Archives For Photographs

Continuing with our list of The 20 to Watch… in the actors category, comes perhaps a familiar face, but not really a name that sticks around. It’s none other than Nick Stahl~

Born in Texas, USA on December 5th 1979, Stahl barely cuts it with the age at 30 years old. However, with films in his filmography like the critically-acclaimed The Thin Red Line by Terrence Malick with heavy-weights like Sean Penn and George Clooney, or the fantastic In the Bedroom, sharing scenes with Tom Wilkinson, Sissy Spacek and Marisa Tomei… we can’t help but keep an eye on him.

He doesn’t stop with the heavy drama, since he also starred as John Connor on Terminator 3, as well as playing Yellow Bastard on Sin City. Moreover, he also played Ben Hawkins in the kind-of-short-lived but critically-acclaimed HBO series, Carnivale.

Stahl has a few projects on the works now, including On the Inside alongside the newest It Girl, Olivia Wilde, as well as Burning Palms with Zoe Saldana, Rosamund Pike and Paz Vega. However, we really REALLY think he should get a better agent… I’m sure there are a lot of interesting independent films that are much better suited for a fine actor than… let’s say, Mirrors 2.

Artist James Roper took some time making an avera of 10 origami flowers a day for three years…

OMG, I just felt bad about myself after writing that sentence.

More here.

Guess who’s #10 on the list of The 20 to Watch Between 25-30?

But it’s, of course, Eita!

Born in Tokyo, Japan on December 13th 1982. He might be unknown to almost everyone, unless you are already familiar with Japanese films and series, but this 27-year-old actor has proven that you should keep on watching him.

His list of films include Aoi Haru (Blue Spring), Azumi, Densha Otoko, Su-ki-da and Memories of Matsuko. Of course, Matsuko as a film works because of so many different aspects including Eita’s ability to make you want to connect with the brilliant Miki Nakatani.

Last year, Eita worked on two films that seemed to be in many of the “best of lists” in Japan, including the acclaimed Dear Doctor — by famous director Miwa Nishikawa, who wrote and directed Yureru (Sway) — as well as the seemingly popular April Bride, directed by indie acclaimed director Ryuichi Hiroki.

Add to that his recurring role as Mine on the Nodame Cantabile franchise [headed by fellow 20 to watch Juri Ueno] which sprung not only an 11-episode series, and two television special, but also two theatrical films opening on December 2009 and this month.

There is a certain softness in Eita’s aura that translates well whenever he’s on screen, making him perfect to play the sensible young man. He doesn’t even need to speak a single word, even though you probably would need the subtitles to actually understand what he is saying [unless, of course, you speak Japanese], but whenever he’s in a dramatic scene… all of that doesn’t matter. He’ll deliver the goods in a way that language would really not be a barrier.

Very few [men or women] can captivate you like this.

I. Love.

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Isn’t this the coolest? xD

More info over at ArchDaily.

Raiou Un-official Snap?

March 29, 2010 — 13 Comments

Well, I was expecting Masaki Okada with that hairstyle… but wasn’t expecting to see Yu so normal… How she manages to look good in rags still surprises me. I mean, she does look adorable in this snap. Her face is going to be flawless on screen…

And… I’m to lazy to try to figure out what this article is talking about.

All I wanna do is see Yu horseback riding =D

HMV JP takes top marks on shipping.
It only took 2 days! TWO days for my order to arrive~~~

It took Salyu 3 years to release her 3rd studio album, but it’s not like we were deprived of new music. In fact, Maiden Voyage contains many of the singles that Salyu had release these past years [6, if I count correctly]. You could say this could be a compilation of sorts, but it surprisingly works nicely as an album.

The album art gives you the visuals of flying… almost in a dream-like fashion — I mean, Salyu IS floating on a mattress and/or pillows, right? These visuals work really well with the overall themes and overall energy of the songs (yes, I actually grabbed the song book and followed the bouncing ball).

It also looks like Salyu is experimenting with her own music by finally stepping onto the writers chair, and even working on the music herself. Of course, she’s not doing it alone but with the help of Takeshi Kobayashi who has been there since the days of Lily Chou Chou. The collaborations between Kobayashi and Salyu are what we have come to get used to as far as Salyu’s sound is.

Interestingly enough, Salyu’s song (written and composed as least with the help of Tatsuya Kokufu) L.A.F.S (which stands for Love at First Sight) reminded me a little bit of what Salyu used to sound as Lily. Somewhat off-beat melodies, with really simple lyrics, but really moody.

Overall, the album really flows well and feels like a whole, except maybe for the oddball BIRTHDAY, which threw me off… in a really good way. The song, written by Salyu and composed again by Kokufu, sounded like Shiina Ringo and Bjork had a lovechild, if that were EVER possible.

I’ve taken to Salyu’s music because it’s soothing, as well as quite slow and easier to follow with a songbook. Salyu is really quite good to practice your reading and pronunciation. However on BIRTHDAY, she slurs her words and sounds completely different. I’m looking forward to more of that sound in the future. Hopefully.

As for the concert DVD. Well, it’s totally worth the price you pay for this limited edition with DVD ~

Screencap galore after the break~

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I think the website that had the scans for the Boys Style So-En photoshoot is gone, so I took some of my late night hours, un-watermarked and cleaned up the images for re-posting.

Call it… Yu Aoi archiving purposes. LOL

Photos by Mie Morimoto, but you know~ It’s all about the style in this one, right?
Stylist: Junko Kobashi
Hair & Makeup: Takayuki Miyamori [who also did Yu as a Mori Girl]

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Yu Aoi for Jane Magazine

March 12, 2010 — 9 Comments

It’s been quiet in the Yu Aoi news lately (weird, considering Otouto was released), so I did my usual search on Google and came up with a couple of things. First, that cover.

Two, my HMV order is supposed to get shipped the coming 24th [Salyu’s new album with DVD, Shiina Ringo old albums], and I’m actually pretty excited to get the back issue of Eye Scream magazine with one of my favorite Yu magazine shoots. I think I’ve crossed that fan line with that buy… LOL

I swear, this is the first time I’ve bought a magazine for a photoshoot with my “fave idol”.

If I could have my way, I would have Yu do all her PBs with Yoko Takahashi… or Marisa Shimamoto… and finally Keiichi Nitta. If I could have my way. Of course, Mario Testino would be awesome too. xD

And finally… Anyone know what this article is about? Many news on this, and one of them Google-translated as “Aoi Yu produced” but I doubt she’s producing, or she’ll be all promoting in her website.

ps. I’m fascinated with how those shoes work with the socks…
and the bombachos ha! And that smile is so damn contagious…

How about some Carmen Miranda in Las Vegas?
or Brigitte Bardot as a Geisha? or… Frida Kahlo in Bollywood?

xD Kristen Wiig is pretty funny, and takes this photoshoot to a nice place with the help of photographer Tom Allen. Though his site forwards you to Streeters.com, which kinda sucks coz it’s on Flash and you gotta check the whole site instead of just heading to PHOTOGRAPHER > TOM ALLEN.

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