101 in 1001: 039. Complete the Exploring Japanese Avant-garde Art Through Butoh Dance free course.

This was a free online course through Future Learn (via Keio University) that explored the history of the avant-garde form of dance, Butoh, and it's place within the Japanese art scene in the 60's, 70's, 80's and beyond. The main focus of the course was Tatsumi Hijikata - considered to be the founder of Butoh - his life, inspirations and works. 

Sadly, Hijikata died in 1986, but the course featured interviews with his students/collaborators, historians and modern Budoh practitioners. It was a fascinating topic and had a good mix of texts, audio visual elements and quizzes to keep learners engaged.

009:Draw 20 fanarts. Part 2

 

This is the second fanart I've done (I finished it a few days the Manner of Death series ended). It's the actors Tul Pakorn & Max Nattapol as the characters Tan & Bunn. The lily, chili and cactus are all things from the show and the Thai text it a line from the Manner of Death end theme (it means "I love you"). There's so much I'm not happy with in it, but I think it at least vaguely looks like them. Unsurprisingly, next fanart I do will probably be from The Untamed.

101 in 1001: 003. Watch/finish 20 foreign language films/shows. The Untamed

 7. The Untamed

Title: The Untamed (陈情令)
Year: 2019
No. of Seasons: 1
No. of Episodes: 50
Cert: 12
Genre: Xianxia, Fantasy, Period, Action Adventure
Language: Chinese (Mandarin)
Director: Zheng Weiwen & Chen Jialin
Starring: Xiao Zhan, Wang Yibo, Wang Zhuocheng

Plot: "In a magical world of inter-clan rivalry, two soulmates face treacherous schemes and uncover a dark mystery linked to a tragic event in the past." - Netflix

Overall: 'The Untamed' (陈情令 Chen Qíng Ling) is based on a novel by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu & a donghua, both called (魔道祖师 Mo Dao Zu Shi). It follows the donghua adaption's story fairly closely, but differs somewhat from the novel. This series was released through WeTV/Tencent (same company that released Manner of Death last/this year) in 2019, but then was also released on Netflix. Unfortunately, I only got around to watching it this year, since I'd usually feel bad for watching a 50 episode series instead of doing something more "productive", but I've had a lot more free time lately so I finally sat down and watched. 

Honestly I regret not watching it sooner, as it is now one of my favourite series! The acting was great (mostly), the plot was compelling and the cinematography, costuming & settings were absolutely stunning. The method of storytelling - going back and forward in time to uncover more layers of the plot - is very effective, and the mystery of who is behind everything continues right up until the last few episodes.

The main difference from the book was the missing eventual overtly romantic relationship between Wei Wuxian and Lang Wangji, which was instead replaced with healthy doses of subtext and symbolism and a very close friendship. This was due to Chinese censorship laws that have banned openly LGBTQ+ relationships from being shown onscreen. 

While this disappointed some fans of the book (I can understand why), the series is fairly faithful to the novel and there is still a deep, soulmate friendship and implied romantic relationship throughout the show.  Also, the main storyline is about so much more than romantic love and it would be ridiculous to not enjoy the series only because it doesn't state that Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are a couple.  

Both  young men stand up for what they believe in and their bonds and ideals are sronger than anything - family, rules, public opinion, right and wrong, even life and death. Lan Wangji especially, who is from a prestigious, strict clan and also extremely emotionally repressed, has to re-evaluate and change his whole life/code of conduct in order to 'do the right thing' and to help and support Wei Wuxian, who he cares for deeply and he believes is a truly good person.

Best Bits:

The development of the main characters and their relationship is one of the best parts of the show. They both grow up - Wei Wuxian becomes more responsible, mature and selfless, while Lan Wangji realises that rules can be broken sometimes, especially if it's to protect something/someone important to you - and make each other better people.

The underlying critique of abuses of power and mob mentality is very well done. Sometimes themes like this can feel preachy or are put in without any relevance to the story. However, in The Untamed, these themes form an integral part of the plot. War crimes happen on all sides, and rules are strictly adhered to without taking the context of the situation  into account. There is no strict dividing line between good and bad, just a lot of grey areas. People are quick to attack others and just go along with everyone else so that they won't become the target themselves.

Also, I know Xue Yang is a complete bastard and the actor's acting wasn't always the best, but I thought he was a great character, who never tried to make any excuses for his behaviour. He genuinely didn't seem to understand that anything he did was wrong. The one time that he seemed to have a little understanding of the cruelty of his actions was after a situation that he caused, which meant that he was emotionally hurt by something himself, rather than it affecting someone else. This character is, again, part of the wider themes - "it's alright for other people to suffer - for me to cause them to suffer - but when I suffer, then it's a tragedy and people have to pay for it".

Worst Bit: That it had to end? If I can't choose that, then some of the effects and CGI weren't great. For an example: the dog in the Wen dungeon was really bad. 

Watch it if you like: Xianxia, period Chinese shows/films, shows based on books, fantasy, mystery, magic, gorgeous cinematography, costumes and settings, well-developed characters and plots.

003. Watch/finish 20 foreign language films/shows. Manner of Death/พฤติการณ์ที่ตาย -6

 

Title: Manner of Death (พฤติการณ์ที่ตาย)
Year: 2020-2021
No. of Seasons: 1
No. of Episodes: 14
Cert: 18
Genre: Suspense, romance, crime
Language: Thai
Director: Ma-Deaw Chookiat Sakveerakul
Starring: Tul Pakorn Thanasrivanitchai, Max Nattapol Diloknawarit, Great Sapol Assawamunkong, Meiko Chonnikan Netjui

Synopsis:

When his childhood friend, Jane ("Meiko" Chonnikan Netjui), is found hanged at her home, forensic pathologist Dr Bun ("Tul" Pakorn Thanasrivanitchai) has reason to believe that her "manner of death" was murder, not suicide. The first person he suspects of the murder is the victim's boyfriend, a cram school teacher called Tan ("Max" Nattapol Diloknawarit). Bun eventually becomes less suspicious of Tan and the two of them work together to solve the mystery of Jane's death, while facing pressure and intimidation from some powerful people. Bun also has to deal with his developing feelings for Tan, whom he still doesn't trust completely.

Watch on WeTV

Overall: As I mentioned in this post, Manner of Death is loosely based on a novel of the same name by the author Sammon. The basics are the same, but the series takes a different path and adds many additional and important plot points, as well as reimagining some characters and adding new ones.

I really loved this series! The plot was intriguing, the acting was solid, the soundtrack was pleasant (though sometimes a tad overdramatic in some scenes), the cinematography and setting were gorgeous and the two lead actors had amazing chemistry. Although it was a serious show, with some very dark themes, there were also funny and sweet moments mixed in as, which created a nice balance. 

Best bits: Tan's insane and inappropriate flirting/idea of romance, Jane being the bravest person in the whole town, the way the story unfolded and was pieced together episode by episode, the chemistry between Tan and Bunn, no homophobia at all, cactus & chili, the focus being on the murder/crime plot rather than just the romance.

Worst bits: Having to watch Jane die multiple times (but it had a point, so okay). Honestly, I can't think of anything else I didn't like.

Watch it if you like: Interesting characters in a well thought-out story, stories involving police corruption, strong female characters, the BL genre in a more serious & grown-up setting, murder mysteries, crime dramas, adrenaline junkies, action, romance, love expressed in unusual ways.

007. Finish 3 games - Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2

 

For the 3 games I need to finish, I decided to begin with a fairly easy one to complete - Guilty Gear: Xrd REV 2. It was enjoyable going through each episode mode story and I always like the strangeness of most of the characters. 

My favourite character from this series has always been Faust because he's a pretty odd guy and though his movesets aren't always the easiest to use, they're so fun. Plus, I love his character design. I'm really not very good at playing as him, but I choose him anyway.

Other characters I'm fond of are Zappa (though he's not in it anymore since Faust "cured" him of his possession) and Venom (who also isn't in the newest installment).

Since this isn't a review of the game, but just explaining that I've finished it, there isn't much more to say.

BONUS - screencaps from the Guilty Gear -Strive- Beta:

009. Draw 20 fanarts.

As I mentioned in my post about the novel, I'm currently watching the Thai series 'Manner of Death'. I'm a big fan of the actors Max Nattapol and Tul Pakorn who play the main characters Tan & Bunn, but I decided to draw someone else from the show first instead. Meiko Chonnikan Netjui plays the character Janejira/Jane, who I absolutely love in the show. So I attempted to draw her:

It's not the best, but it sort of looks like her at least I guess. She looks a lot older and not as pretty in my drawing, but I tried! It's based on this screen cap of her:

011. Make 10 meals from recipes you've never tried before

 1. Green Curry

The first dish I made was green curry (it was a lot more green than it looks in the photo). It's originally from Thailand (though I know this version is probably nothing like the original, other than the sauce ingredients) and is made predominantly of green chilis, coconut milk and shallots with other herbs/spices/flavourings added. When I was a teenager I used to work in a shop where this was sold under the name Thai green curry (the Thai name is แกงเขียวหวาน, which literally just means 'green curry') but I never tried it back then.

Apparently you have to make the curry sauce a day in advance to let the flavours develop, so that's what I did, but it doesn't take that long. You add vegetables to the sauce - I chose to add them after cooking everything separately, but that isn't generally how they do it in Thailand. Since I made this for two other people as well, I had to change the kinds of vegetables to ones they like. Really things like spinach, aubergines and courgettes would have been better, but I didn't have that option. I also had to use less chilis in the sauce for the same reason.

It tasted good, but I think I'd like to make it just for myself one day with the right ingredients, using the right cooking methods too.

006. Listen to 20 new bands/band you haven't heard before: Cold Cave & Anilah

 3.Cold Cave

Genre: Darkwave/coldwave

Firstly, I want to say that I really do love the darkwave/coldwave genre in general, but a lot of the band do  have a problem with being quite generic or not being distinguishable from each other sometimes. For me, Cold Cave are one of those bands. Don't get me wrong, their music is good and I love some of their songs, but it just gives me a feeling of "yeah, I've heard this a million times before".

4. Anilah
Genre: Ambient/Dark Ambient

Anilah make hauntingly ethereal music, which mostly consists of instrumental and chant-like vocals. When I'm trying to focus or clear my mind, it's really helpful music. The use of repetition, calm tones and certain chords creates beautiful melodies. I have to be in the right mood to listen to this, but if I am, it's wonderful.

003: Watch/finish 20 foreign language films/shows - Part 2 (4 - 5)

Today I watched 2 more films for number 3 on my 101/1001 list: Watch/finish 20 foreign language films/shows. 5 down, 5 to go!

Name: Shadow (影)

Language: Mandarin
Year: 2018
Rating: 15
Genre: Period, Action, Royal Court Politics
Director: Yimou Zhang
Starring: Chao Deng, Li Sun, Ryan Zheng
Synopsis:  The story of a man in ancient China who, taken from his homeland as a child, becomes a pawn in the political games of the Pei royal family.

Thoughts: When beginning to watch Shadow, my first thought was 'this film is absolutely stunning visually!'. The whole film is very stylised, but not overdone. All of the costumes, sets and cinematography are absolutely beautiful and I particularly liked the use of black and white theme in the Pei palace. Not only is it a stark contrast to the other scenes in the film, showing that things inside and outside of the court aren't the same, but also the black and white signifies the balance of yin and yang, which is a big theme in the film. I also enjoy media in which parasols are featured as weapons, so I liked that too.

Visuals aside, Chao Deng plays the role of, Jing/the Commander, a man struggling for his freedom through obedience and patience well, while Ryan Zheng plays the King of Pei's ridiculous facade and cunning charmingly well. Li Sun also plays her role as the Commander's role well, though I preferred the storyline of the king's sister (played by Xiaotong Guan) much more.

Overall Shadow was an enjoyable watch with a well thought out plot, strong performances from the actors and gorgeous aesthetics. If you love Chinese period films, which I do, then this is one to check out.

Name: Freaks: You're One of Us (Freaks: Du bist eine von uns)
Language: German
Year: 2020
Rating: 15
Genre: Action, Superhero, Fantasy
Director: Felix Binder
Starring: Cornelia Gröschel, Tim Oliver Schultz, Wotan Wilke Möhring
Synopsis: Tipped by a mysterious tramp, a meek fry cook discovers she has superpowers and uncovers an unsavory, vast conspiracy.

Thoughts: This film could have and should have been a good film. When Wendy, the very likeable main character, first realises she has superpowers (super strength), it's fun to see her confidence growing at the same time, making her able to stand up to the 'bad people' in her life. 

But when the film tries to inject a more serious message into the plot  (ie: just because people are different to other people, doesn't make them dangerous), it just didn't work. The two groups of people who came to mind whilst watching were LGBTQ+ people and the mentally ill (there were subtle references to both groups). But, as I mentioned, it just didn't work, mainly because they showed that both Wendy and Elmar - Elmar in particular -  used their powers to hurt people and enjoyed it, on several occasions and therefore could legitimately be considered dangerous. 

While Dr Stern was obviously one of the antagonists, she genuinely thought she was doing the right thing and trying to help them, and was portrayed quite sympathetically. This also didn't really help the message that was behind the film either. 

Freaks was an okay film, but if you're looking for a superhero film that isn't really about superheros, then, in my opinion, the Spanish film Unknown Origins would be a better choice.

019. Read 20 books: Manner of Death - 1

 

Title: Manner of Death (พฤติการณ์ที่ตาย)
Author: Sammon
Original Release Date (Thai): March 2017
English Release: 2020
Genre: Suspense, Romance, Crime
Length: 439 pages

Plot: Dr. Bunnakit Songsakdina Bunn) is a medical examiner from Bangkok, who begins working at a provincial hospital in North Thailand. When he's called to the scene of a recently deceased woman, Janejira, who has apparently committed suicide he starts to have suspicions that she was murdered. At first he suspects that her boyfriend, a teacher and part-time gangster called Tann, had something to do with it, and it soon becomes clear that meeting this man will change the course of Bunn's life forever.

Thoughts: Manner of Death - a novel by Thai author, Sammon, which was released in 2017 - is essentially a BL novel, but one with a complex plot that generally centres around the crimes not the romance. The version I read was the English translated version. I actually only heard of  the book because I am watching a Thai drama show of the same name, based on the book, that started airing last year. It's a little bit different than the novel, but I'll write about it more in another post. 

In the book, chapters consist of bits and pieces of Bunn and Tann's respective timelines (not always in chronological order), but it's easy to follow and it's interesting to have earlier parts of the story be given more significance once you have another view of them. I suppose it's a little like an investigation or a puzzle, which is a great storytelling device for the subject of the book. 

In addition, the main characters are likeable and always have a reason for doing the things they do, even if it's something irrational, fueled by emotions. Their relationship develops throughout the plot; going from strangers who don't trust each other at all, to having to rely on each other in life or death situations. Also, during the course of the book the two of them eventually develop romantic feelings for each other, but it's done very naturally and makes sense. As does Bunn's unwillingness to accept his feelings. 

Overall it was an enjoyable read and I recommend it.

006. Listen to 20 new bands/band you haven't heard before: The Ayoub Sisters and The Weeknd

006. Listen to 20 new bands/artists you haven't heard before.

 1. The Ayoub Sisters
Genre: Classical pop

The Ayoub sisters are a Scottish duo who do covers and original instrumentals using mostly strings and piano. Their music is beautiful and, though not all of it is to my liking, I can appreciate the talent and skill they use to create it. I probably won't add them to my playlist, but I'm glad I've heard them.

2. The Weeknd

Genre: R&B pop/Alternative R&B

The Weeknd is an R&B artist from Canada. I know he's pretty famous, but apart from hearing 'Blinding Lights' a couple of times on the radio at my old workplace, I've never heard him before at all. I'm not sure if I like The Weeknd's music or not, but I do prefer the more electronic sounding tracks than his other ones and I don't mind listening to them when they're on.

003: Watch/finish 20 foreign language films/shows - Part 1

Yesterday I continued number 3 on my 101/1001 list: Watch/finish 20 foreign language films/shows. I had initially intended to watch films in the languages I'm learning (Thai, Russian, Mandarin, Japanese, German), but they may not all be. 3 down, 17 to go!

Name: Inhuman Kiss (แสงกระสือ)

Language: Thai

Year: 2019

Genre: Horror, Romance

Rating: 15

Director: Sitisiri Mongkolsiri

Starring: Phantira Pipityakorn, Oabnithi Wiwattanawarang, Sapol Assawamunkong 

Synopsis: In 1940s Thailand, a young girl becomes a krasue (type of demon in Thai mythology) lives a normal life by day, but at night her detached head seeks out flesh and blood.

Thoughts: First of all, I have to confess that I chose to watch this film because the actor who plays Jerd ("Great" Sapol Assawamunkong) is also in a show I really like - and I'm glad I did! I really enjoyed it. I love films where the "monster" is to be sympathised with instead of feared. If you want a happy feel-good ending, then this is probably not for you, but if you like mythology mixed with some romance and  horror, then you'll probably love it, like I did.

Name: Sputnik (спутник)

Language: Russian

Year: 2020

Rating: 15

Genre: Horror, sci-fi

Director: Egor Abramenko

Starring:  Oksana Akinshina, Fedor Bondarchuk, Pyotr Fyodorov

Synopsis: The lone survivor of an enigmatic spaceship incident hasn't returned back home alone - hiding inside his body is a dangerous creature.

Thoughts: Although the film has a similar feel and theme to the Alien film series (which I love), it takes a different angle on it. The main theme, to me, seems to be how the way people behave and view each other creates the responses they get back. I really enjoyed this film♥

Name: Under the Shadow

Language: Persian

Year: 2016

Rating: 15

Genre: Psychological Horror

Director:  Babak Anvari

Starring:  Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi, Bobby Naderi

Synopsis: A mother and daughter are haunted by a mysterious evil in 1980s Tehran, during the War of the Cities.

Thoughts: This is a film about djinn, set against the background of a family trying to survive during the War of Cities in 1980's Tehran. It's an understated horror and works well. I did find the little girl a tad annoying in places, but not enough to ruin the film. I enjoyed Under the Shadow, but of these three it was probably my least favourite.