Tag: distributors

  • So more piracy talk~~~

    So now French users can be (can be, under the current law) banned from using the internet for up to a year, if they are caught downloading illegal music, and a fine of 300k Euros. [AFP] Oh, my! And apparently, Sweden is also monitoring user download activity? Any word on that, Julz~?

    There was also this article talking about a DRM server the Japanese RIAA wants to use to check on the music their users are playing on their phones… considering we (iTunes users) have already moved away from DRM tracks, I think it’s a very bad idea…

    And then comes this very interesting post/article by dear Lily Allen for The Times, in which she expresses some of her thoughts  about the issue, and the opinion of some of her more “legendary” colleagues…

    Music piracy is having a dangerous effect on British music, but some rich and successful artists such as Nick Mason, of Pink Floyd, and Ed O’Brien, of Radiohead, don’t think so. Last week, they told The Times that file sharing is fine. It probably is for them. They do sell-out arena tours and have the biggest Ferrari collections in the world. For new talent, though, file sharing is a disaster — it makes it harder and harder for new acts to emerge.

    That’s partly true. But so it’s this…

    By moving to a microtransaction model (charging <£1 for an album) for recorded music and increasing the emphasis on live concerts musicians can increase their revenue stream and attempt to reduce the abuse of their IP.

    I understand what Lily Allen is saying, but the music industry spends too much money on advertising and pushing poor catchy music.

    If your product is so good, then it does not need advertising or pushing.

    Itunes and other sites are still overpriced in terms of album costs.

    Books survived the photocopier, music will survive the internet. Real musicians have realised concerts are more of a money spinner and are have brought live music back to the front of entertainment.

    As I’ve mentioned before, I watch as many films, and listen to even more music than I ever did. I still buy CDs, but only the really good ones. The ones that are worth my $14 for album/DVD package. Right now, they just happen to be Asian albums… which actually are worth my +$30. So I am paying $30 or $40 for a CD from Japan because it’s good. Wanna wonder why I haven’t bought much from anything else?

    And yes, digital content is way overpriced.

  • Why I’m not an Avid Moviegoer

    I used to be a really good moviegoer when I was 17… 18 and 19~ Perhaps catch 1 or 2 films a week… if there was something indie, maybe 3 or 4 films at the cinema! That’s a lot of money. I don’t go to the movies too often, and I wonder why.

    1. Peru doesn’t cater to my taste in movies when I want to… where I want to. I would watch Inglorious Basterds, but it hasn’t open here yet. So considering… I would watch it only if it’s really good. Hopefully it will make it before it comes out on DVD in America xD

    2. It takes ages for some films to be released, so by the time they’re released I already bought them on DVD, have already watched them as downloads or have already lost interest.

    3. They never make it here. Hooray for cable! LOL But sometimes they don’t even make it there.

    4. Little to no independent films. It’s always the big studios… Can I re-suggest IndieScreenings? You can read some of my thoughts about it in this YAM issue.

    5. 98% of American films in the market. 0.01% of Asia. 1%Europe… 0.03% Canadian~~~ What gives? xD The rest can be whatever… co-productions, etc.

    6. I know it’s about the money-making, but how about opening a specialized cinema that shows new independent/foreign releases?

    7. Not cinema means I get to watch films when I have the time, not when they want me. I can watch any film at 2am even if theaters are closed. No need to queue or complain about the noisy couple behind you.

    Anyway… how do they choose the films to be distributed? And who chooses??? Maybe I should work for a distributor company or something. Maybe we should work with Indie Screenings for a test.

  • It’s YAM Time #5!

    LOL
    Cheap Mambo #5 mention xD

    Anyway~~ Here it is!!!
    After much liver disease~~~
    YAM005

    with Yu on the cover!
    Happy early Bday, Yu~
    Omedetou!!

    YAM005

    In it, you’ll read more about Harry Potter 6 (against much of anyone’s Harmonian hearts, lol), Transformers 2, Moon (yeah, that last line kills me), and Public Enemies~ Snap! There’s also DBSK concert review, SNSD (which I always get a typo), Bibi, Seo Taiji, Clazziquai, Popular and more~~~

    Head over here to download~~~

  • Harry Potter and the Case of Paranoia

    Though I sweared to myself that I wouldn’t dish money to watch HP6 for obvious shipping reasons, and my not enjoying Hp6 and HP7. UMPH! – I’ve been tempted, I must admit… these past few days to actually go and check it out. Anyway!

    I have made up my mind! – thanks to this –

    I ain’t going… I ain’t dishing my money. Maybe my time…
    who knows~ depends on the time LOL
    maybe soon, maybe on cable…

    Obviously press get press screenings, so they can review it and properly fuzz about the film. It’s usually an invitation, you go to a certain time and place to watch it, maybe discuss it… enjoy it, and write about it telling everyone to go watch it, or just dismiss it.

    It’s commonly known that you’re not to bring your cameras… or camera cellphones (?? what for, can you really record decent footage long enough in a cellphone?) – whatever. It’s just insulting to know that you’re invited somewhere but BEWARE, you will be arrested if you’re seen breaking the rules. ARRESTED! Doesn’t the police force have other things to do????

    Why bother then to invite someone if you are already thinking he/she will be ripping your movie off? Are we in the assumption that all guests are there to record your movie?

    In any case, I doubt CAM film versions come out of Peru, so not much need to fuzz over it at the moment. They are usually fromo outside… and I doubt CAMs are press screening made. And even then, maybe a nice “this is a screener” text would suffice.

  • Japanese Cinema Blogathon 2009 – Day4

    I’ve hated #4 this past weeks. That number is an unlucky number…

    Anyway, this is my 4th contribution to the Japanese Cinema Blogathon, if you haven’t been reading… which I hope you have had~~~ because that’s the whole point of this blogathon, right? To promote J-Films…

    Which brings me to today’s topic.

    First, Your Friends~ Then the World!

    How to Make People Watch Japanese Cinema

    It’s all about compromise. God knows I’ve tried so hard to get my friends interested in it, because sometimes it can get boring talking to people about it just online… *sighs* I’m sure I come off as pushy, etc~ and many of them won’t budge. I even offer them films to watch for free… they only need to come over, and that’s that.

    Last year I had a Foreign Film gathering (they chose the foreign theme, anyway), two of the nine films scheduled that day were Tetsuya Nakashima’s Memories of Matsuko – mainly because I’m crazy about that film, and I had just watched it a few weeks prior – and Shunji Iwai’s Hana & Alice, because Iwai-san and Yu Aoi is lurv. Sadly, no one came on time to watch Matsuko (only one friend arrived… halfway through the film), and I highly doubt they made any connection with Hana & Alice.

    Needless to say, I’m setting up another film gathering, though I haven’t made them choose themes yet. I have a few lists I’ve made and they contain a couple of Japanese films. Let’s hope one of them stays this year! *crosses fingers*

    Anyway… you don’t want to come off as pushy – and like I said above… it’s all about compromise.

    • You have a friend who wants to make you watch something of his own?? Maybe he wants to get you into Lost, Heroes… or Battlestar Gallactica? Give in, tell him you will watch a season (or maybe a few episodes, depending on your willingness to compromise) in exchange he should watch a film or two.

    This will make your friend feel like you are not pushing him to watch something, instead you’re just exchanging interests… and who knows, you might end up enjoying both those hobbies.

    • When you blog about it, mix things up a little. We blog about Japanese Cinema, but in the end people who already like Japanese Cinema read your posts.

    The point of this blogathon is to promote Japanese Cinema, but we are the ones dealing and discussing. I mentioned this blogathon to a friend, and she had no idea why she should care. *doh!* – combine the idols with your favorite Japanese Directors, and get them at least skimming through your posts. Make a western comparison… got something to write about vampire films? psych ward films? I mean Clive Owen has said that he wants to work with Wong Kar Wai and Ang Lee again… that means some teenage Owen fans would be at least be interested in checking out some more work by both directors.

    How about a crazy collaboration between Johnny Depp and Tetsuya Nakashima? Or Juliette Binoche and Shunji Iwai?

    • Make a fuzz about collaborations. No matter how good or bad you may think they are.

    I made a fuzz about Tokyo! – I kind of really worship Michel Gondry’s visual style… then there was Ryo Kase, and Yu Aoi. – I’ve also been making a fuzz over New York, I Love You because it’s got Shunji Iwai’s short with Orlando Bloom. Now, I don’t like Orlando Bloom (I’ve only ever liked him as Legolas LOL), but if there are people who enjoy the short… there is a small chance that a teenage Bloom fan might check out Iwai’s past work.

    • Introduced them with what they like.

    My dad likes comedies… and action films, but well~ he also happens to like Asian culture, LOL’ so maybe I’m being a little unfair here. Anyway, I’ve made him watch films like Linda Linda Linda, Matsuko, Swing Girls, Tekkon, Kamikaze Girls… then one day he brought me Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams. *laughs* I was surprised myself, but my dad had a newly-found interest in Japanese films (mostly the epic kind though… xD)

    and to just not have FOUR bullet points here…

    • … just keep pushing~

    Keep bugging people. Someone will need to budge, right? LOL

  • Japanese Cinema Blogathon 2009 – Day3

    Continuing with this Blogathon (hmm… I’m finding it harder and harder to write) – I read the following post by Ulrik about Japanese subtitle distribution on blu-ray~ sad, sad indeed~

    But the question is… would you buy blu-ray/DVDs with English subs?

    Many of us, who watch through torrents and P2P, would probably not buy. I know a LOT of people who think they have the right to not buy a film they love – I get a little pissed when they say that. Not because they do not pay for films… but because they don’t WANT to pay for things they supposedly LOVE. I really can’t stand that.

    You will always find me with little money on the wallet or my bank account (depending on where I do the buying…) because I literally spend whatever I get to cash in on the films I love (and used to be films I liked, LOL). It’s really depressing, if you think about it economicaly~ but my love for certain films make it worth the while. Really, watching films and talking about films make me forget about my surroundings hahaha.

    [so please, ads my clicking. oh yes, i did again~~ LOL]

    So I yearn for English (or Spanish… or even French as of lately) subtitles, so why aren’t they getting subbed? And even sadder (but not as sad as others…) – Why do some films take over six months to get fansubbed?? I worship fansubbers, because they provide something so very useful. But it would be nice to get DVDs with subs, right?

    So let’s see… Hmm… I dunno if I can make it to 10 films, so we’ll see~~

    The Japanese Films I’ve Bought with English Subtitles

    Not including Region 1 releases
    Hooray for multi-region players! Yes, because I still haven’t made the change to Blu-ray xD

    • Memories of Matsuko 2-disc Special Edition [Hong Kong]
      I bought this one right away after watching the film. I loved the film so much, that I didn’t even cared that the only version I could find online was a Region 3. This also happened to be the first Region 3 disc I ever bought. I ended up really happy with the product because everything came subtitled (including extras), and at a descent price.
    • GUU GUU Datte Neko de Aru 2-disc First Press Limited Edition [Japan]
      I have to admit. It hurt me to pay~ LOL – Specially because the Korean version is half the price, but I also must admit that I was curious to see the difference between Japanese DVDs and the rest… so this became my first ever official Japanese DVD.
    • The first Inuyasha Movie (Toki o Koeru Omoi, Affections through Time)[Japan?]
      – hahaha, I know~ – I used to watch Inuyasha when I was in school. It was during those years that my friends had tried to anime-fying me, so I went to this “specialized” in anime shop in town, and bought a copy of the film. Though I’m not entirely sure now if it was a real copy or a bootleg, because to tell you the truth… it doesn’t compared to my copy of GUU GUU.
      And in the end… I bought a Region 1 copy. LOL
    • Love Letter 10th Anniversary Version [Hong Kong]
      I can’t remember right now if the Japanese was available for purchase, when I bought this. I really, really love Shunji Iwai’s work (part of the reason I want to watch New York, I Love You now~), so I just couldn’t help myself from getting a copy of Love Letter… because I’m a sap. I was slightly disappointed on this release due to some issues with the sync of subs, but I can live with that. If I come around some more extra cash, I would consider getting a better copy though~~~
    • Niji no Megami [Hong Kong]
      Truth be told… I wish this film had a better release, but since this is the only version I found with subs – this one it is! LOL’ – Again, it’s got Shunji Iwai on it as a stamp, so I couldn’t help myself. Add to that Yu Aoi and Juri Ueno. I’m lost. Plus, Hayato Ichihara is a cutie. He’s weird here, but he’s so so pretty.

    Some other films, I’ve found on Region 1. But I only wish someone would release Hyakuman-en with subs – and I know they aren’t films but I would love someone would release Camouflage (this one doesn’t even have complete fansubs!) and Osen with subs. LOL

    Come on WOWOW~ Get on with it! You’ve already licensed Hito no SEKKUSU as a Free Region with Subs in Taiwan! Which I’m so thinking of buying… but really, I’m more interested in getting Camouflage subbed/fansubbed… okay, and maybe Hyakuman-en.

  • 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?

  • 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.

  • Woohoo! Passed the 6-Month-Mark!

    Hey, people!! For those of you just beginning to read this blog, the 6-Month-Mark refers to how long my interest seems to last.

    I’m sooooo happy to say that it’s almost a year since I first saw All About Lily Chou Chou, and Rainbow Song. In fact, I’ve got my timeline all figured out (thank you, FB hahaha) – It will be a year on the 16th… since I got Asian (Japanese) cinemaphiled… a year of complete Yu Aoi also.

    I’m preparing a ‘special’ post for that day, hahaha ‘coz it’s been a long time since I had found a subject to last this long… 3 years, give or take of fluttering fandoms. And because Yu Aoi fandom seems scattered, or very idol-craze sometimes… I have taken as my ‘job’ to create a place where we focus a lot on projects, and work less on icons, banners and graphic making. A place to discuss films, the seldom ‘crazy good’ photoshoots and NOT focus on personal life. LOL

    As much as I love reading Lainey every weekday… I will not be blogging about Yu’s personal life. I have decided~~~ Now, you can blame that on two websites I visit (two actresses… one I’m a frequent visitor, and the other I’m even ghost staff almost hahaha). I’ve been taught to respect their privacy, and so I will. *sighs*

    I will not be re-branding my site… this will still be my blog, and I will post about any other subjects that I want (specially during Award Season)… but hopefully I will have a good amount of Yu Aoi postings monthly. You may have also noticed that some links to Yu Aoi films are not working anymore, and I doubt I will be posting any film on my own… they are quite easy to find through Google.

    I’m not against downloading stuff for distribution sake, I’m also in favor of fansubs… but if you love one of the films, and a release with the subtitles of your liking is officially available, go ahead and buy it. Buy photobooks… and other merchandise you feel like getting as long as it is to support an actor and their work. Don’t go around saying you support someone if you haven’t ever bought one of their films (in any region), or haven’t even gone to the theater to watch their films (in case the film is distribute theatrically), or even spent $20 to buy their ‘official’ calendar.

    Yes, I know. Photobooks are pricey, so are Japanese region DVDs (and some don’t even have subtitles!!), but there are other ways you can support someone. American fans can go watch Tokyo! in theaters… they can buy Hana & Alice, or All About Lily Chou Chou, they can also buy Hula Girls. They can also support Yu projects by buying TekkonKinkreet on DVD and Blu-ray… or buying Honey & Clover which seems a pretty popular Yu Aoi film, or the Tetsujin 28 which I haven’t even dared to watch.

    As a final note, you can pre-order Tokyo! (if you liked it, I’m not making anyone buy anything against their will) on DVD and Blu-ray discs, which will be released on June 30th.

  • Get Hana & Alice on Region 1 DVD Now!

    Decided to post this (to make my daily post a day quota) and because I think it’s important people buying Hana & Alice on Region 1 DVD… if you haven’t got it on DVD (original copy, people) to NOT only support Yu and her projects in the region (non-Asian releases), but also support Viz Pictures who have been releasing films like Linda Linda Linda, Shimotsuma Monogatari (Kamikaze Girls), and Cha no Aji (Taste of Tea). All very great films~~~

    Also… more people will be interested in perhaps subtitling Yu Aoi films (*hints* Hyakuman-en), and perhaps we could get proper DVD released of Hito no SEKKUSU, and other future projects.

    PLUS!! Hana & Alice is 50% the price I bought it for!!! The DVD is quite cheap… only $10USD!!! And if you live in the States, you even get free shipping~~ 10 bucks!!! To own a Shunji Iwai film like Hana & Alice subbed, and with a great (and quite lenghty) Making Of featuring the cast working hard and goofing around. Plus, you can’t miss Yu snoring. LOL~ There! I said it!!

    Wait!! There’s more~~~ All About Lily Chou Chou is also quite cheap, 2USD! So if you buy it with Hana & Alice, you get both films at $22 bucks with possible free shipping within the States.