Phoebeholic 佛比比~

First of all, I would like to say that this is and this is not a cheesy, tacky romance talking about a man found a right woman and changed himself. So if you watch it in a way of wathcing a romance you will def find it boring and cliché. The whole movie is just too real that easily draws you to identify with the protagonists and pull you back and forth to yourself. Also because the material is too realistic, they use "surreal" "dreamy" actresses and actors to take you into the world of fantasy but not you(that's the reason why we need movies, cuz we all want to stay away from the reality). Otherwise, you will be feeling like watching a Taiwanese soap opera. And that's why I want to give my tributes to Scarlett Johansson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. They did an amazing job, presenting the characters so well and proved they are not just being pretty. (I LOVE Scarlett!!!!)

I only watched it once last night in the theatre so I really don't remember that much in fact. What I am going to share is a little feelings after watching this film. 

1.It shows that even now 2013, men subconsciously and consciously still treat women as objects.

From the repetition that Don Jon said in the movie: She/You is/are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. He repeated at least three time to Barara, his friends and her friends and his family. "Thing" is the word he used, and when he said that he talked like a robot in a compliment mode. His father as well, showed that all men kind love beautiful creatures (and immature) no matter how old they are. They judge girls by their looks and sexual appearance. You can say this is totally objectification or it's just men's instinct. Anyway, very obvious, it shows they don't respect women.

2.The global gender phenomenon

This ain't a movie about culture (western/oriented), you can tell that wherever it takes place, it's all the same thing that women and men are thinking about, caring about no matter you're Yello or White or Black. Women love by their ears, and men love by their eyes. Women are imaging happily ever after and try to find the perfect one, and guys just want to get laid.  Also, too obvious.

3. Love at first sight/ love is about projection/ love is to love someone who doesn't exist.

I have discussed with my friends around me that sometimes you think you love someone, but actually you just love the projection and your expectations and you two just happened to find each other at the same time and sparkle this passion together. It is the passion that keeps you going on, not love. At least not for the first 6 months. When the desire takes place in both parties, it is hard to get it clear that this person is truely what you want, or in fact there is never such a person exists. Desire desires desire, and that usually blinds you.

4. Transgression: religion and unlimited sex craving

In the movie, Jon, who goes to church every week, confesses very often too. This is probably the most interesting part I think. Though he goes to church, the human nature and religion have clearly being seperated here. It reminds me of The Picture of Dorian Gray. Repent! Repent! Then God shall forgive your sin! Does it show the undermining religious base or it actually renders us an another way to forgive ourselves for the shameless begavior when we are obtaining the thrill of breaking our moral standard? (but, seriously, what standard do we hold on to? jerking off is wrong? we can't have sex with strangers?) When it comes to the ultimate Jesus, everything you do is under his obsevation. But it is also a paradox. When you do something transgressive, there is no God in you. However, Jon still makes his confession and keeps his belief (or you can say religion is just a fashionable subsitute of belief-Oscar Wilde). Well, it is not that transgressive actually as we can see, he just masterbates and watches porns, whereas the whole contract between sex and church 令人莞爾. (sorry, I can't find any other proper English to describe perfectly.)

In a nutshell, this is not a movie telling girls to be considerate about guys watching porns and be cool about it. This is not a movie telling guys to find a real woman so she can change your life. Neither it is a movie telling you how to find love. Btw, I don't get why does the Taiwanese movie theatre put that last weird picture of translated Chinese about love blahblahblah??? That's so unnecessary. Don Jon has presented you the extreme cliché in the most cliché way.This is a modern world baby, every thing you care about is not really a thing you should be caring about, including how to get laid or how to love. So stop watching or expecting anything for romance sake. Cliché is cliché. Cheers to Don Jon.

Btw, Scarlett Johansson is smoking hot....