47 Ronin

Watched the 47 Ronin movie in SM Bacoor earlier. I've already seen the half of the black & white, uncorrupted story, 1941 film of the 47 Ronin [without the white supremacy in it] and first read the story/summary in this book (written at the end before index): IAI: The Art Of Drawing The Sword by Darrell Max Craig and was about to buy the whole story book in FullyBooked but was not so impressed with how it was narrated in that edition.

Although in history there really were caucasian samurais and other instances where a peasant bought himself to elevate his status and become a samurai, the story really fucks up everytime there's a Hollywood white actor playing the lead role of the movie. Like in The Last Samurai starring Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe and Hiroyuki Sanada in that movie. It was portrayed that the Imperial Japanese Army couldn't shoot their targets and they needed a white officer- Capt. Nathan Algren (Cruise) to teach them how to aim their rifles correctly because they are not ready for battle against Katsumoto's forces.

That's bullshit because some samurais are using musketeers/riflemen since before the Sengoku period (muskets are introduced in Japan by the Portuguese during the 15th century) and also their descendants 300 years later used rifles during the Boshin war (1868-1869). So how come it was portrayed in The Last Samurai that the Japanese military in the Meiji era couldn't aim their targets?

In this movie, it was shown that the ronins cannot kill a mythological beast (Qilin), handle some samurai guards on their way to their journey and needed a half-white savior who took care of those tasks for them and help them get their swords. Clear examples of white supremacies in both movies.

These days, the only samurai movies I watched were classic jidaigeki movies on my PC and the last samurai movies I watched in cinemas were Rurouni Kenshin live-action (Tokugawa-Meiji era) and Castle Under Fiery Skies (Sengoku period).

I like how it showed the true power, magnificence and real efficiency of a katana/samurai sword. I think that's the part that's unique in this movie and I haven't seen in other samurai movies/jidaigeki-chanbara films.

The part of the movie I like the most is the Tengu scene (demon god in Japanese mythology that has long nose or beak and wings of an eagle).

According to legends (read it in this book- The Demons Sermon on the Martial Arts): The Tengus are the ones who taught humans about kenjutsu or Japanese fencing. It would be great if the movie much showed what Kai learned from the Tengu when he was just a kid.

I think the reason they made this a fantasy film and changing some important facts of the real story like exchanging the ages of Lord Asano (Min Tanaka) and Lord Kira (Tadanobu Asano) is so that the movie will look unique and fresh.

In the trailer, I thought the 1 thrown in the dungeon was Kai (Keanu Reeves) but it turns out, it was Oishi (Hiroyuki Sanada) (I wonder how he survived there? Looks like they didn't feed him for about a year.).

The scene where Mizuki (Rinko Kikuchi) is threatening Mika (Kou Shibasaki) really turned me on. I just read a hot lesbian love scene in Lady Snowblood manga yesterday.:

Although it shouldn't be a fantasy movie, the movie clearly displays the true Japanese/samurai spirit of courage, honor and loyalty to one's lord.

I think I'm gonna go the samurai way of fasting since I only have PHP1,000+ left in my bank account because of my spending in this movie. I missed the days (I think those were in 2009) when the same price on the ticket will also give you a free popcorn.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Watched The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug last night in SM Megamall. Superb movie. The scenery and special effects were great like the last time (that's what happens when you have millions of dollar budget for making a Hollywood fantasy movie).

I'm just sleepy in the cinema because I haven't slept the night before for watching a 1 and a half hour episode of Detective Conan: http://www.animeultima.tv/detective-conan-episode-345-english-subbed/
and also, a 2-hour interview and 3 hour-job description yesterday.

The sequel is more about Thorin than Bilbo. Bilbo seems like a minor character in this movie and didn't speak that much with the dwarves. Gandalf reminds me of Dumbledore, Sauron with Voldemort, Bilbo Baggins with Harry Potter especially when Potter fought the Hungarian Horntail Dragon in the Goblet of Fire. But I think, Gandalf and Sauron are stronger than Dumbledore and Voldemort. The Arkenstone that Bilbo must steal in this movie looks like the Golden egg that Harry must catch that holds the clue for the next event in The Goblet of Fire.

I just watched it in 2D and it must be fun watching it in 3D especially when Gandalf fought Sauron and when Thorin was attacked by the dragon in the deep well. I thought Bilbo's greed of Sauron's The One ring only surfaced 50 years after, during the events in The Lord of the Rings. But in this movie, he already became greedy when a baby spider was about to accidentally step on the ring. (Let's see if I'm able to read that in the novel.) It's so nice that Peter Jackson firstly made The Lord of the Rings trilogy before making the prequel The Hobbit. Seems this novel adaptation is much fresher than its sequels. I wonder what happens when a dwarf have interracial relationship with an elf? Will their offsprings have magical powers and longevity like the elf parent? Probably. There are many "oh shit!" moments especially in the scenes where they reached the old dwarvish kingdom in the Lonely Mountain and faced the dragon. It's kinda nice that the dragon can talk and can relate to the characters' inner fears. I stopped reading the novel up to the point where they escaped with giant eagles. Seems they lengthen the novel by making it a trilogy movie to gain more profit.

Boy Golden review

I watched Boy Golden earlier at SM Megamall after I passed the interview and signed contract for home based part-time job in Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong.

Boy Golden was still running last week here in SM Dasmariñas but this week, it was pulled out in the cinemas. I was supposed to watch this last Sunday in SM Dasma.


Here are my reviews of this movie:

Fighting scenes are too simple especially with the gun fighting scenes. They are just too easy and simple. They could mostly make Gov. ER having difficulty when fighting 1 on 1 to make it more of a challenge but still gain the upper hand in the end of each fight. They were able to do that in most of KC's fight scenes but still not enough to make you feel shocked or amazed at the edge of your seat (I'll get more about KC's parts later).

Most of the dialogues are corny (baduy) and the actings are a little bit exaggerated. Fighting scenes should be unique and not something you've seen a million times in Philippine action movies. (Can't believe they even hired Thai action film choreographers for this. I think the difference is those Thai action stars have special martial art or acrobatic skills that they could demonstrate or form as an exhibition during the film that will usually awe the viewers. )

Gov. ER's hairstyle, mustache and beard in this film seems look like Shintaro Katsu's in his Zatoichi movies (maybe because of my Zatoichi movie reviews that they read on twitter, haha!!).

I remember back in the 90's, Gov. ER used to always play deranged villain roles and he always gets beat up and killed in the climax or in the middle of the film. If there will be a Philippine version of Samurai X, I think he's best to play Shishio if he's 10 years younger. I remember in Cariño Brutal film where he played 1 of the rapists, he was burned alive by Rosanna Roces, much like what happened to the character Shishio. The last film I saw him is he has a Mr.T's/ Bebop from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle hairstyle and he was shot/murdered at the middle of the film. He now play lead roles these days because local veteran action stars are either retired, too old or dead. I think actor-politicians such as Gov. ER should quit in making movies and just concentrate on how to serve the people. There is a lot of ways to help the movie industry and the livelihood of his fellow actors aside from taking lead roles (I get a feeling he's planning to take a higher position in the government that's why he's taking lead roles now. Typical in the Ejercito clan.). In the last scene of the movie, he was gunned-down with a pose that his mouth is still holding his cigarette even though seems he doesn't breathe anymore. Maybe it's rigor mortis. (Wanna take a picture of that scene to post it here but it's illegal to do that.)

What lack thugs in this movie are backup plans for worst case scenarios like getting caught.

The moral lesson of the movie is to respect the elderly even if they are the cause of how most of the characters kill each other in this movie. Viva didn't able to accomplish that in Kamagong (1986 movie). There are many scenes in Kamagong that I believe were taken/recycled in this movie (maybe because of my english sub youtube upload of that movie).

KC's opening dance number was WOW!!!

I wished they raised the camera a little higher when she did that upside down yoga (the camera was just from her face up to her waist) and I wish they turn the camera on the other side when she spread her legs on the bed. She has bigger boobies in this movie unlike the last time I met her:

But I think, her younger sister is much hotter and nicer.


When she was chased by the fake fat attorney's thugs, she should just act normally when she saw the police in the street. They wouldn't arrest you if THEY KNOW you're not doing anything wrong. I don't get the fainting part. She just cold bloodedly killed someone then fainted when she's cornered? Huh? That doesn't add up. The initial reaction of the attorney's thugs should be: either they will ask Marla Dee first to what happened to her and their boss or they will run and check their boss first (because at that time they think their boss is still alive) before chasing her. She was a guest afterall, not a hostage or a sex slave to them. And then, Marla could just lie to them when being asked then escape.

I like her fighting scene in Golden's room especially the part when she touched the assassin's injured hand.

It would be great if aside from her martial art prowess in the movie, she also plays a thief that's an expert especially in lock picking.

Words of advice: Don't expect a grisly-gangster movie full of senseless murder scenes to be a box-office hit especially during Christmas season when everybody is trying to be merry.

The last statement  "There's no happy ending for a bad person." of the Chinese boss (played by Leo Martinez) is wrong.

There's ALWAYS a happy ending waiting for a person who is willing to change especially those who do something for the greater good of others (that's what I believe in). He just need to fight all he got to get it. That includes being extra careful for yourself especially if you're living the life of a gangster. I got a feeling it's an anti-Japanese sentiment that is referenced to Kenshin Himura's remorse and I also got a hunch that KC was trying to parody him in this movie (red dress, slit-scar on her cheek).

When I got outside the Megamall's cinema, I saw some cosplayers posing for the upcoming movie - 47 Ronin, right in front of Cinema 2.

I really wish there will come a time again when cosplayers such as these people are allowed to carry a real unsharpened/blunt katana and not swords that looks like they were made by protesters in the street.