Seongyong's Private Place

(From the Left) Me, Gerardo, Michael, Omer, Wael, and Grace

Day 4 was for four movies. Due to the lack of sleep, I was in the worst condition, so I didn’t react well to “I Captured the Castle”. But I enjoyed Q & A just like others and I promised myself that I will check this movie again someday even if I can’t write anything about movies for a while. 
 

 Brunch meeting before it was pleasant. People we became familiar with in last three days came(yeah, Vincent, I see you), and, like Gerardo, I became an autograph hunter while constantly eating foods. My mistake was asking Takita for an autograph too early. He left too small space for Roger with his big signature. And I took several photos. Roger came in later and he sat on the sofa and almost everybody was to be received in audience by him. We were all friends here. And I spoilt my chance; I didn’t say much in front of him. I think I’m sort of a mirror person. Tell me first, so I can think about what to say.

Grace and Roger and..... (Photo courtesy of Grace Wang)

After I was disappointed with my body during “I Captured the Castle”, the documentary “Vincent: A Life in Color” came to me like an energizer. I heard about Vincent from Roger’s blog for the first time. I was expecting to see him on the bridges in Chicago. I met him at Cowboy Monkey for the first time. I saw and said hello to him every day of Ebertfest. And he frequently changed his clothes and always made some joke from people’s name(I was one of his victims, you know). And he gracefully did spin move a lot with these colorful suits.

   So, is there anything I haven’t learn about this fascinating man in the documentary? The bad news is, there is nothing new. The good news is, the movie still is a wonderful story of the life force who is almost blind. My eyesight is terribly poor, but that is nothing compared to Vincent’s condition. Because of glaucoma, one of his eyes is completely blind and the sight of the other eye is as small as key hole.

 Despite his condition, Vincent is a confident walker. On bridges, whenever he hears the sound of the tour boat, he spins and takes off and hurls around his jacket. He is an urban legend of Chicago now.  

(Fron the Left) Richard Roeper, Omer, Vincent, Jennifer Burns, and Unidentified Panelist

 Maybe he looks like an weirdo to you. And maybe we will never wholly understand him, let alone his view. Nevertheless, he has led an interesting life and Director Jennifer Burns lets us to know about his life through several interviews of  Vincent himself and people who know him. The result is optimistic portrait of a lovable, intelligent human being who does not much bother about his limit or how people think about him. And we became joyous when the season for Vincent returns to Chicago on the screen. Sadly, I was a little too early.

 During Q & A, Burns told us about the tight budget for her work(she depended on several credit card). Even with dashing Richard Roeper, Vicent stole the show again and Roeper exchanged the suit with him. I also did it the day before. I will check out Vincent’s site. By the way, his helper Barbara introduced me her daughter to me before the showing. She told me later that her daughter also had poor eyesight because of the same reason. She was in a little better condition, and she seemed to be so well-adjusted that I did not recognize it. I was surprised to know that later at the post-fest party.   

  The next movie was James Mottern’s “Trucker”, featuring Michelle Monaghan’s uncompromising performance which should have been Oscar-nominated in this year.  Despite being not as enthusiastic as Roger about this movie(I watched this movie twice in this January), I think this movie is surely deserved to be watched by more people.

  Diane(played by Monaghan) has been leading the life on her own without any problem. She earns her living as a trucker. She is a competent one. She has a house and she recently paid off her own rig. When she isn’t working, she usually hangs around her friend Runner(always-interesting Nathan Fillion). But the change comes in front of her house in one day. Her ex-husband is sick, his wife is busy, so Diane has to take care of her son Peter(Jimmy Bennett) whom she had abandoned a long time ago.

James Mottern and Michelle Monoghan (Photo courtesy of Grace Wang)

This is an uncompromising drama about two lonely, tough souls. We have a pretty much a good idea about the ending, but the movie transports its load in a route far different from what we expect. Diane and Peter never lost their edges while discovering the feeling between them. They have to accept each other, and then need each other. But they never turn into model mother and child; they are still more like a lioness and her wild cub. James Mottern captures the rhythm of daily life while occasionally emphasizing the wideness of Diane’s world. This is Monaghan’s showcase of her talent and, she and Mottern and panelists and audience discussed a lot about her character and how she handled it.

I found Barbet Schroeder’s “Barfly” more simple, straightforward than my thought based on the first viewing on TV in 2003. This time, it became more funnier and moving than before. Based on Charles Bukowski’s screenplay, “Barfly” tells about the endless cycles of two alcoholic characters(played by Mickie Rourke and Faye Danaway) and more. When they meet each other, it was love in the rosy sight and they continue their alcoholic life without trying to be sober at all.

(From the Left) Barbet Schroeder, two unidentified Panelists, and Movshovitz

It sounds depressing, but the movie finds the humor and the heart from this seedy world. There are distinctive supporting characters hanging around bars every day. They are more funny the more I think I about them. I was tired, but the movie is strangely optimistic in alcoholic way and it made feel good, just like any other good movies. I like the movie more than before. I think it’s time for changing my original three-star opinion.

   That was not the end of the day. We went to Betsy Hendrick’s party on her house on Haines Blvd. I met people and lost myself a bit with a cup of gin tonic among them, but I had to leave with others sooner than I thought. It was short, but Betsy provided a relaxing moment before my sleep and I was grateful for her hospitality.

 Delirium continued to reign on Day 3 and another “the lamb to the slaughter” situation started for us early in the morning. After saying goodbye to Michael  Philips at Breakfast room, I went into Pine Lounge on the 1st floor with my friends. Along with them, I was about to participate in panel discussion titled “The Global Web of Film Lovers”. Thanks to Roger’s blessing and Omer’s deft moderation, we went through well and 70 minutes was shorter than I thought. The video clip is available here, but I do not want to kill myself by watching it.   

 What’s the next? After brief lunch, Yojiro Takita’s “Departures” was shown and the response was amazing; I could clear hear audience’s reaction in the dark while deeply moved by the story again. The movie is delicate mixture of humor and drama with affectionate manner. The opening sequence sets the tone. Seriousness and embarrassment are so organically connected that we can’t help but laugh while respecting the situation of the characters.

 Cellist Daigo(Masahiro Motoki) and his wife(Ryoko Hirosue) move back to his hometown after his sudden unemployment. He is unwittingly employed at encoffinment company, and he has to clean and prepare bodies. He is reluctant, but he eventually finds himself as a very good professional in this business. We see several bodies. We see how people deal with the death of loved ones as the part of their life in various ways. And then, something happens, and the following sequences touched hearts of many audience. As the living, characters comes to accept the death as the part of the life just like eating food and so do we.

(From the Left) Michael, The Translator, Yojiro Takita, Grace, and Bordwell

 With cinematography beautifully capturing the change of seasons, lush music by Joe Hisaishi, and good performances by actors, “Departures” was an one of unexpected surprise to me early in last year. I had regretted about missing it in South Korea in 2008, but now I’m happy for having seen it in a big theater like Virginia. Even though the translator was needed, Q & A with Grace, Michael, the director Yojiro Takita was as entertaining as ever with nice catchphrase “I hate myself”. We used it a lot after that. I hate myself.

  What did I see from “A Man with the Movie Camera” with the Alloy Orchestra? Maybe it’s enough to say that I saw a fascinating cinematic experiment from a long time ago. Lots of images from the Soviet Union in the 1920’s flied on the screen with ferociousness fueled by the Alloy Orchestra. this is still dizzy even with our standard. People at that time were probably scared hell out of it and thought this was an insane movie.

(From the Left) Unidentified Panelist, Bordwell, Howie Movshovits, and two members and The Alloy Orchestra

 In the end, I saw the grandfather of all these flashy editing in modern movies. I marveled by its untainted vigor. I was blown away with my mouse hung open. Q & A with two members of the alloy Orchestra and Bordwell and Howie Movshovitz informed us a lot about the background behind the movie and, they also explained how they composed and played the music. They will probably play for “Metropolis” in next year. I hope they will take care of the volume problem. I had to stuff the tissue into my left ear as the buffer because the left speaker was too loud.

 Because “Synecdoche, New York” means especially special to Roger, I decided to sit near Roger along with Gerardo and Monica like the night before for “Apocalypse Now – Redux”. Some parts were clear to me and other parts were not so clear to me at first watching in South Korea in early 2009. But with the second watching, I needed some reorganization. Some of things I thought as clear as blue sky called for questions. Some of things I didn’t get it at first became more clear this time. And there were still other things I cannot explain well. Why did he constantly take care of his ex-wife house while distant from her?

Roger's Seat

 “Synecdoche, New York” is a depressing movie because it is about the life. Life is full of sadness and regrets and diseases. We try to control it like the director controls his play on the stage. We ultimately fail and become an instructed actor instead because of inevitable end. That’s a gloomy message, but Kauffman, in unconventionally moving way, reminds us that we’re not the only one who has to face that truth. And he intrigues us with a clever labyrinth of the life of one man, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman.

  Or is he just one man? The movie is full of character development, character exchange, and character transfiguration(The last part is perfectly embodied by Dianne Wiest). Kaden may be not so different from H.C.E. of “Finnegans Wake”, the book I will probably never understand. They say H.C.E. is Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker, but it is also “Here Comes Everybody”. The movie is truly synecdoche itself, where time and space and people co-exist while being twisted and overlapped.

(From the Left) Michael Barker, Nell Minow, two unidenfied Panelist, and Charile Kauffman

 At Q & A, Charlie Kauffman and others talked about the production and other things. Michael Barker, co-president of Sony Picture Classics that distributed it, was generous to me during mid-fest party later. He told me about new Woody Allen movie set to be released this year. As a long time fan of Woody Allen, I came to have some expectation for it.

  In case of mid-fest party, I lost my way mistaking other guy for Omer. Fortunately, I was rescued by Roger and Chaz. While waiting for Chaz, I had to spend some minutes with Millie on the back seats, and Roger on the front seat.

 It was a dark and chilly night with no light in the car….. I could not say anything because I waited for somebody to say something…. But Millie was quiet…. And Roger coule not, of course…. I could hear Roger moisturize his mouth…. and I hear his quiet breath…. what do I have to say?…. What time it is?…. Was that the sound of scribbling on the note?…. what will he say?…..  Finally Chaz saved me from this difficult situation and she drove me to the party place. Ma’am, I owed you a lot. I’m still immature about being with people.

 Kauffman was there. Vincent was there. And Wael Kairy from Cairo was there. What a surprise! He made it! Before Ebertfest, I had just casually watched the news about Icelandic volcano, and then it suddenly came to mind during pizza party that Wael would have to cross the Atlantic Ocean(In case of Ali, he came to US earlier). We all welcomed him and he had a meaningful conversation with Kauffman midst of noises. Meanwhile, some freelancer reporter approached me and I told her everything I could tell her. After that, I got out of the place and came back to Illini Union for sleep.

(From the Left) Carol Iwata, Omar, Grace, Tom Dark(bottom), Omer, Wael, and Me (Photo courtesy of Grace Wang)

 I was afraid of Day 2 because I would be on the stage as one of panelists for the first movie of that day, “Munyurangabo”, directed by Issac Chung, Korean-American director from Arkansas. The morning started very comfortably like the last meal before the execution. We met Roger and Chaz again in General Lounge on the 2nd floor of Illini Union, and we also had the chance to meet other people including Troylene Ladner, Carol, Randy Master, Michael Phillips, Vincent(he changed the clothe again… how many suits did he bring here?), and members of Ebert clubs. One of them, Sean, brought DVD of TV series “Firefly” for Roger, but Carol told me that Roger rarely watched DVDs brought by others with few exceptions. It’s like a lottery, I guess.

  The mood became more warm with Mr. and Mrs. Valero’s present to Roger. It was the illustration of young Roger and his father based on the photo and it was drawn by Mrs. Valero. In addition, a three-month-old baby conceived during Ebertfest in last year was greeted by many of us. Meanwhile, the local newspaper reporter approached us and I emphasized that I’m “definitely amateur”. I’m a still a child compared to others.

(From the Left) Gerardo, Roger holding the picture, Chaz, and Monica

 I wondered whether people thought like that during the discussion panel on “Munyurangabo”, which was simple but deeply moving film about two boys in Rwanda. Issac Chung, a Korean-American director, made this movie as the part of education for local students when he taught movies in Rwanda. It was shot in two weeks(one actor had to be replaced after 4 days) and some technical limitations can be glimpsed, but the movie has a quiet, meditative power that clearly proves Chung’s talent.
 
 With machete at the opening sequence, the tension is slowly built while we are getting to know about two boys, Sangwa(Eric Ndorunkundiye) and Ngabo(Jeff Rutagengwa). We don’t know the difference, but local people can tell it even if it does not come out of the mouth. When they drop by Sangwa’s home, Sangwa’s father asked his son about that later. Sangwa has to make a choice and so does Ngabo. The movie does not make a speech, but we clearly begin to see the painful past of this country through their story with natural, documentary-like depiction of rural area. And all about Rwanda is compressed into a sudden appearance of passionate poem near the end. It is the showstopper of the movie(I don’t know whether that word is appropriate for this quiet movie).      

(From the Left) Unidentified panelist, Issac Chung, Samuel Anderson, Jenny Lund, Omar, and Me

 Yesterday, I checked the website and Q & A clip for “Munyurangabo” was only 4:30 without any sound. Therefore, I could not confirm how bad I had been. I only made two remarks, and Issac Chung, co-producer and co-writer Samuel Anderson, co-producer Jenny Lund and Omar took the helm.  I have to admit that I was too passive. The catastrophe didn’t happen. We discussed about possible homosexual relationship between two boys(no, no, it’s more close to bromance). Issac said the men from Korean culture were shy of physical touching and I responded with body language and everyone laughed.
 
   Sweet ordeal was over thanks to others’ support, and we moved to the next movie, Michael Tolkin’s “The New Age”. It’s about a Yuppie couple, Peter and Katherine, who loses their job along with their social positions and tries to search for new haven through these new age stuffs. To outsiders like me, they are alien and distant materials I could not care much. Plus, main characters are unlikable and hallow.

 But in case of their situation, I understood it well just like other American audience. Having seen so many desperate SOSs from the buildings of Chicago, I knew well that real estate business was screwed thanks to these greedy banks. At one point, Katherine explained about the situation and everyone cheered and clapped. The exactly same thing is happening around US with bigger scale.

(From the Left) Jim Emerson, Unidentified Panelist, Michael Tolkin, and Elvis Mitchell

 Overall, it’s a little boring but engaging enough to be recommended. Peter Weller and Judy Davis has already played another hollow couple in David Cronenberg’s “Naked Lunch”, and their chemistry in this movie is, again, impeccable. Maybe Peter and Katherine are unlikeable, but they are witty and serious. They are open about their relationship. They are not suddenly mad about that even when they are in deep trouble. There are funny performances from Samuel L. Jackson and Patrick Bauchau, and people loved that.

Monica, Gerardo, and Emerson

 The Dinner place was Green Room of Spring Cultural Center, one block north of Virginia Theater. I met Jim Emerson(his tatoo on the right wrist was immediately linked to some tattoo removal ad in Ebertfest leaflet in my head) and had some talk with him about his website while walking to the building. During dinner, I briefly talked with Issac Chung as an immature critic and a gifted director. We both made our parents disappointed by getting interested in movies. 

Roger & Barbet Schroeder

Barbet Schroeder, the director of “Barfly”, luckily came across the Atlantic Ocean despite unfortunate volcano ash. And Charlie Kauffman was there, too. I’ll never forget Schroeder for giving me a wrong clue about the name of the movie he could not remember. I pointed out to him that it is “Basic Instinct”, not “Fatal Attraction”, that was made by the director who made that awful film about Las Vegas.

 Charlie Kauffman was far different from Charlie or Donald of “Adaptation”. He patiently listened to my thoughts about his masterpiece(“Synecdoche, New York) as well as the reactions from Korean reviewers when the movie was released in this January. Then we talked about the books by Joseph Heller and Patricia Highsmith and others. I tried to explain him how Beckett’s “Endgame” reminded me of “Synecdoche, New York”.

(From the Left) Ali, Phillips, Unidenfied Panelist, Bordwell

 As usual, the time went fast, and it was the time for “Apocalypse Now – Redux”. “Apocalypse Wow” can be a good title for this gigantic movie. I watched this version in 2001 at local theater before, I felt it was a little too long. We all agreed with that after watching it. We can live without those two main additional sequences. I think Coppola added legs to the snake on the great painting.

 Fortunately, the canvas is large enough to forgive that. And we know well that how excruciating it was for Coppola and his crews to make this masterpiece. In this ambitious movie, there are many striking sequences besides the one of the great sequences in the movie history. This time, the bridge sequence came to me the most closely. It embodies the title of the movie. It looks like a crazy carnival with lots of lights and smokes and explosions. Remember, the movie was made before the era of CGI.

 We were exhausted but enlivened by following Q & A with David Bordwell, Ali, and Michael Philips. Our night was ended with another visit to Stake ‘N Shake, and I was delighted to meet people younger me, who may be more passionate than us. I had an interesting discussion on “A Clockwork Orange” with a 15-year-boy named Jackson. I later found that he could drive a car. I still can’t drive a car.

 The madness began in the afternoon on the next day. At first, it seemed to be easy when I woke up in the morning. I had a simple breakfast on the third floor, checked my e-mail, and learned Michael suggested the lunch at that famous Steak ‘N shake. I cut my hair(There is a barbershop on Green Street. I gave it a try but $19 was too much considering the result), bought some sportswear only with $10, and waited for others at the lobby. That was where I met Ali Arikan from Istanbul, Turkey. I heard from Carol a lot about his brutal rampage on Chicago restaurant business in previous week. You will believe in his conquest as much as you believe in Santa Claus. You will instinctively know he’s capable of that as soon as you see him. He’s the man of relentless metabolism; and also relentlessly smooth and charming talker. Like Jim Emerson said, you can sing about him like that; “Prince Ali, “….. wait, what was after that? That is the one of the reasons I cannot sing well.

 Around PM 1:00, We(Gerardo and Monica, Michael, Ali, and me) finally appreciated the family restaurant chain where Roger sang a long odd for it in his blog last year. We the juries found that Steak ‘N Shake is incredibly guilty for that. With just $10(including tip and tax), I was served with delicious double steakburger with bacon and cheese, a big glass of mint chocolate milkshake, and big, crisp onions rings. As a foreigner who had been abused with those small, tasteless ones by Burger King and other fast food chains in my country, this was sort of salvation. This supersize treat was still not healthy for you body, but you can make some exception with Steak ‘N Shake.

Roger And Chaz

 The passage of the time was accelerated more. Remaining time had been quickly evaporated and it was around PM 5:00, time for the Opening gala at President’s House on W. Florida St. I met homely Omer first, and then other far-flung foreign correspondents appeared before my eyes. Tom Dark, one of regular commenters in Roger’s blog, was platonically infatuated with Grace Wang. They would have talked for a long time if not for “Pink Floyd The Wall” at PM 7:30. Omar Moore, whose review for “Malcolm X” had been just posted on our website, was quite a rambunctious guy with a big camera(In case of photography, as in “Blow Up”, the size does matter). He was kind and likeable as much as any other foreign correspondents.

(From Left) Omar, Gerardo, Michael, David Bordwell, Me, and Omer

 After several opening speeches, we were introduced by Chaz one by one, and so were other well-known guests like Charlie Kauffman, Issac Chung, Michael Tolkin, the director of “The New Age”, and, of course, Vincent. He changed his clothes again and we would see he would be consistently colorful in next days.

 My brain was busy with names of people and what was said, my stomach was busy with finding a substitute dinner at that place, and my hand was busy with camera. The ceremony was quickly over and we moved to the Virginia theater, which would be the center of our collective dream for 5 days. 

 First movie was Alan Parker’s “Pink Floyd the Wall”, one of recent additions to Roger Ebert’s Great movies. I have seen it with pan-and-scan VHS once in 2000, so it was quite refreshing to watch it on the big screen of Virginia theater. The movie is virtually a long music video of manic depression, and you can’t help but be rivetted by its power from the mix of music and images. It constantly grabs us with memorable moments; grotesque animations including a violent struggle between two flowers(male and female), young students put into the meat grinder one by one in line, few drops of blood on the soapy water during shaving of all hair body by the protagonist named Pink(Bob Geldof). I told Michael Mirasol that “Across the Universe”, a Beatles music video movie filled with equally striking images plus lots of optimism, would make a good double feature show with this movie.

Ali Arikan, Tom Dark, and Christy Lemire

  Roy Andersson’s “You, the Living” is other good alternative. People in the movie are depressing, but we all found 50 vignettes in the movie absolutely hilarious. When I watched it first, I found this weird cross between Tati(“Playtime”) and Bunuel(“The Phantom of Liberty”) very funny. This time, I discovered something new. The theater was shaken with laughter from audience including us. Roger made a right choice; this is the movie that deserved to be seen by people as many as possible. Within 30 minutes, we all got out of the depression caused by Pink Floyd and pleasant Q & A with Michael Phillips, Elvis Mitchell, Gerardo, and Roger.   followed after the end credit. I’m not good at throwing questions, so I just sat and observe others like when I was at Steppenwolf theater. Audience discussed and asked about it. If you had looked at me closely, you would have been read my thought: “Hmmmm…. Why didn’t I think of that?” The show of that day was over, and we all had a good time.

(From the left) Roger, Gerardo, Unidenfied panelist, Elvis Mitchell and Micheal Phillips

Virgina Theater (Urbana-Champaign, IL)

Maybe I tried to do too much. I tried to enjoy everything from both Chicago and Ebertfest. That was sometimes too much to handle. After being on high by sheer energy of Chicago for two weeks, my brain was immediately challenged by another huge wave of the stimulation from Urbana-Champaign. It was comfortable, but Ebertfest was far busier than I had thought and, again, I was at a loss several times during the festival. Without the help of people I met during the festival, I could have wasted lots of these precious moments of my life. Again, I‘m deeply grateful for their generosity toward an outsider who did not have even a cell phone.

  On April the 20th, I woke up early for AM 7:11 Metra train. My original plan was going to Urbana-Champaign on Wednesday morning. However, after informed by Mrs. Ebert(Chaz) about the pizza party on Tuesday, I quickly changed my Amtrak ticket in previous week and notified Carol Iwata, Roger’s personal assistant, about the change in the schedule. The modification in my itinerary followed thanks to Mary Susan Britt. All that needed was not being late for Illini Train at AM 8:15 on my part, so it was very important not to miss AM 7:11 Metra train in Des Plaines.   

 After confirming that I did not overlook anything, I walked out the apartment building with the suitcase from the landlady(My suitcase was too big for this trip) on Tuesday morning. Metra train arrived at the station according to the timetable and I became less tense after getting on board.

The Stairs of Union Station

 I spent some free time at Union station while photographing its grandeur. Anyone familiar with Brian DePalma’s “The Untouchables” will recognize that stair when you pass into the front entrance of Union Station. However, there are two same stairs in Union building, and I wondered about which stair they recreated in the movie.

 Between these two stairs, there is the gateway to platforms for Amtrak and the atmosphere is turned into something more contemporary. I held out ticket and passport, went through without problem, and sat comfortable into the seat few minutes later. The train began to move, and I saw my last sight of Chicago in daylight through the window. And then vast, endless plain was unfolded before my eyes.

  I learned another thing about US; Amtrak is not so punctual. After arriving in Urbana-Champaign about 45 minutes late, Carol and Mary Susan took me to Illini Union. I was given a quiet, clean room with twin beds, and the gift basket and goodies followed. My head had no idea about how to handle all these luxuries because I had never been treated like that before. The Gift Basket said, “You’re a Star!”. Well, 15 minutes would be extended to 5 days.

  There were few hours left for pizza party at Cowboy Monkey, I decided to look around the University of Illinois during afternoon. Sometimes I came across Koreans during previous two weeks, but I could hear Korean far more often than before and I even found the ads in Korean on the board. On the last day of Ebertfest, one of the volunteers, a middle-aged man, told me he had learned Korean and said goodbye to me in Korean. Maybe I can move to this place if there is a right spot for me, but that’s too much idealistic imagination to me.

 While my far-flung correspondent fellow Michael Mirasol from Philippine had a hell of time at the campus thanks to his host, I just wandered alone around the campus for getting accustomed to the environment. With Green Street and Union Illini as the center, I tried to make the basic map of this area in my head step by step while looking for anything worthy of my camera. I saw churches, laboratory buildings, the houses for students, and the commercial area depended on them. And I spotted one plastic bag on the road. Inspired by that Ramin Bahrani’s short film, I volunteered to be its master, but some security guard became its master. 
 
 When the time for pizza party came, I met my host Blake Stubbs. We had not talked much with each other after that day. However, Blake and I had a nice conversation about Korean movies while he drove me to the meeting place. He is a big fan of Korean films, and I told him about recent Korean movies of this year that seem to show the end of our prime. He said he liked Park Chan-Wook’s movies, and I told him that Park Chan-Wook hated Roger’s negative review for “Dead Man”. In his review, he liked almost everything Roger hated. Blake kept talking and I was busy with responding to him. I loved it.

Roger and Chaz

 Many people had already come to Cowboy Monkey and pizzas were ready. Before 5 minutes were passed by, I came across Michael, and then met Gerardo Valero and his lovely wife Monica from Mexio City. This was the first time we had a real conversation and I became busy with responding while my topic were only Chicago and movies. And then, Roger(with Chaz and his nurse Milly as usual) came. The eyes of everyone were immediately focused on him and we were with him.

 Everything after that is in blurred state in my memory. I remember TV reporter came to this place and had a interview with him. I learned later that she was not a just local reporter but a major one. And Vincent P. Falk, that unforgettably colorful guy, stands out in my blurred memory. He made a sneak attack with a funny joke by saying “Seongyong can Sing!”. No, No, No, Vincent. I and Vincent got along well with each other. We had a good ride together back to Illini Union, and he constantly made that famous spin move whenever he got the chance and that brought me a smile everytime. That was just start and I would see him everyday.

(from the left) Vincent, Me, Michael, Chaz, Gerardo & Monica