I'm only at the 100th episode of Bleach :-( waaah...free streaming video of anime I like is so slow (at least from where I'm watching them)

Digital Camera Reviews and News

http://www.dpreview.com/
A site recommended by camera salespeople as well as friends who are into photography.

When I opened my browser today, there was the Yahoo window with the usual headlines, advertisement, temperature...and what got my eye was this puzzling statement beside my photo "5 years of your life are spent eating". Well, hello! where and how'd somebody arrive at this number?

Avatar

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Science Fiction & Fantasy

The movie is a brainchild of noted director James Cameron - it is a no-brainer for me to conclude that this is one of the best and worthy-of-every-peso-I-paid films I've seen this year (and hey! watching this movie on a spur-of-the-moment decision sure got rid of my "New Moon" blah-ness!).

As fond as I am of action/adventure slash science-fiction films, this movie also earns extra kudos for its underlying and timely "environmental" message but even more so for its being a tribute to one of my favorite sayings - "Imagination is more important than knowledge...."

Truly, the brain behind the creation of such a vibrant, colourful world of Pandora - with all its fantastic creatures, coupled with scenes upon scenes of the environment of this moon (of the gas giant Polyphemus), which in turn brought to my mind visions of a lush Amazonian forest multi-layered with a palette of light and colors from an underwater world - I can only be in awe. It was in early 2006 wherein Cameron developed the script, the language, and the culture of Pandora - and once you see it displayed in all its breathtaking grandeur on the big screen, I am sure you would be amazed also at his literally out-of-this-world imagination and highly-creative output.

Luckily, the current technology and computer-generated imagery techniques available has certainly gone a long way from those old days of stop-motion clay animation (with apologies to Gumby). "Avatar" is estimated to have cost about half a billion dollars - over $300 million to produce, and another estimated $200 million for the distribution and other costs. This film is touted as a breakthrough in terms of filmmaking technology, for its development of 3D viewing and stereoscopic filmmaking with cameras that were specially designed for the film's production. The movie is a hybrid with a full live-action combined with computer-generated characters and live environments.

Some films make up for a simple plot with eye-popping action scenes...others churn out a mental labyrinth of a story with straightforward story-telling devoid of visual effects. But sitting through approximately 3 hours of this movie, I felt that it was a refreshing blend and balance of such diametric film-making approaches.

A definition first before I plunge into the world of Pandora. What does the title refer to?

An "Avatar" is a genetically-engineered human-Na'vi hybrid used for interaction with the indigenous natives of Pandora. A human who shares genetic material with the avatar can be mentally linked to it, allowing them to control its functions and experience what it experiences, while their own body sleeps in a chamber which allows the neural connection with the avatar.

The storyline in the most simplistic description I can give is this:

**** WARNING: SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD ****
.....
.....


The protagonist is paraplegic former U.S. Marine Jake Sully who ends up taking his twin brother's place in the Avatar Program when the latter dies. Off our Jake goes to Pandora, the home of the Na’vi, an indigenous sentient humanoid race who are considered primitive by human standards. The Na'vi live in harmony with their unspoiled world, which the humans have found to be rich with Unobtainium, a very valuable and expensive mineral.

So here's conflict #1: Unobtanium's richest deposits are unfortunately resting underneath the Na'vi's "HomeTree" and big surprise! the military-corporate entity mining the planet for this mineral want those deposits at all costs. In fairness though, with the Avatar program, a faction of the humans on Pandora do try to befriend and learn the culture of the Na'vi ...(and am being hard-boiled but I reason out that some higher-ups just really want to "persuade" the natives to relocate)...it is only later that the bad guys do blast the "HomeTree" to perdition. Oops..I didn't mean to give that obvious development away :-)

Through a series of events, Jake Sully (or more accurately, his avatar) fortuitously ends up in the Na'vi people's Omaticayan tribe with Neytiri, the young Na'vi female who first tries to kill him when he is left behind in the dangerous forest after his thrilling encounter with some sensitive plants and a few territorial and fearsome wildlife. Later on she rescues him due to some timely floating seeds from one of their sacred trees/deity. Neytiri ends up being ordered by the tribe's leaders (incidentally her parents) to teach Jake the ways and customs of their tribe.

This is now a slippery diving platform for conflict #2 to flourish: both Jake and Neytiri develops romantic feelings for each other over the course of Jake's training. When Jake gets exposed later for what he has known will happen if he could not persuade the Na'vi to move from their home - the exposure is also after he and Neytiri have mated - not only is the mandatory dramatic scene inserted, but it gets mixed up with lots of ka-bhoom! and ka-baam! from the "Sky People"'s (another name for us greedy humans) military bombardment of the Omaticayan's home and surrounding environment resulting in horrendous loss of lives, and not just of the Na'vi.

I had a few toenail-biting moments as I was wondering what unearthly twist Cameron could introduce into the story to ensure that the Na'vi with all their "primitive" bows and arrows, even with their strong connections to the justifiable sentient trees and wild creatures, could fight and have a believable win against the mighty firepower and destruction wrought by the humans. I was also thinking madly of ideas on how these lovers of different races could end up living happily ever after with each other (a 3-meter tall, slender and blue-skinned female Na'vi lovingly cradling a gasping, nearly-dying disabled human male on her lap? uhhmm....)

There was an overflowing plateful of enjoyable movie morsels which all resulted in a very "marketable" yummy movie package

we have Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldaña (she portrayed the young Uhura from Star Trek, the 2009 movie), Michelle Rodriguez for starters as part of the cast and let us not forget Sam Worthington too (quite worthy being cast in his pivotal role);

we have kaboodles of seat-gripping close views of the Na'vi way of life (that rite of passage for Na'vi warriors was pulse-stopping); as well as the expected fight and action scenes;

we have a heap of majestically floating mountains/islands and ethereal scenery and the Pandoran creatures are numerous and varied enough but still familiar and quite helpful in the end;

There's the Good versus Bad formula (that Colonel Miles sure is a coldblooded meanie! and makes for a perfect I-love-to-hate antagonist though he's no parody), a sub-formula of Big Corporation versus the indigenous Na'vi...then the miracles do happen hossanahs!...hey, what's not to gobble up...er..I mean enjoy?

Oh, and just to be fair, there were a few cons for me too - but it had mostly to do with some predictable story twists. I guessed these, a by-product of my sometimes too-critical-with-movies and logical brain but in the end, I would still say - go out and watch this now as it is certainly suited for a Christmas season feel-good movie. We all love such cheer these cool December days :-)

With a couple more sequels on its way...what can I say - I will be seeing you later!

A macadamia afternoon - started with Hershey's Macadamia Nut kisses, picked up Green Tea Wasabi-flavored Macadamia nuts on a whim after, then finished up with Macadamia nut Shortbread with blueberries. Mmmm....

I've been out of touch - but now I know I will be looking forward to "Dead in the Family"

The new word I learned for today *gulps in nervousness* is........"heavage"!

Ghirardelli-chocolate-flavored (by accident) oatmeal for dinner! paired with one Ferrero Rondnoir and one original Ferrero Rocher...ay..chocolate-breaktime!

Playing eeny, meeny, miny, moe between a Nikon DLSR, Pentax DSLR and Olympus EP-1. Given limited budget, need for handy but powerful cam...*sigh* maybe I should just not buy one.

Reminiscent Mood: Runaway

Due to Stormlizard's (John) post on Bonnie Raitt and her version of this classic song, I started hunting up the original version because I remember hearing it back home but being sung by a guy.

This when I found out it was Del Shannon who took it to #1 in 1961.

Obviously I heard it decades after  but I really had a great time listening (and grooving) to its different versions -  yes, even the one used as the theme song in NBC's Crime Story, and do me a favor, go take a look at Del singing this song at Little Darlin's http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OwkQPSsIxc

Runaway was #1  the Billboard Hot 100 songs in the spring of 1961.
It was written by Del Shannon and keyboardist Max Crook (whoa! listen to all those great solos on the keyboards!!). It is # 466 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Lyrics:
As I walk along, I wonder
Oh, what went wrong with our love
A love that was so strong

And as I still walk on
I think of the things we've done together
Oh, while our hearts were young

I'm a-walking in the rain, tears are falling and I feel a pain
A wishing you were here by me to end this misery
And I wonder, I wa-wa-wa-wa-wonder

Why, why why why why why she ran away
And I wonder, oh where she will stay, yay
My little runaway, a-run-run-run-run-runaway

I'm a-walking in the rain, tears are falling and I feel a pain
A wishing you were here by me to end this misery
I wonder, I wa-wa-wa-wa-wonder

Why, why why why why why she ran away
And I wonder, oh where she will stay, yay
My little runaway, a-run-run-run-run-runaway
A-run-run-run-run-runaway, a-run-run-run-run-runaway

Bleach Season 1 on Animax Asia

Start:	Dec 18, '09 7:30p
End:	Feb 28, '10
Location:	Asia

Although I've seen it on a streaming site (before the most recent season eps got cut off ...grrr!) I still enjoy this anime and its manga. It seems to be English-dub version though :-(

Synopsis from Animax -
15-year old, orange-haired Ichigo Kurosaki has the ability to see spirits, he is not afraid or shocked, but sees it as an annoyance. Helping those he cares, he leads a normal life with his family that runs a clinic. One fateful day, a mysterious woman in a black kimono with a katana appears in his room. Known as a ‘Soul Reaper’, her name is Rukia. As they get acquainted, the Kurosaki family gets attacked by monstrous ‘Hollow’ spirits which consume other souls, with Rukia injured, Ichigo steps up to take on a Soul Reaper’s responsibility to protect his family.

When Ichigo Kurosaki accidently absorbs the powers of a Soul Reaper, it’s up to him to save the world when an evil conspiracy threatens to destroy it!

Mysterio sa 'Walang Mysterio'

I've been looping through and listening to Imago's old song for the past hour. Its a mystery to me as to the reason why.

I can't say I understand the lyrics completely...or more to the point, what is the deeper meaning behind them..but I like listening to it over and over...

Oh whooo, oh whooo (4x)

Natutunan mong gumalaw
Sa bibig ng laro mong natikman
Ang tamis ng bagong awit ng malisya
Pakana ng unang sumuway

[Refrain]
At pawang di natapos
Misteryong bumalot sa sangkatauhan
At pag di ka namulat
May ibang hahagip sa kamalayan mo

Oh whooo, oh whooo (4x)

Nabalitaan mong may ibang daan
Nagduda ka't nag-iisip
Wag na lang kaya?
May tamis ang bagong awit ng malisya
Pakana ng unang sumuway

(Repeat Refrain 2x)

Oh whooo, oh whooo (4x)

*pork belly laughter* ...reading Pugad Baboy 6 which I found in one of my boxes...

My first time... with durian pancakes....its fun finding out whats left in your ref and pantry shelves :-)

LifeIsShort

Part of a batch of emails I've deleted from my Inbox. Nice reminder though especially on a Friday afternoon, so am posting it here.



 

The Day's Motivation

Cleaning up my Inbox due to space constraints, I found older emails from good friends with timely reminders.

Received from Joy Logon last October 27, 2009 12:18 pm:


When I woke up this morning lying in bed, I was asking myself;
What are some of the secrets of success in life?
I found the answer right there, in my very room.....



Maayong buntag! (Good Morning!)
Maayong adlaw! (Good Day!)

Mark's Music Playlists

http://mdizon74.multiply.com/music
When I want a dose of modern Pinoy music (and others) I make sure to check Mark's site! Here's to Pinoy bands!

....so aside from bookmarking, since I noticed that he shares his playlists to "Everyone" am also putting up a link here and hope my contacts (younger or older) may discover and enjoy the varied songs he has shared..

thanks Mark, hope you get better soon!