I thought I might have bought my last Shiina bluray last time, but I guess not? It does look like I might add Shiina Ringo & The Others Dwell: The Air Pocket Zone (椎名林檎と彼奴等の居る真空地帯) [HMV JP] to my collection because I cannot resist.
Archives For Moving Media
Verve Magazine has a wonderful cover this month featuring Tabu — shot by Bikramjit Bose [Website][Instagram], because the promotions for Andhadhun [Trailer][1][2] are on full steam. I hope someone gets to scan it, ‘coz lol where to get a single issue.
Rajeev Masand also just posted a +40min. interview with Tabu, and has her overview her 10 favorite roles in her +80-film filmography. Her long-time favorite roles make it, of course. It makes for a great Beginner’s Guide to Tabu, except I’m not a big fan of Biwi No. 2 lol — Don’t judge me, I laughed so much more to Saajan Chale Sasural xD, and I was quite lukewarm with Cheeni Kum.
I’m about to finish watching Stories By Rabindranath Tagore, which has some episodes directed by Anurag Basu— an anthology of some of Tagore’s short stories. One of my favorite episodes has been Mrinal ki Chitthi (ep19), which stars Amrita Bagchi. I’m usually really good with faces that I see in other movies, but I honestly just vaguely remember her face in Phobia and Meri Pyaari Bindu. I must be getting old.
There’s a series of photos by Shivaji Storm Sen. This is my favorite, tho~
Zico’s Artist isn’t honestly my favorite track in Television, but damn! It’s probably my favorite live of the album, coz- duh! Live band~ I mean, it’s almost impossible to beat any You Hee-yeol’s Sketchbook (유희열의 스케치북) when competing with a live band, but not even the Sketchbook performance of Anti or the MAMA one top it, because that’s the type of song you listen to at home in the middle of the night at 3-4AM.
Feelings. Feelings were had. Despite this divide of video/screen, I felt that. Faye’s that good. Imagine being there sitting in the PhantaCity studio watching a video of Faye Wong singing Dreams (梦中人) and, all of a sudden, Faye appears on the stage, right there, in front of your eyes. Woah. Shivers down my spine.
Truly a legend.
I honestly don’t have the time to keep up with variety shows on a regular basis, but this showed up on my YT recommendations and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to watch Leehom on a duet with Han Hong. It gave me goosebumps. I love Shangri-la (心中的日月) on its own original version, but this arrangement for Come Sing with Me (我想和你唱) just gave me the chills.
Han Hong’s voice goes so well with Leehom’s. ToT
Also, DAMN~ I used to not give much for Hebe’s voice, but girl has continued surprising me all decade. I don’t remember her being much of a vocalist, but I’m shooketh with her performance of Angel Devil (魔鬼中的天使). I wonder if she found Julio Iglesias’ not-so-secret microphone stash.
Leehom also got better. Maybe they’re all getting better sound engineers.
I’ve been watching NHK’s asadora, Hanbun Aoi (半分、青い。), intermittently like I always tend to do. At first, Mei Nagano made me think of a grown-up Ashida Mana which made no sense… even though Mana-chan is enormous and the last time I saw her it made me feel like those parents who watch their children turn into teenagers in horror. lol
But now I was watching the most recent episode of Tsurube no Kazoku ni Kanpai (鶴瓶の家族に乾杯) on NHK Premium, and she was featured wearing an up-do samurai bun, white baggy clothes; so relaxed, enjoying her snacks, a dip of her feet in onsen water, greeting fans and playing other young girls. Dorky charisma, yo~ It takes a special ability to have people younger than you to “kawaiiiiiiiiii” you so sincerely. LOL
I was gushing about it over the weekend, but I thought I should also post about it here.
I think it’s oddly befitting that Yu-chan wins her first ever (unbelievable, right?) Japanese Academy Best Actress trophy the year that I’m celebrating my 10th year as her fan. It’s so moving. I’ve had a moving couple of days [low-ley Mamamoo insert, lol]. It was so satisfying seeing Yu-chan being so overwhelmed and so overcome with emotion that it just made me happy for her.
I haven’t seen KanoTori yet, ‘coz duh~ Japan obviousness xDDDDDDDDD but I’ve heard great things about it and, frankly, Yu-chan rarely disappoints me (I’m looking at you Henshin xDDDDDD). I had totally forgotten that Hula Girls was a supporting role for Yu, and that One Million Yen Girl was her last lead for a very long time… until Azumi Haruko and KanoTori.
Please, Yu-chan, don’t make us wait another 8 years or near-decade for your leading roles. You know it’s been ten years since Osen and since Camouflage?
Here’s to many many many more years of successes, Yu!
Your one and only Spanish-speaking Non-Japanese-speaking fan. xD
You know I’ve been loving Celeb Five‘s variety outing this year. Their Weekly Idol episode has probably extended my life an extra month. My Durian and Jujube face idols~
ANYWAY~ probably because of it, the YouTube algorithm gave me this clip of Lee Hyori performing Bad Girls at the 2013 Mnet 20’s Choice Awards which also features Ahn Young-mi, who -after making her Celeb Five mates do sexy dances – has become my favorite. lol
First of all, this arrangement for Bad Girls make it so much easier to figure out the patch from Monochrome to Black. Also, the performance. Also, Hyori. Blessed. I remember I was so mesmerized with Hyori during this era, I still remember the Comeback Showcase she did fondly. I’m almost mad Hyori went to Jeju to live her hippie life xD lol But bless her.
I’m not crying, you are.
Did you get to see Faye Wong and Na Ying’s CCTV Spring Festival Gala collaboration? It’s been 20 years since it happened, and this year’s Years (岁月) was probably the most popular segment [like Tang Weiwei’s two years ago]. I do wonder why CCTV hasn’t uploaded the performance on its own (yet).
As far as I know, it’s only available for high quality download on QQ (though, geoblocked), unless… you know, you do your thing.
And now, someone was awesome enough to provide English translations~
Bless them~
