"Lip My Stockings!"

I woke up this morning with a thought, or an idea.

Photograph linked from http://cuboidal.org/movies/scenes/lostintranslation/

Ahh... Wouldn't it be nice.

Yes, my dear readers. I think I am beginning to have thoughts of looking for a shoulder to rest on.

Wouldn't it be nice?

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Incidentally, the movie, "Lost in Translation" was on tv tonight. And prior to that, I was watching "Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind" (ESTSM) off my sister's laptop this afternoon (nieces were asleep, sister was on the desktop, father at the tv). It was my 2nd disc of the month from VideoEzy. The first one was "The Hours" :)

I've watched the former in the movie theatre, and the latter on pirated DVD. Loved the feeling I got when I walked out of the cinema in the first one, and was very disgruntled by the pirated version. It was very disruptive to have the movie broken into bits (ie. the movie data was not duplicated thoroughly) and I missed the essence of the movie. And worse thing is, everybody was raving about it after watching it :( That's why I've switched to VideoEzy. Quality assured.

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed ESTSM. It was quirky and refreshing. Was a little confused at first, but in the end, I realised what the movie was trying to say. It's true. At times, couples argued at the slightest conversation or difference in opinions, and they forgot what made them fell in love with each other in the first place. If they were to go back to that time, I believe many of them wouldn't want to quit the relationship at all.

And I like the way the producers uses memory as the theme of the story. It's such an understated function of our human body, yet, it stores the most precious and impressionable experiences we have that will never come again.

It was in LT that I first noticed Scarlett Johansson. She was so different then. A very young and very good actress. Her portrayal as the lonely wife of high-flying photographer in the bustling Tokyo city was so natural.

Then, there are the various scenes of her observing the unique Japanese culture, and watching them as a outsider. And the very memorable scene of a Japanese call girl visiting Bill Murray and asking him to "lip" her stockings (to the confused: she actually wants him to rip her stockings, but you know... the pronouciation thingy).

2 strangers in a strange land. The idea of strangeness was not limited to the screen then. I felt a part of myself agreeing with that idea as I left the cinema.

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None of my family was interested to watch CHINGAY parade live at Orchard Road. None of my friends are interested either. Or maybe I was the one to think that none of them are interested. Most gave me a feeling that it's a waste of time to be squeezing with the crowds, or that it's basically a waste of time.

I've always thought it's a nice thing to do during every Chinese New Year period. Sorta like some sort of activity one can participate as a Singaporean Chinese. Though I have to agree, opening the parade with samba dancers seemed a little... un-Singaporean.

But it seems like the Singaporean Chinese friends I have couldn't be bothered with it.

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Everywhere I go, people complained to me and say that Chinese New Year period is beginning to look so boring in Singapore that they are planning to go overseas on holidays next year.

Actually, the people who complained are the very people who are needed to keep the Chinese New Year spirit alive.

We have become diluted, and nobody is doing anything. They are expecting the government, or their relatives or friends to do something so that THEIR Chinese New Year will not be a boring one.

What can I say? Look at the decorations on commercial buildings during Christmas time, as compared to Chinese New Year. Seems like this nation celebrates Christmas as a national holiday more than the Chinese New Year.

Aren't we pathetic?