Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea

So the greatest living animator, Hayao Miyazaki has yet come up with another heart-felt film-Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea.



He touches his usual theme on ‘man vs nature’, about how man polluting the environment and that the nature decide to ‘fight’ back. Unlike Nausicaa, Princess mononoke, where the atmosphere is more intense and deep, this film is more light-hearted/child-like yet can be understood by all ages!

I guess the film focuses more on the nature-innocent being of being just a child, which is fully depicted on 5 years old –Sosuke. He rescued Ponyo (a little mermaid, which I initially thought was plankton or something); he was worried in tears that the little thing is dying soon. Such is the concern of a little boy for a little thing.

Sosuke said something really touching, ‘no matter what form Ponyo is in, be it the mermaid form, half-human form or full human, he will still love her!’ that coming out from a little boy was again, WOW!

Anyway, the film is about how Sosuke rescued this little mermaid whom in turn fall for him and having the desire to become human which unfortunately unrevealed some tsunami and about the overcoming of the catastrophe.

Like Mel had picked up, the art-form is really child-like to the max, crayon-like figure, it seems more ‘approachable, touchable’ than the normal computerized one, though this film uses computer too.

Oh yea the theme song is darn-cute la!!! Yet again Miyazaki collaborated with Joe Hisaishi in the music-play; which without doubt bring the film to life!

If you are a fan of Studio Ghibli, be sure to catch it, if you haven’t!


Takre care
kai
=’
桜 & 恋


some photos

notice my hair, the middle part is over-shave! $@#%$#




some random doodle while chatting





he reminded me of my short-attention span again!!! LOL


random photos





does this guy look like he's peeing or something?



Joe Hisaishi! the film will be w/o, w/o him

Ponyo Comes - Joe Hisaishi


can always watch it again!

A moment to remember

Ah just finished this heart-wrenching yet warming K-movie titled [A moment to remember].
We all know both Japan and Korean are good at their recycled theme of either lead roles dying from certain diseases that bring the audience to tears. Cliché as it always is, it still never failed to touch our heart.



Unlike other K/J-movie or drama I’d watched revolving round this theme like “autumn in my heart’, ‘Taiyou no Uta’, ‘Koizora’, ‘1L of tears’ and even the America ‘A walk to remember’, this one is different.

1 thing the lead roles suffered worse than parting- Physically they were together but fate just plays a nasty part.

Just when the couple was beginning to enjoying their blissful marriage, the lead actress discovered that she was down with Alzheimer (genetic), which slowly but progressively deleting her memories. Alzheimer, it brings forth mental death before a physical one, soon she will forget where she live, where the convenience store, eventually forgetting the love ones (like I mentioned earlier, physically they were together but he will just be another stranger).
She said ‘Soon I will forget you, lets part when we’re still happy’
‘I be your memory and heart’ he said (so sweet!!!)

Till now, there no other medical means but only pills can slow the degeneration. He tired all means to help her retain her memories, notepads etc but still one day she said I love you XX (her ex-lover name). He grit his teeth, clench his fist and said I love you too before weeping behind the close door; a very tragic scene. Imagine the one you hold dearest looking straight into your eye saying she love someone else. He knows she wasn’t referring to him but still he pretended. ..

It was only moment later, that she suddenly recall her memory with him that she realize what she had just said had really broken his heart. She immediately penned down while her memory still hanging loose, saying she is sorry, that she love him only, that she dint have to remember him as he’s already part of him and decide to leave him for good thinking that’s the best way for him to forget her and to stop bring him grief.

He still managed to find him eventually . . .

The end of the movie finishes off with him replaying the first time they met in the convenience store with all her friends and family in the store (i weep here). He takes her back to the retirement home as they are driving off he finally tells her he loves her (for the first time).
From here it really teaches one thing, even though you may shown how much you love someone, but always treasure the moment to say it before it’s too late. ;i still nvr learn ,@__@, haiz; Its
nearly too late for him though.

Anyway the director is pretty smart with plot too. . .

One part the show, she mentioned ‘I got to know you because I was forgetful (she went back to the convenience store to retrieve her misplaced wallet and met him) and continued saying now I going to forget you because I am forgetful’

Another part is, when she first bring the topic of marriage to him, he replied ‘you are always too confident, life isn’t always that smooth.’ Then subsequently after their marriage, the guy said ‘he going to help her with her regain her memory, try ways to cure her, she replied the same thing, ‘are always too confident, life isn’t always that smooth.’.
There are some nice analogy too, the carpenter analogy (the guy is architect himself) I call it. the guy held this hatred to his mum and would never want to forgive her. The girl mentioned that he had too much room in his room for hatred and said ‘forgiveness is about having just a little room for hatred.’ A true carpenter build his house within, no matter how wonderful on the exterior, he may still shiver inside’.


All in all, this is a movie I really recommend to watch. Can catch it at mysoju.com.

Kai
Takre care
=’
桜 & 恋
Alzheimer is like having a eraser in my brain she said. T__T

A moment to remember OST -


instrumental

sense of touch-universal language of love Wall-E

Wall-E


Wall- E!!! The droopy-eye petite robot!! I first saw him appearing on movie sneak preview months back and the little thingy had left a deep impression within me. I told myself ‘Die die must watch’; and finally catch it today with Mel.

his droopy-eyes


The plot set where earthling consumed good at rate faster than they could be removed that the overrun un-recycled waste make the planet too polluted to support life. BnL (Big and Large, was rather symbolic as they did after all produced big and large amount of waste), the company that flourished on planet are the main culprit on the waste produced that they sponsored a 5 years plan to evacuate men to outer-space on board Axion with tons of Wall-E left behind to clear up the waste.

Who’s this Wall-E? They are range of robots designed to collect scrap of waste materials and compressing them into cubic before stacking them up; as a means for easier waste removal later. The 5 years plan came to halt when It was determined that Earth was too polluted to return. 700 years had passed and this particular, I called it malfunction Wall-E is still operational.

Perhaps nearly a millennium of activation had made this particular Wall-E peculiar from the rest of his kind. He is not systematic; he shows human traits, especially on the emotion part, he knows holding hands signify love from this video tape he watched, he felt sorry when he accidentally rolled over his pet-cockroach. Starring into the night sky, he long to hold someone hand.




On his usual routine, making cube of trash Wall-E chance upon this seedling plant and add it into his collection. Suddenly a spaceship landed on Earth and this probe-like robot named EVE was deployed with assignment to locate life on Earth. Wall-E was hiding behind a rock and watched EVE with mixture of amazement and adornment. When EVE noticed his presence, she (I called it ‘she’ with her effeminate speech) blast a beam couple of times at Wall-E. Poor Wall-E just revert his arms, legs (wheels) into his body like a turtle with his head popping up a little and stare at EVE with his pair of droopy innocent eyes and trembling at the same time (he even shown fear for a robot).

EVE with his plasma gun (notice EVE eyes when she angry, normal mode her eyes will be
-- -- , happy will be like n n )


Eventually EVE got comfortable with Wall-E, with Wall-E having fascination of holding EVE’s hand. Wall-E show EVE his discoveries of the seedling and EVE soon stored it and deactivated.

The story goes on. . . on about how those human back in space ship got so accustomed to automated life, their life revolved round this mobile seats, they talk in front of a screen even if the person was RIGHT NEXT to them, they lost this universal communication-sense of touch, of which Wall-E a robot long to show to EVE. Then it goes on, on how the captain on board this Axion comes to realize the important of mere SURVING VS LIVING! A significant moment when he finally step up on his 2 feet and wrestle against the wheel-handle robot ‘AUTO’.


Nuff of the story, the synopsis can be read on the net, I just want to share some of the interesting/touching moments in this heart-felt animaton.

Funny moments
1) When Wall-E tired his ‘lung’ out to pronounced EVE’s name, he finally got it right but he could just register the E not the higher pitch of -----------VE.

2) When Wall-E found a utensil that resemble that of a fork & spoon that he just don’t know to place it at his spoon collection or fork collection when he finally place it in between the 2, LOL

3) When Wall-E took off the chain from his wheel (resemble pair of shoes) and hung it, with his wheel (legs) roaming in his room.

4) When Wall-E impressed EVE with his collection from egg beater (that EVE just spun to fast that the head just flew off), to rubix cube (that EVE solved within secs), EVE simply just pop the plastic pops at an instance, I thought the main aim was to distract EVE from using his canon, LOL

5) M-O was seen clearing up the stain left by Wall-E
And many other funny moments


Touching one were, how Wall-E go thought the extent of protecting EVE when she became deactivated, sheltering her from storm under the umbrella and getting himself electrocuted but still standing firm to shelter her. EVE only realized what Wall-E had done for her through the security cam later in the show.

Another moment was when Wall-E being crushed under some load.

At one time when EVE fixed the damaged Wall-E, replacing the chip that Wall-E was totally re-booted losing his emotion and love for EVE. He simply rolled over the cockroach as if nothing happen when he appeared to be sad the other time. When EVE finally held his hand, it somehow brings back his memory, reformatted to his original self. The touching of hand (sense of touch) is indeed a universal language of love eh?



kai

takre care

='

桜 & 恋



i chance upon this little stripe kitty with a black cat roaming nearby. A middle age lady was feeding this black cat, when this stripe kitty tried to climb over a steps (of his height) to reach to the other end where the black cat & the food were. Its really hard warming to see how he tired his very best with his fragile body to climb over (was too engrossed in the progress that i forgotten to snap it down @__@). . . anyhoo, i thought the black cat will shooo stripe-y away from the food, but blacky did in fact let stripe-y had his/her portion! WOW, MEL & I were like speechless at the sight. .

quoted frm uncle 'blacky extend the grace he received from the lady to stripe-y'


some pic taken


cute right?




wrestle stripe-y down



then clean her


stripe-y was giving the expression of 'so shiok la'




quite randomly i saw this Bambi video at grammaphone and bought it! LOL, for some one my age to buy this @__@



i present to u this dessert at Ajintei, some rice ball with sauce that tasted like soy sauce @___@


Yuna Ito- Endless Story- a classic J-pop hits then still hadn't lost its beauty!

Romy and Michelle High School Reuion

Well finished watching a classic film titled –Romy and Michelle High School Reunion broad casted on channel 5 just hours ago. The plot is about how this 2 high school bestees always being made fun of back in high school days. 10 years later, the school reunion, they were like ‘oh how the hell we going to show up when we, one is a cashier and the other unemployed, I mean we so gonna be laugh at’. So they decided to assume the form of a successful business women that invented of all things 'poster pad' -,- that day; when things goes wrong and they learn that ‘just be yourselves’


I remember them ordering a ‘Business set meal’ which made the old waitress seems bewildered when they suddenly change to saying ‘Oh we rushing time so we just have burger and diet coke’ (which Is what they had wanted initially -,- ) I was like they are assuming business woman form to the extreme. -,-

Darn, the movie is so freakish hilarious, the dialogged
‘Would you excuse me. I cut my foot before and my shoe is filling up with blood.’
- when Romy used it as an excuse to swish off a guy, ladies try that when you wana swish off a pestering guy!

‘I hope your babies look like monkeys.’
- When Michelle try to be mean, the way she put it just LOL la


And the witty ridiculous ‘This dress exacerbates the genetic betrayal that is my legacy.’ -,-


In the midst of comedy, it drawn down to a standpoint ‘of being yourselves’

That Lisa Kudrow starring as Michelle really left me a deep impression of her as an actress/comedian/lady or what not, maybe gonna dig up more of her past works~ she just so natural in her role! This the first time I praise an ang mo artiste! LOL

kai
takre care
桜 & 恋

Rick Astley - Together Forever used in the movie


simply love this track, you jux so wana dance to the beats!


right so tml will be yet another ubin trip- this time with sec sch pals~

Vexille

Before I go into reviewing Vexille, I’ll start off by saying that I was darn surprised by the crowd this animated-movie had drawn judging by the sales of tickets; that in the end the 3 of us didn’t got to sit in a row but disperse throughout the theatre (what’s left are all crappy seats in the extreme corner! *^%*&^%, but it was all alright after all!)



Spoilers ahead

In the future, humanity right faced challenged from robotic technology; when Daiwa Heavy Industries (Japan), the world’s leading supplier of such technology decide to infuse robotic elements into human body to artificially create an android. ‘Worried that such technology may allow for the weaponization of the human body itself if not the subversion of the human spirit itself the UN passes a resolution declaring the use of android technology forbidden, a resolution signed in to international treaty law by all member states except one-Japan’. Instead, Japan opts to withdraw and isolate herself from members of UN with installed electronic barrier that disrupt all form of electronic or satellite surveillance.

Without ‘outsiders’ interference’, Daiwa begun a series of experiments on their fellow Japanese Folks (entire race to be exact) in order to attain the best formula of formulating an android. They started by spreading an unknown virus to the entire population and called for an immunization to ward off the disease. The entire population was given the ‘vaccine’ without realizing that the so-called vaccine contains micro-metallic elements that will slowly replace all their leaving cells, and it’s only a matter of time before they became an android. The results vary from different people, some mange to retain parts of their humanity self while others became an incomplete android (a paralyzed robot I called it; imaging a robot without the upper body and stuff). It takes 10 years for them to come out with the perfect android formulation, by then there are no sign of human inhabitants in Japan, just some incomplete android roaming the street with majority becoming the deformed androids and left dispose in the Jags– ‘A huge, spiral vortexes of voracious, partially sentient scrap metal made up of failed android experiments that resemble nothing so much as the sand worms’. And so, Daiwa next target is to bring this formulation into US and create the vast into android, this time round a perfect android swam!

In the midst of this ominous scheme, raise 2 opposing teams, one leads by Maria, a half-android herself and the other by Leoan member of S.W.O.R.D on their quest against time to save mankind! Where Vexille? (Later)

My comments

Definitely one of those top notch visual effects to date! The life-like features, down from the flow of hairs, facial expression to body gestures are all so vivid. It’s really a sight when the androids are more vibrant as compare to real-human society. Those half-androids treasure every aspects of life down to eating an apple when eating is no longer a necessity. The whole community is so filled with life when comparing to present day society as depicted in the animation. Perhaps they knew that at any moments their body will be totally consumed by metallic components, that they treasure their life or are they simply living in a delusion, to act happy in moment of a time-bomb tragedy?

Where/Why/Who Vexille? She is just another member of S.W.O.R.D. I agree with a review I read over the net that she don’t deserved to be the lead character, least to mentioned the movie was named after her. Instead, Maria, the half-android deserves more credits then her, considering her role in the movie and the sacrificing later in the movie.

Mel the guru as usual answered the question on how the Jags are formed. We are know that they are remnants of failed android experiments, but why and how they combine together to form vortex? He answered intelligently ‘its human instinct to come together to survive.’ The other 2 of us were like “Bingo!’-sense of enlightenment!

There nothing much to complained about the show other then the atrocious pop music that was sync with the movie. Totally irritating! It’s the first time I felt music does not tie well with a movie!

Best moment

All those who’d watch will agree with me that the closing chase sequence featuring Maria and Vexille luring the Jags into the main base of Daiwa is the best scene!



Storyline: 3/5

It didn’t really touch on deep themes, but just some easily graspable understandable themes of human right, friendship, sacrifice and love perhaps

Visual:
Perfect, needless to say

Music: 1/5

Overall, the spectacular eye candy, especially the closing chase sequence that gives you the adrenaline rush worth your time, but when the story ends, it was like ‘… that’s it?’ The process was satisfying but when ended, my mind was totally blank. Perhaps the stunning visual effects had consumed much of my brain saps.

With that
Kai
Takre care
=’

Hotaru no Hikari _Glows of Fireflies

Theme song- Yokogao by Aiko


First and foremost, don’t be distracted by the poster as something else, as her pose is easily misinterpreted as something else! @__@


The drama begins by introducing 2 extreme ends women: Hotaru the himono-ona – ‘Dried fish woman’ and Yuuka the Stekki-josei- ‘Admirable woman’. Both seem relatively similar in office, graceful and cheerful, but back home, the similarity is like comparing an apple with an orange. The himono-ona, who preferred to lay at home drinking canned beer in jersey, flipping newspaper with legs, sleeping under newspaper, basically a lady who lack elegancy (that what made her really cute though). On the opposite end, a Stekki-josei spends time efficiently, taking up courses, drinking green tea, an admirable and elegant lady.

And so Hotaru happen to stay under the same roof as her manager, Takano, and is pretty interesting to see how he begin to feel comfortable with Hotaru’s weird behavior over time—I mean she shows all the far-fetched action- e.g. she roll along the floor with her dolphin boaster when she confused, etc (interestingly her manager who seems bewildered at first, did the same things later). I don’t want to go into details, the story goes on, as both un-notice-ly fell for each other. The process is darn fun and cute to watch!

Some quotable quotes and interesting scene

- Her manager not only referred her as ‘Himono-ona’ but also, snake-woman(can’t remember why, but definitely when Hotaru did something ridiculous again) , turtle woman (when she place her hp on her back and crawl towards her manager, as she didn’t dare to read the message from Teshima (whom she fell for initially), and want him to read for her) and the ridiculously Kanoshi-ona ( a faceless monster who appeared in Spirited Away, when she put on a facial mask). Actually, all her ridiculously cute motion is pretty hard to pen down, must really watch yourself to laugh out a hell of yourselves, and at the same time wondering if such interesting woman does exist!

- In the midst of comedy; question ask include retreating your love for your love that 1 even to the extent of being a clown – when Hotaru volunteer to perform the loach dance to entertain the crowds, an ;letting; Yuuka to spend time with Teshima

-‘Treasure yourself for being able to love someone, feelings cannot be understood till spoken’-I was like bla bla


-‘Love is something that cannot achieve with effort’-This is 1 hell true line to a certain extent!

-‘There no perfect answer to love, the answer you came up with is the correct one’- This sounded so poetic, but this the perfect answer when your pals relate their love relationship to you and you had no idea how to replied, use this line, and I did used it, LOL.

Lastly, the theme song Yokogao by aiko, fits into this light-hearted drama pretty well. For some reasons I always fell in love with the theme song of a J-drama~ little side note, Aiko genre, nope more of style of music is pretty unique and sincere.LIke YUI, she penned down her own lyric~ (i always comparing @__@)

Kai
Takre care
=’

For some reasons, I felt this is a bad review~ bleh

5 cm per second, that enough to drift people apart

The movie was screen in conjunction with the “Animation Nation 2007’.

Theme song




The animated movie is named 5 Centimeters Per Second at which cherry blossom petals fall, petals being a metaphorical representation of humans, reminiscent of the slowness of life and how people often start together but slowly drift into their separate ways.

Initially I can’t relate to the show, until the Guru-Mel fixed the little puzzles here and there to fix my puzzle-ness.

It kind of sad to see how Takai and Akari starts off as close friends blooming to love but ceased out due to ‘distant and being hesitant’. Sometime in life when 1 lack the initiative to keep in contact, closet friends may just drifted away like that. Sadly I’m one of them. Hadn’t my close friend takes the extra mile to ask me out, I think same thing may just happen. It does in fact happen though.

Back in primary school, where I’d spend 4 years there, I had this close friend. We did many things together, hopping to each other house every now and then. Soon after I shifted house, I did try to stay contact through writing letters (yea I don’t know what electronic mail was back then). I did receive a reply, its mention ‘My birthday is on XX/XX/XX and ask me to send a present on that day and at the same time asking for my birthday date’. Did I reply back, I can’t really remember though, but I’m sure I didn’t send him anything on that day. I did try to stay contact via phone; I remember I had my longest conversion yet lasted >1.5hrs talking about good old days. That the only time I called and that that. Randomly, back in secondary school day, I did try to call, but the phone was not answer and that that. Pretty soon, swarm by new friends, I soon forgotten about this first ‘best friend’ of mine. It only this show that hits me about this friend of mine and yea thinking back it sad but life goes on. It even sadder when I cant be bother to ring him up even though the tel no still implanted in my brain. Yea life goes on just like that. Things like that made Kai ponder on life but it just goes away soon~

Our loneliness can be filled by friends, but only the people whom we treasure/love can dissipate it.

Kai
Take care
=’


Lastly people always had the misconception that anime is for kids and stuff, you may be surprise at how deep the theme of an anime can be. People between age of 20-30 shows up in the theater.



YUI perform at NIPPON BUDOKAN, the grandest place Jap-Artist can perform in Japan! Wish they come up with the DVD version ,want to watch it badly

Wonder if I had the time to review on Hotaru no Hikari~

LIFE

Woot, finally finished watching the J-drama – LIFE!

The main cast (1 thing i must stress all look so different in the drama, only Ayumu, Hatori, Hiro look better in the drama)


Kitano Kii as Ayumu (She 16! Cant believe it)Good acting for a young actress, very convincing in her role


Fukuda Saki as Manami (Can you believe that this sweet little girl manage to made you wana bish her up, puke at her or what not)



Seki Megumi as Hatori (the big girl of Ayumu, really cool persona, but soft on the inside, for some reason i felt weird whenever she smiles, LOL)


Hosoda Yoshihiko as Katsumi (it made no sense to believe that he is psychotic, trust me you will after the show, a little sympathize also)



Hojo Takahiro as Sonado (the guy that all girls will fall in love in, towards the end)

The only co-cast i wana mentioned as she is darn kawaii


Hoshii Nanase as Hiro



The drama adapted from a manga, focusing on bullies in a prestigious colleague in Japan. It really nasty to see how Manami manipulated his friends, teachers and even father, and protruding those sinister grin whenever she saw someone suffered. She referred her victims as ‘Toys’, and is meant for her to play with. It is disturbing to see her acting innocent through threatening and blackmailing, even to the extent of ‘offering’ herself to get the job done. Her ‘co-bully’, also her ‘boyfriend’, a dad-made psychopath enjoying people suffering, as is a way to ‘release’ himself(he was ill-threaten by his dad).

Well anyway, the gist of the drama is about how this girl Ayumu standing up against the bullies and fighting her own rights, while others either just kept quiet and remains ignorant as they don wana get involved, not to mentioned the teachers too(except 1). Finally, the class affected by her spirit, stand up and stop Manami, only when the truth about the bullying was about to reveal, thus is more like the class want to push the blame to her solely, it really sad to see this kind of stuffs! Anyway, as usual the righteousness that drama wana portrait; when Ayumu didn’t want to take revenge on Manami by bullying when she had the chance even to the extend of rebuking the class ‘You can’t stop bullying by bullying’, and was like to be =] or -___-

On the bright side, the story also focus on themes on friendship, trust, a little of love.

The casting, ah superb, Ayumu, those big eyes filled with strong willed is really convincing! Credits should really goes to the casts on Manami and Katsumi, when it made the audience really want to bash them up or something. And the Blackhorse Sonodo, really get every attention of girls in the later part of drama!

Personal thought, both Manami and Katsumi kept blaming is others fault that they are their present self, but they should really stop putting the blame on others and face it for once. Perhaps, they really see no wrong in their doing, as in the show mentioned what is wrong in the first place, it may seems wrong to you but might be right for others and blab la. Fortunately, I didn’t hate Manami and Katsumi unlike most viewers, as it really sad to see them acting like that. …. The process yea I hated them, but ending you will sympathie them

Lastly, Great song 'LIFE' by Mika Nakashima, this song really made the whole drama stands up and 'feels right'! this song kept haunting me since i last heard it! credits to Mika too! =] The song start off with some bewildering piano, then the moment Mika's vocal comes in, there magic! She a more of jazzy singer, so this song by her is a surprise! (I love those coarse sexy vocal! Woot, but YUI, you're still no 1, =])



Worth watching! ‘Why sunflower facing out, towards a bright future’

1 thing good about J-drama is that
1) Short and sweet, straight to point, unlike dilly dally K-drama
2) Syn the drama with songs so well that, its always feel right
3) focus on storyline, unlike T-drama that talk about love here love there, all those old school lame story.
4) unlike S-drama, there so many eye candies in J-drama
5) simply because it is made in Japan
Kai
Take care
='

Sugar and Spice

1L of tears left me a really good impression of Erika Sawajiri, impression here compromises of 80% look and not forgetting the other 20% acting; and thus I wanted to catch her latest work ‘Sugar and Spice’ in theatre but catch it on cruchyroll instead, the free-flow of anime, drama and movies =]



The movie- plain boring, except for the intro part and predictable plot! Its about how this guy Shiro who doesn’t seems to understand how love can hurt so much when his pal fall out of it till he experience it himself. I like how wiki put it ‘He falls headfirst into a bittersweet first love that ushers him into the world of adulthood.’ I was like Woooo~ one thing I don’t get it is the title itself ‘Sugar and Spice’ with subtitles ‘what little girls are made of’ I was like uh? Well at the very least there this very interesting character- Shiro’s uber-hype American-wanabe grandma! Other then that there is noting much to comment on the show.

Sawajiri other recent work, Close Note, wanted to catch it but wonder why is not shown on crunchyroll. Erika was recently condemn for being rude, bad attitude in front of media and such; I guess the main reason, I think was because the movie uses YUI’s music, perhaps Erika, a singer herself felt upset about the company choice, like ‘why not use mine?’ thus yea the attitude. I only assume that is~


Kai
Take care
.;.

cirCLE of FrieNds

And so yesterday, I’d finally catch up with my poly pals, and most were like ‘uh-huh KJ is here?’ and stuffs like that; cuz I haven’t been hanging out with them for a Long time. . .

As usual I was late, that the movie we watching “Shreak 3’ was postponed for another 45 mins or so. OPS.

It was Shaz who’d apparently called me the previous night or rather the same day itself after 12 midnight and asked me to catch a movie with them, and I was like ‘You not pasiseh ar, calling me in the middle of night, was like ok lor cux I want to turn in that moment’ (glad I went anyway. . .) =]]

Amidst of fun and laughter circulating round the movie Shreak, the movie is actually trying to drive a rather important theme: that is no matter how people define you as, don’t care about them, ultimately you live up who you want to be; not how others want you to be. . . & there no such things you are fated to be someone, means you are grounded to be that someone for life, you held the key to change. . . BA enough of the so called ‘PHILOKAIPHY’ . . . AS IT WILL GET NO-WHERE =’=

Thereafter we soaked ourselves in the LAN shop, where Shaz and SC show off their CS skills. I was like ‘I don’t even know who to shoot, as apparently all look alike to me, and the fact that ‘friendly fire is on??’ that I shot my teammate every now and then’ =’=

1 of the map where all the snipers are laying around, I found myself **drop dead** when I wandered off from the barricade, and was like ‘how I die?’ @__@ and sometime when I was purchasing my weapons, like busy selecting which gun to buy and sought, and finally when I got this pretty cool gun and about to enter the fray than BOOM **die**. In short just keep dying before I could really do anything.

Payback time, when we had a game of DOTA, those 3 apparently first timer, that I trash them badly in a 1 vs 3 handicapped match, and was like ‘aum-choui’ when I pawned them 1 after another, LOL. SC who was playing some ‘alien shooting’ game, called me lame. .

The night is still young that we head for a game of pool, a game that is quite alien to me. Somehow lady luck happens to be on my side all this while that I keep performing those ‘tyco’ shot, and all were like WTH!! To say I win solely on luck is not true also LA, cuz 2 of the games I had delivered the black ball into the 'long-kang', not as a finishing ‘ball’. . .
A total beginner me had even beat Shawn (the pro-est) among us 4, see what a combination of luck cum amateur-skill could do. At the end of the day, think I was either the overall winner (in terms of overall wins) or if not the second, smug-ing now as I type; (lion like to boast you see). . .


For some reasons, when I play with a ‘play-for-fun’ heart, I just win, but when I focus too much and had a urge of ‘wanting to win badly’ that I will eventually lose out.



Anyway, as for today just finish this movie anime ‘Kumo no Mukō, Yakusoku no Basho’ aka ‘Beyond the cloud, a promise land’. Man this anime is so darn chim/deep or whatever as it talks about parallel world, war, alternate timeline, etc. A very science-fictional based I would said, but to think of such theme the creator is indeed a genius, as he link dreams to parallel world to gene, to etc etc (me myself quite confused also). . .1 thing i got was this alternate timeline talk about 'if it happen otherwise, would it be better?’, again come to face-ing of reality and bla-bla;bla'

Right and I was so engrossed in the parallel thingy that I totally missed out the supposedly romantic side of the story, a pity indeed.

Here the ending theme of the movie, which really hypnotize me



ps: thanks ruben for e treat on pool game =]

With that
Kai
Takire~

1 litre of tears

1 Litre of tears is based on a real life experience of a young girl, Aya Kito, who fought a disease called Spinocerebellar Degeneration when she was 15 years old, and was able to continue fighting until her death at the age of 25 years old. This cruel disease slowly disintegrates one’s daily ability to walk, to speak, dial a phone or in a way, consume 1 dream of tomorrow. This drama focuses more on the warmth/love that her family/friends pour on her rather then the tragedy she faced. She begun to keep a diary as a proof of her existence (1 of the last few things she could do). Her diary entitled ‘1 litre of tears’ encouraged many people, both healthy and sick, as she wrote "Just being alive is such a lovely and wonderful thing." Basically it tells us how she lived her life positively, inspiring the people around her even though she know of her plight.

Review/ synopsis/ quotes/ * ...thoughts… *

Aya had just attended high school, joining the basketball team, a class representative, met up with the senpai (senior) she adored; and lots of ‘happening’ awaiting her to reveal. Just as she was beginning to enjoy high school life, Aya starts to encounter difficulties; she could neither hold on to her chopsticks, nor pour water into a cup without spillage and occasionally wobbled while walking.

Her life started to twist when she fell down unknowingly. She couldn’t protect herself with her hands and fell head first on the floor. After this her sickness is slowly revealed and her ‘tragedy’ began. . .

After knowing her condition (her parents had kept it from her for some times), she became afraid of the next day approaching, pondering if it will worsen. ‘I’m so scared of the passing time’, ‘why did the disease choose me?’ The cruelest fact about this disease is that it is incurable. Aya’s mom searched high and low desperately from books/doctors/internet that could possibly hold a cure but to no avail; it is only after some time when she calmed down and faced the truth about her daughter’s circumstance.

‘I want to return to the past’, ‘if weren’t for this disease I might be in love, I want to cling on to someone I love so badly’ Her senpai had apparently deserted her after knowing her state (burden) and also due to peer pressure perhaps. *Love built solely on admiration is not everlasting, true love knows no hindrance. Perhaps it is better for him to leave her earlier then later as after all, there was naught but mere admiration~*

In the later part of the show, she began to have difficulties in walking, she wobbled constantly. ‘Sis, you walk like a penguin’, ‘ka-waii ne?’ she replied (for most will be angered I guess)

In the show I was introduced to 1 of the laws in Japan - that the handicapped have this special pass to identify them as handicapped, for their ‘benefit’ like in a bus, passengers will automatically give their seats. *But I felt this is unnecessary, this pass is like labeling them as “special” or in a bad way, outcast; I mean you can easily identify a handicapped by looking at their disability, hence having a pass to show that you are handicapped is like redundant and should be ABOLISHED (but of course I don’t know the details of the law so cant say much*)~

Back in school, she needs help in climbing up the stairs, the class has to slow down as she can’t keep up with the lectures (she begun to have difficulties in writing at this point of time), in short trouble her classmates/teachers. ‘Sri’ became a common word. She finally broke off when she thought ‘oneself suffer is enough, why others?’ (her friends kept being late for classes, because of helping her up the stairs/toilets, etc).

She even landed herself in the hospital, due to lack of H2o (for the very reason of not wanting to trouble her pal). Her doc said something really true ‘’in the society no one can live w/o giving trouble to others’ - *Just as others live to help us, we also live to help others the same way, 2 way traffic that allow we human to be dependence on one another*

She had always been alone in class while others are having PE, and all this while there this guy Haruto who had always been her side to cheer her up, it seemed that this guy was giving her the moral support initially but ultimately is Aya-chan who had inspired him to live life positively (he was once a teenage with no aspiration, live each day lifelessly)

Soon later in the episode, she said ‘I’m not going to say ‘gomene’ anymore but treasure the word ‘arigatou’. ‘I’m not going to think of going back the day, but face each day today and live on’ * I thought, must we go through all this suffering in order to appreciate life as it is? I keep complaining about this very life I have, and Aya wrote just being alive is a beautiful thing. Having watched tons of inspirational drama, all never failed to inspire me but that spur of sprit is not lasting, but for Aya’s case I will try to squeeze that portion into my heart and for as long as I could remember*

From episode 6 onwards, people begin to pass comments, using look-down/belittle/despise upon stare on her, I don wana talk about the details. *Are those people sympathizing her or looking down on her? Empathizing her? Perhaps empathizing is not the word, as one need to be in her shoe to feel her difficulty.*

Actually I’d been holding back my tears till episode 6, when the climax (2nd sis, who’d always been indifferent, scolding the little brother for not standing up for Aya (after his friend belittle Aya)., ‘You know how strong Aya-sis been, always wearing a cheerful smile’, ‘you are worst then those who despised your sis’, her brother felt remorseful and regretted his selfish action. * The emotion felt here is so over-powering, that I just let loose my tears unknowingly*

Aya realized though there are despising stare, but there are those that are heart-warming, filled with love too. For Aya, changing of clothes take up to half an hour but that helps ‘me to appreciate the importance of time’ *how many times had I take time for granted? Taking it as something I deserved to have . . .*

‘‘Being sick is not a mishap but just inconvenient’, Aya wrote

Episode 8 is another part that made me weep – beyond my ability to pen down the emotion felt. Her ability to walk, even to just wobbled had seems impossible now, that she had to rely on wheelchair. She wrote ‘Even if you fell down, the heavenly blue sky is smiling at you, telling you to ‘get up’’. *for a patient who didn’t give in to a cruel disease and here I am giving up on things easily, giving myself excuses on the things I gave up*.

As expected, the drama goes on, her condition just worsen with no sign of recuperating and to a point that her speech is affected. Haruto said something really sweet and touching here ‘no matter how slow your speech is, it still’s beautiful’ if can t talk over the phone I come straight here and listen to you’

Here show the bond/ importance of family and friends in giving both spiritual/physical needs for someone in need. *Is a moving scene when the family tries to maintain a smile even though they knew Aya’s time is near.*

‘The things I could do, all fade away- even to the dialing of phone’ demo ‘I still can write’ ‘I can’t give up on my own body’ *this show the importance of human being to find a purpose in life, to proof your existence and such* writing became Aya’s goal for living.

‘Just as flower bloom one by one; yesterday is interconnected to today’ *what happen today is because of yesterday, hence spend every day fully without regret!*.

Even to near-death she still wana help others- donate her organs/ use her body as experiment to find the cure for Spinocerebellar Degeneration. Her diary post had encouraged those with the same disease to live on. She was glad that she had help others after all~

To end off, ‘ able to pass each day normally, is already a heart-felt/happy thing’

Post-death
Lots of people visited her grave, that scene is really touching, as she had succeeded in helping/inspiring others~


Kai
=’
Ps: this heart warming drama is definitely worth watching~

(ending theme for 1 litre of tears)

A walk to remember~

The movie ‘A walk to remember’ completely seeped into my soul within and change my perception on love. It was telecasted yesterday on channel 5, probably promoting Mandy Moore in her latest movie ‘Because I said so’, **though the movie is under-rated by local magazines, but I’m still gonna catch it, for Mandy Moore is so true in her role as Jamie** in ‘A walk to remember’, and is so real in her music as a vocalist. Mind you guys outta there, those ‘under-dog’ movies are usually over-looked by the general public. Those so called ‘block-blusters’ are more or less movies that are heavily funded, promoted, big-shot actors and actresses in the cast as support, but not necessary good plot, well of course there are those ‘block-blusters’ that are really good =’


Now on my movie review & thoughts on the show ‘A walk to remember.’
It is a show that revolved round the theme ‘love’, ‘faith’, ‘God’ and run with the tagline ‘Love is like the wind. You cannot see it but you can feel it.’I could count myself lucky for by-chance I switched on my TV and saw Mandy Moore on screen, with that I didn’t want to switch the channel anymore **you know why**, by then the show had been running ¼ way so yea missed that portion, but the theme ‘love’ starts after that. **check up on wiki to unrevealed the entire storyline**

Main casts

Jamie by Mandy Moore
Landon starred by Shane West

Landon is punished with various after-school activities, such as acting in the drama club festival for some pranks he did on fellow high-school students, **do think he received such a mild punishment**.

He is a very angry teenage guy who bared much hatred towards his father who apparently had left the family for some reasons. He is a chap without much ambition, someone who can’t focus in life.

On the contrast Jamie is a sweet innocent girl, full of hope, faith and forgiving nature attributes. She is brought up by a reverend father thus made her a very conservative, simple girl and yet sadly **out-cast** in a way . . . **I mean to them, it is pretty un-cool to hang around with a reverend’s daughter**
And so it was in the drama club that Landon is forced to interact with Jamie, for he needs her help in learning the lines for the play. She agreed to help but with a condition that is not to fall in love with her, "That's not a problem." He replied without a hint of compassion. At school, Landon continued his spree of mocks and look down on Jamie. **I guess it was in the play that Landon starts to feel in love with Jamie, vice-versa**

The play with Jamie singing 'Only Hope', with my eyes zooming on solely her only, so sweet and pure she is =] hearts melted. . .once again , (pause the playlist @ bottom of post =/)


“Eventually, Landon is intrigued by Jamie's positive attitude, forgiving nature, and overwhelming faith”. He found himself falling in love with her even though the promise he’d made, and the 2 start dating. This act threaten his friendship with his clique; in which he goes as far as to punch his pal for humiliating Jamie, **you know those cropping of booty body with her face on it, labeled ‘Virgin Mary’**, if I’m Landon I do more than just a punch, in my heart was like #$%@#%$@SSHOLE.**

For some reasons in most drama, those angels are either ran down by car or have had contracted terminal diseases, she had leukemia,T__T , she told him only in the midst of relationship, I guess that the solely reason for her telling him not to’ fell in love’ with her. Such a sweet girl, yea? The guy was like ‘why don’t you tell me’ , and she replied ‘you’re the 1 that I most don’t wana tell about’ for she don’t wana him to worried or sought.


Over-whelm by the fact and out of desperation, he decided to look for his dad, a doc. for help. He told his dad about Jamie's conditions and that she needs his help right now, but he not a specialist in that line, and without letting his dad to finish his line, he just said ‘ I know, you would not help’ and dashed off with a rampage.

@ The Hospital

‘Love’ is magnified at the hospital scene, when Jamie shared to him a love quote from the bible – both read out
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking.
It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
I Corinthians 13:4-8

Specially like the ‘not easily angered’, I mean is ok or normal to be angry but with love,1 is NOT easily angered, how truthful =]

Vaguely quote:
‘I did not blame God for my sickness, for perhaps it is this, or his purpose that through this I found you, and through you I’ll walk through this’ and she said ‘you are my angel’ **this speech really bring me to tears, but I held back somehow**, ‘you are my angel’, the way she put it across is so real, full of emotion, that quote just linger in my mind, it so much sweeter and true to regard your spouse as angel then gf or bf =]

Again she repeated ‘love is like a wind, you can’t see it but you can feel it’, I mean you can’t literally see love, unless you talk about actions that show love, but when come down to love, it’s always about feeling, you need to feel it before really ‘seeing’ as in witnessing it!

‘you know Jamie, the reasons that I’m so strict about your up-bringing, is because I wanted to protect you, you know ever since I lost your mum, I don wana loose you’, his dad confessed to Jamie about his strict up-bringing of her, another scene that nearly move me to tears, **but held back as usual**
‘I love you dad’ kissing his head.

Landon begun to fulfill Jamie’s wish-lists –building her a telescope at her backyard and even marrying her at the chapel where her parents got married, this event top her wish-list.
@ chape the quote
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking.
It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
I Corinthians 13:4-8

is stress again =]


Jamie and Landon love also spread to Landon’s dad, he forgive him and said ‘sorry for his disrespectful attitude towards him’, the 2 hug and cried, another scene that move me, love soften 1 heart and teaches forgiveness. This love also spread to the fact that he’d forgiven his pal that humiliated her, and both start to build the telescope together! Again
love soften 1 heart and teaches forgiveness.


4 years since Jamie’s death, Landon visited Jamie’s dad and tell him that he is sorry for he can’t fulfill all of Jamie's wishes as he couldn't show her "the miracle" she wanted to see before dying. Her father then says, "She did. It was you."
aWwwwWwww, so sweeeeeeeeeeeT

“Landon himself becomes a better person through Jamie's memory, achieving the goals that he set out to do, like she did.” He managed to enroll into a medical school.


So is it a miracle that Landon got into a drama club, **which he will never wanted to if not for the punishment**, that he got to know Jamie and discover true love, or a miracle for Jamie through her illness manage to find Landon and find true love? In short, things, both good or bad happen for reasons, we just need to faithfully walk on, for God had a perfect plan for each and everyone of us =]

Love perception last time, love is a big illusion
More @ 'A walk to remember'

That night after the movie, I got so excited that I scribble down the storyline and can’t wait to share it on blog, but due to some reasons didn’t and even wanted to wake up early in the morning to pen it down but didn’t, tired, and finally now finally! To me this is 1 of my most favorite post ever!




agape
kai~
cIao~