Better Luck Tomorrow
After wanting to see this movie for the past few years, I finally got around to watching it (about a month ago, lol). It was touted as a great movie that finally put Asian Americans under the spotlight. Granted it was an indie film that was only shown in select theatres, it still made it pretty big. This film explores what it would be like to take an extreme deviation from what our everyday norms are. What happened if we suddenly turned from studious students into con-artist/gang members? Does everyday monotony ever get to you? Does the thrill of doing something completely out of character appeal to you? These are the deviations this movie goes for. Who better than those boring-study-all-the-time-Asian Americans, to look at? To see what would happen if they decided to take a 180 on their life and go with it. Ok, enough babble; What did I think of it? Lets see...
We dive into the world of Ben, your prototypical Chinese smart kid in high school who gets his good grades, participates in school activities, and is working to get into a good college, just like his parents want of him. He's also pretty short, doesn't get noticed much by girls, and probably would've got cut by his school basketball team if not for dumb luck. Yup, his character sounds pretty familiar, at least to me. In Ben's circle of friends we have Daric, the president of all clubs/jock/editor-of-paper Asian; Han, the thug-wannabe Asian, and Virgil, the crazy perv who seems to do everything different from other people. (all are still really smart at school) One day of their monotonous lives, they decide to make some money by selling cheatsheets to students. It becomes a lucrative business and eventually they decide to expand their business to different realms. Eventually they're stealing equipment from schools and stores, dealing drugs, and various other scams. They became notorious in their school and even drew references to gangs and the Chinese mafia. They had developed a name for themselves that no one would have ever imagined before. Soon enough they're over their heads in problems and threats that they couldn't have imagined. What would you do if you suddenly had a dead body in your custody? What would you do if your best friend suddenly decided life wasn't worth it and committed suicide? Questions like these will be taken into scope by this movie in one person's perspective.
The overall plot to this movie is very complex. Almost too complex for it's own good. It takes on too many things at once and that was it's down fall in my opinion. I don't want to take anything away from the movie however, because for what it's worth, it was a very well made and directed film. The acting by seemingly ordinary everyday Asians wasn't much to rave about. However, Virgil's character was one that truly shown out compared to the others. His emotion and craziness really felt... real. In the end I think he was probably the actor that took the cake.
I'll be outright and just say that I didn't like the ending of the movie. You'll have to go on and watch it yourself to find out for yourself. For other Asian Americans, I would recommend it just to take a look at yourselves from outside. This may not reveal any secrets to your life, but at the very least you'll see how some of us are perceived. I give it a 6/10 + .5 for being about Asian Americans for a 6.5 out of 10. =)
Ignorance is not always bliss.
I'm a little depressed right now as I write this, but I'll be fine. I've just kinda realized how some relationships have problems due to two things: communication and mentality. Two people who are unwilling or cannot communcate with each other will obviously have problems, I think that's a shared belief that other people have. Mentality on the other hand, is a bit vague, but I could not think of a more specific word to describe what I'm thinking of. What I mean by mentality, is the view of the direction of the relationship and the view of the other person. If one person doesn't try to do anything for the relationship, how can that relationship last? If the two people have conflicting views on where the relationship is headed, can that relationship necessarily last? What about this, what if one person does not believe there is a problem when there really is one? How much must one partner endure another's ignorance/unruliness/stubbornness, before they decide it's too much?
We live in a world where people idealize their perfect partners and how they should play specific roles. Sometimes people think they can shape another person into their dream partner. Other people think that they can dominate the relationship enough that things will always work out their way. Then there are some people who don't want any business, but to be taken care of. I think our world has really messed with the image of two people coming together in a true relationship. In the US, where the divorce rate is almost 50% or something, the mentality (I'm using this word too loosely now) that you can always replace something you dont like, has really hurt aspects of our life that it shouldn't even come close to. Pleasure seekers selfishly seek their own enjoyment and satisfaction, but disregard other people. I really think it's sad how selfish people can be sometimes. But I'm on another tangent now... back to the original point.
I feel a problem our society has today, is that it does not (always) treasure good relationships. The relationships I'm talking about here, are the ones we have with good friends, our teachers, religious heads, co-workers, etc but especially FAMILY. I think that some people focus far too much on finding the right partner for a relationship that they neglect how they act with everyone else around them. Let me clarify. I feel that if a person cannot engage with various people, and especially their family on a warm and loving level, they cannot maintain a good "relationship" (the one w/ a partner). Family is an important piece, but not everything. Some people selectively pick who they want to see when they want to see them. Is the world that perfect? Course not. If that was the case, I wouldn't want to see my professors during finals week. I think a person needs to practice the capacity to interact with different people and know how to get along. This is why team work is stressed so much in every job. I feel like this is so obvious, however it also seems to me, such a significant problem when it comes to developing good relationships. (Damnit it's 130am and I'm tired but I must type) Now, to all those people who think writing/English comp/etc is such a waste of time (i'm one of those people), these classes EXIST FOR A REASON. You weren't born with the ability to eloquently speak to everyone and solve every social problem. This kind of stuff takes PRACTICE. If you are able to communicate well, I promise you will excel in life. This does not mean you can be ignorant every single time a problem or dilemma arises. Ok, I'm done with that.
To finish up the segway about a person's mentality... I hope that people can be more open and selfless when interacting with others. An open heart and mind can change how your eyes view a person dramatically. Never refuse to change unless the other person is just a complete imbecile. (I'm kidding) Case in point.... Practice those communication skills b/c they are invaluable; and also try to keep an open mind and heart when engaging different people. (I say these things with a grain of salt. The things I have talked about are idealistic, but in order to express an idea, it must be presented in the most straightforward form. Like all lessons in life, how you apply this or manipulate it to fit ur character, determines your success. So be wary.)
I grow weary of this life. Good night.
