Grave of the fireflies

I just watched a Japanese anime movie which is called 'Grave of the fireflies' (Hotaru no haka). It's about a brother and sister in Japan who have lost their mum during a bomb attack. Their dad is in the navy, and seemed to be disappeared completely.
The brother (Seita) and sister (Satsuko) are being raised for a while by some family member but after a while she won't take care of them anymore. Seiko and Satsuko have to live on their own and are going to make a bombshelter their home. There isn't enough food and Satsuko is getting ill.....
It's a very very very tragic story about the love between a brother and sister in times of war, a story of survival. I think this anime is pretty good, and it fully deserves the 32nd position in the list (site: moviemeter) of best movies ever made. It is even compared by critics with Schindler's list. 'Grave of the fireflies is the most profoundly human animated film I've ever seen'. You will be impressed after watching it and probably will feel very sad. Tragic and beautiful, again a good combination!

Jade Soturi

On the 25th of March I have to go to the cinema in Groningen. Due to the fact of the exposition of the Finnish painter Akseli Gallen-Kallela in the Groninger museum there will be shown a movie about Finland (Suomi). I still have to see this exposition, but I heard only good things about it so I surely will!!


(famous work by Kallela)

The movie is called "Jade soturi " Jade Warrior! I wanted this movie to see so badly already but it was never shown here. Now I have one chance so I look forward to it very very much!

Hero

Just an amazing picture of Maggie Cheung preparing for battle. This till is from the movie 'Hero', directed by Zhang Yimou.

Speedskating

Yesterday was a brilliant day of the world championships speedskating on ice. Kramer broke the World record on the 10 km with an amazing time of 12.41.69 (old world record was: 12.49.88).
The most excting race was the 500 m. for women, Jenny Wolf eventually won in a word record. Though I supported Wang Beixing, who finished second, Wolf fully deserved the win! For her it's the first time she was the best in an important championship. Beixing Wang'season was already good by winning two gold medals in the Asian winter games. Well...I guess in 2008 she will win the 500 m.

Part 2 of Vaitlin's story

Wandering further away from the cliff Vaitlin felt his own feelings were coming back in some way. The dark spots in his mind seemed to decline with every step he took. No longer was he controlled by this depressed thoughts that brought him up here. Still the wind was pulling at his clothes, as if to make one last effort to blow him to the edge of the cliff again. Headshaking, while taking step after step through the long green waving grass, Vaitlin pushed away a disturbing thought. ‘No, it isn’t possible. Why should the forces of nature even think of me? Am I that selfish, that I think nature is making me to leave this world.’ A deep and rumbling laugh came out of his mouth, laughing away the insanity of his own words. Turning around for one last time, to never think of this moment again Vaitlin fell to his knees. ‘No! No it’s not possible!’. But still the image of this lady dressed in white burned on his mind. ‘It’s only this cliff which depresses me, it can’t be Deluriel. She would never jump’.

Un long dimanche de fiancailles (A very long engagement)

Un long dimanche de fiancailles is a French movie, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, starring Audrey Tautou.
The story deals about five men who shoot themselves to get away from the Frontline at Somme during the First World War. The are being court-martialed and as a punishment they will be left for dead in no man's land. Mathilde (Audrey Tautou) is the fiancé of Manech, who is one of these five men, he is called Manech. She finds out maybe her husband is still alive. So a great investigation begins, it's almost like a detective in WW1. It's also a very beautiful love story about two young people who only live for eachother.
I think this movie is very, very good! Audrey Tautou plays very strong and convincing. The story gets you immediately, though the plot can be a little difficult to understand sometimes.
The colour of this movie is brilliant, with often yellow-brown filmshots which fits perfectly to this film.

The story of Vaitlin begins

Well our online story has started....my beginning: The Cliff



Looking over the enormous sea with waves that would swallow everyting, Vaitlin stood on the highest cliff looking at the far horizon. Seagulls flying close towards him, as if they wanted him to join them and spread his wings. ‘Choose the open air, an endlessly flight through these cloudened skies’. Slowly he reached for his face to discover a single tear, a pearl shining in the appearing sun. Was it a tear of sadness or a tear of happiness, Vaitlin wasn’t sure. Why did he came all the way up here, to this lonely cliff with nothing more than some lousy fighting birds. The wind was pushing and pulling so hard he had to be careful he wouldn’t fall into the deep and endless sea. Or did he come here to jump and end his life without leaving a single trace? Vaitlin shook his head and whispered to the dark sea ‘why did I came here, what happened, what will happen’. At that moment he screamed like the world was coming to his end. Something inside woke him up from some kind of trance and pulled him away from the cliff. Slowly walking away from this place where everything could have ended, everything begins while Vaitlin took his first step towards his new journey.

Online story at fansquare

Together with some friends we created an online forum, fansquare. We are looking for more writers! At least once in three days every person has to post a part (10-50 sentences) of the story, you have to create your own story. Every writer creates his/her own character and let it start somewhere in this fantasy world. For example in the woods, cliff or dungeon.

In the beginning it will be very new and wil lbe under construction for a while. We don't know yet what the entire world will look like, what are the distances between places and when you travel you experience travelling time. But don't let it hold you back... first start with the story of your character. After a while your character can meet one of he other authors, so you can travel together and write for that other person too..

Well do you like to write and wanna experience some magical adventures...join us now and register at: http://z6.invisionfree.com/FanSquare/index.php (you have to copy this link and paste it in a new window due to the fact that this link doesn't work on my blog)

Koi Kaze (love wind)

I watched the Japanese anime 'Koi Kaze' on youtube, so i have only seen it in a small frame. I want to mention this because it's possible that much of the emotion and beauty is gone when you watch it not in the complete screen version.
Koi Kaze is an anime of 12 episodes which deals about a very difficult subject, many even think it's very controversial and sick to watch. It deals about the love of a bother (30) and sister (15). And le me tell you one thing clear... we talk about true love here.
I know when people know this, many don't wanna see the series but I can only advice you the opposite thing: You have to watch this one!! The style of this anime is a bit simple and that makes it even more interesting. This anime is about the inner feelings of a man who falls in love with a girl, first he doesn't even know it's his sister cause their parents got divorced long ago. He feels bad about himself and doesn't know what to do, will she fall in love with him too? It's the story of very very sad feelings. In one way this anime absorbs you into it's story and it will make you feel a bit sad too.
I read somewhere you had to take care you won't loose sleep after watching it, and I think it's pretty right. The images and dark dark emotions and sadness could cause pretty depressive thoughts, but.....in another way it makes you wanna look episode after episode. This anime is will give you a weird experience and I still don't know what to think of it. One thing is clear to me... it's worth the try! The music is great too.
Well...this anime will only be loved by a very very small group of people.

The kite

I have to hold on tightly to the line of the kite,
The wind tries to blow the kite out of sight.
even if it's so far away and difficult to see,
I feel the tension of the line, I feel it pulls me to where it flies.

I want to follow it,
I want to embrace every danger there will be,
this kite I just won't loose,
It means to much to me.



The line is endless long,
it won't be easy to hold on,
But i have my entire life to find it again,
And I will, of that I'm sure.

It represents my biggest dream,
this dream I won't let go.
Months or years will eventually pass,
but in the end i will pull the kite to my arms again.



I travelled the world to look for wonders,
the mermaid showed me just one thing.
The stories and magic I know form your eyes,
will always burn bright in my heart.

YUN

Last night I went to the theatre and watched a Chines group 'YUN' who played traditional, ethnic and modern Chinese music. There was also singing and some really fabulous dance. This music group consisted of 4 Chinese women and one dutch man (percussionist). The women played all a different instrument such as the Gu zheng (Chinese local harp),

Erhu (Chinese knee violin)

and the Pipa (Chinese lute)

These women all achieved international succes with their instruments. The dancer even played in Chinese series and commercials.
The music was very peaceful and was played brilliantly. It was interesting to see the reaction of the Gu Zheng to the theat and light of the theatre, after every song the played they had to tune this instrument again. I loved the sound of all the instuments but I think the Erhu is so cool, it looks like a very strange instrument but the music of it...wow!!
The dancing part was very brilliant too, the woman studied in the famous He-Nan dancing academy. she was looking gorgeous, the clothing she weared was also perfect. Hmm again I know for sure...Chinese traditional clothing are the most beautiful in the world!
After the concert we could look at the instruments very closely..wow.... they were so fantastically made and beautiful to see!! Afterwards we were also congratulated with Chinese new year and got some great food, together with a fortune cookie hehe. I also bought their cd to rejoin the music.
The fun part was when we (i went with a friend) looked around us and noticed we were the youngest hehe, I think almost everyone were 30 to 40 years older than us hehe.

Again some great pictures

Those two days (tomorrow I will go to a Chinese concert) I don't have too much time to post something so I just put some beautiful pictures in this post.
I just think director 'Wong Kar Wai' has the perfect images in his films! Again I took some pictures of 'In the mood for love' and '2046'. Anybody that hasn't seen those movies yet....well run to a filmshop and get them as fast as you can.

It's just the use of colour in his movies, the choice of music, the casting and the brilliant camera-work. 2046 takes you away to a world that exist of pure beauty and the feeling of pure sadness. It's not easy to understand but give it a chance!!

Forever yours

Sometimes we want to sail away from our world and visit the beauty of nature.
Don't hold back but enjoy your adventure that starts in your own mind.
When you look at the great wide ocean,
maybe you will see those magical sea-green eyes,
the eyes of the mermaid that will be your guide.

She will guide you on your journey to unknown worlds,
she shows you the great forest where magic still exist,
where trees whisper old words that in our era long have been forgotten,
where the last unicorn longs for the pureness of a virgin.

Trust her! I tell you, don't be afraid,
Don't be afraid for what will happen,
just let her guide you to your deepest dreams.
Myself, I went to places beyond our imagination,
I went to the end of time and found what I already knew.

The mermaid let me to the center of my dreams,
I looked in her eyes again and realized they were familiar to me,
I looked in yours.
All magic, eternal beauty, everlasting love,
I already found it in my life.

I walk with you forever,
I will be forever yours.

Today I don't have much time so I will just post a few photo's of Zhang Ziyi. Hmm what can I say about it, I think they are very fashional and beautiful! I know there are a lot of people that don't like her really but I think she acts wonderful in movies like '2046, house of flying daggers and the road home'. The next movie of Zhang Ziyi will be 'Mulan', I've watched Mulan as a disney cartoon so I am very curious towards this film!

Zhou Yu's train

Maybe Zhou yu's train isn't the most famous Chinese movie and some critics will say it's a very cliché movie but I think it's is very beautiful. It's about the love of a poet and a woman (played by Gong Li) that works in a pottery factory. I read somewhere this entire movie looks like a poem and I agree totally.
Some interesting thing about this story is that there are many flashbacks, but sometimes these falshbacks aren't real flasbacks. The clue of this story can only be obtained when you watch it carefully and than in the end all pieces of the puzzle will come together. The story is told from the perspective of a person that looks like Zhou yu...but is it her? The most beautiful images are given when Zhou Yu is travelling by train to the city where her lover/poet lives. Such a beautifull journey it is..the beautiful landscape of China will grab you. I wish I could go there immediately!
The poet writes poems for her and writes about beautiful villages/lakes and compares it's beauty with hers. She is going to travel to these beautiful places but do they exist in real too?
Gong Li acts strongfully in this movie, she is very convincing when she breaks some of her pottery. You will have during this entire movie the feeling that it won't end good, but you still want to know what will happen.
The pictures of this movie are just so very beautiful and it's a perfect poetic movie. If you love to dream away in a painting of a beautiful landscape you will surely love this movie. Dream away in a poem and travel by train through beautiful memories. Maybe this is a metaphor to describe my feeling about it.