Anyone following OLIVIA’s releases is sure to be disappointed. Over and over. There was first a single scheduled for late-2007 (Real Love), but was canceled. It was okay, though, because shortly after a mini-album was scheduled for early-2008 However, that too was canceled. However! OLIVIA did release something, albeit not a single or a mini album. It is part of a compilation from Vision Factory called Flower Festival, so each song was named after a flower. And OLIVIA chose Bleeding Heart, which is rather pretty (despite sounding pretty morbid).

Bleeding heart is a pretty little ballad which is a little different from her past Reira-inspired music. It utilizes some electronica and the vocal style (at least for the verses) is rather different, more rhythmic and pronounced. The chorus is gorgeous, though, a mix of her ethereal style and power ballad type. The line with ‘your bleeding heart’ is just so pretty. This is one song deserving of repeat!

So, I’m not much of a Johnny’s fan, as if that weren’t obvious by the lack of Johnny’s music coverage. But that doesn’t mean I don’t know about them or that I’ve never listened to them.

On a slightly different note, some of you might know that a certain someone was recently at USC for a movie premiere… (ok fine, it was Matsujun of Arashi, but you already knew that, didn’t you?) And I’m lucky that it was easy enough access to get to his event and see Matsujun in person! And take pictures! And so I’m not supposed to take pictures, but I took ‘em anyway and still got to keep them. And let me tell you, it was lucky, because I saw people coming and put my camera away and they didn’t notice me, but they did make other people delete their pictures! (delete!)

Ok, so the last one is photoshopped because matsujun has some seriously scary red-eye. But I took them all and surprisingly, aren’t they actually really good?

And the movie? Who cares about the movie? I was one foot away from Matsujun! I’ve never been that close to a celebrity, ever! (much less seen one.) Actually, the movie was pretty good and I don’t think I should spoil anything, because it’s not even out yet. But I really enjoyed it, although some of my friends got kind of freaked out by the blood.

But, anyway, back to Johnny’s. So I don’t really like any particular group, but they have some really good songs. So, here are some of my favorite johnny’s music.

Seishun Amigo — Shuuji to Akira
I suppose there’s a reason this single sold over 1.5 million copies. And even though I didn’t like Nobuta wo Produce too much, I have to admit that this song is ridiculously awesome (though didn’t watch the drama until much later). The chorus is so catchy and it’s just an all around fun song. Actually, I really enjoyed the entire single. So much that I’m going to post the other ones too.

Colorful - Yamashita Tomohisa
A mid-tempo, almost ballad-like song, I enjoy the semi-bittersweet feeling it gives off (though Yamapi’s voice is not the best here). The chorus is pretty good, but the verses are a lot better.

Kizuna - Kamenashi Kazuya
Kame’s solo was definitely the better one off the single. His ballad is really beautiful, especially the arrangement. The melodies are simple, but very pretty and quite charming.

Sakura Sake - Arashi
A fun pop-rock song, Sakura Sake was one of my first Arashi songs, a list which is still rather short. The arrangement is really happy and hyper, but even more than that the chorus is really great.

Weeeek - NEWS
This is very seriously the only NEWS songs I actually really like. Another pop-rock track, the entire thing is very high-energy. The verses are good, the chorus is good, even the bridge is good. And I guess it also helps me to learn the days of the wee(ee)k.

Cry for you - Arashi
I really like the intro and the chorus in this song. A little different from most of their songs, because it seems (at least to casual listener like me) that most of Arashi’s songs are very happy, feel-good types songs, but Cry for you goes a different direction. And I really like it!

LIPS - KAT-TUN
A fast-paced rock song, the arrangement is really well done. Even though the chorus is as good as my other johnny’s favorites, I really like the verse melodies. And the intro is well done, too.

Starring:
Miyazaki Aoi as young Yu
Eita as young Yosuke
Nishijima Hidetoshi as older Yosuke
Nagasaku Hiromi as older Yu
Sayuri Oyamada as Yu’s older sister
Ryo Kase
Maho Nonami
Nao Omori

High schooler Yu is in love with her friend Yosuke. He is often at the riverbank playing a song repeatedly, but when Yu comes to sit with him, he always puts his guitar away. Recently, he gave up sports and took up the guitar, deciding to (hopefully) make a living out of music. The two often walk together in a comfortable silence, though sometimes this silence is broken by Yosuke asking simple questions about Yu’s older sister.

One day, Yu kisses Yosuke, but the only response she gets is his departure. Fast forward 17 years and both Yu and Yosuke are leading quiet and lonely lives. They haven’t spoken since high school. They meet by chance in an audition, because they both happen to be working in the music business. The two go out for drinks after and reminisce about times past. They find that the feelings they have left behind are perhaps still very much present.

Su-Ki-Da is a very slow-paced film and those who rely on quick dialogue and a lot going on will be bored very quickly in. The movie is so beautiful, though; clear blue skies, riverbanks, quiet streets, just so pretty to look at. Miyazaki Aoi and Eita are able to capture the tension and uncertainty in the little dialogue and subtle expressions and actions. And then their older counterparts did just as well in showing the burdens that they carried from their youth.

What I liked about this film was how uncertain things were. Of course we know that Yu likes Yosuke. Maybe we can figure out that Yosuke likes Yu’s sister, but we can’t be quite as sure. And does he like Yu back? This same uncertainty is brought up later and as we often find ourselves, there aren’t always clear answers as to why things happen or are the way they are

For those who can look past the slow pacing and enjoy the purity of the emotions of the characters, Su-Ki-Da is a must see film.

Buy this movie: K DVD (Eng subs)