Category: Life

  • Take a Plane – Watch Honokaa Boy~

    That’s one of Yu’s films released this year. FYI.
    [more info here]

    I was reading an article over at wildgrounds.com about why Japanese DVDs aren’t English subbed, and I got a link to… Inflight Entertainment~~~ *wha~~~~* One of these days you’ll take a plane… and without knowing it, you will be able to catch Honokaa Boy with English subs!!!! [Current Movies at Emphasis.net]

    honokaa boy (Drama)

    Film Festivals:
    – 2009 Hawaii International Film Festival
    – 2009 Cannes Film Festival

    Based on Leo Yoshida’s novel, honokaa boy features sensational young talent of the year, Masaki Okada together with acclaimed veteran actress Chieko Baisho in this touching, coming-of-age pic.

    Leo (Masaki Okada) is an awkward young man, not quite at ease with the world. Accompanying his girlfriend on a trip to Hawaii, their temperamental personalities clash and the relationship soon falters.

    Six months on, Leo finds himself living in Honokaa, a small town he stumbled upon whilst on his Hawaiian holiday. Through his job in a movie theatre, he meets Bee (Chieko Baisho) and strikes up a friendship with the elderly woman. Leo’s comfortable existence however soon comes to an abrupt halt when he encounters local girl Mariah (Jun Hasegawa) and her presence in his life triggers dramatic consequences….

    Cast: Masaki Okada, Yu Aoi, Jun Hasegawa, Chieko Baisho
    Director: Atsushi Sanada
    Duration: 112min, Theatrical
    Category: PG-13
    Language: Japanese
    Subtitles: English
    Territory: Worldwide ex Japan

    *sighs* it’s all about the money, eh?

  • Japanese Cinema Blogathon 2009 – Day2

    I just got really into Japanese film about a year ago (thank you, Internet) – a few of my friends are really into J-Pop and anime, but none of them are really interested in any J-films or directors. When I went abroad to study, I met a bunch of people who were into films (duh! it was film school, after all) and we went into films all the way.

    One of my first memories  (maybe 2003?) of Japanese Cinema was Battle Royal. My! What an example, eh? I was blown away~~ I don’t have other memories of J-Film prior to that other than animated films like Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (Spirited Away) and Mononoke Hime (Princess Mononoke)… which brings me to my post of the day for the Blogathon~~~

    The Top10 Japanese Films I Watch this Past Year

    in the order in which I saw them from earliest to latest~
    only between these past 365 days – some of my fave didn’t make it

    • Kiraware Matsuko no Issho (Memories of Matsuko)
      by Tetsuya Nakashima (loads of people with Miki Nakatani, and Eita)
    • Tekkonkinkreet
      by Michael Arias (voice of Yu Aoi)
    • Love Letter
      by Shunji Iwai
    • Cha no Aji (The Taste of Tea)
      by Katsuhito Ishii
    • Sasame-yuki (The Makioka Sisters)
      by Kon Ichikawa
    • Tenshi no Tamago (Angel’s Egg)
      by Mamoru Oshii – sooooo weird xD
    • Wool 100%
      by Mai Tominaga
    • Hyakuman-en to Nigamushi Onna (One Million Yen Girl)
      by Yuki Tanada (starring Yu Aoi)
    • Tsumiki no Ie (La Maison en Petits Cubes)
      by Kunio Kato *short film
    • Aruitemo, Aruitemo (Still Walking)
      by Hirokazu Kore-eda

    Almost made it, xD

  • Looks like it’s going to be a fun Portman Year

    =D

    First for the obvious… many of us still haven’t seen Eve and her New York, I Love You shorts (the one she directs, and the one she stars in – there’s also one with Shunji Iwai!!).

    Then, there’s also Brothers with Tobey and Jakey G~~~ later this year (?), then there’ll be Important Artifacts and Personal Property From the Collection of Lenore Doolan and Harold Morris, Including Books, Street Fashion and Jewelry – *phew* that was long… with Brad Pitt.

    There’ll be Hesher with Joseph Gordon-Levitt by Spencer Susser~~~

    There will also be Your Highness by Danny McBride (Superbad, Fanboys, Pineapple Express, Tropic Thunder) – and now add to that, the Black Swan by Darren Aronofsky (The Fountain, The Wrestler).

    You can all do a dance now.

  • Me in Numerology~

    Someone I know did one of those silly FB test application things on numerology, which made me revisit mine. As you probably know, I did a bit of numerology back in my fandom years – which was pretty accurate, if I may say so~

    Anyway, here is mine as a quick result ;)
    with links after the break, so you can quickie check yours too~

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  • Japanese Cinema Blogathon 2009 – Day1

    and a half~~~

    I just read over NipponCinema that the Japanese Cinema Blogathon has started. (yesterday, really…)

    What is the Japanese Cinema Blogathon?

    Japanese Cinema Blogathon 2009

    Someone over at Wildgrounds.com thought it’d be a cool idea to unite forces in order to promote Japanese Cinema. Write, share ideas… anything goes as long as it’s about Japanese Cinema. Check their list of on-going activities…

    I’ll start off with something simple…

    What I Like about Japanese Cinema

    My history with Japanese Cinema isn’t as broad as other people’s. I don’t watch too many older classics, because they are harder to get~~ I mean, it’s just easier to get contemporary stuff. ;P but there are some really great films that I’ve been able to watch this past year.

    1. They can be about nothing at all, yet hold so much meaning or be so entertaining.
    I saw Kore-eda’s Aruitemo, Aruitemo (Still Walking) a couple of days ago. I think that’s perhaps my favorite Japanese film from last year *laughs* – besides from the fact that I really like Hiroshi Abe *laughs*. That film felt so right to me, from the moment we saw Ryo’s sister and mother discussing and trying to cook in the kitchen, to the very last scene of Ryo’s family walking. There was no big reveal of someone having another kid, or someone getting kidnapped or killed, someone having an affair – none of that. One of the things that just stands out was Ryo and his mom finally remembering the name of the Sumo wrestler… and always being late. Heartbreaking.

    A similar thing I can tell you of Linda Linda Linda, which I saw and liked, but LOVED after repeated viewings. Nobuhiro Yamashita’s story of a group of girls trying to make it on time to play on the school festival. Nothing at all! But add to that Doona Bae as non-Japanese lead singer, and rock!!

    2. They can be bizarrely good.
    From high-on-drug-styled film Survive Style 5+, bike-riding rococo lolita adventures on Shimotsuma Monogatari (Kamikaze Girls), Moulin Rouge!-meets-Amelie-meets-Sin City-esque dramedy musical Kiraware Matsuko no Issho (Memories of Matsuko) – or even high-school-hardcore-Survivor Battle Royale. They are not your typical film, they can only be Japanese. LOL

    3. They don’t treat animation as if it’s only for kids.
    Yes, Japanese Cinema is not only Anime – to the dismay of some of my friends – but they do a pretty darn good job animating films like Paprika, Tekkonkinkreet, Princess Mononoke, Grave of the Fireflies. Since the day I discovered Hotaru no Haka 6 years ago, it’s become my favorite animated film to date. LOL

  • Four is an Unlucky Number – YAM004

    LOL’

    Does that say enough to you? Really, read the editor’s note. Lots of things on this new issue… new problems, new films, new music…

    Reviews of films from the blockbuster season… Star Trek, Wolverine, Terminator Salvation, Up~~~ Brothers Bloom. Short film reviews, concert reviews… of Kiss in Lima. Music reviews of The Sounds, Green Day, Shiina Ringo… a bunch of K-pop courtesy of Julz~~~ off you go to Japan!!! WOOOOO – there’s Life on Mars, House M.D. and my more “professional” review of Yu Aoi’s Portugirl.

    Yam004

    Head over here.

  • スペイン語早口言葉 for 日本人

    SUPEINgo Hayakusa Kotoba for Nihon Jin. xD

    Spanish Tongue Twisters for Japanese.

    I always think Japanese people would have an easy transition to Spanish (pronunciation-wise) – and to sort of prove it, I wanted to type some tongue twisters in Spanish in Katakana~~~ LOL’
    Let’s see how that goes~~~
    Just a couple of them

    Plus, Jugemu is wayyyyy more difficult than any of these, I think~ xD

    (more…)

  • Pretty School Day @ Kyoto Saga U.

    I’ve taken photos when I was studying… ~~~ Now, if only my school days had looked like THAT.

    Kyoto Saga Art University

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  • My Thirst for Chinese Music…

    has been satisfied this weekend!!

    I had just discovered the Chinese Music Blog~~~ while reading this post – on also one of my new Chinese entertainment stops. – I got interested on the term “Zhong Guo Feng” which is to be translated as Chinese Style, or Wind… Vibe… etc etc.  so I googled and ended up there~~~ I really like the term a lot more than the Chinked Out (nicked by Wang Lee Hom) though.

    A lot of people seem to have a lot of different opinions on what music is what style, and so on~ I tend to think Chinked Out style is more of what LeeHom does, which is combining a lot of Hip Hop with very strong Beijing Opera elements (or other Chinese elements) … I really enjoyed that. *laughs* His latest album wasn’t so Chinked Out style, I thought, but I still liked it since I really also enjoy Rock N’ Roll and Elvis style *laughs*

    Zhong Guo Feng… I dunno if the term was nicked by Jay, but I got introduced to it through him (and my friend Diana, of course *laughs*) – I really do enjoy his Chinese-oriented songs a lot more than his faster Hip Hop dancing tracks. The more piano he’s got in the album, the less he raps in them… the more I dig. xD

    I do enjoy a whole lot more Zhong Guo Feng than any regular nasal dance pop.

    And I love LOVE these new additions to my library. ^^

    Milk@Coffee – Don’t let the name fool you (I foudn a lot of Starbucks related sites on my search) , after all… who can resist good Pop music?? Pop with an Umph! That electronic-y, quirky vibe. I love!!! Some of the songs remind me of Clazziquai in a way, which I also enjoy xD – They’ve got a bunch of great songs like Yi Qi Lai (Together), Space Cake or Lunar Garden~~~

    Yuguo – I think this is by far the most “rock” band [MySpace] I’ve heard in Chinese. You know? We often hear of soooo many Pop acts, it gets a little bit boring. Their 2nd album, Babel, has just been released. It’s a great rock album with bits of electronic… and I think it’s a “themed” album~~ at least, it seems that way from the titles of the tracks. xD

    Cheer Chen – *shrieks* How in the name of insert-God-name-here did I not hear about her before? She’s just recently released her fifth studio album Immortal (Tai Yang, as in Sun), and it’s pretty great… so I’m looking forward to her previous work.

    [Simply Said][Floral Posture][Shou de Yu Yan]

    If I ever go to Taiwan to study, she’s got a brand new stalker. *laughs*

    Add to that debut albums by Vae (linked above) – before there’s any complaints~~~ he’s a doctor. ’nuff said. LOL

    [You He Bu Ke (Why Not?)][Ru Guo Dang Shi (In the Event that)][Duo Yu De Jie Shi (Superfluous Explanation)]

    and LaLa (Xu Jia Ying) – like I said~~~ I enjoy my Zhong Guo Feng, and also good guitar driven songs.

    [Export (Chu Kou)][Oh, Easy (O Yi Xi)]

    Hmm… I seem to be listening to a lot of chick music lately O.o

  • Ooh la~ Actress Spotting: Carey Mulligan

    Carey Mulligan

    That is a photo of Carey Mulligan looking a bit different, but a pretty cool photograph. Who’s Carey Mulligan, you say? Well, I first spotted her as Elsie on My Boy Jack (starring Daniel Radcliffe), but truth be told~ I couldn’t pay much attention to it until her scenes came up.

    Where else have you seen her? She was also Kitty on Pride & Prejudice (the one with Keira), and Doctor Who as Sally Sparrow. And she seems to be having a pretty busy 2009~~~ with The Greatest (with Susan Sarandon), Public Enemies (with Johnny Depp, Christian Bale and Marion Cotillard~~~ Ooh la!), Brothers (with Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Natalie Portman~~~ another Ooh la!), and An Education (by writer Nick Hornby) – in fact, I was checking out The Awards Circuit, and turns out they have her listed for this film as a Best Actress Nomination until now!

    Now that’s pretty impressive.

    Next-next up for her? Never Let Me Go (by Kazuo Ishiguro… with Keira, and Sally Hawkins) and The Electric Slide (with Ewan McGregor).

    Ooh la~~~