2009

As the year draws to a close... its a good time to reflect on the past year and consider how life has changed...

I will be looking at my calendar and thinking about months past.

Happy 2010 folks!

Feeling Old

I know I should be partying... but am feeling quite old...

I Wonder...

I wonder...

how many of the many weddings I've attended in the past year and year to come will end in divorce.

I know it sounds bad of me...

but some of them shouldn't have happened methinks.

Xmas

I know I am supposed to be looking forward to the Xmas weekend, but screw it. I don't think I'll be getting any proper work done till after Xmas.

Merry Xmas everyone!

Update: A shitstorm just blew my way. EFF!

Avatar Review

We watched the best movie of 2009 over the weekend.

James Cameron is a visionary and really took SFX and CGI to the next level. I would advise everyone to watch the 3D version. Its magical.

To be honest, I wasn't keen on watching the movie in the first place. I thought to myself, its another boring cartoon - and I will walk out not relishing nor hating the experience. But I was wrong.

Yes, the storyline is predicable. Pochahontas-type. Enemy falls in love with village chief's daughter... turns to the other side... ladida.

But there are nuances in the story.

The scene where the tree burns... remind you of 911? When Michelle Rodriguez uses the term "matyrdom"... isn't it a throwback to whats happening in the world now?

The Americans used Afganistan and several of the Arab countries as proxies for the Cold War. Now they are biting back.

It is also poignant to note that this movie was also about our current relentless greed to strip the world of resouces and what we might end up with - which is quite sad, considering what (did not) happen in Copenhagen.

All in all, an excellent movie. Such that I want to catch it another time, just to pick up smaller details.

9.5 /10

Ok, so not everyone liked it. Alternative review here.

This Festive Season...

Do watch out for your friends when they drink!

Storm Warriors

So we watched the sequel of Storm Warriors. There are a lot of spoilers in this review, so avert your eyes if you haven't seen it.

The movie is for fanboys. Why? Too many gaps in the plot which you would only have known if you've read the comic. I mean, why did Demon Wind take the dragon bone? Where the heck did Nicholas Tse's character disappear to after that?

There seemed to be 2 parts to the movie. One, where the whole focus was to kill Godless, and the latter, where Cloud had to stop Wind from remaining a demon. I liked the first one better. It was like a typical movie, build up all the way to the crest and then, viola, done. You walk out smiling and satiated.

Not this one. Yes, the 2 boys went to improve themselves to fight Godless, which was dramatic and they whom they killed. Then they go into this drama-mama weepy set where Wind keeps his lame makeup on and growls and snarls at everyone because he is possessed. Tip for directors, don't have more than one orgasm per movie. The second one is always not as good as the first one. I mean, fight scene with Godless was dramatic, fight scene btw Wind and Cloud, yawn.

Gf said that there was not as much variety in this one. What she meant to say was that the romance in this one was secondary, and non-essential to the plot. U ask yourself, why the hell u have it if you aint going to play it up. Honestly, bro-love was enough, u didnt need to have Charlene Choi go all weepy.

As far as CGI went, this sequel is 11 years after the first. It hasn't caught up to match the first one.

The soundtrack was also not as memorable as the former.

What we did like were the comic book like sequences. Like it was there to remind you of the roots of the movie.

Overall, it was entertaining but nothing fantastic.

6.5/10

I'm going to party like its my birthday...

Because it is. =)

Updates

Having responded to several queries about my life from friends these past few days, i thought i'd give updates on my blog. Albeit in point form.

1. Yes. I'm still hating my new job. Not moving yet. Waiting for something that is supposed to happen (management says so) in January.

2. Gf and I are doing fine. Thanksomuchforasking.

3. House renovations are moving along. Its a pain picking up fixtures / furniture / customising wardrobes and that's what my weekends have been about. I do hope to move in as soon as possible. =)

4. Family is well. Have seen my niece a total of 2 times since she was born 2 months ago. Its not that I'm a bad uncle. But babies just don't do anything for me.

5. Been doing lots of hiking in Bukit Timah hill... my timing is getting better!

6. Need ideas for where to eat (as always). Oh, and suggestions for what I can get Gf for her birthday are welcomed.

7. Haven't drank hard liquor in 3 months and counting. I am as amazed as you are.

8. Am sick, its the seasonal flu thingy i think.

Thats all for now. =)

Good Monday Morning

Time Check 11.38

And I need a drink. This is not good.

Moron.

If Only I Had A Greater Understanding of Psychology

I had a talk with someone who is reading psychology...

As much as I thought it was really a pointless degree, she proved me wrong.

There are so many insights to why we do what we do arising from psychology.

If only I had the time to read... I might be able to help more people around me understand themselves and why they are like that.