To be read as a direct continuation of Part 1; https://watchitdie.blogspot.com/2021/04/the-oscars-2021.html
Minari: This tells the story of an Asian family living in the US State of Arkansas, during the 1980's.
As such it addresses many of the same issues as; "Nomadland." The Black American community's long history of hostility to the Asian American community.
Something with has long manifested itself through things like the Affirmative Action policy of Harvard University.
Recently it seems to have boiled over into acts of extreme violence. Committed by the Black community against the Asian community. Seemingly with the full blessing of the US Democrat Party.
These issues were dealt with in depth. During a section of the Opening Ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics. Hosted in PyeongChang, Republic of Korea (RoK/South).
My coverage of which can be read here; https://watchitdie.blogspot.com/2018/02/the-2018-winter-olympics-opening_17.html
Over the course of its several hours the 2018 Opening Ceremony introduced the World to the concept of the; "Wu Xing."
Within Asian, Animist religions these are the five fundamental forces that make up all life. If those forces are not kept in perfect balance then bad things will happen.
It is similar to the; "Tree of Life" concept within Judaism. Along with the; "Stoic Physics" concept with the Ancient Greek philosophy of; "Stoicism."
It is also similar to the; "Pentagram" used within western, European Animist religions. To represent the five forces or; "Limbs" of life.
I really must remember to rap Lil Nas X and Miley Cyrus over the knuckles for that one. It is the inverted pentagram which is used in Satanism. Life being turned on its head.
Conventional science has recently begun to explore this concept of interconnected forces itself. Through the study of; "Quantum Field Theory."
However you try to explain it. It certainly appears that all the stresses of late 2019 went up into the universe. Then came back to us in the form of COVID-19.
This particular sequence of the 2018 Opening Ceremony dealt with the element; "Fire." Represented by the colour; "Red." It was inspired by the; "Dokkaebi." Mischief goblins that appear from bloodstains, in a puff of (Democrat) blue smoke.
On behalf of all Asians, everywhere the sequence absolutely savaged Black Lives Matter. The nasty goblins who seem to appear from bloodstains to bring the fire and Democrat smoke.
One of the many "Thought Crimes" Black Lives Matter have invented is that of; "Cultural Appropriation." Someone from one culture using anything that is supposedly the exclusive property of another culture.
The sequence highlighted the hypocrisy and double standard being used by Black Lives Matter. By pointing to the way elements of Asian culture have been appropriated by the Black American rap group the; "Wu Tang Clan."
"Wu" being an Asian word that has been randomly misappropriated. "Tang" being an important period of Asian history. Which has also been just randomly misappropriated.
As with Black Lives Matter the Wu Tang Clan are closely associated with the Nation of Islam (NoI). Their use of the term; "Islam" is yet another example of a word being randomly misappropriated from another culture.
Unlike Muslims followers of the Nation of Islam believe that humans are a race of aliens. Who terraformed the Earth using their spaceships.
All members of this superior alien race were originally Black. Until the evil; "Yacob the Jew" turned some of them to the inferior races on the Greek island of Patmos. It is not the sort of belief system that feels the need to explain how Jacob the Jew came into existence.
Within this Black master race there are actually several levels of superiority. The "Uncivilised" 85%. Their role is to be kept as slaves by the "Slave-Maker" 10%. The top 5% are the all superior; "Teachers."
The Wu Tang Clan's debut album was; "Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)." It is inspired by the journey through the chambers of enlightenment that members of the Nation of Islam are expected to go on. The brainwashing process that is essential to any exploitative cult.
You can easily see how the nasty cult indoctrination of the Nation of Islam is being brought into the mainstream by Black Lives Matter. Through sinister terms like; "Decentring" which are designed to break down the individual, robbing them of their sense of free will.
Following the Opening Ceremony the 2018 Winter Olympics became the entire, global intelligence community rounding on America. For it's entirely false claim of Russian Interference in the 2016 US Election.
The consensus being that those false claims were an attempt by the US Democrats to rig the 2016 US Election.
Using the exact same playbook used by the Saenuri (Liberty Korea) Party. In its rigging of the 2012 South Korean Election. In favour of Park Geun-hye. Daughter of feared South Korean dictator Park Chung-hee.
However most Americans seem to have missed the 2018 Winter Olympics. Having been conveniently distracted by the Valentine's Day (14/2/18) massacre at the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School. In Parkland, Florida.
The 2020 Oscars did make an attempt to remind America of the 2018 Winter Olympics, particularly its implications for American democracy. Through the praise heaped upon South Korean movie; "Parasite."
The praise heaped upon Parasite also made a contribution to the diversity debate. Another cult-like term Black Lives Matter have introduced into mainstream vocabulary is; "Unconscious Bias."
Apparently the reason why Black people are not winning Oscars at their first attempts isn't because they're not good enough. It's because White people are so deeply racist that they can't see past a person's skin colour and cultural background to understand the brilliance of their work.
Not only are the people behind Parasite of a different skin colour. They come from a completely different cultural background and speak a totally different language. Things those racist Whites were able to see past in recognising the brilliance of their work.
Like the people behind the 2018 Opening Ceremony and Parasite. Many of the people involved in Minari are Korean. "Minari" actually being a Korean word.
As I've said Minari raises many of the same issues as; "Nomadland." The pet project of Chloe Zhao, who is Chinese by birth.
This created something of a game of; "Can you tell your Asians apart?"
Which might actually be more difficult than it first seems.
One of US President Trump's main challenges was the nuclear weapons program of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK/North). One of the many disasters left by his Democrat predecessor.
In tackling the DPRK issue President Trump commented that he was happy to work with China. Saying that the Chinese and the Koreans are good friends of each other. Due to Korea once being part of China and vice versa.
President Trump was absolutely hammered for this comment. With the Liberal media mocking him as a fool with no knowledge of global affairs. The comments of "Last Week Tonight" host John Oliver particularly sticking in my memory.
The thing is that at various periods Korea has been part of China and vice versa. It was really the Tang Dynasty of China that united Korea during the Three Kingdoms Period.
There's still a distinct ethnic group within China known as; "Balhae Chinese." These are ethnically Korean Chinese who can trace their ancestry back to the Balhae Period.
Making it another, clear example of;
President Trump: Right!
Liberal Media: Wrong!
The family at the heart of Minari are the Yi's.
Made up of the father; "Jacob" played by Steven Yeun. As in "Jacob/Yacob the Jew."
The mother; "Monica" played by Han Ye-ri.
Like Chloe Zhao I lived in Brighton, UK for a while. Given the size of Brighton it's likely we both knew the same Monica. The Monica who had a long relationship with an Iraqi refugee. Resulting in two children who took their father's name.
Following my rule. Of meeting the person rather than the label attached to them. You'd be surprised how little of that came up. Ironically I lost touch with them as I had to head to Iraq. In order to break things and hurt people.
Their son; "David" played by Alan Kim.
I'm not sure of the exact immigration status of these fictional characters.
However I assume that Jacob and Monica are first generation immigrants. Having been born in South Korea before moving to America. Whereas David is a second generation immigrant. Having been born in the US.
The entire family though are all internal migrants. Having moved from the State of California to the State of Arkansas.
Their intention is to farm produce in Arkansas then sell it in Texas. Their son's medical condition forces them to seek medical treatment in the State of Oklahoma.
These are three of the anonymous 46 States somewhere in the middle of America. That the 2021 Super Bowl tried so hard to teach the Liberal Elites about.
Arkansas is one of the States that made up the Southern Confederacy during the US Civil War.
Oklahoma is one of the States created by the Great White Flight that followed the US Civil War.
Texas has famously never really played well with others.
Texas is separated from both Arkansas and Oklahoma by the Red River. Made famous by the Waylon Jennings song; "Bob Wills Is Still The King."
The relationship between Texas and Oklahoma actually makes for a significant theme in the 2011 movie; "Killer Joe."
In response to the Olympic bans of Russia. I took to referring Sebastian, Lord Coe - Head of the International Associations of Athletics Federations (IAAF) as; "Killer Coe."
It was after about the tenth time I realised the connection. By which time I was already committed.
At around 17:25 on 28/4/21 (UK date) I'll have to pick this up later.
Edited at around 20:10 on 28/4/21 (UK date) to copy & paste;
Killer Joe also features the British actress Juno Temple.
Whose name sound like the sort of great, cavernous thing you would enter. In order to worship the goddess of love. "Juno" to the Romans, "Hera" the Greek way.
Juno Temple's role in Killer Joe was somewhat controversial. Despite being aged 21 at the time she was playing a child of 14-15 years old. A role which involved numerous nude and sex scenes. Including one which is probably best described as a rape scene.
Juno Temple also performed in numerous nude and sex scenes in the 2010 movie; "Kaboom." A small movie centred around Thomas Dekker, who'd just found fame in the "John Connor" in the TV Series; "Terminator: The Sarah Chronicles." It was really just a vehicle for him to announce to the World that he is Gay. Very, very gay.
I essentially ruined Summer Glau's life. By commenting that I was impressed by stillness and movement her performance in Terminator: TSC. This might have been clouded by the stillness and movement being showcased in a non-sexual nude scene.
One scene. Out of two whole seasons. Yet that's where everyone's mind went, apparently.
More recently Juno Temple appeared nude and in sex scenes in the 2020 TV Show; "Little Birds."
I don't want to be scratching around in her head specifically.
However there are some people who are not at all bothered by appearing nude in public. Naturists for example.
The question though is whether actresses like Juno Temple are genuinely not bothered by it?
Or are they being forced to pretend they're not bothered by it. By Harvey Weinstein type characters. As, really little more than children, they try to break into a tough industry in a foreign land?
Really any references to sex and nudity at this year's Oscars weren't asking the usual questions. About what is considered socially acceptable in terms of what can and can't be shown on screen.
Instead they were asking questions in the spirit of the #MeToo movement. About the impact on the people - both men and women - who have to appear in those scenes.
Minari
of course makes the point. That it's entirely possibly to discuss
themes of sex and nudity. Without actually having to show any sex or
nudity.
Tulsa, Oklahoma is the setting for the incredibly well received 2019 TV Show; "Watchmen." It actually makes frequent reference to the musical; "Oklahoma."
It tells of an alternative reality. Where a tyrannical regime rules America through fear and many of Black Lives Matter demands have been met. Such as reparations for slavery, the disarming of the police etc.
It has been embraced by supporters of Black Lives Matter as an aspirational show. Completely missing the warning the British, Welsh, production was trying to send about America's dystopian future.
It is a future where everyone is forced to wear face masks in public, typically gaiter masks. In order to hide their identities.
I watched it during that very stressful period at the end of 2019. Which started feeling really awkward by about the Spring of 2020.
As was discussed at the 2021 Super Bowl. The Yi's migration is one that is being repeated in modern day America.
States like Texas and Georgia have been attracting people from the big Liberal States of California and New York. By offering tax breaks for the normally Hollywood based entertainment industry. The US scenes in Watchmen were actually shot in Georgia. Rather than Oklahoma.
This has become a very hot button issue. With corporations, such as Uber, whose entire business model is built on exploitation and as much slavery they can get away with. Aggressively opposing attempts to eliminate electoral fraud in Georgia.
Obviously putting pressure on the entertainment industry to follow suit. Or face the fire and fury of Black Lives Matter.
One of the questions the Yi's face in setting up their farm. Is whether to employ a water diviner to help them find a water supply.
At around 20:25 on 28/4/21 (UK date) I don't think I'm halfway finished with this one movie yet.
Edited at around 17:10 on 29/4/21 (UK date) to copy & paste;
A diviner is someone who supposedly has a special connection to the five elements of the Wu Xing. So can detect them through some form of extra-sensory perception.
Water diviners are particularly popular
in countries and areas where water is scarce. Such as Australia. It
will probably shock many Democrats to learn that Australia is part of
the Asia-Pacific region.
The reference in Minari seems to be to one diviner in particular. The one featured in the 2014 movie; "The Water Diviner."
This sees an Australian farmer travel to Ottoman Turkey in 1919. To uncover the graves of his three sons. Killed during the Gallipoli campaign.
In Australia and New Zealand the Gallipoli campaign is marked with Australia, New Zealand Army Corp (ANZAC) Day. It falls on April 24th, every year.
The same April 24th as Armenian Genocide Memorial Day. The Armenian Genocide was one of the things the ANZAC's were trying to stop through the Gallipoli campaign.
Although they repelled the Gallipoli campaign defeat in the First World War triggered the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The effects of which are still felt across the Middle-East, North Africa (MENA) region.
Things like the Balfour Declaration. Which was used as a basis for the creation of modern Israel. The Sykes-Picot Line which separates Syria from Iraq. The continued failure to recognise the nation of Kurdistan.
Watershed Management actually plays a surprisingly large role in Minari.
The family decline the services of a diviner yet find water through random chance. Digging a well. However that well runs dry forcing them to shift to different crops - the ever resilient Minari plant. Before relenting and using a diviner to find and dig a new well.
In part this is because the terminology used in watershed management; Dykes, Dams, etc. Sound like and are sometimes used a euphemisms for lesbianism.
Mainly though it is because watershed management is an increasingly important global issue.
For years scientists have been telling us that Greenhouse Gas (ghg) emissions are causing Climate Change.
This Climate Change is causing
water to gather where it is not needed causing flooding. While dragging
water away from where it is needed. Causing drought and desertification. Particularly in California, where the Oscars are based.
Scientists have also been warning us that as water becomes more scarce. Wars will increasingly be fought over it.
After those years of warnings. We are actually now starting to see that happen.
As part of its efforts to annex northern Syria and Iraq. As part of a new Ottoman Empire Turkey has been restricting the flow of the Euphrates River. In order to make the areas downstream unsuitable for farming and therefore uninhabitable.
As if they were, perhaps, directly allied with Turkey. The Nazis who continue to hold far too much sway in Ukraine have been using a similar tactic. Damming man-made canals to block the flow of water to the Russian Crimean Peninsula.
Then there is the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Although its purpose is to provide Ethiopia with hydroelectric power the GERD will significantly restrict the flow of water in the Blue Nile. One of the main tributaries of the Nile River. On which both Sudan and Egypt depend.
This has obviously massively increased tensions between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt. Tensions between Ethiopia and Sudan were already high enough. Due to cross-border clashes between Nomadic farmers over increasingly scarce fertile land.
So the references to watershed management should help draw a division. Between the sort of people you should be listening to. And the sort of people you really don't need to.
It also shows of the skill of the filmmakers. Being able to explore what is quite a dull, technical topic. In the form of an emotionally engaging family drama.
Struggling with childcare on their farm in Arkansas. The Yi's are soon joined by Jacob's mother from South Korea. Soon-ja. Played by Youn Yuh-jung.
Again. I don't think the exact immigration status of the fictional character is ever fully addressed. However the South Korea Soon-ja would have left in 1983 was going through a particularly troubled period.
From 1962 to 1979 South Korea was ruled by the military dictator Park Chung-hee. Father of Park Geun-hye.
In
October 1979 Park Chung-hee's Democratic Republican Party (DRP) were
narrowly defeated in legislative elections. The result was overturned
triggering pro-democracy protests. In an effort to stop the steal.
In events that remain contested Park Chung-hee was then assassinated on October 26th (26/10/79). By one of his bodyguards, within the Presidential compound. Which led to Choi Kyu-hah assuming the Presidency.
In December 1979 Chun Doo-hwan staged a coup d'etat against Choi Kyu-hah. Installing himself as President.
This triggered pro-democracy, student-led protests in Gwangju Province. Chun Doo-hwan sent in the military to crush these protests, centred around the university.
Leading to a two day long massacre. In which over 600 civilians were killed. Earning Chun Doo-hwan the moniker; "The Butcher of Gwangju."
In 2019 Britain tried to muscle in on President Trump's trade war with China. By directing supposedly student-led, pro-democracy protests. Centred around Hong Kong University. They were no doubt trying to draw comparisons to the Gwangju massacre.
Chun Doo-hwan continued as South Korea's President until 1988. A period known as; "The Fifth Republic."
In 1983 Chun Doo-hwan survived a North Korean attempt to assassinate him. In a bombing carried out while he was visiting the city of Rangoon in Myanmar.
That same Myanmar that's been in the news a lot recently. As Britain continues to try to be a player in US-China relations.
Park Chung-hee's 17 year rule saw rapid economic development in South Korea. So rapid that it's electricity generation capacity could not keep up with demand. Forcing the government to impose restrictions on domestic electricity use to prevent blackouts.
However, being a military dictatorship. They didn't just tell people that's what they were doing.
Instead they launched a public safety campaign. Warning people not to leave electric fans on overnight. As the blades could fly off cutting people to shreds as they sleep.
It was a complete and utter lie. However many South Koreans of around Youn Yuh-jung age continue to believe it. Something which has become a massive joke amongst their children and grandchildren.
That anecdote seems rather relevant to the current Covid Restrictions.
For example all the scientific evidence tells us that wearing masks just does not work. It is no more likely to protect you than it is that electric fan blades will fly from their mountings and kill you in the night.
Yet Fauci and Biden seem to be increasing the number of masks people have to wear each day. I think it's somewhere around 10 each now. Frighteningly people are actually still listening to them.
Which suggests the Democrats next spell in power may be measured in decades. Rather than the traditional two and four year, limited terms.
As for social distancing. That's actually the experimental methodology Louis Pasteur used to prove that germs exist.
Soon-ja's arrival also highlights another important issue for the Covid-era. The issue of over-caution and over-medicalisation.
David Yi suffers from some sort of Respiratory Syndrome. Although a Chronic rather than Acute one. This has his Doctors and parents convinced that the outside world is so perilous to his lungs. That he must be kept locked down inside, all day, every day.
Soon-ja's having none of that. Forcing him to work out on the farm with her. Convinced that as soon as his respiratory syndrome is spread far and wide it will sort itself out.
Soon-ja is right. The Doctors are wrong.
As you can probably tell from that Soon-ja's character can be described as; "Overbearing." Along with, possibly; "Mad as a Box of Frogs." She goes through her own medical dramas. Suffering a Stroke leading to symptoms of Dementia.
I once had my own overbearing, mad as a box of frogs paternal grandmother. Who suffered a series of Strokes and displayed apparent symptoms of Dementia. Although, certainly, not in that order.
I assume the South Koreans know all about her. They certainly do in the Songdo district of Incheon City where the UN's Green Climate Fund (GCF) is headquartered. Opened on what would have been her birthday.
Bringing us on to truly the biggest medical mystery of our time;
"What exactly has Britain been smoking? To make it think it's still in with a chance."
At around 17:20 on 29/4/21 (UK date) I'm still not finished.
Edited at around 19:40 on 29/4/21 (UK date) to copy & paste;
As I mentioned. The Yi's plan was to sell their Arkansas grown produce in Texas. However the dry well caused that deal to fall through. Fortunately they find a new buyer while visiting Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma City was, of course, scene of the April 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing. Through the Waylon Jenning's song that connects to the similar bombing in Nashville, Tennessee bombing in December 2020.
Suggesting the Biden and the Democrats should be counting the hours. Not the decades.
This general motif of; "Asians in Texas" references the TV Show; "Young Sheldon." The Texas set spin-off from; "The Big Bang Theory."
The Sheldon Cooper character is best friends with the Tam Nguyen. Part of a family of Vietnamese refugees. Which is somewhat awkward as Sheldon's father, like many South Koreans, served in the Vietnam War. Or as the Nguyen family put it; "The War."
People who work with Quantum Field Theory very much like the Sheldon character and The Big Bang Theory. It brings their lives and their work to a much larger audience.
Helping the Yi's on their farm is the; "Paul" played by Will Patton. An American veteran of the Korean War. When not working on the farm he spends his time toting a full size, wooden Christian Cross along the road.
This references another significant piece of South Korean history. Obviously there was the Korean War which led to the partion of the Korean Peninsula. Which I think most people know about.
What I think fewer people, outside of South Korea, know about is what America did after. They aggressively promoted Christianity, particularly Catholicism, in South Korea. To act as a bulwark against the godless ideology of Korea.
This campaign was so effective that it shifted something as fundamental as people's religion in South Korea. Away from traditional Animist religions.
The campaign included the quasi-Christian Unification Church of Sun Myung Moon. Commonly known as; "The Moonies" this is widely recognised as an exploitative cult.
Speaking of exploitative cults. A founding member of the Nation of Islam was Clarence Smith - an American veteran of the Korean War.
For her portrayal of Yi Soon-ja ,Youn Yuh-jung won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Which put her face everywhere and showcased the famously cheeky Korean sense of humour.
Youn Yuh-jung won the equivalent BAFTA award. Saying in her acceptance speech that it was particularly important to be recognised by the British. As the British are such snobbish people.
Youn Yuh-jung was awarded her Oscar by Brad Pitt. Afterwards a journalist asked her how Brad Pitt smelled. Her response was;
"I don't know. I'm not a dog."
And I have finally finished. With that one movie.
20:05 on 29/4/21 (UK date).
