Nope, Not Just Zen

From what I've posted so far, you get the feeling I'm a Zen junky. Well I am but I'm not just all freaky about Zen. Now, I've also become freaky about movies ever since I saw 'Saving Face'. I've been ranting non-stop about this movie, its cast, its director blah blah blah...and many of my friends can attest to that.

It's the first time in my life I become so obsessed with a movie. And to do it at this age, I surprised even myself. Never, and I mean never, have I ever watched a movie more than twice without getting bored. So how many times have I seen this movie? I lost count!

The movie is similar in nature to Lee Ang's earlier movies such as the Wedding Banquet and Eat Drink Man Woman which I always liked. The story revolved around the Asian American community and had a mix of English and Mandarin dialogues. As one reviewer said: "The characters are not stereotypes but honest portrayals of Chinese Americans dealing with older traditions in modern America." And as a Chinese, I could really relate to the characters, especially the mother-daughter relationship.

SF is actually a low-budget independent movie funded by Will Smith, written and directed by a rookie filmmaker, Alice Wu. She's a gutsy 35-year-old Asian American who wrote a personal story then quit her job as a programmer in Microsoft and spent 5 years making it into her dream movie. What courage and determination! Now how many of us would dare to do that?

So what's the draw? Initially, it was Joan Chen. Never would I imagine the glamorous Joan Chen willing to dress down and play the comedic role of an 'ah soh'. But she did! And did it so well! Then, I noticed Michelle Krusiec, a relatively unknown actress who played the role of Joan's daughter in the movie. Out of curiousity, I surfed on the net for more reviews and interviews, stumbled upon fans' blogs and found that she's totally an opposite of the character she played. She's not only an actress but a very good dancer as well. And due to the limited opportunities as an Asian American actress, she's also involved in a theatre group to pursue her performing interest.

Well, I guess if not for SF, I would not be blogging NOW! Do buy the DVD if you see it.

Movie Synopsis
Saving Face is a romantic comedy about a daughter struggling to understand her mother's heart which ultimately allows her to understand her own. It is the story of unspoken loves, contemporary and cultural taboos, and the journey of 2 women towards living their lives honestly.

The director wrote the story as a love-letter to her mother. Her message, "No matter who you are, whether you're an Asian, black or white, gay or straight, young or old, everyone basically wants to love. Love can start at any point in life. It is never too late to fall in love for the first time."

Synopsis adapted from official site: www.sonyclassics.com/savingface