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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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

Oh, we LOVE it when YouTube has region restrictions, no?

BritneyTV - YouTube - Region Restriction

You’d think Britney Spears fans around the world, and not only located in the US would try to watch her videos on YouTube. I would get the ‘age restriction’ – but come on! who hasn’t lied into those signup forms before, right? – But hey! Not only I can’t watch Britney videos from BritneyTV… I also found a lot of other music videos (eg. Cobrastyle by Robyn) that I couldn’t watch because of this. As if!

Anyway, I had just found out Britney released her new video (third, I think) – If You Seek Amy… which I thought was the best track on Circus… not because my name is featured, but because it’s actually kind of smart and sassy. The video SUCKS though… she hasn’t made a good video since she stopped having general shots of choreography. You can’t deny the close shots and quick edits while ‘dancing’ is to hide the fact that she’s not moving much.

Here’s the video,
Continue Reading…

is go international for once and for all.

iTunes is not international. For one, if you’re from Peru (just found this one out, hahahaha) there IS a new iTunes Store Peru, which you can possibly use ONLY with a Peruvian CC. Makes sense that there is a Peru iTunes Store, now that they sell iPhones here. Only BIGGEST problem of them all…

THEY DON’T SELL MUSIC.

Same with iTunes Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela and Vietnam.

Yes, I went through all the stores by country when I found the one from Peru to check that I’m not the only one getting screwed here. What good is something called iTUNES if I can’t get tunes… *rolls eyes*

Then there’s the issue with “only one-region” exclusive download, which could be in either of their country stores and you won’t be able to buy unless you got the cc and billing address from that region.

If Amazon is intelligent and goes international without regional restrictions (meaning no US IP addresses or minding the billing address) they will gain market. Availability is all. iTunes is still more available than Amazon since Amazon only works with a US IP.

Always the same old problem… I was reading about the new Sling.com, so I visited to test. However, the same with Hulu… other streaming sites and even YouTube, content restrictions.

Sling.com - Not in your Region

And this is why illegal viewing can’t still be overcome.

The other day my friend sent me the Robyn – Cobrastyle link on YouTube, but it turns out that I can’t view any of Robyn’s official video releases, I also couldn’t view the Lady Gaga official releases – I could understand the content restriction on the shows YouTube is showing, but can’t see the point in making music available by regions… bloody stupid.

This is why illegal viewing will continue growing. If you don’t let people see your video due to content region restriction, they will look somewhere else…

Yay for no “this content is not available in your country” messages. Britney and IMEEM team up and have released Circus for preview one week ahead of it’s official release on December 2. I was actually kinda worried that I might not be able to listen to it (like I can’t see some official video releases on YouTube), but thank you IMEEM for letting me sample.

— EDIT 2012 —

IMEEM doesn’t exist any longer, so here’s a photo of Britney!

Don’t have an opinion yet… I’m on track two. Anyway, you too… listen to this.

Takes so Long!

November 22, 2008 — 1 Comment

So I lose my interest… what am I talking about? Movies…

For example, Mon Meilleur Ami – came out on 2006, and it’s actually playing on Cinemax Latin America, but it opened in theaters in Lima this month (Nov. 6 2008) – why bring it if it’s already on cable~~
*rolls eyes*

Next up, The Other Boleyn Girl which just opened this week, and if I’m not mistaken it’s already on DVD. There is also Juno (which I already OWN on DVD) – which is coming out next week (nov. 27).  And so on~

I haven’t been to the movies since Batman came out… There hasn’t been a ‘world premiere’ since Batman came out… unless you count the new James Bond movie, which came out just a few days later, but still… LATER is the keyword. How about all those films that have already come out months ago~~~ Like Tropic Thunder, Forgetting Sarah Marshall… which I never intended to watch, but still had to wait two or three or even half a year to hear about them here. When they finally get here, I have already lost interest or have seen it online somewhere else~ or I have it already on DVD.

When DVD players are already region-free, why make people wait longer than it takes to put the DVD on the market.