Category: Films

  • OUCH First FLOWERS Review

    Just to show you I’m not hiding any info. Or am I?
    Huh… food for thought.

    Anyway, this is the first FLOWERS review I find, in English… not that I scouted FLOWERS reviews in Japanese, because that would be too much extra work, to be honest.

    And because I couldn’t find a proper poster for FLOWERS, I made my own — you’d think that’s also extra work, but I do like playing around with Photoshop for fun. LOL Does it look official? xD

    Moving on! To the review. It’s not positive. Actually, I sensed a hint of irony while reading it, and of course… FLOWERS reeks of Chick Flick – non-negative connotation. Why point this out? Because there’s a lot of description of what’s going on, and the conclusion is “not enough actual drama”?

    What then to make of Norihiro Koizumi’s “Flowers,” which recreates the look of everything from the 1930s black-and-white dramas of Yasujiro Ozu to 1960s Toho Technicolor comedies? Neither slavish imitation nor inventive recreation, the film is more about its faux authentic look and feel-good story lines than actual drama.

    While pointing out Gus Van Sant’s Psycho is a shot by shot remake, the review mentions FLOWERS recreates the look of every era they’re showing in the film… which, actually to me sounds appropriate. After all, my mom thinks Mad Men should be broadcast with a funny 1960s tinge. LOL

    Maybe the film’s fault is having six leading ladies, because that’s a LOT of storylines. It just makes you feel like there’s just too much going on, and then you’ve got the chick flick.

    The solutions to the heroines’ various dilemmas mostly include finding Mr. Right — or Mr. Good Enough — and having babies.

    Though that alone makes me feel like chocking someone, I gotta put that in the context of the storyline. Perhaps the heroine’s various dilemmas are impossible to solve, so women make do with what they got. It’s called settling and survival… and Japan pretty much sucks at letting women survive without a man. RIGHT?

    And what do you know… maybe it’s emotional. I say, if FLOWERS makes me cry, I’d consider it a job done. After all, the film’s biggest crippling device is…

    “Flowers,” however, is not Koizumi’s film so much as that of Takuya Onuki, an ad-agency creative director, who got the idea for it while making TV commercials for Tsubaki shampoo. Featuring top models and actresses, the ads offered striking proof that, as the copy said: “Japanese women are beautiful.”

    They certainly are in “Flowers,” which stars six of the most gorgeous, if variously talented, Japanese actresses now working: Yu Aoi, Yuko Takeuchi, Rena Tanaka, Yukie Nakama, Kyoka Suzuki and Ryoko Hirosue. Koizumi and cinematographer Taishi Hirokawa film them in one glamour shot after another — perfectly lighted, posed, madeup and coifed.

    Bolding mine.

    Of course, ad agencies. And talent agencies…
    SUCK IT UP, Idol system! SUCK IT UP!

    If you want to read the whole review, you can head over to Japan Times.

  • Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher?

    I approve. =)

    Mama Mia!’s director Phyllida Lloyd is apparently working on Margaret Thatcher biopic for BBC and Pathé, and it seems like Streep is in talks to play Thatcher. EEK! And Jim Broadbent is in talks to play Thatcher’s husband. EEK!

    The biopic will center around 1982, during the Falklands War (or Las Malvinas ;P), which lasted 74 days… ultimately, winning her the elections in 1983.

    via Empire Online.

    Of course Streep is in talks. Everyone wants Streep to read their script. Who wouldn’t? Right? Plus, Thatcher is such a fascinating contemporary subject. You gotta admit, without Thatcher’s gov. Britain would have continued with the recession… and you’d be worse than you guys are now. Actually, now that I think about it… the Conservatives always get the country in a crappy state, eh? xD

  • Waiting for Superman

    This gorgeous info graphic — it’s hot pink! — is tied-in with the documentary Waiting for Superman, which talks about the education system (or not-a-system, if you’d like) in the USA.

    The animation is done by Jorge R. Canedo Estrada, who studied in the Digital Design program at VFS ;O

    [iframe src=”https://player.vimeo.com/video/12677264?byline=0&portrait=0&color=7dce57″ width=”560″ height=”315″]

  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I Trailer

    I want to say I have rekindled my affairs with Harry Potter fandom, but I still don’t approve of Warner’s decision of making this a 2-part film, as well as the Fake 3D conversion. I also don’t approve of the Epilogue. LOL

    I was talking to some friends last week, and they also disapproved the Epilogue. In fact, they said Deathly Hallows was the weakest book of the whole series — Testing the waters, I told them I thought Half-blood Prince was also weak, and to my surprise… they also agreed.

    My friend’s favorite book is Azkaban, followed by Phoenix. FYI.

    [iframe width=”560″ height=”349″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/_EC2tmFVNNE?rel=0″]

    I really want to feel giddy, but things that jumped out~~~ Ginny is taller than Harry. I feel sad for Daniel Radcliffe, whom I totally love, but oh! If he only were taller!

    Then there’s Ron protecting (or is he pulling) Hermione reminded me of Harry protecting her against the werewolf. I’m trying not to be shippy, but that just sort of brought back that scene.

    Harry has high on drugs eyes when he meets Voldie.

    And that snake looks like crap.

  • To Watch Until They’re 35 – Emily Blunt

    *tada!*

    Finally! You are probably saying that this is about time that I get to finish with this list of the 20 to Watch~ And accompanying Ryan Gosling who was #1 on the list of actors, there’s Emily Blunt on top of the list of actresses whom you should be keeping an eye out for~

    Born in London, England on February 23rd 1983, this 27-year-old actress is best known for playing Emily Chalton opposite Meryl Streep and the 20 to Watch fellow Anne Hathaway on The Devil Wears Prada, for which she earned nominations for Best Supporting Actress at the BAFTAs and the Golden Globes.

    Blunt’s first breakthrough as an actress was playing Tamsin on Pawel Pawlikowski’s My Summer of Love, opposite Natalie Press. The film received positive reviews, and earned nominations for Best British Film at the BAFTAs, as well as nods for Most Promising Newcomer for Blunt at the British Independent Film Awards, and British Newcomer of the Year by the London Film Critics.

    A year later, Blunt played Natasha on Stephen Poliakoff’s BBC Made-for-TV movie Gideon’s Daughter starring Bill Nighy and Miranda Richardson, which earned Blunt her first Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. In 2006, she finally burst into pop culture knowledge as Hathaway’s Andy’s best-not-a-friend Emily, the desperate assistant to Streep’s Miranda Priestly. Despite only getting a supporting role in a film clearly led by La Streep, Blunt managed to garner enough attention not only from the public, and critics… but also casting agents.

    Following Prada, Blunt participated in The Jane Austen Book Club (Maria Bello, Kathy Baker), Dan in Real Life starring Steve Carrel, Juliette Binoche, Dianne Wiest, and Amy Ryan, while closing 2007 with Charlie Wilson’s War directed by Mike Nichols, starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams. It is perhaps then that she makes the decision to work with Adams on the film Sunshine Cleaning, where they play sisters.

    Blunt also participated on The Great Buck Howard, a comedy with John Malkovich, and Tom Hanks — playing the father of his real-life son Colin. It seemed like Blunt’s roles were destined to be supporting forever… until The YoungVictoria. The film received considerable positive response, while earning Blunt nominations for Best Actress around critic circles, as well as Best Actress nod at the British Independent Film Awards, and at the Golden Globes.

    This year, she returned to screens on The Wolfman starring Benicio del Toro and Sir Anthony Hopkins. While the film didn’t earn much critical or commercial response, you can’t deny that the film adds a certain variety to her CV. xD

    All in all, Blunt tops the list because of a combination of factors, such as period of time until she’s 35, past projects, future projects… and perhaps, Hollywood-ness? It is perhaps the way she’s passed on roles on Iron Man 2 (that ended up on Johansson’s CV), or the upcoming Captain America with words such as:

    I think that ‘Captain America’ is going to be really fun and I gather that the story is really interesting… It just wasn’t what I wanted to do next, to be honest.

    …

    There’s definitely a high commitment level and I’m not someone who likes to plan too much ahead… That would also be an issue for me as well.

    via ScreenRant.

    While everyone wants to jump on the Marvel franchise train, it is admirable to be a working actor and pass on roles to keep your acting schedule open. So we get to have 8 upcoming years of uncertainty~~~

    What’s next up for Blunt? Well, there should be a wider release (or at least a DVD one) for Wild Target starring Bill Nighy, Rupert Everett… and fellow who didn’t make it Harry Potter alumni Rupert Grint. Then there’s The Adjustment Bureau with Matt Damon, written and directed by George Nolfi (who wrote The Bourne Ultimatum). Then there’s Gulliver’s Travels with Jack Black, Amanda Peet and Billy Connolly, as well as the animated film Gnomeo and Juliet with fellow the 20 to Watch James McAvoy, and finally Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Lasse Hallström, with Ewan McGregor and Kristin Scott Thomas.

    Yes, there’s a lot to watch from Blunt~

  • Redline Gets a Website and YouTube Channel

    It’s always exciting to see Animated films coming together, especially when they take so long to actually get there, you know? Instead of announcing a project, and releasing it just a year later? And just chunking out the next part a few couple of months later. Where’s the quality people!

    It seems like Redline has been in production for years… — since 1995, if I read correctly — and will finally see the light of day in October. It seems more real with a website in place and a YouTube Channel. They even have a Twitter too.

  • To Watch Until They’re 35 – Ryan Gosling

    And it’s time to finally complete the list of the 20 to Watch Between 25-30 Until They’re 35! And somehow I feel like this is a total lackluster surprise, since you know… I love Gosling.

    Gosling: You got me, Amy~~~ *hands up in the air* LOL

    Born in London, Ontario, Canada on November 12th 1980, this 29-year-old actor is best known for playing Noah on the Nicholas Sparks’ tear-jerker romance movie The Notebook. He was also nominated for an Oscar for starring as Dan Dunne on the film Half Nelson.

    Gosling began his career on the small screen, guest-starring on youth-oriented Canadian television programs such as Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Ready or Not, Goosebumps, and The Adventures of Shirley Holmes. Two years later, he was starring on his very own show as Hercules on Young Hercules.

    In 2000, he participated on Remember the Titans starring Denzel Washington, but he soon moved to starring roles with The Believer, which earned him his first nomination at the Indie Spirit Awards, a Best Foreign Actor by the Russian Film Critics Guild, and a Most Promising Performer by the Chicago Film Critics. The following year, Gosling also co-starred with Michael Pitt and Ben Chaplin on Sandra Bullock’s Murder by Numbers. Incidentally, the making of the film ignited a romance with Bullock… which is, you know – pretty Hollywood.

    In 2003, Ryan starred as Leland on The United States of Leland alongside Don Cheadle, Lena Olin, Kevin Spacey, fellow the 20 to Watch Michelle Williams, and fellow who didn’t make it Jena Malone. It was just a short time before he burst into the pop culture scene as Noah on The Notebook with then-real-life girlfriend, Rachel McAdams.

    Instead of going the commercial route, Gosling kept away from romantic leads, and participated on Stay by Marc Foster, who had previously directed Monster’s Ball (which won Halle Berry her Oscar), and Finding Neverland (which earned Johnny Depp his 2nd Oscar nod). Stay also starred Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts. In 2006, Gosling starred on the indie film Half Nelson, for which he won Best Male Lead at the Indie Spirits Award, and a Male Breakthrough Performance by the National Board of Review, and earned him his first Oscar and Screen Actors Guild nominations, plus a bunch of other critics and film fest awards.

    A year later, in 2007, Gosling share the big screen with Sir Anthony Hopkins on Fracture, and participated on the indie Lars and the Real Girl alongside Emily Mortimer, and Patricia Clarkson. The role earned Gosling his first Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical, as well as a 2nd nomination for Best Actor at the Screen Actors Guild. After that, Gosling took a break from acting to release music with the band Dead Man’s Bones. The band released two singles — with their respective music videos — a self-titled debut album, and toured North America.

    Earlier in the year, Gosling released Blue Valentine starring alongside Michelle Williams, fresh off Sundance buzz with very positive early reviews.

    Coming up? Well, Blue Valentine still needs to open wider or be released on DVD. There’s also All Good Things with Kirsten Dunst, Kristen Wiig, and Frank Langella, as well as that Glenn Ficarra (I Love You Philip Morris) film with Steve Carrell, Marisa Tomei, Emma Stone, Julianne Moore, and Kevin Bacon.

    Yes, we can’t wait to see him making breakfast while singing Springsteen’s I’m on Fire… without his shirt. Also, I am dying to see Blue Valentine. Yes, talent is so hot~

  • Amy on LAMB

    I am now part of LAMB (The Large Association of Movie Blogs).

    :O

  • Love in Disguise Trailer with Subs

    Lee Hom does everything. He writes his own music, plays like 14 instruments… since he’s American, he learned to speak Mandarin… and Cantonese… and Japanese… and he even speaks French. Etc. Etc.

    To make things short, Lee Hom is a pretty awesome musician.

    And he’s acted before… not so sure about Moon Child, but Ang Lee’s Lust, Caution is a VERY good project to have on your CV… and now, Love in Disguise is his debut as a director.

    [iframe width=”560″ height=”349″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/aFtwfHwUr1A?rel=0″]

    call me crazy, but this reminded me of Nodame Cantabile. It’s the music setting. Plus, big points for Joan Chen ;P not tagging this as a trailer yet.

    Also, subtitled come from the Official Wang Lee Hom channel. Now they only need to add his videos, so I don’t need to read “Sony BMG doesn’t allow the stream of this video in your region” Argh!

  • The Green Hornet Trailer

    Oh, Jay~
    Why did you have to open your mouth and talk. LOL

    You look cool doing your kicking, but all your dialog didn’t do it for me. Having said that… I do find Seth Rogen slimness, kind of unsettling because during the first frames, there was some quiver… then he spoke and it was gone. Phew.

    But this is Michel Gondry, right? So I’m still watching it.

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

    BTW, I hate the way they say “KAY-TOH” UGH. Never heard the English audio for The Green Hornet, so I actually grew up with how normal people say Kato. xD