Wily women and clever girls, valiant queens and brave villagers--these are the people to save the day in this collection of folktales from around the world and across the ages. Long before J.K. Rowling brought us Hermione Granger, well before Katniss Everdeen entered the arena, these fierce protagonists were the role models for strong girls through the ages. Here we read the story of Jimena, who dresses like a man to go fight in a war; of Min, whose cleverness leads her family to riches; and of Nabiha, who outsmarts thieves and wins the respect of the king. With stories from China, Russia, Persia, India, Armenia, the UK, Spain, France, Southern Africa, Egypt, and Germany, this is a collection of tales that showcases the original literary feminists.
Having recently enjoyed director Tetsuya Nakashima's "Memories of Matsuko" I was keen to see "Kamikaze Girls" so I was pleased when it was television so soon after the the other film. I was not disappointed as it was a delight from start to finish... even if the opening scene did suggest the ending would not be too happy.The film opens with Momoko, a girl in a frilly dress, being hit by another vehicle as she rides along on a scooter, as she flies through the air expecting to die she says good bye to her friends and family before we go back in time to find out just how she came to be there. Young Momoko's father is a fairly incompetent member of the Yakuza who makes a living selling fake designer goods until he annoys the wrong people and has to leave town and live in the countryside. In order to make money to pay for the Rococo clothing she loves so much Momoko places an advert in a magazine to sell her father's remaining stock. The advert is answered by Ichigo, a biker girl who is the opposite of everything Momoko is; aggressive, violent and worst of all dressed in clothes from the local supermarket. Ichigo is most impressed with the goods Momoko is selling and is shocked by the low prices being charged. The two girls form an unlikely friendship which leads the two girls to places neither would have expected themselves to be.Kyôko Fukada and Anna Tsuchiya are fantastic as Momoko and Ichigo bringing the viewer into their unfamiliar world. The director has creating a surreal world where the colours aren't quite natural and where flashbacks occur as psychedelic animations. The only negative comment I can make about this film is that the English subtitles on the version shown on the television weren't the easiest to read.
The Rebel Girls torrent
Despite being an avid fan of Asian cinema, then "Kamikaze Girl" surpassed my preference in movies. Perhaps because I am not that much into the various categories of Japanese street fashion. And I don't really get the Japanese fetish with this so-called lolita fashion. Come on, do they even know the meaning of the word lolita? I doubt it. That being said, then it doesn't mean that I don't find the dresses and outfits nice, because I do. They do look nice.The movie is about Momoko Ryugasaki (played by Kyôko Fukada) who is a loner, a girl fascinated with the 18th century lifestyle and fashion style. She meets Ichigo Shirayuri (played by Anna Tsuchiya) who is part of an all-girl biker gang. It is two entirely different worlds and cultures coming together, with all the diversity, different creeds and life approaches. Of course, the two girls have their clashes, but have to overlook them and come together for a common goal.I found it hard to fully submerge myself into the story and the storyline, perhaps given my lack of interest in these particular Japanese sub-cultures that they focus on in the movie. But if you approach the movie from the aspect of friendship despite your backgrounds, then "Kamikaze Girls" is actually quite alright.The acting in "Kamikaze Girls" was actually good, and people did good jobs with their roles. However, and I say this knowing it is a Japanese movie, that there were times when the acting was overdone and over the top. But hey, isn't that what many Japanese movies are known for anyway? But in overall, then the acting performances were actually good.Being a Third Windows Film release, then I had some fairly high hopes and expectations to the movie, which sadly wasn't fully realized. I found the movie to be sort of pointless at times, and as such found myself drifting off to do other stuff while the movie was running.It should be said, though, that the movie was actually visually beautiful to look at. Lots of nice cinematography and lots of nice scenes throughout the entire movie. And the camera work was good as well."Kamikaze Girls" is a movie of an acquired taste, let that be said.
It's been a month since more than 200 Nigerian girls were kidnapped from their school by the militant group Boko Haram. The world has since been watching in horror as news of the abduction has come out, first in trickles and now torrents.
Many of us have experienced a similar set of reactions: We feel helpless, as we wish there were something, anything, we could do personally to stop this violent terrorist group from terrorizing these girls.
But, as I have prayed to God for his help for these girls and their families, I actually have found a lot of hope -- hope that Nigeria and the international community will succeed in bringing these girls home. A significant reason for this hope is the inspiring reality that ordinary people all around the world have paid attention, lifted their voices, applied pressure and haven't let up.
And, as we do so together, let us also remember millions of other girls who today are threatened by another kind of violence -- what we at International Justice Mission have come to call "everyday violence."
For most of the world's poor, the greatest daily threat isn't an armed rebel group like Boko Haram that will require a specialized military response. Rather, it is acts of daily terror committed against them by more powerful neighbors -- neighbors who act with impunity simply because the most basic laws are not enforced. 2ff7e9595c
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