Watched The Banquet today with "the Medanese group". =D (No racist connotation, really!) The likely suspects who'd go for this kind of Chinese wuxia film, in short. Rimbun is a very good event organizer; the two movie outings I've had with him are well confirmed, meal-annotated, and SMS-reminder-ed. *thumb up*
Anyway, this group speak Hokkian, and I can only catch a little that's similar to Teochew, so they speak Indonesian to me, but "group discussions" are mostly in Hokkian. But take it easy folks (if you happen to read), I'm actually pretty content just listening and catching bits of foreign languages here and there just for the heck of it, so don't worry. =D
But even when language is not a barrier I'm just not much of a conversationist, I guess. I'm hopeless at making small talks, and I'm usually not sensitive enough to make the effort. =P Once, I had a meal with my housemate and her colleague whom she just introduced to me. I kinda assumed this colleague was well "taken care of" by my housemate, and since I had nothing to say, I didn't initiate much conversation. Later on I found out from my housemate that her colleague, being a very nice girl, was actually very concerned over what to say to me during that meal since I didn't give many openings. =PP
At that time I told myself to fix that, but I haven't been out with new people since so I've forgotten all about it. *slaps forehead*
Anyway, since no Eka to review the movie this time, I'll say something about it. =) It's the artistic type, so if you don't really enjoy this genre, not very recommended lah. But if you do, wow is this pretty. And not difficult to follow. It's quite bloody (sometimes unnecessarily excessive in my opinion) and violent and tragic, so brace yourself for it. Bits of sensuality here and there, so innocent eyes and minds (not mine, admittedly) please be warned. It's also very poetic, and it helpfully comes with both Mandarin and English subtitles, so I guess it'd be interesting to language enthusiasts. And good songs too.
All in all, I like it. The plot is captivating; maybe it helps not to read too many synopses before watching. The ending made me go "Whaaat?" at first, but if it's meant to convey what I thought it did, then I'm very impressed. There are also many a moral along the plot flow that made us all go "Well said!" =)
What impressed me further is how it bares to us the reality of human nature. We need to remember that this was the time of dynasties and emperors, when birthrights (and more importantly, how they are exercised) put one on a throne or at other people's feet or at assassins' swordpoints. Some characters are ruthless and I admire them for it, because that's much stronger than submitting to one-time emotions, though how pure their motives are I cannot tell. Some "change with the weather" and I think that's much wiser than losing one's life (and the whole clan's, as per the tradition in those times) and by that, accomplishing nothing. Not very noble on the surface maybe, but applying nobility also needs skillful means mah.
Anyway (this word is quickly becoming my favourite uttering), enough rambling on that. Called home after I'm back from the movie and asked my mum a "social" question. I.e. there's this kind of situation involving our relatives or general friends of the family, so do I need to do this and that? Her judgement and hunches have proved to be truly accurate time and again, but if I think of how I still need to employ my mother as my P.R. counsellor at this age, oh my.
Also, caught a snippet of that Fei Yu Qing's show on Channel 8 (?) this afternoon, and I thought of how my father would love it. Hoping to get my parents to come visit next month and hoping this show will still be airing till then. ^^
