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.