こんばんは。Tonight Bay and I went to see my all-time favorite movie in the theater. Diva (1981) was showing at the AFS theater so I just had to see it… in fact, this is my first time to see it on the big screen. The first time I watched Diva was probably around 1985 on VHS, and I was immediately captivated by the beautiful visuals, atmospheric soundtrack, and the coolness of Paris. It really made a huge impression on me. The following year, I traveled to Paris with my dad and we visited some of the same places that were in the movie. It was like a dream! ❤️🇫🇷
Watching Diva on the big screen was just as awesome as I thought it would be. Since I have seen the film many times, I didn’t discover any new details, except the subtitles were different from the version I grew up with so a couple of the nuanced jokes had a new angle. But my favorite scenes (sentimental walk, subway chase, and driving to the castle) were amplified by being in extra-large format. It was surreal.
Tonight’s viewing re-affirmed Diva as being my favorite movie of all-time. It was funny, but I overheard the couple behind us after the movie ended, and the woman asked, “Still good?” and her partner said, “Yes, still in the top five.” 👍
Diva is based on the book of the same name, by author Delacorta. He wrote a series of six books featuring the adventures of Gorodish and Alba. I read the first three, which were super-difficult to find in the pre-Internet age, but I enjoyed them quite a bit. I’m going to have to hunt down the entire series now, so I can finish up reading about the two characters. Something to look forward to!
And lastly, for some reason this particular scene is one of my favorites of any movie. It’s just magical! If you haven’t watched Diva yet, please give it a viewing. 😀
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/100 sec, ISO800 “Lady Snowblood” Cedar Park, 2018
This evening I watched Lady Snowblood – 修羅雪姫, a 1973 manga-based movie about a woman named Yuki whose purpose in life is to avenge her mother, who was raped and whose husband was murdered. The mother died shortly after giving birth to Yuki in prison, and the baby was taken by one of the mother’s prison-mates to be raised by a monk. This monk taught her how to be an assassin in order to hunt down and kill the four criminals who were responsible for her mother’s sad fate.
Meiko Kaji (梶 芽衣子) stars as the beautiful Lady Snowblood and is amazing in the role. Not only is she cold and mysterious, but her action sequences are convincing in their straightforward manner. There aren’t any marathon fight scenes, nor over-the-top acrobatics, but rather, quick and deliberate fight scenes.
But what makes the film special is that there are copious amounts of blood. I’m definitely not a fan of horror movies or grotesque imagery, but Lady Snowblood isn’t a typical gore movie. The blood gushes and sprays fountains in such exaggerated ways, that it’s not disturbing at all. The blood is also a bright red color, and thick like tempera paint. Because of this lack of realism, I didn’t mind the gory scenes (of which I am usually easily disturbed). In fact, I found it very entertaining, and I was looking forward to more of it! 🤪
Another special aspect of the movie is that the hairstyles of the 1970s are ever-present throughout (especially for the male actors), even though the time period of the movie is the late 1800s. That crazy juxtaposition makes it all the more fun for watching it in the present day. Coupled with the 1970s music, it’s a unique feeling!
I enjoyed Lady Snowblood quite a bit and am looking forward to seeing the sequel, Lady Snowblood: Love Song of Vengeance, which apparently came out just a year after the first.
An interesting note is that Lady Snowblood was the inspiration for Tarantino’s Kill Bill movies. It’s easy to see why he would be so taken by the film. The movie, and the assassin character, are very compelling!
This evening I watched the 1957 film Tokyo Twilight (東京暮色), directed by the famous Yasujirō Ozu. Even though the pace of the movie is slow, I was completely engrossed within the first 10 minutes. I guess I am fascinated by what life in 1950s Japan was like, so I was both following the story, and looking at all the details.
It was neat to see that the streets in the movie were all dirt, even though it was Tokyo, and seeing the fashionably-dressed (to my eyes) characters exit a nice café or bar and then walk with their heels on a dirt road surrounded by buildings was odd. In other cases, the technology was pretty advanced. The train system seemed good and everyone used telephones (even though they were rotary). In fact, all of the scenes still have modern counterparts. The bar, neighborhood restaurant, and mahjong parlor could all be used in a modern movie or television show with just a few adjustments. The pachinko parlor and bank would need technological updates, but those places still are relevant in today’s society. I thought that was pretty cool to know that 6o years didn’t change these places too much.
The story revolves around a family of an older father, his two grown daughters, and their mother who abandoned them from a very young age but has reappeared in Tokyo. The most compelling character was the youngest daughter played by Ineko Arima (有馬稲子), who is struggling with an unwanted pregnancy, her relationship with her father (to whom she doubts she is related), and the reappearance of her biological mother. With so much to deal with, her behavior, whichever way it turns, would be understandable. I suppose it’s this plot point and character that kept the story engrossing to me.
I loved the acting from most of the characters, with the exception being from celebrated actor Chishū Ryū (笠 智衆). It was puzzling to me that he seemed like he would be the best actor of the cast, but I found his facial expressions were stiff, unchanging, and unemotional. It was actually really awkward. The other actors, however, were fantastic, especially Setsuko Hara (原 節子). She was one of Japan’s most famous actresses and you can see why. Although the younger daughter had more obvious motivations, Setsuko Hara’s portrayal of the older daughter needed to be more subtle and nuanced, and she excelled in the role. It’s no wonder that Hara was one of the premiere actors of the era.
I enjoyed Tokyo Twilight quite a bit and am looking forward to watching Ozu’s other films, including his most famous work, Tokyo Story (東京物語), which also stars Setsuko Hara and Chishū Ryū.
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.5, 1/30 sec, ISO800 “Navi-Cap” Cedar Park, 2018
こんばんは。How’s it going?
I just received a brand new Liberty Bottleworks Navi-Cap, and I couldn’t be happier! I’ve had my Liberty Bottleworks metal water bottle for a few years now, and it has been great. I love the 16 oz. size which is not too big nor heavy, and fits in most stretchy mesh holders on bags and backpacks. When I originally purchased it, I opted for the Sport Cap which is very convienent because you can just flip up the spout and drink. But the problem is that the Sport Cap is not completely water-tight, and it would often leak a little bit.
I’ve wanted to replace it for a while now, but the price has always been really expensive for the cap, but when I recently checked, the price and availablity had come down to a reasonable level. This time I wanted to get the Standard Cap (which won’t leak), but I noticed that they also have a “Navi-Cap”, which has a built-in compass. This is great, I thought, because just last week when exploring New York City, we could have used a regular compass (our phones don’t have a magnet compass) to point us in the right direction when using Google Maps Navigation.
The Standard Cap costs $6 for a color version, and the Navi-Cap is $12. So, it’s a bit of a premium for the compass, plus the Navi-Cap only comes in black. It’s kind of odd, but the compass is not fixed to the cap. In fact, when I opened the box, I just saw the standard cap and I thought they sent the wrong thing. But also in the package was the compass… whew! Anyways, it just fits on top, wedging into the space between the handles. It’s not super-tight, but it should be secure enough to stay put. I think it’s a nice solution, since you can pop it out when you wash the cap.
The cap itself appears to just be a standard one. When I look at the photos of the color standard caps, they also have the little circular indentations where the compass would rest. I guess that’s cool because I can buy another standard cap when I need to, and just pop the compass on that.
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/100 sec, ISO1250 “Navi-Cap” Cedar Park, 2018Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/100 sec, ISO1250 “Navi-Cap” Cedar Park, 2018Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/100 sec, ISO1250 “Navi-Cap” Cedar Park, 2018
Anyway, I am happy with the new Liberty Bottleworks Navi-Cap, and can’t wait to use the compass in conjunction with Google Maps. I guess I need to book another trip to New York City? 😝
こんばんは。Tonight Your Lie in April (四月は君の嘘) was on TV Japan so Koa and I watched it together. Surprisingly, Koa said he had already seen it on the plane when we traveled over Christmas break. I guess he enjoyed it enough to want to watch it again. I’m not sure if it is because there is a lot of musical performance in it, or if he’s now interested in girls/romantic stories, but whatever! I was happy to have his company while I watched it.
******* SPOILERS FOLLOW – YOU MAY WANT TO SKIP DIRECTLY DOWN TO THE TRAILER *********
I’m a fan of Hirose Suzu 広瀬 すず(Anone, Umimachi Diary) and will watch anything that she stars in, so it was great to find a movie of hers on TV Japan, and in HD with English subtitles! w00t! I didn’t know much about the story beforehand except that it’s an adaptation from a manga and I was expecting it to be a very light teen romantic comedy, but it turned out to have a deeper story, and was actually kind of a tear-jerker! I’d categorize it as a “teen romantic musical tragedy”. 😆
Your Lie in April follows the main characters, Kaori (Hirose) and Kōsei (Yamazaki Kento 山﨑 賢人), two musically talented high school students who team up to perform in a musical recital. Actually, Kaori convinces Kōsei, who has quit piano years earlier, to be her accompaniment. Her carefree yet determined attitude helps him overcome his fear of performing, and it seemed like the story will follow the formula of boy meets girl, boy loses girl, both confess their love for each other and they reunite with a triumphant concert performance.
Well, things take a big turn when Kaori falls seriously ill and Kōsei, Kaori, and their two close friends Tsubaki and Watari confront their feelings and confess to their love interests. However, things get complicated and the confessions didn’t make complete sense to me so I was wondering if there was some kind of hole in the plot.
Anyways, the story continues on, with Kōsei telling Kaori in the hospital that he has decided to enter a regional piano competition and that he wants to perform together with her in the future. With this in mind, Kaori decides to undergo a risky operation to cure her terminal illness.
Soon after, she goes into surgery while at the same time Kōsei is performing in the concert. This musical performance was probably the most touching scene in the movie because while he plays, Kaori’s image appears and accompanies him on violin. However, towards the end of the song, she stops playing, lowers her violin, and, shedding tears, fades away, signifying the fact that she did not survive the operation. 😭
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.2, 1/100 sec, ISO250 “Your Lie in April” Cedar Park, 2018
The story picks up a few months later, with Kōsei reading a letter that Kaori had written to him before she had her operation. In it, she reveals how she had known of Kōsei since they were small kids when she saw him at a piano recital. It was then that she decided to play violin in hopes that she could play with him one day. Years later in high school, as her illness became more serious, she decided to live the rest of her life to the fullest and made an effort to become closer to Kosei and his friends in order to make her dream come true. The lie she told (to which the film’s title refers) was that she said she loved Watari (in order to go on a double-date with Kōsei and Tsubaki). The truth was that she was actually in love with Kosei. 😭
I enjoyed the movie a lot more than I thought I would, mainly because the plot made complete sense after Kaori’s letter was read by Kōsei. And Hirose Suzu’s acting is always charming and she can seemingly let the tears flow on command. Yamazaki Kento probably had the most challenging role and did a good job expressing his inner struggles, especially during his piano pieces. Speaking of the musical performances, I read that both Hirose and Yamazaki spent 6 months practicing their instruments before filming. It really shows because they certainly seemed convincing (at least to me).
I really loved the setting of Your Lie in April (movie version) – the Shonan coast. Their high school sat on a hill, with a view of the ocean and Enoshima island. There was even a cool river heading to the ocean that they jumped into from a high bridge. It looked like a great area to live in. I’ve actually taken a couple of day trips down there when I lived in Japan, and it has a really cool, laid-back beach vibe. I loved it.
Although not a truly amazing film, Your Lie in April is a solidly entertaining story with good acting and some touching scenes. And the musical performances are great as well. I recommend it! My rating is 7.5/10.
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/3.6, 1/30 sec, ISO6400 “Vroom” Cedar Park, 2018
こんばんは。How’s it going?
We recently bought an Oregon Scientific robotic vacuum and it’s been cleaning the first floor of our house for the past week (not continuously of course). So far, we love it! I’m pleasantly surprised that it can run so long on a charge. It can go at least two hours but probably lasts much longer. We haven’t seen how long it can go because either I turn it off or our cat Yuzu jumps on it to catch a free ride and it causes an error, so it never runs til the battery is fully drained. When the battery does get low it’s supposed to automatically return to its charging dock.
That docking procedure is actually a lot of fun to watch. When it gets close to the dock, it picks up some signal (infrared?) from it, then slows down, lines up with a few turns, approaches straight on, and gently docks. It’s like watching a spaceship dock with a space station.
Watching the vacuum actually go around the house cleaning is mesmerizing. The first few times we used it, I would just follow it around to see it do its thing. It’s fascinating! I keep thinking that this is an example where concept and execution have come together nicely.
The design is really nice because it has two rotating brushes that extend out from the front and whisk dirt toward the vacuum opening in the center of the device. Those whiskers also are able to get into the hard-to-reach cracks and crevices where table and chair legs contact the floor. It’s really efficient and thorough.
I’m also pleased that it can effectively clean our new carpet, which is relatively plush. It’s amazing to see how much dust, cat hair, and general yuckiness accumulates on the carpets (and floors). We don’t wear shoes inside the house so it stays pretty dirt-free, but wow, there’s still plenty of stuff to clean out of the vacuum’s dustbin.
Anyways, we’re really happy with the little Oregon Scientific robotic vacuum cleaner. It’s really convenient and effective! I just wish our cat Yuzu didn’t mess with it as much as she does. 😺 I’m looking forward to even smarter robot vacs. For instance, sensors that can detect power cords, and auto-emptying dustbins. Fun stuff, huh! 😄
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/3.2, 1/45 sec, ISO6400 “Robot” Cedar Park, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec, ISO1250 “Ticket Stub” Cedar Park, 2018
こんばんは。How’s it going?
This morning I was planning on seeing the 8:50 am showing of Paddington 2, but I woke up at 8:30 and had to rush rush rush! Luckily the theater is only 10 minutes away, so after brushing my teeth, throwing on some clothes, and tidying up a bit, it was off to the movies! And when I arrived, I noticed that the movie time had changed to 9 am. Whew!
The movie itself was fantastic. I heard it was good, but I wasn’t expecting to be so impressed. The entire cast is wonderful, but Hugh Grant really stole the show. So funny, especially the dog food commercial. And I loved the scene where the Browns were talking about how actors were despicable and that they lie for a living. It was a meta moment seeing actors talking about actors!
The special effects were amazing as well, with the pop-up book montage being truly breathtaking. On the other hand, the animation of Paddington himself was completely seamless and looked very natural. I never once had a “That looks so fake!” moment.
Lastly, the jokes were clever and refreshing and didn’t resort to cheap bathroom humor. The trailers before the movie, on the other hand, had a total of 3 fart jokes. I mean, come on!
I’d have to say that Paddington 2 is the best movie that I have seen this year (so far). I’m not surprised that it has a “100% Fresh” rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
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In other news, I fired up the grill this evening and made burgers for the family. What made these special was that we also had bacon, avocado, and egg! Actually, Mariko and Bay had egg burgers, which made for a messy affair. But it did look damned tasty. Anyways, all the burgers were yummy, although I overcooked the patties just a bit.
“Koa’s Burger” Cedar Park, 2018
“Bay’s Burger” Cedar Park, 2018
“Big Buns” Cedar Park, 2018
“Burger with Egg” Cedar Park, 2018
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Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec, ISO4000 “Shattered” Cedar Park, 2018
Lastly, Mariko couldn’t get the lens cap off of one of her lenses and asked if I could do it, but when I looked at it, the cap was stuck on as if someone super-glued it. And I could hear a strange sound coming from it… It turns out that Mariko had dropped her bag (which had her camera in it) and it must have impacted the edge of the lens. I had to use pliers to remove the cap, which revealed a shattered filter. Using the pliers again, I was able to unscrew the filter, then used a soft paintbrush to clear out all of the shattered glass. Thankfully the lens is undamaged, but we’ll have to get another filter. I guess that’s one example of when using a protective filter showed its worth.
Watching Diva on the big screen was just as awesome as I thought it would be. Since I have seen the film many times, I didn’t discover any new details, except the subtitles were different from the version I grew up with so a couple of the nuanced jokes had a new angle. But my favorite scenes (sentimental walk, subway chase, and driving to the castle) were amplified by being in extra-large format. It was surreal.
