When my mother asked my brother and me to watch the new movie Sight, centered around a Chinese immigrant’s journey, I hesitated. I am usually interested in movies with fast-paced action and adventure, so my expectations of this movie were modest—I anticipated an unremarkable and uninspiring documentary. However, I acquiesced because my mother emphasized the importance of supporting our Asian-American community, especially given the rarity of biography movies featuring an Asian main character protagonist in the United States. Surprisingly, despite the genre not aligning with my taste, I left the theater feeling particularly satisfied. The movie Sight, directed by Andrew Hyatt, weaves the captivating tale of Dr. Ming Wang—growing up in China, who once aspired to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather by becoming a doctor. Unfortunately, an uprising during the Cultural Revolution altered the course of his plan. After the disappearance of his high school crush, Lili, Ming found himself toiling in a shoe factory, yearning for an opportunity to resume his studies. After the Cultural Revolution, his determination and hard work propelled him toward admission to a top-tier university in China. Later, at age 21, with a mere $50 in his pocket, he embarked on a transformative journey to the United States. His academic journey eventually led him to prestigious institutions like MIT and Harvard before he became a world-renowned eye surgeon in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2007, Dr. Wang met Kajal, a young, blind Indian orphan in the care of nuns. She traveled to the United States seeking to restore her vision after surviving unimaginable abuse. Dr. Wang joined forces with Dr. Misha Bartnovsky to develop an invention called “the amniotic membrane contact lens” to restore Kajal’s sight. While Dr. Wang tried to restore Kajal’s eyesight, she also taught him an important lesson: there is more to this world than our eyes can see. The film shifts between Dr. Wang’s past and present as he grapples with haunting memories of the Cultural Revolution and Lili, while pushing the boundaries of the medical frontier. His painful past of a failed promise to protect Lili became a driving force for him to help the hurt and wounded like Kajal and another blind orphan from Moldova, Maria. While Sight was not the action-packed adventure movie I usually enjoy, I found its moments of ingenuity and emotion captivating. Although it can be predictable at times, the film’s touching and dramatic scenes more than compensate for it. I recommend Sight for its moving portrayal of Dr. Wang’s journey and his interactions with young patients. When Kajal’s eye patch was lifted, I waited eagerly in anticipation. Maria’s reaction after her eye patch was removed was profoundly moving, beyond words. Dr. Wang’s resilience in overcoming devastating hardships and failures encourages us to pursue our dreams with tenacity and perseverance. Additionally, the movie sheds light on the remarkable contributions that immigrants like Dr. Wang have made to our country and the world. I encourage you to watch Sight; it promises to be an inspirational and eye-opening experience.
movie review
Lessons in Sweetness: A Review of Wonka
All the smells, tastes, and feels of the movie theater do not compare to Wonka, the new chocolatey and valuable movie. I went to see this about a week ago with my grandparents, and I was very surprised that they liked it too! I never saw the first movie, and I haven’t read the book, so I was starting with a blank canvas. I got some chocolate to be in the spirit for this movie and some popcorn, both of which were necessary when watching the movie. The smell of popcorn and candy really improved the movie-watching experience, and the taste was even better. Other than being a good movie that engages all five senses, Wonka shows an important lesson of loyalty and perseverance—in the chocolate-making business and in the real world. Willie Wonka, after moving to a new place, looks for money in chocolate sales. On his first attempt, the police shut his business down because his groundbreaking chocolate is threatening the other businesses in town. He then gets pulled into a hotel that gives him a lot of unnecessary debt ($10,000) to pay off. The people who own the hotel give him a contract to sign, but Wonka does not read the fine print and gets charged for unnecessary things like going up and down the stairs. He decides to hatch a plan to sell his chocolate without permission and has great success. This decision shows that Wonka has a lot of perseverance and does anything he can do to continue his passion. His friends that stay at the hotel help him along the way, showing that they can be helpful in his plans. As well as being entrepreneurial, Wonka shows great loyalty to his friends and allies. For example, in one scene, Wonka was a very loyal friend and portrayed an important lesson to everyone watching the movie. When the people in his town get very irritated because Wonka did not stop selling chocolate, the police banish Wonka from their town using a one way boat ticket to an unknown place. After he realizes that his friends are in danger, he jumps off the boat, swims to shore, and tries his best to get them out of trouble. Wonka shows that friends are more important than chocolate. In conclusion, the new movie Wonka is much more than a movie. It is a life lesson that everyone can use to become a better person. This movie changed the way I value different parts of my life, and encouraged me to be more loyal to the people I know. In addition, whenever I think about giving up on a task, I think of Wonka and how he persevered to keep making chocolate. A well-acted, perfectly-shot movie like this one is a must-see, and people of every age will love it.
A Castle in the Sky, Reviewed by Lydia Chen, 9
If you like anime, you should check out this Japanese film named A Castle in the Sky by Studio Ghibli. It is an amazing film about nature that won the Animage Anime Grand Prix in 1986. Studio Ghibli, Inc. is a Japanese animation studio based in Koganei, Tokyo. Director Miyazaki chose the name Ghibli from the Italian noun ghibli which means hot desert winds. He chose this because the studio would “blow a new wind through the anime industry.” This studio has won lots of awards. Many of their works have won the Animage Grand Prix award. Four films have won the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year. Five have received Academy Award nominations. Spirited Away won the 2002 Golden Bear and the 2003 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature! A Castle in the Sky is about teams racing to find a flying island. The main character, Sheeta, has a crystal that can lead to Laputa, the island. She and her newfound friend Paztu make daring decisions leading up to a stunning climax! The main theme of this wonderful story is the clash between humanity, technology, and nature. My favorite part is surprisingly not the climax, but instead a peaceful part at the beginning. When Paztu frees the birds and they fly around chirping with joy, I feel the same joy in my heart. I love how they show how humanity and nature can work together peacefully before how they clash. Although this movie is incredible, there are some faults. One of them is that the main characters seem older or younger than they are supposed to be, as well as being a bit too talkative. For example, Sheeta is about 13, and the pirates are likely no younger than early 20s. Otherwise, this is an amazing film. In conclusion, A Castle in the Sky is a great movie for all ages. I recommend this because of the theme and the smashing climax. In my opinion, this is the greatest film ever. Although that may be because I love anime, I still truly believe others will enjoy it.
