At first I thought it would be a lame movie about young women buried in a cave or something... We all know how lame was The Cave and so I had very low expectations of this flick. Well, I was in for a surprise. What a treat!
From the beginning it is obvious that the raven haired gal and the blonde wife would have some kind of turnoils... The blonde's guy messed aroung with the other, and as he died a painful death the raven gal made an act of banishment for a whole year.
A year later, the Ya-Ya sisterhood...erm... the femmes who regard each others as friends, reunite for old time's sake as seems that each year they took a quest to an exotic place for thrills... Raven gal decided on some caves to be explored, who had been outside the maps (unexplored)... She didnt tell that to the others, sending the whole group on an adventure that gambles their own lives with ease.
After a cave-in, the women are trapped in an unmapped place and so their woes begin... they discover there maight be another exit towards the surface but that path will lead towards meeting hungry batlike humanoids who thrive on human flesh...buahahahahahah... As corny as it may sound, the blurred effects and storyline, and the performance of the main actors make this movie stand... After so many deaths, the inevitable clash between the blonde and the brunette comes and is... elating. The woman that played the blonde, coming out of a pool of blood reminiscent of Carrie was... Wow! The powerful expression of her ice-blue eyes... so much hate, hunger for retribution, desire for vengueance! Loved that! And the end was very much a la asian horror movies...
I really recommend this flick, worthy of the theaters... among so many movies that should have gone straight to video...
10-4
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Pirates! and Lady in the Water
Pirates of the Caribbean: I don’t know why I read reviews that tore apart the movie… People seem to loose the focus on this being a PIRATE movie, meaning it’s supposed to be FUN first, logical second… and still, it did follow a storyline that was simple and lighthearted but cool. The scenes at the cannibals place were hilarious. The fight at the moat was awesome. The Kraken was breathtaking. I loved Davy Jones. That scene playing the organ was… so Harlock-Phantom of the Opera-like! And the bayou… Oh! The bayou! I absolutely LOVED the witch! The hero take on Sparrow was really nice, and Lizzy behaving in a pirate’s way was believable. I just disliked the way she fought almost like Xena when she had no training whatsoever… but that’s actually the only fault I found in the movie. I found the ending was appropriate, and Barbosa’s return guarantees more fun. Can’t wait for next year’s last delivery!
Lady in the Water: Well, in a summer of sequels and re-makes, an original movie is a jewel. The tale of a nymph that comes to trigger inspiration that will guide humanity is very touching. Loved it. Innocent, a bit of Clue, a bit predictable, not scary enough for my taste, but a nice child's tale... Wish there were more tales like this...
Lady in the Water: Well, in a summer of sequels and re-makes, an original movie is a jewel. The tale of a nymph that comes to trigger inspiration that will guide humanity is very touching. Loved it. Innocent, a bit of Clue, a bit predictable, not scary enough for my taste, but a nice child's tale... Wish there were more tales like this...
Monday, July 03, 2006
Carnivale
I stumbled into this HBO original series, Carnivale, and so far it has been a delight. I've watched the first season and it was an enthralling experience. Very Big Fish meets the X-files, beautifully deep allegories, dark eerie characters... Can't wait to see chapters 5 to 12. So far its been a great dark magical voyage.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Superman Returns
The people swarming from all corners was a bit discouraging... I hate crowds. But I had the feeling that it might be worth it... And it was. The whole cinema was full... but not of a tiny specific group of nerds that wanted to see the man in tights... no... There were young people, and old people. There were nerds, and parents, and professionals and groupies... It struck me as odd that such a diverse crowd would meet in such an unlikely place and didn't really mind the clashes on... living perspectives... A bunch of kids were placed by their parents at the front seats, and I foresaw a movie with brats jumping and arguing and fussing with popcorn... Groundel had minions of the Colombian armada flanking his right side (who knows, perhaps his long lost rich father is trying to make contact...)... I had airheads flanking my right side... And a mix of married airheads and college brats lined up in the back seats... I foresaw disaster... A very bad idea to go see a movie that everyone wanted to see on its so-called premier... Then the lights went out... The DC logo appears... A light of hope (since the last time, meaning V for Vendetta, was a sincere treat from DC Comics)... And then the music hits you. The same old music that we all know by heart ever since we listened to it at the opening of the original Superman movie... The music takes you. The dance of images takes you deep into space, and the music alone gives you a certainty that it will all be good after all... Enjoy the moment. I know I did.
I expected the people to be annoying, the kids to bother... None of that. From beginning to end the movie grabs your attention. Everyone, from kids to grannies, were entranced by the magic that unfolded... Almost as if time stopped. You won't want the spell to end...
The unfolding drama is just the right amount, the unfolding action is just the right amount... You get no surprises if you are an avid comic book fan... But you do not mind, because you are feasting your eyes and your senses in what the character of Superman is all about... the way he was meant to be. Lex Luthor keeps his ecclectic nature... but with a villains finesse that almost makes you cry. Lois Lane is not just a pretty face, and shows it. Superman is simply himself... nothing more, nothing less... And that deserves an ovation. He was portrayed as I always imagined him. The classis father-son dilemma and conflict is touched with simplicity and depht. The transition from Smallville to Christopher Reeve's legacy were all reflected in the movie as a praise, taking nothing away from them, but adding some dimentions that all fans needed to see. The smile facing the worst odds is genuine and strong... gentle and fierce. It ends leaving you wanting a bit more of this fantastic tale... in which a superhero is very much needed as well as the superhero needs the humans courage.
If you never expected to see Superman at his most vulnerable moment, an almost hopeless state... You'll see it here. His death recreated the covers of the Death of Superman comics series... Lovely detail. How to help an alien entity with human technology? Laugh at it... but human ignorance and ingenuity will move you. And the final visit to see his son, very much into his character... His words to Lois, a bit cold... but then he finally acknowledges the reasons behind her actions, and his smile promises many things... Like a sequel... Duh!
Marvel better come up with something good, because the Xmen3 movie sucked badly... Of course, their bets go towards Spiderman 3 (guest starring Green Goblin and Sandman, plus a bit of Venom) and they better be good at it... So far from DC it has been 2 aces out of 2 comic book adaptations. Third is a charm?
Go watch Superman Returns. You will return to those years in which you saw him for the first time on the big screen... And then you will get to know him a bit more... Again. You will discover that age can never destroy the kid inside you. And that kid may want to stay... So far it's been the best movie this year.. But be wary, matey... the pirates are around the corner...
I expected the people to be annoying, the kids to bother... None of that. From beginning to end the movie grabs your attention. Everyone, from kids to grannies, were entranced by the magic that unfolded... Almost as if time stopped. You won't want the spell to end...
The unfolding drama is just the right amount, the unfolding action is just the right amount... You get no surprises if you are an avid comic book fan... But you do not mind, because you are feasting your eyes and your senses in what the character of Superman is all about... the way he was meant to be. Lex Luthor keeps his ecclectic nature... but with a villains finesse that almost makes you cry. Lois Lane is not just a pretty face, and shows it. Superman is simply himself... nothing more, nothing less... And that deserves an ovation. He was portrayed as I always imagined him. The classis father-son dilemma and conflict is touched with simplicity and depht. The transition from Smallville to Christopher Reeve's legacy were all reflected in the movie as a praise, taking nothing away from them, but adding some dimentions that all fans needed to see. The smile facing the worst odds is genuine and strong... gentle and fierce. It ends leaving you wanting a bit more of this fantastic tale... in which a superhero is very much needed as well as the superhero needs the humans courage.
If you never expected to see Superman at his most vulnerable moment, an almost hopeless state... You'll see it here. His death recreated the covers of the Death of Superman comics series... Lovely detail. How to help an alien entity with human technology? Laugh at it... but human ignorance and ingenuity will move you. And the final visit to see his son, very much into his character... His words to Lois, a bit cold... but then he finally acknowledges the reasons behind her actions, and his smile promises many things... Like a sequel... Duh!
Marvel better come up with something good, because the Xmen3 movie sucked badly... Of course, their bets go towards Spiderman 3 (guest starring Green Goblin and Sandman, plus a bit of Venom) and they better be good at it... So far from DC it has been 2 aces out of 2 comic book adaptations. Third is a charm?
Go watch Superman Returns. You will return to those years in which you saw him for the first time on the big screen... And then you will get to know him a bit more... Again. You will discover that age can never destroy the kid inside you. And that kid may want to stay... So far it's been the best movie this year.. But be wary, matey... the pirates are around the corner...
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
V for Vendetta, Ultra Violet, Korean horror movies and some more...
V for Vendetta: I think that a movie adaptation should be seen as that, a different work of art that may deal with similar issues but will never substitute the literary (in this case graphic novel) nature. Read it, first or later, but ALWAYS read the work because imagination is always BETTER. Tha said, I think that the movie is powerful as it puts in perspective todays political issues. Yes, it takes the anarchy/dictatorship thing from the original work and rips it apart, but right now the reality is based on terrorism, and that is what most people can relate to… Good or bad, it works as it brings to screen a compelling tale that leaves you with plenty of food for thought. Highly recommended! Go see it!
UltraViolet: What a mayor disappointment! Why Milla Jovovich did it? I guess she has joined the fans that adores her body, that’s got to be it. This movie has no deep plot, no originality, no punch… Just awesome wardrobe changes… all of the same clothing in different colors. I loved the hair/clothing color tones which had to do with the ambience of the movie, BUT… HEADACHE! HEADACHE! Damn, I expect more from the star of 5th Element and Resident Evil. Milla, we love your body but… enough is enough.
In the Korean horror corner, movies of inanimate cursed objects that thrill on blood :
The red shoes: A twist on the original tale of Hans Christian Andersen… Red shoes with a vengueance… They select who will wear them, and if they don’t like you, you are dead.
The wig: I laughed at the idea, but somehow it can work… A mute sister gives her younger sister a gift to sheer her up as she is a cancer patient and has lost her hair due to the cancer radiation therapies… The wig’s original owner, who died of course, is out in a blood curse... Seems interesting enough.
Upcoming horror attractions:
I can’t wait for Silent Hill, Stay Alive, and the Hill has Eyes. Silent Hill being the top priority, of course…
UltraViolet: What a mayor disappointment! Why Milla Jovovich did it? I guess she has joined the fans that adores her body, that’s got to be it. This movie has no deep plot, no originality, no punch… Just awesome wardrobe changes… all of the same clothing in different colors. I loved the hair/clothing color tones which had to do with the ambience of the movie, BUT… HEADACHE! HEADACHE! Damn, I expect more from the star of 5th Element and Resident Evil. Milla, we love your body but… enough is enough.
In the Korean horror corner, movies of inanimate cursed objects that thrill on blood :
The red shoes: A twist on the original tale of Hans Christian Andersen… Red shoes with a vengueance… They select who will wear them, and if they don’t like you, you are dead.
The wig: I laughed at the idea, but somehow it can work… A mute sister gives her younger sister a gift to sheer her up as she is a cancer patient and has lost her hair due to the cancer radiation therapies… The wig’s original owner, who died of course, is out in a blood curse... Seems interesting enough.
Upcoming horror attractions:
I can’t wait for Silent Hill, Stay Alive, and the Hill has Eyes. Silent Hill being the top priority, of course…
Monday, February 06, 2006
A planet called XENA... what will they think of next?
The little rock causing a galactic storm
It's been named after the warrior princess. But the only fighting involved with Xena is between scientists, bitterly divided as to whether she is our latest planet, or just a jumped-up asteroid
Robin McKie
Sunday July 31, 2005
The Observer
Astronomers have found a new world orbiting the Sun. The giant lump of rock and ice is larger than the planet Pluto and is now the farthest known object in the solar system.
The discovery was announced by US scientists yesterday and the object has unofficially been named Xena, after the TV series starring Lucy Lawless. 'We have always wanted to name something Xena,' said Michael Brown, a member of the team that made the discovery using telescopes at the Palomar Observatory, outside San Diego, California.
Preliminary observations suggest Xena - officially known as 2003 UB313 - is an extremely strange world. It is currently 9 billion miles away from the Sun, roughly 100 times more distant than the Earth, and is now about three times more remote than Pluto. At its present distance, the Sun will appear so small in the sky it will almost be indistinguishable from other stars.
Xena will also be incredibly cold. Its surface temperature is likely to be only a few degrees above absolute zero, while a year there - the time Xena takes to make one passage round the Sun on its highly elliptical orbit - will be the equivalent of 560 Earth years.
Despite its distance, the little world is also proving to be highly controversial. Astronomers cannot agree whether it is a planet or just a jumped-up asteroid. Its discoverers are claiming Xena is the 10th planet. Other astronomers say it is just another of the Sun's minor planets. There are thousands of minor planets in the solar system, but only nine fully fledged major planets.
The last full planet to be discovered - in 1930 by US astronomer Clyde Tombaugh - was Pluto. But recently some astronomers have campaigned to have Pluto downgraded to 'minor planet' status. It is so small - its diameter is a mere 2,200 kilometres - that it is unworthy of the status of full planet, it was argued. This bid was finally rejected after heated scientific debate.
But now the discovery of Xena, which is only slightly bigger than Pluto, will re-ignite that row. Both Pluto and Xena are components of the Kuiper Belt, which is made up of thousands of small asteroid-like objects, many mere lumps of rock, that sweep the outermost depths of the solar system. As members of the Kuiper Belt, neither Pluto nor Xena should be rated full-fledged planets, it is argued.
The trouble for astronomers is that they do not have an exact definition of a planet. Many say that, if Pluto had been discovered today, it would not have been called a proper planet. In 1999 one group from the US Minor Planet Centre proposed that Pluto be given a new joint classification so that it would keep its position among the major planets, but also be given a designation as a minor planet. The centre dropped the proposal after outcry from those who saw it as a demotion.
Gareth Williams of the centre said he still supported dual status for Pluto, but did not think Xena should be added to the registry of major planets. It should be left as as a minor planet 'permanently', he said.
But Mark Sykes, director of the Planetary Sciences Institute in Tucson, Arizona, disagreed. It should be classed as a full planet, he said. 'The kinds of questions we would ask about this object [Xena] would be planet-like questions,' he said. For example, does it have an atmosphere and what sort of geological processes generated its apparently bright surface?
This view was backed by the leader of the team that discovered Xena. 'It is definitely bigger than Pluto, and I would say it counts out as the 10th planet,' said Brown.
Xena was first spotted in January. Since then scientists have been checking its position and size before making their announcement.
They had hoped to hold back for longer, but a secure website containing details of the discovery was recently hacked and the hacker threatened to release the information.
For Brown, the discovery is particularly satisfying. Five and a half years ago, he bet fellow astronomer Sabine Airieau five bottles of good champagne that he would find a Kuiper Belt object larger than Pluto by the end of last year. In December, having failed, he bought the champagne to send to her. Then 2003 UB313 was spotted on 8 January.
'I lost the bet by eight days,' Brown said. 'But she graciously decided she would let that window slide and I would win the bet. That means I get to drink 10 bottles of good champagne. And I think I will.'
Isn't this grrrrreat? A Xena planet... with a Gabby moon! Xenites be proud! :)
It's been named after the warrior princess. But the only fighting involved with Xena is between scientists, bitterly divided as to whether she is our latest planet, or just a jumped-up asteroid
Robin McKie
Sunday July 31, 2005
The Observer
Astronomers have found a new world orbiting the Sun. The giant lump of rock and ice is larger than the planet Pluto and is now the farthest known object in the solar system.
The discovery was announced by US scientists yesterday and the object has unofficially been named Xena, after the TV series starring Lucy Lawless. 'We have always wanted to name something Xena,' said Michael Brown, a member of the team that made the discovery using telescopes at the Palomar Observatory, outside San Diego, California.
Preliminary observations suggest Xena - officially known as 2003 UB313 - is an extremely strange world. It is currently 9 billion miles away from the Sun, roughly 100 times more distant than the Earth, and is now about three times more remote than Pluto. At its present distance, the Sun will appear so small in the sky it will almost be indistinguishable from other stars.
Xena will also be incredibly cold. Its surface temperature is likely to be only a few degrees above absolute zero, while a year there - the time Xena takes to make one passage round the Sun on its highly elliptical orbit - will be the equivalent of 560 Earth years.
Despite its distance, the little world is also proving to be highly controversial. Astronomers cannot agree whether it is a planet or just a jumped-up asteroid. Its discoverers are claiming Xena is the 10th planet. Other astronomers say it is just another of the Sun's minor planets. There are thousands of minor planets in the solar system, but only nine fully fledged major planets.
The last full planet to be discovered - in 1930 by US astronomer Clyde Tombaugh - was Pluto. But recently some astronomers have campaigned to have Pluto downgraded to 'minor planet' status. It is so small - its diameter is a mere 2,200 kilometres - that it is unworthy of the status of full planet, it was argued. This bid was finally rejected after heated scientific debate.
But now the discovery of Xena, which is only slightly bigger than Pluto, will re-ignite that row. Both Pluto and Xena are components of the Kuiper Belt, which is made up of thousands of small asteroid-like objects, many mere lumps of rock, that sweep the outermost depths of the solar system. As members of the Kuiper Belt, neither Pluto nor Xena should be rated full-fledged planets, it is argued.
The trouble for astronomers is that they do not have an exact definition of a planet. Many say that, if Pluto had been discovered today, it would not have been called a proper planet. In 1999 one group from the US Minor Planet Centre proposed that Pluto be given a new joint classification so that it would keep its position among the major planets, but also be given a designation as a minor planet. The centre dropped the proposal after outcry from those who saw it as a demotion.
Gareth Williams of the centre said he still supported dual status for Pluto, but did not think Xena should be added to the registry of major planets. It should be left as as a minor planet 'permanently', he said.
But Mark Sykes, director of the Planetary Sciences Institute in Tucson, Arizona, disagreed. It should be classed as a full planet, he said. 'The kinds of questions we would ask about this object [Xena] would be planet-like questions,' he said. For example, does it have an atmosphere and what sort of geological processes generated its apparently bright surface?
This view was backed by the leader of the team that discovered Xena. 'It is definitely bigger than Pluto, and I would say it counts out as the 10th planet,' said Brown.
Xena was first spotted in January. Since then scientists have been checking its position and size before making their announcement.
They had hoped to hold back for longer, but a secure website containing details of the discovery was recently hacked and the hacker threatened to release the information.
For Brown, the discovery is particularly satisfying. Five and a half years ago, he bet fellow astronomer Sabine Airieau five bottles of good champagne that he would find a Kuiper Belt object larger than Pluto by the end of last year. In December, having failed, he bought the champagne to send to her. Then 2003 UB313 was spotted on 8 January.
'I lost the bet by eight days,' Brown said. 'But she graciously decided she would let that window slide and I would win the bet. That means I get to drink 10 bottles of good champagne. And I think I will.'
Isn't this grrrrreat? A Xena planet... with a Gabby moon! Xenites be proud! :)
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