Cape No. 7       96540326 Ronne

“Cape No. 7” is a local movie which is combined with history, love, music, and culture. This movie has been famous since it was released in 2008. Director Wei Te-Sheng creates a Taiwanese film successfully. “Cape No. 7” reflects the struggle for the reality, memory of love, and connection with the past. It focuses on two main points, seven unsent love letters and connections with the reality.

    I think watching “Cape No. 7” is just like reading a story which happens in the reality. All elements in this film are simple but significant such as characters especially. Except the main characters, other characters are just like the normal. Those characters are closer to the figures in the reality. They don't have the beautiful appearances; they are just like the normal. In the movie, they don't have the great goals or outstanding performances. However, those characters' sincerities and simple personality attract people's attentions. Each time people expect what words or actions they will take when they show up in the movie.

Take the old postman, Old Mao, for example. When Old Mao appears, his persistence with play his four-stringed musical instrument which is a Chinese musical instrument and interesting dialogues always bring people the happiness.

   

      Besides, the seven letters connect the past with now. It reveals a touching love story between a Japanese teacher and his Taiwanese student. In the end of 1940, the teacher was dispatched to the southernmost town of Hengchun. At that time, he met a local girl with the Japanese name Kojima Tomoko. And they fell in love with each other. However, after Japan lost to Chinese, all Japanese had to return to Japan including of the teacher as the Chinese occupation of Taiwan resumed. The teacher wrote seven love letters to express his love and regret for Kojima Tomoko, who originally  planned to elope with the teacher. In “Cape No. 7”, the seven love letters were presented accompanied by the music, “The Wild Rose”. The lyrics are not only touching but also meaningful. At that time, many couples left each other because Japanese were forced to come back their country, Japan. It choked the love imperceptibly. Their love was like the rose, beautiful but stabbing. Before their lovers go back to Japan, those girls were like the roses for the boys, stabbing but ravishing.

Don't you want to see the rainbow? It’s the classic dialogue in this movie. Indeed, the director Wei Te-Sheng compares “Cape No. 7” the rainbow in the local film market. Furthermore, “Cape No.7” successfully proves that local films are interesting and make sense. It presents not only Taiwanese culture but also the struggle with the modern movies such as European movies and American movies.

However, the director, Wei Te-Sheng arises the public awareness of local films through “Cape No. 7”. He doesn't emphasize on the strong cast, the luxury scene, or the exciting plots. Instead, he focuses on the simplicity and clarity of love. Love always comes suddenly, but, it's expected. People wait for the true love. However, love is not always beautiful. Sometimes, it is accompanied by regrets. At the last scene in the movie, the connection between Kojima Tomoko and the seven love letters is regretful but yearning.

Twilight: the score

96540307 Millia

Twilight: the score

    Twilight, which directed by Catherine Hardwicke, is a romantic-fantasy film in 2008. This novel is written by Stephenie Meyer, and The Twilight Saga film series is adapted by Melissa Rosenberg.

    Twilight is the first film of the film series. It is talking a love story about human Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), who falls in love with each other after Bella moves to Forks. 

    At first, vampire Edward Cullen refuses to approach Bella, because he thinks that Bella let him break his principle － No consume human’s blood. However, he finds out that he not only wants her, but also loves her. And what makes him feel anxious is he cannot read Bella’s heart. Therefore, he contacts her in curious, and he would like to understand Bella.

    Bella is attractive with Edward, not because he is so perfect or a vampire. She is confused by Edward. Why does he not like me? This is how she feels when she first encounters him. He is powerful, high-speed, and lovely, so she wonders who he is. Then she wants to find out this mysterious man, who is full of secretes, and she would like to understand him.

    After Bella discovers that Edward is a vampire, they are falling in love with each other. 
    Edward introduces his family to Bella. His family accepts their love, but they tell Edward and Bella that it is too difficult to maintain their love; however, they give their best wish to Edward and Bella.

      Once Bella plays baseball game with Cullen Family in a stormy day, there come the nomadic vampires, who are the devilish vampires. The nomadic vampires find out that Bella is a human, and one of the nomadic vampire James (Cam Gigandet), seeing Bella as his prey. 

     Edward is afraid of it, so he brings Bella to escape from James; however, James still finds Bella. Bella suffers serious injury from James, and then Edward has to decide whether Bella should be a vampire. Bella requests him because she wants to be his forever lover. Edward does not think so, he prefer saving Bella’s life than making her as a vampire.

    This film catches a lots of women audience’s appreciation, so and I. I think some of lines like:

 “So the lion fell in love with a lamb.”

 “About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him —and I don't know how potent that part might be —that thirsted for my blood. Third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.”

“Forbidden to remember, terrified to forget; it was a hard line to work.”And “If I could dream, I would dream about you.”

     All of these indicate that their love is deep and pure, no matter how imitate they are, they believe that they love each other.

Bella: I love you.

Edward: As I love you.

      When I was watching Twilight: the score, I was in highly attention. I was eager to know what will happen. Trying to find the clues, and follow the scene. Do not want to miss any plot. When it came to the end, I expected the continuation. Actually, my friend and I borrow the novel from the library immediately. And I recommend the series of the novels, because they are more exquisite than the film. The details in the novel would more clear than the film; however, both of them are equally wonderful.

       In this film, I like Edward, because he has a considerate heart. Also, he is handsome and rich, and he is full of knowledge. He is humor, and he is the spot light of the world, especially in Forks. But he would not be my ideal mate in reality. I cannot imagine there will be a man who comes to my room watching me sleeping at night. It seems a little crazy, even though he does not have to sleep. Basically, I would dream about it, but I do not need a man who likes Edward.

twilight: the score

My eye view towards Miyazaki's Animation

Recalling my childhood, there's a cartoon impressing me a lot; the melody always circles in my mind, “totoro, totoro….” This is the theme song of “My Neighbor Totoro” which is a classic animation admired by the public. The author is a Japanese master of animation, Miyazaki, whose works taking the movie market by storm, influencing and touching people's mind.


The style of Miyazaki's animation, which is particular about the eastern thought “the quiet power”, is totally different from the western movie, which is full of bustling and noisy frames. Miyazaki stresses on the general feelings of human nature, certainly touching people with different cultures. For instance, after watching “Castle in the Sky”, people will take their steps slowly and look up the clouds enjoying the changes; on the other hand, after watching “My Neighbor Totoro”, people will pay attention to the wild flower and young shoot. In nowadays' busy life, Miyazaki's animation makes people stop to think, and find those beautiful things they have ignored or forgotten.

  The scene of sky in “Castle in the Sky”


            













The beauty of land in “My Neighbor Totoro”

Meanwhile, in this complicated society, several challenges and trials people should face. Miyazaki takes the “hope” as core to move people; moreover, he stresses on the relationship between” Human” and “Nature”; through the glorious and exquisite scene, we are attracted of those spirits “humanity, friendship, and kinship.” These animations can raise and cleanse people's spirits, make people have a whole new aspect toward this society, and bring up their utter innocence.

There are two features in Miyazaki's animation; the first is that Miyazaki takes the female as main character to structure the story, and those females are the people like us who are ordinary. Those females have their dreams; they will be serious and resolute to catch their goals, developing themselves. In the Miyazaki's animation, it includes friendship, love, kinship; however, it spreads those feelings implicitly.

The pure and simple love, shows characters presents their feeling implicitly.

Although those characters look ordinary, definitely have an unusual life. For example, in the “Spirited Away”, the main character, Chiliro, is an ordinary one, a typical case of ten years old Japanese girl; she faces the difficulties, and overcomes them. Moreover, in “Howl's Moving Castle”, Miyazaki molds the character into a non-beauty, Sophia, becomes a ninety years old woman because of curse. Although Sophia gets an old and shaky body, she still represents the brave and courage like eighteen-year-old girl. The unconstrained and marvelous style makes Miyazaki’s animation popular.

Chiliro should face a different life independently. 

              

 Sophia never loses her kindness to take care of Howl.

Over viewing the female characters in Miyazaki's animation, the following shows their unique and obvious characteristics.


(1) Kindness

In “Nausica of The Valley of The Wind”, Nausica loves and cares for animals, who are well-disposed; in “Kiki's Delivery Service”, Kiki uses her flying skill to provide delivery service; she is a person with a kind heart, and loves to help people.

Kiki's delivery service

(2) Definite view


Not only in the thoughts but also in the performance, the female characters can surrender, and solve problems independently. In “Princess Mononoke”, the female subordinate role, Eboshi, she has the excellent leadership, handling problems definitely.

(3) Ordinary appearance

The main characters get the ordinary appearance, figure, and have drawbacks; however, they will have the opportunity to take a non ordinary experience. Take the main character of “Spirited Away”, Chiliro, as illustrated. She is an ordinary ten-year-old Japanese girl, without any attraction; however, involving in an unusual path, she develop a totally different personality.

(4) Vigorous and curious

In “My Neighbor Totoro”, Because of May’s curious and vigorous, she can find the existence of Totoro.

The second feature in Miyazaki's animation is promoting the “Nature” and “Against Wars.”

(1) The forests are deforested; the creatures are forced to moved, because of human’s desire; people destroy the nature without restraint. Miyazaki is worry about the continuing of deforestation; he tries hard to remind people of the coexistence of human and nature. In “My Neighbor Totoro”, he depicts “Xanadu”; the beautiful landscape contains tress, flowers, small stream, and fish, which is hard to see nowadays. In the story, people appreciate and admire the nature; children play outside and enjoy the nature; in the contrast, today’s people just stay home, and lose the passions for the nature.

The beautiful scene, children's dreams, and the kinship, which are pure and simple; however, it's fading away nowadays.

 (2) War is a way that authorities surrender others, and the tool of scrambling for power and profit; however it involves the public in the fear and family ruins. Miyazaki depicts the cruel wars in the animation in order to convey his thirst for peace. In “Howl's Moving Castle”, he presents how horrible the war is; it destroys the construction, turns the country into the ruins, and results in lots of people's death, family ruined. Miyazaki annotates this war as a foolish one; the leaders advocate the wars in order to satisfy their desires, but hurt their people.

 The horrible war makes home ruined, people hurt.

Miyazaki puts his core ideas, “Promote the nature, and against the wars,” into his animation; we can totally understand his concern and persistence for a better life. Although it is just animations, which can not defeat people’s ambition and the artillery fire, it roots the main ideas into people’s heart. Miyazaki is thirst for a peace; he puts his hope in the next generation, and makes the “peace” not just a slogan, but an action.

96540327

Daisy Chung

The Apprentice

The Apprentice

96540325 陳安琪 Angela

                                                             The Apprentice is one of the successful American reality television shows hosted by Donald Trump. There are totally eight seasons from 2004 to 2009, and the seventh and eighth season were competition between celebrities for charity. Except seventh and eighth season, the winner of every season can get the chance to run one of the Donald Trump’s companies. After the pre-selection, all of the constants from different background are about 16-20 people. The contestants were separated into two groups to accomplish the mission every week, and the losing team should gather into a boardroom to face Donald Trump’s decision. After Donald examines the contestants’ performance and their potential, he will choose a person and say the most famous catchphrase in the series of show: “You’re fired.”

      During the competition, Donald Trump expressed his opinion to audiences about what are the key points to be a successful manager: leadership, communication, creativity, position, and social skills, etc. The most important point is whether you will fight back for yourself if the contestants meet the attack. What’s more, the most interesting and attractive point is no matter the team members are good friends or not; after the losing team goes into the boardroom, every team member will become your enemy. The series of reality show can reveals the existence rules in the business world.

      It is no doubt that Donald John Trump successfully promoted his image through the series of show. Donald Trump is the founder and the CEO of the Trump organization, a real-estate developer. Donald Trump also focuses on the casino business. During the 1990’s, he bankrupt under the financial depression; however, until the 2000, he became one of the richest people in the world again. What’s more, Donald Trump has married for three times. His wife Melanija Knavs who showed up in The Apprentice frequently gave birth to a Donald Trump’s fifth children in 2005. Not only his extravagant lifestyle and outspoken manner have made him a celebrity for years, but also he has made appearances as a caricatured version of himself in television series and films. In the apprentice, Donald Trump gave the winning team some great reward and told the contestants consistently that they can own all of the luxury and what they want one day. Indeed, in the series of The Apprentice, the contestants and the audience can see all the luxury which was provided by money, and the contestants tried their best to pursue the dreams. After a period of time of observation, audiences can found out that the winners of every season are always those people who showed themselves at the right time and the right place.

     On a long list of people who were fired by Donald Trump, the most famous one must be the Carolyn Kepcher, who was his good assistant in the competition before. After The Apprentice broadcasted, Carolyn became famous, and she started to have a speech all over the country and wrote the books of how to make money. Because of Carolyn’s fame, Donald Trump thought she couldn’t focus on the business and fired her. To audiences, Carolyn is a woman with calm and competent. Everything seems under her control. As a key player of a boardroom judge, Carolyn always can criticize the contestants directly. After Carolyn’s leaving, Donald Trump began to use his children Don Jr and Ivanka as boardroom judges and he also generously wish Carolyn can get what she want and have a better life.

      The producer of The Apprentice Mark Burnett said the television reality show refers to a group of reality characters to perform in the reality. Not all of the dialogues condition and emotions are true, but it will let the audience integrate the show with their reality lives. The cost of the reality show is much lower that the fiction because the characters and the position are not fictitious because it happens in the reality, and the producer just need to ass some interesting plot to make it more vivid. No matter it is true or not, the things the audiences care about are who the winner of the season is and whether it is true that the winner will get the position of one of the Donald Trump’s companies.

Howl's Moving Castle

Howl’s Moving Castle

Howl’s Moving Castle is directed by Miyazaki. Miyazaki adapts the novel of Diana Wynne Jones’ for this animated film in 2004. This story combines magic with traditional world, seeming only to describe a fancy world; however, there are actually hidden modern thoughts in the plots.

In this wizardly world, it is said there is an evil wizard who named Howl will steal young girls’ hearts. Howl lives in his moving castle, and his moving castle is around Sophie’s city. Sophie manages her late father’s hat shop and lacks confidence in herself, living an immutable and boring life, following the social conventions. Because of these reasons, letting this 18-year-old young girl looks like an aged lady. Although Sophie’s younger sister encourages her to chase after her own dreams, Sophie is still unwilling and afraid to face her heart’s desires.

Her dull life doesn’t change until she is turned into a 90-year-old lady by the Witch of the Waste. She has no choice but has to leave her home. This complicated curse not only turns Sophie’s appearance into an old lady but also changes Sophie’s appearance with her attitude. When Sophie has positive attitude to face the difficulties or is brave to show her love towards Howl, her appearance will return to her original looks. Instead, when she feels sad or depressed, she becomes an old lady again.

Another main character is Howl. Howl is a gentle and soft man; no matter what kind of situations he meets, he always keeps his cultured manner. For example, when Calcifer is going to die out, he is calm to light Calcifer again. But do you know that Calcifer is actually Howl’s hearts, if Calcifer dies out, it also means that Howl will die. How incredible! Nevertheless, Howl cares about his appearance very much. He can’t accept old fashion or ugly appearance. When Sophie cleans his house and disturbs his magic things, his hair becomes black. He is so depressed and unacceptable, and Sophie spends a lot of efforts to let Howl perk up again.

Howl is powerful and strong, refusing to receive the summons from the king to fight for the country. In fact, Howl hates wars and he admits that he is timid. He is afraid of the Witch of the Waste, and I think the Witch of the Waste represents age and time. Both of age and time are the main elements that Howl fears to lose. In another aspect, Howl also loves freedom, doesn’t like to be restricted to the traditions. That’s the reason why his castle keeps moving around the countryside. What’s more, Howl has different names in different countries. I think it also reflects that he yearns for freedom.

Actually, Howl’s Moving Castle represents Howl’s heart. Therefore, when Sophie enters this moving castle, it also means that Sophie gets into Howl’s heart. Howl’s castle is in a terrible mess, it stands that Howl’s heart is complicated and immature. Just as Vinia said, Howl’s bedroom is full of all kinds of toys, and those toys means that Howl is a retrospective person.

I love the scene when Howl takes Sophie to his log cabin. The garden is very beautiful and pure. At that time, Howl shows his true feelings and love towards Sophie. However, Sophie doesn’t have the confidence to believe that Howl also loves her. Therefore, the negative attitude lets Sophie become an old lady again. We all know that Sophie loves Howl pretty much, even pretending to be Howl’s mother to help Howl decline the summons in front of king, but she still can’t accept Howl’s love at that time. In short, she lacks confidence in herself.

When people are in a predicament, people always hope that men can maintain their noble bearing and women still has young and good looks. However, Sophie becomes an old lady; Howl abandons himself to despair, and those are the situations people unwilling to accept. After Sophie throws away the conventions and dares to chase after her truly desires and feelings, she helps not only Howl regain his hearts but also herself to break the curse on her.

Through Sophie’s adventure, I think this story encourages that everyone should chase after their true love and dreams. No matter how old you are, you still have the chance to achieve your goals; no matter how difficult of the problems, you can solve all of them absolutely if you have the confidence and courage.

96540315 Betty

Popular Culture Final Paper

Joy Chuang (96540313)
Vinia Huang
Popular Culture
4 January 2010

《High School Musical》

          The most famous and popular series of High School Musicals have taken both America and Taiwan by storm. The musicals described the puberty growing process of a group of high school students; in the way of dancing and singing, the young conveyed both their thoughts and dreams. This series of musicals represented some topics which were related to youth culture containing－future choice, friendship, relationship, studies, family, etc. In this musical, the stories of some characters apparently indicated a main issue of the youth－identity. The route to indentify "who I am" and to be an independent successful "I" might be very different. Some can show their self-identity by exploring themselves while the others can be misled to the wrong track. Basically, the main characters in this musical are Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, and Ryan who represented different aspects of the period of puberty.

      

   First is friendship. Accounting for similar value, interest, and age, it’s easier for the youth to communicate with each other, to express thoughts and to reveal their mood. In this musical, Troy, Gabriella, and other friends could dance, sing, and get along with each other very well. They not only encouraged each other but also helped each other when encountering difficulties; what’s more, they could actively make friends, develop themselves in interacting others, and have fun with everyone. Relatively, they represented the positive side. However, Sharpay, who was born with silver spoon, was very different with others. Having the rich parents and being spoiled, she was arrogant and self-centered. She didn’t even have the tolerance of others; therefore, she couldn’t have close friends and gain respect from her peers. Only thing could she did was to use money and beautiful appearance to identify herself as a special individual. What’s more, because of the temptation of benefits, Troy was once getting away from his friends. By the time, he might think about “Should I do this?” or “What my family will think if I do this?” These questions could be aroused over and over again in the youth’s minds. In this stage, the youth will get into a condition called “role confusion”. They often care about others’ opinions towards themselves, but they aren’t quite sure about their own identification. Therefore, the youth are easily desire to get the identification from others in order to have self-concept.

          Secondly, studies which is also a very important process of the youth. Having good performance on studies can greatly help the youth to gain confidence in themselves while if not, it may make the youth have frustration. In High School Musical 3, Troy, at the stage of third grade, was worried about his future whether to go the famous college which was expected by his father and had a good basketball team or the one he wanted to go. In this stage, it is really tough for the youth to find out the answer to the question “What should I do?” Studies might not be only one key which contributes the youth become a successful individual; various learning is another element which helps the youth cultivate their minds. In the film, Troy performed well on both studies and sports; through this way, he could know clearly about “What he exactly wanted and to be self-affirmed. Various learning creates more choice for the youth to exhibit their confidence in themselves.

         Third, it’s the interaction with family. Family plays an important role to lead the youth. In the route to have self-identity, challenging parents’ view might often occur in the period of the youth; what’s more, establishing intimate interaction with parents is also important. The relationship between Troy and his father was like good friends; they shared their moods, had the same interest, supported the same basketball team, and even learned basketball skills from playing with each other. These things provided a lot of opportunities for both the youth and parents to talk with each other. Troy was once confused about the decision he made; at this moment, his father guided him to wake up from the enticement─fame and gain. Parents are just like lighthouse to guide the lost ships into the right track and destination.

          Finally, bisexual relationship is also a lesson for the youth to learn. In this stage, the youth will raise curiosity about the opposite and have the intention to know. Through love in two persons’ world, the youth can reach another identify. In the film, Troy and Gabriella felt in love with each other. They expressed their love bravely to each other, finding their own importance in another person. However, this couple encountered some challenges－the third person, Sharpay. Because of Sharpay’s jealousness, Troy and Gabriella had misunderstandings which did test their love. Challenges also provided them chance to think about the problems and have the encouragement to face the problems. From love, the youth can learn how to communicate with people and deal with things.

       High School Musical is a very good portrayal of the growing process of the youth. It not only exhibits the way of the youth to find the answer to who I am through different aspects of issues－friendship, family, studies, and relationship, but also how the youth explore and identify themselves. After watching this series of films, I think most youth might have consensus and the same feeling. This film gave both present parents and children food for thought. Parents can learn how to interact and deal with the youth who have very different view with others while the youth can know how to identify and have the self-concept through proper and appropriate ways.

《The End》

WIld Cats cannot be used as a blog address

by Vinia Huang