Comfort In Neon Lights

Compass

2011-01-28T15:03:00.005+08:00

And now I know the only compass that I need,

oh is the one that leads back to you.

And the burning blisters on my feet will calm,
So hold me as I m close to flaw.
Away from the warmth of your arms I stay,
off the radar and into harms way.

Yeah, coffee will raise the head again,
cokes that lead us from the pain.
Words just sit like empty scribbles,
such empty caffeinated widows.

Now I know the only compass that I need

is the one that leads back to you.

Jamie Lidell - Compass (2010)

Summary of this week

2010-10-29T20:06:00.006+08:00

Here's to a great November. October's been great but I guess at least some people just had to ruin it at the end. But still, I remain optimistic towards what the future will bring.

How was your month?

Work

2010-10-23T20:15:00.003+08:00

I have not blogged much about my current career as a full time lecturer at a local private university.

Actually, I never did. And there are reasons to this. Well, to put it simply, I hated the job. Hate it more than I hate Bunkface's frontman. Lots of reasons come to mind, but the most prominent would probably be the environment. Let's face it, even with all the bad things that 'some' say about the University I graduated from , UiTM, overall it was one heck of a trip during my degree days. The environment was perfect with a faculty that is made for educating ungrateful (not all, I mean) students all across the country. We had a good set of equipments, labs, library and all the things you should find in a good University. *Sage nod*

This place? Not so much. The classes are basically rooms with monotonous white paint and the air conditioning tends to freeze people to death or go the direct opposite which is not WORK AT ALL and fry people to death. The classes are not equipped with LCD projectors. I'm not trying to nitpick, but with all the money that the students pay every semester (believe me, they pay fortunes), a little help with installations of these projectors would suffice but NOO....

And us lecturers get treated like garbage. We get pushed to do some some work that are not in our job description. And we're the ones TEACHING the students. Myah.

But the one that bothered me most is the fact that I was alone. The camaraderie I had in my degree days was lost. Friends, familiar faces and reassuring lecturers would always make me feel happy. I missed my makcik by my side too. And until this day, this feeling never ceased. I know I could just connect with all the other lecturers, but I never did. I don't hate them, I just don't see them as important and as personal as those I called friends back in school and varsity days. But hey, at least takyah nak susah jage hati orang.

So did all that bother me too much that I'd stop working? No, far from it. Yes, I don't see it as a permanent job, but at least I'm paid (albeit a bit late every month) and it serves to enrich my self in terms of experience. Bolehla. It's still kinda shitty but I learned not to mind too much anymore.

Happy Birthday.

2010-07-23T08:14:00.005+08:00

Your absence has not taught me how to be alone, it merely has shown that when together we cast a single shadow on the wall

~Doug Fetherling

Happy Birthday sayang. I know, this post is a bit late, but I thought I'd take some time here to reminisce how integral and essential you've been in my life.

Happy birthday love. You're a fine looking 23 years old lady now, who I fell in love with years ago, and yes, I still keep falling for you. From a neighbor, to a good friend and finally, my lovely soul mate.

I've held on to many friendships, but none greater than yours. You were there when I couldn't place my trust in anyone around me. Your warmth rekindled strengths that I never knew when your voice reached to me. You're my best friend makcik. More than just a girlfriend, you made me believe in myself, that I could do things I never knew I could. You've always reminded me how powerful it is to hold on to Him, bile susah dan senang. You made me realize the importance of treating a woman the way a man is supposed to. You made me see the world through your eyes, and my, what a beautiful sight you've shown me.

You said I looked good, when the man I see in the mirror is vertically challenged and overweight (close to obese now).

I love you.

Happy birthday. Let's hope that we'll celebrate our upcoming birthdays together. Aminn.

Things on my mind

2010-03-20T20:38:00.006+08:00

Lesson Plan

Shin Chan

Thesis

This girl

Yakuza 3

Mass Effect 2

Family

ps: Sorry that my blog has become so visual oriented lately. Writing finesse down at the moment.

Air Mata

2010-03-10T19:05:00.002+08:00

Air mata yang telah jatuh

Membasahi bumi

Takkan sanggup menghapus penyesalan

Penyesalan yang kini ada

Jadi tak berarti

Kar'na waktu yang bengis terus pergi

Menangislah bila harus menangis

Karena kita semua manusia

Manusia bisa terluka

Manusia pasti menangis

Dan manusia pun bisa mengambil hikmah

Di balik segala duka

Tersimpan hikmah

Yang bisa kita petik pelajaran

Di balik segala suka

Tersimpan hikmah

Yang kan mungkin bisa jadi cobaan

Poem

2010-02-25T23:15:00.003+08:00

Here I am, drunken fool of old,

the constant walking blisters the sole,

Hear me whine! Hear me whine!

How the old days were plated gold.

But alas, such misery does not last,

a fair judgment, cast, cast and cast,

and my wings spread,

as I jest with jovial madness.

Till the return of the scourge,

the sword through glistening fires,

the might tested, rigorous,

as my spirit prays for His forgiveness,

for the lament and walking astray.

Being a fan of superheroes...

2010-02-22T17:35:00.002+08:00

This is just too cool for me. Here's hoping the movie will be good! :)

2010-02-08T18:49:00.004+08:00

"Just don't give up I'm working it out
Please don't give in, I won't let you down
It messed me up, need a second to breathe." ~Adam Lambert

"A champion is someone who gets up, even when he can't." ~Jack Dempsey

"Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance." ~Samuel Johnson

"Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up."~ Michael Caine

"Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries." ~James A. Michener

"Aku kene mandi, busuk nih." ~Hafriz

I want

2010-01-08T17:26:00.001+08:00

I want

and

but I'm

*sigh*

Focus cikgu Hafriz! Pasni beli sume!! Yosh!

Memorable Videogame Protagonists in my years of gaming

2009-12-29T20:02:00.002+08:00

Video games have evolved from mere two dimensional platformers with plumbers who take drugs (heheh), to three dimensional platformers with red clad, thick mustached plumbers complete with voice acting and vivid facial animations. And they still take drugs. :P

Heheh, my point is, that video game characters have come a long way since the NES days where characters are no longer one dimensional. They have gravely or nasalized voices, fit to the variety of egos and personality. They smile to show their excitement and they shout expletives to show their frustrations. They harbor dreams of happiness, made of titanic proportions, some crushed by the cruelties of humanity.

Though not all developers strive for deep characters with interesting personalities, I do appreciate the fact that once in a while, one or two will pop out of nowhere ans surprise me. If you played a lot of games, you'll probably recognize these characters, but if you haven't, I'll tell you why. :)

Let's start with an old favorite of mine. Metal Gear Solid's much beloved hero, Solid Snake was always memorable to me because he stood for what he think is right. Despite working for the government he always reminded himself of not becoming a mere tool, listening to the advice of a good friend who died saving him. He felt great remorse towards all the killings he committed, yet he admitted that those killing were a part of his joy of battling for his life. Not really a character to be admired when you read that, but don't get me wrong.

A decade of Solid Snakes

Snake is not completely devoid of compassion, demonstrated by his attraction towards the original game's heroine, Meryl, though he pushed her away because of the fictionally concieved Foxdie virus eating his body and accelerated his aging. Tragic.

I admit, Lara Croft may just be another form of explicit exploitation from the developers, but admit it, Lara stood out from the plethora of gaming heroes dominated mostly by men, and seems to be the only one still whose name is well remembered thanks to Jolie's portrayal in the live action Tomb Raider films.

The many faces of Lara Croft.

Not even Samus Aran or Chun Li could match her popularity, despite being in the business a lot longer than her. I admit, it must have been the overblown body parts that have set her apart, but that alone could not propel the jiggling babes of Dead or Alive to superstar status, did they? (it did churn out a dumb movie adaptation) It was Lara's tough chick attitude that probably nails it which in small ways explains the growing numbers of girl gamers in the community.

If you played the Half Life series, you'll notice that the hero, Gordon Freeman is a mute. Well, not really a mute, but his character has not uttered a single word throughout the series, earning himself the silent protagonist title. And aside from Barney, not a single character from the original Half-Life series was worth remembering. That is until Half-Life 2 came along..

Left: Alyx Vance. Right: Pathetic and mute MIT graduate

Enter Alyx Vance. Smart, attractive, funny lots of brain and unlike Lara she doesn't have a tough girl attitude problem (YES!). It's easy to care for Alyx, because you spend a lot of your time with her in the game, and listening to her comments and encouragements really makes her company a much desired one. Her advances towards Gordon are nice too, despite Gordon inability able to provide a proper response to her (loser). Not a single moment is dull thanks to Alyx and her occasional sense of humor. I will hate Valve forever if they decide to kill Alyx in the next episode. Speaking of which, stop making Left for Dead and give me my Episode Three!

Max Payne is one unlucky old man. Wife and baby girl murdered by junkies. His partner was killed and he was framed for murder. The Mafia family wants him dead. Betrayed by so many. Lucky for him, he's got nothing to lose, and decides to go wage an all out war against all who opposed him. But its not just about him fraternizing with the enemy.

The man with nothing to lose. Max Payne.

What makes Max a deeply interesting protagonist is his sarcasm and sometimes pessimistic nature towards life, how he narrates them with some really cool one liners.

"Luck and weren't on speaking terms."

100 coolness points for that line alone.

A recent favorite, Nathan Drake has got to be the easiest character for any average to relate with. He makes mistakes, a lot of mistakes. He wears shirt and jeans, a contrast to so many badasses of gaming wearing armor of gigantic proportions.

Nathan Drake in the critically acclaimed Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.

We see him doing lots of things without thinking far ahead, like jumping of a speeding jeep to a speeding train. He shows signs of stress as he's pinned down to get cover from enemy gunfire. He cracks jokes about his enemies, usually in front of them and getting a beating at times. Reckless, with a good sense of humor. I like this guy.

What are your favorites people? Do tell me!

Avatar is...meh.

2009-12-24T14:11:00.009+08:00

Before I go on with our discussion of James Cameron's latest epic adventure:

Hehe. Lame tak update. Sowryy. No inspiration. And stress.

Anyway, went to the cinemas a few days ago and I watched the much hyped Avatar, which has been on my must watch list for quite some time now. Having watched the film, I was left with both feelings of amazement and a bit of disappointment. Why? Read on.

(SPOILER ALERT)

The thing about Avatar's storyline is that it feels too familiar to some other movies before it, where themes of colonization are most apparent. Man goes into the village, befriending the locals, with an ulterior motive that will make these locals hate him if it were to be found out. Man falls in love with the local hot babe and got hot n heavy and, BAM! Man switches camp and fights the colonizers alongside the locals.

Remind you of any movies you've seen before?

Ah, never mind. I'll relieve you off this difficult remembering task. Here are some stimulants.

Don't get me wrong, I can deal with familiarity. I don't mind when people make remakes or present storylines that are inspired by other movies or any other medium, I really don't. But what gets me is when a filmmaker decides not to bring anything new to the story, like an unusual culture, a twist in the character's back story, or anything that should make the film feel distinctive from where it draws its ideas or inspiration.

Avatar plays it safe by just pitting a similar story, without making it special by putting a different twist or element, ending up with a movie where you can guess the ending miles away before the credits roll. What's worse is that they gave the same treatment with script which was rather,well, normal. Samey. While normal's not bad, it certainly won't make listening to a conversation an interesting watch either. Most of the lines do not project much humor or wit needed to resonate any emotional connection with the audience. A lot of the film's experience is better appreciated visually, where the environmentalist message and theme of the film stood at its tallest.

Once you go blue, you'll never go back.

But when you talk about the visuals, Avatar is simply phenomenal, from start to finish, it's quite a spectacle. This is perhaps where Cameron and his team brought their A-game to, and it clearly shows. The depth in imagination presented in the world of Pandora is simply eye catching, From the floating mountains to the huge tree where the Navis inhabit, everything is shown with such panache that its hard not to just find your eyes feasting on the world that has been conceived wonderfully.

And let's not forget the amazing implementation of CG in creating the blue skinned Navi people. Without compromising for fully CG created characters, they decided to blend the actors facial animations with a touch of CG so that the characters movement would not be hampered by the uncanny valley problem. There is no dodgy looking animations and movements here, everything looks so exquisitely pieced together by the wizards at hollywood. The film's awesome visuals itself is worth the admission price.

If only they went a bit further with the script and the story, it would have been a really lasting experience. Shame.

PS: If you have differing opinions than mine, feel free to comment, a good discussion is always welcome.

<3

2009-10-18T18:46:00.002+08:00

Sorry sangat,
I know I was being a total jerk.
Maybe it's the work that got to me,
But that's not an excuse.

I love you. <3.

Which would you choose?

2009-10-05T18:54:00.005+08:00

If you are in my position, which of these games you think has the most interesting concept?

In this game you play as an outcast ronin, looking for people who would hire you. You can work for the police, or the yakuza, or the brothel.

In this game, you play a guy who possess the power of controlling electricity. You can use it to help people or use it against them. Heheh.

In this game, you play a warrior who seeks to destroy the demon called The Old One, and remove the fog that has plagued your country for quite some time.

In this game, er, you get the picture.

Which would you choose? (Don't worry, your opinions won't affect my choice)

The Lake Isle of Innisfree

2009-10-04T23:56:00.002+08:00

I will arise and go now,
and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there,
of clay and wattles made:
Nine bean-rows will I have there,
a hive for the honey-bee;
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there,
for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a glimmer,
and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now,
for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway,
or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.

PSP Go is smexxay

2009-09-26T17:06:00.002+08:00

Um
Can somebody buy this for meh?
Hehehe
The DS does not hold my interest anymore.
Nampaknye cuti ni kene la keje...
Heheh,
By the way,
Happy Hari Raye sume.

I Know I have to do my assignments...

2009-09-15T00:12:00.004+08:00

But i just had to post this.

Your results:
You are The Joker

The Clown Prince of Crime. You are a brilliant mastermind but are criminally insane. You love to joke around while accomplishing the task at hand.

Click here to take the "Which Super Villain are you?" quiz...

"I am Criminally Insane". Heheh.

So which one are you?

What's up

2009-09-10T22:27:00.007+08:00

I sure haven't blogged seriously for quite some time. I do check this page from time to time, it's just that I lack the motivation to produce anything creative to garner any possible interest from you readers. So I guess it's only fair to give you a proper update on what I've been up to lately.

1. Shitload of work.

Well not really. Assignments have been coming in a constant stream (and show no signs of stopping anytime soon), but compared to the Evil that was semester 6, it's a cinch actually. But again, motivation plays a big role in everything that I do and I don't have a lot of it right now.

2. My new classmates.

A very refreshing change, the way I see it, today. I've been talking to so many different people here, and there are surprisingly good people who treated me like I'm one of their own, though I'm not. Thank you. You know who you are.

3. She's leaving this Saturday.

(T_T)

4. I ain't a Big Bad Wolf.

Little Red Riding Hood. What do you think of the story? I could use some of your opinions when I'm doing a presentation on it next week for Children and Adolescence Literature.

5. Up is fantastic.

Yes it is, and shame on you if you haven't watched it. Here's my short review on it at Facebook's Flixter application.

If you want to read more of these short reviews of mine, they're at my Facebook profile.

6. Good year for gaming.

Demon's Souls, Fifa 10, PES 2010, Assassin'c Creed 2, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Borderlands, Uncharted 2, Modern Warfare 2 coming soon. Add these to the slew of games already released and I can bravely conclude that this is an even awesomer gaming year than last year.

There you go. I'll do these kinds of update again when I have time. Thank you for reading. Later. Ciao.

Racism

2009-09-02T00:12:00.003+08:00

"You know how we can stop racism? Stop talking about it." Morgan Freeman.

You gotta be

2009-08-24T21:19:00.000+08:00

I gotta be.

I love these movies! (Final Part)

2009-08-13T14:32:00.001+08:00

1. The Godfather (1972)

Back when I was in my form 2, my interest is greatly piqued when Cinemax aired The Godfather at prime time. I wasn't lucky enough to catch the film from the beginning, but the scene where Don Vito knocked some sense into his godson, Johnny Fontaine completely stole my attention.

May not seem like much, but to me, I've never seen such an unusually powerful performance in just a few seconds. There was a fiery yet commanding note to his words, which made the Vito a character that can easily garner any respect, thanks to the late Marlon Brando.

A few days later, I went to a local DVD store and got myself the whole set of The Godfather's trilogy. While the second was good and the third was okay, the first film is truly an intriguing drama that lets you sympathize with the Corleone family as mob wars are waged during the Depression in the 1920s (I think).

The Godfather wasn't just Brando's show. The then young Al Pacino did a great job too. He played the character of Michael, whom we bear witness to his transformation, from an innocent war veteran, to a ruthless mob boss, caused by the inevitable fate that his father has always wished to escape his children's future.

There's just so many things that I wish to describe in this 3 hour epic, but telling them would just be ruining the film for anyone who has not watched it. It's just brilliant.

To undo such a thing is impossible...

2009-07-19T10:33:00.003+08:00

I have always tried to run from my past. It was dark and shameful, that I can tell you. But I tried to start over again. I know that I'm still learning, and there are much yet to be done.

However.

Today, I learned that no amount of effort and power (or miracle) can lift it away from me. I will always be on trial for the things that I have done. The past leaped over me, like a persistent shadow. It's always there. It's looking at me. Laughing at me.

Boots for me.

2009-07-11T23:14:00.003+08:00

Haven't bought a new pair of boots for quite some time, so this is quite an achievement for me. Can't wait to try em on this coming Monday!

Supa massive

2009-07-07T23:02:00.003+08:00

Tis a black hole.
The magnum opus to all vacuum cleaners

Tis like my stomach,
insatiable.

.....

Stomach is on a diet.

Max Raabe does it better than Britney (For you Moja and you Britney lovers out there)

2009-07-06T21:30:00.002+08:00

Song of the century. XD

Never Say Never - The Fray

2009-07-04T14:21:00.001+08:00

"We're pulling apart and coming together again and again
We're growing apart but we pull it together, pull it together, together again"

Why I kept my beard

2009-06-26T08:46:00.006+08:00

Few years ago, at a local Malay restaurant. I just finished my SPM, tengah menganggur dengan berjaya.

I was having my lunch there, nasi ayam. The owner's wife knows my mother, and seemed to know a lot about me too from my mother.

Auntie : Hafriz, skang darjah berapa?

Apparently my mom missed some very important details.

My current state

2009-06-04T19:57:00.002+08:00

Hadui...

2009-05-28T04:46:00.006+08:00

1. Rooney on a winger role
2. Ronaldo as a centre forward
3. Tevez and Berbatov missing earlier on
4. Anderson??? What the fuck?? WHAT THE FUCK?!
5. Messi scoring a header? Haha....PADAN MUKA.

Congrats to Barcelona though. They took their chances well and kept a hefty amount of possession in the game. I think Sir Alex underestimated the Catalans too much as he came up with such an idiotic tactical approach. United were very lucky in my opinion, as there were times where they could've conceded a couple of goals, (Xavi's free kick hit the woodwork and some Henry's efforts on the left) but thanks to the lanky Van der Sar, the overall beating that they could've taken was minimized.

I love United, but this loss was of their own doing. They've brought this upon themselves. Better luck next time.

*sigh*

Meet The Spy!

2009-05-19T10:18:00.003+08:00

TF2 fans, rejoice! Valve has just released (or rather, this was leaked) the latest 'meet the' video, Meet The SPY. Have to say this is one of my favorites, alongside Heavy and Sniper.

Hilarious. They should make a movie out of the franchise.

Simply the best.

2009-05-16T23:26:00.011+08:00

Title in the bag. Finally. Far from a convincing game for United as they were outplayed in the midfield areas (Giggs and his strings of misjudged passes) but a draw saw them once again lifting the title, for the third consecutive season. Even if they weren't the usual attacking United team that thrashed Arsenal in Champions League semis few weeks ago, what they have accomplished so far this season is absolutely magnificent.

No one would deny that Ronaldo has had a fantastic season, despite a slow start, as he managed to climb to the top of the scorers tally with his trickery, thundering long range shots and quick witted plays on the pitch. But to say that it was a one man show is throughout the season is unfair, an overstatement.

Rooney's accurate passes and crosses were integral in opening the opposition's back four wide open. Ferdinand has been instrumental as a standing captain (to the injury plagued Gary *sigh*), with his cool composure in fending of attacks, alongside his partner Vidic being the opposite rough tackler, but did an equally admirable job in keeping strikers at bay. Van der Sar broke a Cech's record in keeping clean sheets, and of course the Argentine terrier, Tevez, (he'll leave, that I'm sure) has scored goals when the team needed them the most.

What a team.

Have I told you how i became a fan of United?

I was five back then, and back then Dunhill were the sponsors for live telecast on TV2 (I think). One day, I was at my grandma's house, and one of the ads were announcing one of the matches that will be aired.

"MALAM INI, MANCHESTER UNITED MENENTANG NOTINGHAM FOREST, JAM 8.30 MALAM"

tun tun trun tunnn...(Dunhill theme song) DUNHILL, GAYA, MUTU KEUNGGULAN.

"Manchester United....sounds so badass." (I don't think I said that, but what the hell) I told myself. And there I was, parading around my dad as a Manchester United fan, when I didn't have a single clue of who and what of this "Manchester United." Yes, what a way to choose a team indeed.

But I wouldn't have it any other way. At least I didn't pick this team because everyone else liked them (FYI, my dad is an ardent Liverpool supporter). It was just a spontaneous choice.

And I'm just glad it was them.

Kalah atau menang, aku masih penyokong setia korang!

I love these movies! (Final Part)

2009-05-07T23:31:00.003+08:00

The blind date

2009-05-06T12:54:00.001+08:00

I love these movies! (Part 5)

2009-05-05T11:40:00.008+08:00

2. The Dark Knight (2008)

I would defend this masterpiece of film making to death, make no mistake about it. I would call this one of greatest films ever made, and dare anyone say it ain't. The Dark Knight is a extravagant achievement on both its technical and performance fronts, making it not only a powerful superhero epic, but also as a highly competent crime movie. But my reasons for loving it so much is not because of its achievement in using the IMAX extensively in many of the film's scenes, but because of the depth of its characters, as they indulge in the action scenes throughout the film's 2 hours and a half length.

What's there to like about The Dark Knight, you might ask. Well, firstly, Christian Bale to me is the best Batman/Bruce Wayne since Keaton. This Batman is ferocious, unwavering and charismatic. I've always felt that he looked like he could take on anything, despite being just another man in a suit.

But this Batman is defined further in this film rather than just as an unstoppable behemoth, as we are shown he's actually prone to making mistakes, and that his choices might not always be based on his strive towards justice, as reflected when he chose to save Rachel, a more personal choice, instead of Dent, though he got tricked anyway.

This imperfection in him makes him a more likable Batman to me, because you have to admit, as resourceful as he is in the movie, he could not make the best of choices all the time, because he is still a mere human being. I would make the same choices and mistake. You would. Anyone would. Will you choose some district attorney over the person you love?

And then there's the Joker.

You don't argue with that.

Here is my review of Part 6

2009-04-13T08:52:00.001+08:00

*Click on the image to see what's going on.

I saw the exit.

2009-04-08T18:54:00.003+08:00

I stumbled.
Again.
I let my tears plague me.
Like a fool I wailed.
Complained.

But at least.
The end is near.
Salvation comes.
We go pah-tay.
Oh yay.

Izlin

2009-04-05T16:38:00.005+08:00

I rarely write about her here you know.

My dear, it has been quite a semester kan? I think, if there were to be a record of most fights in a semester, we'd be breaking it every single day. The workload was almost endless, but thank god we're closing in on its end. Sikit lagi.

Sorry sebab minum your air teh o ais sampai abes. Dahaga sangat tadi, panas gileh ari ni. I'll order two glasses next time ok? Hehe.

Love you so much.

I love these movies! (Part 4)

2009-04-04T17:34:00.004+08:00

*sorry for the really loooooong absence. I was too busy with my assignments that I only had time to look at my blog, but not update it. Here's another long overdue entry. Enjoy.

3. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003)

I know this film is going to end up on pretty much everyone's list, but what the heck. It's a crime not to love this.

'Monstrously epic' is what I would use to describe Return of the King. The first two installments were great, but none of them bravely scaled the heights that Return of the King had gone to. This is the film that puts the whole trilogy in full complete circle.

Let's start with film's visuals. The special effects were astonishing to say the least, with CGs magnificently implemented in the lush locales of the Middle Earth, shot in the grandeur scale of the beautiful fields of New Zealand. The battlefield was intense, packed to the brim with details that never ceased to amaze its audience, especially in the huge scale battle at the chaotic Pellenor fields.

The acting too was superb, the cast providing their talents wonderfully to their roles(Ian Mckellen's Gandalf is my favorite, followed by Mortensen's charismatic Aragorn). Even the dastardly Smeagol/Gollum is brilliantly acted by Andy Serkis, who was doing both the voice acting and the motion capture.

I left the cinema feeling satisfied, happy, and a bit overwhelmed by the sheer amount of energy the film boasted. Though the ending can be a bit too long for some, it is arguably very powerful and holds no punches to really satisfy its audience with a hugely deserved happy ending.

Nude terminators

2009-03-18T20:18:00.004+08:00

To those who are fans of the Terminator series, this should amuse you...

Let's hope Salvation won't be a disappointment!

Movie Review : Watchmen

2009-03-16T04:15:00.002+08:00

"blue is the new pink" According to Cik Lyn, who harbors a deep fascination towards the ultra nude Dr. Manhattan here. Cess.

Let's get the obvious out of the way first. Watchmen is amazing. It's a lush and breathtakingly beautiful film that manages to capture your attention with its flair in dazzling CG wizardry, from start to finish. It's not perfect mind you. The first 30 minutes may be a little overwhelming for those who aren't familiar with the Alan Moore's celebrated graphic novel, as director Zack Snyder cramps many of the story threads from the 12 chapters of the graphic novels in such a short time, making certain characters such as Nite Owl appear a little less defined.

But once you get the character introductions out of the way, you'll find yourself marveling at what Watchmen has to offer. The film is rich with philosophical babble that is both dramatic and meaningful. Many of the characters' lines foreshadow the events and the reality that humankind project, reflecting on the wars that have been unnecessarily waged, and how this team of superheroes, these watchmen, continue to indulge in the ethical dilemma they're forced in.

And another thing that I like Watchmen is its doesn't neglect the fact that these superheroes are in still human. And they remarkably have their own personalities that lets them choose the ideals they represent, such as Rorschach, who mainly is a vigilante at heart, driven by his definition of justice. And he is just a part of many of the enigmatic cast in Watchmen. These heroes have a lot to say in the film, and their words carry a substantial amount of weight. Even at the end, to define what justice means is a subjective matter, and the ones that are left to determine it are the audience. And this highly arbitrary feel of the film's overall connotation is one of the reasons I fell in love with this film.

The action scenes obviously have imprints of Zack Snyder's usual attention towards the ultra violence(remember 300?). Unfortunately, Malaysian movie goers won't be gawking at many these awesome mutilating and gut splitting scenes because of our ULTRA SENSITIVE censorship board. Now, I don't mind when they censor the violence (and some nudity), that's fine and understandable. What I don't like is them censoring the swear words! I'm not an advocate of swearing (sometimes), but these cuts actually make the dialogues harder to comprehend, as when someone is cussing and yelling the 'F' word, he or she is trying to make a point, and our censors don't just cut that one word, they usually take out the whole fucking (whoa boy) sentence! Baik tak payah bawak masuk Malaysia nih.

Despite my hatred towards the Malaysian censorship board, I still find myself enjoying Watchmen thoroughly. It's a shame that the film may not be very appealing to those who are not familiar with graphic novels, since its encapsulated into just one film, so there might still be a few loopholes here and there that could raise a few questions, especially to those who never heard or read the comics. The plot maybe heavy handed, but it's deep and for those who like to be analytical and be intrigued by how much a philosophy this film presents, this movie is specially tailored for you. If you're looking for a non stop explosive actioner, look elsewhere.

Rating : 4 out of 5

I love these movies! (Part 3)

2009-03-09T21:11:00.006+08:00

4. Toy Story (1995)

Pixar's Toy Story to me is their greatest film to date, even though it's animations are slightly dated by today's standards (it was in 1995 guys). I was 8 when I watched this on a local cineplex, and I was amazed by this world inhabited by these living and breathing toys that they've created. Every object in Andy's bedroom, every machine in Pizza Planet, and every sinister toy in Sid's bedroom is meticulously rendered with great attention to these details.

But of course, the real star of the film is the two main characters and their chemistry that is superbly explored, enhanced by awesome voice acting by Tom Hanks as the arrogant but resourceful Woody, and Tim Allen as the clueless but exciting Buzz Lightyear. The film is rich with themes of friendship, that is extremely relatable, to both young and old. The best animated movie to ever grace my eyes, Toy Story is.

I love these movies! (Part 2)

2009-03-06T22:10:00.005+08:00

The long overdue part 2. Hope you'll like these too. :)

7. Memento (2000)

Memento is a powerful testament to Christopher Nolan's undeniable talent as a storyteller. The film's plot to me was overwhelmingly confusing at first, as it is told in a non chronological order. Don't let the unusual narration and progression turn you off though, cause chances are you'll be scratching your head in disbelief at the film's superb ending.

6. The Truman Show (1998)

Though I thought Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind an unusually interesting film, I find it to be Jim Carrey's second best performance (it was good yes), next to the remarkable The Truman Show. The Truman show's charm lies in the idea of sensationalism to its extreme and the world's insatiable appetite for reality based TV shows. Or rather, the twisted and somewhat pretentious idea of 'reality' that they represent. Moving, thought provoking and entertaining.

5. Casino Royale (2006)

Like how Batman Begins revived the Batman franchise, Casino Royale gave the proper reboot to our beloved British Superspy. And it is also my favorite Bond movie. My reason was because it didn't feel as dumb as the older movies. The older Bonds were too implausible, too sexually driven, escaping each shootouts with so much style that it becomes absurd. Daniel Craig did a great job in redefining Bond that is ruthless and relentless, but at the same time, a charmer and a man that can be hurt, physically and emotionally.

The action scenes more visceral and raw. My favorites have to be the freerunning scene at the beginning, and the crumbling structure scene at the end. It's a shame that Quantum of Solace couldn't quite live up to the standard that this film has set.

Fraido chicken!

2009-02-26T12:18:00.001+08:00

Aain tagg me, so yeah, why not, before I forget.

Once you've been tagged, you have to write a post with sixteen random things, habits or goals about you.

At the end, choose six people to be tagged, listing their names and why you chose them.

Don’t forget to leave a comment (“You’re tagged!”), and to read your blog, you can’t tag a person who tagged you.

Since you can’t tag me, let me know when you've posted your blog, so I can see your weirdness

1. For a guy I am short. And a little plump too.

2. I am very touchy and sensitive, even more than my makcik.

3. I am very forgetful. There was this one time I was looking for my phone, when all the while I was using it to listen to music. Tsk2

4. I love all things Batman. I grunt, groan and growl like Bale's Batman. "It's not whoaiam underneath..." hehe

5. i love fried chicken. Though I know they are the evils behind my recent surge in weight, I could not help but worship them. Mmmmm...KFC...

6. I love good movies. Zhang Yimou, Christopher Nolan, Akira Kurosawa are among my favorite directors.

7. I love my makcik. (hehe sempat tuh)

8. I love my PS3!!

9. I love Batma...i told you that one already right?

10. Recently I have learned how to BURP! After 21 years of existence, finally!!

11. My favorite Domino's topping is chicken confidential. Hmmm...

12. I love the smell of gasoline though I know doing so is not healthy.

13. I have a cold right now. Nuisance.

14. I cried watching The Wrestler. Shut up you.

15. I memorized almost every of Heath Ledger's lines in the Dark Knight. (Bende ini aku hafal, bace yassin sangkut2)

16. I want some Root Beer, but my cold does not permit me to buy it. Woe is meh.

i am tagging

- Makcik

- Kak Aisyah

- Nazri

- Azzam

- Izza

- Niza

- Tajul.

Dan sesiape sahaja yang suke wat menatang ni. Mekaseh

In response to Zen's emotionally charged blog...

2009-02-18T21:59:00.004+08:00

Before I go to sleep....

Thank you verrey much.

I love these movies! (Part 1)

2009-02-10T22:25:00.013+08:00

I love good movies. I love it when a movie forces you to be critical of the issues it projects and how I can relate it thoroughly with so many aspects of life. I love it when a movie manages to leave me on the edge of my seat, anticipating as it levels me to its next thrill, when I least expect it. I love it when I see an indomitable and powerful display of love. Here, I will tell you about the movies that I love most, ones that I would go back to anytime. Here's hoping, that you might like them too as i countdown through my own personal favorites.

10. The Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

There are certain levels of human emotion that cannot be projected through normal live action films, especially when you try to put a child as the central character in a film. Grave of the Fireflies does just that, as it depicts the unfortunate lives of a boy and his little sister, as they fight to survive through the ravages of war. The best part though, is the ending, which I find hard not to cry through. Amazing.

9. Batman Begins (2005)

You knew somehow this was gonna make it here don't you? But my choice is more than just an adamant love for the Batman character. No. Batman Begins is a fresh take on the the caped crusader's silver screen outings before, that has been tarnished by the disgraceful nipple laden loving that is Batman and Robin, back in 1997. Nolan took Bale, Caine and other talented cast to reboot the franchise by incorporating real world theatrics, blending it with bits of realism to unleash the untapped potential of the Batman franchise that was held by the earlier films. The results were amazing, only to be equaled by its sequel 3 years later...

8. Sin City (2005)

The noir genre to me is so damn captivating, if it is done right. Sin City is one of the few that has the noir flavor while letting us feast on its visual extravagance. Rodriguez has done an amazing job in recreating the scenes that appeared in the comic books, same angles, same contrasting color palette, same gory detail. Add the neat visual tricks to the smashing performances of Bruce Willis, Rosario Dawson and Mickey Rourke (my favorite), and you've got yourself a movie that is rich with ultra cool narrative and visual splendors that warrants everyone a watch. At least once. If you love comic books, give this one a try.

More tomorrow...or when I'm done with my assignments.

When you don't know what to write, you TAG! Gahahaha

2009-01-18T11:28:00.005+08:00

Azzamon tagged me.

1) Do you think you're hot?
Suam-suam je la.

2) Upload your favorite picture of you!

3) Why do you like that picture?
Nothing beats Domino's on a rainy evening.

4) When was the last time you ate pizza?
What a coincidental question, yesterday at Domino's at Masalam with Izlin.

5) The last song you listened to?
Belleville - Django Reinhardt.

6) What are you doing right now besides this?

Thinking about my presentation with Dr Hanim this week.

7) What name would you prefer besides yours?
Althoir!

People To Tag

Izlin
Liyana
Niza
Nazri
Izza
Tajul.

8) Who is number one?
My significant other

9) Number three is having a relationship with?
I have no idea.

10) Say something about number five?
The Peacemaker! Ngeh2 Thanks btw

11) How about number four?
The walking sarcasm.

12) Who is number two?
A powerful martial artist. LOL

Kiwi

2009-01-08T16:51:00.003+08:00

Saw this gem quite some time ago. It still manages to stir me deeply.

Playstation 3.

2009-01-04T17:12:00.030+08:00

After more than two years keeping myself interested in the intense arguments about which of the next generation consoles is the better bargain, I finally got myself a Playstation 3 after much and careful deliberations with my dad. There were many reasons contributing to the purchase, mainly being the exclusives that Sony has under their belt such as Uncharted, God of War 3, Gran Turismo 5, Yakuza 3, Little Big Planet and Team Ico's games. And it plays Blu Ray, the ideal replacement for our beloved DVD format.

Here are some box shots, back and front. Mine is the silver model, as opposed to the popular black model.

Here's the setup.

Note the PS2 beside it. Yes, in case if you were wondering this baby weighs a stonking 5 kilos. But with the much touted capabilities, I guess it being a little heavy is rather inevitable.

And of course there's the game. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. MGS4 has been in development since 2005, and I've been an ardent fan of the series for more more than a decade now, since the first installment back 1998. There's this intense nostalgic feeling when I look at how much the series has changed.

Here's MGS4 in action. (I forgot to take a pic of it running in Hi def. Quite a hassle setting it up though. The TV used is a 29' SDTV)

The game's mechanics have been revamped and some of the controls take time getting used to since I'm used to older control schemes, which remained almost similar in every of the earlier installments.

I got the 80GB PS3, which is bundled with the Dualshock 3 controller instead of the sixaxis. The Dualshock that is seen here is lighter than its predecessor, the Dualshock 2. And it's wireless. Nice.

So far, I think this should a worthy successor to the PS2, which I would say the best console I've ever owned. Some of the interface is very accessible for users, as you can put some songs inside the hard drive just by plugging in a USB thumb drive, and the online is free, both registration and online gaming.

That said, I haven't tried the online. Our house doesn't have a wireless set up (yet) so, the only way to get online is to plug the cable directly to the PS3's back.

I can't wait to play it again when Chinese New Year holiday comes later this month. Later peeps. Thanks for reading. Chiau.

Movie Review : Los dan Faun

2008-12-23T13:40:00.006+08:00

This year, there has not been many malay movies that have been really worth mentioning. Apart from the well crafted and artistic Sepi and the recent thoughtful Kami, others have been mostly sub-par, with mostly treading into the realms of abysmal productions from overhyped directors, (insert Ahmad Idham here).

Sadly, Sepi and Kami are box office failures and bad films like Senario Episode one and Duyung continue to generate mind bogglingly astounding revenues. Boo.

Afdlin Shauki has been known in the local cinema's scenario to produce films with unusual themes and ideas. Some has been rather entertaining like the cheeky Buli, some has been mundane and less entertaining like Cuci. But at least Afdlin's films has been fresh in ideas, even if his films are usually less appreciated by the mainstream Malay audience.

So what about Los dan Faun?

It's probably safe to say that Afdlin could have done a better job than this. A lot better. The plot feels rushed, as the two of the main characters' development in characterization flows way too fast, making it hard for us to actually root or care for them. Adlin's a much better actor than this, but his performance feels subdued, boring, with only a few memorable moments that I can chuckle to. Hans Isaac is a miscast. His character Los was intended to be the source of laughter in the film, but it turned out to be quite a disaster seeing Hans cracking up jokes that conjured up annoyance more than anything else. It is really hard to care for the film's plot (which has it's fair of loopholes) when the main characters are not very likable to begin with.

Erra Fazira you say? Super bland. Just as she was in most of her previous films.

However, the film's saving grace has to be it's supporting cast, believe it or not. AC Mizal as the gold digging, scheming brother. Ida Nerina as the GRO who aspires to be a magician. Rashid Salleh as the immigrant from Thailand who speaks Malay beautifully. Spell personality. It's no stranger to us audience that Afdlin's films always had colorful characters, with most brimming with personality. These characters actually helped push my interest in the film, until the credits roll. Their jokes and memorable lines, coupled with both cute and blunt references to certain matters in the Malaysian context demanded me to laugh so heartily in the cinema hall.

The film's inconsistent nature makes it hard for me to simply recommend it to just anyone. If you can tolerate the film's weak plot and stale main characters, you will probably love the the strength's in it's supporting actors. It's better than Cuci, but it's missing the zest and excitement that Buli had.

Rating : 2.5 out of 5

Nazri's tagging.

2008-12-22T21:57:00.004+08:00

The last person to tag you is?

Nazri.

What relationship do you have with him/her?

Roommate, a friend and a Ford freak.

Your 5 impressions towards him/her?

1. Loves Ford.
2. Has quite the tolerance towards many obstacles.
3. Funny
4. Fun to crack discussions with
5. Mini macho la katekan.

The most memorable thing he/she had done for you?

Lots of em.

If he/she becomes your lover, you will...

....

If he/she becomes your enemy, you will...

I can't possibly imagine.

If he/she becomes your lover, he/she has to improve on...

....

If he/she becomes your enemy, the reason is...

I kinda fart a lot around him. Even in my sleep. Especially when he puts on his headphone and he can't hear anything.. It'll be too late when he starts to smell something awful...

How do you think the people around you will feel about you?

Childish or childlike, you pick.

The character for yourself is?

Ero-sennin.

The most ideal person you want to be is?

Takuya Kimura

For the person who care and likes you, say something about them.

Thank you.

Ten people to tag.

1 Nazri
2 Makcik
3 Duang
4 Pi'e
5 Kak Aisyah
6 Niza
7 Liyana
8 Izza
9 Tajul
10 Huzen

Who is no.2 having a relationship with?

Bruce Wayne a.k.a Batman yang kacak segak dan tampan.

Is no.3 a male or female?

Usually a man, but turns into a woman when around Nazri.

If no.7 and no.10 were to be together, would it be a good thing?

Hahaha, abesla Zen kene belasah dgn Liyana...

How about no.5 and no.8?

Hmm...Dahsyat...

What is no.1 studying?

tesl part 6

When was the last time you had a chat with them?

Nazri? When he was buying his new PC.
Izlin? Almost everyday.
Duang was when I was buying a DVD last Saturday
Pi'e last Saturday too.
Kak Aisyah when I was sending her to the Bus Station with Izlin.
Niza? Sesi borak ari Khamis...
Liyana, minutes ago.
Izza...last semester kat SA.
Tajul was when I was buying a DVI cable last Saturday.
Zenn...I think TESL Square...

Is no.4 single?

No way man!

Say something about no.2.

Wonderful company. (When she's on a good mood.

A quick post.

2008-12-19T16:00:00.006+08:00

I'm sorry for my lengthy absence around this blog, I've been playing games a lot lately. I'll probably talk about them a bit later, so again, sorry.

Just got back from the hospital yesterday after a check up with the doc and fortunately he told me i don't have any severe cases of sinusitis.

If you haven't noticed, this blog's been given a little upgrade, with the columns on each sides. Everything else remains the same though. And of course, I've lost many of the listed blogs before. It may take awhile for me to gather all of your URLs. Saba eh.

Later peeps.

Hey bub. Here's the new Wolvie movie trailer.

2008-12-16T14:03:00.006+08:00

Notice Gambit strutting his stuff in the trailer. Seems that the film will be similar to the Wolverine Origins graphic novels.

Can't wait.

Somehow, my frustration in seeing Goku's pathetic Oozaru form in the Dragon Ball movie has subsided thanks to this.

What Kind of Nerd are you?

2008-12-07T13:35:00.001+08:00

Yep. History and and Maths suck.

Movie Review : Madagascar : Escape 2 Africa

2008-12-03T07:48:00.005+08:00

This second installment of the Madagascar franchise comes to me as and absolute surprise. It improved upon many of the original's positives, and add a little bit of depth to some character developments. Surprisingly, all the main characters tread through the main storyline with some nicely conceived sub plots to advance the story faultlessly.

Alex, as the main character is perhaps the most fleshed out of the bunch, given that he is the main story's protagonist, defying the norm of lions should be fighters instead of performers. Now, I dunno if it's just me, but even until today I find Ben Stiller's voice to be a real bore to listen to. Even the late Bernie Mac's as Alex's father voice acting is much better than Stiller's run of the mill effort.

While I didn't like Marty's character last time around, the sequel makes him a little bit easier to sympathize. I liked the idea of having numerous Martys, and the identity crisis that he faced is as hilarious as it can be, with a message that is cleverly applied.

The love story of Gloria and Melman is another highlight that makes the movie such a joy to watch. With all the haphazard humor in the film you wouldn't expect how much depth and character these two characters exhibit. I was surprised by how Gloria's lines come out as a real witty and smart, like it was taken from a realistic TV series.

And don't forget the Penguin team. I can't think of a cooler set of characters that is even as half as cool and entertaining as these guys. These guys are responsible for many of the film's funniest jokes and source of humor. And best of all, they can be unpredictably, chuckle inducing set of characters. Yeah, penguin rocks, you penguin dissers.

There are a lot of things to like in Madagascar 2, whether for some of its obvious slapstick humor, or for some of its more cute and smart referencing of other films and modern day inside jokes, you choose.

Rating : 4 out of 5

Movie Review : Twilight

2008-12-02T19:27:00.016+08:00

You can't satisfy everyone, especially when you're talking about adaptations. Even the legions of fans that anticipated the release of a certain book adaptation will be divided, opinion wise. A group of people will say they loved the film, and all the treatments that were given to the source material. Another will possibly detest it for being perhaps, unfaithful to the source material.

The only choice that is given to a director is to make an adaptation as good as their imagination takes them. And even that poses a problem. Imaginations are limited to each individual, and each individual has their own personal tastes, exclusive to each and one of us. And too bad, you might not like what others might.

My point is, audiences tend to gauge a book's adaptation to their own expectations from reading the book, and that is, from a general point of view, irrationally unfair. Directors and producers cannot cater to everyone's expectations, since everyone has their own preferences.

For example, when read The Lord of The Rings book, I imagined Aragorn to be a dashing, lightly whiskered man with great facial features, say, a Russel Crowe look. But what made to the silver screen transition was rugged looking Viggo Mortensen, a little sloppy looking at times. A little disappointing, but I didn't care, because Mortensen was convincing and displayed a fantastic performance in all of the three episodes. Plot wise, LOTR had many things that they took liberties with, but was essential, to add drama to a book's shortcomings in details that the author may have missed.

This is also the case with Twilight. A strong feeling of hate might affect you, if you've read the book. I've not read it, so my reactions are purely neutral. But to me the film does nail it when it comes to the casting. Kristin Stewart does look a bit underwhelmed, but I like her vulnerable look in the film. It does give Bella the realism the film needs while having certain supernatural elements thrown in the mix. Indeed, she remains rather monotonous in appearance and character, even after the intrigue of Edward's background, but darn it, she looks sweet and at times, likable.

Robert Pattinson's portrayal of the Edward character comes to me as an acceptable performance, with some hiccups here and there. In terms of looks, it's little wonder that Pattinson here has garnered so many gushing, sighs and swoons from all the 16 year olds that I encountered when I watched the movie just now. He possesses a really charming and beautiful face, and if that role demands a perfect looking man, Pattinson's only a few inches away from that perfection. How well does he fare in terms of acting? Bolehla, I guess. At times he oozes that charm that and look that featured an extreme sense of bravado, when faced with Bella or to that weirdo blonde vamp. It's inconsistent though, because sometimes Pattinson looks confused when he is supposed to look confident. Or maybe this was something I might have missed by not reading the book? I don't know, but it hurts this film a little.

The movie looks beautiful, with colors of dark atmospheric blue decorating the film with a great feel. The locales looked like a perfect fit for this type of flick. Too bad, the visual effects are downright lame and unimpressive in this day and age. The effects of speed runs that the vampires do are really laughable. Edward's crystal skin? Nuff said. Even the wired actions scenes are awkward, especially in the final battle.

Another problem I had with film was its predictable nature. I don't know if the book is similar, but the route that the film took is quite safe, and even with all the melodramatics parading in the film, you can't help but sigh on what's coming next, which inevitably is what you predicted.

But with all these flaws you might've expected me to throw a bad rating for Twilight. Well, actually I came out of the cinema hall a little impressed. Yes, I'm not afraid to like Twilight for all its flaws. At least the romance can be quite compelling sometimes. Some of the characters like Bella's father add a little bit of depth and humor to the story's characters at times. A little disappointing for all the hype that surrounds it, but please give credit where Twilight its due, for all the things the film did right. It's far from perfect, but not the worst of adaptations either. Judge Twilight on its own, not by the book it is based on. Again, no director can satiate each and everyone's personal taste in imagining how a book would be adapted. So just take out the feeling of having read the book first, and enjoy Twilight as just another film to pass your time.

Love it or hate it.

Rating : 3 out of 5

Dictating the pace of the game.

2008-12-01T23:56:00.006+08:00

I haven't been playing football for quite some time now, resulting in my newly fat-ridden physique. Rainy evenings have been quite frequent lately, and my chances of squeezing out unneeded fat have diminished significantly.

But the weather has been rather calm lately, and today I finally got to flex myself. Needless to say, I am quite rusty. I'm still hard to beat by most strikers and playmakers, but the months of not footballing has taken their toll on my pace. Strikers outrun me easily. My saving grace was my ability to anticipate their passes, which certainly has not left me.

I'm far from the fastest player on the pitch, but I used to have the pace to stop the opposition's play, and conjure a counterattack when the situation demands me. Just now, my just opted to clear the ball hastily and perhaps recklessly, and many chances of counterattacks were foiled, thanks to the incompetence I displayed.

Fortunately, I still possess a little of that opportunist touch I'm proud of. My team's clever winger, Arip, caught me making a run through the penalty box. He passed the ball magnificently through the middle, leaving the defenders in the cold.

With that accuracy, I balanced myself and took a not so powerful swing. The ball rolled over to the right, beating the keeper in a traditional manner.

Sluggish is the word I would use to describe the goal, but it gets the job done.

I need to get my bearings straight on the pitch this holiday.

p.s: Look for Bolt and Twilight review tomorrow.

"It's not about the money, it's about...sending a message..."

2008-11-27T10:56:00.005+08:00

I just came back from Cherating yesterday, perhaps rejuvenated, not too sure about that. One thing about holidays is that they always get you into a state of deep thinking. Certain things I did last semester, both and bad popped up while I was drifting serenely in the swimming pool.

*yawn* No one wants to hear you yap Hafriz, because you're devastatingly bad at it.

Back to business. Ok, for those of you who watched The Dark Knight last July (I know, I guess I'm the only person who's still excited of this gem), and are still excited and keyed up as we approach the film's DVD release date, here's a little bit details coming up for the DVD.

Apparently we won't get any footage of the deceased Heath Ledger talking about his buzz-raving performance as the highly demented Joker, as Nolan and co. decided that it inappropriate to do so, but we will get some videos and commentaries about the Joker character from Christopher Nolan himself, and a segment that specifically dives into Batman's deepest psyche. Sounds good no?

And those who buy the DVD will also get this neat batpod replica(which unfortunately is not meant for crimefighting purposes or toppling big trailers vertically). Pics for the Blu-ray and DVD version below.

Movie Review : Sex and the City

2008-11-21T09:16:00.008+08:00

I know this was released in theaters months ago, but I only got to watch it yesterday, after a series of delays and many, many encouragements from her. Sex and the City is actually a very difficult film for guys like me to like, honestly speaking. It's actually a tribute for fans of the famed TV series, wrapping up any story threads that can still be potentially developed. And unfortunately I'm not a fan, and I have never watched any episode of the series.

But to say that it is impossible to enjoy what the film has to offer is an overstatement. The film is filled great acting coupled with a script that boasts witty and memorable lines, especially the ones coming from the main character and the narrator, Carrie Bradshaw, thanks to the performance of Sarah Jessica Parker, who is the main light and heart of this film. Carrie's character is portrayed as being as logical as she could be, as a human and as a woman.

But I don't feel the same for Miranda's story thread however. Her character is the epitome, the embodiment of fucking selfishness that almost obliterated her marriage. And best of all, the movie does not show any sense of redemption in Miranda, despite the fact that she's the source of the problem. When was the last time you've seen a film so biased that it gets away by choosing to hide the flaw of a character so fucking seamlessly? Just like that, they reconciled.

*animosity ends*

And Samantha's character is another thing that I had to pick on. She breaks up with her boyfriend because she needs more sex.

*animosity ends again*

The last character thread, which is Charlotte's which I felt was probable, but less interesting. Still it adds up the film's overall charm, adding a bit of a warmth to the film, especially the baby part.

These elements put an unwanted dent on a somewhat well made film. Maybe it's just me, being a guy, and I simply could not tolerate such things in movie. Maybe a woman would accept them better, I don't know. The thing is, if there is an ending, then make it a plausible one. At least let the cause be a sensible and unselfish one.

But then again, what the hell, I kinda liked the movie. I like Carrie Bradshaw. And there are many hilarious moments that makes this movie feel right at home at times.

Give this one a go if you haven't.

Rating : 5 out 5 (Izlin made me do this).......its actually a solid 3.5.

....I just had to post this.

2008-11-12T22:14:00.004+08:00

Click on the picture to get read it in full res.

Taking a breather.

2008-11-11T12:27:00.004+08:00

1. Complete this sentence. Life is...

...what i do with the life that god has given me.

2. How many pets do you have?

I used to have one.

3. Are you listening to anything now? What is it?

Jackie Presti - Love Theme

4. What was the last movie you watch?

Quantum of Solace. See below.

5. Have you ever regretted anything in your life?

Yeah. Few things.

6. Who do you want to be today?

I'm okay being me.

7. Who are you tomorrow?

The same as today

8. What's good about you?

Highly animated.

9. What's bad about you?

Full of anger and so vengeful.

10. If you die tomorrow, what is the one thing you would say to a person you love before you go?

I love you.

Movie Review : Quantum of Solace

2008-11-07T23:32:00.010+08:00

It can be very difficult for a sequel, to improve upon it's predecessor, especially if the previous outing is a magnificent one.

So here comes the next installment in the long running James Bond series. All of you probably remembered the franchise reboot that was Casino Royale. It's probably the most thoughtful and emotional Bond, where the focus on the MI6 agent himself, as he is shown as a more vulnerable and raw kind of Bond, prone to mistakes and comes back even dealier after each fall.

And it was probably the best Bond movie in years, since GoldenEye.

Quantum of Solace is probably the first in the Bond canon that is actually a continuation of the previous film. Quantum of Solace picks up where Casino Royale left us reeling for more. Bond holds Mr White captive, and learns the existence of an organization named Quantum, and one of it's members, Dominic Greene is starting a coup d'etat in Bolivia, by taking advantage of the country's political instability. So yes, it's up to Bond to intervene and foil Greene's nefarious plans.

Throughout the film there are many interesting locales that provided the perfect backdrops for some of it's high adrenaline action scenes. The scenes are downright visceral and hectic, punches and kicks weren't holstered, and they flayed everywhere on the screen. The fights are full of snaps and cracks, leaving you gripped with, grunts and groan, till the scenes die down. The camera, though erratic at times, moves along with the action in a really slick motion.

The Bond that is in this movie is ruthless and violent, driven by the betrayal and the death of his love, Vesper Lynd in the previous movie. Bond is left scarred, cold blooded and seems to not be on speaking terms with trust. Craig's projection of these traits is well done, but you have to admit, his dilemmas and his conflicts with his past demons are not satisfyingly shown.

The other cast is a mixed bag. The ravishing beauty of Olga Kurylenko unfortunately is not really firing on all cylinders, despite acting considerably well. Her contribution to this film is minimal, perhaps due to Bond's weak chemistry with her. The guy who plays Greene on the other hand is not bad, since you will have no problem hating him by just looking at that face. Blergh. Hmm.... Effective.

But all that starts well should end well, and that is fortunately the case for Quantum of Solace. It is not as memorable as Casino Royale, mind you. To a certain extent, I do feel that Quantum of Solace is a little disappointing overall. The connection of the plot, action and drama is bound by an awkward string of sequences, turned into a full fledged film. But Bond's acquaintance with his strong vendetta is resolved with and ending that screams poignant all over it. A little abrupt, but with a strong purpose nonetheless.

Rating : 3.5 out of 5

(It is essential that you watch Casino Royale first, to understand how Vesper affected Bond in this film.)

The image said it.

2008-11-07T16:16:00.001+08:00

High School Musical 3 : Senior Year and The Coffin review

2008-11-01T22:30:00.009+08:00

High School Musical 3 : Senior Year

The first High School Musical struck me as another one of those yucky and corny Disney productions, and I definitely did not buy the hype. I gave the second part a miss because I was quick to dismiss it as just another run of the mill Disney effort.

This latest entry of the series however, is far from any of their lame efforts of milking popular franchises to the extreme. High School Musical 3: Senior Year is a competent musical film that manages to entertain the audience with its dazzling music and a very joyful cast.

The film's plot is as predictable as they come, but to not say that it is boring and uninteresting is totally untrue. You may get that feel of icky-ness when the characters break into songs seamlessly, but all is forgiven when these singing parts are executed with such a naive charm and they are set on a quite a colossal scale, resulting in these sequences looking spectacular, filled with vibrant colors that rouse your eyes to feast on the excellent set up and choreography.

Sure there are some hiccups with the script that sounded a little off at certain scenes, but it's strength in it's catchy songs that certainly outweighs the negatives in huge numbers gave this movie an indispensable attraction to it. The plot is illogical at a certain level, but it's a musical and who cares if it doesn't? John Travolta and Olivia Newton John flew with a car in Grease. Did anyone give a damn?

Rating : 3.5 out 5

The Coffin

The Coffin is an insanely stark and weak Thailand effort that fails to really intrigue and captivate it's audience.

The plot actually has an interesting idea, where it tells the story of two characters who participated in a mass ritual that is said to remove any bad karma from that person. The catch? Someone they love dies. Interesting? Definitely. Good movie? Well, I wished it could've been.

Throughout the movie there are some really frightening set pieces of claustrophobic spaces, that taunts us audience into covering our eyes with something when it happens. But once the scares are launched into the scenes, you realize how stupidly bland and unscary they can be.

You get what I mean? The director teases us better than he delivers. Sure there are some genuine shocks at first, but once you get over the really cheap and bad makeup on the ghosts you realize that the movie's horror flavor has lost its momentum. And it's only halfway through I tell you.

Plot? Starts well enough but the director was too lazy tying a good end, and slaps us with a half assed ending. The ending is so sloppy and brings a twist that simply makes you feel more confused and cheated as it the film unravels it.

At least the film looks nice. Some of the locales are captured in a very artistic manner, especially in Ananda's character's dream. But this is a horror movie mind you, and it certainly can do without it. The main actors fare moderately well, but it is not enough for me to actually reccomend this fillm.

Rating : 2 out of 5

Games already out and coming soon (Updated)

2008-10-31T21:20:00.009+08:00

Just a little checklist for you PC gamers out there. I know this might not be the best time for some of us who are still stuck with our final exams. I'm just going to list out the games that you should check out, if you have the hardware and passion to actually go through them all.

Command and Conquer : Red Alert 3 (already out)

Crysis Warhead (already out)

Brothers in Arms : Hell's Highway (already out)

Grand Theft Auto IV (December)

Dead Space (already out)

Far Cry 2 (already out)

Prince of Persia (December)

Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (already out)

Fallout 3 (already out)

Fifa 09

Happy gaming!

A Retrospective Review : Casino Royale

2008-10-26T17:50:00.012+08:00

I admit, I was one of the many skeptics that thought Daniel Craig is the abomination that would kill the Bond franchise, back when they announced Craig's involvement as the British super spy. My reasons for hating him were simple. He was ugly (which was not true) and did not look like Bond. (also untrue, when I found out that Ian Fleming's vision of Bond was that Bond is blond, which makes all the previous Bonds not very Bond-like anymore. Hehe.)

And yes, I was forced to swallow all the spits and curses I cast upon Mr Craig when Casino Royale was released. And Yes, it was very good.

Casiono Royale tells a story about the origins of James Bond, how he became an MI6 agent, and what drives him to behave like how he was depicted in the earlier movies. And Martin Campbell, who also directed the superb GoldenEye more than a decade ago, directs this film like no other director have pulled off in the past, while still maintaining that Bond feel and atmosphere.

What makes Casino Royale such a compelling watch is not because of the eye candy, that features great stunts and flashy Aston Martins, like in the past Bond movies, but rather its deep character study of the protagonist himself.

This Bond, that is perfectly acted by Craig, is actually human, prone to mistakes, bleeds when he is hurt, and is less sex obsessed. But when he is at his best, nothing could stop him from reaching his objectives. Eva Green also does a great job as the Bond girl of this film, as she delivered her lines such style, coupled with her beauty and there is no more that you can ask from her, but stay on screen a little longer.

The actions scenes are dramatically different from the earlier Bond movies. In the past, all the Bonds have gadgets that makes them almost invincible, and sometimes to the extent that these gadgets make Bond look ridiculous. Casino Royale's is all about raw and undiluted action sequences. Cool gadgets are almost nonexistent here, and even if they do pop up, they play only secondary roles in the action department. The opener where Bond's was involved in a free-running (parkour) chase is exhilarating, without any CG to enhance the shots. The realism is incredible as they make Bond truly a strong and overpowering figure on screen, and they left me cheering for Bond in some of the later scenes.

If you have not watched Casino Royale, please do so. It may or may not be the best Bond, but it's certainly up there among the best.

(Haaa.. Acad, ape lagi? pegi la tengok.)

Rating : 5 out of 5

Quantum of Solace's theme song

2008-10-22T16:16:00.005+08:00

The name of the song is Another way to to Die by Jack White and Alicia Keys, and to tell you the truth I felt that this could probably be the most uninspiring bond song ever. Yes, you heard me, UNINSPIRING. The bond songs in the past have always been injected with that orchestral flair that makes it sound real Bond-ish, and of course, they've always sounded so good to the ears. It screams Bond, but it sure doesn't sound like other great bond themes like Paul McCartney's Live and Let Die or Garbage's wonderful The World is Not Enough.

Why can't it be more like this one?

Powerful and gives us a good feel of the Bond atmosphere.

Movie Review : Max Payne

2008-10-18T23:52:00.009+08:00

I love the Max Payne franchise. The games, the themes, the heavy inclusion of the noir genre is enough to warrant me anticipating for the sequel.

Now here comes the eagerly awaited movie, well at least I, was eagerly awaiting it. So did it do the game justice? In many ways, yes. Director John Moore pays a lot tributes to fans by presenting the characters to be as faithful as their video game counterparts. Is it a good movie?

Yes, and no.

For the most part, Max Payne has all the looks of a really competent action flick. Guns, explosions, babes and a solid lead such as Mark Wahlberg. Some of the action sequences are rather slick, at times projected through beautifully done bullet time shots.

BUT, it falters at delivering the most basic things that should've been nailed in most films like this. For example, the plot. I don't mind if a plot does not make much sense, as long as you present it well enough, it can be plausible. But Max Payne's plot not only has its fair share of loopholes, but its not delivered in a very coherent way. You can see some of the twists brewing, from way off. And it renders the plot to being almost redundant.

Still, the movie's strong points rely on some impressive visuals. The imagery on some of the scenes are fascinating, symbolic and powerful at times. And again, when the action sequences get pumped, they really shine. I just that I don't like waiting for these parts, which are few and far in between, watching sundry oddities of loopholes in dialogues that are also downright uninteresting at times. It's okay, but it could've been so much more. Definitely not for everyone.

Rating : 3 out of 5

Blast from the past.

2008-10-17T20:20:00.012+08:00

I was a little bored in the evening today, and a little exhausted after all the things that we've gone through in the last few days. The strain that this semester has so far has been relentless, I have never felt so stretched in my UiTM days to date.

Well, I took some time to recuperate, and the solemn looking sky did help a little, giving the much needed breeze of winds from all directions. The rain came much, much later. So I decided to wind up by playing some older games, through emulators.

And these are the games that I downloaded, and played. And I actually had fun, despite the crude graphics. Sure they're no Crysis, but these games used to look really great in their hey days.

I understand if you're laughing at this post.

Here's Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Quest.

Yes, I am that bored. But it's actually quite fun, once you get the hang of it.

And here's the original The House of the Dead 2.

If you can get past the horrendous voice acting, the game's actually fun. Later peeps.

Diamonds and Coal

2008-10-15T07:26:00.006+08:00

If its good to complicate
Then both of us are doing fine
Just keep your eyes on your part
And leave me alone to mine

If its good to instigate
We're a fast horse, bet on us
I'm not calling you an animal
I think we just fight too much

In spite of this we're doing just fine
Even diamonds start as coal
Give us time to shine
Even diamonds start as coal

We're both aligned in frame of mind
But circumstance got us good
And now you're seeing a side of me
I wish no one ever would

Yeah if its right to pick a fight
We're fingers in a sugar bowl
Love isn't perfect
Even diamonds start as coal

Give it time girl, the fire feels divine
The sweetest things they burn before they shine

Taken from Diamonds and Coal by Incubus.

Tag tag tag tag

2008-10-13T14:32:00.008+08:00

Yeah. I was tagged.

My Top 10 Fave Food
1. Ayam goreng
2. Ayam masak kurma
3. Ayam Kenny Rogers
4. Ayam masak lemak
5. Ayam lemon
6. Ayam masak sweet sour
7. Ayam kari
8. Ayam panggang
9. Ayam percik
10. Nasi ayam

10 things i love doing
1. Play video games with super serious-ness!
2. Watch good movies
3. Play football
4. Watch football
5. Singing
6. Tweak my PC
7. Music
8. Twist and turn my beard into weird shapes
9. Blogging
10. Debating about things that I'm interested in (music, games, football, films)

5 types of girls that i adore
1. Kind ones
2. The ones with glasses
3. With brains
4. Real ones.
5. Black hair

5 things i love doing when im feeling down
1. Eat
2. Play Crysis, or anything that's downright violent.
3. Sing
4. Talk to friends about it
5. Sleep

5 things i love doing when im happy
1. I play E rated games
2. I play football heartily
3. I laugh with my loved ones
4. I EAT.
5. I sing.

10 ways to win my heart
1. Food.
2. A PS3 would suffice.
3. More food.
4. Hear me out. Till the very end.
5. And more food.
6. And a nice cooling drink.

top 5 fave junk food
1. Twisties
2. Pringles
3. I
4. don't eat
5. junk food that much.

5 things i wish could happen soon
1. The end of the political instability here.
2. A PS3 would appear magically in front of my TV setup!
3. This semester.
4. Me having superpowers.
5. Dean's list.

10 ridiculous things i wish to do before i die
1. Don a batsuit. Heheh. Impian nih.
2. Become a referee in an official match
3. Do hooligan stuff in a stadium
4. Bungee(wlpon takut sebenonye)

I don't know what other ridiculous ideas I could put here, so I'll just settle for four.

top 10 recently most addicted songs
1. The Unthinking Majority - Serj Tankian
2. Starless - Crossfade
3. Jangan Datang Malam Ini - Padi
4. Feels Just Like it Should - Jamiroquai
5. I'm Designer - Queens of The Stone Age
6. Fast Car - Vertical Horizon
7. Goliath - The Mars Volta
8. Out Of Control - Hoobastank
9. Daybreak's Bell - L'Arc en Ciel
10. Unintended - Muse

10 things i want to tag
Anyone reading this.

Wrath. Anger.

2008-10-12T22:17:00.003+08:00

I know. This does not make any sense. At all.

Adaptations of books.

2008-10-10T14:10:00.011+08:00

These days, there are many adaptations of highly acclaimed books into the silver screen. A simple conversation with some of my buddies today actually triggered this entry, where we argued on adaptations actually destroying the source material, the books.

I can't say either it is true or otherwise, but I think it is unfair to judge a an adaptation with the early mindset of 'the book is always better than the movie'. Why? Because to me, every adaptation efforts that Hollywood threw at our direction deserves a chance. And it is unfair to judge it with the 'book mindset', because reading a book is different than watching a movie obviously.

Think about this. When you read a book, the story that the author has written and conceived, is the exact one that you'll be reading. Everyone is reading about how Harry Potter beats the crap out of Voldermort. Everyone knows that the Dr Robert Langdon decodes the hidden messages, behind some of the world's most famous paintings..

Now consider this. The story may be the same for all readers and the writer alike, but we imagine these other elements like characters, and setting they way our mind envisioned them, according to the descriptions given by the author. So we always end up imagining them in the way preferred them to be, the way we like them to be. My definition of this character may be a lot more different than yours.

I like my Nancy Drew to be sexy, so what? You like your Henry Higgins to be a negro (no racist remark here people), and you think I should care? Hell no.

But it is almost unethical to say an adaptation is not good, just because you've read the books first. Well, of course the book is more detailed. Of course they are richer in content. Authors don't have limit to their creation. There is no pressure in setting a limit to a book for writers either, and that's why you see uneven amount of thickness in Rowling's Harry Potters. Order of The Phoenix is a rather thick chapter, while Half Blood Prince that precedes it is a lot less thicker.

Movie adaptations are restricted in so many ways. Length wise, a movie cannot have too much, because of many factors like cost or whether the length would fit a certain genre. Some like it short, but sweet. Some like it long, but very substantial.

Another thing about adaptations are that they are limited to the director's vision. A director's idea varies in many ways in how they approach a source material. And of course, most will never satisfy the legions of fans who liked the books, and mainly because of it not living up to the readers' expectations, or rather, imagination. Now tell me, how can they do it the way 'you' want them to be, when there are millions 'YOU' who may have ideas of your own? And what's worse, do you really think that all of you would agree to a single idea, when everyone has their own personal tastes? I guess not.

You realize that you can't please everyone. No way.

Sure, I admit adaptations can really suck at times. Remember da Vinci code? Yep, that was bad. But if you are going to judge these adaptations, judge them as a movie should be judged. Take out that elitist idea of' 'books are ALWAYS better', and enjoy or hate it as a film should.

I've never been this far.

2008-10-09T00:51:00.007+08:00

I may not have the sweetest lines when you're disappointed with me, wanting me to console you.

I have the worst temper a girl would want in their boyfriends, yet you stayed when you've shed so many tears.

I never had a lot of money to pamper you with.

I don't have a car or even a bike, and we always brave through extremely tiresome crowds with peculiar smells and hideously suffocating body odours.

I am barely taller than you, just a few centimeters apart. Yes, I am short.

I think like a 60 year-old man.

I know that my recent gain in fatness might not be a sight for sore eyes.

But,

in spite of all my shortcomings, I want you to know, that I've never had someone like you before. Someone who is so determined, so resolute, and so wonderful.

I know this might sound really icky for you readers, but I need to get this off my chest.

I love her.

So much.

Even if it hurts sometimes.

Sangat sayang. Yes.

Okay, Hafriz gi buat keje ko.

Happy Anniversary makcik. First time sampai setahun, cambest.

Eagle Eye review

2008-10-06T20:59:00.003+08:00

These days, Shia Lebeouf seems to be the most popular choice for movies. He's been cast in tons of big budget movies, Transformers, Disturbia, Indiana Jones, to name a few. And there are hulking good reasons why he is one of Hollywood's darlings today.

Eagle Eye, being his latest is not the most ambitious of all the movies he's got under his credentials, but it certainly interesting, premise wise. Lebeouf plays a teenager namely Jerry Shaw, who is framed for the possession of weapons and military equipments, automatically branding him a terrorist, and to escape the authorities he has to obey a voice from various sources like phones, computers, and even electronic boards, and most of these orders require him to break the law in many ways possible. And along comes Michelle Monaghan's character, forced to be Jerry's accomplice to save her son.

The chemistry between the characters, though not that meticulous in development, actually works, to a certain extent though. There were moments that would tease us as the audience, as they show very little interest towards each other, and the connection makes us care. I do dread the fact that this intimacy is somewhat ignored in the later part of the film.

Now, i gotta say, I liked the concept of the plot, I really do. This whole thing about controlling the media piques my interest greatly. But the execution doesn't really fly that well, hits and misses galore. The plot lacks cohesion at first, making it a little convoluted as it thickens half-way through, when the culprit is revealed. Fortunately, it boils down to a satisfying end, though you might want to leave your brain at the door, just to accept some of the plot's obvious loopholes. The plot, though all over the place it may be at first, ties most loose ends to a probable end at least, in the ending.

The action sequence, though far from the best that Spielberg usually mustered, is exhilarating, and though even some of them are downright super unrealistic, they are visually spectacular and breathtaking, enough to push me to the edge of my seat, most of the time.

Eagle Eye is must watch if you want to enjoy a movie that is injected with mostly engaging action sequences. But if you want a more solid plot that does not end up being convoluted halfway through, you might want to look elsewhere. Or you can just enjoy it for all the thrills it can offer, without caring for the plot that much.

Me? I like it.

Rating : 3 out of 5

Superman??

2008-10-05T13:40:00.004+08:00

Your results:
You are Superman

You are mild-mannered, good,
strong and you love to help others.

Click here to take the "Which Superhero are you?" quiz...

Nak Batman, tapi Supes is fine... Korang dapat ape? hehe

Duit Raya

2008-10-03T21:17:00.005+08:00

I'm back. I'm aware of the insane amount of posted pictures posted on everyone's blog. Not gonna upload mine, since they are mainly just simple pictures, rehashes of last year's Raya, which is fine with me actually.

Though this year's Eidul Fitr is just like year's, my Duit Raya is of a completely different level of haul. While I am not going to tell you how much I got, (in fear of feeling inferior to your duit raya amounts)I can safely say that I gain a significant raise from last year's meager haul. Murah sket rezeki tahun ni.

*drooling over Wendy's*

Tolonglah sedar diri.

2008-09-28T23:30:00.006+08:00

Tsk2. It's very bad of you to spread lies you know.

Sume dah balik dah.

2008-09-26T23:02:00.006+08:00

Everyone's gone home. Damn. Here I am listening to John Mayer, at this one little corner in my house.

Alone.

Usually at this hour I would hear Tajul singing his favorite songs, wailing there's no tomorrow. Then at the same time Niza would also be singing his favorite songs, while looking at the lyrics that he saved in his trusty laptop. It's like a fiasco of a concert in there.

Duang would be, oh, playing Dota, almost religiously. Nothing new.

Pie would be browsing the net for all kinds of stuff. YMing his darling Syud, while downloading tons of stuff from Metacafe.

Nazri would be in his kain pelikat and shirt oufit, as I hear the clacking sounds of his hands typing on his keyboard.

Boringnye korang takde...

Selamat Hari Raya dear readers. See you again in about a week.

Crysis Warhead's benchmarks: Still insane

2008-09-25T20:44:00.007+08:00

With all the talk saying it's running even smoother than the original Crysis, I thought the benchmarks wouldn't let my highly outdated 8800GTS biting the dust anymore. Turns out, it still will eat some, though not as much as the last one's.

I'm getting 23 fps average on 1680 x 1050 res. Okla.

Oh well, I'd better get this Reading test done first. Then for some tweaking. Heheh~

Benchmark link here.

Just a reminder.

2008-09-23T22:52:00.008+08:00

Bukan aku nak masuk campur, tapi, to a certain person who has been actively harassing(yes, I am using this word) a friend of mine, please. Lose it. The guy's a decent man who wears a kopiah, and he needs to be treated with respect. Not gonna publish your shameless acts here, so tau2 sendiri.

One of these days you might end up with one of his shoes in your mouth if you're not careful. Brand Nike lagi.

lolololololol k thx bai.

Ntahla. Aku pon tak tau.

2008-09-23T12:00:00.004+08:00

There was this one fellow classmate of mine where I've had a quarrel since part one. Yes I admit his remarks were very rude, and he accused me of doing things I didn't do. I hated him, and never spoke to him again since.

After two years, I couldn't help but reminisce it.

A friend told me:

Kalau orang tu berkawan, lepas tu tiba-tiba gaduh dan tak bercakap, berdosa tau.

It's a simple warning, yet it is so piercing. And raya is just around the corner.

We used to be good friends back in Pre-TESL.

*sigh*

Kepada.

2008-09-23T04:38:00.002+08:00

Aku nk marah. Tapi die lecturer, takut ilmu tak berkat.

Klakar kan?

2008-09-20T20:53:00.006+08:00

*sigh*

At this one site, this person blatantly supports this one political figure.

But at this one other site, a site that is dedicated to that political figure's adversary, this person condemns that political person with such hostility!!

Melayu, Melayu.

Play, Play, PLAY!!

2008-09-18T23:02:00.009+08:00

I want to play, Crysis Warhead, Fifa 09, Far Cry 2, PES 2009, Yakuza 2, Stalker Clear Sky, Grand Theft Auto IV, Call of Duty: World at War, Tomb Raider Underworld.

*gasp*

Velvet Assassin, Prince of Persia Heir Apparent, The Witcher, The Force Unleashed, Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway, Silent Hill Homecoming, Saints Row and Left 4 Dead.

..........after I'm done with this plethora of assignments at hand.

Poignant Ending.

2008-09-18T23:02:00.006+08:00

You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. I get to lose things. Because I'm not a hero. Not like Dent. I killed those people. That's what I can be.

No, no, you can't! You're not!!

I'm whatever Gotham needs me to be. Call it in.

They'll hunt you.

You'll hunt me. You'll condemn me. Set the dogs on me. Because that's what needs to happen. Because sometimes, the truth isn't good enough. Sometimes people deserve more. Sometimes people deserve to have their faith rewarded.

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

Batman! Batman! Why is he running, dad?

Because we have to chase him.

He didn't do anything wrong.

Because he's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now.

So we'll hunt him.

Because he can take it.

Because he's not a hero.

He's a silent guardian.

A watchful protector.

A Dark Knight.

Sora.

2008-09-17T12:50:00.006+08:00

Let them say my little darling,

For that everything they've thrown our way,
just words, because we are glistening,
be it restless nights or on a fine blue day.

Let them tear our rooftops apart,
rummage through our darkest secrets,
dare not, they divide our heart,
for this love know not the meaning of hatred.

Look at the sky my lovely dear,
when you're alone troubled by fear,
look, and know that I'm looking too,
remembering how our story began,
me and you, me and you.

Love, pakcik.

Attack of the Shower!!

2008-09-16T17:22:00.005+08:00

What do you do when you shower?

In my case, I do a lot of singing when I'm in the shower, as I sing upbeat songs Pangeran Cinta, Get the Party Started, Enter Sandman and even some of those nice Elvis Songs like It's Now or Never, or Jailhouse Rock. I'd even pretend that I'm shooting for a music video, and the myriads of shampoo bottles would be my choice of a microphone.

Sometimes, I go mellow, with songs like Magnet's Be With You (which Pi'e had the pleasure of recording from the outside), Seroja, or even Five For Fighting's Superman. I would shampoo my head while wailing out the haunting choruses, with the shower as my props, as rain effects. Yes, they make good dramatic rainy scenes. Imagine singing Kekasih Gelapku in that situation. hehe.

Sometimes, I would imagine myself in a scene from any of my favorite movies. The one scene that I usually do is final Battle in the LOTR the Two towers movie. Yes, it is possible.Again the trusty shampoo bottles would by sword, and I would say "FOR ROHANNNN" out loud. I would feel satisfied, primordial and strong at the same time.

Yes, I have too much time in my hands apparently. Tut tut.

Sesuatu Yang Indah

2008-09-16T08:01:00.000+08:00

Movie Review : Tropic Thunder

2008-09-14T00:08:00.004+08:00

I love Tropic Thunder. From its spot on, in your face humor to its, well more of other surprising moments, I must say that it is a very satisfying watch. You never know what kind of joke that'll creep up somewhere in the movie. Kudos to Downey after his awesome performance as the Iron Man earlier this year, this year has been kind to him.

Most of its hilarious moments are conjured up by Robert Downey himself, as the eccentric Australian actor Kirk Lazarus. Most of the character's hilarity comes not from his default character, but from the 'dude' that he impersonated? Confused? Not revealing spoilers here, but chances are you've already seen the trailers and seen Downey's transformation. Suffice to say his quarrels with the Alpa Chino character (get the reference?) are downright one of the most funniest moments I have seen in movies for quite some time. The lines that Downey spout are just so horrifyingly funny.

Though Downey is as guilty as Ledger's Joker for stealing too much of the scenes, the others have done considerably well too. Stiller as desperate Tug Speedman helps make the plot not a little too much on the dry side, as he is forced to re-live the moments of his last movie about a retard (too much funniness here, and the controversy) which tanked with both critics and in the box office. Jack Black is at his usual best here, playing an actor who is disgusted by people who laughs at him, simply of his fart jokes in his movies.

The movie's plot is an interesting premise, and could've been easily ruined if the characters weren't as interesting as the plot, but the bulk of intelligent inclusion of almost shocking form of humor made it fresh, and leaving us reeling for more of its brilliance. There're even cameos from some famous actors here, and they're good ones too, if you can spot them.

Tropic Thunder effing rocks, nuff said.

Rating : 4 out of 5

My love list

2008-09-13T20:58:00.003+08:00

I love my Nokia 6630. I love drawing cartoons and portraits. I love Batman. I love watching boring movies. I love watching good movies. I love Ray Ban(Liyana I want my specs nanti ar!). I love my old slow PC. I love annoying people. I love poking people at the hips. I love playing video games. I love singing my heart out. I LOVE LITERATURE. I love red. I love black.

Ape lagi ha?

Head.

2008-09-13T00:12:00.001+08:00

Anger. Anger. djkshdloias dyuiwqheuwaheuwehg jsedgfuksahfjksdhjhdsgjhs n nb cdbvjhsvnbxcz hddfuyjgvadjhnvgasdjasdjfchsjkhsakjdgasjdahsjhsdabnb sadjhsgdjasgdj gjagdjhsadnbas jsagjh jhcgjqwdg zu h hjk jlsadhkjasdas nnsadgkmnasbma jhgfjasbjhsadnbasuisagdjsagdjsagdkwqghsadjas jhsdvbjhsafdsajdjkasgdjhsadn bs xahjfgsahdbasmd a s gdgashdasb n jhsgdsajdbsna gsdjgashdasgjdasdgsahdgas asd nasbd sahdgjhsgjh gjh jh jh gjh g jhasgdjhsadshadjhsasjadgsjhgfshjfdsbnfegryqwghdauhfiajsdhnksahbdfjqwau jduyhsasabjdhqkhdfjqhekjasbdjasbn fmfmjheugrtiqweufhkljqhft428u5hrliewfjlaskdjlsiahdoasidwhjf hkjahsakj hjkhdbsejkah

This is a summary of my head now.

Rumors of Nolan's Third Batman Movie.

2008-09-09T20:05:00.017+08:00

Johnny Depp as the Riddler? Phillip Seymour Hoffman(he was in the superb Capote) as The Penguin? That seems to be the case, according to Michale Caine in this article here.

Here's Depp and the Riddler...

and here's Seymour Hoffman and the Penguin.

They might not look as identical as their would-be roles, especially Hoffman so I think...

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

But we've all been wrong before...

So what do you guys think?

Best, best, bestnye.

2008-09-07T15:04:00.006+08:00

Lovely ain't it? I finally found it after so many weeks of traveling here and there but to no avail. Yet, they have it at One Utama in huge numbers!

Hehe.

What? It did say 7 years old and up... ;)

Why do we fall?

2008-09-05T12:10:00.007+08:00

So we can learn to pick ourselves up.

Agak-agak aa.

2008-09-02T11:33:00.007+08:00

Pokwe bought nasi briyani with some daging = RM 5.50

I bought nasi kerabu with ayam, telur masin and some daging = RM6.00 (I can get this RM2 cheaper)

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

This is Madness!!!

Movie Reviews: Wall-E, The Love Guru, and Mirrors

2008-08-30T19:39:00.000+08:00

Wall-E

This has got to be one of the most interesting inclusion of character study I have ever seen, not just an animated movie, but also on a film scale. Wall-E is a perfect example of how a simple and and a very unlikely character design can also thrive on being so central and adorable in the eyes of an audience.

Wall-E's character is made, scripted and adjusted to be such an honest klutz, yet so capable of churning out some oddly hilarious humor, despite the fact that he can only utter electronic purrs out of his body, which, in my opinion, is one of the little guy's cutest attribute.

But there is more to Wall-E than his undeniable charms. Being the last robot on earth, Wall-E has been living the solitary life for quite some time, and Pixar has pushed themselves to incredible lengths to unearth a really detailed description of how this solitude could shape Wall-E's aspiration and wants, and the loneliness that comes with it. Also, the love story that is incorporated here is another one of the movie's strong positives, as it eerily resembles stereotypes of the men and women society. It may be of stereotypes, but the satire that is offered by these characters are fresh, considering again, that they never really converse in complex dialogues. And you'd probably laugh at the resemblance, instead of being sexist about it. Amazing stuff.

There is a unique narration here, as the cameras flow through the lifeless terrain, it tells another story of how mankind left earth in an effort to 'purge' the earth of extreme pollution. All of these are done seamlessly, letting us enjoy the eye candy (that seems to be Pixar's routine these days), and of course, letting us learn a very important lesson, and it makes me wonder if we'll actually go the same way the movie depicted if we don't really heed it.

Well done Pixar. Not surprised though.

Rating : 4.5 out of 5.

The Love Guru

How do I put it here...I can't say that everything about The Love Guru is bad, but I never left the cinema feeling satisfied or with an enormous smile either. Mike Meyers' latest comedy effort stumbles more than it delivers.

The movie begins well enough, with some really catchy premises and catch phrases that are bound to make you laugh heartily, even of some of them are downright disgusting. But as the film progresses, these premises and the supposedly in-jokes are left in the cold, and the uglier parts of the movie surfaces plaguing the whole movie.

Suffice to say, some of the penis/dick jokes get really tiresome and appear to hurt the movie's overall humor. And at this point the movie's plot never did matter nor does it strike a single sense any more. I was not looking for any moral values here, don't worry. I just wished that some of the movie's more decent attempts at humor weren't so heavily outweighed by its abysmal counterparts.

Rating : 2 out of 5.

Mirrors.

In today's plethora of bad attempts at remaking some Asian classics, Mirrors stands out as being quite decent enough as a spook fest, though it is not without it's flaws. Like the Korean version, the movie's plot involves around these mysterious mirrors that have been killing people mysteriously in a burned down warehouse. Our protagonist is a scarred former police officer played by Mr Jack Bauer, Kiefer Sutherland.

Spoliers aside, the movie's sequence of scares are very well executed, with some chilling soundtrack aiding the scares. The movie does not play a lot of mind tricks and psychological scares that seems to be the norm of films of this genre these days, but it's depiction of the demented spirits are downright disturbing and horrific. It's just that I think the film's scares kind of went to a certain stage where it had some missed oppurtunities to really intrigue and make some of the supposedly twists appear stunted.

But these shortcomings never detracted the film from being a well made horror flick. There wasn't too much CG to make it look awkward, and the performances are well enough to warrant a good watch at the cinemas. If you're not that picky, this should knock your socks off. It won't change your mind though, if you simply abhor the West's approach to these Asian born thrillers.

Rating : 3.5 out of 5

Oh and by the way, Happy Ramadhan everyone.

Canada awaits you.

2008-08-30T01:52:00.000+08:00

Thank you for the memories. You have been very kind to me, all these years as a good friend. I remembered how we used to crash at Benjo's place and play those games to death. I remembered how you headed your way through the defenders with your towering figure. No fair.

But most of all, I remembered how you were very patient with my boisterous nature that kept pestering you in our school days.

Damn those were good times.

Good luck in Canada, old friend.

Nape sekejap sgt ah.

2008-08-22T22:56:00.000+08:00

ugh.

Cuti nk abes.

Tidak.

Malasnya nak kemas beg.

Ugh.

Byk nye test nk study.

Ugh.

bile nk grad ni.

Ugh.

keje...

Ugh.

Blackout

2008-08-21T21:45:00.000+08:00

My house went for a temporary blackout just now. I don't know why, since I was little I was always excited when the electricity snaps. I'd go running towards the kitchen to grab some sticks of candles. Then, I'd just stare at it.

Today I finally understood why. It's probably because when in the dark, the things that I seem to neglect or ignore, starts to look so interesting. They were all there, but with a twist. A different light falls on them. It made me appreciate the many things that I always had in this humble abode of mine.

The dusty vases, the torn sofa, the decades old window panes, everything. I've forgotten to notice this little sticker that I put on my bedroom door since my secondary years. Reminded me of my fascination towards basketball back then.

I guess, as you grow up, you forget about the things that were as the witnesses of your journey to maturity and adulthood. But these things do not transcend or grow older, and remain and serve as immortal memories to you, be it beautiful, or ugly. Powerful and indispensable.

Tak Sejujur Muhammad.

2008-08-21T16:23:00.000+08:00

Kau sanggup?
Kerana aku tidak.
Kerana kau, aku dan dia sama,
Sepertinya, kau dan aku berkata-kata,

Kanan,
Kiri,
Belakang,

Tapi kau tak mampu,
berkata apa-apa

apabila hadirnya topeng mu,
bertentangan matanya,
menghadapi dirinya,

Kau katakan dirinya,
PENIPU?

Kau katakan mereka,
PENDUSTA?

Kau katakan kami,
MUNAFIK?

Jadi siapakah engkau,
wahai manusia?

Siapakah aku?

Kau sanggup?
Kerana aku tidak.

Kerana kau sama,
Seperti mereka, kau dan aku berkata-kata.

Kau,
Aku,
Dia,

Tiada yang sejujur Muhammad.

Kita semua HIPOKRIT.