Hello, hello, hello!
I thought it would be unfair to delve straight back into a post without giving a bit of an explanation first. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you would know that I declared a hiatus just before the Christmas of last year. Doing the maths, or without doing any maths at all, it's not hard to calculate that it's been a substantial amount of time since you've last heard from me on this platform.
As promised, however, I am following through about hearing from me. To be truthful, I've missed just writing about what I've wanted, and reading about things that purely interest me. Now, if I have time to read, it's a text that I don't enjoy, and if I write, it's for a critical or creative piece which worth will be decided by a number. All that pressure really does take the pure enjoyment out of wanting to write.
I'm not really the kind of person who would complain about getting an education (an exclamation of how much sleep I've got the night before because of school work doesn't count!) so I won't bore you with the depths of how much work I've had to do. I know that you'll understand if I simply say that I stopped writing for so long because of prioritising my school work over leisurely writing at the time, and am continuing with this mindset now. With a four day break from school, I took it as an opportunity for an update, but also a small release.
During these four days, all of which are public holidays, my family has been able to spend some quality time together from which we had been previously deprived of due to individual commitments. One of our shared interests is that of film, and especially for my father and I, exploring the variation of film within cultures and time periods. That's why, today, we watched a film about devastation and healing: Aftershock by Feng Xiaogang.
Although I was forced to rely on subtitles due to the foreign language in which it was set, the tragedy that was represented could be felt without dialogue at all. Establishing the film in a familiar familial setting, whether it's familiar to us in practice or just in theory, helps the audience to create a connection to the family and characters being shown. However as the story develops, and a natural disaster that is so commonly known - the 1976 Tangshan Earthquake - unfolds in front of you, the way in which it affects one particular family pushes the audience onto an emotional roller-coaster.
A true story of forgiveness and healing, this movie is a definite recommend and must watch with the family, although avoid the littlies due to adult scenes, including violence, sex and death. If not to particularly enjoy the film, to comprehend the absolute devastation that this natural disaster caused, and how it influenced so many lives.
One minor, and extremely picky, confusion was felt when a particular character was met. Without a fault in his personality, his voice and acting directly contrasted the emotion that was conveyed through every single other character. Aside from that, this movie was a gut-wrenching journey right from the beginning, with characters you question but appreciate, and with whom you will sympathise and feel for throughout the entirety.
If you enjoy and/or enjoy movies like this, be sure to check out The Impossible. I watched this a couple of nights ago for the second time, and this time it hit me with even more emotion. Both films a confrontingly accurate depiction of absolute natural disasters that made me appreciate the fragility of life.
Rate: 8.5/10 -- but make sure you check it out for yourself and tell me what you think below!
Much love,
Duchess
