A Single Man (摯愛無盡)
Colin Firth has already received huge praise for his Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning performance as a man trying to go about his typical day after losing his partner. Based on a story by Christopher Isherwood, the movie, directed by fashion designer Tom Ford, transcends easy pigeon-holing as a gay interest film. It has been said that the beautifully crafted look of the film, not to mention the gorgeous costumes, make this “bereavement by Dior.” Julianne Moore, as the close friend who doesn’t quite understand, has also been highly acclaimed.
Nodame I (交響情人夢最終樂章前篇)
A classical music saga based on a best-selling manga about romance and the minor tribulations of a down-at-heel orchestra taken over by an ambitious new conductor. A major selling point of the film is its locations, with the story unfolding in the cultural capitals of Europe, including Vienna, Prague and Paris. Slapstick comedy, a good-looking young cast, romantic contretemps mixed in
with easy listening classical favorites make this an appealing concoction.
Port of Return (靠岸)
Directed by the well-known Taiwanese cartoonist Chang Jung-kuei (張榮貴), creator
of the popular character
A-Kuei (阿貴), Port of Return (靠岸) is being touted as a new milestone in local animation. Production took four years and cost a reported NT$120 million. The film recounts a mythical story about a woman using illicit magic to obtain love, only to find herself caught in a battle between light and darkness. Mixing the simplistic styles of the A-Kuei series with elements of anime fantasy and a strong moral message, Port of Return has a good chance of joining in the recent resurgence in commercially successful local productions.
In late October of 1873 the government of Japan decided against sending a military expedition to Korea to force that nation to open trade relations. Across the government supporters of the expedition resigned immediately. The spectacle of revolt by disaffected samurai began to loom over Japanese politics. In January of 1874 disaffected samurai attacked a senior minister in Tokyo. A month later, a group of pro-Korea expedition and anti-foreign elements from Saga prefecture in Kyushu revolted, driven in part by high food prices stemming from poor harvests. Their leader, according to Edward Drea’s classic Japan’s Imperial Army, was a samurai
The following three paragraphs are just some of what the local Chinese-language press is reporting on breathlessly and following every twist and turn with the eagerness of a soap opera fan. For many English-language readers, it probably comes across as incomprehensibly opaque, so bear with me briefly dear reader: To the surprise of many, former pop singer and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ex-lawmaker Yu Tien (余天) of the Taiwan Normal Country Promotion Association (TNCPA) at the last minute dropped out of the running for committee chair of the DPP’s New Taipei City chapter, paving the way for DPP legislator Su
Located down a sideroad in old Wanhua District (萬華區), Waley Art (水谷藝術) has an established reputation for curating some of the more provocative indie art exhibitions in Taipei. And this month is no exception. Beyond the innocuous facade of a shophouse, the full three stories of the gallery space (including the basement) have been taken over by photographs, installation videos and abstract images courtesy of two creatives who hail from the opposite ends of the earth, Taiwan’s Hsu Yi-ting (許懿婷) and Germany’s Benjamin Janzen. “In 2019, I had an art residency in Europe,” Hsu says. “I met Benjamin in the lobby
April 22 to April 28 The true identity of the mastermind behind the Demon Gang (魔鬼黨) was undoubtedly on the minds of countless schoolchildren in late 1958. In the days leading up to the big reveal, more than 10,000 guesses were sent to Ta Hwa Publishing Co (大華文化社) for a chance to win prizes. The smash success of the comic series Great Battle Against the Demon Gang (大戰魔鬼黨) came as a surprise to author Yeh Hung-chia (葉宏甲), who had long given up on his dream after being jailed for 10 months in 1947 over political cartoons. Protagonist