The bulk of these films were either watched at SGIFF 2023 or when Yin Lin visited last December. This year has been interesting to navigate thus far, both personally and professionally. I’m still in the thick of applying (and getting rejected) but I’m grateful to have had spent a chunk of time with family, my partner and friends across these two months. I’m writing this now to sort of kickstart my film log for the year. A lot of my free time has been rabbit holing on YouTube and anime (Apothecary Diaries and Frieren, both so good thus far).
Just like last time, here are 5 random picks from the 31 films watched these past two months. Going to roll them now.
Wheels on Meals – Sammo Hung (1984)
The dub's presence in this film is inescapable, the knowledge of Cantonese barely woven into the script. Chan, Hung and Biao's characters throw out the random Hola to Spanish characters before crossing the barrier in their mother tongue. It was jarring at first, but quickly nudged aside by the trio's impressive choreography.
A lot of praise is sung for Jackie on here – rightfully so but do not neglect Hung and Biao's scenes. Forner's Sylvia as femme fatale carries both wit and grace. The plot breezes by with very little weight – the car chase and castle sequences pulling those who can endure to the finish line.
The backdrop of Spain is a strange delight, providing prop-work far removed from the usual martial arts films. Just wish the script leaned into the cross-cultural aspects of this partnership.
Delivery Dancer’s Sphere – Kim Ayoung (2023)
Gig economy workers as nodes travelling through the city, pulsing beings subsumed into a Seoul that's already bursting at the seams. Kim Ayoung depicts this well within a neon blur, mixing elements of CGI and spherical video techniques.
The central Ernst Mo is painted as a lifeless avatar, reinforcing the often lost upon human aspect of couriers. The plot though is a tad convoluted, resulting in a film that rushes by with no real takeaway – other than its colourful repurposing of early video game aesthetics.
Would love for someone to programme this for casual play – a low-poly render on itch.io or an upscaled version within a gallery setting.
Tedious Days and Nights – Zhenming Guo (2023)
There is a strange beauty in the landscapes of Coal Dam that immediately set up the contrast of an industrial town in its latter end of decay. The poet Zeng and his friend visit sites of past glory and creative inspiration, spouting prose that range from the deranged to the sanguine.
They climb fences, piss themselves, are berated, reminisce, visit the hairdresser, profess their love for her, get rejected, burn off strands of hair, sing karaoke, find solace in brothels, are teased by the prostitutes – all to be rinsed and repeated.
Zeng, He and Guan live in resonance with their brand of trash poetry, unafraid to wade into repulsive territories. The film's director, Guo, remarked on his relationship with these poets – close friends that were left to play, exist and live front of the camera. The filth, often portrayed in close ups, allowed me to behold the often stunning wide shots of a lake or old cinema exterior.
I also found myself rooting for the main two poet's friendship. That final scene in the kitchen was heartwarming to witness – the elder patiently slicing vegetables while Zeng stares out into the drizzle, this time both fully clothed and very presentable.
Tokyo Godfathers – Satoshi Kon (2003)
After a short break at the Astor, Yin Lin and I linked up with Simon to watch this. Self-proclaimed double bill turned a resounding success, this film marginally eclipsing the Miyazaki earlier. Found family within society's outliers wrapped tightly under Christmas lights, Kon's handling of dire situations with brevity and heart was a joy to behold.
Hana, Gin and Miyuki's histories unravel in their shortcomings, seemingly putting up with one another. The whirlwind that Kiyoko brings serve as evidence of their latent love and compassion for each other. Remember walking out of the film with nothing much to add. Younger me would have preferred surreal Kon but right now, this sits above the rest.
Nowhere Near – Miko Revereza (2023)
Caught this on a whim through the rush queue and initially exited it feeling underwhelmed. Akin to the Diaz screening, I could not seem to shake certain personal qualms. Nonetheless, like most media, these thoughts tempered as the days passed by – leaving me with a few strong impressions on both sides.
Revereza's method of exploring his Filipino identity in a foreign land finds immediate resonance in my personal history. Memories, paperwork, lineages on family tree website. These images blend into each other onscreen; I turn and look back at this blur similarly. His excavation of etymology in particular piqued my curiosity and solidified a certain blindspot in my supposed mother tongue.
My bone to pick here is Revereza's treatment of process. His sardonic tone throughout narration creates a gap between the material, coming of as lackadaisical when compared to its backdrop of evocative imagery. His self-deprecation during the church scene adds to this dissonance.
Initially, I was put off. And I slowly realise over time that I too react similarly to these perceived notions of birthplace, homeland and other places of transition.
Fingers crossed I find something casual / part time until March when I return to Singapore to do some housing admin. Exciting and anxious times ahead. Friends here don’t forget to let me know that it is tough finding work, let’s hope I do not lose any steam.
If you wanna read any of the other stuff I’ve written over the past month, you can peruse my letterboxd.
Before I leave, let me plug the best music release this year so far. Paired with a frozen over Lake Kanayama, where my family went ice fishing. My Mom and I tied for the least Wakasagi caught, at 3 each.
A lot of watchlist additions here.. Couldn’t agree more with the comment ‘younger me would have preferred surreal Kon’, I watched Paranoia Agent and what really got me was the vivid depictions of these characters and their suffering - could it be possible that all along the trippiness was just an accessory to represent the stress of being a person in a difficult situation??