Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Why fiction exist

Fictions exist because of this fact. Because we have only one life, and our desires and fantasies demand a thousand lives. Because the abyss between what we are and what we would like to be has to be bridged somehow. That was why fictions were born: so that, through living this vicarious, transient, precarious, but also passionate and fascinating life that fiction transports us to, we can incorporate the impossible into the possible and our existence can be both reality and unreality, history and fable, concrete life and marvelous adventure.
-Mario Vargas Llosa, The Temptation of the Impossible

Source: Eva from A Stripe Armchair

Sent from my iPhone

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Amanda Seyfried




Amanda is my current favourite young actress. Love her in "Mama Mia", in the recent "Letters to Juliet" and waiting for "Chloe" release in DVD. I watched "Dear John" yesterday. Channing Tatum is huge and very military like. As usual, I teared at the end of the movie.

Letters to Juliet has been added on to my list of fav movies. "You've got mail" is still my favourite and X'mas must watch movie... together with "Love actually".

Letters to Juliet- How I long to visit Italy and Rome



Colbie Caillat - You Got Me [From "Letters to Juliet" (Music Video)]



Sophie/ Charlie [LETTERS TO JULIET] "Lovestory " {Taylor Swift}




Tuesday, October 5, 2010

The Runaways



I wanted to watch this movie because the trailer looks promising and because there's Dakota Fanning (all grown up) and Kristen Stewart (Twilight). I have to say, this is good! and I was further motivated to find out more about the original rock group and do you know that Joan Jett is the songwriter for the famous "I Love Rock & Roll"? Kwool!

Kristen has so much acting potential. I have no idea why she signs up for Twilight and why did the producer from Twilight choses her. She does not portray the image of Bella very convincingly and received so many unfair comments about her acting. But when I watched The Runaways, I can imagine that's how Joan Jett was. Prior to this, her 2 other convincing role was Panic Room (2002) and Speak (2004).

Feast your eyes out. Here's the video of the remake of "Cherry Bomb" and the 1977 version of the original from Japan. (Hurrah for youtube!)












Criminal Minds and so much more


Criminal Minds 5 is showing on Fox now and I'm eagerly following every episodes. I watched the first few on the  flight to Perth earlier this year and I'm so glad that I do not have to wait any longer :)

Just watched 2 episodes of True Blood season 1 on DVD. Hmm.. very adult like, lots of cursing and blood and sex. Let's see how I feel after a couple more ep. Doesn't grip my attention but I'm compelled to know what happened next. so it's ok so far.

Also watching:

1. Castle 2 (Diva Universal -Ch 522)
2. The Mentalist 2 (Ch 102)
3. CSI: NY 6 (AXN- Ch 511)
4. CSI: Miami 8 (AXN- Ch 511)

Finished Ghost Whisperer 6 on Ch 102. Wondering if it is the last season.. everything is wrapped up nicely and the shadows and shinning are explained. GW always makes me cry.

In the US, fall TV season is always the highlight. In Sg, we'll have to wait around 6-8 months after the 1st ep debuts. Of course if you opt for Mio TV, you can watch it almost 1-2 weeks or couple of days after it's telecast in US. I'm in no hurry and I will wait though cliff hangers always makes me angsty for awhile. heh.

Oh ya, I'm watching re runs of The Closer 1 on Diva U. Fun to watch it all over again and see how their unity and loyalty for the team begins. (debut 2005). Every time I watches a crime series, I wished for such a working environment. Where everyone has your back and how their bosses are the super nicest people in the whole world where you will undoubtedly do anything for them, such righteousness and clam.


ANTM 14- Dance and Gore

Raina - tap dance

Alexandra - street style

Raina- vengence

Alassia- amour

ep 3 & 4

Friday, September 24, 2010

Friday Book Love: A Good book has no ending!

it leaves you thinking.
 source: Quote book

The Closer 5

Can't say why I love this series but I just do. It's not shown on any cable nor free to air here but after picking up the 1st season on DVD, I'm hooked! I can finished 4 episodes in a sitting, well I can finish many crime series pretty quickly. Great show, can't wait for season 6 on DVD and more Fritzy and Joel (the new kitty).

Read the review here.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

ANTM 14- Perfume shot

Anslee

Raina

doused in purple perfume and splashed with water and wind

Friday, September 17, 2010

Monday, September 13, 2010

ANTM 14- Nude shot

Ren
modeling her hat

Jessica
modeling her shorts

watching the current season 14 on Star World (ch 501) and liked these 2 pics from the 2nd episode.
Buddy TV is so funny in it's recap. Read here.
US is in season 5 btw.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Eat, Pray, Love


page 127

current reads, moving on to book 2- India

and can't wait for the movie. loves Julia Roberts




Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Curiouser and curiouser



picked this book at Harris the bookstore. had my eyes on it since last week. was charmed by the cover and the black pages when looked at from the side. I think I have 1 more copy in my book cupboard. when I get our house, I will get a bigger cupboard and create a home for my books. :)

Sunday, August 22, 2010

2 movies

Remember me



the ending was unexpected and sad.

+++++


Love Happens




Sunday, July 25, 2010

Karen Rose


I'm hooked on books by Karen Rose. Her stories are great and her writing believable. Sometimes I just couldn't put the book down and I'm determined to guess who the killer is. SOmetimes I get it, sometimes I don't, and when the killer is revealed, I would be "why didn't I see that?" She has 10 books and I'm on my 7th. What am I going to do when I finished all her books? Who should I turn to, to get my thriller fix? There are a few though, Lisa Gardner is on my list... so is Mary Higgins Clark, Joy Fielding and Jonathan Kellerman (though I don't really feel for his books now- I was reading all his works at one time)

Back to reading now. Buh-Bye! (from Silent Scream- now reading)

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Hachiko: A Dog's Story


A story of love and devotion and everlasting loyalty. Animal movies always make me cry.





Fun facts: Hachi (meaning 8) has a statue being erected for his loyalty to his master. The statue is at Sibuya Station in Tokyo. I took a picture with it the first time I went to Tokyo cos I read about it and much to the amusement of K and friends and then BF (now hubby), I wanted to find the statue of this loyal dog. 

The best & most intelligent written TV Series in a long time


It is beautifully written. No over the top acting and very honest dilemmas and emotions that anyone can experience in their daily life. Current sex scandals and political backstabbing is part of the story line.

Can't wait for season 2. Read more on The Good Wife Season 1 - here.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Valentine's Day


I love Jennifer Garner. She's kooky.


Funny reference to shopping at Rodeo Drive at the end of the movie.

Taylor & Taylor: one an almost bimbo, another sports jock . The bear is so cute and HUGE!

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Eclipse Official Trailer



Alice in Wonderland

Hubby & I watched the movie on DVD last night. It wasn't as good as I imagined it to be. Hubby thinks it's quite silly. The fact is, it's not a remake of the book but an adaptation of how Alice is 13 years later when she returns to Wonderland. I missed the whimsical-ness of the AIW cartoon and storybook. Of course, I was warned that this movie is darker and not so "cute".

We were glad that we did not spend the $ watching it in GV Gold class ( I wanted to, then). I was kinda hoping to do so for Eclipse. hehe.

Next on the list, to continue my current obsession for alternate land behind doors, holes etc, I'm looking forward to Caroline

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Castle (S2) is back on Star World (501) today! Yay! =D

I chanced upon the episode by luck.. Didn't know that Castle is back on TV. Tuesday was supposed to be showing Mercy at 9pm. They should have some "shots" in between to inform viewers.

Anyway, Yay! =D

Sent from my iPhone

Friday, March 26, 2010

I can see you


I haven't been reading much this month. Just started on "I can see you" by Karen Rose.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

The Amazing Race S16, Ep3

We're so stupid! We definitely shouldn't reproduce!"
- Jeff to Jordan

You have to watch it to understand why. They are still in the race as last week was a non elimination round.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

(500) days of summer


"This is a story of boy meets girl, but you should know up front, this is not a love story."

This is a life story, different and kooky. I like it.




Monday, March 1, 2010

Current Reads - Black Hills

Nora Roberts is one of my favorite author and I have a lot of her books in my bookshelf. I waited for about 2 months upon reserving it at the library and I'm glad to finally read it.
Lil is not really a likable character, she's strong and passionate about what she does, running a wildlife sanctuary and Cooper is lost and has to deal with parental issues when he was a kid. The characters just don't draw me in, and it's a shame.. because NR has attractive and lovely characters although flawed and they are usually charismatic.

Will probably skip buying this in mass paperback to add on to my library. Hoping her next will be better.

I'm halfway through the book and am determine to finish it. Not reading as much as I like, only 4 books so far. And one trivia... there's a Lucius character in the book!

Saturday, February 20, 2010

ANTM13- Current fascination over this cycle's pictures

I really like watching ANTM especially how the photographs were taken and how ordinary girls are transformed into supermodel with make up, lighting and body languages. Genius!
This time 14 young girls shorter that 1.7m (my height- considered short in the modeling industries)  have a shot to be the next top model.

Recently watched eps 6 where Tyra Banks shot the girls, mainly head shots and these photos caught my eyes... they are like art work. Gorgeous.

Nicole- My favourite this week
sensual and mesmerizing

Anyway, the winner of ANTM13 has been revealed on their web, so if you are curious, you can drop by here to see.


Erin- 2nd favorite. Distressed and in pain and vulnerable.


Brittany- 3rd favorite, though she won the best picture during the cycle. 
Untouchable and elegant, sensual.

Also following The Amazing Race 16- great way to see the world. I only liked these 2 reality show. Great visually, usual bitching, complaints but it's not cut throat, and everyone learnt something. No one has really harm anyone as yet. I do not like Survivor.

I will post pictures that catches my eyes here when I have the time. What do you think? Any favourites or photos that capture your attention?

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Julie & Julia


I'm watching the movie and typing this and laughing at the witty
dialouges and cooking scene especially when Julie (Amy Adams) struggles to cook the lobster.


This is a great movie and I think I will add it on to my lists of favourite shows that I probably would not get bored watching. And Meryl Streep completely transformed herself into Julia Child, I'm momentarily surprised that she is the same actress in "The Devil wears Prada".


There's a dialouge in Julia scene where her husband wrote to his
brother.

"Dear Charlie.

Julia in front of her stove has the same fascination for me as
watching a kettle drummer at the symphony. The oven door open and
shuts so fast, you hardly notice the deft thrust of a spoon as she dips into a casserole, and up to her mouth for a taste check like a perfectly-timed double beat
on the drums. Then with her bare fingers, she snatches a set of cannelloni out of the pot of boiling water, and she cries "These damn things are as hot as a stiff cock.". "

Haha. I love the way he describe the cooking in comparison to a
drummer symphony and the added remark by Julia is funny end.


I keep smiling as I watched this, hw 2 person from 2 different era finds themselves through cooking and the joy of feeding others and the food. Gosh, I have the urge to taste some of the food in the recipes.


And I understand how Julie felt when she started on this project and
asked for a deadline because she says she never completes anything and
I can relate to it because I have also started many projects in my
life that I have put aside because I grew bored with it or because I
have lost my motivation. So i'm glad that I have carried on blogging
these past few years even though there are some dry spells.

I think it's a great and fun idea to start a blogging project for 365
days, but let's just keep it as an idea because I can't think of any
project I want to start now.

Do watch this movie or do you like it if you have already watched it?

Sent from my iPhone

updated with pixs @ 10:18pm

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Saturday, January 30, 2010

I am a TV addict

Currently following,

On TV:

1. The Good Wife, Ch 17
2. Glee, Ch 18
3. 90210, Ch 18
4. Terroir, Ch 56

CSI: Miami has ended and CSI is coming back after CNY... however, I felt something is lacking after Grissom left, like it has somehow lost it's directions.

On DVD:

1. Brothers & Sisters, Season 3
2. Bones, Season 4 (it's finally out on rental)

Books read 2009, Total 67

The total no. of physical books actually adds up to less than 67. However, since I read a couple of books that has 2 separate books bound as one, I counted that as a separate book instead.

66/67. Christmas Wishes: Christmas Letters\Rainy Day Kisses, Debbie Macomber
64/65. The Gift: Home For Christmas\All I Want For Christmas, Nora Roberts
63. Just Take My Heart, Mary Higgins Clark
62. A Single Thread, Marie Bostwick
61. Once in a Lifetime, Cathy Kelly
60. Wings: more than 50 high flying recipes for America, Debbie Moose - CB
59. The Pearl Diver, Sujata Masey - R
58. The Floating Girl, Sujata Massey - R
57. The Flower Master, Sujata Massey - R
56. Zen Attitude, Sujata Massey - R
55. The Salaryman's Wife, Sujata Massey -R
54. Madness: A Biploar Life, Marya Hornbacher -Bio
53. The Omega-3 Connection, Andrew L Stoll MD - NF
52."The Perfect Christmas","Debbie Macomber"
51."Gabriel's Angel","Nora Roberts"
49/50."First Impressions: First Impressions\Blithe Images","Nora Roberts"
48."Divine Evil","Nora Roberts"
47."The Neighbor","Lisa Gardner"
46."Smash Cut","Sandra Brown"
44/45."Be My Valentine: My Funny Valentine\My Hero","Debbie Macomber"
42/43."Wyoming Brides: Denim and Diamonds\The Wyoming Kid","Debbie Macomber"
41."Sooner or Later LP","Debbie Macomber"
40."Homeport","Nora Roberts"
39."Practically Perfect","Katie Fforde"
37/38."Two Of A Kind: Impulse\The Best Mistake (Mira Hardbacks)","Nora Roberts"
36."Ghost Moon","Karen Robards",
35."Body Double (Jane Rizzoli, Book 4)","Tess Gerritsen"
34."Red Lily (In the Garden, Book 3)","Nora Roberts"
33."Black Rose: In the Garden Trilogy (In the Garden)","Nora Roberts"
32."Blue Dahlia(In the Garden, Book 1)","Nora Roberts"
31."Shanghai Girls: A Novel","Lisa See"
29/30."Married In Seattle: First Comes Marriage\Wanted: Perfect Partner","Debbie Macomber"
28."Poppy Done to Death: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery","Charlaine Harris"
27."The Apprentice (Jane Rizzoli, Book 2)","Tess Gerritsen"
26."Real Murders (Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, Book 1)","Charlaine Harris"
25."If You Live Like Me","Lori Weber"
24."Morning Comes Softly (Harper Monogram)","Debbie Macomber"
23."The Killing Hour","Lisa Gardner"
22."Hide","Lisa Gardner"
21."Looking for Peyton Place: A Novel","Barbara Delinsky"
20."Gone","Lisa Gardner"
19."Chesapeake Blue (Quinn Brothers)","Nora Roberts"
18."Inner Harbor: The Chesapeake Bay Saga #3 (Quinn Brothers)","Nora Roberts",
17."Rising Tides: The Chesapeake Bay Saga #2 (The Quinn Brothers Trilogy)","Nora Roberts",
16."Sea Swept: The Chesapeake Bay Saga #1 (Chesapeake Bay Mysteries)","Nora Roberts"
15."The Surgeon: A Novel","Tess Gerritsen"
14."Knit Two: A Friday Night Knitting Club Novel","Kate Jacobs"
13."The Friday Night Knitting Club","Kate Jacobs"
12."Key of Valor","Nora Roberts","0515136530"
11."Key of Knowledge","Nora Roberts"
10."Key of Light","Nora Roberts"
9. "Say Goodbye","Lisa Gardner"
8. "Blue Smoke and Murder","Elizabeth Lowell"
7. "Meet Me in Venice","Elizabeth Adler"
6. "Tribute","Nora Roberts"
5. "Midnight Bayou","Nora Roberts",
4. "Panic: The Story of Modern Financial Insanity","Michael Lewis" - NF
3. "Out of the Blue","Belinda Jones"
2. "Girl in a Box (Rei Shimura Mysteries)","Sujata Massey"
1. "Where Are You Now?: A Novel","Mary Higgins Clark"

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Tidied


I am a magazine junkie and I love to have books around me all the time. Last week, mum and I went to Ikea and bought this pretty pink box to organise my magazines and stuffs next to my bedside table. I need to clear more old magazines and sell them to the karang guni uncle and tell myself not to buy another more.. but.. I always fail to do so (Ha!).

And on the left of the picture, there's a stack of books from the library and 4 on loan from Ron. I'm pretty slow at reading this month as I'm occupied by other stuffs, mainly TV series and DVDs and shopping (!).

I hope to up my total no. of books this year to 70. Managed to read around 66 books last year and it's an improvement from 2008. I noticed that I tend to read more books in the middle part of the year. I hope to read some Non Fiction as well, though I tend to get bored after awhile. Reading is good for my brain and it's one of the medium that can take you to another continent, another era and to the world of imaginations (kind of like TV), but it encourages innovation and spurs one to think further and reflect on our lives and hope and be encouraged that things are more than what is seen usually. It brings you to the world where no one would laugh at you when you believe fairies or a different world existed, or there's a thing known as fairy powder or strength and belief in self would over come all adversity. 

Life is good when you stay away from cynical people.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

The Lodger


The Lodger is a great movie! It's full of suspense and the filming style is really the work of an artist. The dark, gloomy set, music and visual plays with the story line and created a film that was interpreted from the point of the viewers. From the start, I suspected who the killer was, but somewhere in the middle, I begin to suffer self doubt and wonders if it's too easy. Well, it was easy for me, but not so for the rest of the cast for they kept getting thrown off course and are deceived & misled by the murderer & clues.

Scenes were subjectivity played and viewers were encouraged to experience and feel what they want to feel. Scared, fear, sad, attracted, pity and even admiration for the murderer. Unlike Saw, blood and gore was not the lead, instead scenes were artistically filmed with intent of the murder that is happening. Through it, the viewers understand through the struggles, dragging of feet & blood trickling down the high heels, that the victim has died.

It's a great film! I watched mainly for Simon Baker (The Mentalist) but was amazed by Hope Davis the landlady. I hope for more art house film noir experience.

Amazon Review:

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Jack’s back, more or less, in The Lodger, a cleverly-plotted thriller-cum-horror story sporting a good cast and a nicely ominous vibe throughout. When Los Angeles Detective Chandler Manning (Alfred Molina) arrives at the scene of a prostitute’s grisly murder, the clues look awfully familiar. Seven years earlier, Manning had helped send to Death Row a killer whose M.O. was identical not only to this one, but also to that of the notorious Jack the Ripper, who terrorized 19th-century London but was never identified, let alone caught. Is this new monster, who goes on to kill several more defenseless hookers, a copycat? Or could it mean that the wrong man paid the ultimate price for the earlier crimes? Meanwhile, Joe and Ellen Bunting (Donal Logue and Hope Davis) rent out a room to a "writer" named Malcolm (Simon Baker), whose weird habits make him an obvious suspect. But there are several others as well, including Joe, who works as a security guard while Ellen nurses her active and rather twisted imagination, and even Det. Manning, a loose cannon type who may be a Jack the Ripper authority but whose life is a mess, what with an institutionalized wife and a daughter who blames him for her mother’s affliction. Adapted from a novel by Marie Belloc Lowndes, this tale was turned into a silent film by Alfred Hitchcock way back in 1927 and has been remade several times since. No one will confuse David Ondaatje, who wrote and directed this version, with Hitchcock, and those familiar with the genre will have little trouble predicting how it all turns out. Nonetheless, The Lodger is a good ride, guilty pleasure or not. --Sam Graham

Friday, January 15, 2010

The Closer & Castle

I love watching crime series, enjoyed how analytical and composed the polices detectives and investigators remains in times of danger and how in some episodes, the criminals out smart the investigators and escaping from the arms of justice.

Some criminals are so cocky and mean and so senseless in their violence that I wished they are shot instead of being arrested and further wasting the entire nation's times and resources. 



The Closer is one series that I've enjoyed watching on DVD with hubby. It's old fashioned interrogation and detective works. No mind boggling machines, DNA and computer ( We laugh when Tao swabs a suspect for gun powder residue- very unlike how our CSI teams does it). The interaction between the cast is very believable and human, the jokes are funny and I love how they do it with deadpan humor. There's only 15 episodes in this series and I'm so sad to complete it. I want MORE!


It's into season 4 and I hope hollywoodclicks would continue bring season 5 in.

Another new series to talk about. CASTLE. Chanced it on Starworld (CH18) and I'm hooked!

Here's a review from Amazon:

Amazon.com
One of the best shows to emerge midway through the 2008-2009 TV season, Castle has a cast and a sense of humor that set it apart from the normal police procedural. Nathan Fillion plays Rick Castle, a bestselling author of pulpy crime novels who's called in to assist the New York police when a serial killer begins committing copycat murders based on situations in his books. Castle helps crack the case, then decides to kill off his longtime character and create a new one, named "Nikki Heat," and research her by shadowing Det. Kate Beckett (Stana Katic). Much to her irritation, he pulls strings with the mayor's office to embed himself in the department, and helps her solve a wide range of whodunits, including a woman drowned in a bath tub full of motor oil, another frozen and suspended at a construction site, and a corpse stuck in a clothes dryer. To alleviate the grim proceedings, Fillion is in his element as the wisecracking Castle, while adding another ray of sunshine is Castle's impossibly likeable teenage daughter, Alexis (Molly Quinn), who lives with Castle and his mom (Susan Sullivan), a former Broadway star. Castle's circle of poker buddies includes veteran TV writer-producer Stephen J. Cannell and author James Patterson playing themselves. Like many (or most) he-and-she cop shows, there's an element of "Will they or won't they…?", but the beautiful Katic keeps Castle at bay by radiating cool. Clearly she's a woman who wants to separate herself from her emotionally draining and predominantly male job, so it makes it all the more enjoyable when she momentarily steps out of that mode, such as an impromptu appearance at his book signing. Much to the relief of Fillion fans who feared their man was a show killer after the aborted runs of such shows as Firefly and DriveCastle was renewed for a second, full season. --David Horiuchi
The writing is good, lots of twist in each episodes and I enjoyed Castle's (Nathan Fillion) quick witted humour and sardonic jokes. And I think Det Kate is so pretty! Actress Stana Katic kinda of reminds me of The OC's Misha Barton when I first saw her. The characters are what make or break a series.

I'm so thankful to know that there's a season 2 because season 1 has only 10 episodes and it ended last Thursday.

There's also a book out - Heatwave by Richard Castle (to tie in with the show)

Here's a video highlighting season 1.

There's another detective series on Tuesday (CH5) at 12am. Titled Women's Murder club. It's not a great show adn it was cancelled only after 13 episodes. Loosely based on James Patterson's books characters, it tries to hard to be a soap series/ police drama. Each episodes are peppered with love stories of each characters and the highlights of the police cases are very few. I'm not to bummed that it was cancelled, but I watched it just for fun.

One down

Yay! I've completed reading Christmas Wishes by Debbie Macomber this morning!

2 more uncompleted books to go...

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Current Stall

I wish I can get myself out of this rut and start reading again. I have no idea why but I can't seem to get into the books recently. Maybe it's my choice of books or I'm just more inclined towards TV land recently.

I currently have 3 books on hand that are bookmarked in the middle and I can't seem to move forward with the book. Oooh, I desperately want to finish it. So far there's only 1 book that I have picked and read last month that I'm not interested in and I gave it up totally.

My 3 books:


This was the book that I read during my flight to Japan and it was so riveting that I couldn't put it down. Unfortunately it's in my cupboard and I have no idea who is the person who looks like Dr Maura and how she died.


Just got stuck and can't moved on, the characters are pretty bland. The book is on my kitchen table.


Maybe because Christmas is over? 

I started on another book today in BK while waiting for Purplecreme- Deep South by Nevada Barr
I'm hoping this will help me get over my current stall.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

It's all set!

I have been toying with the idea of setting up a book cum TV & Movie blog. Not for reviews but just for my own personal listing and future references.

So I will list books that I have read but I don't think I will be reviewing them. I'm not good at reviewing stuffs, it's more of whether I enjoyed reading it & whether I will read it again. Ditto for movies and TV serials.