Happy Times - Directed by Zhang Yimou

One thing I love is films - domestic, foreign, independent, short, classic, etc...
I have a little book that I keep that has a list of films that I have to watch in my lifetime. It's long list because I always add onto it sometimes based on others' recommendations or sometimes based on the accolades that the film had garnered.
Watching good movies is a way to enlarge our understanding of the world, particularly worlds that are unlike our own.

Earlier this month, I watched Zhang Yimou's 'Happy Times' (2000) which was selected by the Berlin Film Festival in 2002, a very prestigious honor. This was on my list of films for a long time as you can see the date of its release. This was one of the most unusual, heart-warming and humorous love story I have ever seen. The male character reminds me of so many men who wish to marry but yet are disillusioned by the notion of what marriage truly entails. They are often blind-sided by the 'romantic' aura of love and fail to see the true character and personality of the 'love' in front of their eyes. I know this is very common in China but I could see this 'phenomenal' in almost anybody in almost anywhere. If the onset of meeting someone is to get them to marry you, it's an all out doomed endeavor. It will backfire in the long-run and happiness is guranteed out the door, because the focus should not be on getting married but on cultivating a satisfying and happy relationship. Some of the best relationships are not in the form of a marriage and some of the worst marriages are not happy and fulfilling relationships. This film touches on the key to real love and what that means and what great satisfaction it could do to one's life. I'm glad I got a chance to watch such a memorable film. I highly recommend it.

Below is the film's trailer:

Cheers to happy and healthy relationships that give us much to live for. Thanks for reading!