Archives For shunji iwai

Thanks to visitor, kitty!!

Leave a message in this post, and thank kitty for her hard work!

Let’s also leave a big shout out to aoinohoho for the information and clips he brings.

So far, kitty has been kind enough to leave translations for the following posts…
Club Keiba Quiz CM – and…
MTV: Yu Aoi + Yoko Takahashi

I love Yoko-san’s personality, LOL – You know some classic Hollywood stars worked really well with certain cinematographers or photographers?? Yu works so well with Yoko-san. Yoko-san and Shunji Iwai.

If you wanna beg and grovel for anything else you think would need translation, grovel in this post too. – I mentioned the Jounetsu interview from 2006, since it seems to be a popular interview for her Asian fanbase. I’m willing to test my luck at timing.

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.

I just got really into Japanese film about a year ago (thank you, Internet) – a few of my friends are really into J-Pop and anime, but none of them are really interested in any J-films or directors. When I went abroad to study, I met a bunch of people who were into films (duh! it was film school, after all) and we went into films all the way.

One of my first memories  (maybe 2003?) of Japanese Cinema was Battle Royal. My! What an example, eh? I was blown away~~ I don’t have other memories of J-Film prior to that other than animated films like Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (Spirited Away) and Mononoke Hime (Princess Mononoke)… which brings me to my post of the day for the Blogathon~~~

The Top10 Japanese Films I Watch this Past Year

in the order in which I saw them from earliest to latest~
only between these past 365 days – some of my fave didn’t make it

  • Kiraware Matsuko no Issho (Memories of Matsuko)
    by Tetsuya Nakashima (loads of people with Miki Nakatani, and Eita)
  • Tekkonkinkreet
    by Michael Arias (voice of Yu Aoi)
  • Love Letter
    by Shunji Iwai
  • Cha no Aji (The Taste of Tea)
    by Katsuhito Ishii
  • Sasame-yuki (The Makioka Sisters)
    by Kon Ichikawa
  • Tenshi no Tamago (Angel’s Egg)
    by Mamoru Oshii – sooooo weird xD
  • Wool 100%
    by Mai Tominaga
  • Hyakuman-en to Nigamushi Onna (One Million Yen Girl)
    by Yuki Tanada (starring Yu Aoi)
  • Tsumiki no Ie (La Maison en Petits Cubes)
    by Kunio Kato *short film
  • Aruitemo, Aruitemo (Still Walking)
    by Hirokazu Kore-eda

Almost made it, xD

=D

First for the obvious… many of us still haven’t seen Eve and her New York, I Love You shorts (the one she directs, and the one she stars in – there’s also one with Shunji Iwai!!).

Then, there’s also Brothers with Tobey and Jakey G~~~ later this year (?), then there’ll be Important Artifacts and Personal Property From the Collection of Lenore Doolan and Harold Morris, Including Books, Street Fashion and Jewelry – *phew* that was long… with Brad Pitt.

There’ll be Hesher with Joseph Gordon-Levitt by Spencer Susser~~~

There will also be Your Highness by Danny McBride (Superbad, Fanboys, Pineapple Express, Tropic Thunder) – and now add to that, the Black Swan by Darren Aronofsky (The Fountain, The Wrestler).

You can all do a dance now.

WOOOOOO!! A freakin’ year~~~~

Yu Aoi - Year One

Today a year ago, I was introduced to Yu Aoi’s work on Shunji Iwai’s All About Lily Chou Chou, and the Shunji Iwai-related Rainbow Song. Little did I know that the characters that interested me the most in the films were played by the same actress. Nine days later, I watched Hula Girls, and a month later I was completely hooked with Yu Aoi, and yet another Shunji Iwai film… Hana & Alice.

Continue Reading…

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.

I just posted YAM 003 over at my portfolio~~

There’s a lot of international flavor in it… all by chance actually. It really wasn’t planned, it all just came together like that. There’s a couple of rant articles on movies and music, loads of reviews including complete non-fanatical reviews of Ao Akua, Utada Hikaru, DBSK, Hathaways, U2, Madeleine Peyroux, and Michel Gondry/Bong Joon-ho’s Yu Aoi’s Tokyo!

ALSO! A special on the Peruvian film winning the Berlinale’s Golden Bear top prize~~ The Milk of Sorrow, and some of the discussion regarding the original name “La Teta Asustada”.

YAM - Issue 3

Head over there now!

So this totally slipped my mind! I got the re-issue of Breathe!!! The Lily Chou Chou album from the Lily film by Shunji Iwai. The first time you see the film is so SO difficult~~ it’s such a hard theme, and characters you just want to slap around. I was a kid not long ago, and I felt so disconnected from THAT reality… yet, the film. You go back to it, and absorb it. The visuals, the music… it’s heartbreak.

Salyu, her voice~~ I fell in love with the soundtrack. The album is an experience all on its own… perhaps more than Salyu’s other albums. It’s the film, it’s because the album is strongly connected to that reality that it works so well… perhaps, a bit poetic. It’s THAT magical. At least to me, and to all the people that had bought the first issue of the album~~~ and maybe the reason WHY it was re-released.

I just want to know, from the people that bought the first run of copies… is it the same as the re-issue? Or has something changed? Hence, the re-issue credits in the album (including a re-design credit) ~ your thoughts?

Lily Chou Chou - Salyu - Kokyu

Yu Aoi - 2009 - Rookie of the Year Award CeremonyRookie? LOL’ I don’t think she’s a ‘rookie’ perse but okay… I’ll take it!

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan has named Yu (in the fields of Media and Fine Arts) their Rookie of the Year Award (Movies).

On why they are giving this award to her, they talk about her debut on the Shunji Iwai film All About Lily Chou Chou, and her steady career throughout the years mentioning Hula Girls. They also mention her work on One Million Yen Girl the past year, as well as her natural talent. Finally, they close their paragraph saying that Yu’s future is expected with much anticipation.

Or something like that…

Also named there in the field of Public Art, Shiina Ringo!!!! Like… Rookie?? Again~~

Sorry, no photos~~

*update March 30th* – Added a photo from Yu’s site.

*update May 20th* – Added a link to video. Check it out after the break…

Continue Reading…

, but need to share this. LOL’

yam001_dec08-cover

Thank you, Nate… for poking my eyes on the voodoo dolls you’ve got stash away. Yes, we’ve done YAM. Please, help yourself to some YAM for Xmas over here

Hope you enjoy.