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Review of "Spider Lilies" ("Ci qing")Nonetheless, Jade does get to Takeko. Not wanting to risk giving Jade the spider lily tattoo, Takeko spends hours at night drawing an elaborate jasmine plant for Jade's tattoo instead. When Jade arrives late one day at the studio and sees it, the two embrace — and as we see Ching wandering outside the institution at dusk, wondering where his ride is, we know that more heartbreak is on its way. The contrast between the cartoonish quality of Jade's sex-kitten webcam persona and Takeko's serious demeanor heightens the on-screen chemistry between these two women: opposites attract indeed. They look great together. Isabella Leong could have done more with her role as solemn-but-gorgeous Takeko, but part of the problem may be her age. There is supposed to be at least a 10-year difference between the younger Jade and Takeko, but the actresses appear to be around the same age. (Yang is 23 and Leong is 19.) This may be a minor point, but one would also expect Takeko to look older than her age due to the stress in her life; perhaps some different makeup would have made this more believable. Rainie Yang is almost too over-the-top as Jade, yet her vivaciousness is suited to the role. Especially effective are the scenes where she believes she is chatting online one-on-one with Takeko, when in fact she is chatting with the smitten undercover cop (Kris Shie) who is monitoring her site. Her shock when she discovers the truth shows her youth and naiveté beautifully. The subplot involving Adong brings additional spice to the story but is not presented clearly. Also unclear is the reason that Jade's site is being monitored: Is it illegal to have a sex-themed website in Taiwan ? Do the authorities think she is underage? Why is she being targeted instead of the host of the site, especially if they think she is a minor? The resolution of this plotline is dropped in the film — we hear the sirens as police cars take off for Jade's place, but what happens? All this being said, I did enjoy this intense film and appreciated its unique story line. With film festivals full of coming-out stories, girl-meets-girl tales and lesbians-considering-children films, it's great to have a film where, as in Takeko's case, sexuality is important to the plot but is explored in tandem with other aspects of a character's psychology and history. Spider Lilies, which is predominantly in Chinese with English subtitles, is the second feature from director Zero Chou. Her first, Splendid Float, was about drag queens and won her comparisons to Pedro Almodóvar for her use of melodrama and color. Reported to be the highest-grossing film in Taiwan so far this year, Spider Lilies is also being released theatrically in Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Korea this summer. The stars of Spider Lilies are teenage pop idols in Taiwan, no doubt counting for some of the film's popularity there. But as Chou said in an interview with the International Herald Tribune, as a lesbian herself, this story in particular interested her: "There have been many [Taiwanese] films about homosexuality, but very few about lesbian relationships." Remarking on the film's popularity, Chou said, "For the public it does not really matter whether it's about a gay relationship or a heterosexual one, as well as it's a well-made love story." Chou has created a moving, intense and convincing love story with Spider Lilies, and though she says her next project is not queer-themed, we can hope she returns to lesbian relationships in future work. For another perspective on Spider Lilies, go here. Watch the trailer for the film here: |
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News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media
looks like it's worth
Isabella ...
yep, Isabella is only 19.
You are correct
Yes!
I don't wanna be the spoilsport here, but...
... am I the only one annoyed by the fact that everytime Takeko actually does 'something lesbianish' (like i.e. sleeping with another girl), someone close to her gets killed/hurt (her father, her brother, the punk)?
I saw the movie at the Berlin Film Festival, and thought of it as a rather negative representation - but than again, 'Notes on a scancal' received the audience award there, so maybe I'm alone in enjoying films about un-angst-ridden, not-traumatized out lesbians getting together without major drama going along with it (damn, speaking of it, is there something like that? ;-) )
p.s.: I'm quite surprised to read the director herself is a lesbian, as she was asked at the Berlinale, what drove her to make this movie - to which she replied that her lesbian friends encouraged her to
totally with you
Totally with you. But look at the bright side.
When you don't like someone all you have to do is say
'I'm a lesbian' and they run off screaming, thinking you're
a psychotic, traumatized mass murderer.
You see, it has its benefits.
Love It
I loved the movie. I wasn't able to watch it at the Frameline Festival because I was graduating that day.
One of the things I didn't like about it was the dialog. The dialog could've been better but at least everything else was good. Like the chemistry between them too. Just pure love.
I have the main song (Xiao Mo Li) if anyone wants it. Just give me your email.
queer asian visibility
going a bit off-topic but not really...here's the kiss thathe director took out because she said it was too much (o___O)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMAUebcRphE
and...
Small Jasmine (Xiao Mo Li) is beautiful! i have itoo! o(^_^)o did you watch this film at a festival?? it's on sale on various asian movie websites but only comes in region 2 or something ~ hong kong version. the premise of this movie sounds interesting to me, despite bad reviews i've read concerning the "sleaze" factor. i'm guessing there's a lot of symbolism withe props chosen to be in the film, more obviously the Tattoos. i've only seen one really wel-told story of woman loving woman from a Chinese director (before hearing of this one) and that's by Yan Yan Mak ~ Hu Die (Butterfly) starring Josie Ho and Hopscotch's lead singer Yuan Tian.
and i was wondering if anyone here watched a Tagalog language film named Rome & Juliet by Connie Macatuno...
"Like the truth becomes a Lie" ~ Hyo-Shin, Memento Mori
i saw it online
but they cut out the entire love scene and i don't know if that was just online or if it was in the film festivvals too.
like the scene in the youtube video above at 22 seconds left
it wasn't in the movie that i saw
i was just wondering if they cut that in all the screenings or just the version that i saw...
The same thing happened to
The same thing happened to me. The person who uploaded the movie cut the entire scene, but it IS part of the movie. I read it on this super long thread on asian fanatics: http://asianfanatics.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=366704
There's also a scene which was cut out from the movie showing a bit of french kissing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMAUebcRphE . This one is included with the extras on the DVD released in Taiwan.
I think I liked the movie a bit too much xDD
it's not in the movie
i watched it in the cinema, and those 2 parts were not in the movie, i heard that the director cut them out so that younger people can watch it too, as u know, the 2 leading actresses are teenage idols!
Wow, really? Maybe they cut
Wow, really? Maybe they cut it off from the version released on cinema (sorry, my english isn't very good).
I'm pretty sure the scene involving Rainie's legs is on the dvds... I read the french kissing was cut because the director is a very shy herself. She had trouble directing the sex scene, so she just gave the girls a storyboard and let them do whatever . They shot it two times because the first one was too rough. Rainie insisted that the scene should be on the dvd *since they had already shot it*, LOL and that's why it comes as an extra.
I ordered the especial edition through yesasia, should be here in ten days... *^^*
looks interesting
My two cents
After seeing a review of Spider Lilies, I knew I had to make my first comment on the site! I'm from Hong Kong, so I was very excited not only to see an Asian lesbian film, but also with the gorgeous Hong Kong actress Isabella involved! I read some comments from the AE forums and the feedback was moderate, so I was happy to see that someone also enjoyed the film as much as I did!
I just wanted to put my two cents in to clear some of the storyline questions. The webcam site was monitored because yes it's illegal, and they were monitoring to capture evidence that the girls do go nude. Also, they weren't just monitoring Jade, but the website as a whole, and they were trying to capture the girls 'working' too. Also, nothing happens to Jade, because the undercover cop warns Jade in time to go offline so she wasn't caught in the raid.
All in all, one of my new favourite films. Isn't Isabella gorgeous?
The webcam site thing was
The webcam site thing was the only thing I didn't got, thank you!
Isabella is so pretty! I rarely got crushes on famouse people (or just people xD), but soon after seeing the movie i found myself looking for pictures on the internet...
Rawr...I <3 Rainie
:( Everyone likes Isabella...I'm the only Rainie fan. I've liked Rainie for a while now, and I really think she's a lesbian. The guy that worked closely with her in a drama series said she's very manly, even though she's called the queen of cute. ;) Oddly enough, even my best friend (who is straight) thinks Rainie is gay. Oh, if only.
I may just go to Taiwan and stalk her for a bit. :X
Well, I don't know if she's
it was ok.
i saw the movie on my friend's laptop cause she downloaded it. and i thought it was ok. taiwanese story plots/lines are weird. i mean i get the earthquake/traumatized brother/putting your gayness at a standstill. but the whole webcam/police plot i could've done without.
also when i watched it, it was fansubbed so i kinda didn't understand a third of it.
overall it was just ok. i wouldn't recommend it or not recommend it. it's just a movie you have to have the urge to watch.
quite nice..
saw this movie after a friend recommended it to me..was quite refreshing to see chinese directors tackling this subject/topic..and i did not know that the director is a lesbian herself...
the scenes are shoot,i dunno how to say scattered here and there but eventually everything do falls back into the big picture..but what i did not like,and was hoping the director could do more was having the last scene with both rainie and isabella together..i mean a hug or just 2 of them looking at each other would be a nice ending rather than the one we saw now...i think that would have been a better ending or rather satisfying ending,at least for me..
isabella looks really cool with her tatoos on..i heard it took 2 hrs everyday to have her tats on her hand before they can start filming...but the results are reli cool...i did not notice she could pass off as quite handsome,i really how she looks when she is older,not the younger takeko look...rainie is quite convincing as her character,surprisingly...cute but when she knows that all these while she was not chatting with takeko,it was really sad..i almost cried...
overall,it was a nice movie..to those who like tats then u should check it out..:)
.."words are all i have to take your heart away.."
...Couple of the YEAR!
.....ABOUT the MOVIE:
I'd actually saw it in Hong Kong a couple of months ago, it was ok.... abit boring and jumpy. However, i thought the performances by the 2 IDOL / actresses where BETTA than i excepted...especially ISABELLA!....Dang, that girl is beauitFUL...will HANDSOME, in this case...hehe....i was so drawn towards her mysertious background, shyness yet daring ..in the movie..so COMPLEX...very alluring! Rainie, did a good job 2...so was cute BUT i'd actually enjoy her performance more....towards the end, when she found out about the truth....the hurt and loneliness that still exist in her....haunting her....
BUT...i'd would LIKE to see more screens of them together!...cuz they look so compitable with each other...i'm quite surprise how GOOD they look together...haha
....oh and as i was browsing through a site called 'asianfantics' ...in some interview....Rainie actually revealed that she did had FEELINGS 4 isabella while filming the movie...she realise it cuz whenever she sees isabella...her heart will beat 2x faster & she'll become ALL red..haha....just like puppy LOVE...so CUTE!.....but of course she said, it didn't last...only cuz she was way into her character...hehe......still i find it FUNNY how she mentioned it...
....as for isabella...she was a gossip mag cover recently, cuz she was hanging out w/ some lesbian freinds...or so...and that they appear 2 be close...personally i think they're just friends...but of coruse the media just had to make a BIG deal about it! Since a couple years back....it was rumoured that Isabella had a GF (a TB)....pics of them travelling together...hanging out...very close BUT rumour has it that her record company broke them up!...Now, i don't know...how much of this is TRUE...but if it is....very sad indeed!!!
......Anywayz, after this movie...i'd hope 2 see more of isabella..and hopefully w/ RAINIE!!!
...sorry double post!
...sorry double post!It's kind of interesting.....
As a Taiwanese, it's kind of interesting to read all the the reviews & comments about this film, especially from a foreigner's point of view.
Actually, the film dealed with a lot of culture & mutual memory issues that it's not easy to understand for none Taiwanese, just like the way I got confused the first time I watched "Go Fish" as an Asian few years ago. However, I'm glad that most of you guys seem to enjoy it.
As for the webcam site question, it was monitored not only because of the nudity, but most important, of the internet prostitution. Though not Jade, some of the webcam girls were involved, as much as it seemed. The internet prostitution & undercover-cop things have become quite an issue here in Taiwan recently.
Oh, and one more thing to mention. The director, Zero Chou, her 2002 debut film ( well, not exactly, but sort of ), "Si Jiao Luo ( Corner's ) ", is an award winning documentary about the situation of gays & lesbians in Taiwan in the late 90's.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398889/
Don't know if there's a way to watch it outside Taiwan, but if ther is, I highly recommend.
good movie
compared to butterfly
i've yeto watch Spider
i've yeto watch Spider Lilies (Ci Qing). i did however, analyze a lot of Hu Die (Butterfly)
http://imdb.com/user/ur4778686/comments
that's my imdb account. i have to update it! haha ~ haven't updated it for a while but Hu Die was the last movie i commented on; it'symbolism and use of prop. there was a lothat wasubtly said in that film, especially from the way they shot it and whathey chose to keep in frame withe camera. so if you say Ci Qing was better, i can't waito see it ~ and analyze ito the bone as well o(^_^)o
another lesbian movie that's in Mandarin that i watched was Les Filles Du Botaniste (The Botanist's Daughters). that was just DEPRESSING. i don't knowhato analyze from that film because it was just a depressing story being told. the bottom line of what ishown is a love broughto struggle by those who don't agree... *tear* ... on a lighter note, the scenery of Vietnam (when it wasupposed to be in China) was beautiful ~ i love nature ~ and also when the two+women are making love, that's even more beautiful...
until they get separated and prosecuted for being homosexuals in an uptight, warring China [~___~]
"Like the truth becomes a Lie" ~ Hyo-Shin, Memento Mori
ISABELLA
hmmm i didnt quite
hmmm i didnt quite understand it at first when i watched it in tudou, there was no english sub and all but the hot pairing was perfect so my eyes was stuck like glue. i was wondering if you guys know where i could download an english subbed version also with the deleted scenes in it. my jaw dropped when i saw the 2 deleted scenes in youtube. i went like "what the hell? this movie couldve made more impact if they didnt cut those juicey tid bits, like hell that shouldve been included!"
so, any suggestions where can i find the full english subbed version of the movie? pretty please?
The cut out kiss..and the guys kiss as well, LOL
I just saw the cut out kiss scene. It was HOT!!! What amazes me was that whoever posted that scene, took it from a sort of press conference or something for the movie, and they just showed the kiss on giant screens for the fans and press..do u imagine something like that here in the US, two teen idols??!!.. that would so never happen..LOL, I think I'm moving to Taiwan!!!
But as I browsed around, I came upon another clip from the same press thing, where they show the kiss, and amazingly..and I don't know why, cause I can't understand a word they say.. the two male actors present at the event kiss for the audience, WTF?? LOL..I mean..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8bdGHuhKY0&mode=related&search=
That's certainly a huge world of difference, especially when u think about all the taboos surronding same-sex kisses between celebrities, female teen idols and male actors, no less...geez louise..I wonder how long it will take me to learn mandarin if i move there, LMAO...
But all in all, I really really enjoyed the movie, I thought it was beautifully done, the photography is stunning, the acting is good by both actresses, the story is moving, intense, sad at times, but ultimately it's a love story I think...although I'm still hazy on the ending..Jade did get the text message, right??!!
Isabella's necklet~
Hello, If you want which in the movie the lead wears necklet. Please look at here.
http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!jc3yQ8qRGBvb9DwyUInUTKk-
=[
Great Soundtrack
Isabella was great, her acting was subtle but very expressive. Rainie is funny, I can't seem to forget her from Liu Xing Hua Yuan. I really liked the song XiaoMoli
I think the story line on the "web cop" thing is bad
I downlaoded it and it was
Finally saw the film at the London Lesbian/Gay Film Festival
I heard so much about this film that I was very happy when I found out it was going to be screened here in London. I was a bit worried that the film may disappoint, but it was very well made.
The two leads are both very good, and Isabella is so cute! I can't believe she is only 19! She played her character well.
I didn't realise that the love scene between the two leads were cut from the film, so after reading the postings here...I went onto YouTube & had a hunt around for the deleted clip. I have to say the scene was good!
Also it's nice to see Oriental lesbians being portrayed in a positive light.
Does anyone know Zero Chou's English blog?