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.

The movie is another cool romantic story starring the beautiful Kelly Chen. Although I enjoyed "and I hate you so" more, "lavender" is still an interesting and loveable romantic comedy that you will enjoy. If anything, the movie makes you wonder if it will be the typical angel movie that you have seen over and over again. What makes this movie so interesting is you have an angel who is trying to learn the ways of humans and the person he comes to help is Athena, an aroma therapist who lost her love one and is trying to recreate his "scent". Next door is Chow Chow, a gay man who was in love with Athena's deceased boyfriend. Now comes Angel into the lives of Athena and Chow Chow and things get very interesting because the only way he can survive in Earth is through love. Athena has no love to give because she's depressed and still missing her deceased love and Chow Chow shows Angel what love is by taking him to gay bars and telling him to become an erotic dancer and show him how women love it. It may sound a little corny but if there is one thing that I learned from most Kelly Chen and Kaneshiro Takeshi films is that they are good and I have never really left feeling dissatisfied after watching their movies.

Also important to mention is the music again from the film. Like "and i hate you so", the movie is beautiful and enhances the film. If there was one problem was one scene where the music suddenly cuts off. I blame that on post-production and editing. Otherwise, the movie can ended in somewhat of satisfying but leave you feeling with an "is that it?" but fortunately when you think the movie is over, the true ending of the film comes around and you are left feeling satisfied.

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.

Lavender is a romantic fantasy film directed by Riley Yip and starring Kelly Chen, Takeshi Kaneshiro, and Eason Chan. The movie weaves a tender and whimsical story about love, loss, and healing through magical realism.

The story centers around Athena (Kelly Chen), a perfume maker who lives alone in her cozy Hong Kong apartment. Still mourning the death of her boyfriend Andrew (Eason Chan), Athena leads a quiet and sorrowful life, struggling to move on. Her world changes dramatically when an angel (Takeshi Kaneshiro) literally falls from the sky and crashes onto her balcony. Injured and wingless, the angel needs to gather enough happiness to return to heaven.

Despite her initial shock, Athena agrees to let the angel stay with her. As they begin to live together, his innocent curiosity and childlike behavior bring warmth and laughter back into her life. The angel's mission is to collect happiness in the form of heartbeats, and in doing so, he helps Athena reconnect with her emotions and rediscover joy.

As their bond deepens, Athena starts to heal from her grief, but the presence of the angel also reminds her of her lost love. Meanwhile, her neighbor Chow Chow (Eason Chan in a dual role), who harbors feelings for her, adds emotional complexity to the story.

The film beautifully blends elements of fantasy with real human emotions, using soft visuals and a gentle tone to explore themes of loss, acceptance, and the transformative power of love. The lavender scent, symbolic of healing and memory, runs throughout the narrative, adding poetic resonance.

Lavender is a bittersweet tale that celebrates the magic of unexpected connections and the possibility of moving on, even after profound heartache. Its dreamy atmosphere and heartfelt performances make it a memorable romantic fantasy.

Review written by artist jayakumar jrain.