Tonari No Totoro

A review

A.K.A My Neighbor Totoro.

Creator: Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli

Rated E for everyone , production year 1988, cinematic release in Norway 30th march 2007. Watched in japanese with Norwegian subtitles.

So I watched this for the first time ever this wednesday evening. I'd had a crappy prank pulled on me at the end of my work shift and was rather miffed and not really in the best of moods. So I needed something to take my mind off things. 

Oh my lord! Did it ever!

Okey short plot summary first.

It's about a four year old girl called Mei and her big sister Satsuki, they are moving to this old house in the forest with their father while their mother is in hospital for unknown reasons. And then little Mei meets the forest guarding/spirit Totoro and an adventure unfolds. I'm not going any further as I want everyone to watch this movie.

I was so taken with the art style and the artistic workmanship that had gone into the movie and the story is just great. A gem, a treasure really. I've watched quite a few movies out of Studio Ghibli and mr. Miyazaki has been involved in all of them in one way or the oher and that studio has become one of my favourite outlets for anime. Art and storytelling meeting in an animated medium. Quality.

I felt a level of happiness watching this that I rarely do. The movie simply was a joy to watch. I highly recommend it to anyone. I went to bed feeling all warm and fuzzy all over and inside.  Yes this all sound really corny and silly don't it? Well I don't care! I was made truly happy by this movie and it's like a bunch of puppies and kittens kind of good. You know? Oh and I want a cat bus too!! 

My highest recommendations.

Watch it, you will thank me later

Chrono Trigger

Initial thoughts

Got this game yesterday, bought at GAME, took it home and plugged it into my DS. 

Right, first one simple fact about the game. It has not been out in Europe before. Not on the PlayStation nor the Super Nintendo. So I have been wanting to play this since about '95. Well sure I could have modded my PlayStation to play a US release but I am abit of a purist when it comes to my consoles and like to keep them 100% original. 

And so far... I'm NOT disappointed! This game is fantastic. I've played for about 6 hours so far and I'm already involved with the characters. I've renamed them all because I can and because I just want to personalize my play experience. The story has already gripped me and I'm involved in the game. Might this game be the game to make me cry? Long rambling shorten; I'm loving this game! I might come back with a full review once I've finished the game.

And the music is some of the best scoring I've heard in a game (or anything). I kept sitting/laying there humming along while playing. I rarely do that. 

Updates

Today I had a really busy day at work. I've started abit on my new job at the airport in the kiosk department. I've had a sort of crash course in it. and I've also worked the busting tables and cleaning job as well. Multitasking like a fiend at work these days, being in every work place bar the grill basically. Making that cash. yeah.

Tonight I'm frustrated as I want to pay games but my bloody arms are too tired to play. I might just go and fetch my DS and play it. Hmm.. No I got it. I'll read. Surely that must work, hold book flip pages.. Yeah, that'll work. 

Other than work I just try to keep up with everything else. 

Keeping Tabs

It's been quiet on my front lately. haven't really been up to much besides sleeping, eating and working. Well that's only somewhat true. I've been reading abit, finished the first part of Barack Obama's book Dreams From My Father. So far it is a really good read. It's very honest and direct while showing a great use of contemporary english, I find it to be great writing. Once I've finished the book I'll come back with more thoughts on it. 

And I've been keeping up with my fave shows; Countdown, Rachel Maddow etc. I was saddened today watching the final episode of Stargate Atlantis ever (well there is one movie coming) and it was a real good SGA episode. And I've watched Sanctuary, a great new show featuring Amanda Tapping of Stargate SG-1 fame. And bought myself new awesome nerd shirts, one Hulk and one Iron Man.

Today I've been contemplating importing some books. As the shops here is unable to get the books I tend to want to read, but I have a tendency to find kind of obscure titles that is written by people that noone here has ever heard about. I'm thinking ordering them straight from the USA (amazon.com FTW) but I need to find out what it'll cost me first. 

And I've been in town and finally gotten myself a proper single malt to enjoy, going to pour myself one in a little while. I could finally afford to buy one.

The end to my evening/night? I went on YouTube and put on Caramelldansen (SSBB version) and wiggled my hips and bounced around to the beat. Jolly good fun every now and then and a frikking good "get the heartrate up" thing to do. What can I say sometimes you just need something totally silly. 

Batman The Dark Knight

Movie Review

I decided to celebrate the coming of the new year with watching Batman The Dark Knight on Blu-Ray (The two disc special edition) as I didn't feel like going out to watch the fireworks as it isn't all that great to look at from my place and the general quality of the fireworks are kinda lame here and you get fed up with them as they start testing it from like the 26th out(Plus I'd already been out this week). Enough about that.

This movie is a dream to watch, it has everything you would want in a movie. The cinematic landscape is fantastic, the way it had been filmed was just stunning. And it contributed greatly to the atmosphere and while I didn't watch it on a 7:1 sound system the sound of the movie was special. And the special effects was really well done. 

The story fits well with who I think Batman is. Christian Bale does a great job portraying our dark caped crusader. The Dark Knight and Batman Begins is in my opinion the best of the live action Batman movies. And Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine brings something subtle yet good to the table. Heath Ledger (may he rest in peace) was fantastic as the lunatic Joker. I wonder who will fill the Joker suit in the next Batman (which I really think will come). I was immersed all the way through and found myself sliding closer and closer to the screen as the movie progressed. This movie is the best movie I've seen this year. Yes it beat Iron Man! One thing that struck me during watching this, Iron Man and Batman are the two superheroes that made themselves, they both rely on technology and their wit to beat the villains.  Thank you DC and Marvel for taking your audience seriously and bringing us great movies of our superheroes. I assume both of you does monitor the produtions.

The extras on the Blu-Ray is great. The Batman tech special is a wonderful  thing to watch. Especially for a nerd like me. Very pleased with this release. 

I'll sum it up with this:

Go buy it and watch it!!

It's Desember 23rd. Time for...

Grevinnen og Hovmesteren A.K.A. Dinner For One

It's one of THE things I have to Watch every year before christmas eve, and it get better and better as I get older. It has been running for as long as I can remember and I've seen it every year since I was a child (well I've missed it two times in my life). Sitting now waiting for it to come on tv so I can watch it on the tv. 

So for those who are missing it or have never seen it here is it! 

Hope you enjoy it!

I'm holding out for the tv version. 

The Mid-Winter celebrations

Today I finished the shopping, wrapping and sending of the Jule (x-mas) presents and got a few treats for this time. The box of Ginger cookies, the rib-roll cuts and the bag of mixed nuts.

I personally don't celebrate the birth of Jesus as I'm not christian. I do however celebrate the old viking mid-winter feast. A gathering of the "clan"(family) for eating, giving gifts(or offerings).  While my mother might be more on the Jesus thing I never truly subscribed to it. 

But this year we're gathering at the house mom grew up in, my granma's house. It's going to be abit wierd as my granma is no longer with us but I'm sure we'll have a good jule-time anyway. Personally I'm so looking forward to the food and stuff and of course seeing the reactions to the gifts I give and what I get. 

Other than that I've sorted the entertainment for the holiday as I've bought Batman The Dark Knight on Blu-Ray and Gears of War 2 plus my multiple reading materials.

Trick Or Treat: A Review

I started to play a little Guitar Hero 3 tonight after having a discussion about games, Nintendo and guitars with my friend Jesse. I Then got in the mood for some old school metal. So I fired up the old cult classic Trick Or Treat, a 1986 Metal Horror, on DVD.

I have watched that one like a least 10-15 times when I was a like 13, and I have had a soft spot for it ever since. Sure it's cheesy and very 80's and the plot ain't the greatest either but I still think it's awesome. And I don't really care what people think of me thinking that. I am after all a child of the 80's -early 90's. And the appearance of Gene Simmons and Ozzy Osbourne is cool too.

The movie is about a boy at a high school that's the target of bullies that love metal and is kinda worshipping the metal icon Sammi Curr and the rest as they say is history. I don't want to spoil it for those of you that haven't seen it. Because I think that you should watch it. it should be super cheap to get a hold of now. I payed like 3-4$ for it on DVD.  And for if you like some good old 80's metal you'll enjoy this. I guess most people growing up during the late 80's have seen this at one halloween or other. It actually ran on tv here last year come to think of it on halloween. (Yeah halloween is somewhat celebrated here too)

Keeping Tabs

Why haven't I posted anything for a while?

Well, I've started to work again, Parttime at the airport, and have been working quite abit lately. Only had time to get up in the mornings and watch the Countdown with Keith Olbermann podcasts before heading to work and in the evenings watch The Rachel Maddow Show podcasts and check the sites I frequent. During the days I've been having off I've caught up on my TV shows and house chores and shopped for food. But it's great to be working again after being on the dole for about 8 months. 

Games I've played since the last blog. Well I haven't really had the energy to play much but I've played Doom on the 360, Pinball FX, Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix, the Portal Still Alive demo, The Sonic Unleashed demo and messed about with PlayStation Home. Home I kinda found "meh" so far, I don't see myself using that alot. 

And reading... Well if reading blogs and news sites and such count.. I've read some. Same reason as all the other things. 

But tonight I plan on playing something and maybe even read. 

Movies. Games and other stuff

Hi there.

So this week I've seen two movies, not great movies but good movies. I watched Prison Block a.k.a.Animal and Cloverfield . I liked both movies but I cannot recommend buying them at full retail price, Bargain bin sure or rental.  I wont say anything about what's in the movies as you can go rent them and see for yourself. 

And I've played some Penny Arcade Episode 1 and some Pinball FX this week and tried some random demos off XBLA. Fun and entertaining and the PA game game me some good laughs.

In the reading department I'm going through the The Amazing Spider-Man Essential vol. 7. And random news and blogs online.