KanjiGirl

Movie reviews part 3

// December 13th, 2009 // No Comments » // Entertainment

UP – This one’s really not what I expected it to be. Well, I actually had no idea what this movie is all about before I saw it but I expected it to be fairly light and fluffy. Instead, I found it very serious and heartwarming with funny scenes sprinkled here and there. I am giving it a 4 because although I liked it the first time I saw it, I got bored the second time around. [4 out of 5]

YEAR ONE – This was a disappointment. I never expected anyone to be brave enough to parody the Bible, but apparently these guys who created this movie were. Essentially, it’s a plot-less attempt to get cheap laughs. At times the dialog redeemed the movie, but still I wish they could have done more to make make this movie more than just a brainless mishmash of scenes. [2 out of 5]

LAND OF THE LOST – This is worst than Year One. Although there was a plot, it was a bad plot. The special effects (if you could call them that) were terrible to the point that I think they did that on purpose. What a waste of movie money. [1 out of 5]

G.I. JOE – If you want your movies action packed, funny, and easy to follow, then this one’s for you. The plot is simple and sometimes flawed, but the action is awesome. I only didn’t like the final twist at the end. It didn’t make sense to me. [4 out of 5]

SURROGATES – This one’s a pretty good, but I saw a lot of flaws in the movie’s main concept (having a robotic surrogate live your life for you). However, I still the found to movie very interesting and action packed. I love the movie’s surprising twists and was never bored throughout the entire movie. [4 out of 5]

FAME – I was looking forward to seeing this movie because of the early hype it received. Maybe I expected too much that’s why I wasn’t that impressed with it. As a disclaimer, I know nothing about the play it was based on. Still, it was just a collection of stories of the kids on this high school. You are basically just taken through their experiences during their short 4 years of high school. [3 out of 5]

THIS IS IT – I’m not a big MJ fan but I really liked This is It. It was really something else. I was totally in awe the whole time! It’s just like watching his concert and at the same time getting all the behind the scenes stuff for every song. Being someone who dabbled into events styling and management, I was really interested in the whole behind the scenes part. The thoughts and effort they all placed into this production really amazed me. [5 out of 5]

ASTROBOY – Again, I knew nothing about the cartoon series this was based on. Despite this, I really liked this movie. It was a good thing too that my boyfriend was familiar with the cartoon so he was able to give me some added commentary. [5 out of 5]

2012 – I have nothing against the whole mass destruction movie concept, but it does get boring at some point. I mean we all know what will happen in the end right? But to this movie’s credit, they did went all the way with the special effects. The did make the end of the world look good. [3 out of 5]

NEW MOON – I read the book this was based on and I didn’t like it. Still, I was curious about how the book would be interpreted so I went ahead and watched it. I think they were able to faithfully interpret the book, which meant I also didn’t like the movie. Still, I loved Jacob’s character on the book and I think Taylor Lautner was able to portray the character well. [3 out of 5]

Glee Songs

// October 28th, 2009 // No Comments » // Entertainment

I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks that Glee is awesome. If you’re like me and you love to listening to songs from the show, you’ll definitely love GleeSongs.com. It’s a site where you can listen to your favorite Glee tunes. If you want, there’s also a link where you can buy the original or Glee remake on iTunes.

These are my personal favorites:

Mark Salling – “Sweet Caroline”
Dianna Agron – “Keep Me Hangin’ On”
Glee Cast – “Somebody To Love”

New K-pop Girl Power Remix (by MasaMIXES)

// September 16th, 2009 // No Comments » // Entertainment

The great Masa released another awesome K-pop remix this September. This time, he choose ten songs from girl groups that were made popular this summer. I think the only song missing here is f(x)’s La Cha Ta. I wonder why he didn’t include that one. Anyway, check out the tracks used in this remix:

2NE1 – FIRE
2NE1 – I Don’t Care
4Minute – Hot Issue
After School – Amoled (feat. Son Dambi)
Brown Eyed Girls – Abracadabra
Jewelry – Vari2ty
KARA – Mister
KARA – Wanna
So Nyeo Shi Dae – Genie (Tell Me Your Wish)
T-ara – Lies
vs. Girls Paradiso – Patron Tequila (Instrumental)

The video remix is as awesome as the audio. K-pop fans shouldn’t miss this!

Movie reviews part 2

// August 5th, 2009 // No Comments » // Entertainment

Here’s part 2 of my movie reviews. In my first movie reviews post (The Last 15 Movies I Saw) I reviewed 15 movies. This time, I’ll just review 6 so the post won’t be as long. Due to my terribly busy schedule, I wasn’t able to watch all the movies I would have wanted to. But at least I was able to see the ones that really mattered (in my opinion at least). ^.^ Here are the movies I saw since June (or was it May?).

ANGELS AND DEMONS – I don’t really want to compare this to The DaVinci Code because they are two different movies and I won’t. Although some of my friends said they disliked this movie, I would have to disagree. Since I didn’t read the book before watching it, I truly enjoyed the twists and turns of the plot. I really liked Ewan McGregor’s character; he made this movie that much better for me. [5 out of 5 stars]

NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM 2 – In my opinion, this sequel was a hundred times better than the first movie. I almost didn’t want to see this because I didn’t like Night at the Museum. It’s a good thing we went ahead and saw it anyway. And I still enjoyed it the second time we saw it. You really can’t take this movie seriously. It’s light, funny and entertaining. [4 out of 5 stars]

TERMINATOR SALVATION – Would you believe that this is the first Terminator movie I saw? I saw it with my boyfriend who thankfully is a fan of the series and was able to explain to me everything I didn’t understand. And I liked it! In fact, I really enjoyed the movie. I half-expected it to be a bore but it surprisingly wasn’t. [4 out of 5 stars]

TRANSFORMERS 2 – Since the first Transformers was such a hit, it was natural that this installment will have a lot of hype surrounding it. My co-workers and I decided to make an event around seeing this movie and watch it together (all 14 of us). We even had to reserve seats because we were planning to see it on a weekend and we wanted to make sure we can get tickets. It’s a good thing we did because the theaters were packed! Anyway, the movie itself was ok. It started out kinda boring, but picked up around halfway through. However, I really hated how Megan Fox was pimped in the movie. I mean I get it, she’s hot without even trying. So why did they have to try so hard to make her look hot in the movie with rear-end shots, slo-mo running shots, etc.? [4 out of 5]

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE – I was in Singapore when this was premiered and I just had to see it immediately. At first, the Chinese subtitles annoyed me but minutes into the movie I didn’t even notice it anymore. I love this movie! We’ll I’ve loved all the other Harry Potter movies (except the fifth one, that one was just ok) but this one is one of my favorites. I think this is one of the best adaptations from the Harry Potter books (the Prisoner of Azkaban is another fave). [5 out of 5]

THE PROPOSAL – At this point I haven’t seen a romantic comedy in a long time. This movie was just in time. Sandra Bullock is a terrific actress and Ryan Reynolds is awesome as well. Fun fun fun! [4 out of 5]

My fave jpop remixes

// July 5th, 2009 // No Comments » // Entertainment

I love listening to remixes and mashups of songs. I wish I knew how to create stuff like these. Well, I actually tried to make a remix of my own, but… well… you’re better off not listening to it. Anyway, check out some of my favorite jpop remixes below… I’ll bet you’ll be amazed even if you’re not a jpop fan.

Do Me A Poker Face (Namie Amuro vs. Lady GaGa) from Masa on Vimeo.

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Before The Girlfriend (Crystal Kay vs. Avril Lavigne) from Masa on Vimeo.

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Sweet LOOK (Namie Amuro vs. Gwen Stefani & Akon) from Masa on Vimeo.

Still listening to 2008 (kpop)

// June 5th, 2009 // No Comments » // Entertainment

It’s already mid 2009 and I’m still listening to 2008 songs. Check out these three songs that I can’t seem to get out my head…

1. U Go Girl – Lee Hyori
   This is a cute and catchy song paired with a funny and entertaining video. It doesn’t hurt that Lee Hyori looks awesome in the video too (then again, she always looks great… how I envy her).
2. A.Mi.Go – SHINee
   Here’s another catchy song. SHINee definitely has improved since their debut.
3. Crazy – Son Dambi
   I don’t know why but I looooove listening to this song… it’s simply addictive. I also love the choreography on her video.

These are definitely three songs that are begging to be danced to. I probably won’t get tired listening to these any time soon.

So, what are you listening to?

MasaMIXES Kpop Special 2009 Mashup

// May 17th, 2009 // No Comments » // Entertainment

I just discovered MasaMIXES recently thru Twitter. Someone I was following posted a link to one of his mixes on YouTube and from then on, I was hooked to his original remixes of kpop and jpop songs. Here’s a direct quote from his YouTube profile:

I’m Carlos, a.k.a Masa, and I’m a 21 year old fanremixer. I’ve been remixing since 2005, composing arrangements and creating a variety of “versus” tracks featuring asian artists.

While I haven’t heard EVERYTHING he’s released yet, I think most of his mixes (the ones I’ve heard anyway) are awesome! My favorite so far is his mid-year mashup of the 23 hottest kpop songs of 2009. The following tracks were used in this remix:

Wheesung – Insomnia
Big Bang & 2NE1 – Lollipop
So Nyeo Shi Dae – Gee
2NE1 – FIRE
2AM – A Friend’s Confession (친구의 고백)
After School – Diva
SHINee – A.Mi.Go (아.미.고)
Younha – 1, 2, 3
JUMPER – YES!
Dong Bang Shin Ki – Wrong Number
Son DamBi – Saturday Night (토요일 밤에)
After School – Ah!
May Doni – Molla-ing (몰라ing)
IU – Boo
Bae Seul Ki – Tiresome (지겨워)
Epik High – Map The Soul
AJ – Dancing Shoes
Navi – Heart Damage feat. Crown J (마음이 다쳐서)
Dynamic Duo – Beyond The Wall
Super Junior – Sorry, Sorry
KARA – Honey (하니)
Davichi – My Man
2PM – Again & Again
vs. Danity Kane – Damaged (Instrumental)

If you’re into kpop like I am, I’m sure you’ll think this is amazing!

Credits: MasaMIXES.com, YouTube.com

The Last 15 Movies I Saw

// May 16th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Entertainment

My boyfriend and I usually watch a movie every week… sometimes two if we’re lucky. I used to write a short review about every movie I saw but to be frank, I haven’t done this for quite some time now. To make up for this, I’m lumping together the last fifteen movies I saw in this post.

Just as a disclaimer, I am not the typical movie buff. I watch movies to laugh and be entertained. I generally avoid movies that are depressing, scary, overly violent or too thought provoking. Most of the critically acclaimed movies usually fall into my avoid list, but I love big blockbusters, comedies and chick flicks.

Anyway, here are my thoughts on the latest movies I’ve seen, starting from the last:

STAR TREK
I almost considered skipping this because I thought that since I wasn’t a fan of Star Trek, I might be alienated from the concepts and characters in the movie. I was pleasantly surprised… I actually liked it! My favorite character is Spock because of the humanity underneath his emotionless facade. The movie also managed to inject a little humor into the story, which is nice because I hate overly serious movies. My only complaint here is that the time travel element in the plot was very confusing. But when did time travel ever make sense? [5 out of 5 stars]

WOLVERINE
Despite the many criticisms about this movie, I really liked it. The characters were all interesting and the story made sense. I didn’t read the X-men comic books nor did I watch the old X-men cartoon so I don’t really mind that the movie didn’t strictly stick to the original material, according to fans of the franchise. [5 out of 5 stars]

17 AGAIN
This is a typical feel-good romantic comedy. It’s cute and funny, a great movie for those times when you just want to enjoy a light movie. There’s nothing notable or original about it, but it’s entertaining nonetheless. [4 out of 5 stars]

DRAGONBALL REVOLUTION
There’s nothing really special about this movie. It could have been cool, considering that Dragonball is a well-loved manga and anime series. However, this live action adaptation reminded me too much about made for TV movies. I don’t know if it’s the script, the effects or the acting. Hmmm. [2 out of 5 stars]

FAST AND FURIOUS
For some reason, Vin Diesel is beefier here but Paul Walker looks too skinny. Paul Walker would definitely loose in a fist fight. I love the car chase scenes but I hate the scenes with Jordana Brewster in it. Her character just has nothing to offer. All in all, I’d say the movie is just average. [3 out of 5 stars]

MONSTERS VS. ALIENS
This movie was funny, but it did get a bit boring and predictable more than once. The blob was funny, and so was the rest of the monsters, but somehow the movie as a whole didn’t have that impact a great movie leaves on me. It was just ok I guess. [3 out of 5 stars]

RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN
This was probably one of the worst movies I’ve seen in a long time. The trailers made it seem interesting and funny but it was boring, predictable, and did I already say boring? This movie was a waste of energy for “The Rock”. Even he couldn’t save a lousy plot, lousy script, and lousy co-stars. [1 out of 5 stars]

WATCHMEN
The movie was beautiful yet gut wrenching at the same time. The opening fight scene of the movie gave me serious goosebumps, while the opening credits scene looked super cool. But despite all the great looking visuals, the plot didn’t make any sense to me. To me, it was all style and no substance. [2 out of 5 stars]

STREET FIGHTER: THE LEGEND OF CHUN-LI
This one’s almost as bad as Dragonball Revolution. I say almost because I think it’s bit better than Dragonball.  However, this too, has the made for TV movie feel to it. But at least there were times during the movie that I actually became interested in it. [2.5 out of 5 stars]

CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC
I’ve read and loved the book this movie was based on.  Despite this movie not being 100% true to the novel, I still loved the movie. Come to think of it, I think the movie was even a tad better than the book. The character of Becky was more lovable and in a sense relatable in the movie. In the book, there were times when she was just plain annoying. [5 out of 5]

PINK PANTHER 2
This was good for some laughs. I’m not really a big fan of slapstick comedy, but I was able to at least appreciate Pink Panther 2. I think it was because of the accent, hehe. Anyway, if you don’t expect too much you might actually enjoy this one. [3 out of 5 stars]

BRIDE WARS
Here’s the thing with expectations… if they’re not met, no matter how good something might be, you’ll be disappointed. I expected a lot from this movie. The cast was promising and the premise was interesting and original. However, the movie simply did not live up to it’s potential. It was disappointing, really. [2 out of 5 stars]

UNDERWORLD RISE OF THE LYCANS
I wasn’t really interested in this one, but my boyfriend wanted to see it so we did. It was ok, if this was your thing you’d probably love this movie. But dark, grungy movies are not really my thing. Just the fact that I wasn’t bored while watching this one already says a lot to its advantage. [4 out of 5 stars]

INKHEART
This one was ok I guess. I thought it was going to be really cool but it ended up being a bit boring at parts and predictable at other parts (I didn’t read the book this movie was based on). However, the plot was pretty good… I guess it was just the way it was edited or something that was the problem. [3 out of 5 stars]

MADAGASCAR: ESCAPE TO AFRICA
I didn’t like the first Madagascar movie but this was hilarious! This is definitely way better than the first movie. I love how they continued where they left off at the ending of the first movie and how at the end, everything fell into perfect place. [5 out of 5 stars]

Ok, so if you’re thinking that my opinions and ratings don’t make any sense, I would have to agree with you. Sometimes I don’t even understand myself, haha. But hey, everyone’s entitiled to their own opinion, and those were mine. ^_^

Poker Face acoustic version

// May 10th, 2009 // No Comments » // Entertainment

I heard Lady Gaga’s acoustic version of Poker Face for the first time on the radio a few weeks ago. At first I didn’t even recognize the song since it sounded so different. I liked the original version of Poker Face but this one is so much better if you ask me. Her voice sounds great! You can’t even tell that she was a good singer with her other songs because of all the synthesized effects and whatever they do to songs to make them sound “cool”. Here’s a live video of her singing and playing the piano…

Vampire Knight Volume 6 review at ITSUMO MANGA

// April 13th, 2009 // No Comments » // Entertainment

I just wrote a review of Vampire Knight volume 6 for ITSUMO MANGA! Here’s a short exerpt:

To start off, I’d like to say that Vampire Knight is unlike any Shojo Manga I’ve ever read. In fact, the first time I saw it on my local bookstore shelves, I wasn’t really interested and didn’t even think about buying a copy. However, after reading a feature article all about it in Shojo Beat I thought twice about skipping Vampire Knight. With a renewed interest, I decided once and for all to head to the bookstore and snap up the first few volumes of the title. Fast forward a few months and now I’m hooked to the series! It’s got a lot of things I love about a shojo manga series, great characters, romance, and page-turning suspense.

Check out the entire review here! :-)