BEST WRITTEN TV SERIES

101

BEST WRITTEN 

ENGLISH-LANGUAGE
(meaning eliminating most of the world)
TV SERIES 

OF ALL TIME
(meaning 60 years)

Chosen by WGA Members 

[Writers' Guild of America],

the professional association 

which every film/television writer joins 

(voted by internet, 6/13).....

Some great series were left out, 

but (as writer/director/teacher)

I agree with 95% of these choices. 

Every film and television student and writer 

should watch ALL of these. 

Really!

DARKENED SCREEN

ROGER EBERT...the passionate, sensitive writer who inspired an army of young film directors to care about cinema as art, and have the courage to make their own personal creative films, has died of cancer. He leaves a gigantic unfillable hole in non-academic serious film criticism, cinema history, and critical awareness....Roger did not inspire me to direct films - Kurosawa, Bergman, and Fellini did - and I didn't always agree with his critical opinions (who cares), but Roger was the eyes and perception that kept me making films, despite the socializing politics and cold greed of Hollywood. Every director I ever talked with, from English-speaking countries, all cited Roger as their "guiding light". He was especially caring of film students and first-time directors who had talent but had no network of support. Now we all must continue to struggle forward, without a kind mentor, but with his powerful spirit by our side.

TO OUR GRADUATES

Life, as told by Lee Ang

DESERVED FILM AWARDS

Taiwan gave out awards for best student scripts and films....

Taiwan has some of the most creative filmmakers, who all need much more support from the government, society, and Taiwanese audiences.

CONGRATULATIONS,  MICHAEL WU CHIA-HSU !

http://blog.sina.com.tw/movieseeds/article.php?pbgid=122285&entryid=628764

BYE BYE

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR & HAPPY TET

GONG XI FA CAI - 恭禧發財 - CHUC NUNG NAM MOI  !

I just spent a wonderful, difficult, challenging, magical, moving five months in Taiwan, teaching again. ....My TNUA graduate and undergraduate film and theatre students have made this semester happy and meaningful for me, even when they peacefully sleep in class, dreaming of girlfriends and boyfriends! I've given them the chance to practice English, and they've given me a chance to speak English. Almost fair.

We talked about creative passion, real and imaginary artistic blocks, fear of failure and losing face, taking risks in filmmaking and life, interesting and clear unique storytelling, communicating with an audience of over 2, impoverished International art cinema vs. greedy Hollywood entertainment, personal taste and critical judgement, learning from films you hate, and, most important, the best restaurants.

I will deeply miss Taiwan and Taiwanese lovers, friends, students, teachers, and MRT (best in the world), but not Taiwan politics and bureaucracy. As famous General Douglas MacArthur said, "I shall return!" (But he was fired.)

Have the warmest, most intimate, loving, kind new year 2013 with your family, friends, and cute snakes!

Ron

GOODBYE....2010, 2013

This letter was written in 2010, when I decided to resign my teaching positions and return to live in America. I had been living and working in Taiwan for 11 years then, since 1999. After I left, I returned briefly to teach in 2011, and now returned again for 6 months, September 2012 - February 28, 2013…..Re-reading the original letter, it still reflects my true deep feelings, so this time I want to share it on my new blog and Facebook page. I will leave Taiwan again on 228, and expect to always return.

A VERY PERSONAL GOODBYE, FOR NOW . . . . .

一封私密的暫別信

Dear Friends,

親愛的朋友們：

I am leaving Taiwan on 31 July 2010, and going back to America, after 11 years

of living and teaching here. This truly was the most meaningful period in my life.

Taiwan has changed me forever, in only good ways.

我在台灣定居的教學生涯已經有十一年，七月三十一號，我即將告別台灣回到美國。

這段時光絕對是我人生中最有意義的一段，台灣改變了我的一生，而且都是正面的轉變。

                                       

Teaching and living in Taiwan has re-opened my creativity, heart, intellect,

and passion, after a decade of mourning in America. Taiwan, literally, has been

a rebirth, and I have become a better, more caring (hu)man.

在美國經歷了十年的低潮後，我來到台灣定居教學，台灣重啟我的智慧和創意，

更點燃我的熱情和真心。不容諱言地，台灣是我的重生之地，讓我不只變得更好，

也更會關懷他人。

KUANDU MUSEUM OF FINE ART

KoMoFA (on the TNUA Campus, 1, Hsueh-Yuan Rd., Guandu, Beitou) has world-class artists, often better quality shows than the more famous (and better-funded) downtown Taipei museums.  The previous show had a few of the best modern work I've seen in America, Europe, or Asia.

The current show, "Post-Loyalist of Doomsdayism," well-curated by Huang Wan-Hsuan, is equally wonderful.....

THE WINDLESS DOMAIN – DANCES

THE WINDLESS DOMAIN – DANCES (12/1/13) was powerfully expressive, world-class, physical, emotional, spiritual art…. Complex, controlled, and elegant “No Name” flowed as smoothly as a great Jackson Pollack painting. Seven dancers courageously reached the brilliance of Yang Ming-Lung’s intricate, intimate choreography. (Leung Kim-Fung, Chen Yi-Han, Seu Tu Ming-Hsuen, Wu Jyun-Jhe, Chen Liang Fen, Lee Yi Qi, Yeh Yun)….“Awakening in a Dream,” choreographed by Mui Cheuk-Yin, visualized the elegance, pain and passion of Pai Hsien-yung. ….Superb Hong Kong dancer/choreographer Leung Kim-Fung transformed the cool brilliance of Bach into Asian passion with inspired movements and sequences….Three recent Taipei National University of the Arts (Taiwan)  student presentations in theatre (Fassbinder), performance art (creative director Lin Chin-Hua and 9 others from the Film and Theatre Departments), and The Windless Domain (from the transcendent Dance Department), prove that brilliant, unique, high professional-level work can be done in a university. Personal vision and extraordinary commitment are required.

SIZZLING PERFORMANCE ART

One of the most sensual, non-sexual performance pieces in memory, barrier-breaking in Taiwan….8 men, 1 woman, wrapped only in white towels and clear plastic. Confronting the 11-degree bitter night air for one hour, on the windy mountain overlooking Taipei. Confronting Asian cultural prohibitions against nakedness. Confronting the stares of 100 young happily horny and/or love-hungry men and women fantasizing about their (beautiful) bodies.

TNUA