Archives For Films

Continuing with the guys’ countdown – on #9, Hayato Ichihara!
Again, he is not known outside the Japanese film/drama watchers, but if you really wanna get cracking just watch All About Lily Chou Chou to see why you need to keep on watching what roles he is willing to choose.

Hayato Ichihara

Now, I haven’t seen Hayato in much as of lately, other than that Jounetsu interview they did this year. However, I know how well that program worked for #2 The 20 to Watch fellow actress Yu Aoi. So the fact that they are doing one on him now should probably tells us something~~~

He’s won Best Newcomer in 2004 for his role on Worst by Chance, playing a guy that must learn how to deal with the stigma of being half Japanese and half Korean. The fact that he chose to work on this film, and All About Lily Chou Chou should already make you curious what other stuff he would like to choose given the opportunity. Of course, it also helps that he has that aura that exudes boyish charm (even if his character is a total klutz) like in the film Rainbow Song. So be sure to watch his films!

Ever since I read that ad on the newspaper, I’ve always had feelings against Alpamayo. This is one of the reason why I began my presentation with the following words. “What is animation to you? Is it an easy career path? Are you looking for money? Recognition? Do you want to win awards? Then maybe you’re looking at the wrong career.”

On the topic of my presentation, I wrote an article talking about animation in Peru, though I don’t think I sound like myself. I dunno why I read like a wishy-washy version of my snarky-self. Article is in Spanish, but if you can read… you can read it here.

So let’s begin with some of the guys, whom I must say were a lot harder to spot. Even in my final list, I feel maybe I could have done a little bit better. Let’s just hope the guys step it up, right?

On the #10 position!!!
Anton Yelchin~~~

Anton Yelchin

Yelchin has already been spotted before in this blog – it is no small feature to have shared the screen with actors like Anthony Hopkins, and Morgan Freeman~~~ He’s also appearing on a segment of New York, I Love You (alongside James Caan, Blake Lively, and fellow The 20 to Watch actress Olivia Thirlby). Add to that, small roles on the Terminator and Star Trek franchises, and I’m pretty much sold.

Plus, he’s been directed by, and sharing the screen with Jodie Foster now.
And he’s only freaking 20 years old~~~

So I’ve already named 5 of the Top10 actresses between the ages of 20-25 that you should be watching until they turn 30… because, you know~ hitting 30, there should be a re-evaluation xD – I will be showing my picks of 5 actors… which will be more of a surprise/discussion~~~

Anyway! On the #8 position, there’s Olivia Thirlby.

Olivia Thirlby

Were you expecting me to name Thirlby? I hope you didn’t because, frankly, I recently saw a list of Hottest 25 Stars under 25… and I felt underwhelmed. Anyway…

Olivia is a New Yorker born in 1986. She’s trained in theater (apparently loads of Shakespeare), and well… You may know her as the totally boss friend of Juno *tsk tsk* but she was also the off-beat friend on Snow Angels. It was a small role, but it did its job to call my attention.

She’s also on the Natalie Portman short film, Eve… as well as New York, I Love You – which I’ve still to see, but are both great opportunities.

You might think that’s not much, right? But  come on! It’s a lot for being #8 on the list, and I’m sure there’s still much to come! We just have to wait and see, and hope that filmmakers look past the “hot of the moment” trend. She totally deserves more attention.

!!!

Studi Ghibli

Just browsed through NHK, and Miyazaki Hayao was there, so I went online to look it up of course. I needed to know why he was gracing my TV screen~~~ xD

Director Isao Takahata, who co-founded Studio Ghibli with Hayao Miyazaki, has revealed that he will be directing his first feature-length flick since 1999’s My Neighbors the Yamadas. Takahata, who also wrote and directed the tear-jerker Grave of the Fireflies, will be taking on the classic folktale The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, or Taketori Monogatari.

via Cinematical.

Grave of the Fireflies is my all time FAVEEEEEE animated film. You will only not cry and feel sad watching this, ONLY ONLY if you’re not human. LOL

Also! There’s more!!! Miyazaki will be working on two new animated films!!!

The Japanese Cultural Center in Korea has been showing since the month of July films from 4 popular Japanese actors in Korea – Juri Ueno, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Yu Aoi… and now this month, Joe Odagiri.

For free.

Damn, why doesn’t Centro Cultural Peruano Japones do this?

via this Japanese site.

Yo, to mix things up a little bit, I’ve decided to add some little spice.

Ines Efron by Axel Chaulet
photo by Axel Chaulet, via Flickr

Placing #9, there’s Ines Efron. Born in 1985 in Argentina – shot to fame when she played Alex on XXY, as a 15-year-old kid struggling with the issues of being intersexual. The movie was good, but her choice of role is what sets her apart from among her Latin American peers.

She’s steadily worked on films like Empty Nest, and was recently seen on The Fish Child, in which she takes part of a tragic love story between two girls of different social backgrounds.

As far as idols go, I don’t believe idols work in Latin America. Efron (no relation to Zac whatsoever xD) seems to be a serious actress, and the way she’s carried herself in different interviews seem to point toward that direction. Moreover, if she keeps up with her decision-making regarding her roles, we should only expect interesting stuff coming our way.

Continuing with the Multilanguage dubbing~~~
Something reminded me of Winnie the Pooh,
and I ended up finding a bunch of clips in different languages.

My big cousin was a Winnie the Pooh fan.
I bet he still has his teddy. xD
Don’t you, Bruce?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTK9x4baQY8

That’s the original intro in English, but check out some of the other versions in Spanish, Swedish and even Japanese…

Continue Reading…

Continuing with the warm-up!
Woohoo!! Movie count is up to 41!!
Only 7 more to go~~~ xD

First, some observations. I noticed that I’ve only listed about 70 films (counting with some really REALLY bad ones there), and I had to cut to half of those… the results are kind of very American. You agree?

Continue Reading…

I decided to add Juri Ueno once and for all, well because Julz already spoiled my fun. LOL And just to make you look, I won’t tell you where I’ve placed Juri, you’ll have to check the list.

Just as Yu, Juri isn’t very known by your average person, unless you’re into jdramas and Japanese films – but once again, you so totally be watching her in whatever medium you can, or else~~~

Juri Ueno

Now, don’t get me wrong. You might be thinking she’s rude, but that’s only for this photoshoot. In fact, Juri Ueno is a ball of energy waiting to burst open. Quirky and off-beat, she’s mentioned that she’s grown up watching variety shows, and that she’s happy that there are roles for people like her, who don’t feel beautiful or “adorned”.

People like her? You mean, people with tons of personality and a lot of randomness?
Then, yes, please. We need more of you.

Even though Juri’s movie career has been a little on the erratic side of things – from the smallest of roles on Jozee, the Tiger and the Fish, to the awesomely funny Swing Girls, to the sort of bland Naoko, and the quirky GuGu the Cat – you just know that Juri has it. You only need to watch her interpretation of oddball pianist prodigy Noda Megumi on Nodame Cantabile and overlay it with her work as a motocross rider with identity issues on Last Friends. There is no broader acting range than that.

In interviews, she’s expressed a lot of interest in continuing working as an actor which will undoubtedly bring a string of new films (and dramas) that will keep us watching. Please, Juri! Keep on working! ^-^

wanna read more Juri Ueno?