Dreamgirls

Lately, I've been hearing a lot of good reviews for this film. Personally, I actually never intended to watch this particular film. It didn't jump out to me like the other movies I've watched, but I decided to check it out and the fact that it was showing free at my company. Score!

Dude, I didn't know it was a musical. I freakin love musicals. However, I like old school musicals like Sound of Music and My Fair Lady. If you haven't watched those, check them out. Anyways, Dreamgirls is a film about making it in the music industry. Typical movie about how the industry works. But the thing that makes this movie good is the personal experiences for the members of the group and of the team. Also, the fantastic singing and musical numbers make this film that much cooler. I thought this film was pretty good. I wouldn't watch it a second time, but it's good for a one time run through. The actors in the film were great. Eddie Murphy was the bomb. He is so funny, even though he's not playing a funny role. It's just his face. HAHA comedy. And damn, Beyonce looks freakin gooooood. In the beginning of the film, you see her kind of nasty looking. Then by the end of the film, she's bangin. My only dislikes of the film were that some of the songs weren't that good. Many of them were chill, but some were just watevers. Other then that, definitely check this film out.

Stand Up!!

This is a TV series about 4 schoolboys. They are the last virgins in school. This is the first episode. It's pretty addictive to watch. I hope it turns out to be one of those romance comedies. I love those. Enjoy!

edited January 16, 2007

Crap, didn't know they got rid of the video. I'm pretty sure you can either get the DVD box set or find someone who has the fansubbed version. Ganbatte!

NANA starring Mika Nakashima - Hitoiro

This is a live performance of the theme song to "NANA 2". Enjoy!
She rocks!

Mika Nakashima

I want to meet her once in my life! Marry Me! Oh and NANA 2 is already out. DAMN, can't wait to check that out.

Rinne

So here goes another movie review. For those who don't know. I am a true viewer of horror flicks. If I had to choose, my two most favorite genres are romance and horror. Yes, I am twisted. The only reason why I haven't posted much horror on my site is because there hasn't been any to watch. J-Horror used to be my all time favorite with Ju-on, Ringu, and the rest; however Japanese horror fans, like me, have seen a bit of a drought. There just haven’t been any quality films from Japan or anywhere in the world for that matter. So it pleases me a lot when I do receive a new horror film.

Rinne, or Reincarnation, is psychological horror released from "Ju-on" director Takashi Shimizu. I really didn't know much about this film until I saw the commercial for 8 Films to Die for - After Dark Horror fest on TV. I had to check this film out. The film is crazy. Right from the start, the scaring commences. The film is about, you guessed it, reincarnation. The main character, Nagisa Sugiura (Yûka), is an actress trying to make it in the film industry. She auditions for a film but is saddened that it is another horror film. The director of the film, Ikuo Matsumura, notices something special about Sugiura. Thinking she failed the audition, she soon realizes from her agent that she has landed a roll. That's when strange things start to happen. She notices a young girl with a doll where ever she goes. The script, that she is to star in, is about a true event that happened in the 70's about 11 people who were murdered. She is to play the murder's daughter. At the first rehearsal, she starts getting visions of these murders so real that she would faint on set. At home, she would wake up, not to be in her bed, but in the hotel. This film is just creepy.

I thought this movie was pretty cool. But maybe that’s because I've seen so many duds that this one wasn't that bad, I’m not sure. I really liked how they blended the past and present. It gives you a sense of being trapped. The story was good. I wish they went a little deeper with the characters, but I guess who cares when you’re cringing with fright. Awesome flick. Peep it!

Volver

Volver is another excellent film choice. Honestly, I didn't want to watch this film because I absolutely had no clue what it was about. I was contemplating on what film to see the night of and didn't know exactly what to do. What I really wanted to watch was The Curse of the Golden Flower with Chow Yun Fat. I read some reviews on it and people gave it okay reviews, but then I stumbled upon Volver and it got good ratings. I then find out that Penelope Cruz is in the film. I'm not a big fan of hers. The only movie I really ever enjoyed with her in it is Woman on Top. It's not an Oscar winning film but it's a very fun type movie, with a great soundtrack. Check it out people. So, my movie crew (sister and brother) headed out to check it out! I ended up really liking the film. It's pretty cool. It is a comedy and tragedy combo that works. The story is pretty deep, so I'll do my best to explain the main plot.

Volver, or Coming Back, is a story about death. Well not totally about death but damn does it occur often in the film. The main characters are the two sisters, Raimunda (Penélope Cruz) and Sole (Lola Dueñas) and Raimunda's daughter Paula (Yohana Cobo). Raimunda lives in Madrid where she works as a custodian. Her husband is always drunk at home and is a dead beat. Her sister Sole is a hairstylist who lives alone after her husband left her. The film opens up with the two sisters and Raimunda's daughter tending to their mothers gravestone. After the cleaning, they go to La Mancha, their hometown, to visit their Aunt Paula who is still speaking to their dead mother, Irene, as if she never died. Then Aunt Paula dies and more mystery and suspense endure. But this film isn't a ghost or horror movie. It's a comedy and drama. So yeah that’s the back drop. There’s all this mystery and shit that goes down in the film. I don't want to spoil it so, I'll leave it there. Yeah, sorry my reviews are kind of weak.

Overall, it is an awesome movie for real. It's funny and sad. Oh and there’s this scene where Penélope Cruz lip sings this flamenco song. So cool. I'm a fan of flamenco music. Film didn't seem too long even though it was 2 hours. Go check your local listings, most places won't show this indie film even though I think it kicks most of whatever’s out there's ass!

Favorite quote "With your tits and my drinks, we can make a fortune" (well, it goes something like that. I don't know it exactly, but you'll see it).




edited January 10, 2007


This is the song by Raimunda (Penélope Cruz) in Volver. The actual artist who sings the song is Estrella Morente. Oscar winning performance by Cruz and great singing by Morente. Enjoy

El Laberinto del Fauno

A couple months back I saw this trailer on the Apple movies site. Immediately after watching the trailer, I knew that I had to see this film when it came out. During the Christmas holiday, I was able to find one theatre that was showing this film. My sibs and I went to go check it out and man was I right. I loved it. So here goes the review. The film title actually didn't make much sense to me because the actual foreign title translated would be The Faun's Labyrinth. Who the hell is Pan? The film is set during WW2, 1944 rural Spain to be exact. The main character, Ofelia (she's rad), and her mother are sent to live with her step father in the woods. We then are introduced to this adoptive father who's a military captain tasked with destroying the rebels. Man is this guy a dick and boy is he evil. Also, Ofelia's mother is pregnant with Captain JACK-OFF's kid (his acting is too good really, he makes me hate him). They arrive to the house which is also a fortification where they meet the rest of the characters in the film. Because of the mother's pregnancy and illness, Ofelia is often on her own. In her loneliness, she creates a world filled with fantastical creatures and imaginative destinations. That's basically what the film is about. But it's not totally fantasy. I'd say the film is more 25% fantasy and 75% realism. I’d go deeper into the plot but I don’t want to spoil anything.

Oh, there’s side story that I wanted to share. I went to the theatre during matinee to watch the film. Upon purchase, I asked for 3 tickets. The lady looked at me and asked if she could see my ID. I was like," oh crap, we get a student discount?" She then said, "No, the film is rated R. Can I see some ID?" I was shocked! Shocked! I'm 25 years old. And if you think about it, I'd have to look younger then 17 to be not eligible to watch the film. That lady was dumb. She must have been blind.

So yes, ladies and gentlemen, the film is rated R. You must be wondering why this film is rated R when it's clearly a fantasy film? Boy, are you in for a surprise. This movie is pretty damn gruesome. The characters are cool as hell, but they are pretty creepy looking. But the war scenes are pretty jacked up. People get blown up and stuff and you see it. Cooool! I give the film 2 thumbs way up. Check it out. My favorite scene in the film is task #2 with the retrieval of the dagger. Damn, so cool. Enjoy!

School Rumble Opening Theme

Sorry this will be my last youtube type post. I know it makes the blog run slow. I saw this on Tsuji Eriku's blog and I had to jack him. One of my favorite all time animes. I just started SR 2nd Semester. I hope that turns out good too. Enjoy the music video.

Placebo Gathering - Nindu 2006

HAHAHA I'm just lost for words here, literally. That's because I'm drunk fool. Rockin my Lakers Jersey. PEACE!

New Kids on the Block II - Bboy Jam

This is a bboy jam thats going down on Feb 3rd. It's local of course. The only reason why I'm posting it here is if you look under the panel of judges you'll see my name there. HAHA Killa-B. Yeah, names a bit corny, I know. Also my homies Placebo Effect and Instant Noodles and ETC are gonna rep so keep an eye out for them. Okay that is all.

Letters From Iwo Jima

Happy New Years everyone! I have finally returned. My company gave their employees a whole week off. It was great. I slept all day. I caught up on some reading. I watched a little Trash TV. I even played some Nintendo Wii. I partied like no other. It was awesome. Haha I gave a shitty intro. Okay now on to the blogging.

Letters from Iwo Jima. I really didn't know much about this film other then that Clint Eastwood Directed it and the obvious fact that it is about World War II. Boy was it hard to find a theatre in LA that was showing this film. I guess it's more of an indie film. My brother, sister, and I had to catch it at the Arc Light Cinerama Dome out in Sunset. Tickets cost me 14 dollars. Freakin craptastic. I guess it was kind of cool; you get your own assigned seats. We were ghetto enough to bring in our own diet cokes. Hurray!

The film starts off in the present with the uncovering of thousands of letters of the soldiers who fought on Iwo Jima. Magically, the film travels back 61 years to the soldiers who wrote those letters. Among them are Saigo (Kazunari Ninomiya), a baker who's only purpose is to survive the war to see his unborn kid; Baron Nishi (Tsuyoshi Ihara), an Olympic champion; Shimizu (Ryo Kase), a former MP; and Lt. General Tadamichi Kuribayashi (Ken Watanabe), he's awesome! These guys are the ones that stand out to me, but there are definitely more characters in the film. This is the untold story of the Japanese soldiers and their General who defended against the invading American forces on that island. Each character has their own story and in the film you get in touch with who these people really are. I really enjoyed this film. A picture that shows Japanese soldiers as human beings. One of my favorite scenes is when Baron Nishi speaks with the wounded American captive. True compassion between two human beings. Just awesome.