Hana Yori Dango

Hey Hey!
So i've recently just started my winter intersession and it's been pretty tough trying to sleep early in order to wake up at 7 AM everyday.. haha Anyways classes are going alright, it is moving pretty fast already just for the first week.

SO.. since i've been having wierd sleeping habits, i've tried not to take accustomed in taking naps everyday, and in order for me to do so, i've been trying to keep myself occupied with things to do. So far, this week i've just been trying to watch some tv or anything just to keep myself up. Yet, the majority of the time my eyes start getting heavy, and it's hard to resist falling asleep. Then, towards the end of the week, my brother told me about this Japanese Drama called "Hana Yori Dango" that's really famous in japan, and how it's been posted on the internet so i could watch it. I decided to check out this little romance drama, and after the first episode i was pretty much hooked. Thier's nine episodes total, which according to my research, that's a pretty short season for a japanese drama. I finished the drama in two days. just non stop watching whenever i had free time. I must say, this drama is really good. Even though it's my first japanese drama that i've watched, it's one of the best dramas i've seen. Though this is described as a drama, thier are some comedy incorporated in the episodes.

Hana Yori Dango, is about a commoner girl, Makino, who is attending a rich private school. During her time there, she has an incounter with the richest boys in the school called "F4". What's starts this incounter, is when Makino has had enough of thier bullying, and decides to stand up to them, which results in a whole series of events that follow throughout the episodes.

This show is quite big around the world. I was looking up the show, and i came across a spanish and vietnamese site that were talking about this japanese drama. This drama is original bassed off of a manga, and was then put into an anime. Thier's also a taiwanese eddition called "Meteor Garden." Those have been going on for quite some time, whereas the Japanese drama of Hana Yori Dango only released a first season in 2005. I am happy to say that, because of the success of the show, Hana Yori Dango is set for a second season. The second season was just released this month in Japan. I guess i'll have to wait quite awhile, before the english dubbed version is out, but i'm pretty excited to see what happenes.

Volver

Another Foreign, Spanish movie for my brothers and me.
This time, we were debating over The Curse of the Golden Flower or Volver. We just decided on Vovler because it was the top movie on Rotten Tomatoes. haha We were being very indecisive, which resulted in being late watching the film. Luckily the previews saved us some time, so that when we got in they were barely showing the films title. VOLVER

Volver, translation: To return, is about three women. All are related to one another, but all have thier own stories that are portrayed in this film. The movie follows a good mother, Irene played by Carmen Maura, another young mother, Raimundo, played by Penelope Cruz, who is living a struggled life, and Sole played by Lola Duenas, who is running a salon in her apartment, where gossip is being told. This film is categorized as a drama/comedy and runs for about about two hours. I thought this film was really good, even though the diaglogue was really fast. Thier were a lot of things going on in this film, however, in the end everything seemed to come together. It had its fair share of sad moments, as well as its funny moments. The overall storyline of this film was good too. This film is nominated for 2 golden globes, and has won about 12 awards overall. I dont know if you want to believe the Hype, but i thought this film was overall pretty good.

New Years Weekend

Alright, since i'm board, i think i'll share some photos from what i did this past weekend. I don't have a camera, therefore i have stolen or rather i have recieved some photos from the fam that will be shown here!

This past weekend started off with me tagging along with my bro-ham for a little christmas party he had with his friends. The party started in the afternoon, and we didnt get there until 3 ish hahah... anyways we got there and we were sitting around watching everyone anxiously awaiting to battle one another through the art of breakdancing hahaha... Personally, it was fun just to see those who were real nervous when they saw thier opponent warming up, doing some moves. AHAHAHA.. oh those scared faces priceless haha jk. Anyways after the battles were all done, it was time to EAT!! unfortunately i had a late lunch and was able to eat only one hamburger, which was delicious by the way haha.. Although i could not resist those friggin delicious cookies... i had like 5... and LOADS OF SODA. Everyone was just hanging around with each other chatting up and having a good ol' time. It got to the point where everyone thought it was 1AM, when in fact it was only 11 pm. haha CRAZZZYNESSS...

The next day, SUNDAY New Years Eve.
The aftermath of the christmas party resulting in me not wanting to get out of the house the next morning because i was sooo tired. haha i just went to go eat and then just slummed around the house. Finally, it was 5:30, and it was time to get ready for a New Years party with some family! This time, i tagged along with my other bro and the cousins... It was pretty cool, we ate at a resturant, that had a DJ bar thing in the back where there was a patio for everyone to dance...And since my cousin goes there ALLL the time, she hooked it up letting everyone get a wristband to pass secuirty so that we didnt have to pay 20 bucks to get in. So after din, everyone heading over to the back patio, and just partied waiting for the countdown to begin. The countdown and everything happened so fast... it was nuts. So many people, drunks, crazy stuff. There even was a fight going on in the middle of the dance floor. AND I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.. well not really, but i got beer poured all over me from the cat fight. it was gross, but crazy to see hair pulling, with one of the girls constant struggle to get out of the fight, while the other was throwing punches to the other girls head. What a way to start off the new year. I mean great for me, cause i got to see a real Cat fight woot! Anyways the party ended at around 2.. i jumped into as many pictures as possible, being that i can be a hardcore picture whore. haha i even jumped into some random peoples pictures next to us. I even got a high five for jumpin in thier photo from some random guy haha. We were about to leave the resturant when all of a sudden another little fight began, but this time it started because of a little football revalry from my group to these other college boys. Of course i just stood back watching, while everyone else was yelling yada yada.. haha and that was it! It was a good starting of the year. Actually, i thought that the weekend was one of the best weekends i've had in awhile. =)

DUDE... finding how to upload those pictures through Flickr WAS KILLER! but i finally got it... I was limited to some photos... I mean thier are more out there. i just havent had the chance to get a copy of some photos from other people haha but this is all i have so far so enjoy!

El Laberinto del Fauno

Happy New Years Everyone.. Hopefully a lot of you have rested up from a great night of partying, and feeling refreshed to go back to work or school hahah.. But anywho, since i still have another week to go, as well as the rest of us for school ENJOY IT WHILE IT LASTS!

Starting off this new year, my brothers and i decided to go watch Pan's Labyrinth. It was only released in select cities, and luckily there was one showing near where i live. I saw this trailer awhile ago, and found it to be a pretty interesting story, and wanted to check it out. Then my brother brought up just recently, so we decided to watch it.

El Laberinto del Fauno, translation Pan's Labyrinth, is a fantasy, fairy tale, that takes place in Spain in the 1940's. It follows a young girl, Ofelia, that moves into a new house with her pregnant mother, and new adopted father. At this new place, Ofelia finds a Labyrinth that is behind the new home that she lives and creates a whole new world, using her imagaintion and dreams. At the sametime this is happening, her adopted father, who is a military officer, is trying to capture rebels around the area.

I thought this film was really good. It was very dark, and pretty graphic in certain parts. It's rated R so, dont get confused when they say its a fairy tale. Exactly how Ebert would say, " A fairy tale for adults." This film also won multiple awards for best foreign film. This film runs for two hours, it might seem long for some of you, maybe because there are two stories happening at once. Yet, i think that a lot of you would enjoy it, if you're up for a thrilling, fanasty, fairytale.