Date an Asian Man

I love finding random things that make me laugh but this one I had to share as I do have a thing for Asian men :-p

Go ahead girls,Date an Asian Man...LOL Watch this video and see what I'm talking about


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The Frog Princess Release date in Japan

At the end of this year, Walt Disney Animation Studios will be releasing the 49th animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics. The Princess and the Frog,is also the first 2D-animated film by Disney since 2004's Home on the Range. Here is the preview




At first I wasn't to thrilled about this story because new Orleans doesn't have a princess, and if they were trying to connect with the African American community why not do a story from Africa? After thinking about it though I guess it's fine as they are connecting with the culture and life of New Orleans. Still I'm not sure how well Disney's first black princess will do come opening day.

SPEAKING OF opening day I was checking out the official website found HERE and it says that there will be a limited release in NY & LA on November 25, and then Worldwide release on December 11th. So worldwide means well, worldwide right? well WRONG! turns out this movie will not be hitting Japanese theaters!! My current favorite youtube blogger, Alafia (intro2the1) made a video about the Japan release date for The Princess and the Frog. Take a look.





She makes a great point about the reason WHY there wouldn't be a showing, and that maybe the African American culture and ideas, may not come across too well for the Japanese. Although I have seen that Japanese do like the hip-hop culture which carries an essence of African American culture. (That, though is an entirely different discussion that I would love to get into in another post)





UPDATE: Turns out though there may yet be a date for Japan set for the frog princess. Alafia says that the release date is in the process of being decided. SO well we just have to wait and see!


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[EVENT ALERT] BAMcinématek features The Films of Hirokazu Kore-eda

Hirokazu Kore-eda has built an astounding body of fictional work by meshing the sensitive approach of his early documentaries to his narratives, imbuing them with a humanism unsurpassed in modern cinema. His lyrical films offer profound explorations of memory and loss with an observational style devoid of sentimentality. BAMcinématek is proud to present the director’s first New York retrospective, including rare television work. All films in Japanese with English subtitles.

*Found on the BAMcinématek website*



When I first read the name Hirokazu Kore-eda I had to do a search on google. I knew I had seen/heard the name before but it wasn't until I saw the titles of some of his movies that I realized who he was.

Anyone remember seeing a movie titled, Nobody Knows (Dare Mo Shiranai)? Please have a look at the trailer below,


I first saw this movie while in College when the film department was showing a series of Japanese films. I recall that although this was based on a true story, my first reaction was that it was a bit too long.. I recently saw this again a little bit aog and felt that it tells a touching story (still too long) and was a bit sad but still enjoyable.

I was very surprised to hear that NYC would have all of Hirokazu Kore-eda's movies, and be showing them at their BAM Rose Cinemas. Below are the list of movies with the dates. If you would like further info on each title, please click the movie title to go to it's page for more info.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Repertory, Cinema Q&As
Still Walking (Aruitemo Aruitemo)
Q&A with Hirokazu Kore-eda
Fri, Aug 21 at 7pm

Repertory, Cinema Q&As
Nobody Knows (Dare Mo Shiranai)
Q&A with Hirokazu Kore-eda following 6pm screening
Sat, Aug 22 at 3, 6, 9:30pm

Repertory
Distance
Sun, Aug 23 at 3, 6, 9pm

Repertory
Hana (Hana Yori Mo Naho)
Mon, Aug 24 at 6:50, 9:30pm

Repertory
Maborosi (Maboroshi No Hikari)
Tue, Aug 25 at 4:30, 6:50, 9:15pm

Repertory
After Life (Wandäfuru Raifu)
Fri, Aug 28 at 2, 4:30, 7, 9:30pm

Repertory
Without Memory(FREE MOVIE!!!)
Mon, Aug 31 at 9:15pm

Repertory
August Without Him (Kare No Ina Hachigatsu Ga)
Mon, Aug 31 at 7pm

Repertory
Two Documentaries by Kore-eda
Tue, Sept 1 at 7pm

I hope those of you in the NYC area are able to attend. If you are let me know which movie you went to see or which is your favorite. Comment or feel free to e-mail me @ maryagb@gmail.com ;-)

じゃまたな〜






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EVENT ALERT:[NYC EVENT] The New York Asian Film Festival

I love NYC and my favorite time of the year has just arrived! Well yes summer (although we haven't really been having any summer time weather), but I'm really talking about the 2009 New York Asian Film Festival!!
The festival runs from June 19 - July 2 at IFC Center and July 1 - 5 at Japan Society.




The New York Asian Film Festival is once again showcasing some of the very best Asian films from 2008 and even some from 2009! Highlights this year include: 20th Century Boys a film based on a best-selling manga; Ryosuke Hashiguchi’s, All Around Us; and Sion Sono’s Love Exposure.

What I like about this Festival is that a lot of the movies if not all are showed more than once so if you can't make the first screening, which seems to always be the case with me, you can always go another day. Let me share with you some of the films I plan on attending!


*This list will not be in any real order, just picking some that I liked from the main Movie list found at the NYAFF WEBSITE*

AN EMPRESS & THE WARRIORS



DREAM (KOREA, 2008)



20th CENTURY BOYS (JAPAN, 2008)



IP MAN (HONG KONG, 2008)



ROUGH CUT (KOREA, 2008)


CRUSH AND BLUSH (KOREA, 2008)



THE RAINBOW TROOPS (INDONESIA, 2008)



SNAKES AND EARRINGS (JAPAN, 2008)
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE



ANTIQUE (KOREA, 2008)



LOVE EXPOSURE (JAPAN, 2008)


**AFTER THIS MOVIE THERE WILL BE A PARTY WITH FREE SNACKS AND BEER**
Honestly what's better than that?

So that's my list.. I will not be able to see all of these, but I hope to catch a good amount of them this year. If you are in the NYC area this is a MUST GO TO EVENT! One of my favorites each year here in the city. Hope you enjoy the trailers and please PLEASE PLEASE visit the NYAFF main site for showtimes and other important information dealing with the films this year.

*********************
Location: IFC Center (323 Avenue of the Americas,
New York, NY 10014)
Japan Society (333 E. 47th St., New York, NY 10017)
www.subwaycinema.com



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Special advance premiere screening of Academy Award® film DEPARTURES

I've recently joined the twitterverse and I'm glad I did. A few weeks ago I was able to snag 2 free tickets to an special advance premiere screening of the Academy Award® film DEPARTURES. DEPARTURES, a Japanese film about a cellist turned funeral home worker, won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and after watching this movie I can see why it won.. The screenplay and cinematography are very realistic and the movie is emotionally touching. It very much deserves an Oscar,





Ok to start off I must say, if you do intend to go see this movie , WHICH OPENS EVERYWHERE FRIDAY (MAY 29, 2009) bring a box of tissues... no.. you think I'm kidding? Seriously, if you are just unable to cry for some physical reason, you will need something on hand to wipe away the tears at certain parts of this film. Not to say that DEPARTURES,is just a sad depressing film, because it really isn't but it does pull at your emotions as the story does deal with death. The main theme may center around death but it is littered with lots of comic relieves to break the monotonous and morbid-ness. If you’re infatuated with and adore the Japanese culture and lifestyle, then this movie will be a joy to sit through. I personally found the ritual preformed in the movie to be quite interesting.DEPARTURES does a great job exploring the beautiful and graceful Japanese traditional art / ritual of cleansing the bodies of the deceased to prepare them for afterlife. A unique practice many of us non-Japanese don’t ever get the chance to witness.






~PLOT~

Daigo Kobayashi(Who was pretty goodlooking, if I do say so myself..^^) is a musician, paying the cello who loses his job thus loses himself into thinking what is he ever truly good at. (I think this is something each and every person can relate to at least once in their life..wondering what they are good at). He decides to sell his cello and move back home with his wife. It is at home where
Daigo's story really begins again after finding a job as an assistant encoffin-er – a funeral professional who prepares deceased bodies for burial and entry into the next life. He is put off a this at work but his boss(who was one of my favorite characters) has faith in his abilities for the job, and soon enough Daigo learns of the meaning and beauty and precision of his craft. Now the next part is making those around him see it as well. The story goes more into Daigo's own personal history as well, but I'll save that for you guys to watch in theaters.

Departures is a film about family over all.. how death effects each family and how the families deal with those that departed. I loved how each person who died had a story, and the movie does a wonderful job showing each story through the ritual. The movie was a bit draggy towards the end, but the impact of the story will make up for the bits that seem to drag on. Overall I would rate this film an 8 out of 10It is a movie that will have you laughing, crying, and appreciating life as well as death. Please go out and see this movie and let me know what you thought. It's well worth the money to catch this in theaters.


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EVENT ALERT:[NYT EVENT] special advance premiere screening of Academy Award® film DEPARTURES

Those of you in the NYC area, have another good event for youto check out.
According to The NY-TOKYO film database, There will be an advanced screening of the film DEPARTURES. DEPARTURES won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and this is not an event to be missed.
There will be guest appearance by director Yojiro Takita and main cast Masahiro Motoki. Q&A will take place after the screening! Everything takes place Friday. May 01, 2009
Door 6:15pm, Film 7:00pm at Chelsea Cinemas: 260 West 23rd Street, NYC

ADMISSION IS FREE!

Need to RSVP do it here http://www.newyork-tokyo.com/wp/departures
go tot the bottom of the page and you will see the form.
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JMoive : Goemon

So I was searching youtube for movie trailers and came upon one for a movie called
Goemon. Goemon is the new film from Kazuaki Kiriya, director of the 2004 Japanese film Casshern. Right into the trailer for Goemon, one immediately thinks of the movie Casshern with all the CGI used.


Now my question to you is this : Is this too much CGI and not enough live action? Some say yes while others are content. For myself, I plan on seeing this movie as it seems interesting. I do think too much CGI can ruin a film but bad acting can do the same. I really hated the live action Speed Racer film.. I thought there was too much CGI.
I am hoping that the action in Goemon can balance out all the effects in the movie.. but really.. ninja? I'm pretty excited.

Here is the trailer


and in case you don't know here is one for Casshern

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