Once again… imcomplete internet data makes me keep track of films in here~ xD Sept. 4 –
WOW, it’s the end of the month O_o, geez Time flies by~~~ The following were on my list of latest buys of Region 3 from Hong Kong:
First a little about the film:
(from Wikipedia)
Shot in 2004, by Shunji Iwai about two girls [Hana (Suzuki) and Alice (Aoi)], and the stress placed on their friendship as they move into high school.
Genre: Dramedy (Drama/Comedy) [**NOTE: It’s a Drama with Comedy, so don’t expect huge laughs]
Starring: Yu Aoi, Anne Suzuki
Written and Directed by: Shunji Iwai
Duration: +2hrs
Actually name of the book in Spanish is “Kioto,” but I can never get used to writing Kyoto with an “i” – I don’t think I can write “Tokio” either, there’s just something odd for me…
Anyway, I bought this book on Monday… short one, “The Old Capital,” it’s called in English, from the original Japanese title “Koto,” referring to Kyoto which was Japan’s capital back in the day~ xD – I bought this book because I’m superficial and buy books by their covers. LOL’ ~ I had seen a bunch of books in the store, and read a bunch of synopsis, but eventually returned them to the rack… but not this one, because I liked the cover. xD
Written by writer from Osaka, Yasunari Kawabata, who won a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968 (First Japanese, and only?). In fact, this was one of the books mentioned (but I didn’t know this) … sadly, he killed himself 4 years later.
Kyoto (sorry, can’t type it with an “i”) is a book about nothing. There’s no BOOM by the end of the story, but yet it is a surprisingly good read. You know? Like one of those films that is about a little about everything, but nothing at all? Just like that. But just so you know exactly… the back of the book says it’s about a 20-year-old girl named Chieko in Post-War Kyoto, daughter of a Kimono maker, who discovers she was an abandoned child, despite her ‘parents’ story. Then one day, she discovers something while attending one of the many festivities in the city.
When I first began reading, I had a picture in my mind of how Chieko looked like (you may have an idea of who)~~ But then, I decided to look it up online, and found out that there was a made-for-tv-movie done for this, and OH SADNESS! I was kinda disappointed with the choice of Chieko~ T_T
Though the Spanish translation seems good enough, it does lose some UMPH… and it makes me wonder how it would look with the use of Japanese Honorifics. I mean, they already used words such as geisha, and maiko… so why not keep the honorifics too? I think it would’ve been a better read…
The book gets very nostalgic at points, there’s also some funny moments here and there, and there are parts that I don’t think I really got… which requires me to read it again. xD All in all, this book is a keeper~ and I want to check out other books by Kawabata.
WARNING: Possible extensive Usagi (Rabbit in Japanese) post ahead! – Of course I am talking about the Japanese or overall Asian style of posing for a photo. I’ve done it… I cannot escape, *looks at you* – You’ve done it too… ~~~~ I’m sure of it, otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this post in the first place.
I am currently watching and reviewing the DVD for Yu Aoi’s Tekkonkinkreet (which you can still catch on Cinemax Latin America on the 30th), and it got me thinking… I am er… fairly bored with Yu Aoi’s fandom discussion. I have found little to no people to discuss Yu Aoi Films (and other projects) with, which certainly makes me sad~~ I KNOW, photos are nice… magazine scans are too, but I need a little “meat” – after all, I was sort of a ‘film school’ student, so I need to discuss projects. I don’t need the latest movie news reporting about films, but it would be nice to discuss other films… you know ‘be active’ – case and point, I heard Natalie Portman has a fairly active fandom… I’m a lurker, and I enjoy reading.
Anyway, I was thinking… I think I’m going to be ‘reviewing’ her films… at least the ones I’ve seen, maybe that will get me to watch some of the others I haven’t. I was thinking I should review those films based from the following criteria:
Thoughts on that in the comments, and I’m off coz I remember I’ve got something to do HAHAHA – and I’ll be watching my er… 5th round of Hana and Alice on Saturday. I’m getting everyone to watch it…. hahaha, Shunji Iwai + Yu Aoi = pretty genius, non?
As you may have or not noticed… I added a bunch of categories as of lately. I’ve added Graphics, Posters and Stills on the Art one, because Stills from movies feel different to photographs. Graphics are edited photos or movie stills, and posters are posters.
I’ve added Chinese, and Korean under the Language one, and Chinese includes Pinyin – I’ve also added the Romanization for Korean, though nothing to post just yet… Does anyone know how Korea Romanization is called?
And finally, today… I think the biggest addition in categories is the Reading. Is not that I don’t read, it’s just that I read significantly less than I watch films or I listen to music. But I began reading a book, which I might be blogging when I finish reading, so I thought it necessary. Plus, there are films based on novels too, LOL – Also, comic books, I didn’t read comic books before, I do now… not significantly xD ~~~ I am reading Buffy Season 8 at the moment, though I am considering reading some manga HA!
Did you watch? I did, but I almost forgot, ha! So won’t go on about the red carpet stuff… Tina Fey won big! Best Actress, Best Writing in a Comedy… 30 Rock also won Best Actor, and Best Comedy Series~ But as I said before… I suck at Emmys~
ALSO, House M.D won for Best Directing in a Drama Series for the episode House’s Head, which is by far the BEST I’ve seen on the show. Actually, I was ready to rant if it didn’t win LOL, because that episode literally blew me away~
I was secretly hoping for Hugh Laurie (House M.D) or Michael C. Hall (Dexter) to win Best Actor in a Drama, as well as Bryan Fuller (Pushing Daisies) for Best Writing… but hence, Tina WON which she deserved~ xD
Here’s a WIKI list of the winners…
My favorite parts were almost all at the beginning… Heidi Klum in a tux, I would’ve actually prefered her wearing the tux, instead of the stripping… it actually make me think of Britney performing Satisfaction at the VMAs, xD – Though, I didn’t enjoy the whole multiple host thing, and all the rambling…
I also enjoyed Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, her “WERRRRRRRRCOME” was hilarious, and note that she’s not pregnant~ HOW DARE WE! xD She’s gaining weight for a role x’D. And to end my faves, Ricky Gervais telling off Steve Carell about the Emmy throphy stealing xD
Weeeee! More Mixwit! A little UMPH for the week~
Last night I was surfing channels, and as I normally do when there’s nothing to watch on TV, I ended up on NHK. “Begin Japanology” was on (never seen it before), and they were showing how to make Dashi with some really thick seaweed, and with shavings of dried Bonito… which reminded me of Osen-san and the episode of the Katsuobushi. I will always laugh when remembering Osen-san physically assaulting the owner of the shop with the hard block of Katsuobushi… I’m telling you, priceless!
Anyway, as the show went on, they showed the people that worked in the top kitchens in Kyoto, is in this sequence when a light tune begins playing. “I KNOW that TUNE!” I say~~ And I am 99% sure it was a track from the Osen OST because it’s one of my favorite pieces on the album…
本物を見る目 (Honmono wo Mirume)
Discerning Eye for the Genuine <- this is Amy’s translation
and I don’t know if it’s correct, HA! But it will do~
It’s track13 of 22, by Yugo Kanno.
Does anybody know if it’s the track?
TOKYO! the 3-part-collaborative film by Joon-ho Bong, Leos Carax and Michel Gondry, has been (or will be) making rounds in theaters in Japan – I think. – And I won’t be able to watch this in a long~~~ LONG time, I’m pretty sure… but Hawaiian residents will be able to watch it at the Hawaii International Film Festival. [WTF? Louis Vuitton??] xD
TOKYO! will be showing on:
Saturday, Oct. 18th 2008 (obviously!) at 8 p.m. at Regal Dole Cannery.
Sunday, Oct. 19th 2008 at 4.30 p.m. at Regal Dole Cannery.
Get tickets, and check! Coz schedules could’ve changed during the time of this post and the day of showing~~
If you are a Yu Aoi fan, and live in Hawaii… or don’t mind spending the airfare to Hawaii, LOL – Go for it! Yu Aoi is featured in the Joon-ho Bong (The Host) directed/written segment title Shaking Tokyo, about a man who stays in his apartment very much like a hermit, trying to isolate himself from society, until he meets a pizza delivery girl (Yu) and there’s an earthquake… apparently.
Yu Aoi faints on Shaking Tokyo, part of TOKYO!
Also making the rounds at the festival will be Kung Fu Kun (aka, Kung Fu Kid), which in itself isn’t much of a film I would watch… it is kinda funny at the beginning. However, it’s worth noting that there’s a small cameo with Juri Ueno! [click for some funny screencaps] ~ so if you’re a fan of Juri Ueno, you can get tickets for it for the festival!
