Category: Rants

  • My Case Against Jane Zhang

    Who’s Jane Zhang?

    She’s 2nd runner-up to the Super Girl contest, back when Chris Lee (Li Yuchun) won, and Bibi (Zhou Bichang) placed 2nd. Meaning… Jane was just behind Bibi.

    I don’t wanna start anyone’s fire. Don’t want to attack the fans, but some of Jane’s fans online had been very vocal on Chris Lee even calling her “man-woman” – I can’t take that. While Li Yuchun fans are happy-go-lucky… after all, they did win. LOL’ – Some of Jane’s fans can’t keep their comments down.

    Yes, I get it. Chris Lee is not the best vocalist. I know that.
    But she doesn’t suck, you know who sucks at singing? I do. LOL

    First time I heard Jane Zhang was on the Lee Hom Wang album, and I thought her voice was very generic Chinese pop idol. My friend happened to ask if I had heard of her, which led me to find out she’s sung in different languages. I admit, it got me interested… she’s sung Contigo en la Distancia!

    [iframe width=”480″ height=”390″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/fzA5QrlDhec?rel=0″]

    Regardless of understanding her Spanish… tell me you did not just see Christina Aguilera’s gestures there? An interesting comment about her accent being and English Spanish accent, instead of a Chinese Spanish accent – because she obviously took the song from Aguilera, and not let’s say… Luis Miguel, or Caetano Veloso.

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  • This is what’s happening~

    Everything I know or get from product photography, I “got” as a kid watching Discovery Kids when they showed a clip of how the photoshoot for a sandwich – complete with pinned-lettuce, strategically placed ketchup, soaking-wet cheese, raw-yet-well-done-cold burger and silicon-sprayed buns – and of course~ the ice-cream cup which was filled with silicon squares, and a some other squishy-plastic-like product… so the ice-cream wouldn’t melt, you know?

    I also did some “product shooting” in my school days, but really… wasn’t my thing.

    But look at this! It’s almost so SO real, except the fries… but still.
    O.O CRAZY!

    Is product shooting going extinct?

  • Fashion Magazines to Go the Way of the Dinosaurs?

    I love dinosaurs! LOL

    I don’t really buy fashion magazines though… xD

    but their photoshoots are very pretty. =D Yay for pretty photos!
    not all photoshoots though, some are rubbish…
    but Fashiontography is nifty! See more Fashion and Photos!

    There’s an interesting article on the DailyMail.co.uk with former Marie Claire editor Liz Jones talking about why she’s fallen out of love with the mags she once loved.

    Here’s an interesting excerpt;

    Take the shoot in Kerala, India, in the June issue of British Vogue: in a region where most people live on less than $1 a day, there is Daria Werbowy in a £3,690 cotton dress by Yohji Yamamoto and a silk/linen ballgown by Ralph Lauren costing £9,500 – the little children used as obscene accessories.

    Even the more downmarket, mainstream magazines relentlessly push clothes very few of their readers could afford. In Grazia is a silk dress by Gucci costing £3,600, and a few pages later we find the most ridiculous garment of all: a red snakeskin-trimmed jacket by Louis Vuitton costing £7,400.

    Though Yohji Yamamoto is pretty crazy awesome. LOL’

    Anyway, you can read the whole thing here.
    Really, do read it… here’s another quote to get you interested!

    I spoke to one beauty director of a big British glossy, and she told me that she can ‘never be critical of any of the big brands. You can say that my job is, really, to write press releases for them. Only tiny, boutique brands with no advertising budget would ever be given a bad review in my pages.’

    And this is why independent rules. LOL’
    [insert YAM plug here]

    Yes, do read YAM! – Issue005 is coming up soon!
    if you wanna contribute, send in your stuff by the end of this month!

    We pay for our own stuff… so we don’t feel bad when we trash them.
    and we love it even more when we love it!

    by the way! Have you joined our Facebook YAM group?

  • So what’s up?

    xD

    I don’t normally go out on Sunday, but I went to the ballet performance of Sleeping Beauty. Meh, I don’t think I’m a ballet person… though it was kinda funny. xD – Many of the dancers had familiar faces xD

    Sleeping Beauty… I mean, Aurora was the tinier version of Elizabeth Berkley. then the main fairy was a taller version of Amy Adams xD Then the kitty cat (don’t ask) reminded me of Mena Suvari LOL – let’s see what else… the prince was a whiter version of Ichabod Crane (the Disney version, LOL), and one of the random dancers looked like a guy that works at the family’s restaurant… only skinnier and way younger. Ha!

    Then wanted to go for sandwiches, but place was closed so ended up at a restaurant/bistro and had sirloin (? Is that Lomo? Loin? Fillet steak?) with Fungi and Gnocchi~ – Iced tea was crap though. LOL’

    Then I’ve been checking my computer for virus (none!) – but I’m too lazy for backups. Ugh! Backups!! I should buy extra harddisk space instead… I asked a few weeks back about a terabyte storage system, but they said they were out. (?) – right. In the meantime, I’m filling it up even more with two Bibi (zhou bichang) films xD. Saw some clips of one of them, and almost died myself laughing. Will tell you how they were…

    I also saw Public Enemies. Watch it! Now! Marion and Johnny!?! *swoon!*

  • Harry Potter and the Case of Paranoia

    Though I sweared to myself that I wouldn’t dish money to watch HP6 for obvious shipping reasons, and my not enjoying Hp6 and HP7. UMPH! – I’ve been tempted, I must admit… these past few days to actually go and check it out. Anyway!

    I have made up my mind! – thanks to this –

    I ain’t going… I ain’t dishing my money. Maybe my time…
    who knows~ depends on the time LOL
    maybe soon, maybe on cable…

    Obviously press get press screenings, so they can review it and properly fuzz about the film. It’s usually an invitation, you go to a certain time and place to watch it, maybe discuss it… enjoy it, and write about it telling everyone to go watch it, or just dismiss it.

    It’s commonly known that you’re not to bring your cameras… or camera cellphones (?? what for, can you really record decent footage long enough in a cellphone?) – whatever. It’s just insulting to know that you’re invited somewhere but BEWARE, you will be arrested if you’re seen breaking the rules. ARRESTED! Doesn’t the police force have other things to do????

    Why bother then to invite someone if you are already thinking he/she will be ripping your movie off? Are we in the assumption that all guests are there to record your movie?

    In any case, I doubt CAM film versions come out of Peru, so not much need to fuzz over it at the moment. They are usually fromo outside… and I doubt CAMs are press screening made. And even then, maybe a nice “this is a screener” text would suffice.

  • Don’t Laugh at my Romance Hong Kong!

    I posted this a while ago.

    Now I found out that there’s a Hong Kong version – VCD and DVD Region 3 – with subs (sadly no extras), which I’ve decided to purchase. I would’ve chosen the Taiwan Free region edition, but I decided to get the HK version instead because I had found other product reviews for the releasing company, and I couldn’t find anything on the Taiwan company.

    DVD reviewers, please review the DVD and not the movie!

    In any case, I will be reviewing the product once I get my hands on it.

    Also on my order? Bibi’s Time – China version which includes a Bibi Photobook and DVD!!!
    ZOMG! I had to get it… short PB with album with dvd! Less than $20!
    I couldn’t resist…

    I will be reviewing that too.

  • Brothers Poster > Trailer

    I just needed a reason to post this beautiful, beautiful poster. LOL

    Brothers Teaser Poster

    Now that the trailer can be embedded from Trailer Addict, below the break xD

    Thing is, I really didn’t care for the trailer – it’s so over the top… but the poster is gorgeous. And this is why you should take into consideration who your motion graphic designer is, as well as you print designer xD

    This Teaser Poster is teasing me. buahaha.

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  • Oscar Best Picture Noms to Expand!

    This just in via InsidetheGold and TheEnvelope

    The next Oscars derby will be more heated – and crowded. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences just announced that the best picture race will now include 10 contenders instead of the usual five.

    I don’t know what to feel. On one side, I feel sort of happy that there will be more films to be included as Best Picture – on the other hand, I think it’s a very bad idea. On a voting-side, having 10 nominees means that each film has a 10% chance… the film that get’s over 10% has the better chance of winning. Let’s say the Academy has 5000 members (just saying…) that means only 500 votes.

    I also don’t like the number 10 for nominations. Seems to chunky a list. LOL

    I would be very happy with the decision of making it 10 Best Picture nominees, if the rules for foreign films were to change, and all countries are allowed to send more than one film. Moreover, independent films should be included or at least get a chance against big studios who spend tons of dollars to promote it just for Award Season. Otherwise, we’ll just end up with a 10 big studio film list. What’s up with that?

  • Lucky Thirteen – Watch Over Me

    Fan-made video! And new video posting testing!! LOL

    First, a little about the video.

    I began this… when this episode (Lucky Thirteen) aired back in Oct. 2008 – so it’s been sitting on my computer forever. I worked on it one weekend, and sort of left it there – until this weekend. I’ve begun working on another music video (on a less fan-made side) and thought I should at least finish this one.

    I found Thirteen (I refuse to call her Dr. Hadley or Remy LOL) interesting from the beginning. It was a certain spark, and well… Olivia Wilde is pretty hot – which my friend Mob would be glad to agree on. And I also have to say that I’ve always found Foreman boring, so Foreteen makes me roll my eyes.

    That aside… the song is by Hanson from The Walk, and it immediately brought images of Thirteen and her out-of-control behavior, so I just had to do it.

    On a rant side… YouTube has removed already 2 of my fan-made videos, and I’m expecting them to remove the ones that are left, so I’m now forced to not use it. So please help out by linking back to this site =D

  • Japanese Cinema Blogathon 2009 – Day5

    This is my last post for this blogathon, unless I can come up with something on time for tomorrow~

    I was reading this post on Japanese Films and Women in Cinema– now, female in cinema is a big BIG subject. I’m not in the position to point out feminists or non-feminists films across the decades or countries. However, I have to admit that looking back at the films I’ve seen the past year, it feels like many (if not most of them) have a female protagonist. In general, I don’t know the reason – if there are more films about women, or if I’m watching them because I’m looking for them. What I do know is that I watched many Japanese films with female leads because I had been on the hunt for Juri Ueno and Yu Aoi projects – so that’s got to be at least 10 films led by a female, right?

    So here it is… some~

    Japanese Chick-centric Films or with Female Leads~

    • Tonari no Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro)
    • Kiki’s Delivery Service
    • Hula Girls
    • Swing Girls
    • Hana to Alice (Hana & Alice)
    • Gaichu (Harmful Insect)
    • Kame wa Igai to Hayaku Oyogu (Turtles Swim Faster than Expected)
    • Kiraware Matsuko no Issho (Memories of Matsuko)
    • Quiet Room ni Youkoso (Welcome to the Quiet Room)
    • Linda Linda Linda
    • Kamikaze Girls
    • Shinku (The Deep Red)
    • Love Letter
    • Sakuran
    • Sasameyuki (The Makioka Sisters)
    • Rinne (Reincarnation)
    • Tenshi no Tamago (Angel’s Egg)
    • Wool 100%
    • Hyakuman-en to Nigamushi Onna (One Million Yen Girl)
    • GuGu Datte Neko de Aru (Gu Gu the Cat)
    • Kaze no Tani no Naushika (Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind)
    • Nishi no Majo ga Shinda (The Witch of the West is Dead)
    • Blood the Last Vampire
    • Pikunikku (Picnic)

    Of course, there’s many animated films asides from the ones I’ve mentioned above like Paprika, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, The Milennium Actress or Perfect Blue. And yes, there are films in my list that are not quite remarkable… and we can also point out that there aren’t many female leads of over 30 or 40 (in some way, Matsuko which chronicles her life, The Makioka Sisters, GuGu, and The Witch of the West – who knew Shirley McLaine’s daughter spoke Japanese?), but then again… that’s a problem that seems to be common in Hollywood too. Does it happen much in Europe? Countries like France or Germany? Are there many films with female leads, or are they as hard to find??

    In the end,  it was good to see Meryl Streep (Doubt),  Melissa Leo (Frozen River), Julie Christie (Away from Her), Laura Linney (The Savages), and to some degree Kate Winslet (The Reader) and Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose) getting recognition these past two years.

    — EDIT June 21 —

    I thought this was a great post on the subject. =D