September 16, 2005
Movie Night Pictures
I just posted pictures on Flickr of this week's movie night, including Metoikosdraig's new hair cut!
Posted by Emarrific at 07:59 AM | Comments (0)
July 21, 2005
Regular Ol' Day with a splash of "Tokyo Grandfathers"
What I accomplished today:
Laundry, shower, hanging previously mentioned laundry (hanging laundry takes forever!), cleaning my desk, withdrawing money, editing and turning in of study leave plan, translated official request letters for two seminars, going over the schedule for tomorrow's seminar for Japanese English Teachers, found a marathon training plan for beginners, bought audio cable, watched "Tokyo Grandfathers" (a very good animations, with a good combo of heart and camp), drank 1.5 beers and .5 peach sparkling chuhai (hard liquor, juice and soda), made comments on Flickr, updated this blog
What I didn't accomplish that I set out to do:
Paying bills, paying rent, writing my first Japanese entry, research locations for JET meetings, research locations for JET party, research translation courses for fall, cleaning bathtub, vacuuming and dusting
Posted by Emarrific at 11:55 PM | Comments (0)
May 26, 2005
Beach and Moan
I was going to rant on and on about how depressed I am about how I can't get any satisfaction from my job (unchallenging and impossible at the same time) and how I've been going nowhere fast doing nothing except watching rental videos of the lowest class and eating craploads of food. But I won't because I'm over it. Is it that non-swimming time of month or what? I mean who's fault is it anyways?
Anyways, I bitched with my friends about it all night while watching the great film classic "Psycho Beach Party". By the way, you need to watch this movie, if only for the opening credits (great booby shaking to "Los Straightjackets") and the line, "A lot of meat but only one potato."
Also, if you haven't seen "Aquatic Life" yet, WATCH IT! It is breeelllliant! Well, maybe it's just me. It's like Jacque Cousteau and Royal Tennenbaums smashed together, except better.
Tomorrow will sit around all day feeling sorry for myself because I'm getting paid to do very little. What is wrong with me? Why can't I just go with the flow?!! Why can't people (like me) just be happy with what they have???! Or just shut up? Or find a solution?
At the very least, I will get a chance to learn more Japanese and finish the first book of Tezuka Osamu's "Phoenix" comic series. So yeah!
Posted by Emarrific at 11:35 PM | Comments (0)
May 21, 2005
Dancing Movies
So lately I've been on this dancing movie kick.
It started innocently enough with "Shall We Dance?" (Japanese original) for my regular movie night. I've seen that movie three times now, and I still love all those wacky Aoki-san hijinks. I never get tired of watching Aoki-san (the short bald guy) walk around after an exaggerated tango dance fashion. Or watching Aoki-san dance like... some drunken guy reenacting "Tango Tango Until Death Death Death III"* Yes, I know that Aoki-san and many of the characters are stereotypes and are not terribly well-developed. Cold queen, γΎγγγͺ(serious) sarariman, wacky comic relief, flippant but heart of gold woman, fatso, kind old lady... just to name a few. But the movie holds some kind of charm for me. It makes me laugh and what's more it kind of gives me this hope that it's never too late to start living the passionate life. I haven't totally given up on the idea that maybe, just MAYbe, I could live a juicy and passionate life.
*not a real movie
When I returned "Shall We Dance?" something moved me to rent "Saturday Night Fever". I actually hadn't seen that movie yet. Before I had thought that it was too cheesy, but now I was kind of primed for that kind of movie. After I watched it, I was totally psyched. I like it when I'm surprised by a movie. I had thought it was all about two kids getting together and winnind a dancing competition, falling in love along the way. But that wasn't really the point at all. It was more about growing up and moving on. And it was filled with some racy stuff like rape, suicide, and street fighting. Not to mention some awesome period clothes, cars and the 2001 dance club.
It kind of made me want to learn the dances of the 70s.
Then I gabbed on and on about it with my mom and a family friend who saw the movie when it came out in the movie theaters.
Then (Yes! There's more!) some demon possesed me and made me rent "Staying Alive" (Exciting sequel to "Saturday Night Fever"!!!) and "Tap". "Staying Alive" was ok... but somehow I couldn't get as excited over the cheesy-ness of the 80s professional dancing scene. It just seemed lame. I guess I lived through the 80s, and I never really liked the styles of the day. (I'm more a 90s/00s kind of girl) The dancing and the outfits and THE HAIR! Ugh. And even though it was billed as a sequel, I didn't get the sense that there was much connection between the two movies, besides a couple scenes with Tony Romano's mom. Could they not get the original actors and actresses? And what's more, there wasn't as much bite to the second one... just a lame love story and a anti-climactic final dance scene on Broadway. ANYWAY...
Then it was midnight and I put "Tap" in to the old VHS deck. Ah. I saw this movie a long time ago, but I had forgotten a lot of it. Anyway, the tap dancing was amazing. I couldn't tell who was really tap dancing or not. But it was really cool. It made me want to start tap dancing and doing some routines to newer musics like hip hop or R&B or J-pop.
And now I am contemplating renting "Strictly Ballroom", "The King and I", "Shall We Dance" (Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers), and maybe some old old movies with dancing in them. Just for starters! Did I mention I am learning the Matsuken Samba II dance?
Posted by Emarrific at 09:16 AM | Comments (3)
April 29, 2005
Hide and Seek
Today I went and watched Hide and Seek on the big screen with a free movie certificate I got from signing up for a movie theater credit card. (Yeah, laugh all you want, I got in for free, man. That's like 17 bucks worth.) I enjoyed the movie, mostly, because it was a bit suspenseful and had a little lemon twist in it. I like to be surprised by a movie, especially if it is in the horror, suspense, fantasy/sci-fi or mystery genres. Ok, let's face it, I like the surprise element in all genres. Does this mean I'm a devolutionized human who only likes the instant gratification a surprise gives rather than watching a dull movie building up to something predictable?
The basic story is as follows: A girl (Dakota Fanning) and her father (Robert DeNiro) move out from New York City to upstate New York after the mother of the family commits suicide in the family's bathtub. The girl starts playing with an imaginary friend named Charlie and things start getting very weird in this isolated house. The girl and Charlie starts doing some really disturbing things around the house, much to the consternation of the dad.
And so the story goes.
I sucked in air a few times, leaned back and yelped a few times, so "Hide and Seek" did what a horror movie should do. I personally think there should be an alternate ending that is more scary... the one they made seemed too tame and open for positive mental therapy. As in, it's very possible that things could improve in the future. What kind of horror ending is that?! I ask you, I ask you.
Posted by Emarrific at 10:14 AM | Comments (0)
April 21, 2005
Sin City
My regular movie night seems to be developing a camp and comedy habit. This week was no different with the showing of "Sin City". We also did cosplay! OK, we just dressed up as residents of "Sin City". One ganster (me), one leather clad a$$ kicker with stuffed weapon, two guns, two hoes, and a bunch of losers who didn't dress up. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!
The movie was great... bloody, full of tragic comic book characters who can almost beat all odds, with a great film noir/gritty feel. My only criticism is about character development. I didn't really care about the life or death of any one character (they all seem to be doomed anyways) because I hadn't really seen much humanity in them. They seemed like violent aliens on some other planet that just happened to look a lot like ours. But that can be cool too.
Posted by Emarrific at 10:52 PM | Comments (0)
March 04, 2005
Kung Fu Hustle
Every week I have friends come over and watch a movie of dubious quality while eating junk food and drinking iced tea and juice. This week was "Kung Fu Hustle". A movie night regular just came back from China with a very kosher copy of the movie. According to the package, the movie features Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss and was directed by the Wachowski brothers... Huh? Nothing sketchy here...
Overall, the movie was fun. The movie was chock full of the kind of over-the-top, physically impossible, completely comical kungfu moves that make for good group enjoyment. The exaggerated characters were memorable and silly. I do have to say that I was disappointed by how little "dancing by evil gangsters" took place later in the movie. But that's probably my biggest (not so bad) complaint.
I definitely think this is a movie a fun watch and something most kung fu/purposefully badly made movie afficianados will enjoy.
Posted by Emarrific at 01:32 PM | Comments (0)
December 10, 2004
The Mask of Zorro: Hanibal Lector Talks About Charm
Ah, the beauty of movie night. Get a bunch of crazy foreigners (and one Japanese English teacher) together, eat a bunch of burritos and make smart cracks at "The Mask of Zorro". There's nothing better I tell you! Some special moments in the movie include:
Don Diego de la Vega: Do you know how to use that thing?
Alejandro Murrieta: Yes! The pointy end goes into the other man.
(everyone gaffaws)
Don Diego: You have passion, Alejandro, and your skill is growing. But to enter Montero's world, I must give you something which is completely beyond yor reach.
Alejandro: Ah, yes? And what is that?
Don Diego: Charm (he puts his arms up and does a twirling gesture with the spoon he is holding.)
Alejandro: I miss my brother, sir.
Don Diego: Your brother is dead! We lose the ones we love; we cannot change it. Put it aside.
Alejandro: How? How can I do what is needed, when all I feel is... hate.
Don Diego: You hide it. [Holds up black leather thing.] With this.
(N): A black thong?
There are more special moments, but it would take a lifetime to unmask them. (Get it?!! Knee slap!)
Posted by Emarrific at 10:00 AM | Comments (0)