Yi Yi

“Why are we so afraid of the first time?” I think it’s awesome how this film has just completely rewritten the way I look at regular everyday structures and activities. Sitting in the back of a car? Yi Yi. Standing under a bridge? Yi Yi. Beach in the early morning? You guessed it. It’s so rare to find an ensemble film like this where every character has such a compelling story. There’s like ten characters with the most engaging journeys. My personal favourite is that of Ting-Ting. The idea of her being indirectly responsible for her grandmother’s hospitalisation and the guilt that comes with that, and her attribution of her following misfortune as divine punishment is such an intriguing development to me. Yang Yang, NJ, Shelley, A-Di, Lili are all stand outs as well. The real star of this movie though is Ota. This rewatch, I felt like he served as Yang’s mouthpiece to the audience, a wise man, rife with experience, communicating messages both to the characters and audience in plain state. Do not be intimidated by the runtime. You will be hooked instantly. The first 15 minutes of this film are better than 99% of all movies. I put it on, and I didn’t pause it until the film finished. Transcendental stuff. Nothing in this world is perfect. You will face adversity, and sometimes you must reckon with your past before continuing with the present.