Tag: korea

  • Foreign Submissions Update

    Some very exciting news – First, it seems I’ve seen more than TWO of the Foreign submissions this year LOL. Of course that’s without considering the 9 films that will go through the other stage, and the 5 that will be chosen. I’ll probably get a 1/5 ratio at the most.

    Second of all… China chose Xiaogang Feng’s earthquake drama Aftershocks to represent them. *jumpy claps* Now, this is my weakness. I love tear-jerking dramas. Anyone who’s lived through an earthquake should and will be affected by the story, anyone who’s lived through a hurricane, typhoon, any catastrophic natural disaster. Aftershocks is for you. But this is not to say that Aftershocks is exploitative of the tragedy, because this “earthquake” film is little about the earthquake and all about the people affected by it.

    Considering the technical achievement this is, and how human and audience-friendly this drama is, I think this might have high chances of passing to the “chosen 9”. *crosses fingers*

    Here are some of the submissions I’ve seen and reviewed:

    The updated titles via Indie Wire!

  • Ahh… 2NE1, What Am I Going to Do with You?

    I’m taking a wild guess here, I’m really confused with all the nicknames in the comments, but I’m guessing Southsideirish is Bill (you can change your name in the Intense Debate profile, you know xD), so… I finally took time to watch 2NE1’s presentation he recommended – in… Sketchbook?

    Plus, I also took some time to listen to their debut album, and like I commented when they released their 3 singles, I’m giving the album a passing grade already. However, I’m doing so just barely. I’m giving them a 3/5, which is more than I could say for the likes of Rain or even Taeyang. xD But why is that? After all, I did love Try to Follow Me and Clap your Hands. I’m all over those two, and I’m partial to Go Away and Can’t Nobody. The rest of the album? It just sort of felt kind of bland, and I’m not counting the remixes. Can’t Nobody is so processed that I can’t even understand what they are saying, and if I give Kanye flack for it, I’m giving 2NE1 flack for it too. LOL

    2NE1 defends themselves vocally, but they’d better be prepared when autotune begins wearing out. I am not convinced they could kill it vocally, or in a 100% full-on Michael Jackson-worthy choreography. 2NE1 is cool, it’s fun, but I don’t think I can see them here once Bom and Dara hit 30.

    Give me a performance where 2NE1 kills it Acapella style a la Acapella Candy Man from Brown Eyed Girls, and I’ll eat my words. Same with the dudes of Big Bang – I know Daesung can sing – but can all of them kill an Acapella performance together as Big Bang?

    And… is it me, or is Minzy the lovechild of Daesung and G-Dragon? There, I said it.

  • Julz UNF! – Lee Hyori for Top Girl Korea

    Not to say that Hyori is not hot when she glams up, but she still looks best just woken up after hard labor in Family Outing with Jaesuk-oppa. So I guess that’s my biggest compliment… she even looks good in extreme dire situations.

    Picspam over at Omona They Didn’t.

  • 2NE1’s Triple Threat – Clap your Hands / Go Away / Can’t Nobody

    Ahh, that’s how I like my commercial pop. Slick and spoon-fed to me. It’s super surprising to see 2NE1 releasing 3 singles at a time — with music videos and promotions. From this 3 singles and the early Try to Follow Me, I can guarantee passing marks for the album already without listening to it yet. xD

    I have to admit, however, LOVED Clap your Hands as a song. Liked Go Away as a video, and by the third Can’t Nobody, I was beginning to feel tired… but by the middle of the song I was at it again. It’s something about these girls — how old are they anyway? They must be in their 15s it feels — having fun. It’s hilarious to see them playing around.

    First impressions~

    Clap your Hands, I must admit… gave me a bit of a reggaeton vibe (in the fake forest scene, what’s up with that? Came out of nowhere… xD That’s CL, right? Haven’t learned their names, ha!) – it’s the autotune, the instrumentation, and the whole production – but the fact that I can’t understand what they sing about, and they look completely adorable and cool at the same time, it makes me take in the song in a whole different way. It’s slightly disturbing seeing them saying “let me rock your body” while swinging their hips that way.

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  • Meisa Kuroki – LOL! MV

    And LOL it made me do.

    I’m not the biggest Meisa Kuroki… enthusiast. Never seen her on a drama, and she was okay in a rather okay-ish Mamoru Oshii Assault Girls with Rinko Kikuchi (does Rinko Kikuchi EVER speak???). Anyway, I digress. Kuroki, however, seems to populate my entertainment news reading, and well… I won’t complain about her. She won me over when she told actor Koji Yakusho (54) that she’d rather play his daughter than his lover. Snap! All the respect to Yakusho-san and his acting talent, but that was creepy. Dude. DUDE! Get a grip.

    So… as a result, I was mildly interested in LOL! – First, OMG? Isn’t that Miley Cyrus’ movie or something? And… WTF is up with LOL! as a song title. xD The song sounds different to general commercial Jpop, and I daresay seems more influenced by commercial Kpop instead — is this the work of DBSK, Big Bang and all the other K-stars crossing over? — and I even dare to say that it gave me a lot of Lee Hyori vibes, which isn’t bad. Japan needs a little love for the bubbly personality that is Hyori. Ooh! Can there be a collaboration? xD Imagine all the sex appeal in that video~

    Anyway, off topic once again! While listening to the song, I couldn’t help but laugh at it… when she autotune-sings “laughing out loud, out loud, out loud” I would burst out laughing because it’s so silly. Right? And the song… and the look on the video, they don’t match, right?

    I know someone who likes her *coughJulzcough* and someone who will find her hot *coughErickcough*. So you guys, better brush off on your Spanish. Turns out Okinawan Meisa Kuroki’s dad is half Panamanian. Try to say that fast Panamanian. Again, Panamanian. xD

    Oh, Julz. Now that Kuroki has a Twitter account, you can hit on her in Spanish. LOL

  • Top10 Recent East Asian Films that Should Be Released in Peru

    Bam! I’m into making lists now. xD

    To push distributors, and tickle their curiosity, as well as showing them it can also be good business to bring Asian flicks. Plus, cinephiles would love a little more variety in their local theaters, and I bet regular moviegoers wouldn’t mind one or two non-Hollywood blockbusters… after all, we already watch everything subtitled! We don’t have an issue with them like some… other… people.

    If Americans (and Canadians) complain about the little variety of Asian films outside martial arts, or auteur cinema – well, really. Stop complaining. It’s even worse down here. If you got 5 releases a year (just an assumption), then we get one… if we’re lucky. Sorry, I’m not so campy with J-horror… I’m a little tired. I must be too old for it now. LOL

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  • Is it Oscar Time yet? Foreign Submissions

    Look, I made a banner. LOL

    While reading my usual news, I found out that Kokuhaku (aka. Confessions) by Tetsuya Nakashima has been chosen by Japan as their submission for the upcoming Academy Awards. I haven’t even seen the film, but I really thought they would choose something like Norwegian Wood, which seems to be getting in all the major festivals, while Kokuhaku… has been, well… doing well in Japanese Box Office. So it’s a surprise.

    These are the other films sent for consideration:

    • Austria – La Pivellina
    • Hungary – Bibliothèque Pascal [Variety]
    • Iraq – Son of Babylon
    • Netherlands – Tirza
    • Peru – Undertow [review]
    • Poland – All that I Love/Everything I Love [Poland]
    • Romania – If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle [The Hollywood Reporter]
    • South Korea – A Barefoot Dream
    • Sweden – Simple Simon [The Hollywood Reporter]
    • Taiwan – Monga
    • Venezuela – Hermano

    Any more? xD

    Germany has a shortlist that include 3 Nazi-related dramas. Their pick will be announced in about 10 days.

  • 10 LGBT Films You May Not Have Heard Much About

    Sharing this on the YAM 2011 LGBT Blogathon~

    —

    I love complicated post titles.

    AfterElton has just begun their voting for their 2010 poll of 50 Greatest Gay Movies. Plus, in honor of the first week run of Contracorriente (Undertow) on Peruvian cinemas, I’ve made a list of 10 LGBT related films that not many people may have heard about or seen… so these films need your voting. *cough*

    And since AfterEllen is dropping the ball on this one — I was pretty sure they were doing polls on Lesbian movies, but oh well~

    I am mixing it all up. Because I’m like that.

    Look, I love Brokeback Mountain, I love Milk, and I certainly LOVED A Single Man last year. Some of my favorites are Were the World Mine, Show Me Love, Imagine Me & You, and I liked Love Songs as much as — or maybe even more — than you did, but this is about not so popular LGBT flare. There’s also a lot of foreign films because they certainly don’t get major distribution – so thank you, Internet.

    Also, don’t forget to vote for Undertow! xD

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  • Big Bang – Beautiful Hangover

    I still think Big Bang should stop singing in Japanese, but their funny pronunciation didn’t bother me as much this time around. The video is alright — with all those circles on the wall — and there was a bit too much autotune on Seungri, Taeyang and G-Dragon’s voices (big surprise!). It’s a pity even Daesung has to use it, when he has a perfectly fine voice. But dude, that hair split in the middles has got to go!

    TOP, baby, you’re alright. LOL I’m not even sure if you did your rap in English, Korean or Japanese. I don’t think I care, you sounded and looked good on the video. LOL

    G – I want your glass-less glasses.

  • Taeyang – I’ll Be There

    I didn’t love his debut, and I don’t love this song. However, we’re here to talk about the concept of his video. Obviously, this has tints of Michael Jackson’s Thriller, and BackStreet Boys’ Everybody. And I could even argue it also has some 5ive’s Don’t Wanna Let You Go. It’s the whole mansion, goth, death thing going on, with choreography… which I’m down with.

    I wish Taeyang had commited to the look. As it is now, it just looks like the girl wakes up from a wet dream, I mean… hot Taeyang is singing/whispering to her while she’s sleeping. In Thriller, MJ committed to the zombie look… in Everybody, Nick committed to the mummy look, Brian became a silly werewolf, Howie was a silly vampire, AJ was the Phantom, and Kevin was Mr. Hyde. Taeyang should’ve commited to a less-Taeyang look.

    The choreography was oka-ish. It was really well edited on the first few seconds of the dance inside the mansion, but the dance in the cemetery was kinda boring.