Tag: by amy wong

  • Quickies on Hu Tu Tu

    You do probably know that my Hindi should suck, but that doesn’t stop me from keeping my iTunes library in order… which means I take all of the tracks from Indian movies that I’ve downloaded and try to give an English translation — after all, I should know, at least, what the title of a song means! That, of course, means that titles from hard-to-find movies/OSTs have to do with my own interpretation. One of them is Hu Tu Tu, because no one’s bothered to translate the songs… and my copy of the movie doesn’t come with subtitles in the sung parts.

    Most of the titles are easy- Chhai Chhapa Chhai is classic onomatopoeic Gulzar (Jhini Mini Jhini from Maqbool gave me a clue), Jai Hind Hind (Hail, India!), Bandobast Hai (It’s the System), Ghapla Hai Bhai (It’s a Mess, Brother), and Jago Jago Jagte Raho (Get Up, Always Be Awake) seem quite straight forward. Even Yeh Nam Aankhein (These Drenched Eyes) can seem easy when compared to Itna Lamba Kash Lo Yaaron and Nikla Neem Ke Talese Nikla.

    So what do those last titles mean?

    I’ve sort of translated Itna Lamba Kash Lo Yaaron– since Itna refers to a Quantity (this much or so much), Lamba refers to the Length (height or otherwise), Kash means to Take a Puff or a Smoke (considering the scene), and Yaaron refers to Friends. I sorta translated it to It’s Such a Long Smoke, My Friend. And in the lyrics~

    Itna lamba kash lo yaaron, dam nikal jaaye
    Zindagi sulagaao yaaron, gam nikal jaaye
    Yaaron, yaaron

    Dam = (staying) Power
    Nikal = Get out/get lost
    Sulagaao/Sulagana = Ignite/set on fire
    Gam = Regret

    It’s such a long smoke, my friend.
    Power, be gone.
    Life is set on fire, my friend.
    Regret, be gone.

    How did I do with that?

    Though, Nikla Neem Ke Talese Nikla escapes my comprehension. It doesn’t even look Hindi to me- oh, wait. Never mind. *goes crazy* Why is Talese together when it should be Tale Se? As in Nikla Neem Ke Tale Se Nikla (निकला नीम के तले से निकला) *growls*

    Anyone ANYONE who is able to help me out with that title and make my life easier?- I’ll love you forever! LOL From the deep Google that I did, Nikla seemed to refer to “being out,” or “something that sticks out” and I know Neem can refer to the bitterness of the Neem tree [1] or the tree itself, and Tale is “the bottom or base of something” — Does that mean… The Bottom of the Neem Tree Turned Upside Down? LOL, I need to watch this movie again. xD


  • The Heart Says Live a Little~

    It’s hard to imagine that it’s already been a year. A year since my dad’s passing. As I sit here writing this a whole week ahead of the events that happened a year ago, I see the signs, the memorable -or maybe not so memorable- but etched in my mind as the most important things we did together. The things we ate, the things we watched, listened to and laughed about. His smell of cigarettes and mint candy, the roughness of his coarse beard, yet the softness of his now-clipped hair. His laugh and his unique way of ringing my doorbell.They all seem so distant, yet so close to my heart.

    dads-1st-death-anniversary

    Papa, wo ai ni. Wo hen xiang ni.


  • Vishal’s Blue Umbrella

    Kore, nani nani nani??? Kirei~~~ xD

    the-blue-umbrella-vishal-2005

    Here’s Vishal Bhardwaj’s The Blue Umbrella. I think he’s missing a children’s film to make it a full trilogy alongside Makdee, which -in fact- would make it a Little Girl’s Trilogy. Come on, do it, Vishal. Pick another girl and pair her against another great actor. My pick is Naseeruddin Shah.

    The introduction to this movie against the snow is very reminiscent of Iwai’s Love Letter. o-genki desuka? Why the random link-up? There’s random Japanese in the movie. xD What Japanese tourist travels with their Japanese-styled umbrella? xD


  • Rani Fake Criterion Collection

    Since I got my computer back (and found a set of hindi fonts too), I’ve been playing around with a basic Rani Mukerji Fake Criterion collection. I decided to skip Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, but include Aiyyaa. I actually like the movie a lot more than I initially did. Plus, it’s not a supporting role, so it beat out roles in Yuva, Bombay Talkies, Veer-Zaara, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai or Talaash.

    Fake Criterion Collection: Rani Mukerji - Aiyyaa Fake Criterion Collection: Rani Mukerji - Black

    Fake Criterion Collection: Rani Mukerji - Laaga Chunari Mein Daag Fake Criterion Collection: Rani Mukerji - Paheli

    Serious dramas lend themselves out for cooler Criterion covers, though I must admit that I liked the disorder in the Aiyyaa cover. And I have to apologize for the Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, I just couldn’t think of any particular symbol from the movie… but at least I got to test out that new (tricky) hindi font.

    I think I might do a Sanjay Leela Bhansali set.


  • Yu Aoi and Satoshi Tsumabuki for Wakamonotachi

    Ugh, I love these guys together.

    wakamonotachi-2014-ep01-yu-aoi-satoshi-tsumabuki

    Soooooo much.


  • Fanart Posters for Nora Noh Docu

    Last night, I got the chance to watch a Nora Noh documentary, simply titled Nora Noh. She is Korea’s first fashion designer to ever put on a fashion show in the country. There were some highlight comments, like when Seo Eun-young points out all these Korean celebrities are trying to ride the Korean Wave, when the wave has already been ridden by Nora. Way back when there was no wave.

    There was also the comment on Korean pedigree when paying foreign creative directors, makeup artists, photographers, models, etc. more just for being foreign, when they all have talented people in Korea.

    I need to gather my thoughts~

    And though the docu has an official poster, I played around with some photos… because I got my computer back.

    nora-noh-fanart-poster-002
    That would be… a triple poster~

    I preferred the single sketch poster (3), I think.


  • The Late 2012-2013 Music Highlights

    amys-2012-2013-music-highlights-yammag

    I think I could work more on the 2013 list, but then it will be 2015! LOL I also hate that I don’t have my font pack at hand because this graphic is UHHHH-GLAY. My Frankenstein Computer is back! I’m so happy~

    Anyway, here are 30 album picks by all different artists that released (almost) full-length albums these last two years. And here are all their covers in gallery form, and here’s a Facebook Gallery, it contains some playlists and iTunes links. And here’s a Xiami playlist, where you can (almost) access all the albums. And a Weibo post in case you’re there.

    And here’s the YAM Magazine list that contains all my ramblings, with playlist/streaming and buy links.


  • The Namesake: Don’t Worry. It’s Nothing.

    the-namesake-ashoke-hospital-it-is-nothing

    For those fathers who always play down their worries and fears.

    我想你,爸。


  • Funny Tabu for Meenaxi Extras

    You know how we love to put stars on pedestals? Often reserved and measured in interviews — except for the fact that Ang Lee told her she laughs like a school girl [1] — it was totally worth the buy of the Meenaxi DVD for the Making Of. Now we have these~

    tabu-meenaxi-making-of-funny-001
    My reaction when I saw that?

    (more…)