47 Ronin (2013)

This movie is based on the actual story of the 47 Ronin

Summary

-A group of rogue samurai seek to avenge the death of their master, despite a ruthless shogun informing them not to seek vengeance

Cast

-Keanu Reeves: Kai

-Hiroyuki Sanada: Oishi

-Ko Shibasaki: Mika

-Tadanobu Asano: Lord Kira

-Min Tanaka: Lord Asano

-Jin Akanishi: Chikara

-Masayoshi Haneda: Yasuno

-Hiroshia Sogabe: Hazama

-Takato Yonemoto: Basho

-Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa: Shogun Tsunayoshi

Did You Know?

-The filming was done first in Japanese, because of the supporting cast, then done in English, according to Keanu Reeves

-Carl Rinsch, who directed the film, got into a fight with Universal over this film. They wanted a special effects fantasy film like 2009's Avatar or The Lord of the Rings. Rinsch wanted to make it more of a drama, such as 2000's Gladiator or 2005's Kingdom of Heaven

-This is the first Hollywood film adaptation of the story of the 47 Ronin. Other films have been made about this story, such as: 1941's The 47 Ronin, 1958's The Loyal 47 Ronin, 1962's Chushingura, 1978's The Fall of Ako Castle, 1994's 47 Ronin and 2010's The Last Ronin

-It was said that the character Kai, played by Keanu Reeves, was said to be modeled after Minamoto Yoshitsune, a 12th century warrior who was said to have been trained in martial arts by Tengu

-Initially Keanu Reeves was hesitant to do this film, as he felt his character Kai wouldn't feel integrated into the main plot of the film

-While most of the cast was Japanese and unknown to Western audiences, Hiroyuki Sanada is well known to Western audiences, because of the films he appeared in, which include: 2013's The Wolverine, the 2004 TV show Lost, 2019's Avengers: Endgame and 2007's Rush Hour 3 while Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa is well known to Western audiences for appearances such as 2011's Hawaii Five-O, 2005's Memoirs of a Geisha, 2001's Pearl Harbor

-The witch in this film had two different colored eyes, a medical condition called heterochromia. Many Asian cultures refer to this condition as "cat's eyes", as it is a common condition in cats

-The witch was said to have been inspired by a bake-kitsune, which translates into "fox spirit", a type of yokai (spirit, monster, ghost) that can shapeshift into humans or other creatures

-This film is said to have almost nothing in common with the original story. Instead it was set in a world of witches and giants

-There were many critics who claimed this movie was "white washed" only because of Keanu Reeves appearing in it. In reality, Keanu Reeves is 1/4 Chinese-Hawaiian, as is his paternal grandmother while the rest of his ancestry is European. He does not have Japanese ancestry at all

Tootsie (1982)

This film was actually funnier than I initially thought

Summary

-Michael Dorsey is an out of work actor. The only way he can get work is to disguise himself as a woman to get work on a daytime hospital drama

Cast

-Dustin Hoffman: Michael Dorsey / Dorothy Michaels

-Jessica Lange: Julie Nichols

-Teri Garr: Sandy Lester

-Dabney Coleman: Ron Carlisle

-Charles Durning: Les Nichols

-Bill Murray: Jeff Slater

-Sydney Pollack: George Fields

-Geena Davis: April Page

Did You Know?

-Initially, Dorothy Michaels did not speak with a Southern accent. While doing research, Dustin Hoffman felt his voice fall more closely into a female pitch while doing the accent

-Most of the dialogue from Bill Murray was improvised

-In a 2014 interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Geena Davis told him that Tootsie was her very first movie and that she was young and inexperienced. Dustin Hoffman acted as a mentor to her. He gave her advice. One tip he said was "I know you're going to move to Hollywood and be successful, and your co-stars are going to hit on you, and you should not sleep with your co-stars. It's a bad idea. So here's what to say. When they hit on you, say 'I would love to', be very flattering, 'but I'm afraid it would ruin the (on-screen) sexual tension between us.'" Geena Davis used that on Jack Nicholson later when he hit on her and he was impressed, wanting to know where she had gotten that line

-When the crew had bad news to give Dustin Hoffman, they would only give it to him when he was dressed as Dorothy Michaels, because they said he was "much nicer as a woman"

-At her parents' evening at school, Dustin Hoffman passed himself off as his daughter's Aunt Dorothy. His performance was so perfect that no one suspected anything was out of the ordinary

-The clothing Dorothy Michaels wore almost always covered Dustin Hoffman's 16'' neck and Adam's apple

-The insane ways that Michael Dorsey gets fired or quits from a production were actual events that happened to Dustin Hoffman

-After playing the role of Dorothy Michaels for the first time, Dustin Hoffman went home and burst into tears, confessing to his wife that playing the role of a woman forced him to face his own sexist perceptions of women that he didn't even realize he had

-Director Sydney Pollack and Dustin Hoffman fought intensely over the littlest things that even Hoffman suggested Pollack playing his agent George Fields so they could use that energy in the film, and perhaps give Pollack a chance to vent

-The first time Michael Dorsey is waking up to play Dorothy Michaels, there is a photo of Dustin Hoffman's mother next to his alarm clock

-To do research for his role, Dustin Hoffman watched the 1978 film La Cauge aux Folles and the 1963 TV program General Hospital

-The breasts Dorothy were prosthetics that had came from a shop specializing in post-mastectomy care and cost $175 each

-Cher and Olivia Newton-John were considered for the role of Julie Nichols

-Sir Michael Caine, Dudley Moore and Peter Sellers were offered the role of Michael Dorsey

-When Michael Dorsey is auditioning for roles, he says he can do shorter. In real life, Dustin Hoffman is only 5'6''

-The film got its name from Dustin Hoffman's mother Lillian Hoffman, who gave her son Dustin the nickname "Tootsie" as a child

-Despite smoking indoors being a banned act today, at the time the film was released smoking was still permitted indoors where it is now banned

-Artist Andy Warhol appeared as himself and went uncredited

A Very British Christmas by Rob Temple

Just when you thought the laughing ended, now Rob Temple has done it again. He's come out with a how-to guide on surviving the holidays, referencing Christmas, Boxing Day and even New Year's Eve

Read this how-to guide on surviving the holidays with a dash of wit and humor to keep your sanity intact as you watch relatives turn a simple game of Monopoly in to the next world war, how relatives take over your kitchen and make their food like they are a chef with their own cooking show or even who sits next to who so as to avoid awkward questions or handling the Christmas shopping in such a way that either no one gets arrested by the police or no one gets a gift that they will later give away or re-gift to someone else

Very British Problems: The Most Awkward One Yet

This is another standalone book from Rob Temple, the same hilarious mind who brought Very British Problems to life

Have you ever found yourself in these types of situations? Broken out in hives at the suggestion that you 'introduce yourself' over Zoom? Been extra dramatic while rubbing in the shop's hand sanitiser, so everyone knows how thoroughly decent you are? If you answered yes, Rob Temple firmly believes you are suffering from Very British Problems

He takes the quirkier things in life and adds a dash of humor to it. Some of the things he mentions are quite relatable. You'll be laughing in no time

Britain According to Very British Problems by Rob Temple

This standalone book is from the same comedic genius who brought the world Very British Problems

Rob takes every region of Britain and describes them with loving and hysterical humor. This A-Z road map of Britain will have you laughing from beginning to end. He says Britain is a maze of unique and eccentric sights, even going as far as to describe The Shard in London as "The Eye of Sauron". He takes everything Britain is known for and adds a dash of humor in it, saying things to the effect of "Birmingham being known for Black Sabbath", "Platform 9 3/4-after a few hours waiting in a railway station, have your photo taken next to a brick wall"

Very British Problems Volume III by Rob Temple (3 of 3)

The third installment in the highly successful (and hilarious) Very British Problems series

Here Rob tackles random things that can turn in to full scale arguments and regards them with a dash of hysterical humor. He also references his Twitter account @soverybritish regarding random polls he's posted. Also, he now has a Facebook page called Very British Problems where the hilarious situations continue

More Very British Problems by Rob Temple (2 of 3)

The second book in this highly successful (and hilarious) series by Rob Temple

Read about very relatable travel woes that we've all experienced at least once or see when going on vacation or holiday. I especially love it when he describes different kind of accommodations. It's all about the various travel woes we've all faced at one point or another. He describes all inclusives as all drunks

Very British Problems by Rob Temple (1 of 3)

This book series caught my eye when I was browsing the Humor section on the Amazon Kindle store. The title caught my eye. When I read the description, it sounded funny and interesting. After reading it, I realized I have never laughed this hard in a while.

What the book is essentially about is sarcasm regarding every aspect of life. How being socially awkward is a common thing, how to combat being odd in more ways than one and trying to make it day to day with your sanity and dignity intact. Some of the things he mentions are very relatable

Here is a link to it on Amazon

1000 Things You Didn't Know About Me

This book is very similar to the 3000 Questions About Me book. It allows someone to get to know you without saying much. I won't list all 1000 questions, but here are some of the questions included

1. When I have free time, I love to

-Read, do jigsaw puzzles, work on paint by number, diamond art, draw, work on my Japanese lessons

2. My biggest weakness is

-Beanie Babies, books, music

3. My favorite type of music is

-Rock, metal, country, pop, punk

4. The most exciting thing that ever happened to me was

-I went to see Judas Priest in 2018 on their Firepower tour. And two of their crew were charging people $20 to get a picture on the motorcycle Rob Halford would ride onto the stage on. They said they are donating the money to research for Parkinson's Disease. Me and my sister happily did this, knowing the money was going to a good cause

5. I am currently working towards

-Losing weight. I have lost 10 pounds of fat but gained a few pounds in muscle. I am fine with losing body fat but gaining muscle weight.  I'm still working on losing weight and trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The managing of stress is a lot harder since I have very little time to do this except for the weekends

6. The one movie I could watch over and over is

-The Living Daylights, License to Kill, Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, What a Girl Wants, The Man with the Golden Gun, too many to list

7. The weirdest thing I do with food is

-Mix corn with mashed potatoes, mix Coke and Sprite together

8. The best song for a sing along is

-Blurry-Puddle of Mudd, Baby Girl-Sugarland, No Excuses-Alice in Chains, Ain't Just the Whiskey Talkin'-Trace Adkins, Riot-Kane Brown, Bury Me in Georgia-Kane Brown, Halfway to Hell-Jelly Roll, Liar-Jelly Roll, Dead Man Walking-Jelly Roll

9. I have a collection of

-Beanie Babies, books, metal pins, CDs, Lego models, jigsaw puzzles

I actually have at least three featured in this photo. The blue jay, the green-headed mallard and the leopard

10. My favorite way to spoil myself is

-Buying a cup of coffee from Dunkin' Donuts every Friday. As a way of celebrating another week done

11. My biggest insecurity is

-My body. I was bullied as a child, by both my father and school classmates. To this day, I still think of myself as unattractive, ignorant and heavyset

12. My dream car is

-1971 Plymouth Barracuda

-1971 Ford Gran Torino

-1970s Dodge Challenger / Charger

13. The most important thing on my bucket list is

-Planning a trip to England, Australia, Japan and Hawaii

14. When life stresses me out, I always

-Work on my Japanese lessons. Paying attention to my lessons takes my mind off stress

15. My favorite sports team is

-Arsenal Gunners

-Tottenham Hotspurs

-Cincinnati Cyclones

-Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 team

-Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team

16. My most complicated relationship was

-My father. He verbally abused me and my sister, put us down, belittled us, made us feel inferior, made us feel that we would never amount to anything. He even told us we would never amount to much

17. If I were to learn another language, it would be

-Japanese. I'm actually in the process of learning

18. My favorite actor is

-Jet Li, Sylvester Stallone, Al Pacino, Hugh Jackman

19. My favorite band is

-Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, too many to list

20. I don't trust myself with

-Being in bookstores / music stores with money

21. The best costume I ever wore was

-My Steampunk costume. I wore it two years ago to work and everyone loved it

22. Sometimes I suffer from

-Anxiety, depression

23. One thing I do for hours is

-Read, do jigsaw puzzles, draw, work on paint by number / diamond art, work on Japanese lessons

24. My favorite trilogy is

-Austin Powers, Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, I would say the James Bond series, but that is more than three films

25. The hardest I have ever laughed was when

-I discovered this humorous series of books by a British author named Rob Temple called Very British Problems. I am not quite sure why, but the sarcastic tone he uses in those books ensured I was in tears from laughing so hard. I even bought his Very British Christmas book and nearly laughed myself into an asthma attack. I was laughing so hard I was crying. Some of the things he lists in that series are very relatable, in fact, I've done quite a few before

26. The three words that best describe me are

-Nerd, headbanger / metalhead, bookworm

27. I'm currently saving money for

-A trip to England, Japan, Australia and Hawaii. Not at the same time, of course. Over the course of time I would like to visit all of these places

28. I think tattoos are

-Awesome! I have 9 and am torn between four different ideas for number 10

29. I love the lyrics of the song

-No Excuses: Alice in Chains, Blurry: Puddle of Mudd, Last Resort: Falling in Reverse, Cats in the Cradle: Harry Chapin, Selfish Age: As Lions, Wasted Years: Iron Maiden

30. I'm quietly battling

-Anxiety, occasional bouts of depression

31. My favorite line from a movie is

-Why are you trying so hard to fit in when you are born to stand out?- What a Girl Wants

32. One golden opportunity I missed out on was

-Seeing the band Ghost when they were here in Cincinnati. It was during the week, all of the good seats were already bought and I had no one to go with

33. I love every song on the album by

-Selfish Age: As Lions, Seventh Star: Black Sabbath

34. My favorite role model is

-Queen Elizabeth II. She was elegant, classy and beautiful. Her holiday speeches were inspirational, heartwarming and she made everyone feel that she really cares if they have a good year. And plus I love the fact that she's tough as nails despite appearing as a kindly older woman

35. The best way to get me to open up is

-Talk about music

3000 Questions About Me

This is a book me and my sister found at a local store. It's a sort of "getting to know you" type book. I won't list all 3000 questions. But here are some of the questions listed

1. Choose and defend your position: The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?

-Both. I like both bands. The Rolling Stones are good because their music is edgy and sometimes risque with the lyrics. The Beatles are good because their music has an upbeat melody sure to raise your spirits

2. What is your greatest fear?

-Spiders! I am terrified of them. What scares me even more is knowing that two of the more dangerous species of spider, black widows and brown recluse, are native to the area where I live. In fact, I've seen black widow spiders hanging down from my grandmother's house and had to go around. Whereas my stepdad saw the red hourglass and he hit it with a baseball bat, killing it

3. What type of person angers you the most?

-Narcissists. I hate this type of person. They think the world should revolve around them. That everyone should drop whatever they are doing and cater to this person's every need and desire. My relative Lexie is a narcissist. She believes that everyone needs to cater to her. She's 16 and practically pestered her own aunt Margo to work in a bar / restaurant called Ford's Garage, a place where she can't even hold a bottle of liquor, being under 21; she has to have an older coworker handle alcoholic drink orders

4. Do you have a favorite t-shirt? Is there anything written on it?

-A black V-neck t-shirt that is slim fit and has two crossed Gibson Flying V's and two bony hands forming the Metal Horns gesture and saying, in Iron Maiden-style writing "Yes I'm a Girl Yes I Speak Fluent Metal"

5. Have you ever had a health scare?

-I recently went to the eye doctor and she informed me that my eye pressure was slightly elevated. She asked me if I drink coffee, I told her yes. That's when I realized I was drinking too much coffee or tea and cut it down immediately. At my next appointment, it was still elevated, leading me to my next suspect cause-stress. I've been trying to reduce my stress, but it's hard working with the people I work with. At my job, I feel as though I am the only one who does actual work, since my coworkers feel socializing and taking long personal calls are far more important. Working where I work, an ophthalmology clinic, hearing elevated eye pressure, my mind goes immediately to glaucoma, of which one of the symptoms is elevated eye pressure. This is a progressive condition that, once you have it, you can't go back or reverse it; you can only keep it from progressing

6. What was the name of the first album you ever bought and who was the artist(s)?

-Black Sabbath Paranoid

7. Would you date anyone in a wheelchair or with a handicap?

-Yes. I would not care about the handicap. I would make adjustments. So what if someone has a handicap? Simply make adjustments. If you have something in common with that person, handicaps shouldn't stand in the way

8. Do you have a nerdy side? If so, what brings it out?

-Music, Harry Potter

9. What is your opinion on rats as pets?

-I love them! I love rats as pets. They're smart, adorable and so loving. They only ask for unconditional love from their owners. Plus, I love the little squeaking noises they make. It's too cute!!

How can someone say no to this little face?

10. What is one thing you've learned about people over the years?

-People cannot always be trusted. People will lie, cheat and steal just to serve their own selfish needs

11. Who would you want as your partner on Dancing with the Stars?

-Dave Murray, Steve Harris, Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford. I feel they would probably be good dancers

12. Where would be the scariest place to get lost?

-Hoia-Baciu Forest in Transylvania, Romania. First and foremost, it's in Transylvania, which is the home country of the legendary Dracula. Second, this forest is known as the Bermuda Triangle of Romania. People have gone missing and not returned, there are ghosts there, it's just an overall eerie place

13. What book have you read multiple times?

-Goodnight from London, Four Four Two, Memoirs of a Geisha, too many to list

14. Recall the best message you ever got in a fortune cookie

-Stop waiting! Buy the ticket that takes that special trip!

15. What was your favorite movie that was based on a book?

-Any of the James Bond films, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Green Mile, Harry Potter, Goodfellas, Casino, Donnie Brasco

16. If you were in a band, what instrument / role would you play?

-Electric guitar or bass guitar

17. What famous person's memoir would you most love to read?

-Michael Imperioli, Sylvester Stallone, Roger Glover, Dave Murray, Steve Harris, Glenn Tipton

18. What is your favorite smell / scent?

-Freshly brewed coffee, chocolate, gardenia, jasmine, citrus, eucalyptus, mint, lavender, pineapple, fresh air

19. If you were to get a tattoo tomorrow, what would it be?

-I have at least 4 ideas in my head right now. I can't decide between something related to Harry Potter, the lines "Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years" from one of my favorite Iron Maiden songs "Wasted Years", something related to the film Across the Universe, something related to Scooby Doo or something related to Japanese culture, despite already having two Japanese tattoos

20. What is your favorite breed of dog?

-German Shepherd, Irish / Russian Wolfhound, Great Dane, St. Bernard, Corgi, Pug, Golden Retriever, Chocolate Labrador, Black Labrador, Labrador Retriever, Bloodhound, Basset Hound, Doberman, Pit Bull (I am of the firm belief these dogs are good. They are simply raised to be mean by their owners. Any dog can be mean if it's raised that way), Rottweiler, Husky, English Bulldog, English Sheepdog

21. What is the longest book you've ever read?

-Louder Than H---: The Definitive Oral History of Heavy Metal by Jon Wiederhorn and Katherine Turman. This book is around 800 pages if not more

22. What is the largest amount of money you've spent at one time?

-$5,000. This was a down payment on a car. My current car in fact. The price was $12,500. I put down $5,000 to reduce the amount I needed to pay

23. What is the most radical thing you've done, appearance wise?

-Tattoos. I have 9 so far and am planning number 10

24. Pick the title of a novel to describe your love life

-Solitaire

25. What three songs will always be found at the top of your playlist?

-Rainmaker, The Living Daylights, Deaf Forever

26. What band would you love to tour with - and be a roadie for?

-The Rolling Stones, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest

27. What singer's voice gives you chills - in a good way?

-Bruce Dickinson, David Draiman, Ivan Moody, Sully Erna, Rob Halford, Austin Dickinson, Ronnie James Dio

28. What is your favorite sport?

-Formula 1, soccer (football), hockey

29. What is your favorite love song?

-Your Song: Elton John, Have I Told You Lately: Rod Stewart, Throwing It All Away: Genesis

30. Do you still listen to local stations on the radio or only streaming / playlist music?

-Both. I do listen to local radio stations. Here in Cincinnati, we have 92.5 The Fox, which plays classic rock and metal. 96.5 known as 96 Rock which plays a combination of both new and old rock and metal. 102.7 known as WEBN which plays the same music as 96 Rock. And when I am driving to / from work, my playlist, which can go from one extreme to the next

31. Do you like Saturday Night Live, and if so, who would you love to see as a new host?

-Yes. I enjoy watching the older episodes of SNL. If there is a newer episode with a musical guest I like, I will watch it. As for hosts, it would be interesting to see Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford or even Def Leppard host it

32. If you were having lunch with the Queen of England, what would you talk to her about?

-I would love to talk to her about all the wonderful things she's done. Her unique and heartwarming Christmas speeches that are so inspirational and heartwarming. How she visited those who were in hospital after the shooting in Manchester at the Ariana Grande concert

33. If you were musically inclined, whom would you want to have a private jam session with?

-Guitar: Ritchie Blackmore, Glenn Tipton, Dave Murray, Phil Collen

-Bass: Roger Glover, Ian Hill, Steve Harris, Rick Savage

34. Which fictional married couple from TV or cartoons best fits your parent's marriage?

-Ben and Susan Harper from My Family. Thankfully, unlike Susan, my mom can actually cook and does not think of herself as a gourmet cook

35. What song or playlist gets played the most?

-Deaf Forever: Motorhead