Spirited Away

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[The video is a bit warped here, just click "Watch spirited away" above to go to the original site where this was found. After clicking the "play" button, a pop-up will show (just exit that), and u mite have to click the play button again to get it working.]

With my foot still healing (and me being home-ridden as a result for 2 days now), I worked on some stuff on my to-do list, and that included rewatching an anime film "Spirited Away". Now, i watched this a long time ago - i rented it when they were still using video cassette tapes I think, and I didn't really like it. I was all hyped up, b/c the commercials hyped it up, saying all the awards it got internationally..and when I watched it, I was a bit underwhelmed. The music started off great, and so did the crisp animation. But, as my young mind yearned for back then, there was NO action. There was no convoluted plot with twists. The voice over for the main character I thought could've been better chosen. The drawings, while crisp, did not animate very smoothly (i think this might have been b/c of the limitation of video tapes before, or maybe it was just developed at 20-30 frames per second). It was also kinda weird. Either way, i didn't like it, i was underwhelmed. But, I wanted to give it another chance. After seeing the top ten movies by the developers, this one kept appearing top 8 or 5. Now that I'm older, I thought I'd give it another chance.

This movie - i love it. The story - for the story, you'd have to have a different mindset. If you're going into this movie expecting an action-driven plot, you're gonna be extremely disappointed. BUT, if you're going into this movie with no expectations, you're gonna be in for a delite. This movie is all about character development, something I didn't think i've heard of before way back when. Great character development, very touching. The music is just perfect here - in some movie and videogames, the music usually overshadows the actual substance (for instance, the brilliant/sad music of metal gear solid usually makes you sad when, in fact, the moment isn't THAT sad - it's just that music that is making you sad, which is what I mean by overshadowing the actual substance of the movie/film), but in here, the music perfectly complements everything the movie has to offer (gonna dl the songs to my ipod - these songs are touching piano pieces, which i always think are must-haves). As for the voice over of the main character...well, Chihiro is SUpposed to be whiny. It's suitable.

This movie is all about Chihiro transforming from this whiny, scared kid to this bold, brave young girl, all in a wonderful setting. Oh yess, i forgot! The animation is good, but the background/environments are absolutely breathtaking, especially near the end, when you will come to see a train surrounded by miles and miles of water, dropping off "souls" at stations in the mean time. It's beautiful. That part alone took my breath away and won me over... I believe my jaw was down when my eyes were glued to teh screen - it was all just b/c i was in wonder of the beautiful city, which really does make you think. If anyone is gonna watch one part, I say skip to the last 20 min or so to watch teh train ride through the miles and miles of water (the scene occurs @ 1 hour and 37 minutes in this video) . The movie's creativity/imagination is top notch, also - and I'm VERY picky of people's "originality" these days, and I'm rarely impressed, but this movie is great. Videogames, and other media in general, can learn from this.

The movie, overall, is a bit long - I actually took a break halfway b/c I was kinda impatient and a TINy bit bored (this is why i hate watching on the internet - it just begs you to be A-D-D). But, this movie deserves ppls' attention, if not for it's simple "Alice-in-Wonderland-esque" plot, but for its creativity/imagination, plus great music to boot. And, if anything, watch that train scene, which will leave you wondering about what's really out there in this world the producers have created.

EDIT: Here is the scene i was talking about! I guess i'm not the only one who thinks this scene is great.



I loved this scene b/c of the feelings (emotion) the visuals, wonder and awe this scene put u through. I also loved this scene PARTLY b/c of Chihiro's situation (leaving her friends and comfort of the bath house to a place that is somewhere desolate and uknown). BUT apparently there is more to this scene than meets the eye. There is alot of symbolism and themes involved in this scene (not to mention the rest of the movie). For example, from a youtube post (which must be taken as a grain of salt), the user says that the japanese believe rivers are a borderline between life and death - and from that, i take that the souls are either going somewhere, or nowhere. Also, from life, to death's resting place. There's alot more interpretations from this site:

http://nakama-britannica.animeuknews.net/2008/08/11/chihiros-train-journey-in-spirited-away/
The interpretors on the site pointed this thing to me. Look at the picture of the "ghost" girl on the site - a striking image, b/c she is going nowhere, while the other souls are moving. She has no place to go. She may be a lost soul =/. This movie is truly for children AND adults alike.




The scenes that took me off the most were (and still are) these:


Beautiful scenes. The first pic is just desolate, and fills you wonder. Who lives there? Is it lonely there? The 2nd scene (leaving another station behind) is sad - the colors of the whole scene, plus the looming clouds, just gives a shiver of melancholy. Awesome movie.

Count your blessings, GMH

I want to add this:

"Count your blessings, no your blemishes."

This is quote i came across. I want to contrast this with the last post i did a minute ago...I want to count my blessings, not my blemishes. Supposedly written by Brianna Keenan. The word "blemishes" is actually replaced in many different versions of the quote - either by "worries", "years", "problems", or some other. I'll keep this quote in mind, along with this:

GMH: Gives me hope.

My sister told me about this site that is made as a counterpart to a site called "fuck my life (FML). I like GMH...it's a nice site to go to, and it keeps you looking up towards the future, not dreading it. I had a lot of trouble finding ppl to watch the movie UP with (I made up plans with a bunch of ppl, including diana, and my cousin, but all of them bailed >< - I was very pissed at all of them...really annoyed - i don't like people who waste my time)...but, when i thought I wouldn't ever get to see that movie in theatres, i found some friends who i didnt think would want to watch that movie, and they wholly accepted! Who would've known. GMH

Just some thoughts....

Just some of my thoughts...this is super private, so to those reading (yes, all both of u), please stop...thanks.

Well, summer school is over...just finished my final last friday, and i think i did very good. So far, computer science was one of the most fun classes i've taken...i had fun during (most) of the lectures - i was interested in about 80% of the material. This was the first class that i considered majoring in.

Now that i'm doing almost nothing right now, I have to get my L and N, and then get a job.

Yesterday I dumbell dropped on my foot at the gym, and in less than 2 minutes it was completely swollen...I went to the hospital to get it checked (it took FOUR friggin hours just to get it x-rayed (went there at 9, finished at 1 am), but luckily it was just bruised, no fractures or broken bones. The nurse and my dad called me "dumb" for not wearing shoes in teh gym (i CHOSE not to wear shoes, b/c deadlifts are better without any soles/platforms on). The dumbell rolled off the bench press chair...it could've happened to anyone >=/. My dad told my sister afterwards about the incident, leaving out the details, letting her also thing i was "dumb". I swear, i think they're just jumping on the opportunity to call me dumb b/c, well, let's face it, when can they EVER call me that? It's absurd >=/. My sister keeps telling me to get my L, get ur N, get your license...w/e. She keeps putting pressure on me, and I know it's b/c of her selfish wants and to pick at me where I have no experience in. I swear, once I get my L and N, my sister is gonna go "ON NOES, you're too well-rounded!" such bullshit sometimes. The only reason I could think of to get my license is if i get a girlfriend i have to bring her around. That's probably the only reason, which is right now my driving motivation - i'm doing this for myself, not b/c she told me to. In my head before (in those situations with my dad and sister), I think to them "Go fuck yourself."

I hanged out with a friend (af) that i didn't hang out with before for a long time, and it was fun...he's a really funny guy. But the second time i hung out with him he was a real jackass. It stayed in my head that "people don't change at all...". I invited him and some friends to a pub, and a friend gets in...the other two, including af, didn't get in, and he blames ME. I told him that they dont check IDs there, and he blames me for not getting in...in my head, out of the four of us, he looks the most like he's from elementary (by the way he dresses). He LATEr admits that his "jacket" made him look young...wtf, his whole outfit makes him look young. Some of the things he does makes me laugh...but I'm not so sure if they're jokes anymore. "let's go get some girls...let's pick up some chicks...let's go to parties and get drunk" WTF, he looks nothing like the type to say that. I thought he used to be really funny, but now that i dont think they're jokes anymore, he just puts off as a REALLY desperate guy. During the second hangout, hanging out with him made me feel like a loser...it's what he does, which is so dweeb-ish, and it makes me feel ashamed just hanging out with him. I'm not gonna hang out with him again unless necessary ><. That kind of vibe tends to rub off on u.

Since after busting my foot, staying at home hasn't been very productive, but it reminds me of a time of what i always used to do: just stay home and play video games. After i got over that phase, I use to think "why did i not ever go outside before?". After today, i think "How, staying inside is kinda nice!". I got alot of relaxing time done...videogames, food...computer. I know it sounds geeky, but this was teh most relaxing day in a long time. I got to play alot of this game i like, and i'm loving it the more i play it. What a great game, "Beyong good and evil." Great game, time well spent =)

This is something i've been thinking about for a while now: "you really know who your true friends are if they want/willing to hang out with you". This friend of mine, who i considered a friend for a while now, I've been inviting her to hang out, but always always always she has some very poor excuse. Now, I usually value kindness, but the truth would've been just as good here: just tell me you don't want to hang out with me. I stopped talkin to her..b/c really, what;s the point? Yes, she was a girl i used to like. And yes, we did have fun times toghter. But, is it worth keepin the friendship alive when she wants nothing to do with me? My gawd. Don't waste my time. Grow up. This is the reason why i stopped liking her: she was very immature. She could not take anythign seriously. One of the things I think about is this: you can'T laugh off everything bad that gets thrown at you. Sometimes, you just gotta suck it up. I dont like ppl like that, people who just don't want to experience discomfort so they "laugh it off". Those people are in denial. I don't want anythign to do with them. I don't want anything to do with her anymore. I want friends who aren't ashame of me and are willing to hang out with me. I don't want friends who beat around the bush. I want to add something to that statement i mentioned: "you really know who your true friends are if they want/willing to hang out with you, and you want to hang out with them back." I'm applying this to af - af is not a true friend, b/c, frankly, i don't want to hang out with him.

After my foot heals up, I want to get exercising regulary and working (job) regularly. I want to make this summer productive (at the very least money-wise), and of course fun. I cannot wait for the ubc summer grappling tourney, the wrestling camp, and the mma seminar by the silver Canadian olympian Sissaouri, who i've watched today and who i adore. What a technician - smaller (in height) and oler than his opponents, yet he dominates them with technique. Fun to watch. I'm planning to train with a friend i haven't spoken to in a while, and i'm excited for that too: just can't wait to roll around on a matt again. Goin to be fun.

These are just some of my thoughts. Hope my foot heals so i get my summer goin!