man to man

starring: joseph fiennes, kristine scott thomas, iain glen, hugh bonneville, lomama koseki, céile bayiha

it is always fascinating to observe humanity as it was. and in retrospect, as it is. this film is about 18th century europe, when it had had for a time come to terms with mankinds true origins thru the theories of charles darwin. at this point, mankind had lost that privileged place of being the center of all nature. it has turned on into itself. it created a heirarchy of humans, with the caucasians at the top, because it had probably had the most bruised ego being the first to discover, and negroids at the bottom.

the story begins with dr dodd's capture of the two pygmies. toko (male) and lumiko (female). they were in the beginning treated/regarded as animals. dr. dodd's interaction with them brought him to the realisation of his prejudices. this is a clear message of how to cure prejudice. why prejudice is wrong. the story ends with the roles of who is the real savage reversed.

we all have prejudices against other people. wrong notions about people based on the color of their skin, gender preference, creed, their age, their sex.

rating 5 out of 5 *****
we are all human beings.

Cute But Good Love Songs

I've never really understood this madness they call romantic love. All I know is it makes people do good and stupid things. Anyway here's a list of my favorite cute but good love songs:


5. Wooden Heart - The Lizards' Convention

An improvement over the Elvis original. Your traditional feel good romantic tune.

There's no strings upon this love of mine
It was always you from the start


4. Separate Lives - Stephen Bishop

Ouch. The original Stephen Bishop version has much more emotion and impact than its more popular Phil Collins counterpart. The singer vividly describes feelings of hurt and isolation after a devastating breakup.

You called me from the room in your hotel
All full of romance
For someone that you met
Telling me how sorry you were
Leaving so soon
And that you miss me sometimes
When you're alone in your room
Do I feel lonely too?

You have no right to ask me how I feel
You have no right to speak to me so kind
Someday I might
Find myself looking in your eyes
But for now we'll go on living
Separate lives


3. The Longest Time - Billy Joel

I love this song. It captures exactly the feelings of being in love. Hearing this brings back fond memories that you know will always be there.

Oh, oh, oh
For the longest time
Oh, oh, oh
For the longest time
If you said goodbye to me tonight
There would still be music left to write
What else could I do
I'm so inspired by you
That hasn't happened for the longest time

Who knows how much further we'll go on
Maybe I'll be sorry when you're gone
I'll take my chances
I forgot how nice romance is
I haven't been there for the longest time
I had second thoughts at the start
I said to myself
Hold on to your heart
Now I know the woman that you are
You're wonderful so far
And it's more that I hoped for


2. Out Of My League - Stephen Speaks

This reminds me of a girl I admired from afar that I never got the courage to talk to because I was so intimidated with her whole mystique. And though nothing ever happened, you're still thankful for the butterflies and wonderful feelings you went through whenever she was there. Those uncertain emotions of swimming in that strange sea, being high up looking down on the land. Perhaps someday...

It's her hair and her eyes today
that just simply take me away,
and the feeling that I'm falling further in love
makes me shiver but in a good way.
All the times I have sat and stared, as she thought fully thumbs through her hair.
And she purses her lips, bats her eyes and she plays with me, sitting there slack jawed and nothing to say.

Cause I love her with all that I am,
and my voice shakes along with my hands.
Cause she's all that I see, and she's all that I need, and I'm out of my league once again.

It's a masterful melody,
when she calls out my name to me.
As the world spins around her she laughs rolls her eyes and I feel like I'm falling but it's no surprise.

Cause I love her with all that I am,
and my voice shakes along with my hands.
Cause it's frightening to be swimming in this strange sea, but I rather be here than on land.
Yes, she's all that I see, and she's all that I need, and I'm out of my league once again.


1. Go For You - Basia

Not your typical Basia song and one of the quirkiest love tunes ever written. Describes that moment when you start to lose it, not wanting to show weakness by falling over yourself, yet being unable to control your feelings of love.

I'm through with love
It's only a madness
I'm finished with this
This moment was never my joy
Who needs a heart break
Don't want anybody to call my own
But when you're near
The sweetest sensation
Takes over my heart
I feel like I'm losing control
These moments of weakness
Allow me a glimpse of heaven

It could be so good
I'm wishing anew
Or why should I resent something I've always missed
What's the point in my pride
if I cannot deny
that I could really go for you
What's the point in my pride
if I cannot deny
that I could really go for you

Firewall

The trailer advertises this movie as a high-tech thriller, with Harrison Ford playing the role of a computer security guy who discovers that his family is kidnapped and is forced to use his skills to steal from a large bank under the threat that his family will be killed.

The film turned out to be a big letdown, even lower than my low expectations. This is easily one of the the most inconsistent, illogical, inaccurate, boring movies I have watched in a long time. There were just too many plot holes, childish contrived scenarios, and unimaginative action scenes.

How did the bad guys get into the gated security? Why did the wife act surprised when Paul Bettany wasn't the pizza man she thought he was. Did the family actually order pizza? Do the pizza delivery guys have a free key to the gate?

Why use Harrison Ford in the first place when you already have his identity? Was the whole kidnapping really necessary? What the hell was the 'gambling thefts via identity theft' for in the initial scene?

Why waste time having the family try to escape the kidnappers? Oh I get it, it's to keep the audience in suspence for a few minutes.

Why do what 99% of all action/suspence movies do by having the good guy fight the bad guy in hand to hand combat in the end.

Why is there free wifi in isolated city streets and remote countryside regions? Man, I would love to have Harrison Ford's laptop, the one with the free internet connection everywhere he goes.

Why waste Virginia Madsen with such a useless role?

Why waste the audience's time with the all too common practice of having the handsome and gentlemanly villain?

Why does computer security expert Harrison Ford have such a lame easily breakable four character password?

Why were the bad guys too nice?

Why was Harrison Ford so lucky that the kidnappers decided to bring along the dog, which ultimately allowed them to be traced to their "secret" hideout. It still bothers me that Paul Bettany would have gotten away if not for the dog.

Why give the only two interesting characters in the movie, Ford's secretary, and the X-Files guy, such limited roles?

Why start with such an interesting premise, then stoop down to the lowest common denominator by using contrived, overused plot devices?

Why didn't I stay home instead of watching this crap?

Rating: 1/5 *
Watch CNN instead.

The Best Books of 2005

Well not really. This is actually a list of the best books I've read in 2005, regardless of when the book was published. You might also want to check out Roehl's 2005 book list, as well as my 2004 top 10 list.


Alright, here are my ten best books of 2005:

10. Prisoner's Dilemma - William Poundstone

This is a fascinating read. If I could summarize what this book is about in one sentence, it can be described as a technical discussion of game theory and other theoretical thinking/decision scenarios. When does it pay to cooperate with your opponent? Is there a single line of action that will assure a win no matter what the scenario? Poundstone describes interesting puzzle games such as the prisoner's dilemma, honor among thieves, and my personal favorite - the dollar auction. You think through the solutions to these problems. You can relate these to real life scenarios and it serves as great mental exercises.

There is also a side story on Von Neumann and the various cold war strategies employed by the US and Soviet Union. How the US government employed cooperative game theory in outmaneuvering their cold war rivals. Great stuff.


9. Armchair Economist - Steven Landsburg

This book opened my eyes to the economist's view of the world - a much different way of looking at things than we are used to. For instance, is pollution bad? Not if it lowers rent costs and real estate prices, which gives opportunity for lower income people to afford their own place.

Or imagine a scenario where farmers grow wheat, which they export to distant lands, and in exchange receive shiploads of Japan-made cars. It doesn't matter where the cars are built. It is as if the vehicles are grown directly in the farm. Growing wheat -vs- building cars has the exact same net effect - you get cars in return. Is inflation bad? Inflation causes prices to rise, which raises the cost of living, and directly causes interest rates to rise, which nets you a higher return on your investment. So it is neither good nor bad. When you set a dollar bill on fire, does the value of that dollar get lost forever? Or does it raise the value of every other dollar bill, which benefits everyone else. Thus, there is no net loss in the burning of your dollar bill.

The negatives: Some of the ideas are not presented in a very coherent manner. And you get the feeling that the author is too full of himself and feels superior to the reader. Still, whether you agree or disagree with the ideas or like the author, this book will change the way you think.


8. Freakonomics - Steven Levitt, Stephen Dubner

Reading this is like eating junk food. It's fun, tastes good, and you want to eat more. This book is the main reason for the current popularity of economics texts. You'll find lots of interesting out of the ordinary conclusions based on the authors' research.

There's a controversial chapter that discussed the dramatic reduction of crime in the 90's, and how the Roe v. Wade supreme court decision to legalize abortion was the main factor behind it. It studies the statistics behind internet dating sites, which factors maximize results, and why having blonde hair for a woman is worth its weight in gold. There's another chapter that gives a good illustration of how people respond to incentives. When a school gets funding based on the test scores of their students, it results in an increased cheating rate done by the teachers themselves. Each argument and conclusion is presented well, supported by facts, and written in a very entertaining way. This book is just plain fun to read.


7. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

Another very entertaining book. Though I was put off by the lame ending and felt the author didn't go far enough. If you're going to write a fiction book about the descendants of Jesus Christ and the location of the Grail, might as well go all the way. I loved all the historical references and the idea that the history which we all take as fact could very well have been altered by those in positions of authority to suit their own objectives.


6. Learning Python - Mark Lutz, David Ascher

Only one computer book made the list this year and it happens to be a tutorial book on my new favorite programming language - Python. This book guides the beginner on using Python language features and writing useful programs. Python offers a low stress development environment, it's like writing pseudocode that runs. And it doesn't bog you down in language details that interrupt your flow of thought. A cool language and a practical book.


5. The Motley Fool You Have More Than You Think - David Gardner, Tom Gardner

I've read a bunch of personal finance books, both good and bad. A lot of them rehash the same principles over and over again - put away 10% in savings per month, pay yourself first, have 6 months emergency fund, pay down your debts, blah blah.

Ah, but the Fools put their own slant to the personal finance stuff. It is presented in a more practical, detailed way. My favorite chapter is the one about the value of a dollar. How much is the value of a dollar - not much you say? Actually the value of a dollar is worth more than a dollar, and they explain the reasons behind it. The Fools also tell you when you should not invest your cash, how to get a good deal when buying a car or house, and even some basic info on how to read those numbers and symbols you see in the stock market. All told in a humorous fashion making it fun to learn what used to be a dry subject. There is even a joke chapter on how to teach your dog tricks and make extra money, which caught me off-guard thinking it was serious advice. It would be nice to teach high school kids the concepts presented in this book.


4. The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell

One of two books written by Gladwell that made the list. The guy is an amazing writer. He puts into words old concepts that have existed for a long time, which we didn't have a name foir. For instance, take the concept of the Tipping Point. That phenomenon where a product or idea gathers momentum and slowly makes its way to the mainstream. One day it hits that magical tipping point where it gains critical mass and becomes a marketing success.

Gladwell describes exactly how the tipping point is achieved. It takes the work of key individuals such as connectors (people who connect you to other people) and mavens (people who are experts and an information resource that other people rely on). There is also the stickyness factor - how an idea can be 'sticky' which gives it a longer life. And the Law of the Few - a few key people can matter a great deal.

This book is sometimes sold as a marketing book, or business book. But I think the text is more about human nature and life lessons. Gladwell sometimes has the tendency of repeating the same point over and over again, with different examples, which can be repetitive reading sometimes. Still this is a great book and a bonafide classic. And it probably deserves to be higher on the list than just #4.


3. Blink - Malcolm Gladwell

Sweep! Two for two for Malcolm Gladwell in 2005. This is an incredibly interesting and fascinating book. It is about how humans think and perceive things. We look at the world around us and constantly make snap decisions without being aware of it. We think this item is good, this one is bad, this place doesn't feel safe, that tennis player will miss the shot.

Instinctively we know all this stuff. The most powerful computer in the world, our human brain works constantly, thin-slicing our gut reactions. We are taught in school not to make snap judgments. To use critical thinking, decision matrices, flowcharts and other aids. To minimize our instinctive reactions that we learn are not accurate. Gladwell's hypothesis is that our gut reactions to common everyday things are just as accurate, or even more accurate than if we spent a couple of weeks consciously mapping out which will be the best decision to make.

He also gives counterarguments as to why snap judgments may lead us to the wrong path. There is one interesting chapter on the race prejudice test where we tend to associate black with bad and white with good. Sometimes think-slicing doesn't work as well as we want it too. This book has it all, unique insights, new ideas, and an enjoyable read.


2. The Joy of Laziness - Peter Axt, Michaela Axt-Gadermann

I have a confession to make - I'm lazy. I have a hard time getting up in the morning. If I didn't have to go to the office, I'd probably sleep till noon everyday. Also, I hate exercise. The thought of going to the gym repulses me. I'd rather go for a long walk rather than go jogging or lift weights.

Conventional wisdom says you need to wake up early, have breakfast, join a fitness club, run marathons, eat five meals a day. Could it be that we were wrong all this time? That lazy people actually live longer and stay happier than their fitness-obsessed, always on the go counterparts? This is what this book is about. It describes a lifestyle change wherein we conserve energy, avoid stress, relax more, and have periods where we do nothing. Written by two doctors, one of them being a former marathon runner who found out that excessive exercise actually brought more harm than good.

Rediscover the lost art of relaxation. For exercise, take brisk walks rather than going jogging. Cancel breakfast or dinner once in a while, fast one day of the week to lower daily calorie intake. Start waking up later rather than earlier to give our body much needed rest and recuperation. Avoid job promotions that take away our peace of mind and relaxation. Be lazy and indolent - these are the heart of good health. Something I already knew but was always afraid to say out loud. Highly recommended to challenge conventional thinking.


1. Million Dollar Habits - Robert Ringer

Our top book of the year. Written more than a decade ago by the great hard-nosed, no-nonsense motivational author Robert Ringer. Not to be confused this with Brian Tracy's recently released book of the same title. Don't get that, get this one instead. I found an old copy in the public library. Took it home, liked it so much I reread it again immediately after finishing it the first time.

What makes this book great? First of all, this is an extremely practical book. Each piece of advice is solid, sound, can be readily applied in real life. There are no shortcuts or tricks. There are no magic words to use, or cute statements to fool yourself into thinking you are successful or happy. Just good practical advice which you can use.

You can access an outline of each of the principles mentioned in the book here. To summarize, you have to live in reality, not a fantasy world. You should not fool yourself into thinking your situation is better (or worse) than it actually is. You have to keep things in perspective. Losing your job may be bad for you, but there are far worse things (starvation or war for instance). You should live in the present, set in motion a cycle of good thoughts and success. You should not lie even if it will give you an advantage (very hard to do). By preserving your integrity, you are giving yourself true freedom and peace of mind which cannot be bought by any sum of cash.

You should practice good human relations. Be respectful to others, cooperate with them. Practice tactfulness and tolerance for other people's beliefs. Keep things simple rather than complicated. Avoid negative people who drain you of valuable energy. Practice self-disciple and learn to develop a laser-like focus on stuff that is most important to you. Take action - this is the best cure against adversity.

All of this stuff probably sounds like common sense, or mere motherhood statements. But Ringer writes in a clear manner with lots of examples from his personal life. He talks about the mistakes he made and life experiences he had which illustrates the point of each habit.

The title 'Million Dollar Habits' is a bit misleading. This isn't a book that will help you earn a million dollars. It's not even remotely concerned with making money or with achieving the illusions of "success" and all its trimmings. This is a book about life. Living in a manner that will give you great satisfaction, happiness, and true success.


Honorable Mention:
- The Okinawa Program
- How to Make Luck

Got some books you've enjoyed reading lately? Let us know in the comments section!

stage beauty

this movie is acute in illustrating how we are so preoocupied with gender roles. men are expected to behave this way and women are to behave another way. mannerisms brought about by the culture that fosters them. creating strict expectations and thus self limitations, by which everyone must adhere to, or suffer the consequences.

the story takes place in 17th century england. it starts with a very famous actor, mr. kynaston who plays women. at this period, women werent allowed to take on any roles on the stage. purposely prohibited by guess who? ^_^ and so it was up to the men to take on women parts. and for some rather exceptionally. up until the king who was very liberal, turns about and decrees that women be allowed to play women roles. this new decree, beside the obvious implication of advancing womens rights in society, takes away the jobs previously available for said actors.

my favorite part was when the king was deliberating on the subject of allowing women to act on plays. and one argued that france, a neighboring country, had always been doing it for years. although said in jest, its a tribute to a culture that has always been progressive, socially that is.

also i find this film to be mocking of how things are still today. we still have the same players who oppose social progress. we have the same people who in power to allow or prohibit these advances to happen.

rating 4 out of 5
i like comedy

lord of war

le seigneur de guerre. BASED ON ACTUAL EVENTS .. nicholas cage plays yuri the arms dealer, his wife ava fontaine played by bridgette moynahan, and jared leto plays vitaly the brother. and finally the government agent played by ethan hawke.

it is about an arms dealer living off the transgressions / wars between countries, dictators and the people he oppresses, and regular folks who have reason to buy a gun and use it. exploitation, corruption, oppression are explicitly shown in the film. almost everyone is corruptible. it is an ethical question. are arms dealers responsible? when they dont actually kill people. they just sell the means that people kill themselves or defend themselves. but is it not the same as selling drugs, alcohol, and to a largely remote degree fastfood?

i like the relationship between yuri and vitaly. where the brothers show solid confidence and loyalty, honesty to each other. it protays that yuri despite his business dealings of selling arms is still a human being. with the same desires and needs as any.

it touches briefly on the issue of arms in the states. where citizens have the right to bear arms. so that it might appear to be an anti-gun campaign film. but more importantly, it urges us to examine what kind of society we will be if citizens are allowed to have weapons. the arms dealer leads a rather complicated life. a double / triple / quadruple life. the story builds up into a judgement against him but overturns right at the end where he is eventually caught and gives out his biggest defense. i wont say here what hehehe.

rating 5 out of 5 *****
"evil prevails .."

Rare But Good CDs

Ever had a CD you love that hardly anyone has heard of? Here are a couple of my most treasured CDs in the collection. It's likely that any of them will be found in retail music shops. Their recording labels have either closed or discontinued new releases. Here's the list:

5. Marc Almond - The Stars We Are
I was a big Marc Almond fan in high school so this was the very first cassette tape I bought with my allowance. If you haven't heard his two songs: 'Bitter Sweet' and 'The Very Last Pearl', then you're in for a real treat. These are two of the best little-heard new wave songs ever and it evokes wonderful memories every time I hear them. Sixteen years later, I finally acquired the CD version and the music is still as good as it was back in high school.

From 'The Very Last Pearl':

Well I've seen the sights of New York
I've seen day become night
I've seen the Brooklyn Bridge
All covered in lights
I've dived to the depths
I've scaled the heights

Call me romantic
Call me deluded
I've had it all

I've seen a Mediterranean night
The ships on the sea
The most beautiful eyes in the world
And the saddest eyes in the world

Call me romantic
Call me deluded
But I didn't care at all

4. Frente! - Labour of Love EP
I had to scrounge through the amazon used CD resellers to get this rare Frente release. What makes this CD 'rare but good' is that it contains two little-known Frente songs that I consider some of their best work: 'Not Given Lightly' - a cute love ballad, and 'Paper, Bullets and Walls' - a folksy, angst-ridden, quirky song. Nicely done Frente. But what we really need is a new Angie Hart release.

We also reviewed it previously on dangerousreviewers.


3. For the Kids (various artists)
A children's CD makes the list? You bet! Well, this is a children's CD with some kickass covers of popular kiddie tunes song by none other than three of my favorite bands. There's a CAKE cover of 'Mahna Mahna', a Barenaked Ladies version of 'Lalalala Lemon', and a rendition of 'Good Night Children Everywhere' by Sixpence None the Richer. Add to that, the very best version of 'Rainbow Connection' I've heard, performed by Ms. Sarah Mclachlan herself. This ain't no kids album.


2. The Other Two - The Other Two and You
The Other Two are Gillian Gilbert and Stephen Morris, two of the lesser-known New Order band members who recorded an album on the side. And what an album it is! This was released sometime in 1994, when the popularity of new wave music had all but passed. I remember hearing the single 'Selfish' on the radio and thinking 'Holy.... new wave lives on!'. This song has string instruments, synth, cool vocals, and a smooth beat. One of my all time faves.

From 'Selfish':

Someone I hate,
she think she's great unless you state the obvious.
You're next to me, entirely let's wait and see

Someone like you, selfish it's true
All you can do it's play to see entirely you disagree

No sense of reason, you think it's true
Why did you have to believe them?
No sense of reason,
What do I have to do?
There's no one else
You're deceiving

The rest of the album is good too because of the high musical quality of tracks such as 'Innocence', 'Movin On', 'The Greatest Thing' and others. How can you not like a song that has 'The Greatest Thing' as its title? This album is the greatest thing. Well, maybe the second greatest thing, especially after you read my number one pick.

From 'Innocence':

It’ s not the city or this town
I’m not the only girl that needs your affection
To satisfy this need that you’re the same boy now and that’s what I want

Since the very start you took control of my heart
And in the very end you pretended to be my friend
But you could never see the innocence in me
The innocence in me

By the way, I intend to get their follow-up album Superhighways in the near future if I can find it.


1. The Lizard's Convention - Here's a Funny Fish, Hurrah!

This is the ultimate rare but good CD. No longer sold in stores after its japanese distributor, Pony Canyon folded. I still have the original CD I bought in the mid-90's when the group had a minor hit in some parts of Asia with their cover of the Elvis Presley song 'Wooden Heart'.

The Lizard's Convention is a Singaporean band composed of Leon Lim, Adrian Loo, and lead singer Kristine Oehler who has one pretty unique singing voice. Its two cover songs 'Wooden Heart' and 'Rock the Boat' are superior over the originals. You've got to hear Kristine's rendition of these songs, absolutely amazing. It has a power and chatty friendliness that is hard to describe.

And who can resist other cool tracks titled 'The Goat that Haunted Me', 'Pleasant Song', 'If Cows Grew on Trees', and 'La Di Da'. Very cool songs. Kids will love 'em because they are sweet sugary pop melodies that are immediately appealing to the senses. Adults will love 'em because this is high quality music performed by people who love creating music.

Shortly after The Lizard's Convention's brief bout with fame, the group kind of disappeared. They had troubles with their recording label, was forced to record their follow up albums on their own, each band member going their own separate way. I can't even find their mysterious second CD titled 'Quarkstar' (if anyone has seen it or has it, please leave a comment). Such a pity as this little-known Singaporean band was pretty good. We want more Lizards Convention!



If I can continue to collect more hidden gems such as these in the next ten years, I will be a very content man.

Batman Begins

This is a do-over of the previous Batman movie series that had gotten stale. Batman Begins is not bad. It's actually pretty good.

The first forty minutes of the movie is well-made. In fact, it's my favorite part. Essentially it provides the background story of how and why Bruce Wayne became The Batman. How he trained hard under a mysterious ninja organization that had Liam Neeson as one of its leaders. How his parents were murdered and how he dealt with it as a young heir. Great effort is made to make the reasons for his transformation believable to the viewer, as if it could actually happen. I liked the lines about fear, and how Wayne eventually learns to unleash it for his own purposes. A very entertaining extended opening sequence.

Such a fine intro, but the rest of the movie was kind of subdued. It felt a little bit uninspired, as if all the good ideas were used up in the opening scenes. Don't get me wrong, relatively this is still quite a movie. It was like the rest of the film was stuck in slow motion. The good parts were few and far in between. For instance, I liked the contrast between billionaire Bruce Wayne and The Batman, and the realization by Katie Holmes that he no longer is Wayne, he has become Batman. The Scarecrow is a fascinating villain as he enables victims to visualize their greatest fears.

I think this movie's main purpose is to set up the rest of the series. It introduces several key characters, sets up how Lieutenant Gordon develops into Commissioner one day, establishes Arkham Asylum as a future breeding ground for villains. And it reveals exactly which bad guy Batman will face in the sequel.

All in all, not bad. Just got boring and uninteresting in some parts. But hardcore fans will love this.

Rating: 3/5 * * *
Good intro. Promising setup for future sequels.

north country

a mother was trying to earn a living for her and her family by taking on a job tradionally taken by men, at the mines. it immediately sets a clear backdrop of sexism at work. and her journey towards her liberation and along with it, the liberation of all women. its an important message especially for a country like ours which has a rather archaic view of women.

sexism can be as little and insignificant as a joke. it happens all the time and women are subject to it everyday. i can only imagine what it would be like for them. and the movie was clear to make that distinction. between a joke and a joke.

women are human beings. how difficult is that to understand. she is capable of doing anything she puts her mind on. that includes doing police work. fireman work. drive a car. teach. advocate. take care of the sick. lead a flock to worship. lead a country. we see proof of this in progressive socieities.

rating 3 out of 5
important message, but it lacked punch

narnia

narnia is a typical disney movie. there was no blood shed. and problems were magically whisked away by some powerful force that is beyond the world and undertanding.

the villains appeared ugly save for the witch who was enchanting. the heroes were valiant and noble looking. clear templates of what defines noble and not so noble. the villains were doomed and didnt have a chance. perpetuating yet again the myth of good and evil in the world.

i got a strong feeling that it fell short of showing a very good battle scene (potentially). like the ones in the lord of the rings. or with la coeur valiant. i didnt feel the same desperation as i did when i watched these other films. i wished that edmond had sticked to his true convictions. and that is to bring destruction to his meddling siblings. i mean, i would .. ^_^

i like the two sword wielding centaurs. the creatures. the taurens. the polar bears! and my personal favorite la sorcière. the acting was good, convincing. and the english accent was charming.

this movie is definitely for kids. im predicting that local producers will start copying certain elements of this film. and make it appear as if they were original.

rating 3 out of 5
stereotypes abound

Primer

I just finished watching this on DVD. My head is spinning. My brain is working overtime, trying to figure out all the details. I've spent the last hour reading up on the imdb messageboards trying to make sense of the story.

Primer is a movie where time travel is used to brilliant effect. Two young engineers invent what appears to be a device that allows you to travel short distances to the past. It starts with a lengthy fictionalized scientific discussion on how the two guys actually create the machine. This part is told in a realistic manner that makes the premise of time travel actually plausible. What happens if it actually works?

The ability to go back in time, armed with full knowledge of what the present has in store, is a very powerful weapon. We see subtle changes in our two protagnists' behavior. They start out innocently, using future knowledge of stock prices to their financial benefit. But they end up doing more, seduced by the power of being able to know everything in advance. There are major plot twists near the end of the movie, at which point I completely lost track of what was going on. It becomes a complex puzzle, as layers upon layers of time travel adjustments and interactions between different iterations of past selves takes place. And it's a fun, bewildering ride.

You really need to pay attention while watching this film. The ending left me saying 'huh?' and it took me some time browsing the message boards, reading alternate user interpretations before I got a semblance of what actually happened near the end. If you like thinking and puzzle movies you will love this one. But if your idea of a good movie is to relax and watch the next car chase scene with explosions you will probably hate this one.

My personal interpretation: The focus of Primer concerns various time travel possibilities. How does this affect the parties who can control time. How does it deal with certain causality conflicts i.e. killing one's own grandfather, thus preventing your birth, etc. We are given a realistic interpretation of what could actually occur and a subtle commentary on how power and control affects the human psyche.

This movie was made on an extremely tight budget, reportedly just $7,000. Many of the scenes were shot in one take. And the two main actors end up telling the story of events that happened rather than us seeing the events ourselves. One major complaint I have is that a lot of the big points that would have made the story easier to understand were not emphasized to the viewer. So we are left with lots of small clues and left wondering whether they are significant or not. The movie could benefit by making some of the important parts easier to understand, with dialogue and timing organized to underline the key events. Because this was not done, I found myself having to watch the DVD more than once to get a better grasp of the story.

I'd like to see this movie remade with a bigger budget. With some of the scenes shown to the viewer as it occured rather than have it narrated by the actors. Perhaps tweak and revise the screenplay to dumb it down slightly and make it easily digestible in small doses rather than all at once. I can't wait for director Shane Carruth's next film.

All in all, a unique story. A brilliant geek movie that didn't get much mainstream attention.


Rating: 4/5 * * * *
What happens if it actually works?

Million Dollar Baby

Million Dollar Baby is a classic. Each character in the movie has a life of his own. I felt as if I could personally relate to each one. Even after the film ended, it was like these characters continued on, and I wondered what would happen to Frankie (Clint Eastwood), Eddie, 'Danger' and the whole gang.

The story is rich and unexpected. It starts out as your typical underdog sports movie. Maggie (Hilary Swank) is the unknown up and coming boxer with a lot of promise, who finally convinces Frankie to train her. At first, Frankie wants nothing to do with the young lady's boxing career. He's seen enough fights, had enough heartaches in the past to get emotionally involved. But eventually he gives in to her tenacity. And a good thing too because she has the heart of a true champion. And Frankie soon enough starts coaching her and treats her like his own daughter. Which is ironic because his own flesh and blood daughter refuses to have anything to do with him. He writes to his real daughter every month but the letters are always returned. It is not known what is the source of the conflict.

There are many great scenes, good quotes, and one interesting plot twist in this film. I can't describe them here because to do so would give away crucial parts of the story. You'll have to watch them yourself and laugh, cheer, and cry as I did. There is an extremely powerful scene where Frankie finally reveals to Maggie the true meaning of the nickname he gave her. What totally blew me away was the brief final scene at the diner where the picture fades, the one right before the credits roll. Never had something on the big screen moved me as much as Million Dollar Baby. One of the best flicks ever made and my number one movie of 2005.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars * * * * *
Must-watch. Highest recommendation.

king kong

what i hate about this movie. it didnt explain why these animals evolved into those giants. how did the inhabitants survive all that? who put the ruins there. they could not have made them with all the dinosaurs and insects running around. kingkongs fate was sealed even before he went to NYC. he was bound to die alone back in the island. that scene on the ice was the worst. how were they able to trasport a N foot giant with a tug boat. insects are known to travel oceans (see monarch butterflies). those giant insect would have found its way off the island. notice how the fog was conveniently done away with once they entered the island. it was almost impossible getting in. which slightly explains the mystery, how it would have stayed hidden from everyone all the way up to the 20th century. and suddenly theyre able to get out without a cinch with a giant primate tugging along.

the movie should have at least tried to explain its own physics. otherwise, then its all just kind of a mess .. isnt it. i slept thru half of the movie. there was not much in it except for the cool graphics. 5 years ago maybe before jurasic park i would have been impressed .. it takes more than a bunch of fireworks to impressed THIS audience ..

rate 1 out of 5
dum movie

Suzanne Vega - Songs in Red and Gray

Visualize some of the most beautiful music you will ever hear. Imagine the most meticulously arranged compositions layered with Suzanne Vega's rich vocals and you have what is arguably her best work. Songs in Red and Gray is Suzanne's latest album released way back in 2001 - a masterpiece of lyrical and melodic proportions.

Most of the songs were written five years after Nine Objects of Desire and more importantly some time after Ms. Vega's divorce from her husband, Mitchell Froom. So I kind of expected this to be a brooding, sad, angst-filled compilation. Not so. Some of the tracks can even be described as light-hearted and uplifting.

My personal favorite musical piece in this CD is Widow's Walk wherein the singer describes her situation metaphorically to that of being widowed, but looks ahead to a better future:

Consider me a widow boy
And I will tell you why
It's not the man, but it's the marriage
That was drowned

So I walk the walk
And wait with watchful eye out to the sky
Looking for a kind of vessel
I have never found

This is the most powerful song in the CD and an instant classic. I hope they make an instrumental version of this with a true orchestra to capture the rich layers and full beauty of the music.

Another fantastic song is the aptly titled Last Year's Troubles, an interesting take on how we romanticize and glorify century-old villains such as pirates, thieves, and other rascals. Now these were downright evil and nasty people in their time, yet we look back at them fondly, retelling history to a more sentimental, quixotic, unrealistic degree. I also suspect the whole song is a metaphor to letting go of a troublesome year that has past. This is one of my favorite songs lyrically.

Last year's troubles are so old fashioned
The robber on the highway the pirate on the seas
Maybe it's the clothing that's so entertaining
The earrings and swashbuckling blouses that please

Look at all the waifs of Dickensian England
Why is it their suffering is more picturesque?
Must be cause their rags are so very Victorian
The ones here at home just don't give it their best

Last years troubles they shine up so pretty
They gleam with a luster they don't have today
Here it's just dirty and violent and troubling
Etc. etc.

Other tracks are more of the songwriter's editorial take on her predicament. For instance, 'Soap and Water' is a letter from a mother to her young daughter. 'If I Were a Weapon' seems to be about some sort of emotional blackmail with the weapon in this case being the tool of the extortionist.

It's as if Suzanne combined all the best parts of her previous work. She put together the folk sound of her earlier CDs, together with the style and arrangement of Nine Objects of Desire. If this album had a weakness, it would be that it could sound too over-engineered, too carefully arranged, leaving the human touch distant from the listener. But this is a very minor nitpick. If you like finely produced, high quality easy listening music, this one is for you.


Rating: 5 out 5 stars * * * * *
One of the best

l'exorcism d'emilie rose

this is based on a true story.

its like watching LA Law. a case has been brought to court. the people against a priest who is accused of being responsible for a girl's death. the priest is defended by an agnostic lawyer. the people represented by a religious, but objective, lawyer.

the case was simple. the girl thought to be possessed by the devil was actually suffering from a mental illness. well documented cases exhibiting similar symptoms have been brought to the people to judge. the priest was sticking with his story of seeing the devil. being attacked by it. and that the girl was possessed. and that no amount of medical help can help her.

my favorite part was the successive dispelling of every symptom of possession. here are some of them:

1. speaking in tongues
2. possessed speaking in different voices
3. stigmata

this movie is a classic case of common sense. how different people react to something unusual. some would look for the logial explanation. and others are comfortable with believing in a fantastic and invisible world of beings with wings.

rating 4 out of 5
because there's almost always a logical explanation.

The Best New Music of 2005

Compared to last year, 2005 was a quiet year for music. I spent most of my time catching up with older songs I've missed rather than listening to new ones. Nevertheless here are my favorites of 2005 in order:

6. Guitar Man - CAKE

This is CAKE's tribute and remake of Bread's 70's classic. Think of it as cake and bread coming together. I have to admit I enjoyed the new version better than the original though I like them both. CAKE captures the emotion of the original song, while adding its own distinct tempo and voice. And if you liked 'Guitar Man', then you'll enjoy the Friends and Lovers: Songs of Bread CD.


5. Trouble With Dreams - Eels

I was intrigued with this song when I first heard it. It wasn't like anything I listened to before. Put together that xylophone-like piano intro with drum, violin and raspy voice for a dream-like composition that will haunt you. Add the catchy tune, a lot of contradictory pauses, and you've got one of the most unique songs of the year.


4. Beverly Hills - Weezer

A future staple in sporting events, Weezer hit a home run with this one. This song is high energy from the intro to the chorus. An acceptable substitute to caffeine. I haven't heard a good loser song like this since Beck.


3. Come As You Are - Mindi Abair

I loved this soft guitar/saxophone instrumental piece the instant I heard it on the radio. Mindi Abair is one of the best new composers in the business. I imagine that the message of this song is to avoid pretension, embrace the natural, and just come as you are. Blending of guitar and sax is inspired. High-quality music.


2. Krafty - New Order

Great Scott, new wave lives on! I couldn't believe it at first that the 80's band New Order was still active and churning out great songs such as this one. Krafty captures the carefree happy spirit in us and has a positive uplifting message. Fantastic!


1. Complicated Man - Minnie Driver

I really didn't care much for Minnie Driver until I heard her sing Complicated Man on Carson Daly. You can't help but like this song, the lyrics, catchy twangs in the melody, and extremely addictive. Imagine the best parts of several distinct songs rolled into one 80's-country-pop tune. I smile when I realize that Complicated Man, our #1 song this year, was just a bonus track from the japan import CD of an actress turned pop artist.

Happy Listening!

ang pagdadalaga ni maximo oliveros

quand maximo oliveros devient une femme. its about a young boy who suddenly grows up, after being placed forcibly in a position where he has to choose sides between his family and his object of affection. his family is poor and steals cellphones for a living. his object of affection is a cop. a man probably twice his age. somehow it works out in the end, where maximo gets over his adolescent infatuations. and his family turns a new leaf.

its a film which has similar elements to european films, where it doesnt try to make any judgements about anyone/anything. or if it does try to preach. its very subtle. you notice how many times "dont buy pirated dvds" was mentioned. but there many scenes maximo is seen doing his favorite hobby (as you might have guessed many filipinos do too) -- watching pirated movies.

there were a number of long pauses in the movie, which might bore people. i did observe there was substance in these pauses. i find that, for philippine cinema, the quality of this story is very rare. Its unconventional and very progressive. and more importantly, its not your typical pinoy entertainment. Church folks, people with homophobia, and conservatives might take offense watching this movie.

Rating 4 of 5 ****
Its refreshing to see a pinoy film with substance

Jennifer Paige (self-titled)

Jennifer Paige is most well-known for her smash pop hit 'Crush' which became quite popular in the late 90's. The single received major airplay on radio and launched the artist to full stardom. Since then, Ms. Paige's popularity has kind of tapered off, her follow-up release Positively Somewhere not achieving the same success as this debut album. Still, I consider the artist as one of the most underrated performers of our generation. And I believe she still has a hit or two in her waiting to get out.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this CD. Let's clear up some popular misconceptions about her type of music first. For one, the songs in this album are more rythm and blues than disco/pop. This is what makes the song Crush unique, it was an R&B tune disguised as sugary pop music.

Second - the lyrics in these songs are rich and poetic - much like a Suzanne Vega composition, yet disguised as light and easygoing. I can't give Jennifer credit for the words since she doesn't write her own songs. But she does deliver them with a passion and emotion that leads you to believe she can personally relate to them. This is her main talent and strength.

Third - Crush is not the best song in this CD. In fact, you may be disappointed if you bought this album solely for Crush. The pacing and feel of the rest of the tracks are different - a little bit slower, a little bit more soul and emotion. The vocals are powerful yet not gimicky and Paige resists the temptation to show off, unlike most of her contemporaries who constantly feel the need to shriek several octaves higher to garner attention.

We have two mellow love songs in 'Always You' and 'Between You and Me'. I heard that 'Always You' was a minor hit, but it hasn't grown on me. 'Let it Rain' and 'Somewhere, Someday' are songs that give hope and support to friends in time of need. These tracks are not exceptional, but have the potential of being future favorites. Some can sound repetitive after several listens and may feel like a letdown after hearing the hyper energy 'Crush'.

Now for the good ones. 'Just to Have You' is extremely catchy, very sticky and fun to both listen and sing along with. 'Busted' is my favorite song in the CD. Makes me wonder why it wasn't released to radio. You will smile at the cute and funny lyrics that mention lines such as "chewing on my raisinettes", "checking out my pay per view", and multiple references to dessert, all in an infatuation-intoxicated setting sang unbashedly in the R&B style.

You may remember 'Sober' which was a minor hit during its release and in my opinion is Jennifer's best song to date. Great voice, melody, lyrics that tell a story. This has it all. Check out the video too which features the melancholy singer trapped in a dreamlike airport terminal.

What we've got here are two kickass songs in 'Sober' and 'Busted', two catchy songs in 'Crush' and 'Just to Have You', and a good supporting cast of light easy listening tracks. Not bad for a debut album.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars * * * *
Very underrated artist, watch for a comeback.

Oldboy

Oldboy is a Korean movie about secrets and revenge. Its main selling point is a disturbing, wicked twist as part of the ending. There are a number of violent, cringe-inducing scenes that seem to be standard in the asian shock horror movie genre these days. This was also the most highly anticipated DVD on my viewing list this year and as I had extremely high expectations for this film, I was slightly disappointed that it was not as disturbing as I thought it would be, and the twist in the end was not as big and dramatic as I had braced myself for. Still, if you are looking for a different viewing experience and enjoy the 'oh shit' feeling when your assumptions are challenged while watching the story, then Oldboy is the movie for you.

(Reviewer's note: The following sections below describes some aspects of the story but contains no significant spoilers. Also I discuss the plot from the point of view of a first-time viewer watching the movie as it happens. So some of the narrative may mislead the true nature of the events as the movie itself contains secrets that will be revealed later. Watching this with a childlike open mind will significantly improve the entertainment value of this film. -rob)

The protagonist is a man named Dae-su who has been kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years in a small room all by himself with no human contact. During his confinement, he never sees his captor, he is fed the same food - fried dumplings, for every meal for the next fifteen years. His only contact to the outside world is a small TV set where he gets news, education, and recreation. From watching the news in his cell he finds out that his wife is murdered and that he is the prime suspect in the killing. Police issue a nationwide manhunt to look for him but of course never find him as he is safely hidden by his captors. Dae-su is filled with anguish and despair at not being able to defend himself and his family. His baby girl is whisked away and raised by foster parents and he comes to the realization that he may never see her again.

With nothing else to do, Dae-su keeps himself fit by practicing martial arts and shadow boxing, emulating the fight scenes he sees on TV. He gets his sex by masturbating to female pop stars on entertainment variety shows. In the next fifteen years, our protagonist's mental and physical state deteriorates. Lack of human contact and the sheer monotony of his detention makes him insane and he gets obsessed with thoughts of revenge toward his captors and the torture he plans to inflict on them after he gets out. Suddenly after a decade and a half of captivity, Dae-su is drugged and put to sleep. He wakes up in an open field, the first time he sees buildings and sunshine after many years. But he is now more of a beast than man and is only focused on finding his captors and making them suffer as he has suffered. This is an extremely well-made extended opening scene that sets up the premise of the story.

What happens next can appear to some viewers as bizarre and incoherent. We are treated to some cringe-worthy violent scenes which although disturbing, are not as bad as the worst scenes from Audition or Suicide Club. For instance, the camera pulls away from the shot where the actual violence takes place, then returns to the spot to show what had happened, leaving much to the imagination of the viewer.

There are also some extended graphic sex scenes between Dae-su and a young woman named Mi-do who falls in love with him. I like the Korean actress playing Mi-do; she has the rare attribute of being cute and sexy at the same time. This is kind of where the movie breaks down for me, as I found it hard to believe that an attractive woman such as Mi-do would be extremely dedicated to a beast-like man such as Dae-su who treated her like property. It was so much like the Asian stereotype of machismo strong man in full control of his subservient obedient wife/girlfriend. The story had been good so far but this facet of the plot made zero sense to me. Made me wonder if the director just wanted an excuse to show some sex and nudity.

We are also introduced to our villain, an extremely intelligent, crafty, good-looking man named Woo-jin. He seems to know all the secrets. He apparently knows the reason as to why Dae-su was imprisoned in the first place. Revealing the secret is the big payoff promised at the end of the movie.

There are also some other good scenes that act as either potential clues or time-filler depending on how you look at them. Dae-su eats a live squid, fights a hundred men in a unique action segment, and even barks like a dog in one of the stupidest, most outlandish scenes in movie history.

And of course we have the big ending where all questions are answered and where you get your wickedly disturbing twist. To tell you the truth I was bit disappointed and underwhelmed by the 'secret', but this was probably because I had extremely high expectations for this one. This is not the biggest plot twist you'll see in a movie. I still consider the surprise endings of Unbreakable and Mulholland Dr as superior to Oldboy's finale. Still if you're a fan of this kind of movie, and if you like to have something to think about after the credits roll, you will enjoy this.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars * * * *
Big twist. Moderately sick and disturbing but still good.


(Additional note: Feedback comments section may contain spoilers, so please view them only after watching this.)

le docteur kinsley

kinsley, parlons sexe

human sexuality under the microscope presses on the undeniable fact about our nature, including the fabricated social restrictions imposed by society at large to deny that nature. these practices, viewsm, and restrictions are born out of supertition and tradition. and it was kinsley's life's attempt to strip mankind of it. i dont know if he was successful. to no surprise, the conservative elements in our society, are the same elements who would rather keep everyone in the dark. no need to mention the church and its pawns in the state. things like pre marital sex, extra marital sex, masturbation, incest, pedophilia, homosexuality and just about every other subject on sex were, if not subtle and tastefully done, talked definitively about in the movie.

the practical purpose would be to understand our nature. nothing more. leave it to the conservatives to put malice in a purely scientific study. i sincerely enjoyed this movie because it inevitably brings about personal concerns. if nothing else, its something to look for at the bookstore.

rating 4 out of 5 ****
because its truly unconventional

Party Like It's 1999

The turn of the millenium was a good time to be alive. We had a booming economy, lots of excess cash, plentiful jobs available. Every Friday night, Makati was one big party zone. Everywhere you look, yuppies would be all all over the bars, shopping malls, and restaurants. Many young and not-so-young people trying desperately to part with their hard earned paychecks. We were kings - carefree, invincible, our bubble will never be burst. Well that's what we thought anyway, give us a break, it's 1999.

Music played a big part in defining that carefree Friday night atmosphere. There's a tried and true formula of songs that need to be played to ensure the light and cheerful Friday ambiance. You'll hear them played by live bands, or as part of a track list played in theme restaurants. Here's a list of those Friday party songs that were popular in the late 90's. Loved those songs and that time. Heck, I bet these songs are still played every Friday night in the Glorietta/Greenbelt areas.

Hey - Fatima Rainey
A good icebreaker and feel-good song: "I say hey, hey, I love you till the morning comes. I say hey, hey, I'll kiss you in the morning sun." Set the tone of the evening. Relieve your stress after a hard week's work.

You Get What You Give - New Radicals
One of my favorites. This captures the carefree 90's spirit well. The night is still young with good music and fun all around. And the best thing is, you don't have to get up early the next day.

Never Knew Love Like This Before - Sonya
After everyone has had a bite to eat and settled down, let's play this wonderful song. Life is good and love is in the air. Sonya's rendition of this Stephanie Mills song is a classic.

Then The Morning Comes - Smash Mouth
Cool song. Both sad and happy in an ironic way, depending on how you feel that day. Your job sucks but this song kicks ass, so you're cool.

Crush - Jennifer Paige
Now we play the music at full blast. By this time, most of your companions are in an inebriated state, and will dance on top of the table while you're drinking your beer.

Tubthumping - Chumbawamba
And now you're stuck with your drinking buddies. One is complaining about his boss, the other is looking for advice concerning his affairs of the heart. You discuss these same topics week in week out, and you know it doesn't amount to anything, but you talk about them anyway, with Chumbawamba's chanting in the background "I get knocked down, but I get up again, you're never gonna keep me down... pissing the night away"

Don't Call Me Baby - Madison Avenue
This song became quite popular right as the dot com bubble was bursting. Our party would soon be over. But let's extract every last ounce of fun we can get from this pop disco tune. This song is for all the players and haters, you know who you are.

All The Small Things - Blink 182
Catchy, addictive, repetitive. Toe-tapping. Finger-snapping. It's like the 80's only it's the 90's.

September - Earth Wind and Fire
Now we're winding down, the yuppies are getting tired, and some are calling it a day. But the night ain't over till it's over. We still relax and take it easy, while celebrating our successes with this Earth Wind and Fire staple. This is almost always played because it sends 'em home happy.

Closing Time - Semisonic
Now it's 3 AM and the bar is closing, and they want to kick you out. Another Friday night is done. See you next payday.


Got any more Party Like It's 1999 songs? Let me know!

40 year old virgin

la vierge qui avait 40 ans. this is a movie that i am almost afraid to watch. because im immature. even though i know that there shouldnt be any reason at all (feeling overly defensive hehe). i think its because i was unnecessarily concerned of what other people might or is thinking about me. those presumptions. those pity stares and uncomfortable conversations. true or not, is not anybodys business. strangely, i got to watch it with several of the young(er) generation from work. which maybe made the experience, of the movie telling me things i already know about myself, even more depressingly humorous. because i swear to god, they were all thinking about me. hehehehe.

ok. back to the movie. my favorite part was when his boss lady was making a proposal. it was funny because the lady really looked the part of .. someone who would engage in casual sex. no strings attached. i wonder if i will ever meet someone like that. forget the politics. forget the consequences. hahaha. another favorite was when he was watching porn. the porn his generous friend gave him. in my mind, that hit the jackpot right there already. end of movie. i mean .. its a FREE stack of porn. what else could he ask for. his reaction to the free porn was a bit odd. there was also the exposed boob slash speed dating scene. the boob looked fake, somptous but fake.

the virgin had a number of buddies. all stereotypes of what a man (american) society thinks he should be and have. there was the smooth talking womanizer. the charming and depressed angry exboyfriend. and the weed smoking and easy going jester. each character wanted to impart unsolicited wisdom, and had something to share to, the virgin. and this is the part that i thought was genius. everyone assumed he needed help, which towards the end of the movie, it becomes apparent who really had problems.

rating: 4 out of 5 ****
yes i know .. its because of the exposed boob

The Big Lebowski

The Coen brothers know how to make good movies. The Big Lebowski is a bit like their previous dark comedy, Fargo, yet not as dark, a bit more dream-like and illusory.

You have a great cast of characters whose story can be spun off into a movie of his own. There's The Dude, a larger than life alpha male type who seems oblivious to the world around him. He's a bum, a loser, and people look down on him, but he doesn't care cause he's The Dude. Then you've got John Goodman's character Walter, the hotheaded Vietnam Vet who curses and takes impulsive action, ultimately leading to all The Dude's troubles. And there's my favorite character, Donny, who you may recognize as the funny-looking kidnapper in Fargo, a laid back simpleton type who hangs out with The Dude and Walter but is continually and maltreated by them (particularly by Walter). He's obviously not on the same tier as the two alpha males, yet they let him hang around with them. Brilliant casting too, Jeff Bridges as The Dude is genius.

Some of the plots can get incoherent, particularly the Julianne Moore parts. There were also some scenes which I felt didn't have anything to do with the movie. I'm referring to the Jesus bowler and Jackie Treehorn parts. I'm sure the brothers intended for it to have some special significance, which can only be understood on second or third viewing.

I can kind of relate to this film, and I'm sure many others, particularly my friends will like it themselves. Although I would like to associate myself with The Dude character, I'm probably more of a Donny. You probably already know someone who's a lot like The Dude.

Choice of music is very good. There are several short mini musical segways which I enjoyed a lot. It sets the mood and feeling of the movie, and I'm sure there are some pot references in them. Soundtrack would be nice to have. Don't miss the urn/spreading of the ashes scene near the end, one of the funniest movie moments of all time.

What this movie needs is a sequel.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars * * * *
Great cast and very funny.

The Scariest Movies of All Time

Here's a top 5 list of the scariest movies I've seen so far:

5. Seven
I was deeply disturbed many years ago after watching this. Each seven deadly sin torture scene was cringe-worthy. I still find this to be one of the most brutal movies ever made. It leaves a lot to the imagination of the viewer, which adds to the horror and disgust. The whole thing was so dark and depressing.

4. Signs
This is pure psychological terror, and also one of my favorite movies of all time. You experience the sense of isolation and uncertainty of the Hess family as if you were there with them. There was also this great exchange between Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix on the couch about types of people and faith that was both thought-provoking and chilling at the same time. It's the sort of movie that will stay with you long after watching it.

3. Audition
Can't tell you much about this japanese film because to reveal more about it will destroy the intended horror effect. I was exhausted, mentally and physically spent after watching the final scene. The slow, easy-going, romantic first half is deliberate and meant to lull the viewer to a false sense of security. This had the biggest bang shock value I've ever experienced on a DVD.

2. Mulholland Drive
I originally wanted to watch this to see Naomi Watts topless in a lesbian scene but it turned into one of the most weird, disturbing, scary movies I've ever seen. Nothing is what it seems, nothing is explained. And the more you think about what transpired, the more layers of questions and horror are revealed as you lie wide awake at night. The effect is greatly magnified especially for those who have a big imagination. There were three extremely frightening scenes in this one: the dumpster scene outside the diner, the decaying corpse on the bed, and the entire Club Silencio part. I felt sick a whole month after watching it, I had just moved to a new dark empty apartment without TV and having only a few lights, which only made me afraid of going to certain rooms at night, or even looking out the window.

1. The Blair Witch Project
OK drum roll... there are two types of people, those who think The Blair Witch Project is the scariest thing ever made, and those who hate it. Let me tell you why this gave me the best scare experience ever. First of all, it was shot to look like it was really happening, that the events were actually recorded as an amateur documentary film, with the footage being discovered later. I came in the theater knowing this was fiction, but by the middle of the film I was thinking it was all real. Second, the greatest horror lies in our own imagination, and much of the footage provides fodder to our greatest fears. You start to imagine the witch, what it must be like to be trapped in the woods. You identify and feel the panic and terror that these college kids are experiencing. Last of all, the final scene is one of the most frightening movie moments of all time. My friends and I went to watch this at 12 midnight. After it was done, it was almost 2am and I was begging my friends to keep me company or at least accompany me home (I was concerned the witch might go after me, or I may see something I shouldn't be seeing at the corner of my house). After their laughter subsided and they could see I was shaking with fear, they decided to keep me company the rest of the night. And for several months after that I avoided dark corners around the house, or being alone in a room at night, just to be sure.


In related news, I'm planning to rent what could be one of the scariest horror movies ever made, one with a reportedly sick, twisted ending. The title is 'Oldboy'. If it's as good as they say it is, I'll add it to the list above.

Fuzzy Logic

I knew I had to get this David Benoit CD after I heard 'Then The Morning Comes' on the radio. I hadn't even known at the time that it was a remake of an original song by Smash Mouth. But Benoit pulls it off with a kickass powerful instrumental rendition. I liked the sharp harpsichord piano combined with wind instruments. By the way, the original Smash Mouth version is cool too.

I initially thought the album title 'Fuzzy Logic' was a reference to the computer artificial intelligence fuzzy logic concept, but the more I think of it, it's more about the theme of combining various instruments in a contradictory way to evoke emotions in the listener. This is the CD you want playing while reading a good book or surfing the web. The first half is all about speed, excitement, caffeine, while the second half settles down to a relaxing tone. I liked the first few songs 'Snap!', 'Fuzzy Logic', 'Someday Soon', and of course 'Then The Morning Comes'. The later songs are pretty forgetable, though 'War Of The S.U.V.'s' is ok. All in all, a good one to have.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars * * *
Then The Morning Comes

Computer Shows

The untimely demise of TechTV left a huge void in computer and technology-related programming on the airwaves. Fortunately, there has been a recent renaissance in tech-related shows on TV, radio, and the web, most of whom were produced by the old TechTV mainstays. As someone who works and plays with computers everyday, you gotta love this stuff. Here's a list of my favorite shows that I follow:

1. This Week in Tech (podcast)
Leo Laporte, Patrick Norton, Kevin Rose, and the old Screen Savers gang are back in this very informative and entertaining weekly podcast. Leo and his buddies sit back, relax, and be their geeky selves as they discuss all the latest tech news. This is ground zero for everything tech. Also check out Leo's other podcast, Security Now! with Steve Gibson which focuses on computer security related topics.

2. Call For Help
Leo had to move his show to Canada after it was canceled. Thank goodness someone in Canada had the sense to pick this up. Leo and his 'Call for Help'ers, Amber and Andy have fascinating guests such as Mr. Excel, The Photoshop Guy, and The Security Guy Steve Gibson, as well as help call in viewers with their computer problems. Fun and educational.

3. KFI Tech Guy (radio)
Man, this Laporte guy must be real busy. This is Leo in his finest form, as radio is his favorite medium. He tries to solve listener's computer problems in his show and makes complicated topics easy to understand. I listen to this over the internet every weekend. Most of it is basic stuff. Still it's a fun tech talk show.

4. Digital Life TV
This is hosted by Patrick Norton, Leo's former co-host in The Screen Savers. This web-only show is probably the closest thing you'll get to TechTV-style programming. They cover a lot of howto topics as well as all the newest gadgets available. Fun weekly show.

5. commandN
Hosted by Amber Mac and Mikey of Call For Help. Another web-only tech news show from a younger perspective. The nice thing about this is that it covers pop tech culture without catering to the lowest common denominator of viewer. While entertaining and informative, the best reason to watch this is to see the lovely Amber in her own show.

The growing available of video and audio over the internet as opposed to traditional broadcast airwaves signals a trend towards Internet TV. We're witnessing the start of the golden age of IP TV. I can hardly wait.

Love Actually

Love Actually has to be one of the most cringe-inducing movies ever made. Every scene seems designed to trigger some form of emotion one way or another. It feels so contrived, so mechanically produced to create those warm fuzzy uncomfortable feelings of love.

The movie was written by Richard Curtis, who also penned the brilliant Notting Hill screenplay. So I expected some good writing here. There are numerous characters, some interrelated with each other, with neither of them standing out as a central main protagonist. It tells the story of several couples: the British Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) and his secretary, the relationship between a stepdad (Liam Neeson) and his young son, a forbidden infatuation between a young bride (Keira Knightley) and her husband's best friend, a couple whose marriage is on the rocks (Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson), a woman (Laura Linney) who sacrifices everything for her mentally ill brother, an over the hill rock star and his manager, and a recently single author (Colin Firth) who falls in love with a woman he can't understand.

Most of the scenes are pure corn. It seems like they go for broke in the corniness department at every other scene. My personal favorite storyline, and also the most outlandish one, is the one between Colin Firth and Aurelia. There's also the obligatory Hugh Grant 'dancing thinking no one is watching' scene in which I only laughed the second time I saw it.

Best and funniest quote in the film goes to Liam Neeson's stepson: "Let's go get the shit kicked out of us by love", something I can personally relate to, hehehe. I also liked the scene where the old rock star chooses to spend Christmas Eve with his manager rather than at Elton John's wild party. Another cringe-inducing, but cute scene is the part where the guy shows up at Keira Knightley's house with the billboards. Not all relationships end in happy endings by the way, probably to make the movie more realistic and also to counterbalance the totally improbable resolutions of the Hugh Grant and Colin Firth storylines.

Whenever anyone asks me about this movie, I always tell them it's pure corn. But since I'm a sucker for this kind of shit, I actually liked it.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars * * * *
Pure corn.

A Gaming Curmudgeon Lashes Out

My mother once called me a 'high tech bum' for spending too much time playing computer games and not helping around the house. Once, during a month-long Civ1 odyssey, I would rarely bathe, My days would consist of getting out of bed, powering on the PC, and playing Civ. Numerous times I would miss dinner with the family to play that one extra turn that would enable me to wipe out those evil Aztecs from the map. I used to come home from high school and spend hours playing Ancient Art of War, Lakers versus Celtics, and King's Quest. I would hang out in the computer and video game shops in Virra Mall just because it felt good to be around there.

I also binged on the Nintendo Famicom. I was hooked on Tecmo and Kinikuman Wrestling, perfecting my style so I could beat my brother. I have fond memories of Punch Out, Contra, Rygar, Excitebike, and Mario. So many games, so little time.

Then by the mid 90's, I lost track of the games. I was still a bum. Just no longer a high tech bum. I would only infrequently visit the computer game shops, which didn't hold my interest for too long. My brother though, kept playing, kept his gaming skills intact, while I languished. During this period, there was only one game I kept playing and it was Civ2.

A couple of years ago I decided I wanted to start playing games again. Not just Civ, but even some of the newer console games. My brother had a Playstation 1 and Sega Dreamcast which I wanted to try out. I told him "I want to play games again." So he handed me the controller and handed me a couple of games (I think it was a couple of 3D platformers and some of the Final Fantasy's) for me to try out.

My first thought upon seeing the new controller was "What's with all these buttons?" There were four buttons in the front, a gamepad, and two analog directional sticks. I was used to the Nintendo which had only two buttons, A and B, plus one directional pad. To add to my confusion, each of the four buttons in the Playstation Controller had a different function depending on which game you played. You push one button to jump, another to slide, another to duck, etc. "There are too many buttons" I told him, "I can only handle two buttons, A and B." Of course this was before I realized there were actually two MORE buttons in addition to the four. The controller actually had a left and right shoulder button that did different things.

My brain too was struggling with the 3D. I was used to dodging turtles and fireballs in 2D space with Mario. But this time I had to contend with the added dimension of depth. My character would jump in the air and I was too dumb to control where he landed because it was 3D. I couldn't handle 3D space, it was embarassing.

And the games were a lot harder too. My character kept getting killed over and over again. My pattern would be: Start level, Encounter obstacle, Get killed, Restart level. What's worse is my cousins who I used to make fun of when they were little, would get by the levels with ease. Games had gotten too complicated, too physically and mentally taxing for me.

Last year I got a Gamecube and tried my hand at gaming again. This time I actually finished a modern hack and slash game (LOTR The Two Towers, which is actually one of the better games available today). It was more of an exercise in frustration and patience than fun. My hands felt numb after the marathon sessions it took to finish a level. My brain too felt numb from the endless repetition of movements, repeat the same thing over and over until you get it right. Frequently the screen was filled with enemies which I couldn't defend against. Just repeat the combo, hack, slash, repeat the technique until you finish the level. On some levels I was almost in tears as I would be chopped down so close to the finish line.

First Person Shooters for the PC were no better. They make me dizzy and I get lost in the 3D walls and mazes. And it seemed to be endless repetition. Where's the fun in this? I was like a tired old dog who was helpless in the newer stuff.

All I ask is this - give me simple, fun games. Give me more creative gameplay, new concepts, rather than rehashing the same old FPS Shooter/Real Time Strategy/Hack and Slash/Action RPG that we have been force fed all this years. I want my games to be cool, inventive, and interesting. I applaud games with original concepts such as The Sims, Spore, Black and White, The Movies, SimCity, Animal Crossing. Give me more of these. Games today have become more of a manufacturing business, producing box after box of pre-fabricated products that add no new value, but which hardcore gamers continue to buy. Let's make games fun again please.

I want my games back.

Serenity

This movie was based on the short-lived sci-fi series Firefly. I was looking forward to this as it got rave reviews from the nerd community. It was heralded as being more fun than Revenge of the Sith, with a better story and set of characters. But it didn't work for me. It may be because I never watched the series the movie was based on. But no that's not it. I think the main problem was that the movie felt like a TV show. It lacked a certain polish.

The captain was probably the only interesting character. The rest were wooden carichatures (although the female engineer looked cute). Don't get me wrong, the story kept my interest throughout the movie and was nicely written, especially the secret revealed in the end. It just felt like many of the elements were done before. The 'Reavers' flesh-eating creatures sort of reminded me of the creatures in 'The Time Machine'. The Serenity ship and their crew felt like Morpheus and The Matrix travelling together. And I was mildly annoyed (and frightened at the same time) with the mind-reading crew member who kept the secret. Her acting was a bit too melodramatic, kind of out of place in this kind of film.

I did like the one liners the captain belted out such as "If you don't hear from me in one hour, take the ship... and come rescue me right away." The comedy elements in this one are good but not great.

In short, I enjoyed this movie. But it's not the next Star Wars or Star Trek. Though I can understand why hardcore fans will like this.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars * * *
Lower your expectations for this one.

Ladyhawke, La Femme De La Nuit

i am looking for a DVD copy of this old 80s movie starring michelle pfeiffer. its about this couple; a lady and a knight who were cursed to spend their days separate. the lady turns into a hawke during the day and into a woman during the night. while the knight turns into a man during the day and into a wolf during the night.

i am not sure if the story was original for it bears ressemblance to several other medieval romantic stories. but if it is, i think the breaking of the curse was unsurprisingly obvious.

there was minimal special effects, or nothing at all, that i can recall from this movie. the story and actress michelle pfeiffer were both the only "special effects" it needed. it is a simple fantasy love story. very entertaining.

rating: 4 of 5 ****

Five Books I Never Finished

Regnery book publisher Marjory Ross gave an interesting piece of advice in a recent conference. I don't remember her exact words but it went something like 'Don't feel obligated to finish a book, especially if it's a bad one. Just stop reading and move on to the next one.'

It got me thinking about all the books I started reading but never finished. Here's a list of the top five fiction books I couldn't bear to read all the way through:

5. The Silmarillion - J.R.R. Tolkien
I'd just completed 'The Return of the King' and eager to read more Tolkien. So I picked up The Silmarillion and got as far as the second page before it put me to sleep. I haven't opened it since and probably never will.

4. Hannibal - Thomas Harris
I was looking forward to this. I mean, The Silence of the Lambs movie was good, so the sequel in book form should be a fun read, right? Unfortunately I had to force myself to read page after every page. And eventually gave up when the story languished in Florence. To this day, I still think there's a good book in here somewhere, we just need to be more patient. And hopefully it doesn't turn out as bad as the movie that was based on this.

3. The Sicilian - Mario Puzo
I thoroughly enjoyed The Godfather, great characters, epic storyline, one of the most entertaining books ever written. So of course I had to get The Sicilian, especially since Michael Corleone is featured in the first part. Alas, he only has a minor role as the main character is a Robin Hood type fugitive named Guiliano. This is not the sequel I thought it was, but rather a different story, though it's still possible that Puzo may tie the storyline to the Corleone family in the end. I never found out though because I quit reading one third of the way through. I still think this is a good book worth reading. One of these days I'll continue where I left off.

2. Prey - Michael Crichton
I really wanted to like this book. It's about nanotechnology, computers, has a computer programmer as the main character, had a futuristic setting, and was written in Crichton's entertaining yet informative style which I enjoyed in his previous work. Amazingly, I lost complete interest about halfway through the book, just when the action was heating up. It seemed uninspired, forced, tailored to a movie audience. Something didn't feel right. Either Crichton has lost his touch or my taste in fiction is changing.

1. Servant of the Bones - Anne Rice
No offence to Anne Rice fans but this was a disaster. I was literally within five pages of the ending, striking distance to ending my torture and boredom when I realized it just wasn't worth finishing it. I just didn't care about any of the characters or what happened to them. The storyline was irritating and nonsensical. I would rather play with my dog than invest ten more minutes reading the remaining crap.

Death Becomes Her

it is a comedy about immortality. now that i have turned 32 myself. well outside of what most people might consider as youth. it is, more than ever before, apparent this question of living forever or longer. it is fascinating to us. this subject because in truth we can only know the life we have here. on earth. and the rest -- beliefs of an after life are just means for most of us - the great majority, to cope with this undeniable fact of someday. this will all end.

the movie creates this situation where it is possible to go back. to become young again. during the peak of physical beauty and probably mental prowess too. in my case, right after college, and before i turned 25 is when i think, i was at my peak and during which after, and i am willing to openly admit it to the universe, that i have experienced a downward spiral since then.

will i take that potion? i will probably. because i miss it. i miss being young. i miss being confident about myself, my mind, my body.

rating: 3 out of 5 ***

Le Divorce

le divorce. a film about french culture from an american perspective. which means most of it may have been exagerrated. i cant be sure. i have never been nor exposed to it except through hollywood films. but one major theme was getting a mistress. i honestly dont see anything wrong with it except that im not in a relationship. maybe ill feel different when i am in one. but i can see myself getting a mistress when the relationship, and it is bound to happen, become sour. people can pretend to live happily together forever. despite the fact that we all know that .. that only happens in fairy tales. the movie exposes how the french accepts this fact. that people are subject to affairs outside marraige. the french appear decadent and backward. and that they may have archaic views about equality of the sexes especially during a divorce. i cant pinpoint exactly what it is but it was explicitly mentioned in the movie. i didnt understand parts of the ones where french was used. it was too rapidly spoken. and im not that good yet at listening.

all in all it was a window to the french culture. not exactly one that mirrors fact but rather maybe how americans view them.

rating: 3 out of 5 ***