six questions

Where.

Abaton. The lovely and I-love-it-so-much Abaton.

When.

I watched it on March 8, a day before the official premiere in Germany. Yee ha!

How.

It was good. A good drama. In other words kinda boring. Personally, it is so difficult for me to connect with the movie. I don't really understand the culture, I don't understand the terms, I don't understand the flow of the story. I just don't get it.

I mean, it was clear from the beginning that if you do this you will be that. But why were they keep asking them in the end. Nothing surprising, and nothing really special as well.

Why.

I just really want to know. After loving Ang Lee the first time after he directed 'Sense and Sensibility', I really need to know why the Academy took this movie as a validation for his directing.

It is for me a similar but a bit better work than his other gay flick: 'The Wedding Banquet'. Now that is easy to connect with, eventhough the movie is not that compelling. (Although off the record, I think that The Wedding Banquet wasn't headlining much news because it is more asian than it is american. Culturally.)

Ang Lee really likes to let the audience make their own narration, when he introduces characters and situations. But when the time for the actors to speak .... Now it is I who will let you make your own narration. Hehehe..

Who.

I like Michelle Williams' character, Alma, a LOT. She is the best character out there. I felt her the most in every single scene that she was in. That is why I was wondering why the audience were laughing on the scene that she caught her husband kissing Jack. I think that scene is the most important scene of the whole movie. And I know that this wasn't only happening in Abaton.

Did you laugh, like out loud, when this scene came? I didn't. I felt really nervous.. And I didn't really understand why the others were laughing.

Starting from that scene, everything about the main characters are changed, everything now is shattered, promised, hoped, longed for, and missed. Just enjoy the movie after this scene. Your feelings toward Alma will change.

Or maybe again, because I have written about the actress in a long-but-snubbed post a long time ago. :)

By the way, no wonder people drool over Jake Gyllenhaal after this movie. His character in it is such a doll.

What.

I don't know. I haven't watched Crash yet. Nor other nominated-for-Best-Picture movies.

But for sure: below expectations.

By the way, I just realized the design of the title has a silhouette of a pasture. Or grass. Or that thing. Between the two lines. You know. I thought it was just plain characters comprising Brokeback Mountain. Hmm..

Update: You have heard the super sour bitter article that Annie Proulx (how should one spell her name?) wrote, right? My response: Wauw! Chill out, lady!

thanks to defamer.com, I took my nap yesterday Crash-ed Oscar! (pun hugely intended)

OK, my drink is here, my snack (half a kilo of carrots) is here, blanket's working well, Yahoo! Messenger is connected, TVgasm.com list is ready, drinking game is.. wait a sec, I never do a drinking game.. anyways, bring it on, Mr. Stewart.

Update: Three-something hours later ... Motherfuckinggod. :-O

American Idol 5 Contestant of the Week

Last week, I really felt like quitting (watching) the show. But after seeing performances of top 4 of 'Deutschland Sucht den Superstar' (DSDS, a german version of American Idol), I said, what the hell. Patrick Hall may not be in it anymore, but I will stick around to witness the demise of some contestants. I'm staying for some also good talents.

Watching the top 24 episodes, there is something in my mind that actually has been bugging me for some time. One particular contestant reminds me a lot of Shayne Ward, the winner of an also orchestrated by Simon Cowell talent show in UK called 'The X Factor'. He was my trump for the show.

Compared to the other top 4, his vocal is one of the weakest. However, it was still great, stylish, and current, plus he has a big personae circling him, owing to his good looks.

I thought, a recent contestant in American Idol 5 will play the Shayne card. That contestant is our American Idol 5 contestant of the week.

Who recognizes Brett Young? No-one? Well now, he goes with Ace Young. Early Google search on "Ace Young" brought me to a thread titled: "Ace Young - the most attractive guy ever auditioned on Idol?" Besides, Paula told us to put an eye (of all things not ear, perhaps) before the show was officially aired on Ace. So you can imagine how attractive he is.

Vocally, Ace is.. Ugh.. umm he is.. igh.. He sang Westlife in audition. Randy praised his vocals, while Paula (no surprise) praised his looks. Simon on the other of the spectrum, gave a tiny Y to put him through.

His voice is .. umm.. nasal-y mouse-trying-to-get-out-of-a-mousetrap screeching, with a bit of whiny, and most of the time is not supported 100% making it off-key. And he has weak runs which sometimes off as well. In other words, nowhere near Shayne.

Week 1, he picked a George Michael song: 'Father Figure'. GREAT choice. Week 2, he picked Daniel Bedingfield's 'If You're Not the One' (what is the title of this song, actually? Is it 'If You're not the One' or 'If I'm not Made for You'?).

On one of the episodes, Shayne nailed George Michael's as well. And lemme tell you, If You're not the One was actually the fast-train ticket to win for Shayne in 'The X Factor'. Did it work on Ace? Nope. That ticket was taken, mate. His was shaky and pitchy, weak, and far too whiny.

He still comes across as a great guy though. Great and sympathetic. With an attached humbility. Just like Shayne.

The funny thing was despite his bad performance this week, he still got rave reviews from Randy and Paula. I'm not saying.. but I'm just saying.. :D

bookish

Current book finished read: Harry Potter and No-Wonder-He-Got-E(Exceeds-Expectations)-in-Charm-for-His-O.W.L. - music in ear: American Idol 5 top 20 performances - expected TV program: Die Perfekte Dinner; RTL II; Mo. 20:15

ATTENTION: CONTAINS SPOILERS TO HARRY POTTER AND the HALF-BLOOD PRINCE!!

This post is dedicated to Geget, who warned me of Dumby's pensieve;
to NDC, who pointed me to this site [dumbledoreisnotdead.com];
to Charlie, who recommended me this book;
and other fellas who may say, "Harry Potter? Yeah, I read those too.", but I haven't shared some point of view with them, or they had become so defensive as I asked them.

Harry, Harry, Harry.. Potter, Potter, Potter.. Where should I start? OK, I will start by saying that the latest Harry Potter book, titled Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, is brilliant! I know it's a bit a year too late, but still, brilliant!

I'm not talking about the tumultuous (gosh I had to look up the dictionary to find how it is spelled) plot revelation culminating in chapter 27, but about the return to the roots of Harry Potter that I love. Scattered clues here and there, endless red-herrings, the mysterious title and the aftermath when the true truth about the title is revealed, and the feeling of "Poor Harry, he's always the last to know ..".

I mean come on, I knoooooow who dies in this book, like two days after the book was out. Accidentally, though. And I have read a book that tells me to be alert of JK Rowling's genius mind. I've been carefully told that the Pensieve thing may be somewhat useful. But still, reading it was like witnessing magic in the making.

It was only boring in the beginning and in the end, (Nope, sorry, didn't cry) and while reading it, my mind kept racing with my eyes to be the first to know the facts. And nope, it didn't take weeks to read.

Two things only, why should Gryffindor win another Quidditch cup? and I would never ever thought that our greatest biggest most lovable hero is going to be a drop-out. Have nothing against drop-outs, though.

All and all I will say this again: No wonder Harry Potter got E for Charms in O.W.L., he won me back.

i blame it to boring performances on American Idol 5 top 10 girls

WTF??!!



Another WTF??!!



And yet another WTF??!!



Superb!



Gorgeous..



Love 'em!