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Flash Movie Review: Didi
I DO NOT KNOW WHEN IT actually changed, but I quickly realized some of the games and toys I liked, no one else did. It was like one day my friends and I were playing a game of tag, and the next day it became a game for little kids. My world was quickly changing; certain things and activities once “cool” were no longer “cool” anymore. There was the year everyone I knew in school was wearing puka bead necklaces. There were a few students who would make and sell them to the other students. I had three different ones that I would wear, depending on what shirt I wore that day. All of us thought we were trendsetters. However, the following school year if you were caught wearing those necklaces, it was more than likely someone would make a snide comment about it. Just like that it had fallen out of favor. What replaced the necklaces with being the hot item for the year was a particular new brand of blue jeans. Many students could be seen throughout the school hallways wearing these jeans; all except me because they did not come in my size. I was devastated; I desperately wanted to up my “cool factor” and my weight was holding me back. IT WAS DURING THIS TIME WHEN I noticed my body was starting to change, as were most of the kids around me. My skin started breaking out with acne and I started growing facial hair. I had no idea that being one of the first boys to have this growth would be considered “cool.” It did not last long as many of my friends started appearing with shadow stubbles around their jawline. I worked extra hard to lose weight to make up for the feelings of dread whenever I saw my acne covered face in the mirror. It was such an awkward time and all of us were about to move on to high school, where there would be a much larger student body. My freshman year had a rough start. With my beard growing heavier and thicker, I was prone to getting multiple ingrown hairs that would get infected. I had to start going to a dermatologist that had to use a device that would leave me with scabs around my neck. Add in the acne, and heavy weight; my self-worth was down in the dumpster. Friends were expanding their circle or friends, boys and girls were dating, and a pecking order was developing within the first-year class. One had to be careful about the way they dressed, talked, and moved throughout the school. It was such an awkward period which should explain why I appreciated this movie so much. IT IS THE SUMMER BEFORE THE new school year starts and a 13-year-old Asian boy is trying to find a way to fit in with the kids in the neighborhood. With Izaac Wang (Good Boys, Clifford the Big Red Dog) as Chris Wang, Joan Chen (Sleep Without a Shepherd, Marco Polo-TV) as Chungsing Wang, Shirley Chen (Beast Beast, Wake Up) as Vivian Wang, newcomer Zhang Li Hua as Nai Nai, and newcomer Raul Dial as Fahad; this film took a well-covered genre and made it something special. First off, I thought the acting was superb from the main cast, especially Joan and Izaac. I felt the actors were completely lost in their characters; they were so believable. There was no need to over explain situations or turn them into a form of basement humor. The script and directing blended in a clean and uncomplicated way, allowing the actions to tell the story. I feel a good portion of the viewers will be able to relate to this story, minus the insecurities or fears they might have had when they were at that age. Multiple scenes had Chinese spoken with English subtitles.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Tigertail
I HAD KNOWN HER FOR A LONG time; yet I was still surprised when she told me the reason why she was going to college. Up until that time she did okay in school, nothing above average though. When she told me she wanted to attend college, I had asked her why and she told me she wanted to find a husband. To hide my shock I used my humor by asking her if it would be cheaper to sign up for a dating service. I had to appreciate her honesty, but the idea that college would be the place to find a mate sounded farfetched; there was no guarantee she would find on campus someone to marry. Yet, she was determined and sure enough in her junior year, she met a senior student and fell in love with him. They dated for a year before deciding to get married. During that period, I met him a couple of times when they would drive back home for a weekend visit. He seemed nice, but he had what I refer to as a salesperson’s personality. No disrespect to the people in that profession, but he had a list of catch phrases he depended on when participating in a conversation. Also, he never offered an opinion that was different from the person he was interacting with in a conversation. I did not detect much sincerity behind his statements as a result. THE TWO GOT MARRIED A COUPLE of months after his college graduation. They settled into married life and seemed to be happy. I would see them from time to time and as far as I could tell they seemed fine. There was one thing I noticed however. When they were together, she seemed to talk less. I could not put my finger on it, but it seemed as if he was always the one to make any type of decisions. He never lost the catch phrases, but his delivery of them seemed to have an edge to them now. This continued for a couple of years before my friend started to show up to events without him. At first, she offered excuses for his absences; but it was not too long before she finally confessed she was unhappy and filing for a divorce. I offered support and told her if she needed to talk I was available anytime. She never took my up on the offer and I did not push the subject. Though, one time she did share with me she regretted her years focused on finding a husband because they blinded her to her husband’s faults. I wondered if she could leave her regrets behind to move forward. This was the same thought I had for the main character in this dramatic film. YOUNG GROVER’S, PLAYED BY HONG-CHI Lee (City of Rock, Baby) dream was to move to the United States. Moving there meant leaving the ones he loved behind; a decision that would come with regrets. With Tzi Ma (Arrival, The Ladykillers) as Grover, Christine Ko (Hawaii Five-O-TV, Dave-TV) as Angela, Fiona Fu (Power Rangers, Blood and Water) as Zhenzhen and Joan Chen (Love in Disguise, Judge Dredd) as Yuan; this multigenerational film had an authentic, touching story that was easy to follow. With the beautiful filming, I was thoroughly involved with the story. The acting was well done, as the story would shift between Taiwan and the United States. I did not feel as if the script was trying to manipulate me; each pause in the dialog allowed the actors to express true emotion in my opinion. The story has a certain universal appeal that I think many viewers will connect to and appreciate. I have always said for every action there is a reaction. When it comes to affairs of the heart one can only hope for the best by striving towards a goal. Several scenes were spoken in Chinese with English subtitles.
3 stars
moviejoltz 