Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Movie Review: Dorian Gray (2009)

*The movie came out 2 years ago but this still is just too hot!
What should one do alone on a chilly rainy autumn afternoon in NYC? If one is feeling a bit daring, and wants a movie to match the dreary atmosphere, Dorian Gray (2009) directed by Oliver Parker is the perfect pastime, offering a refreshing blend of Gothic supernatural horror and Victorian melodrama. The sinister Belle Epoque London the movie was set in will be sure to make you feel quite fortunate, minus the quaint but dark background music. 

Dorian Gray, convincingly portrayed by Ben Barnes, is a young, handsome, naive, and gullible young man who arrives to London alone, with all his immediate family dead. He acquires two radically different friends, one a painter, Basil Howard (Ben Chaplin), who is semi-romantically attracted to his beauty, and another, a witty socialite, Lord Henry "Harry" Wotton (Colin Firth), who is attracted to his naivete. Basil is so attracted to his physical perfection that he makes Dorian his chief muse, and paints a picture of Dorian that is so real and beautiful that it unwittingly awakens the inner vanity of Dorian. Dorian first becomes aware of his beauty and fiercely wished to stay young forever and half seriously accepts Harry's joking suggestion that he makes a deal with the devil: his soul for eternal physical beauty. I easily imagine Basil as the virtuous, preaching "angel" on his right shoulder and Harry is the witty and absolutely incorrigible "devil" on his left shoulder. Of course, spoiler alert, Dorian Gray easily falls under the manipulative influence of Harry, who leads him to a hedonistic, decadent life with the sole purpose of seeking both amoral and moral pleasures and new sensations (aka he is Living the Life). Dorian also discovers that his portrait is magical. It bears the weight and effects of all the sins and pleasures Dorian commits, becoming uglier and monstrous while Dorian keeps his eternal beauty and never ages or scars. Dorian inherited a huge pile of cash so he doesn't have any financial problems, and does not work, like all gentleman living in his class, preferring to lavish money on exotic objects and experiences. This movie graphically chronicles his changing personality, the details of his hedonistic life, and his ultimate deadly remorse.

The horror aspect of it was mild, but delightfully chilly and pleasingly intellectual. It is mainly centered on a mixture of psychological and supernatural. Dorian is haunted by not a ghost, but a magical portrait, which serves as a mirror of his own soul. If Dorian chooses to be good and lead a virtuous life under Basil's influence, he would not be afraid of the portrait at all. However, Dorian's fear stems from his fateful choice of leading a life of unrestrained passion and decadence that causes the portrait to alter horribly into a monstrous, demon-like creature that sits in a dusty corner of his attic, exerting a growing unhealthy influence on him, first, to warn him of possible intruders to the attic room it was in, and later, to tell him to kill those who knew his secret, which furthers his path of self destruction.

I just want to clarify that Dorian Gray the movie directed by Oliver Parker and The Picture of Dorian Gray the novel written by Oscar Wilde are different and should not be confused with one another.The movie was never meant to follow the book down to every last word. Many movies and plays throughout the years before have done a better job of following the book word for word. Yes, the timespan stretches out too far. They cut out some minor characters. In the book, Dorian and Harry talked in Basil's garden, not some seedy bar. Harry never had a daughter because he divorced his wife. So what? The book was merely the inspiration, the foundation of which This Particular Movie was supposed to be based on. If it were supposed to be an exact reenactment, at least the screenwriter (Toby Finlay) would be smart enough to give it the same name as the book to indicate its connection. So a word to some critics out there who are against the movie because of the book. Its a movie, not a book. Make reviews based on how well the movie delivers, not how it matched up to the book. Give the screenwriter some credit for being creative! This makes the most sense because Parker gave very good film adaptations of Wilde's other plays, such as The Importance of Being Earnest <==must read and watch if you didn't. Absolutely the wittiest drama ever! 

Also, The Picture of Dorian Gray novel by Wilde was much more subtle in its references to sin, probably to evade Victorian censorship and stay in circulation. While I was reading it, I didn't even detect anything wrong with it that could not be put in even a children's book. Yet it was supposed to have scandalized Victorian society and used against Wilde in his fateful trail, as the introduction humourously referred to it seen as "a naked man at a tea party." Most of the sins Dorian commits are not written or just hinted at through allusions to disgraced and humiliated former friends, or a terrible secret written on a paper that the reader does not know. Some experts say that purposefully keeping the references vague forces us formulate our own definition of sin. However, its really hard for a  movie to do that, as a movie is purely visual and usually offers little room for imagination (that's why watching TV doesn't prevent Alzheimers, when reading books do). Dorian Gray the movie must clear through the fog of elaborate diction and "(un)dress it up a little" to suit the bold tastes of a twenty first century audience and it does so through beautiful cinematography. Just enough spice so it's sexy, not campy. And it dresses to impress.

So read the book, watch the movie, do both, take your pick. Just don't do neither without having a prejudiced mindset.

Rating: 9/10 

I did not give it a full score because the movie does go a bit fast. It could have gone through the relationships a bit deeper. For example, the relationship with Emily Wotton, Harry's daughter, was a bit shallow. The movie didn't really show how different she was from the other ladies that Dorian consorted with. Sure, she's from post WWI, more modern, and Harry's daughter (aka Off limits), but I don't see why they fell so deeply in love. She must have been based off Hetty Morton, but anyway, she's pretty, and Dorian likes pretty ;D

This is my first movie review ever, and also the first time I watched a horror movie. Why, because I am a proud wimp ;D Horror stories, not even movies, can scare me unpleasantly in two ways: 1) They are either too disturbingly gory that I remember them in nightmares OR 2) They are too psychologically scary and play with my mind too much so that I start actually believing in them. Yes, I'm a proud wimp. That's why I rarely step outside the bounds of romantic comedies in the first place.

However, this movie was an exception for many reasons.
Why I mustered my psychs to watch this:  
1) I read the novel which inspired this, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and it was not that scary, perhaps because of the antiquated diction. But anyways, it focused more on the psychological changes inside the main character rather than the horror of the portrait.
2) The novel which inspired this, The Picture of Dorian Gray was written by Oscar Wilde, my favorite author of ALL TIME! *Fangirl scream*
3) I rarely will finish watching a movie without a hot lead. And Ben Barnes does not disappoint ;-)
Halt. (British way of saying Hot but I'll stop ;D)
Mr. Barnes how do you look so fresh even though you are decomposing? 

Come and look, if you dare..... 


Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Moderation: Maximum Happiness

Coming from a rising foodie, this may sound queer. But perhaps, moderation is the key to enjoying things to the fullest.

If you asked me about the importance of moderation a short while ago, perhaps even a week ago, I would have psh'ed at you and said "bullsh*t." Or perhaps, have quoted from my favorite author, Oscar Wilde ""Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess"(if I can remember it at the moment). In fact, I am so anti-moderation that I have a fridge magnet which says "Moderation is for Monks." If one just briefly ponders it, considering only the state of one's happiness, Oscar Wilde is perfectly honest. Why should we limit ourselves when we are around a great quantity of enjoyable, beautiful, or delicious things?If you love ice cream and you are surrounded by a quart of it, why limit yourself to a scoop? From the healthy point of view, moderation keeps our health in balance. But most of us live without moderation when we are surrounded by many things we enjoy-heck, that's why buffets are still open. We all "know" moderation is good for us, but we "feel" its bad for us. However, Wilde wisely saw through human beings, and summed it up in one great epigram: "Man is many things, but he is not rational." (Women too, Oscar!) Translation: Our emotions have greater control over our actions than our reasoning, usually in the realm of comestibles. 
 
How can we "feel" moderation is good for us?

Be Optimistic 
Be happy. That makes you pleasantly unique because most people are not optimistic.
Picture courtesy of http://royalsblog.kansascity.com/?q=node/490
 
Today, after my daily morning ritual of checking my weight on the scale, a pretty exciting thing, because I was trying to lose some weight, I found that I had (thankfully) not gained any weight but also did not lose any weight, which defeated the purpose. I have tried weight loss many times before, but usually, gave up due to my former life principle: Moderation is for monks. This time, I didn't tell myself that I just couldn't lose any weight and instead, tried logically reflecting what that I did kind of splurge a bit on dinner. I didn't tell myself, like I usually did, that I really didn't make an attempt to lose weight and instead, just lived life like any other time. This gave me hope in that I will get results once I really put all my effort into this endeavor.

Basically, give moderation an actual go before denying yourself.  THINK POSITIVE! Really.

Action 
Small portions make food look all the more pleasing, doesn't it?
Photo courtesy of http://bentobox.bzzagent.com/?page_id=8


For breakfast, I started limiting my portions. This means 1 slice of homemade raisin bread, 1/2 bowl of bitter melon stirfry from yesterday (they are so delicious, but an acquired taste. Will post recipe next time), and green tea. Also, I had some leftover fried anchovies and exactly 11 peanuts.
What I found was that this made breakfast...fun! I ate slowly and carefully so that I would finish everything at approximately the same time. It was like a game where I had to plan out every bite. And along the way, I was enjoying the flavors of the food more, and I could distinguish the flavors more distinctly. This was way better than eating just eating mindlessly while thinking "food is awesome!" When all the food ran out, I felt I was just pleasantly full, and did not feel like my stomach was about to burst. I then finished with 3 strawberries, which I also ate in a pleasant manner.

So moderation makes everything all the more enjoyable because you know its limited, and therefore, you savor/value every bit more.

I examined my previous lifestyle and in the end, felt the importance of moderation. 

Food and Film Should Be Tastefully Enjoyful, not just Enjoyful Tastefully


not like that ^^

We think that in order to have the maximum enjoyment, we should indulge in our whims as much as possible. However, the whims we indulge on are not necessarily beneficial to us in great quantities. For example, cookies and television (har har) are good in measured doses. A cookie a day won't kill you anyway. A movie a week is a great treat.

Although 20 cookies a day may seem swell, afterwards, your conscience (and stomach) won't feel so well. It may seem luxurious to be a couch potato for a day, but the pounds will dramatically increase at a quick rate. So do you still like the life of a fat glutton? Or would you like to slim down and wear Louis Vuitton?
Haha that was fun ;D

Commitment 
Moderation does not mean that you cannot indulge in your whims, just that you cannot make a habit of indulging in large numbers. Less is more (satisfying). You also have room for dessert. Guilt free.
 A small portion of dessert leaves you with a pleasant craving. And you will never grow sick of the things you love. Enjoyment will leave you with pleasant memories and improved self esteem, not guilty recollections of thoughtless and wasteful indulgence.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Easy Hotdog Hong Kong Style Borscht

Photo courtesy of hongyi86 on Flickr

Hong Kong Borscht (Luo Song Tang 罗宋汤) has always been one of the most delicious soups my mom made. It is a regular lunch of mine, as its very versatile and easy to make. It is guaranteed to be tasty, no matter how much or how little stuff you put into it. It's a great hit at hong kong and southeast asian bakeries, although you could easily make the same yourself under 15 minutes.

Today, I wanted to eat a hotdog for lunch, but I only had the sausage and no bun, so I decided to put my hotdog soup style. And a soup with ketchup, to me, will always be HK Borscht. So instead of regular beef, I made today's soup with just 2 hotdogs, onions, and carrots. It was rich and satisfying, and proved that I could still cook something nice with an almost empty fridge.

Recipe 
Ingredients
  •   vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 hot dog sausages, chopped
  • carrots, julienned (like matchsticks) 
  • 1 bottle of ketchup 
  • other vegetables, any kind, chopped
  • rotisserie chicken seasoning (optional), 1/2 teaspoon
  • water, amount depends on desired quantity of soup
  • salt/pepper to taste
Directions
  • in a saucepan, over medium heat, heat vegetable oil.
  • add hot dog and onion. Stir until onion is clear. Add rotisserie chicken seasoning
  • add desired amount of ketchup. Quickly stir and add water immediately. Add carrot/hard vegetables. Simmer on medium-low heat.
  • When it is on a small boil, taste. If you feel soup needs more richness/thickness, add more ketchup.Taste frequently
  • When you feel you added enough ketchup, and the soup is boiling, add salt and pepper to taste. 
  • You may serve with pieces of bread or salad croutons. Enjoy!!