2007年02月21日
Otoufu Rare Cheese
Found this at a corner of the promo fridge, going for 1/4 of the original price. No, the expiry date is still FAR away. Made of Hokkaido camembert cheese and tofu, it tastes great out of the box (tofu-like and in corresponding tofu-like container) directly while frozen. As a taster put it "it tastes like raw cheese cake", this is already stated on the box, and though not for everyone, I really liked it a lot. Smooth, light cheese taste that will chase the hot weather away :)
The Last King of Scotland
A rare cinematic treat amongst all the commercialised action flicks that are of the norm these days, LKOS is a powerful film that is probably too heavy stuff to watch at night (at least that was when I watched it). The show starts in on a lighter note and slowly develops into rather gory and emotional material at the last quarter.
Inspired by the real-life Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, played to an almost terrifying reality by Forest Whitaker, the story tells of a fictional Scottish doctor who becomes the left-hand man (to a certain extent against his will) of Amin. Gillian Anderson of X-files fame cameos as the wife of the local doctor whom he works with.
The cinematography is gorgeous and interleaves between movie and documentary at will. The colour and composition, although not immediately obvious, will slowly grow with the audience. The soundtrack is also pleasing to the ear, though it gets a bit jarring as the film gets darker near the end.
Ever thought-provoking, it makes one wonder how powerful words can be utilised to serve twisted needs.
Inspired by the real-life Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, played to an almost terrifying reality by Forest Whitaker, the story tells of a fictional Scottish doctor who becomes the left-hand man (to a certain extent against his will) of Amin. Gillian Anderson of X-files fame cameos as the wife of the local doctor whom he works with.
The cinematography is gorgeous and interleaves between movie and documentary at will. The colour and composition, although not immediately obvious, will slowly grow with the audience. The soundtrack is also pleasing to the ear, though it gets a bit jarring as the film gets darker near the end.
Ever thought-provoking, it makes one wonder how powerful words can be utilised to serve twisted needs.
2007年01月22日
Otoshimono
Walked in into the cinema expecting at least a decent horror movie, but came out really disappointed.
The story started a bit interesting, more or less including elements from classic Japanese horror movie such as long hair ghosts (Ringu style) and children with dark eyes (Juon style). But halfway through the movie till the end, everything started to fall apart.
The conclusion seemed meaningless also. I guess only fans of HP Lovecraft's Cthulu mythos would a better idea of what is going on in the story, as well as appreciate the subtle references (like the Miskatonic University pamphlet) in the show
For a show with Oguri Shun and Sawajiri Erika, both who are known to have good acting skills, it amazing to find the lack of it in this movie. Somehow they look seriously tired and gave pedestrian performances in this movie. The part with Erika and Wakatsuki supporting each other also seemed a bit extraneous. The only good parts, in my opinion, were the contributions from Sugimoto Aya and the guy who played the older Saku in Sekachu movie.
Scares-wise, the horror elements are heavily brought across by loud, eerie music, but tend to stay on screen too long to be effective scares. This is further complicated by the less than even editing of the film, which caused suddenly "jerking" in the scenes, and thus reducing the effectiveness of the scares further.
The story started a bit interesting, more or less including elements from classic Japanese horror movie such as long hair ghosts (Ringu style) and children with dark eyes (Juon style). But halfway through the movie till the end, everything started to fall apart.
The conclusion seemed meaningless also. I guess only fans of HP Lovecraft's Cthulu mythos would a better idea of what is going on in the story, as well as appreciate the subtle references (like the Miskatonic University pamphlet) in the show
For a show with Oguri Shun and Sawajiri Erika, both who are known to have good acting skills, it amazing to find the lack of it in this movie. Somehow they look seriously tired and gave pedestrian performances in this movie. The part with Erika and Wakatsuki supporting each other also seemed a bit extraneous. The only good parts, in my opinion, were the contributions from Sugimoto Aya and the guy who played the older Saku in Sekachu movie.
Scares-wise, the horror elements are heavily brought across by loud, eerie music, but tend to stay on screen too long to be effective scares. This is further complicated by the less than even editing of the film, which caused suddenly "jerking" in the scenes, and thus reducing the effectiveness of the scares further.
2007年01月12日
Jeju Bear Museum
My aunt and cousins went to Korea just recently, and the current craze is of course the Jeju Bear Museum, as popularised by the recent Goong serial. The teddy bears are always featured at the end of each episode. They were generous enough to bring back one for my sis. The box is about 30cm in length, and houses the Alfred bear snuggly. It even comes with a small little booklet with a nice photo of the Prince (Shin?). Definitely a place to check out while u are there :)
Fuyu no Opera (Winter Opera)
Found this at Meidi-ya. The packaging looks really nice IMHO, and the look enticed me to buy it. However, I guess I have to blame myself cos, due to my recent crave of Roche chocs, this product has sorta become rather normal in comparison when I ate it. I guess some of the problem comes from the coffee mid-layer. I am not really a coffee person, and the taste isn't that exquisite as I thought it would be. Still, it would make quite a good item to have during a lazy afternoon tea with friends. :)
2007年01月01日
Miharu Sapporo Ramen
Went with my family to visit Miharu today. Was looking through the tons of reviews and recommendations (Jeff's included) and it all suggests that Miharu serves the best ramen in town.
The place is not exactly that easy to find, even with a car. The entrance to Gallery Hotel can be easily missed as u pass through the nightspot district. The place is actually quite small, able to accomodate prob about 20 patrons in a 5m by 5m square space. Do not attempt to come here in a large group without a booking and expect to sit in the airconditioned interior.
We had the tonkotsu miso ramen, which was considerably nice compared to all the other ramen we have tried here. Healthy servings of corn, garlic, bamboo shoot plus a slice of pork and half an egg. The noodles (I guessing its tsukemen cos of its texture) is chewy and springy, VERY nice indeed. The soup is very nice and oily, the correct way it should be done, but a bit on the salty side. Salty is great for a cold place like Sapporo, but for a hot place like here its not too recommended unless we have cold weather like for now. Although there is no strong after-taste.
But frankly the general consensus is, it still pales in comparison to the real thing we tried in Sapporo. And also, the absence of extras like gyozas and other supplementary food seems to handicap the menu. The price is alright at 12.50 but the parking+transport to get here might not be worth the extra effort to come here. Ohsho still have an advantage for its gyoza and other finger food plus the fact that its centrally located (despite the similar or even slightly higher price).
The place is not exactly that easy to find, even with a car. The entrance to Gallery Hotel can be easily missed as u pass through the nightspot district. The place is actually quite small, able to accomodate prob about 20 patrons in a 5m by 5m square space. Do not attempt to come here in a large group without a booking and expect to sit in the airconditioned interior.
We had the tonkotsu miso ramen, which was considerably nice compared to all the other ramen we have tried here. Healthy servings of corn, garlic, bamboo shoot plus a slice of pork and half an egg. The noodles (I guessing its tsukemen cos of its texture) is chewy and springy, VERY nice indeed. The soup is very nice and oily, the correct way it should be done, but a bit on the salty side. Salty is great for a cold place like Sapporo, but for a hot place like here its not too recommended unless we have cold weather like for now. Although there is no strong after-taste.
But frankly the general consensus is, it still pales in comparison to the real thing we tried in Sapporo. And also, the absence of extras like gyozas and other supplementary food seems to handicap the menu. The price is alright at 12.50 but the parking+transport to get here might not be worth the extra effort to come here. Ohsho still have an advantage for its gyoza and other finger food plus the fact that its centrally located (despite the similar or even slightly higher price).
2006年12月29日
Nodame Cantabile #6-#11
Ah, feeling so sad that Nodame Cantabile has ended. Sis and I stayed up late just to watch the final episode :) Just hope that there will be a season 2 which features the exploits of Chiaki and Nodame in Europe :) It will be something real cool. Initially the ratings for this show was way behind Boku no aruku Michi and 14sai no haha, although considerably high for a Monday drama. But somehow the show gained viewership and popularity in a very big way, something the producers probably didn't expect?
Lets review all the good factors which I though made the show a success!
Story
Superbly adapted from the popular comic, although sometimes it can be scene-for-scene, its made in such a way that it looks natural on TV (as compared to that girl cooking on a teppan..hmms). Comic effects abound and easily recognised, they do not clogged up the flow of the story but serve as useful breaks of attention to bring laughter to the audience.
Cast
The cast for the drama is superbly selected. It's hard to argue over the selection of the individual members of the cast as they fit so well with the characters they are supposed to portray. The storyline also gives enough exposition to each character so we see them as individuals and not as "just another character".
The choices of Ueno Juri and Tamaki Hiroshi, on hindsight, is really undisputable as the show progresses. They really fit the characters so well, besides having great chemistry. I really hope that this will be the key show that propels both of them (Hiroshi especially) to much greater heights. The final scene when Chiaki hugs Nodame is simply one of the most touching and romantic scenes ever. Period :)
Music
One thing about classical music. There is a high chance that producers choose very common or well-played pieces to strike up a rapport with the audience. In contrast (probably a leftover from the manga), the pieces chosen to spearhead the performance in each episode is not too "banal" and represent good music for the new and old fan alike. The more common music are thoughtfully added as BGM for the rest of the drama. Khor was commenting that the performances in each episode are added as if it was the last episode. Going the extra mile rewards the audience and makes us really more interested.
The further element of music playing is also well acted out by each character, be it Kiora's violin, Sakura's double bass or Nodame's piano. You can straightaway see that they have taken the extra effort to train with the actual instruments and play it in a rather convincing manner in the show (in contrast to a certain girl who can only come out in the night).
Details
There are actually a lot of details in the show, in the way the set s are constructed, the actual music scores, the CDs, the toys, the anime as well as dozen of props that are so recognisable and make an impact on the audience. Khor even realise that when Nodame was scolded, she started to play the 2-piano sonata in minor key instead of major key. Nice! :)
Can't wait for a continuation of the show. Ra yu ready?
Lets review all the good factors which I though made the show a success!
Story
Superbly adapted from the popular comic, although sometimes it can be scene-for-scene, its made in such a way that it looks natural on TV (as compared to that girl cooking on a teppan..hmms). Comic effects abound and easily recognised, they do not clogged up the flow of the story but serve as useful breaks of attention to bring laughter to the audience.
Cast
The cast for the drama is superbly selected. It's hard to argue over the selection of the individual members of the cast as they fit so well with the characters they are supposed to portray. The storyline also gives enough exposition to each character so we see them as individuals and not as "just another character".
The choices of Ueno Juri and Tamaki Hiroshi, on hindsight, is really undisputable as the show progresses. They really fit the characters so well, besides having great chemistry. I really hope that this will be the key show that propels both of them (Hiroshi especially) to much greater heights. The final scene when Chiaki hugs Nodame is simply one of the most touching and romantic scenes ever. Period :)
Music
One thing about classical music. There is a high chance that producers choose very common or well-played pieces to strike up a rapport with the audience. In contrast (probably a leftover from the manga), the pieces chosen to spearhead the performance in each episode is not too "banal" and represent good music for the new and old fan alike. The more common music are thoughtfully added as BGM for the rest of the drama. Khor was commenting that the performances in each episode are added as if it was the last episode. Going the extra mile rewards the audience and makes us really more interested.
The further element of music playing is also well acted out by each character, be it Kiora's violin, Sakura's double bass or Nodame's piano. You can straightaway see that they have taken the extra effort to train with the actual instruments and play it in a rather convincing manner in the show (in contrast to a certain girl who can only come out in the night).
Details
There are actually a lot of details in the show, in the way the set s are constructed, the actual music scores, the CDs, the toys, the anime as well as dozen of props that are so recognisable and make an impact on the audience. Khor even realise that when Nodame was scolded, she started to play the 2-piano sonata in minor key instead of major key. Nice! :)
Can't wait for a continuation of the show. Ra yu ready?
2006年12月27日
Dr. Koto's Clinic #8-#11
I actually watched the last four episodes in one shot in an attempt to watch how the ending would unfold, knowing that it would involve the story of Ayaka and her fight against her illness.
I guess the ending story arc of Dr Koto trying to cure Rika's mom as well as Ayaka, both against cancer, reflect on how friable a doctor can get when it comes to treating patients, no matter how good his or her skills can be. A wrong diagnosis can condemn a person to unnecessary trauma, while having too much emotional attachments to a patient can bring disastrous results.
The relationship between Ayaka and Dr Koto comes into full circle in the finale, having developed slowly since the first season in 2003. The feelings between them is really subtly brought across but can be strongly felt progressively throughout the two series.
One shock was the appearance of the abusive husband of Mina. I guess many fans of Aoi Yuu would have rushed out to beat up the bugger :) (yes yak!) That episode was really some nice work by Aoi and a good twist to the Mina story arc. I guess this would greatly deviate from the original manga, as the Mina inside is a very kiddy character in contrast to the drama Mina.
All in all, a good drama to watch, full of heart and soul, worth every cent of the 22+% ratings weekly.
I guess the ending story arc of Dr Koto trying to cure Rika's mom as well as Ayaka, both against cancer, reflect on how friable a doctor can get when it comes to treating patients, no matter how good his or her skills can be. A wrong diagnosis can condemn a person to unnecessary trauma, while having too much emotional attachments to a patient can bring disastrous results.
The relationship between Ayaka and Dr Koto comes into full circle in the finale, having developed slowly since the first season in 2003. The feelings between them is really subtly brought across but can be strongly felt progressively throughout the two series.
One shock was the appearance of the abusive husband of Mina. I guess many fans of Aoi Yuu would have rushed out to beat up the bugger :) (yes yak!) That episode was really some nice work by Aoi and a good twist to the Mina story arc. I guess this would greatly deviate from the original manga, as the Mina inside is a very kiddy character in contrast to the drama Mina.
All in all, a good drama to watch, full of heart and soul, worth every cent of the 22+% ratings weekly.
2006年12月25日
Tatta Hitotsu no Koi #9, #10
Strangely the ending of this drama seemed to be very dissimilar to the drama in the first half of the season. The later half was rather watchable and more believable. Rainie was reminding me that in the original CM for the show, Kame was hugging Ayase on a wheelchair, and for most of the show the producers kept reminding us that Nao may die anytime. Seems like the viewers are probably frustrated with such a storyline, especially as it draws parallels with Beautiful Life and the like.
Somehow the ending is not too bad. The biggest gripe was why did Kou not end up with Yuko? It wasn't that clear it seems, but this is probably to illustrate the reality/fact that not all rich-poor pairings can come into fruition as per Hiroto/Nao. I sniffed quite a bit when Hiroto/Nao held hands for the last 15 minutes on the boat. Just dunno why also :)
Overall I just felt that the story could have been better written, and much tighter in the first few episodes. The ending seems compressed in comparison. I would still believe that Kimura Takuya is the quintessential hero for Eriko's scripts, and one that is hard to replace.
Poor Ayuta and Kou, really shortchanged for their roles. Even Yuko got much more than the both of them. Hopefully the 3 of them can move on to better things in their later dramas. Toda has improved from Galsar, and its hard to believe that Koki can act both serious and comical characters. Kaname Jun also redeemed himself after his on-off role in Taiyou no Uta. His pairing to Toda would have been something to watch actually, although it never really took off.
End up, as I said before, the music becomes something that I can take away from the drama. The recurring themes do get a bit haunting especially if u match it to the scenes in Yokohama. I guess the city of Yokohama (which is as good as they portray in the show) stands to gain a lot from the show, as seen by the various guides popping up on the internet to show potential tourists which particular spots were featured in the drama. A must for any couple or couple to be :)
Recently, I also saw a lot of places selling the fish/man light-up rubber ball thingee that Nao uses to signal Hiroto. Its rather obvious that these items are cheaper knock-offs as seen by the poor painting. Nevertheless it shows how Jdrama is silently becoming an important part of the discerning audience, as well as the enterprising businessman here.
Somehow the ending is not too bad. The biggest gripe was why did Kou not end up with Yuko? It wasn't that clear it seems, but this is probably to illustrate the reality/fact that not all rich-poor pairings can come into fruition as per Hiroto/Nao. I sniffed quite a bit when Hiroto/Nao held hands for the last 15 minutes on the boat. Just dunno why also :)
Overall I just felt that the story could have been better written, and much tighter in the first few episodes. The ending seems compressed in comparison. I would still believe that Kimura Takuya is the quintessential hero for Eriko's scripts, and one that is hard to replace.
Poor Ayuta and Kou, really shortchanged for their roles. Even Yuko got much more than the both of them. Hopefully the 3 of them can move on to better things in their later dramas. Toda has improved from Galsar, and its hard to believe that Koki can act both serious and comical characters. Kaname Jun also redeemed himself after his on-off role in Taiyou no Uta. His pairing to Toda would have been something to watch actually, although it never really took off.
End up, as I said before, the music becomes something that I can take away from the drama. The recurring themes do get a bit haunting especially if u match it to the scenes in Yokohama. I guess the city of Yokohama (which is as good as they portray in the show) stands to gain a lot from the show, as seen by the various guides popping up on the internet to show potential tourists which particular spots were featured in the drama. A must for any couple or couple to be :)
Recently, I also saw a lot of places selling the fish/man light-up rubber ball thingee that Nao uses to signal Hiroto. Its rather obvious that these items are cheaper knock-offs as seen by the poor painting. Nevertheless it shows how Jdrama is silently becoming an important part of the discerning audience, as well as the enterprising businessman here.
2006年12月07日
Tatta Hitotsu no Koi #8
Been a while since I updated. Was caught up with REAL LIFE (tm) and the JLPT exam :)
Somehow I am getting more and more enthralled by the soundtrack of this show. At first it seems nothing special, but it sort of grows on you. Perhaps it sounds also a bit like festive like those instrumentals you hear during Xmas.
I always have and still admire the Jun-ai between Kou and Yuko. The subtle displays of affection and trust really makes them a very watchable couple, much more than the main one.
The main couple is meeting with a lot of emotions, especially when family members are involved. At least there are no unneccesary "Taiyou" developments as yet. The ending of this episode was a bit weird though, maybe just fan-service for Ayuta? It wasn't really necessary in my opinion, and after all they have been through I can't really rationalise why Nao will do such an atypical thing. Perhaps the next episode will provide more clues.
Somehow I am getting more and more enthralled by the soundtrack of this show. At first it seems nothing special, but it sort of grows on you. Perhaps it sounds also a bit like festive like those instrumentals you hear during Xmas.
I always have and still admire the Jun-ai between Kou and Yuko. The subtle displays of affection and trust really makes them a very watchable couple, much more than the main one.
The main couple is meeting with a lot of emotions, especially when family members are involved. At least there are no unneccesary "Taiyou" developments as yet. The ending of this episode was a bit weird though, maybe just fan-service for Ayuta? It wasn't really necessary in my opinion, and after all they have been through I can't really rationalise why Nao will do such an atypical thing. Perhaps the next episode will provide more clues.
