Linguistico J. I. Cousin

Thursday Japanese, Chinese, Korean Movies back-to-back…
I might make simple notes of my reactions to these films.

"Laundry"

Japan: ランドリー

Director: Junichi Mori (2002)

Original Language: Japanese

Cast: Yôsuke Kubozuka, Koyuki, Kenichiro Tanabe

This film is absolutely an inspirational one despite watching it on the middle. Its a story about a guy who was mentally challenged after an injury he took when he was a child. He runs a coin laundry establishment and falls for Mizue who is a lonely young woman with her own dilemmas as well in life. Couldn’t tell the rest of the plot but absolutely, the acting is superb Yosuke who portrayed convincingly the role of Teru, the mentally challenged man.

"Men Suddenly in Black"

Hong Kong: Dai Cheung Foo

Director: Ho Cheung Ping (2003)

Original Language: Chinese

Cast: Spirit Blue, Jordan Chan, Chapman To, Eric Tsang

This film tackles more around the topic of adultery. Its based on a true story and it is a very hilarious one as well. The story is all about 4 men whose girlfriends and wives left for Thailand to spend their vacation. These men took advantage of the happening that they started to plan on making out and getting laid by other ladies/prostitutes. couldn’t say much, it’s pretty intriguing as one of my chinese friends told me that it happens in hong kong. couldn’t say if i enjoyed it or not. i did laugh but i suddenly cut my attention to it at one part.

"Attack the Gas Station"

South Korea: Chuyuso Supgyuk Sa Keun / 주유소 습격사건

Director: Sang-Jin Kim (1999) 

Original Language: Korean

Cast:
Lee Seong-Jae, Yoo Oh-Seong, Kang Seong-Jin, Yoo Ji-Tae, Park Yeong-Yu, Jeong Jun, Lee Yu-Won, Lee Jeong-Ho… [I know its a big Cast but the film is so great that almost every character in the story is very significant]

Now this is my most favourite of the three. The story takes place in a gas station and the shooting of this film took one week before they finished as how i heard. but anyways, the story is all about a group of robbers trying to rob a gas station… but since they couldn’t get the money in the gas station, they held everyone working there hostage and they asked them how to use the gas station… reason? so that they would just get what they rob for from the customers hehehe.

i really want to give a good review for this film since i like it so much. its actually very annoying with the hits and slaps as if it’s the only way comedy is being done. but the better side of the film goes to the story, which is funnier to think about rather than the slapstick comedy the actors are doing. i liked how the characters take down everyone till the end. they kept on fueling cars up and at the same time kicking ass to those gangs that round them up. its even more funny how you show sympathy to the robbers in the end. a very neat ending i admit. Its my #1 fav K-film so far. it pops to my head when i hear K-movies hehehe.

–jic 0000H MMV003018

[source: m-w.com]

stipulate [v] - to make an agreement to do something.

implore [v] - to call upon supplication.

vanity [n] - something that is empty, vain & valueless.

infer [v] - to derive as a conclusion from facts or premises.

vivid [aj] - producing a strong or clear impression on the senses.

vibrant [aj]  - pulsating with life; bright.

tine [n] - a slender pointed projected part.

subtle [aj] - hard to perceive or understand.

despise [v] - to regard as negligible, worthless, or distasteful. contempt; disdain

oblivious [aj] - lacking rememberance, memory, or mindful attention.

wit [n] - a person of superior intellect.

intricate [aj] - difficult to resolve or analyse.

conspicuous [aj] - obvious or noticeable to the eye or mind.

menial [aj] - lacking interest or dignity.

seam [n] - a weak or vulnerable area or gap.

Green

That is supposed to be the colour of the feast of St. Patrick. Nothing very special happened to me, but i just wanna greet everyone out there especially the Irish people who definitely celebrate this occasion… Get rid of the serpents as fast as possible. Always pray for protection.

–jic 2234H

Well, I’ve been very motivated to my studies after going to those sessions in YorkU. Oh yes! I met a middle aged man who was asking where the buses load. We talked a bit… he’s from Columbia. shared a little bit of my pursuit in spanish and told him that i got Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s novel "100 Years of Solitude". I think meeting people like him would be my very reason of getting into university. I absolutely want to speak in different languages and make a great deal of learning from friends whose native language is one of the languages i am pursuing.

I’m also going to get some good stuff from Krys in the Learning Centre. In two to four meetings, i will become very confident in speaking english and doing public speaking without forgetting or being distracted. Film studies tomorrow, probably we’ll be watching "Taxi Driver" with Robert de Niro… then… Spanish once again… studying demonstrative adjectives… este, esta, ese, esa, aquel, aquella… i’ve read it in the straight forward book, but definitely i would love to hear it from my prof and my spanish friends as well outside the college.

One thing i really see… Everything is competitive. I absolutely want to show the best me that i can. whether you are rich, financially supported, or not, you may never know what you are going to be in the future. Which is why there must be some inspiration that will always be on my side above all things… GOD!

–jic 1958H MMV003015

Well, we GAS students have the opportunity to visit Seneca@York for some seminars and coffee.

What am I thinking today? A lot! Its getting pretty nice in my abode. Mom and Dad both preparing the house for the blessing on Easter Sunday. I keep on remembering how my Dad is so smart, he always give me advices that are very vital to my decision making. My Mom is very religious and I absolutely thank her for always guiding my spiritual development. Indeed I don’t want to become ignorant, but indeed I don’t want to become too devoted. A good balance is just fine.

going to another side of my story: Nowadays, whenever I listen or see salesmen, or people from insurance firms, TV Shopping Channels, etc. I always think that my spiritual self gets tainted. it absolutely manipulates my psyche. They think that I’m a failure when I’m not. They think that I’m a loser when I’m not. They think that luxury is the only thing that would make people happy. They want me to become a materialist! To become hip, to become cool. Sure I would enjoy watching people, but one thing I would absolutely stick in my mind that my dad also told me is "to be alert".

But you know what? I got a comment from my Mom about this. There are people who just want to get out of school and work, then there are those who want to continue being educated… I’m the latter and its indeed a good thing. That’s why I want to pursue languages. I want to indulge my spiritual self with many things. I would love to travel around the world where I would not rest… I will love work and I will not do any siesta. I will work with people, I will speak their native language, I will get involved with their culture. I will do something that no one would likely do. People will not feel safe about this world by looking for places where they can rest. There is no rest in this world. Human beings are naturally lazy and we all have to overcome this. Even reading a book? come on! those people who don’t read books do not realize what they are missing.

–jic 0700H

Today’s a very nice day. -10C in the morning then 0C the rest of the day. Held my head with Ralph’s lecture in Social Sciences. Then I went to the Spanish Centre downtown. Absolutely lovely! As lovely as the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in North York. The best part is the bookstore. I saw books of very popular authors from all Latin American countries speaking Spanish as well as Spain itself. I bought a book by Columbian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez entitled "Cien Años de Soledad" translated as A Hundred Years of Solitude. Marquez is one of the most popular and greatest authors of the Spanish world. I’m hoping to understand the book sometime in the summer vacation. I talked a little bit of Spanish to the cashiers. "Hablas español?"… "Ahh… no… ehh.. um poco entiendo español… Soy de Filipinas.." then she said that she have Filipino friends who are studying level 2 spanish. Then the total amount of the stuff i bought was said in Spanish, and then she suddenly said something that was out of my range of vocabulary… if the books are mine or as a gift for someone… then we talked in english… very nice and funny experience. I’m hoping to get acquainted with Spanish friends.

Went home so energized for the Spanish class in the afternoon and i received my assignment for next week. Its going to be great in Spanish class.

Image from: spanishcentre.com

–jic 1858H MMV003014

"Hotel Rwanda"

UK / Italy / South Africa

Director: Terry George (2004)

Original Language: English

Starring:
Don Cheadle, Sophie Okonedo, Nick Nolte

I’ve been living in the Philippines for more than a decade and the Rwandan genocide which i have never heard before was just recent. 1995! I just couldn’t believe what it have done to the people of the country.

This film is more concentrated on the experiences of Paul Rusesabagina (played by Don Cheadle) during that horrific event. As a hotel manager, he is a very respectable person. During the genocide, he became aware of the exile of all the non-Rwandans in the country and the isolation of the country from any intervention force. Its not only a shame for other countries to just let Rwandans kill each other, its a shame that not everyone knows about this event which left almost a million corpses on the streets in every town and city in the country.

The acting i must say is the best. Cheadle as a comedian in American television was absolutely phenomenal. The African accent that he speaks as well as the incredible make-up and facial expressions that puts the make up of his face to effect, Cheadle makes a perfect Paul Rusesabagina.

Music, casting, costume design and cinematography showed a lot of the culture and traditions of the country as well as the mood that leads it to the struggles, failures and successes of the people who see themselves in refuge or in the hopeless state of being killed by the rebels and their followers.

Truly an absolutely inspirational film!

Recognitions:
Winner - Toronto International Film Festival: AGF People’s Choice Award
Winner - AFI Festival: Audience Award for Best Feature
Nominee - Oscar Academy Awards: Best Actor in a leading role (Don Cheadle), Best Actress in a supporting role (Sophie Okonedo), Best Original Screenplay

Image from: imdb.com
Facts from: United Artists website, Oscar.com, imdb.com

…more to come…

–jic 1404H MMV003014

"My Sassy Girl"

South Korea: Yeopgijeogin Geunyeo / 엽기적인그녀

Director: Jae-young Kwak (2001)

Original Language: Korean

Starring:
Jeon Ji-Hyeon, Cha Tae-Hyeon

I have never finished this film despite watching it 3 times around (darn). Well, what’s neat about this film is really the interesting emotional effect on the watcher. You seem to feel being sassed around by the girl as if you really couldn’t move or take a breath when she mistreats Kyun-woo. We seem to really care about the girl psychologically, but I seem to critique that part. I wasn’t really convinced about the characterization of the girl and i was awfully confused of who she really is. Couldn’t remember the parts I critiqued and I couldn’t have the time either to watch it, but absolutely its a little confusion that drags the film down into a movie. Another part to critique is that not all the humour in it is funny and there are some unrealistic scenes… the one i remember is the one when Kyun-woo and the girl went into the theme park and they encountered an army. That scene might have been changed with something else. There’s still a good side to it fortunately… The setting fits the story very well in times of romance, in times of comic relief except the ones that i mentioned as unrealistic. The casting really fits but the acting of Kyun-woo is more caring about of all the characters not because he’s being mistreated by the girl, but he seemed to show effectively through facial expression and dialog that he rules the film.

Facts from: imdb.com

…more to come…

–jic 2143H MMV003013

Wow! Okay, okay… I’ll give first the URL: www.takagism.net
What’s in store? try playing both Crimson Room and Viridian Room. Both games are all about getting out from a room. I do miss my Resident Evil days because of how you have to connect everything that you find. Its scary because of the sound effects, but nevertheless, its enjoying.

–jic 2141H

NARUTO [2002 - Studio Pierrot]
(Japanese Title: ナルト)
Masashi Kishimoto

Status: episode 125 [still ongoing in Japan]

Okay! Here’s one of the most popular series in anime history and i’d like to start up with it in my journal. Masashi Kishimoto absolutely started up a very neat ninja story that has so many characters that we all care about. No one was two-dimensional, you’d hardly notice any stock or sterotypical characters, but to say the least, all the characters were important to the development of the plot and of the series itself.

How come I’ve cared about this series despite reaching this far? (i’m not really into very long anime series fyi.) The development of the story is interesting. From graduating ninja school, to taking the chuunin exam, to taking extremely challenging missions, the interest comes to the individuals who take part in these events. These individuals were well introduced and well developed of their background: family, principles, etc. Definitely praised for that aspect.

I’ll be putting up more next time around… ¡Chao!

–jic 0832H MMV003013