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AnonymousEat Drink Man Woman is a Taiwanese film directed by Ang Lee. The film was released on 1994. The film received the Asia Pacific Film Festival Award for Best Film, and an Academy Award Nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.
This movie is about the basic human desires and accepting them as natural as what the title tells us. The title is a quote form one of confusion classics: 饮食男女，人之大欲存焉。(The things which people greatly desire are comprehended in eat and drink , and love between man and woman.)
I can incorporate this movie with the unit of Chinese food to show students how Chinese dishes are cooked, three elements of a well-cooked Chinese food ( appearance, smell and taste) and dining etiquette, etc.
AnonymousFinding Mr. Right was quite an enjoyable and interesting film. In light of Professor Yan's lecture, the film served as a good example of the delicate balance between free market economy being housed under a communist government, but did so in subtle ways. On its surface, the film was a formulaic rom-com, that even paid homage to its American influences but subtleties in lines of dialogue, characters and plot points all spoke to how the story was uniquely Chinese. There were American "birthing" homes (maternity tourism is a real thing!); mention of the one-child policy and the bureaucratic red tape involved when giving birth in China; allusion to the environmental problems in China (with a character's asthma as a reason for immigrating), clear evidence of capitalism and a free market economy (with the presence of characters who demonstrated exorbitant wealth and also mention of government crack-down and guanxi was at the heart of everything! Even the Ayi (aunty) and "driver" were subtle yet accurate depictions of how things are for those with means in the new China. What fun!
AnonymousI like this film because it depicted real events that actually took place locally last year in the San Gabriel valley in which residents protested against their neighborhood being turn into maternal tourist shelters.
(See http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-asian-anchor-babies-wealthy-chinese-20150826-story.html)
It also brought to mind another issue that tourists from China have notoriously been associated with in recent days: Rude and obnoxious behavior.
(See http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1671504/rude-awakening-chinese-tourists-have-means-not-manners)
For those who enjoy this film, there is a sequel to this movie that takes place in San Marino, in which foreign property investments in briefly addressed. But it contains a great amount of classic Chinese conversations(similar to Shakespeare in English). As a result, a lot is lost in the translation - provided that you can find one with English subtitle.
AnonymousFinding Mr. Right was delightful. Packed with humor, sarcasm, and witty dialogue.The film is equal to a high quality Hollywood product.The movie reveals the the inequality of income in a communist state(oxymoron)? I like the lesson that material wealth does not dictate happiness.
edited by mmadruga on 7/28/2016
AnonymousFinding Mr. right was very entertaining. Usually it is difficult to read the subtitles and follow the storyline. I throughly enjoyed the characters and story and I loved the connection to Seepless in Seatle. She is a great actress. I will look forward to watching Finding Mr. Right 2.
edited by mcervantes on 7/28/2016
AnonymousWatching the film led me to ask more questions regarding some of the actions in the film, more so than the love story. I saw connection to what Professor Yan discussed as the change to individualism, and how the character in "Finding Mr. Right" is consumed by consumerism. I am curious about the "safe house" that she lived in which was more like a home for Chinese birthing mothers. Do homes like this exist in Seattle or in other parts of the United States? In the fictional film, the female character comes to the U.S. on a six month tourist visa, but she lives in a home for expecting mothers. The USA Today article "Chinese Flock to USA to Give Birth to U.S. Citizens," states that birth tourism is a legal business in China, and that there are birthing houses in the U.S.
AnonymousI can see how Finding Mr. Right film was very popular internationally. The movie touches into the notion that many people believe that money will make you happy. Based on the studies mentioned on Wednesday’s lecture that 65% of Chinse people work longer than 8 hours and more surprisingly was that 85% said that they would work more than 15 hours for higher bonuses. The journey the protagonist takes to finding Mr. Right was also a journey in finding herself and understanding what is most important in life. Like most people she was pursuing happiness by finding a rich husband. She later discovers that she does not need money or a rich husband to make herself feel happy or complete. Instead, she lives on her own for two years and discovers the joy of being an independent woman and only when she feels fulfilled as a person can she then be able to find Mr. Right.
Things that stood out to me was having birthing homes for Asian women was surprising. Apparently it is not illegal to come to the US to give birth but it is illegal to lie about your purpose for coming. Interesting to find out that countries in East Asia offer packages for women to come over. According the KTLA news in March 2015, “people may pay $15,000 to $50,000 for lodging, transportation and food, according to an email from ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice. Some of the more expensive packages include visits to Disneyland, shopping malls or a firing range.” Maybe this can be something to look more into because I am sure Asia is not the only country that does this.
Link to article mentioned. http://ktla.com/2015/03/03/feds-raid-20-socal-locations-in-alleged-chinese-birthing-house-maternity-tourism-schemes/
edited by njimenez on 7/28/2016
Anonymous“Finding Mr. Right” is a movie from China 2013. This movie is a funny comedy but very touching. A story of a new generation Chinese girl Jiajia who was pregnant, and she chose Seattle to deliver her baby. The whole story is fallow Jiajia’s experience in US. This movie showed how the new generation in China to get into the new world. They are building the new values and the traditional values still in their life. Jiajia finally find what she wants and has a good ending at the end.
This movie is a careful production, from the time Jiajia arrive to Seattle, the house with a Taiwanese Landlord, the doctor from Hong Kong. The questions to Jiajia in the airport to the Taiwanese accent from the landlord, every detail are very true.
Compare “finding Mr. Right” to the movie “Raise the red Lenten” 1991, I can tell the feeling is totally different. Not only the tone and color of the movie are brighter and focus is also very different. China is changing and the culture has it’s “movement”.
edited by ysun on 7/31/2016
AnonymousYes, I read about that too! And in our own backyard so to speak! Amazing!
AnonymousI personally recommend the movie classic, Seven Samurai. It was co-writen and directed by Akira Kurosawa (legend of the Japanese Film Industry and hero to many American film directors). The premise of the story involves hapless villagers who are routinely targeted by bandits every harvest season and left starving. In order to avoid being robbed of their food, the villagers enlist the help of seven samurai to scare off the bandits. The samurai, however, teach the villagers that they are capable of defending themselves and empower the villagers to defeat the bandits.
I would assign this movie to students, in order for them to develop an understanding of feudal japan prior to the tokugawa shogunate. Comparisons could also be made between european and japanese fuedal societies.
edited by gmora on 8/1/2016
AnonymousI watched this movie long time ago. I was really toughing from this movie not only its wonderful dished but the background of the story. 40 years ago, in Taiwan, all the banquet is in those kind of restaurant, and most the dishes we can only have in the wedding or some special event. The girls face their life problem was similar to my generation girls.
A good movie is not only make audient enjoyed , also brought something to our heart. This is Director Ang Lee's style.
If I have chance , I will introduce this movie to my students. They will like it and learn what real Chinese dished are. Most of the time they only know about orange chicken, sweet sour pork.
AnonymousEnjoyed watching this film set in Seattle and learning about the actress who played the main character Fan Bingbing. Interesting film that sheds some light on the women coming to the United States to have children. Although technically illegal many women have been doing this for some time. Was aware of Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena profiting and encouraging discreetly such pregnancies. Nice character development of the main characters who through their love of each other mature and become better people. Nice fast paced film that pokes fun at some stereotypes like arrogant materialistic women from Shanghai. Very enjoyable film with a good happy ending.
AnonymousThe movie I watched for this seminar is Ode to My Father (2014). I really enjoyed this movie, because it incorporated so many historic elements in a creative, cute, and tear-jerking manor. I wasn’t expecting to be on the verge of tears so many times when I pressed play. However, this movie was very informative; I found myself constantly researching things I saw during the movie, as you can tell by the links included. Here are a few parts that I would recommend to classroom use and how they could support the curriculum:
1.One of the first scenes is of North Korean refugees being taken in by the U.S. Navy. This can be used to show the U.S. involvement in the Korean War.
2.The main character later goes to Germany to work in the mines. This can also be shown in class as one of the effects of the Korean War (for more information/testimonial: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/02/116_61404.html).
3.The movie also includes Korean’s involvement in the Vietnam war, as the main character and his friend go to fight against the Viet Cong. This can be used to show what war looked like it Vietnam and how the citizens of Vietnam were affected by the war.
4.Last, the movie also highlights the losses of the Korean people and the reunification of families through the Korean Broadcasting (for more information: http://www.nytimes.com/1983/08/18/world/war-scattered-korean-kin-find-their-kin-at-last.html). According to this New York Times article, over 3,000 people were reunited with their families via broadcasting announcements.
Overall, this movie has solid sections that can be shown for both U.S. and World History content. However, it also has some nudity and a lot of violence and gore, therefore I would not recommend showing it as a complete film in class. Nonetheless, I highly recommend it if you are looking for a good tear-jerker.
edited by kluna on 8/4/2016
AnonymousThe movie “Eat Drink Man Woman” is a film directed by Ang Lee released on 1994. The film received the Asia Pacific Film Festival Award for Best Film, and in 1995 it received an Academy Award Nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.
The title of the movie is what the director Ang Lee wanted to present in this movie. “ Eat and Drink “are the basic human desire , “man and woman” are referring the pleasure sexual , and these are accepted as nature.
The story back ground is in 1990’s Taipei, Taiwan. Mr. Chu the father, a widow, with his three daughters. Mr. Chu is a master Chinese chief and his three daughters each of them has challenged the any narrow definition of traditional Chinese culture.
Each Sunday Mr. Chu makes a glorious banquet for his daughters, but the dinner table is also the family forum, or perhaps “torture chamber,” to which each daughter brings “announcements” as they negotiate the transition from traditional “father knows best” style to a new tradition which encompasses old values in new forms. As the story goes, the girls were all have new man and living situations were changed. At the end he father surprised wants to marry a young girl.
This is the movie really point out how the Chinese react the different between traditional and current world’s situation and value. What is not changed is the nature of human been. I believe this is not only referring Taiwanese in the 90’s but also similar situation for Chinese in today.
The information from this movie will help me do the project in my lesson plan how Asia in today is different to the old days.
AnonymousI deeply enjoyed watching the movie with my colleagues. The film was created by Dir. Xue Xiaolu and marvelous actors Tang Wei and Wu Xiubo. Finding Mr. Right was a romantic comedy that on surface was very entertaining but had deeper message underneath. Because I was having difficulty following the movie and reading subtitles, I decided to watch it the second time. Only then I have discovered that the simple plot was only the first impression. I could see the delicate balance between free market economy being housed under a communist government. Although I saw a lot of similarities to my culture, the second viewing helped me to see many Chinese nuances. I do understand the main character's action of delivering her love child in American maternity house. Giving birth to a baby whose father is a wetly married man would be considered as a very shameful act, and the love child would become a subject to bullying. I will recommend my students to watch this film because as a high school teacher I see many teenage pregnancies, and students' focus is to be reach. I would discuss Jiajia's character when she was freely using her rich boyfriend's credit card, and where she was helplessly poor. I will help my students to understand that the true happiness is not in material welth, but in love.