Curious Cat

(The trailer is in English, but I watched the movie in Mandarin, with English subtitles. Always better that way.)

I’ve been wanting to watch this film since falling in love with South Korean actor Jang Dong Gun in this movie:

Directed by Chen Kaige, The Promise is a 2005 Chinese epic fantasy film starring Jang Dong-gun (South Korea), Hiroyuki Sanada (Japan), Cecilia Cheung (Hong Kong) and Nicholas Tse (Hong Kong). The film is based on the wuxia (martial arts themed genre of literature) romanceThe Kunlun Slave, written during the Tang Dynasty. (Wiki)

I found it so strange but awesome that the director casted big Korean and Japanese stars into the lead roles, making them learn how to speak Mandarin just for the movie. Throughout his acting career, Jang Dong Gun had to learn two different languages for two roles: Japanese for his role in 2009: Lost Memories, and Mandarin for this movie. And you will probably know Hiroyuki Sanada as Ujio in The Last Samurai. 

For lack of a good briefer of the movie online, I’ll just come up with my own summary: The movie beings with a girl named Qingcheng who made a promise to an Enchantress to sacrifice love forever in exchange for wealth and adoration. Years later, a general and his slave, seeking to save the emperor, exchange identities and begin a confusion that leads everyone in circles throughout the rest of the movie. 

Well, I think I did a bad job of that. But anyway, graphics were amazing, possibly even surpassing that of Hero (Jet Li):

…which is quite an impressive feat, if you ask me. Although I believe the directors had totally different ideas of how the CGI was to be executed for either film, anyhow, so there wouldn’t really be any use comparing the two. Hero was more naturally beautiful while The Promise ethereal. Or hyperreal.  

The plot was criticized for its incoherence, and it’s admittedly not the most brilliant or profound one out there, but I felt Chen Kaige was being indulgent in telling a Chinese fairy tale of epic proportions, and I appreciated that. 

‘The Promise’ (known as Master of the Crimson Armor in America) was nominated for Golden Globes Best Foreign Language Film at the 63rd Golden Globe Awards.

And, one last question, for whose who’ve seen it: What happens to the enchantress? 

the most spectacular fireworks display I’ve ever seen in my life - Hong Kong Harbour (from Avenue of Stars)… moments like these make me love living in this city.

x

“What language do you need that in?” :)

Can’t count the number of times I heard this question. People were so eager to give me a guide in Chinese/Japanese/Korean that it made me feel slightly bad and weird to decline their offers and choose the English one instead… they were probably thinking I was being stubborn and in denial.

x

Another glimpse of my Christmas holiday in England - a pheasant shoot on Boxing Day. I didn’t even know such a holiday existed; apparently, it was traditionally a day following Christmas when ‘wealthy people’ in the United Kingdom would give a box containing a gift to their servants. Today, Boxing Day is better known as a bank or public holiday that occurs on December 26, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day. (Wiki)

We woke up early that morning and got dressed in breeks, long socks, and barbours (mine were all borrowed from Gus’s mom), and set out to find game. I felt like a total alien amongst the Englishpeople in their traditional shooting gear. I was trying to ignore the fact that I was sticking out like a sore thumb, and did my best to seem like a proper and civilized person.. ha..

The first drive was in an open field, and I did nothing but wait for Gus to shoot something. During the second drive, I was given a stick and was told to hit whatever I could. I thought they were crazy until I realized I was supposed to scare the birds so they would fly and get shot down by the guns. Gus’s brother, Max, was quite successful that day, taking down around 4 or 5 birds, I believe. I and the other beaters (the people tasked to beat trees and make noise), however, were totally useless compared to the dogs who flushed out the game in half the time it took for me to get through the forest. I couldn’t help but think that my golden retriever, Gru, would totally excel at and thoroughly enjoy that activity. I wish I could’ve taken him to England with me. He belongs in a pheasant shoot!

Halfway through the day, Gus and I went home. I only lasted 3 drives, pathetically, before needing a long hot bath and the comfort of a fireplace and food. Plus, I really needed the loo, and was not about to go in the middle of the forest…

x

PS. I thought I could carry anything, but that all changed when I donned a puffer jacket + a long-sleeved turtleneck and realized that I look absolutely ridiculous and inadequate in traditional English shooting garb. It makes me sadder than you think.

31 December 2011 - New Year’s Eve preparations in Clapham Common, London. New Year’s was spent reunited with good friends whom I met in Rennes, France (where I went on Exchange a few years ago).

Now - Just got back from my first LKF night of the year. It was a worthy first. Here’s to Hong Kong 2012!!!

xxx

I know it may seem like I holed up in a farm in England over Christmas and totally lost it… brace yourself for more similarly-themed photos. In this set, I was challenged to catch Bunny (the white pug) as she’s supposedly surprisingly fast and agile. I succeeded, somewhat - nobody can escape my love!!

x

PS. Just arrived in Hong Kong a few hours ago. Back to realityy :(