Iron Man - Film Review

Forget the by-some-freak-of-nature abilities of Superman and Spiderman. Ignore the deliberate and unappealing dorkiness of Peter Parker (in the movie version) and the gloomy darkness of Batman. Here's a man who knows how to play hard, and works as hard to gain his 'powers'.

Meet Tony Stark.



Tony Stark spends his life manufacturing weapons until one day his weapons are used against him. Held hostage by a group of terrorists, he is forced to build for them a weapon of mass destruction. Pretending to do so, Stark builds Iron Man instead!

Robert Downey Jr. shines with his portrayal of Stark and projects a likeable bond with his personal assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), which is pleasantly surprising. The fact that Gwyneth's backless gown scene is secondary to the movie's enjoyment is in itself also a pleasant surprise.

Watching Stark's titanium alloy machine as he perfects his invention is delightful as it illustrates the diligence of a researcher finding his way through trial-and-error. Coupled with witty lines and crisp timing, there is no room for boredom throughout the movie.

The next thing you realize, you'll be kicking yourself in the rear for not staying until the end of the credits to watch a hint of a sequel.

Stark (left): "I don't want to see this on your Myspace page!"

What Happens in Vegas - Film Review

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There are rom coms... and there are good rom coms. What Happens in Vegas belongs to the former; for as much as it succeeds as a 'com', it fails in the 'rom' department. Ashton Kutcher and no-longer-youthful Cameron Diaz do not share the chemistry vital to drive a film such as this.

What makes a good rom com, in my opinion, is not (just) about a girl in lingerie and a guy stripping to his briefs, but the witty banter and body language between the two leads (as in Music and Lyrics, which also contained good music to hold it up).

However, the film's main message -- that the one you can feel most yourself with, and don't have to change to fit a particular persona in order to be with, is the one you're meant for -- though oft repeated, is too heartwarming to be faulted. After all, we could all use that little reminder once in a while :)

Malaysian Dreamgirl: Did the best girl win?

I just saw a really big fat, red millipede or whatever-it's-called (cause I don't think millipedes are red) in the kitchen, as I walked to the sink. It was crawling really quickly on its many legs, and as I walked away, it actually turned around (!) and started walking towards me. I told it firmly, "I don't want to kill you, go away!" I wonder where it's gone now. I hope it hasn't wandered into my room or anything. *peers over the laptop* And yeah, I do believe that animals are able to understand human speak, if we say it sincerely.

* * *

Anyway, with the completion of the Malaysian Dreamgirl (MDG) reality show and announcement of the winner, I decided to finally spend some time to watch the show. The sight of Hanis' smile when Sazzy Falak, the host, compliments her photo makes the time spent, worth it. *melts*

(that smile!)

I could tell from her body language that she was the most sincere person of all the contestants, making her the easiest to root for. It's a little late to say these, now that the show has wrapped up. But hey, in a reality show like this, did you (the viewers) really expect the best girl to win? ;)

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To know the winner of MDG, click here.

George's Answering Machine

The coolest answering machine in the world! A clip from Seinfeld.

Eye Candy

Just watched the movie P2 with several old friends -- not that they're old, but well, you get the idea! -- and besides the gore and violence which makes it an 18-plus movie, the film is held up (pun intended) by its lead actress, Rachel umm... Nichols.

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The movie starts her off as a primly dressed career lady (and a very pretty one too). Soon she's kidnapped by a psychopath and wakes up in a sexy white slip.

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She runs. She falls (while the camera pans on her bosom). She gets fully drenched with water -- white dress, g-strings (which shows when she's drenched) and all. But her generous cleavage shots were actually a 'trade-off' for... shall we say, more enticing things:

I will not get wet and show nipples. [...] I wasn't going to run around for two months without a bra, I thought that was inappropriate. But in place of the nipples there's clearly a lot of cleavage. So we made a compromise." - Rachel Nichols (source)

Ah, that answers how she manages to keep her dress perfectly in place, and how she gets her cleavage. Funny that she thinks running bra-less is "inappropriate". She's certainly got some shots from her modeling career that are, by her definition, "inappropriate" (Hint: look closely at the first picture). Or maybe it's only the 'running' part that's inappropriate...

Kermit's Mystery Box / Tribute to Jim Henson

Can you guess what's inside the box?



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I am extending this post to become a humble tribute to the life of Jim Henson, creator and puppeteer of Kermit the Frog.

In the final minutes of the two-and-a-half hour service, six of the core Muppet performers sang, in their characters' voices, a medley of Jim Henson's favorite songs, culminating in a performance of "Just One Person" that began with Richard Hunt singing alone, as Scooter. "As each verse progressed," Henson employee Chris Barry recalled, "each Muppeteer joined in with their own Muppets until the stage was filled with all the Muppet performers and their beloved characters."[27] The funeral was later described by LIFE as "an epic and almost unbearably moving event." The image of a growing number of performers singing "Just One Person" was especially powerful; it was recreated for the 1990 television special The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson [video below] and inspired screenwriter Richard Curtis, who attended the London service, to write the growing-orchestra wedding scene of his 2003 film Love Actually. - Wikipedia: Jim Henson

Here's the recreated rendition of "Just One Person" from The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson...

Hairspray: "You Can't Stop The Beat"

The best song out of Hairspray, the wonderful musical set in the 60's, is undeniably You Can't Stop the Beat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HtvO4-Y-x0

The above version, curiously, does not have Seaweed (Elijah Kelly) and Penny's (purr-ty Amanda Bynes) parts before Motormouth Maybelle (Queen Latifah) starts to sing, but its visuals are the best of Youtube.

An alternate version is here, albeit with less interesting visuals but the song is complete...

[Note: This video replaces the original one which is no longer available (thanks Beve for informing). This one is captured straight from the movie.]

TRACY (Nikki Blonsky)
You can't stop an avalanche
As it races down the hill
You can try to stop the seasons, girl
But you know you never will
And you could try to stop my dancin' feet
But I just cannot stand still

Cause the world keeps spinnin'
Round and round
And my heart's keeping time
To the speed of sound
I was lost till I heard the drums
And I found my way

TRACY & LINK (Zac Efron)
Cause you can't stop the beat

Ever since this old world began
A woman found out if she shook it
She could shake up a man
And so I'm gonna shake and shimmy it
The best that I can today

'Cause you can't stop
The motion of the ocean
Or the sun in the sky
You can wonder if you wanna
But I never ask why

And if you try to hold me down
I'm gonna spit in your eye and say
That you can't stop the beat!

PENNY (purr-ty Amanda Bynes)
You can't stop a river
As it rushes to the sea

SEAWEED (Elijah Kelly)
You can try to stop the hands of time
But you know it just can't be

PENNY
And if they try to stop us, Seaweed
I'll call the N Double A C P
Cause the world keeps spinning
Round and round
And my heart's keeping time
To the speed of sound
I was lost till I heard the drums
Then I found my way

PENNY & SEAWEED
Cause you can't stop the beat

Ever since we first saw the light
A man and woman liked to shake it
On a Saturday night
And so I'm gonna shake and shimmy it
With all of my might today

'Cause you can't stop
The motion of the ocean
Or the rain from above
You can try to stop the paradise
We're dreamin' of
But you cannot stop the rhythm
Of two hearts in love to stay
Cause you can't stop the beat!

EDNA (John Travolta)
You can't stop my happiness
Cause I like the way I am
And ya just can't stop my knife and fork
When I see a Christmas ham
So if you don't like the way I look
Well, I just don't give a damn!

EDNA & ENSEMBLE
Cause the world keeps spinning
Round and round
And my heart's keeping time
To the speed of sound
I was lost till I heard the drums
Then I found my way
'Cause you can't stop the beat

Ever since this old world began
A woman found out if she shook it
She could shake up a man
And so I'm gonna shake and shimmy it
The best that I can today

Cause you can't stop
The motion of the ocean
Or the sun in the sky
You can wonder if you wanna
But I never ask why
And if you try to hold me down
I'm gonna spit in your eye and say
That you can't stop the beat!

(instrumental)

MOTORMOUTH (Queen Latifah)
Oh oh oh
You can't stop today (No!)
As it comes speeding down the track
Child, yesterday is hist'ry (Be gone!)
And it's never coming back (Coming back!)

MOTORMOUTH & ENSEMBLE
'Cause tomorrow is a brand new day

MOTORMOUTH
And it don't know white from black

ENSEMBLE
Yeah!

MOTORMOUTH & ENSEMBLE
'Cause the world keeps spinning
Round and round
And my heart's keeping time
To the speed of sound
I was lost till I heard the drums
Then I found my way
'Cause you can't stop the beat

ALL
Ever since we first saw the light
A man and woman liked to shake it
On a Saturday night
And so I'm gonna shake and shimmy it
With all of my might today

'Cause you can't stop
The motion of the ocean
Or the rain from above
They can try to stop the paradise
We're dreaming of
But you cannot stop the rhythm
Of two hearts in love to stay
Cause you can't stop the beat!

Aah, aah, aah
Aah, aah, aah
Aah, aah, aah

Ever since we first saw the sun
A man and woman liked to shake it when the day is done
So we're gonna shake and shimmy it
And have some fun
For today!

You can't stop
The motion of the ocean
Or the rain from above
You can try to stop the paradise
We're dreaming of
But you cannot stop the rhythm
Of two hearts in love to stay
You can't stop the beat! (You can't stop the beat!)
You can't stop the beat! (You can't stop the beat!)
You can't stop the beat!

credits to stlyrics.com, with some corrections

Despite having watched Hairspray twice in the cinema, I have not yet found the words to satisfactorily review it. Yes, I have watched it twice -- dragging my parents to watch it after enjoying the first time with my pals. But really, that's all that needs to be said!

High School Musical 2: "Gotta Go My Own Way"

This is my favourite song out of High School Musical 2. It's called Gotta Go My Own Way, sung by Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Hudgens), which is also a most emotional moment in the film as she decides to break up with Troy Bolton (Zac Efron). Word has it that Zac does his own singing in HSM2 as opposed to mostly using songwriter Drew Seely's voice in the first installment.

Somehow I find Troy's innocent mannerisms, especially in this video, appealing. He almost always looks helpless and coy, in contrast to Gabriella, who appears a much stronger person.



For some reason, I favour Gabriella's solos in both movies. In the first installment, my favourite song was When There Was Me and You, when Gabriella feels heartbroken thinking Troy doesn't love her. (Gasp! I think I'm seeing a pattern here!) And I don't even mind that Vanessa's voice is very much studio-produced, and that anyone could tell. The music sounds nice, and poppish. Just the way I like it!

Oh yeah, and emotional too.

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Ps. Go watch Hairspray and root for Seaweed and Penny!

The Simpsons Movie - Spiderpig (by request)

A lot of you have been searching for SPIDERPIG words and arriving at this post. However, I didn't put any words to Spiderpig there, so I'll supply the lyrics here, plus the video to boot!

Spiderpig, spiderpig
Does whatever a spiderpig does
Can he swing from a web?
No he can't, he's a pig
Look out... he is a spiderpig!

The Simpsons Movie a.k.a. Spiderpig

About time we had some good old-fashioned humour.

It's all mindless hilarity, but it's the mindless hilarity that makes Spiderpig so much fun!

The last part of this trailer escapes the laws of Physics...


Another version of the trailer...


Convinced to go watch it now?

Music and Lyrics - "Way Back Into Love (Demo Version)"

Fell in love with this song. Here are two versions. One is Way Back Into Love as it's sung in the movie by Hugh and Drew, and the other is from the OST, spliced with footage from the movie. If your connection is unsatisfactory, I recommend you watch the second one first.

Straight from the movie...


And the full Demo Version...


I've been living with a shadow overhead
I've been sleeping with a cloud above my bed
I've been lonely for so long
Trapped in the past, I just can't seem to move on

I've been hiding all my hopes and dreams away
Just in case I ever need 'em again someday
I've been setting aside time
To clear a little space in the corners of my mind

All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
Oh oh oh

I've been watching but the stars refuse to shine
I've been searching but I just don't see the signs
I know that it's out there
There's got to be something for my soul somewhere

I've been looking from someone to shed some light
Not somebody just to get me through the night
I could use some direction
And I'm open to your suggestions

All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
And if I open my heart again
I guess I'm hoping you'll be there for me in the end

There are moments when I don't know if it's real
Or if anybody feels the way I feel
I need inspiration
Not just another negotiation

All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
And if I open my heart to you
I'm hoping you'll show me what to do
And if you help me to start again
You know that I'll be there for you in the end

Music and Lyrics

Just finished watching Music and Lyrics starring Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. Almost cried during the piano solo; am man enough to admit it.

Witty lines peppered throughout the film, plus its simple but realistic storyline centralizing on a song-writing collaboration make the show so endearing. I guess the central theme is undoubtedly near to my heart, and I guess that's the reason I love it so.

It was released in conjunction with Valentine's Day, but really, on every other day, it will still work its magic. Go watch it, if you haven't. (Now if only I could get a girl to watch it with me, that would be great.)

And the best quote from the movie, credits to IMDb.com:

Sophie Fisher: A melody is like seeing someone for the first time. The physical attraction. Sex.
Alex Fletcher: I so get that.
Sophie Fisher: But then, as you get to know the person, that's the lyrics. Their story. Who they are underneath. It's the combination of the two that makes it magic.

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I Don't Get You, Transformers

An irreverent review on Transformers the movie...

Warning: Minor spoilers follow. If you hate spoilers, read number 1, look at the picture and move on to the next post.

1. If you're a fan of CGI, you would love this movie. If you're a fan of Transformers, you already have a reason to love this movie. If you're a fan of neither, you'd subconsciously yawn in the middle of the film. It just happens, don't ask me why.

2. The girl character is purely there for eye-candy. Remove her, and there would be no change at all to the storyline. Remove her 'training bra' though... and you complete this sentence.

- 2a) Two guys get stripped in the movie. None of the girls gets this treatment.

- 2b) Interesting: The girl's name (Mikeela) could be the feminine version of the Director's first name (Michael).

3. A Nokia phone put in contact with a Rubik's cube turns into a mini banging Autobot. It is not shown whether a Motorola can produce Jessica Alba.

4. Since the Autobots look quite alike, the Producers eliminate the confusion by having Megatron say his name everytime he's on camera:

Enter Megatron.
Megatron: "Megatron"
Exit Megatron.

Kinda like the Lilo and Stitch cartoon series on TV, where the evil versions of Experiment 626 will always say, "Evillll....!"

5. * Introduction: Megatron wants the Rubik's Cube for evil gains.
* Mission: Don't let Megatron get hold of Rubik's Cube. If all else fails, insert the cube into Optimus Prime's chest. The cube will be destroyed, including Optimus Prime... "a worthy sacrifice", he says.
* What happens: Suddenly, Megatron runs towards Rubik's Cube. The cube is inserted into his chest and destroys Megatron. End of story. Seriously, end of story. (which explains the title of this post)

6. In an ideal world, a hot girl will seat on your lap just because you told her to, and yeah, she wants to share your seatbelt. *rolls eyes* In a fantasy world, the girl will even compliment you for it. We conclude that the Transformers world is one of ideal fantasy.

- 6a) If you're detained in jail, you get a plate full of donuts. Prove your innocence by finishing the donuts. No nude squats required.
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Moral of the Story

Lessons from Pirates of the Carribean:

1. Pirate gals must have some sort of self-cleaning ability. How else would Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightly) remain so clean throughout the entire movie, when all the other guys look plain dirty?

2. In current times, Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) would be considered queer... watch his flailing arms when he walks. Heck, a perpetually bent arm has gotten band Hinder's (famous for the song Lips of an Angel) lead singer into much trouble.

3. It pays to be polite. For example, if you want to ask a girl to remove her clothes, you say, "Remove. Please." and give your best grin from ear to ear. Apparently it works.

...................................."Remove? Oh-kay...!" picsource

4. Never buy tix at the last minute, or you'll end up sitting three rows away from your pal.

Runawaypu... uh, cat! When wanna hang out again? :D

Not Enough Eye Candy

I've discovered that I'm not so much an action-film kinda guy; I prefer comedy, romance and/or musicals. An example of a comedy-musical is The Producers (starring Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Uma Thurman and Will Ferrell), which I've watched at least thrice -- rewind, forward, skip skip, and replay. The Lake House (starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock) is an example of a great romance movie.

Yesterday, I watched the latest 007 installment, Casino Royale. Unfortunately I can't recall enough material to blog about it, nor think of sufficient excuses to cover the fact that I can't recall enough material to blog about it. On the way home after Casino Royale, this conversation ensued:

Dad: Back in my time--
Me: (starts to roll eyes)
Dad: --we watched Bond films for the girls. This film [Casino Royale] didn't have many pretty girls.
Me: O.o

And I must say I wholeheartedly agreed with him, but I forgot what I said. It's weird having this conversation with your dad. (Sidenote: I googled Bond-girl Eva Green for images to post alongside this entry, and well, let's just say they're NSFW.)

This reminds me of last week after my second last paper when I watched the film Accepted with my coursepals -- cause they've all finished their exams, except me. After the movie, the girls were complaining:

Yin: This movie didn't have cute guys.
May: Yea.