Review: 風雲 II The Storm Warriors (2009)

The much anticipated sequel of The Storm Riders has finally arrived. To be exact, it is not exactly a sequel, since it is produced and made by different filmmakers, but it retain the same leads, and the story take place after the event of The Storm Riders. To distinguish this, and prevent any possible legal action, the new film is named The Storm Warriors instead of being The Storm Riders 2, since the English title was created by the previous company. Still, the Chinese title still retains 風雲 and the title is simply風雲 II.

Cloud is still played by Aaron Kwok while Ekin Cheng is still Wind, but the rest are new characters, except for Cho-cho楚楚 who was previously played by the Shu-qi but now replaced by a piece of wood.

The plot of the film is based on the Japanese Invasion arc in the comic, where a Japanese warrior is invading China. The film start at the end of the first step of the invasion, where the villain 絕無神 successfully drugged the best martial artists in China and have them capture in order to a) force them to serve him b) stripped of the most physical powerful peoples in China that will rise to fight his invasion. These martial artists however manage to escape and Wind and Cloud have to undergo special training to upgrade their power in order to fight絕無神. In the course of this training, Wind succumbs into the dark side. The second act of this film is the defeat of絕無神 which is rather anti-climatic, but we all know what will be the direction of this film when it choose to use Japanese Invasion arc for its plot. It is the fight between Cloud and the dark Wind at the final act. This is one of the best plots in the comic and it also serves as the conclusion of the first part of the comic.

The casting of the film is good, save for楚楚. The actress performance and presence is almost non-existence. While Shu-qi in the previous film provides a good contrast to Cloud, this楚楚 is almost as quiet and gloomy as Cloud. There is no on screen chemical for this couple, and I was quite happy that she died in the end, but sadly, her bad performance made us unable to identify with Cloud’s sorrow at the sight of her demise.

Getting Kenny Ho to play Nameless無名 is almost flawless. Kenny has previously played Hero華英雄 in ATV’s TV drama adaptation of 中華英雄, a comic by the author. Hero is actually used as the blueprint for Nameless in風雲. His loneliness, his costume, hair cut and looks, and even one of his servants, 鬼虎 are exactly the same as Hero. So although I personally will wish to have Andy Lau as Nameless, but having Kenny Ho is good enough. The only thing is his voice. I was looking forward to see the first big screen Nameless, and finally saw it, but the moment he start to speak…WTF? He sounds like a thin and sick guy! I thought maybe that is because at the beginning of the film Nameless was drugged, and thus having such weak voice, but apparently not. He sounds like that for the rest of the film. How sad. You know how shock I was? Try to think back the first time you heard David Beckham speak. This good-looking footballer looks manly enough, and you may expect he will at least sounds like Brad Pitt, but at the end, he is speaking as if Victoria is squeezing his balls all the time! The same apply to this Nameless.

Kenny Ho is ATV's 中華英雄 more than 20 years ago

Kenny Ho as Nameless

The best acting performance in the whole film perhaps is from a tertiary character, the Emperor, played by Patrick Tam. In just a few minutes of screen performance as the kidnapped Emperor who is force to make a choice between revealing China’s biggest secret or having his family murdered, Tam is able to show the elegance of a royal family, the dilemma his is facing and the heart-breaking sadness of witnessing his family being slaughtered. It’s rather ironic, the most successful emotional scene are not about the primary characters, but rather this little character that has little to do with the whole film.

As always, adapting a book is hard, but adapting a comic book is even harder, especially Chinese comic book. One arc usually takes a long time to end, and for most of the time, it has a lot of characters and the events are connected with events of other arcs. Thus, the plot of this film feels weak, and there is no one major focus. One third of the film focus on the fighting 絕無神 and the final act is Wind and Cloud fighting.

Characters chart

To have such fight as final act, the whole arc has to be compress, and the plotline showing the start of the invasion, how the martial artists get drugged and kidnapped, and character development for the villains, Nameless and other secondary character are omitted. Even there is little character development for Wind and Cloud. After we were left with the conflict reconciliation between Wind and Cloud in the previous film, now we hope to see more on how they interact as a team, partners and brothers. But all this are sacrificed for the sack of having a good and cool pose visually. The on screen development for them is important, for only then we can actually feel the impact and identify with the pain of Cloud having need to kill Wind once he is totally turn into an evil monster. This does not happen, and unless you read the comic and know the significant of the third act, basically you won’t give a damn on who is winning.

Wind turning evil

But the main star of this film is still the special effect. Like the previous film this is still a GCI porn. Ten years in between and we can see how advance we are. While the imaginative fight scenes and martial arts portrayals in the film is slightly different from the comic, it is still a marvelous job on interpreting lines and colors from page into realistic looking visual effects. The directors certainly have a good eyes and ears on the pacing, look and impact on how a comic book still fight should be. But still, there is still a lot of room for improvement, especially in creating a virtual set. The computer generated outdoor scene still can be easily recognized as CGI, but I don’t know if this is deliberate to give the film a fantasy feel. If they want to stay true to the comic, they should make it looks real. For the magic of the comic is, it has very conventional costume, set and scenery; only the fights and supernatural elements are presented with superb imagination. It is such contrast that makes it so engaging.

As a whole, this is a great interpretation of風雲, its success is due to its special effects and one of its flaws is also the special effects. The original comic has very good visual of scale. We need it. If it happens in a massive mountain, we need to feel that it is massive. The CGI work in here does show us literally a certain scene takes place in a huge area, but it does not feels so. The screen shows peoples fighting in a wide area, but we still felt like it takes place in a small soundstage.

Perhaps, and hopefully, in the coming sequel, the third film, the filmmakers will improve again. Although this film is a good take, but I also long to see scenes where the pages on the comic literally comes into life, a combination of authentic Chinese scenery, natural rays of sun, real grass, real mountain with imaginative special effects. Need not to get production and costume design to redesign the characters, the sets, just take the pages from the comic, and make it real. Then perhaps, the definitive風雲 adaptation will be born.

Strange...me...

Sunday afternoon, bored. The kuey-teow soup does not taste as good as it was two weeks ago. Wanna, find a place to online with my T42, decided to go Centro, but don’t know why ended up in JJ.

Maybe it is because of the crowd. People walking around. To a certain extend, better people than those crawling in KP.

After a couple of tries to get my batter charged properly, I found a corner place, close to the outlet. But it is also close to the pathetically low fence that dividing Starbuck with the rest of the mall.

The weird thing about Starbuck in Bukit Raja’s JJ is, apart of there is no smoking area, it is situated right in the middle of the left wing. Right in the middle, which make the patrons looks like animals in zoo, fishes in aquarium. Weird. And there is little privacy, for people can look over your shoulder and see what you are doing in your laptop.

The corner seat, though close to the power source, but it is right in front of Guardian. Some brats where their ignorant parents let loose like wild dogs are chatting right behind me. How annoying. Broken Chinese, undeveloped mind, ugly and stupid. Fuck, they don’t produce children like they used to. Are we still evoluting into a better species? With these kids around, it is rather hard to believe than evolution still happens to humankind.

Strange, weekends should be relaxing, but why am I so grumpy? Is it the people? Or is it me? Strange…

A Sudden Rant

Don't know why, am getting tired of the town where I live.....

Saturday, as usual, sleep till noon, and as usual, after having an insanely heavy instant coffee and read the paper, I head out for my late breakfast or lunch. And of course, loitering around, sometimes read a book I bring along, smoke, observing...

What is this place? Who are those people or rather, what are they? Lala everywhere, Bah Kut Teh(not the dish, those insanely fat and ugly people) everywhere and their children who they left roaming around like stray dogs. Filthy, simply disgusting.

Perhaps all the better people has all gathered around the new big mall, and what left here in my area's mall is nothing but leftover waste. Regardless if they are educated or not, rich or poor, man or women, the way the speak, the way they behave, the way they live...just fucking annoyed me, even I am just observing, not in the crowd, not interacting with them...just looking.

How can this happen? What has happen to this town? Why can I see one likable being in the whole afternoon? Where are they?

Or...should I ask, what happened to me? What's wrong with me? With my mind?

Am I really grew tired of this town, or I just grew tired of myself? Or am I already, mentally, disengaged with current running in this town?

I...do not know.

Song : HE有激人 - 超級白

HE有激人 - 超級白
詞曲：HE 有激人 Hyhy & Eli

Love it~!

Mindset on food

After 6 weeks in Witbank, in less than 24 hours after returning to Malaysia, I flew again. This time, to Taiwan, for vacation.

How is Taiwan? Great. How is the trip? Great. But still there are ups and downs. Strange, I may not be the keenest member to go to Taiwan, but I think I enjoyed the most. My friends, however, also enjoyed it, but when it comes to the food...hmmm, I kind of miss my Witbank gang.

When my seniors complained about Witbank's food, the first idea I have, after trying to food there is, do not expect it to be same as Malaysia. Same goes to Taiwanese food, or any other countries. Reason being...should I say it? It is totally logical to expect things to be different when it is from different country!!!

My colleague is a Muslim, she has limited choice in Witbank, but as long as the meat she eat is halal, she does not particular if the cooking utensil has been used to make non-halal food. I'm impress with her flexibility.

The irony is, my Taiwan gang does not eat beef. I don't think they are Buddhism, for it is never a Buddhist thing, and Buddhism does not encourage stubbornness on choice of food, it does not have any commandments like those religions that has God as the central figure. They are more like typical Chinese religion that worships the deities which is more like a blend of Taoism with the appearance of a few Buddhism figure in their rooster. So what happen is, when I was happily indulging myself in any food I am interested in in Taiwan. They were restricted to things that they can eat. They can't even accept it if the soup in steamboat has been used to cooked beef. But luckily one of their Taiwanese friend unknowingly dip a piece of beef in it. After this, I am free to use the soup to cook my beef. Everything is different, of so many food we tried, they only like one. How sad for them.

Funny thing is, despite being 10 years of friend. There are still a lot of behaviour I totally do not know, and need time and patience to cope with. Like my Witbank hater senior, I mentally comment the Taiwan gang that they shouldn't bring along Malaysian mindset on food to Taiwan. But when think about it, didn't I did the same mistake. My friends are good people, but in terms of food and culture, they are not as open or adventurous as the two ladies I went to Witbank with. Maybe I myself are too accustomed with them that I brought my openness and adventurous mindset to Taiwan and forgot that I actually going there with totally different group of people?

Still perhaps the group is too small. Hopefully next year we have a bigger group. The bigger the merrier ma. But then again, it was a great trip. More on that in future entry.

All My Bags Are Pack, I'm Ready To Go...

Wow...that is fast~!!! Almost unbelievable. It's tomorrow? We gonna leave tomorrow and back to Malaysia!

I'm even more excited. In less than 24 hours after arrive in Malaysia, I'm going to depart to Taiwan!

Funny how things happen. Now I starting to miss South Africa already. Although we live in Witbank, a place that generally agreed by all, even the local to be the most boring town in South Africa, but I'm glad we can still enjoyed our short term stay here. Ultimately, it is not the place, it is the people. Who are we and who we are with actually plays a big part in determining if a trip is a dream or a nightmare.

There's a lot of first time here in SA. First time being out of Asia, first time on a business class flight, first time touching a lion, first time being to a safari, a reserve land where all the wild animals roam and live freely, first time eating springbok, a local cute animal with very cool horn and many more.....

Well, in less than 24 hours we will be in the airport waiting our flight. Can't wait to be back, but I'm sure will miss this wonderful place.

Furniture in Witbank

In the first two months in BHPB, we, the newcomers, the Colonists (not people living in the colon, ok) have nothing to do in the office. For most of the time, we moonlight as furniture. The most productive thing we do, other than training, is monitoring the traffic in Federal Highway and decide when is the best time to leave to office, or should we go have some coffee for a while to wait for the traffic to recover.

Before even my real work started, I am to change my role and travel 16 hours to South Africa to learn what I need to do for my new role. Well, it may not be the most glamorous place to be for training, but we like it so far.

After more than a month here, today, a day after the payroll run has ended, we end up being furniture again in the aged office in Witbank. And in such a good day, I have a headache. Fuck!

Pictured: Me

Maybe tomorrow, or next Monday, the training will presume and that is bad, for me, as you know, are one hell of a lazy piece of protein (with rather high fat level).

Countdowning now...

Less then two weeks, then back to Malaysia for a day, and head straight to Taiwan for the long awaited vacation.

The couple returning from UK has returned, and don't know if I will see them first in my one day in Malaysia before departing to Taiwan. Ah, how I miss them. It has almost been a year since I last see them, the dinner in Restoran Boston, if my memory hasn't fail me yet.

Sigh, how time flies. Sometimes, I wonder if it is travelling too fast.

Life here...

Not even a month here, in Witbank, South Africa I have already get use to it. Rise morning, breakfast with cereals and my choice of eggs and sides.

A short trip to the office, work till lunch, where we will usually buy some pre-cooked or frozen food which we'll reheat in the microwave, and a little chat after lunch.

Then work again until 5, wait for our ride, shower, then maybe a dip in the bath tub, followed by a three course dinner.

After that will be an hour or so on the net, until my thinkpad's battery reaches the critical level, then head back to the room, watch some TV, then sleep.

Curiously enough, I do not miss home much, save for a few things, the people, the food and my little car...Well, still have 20 odd days to go. Seriously, I hardly make countdown to home here. Haha~

A Sunny Day in Belle Done

From the first day we reached here, on September 17th until now, we hardly stay in the hotel for 24 hours. Whenever there is a local holiday or weekends, we'll try to make use of the time to go out exploring and hang out.

But this Sunday, we decided to stay in, after spending the whole Saturday outside. Frankly speaking, we need to rest a while and this is a perfectly nice place to do that.

This is a sunny Sunday, there's some occasional wind, but overall not windy or cold. The weather is dry here, so even if the sun is burning, unless we stand under the sun, we can hardly sweat.

After a late breakfast and spend the whole morning in the room watching random channel in the TV, I decided to come to the patio and online, and of course, puffing. Belle Done is kind of isolated from the town center, expect of some faint noise from distant vehicle, there's only some birds' chirping accompany me here.


This is nice, and I'm happy that we chose this hotel or more accurately guest house instead of those conventional hotel that lack of human touch. It is time like this that our reality blurs, for we feel like we are on a holiday rather than on a business trip, with an important mission to accomplish in 5 weeks.

Tomorrow will be another start of working week, and it will be a full working week, for there is no holiday. But even in work we feel little pressure, save for a lack of direction, since what we learn here is not exactly what we suppose to do. Well, I mean, they way of doing is different, and we need to learn the smart way, absorbing the core essence, rather than expecting to replicate all that is done here.

Still, a challenge in work is better than just work. For things will be boring if there is no challenge. Right?

South Africa is not for sissy

"South Africa is not for sissy" said a guy in the SA office.

I guess that is pretty true. But so far, I don't think why a sissy can't survive here. So far, things are good.

Or perhaps we just have the balls of steel...

Haha~!

Dinner in the room

So, today is Raya, we spend the morning travelling for more than hour from Witbank to Pretoria trying to reach the residence of some officer / advisor in Malaysian embassy. Our transport does not know exactly where the place is,and ultimately we fail to reach on time for Nazlyna to attend the takbir, but nevertheless, we spend some great time there beramah-mesra with some fellow Malaysian there.

The afternoon, we walk around a so call very big mall nearby and had a rather late and heavy lunch, thus we decided to postpone our dinner or maybe have it in our own room. So, when dinner time, this is what delivered to my room. I already know the menu, but do not expect it will look this good (but so far every meal in Belle Done looks good to me)

As usual,a three course meal for dinner, your choice of starter, main course and dessert. As for drinks, I mostly will order the local Castle beer. Not bad, man.

Today's starter is something familiar, vegetable spring role or fried popiah. It does not taste different from those that we can get back in Malaysia. Pretty nice.

My main course is medium beef fillet, with grilled pepper, potato and some local thingy.

Well, another surprise this evening is the beef. I ordered medium, and medium I get. But unlike any steak I had back in Malaysia, this beef is so tender and juicy that I cherish every bite of it.

And the dessert is this quite little strawberry cheese cake. One thing good about the food in Belle Done is, for the dessert, it is never too sweet. Just nice, and the dressing is simple but elegant. Apart from the sour strawberry, this dessert is almost perfect for me!

I wonder why those came here before me complained that the food here sucks. Either they frequent 50 stars place everyday in Malaysia or I'm too kampung or they are just don't know how to appreciate really good food, I don't know. One thing I know, to food here, so far there isn't one big disappointment yet.

Mission to Witbank

And so the journey begins with a sip of a pre-flight champagne. What awaits us, we have no idea. News from those who went before is not promising. They say it gonna be hell, and thus, in the more than 10 hours flight and transit, where we still close to the touch of civilization, we must utilize all of it.

What this trip will bring me is a new job role, learning things that I never thing I will going to learn, and doing things that I did not plan to do in short term. What bizarre about this situation is, it is just hours after I tell my lead that I am always game for anything new, and that very evening, I got the news. Ha~

If I say I'm not worried at all about this trip, this mission, then I am lying. But thing is, this is just a job, not about life and death. My job now for the next 6 weeks is to learn from the people there, and their job in the next 6 weeks will include teaching me what they got. Strictly business, nothing personal.

With that idea in mind, I am more relax and decided, when work, I give my all. After office hour, I'll enjoy the best. I'll eat the best, and drink the best (as long as it is reasonable) and I definitely won't let the fact that the cultural difference in this country to be a detractor of me having fun. If you are not open to other's culture, then you shouldn't even be a Malaysian. Wahahaha~!


Although Eve can not make it with us, but this two comrades are good enough. Oddly enough, all three of us are analytical and a bit of introvert. But that means we can cope with each other better. Nazlyna is a cute fella, and Annie, a mother of two acts a bit like Ziva in the NCIS series, but still have a good dose of humour in her.


Looking back after we landed on Jo'burg, it is rather surprising, at least for me, that for the past 24 hours, the only thing we have done is all about travelling. Seeing what welcome us is such a beautiful scenery, I feel that, although the knowledge transfer maybe taxing, but at least the none working time will be such an interestingly peaceful vacation.


So the plane has landed, and our mission begins. Wish us luck, my friends~!

Cause I'm Leaving...On A Jet Plane...

It's final, I'm here in the Cathay Pacific's Lounge, waiting to depart for my first business trip which bizarrely due to unknown fate, have to be South Africa. I always wanted to travel out of Asia, but never know the very first non-Asia country I'll go is South Africa. It's not even in my Top 10 list of country that I must visit some day~!

But still, fate is weird, and G** may be gay.What lies ahead is unknown. I am to get trained on what the guys in Africa is doing so that I can take over their job and they get retrenched. Half a year ago, it was the other way round. How ironic life is, sometimes.

I do hope that I will get a good karma. Last time I treated the Chinese quite well, give them full co-operation, and be supportive. Just that their then boss from kiasu land is a bit of a queer. So, lets hope that I will at least get a similar level of treatment here, but still, I prefer it will be better.

Too bad, team lead is not going in the same trip, I don't have kaki minum here then. When is she coming? Hmmm...

Trailer : Italian Spiderman

This should be cooler then the upcoming Spiderman 4~!!!

Yumcha in Starbuck, Centro

So, in Starbuck Centro, Klang. First time having coffee and browsing the Internet here and first time I organize a yum-cha session with my Klang gang here, trying to well, pull the off from the 99 mamak. I'm rather sick of it, but since most of the time no one has other idea we end up going there every time.

So, now don't know how well they accept this arrangement. Perhaps the parking fee and the price of the drinks here may be a detractor as the 'usual' place for us, but anyway, it worth a try, and really hope it works.

Even if they don't like this, I'm good to settle for Old Town...

Say....is there such cool coffee place in Witbank? I wonder....

There's always one such thing in every organization...

There is a talking chair in the department and it is stupid, or an idiot, but branding it as idiot is such a huge humiliation towards all other idiot in the world.

Speaks in such a monotonous insincere, fake and unintelligent, it is such a surprise that it is given such important task. This further strengthen my believe that any wise boss will fall victim to someone that appears to be confident and has a fake “can-do” spirit (just for the sake of making boss happy and try stupidly to impress the big guy). There’s one such character back in Lenovo and there is one here. Luckily, this thing is not in the same team as I do.

So, it will be nice if I never have to work with this substance, but if the ill twist of fate force me to, for sure I will act professionally and device a way to topple and destroy its future here. But it will be cool if someone else can bump it off.

Anyway, friends, help me, pray that this thing will die horribly, and burnt by the fire of hell real soon. It will be nice. Thanks~!!!

品酒 . 酒品

昨日收工與朋友同事飲酒.
由於不夠睡, 我喝得也不多. 別說醉, 就連酒精的影響也沒甚麼察覺到.
偶爾去喝酒, 不醉, 不受酒精影響也不錯的.
所謂眾皆醉我獨醒, 看的東西, 領悟的, 反而比平時的多.
發現有的人, 喝醉後酒品差得要命. 不能喝還拼命的灌. 明明就爛醉了還硬說不醉.
最的人討厭的就是三五成群的開始在吹水.
不管他好不好笑, 都笑的像個白痴.
那就是他們所謂的輕鬆, 快樂麼?
我很少喝醉, 不過就算我醉臥也不會那樣.
到底是人享受酒精的影響, 還是讓酒精影響?
人類的精神力量那麼大, 不過卻是有人喜歡完完全全的向酒精投降. 真他媽的渾蛋加三千!
度然發覺, 會品酒的人應該會有好酒品.
酒品壞的人不會品酒, 因為他們都是在灌酒, 只求一醉.
我說的品酒不是專業式的, 而是能夠尊敬, 欣賞他說喝酒每一口酒.
能夠不讓爛醉兩個字與喝酒拉在一起的人.

Video : Iron Man Anime Trailer

Oh~ Iron Man~! Anime~! Cool~!
This will be far more better than the previous animated feature (which I haven't watch yet)...

Don't care if this will be based on a comic story or not, it is just damn cool~!

Video : Marvel Ultimate Alliance

Cut scenes from an old game Marvel Ultimate Alliance.
Isn't it cool if they make it feature length movie?

Purpose...

When you are here, you wonder what is there.
When you get there, you miss here.
When you do not have it, you really want it.
When you got it, you don't know what to do with it.

Is it a human nature? Can it be concluded with mere two words?
Or is it because we the human never really look deep, and think and understand what is the underlying rational, purpose and reason for our certain want, need or lust?

If life that hard to understand? Or is it the human being that is hard to understand?
Life is simple, birth, grow, death.
How to live the life, is complicated.

Most of the time, our action, mission and purpose is not determined by ourselves.
We do not even think about it, somehow, we just follow the current.
People go to school, college, university, we follow suit.
People work and work and try to climb high, we follow suit.
But why do people do that? Survival? No.
People work hard to earn more money, that's mostly the standard answer to why do you work so hard?

But why or what is the money is for?
To make life easier, more comfort.

Why is that?

And this is the moment where the answer will not come as swiftly as before, people will think and think and think...and somehow they realize, just for a brief moment, they do not know what is their purpose of doing all this, and they can only come out with answers that do no remotely answer the question - So we have money to buy this and that, to get the kids to school yada yada yada.

And then, try asking "Why is that?" again.
They will get impatient and retort - Why is this stupid question for?
Hahahaha~

People then to avoid this answer, citing it to be philosophical and unpractical. But how can we live a life, when we don't even know what we are living for?
It is not something that complicated. Mine is simple.

"I just want to live a life where I can do what I want and in order to make sure I can do what I want, I work hard to earn more money to fund my amusement, my life."

That, for now is my purpose, to live Jacob's life as me, Jacob wants it to be...that of course within the boundary of what I can afford, financially, legally, morally.
How hard is it to know your own purpose? Not really that hard!

ROTF - Sideswipe (Deluxe Class)

Now this is Autobot's Sideswipe, one of the two "sides" presented in the new Transformers movie.

He is such a very cool looking concept car.

Here's the robot mode. He started his scene in the movie slicing Decepticon Sideway into half. A bit pity for the other "side".

But he has little line or role after that. Since he is a new addition, shouldn't he deserve a little more screen time?

Even the annoying twins get so much of exposure, why not this ultra-cool robot?

And he was one of the original G1 Transformer as well! What are those twins? Just forgettable boring bot!

Wicked, coo, efficient...looks like a master swordsman in a gang of samurai...

Review : Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince (2009)

And so we have the sixth Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince, staring the usual and directed again by David Yates. Like the books, with every new installment, the franchise grew darker and so is the film.

If you play the first movie and the latest side by side, if you don't already know they are related, you will be surprise to find that they are of the same series. Gone is all those vibrant, warm color. The visual is grim and cold, regardless if it is in the muggle world, or wizard world. You'll see a lot of gray and green and you will like it.


The film starts with random attack by the Death Eaters to various spots in both the muggle and the wizard world to show the coming back of Voldermort and the destruction he is bringing. It waste no time showing how Harry suffers in his aunt's home again, but it go straight to the more important aspect of the story, Dumbledore using Harry to lure Slughorn into going back teaching in Hogwarts.


Like all HP films, a lot of plot has been omitted for pacing and somehow the story is simplified. But the filmmaker never forget what the fans want and like. The Weasley twins are shown briefly, in their newly open toy shop and we got to see another small part of the train's journey, a piece of wide plain not seen in previous film. Don't know what is the intention, but certainly something new and different.

Nothing much to say about the overall plot, but for me, it is kind of like a warm up show of what going to happen next in the next two films. Every single scene gives us information that we may or may not need in the current film, but certainly means something in the whole franchise or for the next two films. The sad thing is, the relation between Harry and the Half-Blood Prince has not much screen time. If one miss the revelation at the end, which is just a line of dialogue, one may not even know who the hell is Half-Blood Prince. The role and characteristic of the Prince is so well developed and written in the book that when the revelation came, I can't help but smack my head and "Of course....how dumb I am...".


Thus, although I like the film especially how it is craft to really have an artsy, abstract feel in it, which reminds me of most post modern European film, with nice blend of spookiness in a highly sophisticated way, I can't help but to think this is more like a collage of various important scene of the book. The filmmaker try to squeeze in as much as possible the elements in the book but end up each elements can only have a pathetic portion of screen time. For those who read the book before, following the story is not a problem, but for those who have not, they may not know the direction of the film, for the direction of the book has already been contaminated.


The book, I think serves largely to tell us about the rise of Voldermort. It is loaded with a lot of scene about flashback concerning Tom Riddle. If it is not talking about the past, the book will focus on the atmosphere in Hogwarts, Harry's suspicion on Malfroy and Harry's relation with the Half-Blood Prince. Sadly, throughout the film, there is no one single element or plot device that stand out that tell the audience what exactly the main purpose of episode six. It doesn't even show what is the effect for Snape to take over the role of teacher in Defence Against The Dark Art. Still, I like the film.


I like the film because the series is getting more and more matured. Harry has more confident now, he is more outspoken is no longer the shy sissy. Downside is he will be more activist and sometimes act without a proper dose of brain work. Ron has finally make it and become famous and welcome not because he is a friend of Harry but because he is a magnificent Quidditch player. It is good to see Hermoine not being the best in class and a teacher's favourite and it is such a fun side story about her relationship with Ron. Draco Malfroy has finally officially evil, though he is not totally evil, yet.


Somehow, this film gives more opportunity for the young actors to try on wider range. There are performances that not typically seen in previous HP movies. Harry's super confident persona after drinking the liquid luck, Hermoine's sadness and disappointment when Ron choose the other girl, Ron under the love potion's effect, Ginny being a girl who can take charge, with confident (I like her better than Harry and Hermoine) and yes, Malfroy complication, uncertain and fear that he experience after being assign with a task by Voldermort. Malfroy is in his coolest form in this movie, and I really happy there is a significant amount of screen time dedicated for him.


As usual the senior talents performs beautifully, Maggie Smith despite being ill of cancer, is still the strict but caring McGonagall, Gambon's Dumbledore is always my preference although I'm think his performance during the mind-altering liquid scene is a little lackluster.

Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange is always my favourite Death Eater and finally, the great Alan Rickman's Snape. Like all previous film, his screen time is not much, but steal every scene he is in.

One pleasant surprise is the performance of Hero Fiennes-Tiffin and Frank Dillane as Tom Riddle and 11 and teenage respectively. As the name suggest, Fiennes-Tiffin is the nephew of Ralph Fiennes who played the adult Voldermort. Fiennes-Tiffin's performance as the cold, cruel and moody Riddle perfectly and Dillane is superb as the teenage Tom with charm, wit and spookiness.


As a conclusion, Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince, is not the usual HP films with a lot of wand fight. Being a part of a series that already have an end, it will sure suffer a few cuts that cannibalize the source but still saving the basic vital elements that will in sync with the final films. Nevertheless, it is a solid entry with mature performance and film making. Although the film itself, has blurry direction, but we can see where the whole franchise is going, and it is good. I think, a recap of the previous 5 films and a brief scan through the books will prepare you better to enjoy this darkest HP film till date.

Song : 陳奕迅 - 1874

Nice song...about people wondering if they will even find "the one" for sometimes they feel like the person doesn't exist at all in the world, in the current timeline, and they missed it by a century or more...

Lets start from here

And so the new job started. The first two weeks will be nothing but induction and various training. Week three onwards, if not mistaken will also be various training until like week 6. So, I most likely can only do actual work in my third month there...hopefully.

I'm not sure about others but for me, the first week in BHPB is really an eye opener and I'm totally impressed. We all get our workstation PC ready along with the most important access like email and other portal. I remember in other company, one will not get the ID unless the newbie himself have to constantly bug his manager so that the manager can constantly bug the FM or IT team to get it done asap. But here, it is just cool.

Based on the trouble they took in hiring, where the candidate have to endure a preliminary interview, and if pass take some test and if it is good, proceed to the third interview, and the details in our two weeks induction schedule, I believe, by the time we actually can do work, we will be 100% know what to do, who to contact and in short well equip. That's why I don't really have a lot of question to ask. They like have take into consideration of everything. What I need to do is just wait for things to unfold themselves as per pre-arranged by them.

I already like the environment before I join, now I have been there for a week and like it even more. I have to work hard then, for this is really a blessing after the devastating retrenchment that I walked through. I believe there is a future for me here, and I am glad I rejected the other offer for this. Haha~

The End Is The Begining Is The End

When I received the call saying I got a job offer, but it only starts on July, my first inner reaction is, "What, I have to wait for another month?". Now is July, and I will start on the 6th. Suddenly, I just realized that my long vacation has finally comes to an end. Like all holiday or vacation or break before this, I kind of starting to miss being totally free and useless again.

June, although is the financially worst in my days of unemployment, but is also the most relaxing month. No, I did not go anywhere this three months, not even a short local getaway, just stay at my place. The first two months can hardly relax, not news from job hunting, attending various interviews and browsing through those job sites. It is productive, or appear to be productive. The uncertainty of the future cast a rather dark shadow of my everyday life.

But a single phone call at the end of May change everything, but then my money is running out. So, although now I can let down the burden of job hunting, and just wait for days to go by and start my new job a month after, I can't really enjoy it the way I like. Well, you can't always get what you want. I can only enjoy what I can afford.

I tried to find some part time or even temp job, but I found that getting a suitable temp job is even harder than getting a permanent job. After a couple of try, I give up, cause there isn't much time for that.

The last two week I starting to prepare for the new job, studying the traffic so that I know when is the best time to start travelling to the office. To make my days more meaningful, I called some friends out to have lunch together. Reason I'm doing is in the final two weeks of long holiday is, I save the best for the last. Haha~

I kind of like the idea of calling friend out for lunch in weekdays. One maybe to see how they dressed in working days, or perhaps it is something I can't normally do when I am working. Not much people have a chance to get retrench, I might as well make use of it to do something I seldom have chance to go.

Enough said, not is already early Sunday morning, meaning tomorrow I new chapter of life will begin. Wish me luck, pal!

One of billions of blog entry for Michael Jackson

Almost a week, or has it been a week? The greatest modern pop star ever, the one who revolutionized MTV and the way of making music video, the one of the few pop singers that able to released hits songs that tell the story of life, environment and love, a true singer,musician and dancer, The King of Pop has died.

Skip all the praises and tribute, for all has been said in all media reporting his death and retold his life story. Just embedded some videos of this one in a billion, one of a kind Michael Jackson, some of my personal favourite.


Ben


Billie Jean (first time MJ display his iconic dance and Moonwalk after practicing it in his kitche prior the show)


Bad (full length with movie directed by Martin Scorsese)



Smooth Criminal


Bad (featuring the brat from Home Alone in the intro movie)


You Are Not Alone


Will You Be There


Earth Song


We Are The World

Feeling, a bit complicated

It has ended long time...but yet do not know still stay in my mind. Maybe it ended too abruptly when I haven't see that it will not work. It was a smart move, but not from me, albeit a bit sudden.

Many years since. The role that I filled is replaced. I know only this particular person can makes it works. Based on what I was told, I wonder why it never happen before. But now it does.

I am happy at how it turns out. If it is this person, things will be in good hands and hope it will prosper and fruitful. But yet, although I am sincerely happy, there is still a slight bitterness in me. Why is that?

Logically, rationally, I admit and know if it is me, the end will still the same. All will eventually be undo. And as mention, only this person can do it. But knowing is one thing, feeling is different. Even just a slight bitterness, but still is not a pleasant feeling. I hope this is the end for their search. As for me, now the chapter can really be close, for there will not be any hope, however slight.

I should have move on. I did, but not totally. The good news stirs my thinking a little. Maybe it time again to ask my purpose. Maybe Siowgirl is right, a rebound is helpful to get over it. Yeah, since it may give an illusion that things move on. But now I think I rather late for me. Just a little emo due to the complex and contradict feelings. Should be OK in no time.

For someone who I know definitely has little chance reading this, I Love You, and all there best for you. You have found it, do not let go.

Transformers - Movie Jazz G1 Redeco - Deluxe Class

With this, my 2007 Transformers movie Autobot line up is finish. Although in my toys, Ratchet and Jazz is having their respective G1 coloring, and the Voyager Optimus Prime is a 2009 ROTF redeco of the same mold, but lets not be too anal about it.

For me, it is always the look that counts. Redeco Optimus certainly look interesting, green Ratchet may be need in movie to be more attention seeking, but Ratchet is always a white robot as I have it and Jazz...


I remember i decided not to get Jazz, even when one day stumble upon a premium version in Anime Tech I didn't but it. Reason being, in his original movie color, which is silver, he looks awful. Even with premium paint job.


There was once I meet the G1 redeco Jazz, but then I haven't start collect yet, and ignore it, thinking the movie's original deco should always prevail. How wrong was I. Recently, while surfing in eBay, I manage to take a deep and long look on the G1 redeco movie Jazz, and the revelation struck my mind - this is it! This is what makes the mold works! This is what that transform a ugly looking fat and short Jazz into Jazz!!!


Even in alternate mode the movie original silver color translate poorly. Largely because it is just one big piece of silver gray plastic. But with G1 redeco, there is more details and variants in color. This makes the car look jazzy and not bland like it use to be.

Now the robot, definitely better. Like the alternate mode, the original movie color is but a big piece of gray plastic. It doesn't have a soul and does not even remotely spell Jazz. But this redeco IS Jazz! True to his G1 origin, with from bumper as chest place, black head, silver mouth price and blue visor. G1 Jazz is also cannot be define as thin and this works well with this mold. Now, this is Jazz.



It as a weapon, a telescopic swords or stick or whatever it is.


The rear part of the car and the spoiler becomes the shield.


Like Ratchet, it has overall a rather blocky feel which is good for transformation and stability, and look less like a movie figure.


The large blue piping for the visor creates stunning effect when the lighting is right. Even the Autobot symbol is more well defined in this figure. The original coloring is a bomb, this, is an Oscar!

Transformers - Transcanning Optimus Prime

Now, the Trans Scanning version of Optimus Prime.





Like Bee, it comes with base figure and parts for both protoform and Earth mode.


Unlike the animated shows, Optimus is a blue robot in Cybertron. In the cartoon, his Cybertron look is the same as in Earth, and even before made into Prime, when he was still Orion Peck, he was still a robot with red as dominant color.



So, protoform means transform into Earth entry mode la?


The robot mode. Deliberately save the head for the last. Make a holding the helmet cool pose first.

The base for my Optimus has tighter joint, but the car part is a mess. Due to the nature of the figure, where we attach parts to the body, the transformation relies a lot of very big piece of part that done most of the job.


Althought the chest has transparent windshield, but it is still a cheat. He should be easier to pose for the tighter joint, but the heavy load at the back made it quite impossible.



And again, after a nightmarish transformation, the outcome is rewarding!


The detail is just awesome and marvellous, and the chrome parts, the paint job etc...



Even a Voyager truck mode cannot compare with it.


The paint and color job is more movie accurate and if only Voyager and Leader class can have all those chrome...

Damn, even the wheels look nicer!



If the head lights are painted or piped, it will all the better. But for such a small figure, even the Autobot symbol on the grill is so detailed.

It will be another toy I will never transform it back to robot again...

Now, two trans scanning version's alternate mode.


But still transformation is not perfect and there are places where it doesn't hold strongly...