... of Revisiting Glamorous Skies...

A friend of mine, Izzy, recently asked me about Nana the movie which I wrote about some time back. Well here's the movie trailer and the video clip for the theme song Glamorous Sky. I couldn't find a trailer with subtitles though.


NANA - Movie Trailer


Glamorous Sky - performed by Mika Nakashima

While looking for these videos I found out that the entire Nana movie has been uploaded onto YouTube in 11 ten-minute segments.

And since I'm video hunting, I might as well chuck in the Trailer and Music Video for Nana 2! As with the previous movie, the song is sung by Mika Nakashima but this time the music was written by Takuro from Glay.


NANA 2 - Movie Trailer


Hitoiro - performed by Mika Nakashima


I'm kinda keen to watch the movie but at the same time, I'm a little hesitant. Nana fans have been giving slightly bad to lukewarm reviews on this movie, largely because of casting issues. One of the main actresses, Aoi Miyazaki has declined to reprise her role as Komatsu Nana and several other supporting actors from the first movie have been replaced. I think this will have quite some impact on the sequel because Aoi Miyazaki's acting fit Komatsu Nana's ditzy-cutesy character and had pretty good on screen chemistry with Mika Nakashima.

Anyone who's seen it, feel free to give me a heads up. Until then, I'll just keep my eyes peeled the next time I go movie hunting.

... Of Waking Up Tired & Looking at Glamorous Days

It's gonna be a shitty day. I've got a gig with Zal tonight at No Black Tie. I've got some sort of audition for a gig I'm hoping to do right before that. I meant to practice with Zal last night but was just too tired to stay up for it and on top of that, I had very restless sleep last night, rolling around and waking up too many times. Now I'm at work after waking up tired and wondering whether I can fully wake up before the audition and the gig.

Yup. It's gonna be a bad day :/

So let's cheer me up by writing a movie recommendation! Wee!


Movie Recommendations : NANA - 113 mins

Komatsu Nana travels to Tokyo to be with her boyfriend who's studying art. Chance finds her seated on the train next to Oosaki Nana, vocalist of a newly disbanded rock band, Black Stones. Although they are characteristically polar opposites, the ice was broken when Oosaki discovers that they both share the same name.

Parting ways at Tokyo station, they cross paths again later on when hunting for apartments to rent. After a small debate on who gets to rent the apartment they both want, they decide to move in together despite their differences. Cool, aloof and introspective Nana and ditzy, cheerful and outgoing Nana soon bonded and became close friends.

The Black Stones reunite with Oosaki after recruiting a new bassist and Komatsu wins a pair of tickets to watch Trapnest, the hottest new band in Japan. Komatsu invites Oosaki to watch the caoncert with her, not knowing that Ren, the Black Stones' former bassist and Oosaki's former love had left the band and Oosaki to further his career with Trapnest.

This movie shows that the course of true love is never always straight and smooth. How do the clashing personalities of the two unlikely friends help each other overcome their own shortcomings? Watch the movie to find out.

Overall Verdict : This is a movie built on a good realistic storyline with decent-good cinematography and kickass music. What I liked a lot about this movie is that it primarily tells a story about people ; their lives, their emotions, their struggles and their dreams. The amount of realism and daily struggle put into it relates to our daily lives. I feel that the only setback to this movie is that it's too short at 113 minutes runtime.

Jerral gives 4 1/2 stars out of 5!

Music Recommendation : Check out the song 'Glamorous Days' (also titled 'Glamorous Sky') written by Hyde Romaji of L'arc en Ciel and Ai Yawaza, performed by Mika Nakashima (Oosaki Nana). It's featured in NANA as a Black Stones song. Interestingly I first heard it on Traxx fm a few months ago, way before I came across the movie.

Books and Movies! Weee!

Avalon (2001) by Mamoru Oshii

This is one of the few movies I greatly enjoyed in recent years. Directed by Mamoru Oshii of the 'Ghost in the Shell' fame, this film manages to showcase what many other filmakers could not; amazing live actions scenes that are terribly exciting that are not overcooked into unbelievability. One of the things that made me a fan of his Anime work is that his films always has a larger underlying philosophical message or question that encapsulates the entire story, and he does not disappoint with this live action film. Most importantly, he reminds us all what many have seem to forgotten; film making is an art. Anyone who was a fan of Ghost in the Shell or The Matrix will definitely enjoy this film.

This movie opens with the line "Some young people deal with their disillusionment by seeking out illusions of their own" and leaves you seated gripping on to your chair wondering how sure are you that what you know is real? The movie is set in a post holocaustic world in the future (think cyberpunk) and revolves around an illegal game, pretty much like Counter Strike except that the players' minds is carried into the game's universe.

The lead character, Ash is a local legend among the players and spectators as she belonged in a group that had dominated the game until it was disbanded. The movie begins to kick into gear when she discovers that there is a rumored secret level where only the elite can hope to find, but for some reason, everyone who has supposedly found is has turned into a vegetative state, including members of her old group.

I can't find a genre to drop this movie into; it's psychological, sci-fi / cyberpunk, art film all crammed into one film. Check out some reviews here and also at DVD Vision Japan.
Also check out a write up on the director, here.



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On another note, a friend of mine, Fiona, has just opened her multiarts studio offering Dance, Drama, Music, Rhythmic Gymnastics and Martial Arts lessons near Plaza Damas in Sri Hartamas. Address is 19-2 Prisma Ville, Jalan 19/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, or you can visit the website for details. http://www.talenthub.com.my/

Song of the Day 1: The First Donuts - Phiosophy in a Teacup
Song of the Day 2: Tori Amos - Cornflake Girl


Today's Book Recommendation: The Sandman series by Neil Gaiman.