Fan yi cho

Very sweet, full of repressed longing, and nicely surreal.

Though not an action film, this film shares a couple qualities with "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." The film has a feeling of myth to it, and the film conveys a feeling of a very different culture. Not all of the world is like (or wants to be just like) America, and this film shows how despite globalization and McDonaldsization of many aspects of living, important differences remain. There are different cultures, and there are some very different ways of approaching film-making.

Beautifully shot, with moments of humor and beauty, Lavender is a film for all hopeless romantics, or those who sneer at the notion of true love. both parties get their fill, for the film deals with happiness and pain, joy and heartache, love and loss.

Nothing much happens in the film, but the narrative flows smoothly like scented oils on supple skin. There are many moments of sheer beauty, and interesting shots, punctuated by beautiful music.

All in all, the film succeeds in making you feel giddy, whether it's the corny moments, or the many close-ups of Angel. But for sure, either one will make your heart skip a beat.

Film is a health warning as noodles are not that nutritious, standing in the rain gives people colds (seriously do the directors not care?), scented oils breathed in high concentrations cause drowsiness ('therapeutic' or 'placebo' effects worthy of debate), hairdryers can burn, building sites with no harness risky and dangerous (as was encouraged).

After some initial sentiment, film becomes 'person aility assessment' when 2 persons get together in order to get some slack: but let's be honest, cooked excess can be frozen to counteract 'family size' packaging economy and one is mindful that both can learn more real science beyond common sense.

Higher rating as is acceptable to dreamers without too much headbang but the falling from the sky onto a balcony? One only understands if one has tried to fly as a child when confused by holistic 'angel' drawings that aims to stop children pretending to be birds. Advice is to teach them the meaning of 'dew wire' pronto.

Mainly, it's just a movie for Takeshi Kaneshiro fans. If there was a male beauty contest he definitely would win. Which makes you wonder, since Kelly Chen is not 10% as beautiful, what does the angel see in her, and what was his mission anyway? She's constantly mean and depressed, not making for a very lovable personality either. There are many weird unexplainable moments in the film and again, this is a movie for people to gape at Kaneshiro, which it does a fine job of doing. The gay scenes portrayed in the movie were extremely clichéd, as are all the other moments. However, again, this is every girl's romantic fantasy, isn't it, to look dour and act unhappy like Kelly Chen's character, and yet still have a gorgeous angel fall from heaven to fall in love only with her. What a fantasy. I am jealous indeed.

My eyes are still swollen from crying during the last thirty minutes of the film. The lighting was great, I enjoyed the performances and it makes you wonder about the beauty of it all. I will keep my eye on this director and I will look for his previous and future films.