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SSLau
2/15/00

I want to talk about " The beach", but I have not seen the movie, which has received some BAD reviews already. I have long learned that Bad reviews can be good recommendations for us Lighters to see the movies. The case in point is " Anna and the King". It really got a beating from the professional movie reviewers, but I have yet to meet a lighter who had see the movie and did not like it. Why is it we are kind of off beat in taste? When you think about it, it is obvious. You see, movie reviews are very
subjective views. These are views formed based on one's background, upbringing, and other experience in life. The lighters are special in our background, and can be very different from that of these professional movie reviewers.

In the case of " Anna and the King", we like it probably due to the Asian theme, many of us have been to Thailand, one of us lives in Thailand, Chow is from Hong Kong, and we watched Jody Foster grew up. We have something in common with the movie, hence, we can identify with it. This may very well be the primary reason for us liking it.

While I have not seen " The beach" the movie, I have read the book. The book is about a bunch of young kids backpacking in Southeast Asia, and found this beach in Thailand. It has to do with a subculture of drug, free-spirited roaming of the globe, and not having to work for a living. Let me ask you if you have anything in common with this group of kids. If you don't, I would say it is difficult to identify with the characters of the movie. In this case I would be more willing to listen to the reviewers' comments.

Another example of this identify feeling can seen in " Cider house rules" and " snow falling on Cedars", two very good movies. I like
" Snow" much more than " Cider". I can understand racial discrimination a lot better than picking apples in Maine, hence, I identify with the characters in "Snow" more than with those in
" Cider". This kind of reasoning usually works pretty well, but not all the time. I have no training in music and I do not even pretend to understand anything musical, but I like "sweet and lowdown", a movie about an eccentric jazz musician. Woody Allen just made you like it. The music was pleasing and easy to enjoy. I have nothing in common with the characters, but I can't help but like it, it is the genius of the director who just draws you in deeper and deeper.