(The strains of Die Zauberflöte on the boom box next to him are another residue of origins: the film was financed as part of the Mozart-celebrating New Crowned Hope project.) Soon, however, Hsiao-kang reappears, sporting a grubby grow-out of the carefully clipped facial hair he sported in his former life as a porn star in Tsai’s previous film. When first seen, bald as a watermelon from The Wayward Cloud, Tsai’s pornographic 2005 anti-porn musical, he lies comatose in a hospital bed. Like most movie homecomings, this one is a decidedly emotional affair-a reunion so violently torn between joy and revulsion that the character of Hsiao-kang, the director’s recurrent alter ego (embodied as ever by Tsai’s constant muse, Lee Kang-sheng), has himself been torn in two. And so with modern Malaysian cinema so stuck on Tsai, how timely it is that this prodigal son should at last come home with I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone, his latest meditation on fecal urban anomie and feverish “happy endings,” set among the slummiest side-streets and half-finished architectural skeletons of Malaysia’s monsoon-moist first city, Kuala Lumpur. And second, that Tsai is, in fact, like Lee, a native Malaysian himself-and a crucial favorite of many of that country’s current, politically contentious cinephiles. First, that Lee meant his conflation of the sex-istential longueurs of Taiwan’s second-most-celebrated contemporary filmmaker’s body of work and Trey Parker’s anti-American puppet-prop as an altogether knowing compliment. In order to appreciate Lee’s peculiarly incisive observation, two things need explaining. The important thing is to be kind to yourself and know that it's okay to take some time to figure out what works for you.Sometimes accused of making films like Tsai Ming-liang, James Lee, one of the leading figures in Malaysia’s independent filmmaking explosion, once told me that Team America: World Police reminded him of Tsai-and in particular, the scene in which an angst-stricken animatronic pretty boy spews copious amounts of vomit in an alley behind a dingy bar. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one approach that can be really helpful. If all else fails, consider talking to someone: If your sleep anxiety is seriously interfering with your life, you might want to talk to a professional. Experiment a little and see what helps you feel more zen. Watch what you eat and drink: Stay away from caffeine and alcohol for a few hours before bedtime, as they can disrupt your sleep.įind some relaxation techniques that work for you: Maybe it's meditation, deep breathing, or just stretching. If you must look at a screen, turn on the blue light filter or wear some cool glasses that block the blue light. Give your eyes a break: Try to avoid screens for at least an hour before bedtime. Invest in some cozy bedding and make sure your mattress is comfy. Make your bedroom a sanctuary: Keep it cool, dark, and quiet. The idea is to signal to your brain that it's time to start shutting down. Here are some things you could try:Įstablish a chill bedtime routine: Do things that help you unwind before bed, like reading, taking a bath, or doing some gentle yoga. That's tough, and it's totally understandable to feel anxious about not getting enough sleep. It sounds like you're having a tough time getting yourself to hit the hay, even though you know you should.
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