Tekkonkinkreet

I watched "Tekkonkinkreet" tonight -- an animated feature in Japanese by Michael Arias. Every frame so beautiful. So much like the Japan that stops me...the composition of lines and signs and streets that seem almost like sets -- they are so clean and mijikai -- narrow. I didn't get a lot of the nuance with story and relationships as I had no subtitles -- just the spoken Japanese. But the camera movements were hot and so many of the angles were unexpected. Almost docu style within this super colorful and painted world.

I also watched "All About My Mother" for the first time the other night in Spanish with Japanese sub-titles. That is a surreal film to not know exactly what's being said. Every time I thought I had the gist of what was happening, I would get thrown for a loop. I had to google a story synopsis today but am still confused about who the transvestite was in the very last scene at the funeral of Penelope Cruz's character. I understood that he was the father of Rosa's baby -- but he looked just like Estaban (the dead son) so then I got really confused. If anyone can enlighten me -- there be muchos gracias for you.

Cooked fish tonight in the broiler. Spread a little wasabi on before the broil and it did nicely. Cooked up so fast. Thinking I will try to run tomorrow before work but best hit the hay. Read through Sore Thumb and like it again. A map of Tokyo from the 1960's is on my fridge. On the top left corner it says: "Tokyo Metropolis." Someone (a friend of my Mom's?) gave it to me all those years ago, before my journey as an exchange student. It smells like a book from the library and has an alphabetical listing of all the museums and shrine locations. Something about it being tangible on my refrigerator that's so much better than the i-touch map. Seeing where the water is somehow puts things in perspective in terms of east, west, north, south. I love maps.

Just read the Oscar announcements. Exciting stuff. I want to see Black Swan, 127 Hours and The Kings Speech. Don't think those will be playing over here for a while...