Ahhh...Blogging. I hardly know thee. I am such a neglectful writer, but in my defence...
I’m confused.
Looking at myself in the mirror and thinking about the year that's passed and the one that's rapidly approaching...I find it hard to see anything likable, both inside and out, in myself. Yet, it’s the ringing in my head that is causing me the most conflict...
Why?
Because I can’t seem to understand where my life is leading me, and what kind of person it makes me.
This isn’t a rare feeling...it’s usually the norm for me. For a long time now, my mind and my feelings have been walking disparate paths, tearing me asunder in the process, and ultimately, I am left with a headache and no clearer grasp on things.
Yet now...the feelings and the thoughts are converging...leading me towards a destination that seems to be cloaked from my gaze, and yet through the haze...there is something there...a goal...a hope. Something tangible, within which lies a happiness that do not deserve.
I try to be a good friend...but I feel like failure.
I try to be a good son...but I feel like a disappointment.
I can’t say I have lived life so far...there are so many things I have missed out on and so many things I have never done...and I’m not talking about things like “see the Pyramids.” I mean the moments that define who you are...
I’m probably not the only one, but it still feels lonely...especially when my thoughts pound me into submission and steal my dreamtime from me at night.
I wish I could make the excuse “I’m unlucky,” but I can’t...
I feel as if I am sleepwalking through life sometimes...I treasure the moments with my best friends, those moments where I feel truly awake and happy. However...more and more as things begin to shift and change in my life, I can feel myself slipping back to sleep...away from my heart and away from my dreams, and I do not like it.
However...I won’t give up. I will try to not disappoint the people I care about, try my best to help them; to make them happy when they are sad; to think as much with my heart as with my mind, and also...to try and find some pride in myself in the process (although I am not exactly holding my breath on that one)
I want to start moving closer to my dreams, move beyond the haze and know whether what I feel is what I really want.
I want to grow...without sacrificing the childish glee I love in life.
I want to be a better person ...but I don’t want to lose sight of who I am to do so. I know the old saying “good guys finish last” but I’d rather try and take that last place than become a real dick in order to win.
I want to dream of things beyond, be free to explore my imagination. To laugh, to cry, to think, to speak, to love...all without concern of judgement or embarrassment.
Can I find the courage to do what I desire and take the risk...to see if my dreams can become a reality?
After all, why go through life without living your own dream?
Now I hope you understand why I focus mainly on films here! :P
But it’s not all doom and gloom...Days like the one I had yesterday are the ones that make me smile!
Spending the day with Deelarah, one of the most awesome friends ANYONE could ask for (and a devoted Christian Bale lover.. well, i did say i’d get you back for the cushion attack :P) watching some horror, a bit of magic mystery and a head spinning Korean musical with a family of foxes and a dude in a wonder woman outfit. Thank you for putting up with me and sharing in the mayhem! You rock :D
And I have a chance to have some more awesome fun fairly soon...Paris is calling!!!! :D :D :D
It will be epic.
Oh, I’ll be back with reviews on Monday...hopefully.
No, DEFINATELY!
:)
Sunday 30 August 2009
Sunday 7 June 2009
Free...at last.
Wow...has it really been that long since i last blogged! Some may say too long, most not long enough, but regardless i'm back and with some catching up to do, so now year one of university is done and dusted i can recap on the important things.
First and most importantly, I went to a Guillermo Del Toro book signing!!!!! :D He is not only an absolute legend, but also a genuine guy with a great sense of humour. Definately one of the highlights of my year so far, and something i'll never forget!
Another of the big highlights for me this year was watching a certain Swedish film called "Let the Right One In." I'm a BIG vampire film fan (well, anything involving supernatural or scientific monsters...I'M THERE!) and i have to say "Let the Right One In" maybe one of, if not THE best vampire films EVER. It was aesthetically beautiful, focusing on the almost dreamlike peace of a small snowy town, but this was juxtaposed with the dark atmosphere of death that follows Eli, and the brutal gore left in her wake. All this is made more intense by the film's narrative. At it's heart, it's a coming of age love story about two misfits who find happiness together; the central relationship between Oskar and Eli is believable and in a wonderfully creepy way, sweet. It was a total experience, it made me "feel" the emotions that were intended, and i became involved with the story and the characters. For the first time in a long time, i was immersed in the film in the most rewarding and fantastic way. It's a unique gem of a film; beautiful, delicate, fascinating, and filled with wonder. Undoubtably my favourite film of the year so far, and in all honesty, i don't think there will be ANYTHING that can top it.
Moving on to the latest film i have seen, a film from a series that has been very close to my heart... Terminator: Salvation. I grew up with the Terminator series...as a little boy, my prized Video (oh yes, gotta love the VHS!) was a double bill of Terminator and Terminator 2, which i would watch over and over again, mesmerised by the visual wonder and fast paced, intense pursuit style that gripped you and never let go. The original is my favourite, while i still hold the sequel as the best example of a film sequel ever produced (Yep...even better than The Dark Knight, Batman Returns or Aliens). Heck...i still even enjoy watching Terminator 3 despite it's many flaws, such as a villian that lacked the power of the previous films and most crucially, the fact that by following the style of the first two films, T3 comes across as a predictable and inferior copy of what Cameron had already mastered. However, T3's use of parody and it's astonishingly brave and powerful ending are highlights in what is an enjoyable if not brilliant film.
Now...the year 2009...the Terminator series is back, and in my opinion...the future is bright. I went into the cinema prepared for the worse and yet, optimistic. The best quality of the film is, ironically, in it's dissimularity to the previous films. By setting the film post-Judgement Day, an entirely new world is opened up for the audience to experience, and the director to play with. The stale conventions that were beginning to creep into T3 are replaced with a fresh and more expansive view of humanity on the brink. The Future is now...it's not the mystery glimpsed at previously...it's the reality, and this serves to add a gravity of intensity to the battles. This can be seen in the film's beginning as a group of resistance fighters lay siege to a skynet bunker to retrieve data. The audience is placed right in the middle of the battle, following John Connor as machine and man clash in the air and on the ground. It's an opening gambit that shows the new direction of the series: No longer claustrophobic chases in a world the audiences are familiar with...but expansive chases in a dying world where a threat lies EVERYWHERE! The machines have risen and the excitement is palpable. However, while the atmosphere and new focus are captured brilliantly, the film's biggest flaw is the narrative; put simply, it's just not that intriguing. It seems a little forced, and worse of all, Marcus Wright's reveal as a Terminator lacks any drama due to the fact that it is already revealed in the trailer. If it had not been revealed before the film, i think it would have added an extra edge of mystery the film sometimes lacks, especially in the middle of the film. However, the final part of the film redeems this and provides a thrilling trip into the heart of the Termintor's world, with some great action and a few suprises too. The Performances overall are very good too. Christian Bale was an inspired choice for John Connor, and plays the fated hope for man perfectly. However, he isn't given enough screentime, especially not enough moments for the audience to fully share in John's emotional burden, which is a shame considering the few moments Bale gets to do this are excellent and rewarding. The same goes for Connor's wife, Kate, played by Bryce Dallas Howard, who barely recieves any screentime at all, and is criminally underused. It seems as if the writer had no idea what to do with her. The real star of the film is Sam Worthington as Marcus Wright. He has been hailed as the next mega star, and you can't argue with that after watching the film. Also kudos to Anton Yelchin, who i personally couldn't imagine playing Kyle Reece after seeing him play Chekov in Star Trek...but he pulled the performance off brilliantly and was another highlight for me.
Overall, it can't match the first two terminator films...but it was never going to. What Salvation is, is a step in the right direction, bringing the story into a future that is unpredictable and exciting. There is work that needs to be done, especially in terms of a new villian that can match the threat of a T-1000, but the signs are there that the possibilities for the future of the Terminator series are infinate. They just need to remember that it's not just about cyborgs and chase sequences...it's about humanity too.
That's all from me. Now it's the summer, my blogging should be more frequent...maybe ;)
Have a great day!
First and most importantly, I went to a Guillermo Del Toro book signing!!!!! :D He is not only an absolute legend, but also a genuine guy with a great sense of humour. Definately one of the highlights of my year so far, and something i'll never forget!
Another of the big highlights for me this year was watching a certain Swedish film called "Let the Right One In." I'm a BIG vampire film fan (well, anything involving supernatural or scientific monsters...I'M THERE!) and i have to say "Let the Right One In" maybe one of, if not THE best vampire films EVER. It was aesthetically beautiful, focusing on the almost dreamlike peace of a small snowy town, but this was juxtaposed with the dark atmosphere of death that follows Eli, and the brutal gore left in her wake. All this is made more intense by the film's narrative. At it's heart, it's a coming of age love story about two misfits who find happiness together; the central relationship between Oskar and Eli is believable and in a wonderfully creepy way, sweet. It was a total experience, it made me "feel" the emotions that were intended, and i became involved with the story and the characters. For the first time in a long time, i was immersed in the film in the most rewarding and fantastic way. It's a unique gem of a film; beautiful, delicate, fascinating, and filled with wonder. Undoubtably my favourite film of the year so far, and in all honesty, i don't think there will be ANYTHING that can top it.
Moving on to the latest film i have seen, a film from a series that has been very close to my heart... Terminator: Salvation. I grew up with the Terminator series...as a little boy, my prized Video (oh yes, gotta love the VHS!) was a double bill of Terminator and Terminator 2, which i would watch over and over again, mesmerised by the visual wonder and fast paced, intense pursuit style that gripped you and never let go. The original is my favourite, while i still hold the sequel as the best example of a film sequel ever produced (Yep...even better than The Dark Knight, Batman Returns or Aliens). Heck...i still even enjoy watching Terminator 3 despite it's many flaws, such as a villian that lacked the power of the previous films and most crucially, the fact that by following the style of the first two films, T3 comes across as a predictable and inferior copy of what Cameron had already mastered. However, T3's use of parody and it's astonishingly brave and powerful ending are highlights in what is an enjoyable if not brilliant film.
Now...the year 2009...the Terminator series is back, and in my opinion...the future is bright. I went into the cinema prepared for the worse and yet, optimistic. The best quality of the film is, ironically, in it's dissimularity to the previous films. By setting the film post-Judgement Day, an entirely new world is opened up for the audience to experience, and the director to play with. The stale conventions that were beginning to creep into T3 are replaced with a fresh and more expansive view of humanity on the brink. The Future is now...it's not the mystery glimpsed at previously...it's the reality, and this serves to add a gravity of intensity to the battles. This can be seen in the film's beginning as a group of resistance fighters lay siege to a skynet bunker to retrieve data. The audience is placed right in the middle of the battle, following John Connor as machine and man clash in the air and on the ground. It's an opening gambit that shows the new direction of the series: No longer claustrophobic chases in a world the audiences are familiar with...but expansive chases in a dying world where a threat lies EVERYWHERE! The machines have risen and the excitement is palpable. However, while the atmosphere and new focus are captured brilliantly, the film's biggest flaw is the narrative; put simply, it's just not that intriguing. It seems a little forced, and worse of all, Marcus Wright's reveal as a Terminator lacks any drama due to the fact that it is already revealed in the trailer. If it had not been revealed before the film, i think it would have added an extra edge of mystery the film sometimes lacks, especially in the middle of the film. However, the final part of the film redeems this and provides a thrilling trip into the heart of the Termintor's world, with some great action and a few suprises too. The Performances overall are very good too. Christian Bale was an inspired choice for John Connor, and plays the fated hope for man perfectly. However, he isn't given enough screentime, especially not enough moments for the audience to fully share in John's emotional burden, which is a shame considering the few moments Bale gets to do this are excellent and rewarding. The same goes for Connor's wife, Kate, played by Bryce Dallas Howard, who barely recieves any screentime at all, and is criminally underused. It seems as if the writer had no idea what to do with her. The real star of the film is Sam Worthington as Marcus Wright. He has been hailed as the next mega star, and you can't argue with that after watching the film. Also kudos to Anton Yelchin, who i personally couldn't imagine playing Kyle Reece after seeing him play Chekov in Star Trek...but he pulled the performance off brilliantly and was another highlight for me.
Overall, it can't match the first two terminator films...but it was never going to. What Salvation is, is a step in the right direction, bringing the story into a future that is unpredictable and exciting. There is work that needs to be done, especially in terms of a new villian that can match the threat of a T-1000, but the signs are there that the possibilities for the future of the Terminator series are infinate. They just need to remember that it's not just about cyborgs and chase sequences...it's about humanity too.
That's all from me. Now it's the summer, my blogging should be more frequent...maybe ;)
Have a great day!
Monday 23 February 2009
News from the front lines, or How i watched the Watchmen go by.
Hey
Sorry i have neglected my post, but things have been...well, you know Uni fueled hectic!
Okay, first... The Oscars are void, due to the fact that Dark Knight wasn't up for Best Picture (If Titanic and Crash can win best pictures awards, the least The Dark Knight should get is a nomination!) and Christopher Nolan should have been nominated for best director! That's my rant done...The Oscars didn't exist this year okay...OKAY! hehe.
So what's new? Well, i have just finished a reading week filled with...you guessed it...reading. However, i was also inspired to do something far more enjoyable in my free week...
To Write!
I forgot how much fun writing is; engaging with your imagination and testing yourself. So thank you mystery writer who inspired me...you know who you are...although you still write far better stories than me. End of discussion! hehe.
Now. Reviews. I have seen quite a few films recently, but i shall only bring up two... the best one i have seen and the last film i have seen.
The best film i have seen so far this year is undoubtably Hunger. I thought it was a tremendous film, both beautiful and disturbing visually, plus poignant and harrowing as a story. The aesthetic detail, visual textures, and in particular the focus on both the fragility and resistance of the human body are pure genius. It's an even more impressive when you consider this is Steve McQueen's debut feature. It's not a comfortable viewing experience (just the memory of the prison walls smeared with human filth makes me cringe!) but it is an essential one for anyone who loves film...and art itself; because Hunger is Art.
The best film i have seen so far this year is undoubtably Hunger. I thought it was a tremendous film, both beautiful and disturbing visually, plus poignant and harrowing as a story. The aesthetic detail, visual textures, and in particular the focus on both the fragility and resistance of the human body are pure genius. It's an even more impressive when you consider this is Steve McQueen's debut feature. It's not a comfortable viewing experience (just the memory of the prison walls smeared with human filth makes me cringe!) but it is an essential one for anyone who loves film...and art itself; because Hunger is Art.
Now we move from challenging art, to entertaining escapism. On friday, i saw Push, and i'll be honest...i enjoyed it without shame! It was pure entertainment. A blast. There were no bad performances (Chris Evans, and especially, Dakota Fanning were perfect as the leads in the film) and Paul McGuigan's style was perfect; edgy without going over the top on the shakey cam, as many directors seem to rely on today! The action was brilliant; the fight between the two movers was very cool, but honestly, the entire climax was cool! haha. The pacing was tight, and exposition was moved along quickly without being boring or distracting. If there were an issues i had with the film, it maybe that some of the dialogue felt a little false, but only very occassionaly; and that it couldn't completely satisfy me. It made me want more...which of course, is what the film wants to do. With a few plot elements left open, Push is crying out for a sequel and I for one certainly want to see it return...with a bigger budget. I can only imagine what this team could do with a "real" amount of money! haha.
Hmm...what now. Oh yes, how could i forget... tonight, i went along to the Watchmen Premiere!!! Obviously i didn't see the film... but i saw the stars of the film, from Zack Snyder to Billy Crudup, via the legend that is Jeffrey Dean Morgan!
And to top it all off, i got his autograph too! :D Unfortunately, i just missed Zack Snyder... he was one guy away but was going the opposite way, but i got Jeffrey! haha. I have to say of all the actors there, Jeffrey was the absolute man! I don't just say this because he is John Winchester (although that is an extra reason to cheer him on! hehe) but because he went to ALL the fans, signed the books, took photos with fans and was just a complete legend. He signed my Empire magazine so kudos to you Jeffrey! haha. I can't wait for the 6th March...XD
Oh and i got a free poster/banner too (See top!)
Only thing is... it's a little big and i only have space for it on the ceiling... so I'm going to need a lot of blu tack and gravity to love me!
That's it for now. Hopefully i will get the time to blog and blog again!
:)
Friday 2 January 2009
New year and...stuff.
Hello!
It's late i know but Merry Christmas, Happy New Year etc.
What did i learn from last year. Well...
The Dark Knight was better than i could possibly imagine. Film of 2008.
Action movies aren't always trustworthy entertainmant. Proven by the disaster that was Taken. Worst film of 2008. Closely followed by Scar 3-D :)
Zombies will never be uncool.
I want to live in the imax.
Away from film, The Bejing Olympics were suprisingly fun. Watching the swimming was awesome! Euro 2008 was not.
Asian cinema is probably the best and most beautiful in the world.
England is obviously occupied by insane people; why else would Mamma Mia be the biggest box office hit in UK history, and biggest selling DVD in UK history too. So shameful...
Superhero films are finally back to their best again, after Iron Man and Dark Knight.
Ghost in the Shell SAC is one of the best, most interesting and engaging serialised programs i have ever seen, animated or not!
University is not fun. It's a hell of a lot of work :(
Jessica Alba is the most annoying human being on the planet.
Robert Downey Jr. is a legend!
Michael Cera is also a legend!
The Coen Brothers are back, and as glorious as ever!
Twilight was brilliant. Biggest suprise of the year for me, and perfect film to end the year!
I hope that this new year will suprise in the best possible ways, and i can personally survive past the 13th of January! haha.
:D
It's late i know but Merry Christmas, Happy New Year etc.
What did i learn from last year. Well...
The Dark Knight was better than i could possibly imagine. Film of 2008.
Action movies aren't always trustworthy entertainmant. Proven by the disaster that was Taken. Worst film of 2008. Closely followed by Scar 3-D :)
Zombies will never be uncool.
I want to live in the imax.
Away from film, The Bejing Olympics were suprisingly fun. Watching the swimming was awesome! Euro 2008 was not.
Asian cinema is probably the best and most beautiful in the world.
England is obviously occupied by insane people; why else would Mamma Mia be the biggest box office hit in UK history, and biggest selling DVD in UK history too. So shameful...
Superhero films are finally back to their best again, after Iron Man and Dark Knight.
Ghost in the Shell SAC is one of the best, most interesting and engaging serialised programs i have ever seen, animated or not!
University is not fun. It's a hell of a lot of work :(
Jessica Alba is the most annoying human being on the planet.
Robert Downey Jr. is a legend!
Michael Cera is also a legend!
The Coen Brothers are back, and as glorious as ever!
Twilight was brilliant. Biggest suprise of the year for me, and perfect film to end the year!
I hope that this new year will suprise in the best possible ways, and i can personally survive past the 13th of January! haha.
:D
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