Archives For musings

Promos for Gulaab Gang

Gulaab Gang is set to open next week (and I’m jealous of you), so they’re heavy on their online promotion. I don’t know how heavy the promotion in India (posters, billboards, tv ads, etc) actually is, but I supposed the production is hoping for a decent opening overseas in the limited regions (I suppose).

Besides the Koffee with Karan epi [1] — from which I ended up reading a bit more on Juhi — Madhuri Dixit has turned up in this YouTuber’s channel- known as Superwoman — in an episode titled What Bollywood Has Taught Me. It’s funny business if you know all the references, of course.

They’ve also been posting Behind the Scenes clips [1], as well as the mandatory Jukebox [1]. And of course, I just spoiled myself with the Juhi clip. It’s sorta been my way of watching Indian films, just go blind and be surprised. That’s one of the reasons I didn’t like Mr. India because I was all spoiled with the best bits featuring Sridevi.

Anyway, the clip made me wonder about the perception of anti-heroes and ‘bad guys’ on India films, and how that may have affected Juhi’s decision to play a negative role. I’ve also watched Kareena Kapoor’s Heroine which made me shrug at how sucky it is to be a heroine (anywhere in the world). In terms of acting, it feels like the filmmakers had a bit more confidence in Juhi’s abilities and charisma to play a bad guy. In the end, she seemed to have had fun.

I hope the film is good business.

Posted on March 1, 2014 In Celebrity, Clips, English, Films, Misc., Sharing , , , , ,
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BiBi Brings Back the Black Tangerine

BiBi placed last this episode. WHATEVER. I’ve already explained my opinion on people’s voting and how faulty the democratic system can be (specially on reality television and competitions). All that matters is that BiBi sang a GREAT arrangement of David Tao’s Black Tangerine (黑色柳丁).

It was around 9 years ago when my friend introduced me to David Tao via Ghost (鬼) and Black Tangerine, and I’ve never regretted it since. Then I discovered BiBi via the Beijing Olympics, learned about the Chinese music scene and the rest has been history. My relationship to Black Tangerine is a very strong one, and I’m usually not one for covers of great songs, but that was a great fresh arrangement. It was the song and it wasn’t — both at the same time. It was like listening to it once again and discovering it all over again.

That’s a great feeling to have.

It doesn’t matter if you placed last in this show, BiBi. You can very well go home knowing you did an amazing arrangement of a great song.

Posted on February 24, 2014 In Celebrity, Chinese, Clips, English, Music, Rants, Sharing, Television , , , , , , ,
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Rani and I are Kindred Spirits

xD

I ran into this episode of India’s Most Desirable featuring Rani, and watched it through the night. She explains the development of her personality, which resulted in her character in No One Killed Jessica. I find it a bit odd, but okay- I’ll take it.

What I found most interesting was her relationship with her parents, and the thing she said about having one set of parents in your lifetime really struck a chord with me.

Then she plays the games- the 2 Truths and 1 Lie game was a bit odd. She does elaborate on one hard to believe truth (a baby switch when she was born), but she totally skims through another one (almost married at 14?) ; I’m not sure if she was joking or not. LOL The fan questions segment was a bit weird, but Rani participates in all good fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QvavnYh2s8

Posted on February 8, 2014 In Celebrity, Clips, English, Fun, Sharing, Television, Torrents & Digital Streams , , , , , , , ,
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Deserts Chang’s You Were Here with Me

It’s been nearly two months since my dad’s passing, and this Deserts Chang song came in my iPod’s playlist. Titled You Were Here with Me (我想你要走了) in English… it seems to be a contradiction with the literal translation. I know ‘wo xiang ni‘ means “I miss you” but wouldn’t the literal translation be “I want you to go“?

Loneliness is hovering over me
I watch clouds rising, rain falling
My mood is getting down
My mood is getting down

Perhaps at the exit of Dream
Peace has embraced outpouring of emotions
In the blink of an eye it dawns on me
In the blink of an eye it dawns on me

You’re about to go
You’ve said it all
((Your) life story is finished.)
You’re about to go, you’ll be happy

Perhaps at the exit of Dream
Peace has embraced outpouring of emotions
In the blink of an eye it dawns on me
You said you wanted a pillow that you could sleep to your heart’s content

credit: Semantic Nuance’s

Continue Reading…

Posted on November 24, 2013 In Chinese, English, Music, Sharing, Spanish , , , , , ,
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I want you to remember that…

It seems like a cruel joke that now the memory of my dad is forever linked to Dexter. It isn’t enough that the both of us watched the show, and that I was waiting for the final season to be completely subtitled so he could watch it.

Now, the final episode in which Dexter bids Harrison goodbye and Deb is able to let go is the moment my dad bids me goodbye and finally lets go. It’s almost scary that the Dexter FB page posted this message the day my dad passed away:

dexter-daddy-loves-u

The post seems to be gone now, but when that showed up, I couldn’t help but express my incredulity. “I want you to remember that every single day until I see you again. Daddy loves you.” I will, dad. There won’t be a single day in which I don’t think of you and how much I miss you.

— Oct 26 2017 edit —

Here on Facebook and Twitter.

Posted on October 26, 2013 In English, Screencaps, Sharing, Spanish, Television , , , , ,
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I Miss You So Much, Dad

Next week, it’s crazy, will be the first month my dad has been gone. Though the shock of losing him seemed to block my mourning for him, as the days have gone by, it’s been harder and harder. Specially this past Sunday. It was my fourth Sunday without seeing him… and I don’t get along with #4s. Today I woke up thinking that maybe I could hear his ringing my intercom the way he did so I knew it was him downstairs.

Music has been my blessing and my curse. It often distracts me from wandering into sad territory, but it also reminds me of him. “He would like this,” “I saw this with him,” my mind often thinks. Trying to make sense, over-thinking about it, it seems destiny has been sending me signals throughout the year. First through a Chinese Horoscope scare, and other little bits and pieces of mementos.

Father and daughter movies, songs being played at key moments and words left as token of peacefulness. The day before my father passed away, when he was in good spirits and I was visiting him, he said he had led a good life and that if he had to go, he could go tranquil. I didn’t know then that I wasn’t going to be able to give him a mix of his favorite group [1] to accompany in his hospital stay.

After my uneasiness started that day, I looked up at the sky and told my dad that if he had to let go, he could. Fifteen minutes later, I was informed of his cardiac arrest. It wasn’t more than 20min in the trauma room, when I knew that he’d decided to let go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjPB3NpYsUw

Luck will have it that I didn’t get to watch Talaash until after my father passed.

I feel the need to over-share so I don’t wallow in self-pity.

Posted on October 14, 2013 In Clips, DVD/BR, English, Films, Misc., Music, Sharing , , , , ,
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My Dad’s Mayday Playlist

October 6, 2013 — 1 Comment

For the past year, my dad had become a really big Mayday fan. I think this happened right after watching the concert film Mayday 3DNA, he used to show it to his friends and carry the film as well as their discography on his USB ALL THE FREAKING TIME. When I retrieved his USB, he had the discography on.

So… as a means to remember him, I made a short playlist with some of their songs.

[iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”//www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PL7meHYcWQv4grFX0-edj4hW8TVGJf3tCN” /]

  1. 時光機 (Shi Guang Ji) – Time Machine
  2. 我們 (時時刻刻) (Wo Men (Shi Shi Ke Ke)) – Us/Moment by Moment
  3. 倔強 (Jue Jiang) – Stubborn
  4. 知足 (Zhi Zu) – Contentment
  5. 戀愛ING (Lian Ai-I-N-G) – Love-I-N-G
  6. 盛夏光年 (Sheng Xia Guang Nian) – Eternal Summer
  7. 擁抱 (Yong Bao) – Embrace
  8. 為愛而生 (Wei Ai Er Sheng) – Born to Love
  9. 離開地球表面 (Li Kai Di Qiu Biao Mian) – Leaving the Surface of the Earth
  10. 乾杯 (Gan Bei) – Cheers
In Chinese, English, MixTapes, Music, Music Videos, Sharing, Spanish , , , , , ,
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Otousan, R.I.P

September 29, 2013 — Leave a comment

I would rarely post a fanvid lyric video, but this song suddenly popped up in my recommended YT clips, and seems very fitting.

Summer has come and passed,
The innocent can never last-
wake me up when September ends.

Like my father’s come to pass,
seven years have gone so fast-
wake me up when September ends.

Here comes the rain again,
falling from the stars.
Drenched in my pain again,
becoming who we are…

As my memory rests,
but never forgets what I lost-
wake me up when September ends.

Ring out the bells again
like we did when spring began-
wake me up when September ends.

Like my father’s come to pass,
twenty years has gone so fast-
wake me up when September ends.

And surely, September has come and passed., like my father.

Sept. 26. Wake me up when September ends.

In Clips, English, Lyrics, Music, Sharing, Spanish , , ,
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Sridevi’s Comeback at the IIFA 2013

After watching Fanaa a few weeks ago, I thought I might continue the Indian adventure with Tabu. Then, I watched Devdas — still unimpressed with Aishwarya Rai’s acting prowess and totally committed to watching Indian films because I can write hers and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s names without googling now HUZZAH! — and was struck by Madhuri Dixit (no googling!) and her amazing “hooker with a heart of gold.” In fact, my favorite scene in Devdas is probably her dance duo with Aishwarya. And Bhansali’s films are still such a beauty to see. Sighs.

Then, when I thought I might head the Madhuri Dixit road, I watch English Vinglish and get struck by Sridevi (no google!). My first shock, of course, was realizing that I had knocked off ten years of her age right off the bat. Then while reading her wiki page (this is why it’s important to have a good Wiki page, fans), it hit me like a bucket full of cold water~

Sridevi was a successful child star, a sex symbol… and is possibly positioning herself as a MILF — my own observation here. Apparently English Vinglish was quite a hit, marking her comeback after 15 years off the screen.

I don’t think there’s ANYONE in the world of movies (or entertainment) that has been able to achieved this. I can’t think of a single actress (or maybe actor) who started out as a child, grew to be the actress made of dreams, moved on to becoming a sensible adult, apparently a great mother, and make a comeback to take all that’s “cinematically” hers.

The performance is okay (by Kpop standards, anyway), but Sridevi is totally charming in this show for the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA). I think the IIFA cameras shoot a quick reaction from Madhuri during the number, just as they showed Sridevi on Madhuri’s own performance (which rocked my socks) [1]. I could do with less Deepika reaction shots, though.

So… I am at a conundrum. Who should I go for first? Sridevi or Madhuri? And since both have sooooo many films, where do I start?

Posted on September 15, 2013 In Celebrity, Clips, English, Films, Fun, Misc., Sharing , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Or maybe it did ping [1][2], or maybe it’s just that rumor.

But if it really is, I’m really surprised. I found some very old scattered posts talking about it going as far back as 2007. But then again, Miki keeps a relatively private life or fandom just doesn’t care.

Posted on September 10, 2013 In Celebrity, English, Japanese, Sharing , , ,
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