My First Eiga Sai experience
I wanted to watch one particular film at the annual Eiga Sai film screenings at the very posh ShangRi La Mall.
lex_kun also wanted to watch as well so we decided to meet up and watch the screenings together.
It was my first time to go to Eiga Sai. For the past years, it was either that I was too busy or I did not like the selection. So, it was rather exciting. I was expecting to pay for tickets because it was held in the Shang after all. I was thinking at a price around 90-100 because that was the selling price for tickets during Cinemanila screenings. I was really happy when I learned that it was for free. The ticket lady at the ground floor said I just needed to line up.
Funny thing was that the tickets for the first screening, which I wanted to watch, were already gone. That was a bit puzzling because I was at the line towards the cinema and there was not so much people there anyway. It turns out that tickets were being distributed 2 hours before the appointed time. So much for the ticket ladies' "Pumila ka lang" reply. In retrospect, that arrangement would have been probably placed by management to deter those that will sit through all the screenings. Since the tickets to the next screening will be distributed during the current screening, you cannot see the next movie because you are depriving some other person of his seat. You are compelled to leave.
We were supposed to watched a feel good movie, "青春” themed movie. But since tickets were out,
lex_kun and I decided to look for a review or description of the next screening. From our research, the movie "カナリア" has something to do about a family who was a member of the terrorist cult group that unleashed the nerve gas in the Tokyo underground train system from the past. That alone was quite intriguing so we eventually decided to wait and watch that movie.
I can say that I have my fair share of experience with art house films. I have many Wong Kai Wai films in my movie collection among so many others so watching "カナリア" was just another normal movie for me. It has a funny way of placing its "surprises". There was this surprise yuri scene. Another was the notable scene towards the end. My only qualm about the movie is that in order to understand many of its allusions and visual methaphors, one should be versed with Japanese folklore at the very least. This is especially true for the aforementioned scene towards the end.
If you want a dose of artsy fartsy movie, you are all welcome to watch other screening of the this movie as well as the other titles showcased in this year's Eiga Sai. For more info, please visit their website at http://www.jfmo.org.ph/
The lead kid, 光一(the characters name), (I am so happy that I have learned another kanji string used as a name and I also know how to pronounce it XD) was familiar. I was really expecting that he was Shigeru in 誰も知らない because that would be too awesome if true but alas he was not. He looked familiar. Upon further research, I confirmed that I did see him already somewhere. He was one of the "adopted" kids in the foster home in the KimuTaku dorama Engine. He is also the male kid (duh!) in the live action TV movie of Hotaru no Haka (Grave of the Fireflies). This kid really likes to be casted as an unlucky youth.
The lead girl on the other hand was oddly familiar. I think I saw her somewhere before. After a bit of searching in the net, I found out that she was actually the seiyuu for the lead girl in the anime feature "時をかける少女". Well, that did not really count as "seeing" her but hearing her before is to be more exact to it.
After watching it, I have a few questions,
(1) In all the "serious" live-action Japanese films I have seen (except Grave of the fireflies), the Enjokosai "援助交際" problem is always highlighted. If its really such a big problem and the phenomenon gets noted by art films distributed outside Japan, why does the Japanese government do something about it. Well, maybe they do or did something about it already but I have not yet heard any of it via the translated news media.
(2) Are physical couple fights acceptable to them(Japanese)? Well, I was quite surprised that when the protagonists in the movie had a lover spat they literally punched each other. The girl exchanged blows with the boy. Well, the first time I saw it/read it is in a shoujo manga where the heroine and his hero got into a lover's quarrel that became into a real brawl of sorts. For those perplexed, think of the famous scene in Mr and Mrs. Smith where the two tried to kill/blow each other up nearly destroying their house at the process. Well, the aftermath of fights in the Japanese cases, did not lead into hot sekks but the strong lovey dovey feeling after reconciliation is there.I maybe over reading into it but please can anyone explain?
lex_kun also wanted to watch as well so we decided to meet up and watch the screenings together.
It was my first time to go to Eiga Sai. For the past years, it was either that I was too busy or I did not like the selection. So, it was rather exciting. I was expecting to pay for tickets because it was held in the Shang after all. I was thinking at a price around 90-100 because that was the selling price for tickets during Cinemanila screenings. I was really happy when I learned that it was for free. The ticket lady at the ground floor said I just needed to line up.
Funny thing was that the tickets for the first screening, which I wanted to watch, were already gone. That was a bit puzzling because I was at the line towards the cinema and there was not so much people there anyway. It turns out that tickets were being distributed 2 hours before the appointed time. So much for the ticket ladies' "Pumila ka lang" reply. In retrospect, that arrangement would have been probably placed by management to deter those that will sit through all the screenings. Since the tickets to the next screening will be distributed during the current screening, you cannot see the next movie because you are depriving some other person of his seat. You are compelled to leave.
We were supposed to watched a feel good movie, "青春” themed movie. But since tickets were out,
lex_kun and I decided to look for a review or description of the next screening. From our research, the movie "カナリア" has something to do about a family who was a member of the terrorist cult group that unleashed the nerve gas in the Tokyo underground train system from the past. That alone was quite intriguing so we eventually decided to wait and watch that movie.
I can say that I have my fair share of experience with art house films. I have many Wong Kai Wai films in my movie collection among so many others so watching "カナリア" was just another normal movie for me. It has a funny way of placing its "surprises". There was this surprise yuri scene. Another was the notable scene towards the end. My only qualm about the movie is that in order to understand many of its allusions and visual methaphors, one should be versed with Japanese folklore at the very least. This is especially true for the aforementioned scene towards the end.
If you want a dose of artsy fartsy movie, you are all welcome to watch other screening of the this movie as well as the other titles showcased in this year's Eiga Sai. For more info, please visit their website at http://www.jfmo.org.ph/
The lead kid, 光一(the characters name), (I am so happy that I have learned another kanji string used as a name and I also know how to pronounce it XD) was familiar. I was really expecting that he was Shigeru in 誰も知らない because that would be too awesome if true but alas he was not. He looked familiar. Upon further research, I confirmed that I did see him already somewhere. He was one of the "adopted" kids in the foster home in the KimuTaku dorama Engine. He is also the male kid (duh!) in the live action TV movie of Hotaru no Haka (Grave of the Fireflies). This kid really likes to be casted as an unlucky youth.
The lead girl on the other hand was oddly familiar. I think I saw her somewhere before. After a bit of searching in the net, I found out that she was actually the seiyuu for the lead girl in the anime feature "時をかける少女". Well, that did not really count as "seeing" her but hearing her before is to be more exact to it.
After watching it, I have a few questions,
(1) In all the "serious" live-action Japanese films I have seen (except Grave of the fireflies), the Enjokosai "援助交際" problem is always highlighted. If its really such a big problem and the phenomenon gets noted by art films distributed outside Japan, why does the Japanese government do something about it. Well, maybe they do or did something about it already but I have not yet heard any of it via the translated news media.
(2) Are physical couple fights acceptable to them(Japanese)? Well, I was quite surprised that when the protagonists in the movie had a lover spat they literally punched each other. The girl exchanged blows with the boy. Well, the first time I saw it/read it is in a shoujo manga where the heroine and his hero got into a lover's quarrel that became into a real brawl of sorts. For those perplexed, think of the famous scene in Mr and Mrs. Smith where the two tried to kill/blow each other up nearly destroying their house at the process. Well, the aftermath of fights in the Japanese cases, did not lead into hot sekks but the strong lovey dovey feeling after reconciliation is there.I maybe over reading into it but please can anyone explain?