Moviejournal: house of dream and madness - Miyazaki and ghili studio story

 Master of Japanese animation and a national treasure, Miyazaki will be long remembered after his death for the movies he has created. I am a huge fan of his spirited away, howe's moving castle, wind rises. The flowing style and true to life and detailed scenes are art in its pure form without modern triviality. Probably only Japan could breed and sustain such raw and pure artistry. The fact that the wind rises even got made is a testament to his pursuit of artistic freedom and purity. Like I've said before, I salute his effort in bring out the truest story he believes he can make out of a conventionally thought war machine. 

Of course its fascinating to observe how ghibli's daily office life (Miya San said ghibli is just a random word he pick from some Italian stuff). The figurines on the shelves and the random little posters and drawings makes me so envious. Miyazaki is upfront about his feelings towards Japan and ghibli, how he's saddened by what he see and he can clearly see total disarray and makes parallel with pre ww2 Japan. Fukushima obviously also made a deep impact inside him. 

This documentary follows a matter of factly narrative aided by people around Miyazaki. The Suzuki dude is fascinating top, they all work in a very close knit fashion and everyone knows an intimate thing or two about each other. The anecdotal story Suzuki told a group of new starts from NTV is fascinating about how spirited away come about. The importance of personal partnership is such a part in film making is powerful. Food for thought, it's people and soft skills that get the ultimate goal. 

Throughout the film we can see Miyazaki as a deeply humanistic, almost eccentric but loveable old dude with impeccable hair and trimmings. Work ethics certainly goes without saying for any major Japanese artist. We could really feel Miya-san's despair for the future and the homogenisation of film making that departs from how he likes to see films done.

I sure hope he makes more for the years to come for ourselves and our kids. 

bitchface

it's quite rare actually in contemporary australian workplace to encounter a bitchface. unfortunately we are in the receiving end of such a bitchface. it's hard to strategize under such constant bitchfacing, but i'll try to rationalise the reaction and plan forward.

1. consider it just as part of work

2. deal with it professionally

3. have written record and archive any conversation

moviejournal and tv journal: exodus: god and king, house of cards season 3

firstly the exodus moses story. when i saw the trailer i was instantly mesmerized by the biblical setting of this epic. the special effect side of the movie is mediocre if compared to recent hits like the 300 series. egyptians and pharaohs just doesn't have the sex appeal of the abs of ancient greeks and that's a fact. plus there is no bloody sex scenes. yes really.

have to admit i wasn't aware of the 10 plague story before i saw the film. i knew the story of splitting water while walking out of egypt, but 10 plague i got a taste first time in this film. as has been my long held belief, and from observing and reading on the topic, i treat religion as success cases of propaganda. there is no negative slant beyond common teasing, but no vilification intended. (so for the 5 reader of this blog who are religious, this is not intended to offend). The sheer violence in "god" action is just staggering. it's just human innate need to believe.

anyway, acting and story wise it's meh.

now, house of cards season 3, that's seriously good drama.

as season 3 develops it delves further into the conflict of moral and power than any other series i've watched. The demand of a presidency has tear even the strongest union between francis and claire. the nytimes review before i watched the season was fairly critical of the mundane nature of the first half of the season where francis take care of "usual business" as a president. but what the time review didn't review was how fascinating any single day of presidency is. kevin spacey really act his heart out in this role, i mean he deserves every accolade we lay on him.

towards the end of the season claire feels the power is getting away from her. she might be well entitled to this view as the plot hints a few times she is the main reason francis holds this seat. but to fall out like that towards the end was a culmination of something else, not just a lack of power, but instead deeper character or moral differences not reconcilable through talking and strategising alone. but why would she start feeling inadequate this late into the game?

Moviejournal: Avengers age of ultron

i know i've said no more of these mindless blockbuster popcorn movie after that horrible Godzilla fiasco couple months back. Gosh that was just a black lump of expired meat on the screen for 2 hours wasting time. Avenger at least put good looking people, zooming past with purpose yet not achieving much, besides creating the most perfect creater (in a red cape no less) of course, all good fun. Brain activity --.