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 | The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep During World War II, a young Scottish boy takes home an oversized egg he finds by the sea. It hatches and out comes a creature destined to inherit the title of Loch Ness Monster. The question is, can the boy keep the friendly monster a secret from the British troops camped in the area? This movie promises excellent family fare with special effects that enhance characters rather than distract from them. Note: The German TV movie The Secret of Loch Ness previewed two weeks ago was preemptively released to siphon box office attention from this big-budget feature. Oddly, an absent father is a key element in both films.
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 | The Deaths of Ian Stone The most disturbing premise for a horror movie in recent memory — the main character is killed in a gruesome manner, only to be brought back to life and killed again, and again — makes this feature stand out from the genre crowd. But the end result is not as relentless and morbid as it sounds, with Stone eventually facing his monstrous persecutors. Reviews have been mixed for this film, which is set in the UK but whose lead character is American. |
 | Orangelove Not many movies from Ukraine come our way, so here’s a chance to sample something different — in more ways than one. AIDS is the theme but the film is all style and the story is off-the-wall: Two lovers desperate to be together take up free lodging in a room belonging to the dead partner of a dying man, as well as securing a promise of receiving the man’s inheritance, as long as they don’t leave the room until he dies. A grim outcome looms but, as the film’s Web site asks, what do you know about love? |
 | The Grocer’s Son A well-regarded French film of deceptively modest means, The Grocer’s Son spins the tale of a young man who returns to his rural hometown to operate the family business after his father has a heart attack. His unhappiness at his lot is transformed by the appearance of a woman who joins the grocery and spices things up to no end. Director Eric Guirado previously made three documentaries about France’s humble traveling grocer, and this feature film extends his interest in what constitutes a civilized community. |
 | Video Clip This is a Thai thriller that exploits the very contemporary fear of having your filmed or photographed erotic exploits uploaded or sent out for all the world to see. In this case, the hero of our story receives a series of saucy videos of his friends on his cell phone that foreshadow their deaths. Yet another reason to avoid cell phones like the plague. Critical comment suggests, however, that this is another example of a film where most of the creative energy is spent on the Web site. |
 | Marriage is a Crazy Thing The Baixue theater in Ximending continues its journey through a catalog of overlooked South Korean features with this popular, complex romantic drama from 2002. A male university lecturer starts a passionate relationship with a woman who will not fully commit to him because of his relatively small salary. A sober analysis of the clash of peer and family pressure and individualist desire, Marriage was No. 1 at the box office in its home country. |
 | Comet Impact Made for British TV but with an eye on the US market, this disaster flick starts off unusually by having a comet-induced tsunami sweep Ireland — only for a much worse fate to threaten the northeastern US (odd how these celestial bodies never hit off the coasts of Chile, Namibia or the Philippines). Produced by a company specializing in documentaries, director Keith Boak has episodes of popular British TV series like Doctor Who and The Bill under his belt. Screening at the Caesar theater in Ximending. |
Seven hundred job applications. One interview. Marco Mascaro arrived in Taiwan last year with a PhD in engineering physics and years of experience at a European research center. He thought his Gold Card would guarantee him a foothold in Taiwan’s job market. “It’s marketed as if Taiwan really needs you,” the 33-year-old Italian says. “The reality is that companies here don’t really need us.” The Employment Gold Card was designed to fix Taiwan’s labor shortage by offering foreign professionals a combined resident visa and open work permit valid for three years. But for many, like Mascaro, the welcome mat ends at the door. A
The Western media once again enthusiastically forwarded Beijing’s talking points on Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comment two weeks ago that an attack by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on Taiwan was an existential threat to Japan and would trigger Japanese military intervention in defense of Taiwan. The predictable reach for clickbait meant that a string of teachable moments was lost, “like tears in the rain.” Again. The Economist led the way, assigning the blame to the victim. “Takaichi Sanae was bound to rile China sooner rather than later,” the magazine asserted. It then explained: “Japan’s new prime minister is
NOV. 24 to NOV. 30 It wasn’t famine, disaster or war that drove the people of Soansai to flee their homeland, but a blanket-stealing demon. At least that’s how Poan Yu-pie (潘有秘), a resident of the Indigenous settlement of Kipatauw in what is today Taipei’s Beitou District (北投), told it to Japanese anthropologist Kanori Ino in 1897. Unable to sleep out of fear, the villagers built a raft large enough to fit everyone and set sail. They drifted for days before arriving at what is now Shenao Port (深奧) on Taiwan’s north coast,
Divadlo feels like your warm neighborhood slice of home — even if you’ve only ever spent a few days in Prague, like myself. A projector is screening retro animations by Czech director Karel Zeman, the shelves are lined with books and vinyl, and the owner will sit with you to share stories over a glass of pear brandy. The food is also fantastic, not just a new cultural experience but filled with nostalgia, recipes from home and laden with soul-warming carbs, perfect as the weather turns chilly. A Prague native, Kaio Picha has been in Taipei for 13 years and
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