Shanghai Shanghai

A short trip taken recently...
Visiting Shanghai is like coming back to HK in the 1990s. Everytime you come back there'd be a new skyscraper. But of course the rate of growth in Shanghai is a bit more mind-boggling... could all those humongous buildings be leased out? Millions and millions of square footage of offices... This gamble's gotta be a big pay out (or a real bomb?). World Finance Centre is finally becoming a reality, having been the architectural dream of the 1990s, only to be disrupted by a blib during Shanghai's office slump in the aftermath of the Asian Financial Crisis. Now, in it final construction stage (top 1/4 of the building) it's already overtaking JinMao as the tallest office building in Shanghai. Can't wait to see the completed structure and the Park Hyatt at the top portion late next year.
This time though, besides seeing new constructions, new completions, staying at a new hotel, I also tried new restaurants, new streets, and a new phenomenon.
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What do you think these people are doing here?
Attending an Art Fair?

Trading collectibles?

A garden party?

Or selling junk to the "Lao Wai"? Well, I had heard about this from a news report from Beijing about 2 months ago. This is match-making in the 21st century China. It turns out these are parents of both young males and females, gathering at a corner of People's Square every weekend, posting banners about their children and hoping to hook them up with a perfect suitor. Read this one: "Looking for Marriage: (Lone daughter of the president of a real estate company) Unmarried 34-year old with good looks, 160cm tall, graduated from the teaching institute and was a primary school class teacher, dealer for major accounts of a trading firm; first-class honour at a national speech competition, winner at a parent-child singing competition, can do simple house chores; would like to find a match with a loving heart; if any available male are interested, no matter your looks or your height (34-55yo), ok if you have slight disabilities, but marriage house in Shanghai is a must, please contact... Patented intangible asset will be awarded to the successful.... CANDIDATE?
I sometimes wonder, is hooking up that difficult in China, or are these extreme cases where getting married is just a task they have to accomplish... for the family, or for the job? For residency in Shanghai, or for whatever reasons... There were actually agents working in this match-making... but then of course! If the parents care so much about their kids' marriage, they need professional help! I am probably hot property if I'm available to them... I am sure (I swear they were all looking at me with interesting and inquisitive eyes)...
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Very happy to have found this area called Tianzifang in Tai Kang Lu. It was written up in various magazines, and it did not disappoint. Sort of like Xintiandi, sort of like Moganshan. It is a neighbourhood of old Shanghai Shikumen architecture, with new funky boutiques selling clothes, curios, jewellery, furniture, and cafes and restaurants are here and there. There was an ex-garment factory workshop building built in the 30s now converted into studios and workshops for clothing traders, archi firms, and galleries. Cool place. I like this place better than Xintiandi because there are still inhabitants in these old structures... adds a bit of authenticity and human touch to the whole area. Plus the place is less commercialized than Xintiandi (thank god for the absence of Starbucks)

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Then of course there's part of the old being torn down... here's the last bit of the famous Shangyang Market being demolished: _________
And last but not least, the best Shanghai Tangbao (Xiaolongbao) I've ever had. Jiajia (Huanghe Lu x Fengyang Lu, thanks to recommendation from Ame) is not far from Nanjing Lu/People's Square, and their regular xiaolong gets sold out early. We were only left with either all-crab, or crab+pork. But man, it's so hot, and the meats were so fresh, skin's so yummy. Not a big fan of xiaolong, but these were the best I've ever tasted.... yum!
Also tried this Japanese place called "天家" (Huashan Lu x Tai'an Lu, thanks to recommendation from Funfun and Ame) specializes in Toro and crab. oooh... hot pot was so good! sashimi was so good! cold crab was so good!
Also tried "1931" (Maoming Lu South x Nanchang Lu). Decor was nice and warm, food is ok.
Short breaks once in a while is good geh..... ;)

HKIFF 2007

15 films in 3 weeks. Sounds more than it is, really. The "worst" this year was still only 2 films a day. Don't think I could handle running between venues for 3 films in one day anymore like previous years... haha.

Sakuran ...B+... the colours, the clothes, her counter-culture attitude, her ill-temper. Realizing the importance of not giving up on hopes, but questionable ending.

Tuya's Marriage ...B-... must admit I fell asleep through bits of the first half. Actress's performance was great, and you could feel her conflicted emotions and the harshness of reality. But I wasn't very touched.

Black Gold ...B+... like the message the movie carries. It's what a documentary should be. Coffee drinkers, especially those frequent Starbucks customers, should take note of the effects of their consumption behavior on individual coffee growers in Ethiopia. (see my earlier blog entry)Bobby ...B/B+... respectable directorial debut for Estevez, and what a star-studded cast (see my earlier blog entry)

Stranger than Fiction ...B+/A-... quirky movie, food for thoughts (see my other blog entry)

Dark Matter ...B-/B... tragedy played by 2 wonderful actors, but were they necessary? (see my other blog entry)

Destricted ...C-... ever felt like you're at the wrong place at the wrong time? I was looking at my friend mid-way through the movie, and asked why we are at a Governmet venue watching real PORN with 300 other movie-goers... maybe it was just an excuse to watch porn with a group of strangers? Sorry, a complete waste of time for me.

No Regret ...B-... Had a bit of expectation from a Korean film on a sensitive subject matter. Story is not that outstanding, and the twists are just a bit far-fetched. There are bits that are enjoyable, but overall it's a disappointment. (see my other blog entry)

The Go Master ...B-/B... A biographical account of a great Go player? I fell asleep in the first half of the movie, which also featured Sylvia Chang but I only saw her maybe ONCE throughout the movie. Just didn't see the greatness, or the point of his life that I could draw from or identify with. Maybe it was just to tell the life story of a great man living through difficult times during WWII? Identify crisis, disillusionment, simply... lost?

Like a Virgin ...A-... My absolute delight this year. The story of a chubby Korean boy determined to chase his dreams even if it meant facing and tackling family problems head on (literally). Inspiring story of being convinced of something, and doing something about it. GREAT performance by the actor, with many many funny scenes.

The Page Turner (La tourneuse de pages) ...B... A creepy movie about revenge. How far would you go to take revenge? So much so that you'd devote your youth doing so?

My Best Friend (Mon Meilleur Ami) ...A-... another delight, and it gives a good examination of how far, or how difficult for some to make friends, or to realize that friends are not far to find, just that we need to cherish them. Great performances by the two male leads. You will feel the warmth by the end of the movie. I was touched.

Four Minutes (Vier Minuten) ...B+... A very tense movie, very binding, and draws your attention throughout. Ill-fated love, war, Nazis, prodigy, molestation, prison brutality, and great music... somehow they all meld together and give us a very powerful story of anger, ugly secrets, marvel at Godsent talent. Also great performances by the two female leads.Klimt ...B-/C+... Was he crazy? or was he CRAZY? I fell asleep... again, and also did not understand what was going on.

For Your Consideration ...B-/C+... A slight disappointment.... Hollywood's joke on its own isn't that funny afterall... or maybe it just chose the wrong things to poke fun at? Boop jobs, face lifts, rumormills, not-so-funny show hosts, cheap talent managers, aspiring actors... So stereotypical, maybe it's real, but ... *yawn*

Overall I think I picked some really good ones this year, without major disappointments. Good to have finally run through both the Arts Festival and HKIFF now. Schedule is finally back to normal for now. Oh one more thing.... I don't understand why HK audience have to react to LOUDLY and a bit over-the-top. Was the joke REALLY that funny? And hello... the line hasn't been said in the dialogue yet and you're already laughing at the Chinese subtitles.... isn't that just a bit annoying?!

No Regret (2006)

CW said, it also seemed as if the movie was directed by a young new director, who put random elements into the story to spice it up... which at the end created a mish-mesh of bizzare events... like, rich guy going to the night club going bezerk trying to look for his hustler, rich guy doing a bunch of self-cruelty acts to express his dichotomy between his life as the successor of his parents' large corporation, and the desire of a lover he was so obsessed with. Others: hustler's sudden reversal of attitude towards the rich guy, hustler's turn to violence when he mistakenly thought he was being rejected, the rich guy's wavering attitude towards the hustler (does he want him or does he not?), an untimely car crash, or an untimely sexual urge...
The movie turned so tragic, it was almost comical. For me, the movie could have ended when the hustler realized that their affair is not sustainable... but then, what would be the point of the movie? So I think the writer felt they had to add some bizzare events to make an impact on the audience... but I completely fail to see the point of violence and the subsequent events in the car.
Is it a cultural difference? or is it related to their relationship? The hustler had always found the rich guy "disgusting", and the rich guy felt disgusting too, having lived a so-called double-life, but in fact it was only so because of his parents' refusal to accept who he was.
These movies are usually bittersweet, as in most other ones about relationships having to go great lengths to see fruition.... but this was just strange and bizzare...

Dark Matter (2006/7)

Never knowing the events that preceded the movie, I thought the movie was a fair attempt to illustrate the pressure for Chinese to excel abroad, with parents in the Mainland awaiting news of success to be shared with neighbours, and old rivals schoolmates to defeat in terms of academic success. But then, why would that warrant a movie made, and with A-list stars? So why did Merryl Streep get involved in this movie? Her role, the wife of a philanthropist with a deep interest in the Chinese culture, offered not much of an "added value" to the plot. She tried her best to help these Chinese transplants connected with the American culture; always supporting, almost like a counselor to them. What role did she play in the ultimate tragic end of Liu Ye's character? Could she have make a difference in the outcome? No. Is her character pivotal in his ill-fated dream of the Nobel Prize? No. Merryl Streep, if anything, only added a drawing power; her character doesn't mean much to the plot or help our understanding of the motives or the lessons to be drawn from such a dark end. Does it even matter, that Liu Ye's character was modified from the events the movie was based on, that we should be sympathetic to the postgraduate hardships in research and dessertation politics?

Was the movie just a story of somebody who is not accustomed to dealing with failure/setbacks, not willing to work with the "system", and augmented by being alone in a foreign land and the lack of companionship, even if he tried to reach out for that? But really, would these lead to those tragic ends? What role does Streep's character play in that?....
For the NYTimes article, please go here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/27/science/27dark.html