"Precious" (Film)

The novel “Push” (written by author, Sapphire) has gained much attention and acclaim in the African American community over the past few years. More recently “Push” has captured the hearts and minds of a broader national audience, the book now on the Top 10 Bestsellers list in 2010. Both the novel and it’s film adaptation titled “Precious” centers around the struggle for hope and survival of a Harlem high school student, C. Precious Jones, a character based on a composite of Sapphire’s real life students in inner city New York. Directed by Lee Daniels, the film translates the novel into a compelling and revealing story of one woman’s ‘push’ for life in a way that is raw, real and yet accessible to mainstream audiences. The film is well done.

When Oprah finished watching the film, she says she was left silent. I too found I had no words to say when the film ended. No critiques or analysis the film running in my head. It just was. So, rather than comment on the film, may I suggest that it simply be watched. {see addendum below}

“Precious” won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress (Mo’nique) and received nominations for Best Picture 2009 and Best Actress for Gabourey Sidibe’s acting debut. There are appearances by Mariah Carey (unrecognizable social worker without makeup), Lenny Kravitz (the nurse), Paula Patton (school administrator) and BET’s Mo’nique (Precious’ mother). I personally feel the strength of novel and storyline speaks for itself, but perhaps Lee Daniels may have felt the need to hype up the film and garner audience support by casting these Hollywood stars (esp. Carey and Kravitz)?

{Addendum}: Okay, I take back my above statement of not having comments—I loved the film, and found it a brave story to put on the big screen. Not simply because of the subject matter (rape, abuse, pregnancy, illiteracy, obesity) but because it casts the African American community in a light that works against the community’s long time agenda and struggle to cast African Americans in roles that challenge racial, class and gender stereotypes (i.e. this is not the Cosby show). Yet in its bravery, “Precious” challenges us in the 21st to embrace both the Cosbys and the Jones (Precious’ family) as equally true representations of the African American experience in the U.S., and challenges us to explore the similarities of the Jones life all of our lives. I found this to be a film that speaks less about the Black American experience, as much as it does to the universal human experience > of despondency, hope, truth, fear, suffering, faith and courage.

Departures - Foreign Film

It won the 2009 American Academy Award for Best Foreign Film of the Year, and swept the Japan Academy Awards winning a slew of 10 additional oscars.

"Departures" is a film confronting the realities and rituals of death, and thereby ultimately embracing the beauty of life itself.

The story revolves around a 36 year old man who takes on a job as an encoffener after loosing his job as a celloist in the Tokyo Symphony. The story revolves around the conflict between the art of encoffening (that of providing the family of the deceased with an opportunity to remember their beloved in a beautiful state) and its impact on his marriage, family and community.

It's unique for film producers to take on such a stark topic for a film script, but the writers, producers and directors of this film unfolded dynamics of dying with such care and beauty that one leaves the film feeling more connected to and comforted by the inevitable reality of our eventually confrontation death in our lives. It's a light and tender movie, not one of haunting sorrow and sadness.

Americans strive to keep death and aging at arms length. Our markets are plagued with anti-aging products, new medicinal practices, and efforts to extend life for as long as possible, our western mindset leaving no room for the acceptance of death as a part of the natural course of life. It is a film produced in an East Asian country, I sensed, that would best be able to offer a cultural framwork that would allow others around the world to celebrate the art of both life and death. "Departures" and its Japanese cast and crew does this well.

The music score was beautiful, and particularly commendable given that the theme song had to be written with the cello as the main and dominant instrument. The cinematography was nice, but I think I've seen better > it wasn't the memorable and striking part of the film. It's really the script and the courage to bring this subject matter to the big screen that is most impressive.

Hawaii International Film Festival

This weekend...check out some great films at the

Hawaii International Film Festival
Oct 9-19 at the Dole Cannery Theaters

for movie schedule see: www.hiff.org


Sample movies from heavy to light...

CHILDREN OF THE DARK

Junji Sakamoto 2008
The theme in this case is the drastic fate of Thai children trapped in the machinations of child prostitution and the black market in human organs. This new work from established Japanese director Sakamoto Junji does not console audiences with the idea of events taking place in a far-off land, and points a finger at Japan's association with the problem, the key grounds for which are shown as apathetic dismissal, the unwillingness to acknowledge problems beyond the borders of one's own country and the burden of guilt upon those who create the demand for child prostitution and trade in children's organs.

THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS

Mark Herman 2008

Adapted from the John Boyne's best-selling novel, THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS is a fictionalized story told through the eyes of an eight-year-old boy largely shielded from the reality of World War II. This unforgettable tale follows a forbidden friendship that forms between Bruno, the son of a Nazi commandant, and Shmuel, a Jewish boy held captive in a concentration camp. Though the two are separated physically by a barbed-wire fence, their friendship grows and their lives become inescapably intertwined.

THE KILLING OF A CHINESE COOKIE

Derek Shimoda 2007

For nearly a century, people have turned to this prophetic dessert for advice, inspiration, and even winning lottery combinations. While the fortune cookie has been a source of fascination and a Chinese cuisine staple in North America, it remains nearly non-existent in China. This film will examine the heated debate over the true origin of the fortune cookie, the mixing of eastern and western cultures that produced it, and the cookie's rise from a simple pastry to a pop culture phenomenon.

Film - Gary Gets Married

Gary is a mild mannered, introspective artist-type, a UCI grad I knew from my InterVarsity days. A few years ago a handful of us flew to Chicago to attend the Willow Creek Leadership Conference. It was an un-leadership leadership conference where we all took an oath of silence to keep the Chicago-week under wraps. Had the church pastor not come down with a cold leaving us to our own demise, it would have been a very serious, ministry minded, prayerful trip of debriefing and strategic planning. As it turned out, we left our leadership hats in LA and had so much fun exploring the Windy City; it was truly a memorable bonding experience.

I lost touch with Gary but was glad to hear that he was married two February's ago. In his own Gary-style and humor he created the un-wedding wedding video to show at his reception. Check it out:

http://be4be4.blogspot.com/2006_03_01_archive.html

I noticed that Gary included some of his self portraits from our Chicago trip in the film. Way cool!

Asian American Film Festival - Austin & Philadelphia

It's so nice to see that there's a growing awareness of an Asian American politic and presence in cities that are often overlooked as traditional Asian American communities.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 10, 2008
http://phillyasian.bside.com/2008/schedule

Austin, Texas
October 11, 2008
http://www.aaaff.org/

Global warming – An Inconvenient Truth

I watched on DVD, a documentary of Al Gore’s quest to bring the issue of Global Warming to the forefront of our nation’s mind. “An Inconvenient Truth” was interesting, convincing and inspiring and should be viewed by public leaders and families alike.

In addition to presenting scientific data, the video highlights a personal side of Gore’s life including his motivation for running for the Presidential office and inspiration to support this cause. I found it interesting that it took just one lecture by a college professor to spark this young man’s mind and inform his politics for a lifetime. The near-death of his six year old son also caused Gore to think about the fragility of life and ponder how he would use the remainder of his own life on earth. With a renewed sense of life purpose, he has made it his mission (both in his early political career through this post-Bush election era) to stand for the fight against global warming.

Gore’s personal connections and public reputation allowed him access to scientific data, international travels, and savvy presentation technologies that most Americans and scientists for that matter are not per vie to. He is a clear communicator and convicted speaker, able to hold the attention of audiences across the world. In the film Gore doesn’t hold back in wrist-slapping George W. Bush and Phil Cooney (former White House Environmental Officer.) As much as this is marketed as an “educational” documentary, there is a subtle story line as well: I felt that the film was Gore’s way of reasserting his politics, clearing his name, clarifying the strength of his politics, and a chance to rebuff the republican party, W. Bush himself, and the American public who voted for him. The bottom line of the film—that Gore should have been the elected American President who would have (literally) saved the world. He claims he would have led the nation in a way that moved us toward global partnership rather than global conflict (and not abet the War on Terrorism). Personal politics aside, Gore concludes by suggesting that each one of us plays a vital role in reducing global warming and preserving the earth for the future generation.

For more information see:
http://www.climatecrisis.net
http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/environment
http://www.greenpeace.org

Split Obsession - Toy Collectors

Toy collectors of all ages will love this store: Split Obsession. It's for folks who have that private dual side to them...a collection obsession.

Most of the toys in this store are unique ones shipped directly from Japan. Next Tuesday a special shipment of Bobafett and other Star Wars items will come in. The items are being internationally distributed now that the Japan Star Wars Convention has ended. The conventions, drawing over 35,000 people each, were held in London, San Francisco, Tokyo and Los Angeles. Exclusive toys were made for each country.

My brother's "split obession" is with Star Wars, a movie our family enjoyed and grew up with. It was the very first drive-in movie we saw as kids. We got dressed up in our PJs, brought our pillows and favorite stuffed toy, and eventually fell asleep in the car before the movie was over. Leah confronting an angry Darth Vader was the last scene I remembered on that big screen. It was a fun family experience.

Today my brother owns a house, and has dedicated one room specifically to his Star Wars collection. His room looks like a specialty store--literally!, with gray and black painted walls lined with hanging action figures (much like Toys R Us aisles), different Star Wars space ships hanging from the ceiling, and artfully placed on tables and the ground. Bruce, the owner of Split Obsession, was so intrigued by this that he wanted to see the room...until he learned it was on the mainland. Yet in the typical aloha spirited way, he offered to order my brother any Star Wars items from Japan that he might want. Sometimes I get "good" culture shock when I'm in Hawaii--when I see how genuinely friendly and kind people are here and how they go out of their way to help one another. Through these small acts, I find my soul refreshed time and again in the land of aloha.

For a fun Star Wars blog see:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://geekologie.com/2007/04/papercraft-star-wars.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.geekologie.com/mt/mt-search.cgi%3Ftag%3Dstar%2520wars%26blog_id%3D1&h=360&w=320&sz=29&hl=en&start=14&sig2=Op7QgkY1-Yc9ecfxzYKLyg&tbnid=m37SkmV9Mv4fbM:&tbnh=121&tbnw=108&ei=jPSgSLP5CoyipwTtq5DgBw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dstar%2Bwars%2Btoys%2Bfrom%2Bjapan%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG

Where to Shop:
Spilt Obession (in the Koko Marina Shopping Center)
7192 Kalanianaole Hwy, #D-100
Honolulu, HI 96825
808.395.3380
www.splitobsession.com