islandarling’s blog

tekkon US release tomorrow

nobody@vox.com(islandarling) — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 09:07:15 -0700

Minna,

The day has finally arrived! Tekkonkinkreet will be released tomorrow Friday, July 13th.

It seems like it's only being released in NY and LA on Friday. If you're in Portland, OR or thereabouts, looks like you might get a chance at the end of the month.

New York
THE QUAD
34 West 13th Street, New York, NY 10011
212-255-8800

Los Angeles
THE LANDMARK
0850 W. Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90064
310-470-0492

I tried calling in for tickets at the Quad Cinema, but it looks like you can only buy the tickets on Friday.

Fans in Oregon, I also saw this:

TEKKONKINKREET
Tekkonkinkreet(2006/Japan)

Directed by Michael Arias

Showing: One Week: July 27 - August 2
Showtimes: Fri July 27 at 9:00, 10:55; Sat-Thur nightly 8:35, late Sat 10:30 plus Sat-Sun 4:30

Place/Contact:
Cinema 21
616 NW 21st Ave, Portland, OR 97209
Tel: 503-223-4515

In his insightful interview published yesterday at superherohype.com, Director Michael wasn't sure if the English version will be the one shown in theaters. BUT!! I checked out the Quad and Landmark sites and it looks like it's going to be in Japanese with English subs!! Hooray!!!!!

Nino fans who are 18 and over let's support this, ne!!! (sorry kids, they gave the movie an R rating) Especially since it appears these screenings are weeklong engagements only. Like I said before, my sis and I don't mind watching Tekkon a 2nd time. If anyone wants to join us you're more than welcome to - just let me know ^^

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Clint Eastwood going to Arashi's concert?

nobody@vox.com(islandarling) — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 20:51:18 -0700

At least he said he was really considering it during the Iwo Jima Press Con...

My sister and I watched the bonus features of the Iwo Jima DVD. Have you seen it, minna?

Too funny. I would recommend buying the DVD just to watch this teeny tiny bit.

One of the reporters asked Director Clint if he would be willing to perform in an Arashi concert...Surprisingly, he said he'd be really interested!!!

Nino's reaction was just priceless: a cross between embarrassment, incredulity and helplessness. But, ever the professional, he put on a smile and began rattling off concert dates when Director Clint asked when the concert will be... *somehow Nino seems more endearing when he's vulnerable -- i guess because he rarely is ^^*

Clint Eastwood at an Arashi concert... now that's a sight to see.

Perhaps if Arashi has a concert in the US...hehehe... *praying really really hard*

As an aside, I think Ryo Kase was terrific in the interviews and the press con - esp the interview with him and Nino.

Definitely try and get a copy if you can. It won't disappoint! ^^v

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update - tekkon US release

nobody@vox.com(islandarling) — Sun, 06 May 2007 16:33:17 -0700

doumo!

just wanted to share some updates about my earlier entry regarding the US release of Tekkon Kinkreet:

July 13 - US Theatrical Release
September 25 - US DVD Release

Sony also has the official US website up and running! here's the link: http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/tekkonkinkreet/index.html

From here you can watch the US trailer (the music kinda sounds different but it looks like they're keeping the original character voices...so we can still hear nino) and sign up for email updates.

for people who were not able to catch the initial screenings...it's time to rejoice! let's all support this, ne?

on that note, i don't mind watching it again(i'll try reading the manga beforehand too)...any fans near the NY area that would be willing to get together and watch? just let me know! ^^

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1 degree from nino - my short chat with Michael Arias

nobody@vox.com(islandarling) — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 20:24:11 -0700

There are times in one's life where one must make a decision to act or face regretting the inaction forever: buying or selling a certain stock, deciding on whether to buy that cute little number on sale, or just even deciding to ask someone out....

This was certainly the dilemma I found myself in on Wednesday night, April 25th, after the Tekkon Kinkreet premiere at the MoMA. Should I ask director Michael Arias for an autograph or not? The tension was really high as the Q and A that followed the movie had ended and a throng of people were swarming towards director Michael. At the same time, the group that had come with me to watch were itching to go home - it was really late, we were all hungry, and we had a long trek back home -- not to mention having to wake up early the next day.

So, between thinking that I should have been better off just watching by myself and that this will be the absolute last time I will ever invite anyone to go with me (except for my sister), I figured, what the heck? I really have nothing to lose. agreed, it might be a little embarrassing...but, hey, aside from my little group, nobody else there knew who I was and I will most likely never see these people again. Of course, I also faced the wrath of my weary and hungry companions... 'well,' I thought, 'they'll survive, so let them deal with it!' I've come this far and I'm not gonna back down now...

Armed with my pen and my ticket, I bee-lined to the front of the theatre where director Michael was. A small crowd had gathered around him with people waiting to get their turn for an audience. There were so many! With my luck, I won't ever get close enough to get an autograph. But, I was already there and it was too late to turn back. I squirmed my way to get closer and just when I thought I was in a good spot - BAM! - the whole theatre went pitch black. WTH?! I guess it was the signal to leave and everyone started heading - or should I say grappling? - toward the exit. Fearing that my chance for an autograph was gone, I started heading out too... But then, a stroke of genius! I thought that if maybe, I stood by the doorway and waited for director Michael to pass by, I could still have that one shot at an autograph. So, needless to say, I stood by the doorway; the theatre crowd to my left anxiously awaiting Michael to come out and director Michael about to pass by to my right. Oh please, please come already!! The anxiety mixed with impending embarrasment was killing me... I swear I was going to faint because my heart was beating too fast...then there he was!

I had mustered up what little courage I had left and managed to say, "Michael, thank you," and that the movie was great and I really enjoyed it. I asked if whether Tekkon will be released on DVD here since they were releasing it in Japan and he said it's not yet released in Japan ( XD Hazukashii!!!!!!!!!) I corrected myself saying, "Right it's only on preorder," and asked if it was going to have english subs. We got interrupted so I didn't quite catch his reply. after he addressed the lady's question, I finally asked if he can autograph my ticket. He gladly obliged. It seemed, though, that he was taking a lot longer in scribbling on my ticket than i had hoped (i could feel the eyes of the crowd outside already boring a hole through me)...so instead of the awkward silence, I decided to chat a bit and said we're big fans of Ninomiya. "Ah, Ninomiya-kun!" he said, adding that Nino was very easy to work with. And because Nino was familiar with the manga, they did not have to explain a lot to him (that's our Nino!) To that I said, Nino was very busy this year, with Iwo Jima...and he said, "Right. Actually, he didn't join us until after he finished Iwo Jima"... "Oh, I see," I said. I just had to tell him that it was great that he allowed Tekkon to be shown in NY because we didn't think we'd ever have a chance to see it. I even mentioned that there was another Ninomiya fan in Boston ( I read it in nino_daily) that really wanted to see it too, but couldn't come down to NY. He said to look for a wide release of the movie in June/July...(yay!! wait, am I even allowed to print this??? O_o *getting ready to be hunted down by Sony*)

Again, we were interrupted... I figured it was my cue that I was already overstaying my welcome. so when they finished, I politely said, "Michael, thank you again" and started to pull away...that's when he said, "promote the movie to all the Ninomiya fans!" (You betcha!) I think I said "I will" and that was it. He got pulled into yet another conversation and I went to regroup with my already very unhappy party.

I was so nervous and shaken by the experience that I really didn't get a chance to see his autograph on my ticket until I was walking away. Can you imagine my surprise when I flipped my ticket over and saw not only an autograph but a sketch of Shiro! one of the characters in the movie! and not only that, he even wrote a message in Kanji! Arrghhh... too bad I can't really read Kanji just yet, but my lovely cousin has offered to translate it for me. Yatta!! I'll post it when she's done. Also, courtesy of my equally lovely sister-in-law, who unbeknownst to me, took some pics of me while I was getting my autograph and chatting with director Michael, I am able to share them here.

*long sigh of relief* all in all, after all that was it worth it? absolutely! no regrets at all! Director Michael was very gracious...completely down-to-earth and had no air about him at all. i wanted to hit myself for not giving him my biz card, but i should just count my blessings, ne? like the fact that instead of having 6 degrees of separation between me and nino/arashi, for that brief moment, i was only 1 degree away from being connected to them.

And my being an Arashi fan notwithstanding, it was an excellent film. I am ready to rally my support for it because of that and because director Michael is such a wonderful person who has taken the daring leap of releasing a film that used a slowly disapperaing trade called hand-drawn animation. I hope many more will support it too and help revive this dying art.

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tekkon kinkreet in New York!

nobody@vox.com(islandarling) — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 04:54:08 -0700

North American Premiere of Tekkon Kinkreet at the MoMA in NY from April 25-30. Check out the link for details.

Jen had first reported about it in her blog in February, but I wasn't able to find any specific details until now.

Can't believe it's really showing here!! Director Michael Arias will be present for the first screening...(as my sister says, probably the closest we can get to Nino - meeting someone who's worked with him)

Hopefully they just use English subtitles so we can hear Nino! Still trying to find out...and keep you updated. Must go see! Arashi fans who can watch, let's go and support this!!

~~http://www.moma.org/exhibitions/film_media/2007/Tekkonkinkreet.html~~

http://www.moma.org/exhibitions/film_exhibitions.php?id=4290&ref=calendar

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tekkon kinkreet in berlinale

nobody@vox.com(islandarling) — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 14:28:48 -0800

I just found out that Tekkon Kinkreet is also showing at Berlinale!

I was so amazed and just felt that I had to share with you all... ><

So proud of Nino! Two films with him in it in the festival!

http://www.berlinale.de/en/programm/berlinale_programm/datenblatt.php?film_id=20073324

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Letters from Iwo Jima gets Oscar Best Picture Nomination!! Nino coming to LA??

nobody@vox.com(islandarling) — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 09:15:37 -0800

Yatta! Yes, everyone...

Letters from Iwo Jima is one of the Oscar nominees for Best Picture!!

As the nominations were announced, Letters from Iwo Jima also received nominations for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Sound Editing. See complete list.

Nino didn't get the nom for supporting actor, but, hey... with Letters being nominated for Best Picture, does it mean Nino will be coming to LA????

Well, I'm off to check flights to LA for me and my sister...just in case.

Good luck to the film and may they get all the awards they were nominated for!! LIke I said in my review of Letters, I think it is a brave production and I think its message is really shining through and people are recognizing it!

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Movie Review: 硫黄島からの手紙 (Letters from Iwo Jima)

nobody@vox.com(islandarling) — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 16:31:23 -0800

*Spoiler alert! May contain some spoilers.

Last December 14, 2006, my brother, sister and I were fortunate enough to watch Letters from Iwo Jima. Thanks to the special screening sponsored by the New York Observer and to my sister who woke up early and braved the coldest day in December to get the tickets, we got to see our Nino's movie before the scheduled screening on December 20. Admittedly, my sister and I are Arashi fans and, needless to say, we wanted to watch the movie because Nino (Ninomiya Kazunari) was in it… even then, I was also intrigued by the movie’s story. I didn’t get to watch Flags of Our Fathers, of which, Letters was the companion film, but Flags didn’t appeal as much to me. With Letters, however, it was offering a different perspective -- one that I had yet to hear about and I was eager to find out what it would be.

Having spent my early years in the Philippines , I learned about the various atrocities of the Japanese as they occupied the country during WWII. It was so close to home that it was really hard to ignore. And the Japanese did get a bad rap because of that war… even if they were not at all involved or didn’t want to be involved in it. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, numerous Japanese (two-thirds of which were Americans) in the West Coast of the United States were put in “internment camps”. Newly released photos by some photographer, a courageous lady whose name escapes me at the moment, tasked by the government to take pictures at the camps show us how quickly the lives of these Japanese-Americans were changed just because they were of Japanese ancestry. Whether they supported the war or not had little bearing compared to them just being Japanese. While the aim of the government was to have the pictures be proof of the “humane treatment” at the internment camps, our photographer’s pictures reveal a starkly deeper story. She gave these people a human face, a story, and a depth that went beyond race and color into a sadness that would strike any human being at the core.

I think Letters from Iwo Jima does just that. It gives our nameless “enemies” a human face and a story. That while we may be on different sides of the battle, a human being is a human being… as Shylock, so aptly says in the Merchant of Venice, “…if you prick us, do we not bleed?...” We are all the same. A mother in the US is praying for her son’s safe return home, just us a mother in Japan is doing the same. A father fighting in the war would always be dreaming of his children and when he is going to see them again – be he American or Japanese. It seems so simple, both of these two camps just want the same thing, yet they still end up fighting against each other…

This is the dichotomy that, for me, was working in the movie. While the seemingly opposing forces may ultimately want the same thing for themselves personally, they are torn by their other duty, namely, to their country. Saigo, who so happens to be played by Nino and whose name so happens to mean “last” in Japanese, embodies this internal conflict. All he wants is to get back to his wife and the baby daughter he has never seen. But then, he comes across to his other comrades as being unpatriotic and unwilling to fulfill his duty to his country. But what is duty? This was a question that was raised so many times in the movie. When Saigo asks Shimzu, “Are we more useful to our country alive or dead?” or when Baron Nishi reads the letter from the young American soldier’s mother telling him, “to do what is right because it is right,” or when Shimzu gets released from being a Kempetei because he didn’t think it was right to kill that family’s dog. Even more directly, when Kuribayashi was asked by the wife of his friend, an American Army officer, if he would fight against him should Japan and America go to war.

But then, if I may add…what does it mean to be a coward? Is it really cowardice to do what is right? Or on the other hand, must bravery just mean dying for your country and leaving your wife by herself and your children without a father? Of course, there is definitely some pride in being able to fulfill this duty. And no doubt, every family who has lost a loved one who was fighting in a war to defend our freedom and way of life deserves to be proud of such an accomplishment. But what does war mean? Must countless lives and families be torn apart because of it? Is war really necessary?

May be, may not. But the movie forces the viewer to ask this question and examine closely what may or may not be the answer. And I think this is the power of this movie. In making people think about the other casualties of war. Not just of the ones on the field but all the other lives connected to them. Actually, I think it may just well be in its ability to make people think about war itself: past, present or future. I mean it is definitely an excellent movie, very well made. And Ken Watanabe’s acting is definitely superb. Nino and Ihara do a good job too. Even the lighting and the cinematography, the nearly black and white color, highlighting the bleakness and murkiness of the situation just add to the factors that make it such a wonderful production.

While some have criticized the film for being Americanized or inaccurate, I think it is still a brave production. I think, too, the accolades the film has received and continue to receive are hopefully a testament to the same things I had written about here. Again, there are some things that should not be overlooked, as some survivors from the Bataan Death March are well aware…but as A.O. Scott writes in the New York Times, war does have the effect of dehumanizing both sides to be able to effectively carry out their duty.

And this is what saddens me most about war… it does bring out the worst in all of us. What’s even more sad is that as the actual Letters from Iwo Jima (which the book and the movie are based on) reveal, these people we were fighting were just like us. That from beyond the grave and similar to those pictures from the Japanese Internment Camps that just resurfaced, we discover that these people not only had a human face, but also a story and tells us of a universal sadness that strikes us to our core.

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