[Weekly Update] Why Chinese People Love Fast & Furious (Patreon)

Here is what's in theater near me right now: Fast X, The Little Mermaid, Guardian of the Galaxy 3, Across the Spider-Verse, Castle in the Sky.

So if you are wondering how Chinese cinema is doing lately... It's not doing much. Although I have to say, I'm surprised an MCU movie is on the list.

Oh an there are ads for the new transformers movie. Yes there's a new one.

WEEKLY UPDATE

A part of me wanted to film something for for our channel during my trip through China, perhaps visit TV City. TV City are essentially movie studio back lots: Large pre-build movie sets, often of specific historical period. Except they weren't built by the studios. Each city is, I believe, managed by its own agency and are rented by the studios when needed. When unused, they function as a tourist attraction.

Unfortunately, due to various schedule problems, it seems I won't be able to visit one in time. Although that's probably for the better. If you live in South East Asia, you know how insanely hot it is currently.

But for real, a large part of the reason I'm taking this trip is due to burn out. Having been working on this channel essentially non-stop for a couple of years, both my idea and my motivation were running dry. Letting my mind get off of work is probably gonna help me make better videos in the long term. Also, it'll put me back into the right mental space to watch that awful movie "Switch".

No, I still haven't watched it. I'm scared, okay?

I'll fly back to Canada on the 14th, and a new video will be up hopefully within a week. As planned, it'll be about some bad Hong Kong CGI action around the 2000s.

MEDIA TALK

Thought I have always known this, seeing it happening really puts things in perspective for me. In the past few years, the Chinese work culture shifted into an unsustainable level of competitiveness. My office worker friends have to be on call 24/7 even during weekends. Delivery apps demand all delivery to be done in 30 minutes, or else the worker will be fined. It's corporate culture designed by people who are rich by chance. And none of the workers are happy about it.

It is seeing how much this culture has taken hold of China (and, perhaps, rest of the world), that I realize why the Chinese audience love Fast & Furious and Transformers movies so much. It's often said that these are shut your brain off kind of movie. And to so many workers in China, from blue collar to middle class, there's nothing more relaxing than being able to shut off your phone and your brain for two hours.

You see, Fast X demands nothing from you. It's not about societal issues. It does not offer philosophical discussions. It requires no self reflection. It's all one liners, big action, and Jason Momoa wearing a pink jacket. He's evil purely for the fun of it. And there is zero ambiguity in it.

For 2 hours, the movie does everything it can to entertain you, asking nothing more than just a bit of your money. Heck, it doesn't even ask for your attention.

To a lot of people, the know cinema is art, but they don't want to engage it as such. To filmgoers living a high pressure life, movie is not even an experience. It's a visual massage. Something you do after you clock out of work. It's just something that feels good for a couple of hours.

Obviously, as an artist and a snob and a half, I don't like this. But I'd be lying if I say I don't understand it. The truth is, I very much do. Our channel, and to a greater degree, my educatioal background, has turned much of my cinema experience into "work". I find myself watching and analyzing practically every movie, and it feels like homework. It can get exhausting trying to organize your own thoughts.

And so, I find myself gravitate towards bad movies often. Movies that are entertaining but aren't worth the effort to analyze. Films that are so simple there are nothing to analyze. And to so many people, Fast X is exactly that movie.

I know a lot of you also live a similar high stress work life. If you also have to be in call 24/7, or if you are a worker of the gig economy, do you feel the same need and urge to shut your brain off during movies? I'm probably asking the wrong corwd here, since everyone here loves film analysis. But I'm not ashamed to admit, yeah, sometimes I just don't want to analyze anything when enjoying a DnD campaign with cars.

But that is the update for this week. We have one more week in China, and I'll keep you posted if anything interesting happens!