Dare (Adam Salky, USA)

Dare, 2009

In 2005, filmmaker Adam Salky made a short film about a dorky high school kid named Ben who lusts after Johnny, the bad boy at school. Then Salky turned around and made a feature out of that story. This time, however, things are rearranged a bit. Alexa who was just a friend in the short is now a leading lady in this ménage à trois feature.

In the feature, Ben and Alexa have been best friends since they were very young. Now comes a new guy in school who is an asshole. Neither of them like him. When Johnny is cast opposite Alexa in drama class, things change for all three. Johnny becomes sexually involved with both Ben and Alexa. The film is highly salvaged by the space it affords to build each character. The film is told from the viewpoint of each main character. This allows the viewer to feel connected at all times with that character. It also creates a rich balance in a story that otherwise would have been too much to swallow.

Hua chi liao na nu hai (Hung-i Chen, TAIWAN)

Hua chi liao na nu hai / Candy Rain, 2008
Mandarin with English Subtitles

This is Hung-i Chen's first feature film which happens to be four separate shorts put together. First there is "If the southlands were frozen"-- the first story about Jessie, a young woman who broke up with her boyfriend and is taken by another young woman whom has been secretly in love with her for many years. The second story is "City under invisible attack"-- this story follows the trails of a young woman called U, who happens to be Aries, and is looking for love and wonders where such love is, even though she is protecting herself quite well. The third story is "Dreaming the opposite dream"-- it is about Spencer, a woman in love with a friend who is getting married. They make a strange pact to return to one another in ten years. The fourth story is the title of the film "Candy Rain" and is about a young woman known as Ricky.

Although one assumes these stories would have interlocked themes as they are all about stories that have to do with being a lesbian in Taiwan, they are not. There is a clear disconnection between the themes tackled. Chen misses a great opportunity here. This film could be very moving and change the perceptions people have about women in Taiwan. Instead it leaves the viewer feeling bored and lost. That said, the film is wonderfully directed. There are many beautiful scenes in the film that leave the viewer longing for a country that is not theirs. The acting by some of the cast also seems to make impact. So it is not exactly a waste of time.