Frog River

Actually I've been busy with school. Summer Session is a lot faster than I realized. For some reason the teachers give the midter three weeks before the final which is too close if you ask me. Anyway all the movies I orderd came in last month and I haven't been able to watch them all. But I did see frog river, which I thought was good. It's a short (90min) indie film form the Japan. It's distrubited by a company called Grasshopper which is getting know for distributing indie films. Anyway it's about a guy named Tsutomu (Ryo Kase - 加瀬 亮) who's in an art college and in love with a girl named Mizuno. Anyway, most of the movie is about him trying to hang out with her. His only two friends in the movie know that he loves her and one of that uses it to his advantage. Anyway one of the most interesting aspects is how the director uses Mise en scène (fancey college word they teach in film school), or at least the wardrobe with every character having something written on their shirt that tells you something about the character. Too bad I hate Kanji and couldn't understand what's written on their cloths. Except at the end when they told me when they switched house with end. Although we never see the Mizuno, and of his Friends, Kaori (Machiko Ono - 尾野真千子) is a girl that likes him but he's too obsessed with Mizuno to notice. I thought she was cute in the film, that's why I put up her pic now. It's a good film that I recommend

Sale

Virgin Megastore is going out of business and has everything marked down 35%. Which means this is a great time to get some Japanese movies either from their international section or thier Criterion Collection. Actually I got carried away and bought quite a few DVDs and forgot to leave some money to oreder the Perfume CD. Well, here are some of the movies I picked to expand my ever growing movie collection.

Perfume (コンピューターシティー)

I just heard about this group called perfume and thought they were really good. The last Japanese techno i heard was the E.L.T. (Every Little Thing) techno album. As soon as I get some moeny I'm gonna order their CDs, here's a video for whoever's interested

New Books

While looking for a few books to help me write my zombie movie I went to a book store not that far from here (Powell’s Book Store 828s. Wabash). I was looking for ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE and WORLD WAR Z. (By the way I did that calculate risk test they have on they’re website which calculates you possibility of survival during the zombie war. My highest score was 32%, and I’d like to say the questions are a little bias, because I’m pretty sure I’d survive unless I was trying to protect a girl) Anyway they didn’t have the books there but I found some other ones that I thought were be really interesting.

Aya Hirano 平野 綾

I was looking around on Myspace when I came across a persons profile that that this song playing. It reminded me of 80's Anime, (probably the only anime I really watch). So I clicked on the song and fond her name and not much else. So I took the name and googled it, and came up with this stuff. born October 8, 1987 in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, is a voice actor (seiyū) and singer who has had roles in several anime, visual novel series and TV commercials in Japan. I couldn't really find out the song too much; actually don't have enough time to look through all the albums to find the song or the album (I have class soon). Anyway give it a listen to at
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=133480565

Top Ten

Whenever I meet someone new I usually ask them what thier favorite movies are, just 10. Being a film student I think it helps me understand what kind of person they are by thier favorite films. Which usually isn't fair to other people because they like more than 10. The same goes for me, I have 10 depending on the Country and Genre. So I just tell them to try and pick 10, for now here's my 10; I mean for now because it changes over time, and i still haven't seen a lot of films yet. In no paticulare order except for the #1 spot. I wonder if you guys can figure me out after seeing my top ten

1 Brotherhood Of The Wolf - Le Pacte Des Loups (France)
2 A Bittersweet Life - 달콤한 인생 (Korea)
3 Josee, the Tiger and the Fish - ジョゼと虎と魚たち (Japan)
4 Infernal Affairs 2 - 無間道2 (Hong Kong)
5 The Professional - (Léon) (U.S.A./France)
6 The Boondock Saints (U.S.A.)
7 Shiri - 쉬리 (Korea)
8 Blue Spring - 青い春 (Japan)
9 The Outsiders (U.S.A.)
10 Blackhawk Down (U.S.A.)

28 Weeks Later

I was talking to one of my professors who loves Zombie movies about 28 weeks later and he told me that he strongly disliked the movie. He didn't like how the movie went in all different directions with the characters, or how the farther got infected by his wife from a kiss. Or how easily he was able to get to his wife and get out of the room where she was held, that was something I didn't think about til he mentioned it. When the army deicdes to fire bomb the city, and everything explodes they show a shot where she's still straped to the exam table and the window's not broken and the door's not open either. How did he get out? He tried to say he would have used his pass but by then he was infected and wouldn't even been thinking about using his pass.



I want to write my own version of "28 DAYS" later that would focus more on the soliders view. In 28 Weeks later there was a small scene that I thought was perfect and would have like for them to expand on it. It's when contamation has broke out and the soliders are ordered to abandon selective targets and shoot all personal on the gorund level.


When "Doyle" played by Jeremy Renner who's becoming the Next Michael Biehn because he's been type casted as a solider in most of the films he's been (Michel Biehn) in even though he has no military experience. Anyway Doyle asks to confirm order when he gets his sights on the "Andy" the kid, he takes the shot only to have an infected step in at the last moment and then he runs away. As Doyle first hesitates to shoot, and then watches the kid run away. We hear another solider call Doyle through the eye peice who's not paying attention and then begins to yell. That's when he finally looks over and see two infected "eating" him, so he takes the shot and kills his friend. That scene was what I was expecting the entire movie to be like.



Here's how my story would go a group of American soldiers who are station in Britian during the orginal Outbreak, are ordered to help British soliders to maintain blockades. When they notice that this situation is far worse then they expected they head back to base where they hear the island has been quarantine. They then decide that they're going to leave, they refill on ammo and head out. The only thing is they never make it off the island, one decides to stay and help the civilians while others get picked off by the infected one by one. The main point would be they're never afraid about getting killed and have total confidence that they're going to get off the island.

Korean Lessons

Yesterday I had my first Korean Lessons with Kimmy, and she bought me these two books to study from, but she didn't know that I had some books that I bought from the University Of Chicago Bookstore.


Anyway I showed her mine and she thought they were very good, but she decided to teach me with her books because she thought it would be eaiser for her to teach that way since she never taught Korean and isn't too sure how to do it. She also gave me some CDs, that she was going to throw away. The lessons she's giving me, along with my regualr classes, and Now I'm sitting in on a ESL class is really going to take up all my time but somehow I still make time to watch movies and write on Blogger. Not to mention I still have to review my Japanese

Aso Kumiko - 麻生久美子

I was looking at some of the movies I have on my wish list and noticed that a few of them start the actress Aso Kumiko (麻生久美子). Kumiko is one of few actress in Japan that I think can really act along with Juri Ueno (上野 樹里), and Chizuru Ikewaki (池脇千鶴) both whom I'll mention again later. I first noticed her in the film Casshern, then agian in the Film Blue Automobile (青い車) where I thought she was the most beautiful I've ever seen espically in the opening scene where she's dancing in the Club. Much cuter than Aoi Miyazaki (宮崎あおい) who's one of those girls I think can't act but she's really cute to look at. Although in Blue Automobile she didn't do as bad as in I would say NANA (ナナ) but according to lots of Japanese girls she was perfect for the part. Anyway back to Kumiko, like I said she looked great in Blue Automobile and her acting was really good. Here's some info if you don't know about her.


Birthday June 17th, 1978
BloodType B
Birth place Chiba Pref. Japan
Hobby : Driving Watching Movies Listening to music
Award:

Spring 6th, 2002
11th Japan Movie Professional Award
Best Actress

March 24th, 2002
16th Takasaki Film Festival
Best Actress

March 12th, 1999
22th Japan Academy Award
Best Supporting Actress

March 1st, 1999
8th Japan Movie Critic Award
Rookie of the year

21 February 1999
24th Osaka Film Festival
Rookie of the year

February 7th, 1999
20th Yokohama Film Festival
Rookie of the year

December 25th, 1998
23th Hochi Movie Award
Best Supporting Actress

September 20th, 1998
1st International Communication Festa
Best Communication Person Award

CDJapan.co.jp

I was checking up on an order I made at cdjapan.co.jp and came across a little boX that asked me to write a review for some of the products that I've order from them. Well I did, if you guys want to see some of the reviews that I wrote check out the site. Also it might be a cool place for some of you to look around if you're interested in Japanese films and music if you can afford some of the high priceses

オレスカバンド
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=AICL-2006&ref=myp

Gackt Redemption
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=CRCP-10129&ref=myp

「SWING GIRLS」オリジナル・サウンドトラック
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=UPCH-1360&ref=myp

ザ・50回転ズ
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=WPCL-10379&ref=myp

This Weekend 1 of June of 2007 - 3 of June 2007 pt2

One of the movies that I watched this weekend was called Princess Blade (修羅雪姫) which I've had in my collection for a while now and decided to see some action film and chose this one. Stars the beautiful Yumiko Shaku (釈由美子). Now, this is one of those films that has a lot going on at one time, I'm talking speficly about the story when Yumiko's Character is running away from the assains and end up at Takashe's house played by (Hideaki Ito). Now I understand how they meet but they didn't need to tell us that he was involved in a terrorist organization. What would have been better is that the assains tracked down Yumiko to his house and killed him and his siter. Not that his leader was trying to separate himself from the group and killing everyone he knew that could tell on him. They even could have done it earlier in the film and which would have gave more of a reason she confronted them for the final battle. Anyway the story goes Yumiko is the rightful leader of the assain group and on her 20th birthday she has to choose to avenger her parents death; which he now has learned was a murder and the man that killed them is currently leading the group, Or forgive and forget. Obivously she choose to avenge the her parents and we have the moive. Some of the story is a bit boreing but the action is great, what else would you expect from Action Director Donnie Yen who's also been in films like Hero, Seven Swords and did the action for Twins Effect, just to name a few. Anyway watch it just for the action, Yumiko's acting is not that bad either for a first time actor, much better Than Godzilla S.O.S. and slightly better than Sky High but her acting wasn't bad in Sky High either. Anyway watch it and you'll enjoy it even if it's just for the action. Oh Yeah, while I was looking for the Pics to show you guys, I seen a few things that got me really upset. One guy compares this film to Kill Bill, anyway I don't want to send you to that guy but he's a fucking idiot. This film is nothing like Kill Bill the fight scenes are pure action (Thanks Donnie, keep up the good work) none of Tarantion's cheap ass shit. Also I heard something in class today about the film GrindHouse. It appears that Robert Rodriguez couldn't finish editing his film because he was going through some personal shit. That being that he started cheating on his wife with Rose McGowan and his wife caught him and left him. Dumb ass, well I guess people should have expected something that stupid from the guy who directed Spy Kids and Once Upon A Time in Mexico.

This Weekend 1 of June of 2007 - 3 of June 2007

This weekend I didn't do much, as usual on Saturday night I watched one of my Favorite Korean TV shows on channel 41. I don't know the English Name only the Korean thanks to my friend Ji Suk, 여걸 6. But only after spending some time with my friend Magaly who was celebrateing her birthday. The only thing that surprised me the most was when I took her to the groceries store by the door out I saw one of the booklets about motorcycles for sale. I picked one up and I saw some pics for the new Suzuki Hayabus. Which I thought were really cool, but then I started to think about this girl I met on myspace. Her name was MIKI and she lives in Osaka. Anway in her pics she had this really cool car and a Hayabusa. I don't talk to her on myspace anymore primearily because because she deleted her account. But I do have her cellphone e-mail, at least I think, she might have changed it after I sent her a couple messages and she never wrote back. I did think she was sexy thought, me and probably all other 500 people she had on her friends section. I just thought it was funny how when I saw the Hayabusa I thought of her. Either way i'll try agian on her birthday which is coming up in about 2 months, or maybe i'll try earlier just in case.