Aeon Flux

Awesome movie. I really enjoyed it, though it doesn't seem to be doing so well at the box office. The gist of the movie: virus wipes out 99% of humankind. Scientist Goodchild comes up with cure, and this leads to the Goodchild dynasty that rules the one remaining city, Bregna, on Earth for 400 years. But something is wrong in this perfect city; people disappear and no one is allowed to leave. The Monicans, are a rebellious group that wants to overthrow the Goodchilds and open the walls of the city that enclose its people. They want to find out what's happening to the missing. Aeon is their top assassin, and she is sent to kill Goodchild. But there's a twist, as Aeon and Goodchild have a past...this is because the "cure" is really cloning. The virus wiped out fertility and no new human has been born in 400 years. What keeps the city alive is each time someone dies their DNA is recycled and secretly injected into a new mother to give birth to that same person again. Somehow though, the newborn retains a memory of the previous life! There's more twists in the movie, but eventually we find Mother Nature prevails, as the humans have once again regained the ability to naturally reproduce. This movie is based on a cartoon that aired on MTV some time ago. I've only seen a couple episodes, so I don't know how closely the movie follows the storyline of the cartoons, but definitely the whole feel and camera work captures that of the cartoons. Also, Charlize Theron is extremely hot.

Two other great movies I want to watch and coming out this weekend: Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Warddrobe and Memoirs of a Geisha. The second movie actually caused quite a stir in Asia since the leading role is played by Chinese star Zhang Ziyi. Apparently the Japanese movie goers have something against a non-Japanese playing the role, while the Chinese also have something against a Chinese playing that role. I'm actually slightly alarmed at the rise of anti-Sino sentiments in Japan; this is already leading to unwanted tenser situations in Asia.

Taiwan's local government elections just went by and the ruling party lost by quite a lot. I haven't been following the issues as much this time around, but all I can say is that this is perhaps part of the process in a maturing democracy. It's really time both parties stopped bickering and get to work, together.

The pic below is from the Florida trip, taken by stranger on Tomato's camera.