Movies...

Well, whenever I do a long haul, I'm bound to watch some movies despite my innate ability to fall asleep on flights.

Flash Point (导火线): Watched this with my dad the night before I flew to the US. Always nice to see some old school fight scenes from Hong Kong. Donny Yan does another incredible (though the same) job in creating these amazing choreographed fights with his various opponents. He really reminds me of Jet Li, but without a cute side. Director Ip Wai Shun leaves a good impression on me again. I've seen his name a few times in movies and have always liked his work on blending tradtional Hong Kong kung fu with all sorts of other fighting arts - in this case, it was a lot of Mongolian wrestling and some Thai boxing. Highly recommended for the fight scenes. Don't expect a story line.

Quantum of Solace: um... yeah... it was on the flight TV. I miss the old Bond... who just womanized every girl he came across and had cool gadgets. This one falls in love and has a conscious. HE IS A SPY! SPIES USE PEOPLE AND DON'T HAVE A HEART. Get over it and stop trying to make him into a person who cares about all his assets. And please bring back Q. I miss Q. Not recommended.

Frost / Nixon: Even if you aren't familiar with American history, this is a very worthwhile movie. I know what happened... but the circumstances around Watergate has never been clearly explained to me... and this movie wouldn't do that honors either. Anyway, this is a movie about two men fighting for their lives. On one hand you have the president who knows he is doomed but wishes the interview was his chance at redemption and resurrection. On the other hand you have a playboy who slowly realizes that he is stepping into the largest quick sand pool and is losing everything around himself. A classic duel. Plus you can see the Kevin Bacon "I'm trying very hard to look serious" face. Highly recommended.

Departures: I reviewed it last time and thought it was a good movie but not Oscar worthy. I stand by that verdict. I did want to revisit and discuss one topic: death. Why is it that people are able to forgive others when they are dead? When they are alive, all these anger and conflict are never resolved. And once one dies, poof, all is forgotten and forgiven. Is it in OTHER PEOPLE'S death we realize our own insignificance? Can we not realize that earlier? Can we not forget and forgive earlier? Why is that so difficult?