monologue : sorry I'm late

Sorry I had problem with my computer and couldn't write any entry. I'm gonna keep writing so don't forget me!

Merry Christmas to you all (too late...? so it's for the next 2007 Christmas) and happy holiday.

film : a perfect world

A perfect world is a film directed by my beloved Clint Eastwood starring Kevin Costner in his best role.

Basically, the film is about the relationship between Butch (Kevin Costner) and Phillip. Butch escaped from the prison of Texas with a guy and both kidnapped a boy called Phillip. And then they start a journey, and the chief Red (Clint Eastwood) follows them. Actually it is almost a road movie.



Volver made me cry after years of drought in my eyes, but I made a river with this film! I didn't cry so hard these years!! As the affection grows between them, the film drops you into the film. It also combines drama with good sense of humor, that is why it is easier to feel near to each character. We can see how they rely on each other and finally find their heart filled emotionally. And our heart do too.

Fatherhood and the nature or origin of criminal minds are also important thematic in the film. I think Clint Eastwood is smart in his description. He's always like that. That's his stamp.

The boy is charming and Costner is in his best. All his haters have to watch this! And special mention to Laura Dern who played Sally. She and Clint made me laugh a lot.

Well I was angry and blamed on me because I missed this film all my life. That's unforgivable!

one shot : little herdsman

Mongolian boy and horse. This picture should be one from some festivals. That tough horse conquered the world once. That tough boys are teached by big fathers how to ride a horse. I think the boy remains the greatness of the Empire.

travel : Mongol

The three main attractions of Mongolia, or Mongol as I like to call the country, is Genghis, wild nature and the nomadic lifestyle.

Ginghis made Mongol great and this reason is enough to visit there. The wild nature and the nomadism are also his background, so I guess everything is connected.

The most interesting thing in the Mongolian nature is that it is almost untouched. So every place in Mongol would be wonderful, it should be like feel the human emptiness in the never ending land. So inner, so deep, so private. This is one of the highest country, the temperature changes a lot during the year (so is summer the best?), but it seems like it rains a little, so blue sky is guarantied.

The population is about 2.7 million, half of them still chooses the nomadic life, using the famous ger as the house. I really would love to meet them and somehow feel that, although I'd like to see them untouched forever (what is already not). I heard that in the nomadic people, there is no real conception of ownership of land. I wonder how it is possible. A woman married with a Mongol said that the Mongols are the most civilized people in the world due to their respectful thoughts. Perhaps that makes sense. As simple like that.

Gobi desert

Historic Karakorum

person : Ginghis Khan

Mongol was always interesting to me because of the steppes and nomad life. So I had to know something about the most important person of all Mongols, Genghis Kahn. The man who built the greatest empire of whole world and history. Hero and god for Mongols, founder of a royal dynasty for Chinese, barbarian for the rest of Eurasia. At the end of the day, he was a clear-minded strategist, Mongols believed him and deserves to be reminded.

Thus recently I finished reading a book called GENGHIS KHAN LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION by the author John Man (well actually it took 6 months... I am not good reader), I guess it was great introduction to his history. I hardly knew anything about him but the fact that he was a special figure.

He united his people. His way was sort of take part of us or die, you decide and he conquered much of Eurasia (China, Russia, Persia, etc.) and his heirs even arrived to Hungary, just to make a big summary. That helped international trade and the world developed a lot. But his moral values were quite important. He respect all type religion and beliefs, everything which concern to self improvement was right. The royalty was the most important thing to him. The treachery was definitely condemned, even when Genghis sees that the enemy's leader betrays his people, that was the most awful thing to Genghis:

No wonder that to Genghis loyalty was the moral equivalent of gold, hard won, easily lost.

It seems that all Mongols, in present day, conserve that value, I heard a lot. Beautiful people, aren't they?

Also his mysteries are addictive, the more you research, the more you want to know about his secrets, which is unknowable, at least undiscoverable. And I wonder what would happened if his heirs continued the conquest toward Western Europe. I'd like to know, or I wouldn't. I don't know...

sound : Fabolous & Tamia / into you

I really like what you've done to me
I can't really explain it
I'm so into you ♪

The hook is like that and I can say the same to both, Tamia and Fabolous. The song Into You is sensual, sexy. And I have sort of mind-orgasm every time I listen this love song, I can't really explain it! I wish you can have the same sansation ヽ(´ー｀)ノ



Fabolous is from Brooklyn and the gorgeous Tamia from Canada. My opinion is that both are underrated rapper and singer. He's sober (in good meaning of course) and superb. She's sober, superb and soulful as well.

art : Peter Callesen

It's OK his surname, Callesen, which means please shut up in Spanish. That's OK. No problem.

Big wave moving toward a small castle made of sand, 2006

Peter Callesen is Danish artist who works mainly with paper. His works are breathtaking and you can check them and everything about him in his home page. It seems like there are two galleries where we can see his works. In UK and Denmark.

Broken Bird, 2006

It's amazing how he can create all that figures only with a piece of paper, knife and glue. As a person who is familiar to Origami, I do admire this kind of creative works. Besides handicraft is something I really admire, because I don't know what I can do with my hands!

Looking back, 2006

disappearing : 03-the Inuit

Our grandchildren may never see the Inuits, though neither may I, but on TV. They are at least very interesting to me, more than any groups. How come they are living among ices? That was simple question of my infancy. They were very exotic, and their physical aspect very charming to my mind.


Inuit means "the people" in their language Inuktitut. They are people inhabiting mainly Russia, Alaska, Canada and Greenland. And what the most I admire is their larger notion of community, sharing everything between different families.

The race is something hard to extinguish, though the lifestyles are not. All the things I can imagine about them are: nomad life, hunters and fishermen, husky dog sleds, animal skin clothes, that warm parka, that lovely hood, the snow house igloo... it seems like all those things are going to vanish, reminding some elements as pop culture (not popular culture).

The problem is that the sea ice melts. If I were an Inuit, probably I would bomb Western civilizations, if I could. Just kidding, but of course I would get angry with I don't know what. It's not their fault at all, but can they blame us?

However, it isn't only ice-melting, the European arrival damaged to the Inuit lifestyle in Canada for example. A lot of people dead because of new diseases introduced by whalers and explorers. They were imposed to respect European (alien) criminal law. The land was stolen to develop war strategies.

It's true that Canada government established administrative centers to provide education, health and economic development services for Inuit. They also were helped for the settlemtents. And maybe Inuit chose that change after all. Then what are we talking about?

About losing identities. Is it beautiful? Definitely it isn't to me.

But sometimes I think I am not the one to say that. I am Japanese Spanish. Am I allowed to defend Japanese identity or the Spanish? The purity? I would love to think so. In the end of the day, it's our conscience. Particular conscience.

Kayak is also a word from Inuktitut. I didn't know.

person : Hugh O'Conor

Some actors can catch one's attention, not doing that breakthrough performance to eclipse other actors but being there to make shine others and themselves. I think that is the case of Hugh O'Conor, a 1975 born Irish actor. Actually I only saw him twice, but both films are enough to recognize his personality in the industry.

In Lasse Hallström's Chocolat, he played a young parish priest. The casting of this film was absolutely interesting, and his role was small but charming one, as he was so good that he was very conditioned by people around. I think this film is the most viewed one of his career.

And recently I've seen Jim Sheridan's My left foot, a film about an Irish author, painter and poet Christy Brown, which stars Daniel Day-Lewis. Hugh O'Conor was young Christy in this film of 1989, so at his 14 years old he was such a talented guy. His appearance was brief but also remarkable.

I wish I was a well known director so I could give him a lot of good roles.

film : volver

Pedro Almodóvar's film. Probably this is the best Spanish film I've ever seen. I can't really appreciate Spanish film industry, it's actually boring to me. But this time Pedro Almodóvar looks independent, so his style. I didn't understand the beauty of All about my mother but I did with Talk to her, so I was like doubtful with this one.

This film is about different women of three generations in La Mancha, who live as best as they can. Well, it is not as best as, because sometimes I think Spanish people don't think things too much (which is good) so it's kind of they are living their lives, surviving difficult moments and enjoying what a life can offer them. And suddenly the phantom of the dead mother (1st generation) seems to come back to their lives (2nd generation & 3rd).

It was so emotional, tells or shows you the life is not only about pretty pieces, it hurts too but we've got to carry on. We know it but we rediscover it. And Almodóvar mixed with inner Spanish popular culture, and that matches so good.

The Penelope Cruz's singing scene fills you with emotions. She was fine, Carmen Maura as well, but above all the things, Lola Dueñas was superb.

Oscar? I wouldn't give a damn, in any case this is good piece to me.

When Lola Dueñas said Estoy sola, como siempre...(I'm alone, as always) There is so many good dialogues indeed. I highly recomend it.

one shot : Henry Gray, Arizona

I am not sure what I saw in this picture that caught my attention. It was when I started to appreciate USA.

Henry Gray, Arizona by William Albert Allard

I used to blame North American people because of their we're-number-one minds. And also it was cool to hate them, as weak rebel boy. But I understood, I visited US but I didn't need it to realize that usually ordinary Americans are lovely and simple, specially in the countryside, in spite of the governs. It's common to say here that Americans are stupid, well I don't think so, but if they were, so what? Probably nobody is perfect and judging is awful. And probably this beautiful country, that is America, is worthy to be said number one. Oh am I defending it too much?

This photographer dedicated to cover American subjects almost all his career and said

The American West did attract me, I'm sure, because of both the space that affords solitude and the independence of a lot of the individuals out there. Also, to a degree, there's the dedication some of those individuals have for doing things right - even if it might be a simple thing as branding a calf or riding a horse well, but doing it right. And a pretty good code of conduct: honor, integrity, those kinds of things.

So I agree.

art : my father's works 〜１

I'm not sure if he used to paint, but I guess so, since his work is related with design and all that jazz. To be honest I haven't really been interested in my father's works but recently I had a chance to see them in his home page. Inevitably my attention went to his paintings.

Well he neither is famous nor seeks to be. But there's things we can enjoy, so I wanted to write about it in few posts. Of course I am not specialist about the art at all, but I do know what kind of art moves me. And he does move me. I don't know you, but at least he's creative and humorous from my point of view.

Today I'm gonna post some of his works.

reunion

one of my favorites, tutoyer, when a dress lets me see all her back, awww

person : Rinko Kikuchi

When you're in foreign country you want to know everything about your home country, right? In my case I am always looking for news about Japan and specially I waste my time searching how Japan or Japanese people success in the world. And Rinko is one of them.

I only want to congratulate her because of her challenge of being remembered. She's Rinko Kikuchi, a Japanese actress and she took part of the upcoming film Babel, a contender for the Oscars. It seems like a lot of people loved her performance and consider that she has to be nominated as best supporting actress. Let's see a pic from the film. She plays deaf-mute teenage girl.

I am following her steps from here and she really tries hard, that's my impression. Personally I am not talking about superficial things. Next pictures are her first appearance in world premiere, at the festival of Cannes. First one with the big director Alejandro González Iñárritu and the big Cate Blanchett. Second one with all the crew.

Damn, looks like alien but nice! Now let's go to Toronto film festival. She completely involved in Hollywood style and it's like she knows how to capture the attention. Changing dress, makeup, hairstyle, skin color... With big Brad Pitt.

And I think she's kind of self-promoting her career and it seems like she's succeeding. It's amazing the power of makeup. At a party with the big Gael García Bernal.

Is she chameleon? She looks hot here.

Reminds me Kelly Carlson a little bit.

... I'd like to talk about Kelly Carlson but not today, so I'm gonna post a pic. This is a cure for eye illnesses.

グラビア・ドーーーン

monologue : 君、誰だかよく分からないけど面白いじゃないか。

ジェシー・ブラッドフォード：

日本に来ることができて非常に嬉しく思います。ずっと東京に来たいと思っていました。私は中学時代に2年間日本語を勉強しましたが、覚えているのは「メリーさんのひつじ」と「かわいいな」という言葉だけです(笑）。

東京国際映画祭、父親たちの星条旗のプレミアでの発言らしいです。お前さんの発言こそかわいいじゃないかｗｗｗ

film : eternal sunshine of spotless mind

This creative film Eternal sunshine of spotless mind is about Joel (Jim Carry) and Clementine (Kate Winslet), they split up and the impulsive Clementine went to a doctor to erase her memory of him (it's possible in this film, while you're sleeping doctors remove memories in the brain). And then he realized about that and he was about doing the same, but eventually, during the treatment (when he's sleeping), he starts thinking that he doesn't want to forget her after all. So he tries to escape from the treatment and keep all memories in his mind.

We can virtually see how his memories are removing. It's hard and sad to see how all the beautiful memories of lovers are disappearing. And the way to represent it in the film is wonderfully clever. The creators didn't resort to digital means and what we see looks like manufacturing.

It's very romantic in odd way, you may find it very artistic or very boring. That's the fact.

The screenwriter is Charlie Kaufman, who is definitely... bloody crazy.

And the director Michael Gondry did this scene so good.

fun : laughing fit

Yo me meo de la risa cada vez que veo este video, es buenísimo!

Have you ever lose control of the laugh? I'm sure you have. Look at the video, you don't have to understand Spanish.

I have a lot of times, and a laughing fit always comes in inconvenient situations, doesn't it? I remember the time a friend and I couldn't stop laughing in a class, which was very boring and the silent dominated above all things. The fact is that I don't remember why we started to laugh, the reason must be something silly, but I do remember how hard was it. We couldn't breathe and I thought we were dying! Then I realized the way we caught the teacher's attention and everybody's, and it was worse. I wish I could remember the reason of the laugh.

Anyway, they say laughter is the best medicine. For all.

fun : draw your face

This is a web site, Ultimate Flash Face, where you can create a drawing of different faces. There're a lot of parts of a face (hairstyles, eyes, mouths, etc) and you just choose one of them. I imagine police has something like that, right? I made one for me but it was quite hard. And it still doesn't look like me. Well it's true that there're a lot of useless hairstyles or nose there.

Now boys, you can draw a face of the girl you like and say "hey look at this, I made it for you" and impress her! And she'll say "oh!". Good luck!

Who the hell are you!
It's me. I've cut me hair, shaved my face (even the eyebrows) and put some glasses. Handsome.