Michael Chugani 褚簡寧 - movie buffs|又中又英

It’s been ages since I saw a movie on the big screen. The word “ages” used this way means a very long time. The slang expression “the big screen” means the movies. It describes movies shown in cinemas, not on TV. Movie buffs agree the only way to enjoy movies, especially action-packed movies, is on the big screen. A movie buff is a movie expert. An action-packed movie is a movie full of exciting scenes that keep audiences on the edge of their seats. If audiences are on the edge of their seats, it means they are very excited and paying full attention to the movie.

The big screen was impossible for me during the pandemic, both when I was in Hong Kong and when I returned to the US. Hong Kong’s cinemas were closed but I avoided the big screen in Hong Kong anyway because audiences were always talking. Cinemas in the US were closed when the pandemic started but gradually re-opened when I returned last August. I still avoided going because many people were still being infected and booster shots were not yet available. I have now taken two booster shots. A week ago I decided to go to the big screen for the first time in ages. I went to see Top Gun: Maverick on an IMAX screen. Movie buffs agree the only way to fully enjoy Top Gun: Maverick is on the big screen.

Tom Cruise, the movie’s main star, had refused to stream Top Gun: Maverick on TV even when cinemas were closed during the pandemic. He waited for cinemas to re-open so audiences could enjoy the movie on the big screen. After seeing Top Gun: Maverick on IMAX, I knew exciting dog fight scenes with F-18 fighter jets would be meaningless on TV. The expression “dog fight” used this way means close combat in the sky between fighter jets. The word “maverick” describes a person who behaves differently and independently from the usual way. Top Gun: Maverick kept me on the edge of my seat.
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我對上一次在大銀幕(the big screen)上看電影,已經是許久之前(ages)的事了。Ages在這裏是指很長一段時間。俚語「the big screen」是指電影,它是形容在戲院上映而非在電視上播放的電影。電影發燒友(movie buffs)認為,唯一能真正享受電影的地方就是戲院的大銀幕(the big screen),尤其是那些動感十足的(action-packed)電影。A movie buff就是專業影迷。An action-packed movie就是充滿刺激場面的電影,令觀眾長期「坐在座位邊兒上」——若觀眾都是on the edge of their seats,意即電影引人入勝,令人緊張興奮,全情投入專注看電影。

我在疫情期間要到戲院大銀幕(the big screen)看戲是不可能的,不論在香港還是回到美國之後。香港的戲院關閉,但我也避免到香港的戲院大銀幕(the big screen)看戲,因為觀眾總是在交談。疫情之初,美國的戲院也關閉了,但當我上年八月回到美國時,戲院亦已逐漸重開。可我仍避免去戲院,因為人們仍然受到感染,而當時還未有疫苗加強針。現在我已打了兩支加強針。一星期前,我終於在過了那麼久(ages)以後,第一次到戲院大銀幕(the big screen)看電影。我去了IMAX影院看《壯志凌雲:獨行俠(Maverick)》。影迷(movie buffs)一致認為,唯一能完全享受《壯志凌雲:獨行俠(Maverick)》的就是在大銀幕(the big screen)之上。

即使疫情期間戲院都關閉了,電影的主演湯告魯斯卻仍拒絕讓《壯志凌雲:獨行俠(Maverick)》在電視串流平台播放。他等待戲院重開,好讓觀眾能在大銀幕(the big screen)上觀賞電影。在IMAX影院看過《壯志凌雲:獨行俠(Maverick)》之後,我知道那些F-18戰鬥機在空中激戰(dog fight)令人熱血沸騰的場面,在電視上都會變得毫無意義。習語「dog fight」在這裏是指戰機在空中埋身纏鬥。Maverick一字是用來形容特立獨行、不按常規辦事的人。《壯志凌雲:獨行俠(Maverick)》 令我如坐針氈(on the edge of my seat),看得甚是緊張投入。
中譯:七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧
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