Movie Review: The Fox Lover (White Fox 白狐)

  I had the chance to watch some good Chinese 'wuxia' or martial arts, fantasy, romance and suspense movies. The first movie that I have seen was Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame. I was reminded of the 'Guan Yin', statue near the South Sea of China, when I saw the 'Buddha' statue that the first Empress of China Wu Zeitian,  commissioned her workers to finish it just in time for her coronation. Anyway, I won't talk about that movie anymore since, my movie review is about 'Bai Hu' 白狐 (white fox), the English promotional title of the movie was called, 'The Fox Lover'. For a person like me who's a sucker for love stories, I was really interested to watch this film, and it has been a long time since I have watched a Chinese fantasy movie.

According to a review in IMDB (movie database) this film is about: 

Pu Songling's 蒲松齡, "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio." It is a collection of nearly 500 mostly supernatural tales. The Fox Lover is about white fox spirit Xiaochui (Gillian Chung), who is irrevocably in love with a mortal fool Wang Yuanfeng (Chilam Cheung). In the universe resides the largest bat demon that strikes terror amongst the people. Inside Wang’s soul, there is a hidden power able to destroy the fiercest demons. When Xiaochui’s loyalties are tested in the clash between humans and demons, she is willing to sacrifice her life for love. 

  It was a very good movie. I also liked the costumes that was used in the movie. Very colorful costumes, for the 'fox sisters'. My favorite costume was the one worn by the lead character, named Willow, because I really like the color blue. Nice combination of blue and white. I've included a photo of all the 'fox sisters'. Here are their names.

Gold is the one holding a rabbit, and of course the color of her clothes is gold.

Dream is the one in an orange colored clothes.

Plum is the girl with a brown or earth color clothes.

Ling is the earthly daughter of Madame Fox, she was adopted, she's wearing a colored tan with a dark green inner clothing.

Lotus is the one with scarlet colored clothes.

Bamboo is the one wearing green.

Peach is the one wearing pink.

Jade and Flower have the same color of light purple clothes.

Willow is the one wearing a sky blue and white clothes. 

I haven't watched the other movie version of the 'White Fox', so I can't really say if this movie was worst compared with the other movies. For example, I have seen a tv special of 'The Monkey King' movie remake, and for me, Jet Li and Jackie Chan's version still remains the best. I have yet to see Donnie Yen and Chow Yun Fat's version.

 The movie was a tear-jerker! I cried in some of the movie scenes! Best of all I also like the soundrack. I will include the music video here for everyone to see. I also typed the English translation taken from the movie. If you haven't seen this film I suggest you check it out. 

Some memorable quotes from the movie:

Willow: Yuanfeng, do you love me?

Yuanfeng: What does love mean?

Willow: It means embracing with you forever, or if you love one girl. You want to stay with her, and take her in your arms and never leave her.

Willow: Don't leave me.

Yuanfeng: No.

Willow: Even a knife in your back?

Yuanfeng: No. I won't leave you.

Willow: Even if you are hit by an arrow?

Yuanfeng: No.

Willow: Even with fire to burn you?

Yuanfeng: No. I won't leave you! 

Yuanfeng: The thing of love is interesting.

Yuanfeng: Willow!
Willow: Do you know me? Who are you? It seems I have met you before.

Yuanfeng: I was the fool named Wang Yuanfeng.

Willow: Wang Yuanfeng. Why are you crying? Oink! Oink! A piglet will never cry. Who are you?

Yuanfeng: I am Yuangfeng, who loves you the most. 

Willow: Love... What is love?

Yuanfeng:  It means embracing you forever. It means if you like her, you'll want to stay with her and embrace her no matter what happens. Never let go. Even a knife on the back, or hit by an arrow, burnt by the flame. Never let her go. Never...

 

The Fox Lover OST
(sung by: Lin Bi Zhen)

 

I’m lonely a fox

Keep cultivating for a thousand years

Does anyone hear my weeping?

While I'm dancing in the dim light…

I’m a fox waiting for a thousand years

Keep waiting and being lonely

In the human society who’s bewitched

And poisoned by love

I fall in love when you were a poor scholar

I left you when your career was in boom

Can I dance again for you?

The white fox you set free thousand years ago

Look at the dress floating in air

The solemn vows are gone forever

Can I dance for you again?

Just want to hold your last glimpse

Look at the dress floating in air

The solemn vows are gone forever

Movie Review: 向左走·向右走 Turn Left, Turn Right

   I was not planning to write another movie review, since my last entry was about the latest film that I have seen. I just felt I need to write a post about this film now, lest I forget about it. I will be busy this coming months, aside from my regular work, I've decided to study Chinese again at Confucius Institute, based inside the campus of Ateneo de Manila University.

   This film was recommended to me by a friend. I wasted no time, and I immediately took the chance to watch this movie. Warning: A bit of spoiler. The scene at the beginning of the movie is a rainy one, and a girl reciting a poem. I'm the type of person who types the characters dialogue if that line is really meaningful. So I searched for the poem and I found out that the title is, "Love at First Sight" written by Wislawa Szymborska. Here is a the first stanza of the poem, 

Both are convinced

that a sudden surge of emotion bound them together.

Beautiful is such a certainty,

but uncertainty is more beautiful still.

   I was hooked immediately for I also like poetry. Ok! I confess, I'm really a mushy, hopeless romantic person. Early this year, I just bought a book of poetry by a famous contemporary writer Lang Leav. 

The movie was based on the story book of Jimmy Liao. The original title was, "A Chance of Sunshine." The movie was a collaboration of Hong-Kong and Singaporean movie makers. It stars, Takeshi Kaneshiro, and Gigi Leung.

    This film will really will get you hooked. They also added 'villainy' characters in the story. Such additions, has made the story even more exciting to watch. There are scenes that really made me cry. I also like the soundtrack of the movie. I also came to know that there's also a tv series, the popular 'Tong Hua' singer, Guang Liang was the one who sang the series' OST. There are also unforgettable quotes from the movie. Here's a translated quote from the movie.

"If two people meet and they both fall in love, that's destiny for sure. If neither loves the other, even if they meet millions of times, it's still not destiny. If one's in love and the other isn't, and the one who's in love grabs on and won't let go while the other just wants to run away, not only is it not destiny... It's pain." - John Liu

    It's obvious that I really like the movie. I also got an idea, to draw the lead characters, and I made it into my social network's cover page. After watching the movie, a question just popped up my head, like what if, 'the one's' just around the corner and you really have no idea. My thinking's somewhat changed now, if we think that each of us has a person that's meant for us, then what about those who are still unattached, those who are still single until now, and those who chose to remain single. I think its unfair to think that way. What I know is certainly, there's a time for everything.

   Below is the OST of the movie, sung by Stephanie Sun. 'Yu Jian' (Encounter).

Movie Review: "You Are My Lucky Star"

   I just finished watching. "You Are My Lucky Star" movie. The film is about a comics artist or cartoonist Sophie, and about a secret agent named David/William. It stars, Chinese superstar Zhang Ziyi and Mr. Musicman, Wang Lee Hom. I watched the Chinese version since I can't find an English subbed, anyway the movie is funny so I enjoyed watching it while I'm on a 'sick leave' from work.

     
   This movie is a prequel to "Sophie's Revenge", starring Zhang Ziyi again. I recommend this film also. I think I both like the film, and each is a favorite of mine, in the same level.

    
   I like the OST of the movie which is sung by the lead actor and actress. The meaning and melody is also good so it's a thumbs up for me.

    
  I really don't encourage you people to love a little, because when you love you should not be selfish. Just love away! I included the English translation of the song. Enjoy!

(repost from my personal blog dated: January 23, 2014)

 Love A Little

 The wind blew and moved the windows, as well as the leaves sounding the surrounding,
As people’s dreams are loitering, into a farther and farther place.
The moon in the sky exposed half of its legs,
Looking to the ground and seeing that there are those who aren’t able to sleep,

 The clouds cover the light, extending the night,
as the winds gently blew pass your hair.
The night shut both of its eyes to be silent without a word,
And I know that you are listening to my thoughts,

 I wanted to say that I will love you, a little bit more,
Always right next to your ear,
trusting that you love me too, though it may be little.
Yet, it is only you who never realized this.

 I wanted to say that I will love you, a little bit more,
always right next to your ear.
In this I also trust that I will love you forever without change,
and I know that you surely will end up realizing it.

 The wind blew and moved the windows, as well as the leaves sounding the surrounding,
As people’s dreams are loitering, into a farther and farther place.
The moon in the sky exposed half of its legs,
Looking to the ground and seeing that there are those who aren’t able to sleep,

The clouds covered the light extending the night (the night becomes extended)
The wind gently passes through your hair (your hair)
The night shut both its eyes and remained silent.

You know that I am listening to what you’re saying,
I want to say that I will love you, a little bit more,
Always right next to your ear,
While believing that you love me too, even if it is little;
It is probably because you never detected this. discovered/found/realized/detected.

 I wanted to say that I will love you, a little bit more,
always right next to your ear.
In this I also trust that I will love you forever without change,
and I know that you surely will end up realizing it.

Dolphin Legend

A long, long time ago, the son of a God in the Heavens violated a spiritual law within the Heavenly World by falling in love with a maiden in the Human World. Not being able to stay in the Spiritual World or the Human World, the two of them traveled all around, but still couldn't find a place where they could stay. There was only the fairy queen that lived within the deepest part of the forest that sympathizes with their plight and gave this pair of lovers a spiritual copper charm. This spiritual copper charm protected them when they traveled across the ocean. However, the God of Envy discovered the secret behind the copper charm, took it away and threw it into the ocean. For this reason, the pair of lovers that lost the protection of the copper charm was dashed loose by the big waves. Even if that was the case, they both still continued searching for one another until the last minute. 

When dawn arrives, seeing that the two of them will soon be changed into foam, this love was very touching to the kind-hearted dolphin, and at the moment of daybreak, the dolphin jumped out of the ocean carrying the copper charm in its mouth, allowing this pair of lovers to once again possess the blessing from the fairy queen so that they can be together again. At the moment when the first ray of sunlight shines on the white sandy beach, the whole beach was washed with a happy pinkish color and the dolphin also jumped high up to the sky, becoming the symbol for protecting love. From then on, in the beginning of every autumn, at the place where the dolphin showed itself in daybreak, this beach would be glowing in a pinkish light. So long as you are quiet and listen carefully, you may even hear the dolphin singing. If only you look out to the far distant, you may also see the dolphin coming, carrying the copper charm in its mouth…

(from: Love at the Dolphin Bay taiwanese drama) - repost from my personal blog dated: Sept. 28, 2006)

遺失的美好 (Lost Beauty)

~Lost Beauty~
The feeling of missing someone of the ocean never ends
It finally meets up with the sky at the horizon
If our love has been continuing long enough,
we shall see happiness too

＊ The promises often seem like butterflies
It is flying beautifully, and then vanished after circling
But I believe the promises you gave me, will like spring that always comes
I’m always bringing the smile of your love with me
I’ve searching for the beauty that I’ve lost along the way 
When tears have accidentally fallen down the corner of the mouth
I’ll wipe it off using my hand which you’ve held before
I never stop my journey even if there are more sceneries
I look only for the beauty that I’ve lost
Some people can’t tell how good it is
But no one can substitute it

In beginning, the very first second
Some things are meant to go on forever
Although fate loves play jokes on us
The true heart will meet up with true heart

(English translation: OST of the Taiwanese drama A Promise of Love at the Dolphin Bay)