True Detectives

Burning through one season of a series is something I rarely do lately but I fell back into this old, bad habit I guess. It is regrettable. 

During the intake of my old drug of choice, I found a really awesome, dark, and disturbing crime series, called True Detective. It has been recommended by some clamouring fans, but the decision to watch it just came recently. And how I do not regret it!

It opens with a very striking image of a very pagan corpse. Red hair, pale skin, and antlers. It gave me shivers and creeps and I felt a mixture of awe and fear every time my mind conjured that image. She felt so ancient, powerful, earthy - yet vulnerable and impotent in her immobility and death.

You should not watch this before any interview or social event. It makes you... gloomy. Dizzy. Feverish. Well, lesson learned for me at least.

Yea

It tells us about a seemingly occult case in Louisiana. A pair of detectives, Marty Hart and Rustin Cohle were tasked to solve it. They stumbled onto many obstacles during and after the solving of the case. And it does not help that both of those men apparently did not show any interest to learn about each other. They finally did, as time went by, but it is more like the details revealed themselves because situation called, not because each actively tried to learn about each other.

Rustin clicked more with Maggie, Marty's wife, than Marty did with him. Marty's jealousy further made the situation uncomfortable. Rustin held himself aloof - because he's an unhappy man. It is understandable. Matthew McConaughey gives a very admirable performance as Rustin Cohle. He successfully portrays him as an unhappy man who has conscience, deeply philosophic, self-check every time, and seeks redemption. His life is a long balancing act. He struggles, always, always. I find that I sympathise strongly with him - heck, I might even have fallen in love a bit with him. Were I to meet him I will give him my bear hug - all the strength and warmth I can give, I will give to him, for he has a very heavy cross to bear.

I find I dislike Marty Hart so much. He is a damned hypocrite, misogynist, and chronic adulterer. He had committed awful deeds - one of them won the prize - yet he can still sleep like a baby at nights. I am not too surprised at the direction the story went after the occult-murder case of Dora Lange was solved.

The thing is, to tell you the truth, I am pissed. It is a sin committed by two - why should only one of them bear the cross? Only one of them felt really guilty. The other seemed to have no conscience at all. It embittered me so much. And when Rustin committed a mistake - a mistake which was a result from domino effect from Marty's own fault - it was Marty who hit him not the other way around! 

What an egoistic prick!

True Detective is highly recommended for you who enjoy weird cases, heavy, dark psychological crime drama. I used to think it is impossible to build an entertaining full season based just one unsolved case - but turns out it is possible. ナイス。
The ending showed a disturbing and nauseous sex scene. Okay. Now I remember it again. I need to bleach my eyes. Eurrrghhhh. 
I am looking forward to season two. Because this is an anthology-style series, we will meet a different detective duo.They say it'll have Rachel McAdams in it and I CANNOT SIMPLY WAIT IN SILENCE. 

このTV series はとても凄い。ちょっと暗くって、みんなさん見て下さい！

じゃ、次の書き込みであう！ 

Sources:
http://media.giphy.com/media/lsQimiMkjsIPC/giphy.gif
http://cdn1.relevantmediagroup.com/sites/default/files/field/thumbnail/True-Detective-103.jpg
http://i.lv3.hbo.com/assets/images/series/true-detective/character/1/martin-hart-1024.jpg 

Sympathy for Lady Vengeance

Happy Easter, everybody! Or if you are not celebrating Easter and happen to be in Kawasaki area, Happy Dick Day (or so my friend told me).

Proof. She said it is her fav pic.

Anyway. I had time and was in the appropriate mood for watching Park Chan Wook's movie. I've been meaning to watch either Oldboy or Sympathy for Lady Vengeance. I am more interested to watch the latter, though, because I had watched some part of Oldboy in Metro TV about 4 years ago and searched the synopsis afterwards and IT GROSSED ME OUT.

Meanwhile, Lady Vengeance's storyline certainly holds far more appeal for me. It tells us a story about Geum Ja, a lady hell-bent on avenging the unfair sentence she received. I just realized how beautiful Lee Young Ae actually is here XD. She transformed so much from the role that brought her worldwide fame as Dae Jang Geum, the healer...

to...

Oh my goodness.

So awesomely kicking-ass!

Watching Lady Vengeance makes me admiring the cinematography style of Chan Wook. The fade to black-and-white really works well. He successfully makes the atmosphere beautifully dark and masterfully utilizes the combination between bright and dark. I love the way he told the story about Geum Ja's involvement with other inmates. And his pacing is exceedingly good.
So many gems in this movie. The opening, for example.

Hehe. I fully realize that I might be nasty.

Sorry sorry sorry but I JUST CANNOT STAND HIS HAIRCUT. And this expression doesn't help, either. 

The only thing I feel is EXACTLY the opposite of sympathy.

The part where Geum Ja nonchalantly, angelically, immorally squirted bleach into a prison bully's food, is delicious to watch.  

Pure gold!

And it helps that the movie has a boy toy that is very easy on the eyes...

YUMMY BOY TOY YUMMY BOY TOY YUMMY BOY TOY (slaps self hard to stop)

I've only watched another one of his movie, Stoker. It has Nicole Kidman and Mia Wasikowska, among others.

I think Chan Wook has some interest and fascination with Australia, because the couple who adopted Geum Ja's daughter (Jenny) are from Australia and Stoker is set in Australia. It has the same style as Lady Vengeance, for my amateur eyes, but somehow... it... does... not... work. I don't know what to blame. Perhaps, a storyline that works for Korean (or Asian) characters doesn't work for Australians (Caucasians). I am pretty sure that's the cause.
For example, the part where Jenny's adoptive parents and Geum Ja got insanely drunk in the daylight... just feels plain impossible...

Lady Vengeance earns 10 stars because it kicks ass, is not too far-fetched, and does not gross me out.

Sources:
Personal documentation of Ruth F.
Various internet links 
Personal captures from the movie, but I hereby that I have exactly zero rights to them 

Here Is a Letter

Here is a letter I dare not send, nor show to the intended recipient.

How has life treated you, so far? It must have been kind to you. I hope so. You are a very spirited guy - I wish there would be nothing happen that can break that spirit.

I shall write the trivials that had happened, happened, is happening, is going to happen in mine. I feel that you are not interested in discussing serious stuff, but. I. Cannot. Think. Of. Anything. Else. 

I was sad, and am still. Once you are changed, it is often irrevocable and irreversible. Things that could make you happy in the past are no longer effective for they have been trumped by other things. The change of situation had been too rapid and things had been complicated, difficult, and spirit-breaking since. I lost income and freedom and comfort - the reduction in situation had been too sudden. 

I am lucky to have friends that are supportive and willing to comfort me. I owe them a lot. And I am forever thankful that I learned to swim. It has been exhilarating when I discover that I was still able to float and move in the water. I did not sink, even once. I did not choke. Truly, it is a comfort knowing that I am still skilled in that thing.

I will try to further my education abroad. Once you tasted freedom and comfort, you will yearn more for it. I do, at least. 

The scariest thing is how different the me here and the me there. I hate the me here. I love the me there. And it makes me extremely exasperated and afraid - how if I am stuck as the me here? God, I do need the chance. Please give me.

And last thing last...

I had missed, am missing, miss you terribly. I am still reeling from it. Is it a stupid thing to never let go and always remember? But I think I do not care if people say it is stupid, because it is my call, and I am the one who is responsible for it. It affects my daily life, true, but not that severe. I am the functional cripple.

I hold you dear, in my heart. I feel very affectionate towards you. I cherish you, treasure you as something precious. That's what I always feel when I see you - a very precious bronze-haired boy. 

But do not be afraid that I will chase you shamelessly and senselessly. I shall not cling like kudzu, I swear. I wouldn't be a suffocating presence. I will hate myself should I ever transform to be someone like that! 

But I will not let go, because I am unable and unwilling to.

On the other hand, if space and distance are the things you want, so be it. Although it is difficult. But I reflect, and I realize that it must be uncomfortable and awkward to you, sometimes.

I am looking forward to meeting you again in person.

Happy Easter.

Faithfully yours,

D.S.