Timothy - Dog Year

Cost

Before making do with what you have, make sure you know exactly what you have.

Big Red(wood)

The record for the world's tallest organism has a new holder, Hyperion, though it remains rooted (pun intended) in the coast redwood species.  At 379.1 feet, it is 68 times my height and 43 times that of the tallest man ever (who was 8'11").  What other undiscovered record holder may still be out there?

Coast redwoods, while not as massive as their giant sequoia cousins, are still among the most impressive living giants in this world.  Words cannot fully describe the exhilaration and awe one feels when walking through a whole forest of these majestic creations.  Looking up, one gets a view like that of converging poles piercing the sky.  The trees do not move, yet one constantly feels that, at any second, the woods will come alive like the Ents in Fanghorn Forest.

If you've never been to Northern California, check out Redwood National Park and the Avenue of the Giants when you can.  You'll easily see what I mean, while your mouth slowly opens in astonishment.

Open Season

Score: 7.0 (out of 10)
Director: Roger Allers, Jill Culton, Anthony Stacchi
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
MPAA Rating: PG

Yet another computer-animated film.  I've lost count of how many already (just for this year alone).  OK, then, what does Open Season throw at us in the way of new?

Is it the "odd couple" relationship between a big guy and a talkative smaller sidekick?  Wait, saw that in Shrek with the ogre and donkey.  Is it the superb 3D rendering of textures like fur?  Wait, the first real wave of amazement on this technology occurred way back with Monsters, Inc.  Is it the tender bond between a pet or toy and his owner?  Wait, that was really a key theme in Toy Story.  What about the idea of different animals banding together for a common cause?  No, wait, Over the Hedge comes to mind.

What makes Open Season effective is the seamless combination of all the above elements into another enjoyable film for both kids and adults alike.  The more stylized (i.e. opposite realistic) figures add to the film's overall zaniness.  The title, however, is somewhat of a misnomer, as the open season "days" don't actually take place until the end of the film.  Before that point, this film may as well be named, A Bear, a Deer, and Their Hunter.

It was during the film's climax during open season that I learned something: little kids seriously do enjoy the animals' "payback" on humans.  They were actually clapping when the animals were making a mockery of the hunters and their sport, driving them away from their "house."  So my lower level of enjoyment of Open Season perhaps isn't a problem with the film, but rather with my own loss of childlike idealism.

Black

Only one color is worse than black: gray.  Only one thing is worse than total defeat: mediocrity.

Venom

The deadliest way to say "no" is silence.

Fearless

Score: 7.5 (out of 10)
Director: Ronny Yu
Distributor: Rogue Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13

Huo Yuanjia (霍元甲) is the subject of this film, touted as Jet Li's last martial arts film (even his body has to age and slow down sometimes).  The movie was released in China back in January this year, so as with many other Asian films, Americans are among the last to see it.

Recent martial arts movies seem to fall into two camps: the Jackie Chan school of comedic drama (Police Story series), and the Zhang Yimou/Ang Lee school of artistic, exaggerated epics (Hero, Crouching Tiger).  It was probably due to this reason that I enjoyed a traditional martial arts flick like Fearless so much - it's been so long since I've seen one.  All the standard, well-used elements are there: quest to avenge (family, teacher), the protagonist's escape into anonymity and "peasant life" (this time into a mountain village), different fight styles and weapons, and yes, even the use of poison to drive a key turning point.  There is little use of special effects, just good ol' close-range fight sequences.  For a 43 year-old, Jet Li still moves with youthful speed and dexterity, little changed from the athlete who won fifteen gold medals during the 70s at the Chinese wushu championships.

For Caucasians, this film may not be as enjoyable due to (1) having to read subtitles with the dialogue retained in Mandarin Chinese, and (2) all the Caucasians that get defeated by Huo.  Huo is somewhat of a national hero among the Chinese, and previous films have been made of his life.  In any case, many tall tales surround his legacy, and Fearless is no exception, with mostly fictitious accounts.  The real Huo did have descendants, and his match with the British boxer Hercules O'Brien never took place.

But really, does anyone watch martial arts films for their historical accuracy?

All the King's Men

Score: 7.0 (out of 10)
Director: Steven Zaillian
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13

The first film adaptation of this Robert Penn Warren novel back in 1949 won three Oscars, including Best Picture.  It is highly unlikely that this 2006 version will receive similar praise, despite being more faithful to the original novel.  I've neither seen the '49 version nor read the novel, so I watched this film with a blank mental slate on the story.

Most of the star-studded acting are acceptable.  Anthony Hopkins, with a strange accent that certainly isn't of Louisiana (where the story takes place), is below his ability here.  Some may find Sean Penn's portrayal of idealistic-turned-power-mad politician Willie Stark to be overdone or even comical, but it would be hard to argue against his flamboyant gestures and fiery voice keeping the audience awake.  Sadly, the same can't be said for the script and editing.  The endless narration, in the voice of journalist Jack Burden (played by Jude Law), makes everything more, not less, confusing and wearisome.  There were moments in the film when I nearly fell asleep, dazed by this mingling of several never-fully-explained subplots.

Despite the film's rough flow, most people can still pick up the important lesson from this classic story - power corrupts.  Even in this age of maximum cynicism toward politics and government, this film's depressing ending still manages to fully tug at one's heart, reminding idealists and cynics alike that man's pursuit of personal glory and honor, by itself, always ends in the same place, regardless of the starting point.

Wish

On some days, I just wish that I had accidentally eaten some burger made from a mad cow-diseased animal that's accidentally eaten some E. coli-tainted spinach that have been sitting in stagnant water infested with West Nile virus-infected mosquitos.

Flyboys

Score: 7.0 (out of 10)
Director: Tony Bill
Distributor: MGM
MPAA Rating: PG-13

Exciting dogfights.  Beautiful French countryside.  Love story between dashing pilot and young, innocent girl.  Historical basis for story.  Add all these tantalizing elements, and you'd think you have one of the best pictures ever made, right?  No, not when it's Flyboys, a formulaic film about the Lafayette Escadrelle, American volunteer pilots who served with the French Air Force before the Americans joined World World 1.

There is simply no depth to the plot or character development here (though the potential for both is everywhere).  The personal conflicts presented in this film will be familiar to anyone who's watched other war films - racial discrimination, battle shock, falling in love despite the language barrier.  None of these elements are explored to any deeper level, as if it is enough to just know the surface of these things and move on to the next action scene.  And those hard looks between the American pilots, and between Americans and Germans, truly get old after the 10th one.  We want to latch on to the courage and humanity of these pilots, not to how well they can emulate James Dean.

The average age of the original Lafayette Escadrelle was 26.  In many regards, Flyboys seems to have focused its appeal to an average age of 16.  It left me wondering what it feels like to be in one of those planes, but also whether a better film on this great war will be made.  I can only hope.

Tale of Two Shepherd Kings

Amid all the great dynasties in China's long history, there was a little-known, unofficial period called the (Da) Shun (大順) dynasty in 1644. It lasted less than a month, and its only emperor, self-proclaimed, was a bandit born 400 years ago to this day - Li Zicheng (李自成).  He was the intermediate between the Ming and Qing dynasties, albeit very briefly.

Outside Maoists who view him as a pioneer revolutionary, Li's legacy today is not a favorable one among most Chinese.  Interestingly, he began as a shepherd for a rich man.  He must have been highly ambitious, for he got out of that pastoral existence to get involved with archery, crimes, and organizing armies.  Even his chosen name, Zicheng, means "self-made."  From early adulthood on he built up a long list of atrocities, from countless murders to cutting off women's feet.  Yet his rapid rise to to the top was certainly spectacular.  No wonder, then, that he called himself the "Breakthrough King" (闖王).  In a flash, though, his army was defeated by Manchu forces, who set up the Qing dynasty.  Most historical accounts have Li committing suicide or killed by the Manchus during his escape.

A millennium and a half before Li Zicheng, there came another "shepherd king" - Jesus, God Himself.  Philippians 2:6-11 sums up His identity and life on earth quite well:  "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

In other words, Li Zicheng and Jesus are night and day.  One was ashamed of being just a shepherd and craved to be king, only to become a cheap semblance to one before being in turn defeated.  The Other is the true King of the universe, who "with justice He judges and makes war" (Rev. 19:11)  Yet, He humbled Himself to take on human body, to take on the role of a true Shepherd who laid down His life on the cross for His sheep (us).  What happened next?  He resurrected, defeated death, and was elevated to be the One everyone sooner or later will worship as King and Lord.

Whose example do you wish to follow - the one that created a forgotten month-long dynasty, or the One who made possible joyful life everlasting?