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September 27, 2005
Cho Chang
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HP 4 is coming. They have got Katie Leung, probably with a Scottish accent to play Cho Chang. When I read the book I got an impression she is a knockout gorgeous Asian (Chinese) girl. I know there are many hate sites and hate mails directed at Katie Leung for landing the role of Cho Chang. That is not right. But I wonder, how come the casting director couldn't have found a genuinely pretty Asian girl? This Cho Chang is I am sorry to say ugly. And this is not Daniel Radcliffe fan talking but someone who thinks the casting director got it all wrong. Why must our Asian flower look so duh? So as to make Emma Watson look nice?
The hate mails may be uncalled for but some may not be without merits.
September 26, 2005
Must read article
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Translation very good, content is to me interesting but sounds like self promo type of article. But Pearl is better of course in translation, way better.
READ HERE
I am beginning to think that JDG is like Tiger Woods of entertainment world. Nobody seems to think badly of him, not even once.
Malaysian Idol Season 2
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Ok, old news. I have never followed the whole M'sian idol, I didn't like the 1st one, and never watched a single episode of the 2nd season until the last episode, where Nita and Daniel fought it out. I wanted to watch because everybody said Nita should win but will not as Daniel who didn't deserve to win will win because girls like him more. So I switched on and I can assure you, good looking is not how you describe Daniel, but he seems sweet enough. Both spoke bad English throughout the show and it annoyed me that how come the Malay host didn't speak Malay to Nita but was made to interview Daniel and the guy interviewed Nita when both of then can't speak decent English? But that is besides the point.
I personally feel Daniel has a sweet nice soft voice very good for Chinese love songs so when he sang that favourite song of his, I think his diction was all off but you must give him A for his voice. He meant every word he was singing and I thought he was good.
So I thought what's so great about Nita. So she sang, Big Spender and I read she was a club singer for like a decade? Well really she looked like it and I didn't like the image. Her singing, I am sorry to say diction also all off and her voice, big voice but nothing else. To say that Daniel didn't deserve to be there because Nita deserves to win is an overstatement. Her kind of voice is dime a dozen. Came the last songs and I thought she sang off key but everybody clapped, oh how great and Daniel not so great.
Then I read in the papers Daniel is our new Malaysian Idol! Of course, I SMS-ed 5 times myself. Saw the papers again and saw how humbly he kinda knelt before Nita, as if saying I don't deserve this you should and the paper's title was "Is he a deserving winner or a fluke?". What kind of paper is this? Am I the only one like who likes John Stevens when everybody likes that London? Am I the only one who thinks Bo Bice should have been the American Idol and not Carrie Underwood? If there is anybody robbed of any title it's Bo Bice.
Daniel should not have so humbly bowed. Maybe the entire picture meant something else but I thought he should just suck up to that moment. He's the winner after all.
If you want my honest opinion, I didn't think very highly of Nita. She reminded me of a club singer. Daniel has the potential to become a heart throb and a decent one at that, not because he looks great, which he doesn't but because when he was singing, I thought he meant every word. Reminds me of Zhang Dong Liang, but Zhang Dong Liang would not have survived Malaysian Idol since he didn't have BIG voice or POWER vocals. These Big and Power vocals are bastardizing the standard of real talent. Singing isn't about shouting, because you will scream away any meaning the words may hold. Singing is about meaning every word, feeling every rythm and for me the singer is the conduit to the soul of the song.
I am happy that Daniel won. I do not know if he was the deserving winner over all but between Nita and himself, I think he is the deserving winner.
September 25, 2005
Interesting (old) news
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I remember watching Tale Of Two Sisters, a painfully slow Korean horror/thriller/suspense flick and I remember saying this actress, yoem jung ah...
as the step mom was very very good in her role; in fact the one reason to watch this movie. Much later, that is today did I find out that he was Jang Dong Gun's ex-girlfriend of 10 years! They broke up in 2001 but still..what a small small world this entertainment world! Very interesting. She was in Model by the way, that bitchy one and he was in it too. And when I was watching Model I didn't even know she was the lady in that movie because totally different looking. Here's her present look I think..
And a former Miss Korea too! Interesting!
Anyway check out this thread and this news to know more...
Updates - Reviews (3)
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New series, new reviews, jolly good read all written by B.E.S aka Black Eyed Susan. Don't give her another black eye fans of Charmaine and Joe Ma!
Strike At Heart [TVB]
>Wars of In-Laws [TVB]
Will add the link into TVB section later.
September 22, 2005
The new Internet Explorer & Windows XP
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Is anyone as annoyed as I am with the new IE? I already got Flash installed and there it was that pop up bar telling me the page might not work as need Flash and so pls instal one. Why can't I just speak to my computer and say "Idiot! Got already lar!!" and again and again it will ask everytime i come across a Flash site.
Then there's the unblock contents thing. How many times must I unblock because the browser is smart enough to know this is the place where I want the contents unblock?
And what about firewall? Sounds great? Of course and then you discover millions of legitimate pop up windows not popping up at all!
Firefox as worse. Always freeze one. VERY VERY annoyed.
And since IE comes bundled with everything why can't it come bundled with Flash? Huh? HUH?
Typhoon Vs The Promise
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 VS 
And so both movies shall be released in Dec 2005, I am sure much to the frustration of Mr Jang himself since now he has to learn how to split himself into 2 to promote BOTH movies during the same month as he is contractually and passionately obliged to. But which one will you watch? I mean you can watch both but which one you want to watch MORE?
I personally am more interested in Typhoon, not because I dislike Cecilia Cheung (who looks very pretty simply I think because this movie was filmed what? 2 years ago or 3 years ago when she still looked human? Or maybe like they all said camera will put in 10 pounds on a person? In her case, maybe 50 pounds more?) nor is it because I like Jang Dong Gun's ultra thin starving tatooed scarred look.
I saw the pictures of the Promise and it is being touted as Asia's LOTR. Bad association because now everybody would expect it to be at least half as good as LOTR when I saw the pictures, the CGI looked rather fake. The costume though fantasy type but still strange looking and the posters plain weird. The promo pictures were rather inadequate. LOTR is fantasy but Legolas looked more real than The Promise' set. I have a feeling I won't like it much, except for JDG who looked at first like a real slave (but well fed slave) and then a handsome but weird looking long haired hero (and a very well fed one). So yeah, I'll watch it because when it comes to my favourite actor, I'll watch it to support him a bit. Maybe I might regret my post here. It might be good.
 
Pirate Ssin or the slave Kunlun?
Typhoon looks mighty interesting, because I want to see how the director is going to make us sympathise with the title character called (catch this!) PIRATE SSIN. I mean if not what's the point? You don't make a terrorism type of movie in these days when terrorism is like the worst word to ever utter by human beings, when the lines between terrorism and freedom fighting is like so blurred that no one cares anymore for the line. So Pirate Sin will have a just cause, a full sad background and a fantastic death I guess after he redeemed himself in some ways? If not why would JDG take on a role with no purpose than to hate? There must be a purpose since there are only TWO male leads in here meaning one is the catalyst of the other, the other the conscience of the other you know.
Which is why Typhoon sounds more interesting to me. But The Promise is interesting too I guess. I am sure it will be a smashing hit. I mean hear JDG speak Mandarin! See Cecilia Cheung with ex BF Nicholas Tse! Wahhhh very gossipy. But somehow I like the look of Typhoon better. But both movies are as different as Al Qaeda members and Sikhs!
Anyway, if you want to check out these upcoming movies, check out Typhoon at http://www.typhoonthemovie.com/ and The Promise at http://www.thepromise.sina.com.cn/
or simply hop to
http://www.jang-donggunggun.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi but I must warn you, if you don't like JDG you might suffer from too much of JDG there. But it's a good place to start to look for infos on these movies in English.
I still stand by my predictions as posted here eventhough I have read some very major spoilers for The Promise because I am very sure it will be an ultra happy ending type.
Anyway I must share this one picture. Remember my post where I said a thousand dreams broken when I looked at JDG ultra thin look when he was attending some premiere? On second thought, I don't want to cry when looking at that because I then saw these pictures and these made me wanna wail out loud. Good news though; I am sure these pictures were somehow pulled longer for effect OR were taken when he was really into the pirate look because he looked a bit better in that premier picture. But these are still a long long way from the Lost Memories years you know. Don't believe me? Download that SAKAMOTO TMO clip from 2009 Lost Memories in Media and you'll definitely agree. Anyway, let me cry...
NOOOOOOOOOO!NOOOOOOOOO! NONONOONONONONONOONONOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
September 21, 2005
Your feedback please!
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I really need your honest opinion, not for self gratification but really because I need to know.
Have you seen the layout in the Media (Downloads) page as well as the new font for the logo? The logo I can't change as I lost the previous font. BUT the layout, what do you think? I am not talking about the frames inside, but the whole thing, the colour, the arrangement, everything? Forget about the words and how hectic inside looked but the layout, WHAT DO YOU THINK? HUH?HUH?HUHHH?
I don't know. I spent much too many hours on this new look NOT to post it up you know, like kiasu mentality. The wide open space feel is great but do you think yellow is ok for the side panels? Blue ish for notices? A bit orange ish for the quotes part? The rest the same background as I have always used? What do you think?
I may be bias you know since god damn it (sorry but can't help it) I spent too much time on this one. So I need your opinion, as an impartial outsider (whom I consider as an insider but with an outsider feel). Don't give me a judgment by looking at it once. Look at it for 3 times, 5 times...then post it in here.
The new layout is in Downloads > Media. If it doesn't look nice to you, I'd rather not change everything but I am so sick of seeing the tables in the front page like neither here nor there!
HELPPPPPP!
OVERVIEW : Blade Heart [TVB]
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Written by Funn Lim
Tonight, or rather last night was the last episode. You know if you actually follow the story it might be a very interesting series. For one, the one you never expected to get the guy got the guy, villains are defeated not by power struggles and all but by the whims and fancy of a very potentially future ruthless young Emperor. In fact, many villains got done in because of loyalty, underestimating their rivals, love and all. I find it interesting Si Ma Ping Ting was done in by the man who loved her. In fact I thought she was so selfish and cruel and yet throughout the whole series she did all she did for revenge? Didn't get that. In fact if you want to start explaining,start from Episode 1 man. If you never follow this series from EP 1, you will be lost. I was so lost.
And I find it such a tragi-comedy in a way that the biggest villain is that young Emperor everybody thought as stupid and too playful for anything serious. BUT aiyah last 20 min I had to turn to watch House MD (great series by the way - Tuesdays 10pm Ch 17 Astro). So please, anyone, anyone at all, can someone tell me..
1. What happen to Man Lui and his love of his life? Did she die?
2. What happened to Adam Cheng? He got done in by the Emperor?
3. If yes, did Man Lui seek revenge? Did Liza Wang do anything?
4. Did everybody die in the end????
I am grateful though that Shirley Yeung died really early in this series, because I remember watching 10 min of her and like Ping Ting I wanted to drown her. Glad she did. In fact her best acting was as the breathing corpse. Yeah you could see her stomach going up and down. In fact I thought Liza Wang looked like she was going to murder her in some scenes. Like she was losing patience. I mean how bad can an actress be? Watch this girl. Not only can she stand in the crowd and I could not notice her, her acting was just simply awful. To know the definition of awful is to watch back to back 2 series of her.
But then everybody else was like ok to average.
This has got to be Adam Cheng's worst acting; so over the top most of the time. I have seen him much better than this. I mean this man looks great for his age, he CAN ACT excellently but in here his every gesture was like over the top. It's like he's acting for acting's sake. Liza Wang like opera and looking like she's preaching whilst acting. Quite unnatural but I'd rather hear her preaching than see Shirley Yeung act for ONE second. Raymond Lam like well the usual, most of the time gloomy, the rest of the time passive. No chemistry with all the ladies in here though. Got to see a lot of former child stars (glad to see them again) and interestingly the China actress who played Ping Ting had a lot of scenes, and she looking like Calista Flockhart. Acting was ok but I suspect Mandarin may be her better acting you know because frankly there are better actresses out there.
One thing I must congratulate TVB though; the dubbing was excellent. Nobody in my family knew that the eunuch's voice was dubbed.
I don't know about this series. People talk a lot in here, in fact every character will do a Shakespeare moment and talk not to the camera but a bit to the left or right and launching into a really long monologue. Yeah the acting is more like theatre you know, lots of close ups. But Adam Cheng was awful man. I was wondering what happened?
But this series has got to have the best scenery, most cast in a single scene and yes, that in between scenes and commercial clip of that stunt person falling down so dramatically from the horse was really the single most spectacular stunt I have seen for a long time, apart from the stunt that TVB is trying to make Shirley Yeung into a respected actress. Oh God, clearly one is succeeding and the other is a lost cause!
Overall, a pity I didn't watched the entire series. You get very easily distracted by other things when watching this series because there is no one singular moment that makes you not look everywhere and this is like a thinking person's series. Not since TVB's Justice Pao had I had such difficulty in following a dialogue you know, and Justice Pao made me realise how bad my cantonese was. This series failure is simply because too many things happen to so few people that you kinda lost track. You thought Adam Cheng died, like 5 times but there he was. You thought the woman who tried to seduce him also died but there she was. You thought the
doctor died and there she was. Really unexpected stuff. I like the ending for the corrupt eunuch though. Sad isn't it? Being done in by the one you thought was nothing!
Anyway, give it a try. In retrospect I believe this is one of those few series that is very different, very interesting but really you have got to concentrate. You must not be bothered with the average acting by most. Ignore Shirley Yeung. You will lose your concetration not because of boredom because like in Jewel In The Palace, the politics is so messy to the point of boredom. You will lose your concentration simply because you missed the 1st episode and everything else just doesn't fall into place. Unlike Angels of Mission of course, I simply stopped watching because..DARE I SAY IT?? It was boooooooooooooooorrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinggggggggg.
There I said it.
Anyway this is just an overview. Hopefully someone will ermm fill in the blanks for me??
FOOTNOTE
It is a mistaken belief and a definite misstatement to label Gregory Lee (Shirley Yeung's boyfriend-he was also in this series whose character's name I did not catch) as a newcomer. He is not a newcomer. He acted with Adam Cheng before and my mother remembers the kid who can make adults cry like buckets. He was probably the best child star of his time and his acting was way better than most adults. Now he's all grown up and looking older than he should and more passive than he was. Maybe age mellowed his acting abilities? I wonder what happened to his much fairer but less talented older brother?
Another that most would forget is the actor who played that stupid Chor Gau. Can't remember his name, so long ago you see. Is it Wong Shu Kei? He was also somewhat a child star also, very capable actor but time has robbed him of freshness. He looked truly bloated.
It just irks me to keep reading he's a newcomer, they're new, they will improve. Maybe they have deproved, that is a fair statement but they were great actors during those years when TVB and ATV were churning out quality series with performances worth remembering, not these days where any person who walk from point A to point B is said to be a great actress or actor. Our standards have lowered significantly and it saddens me that we are fed with junks of performances most of the time. There are a few gems and diamonds in the rough these days BUT much too early to say she's great, he's great. Series wise, I think the story dept at TVB has been declining because well, junks or inconsistent story. I read how great War & Beauty is and I eagerly anticipate this series but I reserve my comments since I believe 2 out of the 4 main actresses are just actress on instruction without any instinct of their own and the story of everybody scheming against everybody is as tiring as everybody not scheming against everybody else. We will see.
Updates
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Ok, added all the links in Media/Music Files under Downloads. Enjoy! Do tell me if
something is not quite right. ANYTHING. Thanks to Rinoa I have downloaded a
programme which may assist me in adding subtitles but very confused; must learn
first.
And added an overview of Blade Heart somewhere below or above which I will add into my Reviews list. Not a
review proper, just my ramblings.
September 20, 2005
Updates - Downloads > Media & Music
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Just reworked my Downloads Media page, merging TV Series, Movies, Groups and Individuals into one page. That will be my website's new layout by the way. Anyway those using the latest pesky IE browser, please do say yes to allow blocked content, if not you won't see my navigation links. It is still being upgraded as I am typing now, so if the layout looks weird, please do bear with me. Everything else should work just fine even in Firefox.
Anyway what's new in the Media page? Eh hem!
1. Added a whole lot of interesting clips and music files together with translation as taken from the DVD (hard work man!) for Friend in Movies
2. Added a TMO (very funny one) for 2009 : Lost Memories in Movies
3. Added a few interesting stuff for The Coast Guard in Movies
4. Added the whole soundtrack for Jewel In The Palace in TV Series
5. Added a nice song for Model in TV Series
6. Added some MVs for Winter Sonata, Hotelier and All About Eve in TV Series
7. Reworked some older links but still half way through.
I would definitely appreciate feedback as well as filling in the blanks like the names of the singers, titles, etc just to make this section respectable. Anyway I have added all of my favourite stuff so I hope you will enjoy downloading them. PLEASE DO NOT WATCH CLIPS OR LISTEN TO SONGS ONLINE. Download them into your computer please. Direct linking to your website is strictly prohibited BUT I encourage you to
a. link to these files directly if linking from a discussion forum OR
b. readd them to your website BUT for those movie or series' clips which I never state the names of the source or contributor means I made them myself so a link back to my website is definitely a must.
Don't worry about copyright infringement when downloading these clips. They're short and meant to encourage you to perhaps BUY the movie or the music or maybe remember the good old days when you watched the movies or series for the first time.
I plan to add some clips from Medical Brothers, All About Eve and Model but so far can't figure out how to cut from Nero and quite difficult due to the dual language thing. DVD it seems is actually easier, minus the subtitles of course which is why I typed it out.
And remember when MediaWorks closed shop? A friend sent me a DVD which was made and distributed amongst the former employees for remembrance sake. I want to rip that too and will post it up later just to remember the good old Changing Lanes day. I so miss the discussion nights!
Anyway happy downloading. If everything doesn't show or doesn't work, please email me and I'll set up a separate files list only for you to download, only if I have to. Everything I have tested and should work just fine.
Do you have any media files you want me to help host for you? I got some space so email me for details.
September 18, 2005
Updates - Reviews (2)
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Added 2 new reviews both by me.
Jewel In The Palace [Korea]
>JSA - Joint Security Area [movie][Kr]
September 17, 2005
Updates - Reviews
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Some great reviews for you...
Hard Fate by Bridget Au [TVB]
Stairway to Heaven by Rinoa [Korea]
Winter Sonata aka Winter Love Song by Rinoa [Korea]
Friend aka Chingoo or Chingu by me [Kr-Movie]
- Look for Chingoo as I emphasise more on the original title and may load slower than usual as got quite a lot of photos.
Episode summaries for All About Eve [Korea]
- with some extra stuff you may be interested in, especially those from Kuala Lumpur
I will be adding these titles later into respective sections.
Coming soon ...
- JSA [Kr-Movie]
- extensive review of Dae Jang Geum aka Jewel In The Palace [Korea]
- media files for some movies coming soon, fans of Jang Dong Gun may be interested in these or anyone interested in previews of some titles
- MTVs for some popular oldies from Korean series
(I sweated blood trying to upload these huge files so I appreciate somebody downloading them!)
Any new reviews? Now's the best time to send them all to me whether recent movies/series/books or otherwise.
September 14, 2005
Jang Dong Gun's Mexican fans club held a peaceful rally
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And I was wondering why a rally? Here is why...
Jang Dong Gun's Mexican fans club members held a peaceful rally on 2005.9.10 at Mexico City appealing to the South Korean President (President Roh Moo-hyun) who was on a 3 day state visit to Mexico to send Jang Dong Gun to Mexico.
   
This is those kind of news that kinda put a smile on your face, simply because you admire their tenacity and marvel at how popular some of our Asian counterparts in some far away country but yet can't help but feel these people must have had better things to do than to appeal t someone to bring someone to their land when that someone is powerless as the correct person to appeal to is that person's agent perhaps! Anyway a very amusing news. Is it such a surprise that JDG could be so famous in the land of soap operas? Apparently All About Eve was like repeated many times! Stars do have a certain power isn't it? I would love to read a news where JDG is appointed UN ambassador or something like that. I am sure I will get to read such a news in a near future.
But out of curiosity, when his female co-star in Taegukgi killed herself, I wonder did he issue any press statement about his feelings or some words of condolences?
September 11, 2005
Great news!
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I thought I saw a pile of wreckage flashed before my eyes when I was channel surfing a week ago or so and then I realised it was 8TV and that wreckage was so familiar.
It could only mean one thing.
LOST will soon be shown on local Malaysian channel 8TV! Don't know when, what time or whatever. BUT please if you must watch one series, make it LOST. Watch it from EP 1 and I am very sure guys will like Kate and girls will go for Jack probably. Personally Jack and John are my most favourite characters in this excellently scripted series. Do not miss this series, not even one episode. Believe me, it is of excellent intelligent amazing quality. Very rare these days.
Forget about the shallow Desperate Housewives. I can't see how women said they relate to the characters in the series when frankly speaking if you look any like them you at least will be 50% less desparate than most other people.
The more I watch it the more I dislike it. The only character I liked is Bree and she is getting on my nerves.
Lost is the one!
WATCH IT!
Oh how come I didn't know?
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I read some time before of a famous Korean actress who starred in a big budget movie who killed herself for reasons I could not remember. I gave no further thought on it until I came across a DVD review site which kinda mentioned that the actress I was talking about was Yong Shin in Taegukgi! So young, so pretty, I wonder why? Why kill herself? Why??
Very depressing day also because saw documentaries on the 9/11 Twin Tower thing and then saw this heartbreaking documentary when channel surfing (BBC) entitled Children of Beslan and the survivors, the children told about their experience and anger in that Beslan thing. I can't bring myself to write more, as I was watching that documentary, I kept muttering "Bastards! Bastards!". It is scary to note but understandably so that these children said they want to kill the terrorrists. It's the anger watching their families and friends die and the guilt that they survived and their friends and families didn't. No amount of excuses or reasons that can ever persuade me to believe in the terrorists' cause, even if their families may have suffered the same fate before. It was very sad documentary.
So I had to think happy thoughts. Since I lacked money, power, boyfriends and exquisite beauty, I had only my website as my happy thoughts and seeing it looking like this depresses me. So I thought of the new reviews I will be posting and busied myself with extracting clips from my favourite movies and stuff. I know, I am shallow but whatever makes you occupied and happy and do no harm onto others, I say why not?
Very happy to note that I will be posting I think 4 reviews, all very good quality stuff and some amazing clips that is over 15MB in size each clip but I am sure you will enjoy watching them even if there is a language barrier. I am updating this layout because I am sick of seeing it loopsided and I am reopening You Know Who's infopage. I admit I have been neglecting him lately but must come back to him. At the same time whilst I do not plan to create a fansite for JDG (as he has plenty of others who can do a better job than I), do expect plenty of clips from his movies and series that I can get my hands on. The problem with extracting DVD clips is I do not know how to extract the subtitles as well, so I am sorry to trouble you with looking at the clip and reading the subtitles from another file. I could add the subtitles into the clips but I tried it with Lost Memories and it was intrusive since I can't add it below a clip but must add before a clip. I know some may wonder how about copyright stuff, but really I am not bothered. These clips may even help promote the movie a bit, so that you guys and girls will go out DVD hunting for these movies, not all I would say are good. I can't get my hands on Shaun Chen's series so the next best thing is JDG's movies.
Just so you know and I am sure you all know, he is a movie star now. But funny though, I notice every Chinese that watches Chinese dubbed series would have one VCD box set of All About Eve and Winter Sonata. Hotelier is optional apparently. Anyway he has move beyond All About Eve but I hope be it in movies or series, that I can see JDG act alongside Bae Yong Jun and Song Hye Kyo. JDG already acted with Lee Young Ae in Medical Brothers but I don't mind an update although I find Lee Young Ae not a very good actress. It would be great even to see JDG with Shaun Chen AND Fann Wong. Wouldn't that be something?
And great news is that Datuk Michelle Yeoh is making a splash with her role in Memories of A Geisha I think. Sorry to say I suspect watching Zhang Ziyi act is already a torture but listening to her speak English? So Datuk Michelle Yeoh has an advantage. But rumours had it that she might get nominated for an Oscar! I think that is way too optimistic. It is a well known fact that she is not a great nor consistently or even a remotely good actress but she is an icon that one should admire. Oscar? Well if Halle Berry can win an Oscar and Catherine Zeta Jones can even get one for Chicago, I'd say why not?
WHY NOT?
Anyway Happy Monday which is a oxymoron I think. No Monday is Happy unless you're a workaholic/Schoolholic or you're not working/studying and has plenty of money to spare.
September 10, 2005
Winter Sonata, The Sims 2 & coming soon
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I am watching this series right now and am at Ep 3. I just wanna say the cinematography is excellent and every shot like a poem you know, so poetically beautiful. The way the hair of the girl blew against our hero's face, the snow, the wind, the dust, everything. Story in ep 1 is so good and ep 2 is slow but still ok. I can stomach this, as long as it is not slow I can stomach this. Right now quite a beautifully shot series and acting also very good. The actress, is it Choo Ji Woo? Anyway she reminds me of Taiwan's Xiao Qiang, only eyes smaller but looks pretty. I suspect she did something to her nose though.... Bae Yoong Jun is well the same ...except I can't help but kinda remember you know Untold Scandal everytime I see him onscreen..but great deep voice..come tot hink of it all guys sound like the other guy and all girls sound alike... let me watch some more before I come back to this post again. But the title Winter Sonata is so poetic. Wonder what is it in Korean? Same as Winter Sonata? Anyway smashing good themesong.
Anyway got a smashing good review of this series I will add soon and also one other review. Am too busy building my Sims house you see to post new reviews..
Anyway fans of The Sims 2, I wonder how can I put a pavement that is uphill and downhill leading to the house or a hut or a shack without putting stairs? I saw this one house in Pleasantville or whatever the name is and I can't seem to do it...
Also coming soon, fans of JDG will love some clips I will be adding soon..
September 09, 2005
Most anticipated movies of 2005
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Oh yes, more than one. I'll even include a prediction of the ending. I am not very familiar with most of the movies I wanna watch so pardon my mistake in the title, cast or story, if any.
And so in no particular order, my most anticipated movies of 2005 are ...
1. Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire
Harry won't die, just yet. He and Ron will have a big argument, frienship almost over. Hermione as usual will get all the lines that should have been uttered by poor Ron and instead of looking like in love with Ron, her eyes will be on Harry instead, looking rather smitten with Harry. Somewhere in the story there is something about the goblet of fire but it won't have much focus since the same old script write Steve Kloves will chop off 80% of the story, and the remaining are those that are of no significance to the story. Different director this time, so hopefully he will get the school rules (about the uniform especially) right, unlike in HP3 students turning up for classes like they just had a fight. Clearly someone who is not familiar with Brits private schools.
Good news : same old actors, and Ralph Fiennes is in this, making this movie respectable which it already is.
Bad news : Michael Gambon still around and Sir Ian McKellan refused to take on Dumbledore. Emma Watson still in here and she is still such a horribly inadequate actress. But worst of all, major mistake in one scene where Harry stands behind a tombstone with the name Tom Marvolo Riddle (pardon my spelling if I am wrong as I can't remember the exact spelling) and producers said that's the father when that's Voldemort! Major major mistake. Clearly someone didn't read the book and much more clearly, JK Rowling simply didn't give a damn about the adaptations.
Critics will ... : probably LIKE this one. Opinion will be divided and fans will probably discuss the missing scenes.
Box office prediction : Will line up to watch it, as with 1 billion other HP fans. So guess what? LOTR no longer here so this might just be the biggest hit of the year.
Further prediction : Those who has yet to read the book will buy the book and read it. My sincere recommendation. So far all 3 movies did not live up to the book so I guess do buy the book before watching the movie. One hint though; Voldemort will not die in this movie.
2. Narnia : The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe
Or not in that particular order. What a long title. Narnia sounds like No in Korean. Anyway, don't know much of the story except a bunch of kids entering into a mythical fantasy world via a wardbrobe or closet. Something to do with a lion and a witch. My prediction of the ending; the kids will save the day and the lion won't die.
Good news : Mostly unknowns, so a joy to watch talented new talents if they're talented in the first place. Trailer looks amazing, ala LOTR battle scenes and the whole feel of it very intriguing.
Bad news : Mostly unknowns, and still not clear about the story.
Crtics will ... : probably be divided on this one. Already early indications were not favourable.
Box office prediction : Everybody loves a good fantasy flick, especially those good versus evil and good aided by people not familiar with the battle and all. I think this will be a sure fire hit unless the acting is truly non existent.
Further prediction : The sales of the book written by CS Lewis will surely go up. I will buy the book.
3. Corpse Bride
Or something like that. Anyway Tim Burton is enough for me to want to watch this movie, a stop animation picture I think. or maybe not. Story is interesting, about a living dead woman in love with a mortal man on his way to marry his fiancee. Comedy I think.
Good news : Ewan McGregor is in here somewhere I think. Or is it Johnny Depp? Either one is good enough for me. And with Tim Burton as director, believe me this movie will look not only fantasy-ish but whimsical, truly imaginative kind.
Bad news : Will it be like The Nightmare Before Christmas? A bit too dark for my taste.
Critics will ... : LOVE this one. They like this kinda quirky dark animation type of movies that only Tim Burton can make.
Box office prediction : a hit probably but not THAT big a hit.
Further prediction : none at this moment. Except this movie will look dark.
4. The Promise
As in Mo Gik, by Chen Kaige. Not a fan of his movies. But am a big fan of Jang Dong Gun so I will watch this movie and buy the DVD. Story is something about Cecilia Cheung cursing herself not wanting to fall in love in favour of beauty I think and then she met probably the handsomest slave in the history of mankind, Kun Lun and they fell in love and they had to break the curse. Ending will be a happy one, most definitely because if not will defeat the very purpose of the fantasy like theme.
Good news : Rumour has it the trailer looks fantastic. Mr Jang will speak Mandarin and rumour has it his mandarin is very good. Cecilia's voice might be dubbed which is great news for me.
Bad news : When my friend read that Cecilia Cheung will be the lead, she swore never to watch this movie. I said your idol is in this movie and she said "yeah but can't bear to see him hugging THAT woman". I will simply ignore her existence, since she is so thin anyway, she can easily be looked over. Chen Kai Ge, not my favourite director. And with a budget so big, it could tank.
Critics will ... : compare this to LOTR and because it is by Chen Kaige they will LOVE the visuals but be divided over the actual story and probably some acting.
Box office prediction : Mr Jang's fans will line up to watch this movie, Chinese will watch this movie because it has a huge budget and if it is done right, should make us proud. I think it will be a hit, not Stephen Chow hit but still a decent one. Jang Dong Gun alone is enough for me to anticipate this movie with agonising wait since it is only going to be released in Dec 2005.
Further prediction : Jang Dong Gun will have more fans than ever, Cecilia Cheung will of course gain much much more haters in the process, more so if there is a kissing scene between them. I don't know if there's any though.
5. Typhoon
Between The Promise and this one, I want to watch this one more. Story is again ultra political. JDG plays a pirate that is betrayed by both North and South Korea and so he became a terrorist, pursued by a naval officer I think. Basically this movie is about 2 men but there is a woman somewhere in here, because if not many may simply mistaken this as some homosexual themed movie. Anyway, my prediction is JDG will die. But before he dies, he will gain and have this love-hate relationship with that officer, something akin to grudging respect and then he will die spectacularly. If he doesn't die, it will be like open ending type of movie and probably he might team up with officer to pursue a higher power. But this is not a HK movie so he will die. Officer may not die and may become more understanding of JDG's plight.
Good news : JDG is playing against type, a villain but I suspect a villain with a cause. Probably will get to see an intelligent gritty political storyline backed by amazing views of the sea and some great performances. And oh please, Jang Dong Gun is in this movie. That is great news for me.
Bad news : It's in Korean, about Korea and set in Korea, so there might be some cultural barrier in here. And JDG lost like 80 pounds (or 10 kg issit?), looking rather starved. Got scars on his face and tatoo on his body looking brutal, angry, mean. Also not a heroic type of character, so fans may be turned off. I do not know who is the officer.
Critics will ... : From Korea and Asian countries will definitely LOVE this one because it is interesting, thought provoking and although yet another politically driven plot, still refreshing. Westerners as in critics will be divided; most will not understand the movie because the lack of knowledge of the history between these two divided nations but all will probably rave about the acting, the visuals and the story, at its most basic.
Box office prediction : What else? A hit lar. Probably Korea's biggest hit. But if shown at the same time as The Promise, I think The Promise will win. So it will be rather stupid to release this movie BEFORE The Promise or the same time as the Promise as intended by the distributor. For heaven's sake, release this AFTER The Promise, when JDG gain more attention and his new fans will flock to see this movie.
Further prediction : JDG might again win Best Actor/Best Supporting Actor in his country's Oscar award. And if this movie is really that great, might even get Korea an Oscar nomination as Best Foreign Picture. I seriously doubt The Promise will get nominated so I predict this one if any.
6. Chicken Little
Disney's own animation, where Pixar's Cars was pushed over for this one. Poor Pixar. Saw the trailer, looks funny, the chicken looks cute with the dancing and all. Story is simple; a chicken loves to cry wolf saying the world was falling down as in the sky was falling and of course people grew tired of his lies. Then one day the sky actually fell or maybe falling. My prediction of the ending is that the chicken will learn a huge lesson about lying and gain the respect of his friends and all and save the day. With such a simple storyline and some great graphics and memorable characters, I am sure I will enjoy this one. But dirty tactic though to push Cars aside like that.
Good news : graphic looks great, storyline simple and yet intriguing. Kids and adults will probaboy love it.
Bad news : Dirty tactics may turn away fans of Pixar. But I am a fan and still I will watch this one as I grew up watching Disney cartoons and one dirty tactic won't drive me away. One lousy flick like Pocahontas didn't drive me away.
Critics will ... : most of them will LOVE this one but there will one or two idiots who will say nope, hate it probably because they did not have a childhood. Could be the same one who said Finding Nemo was not good.
Box office prediction : A big hit, I suspect.
Further prediction : Might just win Best Animation at the Oscars. Disney never failed to entertain in the children's story dept so I know this movie will not disappoint me.
More coming soon.
What about your own prodictions of the movies you really wanna watch in 2005?
September 08, 2005
The Sims 2
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I am really enjoying this very updated game from The Sims. Already The Sims was very addictive but this one...
I found some cheat codes and like life itself, not having to worry about money is great. My Sim started life at $9,999,999-00 worth of fortune. Anyway what I love are these ....
1. I can edit my Sims. Previously you can't do that.
2. I can add my own music. Right now my Sim is dancing to Dae Jang Geum's soundtrack!
3. I even added an ad of Jang Dong Gun into my Sim world so my Sim is now watching the ad, complete with audio and all!
4. I read I can add custom painting into the house. Will try that later!
5. Got woo-hoo, so makes my sim more human. Also can play homosexual couples but I wonder can they adopt a child in The Sim?
6. Graphics livelier, more real.
BUT a few complaints..
1. In the Sims world, does it ever rain? Hurricane? Disaster?
2. Very limited hairstyle choices bundled into the software. Also no Chinese looking people. I hope to add in celebrity lookalikes but can't find them right now. In The Sims 1 I had Angelina Jolie!
3. the interface very confusing, takes time to get used to it.
4. Don't have the transparent window panel anymore! It was my favourite back in Sims 1!
5. I used to have this complaint in Sims 1 that my Sim takes too long a time in the toilet. I wonder in this can I control the timing they take to take their bath and all?
And worst of all, University not hacked yet so can't add that into my Sims world!!
But still a very addictive and great game!
September 07, 2005
The picture that broke a thousand dreams
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First of all, I was in JB yesterday and I managed to catch Heartlanders. I curse because I just managed to see the first or probably second appearance of Shaun Chen and so didn't hear him speak. BUT he looked the part, he looked menac ing with his tatooes and his very aggresive appearance. But darn, didn't hear him speak! And talking about this series, I regretted watching it. Not only were the English bad (but then that's local English) what's worse is the acting. It's from bad to really bad to very bad to very very worse. I suspect Shaun will do well because he could act better than all of the others. But the young boy can act, the guys are very handsome and the girls pretty but all of them can't act except for that one actress whom I saw before in some chinese series but i can't remember which one. In here she played the single mother, speaking very good English. But the rest were awful and the acting awful, the script awful, the make up awful and Shaun Chen just 3 minutes appearance was even more awful for me! So disappointed couldn't hear him speak but maybe better this way...
Next, my real reason for this post is this picture taken I think just 2 days before at some mega star studded premiere...
This picture broke my heart and my thousand dreams about this very beautiful actor. I already know he has little fashion sense but this one ...my reaction is to cry. I don't know what else I could say except for this..
His fans, scarily enough says he looks sexy. Ok, he is a bit more filled out that just a month ago and those awful looking promo pictures of Typhoon (awful as in he looking too thin, the photos in actual fact were nice) but I miss his All About Eve, Taegukgi and even Lost Memories look. Even Chingoo he looked so much better. Now he looked haggard. i pray he will gain more weight and look at least idol worthy and maybe gain some fashion sense along the way.
I guess you can't have it all...good looks, talent, great personality..I guess one element had to go and I don't mind the fashion sense element. But oh please... dear Mr Jang...please end that Typhoon fast and go back to how you were wayyyyyy before this one...
September 06, 2005
2009 : Lost Memories - The Making Of
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A continued post from my last post...
Ahhh I finally know how to pronounce Jang Dong Gun's name. Anyway I just finished watching Lost Memories : The Making Of and I kinda guessed what they were saying since not much was said anyway.It was interesting to see at the end of the filming the director cried, of course. BUT the Japanese actor ALSO cried, very emotional as he said his thank yous to his colleagues and yet he didn't say much due to the language barrier. What was great though was that he actually made the effort to speak a bit of Korean.
Anyway it was a dangerous movie to film from the looks of it. Bullets flying everywhere and worst still, not much protection. Several times dear Dong Gun was hurt by flying shrapnels (I think that's what you call them), first on the side of his body, next his hair, then his eyes, and loads more. I can imagine what hell he went through for Taegukgi though with that broken foot or leg or ankle of his. I pity the actress also, hair almost burned I think. But the director seemed concerned enough to make sure things were alright. But still, bullets everywhere...
It was nice to see the Japanese actor crying. Anyway will add his name here later when I reread my review as I can't remember his name.
September 05, 2005
2009 : Lost Memories
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Watched this movie again just now and I stand by my review. It's still too long, too many shootings but the acting by the two leads still great. But I disagree with my friend who said JDG looked the best in here. Nope, still All About Eve for me whilst body wise, The Coast Guard.
Anyway I was watching the making of, and there was this segment called Sakamoto, JDG's character in the movie. A special section for him and I wondered what eh? It was mostly about his attempt to speak Japanese in I guess the 1st dai of shooting a scene with Japanese dialogue in it. He NGed like 10 times and had to do it I think 2 more times to get it right. It was a very interesting segment, the hard work JDG put into it whilst his co-star whose name escape me right now as so very patient with him. True professionals, both of them.
Then there was this segment about all of them taking shooting lessons. JDG did ok, but he won't kill you. THe Japanese co-star I think missed it all. It was very funny to see them gloating in a way who is the better shot.
I will cut out the Sakamoto segment for you to see. I could differentiate between the Japanese dialogue and the Korean dialogue. I pity JDG though; it was a tongue twister scene.
I think in The Promise he will have a better and easier time since Mandarin is less tongue twister. With the dedication I saw in this segment, really I have no doubt he will get the words right. And he even managed to squeeze in some acting also.
There were a lot of various segments like how he ended up in the hospital and signing loads of autograph and all.
Anyway guess how JDG communicated with his fellow Japanese co-star? How? Ahhhhh the universal language. NO! Not wink and sign language. ENGLISH. Surprising eh?
Anyway, I got my Sims 2 today. Wow is my only reaction. Wow! Wow! Wow! So my new computer is worth it after all!!
September 03, 2005
Extracting clips from DVD & a survey
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I thought it would be a breeze until I realise it's not! You know DVD has many audio options and what's worse is the voice overs by directors and all! So I had this Nero editing thing which is so difficult to understand. I spent 30min understanding every button and at last I successfully cut out a specific scene in Friend but discovered I cut out all audio streams. Then I had to find the button to choose a specific audio stream and cut again and again and again and at last successful! BUT you know, NO SUBTITLES! I can't find the feature where I can on the subtitles so that when I cut it out there is a subtitles there! So even if I cut out that scene unless you understand Korean you won't understand!Even if this scene is mainly stab stab stab run stab music dialogue stab die!
Anyone got any freeware or maybe shareware type of software where I can cut a frame from a DVD and also on or off the subtitles? Is there such a software?
Anyone??
Anyway cut out also very BIG file size but quality very nice. I am going to encode them into WMV files, smaller.
I wonder, is there a way for myself to add in the subtitles or words? I found it in Nero but looks like a hassle. You know what, I will just create a seperate file, you download the clips, then you pop up that file and read the file as you watch that clip!
Anyway a few questions, need your feedback!
1. I wanna ask; how many of you do not understand Chinese? Because a lot of my clips are in Chinese and without subtitles so I wonder, do you want me to do some very basic translation for you? My Cantonese is good, so I can that. My mandarin is passable, so basic ones I know. Korean files I can just type out what the translators did. As for movies in VCD format, I need not do that since the subtitles' there.
Give me feedback. I want to make your life easier and since I am rarely writing reviews these days and I want to extend my interest so that you will be interested as well, I need your feedback!
2. How many of you actually do download files from my Downloads page? I know not much but you tell me.
FEEDBACK!
Friend
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As in Chingu or Ching-goo or Friend in Korean.
Just finished this movie and I curse that do not know what they were saying during the interviews.
It is interesting to note that Jang Dong Gun's face was the largest in the poster but his role is the 2nd least character you will see onscreen. I shall save my comments about the movie in my review, except to say if I had been a Korean that movie may have made more impact in my viewing of the movie. Alas I am not.
Anyway I just wanna say I was shocked at hearing his voice. I will make a clip for you to see so that you know.
New reviews coming. Stairway to Heaven and Dae Jang Geum, the 71 parts version of my review.
Oh yes, it is VERY long.
September 02, 2005
My DVDs from Yesasia.com
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I finally got the DVDs I ordered through yesasia.com, Faster than I expected and untouched by Malaysian custom so I was very happy indeed.I ordered basically the following:-
Friend
Lost Memories
JSA
and got one free DVD so I chose Last Present.
First of all, all these are Korean DVDs. I read at yesasia.com and was very happy to know they have English subtitles. I must compliment yesasia.com. Thoroughly professional and very efficient, shopping at yesasia.com was a joy provided of course your stuff are not taken by the custom.
Anyway the 4 items were interesting. I must describe them one by one.
Friend
The one with the coolest box set as in a tin box, inside got a small booklet about the movie, one DVD for the movie and the other for the Making Of. I love the whole feel of the box and I thought it was a bargain but I haven't seen the movie yet. Except to test the DVDs, I kinda dislike the font used for the subtitles. Very childish.
But my disatisfaction came from the making of DVD. The box was not accurate. It said that both DVDs had Eng subtitles but the inside box said DVD no. 2 didn't And indeed, the director may be explaining the science behind the movie I also wouldn't know what the heck he was yacking about. I was extremely disappointed. But the box is nice.
Lost Memories
Plain cover but inside very nice. I like the DVDs being arranged in such a way that one does not sit on top of the other. Malaysia's DVD should use this format. Again I was disappointed to know DVD No. 2 did not have subtitles. I can't remember if this was the DVD but they do have an option for Korean for foreigner and Korean for Korean. I wonder why...I am a foreigner so can I understand that Korean for foreigner?
It's silly that so much effort has been done to translate the DVD no. 2's interface and yet, the interviews, everything is in Korean without subtitles. Oh yes Korean for subtitles. I was like can stare but wonder what the heck they're saying.
JSA
Very cool box set, even cooler interface for DVD no. 2, like playing a 3D game. BUT alas...you know lar...got intros to the cast but what the heck did they write eh? Again effort was made to translate the interface but once inside, hey you're on your own!
I don't get it! Why? WHY? WHYYYYYY??? I should have gotten the HK version but you know maybe the DVD No. 2 has Chinese subtitles! There is no Malaysian version though, I can stomach BM.
So my main disappointment, make that extremely disappointed disappointment is the DVDs no. 2. All the wasted material.Yesasia.com should have been more specific.
Last Present
Ordinary box, since it's free so nothing exceptional.
Anyway, that's my EXTREME disappointment. You can't find Lost Memories anymore in Malaysia and you can never find Friend. So it is give and take. But whyyyyyyyy....whyyyyyyy.....
People who produces these DVDs...please...translate EVERYTHING or else don't bother with DVD no. 2. Give 30% discount and I'll buy it! I mean Jang Dong Gun is great to LOOK at but really I do want to know what the heck he is saying.
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