The Avengers
There has been a glut of superhero films, particularly those based on the Marvel comics, and many individual heroes have had their solo outings. Now, in the case of the Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and a few others, they are back as an ensemble, all ready to save the world once again. Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury and Clark Gregg’s Agent Phil Coulson get a bit more screen time in this new story, and the villain is Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, who was last met in Thor. There are old, familiar faces, such as Chris Hemsworth’s Thor and Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man, and new appearances such as Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk. Internet chatter from people who have watched early fan previews suggest the film has wall-to-wall action and plenty of exciting interaction between the disputatious heroes. Production values are high and the 3D effects have received high praise.
Declaration of War (La guerre est declaree)
A film that tells the story of a couple of bohemian Parisians, Juliette (Valerie Donzelli) and Romeo (Jeremie Elkaim), whose 18-month-old son develops a brain tumor, putting terrible strains on the relationship. The film is based loosely on the lives of the two leads, Donzelli and Elkaim, whose son suffered a near fatal illness. The film was also directed by Donzelli. The intimacy of the connection between the acting, writing and direction give the film a deep emotional punch that manages to survive the French new wave mannerisms that are sometimes in danger of undermining the film’s impact. The movie was France’s nomination for this year’s Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award.
Snowfall in Taipei (台北飄雪)
Directed by Huo Jianqi (霍建起), with a strong cast from both sides of the Taiwan Strait, Snowfall in Taipei centers on May (played by Chinese actress Tong Yao, 童瑤), a singer on the run from a relationship with her producer who finds herself in the scenic little town of Jingtung (菁桐) in New Taipei City. She meets local boy Hsiao Mo (played by local actor Wilson Chen, 陳柏霖), and some sort of relationship develops. She finds a quiet happiness, but awaiting just off the scene is another life that continues to hold a certain attraction. Both the people and the scenery are picture-postcard beautiful, but neither the acting nor the story can compete with the visuals.
Come for You (為你而來)
Romantic drama full of heavy-handed sentimentality, Come for You tells the story of Yichia (played by TV actress Cherry Hsia, 夏如芝), who despite suffering from a terminal illness embarks on a journey to China to fulfill the dream of an old man she met in a rest home. On the journey she meets surly photographer Lin De (played by Chinese actor Zheng Kai, 鄭凱). The scenic beauty is almost as contrived as the emotions depicted. The film may gain some following as the last in which local celebrity Johnny Lin (林宗仁), who became a household name after his performance in Cape No. 7 (海角七號), acted in before his death last year.
Cheers From the Heaven
Based on the true story of Hikaru Nakasone, an Okinawan who established a music village to help high school children aspiring to become musicians and inculcated various social values of respect and cooperation in the process. Hiroshi Abe, who is well-known as a comedian, takes the lead role. The story line ensures lots of musical interludes to showcase J-pop, as well as a strong inspirational message about believing in yourself.
5 Days of War
Director Renny Harlin’s track record, including the likes of Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger and Deep Blue Sea, does not lead one to expect sophistication, and with 5 Days of War, set against the background of war between Russia and Georgia, this lack of polish is proven beyond dispute. Not only does 5 Days of War not provide much of an understanding of the complex and vicious war, it manages to be nothing more than a string of explosions, shootings and people being violent to one another. But all of this action does not add up to a story from which much sense can be made.
Ex: Still Friends! (Ex: Amici come prima!)
The title pretty much tells it all. Lots of couples, plenty of infidelity, men and women playing games to get the person they want. By Italian director Carlo Vanzina and with reasonable acting and lots of silly gags, it is perfectly acceptable fare if you like your romantic comedies sexy and quirky.
Les Geants
Two brothers find themselves virtually abandoned by their parents in an old house in rural Belgium for the summer holidays. Bored, they seek out adventure, and inevitably get themselves in all sorts of trouble. While the film is full of humor and charm, the siblings’ eventual run-in with a local drug dealer underlines a much darker side of life. Although primarily a light tale of boyish misadventure, Les Geants has aspirations to follow in the footsteps of such great tales as Stand by Me and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
A few weeks ago I found myself at a Family Mart talking with the morning shift worker there, who has become my coffee guy. Both of us were in a funk over the “unseasonable” warm weather, a state of mind known as “solastalgia” — distress produced by environmental change. In fact, the weather was not that out of the ordinary in boiling Central Taiwan, and likely cooler than the temperatures we will experience in the near-future. According to the Taiwan Adaptation Platform, between 1957 and 2006, summer lengthened by 27.8 days, while winter shrunk by 29.7 days. Winter is not
A sultry sea mist blankets New Taipei City as I pedal from Tamsui District (淡水) up the coast. This might not be ideal beach weather but it’s fine weather for riding –– the cloud cover sheltering arms and legs from the scourge of the subtropical sun. The dedicated bikeway that connects downtown Taipei with the west coast of New Taipei City ends just past Fisherman’s Wharf (漁人碼頭) so I’m not the only cyclist jostling for space among the SUVs and scooters on National Highway No. 2. Many Lycra-clad enthusiasts are racing north on stealthy Giants and Meridas, rounding “the crown coast”
March 25 to March 31 A 56-year-old Wu Li Yu-ke (吳李玉哥) was straightening out her artist son’s piles of drawings when she inadvertently flipped one over, revealing the blank backside of the paper. Absent-mindedly, she picked up a pencil and recalled how she used to sketch embroidery designs for her clothing business. Without clients and budget or labor constraints to worry about, Wu Li drew freely whatever image came to her mind. With much more free time now that her son had found a job, she found herself missing her home village in China, where she
In recent years, Slovakia has been seen as a highly democratic and Western-oriented Central European country. This image was reinforced by the election of the country’s first female president in 2019, efforts to provide extensive assistance to Ukraine and the strengthening of relations with Taiwan, all of which strengthened Slovakia’s position within the European Union. However, the latest developments in the country suggest that the situation is changing rapidly. As such, the presidential elections to be held on March 23 will be an indicator of whether Slovakia remains in the Western sphere of influence or moves eastward, notably towards Russia and