Little Chest of Horrors

James Cameron's Avatar Movie Review

2009-12-29T18:24:00.006+08:00

Before this, I wish to credit IGN.com and the Avatar Wiki for the images used here.

AVATAR

"You are not in Kansas anymore. You are on Pandora, ladies and gentleman."

I never expected to anticipate Avatar. Movies with strong hype, coupled with supposed “genre-defying” gimmicks, seldom turn out well. I knew I had to watch it, given the crazy hype, but I never expected to look forward to it. Then, just a week or two before the movie was released, reviewers began praising this film, and I realized that perhaps it wasn’t destined to be as big a failure as I thought that it would be.

See, the thing is, when one doesn’t anticipate a film, it will turn out a whole lot better upon viewing. Many went into Avatar expecting the most gigantic, revolutionary film since the days of Titanic. Some came out utterly disappointed, with cries of “generic” and “unoriginal” thrown around. Let me ask you honestly though, was Titanic, the mighty Oscar winner of 11 awards, that original to begin with? It presented us with the same forbidden love romance story we’ve seen since Shakespeare penned it down in Romeo and Juliet (perhaps there are other classics before this, but I’m not scrupulous enough to think up any now).

Terry Pratchet once said that "The reason that clichés become clichés is that they are the hammers and screwdrivers in the toolbox of communication." Yes, I know I lifted this from TvTropes.org, but Pratchett summarizes what I feel about Avatar: it’s not the most original, but it does what it needs to do fantastically. Avatar is most probably (it has to fight with Star Trek for that) my favorite movie this year. It is a space fantasy, like Star Wars, and much like Lucas’ phenomenal saga, Avatar takes old ideas and freshens them up.

And boy, does director James Cameron make cinema-going a thrilling experience! I gazed in wonder at the lush jungles of Pandora (the fictional moon that the movie is set on) as we are taken on a breathtaking flight over the trees. Through amazing 3D and sound effects, I felt myself immersed in the experience, as if I was literally breathing and feeling this exotic world. I could almost feel the wind whipping in my face as the characters rode their winged steeds at full velocity around dazzling floating mountains. As soldiers worked the graphical interfaces in their machines, I swear I could almost touch those screens; they looked so real with their reflective surfaces.

The story isn’t so bad either. Much like Titanic, the adventure here is beautifully told and should appeal to most people. The directing is strong enough to make you feel for the characters; an impressive feat considering the fact that most of them are feline, computer generated blue aliens. Despite initial fears of the aliens, known as the Na’vi, being to cutesy and Disney-like, the end result is very convincing and the Na’vi are, dare I say it, better characters than seen in most blockbuster movies of today.

Really, I came out wondering if anyone but James Cameron, that titanic (forgive the pun) director, could have pulled it off. Make no mistake, because Avatar is a beautiful experience that must be had by movie lovers. On the other hand, it’s also a brilliantly told archetypal epic story of love, war, tragedy and heroism. In a nutshell, it’s like going to Disneyland: you’ve seen Mickey and Donald on television, but despite your familiarity with these characters, Disneyland is a whole different experience that cannot be easily translated to words. Go watch this movie and if possible, watch it in 3D. And IMAX. You won’t regret it.

Pictures are property of the aforementioned IGN.com and the Avatar Wiki, and of course of 20th Century Fox.

Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers Dino Megazord Figure Review

2009-12-19T12:03:00.011+08:00

Go, go Power Rangers!

I guess the ultimate proof of geekdom is the willingness to buy toys that are nostalgic representations of your childhood. The new Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers toy line is now here, in an effort to introduce today's kids to the truly golden stuff of yesteryear. I, a proud Generation Y kid, must admit that I grew up on Power Rangers, and discovered it far earlier than Transformers, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, superheroes or anything that I currently love.

Bandai decided to remake the original Megazord toy, and the result is what I am reviewing tonight. I'm rather lazy to explain too much in detail, so I'll just post some pictures to "illustrate" the point.

Tyrannosaurus Rex Zord

Triceratops Zord

Saber-tooth Tiger Zord

Pterodactyl Zord

Mastodon Zord

The whole bunch of them

Tank Mode, remember it?

The King himself - The Megazord

The Megazord isn't the most articulated toy out there, but he is improved over the original. First of all, his knee swivels allow him to twist the legs to the side, giving him more leverage and poseability options. Also, I love the slightly spaced stance of the legs, making him look more heroic rather than the stiff, Frankenstein pose of the older one. Although smaller, he is taller in proportion than the stumpy original.

Other things to mention are that the chrome is gone, and some playability, such as the Triceratops' tail and the Mastadon's trunk, have been removed (they are no longer articulated). Personally I don't really care too much about them because those parts kept coming off as a kid, and now that their static, it's so much more durable.

Overall, while this toy isn't the most articulated, especially compared to modern Transformers, it retains the charm that captured my heart so many, many years ago. It felt like being a 5-year-old kid again. I'd recommend this toy over Transformers for kids, because Transformers are far too complicated and fragile for young ones of 4-7. This toy can probably withstand a beating and still be fun.

For collectors however, if you're a robot fan, chances are you probably grew up with Power Rangers. Get this for the pop culture and nostalgic value, if nothing else. This robot is one of the ultimate representations of the 90s! Highly recommended!

Star Trek (2009)

2009-12-15T00:52:00.015+08:00

Star Trek was released on DVD and Blu-ray last month, meaning most people will now be able to get a good copy of this incredible film. Sincerely, it is a testament to my incredible laziness that I have not reviewed my favorite movie of the year (so far). I originally planned to write this review earlier, but better late than never, I guess. So without further ado, let’s begin!

STAR TREK

“I have been and always shall be, your friend.”

How many of you are Star Trek fans? (*counts number of hands raised) Okay, that was sad. It is very true that most Malaysians aren’t fans of Star Trek. I didn’t even know who Captain Kirk was just 3 years ago! Unfortunately this causes many Malaysians to not want to give a chance to this latest movie. Some claim Trek is too old-fashioned, while others say that the action is lacking. Excuses, excuses, and let them hinder you no more! Star Trek is a GREAT movie!

For those not familiar with the premise (and many of you undoubtedly aren’t) the Star Trek TV shows and movies tell of a future where humanity has put aside their differences and has fostered harmony, peace and progress. Wealth and prestige are no longer sought, because these future humans view scientific enquiry as the ultimate goal. They seek to go “where no man has gone before”. It is through this utopian unity that humans have developed starships, explored the heavens and built numerous alliances with other extraterrestrial species. The most significant outcome of this is the forging of an intergalactic “United Nations” known as the United Federation of Planets.

Most Trek shows and movies focus on a crew of space explorers and their ship. This movie, in seeking to break of past conventions and to attract new audiences, portrays an alternate reality of Star Trek’s most famous crew, that of Captain Kirk and his USS Enterprise. The vengeful villain, Nero, has travelled back in time and altered history so much so that Kirk and crew will no longer have the same destinies as their 60’s counterparts.

This was a brilliant decision because now the filmmakers are free to deviate from the original series and create new stories of their own. They now have creative and artistic liberty to implement whatever they feel is appropriate to breathe new life into the franchise. The results are spectacular, showcasing breathtaking CGI and sound effects which bring Trek action to amazing new heights. It’s not that the special effects are the best in the industry, but rather it was how director JJ Abrams weaved what he had into heart-racing and fantastically directed action scenes. For example, the opening fight scene didn’t have anything that Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith couldn’t do 4 years ago. Yet, by muting the sound in certain scenes he created powerful moments of tension and adrenaline. Through this and other ingenious moments of directing ad cinematography, the movie used what available resources it had to excel (unlike Revenge of the Fallen, which had too many resources and couldn’t decide what to do with them).

What was really impressive however, is the amazing chemistry that existed between the various crew members off the USS Enterprise. One thing that I thought I would be disappointed with was the crew interactions, mostly because this was the biggest pulling factor of the original Star Trek. When I watched the original series, I didn’t watch it for the special effects (though those were decent) I watched it for the emotionally-laden friendships that existed between all the crew members, in particular the power trio of Kirk, Spock and McCoy. Imagine how surprised I was at how well these “newbie” actors took on their roles and at how they breathed new life into them. Chris Pine’s Kirk may not be the same as Shatner’s, but you can certainly see the main defining characteristics in his unique take on the character. The same goes for all the actors. Instead of replicating the original actors’ portrayals, the new group puts a new spin on the established characters why keeping the spirit of them intact.

Of course there are those story twists in the movie that will make the Trek fan in you scream, "OH MY -". Rest assured though, unless you really, really can't stand changes (then why are you watching this?) those twists are well justified and very dramatic and shocking.

There is so much more to say about this movie, but I really mustn’t keep you from watching it any longer. So in short, this movie really did a great job because it respected the franchise and at the same time brought innovation and creativity to the table. The most ironic thing is, it is the first Star Trek movie in years (since First Contact, 1998, in my opinion) to actually “go where no man has gone before”. Live long and prosper!

"Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Her ongoing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life-forms and new civilizations; to boldly go where no one has gone before."

The Facebook Problem

2009-10-15T23:34:00.005+08:00

YOU HAVE TO WATCH THIS! If only I can share this on Facebook, anybody know how? (See the power of Facebook addiction!)

Transformers Revenge of the Fallen

2009-10-14T09:52:00.012+08:00

In anticipation for the upcoming DVD release (October 19th), I present to my loyal readers, a review of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Hopefully it will help you guys decide whether you want to buy, rent, or obtain (in unscrupulous ways) the movie.

TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN

"Fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing."

It's as if the first Transformers movie in 2007 wasn't pushing special effects enough, for Revenge of the Fallen adds more robots, more fight scenes, more spectacular settings, and ultimately, more trademark Michael Bay (the director, if you didn't know) explosions. The entire run of its two and a half hour running time threatens to explode your mind with eye candy.

However, plot-wise, the movie keeps it (maybe overly) simple, telling of how a certain baddie is revealed to be actually under the command of an even bigger, ancient baddie who threatens to destroy our beloved Earth. Of course naturally it's up to fearless leader Optimus Prime and his heroic Autobots to stop said baddie's Decepticons and their plans. Things grow more complicated when Shia LaBeouf's character Sam Witwicky is proven to be the key to the Earth's salvation, but he's not especially keen on involving himself in the war all over again.

But wait, some of you ask. What on earth are Transformers? For the uninitiated, they are alien robots who can transform/morph/transfigure themselves into another mode or form (commonly vehicles) which provides them with disguise. So, in the Transformers world, that Chevy Camaro you're driving might actually turn out to be a robot in disguise. There's more to them than meets the eye!

In theory it all works, actually. Yet, effectively, not so much, as poor editing and directing has made the movie far too long and poorly paced. What's worse is that the-powers-that-be thought it would be a good idea to add all sorts of cheap toilet jokes and sexual humor into the mix of the film. By the time of this writing, the movie's infamous twin robots, Mudflap and Skids, have been torn to bits by the media for being potty-mouthed and racist. Besides that, there's a cute little robot who humps Megan Fox's leg. I'm not sure whether that's more offensive or the fact that another giant robot has wrecking balls dangling from between his legs DESPITE THE FACT THAT HIS VEHICLE MODES HAVE NO WRECKING BALLS WHATSOEVER.

Looking back retrospectively, however, one can easily argue that perhaps the movie wasn't quite as bad as it was initially perceived. After all, I did manage to state all that was wrong in the movie in just one paragraph. There are still loads to like, from the beautiful visuals to the cute, if two dimensional characters. Many moments were extremely dramatic and exciting in a geeky sort of way. When Optimus Prime takes on three Decepticons in a forest all on his own to protect Sam, I nearly squealed in excitement. Also, Bay succeeds in making more coherent fight scenes this time, with more drama and desperation. I would say that the opening scene and the aforementioned forest battle were true highlights of the film. Besides, it's bad points have also evolved into camp value, and now friends can easily just sit back and laugh at the many bad lines in the movie as much as with any other B-movie (except this time, it has an A-budget). Why do you think Army of Darkness, the Rocky Horror Picture Show, the Star Wars prequels, and other such movies remain so enjoyable after all these years? However, really though, the movie is fun and enjoyable if only a little mindless in execution.

I'll take you all on!

For fans of the 2007 predecessor, how does Revenge stack up? It's difficult to say, but I would gauge it as about the same. Much has been improved, such as better fight scenes, visuals and coherent directing. Yet, it's now riddled with poorer pacing and crude humor. It depends really, but I enjoyed both. So, in conclusion, I do recommend this movie, it's fun, exciting, and stupid in a good way. Besides, with all of today's societal problems, it's easier to catch a movie like this rather than a heavy drama that will make you even more depressed.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen images are owned by DreamWorks LLC., Paramount Pictures and Hasbro. Additionally, these images were taken from TFWiki.net.

Teardrops on my Guitar

2009-10-03T12:32:00.005+08:00

She looks at me
I fake a smile so she won't see
What I want and I need
And everything that we should be

I'll bet he's wonderful
That guy she talks about
And he's got everything
That I have to live without

She talks to me
I laugh 'cause it's just so funny
I can't even see
Anyone when she's with me

She says she's so in love
She's finally got it right
I wonder if she knows
She's all I think about at night

She's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar
The only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star
She's the song in the car I keep singing
Don't know why I do

She walks by me
Can she tell that I can't breathe?
And there she goes, so perfectly
The kind of flawless I wish I could be

He better hold her tight
Give her all his love
Look in those beautiful eyes
And know he's lucky 'cause

She's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar
The only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star
She's the song in the car I keep singing
Don't know why I do

So I drive home alone
As I turn out the light
I'll put her picture down
And maybe get some sleep tonight

'Cuz she's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar
The only one who's got enough of me to break my heart
She's the song in the car I keep singing
Don't know why I do

She's the time taken up but there's never enough
And she's all that I need to fall into
She looks at me
I fake a smile so he won't see

Modified from Taylor Swift's "Teardrops on my Guitar", so all credit goes to her. And no, I do not play the guitar.

Transformers 3 in 2011 confirmed

2009-10-01T21:20:00.004+08:00

Link in sentence below:

Michael Bay confirms 2011 as the release date of Transformers 3

At long last director Michael Bay has confirmed on his official forums the release date of Transformers 3. That seems rather soon, so I hope they get a good movie going for this sequel. Here's best of luck to Mr Bay and all his cast and crew and please, don't screw up.

Horrors of Insomnia

2009-09-23T10:47:00.008+08:00

I used to have wild, inappropriate and ultimately disturbing fantasies about being alone in a post-apocalyptic world where I could run around grabbing stuff off mall shelves and sleeping in 5-star hotels. However, when you have to get up early the next day, and you're still lying awake after 3 hours in bed, you'd regret ever thinking so foolishly.

You'd wonder how nice it would be to have someone by your side to talk to. You'd feel you need a conversation, a bit of a chat to stop that ringing in your ears. You'd fight the temptation to wake all your friends with a false alarm ring. You'd struggle to keep yourself from calling any random person just to hear a human voice. A human voice. The soft, assuring, calming tones of a human voice. That's all you'd need.

Then you'd start to talk to yourself, alternating between scolding and re-assuring yourself. You'd switch the lights on and off, just to amuse yourself with the shiny, flickering glow. After that, you'd make repetitive trips to the toilet, convinced each time that you haven't rinsed your bladder dry enough, when in actuality, you just like the sound of the water flushing. The phone would look really tempting now. So would the sleeping pills. Finally you'd grab a sleep-inducing flu medicine pill and, convincing yourself that you wouldn't get addicted to it, slowly drop off to sleep.

As the years go by, insomnia has painfully taught me something. Humans are sociable creatures and we'd die of madness if left without any company.

Walt Disney Pictures presents...Iron Man?!?!

2009-09-01T08:39:00.005+08:00

Click here!

Woo! Disney is set to acquire Marvel for a huge amount of $4 billion (or more). Reminds you of the time Pixar was bought for $6 billion, right? Crazy stuff. Before anyone gets too skeptical and starts contemplating suicide in screams of "KIDDIE SPIDEY!!!! NO!!!" I'd like to just point out that Disney knows how to handle mature properties well enough.

Evidence? Just look at the Pixar movies and the Pirates of the Carribean series. The Incredibles still beats most Marvel-based movies out there (except the spectacular, pun intended, Spider-man 2) and whoever dares condemn Captain Jack Sparrow as kiddie needs to be shot, courtesy of the good captain, of course. Also, anyone played Kingdom Hearts, that weird combination of Disney and Final Fantasy? It worked wondrously, didn't it?

I'm no fortune teller, but regardless of the positive or negative consequences of this deal, it will be interesting to follow this development.

Picture is copyrighted by Marvel (or now, Disney?). News article taken from CNNMoney.com, on August 31,2009.

Thank God for bus drivers

2009-08-29T11:21:00.002+08:00

Thank God for bus drivers, those humble, unsung heroes of this world. In a strange foreign land, bus drivers (at least good, friendly ones) open their arms to you and make the entire place seem a lot less intimidating. Be it a tiring day, heavy rain, or a tough errand, bus drivers make the job so much easier.

That's amazingly true for those in Urbana-Champaign, who impressed me with their wonderful mannerisms and patience. Without them, life at the university would have been miserable. Again, thank you.

The "joys" of flying

2009-08-14T15:07:00.001+08:00

I simply hate flying. It is tiring, frustrating, and time-wasting. Although I may have adored every moment of staring at the clouds through the cabin windows as a kid, the shocking reality of adult flying responsibilities have ignited within me a strong dislike for flying. I glower with impatience at having to comply with the discriminating check-in baggage limitations. I tire at having to wait long lines or having to battle inefficient computers just to check-in. I am sick of having to spend hours at the departure gates just waiting to enter an airplane. I am disgusted by inconsiderate passengers who push and fight their way to their seats. I am frustrated at how long international flights take and how taxing they are.

However, it is not these little peculiarities and regulations of flying that really overwhelm me. Ultimately, it's the sad goodbyes, the sinking feelings, the fighting emotions that make me detest flying at the heart of my soul. It's having to part with a life of blissful contentment, familiarity, and joy. It's having to convince yourself about the so-called “bright future” and “exciting times” arguments.

Yes, I know that by all reasoning and logic, it is the best road to take. But since when were humans logical beings? We were given feelings and emotions unquantifiable and unexplainable by science. Despite many centuries of knowledge accumulation, we still cannot convincingly persuade ourselves that emotions can be logically understood.

I've often said that my dream was to soar through the clouds, much like Peter Pan did in his marvelous adventures. Reality sucks, doesn't it?

Princess Mononoke

2009-08-02T12:27:00.008+08:00

My sister recently bought an entire Studio Ghibli collection from Speedy for quite a good bargain. We've been watching a few films now and I might (depending on my diligence or lack of) be reviewing some of those movies. First up is:

PRINCESS MONONOKE

"What exactly are you here for?"
"To see with eyes unclouded by hate."

The title, Princess Mononoke, initially brought up images of heavenly beauties with astounding gracefulness and femininity. Imagine my surprise when official artwork and my subsequent viewing of the film showed me that the titular princess was a rough, savage girl who fought with such primal ferocity that Tarzan would simply seem docile in comparison. Indeed, one of the most admirable traits in anime movies, and Studio Ghibli productions in particular, is the tendency to defy genre stereotypes.

Princess Mononoke is a feral child, raised by wolves and sworn to the protection of her forest homeland. The film tells of uneasy conflicts between the supernatural spirit guardians of the said forest and the humans, whose industrial progress demands the consumption of the forest's resources. Of course, humans being humans, there are constant skirmishes between rival factions as well. All of this is seen by an outsider, Ashitaka, a prince from a banished, distant tribe who must remove a curse laid upon him by a demon.

The unique thing that I observed about Princess Mononoke was that it was a very “shades of gray” type of film. None of the factions, not even the forest spirits, were indisputably good and free from error. For example, while it was admirable that the forest's boar and wolf guardians fight for the protection of their homeland, it eventually became clear that they were driven more by pride and revenge than for the love of their forest. This was also seen in the greedy Lady Eboshi, who despite her excessive industriousness, was still portrayed as a kind lady who took in lepers, prostitutes and other outcasts and gave them food, jobs and opportunities. The film's characters are difficult to assign labels of good or evil to and ultimately it is probably a reflection of how reality really is.

Take that, Edward Cullen

At the core of this film are director Hayao Miyazaki's strong anti-war and environmental themes which are also featured in his other films such as Howl's Moving Castle and Spirited Away. Studio Ghibli's trademark animation brought devastating scenes of death and destruction to life in a way that was previously only thought possible to be done by live-action. Princess Mononoke was perhaps notorious for being the only (I think) film by Hayao Miyazaki to contain explicit scenes of violence, but I feel that any child mature enough can watch this movie with proper parental guidance.

Studio Ghibli really is proven to be the Pixar of the east. Princess Mononoke is another brilliant film that is well worth watching.

Images are copyrighted by Studio Ghibli, Miramax, and whoever else involved.

Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince

2009-07-20T20:39:00.011+08:00

"Did I know that I just met the most dangerous dark wizard of all time? No. "

Daniel Radcliffe really is short. His character, Harry Potter, is about the same height, if not shorter, than most of his female companions and lets not take into consideration the guys such as Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint). Really, how many heroes in summer blockbusters are that short? Batman, Superman, Rambo, Aragorn, James Bond, Anakin Skywalker and countless others are tall, well-built men. Heck, even geeky protagonists Peter Parker and Sam Witwicky were taller than their girlfriends. (I need to re-watch Transformers to confirm Sam, though)

Much like its main character, Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince doesn't follow after conventional summer blockbuster stereotypes. In fact, it takes the conventional formula and spits it in the face. Instead of a mind-numbing action scene after the other (I'm looking at you, Revenge of the Fallen!) Prince takes it very subtly. Scenes progress after the other in pure dramatic fashion, but never fully blown, explosive or in-your-face. Characters interact believably and convincingly in brilliant British-style dialogue that is full of clever jokes and puns. Best of all, the director carries us through an amazing narrative using very effective camerawork.

Quidditch is thankfully back in full-force

Now, with all this praise, who exactly really stands out? One that comes to mind is Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy. No longer a free-reigning bully, Felton portrays a troubled and frustrated Malfoy whose brooding behavior is a magnificent contrast to his former boastful self. Newcomer Jim Broadbent did a great job as bumbling Professor Slughorn. Helena Bonham Carter remains delightfully evil as Bellatrix Lestrange, squeezing hate out from you at every scene. All of the series regulars such as Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Alan Rickman (Severus Snape) and Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) remain top-notch. Also, Michael Gambon, thankfully, finally gets it right as Albus Dumbledore.

Rough weather, eh?

Perhaps all this talk of subtlety is just bias conceived from watching the testosterone-filled Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen twice in a row. It just struck me as I was sitting there in the cinema hall how different this movie was from all the recent blockbusters I have watched. Even my personal favorite, Star Trek, was not above biffs and bangs. Make no mistake, Prince does have many cool tricks and effects, but it is all executed in an inconspicuous yet satisfactory way. Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince was a delightful watch and will continue to make you think after you've stepped out of the hall. Just don't go in expecting a special-effects bonanza.

For you, Sheldon

All images are copyrighted by Warner Bros. Pictures. Some images taken from IGN.com. Go visit them to ease my guilt.

Yes sir, we're back in business...

2009-07-15T19:38:00.004+08:00

Yes, I've been neglecting this blog. Yes, I've been complacent. Due to being berated by a friend *cough* Sheldon *cough*, I've decided to start writing in this again.

What's up with my life? Unlike some studious friends, I've wasted it playing video games and watching geeky stuff, be it movies or TV shows. Star Trek and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen came and went; the former rocked, no pun intended, to the stars, while the latter was so-so. However, I'll be damned if I didn't agree with the fantastic special effects and AWESOME AWESOME robot designs. More on that in later posts, if there's time (and initiative).

Favorite for this year

Recently, we had to go to Putrajaya for a JPA pre-departure briefing. It felt odd at first meeting all my friends again after 2 months, but it gradually evolved to great fun. I'll repeat what I said before, I'll never forget you guys. It was really fantastic hanging out with everyone and that surely cannot be replaced by any amount of geekdom.

So, if there are any readers out there, expect to see more posts in the future! Gerard logging out.

Goodbye INTI

2009-04-26T15:11:00.004+08:00

Just last Friday, I was officially "kicked out" of INTI University College, Malaysia. It was a unique experience to say the least...and yes, I really can't think of anything other than cliches to describe it.

However, in all seriousness, INTI was probably, as a whole, the best experience of my life. I learned so many new things, met so many people and experienced all the joys and pains of independence. Okay, boring cliched essay time!

I was very lucky to be part of the INTI culture as a JPA student. It taught me to grow as a person and to appreciate the diversity of this ever-changing world. INTI and her students taught me to think critically but not to be too judgmental of other people, to be bold yet not to be reckless, and to be open-minded yet spiritual. I met many challenges that changed me and helped me to develop, challenges that nearly drove me to death in all their difficulty.

INTI really gave me a lot to think about. While back in Kuching, I lived out my lifestyle without trial, in INTI, I faced a lot of conflicting ideas and opinions. Many perspectives challenged my faith and basic principles and I still remember the time when I started to challenge my Roman Catholic faith due to criticisms from even my closest friends. During that time, perhaps due to divine intervention, I joined the Catholic Student’s Society (CSS) and received the guidance from friends there.

Also, I also appreciated my many other INTI friends who I’ve come to appreciate very much. Listing all of those names would be foolhardy, as I would run the risk of skipping over many important friends (due in no small part to my atrocious memory for names). However, I'm sure that you all know who you are, and I can't say enough just how grateful I truly was to be with you guys. You taught me friendship, hope, joy, fun and how to live life to the fullest. To put it bluntly, you taught me there was more to life than games and the internet. I’ll say that overall, INTI was a splendid time as I learned to establish an identity for myself.

Yes, this post may sound like something out of a university application essay, but I really do mean all I say. I truly enjoyed myself at INTI. Now of course, there are many pros and cons about this dear little college-university-thing, which I shall list here:

Pros:
1) AUP or The Center for American Education and the University Placement Office are simply great places to be at. The officers there are immensely helpful and good-natured and I never hesitated to ask their help (to the point of being annoying). Kudos to these offices.

2) General Office people are surprisingly friendly, too. I got my room-bookings done easily.

3) 13th INTIMA were great pals to hang out with. I always felt at home at the INTIMA office.

Cons:
1) Accomodation Office, sad to say, can really be horrible. I'm not dissing all of them, just "a select few managers" (you know who I mean).

2) INTI management seriously needs to stop going beyond their capacity. Stop bringing so many students in when you can't afford to accept them. Treat INTI more like an educational institution and less like a capitalistic business.

So yeah, that's 3 pros vs 2 cons. Shows that INTI isn't bad, huh? I'd just advice future incoming students to think twice before handing Accomodation Office your business.

Thanks again, all my friends. The last 2 years were a blast!

My Life Would Suck Without You

2009-03-10T09:42:00.004+08:00

I became a fan of Kelly Clarkson when I heard her ear-opening "A Moment Like This" some time back. Since then, I have tried to collect all her albums to listen to what she has to offer. Over the years, it's no wonder Simon Cowell looked up so highly to her during her American Idol years. Her sincerity and powerful voice has propelled her to the top spot of American Idol winner, and beyond.

Ms. Clarkson is a very versatile singer, mixing different genres of songs in all her albums. Her first, Thankful is a mix of "Idol-pop" music and some really cool rock tunes. Breakaway, my favorite, showcases Ms. Clarkson's true love for rock, and My December was her darkest (and still is) album yet, filled with tense, tragic lyrics of hate and despair. It turned quite a few people off, though she must be praised for her decision to stick to what she wants for herself rather than following executive's orders.

It seems that all the emo-ness has finally subsided, as the tone of this album, All I Ever Wanted, seems more reconciliatory, with excellent songs such as "My Life Would Suck Without You". However, I have stumbled in actually giving my full verdict on this album, as I can't decide whether it's a right step for Ms. Clarkson or not. One may well say, as AbsolutePunk.net said, "it’s an “album for everyone,” which may be true, but only in the sense that you’ll probably like a few of the tracks." Continuing her tradition, Ms. Clarkson's new album differs in tone from her previous ones, and although I was initially tempted to group this alongside Breakaway, it just sounds too different.

Still that's not exactly a bad thing, as perhaps she hasn't really found her style yet. There's no denying that All I Ever Wanted is fun and enjoyable and (in my opinion at least) a nice break from the tragic, disturbing and immensely dark My December. It does have a song for everyone, from soulful tunes to heavy rock, to weird bubblegum pop, it's all in here. So, in a nutshell, it is a good and fun album, and I would heartilly recommend it.

I CRY HOLY

2009-03-03T10:21:00.002+08:00

I see You sitting on Your throne, O Lord
You are high and lifted up
Above the highest worship
I can offer You
I bow myself before Your throne, O Lord
Lifting high our holy hands
For beside You, Lord in heaven
There is none other

I cry holy, I cry worthy
I cry holy to the Lamb
I cry holy, worthy
Holy is the Lamb
I cry holy, worthy
Holy is the Lamb

The purpose of blogging?

2009-02-26T21:46:00.000+08:00

Just finished Music Appreciation Midterm. It wasn't the most difficult, but it could have been better. What the heck.

Many people have asked why I don't post personal feelings and comments on this blog. Apparently, I'm too neutral or conventional. Well, I actually treat this blog like my personal website, like my own Geocities. As such, I prefer to blog about subjects such as games and movies as they are detached from my personal life. Besides that, I am still uncomfortable with the idea of publicly declaring my opinions, thoughts, feelings and personality.

Should I open up? Do tell.

There She Is!!

2009-02-14T15:56:00.004+08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! I found a perfect cartoon to watch during this annual celebration.

Two years ago, I came across a fantastic Flash animation called "There She Is!!", produced by South Korean animation trio, SamBakZa. The three artists, Amalloc (아말록), SongSongHwa (송송화), and Sogong (소공), have masterfully crafted a beautiful, funny, touching, and creative series about a cat and a rabbit falling in love. Yes, it's odd, but to all of us who grew up with Disney, we should be used to it by now.

Having faithfully followed the cartoon over nearly two years, I must say that this show will remain in my mind as one of the best examples of the capabilities of Flash Animation, and is simply timeless. I laughed, cried (well, nearly, anyway), and fell in love with the series. Besides that, like any good show, it has a clear message underneath the cuteness. See if you can spot it!

Thankfully, SamBakZa, besides being remarkably talented, are also generous enough to allow their shows to be displayed on blogs (which is more than I can say for other animators).

So, I urge you, to please load each of these and watch them in order. You won't regret it. Trust me, and Happy Valentine's Day!

Step One

Step Two

Step Three

Step Four

Step Five

Flash Animations are copyrighted by SamBakZa.net

The religion of Star Trek

2009-01-30T14:01:00.005+08:00

I've been watching a few Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes now, and it is fun stuff. Captain Jean-Luc Picard may not be quite as cool as Captain Kirk, but his strict, serious demeanor does grow on you. However, any keen observer would notice that Star Trek is subtly pushing forward an agenda.

To quote Star Trek: Enterprise's Producer, Brannon Braga, ""In Gene Roddenberry’s imagining of the future [...] religion is completely gone. Not a single human being on Earth believes in any of the nonsense that has plagued our civilization for thousands of years. This was an important part of Roddenberry’s mythology. He, himself, was a secular humanist and made it well-known to writers of Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation that religion and superstition and mystical thinking were not to be part of his universe. On Roddenberry’s future Earth, everyone is an atheist. And that world is the better for it.""

Sad indeed that Mr. Roddenberry would think like that. Worse yet that instead of keeping it to himself, he actually tried to enforce this view in his series. In many episodes of the original Star Trek series and the subsequent Star Trek: The Next Generation, oppressive "gods" are shown to be outsmarted by humans and eventually revealed to be false gods. These deities turn out to be mere aliens, supercomputers or other suitably advanced, but not at all divine, beings. Naturally, it's up to the crew of the Enterprise to shake the primitive, oppressed people out of their false convictions and stand up for themselves.

A few examples can be found on this ="http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/inconsistencies/religion.htm">website.

It's sad that such a positive and egalitarian series would end up being hypocritical by discriminating religion. So it's not alright to make fun of other races, but it's fair game to mock the faiths of billions of people in the world?

Mr. Roddenberry failed to realize that religion is neither oppressive nor self-destructive. A majority of the world's population live in relative peace despite adhering to a wide variety of faiths. There may be a few black sheep in the world, but one should focus on the positive majority of religious people and see that in actuality, they're progressive, nice people who get along with everyone else. Make no mistake though, I do not wish for Star Trek to begin promoting any one faith or even religion in general. To be truly equal and fair, Star Trek should remain secular, not atheistic.

Still there's plenty to like in Star Trek and I have come to love the series very much. Let's just hope that new director JJ Abrams never resorts to a false god story in his adaptations of Star Trek.

G'day mate!

2008-12-16T16:03:00.009+08:00

Glorious Perth!

It’s been a while since I last updated this blog. I could come up with dozens of different excuses, but as they say in my marketing books, honesty is sometimes far better. (Not that marketing is very honest to begin with, for example it defines itself as “building better customer relationships to the betterment of both seller and customer” rather than simply, “brainwashing”)

So, the honest truth: I’ve been lazy. I must apologize. You see, I’ve been having the time of my life in the most wonderful city of Perth, Australia, and as a result, have experienced a bit of writer’s block.

And make no doubt; Perth really is a wonderful place. From the cleanliness of the air and parks, to the beautiful architecture and environment, to the friendly people, it’s quite a joy to be here. It’s really impressive how the Australians conduct themselves, from keeping the city clean to being punctual for little things such as bus schedules. Besides that, everywhere you go, friendly cashiers and shop attendees greet you with a “G’day” or “Hello, how are you?” Their niceness is also probably the reason for the rapid decrease in my wallet’s weight at the shops.

People who turned up for the Symphony, Swan bells in the background

There are many attractions too, such as the Perth Zoo, in which any Kung Fu Panda fan will be running here and there to spot the animals featured in the movie, and the Swan Bell Tower, which stand tall like a strange alien structure of red and green. If that’s not enough, the Australians will “create” their own attractions, such as the fascinating Western Australia Symphony Orchestra performance, which was held in an open air field. The (free) concert was attended by a staggeringly large audience. You really have to admire the fun-loving and sporting spirit of the Australian people!

I call these weird things "facehugger plants". Google it.

My family and I were also invited to picnics and lunches by some Australians and they were all very nice and friendly people. They know how to make conversation very well, but perhaps a little too well because at times we just felt a little lost while talking to them. Still they were patient and not at all proud. We went around visiting the country’s little towns and dams and had a great time. Notice from my photos just how docile and domestic Australian animals are. We joked that it’s probably because the birds and critters don’t get hunted down for food unlike back home!

More cute, tame birds

Well, it’s been great, and I predict it’ll still continue to be great. To all my SAM friends who are flying next year, I envy you because you’ll have a fantastic experience!

After a walk in Kings Park

Tame and docile ducks

War memorials at the park

The picnic

Perth Zoo crocodile. This bloke's huge!

Horton hears a who?

Dental Terror

2008-11-22T17:25:00.004+08:00

It was freaky. Upon entering the dentist's office, I saw in my mind fleeting images of pain and torment, with a few scenes from the Dentist horror movies thrown in. Nevertheless, I sat calmly as the dentist injected painkiller into my gum nerves. It didn't help when he said in an almost bored voice, "Now I have to tell you the risks involved..."

Supposedly there was a risk of getting a serious wound that would last for 6 months. Ouch.

The next few minutes were painless, but strange. I closed my eyes, and while the painkillers nullified the pain, I could still experience some pressure. So it really feels awkward as you can feel the scissors snipping away at your gum while death-drills grind your teeth down. I didn't even know it when the dentist began stitching my gums back.

Now, for the long week ahead where I'll be experiencing some pain and the inability to enjoy food (Darn it!). Friday's the day I get rid of the stitches, and it can't come sooner!

P.S. This was a wisdom tooth removal operation

This is called...farming!

2008-11-21T09:28:00.008+08:00

I haven’t done this before, but I’ll advise you this time to please be wary of spoilers in this review. Plain put, every bit of this film oozes with charm and I’d hate to be the one to spoil the experience. You have been warned.

How does Pixar do these things? While film studios all around clank out cliché after cliché, Pixar seldom resorts to sequels, instead relying on simple novelty ideas which they turn into epic, entertaining movies. Who knew that toys, fish, cars, bugs and rats could make such wonderful characters? Still, their latest innovation might be their best yet, having resulted in a film that has cute robots, which, despite their lack of dialog, project a story with such endearing heart and soul. It’s a film dealing with dark, depressing and very real issues, but has enough optimism to make it fun.

And let there be no doubt, these robots are adorable. Wall-E, the main character, is the last remaining robot on Earth who goes through a daily schedule of compacting and cleaning up scrap and trash left over by humans. In fact, the Earth is so filthy that humans have evacuated on a giant spaceship leaving (literally) skyscrapers of garbage. Wall-e has been faithfully at his job for years, and the boredom and loneliness have helped him develop humanlike qualities and feelings. When another robot named Eve is deployed on Earth to search for signs of life, Wall-E falls in love and follows her across the galaxy on an adventure. The big bulk of the adventure takes place on the aforementioned giant spaceship, where Wall-E’s surprising humanity forever changes the lives of its inhabitants.

It’s already expected of a Pixar film to have cute antics, stunning visuals, great music (with nice nods to oldies music), and of course, strong characters, and Pixar hasn’t failed. However, what really makes this film remarkable and outstanding is the underlying message. It was simply stunning when the spaceship’s inhabitants were revealed to be obese humans who, due to the comforts of technology, now travel in hoverchairs and have no need for walking. As a matter of fact, they have lost the ability to walk and every aspect of their lives, including entertainment, hygiene, communication and food (burger-flavored liquids?) can be done from the comfort of their hoverchairs.

While funny, it is a frightening look at what humanity might evolve into. The movie jolted me awake to the importance of appreciating one’s life and abilities. A scene showing the ship’s captain delighting in learning about simple pleasures such as dancing and farming really shows how beautiful life really is if we remove all the technological fog engulfing us. I was never one for environmental awareness but even I could appreciate the strong ecological message. One need only marvel at the bold panoramas of skyscrapers made of cube-shaped trash collected by Wall-E over the years to understand that our Earth is in serious danger unless we do something about it.

Yet, many critics have accused Wall-E of being hypocritical. A massive corporation such as Disney, who promotes consumerism (Wall-E’s so cute, buy the toys!), is trying to push forward an ecological message. Who are they to tell us what to do? Well, I for one, don’t agree with them. Just because it is a bad teacher who teaches moral values doesn’t mean that the moral values taught are any less relevant. Love the product, not the maker. Likewise, I love Wall-E, for its strong message, great characters and wonderful visuals even though I see the validity of the criticism directed at the producer.

There’s no doubt in my mind, Wall-E is the best animated film I’ve seen this year. In fact, it’s one of the best animated movies I’ve ever seen from Pixar and that’s saying a lot considering the studio produced marvels such as Ratatouille, Toy Story, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles and Monsters Inc. I heartily recommend this movie.

Images are copyrighted by Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios

"The wait is over"

2008-11-18T19:18:00.004+08:00

Fantastic. Never a big fan of Star Trek, this has nevertheless gotten my attention. Will be looking to catch previous movies just to get a feel for this new, epic movie.

Hopefully, it'll be good because we (or rather I) need another space epic after Star Wars.

For quality junkies like me, go to Apple's Official Website to download high-resolution Quicktime versions of the trailer. I highly recommend doing so to enjoy the awesome detail.

"Do not want!"

2008-11-15T15:33:00.005+08:00

So the backstroke begins?

Being Malaysian, we all have come across pirated DVD movies with weirdly translated subtitles. Here's an example of how pirates can unintentionally be so ridiculously funny with movies, such as the following Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. These photos were ~~stolen~~ taken from the blog, winterson.com.

"Master, may the Force be with you". The Force is now the "wish power"

Yes! Very big! Eww...

Wha-? The "Presbyterian Church" is supposed to be the Jedi Council...don't ask me!

A big what? I wonder...

Okay, Kenobi, you've confessed it.

It is as I predicted!

@@"

"NOOOOO!" is funny enough, now we get "Do not want!"

Really fantastic, the beauty of it all. For the rest of the screenshots, go to winterson.com to see the rest. Beware of the occasional expletive, but considering we all have ~~bought~~ encountered pirated DVDs, these words should come as nothing shocking.

New facelift!

2008-11-14T22:16:00.003+08:00

Ok I couldn't find a movie quote this time. However I am proud to have finally redesigned some aspects of my blog. Fine, it was just a banner upgrade, but I'm still happy with it nevertheless.

This banner design parodies American comics of the 60s to the 70s. Pick up any copy of Amazing Spider-man or Batman and you'll see some similarities. And yes, my face strikes out like a grinning fool it is. Don't ask me why, it was just a spur of the moment thing.

Also, what exactly is the Comics Code Authority? The Comic Codes Authority was a regulatory (read: viciously dictatorial) body that censored comics back then. They were the ones that caused Batman to become the questionably flamboyant character he was in the sixties. (You know, BAM! POW! BIFF! Holy gee willickers, Batman!) Thank goodness Chris Nolan brought him back with the new Batman movies.

Anyway, I would like to take this opportunity say thank you to loyal readers, if there are any, for visiting my blog. Hope to see you again!

"There are no accidents."

2008-11-14T09:01:00.000+08:00

They call me a “banana”. A banana is one whose skin is supposedly yellow on the outside but is white on the inside, much like a real banana. This derogatory term means that while I am Chinese (yellow), I often exhibit characteristics of a Caucasian (white). Case in point: I don’t speak Chinese, I prefer Western comics and entertainment and until recently, I didn’t even know how to write my Chinese name.

Despite being a so-called banana, I am still proud of my Chinese heritage and enjoy entertainment based on Chinese culture, despite my inability to understand the dialog or speech in those entertainments. Therefore, I love watching kung-fu and while I try my best not to come across as a stereotypical kung-fu fan wannabe (seen in movies such as Karate Kid and the Forbidden Kingdom), I have to admit that martial arts gets me extremely excited. So what could be more exciting than an animated feature featuring kung-fu characters?

Kung Fu Panda tells of a lovable, fat panda named Po (Jack Black), who was, due to a series of unpredictable events, chosen as the legendary Dragon Warrior. But unlike the fabulous Furious Five, whose martial arts skills are renown throughout China, Po is just a normal, physically unfit (he can’t even climb stairs) noodle seller. The situation is all the more exasperating for Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) who has to train him because the powerful Tai Lung (Ian McShane), a villainous leopard, has escaped from prison. Tai Lung seeks the Dragon Scroll, a scroll that grants its reader limitless power, which was denied him. Po and Master Shifu will thus have to overcome impossible odds to face this threat.

I was impressed by how respectful this movie was to Chinese culture. Instead of simply parodying it, it is clear that the creators showed great care in researching various aspects of Chinese culture, from the costumes to the architecture to the varying kung-fu styles. This resulted in another beautiful movie, with charming scenery, colorful characters and intense battles.

Speaking of the battles, I thought it was a fantastic decision to use animal characters as the kung-fu masters. While it seemed like a gimmick in most animated movies, this movie utilized them in a way that showed us something we’ve never seen before. Sure, we may have seen Jackie Chan (who has a voice role, as Master Monkey) perform monkey kung-fu, but have you actually seen an actual monkey performing it? Which movie features a snake taking on a leopard in a heated battle? What about a tiny red panda taking on the same leopard? The closest parallel I’ve seen in any movie was in Star Wars where the diminutive Master Yoda took on much bigger foes and that was awesome, much like this movie was.

Also, the animation was breathtaking; the characters spar and attack each other with quick and graceful moves. Thanks to the beautiful choreography, the battles had great momentum and style. One could almost feel the rush of the wind as Tai Lung dashes up a vertical slope while battling hundreds of soldiers. Two scenes in particular, blew my mind. The first was when Tai Lung escaped from prison, leaping and dashing across wide chasms and knocking aside soldiers as if they were mere dolls. His punches and kicks could be felt when they landed on the poor soldiers’ cheeks with loud, convincing cracks. The second scene was when the Furious Five, consisting of varied animals such as a mantis and a crane, attacked Tai Lung at a wide suspension bridge that was literally high above the clouds.

From what I have said, you can clearly see that I do like Tai Lung, and Ian McShane did a good job portraying a heartless, ruthless and occasionally sarcastic villain. I guess that's because he's British, and the British make such wonderful villains. Actor Jack Black also did a great job as Po the Panda and so did Dustin Hoffman as Master Shifu. Yet, I do wonder whether the star-studded cast was really necessary. Rival animator Pixar’s movies mostly used unknown actors and yet every single one of their performances was noteworthy. But here, I couldn’t really see the significant difference in hiring Jackie Chan, Angelina Jolie or Lucy Liu over other professional voice actors. For example, I didn’t even realize that Jolie was playing the Tigress until the credits rolled out on the screen.

Nevertheless, Kung Fu Panda is by no means a bad movie. It’s fantastic and surprising because I never expected such quality from Dreamworks. This has been a great year with at least two English kung-fu movies (The other being the Forbidden Kingdom). Kung Fu Panda definitely has my nomination for best animated movie of the year, and until I watch Wall-E, it certainly gets my vote.

Images are copyrighted by Dreamworks Animation

"One of the surest signs of true maturity...is reaching the state where you no longer care whether or not what you're doing in private is mature."

2008-11-11T10:15:00.001+08:00

Click here.

This blog post is profoundly beautiful, and I very much agree with it. I myself have a few confessions to make: I enjoy kid games, I love fantasy, I can't stand horror, I practically adore Star Wars and I collect action figures. Some jocks out there are already probably wincing in pain.

And like GabuEx, I ask myself, why not? Why should "the fact that the person has existed on Earth for an arbitrary number of years" account for what his hobbies should or should not be? As people mature, they try to conform to societal standards, because that is precisely what is expected of them. Yet, are these standards really logical in the first place?

Think about it, why does growing up mean you have to watch something more violent, read something more trashy, play something more "intellectually mature"? In my opinion, it's not as if this world and the news we get from television isn't enough to shake us up to the depressing reality of life. To be blunt, this world sucks, life is harsh and cruel, and people die everyday. We see this everyday, so why should we confront it in our entertainment?

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

Let me tell you why fantasy and Star Wars appeals to me. When I want to entertain myself, I want to escape from this world, or I'd have a sensory overload. I want to experience something totally distinct from our world, to play a knight or an adventurer seeking glory and excitement. These are things not found or obtainable in my real life, and I believe the best way to live it out is through fantasy.

Of course, don't assume that I cannot appreciate the "darker" things in entertainment. I still enjoy movies such as Pan's Labyrinth, Walk the Line and other serious shows. I'm just saying that there's nothing wrong in indulging in "childish" fantasy. In fact, the only thing childish in life is picking up certain hobbies to prove to others that you are above Pokemon and fairy tales.

Images are copyrighted by Lucasfilm Animation.

Even if we're miles and miles and miles apaaarrt!

2008-11-08T21:40:00.000+08:00

Exams are over! I know I am mercilessly unimaginative sometimes, so I have live up to my boring standards with another movie review! I watched this movie at GSC Times Square.

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: SENIOR YEAR

Call me skeptical, but again I wasn’t entirely sure how good this movie would turn out to be. Although I thought the first two made-for-television movies to be quite entertaining, the standards of cinema are indeed much higher than TV, as proven by Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which excelled better on TV than on the coveted silver screen. Besides that, there’s always the tricky question (at least for any Malaysian) as to whether it was worth watching something usually shown on TV in the cinema. (Homer Simpson: “I can’t believe we’re paying to see something we get on TV for free!”)

Well, rest your fears, for High School Musical 3 is certainly leaps and bounds ahead of the first two movies. In this movie, Troy Bolton (Zac Efron), Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens) and friends of East High School face the prospect of separation as college draws near. Troy’s father and friends have high expectations on him to join the University of Albuquerque where he can excel in his supposed talent, basketball. But besides being away from the love of his life, Gabriella, Troy also has to deal with whether to go for basketball, or to take up his passion, theater. All this happens as the students of East High School decide to have a final musical performance to honor their last year in school.

There’s no doubt that far more work was put into writing this movie as the plot feels many
layers thicker than that of its predecessors. It’s no Oscar winning script, but it’s great to see effort put into making this movie deeper and more engaging. I felt deeply touched by the relationship of Troy and Gabriella, and the decisions they were forced to make as the end of school drew near. Maybe I’m just overly sentimental, but nothing gets to my heart like a clean, romantic movie. With all the dark, gritty movies of today, it’s nice to see some simple Disney magic working its way into our lives once in a while.

It also helps that the actors have improved their craft, rising above average. While they are all decent, I found Zac Efron to be particularly good as Troy Bolton. When Ms. Darbus, Troy’s teacher, remarks how comfortable he looks on stage, I couldn’t help but agree more. Where he was slightly stiff and awkward in the first movie, he now flows like liquid, delivering his lines with utmost sincerity. His seemingly genuine passion (Zac and Vanessa are a real item) makes his love story with Vanessa’s Gabriella believable and true.

Besides that, this review isn’t complete with some praise for the fantastic sets and choreography prevalent in the movie. The sets are simply spellbinding; large and colorful, they looked like they just leapt out from New York’s Times Square or Broadway. In fact, the first thing that caught my eye about this movie was just how vivid and colorful it was, and it was really a treat for the eyes. The music remains fantastic, if not better than before. I in particular, fell in love with the song “Can I Have this Dance?” which I now hum to myself almost every waking moment. Great stuff; believe me, I bought the soundtrack!

How do I summarize the experience? High School Musical is bigger, better and brighter than the first two movies in the series and is worth watching for the simple fun you’d get out of it. Great movie, and when they finished the whole thing with a tear-inducing curtain call, I almost gave it a standing ovation.

Images are copyrighted by Walt Disney Pictures

And with every step together,

2008-11-06T21:30:00.000+08:00

Take my hand, take a breath
Pull me close and take one step
Keep your eyes locked on mine,
And let the music be your guide.

Won't you promise me (now won't you promise me, that you'll never forget)
We'll keep dancing (to keep dancing) wherever we go next

It's like catching lightning the chances of finding someone like you
It's one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do
And with every step together, we just keep on getting better
So can I have this dance (can I have this dance)
Can I have this dance...

Take my hand, I'll take the lead
And every turn will be safe with me
Don't be afraid, afraid to fall
You know I'll catch you through it all

And you can't keep us apart (even a thousand miles, can't keep us apart)
'Cause my heart is (cause my heart is) wherever you are

It's like catching lightning the chances of finding someone like you
It's one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do
And with every step together, we just keep on getting better
So can I have this dance (can I have this dance)
Can I have this dance...

Oh no mountains too high enough, oceans too wide
'Cause together or not, our dance won't stop
Let it rain, let it pour
What we have is worth fighting for
You know I believe, that we were meant to be...

It's like catching lightning the chances of finding someone like you (like you)
It's one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do (way we do)
And with every step together, we just keep on getting better
So can I have this dance (can I have this dance)
Can I have this dance

Can I have this dance
Can I have this dance...

"Can I have this Dance", by Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, High School Musical 3

"Music can name the unnameable and communicate the uncommunicable."

2008-10-13T21:33:00.000+08:00

Ok, ignore the previous post about not posting for a long time. I have just found something that really touched me. If you have the time, it's really worth it to check this: The Composer.

A beautiful Flash, just simply beautiful. I have seen many good Flash movies before, but this one just suddenly tugged my emotional strings. Wonderful movie, and top scores to the creator.

To watch, click the link and click "Watch this Movie!" at the website. Enjoy!

"Never start with the head, the victim gets all fuzzy. "

2008-10-10T14:36:00.000+08:00

This might be the first and only post in a long time. Exams are coming up and I've got my hands full at the moment. I just thought I'd want to rant it here to release stress and clear this aching head.

Life has been half good, half bad. Although I've been rather happy the past few weeks, school seems determined to put me down to dust. I've scored the worst mark in my entire history of INTI-UC in my accounts midterm. Also, JPA (for the uninitiated, that's the Public Services Department which funds my scholarship) says that although I'm a social science major, I'm unallowed to take up economics as a major. Double-kill.

However, sometimes two wrongs do make up a right, it seems. I've been doubting my choice in economics for a while now, especially since last semester when both microeconomics and statistics gave me headaches. What really drove the nail in the proverbial coffin was this semester's accounts, a truly vexing subject that has taken a great toll on me. It's not the lecturer's fault though, as Miss Kiran is a good lecturer, but it's rather my rusting brain that is unable to comprehend the easiest of debits and credits.

Let's see, accounts and statistics, two difficult subjects that are crucial for success in economics. If I can't master them, I'll be facing hell the next few years.

Therefore, considering the two blows I've faced, namely the economics no-no and the poor accounts midterm, I believe God might be telling me to change to another major, more suited to my skills (like I have any). Recently I've been thinking of a plan B, that is, Mass Communication. I'll look into it, and with luck, it might just be the right choice.

That's because you're not listening!

2008-09-30T20:43:00.000+08:00

Here's another movie review, for one of the most fun movies I've seen in some time.

THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM

Since fighting legends Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris first sparred in Way of the Dragon, (Sometimes titled Return of the Dragon), martial arts fans have been salivating for more pair-ups of their favorite heroes. So what better film to satisfy moviegoers than a movie that brings together two of the most prominent martial artists in the modern world? That's right, in this movie, Jackie Chan and Jet Li duel in a fanboy's dream come true.

In a cool twist on the wuxia genre, the story tells of a young boy, Jason Tripitakas (what a name!), played by Michael Angarano, who gets transported back in time to Ancient China. Legend tells of a Monkey King who was turned to stone through trickery by the evil Jade Warlord (Colin Chou). The Jade Warlord has proceeded to enslave the kingdom with his mighty armies. Only the Monkey King has the power to restore peace and order, but he requires the "Seeker" to return to him his magical staff in order to awaken. This is where Jason comes in and with the help of Lu Yan (Jackie Chan), the Silent Monk (Jet Li) and Golden Sparrow (Liu Yifei), he attempts to fulfill his destiny as the Seeker.

The story's simple enough and is welcomed in an age where movies keep getting darker and more melodramatic. We've had plenty of Kung Fu movies of the Zhang Yimou type and I for one am tired of tragic storylines where all the good people die. Humor is rampant throughout this film and it really spices the experience. Jackie Chan and Jet Li in particular, interact on-screen with hilarious results, due to a bit of fun dialogue. The two characters are foils to each other, with Jackie Chan's Lu Yan as an unkempt drunkard and Jet Li's Silent Monk as the stoic, righteous warrior with the occasional sense of humor.

Besides that, the story's endearing enough to not be dismissed as cheap comedy, as you do care for the characters and how they develop along the course of the plot. Along the way, Jason matures from a typical loser who frequently gets bullied to a seasoned martial artist (after many torturous but comical training sessions by both Lu Yan and the Silent Monk). He learns patience, diligence and selflessness along his quest and I feel it does relate to us all, as the audience. You'll finish the film with a nice sense of satisfaction.

Anybody entering the cinema to catch this undoubtedly knows that there's going to be choreographed duels and this movie doesn't disappoint. Props to choreographer Yuen Woo-Ping who has created stunning and graceful action scenes and fights that keep you glued to the screen. The fights in this movie are more reminiscent of those early Hong Kong dramas as compared to recent fare by Zhang Yimou, and as such, is fast-paced rather than graceful. Yet, the choreography never loses its beauty and like clockwork, every attack and move flows smoothly from one hit to the next. This is particularly evident in the spectacular fight between Jet Li's and Jackie Chan's characters, who duke it out in a charming battle of wits and skill.

Another thing worth mentioning is the beauty of the art direction. Ancient China and all of its colorful inhabitants are depicted beautifully, with the mountaintops and fortresses looking like they've just leaped out of a Chinese novel. The scenic landscapes sprawl over each panorama making you feel a satisfying warmth deep inside. Costumes for the characters are colorful and intricately designed and match the dashing set pieces that were featured throughout the film. Every scene is gorgeous to look at and it's eye candy throughout.

Otherwise, this film is like any other typical Kung Fu action film, just that it's more light-hearted than the rest. The story doesn't take itself too seriously and there's plenty of slapstick humor and dialogue sprinkled throughout the movie. In conclusion, all I can say is that while it isn't the deepest film, it is a film with heart, what I would call a "feel-good" film. Rest assured, the first pairing of Jackie Chan and Jet Li was a spectacular and enjoyable show.

Images are copyrighted by Lionsgate and The Weinstein Company

And the award goes to...

2008-09-23T12:35:00.000+08:00

IGN.com, the famous online entertainment magazine, has just released their list of summer movie awards. I being a geek on (almost) all things movies and awards, thought it would be nice to report it on this humble little blog. Full link here!

Note that IGN is probably one of those chauvinistic websites out there, and is therefore very (stereotypically) male-oriented. As such some of the "awards" seemed to have popped up from the minds of those high school jock-geek hybrids you see on TV.

Nevertheless, it is still a fun list and some of the awards actually surprised me, in a good way. One was Favorite Hero, as I thought Batman was to be the clear winner, but IGN convinced me that Iron Man was more deserving of the title. Another was Best Effects Sequence, which proved me right about how cool the Troll Market was in Hellboy II.

So, here's the list in full:

1. Best Summer Movie - The Dark Knight
2. Best Animated Movie - Wall-E
3. Favorite Fizzle - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
4. Favorite Hero - Tony Stark/Iron Man (Iron Man)
5. Favorite Villain - The Joker (The Dark Knight)
6. Best Cameo - Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury (Iron Man)
7. Babe of the Summer - Natalie Martinez in Death Race
8. Best Effects Sequence - Troll Market Scene (Hellboy II: The Golden Army)
9. Greatest Explosion - The Hospital Explosion (The Dark Knight)
10. Gunfight to End All Gunfights - Supermarket/Car Chase Gunfight (Wanted)
11. Craziest Car Chase - Speed Racer
12. Best All-Out Brawl - Red vs. Saul and Dale (Pineapple Express)
13. Best Kill - The Joker's "Pencil Trick" (The Dark Knight)
14. Coolest Creature - Angel of Death (Hellboy II: The Golden Army)
15. Funniest Line - "You don't ever go full retard." (Tropic Thunder)
16. Niftiest Gadget - Mark III Armor (Iron Man)
17. Hottest Trailer - Watchmen
18. Best DVD of the Summer - Spaced - The Complete Series
19. Best Blu-Ray of the Summer - Batman Begins

Whew, that was a lot of typing. So, to tally up, and if my statistics skills still match up, the following movies are the biggest winners:

1. The Dark Knight - 4 awards
2. Iron Man - 3 awards
3. Hellboy II: The Golden Army - 2 awards

I couldn't agree more with IGN about the greatness of these three.

Well I may be dreamin'...

2008-09-21T10:26:00.000+08:00

What if I told you it was all meant to be
Would you believe me
Would you agree
It's almost that feelin'
We've met before
So tell me that you don't think I'm crazy
When I tell you love has come here now

A moment like this
Some people wait a lifetime
For a moment like this
Some people search forever
For that one special kiss
Ohh, I can't believe it's happening to me
Some people wait a lifetime
For a moment like this

Everything changes
But beauty remains
Something so tender
I can't explain
Well I maybe dreamin'
But 'till I awake
Can we make this dream last forever
And I'll cherish all the love we share

A moment like this
Some people wait a lifetime
For a moment like this
Some people search forever
For that one special kiss
Ohh, I can't believe it's happening to me
Some people wait a lifetime
For a moment like this

Could this be the greatest love of all
I wanna know that you will catch me when I fall
So let me tell you this

Some people wait a lifetime

For a moment like this
Some people wait a lifetime
For a moment like this
Some people search forever
For that one special kiss
Ohh, I can't believe it's happening to me
Some people wait a lifetime
For a moment like this

"A Moment Like This", by Kelly Clarkson.

Do you?

2008-09-18T09:52:00.000+08:00

I hung up the phone tonight
Something happened for the first time deep inside
It was a rush, what a rush

'Cause the possibility
That you would ever feel the same way about me
It's just too much, just too much

Why do I keep running from the truth?
All I ever think about is you
You got me hypnotized, so mesmerized
And I've just got to know

Do you ever think when you're all alone
All that we can be, where this thing can go?
Am I crazy or falling in love?
Is it real or just another crush?

Do you catch a breath when I look at you?
Are you holding back like the way I do?
'Cause I'm trying and trying to walk away
But I know this crush ain't goin' away-ay-ay-ay-ayy
Goin' away-ay-ay-ay-ayy

Has it ever crossed your mind
When we're hanging, spending time girl, are we just friends?
Is there more, is there more?

See it's a chance we've gotta take
'Cause I believe that we can make this into something that will last
Last forever, forever

Do you ever think when you're all alone
All that we can be, where this thing can go?
Am I crazy or falling in love?
Is it real or just another crush?

Do you catch a breath when I look at you?
Are you holding back like the way I do?
'Cause I'm trying and trying to walk away
But I know this crush ain't goin' away-ay-ay-ay-ayy
Goin' away-ay-ay-ay-ayy

Why do I keep running from the truth?
All I ever think about is you
You got me hypnotized, so mesmerized
And I've just got to know

Do you ever think when you're all alone
All that we can be, where this thing can go?
Am I crazy or falling in love?
Is it real or just another crush?

Do you catch a breath when I look at you?
Are you holding back like the way I do?
'Cause I'm trying and trying to walk away
But I know this crush ain't goin' away-ay-ay-ay-ayy
This crush ain't goin' away-ay-ay-ay-ayy
Goin' away-ay-ay-ay-ayy
Goin' away-ay-ay-ay-ayy
Goin' away-ay-ay-ay-ayy

"Crush", by David Archuleta

Believe it or not, he's the good guy

2008-08-31T22:03:00.000+08:00

New movie review today folks!

HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY

It truly is marvelous what one can do with computers these days. From the Lord of the Rings, to Star Wars to Transformers, cinema has proven time and time again its wonderful ability to bring imagination to life. The latest movie to offer such wonders is Hellboy II: The Golden Army, a beautiful movie to behold.

The Golden Army tells the story of a centuries-old elven prince who wishes to overthrow humanity. To do this, he will need to utilize the mythical (and titular) Golden Army, but legend has it that the Golden Army should never awaken or all humanity is doomed. However, to achieve this, the prince, Nuada, needs to collect three pieces of a magical crown that grants its wearer the ability to command the army. He claims two, but one piece is held by his sister, Princess Nuala. As Nuada strives to reach his goal, the mighty demon Hellboy and friends step in his path to do what other superheroes do best: save the day!

There are many reasons that make me gladly recommend this excellent film, but if I were to state one only, it would be that the special effects and art direction. The special effects are simply spell-bounding. The computer generated characters are all realistically done and the fights are intensive and captivating. Yet special effects alone do not guarantee the beauty of a movie, as films such as Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within have proven. This is where the art direction comes in, and indeed the characters and fantasy creatures all seemed to have leaped from those expensive artbooks that one loves to browse through but can seldom buy. Director Guillermo del Toro and his design team have crafted exquisite looking creatures that amaze and horrify at the same time. Prince Nuada and his sister, for example, look nothing like typical Tolkien elves, but rather have pale tattooed faces that portray nobility and terror equally well. Another fascinating creature is the Angel of Death, whose oddly positioned eyes and inhuman teeth give it a slight resemblance to a particular monster in del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth. Creepy and forboding, this creature was a strange beauty. The scene of the Troll market itself offers so many treats for the eyes, it would be worth buying a visual guide book to examine each monster or critter individually. Indeed, this movie's creatures are hallmarks of imagination, able to stand out in amongst a sea of other creatures offered by lesser movies.

Then there are the splendid action scenes as well. Beautifully choreographed fight scenes adorn the movie, with enough impact and momentum to keep one glued to the seats. Prince Nuada in particular somersaults and duels like a shaolin monk on steroids, slashing and killing anyone that steps in his path. The acting isn’t half-bad as well, and Ron Perlman still does an excellent job as wisecracking Hellboy. All the actors and actresses portray their respective parts well enough.

However not all is perfect, at least in my opinion. If there was a complaint about the movie, I would say that the characters and plot lines aren’t fleshed out as well as they should be. All of the characters have immense potential but they sometimes fall flat because they aren’t given enough time to develop. Take for example, Prince Nuada (again), who could potentially be a lethal murderer and noble assassin, but actually comes across as just another simple, common bad guy. The movie also explores some themes such as discrimination (against Hellboy and his peers for their freakish powers and appearances) much like the X-men series does, but it only touches the surface, without fully delving into the issues. The idea pops up but just stays there, floating on emptiness without any evolution. Besides that, some side stories such as a love story between two central characters are left hanging, lacking enough emotion or feeling.

Still, this is little to no way detracts from the movie, which at its core is still excellent and breathtaking. It is an truly an epic movie, beautiful and marvelous to watch and I cannot recommend it enough. With news that director Guillermo del Toro will be directing the upcoming Hobbit films, I say that fantasy films are far from dead.

Pictures are Copyrighted by Universal Pictures.

Look in the sky!

2008-08-23T17:55:00.000+08:00

Check this out: http://www.superherohype.com/news/supermannews.php?id=7609.

This is really good news! It’s about time that Warner realized the potential of their massive superhero franchise and got their feet together. This reminds me of The Incredible Hulk, which was quite a refreshing reboot for the series and a great movie.

Initially, I thought of titling this post, “Best. News. Ever.”, but with much thought I realized it wouldn’t be fair. I’ll explain this in a bit, if you’ll kindly spare the time. The last Superman movie to be released was Superman Returns in 2006, directed by Bryan Singer. Many people dismissed it as boring and clichéd and it didn’t help that it didn’t scrape enough bucks for the big tycoons at Warner. So, a sequel was a no-no for the bosses, that is, until they discovered the huge gold mine they had through the immense success of The Dark Knight. (Which was really an excellent film, read my review.)

Now this is just unfair to the talented Bryan Singer, who obviously put in immense effort into “Returns”. The movie clearly had high production values, fantastic art direction and set pieces , a quality cast, beautiful special effects and a fantastic soundtrack. If it were released in the 70s, along with the Christopher Reeve films, it would have struck gold. No, I think the main problem with “Returns” was that Singer tried too hard. Superman Returns was a good film, just not in line with contemporary standards.

Take for example, Brandon Routh, who plays the titular character. I believe Routh is a good actor from the way he portrayed himself in the movie, but Singer drained of much of his potential by forcing him to emulate the late Christopher Reeve. In fact, Brandon Routh had to apply a lot of visible makeup just to make his face look more like Mr. Reeve. Face it, Mr. Singer, Christopher Reeve was a fantastic Superman, but you need to be original and step out from the shell of the previous movies.

“Returns” is riddled with jokes and homages to the old movies that would make fans laugh but puzzle many younger viewers. The movie tries too hard to fit in with the old series when in fact it should be promoted as a new film with a rebooted storyline. Director Christopher Nolan did the right thing with Batman Begins by starting anew, something Bryan Singer should have done.

Another problem was that while it tried to be old-fashioned, it threw in some very weird, supposedly “contemporary” themes into the mix. People be warned, spoilers ahead! In “Returns”, Superman has a son with Lois Lane, who is currently together with another man. While I’d appreciate some drama in superhero movies (done so excellently in Spider-man 2), one does not humanize Superman by making him an illegitimate father!

As such, I am very pleased that Warner is attempting a reboot with Superman. No doubt Returns was good movie, which I would still recommend. You can clearly see how well done and polished the whole movie was and I enjoyed it very much. However, this doesn’t mean that everyone will, because not everyone is a fan. So, I sincerely hope that Warner will prove to the world that Superman is a hero for modern times, and also one of its greatest!

That cute little town...Sibu

2008-08-20T15:37:00.000+08:00

On Sunday, my mother told me we were going back to Sibu. I was shocked. Going for a long trip on such short notice? But what the heck, I'm always up for an adventure!

We went back to visit my grandparents and other relatives as well as to enjoy the peace and quiet of small-town life. However, Sibu isn't quite that small anymore and changes faster than a traffic light changes colors. Another (negative) example of how Sibu has changed is that some of the people, especially the younger generation, aren't as friendly as before. Although this may be generalizing, we bumped into enough unfriendly salespeople to convince us. Nevertheless, know that Sibu is still as decent a town as any and most people are still friendly, so don't think I'm badmouthing it.

Instead of describing the trip chronologically and ever so boringly, I would like to instead highlight the main points of my trip. On the first day, we went to have a walk after dinner at Taman Jubilee, this nice little park that beats most of the attempts at parks that Kuching has made. It truly was a beautiful place and the climb to the top was immensely refreshing!

We also went around Sibu town the next day, hunting for cheap bargains and prices. It was at some of the shops that we met some unfriendly "sales promoters". That night, my grandfather treated us to a nice, fancy dinner at the restaurant known as Sheraton Restaurant. It was a multi-course meal, but the dishes were great and delicious. There was seafood, yam, chicken, pork and all sorts of beautiful things to savor and behold. I must have put on a few pounds that night; time to burn it all off in Kuching!

I was never really good at describing trips, so I'll let the pictures speak for me. All in all, it was a fun and enjoyable experience going back to Sibu.

A view of Taman Jubilee

Reached the top! And...

...We can see the beautiful sunset.

Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom, anyone?

Now, it's Pirates of the Caribbean...ok this is lame...
People feeding the fish.

My family decided to join in.

Look at all the fishies!

Wisma Sanyan, the tallest building in Sarawak.

The extended family gathered together at the restaurant.

Scrumptious, seafood mixed-dish.

Shark's fin with egg. No soup!

My sister and I. Cute, isn't she?

Goodbye guys, see you in USA!

2008-08-16T08:39:00.000+08:00

How time flies in your face. Just little more than a year ago, we were busy complaining about our JPA scholarship's tough requirements and ridiculous rules. Now those days are bygone, and a few of our friends have flown to continue their studies.

It was quite sad and even a bit heartbreaking at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport yesterday. Only when they are leaving do you realize how much you care for all of them, for all the companionship they have provided, for all the fun they have shared with us. They will certainly be missed, each and everyone of them.

So goodbye to you guys, and hope to see you in the United States of A. May your upcoming years be filled with success and joy! Goodbye, Christopher, Ernest, Cunn Yong, Jason, Jessica, Bernard, Albert, Yung Terd, Kai Liang, and Ru Yun! (I don't think I missed out on anyone, but sincerest apologies if I did, for my memory is really disastrous)

Begun the Clone War has...

2008-08-14T22:54:00.000+08:00

The exams are over at long last! Sorry for the long wait (though I actually doubt if there are any readers), but I'll make up for that with a new movie review!

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS

I thought it would be bad. It just felt wrong watching a Star Wars movie, with no 20th Century Fox logo, with no opening crawl, and with no John Williams music. The fact that it was originally a TV movie, screened in cinemas just to make George Lucas' pockets overflow more than ever gave me grave doubts.

In all honesty, it really felt like a TV movie screened in cinemas. YET, this does not automatically kick the movie into "bad" category. It was immensely fun and exciting and the animation was fluid and extremely well done. Kudos to the Lucasfilm Animation people. Seeing those Jedi jump here and there kicking the droids (geek speak!) into oblivion was really something to behold. There was plenty of intense and spectacular action that drove the movie forward and I was entertained throughout. The live-action movies focus most of the their time on the melodrama, but this is the movie that really brings the "Wars" part of Star Wars to the screen and it does so extremely effectively! Armies behold!

The characters were also quite fun, and Anakin Skywalker in particular surprised me. In the live-action movies, he was this whiny kid who kept monologuing about the sorrows of his troubled life. Here, he's still admittedly a bit whiny, but the animators gave him a wisecracking sense of humor, one that actually works. Voice actor Matt Lanter actually gave more weight to his jokes than the monotonous Hayden Christensen (who I found incapable of humor in the series, maybe its the face) and he ends up pulling of a sincere genuine personality. It's no Oscar winner, but it gets the job done, which is more than I can say for some of Christensen's performances. His new apprentice, Ahsoka (voiced by Ashley Eckstein) works well with Anakin, bringing up frequent and entertaining banters between the both of them.

Another part of the movie I liked was the portrayal of the clone troopers. Here they behaved like real soldiers who duck and cover when fighting while shouting orders and the like. These soldiers felt more human than their live-action counterparts, thanks to their excellent dialog and scripted behavior. They even have their own personalities! Like Vietnam War soldiers, the clones painted pinup women on their airships and have different hairstyles to differentiate themselves. Nice attention to detail on part of the animation team.

So overall, a good job that would have been a killer Direct-to-DVD release. However, love it though I do, I must admit that it was a bit of a stretch to promote this as a theatrical release. It is good, but the standards of cinema are high and this feels like serving a Big Mac at a posh French restaurant. Still, it was great to see all those battles on the big screen. Therefore, I recommend this movie as a entertaining popcorn movie for Star Wars fans to drool over and for casual moviegoers to just have fun.

............

Besides that, I also watched the Dark Knight again. Still fantastic the second time round. Will probably watch it on DVD 8-9 times. (Just kidding!) Besides that, I saw this cool Darth Vader Lego statue at Toys R' Us. I had to sneak a shot of it past the mean counter-boy, who refused photos.

I am your father...ok, lame...

Okay, very sleepy now. Exams over and yet I'm sleeping so little. Thanks for reading!

Battle of the voices

2008-07-28T13:48:00.000+08:00

For ~~weeks~~ days we prepared for our US History debate, working feverishly to come up with points to defend ourself against the onslaught of our opponents! For we were the government team and our motion is....

"IS PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH GOOD FOR AMERICA?"

Yep, and we were supposed to defend it. Defend a president with horrifyingly low approval ratings. But wait, wasn't President Harry Truman approved by only 22% of his people in his final days in office? Isn't he now lauded as one of the greatest presidents of all time? So you see, impossible though it may seem, we actually managed to find a few good points to defend the dear old monkey. I had a nice script prepared, ready to rebut anything the opponent had to shoot at us.

But when the moment came, my mind went haywire. The opponents were smart enough to avoid all the big issues and to focus on stuff which we could not rebut. My focus was on foreign policy (YES, the Iraq War was good!!!!) They focused on domestic policy and the economy. It was like trying to catch water with a fishnet.

Ah well, good try though.

Red Alert

2008-07-24T10:11:00.000+08:00

First of all, I simply must inform you that my camera is craptacular. (Don’t use this word in your essays, folks!) So please bear with the blur and ugly photos. Hopefully, by writing this blog, I will be able to improve my photo-taking skills ~~to justify me buying a fancy new camera~~.

Last night was the final INTI Christian Fellowship (CF) ceremony where we shed our dear little tears and say goodbye to everybody. The red-shirt-wearing army (the CF shirt) gathered at around 6:30pm to celebrate a great semester that goes by. Seriously, everything was red, from the shirts to the ever so cutely done red carpet. I wonder if people realize the irony of wearing red in a Christian Fellowship…

Honestly though, these CF guys are simply awesome and they really know how to liven up a party. I’ve said it once and I’ll continue to say it for many times to come: CF guys are among the best and friendliest people around! Four CF members will be leaving us to further their studies, but only three members could attend the closing ceremony. Good luck to you guys overseas!

It was a great night of fun, games and fellowship and I have to say that I’m going to miss CF until it is reinstated again next semester. Anyway, as the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words:

Sea of Red!

The wise Kelvin speaks...ooh...

The cute little red strip is the red carpet.

Eldrick, Jared and Xiu Mei, given VIP treatment.

We'll miss you!

Getting ready for games.

Jared...this is your life!

Touching moment. Washing of feet to show appreciation.

Poser.

Behold my back! Taken by Xiu Mei.

So you think you've got a Masters?

2008-07-22T16:09:00.000+08:00

Do forgive me. It takes a bit to make me scream in frustration, but one lecturer cut the strings of my patience today.

I was having problems trying to print a statistics assignment (knowing beautiful INTI College printers and all), and today's problems were exacerbated more so than usual. It took me half an hour just to get things running and this lecturer came in to teach his half-gathered class.

All right, all right! It was my fault that I didn't print my assignment earlier in order to meet the deadline, but take a look at the following conversation and see what you think:

Lecturer: I have a class right now.
Me : I'm really sorry, I know, I know.
Lecturer: If you know then why don't you take action? (The nerve!!)
Me : Please, it's just two more graphs. Can't you allow me to continue printing?
Lecturer: I can't do that. Go print in another lab or somewhere.

The nerve of him! With that play-pretend stern face and all! At least talk nicely if you wanted to chase me out! I fully comprehend the need for you to have a silent class ~~sleeping~~ paying attention to you, but at least speak politely. You really don't need to prove your ego as none of your students probably cared anyway.

Maybe I'm overreacting, but I needed to get that of my chest. grrr...

Why so Serious?

2008-07-20T23:13:00.000+08:00

Hi all! After months of contemplation, I have decided to start a blog. Why? To tell all those who haven't watched The Dark Knight that you're missing one of the greatest movies of all time!

In one scene of the movie, the Joker grabs a pencil and stands it on a table. "Let me show you a magic trick, " he says. "I'm gonna make this pencil disappear." Suddenly, he grabs a nearby thug and slams his head on the pointed pencil. As the thug falls dead, out of sight, the Joker dryly exclaims, "There, pencil disappeared..." This anarchy and sick randomness pervades the whole movie, making it so full of intensity that your eyes just cannot move away from the screen. What will the Joker do next? How does the elusive Batman stop him? Is Batman really the best hope Gotham has?

The Joker is without doubt Heath Ledger's crowning moment. Although I was initially skeptical about the all the buzz proclaiming Ledger's performance as Oscar-worthy, I now fully stand behind him. The way he talks in that dry, high-pitched manner, the way he flicks his tongue ever so disgustingly, the way he casually murders random people while uttering lame, sadistic jokes are just so brilliant that you love and despise him at the same time. What makes it so great is that he does it all without any on-screen gore or serious violence. The camera-work is quick and hazy and most of the murders happen off screen, but one still twinges at the sickeningly creative ways in which the Joker dispatches his enemies. Besides playing villain, Joker also plays philosopher, exclaiming that everyone is just rotten and evil at heart. As such, it is his "duty" to expose humanity as the beasts they are by committing crimes that drive them beyond the edge. A friend of mine felt that Ledger seemed almost born to take up the role and I have to say that I very much agree with him. Joker was simply amazing.

Now, that doesn't mean that Batman is left kicking the dust in the sidelines. Christian Bale returns as the Batman, carrying along his excellent performance from the first movie. Batman still intimidates his villains and Bruce still charmingly fools people with his playboy routine. Some may say that he is overshadowed by the explosive Joker, but this is merely because Batman is much more composed, reflecting the opposite characteristics of the two characters. Did I say composed? While Batman is usually one step ahead of most of his villains, the Joker keeps him playing catch-up, drawing him closer to letting his cool. Batman finds himself angered and frustrated at his inability to see the logic of the Joker's plans.

In fact, it is the duality of the two characters that drives this movie. Both represent order and chaos, light and dark, yin and yang, good and evil. Batman is struggling to uphold justice while the Joker works to expose mankind's inner demons. The Joker rightfully exclaims that both drive each other, as the Batman is "a freak" much like himself, and only the Joker understands his psyche. The way these two characters interact alone makes this movie fantastic.

Luckily, there's also the icing on the cake. Aaron Eckhart plays knight in shining armor, Harvey Dent. As the district attorney, Dent strives to uphold justice, drawing the Joker's attention. Also worth noting is Gary Oldman's great performance as Lieutenant James Gordon, Gotham City's good cop. Besides that, there are plenty of action and stunts that will be sure to satisfy everyone. Some of the feats performed by the Batman will cause gasps and wows to permeate from the audience and the filmmakers have also given the Batman a more extensive arsenal of gadgets and toys, just to showcase the action side of the film. Rest assured, plenty of fights and explosions for the film's share of eye candy.

Simply put, this review doesn't do justice to the movie. You need to watch it, and for good reason. Christopher Nolan pumps up another good film, and good as Batman Begins was, this film skyrockets ahead of it as my favorite superhero film ever.

By the way, thanks for reading my blog!