Cyborg She
Picture a Japanese romantic comedy based on the premise of The Terminator and you have Cyborg She. An inventor sends a “female” robot back in time to save himself from being killed, only for the younger version of the man to fall in love with the oddly familiar ’borg. But can she love him in return? It’s a question put to the test when utter calamity strikes Tokyo. Warm humor, an accessible love story, a generous helping of reheated ideas from Western and Asian films alike and remarkable special effects brought plaudits for this film, which, in keeping with its eclectic frame of mind, is directed by a South Korean.
10 Promises to My Dog
This is also a Japanese love story between species, as it were, but of the canine variety. A girl adopts a stray dog on conditions laid down by her mother that she care for it properly. Eventually the mother dies, the girl grows up and leaves home to study, start relationships and everything else an adult does, placing pressure on her desire to care for the poor creature. It’s a simple premise but one rarely covered in cute animal movies: Where should responsibility for pets end? Older kids will love this film, though the message is just as much for adults. The 10 promises, by the way, are on the film’s Chinese-language Web site.
The Fox and the Child
Here’s another cute animal movie, this time from France, though the animal is decidedly not a pet. A fox captivates the heroine of the title (perhaps it’s because they have the same hair color) and they make friends after the girl gets lost one night. But friendship with a wild animal only goes so far, as she will find out all too soon. From the director of March of the Penguins, some critics were not taken with the mix of strange human behavior and sanitizing of Mother Nature, even in a children’s film.
Inside
Taiwanese advertising for this short but sharp French bloodbath warns that pregnant women will not be admitted. That’s a pity; it’s not often the heroine of any movie, horror or otherwise, is fat bellied and on the verge of a quick trip to the hospital. For this homebound heroine, recently bereaved in a car accident, the challenge is to stay out of the morgue as a fetus-coveting psycho (Beatrice Dalle, who famously played an erotic psycho in Betty Blue two decades ago) closes in with scissors poised. Apparently Taiwan’s censors resisted the temptation of using theirs.
Sorry If I Love You
In this Italian romantic comedy, viewers are invited to feel sorry for a bunch of male friends approaching middle age who are beginning to feel a little lost in the carnality department. One of the group has an accident with a motorscooter, whose owner is a sexy and adventurous 17-year-old. “Though almost adults,” says the promo, “[she and her friends] can still get up to the most incredible mischief.” A-ha! Color by numbers from this point; the only challenge is guessing whether there will be a moral sting in the tail. Heartthrob Raoul Bova (Alien vs Predator, Under the Tuscan Sun) stars as the smitten older man.
Last week, on the heels of the recall election that turned out so badly for Taiwan, came the news that US President Donald Trump had blocked the transit of President William Lai (賴清德) through the US on his way to Latin America. A few days later the international media reported that in June a scheduled visit by Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) for high level meetings was canceled by the US after China’s President Xi Jinping (習近平) asked Trump to curb US engagement with Taiwan during a June phone call. The cancellation of Lai’s transit was a gaudy
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The great number of islands that make up the Penghu archipelago make it a fascinating place to come back and explore again and again. On your next trip to Penghu, why not get off the beaten path and explore a lesser-traveled outlying island? Jibei Island (吉貝嶼) in Baisha Township (白沙鄉) is a popular destination for its long white sand beach and water activities. However, three other permanently inhabited islands in the township put a unique spin on the traditional Penghu charm, making them great destinations for the curious tourist: Yuanbeiyu (員貝嶼), Niaoyu (鳥嶼) and Dacangyu (大倉嶼). YUANBEIYU Citou Wharf (岐頭碼頭) connects the mainland
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