Archives For August 2010

I haven’t decided if this video is trying to be tacky, or just is… but this is M.I.A. we’re talking, the same in charge of Born Free, so we should be in good hands. The irony, though, I can’t take it. It’s too much irony in the tacky graphics, the glitter, the video transitions… EVERYTHING.

You know them, right? It plagues The People’s social media profiles. MySpace, Hi5, Tagged… every disgustingly booty-call social media website, just because The People think it looks good. And even though Facebook doesn’t allow profile customization — thank god! — it is plagued with applications with glitter and tacky graphics.

Still don’t know what tacky is? Here, take a look at M.I.A’s video

I’m still lukewarm about her music. I don’t get what’s so genius about her, but I guess that’s her genius.
I’m never gonna get it

I’m pretty sure I discovered Pink on one of the non-subtitled broadcasts of some Music Award they used to aired back in the day on Fox or something. That same year or maybe the next (?), in 2001, I went to Los Angeles to spend my 15th bday there… and then head off to San Francisco to visit family.

On that trip? I remember Popular was airing the few of their lasts episodes on The WB. Which episode? I remember it clearly… I have one of those memories. The News of my Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated.

On my stay in LA? I almost pissed myself because I was in LA the day of the Grammy awards. Two Spanish girls that were on the tour bus with us were attending… I watched from the hotel, of course, but I remember seeing all the limos arriving. I was over the moon, because you know me… I get celebrity-giddy really easy… and I was 15.

I saw the Grammy broadcast, and saw Faith Hill performing Breathe. Wow. Guess what I ended up getting when I got to SF, and told my parents I wanted to get some CDs? xD A broad variety, because you know me… I’m not genre specific, if I like it, I like it and that’s it. So I ended up getting Pink’s debut Can’t Take Me Home, Faith Hill’s Breathe, and Eminem’s Marshall Mathers LP.

I still own those CDs — it’s rare I would decide to throw them out — and even though I only own one or two more albums by Faith Hill and Eminem, I can proudly tell you that I have bought every Pink album that’s been released.

So here’s to There You Go, and the Pink hair that started it all!

I guess I can show you a little, right?

If you missed out that day, here’s what I said about the experience of interviewing Diane Warren.

I’m behind on content. Too many events this week. >,<

This is the theme for Leehom Wang’s directorial debut Love in Disguise, premiering August Thursday 12th, right on time for the debut of his new album 18 Martial Arts… which I am already pre-ordering (plus, re-packaged Jing Chang’s album xD and other stuff from YesAsia… thankyouverymuch).

I feel the MV spoils the film though, but that’s just me. The song’s good, though.

Again.

I actually think I’m short of 2 reviews…

I wanted to watch some of the Peruvian films playing at the Lima Film Fest, but 8pm is a horrible time. I hate going to the cinema at 8pm… it’s just so full of people. That was Octubre last night, instead I saw The Art of the Steal… and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Time well spent? I’m not sure about Wimpy Kid, but at least I avoided 8pm rush hour.

Contracorriente (Undertow) plays tomorrow… at 8pm. I might try to catch that, but again. Why 8pm?

Instead, I caught my 2nd viewing for Inception today. I was surprised to catch myself yawing a couple of times. I have made up my mind about it. It’s still a good movie, but this time I can officially tell you that I liked Joseph Gordon Levitt and Marion Cotillard scenes the best.

I need to keep up with my music reviews.

While formatting my aunt’s computer. That’s  a bonus. I hate Vista.

I also need to format mine. The audio and video are playing… funny.

5th single already? If you paid attention, I posted Jing Chang’s 4th single just a week ago.

Otherwise known as 義氣 (Yi Qi), referring to the spirit of loyalty and self-sacrifice. Aiya They Didn’t is reporting Jing Chang will be releasing a re-packaged album by the end of the week (Aug. 13th), which will include:

  • 6 music videos [4 singles + Loyalty + 不再聯絡 (Bu Zai Lian Luo) – Lose Contact]
  • a Loyalty commemoration poster
  • a Mending card [is this Hao Le?]
  • and a birthday party invitation (????) xD

Not sure why this is a 5th single, since it’s not included in the copy I’ve listened of The Opposite Me, but it’s kind of a nice rock/dance song. Kinda weird… but I could dig.

I’m considering purchasing this re-packaged album. Seems like a good deal.

oooooh, smokey and fire-y.

More here on Loud Dreams.

;P

I’m lazy, don’t wanna make a Top10.

I hate photographing social events, mainly because I’m anti-social. Also because social events are usually all about who you photograph, and them posing, and faking their smiles. There’s nothing I hate more about photos than fake-smiling. But alas, we must photograph those sometimes… not so much about social events parties, but the events themselves.

I have a few rules that I follow. They might be strange rules, and nobody probably does it because they’re not anti-social like me, but I always keep them in mind.

– I never call out celebrities so I can take pictures of them. I don’t want them to see me — I do carry weird hair, and that calls attention… but that just goes with the hair — I don’t want them to look into my camera. I like that when they don’t look at my camera, it feels voyeuristic. LOL

– I never use flash. Flash is hard on the skin – mind you, sometimes events are so badly lit, it’s impossible to take photos without it. However, in those cases, sometimes I borrow/steal other people’s flashes. I believe the use of flash is only appropriate on studio settings, because when flash is used in a natural or “non-set-up” setting, it just makes it look out of place.

Plus, women who aren’t necessarily made-up like models for a shoot look rough with a flash hitting on their faces. Clear skin women looks very pale like zombies… and overall, people have shiny skin. Plus PLUS, flash in these cases make wrinkles pop up as if they were the grand canyon.

I have a lot of issues with flash.

– A natural pose is better than Pose-Hard. I rather catch a person standing naturally in conversation with someone else, than having to photograph them standing in pose and smiling at cameras.

– Be a tourist. I love photographing the stages and how the light hits different parts of the scenery. It makes the event about the place, as well as the people behind it. You know, the people who work on the stage and the lights.

So having said that, these are my Top5 Tips for Red Carpets Events from my photographing point of views – as well as a viewer at home ;P

Continue Reading…

I swear to god, Asians release single after single. It’s been like 2 weeks? And BoA has already release this 2nd single… which is more dance, and I dig more than Game. I still think she looks potentially Hyori-ish with the blond hair, but I also think that this blond hair washes her out.

Having said that. BoA dances in here. She can’t still match that rocking choreography on I Eat You Up, but this one is more my flare. This is her forte.

Just started a Greta Garbo Fake Criterion Collection, from the TCM Garbo Signature set. The only one I’m choosing not to do is Grand Hotel… and of course, the TCM archives. So I’m only missing Queen Christina, Anna Karenina, Camille and Ninotchka. ;P

My favorite fake cover… is between The Mysterious Lady and Flesh and the Devil.

Fake Criterion Collection: Greta Garbo Collection - Flesh and the Devil

In this one, I like the flame… which you know, I picked from the classic scene where they are lighting their cigarettes and the shot gets so awesome with the light. Of course, I couldn’t find a lighter, so decided to just use the flame. And in it, you can see a bit of that scene if you squint enough.

Plus, Flesh and Devil sounds so sinful and all about kinky passion. LOL Fire, right? xD

Fake Criterion Collection: Greta Garbo Collection - The Mysterious Lady

And The Mysterious Lady plays the whole spy thing. I’m not even sure if the gun fits the movie, it just looked like it did… it wasn’t too “period-like” and it wasn’t a modern shotgun.

It just didn’t feel right to use Greta Garbo and/or the movie stills. It seemed kind of… dull. That’s why I’m kind of disappointed on my version for Mata Hari. I couldn’t find a still of just the head piece, and I didn’t want to use Garbo’s face — as striking as it was — and I was about to use just the ring, but I guess it’s not really that striking.

And of course, Anna Christie plays on the whole “Gimme a whiskey!” line. After all, Garbo Talks! LOL

You can check the rest of the set here.