honmei: KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE

 

Title: KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE

Japanese: 魔女の宅急便

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Writer: Hayao Miyazaki

based on – Kiki's Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono

production company: Studio Ghibli

release date: 1989 July 29

running time: 102 minutes

original language: Japanese

country: Japan

English release by Disney

CAST

KIKI

Japanese voice actress ~ Minami Takayama

English voice actress ~ Kirsten Dunst

JIJI (cat)

Japanese voice actor ~ Rei Sakuma

English voice actor ~ Phil Hartman

OSONO (bakery owner)

Japanese voice actress – Keiko Toda

English voice actress – Tress Macneille

TOMBO (Kiki's guy friend /bff)

Japanese voice actor ~ Kappei Yamaguchi

English voice actor ~ Matthew Lawrence

PLOT

Kiki is a 13-year-old young girl who leaves her home to train (as a witch) for one year with her talking cat Jiji. She flies in her broom to the port city Koriko. Here she met a young man named Tombo who instantly fell in-love with the young witch. She also meets Osono (a pregnant bakery owner) where she will accept a job to deliver bakery goods in exchange of board and lodging. In this port city of Koriko, Kiki will learn about love, friendships, hardships and how to overcome struggles and the power of discovering oneself.

REVIEW

Definitely one of Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece. Kiki's Delivery Service is my first anime movie (besides Astroboy as young girl) and I instantly fell in love. I have watched this movie hundreds of times and it never got old – you will be hooked every time.  

credits ~ Google images and Wikipedia

reel:CYRANO AGENCY 시라노;연애조작단

 

Movie: Cyrano Agency

Revised romanization: Shirano; Yeonaejojakdan

Hangul: 시라노;연애조작단

Director: Kim Hyeon-Seok

Writer: Kim Hyeon-Seok

Producer: Shim Jae-Myung

Cinematographer: Kim Woo-Hyung

Release Date: September 16, 2010

Runtime: 117 min.

Genre: Romantic-Comedy

Distributor: Lotte Entertainment

Language: Korean

Country: South Korea

CAST

UHM TAE WOONG as Byung

LEE MIN JUNG as Hee-Joong

PARK SHIN HYE as Min Young

DANIEL CHOI as Sang-Yong

 PLOT (AsianWiki)

The Cyrano Agency consists of four people from a theater troupe who offers a unique cupid service for lovelorn clients. The company intricately devises and implements schemes, custom tailored to match the interests of their intended target, for the ultimate goal of obtaining romance for their client. The boss and mastermind behind the agency is Byung-Hoon (Uhm Tae-Woong).

Things take a strange twist at the Cyrano Agency when a new client named Sang-Yong (Daniel Choi) enters their office. Sang-Yong is a straight-laced financial trader who is rather inept with personal relationships. He has fallen for a free spirited woman named Hee-Joong (Lee Min-Jung) and seeks out the Cyrano Agency's help. The boss for the Cyrano Agency, Byung-Hoon, then notices that Hee-Joong is his ex-girlfriend with whom he has really never gotten over ....

REVIEW

I loved the movie! The characters have great chemistry and camaraderie that one will want to join their gang; and be nostalgic of their own loved ones. The soundtrack is great that I have Agnes Baltsa on my itunes right after I watched the movie.

AWARDS

2010 (47th) Daejong Film Awards ~ Best New Actress (Lee Min-Jung)

2010 (47th) Daejong Film Awards ~ Popularity Award (Lee Min-Jung)

2010 (31th) Blue Dragon Film Awards ~ Best New Actress (Lee Min-Jung)

2010 (31th) Blue Dragon Film Awards ~ Best Screenplay (Kim Hyeon-Seok)

2010 (13th) Director's Cut Awards ~ Best New Actress (Lee Min-Jung)

2011 (47th) PaekSang Arts Awards~ Most Popular Actress (Park Shin-Hye)

TRIVIA

1. Based on Edmond Rostand's play "Cyrano de Bergerac".
2. Song played at the cafe is by Agnes Baltsa “Aspri Mera Ke Ya Mas (There Will Be Better Days, Even For Us) (영화 시라노 연애조작단 엄태웅, 이민정 테마곡)"
3. Cyrano Agency had a cameo in the Korean Drama "Mischievous Kiss' episode 8.

credits ~ Google Images, AsiaWiki

reel: LOVE ON A DIET 瘦身男女

Title: LOVE ON A DIET

traditional Chinese: 瘦身男女

simplified Chinese:瘦身男女

romanized: Sau san naam neui

Mandarin: Shòu Shēn Nán Nǚ

Cantonese: Sau3 San1 Naam4 Neoi2

Director: Johnnie To & Wai Kai-fai

Writer: Wai Kai-fai & Yau Nai-hoi

released date: June 21, 2001

running time: 95 minutes

country: Hong Kong

language: Cantonese – Japanese – English

CAST:

ANDY LAU as Fatso

SAMMI CHENG as Mini Mo

PLOT (wikipedia)

Mini Mo (Sammi Cheng) is a Hong Kong resident living in Japan. She suffers from depression, low self-esteem and a binge eating disorder – the result which sees her suffers from extreme obesity. A failed suicide attempt causes her to meet Fatso (Andy Lau), a Hong Kong salesman working in Japan who is also obese.

Mini sticks with Fatso everywhere, and although initially vexed by Mini, Fatso discovers the reason behind her depression. Mini cannot forget her former boyfriend, Kurokawa, who is now a world-famous pianist. Ten years ago, the two had pledged to meet at the foot of Yokohama Marine Tower on the night of their break-up. Mini is fearful of meeting Kurokawa in her present size. Touched by her story and her sweet nature, Fatso promises to whip her back into shape.

After trying desperate means of losing weight (such as swallowing tapeworms and exercising to Dance Dance Revolution), Mini finally sheds pounds. But Fatso finds his funds running low. To earn enough to finance Mini's weight-loss programs, he opens a boxing gig on the streets allowing on-lookers to punch him to vent their pent-up frustrations. He next enrolls Mini on an expensive weight-loss program, which proves to be very successful. Mini regains her former slim and pretty look.

On the night of her reunion with Kurokawa, Fatso drops Mini off at Tokyo Tower and she meets up with former beau under the gazing eyes of the local media. The pair are interviewed by a local network, but Mini notices another broadcast featuring Fatso's street boxing gig. She finally realizes how much Fatso has sacrificed himself for her and is moved to tears. Turning to apologize to Kurokawa, she leaves hastily.

Months later, Mini publishes a bestseller on dieting, and finds a slimmed-down Fatso carrying her book in a park. The two kiss, promising never to leave each other again.

REVIEW:

I love Andy Lau and Sammi Cheng tandem! 

This movie is very entertaining - definitely one of my fave Chinese rom-com. Their transition from being obese to fit is pretty amazing. This movie interprets that everyone is going through a struggle and one should not judge the book by it's cover and let's not miss an opportunity to better ourselves. 

credits ~ Google Images, Wikipedia

reel: 200 POUNDS BEAUTY 美女는 괴로워

Title: 200 POUNDS BEAUTY

Hanja: 美女는 괴로워

Hangul: 美女는 괴로워

Revised-romanization: Minyeoneun Goerowo

Director & Writer: Kim Yong-hwa

Release Date: December 14, 2006

running time: 120 minutes

genre: Romance – Comedy - Drama

country: South Korea

language: Korean

CAST:

KIM AH JOONG as Kang Han Na / Jenny

JOO JIN MO as Han Sang Jun

PLOT (Asianwiki)

Han-Na (Kim A-Joong) is a very large girl with a warm heart. She also possesses an unbelievable voice. Han-Na wants to become a pop-singer, but due to her extra-large appearance, can only work as a faceless singer. She provides the vocals for a popular singer named Amy (Ji Seo-Yun), a beautiful young lady that can’t carry a note to save her life.

Han-Na is also in love with Amiys music producer, Sang-Joon (Joo Jin-Mo), but it's a one-sided love. One day, Han-Na is invited to Sang-Joon’s birthday party and receives a red dress from him to wear to his party. Han-Na is excited, yet scared. The dress is revealing and quite extravagant. With her very large figure, she is not sure if she can wear such an outfit. Han-Na does eventually go to the birthday party in the red dress, but is mortified when petite Amy appears in the same red dress. During the course of the birthday party, Han-Na absorbs more emotional trauma and she simply disappears for one year.

Han-Na then returns as the beautiful Jenny ...

REVIEW

I am biased with fat to fab themed movies. 200 Pound Beauty is for everyone not just for those who struggle with weight but with everyone who has insecurities. It is a story of redemption and victory. We all have to overcome our giants, everyone will enjoy the movie. It has a great soundtrack as well. 

**highlights**

when Jenny is transformed to be 200 lbs – great make up artists & crew 

Kim Ah-joong sang the main theme song ~ Ave Maria by Blondie

AWARDS

2007 Chunsa Film Art Awards ~ Best Actress ~ KIM AH JOONG

2007 Grand Bell Awards ~ Best Actress ~ KIM AH JOONG

2007 Korea Movie Star Awards ~ Best New Actress ~ KIM AH JOONG

2007 Korea Movie Star Awards ~ Best Couple Award ~ Kim Ah-Joong & Joo Jin-Woo

credits ~ Google images ~ Asianwiki ~ Wikipedia