February 2010

  • Pizzicato Five and the Shibuya-kei Sound

    By msarko on 2/22/10 10:33pm
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    Everything about Japan is a condensed version of what happens in other cultures. Tokyo is a city of cities, equal parts Manhattan, Las Vegas, Paris and Hong Kong. The country villages are like a bullion of provincial charm. And as for Japanese pop culture, it too operates on a much more intense, insular level than its counterparts in the West. Take the music scene in Japan in the 1990's, for instance. It was a sort of artistic renaissance in every sense of the word. Not only was there a boom in the number of unique artists in the recording studios of Tokyo, Hiroshima and Sapporo, there was also a refreshingly international flavor to the clear influences of the artists. For the first time in the history of pop music, Japanese artists made a splash beyond their own borders.



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  • Funny Indian Fantasy Flicks

    By akgoemans on 2/22/10 7:20am
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    Can it get any worse than this? Oh yes!Can it get any worse than this? Oh yes!

    It's been a while since I made a list of must-watch Indian flicks. So I put together a list of weird and wonderful fantasy movies. I figured that it would be interesting to discover what type of stories about myth and magic would pop up from this part of the world. Well, a lot of what I found (ones based on mythology) was fascinating. But then there were the others, the stranger ones that defied any form of explanation. Check out these two gems.

    Dude, what's with the horse mask?Dude, what's with the horse mask?

    Ajooba



    Alright, so it is a tad unfair to pick on this one. It is a fairly old movie of the legendary Amitabh Bachchan. It probably dates back to the time when the guy could not afford to be as picky about his roles. And admittedly, the story was not bad.

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  • More Ads from Around the World

    By akgoemans on 2/16/10 4:42am
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    Snow White, if she lived in Wisteria Lane?Snow White, if she lived in Wisteria Lane?
    Source:Link

    Controversial topics are the best ways to get someone's attention. At least that's what marketing and advertising companies seem to think. They aren't wrong about this though. Unless you come up with some really creative visuals (look, I'm on a horse!), chances are folks will forget about your product. Let's not even mention those unfortunate ads that we all fast forward; doesn't matter how well-done it is, we want to know if John Shepard from SG Atlantis does snuff the life out of the evil wraith! Well, I came across a few quirky foreign ads that will …. linger in your mind. A lot of them are a bit 'in your face', others are slightly out there. You've been warned.



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  • Big Man Japan

    By akgoemans on 2/11/10 2:49am
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    Big Man Japan's enemiesBig Man Japan's enemies
    Big Man Japan or Dainihonjin had made headlines last year where everyone raved a bit about its quirky trailers. It was supposed to be a comical take on the whole superhero lifestyle. Well, I was finally able to watch this movie and I must say it was well worth the wait.

    This movie is a bizarre little presentation of the daily life of a Japanese superhero. The man is a bit of a has-been. His family life has fallen apart. The local folks don't really like him. In fact, everyone is rather annoyed at the amount of damages done to the area after every monster fight. And let's not get started on monetary issues …

    Basically, it is the portrayal of the less glamorous side of such a figure. Sure Bruce Wayne has his mansion and Clark Kent has … a well paying job but is that really how it works?

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