Posts
She looks cuter with her new trimmed hair-do.
The silence hangs still in the darkness of the room
Serenity in silence, the black room whispers to you
If only the human heart functions that way,
my black heart does not live without chaos.
It is Johnny Cash madness again!
Thanks to Lai Chow, finally I got some (or rather a whole load) Johnny Cash songs, especially...
Jackson by Johnny Cash and June Carter: I've been in love with this song ever since I watched Walk the Line with the MI buddies. This is the original song, but you have to check out the rendition by Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon.
I heart their voices (like how bees love honey... okay, lame). Somehow I prefer Witherspoon's buttery voice to Carter's rough one, but Phoenix absolutely pulled off an almost-perfect rendition of Cash. I am on a look-out for the soundtrack (waiting for the price to drop). LOL. I saw it previously in HMV, maybe it is about time to purchase it.
The movie is another story though. Personally, I enjoyed it (though almost the rest of the class was dozing off in the theatre which, other than us 16 young ones, was filled with old couples). There were some moments when I slipped into a state of half-alseep, but I recovered when another song started playing. So you can very well say, the movie felt like a dream, because most of the time I was watching unconsciously (I'm not sure whether this is good or bad). However, I've to say the songs save the movie. I mean, Cash's story is pretty cliche (all bad things befall on you to bring you happiness): losing brother at a young age thus slip into depression, singer becomes drug addict, meets a girl and girl changes his life. Of course, there's also the prison performance scene, but that's not really part of the plot.
Other than the songs, one other thing (or person) saves the movie: Joaquin Phoenix, who else! Oh my Joaquin Phoenix - he defines manly charisma plus mysterious aura. He looks like someone with a dark past, soaked in enigma, and provoking you to uncover his secret bit by bit... All right, enough of our dear Joaquin Phoenix. Witherspoon did a good job too - that attitude and screaming and violence (reminds me of the scene when she throws a glass bottle towards the stage where the band was drinking and getting high. She totally woke the shit out of their drunk state. In that scene, Phoenix's reaction spoke a thousand words but a few words stood out to string a sentence: "Girl power can be scary sometimes." Reese Witherspoon can be fierce.
Since I watched Walk the Line without any form of Johnny Cash or June Carter knowledge, I can't judge whether the movie or casts portrayed them with justice. But, according to A. O. Scott's review from The New York Times, they didn't. However, I've to disagree his point that Phoenix did not do justice to Cash's vocal (I think he did fairly well than expected!):
"Even though his singing voice doesn't match the original - how could it? - he is most convincing in concert, when his shoulders tighten and he cocks his head to one side. Otherwise, he seems stuck in the kind of off-the-rack psychological straitjacket in which Hollywood likes to confine troubled geniuses."
What's with the last line?
Oh well, I know you know we know that Joaquin Phoenix sings well, so let's just live in that state of ... state of denial? Oh whatever.
Watch Walk the Line if you are a HUGE fan of Johnny Cash or... history is your favourite subject in school.
One Ok Rock: my current LOVE. Oh my god! They are absolute good, and I've listened to only two of their songs. This is so my-kind-of-a-song (though I've no idea what they are singing).
"Friends, friends; you said. But there are things you can't say even on your deathbed."
"They live in the background of the society on sheer luck," I thought as the movie ended.
The introductory part of the movie Nobody Knows (Dare mo shirenai) is not one that you'd expect for it to end in such a manner. The ending is when all the tears that you have locked up till than pours out freely, making you understand the main casts' feelings from the start till the end.
Nobody Knows speaks the tale of four children abandoned by an irresponsible mother, depriving them of simple memories such as going to school and making friends, and forcing them to grow up to make mature decisions such whether to use up their money for luxurious possession or daily necessities. It will make you recall your colourful childhood memories and compare it with the main cast's dull lifestyle, maybe giving you the feeling of regret for throwing a tantrum to get something you fancy.
This movie was inspired by a near-smilar incident that took place in Japan in 1988.
Everything about the 2004 movie is brilliant: the perfect cast, the tearjerker storyline and fitting scenarios. I regret for watching this with a toilet break in between; it kind of spoilt the emotions that were building up within me. But, overall, I admit I still did cry in the end. A good cry. No wonder the film was highly praised by some movie critics, like Desson Thomson from Washington Post.
Watch it online or get the DVD.
***
I'm done with Puzzle. If you asked me how it ended tomorrow morning, I don't think I will remember. It reminded me of Trick (but I've to say Trick is so much entertaining - maybe because of the Nakama Yukie and Hiroshi Abe combi). I watched it for the hilarity and thrill of finding out the culprit of those murders, and you should too, if you are planning to watch Puzzle.
I can't wait to complete the spring Japanese dramas to start on the summer ones. I already made a list! =)) My favourite season: summer - they have the best dramas then, and that nostalgic secondary school feel just returns during this time of the year. And of course, summer festivals (I will not miss the Senior High summer festival this year for ANYTHING).
Feeling: Relaxed
Listening to: Last Friends OST
http://www.memoryimprovement.com.sg/dunearn.htm
It made me cry, as the memories I buried in some corner in my heart decided to play in my head. Yes, I cried shamelessly, remembering everyone even those I held a grudge to. Somehow, when you grow older, you become wiser about such stuff like petty hatred.
&this song just made it even more heart-wrenching to go through the names there.
I remember that workshop even till now, three years later, and that library I used to spend most of my time at. I must have spent more time there than in my classroom! Those were the days when I held onto foolish yet innocent dreams like flying around the world and working odd jobs to pay for my jollifications. LOL. Now all I want is a stable and happy life.
How time can mold someone like me to such extreme...
Feeling: Heart-broken, Unsure
Listening to: The Call by Regina Spektor
Here I am, when I have to prepare to attend two events later in the afternoon and two articles left to complete by Friday (wait, that's like tomorrow).
It was madness last night at Botanic Garden, when Yani, Sam and I gathered to give a birthday 'surprise' to Aini. I'm glad that we managed to pull the surprise though it was a whole load of work to light up the candles and placing them cult-style when you are hellishly starving with delicious KFC take-outs beside you. I have to say Sam and I made a good team in doing that! But, somehow we forgot to light up the cake candles before Aini and Yani came from their 'quarantined' (and disgustingly smelly) waiting point. LOL. We were so evil to make the birthday girl wait for us at such a freaky place called the Swan Lake (though it is usually perfectly beautiful in day).
So, we made merry and more merry like some drunk fools. Not that I mind acting like a fool, I realise I don't mind being a fool when I am with the best company. So we enjoyed on KFC chicken like hungry ghosts, ate more food and more, popped a wannabe 'champagne' bottle, played with sparklers, camwhored and ran around like some lunatics whose most important screw got lost. But overall, we had fun, though by the time it all ended, I was superbly drained and was daoing Sam. LOL. And the bus took terribly long and I bet I must have looked like a homeless kid with headphones on, singing to songs at the busstops. I've yet to get got my hands on those retardedly crazy photographs we (or rather Yani) took. =)) Here goes!
We were randomly camwhoring. Don't blame us, blame the humidity and food.
SPARKLERS! It was uber fun since the last time I played it was last Hari Raya (when was it again? I tend to forget the dates.).
I was sad. I mean, look! My sparklers went dead on me. =(
&other random shots (oh! see, 'pop' the champagne moments included!) =D
P.S. pardon the last photograph. I look so unsure about smiling and Yani is just so actact/attitude can.
***
Plurk has been screwing quite often lately. But I've no right to complain since Plurk is the only (fun) platform I have to communicate online with (real) friends. Twitter was once fun since I love talking to myself and exclaim out loud my thoughts, but it has become more interesting with Plurk as I exclaim out my thoughts and get both expected and unexpected responses, and communicate while working (which can be quite a distraction, but I manage pretty normally). And yes, I've ditched Twitter for Plurk, but a smallminiteenyweeny part of my heart yearns to go back there and spam with my ridiculously dumb thoughts.
***
I've decided to write my post in LJ style (all the more I should switch to LJ):
Feeling: Tired & Excited (for Toys&Comic convention)
Listening to: Koko ni iru yo by SoulJa feat Aoyama Thelma
Oh man, I miss doing graphic icons. I don't recall the last time I did one (and I don't remember the last time I wrote a damnemobecuaseiamemo poem). I feel down these days, like as if I am finding some kind of answer to some qnestion. I've never really sat down and thought of what those questions were, but I am pretty sure it has to do with the many uncertainties I face right now - it has to be - like what I'll do after I graduate and so on. It is normal isn't it, to think about such matters? Or am I just being paranoid and wasting my time worrying (that reminds of a quote I hear a very longggg time ago: Worrying is like a rocking chair - it gets you to do something but won't get you anywhere).
Maybe the reason I don't sit down and think about these stuff because I'm afraid to look eye-to-eye with the very few possibilities I have, or that the possibility I want is not part of my plan. This uncertainty makes me
On another note, I'VE GOT SO MANY DRAFTS SAVED IN MY VOX WHICH I'VE NOT YET COMPLETED. I jsut realised. And most of the fanfics I started have been stopped abruptly for no eason except one - I am a lazy girl. I realise a little late (though it is obvious) that the only thing I enjoy is watching dramas and movies and that's it. Maybe reading tabloids too. I want to take that one extra step to make a difference instead of just stopping there, but I am in a VERY-stalled mode. *sadness* Holiday's in 5 weeks and I am looking forward to it because I've got big stuff planned, but whether I'll achieve them or not, as usual I am unsure. I scold myself everytime I plan something adn that question just pops up in my mind randomly. I mean, I have the perception that things go well when you don't think much of the outcome and enjoy the procedures. However, I can't seem to that. Or maybe I am plainly not trying my best yet.
That brings to the whole idea of trying your best. To me, when you are doing something - whether I am trying my best or not - it doens't make a difference; it is still not trying my best. So, sometimes I buck up to really work harder and other times, I go into a default mode and make it seem like a chore I've to do, thus the trying hard level drops drastically. I believe I am in the latter mode now, and I hate it. It is like as if I am pitying myself for being in such a state and as if I'm living for nothing. I want to go back to how I used to be - it striked me when I was having a measly breakfast this morning - but how? Isn't that always the question for me - how? The plan immediately conjured up in my mind, and I feel contented till THAT question popped up in my mind randomly: Will I do as planned? So, by the time I step myself out of my house, I've already got myself into a self-pity mode, reflecting all my past failed plans and all the plans I drew up earlier this morning just vanished. So you see the problem now - it is just psychology (LOL, so reminded me of a character of the movie I half-watched last night - Loft - till I decided that it was totally freaking me out with the '5 seconds which felt like 5 mins' close-up shot of a mummy. I'm planning to complete it this morning and this plan will go accordingly because this is movie we are talking about). I've no idea to get rid of this problem, maybe I should go consult some kind of shrink. *sighs* My life is pretty pathetic.
It is time to make a change, my heart screams, but my mind is just refusing to function sanely.
I'd better get around completing those fanfics and icons. *sighs* Nisha misses having PS installed in her office comp.
Go join earthlings! =))
P.S. One Love by Arashi is making me smile like an idiot infront of the office computer. Smile like a fool too!
