So we are back and I am finally ready to write a post. New York was great as usual and the films were a good time too. Antonioni's Red Desert was a a great watch even though it doesn't quite measure up to some of his other classics (not to say it still wasn't was a brilliant film). Funky Forest was just plain strange. It was a bit on the long side (2 1/2 hours ) and I felt it was a bit too up and down. Some things were great about it while others I just couldn't get into. Chiaki, however loved it. The highlight of our movie viewing came in the form of a Korean film called Git. It a simple film but it was just so beautiful. A lot a reviews hyped it up, claiming it to be the best Korean romance film ever. So much talk often times ruin a film in many cases, however, that was not what happen. I don't think it would due the film justice by labeling it as a romantic comedy, which many will call it, but instead I will just leave it as saying its a small little film with a whole lotta heart. Highly Recommended.

Last time we were in New York we kinda skipped over Chinatown. This time we decided to give it another chance and I am glad we did. Yeah it isn't the cleanest place but damn can you find some kick ass films for between 5-10 bucks- yeah, there boots, but who cares.. the films I picked up would have cost me three times that. I don't feel too bad about the purchases because they are not films released here in the states anyways so technically they can legally get a way with it. I was luckily enough to find a copy of Git and another movie I have been dying to see also out of Korea called Welcome to Dongmakgol (it was actually South Korea's submission for Best Foreign film at last year's Academy Awards). We even managed to find a great Korean restaurant between Chinatown and Little Italy. Tasty!

While we were in New York some really solid dvd releases. Cache, Yakuza Graveyard, Cops vs. Thugs, Burst City and my personal favorite, Electric Dragon 80,000 Volts, which I finally picked up yesterday. I know I mentioned this a while back on the blog but man do people need to check out this crazy ass experimental noise rock balls to the wall battle flick. yeah, I know that doesn't make any since but just see it please. The dvd release even has the soundtrack to boot how damn cool is that.

And for those of us living in ohio there is quite a schedule lined up for the next two months at the Cleveland Cinematheque. Three of the films I have seen in the last year or so and would highly recommend the following: Clean, The Hidden Blade, and Woman is the Future of Man. Others I am planning on attending include seven different samurai films (Samurai Rebellion, Three Outlaw Samurai, Kill!, Sword of Doom, Harakiri, Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron, and Samurai Saga). Also of interest is the screening of a bizarre visual stunning film entitled Drawing Restraint 9, which stars Bjork and was directed by her boyfriend Matthew Barney the creature of the Cremaster series. The most exciting screening on the schedule is the early August sneak preview of the new Michel Gondry film The Science of Sleep. The week it is screening is the same weekend it is supposed to open limited in New York and LA, we should feel honored (word is that the film may have even gotten pushed to September now which means we may be very lucky to catch it a month earlier than the rest of the US...pretty damn cool). I am sure there are more goodies playing which I am not too familiar with. Overall a good solid schedule.

Finally, Panik House Entertainment has unveiled a division of their company entitled Casa Negra Films which will introduce the rest of the world to Mexican cinema. I am really looking forward to this because Mexican cinema is one thing I really need to be more educated on. So far their are only two releases with three more planned in the coming months. Check out their site for more info.

Alright so this isn't technically my update yet. this is a teaser for my update. I have a decent amount to talk about which include one amazing film I caught in the big city (along with another good one and another which was just plain bizarre), the release of some great films on dvd this past week, some great bootleg purchases from Chinatown, a new subdivision of Panik House Entertainment that's worth talking about, and finally I will ramble about a great new schedule for the Cleveland Cinematheque which includes an advance screening of a film that is sure to top a bunch of Best film lists this year. So please come back soon to read a rather lengthily update which I am just to lazy to start right now. At least I started it, right.

I am getting really bad at this whole update thing. Not much to report, honestly. I think now a days I am writing for myself anyways.

Last Wednesday and Thursday, I worked as a production assistant on my friend Bo's short film entitled Miles Wynberry of Glendale Lane. It was really a great time. Bo is trying to get his masters in film at Columbia University in New York City. I am pretty damn jealous really. The shoot was very professional. It was great we had a great crew, great equipment (including a jib, a dolly and track, and so much more), and great weather. I was like I was working on a shoot at film school. The camera had like $40,000 lens that makes it look like your shooting on film. Pretty amazing! I can't wait to see how it turns out. I will report more as it unfolds.

I also won some tickets online for the New York Asian Film Festival so it looks like we are catching another film in New York. When we get back I am sure I will have a lot to talk about along with a lot of pictures so I will see you all then.

So in just a few weeks, Chiaki and I are off to New York for a fun little trip. My parents wanted to get us plane tickets for our anniversary but instead I talked them into getting us a few nights in Queens instead. May as well go somewhere you can drive, right. And what so happens to be going on in a few weeks in the wonderful New York City. Well that would be the New York Asian Film Festival. We went last year and it was truly the highlight of our year (others than Chiaki's family coming for our wedding last year, of course). We love New York. Just love it. If we can someday down the line get some great jobs that can easily be found in New York City, then that's where we are heading. But for now good ol' Ohio will suffice, with an annual trek to the big city.

Last year we ended up catching University of Laughs (a truly amazing film which should have been on my top ten last year...oops I forgot), Vital (a film that split us...I dug it alot, while Chiaki was disappointed), and Cafe Lumiere (which we both felt disappointed with). This year we are spending an extra day in the city to explore it more and are once again catching three films:

Funky Forest

A total bizarre looking film from Japan, starring everyone favorite actor Tadanobu Asano which by the view of the trailer reminds me of last years Survive Style 5+ (a film that was on my top films of 2005 list).

Git (Feather in the Wind)

A very poetic looking film that is highly praised where ever you read. It is by a really inventive Korean director who is supposed to be one of the best of the country's independent filmmakers. I have seen his previous work Spider Forest recently and found it to be very unique. I am really looking forward to this film also.

The final film was are going to catch is not part of festival but was something we couldn't pass up while visiting NYC.

Red Desert

This is a film I have been dying to see. Fortuately, the month we are planning on going to New York just so happens to be when the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) are screening a retrospective of Michelanglo Antonioni. It just so happens to be the same week that we picked is when they are playing Il Deserto Rosso (Red Desert) one of his films I haven't been able to get my hands on to see. It was meant to be I guess.

So we are pretty excited to go. Yeah to catch the films of course but also to travel throughout the city. Can't wait.