Movie: Killing Toon (더 웹툰: 예고살인)

Killer Toon was a unexpected cinema hit in Korea last year, with its theme of horror and web-comics going well across the Korean public. And the use of animation and storytelling to blur the line between real and fantasy is used quite well. I am easily scared but prefer psychological fear before too much blood and in that sense Killer Toon also fulfill my wishes. Several reviews I have read like the movie but thinks it slows down tomuch in the middle, but I dont agree at all, as I think the mood and slight terror is trasnlated quite well from the start to the end. It is not a masterpiece, but it delivers surely if you want a enjoyable scare. At the moment of writing, you could find the whole movie on YouTube here. More reviews here.

Movie: Finding Mr Right (北京遇上西雅图)

Finding Mr Right is a chinese movie taking place in both China and America. The literal meaning of the chinese title is Beijing meets Seattle, and that complements the english title as this chinese movie is about chinese in both China and in the US. The lead role Jia Jia goes to America to try to time her visit there to when her child is born as that gives it American citizenship. This practice is ofc discouraged by the americans and therefore she and other mothers in similar situation must hide in a house for pregnant women. The father is a rich man back in China, whom she is the mistress of, but at the same time there is another love interest in Seattle. So the story unfolds. The quality is typical for modern Chinese romantic dramas, ie Hollywood quality, and if you like this type of movie then this fits right in. The quality is good enough and not to cheesy, so it is a good choice for a friday evening.

Movie: The Great Passage (舟を編む)

The visit to Kappasbashi (in Tokyo) was so cool as I recognized it from my visit there this summer.

Japanese The Great Passage follows a small team when making a dictionary over the time of fifteen years during the 90s and 00s. It is a low-key and nerdy movie with a cinematic feel where the act of watching is part of a heightened experience. The passion for words is in the center of this story, and it tells this so well through all of the cast. One may be mislead at first that it is the main character Majime that drives the whole story but in the end you realize that all characters are given their own life and respect. It is the Japanese nominee for the Academy Awards next year, and well-deservedly so.

Trip to Korea and Japan: Day 23 - Studio Ghibli Museum and Love in Shinjuku

(Click here for first day, yesterday and all trips)

Saturday was dedicated to the Studio Ghibli Museum, a whole building where everything is themed and specially designed around the artwork and worlds that Hayao Miyazaki created together with his team. It is located in Inokashira Park reached via the JR Chuo line. Get of at the Mitaka station, follow the alleyway next to a well situated and almost posh houses down to the park. Afterwards it is nice to walk through the park with its lush nature, ponds and bridges, a petting zoo and small picturesque Shrine and then exit at the northwest end and take the train from Kichijori station.
OBS!! You have to book your tickets beforehand to be sure to get in. When we got there just a hour or two after opening it was sold out and I believe thats usually the case.
What surprised me the most about the museum was not that it was so well designed in every small detail, but that it was actually a very instructive and fascinating lesson in how movies in general and animated movies especially is done. From sketches and layering, colors and work procedures, to how light is reflected and lenses are created, and still paintings become fluid motion pictures. All this done in playful and humorous settings. Even the toilets were fun to visit.

Getting closer...

Gated community? Not quite, but the most affluent area we had seen in Tokyo. Ironically the one looking the most typically westernized also, which was worth thinking about one and two times as I really like Japanese more laissez-faire way of city planning.

The museum is below center to the left.

Actually it wasn't Totoro checking our tickets...

OK, so no photographing inside, so one had to take the chances one had.

Inokashira Park is well worth strolling through afterwards.

If you have not tried a shrine visit before, here you have a very nice spot to do it. Wash your hands and take a sip of water. Light some incense (that you can buy for 100 yen). Throw a coin into the box at the top of the stairs and clap your hands together and pray for something (or just contemplate that you are actually in a shrine in Tokyo, Japan...), and then ring the bell.

We stopped at Shinjuku on the way home which really had its share of skyscrapers which seemed to compete in some kind of powerful display on who could show the most cool but restrained architecture.

This one I had to visit as I have seen it in Japanese drama series.

Yeees, there is some "hidden" symbolism here, as you who are aware of my circumstances at the moment know. I am actually not quite sure about what I mean but that love is complicated.

Garret popcorn to end the evening, really nice.

(Click here for the next day)