FADE IN
Act 1
INT. BEDROOM - 09:00
Morning light filters through the curtains. Waking up, PETER checks the time.
PETER (V.O): Have I adapted to waking up at 9am?
Peter takes a look of his sleeping WIFE.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): My wife talked about watching a martinee today. It'll be her first experience.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Over 10 years ago, I watched a few martinees and stopped.
We hear a10:30pm alarm. Peter's wife wakes up.
PETER: Are we watching a martinee today?
WIFE: Yes.
They get dressed.
Act 2
INT. CINEMA - 11:25
Ticket booth. An ATTENDANT serves Peter and his wife.
WIFE: Two tickets for the martinee.
Peter shows the attendant his senior citizen card.
PETER: Is there a senior citizen rate?
ATTENDANT: Absolutely! $25...one ticket?
WIFE: Actually, two.
Peter's wife pays with her JoyYou card.
PETER (V.O): My wife is, and looks, much younger than me.
ATTENDANT: It's time to go to the screening room now.
Screening room. Peter finds their seats.
PETER (V.O): Oh, a couple has taken ours.
Peter looks around and sees no attendant. He shows the MAN his G14 seat ticket.
PETER: Is your seat G14?
MAN: Yes...
Then, WOMAN#1 interrupts: No... ours should be 5 or 6...As they surrender the seats, Peter's wife joins him.
PETER: I'm surprised that they just sit casually...
Soon, the screen lights up with vibrant Hollywood trailers. WOMAN#2, who is sitting next to Peter, suddenly leans over, showing him her ticket.
WOMAN#2: Is this the right screening room? I thought I was here to see a Hong Kong movie!
PETER: I think it is, but they often show the traillers first.
Women#2 looks slightly relieved but is still uncertain.
PETER (V.O): If this is her first time in a cinema, the feature movie's marketing is very successful.
The feature film begins and ends after 127 minutes.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): About a fortnight ago, a professor friend remarked to me that the film was actually about the lack of direct communication. He's right.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Expressing thoughts and feelings in a clear and direct manner is a lot better then beating around the bush.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): While the drama's resolution is well done, its closing image should be redone.
Putting his hands on his wife's shoulders, they exit the cinema into the broad daylight.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I feel like stepping out of a dream.
MONTAGE OF WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
A. Supermarket. Peter and his wife go shopping.
B. Japanese restaurant. Peter is busy responding to WhatsApp and WeChat messages.
C. Silverstrand. Peter finishes his swim just before lifeguard service ends.
D. Studio. Peter practises some jazz piano.
E. Study. Surrounded by hand-held devices, Peter maintains his streaks in the Dulingo App.
END MONTAGE
Act 3
INT. BEDROOM - 22:30
Peter inserts an AI drawing entitled: "Lost in the Light..." to a draft in his laptop.
PETER (V.O): The Cantonese comedy drama is also a women-empowering film. Our elder daughter flew in from Seoul to watch the movie... South Korean is now under martial law.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Stepping into broad daylight after an emotional film in a dark cinema, I feel disoriented with the sudden exposure to reality, or a different world.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Compared to my usual routine, I feel watching martinees out of place. I prefer getting lost in the night, especially in safe Hong Kong.
FADE OUT
THE END
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