Avatar is gully-licious!

What can I say… Avatar rocks!

I really don’t know a lot about this movie and didn’t really want to watch it until someone invited me for a free viewing. I’m just glad I didn’t turn the invite down because this movie is really really really worth watching.

No! Don’t download it. There are movies that you just don’t bother watching over the web, but for Avatar, you have to see it in the big screen or you’ll miss the whole movie experience.

The first five minutes though is quite like the usual sci-fi start. Space.. spaceship.. space suits.. shots of planets and stars.. ridiculous machines.. then you get introduced to the main character, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) who’s a crippled marine brought to replace his murdered twin brother in becoming the “driver” of his brother’s Avatar (yep, it’s a bit confusing so you gotta stick with it for the mean time). Then they introduce you to heavy-hitting actors like Sigourney Weaver and Giovanni Ribisi, only then the plot becomes believable and more understandable.

The movie though is damn long. 3-friggin-hours long. Then I remember. James Cameron. Titanic. Long movie. Good movie. Just make peace with it coz it’s happening.

And although the movie is about 90% CGI-rendered (more than what they did for the Titanic), the good thing is that the human feel for the story doesn’t get lost with all the visual effects. It also has a simple plot and well-written characters.

But it’s not all good praises. I do have some minor rants about it.

The soundtrack makes you feel like you’re watching Titanic.. in Pandora.

Also, it’s a bit preachy. It’s like Pocahontas in a grand scale. Better yet, it’s like Fern Gully on roids.

Anyway, go watch the movie.

New Miss World Singapore 2009 and the Extinction of the Merlions

Breathe easy now, Singapore. The troubles that Ris Low have done are now far behind. Meet the new Miss World who will represent Singapore in the Miss World finals in South Africa.

Ladies and germs.. meet Pilar Arlando.

Ms Singapore 2009 - Pilar Arlando

 

Yes, Singapore. Breathe easy now. She’s prettier and better at interviews. Well, almost.

Good luck and God bless.

Ris Low vs Credit Card Fraud

Guilty of credit card fraud

By Dawn Tay

RECENTLY crowned Miss Singapore World Ris Low, 19, had earlier been found guilty of credit-card fraud.

The beauty queen was convicted of five charges of misappropriation, cheating using illegally obtained credit cards, and impersonating their users’ identities.

The first-time offender was sentenced in May this year to 24 months of supervised probation, said a Subordinate Courts spokesman in response to a query from my paper.

more..

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Now that’s just damn funny. Sorry, babe. Can’t defend you on this one.

FAILED!

Ris Low vs Speaking Good English

Just back from blogging and I know I missed out on a lot of topics since MJ’s passing away.

Thanks to Ms Ris Low, I’m back to blog about this video interview…

Poor thing. The video captions really didn’t help. It just made it worse.

For what its worth, I’m sure it’s not Ms Low’s fault that her interview came out that way. Here’s what should’ve happened:

• She should have composed herself beforehand
• Her manager/coach/mentor should’ve known that one of her weaknesses is her english. So, why not just make her speak her mother tongue instead. That’s what translators are for.
• Someone should’ve prepared her for this interview.
• Singaporeans should just support her nonetheless. Her answers were not that stupid.

Ever watch “Lost In Translation?” That’s how I think it is. In Low’s mind, when she was coming up with her answers for the questions thrown at her, it’s all perfect in her mother tongue.  Translate it into english, and all things are screwed up. Even Google Translate is not that perfect.

Reminds me when I was new in Singapore. When I was about to knock off from the office, my colleague asked me “Going back?”. I said, “no.” Why should I go back? But turned out he meant “to go back home.”

When people here say “can?”, it’s like translating it to tagalog as “kaya?“

It’s one thing to speak good english. It’s another thing to speak english appropriately as in time and place.

So ease up on Ris Low. It’s not that you can’t understand her interview.

Devastator.. the Cool of the Day

TF2 Devastator by Hasbro

This Devastator Combiner Set of the TF2 toyline has got to be the best toy I’ve seen today. Selling at Toys R Us for SG$ 212, I’, hoping to get this one before someone else does.

You should see what it can do.

Sideshow, You Devil You

What the hell is this?!?..

Mystique by Sideshow

.. and this..

Scarlet Witch by Sideshow

.. and this..

Felicia by Sideshow

These statuettes are pathetic excuse to sell toys of suggestive female poses…

…

…

…

… ME LIKEY >:b

Hey Joe.. You Suck

Scanning through the new toys in Toys R Us is fun especially when they’re promoting a movie. And now that the G.I. Joe Rise of Cobra is due this thursday, the store is filled with Joe toys.

I think 99.99% of the movie’s toyline suck. Especially the Accelerator Suit Duke. Why? Coz it looks like a cheap knock-off of Robocop. Plus the fact that it do this with a press of a button..

What’s the 0.01% of the other spectrum? The Sideshow Joes like this..

G.I. Joe Duke by Sideshow

What’s that catch phrase? “If all fails, we don’t?” Well.. you just did, Joe.

RIP – Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson (1958-2009)

This is such a sad news. Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, died of cardiac arrest this day. Just when I thought he’s making a comeback.

Forget about the craziness and the “skin conditions”, there is no shadow of a doubt that Michael Jackson has changed our lives in one way or another. From his ABC song with the Jackson 5, to the haunting Thriller, the breakthrough video music of Black and White, and his love songs such as I Just Can’t Stop Loving You and She’s Out Of My Life.. he changed lives from all the corners of the world. Just ask Justin Timberlake.

For my generation, this is like being a witness to Elvis Presley’s career… only better.

Wow! I can’t believe he’s gone.

Goodbye, Michael Jackson. Rest In Peace.

• Michael Jackson dies in LA hospital (Yahoo! News)
• Singer Michael Jackson dies in Los Angeles aged 50 (Telegraph)
• ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson Is Dead at 50 (Wall Street Journal)

Something good from the Transformers 2

Some of my friends are telling me that they like the Transformers2 ROTF. And that I was wrong with my recent review.

Yes, it’s better than the first movie AND IS STILL a very entertaining movie. But if you’re a Transformer fan, this is just plain insulting.

But there’s always a silver lining to every clouds like the ROTF. One good thing that comes out of this is the soundtrack.

Just like the first one, the ROTF soundtrack features Linkin Park’s “New Divide” (it sounds like their TF1 song though) and Green Day’s “21 Guns” (now that’s better).

If I’m not wrong, they kinda played this in the background about 3 times.

This alone will prove my point.

Transformers 2 Notable Moments (Spoiler)

Transformers 2

I can’t say it enough, but thanks to Power98FM, I was one of the few lucky sonnamagun to see TF2 – ROTF here in Singapore.

And I just want to share with you all some of the things that I found good/bad about the movie. Ok.. of to the first one..

The Poster (Bad)
Ok, doesn’t that poster remind you of this 1999 hit?

Look familiar?

Runtime (Bad)
If you have bladder problems, then better go to the loo before watching TF2.. twice.

Twas approximately 180mins. That’s like 2 movies. Ok. If you’re saying that you want every cent’s worth of your money for the movie, then  stick through the whole review so that I can tell you why 180mins of movie just ain’t right for you.

In fact, this movie can be condensed to 5mins and still get your money’s worth.

Opening (Great)
The movie opening sequence is really great! It makes you wonder how much effort Michael Bay and the rest of the crew has put together to deliver that opening salvo.

The story begins with a bit of a flashback in history.. then zaps us to today in China where there’s a cover op of the NEST (Autobot-Human alliance) in ridding the earth of Decepticon threats.

In the first movie, we were left to wonder what ever happened to the rest of the Decepticons. If so, then this will be answered by the opening sequence.

The Bots were in pursuit of them. Not just the old ones, but new Cons who came late to the aid of Megatron.

Although this movie (like the first one) is really meant to be watched in big screens or else you’ll get cross-eyed trying to figure out what’s happening.

Plot (Good)
Well, it’s not that great.. but it’s not that bad either. Although this movie is about the Transformers, the human factor is still important  to make these Cybertronians revolve around it.

Like the movie tagline, it’s all about revenge. Someone from way back called The Fallen (who was once a Prime) was obsessed with power. Only to be defeated by the other Primes.

Now the Fallen can only be defeated by a Prime. Ergo, in the movie as Optimus Prime is the last of the noble Primes, was (as he always do in the comics and cartoons), dies.

Yes, there goes one of the spoilers.

Optimus died to make way for the Fallen’s return.

So, the Bots and the humans have to bring him back to life. Problem is, Sam Witwicky is having a “Peter Parker” syndrome. You know.. ordinary kid with extraordinary destiny. On top of this, he and Mikaela are separated by distance when Sam went to college.

If I were Bay, I’d stop from these two main plots. The problem is, there’s just too much plots and sub-plots. There’s vengeance, there’s redemption, there’s funny sidekicks, there’s parents craziness, there’s global war. Too many things to concentrate on. And that doesn’t even cover Soundwave.

So it’s just too much for me. It’s not that bad. It’s still entertaining. But it’s just too much.

Optimus Prime (Great)
Besides dying (again), Optimus Prime probably delivered his baddest ass performance. In this movie, he was jumping from planes, bridges, shooting Cons bigger than him (because Cons are suppose to be bigger than Bots).

Bad ass as in Optimus Prime just took down this huge unicycle Decepticon and asked what they’re up to. The dude didn’t say anything but a threat that the Fallen is coming. The Prime shoots him in the face.

Then there’s the forest sequence where Prime man-handled Megatron, Starscream, and Blackout. Even ripping off Starscream’s arm to use as a whip. Now that’s just mean.

Plus.. when Prime delivers lines such as “Of course we will leave if that is what you want us to.. but what if you are wrongggggg.” Kudos to Peter Cullen on that.

Megatron (Good)
As usual, Megatron doesn’t talk too much. But in this movie, you can see Megatron’s details and facial expressions that makes him a lot scary than in the cartoons. Hugo “Agent Smith” Weaving doesn’t sound like the OG Gary Chalk. But close enough to make you remember that Agent Smith is the evil behind the Matrix.

But the Megatron you’ll see in this movie is more tamed than the first one. Why? Because he defers to the supreme rule of the Fallen. Kinda like Darth Vader to the Emperor. He’s more of a servant doing his master’s biddings.

The Fallen (Bad)
Bad.. and that’s not in a good way. It really doesn’t make a difference if he was there or not.

Bumblebee (Good)
Ey, the Bee here is better than the first one. I just don’t know why he lost his voice again. He’s still Sam’s guardian, plus he acted like a mini-Prime just like how the comics depicts him. Like a second-in-command Bot. I like the fact that he ripped Ravage’s spine (there you go, another spoiler).

Jetfire (Bad)
Like the Fallen, but not as bad. He’s a bit instrumental.. somehow.

Devastator (Good)
Cool! Just how many are the Cons that forms the movie Devastator. Six? Can’t really figure from the movie. But he’s like one monster robot with the balls to back it up (there you go, another spoiler).

But I’m hoping that they’ll make a leader class toy of this Con.

Megan Fox (Bad)
Can’t blame her. Fox’s main role in the movie is as an eye candy.

Remember how I told you that TF2 can be condensed into a good 5minute movie trailer?  Four minutes of that clip would be Fox running in the dessert in slow motion. The other 30 seconds would be Fox straddling her bike and changing clothes. The other 30 seconds? Prime dying.

Shia LaBeouf (Great)
LaBeouf used to be that talkative kid in Constantine. But I believe that he performed very well in this movie.

Not a lot of the usual “no no no no no no no no” lines. But you should see him scream like a girl. Hahahaha.

More Robots (Bad)
It’s not a bad idea to have more of everything in sequels. More budget, more action, more planes, more tanks, more guns, but.. there’s a but in this.

Having more robots that moves fast and are barely recognizable is really bad. In one hand, you’ll be thinking, this is cool. On the other, you’ll be asking yourself if that robot is an autobot or a decepticon or is it a lamp post?

Easter Eggs (Great)
There are new things in the TF2 and one of them is a knock against Terminators. You remember a clip in the recent Terminator Salvation where there’s a big robot that resembled a transformers? Well in TF2, they hit back. There’s a robot that transforms into a human. Something like a Pretender. But this Pretender is waaaaaayyyy hotttt than the T3.

Overall (Good)
Like I said, the TF2 is not a bad movie. It still want to make you see the next one.