Matcollis
This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.
Flyerplesys
Perfectly adorable
Bergorks
If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.
Orla Zuniga
It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review
roland-104
A slow paced, often silent, web-of-life narrative drama cum documentary inspired in part by the real circumstances and autobiography of a 61 year old blind, deaf woman, Theresa Chan, who plays herself in the film. The movie begins in a simple, spare but thoroughly engaging way: as the opening credits roll, we watch the scene behind, in which an old man and woman are slowly, methodically, closing up their shop for the night, probably in the exact manner they have practiced for decades. A slow jazz piano solo accompanies the scenes.We revisit this couple in frequent brief glimpses (that is the way we view each little story in this film about communication, love and loss) and realize in time that the wife has died. The old couple's adult son, a social worker, aids Ms. Chan, translating her memoirs, bringing her hot meals that his widower father prepares. The son arranges for his father to deliver the meal to Ms. Chan himself one evening, and they seem to hit it off, as the son, no doubt, had hoped.Another story concerns a fat, lonely security guard with a boundless appetite. Treated shabbily by his family, he finds solace in downing huge meals. But he suffers from another kind of hunger, a longing for a chic young woman, Jackie, whom he idolizes from afar. Yet another story concerns a lesbian sexual adventure arranged indeed conducted in large part between Jackie and another young woman through cell phone and Internet chat room contacts. But the other girl soon falls for a young man and abruptly dumps Jackie.Ms. Chan is an exceptional person. She lost hearing in childhood, and developed blindness not long thereafter. Following a long period of despair, she studied at a prominent school for the blind in Singapore, then mastered English in order to attend the Perkins School in Boston. She lives quite independently, works as a writer and also teaches pottery classes at the same school for blind kids that she had attended years earlier. It is interesting to watch how the social worker communicates with her using a tactile signing system applied to her outstretched hand. An unusual and quite charming film. (In Cantonese, English, Hokkien & Mandarin) My grades: 7/10 (B) (Seen at the Idaho International Film Festival, 10/01/06)
jaylhm
This movie is about 3 stories put together revolving around 3 separate individuals. One of the worst movie that is available and even better if it is not available.The Good : 2 pretty lesbians actress 1 true and touching story about Theresa ChanThe Bad :The main story that revolves around the blind and dear woman Theresa Chan does not need to be told in a movie format and more appropriate in a documentary format. No linkage between the 3 story lines. Minimum DIALOGUE in the film, substituted by SMSs and CHAT programs on PC. No cultural insight by the movie and it makes you forget even before you step out of the cinema.
sangsara
A rewarding experience, albeit one that seems at least 30 minutes longer than it actually is. The slow buildup is for the most part careful foundation building for the second half of the film, a rarity in Singaporean film and a testament to Khoo's ever-growing maturity as a filmmaker and controller of pace, although when that second half comes, it feels like a jarring switch not unlike the one pulled by David Lynch in the middle of his 1997 film, Lost Highway. The signs are present that Khoo worked to bridge the discontinuity of the 3 stories and the order in which they are presented (foreshadowing and foregrounding of certain recurring visual images), but the fact that he does not perfectly succeed is of little detriment to the final product.It is a well-made movie consisting of one strong tale of strength, recovery, and the beauty of love bookended by two other stories that would have benefited from being drawn as their own entities and stood up and apart from the central story of the blind and deaf Theresa Chan (pretty much Singapore's own Helen Keller). Instead, they try to conform to the model of sparse dialogue and psychostylistic sense-deprivation that serves that story so well - the result being that they appear unevenly matched. Still, a fine film.(previously posted at 1minreview.com)
La femme Nikita
This movie is made up of 3 interwoven vignettes of people searching for love and connection. The setting is Singapore. The first is about a 61 year old woman named Theresa Chan who unexpectedly finds love when circumstances bring into her life a widower (played by Chiew Sung Ching) who struggles to let go of grief. Theresa Chan is played by herself as this story is partly based on her true life story. She lost her sight and hearing at the age of 14 from illness. She reminds me of Helen Keller. She is spunky and lives her life with more gusto than a lot of us seeing and hearing folks do. i was very moved by her segment. The 2nd tale is about a security guard ( Seet Keng Yew) who is very infatuated with a young, pretty executive (Lynn Poh) who works in the same office building. This sweet soul reminded me a little of Quasimodo, whose Esmeralda is oblivious to his existence. The last tells the tale of 2 teenage school girls who strike up a friendship while chatting on the internet. They meet and fall in love. Soon Sam (Samantha Tan) decides to callously drop Jackie (Ezann Lee), but Jackie cannot let go.This is a lovely, poignant piece. If you have loved, or loved and lost, or experienced the pain of unrequited love or been jilted, something will resonate with you, even if you can't quite follow all the dialog. Just allow your heart to feel.When the credits suddenly rolled and the film came to an unexpected end, i thought,"Wait, stop, i need a moment here. Can i please have a moment? My tears have not dried."