I have not yet seen Memoirs of a Geisha, but after reading the response to the controversy, I feel the need to include another side. Of course, actors and artists seek to convey ideas and personas that are not their own. However, there is also something to be said about the importance of relating to the material. An actor who is not associated with the culture should do some intense research to attempt to understand the character whom they portray. In addition, there is a history of discrimination in Hollywood. Certainly, racial minorities would hope that movies depicting divergent cultures would be an opportunity for racial minorities to have a chance at more prominent roles. I certainly would not promote hiring an unqualified actor for a job, but I think efforts should be made to find an actor of the matching ethnicity to portray the character.
I also have not seen Memoir's. But I have read about the controversy and I think that it is extreme. At what point does it become racist to discriminate against actors because they are not a particular race. I think that the true heart of acting, is found deep inside a persons ability not in their race. I also think that those critical of the non-Japanese actors would have had lent more credence to their argument if they had waited until they could judge the finished product rather than basing their argument only on the race of the actors cast and not the performance.
Stop me if someone's made this point before, but I think we should be careful about throwing labels like "racist" around.
Chow Yun-Fat is a FANtastic actor, subtle and nuanced and deeply emotional. But you wouldn't cast him to play Thomas Jefferson, right? But we (and by we, I mean American mainstream audiences, among whom I don't count myself) will willingly accept Chinese actors playing Japanese characters and vice versa, Mexican actors playing Native Americans, Italians playing Mexicans, and Kevin Kline playing Frenchmen.
You're right, we should always see the finished product before judging. But there are six billion people on the planet, so before even starting the product, we should look for a talented actor of the race in question. Or else not consider it at all.
I saw Geisha as well and enjoyed the movie. It did give you a bit of a feel of the times...children sold as a result of parents in poverty etc... Since so many people have already talked about Geisha, I chose to view another movie: Iron Monkey. This one was fun--not nearly so much controversy (as far as I know)although it was dubbed in English, and I think Quintin Terrintino had something to do w/ it? I viewed the 1993 version by director Woo Ping Yuen. It was nominated for awards @ the Hong Kong Film Festival. I very much enjoyed it. It was a fun "swashbuckler". A type of Robinhood character, a doctor ,played by Rong guang Yu(who was really the legendary, beloved, "Iron Monkey"), who stole from corrupt officials and gave to the poor. Donnie Yen also played a great part as did the young boy who played his son. I've never been much for "fight" movies, but this one kept your attention--great fight scenes reminicent of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"(or perhaps the other way around?). It reminded me of the Old Hollywood movies I like so much: a little corny, but w/ "All The Right Stuff".
I just recently saw Brokeback Mountain, which is directed by Ang Lee. I must admit while the cinematography and acting were well done, overall the story was just mediocre. I will be disappointed when the film wins Best Picture (which I believe it will, only because there isn't any other film BETTER).
While I was perusing the posts I noticed someone talking about the film "The Wedding Banquet" which is also a movie directed by Ang Lee about a gay couple hiding their relationship.
In this movie there is a Caucasian man and a Chinese man in a serious, monogamous, relationship. Because the Chinese man believes his father to be very "traditional Chinese", he hides his relationship from his father. His father is coming to visit from China and he invites a woman friend to pretend to be his wife. The woman is more than happy to oblige because she has a crush on the man. The father while visiting finds out his son got married without having the traditional "Wedding Banquet" and insists on having one for the loving couple.
This film is hilarious as we see the son try desperately to cover up one lie with an even bigger lie, only to have the banquet and his bride blow up and become a huge fiasco.
But it is also poignant and sad, as we see the Caucasian boyfriend try desperately to go along with his partner's plans so that he can make his father happy. The struggle the Chinese man has with being gay, being Chinese, trying to do the right thing is very touching.
I cried at the final scene in this film, I did not feel any of these emotions during Brokeback. It was a very touching film about interracial couples, Father/Son relationships, and Chinese values and traditions. I highly recommend it.
I watched the second part of this three part, six hour documentary, PBS documentary. This documentary uses old film footage and interviews with those that lived though the last 100 years of China’s history. Part two of this documentary deals with the time from the Communist Revolution to Mao’s death in 1976.
This is a really watchable documentary and very appropriate for high school students. I think that it will hold students interest because the interviews are very interesting and because the history is still so recent it is all first person accounts.
There are interviews with former members of the Red Guard and also Communist Party Leaders. The Party Leader interview that was the most moving told of the hardships of his commune during the Great Leap Forward. While telling his story filled with so much sorrow and death he breaks down crying.
Another compelling interview is with a former member of the Red Guard. She tells the story of a day when she was supposed to go to the house of a fellow Red Guard members grandfather, he was a successful factory owner or landlord (I can’t remember which). She was told that they were going to go to harass this man for being a counter-revolutionary. She got to the house late and when she did she found that the man had been beaten to death. She closes the story be saying that she thinks of that event often, not because it was so horrible but because she wonders what would have happened if she had been on time. She says she does not know if she would have taken part in the beating. It is obvious that this question tortures her and I think that watching this interview would provide students with an interesting starting point for a class discussion on political propaganda.
I have been watching PBS too. There have been several shows, the last one I saw was about the 1st Emperor. I couldn't stop watching. The information I got was fantastic; I think I read about the Emperor going mad, but I didn't know about the mercury he was taking in solid form to increase his life span. Very interesting stuff.
I, too, have used portions of the film, "The Little Buddha" with my 6th grade students as we learn the story of Siddhartha Gautama. Seeing a visual of the story is always a plus for many studnets, since they are so keyed into getting information in that way. I tell students they can check out the film and watch the whole thing for extra credit. It does give them an introduction to Buddhist concepts.
After finishing the memoir, Wild Swans, I asked Clay if he could recommend any good films that span the tumultuous last century of Chinese life and history. He recommended "To Live". Wow! It touches on the heartbreak, paranoia, and determination of the Chinese people to live on despite the ever-changing dictates of those in power. The story follows China's history from the war between the Nationalists and the Communists through the Mao years including the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, and the anarchy of the Red Guards. The movie lets us see it all through the lives of one couple, who are upper-class, educated Chinese at the beginning of the movie, but they lose all their possessions and status through the husband's addiction to gambling. It was a blessing in disguise, for under Communist China all who owned property or were part of the old ruling-class were bitterly denounced, jailed, or killed. They struggle through the ensuing years, as the movie shows how political policy affected almost every aspect of life. I think this movie would be a wonderful educational opportunity for high school students learning about recent Chinese history. The Director, Zhang Yimou, also directed the beautiful "Raise the REd Lantern" and Gong Li starred in both movies.
I have been using the movie "Little Buddha" with Keanu Reeves and Bridget Fonda to teach some of Buddhism's ideas to my students. My students are 6th graders. I am not an expert in Buddhism, so though I think the film is good for the students, I would love to see what others who know more about Buddhism think of the movie as a teaching tool. Please let me know your opinions and why you have them. Thanks!
I just recently showed Little Buddha to my sixth graders as well. I too would like to know what a Buddhist thinks and how accuratley things are portrayed in the film.My students were really involved watching the film. In addition we did a lot of reading about Buddhism and comparedt it to Christianity and Judaism. I think the film coupled with the reading and discussion gave the kids a much clearer view of the lives of Buddhist monks. They had a visual image of India. They learned about some of the beliefs of Buddhism. I think it was a good use of time. Our discussions of Buddhism have been quite rich and thoughtful.
After reading two reviews of "Memoirs" in Asia Pacific Arts it made me aware of just how much controversy there is over the film.I read the book and saw the movie. I loved the book and was drawn into the story and the characters. I read the book about 5 years ago. I thought I would be disappointed by the movie. I watched it much less critically than the movie reviewers in Asia Pacific Arts. The controversy over who should have the starring roles was interesting to me. Why was a Chinese woman asked to play a Japanese geisha.
The articles helped me understand the contorversy a little better. There are so many past interactions political and social that drive the discussion of the film. The more I learn about China and Japan I can appreciate the differening opinions of the film and who should have been awarded the leading roles. From a novices point of view it would just be the story, the cinematography, the music, the costumes I might have thought about as I watched and evaluated the film. Now with more knowledge of Asian history I begin to question historical accuracy. Reading the articles in Asia Pacific Arts made me question if I should have enjoyed the film or if I was just culturally illiterate.
My awareness has been raised but as far as entertainment, I have to say I did enjoy the book and the film version kept me entertained and engaged. I did come home after I saw it however and look up geisha on google because I wanted to know more about their history. So the more knowledge you have the more critical you become. Becomiing more culturally aware is a good thing. The seminars, studying, reading, and sharing is "all good." There is so much to learn!
I haven't seen "Little Buddha" for a while, but liked it when I did. I find it very instructional, its use of the stories of Buddha. From my studies of Buddhism, thesub-plot stories are pretty in-line. I originally thought just those sections (the sub-plot, I guess) would be used in the classroom to teach Buddhism, as they are the most direct link to Buddhist ideas. However, the main plot may also be interesting to 6th graders. I actually met a reincarnated Tibetan Buddhist in 4th grade form the other year. I went to see the Mandala at LACMA and sat next to this woman from Santa Barbara who told me all about how her son was the reincarnated spirit of the teacher of the monks whom I was watching perform this ceremony. He had been "found" just a year previously. His older brother was allegedly his spiritual protector. It was intriguing to meet this Caucasian woman from California and hear all about their family experience and how her son was going to fulfill an ancient prediction that would link both the Tibetan Buddhists and one of the native American tribes. It was quite an experience. Anyway, I share this to say that the movie is not as farfetched as I originally thought it was.
Haven't read the book (my wife has and loved it) nor seen the movie but probably will (refer back to wife liking book), but I found an interesting note in US News & World Report from last week. Apparently the movie has been banned in China. The stated concern was that the Chinese born female lead playing a Geisha would be controversial due to the Japanese practice in WWII of "Comfort Women". Not the first thing that popped into my mind when I saw the trailer but who knows?
Just wanted to offer my two cents on the film The Seven Samurai: it was a bit disappointing for me. I guess that I don't have the patience for it; it was too long for me. However, I'm sure clips can be used from it in the classroom to show what the samurais stood for: there are many Eastern values presented here--the group over the individual; the importance of teamwork; doing what is right rather than doing something for money or fame. The samurais protect a village from bandits just so the farmers will survive (and for three square meals a day). Not much of a salary!
let me defend one of my favorite movies. the most important part of this movie for me is that the dialectic between the samurai and farmers is shown. most period pieces have heroic, romantic samurai and rarely show them having a negative effect on the farmers they control and oppress. The farmers too are shown in a fair and hardly romantic light. they are greedy and petty at times. but the order that the samurai are supposed to have given the country is absent and the farmers reap no benefits from supporting them with rice tax. there's another film with nakadai tatsuya (is it sword of doom or hara-kiri?) where he says something along the lines that the samurai are just a bunch of murderers. the truth lies somewhere in between but like one poster on this site said about last samurai, the rights and culture of the samurai were not open to all.
Ong Bak Thai warrior is a film I enjoyed and it shows the deep devotion that Thais have for the Buddha image. It's packed with action and has a lot of good fighting scenes. If you're looking to be entertained by run ins with the mob, gangs, and drug lords I'm sure you'll enjoy this action packed story of a country boy overcoming great obstacles trying to get his Buddha back.
Hi Folks, Please remember to put the title(s) of the film you are discussing in the subject line of your post. It's a clunky process (sorry, about that), but not difficult. If you are replying to a post with the title in the subject line, it's no problem. But if you are discussing a different film, please delete the RE:film festival (or whatever) subject and drop in your own. This helps folks scanning the forum for particular titles and also makes the forum's search engine feature work a bit better.
This program first aired a couple of weeks ago. It will be broadcast again on March 4. At the time of the first broadcast, Discovery's website didn't have many supporting features. Now it does. Head over to http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/firstemperor/firstemperor.html. The site has pages devoted to "how would you rule China?" and other questions, plus video clips and more.
If any of you have already seen the documentary (featuring reenactments), please let us know what you think of it.
I watched the Disney movie Mulan and had such a different take on it than I did the first time I saw the movie. I felt so aware and perceptive to all of the symbolism in the Chinese culture. The first time I saw it was for entertainment while babysitting, but this time, I saw more purpose and value in it. Although, I must say, the dragon (Eddie Murphy) was a little much for me. He kind of ruined some of the significance and took the plot to a whole different level. I definitely think this could be used as a supplemental teaching resource in the classroom. I took particular notice to the treatment of women. Mulan’s father constantly talked of her as just a bride and making sure she bring honor to “our” soul. She was to be ready to please her in-laws with sense of dignity, poise, and respect. This is the same image of women that we have been reading about. In order to be honorable, she was to sing, study poetry, recite rules, and show a sense of balance. When Mulan’s identity was revealed, the other male warriors said, “She is a woman. She will never be worth anything.” Another thing I noticed in Mulan was that women were to hold their tongues in the presence of a man. I think this would be a great way to introduce the way women were treated and the oppression that still remains. I could tie this in with Ban Zhao’s Lessons for Women and compare the Western treatment of women. The kids would be fascinated, I think.
I recently watched Disney’s movie, Mulan. The movie portrays aspects of Chinese culture seen through a Western view. This movie portrays a young Chinese girl growing up in a traditional Chinese society. There is a focus on young women to have proper manners and act graceful around others. There is an emphasis on upholding family honor. It also portrays a society that women are judged on by their appearance, their ability to recite rules and traditions of culture. Women are expected to pour tea to future in-laws in a manner that portrays a sense of poise and silence. The women are not supposed to speak unless permission is granted to them. These traditions and customs are apparent at the beginning of the movie. Mulan becomes frustrated with her role in society. She feels inadequate to meets the needs of society. She is struggling with the ideas of becoming a Chinese woman who would be worthy of marriage. She feels that she needs to her find her own way. As Mulan struggles to adjust to this, her father tells her the most important lesson. He tells Mulan a story about a flower having difficulty blooming but, says when it blooms it will be the most beautiful of all. In second grade we focus on family and people who make a difference. The students are able to explore family history over time throughout the year. Students have to compare and contrast their daily lives with those of their parents and grandparents. It would be interesting for the students to additionally explore differences between the American girl verse a Chinese girl growing up in today’s society. It would also be interesting to explore the importance of individual action and character with students. Mulan was portrayed as a hero in the movie. It would be interesting to research additional heroes that have influenced the history of China. Students could compare and contrast traits from American and Chinese heroes
Well, I finally watched Hero. I got it at the same time I got Iron Monkey (similar style in the fighting scenes). It must have slid under the car seat--I just found it--it was due back several weeks ago! I did enjoy the movie, especially the visual effects/photograpy. Jet Li was the lead actor, but there were a number of "co-leads" that were also very good (I think the servant girl was also in Geisha?). It was an interesting "take", the way the movie went through different "scenarios" of the way things "could have taken place", before reveiling how they really transpired. Lots of themes/ symbolism/traditional-cultural ideals--this would be a treasure-trove for an English writing assignment. I enjoy watching these movies myself, but I need to find more modern-day themes for my High School history class. Does anyone have any good suggestions for movies WW1 and after that are appropriate for the classroom?
I showed Mulan to my students after we studied China and they were able to see those patterns of women's role and ancestor worship as well. In the 6th grade curriculum, we study Emperor Qin, so my students were puzzled by the Emperor figure in the movie. The villain says that the emperor "invited me here when he built this wall" which would mean Emperor Qin. However, Qin was a harsh legalist who would never have behaved in the very Confuciust fashion that he did. Also, I don't think fireworks were invented by that time as well. (Of course, scholars believe the story of Mulan comes from a later time period anyway.) This was a great way to make my students feel "smart" as they could pick apart the story as they saw historical/cultural accuracies and innacuracies. I provided them with a copy of the original poem and they were suprised how short it was and how different the movie was. Good compare/contrast opportunity.
I recently purchased a PBS Nova series on population entitled World in the Balance and was quite pleased. It discussed the serious population changes occurring in Japan. I used it in a new unit on global population but could have easily incorporated it into my Asia curriculum. The video compares population changes in Japan, India, and Subsaharan Africa. The information was clearly presented, easy to understand, and very current.
I was amazed at Japan's decreasing fertility rate and the new attitudes of modern Japanese women. Japan also faces a rapidly growing elderly population which raises concerns that there may some day be a shortage of working-aged adults to support the economy.
Included in the DVD was a special episode on China's population, a teacher's guide, and a link to the companion website. The teacher materials were fantastic for use in a variety of subject matters.
This DVD is great for anyone teaching about Japan and China regardless of the grade or subject matter.
Ana[Edit by="amitchell on Mar 22, 8:12:31 PM"][/Edit] [Edit by="amitchell on Mar 22, 8:13:04 PM"][/Edit]
I thoroughly enjoyed Spirited Away. I would have loved to show this film in my class, but it is not rated "G" (darn elementary school rules). So, for those of you that have lesser restrictions, i highly recommend this movie if you'd like your students to learn about Japanese religious beliefs and culture.
The movie is about a Japanese girl (Shihiro) that gets trapped in the spirit world. The majority of the film takes place in a bath house for spirits where Shihiro is forced to work. The movie is rich in symbolism, spirits, underlying messages about manners and work ethic, and visually stunning as well.
I wish I had more knowledge of the spirits that come to life in this movie. I think that would have allowed me to understand the movie on a deeper level. One scene I loved is when a horrible, stinky muck-covered blob enters the bath house and Shihiro, because she is the low woman on the totem pole is forced to attend to it. All the bath house attendants think it is a stink spirit, for obvious reasons. Shihiro slips into the tub with it and realizes that he has a thorn in its side and she thinks that he will be more comfortable if she removes it. Finally, after tugging and tugging, the thorn comes out along with a huge wave of muck: dirty water, an old bicycle, bowling pins, a refrigerator and tons of other odd trash. When all is released, the real spirit is revealed; she wasn't taking care of a stink spirit, but rather a rich and powerful river spirit. The trash of course that was released was a reminder of all the pollution that had ruined it.
This is one small scene in a rich and intriguing movie; definitely worth the rental fee.
I watched this over the weekend. Enjoyable historical movie. I'm not sure if it's factual, but if it is, it showed how the role of women changed as the needs arose. Suriyothai was a minor princess who made many sacrifices, shown throughout the movie. Often ignoring her wants/needs to help her country, family, others. The movie was set in the mid 1500's. Not quite appropriate for the classroom, due to some minor nudity and violence, yet it is all w/in the context of the film. A nice film to rent to get a perspective on Thai/Burma history.
I caught part of that series last night and enjoyed the quality of the visual elements. It was interesting, as they profiled different individuals in China. One was a young college student trying to become a part of the communist party. One was the son of a famous poet who is an artist helping to design the stadium for the opening ceremonies of the olympics. I look forward to watching more.
This movie is an older animation movie with a really good theme about the balance of pollution and it's effect on the environment. It shows how ignorance can cause a lot of pain and sorrow between people groups, but there is a happy ending. There are a lot of original ideas in the film and the artwork is excellent. It's a classic film that all Anime lovers should watch.
This is a fairly new Korean movie by Kim Ki-Duk about a Buddhist monk and his protégé. The movie gives a present day spin on the life of a Korean holy man and his young understudy. The movie provides a unique perspective of the mind of a Buddhist monk as well as insights into how Buddhism interfaces with the lives of ordinary Koreans. The movie is worth a view for it’s Asian imagery and natural beauty alone, but it also has a believable storyline, which is about how a young monk falls from grace and reawakens to return to the simple life on a floating monastery. The struggle of ones mind and body is vividly portrayed through the life of the young monk who eventually is able to overcome the pitfall of “desire” by subjecting himself to rigorous physical discipline. From a laymen’s perspective, the movie provides a realistic portrayal of Buddhist thought and how it influences a culture and the behavior of people who seek to live in harmony with their surroundings and overcome misery in it’s various manifestations. The movie includes a love story and has a few scenes of nudity and love making which make it not fit for family viewing during those scenes, but other than that, it could have been rated PG-13. I rented it at Blockbuster. http://www.spiritualityhealth.com/shimages/film/springsummerfallwinterlrg.jpg [Edit by="jashworth on Apr 20, 6:56:27 PM"][/Edit] [Edit by="jashworth on Apr 20, 7:00:46 PM"][/Edit]
Because of the hype surrounding most movies, I tend to avoid movies that everyone tells you that you must see. This was one of them. I'm sure that most people know that this film was based on a New York Times bestseller by the same title. The movie takes place right before the war in Japan. A young girl is sold into slavery by her poor parents. Her only chance for survival lies in her ability to work in a Geisha house. Events lead her into the life of a geisha. The film follows her journey as a geisha and then into life of poverty during the war.
The themes in this movie were just as powerful as the scenery. There was many beautiful images of the town in Japan where this film takes place. I think that it would be a very useful tool to use in a high school classroom. The sets and the costumes in this film are impressively done. The struggle of poor women in a male dominated world are very apparent as are the struggles of finding happiness in a life of survival.
Related to our Sat 4/29 session with Professor Yamashita and the film "Twilight Samurai," I have a similar film called "When the Last Sword is Drawn" that centers on another low rank samurai in Japan. I had an easy time relating the film since the main character shares the same last name as me, SAITO. At first, what appears to be a self-serving, miserly samurai, we are slowly introduced and warmed up to a caring, diplomatic samurai. Similar to the main character in the "Twilight Samurai," Saito-san is committed to caring for his family above all else. While the Daimyo/Shogun is important to his vocational commitments, his real life is centered on his precious memories of his home village and family. As he rises in rank to serve a greater need of the warring clans, he is away from home for longer periods and at a greater distance.
I won't give away the details of some of his 'missions,' but there is a great amount of what we talked about in regards to the roles in feudal Japan and the warrior role of the Samurai. When Saito-san's clan is accused to disloyalty to the new government, he faces a modern army with guns in a classic village battle sequence. Should he support a crumbling clan with a cause falling out of favor with the public, or should he surrender to save his life for the sake of his family and future reunion. Much like samurai who lost or were without their "lords" to serve, the ronin-like Catch-22 that Samurai Saito is caught in, is similar to what we educators face on a daily basis with ethical dilemmas in the classrooms. By the way, in case you did not know, a 'ronin' is a Samurai without a master or a daimyo to serve (yes, the homeless Samurai). As educators, do we serve the curriculum, the students, the parents, the district, or at our base level, our own passions and expertise.
If you are used to Samurai movies, the conclusion is somewhat predictable... However, it is through the process and actions of his roles that Samurai Saito earns our compassion as the film viewers...
While I grew up loving Samurai tales, I definitely prefer stories about the 'ordinary' life and moral dilemmas, not just about 'spoiled' aristocrats and warriors.
In the foreign language movie section at Blockbuster, I was intrigued by the title- Beijing Bicycle. Hoping to see lots of Beijing scenery and reminisce about our recent trip to that amazing city, I decided to check it out. This movie centers around the life of a country boy who has just moved to the big city. He is lucky enough to get a job as a bicycle messenger - a well paying job with the added benefit of being able to buy the bike he is using. It was fun to " ride along" as Guei weaves his way thru the conjested traffic in Beijing and the city's maze of alleyways -hutongs. They show some interesting neighborhoods and markets. The story changes when his bicycle is stolen and his job is in jeopardy. Tracking down the lost bicycle, leads Guei to a different part of town and forces him to fight with the boy who has his bike. The story contrasts the life of a schoolboy with rich friends (who act like a gang) with that of a struggling country boy -a kid who just wants to work and pay off the 600 yuans for the bike he loves. Sounds like a Disney movie- not exactly. There is gang violence, some swearing,one nude shot, but on the whole an O.K movie - not great. The movie has English subtitles and some are very amusing. At one point, Guei's boss says- you country folk are very determined, "A real little Engine that could!" With themes of duty, honesty, friendship and persistence, this movie could generate some good discussions. [Edit by="bsmith on May 1, 8:18:06 AM"][/Edit]
For everyones information, There is an Asian film festival going on this week which began yesterday through May 11 being held in LA. If you go to the website vconline.org you get a breakdown of all the films being shown and there are many. Most of them are films by Asians or about Asians. It seems very interesting and I would like to hear if anyone sees any of the films.
To add yourself to the Asia in SoCal mailing list, please go to http://www.asia.ucla.edu/events.asp and fill in the boxes. The newsletter goes out every Thursday.
I wanted to review the film Akarui mirai (Bright Future, 2003) by Kiyoshi Kurosawa. The film is interesting in that it deals with issues of growing up, entering adulthood, holding down a job, and dealing with all the stuff that almost always makes for a wonderful teenage coming of age movie. Only the two guys “growing up” are 24, Yûji Nimura, and 27, Mamoru Arita.
Plot: Yuji and Mamoru are great friends who work in a plant together. Their boss wants to hire them permanently and become a part of their everyday lives. He invites them to stay for dinner after they deliver a desk for his daughter. He visits them at Mamoru’s home, bringing sushi, and stays to watch the game. He is 55 and wishes the boys knew him when he was 25. He was a sight he brags. Yuji is disgusted by this as is Mamoru. It shows. Mamoru then decides he has bigger things to accomplish and quits. He leaves Yuji his prize possession, a poisonous red jellyfish he is acclimating to fresh water. Yuji is perplexed but takes the fish and stays on at his job and receives a bonus. Yuji goes looking for his friend, but he is unable to find Mamoru and so returns home. That night he visits his boss to retrieve a CD the boss “borrowed” and finds the man and his wife dead, murdered. He runs. There is a shot of the boss’s young daughter wandering the streets alone. We do not see her again. As the film progresses Mamoru is caught and sent to prison. And at this point his father, who he has not seen in five years, shows up to consult a lawyer. Yuji visits but is upset when Mamoru tells him never to return. In anger and frustration Yuji knocks over the red jellyfish tank and the fish slides to its death, falling between the floorboards into the Tokyo sewers. Then Mamoru hangs himself in prison and Yuji and Mamoru’s father Shin'ichirô Arita begin a quasi father-son relationship. They soon realize as do all those in Tokyo that the red jellyfish is alive and well, has multiplied and the horde are on their way back to the sea. Mr. Arita decides to chase the last one fleeing to sea. He picks it up and dies. Yuji holds him and the movie ends with a gang of boys Yuji committed a robbery with walking down a street bored and kicking boxes. They all wear black pants, white shirts with Che Guevara on them, and black Converse.
Now I think this is an interesting movie because it deals with issues of un/employment and a competitive job market, adulthood and the status quo, and isolation and/or prolonged adolescence in Tokyo. There has been a great deal written on these sociological/psychological phenomena, which are not exclusive to Japan, and yet in very specific ways are.
It seems that as Mamoru gets closer to thirty, to permanent work and to the responsibility of adulthood the more anxiety he feels. There is a separation anxiety that we usually equate with leaving your teens, which Mamoru seems to experience. Of course a similar occurs when you leave your thirties, but with Mamoru and especially with Yuji, only 24, the anxiety is closer to that felt in adolescence. Yuji for example is obsessed with bowling and with arcade games as opposed to his sister’s boyfriend, of the same age, who works in an office. Yuji and Mamoru exist in a developmentally delayed social class. They have not bought into the idea of work and twenties equals adulthood. They are both afraid of signing a permanent contract for fear that things will change, youth and the fun will end. And for Mamoru there seems to be no release from this anxiety other than his committing a murder. The murder allows him to remain a child by being imprisoned and thus cared for for the rest of his life. In turn Yuji becomes son to Mamoru’s father continuing his own cycle of adolescence. Yuji does seem to have a way of dealing with his anxiety though. The red jellyfish. He searches, finds and ultimately follows it to sea, though he does not join it as does Mr. Arita. In fact Arita’s death also allows, or forces if you will, Yuji to deal with the anxiety of leaving adolescence. Yuji is let holding the dead body of Mamoru’s father. As he took Mamoru’s place, he now takes Mamoru’s father’s place. There is a lot more to say but....
As a teaching tool: our students really are leaving adolescence. This could be a wonderful way to address our students’ futures. It could also be a nice way to discuss the ways in which different cultures measure maturity, success and adulthood. Our students are also compared quite frequently to their highly successful Japanese counterparts. This may be a good way to address the myth that all Japanese/Asians are smart, successful love to learn and have wonderful “Bright” futures. There are a lot of disillusioned souls in this movie. American youth in a corporate centered capitalist society can relate to that, right?!
Hello all. I watched Nobody Knows (2005) directed byHirokazu Koreeda last week. I give this movie a B-. The story is about the lives of four children living in a Tokyo apartment. These children are abandoned by their mother and the four are left to survive on their own with the little money that their mother leaves with them. The oldest is a 12 year old boy, Akira. I think this movie could be used to teach about poverty and the struggles of early teens with negligent parents. I don’t' want to spoil the story, but it's somewhat sad with a few glimpses of hope for the kids during the film. However, I can't say it has a happy American style ending.
If you're really busy and want to rent movies I think Netflix.com is the way to go. It saves time, is very easy to use, and affordable. They have an overwhelming selection of titles both international and domestic.
Netflicks Description. Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda's touching film follows the empty lives of 12-year-old Akira (Yûya Yagira) and his three younger siblings (Ayu Kitaura, Hiei Kimura and Momoko Shimizu) after their mother abandons them in a tiny Tokyo apartment. Pragmatic, determined and wise beyond his years, Akira manages the household as best he can -- but eventually the money runs out, and the children must find new ways to survive. Based on a true story.
This movie sounds interesting. I think that students at the middle school age would find it interesting because they can relate. Middle school students, especially in inner city schools, face theft, gangs, and violence.
I watched this DVD at the reccomendation of a 7th and a 4th grader. They love it and have viewed it numerous times. After watching it myself, I understand why.
The film is the adventure of a young girl (an only child) moving to a new town with her parents. She is very upset because she is leaving what is familiar, along with leaving her best friend. Her father takes a "short cut" and discovers a tunnel. They walk through and wind up in what seems to be a deserted town, and this is where the adventure begins.
I would encourage all ages of students to view this film for many reasons. The first being that the art work in the animation is so incredibly detailed and culturally significant, you have to watch it more than once to make sure you don't miss anything. The second reason is that the film is a good introduction to some of the cultural aspects of Japan (social, mythological, religious), apart from the larger fantasy realm the film explores. I also love the fact that the star of the story is a young girl, one who faces many challenges to her bravery and wit, and she winds up being a hero in the end.
This is not a movie (as far as I know) but I recently listened to it on CD during a long drive and found it a wonderful story.
The book title is based on oracle bones that were found in a Chinese village. An archeologist dated them and found them to be very valuable to discovering more about the ancient culture in China. A reward was offered to anyone who could turn in a genuine oracle bone, or who knew where they were being dug up. The cave where they were found was a family secret of the Bone Setter, the village doctor. His daughter assisted him by grinding up the oracle bones to be used as medicine for his patients. The dilemma is whether or not the reveal the family secret.
The main character of the story is the granddaughter of the bone setter, who learns more about her past through letters she must translate (painstakingly, as she never was fluent in her mother's language) written by her mother. Her mother is suffering from the onset of Alzheimer's, and the daughter is forced to find a way to reconcile her desire to be an American women with her denied culture and her mother's needs. It is a wonderful book, and travels through 3 generations of the family before wrapping up in the present.
I would recommend this book to high school students.
Greetings all, > >Please join us as Los Angeles Filmforum co-presents a TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE AND ART OF >NAM JUNE PAIK AT LACMA. This will be a very special event as we honor and celebrate the >renowned artist. > >TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE AND ART OF NAM JUNE PAIK AT LACMA >AN EVENING OF REMEMBRANCES, PERFORMANCES, PROJECTED VIDEO WORKS, AND >RARELY SEEN CLIPS > >Thursday June 1, 2006, 7:30 pm >Tickets are free - see information below. > >The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Los Angeles Filmforum, and teh Korean >Cultural Center, Los Angeles present a memorial tribute to the life and career of composer >and video and performance artist Nam June Paik at the museum's Bing Theater on >Thursday, June 1 at 7:30 pm. Video art pioneer Nam June Paik died of natural causes at his >home in Miami, Florida, on January 29, 2006; he was seventy-three. Memorial services for >Paik have been held worldwide and this tribute will recognize his contribution to the >culture of Los Angeles. The early seventies brought video art to Southern California, >notably at the Long Beach Museum of Art where David A. Ross organized an exhibition of >Nam June Paik's work in 1974, and California Institute of the Arts School of Film and Video >where Nam June Paik taught, and personally introduced the Paik-Abe video synthesizer in >1970. Today, Paik's influence resonates in the acceptance of video art as a collectible art >form, with his work in the collections of many museums in California, including LACMA. > >Michael Govan, LACMA's new CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director, and Byung Hyo Choi, the >Korean Consul General, will begin the evening with an introduction to the program, which >includes a variety of experts and devotees, such as speaker Mary Livingstone Beebe, >Director of the Stuart Collection at the University of California, San Diego; David A. Ross, >President of the Artist Pension Trust and former Director of the San Francisco Museum of >Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the first curator to organize a >museum exhibition of Paik's work in the United States; renowned video artist Bill Viola; >and Kathy Rae Huffman, Director of Visual Arts at Cornerhouse, Manchester, England, who >was Curator at the Long Beach Museum of Art, and director of its regional media art >center. Ms. Huffman will be presenting rare archival footage of Picturephone, Paik's >interactive satellite performance between Los Angeles and New York. > >Other highlights include the presentation of Paik's Zen for Film (1964–65) by independent >producer and curator Julie Lazar, who organized the last large-scale composition/ >exhibition by John Cage, Rolywholyover A Circus, which included Zen for Film. >Additionally, Los Angeles visual and sound artist Steve Roden will perform an early work, >Primitive Music, and seminal dancer and choreographer Simone Forti will present a new >performance based on her diary entry about Paik from her Handbook in Motion—An >Account of an Ongoing Personal Discourse and its Manifestations in Dance (1974, the >Press of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design). Archival video and rare footage, >courtesy of Electronic Arts Intermix, New York, will also be screened. Technical support is >provided by The Society for the Activation of Social Space through Art and Sound (SASSAS), >a group that serves as a catalyst for the creation, presentation, and recognition of >experimental art and sound practices in the Greater Los Angeles area. > >A Tribute to Nam June Paik is organized by Carole Ann Klonarides and presented by the >Film and Contemporary Art departments of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, in >association with Los Angeles Filmforum, and the Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles. > >Admission is free but tickets are required and may be picked up at the box office starting >at noon on the day of the event. Tickets must be presented at the door of the Bing Theater >by 7:20 pm, after which time entrance to the theater is on a first come, first serve basis. > >About LACMA: In April 2006, Michael Govan became CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director of >the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). He is the seventh person to hold the >position of Director in the museum's 41-year history. Established as an independent >institution in 1965, LACMA has assembled a permanent collection that includes >approximately 100,000 works of art spanning the history of art from ancient times to the >present, making it the premier encyclopedic visual arts museum in the western United >States. Located in the heart of one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world, the >museum uses its collection and resources to provide a variety of educational and cultural >experiences for the people who live in, work in, and visit Los Angeles. LACMA offers an >outstanding schedule of special exhibitions, as well as lectures, classes, family activities, >film programs and world-class musical events. > >About the Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles: The Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles >works under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to promote mutual cultural >understanding between the United States and Korea. For more information about the >Cultural Center and its programs, please visit www.kccla.org . > >LACMA is located at 5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles CA, 90036. For more >information about LACMA and its programming, log on to www.lacma.org. > >Museum Hours: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, noon–8 pm; Friday, noon–9 pm; >Saturday and Sunday, 11 am–8 pm; closed Wednesday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Call >323 857-6000, or www.lacma.org for more information. > >General LACMA Admission: Adults $9; students 18+ with ID and senior citizens 62+ $5. >Admission (except to specially ticketed exhibitions) is free every evening after 5 pm, the >second Tuesday of every month, and for children 17 and under. > >Please note: LACMA is free every evening after 5 pm. > >[Edit by="aaguilar on May 27, 10:18:18 AM"][/Edit]
I HAVE ALSO SHOWN SPIRITED AWAY TO MIDDLE SCHOOLERS. IT IS AN AWSOME STORY LINE ABOUT A GIRL SPIRITED AWAY TO A SPIRIT BATHHOUSE WHERE SHE ENCOUNTERS ALL KINDS OF COLORFUL CHARACTERS. IT ALSO HAS GREAT ANIMATION. DEFINITELY A MUST SEE IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN IT YET. THE CHARACTERS ARE UNIQUE AND OVERALL IT IS EXTREMELY ENTERTAINING.
A review of Mehta's latest can be found in the latest issue of Asia Pacific Arts. It would be great, though, for a few teachers to comment on this film.
I recently watched the video Princess Monoke. It was a story of a young boy who tries to stop a demon and is cursed in the process. He travels far across the land to find the source of his curse. He finds a small village of people who are polluting the land and are being warred upon by the spirits of the forest that appear as wolves.
I think this could be useful in the classroom to teach not only awareness of the environment, but it showcases some philosophical ideas about the natural world. It also shows some eastern philosophies of honor and sacrifice. The main characters in the story are quick to lay their lives down in order to fight for what they believe in. They give their lives to the forest.
This could also be used to teach qualities of character. There are some really vivid and rich characters in this film that would be perfect for some character analysis. Check it out!
I recently watched the Japanese film Kagemusha which was recommended to us during our Saturday Japanese History seminar. I was skeptical at first, but as the film progressed I was won over. Initially the film started off pretty slowly, but as I became more engrossed in this story, time picked up. The movie itself is 3 hours long so it is a commitment.
This movie is about a shadow warrior that imitates the lord after his death. The shadow warrior is saved from death sentence in order to be trained to "shadow" the lord in battle. Unfortunately, the lord is killed in battle and begs for the generals to use the shadow warrior in order to cover his death for three years. The shadow is reluctant at first, but decides to show honor and serve his dead lord.
What stood out most in my mind was the way in which Japanese custom was portrayed. Each move was deliberate and methodical. No one in the movie moved just to move. There was a certain way to kneel, close doors, set down weapons, speak to a superior. In one particular scene in the movie there is a clan meeting in which the shadow warrior must imitate the lord in front of the entire clan. The way in which they speak to him is very interesting. Whenever they are not speaking they look straight ahead. When they speak to Shingen they turn their whole body to him, speak, and then turn away. It must take them years to learn how to be in public. The servants especially have it bad. They make the most intricate moves in order to complete every action.
I think that this film would be a really good film to show your students when studying Japan. You might want to pick out clips to show your students as we don't always have 3 hours to show a movie. You could maybe show the movie and do some frontloading in order to cover more ground with the movie. I think it would really bring alive medieval Japan in a way that a textbook never could. I really enjoyed watching it. I learned a few things. It put together some information we learned during the seminars.
I watched this anime thinking that it was going to be like Spirited Away because it was made by the same director. The story was about a girl that is turned into an old woman by the evil witch of the waste. What a play on words. I normally really like anime, but this movie was a little off. I couldn't really follow the story, because nothing was ever really explained. Unlike the Alice in Wonderland type story of Spirited Away, this was like a romance novel. The girl had to look inside herself and find love in order break the spell. The ending was a little strange too. There was something about some war and then it stopped. I don't know. I was confused throughout the entire movie. I wouldn't recommend using it in your classroom. There wasn't any enduring parallels that could be made to the curriculum. If you really liked it, I hope you don't take offense. It's just one opinion.
I watched the film “JSA” over the weekend. JSA stands for Joint Security Area (The Korean title is Gongdong gyeongbi guyeok, according to internet movie database. The film was made in 2000 and is one of the most popular and widedly respected films in the history of the country. “JSA” was directed by Chan-wook Park and stared Yeong-ae Lee, Byung-hun Lee, Kang-ho Song, Tae-woo Kim and Ha-kyun Shin. The film starts with a killing at the DMZ. The DMZ or demilitarized zone separates the two parts of the country of Korea. A North Korean soldier has been shot and a South Korean soldier has confessed to the killing. The number of bullets, don’t add up and an pair of Swiss/ Swedish investigators are in charge of determining the truth. The plot is certainly a strong point for the film. The story is unique and well told. Without getting to much into the plot, the film involves the issue of the separate Koreas. While they are one country, the two societies and governments could not be much different. The film’s message, in the end, is wherever you live you are still Korean. The differences between a North Korean and a South Korean as a people are so small, it is the government that creates the differences. The cinematography is amazing in the film. During a scene at the DMZ, the camera angle is directly above which put a focus on the line and how the soldiers interact with it. Other visually impressive scenes include the very first scene with the Owl and a violent shooting scene that was high on dramatic effect. One issue English speakers would have with the film is it is, obviously, mostly in Korean. I say mostly since about 10 minutes of total dialogue (between the Westerners) is actually in English. Since the film is often driven by the action of story and not the dialogue, the subtitles are not hard to handle. In fact, most people would be surprised at how easily one gets used to them. As far as showing this film a class there are details a teacher needs to know. It deals with the issue of the separate Koreas in a very well thought out way that students can learn from. However, there is violence in the film. The amount of blood and gore is probably that of a typical American action film staring Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone. Most 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students would not be offended or surprised at the violence. Besides the violence, there is brief nudity shown. The troops briefly look through a magazine that specializes in naked women. That portion of the film is probably 5 seconds.
As far as availability, it is moderately difficult to acquire. It is not at blockbuster or Hollywood video. If you, however, live in an area with a fair share of Korean-Americans then its very likely you can find it at a mom and pop video store that specializes in Asia films.[Edit by="jdelarme on Jun 15, 12:18:26 AM"][/Edit]
Evaluation of 'WATER' - a movie on India Posted: 06-11-2006 05:18 PM WATER – A Deepa Mehta Film
I think the film has tabled two still prevalent issues in Indian society. The first one of child marriage that is to be found all over India – especially amongst the illiterate rural class – and the other is the castration of a widow to the point of her expulsion from community to lead a life of bare sustenance, bereft of the company of her family, her loved ones and follow a life of total austerity devoid of any pleasures. Generally speaking, a Hindu widow practices austerity in society today by wearing a dress (sari, etc.) devoid of any color, meaning white for a period of a year. During this period of time and beyond, she still lives with her in-law’s family but is no longer at liberty of wearing the ‘sindhur’ – red spot on the forehead which is a traditional symbol of being married. However, the type of social castration depicted in the movie is to be found among the community of Bengalis (people who live in the state of Bengal, with the city of Calcutta – or Kolkota – as the central hub. The term ‘Bengal tiger’ is from this region and this name is given to the magnificent big cats that inhabit the marshlands of the Sunderban in this state, adjacent to the country of Bangladesh). The theme of the story, as also its matter-of-fact presentation, toggles the mind of the viewer and the audience cannot but feel the frustrated helplessness of the widow forced into such a situation. All the artistes have done a great job in playing a genuine role of the character they are portraying. Kudos goes to the child actress Sarala (Chuiya) because she is a Sri Lankan and does not actually speak Hindi – she had to learn how to speak her lines in Hindi. Credit can also be given to the others – like John Abraham (Narayan), a Bollywood superstar, and Lisa Ray (Kalyani), who is a new actress in tinsel town, for not letting a touch of their glitzy side to appear on this movie. This lent an authenticity to the their roles. The set of the ghats (banks) of the River Ganges in the city of Varanasi, or Benaras, look quite genuine (because of the threats against the production by Hindu extremist groups, it has been shot in Sri Lanka and not India). The background of the funeral pyre in quite a few scenes helps only to emphasize the frailty of life and its closeness with water – the ashes of the dead body in Hinduism is ritually immersed in the water of the River Ganges to attain ‘moksha’, or a sort of continuity of the soul into another life. A couple of things caught my attention as not being realistic – the fact that Kalyani was not shown with her hair shaved which was in keeping with the character of widows in the movie. The other point was that the ghats are actually a flurry of on-going activities like people bathing and washing – in the movie the atmosphere around the banks is shown to be comparatively serene and calm. Overall I think the movie is a strong portrayal of the lives of Bengali widows and touches a very human emotion in all of us – that of being cut off from the rest of the community we are attuned to. I could not but wonder why not rebel against this social norm and follow ones own path? What is it that binds these widows to quietly follow such a custom? But then, in India, the issue of widow re-marriage is one that is still scorned on.
I have not yet seen Memoirs of a Geisha, but after reading the response to the controversy, I feel the need to include another side. Of course, actors and artists seek to convey ideas and personas that are not their own. However, there is also something to be said about the importance of relating to the material. An actor who is not associated with the culture should do some intense research to attempt to understand the character whom they portray. In addition, there is a history of discrimination in Hollywood. Certainly, racial minorities would hope that movies depicting divergent cultures would be an opportunity for racial minorities to have a chance at more prominent roles. I certainly would not promote hiring an unqualified actor for a job, but I think efforts should be made to find an actor of the matching ethnicity to portray the character.
I also have not seen Memoir's. But I have read about the controversy and I think that it is extreme. At what point does it become racist to discriminate against actors because they are not a particular race. I think that the true heart of acting, is found deep inside a persons ability not in their race. I also think that those critical of the non-Japanese actors would have had lent more credence to their argument if they had waited until they could judge the finished product rather than basing their argument only on the race of the actors cast and not the performance.
Stop me if someone's made this point before, but I think we should be careful about throwing labels like "racist" around.
Chow Yun-Fat is a FANtastic actor, subtle and nuanced and deeply emotional. But you wouldn't cast him to play Thomas Jefferson, right? But we (and by we, I mean American mainstream audiences, among whom I don't count myself) will willingly accept Chinese actors playing Japanese characters and vice versa, Mexican actors playing Native Americans, Italians playing Mexicans, and Kevin Kline playing Frenchmen.
You're right, we should always see the finished product before judging. But there are six billion people on the planet, so before even starting the product, we should look for a talented actor of the race in question. Or else not consider it at all.
Looking forward to the Black Jesus movie,
m@x
I saw Geisha as well and enjoyed the movie. It did give you a bit of a feel of the times...children sold as a result of parents in poverty etc...
Since so many people have already talked about Geisha, I chose to view another movie: Iron Monkey. This one was fun--not nearly so much controversy (as far as I know)although it was dubbed in English, and I think Quintin Terrintino had something to do w/ it? I viewed the 1993 version by director Woo Ping Yuen. It was nominated for awards @ the Hong Kong Film Festival. I very much enjoyed it. It was a fun "swashbuckler". A type of Robinhood character, a doctor ,played by Rong guang Yu(who was really the legendary, beloved, "Iron Monkey"), who stole from corrupt officials and gave to the poor. Donnie Yen also played a great part as did the young boy who played his son. I've never been much for "fight" movies, but this one kept your attention--great fight scenes reminicent of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"(or perhaps the other way around?). It reminded me of the Old Hollywood movies I like so much: a little corny, but w/ "All The Right Stuff".
I just recently saw Brokeback Mountain, which is directed by Ang Lee. I must admit while the cinematography and acting were well done, overall the story was just mediocre. I will be disappointed when the film wins Best Picture (which I believe it will, only because there isn't any other film BETTER).
While I was perusing the posts I noticed someone talking about the film "The Wedding Banquet" which is also a movie directed by Ang Lee about a gay couple hiding their relationship.
In this movie there is a Caucasian man and a Chinese man in a serious, monogamous, relationship. Because the Chinese man believes his father to be very "traditional Chinese", he hides his relationship from his father. His father is coming to visit from China and he invites a woman friend to pretend to be his wife. The woman is more than happy to oblige because she has a crush on the man. The father while visiting finds out his son got married without having the traditional "Wedding Banquet" and insists on having one for the loving couple.
This film is hilarious as we see the son try desperately to cover up one lie with an even bigger lie, only to have the banquet and his bride blow up and become a huge fiasco.
But it is also poignant and sad, as we see the Caucasian boyfriend try desperately to go along with his partner's plans so that he can make his father happy. The struggle the Chinese man has with being gay, being Chinese, trying to do the right thing is very touching.
I cried at the final scene in this film, I did not feel any of these emotions during Brokeback. It was a very touching film about interracial couples, Father/Son relationships, and Chinese values and traditions. I highly recommend it.
I watched the second part of this three part, six hour documentary, PBS documentary. This documentary uses old film footage and interviews with those that lived though the last 100 years of China’s history. Part two of this documentary deals with the time from the Communist Revolution to Mao’s death in 1976.
This is a really watchable documentary and very appropriate for high school students. I think that it will hold students interest because the interviews are very interesting and because the history is still so recent it is all first person accounts.
There are interviews with former members of the Red Guard and also Communist Party Leaders. The Party Leader interview that was the most moving told of the hardships of his commune during the Great Leap Forward. While telling his story filled with so much sorrow and death he breaks down crying.
Another compelling interview is with a former member of the Red Guard. She tells the story of a day when she was supposed to go to the house of a fellow Red Guard members grandfather, he was a successful factory owner or landlord (I can’t remember which). She was told that they were going to go to harass this man for being a counter-revolutionary. She got to the house late and when she did she found that the man had been beaten to death. She closes the story be saying that she thinks of that event often, not because it was so horrible but because she wonders what would have happened if she had been on time. She says she does not know if she would have taken part in the beating. It is obvious that this question tortures her and I think that watching this interview would provide students with an interesting starting point for a class discussion on political propaganda.
I have been watching PBS too. There have been several shows, the last one I saw was about the 1st Emperor. I couldn't stop watching. The information I got was fantastic; I think I read about the Emperor going mad, but I didn't know about the mercury he was taking in solid form to increase his life span. Very interesting stuff.
I, too, have used portions of the film, "The Little Buddha" with my 6th grade students as we learn the story of Siddhartha Gautama. Seeing a visual of the story is always a plus for many studnets, since they are so keyed into getting information in that way. I tell students they can check out the film and watch the whole thing for extra credit. It does give them an introduction to Buddhist concepts.
After finishing the memoir, Wild Swans, I asked Clay if he could recommend any good films that span the tumultuous last century of Chinese life and history. He recommended "To Live".
Wow! It touches on the heartbreak, paranoia, and determination of the Chinese people to live on despite the ever-changing dictates of those in power. The story follows China's history from the war between the Nationalists and the Communists through the Mao years including the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, and the anarchy of the Red Guards. The movie lets us see it all through the lives of one couple, who are upper-class, educated Chinese at the beginning of the movie, but they lose all their possessions and status through the husband's addiction to gambling. It was a blessing in disguise, for under Communist China all who owned property or were part of the old ruling-class were bitterly denounced, jailed, or killed. They struggle through the ensuing years, as the movie shows how political policy affected almost every aspect of life. I think this movie would be a wonderful educational opportunity for high school students learning about recent Chinese history. The Director, Zhang Yimou, also directed the beautiful "Raise the REd Lantern" and Gong Li starred in both movies.
I have been using the movie "Little Buddha" with Keanu Reeves and Bridget Fonda to teach some of Buddhism's ideas to my students. My students are 6th graders. I am not an expert in Buddhism, so though I think the film is good for the students, I would love to see what others who know more about Buddhism think of the movie as a teaching tool. Please let me know your opinions and why you have them. Thanks!
I just recently showed Little Buddha to my sixth graders as well. I too would like to know what a Buddhist thinks and how accuratley things are portrayed in the film.My students were really involved watching the film. In addition we did a lot of reading about Buddhism and comparedt it to Christianity and Judaism. I think the film coupled with the reading and discussion gave the kids a much clearer view of the lives of Buddhist monks. They had a visual image of India. They learned about some of the beliefs of Buddhism. I think it was a good use of time. Our discussions of Buddhism have been quite rich and thoughtful.
After reading two reviews of "Memoirs" in Asia Pacific Arts it made me aware of just how much controversy there is over the film.I read the book and saw the movie. I loved the book and was drawn into the story and the characters. I read the book about 5 years ago. I thought I would be disappointed by the movie. I watched it much less critically than the movie reviewers in Asia Pacific Arts. The controversy over who should have the starring roles was interesting to me. Why was a Chinese woman asked to play a Japanese geisha.
The articles helped me understand the contorversy a little better. There are so many past interactions political and social that drive the discussion of the film. The more I learn about China and Japan I can appreciate the differening opinions of the film and who should have been awarded the leading roles. From a novices point of view it would just be the story, the cinematography, the music, the costumes I might have thought about as I watched and evaluated the film. Now with more knowledge of Asian history I begin to question historical accuracy. Reading the articles in Asia Pacific Arts made me question if I should have enjoyed the film or if I was just culturally illiterate.
My awareness has been raised but as far as entertainment, I have to say I did enjoy the book and the film version kept me entertained and engaged. I did come home after I saw it however and look up geisha on google because I wanted to know more about their history. So the more knowledge you have the more critical you become. Becomiing more culturally aware is a good thing. The seminars, studying, reading, and sharing is "all good." There is so much to learn!
I haven't seen "Little Buddha" for a while, but liked it when I did. I find it very instructional, its use of the stories of Buddha. From my studies of Buddhism, thesub-plot stories are pretty in-line. I originally thought just those sections (the sub-plot, I guess) would be used in the classroom to teach Buddhism, as they are the most direct link to Buddhist ideas. However, the main plot may also be interesting to 6th graders. I actually met a reincarnated Tibetan Buddhist in 4th grade form the other year. I went to see the Mandala at LACMA and sat next to this woman from Santa Barbara who told me all about how her son was the reincarnated spirit of the teacher of the monks whom I was watching perform this ceremony. He had been "found" just a year previously. His older brother was allegedly his spiritual protector. It was intriguing to meet this Caucasian woman from California and hear all about their family experience and how her son was going to fulfill an ancient prediction that would link both the Tibetan Buddhists and one of the native American tribes. It was quite an experience. Anyway, I share this to say that the movie is not as farfetched as I originally thought it was.
Haven't read the book (my wife has and loved it) nor seen the movie but probably will (refer back to wife liking book), but I found an interesting note in US News & World Report from last week. Apparently the movie has been banned in China. The stated concern was that the Chinese born female lead playing a Geisha would be controversial due to the Japanese practice in WWII of "Comfort Women". Not the first thing that popped into my mind when I saw the trailer but who knows?
Just wanted to offer my two cents on the film The Seven Samurai: it was a bit disappointing for me. I guess that I don't have the patience for it; it was too long for me. However, I'm sure clips can be used from it in the classroom to show what the samurais stood for: there are many Eastern values presented here--the group over the individual; the importance of teamwork; doing what is right rather than doing something for money or fame. The samurais protect a village from bandits just so the farmers will survive (and for three square meals a day). Not much of a salary!
let me defend one of my favorite movies. the most important part of this movie for me is that the dialectic between the samurai and farmers is shown. most period pieces have heroic, romantic samurai and rarely show them having a negative effect on the farmers they control and oppress. The farmers too are shown in a fair and hardly romantic light. they are greedy and petty at times. but the order that the samurai are supposed to have given the country is absent and the farmers reap no benefits from supporting them with rice tax. there's another film with nakadai tatsuya (is it sword of doom or hara-kiri?) where he says something along the lines that the samurai are just a bunch of murderers. the truth lies somewhere in between but like one poster on this site said about last samurai, the rights and culture of the samurai were not open to all.
dan
Ong Bak Thai warrior is a film I enjoyed and it shows the deep devotion that Thais have for the Buddha image. It's packed with action and has a lot of good fighting scenes. If you're looking to be entertained by run ins with the mob, gangs, and drug lords I'm sure you'll enjoy this action packed story of a country boy overcoming great obstacles trying to get his Buddha back.
Hi Folks,
Please remember to put the title(s) of the film you are discussing in the subject line of your post. It's a clunky process (sorry, about that), but not difficult. If you are replying to a post with the title in the subject line, it's no problem. But if you are discussing a different film, please delete the RE:film festival (or whatever) subject and drop in your own. This helps folks scanning the forum for particular titles and also makes the forum's search engine feature work a bit better.
THANKS!
This program first aired a couple of weeks ago. It will be broadcast again on March 4. At the time of the first broadcast, Discovery's website didn't have many supporting features. Now it does. Head over to http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/firstemperor/firstemperor.html. The site has pages devoted to "how would you rule China?" and other questions, plus video clips and more.
If any of you have already seen the documentary (featuring reenactments), please let us know what you think of it.
I watched the Disney movie Mulan and had such a different take on it than I did the first time I saw the movie. I felt so aware and perceptive to all of the symbolism in the Chinese culture. The first time I saw it was for entertainment while babysitting, but this time, I saw more purpose and value in it. Although, I must say, the dragon (Eddie Murphy) was a little much for me. He kind of ruined some of the significance and took the plot to a whole different level. I definitely think this could be used as a supplemental teaching resource in the classroom. I took particular notice to the treatment of women. Mulan’s father constantly talked of her as just a bride and making sure she bring honor to “our” soul. She was to be ready to please her in-laws with sense of dignity, poise, and respect. This is the same image of women that we have been reading about. In order to be honorable, she was to sing, study poetry, recite rules, and show a sense of balance. When Mulan’s identity was revealed, the other male warriors said, “She is a woman. She will never be worth anything.” Another thing I noticed in Mulan was that women were to hold their tongues in the presence of a man. I think this would be a great way to introduce the way women were treated and the oppression that still remains. I could tie this in with Ban Zhao’s Lessons for Women and compare the Western treatment of women. The kids would be fascinated, I think.
I recently watched Disney’s movie, Mulan. The movie portrays aspects of Chinese culture seen through a Western view. This movie portrays a young Chinese girl growing up in a traditional Chinese society. There is a focus on young women to have proper manners and act graceful around others. There is an emphasis on upholding family honor. It also portrays a society that women are judged on by their appearance, their ability to recite rules and traditions of culture. Women are expected to pour tea to future in-laws in a manner that portrays a sense of poise and silence. The women are not supposed to speak unless permission is granted to them. These traditions and customs are apparent at the beginning of the movie. Mulan becomes frustrated with her role in society. She feels inadequate to meets the needs of society. She is struggling with the ideas of becoming a Chinese woman who would be worthy of marriage. She feels that she needs to her find her own way. As Mulan struggles to adjust to this, her father tells her the most important lesson. He tells Mulan a story about a flower having difficulty blooming but, says when it blooms it will be the most beautiful of all.
In second grade we focus on family and people who make a difference. The students are able to explore family history over time throughout the year. Students have to compare and contrast their daily lives with those of their parents and grandparents. It would be interesting for the students to additionally explore differences between the American girl verse a Chinese girl growing up in today’s society.
It would also be interesting to explore the importance of individual action and character with students. Mulan was portrayed as a hero in the movie. It would be interesting to research additional heroes that have influenced the history of China. Students could compare and contrast traits from American and Chinese heroes
Well, I finally watched Hero. I got it at the same time I got Iron Monkey (similar style in the fighting scenes). It must have slid under the car seat--I just found it--it was due back several weeks ago! I did enjoy the movie, especially the visual effects/photograpy. Jet Li was the lead actor, but there were a number of "co-leads" that were also very good (I think the servant girl was also in Geisha?). It was an interesting "take", the way the movie went through different "scenarios" of the way things "could have taken place", before reveiling how they really transpired. Lots of themes/ symbolism/traditional-cultural ideals--this would be a treasure-trove for an English writing assignment.
I enjoy watching these movies myself, but I need to find more modern-day themes for my High School history class. Does anyone have any good suggestions for movies WW1 and after that are appropriate for the classroom?
I showed Mulan to my students after we studied China and they were able to see those patterns of women's role and ancestor worship as well. In the 6th grade curriculum, we study Emperor Qin, so my students were puzzled by the Emperor figure in the movie. The villain says that the emperor "invited me here when he built this wall" which would mean Emperor Qin. However, Qin was a harsh legalist who would never have behaved in the very Confuciust fashion that he did. Also, I don't think fireworks were invented by that time as well. (Of course, scholars believe the story of Mulan comes from a later time period anyway.) This was a great way to make my students feel "smart" as they could pick apart the story as they saw historical/cultural accuracies and innacuracies. I provided them with a copy of the original poem and they were suprised how short it was and how different the movie was. Good compare/contrast opportunity.
I recently purchased a PBS Nova series on population entitled World in the Balance and was quite pleased. It discussed the serious population changes occurring in Japan. I used it in a new unit on global population but could have easily incorporated it into my Asia curriculum. The video compares population changes in Japan, India, and Subsaharan Africa. The information was clearly presented, easy to understand, and very current.
I was amazed at Japan's decreasing fertility rate and the new attitudes of modern Japanese women. Japan also faces a rapidly growing elderly population which raises concerns that there may some day be a shortage of working-aged adults to support the economy.
Included in the DVD was a special episode on China's population, a teacher's guide, and a link to the companion website. The teacher materials were fantastic for use in a variety of subject matters.
This DVD is great for anyone teaching about Japan and China regardless of the grade or subject matter.
Ana[Edit by="amitchell on Mar 22, 8:12:31 PM"][/Edit]
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I thoroughly enjoyed Spirited Away. I would have loved to show this film in my class, but it is not rated "G" (darn elementary school rules). So, for those of you that have lesser restrictions, i highly recommend this movie if you'd like your students to learn about Japanese religious beliefs and culture.
The movie is about a Japanese girl (Shihiro) that gets trapped in the spirit world. The majority of the film takes place in a bath house for spirits where Shihiro is forced to work. The movie is rich in symbolism, spirits, underlying messages about manners and work ethic, and visually stunning as well.
I wish I had more knowledge of the spirits that come to life in this movie. I think that would have allowed me to understand the movie on a deeper level. One scene I loved is when a horrible, stinky muck-covered blob enters the bath house and Shihiro, because she is the low woman on the totem pole is forced to attend to it. All the bath house attendants think it is a stink spirit, for obvious reasons. Shihiro slips into the tub with it and realizes that he has a thorn in its side and she thinks that he will be more comfortable if she removes it. Finally, after tugging and tugging, the thorn comes out along with a huge wave of muck: dirty water, an old bicycle, bowling pins, a refrigerator and tons of other odd trash. When all is released, the real spirit is revealed; she wasn't taking care of a stink spirit, but rather a rich and powerful river spirit. The trash of course that was released was a reminder of all the pollution that had ruined it.
This is one small scene in a rich and intriguing movie; definitely worth the rental fee.
I watched this over the weekend. Enjoyable historical movie. I'm not sure if it's factual, but if it is, it showed how the role of women changed as the needs arose.
Suriyothai was a minor princess who made many sacrifices, shown throughout the movie. Often ignoring her wants/needs to help her country, family, others.
The movie was set in the mid 1500's. Not quite appropriate for the classroom, due to some minor nudity and violence, yet it is all w/in the context of the film.
A nice film to rent to get a perspective on Thai/Burma history.
Hello,
The Discovery Times Channel has an new series called China Rising. I haven't been able to watch it yet , but tivoed quite a few episodes.
Here are some that looked interesting:
China Rising: "Party Games" 2006 Documentary about how Beijing is preparting for the 2008 Olympic Summer Games.
China Rising: "Getting Rich" 2006 Documentary about the impacts of China's rapid economic growth on the country's poor.
"A Decent Factory" documentary that follows a manufactorer who sends ethical advisors to inspect conditions at a cell phone factory in China.
"Secrets of the Great Wall" 1999 Documentary about the Great Wall during the Qin and Han dynasties.
I will try to watch them this week and share my thoughts. Would love to hear what others thought of them as well.
Looking forward to meeting fellow study tour participants in a few weeks-Dana
I caught part of that series last night and enjoyed the quality of the visual elements. It was interesting, as they profiled different individuals in China. One was a young college student trying to become a part of the communist party. One was the son of a famous poet who is an artist helping to design the stadium for the opening ceremonies of the olympics. I look forward to watching more.
Film review on Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
This movie is an older animation movie with a really good theme about the balance of pollution and it's effect on the environment. It shows how ignorance can cause a lot of pain and sorrow between people groups, but there is a happy ending. There are a lot of original ideas in the film and the artwork is excellent. It's a classic film that all Anime lovers should watch.
This is a fairly new Korean movie by Kim Ki-Duk about a Buddhist monk and his protégé. The movie gives a present day spin on the life of a Korean holy man and his young understudy. The movie provides a unique perspective of the mind of a Buddhist monk as well as insights into how Buddhism interfaces with the lives of ordinary Koreans. The movie is worth a view for it’s Asian imagery and natural beauty alone, but it also has a believable storyline, which is about how a young monk falls from grace and reawakens to return to the simple life on a floating monastery. The struggle of ones mind and body is vividly portrayed through the life of the young monk who eventually is able to overcome the pitfall of “desire” by subjecting himself to rigorous physical discipline. From a laymen’s perspective, the movie provides a realistic portrayal of Buddhist thought and how it influences a culture and the behavior of people who seek to live in harmony with their surroundings and overcome misery in it’s various manifestations. The movie includes a love story and has a few scenes of nudity and love making which make it not fit for family viewing during those scenes, but other than that, it could have been rated PG-13. I rented it at Blockbuster.
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I have shown this movie to my 6th graders when we were study east asian religions. They found it to be very enjoyable. I have seen it many times.
Because of the hype surrounding most movies, I tend to avoid movies that everyone tells you that you must see. This was one of them. I'm sure that most people know that this film was based on a New York Times bestseller by the same title. The movie takes place right before the war in Japan. A young girl is sold into slavery by her poor parents. Her only chance for survival lies in her ability to work in a Geisha house. Events lead her into the life of a geisha. The film follows her journey as a geisha and then into life of poverty during the war.
The themes in this movie were just as powerful as the scenery. There was many beautiful images of the town in Japan where this film takes place. I think that it would be a very useful tool to use in a high school classroom. The sets and the costumes in this film are impressively done. The struggle of poor women in a male dominated world are very apparent as are the struggles of finding happiness in a life of survival.
As a skeptic I recommend this film
Those interested in Spring... may wish to read or watch the interview Asia Pacific Arts conducted with its director Kim Ki-duk. You can access it at:
http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=9820
Related to our Sat 4/29 session with Professor Yamashita and the film "Twilight Samurai," I have a similar film called "When the Last Sword is Drawn" that centers on another low rank samurai in Japan. I had an easy time relating the film since the main character shares the same last name as me, SAITO. At first, what appears to be a self-serving, miserly samurai, we are slowly introduced and warmed up to a caring, diplomatic samurai. Similar to the main character in the "Twilight Samurai," Saito-san is committed to caring for his family above all else. While the Daimyo/Shogun is important to his vocational commitments, his real life is centered on his precious memories of his home village and family. As he rises in rank to serve a greater need of the warring clans, he is away from home for longer periods and at a greater distance.
I won't give away the details of some of his 'missions,' but there is a great amount of what we talked about in regards to the roles in feudal Japan and the warrior role of the Samurai. When Saito-san's clan is accused to disloyalty to the new government, he faces a modern army with guns in a classic village battle sequence. Should he support a crumbling clan with a cause falling out of favor with the public, or should he surrender to save his life for the sake of his family and future reunion. Much like samurai who lost or were without their "lords" to serve, the ronin-like Catch-22 that Samurai Saito is caught in, is similar to what we educators face on a daily basis with ethical dilemmas in the classrooms. By the way, in case you did not know, a 'ronin' is a Samurai without a master or a daimyo to serve (yes, the homeless Samurai). As educators, do we serve the curriculum, the students, the parents, the district, or at our base level, our own passions and expertise.
If you are used to Samurai movies, the conclusion is somewhat predictable... However, it is through the process and actions of his roles that Samurai Saito earns our compassion as the film viewers...
While I grew up loving Samurai tales, I definitely prefer stories about the 'ordinary' life and moral dilemmas, not just about 'spoiled' aristocrats and warriors.
In the foreign language movie section at Blockbuster, I was intrigued by the title- Beijing Bicycle. Hoping to see lots of Beijing scenery and reminisce about our recent trip to that amazing city, I decided to check it out. This movie centers around the life of a country boy who has just moved to the big city. He is lucky enough to get a job as a bicycle messenger - a well paying job with the added benefit of being able to buy the bike he is using. It was fun to " ride along" as Guei weaves his way thru the conjested traffic in Beijing and the city's maze of alleyways -hutongs. They show some interesting neighborhoods and markets. The story changes when his bicycle is stolen and his job is in jeopardy. Tracking down the lost bicycle, leads Guei to a different part of town and forces him to fight with the boy who has his bike. The story contrasts the life of a schoolboy with rich friends (who act like a gang) with that of a struggling country boy -a kid who just wants to work and pay off the 600 yuans for the bike he loves. Sounds like a Disney movie- not exactly. There is gang violence, some swearing,one nude shot, but on the whole an O.K movie - not great. The movie has English subtitles and some are very amusing. At one point, Guei's boss says- you country folk are very determined, "A real little Engine that could!" With themes of duty, honesty, friendship and persistence, this movie could generate some good discussions. [Edit by="bsmith on May 1, 8:18:06 AM"][/Edit]
For everyones information, There is an Asian film festival going on this week which began yesterday through May 11 being held in LA. If you go to the website vconline.org you get a breakdown of all the films being shown and there are many. Most of them are films by Asians or about Asians. It seems very interesting and I would like to hear if anyone sees any of the films.
Jack's right about the film festival, and those getting the Asia in SoCal weekly calendar newsletter know about it. This week's films are listed at http://international.ucla.edu/asia/events.asp?action=weekview
To add yourself to the Asia in SoCal mailing list, please go to http://www.asia.ucla.edu/events.asp and fill in the boxes. The newsletter goes out every Thursday.
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I wanted to review the film Akarui mirai (Bright Future, 2003) by Kiyoshi Kurosawa. The film is interesting in that it deals with issues of growing up, entering adulthood, holding down a job, and dealing with all the stuff that almost always makes for a wonderful teenage coming of age movie. Only the two guys “growing up” are 24, Yûji Nimura, and 27, Mamoru Arita.
Plot: Yuji and Mamoru are great friends who work in a plant together. Their boss wants to hire them permanently and become a part of their everyday lives. He invites them to stay for dinner after they deliver a desk for his daughter. He visits them at Mamoru’s home, bringing sushi, and stays to watch the game. He is 55 and wishes the boys knew him when he was 25. He was a sight he brags. Yuji is disgusted by this as is Mamoru. It shows. Mamoru then decides he has bigger things to accomplish and quits. He leaves Yuji his prize possession, a poisonous red jellyfish he is acclimating to fresh water. Yuji is perplexed but takes the fish and stays on at his job and receives a bonus. Yuji goes looking for his friend, but he is unable to find Mamoru and so returns home. That night he visits his boss to retrieve a CD the boss “borrowed” and finds the man and his wife dead, murdered. He runs. There is a shot of the boss’s young daughter wandering the streets alone. We do not see her again. As the film progresses Mamoru is caught and sent to prison. And at this point his father, who he has not seen in five years, shows up to consult a lawyer. Yuji visits but is upset when Mamoru tells him never to return. In anger and frustration Yuji knocks over the red jellyfish tank and the fish slides to its death, falling between the floorboards into the Tokyo sewers. Then Mamoru hangs himself in prison and Yuji and Mamoru’s father Shin'ichirô Arita begin a quasi father-son relationship. They soon realize as do all those in Tokyo that the red jellyfish is alive and well, has multiplied and the horde are on their way back to the sea. Mr. Arita decides to chase the last one fleeing to sea. He picks it up and dies. Yuji holds him and the movie ends with a gang of boys Yuji committed a robbery with walking down a street bored and kicking boxes. They all wear black pants, white shirts with Che Guevara on them, and black Converse.
Now I think this is an interesting movie because it deals with issues of un/employment and a competitive job market, adulthood and the status quo, and isolation and/or prolonged adolescence in Tokyo. There has been a great deal written on these sociological/psychological phenomena, which are not exclusive to Japan, and yet in very specific ways are.
It seems that as Mamoru gets closer to thirty, to permanent work and to the responsibility of adulthood the more anxiety he feels. There is a separation anxiety that we usually equate with leaving your teens, which Mamoru seems to experience. Of course a similar occurs when you leave your thirties, but with Mamoru and especially with Yuji, only 24, the anxiety is closer to that felt in adolescence. Yuji for example is obsessed with bowling and with arcade games as opposed to his sister’s boyfriend, of the same age, who works in an office. Yuji and Mamoru exist in a developmentally delayed social class. They have not bought into the idea of work and twenties equals adulthood. They are both afraid of signing a permanent contract for fear that things will change, youth and the fun will end.
And for Mamoru there seems to be no release from this anxiety other than his committing a murder. The murder allows him to remain a child by being imprisoned and thus cared for for the rest of his life. In turn Yuji becomes son to Mamoru’s father continuing his own cycle of adolescence. Yuji does seem to have a way of dealing with his anxiety though. The red jellyfish. He searches, finds and ultimately follows it to sea, though he does not join it as does Mr. Arita. In fact Arita’s death also allows, or forces if you will, Yuji to deal with the anxiety of leaving adolescence. Yuji is let holding the dead body of Mamoru’s father. As he took Mamoru’s place, he now takes Mamoru’s father’s place. There is a lot more to say but....
As a teaching tool: our students really are leaving adolescence. This could be a wonderful way to address our students’ futures. It could also be a nice way to discuss the ways in which different cultures measure maturity, success and adulthood. Our students are also compared quite frequently to their highly successful Japanese counterparts. This may be a good way to address the myth that all Japanese/Asians are smart, successful love to learn and have wonderful “Bright” futures. There are a lot of disillusioned souls in this movie. American youth in a corporate centered capitalist society can relate to that, right?!
Hello all. I watched Nobody Knows (2005) directed byHirokazu Koreeda last week. I give this movie a B-. The story is about the lives of four children living in a Tokyo apartment. These children are abandoned by their mother and the four are left to survive on their own with the little money that their mother leaves with them. The oldest is a 12 year old boy, Akira. I think this movie could be used to teach about poverty and the struggles of early teens with negligent parents. I don’t' want to spoil the story, but it's somewhat sad with a few glimpses of hope for the kids during the film. However, I can't say it has a happy American style ending.
If you're really busy and want to rent movies I think Netflix.com is the way to go. It saves time, is very easy to use, and affordable. They have an overwhelming selection of titles both international and domestic.
Netflicks Description.
Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda's touching film follows the empty lives of 12-year-old Akira (Yûya Yagira) and his three younger siblings (Ayu Kitaura, Hiei Kimura and Momoko Shimizu) after their mother abandons them in a tiny Tokyo apartment. Pragmatic, determined and wise beyond his years, Akira manages the household as best he can -- but eventually the money runs out, and the children must find new ways to survive. Based on a true story.
VISIT NETFLIX
This movie sounds interesting. I think that students at the middle school age would find it interesting because they can relate. Middle school students, especially in inner city schools, face theft, gangs, and violence.
I watched this DVD at the reccomendation of a 7th and a 4th grader. They love it and have viewed it numerous times. After watching it myself, I understand why.
The film is the adventure of a young girl (an only child) moving to a new town with her parents. She is very upset because she is leaving what is familiar, along with leaving her best friend. Her father takes a "short cut" and discovers a tunnel. They walk through and wind up in what seems to be a deserted town, and this is where the adventure begins.
I would encourage all ages of students to view this film for many reasons. The first being that the art work in the animation is so incredibly detailed and culturally significant, you have to watch it more than once to make sure you don't miss anything. The second reason is that the film is a good introduction to some of the cultural aspects of Japan (social, mythological, religious), apart from the larger fantasy realm the film explores. I also love the fact that the star of the story is a young girl, one who faces many challenges to her bravery and wit, and she winds up being a hero in the end.
This is not a movie (as far as I know) but I recently listened to it on CD during a long drive and found it a wonderful story.
The book title is based on oracle bones that were found in a Chinese village. An archeologist dated them and found them to be very valuable to discovering more about the ancient culture in China. A reward was offered to anyone who could turn in a genuine oracle bone, or who knew where they were being dug up. The cave where they were found was a family secret of the Bone Setter, the village doctor. His daughter assisted him by grinding up the oracle bones to be used as medicine for his patients. The dilemma is whether or not the reveal the family secret.
The main character of the story is the granddaughter of the bone setter, who learns more about her past through letters she must translate (painstakingly, as she never was fluent in her mother's language) written by her mother. Her mother is suffering from the onset of Alzheimer's, and the daughter is forced to find a way to reconcile her desire to be an American women with her denied culture and her mother's needs. It is a wonderful book, and travels through 3 generations of the family before wrapping up in the present.
I would recommend this book to high school students.
Greetings all,
>
>Please join us as Los Angeles Filmforum co-presents a TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE AND ART OF
>NAM JUNE PAIK AT LACMA. This will be a very special event as we honor and celebrate the
>renowned artist.
>
>TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE AND ART OF NAM JUNE PAIK AT LACMA
>AN EVENING OF REMEMBRANCES, PERFORMANCES, PROJECTED VIDEO WORKS, AND
>RARELY SEEN CLIPS
>
>Thursday June 1, 2006, 7:30 pm
>Tickets are free - see information below.
>
>The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Los Angeles Filmforum, and teh Korean
>Cultural Center, Los Angeles present a memorial tribute to the life and career of composer
>and video and performance artist Nam June Paik at the museum's Bing Theater on
>Thursday, June 1 at 7:30 pm. Video art pioneer Nam June Paik died of natural causes at his
>home in Miami, Florida, on January 29, 2006; he was seventy-three. Memorial services for
>Paik have been held worldwide and this tribute will recognize his contribution to the
>culture of Los Angeles. The early seventies brought video art to Southern California,
>notably at the Long Beach Museum of Art where David A. Ross organized an exhibition of
>Nam June Paik's work in 1974, and California Institute of the Arts School of Film and Video
>where Nam June Paik taught, and personally introduced the Paik-Abe video synthesizer in
>1970. Today, Paik's influence resonates in the acceptance of video art as a collectible art
>form, with his work in the collections of many museums in California, including LACMA.
>
>Michael Govan, LACMA's new CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director, and Byung Hyo Choi, the
>Korean Consul General, will begin the evening with an introduction to the program, which
>includes a variety of experts and devotees, such as speaker Mary Livingstone Beebe,
>Director of the Stuart Collection at the University of California, San Diego; David A. Ross,
>President of the Artist Pension Trust and former Director of the San Francisco Museum of
>Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the first curator to organize a
>museum exhibition of Paik's work in the United States; renowned video artist Bill Viola;
>and Kathy Rae Huffman, Director of Visual Arts at Cornerhouse, Manchester, England, who
>was Curator at the Long Beach Museum of Art, and director of its regional media art
>center. Ms. Huffman will be presenting rare archival footage of Picturephone, Paik's
>interactive satellite performance between Los Angeles and New York.
>
>Other highlights include the presentation of Paik's Zen for Film (1964–65) by independent
>producer and curator Julie Lazar, who organized the last large-scale composition/
>exhibition by John Cage, Rolywholyover A Circus, which included Zen for Film.
>Additionally, Los Angeles visual and sound artist Steve Roden will perform an early work,
>Primitive Music, and seminal dancer and choreographer Simone Forti will present a new
>performance based on her diary entry about Paik from her Handbook in Motion—An
>Account of an Ongoing Personal Discourse and its Manifestations in Dance (1974, the
>Press of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design). Archival video and rare footage,
>courtesy of Electronic Arts Intermix, New York, will also be screened. Technical support is
>provided by The Society for the Activation of Social Space through Art and Sound (SASSAS),
>a group that serves as a catalyst for the creation, presentation, and recognition of
>experimental art and sound practices in the Greater Los Angeles area.
>
>A Tribute to Nam June Paik is organized by Carole Ann Klonarides and presented by the
>Film and Contemporary Art departments of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, in
>association with Los Angeles Filmforum, and the Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles.
>
>Admission is free but tickets are required and may be picked up at the box office starting
>at noon on the day of the event. Tickets must be presented at the door of the Bing Theater
>by 7:20 pm, after which time entrance to the theater is on a first come, first serve basis.
>
>About LACMA: In April 2006, Michael Govan became CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director of
>the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). He is the seventh person to hold the
>position of Director in the museum's 41-year history. Established as an independent
>institution in 1965, LACMA has assembled a permanent collection that includes
>approximately 100,000 works of art spanning the history of art from ancient times to the
>present, making it the premier encyclopedic visual arts museum in the western United
>States. Located in the heart of one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world, the
>museum uses its collection and resources to provide a variety of educational and cultural
>experiences for the people who live in, work in, and visit Los Angeles. LACMA offers an
>outstanding schedule of special exhibitions, as well as lectures, classes, family activities,
>film programs and world-class musical events.
>
>About the Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles: The Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles
>works under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to promote mutual cultural
>understanding between the United States and Korea. For more information about the
>Cultural Center and its programs, please visit www.kccla.org .
>
>LACMA is located at 5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles CA, 90036. For more
>information about LACMA and its programming, log on to www.lacma.org.
>
>Museum Hours: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, noon–8 pm; Friday, noon–9 pm;
>Saturday and Sunday, 11 am–8 pm; closed Wednesday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Call
>323 857-6000, or www.lacma.org for more information.
>
>General LACMA Admission: Adults $9; students 18+ with ID and senior citizens 62+ $5.
>Admission (except to specially ticketed exhibitions) is free every evening after 5 pm, the
>second Tuesday of every month, and for children 17 and under.
>
>Please note: LACMA is free every evening after 5 pm.
>
>[Edit by="aaguilar on May 27, 10:18:18 AM"][/Edit]
I HAVE ALSO SHOWN SPIRITED AWAY TO MIDDLE SCHOOLERS. IT IS AN AWSOME STORY LINE ABOUT A GIRL SPIRITED AWAY TO A SPIRIT BATHHOUSE WHERE SHE ENCOUNTERS ALL KINDS OF COLORFUL CHARACTERS. IT ALSO HAS GREAT ANIMATION. DEFINITELY A MUST SEE IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN IT YET. THE CHARACTERS ARE UNIQUE AND OVERALL IT IS EXTREMELY ENTERTAINING.
A review of Mehta's latest can be found in the latest issue of Asia Pacific Arts. It would be great, though, for a few teachers to comment on this film.
The APA review is at:
http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=46595[Edit by="Clay Dube on May 30, 4:22:16 PM"][/Edit]
I recently watched the video Princess Monoke. It was a story of a young boy who tries to stop a demon and is cursed in the process. He travels far across the land to find the source of his curse. He finds a small village of people who are polluting the land and are being warred upon by the spirits of the forest that appear as wolves.
I think this could be useful in the classroom to teach not only awareness of the environment, but it showcases some philosophical ideas about the natural world. It also shows some eastern philosophies of honor and sacrifice. The main characters in the story are quick to lay their lives down in order to fight for what they believe in. They give their lives to the forest.
This could also be used to teach qualities of character. There are some really vivid and rich characters in this film that would be perfect for some character analysis. Check it out!
I recently watched the Japanese film Kagemusha which was recommended to us during our Saturday Japanese History seminar. I was skeptical at first, but as the film progressed I was won over. Initially the film started off pretty slowly, but as I became more engrossed in this story, time picked up. The movie itself is 3 hours long so it is a commitment.
This movie is about a shadow warrior that imitates the lord after his death. The shadow warrior is saved from death sentence in order to be trained to "shadow" the lord in battle. Unfortunately, the lord is killed in battle and begs for the generals to use the shadow warrior in order to cover his death for three years. The shadow is reluctant at first, but decides to show honor and serve his dead lord.
What stood out most in my mind was the way in which Japanese custom was portrayed. Each move was deliberate and methodical. No one in the movie moved just to move. There was a certain way to kneel, close doors, set down weapons, speak to a superior. In one particular scene in the movie there is a clan meeting in which the shadow warrior must imitate the lord in front of the entire clan. The way in which they speak to him is very interesting. Whenever they are not speaking they look straight ahead. When they speak to Shingen they turn their whole body to him, speak, and then turn away. It must take them years to learn how to be in public. The servants especially have it bad. They make the most intricate moves in order to complete every action.
I think that this film would be a really good film to show your students when studying Japan. You might want to pick out clips to show your students as we don't always have 3 hours to show a movie. You could maybe show the movie and do some frontloading in order to cover more ground with the movie. I think it would really bring alive medieval Japan in a way that a textbook never could. I really enjoyed watching it. I learned a few things. It put together some information we learned during the seminars.
I watched this anime thinking that it was going to be like Spirited Away because it was made by the same director. The story was about a girl that is turned into an old woman by the evil witch of the waste. What a play on words. I normally really like anime, but this movie was a little off. I couldn't really follow the story, because nothing was ever really explained. Unlike the Alice in Wonderland type story of Spirited Away, this was like a romance novel. The girl had to look inside herself and find love in order break the spell. The ending was a little strange too. There was something about some war and then it stopped. I don't know. I was confused throughout the entire movie. I wouldn't recommend using it in your classroom. There wasn't any enduring parallels that could be made to the curriculum. If you really liked it, I hope you don't take offense. It's just one opinion.
I watched the film “JSA” over the weekend. JSA stands for Joint Security Area (The Korean title is Gongdong gyeongbi guyeok, according to internet movie database. The film was made in 2000 and is one of the most popular and widedly respected films in the history of the country. “JSA” was directed by Chan-wook Park and stared Yeong-ae Lee, Byung-hun Lee, Kang-ho Song, Tae-woo Kim and Ha-kyun Shin.
The film starts with a killing at the DMZ. The DMZ or demilitarized zone separates the two parts of the country of Korea. A North Korean soldier has been shot and a South Korean soldier has confessed to the killing. The number of bullets, don’t add up and an pair of Swiss/ Swedish investigators are in charge of determining the truth.
The plot is certainly a strong point for the film. The story is unique and well told. Without getting to much into the plot, the film involves the issue of the separate Koreas. While they are one country, the two societies and governments could not be much different. The film’s message, in the end, is wherever you live you are still Korean. The differences between a North Korean and a South Korean as a people are so small, it is the government that creates the differences.
The cinematography is amazing in the film. During a scene at the DMZ, the camera angle is directly above which put a focus on the line and how the soldiers interact with it. Other visually impressive scenes include the very first scene with the Owl and a violent shooting scene that was high on dramatic effect.
One issue English speakers would have with the film is it is, obviously, mostly in Korean. I say mostly since about 10 minutes of total dialogue (between the Westerners) is actually in English. Since the film is often driven by the action of story and not the dialogue, the subtitles are not hard to handle. In fact, most people would be surprised at how easily one gets used to them.
As far as showing this film a class there are details a teacher needs to know. It deals with the issue of the separate Koreas in a very well thought out way that students can learn from. However, there is violence in the film. The amount of blood and gore is probably that of a typical American action film staring Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone. Most 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students would not be offended or surprised at the violence. Besides the violence, there is brief nudity shown. The troops briefly look through a magazine that specializes in naked women. That portion of the film is probably 5 seconds.
As far as availability, it is moderately difficult to acquire. It is not at blockbuster or Hollywood video. If you, however, live in an area with a fair share of Korean-Americans then its very likely you can find it at a mom and pop video store that specializes in Asia films.[Edit by="jdelarme on Jun 15, 12:18:26 AM"][/Edit]
Evaluation of 'WATER' - a movie on India
Posted: 06-11-2006 05:18 PM
WATER – A Deepa Mehta Film
I think the film has tabled two still prevalent issues in Indian society. The first one of child marriage that is to be found all over India – especially amongst the illiterate rural class – and the other is the castration of a widow to the point of her expulsion from community to lead a life of bare sustenance, bereft of the company of her family, her loved ones and follow a life of total austerity devoid of any pleasures.
Generally speaking, a Hindu widow practices austerity in society today by wearing a dress (sari, etc.) devoid of any color, meaning white for a period of a year. During this period of time and beyond, she still lives with her in-law’s family but is no longer at liberty of wearing the ‘sindhur’ – red spot on the forehead which is a traditional symbol of being married. However, the type of social castration depicted in the movie is to be found among the community of Bengalis (people who live in the state of Bengal, with the city of Calcutta – or Kolkota – as the central hub. The term ‘Bengal tiger’ is from this region and this name is given to the magnificent big cats that inhabit the marshlands of the Sunderban in this state, adjacent to the country of Bangladesh).
The theme of the story, as also its matter-of-fact presentation, toggles the mind of the viewer and the audience cannot but feel the frustrated helplessness of the widow forced into such a situation. All the artistes have done a great job in playing a genuine role of the character they are portraying. Kudos goes to the child actress Sarala (Chuiya) because she is a Sri Lankan and does not actually speak Hindi – she had to learn how to speak her lines in Hindi. Credit can also be given to the others – like John Abraham (Narayan), a Bollywood superstar, and Lisa Ray (Kalyani), who is a new actress in tinsel town, for not letting a touch of their glitzy side to appear on this movie. This lent an authenticity to the their roles.
The set of the ghats (banks) of the River Ganges in the city of Varanasi, or Benaras, look quite genuine (because of the threats against the production by Hindu extremist groups, it has been shot in Sri Lanka and not India). The background of the funeral pyre in quite a few scenes helps only to emphasize the frailty of life and its closeness with water – the ashes of the dead body in Hinduism is ritually immersed in the water of the River Ganges to attain ‘moksha’, or a sort of continuity of the soul into another life.
A couple of things caught my attention as not being realistic – the fact that Kalyani was not shown with her hair shaved which was in keeping with the character of widows in the movie. The other point was that the ghats are actually a flurry of on-going activities like people bathing and washing – in the movie the atmosphere around the banks is shown to be comparatively serene and calm.
Overall I think the movie is a strong portrayal of the lives of Bengali widows and touches a very human emotion in all of us – that of being cut off from the rest of the community we are attuned to. I could not but wonder why not rebel against this social norm and follow ones own path? What is it that binds these widows to quietly follow such a custom? But then, in India, the issue of widow re-marriage is one that is still scorned on.
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