Not in any particular order...
Kimi ni Todoke (live-action)
STARRING: Tabe Mikako, Miura Haruma
Actually, I've seen this like one million years ago but only kind of remembered it now. Hm. It's a pretty faithful adaptation. The actors/actresses look like their manga/anime counterparts -- except maybe for Kazehaya but the actor exudes the persona so that's fine. My favorite scene was when Sawako made this really constipated face and she says that she's happy. LOLz I love the actors who played Ryu and Yoshida. The actress who played Yano was a dead-ringer, which was really fun to see.
The Kids Are All Right
STARRING: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson
I have to admit, I never got interested in this movie. Back when this was buzzed about for the Bening's Oscar-worthy performance, I was too concentrated on Natalie Portman's The Black Swan and didn't really bother with the other shows. And I only watched it now because I wanted to know Mia Wasikowska's performance here after seeing her in Jane Eyre. But I enjoyed it. The Bening and Moore are fantastic actresses but I've always known that.
Jane Eyre
STARRING: Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Judi Dench, Jamie Bell
Yes, yes, the movie is called Jane Eyre, not Edward Fairfax Rochester, but look at that man. Michael Fassbender, I don't know what you did but you're entirely too pretty for the role of Rochester and yet, strangely enough, you're perfect. Rochester is described, half-jestingly, half-seriously by Jane, as a gnome of a man, not handsome at all, with a broad chest, and not particularly tall or graceful. He also isn't pleasant. As a matter of fact, he's rude, sarcastic, maybe a little crazy (you have to be half-mad to keep a wife in the attic and cross-dress as a gypsy fortune-teller just to find out how the apple of your eyes feel about you), and a total and complete weirdo. But he's passionate, intelligent, liberated and being in love with Jane brings out all the finest aspects of his character as well as its worst. Michael Fassbender may not look like a Rochester but he played the role like it belonged to him and him alone and I was convinced. Watching him, listening to him speak, it was easy to believe why the sensible and thoroughly unromantic Jane fell victim to his libertine, sometimes off-putting ways. Speaking of which, let's not forget Mia's subtle, restrained, nuanced Jane:
Like Fassbender, Mia Wasikowska is perhaps too pretty for the role. Jane is supposed to be "poor, plain, obscure and little," a woman without wealth or beauty so that no one, except Rochester, would have noticed her, let alone acknowledge her as a person. But Mia does the role justice. Like Rochester, Jane is passionate and any other actress would have played on that just to get more out of the character, never mind if it would've looked out of place, considering the time period, Jane's position and the social restrictions that came with it. No, Mia played Jane perfectly -- posture erect, hands clasped, she will not be goaded by Rochester's deliberate deconstruction but you can see it in the way she swallows and breathes a little too fast, the way her eyes register surprise that she is able to exchange witticisms with the master of the house, the way her entire frame literally trembles when feelings nearly overwhelm her, twice, this is Charlotte Bronte's secretly passionate Jane brought to life on screen and .... AHH, I NEED TO WATCH THE MOVIE AGAIN. shit.
True Blood Season 4
STARRING: Anna Pacquinn, Stephen Moyer, Alexander Skaarsgard, etc.
I enjoyed the first episode with the fairies.... That was awesome. Then, the story went to shit. Ah, but there's one bright spot: the very nice development of the budding love between Jason and Jessica. I've always been a Hoyt x Jessica shipper but this is nice, too. The relationship is treated respectfully, you know, contrary to all of Jason's other love interests, and I really think there's something there. No, I don't like Sookie and Eric although the latter is always yum despite his MPD. lolz Also, Pam is having a shit of a season, isn't she? And it doesn't look like next season's going to be any better for her. Did I mention that I loved Pam's I-dont-take-no-shit-from-anybody attitude? Coz I do and seeing her break down in the season finale was heartbreaking, despite Ginger. Fucking Ginger. She's always fun, but that was a nice moment.
Game of Thrones Season 1
STARRING: Sean Bean, Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, etc.
If you remember, this was one of the sword-and-sorcery shows I was looking forward to. But unlike Camelot, which was quite disappointing, Game of Thrones delivered and more. My favorite character has got to be the superbly witty Tyrion Lannister, played to absolute perfection by Peter Dinklage. I can't wait for season 2 actually.
The Legend of Condor Heroes (2008)
STARRING: Hu Ge, Ariel Lin, Yuan Hong, Liu Shi Shi
This is not a very good adaptation but it features some pretty good-looking actors, especially the guy who plays Yang Kang. I think, performance-wise, out of the four main characters, the one who really did well was Ariel Lin, who played Huang Rong. Exactly what I imagined Huang Rong to be -- clever, naughty, a little manipulative but with such a disarming charm that you just immediately forgive even her worst transgressions. Actually, I haven't finished watching the show yet. It's a whopping 50-episode series and I kind of lost my interest at episode 25. Yeesh.
Mushishi (live action)
STARRING: Odagiri Joe
I watched this thing raw. It's a very atmospheric film and quite disturbing. Even though I read the manga and seen the anime version, I got a little confused with the story. One thing I can definitely say about this film: it's very beautiful.
Next up, I am blogging about shows I am most looking forward to.
EDIT: 11:18 a.m. 8/18/2011
Run, Lola, Run
STARRING: Franka Potente
How could I have forgotten this? This was such an odd movie. It even had its own animation sequence. Ugly animation sequence. But fun, fun, fun.
3 Idiots
This was fun.
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