” is what I thought throughout the entire narration, but they hit me with “They are women”?! I’m not sure if I should take that opening narration as a compliment to our kind or a sexist hint. Regardless, that is a really good attention-getter. I have this theory about how movies and dramas alike should be done in a similar fashion to books, personal statements, papers and presentations. Whether they are academic literature or visual entertainment, you NEED an attention-getter and for a 45-minute opening episode, the first 15 minutes are crucial. I intend to write more on this later, but you get my point in relation to Fly With Me. Great attention-getter! And it also gives the show a classic old-style sci-fi movie-like feel, which makes the lack of so-called necessary opening theme video/song perfectly fine.

For a first episode, I was not extremely impressed because as I said, it was mostly exposition. But the characterization is very good and the last half did pick up the pace, ending on a nice cliffhanger. The lighting crew could have done a better job though, because I can barely see Ada’s face when it’s that dark.

That said, I did like how they creatively showed Yvonne’s changes throughout the years in parallel with the quickly advancing cell phone models. It’s funny because as the cell phone expands in functionality and improves, Yvonne is “sinking” and slowly falling apart. It’s a practical illustration of how the world/society/time waits for no one.

I think Fly has potential for magnificent character development, especially when it’s centered around one and only one character–the abnormality for recent TVB series. I hope the 3 male characters will be as fun.

A Chip Off the Old Block (TVB, 2010)

Sat, 17 Apr 2010 02:02:00 -0600

The theme of “understanding between parent and child” is what makes A Chip Off the Old Block emotionally and perhaps educationally good. It’s important to realize that just as your experiences shaped you into who you are today, the same goes for your parents. You definitely don’t know their whole story and sometimes, there are things they keep hidden for your benefit. (I realize this is a generalization but I believe it applies to most parents.)

Whether the writers of Chip intended to portray this struggle toward understanding between parent and child or not, I don’t know. But the theme wasn’t fully explored anyway. There were also various loopholes in the plot, which I assume is because there were 5 writers putting together this story. Still, with the addition of some layered main characters, a neighborhood of whackos, and nice comedy flare, I would say Chip is a slightly better than average show with a subtle tinge of depth.

Story

In present day Hong Kong lives a man Chor Chi who correlates success only with money, even if his profession of promoting harmful substances such as tobacco could hurt others. His father Chor Fan (Sunny Chan) is extremely against this and continuously nags Chi about it. The father and son both refuse to bend their beliefs. The gist of what happens next is that Chor Chi accidentally gets sent back in time, approximately 40 years ago, and becomes “brothers” with his dad as he mingles with the neighbors there and discovers what experiences had made his dad become such a stubborn, conservative old man. Chi also uses this chance to find out his mother’s identity, a subject his dad always avoided.

What I really like is how the story unfolded, mostly from Chi’s perspective. You are put into Chi’s shoes right from the beginning because like him, you know practically nothing about the other characters. As he learns about them, you are allowed the chance to peel off their surfaces and grab at the reasons for their actions. At the same time, you’ll also watch them influence Chi, even though he doesn’t know or admit it. And for once, a TVB series didn’t lose focus while having a lot of characters. Chip is very character-driven but that’s precisely what gave it a boost. The characters complement one another. For example, Chor Fan is generous and gullible while Fung Nei (Myolie Wu) is greedy and sly and their individual principles might be annoyingly farfetched, but they are fun to watch when together. The characters and their antics are what created the story, the twists, the irony, and the crazy laugh-out-loud occurrences.

I had a good laugh at the ending. But no, I don’t think there is not going to be a sequel. Chip left no room for a continuation so a sequel would be complete nonsense. What would there be to see? Chor Fan and Chor Chi in the future? Please, no. You may argue that they need to find Chi’s mother. I would argue that one, she is not Fung Nei, and two, who she is doesn’t matter at all.

Performances

Sunny Chan as Chor Fan

"All for one and one for all." That is the motto Ah Fan stands by and for a good reason. He’s not trying to be a hero nor a saint. People take advantage of him and he knows it, but doesn’t care. He believes that by giving, he’ll eventually receive and he’s giving because he had received. If he wasn’t saved/adopted by Ko Shan Chuen (John Chiang), Ah Fan wouldn’t have anything, not even a life. What then does he have to lose? Well, his kindness can get on your nerves because you just want to slap him and yell, “Not everyone is like you, dork!” which Chi kind of did. Nevertheless, Ah Fan is a very likeable character and I suppose I must applaud Sunny for that. I haven’t much else to say as far as his acting because I can only remember Ah Fan, not Sunny, which must mean Sunny did a fantastic job.

Ron Ng as Chor Chi

Chor Chi is the type of person I generally cannot tolerate. He thinks he’s smarter than everyone else, always right, always justified to be the ambitious, rebellious, greedy person he is. Put him next to Ah Fan and you’ll have no problem distinguishing dark and light, but Chi is not evil. He’s just selfish and skeptical of others. He’s a survivor and remains a survivor. That is actually what made the characterization so great. Every character remained consistent and didn’t convert 180 degrees even when they do realize their flaws and change for the better. Ah Fan became less gullible but still generous and forgiving. Chi became less selfish but still smart and skeptical.

But anyway, I’m supposed to be talking about Ron and his Chor Chi. I have seen many of Ron’s series but honestly, I barely remember how he portrayed any of his roles. We can blame his poor acting, blank expressions, boring characters, whatever, but whatever it was, he’s found a cure. I think he has finally recognized his acting style, learned how to get himself into character, and be comfortable as his character. Nevertheless, Ron’s portrayal of Chor Chi is in no way phenomenal. He was often overshadowed in his scenes with Sunny, Myolie, and the veterans. But it’s definitely a good “re-start” and I hope he’ll improve from there.

Myolie Wu as So Fung Nei

Are you looking for Myolie in a role where she can stretch as much as she wants and truly display her abilities? Search no more. This is it. Fung Nei is a scandalous swindler you’ll love to hate but can’t hate because she cons rich, lustful men. And which rich, lustful man doesn’t deserve getting his money taken when the money can be used to save 3 lives, right? At some point, Fung Nei could have stopped being a swindler but tricking people just became a habit and it’s funny to watch her eventually catching herself in the act.

Fung Nei is surely a breakthrough role for Myolie, who seriously went all out in her portrayal. From her mannerism to her tone, everything exerted the aura of a cunning, sneaky little swindler who wants nothing but the smell of cash. I absolutely loved watching her in-your-face sassy, queenly reactions whenever Fung Nei gets busted. Unfortunately, Chip did not get very much buzz so Myolie will have to try and deliver the awesomeness again for further recognition from a larger audience.

Shirley Yeung as Ching Lan Fun

I don’t really have anything nice to say about Ah Fun or Shirley. One is an altogether dry character with some jealousy issues that got boring and irritating really fast, and the other is a rather dull actress whose acting simply has not improved to save her life. (Save me your defenses and tomatoes. I only saw 2 episodes of The Brink of Law and don’t care to see more.) Ah Fun was fine as a background character, but when the spotlight shone on her, well; her actress couldn’t pull it off. Shirley needs to understand that not all “cute” characters are “cute” in the same over-the-top jumpy way and not all “cute” characters try extra hard to be “cute”.

Overall Enjoyment

Having expected Chip to be a comedy, it did meet the bar, mostly thanks to the well-written characters and witty dialogue as well as good acting. As I’ve said, Chip circles around its characters, not so much its plot. The only theme I picked up is the importance in understanding between parent and child, which generally depends on characters’ interactions and exposition rather than a plot. However, the theme wasn’t fully explored or made to be emotionally touching because the writers had more fun throwing other characters’ problems into the mix, leaving Chip to be the comedy it was designed to be. The twists near the end, then, were merely devices to give the “story” a conclusion albeit being quite clever.

For the most part, Chip is enjoyable if you don’t think too much and I would recommend it if you don’t have anything better to do for 21 hours. But actually, if you do pick it up, I do NOT recommend watching Chip in one sitting because you might get tired of the comedy really fast and the flaws will glare at you.

5/10

EPISODE 1 婚前爱情是神话 Before marriage, love is a...

Sat, 03 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0600

EPISODE 1

婚前爱情是神话
Before marriage, love is a fairytale.
婚后爱情是笑话
After marriage, love is a joke!

EPISODE 2

婚前情话绵绵
Before marriage, it’s always whispers of love.
婚后谎话连天
After marriage, it’s lies after lies.

EPISODE 3

男人没有钱老婆要兼秘书
When a man is poor, his wife is also his secretary.
男人发了财秘书要兼老婆
When a man gets rich, his secretary becomes his wife.

EPISODE 4

婚前一见面就嘴嘴
Before marriage, it’s pecks and kisses.
婚后一见面就吵嘴
After marriage, it’s fits and hisses.

EPISODE 5

男人有钱就想娶老婆
When a man is poor, he wants to marry his wife.
男人发达就想找情人
When a man gets rich, he wants to find a mistress.

EPISODE 6

婚前一切都是浪漫
Before marriage, everything is romantic.
婚后一切都是浪费
After marriage, everything is a waste of time.

EPISODE 7

婚前男人好幽默
Before marriage, the man is humorous.
婚后男人好沉默
After marriage, the man prefers silence.

EPISODE 8

婚前男人餐厅等女人
Before marriage, the man waits for his woman at the restaurant.
婚后女人客厅等男人
After marriage, the woman waits for her man in the living room.

EPISODE 9

女人最会撒娇
Women are great at making eyes.
男人最会撒谎
Men are great at making up lies.

EPISODE 10

婚前男人对女人嗲声嗲气
Before marriage, the man woos and coos.
婚后男人对女人粗声粗气
After marriage, the man hums and haws.

EPISODE 11

婚前男人肯俾空白支票
Before marriage, the man is willing to write a blank check.
婚后男人就俾空头支票
After marriage, the man will only write a bounced check.

EPISODE 12

婚前男人日日缠住女人
Before marriage, the man clings onto his woman everyday.
婚前女人日日盯住男人
After marriage, the woman has to keep an eye on her man everyday.

EPISODE 13

婚前讲大话都是情话
Before marriage, lies are honeyed words.
婚前讲情话也变废话
After marriage, honeyed words are a load of rubbish.

EPISODE 14

婚前黏紧一D
Before marriage, a couple can’t be close enough.
婚后滚远一D
After marriage, a couple can’t be distant enough.

EPISODE 15

男人爱上女人o既时候会做诗
Love turns a man into a poet.
女人爱上男人o既时候会做梦
Love turns a woman into a dreamer.

EPISODE 16

拍拖时相约要再结良缘
Before marriage, it is predestination.
结婚后怀疑系前世孽缘
After marriage, it is a fatal attraction.

EPISODE 17

婚前冇o野温o野讲
Before marriage, a couple can talk till they drop.
婚后有o野都不讲
After marriage, a couple would rather drop than talk.

EPISODE 18

女人对男人朝思暮想
The mind of a woman only contains her man.
男人对女人朝秦暮楚
The mind of a man only contains other women.

EPISODE 19

女人靓既就唔识煮饭
A man who makes a mark on his career is not romantic, but a man who is romantic is unreliable.
识煮饭既又唔识温柔
A woman who is beautiful can’t cook, but a woman who can cook is not gentle.

EPISODE 20

女人做情人时会让男人心痛
Before marriage, a woman gives a man heartaches.
女人做老婆时会让男人头痛
After marriage, a woman gives a man headaches.