Nordwand (Germany, 2008)

'Nordwand' may not be a very well known film outside of Europe and it even isn't outside of Germany but I should say it doesn't deserve that. The film deals about the climbing of the Eiger (Switzerland) in 1936 where an olympic medal could be won.

Sometimes the film follows a bit too much the paved roads in telling a story but it still is an enormous thrill to watch it. Beautiful scenery, great acting and a really exciting story will make you feel like you really watched an interesting film... and that is true!

I Saw the Devil while meeting people

Today Korean's revenge movie 'I Saw the Devil' became for sale in the dvd-shops in the Netherlands. I rushed to the shop and before I knew it I was in a deep conversation with another customer about Korean revenge movies and the actor Choi Min Sik. Isn't that one the beauties in life? You can find people with the same preferences everywhere and you don't have search for them.

Now the only thing I still have to do is watch the movie, heard great things about it!! Someone seen it already?

Final Fantasy X - suteki da ne

When I was thinking about restarting my blog again I was wondering what I would post for my first new article. Well it will no treally be an article but a video and a song. The first thing that came to mind was: Final Fantasy 10.....I played it probably 10 years ago and now and than I still think of its beauty. The animation is gorgeous, the story compelling but most of all the song 'Suteki da ne'. I remember its beauty forever, together with the game it is a memory which will last forever and so it is one of the little brilliant things in life which you will encounter.

Re-start of this blog!

Hi All!

It has been a while but I decided to re-start this blog again so from today onwards I will post amazing pictures, stills from movies or othe rthings that may seem small but in fact shows the beauty in life.

At the moment I am reading 'the Time Traveler's Wife' by Audrey Niffenegger which is an intersting tale about true love and always keep believing in it. In my blog I want to chase true beauty, which can also be in sadness, and never leave the trail of finding the beautiful things in life, movies, culture and nature. I hope I will see you soon on my blog again!

Alone in a white world

Snowy Shanghai! It looks like someone is at the end of the world, all alone in teh snow where every memory has faded away.

Venice Film Festival

The Venice International Film Festival has some pretty interesting premiers! Aronofsky's Black Swan, Takashi Miike's '13 Assassins' (will it be a typical Miike again?) and most of all Anh Hung Tran's 'Norwegian Wood!

Zhang Ziyi

OMEGA Ambassador actress Zhang Ziyi attend OMEGA Constellation VIP Dinner at The Ritz-Carlton on June 26, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. She is lovely as always!

Air doll / Kûki Ningyô (Japan, 2009)

Air Doll is a rather weird story about an air doll which is becoming a human being. In a short period she encounters many different emotions. In fact, this is a story about loneliness, maybe not so special if you may have expected from brilliant Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda, but still a joy to watch. The beautiful scenes of loneliness gently shows the individualistic Japanese society and how difficult it is to still recognize all emotions which are out there.

The Fall (India, 2006)

The fall, by director Tarsem Singh, is know for its innovative story which almost is like a dream sequence and its beautiful scenes. Here are a few pictures of the mysterious film that everyone just has to watch. What seems like a childrens fairy tale becomes darker and more serious along the way; fantasy and reality no longer seem to be separated anymore. In fact its pure magic, a story about a girl who meets a stranger in a hospital. He will tell her stories about five heroes as long as she smuggles morphine to him.... but those heroes somehow are connected to her own life.
You will be hypnotized by the use and effect of colours, frames and storytelling.

The Banquet / Ye Yan (China, 2006)

Brilliant Chinese adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet. If the story can't satisfy you, surely the beautiful scenes, enchanting music (Lang Lang plays the piano) and gorgeous Zhang Ziyi and Zhou Xun will!

Just let yourself go with the subtle flow of love, betrayal and murder and before you realize it you seem to be a part of this film and bever want it to end. The music is almost hypnotic, the dances are as well and the choreography of the fighting is art.

City of Life and Death / Nanjing!, Nanjing! (China, 2009)

City of Life and Death tells about the massacre of Nanking. the former capitakl city of China was in december in 1937 invaded by Japanese forces and in a few months (february 1938) they killed more than 200.000 chinese soldiers and civilians. It is called the massacre of Nanking because of the cuelties of the Japanese armies. Tens of thousands women were raped and children were murdered.

This horrible event still hurts the souls of the Chinese and that is why it is remarkable suddenly they seem to be a bit more open and show their wounds. The film is completely shot in black and white and this is the best way to capture this dark period. Performances are outstanding (though the foreign actors don't convince at all....)

When you don't know anything about it, the film can be a bit difficult to understand. Suddenly a German called 'John Rabe' appears and in the end almostevery chinese cries because he leaves the city. Why? Because John Rabe saved approximately 200.000 Chinese civilians by creating a safety zone. His diaries are published 20 or 30 years ago.

Are all Japanese monsters? In the eyes of the elder Chinese this is often the problem, but for the first time in history this films shows a kind of less sympathetic Japanese soldier who is having doubts about the killings. In the Chinese cinema's this was accompanied by applause...

City of Life and Death is a strong film about Nanking, which will weigh heavy on the heart, some scenes are horrific but it never turns into gore.

Jellyfish aquarium opens in Nanjing

A new Jellyfish aquarium has been opened in Nanking. It almost looks like art.......

Mulan (China, 2009)

Well, to start, the movie isn’t as good as it possibly could have been. The start is just weak and it slowly gets better but never reaches the ‘wow’ factor. For example, the helmets look like they are made out of plastic, the harasses as well and how can Mulan become a general in such a short period?

The drama is okay but cliché, some scenes are cinematographically beautiful and some are horrible, it seems like the film is an unfinished production. Is it all that bad?? Not at all, the film can be surely be enjoyed, however it is just sad because Director Jingle Ma could have done a better job.

One last point of criticism (which is hilarious), why was Zhao Wei (or Vicky Zhao, whatever you like.... 'A Time to Love') casted as Mulan? Sure, she is a good actress and she is beautiful, but that is the problem. She is so stunning that not even for a second you would mistake her for a man.

Matrimony, The / Xin Zhong You Gui (China, 2007)

The Matrimony is an intriguing and very dramatic love story with horror elements, but don't be mistaken it is far more a drama than a horror. The world which the director creates is a very powerful one, with beautifully shot images, a wonderful use of colors and a story that will draw you in.

Well maybe the story isn't too innovative, but it is executed in a good way (which makes it an effective tragic love story) with strong performances of Leon Lai, Rene Liu and Fan Bingbing.

If you look for drama, love and a little bit of horror with scenes that are dazzling of its beauty.... the Matrimony is yours to watch!

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2011)

There will be a film adaptation of Lisa See's novel 'Snow Flower and the Secret Fan'. The story, a rather tragic one, is set the Chinese 19th century where women are kept secluded and never intermengle with the men. Lily is paired with a "laotong" a kind of emotional match that will last for a lifetime. Her laotong is Snow Flower, and they keep in touch by sending eachother silk fans on which they write or paint their stories in nushu (secret language that only women could read). This way they are able to share there problems they face in life.

Ziyi Zhang and Jeon Ji-hyun (Gianna Jun) will star in this film, we just have two wait for another year....