電影《十月圍城》--- 觀後感

上星期看了這部戯。除了好看，還是好看。眼看這部戯的故事是很白的，那就是保護孫中山。

看了整部戯，感覺上似乎沒有主角。因爲在這“保護孫中山”的任務太艱難了。這是多麽的需要那麽多人來實踐的。

巧妙的部分在於在這看似直截了當的故事穿插了許多有增次的細節。有趣的是，不是所有保護孫中山的人知道他們是要保護他或者就算知道了也不知他與他的革命的重要性。每個人似乎被命運牽著走，雖然起點不一，但卻間接的為同一個使命綻放生命的火花。也因如此，這部戯似乎沒有一位真正的主角。

阿四純樸的性格讓我很是感動。他沒見過什麽世面。他的世界圍繞在他老爺，少爺及他那位過門妻子的快樂。但他對老爺及少爺的那份忠誠、感激，讓他不知覺地踏上了這次的保護行動。個人對謝庭峰的演出很是感動。就覺得他演得很用心。很喜歡那一幕他沖上前替少爺挨打，還說著：“少爺已經是大人了，不要打他。”

對飾演李玉堂的王學圻有點印象，但卻想不起在那部戯裏看過他。他應該也是名老戯骨吧。他這角色不簡單。基本上而言，真正的保護行動縂策劃人非他莫屬。算是“兩面人”的生活。表面上是名商人，卻暗地裏常年以金錢資助革命黨。寧可把自己的老命給拼了也不願牽連兒子。李玉堂也是在戯裏把所有保護孫文人物給貫穿起來的角色。除了甄子丹與胡軍，王學圻與其他主要演員都有對手戯。

雖然場面不多，但對任達華所飾演的方天，方將軍印象滿深刻的。早年率軍為朝廷共抗八國聯軍，但而后因某政治手段，反被誣衊為叛軍而遭朝廷通緝。命運極爲坎坷。可惜孫文未到，卻與幸存的士兵們共同死于閻孝國手下。覺得任達華裏面的打鬥場面乃是戯裏好看的動作畫面之一。

論體格的壯碩、相貌的威嚴，覺得胡軍還真的比梁家煇（十年前原將梁家煇設定為此角色）更適合演閻孝國。這是第二次看胡軍演反派角色。他這反派角色也不是一味的盲從。閻孝國在戯裏是有受到西洋教育。但因個人價值觀的因素，他還是選擇了效忠朝廷。外表的一介武夫掩飾了其内在的涵養。至少他不殺了被他抓到支持革命的老師；也沒一開始就去抓孫文的母親爲人質；對於奄奄一息的劉郁白也不立即下重手法；對於不懂武功的阿四的糾纏也是沒立即的將他給打死。覺得這些都是顯示了反派裏也有的武德。

甄子丹所飾演的沈重陽還真是個謎一般的人物。單單以身手而言，他好像是有受過一些等別訓練。就連火槍他都使得。但爲什麽會淪落到成爲一名爛賭鬼，還真的讓人摸不着頭。尤其喜歡他“醒悟”之後，將那把錢丟在他臉上的那個人狠狠地壓倒在地上。很簡單地用右拳頭狠狠重重地往臉上揍。看了都幾爽一下。雖然在這部戯裏，他的打鬥場面沒有黎明的帥，但是很是佩服他對自己的演繹有了新的要求與突破。這看似武夫卻不缺内心戯的角色也是不容易演地。

我個人從小就不是很喜歡黎明。也不知道爲什麽。就連他演的劉郁白也是感覺怪怪地。他那與李玉堂聼似牛頭不對馬嘴的談話，經一名友人的提醒，其實是有它的含義。對於這部戯而言，覺得最好看的打鬥場面就是劉郁白恢復公子身後與刺客們在樓階上的決鬥。李玉堂對劉郁白的信任實在是太大了。劉郁白還真的把“把最危險的地方交給我”的承諾給兌現。除了閻孝國，其餘的刺客都被劉郁白幹掉了。

這部戯有個有趣的設計。那就是在各個壯烈犧牲的勇士們的鏡頭上都有示出他們的名字，籍貫，生與忌日。對我們觀衆來説他們是主角，但對戯裏的孫文而言，孫文可能永遠都不知道他們為他所做的犧牲。一名友人便分享說這部戯也提到及認可了無名小卒的努力。覺得可惜的便是方天的沒有那小小的畫面來紀念。

電影《風雲II》-- 觀後感

整部戯而言沒什麽劇情可言。基本上是打鬥，逃跑，閉關，襲擊，打，打，打。結尾更是令人覺得怪怪的，因爲忽然很多對白跑出來。很多場面的拍攝手法及場景感覺類似Lord of the Ring, 300 及《英雄》。打鬥場面也是怪怪的。就是每人拿把武器亂砍，亂轉，亂跳。

還真的唯有視覺效果來做補償。最喜歡的視覺效果便在於那場步驚雲與絕無神在龍塚裏的對決。也喜歡絕無神剛出場的時候拿下面具的刹那，帥！久違了的何家勁以無名的角色參與演出。戯份不多但我覺得演得很好。

呣。。。就這樣了。

電影《花木蘭》---觀後感

前晚和朋友看了這部《花木蘭》的電影。我喜歡看的片種之一便是與歷史有關的。

開場的那段戯把裏柔然人的主要角色都交待的很清楚。之後，便到了介紹花木蘭的部分。感覺在這裡的交代便很倉促、好像很趕似的。不一會兒便當上了兵。到了文泰假死之前，我都覺得戯走的好快。一下木蘭懲治惡霸、到泡溫泉與文泰打了起來、到為了不脫衣服而被綁了起來、到殺了突襲隊的將領，都好快。我覺得沒有那種連貫性。

直到文泰假死之後，就覺得戯的進度穩了下來。戰爭場面好像並不是這部片的重點。除了與門獨親率的大軍的那一仗比較完整，其餘的便像是零零碎碎的戰鬥畫面。

感覺上它著重了花木蘭的内心世界。木蘭她真的只是本著一心的孝道及後來對國家及兄弟們的忠義而戰。當了十二年的兵，做了十二年的噩夢。似乎反映了木蘭父親在開頭是說的，“在戰場上沒有勇士，只有死人和瘋子。” 值得一提的是，我對方祖名的印象本來不是那麽好，但老實說，還蠻欣賞他在這部戯裏的演出。

我覺得演技較突出的是胡軍。對胡軍的影響是從《天龍八部》開始的。印象中，他接下來的幾部片子都是“好人”型的。只是近來他似乎在演反派，可能是對自己的一種突破與要求。

在這部戯而言，覺得有點矛盾的便是門獨答應了文泰在峽谷的要求。如果依戯開頭的部分而言的話，門獨的殘暴似乎不會讓人覺得他會那麽的‘君子’。

雖説我對木蘭的印象是她沒有死在沙場上，但有時電影會有點亂來，好比在《見龍卸甲》的趙雲。所以文泰顯露他真正的身份是一個蠻意外的轉折。不然峽谷的那一幕，木蘭因該無法逃出生天的。

唯一讓我很納悶的便是毒龍的那一幕。毒龍應該就是現今講的沙塵暴。戯裏沒交待爲什麽大魏士兵會那麽的‘衰’，碰上了毒龍。真的是一種偶然，還是柔然人能預測，甚至能呼出毒龍？

那一幕木蘭與柔然公主的對話，只讓我想起了一句‘最毒婦人心’！哈哈！

很喜歡木蘭還鄉的那場戯。鄉親們都在廣場上迎接木蘭大將軍的歸來。除了父親，雖讓他天天在廣場盼自己的女兒歸來，但當她真的回來時又走回家去了。木蘭此刻把頭盔卸了下來，追上父親輕輕的把手挽在父親手上，這一幕給我的感覺，很美，回到了家，還當什麽大將軍嘛。

穿插的部分，有木蘭與大魏皇帝的對話。我覺得啦，如果那場戯完全以皇帝的視線而拍，不要看到皇帝的樣子，這樣會更有威信、宏偉的感覺。

戯的尾端也不是一般的美好結局。木蘭與文泰的愛，只能懸在各自的心中。

看完整部片才覺得這部戯要講的東西太多了，所以可能因此而導致前面倉促的狀況。

這部戯給我的感覺在於它的重點也不是只講一個巾幗女英、戴父從軍的故事。感覺上整部片子講的是‘責任’。對父親，同僚，國家，天下的一種責任。

Salusuah

Salusuah is a monologue performed by Gani Karim and directed by Jeremiah Choy. They are the playwrights for this play.

Richard brought me to watch this play last night.

It touched me.

I am not familiar with the delicate dance performances that Gani had done but I really appreciate and could feel that Gani observed every little movements that he made. This left me with the impression that Gani had put in a lot of hardwork and effort in training his body movements.

I like how Gani used different methods of putting on the traditional Malay sarong to show different characters during his dance.

To me, Gani seems to tell a story that how he survive and live on through hidden, dark and confused emotions. Gani seems to be someone who isn't himself, or at least he feels so.

His religious belief became the pillar for his will to press on. He always remember what his Mak had told him:-

"rely on God and not on men"

Although Gani didn't say "I have faith in God" explicitly, from how he moved his body into the prostration pose; his recitation of his holy scripture; even to how the lightings were done, make a stronger statement that his faith for his God is unwavering.

That faith hold him on.

Religion in this play is so beautifully integrated, I couldn't help but feel the deepest respect that Gani have for his belief.

I also like how he played with the different sarong by folding them and making them symbolising his own birth; his grandmother's death and eventually the burial of his father.

The last scene, seeing how the sarong eventually submerged into the water, representing the caving in grave was simply the moment (Richard! Sorry I use your word! =X).

Very nice performance.

Bondage 《上身不由己》

I went to watch Bondage 《上身不由己》presented by Drama Box, under its Blanc Space (白色空間) programme on National Day. The play is a story about Goddess of Mercy, a sadomasochist policeman, a teenage girl and two hooligans. On the outset, it seemed like a pretty interesting combination for play.

Before I go on, I would like to highlight the fact that the name Goddess of Mercy is one way of addressing Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva. The name has been affectionately used, both Guanyin and Guanyinma, in the play (I will use Guanyin in my writing for consistency).

9th August 2009 is our Singapore's 44th National Day and it happened to be the 19th day of the 6th lunar month, the day that Buddhists around the world commemorate the Enlightenment of Guanyin. So I thought it will be interesting and probably even meaningful to see Guanyin makes His way to the local theatre scene.

Unfortunately, after watching the play, I found it ugly, vulgar and blasphemous.

Before the show started, there was already an OS done by Danny Yeo, a celebrity DJ and the director for this play. The OS was draggy and irrelevant. The only theme from the OS was to ask the audience to turn off their cellphones. I find that to be overly pompous and not necessary for the play.

The show started with the actors reciting the Heart Sutra (般若波羅蜜多心經) on the stage. Qiang, the protagonist, went on putting clothes on Ming and Sen while the recitation was still ongoing. Qiang then had a little monologue using certain lines from the Heart Sutra to twist and turn and put it into his own logic and syntax game. It moved into a role-playing scene where Qiang busted Ming and Sen who were supposed to be sniffing drugs. Ming and Sen went on hurling hokkien profanities in abundance. Qiang and Ming tied Sen up and eventually moved into the room to prepare having their threesome sex orgy. Qiang saw Ming having this jade Guanyin pendant hanging on the neck. Qiang reprimanded Ming telling him he should not have that pendant hanging with him while they are doing things. Amongst the lines that Qiang had mentioned in regards to the pendant, there was a line where he said "色既是空, 空既是色" (form is emptiness and emptiness is form) and another "觀音很慈悲, 他不會生氣的" (Guanyin is compassionate, He will not get angry).

This opening scene ran fast and smooth. The tempo of it was so seamless that I couldn't help but feel disturbed as a buddhist to find the Heart Sutra, one of the most reowned and well written Mahayana buddhist scripture became the prelude of a BDSM threesome orgy scene. I am not saying that sex is derogatory, but by putting sacred religious text as part of the foreplay, I don't think it is appropriate.

The little monologue that Qiang did go along the line of "Barbie 既是 Ken, Ken 既是Barbie; 我既是 Barbie; Barbie 既是我", the line carried on until Qiang said that he is Guanyin. I am not very comfortable with the idea using quotes buddhist scriptures and replacing the characters to play such logic game. It seems to me that there is a lack of respect towards the buddhist scripture.

When Qiang said "色既是空, 空既是色" just before having sex with Ming, the tone that he had put it was so suggestive.

The same Chinese character 色 can mean lust. However, in the buddhist's context, 色 refers to form, anything that takes shape and have a physical body.

I have met people who misunderstood the 色 in "色既是空, 空既是色" as lust. So to these misunderstood lot, they would have taken that lust (a form of desire) does not exist and hence one should not be too attached to lust. There were also people who believed otherwise that since lust 'is empty' hence one should not be ashamed of lust and it is alright to lead a wanton life.

"觀音很慈悲, 他不會生氣的". A Bodhisattva would of course not getting angry over what we do wrong. A Bodhisattva would feel sympathetic for us instead. I hope playwright Boon Seng get it right that at the end of the day, our karma is not decided by any Buddha or Bodhisattva. Our karma is created by our intentions, actions and speeches. Of course, Guanyin will not get angry. If you do wrong, Guanyin tries to help you to overcome it. But if a person insist in doing it wrong, it's his personal call. Whether Guanyin will get angry or not (which I already explained that He won't) shouldn't matter.

There were certain fundamental errors in regards to Guanyin and tangki (spirit mediumship)that were protrayed in this play.

Qiang said that his mom believed Qiang to be the reincarnation of Guanyin because Qiang's birthday falls on the 29th day of the 2nd lunar month which happened to be the day that marks the birth of Guanyin. This led Qiang to be a tangki of Guanyin.

Buddhists who venerate and observe the special occasions on Guanyin know that it is on the 19th (and not 29th) day of the 2nd lunar month that we dedicate this day to be the birthday of Guanyin.

Qiang told Ming in one of the latter sex scene that Guanyin used to be an Indian prince and in order to save mankind in different parts of the world, He had to adapt different forms. In this same scene, the jade Guanyin pendant was scene in the room again where Qiang and Ming were about to have sex.

I think the playwright probably got some of his facts mixed up.

Firstly, the Indian prince part sounds more likely to be Gautama Buddha (more commonly known as Sakyamuni Buddha) and not Guanyin.

Secondly, the female form of Guanyin has her own story of origin [link] and in short, the female Guanyin was a princess and not a prince. This is one of the commonly spread chinese folklore stories. Of course from the buddhists' perspective, we would usually rely on the buddhist scriptures to know and understand more on Guanyin.

Thirdly, a spirit medium trances any spiritual being(s) that he has connection with. He need not necessary be the reincarnation of that deity to be a spirit medium. Morever, spirit mediumship is not supported in the buddhist scriptures and hence not a buddhist practice. The trancing of Guanyin belongs to the Chinese forklore belief.

From the previous line that what Qiang had said to Ming, Ming replied saying "原來觀音是 cross-dresser!" (lit. "Guanyin is a cross-dresser!")

I watched in anger when I heard that.

The first thought that came to my mind was how could this line even made pass the MDA?

The second thought that followed was that playwright Boon Seng probably does not understand Guanyin and His manifestations well enough.

Boon Seng had already show how ignorant he is by making a few fundamental errors in both Buddhism and tangki belief in the play so far.

If "原來觀音是 cross-dresser!" is meant to be a punchline, yes, Boon Seng got the effect. I really felt like a punch in my face literally. Once again, I couldn't help but feel that Buddhism was victimized.

Guanyin is a buddhist icon for centuries.

Both male and female forms of Guanyin is well received and respected around the world. Guanyin, a sacred religious icon, to be used in such a flippant way, really makes me sad!

Speaking of MDA and seeing how this line can get pass MDA, it makes me think of the 10 challenges that Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong had said recently. [link][link]

"10 Religious harmony: For four decades, Singapore has enjoyed racial and religious harmony. How do the people of Singapore ensure that Singaporeans of different faiths will continue to mix with one another and respect one another’s faith?"

Just two months back, a couple was charged because they handed out materials with contents that hurt the feelings of some people who have a different religious belief.

To my knowledge, MDA is responsible for checking the contents of the script before it can be played in public. So how this got through?

Or is it under the guise of art, one can no longer be responsible, sensitive and respect other people's faith?

If someone is to say that I get over-reacted because I do not know how to appreciate art, then this is how I will response:-

Then don't sell your tickets to the public! Only sell it to people who supposed to know art lah!

So to watch such an ugly, vulgar and blasphemy play on a National Day; and on a day that commemorates the Enlightenment of Guanyin tells me that Singapore (and Singapore's art scene of course) still has a long long way to go and learn what is call 'respect one another's faith'.

A new initiative!

I have been procastinating about writing reviews for movies and plays that I have watched. This is mainly due to my lack of confidence in English writing. I guess I have to start somewhere so I have to overcome my concerns.

Remember, I am giving my opinion from a layman's, a mainstream audience's point of view.