Titanic

How can I write this blog without this movie? This is the very best movie never ever. I'm sure everyone knows this movie because it is so poplar. The movie's title is "Titanic." This movie was directed by James Cameron and came out in 1997. It was nominated for fourteen Academy Awards.

The story is like this.




84 years have passed since the Titanic's shipwrecking. A search for a special diamond is taking place on the Titanic at the bottom of the ocean. However, what came out from Titanic is not the diamond everyone expected, it was a picture of a woman wearing it. When the picture is broadcast on television, an old lady watches it and calls, "The lady on the picture is me." Then she starts telling a true story about the Titanic that nobody knows.



The Titanic went on its maiden voyage from the U.K. to U.S.A. and was known as an unsinkable ship. The upscale girl, Rose (played by Kate Winslet) boarded the ship with her mother and her fiance but she reached the limit of her patience because of an arranged engagement. On the other hand, Jack (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) was the opposite of Rose and he managed to board the ship because he won a game which bet a ticket on the Titanic.




One night, Rose tried to commit suicide jumping off the ship, but Jack saved her. It was the first time they met. Rose fancied Jack because he was a good painter. She invited him to dinner and introduced her mother and her fiance but she was scolded by her mother, so she tried to keep her distance from Jack. However, they fall in love with each other and couldn't stop their feeling. Just as they were spending happy moments, Titanic hit an iceberg and began to sink. Could they survive this hopeless confusion?


"Titanic" was a spectacular movie. Kate and Leonardo's acting skills were excellent. I had a romantic notion from love of Rose and Jack. Finally, the Titanic was sinking and people became panicky. They really wanted to live no matter what. Some people chose to die with children or lovers. I felt sorry for them. I couldn't imagine the hrror and I believe how the end of this movie is so sad. "Titanic" was the most painfully sad six-day-love story in the world.

Do you have tissues for your tears?

Ikari

I watched "Ikari" (Japaneses:怒り) with my friend yesterday. This movie was directed by Lee Sang-il and came out this month. I didn't think it was a moving movie, but I cried after watching it.

The story is like this.

On a hot summer day, a married couple was killed by someone in Hachioji. There was a blood

Chinese character, "anger" at the locality. A criminal had his face lifted by surgery and he has been running away. After a year, the police put him on the wanted list. Then three men of doubtful origin appeared in Chiba, Tokyo and Okinawa.





Chiba
Aiko (played by Aoi Miyazaki) who ran away from home is found in Tokyo. She has been working at a sex-related business. Her father, Yohei (played by Ken Watanabe) brings her back home with him. He has been taking care of his daughter since his wife's death. After she comes back to Chiba, Aiko meets Tashiro (played by Kenichi Matsuyama) who works with her father and they start going out. Youhei wishes their happiness but he cannot trust Tashiro's mysterious past and anguishes.



Tokyo
Yuma (played by Satoshi Tsumabuki) works for a major company. He is so busy in the daytime and he loves-them-and-leaves-them at night clubs. He has a mother who has cancer and her days are numbered. One day, Yuma meets Naoto (played by Go Ayano) and they start living together. They have a deep relationship, but Yuma doubts Naoto's actions in the daytime.

Okinawa
Izumi (played by Suzu Hirose) is a high school student and moved to an isolated island of Okinawa with her mother who makes trouble again and again. One day, she meets Tanaka (played by Mirai Moriyama) who is a backpacker on an uninhabited island. She becomes hardened after the fact and her classmate anguish over he cannot help her. Tanaka supports the classmate empathetical but nobody knows Tanaka's background, living the uninhabited island.

Police disclose a new picture of the case of the murder in Hachioji. The picture is almost identical three men who are called in question. Is he criminal who I love? Still, hearts which they want to believe them and they don't want to believe in facts are crossing.

As you know, this movie's theme is anger and there are many kinds of anger. Anger to what and whom to exhalation. Anger to oneself who cannot believe in people who love. Anger to whom cheat on one who believe in. Anger to no one unfocused. And this movie told me that important things are decreasing, not increasing. People know how important they were after they lost them. Tears ran down my cheeks when I became aware of this message.

Do you have tissues for your tears?

Life on the Refrigerator Door

Have you had the experience that you felt emotional to the point of tears by reading a book? I have. I couldn't stop crying because of a book which I introdue this time.

The book's title is Life on the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers (2008). This book is published by Macmillan.

The book consists of notes which make an exchange between a single mother and her 15-year-old daughter, Claire. The mother is very busy as an obstetrician and gynecologist. Because of it, she can only have conversation with Claire by notes which are on a refrigerator door. Claire's parents divorced a long time ago. At the biginning their notes are just normal things in daily life, like "Don't forget your key!" "I made spaghetti bolognaise for when you get in." But one day the mother wrote "I discovered a lump on myself." Claire cheers up her mother and supports her in various ways. However, the mother's condition become's serious. At first the notes were a just a tool to communicate for the mother and Claire, but it become an important means to tell things which they couldn't say face-to-face almost before they realized it.

This story's main theme is the importance of time. When the mother knew that she had cancer, both she and Claire experienced that they could see the world more colorfully than before. The mother took a look at the leave's color and Claire wrote "Blue is more blue somehow and red is more red, and yellow suddenly looks like the sun is shining." I thought they wrote these words because they realized the time they could spend together was coming to an end. They had a conscious understanding of death and their time was more important than before. That's why the mother wrote the things which she didn't until before and Clarie wrote that she wanted to know what her mother did so far. Most people don't realize that the time spent with their family, friends and lovers is coming to an end until death approaches. This author tells us how essential relationships can be.

Finaly, I'm going to tell you my favorite words in this book with streaming eyes.

"When I look at you
I see the woman I want to be
Strong and brave
Beautiful and free

Claire

P.S. I love you"

Do you have tissues for your tears?

If All Cats Disappeared from the World

I watched "If All Cats Disappeared from the World" (Japanese:世界から猫が消えたなら) with my father yesterday. This movie was directed by Akira Nagai and came out this May. The Main characters were played by Takeru Sato and Aoi Miyazaki, populer actor and actress.

The story is like this.

The main character is a 30-year-old mail man. He lives with a loving cat after his mother died. He grows apart from his father. He broke up with an old girlfriend and now he still allows the feeling to linger. His hobby is watching movies. He has a best friend who loves movies.





One day he is told that he has brain cancer and he is given a few days to live by a doctor. He is gnawed by the anxiety of death. Suddenly, a devil who looks just like him appears in front of him. The devil approaches him and says "You will die tomorrow. Why don't you make a deal to extend your life? I will extend your life by one day as often as I will delete one thing in this world."


He makes the deal with the devil. Each day the devil deletes one thing, telephones, movies, watches, cats... and he keeps living. However, deleating somethings in this world means deleating memories which nurture a loving relationship with someone by something.



While he is on his deathbed, he sees his old girlfriend and his best friend, has relationship with his father and reads a letter which is written by his deceased mother. Through these experiences, he thinks about the special meaning of relationships and life, memories of important people.



This is it. This is the movie which I have been waiting for. This movie's theme is the things which are round about  us are irreplaceable. They seam to be nothing special. We know it but we don't understand. We sometimes become impervious to everything around us as we grow up. There is no space in our busy heart to think a great deal about what we have. Thinking this way, this theme is difficult to get. That's why it is very essential to live. The world is full of love.

Do you have tissues for your tears?

5 Centimeters Per Second

Do you like Japanese anime? Personally, I didn't like them before but I came to love them when I watched this movie.

"5 Centimeters Per Second" (Japanese:秒速5センチメートル) is a Japanese anime movie directed by Makoto Shinkai that came out in 2007. This movie was awarded Best Animated Feature Film at the 2007 Asia Pacific Screen Awards.

The movie consists of three stories: Cherry Blossom, Cosmonaut and 5 Centimeters Per Second.

Cherry Blossom
"Hey, it's 5 centimeters. A cherry blossom's flower petal falls down 5 centimeters per second." This story begins at an elementary school in Tokyo in 1990. Takaki and Akari are classmate, who have special feelings which other members don't know. Akari changes schools when they graduate, and they hardly see each other. When Takaki enters a junior high school, he receives a letter from Akari and they start writing. However, Takaki changes to a school so far away from her. "I might not be able to see her anymore." thinks Takaki and he decides to go to see Akari. But the day they promise is heavy snow and the trains are delayed. Only the time passes. Will he be able to see her again?

Cosmonaut
Kanae is a third-year high school student and likes Takaki, but she cannot make a career choice and falls into a pattern of endless surfing. One day she knows that Takaki will enter a university in Tokyo. She decides to tell him her feeling when she can stand up on a wave.


5 Centimeters Per Second
Takaki goes out into the world and strives to achieve things what he doesn't know. He is devoted only to work every day. His girlfriend says "Though I send mail to you, my heart can reach you only 1 centimeter." His heart is detected by her. And he gets lost with his conflicted feelings. However, his heart is still chasing a girl who is the only one person for him since the snowy night. But Akari is...


My Chinese friend who I met in Canada recommended this movie. I had never thought that I would be moved by this animation, but I was. Characters were living their shiny youth but a little bit sad. I have a story like this movie. When I was a kid I had a boy who I loved. I want to see him again even if I have another person. You are always going to be my love. You are always going to be the one. I still remember the love you taught me how to feel.

Do you have tissues for your tears?

Comix

 

Business

Wish

Hagi and Bell Flower

Today I will introduce an old Japanese song.

I have been practicing the shamisen since I was eleven years old. The sound of it attracted me and I wanted to play a Japanese musical instrument. Playing shamisen is very difficult, but it is a lot of fun. I brought mine to Canada and played it in front of my host family. They said "It is so cool!" I'm proud that Japanese have such a nice musical instrument.

I'm learning "Hauta." Many songs are short, stylish and free. Most songs are related to the landscape of seasons, anthropomorphic things, love and so on. Also there are jokes and ironies in some songs. Huta was popular among common people in the Edo era.

The song I will tell you about is a very old one. It's a kind of a secret love song. This is my first time to play the shamisen in front of a lot of people, so I was very nervous. If you are interested in it, please kindly watch the video.

These are the English lyrics.

Flower is hagi
Flower is bell flower
Letter is here
Here in my bosom

In the sky is the moon
Shining are glass dew
Shining far away

Insect is pine cricket
So am I
Waiting for you
Shining of insects
Every night I hear
So do I
Every night I weep

Late in night
I hear temple bell
I hear wild geese

I say to myself
Love is such a thing, isn't it?
I say to myself
Love isn't such a thing, is it?



Do you have tissues for your tears?