RESPECT FOR THE GRAY-HAIRED CHARACTERS

Not sure if any of you guys are familiar with the animated movie Big Fish & Begonia because it's in Chinese, but you should definitely watch it if you like Chinese culture or enjoyed Studio Ghibli films, specifically Spirited Away. Some parts paid homage to the filmmakers, borderline replica (the water dragon flying into the "sky," mouse-version Yubaba, and more,) yet there is a distinct Chinese flavor.

You all know how much I love talking about color, so here we go! 

This movie has an abundance of warm reds. Even if characters are at sea/in the water, there is red in almost every frame in this movie. I think this is great for several reasons. For one, it ties the story visually and thematically. Secondly, it stands out; it stands out against the blue waters, it stands out against the sunset, it stands out in front of infrastructures, and it even stands out in the dark. There is something that keeps the viewers' eyes grounded to something when things are complicated. Either the plot unfolds quickly, or you want to linger a while longer on the surroundings. Finally, red is lucky in Chinese culture. The red gave characters luck, some more than others, and gave the movie luck in box offices.

I am a Chinese-American, so there may be somethings I don't understand completely, culturally wise; this is just what stood out to me because I've seen it either in person, from other works, or in my Chinese culture class. I deserve a pass for watching the entire movie in Chinese with Chinese subtitles. *pats back*

Balance is a major thematic takeaway for me, which reminds me of Daoism. I don't want to talk about this too in-depth because it will spoil the movie, but I'm sure you will recognize it too if you decide to watch it. I also, surprisingly, enjoyed the one-sided, unrequited love. I adored this character! I hope none of you are thinking about my aversion towards Paku and Sheeta because they are not the same. I preferred Big Fish's "romance," if you can even call it that, because it makes sense and doesn't feel sudden. There is already a background/foundation for this relationship, and my favorite character's action further illustrated the seriousness of their love. It's a pure, selfless, and beautiful love. I rarely see relationships where one party only cares about the other party's happiness without getting anything in return: I'm crying just thinking about it.

There is also some Buddhism in this movie with reincarnation. Surprisingly enough, I didn't get much Confucianism considering how engrained this school of thought is, albeit dated. I don't consider veneration for elders, which is evident in this movie, to be Confucianism because you do not need to be a Confucianist to respect elders. I guess you can count "respecting your relationship with others" as Confucianism, but that's grasping for straws. Along with these Philosophical schools of thought, there is also some mysticism. There are these primordial Chinese gods. This I asked my mother because the story claims they are not gods; they are these "other beings," their words, but the characters that look to have higher stature and power are gods. This amalgamation of beliefs is incredibly satisfying because they work and harmony and illustrate Chinese culture's complexity well. 

Another figure that I am somewhat familiar with is the death god/soul keeper. His character design is stunning, and he complicates the story, but not in an aggravating way. I wanted to hate him, but there is nothing to hate him for. He's neutral and granting others' wishes. I suggest watching the credits or finding the clip online like I did to see more of his story.

The plot unfolds quickly, and there's never a dull moment with this movie. In the end, I was crying because of how beautiful it was. The "math" (maintaining balance) gets somewhat convoluted, but what can you do? You need the drama somehow! I loved most of the characters and appreciated their complexities, but I think the other relationships in this movie are severely lacking/neglected. Some characters were solely plot devices, not much effort towards developing them enough for viewers to sympathize or care for characters.

Overall, a stunning movie with an even more stunning soundtrack.