SeoulFire

Well, it’s awards season and while I still think each ceremony is another attempt for Hollywood to masturbate to itself I have to admit I am a sucker for the Golden Globes. I always feel so inspired after watching them. There is a certain independent spirit that flows from the nominated selections. There has been very few times that I felt any of the winners won because of how much it made at the box office. I’m sure that helps….but I think the Golden Globes try to keep the magic of film alive. They recognize creativity and inventiveness more than many award cermonies do. Creativity and inventiveness happen to be the true magic of film and by acknowledging them they bring that same magic to the event. The Golden Globes is considered the crystal ball to who will be winning the illustrious Oscars for the year. I’m hoping the Oscars don’t muck up the high I’m on due to these two marvelous events.

No Leo...I'M THE FREAKING QUEEN OF THE WORLD!!!

-Kate Winslet wins Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress!!! For two different films!!!: All I can say is IT’S ABOUT TIME!! I always felt a need to invest in her future because I have a been a fan for so long. Even before ”Titanic”. I know I breathed a sigh of relief when she got on that stage BOTH times. Congrats Kate!!

- SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE MAKES A CLEAN SWEEP!!!: Best original score…Best Screenplay…Best Director…Best Picture. An underdog movie about an underdog making it big makes it big. That’s not just irony, that’s poetry. Period.

Just got in the house after seeing “Slumdog Millionaire”. Please believe the hype. See this movie. Love this movie, Obsess about this movie. That is all.

I’ve always been a fan of films that have that “hey, it could happen” feel. Yes, your Sally could one day meet your Harry. Yes, you could go the distance.And yes, you could find yourself easing on down the road with a scarecrow, lion, and a tin man. Ok. Maybe not that last one. But you get the idea.

"I'll have what she's having."

"ADRIAN!!!"

Maybe not so real

A perfect example is Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. I must warn you that I was a bit biased before I saw the film. I finished the book in 1 day. It was so clever and real. I wish I could tell parents that kids don’t cuss like sailors and do things that border illegal when they are together but I hear lying is something we shouldn’t do. Plus I’ve got to make up for the all the things I should have gotten caught for when I was younger and lying would not be helping my cause. Sorry to tell you this but any cuss words I learned when I was younger I learned from reading the bathroom stall doors at school.

(General info about the film is here.)

CERA!!!!

Yes, Michael Cera is in this. Yes, that should make you ridiculously happy. But viewer beware……if you’re looking for the “Michael Cera” we all have fallen in love with you might be disappointed. What’s the difference? Well we all know Micheal Cera as the guy who has perfected the art of being funny by trying not to be funny. Micheal Cera’s “Nick” in the film is funny when the script wants him to be. Which is not a bad thing. We’re so used to Micheal taking those subtle yet effective liberties with scripts that we forget that sometimes the script can be good enough that taking those liberties might ruin the entire movie. I can’t claim that all the characters we know him for are the same but they all have that underlying “wink-wink” he’s known for. I’m pretty sure that’s just Michael being Michael though.

We're not in Superbad anymore!!

The music, the ever-moving plot, the reluctant but destiny driven lovers,  the disgusting gum habits……they all come together to make a great movie. What’s better is that this is a totally plausible situation. You could have your own adventure while looking for some band or some drunk friend. You could (and do) run into all the people you do and don’t want to see while having a night out. You could meet someone who could very well be “the one”. Is it rare that a night like this happens? Yep. It is impossible? Nope.

In conclusion, I have every intention of getting everyone I know to see this film. I also have every intention to count down the days to its DVD release so that I can obsess over it in the comfort of my own home. This officially sits between “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Goodfellas” on my fav films list. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, (Insert Blog Title here).

Next time on “Just Nonsense Really”: Of the Asian Persuasion #6!!!!!

Ni hao everyone!! Just stopping by to mention some things that have no choice but to end in exclamation points.

• Makino, oh,…….Makino?! : They recently announced who would be playing the female lead, Makino, in the Korean “Boys Over Flowers” set to come out late this year. An actress named Goo Hye Sun and all I have to say to that is……WHO?!
  

  And the role of Makino goes to.....WHO?!

  Apparently she recently starred in a drama called “Strongest Chil Woo” and another drama “Pure 19″ which, obviously, I haven’t seen yet. I looked her up on DramaWiki and so far it looks like she has a pretty respectable resume so it may not be as bad as I’m thinking. I must say I was rather impressed with the fact that she had a cameo in “August Rush” which is one of my favorite movies. Now I have to go home and pull a “Where’s Waldo?” because as of this moment I don’t remember seeing her at all. “Hana Yori Dango” forum participants are freaking out a little because she’s older than the boys who will playing F4……which is depressing because she’s only two years older than me. Let’s face it though: Most Asian actresses don’t look their age until they hit ohhhhh……. 60!! And even then they only look like they’re in their late 40’s or at least they’re early 50’s. I was a bit nervous about this announcement because I have loved this character in every version and it’d be a shame if they ruined it in the Korean version of all versions.  So here it is ladies and gentleman, the lead actors in the Korean “Boys Over Flowers”:

Koo Hye Sun as Yeon Woo (Makino Tsukishi) (Shan Cai)

Lee Min Ho as Go Jun Pyo (Domyouji Tsukasa) (Dao Ming Si)

Kim Hyun Joong as Yoon Ji Hoo (Rui Hanazawa) (Hua Ze Lei)

Kim Bum as So Yi Jung (Sojiroh Nishikado) (Xi Men)

Kim Joon as Song Woo Bin (Akira Mimasaka) (Mei Zuo Ling)

They’re all a little TOO pretty don’t you think? I have to admit that I am hopelessly devoted to ”Meteor Garden” while the production is not nearly as good as the Japanese version was and what the Korean version will be it WAS, technically, the original. Plus I kinda have a semi-crush on Jerry Yan. Not only

Jerry Yan and his ADORABLE work

 is he abnormally cute but he is an ambassador for World Vision Taiwan (he

Viva Laughlin....Hugh Jackman dancing...and singing...in Las Vegas.....The fact that it was cancelled just baffles my mind!!

sponsors a rather LARGE handful of children,) AND he pulled an Angelina Jolie by adopting a child!! Talk about bringing your work home with you!!! Although one thing that none of the “Hana Yori Dango” remakes can claim is that they have Jun Ki Sang directing it. Jun Ki Sang directed “Delightful Girl, Choon Hyang”, “My Girl”, and “Witch Amusement”-all awesome, all will be in the next issue of ”Of the the Asian Persuasion”. So far it looks like they have got all the necessary ingredients to make “Boys Over Flowers” a MAJOR HIT!!! But it hasn’t air yet and in the “biz” what seems like a sure fire thing could turn out to be a sure fire bomb.

• All that hype…..FOR THIS?!: Well, they finally announced who would be leaving “We Got Married” and turns out it was…….well, Andy and Solbi. That’s right. The mystery couple leaving…..is the
  

  Thanks!!......FOR NOTHING!!

  couple we already knew was leaving. All the other couples will be sticking around for a little while longer and they have added two other couples bringing the grand total up to five couples. Of course I’m ecstatic to know that Alex and Shinae are sticking around. This episode was especially special to any “Alshin” lovers.  I’m excited about the other couples sticking around but they all feel like their expiration dates are coming up fast. Crown J and In young are now the only couple that have been together since the very beginning and now that they are going on a year pretty soon here. While the show is fun I’m sure doing this every week can be tiring. Even I would be tired of it after a while. As you may have noticed Kim Hyun Joong is all set to start filming “Boys Over Flowers” so we’ll see how long he’ll be able to stick around. Between filming, publicity, and the pure mania this role has in store for him he may have to choose between the two shows. My gut is telling me that he won’t be choosing WGM over BOF anytime soon. Honestly, I wouldn’t either. Lastly, as much as I love to see Alex every week the fact of the matter is that he is still having back issues and I would rather he give up the show if it gets to be too much for him than to continue the show in pain. Then to top it all off one of Shinae good friends committed suicide this past week and I hear she’s taking it pretty hard. There, unfortunately, seems to be a string of suicides happening in the entertainment industry over there. Prayfully, the trend will cease and desist ASAP.

• Stephen Chow is the SHIZZZ!!!!: I recently found out that the oh-so-lovable Stephen Chow will
  

  The SHIZZZ!!!

  be directing and co-starring in The Green Hornet……coming out in

  

  The Green....WHO?!

  2010. Yes, I know it’s a long ways off but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth getting excited about. Double bonus: Seth Rogen will be starring in the film and the script was written by him and Evan Goldberg. You know? Evan Goldberg. The OTHER guy who wrote Superbad. Honestly, I could care less about The Green Hornet (I’m a Superman fan), there’s a good chance that this could go completely wrong, and I think the first few people that see this will have to be established fans of any or all of the people involved.  I’ve been trying not to be so pessimistic lately but, honestly, I don’t know one person who sat and thought to themselves, “Wouldn’t Stephen Chow and Ken Miller from “Freaks and Geeks” make a GREAT TEAM?!?” Of course I don’t think anyone was thinking of teaming Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan and that turned out pretty nicely for all parties involved.

You'll always be Ken Miller to me, Seth Rogen