Pizzemmarria

DON’T EAT HERE:

City View Pizza

The moment I bit the pizza, I concluded that this pizza wasn’t worth my money at all. At least, it had to cost much less than it did. I ordered two slices of plain cheese pizza at City View Pizza Located at 17^th st and Spring Garden. The pizza was too hot caused by overheating which made the pizza really difficult to eat and not enjoyable. When I ate it, the mozzarella layer that was supposed to be soft and stretching, but when I ate it, it was really stiff and rigid; it didn’t stretch and didn’t give me the moisture and softness of a good pizza at all. The sauce was not enough and didn’t cover the pizza at all. And because of the overheating, most parts of the pizza were blackened and when you ate the crust, it would feel that you ate cracker at that moment.

2 thumbs down – 9/10 stars

EAT HERE:

Soho Pizza

I already ate pizza here several times. I have already tasted each pizza they serve, from plain cheese pizza, pepperoni pizza, to spinach and mushroom pizza. The mozzarella is soft and stretching. As you bite the pizza, the mozzarella will stretch so long that you have to keep chewing it down to your mouth. When you order the pizza, the pizza will be warmed in a brick oven and when it is served, the pizza is warm and is not too hot, therefore it is enjoyable and you don’t have to worry about burning your mouth. The crust has a proper texture, not too rigid or too soft. Soho Pizza also offer a lot of varieties of sauce for their pizza: ranch sauce, buffalo sauce, and barbecue sauce. It is a must try place for pizza, because they do specialize in pizza.

3 thumbs up – 8.5/10 stars

Rossi Pizza

Located in South Philadelphia, at Broad and Snyder, this is one of the places that I visit if I want to get a pizza. At first, I doubted this pizza place as the store is small and doesn’t seem to serve a good pizza. That time I was hungry and didn’t have any choice to satisfy my long for a pizza. It changed my mind. Like Soho Pizza, although they don’t serve many varieties of pizza like Soho, Rossi Pizza offers us a tasteful and enjoyable pizza. It is one of the places that you should call or drop by when you have a strong urge to eat a really good pizza.

2 thumbs up – 8/10 stars

Bokura ga Ita - category; anime (TV series: 26 episodes)

Story – 9/10
Bokura Ga Ita is a high school love story drama based on a manga by Obata Yuuki. You will be introduced to the main character, Takahashi Nanashi, the female protagonist high school student in her first semester in new school without any friends (yet). She eventually finds friends and by accident, is nominated and chosen as the students’ representatives in her class. The time comes when she encounters the most famous guy around her school which fortunately enough, is in the same class with her, Motoharu Yano. Relationship develops between these two, until they are dating. A lot of things unexpected happen since they are in relationship, mostly because of Yano’s past and Nanashi’s struggle to deal with Yano’s past that has been hurting their relationship.

Bokura Ga Ita presents us a simple idea of love story: high school romance. Although it seems that the genre of this anime is typical, Bokura Ga Ita has presented the story in excellence. The story part is developing accordingly, it will not leave us wondering of what really happens in the story. Each character’s background is brought to us when the story needs it the most, so audiences are not going to be confused of the developing story. Bokura Ga Ita also succeeds in capturing audiences’ interest with the deep story-telling of the characters’ psychology and development. When we watch this series, we will not watch some kind of exaggerated love story progress or over-fantasized love problems/conflicts. We will be offered a real-life-like high school romance situation which will most likely to bring us back to our own memories on that time. We will see how real-life-like high school students deal with their love, their problems, and their dreams as well as their families.

Visual – 9/10
There are several points in Bokura Ga Ita’s visual and animation which are notable. Although this series doesn’t give us any special effects or fancy computer graphic, Bokura Ga Ita will not disappoint audiences by its graphics.

The color used in this series is just simply bright and gives us the cheerful as well as light feeling thorough the episodes. In most of the special and romantic scenes, Bokura Ga Ita has done awesomely well in its visual by giving audiences such a romantic feeling which draws us into that moment.

The background is just beautiful and dynamic. It doesn’t have any stand-still images of background which we can usually see in less-developed anime. The background of people walking, talking, and automobile are done appropriately in this anime. As audiences who find details matter, then Bokura Ga Ita will not disappoint you.

Character design is just simple. Bokura Ga Ita is not full with too fancy or too flashy character design that sometimes attract audiences’ attention too much. Some people will find the character design too simple, but along with the story progress, they will get used to it and love it. Bokura Ga Ita also succeeds in having the characters’ expression read clearly by the audiences without confusion. there is no blank expression or any other expression that are not placed properly on every circumstances in the series.

The other element in visual which is notable in Bokura Ga Ita is characters fashion and style in the series. Bokura Ga Ita may be one of the anime that has done a great job of reflecting the fashion culture in Japanese teenagers nowadays. You will still see Yukata and other traditional clothes worn by the characters here, but on general occasion, you will find the characters’ fashion to be the up-to-date and dynamic. The fashion style of each character also maintained to be constant (so based on the character personality and sense of fashion, the characters’ clothes are following accordingly).

Audio – 9.5/10
When we watch the opening theme and listen to the song, it will capture our attention immediately as the song, the lyrics, and the background have briefly told us the genre and the idea of the series itself. Thorough the series, all background music and song used are just perfectly suitable for this series. There is no flaw in choices of song and background music. Audiences will not hit the point where we suddenly wondering, “I just realized it is so quite and I can only hear characters’ voice and conversations.” In Bokura Ga Ita, you will find how the music and song catalyze/strengthen the atmosphere and feeling brought to you as audiences. With this element, audiences will not fail to grab the feeling and atmosphere at the right moment.

Characters – 10/10
Character development in this series is done in a good shape. Bokura Ga Ita doesn’t rush nor too late in this issue. Throughout the episodes, we will be introduced to each character’s development accordingly, not too fast, not too slow, just fit perfectly with the timing. Character development in Bokura Ga Ita will relate tightly with the background of the characters as well as everything that happen in the present time around the characters. We will see clearly how the characters develop in this story without any bizarre or confusion.

Each character in this series is special and fit their roles well. Even the characters beside the main characters have to exist to make Bokura Ga Ita works, because the slightest thing these characters do or say (as long as it relates to the main characters) will affect the main characters’ development. The interaction between each character in this series is incredibly strong. There won’t be characters on which we will wonder why those characters even exist.

Because of the smart characters placement and development, Bokura Ga Ita will easily stir audiences’ emotion and feeling. Therefore, there will be a strong bond and feeling for each characters, like empathy or even hate, from audiences. But the reason is because we will know clearly what, how, and why the characters are like that, even sympathizing with the characters that play as the antagonists.

Reality Value – 9/10
One of the best anime with the best reality value I have ever watched. In Bokura Ga Ita, you will not be deafened by the high-pitched characters’ voice, or being over-killed by the time you start to get the feeling because of bad jokes or ridiculous acts of the characters. Despite the simple characters design, Bokura Ga Ita is a really serious and well-developed drama anime. In this series, when the characters talk, they talk. When they whisper, they whisper. When they curse, they curse. When they are confused, their mind speaks. When they cry, they cry quietly. These are the elements that are really difficult to find on ordinary everyday anime. The jokes are simple, but make us laugh. When the characters are sad, when they can’t express it, it captures us and we will want to cry along with the characters. It is because without realizing it, this value has brought us to the reality of life in this anime. The complexity of the characteristic is not beyond that one of real people. Bokura Ga Ita is an anime in which non-anime audiences will claim to be lovely and attractive. And really, it will capture you and grab your attention from the beginning to the end.

Overall - 9.3/10

Bokura Ga Ita is a must watch anime for every anime lover, drama lover, or just anybody that simply want to see the school life and love story from back then, in our past and memories. This series will satisfy us, the audiences, from the beginning to the end. although the ending still hasn't wrapped up the entire story for a "FIN", it has ended in the most appropriate episode. we will still wait for the continuation, but even if it doesn't come out or we don't read the manga, the ending can be treated as FIN. one of the best anime I have ever seen and will recommend to anyone!
NOTE: the manga is still running and currently is on volume 12. the ending of the series is the end of volume 7 in the manga. The official notice hasn't come out yet, but the second season of this series is in process and is going to air on June 2008.

Aishiteruze Baby [I Love You, Baby] - category: Anime (TV episodes:26)

Synopsis
Kippei Katakura is a popular high school student that use all of his time to the fullest for flirting with girls. It is until he meets with Yuzuyu Sakashita, her 5 years old cousin whose mother has abandoned her, when his life totally changes. His family assigns him to take care of Yuzuyu until her mother comes back. Kippei now is facing with something that he has never dealt with before. But thorough the process, he discovers love, something he doesn’t truly understand until now. His relationship with Yuzuyu grows strong and he learns a lot from his life, changes his lifestyle, and gets someone he can care for and vice-versa.

STORY – 10/10
Aishiteruze Baby is based on a genre that is not ordinary compared to many anime series. The idea is about filial love between the main characters, Katakura Kippei and Sakashita Yuzuyu, who are cousins. The story develops by presenting us with how the main characters’ relationship grows strong day by day, and how the main characters learn what love really means between them. Audiences will also realize how love between family can also be stronger than love between lovers, and how actually filial love will actually make someone more loving when it comes to their partners.

The story plot develops smoothly and audiences’ will be grabbed by the time they watch the series. Each episodes of the series acts like a flowing story-telling that audiences will never get bored of. There isn’t any plot hole when audiences will ever wonder, “what is the relation between this idea and that one in this episode?” or “what’s the use of letting us know about this fact?” All episodes are done neatly so that they correlate flawlessly with each other. And without realizing it, audiences will find Aishiteruze Baby as a series which has done balanced task over plot and characters’ development.

Because of the flowing nature of the series, Aishiteruze Baby will leave quite an impact on audiences’ enjoyment while watching the series. The atmosphere will blow audiences a warm feeling of love that is rarely presented by other anime series. The series is colorful, mixed with both main characters’ and accompanying characters’ family conflict and its conclusion, and it ends satisfactorily, the time when audiences will smile, exhale, and maybe shed a little bit tears of happiness.

VISUAL – 7.8/10
The biggest weakness of this series is its visual quality. The quality of the main characters are maintained pretty nice, although there are times in the earlier episodes when audiences will be distracted by the rough and not-neat characters’ design at some scenes. The characters’ design is pretty good, although the style is a little bit too ordinary. There is no specialty or something that stands out in the characters’ design.

The background of the series is also not paid enough attention, which if we pay attention closer will make us kind of regretful how the background is not supporting the series. We will encounter a lot of static and mute background around the characters on that screen.

There is no special effect implemented in this series, because this element itself is not really necessary in this series. But this series is kind of lacking in movement, that sometimes will make us realizing that the movement of the characters are not that smooth and it is not done in such a details.

Maybe the strong element in the visual section is the color, which saves the rating of the visual from being 6/10. The color used is not that special, but it fits perfectly with the all scenes in which the story develops. As there are some scenes which play strongly with audiences emotion and feeling, the color has done a great job of boosting the needed atmosphere.

AUDIO – 7.5
There is nothing special with the audio. It even can also be said that the audio is not getting enough attention to support the series. There are some scenes in which we will be left in a quiet atmosphere which is not convenient. The background music used thorough the series itself is really ordinary, and audiences may realize that the background music sounds familiar and used in a lot of other anime. Basically the series is using the ‘default’ background music, not quite original, and leave some disappointment in particular way.

The strong element is the opening and ending theme which suits perfectly with the theme of the series and when they are used as a background song in some scenes, they do a great job maintaining the atmosphere audiences need. With more proper and more original background music, this series may even be much better.

CHARACTERS – 10/10
What audiences can see is perfectly maintained and presented characters’ development. As the story goes, audiences will see how the characters change, what makes them as they are at that moment, without any flaw. Each character has effect and influence to one another, so they are closely related to each other.

The strongest element in this section is the characterization of Kippei and Yuzuyu as the main characters. They will leave a strong influence on audiences all they way from the beginning to the end. They fit the role well and present audiences with a pure and honest warmth of love between each other. Everything they do to each other together in this series, how small and insignificant it is, it is filled with love that is created by strong bond between each other. Audiences will cherish these two characters until the end. The two characters you will want to watch over and over.

Characters’ psychology is ordinary, but the theme is the element that makes the characterization in Aishiteruze Baby extraordinary. Characters in this series are shaped by their family’s love and conflict. The family is the strongest and most emphasized issue in this series. But it is not done exaggeratedly, instead, it has done a great job shaping the reasonable, well-paced characters’ development.


ENJOYMENT - 10/10 (additional strong element in this series)
Aishiteruze Baby will not make you want to leave and stop watching. It is enjoyable from the beginning to the end, as the story flows flawlessly, and audiences entertained by the characters’ well-paced development, and mostly the warm feeling of love between the main characters. Audiences will finish watching the series in satisfaction.




OVERALL – 8.7/10
This is a disappointing rate for this series as the most weaknesses are from the visual and audio which hurt the whole series the most. But because of the story, characters, and enjoyment elements from this series, audiences can neglect those weaknesses away and the series will still be a must-watch series for all. All type audiences should watch this series because of the theme of the series which can’t be found in any anime series often. Audiences will surely be filled with strong feeling of warm love, not from lovers, but from ones in the family instead. Aishiteruze Baby will show a lot of us that love from one of the ones in our family will also be strong and shape us to better person. Audiences will also realize that the love presented in the series is the love that cares, a lot, without actually expecting anything in return. It has such warmth that each of audience will realize and get by the time they watch this series themselves. It is must-watch series! Must not miss it!

NOTE: there are several differences between the anime and the manga. It is also strongly recommended that ones watch the anime first before read the manga. The anime basically ends at volume 5 of the manga which ends at volume 7 and is completely scanlated at the moment. Any comments and questions are welcome. Enjoy the series!

Silence (2006)

here we go, now i plan to share some of my experience watching some taiwanese drama and chinese drama with you all. for this thread, i will share with you this bitter-sweet love story in Silence.



Main Cast:

Vic Zhou
Park Eun-hye
Andy Hui
Megan Lai Ya Yan
Jin Yu Lan
William So

Year Aired: 2006
Genre : Drama, Romance
Episodes: 20



synopsis:

Qi Wei Yi was the main inheritor of the wealthy Qi Family, really arrogant and full of himself. during his trip in his childhood to a countryside in which he usually won his swimming competition, some kids who didnt like him broke his leg and resulted in him transferred to a hospital there when he met with the mute Zhao Shen Shen. they developed a friendship relationship that ended in their mutual feeling towards each other in one week when Qi Wei Yi had to return home. before he went away, they made a promise to meet in their secret place on that countryside on Christmas 2006 which 13 years later from that day.

13 years later, they havent forgot each other and kept the promise they made in their heart, although because of several circumstances, they never contacted each other in 13 years. when finally they meet again, coincidentally, without recognizing each other. destiny seemed to play a role in their reunion. Qi Wei Yi Finally found out the truth about the mature beautiful lively woman standing in front of him, when Zhao Shen Shen learned about the fact later.

(spoiler warning!!):

but, destiny seems to be cruel as Qi Wei Yi found out about a fatal liver cancer he had never realized or expected to happen to him. he only had 3 months to live his life to the fullest. he tried to avoid Zhao Shen Shen and even did something really harsh to her in order to make her stay away from him. Qi Wei Yi didnt want anybody he loved to cry beside him when he died,"let this suffering be mine alone." but again, fate brought them together that force them to confessed their true feeling to each other.

Qi Wei Yi: "Why do you have to come? why do you have to come to humiliate yourself? why do you have to come to make yourselves hurt?

Zhao Shen Shen in tears: "... (because... because.. I love you...)" this is the first words in her entire life after the accident which made her mute. Qi Wei Yi can only read her lips' movement and a really small voice of her feeling.

their hug and blissful kiss that night is the stating point of their bitter-sweet fight over destiny, to live to the fullest and to love each other for every seconds ticking towards the end of 3 months Qi Wei Yi had.


Commentary:

Cast:
Vic Zhou as Qi Wei Yi:

he played his role nicely and again showed us his superb performance as a star. arrogant but kind in heart. i dont have much to talk about him. what i know is both of him and Park Eun Hye have developed such a chemistry that i really wish the film not to end. ah.... it is so sweet... bitterly... i really hope that they can perform again together as the chemistry they had in this film made me want to wish them happiness together (although it is impossible, and i know some of you know why ^^)

Park Eun Hye as Zhao Shen Shen:

in the story she is a mixed Korean and Chinese. i dont particularly love Korean actress and their acting, but she is an exception when i see her. in the film she doesnt talk at all and she communicate using the sign language. but she performs her role as Zhao Shen Shen magnificently and i cant think of anybody that will be able to do it as perfect as her. she is a type a girl that i will define as a natural beauty with an undeniable sweetness and 'deadly' cuteness (it is a one hit dead if she does sth really cute! believe me!). you wont be bored by her beauty, because it is natural XD

Andy Hui as Zuo Jun:

what need to be said for him? a superb actor and singer from Hong Kong :D Zuo Jun is the brother (not blood-related) of Zhao Shen Shen because of the accident he caused and resulted in Shen Shen's muteness, his father told her to take care of Shen Shen for his entire life. gradually he fell in love with her and most of the time in the film he forced his love for Shen Shen although Shen Shen only thought of him purely as an elder brother she really loves. he plays the role of antagonist perfectly so that if it was possible to enter the film, i wanna punch him. but at the end he has matured and let Zhao Shen Shen grab the little time of happiness to love with Qi Wei Yi and become the second happiest person in the world as the first happiest person in the world is him because he has given his love to Shen Shen for the entire 13 years.

Megan Lai as Mi Xiao Guang:
the used to be fiancee of Qi Wei Yi and she also starred with Vic Zhou in MARS (as his ex-lover too. lol). for me, although Megan is not that lovely (my personal opinion), but she has a charisma on every of her performance. a really good actress for me. her performance here as a dumped lover is perfect, and when she gradually realize the true way of loving, i really admire her.

and during the last few episode there will be one character that will be really funny and entertaining. watch it for yourself XD

here are some pics:










OST:
what i can say about the ost is... what? it is nice of course, a compilation of songs by Vic, Andy, and Megan. three of them are famous for their singing ability and album release. and there is also a western song "Try to Remember" which suits the film perfectly as the theme of the film is about remembering the promise of Wei Yi and Shen Shen to meet at Christmas 2006.

Environment:
well. it's fine and ok. the only environment that i like in this film is its grassland, beside that, it is ok. nothing special about an apartment, luxurious house, and a huge corporation rite? there is nothing special, but i think it is normal because it only follows the plot of the film which basically take a place in a house, a corporation, and what else? road in taiwan? lol.

well well, so i will give this film a rate of 4.8/5.

if you want to download and watch this film, go to the website which i give credit for above. this film will be worthed to watch.

edit: i forgot to give a credit to [url]http://www.soompi.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t394.html[/url] for the pictures i have used ^^ arigatou gosaimasu!