Been a while...

Well, I was encouraged to get back to the blogging, so here I go... Not too much has happened since my April 25th post. I just noticed that the second comment from my last post was actually some guy spamming my blog. I've never seen that, and it REALLY PISSES ME OFF! ARGH! So yeah, I've been seeing a lot of movies at Fantasia and it's been pretty cool so far. I submit to you a brief commentary on the movies I've seen (this is going to be done over the course of several days due to the volume of movies to consider): July 8th, 7:15 PM: Wonderful Days Most anime, while it comes from Japan, is animated by Korean animators. Wonderful Days was basically the Koreans trying to show that they can create their own animation without the Japanese. Now this is at the same time both a blessing and a bane. The film was aesthetically incredible - the animation was superb in every respect, mixing cel animation, live action components and CG animation mostly seamlessly. The only problem was that the storyline suffered somewhat as a result. It was confusing and somewhat disjointed. Some things were just inexplicable, and others seemed to have been there for no reason. But don't get me wrong, it was a great movie, visually... It just needed a bit of work in the story department. July 8th, 9:30 PM: Ju-on: The Grudge This is, without a doubt, the scariest movie I have ever seen. I have spent my entire life watching horror movies, trying to find something that would at least disturb me in the slightest. I have seen so many, yet none had ever affected me in the slightest way. Hell, I laughed my way through The Ring (though now I do have to see Ringu). However, this movie really freaked me out. This is because, for the first time, a movie tried to scare you through imagery, rather than "it's quiet... I know something's gonna spring out... It's going to appear out of nowhere... BAM!!!!" Some of the visuals were just so disturbing that one could barely help at least cringing a little. Naked big-eyed white-painted Japanese boys are scary, man! July 9th, 7:30 PM: 8th Diagram Pole Fighter Quentin Tarantino's big inspiration for Kill Bill: Vol. I, was very much based on the films of the Shaw Brothers, who created some of the most classic kung fu movies of all time. This one starred Gordon Liu, who played Johnny Mo (one of the masked men) in Vol. I, and, more memorably, Pai Mei in Vol. II. It had of the most incredible pole fighting ever. It was right up there with Jet Li's Fong Sai Yuk and Jackie Chan's Drunken Master. I was totally impressed by all aspects of the movie, right down to that cheesiness that makes all old kung fu movies so much fun to watch. July 9th, 11:55 PM: Battlefield Baseball This movie just totally wowed me. Allow me to give you a short description of the opening scene:

It's a peaceful day in Japan. The young high-schoolers are playing a nice game of Baseball. The weather is great, the players are all happy and ready to have a great game. The pitcher readies himself, and throws the ball. The batter swings, and the ball flies waaaaay out. The left-fielder runs after the ball........................ He runs more............. He jumps....... He's trying to catch the ball.... It lands in his mitt............................................ AND HE EXPLODES!!!

Now that's an awesome movie... It was just so unexpectedly funny that I just couldn't stop laughing the whole time. It just entertained me to no end with its non-stop gags and ridiculousness. I loved it! OK, I think that's enough for now. I'll try and get some done tomorrow if I have time... Now Reading : Cryptonomicon - Neil Stephenson Now Playing : Koda Kumi - Cutie Honey