A rising sun gazes atop the orchid flower of petals five
Shining and luminescent, bringing life from her eyes
He is amazed by the brightness that allows him to see
All the joys she has conjured, all the love she’s set free

~

The orchid has ventured afar, influencing and embracing new friends
And the sun has envisioned him along her soft steps, from end to end
But this day forth, together, they will connect and they will show
That from tomorrow on this bright orchid is kindled by his blooming sun’s morning glow

~ Read More

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We watch on, Japan, so far away and with no idea of what it’s like

Visitors and admirers of this wonderful country, intimately connected through smiles and unfading memories

May hope lend you all a helping hand, especially to those lost, frightened and strong in Sendai

~

So when does a film like Being John Malkovich get out-Malkoviched? When Takeshi Kitano makes one, that’s when.

A few words about Kitano San to begin. Many of you will remember that crazy old 80′s TV show Takeshi’s Castle, where contestants participated in a myriad of next-to-impossible obstacle courses with predictably hilarious, injurious, I’ve-got-a-bad-feeling-about-this, results. Well this is that very same Takeshi. The very same Takeshi who then went on to make a name for himself in the 90′s with hauntingly beautiful (and often very violent) Yakuza films, before finding relative international success in the 2000′s with the fascinating Zatoichi, a film about a blind samurai, a pair of revenge-seeking geishas, and tap-dancing. Obviously. And in between? Well, that very same Takeshi made a lot of weird ones too. And when I say weird, I mean crazy, messed up, only-in-Japan weird.