mise en scène.

The Hobbit: Vlog

2011-04-17T05:24:00.000-07:00

omgomgomgomg...I'm so excited, I could shit rainbows.

Melancholia Trailer - Lars Von Trier

2011-04-17T05:15:00.000-07:00

His films are so haunting and gorgeous and provocative. A lot of the scenes from this trailer mirror those from his earlier film, 'Antichrist', another beautiful work of art. Whilst very disturbing (potentially scarring to the general audience), I was in a daze and it absorbed my thoughts completely...a similar reaction that I hope will transpire from this film.

Cheers for 2011

2011-01-01T00:57:00.000-08:00

via retrochic

First World Problems

2010-12-26T15:31:00.000-08:00

People spend so fecklessly and claim they're broke or complain about their lack of money yet continue to frivolously waste their earnings away. Let's be real, you're "gloating" of the privilege you have when so many don't even have that luxury. And I'm not punishing anyone (as if I have the right to), it's totally admirable when you earn your keep through hard work and it's certainly reasonable that you deserve an indulgence from time to time. However, when all you do is splurge in excess and boast or fuss over superficial things; you and I both know, it's an inexcusable extravagance. I once used to be that way knowing full well there are far more important things in life. Although, I suppose you cannot wholly appreciate or discern your dispensable and indispensable circumstance until that comfort has been stripped from you and you're struggling to pay your bills. And I realize we're all trying, we're all taking precautions especially in this economy. I just had to remind myself, stop whining over first world problems, be more appreciative and know when to determine what is essential from what is insignificant. Your life is entirely within your discretion, but you don't need me reminding you of that.

2010-12-25T17:53:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

Transparent Specimens

2010-12-19T22:55:00.000-08:00

Japanese artist Iori Tomita takes a colorful approach to highlighting the complex compositions of marine life creatures with his collection entitled “New World Transparent Specimens." Tomita was first introduced to the creation of transparent specimens for the scientific purpose of examining minuscule bone structure as an undergraduate student majoring in fisheries. The specimens' flesh is made translucent by a method that dissolves the creatures' natural proteins. The artistry of nature and man-made design converge when vibrant dyes are introduced to the delicate skeletal system. Selectively injecting red dye into the hard bones and blue into the softer bones, Tomita underscores the other worldliness of aquatic life.

Calling upon his experience as a fisherman, Tomita continues to maintain a rapport with the fishing community by bartering his assistance in exchange for new marine creatures. Depending on its size, the process averages between four and six months to create each specimen, which are like a psychedelic version of Danish artist Stefan Dam's gorgeously creepy organisms.

[more]

Are you excited? I am!

2010-12-16T20:55:00.000-08:00

The Tree of Life

Terrence Malick, a master of visual poetry.

"From Terrence Malick, the acclaimed director of such classic films as Badlands, Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line, The Tree of Life is the impressionistic story of a Midwestern family in the 1950's. The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father (Brad Pitt). Jack (played as an adult by Sean Penn) finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith. Through Malick's signature imagery, we see how both brute nature and spiritual grace shape not only our lives as individuals and families, but all life."

Jane Eyre

From the moment I was made aware of the production of this film, I delighted on the selection of talented actors/actresses and the director of the riveting film, Sin Nombre, Cary Fukunaga. The trailer alone charges me with anticipation. Although, I'm still at odds with Jane Eyre. The Edward Rochester from the novel was a selfish, manipulative douchebag that removed me from enjoying the story completely but Toby Stephen's Rochester from the BBC adaptation transformed my initial impression of his character. The Bronte sisters have a knack for creating unlikable leading men, for example, Heathcliff was too angsty and cruel and it certainly painted Rochester in a more gracious light. Anyway, I'm in love with Michael Fassbender and am very much looking forward to his portrayal of the "beloved" romantic hero (scoffs). Haha it's a love/hate relationship.

L'illusionniste (The Illusionist)

A film I have long waited for (big surprise) will finally have a limited release on Christmas day. Vive Jacques Tati!

"The Illusionist is one of a dying breed of stage entertainers. With emerging rock stars stealing his thunder, he is forced to accept increasingly obscure assignments in fringe theatres, at garden parties and in bars and cafés. However, whilst performing in a village pub off the west coast of Scotland, he encounters Alice, an innocent young girl, who will change his life forever.

Watching his performance to the excited villagers who are celebrating the arrival of electricity to their remote island, Alice becomes awestruck by our hero and believes his tricks are real magic. Following him to Edinburgh, she keeps his home while he goes to work in a small local theatre. Enchanted by her enthusiasm for his act, he rewards her with increasingly lavish gifts he has 'conjured' into existence. Desperate not to disappoint her, he cannot bring himself to reveal that magic does not exist and that buying these gifts is driving him to ruin.

But as Alice comes of age, she finds love and moves on. The Illusionist no longer has to pretend and, untangled from his own web of deceit, resumes his life as a travelling entertainer, a much wiser man."

p.s. If you're acquainted with Tati or Chomet's films, you'll know dialogue is sparse in their films...Triplettes de Belleville was virtually devoid of dialogue and Tati creates in the style of silent films. Aghhh I can't wait to see this. 2D animation ftw!
+

Translation: "What scared me most was the prescence of Tati. Though its not a film by Monsieur L. and not a typical Tati movie either. It s about the story of two persons developing over a long time and it´s taking place at many different places and unlike Tati, it's not dealing with a snapshot of one place at one certain point in time. I also wanted to step away from the typical look of a Tati movie as far as possible."

Water for Elephants

I read this book several years ago and I have to say, it was an entertaining easy read. I'm not fond of Robert Pattinson nor Reese Witherspoon but I adore circus backdrops and I'm curious of the resulting product.

Well, it was a nice surprise to hear Nick Cave & Warren Ellis' beautiful score for Assassination of Jesse James in this trailer.

Also, looking forward to...
A Dangerous Method (2012)- David Cronenberg, Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender, Vincent Cassel, Keira Knightley..what a cast.
The Way back (2010)- Jim Sturgess, Colin Farrell, Ed Harris, Saoirse Ronan, Mark Strong
Your Highness (2011)- another stoner comedy but I want to see it for Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, James Franco, Danny Mcbride etc...
Hanna (2011)- Cate Blanchett, Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana
Now (2011)- dir. Andrew Niccol!!! I don't care much for the actors except for Cillian Murphy
Dream House (2011)- Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz, Naomi Watts
Contagion (2011)- Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Laurence Fishburne
Immortals (2011)- directed by Tarsem Singh. I'll be expecting some grand cinematography as he always delivers in terms of picture. There will also be numerous eye candy for the film.

"I'm here" a short film by Spike Jonze

2010-11-01T20:15:00.000-07:00

Selfish bitch :(

Anyway...

The basis of the love story is pretty formulaic, bordering on sappiness. Nevertheless, I am heartbroken. I damn near wept in the scene where Sheldon (Andrew Garfield <3) shares his dream. Spike Jonze's use of unusual characters in otherwise mundane settings allowed for an oddity of situations and memorable moments.

green light

2010-10-28T23:23:00.000-07:00

I am a devoted reader of F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Great Gatsby is one of my most treasured novels (cliche? Idgaf). Well, several weeks ago, I was made aware of the news that The Great Gatsby is, once again, being adapted for the big screen. However, I question the potential of this film. I know Baz Luhrmann is capable of lavish film making- made evident with Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge - my concern is whether the story is in the appropriate hands, if Baz Luhrmann is the right storyteller for this dark, American drama. I have no doubts about his talent and I expect he will realize the glamour of the jazz age successfully but his former projects have all been beautiful in the most superficial way. This is a complex tale that has yet to be properly conceived and I'm merely apprehensive of it's outcome.

Also, I'm at odds with the actors considered for the roles. Leonardo Dicaprio as Jay Gatsby? He's not nearly as enigmatic and dashing as I imagine the character to be, especially when compared to the present chubby Leo (still very handsome). Tobey Mcguire as Nick Carraway? No. No. No. I would rather have Leo play the part....the Leo, 10 years ago.
Haha. Also, Amanda Seyfried as Daisy? No comment.

Instead, I'd like to see Michael Fassbender or Lee Pace as Gatsby..they both retain a debonair, mysterious demeanor.

In fact, I'd like to add Christian Bale to the list. ;) (I'm heavily biased) As for Daisy, I imagine Rose Byrne or Rosamund Pike. Rose has a vulnerability yet haunting beauty and Rosamund has the natural grace and allure, who can both pull off a frazzled Daisy.

And what do you think of Ben Barnes, James McAvoy or Hugh Dancy as Nick? What am I saying...
I need to constrain myself from placing expectations on someone else's imagination of a film but I cannot help myself when the story is so close to my heart.

A list of films viewed

2010-10-10T01:50:00.000-07:00

Howl
Cracks
Nowhere Boy
The Man from nowhere
Frozen
Splice
The Young Victoria
Brick Lane
Rudo y Cursi
Nothing like the Holidays
Brick Lane

In the month of October:

The Princess and the Frog
The Social Network
Monsters
Death in Love
폐가 (Pae-ga)
The Great Buck Howard
An American Affair
The Collector
Zack and Miri make a porno
Resident Evil 4 and Letters to Juliet (I nearly fastforwarded through both films...fortunately, I wasn't the one who rented the dvds) -__-
Perrier's Bounty
Don't Look Back

In the month of November:

Lymelife
Beyond the Gates
The Other Man
Against the Current
The American
Wild Target
3 Idiots
Before the Devil knows you're dead
Return to Rajapur
Mercy
Blind Date
Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows part 1
Scott Pilgrim vs The World

The Annenberg Space for Photography: POYi

2010-10-08T19:45:00.000-07:00

My friends and I took a little trip down to Century city two weeks ago to visit The Annenberg Space for Photography, a venue dedicated to both digital and print photography. Their current exhibit, Pictures of the Year International, features photographs reflecting the important events and issues that shaped our world in 2009. POYi is a prestigious competition, in which images are chosen from 45,000 entries submitted from photographers all across the globe. Among them, top journalistic photographers are recognized for their long-term work.

I've always had a strong inclination toward journalistic photography, especially journalistic portraits. I love the expression of human emotions portrayed through film, whether still or moving. The documentary and collection of photographs we viewed that day focused on themes such as human conflict, our current economic status, cultural differences, corruption and tragedy; capturing the poignant moments of our day-to-day life and the beauty reflecting our humanity.

I admire these bold, influential storytellers and the risk they take in investigating these modern issues that are significant and consequential in our society that demand attention but are often ignored. Still, they continue to share other's tales and I only hope they will persist.

If you're around the area, do not miss the opportunity to view this exhibit. It ends Oct 10, this sunday! I apologize for the late notice. I wasn't aware of the date.

Upcoming exhibit:

Click the image for more information

a peek into the digital gallery area I love the mid-century modernism of the architecture.

2010-10-06T04:16:00.000-07:00

I have been drawn to Aurorae since I was a little girl. I remember a scene from the animated film, Balto, where the illusion of The Northern Lights were created by light reflecting off broken glass bottles. Haha I was easily captivated at the age of 8-9(?) and to this day, I am continuously fascinated by these beautiful images. I look forward to the day I can see this natural wonder, firsthand.

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return."

I want to get lost in the world

2010-10-06T03:56:00.000-07:00

"What makes us normal is knowing that we're not normal."

2010-09-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

I'm getting more and more anxious to see this. Btw, I don't know if you're aware but Haruki Murakami co-wrote the script and Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead) will be composing the score. Anyway, enjoy the full trailer!

Mildred Pierce

2010-09-23T21:45:00.000-07:00

"HBO has released the first trailer for their upcoming five-part miniseries, Mildred Pierce. Todd Haynes (Far From Heaven) is director, with Kate Winslet starring as “a proud, single mother struggling to earn her daughter’s love during the depression in middle-class Los Angeles.” As expected, the miniseries looks like it will be just as cinematic as Haynes’ previous works, and Winslet looks like she will deliver another great performance. Hit the jump to check out the trailer along with a plot synopsis for the source material." [link]

The King's Speech

2010-09-23T21:07:00.000-07:00

"The King's Speech is a British historical drama film directed by Tom Hooper from a script by David Seidler. The film stars Colin Firth as King George VI and Geoffrey Rush as speech therapist Lionel Logue, who helped George overcome a stammer. Filming commenced in the United Kingdom in November 2009. The film is set for a limited release in the United States on 26 November 2010." via wikipedia

Four Lions

Chris Morris' highly anticipated feature follows four young Muslim men on a thrillingly fictional story which illuminates the radicalised British jihad and undermines the folly of western culture's attempts to alienate them.

Trailers galore

2010-09-12T20:12:00.000-07:00

Hereafter

"Hereafter is an upcoming American drama film directed by Clint Eastwood from a screenplay by Peter Morgan. The film tells three parallel stories about three people affected by death in different ways; Matt Damon plays American factory worker George, who is somehow able to communicate with the dead; Cécile de France plays French television journalist Marie, who survives a tsunami; and Frankie and George McLaren play Marcus and Jason, an English boy and his brother who is killed in a car accident. At the denouement, all three stories and characters converge. Bryce Dallas Howard, Lyndsey Marshal, Jay Mohr and Thierry Neuvic have supporting roles." via Wikipedia

I <3 Cécile de France and Bryce Dallas Howard and Matt Damon is evidently a fine actor. Can't wait.

Le petit tailleur

Lea Seydoux and Louis Garrel. Enough said.

Les petites mouchoirs

"In a Parisian nightclub, party man Ludo (Jean Dujardin) takes off late at night on his scooter, where he's blindsided by a truck. Lying between life and death in the hospital, Ludo is visited by his band of longtime pals, who decide that the gruesome crash shouldn't prevent them from embarking on their coveted summer holidays. (Coma or not, vacations in France are sacred.)

Prior to the trip, another major problem arises when one of the friends, chiropractor Vincent (Benoit Magimel), confesses his attraction to nervous-wreck restaurateur Max (Francois Cluzet); their initial tete-a-tete is one of the film's comic highlights. Both are married, and Max clearly isn't game, so when they arrive later with their families at his pristine seaside cottage, tensions are sky-high. The group's stress level is further goosed by pot-smoking rebel Marie (Marion Cotillard), lovesick actor Eric (Gilles Lellouche) and the even more lovesick Antoine (Laurent Lafitte), all of whom are suffering from failed or failing relationships." via Wikipedia

L'Homme qui voulait vivre sa vie

"Paul Exben is a success story. He has a great job, a glamorous wife and two wonderful sons, except that this is not the life he has been dreaming of. A moment of madness is going to change his life, forcing him to assume a new identity that will enable him to live his life fully."

I've been a fan of John Murphy for a very long time and can recognize his music anywhere and it most certainly does not belong in this trailer nor anywhere else other than fucking sunshine. The grandeur of the song, Adagio in G minor, is losing it's impact and being wasted on every cliched, inspirational moment. Yes, even within Hit-girl's scene in Kick-ass. Although, I did enjoy the use of in the house/in a heartbeat for Big Daddy's scene. Sorry for the needless rant but this song is bring overused just like Clint Mansell's Lux Aeterna. I still would like to view the film. Haha

Films that have already been released which I'm looking forward to...

Great Directors

"Angela Ismailos GREAT DIRECTORS, is a celebration of films and filmmaking starring ten of the worlds most acclaimed, provocative, and individualistic living directors. The documentary, which had its world premiere at the 2009 Venice Film Festival, is a deeply personal and intimate look at the art of cinema and the artists who create it, and features original, in—depth conversations with world—class filmmakers Bernardo Bertolucci, David Lynch, Stephen Frears, Agnes Varda, Ken Loach, Liliana Cavani, Todd Haynes, Catherine Breillat, Richard Linklater and John Sayles. These interviews more than just chronicle Ismailos encounters with ten remarkable men and women. Extensively illuminated by clips and historical archives from the subjects works, they also reveal the distinctive personalities who created the timeless images that have long inspired Ismailos—and all of us. Intercutting among the filmmakers in a freely associative way, Ismailos explores each directors artistic evolution; the role of politics and history on their work; their feelings about the other great directors who inspired them (with Bertolucci paying homage to Pasolini, Breillat to Bergman, and Haynes to Fassbinder, etc.); and the agony and ecstasy of being an artist in a medium that is, paradoxically, also an industry." [via youtube info]
Fuck yes.

I am Love

"I AM LOVE tells the story of the wealthy Recchi family, whose lives are undergoing sweeping changes. Eduardo Sr., the family patriarch, has decided to name a successor to the reigns of his massive industrial company, surprising everyone by splitting power between his son Tancredi, and grandson Edo. But Edo dreams of opening a restaurant with his friend Antonio, a handsome and talented chef. At the heart of the family is Tancredis wife Emma (Tilda Swinton), a Russian immigrant who has adopted the culture of Milan. An adoring and attentive mother, her existence is shocked to the core when she falls quickly and deeply in love with Edos friend and partner Antonio, and embarks on a passionate love affair that will change her family forever."

The father of my children

"Grégoire, a Parisian film producer, has it all — a beautiful wife, three adorable daughters, wealth and a buzzing career. On the surface he seems invincible, maintaining humor and charm as he tirelessly juggles the demands of his production company with his family's needs. But when Grégoire's reserves — both financial and emotional — reach a dramatic breaking point, his family's love and resilience is tested. Winner of the Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and featured at the Toronto and London Film Festivals, THE FATHER OF MY CHILDREN is an extraordinarily perceptive new drama from emerging young talent Mia Hansen—Love, and a deeply moving portrait of family in tumult."

Upcoming Films...

2010-09-11T04:01:00.000-07:00

I'm so disappointed with the complete lack of originality in hollywood and quite frankly, pissed at the amount of remakes they produce every other year, from classics to foreign hits. I can understand if by remaking a film, they enhance the quality of the newer picture but in the case of Låt den rätte komma in (Let the right one in) - a beautiful, unique, inimitable story from Sweden - I cannot fathom the necessity of such a duplication. Recreated for an American audience, no doubt. I'm insulted. Hollywood continues to foster the stereotype that americans are too uncultured for foreign films, or that we're too thickwitted and lazy to be bothered to read subtitles. -___-

Any intrigue I have ffor this film is on behalf of the two young actors whom I adore, Chloe Moretz and Kodi Smit- Mcphee. Although, I keep asking myself, why couldn't this pairing come about for a different film?

Anyway...here are the films I am looking forward to: I've already posted most of these on facebook but I'm trying to update my blog more frequently.

127 hours- Directed by Danny Boyle. "The film is based on the true story of Aron Ralston, the American mountain climber who amputated his own arm to free himself after being trapped by a boulder in Robbers Roost, Utah for nearly five days in May 2003. James Franco stars as Ralston. The film will be released in the United States on November 5, 2010. The film's score is composed by Boyle's previous collaborator on Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman."

I'm usually not squeamish about the gore I see on tv or films (severed limbs and the like) but to hear in horrific detail, the process of amputating your own arm; I felt so queasy and light-headed.

"Sofia Coppola’s (Lost in Translation) new film Somewhere tells the story of Johnny Marco (Stephen Dorff), “a bad-boy A-List actor stumbling through a life of excess while living at Hollywood’s legendary Chateau Marmont Hotel. His days are a haze of drinks, girls, fast cars and fawning fans. Cocooned in this celebrity-induced artificial world, Johnny has lost all sense of his true self. Until, that is, his 11-year-old daughter Cleo (Elle Fanning) unexpectedly shows up and unwittingly begins to anchor him. Johnny’s fragile connection to real life slowly revives in her presence. So when the time comes fro Cleo to leave, his sense of loss is palpable, but the gift of hope she has also brought him leads to a beautiful, poetic denouement imbued with all of Coppola’s remarkable powers to conjure mood and atmosphere.”"

"Catfish centers on a riveting mystery that is completely a product of our times, where social networking, mobile devices, and electronic communication so often replace face-to-face personal contact. Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman’s grounded documentary is a remarkable and powerful story of grace within a labyrinth of online intrigue."

Heartbreaker- I avoid romcoms like the plague but I'll only see this for Romain Duris and Vanessa Paradis.

There are many other forthcoming film releases I'd like to share but many of them don't yet have their accompanying teasers or trailers.

Films viewed in the month of August

2010-09-11T03:26:00.000-07:00

I take pleasure in films that represent the dysfunctionality of families with quirky, lovable characters (i.e. Little Miss Sunshine, Family Stone, Juno). Andy Garcia, Emily Mortimer, Julianna Margulies, Steven Strait, Ezra Miller (who uncannily resembles korean american actor/model, Daniel Henney)...all the characters were fantastic in their roles and there were many scenes that left me roaring in laughter. It's unfortunate this film received little distribution. Poor marketing? Well, I don't want to spoil the movie nor mislead you with any exaggerated expectations but I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed this film. I cannot wait to see it again!

Mr. Nobody

Mr. Nobody is a whimsical, imaginative, science fiction, love story which demonstrates the infinite possibilities drawn from the choices we make. Unable to choose whether to live with his father or his mother, Nemo (Jared Leto) decides on both paths which begins his complex journey, allowing him to live different lives and experience the consequences of those decisions. The film enlightens us about quantum physics, chaos theory, the butterfly effect; illustrating the concept of time and how choices affect our results. I commend Jaco Van Dormael for his beautiful direction and thought-provoking script which is magnified by the musical score/soundtrack. I definitely recommend this one.

I'll come running

I don't know how to discuss this film without spoiling it... Basically, the story revolves around a texan waitress who meets a dane, Pelle (Jon) passing through Austin while on vacation. Shortly upon meeting, they hook up over the course of the next few days until the unexpected occurs. As a result, Veronica makes a series of impulse decisions that leads her on a journey to Denmark whereupon she meets Pelle's friend, Soren (Christian). The shift in environment affects the shift in tone, and emotions unravel as the characters deal with tragedy. And while, the film was initially heavily cliched, it developed into something engaging and memorable with a compelling story and noteworthy performances by Melonie Diaz and Christian Tafdrup.

Chloe

I love Atom Egoyan's work but Chloe pales in comparison to his previous films and having seen Nathalie, Chloe did not impress me at the level I was expecting. So, I tried to focus on the performances alone and of course, Julianne Moore is unfaltering. She commands the screen effortlessly and Liam Neeson, in his brief feature, was just as memorable. I'm a little disappointed Amanda Seyfried's character wasn't entirely fleshed out (no pun intended). Well, to keep this short...Catherine (Julianne) suspects her husband (Liam) is cheating, so she hires a prostitute to seduce him to test her suspicion which soon leads to dangerous consequences. Rather predictable, really. Aside from the fact I'm familiar with the script. Haha

Agora

"The chief reason to see this film is for Rachel Weisz's performance as Hypatia the philosopher. She is the main character and she gives an excellent performance. Whenever she is on screen you are riveted to the screen. Her excitement at discovery, her endless desire to learn, her ability to figure out the mysteries of the universe are fascinating and she makes them feel exciting even though we know it all already." There is a scene where Synesius (the bishop) tries to convince Hypatia to give into Christianity, wherefore she replies, "Synesius, you don't question what you believe, or cannot. I must." Overall, the film was ambitious but lacked execution.

Transsiberian

A taut, hitchcockian thriller with clever twists and a remarkable performance by Emily Mortimer. It's enhanced by the complexity of each individual and the beautiful yet grim, snowy, desolate backdrop of the film. There are a few minor quibbles but I will refrain from focusing on them. Do give this one a try!

The Killing Room

"Let me start by saying that a lot of what you're about to read may seem like spoilers, but all of the following plot information is given within the first 10 minutes of the movie. In this movie, the CIA's secret "MK-Ultra" mind-control experiments of the '70s (which really did occur) seem to still be in operation. Four civilians answer a classified ad seeking volunteers for medical testing, only to be locked in a room together and subjected to psychological and some physical torture, plus a little death. This is not "torture porn" though, and aside from a couple of run-of-the-mill gunshots, it actually doesn't involve much graphic violence at all. While there have been many "locked in a room together for a mysterious and violent experiment" movies, this one is different in that it's told primarily from the perspective of an observer: a doctor who is interviewing for a position at the organization. She has no idea what she's about to observe when she arrives, so she joins the audience in horror as the various aspects of the experiment are revealed. This movie has a lot of problems. The writing, mainly the dialog, seemed a bit lackluster, but the competent acting compensated somewhat for that. I also found the use of the shaky camera a little annoying, as was the use of a few little fake-out sequences meant to make the audience go, "Oh, she was only imagining that." You know the kind. Also, the employees operating the experiment would communicate via crackly radio, using lots of military mumbo-jumbo ("echo-2 commence stimulus foxtrot, wilco"), which seemed almost laughably inappropriate, and disproportionate to coordinating closed-room experiments. It sounded like they were an airport tower trying to land planes in a blizzard. It struck me as overly melodramatic, trying too hard to make it sound like a military operation. But for all its problems, this movie will surprise you in the end with its relevance. I'm still feeling it sink in. The ending made this movie entirely worth watching (if not good), which I'm glad I did. There isn't much I can say about it without spoiling it, so I'll just say that it's often our artists -- our filmmakers, our writers -- who tell us where we might be headed. Sorry if that sounds cryptic. You'll have to watch the movie. :)"

This reviewer perfectly describes my experience with the film. I would like to encourage you to give this one a chance.

Severance
If you are a fan of gore and humor (simultaneously at that), I suggest you give this one a whirl.

p.s. I've watched so many more but I don't keep track of them. I should start listing all the movies I watch. Also, sorry for the brief reviews.

Waka Waka

2010-08-31T23:39:00.000-07:00

I'm still suffering from WC withdrawal. While there are further exciting events to continue- the EPL, UEFA, La Liga, etc, I miss the games that went on during those massive Vuvuzela concerts (Lol); I miss the yellow card/red card controversies; I miss waking up/staying up at ungodly hours of the day; I miss supporting Spain's NT and just the opportunity to watch every match. I'm merely annoyed that I ordered the Barclays Premier League package a couple days too late and was rejected. So now, I have to settle for old, repeated matches on fsc and goltv. -__- On occasion, espn, fsc, and goltv will broadcast live games but it does not suffice. And to make matters worse, I do not have a computer so that I may stream live games. Basically, I'm fucked, hence the recurrent withdrawal. :(

Adaptations.

2010-08-31T20:17:00.000-07:00

I'm still without a computer and it has been the main reason why I've avoided my blog. So, I've been updating certain film releases and concise reviews/recommendations via facebook since it's more convenient, however I need to make up for my long absence. Besides, I'm always eager to share with my readers.

I happened upon 'Never let me go' several years back and recently re-read it in preparation of the film adaptation that is due September 15th. It's an engrossing, haunting novel written by Kazuo Ishiguro, the well known author of 'Remains of the Day'. The narrative is well crafted, the poignancy and disturbing elements of the theme were mesmerizing and the characters left me heartbroken. I don't want to recount the story in detail because I approached the book without any sort of prior knowledge and I daresay, it's more pleasurable in this manner and I would suggest you do the same.

Here is the teaser for the film adaptation of Murakami's 'Norwegian Wood' which I am awfully excited for. Is it safe to assume that most everyone I know has read the book?

Here is a beautiful review for Lucky Life.

And just last night I saw The private lives of Pippa Lee. I've always been a fan of Robin Wright Penn but I was reminded once again how consistently brilliant and enigmatic she is. The film, far from perfect, deserves to be seen for her performance and the lineup of considerable actors.

p.s. One gripe I have with my current situation is that I can't even preview how the videos will appear. It's frustrating to upload pictures/videos much less write anything through this small screen. I miss typing! Bear with me guys. :r

p.p.s. Black swan!

Aronofsky + Vincent Cassel + Natalie Portman + Winona Ryder + Clint Mansell?? Fuck Yes!

Reality Bites

2010-06-20T21:12:00.000-07:00

Please disregard my previous post. I was distressed beyond imagination; most likely affected by the realization of another year gone by with no particular evolvement or the several beers I had that night.

^ This was the precise reaction I had that evening with my birthday approaching and the complete awareness of my insignificance. *sigh* I must make such an impression....It's not as if I want to be recognized as the misanthrope who overthrows everyone's good mood with my pessimism nor do I want to appear dramatic and selfish. It's the continuous nights of solitude that compels me to reflect on undesirable thoughts, however ponderous and real they may be. Well, not to worry. It was "just one of those days."

p.s. I must thank all my friends for a wonderful week of celebration. I really am grateful and they are my daily reminder that perhaps I am worthwhile. So, I'll stop being emo and stfu. :)

They'll probably never read this but I fucking love you guys!

2010-06-13T23:58:00.000-07:00

I'm a waste of life...I don't deserve anything.

Ticket to Africa through the tube

2010-06-10T10:38:00.000-07:00

I've always longed to go there and the desire is more fervent with the world cup ahead in less than a day. :(

AHHH! The excitement! The rush! Even with the awareness that "sleep" is now virtually nonexistent for me (as expected). It's going to be a fabulous month of "footie" fulfilled with bustling, disjointed schedules and lack of rest deemed hazardous to be sure. :] p.s. I've been updating with my blackbrry. How sad. Well, you can look forward to more. Haha

On Replay

2010-06-09T13:34:00.000-07:00

UGH....Annie's voice! I can listen to her forever.
You can find more covers from Record Club (aka Beck and Friends) at BECK.com

Born Ruffians - What to say
Just as it's titled...what to say? I love the song; i love the fucking video.

Benji Hughes- Waiting for an invitation
Don't judge the guy based on his appearance...you'll miss out!

The Irrepressibles- In this shirt
Jamie McDermot is brilliant. I'm in awe of his talent and artistry.
I personally think any video is too distracting for this particular song. Just listen to the audio or, preferrably, view a live performance.

I've been listening to these nonstop for the last several months...I hope you enjoy it.

down the rabbit hole

2010-06-09T04:05:00.000-07:00

I'm tired of these restless nights - lying in my room in total darkness, peering into the ceiling, staring vacantly into the walls for so long that unnatural shapes begin to emerge.

And in my delirium, I imagine this hollow space expand where I feel myself shrinking, falling "down the rabbit hole" like "Alice in Wonderland". Which would be a thrilling venture in my monotonous life, although, seeing as this is unachievable, I'd probably be better off taking drugs (I don't, of course). Instead, I get my ass out of bed after my third failed attempt for some shuteye and habitually give into another night of insomnia.

I will confess. The one positive aspect of this predicament is the allowance of a few more "leisurely" hours to waste. In a sense, I have spare time to view more films, write more nonsense, read more books, etc. (Such a compromise for sleep -___-)

I think too much and consequently suffer from it. So, I mostly turn to films as it provides me with distractions from the cluster of thoughts in wait of reflection. I'd rather ignore these unwanted feelings for there's certainly no progress lying in bed, in complete silence, endlessly longing for your mind to take a fucking recess.

Sigh...

image source

The gif was made by moi (ME)

Where I want to be...

2010-05-31T01:44:00.000-07:00

It's incredibly difficult to upload anything without bursting any blood vessels or ripping out my hair. Reason being that my temporary computer is so goddamn slow that everything is unforgivingly delayed which explains the long absence between posts. However, I had to share these photos.

Huzzah for Science!

2010-05-30T23:42:00.000-07:00

We are all dust. Stardust. I'm sure those that study or at least have an interest in Physics and Astronomy are well aware of this.

When the universe began 13.7 billion years ago, all that existed within the universe was hydrogen and helium. Your body is composed of those elements including all sorts of different ones such as oxygen, carbon, iron. And all those elements, all those atoms were not present at the start of the universe; only hydrogen and helium- which are gases found deep in the heart of stars. They're generated within the core and when stars run out of fuel, they expand and explode in a supernova. Eventually returning all those heavy elements into space and those dust clouds of gas then recollapse into a new generation of stars such as the sun and in turn, planets like the earth. So, in order for us to live, stars had to die.

I prefer this explanation over a convenient, reassuring fairytale. Science is dedicated to uncovering the natural truths of the universe, whereas religion is in favor of faith with which they place their confidence in search for a purpose in human existence.

Well, there is no purpose and we're all doomed in a very real sense. It has been discovered that the universe is expanding and this matter we call dark energy accelerates this expansion, forcing the galaxies apart. And the force of gravity is overturned; acting on everything; pulling everything together; destabilizing the universe. Thus, at some point in the distant future, there will be no stars, no planets, no people, nothing. The universe will cease to exist.

As far as we understand it, scientifically, the world is utterly pointless. The inevitable consequence of our own destruction, not only our own deaths but the complete obliteration of our species; everything we've discovered; everything we've built; everything we've ever known; it's all going to disappear. Now, this doesn't bother me in the slightest but I realize this can be upsetting to some folks. How does one continue to live with the knowledge of a meaningless universe?

Well, the incredible thing about the universe is that beings like us evolved, and there are still sparks of meaning to life, to people. Those that seek optimism will choose a belief system in which they find comfort- the concept of giving one's own life meaning. Naturally, I choose to find comfort in truth. So, I would like for you "god" enthusiasts to stop concluding that we non-believers are hopeless and that we will die in vain.

Anyway, despite my negativity toward religion, I believe as long as you find your complacency in the world and refrain from ignorantly spreading about your prophecies, we may co-exist in harmony.

-ic

p.s. Just because the universe is fundamentally meaningless does not mean it's any less extraordinary or any less inspiring. We owe it to ourselves and to future generations to salvage this beautiful planet - "the only home we've ever known."

To lighten things up a bit...here's a spoof of Wonders of The Solar System. HAHA

Please watch the actual documentary.
I ♥ you, Brian Cox. You are one smart, sexy bloke.

2010-05-18T22:59:00.000-07:00

So, you wanna play?

2010-05-02T02:18:00.000-07:00

Okay you cunts....let's see what you can do now!
hit-girl ♥

via deviantART

driven asea, washed ashore

2010-04-09T00:34:00.000-07:00

all the pretty little things

2010-04-09T00:11:00.000-07:00

Viddy well, little brother. Viddy well.

2010-04-06T03:58:00.000-07:00

"A man who cannot choose ceases to be a man." - Anthony Burgess (A Clockwork Orange)

Bonus:

AAAAAHHHHHHHHH

2010-04-06T03:42:00.001-07:00

One of the many hilarious scenes from 2 Days in Paris. I'm sad I cannot find the one where Adam eats lunch with Julie Delpy's family.

Bright Star

2010-04-02T01:19:00.000-07:00

another film that has gone through repeated viewings. I love the strings that enter at the 2:13 mark of the video. Bright Star Review

image source

Vlad Tepes

2010-04-01T12:50:00.000-07:00

While Summit Entertainment has staked (sorry) their claim in the current vampire world with the Twilight films, which many have accused of leading the pack of a cheapening of vampire stories in general, it looks as though they may find a way to redeem themselves with a new project. Brad Pitt’s Plan B entertainment is eying a new film about the legendary Vlad the Impaler (guess what he liked to do), who many state was the inspiration for the original Dracula novel. This comes from THR, via Cinematical. The script is written by former actor Charlie Hunnam, and negotiations are in place with music video director Anthony Mandler. Both sources indicate he even prepared a “sizzle reel” for Summit, which they were reportedly greatly impressed by.

Vlad Tepes, also known as the impaler, is one of history’s most notorious figures for the atrocities he committed, and because of this would likely make very interesting subject matter. While Twilight is ruining things for every other vampire story out there, something like this could be a shot in the arm for the mythology. My only real concern right now is in hiring a music video director. While we sometimes get a David Fincher or a Spike Jonze, we also get a McG thrown in there as well, with all style, no substance. Not to discredit Mandler’s work already, just pure speculation.

source

I'm surprised Charlie Hunnam wrote the script. I will look forward to it but I will lower my expectations.

p.s. I've provided a convo I had with a friend on myspace from a couple years ago. Aware of my interest in Vampiric history, she asked me several questions in relation to the topic above. If interested, please read below.
how did vampire myths came about?? i mean did people really just one day make it up??!! or did they truly exist!!??!!

My Response:

Well as for the folklore of vampires, the earliest belief of vampires were emerged usually from unexplainable childbirths and I think it originated in malaysia. There were also different theories surrounding the myth from unusual circumstances surrounding childbirth like if a child was born with two teeth that they were bound to be vampires...yada yada...vampires myths also involved death of a loved one, suicide, witchcraft....

Although I think the first occasions of ACTUAL human association with this "vampire" theory was highly influenced by Vlad Tepes, or more famously known as Vlad the Impaler aka Dracula. His Romanian surname is "Draculea" which means "son of the dragon" and is derived from his father's own title, Vlad the Devil....since Devil translated into romanian is "Dracul" hence the name, "DRACULA." His reign took place in 1456 through 1462 and he is notoriously known for incredibly cruel punishments, specifically impaling. If you aren't aware of what impalement is, it's a method of torture and execution where a long stake is driven through the body primarily through the rectum/vagina and through the mouth, and sometimes through the sides. Often the stake would be inserted as to avoid immediate death, extending the person's agony for as many as three days.

These are all accounts of his rivals though, so we may never know what is historically correct but it was also informed that he ingested the blood of his victims further immortalizing this myth. And among all this horror, he is still referred to as a savior to his nation. Yeah I know...the information is heinous, but that is why he is such a renown cult favorite. To boot, this is where Bram Stoker found his inspiration which people often mistake as truth, convinced vampires exist. You should read the book "The Historian" by Elizabeth Kostova. I retained a lot of the information on him from there.

Also there is a lot of influence from the case of the 16th century Hungarian countess, Elizabeth Bathory, also famously known for her killings. It was said that while one of her servant girls was attending to Elizabeth's hair....the servant girl had accidentally pulled it which infuriated the countess, to which she slapped the girl so hard that blood spurted from her nose and landed on the countess' cheek. As she went to rinse the blood of her face she looked in the mirror and felt the areas where blood touched her face appeared smoother and more youthful. So convinced that blood, particularly of young girls, were the secret to eternal youth and beauty, she would kill younger girls and servants to provide her with the blood and bathe in it.

But honestly, there is a lot of skepticism surrounding her case. Not enough facts....and too much assumptions. Is it likely she beat a servant that misbehaved? Certainly. Is it likely she bathed in blood, chewed on faces and performed witchcraft? Not so much.

You can reearch all of this, if you'd like. It's all very frightening yet fascinating. You see, vampyres are not all glamor and sex...it's horrific and scary shit. It's pop culture that transformed the vampire into a handsome, perfect man who romanced women. -__-

And for the question as to whether vampires really exist...well one who feasts on humans and transforms into bats, highly unlikely. lol Although there is in fact,a subculture of "vampyres," Sanguines who are blood drinkers. They are essentially normal people just with certain preferences. Like they have a craving for blood but they don't go out and seek it on humans. I'm sure there are some crazy folks who believe in the mumbo jumbo and actually perform insane vampiric acts but generally, I'd say no; it's certainly not real.

Godard Love

2010-04-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

Pierrot Le Fou

Une femme est une femme

Vivre sa vie

Bande à part

Alphaville

À bout de souffle

image source

ingénue

2010-04-01T12:06:00.000-07:00

Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain

2010-04-01T02:32:00.000-07:00

I turn to this film whenever I'm feeling down.

image source

Stop hatin'

2010-04-01T01:27:00.000-07:00

I chagrin at the glorified phenomena that is Pop culture. I am constantly on the hunt for the offbeat, the limited, the undervalued, the original but when those things are uncovered and commercialized for mass consumption, I find myself feeling disappointed and the feeling of betrayal ensues. Like the secret's out and the news of its existence spread like wildfire with people hopping on the bandwagon left and right.

I know, I need to get over it.

George's Waltz

2010-03-30T01:48:00.000-07:00

"Looking in the mirror staring back at me isn't so much a face as the expression of a predicament." - George (A Single Man)

Sigh...I can listen to this over and over again. I've always been a fan of Shigeru Umebayashi. His work for 2046 and House of Flying Daggers....swoon.

Actor Spotlight: Michael Fassbender

2010-03-25T21:04:00.000-07:00

I first had the pleasure of viewing him in Band of Brothers although I didn't take much notice of him until I saw Hunger a couple years ago, a film illustrating the last six weeks of the life of the Irish republican hunger striker Bobby Sands. Henceforth, I saw him in Eden Lake, Angel and his role as Lt. Archie Hicox in Inglourious Basterds (possibly his most recognizable) and just recently I saw Fish Tank. He is beyond any doubt, an actor to keep an eye on. I only hope he doesn't get swallowed into Hollywood and evolve into another phony, mass produced, blockbuster actor. Although, I realize it can't be avoided with emerging talents. I just realllllly hope he continues to select versatile roles.

The Last Resort

2010-03-24T21:49:00.000-07:00

There's a diverse group of talented actors who are also featured in this sitcom/drama with their own personal stories but my center of attraction revolved around this particularly lovely pair. From the beginning these two have captured my attention and I have since supported their fateful relationship. They share a natural bond where he literally becomes her form of guidance; a life coach. He (Ji-Hoon) aids her in her studies, encouraging her to go to school so that she doesn't squander her youth being a house maid. He wants her to experience life as she (Se-Kyung) grew up deprived of a normal one living with her father and younger sister, isolated in the mountains. Through various events which separates the father and his two daughters, the siblings arrive to Seoul in search for him and thereafter she meets Ji-Hoon on a chance encounter which ultimately becomes the opening of the show and the heart of the story.

Well, the show came to a shocking halt several days ago and many viewers were disenchanted by the tragic outcome. People constantly envisage a happy ending and I suppose it's inescapably demanded of a "light-hearted comedy" but this was fundamentally, a drama, and if you were loyal to this show from the get-go you would've recognized a distinctness to the generic, archetypal sitcom. Many of the episodes were so moving...the writing was poignant and they were sensible enough to never sensationaize Ji-Hoon and Sekyung's relationship. And while I did hope for the couple to connect in a romantic fashion, it was more worthwhile that it never amalgamated to something more, making it all the more tragic. I daresay the ending was perfect.

Anyway, I'm blabbing on and I'm surely addressing information unfamiliar to you invisible readers. I apologize. 마지막까지 이둘의 운명이 이루어질 수 없다는게 너무 안타깝고 비극적이다. 세경이는 성장하는 과정에서 너무 허무하게도 이 세상을 떠나고, 최다니엘은 세경의 진실한 마음을 뒤늦게 알게되고...참 가슴이 뭉클해지는 광경이다. 하지만 나는 결과에 만족하다. 그냥 아쉬울뿐.

by Roberto Innocenti

via flickr

Guilty

2010-03-24T01:44:00.000-07:00

and my impersonations are not limited to this single accent. I entertain myself with all sorts: Australian, Scottish, Irish, Southern, Russian...however I'm more flexible with an Australian accent or variations of the English accent such as RP or cockney. Yeah, pretty damn nerdy.

Btw, for those of you unaware, that last photo captures a moment of signficance in the history of music.

This picture is very emotional. This is John giving the o.k. to end the greatest rock band in the history of the world with just a simple signature. The Beatles are officially broken up.

[source]

most images via livelovelennon

Stellar Miniseries

2010-03-24T01:08:00.000-07:00

This guy pretty much sums up everything I would've liked to examine on this show.

For those unaware, Generation Kill (GK)is an HBO miniseries about the invasion of Iraq from the perspective of the 1st marine recon unit (which for the purposes of that war, was basically a marine battalion in Humvees). It was made by David Simon and Ed Burns, the geniuses responsible for the greatest television show of all-time: The Wire. For those who tire of the ham-fisted Iraq politicization and fictions, GK is about as far from that as you can get. Yes, GK is very much of The Wire formula/sensibility, but the wonderful thing about The Wire formula/sensibility is that is it is inherently designed to mimic the truths and forms of the subject itself. GK does not approach the war and Iraq from an ideological and didactic standpoint, it approaches truths through character. Look, I’m not going to say that Generation Kill is definitive truth or anything that grandiose, but it might be as close as you can get because it approaches its subject from a journalistic standpoint. There is no true intention of GK except to supplement the experience for those who were not there. It simply tries to deal openly and honestly about the condition of singular moments and not to make something accessible, but to make something of the experience that rang true to the marines on the ground. And to be sure what they did was authentic, they had an actual marine in the writing room at all times, as well as original writer Evan Wright.

Getting to the matter of character: Generation Kill was originally a book written by Evan Wright who was doing an article for Rolling Stone. He ended up riding point Humvee in 1st recon and writing about his experiences. He is represented as a character in the miniseries too (which sort of makes GK is a basically a factual recreation if you will). And Evan really makes no attempts to prognosticate, but rather to assimilate into the population. He is not really a character in the singular sense, but our observer, like Ishmael in Moby Dick.

The two central figures Wright observes are the two men in the front of said point Humvee: the first is the driver, Cpl. Josh Ray Person, played by James Ransone (Ziggy from The Wire season 2!). Much like Ziggy, Ray’s entire existence is a force of nature; he is 100% pure black humor. As a recon marine, Ray frequently stares into void of potential death and the reality of killing other human beings, but he only finds inherent irony and silliness. It’s one part coping mechanism and one part destiny: Ray’s predisposition makes him a Marine through and through, it is almost as if it was the only thing he can do. He wants combat. He wants action. He’s also somehow endearing as hell (being funny often helps in that regard), despite completely typifying the titular “Generation Kill.” But that’s the real rub of the title, much like Ray, it is laced with irony. But in truth it is Sgt. Brad “Iceman” Colbert, played by Alexander Skarsgaard (son of stellan!), who is the most amazing part of GK and the proverbial anchor of the series. Brad brings a deeply parental nature to his team; he leads by example with a serious demeanor, but so much boils under his surface: reservations, contempt at inept officers, rage, fear, and happiness. It is such an introspective performance; a man who’s has all the reason in the world to be grandiose (considering the grandiose setting and events) and thus has to be muted in order to cope. Alexander/brad is a compassionately brooding figure; also a massive figure, towering above most others (notably: Alexander was a former Swedish marine). To use my favorite saying: he is just stupid good in the role. Really, make no mistake, this is the stuff leading men are made of. It’s no surprise Kenneth Branaugh is basically going nuts trying to get marvel to sign off his casting of Alexander as motherfucking THOR (it’s perfect).

The two characters of Ray and Brad are somewhat antithetical, yet both are excellent examples of good marines. They are responsible and knowledgeable. They care about their fellow marines. They are great in combat and subvert any of their fears. Truly, they seem to have no fear of death. But there is another member of their point Humvee team and his name is Lance Cpl. Harold James Trombly. He is rather easy right off, because he contains so many qualities that define a scumbag, yet every bit of that is mixed with an oozing innocence. His actions infantile and child-like, but not in an insufferable way, but a vulnerable way. He could be grumbling about wanting to kill dogs, but there is an odd, daft sweetness to his manner. Really Trombly is the kind of guy who’s situation in life never really gave him a shot at being “normal.” But Ray and Brad in thier relative maturity, seem to give him guidence. It’s a very interesting relationship.

Meanwhile, there is also Lt. Nathaniel Fick. He is Superior officer to Brad and the great example of a wonderful leader who tries to serve his men and make the best of his middle management position. Taking orders which put your men in danger are exceptionally difficult choices and most of the time Fick was admirable, and sometimes he let the pressure from above get to him and made mistakes (the “petting a burning dog” moment). But what was most respectable about Fick was that he was always honest with is men and never seemed to think of his career first. But as GK takes the wonderful time to show clearly, Fick’s greatest problem is that when he questions orders (often in the absolute critical interest of his men and their safety) he is regarded as a malcontent who undermines his (incompetent) officers. The best example being the time he was penalized for providing a superior officer from killing himself and everyone in their platoon. How dare he! (Forgive the sarcasm)

All of this makes Fick the shining example of leadership against the bevy of dumbass officers that seemed to populate this marine battalion. To GK’s credit (or sense of earnest), none of these officers seem to be bad people, but are instead good/delicate/well-intentioned men who simply have no competency or leadership abilities. It happens all the time in all lines of work; people can be promoted for being good at what they do, but often end up being terrible managers. One officer was so woefully incompetent that if I ever saw the man Captain America was based on (I don’t care if the actor who played him might have been a little over the top), I would punch that motherfucker in the face. As Captain America was represented in GK, he was an officer who’s absolutely fearfulness of warfare itself, complete over-willingness to fire, lack of regard for prisoners, willingness put others in jeopardy, and constant terror of his superiors officers, made him a perfect storm of recklessness and ineptitude. According to Evan’s account of the battalion, Captain America was directly responsible for more of the Battalion’s injuries than the enemy (the official Marine account would be very different). It’s just unspeakably disgust. Slightly more forgivable, however, was Cpt. Craig “Encino Man/Hitman” Schwetje. Yes he was incompetent, often putting his men also in jeopardy (a ridiculously decided danger-close bombing scenario which Fick attempted to subvert was solved purely by Encino Man giving the wrong coordinates), but most of his problems stemmed from his juvenile demeanor and alpha-male boyishness. He’s in a middle-school mindset: stupid and eager to please his officers, but at least he seems somewhat well-intentioned.You get the feeling that while unlikely, he could grow into a better leader. Captain America, however, never belonged in a uniform. And unfortunately the structure of the marines officer system all but ensures he’d stay in one for the remainder of the war.

read more here

I love Generation Kill and I love Brad Colbert (Iceman) and Nathaniel Fick.

Do yourself a favor and explore some of these great dramas from HBO. I continually return to view these outstanding depictions of the collective group of men serving in the war (of any generation). As expected there will always be those who disapprove of some of these portrayals perhaps in fear of the misinterpretation of the characters but tough shit, because clearly these weren't made to satisfy ONE person.

I wonder which war HBO will cover next. Here is an interview by Bruce McKenna, the headwriter for "Band of Brothers" and "The Pacific." [source]

p.s. I recently finished "One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer" an authobiographical account detailing his experience in The Corps, written by Nathanial Fick, himself. The book doesn't claim to be the ultimate account of war and propaganda is admiringly disregarded. He regardfully writes of his Marines and captures the range of emotions brought forth through training, combat and the return home. It was a powerful, excellent read. I also plan to read "Generation Kill" very soon.

Experience the East

2010-03-22T22:21:00.000-07:00

click on images for source

What a mess...

2010-03-22T00:24:00.000-07:00

The idea of a relationship has reduced to plain indifference for me. I despise what relationships have become and how love decays sooner or later with time. People get bored. It's reality. Still, I intensely desire human connection both physically and emotionally. It's simply that I'm selfish and cannot fulfill the shoes of being someone's girlfriend.

I'm seemingly unsuitable to most ordinary men; I lack affection and revel in solitude. I possess hidden barriers that have yet to be demolished and the prospect of stumbling upon the "right man" for this venture is entirely questionable. And who would be willing to take on this gamble? If I were a guy, my reply would certainly be, "Not I."

Make no mistake, every now and then I'm approached by men at work or via the internet (mostly unpleasant). However, on occasion, there are men who I'm instantly attracted to, better yet easily able to engage in a playful banter with. But, as soon as they ask for my number or god forbid it leads anywhere further, I reject them. Like, "It was fun for now but this isn't going anywhere." Wtf is wrong with me? Perhaps it's in fear of losing the exact thing that's preventing me from taking these risks, my independence.

I've grown increasingly comfortable being unattached to a man (or woman for the matter). It's rather convenient not having to adjust my life for someone else and with the numerous broken links encircling me, I've learned to be careful (perhaps too careful). It's going to take a steadfast fellow to search for the appropriate key to open this steel cage of mine. I'm totally conflicting myself, aren't I?

Fuck me, I obviously do care about the idea of a relationship.

via flickr

Carbon Copies

2010-03-20T22:43:00.000-07:00

to see the finished product go here

I've been meaning to share these...I'm quite embarrassed that they're still largely unfinished. :r Let's just say it's now become a trademark leaving them incomplete.

p.s. Some were drawn recently and some are old; 2-3 years old.

"Drawing is . . . not an exercise of particular dexterity, but above all a means of expressing intimate feelings and moods." - Henri Matisse

Teenage Dirtbag

2010-03-20T20:37:00.000-07:00

I was skeptical going into this film for the commonplace plot and low-budget quality of the technical elements in sound and editing. Truthfully, the first 10-15 minutes were pathetic and it took some time adjusting but contrary to the independent appearance of the film, I was surprised by the complexity of the lead characters. Thayer (Scott M. Foster) is the misfit from a broken home and Amber (Noa Hegesh) is the popular girl that you all know in high school.

It's the typical story of the delinquent boy who harasses the school's beloved cheerleader and through significant circumstances they soon form a bond. They are placed in creative writing class and study hall together and through poetry and the exchange of words on a notebook they learn of each other's damaged personalities that was formerly ignored on the surface as a result of misconstrued stereotypes.

The emotional charge between the lead characters induces you to encourage the union as Thayer deliberately reaches out to Amber and struggles to connect with her. Yet, she denies him her affection to the end. She couldn't brave the social pressure at school and she was emotionally shut off due to negligent parents and this is unfortunate for she never acknowledges her feelings. While the story is quintessentially about unrequited, ill-fated love between two teenagers, the director/writer burrows further in how this relationship could not develop.

The film was merely satisfactory however the experience had an enduring effect on me. It was a poignant tragedy based on actual accounts and the setting influenced this weight. It awakened memories of my middle school years in florida. The interplay between the characters and the plot felt more like events that happened in junior high back in the late '90s. I feel as if I once knew a Thayer.

I wanted to recommend this film for lack of a wider distribution. Solid performances by Scott M. Foster and Noa Hegesh.

Psychoactive Therapy

2010-03-20T02:28:00.000-07:00

All these needless thoughts are causing me to asphyxiate, comparatively convulsing in sobs where you can't remember in what manner to breathe. Perhaps my brain is purposefully obstructing the airway to my lungs, which I helplessly accept. I close my eyes shut and I silently count, "1...2...3..." before I collapse to my knees falling face forward in my own pool of tears, drowning in sorrow.

My heart begins to race pounding it's deafening drum within my skull and my breathing weakens, gradually fading into silence; there is no longer a pulse. When all at once I hear a scream and I instinctively gasp for air gathering my ability to breathe again, resuming a controlled tempo like the clock above me. Tick-tock, tick-tock. And slowly, my mind begins to stir and I arouse from a daze.

My flesh is raw and my head is throbbing from the painful plunge and the weight from the gravitational pressure against my body. I force myself to crawl out of this spell but I can't bear myself to move. My limbs are heavy and my thoughts are heavy. With no intention to get up, I press my cheek on the cold, hard floor and I start to wail; conceivably from pain insofar as madness...perhaps out of sheer frustration? I don't know.

Time has lost its measure and I abandon the need to wake up. I lay there in perpetuity and within this moment, I find complete solace.

via flickr

Screw physical demonstrations of emotion. I let my words express my misery and I will type 'til my fingers bleed.

"faeries, come take me out of this dull world"

2010-03-17T20:02:00.000-07:00

click on images for source

youth in revolt

2010-03-17T19:51:00.000-07:00

We're all just stardust

2010-03-11T18:42:00.000-08:00

Our Daily Mantra (I know you'll agree angie)

2010-03-11T18:35:00.000-08:00

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players,
They have their exits and entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
Then, the whining schoolboy with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden, and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice
In fair round belly, with good capon lin'd,
With eyes severe, and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws, and modern instances,
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose, and pouch on side,
His youthful hose well sav'd, a world too wide,
For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice,
Turning again towards childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.
- William Shakespeare

What I do best: Ramble

2010-03-10T22:24:00.000-08:00

Do read with caution.

How does someone believe in a God? Is it because you grow up influenced with the notion of some divine being from your environment? Are you eventually molded to accept that you will go to 'hell' if you deny your maker? (Assuming such a spirit and place exists) Is it out of fear that one is obliged to follow this faith? Or perhaps, growing up in America, 'God' is a national symbol you've acknowledged since birth. For crissakes, even The Pledge of Allegiance attaches this subsisiting figure that I presume each and everyone of you have pledged in school when you were younger. As if we moppets knew any better. Or perhaps you just want to believe in something greater and for a purpose, the common belief that we were made with intention and that we are 'special.'

But why? Why must there be a reason for all of this? Why must there be meaning to all of this? Isn't it enough that you live for yourself and the ones you love? Isn't it enough to find meaning in life within your life? To live your life with meaning gives meaning to your life and that is perfectly acceptable for me. I don't understand the concept of sacrificing your brief existence on earth to assure yourself a ticket to heaven, a fictitious afterlife which is said to be more glorious than the one here. That's a comforting assumption.

And I realize the point of all this is to have faith but I won't believe in some creator in the sky because it is based solely on faith and complete faith is ignorance. It's like an exclusive club, where if you have faith, you're in and you know certain things. I will not subscribe to this illusion. I've always been under the impression that belief in God is established on some kind of subjective personal experience which I'm assuming is the explanation for that "gut feeling" believers obtain and invest in their faith. And if that's your personal stance, I'm not in any position to change that.

I, for one, went searching for answers in the past during a difficult period in my life where I felt I had no one to turn to. I was skeptical, misanthropic, hollow, etc...So I went to church, intially with an invite from a close friend(G) which evolved into curiosty and soon I abandoned all logic to temporarily fill a void, to grasp this "gut feeling." And I abruptly lost myself in a complex situation. I was in the company of overwhelming love and joy and my friend(G) literally promoted my singing and soon I joined her on the Praise team. Frankly, that's what I miss most about church, just being able to sing.

Ultimately, this exploration ended as quicky as it began and I continued the way I came - Skeptical, misanthropic, hollow but much more educated. I am still somewhat an accumulation of all these things however as I've matured, I've managed to fill these gaping holes with missing pieces of a greater puzzle I have yet to solve. I've removed a lot of the negativity in my mind and heart and replaced them with more knowledge and a readiness to learn and I am constantly striving to become a better person. In essence, isn't that what most religions teach? I've simply separated religion from the general understanding of altruism because I don't need it to dictate my moral behavior.

Oh man, I might repel a few readers with this post if not lose them entirely but I hope you will remain open-minded as you've been with me from the beginning. I am not one to normally discuss God, among other things that concern religion, because it's counterproductive. No one wants to listen and are stubborn to adhere to logic and insist on defending their belief because it's all they know. Some people need the assurance while others don't. Well, I apologize for the sourness in my tone, I was provoked and I felt compelled to write this nonsense. bah! I hate religion.

Sagan <3

FIFA World Cup 2010

2010-03-10T21:37:00.000-08:00

I'm so psyched. I've been in the dumps lately considering I don't have the Olympics to go home to anymore. I will confess that I am not the regular sports fan but I truly enjoy watching Soccer and obviously the Olympics for it's a world event that takes place every four years with a two year separation from the summer and winter games which technically means you get to view the Olympics every two years. (Did that fucking make sense?)

The one thing about these world events is the impending nationalism that blinds certain viewers from appreciating other teams favoring only their countrymen which is beyond ridiculous to me. Whatever.

Ground Control to Major Tom

2010-03-09T20:38:00.000-08:00

A close-up of Astronaut John Grunsfeld shows the reflection of Astronaut Andrew Feustel, perched on the robotic arm and taking the photo. The pair teamed together on three of the five spacewalks during Servicing Mission 4 in May 2009.

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is a project of international cooperation between NASA and the European Space Agency. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center manages the telescope. The Space Telescope Science Institute conducts Hubble science operations.

Goddard is responsible for HST project management, including mission and science operations, servicing missions, and all associated development activities.

To learn more about the Hubble Space Telescope go here:

www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/main/index.html

via flickr

Wrap it up!

2010-03-07T20:56:00.000-08:00

There were many memorable moments tonight. I was absolutely misty-eyed when the gang who had previously worked with John Hughes (Matthew Broderick, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Macaulay Culkin, Jon Cryer and Ally Sheedy) appeared to pay tribute. We all grew up with his films many of which I related to as a teenager. It was simply...nice.

And the AA also presented their appreciation for Horror films which is a genre frequently dismissed. Sure, it is perhaps one of the more popular categories (it's certainly mine) however it's discredited due to so many disastrous storylines and terrible performances which is, perhaps, also fact. I still have faith though. God...how they transformed the entire stage into a magnificent red; It was bloody gor[y]geous.

Also, it was proper bringing together Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin as hosts. They were hilarious.

p.s. You know, I may talk a lot of shit about these award ceremonies but I'm genuinely happy for these folks because to arrive at the Oscars, I can only imagine is a personal victory and a dream come true for so many of them. If I were in a similiar position, I'd be just as grateful to be the recipient of such an honor. I know I've had many private moments in the bathroom pretending I've won an imaginary award a la Kate Winslet but instead of a shampoo bottle, mine was a brush. ;]

p.p.s. fuck yeah! Kathryn Bigelow!!!

For results, go here: Winners

images via google/imdb

OSCARS

2010-03-07T17:17:00.000-08:00

I'm so thrilled for tonight's Oscars considering 2009 was a year teeming with marvelous films and perhaps more so because I felt The 81st Academy Awards somewhat fizzled. I reckon I had high expectations from the year before as the nominees I was rooting for came away with generous results. I was campaigning for Marion Cotillard and of course, Daniel Day-Lewis but their oscar golds were expected in advance and well deserved. I was happy for Kate too last year but most of the films that were released in 2008 were either depressing or received lukewarm reactions from me. Well, the past is past...and the focus is on tonight's nominees. While most people believe the competition for Best Director and Best Film are narrowed between Kathryn and Jim, I believe all of the nominees have a chance. Also, throughout these award ceremonies, Quentin Tarantino has seriously been neglected and District 9...and The Road, Bright Star. The list could go on -___- Frankly, I hate what these events have become - shallow, popularity contests but it's tradition for me.

p.s. I ended work early just so I wouldn't miss the show. What a fucking nerd. bwahaha

p.p.s. There's one positive thing about the recent Academy Awards, I adore the vintage musical appeal.

via flickr

Why I love Nordic Countries

2010-03-07T00:38:00.000-08:00

and Switzerland

click on images for source

I've dreamed of sojourning Scandinavia for as long as I can remember. The vast land, lakes and moraines and the culture perpetuates the attraction for me and the desire to visit has evolved into a much greater longing to not only go there but to live there. Following the moment I learned that Hans Christian Andersen was a descendant of Denmark, I knew I had to go there; I was probably in the first or second grade. I recall the teacher reading to us from Andersen's collection of fairy tales and I was instantly bewitched and upon discovering my love for the author, she enthusiastically educated me about his life. Thus, introducing me to his motherland.

Sigh...Professing my love over the internet for this particular region of the world is laughable seeing as I want to travel across the globe. If only time and money would allow it. For now, I shall settle for Solvang, California - "The Danish Capital of America." They even have of a copy of The Little Mermaid Statue from Copenhagen and a museum filled with Andersen's work.

Oh and just to be clear, Scandinavia officially refers to only Norway, Sweden and Denmark, while the term Nordic Countries is unambiguously applied to the previously mentioned countries as well as Iceland and Finland including the Faroe Islands, the Aland Islands and Greenland.

I'm also fond of their industry of fine artists from musicians to filmmakers and since I claim myself to be a bona fide cinephile and music aficionado, I somehow always associate the two with EVERYTHING. So, If interested, please do check out the films and artists listed below from their respective countries.

Reprise
Ondskan (Evil)
To Verdener (Worlds Apart)
Låt den rätte komma in (Let the right one in)
Dancer in the dark
Breakng the waves
Dogville
Europa
Flammen & Citronen (Flame & Citron)
Død snø (Dead Snow)
Maria Larssons eviga ögonblick (Everlasting Moments)

And I'm certain you are familiar with these musicians:
Kings of Convenience, Bjork, Sondre Lerche, Sigur Rós, The Hives, Peter Bjorn and John, The Cardigans, The Knife, Jens Lekman, Emiliana Torrini, Veronica Maggio, Lykke Li, Röyksopp

Castaway

2010-03-06T23:57:00.000-08:00

Somedays, I'd like to sail away from here. As Mark Twain so perfectly put it, "...throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

I'm up in the woods

2010-03-06T23:48:00.000-08:00

I'm down on my mind
I'm building a still
To slow down the time
- Bon Iver

"You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself." - Alan Alda

click on images for source

Counting down...

2010-03-04T23:50:00.000-08:00

I was ecstatic when Kathryn received both awards for Best Director and Best Film of the Year a couple weeks ago at the Baftas.

& I had to share this. Colin Firth is just lovely.

Remember to tune in for the OSCARS this Sunday, March 7th @ 5:30 pm on ABC.

Oh and don't forget the Independent Spirit Awards on IFC, tomorrow night.

Norwegian Wood Stills

2010-03-04T00:48:00.000-08:00

Here is an early mention of the film, exclaiming my anticipation for the release. However, once viewing the stills, I'm further insecure of the outcome due to the personal vision/invention I've created of Murakami's own mise en scène.

Also, I'm surprised Rinko Kikuchi is portraying Naoko rather than Midori. Shrugs. I still can't wait to see this.

view more here

Surreality

2010-03-03T23:24:00.000-08:00

"My diving bell becomes less oppressive, and my mind takes flight like a butterfly."

via flickr

little miss SUNSHINE

2010-03-03T22:28:00.000-08:00

Oh my, this blog has been inactive for over a month. The reason I've been absent is the result of an indecisive router hindering the connection to my internet which, the technicians discovered today, was not the issue at all, but in effect were the cables outside shared with a neighbor. Basically, creating a low signal that had me and the customer service reps of Time Warner puzzled extensively. You can imagine how many phone calls were made to solve the problem. Freakin A. Well, I'm back, although I will not be updating as frequently. As if I have anything interesting to share for the matter. I have a broken chain of ideas which aren't very inspiring nor amusing. Sigh...

On a different note, my hiatus from the web has allowed me to rekindle my hobby of sketching. I've been vigorously working away on several illustrations which I hope to share by the end of next week.

p.s. I'm not a very amiable person to be around, lately. So, forgive me for my unstable condition. Too much shit going on.

p.p.s. Thank you readers! xoxo

via flickr

Just for inspiration

2010-01-24T22:57:00.000-08:00

Acne Spring 2010

armored jeans ♥

Balenciaga Pre Fall 2009

subdued hues ftw

Balenciaga Pre Fall 2010 + Proenza Schouler Spring 2010

^ I want those armored shoes and this is my kind of girly ^

Rag & Bone Pre Fall 2010

I love the minimal, sheer look.

Yves Saint Laurent Spring 2010

the cut-off shorts are brilliant

Balenciaga Spring 2010

& I'm diggin this sporty look

While I enjoy fashion, I normally don't post any runway photos. But as the title reveals, they're just for inspiration.

Tag yourselves

2010-01-22T07:52:00.000-08:00

I've been generously adjoined to a fabulous pool of bloggers to share 10 things that make me happy by the equally splendid Wool & Misc.

The company of loved ones and the mirth that ensues with our gatherings.
Noah ♥
Discovering good films, music, books, eateries, art...etc
Rainstorms like the ones we've been experiencing in socal the past several days.
Luminous night skies overflowing with stars.
When others identify with me and when I uncover common interests with people, be it friends or complete strangers.
Korean food
coffee & cigarettes.
Just getting into bed after a long weary day from work.
People who continue to visit my blog. :]

I do not have 10 People to share the love with and for that reason I will only tag my friend, absinthe & betty smith- who, as far as I'm aware, actually reads my blog. haha To everyone else, feel free to play along!

Rules: List ten things that makes you happy and do one of them today.
Then link to the person who tagged you and pass this little bit of love on to 10 others.

"Sometimes I feel so happy, sometimes I feel so sad."

2010-01-21T20:30:00.000-08:00

The stark discord I have with electronics have been evidently conveyed with the malfunction of my camera, laptop and cellphone. While I can do without the former or latter, temporarily, I am lost without the internet. Therefore, in the meantime, I am using my cousin's ex-piece of shit laptop with an old display resolution coupled with a cracked screen...and moreover, websites take a good five minutes to load. bah humbug!

Anyway...

가슴이 짠하다.

Update

2010-01-17T18:05:00.000-08:00

What a speech, Meryl! So far, I'm enjoying The Globes; they've done well in determining the winners.

2010-01-17T17:05:00.000-08:00

I've been in bed the past two days. This cold has been lingering since that evening at the airport. I fucking hate being sick. Just as well, I'm currently watching the The Golden Globes. I only watch these award shows on account of the actors that I esteem and for their speeches if, in fact, they do win. Aside from that, the amount of drivel the presenters unnecessarily babble is more than enough to impel one to dodge the program entirely....HOWEVER, I very much love the films and actors up for nominations. Still, I'm disappointed The Road and Bright Star are nowhere in mention...grrr.

'tis true

2010-01-13T21:33:00.001-08:00

via tumblr

cozy, rustic, dreamy

2010-01-13T21:25:00.000-08:00

...the shire, anyone?

Make love, not war

2010-01-13T20:49:00.000-08:00

"When "Help!" came out in '65, I was actually crying out for help. Most people think it's just a fast rock-'n'-roll song. I didn't realize it at the time; I just wrote the song because I was commissioned to write it for the movie. But later, I knew I really was crying out for help. It was my fat Elvis period. You see the movie: He - I - is very fat, very insecure, and he's completely lost himself. And I am singing about when I was so much younger and all the rest, looking back at how easy it was. Now I may be very positive - yes, yes - but I also go through deep depressions where I would like to jump out the window, you know. It becomes easier to deal with as I get older; I don't know whether you learn control or, when you grow up, you calm down a little. Anyway, I was fat and depressed and I was crying out for help. In those days, when the Beatles were depressed, we had this little chant. I would yell out, "Where are we going, fellows?" They would say, "To the top, Johnny," in pseudo-American voices. And I would say, "Where is that, fellows?" And they would say, "To the toppermost of the poppermost." It was some dumb expression from a cheap movie - a la "Blackboard Jungle" - about Liverpool. Johnny was the leader of the gang. The Beatles thing had just gone beyond comprehension. We were smoking marijuana for breakfast. We were well into marijuana and nobody could communicate with us, because we were just all glazed eyes, giggling all the time. In our own world. That was the song, "Help!." I think everything that comes out of a song -- even Paul's songs now, which are apparently about nothing - shows something about yourself." - John Lennon, Playboy, 1980

Vision of Space

2010-01-13T18:58:00.000-08:00

photos of Mars via National Geographic
exploring Mars

"Man must rise above the Earth—to the top of the atmosphere and beyond—for only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives." - Socrates

"A few million years ago there were no humans. Who will be here a few million years hence? In all the 4.6-billion-year history of our planet, nothing much ever left it. But now, tiny unmanned exploratory spacecraft from Earth are moving, glistening and elegant, through the solar system. We have made a preliminary reconnaissance of twenty worlds, among them all of the planets visible to the naked eye, all those wandering nocturnal lights that stirred our ancestors toward understanding and ecstasy. If we survive, our time will be famous for two reasons: that at this dangerous moment of technological adolescence we managed to avoid self-destruction; and because this is the epoch in which we began our journey to the stars." - Carl Sagan

Why does a moon rock taste better then an earth rock?

It’s a little meteor.

har har.

Light Pollution

2010-01-12T15:26:00.000-08:00

A friend (Sharon) and I accompanied two other friends (Angie & Joseph) for their flight to New York at LAX last night. Once their tickets were claimed and the flight verified we headed over to an opposite terminal where we ate a late night snack consisting of McDonald's fries, ice cream cones and apple pies. (oh yeah, we live life on the edge ;]) We chatted for about an hour and proceeded to their corresponding terminal and shared our last few minutes smoking en route to our original location. Engulfed by a cool mist that enveloped the airport, we bid one another adieu and drove back home within a cloudy darkness to discover the spectacle that is light pollution. I was vaguely reminded of the images above.

via National Geographic

ooh la la

2010-01-11T14:03:00.000-08:00

I want to be adopted by the french.

"Sitting there, alone in a foreign country, far from my job and everyone I know, a feeling came over me. It was like remembering something I'd never known before or had always been waiting for, but I didn't know what. Maybe it was something I'd forgotten or something I've been missing all my life. All I can say is that I felt, at the same time, joy and sadness. But not too much sadness, because I felt alive. Yes, alive. That was the moment I fell in love with Paris. And I felt Paris fall in love with me. "

A collection of photos consisted of my favorite french actors/actresses and singers/songstresses.

"The radio makes hideous sounds."

2010-01-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

take me back in time.

The Imaginary Foundation

2010-01-08T19:55:00.000-08:00

A welcome accident, I discovered this site many years ago while on one of my standard, late-night ventures of the internet. And over the years, I've made several purchases from their online store: Live out of your imagination in grey, Somewhere in blue, Infinite in black and one they no longer carry which I ruined with bleach. :| Well, I didn't want to be greedy so I reckon it would be nice to share it amongst my readers. Please do take a look...

The Imaginary foundation was established in Geneva in 1973
as an experimental "think-tank" for new ideas. Created by an
eclectic group of free thinkers, the foundation’s research spans
all creative endeavors and assigns as its goal; the wish to
eliminate set conventions in favor of the humorous,
the abstract and the visionary.

In his vision for the Imaginary Foundation, the Director knew that the human mind has more than one mode, that indeed it has an "ecology" of being. He knew that imagination, intuition, inspiration are basic to psyche. . . . A philosophy of research began to form: imagination as fundamental to all learning; artistic making as a model of integrating vision, materials, structure, and imagery.

"What makes true vision is the poetry of life and the richness of nature"

See it and believe it

2010-01-08T18:25:00.000-08:00

Nomura's Jellyfish

The largest cnidarian in the world

Giant jellyfish like this one are taking over parts of the world's oceans as overfishing and other human activities open windows of opportunity for them to prosper, say researchers.
In this photo, a diver is attaching a sensor to track a monster Echizen jellyfish, which has a body almost 5 feet across, off the coast of northern Japan.

Jellyfish are normally kept in check by fish, which eat small jellyfish and compete for jellyfish food such as zooplankton, researchers said. But, with overfishing, jellyfish numbers are increasing.

These huge creatures can burst through fishing nets, as well as destroy local fisheries with their taste for fish eggs and larvae.

Anthony Richardson of CSIRO Marine & Atmospheric Research and colleagues reported their findings in the journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution to coincide with World Oceans Day.

They say climate change could also cause jellyfish populations to grow. The team believes that for the first time, water conditions could lead to what they call a "jellyfish stable state," in which jellyfish rule the oceans.

The combination of overfishing and high levels of nutrients in the water has been linked to jellyfish blooms. Nitrogen and phosphorous in run-off cause red phytoplankton blooms, which create low-oxygen dead zones where jellyfish survive, but fish can't, researchers said.

"(There is) a jellyfish called Nomura, which is the biggest jellyfish in the world. It can weigh 200 kilograms (440 pounds), as big as a sumo wrestler and is 2 meters (6.5 feet) in diameter," Richardson said.

Richardson said jellyfish numbers are increasing in Southeast Asia, the Black Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea.
by Discovery News and ABC Science Online

beautiful, aren't they?

...before winter is over

2010-01-08T17:53:00.000-08:00

reminds me of eternal sunshine of the spotless mind

2010-01-07T22:44:00.000-08:00

haha

virtutis fortuna comes

2010-01-07T20:49:00.000-08:00

The relentless misfortune that preys on my family is gnawing away at the nerves spreading its infection around the core of a once unbroken spirit. I pity them and there is nothing I could do to ease their troubles which fills me with pain beyond imagination. 우리 가족이 너무 불쌍해. I can't even begin to elucidate this real-life drama and I do not dare share this with my friends nor the family members involved because it won't provide any comfort knowing, to them, I can only serve as a nuisance and a burden. To speak so forwardly, while their intentions are good, they just won't understand my bearings. And I don't expect them to. So at times like these, I can't help but wish I had a sibling with whom I can exchange, without words, a synonymous understanding, to empathize closely to what the other is feeling.

Sigh...I need to stop writing about matters that do not concern my readers. However, following the creation of this blog, I have remained loyal to record everything that makes me who I am. And that includes me being naturally tragic and depressing....

2010-01-06T00:32:00.000-08:00

As much as I love my family, I don't want to end up like them.

Auld Lang Syne

2010-01-04T15:22:00.000-08:00

Bold what you’ve done in 2009.

1. Did something you said you would never do.
2. Payed for someone who said they would pay you back but never did.
3. Lied about where you were.
4. Discovered a new musician.
5. Made something for a friend.
6. Got a new phone.
7. Got a new iPod/Zune/Mp3 player.
8. Watched three or more episodes of Saturday Night Live.
9. Made fun of someone.
10. Created a tumblr.
11. Flew on a plane for the first time.
12. Spoke in front of 15 people or more.
13. Met someone in real life that you originally met online.
14. Done something illegal.
15. Did your siblings chores for money.
16. Stayed up all night thinking about the worst thing that could possibly happen to later find out that you worried for nothing.
17. Hurt somebody you didn’t mean to hurt.
18. Hugged your mom or dad. (this is sad...i know, I need to be more affectionate with my mother)
19. Baked.
20. Made a new friend.
21. Lost an old friend.
22. Changed your views on society.
23. Laughed at something that wasn’t funny.
24. Got upset over something that wasn’t a big deal.
25. Had a horrible birthday.
26. Got a facebook.
27. Deleted your myspace.
28. Cried because you missed old times. (haven't cried although I do dwell and reminisce more than I should)
29. Cleaned your room.
30. Have a new found appreciation for someone you never expected to.
31. Told someone you love them and meant it.
32. Told someone you hate them. (probably not to their face)
33. Screwed something up but didn’t mean to.
34. Received a gift.
35. Gave a gift.
36. Read a book that wasn’t for school.
37. Ate a lollipop.
38. Threw away something by accident.
39. Smoked a cigarette.
40. Ran a mile.
41. Switched schools.
42. Aced a test. (currently not in school....however if I were, that shit would be an A. Oh yeah...haha jk)
43. Wished you were in the past.
44. Got scared about the future.
45. Got yelled at by your parents. (parent; singular)
46. Lost a family member.
47. Saw an old friend.
48. Went to church.
49. Hugged a stuffed animal. (a real live one, every night. :D)
50. Said you’re going to make next year better. (every fucking year -__-)

fade into you

2009-12-31T00:56:00.000-08:00

"For 'twas not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. 'Twas not my lips you kissed, but my soul." - Judy Garland

P. S.

"...you should know up front, this is not a love story."

2009-12-31T00:49:00.000-08:00

2009-12-30T20:32:00.000-08:00

Abbey Drucker Photography

backstage at balmain

2009-12-30T17:34:00.000-08:00

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at stars."

2009-12-28T04:17:00.000-08:00

"Astronomy compels the soul to look upward, and leads us from this world to another." — Plato, 'The Republic,' 342 BC

"The contemplation of celestial things will make a man both speak and think more sublimely and magnificently when he descends to human affairs." — Marcus Tullius Cicero

"From our home on Earth, we look out into the distances and strive to imagine the sort of world into which we were born. With increasing distance our knowledge fades until at the last dim horizon we search among ghostly errors for landmarks scarcely more substantial. The search will continue. The urge is older than history. It is not satisfied and it will not be suppressed." — Edwin P. Hubble, 'Realm of the Nebulae,' 1936

I cannot live without...

2009-12-28T04:14:00.000-08:00

2009-12-28T04:08:00.000-08:00

Holmes: You’ve never complained about my methods before.
Watson: I’m not complaining.
Holmes: You’re not? Then what do you call this?
Watson: How— how can— I never complain! When do I complain about you practicing the violin at three in the morning, or your mess? Your general lack of hygiene, or the fact that you steal my clothes?
Holmes: Uh, we have a barter system.
Watson: When do I complain about you setting fire to my rooms?
Holmes: Our rooms.
Watson: The rooms! When do I complain that you experiment on my dog?
Holmes: Our dog.
Watson: On— on the— the dog!
Holmes: Gladstone is our dog!
Watson: But where I do take issue is your campaign to sabotage my relationship with Mary.
[pause]
Holmes: I understand.
Watson: Do you?
Holmes: I do.
Watson: I don’t think you do.
Holmes: You’re rather tired.
Watson: Yes.
Holmes: You’re feeling a bit sensitive.
Watson: I’m not sensitive.
Holmes: What you need is rest. My brother Mycroft has a small estate. Beautiful grounds. We can throw a lamb on the spit—
Watson: We? Holmes, if I were to go to the country it would be with my future wife!
Holmes: Well, certainly, if we must, we could—
Watson: No, not you! Mary and I! You are not—
Holmes: Invited? Why would I not be invited to my own brother’s country home? Watson, now you’re not making any sense.
Watson: You’re not human!

Sherlock Holmes

2009-12-26T01:35:00.000-08:00

Sherlock Holmes was clever, stylish and entertaining which is a combination not often properly executed. The fast paced fluidity and detail of Ritchie's camera work draws one into the story, absorbing one's attention from beginning to end. However it would not have been as enthralling without the chemistry of these two wonderful actors...

Robert Downey Jr. plays the popular Holmes portraying a completely believable character as the sharp, eccentric, quick-witted detective who obliterates the vision of a character, whom I will openly reveal as someone I am little acquainted with and Jude Law as Dr. Watson, Sherlock Holme's constant companion. Their partnership is more 'equal' as opposed to 'the hero and sidekick' and their chemistry is remarkable. They fight like a married couple, playfully engaging in witty banter and throwing one liners with ease.

Mark Strong who I was looking forward to see most, surprisingly had a brief appearance as the solemnly menacing Lord Blackwood. He commits a series of murders and is hanged for his crimes and practice of 'black magic.' When word arrives of his ascend from the grave, Holmes and Watson plunge into a thrilling adventure in search for this man who intends to carrie out and see through his scheme to conquer the world. While I was disappointed with his lack of screen time, he portrayed a more than adequate villain although I cannot say the same for Rachel McAdams. She had consistently remained as one of the actresses I anticipate for and delight in yet her role didn't emerge as one that was all required nor pivotal to the story.

With that said, the cinematography, set design and costumes cannot go unnoticed including a beautiful score composed by Hans Zimmer. I particularly enjoyed the fiddling tunes that was a theme for Sherlock throughout the film and notably, a haunting melody that was creeping the room in Lord Blackwood's execution scene.

Overall I enjoyed the film. I am not one to make comparisons to the original having never read the books nor view any film adaptations. I only had a vague interpretation of this popular character since childhood. So for that reason I have no means of dissatisfaction regarding the closeness of this variation to the original stories although I do know that I will be looking forward to a sequel. 'Twas an enjoyable romp for the holidays!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T13:40:00.000-08:00

Avatar

2009-12-25T01:58:00.000-08:00

I just came back from watching Avatar in 3-D. Breathtaking technology, stunning visuals complemented by superb acting (mostly from Zoe Saldana)...I was more than pleased and thoroughly stupefied considering my lack of interest and expectations with regard to this awfully over promoted film. Yet I was mistaken and Jim outreached beyond what I had anticipated.

In terms of the plot, the story is nothing new apart from elements of science fiction. It is thematically similar, if not identical to Dances with Wolves and I couldn't help but visualize the image of Crysta and Zak running through a glowing forest from FernGully or the image of Pocahontas and John Smith demonstrating and learning of one's lifestyle, which I naturally embraced; perhaps determined by my love for the above mentioned films and of nature and the indigenous people.

One quibble I have is with the mediocre dialogue. There were many cringeworthy moments and the sentimentality that just oozed out of the story may have caused me to scoff and sneer several times but that's just my cynicism peering through. Still, the sheer ingenuity that was developed by James Cameron, the conceptualization of earlier stories that inspired him and his dedication is worthy of praise. I enjoyed this movie to an extent that impels me to make another visit to the cinema for a second view.

P.S. Can I just say that Sam Worthington is beautiful and a wonderful actor, even as a tall blue dude (more respectively, a Na'Vi). I've loved him since Somersault. As for Zoe Saldana, while she never appeared on screen (as a human) through the duration of the film, she gave a commanding performance as Neytiri. I can only imagine the arduous journey the cast members embarked upon while filming Avatar; they are certainly deserving of their accolades. I absolutely recommend this film!!

[update] I was too tired to continue last night...I was trying to elaborate and proofread but fell asleep while on the computer -___- that's how exhausted I am. The holidays took a toll on me this year which actualizes further that my once youthful body can no longer manage without sufficient rest and the occasional all nighters are too difficult to bear. sighh

Brittany Murphy

2009-12-20T19:08:00.000-08:00

It's such a pity she died so young. I wasn't a Brittany devotee although I have closely viewed most of her films to have an inkling of her character through various roles and interviews. She was charming and I candidly acknowledge and regret her absence; she will be missed. How twisted is it that I recently saw 'dead girl' again a couple days ago and this fucking happens. 2009 has been a paralyzing, unfortunate year for celebrities...

"I can't take my eyes off of you"

2009-12-19T00:34:00.000-08:00

"Hello, stranger."

"It's a lie. It's a bunch of sad strangers photographed beautifully, and... all the glittering assholes who appreciate art say it's beautiful 'cause that's what they wanna see. But the people in the photos are sad, and alone... But the pictures make the world seem beautiful, so... the exhibition is reassuring which makes it a lie, and everyone loves a big fat lie."

"I have measured out my life with coffee spoons."

2009-12-17T03:16:00.000-08:00

JACK: [ENTERING, SPEAKING VERY QUICKLY AND SCATTERED] Hey, friends, lovers, mothers, and other strangers. You're never going to believe what happened to me. Oh, my gosh! Did you see that? I almost did the half nelson. I almost bruised my delicates, my delicates, my domo arigato Mr. Tomatoes. Huge news! I have met-- Are you ready for this? Mr. Right. Well, Mr. Right-Now, anyway. Ba-da-bum! Good night, folks, I'm here all week. Jack 2000! He works over at the Jumpin' Java. You know that coffee shop on 72nd? And his name is Paul. He is cute with a capital "Q"! And the busier it gets, the hotter he gets. And the hotter he gets, the sweatier he gets. And the sweatier he gets-- I forgot where I'm going with this, but the point is... Me likey he, and he likey me. And the best part is-- Shazam-- he gives me free iced coffee every time I go in, which is every hour on the hour. Thank you very much! And occasionally on the half hour! [SING-SONG] Bah-da-da-da-da! Blblblbt! [JACK EXITS]

JACK: Karen, I can't do it. I'm hooked on the junk.

KAREN: Well, honey, if it'll help you, I'll do it with you, ok? I'll kick coffee, too. Yeah! It won't be easy, but every morning when I wake up, I'll just have to get used to drinking my Bailey's straight. It'll still be the best part of waking up.

oh, they slay me!

Grey Matter(s)

2009-12-17T00:27:00.000-08:00

IRM

2009-12-16T15:25:00.000-08:00

Official video of the new Charlotte Gainsbourg's single, in duo with Beck.

Directed by Keith Schofield.