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Lucy was awesome.

Lucy is… seriously, quite really, awesome.

You need to know my biasness first. It’s Scarlett Johansson. I loved her as the Black Widow, I love her even more as Lucy. And I love how in Lucy, I felt very terrified for her character in the first 10 minutes than I did screaming for her in Avengers. So there.

Now back to Lucy. TL;DR summary? Lucy is a fairly innocent young woman who becomes the first human with the ability to use 100% of her cerebral capacity. What follows is a mix of anime cutscenes, Korean action sequences and the realisation that it’s a very European show.

TL;DRating? 8/10.

More under the cut! And some some spoilers ahead!

Read the rest of this entry »

Original entry as appearing at Ink to Screen.

So one of the things I kinda resolved to do this year was to make my way through my pile of unread books. I’ve read (in no particular order):

• Dragonfly Falling by Adrian Tchaikovsky
• The Great Magician by Christian Jacq
• Dead Man’s Drive by Michael Panush – Sponsored review; I received a copy of this and am going to write a fuller one later
• Ico – Castle in the Mist by Miyuki Miyabe (RM8 was a steal at the Big Bad Wolf Sale!)
• Assassin’s Creed: Forsaken by Oliver Bowden (I have issues with his writing style)
• A Memory of Light by Brandon Sanderson and Robert Jordan (it finally ended but man what an ending. A bit peeved by it, to be honest. Another hardcover steal too!)

Just finished Ico, so I’m taking a quick break before I continue. I might be starting on Alternative Histories soon OR Playing That Yaoi Game I Bought At CF That I Need To Rip. It’s… NFSW apparently, but the artwork looks gorgeous.

2 guys but 24 endings WHAT INSANITY IS THIS?

Original entry as appearing at Ink to Screen.

This is a sponsored post, commissioned by The Tech Kaiju. I acknowledge that I have received some form of compensation for this post. However, I further admit that this compensation has NOT affected my opinion nor judgement of the units that were lent to me.

A party phone and a business phone. Which would you choose?

And

This pretty much sums up the last of my phone reviews. I’m returning them tomorrow as per agreement, but I will miss them after one week of use. So here’s a summary of what I think everyone should know before purchasing one or the other:

U9X1:
Get this if your criteria is one of the following:

• You don’t need a large phone
• You need something quick and responsive
• You have a budget, but want something fast. Brand name does not matter
• Did I mention reliable?
• Inbuilt security is important to you. The U9X1 comes with the M-Warranty and NQ Mobile Security apps. The former lets you register your warranty without having to send in the physical card from your phone. The latter is an anti-virus suite.
• You want a vanilla Google experience but can’t spring the cash for the Nexus series.

I highly recommend the U9X1 mainly to middle-end users like me who will tinker and root their phone. By default, the almost-vanilla experience is great for those already familiar with the Android user experience and are seeking for something a little bit more. The U9X1 is a great jumping point. Just… watch out for the back cover. It’s kinda slippery and can be a bit hard to open.

Optimus G Pro:
Get this if your criteria is one of the following:

• You want a really big phone for readability issues.
• Your phone stays in your bag more often than your pocket.
• You want a camera that’s good at deciphering lighting and has a beauty mode.
• You’re new to the Android/smartphone scene, and you want something more user-friendly.
• Themes are important to you. The LG Optimus had a really cute pink theme that was very childish yet cheerful. They also had a few other “corporate” kind of themes.

As you can tell, the LG Optimus is pretty much a premium phone, and it’s very user-friendly. The LG Optimus skin is pretty much geared towards allowing you to customise your phone the way you want to, and if you’re never going to go beyond installing/removing apps, I’d say the Optimus would be for you. Oh, and unlike the U9X1, the back cover comes out easily.

TL;DR: Get U9X1 if you’re a mid-range user. LG Optimus if you’re not.

Original entry as appearing at Ink to Screen.

Not going to comment on the Yellowface debacle in Cloud Atlas.

That said? I loved the movie. It was sweet, it was simple, it was tragic. I love how all the stories wove in with each other, building to a crescendo that reached across the skies. The sweetness of each story, the bitterness of some endings, the hope of others, all these are beautiful, beautiful things. I was swept away by the stories. There is something beautiful, bittersweet, and hopeful, especially about the end, even if parts of the movie was censored.

Shall I watch it again? Definitely. Is it a story worth listening to? Yes, many times.

Now… how do I get the music? ;3

Original entry as appearing at Ink to Screen.

Found at:
Lot F142, 1st Floor,
1 Utama Shopping Centre (Old Wing)
Opposite Wong Kok

When I reached The Nail Parlour, the first thing that struck me was that these people were waiting for customers to come in. I had passed the Colour Culture on the way, and the nail girl was eating at one of the counters openly. I didn’t look into Missy Nail’s shop but I had read horror stories online about their treatment, so I gave them a pass.

By contrast, The Nail Parlour had people waiting outside when I passed and stopped to look at their price list. One of them approached me immediately at my interest. In two minutes (actually less than that) I was seated at a table and waiting for one of their manicurist to attend to me. There was a form to fill out with some details, and judging from what they asked me, I suspect they were meant for repeat customers with specific issues.

The tag on my manicurist said Jackie and she was quietly efficient. She was gentle and careful with my hands, asking if it was alright to cut my nails. The process was interesting to experience.

First she sprayed disinfectant on both her hands and mine, then showed me how to spread it all over my hands. She then opened a pack of sterilised instruments. My long nails were quickly clipped. As she clipped them, my hands took turn being soaked in a warm bath. Once they were soaked and presumably soft, they were followed by a thorough yet gentle cuticle cleaning. Jackie clipped my little finger but apologised for it and sprayed disinfectant on it. I actually didn’t realise she’d clipped it until she pointed it out; her touch was that gentle.

Once my nails had been cleaned, buffed and sharpened, it was time for the nail polish. I went for colour instead of brand, so I ended up getting the Jessica Bikini Blue for my nails. The colour turned out much nicer than I expected.

Once my colour had been chosen, she applied the base coat to my nails, quickly but carefully to ensure that all nails had been coated equally. This was then followed by two coats of the colour, and finally a gloss overcoat. By the time she was done, my nails looked icy cool. Jackie then instructed I wait for about 5 minutes while my nails dried in front of the tiny and cute fan they had. I did, but now I think I should have waited for 10 because I chipped my nails as I was paying.

Otherwise, I really like the effect. :D

At RM35 for a basic manicure, I like what they did. Would probably go back there again for Chinese New Year or something. We shall see.

Original entry as appearing at Ink to Screen.

Made the impulse decision to go and watch Sucker Punch earlier today. Was afraid that I wouldn’t make it in time since I decided at the very last minute after mom had ruined my mood and was afraid I’d miss the start of the movie. Turns out I was right to watch the movie. Traffic was heavy but smooth and I found parking barely 5 seconds I turned into the lot. Walked upstairs very quickly and found no queue in front of the ticket stand, got a ticket very fast AND I had time to buy popcorn!

I sat in my seat about 2 minutes before the schedule start and went “OMG WTF was that The Rock in Fast Five? WANTSSSSS!” and “McAvoy in XMen First Class so hot do want!” when the trailers came on. Then the KLMU advertisement came on and I cringed. Not so much because of the cheesy song, but the roles they made the girl play. I mean, women in Malaysia CAN be more substantial than just a pretty face, right?

Then the movie started.

This was where the magic began.

The background was told in a very quick, yet easy to digest manner. It’s as though I was reading a book instead of watching a movie. You see, books make me think and they make me use my imagination. But at the same time, I’m swept away by the elements in the story; the plot, the characters, their thoughts and their reaction to the things around them.

Yes, watching Sucker Punch was very much like reading a novel. Except with more visual imagery. The fight scenes feel as though I’m playing a game, but I could understand what they signified. What they were supposed to represent and what it meant to each character. The only thing that made me scratch my head was the Missions Giver man. For a moment I thought he was Leonard Nimoy because there was something in his accent.

That’s a minor gripe, but for everything else…

Oh gods! How I understand how they structured the story! I mean, I could actually understand the different layers worked. What it meant. The story is told from Baby Doll’s point of view, and like any good novel, the most important thing to understand is this: Sucker Punch is a novel told from the first person perspective of Baby Doll. No one else. So as long as you keep that in mind, everything else makes sense.

I will admit this. Visually, Sucker Punch is meant to appeal to those who are easily scintillated. To those who enjoy watching a movie for just the hot babes (aka part of the crowd that made Megan Fox famous and the reason why we have “Bieber fever”) . I counted at least 3 pantsu shot in the first fight scene alone. But that wasn’t just it.

Sucker Punch works when you realise what you’re seeing through Baby Doll’s eyes is being reflected in the real world. Reality is there. It intrudes on the girls in the most unpleasant, gruesome way, without actually being there. At the same time though, it feels really antiseptic. Like you’re watching an “approved” version. There were moments in Sucker Punch where I thought it would evoke the same intensity of feelings as Watchmen did (which was director Zack Synder’s previous work). It didn’t and in a way I am disappointed.

However, Sucker Punch works! A lot of people will say that Sucker Punch doesn’t make sense, and I don’t blame them. It’s very easy to forget that Baby Doll’s not in an asylum when you watch her story, but if you keep the fact that she’s in asylum and that she’s trying to escape…

It makes a whole lot more sense.

4.5 out of 5.

Original entry as appearing at Ink to Screen.

Is a very good anime. So well done in fact, that I really empathise with the characters. It’s the first time in a long time that I watched a series that made me jaw drop.

I want to get Joicy Jie Jie to watch, but I suppose the fact that it’s animated will turn her off. Sigh ah well.

BTW Grayfox-chan~ you should watch this. I promise it’s not a “surprise” anime like Queen’s Blade.

Original entry as appearing at Reach Into Your Soul.

When I find a friend who has turned away from religion… it usually means that he’s angry. So who were the Christians who made you angry at Christianity?
Rohani to Brian, Muallaf.

The thing about Yasmin Ahmad films is that I usually walk away from them pensive (Gubra). Sad (Sepet). And in some cases, heartbroken (Sepet again). Yasmin Ahmad movies rarely end on a good note, but they are usually slow, gentle journeys that make you ponder, lazing on the river with a random pop in the water you’d expect now and then from the water lifeforms. At the end of such expeditions, I would usually be saddened that it’d come to an end, no matter what the ending was.

Not so with Muallaf.

Muallaf left me feeling that the lazy ride had been a motorboat, with the occasional stop to refuel. It felt fast, was a little monotonous, but ultimately funny and thought-provoking. I squirmed in my seat hearing Rohani say the above quote to Brian. The lines were true. They described me. I could not though, remember what it was that made me stop going for Mass.

Rohana and Rohani were in a world of their own, but not in the self-deluded kind. They were secure in their faith; strong women in their own right. Rohana was a precocious young girl; mischievious yet ultimately looking out for her sister. She spoke when her sister could not, or did not want to. Rohana, the older one, was a woman of strength, and not just because she was raising her sister on her own. She had this firm, unyielding but gentle core of faith.

I envy that.

Brian Yap made me uncomfortable. He’s a pervert, but perhaps not that different from other men I know. He’s an introvert, but I find it hard to excuse his behaviour to his mom, mainly because of the way he speaks to her. If I’m not wrong, he’s also a typical Hokkien Penangite when it comes to money. I admit that I would make Mrs Yap pay the extra RM2, simply because she’s the type who likes to show off.

What made me uncomfortable about Brian is that I am very much like him, spiritually. He’s not going to Church because the so-called Christians humiliated him. I abandoned the Mass service because I could not stand the hypocrisy of my family.

I stopped going to Church because while I believed there was a God, I found it hard to believe that this same God would disallow love between two men. To condemn those who needed Him the most. The same God whose followers killed each other because of self-importance. The very same God who said He gave us free will, yet
demand that we surrender it for a reward that was vague at best. 

It is not God who is on trial though, but our interpretations of Him here.

Yet while Muallaf may come off as preachy to some, I found the film thought-provoking. At the most basic level, it’s a fun film, a typical Yasmin Ahmad film with its share of tender-hearted moments and funny scenes. Scratch the surface and there’s so much more to discover. Muallaf makes me uncomfortable, and for all the right reasons. It makes you think, makes you reexamine what it means to be a Muslim, Christian, a child of faith.

It is a movie of faith.

Muallaf was sponsored by the All Malaysian Bloggers’ Portal. Thanks to Michael and sponsors for the tickets to catch the Gala Premiere last night.

Original entry as appearing at Reach Into Your Soul.

This is an incomplete list for Montimer of Twitter (links go to his site and Twitter respectively). From what I know, some movies are still banned, while others have never been promoted because we never knew they existed. The advent of the Internet and intrepid VCD sellers in Malaysia have hurt both the government’s pocket and their reputation. In some cases, the movies, while banned from being shown in the cinema, was subsequently either available on DVD (legally) or on satellite TV (Astro).

Montimer, please bear in mind I’m writing this from memory (reactions to the movies at least). Joicy and Chris can you double confirm for me please?

Recent movies that have been banned:

Nearly all of Yasmin Ahmad’s Orked films at one point or other
This covers the first three movies she made; Sepet, Rabun, Gubra.

Sepet was kept in limbo for two months or more, because it dared a romantic relationship between a Chinese and a Malay without the Malay girl persuading the guy to convert to Islam (This was one of the many contentious points of the MCB- Malaysian Censorship Board). It was later allowed to show in the cinemas, becoming one of the sleeper hits for that year (can’t remember the year now). Current status: Limited circulation in DVD shops.

Rabun was banned shortly after it was shown on terrestial TV, as many male chauvinistic pigs in Malaysia who called themselves Muslims had a hard time understanding why an elderly man (who seems to be the embodiment of them in their old age) would stoop to washing his elderly wife’s feet. In their opinion, it should have been the the other way around, as a woman is supposed to be subservient to a man. Current status: Unavailable anywhere, even on the Internet.

Gubra was banned for a short while also, because the bilal (sp?), a religious man or alternatively the imam (priest) of the village temple was shown to be petting a dog, something the Sunni Muslims in Malaysia believe to be unclean. There was also a lot of moral issues that were resolved NOT the way the powers-that-be liked, which of course, increased the demand of this film.  Current status: Limited availability in DVD shops.

Zoolander:
Current status: Still banned in Malaysia and not shown on Satellite TV.

Kill Bill: Vol 1
Current status: Still banned and not shown on Satellite TV, due to excessive violence.

Brokeback Mountain
Current status: Still banned and not shown on Satellite TV, due to its homosexual content.

Borat
Current status: Still banned and not shown on Satellite TV (the reasons for this is kinda obvious).

All the Saw movies
Current status: Still banned and not shown on Satellite TV, due to excessive violence.

High School Musical 3
Current status: As far as I know, this movie has been released in Malaysia and shown in both Cinemas and satellite TV. However, my brother tells me different.

Invasion, Changeling, Watchmen (censored humourously), Haunting in Connecticut, Hangover, Dead Silence, Max Payne, Wanted
Current status: All were shown in the Cinemas, and if I’m not wrong, are available on DVD (I saw Wanted in the cinema. Mmmm James McAvoy).

Zack and Miri make a Porno
Current status: Still banned and not shown on Satellite TV, mainly due to the title.

The Harold and Kumar Series
The first movie was shown on Satellite TV and the other was shown on both Satellite TV and apparently enjoyed a short run in the cinema. Current status: Available on DVD and shown on Sat

Original entry as appearing at Reach Into Your Soul.

A woman tries to make her boyfriend accept her for whom she is by pointing a gun at his head. A mother bemoans her lost child. Two friends contemplate their burnt house (with wet tissues!) while their housemate attempts to salvage what he can. A couple spends time on the rooftop, looking down. Siblings attempt to come to terms with their mother’s death, and the houseful of memories she left behind.

The Things We Have Lost (LOST) is the latest in a series of short plays by the Electric Minds Project. Unlike the laugh-a-minute Stage Therapy, LOST is more sombre and serious. The focus here was more intense and more surreal; it was like watching bits and pieces of life.

I found the first play, Miracle, made me squirm. One was a good squirm, the other, not so good. The good squirm was because I recognised and felt the character. It also does not help that said main actress, Elza Irdalynna, reminds me wayyyyyy too much of Karcy. It’s in the hair and the pout. I could see Karcy doing that, but it reminded me much of my own relationships and the way I felt too.

Being told to shut up brings back far too unpleasant memories. Anyway…

The bad squirm was the pacing. It was a bit draggy in parts, and I personally felt the ending could have been handled better. I expected Ally to struggle more actually; it would have been quite a sight to see her attempt to throw off her boyfriend. Still… never argue with a woman who holds a gun.

Life Symptomatica: Episode Two, the Little Bird had me hanging onto June’s every word. A mother’s anguish knows no bounds, but I think there could have been more emotion channelled into it. The emotion still felt like it was being skimmed off the top; I felt her anger and I felt her hate, but I didn’t feel June’s grief.

Fag Ends. Seriously, Fags really end everything. This play had a twist I didn’t see coming at all. Plus it was funny. Though I have to admit- the closeness of Leona and Peter made me wonder if they were going to kiss or not. Still, they had waves of energy coming off them. Leona should have whacked Peter with both her hands instead of just one though, if she wanted to show off just how pissed she was at the latter.

A Lifetime of Lessons was a bit too abstract for me. I was left wondering if the main characters were vampires or con artists. It was the simplest of the plays though.

Memories was my favourite. Siblings remembering their mother and the guilt associated with it. I found this one the sweetest and touching of them all. It was poignant and tastefully done.

Things We Have Lost runs until this Sunday, 16 July 2009. Details here. Alternately, I encourage you stalk their Facebook event page here.

Original entry as appearing at Reach Into Your Soul.