Bayside Shakedown 3
Just a week after we watched “Bayside Shakedown 2”, Mariko and I watched the third movie, appropriately named “Bayside Shakedown 3”. I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting much since I didn’t really like the last one, but I was pleasantly surprised! What made this one better was that the villains this time had some personality and smarts to them. And the police weren’t as idiotic either. It’s kind of strange because the movie tries to be funny and serious at the same time. For instance, the three police chiefs are inept and silly, so the movie takes on the feeling of a straight comedy. But in contrast, the villains are serious and cruel. It’s a little difficult to reconcile these different styles in one movie, at least for me. At any rate, Bayside Shakedown 3 was better than the previous, but really the bar wasn’t set too high. One thing that was pretty funny was the sheer number of cameos of popular Japanese actors. And I liked the homage to the late Chō-san (長さん)!
A Touching Story
This ad is better than most of the movies I have seen lately! You might have to get out the Kleenex.
Shuffling Backpacks
Yesterday I sold my North Face Base Camp Hot Shot backpack on Craigslist. It was a great bag, but just a little too small to carry my dSLR and lenses. I loved the water-resistant material, which was super tough and a cool green color. That material is why this backpack has the “Base Camp” moniker; it’s the same material that the famous Base Camp Duffel bags are made of. But, I need something just a little bit bigger than it’s 30l capacity. I currently have my eye on the 41l North Face Router backpack, which holds the dSLR padding nicely. It’s a little pricey, but I think it will serve me well. It also has better organization and a dedicated tablet pocket. I am in no rush so Continue reading “Shuffling Backpacks”
Love Collage (2003) – Movie Review
Following my Netflix recommended movies, I watched “Love Collage”, a 2003 movie starring Ryoko Hirosue and Makoto Seigawa. It started off great, and I was getting into it especially because it was kind of about photography, and I enjoyed the scenes where Hirosue’s character, Shizuru, would run around Tokyo snapping photos. It looked like this movie would turn out to be one of my favorites, but it all took a severe nose-dive when the plot moved from Tokyo to New York.
One phenomenon with Japanese dorama is that any gaijin actors used are usually not very good. The main thing they have to do is just look foreign, and any other acting skills they might have are at best lacking, and at worst, truly awful. That’s usually not a problem since they are often only a small part of the scene or plot. Well, half of “Love Collage” takes place in New York City and not only are the American actors terrible, but the storyline itself gets too weird and unbelievable. It went from quirky and charming, to cheesy and campy. There is one shootout which is so over-the-top and just plain stupid, I was wondering if this was all a big joke. Plus, what is up with all the guns and violence in New York? I mean, the main character gets beat up three times? Are we to think this is realistic?
Finally, after all the plot weirdness settles down it seems like the original director comes back into the picture and tries to end the movie. It’s not terrible ending, but then I just keep scratching my head as to what that whole New York part was all about. That pretty much ruined the whole movie.
My rating: 6/10
