Isn’t it amazing how failures can often lead to unexpected successes? Those missteps frequently have a way of opening meaningful doors, even if it doesn’t seem that way at the time they occur. But how readily aware are we that such developments can occur?
We’ve all no doubt heard about the proverbial molehill unwittingly being made into a mountain. The inconsequential somehow manages to become overly (and unnecessarily) inflated, taking on undeserved significance. This usually comes about as a result of undue attention paid to it by those who have self-serving agendas that they want to see escalated and addressed to resolve petty or trumped-up grievances. And the result is a chaotic maelstrom characterized by overhyped shrieking and misplaced ridicule, often directed at the wrong parties or the wrong issues.
In the wake of the recent 50th anniversary of the 1973 Chilean coup d’etat that resulted in the overthrow of democratically elected President Salvador Allende, an effort led by the country’s military and backed by the US government, a number of film projects (both documentary and narrative features) have been released looking back on this event. These projects have taken a variety of forms, and one of the most unusual (and creative) among them has been a production that takes a metaphorical and wickedly satirical look at the life of Allende’s successor, dictator Augusto Pinochet (1915-2006), portraying him in a surreal but fitting milieu, as seen in the hilarious but insightful allegorical biography, “El Conde” (“The Count”).
“Lucky Grandma” (2019 production, 2020 release). Cast: Tsai Chin, Corey Ha, Michael Tow, Woody Fu, Yan Xi, Wai Ching Ho, Eddie Yu, Ali Ahn, Mason Yam, Emma Ming Hong, John Tan, Zilong Zee, Lyman Chen, Arden Wolfe, He Jun Miao. Director: Sasie Sealy. Screenplay: Angela Cheng and Sasie Sealy. Web site. Trailer. Turning away from a good thing can be hard to do. The seductive nature of good fortune can be difficult to back away from, especially once we’ve had a taste of it. But over-imbibing can have its drawbacks, sometimes more dire than anticipated, leading to all kinds of unpleasant consequences. Such is the case for a lucky streak run amok in the raucous new Chinese-American comedy, “Lucky Grandma.” [...]
