The next reflection
Right. Back here for this assignment post. Now to answer Ryan’s comment he left me last week:
“It also propels me in a direction: what are your reactions to feel-good movies, the ones where the soccer team overcomes all the odds to make it to the championships, or the one where the girl finally gets the man of her dreams? Are you easily moved by movies? Do you have a soft spot for happy endings?”
Basically, in a “the soccer team overcomes all the odds to make it to the championships” or “the girl finally gets the man of her dreams” type of movie, I won’t be moved a bit. Instead, I have a soft spot for old people. That is why I usually stick to the theme of old people whenever I feel like making people get emotional. I’m not sure if it is effective though.
Anyways, back to the question. What are my reactions to feel-good movies? Well, for these kind of movies, I would usually just go by and say “ Good for them “. For those where the girl gets her dream guy, I just don’t dig into these kind of story. It just feels so unreal. I’m more interested in what would be more practical or what we see in real life. You might say that what we see in everyday life is so dull and boring, why would we want to watch it happen again? BUT! But I’m one who is very interested in the littlest things that happen in life. How these little things come together and create something we experience: this dull and boring life.
I felt I’ve gone off-topic but never mind. Back to the reflection. I’ve re-watched 2 of my favourite short films by Royston Tan, “Sons” and “Mother”. Notice how similar the focus of this 2 films is? That’s right. Old people. Haha. Although I may not be a very filial son, but these 2 film encourages me to be one. I like how this kind of film instills guilt in us and change us, to become a better son/daughter. I like how the be-grateful-to-your-parents theme is presented in this film, using pure narration. That’s why my film seems to be similar to Royston’s work. I’m simply just inspired these 2 works of his.
For my upcoming film projects in NP, I just hope that I would be able to produce works which could move people easily, without having an oh-so-complicated plot. That is, my ultimate goal. For now. Right. So I shall end here ->.
I also have a tendency to write old people in my movies, but I think I interpret old age differently than you. When we compare ourselves to someone who’s 60 or 70, you and I are almost the same age. But our cultures teach us different things about old people. American society really values youth and newness, particularly innovation and ideas. Because of that, we don’t see the value of elders as much. But my strongest characters in my scripts always tend to be the grandmother characters, because they have this enjoy every minute of life attitude. They’re nothing like your befuddled, old Mrs. Chang, and they’re nothing like my grandmother either.
I feel very strongly that older people need to continue to milk life for all its worth. I wonder if you bow before the previous experience of old people, rather than attempt to be their partner in new experiences?
Hmmm, at this rate, you’ll be able to write a new reflection just responding to my thoughts. Too easy.
hey ben!
ya, i like stories w old pple too. oh, n photographs w old pple or children.. hehehe:)