Date:	2008-07-03 17:20
Subject:	Back in the Saddle
Security:	Public
Mood:	work storm blowing

Proper post I don't have time to do, so please bear with me if I am spamming you with my choice of eye-candy:

First picture - Jake Gyllenhaal training for Prince of Persia, as Prince Danstan

 

What I see in this picture:

1. What  a nice V-neck tee... I wonder if they do women's size
2. Jake's growing his hair - but judging by the pictures of that Prince.  Hair extensions are in order *shudder*.
3. Gee... a white horse?  and playing a prince?  too much, Jake?
4. Jack Twist moment.... *swoons*  

courtesy of WDW and you can see all of them horseback riding pic here.

Date:	2008-07-01 13:19
Subject:	Work Storm
Security:	Public
Mood:	busy

BUSY BUSY BUSY..... for a change, I am dead busy at work.  But I can't resist  a good test, especially one that I am good at:

via bedsitter23 :

Your result for The Commonly Confused Words Test ...

Advanced

You scored 93% Beginner, 100% Intermediate, 93% Advanced, and 67% Expert!

Date:	2008-06-25 23:10
Subject:	Visiting Shadowlands
Security:	Public
Mood:	amused
Music:	Germany vs Turkey highlights (Go Ballack!)

I have never been much of a sight-seeing person.

But last Sunday the sun finally came out, so I strolled down to Magdalen College (pronounced as "Maudlin") and Botanical Garden in Oxford with a few Brokies, which had been surprisingly nice.


Magdalen College, Oxford




Cloisters in Magdalen College


And of course, since "Shadowlands" is one of my top 10 Best Romance Movies, and Madgalen College being where C. S. Lewis taught and met Joy Gresham, a visit there is something special. Magdalen College's alumni list also includes Oscar Wilde.

Other highlights, we also saw J.R.R. Tolkien's favourite tree and his favourite pubs...

So yes, it's been a pretty Merchant Ivory met The Hobbits kind of Sunday :)

Date:	2008-06-20 09:33
Subject:	Go Ballack! And Oxford Bound
Security:	Public
Mood:	excited
Music:	Felt Mountain - Goldfrapp

Another random post.

First of all - Never ever write off the Germans.  What did I tell you, eh (errh, not YOU you, but you know what I mean)?  So they are now in the semi-finals of Euro 2008 (YAY for Ballack's goal and people please stop moaning about the push... bad losers).   And my prediction?  The final will be Germany vs Holland, and the Dutch wins.  But you know I don't mind to be wrong....

Anyway, I am off to Oxford for a Brokies convention gathering this weekend, including a private screening of our, erm, favourite film.  There will be lots of hugs, tears and laughs.   Those who can't make it - we will be thinking of you!



If weather permits, I would also go check out those famous film-shooting locations.  They made Shadowlands, Harry Potter, Brideshead Revisited etc there.

ETA: Rumour has it that Jake has just landed in London yesterday.  Jake, Oxford is one-hour away by train.  Hope you'll drop by and let us buy you a pint.

Date:	2008-06-15 13:16
Subject:	Til Death do us part
Security:	Public
Mood:	hay fever
Music:	live guitar...

Interesting meme from "I won't tag people but you know who you are" bedsitter23:

"Page 123 in the Book Closest to You" Meme:

1. Pick up the nearest book. 2. Open to page 123. 3. Find the fifth sentence. 4. Post the next three sentences. 5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.


The nearest book is an anthology called "Death do us Part - New stories about Love, Lust and Murder" by mystery writers of America. I have these on Page 123:

"Quickly," said the chemist quietly, his breath shallow.
"Within seconds," she said, coughing one last time as she fainted across the table, her left hand still wrapped in a death grip around her husband's.
"That's cheating," he gasped, knocking plates to the floor as he too passed out and died.

I don't tag people either (just like I don't do chain-letters), but take it if you feel like it.

oh. And I do enjoy this book :)

Date:	2008-06-14 11:24
Subject:	Fail Batman-err-dog
Security:	Public
Mood:	amused
Music:	Italy vs Romania (Euro 2008)

I have a feeling I might be cheering for the villain in the upcoming Batman movie, but check out this Batman in the animal kingdom:

Date:	2008-06-09 13:45
Subject:	Random post
Security:	Public
Mood:	giggly

In the news:

I haven't seen Hong Kong topping any world ranking for awhile and it's about time I guess.

Hong Kong is the most risky domain name in the world

Must have gotten even worse than before then, cos I wouldn't open any website with a .hk domain name without turning off the pop-up enabler first.  

In the news:

My old employer (my friends know which one, a direct marketer)  is being investigated in UK by tradiing standards  over aggressive copy and inappropriate marketing method.  Allegedly they advise their selected customers not to tell anyone that they recevied a letter from them (cos you know they "may have won £x million).  The problem is their customer profile in UK is usually eldlies over the age of 60 and living on pensions and such copy is just preying on their insecurity.   I don't know I kind of remember I signed and approved such copies in the past before without a blink of my eyes, maybe the Bride would know more... 

On telly - the ball that ate my brain:

It's Euro 2008!!!  But don't worry, it's not the World Cup, so I am not going to bore you all with my amatuerish football pundit ramblings.   Plus England is out, so we are seriously lacking gossips and WAGs.  I can't believe it, but I actually miss them in the tournament.    However, Michael Ballack and the ex-Klinsi's boys are playing and I have cheer them on, so I'll be busy - until... hopefully the final. 

Date:	2008-06-02 13:42
Subject:	Jungle Fever
Security:	Public
Mood:	cranky monday
Music:	History - The Verve

 Rescue Dawn

I worried about Christian Bale and his method-acting.  If you've seen him in "The Machinist", you'd worry too.  And right before he had to pump up to play Batman again.  He lost a significant amount of weight for Werner Herzog's "Rescue Dawn".

At least it's worth it.  

 

Christian Bale & the unrecognisable Steve Zahn

Herzog has no intention to tell a Hollywood war hero story.  This is pure and simple a moving story of survival.  It's more "Alive" and "One Flew over the Cockoo's Nest" than "Platoon".  How someone survived against all odds when it's easier to lose your sanity, to give up and let your body go rotten.  

The landscape breathtaking, the human spirits dimming as days, weeks and months drag on.  Herzog paints a vivid image of starvation and despair, but never going overboard with the savageness of the enemies.  And Christian Bale's character is no particular super soldier (ie. he does not have Rambo's survival skills), it's actually his naivety and his dreamer-like personality that keep him from going insane.

I loved it.  And hey, I don't even like war-movies.

Date:	2008-06-02 09:19
Subject:
Security:	Public
Mood:	crappy monday
Music:	The Sound of McAlmont & Butler

The memes by order of bedsitter23and def_fr0g_42:

You Are Not a Dumb American

You got 6/10 correct. You know a good deal about American history, but there's some basic facts you have wrong. Time to go back to history class!

Your Love Life is Like Annie Hall

"A relationship, I think, is like a shark. You know? It has to constantly move forward or it dies." You believe that love (if you even believe in love!) is a very complicated thing. Maybe love is pain. Or maybe it's all a big therapy session. You're still figuring it out. Your love style: Brainy and a bit neurotic Your Hollywood Ending Will Be: Realistic and reflective

Date:	2008-05-28 09:42
Subject:
Security:	Public
Mood:	sleepy
Music:	The Wright Stuff on telly

via bedsitter23 and def_fr0g_42:

I am think I am in good company...

You Are a Club Sandwich

You are have a big personality. It's hard for anyone to ignore you! You dream big. You think big. And you eat big. Some people consider you high maintenance, but you just know what you want... and when you want it. Your best friend: The Tuna Fish Sandwich Your mortal enemy: The Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

Date:	2008-05-25 20:08
Subject:	The world according to E...
Security:	Public
Mood:	amused
Music:	"The 11th Hour" on telly

by order of bedsitter23

brainy meme....

It's harder than it looks! Copy and paste to your own journal, erase my answers, and add your own.
Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following questions. They have to be real places, names &/or objects, but nothing made up! Try to use different answers if the person you got this from has the same 1st initial. You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question. And Have Fun With It!!!

1) 4 LETTER WORD: Ever
2) BOY NAME: Edward
3) GIRL NAME: Elaine
4) OCCUPATION: Ecologist? (is that a job?)
5) A COLOR: Emerald
6) SOMETHING YOU WEAR: Elastic Waistband Pants
7) BEVERAGE:Espresso
8) FOOD: Eel with rice (aka unagi bento)
9) SOMETHING FOUND IN A BATHROOM: Evening Primrose Oil
10) A PLACE: Eagle Nest, New Mexico
11) REASON FOR BEING LATE: Electrical Failure
12) SOMETHING YOU SHOUT: Eeewwwww

Date:	2008-05-22 20:41
Subject:	Gore Vidal: 82 and Angry
Security:	Public
Mood:	full
Music:	waiting for "House" to start

Channel 4's Jon Snow interviewed Gore Vidal about US Presidential Campaign:



I hope it works outside UK, cos it's a good interview.

Date:	2008-05-21 10:22
Subject:	"We're smoking reefer and you don't want no part of this shit"
Security:	Public
Mood:	busy
Music:	Haarp - Muse

It's official - Jake is the Prince of Persia.  Or to be precise - Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer's Prince of Persia -  Sands of Time (oh dear...).  Well, the good news (for me) is they are filming it in South East England - I'll keep my iphone stand by...  Some fans of the game complain that an American (btw, Jake is half Swedish and half Russian-Jewish) playing a Persian Prince.  Huh?  I'm sorry, but I think Omar Sharif  might be too old for this role.

Back to movie log...

Walk Hard - The Dewey Cox Story

"I'm a big fan of Cox" - well, it's easy when you can have jokes like that in a movie, right?  A made-up music biopic, Walk Hard tries quite hard to poke fun at Ray, Walk the Line to The Doors, even I'm Not There.   At times, it's dangerously close to a musical version of Scary Movie, but overall, it's a much much better than that.  Even though it's humour is slightly patchy, it's clever and hilarisou in parts.  John C Reilly is just too good, he makes up for some of the awkwardness in the script.    And the non-stop all-star cameos are delightful surprises.

The only real complaint I have is the lack of spontaneity, some jokes seem contrived, that's why you need to watch the DVD with the deleted scenes and bloopers - that's where the real fun is.  

In any case, just the scene where Cox takes LSD with The Beatles (the Fab-four is Jack Black, Justin Long, Jason Schwartzman and Paul Ruud with dodgy northern accent)  in India alone is well worth it. 

We Own the Night

Cops and drug dealers.  It's a rather tiring premise, my friend Tim will tell you to go watch "The Wire" TV series instead.

You can tell the film takes itself rather seriously and I think the result is a sombre and gritty drama piece - although never qutie reached the Greek tragedy-esque status it aspired to be.    Solid performance from its well above average cast and it captures that era well, despite messing up the music ( Heart of Glass and Let's Dance in 1988 New York?).   It even gives you a rare gritty car-chase, that's the best moment of the film, that scene is almost French Connection.

Like American Gangster, I'd have liked it even more if not for the tiresome premise.  Still, recommended :)

Date:	2008-05-16 09:49
Subject:	and god created Tom and Frank
Security:	Public
Mood:	amused
Music:	Warwick Avenue - Duffy on Radio 1

As if to complement def_fr0g_42 's wedding themed posts - California has just legalized gay marriage

Before you hear the backlash from all the over-reacting media/right-wing/fundamentalist whatever, let me entertain you by stealing some excellent gay quotes from the yahoo group gaywritersreaders:

1. If homosexuality is a disease, let's all call in sick to work: "Hello. Can't work today, still queer." ~ Robin Tyler

2. I'd rather be black than gay because when you're black you don't have to tell your mother. ~ Charles Pierce

3. "Dear Abby," In response to a reader who complained that a gay couple was moving in across the street and wanted to know what he could do to improve the quality of the neighborhood. "You could move." ~ Abigail Van Buren.

4. The one bonus of not lifting the ban on gays in the military is that the next time the government mandates a draft, we can all declare we are homosexual instead of running off to Canada . ~ Lorne Bloch

5. Why can't they have gay people in the army? Personally, I think they are just afraid of a thousand guys with M16s saying, "Who'd you call a faggot?" ~ Jon Stewart

6. My lesbianism is an act of Christian charity. All those women out there praying for a man, and I'm giving them my share. ~ Rita Mae Brown

7. Soldiers who are not afraid of guns, bombs, capture, torture or death say they are afraid of homosexuals. Clearly we should not be used as soldiers; we should be used as weapons. ~ Letter to the Editor, The Advocate

8. You don't have to be straight to be in the military; you just have to be able to shoot straight. ~ Barry Goldwater

9. Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands? ~ Ernest Gaines

10. My own belief is that there is hardly anyone whose sexual life, if it were broadcast, would not fill the world at large with surprise and horror. ~ W. Somerset Maugham

11. My mother took me to a psychiatrist when I was fifteen because she thought I was a latent homosexual. There was nothing latent about it. ~ Amanda Bearse

12. The only queer people are those who don't love anybody.... ~ Rita Mae Brown

13. The Bible contains six admonishments to homosexuals and 362 admonishments to heterosexuals. That doesn't mean that God doesn't love heterosexuals; it's just that they need more supervision. ~ Lynn Lavner

Btw, one year after UK legalised gay marriage, they did a research and found that at least one gay couple has divorced.

"See, they divorce too! I told you they can't stay together. They are all promiscuous sluts."

But I'd say, at least their divorce would be a gay one. 

Date:	2008-05-12 13:49
Subject:	War, What is it good for?
Security:	Public
Mood:	calm
Music:	Yesterday/Tomorrow - Tindersticks

Charlie Wilson's War

I don't really know what to make of this movie, to be honest.  And I wonder if Americans would view it differently than me.  

First of all, this is based on a true story, but the whole film is giving out a "make-believe" vibe.  This Congressman, Charlie Wilson from Texas, is a real person, who was really involved in supporting Afghanistan to fight the invading USSR in the 80s.  So, is this a heroic comedy about strange characters doing extraordinary things?  Or is it a satire to poke fun at America's frequent interference which history later proves it to be not a very smart move?  

I think if 9/11 never happened, this will be a viewed as a good bedtime story to grownups, but since now we all know what supporting the Afghan rebels have led to, this whole thing suddenly sounds like horrible idea and the whole film becomes - how America get itself into this mess, thanks to Charlie Wilson!   If there's any uniform message that Mike Nichols wants to give out.  It is loudly shouted out at the end of the film - that America always ruins the whole thing at the end game.  

As for the film itself, it is sophiscated and enjoyable to watch.  Even when Tom Hanks is barely convincing as the fun-loving Charlie Wilson, Philip Seymour Hoffman's grumpy CIA agent, Gust, provides the film with timely humour.  He also delivers some of the finest lines in the film:

Charlie: So what is the U.S. strategy?
Gust: Most strictly speaking, we don't have one.  But we are working on it.
Charlie: who's "we"?
Gust: me and three other guys

My first attempt at making Buttermilk American Biscuit:





Mmmmm.... I think I burnt them a bit (that's kind of Jack Twist... haha), but then maybe I had a miscalculation when I tried to convert 450F into Celsius. Next time I'll probably bake them in 200C (instead of 225C).

J wants to "greek-erised" it, so we put feta cheese and ham in it:





Fun fact: American Biscuit is not available in UK's KFC menu.

Date:	2008-05-05 15:02
Subject:	I have a feeling we are not in Kansas anymore...
Security:	Public
Mood:	Manic Monday
Music:	Third - Portishead

Rumours has again that Chris Nolan has asked Jake to play Robin in the next Batman movie.  Me think it won't happen, but still fun to read.


Eagle vs Shark

Everyone says it's the New Zealander does "Napoleon Dynamite", I actually think the film is closer to "Me and You and Everyone We Know", only less self-important philosophical. Certainly, Jemaine Clement's (from Flight of the Conchords) character Jarrod is modelled after Napoleon Dynamite, but the added arrogance makes the characters' eccentricity more laugh-out-loud funny. 

And the subject matter? Universal indie films favourite subject: the misfits. The socially-awkwards. Yeah, they have those in New Zealand too, and they are funnier. 


The Lookout

OK... some spooky thing first.  gnashsangfirst pointed this out to me, and I was like "OH YEAH!"... but oh my, when I saw Joseph Gordon-Levitt in this film - it's like I was staring at a young Heath Ledger.



JG-L (yes, we are calling him by initial now) is fast becoming the actor that I can trust - he's always in good movies!  First the brilliant "Mysterious Skin", then "Brick" and now this.  He's also rumoured to be in the up-coming "Akira" with Leonardo Dicaprio.     

Back to the film "The Lookout".  What a lovely film.  Well, maybe lovely is not the right word, cos it's a thriller, but it reminds me of all those good indie thrillers like "A Simple Plan", the good old days.  The storyline evolves around the characters and the environment they are in (Kansas) than say, having a complex plot just for the sake of being complicated.   It's engrossing to watch and hey, you would even ignore the occasional plot-holes.  

The script is tight and the direction efficient, it's like they don't want to waste any minute.  But the most outstanding part of the film is the performance.  JGL is easliy at his best, portraying a ex-school hockey star trying to pick up his life after a fatal accident which left him brain damaged and guilty for killing his friends.  Guilt-ridden and depressed, he's looking for forgiveness from himself.  But to some people he's the perfect candidate to rob a bank...  

Extra bonus: Jeff Daniels provides probably one of his best performance.  Plus, he got all the killer lines in the film.

Date:	2008-05-03 21:32
Subject:	Whatever makes her happy, on a Saturday night
Security:	Public
Mood:	amused
Music:	Hungry Saw - Tindersticks

via bedsitter23 and def_fr0g_42:

You Should Live in a Big City

You don't want anything in particular out of life... you want it all. You crave new and exciting experiences. And you get bored fairly easily. Only very big cities can keep you entertained and stimulated.

This is the only life I know anyway... and all I want to have is some decent takeaways nearby; that I won't go broke if I get a cab home after a night out; and that my neighbours don't know me.

Date:	2008-04-30 13:19
Subject:	The Great Pretentious Read/Unread
Security:	Public
Mood:	amused

via super-well-read

def_fr0g_42

Date:	2008-04-29 20:23
Subject:	This could be a case for Mulder and Scully
Security:	Public
Mood:	amused
Music:	How to look good naked on Channel 4

Ok, so def_fr0g_42 just reminded us how doomed Hollywood is with all those lame 80s sequels lining up (btw, I do like the original  War Games too), but there's something I'd love them to go back to - always:

Friends,  this is the most anticipated movie of 2008 (OK... apart from TDK and all the Jake as bad sheep brother/immoral congressman goodies)

The new X-Files movie is coming to a theatre near you this year and it has a title finally:



Is this the most natural X-Files movie title or what?