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AnonymousI have shown this movie to my 6th graders when we were study east asian religions. They found it to be very enjoyable. I have seen it many times.
AnonymousBecause of the hype surrounding most movies, I tend to avoid movies that everyone tells you that you must see. This was one of them. I'm sure that most people know that this film was based on a New York Times bestseller by the same title. The movie takes place right before the war in Japan. A young girl is sold into slavery by her poor parents. Her only chance for survival lies in her ability to work in a Geisha house. Events lead her into the life of a geisha. The film follows her journey as a geisha and then into life of poverty during the war.
The themes in this movie were just as powerful as the scenery. There was many beautiful images of the town in Japan where this film takes place. I think that it would be a very useful tool to use in a high school classroom. The sets and the costumes in this film are impressively done. The struggle of poor women in a male dominated world are very apparent as are the struggles of finding happiness in a life of survival.
As a skeptic I recommend this film
clay dubeThose interested in Spring... may wish to read or watch the interview Asia Pacific Arts conducted with its director Kim Ki-duk. You can access it at:
AnonymousRelated to our Sat 4/29 session with Professor Yamashita and the film "Twilight Samurai," I have a similar film called "When the Last Sword is Drawn" that centers on another low rank samurai in Japan. I had an easy time relating the film since the main character shares the same last name as me, SAITO. At first, what appears to be a self-serving, miserly samurai, we are slowly introduced and warmed up to a caring, diplomatic samurai. Similar to the main character in the "Twilight Samurai," Saito-san is committed to caring for his family above all else. While the Daimyo/Shogun is important to his vocational commitments, his real life is centered on his precious memories of his home village and family. As he rises in rank to serve a greater need of the warring clans, he is away from home for longer periods and at a greater distance.
I won't give away the details of some of his 'missions,' but there is a great amount of what we talked about in regards to the roles in feudal Japan and the warrior role of the Samurai. When Saito-san's clan is accused to disloyalty to the new government, he faces a modern army with guns in a classic village battle sequence. Should he support a crumbling clan with a cause falling out of favor with the public, or should he surrender to save his life for the sake of his family and future reunion. Much like samurai who lost or were without their "lords" to serve, the ronin-like Catch-22 that Samurai Saito is caught in, is similar to what we educators face on a daily basis with ethical dilemmas in the classrooms. By the way, in case you did not know, a 'ronin' is a Samurai without a master or a daimyo to serve (yes, the homeless Samurai). As educators, do we serve the curriculum, the students, the parents, the district, or at our base level, our own passions and expertise.
If you are used to Samurai movies, the conclusion is somewhat predictable... However, it is through the process and actions of his roles that Samurai Saito earns our compassion as the film viewers...
While I grew up loving Samurai tales, I definitely prefer stories about the 'ordinary' life and moral dilemmas, not just about 'spoiled' aristocrats and warriors.
AnonymousIn the foreign language movie section at Blockbuster, I was intrigued by the title- Beijing Bicycle. Hoping to see lots of Beijing scenery and reminisce about our recent trip to that amazing city, I decided to check it out. This movie centers around the life of a country boy who has just moved to the big city. He is lucky enough to get a job as a bicycle messenger - a well paying job with the added benefit of being able to buy the bike he is using. It was fun to " ride along" as Guei weaves his way thru the conjested traffic in Beijing and the city's maze of alleyways -hutongs. They show some interesting neighborhoods and markets. The story changes when his bicycle is stolen and his job is in jeopardy. Tracking down the lost bicycle, leads Guei to a different part of town and forces him to fight with the boy who has his bike. The story contrasts the life of a schoolboy with rich friends (who act like a gang) with that of a struggling country boy -a kid who just wants to work and pay off the 600 yuans for the bike he loves. Sounds like a Disney movie- not exactly. There is gang violence, some swearing,one nude shot, but on the whole an O.K movie - not great. The movie has English subtitles and some are very amusing. At one point, Guei's boss says- you country folk are very determined, "A real little Engine that could!" With themes of duty, honesty, friendship and persistence, this movie could generate some good discussions. [Edit by="bsmith on May 1, 8:18:06 AM"][/Edit]
AnonymousFor everyones information, There is an Asian film festival going on this week which began yesterday through May 11 being held in LA. If you go to the website vconline.org you get a breakdown of all the films being shown and there are many. Most of them are films by Asians or about Asians. It seems very interesting and I would like to hear if anyone sees any of the films.
clay dubeJack's right about the film festival, and those getting the Asia in SoCal weekly calendar newsletter know about it. This week's films are listed at http://international.ucla.edu/asia/events.asp?action=weekview
To add yourself to the Asia in SoCal mailing list, please go to http://www.asia.ucla.edu/events.asp and fill in the boxes. The newsletter goes out every Thursday.
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AnonymousI wanted to review the film Akarui mirai (Bright Future, 2003) by Kiyoshi Kurosawa. The film is interesting in that it deals with issues of growing up, entering adulthood, holding down a job, and dealing with all the stuff that almost always makes for a wonderful teenage coming of age movie. Only the two guys “growing up” are 24, Yûji Nimura, and 27, Mamoru Arita.
Plot: Yuji and Mamoru are great friends who work in a plant together. Their boss wants to hire them permanently and become a part of their everyday lives. He invites them to stay for dinner after they deliver a desk for his daughter. He visits them at Mamoru’s home, bringing sushi, and stays to watch the game. He is 55 and wishes the boys knew him when he was 25. He was a sight he brags. Yuji is disgusted by this as is Mamoru. It shows. Mamoru then decides he has bigger things to accomplish and quits. He leaves Yuji his prize possession, a poisonous red jellyfish he is acclimating to fresh water. Yuji is perplexed but takes the fish and stays on at his job and receives a bonus. Yuji goes looking for his friend, but he is unable to find Mamoru and so returns home. That night he visits his boss to retrieve a CD the boss “borrowed” and finds the man and his wife dead, murdered. He runs. There is a shot of the boss’s young daughter wandering the streets alone. We do not see her again. As the film progresses Mamoru is caught and sent to prison. And at this point his father, who he has not seen in five years, shows up to consult a lawyer. Yuji visits but is upset when Mamoru tells him never to return. In anger and frustration Yuji knocks over the red jellyfish tank and the fish slides to its death, falling between the floorboards into the Tokyo sewers. Then Mamoru hangs himself in prison and Yuji and Mamoru’s father Shin'ichirô Arita begin a quasi father-son relationship. They soon realize as do all those in Tokyo that the red jellyfish is alive and well, has multiplied and the horde are on their way back to the sea. Mr. Arita decides to chase the last one fleeing to sea. He picks it up and dies. Yuji holds him and the movie ends with a gang of boys Yuji committed a robbery with walking down a street bored and kicking boxes. They all wear black pants, white shirts with Che Guevara on them, and black Converse.
Now I think this is an interesting movie because it deals with issues of un/employment and a competitive job market, adulthood and the status quo, and isolation and/or prolonged adolescence in Tokyo. There has been a great deal written on these sociological/psychological phenomena, which are not exclusive to Japan, and yet in very specific ways are.
It seems that as Mamoru gets closer to thirty, to permanent work and to the responsibility of adulthood the more anxiety he feels. There is a separation anxiety that we usually equate with leaving your teens, which Mamoru seems to experience. Of course a similar occurs when you leave your thirties, but with Mamoru and especially with Yuji, only 24, the anxiety is closer to that felt in adolescence. Yuji for example is obsessed with bowling and with arcade games as opposed to his sister’s boyfriend, of the same age, who works in an office. Yuji and Mamoru exist in a developmentally delayed social class. They have not bought into the idea of work and twenties equals adulthood. They are both afraid of signing a permanent contract for fear that things will change, youth and the fun will end.
And for Mamoru there seems to be no release from this anxiety other than his committing a murder. The murder allows him to remain a child by being imprisoned and thus cared for for the rest of his life. In turn Yuji becomes son to Mamoru’s father continuing his own cycle of adolescence. Yuji does seem to have a way of dealing with his anxiety though. The red jellyfish. He searches, finds and ultimately follows it to sea, though he does not join it as does Mr. Arita. In fact Arita’s death also allows, or forces if you will, Yuji to deal with the anxiety of leaving adolescence. Yuji is let holding the dead body of Mamoru’s father. As he took Mamoru’s place, he now takes Mamoru’s father’s place. There is a lot more to say but....
As a teaching tool: our students really are leaving adolescence. This could be a wonderful way to address our students’ futures. It could also be a nice way to discuss the ways in which different cultures measure maturity, success and adulthood. Our students are also compared quite frequently to their highly successful Japanese counterparts. This may be a good way to address the myth that all Japanese/Asians are smart, successful love to learn and have wonderful “Bright” futures. There are a lot of disillusioned souls in this movie. American youth in a corporate centered capitalist society can relate to that, right?!
AnonymousHello all. I watched Nobody Knows (2005) directed byHirokazu Koreeda last week. I give this movie a B-. The story is about the lives of four children living in a Tokyo apartment. These children are abandoned by their mother and the four are left to survive on their own with the little money that their mother leaves with them. The oldest is a 12 year old boy, Akira. I think this movie could be used to teach about poverty and the struggles of early teens with negligent parents. I don’t' want to spoil the story, but it's somewhat sad with a few glimpses of hope for the kids during the film. However, I can't say it has a happy American style ending.
If you're really busy and want to rent movies I think Netflix.com is the way to go. It saves time, is very easy to use, and affordable. They have an overwhelming selection of titles both international and domestic.
Netflicks Description.
Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda's touching film follows the empty lives of 12-year-old Akira (Yûya Yagira) and his three younger siblings (Ayu Kitaura, Hiei Kimura and Momoko Shimizu) after their mother abandons them in a tiny Tokyo apartment. Pragmatic, determined and wise beyond his years, Akira manages the household as best he can -- but eventually the money runs out, and the children must find new ways to survive. Based on a true story.
AnonymousThis movie sounds interesting. I think that students at the middle school age would find it interesting because they can relate. Middle school students, especially in inner city schools, face theft, gangs, and violence.
AnonymousI watched this DVD at the reccomendation of a 7th and a 4th grader. They love it and have viewed it numerous times. After watching it myself, I understand why.
The film is the adventure of a young girl (an only child) moving to a new town with her parents. She is very upset because she is leaving what is familiar, along with leaving her best friend. Her father takes a "short cut" and discovers a tunnel. They walk through and wind up in what seems to be a deserted town, and this is where the adventure begins.
I would encourage all ages of students to view this film for many reasons. The first being that the art work in the animation is so incredibly detailed and culturally significant, you have to watch it more than once to make sure you don't miss anything. The second reason is that the film is a good introduction to some of the cultural aspects of Japan (social, mythological, religious), apart from the larger fantasy realm the film explores. I also love the fact that the star of the story is a young girl, one who faces many challenges to her bravery and wit, and she winds up being a hero in the end.
AnonymousThis is not a movie (as far as I know) but I recently listened to it on CD during a long drive and found it a wonderful story.
The book title is based on oracle bones that were found in a Chinese village. An archeologist dated them and found them to be very valuable to discovering more about the ancient culture in China. A reward was offered to anyone who could turn in a genuine oracle bone, or who knew where they were being dug up. The cave where they were found was a family secret of the Bone Setter, the village doctor. His daughter assisted him by grinding up the oracle bones to be used as medicine for his patients. The dilemma is whether or not the reveal the family secret.
The main character of the story is the granddaughter of the bone setter, who learns more about her past through letters she must translate (painstakingly, as she never was fluent in her mother's language) written by her mother. Her mother is suffering from the onset of Alzheimer's, and the daughter is forced to find a way to reconcile her desire to be an American women with her denied culture and her mother's needs. It is a wonderful book, and travels through 3 generations of the family before wrapping up in the present.
I would recommend this book to high school students.
AnonymousGreetings all,
>
>Please join us as Los Angeles Filmforum co-presents a TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE AND ART OF
>NAM JUNE PAIK AT LACMA. This will be a very special event as we honor and celebrate the
>renowned artist.
>
>TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE AND ART OF NAM JUNE PAIK AT LACMA
>AN EVENING OF REMEMBRANCES, PERFORMANCES, PROJECTED VIDEO WORKS, AND
>RARELY SEEN CLIPS
>
>Thursday June 1, 2006, 7:30 pm
>Tickets are free - see information below.
>
>The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Los Angeles Filmforum, and teh Korean
>Cultural Center, Los Angeles present a memorial tribute to the life and career of composer
>and video and performance artist Nam June Paik at the museum's Bing Theater on
>Thursday, June 1 at 7:30 pm. Video art pioneer Nam June Paik died of natural causes at his
>home in Miami, Florida, on January 29, 2006; he was seventy-three. Memorial services for
>Paik have been held worldwide and this tribute will recognize his contribution to the
>culture of Los Angeles. The early seventies brought video art to Southern California,
>notably at the Long Beach Museum of Art where David A. Ross organized an exhibition of
>Nam June Paik's work in 1974, and California Institute of the Arts School of Film and Video
>where Nam June Paik taught, and personally introduced the Paik-Abe video synthesizer in
>1970. Today, Paik's influence resonates in the acceptance of video art as a collectible art
>form, with his work in the collections of many museums in California, including LACMA.
>
>Michael Govan, LACMA's new CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director, and Byung Hyo Choi, the
>Korean Consul General, will begin the evening with an introduction to the program, which
>includes a variety of experts and devotees, such as speaker Mary Livingstone Beebe,
>Director of the Stuart Collection at the University of California, San Diego; David A. Ross,
>President of the Artist Pension Trust and former Director of the San Francisco Museum of
>Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the first curator to organize a
>museum exhibition of Paik's work in the United States; renowned video artist Bill Viola;
>and Kathy Rae Huffman, Director of Visual Arts at Cornerhouse, Manchester, England, who
>was Curator at the Long Beach Museum of Art, and director of its regional media art
>center. Ms. Huffman will be presenting rare archival footage of Picturephone, Paik's
>interactive satellite performance between Los Angeles and New York.
>
>Other highlights include the presentation of Paik's Zen for Film (1964–65) by independent
>producer and curator Julie Lazar, who organized the last large-scale composition/
>exhibition by John Cage, Rolywholyover A Circus, which included Zen for Film.
>Additionally, Los Angeles visual and sound artist Steve Roden will perform an early work,
>Primitive Music, and seminal dancer and choreographer Simone Forti will present a new
>performance based on her diary entry about Paik from her Handbook in Motion—An
>Account of an Ongoing Personal Discourse and its Manifestations in Dance (1974, the
>Press of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design). Archival video and rare footage,
>courtesy of Electronic Arts Intermix, New York, will also be screened. Technical support is
>provided by The Society for the Activation of Social Space through Art and Sound (SASSAS),
>a group that serves as a catalyst for the creation, presentation, and recognition of
>experimental art and sound practices in the Greater Los Angeles area.
>
>A Tribute to Nam June Paik is organized by Carole Ann Klonarides and presented by the
>Film and Contemporary Art departments of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, in
>association with Los Angeles Filmforum, and the Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles.
>
>Admission is free but tickets are required and may be picked up at the box office starting
>at noon on the day of the event. Tickets must be presented at the door of the Bing Theater
>by 7:20 pm, after which time entrance to the theater is on a first come, first serve basis.
>
>About LACMA: In April 2006, Michael Govan became CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director of
>the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). He is the seventh person to hold the
>position of Director in the museum's 41-year history. Established as an independent
>institution in 1965, LACMA has assembled a permanent collection that includes
>approximately 100,000 works of art spanning the history of art from ancient times to the
>present, making it the premier encyclopedic visual arts museum in the western United
>States. Located in the heart of one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world, the
>museum uses its collection and resources to provide a variety of educational and cultural
>experiences for the people who live in, work in, and visit Los Angeles. LACMA offers an
>outstanding schedule of special exhibitions, as well as lectures, classes, family activities,
>film programs and world-class musical events.
>
>About the Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles: The Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles
>works under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to promote mutual cultural
>understanding between the United States and Korea. For more information about the
>Cultural Center and its programs, please visit http://www.kccla.org .
>
>LACMA is located at 5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles CA, 90036. For more
>information about LACMA and its programming, log on to http://www.lacma.org.
>
>Museum Hours: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, noon–8 pm; Friday, noon–9 pm;
>Saturday and Sunday, 11 am–8 pm; closed Wednesday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Call
>323 857-6000, or http://www.lacma.org for more information.
>
>General LACMA Admission: Adults $9; students 18+ with ID and senior citizens 62+ $5.
>Admission (except to specially ticketed exhibitions) is free every evening after 5 pm, the
>second Tuesday of every month, and for children 17 and under.
>
>Please note: LACMA is free every evening after 5 pm.
>
>[Edit by="aaguilar on May 27, 10:18:18 AM"][/Edit]
AnonymousI HAVE ALSO SHOWN SPIRITED AWAY TO MIDDLE SCHOOLERS. IT IS AN AWSOME STORY LINE ABOUT A GIRL SPIRITED AWAY TO A SPIRIT BATHHOUSE WHERE SHE ENCOUNTERS ALL KINDS OF COLORFUL CHARACTERS. IT ALSO HAS GREAT ANIMATION. DEFINITELY A MUST SEE IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN IT YET. THE CHARACTERS ARE UNIQUE AND OVERALL IT IS EXTREMELY ENTERTAINING.
clay dubeA review of Mehta's latest can be found in the latest issue of Asia Pacific Arts. It would be great, though, for a few teachers to comment on this film.
The APA review is at:
http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=46595[Edit by="Clay Dube on May 30, 4:22:16 PM"][/Edit]