Get Smart was originally a TV series in the 1960s about Maxwell Smart, a top secret agent who's a bit awkward and clumsy while being confident and talented.
Read full post...

Last night, I watched the 2008 movie version, and it was hilarious! The action was well-done: some parts are seriously serious action, but they managed to make it look so funny. Cameo appearances abound, but I daresay that they weren't at all distracting. The acting was great: Steve Carrell and Anne Hathaway act so naturally but deliver rofl-worthy lines effortlessly. I love it how they used most (if not all) of Max's catch phrases, and how everything was so modern but you can still see 60s details here and there.

My rating: 4 out of 5!
This isn't really a must-see-in-the-big-screen movie (unlike Iron Man and Narnia, maybe), but I totally recommend that you don't wait for the DVD, especially if you're in need of a break. Best to watch it with someone who's not afraid to laugh out loud in a theater, too! I generally like quiet, behaved movie audiences, but for THIS movie, I say laughter is inevitable. And it'll make the movie even more fun!

Labels: get smart, movies, reviews

Posted by sarah at 11:51 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Kung Fu Panda is a tale of...well...a panda. That panda was named Po. And that panda loved kung fu. And that panda was the legendary Dragon Warrior. But... the panda is the laziest animal in ancient China...right?Read full post...

The first time I saw the trailer I said, "Ohoho, this is gonna be good."

I watched Kung Fu Panda with Lori tonight, and it wasn't good. Not really.

It was AWESOME.

Haha! I already had high expectations for this movie, given the ingenious trailers, but MAN it was way better than I thought it'd be.

From the opening sequence to the last scene of the movie there was only either hilarity or awesomess, and only about 10-second intervals in between that are needed to build up the plot and prepare the way for more awesomess!

The animation was great, the cast was superb, the direction was top-notch, and the script? Oh my goodness. Four thumbs up.

My rating: 100 out of 100!!!

I can say a lot more about this movie, but I can't really do it without spilling out spoilers, so...yeah. Yey for pandas and yey for awesomeness!

Labels: kung fu panda, movies, reviews

Posted by sarah at 11:58 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

After the dust settled after American Idol, this is the artist I went repeat-play on.

I first heard about Yael Naïm when I was looking for the name meaning of "Yael". I was going to use it for one of my books... but that's another story for another time.

After a bit of reading on Wiki, I found out that Yael has been around since 2001, but only hit the big time when her song New Soul was used for the advertising campaign for MacBook Air.

Best thing about Yael? Her sound. She uses bare acoustic guitars or piano, occasionally inserting violins and Middle Eastern-sounding instruments. Her voice is smooth and a bit husky at the same time. Her music can feel like Edith Piaf in one track, Tori Amos in the next, and then you get Norah Jones meets Natasha Bedingfield meets Regina Spektor... and it all feels so.... right. If her CD was a fruit, it would have an addicting exotic taste that makes you go for seconds.

Read full post...I love how she renders her songs; she gives each one a very unique mark. Okay, fine, so most of her songs really are hers, but I love it how they all sound similar, but unique at the same time. I think this becomes obvious in her stripped down version of Toxic. Which "Toxic", you ask? Well, that Toxic. The one that is Britney's. Yeah, that one. I never really liked the original song, but MAN I loved Yael's version. It's not only completely unexpected but it's just amazing how anyone can turn a song like that into something cool and jazzy and elegant.

Oh, and her French-Israeli accent doesn't hurt, either.

Initially, my favorite song in the album was New Soul. It's just so... so... loveable. Haha! The tune is catchy, the phrasing is amusing, and the way Yael sang it just makes me smile. Paris comes in a close second. But I just have to say this again: the whole album -- the songs be English, French or Hebrew -- is completely repeat-play worthy.

I put up my playlist to let you have a taste of Yael Naïm. (New Soul lyrics follow after me playlist.)



I'm a new soul
I came to this strange world
hoping I could learn a bit about how to give and take.
But since I came here
felt the joy and the fear
finding myself making every possible mistake

la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la...

I'm a young soul
in this very strange world
hoping I could learn a bit about what is true and fake.
But why all this hate?
Try to communicate.
Finding trust and love is not always easy to make.

la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la...

This is a happy end
'cause you don't understand
everything you have done
Why's everything so wrong

This is a happy end
come and give me your hand
I'll take your far away.

I'm a new soul
I came to this strange world
hoping I could learn a bit about how to give and take
but since I came here
felt the joy and the fear
finding myself making every possible mistake

la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la...

la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la....

Labels: music, new soul, reviews, yael naim, Yael Naïm

Posted by sarah at 1:23 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Since my HanaKimi TV post last year has been, as it turns out, helping a lot of people in deciding which HanaKimi rendition to watch, I thought I'd write a similar post for another one of my favorite manga, whose TV renditions I absolutely adore.

I've written a short Nodame Cantabile review, actually, so let's consider this a part 2.

Extremely talented pianist and naturally gifted conductor. Another extremely talented pianist and your all-around weird girl. Put them together and what do you get? An impossibly addicting manga on classical music, love, and the love of music. And, yes, it's hilarious, too.

Obviously, the main ingredient of this manga is music, but non-musicians should not shy away! No, no, you won't drown in jargon, and, believe me, this series will enrich your knowledge in music. Also, there is an ample amount of comedy and a dash of romance to taste. Read full post...

Nodame Cantabile is originally a manga by Ninomiya Tomoko, running since 2001 and is currently ongoing. It now has a J-drama adaptation, an anime series, and a handful of OSTs. The anime and regular J-drama season both take from the manga's first to ninth volume. The J-drama, though, has a Special, which follows the manga a little bit further.

Most people know that I usually say that manga is the best, and, I guess, I think the same applies for Nodame Cantabile. But I think both the anime and the J-drama are a couple of must-watch renditions. Both have their pros and cons, though...

Cast and Characterization
Both anime and drama were SUPERB. I mean, seriously. The art in the anime was easy enough to adapt from the manga, but I just have to say that the voice dubbing was excellent.

As for the J-drama... ARGH! PERFECT! When I first saw the photos, I was, like, "Whoa! Nodame came to life!!!" But it doesn't stop there. When I watched the J-drama, right from the first episode, Ueno Juri and Hiroshi Tamaki (and everybody else, really) acted exactly as I imagined Nodame and Chiaki (and everybody else) to act. Not only did they capture the characters' look, but also their personalities, attitudes, mannerisms, speaking patters, everything! Kudos to the cast, and especially the director, Takeuchi Hideki-san!


Plot execution
The anime is, from start to finish, faithful to the manga; the pages were literally transferred to the screen. As for the drama, it's also as faithful as live dramas can go. Okay, sure, there were tiny tweaks here and there (some characters appeared earlier than they should, some events were merged into one, some pieces were performed at a different time) but I suppose it's understandable, since they had to make adjustments to fit 9 volumes of manga into 11 episodes. Still, there's only a hairsbreadth of difference, small enough for me, a purist, to actually let it go. About the J-drama Special... Hm... Now this one takes more events out of the plot, but, again, I'm willing to let it slide, since the parts they focused on were important, and the story flow wasn't disrupted.

Music
The drama, I think, is the best version to watch the performances. Not only do you actually see them playing the instruments, but the emotion is also seen better in the performers' faces. But in the anime, since it's understandably hard to animate people to move as they would in real life, the majority of the performances are just stills of the musicians playing. There are, however, exceptionally amazing concert sequences where you can really see the musicians' fingers hitting the right keys at the right time in the right tempo. Those are awesome, awesome sequences, but they rarely happen. In the anime, though, the shown/played excerpts of the music pieces are longer than the ones in the drama's regular season. (In the Special Lessons, though, the musical sequences are longer. Wheeeee~)


In summary:

• The anime has 26 episodes (about 25 minutes each ) plus one Summer Detour (15 minutes). The drama has 11 episodes (about 1 hour each) plus 2 specials (about 2 hours each).
• The anime is exactly the manga, just moving. The drama changes a few things here and there.
• The anime characters can't really move like real people all the time. The drama's cast is composed of real, living, breathing people (like, duh).
• The music is the same.
• The story is the same.
• The level of comedy is the same.

"So," you ask, "which do you recommend I watch, Sarah? Anime, or drama?"

My answer: BOTH.

I mean, really. I've read the manga, watched the anime, and watched the drama. And I still laugh. Every. Single. Time. Although, of course, you can chalk it up to the fact that I love the series, but it's just that each version offers something unique while still remaining so very... Nodame.

So, really, whichever rendition you pick, as long as it's Nodame Cantabile, I guarantee enjoyment. ^^

Labels: anime, manga, nodame cantabile, reviews, tv

Posted by sarah at 5:24 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Because of my Across the Universe review, someone emailed me—hi, Anrdrew!— about their new movie, The Life Before Her Eyes. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Laura Kasischke, and stars Uma Thurman and Evan Rachel Wood.

I know nothing about the book, really. But, judging from the trailer, it looks interesting... I'm always a sucker for creative story-telling. Hehe. Read full post...

Release date: April 18th in New York and LA, and wide on April 25th. I'm not sure when it'll open in the Philippines... I guess I'll have to wait.

Synopsis:

Imaginative, impetuous and wild Diana (Evan Rachel Wood) can’t wait for her adult life to begin. Whiling away the final days of high school in the lush springtime, Diana tests her limits with sex and drugs as her more conservative friend Maureen (Eva Amurri) watches with concern. But Diana’s aura of invincibility is shattered when a senseless act of violence erupts at school, forever changing the lives of the two best friends.

Fifteen years later, a grown Diana (Uma Thurman) is still trying to come to terms with the traumatic events of that fateful day.

On the surface, the adult Diana has made a picture perfect life for herself. She’s still living in the sleepy Connecticut suburb she grew up in with her husband Paul, a professor at the local college. Her beautiful young daughter, Emma, is smart and creative, and possesses a fiercely independent streak reminiscent of her mother. But all is not well—as the anniversary of her adolescent trauma approaches, the darkness that Diana has tried to escape closes in. Meanwhile, her husband has become increasingly absent, her daughter has taken to hiding from teachers, and worst of all, Diana’s own grip on reality is starting to falter.

Moving seamlessly through both stages of Diana’s evolution, THE LIFE BEFORE HER EYES delves deep into the crossroads that we all face -- where a simple decision can change the course of everything to come, and where a lifetime can be encapsulated in a single moment. With THE LIFE BEFORE HER EYES, Vadim Perelman, director of the acclaimed HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG, has established himself as one of America’s greatest young directors of serious, probing drama.

Official website: http://www.lifebeforehereyes.com/

Labels: movies, reviews

Posted by sarah at 6:08 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

A love story set against the backdrop of the 1960s amid the turbulent years of anti-war protest, mind exploration and rock 'n roll, the film moves from the dockyards of Liverpool to the creative psychedelia of Greenwich Village, from the riot-torn streets of Detroit to the killing fields of Vietnam. The star-crossed lovers, Jude (Jim Sturgess) and Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood), along with a small group of friends and musicians, are swept up into the emerging anti-war and counterculture movements, with "Dr. Robert" (Bono) and "Mr. Kite" (Eddie Izzard) as their guides. Tumultuous forces outside their control ultimately tear the young lovers apart, forcing Jude and Lucy – against all odds – to find their own way back to each other.
- Across the Universe official website

Awesome. Superb. Amazing. Despite all the good things I heard about it, I was not prepared to watch something this good. ARGH.

I had originally wanted to watch this in the theater with my friends, but due to schedule restraints, I wasn't able to. Ah, but it's all good, because I got to enjoy the DVD at home with my family, instead.

The plot is realistic, and the song placement is genius. You'd think that the music was made for the story. Most of the musical arrangements of the songs are different from what I've been used to, but they were so original and well done that I loved them all the same. Because of this movie, I loved the Beatles songs even more.

The cast was perfect, methinks, and director Julie Taymor did a spectacular job. The artistic aspect of it was great, as well. Choreography was well-done, and it wasn't overly theatrical. The script was brilliant; the writers' eye to detail is.. ARGH! Hehe. There are a lot of inside jokes for the Beatles fan, too. Haha!

There were a handful of things in the movie that made me raise an eyebrow (or scrunch my nose) or just...simply mediocre, but they were overshadowed by all the other parts I loved.

As a Beatles fan, I recommend it to all Beatles lovers. And also to the very very few people in the world who have no idea who the Beatles are.

My score: 5/5, 100/100.

AMAZING. LOVE IT.

Labels: beatles, movies, reviews

Posted by sarah at 7:08 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Viola, wanting to prove herself in soccer, disguises herself as her brother Sebastian and attends his school, where she meets (and falls for) her roommate Duke, who wants to date with their classmate Olivia, who develops a crush on Sebastian, who is actually Viola in disguise. Oh, joy.

Short review: BWAHAHA! I didn't think it was going to be this funny!

Long review:
Because Twelfth Night is my favorite Shakespearean play EVER, I had hesitations in watching this... Read full post... That's precisely why I skipped watching it back in 2006, mainly. I watched the other day, and let's just say it was hard to keep from laughing loudly. (It was almost midnight and everyone else was asleep.)

The plot closely follows the general direction of the play, but uses football to be Viola's motivation. 'Nuff said about the plot.

Amanda Bynes does an outstanding job as a girl in disguise! I mean... she's a gorgeous girl, but when she begins acting as Sebastian, I would be convinced that she's a guy. A rather awkward, desperate-for-attention one, but an amusing guy nonetheless. Kudos to Amanda!

Very good, hilarious script! And the actors did a very good job in the comedy, methinks.

My only problems with it would be:
(1) The ending. Not that the ending's bad, it's just... not executed well... sorta. But the climax was good! :)
(2) Duke. Okay, so he's hilarious as a shy hottie, but there were moments when I think he became a bit too dorky.

Hm... I think that's it! Nice movie, hilarious scenes. I like it! :)

Labels: movies, reviews, Shakespeare

Posted by sarah at 6:11 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

The second installment of High School Musical follows the Wildcats crew into summer break, when Troy, worrying over college tuition and his future in general, gets a gig at the Lava Springs resort—which so happened to be owned by Sharpay's family—and takes the rest of the gang with him.

Choreography, music and lyrics just as good as the first movie, if not better. There are one or two songs that aren't as good as the ones in the first movie, but there are a handful of songs that are a big improvement from the already addicting first soundtrack... Read full post...

Story is okay. Realistic still, with a new message: keep your eye on the goal, but don't lose yourself along the way. The lesson of teamwork, and the appeal to leaders, is still obviously obvious.

Acting is better, story execution is good. Troy being the good guy who temporarily turned bad (sort of) was entirely convincing, and his return was very very believable. But I have a bit of a problem with Sharpay's turn-around, though. It was a bit sudden... but I think I can live with it.

Here's something strange: I was able to sympathize with the Troy's conflicts, as I did with Sharpay's and Ryan's... but the same doesn't apply for the rest of the Wildcats. I don't know... Many times I wanted to hit Gabriella and Chad in the head. Feh. (I actually like Chad's character, but in this movie's Danforth vs. Bolton, I side with Troy. In every other scene, Chad's as cool as he usually is, though.)

Fave song: Bet On It. The music, the lyrics, the arrangement, the choreo, the costume, the execution, and the setting! Everything about that whole number just made me smile. I swear, Troy gets the best songs. Well, he should; he's the main character, right? Haha! Coming in second is I Don't Dance. The groove is already good, but the influence of 20's jazz just made it even better.

Oooh, ooh! And I just have to say: my favorite moment in the movie is the Troy scream after dinner with the Evans family. BWAHAHA! That had me laughing so hard. And this sequence minutes before Troy was supposed to sing on stage:

Ryan: Hey, speaking of my sister, she wants you to learn a new song.
Troy: [laughs and takes the music sheet] "Everyday". [pause] I can't learn a new song!


I give the movie a rating of...78/100. Hehe. I think I like it as much as the first one, but I took away one point just because I like the story of the first movie better.

This time two days ago, I couldn't care less about High School Musical, never mind if Zec Efron was in it (whose performance in Hairspray was just AWESOME). But, after watching the first installment, I realized that it was a good movie, after all... As for High School Musical 2, even though I didn't necessarily like it better than the first, it definitely supported the original film and made me like the series better than I did yesterday.

And that, for me, is exactly what a sequel should do.

Labels: high school musical, movies, reviews

Posted by sarah at 3:48 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

"*GASP!!!* You haven't watched High School Musical?! Sarah, WATCH IT!!!"

I've been told this more than a thousand times—no exaggeration—in the past two years. I always reply with, "Okay, okay, I will..." but I never did.

Until today that, is.

So I watched the movie, and as the credits rolled, I sat there, blinking. And my thought was...

That's what all the fuss was about?

Now, before you leap up from your chair yelling violent objections at me, let me make something clear: I did not NOT enjoy the movie.Read full post...

I thought that the movie was okay.

But then that's my problem, I think. Forgive me, but that's what I thought. The movie was just okay. No fireworks, no standing ovations for me. No wide, giddy smile after the movie, but no disappointed frown either.

The story is nice, and the message—for us not to act one way just because everybody expects us to, but instead to break free and do what you were created to do—speaks to everyone, teenagers and adults alike.

The acting was good: I didn't feel as if I was just watching teenagers trying to act; I felt as if I was watching high schoolers dealing with status quo, peer and parent pressure, and all that. Just so happens that they suddenly burst out singing and dancing, which wasn't really a bad thing.

The script was entertaining. I particularly liked more than a few lines. Some of them made me laugh out loud. I think my favorite would be the one in Sharpnay and Zeke's conversation when Sharpnay goes, "Go away... tall person."

About the soundtrack: the lyrics are well-thought, and the melodies are catchy. Yup, for the moment, I've put it on repeat play. The songs didn't particularly catch my undivided attention during the film, but listening to them now, I'm liking them more and more.

Now, the choreography... O-hoho, the choreography. I think that's the best part of the film. Not because they flung out ultra-mega-impressive moves. No, I liked the choreography because the dance numbers melded so well into the flow of the story. Yes, more than once, high schoolers who didn't like dancing and singing (or it was at least implied that they didn't...sorta) suddenly break into singing and dancing, but it was done so well that it seemed so natural. It wasn't distracting. Not in the least.

Favorite song: Get'cha Head in the Game. For the music and lyrics, and even more because of the musical arrangement and choreography. Plus the execution. ARGH I love that song.

So, after all these praises coming from me, why on earth am I saying that the movie was just okay? I honestly have no idea. Maybe, as much as I psyched myself not to expect anything—which I always do before watching a movie so that my judgment would not be impaired—the fuss of all the people who watched it before had already seeped deep into my mind that I unconsciously did expect something really, really, really good.

(For what it's worth—and I'm not sure if it is worth anything—I want very much to watch this on stage. The next time Trumpets does this, I'm watching.)

In the end, I give the movie a rating of 79/100. Not quite 4/5, but very, very nearly there. This you can be sure of: High School Musical will go into my shelf as a movie that I enjoyed, and I would smilingly recommend it to someone wanting to be entertained.

Labels: high school musical, movies, reviews

Posted by sarah at 6:20 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

I'd have wanted to give it 4/5, but decided on giving it three. It's a very, very, VERY high 3 stars. If that even makes sense. It's just that action isn't my favorite genre (but I don't hate it, either!). If it was my fave, I'd give it 4 stars, no doubt.

This here movie is for mystery-lovers, as well as action fans. And if you're not a fan, but can nevertheless appreciate car chases and stuff, then this is for you, too. Read full post...

Basically—and I hope I'm not spoiling anything—the first hour or so of the movie is the first 23 minutes of the movie played over five times, from different points of view. So, yes, you get the same crowd, gunshots, and explosions all repeated five times. But it's great, because every time you see it, there's a new layer added to it, and what you think it true is revealed to be not quite true...at least until you see it from another vantage point. It's sort of like the flashback technique, but not quite.

Argh writing a review for this is so hard! So I'll just say that it's worth watching. It's not a must-see-in-the-big-screen, but I recommend it. Just make sure you don't have those people around you. You know, those people who keep asking questions. (For the record: this movie will make you ask a lot of questions; it's asking them because you're not paying attention that's what's annoying.)

So..yeah. Watch!

Labels: movies, reviews, vantage point

Posted by sarah at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Zettai Kareshi (a.k.a. Absolute Boyfriend) is a manga by Yuu Watase, the same mind behind the immensely popular Fushigi Yuugi. (Just a quick note: "Zettai" in this context means absolute or perfect, thus the English title. ^_^)

The Story: Riiko Izawa is the queen of unrequited love, rejected by all the boys she's confessed to. One day she runs into this guy with a weird fashion statement, who, upon learning about her relationship predicament, tells her to visit a certain URL. The website offers her a free three-day trial of a mysterious Nightly Lover "figure" (as in action figure). Her purchase arrives the next morning... in the form of a life-size major hottie. She activates him with a kiss, and, Riiko finds herself with a perfect boyfriend: sweet, smart, a great cook, and lots more. And he looks like a million bucks, which is what he's going to cost Riiko if she doesn't return him in time! Read full post...

Review:
After reading the whole thing, I am now a major Night fan! Argh. How can anybody not love him? The guy is just adorable! Kind, considerate, sweet, worthy to be an action hero... He's perfect really. Too perfect to exist. Haha!

Riiko is a nice heroine. Pretty much normal, but not to the extent of being boring. She has a good personality, and it's easy to feel for her. She has a kind heart, and she's not at all annoying (unlike two of Watase's other heroines). There are times that I want to hit her on the head for...well...for not using her head, but, hey, the girl's human.

The other characters were well-developed, even the ones who catch you by surprise, and even the ones with less page time. I love all the characters, really; they built the plot beautifully.

The story-telling is AWESOME, the humor is superb, and the pacing is perfect. This is, by far, my favorite Watase work yet. Yes, it beat Fushigi Yuugi.

The manga is only six volumes long, with 32 chapters all in all. It's rather short, I think, but not too short. Oh, no, not at all. I think it's a good length. It gives the reader enough time to be attached to the characters and for the plot to simmer, and it also allows space for seemingly useless side plots that just develop characters more. Their being hilarious don't hurt at all. However, the series isn't sooooooo tiringly long, either. Good length.

The ending had me speechless.

The manga is actually a romantic comedy. And by saying comedy, then it's imperative for it to have a happy ending, right? Well, yeah, I guess it's a happy ending. Yeah, I suppose it's happy.

But it still left me speechless. And almost in tears.

And for the sake of not posting spoilers, I shall not say why.

My rating: ARGH! 90/100! I love it. I dove into it expecting rom-com (which it is) but it also came with a lot of unexpected —some even unwanted— surprises. And I'm not regretting it. Love it, hate it, LOVE IT!!!

Labels: manga, reviews, zettai kareshi

Posted by sarah at 4:34 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

So, yes. Before actually buying the books I've been wanting to buy for years, I watched the movie.

Yesterday after music practice, I decided that I wanted to watch Spiderwick that day—that moment, really—so I got Lori and Mi out of their beds so they could watch with me. (Hehe.) Instant reunion, right there.

The Spiderwick Chronicles movie is based on a series of children's books by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black.

Peculiar things start to happen the moment the Grace family (Jared, his twin brother Simon, sister Mallory and their mom) leave New York and move into the secluded old house owned by their great, great uncle Arthur Spiderwick. Unable to explain the strange disappearances and accidents that seem to be happening on a daily basis, the family blames Jared. When he, Simon and Mallory investigate what’s really going on, they uncover the fantastic truth of the Spiderwick estate and the creatures that inhabit it.

--© Paramount Pictures

Review: I knew that I was going to enjoy the movie, but I didn't think that I'd enjoy it as much as I did. Read full post...As Mi said in her blog, the movie sucked us into it.

Freddie Highmore was perfectly believable in acting as the twins: the impulsive, short-tempered Jared and intellectual, pacifist Simon. For me, Freddie wasn't just one kid changing clothes to show change in roles— he was two people entirely. The chemistry of rest of the family was good (although I was a tad annoyed with Mallory in the beginning, but I guess that was how it was supposed to be). Voice acting for the fantastical creatures were great! Cheers to Hogsqueal!

The script? Perfection! Hilarity abounds, and the fact that the actors did a splendid job of delivering punchlines didn't hurt at all. There were serious moments, of course, to add depth to the plot. They were well-placed, and it was not at all as if they were put there just so that drama could be present.

The storytelling was good, the CGI was better, and the music just added to the excitement. And the best part of all this? I didn't notice any of this while I was watching it! They all blended together in a delicious mix, and I only noticed how great each individual aspect of the production was after I left the cinema.

There's only one thing that made me roll me eyes —something that Arthur Spiderwick did— but I won't write it on here because (1) it could be a spoiler, and (2) it's not so very important and I guess people can just let that one slide (I know I did).

My Rating: 85/100. All in all, it was a good movie experience. I recommend watching it on the big screen! Or IMAX if you can.

Kid or no, adventure fantasy fan or no, this movie is something everyone will enjoy.


Linkies:
Spiderwick Chronicles book website
Spiderwick Chronicles movie website

Labels: movies, reviews, spiderwick

Posted by sarah at 7:17 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

I was replying to a post in the Crystal Skies forums. I didn't intend the reply to be comprehensive, but when I finished writing it, I looked it over... and decided to post it here, as well.

This time last year, I was watching Victorian Romance Emma, Ouran High School Host Club, and The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi, among others. I was also a new employee in my company. The months went by, and more and more I got sucked into the lovely thing called WORK. My time for anything else was lessened, and... yeah. I won't get into any more details lest I begin to rant.

Anyway, I'm still a workaholic, but I'm proud to say that I've been slipping my hobbies back into my schedule. Hobbies, that is, that don't involve web design. I've been writing again, I've been playing the piano again, and I've been reading again. Wheeeee~ Right now, my stories have been getting good feedbacks, I've remastered three (going four) piano pieces, and my reading list is getting long.

Among the things I'm reading now is manga. Before, I was more into anime than the original manga, but somewhere in between, I saw the light. Read full post...

So, going back to my first sentence: I was replying to a post in a manga recommendation forum in Clear Skies. So here's my top 5 manga at the moment. Most of 'em are light romantic comedies, but they're all hilarious. Yey for comedy! Hehe.

I've been planning to write reviews for these five titles, but I never really got to. Meh. I already blogged about HanaKimi. It's more on the TV series, I suppose, but...anyway.

Here's my Top 5 ultimate favorite manga as of October 2007.

Hanazakiri no Kimitachi E
(For You in Full Blossom)
Summary: A girl begins to admire a high jumper, so she transfers to the high school he attends so that she could meet him. The catch, though, is that it's an all-boys' school. Does she fool everyone? Hell, yeah! ...right? (Mehehehehe.)
Genre: [shoujo] high school romantic comedy (it's got sports in it, too, but it's not a sports manga)
Status: Finished
What I love about it: The comedy! Oh my goodness the comedy. I love how insane things get while still amazingly staying within the boundaries of realism. Another thing is the dialogue and plot flow: Punch lines are delivered effortlessly, and serious points, when they do surface, always hit home. And the art? This is the perfect example of how comic books are so awesome because they convey emotions, be it inner turmoil or bubbling laughter, in a single frame.



Hagane no Renkenjutsushi
(Fullmetal Alchemist)
Summary: In a world where alchemy is a significant part of of life, a child prodigy attaches his dying brother's soul onto a suit of armor in order to save the younger boy's life. Guilt-ridden, he sets out with fierce determination to make things right and return his brother to his body. And he could do that with the Philosopher's Stone.

I initially wanted to type out "If you haven't read (or, at the very least, heard of) Fullmetal Alchemist, then you must be living under a rock." But that might be a little too harsh. HagaRen is extremely popular --and has full rights of being so-- but I discovered that a lot of anime and manga enthusiasts haven't ventured into the world of Edward Elric.
Genre: [shounen] action/adventure, fantasy (alchemy)
Status: Ongoing
What I love about it: Awesome action, surprising twists, superb art, incredibly hilarious ROFL comedy. Read the manga. It's far, far, FAR more awesome than the anime.


Nodame Cantabile
Summary: Extremely talented pianist and naturally gifted conductor. Another extremely talented pianist and your all-around weird girl. Put them together and what do you get? An impossibly addicting manga on classical music, love, and the love of music. And, yes, it's hilarious, too.
Genre: [josei] music, romantic comedy
Status: ongoing
What I love about it: If I'm to be totally blunt, I'd say that I wasn't really impressed with the art when I first started reading this. But since Miii recommended it to me (and since Miii is one of the girls I've been watching anime with since high school) I decided to give it a chance. Ha. I'm so very glad I did, because once the melody started floating a few pages into the series, I was hooked. (And I realized that the art is nice, after all.)

Musical types will appreciate this manga, lovers of comedy will enjoy the chemistry between the characters, romantics will love the hilarious scenes, and everyone's going to have a sudden renaissance and be interested in classical music. That's what I think, anyway.


Koukou Debut
(High School Debut)
Summary: Haruna had dedicated her life up until junior high to softball (and she's pretty good at it, too). So, upon stepping into high school, she sets out to get a boyfriend. Grow out the hair, put on the make-up, revamp the wardrobe. Easy, right? NOT!

Salvation comes, however, in the form of school heartthrob Yoh, whom Haruna believes can teach her what guys want. At first Yoh refuses because he hates women, but eventually agrees, on one condition: Haruna must never fall in love with him.
Genre: [shoujo] high school romantic comedy. COMEDY! Lol!
Status: ongoing
What I love about it: If you don't laugh at least once while reading this manga, I'd be surprised. What I love about this series (apart from the seamless movement from insanity to normalcy to seriousness to romance and back again) is its ability to make you all giddy or warm and fuzzy even without the usual things that make you giddy or warm and fuzzy. Heh. A breath of fresh air, really. Wonderful characters, awesome plotlines. Love it!



Saiunkoku Monogatari
(Tales of Saiunkoku)
Summary: Shuurei, a profit-conscious heiress of a noble (but very bankrupt) family is asked to be join the royal court in order to make the emperor more responsible. But in order to make someone more responsible, that said someone must be responsible to some degree. But, to Shuurei's dismay, it appears that the Emperor of the realm is a lazy slacker with the enthusiasm and cluelessness of a child, and with no interest in politics whatsoever. And, by the way, he's extremely handsome. How unfortunate. *sarcasm*

A manga dealing with politics and intrigue abounding in comedy... plus a whole lot of bishounen. *giggle*
Genre: [josei] politics, comedy, romance
Status: ongoing
What I love about it: This series is actually pretty serious, although it definitely doesn't feel like it. I love how surprises keep popping out: people aren't what they seem, plot twists spring out of nowhere, the character developments are addicting... The more you read, the more you'd be impatient for the next chapter. Haha!


Yahoo~ So those are my Top 5 manga, and 5 of the many volumes I'm reading now. Heh. I hope you saw something that sparked your interest, so you can laugh along with me. ^_^

Labels: books, fullmetal alchemist, hagaren, hanakimi, hanazakiri no kimitachi e, koukou debut, manga, nodame cantabile, reviews, saiunkoku monogatari

Posted by sarah at 2:00 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Last week, I found out that the last episode of the Jdrama (Japanese drama) of Hanazakiri no Kimitachi e, a live action TV series based on the manga of the same title, was out. It started in Japan in June this year, and ended just a few days ago.

The manga Hanazakiri no Kimitachi e ("For You In Full Blossom", also known as "HanaKimi") was written by Hisaya Nakajo way back in 1996, and ended in 2004... right about the time I first started reading it.

The story revolves around Mizuki Ashiya, a Japanese girl who grew up in the States. One day when watching a track and field competition, she sees Izumi Sano competing in the high jump. She begins to idolize him for the way he jumps, and also for the way he lives. Eventually she transfers to Japan in order to attend the same school that Sano attends. It's not just any school, though: it's an all-boys high school!

Even though I absolutely love the manga series, I tried not to watch the J-drama first... Partly because I was never a "manga turned live action" fan -- I've got nothing against it, though -- and partly because I wanted to marathon it. Harhar. (And also partly because I was too busy to bother with it.)

So, this weekend, I decided to marathon all 12 episodes.

And, suprisingly... Read full post...

I was slightly disappointed.

*sigh*

"But why?!" you ask. "Isn't the acting good?"

It was, actually.

"Isn't the casting good?"

Argh. Near perfect. I think everyone fit their characters well! Tomo Ikuta (playing Nakatsu) is, like, a scene stealer. Haha! But still everyone did an awesome job.
"Isn't the story good?"

Hmm... Well... Er...

*ahem*

The story is , I suppose. That is, if you completely forget the manga. True, the J-drama followed the original general plot, and they kept the characters as they were (that is, if you ignore the additional characters inserted here and there), but the events in the story were too different.

I also felt kind of rushed... The development of chemistry between Mizuki and the Dorm 2 boys was a bit sudden, the whole "Sano going back to high jump" issue wasn't simmered, and the Sano+Mizuki build-up was a bit off in the beginning... Argh. And I missed Umeda-sensei's bishieness (and ecchiness. LOL!)

Of course, this is all me.

And, I suppose if I DID forget the manga, maybe I'd be thinking differently.

And so, after watching for 12 hours (not continuous, though, as I had to eat and have a life) and finished a bit disappointed, I was driven into checking out the 2006 Taiwanese version.
That made Hua Yang Shao Nian Shao Nu the first Taiwanese drama I ever watched. Whoopee. (No. Unlike the rest of the Philippine female population, I did NOT watch Meteor Garden.)

At first I was raising my eyebrows because of Ella, the girl acting as Rui Xi (the Taiwanese counterpart of Mizuki). I mean, hey, no offense to Ella or anything, but Mizuki had to look like a pretty girl and a cute boy. At the same time. Now, Ella's actually pretty and all, but when Rui Xi was acting like a boy, she looked too... tomboyish. They seemed to forget that, even though Mizuki had the whole school fooled, she was still supposed to fail at acting like a boy, and she was supposed to look immensely girly that a lot of guys thought she was a girly boy, and it should be a wonder why everyone else didn't become seriously suspicious of her.

As the series progressed, though, I began to warm up to her. But still I maintain that the haircut could've been better, and the acting might have been more fitting... Horikita Maki did an awesome job in the Japanese version, so... Yeah. I'm comparing. Heh.

The rest of the cast was okay. Quan (TW counter of Sano) was a bit too smiley too early for me, though. Hm. Then again, Shun Oguri's Sano was a bit too... frowny.

The best part about the Taiwanese series, though, is how faithful it was to the manga. Sure, a lot of the original events were omitted (unavoidable, unless we want a LONG series), but still, it was as faithful as they can make it. And they even gave some scenes nice twists of their own.

I'm just annoyed that Rui Xi didn't look (and, sometimes, act) like Mizuki. If Rui Xi was another girl who is NOT Mizuki, it'd be fine. But no. She's supposed to be Mizuki, just with another name. Rawr. Quan got an awesome Wu Chun, though. *insert fangirl screech here* Heeheehee.

So, in summary....

HanaKimi J-drama: awesome casting, awesome acting, but diverges from the manga.

Hua Yang Shao Nian Shao Nu: okay adaptation, but a bit overacted Rui Xi >_<>

Labels: anime, hanakimi, hanazakiri no kimitachi e, manga, reviews, tv

Posted by sarah at 8:53 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

I've promoted the launch, and I've recapped the event itself. What's the most logical thing to do next?

Write a review, of course.

Travelogue is Bagetsafonik's debut album containing 12 all-original tracks to put on repeat play. The album also includes 2 remixes courtesy of Morse and Silverfilter.

To tell you the truth, I don't get to listen to Bagetsafonik often. I've only been to 2 of their gigs (shameful, I know), and the only songs I was truly familiar with were Automatik (the video of which is available in YouTube), Halogen, Saccharine and Joyride. I've heard Clarity before, while the song was still in its infancy.

That's why my Travelogue experience is a delightful mix of familiar sounds and new surprises. The songs I already know have cool, better arrangements, and the new songs are... err... new to me. Like, duh.

Whether you're a rocker dude, a pop chick, or something in between, you'll enjoy this album. The repertoire is filled with snazzy tunes and soulful melodies, woven with words close to the heart. We've got songs for friends, for lovers, for families. For the loved, the heartbroken; the content and the searching. Read full post...

The collection starts with Fallin' Callin', with Ace soaring through the notes and the rest of the boys rocking it out. If you pop the CD in your car's player, this song is perfect for the start of the drive. Action Jackson and Green Machine comes next as you step on the gas and speed through the highway; Sputnik Sweetheart and Automatik follow right after. I think Sputnik Sweetheart is a fitting title to this song, because when I listen to it, I feel like I'm in a space shuttle zipping through the universe.

Shift to easy driving as you listen to Halogen and the melancholic Diss Song, until Saccharine and Joyride pick up the pace a bit to keep you awake. Song for the Sunlight takes us back to the carefree days of outdoor games, Matchbox, and afternoon snacks and naps... Yep. Nothing like childhood memories to remove the stress on your shoulders.

The ride winds down with the haunting Clarity and groovy Glued to the Groove. The Halogen remix has a 3am on EDSA feel, and the Fallin' Callin' remix takes us to a world tour of music genres.

And you think refreshing music is all you get when you buy this album?

Shyeah, right!

You also get twelve — count 'em, twelve! — postcards with funky artwork on one side and song lyrics on the bottom of the other. (Um...yeah. Congratulations if you figured out that you get one postcard for each song.) Don't believe me? Check out the photo I put in the start of this post.

I love this CD. I think that much is obvious. And it's not just because the vocalist is my brother. Oh, no, absolutely not. Even if he wasn't my brother — heck, even if the members of the band were complete strangers to me — I'd still buy the album.

And I'd still put it on repeat play.

---

Again, the Travelogue track list
1 - Fallin' Callin'
2 - Action Jackson
3 - Green Machine
4 - Sputnik Sweetheart
5 - Automatik
6 - Halogen
7 - Diss Song
8 - Saccharine
9 - Joyride
10 - Song for the Sunlight (Back in the Day)
11 - Clarity
12 - Glued to the Groove
13 - Halogen (3 AM on EDSA Remix)
14 - Fallin' Callin' (Worlds Apart Remix)

Labels: bagetsafonik, celebrities, music, reviews, travelogue

Posted by sarah at 10:14 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Michan recently gave me a copy of Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo, a movie she had been raving about. I watched it yesterday, and immediately it was included in my favorite movies list. And I bet it'd be in yours, too, whether or not you're an anime fan.

Toki o Kakeru Shoujo (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time) is a Japanese anime film first released in theatres in Japan in 2006.

Don't worry: there ain't no bad spoilers in this post.

The Plot
The story is centered on 17-year-old Makoto Konno, a girl who gains the power to leap through time when she gets involved in an accident at a train crossing one day. Although a little confused with her new powers at first, Makoto uses them extravagantly to avoid being late in school and to get perfect grades on tests. But then, things began to turn bad as she discovers how her actions can adversely affect others. She then goes back in time and tries to fix things for the people affected, but that just makes things even worse... Read full post...


My first thought as the movie progressed was, "Wow. Sorta like Groundhog Day... But different."

Groundhog Day is a movie where Bill Murray lives February 2nd over and over and over. TokiKake is sort of like that, I guess, except that Makoto can control when and where she wants to go. It's hilarious in the beginning, but as the story progresses, it begins to take on a bit more serious mood that makes the audience think.

The Characters
What I loved most about this movie is the characters. In my opinion, Makoto is a refreshing heroine: she has a strong character, but is also very reluctant about things. She's energetic but quiet. She knows who she is, but her doubts about herself inevitably surface, like what happens to all of us at times. She's a bit of a tomboy, but is very, very much a girl.

As for Makoto's friends Chiaki and Kousuke, they're established with such strength right smack in the beginning of the film that they manage to make you feel for them, whatever happens to them through the course of the story. Their on-screen presence is strong, whether they're doing something significant or just throwing a baseball.

These three main characters are very real, their chemistry is endearingly hilarious, and their relationship is close to the heart of anybody who's had friends.

All other supporting characters are precisely that: supporting. They all play an important role in building the plot. All of them, from Makoto's sister to Makoto's classmates to the lady who yells at Makoto for bumping into her.

The animation
I may be no professional, but I think the animation is superb. Adorably designed characters, realistically painted scenes, and intricately detailed...er...details. Facial expressions are priceless, the stage is always amazingly rendered, and the small details are never overpowering.

The perfect symmetry in a lot of scenes is always amazing to stare at. It's symmetry, but it's not simply a mirror image, since what appears on one side is different from what appears on the other. Er...yeah.

The direction
Oh my goodness. Mamoru Hosoda does such an unbelievably amazing job at this, I don't even know where to begin.

For one, all the sequences are done perfectly, whether it be one that shows tranquil everyday life, a comedic episode, or a thrilling bike ride down a steep slope. I love where they locate their cameras, showing scenes at angles that will get the most effect. Perfection, I tells ya.

There are a lot more -- and I mean a LOT -- of aesthetic and artistic techniques used in this film that are executed beautifully, but I don't think I can tackle them without pointing out spoilers, so... I'll just leave it at that.

The music
If you were to ask me what the main musical score feels like, I'd say that it's an exhilarating flight, light and floating at one point, and then soaring at another. It makes me think of blue skies, white clouds, and cool winds. Hehe. I think it's just perfect for a movie that has a title connected to leaping/flying.

Other sound tracks include a great mix of light summer tunes, peaceful nocturnes and dramatic melodies, all played at the perfect times throughout the movie, further enhancing the story unfolding in the screen. The insert songs are pretty, too, and the lyrics are most fitting to the characters.

Sarah's verdict:
Oh, gee, isn't it obvious? A perfect 10! The only thing I didn't like about this movie is also one of the things that I grudgingly love: the ending.

ARGH the ending. It SO made me want to smash the laptop into pieces. (Of course I didn't.) I hated (and loved) it so much that I even wrote a fanfic for it. Yep, my TokiKake fanfic is the latest addition to my fanfic archive, but don't read it if you haven't seen the movie!

*ahem* Seeing that I can't rant (and rave) without giving out spoilers, I'll stop now.

Hm. Maybe the only thing a lacking in this movie is a bit more answers. Many questions are left open at the end of the film... I guess they meant it to be that way, but... yeah.

In summary: TokiKake is an awesome movie. Watch it. Seriously.

More info
Tsutsui Yasutaka's novel, Toki o Kakeru Shoujo (unofficial translation: The Little Girl Who Conquered Time) is the basis of the film... (Yes, it's the same Japanese title, but a different English translation for the sake of distinction.) The film isn't a movie version of the book, though, but is set as a continuation of the book in the same setting some twenty years later.

TokiKake was produced by the animation studio Madhouse and distributed through Kadokawa Herald Pictures. Directed by Mamoru Hosoda.

Labels: anime, movies, reviews, Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo

Posted by sarah at 10:24 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

*gasp* Newtype said it was so. Therefore it must be true!

Yep, that's right, folks! The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi gets a second season! It's going to be announced officially on the magazine in August (and in the website on July 7th), but fans get an early celebration from Newtype's... well... early edition. Hehehe.

Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu (The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi) is an anime series based on light novels entitled (er...surprise, surprise?) Suzumiya Haruhi. The fourteen episode anime series premiered in Japan on April 2006 and ran until July 2006.

The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi revolves around the story of a high school girl named (er... another surprise?) Haruhi. She's a very, very, veryveryvery (did I say VERY?) eccentric girl, obsessed with ESPers, aliens and time travellers, and is always looking for something interesting to do. (Which is, basically, looking for ESPers, aliens and time travellers.) The story is told Greek-chorus style by Kyon, one of Haruhi's classmates. He's realistic, cynical, apathetic and sarcastic, and he's pretty much dragged (literally) by Haruhi into chaos in the form of the SOS Brigade, a club which Haruhi formed focused on — you guessed it — looking for ESPers, aliens, and time travelers.

What's so fun about the series is Haruhi's enthusiasm and the contagious insanity of everything she does. Even if you avoid her at first, you'll learn to love her, just like what happened to poor ol' Kyon. The insanity is so contagious, it even seeped into the way the series was broadcasted. Haha! The TV episodes were NOT released in chronological order. It's a bit confusing at first, but you'll get the hang of it. I personally think that the anachronic order is WAY better than the chronological one: it's more fun that way, and the presentation is just... genius.

If you haven't checked the series out, go and grab a DVD (or leech from torrent sites. Haha!). Episode 1 (aka Episode 11) may look weird, but I implore you, watch Episode 2 (aka Episode 1), too. It's hilarious, I tells ya, and I'm sure you'll love it, especially if you like crazy anime comedies like Azumanga Daioh or Lucky Star. But it's not ALL craziness, either. There's actually a story, and the players get their character developments, too. Sorta like Ouran High School Host Club, but with less bishounen and drama (what minimal drama Ouran has). It does involve high school girls in bunny suits at one point, though, if that'll make up for the lack of bishounen. Hehe.


Oyeah: about the second season. The broadcast dates and other information will be anounced later, I suppose. I'll update you on that when I get info.

Meanwhile, enjoy this Gundam doing the Haruhi dance video. Heeeheeeheee.

Labels: anime, reviews, the melancholy of suzumiya haruhi, tv

Posted by sarah at 11:17 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Labels: bossa nova, disney, music, reviews

Posted by sarah at 6:02 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

After weeks, I FINALLY got to watch this. Chique and I decided to watch it on a whim, and I'm very very glad we did!

Spiderman 3 is the much-anticipated third part of the Spiderman series. Reviews from my friends are different. Some say it was awesome, some say it was just fine. Some say I wouldn't be missing anything if I didn't watch it on the big screen, some say I wouldn't be missing anything if I didn't watch it at all.

Well, I say you ought to watch it. And I say you watch it on the big screen. Make sure you watched the first two movies, though! Or at least have a friend tell you what happened. But I think you really SHOULD watch the first two movies because they're awesome. I think you'll appreciate the movie more if you knew (and watched) the relationships between the characters.

Spiderman 3, as reported all over the net, is an action-packed, plot-packed movie. Man, oh man, they've got it right.

The fight scenes are AWESOME. I LOVE how they directed it, with all the whooshing cameras and all, catching the beautiful cityscape and taking the audience on a breathtaking ride as Spidey takes to the air in leaps and bounds (and swings).

The CGI is amazing! Venom and the Sandman were both very believable, I think. When I was watching the movie, I almost forgot that the effects were computer generated.

The plot -- or multiple plots, rather -- was very well done. Peter, MJ, Harry, the Sandman, and Eddie all had their own plots, and yet it wasn't tiring to the mind. All the players moved through the story in harmony. Even though the plots were developed separately, they eventually swirled together, melding into one solid story. Each character was developed beautifully, letting the audience feel for each one... And yet the focus on Spiderman was not lost. This is a feat that is hard to achieve, in my opinion.

The relationships between characters were beautiful. The twists in those relationships are very real and believable, as well. None of them seemed cheesy or forced to me. I praise the writers for their work! They managed to take two characters, develop their chemistry, then pit them against each other, and then reconcile them once again...all this done seamlessly.

The resolutions in this movie were done in convincingly. Although not all issues were resolved, the movie ended in a very good -- albeit bittersweet -- place. It seems to me that the movie was left a tad bit open-ended, leaving space for a part four. And yet, the story was closed so that the audience is satisfied with the ending (at the same time craving for more).

I suppose my only complaint about the movie is that some things happened that didn't necessarily have to happen. There could have been ways around those unfortunate circumstances... The characters could have done this, could have done that, and so on. But hey, if they did, then the drama wouldn't be there, now would it? Hehehe.

My verdict for Spidey 3? LOVE IT!

Labels: movies, reviews, spiderman