painting || Ponyo

[ltgmars]

My mother has finally done it. After years of "meticulous" "planning" and hoping and dreaming, she's gotten a layer of paint down on the kitchen walls.

That is to say, with an excessive amount of my (unoffered) help, she's gotten a layer of paint down on the kitchen walls.

She seems to have gotten the strange idea that I'm good at "cutting in" (which I'm assuming is a term she learned from Trading Spaces... Ty was always my favorite), so she had me do all of the nooks and crannies and edges -- of which there are many in the garage entryway and kitchen -- while she roller-painted the broad spaces. (I'll admit, though, that that can be pretty tiring as well. And she did spend the entire day cleaning and taping, so I shouldn't be so hateful.)

And now, so tired, ugh.

But let's back up a second and look at my day in full:

0700 Wake up after stupidly falling asleep because there are too many flashcards to make, and I just don't have that kind of stamina. "JLPT" is going to be my new expletive, at least until it's GRE season.
0730 Go for a walk (not a run) since I'm sore and feeling particularly arthritic.
0845 Start sorting e-mails.
1015 Head out with mother to get paint supplies.
1145 Dodge as mother tries to whack me repeatedly (accompanied by the usual "karate yells") with her just-bought extension pole, which is supposed to be used for cleaning the deck.
1200 Get back from getting supplies, continue sorting e-mails.
1500 Finish sorting e-mails, work on a couple to send (including one to Koike-sensei uuuugh Japanese).
1615 Get called down because we're going out to get more paint supplies. Also, dinner, because the stove is out of commission while we're painting the kitchen.
1800 Get home, eat dinner.
1825 Start painting.
2130 Finish painting. Breathe.
2131 The minute hand clicks forward.
2132 "Nez, let's go." (The show's at 2210.)
2133 Put on pants.
2134 Head off to see Ponyo with my brother.


We were the only two people in the theatre for the showing of Ponyo. No kids want to go see a late-night movie on a Wednesday? Too bad. We talked loudly a lot.

The trailers. *_* Princess and the Frog, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Planet 51. The fourth one started, and I said, "Hey, look, live action!" And then all of the creatures from Where the Wild Things Are popped up, and my brother said, "Kind of."

As for Ponyo itself...

Animation: nothing less from Ghibli
Music: nothing less from good ol' Joe
Dub: superb (Tina Fey ♥)
Story: ...................... huh?
English-version Ponyo theme: I'm still crying.

Overall, I thought it was better than Howl's, but I'm pretty sure Howl's is at the bottom of my Miyazaki list, so that's not saying much. Then again, I didn't think Howl's was a bad movie -- Miyazaki doesn't make bad movies, really -- so I guess it's still saying more than it might if you're looking at more than just Miyazaki movies (or Ghibli movies in general, Earthsea aside).

If you're curious, the top of my Miyazaki list is Laputa, with Totoro hovering around there at a close second. (And you, dear reader?)


Now, to bed, before I face another day of painting and e-mails and endless flashcards.

Comments

[goshenite.livejournal.com]

Agreed with Laputa at the top.

Ponyo's story made sense to me since I heard it was an interpretation of the Little Mermaid or something... It kind of fits in there.
What I've seen of Miyazaki's films, I've really kind of come to the opinion that his best works are original... (Unless Laputa is based on a story I don't know of? XD I just know that Howl's was really disappointing for me since I loved the book...)

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

And Mark Hamill as the evil guy. He's just great with evil-guy voices. XD

I mean, I can see the "Little Mermaid" story in there (what tipped me off was the turning-into-sea-foam thing, not the wanting-to-become-human-for-the-person-she-loves thing), but that wasn't what bothered me about the movie. It just wasn't very... cohesive. There wasn't any real reason, seemingly, that they met the people they met or they did what they did. "Okay, we're going to do this. Okay, this is going to happen. Okay, everyone's going to be underwater and totally okay with it." You know? Stuff like that. They hopped from one event to another, and while in the overall it made sense as a "Little Mermaid" kind of story, it felt a little too* surreal and stream-of-consciousness, maybe (which, let's face it, isn't exactly what we need from a movie with a specific story meant for kids).

*grammar isn't made to be used in the early morning

[jenhime.livejournal.com]

I think everyone knows my favorite (Totoro)... :) I think Kiki is my #2, followed by Spirited Away. Not that I dislike any of the movies! I just ordered Pom Poko. Once I've seen it, then I think I'll have seen all of them.

I really liked Ponyo. I actually think that little kids would be less bothered by the jumping around than adults. I mean, the kids in the theater when I saw it, were more concerned that Sosuke find his mommy than why people weren't drowning under the water.

I think will all of Miyazaki's films you have to be able suspend disbelief in one way or another, though.

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

Whenever I watch Totoro, I think of you -- the image of your liking it is that strong. :3 As for Pom Poko... it was cute, but it felt a little dragged-out to me. Tell me what you think when you've seen it!

I can totally understand that Ponyo is a movie meant for kids, and it doesn't have the overarching grandness that some of Miyazaki's other works do, nor does it need to make as much sense. I'm fine with that, and I enjoyed it knowing that. I just wish that within the realm of Ponyo's fantastical story, it'd tied events together a little better. It's one thing to suspend disbelief and another to shift from scene to scene thinking, "Um, okay. That's nice. What does that have to do with anything?" I guess much of it was about character introduction/development (e.g., meeting the couple with the baby on the boat), but a lot of things seemed so stilted and unrelated to each other.

I think it was a gut reaction more than anything. I left the theatre a little confused, a little unsatisfied. But maybe I should just try harder to let go and enjoy the show next time. (Then again, you get to start expecting things from Miyazaki, so maybe I was still in that "I hope this is another blow-me-away movie" mindset, which perhaps is unfair to him.)

[dragonlover58.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the story was a little weird. ^^; Definitely not my favorite Miyazaki movie, but it was pretty good. My favorite is still Spirited Away, followed by Kiki. Bottom is Nausicaa. (I just didn't get it. :/) There are still a few of his that I haven't seen though.

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

Oh man, someone's going to harpoon you for not liking Nausicaa. It's his grand epic masterpiece. XD I've only seen it once, and I liked it well enough, but I think in the end I like my movies grand and epic with a touch of fun and laughter. (Hence Laputa (and Totoro, to some extent, but that's more about childhood and imagination than it is about anything grand on a larger scale).)

Miyazaki movie marathon when we get back to school. What say you?

[rebecka-jo.livejournal.com]

omfg you and your silly, silly japanese cartoon films.

humph. (if you reply to this with a cartoon icon, i am defriending you).

edit: shit, i meant to also add, how old are we? for extra spiciness.

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

Okay, so the best thing about the Ohmiya drug party is that it's confirmation that Nino gets out of the house (beyond the random one-on-one dinners with various people). At least he's, you know, social and stuff.

I kind of have it in my mind that Ohno dragged him out of the house to go, kind of like "Come on, Kazu, it'll be fun." And Nino went, pretending to be disgruntedly, but he was happy for the invitation.

*has such a tragic and lonely image of Nino*

Hey, baby.

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

Hope you have a good day today. ♥

Re: Hey, baby.

[rebecka-jo.livejournal.com]

OMFG RAT SKEEZA! a scrub is a guy who can't get no love from me.

[rebecka-jo.livejournal.com]

so i am tryin' to read every night and only be on the PC for two hours. i was doing well tonight on that, until i began to suspect that i am dying slowly of bladder cancer.

so i booted ol' halispe (my laptop) up and i am now nervously awaiting next week, when i will give the health services a urine sample so they can diagnose my CANSER.

. . . sigh, i grate on even my own nerves sometimes with my hypochondria. although i am still getting awfully sick (like that night) every two days, and it's a little weird BUT ANYWAY I FOUND THE BEST CLIP EVER while not-reading after my research. i am sure you've seen this, as i suspect its some concert type thing, but HUMOR ME:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOUxsIt_qOc

OH GOD IS THAT NOT THE BEST? lololololololol no really what? what the hell is wrong with him? true fact: that is how i act 100% of the time. no, really. the short bursts of intense focus (and dramatics), followed by longer intervals of fingering my bellybutton and acting generally like a six year old on toke. also our command of english is about on level.

true fact: the first time i watched this, i actually giggled and mumbled, barely a whisper, ganbatte, ne, riida. ,.-., stone me quickly (heh. stoned.)

p.s. i need a pretty icon of sato by himself. all of my solo icons of him are, uh, calling him 'fat' (true) and 'high' (true) and 'greasy pervert' (true). make me one! i want another from you!

WHY IS THIS MESSAGE SO LONG I HATE READING I GUESS OK BYE ._. HOMEWORK wth

EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT OMG HOMG CLEARLY I AM READING RITE BUT
http://matsubunny.livejournal.com/11313.html
I NEED THE MOT-OH-MIYA CLEARFILES MORE THAN I NEED AIR TO BREATHE, ALSO THE ECO BAG APPEALS TO MY IRONIC HIPSTER SIDE. I CAN TOTALLY TAKE IT AROUND LIKE SOME PEOPLE DO FOR OLD PHIL COLLINS TEES.

COUGH HINT fly to japan (like the prophet muhammed - i'm reading god is not great atm, so excuse my snark) and buy me the eco bag/ satoshi clearfile. please? p.s. when i'm whining about getting scammed a month from now because i attempted to order these things by less than noble modes, please feel guilt.

ok now it's just a little creepy how long this is. i clearly need more fandom friends. and more friends who will humor me about not just arashi but everything in general. ily <3

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

I bought you the Ohno clearfile (on Y!Japan Auctions), so don't try to find it somewhere else.

That is all.

[rebecka-jo.livejournal.com]

T_T she knows she can ignore all my babble by buying me things.

T_____________________T it's true. you can.

ily. and my admiration has increased now that i know you are aware of how to use the terrifying y!auctions.

quickly!

[rebecka-jo.livejournal.com]

yes this is about the concert reports. yes you've seen it. but i feel the need to highlight:

Ohchan crying in MC when he mentioned how fortunate and lucky he was to be in Arashi...Aibachan before him would be the one to break down usually but he didn't...

Aiba hugged him then

............................... T_T

T^T//!

Nino was next. He started thanking everyone, but then behind the stadium, fireworks started going off (probably meant for when they finished talking?). He paused his speech after saying they were a "bother". The display was also very nice, but I think I preferred "Believe"s. The fireworks finally stopped and Nino said "I forgot what I was gonna say."

. . . ahahaha nino ._. anyway that is all. off to eat some falafel and such <3

Re: quickly!

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

I'm offended that you weren't totally blown away by the kakkoiiiiiness (ne) of Nino on guitar, but I will forgive you because Ohno crying is just about the best thing ever.

BTW, what's T^T//? I'm sorry, but your weeabooness is lost on me.