Writing Sucks

Getting back into blogging is harder than I thought. After taking a break from watching Japanese dramas and East Asian movies for about a year, I was at a loss of where to begin. There's a wide selection of shows available and that doesn't even include the older dramas that I have yet to watch in their entirety or the ones that I need to revisit in order to finish writing draft posts that have remained unpublished for the past six years. 

Those fairly familiar with this blog know that I don't post reviews of anything that I haven't seen fully which means regardless of whether the series is good or bad, I hold on to the bitter end before I even consider to write about it. But you see, writing has always been particularly difficult for me, so unlike the truly gifted ones who manage to consistently provide quality content, words don't flow as easily. As years go by, I've realized that I have equal trouble writing about the shows that I love and despise---extremely cautious not to oversell the former while not too dismissive of the latter, fearing my inability to give a show or series the fair shake that it deserves. Even though I try to be as objective as possible, these drama reviews will always have a subjective element to it. Like they say, it's all a matter of taste.

There's a handful of sites that provide drama recaps but I have always been partial to those that provide reviews and analytical essays. People may readily agree to disagree on the merits of a particular series but I do believe that reviews serve a purpose in the sense that they can be at times instructive, pointing out things and matters which one may have overlooked, and also affirmative in so far as a praise or critique may also align with one's personal observations. As conceited as it may sound, I believe that reading about other people's thoughts enrich the viewing experience, so dear accidental and/or sporadic reader, if you can spare the time, please do read on.

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Surely Someday

It is often said that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." If that be true, then Guy Ritchie should be floored by the level of appreciation that Shun Oguri has shown for his use of slow motion effects and time lapse photography. Yes, the actor best known for playing Hanazawa Rui (Hana Yori Dango) and Suzuran faction leader, Takaya Genji (Crows Zero) has gone to the extent of crafting an outrageous, coming-of-age film that pays homage to [if not totally replicating] the cinematic style of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, minus the narrative punch provided by a clever screenplay and the kickass factor contributed by Vinnie Jones or Jason Stratham.

I remember my sister telling me about this movie project in the same breath as sharing the latest rumors about Oguri being a horny dog, but I never really placed much thought into it since: (a) she couldn't tell me the title of the movie at that time; (b) Shun Oguri always struck me as the kind of actor who worked best in an ensemble, which, to me, meant that if he didn't have the draw or star power to carry the lead role, then chances are, he wouldn't have the ability to helm a full-length movie feature; and (c) I couldn't care less about which girl/jpop group member he banged at allegedly took to a motel.

About this time last year, I was doing some prep work for that Arashi post that I've always been meaning to do but never got around to doing, and even though the said post never materialized, I ended up watching a number of Japanese variety shows hosted by Japan's "national idols". One of the shows I managed to catch (thanks to fans who shared the said episode on a streaming site without the permission of the subber) happened to be Oguri's promotional guest stint at Arashi ni Shiyagare where I finally learned the movie title which was シュアリー・サムデイ or going by the boys' phonological speech, "Shuari Samudei".

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In this dramedy of errors, penned by writer Shogo Muto, five high school friends barricade themselves in a classroom with a home-made bomb in protest of the cancellation of their school festival and the corresponding "annihilation" of their dream to perform as a band. Brimming with hope and the promise of being surrounded by adoring fans through their music, Takumi (Koide Keisuke), Kyohei (Katsuji Ryo), Hideto (Ayano Gou), Kazuo (Suzuki Ryohei) and Yuki (Muro Tsuyoshi) mount a successful campaign for the reinstatement of the festival but when they fail to defuse the prop time-bomb  they had set up to facilitate negotiations with the school administrators, the damage caused by the explosion would later prove to be monumental not only to the lives of these boys.

Surely Someday provides a spry yet unbalanced story about how chance encounters and circumstances can produce a ripple effect that would link two seemingly unrelated events that in the long run would produce irreversible consequences. There's a network of people involved in this slapdash tale, such that the connection drawn between these wayward teens and a former prostitute (Konishi Manami) would span a number of years, beginning with a summer childhood adventure to Kabukicho and a botched up sting operation. The film hurtles back and forth between the past and the present as all five find themselves tainted, unable to move on from the incident.

Now a feckless bartender, a third-rate college virgin, a fledgling yakuza, a street busker and a hikikimori find themselves in trouble once again as their past catches up with them. They have no choice but to make amends, find each other and reunite long enough to take care of unfinished business; what's more, they need to retrieve 300 million Yen before yakuza boss Kito (Yoshida Kotaro) sends his men to ice them.

Fun and upbeat, Surely Someday is a film that can not be taken seriously no matter how hard it tries to infuse its storyline with some edgy scenes and grim but oft times, shallow existentialist musings about lost youth and opportunities. It's full of high school hijinks and flailing commentary about people who put their life on hold, set to punk-rock music, peppered with drugs, money laundering, even some violence and undignified [non-metaphorical] boot licking. Decidedly the result of a well-meaning and excitable collaboration, the movie tends to be overbearingly gratuitous in its execution and unbelievably self-conscious in acquiring a modicum of street credibility amidst the fanfare. This is no Go or American Graffiti but a rollicking, hyper-comedic Japanese production containing familiar elements of what made a movie "cool" in the late 90s.

For a directorial debut, Surely Someday is quite a mediocre offering---it comes chock-full of novice mistakes, betraying the lack of vision or originality on the part of Oguri to work behind the camera and instruct his fellow actors towards achieving a good take. He seems to have approached the film as he would a goukon by calling in favors from friends and co-workers (judging by the number of cameos), giving them free rein to act and [over]react as they see fit without any instruction. There are indeed times when the scenes felt like an impromptu comedy sketch, given the hammy delivery of lines and the cast's acting choices.

There's also the sudden shift in tone with very little lead in, thus catching the viewer by surprise as the droll buffoonery of its first act gives way to an adorable yet short-lived segment featuring the characters' childhood, interrupted yet once again by some clumsy action, more melodrama and a failed Sugar & Spice routine set in the present. Oguri's artistic choices do not often work; the overdone 10-second recapitulation of each character's three-year activities, the white footprint suit donned by the yakuza boss,  or even  the slow motion off-target gangster shoot out set to the tune of Schubert's Ave Maria (which brings to mind the game Hitman), tend to be whimsical additions rather than valuable set pieces.

Despite its flaws, Surely Someday is, by all accounts, not a bad movie. There's enough story in it to keep a viewer entertained provided one can overlook the uneven acting. It would have been much better had there been competent and assured direction from Shun Oguri, however as it stands today, it's quite clear that his ambition appears to have exceeded his ability.

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 Photo credits/Movie Stills by Asiabeam and Ramen

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BECK's Heav[enl]y Silence

"Please don't put your life in the hands

Of a Rock 'n Roll band and throw it all away"

- Oasis, Don't Look Back in Anger (1996)

Last month, I received the subtitles prepared by SkewedStudios Fansubs and Scanlations to the live-action version of BECK with instructions from the project leader to typeset the same, bearing in mind to place it on uber-hakaduper-higher-than-the-highest priority on my list of pending projects. Coming into it, I must confess that I was totally oblivious to the existence of the manga penned by Harold Sakuishi and inexcusably ignorant of the lauded anime version of the series. All I knew at the time was that fans of the manga were stoked to see it and girls were quite happy with the selection of pretty boys appearing in it.

Judging by the trailer, BECK, to me, came off as another "band movie". I wasn't all up in arms to see it but I could surmise that it was going to turn out just fine since its cast would be enough to draw people in. However, how much of an impact it would leave on its audience was difficult to imagine, I couldn't tell how well it would fare against other existing manga-to-screen adaptations like Nana and Solanin, not to mention the Akanishi Jin vehicle, Bandage, which also came out the same year.

After months of waiting, it turned out I wasn't completely off the mark; BECK was neither impressive nor disappointing. It was at times turgid and uninspired but overall, ho-hum okay in a sense that it was hard to hate (but don't expect me to re-watch it). Decently made but certainly nothing to rave about, the movie had a great ensemble of young stars, it played well against the opening strains to one of [punk] rock's most recognizable tracks and it even made for a fairly effective coming of age story except for one major glitch...

You don't get to hear Koyuki sing.   

For those unfamiliar with the story, BECK follows the rise to fame of an indie band composed of a talented guitarist named Ryusuke (Mizushima Hiro), ultra-cool and sought-after bassist Taira (Mukai Osamu), energetic frontman Chiba (Kiritani Kenta) and two newbie recruits in the person of drummer Saku (Nakamura Aoi) and second guitar/vocalist extraordinaire Koyuki (Sato Takeru) to complete the line-up.

Like any film adaptation of a manga series, BECK covers multiple story lines, highlighting the personal journey of each character in varying degrees. Life, love, music and friendship are all featured in this film; and while Ryusuke holds the more outlandish sections of the movie with a rather queer affinity with the band Dying Breed and a gangsta encounter brought about by a deboed bullet-ridden guitar named Lucille, the movie's heart and soul belongs to bullied outcast Koyuki, who not only finds meaning and purpose through the band's music but also manages to enchant and inspire thousands of people whenever he sings.

But again, the problem is that you don't get to hear him sing.    

Now what started as a fateful encounter with a fellow band member, followed by an abbreviated music lesson composed of guitar riffs played on a stratocaster, would soon culminate in one big music festival (the likes of Woodstock) where different kinds of band music would take front and center. It was to be BECK's moment of glory and the clincher----Moonbeams with Koyuki on vocals. His voice was supposed to be so pure and special that it would stop people in their tracks. His was the voice that summoned visions of a better world, a brighter future; so much so, that it caught the attention of sassy, elusive Maho (Kutsuna Shiori) and even gained them the respect of their peers. It was his voice that caused a squabble between the band and its high-octane singer, so all logic and common sense demanded the unveiling of that "Greatful Sound" (sic), which unfortunately, nobody got to hear.

Was it so ethereal that I couldn't hear it? Was it supposed to transcend all boundaries of sound that no rendition could give it justice? Or was I supposed to be happy with just seeing the lyrics on the bottom of the screen? The music in itself was great. Anyone who's been to a concert can attest to that fever pitch, that high, that comes with hearing the opening strains to a song complemented by the sound of the singer's voice, but in this case, you hear nothing....which is why BECK's stage performance felt so incomplete.

Oh well, so much for the mute singing wonder.

N.B. Turns out that Moonbeams as featured in the movie was composed by J-indie rock band Spank Page. If you want to hear what the final song was supposed to sound like, you can check out their performance of  BOY; their version of Don't Look Back in Anger is not so bad either.

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Images courtesy of Ramen Lover at Asianmediawiki and Just Reveal.

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Read My Lips : 駄目!

It's no secret that I'm a Ninomiya Kazunari fan. I may be perceived as someone who has an Anti-JE stance in terms of general entertainment, but I have loads of goodwill towards this kid. Way before I discovered him to be an unabashed idol---who liked to cop a feel at band members and whose sarcastic remarks [screamed Napoleon complex at the get-go] and laidback attitude could potentially polarize viewers---he already won me over with his hilarious portrayal of a virgin boy in Stand Up and his outstanding work in the film Ao no Hono-o. There's no easy way to say this, but this kid had me fooled. He might look like a hunched gerbil with black gums and an abnormally scrawny torso but I love watching him all the same. He's the exception.

Now before anyone starts to think that I've gone fangirl loco* over this boy, let me get straight to the subject of this post. To make a long story short---I loved the Neener and therefore, I was doomed... doomed to suffer through 2 hours, 10 minutes and 49 seconds (give or take) of the English dubbed version of GANTZ because I was stoked to see it and had nothing else to do, and of course, having the emotional quotient of a toddler, I dove in without fully taking into account the fact that I would be listening in to nerve-grating audio and horrible dialogue. O, woe is me! To have seen what I have seen and have heard incongruous dubbing!

To sub or to dub?

I know it's an age-old dilemma that film buffs and anime lovers alike have debated upon  for years without reaching a satisfying conclusion. Whether the intention is to appeal to a wider audience or to meet the demands of purists and netizens, there are admittedly pros and cons to each side, which is why film production outfits are forced to make a judgment call. Proponents of both schools have come up with reasonable arguments for utilizing either method, but at the end of the day, when all is said and done, film distributors would always render a decision based on profit; taking a huge gamble by giving the viewers the option to either put up with it or skip it. And while it all boils down to personal preferences and the relative exposure  of each individual to foreign films and different cultures, I'm of the opinion that since subtitling and dubbing exist for the purpose of translating materials for an audience that doesn't speak the original language, it should follow that both be as accurate or in keeping with the film's context as possible. Furthermore, it should be unobtrusive to the viewing experience as a whole, or at the very least not be so off-putting as to draw attention away from the film.

Coming into GANTZ, I was already at a bit of a disadvantage. Having read parts of the manga, I already had a preconceived notion of how the story should play out; having watched a number of Asian dramas, I was already used to reading subs and therefore preferred the original version over the "localized" release this time around. But if there's such a thing as bad and  good subtitles, then surely there's also such a thing as good and bad dubbing. Just as subtitles are expected to be clear and concise, the quality of dubbing should also be held at a certain standard. The problem with this version of GANTZ is that the dubbing didn't seem to complement the movie at all, the voices didn't match the characters and most of the lines were delivered either in a stilted manner or a cloyingly cartoonish tone. There's an obvious rift between what you hear and what you see onscreen, it's a dissociation that lasts from start to finish, giving you a feeling that things weren't conveyed properly because the voice actors were less than convincing. It may all sound trivial, given that it's a sci-fi adventure movie, but the English audio certainly worked towards diminishing the fantastical elements of the story, making dialogue-laden scenes free of  action sequences a total buzz kill. Plus, anyone who's seen Ninomiya Kazunari before would no doubt lament missing out on his vocal inflection---there's a world of snark, angst, conceit and self-consciousness in Kurono Kei's character that simply didn't come across in this big screen adaptation. Another issue I had was how the dialogue sounded unnaturally choppy, the sentence construction was awkward at best, particularly during Kanata Hongo's brief, crazy-eyed monologue.

Some may argue that part of the reason why GANTZ turned out to be an utter disappointment was because the script for the film didn't even come close to replicating the graphic violence, wicked humor and plain awesomeness of its source material---to which I say, this argument is not without merit (but I'll save that for another post once the second installment comes out).  Point is, the English dubbed version of this movie pushed it from generic, mindless entertainment to a catastrophically BAD big budget movie, given that it already failed to establish a working story with characters whom you would care about and want to survive should aliens infest the planet. It's a bit too early to say this, but this duology might eventually come down as a prime example of what not to do when making a live-action version of a popular manga series. Still, for those who might want to see this film, take my advice and wait for the official release, don't settle for the English-dubbed version because, trust me, it's absolutely cringe-worthy. 

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* loca -- What can I say? I suck at foreign languages. 
Featured movie stills care of nurikocam - http://twitpic.com/21o828
Suggested Reading - To Sub or to Dub: The Challenge of "Translating" Films for Foreign Audiences

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Bloody Backlog

Oh my poor neglected blog. Who would've thought that blogging would require so much work? It's rather hard to keep up when the world is so full of distractions... Guess it's high time I get my act together and finish all those pending reviews. Been working on bits and pieces without managing to focus  long enough on just one to bring it to completion. And  of course, September rolled in and I had to follow my weekly dose of Dexter and Merlin, which screwed up my one blog entry a week tenet (yeah right, wishful thinking) and by  the time October came, I had to finish my long overdue assignment of typesetting episodes of Sukeban Deka for SkewedStudios Fansubs and Scanlations (sigh*). So to make a long story short, I suck at multi-tasking, hence the sorry state of this blog.

Given that I haven't published anything in over a month, I decided to make an extra effort to get this thing updated. The gameplan was to take care of all my backlogged entries this November (or at least try to cut them down to half)  and abstain from starting on another series till I'm done working on my current line-up. Sounds simple enough, right?

Well, I could not have been more wrong. True to form, I already violated the said rule when I spent the past weekend sloughing through the mess that  my sister laughingly referred to as Buraddi Mandei. And here I thought Security Police had the over-the-top-anti-terrorist-scenario-trophy in the bag but it appears that Falcon and a bumbling counter-terrorist division known as Third-i, along with a bunch of misguided kids would have to take home the award. Which reminds me, our copy of Bloody Monday 1 & 2 is now up for adoption.

This drama has a virtual menagerie of birds and insects, sloppy assassins who can't even be bothered to use a silencer (let alone be expected to tie their rebonded hair), an incompetent government agency with an acronym that fails to command respect (PSST!), and children of a cult leader who like to go by a certain letter in the alphabet. Furthermore, pretty boys and seductive girls are abound, plus the clickity-clack of the computer keyboard's there to signify that the earth....errrr world... is safe and sound.

What more can you ask for? It's just twenty or so hours of non-stop plot twists that defy logic and explanation, apparently, the whole thing is too complex and only a mathematical genius can map out the equation... NOT! But who cares about such trivial things when people are searching for a cure to a virus and  life as we know it is threatened by a nuclear explosion? Right? RIGHT? Anyway, if there's anyone out there who would like to give this drama a shot, I'd be more than happy to leave the darned thing inside a toilet tank under lock and key. Details as to the stall number and the location of the public toilet where the said package can be picked up will be texted to you as soon as you pour your heart out online and pledge to join my army to restructure Japan and whatnot. Go save the earth, why dontcha? Reduce, reuse and recycle.

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