Macross Frontier: The False Songstress

broderic on July 2, 2022

Macross Frontier is my favorite Macross, because the legs of the love triangle have two of my favorite idol singers in the Macross saga, Sheryl Nome and Ranka Lee. Throughout the series, these two had really great songs to sing. Is there anything better than Diamond Crevasse?

Macross Frontier: The False Songstress is the film that came out just after the anime series. It was released way back in 2008 and was part one to a two part series to wrap up the Macross F saga. This was the film that sort of summed up the series. It did not do a great job at it. In fact, if you never saw the series, then you would be lost. It took all the story points of the series and condensed them. It took a few minutes from every episode, sliced them to form an incoherent movie, and let it run for about two hours.

I was really looking forward to this, but I was sorely disappointed. It wasn’t helped that the showing started with 10 minutes of a blank screen. Seriously, it was a mess.

1 of 5 stars.

Everything Everywhere All at Once

broderic on April 10, 2022

With a title like Everything Everywhere All at Once, the movie better be epic. Yes, it certainly was, but also quite strange that it was at once intimate in scope. It went from multi-verse spanning to personal and family dynamics. All of it big and all of it small.

The movie stars Michelle Yeoh as a Chinese immigrant owner of a laundry mat. She’s got business trouble — the IRS is auditing her business records. She’s also got family trouble — a disappointed father, a weak husband, a daughter she barely understands. Worlds collide with lots of fun, weird, thrilling moments occuring. It turns out she is the One who can bring about peace among the multi-verse. Her husband is at turns suave, strong, engaging, besides his passive self, and wants to activate her power. Her daughter she still can’t figure out. They are all there to either save or destroy all universes and to either save or destroy their family.

The movie wants to reckon with the current situation of the world. Lots of disagreement. Lots of misunderstandings. It wants to reckon with a family’s disfunction. Much disagreement. Much misunderstandings. This movie is about both big and small things.

The way it all comes together is amazing. Kung fu action pieces. Hilarious alternate universes — hot dog hands and a raccoon version of Ratatouille. It’s the multiverse movie to watch.

Too be honest I teared up. It was really that good. Also, the return of Shortround, Ke Huy Quan, moved me. Where has he been? He was really good in this. Went from being Jackie Chan to being Tony Leung. For this 80’s kid, it was great seeing his face on the silver screen once again.

I am glad I went to see this film. I went in not really knowing much, which only increased my surprise to how good it was. It’s been a couple years since really wanting to see a film in the theater. I’m happy to have seen this one.

5 of 5 stars.

セサミ坂

broderic on April 1, 2022

Wait. We got a Sakamichi group singing with Sesame Street muppets. Singing Sakamoto Kyu’s hit song 「上お向いて歩こう」or known in the west as “Sukiyaki.” Is this some kind of joke? Well it is April Fool’s day.

But this isn’t any joke. It’s Hinatazaka46 with Elmo, Judy, and Cookie Monster! Nice. I’m enjoying it. You do the same.

Actually…

broderic on March 22, 2022

Actually, this is the second MV for Nogizaka46’s 29th single, “Actually…” It is released today, but this MV has only recently just come out on Sunday. If you buy the single, you’ll find another version — a 20 minute dramatic version. It was all drama to get us here. Ten years and they finally got some drama in the form of their latest recruits, 5期生.

So the original center for this single was to be one of their newest members, Nakanishi Aruno, who just joined at the start of the year. But then she was cancelled. In reality, some of her past social media posts came to light. They were pretty awful to say. Eventually, she had to go on hiatus to hide from the backlash against her.

This was at the start of the month. They had filmed the music video before then. And burned the CDs already. So therefore there are two versions for the title song.

It will be a while for me to get the CDs. I’m sore over how this release went down. Also, a bit skeptical of Nakanishi and 5th Gen. I do like the song, and I still love the group. Weirdly, I can’t wait to get the CDs in my hand.

Let’s Have Fun

broderic on February 21, 2022

Watch this and know you’ll have fun, but you only have about 36 hours. Will this video go blank in two days? I guess we’ll find out. But, still, watch.

Music Sounds Better With You

broderic on January 25, 2022

新内眞衣OL,BBA

Nogizaka46 going for the Showa vibes with a tinge of City Pop. I kind of like it. I wish they would do it some more. It isn’t the first time. It will not be the last. Maybe sometime then they’ll try it in their late night show, Nogizaka Star Tanjou.

Shinuchi Mai, as I have already said, is leaving the group in the next few weeks. The song was on Nogizaka’s last album. They released this video so that we will remember her. Last week was her birthday along with Ikuta Erika. She turned 30 which is a very rare age for an idol.

I can listen to this all day…

A Sudden Kiss

broderic on November 18, 2021

This song. This song. This song.

It’s one’s gateway to City Pop. It’s mine. If you listen to this it may be yours.

Hopefully it will be.

Listen. This song.

Nostalgia for a place and time I have never been to.

Don’t you think?

Yeah. I’m a weeb.

卒業 is a Four Letter Word

broderic on October 25, 2021

Ikuta Erika will not make it to the 10th Year Birthday Live. She will graduate at the end of the year with her last appearance being Kouhaku.

It is a bleak Monday.

I don’t know yet how to process this information. Right now, I guess I am in shock. Depression should hit in the afternoon.

I wish her happiness, and I hope to see her do great things in theater.

Spooky Mulder

broderic on October 1, 2021

I just started to rewatch one of my favorite shows. My friend, Annie, used to call me Scully because of how much I talked about the show. I’m gonna see how much it holds up.

One thing that does suck is that my BluRay player playing the DVDs wants to upscale and stretch the picture to match my television. I can’t figure out how to make it run in the original aspect ratio. This is just one of the mysteries that you find in one of the X files.

Anyhow. Doesn’t the theme song just evokes an era? How nostalgic.

“Mr. James, why are you so gung ho about this?” “Because investigative reporting is the lifesblood of American journalism. Besides, I lost my golf date this afternoon so I’m kinda bored.”

broderic on September 4, 2021

Whelp. It’s Nogizaka46’s third single of the year and their twenty-eighth overall. Also, it’s another new center for this single. Three to match the three singles released. The center is from fourth gen, Kakki Haruka. To be honest, I’m not on the Kakki bandwagon completely. I think I have trouble with the fourth gen, but it isn’t her fault. It’s me.

Anyhow, like the song. Like the center. Like the group. I cannot wait for the release at the end of this month.