10 years ago i went to go see a gay movie. my friend walter and i were hanging out in kansas city one night and decided to go see the 'gay' movie that was playing at the tivoli--the art house-- where 'little' movies played. it was called The Wedding Banquet by a little known, new director named Ang Lee. i left the moviehouse in love-- in love with the movie, in love with the gay stars of the movie, in love with everything. at that time i really knew nothing of chinese or chinese-american culture and so seeing this 'gay' movie brought me into a whole new world of asian culture. i wanted to grow up and marry wai-tung (even though now when i watch the movie i think he's a big jerk), but i digress...

tonight i went to a very special screening of the movie for it's tenth anniversary, and lo and behold the two stars were there in attendance-- winston chao and mitchell lichtenstein. time really does move on and they have moved on with their individual lives, but it's interesting to see them in person, at this anniversary viewing, and recognizing what am impact that 'little' movie made upon me and others over the years. at times the movie dates itself, both in its social references and in references to gay life, but it's story still resonates.

i'm not a star-watcher and so i didn't try to get autographs of the stars or anything. but i did get up close and look at them in person. these two men meant a lot to me back when, and here they are ten years older, in other lives, in their real lives, and here i am, in another place and time in my life. ten years ago i would never have expected where i am or how i would be, or the fact that i would be watching this movie again at this special screening with its stars. life is like that. it throws you curves, but sometimes circles back, always seeming to follow a theme. maybe it's my own theme, maybe i'm out in front of it, but sometimes i can't help but think that life is leading me in specific directions. i wonder if i'll see this movie again in ten years, and i wonder where i'll be then