Tag: actress

  • Ryomaden Goodbye Interview

    I told you there were a few posts…

    Anyway, did any of you watched Ryomaden last season? I did try to watch it at the beginning but wasn’t that into it, so it was really troublesome to gather the energy to find a subtitled version of it. Plus, there weren’t any small files, and I didn’t feel like download HD versions.

    So I watched on TV with no subs.

    Until the very last episode that Yu was on… and then till the very last of the year.

    I remember that when I saw the preview of episode 44 with Yu’s character Omoto saying goodbye, I thought to myself — well, what bad number of episode to leave the show xD and it ended up being her 13th guest appearance — pretty sure about that.

    Anyway, for those who didn’t watch the show — Yu played Omoto, a geisha who’s a closeted Christian (oh, the irony!). She plays the shamisen, does some traditional dancing and performing, and has some non-explored sexual tension with Ryoma. She was good in it, but I understand that Taiga dramas are a long-term commitment.

    Here’s the capture of the interview with photos for those of you who won’t touch a Taiga with a stick xD

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  • Yu Aoi’s To South Poster + Pics

    As you probably know… or didn’t – Yu’s latest play with Satoshi Tsumabuki, Minami he, opened in Tokyo… had some dates postponed (at least) due to the Earthquake, and I think it’s safe to say that it’s done with its running.

    There were interesting thoughts on it – hint: only read one review, which you can check by going through the Minami tag – and I ran into this poster for it, which is the closest some of us got to this play xD

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  • Why Juri Ueno Cast as 10-Year-Old Gou Doesn’t Matter

    There’s been a recent item talking about Gou’s lowering ratings, and mostly pointing out Juri Ueno’s miscasting or her lacking experience in period dramas.

    Of course, I cannot form an opinion on whether Juri’s use of Japanese is appropriate for the era or not, and neither are most of us. However, I do understand why it would turn people off.

    I cannot for the life of me, however, understand why would people say they don’t understand Juri Ueno playing a 10-year-old version of Gou, when for the past few Taiga dramas it’s been used. I just began watching Taiga dramas just a few years ago, and I do understand why it would throw people off. It’s weird to you, I get it.

    You cannot say Ueno is miscast as a 10-year old when Masaharu Fukuyama played a much MUCH younger version of Ryomaden at the beginning of the show, Satoshi Tsumabuki played a much younger version of his character in Tenchijin, Hideaki Takizawa (Tackey from Tackey & Tsubasa) played pre-teen Yoshitsune when he was 20-something…

    and obviously, Aoi Miyazaki (and Eita) played little kids early on Atsuhime, as well as playing them as 40 or 50-ish year-old people.

    Also, I want to admit it. I don’t feel passionate enough about Gou. I love Juri, Asami Mizukawa and Rie Miyazawa, I do. But I’m not feeling the story. The three sisters, though they married very important people, feel like simple pawns in the story instead of being the players.

    It felt different in Atsuhime.

    They made Atsuhime interested in history, learning, and go strategics. She was constantly sent to places, and did things on her own to change her purpose in there. In the show, she was sent to be able to control the Shogun, to disintegrate the Ooku… yet, when she marries into the family, she sets to protect her new family. It’s conflictive.

    It was engaging. It was good.

    And this is me telling you I like Juri Ueno more than Aoi Miyazaki.

    Plus, you don’t need to be a kid to play a kid convincingly.

  • Minami he (To the South)

    So… you don’t live in Tokyo? Or you live in Tokyo but don’t have the time or money to spend a couple of hours in the theater? Well, tough luck!

    Yu-chan’s at the theater in her brand new play with Satoshi Tsumabuki, as previously reported.

    Tsumabuki portrays a seismologist named Minami who is station at the foot of the fictional Mt. Buji, a volcano that is getting ready to erupt. Aoi portrays Amane, a woman found wandering the slopes of Mt. Buji. The only thing is she may not be Amane at all. Aoi’s character keeps changing the story of who she is, where she comes from and even what her real name is.

    via J-Film Pow-Wow (Chris MaGee’s awesome, non?)

    Check J-Film Pow-Wow for more information and a photo where Yu’s on the side looking different. Then there’s a video of Yu-chan commenting on the play, and inviting all of us (who can’t go) to see the play.

    But it’s not embeddable, so head over here for the video.

    But really, even if I were in Tokyo… and I had the time and money to go watch Yu on stage, it’d be for nothing! Because I’m not fluent in Japanese. It’d be like a wasted seat on someone who would just stare O_O and that’d be creepy.

    So… is anyone going? And does anyone want to share their thoughts on it?

  • Los Angeles Film Critics Winners

    First, let me spazz as the LA Critics surprise by choosing Korean Actress — awesomest ahjumma for the award season — Kim Hye-ja for Best Actress with her work on Bong Joon-ho’s Madeo (Mother). The pick kind of baffles me since I consider Madeo a 2009 Film, and Kim Hye-ja was even nominated in my first Experiments Awards.

    Still… *goes crazy*

    Then, the LA Critics also surprise with a tie for Director choosing Olivier Assayas for Carlos, as well as David Fincher for The Social Network. While adding a personal sting by picking Olivia Williams for Best Supporting Actress runner-up — RUNNER-UP!!!! — for her work on The Ghost Writer… beaten by Jacki Weaver in Animal Kingdom. LOL

    • Best Picture – The Social Network
      1st. Carlos
    • Director – Olivier Assayas – Carlos
      tie. David Fincher – The Social Network
    • Actor – Colin Firth – The King’s Speech
      1st. Edgar Ramirez – Carlos
    • Actres – Kim Hye-ja – Madeo (Mother)
      1st. Jennifer Lawrence – Winter’s Bone
    • Supporting Actor – Niels Arestrup – Un Prophete (A Prophet)
      1st. Geoffrey Rush – The King’s Speech
    • Supporting Actress – Jacki Weaver – Animal Kingdom
      1st. Olivia Williams – The Ghost Writer
    • Screenplay – The Social Network
      1st. The King’s Speech
    • Cinematography – Black Swan
      1st. True Grit
    • Documentary – Last Train Home
      1st. Exit Through the Gift Shop
    • Foreign – Carlos
      1st. Madeo (Mother)
    • Animated Film – Toy Story 3
      1st. l’Illusionniste (The Illusionist)
    • Score – The Ghost Writer
      1st. The Social Network
    • Production Design – Inception
      1st. The King’s Speech

    via Living in Cinema

  • Zhao Wei for Harper’s Bazaar

    Sorry, no photographer credit that I could “read.”

     

    Zhao Wei’s (aka. Vicky Zhao) Harper’s Bazaar January cover~~~ pure gorgeousity. Her skin is flawless and oh-so-clear, with that combination of colors in her dress, the tinge on the photograph, and the colors in the background, she’s wow — I can’t believe she just had a baby. LOL

    Wait… if she has a baby – does that make her a MILF? Woah. So weird since she looks so young~ xD

    Anyway~~~ Zhao Wei’s interesting on screen, but on photos I’ve always had a problem with her nose. Sometimes, when the shot is not right… it seems large, and it sticks out a lot. I don’t know if it’s an issue with the camera lens, or if it’s a photo angle issue… but in this particular shot – she looks perfect.

    Check out the full set on high resolution photos over at Sina.com~

  • The New York Times: Fourteen Actors Acting

    The New York Times’ got around 1min. clips of actors acting titled Fourteen Actors Acting. From Tilda Swinton to Chloe Moretz going through James Franco and passing through Michael Douglas, all the way to Jennifer Lawrence with a tinge of Noomi Rapace.

    And… I want to say it looks great, because I love black and white – but really?

    Even I can’t fangirl.

  • Luna Papa – Watch Out for those Cows~

    I don’t think I’ve seen too many Russian films. At the moment, I can remember The Russian Ark — because it’s got Russian in the title — and I just did an IMDb search. I’ve also seen 12, Night Watch… and I guess Mongol is kind of Russian, even though it was the Kazakhstan Oscar entry.

    So this is actually my 4th official Russian film.

    Despite having very limited on-screen time on Good Bye, Lenin!, Chulpan Khamatova floored me. Plus, I love how Daniel Bruhl says “Lara!” So I was always meaning to watch all of Khamatova’s filmography. But do you know how difficult it is to find Russian films on actual DVD? Anyway, I finally got hold of Luna Papa. I had literally no idea what is was about, so I went in blind. This is what you should generally do. No expectations, good surprises.

    Luna Papa tells the story of a 17-year-old named Mamlakat whose love for theater and the arts lead her to one of the theater company’s presentation. She misses it by a hair, as she is walking in the dark paths only lit by the moonlight, she is mysteriously seduced by a no-face man. Next thing she knows, she wakes up in the morning with her torn dress… no longer a virgin.

    Now, you may think this is all serious business and that the film gets all drama from this point forward, but it doesn’t.

    Luna Papa is actually the fantastic tale of a young mother from the point of view of an unborn baby. Whatever your opinion on pro-life or pro-choice is, you can’t just dismiss this simply as either of those.

    Unless I really REALLY suck at math, Khamatova should be in her 20s while shooting this role, but actually looks like she’s about 15. She’s terribly endearing, and terribly sassy.

    Khamatova’s mentally-ill brother is played by German actor Moritz Bleibtreu… who I thought was going to be playing a talking role in Russian, but he mumbles one-words. It isn’t bad, he’s actually very effective and quite endearing as an over-protective older brother. As well as the father, who despite cultural prejudice in the town, does a lot for her daughter and son.

    I have no idea if it was the lack of any knowledge about the film, but that ending came from nowhere. It didn’t feel like cheating, because there were a lot of things that came left field since the beginning. Luna Papa — I still have no idea why it’s called like that — was just a pretty nice blend of wacky comedy with some high tension moments.

    My only real big issue with a highly entertaining film like this is that Khamatova — who is of Tartar origin — doesn’t look like she’s a Tajik girl. Not like I have any grasp on ethnicity, but she felt so out of place from where the movie was taking place.

    My favorite scene’s got to be Mamlakat at the abortion clinic, as the doctor tells her to lie down.

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  • Juri Ueno as Gou on NHK’s 2011 Taiga Drama

    You know, I was watching the last episode of Ryomaden on Sunday’s afternoon before lunch. Sorry, Ryoma-san ~~~ I didn’t feel ya. But I did feel Teruyuki Kagawa’s Iwasaki — frienemy of Ryoma. Just like I enjoyed Kiyomori’s grey relationship with Yoshitsune.

    There’s something about not so good characters in history that’s just wayyyyy more interesting than the heroes. Heroes are boring. That’s why Atsuhime was so good! She was actually sent to manipulate the Shogun in favor of her clan… then she married the Shogun, and not-really turned on her family, but she didn’t do what she was sent to do.

    Looking forward to Gou… as well as Kenichi Matsuyama’s starring on the 2012 NHK Taiga drama about the life of Kiyomori. That’s all sorts of awesome considering he’s gonna battle it out with Hiroshi Tamaki playing Yoshitsune’s father, Minamoto.

    Yup, I just showed you all my samurai / taiga drama knowledge right there.

    It’s like I know history! I feel knowledgeable ~~~

  • Noomi Rapace – I by Max Vitali & Nils Ljunggren for Bon Magazine

    Oooooooooooh, stylish.

    I think it’s time to add a Noomi Rapace tag, right?