This is one of my favorite YouTube videos. I like this guy’s channel as well. He produces a few solo hiking videos. They all make me want to go outside for a hike. They also make me want to buy some camera gear. Traveling must be fun.
Boy did I jinx it this morning. On my way into work listening to my usual Nogizaka playlist, I was thinking of Kazumin. How she’s often forgotten and yet she, Maiyan, and Ringo are the only members left to have appeared in all Nogi senbatsu. As I got out the car, I thought it was a beautiful day, and being such, I thought that this would be the type of day a graduation announcement would drop. I was thinking about Fukagawa’s announcement so long ago. I checked stage48 to see if there was any bad news — usually at this time it catches the night time announcements like Ikoma’s and Nanase’s. There was nothing and I thought we dodged a bullet…
Imagine my surprise to see the rumors then the truth of Maiyan’s graduation. Wow.
For as long as I was a fan, her speculation on her graduation was always rampant. Now that it is here. Nothing can be said. Wow.
It’s not like a punch in the gut like Nanase’s was, but it’s still a surprise. I have been ready for it, here it is, but still. Wow.
She’s gonna graduate at the end of March with the release of the 25th single. I wonder if she’ll be center?
Thank you, Maiyan.
Down to the last few days of 2019. Will I get to see a movie and add it to this list of best films I saw in the theatre? Maybe, there’s still a couple out there that I really want to watch, but I haven’t gotten around to. Also, maybe this list has a few films released the previous year, but once again, for those new to this blog, these are films I saw in the theatre in the year 2019.
Those are all 4 star films. Nothing really knocked me out this year, and there wasn’t really that many good ones I saw.
What’s your list?
Another year down the hole. Time sure does fly when you’re old. Hope you have a great year.
Episode IX was the fitting end to decade when movies became all about the franchise. A once moribund, but beloved film franchise, restarted in the middle of the decade amongst other franchise films, ending in a somewhat leaden finale. It sums up the breakdown of Hollywood as they chase the movie franchise devil. The entirety of movie making is broken. Maybe the salvation for good story telling is really in the streaming realm. Or has that broke, too.
I did not like what they did with the premise of The Last Jedi. I thought the previous film was brilliant and would give us a different type of Star Wars ending. Of course, because of its controversy the studio decided to give us a conventional ending. It was very much a “Return of the Jedi” ending to the trilogy — same thing as the first but bigger, louder, and more of.
Not to say I didn’t enjoy myself, but the themes presented from the previous installment were abandoned (as was Rose Tico). The sense that the Force is not destiny — abandoned. It was missing. To be a Force user then you have to be born with the midiclorians. Sucks. I wish Rey wasn’t from any family, because it was more interesting.
#FreeRoseTico
3 of 5 stars.
Oh, wow. What an egregious mistake. I was making my year end list of best films I saw in the theatre this year (wait for it!), and I see that I missed posting a review of Parasite. It’s one of the best films of the year — well reviewed and well deserved. It was a comedy, then it was a thriller, then it was a tragedy, and it wraps up as hope.
Also, the funniest thing ever. I went to the bathroom in the middle of the film. I was trying to find a spot to go. There was the down time as the protagonist family was getting drunk. I did not step out. I went as the scene finished with the previous housekeeper knocking on the door in the rain. Imagine my surprise as to what happened when I got back in. Alls I can say is, “Who’s that guy?”
I don’t remember too much, but I did like it. Actually, I remember a lot, but I think I’m still trying to process it months later.
4 of 5 stars.
As I watched the movies this past few months, I knew from looking at the trailer that I was going to be seeing The Good Liar. It looked like a film my mother would want to see. Not me. So we went to see it.
It was fine for a Saturday afternoon. This is a film that still need to be made. It allows people to find something in the theatre to watch besides superhero films and scary movies. Hollywood should try to make more of these, but the public doesn’t believe in watching movies in the theatre.
3 of 5 stars.
There’s a joke for weebs about George Michael’s Last Christmas. It’s the only Christmas song that the Japanese play. It’s terrible, because it’s about breaking hearts. I guess, for the Japanese, Christmas is for heartbreaks considering the country isn’t religious. I think they all go out on dates on Christmas. At least, that’s what anime has taught me.
Anyhow, there’s a twist in the movie, that if you paid attention will be completely obvious.
Overall, not a bad film. It may eventually become a Christmas classic. But that will take the likes of everyone to make it happen. Make it happen, everyone. We need another film to enter the Christmas film cannon.
3 of 5 stars.
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you and your family, friends, and significant others have a great and safe Thanksgiving!
I am thankful for… my family and friends. The beautiful idols of Nogizaka46… Yamshita Mizuki… Ikuta Erika… Shiraishi Mai… the whole of them… My MacBook Pro… barbecue ribs… fried chicken… oxygen…
I would like to think that Yamashita’s eating a turkey leg. So she’s celebrating it with us! Yumm!
The Lighthouse is a strange film from the director of The Witch. It’s a black and white film shot in a 4:3 aspect ratio starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson as the lighthouse keepers. They go mad being cooped up alone in a lighthouse.
Was it all in their minds? Was it really madness? It was like Jack from the Shining going crazy. They were all going crazy from the solitude.
Now the hardest was that both characters were talking like The Sea Captain from the Simpsons. Sometimes it was hard to understand. Yaarrghh.
Was it scary? Yes in a psychological way. Madness is scary. And crazy ass masturbating lighthouse keepers, too.
3 of 5 stars.
