Imagine me and you I do
I unintentionally missed my NATSCI 2 class yesterday. Uninteresting story.
Some of my blockmates and I watched some gay films yesterday at the Film Center. In the afternoon, we watched short films, most of which I couldn’t grasp or understand. Some of the movies did not attempt to even make things clearer to the naive like me. The movie felt like it was asking for sympathy for the misunderstood gay community, but I could not completely sympathize. It was a waste of my fifty pesos.
After the short films, we were told that we had to leave the theater and enter it again, with another fifty-peso fare to watch Cheun Gwong Tsa Sit (Happy Together) by Wong Kar Wai, who won as Best Director at the Cannes in 1997 with the movie. It also starred Tony Leung, who was also awarded a Cannes last 2000 as Best Actor. Anyway, one of our block handlers has been raving about Wong Kar Wai for weeks, so we just had to grab the opportunity to watch one of his films for the first time. I couldn’t care less if it was a gay film. Naive as I am, I’m still more open-minded than your regular boy next door.
The movie was about the tumultuous relationship of a gay couple from Hong Kong who’s trying, as difficult as it was, to reconcile while they were in Argentina. Actually, the film felt very artsy and experimental for me, so I couldn’t quite get a firm grasp on the story so here, I’ll just post a synopsis from a website:
Two gay ex-pat Hong Kongers, rancorous lovers, strand themselves in Argentina, taking on a variety of jobs after their break-up. The more grounded, and more dour, Lai Yiu-Fai (played in a landmark performance by Tony Leung) works first at a tango bar, before drifting on to other odd jobs; Ho Po-Wing (Leslie Cheung) turns tricks. After a scrape, Po-Wing shacks up at Yiu-Fai’s and this attempt at cohabitation establishes the impossibility of reconciliation. A movie released in the year of the Handover, Happy Together unfolds on the other side of the globe from Hong Kong and is informed by such gravity. A story of failed tourism, Happy Together presents the idea of home as both haunting and long- gone.
from http://www.amamedia.org/movies/wong/happy_together.html
The cinematography was fresh and exceptional but, I couldn’t appreciate it as much as I wanted to. Maybe if I had taken up more film majors, or if I was less naive or if I was wiser or older. Or gay.
Bikoy’s rating: 7.5/10
Hi, you might not have remembered me, but i used to comment on your entries. But i just wanted you to know how much i enjoy reading your entries, they always interest me in some way. Makes me feel like im actually back home at Philippines. (Since im in VA) so i just wanted you to know that. and hey, visit my site sometime? and maybe i can get comments from you as well?
Hi… got here through a link at Sassy’s. Reading your last few entries makes me miss UP and how it felt while I was there. Studying there was the best thing that ever happened to me because it opened my eyes to a lot of things and made me more tolerant towards everyone.
I am sure you will have a great time there. I wouldn’t exchange my time there for the world.
Well, at least you’re not gay. Don’t worry about not getting it. It only proves you don’t speak the language.
Hey, I actually like the movie! *grins* Cute yung guy na kasama niya sa restaurant. Hehehehe… ;p
It was nice to finally meet you!
well, i can see the paradox..these films were created in the purpose of making us ‘normal’ people understand their plight even more seriously. yet it even created a sort of ‘confusion’ i guess…
[...] UPDATE: According to one of his blog posts, Bikoy is NOT gay. Haaay. At least not YET. Hehehe. [...]
“Well, at least you’re not gay”? Where’d that come from?? Wish I had seen the comment when it was first posted. As for the “normal” schtick - well, I think convincing y’all “normal” people that homos aren’t degenerates as we’re “normally” thought of was the last thing on Wong Kar Wai’s mind when he made “Happy Together”. Possibly it was for the sex scenes.. c”,)
Just like its advertisements, Hong Kong cinema takes a certain getting used to. It helps if you had lived there and could relate to the culture. WKW’s films are no different in that sense. They’re “weird” to people who are clueless about Canto culture, gay or not. Other people may think otherwise but a person’s blog is his and his alone. It’s an extension of his thinking, whether just for that second/minute/day he wrote it or his overarching view of life. So that last comment about “Or gay” should does not bother me as particularly homophobic or cynical as it’s open to a lot of interpretations. Sometimes, people just write things to finish off a piece and we shouldn’t read too much between the lines.
guys, i wrote this when i was in first year. hehe.
First year? so, does that mean you’ve changed since? hahaha. anyway, enjoyed your blog! keep it up!
i so want to watch “happy together”..in heard a lot about this movie..too bad this things doesn’t get to be shown here..
bikoy, may nagbago b?
pssst.. wla lng.. manila guy was wondering if you were gay.. and it made me wonder..
r u??
hehe.. mejo cute kpa naman..