CHINDIA

The long-awaited "Slumdog Millionaire" has come to theaters in Japan. AT LAST!! The film was so powerful and energetic. As watching it, I really wanted to visit India again. This time to find stunning Latika (Freida Pinto)! :)

Interestingly, the rivalry between China and India seems present in motion pictures as well. Here in Tokyo "Red Cliff Part II" is competing against Slumdog for the top box office. John Woo is definitely my favorite director, but a single 2-hour movie is enough. I rather wait until the DVD box set will be on sale. And then watch the series comfortably at home.

Geopolitics, business and...

I prefer a pure love story (like Slumdog) to a war movie (like Red Cliff). Born as a Virgoan, it is written... Though I haven't watched the Chinese one, it seems like there are some remarkable features in each. Slumdog shows the contradictory (i.e. chaotic) situations in India: the rich and the poor, Islam and Hinduism, etc. Seemingly, on the other hand, there are no such things in Chinese films.

Plus, the violence of Slumdog somehow reminded me of that of Hong Kong (esp. John Woo's) movies. Hope it's not a heritage from the British colonialism, though. One definite difference is that Slumdog symbolizes Individualism while Red Cliff Collectivism. Am I making the comparison too simple?