♥ Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Synopsis:
After solving the Kira case, another serious case confronts L and he has only 23 days left to solve it.
A person who obtained the most horrible weapon, "Death God" says the same thing as Kira ... "I am going to change the world".
A boy and a girl hold the keys to solving the case and L faces a crisis of global magnitude to protect the kids. He is without his most trusted partner, Watari, and cannot rely on just his superb intellect to solve the case.What will happen to L? What will change? The 23 days are packed with turns of events even L himself cannot predict.
The final countdown to the shocking events are about to begin!
Movie Review:
I shall say this up front: Do NOT bolt out of the hall when the lights come on, as there's a small, simple but effective coda at the end of the credits that will probably provide the answer you're looking for, and that's perhaps as close an answer you will get.
With the phenomenal success of the Death Note movies in 2006, it's almost a natural reaction to see if another movie could be done to capitalize on the formula's momentum. A direct sequel is ruled out, because of the events that unfurled at the closure of Death Note: The Last Name.
But since the character of L (played by heartthrob Kenichi Matsuyama) has proven compelling enough to elicit wistful sighs from fandom, the next best alternative filmmakers can provide, is to create a spin off, just like how Hollywood's Magneto and Wolverine from the X-Men franchise have projects in the works.
But contrary to early beliefs that this is going to be a prequel, L: Change the World pretty much happens in that extremely short timeline hanging on L's existence like an albatross around his neck.
We're offered very little glimpses of what happened before his obsessed hunt for Kira, and I suspect should subsequent movies be made, it could go into that direction. However it took some clever stylistic editing to slowly cue you in to the right timeline, but in having to replay some events, it is likely to have ruined a key surprise that comes the way of Death Note: The Last Name, if you haven't seen the movie.
What is sorely missed is the multiple battle of wits against formidable characters with moral ambiguity thrown in for good effect, and the numerous twists and turns that tickle your braincells. L: Change the World dwells surprisingly little on the cerebral, and becomes a generic action adventure. And it borrows its basic premise from Mission: Impossible 2 with an existence of a manufactured, lethal virus and its attempts to be weaponized by eco-extremists in a bid to cleanse the Earth from mankind, but forgets a key point alluded to in that same movie - that a hero's worth shall arise from the creation of worthy, quality villains.
With lacklustre, forgettable baddies who can waltz only to supporting "goon" type roles in any B-grade flick, it makes the Death Note movies seem like masterpieces in a league of their own. The saving grace in this flick, just as the title aptly puts it, and the reason why this movie existed, is on the character of L. Kenichi Matsuyama reprises this popular character with aplomb, but while he retains the childlike innocence which hides a shred sleuth beneath, we see a little more of the recluse coming out of his shell, which seems to be both by choice, and by circumstance.
For starters, L now doesn't enjoy counsel of his good old friend Watari (Shunji Fujimura), and gets stuck playing surrogate bodyguard to two children, a Thai boy (Narushi Fukuda) who's a mathematical genius, and Maki (Mayuko Fukuda), the catalyst igniting the sparks of conflict that requires resolution from L. Naturally his man-boy mannerisms are appealing instincts that connect with the children, and watching how he deals with situations in the outside world, getting into the rough and tumble and the thick of the action, is a definite refreshing departure from the L we know and are used to. But as I mentioned, the brains that he's most famous for, take a ceremonial backseat, and if a situation warrants it, he does exhibit some stamina in long distance running (for someone whose exercise includes hopping on seats) and in taking villains down.
Do you need to watch the Death Note movies in order to understand L: Change the World? The short answer is no. However, you'll probably miss the little nuances that comes with that experience, and likely to lose some connection to the slight development with the L character as well.
♥ Thursday, February 21, 2008
Fashion is not only what we wear, it is also how we describe ourselves to the world. When you’re deciding which fashion is for you, take the time to consider your figure and style and also how you want to be perceived.
When you’re looking for the right dress to wear, don’t worry too much about it being the perfect one. Dresses come in all styles, shapes, colors and materials. Try this approach: choose a dress style that you feel comfortable and confident in, accessorize it with a few tasteful choices (such as a nice purse) and enjoy your evening out.
Choose a dress that flatters your individual figure.
The most important feature of your new dress -- more important than its trendiness, designer or color -- is how well it flatters you. Does it make you feel attractive and gorgeous? Do you feel confident when wearing that dress? If you can answer yes, you’ve probably chosen the right one.
Not every dress silhouette will work for your body so you'll need to do some quick research on your specific needs.
Jeans:
Trends and fashion icons come and go but wearing stylish, comfortable jeans is still favored by many people. . While their charisma springs from their legendary American roots, their commercial strength rests on innovation and interpretation in the hands of jeanswear makers around the world.
Jeans can make you look attractive and are also good to wear when doing rugged work.
Swimwear:
Finding the right swimwear can be a fun and also a stressful experience. You want to look your best in the swimwear of your choice at the beach. Light, colorful beach clothing will make you feel comfortable and cool.
Spend a little time to search for the right fashion items and accessories that fit your lifestyle. A little thought before will save you a lot of time later.8 Ways to Flatter a Bottom-Heavy Figure1)You can wear a fitted suit, even with a slim skirt, if you are bottom heavy. Just remember:
Keep the line long by using all one color with slim-cut pieces. It elongates and slims the figure.
Choose fitted jackets that end well above your widest point.
Wear a top or jacket with structured shoulders, puffy sleeves, etc. to balance out your larger bottom half.
Rely on a form-fitting, but never tight, skirt in a non-clingy fabric.2)One of the classic recommendations for the bottom-heavy figure is the full skirt. It's still a great option, especially for dresses. How to make the full skirt work:
Go for a fit and flare silhouette. Draw attention to the waist with a belt, gathers, band or other feature. The skirt should flare out from the fitted waist.
Take the fit and flare silhouette one step further by opting for a strapless dress. You'll get the benefit of showing off your shoulders, while concealing your hips. Also, the strong line of bare shoulders helps balance a wider bottom half.3)You can look great in jeans. The key is to choose leg openings and back pockets to fit your figure. Here's how:
Bootcut leg openings are the most flattering jean legs of all. The slight flare balances out wider hips and fuller thighs.
Opt for a darker wash jean for the most slimming look.
Five-pocket styling looks best, but you'll want to avoid excessive embellishment on the back pockets if the size of your backside bothers you.
The longer the jeans, the longer (and thinner) your legs look. Wear bootcut jeans as long as you possibly can without having them bunch up around your legs. If you can stand them, pair jeans with high heels for a super-flattering look.4)Another way to balance the bottom-heavy figure is to accentuate your top half with prints.
Vertical stripes, menswear checks or plaids, florals and polka dots are all great options.
Wear a solid pant or skirt and keep jackets short (never let a jacket end right at the widest point of your hips).5)If your natural waistline is thick, along with full hips and thighs, one of your best options in dresses is the empire-waist (raised waist) dress.
With this silhouette, the focus is shifted to only the top third of your body because the waist falls right below the bustline. This look works best with pear-shaped women who are small-busted.6) a sweetheart neckline, a halter, a knotted front -- to draw attention up and towards your face.7)As basic as it sounds, the best way to use color to camouflage/highlight figure areas is to use contrasts.
The black bottom with white top works like a dream: it brings the eye up to the lightest hue and the top half of the body.8)The idea of high-cut legs on your swimsuit may make you uncomfortable, but they are a flattering way to make your legs look miles long. Here are more Do's and Don'ts for swimwear:
Don't wear boy shorts. They'll look boxy on you because they accentuate thighs.
Do choose swimwear with graphic interest -- vertical stripes, colorblocking -- strategically placed to draw the eye up.
Don't wear a teeny-weeny bikini bottom. The less fabric on bottom, the fleshier you'll look from the waist down.Fashion for this Spring'08Wide Leg DenimCrisp creases, not-too-baggy legs and dark denim: these wide-leg jeans with a bit of stretch are a great way to dip into the new trend.Fit tip: If you want to disguise heavy thighs, opt for a style like these which fall in a straight line from the hip.
♥ Sunday, February 17, 2008
Dragon Wars MovieRating : 4 STARS ****
Personal comment : a movie that worth watching (: thrilling and there's very nice effect .
If you happen to gravitate toward a movie about legions of resurrected dragons smashing their way through California because of its innate, pleasurable simplicity, Hyung-rae Shim's Dragon Wars has a nasty twist in store: It is really difficult to follow. The convolutions of this movie are almost a practical joke; imagine how stupid you might feel if you were forced to admit, regarding a movie called Dragon Wars: "I found it confusing." Anyone who actually sees the movie, though, would sympathize; several onscreen characters even interrupt the torrents of exposition to ask, and I quote, "what are you talking about?" Never let it be said that this movie doesn't ask the right questions.
Let me recap what I could glean about the story, primarily from the Internet Movie Database and secondarily from actually watching the film: There are creatures of Korean legend, a Good Imoogi and a Dark Imoogi, who both want to become more heavenly dragons. The legend isn't well-clarified by the film's visualization of the non-dragon Imoogis, which bear a striking resemblance to a) giant snakes, b) each other, and, to a lesser but still confusing extent, c) dragons.
Anyway, this dubious transformation can only be achieved by spiritually bonding with and/or eating a woman who bears the mark of a dragon. Every 500 years, such a woman is reincarnated, along with a young man who must protect her and/or sacrifice her to the correct Imoogi, along with an older man who must train the young man to perform this vague task. In other words, this legend's chain of command is sort of a mystical game of telephone: Tell the old guy to train the young guy to make sure the young girl allows the good dragon-like creature to become a good actual dragon.
It makes sense, then, that we learn (or, more accurately, are told) all of this information through a long series of flashbacks within flashbacks: modern-day journalist and/or chosen one Ethan (Jason Behr) flashes back to a childhood encounter with the magical junk-shop owner Jack (Academy Award nominee Robert Forster), who in turn flashes back to tell of the Imoogi legend, which for good measure has its own two-second flashback during which the chosen dragon girl remarks to the chosen warrior, "I've been having good dreams lately." I'm paraphrasing; Internet Movie Database couldn't help me with the dialogue.
During this extended flashback -- which also covers some sort of dark lord and a Star Wars-ish army of troops and creatures, including smaller, presumably non-heavenly dragons, who seem to be throwing their political support to the Dark Imoogi party -- the movie becomes lost in a sort of reverie of stupidity; for about twenty minutes, it is blissfully awful in a way that recalls the heyday of Mystery Science Theater 3000. It defies all logic, features atrocious acting from its young romantic leads, and thoroughly embarrasses Robert Forster.
But unlike the low-budget D-movies on Mystery Science Theater, some amount of money was spent on Dragon Wars (more on that in a minute), manifested in a dopily impressive sequence -- at least as smash-happy as its equivalent in Transformers -- in which the two Imoogis and a ton of the mini-dragons lay waste to a vaguely defined section of Los Angeles. The filmmakers even build upon the innovations of the 2002 dragon movie Reign of Fire, which featured a sequence in which a dragon does battle with a dive-bombing helicopter. Dragon Wars, shrewd high-stakes player that it is, sees that dragon and helicopter and raises them both by about a hundred.
If Reign of Fire left you wanting more -- more dragons smashing into helicopters, I mean, not more Christian Bale or Matthew Matthew McConaughey -- then Dragon Wars is a godsend of fiery awesomeness. In that sense, this is the apotheosis of the big-budget B-movie phenomenon: one sustained special effects sequence that will awaken your inner 13-year-old, wrapped up in direct-to-video everything else (which, at least, is pretty hilarious).
The movie itself deserves its own origin story. Dragon Wars, released elsewhere as D-War, is actually a Korean film, and an expensive one by those standards, though relatively cheap for the realm of Hollywood bloat in which it apparently wants to compete. The bulk of it was shot in the U.S., and in English, with the finest television actors that money not spent on dragons could buy, in an attempt to give it some box-office life on these shores.
In an ironic twist worthy of a convoluted movie called Dragon Wars, the movie's attempts at Americanization actually increase its resemblance to an overseas monster movie lost in translation
♥ Saturday, February 9, 2008
The Death of Ian StoneStoryIan Stone (Mike Vogel) feels like something is going wrong in his life. The clock stops during the hockey game after he tries to score the winning goal, and he confesses to his girlfriend Jenny (Christina Cole) that he is losing his mind. Then, on his way home, he sees a body on a train track and when he tries to help, the body comes to life and holds him until a train runs over him.
Suddenly, Ian wakes up and he's in an office, late with an assignment. His co-worker Jenny wonders what's wrong with him. He then goes home to a different girlfriend, Media (Jaime Murray), who ends up stabbing him through his stomach and watching him bleed.
Ian wakes up again, this time in a taxi, and he's driving Jenny to her house. Over and over, Ian experiences a different life and a different ghastly death, with Jenny the only connecting factor.
Ian slowly begins to piece together that he's being chased and has to protect Jenny--and for some reason, he can't be truly killed. Well, not just yet..
Cast and Crew
Director : Dario Piana
Producer : Brian J. Gilbert,Ralph Kamp
Rating : 3.5 STARS (: HORROR
♥ Friday, February 8, 2008
More updates for today!
Supposingly agreed to watch 27dresses with Arb, shidah and silly bff!
Ended up that couple got something on, so left with the both of us (:
Silly bf's friend tagged along.
Oh yeah, it means i met a new friend for today!
He just got out of love, you know those feeling really like shit.
Didnt manage to watch 27dresses as for Lido the timing like " midnight " .
So switch it to Sweeney Todd M18 .
Shall post up those photo links regarding CNY's issue next post, perhaps tomorrow (:
Director(s) Tim Burton
Writer(s) John Logan
Status In theaters (wide)
Genre(s) MusicalMore reviews of Sweenney ToddSweeney Todd. Depp stars in the title role as a man unjustly sent to prison who vows revenge, not only for that cruel punishment, but for the devastating consequences of what happened to his wife and daughter.
When he returns to reopen his barber shop, Sweeney Todd becomes the Demon Barber of Fleet Street who shaved the heads of gentlemen who never thereafter were heard from again. Joining Depp is Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett, Sweeneys amorous accomplice, who creates diabolical meat pies.
The cast also includes Alan Rickman, who portrays the evil Judge Turpin, who sends Sweeney to prison and Timothy Spall as the Judges wicked associate Beadle Bamford and Sacha Baron Cohen is a rival barber, the flamboyant Signor Adolfo Pirelli.
Most saddistic way to kill someone Slashing their throat with a straight razor. And to make sure you get them dead on the first try, you also have to practice on lots of inconsequential people first. Then make meat pies out of their corpses that you sell to unsuspecting, not usually cannibalistic, hungry people. Keep singing while you do this. In the end, your revenge will still leave a bad taste in your mouth.
Musical kind of movie?All characters or rather the main actor and actresses can sing very well,And even more impressively, the kid in it is all over those complicated, difficult-to-sing melodies. It's kids like that that make you think the next generation isn't completely full of snotty, whiny losers.
RATINGS - 4 STARS
♥ Thursday, February 7, 2008
It's CNY for 2008, but for me it seems like just another plain old days.
Just need to get up a little earlier, no no to nonsense words.
And additional money that comes from those red packets (:
Usual, went visiting at grandpa's place and to movie with Jennifer.
Watched CJ7, by Stephen Chow.
Comedy yet nice. Rate it at 3.5 stars!!
Next upcoming movie - 27 dresses with
dumblemon and besty after tomorrow's visiting at godmummy's place!
dumblemon not at home, out with old-time friends!
i'm back home after movie-ing and a long great chat with Jennifer.
DEADBUSH! My body feels so tired, need a rest before tomorrow's visiting if not i shall not go out with my 3 inches heel, i promised..
Shall upload all those photos after tommorrow (:
Oh yah, Happy birthday to ZQ! "
and " Happy Anniversary to Jennifer and Nigel "
BEST WISHES TO EVERYONE!!!
♥
Yesterday officially left Gap.CP.
Though i should be doubly happy instead i felt a little upset.
Just can't bear to leave due to friendship?
Those guys are so sweet alright, i knew they would do things just to see my tears rolling down.
But sadly, FAILED.
my heart is crying but not my eyes.
take good care ya gappers (:Jeannie - my little girlfriend, take good care and study hard (:
Sam - "hey butch" goodluck alright?
Siti - the noisy lady, (:
Lina - dancing queen, club more! play hard~
Yk - dont always say im fat, i'll slim down!
Zax - smile more and eat more pls~ no more freeshow!
Simon - thanks for being sweet always!
those little tiny gappies, hereby wish you all, all the best!
thanks for the little gifts..
below link is my recent photos. (:
sweet gifts
current me
lovely siti
lovely tini
shitdiot!
♥ Saturday, February 2, 2008
THE HOUSENC16 horror, kind of heart thumping.
i admit i did scream for a few scenes in the movie due to the sudden sound impact.
As for the ending, was something not expected.
story line alright but terrifying enough to scare me.
so thumbs up for the movie ! (:
no more
love!cause he's a sweet and also sour lemon.
and please nono to quarrels. I hate it when we starts to bicker or quarrel over the slightest things, find it amusing though!
shidah and arby still as loving, but something happen to her.
eye's abrasion due to too much of " poking eyes " game!
haa!
after a dinner, esplanade (:
oh yah, wore the same slurping ape tees with my
lemon today!
shall post up those photos in our batam trip.
im sorry, just way too lazy!
tatas