Meinte's Daily Film Fact #2 (Nanking)

Chinese film ‘City of Life and Death’ won the award for best film at the filmfestival of San Sebastian. This will not the only film which tells about the massacre of Nanking this year. Florian Gallenberger’s ‘John Rabe’ deals about the good German of Nanking, though this movie almost wouldn’t have been made. The director was told by the Chinese Communist Party (mysterious phone call) he could not make a film about this (still) difficult/painful subject because there could only be one film about it. Gallenberger met an old Chinese man who lived for all his life in Nanking, talking to this man who expereinced the horror Gallenberger realized he had to make the movie.
Zhang Yimou also wants to make a movie about Nanking. ‘Thirteen Girls of Jinling City’ is about 13 prostitutes who sacrificed their lives to save a group of convent girls in Nanjing during the massacre of Nanjing in 1937. Rumor says he changed his mind and that because of the recession he wants to make a less dark production.

Meinte's Daily Film Fact #1

The Stockholm Syndrome (psychological response in abducted hostages in which the hostage shows signs of loyalty to the hostage taker) is often misused in movies as it would be the 'Helsinki Syndrome'. In 'Die Hard' it was probably misued for the first time and other movies have copied that. Latest example of this weird mistake is in the Japanese film 'Heaven's Door'.

Mulan (China, 2010)

Set for 2010, the live action film 'Mulan' will have its premiere. Mulan is famous for its Disney adaptation and is an epic story about a girl who figths to defend her father. But, it always be an old Chinese tale about brave and if I am not mistaken, in the '50's there already has been a Chinese film about the story.

For a long time there were rumours that Ziyi Zhang and Takeshi Kitato would star along eachother but reality seems different. Zhao Wei (A Time to Love, Red Cliff) will be Mulan, a very interesting idea.

Just have to wait for this adventurous and dramatic love story.

First snow on the Temple of Heaven

The first snow on the Temple of Heaven, makes you long for walking there. Guess there an be mde a great movie about the first snow on the forbidden city....

Zhang Yimou goes classic opera!

The olympic stadion of Beijing has been used again. This time Zhang Yimou wasn't responsible for an opening ceremony but he was the director of classic Chinese opera 'Turandot' in celebration of China's 60th anniversary. Zhang Yimou got a thundering applause for his last production with more than 1000 participants. It seems like he will never do something small (which is not true, think of Riding alone for thousands of miles) and is the perfect person for a huge spectacle of the most outstanding beauty!

Wings of the Dove, The (USA, 1997)

Wings of the Dove is a beautiful movie about love. Like so many movies love is most important part of it, everything we do in life is probably to love or being loved in return.
The story is simple in fact (two women, one man and a dying girl), but the costumes are great, the scenery is lovely and Venice is magical indeed. To be honest, I’ve never heard of this film before but the name of Helena Bonham Carter attracted me and she did not disappoint. Her acting is strong, maybe a bit cruel in its own way.

Tropical Day

Today it is horrible to be in the Netherlands.... the temperature will reach tropical heights today (35 degrees). 35 you say? 35 is not so warm? Try my country, where the humidity is killing. Sparrows crash down the roofs, elder people only just survive and the sky is blurry. Tonight it will all change because our climate can't take this heat, tonight we will have thunder, rain and hail. I can't wait for this storm to arrive! In the mean time there will be an attempt to study, maybe watch a movie and just complain about the weather.

It is almost the only thing to write about, the world seems to be holding his breath, there is no news these days. Just nothing happens. So what will come?
A horrible outbreak of viruses? Earthquakes, Tsunami's or the eruption of the Vesuvius? Maybe the Russians and the Americans will announce war this time? Nothing of it all, the worlds slides into the nothingness and as a result the Netherlands will be embraced by a tropical wall.

Where is the winter when you need it?

The Yu Bei Ballad (or the Ballad of the North Henan Province) is being played by famous Chinese Erhu player Yu Hongmei an pianist… This track got everything music needs to have. Filled with emotion you will experience a dream which lasts for 10 minutes. When you are able to close your eyes, put everything away for a moment and just listen to the music you will be swept away by its beauty. The Erhu sound will fill not only your head, but also your soul and before your eyes the beautiful Chinese landscape will appear. You will experience a journey of a person walking through this world filled with flowers and trees. In the beginning you just stare at this paradise for a while, some kind of warmth will fill your body and soul and drags you more in it. Between the many falling leaves you see a glimpse of this magical girl, wearing a beautiful dress in reddish colors which attract your attention.
Than when you take your first steps, you soon can’t stop running, you just have to run, jump, dance and praise the clear blue waterfall that suddenly appears. Running over hills, crossing lakes you are searching for her, the one who is like a bird flying through the woods and mysterious as a fairy she will always is one step ahead. What can you do than follow her, hoping to look her in the eyes. Suddenly you realize you are in an open field, filled with wild flowers and in the centre she is standing like a statue, a princess who is frozen in time. Slowly walking towards her, you feel your heart starts beating faster and faster. She looks at you, and starts to walk in circles around you looking longfully at the sky. Now it is you who becomes a statue, never you could ever had realized such beauty really exists, start to doubt yourself, what is happening to me Why can’t I move, how did she enchant me? She is leaving again, disappearing in the dense forest. Though you wanna run and chase her, you can’t and slowly you begin to realize she will never be yours. She is a spirit of the forest and belongs to a different kind of world. At last you realize, what I saw was all I ever hoped for and slowly a smile appears on your face. ‘I have seen the meaning of this world; I have seen the beauty that still lives in my hearts’. If you cherish it she will always stay there and maybe, maybe one day you will have the opportunity to meet her once more.

Yes, music can heal your soul, music gives you the chance to see your most desires. Yu Hongmei created a fairytale of most beautiful kind!

Scarlet Sails / Alye Parusa (Soviet Union, 1961)

Scarlet Sails is a production of the Soviet-Union from 1961. It is a charming film about romance, alomst like a fairytale. Though the acting is very theatrical and overdone, after watching this movie you will find your heart to be warm. The story of a gril who is waiting for her prince to rescue her is not really innovating, but we talk about 1961 here and it really accomplishes its mission. It is funny to see that the film contains many influences of the classical Russian ballet.

The scenery is sometimes beautiful, especially the thundering waves are superbly shot!

Nana (Japan, 2005)

The manga of Nana was so hugely famous in Japan, a complete hype, that it couldn't take long before a film would be made about it. And yes, in this film you can see its popularity. It is a bit too poppy in my opinion. But don't misunderstand me, by all means it is not a bad movie.
The story is pretty simple, but Asians have the ability to create a fantastic film out of a not too complex story. It is in the way how they present the movie and cleverly add some emotion on specific times.

But the absolute best of this movie is Aoi Miyazaki. When she appears on screen it is like everything else fades away. She truly possesses the power to overwhelm you with her presence. Yes, she is stunningly beautiful but don't forget her acting is to a very high level as well, she really is the character she plays and that is very rare, I think she is a great actress. The chemistry between Aoi Miyazaki and Mika Nakashima is beautiful, together they really add so much power to the scenes.



Maybe Nana is not the best movie, probably it could have become a real interesting film in the hands of director Shunji Iwai. Immediately I had to think of Hana to Arisu (Hana & Alice) when I saw Nana. But, 'Nana' has been made for a huge audience and they screem for this poppy-look.

Cherry Blossoms - Hanami (Germany, 2008)

In this period of the cherry blossoms which movie could better be watched than one about cherry blossoms?



Cherry blossoms reminds us of love and romance but it also remnds of decay and death, cause when they are there and fill the world with their beauty the next moment you realize they withered, they are gone again. It is a perfect symbol for life and cherish this short period while you are there, and experience the beauty of this world. Maybe sometimes beauty is hard to find but it always is there, just around the corner. When you can't seem to find it only means you have to look for it another day and another...until the time has come and the first flower bloom.s

Well this film is about an elderly man who tries to live with the death of his wife. He never really understood her, why did she like this weird Japanese butoh-dance? He travels to Japan to look for his wife, maybe he can find her in this shadow dance? This is a small German film, but a true masterpiece of emotion and remorse. Never stop believing in your dreams, it's never too late.

Dance with the film and understand a little bit more why we should cherish the fact we are humans in this world, but most of all to see the cherry blossoms.

Snow in Beijing? / Ambassador of 'Kawaii' / Time of the cherry blossom

Springtime arrived again, though it did everywhere in the world most fascinating news comes from Asia.



Does it snow in Beijing? No, these are the willow catkins. The government even warned about it and is advising to wear sunglasses or veils as they pose potential risks to the health of people's respiratory tract.



Ambassador of Kawaii? Yeah, it is possible in Japan. Because Japanese for a long time seem to adore everything that is cute (kawaii) they introduced the ambassador of kawaii. Just a thing that could only be made possible in Japan, but it is brilliant!



And ofcourse we are in the period of the cherry blossom, our mind is taking back to the period In our minds we see geisha's standing in front of such beauty, wearing their magnificent kimono's to enchant us and wish those times could re-appear.

La Haine / Hate (France, 2005)

La Haine is a powerful movie about the suburbs of Paris. It is a movie that all is about hate among the young people that have no future. This hatred sometimes escalates between policemen and youth like it did again only a few years ago.
La Haine succeeds brilliantly in showing these chaotic suburbs. It is completely shot in black and white, which also adds extra depth to the movie because most of all it is a story about the lower and dark life of a welfaring country. And ofcourse it only can escalate in the end, the first minute you watch this movie you already figure that out.

Maybe not too many things happen in this film, but the scenery is great and in fact the pace isn't slow at all! An outstanding French movie!

"How far you fall doesn't matter, it's how you land..."

Yu-Na Kim wins the word championships!

Yes!! Finally it happened, my favourite Korean skater Yu-Na Kim won the gold medal in the ladies program, and it makes world champion 2009!

Well almost the entire program was flawless (she only missed one jump) and with this stunning performance the other competitors had no chance of beating her. Not only her jumps are amzing, she also has a great expression and her skating itself is most delicate, just like Yu-Na Kim herself is.

She ended up with 16!! more points than second place Canadian Rochette, never seen such a huge gap like that before. Third place went to Japanese former world champion Miki Ando, Japan always has a very strong team with Mao Asada (2008 world champion) on fourth place. Yukari Nakano (4th in 2008) didn't even compete in Los Angeles!

Yu Na Kim is probably the most talented figure skater of the 21st century, towards Vancouver 2008 she will be chasing perfection to become the new Olympic champion.

Congratulations Yu-Na Kim, your tears during the national anthem were beautiful as well!

Figure Skating World Championships Los Angeles 2009: Pairs, short program

After the magnificent World Championships in Göteborg 2008 (the ladies long program still is before my eyes like it is happening today), the new championships have started in Los Angeles!

Most important of this first day was the short program for pairs. Immediately the tournament is exciting cause after the short program the gaps for and between the medal places are not too high. On third place we see the Chinese pair Peng/Tong, their skating was pretty good, it only sometimes just lacked a bit in presentation. Second placed is the Russian pair Smirnov/Kavaguti (though most people will know her as ‘Kawaguchi’) who surprised me in a very good way. They make their way to he top really fast! It was a beautiful dramatic performance from the beginning to the end, with a perfect choice of music, because they skated on ‘the swan’ and Kavaguti in her white costume really looked like one. First placed is the German pair Szolkowy/Savchenko, not really a surprise at all because their performance was almost flawless! I only didn’t like the ‘spiral of death’ too much, it didn’t look to elegant.

A perfect way to start a world championship, though I have to admit I can’t wait till Friday when my favorite Yu Na Kim will appear on the ice! But for now the long program of the pairs will be exciting enough!