movies

movies I watched in 2010: a review
I'm not gonna list all the movies I watched (about 52 of them). I saw a lot of movies I didn't like & don't want to bother mentioning.
it's interesting that I watched an average of one movie a week. I think I'll pick the five best ones to mention.
and also say that I watched a lot of movies because of having no day job for the majority of the year, discovering free streaming of Asian movies (and TV shows) online, and the library.
thank you all.
(sorry no pictures this time. lots of links though.)

okay my favorites in the order I watched them in last year:

win #1: Air Doll (空気人形)
by Kore-Eda Hirokazu
I saw this Japanese film staring a Korean actress with English subtitles in a theater in Hong Kong. I guess that's sort of weird. the more cultures involved the better as far as I'm concerned.
I love his movies. they are weird for sure, but also thought provoking & beautiful. just the way I like my movies. in case you haven't heard, this movie is about a blow up doll that becomes real and goes out and gets a job in a video store while her owner is at work. I told you it was weird.

win #2: Honey & Clover (ハチミツとクローバー)
directed by Takada Masahiro; based on Manga by Umino Chika
first, I saw this movie. then, I read the manga. then, I saw the TV series. I haven't seen the anime, though I'm basically obsessed with this story and might watch it sometime, even though I'm not into anime.
it's the story of some friends in art school in Tokyo, and part of the reason I was motivated to go back to school. and then I decided not to go to art school.
in case you were wondering, the 10 volume manga is the best! it not only features at least two love triangles, but also a bike tour, and a different conclusion than the movie or TV show.

win #3: Love at 7th Sight (七天爱上你)
directed by Alfred Cheung
this movie was beautiful & sweet and the best part is it had a totally unexpected twist. it's about a sound engineer who meets a mysterious girl on a trip to Beijing.
thank you again to Multnomah county library for having a great selection of Asian movies that I can check out for free for three weeks! one of the many reasons I love living in Portland.

win #4: About Love (關於愛)
directed by Shimoyama Ten, Yee Chin-yen, and Zhang Yibai
a three part film depicting three different types of love. the first story takes place in Tokyo, the second in Taipei, and the third in Shanghai. they are all stories of one Japanese and one Chinese person meeting.
again the international theme...

and win #5: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (봄, 여름, 가을, 겨울 그리고 봄)
directed by Kim Ki-duk
another beautiful film from Asia... though this one is not really a love story.
it follows the life of a young monk in an isolated temple. it shows a version of the cycle of life through the four seasons, with the fifth season beginning again with a new student.
I loved Fall the best (it is actually my favorite season) because of a scene where the old monk writes out a sutra in calligraphy using his pet cat's tail as a brush. (I've been practicing Japanese calligraphy for over a year now.)


do you like how all five of those movies are from East Asia?
I like Asia. if you didn't already know, I have to say, 'duh.'

okay... I was gonna write about my favorite books of 2010 next time, but...  I don't know if I actually will.
I only read 2-3 books that I thought were really great.
does that mean I have to read better books this year? I guess so.