usoppnomiko

Thanks for all the happiness and the wonderful things all of you bring to my life!

Carlo sat beside me today...

Only three weeks left until we leave for our vacation. Argh! Am not prepared yet. Definitely.

I am probably the worst kind of traveler in the world. I barely know what to pack and whenever I do travel, I tend to bring everything and the sink. I am now restricting myself to one backpack for a week's travel. Heaven knows how everything will fit but will probably have to do without some comforts.

Hopefully, I won't get sick or get my visitor in the middle of this trip. Please, please, please!

Mango Royale tastes amazing with custard. Must do a proper trifle next time though.

Eiga Sai 2011

2011 Eiga Sai opens on July 1, 2011.
July 1 - 10 (Shang Cineplex Cinema 4, Shangri-La Plaza, EDSA, Mandaluyong City)
July 22-24 (Gaisano South City Mall, Davao City)
August 2-7 (Ayala Center Cinema,Cebu City)
August 17-20 (UP Film Institute, Diliman, Quezon City)

Departures (おくりびと, Okuribito)
*2008 Japanese film by Yōjirō Takita.
*Won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 81st Oscars in 2009.
*Running time - 131 minutes
*Starring – Masahiro Motoki, Ryoko Hirosue
Daigo Kobayashi is a recently unemployed cellist. Married and unable to find work he decides to move with his wife to his family's small hometown. Desperate for cash, Daigo secretly lands the unusual job of working for the local undertaker. He learns that the position traditionally makes employees a social leper in the community, but Daigo eventually sees past the negative stereotype of the job. He learns that the position actually gives him a new appreciation for life and a perspective which many people have learned to take for granted. But will his family and the people close to him share the same appreciation for his new profession or turn him into an social outcast when they discover his secret profession.

The Summit: Chronicle of Stones to Serenity (Mt. Tsurugidake 劒岳 点の記, Tsurugidake Ten no Ki)
*2009 Japanese film directed by Daisaku Kimura.
*Running time - 140 minutes
*Starring - Tadanobu Asano (Mongol, Kabei - Our Mother), Teruyuki Kagawa (Tokyo Sonata), Toru Nakamura, Ryuhei Matsuda, Aoi Miyazaki, Koji Yakusho (Babel, Silk, Memoirs of a Geisha)
*A team of explorers risk their lives to reach the peak of Mount Tsurugidake also known as “The Mountain of Death” in order to complete a map of Japan in 1907.

The Chef of the South Pole (Nankyoku ryôrinin 南極料理人)
*2009 Golden Award at the Shindo Kaneto Director Awards
*Running time - 125 minutes
*Starring - Masato Sakai, Katsuhisa Namase, Kitaro
*It seems like fine dining is on the agenda at Dome Fuji Station, a Japanese research base in the South Pole. Based on a true story, Chef Nishimura delivers mouth-watering extravagant dishes for the team of eight. Think foie gras, lobster, matsuzaka beef… this is one scrumptious film filled with food, ice and laughter.

One Million Yen Girl (百万円と苦虫女 Hyakuman-en to nigamushi onna)
*2008, Running time 121 min., 35 mm, color, in Japanese with English subtitles.
*Directed by Yuki Tanada.
*Starring - Aoi Yu, Mirai Moriyama, Pierre Taki.
*The film is the hopelessly endearing exile story of ne'er-do-well 21-year-old Suzuko (Aoi Yu, Hula Girl), an impossibly endearing type who is herself, somewhat hopeless, but also wise to the ways of the world and by no means dumb enough to be happy with her lot.
After a bad pick of roommate lands her a brief stay at the police station, Suzuko decides that enough is enough: she hits the road alone with a tiny suitcase, a determined but restless heart, and a mission: save ¥1 million ($10,000), go away... repeat. Hopping from place to place, she ekes out a living taking on different temp jobs. As she crosses paths with various people whose lives she changes, will love finally come her way?

Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms (夕凪の街 桜の国, Yūnagi no machi, sakura no kuni)
*Yunagi City, Sakura Country (live-action movie)
*Director: Kiyoshi Sasabe
*Genre: Drama ⁄ War
*Running Time: 118 min.
*Starring - Kumiko Asou as Minami Hirano, Rena Tanaka as Nanami Ishikawa, Hisashi Yoshizawa, Noriko Nakagoshi, Masaaki Sakai
* This live action adaptation of the highly acclaimed manga by Fumiyo Kouno tells the story of a family from Hiroshima and their struggle to come to terms with the atomic bombing of their city in World War II.

Summer Days with Coo (河童のクゥと夏休み, Kappa no Kwu to Natsuyasumi)
*Lit. "Summer Vacation with Coo the Kappa
*Directed by Keiichi Hara.
*Running time - 138 minutes
*2007 Japanese animated film about a kappa and its impact on an ordinary suburban family.

Climber's High (クライマーズ・ハイ?)
*2008 Japanese film directed by Masato Harada.
*On Aug. 12, 1985, Japan Airlines Flight 123 crashed on Osutaka Ridge in Gunma Prefecture. Based on Hideo Yokoyama's best-selling novel, the film looks at the impact the country's worst airplane disaster had on a local newspaper as shock, excitement and chaos swirled around. Shinichi Tsutsumi plays a reporter who struggles to cover the event under extreme pressures. Confusion in the newsroom, stressed reporters, and conflicts between the company's departments are all vividly portrayed.

Feel the Wind (Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru)
*19th Japan Movie Critics Awards
*Tale about a group of students who intends to participate in the famous Hakone Ekiden, an annual marathon relay race held annually between Tokyo and Hakone. Or more accurately, it is the ambition of one of the student, Haiji. As it is a team race, at least ten members are needed per team. While he finally managed to gather 9 other students, most of them are not runners and seemingly have little credentials to ever participate in a marathon. The other students include odd characters such as a manga addict and a quiz master.

Villon's Wife (ヴィヨンの妻 〜桜桃とタンポポ〜 Viyon No Tsuma?)
*2009 Japanese film directed by Kichitaro Negishi.
*Running time - 114min
* Starring - Takako Matsu (K20, Confessions), Tadanobu Asano (The Summit, Mongol), Shigeru Muroi, Masato Ibu
*The beauty of a woman can be seen from her strength, poise and character. Villon’s Wife centres on Sachi, the wife of prodigy writer Otani who happens to live a self-destructive lifestyle. Loving her husband, and accepting him for who he is despite constant humiliations, Sachi’s devotion is admirable, revealing a beautiful woman of grace.

Why do you have to be so effing hot?!

Took a supervisor call because there is no other person available. Bloody, annoying man! I just realized that there would be other instances like that because of my shift. If I had known, I would have demanded a much higher incentive to move to this position. :( :( :(

Happy Birthday Severus!

God Bless us Everyone!

Need to watch it again... and again...

Needs more Snape though.

Trio <3 <3 <3

Poor Lucius <3 <3

Hot Snatcher <3

You make me want to do crazy things and never regret one single moment. Wouldn't mind bumps along the way but I really hope you'll be there to catch me in the end.

Now I know why people are resigning after being "promoted" to the Support Team. I've only been with the group a month or so and I'm lucky if I don't end up with an ulcer...

Cine Europa 13 Movie Schedule
Shang Cineplex (Cinema 2) Shangri-la Plaza Mall Shaw Blvd

September 10

12:00 PM: Svetat E Golyam I Spasenie Debne Otysyakade
(The World is Big & Salvation Lurks around the corner) - Bulgaria
3:00 PM: Vratne Lahve Empties - Czech Republic
6:00 PM: Frytelig Lykkelig (Terribly Happy) - Denmark
9:00 PM: Kielletty Hedelma (Forbidden Fruit) - Finland

September 11

12:00 PM: Tout Est Pardonne (All is Forgiven) - France
3:00 PM: Der Rauber (The Robber) - Germany / Austria
6:00 PM: El Greco - Greece
9:00 PM: Mio fratello e figlio unico (My Brother is an Only Child) - Italy

September 12

12:00 PM: Hannahannah - The Netherlands
3:00 PM: Mircea - Romania
6:00 PM: Pokoj V Dusi (Soul at Peace) - Slovakia
9:00 PM: El abuelo (The Grandfather) - Spain

September 13

12:00 PM: Svarta Nejlikan (The Black Pimpemel) - Sweden
3:00 PM: Marcello Marcello - Switzerland
6:00 PM: An Education - United Kingdom
9:00 PM: L'heure Zero (Towards Zero) - France

September 14

12:00 PM: I soliti ignoti (Persons Unknown) - Italy
3:00 PM: De Scheepsjongens Van Bontekoe (Strom Bound) - The Netherlands
6:00 PM: Philantropique (Philantrophy) - Romania
9:00 PM: Juana la loca (Mad Love) - Spain

September 15

12:00 PM: Les Barons (The Barons) - Belgium
3:00 PM: Svetat E Golyam I Spasenie Debne Otysyakade (The World is Big & Salvation Lurks around the corner) - Bulgaria
6:00 PM: Vratne Lahve Empties - Czech Republic
9:00 PM: Frytelig Lykkelig (Terribly Happy) - Denmark

September 16

12:00 PM: Kielletty Hedelma (Forbidden Fruit) - Finland
3:00 PM: Tout Est Pardonne (All is Forgiven) - France
6:00 PM: Der Rauber (The Robber) - Germany / Austria
9:00 PM: El Greco - Greece

September 17

12:00 PM: Mio fratello e figlio unico (My Brother is an Only Child) - Italy
3:00 PM: De Scheepsjongens Van Bontekoe (Strom Bound) - The Netherlands
6:00 PM: Mircea - Romania
9:00 PM: Pokoj V Dusi (Soul at Peace) - Slovakia

September 18

12:00 PM: Juana la loca (Mad Love) - Spain
3:00 PM: Svarta Nejlikan (The Black Pimpemel) - Sweden
6:00 PM: Marcello Marcello - Switzerland
9:00 PM: An Education - United Kingdom

September 19

12:00 PM: Vratne Lahve Empties - Czech Republic
3:00 PM: L'heure Zero (Towards Zero) - France
6:00 PM: I soliti ignoti (Persons Unknown) - Italy
9:00 PM: Hannahannah - The Netherlands

"Was there ever
A Cat so clever
As Magical Mr.Mistoffelees!"

Shangri-La Plaza Shaw Blvd.
Eiga Sai 2010

01-Jul Thu
7:00pm 2:26 Always Sunset on Third Street 2 (Invitational)

02-Jul Fri
2:00pm 1:54 Fourteen
4:30pm 1:37 How to Become Myself
7:00pm 2:23 I Just Didn’t Do It

03-Jul Sat
2:00pm 1:46 Glasses
4:30pm 1:59 The Battery Future in Our Hands
7:00pm 1:58 The Bandage Club

04-Jul Sun
1:30pm 0:21 Franz Kafka’s A Country Doctor
2:00pm 1:56 Miyori in the Sacred Forest
4:30pm 2:23 I Just Didn’t Do It
7:00pm 2:22 TOKYO TOWER Mom & Me, and Sometimes Dad

05-Jul Mon
2:00pm 1:54 Fourteen
4:30pm 2:23 I Just Didn’t Do It

06-Jul Tue
2:00pm 1:46 Glasses
4:30pm 1:58 The Bandage Club

07-Jul Wed
2:00pm 1:37 How to Become Myself
4:30pm 1:59 The Battery Future in Our Hands
7:00pm 2:26 Always Sunset on Third Street 2

08-Jul Thu
2:00pm 1:54 Fourteen
4:30pm 2:22 TOKYO TOWER Mom & Me, and Sometimes Dad

09-Jul Fri
2:00pm 1:58 The Bandage Club
4:30pm 2:26 Always Sunset on Third Street 2
7:00pm 0:21 Franz Kafka’s A Country Doctor
7:30pm 1:56 Miyori in the Sacred Forest

10-Jul Sat
2:00pm 1:37 How to Become Myself
4:30pm 1:59 The Battery Future in Our Hands
7:00pm 2:26 Always Sunset on Third Street 2

11-Jul Sun
1:30pm 0:21 Franz Kafka’s A Country Doctor
2:00pm 1:56 Miyori in the Sacred Forest
4:30pm 1:46 Glasses
7:00pm 2:22 TOKYO TOWER Mom & Me, and Sometimes Dad

art by veridari and banner by lemondropseven

Absolutely love the new Dairy Farm feature for Farmville. Wish they will do something similar that will allow multiple harvest for trees too.

I wish I could be lucky enough to adopt a Turtle.

I wish I could say that I care for your loss or that I'm celebrating your life achievements. But I can't. What I know of you would barely fill up a page of a small notebook. If my Father is still alive, he would have laughed at all of this farcical nonsense and say some jokes about your passing. If I think about you, all I can remember are those bunch of papers thrown at our closed windows and my parents grieving about the climate change you brought with you.

Rest in peace anyway.

I'm really glad D told me about this cafe/library. They don't have Skip Beat and Tokyo Crazy Paradise yet though. The lady on the desk told me that a lot of people have been requesting Skip Beat though, so I'm hopeful that they will have the volumes on my next visit.

Was able to catch up on the latest tankoubons of Yamada Tarou and Yamato Nadeshiko though. I wonder if I can request some shounen-ai titles? I forgot to write this down as a request but I really, really want to get hold of the actual Silver Diamond / Koori tanks.

Finally finished Tokyo Crazy Paradise! Buti na lang nakahanap ako ng matinong puwedeng pagkuhanan ng lahat ng chapters. Starting on Skip Beat next. Which is making me worry since am showing an In Progress status for this one. Argh! Bitin na naman as usual.

I'm soooo in Love with Ren Tsuruga. *Sigh* Joyce, you can have Kyohei Takano. I'll have this dreamy guy instead.