Archives For March 2009

More Pricey Items

March 30, 2009 — 5 Comments

You know how I complain about the prices of regular items in Japan? Well, yeah… $30USD seems a bit too much to me, who has hundreds of albums and hundreds of DVDs. – You could say I have a pretty small fortune… 75% of all those items are probably not collectibles, but who knows… perhaps one day they’ll be rare items. Doubtful, but could happen…

Anyway, whenever I’m zapping and happen to catch Incurable Collectors (Coleccionista Incurable) on A&E, I think about the items I store away in my dusty room… and the ones my mom decided to give away *rolls eyes*

For example, I found this Franz Ferdinand signed copy of You Could Have It So Much Better from 2005 – nearly $150USD – It was, in fact, signed when the group performed in Vancouver and they had a signing session in HMV (used to be Virgin Mega Store). Does that mean I also have a worth $150USD signed copy of the album? NIFTY! And my friend (who went with me) has the companion signed VIP access pass.

Of course, we can get crazier than that… take John Lennon for example! A nearly $14K signed Sgt. Pepper LP, or… a John Lennon photograph by (and signed by) Robert Freeman at $12.5K, or… this John Lennon print at $5,5K,  or a Yoko+Lennon Lithograph at $5,2K, or this REALLY cool Rolling Stone Lennon portrait by Ronnie Wood at $1K.

Still think you’re a crazy fan? LOL’ or are you intimidated a bit with those prices?

You know, just for kicks… take a look at these Greta Garbo items just because I like her so much.

This 1st Edition by Mary Webb which was read by Greta Garbo and signed at nearly $10k… yes, just ‘coz she wrote that. Or… this photograph that includes a letter (signed) to Garbo’s lawyer at nearly $3.5k, or simply this Garbo letter at $2.5k, or if you want to get simpler than that… you can always just buy a photograph of Garbo at just $695USD.

I wonder if… if I had the money, would I try to buy those items??? Would you buy pricey items and collectibles if you could afford it?

In Celebrity, English, Illustrations, Photographs, Sharing , , ,
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Lily Chou Chou – Kokyu Re-Issue

March 30, 2009 — 10 Comments

So this totally slipped my mind! I got the re-issue of Breathe!!! The Lily Chou Chou album from the Lily film by Shunji Iwai. The first time you see the film is so SO difficult~~ it’s such a hard theme, and characters you just want to slap around. I was a kid not long ago, and I felt so disconnected from THAT reality… yet, the film. You go back to it, and absorb it. The visuals, the music… it’s heartbreak.

Salyu, her voice~~ I fell in love with the soundtrack. The album is an experience all on its own… perhaps more than Salyu’s other albums. It’s the film, it’s because the album is strongly connected to that reality that it works so well… perhaps, a bit poetic. It’s THAT magical. At least to me, and to all the people that had bought the first issue of the album~~~ and maybe the reason WHY it was re-released.

I just want to know, from the people that bought the first run of copies… is it the same as the re-issue? Or has something changed? Hence, the re-issue credits in the album (including a re-design credit) ~ your thoughts?

Lily Chou Chou - Salyu - Kokyu

In English, Films, Fun, Japanese, Music, Products, Reviews, Sharing , , ,
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A Little Over a Month of Music

March 30, 2009 — 2 Comments

I was horrible last time, and I’m actually pretty horrible at keeping track of the music lately. No idea why though~ Also, I’m pretty sure I might be repeating or missing some albums hahaha ~~ go figure that one too. Annyway, the list after the break!

Continue Reading…

In English, French, Fun, Japanese, Korean, On Rotation, Sharing, Spanish
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Interrupting this Trivial Entertainment Ramblings…

March 29, 2009 — 5 Comments

to bring you some rant.

Americans do it again! Eight Dead After Shooting at an Alzheimer’s Nursing Home – a NURSING HOME!! I mean, where have we ended up in, when some 45-year-old kills old people… with Alzheimer!! WTF, man. At least the Japanese just suicide… most of the time. And to top it all off… they haven’t found a link yet. He didn’t work there, or had relatives there~~ so… he just went there and killed these old people with Alzheimer? Wow, talk about an advantage. We’ve never heard of a 45-year-old man entering a motorcycle bar to kill a few, right? Pussy.

While the US goes on and on about their shooting victims… the Brits got nothing better to do than go through their politicians porn habits~~

And you wonder why I don’t want to read news anymore…

In English, Rants
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Remembering Harmony

March 28, 2009 — 3 Comments

I was looking for some photographs on my backups, and ran into this piece – which I had uploaded to DeviantArt before it was taken down by them. SUCKY. – Anyway, this wallpaper/fanart… though some weird color (which I named ‘acid’ and was feature on my blog back in the day…) is one of my favorite Harmony fanart.

So I thought I’d share this… loved Harmony back in PoA. Best Harmony. By the way, have you guys seen the HP6 trailer? I promised I won’t go to the theater or dish my money to JK, but that trailer I saw gave me a fuzzy feeling *sighs* reminded me of Harmony coincidentally~~~

Enjoy,

Harry Potter - H+Hr - Harmony - Their Looks

In Books, English, Films, Graphics , , , , , , , ,
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Artist’s Random Music Meme

March 26, 2009 — 3 Comments

Forgive my ignorance, but why is this a Meme? LOL I don’t get why call them Meme. xD

Julz didn’t tag me, but I’m doing this anyway~~

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Choose ONE band/artist and put your iPod or other music player on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the NEXT button to get your answer.
3. You must write that song name down no matter how silly it sounds.

Picked band/artist: Faye Wong ‘coz I felt I needed an artist with a fair amount of songs… and now that I think about it, I also could have picked Shiina Ringo. BALLS.

1. Are you male or female? 迷魂記 – Vertigo
(though English name doesn’t seem correct)

2. Describe yourself: 蝴蝶 – Butterfly
(awww, metamorphosis? xD)

3. How do you feel about yourself? 浮躁 (Fu Zao) – Impatience
(hahahahaha, now imagine myself with other people. No wonder!!)

4. Describe your ex boyfriend/girlfriend: 小題大做 (Xiao Ti Da Zuo) – Making a Fuss
(I still think it might be the wrong translation)

5. Describe your current boy/girl situation: 掃興 (Sao Xing) – Disappointed (hahahaha)

6. Describe your current location: 嗶一聲之後 – After the Tone (*beep* I’m not here hahaha)

7. Describe where you want to be: 人間 (Ren Jian) – Mortal World
(why????)

8. Your best friend: 精彩 – Spectacular
(oh, geez… they get the bust in self-esteem? And I get all the depressing ones~ LOL)

9. Your favorite color: 夜妝 – Concealed Night
(ok, you lost me there. Sounds like that SJP ‘barely mint’ color description. GAY!)

10. You know that: 悶 (Men) – Bored
(I’m bored?? xD)

11. What’s the weather like? 無常 (Wu Chang) – Sporadic
(Gosh! Talk about precise. First hot like humid hell, then fresh.)

12. If your life was a television show what would it be called? 空城 – Empty City
(hahahaha, my own version of I Am Legend??? BALLS.)

13. What is life to you? 你喜歡不如我喜歡 (Ni Xi Huan Bu Ru Wo Xi Huan) – You Don’t Love as Much as Me
(WTF, man. That’s sad. Damn it! Love as much as me!!)

14. What is the best advice you have to give? 想像 (Xiang Xiang) – Imagine
(sounds a little bit like me… or John Lennon)

15. If you could change your name what would you change it to? 如果你是假的 (Ru Guo Ni Shi Jia De) – If You Were False
(changing your name is false!! LOL’ or… I will have a very long name apparently)

In Chinese, Fun, Music, Sharing
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Wah! OMG! Where the Wild Things Are Trailer!

I was nutz over the poster I saw a while ago, coz it was oh so pretty. And now! Ooh la~~~~ Trailer!!!

[iframe width=”560″ height=”349″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/01-PqqifyjA?rel=0″ frameborder=”0″]

Posted on March 25, 2009 In English, Films, Fun, Sharing, Trailers
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Time to Test HMV Japan~

March 22, 2009 — 4 Comments

So much for my economy~~~ I went to YesAsia to check if they listed Yu’s new PB – almost had a heart attack with the price tag. Portugirl took way~~~ LESS time to get listed in YesAsia than Juri’s Ao Akua. It’s like instant! But COME ON! $45USD? !!???? Just for it? And I don’t even get free-shipping. So I just signed up to HMV Japan, because they are listing  Portugirl at almost half the price… + shipping, is costing around the same price YesAsia’s book. And Amazon JP’s listing it at $30USD + $30ish shipping here~~

Hooray for HMV’s international business plan. Now, don’t go all YesAsia on me and suddenly change your country zoning to charge me more… and don’t go all Amazon JP on me and suddenly charge 30 bucks for it.

Will report on how f ast, and how nice HMV is~~ Will YesAsia lose my business? And I do a lot of business, considering I’m broke but I keep on clicking. *tsk tsk*

In English, Japanese, Rants, Sharing , , ,
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More Modelling Me

Of course that’s rotation. LOL’ The story is that remote, I need. You have no idea how many photos were of me touching the floor or about to jump because I couldn’t calculate when I should jump.

Comments are welcomed here. I’ve got another one that turned out very Kpop, but that one I’m ashamed to show it off online… or with people that I don’t know. Hahahaha.

Posted on March 22, 2009 In English, Photoshoots, Sharing , ,
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Paco and the Magical Book, Tetsuya Nakashima + Dramatic Comedy Meets Disney on LSD

March 21, 2009 — 1 Comment

Tetsuya Nakashima’s latest film, PAKO to Maho no Ehon is one horrorific Japanese film – and you should see it for it. Nakashima has become quickly in one of my favorite Japanese directors (alongside Shunji Iwai, who is, by the way, a total different approach to filmmaking) and Memories of Matsuko is my favorite Japanese film to date.

Nakashima is quickly turning into my Japanese sort of Tim-Burtonesque filmmaker stylist, in the way he uses rich visual enhancements to his storytelling – thanks to his background in CMs, and just found out and remembered watching this – He combines amazing color treatment, art direction, cinematography and mashes it all up with anything he can… be it a bit of violence, grandeur musical numbers, and animation.

PAKO to Maho no Ehon - Paco and the Magical Picture Book

In the end, it isn’t much of a surprise when you begin watching Paco and the Magical Book and find yourself in a very Disney-nesque world (the film starts with a Lion-King-esque chant, literally) – after all, this is supposed to be aimed at a younger audience. However, don’t ever fool yourself thinking that this will dumb down anything that Tetsuya wants to show… which includes a punk-goth-tatooed-blond nurse (Anna Tsuchiya), a psychologically-insane-ex-child-star-bum (Satoshi Tsumabuki), a raging-drag-queen whom a lot of people are referring to as ‘gay’ (Jun Kunimura), and a blood-sucking-neck-biting-vampiresque nurse (Eiko Koike). And don’t forget the grumpy old man who doesn’t back down when hitting the kid (Koji Yakusho)… well, I actually laughed at that bit. Does that make me an asshole??

Yes, the film is nuts, but it’s worth watching. For international audience, it might not be recommended to watch with their kids, unless they are willing to read subtitles… because films like this should be enjoy in its original language. I still think is not as brilliant as Matsuko, but I will have to see it once more with proper subtitles to form a strong opinion. And man! Those CGI animated sequences… and the whole thing, like I said~~ dramatic comedy meets Disney on LSD. I think that’s the perfect description for Nakashima’s style.

I’ll leave you with some links,

In DVD/BR, English, Films, Fun, Japanese, Screencaps, Sharing, Torrents & Digital Streams , ,
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