Well summer shall end for me today. Tomorrow its back to studying, again. Here’s hoping for much happiness to come. Oh and Fall/Winter 09 Anime Lineup coming soon. It’s actually not so bad.
GOOD BYE SUMMER ‘09.
Maundy Thursday/Our Happy Time (movie) August 23, 2009
I’ve been feeling sick these past couple of days so I’ve been stuck in one place just watching movies. I’ve managed to get my hands on the Korean movie Maundy Thursday also called Our Happy Time. Let me tell you, its one hell of a tearjerker, or maybe it’s because I have a soft spot for romance stories that aren’t all fluff and rainbows.
Maundy Thursday is about a suicidal professor, Yu-Jung, who is coerced by her Aunt Monica to help her councel a death row inmate in an attempt to distract her niece. She meets the convict, Yun-Soo, charged with killing three women and raping one of them and who happens to spend each day hoping for his death to come. These two who had given up on life find something to wake up for each day and await the coming week with hope and fear.
I found out about this movie through reading Sahara Mizu’s version of the original novel which was Korean by the author Gong Ji-young. Fresh off reading the manga I was pretty much already teary eyed, so when I started watching the movie I knew what I was in for. Near the end, even though things are implied but not yet happening ,I was already crying waterfalls. I think that the movie pretty much overwhelmed me, especially those final moments. While Sahara Mizu’s version was praise worthy, I think that seeing live people go through it (albeit it’s only a movie) just struck my tear glands hard.
Kang Dong-won, who plays Yun-Soo, gets a hard time about his acting just because he started off as a model and has a rather androgynous look going on as a style (though he has a rather boyish face for the most part in the movie), but I feel that he’s done an amiable job with Yun-Soo’s character. There’s scenes where he acts like a jerk and times when it seems like he’s truly happy for the first time in his life though expresses it awkwardly, and there’s those hard to watch moments when he’s down right the most pitiable character there is. There’s range, but I guess he still has room to grow as an actor. As for Lee Na-young, who plays Yu-Jung, she’s a pretty good actress. There’s a scene where she’s crying and laughing like a crazy women at the same time and I’m like “Wow…” She has an almighty attitude for a lot of the movie which suits the character, though its a pity that we didn’t get to hear her sing despite the fact that’s what attracted the young Yun-Soo to her character in the past. These two each had their moments where they stand alone and made me go reach for that tissue box.
I think the director did a good job with the film. It’s a very talky film, not much action, but those moments where they just sit and talk are the “happy times.” The movie had started off with Chopin’s Tristesse and I was already o-m-g-ing. Probably the most perfect song for this not to mention scores extra points since its one of my favourites. I feel that while this is a romance film that will probably attract the girly girls in general, others can be drawn in by the topic of death sentences, which is a big, big part of this film and its pros and cons are explored a bit not only through the eyes of the main characters but also the people connected to the process. In my part, its a pretty weighty subject and the movie has done a good job with creating a situation where its just plain wrong (though of course there might be people out there who think otherwise).
Now if you love a good non-fluffy, tearjerker romance film go for this. However, as a caution if you don’t like blood then probably skip this. The film’s about a suicidal chick and a death row inmate, there’s scenes of blood here.
D.Gray-man Update August 18, 2009
Finally came back from my much needed holiday to find something waiting for me.
Holiday time in Japan therefore Akamaru Jump is published which happens to include the latest chapter of D.Gray-man.
Different feel in the art aside, I’m glad just see the newest installment. Also, in the end it is revealed that the series will be moving from Weekly Jump to Jump SQ, a monthly magazine and will restart in December.
Good news to the fans since the series will continue. Guess we’ll have to wait till December though. I’m okay with it being monthly. The story will be more spread out, giving it more time for the scenes and story telling. Though, with what has been revealed things can only go at a fast pace. Goodness, so much revealed yet I’m still hanging at the edge wanting to find out more.
D.Gray-man back… possibly? July 25, 2009
Okay so I don’t have a link to a japanese site that OFFICIALLY says it but apparently, if you head over to MangaHelpers, where they keep track of rumours, a post in 2ch about D.Gray-man’s possible rererereincarnation has been verified. Also posted in exorcists_order LJ community.
D.Gray-man is scheduled to have an appearance on Akamaru Jump around August 17th. It will have 50 pages with a colour page.
The good news? D.Gray-man is not dead… yet.
The ominous news? Akamaru Jump is a seasonal publication. It only comes out on weeks with holidays.
So yes, D.Gray-man will be featured next month, but after that? Not so sure. Will it return to Weekly Jump? Maybe. If it doesn’t end in the next chapter, then there’s a small glimmer of hope.
image by にゃじ on pixiv
Book: My Sister’s Keeper June 29, 2009
So, many of us have seen the commercials of My Sister’s Keeper, and to some that may be enough to have us feeling a tear coming along. One random day, my dad announces, “Oh hey, a new shopping district opened.” So I’m like, “LET’S GO.” There was an Indigo store there and I was thinking of the commercial so I randomly bought the book by Jodi Picoult since I wasn’t go do anything afterwards. Also I decided that if I was going to watch the movie that was originally in book from, I better read the book first.
So, after a couple of on and off reading, I’m here trying to keep myself together but sniffing continually, and it isn’t due to allergies. Not going to give it away, but here’s the intro:
Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate – a life and a role that she has never questioned… until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister – and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable… a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves. My Sister’s Keeper examines what it means to be a good parent, a good sister, a good person. Is it morally correct to do whatever it takes to save a child’s life… even if that means infringing upon the rights of another? Is it worth trying to discover who you really are, if that quest makes you like yourself less?
- Jodi Picoult’s website
The ending was very ironic and incredibly sad. I haven’t watched the movie yet and I heard the ending is different so I will withold my judgements about that one, but based on what I know about it (I love spoiling myself) I think in the end I would have cried more tears for the book than the movie since the movie ending looks more logical and what I was prepared for when I started reading the book.
This book is INCREDIBLY well written. I have 2 other books I just can’t seem to keep reading (even though they’re really good as well) but I just plowed through this one. I love the fact that there were many different POVs and that it involved everyone’s past, present, and future. It was as if the author was trying to get all the possible sides out there so that everyone that read this book could have a character they relate to or at least understand more than the others(I found Anna’s side more comfortable to read than Sara’s). It’s also great how the author kept alternating between past and present yet it just made sense. The little short stories all made as much as an impact as the present storyline. Massive amount of meaningful quotes in this book. There’s a bit of humour mixed in. Very witty.
So on Wednesday, Canada Day, I shall go and see the movie and cry some more (which is bad since I have school the next day)
BTW, I’m still teary.
PS: After you’ve read the ending to My Sister’s Keeper listen to some sad piano songs. It’s a very good way to end it. Listen to Chopin’s Tritesse or something. I’m listening to 想い出は遠くの日々(Omoide ha Tooku no Hibi) from the movie 5 centimeters per second. I know its Japanese but it’s only piano and I’m thinking its probably the most perfect sad ending song. For those who can get their hands on it, do try after reading the book. Only Human (cello version) is pretty sad too and it sort of connects with My Sister’s Keeper because it was used for a JP drama about a girl who has medical problems as well… OMG I’m still such a band geek. Oh well, still teary here.
I Just Poofed Back Here Again June 29, 2009
Okay, so I know I’ve been AWOL not doing about this blog but that’s cause Real Life Problems just slapped me in the face so I had to do damage control. Not really watching anything aside from Hetalia (OMG the lulz). Usually immersed myself with school stuff then summer rolled around so I was my dead self. I’ll probably go AWOL again since I have summer school and I’m trying to get a job (HA).
April Fools Day April 1, 2009
A lot of snow…. in the middle of SPRING. Oh yes, we get it Mother Nature, Happy April Fools Day to you too.
HAPPY PI DAY March 15, 2009
It’s just a few minutes before Pi day ends, well in my area of the world anyways.
So Happy Pi day for all fellow math/queer/yamapi lovers out there XD
NEWS: Manga Updates February 16, 2009
On a sad note, Meister by Kimiya Kaji has ended after only 10 chapters.
A waste since this series was actually not actually too bad. There were many characters and each could have had big character development. Unfortunately, such an early end couldn’t have done that. I’ve always welcomed sports mangas. This one was no different.
On a much brighter note though, D.Gray-man by Hoshino Katsura will be continuing on March after being put on hold since November last year due to a health issue.
Hoshino had put D.Gray-man on hold in the past due to “health issues” so this manga’s schedule has been quite erratic. This is quite surprising since pictures of her online had shown her to be quite young and healthy looking. Though I’m just glad it will continue. D.Gray-man is one of my favourites and there was so much excitement in the story before it went on hiatus.
Spreading the Love February 15, 2009
Well this may be late for some people but, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY.
Hope you guys got to spend it with your loved ones, even if its just family and friends and not a significant other.
I specifically got together some dateless friends and we all partied to forget our sorrows XD
