The Twilight Saga: New Moon  

Posted by: Audrey in


The opening credits already got me thinking, 'OMG...so cliched!' and hoping fervently that the rest of the movie would not turn out to be something like the newer Star Wars installments: full of corny and cringe-worthy dialogue. I did not get my wish (kind of)...

'New Moon' is based on the second book of the same name in the Twilight Saga series...basically, you get the "girl gets the (vampire) boy of her dreams for the first 10 minutes, girl gets a paper cut and subsequently attacked by a bunch a hungry vampires, boy feels absolutely guilty and leaves girl, girl gets so depressed she gets nightmares and becomes an adrenaline junkie to create hallucinations of boy, girl finds a best friend in a new (werewolf) boy, boy falls in love with girl, something drastic happens and boy (vampire) thinks girl is dead, boy goes to kill himself and girl goes to his rescue, boy realizes his folly and promises never to leave girl again' story. *takes deep breath*

Although I'm a big, BIG fan of the Twilight series, I have to admit 'New Moon' is not one of my favourites in the series...mainly because it's so morose and dry. All Bella ever does is mope about three quarters of the book. But still, I guess every love story has to have its lows right? And without this book, one would not get to know more about Jacob, who is one of the central focus in the book.

What about the movie? I'm quite happy that the director and screenwriters stick quite close to the books...even adapting some of the minor (but very nice) details in the book, which I liked. However, there were also some liberties (I feel) that they took to try and make things more 'interesting' or dramatic, but that kind of takes things into the 'corny, cringe-worthy' direction...like the image of Bella and Edward running about in the woods, dressed in the fashion of supposedly posh English fashion. In SLOW MOTION??!! *shakes head*

Still, effects-wise, it's definitely a step up from the first movie...I'm guessing because they got a bigger budget, and it's great to see it put to (quite) good use. My favourite would be when the boys of the Quileute tribe transform...quite effortless and 'realistic'.

The cast did quite a good job too...Taylor Lautner definitely stood out as Jacob Black, giving Robert Pattinson (playing Edward Cullen) a run for his money. All his hard work buffing himself up for the movie definitely paid off, especially when he takes off his shirt to wipe off some blood on Bella! (another corny moment, but most of the audience went 'OOOOHHH!' when he did it, so...meh.) And it stays off too for most of the movie! *wink* Let's also not mention the eye candy that the other Quileute boys offered with their (also) buff and six-packed half naked bodies...heh!  

Robert Pattinson is still a pretty boy, but I kind of get the feeling that the make up artists loved white too much that they piled on an inch thick of it on Edward...I mean, is it even possible that Edward is EVEN paler compared to Twilight?? Less is DEFINITELY more, people! The effects of Bella 'seeing' Edward as she goes through an adrenaline rush is quite nice, but weird at the same time too...I think the subtler way in the book of Bella only hearing him seems to have a better impact, but I guess since most people came to watch Robert anyways, it wouldn't do to have him only to appear in the first and last 10 minutes of the show...*rolls eyes*

Kristen Stewart did a great job in the role of Bella, although I wish she would drop the 'words are so hard to come out of my mouth it hurts' characteristic that she brings to Bella. I don't know...I never really imagined Bella to be THAT awkward, or to even stutter half the time. She's clumsy, sure, but it doesn't mean she have to almost force herself to talk right? If Kristen loses that little bit of annoying (sometimes to the point of irritation) act for Bella, she would be just perfect.

The casting for the Volturi was very cool...Michael Sheen did a great job as Aro, and the characters of Felix and Demetri were quite good, but my favourite Volturi character had to be Dakota Fanning as Jane. She was spot on, playing the most powerful 'soldier' in the Volturi...and I think she should stick with the red contacts. She looked very cool in them! hehe! It'll be great to see her in the coming movies...*grins*

All in all, it was quite a satisfactory movie...definitely a notch up from Twilight, and a must watch for Twi-hards! Even if you're not, watch it for the nice effects and the eye candy of the cast (especially the Quileute boys...and Jacob Black! *wink*). But also be prepared to be smothered with some really corny dialogue and 'sweet-until-you-get-sick' moments peppered throughout the movie! 

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2012 (The Movie)  

Posted by: Audrey in


Oops, forgot to write this ages ago...*sheepish grin*

(Warning: Spoilers for movie ahead!)


I got to watch this movie last Friday, and I'm a little torn..LOL! 

For those not in the know (for which I have to say, WHAT??!! It's one of the most anticipated movies this year!), 2012 is about the fulfillment of the 'prophecy' by various parties (Mayan, I-Ching, Nostradamus) that the world would come to an end by December 20, 2012 (20/12/2012...get it?). That's not all though...this movie also shows a John Cusack as Jackson Curtis, a down-and-out writer who is having a hard time connecting with his wife and kids...during the world's end, we see him and his family go through disaster after disaster, trying to stay alive. AND, to top it all off, the Government is in it (when is the Government never 'in it', eh?) and there's a 'big thing' brewing behind all of this by which humanity tries to survive this.
The CG and disaster effects were just SUPER cool (I mean, come on...how many movies can you see destruction at this level? From the White House, Tibet, and even the Vatican Church!). The director and the effects team sure did a bang-up job in imagining out what would actually happen if our Earth were to 'self-destruct'! Cool scenes include the mega tsunamis and the moving of the Earth's tectonic plates (giant earthquakes, big craters in every part of the world...you get the picture!). Definitely need to watch it in the cinema to appreciate the vastness and catastrophic proportions!
Not too sure about their scientific terms though...although I have a science background, but I never did study Physics or Geology. The actors seem to be quite convincing, but apparently some others didn't buy it...*shrugs* Still, we all came to watch a movie, and not to critic it's accurate-ness right? heh! 

Storyline-wise, it's quite a typical 'estranged family that doesn't get along eventually comes back together stronger than ever in the face of adversity' story. I get that a Hollywood movie HAS to have some sort of plot to move it along, but some of the 'coincidences' or 'luck is in favour of Jackson' scenes are so comical, it's sad...I mean, how in the world did the guy manage to crawl out of an SUV falling into a giant crater of boiling lava? And to drive through massive earthquakes USING A LIMOSINE (with flying stunts and all) is quite...weird, to say the least. And let's not mention all the other situations where everyone escaped by the skin of their teeth every. Single. Time. (flying between falling two buildings, anyone?) But then, without them surviving till the end, there wouldn't be a story now, would it?

Still, I think it's really cool that we get to see first-hand (sort of...we never really know if this will happen EXACTLY like this until the day comes, right? *wink*) how the Earth comes to an end without getting killed ourselves. heh! So, if you're looking for a movie with lots of destruction and mayhem, 2012 is the movie for you! Just sit back, relax and gape at the awesome-ness of how it can all fall apart in just a short time =)


P/S: As a little side-note, you might want to make sure you empty your bladder before going into the cinema. It's a pretty darn long movie, and I mean REALLY long! (think Lord Of The Rings movie + 20 minutes!) By the time it's over, I felt like I'm about to 'burst'...haha!


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Unforgettable Royal Charity Concert Relived!  

Posted by: Audrey in

Phantom Of The Opera Medley:







Jessica Lee performing Cinema Paradiso:







Sean Ghazi - Bridge Over Troubled Water:







Sean Ghazi - Semalam:







Sean Ghazi - Ku Impikan Bintang:
 






 Sean Ghazi & Estee Pook - The Prayer:
 

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Beauty On The Inside? Me Thinks Not...  

Posted by: Audrey in

Yeah, I seem to be double-posting these days. Probably because I have lots of things on my mind again and need some outlet to...well, let it out. My videos on the Unforgettable Royal Concert seems to be taking ages, but I WILL upload them, by hook or by crook! *wry grin*

Had a little chat today with my cousin...it's funny how we don't really talk much when we see each other (or maybe it's because of the fact that she's away in the US), but we seem to be able to chat quite a bit online. Today's topic seemed to revolve around dieting....wow, my 'favourite' topic.

Most people know me as the 'quiet, shy one' and sometimes 'action' like they say in Malaysia from the first impression...that's because I don't talk as much. I talk more to people that I know and are comfortable with...starting a conversation with a stranger? Not so me. Yes, I have low self-esteem....why? Take one look at me and you'll probably guess why. No, I'm never pretty by any standard...nor am I the ideal 'body type' of how an average Asian is SUPPOSED to look like (read: slim, petite, anything that resembles 'mini' or 'teeny' - take your pick). In fact, I'm probably the extreme opposite of how one Asian girl is supposed to look like...which brings me to this point in life right now.

I don't really know if I am 'depressed' so to speak...I think people like to use that word too liberally, making it less of an impact. I am not suicidal, nor am I at the 'depths of my despair' to quote Anne of Green Gables. Just quite unhappy with the lot in life I'm at right now...part of my brain keeps quoting all those cliches like 'Inner beauty is what matters most' or 'Beauty is only skin-deep' or 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder', but the other part keeps pushing me down and reminding me of all the hurtful comments I've gotten over the years. (Gosh, I can't believe I'm spilling tears even as I write this). True, I may look indifferent to your comments or maybe even laugh at it....but I guess I'm not the forgetting type. It may not hurt me per se if I'm in a good mood...but I tend to drag these things out when I'm in my self-pity mode. Blessed (or cursed, however you may want to see it) with quite a good memory when I want to use it, these things get stored, shut away at some dark corner, and rehashed in its full glory when I'm at that dark place.

What rubs it in further is when I see slim people like my cousins or sisters who all claim they are 'too fat' and want to diet...My God, can't they see that there are actually people who would give almost anything to have any resemblance to that kind of body? The kind where you can easily fit into any small sized clothing without looking like an oversized elephant trying to squeeze into a plastic bag? Or the kind where you can just pick any kind of clothing that is reasonably priced and still look good without having to spend a bomb on something that never looked anywhere near as nice, but buy it anyway because it FITS? Am I vain? I don't know....but I AM sick and tired of having to walk past rows and rows of shops that had nice clothes which doesn't fit me in one glance; or asking for the biggest-sized top only to realize I didn't fit even the biggest size that they carry.

Yeah, I know there are many more people who are 'far worse off' than me...but try living in a family where everyone's as skinny as a twig, and that was the 'benchmark' that people compare you to. It never ceases to amaze me how people think that THAT can be a motivation...it was never a motivation for me. More like torture.

I guess I'm overly sensitive or something...my sis told me once, 'If you hate yourself so much, then DO SOMETHING about it'. Like what? Diet? Did it, but dieting never worked...I ALWAYS end up eating more than I should when I'm depraved of it. Plus, I eat when I'm upset...which is about most of the time. Then when I get fatter, it makes me even MORE upset, and I eat...again. *sigh* Exercise? Never had enough money to go to the gym...hated sports. Yeah, these are lame excuses I know. Not trying to justify myself, so there...I'm wallowing.

Sometimes, I DO feel good though...like I'm proud that I have a bit of a height, and my legs can carry off long pants (sometimes). But then, sheesh...it all comes tumbling down when I spot my two gorgeous sisters heading off in their small sized clothes; when they start shopping for nice, skinny jeans on sale and all they have were sizes 24 - 28. Very good motivation right?

Yeah, yeah...I get the 'so what if you don't look pretty? Got personality already can la' statement. But honestly, personality only comes through after you've gotten to KNOW a person. First impression...ALWAYS looks. And when you don't have it, you don't have it. People keep commenting that I should get a boyfriend, yada yada yada yada...where in the world would you find a guy who would like silly old me? Truth be told, I find it hard to believe that there IS that one guy who could just accept me like I am without changing a single thing about me....which is probably why I'm going to end up alone.

Maybe this is what this post is about anyways...beauty = attraction = first impression = possibility of finding a life partner. I really admire those who really love themselves no matter what people label them as...I guess I'm not that kind of girl. I need to learn how to disregard other people's remarks, but it's been such a habit of mine to keep it in that it's hard to break. I hope I can do that someday.

For now, I guess my only solace would be my little piece of treasure...he was so sweet when I was crying all over the place watching 'My Sister's Keeper'. Scottie kept wanting to come up on the sofa and give me kisses when he saw my tears...I'll always remember that moment =)

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My Sister's Keeper  

Posted by: Audrey in


Just watched this yesterday at home. Quite a beautiful movie =)

I've actually read the novel (by Jodi Picoult) way, WAY back before the movie was made. It was the first novel of Jodi Picoult that I picked up, and ever since then she became one of my favourite authors. She definitely knows how to combine court drama, life, love, and difficult issues into one compelling and thought-provoking book. Go get her books and you'll know what I mean *wink*

The story is about Anna (played by Abigail Breslin), an 11-year-old girl who was conceived through scientific means because her parents need a perfect match donor to help with her elder sister's illnesses. Kate is terminally ill, and needs a lot of blood, granulocytes, etc etc to cope. The story begins with Anna approaching a famous lawyer (Alec Baldwin) to sue her parents for her rights to her own body, or as they call it in legal terms, medical emancipation. You see, she feels that she has not been asked whether if she WANTED to do all the donation, especially when it comes to her own organs. The story goes through the different eyes of the characters in the movie; from the mother (Cameron Diaz), father, brother and Kate (Sofia Vassilieva) and how they deal with this, including the effects of Kate's illness on the family.

Although this movie was based on the book, it was definitely altered to fit Hollywood's style...quite a big chunk of it was left out (especially the crucial court scenes, where I feel they kept the suspense and intensity in the book) and they altered quite a bit on the premise of the story. Don't want to give away too much, but once you've read the book and watched the movie, you'll get what I mean.

Abigail Breslin was brilliant as Anna. She portrayed Anna just about the way I imagined her to be, smart, witty and loves her family so much it ached. Sofia Vassilieva was great as well...I really admire her courage to play a very sick girl (and shave her head bald too). But maybe it's just me having a weird thought; although Kate was supposed to be sick, she still somehow managed to look beautiful...bald head, pale face and all (well, in the beginning of the show anyways). And, when she gets a boyfriend in a hospital (portrayed by Thomas Dekker...too cute of a boy, even bald-headed), it just makes me feel so envious. Heck, even sick girls get to get a boy in their life...what's wrong with me? I guess I'm looking too much into this. PMS maybe..LOL! Just goes to show how skewed the world is (or in my mind anyways): pretty people almost always are on top. I digress..

I liked the way the movie portrayed the story...even though the movie was so different from the book, I liked the way we get to see the different situations through the characters' eyes. And it was really heart-breaking too to watch a good family torn apart because of an illness. You'd definitely need lots of tissue to watch this movie.

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Unforgettable Concert Indeed...  

Posted by: Audrey in

Managed to score tickets to the Konsert Amal Diraja (Royal Charity Concert Gala) that was held at KLCC's Plenary Hall yesterday. The concert was organized by the Alzheimer's Disease Foundation Malaysia (ADFM) to raise funds for the foundation. And oh my, was it some concert!

I went with my sister again, and we reached just about in the nick of time. Went to collect the tickets according to instructions from the SMS I received, but ended up being tossed from one counter to the other...>.<" Thank goodness in the end, we managed to get the tickets, and off we went to watch the concert. Seats were again quite far off, but it's to be expected (the tickets were priced from RM100 to RM1200, can you imagine??!)

The concert that night was attended by some royalties as well, but they were 'fashionably late' as usual. Sometimes I wonder if our 'tidak apa' attitude was because of the examples set by leaders....since they can be late, it shouldn't be a big deal if WE'RE late right? We're not VVIPs like them...*sigh* Vicious cycle. Anyways, I digressed...

 
The theme for the night - Unforgettable!

 
The orchestra...a 66-piece one at that too! The orchestra was named the KL International Festival Orchestra, and yet I think about 90% of the musicians are not Malaysian. (Go figure) Conductor for the night was Maestro Eugene Pook, a Malaysian conductor based in New York. 

They played songs from Phantom of The Opera to start off the night...lovely medley of All I Ask Of You, Phantom Of The Opera, Music Of The Night and Think Of Me, to name just a few. I loved the lush, full sound of the strings and trumpets, but somehow it was kind of marred by the weak sounds of a drum middle of it. >.<" It contrasted a lot with the full sound of the orchestra, but thankfully it's only certain parts of the medley. I still enjoyed it loads though!



Next were a couple of songs with a solo violinist, Ms. Jessica Lee from the US. One of it was the beautiful 'Cinema Paradiso'! It was breathtaking watching her play...even from my distance, the way she moved and swayed with the music was so inspiring! I wish I could play and emote like that, but alas...my music skills are kind of sad. LOLL!

After that, there were a few numbers by multilingual singer, Ms. Estee Pook. I didn't manage to get good enough photos of her (I blame the distance and my not-so-good camera. LOL!), but she had a great voice. She sang the Frank Sinatra song, "New York, New York" and a Chinese number. Okay, I'm no great singer, but I can't help hearing her Malaysian/Chinese accent when she sings "New York, New York"...it kind of grates a little, but she more than made up for it with her strong voice. (Psst...I wonder if it's a coincidence that the artiste and the conductor share the same surname!)




During the intermission, my sis and I managed to snag better seats since there weren't many people up at the top tier seats...heh! This was much better *grins*


 
After playing a medley of the famous John Williams' songs (including theme songs from Star Wars, Super Man, and Indiana Jones), in walked Sean Ghazi! Sorry, the photo was too far away...but he was superb! I actually have not heard him sing before, but I've heard of him and his achievements in the local scene.

Sean sang songs from P. Ramlee, a couple of cover songs like "Bridge Over Troubled Water" as well as songs from his album, "Semalam". I think my favourite song from him would be the song "Semalam"...written by him and a co-writer, it was a song harking back to the days of old beautifully blended with contemporary styles of today. Couple that with his nice theatrical voice, his funny banter with the audience and (quite) slick dance moves, it's a joy to watch and listen =) Oh, and it also helped that he cut quite a dashing figure in his suit *wink*

After Sean, there was another surprise guest: Datuk Rahzam Hashim (I hope I got the spelling right!), a corporate figure who serenaded us with a few swing-y numbers...it was a really pleasant surprise to see a corporate figure who knows how to have fun, and doing it so well! 




*******************************************************************************



After the concert ended, I noticed a counter selling Sean Ghazi's albums, so I went to grab a copy...only to see a few minutes later:
 
The performers of the night signing autographs! The queue wasn't a long one, so I jumped in also, clutching my program...*grins* Seated here from the front was Ms. Estee Pook, Ms. Jessica Lee and Sean (standing). They were later joined by Maestro Eugene Pook, whom I managed to talk to and congratulate him on his great conducting *grins* He was really nice...saying thank you to everyone =)


 
Ms. Jessica Lee...she was really sweet. =)


 
And Sean Ghazi...who knew he's already 40 years old right? He SO doesn't look his age! He was really nice too...asking fans for their names before personalizing it with his autograph =) I asked for a photo, and he acted sad when I said I wanted to take a photo of him alone...LOL! But he jovially posed for one *grins*



After taking a photo of him, someone offered to take a photo of us together, so in a spur (or maybe a silly) moment, I said yes. Result? Eep! Ignore the fugly person next to Sean...hahaha! Thinking back on it, I think I must have flummoxed Sean by acting like such groupie. LOLL!



After getting both our programs signed, my sis and I headed back to Suria KLCC (where we parked the car) through the park and by gosh, I didn't want to pass up the chance to take this photo...it was SOOO pretty at night!


 
My 'stash' of the night...signed program book, ticket stubs and album! *grins*


Yes, I've had my 'head in the clouds' for a while...it's not every day we meet someone famous, right? But I'm really glad that there's someone who will always be my biggest fan...someone who will love me regardless of how I look or how crappy I felt every other day; his handsome face, ever-jovial personality and waggy tail whenever he sees me: Scottie. *grins* This little happy piece of reality I will always treasure =)

Stay tuned for videos! Yes, I managed to snag some videos too...hehehe!

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The Jiwang Queen Reigns Supreme!  

Posted by: Audrey in ,

I recently got invites to Mia Palencia's new album launch at Wisma Bentley Auditorium on 13th November. Naturally, I was excited because I've heard Mia before when she was in the group Double Take...she has an amazing voice! Breezy and sweet, yet she can also belt out big notes too! Her new album is called 'Songs From The Jiwang Kingdom' and she was showcasing songs from that plus some songs from her first solo album 'Finding My Way'.

I went with my sister, and we reached early...got our seat numbers (which was the last row from the stage...*sigh* Oh well, we came for the music, no?) and headed out for dinner first before going in.


The view from our seats...SOOO far!! Thank goodness for zoom in cameras...LOL!



Another view of the auditorium...the setting was nice! Looks quite posh, and acoustics were VERY good...and I liked the wood paneling on the sides (I think those helped with the acoustics or something...I seem to notice these kind of panelings at concert halls. =P)




The lady of the hour! The showcase started late, but Mia was very nice and apologized for starting late...very true her words: "...true to Malaysian style, we all have to start with a delay..." LOL!



Mia with her band and Jun (far left) - her collaborator in her new album. I was really interested in the band member playing the 'drum beats' on the right...I don't know what's it called, but it gives a nice sound to give the songs a lift in beats...soft and gentle for the tender moments in song, but can also bring a nice bass-y beat for more uptempo songs!



Mia with a friend who plays cool violin!




And another friend who played a whole song with just the bass guitar...cool! It was quite funny at the beginning when he asked Mia, "Jazz ah?" and Mia replied with, "Yes yes, Jazz" LOLLL!


All in all, it was definitely a cool night! Mia not only kept everyone entertained with her breezy voice, but she was quite a showman as well...always having a funny remark on her songs, cracking jokes about her shiny hat ("Low budget ma...I have to DIY, throw some light!") or poking fun at her friends who joined her on stage *grins*


From the title of the album, I thought it would be something 'emo' because when the word 'Jiwang' comes to mind, images of sad rock love songs spring up...LOLLL! But as Mia aptly puts it in her album, "Jiwang is not a single emotion, but a web of many. If you have ever stood at the edge of the great ocean, looking out to the horizon, your toes buried in the sand, the water washing gently over your feet, and felt small, significant, grateful, blessed...humbled and proud all at the same time, then you know what I mean." Yes, Mia, I definitely know what you mean after listening to your tracks...*grins*

Her songs always have a great melody and meaningful lyrics...some are great to listen to in the middle of the night whenever you are pondering, or on your way to a destination - looking as the road and trees passing by. =) Some are great to have a good laugh over, like Poor Mary which has a little moral story cleverly infused with a very famous nursery rhyme! Definitely get this album if you like listening to Jazz or 'quiet music', as Mia puts it. :) 

And here, I enclose some videos from the showcase to let you have a taste of why Mia, the Jiwang queen, reigns supreme...enjoy! *grins* 






 


















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Same Shoes, Second Verse  

Posted by: Audrey in

"Romantic & earthy" - described from a fan of Joshua Payne on his music...how apt! I have been a big fan of him and his music since his first album 'Your Love, My Home'...beautiful beautiful music with lovely word imagery, soaring voice and the emotions from it.

It's funny how I 'stumbled' upon that album...I was looking through some albums in a music store, and noticed his album which was just behind Josh Groban's. Don't know why, but something compelled me to take another look and to get it (maybe it's his handsome face..LOL!). I didn't at first, but after going to his website and listening to the samples of his music there, I instantly went and got it at that same music store (there were no other places that carry his CD...I think I'm only a few of the people who were lucky enough to grab a copy in Malaysia!) Since then, I was hooked...=)

This album is his second one, released back in 2007, but I'm embarrassed to say I've only managed to buy this album (online) recently...lack of credit card if you know what I mean. LOL! I have listened to some of the songs on his Myspace page though, and felt that they were very cool.

This album is a bit different from the first album, in my opinion. Yes, the lyrics are still very moving and music still beautiful, but this effort felt a little more intimate than the first album. For one, his first album sounded more 'polished' while this album sounded more 'raw' and stripped in a way...at times, it felt like I was sitting at a home concert, where he's just sitting at my living room and singing with just an acoustic guitar and his voice. (That would be unforgettable if it ever happened! *grins*) 

The songs in the album (I felt) talked a lot about heartbreak, coping with that loss and moving on with life...as some of his lyrics say, "To lose is love, and to love is life..." Some of my favorites were Merriam-Webster, where he searches for a word to cope with loss; Lucinda, mourning the loss of the girl; Nothing Left To Say, where the title aptly describes the emotions of the song.

No, I'm not depressive...I just enjoy the songs, even though they might be about losing love and all. Not that I've experienced love like that, but songs like these always tug at my heartstrings...it takes a lot to write about these kind of feelings, and it really shows in the songs :) There's also something about his voice...very hard to pin point. He is classically trained, but take that voice and pair it with his uncanny ability to write beautiful songs, it's magical! Listen to the album and you'll get what I mean *wink* Meanwhile, I'll be with my iPod, listening to it again. :)

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The Time Traveler's Wife  

Posted by: Audrey in

I have to say, this is an interesting premise of a story...time travel has not been more romantic and melancholic like this, I think.

The Time Traveler's Wife is based on a book by the same name, written by Audrey Niffenegger and it talks about the life and hardships of Claire (played by the beautiful Rachel McAdams) and Henry (Eric Bana) as they try to make their relationship and marriage work. Nothing very special right? Except that Henry has a genetic anomaly called 'Chrono-Impairment' which makes him travel through time whenever he faces stress or a strong emotion. He never gets to control where or when he goes, often going through the past and present at different intervals (even as an older or younger person).

The movie goes back and forth like Henry as well, so we see Claire who first meets Henry when she was only 6, and waiting for him all the time. She records down every time he comes back and cherishes every minute of her time with him. Lots of funny and awkward moments too as we see Henry disappear into thin air (literally) and ending up buck naked at some 'random' place / time (although it's not really random, because he almost always end up finding Claire). I don't think I want to give out too much, because there's a little twist to the ending, so go watch the movie to find out what happens :)

 I have yet to read the book, so I have no idea if the movie followed the book closely, but I did like watching the movie. It gets a little weird in the beginning, because it goes back and forth a lot...but as the story moves along, I find it better to not over-think things (like how it doesn't make sense that he can be in two places at one time, and it doesn't change the course of what happens!) and just immerse myself in the story of Claire and Henry, as it is actually a love story where they both try and make it work. Him, always coming back to meet her; and her, never wavering in resolve to love him whatever age he is when he comes to meet her.

Eric Bana does a good job of playing Henry...playing a role of so many different age groups, he still manages to pull off the younger and older versions of Henry (while still looking very handsome...*grins*). Rachel McAdams is stunning...I first saw her in the comedy 'Hot Chick' and it was a real surprise to see her playing this role. There is some strong chemistry between the two actors and it's really nice to see it on-screen...the movie is supposed to be romantic, right? *wink* I don't know, perhaps I'm getting too mushy at times, but I like these kinds of movies...a little sad, but very sweet and moving at the same time too.

Anyways, this movie is great for a sit in with your gal pals (I don't know if guys are into this kind of movie). The only thing is to just sit back and enjoy the whole concept of the movie...don't overthink things too much, and you'll be able to find yourself swept away with this pretty cool movie. Meanwhile, I'll see if I can grab a copy of the book to see if it's better than the movie (you know what people say about books being able to express things better than the movies...heh!)

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Michael Jackson's This Is It...  

Posted by: Audrey in

I just watched this movie yesterday, so this is more recent...hehe! I think one word can describe the feeling after you've watched this movie: Wow. Seriously!

This movie is actually a very well-edited, condensed and intimate look at the preparations of the 'This Is It' tour that was supposed to be in July / August in the UK. Originally (as the movie says), the footage was meant to be only for MJ's private viewing, but since his demise Kenny Ortega (the editor of this movie as well as the director for the tour) combined some of the best moments during the rehearsals for fans to see what went behind the tour that was supposed to have been...

And what a tour it might have been! Footage from the dancers' audition (OMG...it's super cool, but I'm quite surprised why the ladies had to wear bikinis to audition *rolls eyes*), to rehearsals of songs, lighting, stage effects, filming of the backdrop footage (can you imagine that they actually film footage SPECIFICALLY for the songs??! And they made it almost like a full scale movie thing...whoa!), and what was envisioned for the shows...the tireless work that went into it was astounding! The movie showed some scenes of what was filmed for the backdrop against the rehearsals and wow. Just wow. You have to watch it to believe it....it's really going to be mind-blowing if the concerts did go as planned. What a 'waste' (kind of) of all the incredible stuff that was planned.

MJ was also cool...I can't say that I'm a huge fan of his, but I do like a lot of his songs! For the movie, most of the songs were well-known songs like Beat It, Billie Jean, Thriller, Man In The Mirror, etc. and it was very VERY cool watching him do his thing on stage...even for just rehearsals. Like everyone said, he was very energetic during rehearsals...and even though he wasn't fully singing (apparently to keep his voice for the tour), he doesn't look at all his age when he's on stage. He definitely still has it! People keep referring to him as a genius, and we get a glimpse of that during his rehearsals...he knows exactly what he wants, and is even able to pin point which chords should or should not go in any of his songs. The incredible thing is, he doesn't do it with a 'diva' attitude for a man of his fame and status!

We witnessed also his willingness to let the people he worked with have their moments too, from the lead guitarist (who's super amazing, and a GIRL at that!!) to the back up singer who sang "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" with him. There were also a lot of quirky moments like MJ's funny hand gestures at times, and his selection of clothes for rehearsal...LOL! We'd also watched him showing his fun sides too...one can't help the feeling that he's still quite a child at heart: innocent and loving.

Although it's just rehearsals, it is almost like watching a full show....I keep thinking how lucky the crew and technicians who were there during rehearsals! To be able to witness all this day in and day out, watch how everything gets perfected every way or another...that's superb. Makes me want to go work backstage (which I think I will definitely jump at the chance if I got one! hehe!). I wanted to clap and applaud but nobody clapped when one song was done...*sigh* People in America applauded like they were at his concert in the cinemas, man! It's a good thing that people applauded at the end though, because it was a really poignant and sad moment (LOVED Man In The Mirror)...what would have been such a splendid thing did not come to be. I almost had tears when it ended...really touching and sad that MJ is gone, even though I am not a big fan.

I'm quite surprised though that the cinema was not a full house when we watched it (I went with my sister and some friends). Back when MJ just passed, his CDs and memorabilia went off the shelves like crazy...you'd think the same thing might happen after the movie was released, but no. Weird. Hey, even I as a non-fan (sort of) went to watch this...what more for the self-professed huge fans? I think everyone should go watch it to see not only MJ, but what goes behind a production (especially of this scale) - the work, sweat, tears, creativity - and to see MJ really at his element instead of the 'weird dude' that we always perceive him to be in the public eye. What a tragic loss he was to the music industry, and I think this movie was a beautiful tribute to him, his music and the change he tries to bring to the world. RIP MJ.

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Cuci The Musical!  

Posted by: Audrey in

Way long overdue post! I got to watch this musical last Saturday (31st October), and was quite stoked that I managed to get a ticket 3 rows from the stage, middle seat...*grins* I think when I go for other shows like these, I want to get similar seats...it has quite the view!

Cuci The Musical is based on the movie 'Cuci' directed by Hans Isaac (who also stars in it). Other cast members include Afdlin Shauki, AC Mizal, Awie, Harith Iskandar, Adibah Noor, and Vanida Imran. The story is basically about 4 adopted brothers - Khai (Hans Isaac), Fairil (Afdlin Shauki), Jojo (Awie) and C'Tan (AC Mizal) - who try to make it at the window washing industry (They have their own company called Cuci Cuci Services...hehe!) and their ultimate goal was to win the Window Washing Olympics (WWO) where the winner will get a contract to clean the ultimate building's windows - the Petronas Twin Towers! All sorts of trials and tribulations await them as they embark on that journey, as well as love, betrayal and loyalty issues. Will they win against all odds? You'd probably know the answer if you had watched the movie or the musical...*wink*

Did I like the musical? No, I didn't...I LOVED it! *grins* It was really funny (until I had stitches at one point), and not all the funny lines come from one person...everyone had their funny moment(s) on stage. I also love that they did quite a bit of improv at certain scenes of the show...somehow it makes it all real, and very cool! At some points, it got so funny even the actors had a hard time keeping a straight face, and burst into giggles...LOL! The chemistry between the cast is also quite apparent...especially the 4 brothers! The camaraderie and banter between the four are really cool to watch: Jojo as the sweet, sensitive brother; Fairil as the bumbling leader; C'Tan as the comedian; and Khai as the clever but blunt and naive brother. Vanida Imran as CJ, the organizer of the WWO and Khai's love interest is gorgeous and very elegant. Harith Iskandar was very cool as the 'villain' of the story too. And it's a cool thing to watch AC Mizal do another character which is so care-free and funny, compared to the last musical I saw him at (PGLM) where he played the angry king of Majapahit. Not to forget is Adibah Noor's character of Farah...super funny and OTT at times, but that's the character I think...without that OTT-ness, it's not that funny! *grins*

The songs and music were great too, although at times I can't really hear the actors' voice...probably some technical thing. My favourite song would be the one where the 4 brothers sang about their adopted mother. That was a poignant and sweet song...loved it! Harith Iskandar's jazzy, swing-y number at his character's office was very infectious too. Awie and AC Mizal were great as usual, but nobody expects less from them seeing that they ARE singers! *wink* But my favorite singers for that night would be Adibah Noor and Afdlin Shauki. Adibah's soaring voice with the big belting numbers are simply astounding, and it's such a surprise to hear Afdlin Shauki belting out some big notes in his songs. Who'd have thought a very good comedian sang so well too right? Vanida Imran's voice was sweet, although I think you could tell that this is the first time she sings in a musical..sometimes it's like she's too nervous to project her voice and all, but I like her!

Choreography for the dances were done by Stephen Rahman-Hughes (a favourite of mine! hee!), and I think I like the movements and somewhat interpretive dance, but sometimes it feels like there wasn't much energy in the dancers' moves...*shrugs* I'm no dancer myself, but it's quite jarring at times to watch the un-synchronization between the dancers, and sometimes it feels very crowded (probably coz of the stage and too many people squeezed onto it). And at times, the dancers were distracting instead of complementing the story...sad.

I think the other thing I didn't like was that the songs and the dialogues are not so interwoven as I'd like...at times, the dialogue goes too long without any accompaniment (isn't this supposed to be a musical anyway?) and at some parts, the song felt put in at the last minute because it's supposed to be a musical and not a play =( Plus, I am surprised that there are not more people from other races coming to see the show (case in point: the row where I was sitting, plus the rows in front and back of me consists of all Malays). True, the show is in BM, and they use a lot of Malay slang, but I think the premise of the story is quite universal. People, go and watch the show!!

Overall though, I really enjoyed the show...yes, I didn't quite like some bits and pieces of it, but I don't think there is a perfect show just yet. The good far outweighs the bad, and it's really refreshing to see that Malaysian theater has come such a long way from last time! Here's to hoping that there are more of these good quality shows in the future! Go watch the shows...it's awesome! *grins*

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