For JS class today, I watched About Love.
We (+はなこ　さん）felt that it was a ________ type of show because everything was overly slow. And it just struck me as forced, the trying-too-hard-to-be-art-film type of a movie. I just thought it was a pretty sappy show. >.< And when it was meant to be funny (I hope it was!), I felt that the funniness was more of the slapsticky type rather than the oh-I-see-type-chuckle sort of humour. Ohwell.

I don't like these type of shows because they make me feel that they're trying too hard. The only thing I liked about the movie was the music. And the cinematography was decent! Oh I did like the photos one of the characters took in the first part of the trilogy.

Today was good with dearest はなこ　さん (Hanako-san) because I think we're just weird JE Fans who like to talk about 嵐 . Grow up us two we should be out of this kind of idol-worshipfulness! Hahahaha. But JE isn't an obsession as it is just a reserve of happiness we can tap into :)

Too much time was spent on the wrong things this week.

Labels: arashi-嵐, fangirling, friends, jap studies, movies, music, musings

Bourne was seriously mind-blowing! I really enjoyed the rollercoaster of a movie and well, afterall if you haven't watched the first two, it's definitely not a problem (well I didn't) because you won't be left too clueless!

Parts of the plot was quite well, typical, but it was nice (sweet!) to see how it was played out. And the fights were just NASTY! The showdown between him and Desh was really the sorta getting down to the basics kind of fight. I was quite O_O when I saw how they were doing it the hard and gritty way. Heh boggles the mind, it's a lot more realistic though!

And the high speed chase was original, although some parts were stretching reality, but it's Bourne, he's close to indestructible.

And frankly it wasn't quite dizzifying as some of my friends complained. I really enjoyed the whole jerkiness of the filming. Pretty different from Matt Damon's persona back in Oceans.

It's a good, entertaining movie, with some originality in the sense that although spy movies have to follow a certain route, this movie has a fair amount of inventiveness in it :)

Plus memorable characters to boot. Frankly, I quite like the 4-15-71 arc. That was wayyyyyy cool. The way Bourne carried it out, wow.

And the ending is quintessentially Bourne. Bourne to do it. Hehe. Okay sorry about the pun!

Labels: bourne, movies

After our photo (digi+lomo) jaunt at Chinatown was somewhat spoiled by the rain, we headed off to Orchard on a whim to watch 時をかける少女 (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time). And it was jolly good, the storyline had some pretty unexpected twists (especially so at that moment you're watching it!), plus I thought that the animation was quite amazing. Reminds me The Cat Returns because of the very good use of technology. Especially the differential focusing effect. I was totally entranced!

The best bits were the parts when she was travelling down the hill!
The by-the-lake/river-bit
And the STOP TIME bit.

Can't say too much without spoiling it!

And of course, the storyline was nice and lighthearted, which is such a welcome change!!! :)

I'll see you in the future~*

And we had lovely Hokkien Mee, was fun observing kids with identical outfits (what a capital idea, saves the hassle of trying to think for three kids.)

Couple tees are a no, unless you can pull it off (ie koreans)
I am HG, you are CCF <3!

Finally, I love spontaneity! Isn't it the spice o' life! :)

And Neil GAIMAN IS AMAZING! I just re-read 1602, and the Sandman Companion, and gosh, his genius is legendary!!!

Labels: food, happy, HG and CCF, jap stuff, movies, photoday

While I was mulling over taking a JS minor and thinking that I might spend the next few years shuttling between here and arts (which isn't that bad since it is walkable,)... It might be quite an interesting jaunt. Although I will have to take one language module (at the very least!) so I'll leave that to year 3 and beyond...? Marxy is good research for his social commentaries on Jap society in general (thanks for the link piiing), and well, the fact that it's written in english is such a boon considering how most articles that go beyond pop culture are usually written by their own Japanese. Plus it will be in Japanese, which I will be unable to understand, at least for another 10 years.

The Japanese are fascinating, well about as fascinating as fire. Nice from a distance but not too close. I recall what Pam said about their repressedness/suppressedness. My sentiments exactly especially after the Holiday. They're rather like the frozen lakes in winter. You're not quite sure of the turbulence that may be bubbling under that layer of ice/serenity.

I'm not that enamoured of the society (although my own society is far from being saint-like too). However, they seem to capture the world's attention, especially in the marketing/cinematic realm. It's interesting to note how many American cult-flicks/blockbusters were inspired by some sort of Japanisms
- The Matrix, those green squiggley words were katakana characters
- Blade Runner with its post-apocalyptic under-(or was is over-?) tones, set in a seedy Harajuku and the random Japanese Ramen lady with the quintessential Japanese mannerisms
- Even Star Wars was supposedly inspired by Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo (if my memory serves me well) and notice how Vader's helmet seems rather close to those of samurai's kabuto helmet.. Amidala looks like a new-age-stylised Geisha with her whiteness.
- Tarantino's Kill Bill with it's mish-mash of Asian culture and a Go Go Yubari thrown in for good measure.

*~*
I do worry if I will be reduced to a mere "miihaa" (ミーハー) type of person, which I quote from marxy,
the problem implied in "miihaa" has shifted from a general problematic interest in low culture to the callousness of being interested in a specific pop culture item solely because it is popular.
And I (ulp) recognise a disturbing trend. If you would ask me or any teenager about the reason behind our interest in certain things, our answers would probably go along the lines of 'because it's popular'.. midst all that bluster.
Applying that logic: So I could be interested in: ----
- Matsumoto Jun because he is popular
- L'arc because they are popular
- The latest (insert product) because it is popular....and for no real reason, although of course I (would like to, very muchly thank you) believe that I would be interested in things beyond just the mere popularity. Instead, I would truly appreciate the music bands were making, their dedication to the craft, and etc. In another words, a genuine appreciation of (insert product/band/etc) rather than a superficial it's-popular-so-therefore-I-like-it-too kind of reason.

Conversely, that could be also a reason why many of us try to pursue more 'indie' interests, perhaps to justify and to prove that we like an Act, for instance, due to their true skill and not some skilful marketing. (Of course, the eventual popularity would be coincidental, or a see-I-told-you-so kind of righteous pat on the back in recognition of one's good taste).

And to my horror, maybe my interest in the pop culture of Japan (as a whole) could be summed up with miihaa as well. Groan.

Labels: culture, etc, japanese, l'arc, matsujun, miihaa, movies, pop, subculture