More than meets the eye

If you have no interest in seeing Transformers - there's likely something wrong with and you should go see a doctor.

If you haven't yet seen Transformers - get your priorities straight and go get a ticket.

If you haven't been able to see Transformers because the tickets keep selling out - try harder because you're obviously not putting in enough effort.

OKAY. So plot-wise it was full of holes and was your typical Hollywood alien-invasion-holy-crap-get-the-big-guns-out-and-let's-kick-some-ass drivel but considering it had gigantic non-biological entities in it, it was funny and it was entertaining. No it did not mirror the complete Transformers world but quite frankly, there were other things more interesting to mull over.

Such as the visual experience. Visually. Visually there are no words to describe the feeling of watching your childhood heroes transform into towering monoliths right before your very eyes. Yeah the action was all cool and stuff but the Autobots and the Decepticons stole the show. I almost cried when the Autobots were introducing themselves to Sam and were transforming left and right - it was so beautiful. Megatron may not look like the same prissy wanker he was in the G1 show (dude always looked like he had a bad bob haircut), but his new design is badass. Granted it takes away from his known personality but man, he looks cool.

My favorite was Bumblebee. He'd always been my favorite Autobot but I think I got emotionally attached to him by the end of the movie and was so happy when he got his voice back. Yes yes I know ha ha ha but I'm not the only one who feels the same way. I think he was built quite well as a character in the movie (he's the first Autobot you see in the movie and I think he also has the most screen time) so it was probably easier to identify with him as a result.

Optimus Prime, of course, was insanely cool. He'd never been my favorite Autobot - too much of an authority figure, I think - but as a kid I'd still respected him for being a strong leader. Seeing him transform and hearing that voice coming from a real (looking) robot made me giddy with happiness.

I'm watching it again...on IMAX! Muahahahahahaha

Transformers on June 28 - who's with me?

I was one of those little girls who cried when Optimus Prime died in the Tranformers: The Movie. Granted I was 5 years old at the time, but I think if Prime died again I'd start bawling, sort of like when Arsenal went down to Barca in the 2006 Champions League game. Totally heartbreaking.

Anyway so the Tranformers comes out on June 28 (which is the same day my project goes up and running so guess where I'll be celebrating). Why? Because there will be:

1. The first robots I have ever known
2. Shia Labeouf in lead (I love this guy, at 21 he's already got screen presence)
3. Josh Duhamel in uniform

I need no other reasons.

As usual, as the event gets closer, I start procrastinating on other things and start reading up. Here's some of what I thought were the more interesting tid bits I found (taken from the IMDB FAQ site for Transformers (2007)):

Why is Bumblebee not a VW Beetle?
"Most people believe that the reason is because producers couldn't get rights from VW to use a Beetle so he was changed to a Camaro. This is incorrect. It was thought to be because VW didn't want their product being associated with a violent film. That is also incorrect. It IS true that Hasbro was denied the right to use the VW bug, but VW actually was very interested in the Transformers movie. The main reason is that Bay wanted to avoid comparisons to Herbie the Love Bug, and that he felt that Bumblebee needed an updated look. "
[Me - I suppose it would tragic if Bumblebee was cousins with Herbie. Or had any kind of relation to anything to do with Lindsay Lohan. Although if he's not a Bug then he can't really be BumbleBEE can he?]

Which Transformers will be in this movie?
Autobots: Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Jazz, Ironhide, Ratchet
Decepticons: Megatron, Starscream, Blackout, Brawl, Barricade, Frenzy, Bonecrusher, Scorponok
[Me - Does this mean Arcee isn't gonna be in the movie? No robots with boobs? Totally unjustifiable. Did you know Arcee was in love with Hot Rod? How do you fall in love with someone/something named Hot Rod? How do robots - argh, never mind.]

If Megatron isn't turning into a gun, what does he turn into?
He's not turning into a gun because it doesn't seem plausible. It was described as, "it would be like Darth Vader transforming into his own lightsaber." Instead, Megatron will retain his Cybertron form of an alien jet since he crash landed on Earth and was frozen before being able to reformat into a new alternate form.
[Me - There is something inanely funny about this but I can't seem to put my finger on it.]

And more trivia (taken from the IMDB Trivia site for Transformers (2007)):

Michael Bay originally turned down directing the film, considering it "a stupid toy movie". However, as a young man he worked at Lucasfilm Ltd. and had the same opinion about Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), which became a classic hit. Realizing he was wrong about that film and perhaps about this one, he signed on to direct the film. [Me - Er...]

The Decepticon Soundwave was originally in the script, but was replaced with Blackout (who had originally been named Vortex, and later Incinerator). He is to appear in the film's sequel. [Me - There's a sequel?!]

damn cockroaches!

Argh!!! I !#$%$#^%$#@ hate Sylar! He is such a DICK!!! Why can't he just #$^%$^#@ die?!!!

Rrrrrrr *rip rip* *gnash gnash* *smack* grrrrr *bash*

So Heroes Season 1 is over, and I feel at a loss. My favorite character is presumably dead and Hiro is stuck in 17th century Japan. Oi.

Where are the dinosaurs?

*Transformers, more than meets the eye*

I'm not feeling particularly verbose tonight.

More Cow

It sucks when I get inspiration for stuff to write on my blog when I’m away from my computer. It really sucks because this happens at least twice a day. But it sucks the most when I forget about what I wanted to blog five minutes after I think about it.

So anyway, here is the inspiring quote I had today:

“That’s a lot of cows.” – Mr. Hatcher [Christopher Walken], The Rundown

It’s like more cowbell, but not really.

[I love Christopher Walken. He is deadpan-ism personified.]

Sunny Sundays (followed by Monday blues)

Mondays suck, I've noticed. Especially when you've had a pretty good weekend, even if the sleep was rather lacking. So I'm sitting in Coffee Bean at 10:15 pm on a Monday trying to shake these Monday blues. Tomato and cheese sandwiches and honeyed tea are never a bad thing I think, especially in a cosy armchair by the window where you can sit and stare at people. I should probably be in bed but...erm...

I just lost my train of thought.

So...this weekend...was...all about movies, music, running, washing cars, and generally not thinking about work (Hey that's two miracles within seven days. Are pigs learning to fly?). I dragged myself out of my self-pity zone on Saturday to watch 300 and man, it was totally worth it! I never knew you could fit so many ripped men into one screen. I particularly loved the simplicity of the Spartan outfits - so much naked flesh :b~ The Queen's outfits were particularly beautiful because of the minimalism used to create them - I could probably pull one of them together with a bedsheet and a leather belt, but with much less aplomb. (Wahey, I could probably do that for our James Bond-themed Annual Dinner! Although I'd probably spend most of the night keeping my boobs in check.)

Anyway, 300 is completely action-packed, and fluidly so - never have I seen legs or heads fly with more grace (I'm serious). But because the main idea of the movie revolves around its action, much of the dialogue leaves you sniggering - which I suppose isn't bad if the rest of the movie makes you go "Yeah man, give it to him!!" Overall a re-watchable film, if only to marvel at the Spartans war tactics (and their half naked warriors).

My favorite part? When the Queen shoved it back to Theron. Revenge is sweet, 'tis, and so is sticking a knife into a dickhead.

Sunday was tiring - I got up at 8:30 to run and, you know what, I'm getting better! I don't know what limits humans are physiologically capable of, but I've bashed mine in and finding new ones. I ran for twenty minutes straight - and for me, that's a crazy achievement. And I've done it twice! I hope that means I can keep doing it and do it longer...Rat Race (5 km) in less than 30 minutes maybe? Yeah!!! Right.

Rashid did the SMART tunnel run yesterday too - a 13 km run through the city - in preparation for next weekend's KL International Half-Marathon (21km). It amazes me people can do that - even more amazing that I know people who can do it. Much respect. Much.

Finally I also washed my car. It was pretty filthy. It was nice and shiny when I was done with it but today I woke up and there were paw prints on the windshield. *eye roll* Well, at least I tried!

Monday's almost over...time for sucky Tuesdees...

Let's go back fifteen years...

...and remember what it was like reading Charlotte's Web back in the fourth grade.

I was the quintessal bookworm in grade school - I loved books and took comfort in reading. It was and still is my escape from the rest of this freaky world. There are a few back from grade school that I still remember; I can't quote lines anymore but I have bits of these books in my head, like memories or old faded photographs stored in my childhood albums. There were many we had to read for class and do extended assignments on, which is probably why I remember them so well - Where the Red Fern Grows, Island of the Blue Dolphins, Wrinkle in Time (I never realised I had already started reading fantasy/science fiction at the age of 10 until I was already 20), Bridge to Terabithia, Tuck Everlasting - classics that have withstood the test of (20 years) time. I think that's amazing.

Charlotte's Web was one of those books that stuck in my head, and stuck a lot harder than the others. I can't pinpoint why but it may be because of all the talking animals - I've always been more partial to listening to animals talk rather than people. So when I heard they were making a movie of it, I was thrilled - I thought it would transfer wonderfully on screen with all the crazy film technology we have now (and this is odd because book-movies always make me squirm).

Anyway, it's out in local theatres and I can't wait to see it.

If you're wondering, the story takes place mostly on a farm and involves a spider, a runty pig and a lot of other barnyard animals. And also possibly an axe. It's not a happy book but it's got a lot of sunshine and it's a good one, and that counts for everything. I don't know how the movie goes yet, but if you're for looking for something to remind you of being a kid (or for your kids even :P) this a great pick up.

By the way, the reason I realized they were making a movie of Charlotte's Web is because I saw the poster at the theatre, but it wasn't the movie title that caught my eye. It was the fact that one of the sheep on the poster looked like Ludacris.

It's so obvious, I don't get why other people don't see it. Don't get me wrong - I love Luda, I think he's one of the most entertaining and talented rappers currently out there, and that sheep rocks (voiced by John Cleese) but that doesn't change the fact that I think they're both a bit fuzzy.

Spiders rule.