13 Apr 2010 – Movies/1

Off to Hong Kong bright and early tomorrow until Sun. Will make time to blog as there is a laptop with internet access where I am staying.

Dragons are legendary and mythical creatures from many cultures. The two most familiar interpretations of dragons are: European dragons from various European folk traditions, derives from Greek δράκων(drákōn) which probably comes from the verb δρακεῖν (drakeîn)=to see clearly. Dragons are often held to have major spiritual significance in various religions and cultures around the world. In many Asian cultures dragons 龍/lóng were, and in some cultures still are, revered as representative of the primal forces of nature, religion and the universe. They are associated with wisdom—often said to be wise and possess some form of magic or other supernatural power, unlike Vikings who are humans!

How to Train Your Dragon*** a comedy adventure set in the mythical world of burly Vikings and wild dragons. Cute animated effects with a touching fairy tale ending. Again the good conquers the evil! Somehow the song Puff the Magic Dragon, a dragon lives forever but not so little boys kept going in my mind after the movie!

This is Berk. It snows nine months out of the year, and hails the other three. What little food grows here is tough and tasteless. The people that grow here, even more so. The only upsides are the pets. While other places have ponies, or parrots… we have dragons.

My Rainy Days/Japanese** High school student Rio has never cared about anyone but herself due to her traumatic past. Her friends exist only so she can use them for her gains. One day, she meets a 35-year-old college professor Kouki and falls in love for the first time. Rio feels confused by her emotional change.

As for me the thing that I took away or concur with is that the more you are in love, the more painful it is.

The Concert/French*** Andrei was the greatest conductor for the Bolshoi Orchestra during the Brezhnev era. After refusing to abandon his Jewish musicians, he was fired at the height of his glory. He is still working at the Bolshoi 30years later, but as a cleaner and comes across an invitation addressed to the management from Thtre du Chtelet in Paris for the orchestra to come and perform there. Andrei has this idea to bring together his old musicians to Paris, passing them off as the Bolshoi Orchestra…