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A quite enlightening political drama, where the delicate tripartite relationship between Australia, China, and the US is well portrayed in a spy hub. What’s particularly interesting and engaging is Australia’s perception of China from a Western viewpoint. Despite a foreign and distinct sense of distance, the representation is very much equal and pragmatic, rather than perpetuating the usual negative imagery—like portraying it as a colossal, repulsive monster.

via Twitter from Ivory Mountain Wang Yun

via 不明白 No.2023.12.23 Recommended Book 2

I really didn't expect this movie to be so outstanding. Capturing the uniquely confined narrative space of China, it truly represents a captivating glimpse of the 80s artistic flair! The screenplay of the movie is exquisite, the cinematographic language delicate, and the character portrayal of 'Titmouse' is simply stunning. Titmouse is diligent, hardworking, kind, and vibrant. With a bit of luck and just the right amount of stubbornness and individuality, he finds himself lost at the crossroads of a shifting society, and it is this fusion, this friction, that ignites fierce sparks. The ultimate loneliness of the soul: uncomprehended by everyone around; the merciless play of fate: glimpsing the beauty of freedom and liberation, yet entwined and unable to free oneself. For a lasting relationship, if one grows and changes, the other must follow; if one loves the status quo, the other must also wait. To build a perfect love is not as simple as rocket science; in this ever-changing world, someone always has to sacrifice something. The primitive and rough Chinese flavor of life starkly contrasts with the reserved and refined formalism of Japanese aesthetics.

Via Twitter Wesley: 'Antifragile' is a book worth re-reading over and over again. It feels fresh every time, and often sends shivers down your spine after reading it because you realize how fragile you actually are 😢

Via Twitter @sofish This letter is worth reading for every anxious person — life will be simpler without self-permission on everything.

The film clips are too fragmented, with a strong sense of patchwork, and low documentary value. The post-production is cheap and rushed through. Not a single scene from the Asian battlefield is shown, making it hard to call it a 'world' war.

Via tw Lord of Peach Blossom Island

Lengthy, yet surprisingly good, it never feels dull throughout. It vividly portrays the dark and jungle-like society before modern civilization, revealing the calculative human nature, the survival of the fittest among groups, and the ever-relevant theme of pure, unblemished love. People are creatures willing to take risks and maximize self-interest, where so-called morals and other noble virtues come secondary. When the benefits of an action outweigh the risks, there will always be someone willing to attempt it. The uncle represents pure darkness, the nephew sways between dark and light, and Molly is pure innocence. Ms. Molly's harmless nature and broad generosity serve as an embellishment, a beam of light in the film, offering some solace to the audience.

Via tw Shifanzhou "Philip Ball explores the new biology, revealing life to be a far richer, more ingenious affair than we had guessed. Ball explains that there is no unique place to look for an answer to this question: life is a system of many levels—genes, proteins, cells, tissues, and body modules such as the immune system and the nervous sys...