online review

Lam Kwai Fong (2011)

  Lan Kwai Fong is a local love movie directed by wilson Chin. The main concept of the film is exploration of clubbing culture in Lan Kwai Fong. This film mobilizes many actors, over 30. 2 main characters Steven and Jennifer are responsible for the main love story. Others are their friends, who are addicted to clubbing. This film focuses on their stories that related to love and sex. Everyone is looking for sex partner during clubbing. Large proportions of scenes are happened in clubs and discos. Ladies are very sexy and well-dressed while men are smart and rich. There are also many sex scenes.

The culture of clubbing is introduced by Allan Zeman from western world. Allam Zeman is seen as “father of Lan Kwai Fong”. Lan Kwai Fong is a name of a street in Central. It is a famous place of night life where full of bars, clubs discos and western restaurants. Every night many people go there clubbing. The majority is 18 to 35young adults, most of them are middle class. Many foreigners who stay in Hong Kong frequently go there for social gathering. It is also a famous tourist attraction. This film directly reveals what is happening every night in there, what do those people do and what is their attitude.       

The main activities in clubbing are drinking, dancing, music listening and making new friends. Looking for sex partner may be the most important in Lan Kwai Fong. Therefore, someone says that “clubbing is hunting”. The film presents the hunting culture within young adults. There are abundant elements associated with hunting and sex. Cat is the main representative of this concept. Her dress style is very sexy, showing her body figure to men. Hunting is not only dominated by men. Ladies are also very willing to hunt men. Cat gives signal to interested man. Then they have sex immediately, even in the toilet of the club. She is addicted to have one night stand with different stranger frequently. Apart from sex, she does not have any communication with those sex partners, even does not know their name. She represents the attitude of many ladies in Lan Kwui Fong.

Some ladies are just like Jeana, being addicted to clubbing after first time. She says that “after the first time of clubbing, I have abundant energy now.” Then she goes clubbing very frequently. At the end of the story, she becomes another Cat, frequently having one night stand with different guys.

Linlin shows the materialism of Hong Kong girls. She said that people cannot find relationship of “true love” in clubbing, and the aim of clubbing is to hunt a rich boyfriend. Director want to tell people about materialism through Linlin’s words. In Hong Kong, money is seen as the most important thing in life. Everyone is paying largest effort to maximize their income. The reason is presented in the movie. If a man has a stable good job with satisfy salary, he is easily to have beautiful girlfriends. As for those men with low income, they are usually ignored by girls. On the other hand, ladies always dress up beautifully in order to hunt a rich guy. Linlin is a typical example that she wants her boyfriend to buy an expensive handbag for her.  

“Uncle” is another main character. He is nearly a middle age man who owns a clubs. He still go clubbing with wheelchair even after having stroke. His words represent many people’s attitude, “work as hard as you can and play as hard as you can”. He also says that “when you are still young, you must pay greatest effort to enjoy”. Many young adult in Hong Kong go clubbing every week, some even go 3 times a week. Clubbing is a very important method creating happiness for many young adults. Some even think that clubbing and drink is the only activity of relaxation. Therefore, there is a distinctive culture that, many people stop clubbing after getting marriage. It is because they think themselves no longer “available for clubbing”. As a result, before they getting marriage and getting old, they will try their best to enjoy in clubbing.

   To some extent there is sparse relation of “true love” that developed through clubbing. However, two couples, Steven and Jennifer, and Sean and Cat, also meet during clubbing. At the end of the film, these two couples have happy ending. This reveals that, people are still willing to looking for true love relationship through clubbing, although they know that the possibility is very low.  

Tse Kam Ho, Danny 10483264

Online Review: Girl$ (2010)

Girl$ is a film in a genre of drama, which is directed by Kenneth Bi and it adapted almost a documentary-style to shoot and it is about four girls drawn into compensated dating in Hong Kong. Director reveals today’s generation what is their attitudes of love and sex through the four girls from different personalities and backgrounds. And to explore what the social problems are caused by this social phenomenon.

The title of the film “Girl” represents the name of the four main characters taken from the play as Gucci, Icy, Ronnie and Lin. The alphabetical order of Girl seems related to the four characters age from young to old and respectively symbolizes people in the era among 70s, 80s and 90s.

In the film, the four main characters represent four kinds of people with different purposes to participate in compensated dating. Gucci is a sixteen-year-old secondary student, a typical person born in late 90s. She loves famous brand very much, therefore, she sells her virgin openly on the internet and does not hesitate to go into compensated dating for making more money and to buy a designer bag with a famous brand. And the other girl Icy is a co-ordinator in compensated dating and she is responsible for managing business to her friends. Icy is so mad about her boyfriend and she bears the period pain to go into compensated dating in order to buy a computer to him. She is typical person going after love.Ronnie is a rich girl with an empty life, who is the most self-righteous one. She involved into compensated dating because of loneliness, however, she makes herself look difference that she put down the money and even more generous than clients afterwards.  

The director does not deliberately interpreted the invention of Ronnie, but we can see that time has changed as well as both men and women have the right of equality. As a woman, Ronnie’s behaviour has been very high profile that breaks the norms in society. Men can visit a prostitute so can women. The last main character, Lin is from Taiwan, who goes into compensated dating because she is crazy about the pleasure of sex.

The girl Gucci engages in compensated dating for getting materials and Icy does that business for love. We can perceive that “sex” is no longer a precious and sacred thing in female mind nowadays.  The minds of women in today’s generation, the most important things are love and substance. Moreover, the male characters in the film all are marginalized and downgraded such as the police and Gucci’s elder brother, even the fictitious perverted killer. The most heroic in the whole film is the person called AV expert, who encourages Gucci not to suicide on chat room and his identity is quite surprising at the end of the film. 

Reference:
Turner, G..(1998). Film narrative. In Film as social practice (2nd ed.). (PP.67-94). London: Routledge.


By Chung Lai Wa, Serena

Online Review: Is the Value of Hong Kong Vanishing? - "Life Without Principle" by Johnnie To

“Life Without Principle” 《奪命金》is filmed by Jonnie To Ki-Fung. The movie is named after his very first production which called “The Enigmatic Case”《碧水寒山奪命金》since he wanted to have a review over his filming, directing live in the past 30 years and because the story of the movies are sharing same content that, although its plot is in different time – ancient and modern society, greedy is an inborn nature of human.In the movie, Jonnie used four main characters, which acted by Lau Ching-Wan, Denise Ho, Richie Ren and Myolie Wu, to link up the whole story. It seems that an ordinary bank teller (Denise Ho), a small-time thug (Lau Ching-Wan) and a straight-arrow Police inspector (Richie Ren) with his wife do not have any relationships, but somehow they are linked by a financial company owner but also a loan shark- Chung Yuen (Lo Hoi Pang).

In these years, all people are obsessed with bonds and shares. People can gain more money from the stock market with a small amount of capital; however, money comes and goes in the bubble economy easily. Due to the inflation, the price index keeps rising, mainlanders flows into Hong Kong etc, how Hong Kong people deal with this situation?

A mainland businessman (Terence Yin) who Lung (Philip Keung) worked for suddenly pop-up in the middle of the movie, the director tried to indicate Hong Kong is changing at a fast speed which we cannot aware of.  This scene is talking about the mainland businessman slapped at Panther (Lau Ching Wan) and shouted at him that buying bonds and shares is how people forecast the future, if you guess right, you are winner when you guess wrong you are not. It is because there is a rapid growth of economy in China; people tend to have a bet in the uprisingmarket but the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers leads a great fall in the stock market. During that period, Hong Kong people suddenly lose all their money and kind of relying on  the Chinese government to help.

In this circumstance, the gap between rich and poor are widening and getting more extreme. When some people participating in the stock market and getting rich through no matter “invest or venture”; what other local people can do is to gamble their life in the game or like the old man in the picture. What he was trying commit suicide and tell Richie in the film that he has been changing his job from plastic factory to garment factory and when those factory have all moved to mainland, he has been a security and doesn’t mind what he has to do, he accept it but what he want is just a place to stay. However, truths beyond his want.

The two scenes have made a strong statement about the identity of Hong Kong people have been influencing by mainlanders. On the one hand, our identities may seem to be grounded in the past which is individual and collective memory, on the other hand, identities are also about becoming who we want to be or being who we think we should be in particular contexts.

In the stock market, Hong Kong people are kind of rely on the mainland because U.S is in an economic downturn and China is an uprising market, it seems Hong Kong cannot live without the PRC. On the other hand, the old man has shown how desperate the local, grass root people are when the price index is keep rising. They cannot afford a flat since they are getting older and older. Moreover, Myolie Wu is a wife of a police inspector and having middle class life; however, the prices of flats are terribly high and make them worry about their living standard after her husband retired. Nevertheless, the man said he has been moved to Hong Kong for around thirty years. This also echoing to why Johnnie To would like to named this new movie following his first product- The Enigmatic Case- that he wants to review his past thirty years and what Johnnie can observe and witness the change of Hong Kong.

It is undeniable that there are lots of chances in mainland but who can guarantee anything? Last but not least, the translated name of the movie is “Life Without Principle” strongly show that how worry Johnnie To is when thinking about the value of Hong Kong. Director and producer Johnnie To said about the film: “This is a turbulent world. In order to survive, people have no choice but play the game. No matter how hard you try to follow the rules, sooner or later, a part of you will be lost.”  But we, Hong Kong people, should have found our own value and try to preserve it in this hard game, not just let ourselves fall into this black hole.

Reference:

 INDIEWIRE STAFF. Johnnie To's "Life Without Principle" Added to Venice Film Festival Slate. Indiewire,  9 Aug. 2011. Web 18 Apr. 2012 <http://www.indiewire.com/article/johnnie_tos_life_without_principle_added_to_venice_film_festival_slate#>

Man Ka Po Bobo (10486464)

Online Review: 3D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy

3D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy (3D肉蒲團之極樂寶鑑) is a Hong Kong 3-D erotic film released in 2011. In Ming Dynasty , there was a arrogant scholar called Wei Yangsheng. He believed that life is short and people should pursue the ultimate sexual pleasure in lifetime. He married with Tie Yuxiang but their poor sex life did not satisfy him. After the collapse of his marriage, he ventured in searching ways to increase his sex drive and performance in bed. His journey takes him to meet Prince of Ning and his tag team of sexual dynamos. He learnt variety of sex skills, however, his troubles began since he displeased the Prince of Ning. At the end, he understands that love can still exist even without sex and have a long lasting love with Tie Yuxiang . 

From this movie, it is obvious that it was filmed from men’s perspective due to the representation and stereotyping of female characters. Lippmann suggested stereotypes are generalizations and assumptions based on people’s gender, national origin or occupation (Dyer, 2000). In the movie, women are stereotyped as dependent and completely lack of autonomy. For example, those sexual dynamos of Prince Ning are treated as collections and stayed in the secret palace. They were always standing by to serve the Prince Ning and his guests. Another example is that a scholar had many wives and he was going to divorce with them unilaterally. When they heard this, they kneeled down and beg the scholar to let them remain stayed in his house and they can do anything for him. From the above examples, we can see that women in this movie are described and represent as accessory of men. These show the stereotyping towards women from the view of men, as well as in the traditional society.

It is said that there is a close relationship between genre and audience. Genres consist of specific systems of expectation and hypothesis. As this movie was promoted as an erotic film, it successfully raises the topic in city. Generally, audience do not really know the content of erotic film but they interpret it by its literal meaning. They just expected such kind of movies will include a large number of scenes like Japanese pornography movies. And of course, they felt disappointed since it is out of their expectation.

Many people may criticize this movie is hypocritical and cheated them. The fact which we need to know is that although Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan city, the traditional Chinese moral standard is rooted. Topics related to sex are still one of taboo in Hong Kong. Taking pornography as an example, men may not like watching pornography, but probably many of them have watched before. However, how many of them would say he would watch pornography in public space? They tried to keep their rational and gentleman image in the public. So, by understanding the moral standard in Hong Kong, we should surpised to have such erotic movie which both men and women can openly watch and discuss. In my opinion, this movie can be categorized as a Hong Kong styled erotic movie. It can be seen as a development of cultural phenomenon in response to different national conditions. Pornography in different countries like Japan, South Korea, and Italy has its own traditions and patterns. It is unlikely for Hong Kong erotic movies to learn or blindly follow others.

Reference:

Dyers, R. (2000). The Role of Stereotypes. In P. Marris & S. Thornham (eds). Media Studies: A Reader. (pp.245-251). Washington Square, N.Y.: New York University Press.

By NG Wing Sze Anna (1048 5536)

Online Review: The Queer Show

Homosexual, particularly in Asia where it is under the great influence of Confucianism, it is a taboo we seldom talk about. Therefore, we actually know little about gay people. However, most of our perceptions are come from the mass media. For instance, the image of homosexual is typically represented as very feminine or people that can easily get AIDS, in other words, they are abnormal. Ironically, no matter in the field of music, film or TVdrama, the proportion of using homosexual as the main theme in Hong Kong is relatively lower than heterosexual. Then, to what extent does the representation from the mass media can accurately reflect the “real” homosexuals?

The Queer Show (攣到爆) was the first main-stream drama to portray a gay leading character. The character is performed by the famous homosexual actor, Joey Leung (梁祖堯).  And this drama has gain the heart of lots of the audience and therefore held the 5^th re-run again last year. I think the success of this drama is that it offered not only a rare opportunity for the gay men to be one of the few chances they can get to see the images of themselves on stage but also because it aims at exploring the “real” love and sorrow of gay men in Hong Kong.

The main plot of The Queer Show revolves around three stages of gay life – first, when gay men are susceptible to the heart-pounding variety of gay love; second, the unrelenting pursuit of sexual adventure, then third, the emotional settlement that follows.

Different from film or TV drama which merely put emphasis on the typical image of homosexuals, for instance to typify their appearance as sissy or bitchy-liked, the drama did actually mention the hard situation that gay couples are now facing. In one of the scenes, the main character Michael mentioned that he is struggling on whether to disclose his sex orientation or not in workplace as he need to concern he may not be fairly judged or treated by others. Besides, gay couples are not allowed to get marry in Hong Kong in which there is no law to protect their partners. For instance, in the drama, Michael’s partner is once seriously injured. But during emergency, he will never be the one who will be called. It is because they are not married, Michael just means no one to his partner.

Throughout the drama, I am so impressed by a line “If I were a heterosexual, could I be sure that I need not to face any obstacles?” It is so true that no matter what your sex orientation is, it is no guarantee that you can find your true love easily. I think this drama not only speaks for the gay people by trying to represent the true side of gay people but also to talk about the virtue of love. Therefore, no wonder it is so popular because audiences, whether straight or gay, are able to find something they can relate to.

Chung Hiu Lan, Renile 10416151 20855433

Online Review: 'Chok' : Raymond Lam (Chan Kit Chi,Kit, 10482771)

The song “Chok” which is sung by Raymond Lam, has won the Golden Music Awards in TVB. This result has caused controversial debates in society, because most people believe that Raymond Lam has not enough experience and power to gain this high value awards. Raymond is an actor in Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) when he first showed his performance. He has had big support from TVB and has obtained more and more opportunities for his career in a short period. He also released his first album in 2005. Because of his fast but abnormal development, public always criticize him and ridicule his strength. For example, people use ‘chok’ to describe his acting as he always cares his facial expression but not the acting technique. Therefore, ‘Chok’, this song is to satirize the public opinion of Raymond Lam.

Why there are artists grow so fast without strength and potential in entertainment industry? According to Hesmondhalgh (2002, p. 28), cultural economics is the branch of economics devoted specifically to culture and to the art. It is not concerned with determining human needs and rights, nor with intervening in questions of social justice; instead it focuses on how human wants might be most efficiently satisfied. Audiences like watching smart and pretty face in the television screen. Sometimes, they ignore the other elements, like acting or singing skills and become fans of those pretty stars. The market has been created by this situation. To seeking profit, the media enterprises keep pushing idols that have not enough training to the market. The quality of the entertainment industry is getting worse if so many idols have pretty face but weak performance. “The equation of human happiness with the optimizing of economic satisfactions, but provides a poor basis on which to proceed in assessing the cultural industries” (Hesmondhalgh, 2002, p.28). That is the reason why Raymond can gain the Golden Music Awards easily and makes controversial debates from the public.

Take a look at the lyrics of ‘Chok’, it talks about no matter what Raymond himself did, what he talked or what he wear, he got discrimination finally. Then, what should a super star need so that he or she can obtain the support and acceptability from the public? Actually, to making stardom, “Strength is not a guarantee to make a star to be famous. Visual, verbal and aural sign are needed to create star text. Star text is a product which should conform to the ideology in the capitalism system successfully” (Leung, 2006, p.141). Although Raymond Lam has acted on TV since 1998, when we talk about visual, verbal and aural sign of him, we cannot find any specific details about them. The most expressive image of him is ‘chok’ which means he has only got one facial expression in front of the camera. Therefore, this can explain Raymond still cannot reach the super star level and people dissatisfy Raymond’s appearance and the result of the Golden Music Award in TVB.

Factually, I really appreciate the lyrics of ‘Chok’. The lyrics reflect that Raymond just wants what he wants to do and ignores others’ opinion. People who have self-confidence are always charming. However, I don’t think Raymond can handle this charming song as it seems he is still fresh for his careers. Not only Raymon, but lots of artists in Hong Kong also need time to prove that they are really a star with their real strength and to prove that they are not a product for the market.

Reference:

Hesmondhalgh, D. (2002). Approaches to cultures. In The Cultural industries. (pp. 27-48). London: Sage.

Leung, W.Y. and Yiu, Y.N. (2006). The chameleon performance: An analysis of Anita Mui’s image. In C. Yau (Ed.), Politics of Gender. (pp.139-159). Hong Kong: Cosmos Books Ltd.

Online Review: The Viral Factor of Dante Lam

The Viral Factor 《逆戰》was the latest transnational feature of Hong Kong action film director Dante Lam Chiu-Yin (林超賢) released in 2012 January. It is a routine action film produced by Dante Lam just akin to his previous works like The Stool Pigeon《綫人》 (2010) and The Beast Stalker《証人》(2008). The pattern of plot is usual, the main characters, Jay Chou (周杰倫) and Nicholas Tse (謝霆鋒)in The Viral Factor, got involved in a troublesome matter that might harm families or their lives, thus they had to finish to certain tasks to deal with the problem, and often the death of characters awaken audience to reflect the faith of human nature.

Similar to Dante Lam’s previous works, in The Viral Factor, shootout and explosion are the majority scenes filmed to define its action genre, and to identify the shooting style of Dante Lam. The shooting style of Dante Lam since its first work Option Zero 《G4特工》(1997) ingrained and constituted in audience expectation, the selling point of Dante Lam’s works is action scenes. Although Dante Lam once filmed romantic story Tiramisu《戀愛行星》 (2002) and Love on the Rocks 《戀情告急》 (2004), his image of an action film director is still rooted. Not surprisingly, The Viral Factor largely fulfill the expectation of audience by spending up to HK$200 million to set the plot in Malaysia and explode and shoot a lot in this exotic country. As Dante Lam comment on his work The Viral Factor in an official interview, it extended the limit of space and constituted consistent scenes of chase and action. All elements he craved in an action film are embodied in The Viral Factor. The unconditional support of local government undoubtedly is the appealing factor attract Dante Lam to film in Malaysia when compare with the strict regulations in Hong Kong. Actually, there are slightly change of action scenes Dante Lam filmed in The Viral Factor, when the shootout and explosion of The Stool Pigeon or The Beast Stalker is confined in a limited arena, the explicit spacious geographic environment in The Viral Factor is more desirable.

Actors, from Liu Kai Chi (廖啟智) to Nicholas Tse, are also routine in Dante Lam’s work. In The Viral Factor, Liu acted as a compulsive gambler who finally died for Tse. Tse and Chou were separate brother who were placed in an extreme boundary- police and criminal. As usual, Dante Lam tends to explore human nature through depicting the internal conflict of characters. In the previous works of Dante Lam, the boundary of “good” and “bad” is very distinct. However, in The Viral Factor, the theme focusing of “chose” is represented. In the film, the conflict between Tse and Chou is still the essence in the plot. Dante Lam attempted to blur the binary by reinforcing the powerless of Tse, Liu and Chou. Chou was a member of international security unit but chose to be a criminal just to rescue his family. Tse was a criminal but he was still considerate of his family members and even willing to sacrifice himself to save Chou. The exquisite performance of Liu also touches and leads audiences to reflect what exactly differentiate human nature between good and bad.

Li Tsz Kwan, Ava 10380273/20855569

Online Review: Team of Miracle: We Will Rock You (流浪漢世界盃) 2009

        <Team of Miracle: We Will Rock You> (流浪漢世界盃) is a gospel inspirational movie which was inspired by a true story, produced by The Media Evangelism Limited (影音使團) and directed by Adrian Kwan (關信輝). There is a legend that everyone is in fact a ‘prince’ or a ‘princess’ but has been ravaged and devoured by the Devil of the Night making them destitute, despair of hope and without a home. In the following part, I will discuss the stereotyping of vagrants and the genre of gospel inspirational movie.

        Lantern Street is a place that represented the meaning of oblivion. At night, there are many different vagrants sleep here, the time seems stop at that moment and isolate from the outside world. However, ‘God never shuts one door but he opens another!’, one ardent social worker – Cheung Kin-tung (acted by Eric Suen) was influenced by an old priest that Cheung would like to spend his whole life to save those vagrants. In order to light the vagrants’ heart, he convenes different vagrants to form a football team and join the first ‘Vagrants’ World Cup’. However, he faced many difficulties and the team was nearly disintegrated. But, Cheung never gives up and he touches those vagrants. Finally, they went to Germany and joined the World Cup.

        In the movie, there is a sentence impressed me a lot which was said by an old vagrant, “once you slept on the street/ were a salted fish, you must sleep on the street/ being a salted fish in the whole life and no one will take compassion on you”. Nowadays, there are many people give up those vagrants, even though they will wear a color lens to treat them and call them as rubbish. Actually, they faced a lot of setbacks in their ‘first half’, but no one is going to help them. Moreover, everyone has a stereotyping that once they got mistakes, they cannot turn back. However, this is not true. After I watched the movie, I found that those vagrants also want to have a life which is directional, meaningful and full of content. Only if they do not give up and we can give more supports to them like Cheung Tung Kin did, ‘salted fish also can reborn’. <Team of Miracle: We Will Rock You> is a meaningful topic movie to tell everyone that who believe to God and never give up, even if you are a vagrant also can find the light in the dark. Since there is a ‘second half’ is waiting for them. 

        Another thing that I would like to share is the genre of <Team of Miracle: We Will Rock You>. As I mentioned before, it is gospel inspirational movie produced by local producer. Inspirational movie is easy to find in anywhere, however, gospel inspirational movie is different, and it is in a minority in Hong Kong, even in the world. After all, does gospel inspirational movie accepted by the people in nowadays? This is an interesting thing that I would like to find out.

Hung Wah Wai, Jason (10383235)



Online Review: Bride Wannabes

   "Bride Wannabes" is a genre of reality show or TV documentary series, which included a total of 10 episodes, to track the courtship process of five single women in 6 months. The participants assists and gets a makeover by a group of experts and through matchmaking to introduce the targets for them, thus explore the single women in Hong Kong, "Hong Kong girl", "Leftover ladies"'s phenomenon and the relationship between men and women as the theme. 

   The program is keep instilling the message of "it will be failure if the woman who can not get marry", it is ignoring the female's autonomy, to use as the magnificent package and a spot announcement advocating marriage. The ideology of male domination, and female subordination is handed down from the feudal society, just implanted it to the audience with the alternative packaging. The marriage indeed play a very important role in life, but not at all. With the women's level of knowledge to be improved, and the variation of family function, the role of women is no longer limited to mothering skills or assists one's husband and teach the children. Also marriage is not any more the only way for women, I believe that marriage is not the exclusive goal for a lot of female, however, social media yet get the shackles placed on them, the television attempt to re-rack it for women which have long been abandoned already.

  As the TV show arise from intense controversy. "Traditionally, identity has been understood as something coherent and fixed, an essential quality of a person that is guaranteed by nature, especially human biology." (Halbwachs, 1992, p.79) Nowadays, society seems to implant the one who have never quite found a suitable object  or to choose do not marry who is into a fault, it is merely the kind of guilty of woman. Those social "norms" is assimilating in our mind,  as time passes, when promote that such ideas by media. The concept of community for women seem have not make progress too much in Hong Kong. But we should also simultaneously take notice of do not just take the notion of the single and independent is the modern women's gender roles today, but dwarf the woman who pursuits of marriage, as it is proper that if someone fight what they want bravely and it have not belittle the status of women as well .

  The mass media has ability to influence the public values. "Consumption is a significant part of the circulation of shared and conflicting meanings we call culture. We communicate through what we consume." (Halbwachs, 1992, p.78) For deep-rooted aspect, the TV program is filled with product placements and an advertisement, to be focused and blamed on the defects and faults of female's character and appearance, blindness to pursue beauty, even in a maze and loss themselves. Forced women to play a role of stereotypes, and blindly pursuit of the "illusion" that is hard to achieve. If look at love as a war, by the offense, defense, rely on means and by packaging, but do not teach the audience how to love sincerely, those will cause a negative impact for society.

  Love does not require consultants and life coaches. Or we may interpret that TV program with optimistic and positively. Since strategies and love are non-confrontation and "showdown", learning interpersonal skills are not equal to induce the female to ignore the love. From an 60 era, the Western feminist movement and liberation; Mao Ze-dong issued a discourse: "Women hold up half the sky", or even more, the group of "Ashes level spinster": comb female (自梳女). Faced with the contradiction of the traditional concept and reality, in fact, the people have been deeply rooted in accept the concept of female independence nowadays. In a cynical society, similitude with the TV program's name "wannabes" in place of "spinster", the single woman can stand up with courage, calm to face the evaluation and fight for their desire, that is the worthy glory ‘war’ for them without guilt.

  To conclude, the mass media can construct and shaping the image of special features. Leftover ladies are in more than just marital disruption for a good women or who can not look for the ideal partner. Nevertheless, such a phenomenon with deep-seated social incentives are interact and call into being some factors, for instance, social structure, urban alter the traditional and staggered concept of the modern partner's relation. Moreover, woman should not live in the labeling of spinster, material girls, or Kong-gals, besides, do not affected by the television programs, either condemning it. As a self-confident and the one who aware of their value, is no need through the judgement but affirms their own value by oneself.

Reference:

1. Halbwachs, M. (1992). (Ed. & translated by Coser. L.A.) Chapter 1-4. On Collective Memory. (pp.41-53). Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

2. Dyers, R. (2000.) The role of stereotypes. In P. Marris & S. Thornham (eds.). Media studies: a reader. (pp.245-251). Washington Square, N.Y.: New York University Press.

Tang Lok Sum, Audrey (10492684)

Review of PopCorn Short Film “當下”

This short film is one of the three PopCorn film by Heiward MAK Hei-yan (麥曦茵). It was posted online on YouTube in March 2012. The three short clips are about love between a man and woman, friendship and family relations. The theme of “當下” is talking about the interaction of a family.

Do people sitting together means reunion? This is the central question the clip would like to ask the audiences. For the film setting, the story is happened in a Chinese restaurant. A family gathers in the restaurant as usual once a week. The Chinese restaurant, which families gather, eat Dim Sum and sit in a round table, are an important traditional family value of Chinese culture. This is also the common localized collective memory of Hong Kong families.

The first half narration of the film is about five family members gather together, however, each of them are just focus on their own stuffs such as reading magazine and playing games, with no interaction with the others. It reflects the current reality that people are busy and seldom talk in family gathering.

Stereotypes are a common public belief about special social group that based on people’s gender, national origin and occupation. In the clip, the characters are being stereotyped in different symbols and behaviors as visual representation according to their characters’ characteristics. For instance, the Grandfather is wearing checkered wool vest which is common found on elderly. The mother is reading entertaining magazine which is also the common leisure magazine of housewife. And the older brother, he is just focusing on playing his game on iPad. It represents the social phenomena of the new generation in society. It is people are always using their technological devices but seldom communicate with others face to face. 

Under the silent conversation, the Grandfather gives tea to them one by one and tries to ask them if they apply the Scheme $6000, which is the current issue of Hong Kong. They answer to Grandfather that just let the older brother applying on the web. Here we see that the digital divide between the Grandfather and the members. Finally, the members leave the restaurant one by one. Here shows the Grandfather’s disappointment and helplessness. 

In the second half narration of the film, they gather together as usual and still focus on their own stuffs. But this time the little boy learns from Grandfather and tries to give tea to the others. His behavior awakens the others that they should cherish the time with family rather living in their zone. 

 

It is found that the director is using the simple action and the contrary to criticize the current situation in Hong Kong. Nowadays, the family value is weak and people seldom take care of their family, or even talk to them. This film “當下” can evoke the common experience and resonance of audiences in their daily lives as well as re-think the important role of adult in front of children.

Here are some comments from YouTube:

This is really a good film and let us thinks over our relations with family in our daily lives. Enjoy!

Ashley Wong Yuk Yi (10495101/20862212)