Hula Girls

Hochuuami releases new chapters! ♥
and thanks to Aur’s timely reminders, i’m snagging new Viewfinder chapter releases from Club_Sion too. xD

caught Hula Girls with Nates yesterday afternoon.
the movie has garnered rather positive response, winning Best Picture, Best Screenplay, etc at the 2006 Japan Academy Awards.
it’s being shown quite widely overseas as well, including at international film festivals.

It is 1965 and in Japan, the country has started to shift from coal to oil. One by one the old mining towns begin their long slow decline. But for one small town way up north, its leaders and mining company officials have come up with an idea to develop Japan’s first Hawaiian Village. And what’s a Hawaiian Village without a troupe of Hula dancers? The only problem is, no one knows how to do the dance, or even knows what the Hula is! In this hilariously touching comedy, the skepticism and conservatism of the locals is gradually overcome as their daughters fall under the spell of one talented and determined dance instructor from the big city of Tokyo.

Based on a true story, HULA GIRLS is a heartwarming comedy about coal miners’ daughters who took a once-in-a-lifetime chance to escape their monotonous lives, only to become unwitting heroes to their depressed mining town as well as the whole of Japan.

(source: Fortissimo Films)

i love the Hawaiian-inspired music featured in the movie, as well as this particular song during one of the particularly touching moments of the film.

Jake Shimabukuro feat. Jennifer Perri - ‘Wish On A Star’

the movie itself is a comedy.
yet it does make you feel like crying at several points as you watch the coal-mining town struggling to keep up with changing times.

the characters speak interesting dialectish Japanese, unlike what urban Tokyo-dwellers might speak.
and the actors are quite uninhibited; emotions are not subtle, but very openly revealed.
there’s no real attempt to mask or glamorize the outpouring of true feelings and everything just seems perfectly natural.

still, the movie is too starkly similar to older films like Waterboys and Swing Girls.
the whole concept of unity, belief, youth and its ability to pursue dreams against all odds.
naturally, the fact that it’s based on a true story adds a whole new level of inspiration and credibility.

randomly, i also want to watch Love & Honor which Kimura Takuya stars in! :3
and Nada Sou Sou. bah, too many Japanese films to catch up with.

before catching the movie, i went to meet Eugene at Orchard.
it’s funny, because i was on the train and about to reach Dhoby Ghaut where i’m meeting Nates at The Cathay for the film, when i received his call. xD
so i ended up crossing the platform and doubling back.
it was kind of surreal to see him though, because i guess i never quite expect that i’d get the chance to again; especially so soon.
i got the likely impression that we’ll drift away to our different lives.

cake at Cafe Cartel with Mint after dinner last night.
American cheesecake still rocks your socks; i love the lemony tinge.
i had their Cranberry Peach frozen drink too, which tasted absolutely yummy, although it’s kind of expensive at 4bucks. :3

also did a bit of shopping and bought t-shirts on sale at J8 thirty seven degrees which are quite comfy! xD
somehow i ended up with 2 indigo and 1 black; ugh, typical.
i’m really tempted by this blue round-neck top in blue/white/black; but decided against it eventually because i suspect i’m on a ‘buy similar things’ phase again.
that’s probably how i ended up with around 5 Dorothy Perkins jerseys during their previous sale period.

my feet are dead from excessive walking.
and i’m officially sick of the Bugis shopping area.
i muchly prefer the air-conditioned comfort and space of FEP in comparison.

dragged myself out of bed today to hit the Mango sale early.
i tried the Subway Cold Cut Trio sub for lunch, which Kazzie eats pretty often.
i think i’m still in love with the Subway Melt though.

Bugis Street is overrated. i adore FEP most.
where i couldn’t help eyeing stuff like a magenta half-cardigan, white & cream necklace, and a brown/green vintage fabric bag.

convinced myself eventually they aren’t worth it; still ended up buying like two tops in pink (geometric circle print!) & black (moddish).
i’m into the whole flaired longish round/square-necked tops thing right now, except most make me look prego. xD
and i can’t pull off tights or leggings, so i’ll probably have to wear skinny jeans or something.

Mint found a shop selling Threadless t-shirts; which are pretty indeed.
but expensive. o_O

i also bought this set of gorgeous, apparently locally designed iPod stickers to decorate my darling Arabesque.
from inQbox at FEP actually!
designed by a local designer, Henry Soon. http://mujiri.com is his website.
i stuck them on earlier, and it does look quite pretty.
lol, affordable alternative to Gelaskins, truth is.

headed to Tangs Orchard to peek at the new cosmetic counter, Benefit (San Francisco), covered in Urban of today’s papers.
and expectedly, many other flocked there too, thanks to the press.
but thankfully i’m not so in to cosmetics; i wasn’t inclined to fight the crowds either.

we dropped by Bossini, where my eye was caught by this lovely dark blue cardigan that is just gorgeous to touch and wear.
and it’s only 23 bucks with a tank (which i was thinking of getting in cream or lavendar).
it’s ridiculous how if you buy it on its own w/o the tank, you pay its regular price of 29 bucks instead.
what the hell? xD

the outlet was also selling some really lovely kids t-shirts - a complete series with adorable slogans e.g ‘i’m hot’ *hot dog*. waiii!
and in various colors like coral pink, purple, orange, yellow, green …
in the end i succumbed and bought a white one that says ‘i’m crispy’ *french fries*. xDDD!
i really liked the coral candy floss one that says ‘i’m fluffy’ and the yellow popcorn one that says ‘i’m crunchy’ (think Mint got both of that).
but i wasn’t sure i could pull off the colors well, even if i should really get t-shirts of other colors rather than just indigo, black, white, pastel pink & blue. o_O;

went to check out Ruppines with Mint - eyebrow threading looks painful. >:
i can’t imagine why i don’t mind piercing my ears so often, but reject the idea of shaping my eyebrows.
i haven’t touched my eyebrows before though, so maybe now’s not the best time to start.

anyway, i’ve also been checking out local shopping and spreeing LiveJournal communities.
while i used to be quite comfortable with shopping online previously, somehow nowadays i’m struck by jadedness.
perhaps it’s because i start seeing online sellers that produce similar merchandise and accessories.

and i find it even harder to trust spree organizers; that’s why i haven’t joined one lately.
even if some of them are really tempting, like American Eagles, David & Goliath, or for cute Japanese/Taiwanese totes.
my last and only two attempts ever to join sprees during my days in the Tenipuri fandom (one for Tenipuri jackets, another for TeniMyu DVDs) were both terrifying flops.

i think i still prefer physically seeing and touching what i’m about to buy rather than rashly purchase things online.
my last online purchase is probably the dark blue Balenciaga motorcycle bag.

anyway! i should do Japanese homework and memorize katakana; probably tomorrow.