2013-02-23

Let's All Go To the Lobby.

I've been in low-content mode all week due to a head cold. I managed to step out last night to the cinema and viewed Zero Dark Thirty. A fun little romantic comedy it wasn't. If it wins a few Oscars tomorrow, I won't be surprised.

In the lobby, I saw something I'd never seen before, "Lobby Cards!" They're really promoting the new OZ flick but unfortunately they had run out of the little flyers. I hope these Cards will be for sale later. Sorry for the flashy picture, we're not supposed to take photos, but I'm a rebel.






While I was in the lobby, I made a few friends...



And an enemy...


I made a new friend last week and I have a date with her tomorrow night so I'm heading to bed early.
Wish me luck!!


2013-02-18

Onigashima, Onegaishimasu!

A few years back, I enlightened the masses about the story of Momotaro, the boy who was birthed from a peach and went on to conquer the Onis on Onigashima (Ogre Island.)
I'm revisiting the tale because it is featured in the Grade 6 textbook. It is a TERRIBLE rendition of the story but the kiddies seem to enjoy it. I heard 8 different renditions of the legend recounted by groups of 4 or 5. Every quartet/quintet said pretty much the same thing, "We are strong. We are brave. Hey dog, monkey and bird, let's fight the Oni. We are good friends." I told you the story they had to build from is lame! What I really like though is their artwork...






Here is the traditional story for you (or click the link above):



This is the only one that varied from the original tale. They added an environmental bent to it.





Now this is just odd! Can you identify the language? I suspect Dutch.








Hey, this version has English subtitles to help you out:








Some may find this interesting, I don't.






I rather like the artwork on this one. Too bad it isn't better animated.

I kind of like the Oni depicted as Question Marks!




Another odd mashup.







Saving the best for last, I really like these Oni.






This video is one of Japan's first animated features from 1945. Enjoy!


2013-02-16

Die Hardly.

After a tiring day, I relaxed last night with a viewing of Die Hard Last Day. Not a bad Bruce Willis movie but not a very good Die Hard movie at all. I hope he doesn't have any more kids to team up with in future installments, that schtick is getting old. I would have enjoyed it more if he had teamed up with the Sinatra-singing cabbie from the beginning of the movie. Overall, at the time, it was mindless fun but a bit too self-referential and unemotional to be enjoyable.


I'm a sucker for an Arnie movie and his latest, The Last Stand stands out as a fairly typical shoot-em-up extravaganza that he'd become famous for. Since he's no longer Governor, he needs to do something to support his ex-wife. It won't be here until the end of April but I thought I'd buy a ticket anyway, just to get this:

It's a memo pad with a punch out of Arnie, standing out. Within though is a sneak preview of the movie!



Sorry for the amateurish quality but it's hard to flip a book with one hand while filming with the other.



Another advance ticket I purchased was for Flight.


Denzel was nominated as a drunken hero pilot, though he has some pretty tough competition in order to win it. The loot that I received along with the ticket is a "Flight" Eyemask (blindfold). If he wore this while piloting the plane, I can see why it crashed.


 Best part of the evening was buying a bucket of Doraemon popcorn with a mini-figure atop it.



Hmm, what will occur at the next movie I see?

2013-02-14

You Don't Know Jack!

If you're wondering why I've been silent of late, well it's because I've been busy helping my friend Jack kill a few giants!


As you can see, I didn't fare too well.

I did manage to escape and tonight I saw the movie アウトロー (Outlaw) which non-Japanese may know better as Jack Reacher. I knew nothing about this movie going in so I don't know if Cruise has been pooh-poohed or praised in the press. Personally, I quite liked it. He took a few blows as well as giving them (hmm, that doesn't sound quite right) and once Robert Duvall showed up, the movie really picked up! Good mindless fun, go see it if you get a chance or wait for the DVD if you don't.

My date for the evening was myself so that's why I saw an action movie and not Les Miz.  I managed to entertain myself and it was Men's Day so the flick only cost a grand. (1000 yen, that is.)

After pulling off my infamous Valentine's lesson twice today, I managed to guilt my coworker into giving me a present and I got quite a nice little assortment. Yay!

Happy 84th Anniversary of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre! (I'm so sentimental...)

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