I say, "Bundle up, we're going for a walk in the cold,"
And without missing a single beat you say, "BUNDLING!"
And of course -- of course! -- you have to check the temperature of the water.
Because that's the kind of girl you've always been.
This isn't from a post-it. It's just from my sketchbook.
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The Zatoichi series ran 26 movies (1962-1982) and a television series ran for five years (1974-1979). Twenty years later, Takeshi "Beat" Kitano reinvented Zatoichi with his version of the character. This was easily one of my favorite movie at the time, I saw it at the independent theater twice in 2003 and ordered a region 3 release of the DVD as soon as it was available on import. Incidentally, to show support for the US market, I also bought the US edition of the DVD, which came with a bonus Sonatine movie (which was originally released in the states by Quentin Tarantino's Rolling Thunder productions).
Considering the movie did quite well, critically and (I'm assuming) in sales, I was hoping for a follow-up movie by Kitano, but unfortunately there's no such plan. However, interestingly enough, one of my all-time favorite Japanese director, Takashi Miike* directed a stage adaption of Zatoichi for live performances in 2007.
I'm happy to report that, I saw a very good re-imagined of the familiar character, reinvented as a female protagonist, called Ichi. I wish the producers had kept the brand of "Zatoichi", as people who hear "Ichi" does not always associate the name with the blind swordsman. To be fair, Ichi is the original character's name. The term "zato" means low-ranking blind person (low-ranking in the Todoza guild). Logically, they could've named this movie Gozeichi, because Goze refers to blind musician women of that time period.
Anyway, beside my gripe about the Ichi name as the movie title, I also didn't like the idea that a model (Ayase Haruka) is playing the part of the protagonist. All that was really not worth worrying, because the whole movie is quite entertaining and enjoyable, and there is only once where Haruka is seen 'dolled up' for a music performance (most of the movie, she's covered from head to toe in dirty rags). However, there are at times when the director Fumihiko Sori choose to stay too long on Haruka's beautiful unblemished face. We get it, she's cute.
The story is uncomplicated, Ichi wanders into some town with an inept sword-drawing samurai Toma (the name is close to a slang "tonma" for idiot or fool). The town is in trouble from the Banki gang, and in Zatoichi fashion, Ichi and Toma saves the town. During the course of the film, there are the tried-and-true Zatoichi moments like slashing out the lights and Ichi triumph in complete darkness, the use of sound to throw Ichi off, and, of course, the Cho-Han Bakuchi dice gambling.
What made the film interesting, at least to me, is that the soundtrack is by Dead Can Dance's Lisa Gerrard! So throughout the movie, you do hear that ethereal vocals, similar to her efforts on Ridley Scott's Gladiator. I suspect she only wrote the vocals, the credit I have for composer is Michael Edwards, who previously worked with Gerrad on her solo material. The soundtrack was a bit of a surprise to me, generally these J-movies' music and production team are usually kept inhouse. Although, having said that, the one outro credit song is by Korean J-Pop singer SunMin.
Ichi the movie will be made available in the US market via Bluray and DVD in two days (December 22nd), just in time for last-minute xmas shoppers. Hopefully those Best Buy tonmas will be smart and order some copies for their store (however, if it costs over $25, I'd rather order it online, or not own it at all - hey times are tough!).
* I love all three billion of his movies! Audition, City of Lost Souls, One Missed Call, Ichi the Killer, Fudoh, The Happiness of the Katakuris, Zebraman, Sukiyaki Western: Django, etc.
12/20/2009 02:06:34 ♥ vu (
) ♥funimation.com/ichi
Another new book:
Brian asked me if I wanted to go get coffee and to go to B&N. Hmm. DUH. Nevermind that I am quite backed up on reading, I always say yes to the bookstore unless I'm dying. Now, I'm sure I'm getting a Kindle for Christmas. I am backed up on books. I haven't bought a comic in ages. So, it makes sense to look at comics. Why add more books when I can soon do digital books, already have plenty of books to catch up on, and am overdue for a new comic? I have most of the good Superman and Batman books they carry. I've been thinking it's time to go for other Justice League characters. BUT, I'm loving Neil Gaiman books lately, so I went for The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes
Health reform update:
It looks like the Senate now has 60 votes to pass their version of the health care bill -- a very sucky bill which basically just says hey go buy insurance from companies that still have no real rules, won't have to really cover you if they say so, etc etc etc. Um, w00t, "reform" rocks. Of course, it won't mesh with the House bill at all. So how that plays out I've no clue. What happens if the House tells the Senate to screw off? The two bills are different.
Oh and since it hasn't been said enough -- Lieberman is a douchebag. Brian doesn't follow politics or news at all and even he thinks so, he's thought so since he was a teenager. When you're a politician and Brian knows enough of your politics to think you're a douchebag? You've really made a name for yourself. Good luck getting elected again. I don't care what party you are, when you suggest something yourself and a few months later so you're against it because this party is for it, you're a jackass. Since everyone of every party seems to agree Thomas Jefferson is an acceptable person to quote and I do so love him myself, Mr. Lieberman should learn from this one quote of his that I keep as my blurb on LJ -- "In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." Apparently Lieberman has no sense of principles. Yes, people can change their beliefs -- but in a matter of months and essentially admitting only because this person and that person also believe what you believe in? Yeah, I don't believe that is standing like a rock -- it is perhaps your career sinking like one after being thrown into a lake. Gee I really believe that I shouldn't shoot people in the head! Oh, Sarah Palin does too? hmm well then I guess I should change my mind! Seriously how dumb is that? That's how Joe Lieberman's beliefs are formed.
Well that and there's the fact that so many insurance companies are based in his tiny little state -- and while I understand wanting to protect your state's industry, be honest about it. You work for the insurance industry, maybe even the people they employee in your state. You do not work for the people needing to be covered by insurance companies. You do not work for people who are sick and who need care. That's why you've done everything you could to turn this bill into a present for the insurance companies -- including debate yourself on the issue of buying into Medicare. You suggested it to pretend you were for the people. And when it was offered as a compromise to the Public Option -- POOF um uh well uhh I uhh umm I hate Democrats so uhh if they like I um yeah I'm against that. Solid as a rock?
Is this what it feels like to have nothing to do and nowhere to be?
Yes, and I love it. I did not even stir until 10 am, and didn't do anything remotely resembling productive for a good hour beyond that.
Todd and Jesse went to see Avatar. I took Libby to a kids' yoga class. I also consumed approximately two pounds of sugar by the early evening. Oh, I went running for the first time since October. It snowed.
A perfectly satisfactory day.
This was a fun evening to be out and about. The olympic torch relay came, no... *whizzed * right past my home. But I managed to get it on film and cut it up to make a little video of it. At first I thought I might not attend... but I'm glad I did. Everyone was so happy and friendly and FUN!
Delft
Delft se trouve entre Rotterdam et Den Haag (La Haye) au Pays Bas.
C’est une très belle ville appelée « petit Amsterdam » par les Hollandais qui vivent sur le bord de l’océan. Cette ville est très connue pour ses porcelaines bleues, ses canaux ombragés, son architecture, ses bâtiments historiques et son histoire…
Pour une journée à Delft je vous conseillerais de vous stationner derrière la gare et prendre le centre ville à pied. Quelques recherches faîtes sur le net pour trouver l’office du tourisme ne sont pas du superflu. (Travail que je laisse à ma fifille)
Un circuit complet à coûté 10€ … Tour en bateau suivi d’un
tour à pied… Accompagnées d’un guide jeune et souriante (heureusement que
Berlusconi n’était pas au courant) nous avons vu les principaux endroits à
visiter pendant 2h. Le reste se
découvre seul. La ville n’est pas très grande.
Les reste d'une reine ont été déposés dans cette église… malheureusement on ne voit que les tours, elle est entouré de maisons.
Sur cette photo on voit la tour de travers (ce n’est pas la
faute du photographe) . En effet il y a plus de 2 mètres de différence entre le
haut le bas. Quand ils se sont aperçus de la différence au moment de la construction ils ont essayé de se rattraper. Les derniers éléments
(comme l’horloge et les angelots)
ont été décalés pour équilibrer le poids, ce qu’ils n’ont jamais réussi
à faire malgré les travaux effectués depuis.
L’église à été interdite, puis ils ont essayé de la mettre droite de par le sol, et ont pensé à la détruire par le danger qu’elle représentait. Une pétition à tout arrêté, des travaux importants ont été effectués et la tour est toujours debout.
Un Allemand a fait beaucoup pour la stabilisation de cette
ville. Malheureusement je n’ai pas trouvé l’explication en français.
Si j’ai compris (en anglais) il aurait monté une armée, qu’il a été chercher dans son pays pour libérer les opprimés des Seigneurs et des religieux. Une guerre s’ensuit, beaucoup de morts de deux côtés. Quelques accords avec les différentes religions calme les hommes pour un moment. Le pouvoir étant le plus fort, parmi eux il y a des traîtres à qui cet accord ne plait pas. Une nuit, il est poignardé, s’enfuit dans une église où il finit par mourir après quelques temps d’agonie.
En ces temps-là les gens ne savaient pas lire. Pour qu'ils sachent où se trouvaient les étalages du marché, dés leur arrivé, ils mettaient des accessoires sur les murs à l'extérieur. Ici c'était le marché de la viande, ça ne l'est plus.
Je vous laisse découvrir les points forts de cette belle
ville.
La plus grande place de Delft...
La meilleur explication que j'ai pu trouver sur l'histoire de Delft.
Je ne sais pas si vous pouvez visualiser la diapo, j'ai de problèmes avec ma machine. Les logiciels ne sont pas au top pour les derniers ordinateurs… ou le contraire.
Amazon:
So, Neil Gaiman posted a link to this Amazon thread
See, when shopping on Amazon I often window shop so to speak. I mean I keep a small wishlist (mostly pre-order stuff or this may be interesting someday stuff), but often it's just hey you need some new books now -- time to look around. And when I do this I look at everything when considering new book options.
Covers -- I'll buy a book that's a plain solid color BUT obviously something with an interesting cover is gonna grab my attention first.
Stars -- It's Amazon, if I see something with 1 star on say a list of books somewhere on the site surrounded by 4 and 5 star books? I'm gonna head for the 4 and 5 ones first and may never make my way back to that 1 star book.
Description -- Most important. Reading those makes me decide if I even want to waste my time on reviews or the look inside stuff, etc.
Look Inside -- If description, covers, stars all good and it has Look Inside available, then yup -- I start reading inside.
Reviews -- if still on the fence I skim the reviews. I don't have a list of reviewers I like or don't like. I just start reading and if they're well written and informative giving teasers instead of spoilers then I give weight to those reviews.
Comments on reviews -- if a review seems to have an usual number of comments, yes I will read that.
Seeing an author in reviews basically saying that only people who kiss their asses should review or at least those are the only reviews that people should trust as being accurate = I'll pass. And I'm a really generous star giver. I figure if it entertains me at all it's at least a 3. I can't think of anything I'd give a 1 to, though I try to buy things I know I'd at least not be pissed off by ;) Plus I always keep in mind I'm reviewing for the genre -- a comic book or my cheesy urban paranormal novels can be 5 stars. I hate the snobby types who think only classics should be 5s or whatever.
Brian:
In more gruesome news -- Brian had a really shitty day at work. Copters shining lights on their building and someone saying a jumper. And then -- a jumper indeed. Someone jumped off the 10th story roof and landed on the 2nd. He saw the body. I don't think that's how he wanted to mark his big opening day.
What would email be like if it were invented just recently? Google developers answer this question with a web based application called Wave.
Have you heard of Google Wave? If not, watch the video below. This new Google technology is being developed by the same people who brought the world that wildly amazing application Google Maps.
The video is an hour and twenty minutes long but you only really need to see the first fourty-five minutes to get a great feel for this amazing new innovation. I have access to the preview and have a number of invitations for my friends and colleagues. If you find this interesting please let me know so I can share one of my invites with you :) Wave is waaaaay more fun when you have people to share it with!
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For this Christmas, I did buy myself Swords deluxe edition via my favorite store, amazon. It was a bit pricey for a CD/DVD combo ($23 vs $12 for the standard disc), but I'm worth it.
I actually have had a digital copy of the B-Sides compilation since late October, thanks to pen pal friend Mel, as it was a "bonus" if you had preordered tickets to see Morrissey in live in 2009. And of course, like most fans, we still buy the physical release anyway, so it's a bit of a win-win situation for everyone.
I'll briefly summarize Morrissey's history: he's a bit of a sensitive, indie songwriter with The Smiths. He went solo in "nineteen-eighty-hate" with some classic modern rock hits with "Suedehead" (aka that "I'm So Sorry" song) and "Everyday is like Sunday". He went a bit rockabilly with Your Arsenal (his previous album Kill Uncle was heading to this direction, especially with the B-Sides and singles from this era), and pretty much stayed in this "muscular" rock type music since. As I previously mentioned, I think this has to do with his musical collaboration with Boz Boorer and Alain Whyte.
If you're new to Morrissey, I don't think Swords would be a good starting point for you. I would recommend starting with Bona Drag, a weird mix of b-sides and oddities. Most of the songs on Swords were co-written by Alain Whyte, and there's a nice cohesive feel to each song as they have similiar song writing structure. When you do run into a non-Whyte song, such as "Sweetie-Pie", it just feels out of place. In fact, I think this is possibly one of the worst Morrissey song, right up there with "Michaels Bones".
There is one non-Morrissey-penned song, and it's a live recording of "Drive-In Saturday" (live at Omaha on 11 May 2007). Morrissey's music obsessions tend to be from the 60s and 70s era, so it didn't surprise me to hear him doing a David Bowie cover from the Aladdin Sane time period. But the two are friends, I know that Bowie showed up at a Morrissey show in Los Angeles in the early 90s to do a duet of a T.Rex's song for "Cosmic Dancer", and, of course, Bowie would later record a soul-ish version of Morrissey's "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday" in 1993.
Also, it seems in post-2008, Morrissey's songs have been about fatherhood and retirement. Just looking over his titles: "Good Looking Man About Town", "Don't Make Fun of Daddy's Voice", "Teenage Dad on His Estate", "Children in Pieces", that "constipated look" for Swords, and that controversially album cover for Years of Refusal ... you would think that he's married with kids. Maybe that's not a bad thing, with Morrissey's heath in question, maybe he should take it easy. We all can't be like James Dean, you know.
12/19/2009 03:47:04 ♥ vu () ♥itsmorrisseysworld.com ♥ truetoyou.com ♥ morrissey-solo.com
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