Realisations

I think I'm starting to enjoy watching movies in the cinema alone. It's not that I dislike watching with others now, just that there is this alternative option of going solo without qualms. I watched Raging Fire in the afternoon today. It is the final work of director Benny Chan, before he passed away last year. 

You know how someone's work increases in worth or value after the creator's passing? I find this movie incredible, objectively speaking. It may seem just like any other classic Hong Kong police pursuit movie with gunshots, explosions, and fights, but the movie managed to keep me captivated with interesting action sequences and thought-provoking quotes. The way Donnie Yen saved a kid from being crushed by a car is smooth and suave. Somehow amidst so many cliches, this movie still could find breakthroughs. Nicholas Tse's final dialogue left an impact as well. This high-budget movie turned Tsim Sha Tsui into a playground, with vehicles shielding bullets, pedestrians scrambling for their lives, and cars crashing into shop fronts. Instead of feeling weary, I was consistently filled with anticipation and excitement. 

Why watch a movie in the cinema alone, you may ask? It's paying for the comfort and the experience, and paying to support the film industry. At home, I would get distracted by the noises around me or my mobile phone. The cinema forces me to be glued to my seat for the entire time and elevates the visual and audio thrills. Is it lonely? It is not. Normally you also do not engage in conversations with others during the movie screening. Even when I was sitting alone in a couple seat today, I felt more comfort and peace than anything!

I also watched Free Guy and Shang-Chi. They were both extremely enjoyable as well. I particularly liked the finale of Free Guy, giving the A.I romance a logical closure. The Chinese representation in Shang-Chi is of course one of the factors that stood out - the oriental architecture and symbols, the Chinese culture/beliefs, and the music.  Although Tony Leung portrayed a villain, you do not feel the the usual hatred you would have toward him, right? In that case, he has succeeded, because he a thinking actor who has his personal ideas on how to portray a character. I'm not entirely sure if it was his or the director's idea to not turn him into a full-blown asshole, but I believe he gave his inputs. Go watch his interviews!

On a separate matter, a colleague has resigned. The other day, we had dinner with one other colleague. It was the first time I heard her side of story on several matters. I realised that all along I had been pretty unfair to have judged certain things without giving her a chance to explain. Humans are complex and interpersonal relationships are complicated. Ultimately you make your own decisions on who to trust, and you could be wrong, but the least you should do is to listen to a fuller narrative and consider from a wider perspective. It's like how they always say "At least you've tried."

I met up with Wai Hou again on 4 Sep, and that day was undeniably one of the best days in 2021 thus far. The 5-hour conversation over good food and nice ambience at 2 different locations was more penetrating and extensive than any we've ever had. There are certain imperfections that could never be corrected but I guess that is what makes us human. If a person's strengths are sufficient to overpower his weaknesses, I think that is a reason good enough to keep that person a friend. It is pretty magical actually, that we could pick up from where we left off, as if the period of animosity never existed. Both of us are thankful.