Wednesday, June 20, 2007
love, is all we need. =)
on hp5 ootp:
you must watch it if that is the last thing you do and if you are a harry potter fan. of course, there's always the long-awaited release of book 7... seriously,[no pun intended, of course], the movie is so much better than the book as david yates [the director lah] knows his stuff and picked out the main stuff and weaved the gist nicely. it is rlly a commendable effort and i like it darker and not just merely storytelling. rowling has done that and she does a better job, btw. i always felt that movies cannot bring out a book/story/plot well, but for how many people - the movie has brought the book to greater height. well, that's a mystery i guess. anyway it's loads better than hp4 with harry and his hideous hair. mind you, i still can't get over that sight. AND RON! what a horror. =P
some new singers and bands i have discovered so far. and some i took a while to. =P
1. plain white t's
2. mika [trust me it's not so simple. =P]
3. travis
4. boys like girls
5. sophie ellis bextor
i guess that's all rlly. but if i were to have anymore, i guess the list will run forever. after all my knowledge of good bands and singers don't stop expanding due to some rlly great pals who are rlly MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE than me. =)
and finally, the highlight of today. the 21st of july.
the atmosphere could not be more tense than ever, all around me. the days impending to this fateful one seemed to be building up - like smth great is about to happen. and it did. i knew smth will change my life. the morning had started out horrendously and worse was coming forth. but i knew smth that will comfort me - the book.
you might laugh at my childishness [yah, i think i might. HAHAHA.] but there is so much more than there is to this book that i held in the palm of my hands.; this book, looking strikingly like its predecessor. [many people thought i had it a day earlier. must have been Confunded. =P it was just the HBP!] and a wave of happiness and dread overcame me. it was obvious - THE END WAS HERE.
it had been ages ago, ten years to be exact, that the first book was released and now looking back, i feel this emptiness and hollowness. nothing can rlly fill this hole anymore. Nothing.
i shall not retell the calamity that befell me this very morning. probably cracked under the pressure and excitement. AH, WELL... [but do forgive me for suddenly writing all of this in 'near-perfect' English. i have after all, just finished reading the book.] anyway, i'm sure what you want to know now is what i'm going to say next.
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS:
as of 7.01 am, singapore time and well midnight in London, everybody will be embarking on the final journey with Harry Potter, the boy who lived. from the last we heard of Harry, he had been tasked the job to find all the remaining Horcruxes [rlly evil and wicked objects i guess] and destroy them and finally destroying the man who created them all, Lord Voldermort. [all Muggles, known as 'non-magical folk' in Harry's world or in my terms 'non-Harry' fans, i sincerely advise you to walk into your nearest bookstore and kindly purchase the first book and start reading if you do not know what i am talking about. best if you just did away with the whole set OR OR DON'T READ THIS POST AT ALL. =P]
many questions have been surfacing ever since the sixth book had gotten out.
where is Snape, the Potions Master? what is Harry going to do? How is he going to complete and manage the complex task set before him? i'm sure everyone is rlly curious as i. i shall let in on one thing then. the first chapter is astutely titled 'The Dark Lord Ascending'. well. that has to be interesting HORH?
and so our journey begins with Voldy [as i affectionately call him. easier anyway. my hands are aching from all this typing.] and his 'so-called' friends, the Death Eaters. after a chapter of cruel punishments and Rowling mentioning a lot of 'high-pitched' 'cold' 'mirthless' 'laughter' and a whole lot of other adjectives, we see [or land upon] Harry.
unfortunately, at this very moment. i choose not to reveal anymore about the book because if i did, i might just be doing a great injustice for those who have not set eyes on them. however, i must urge you to read it as i think this is one of my favourites, besides bk 3 and 6. it is still a wonderful story nonetheless. therefore, i conclude my review.
[MAJOR SPOILERS: OR SO I THINK.]
probably everyone wants to know who dies in this book and Rowling has rather kindly revealed that 2 major ones will. there is no doubt that Voldy will be vanquished or Rowling will be tracking down hundreds of 'i-think-i'm-so-brillant' authors who think they can do another Harry spinoff. anyway, no one wants to or can rlly bother to open an 8th HP book to see Harry battling with Voldy again. BORING.
just got a glimpse of the evening news and saw that [WOW!] a girl actually cried as she felt so much for the last book. well, i cannot admit i'm not sad, but sadness comes in a form of not crying my eyes out but gazing fondly at the cover of Deathly Hallows.
so i was at the topic of deaths. YES, the title rlly says much. deaths abound. deaths like a *snaps finger in the air*. personally i was just shocked at how Rowling actually killed so many of them but i guess she just added to the tension that was surmounting in the book. i like the way she did it and some deaths have been particularly saddening but others were just plain disturbing. i felt that there was this character who died and he was very innocent and naive but no doubt, it was this death that had the most impact on both me and Harry. [ERRRRRRRRR... YAH.]
and then i come to the topic of what i had expected and what came true.
so i was right about some things and wrong too, no doubt. the fact that i was right about Aberforth, Dumbledore's brother, on some things, just made me feel happier. the death of one [well i'm not sure whether he was rlly that major or not] character was just as many have guessed. many people had also guessed what the story would be about. i think Rowling knew what was coming and she just had to do it. many people are after all quite intelligent at gathering clues and solving mysteries. [NOT ME LAH.] and i thought that the mirror that Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, had would play an important part. just waiting when though. it did anyway. throughout the whole book, whenever there was Bill Weasley present [whom all Potter fans know that he is Ron Weasley's older brother and had been bitten by the werewolf, Fenrir Greyback in bk 6] i was half-expecting him to turn into a werewolf and bite someone. [HEHE, just curious ;)] unfortunately that didn't happen. should had known that as Greyback hadn't bitten Bill in the full moon period, he couldn't possibly be a REAL werewolf.
then there was so many other things, ranging from the Horcruxes and the house-elves; the goblins and the Death Eaters; and of course the fact that once Harry turned 17 [legal age for wizards] the charm protecting him will not be present anymore, making Harry extremely vulnerable. every chapter held some sort of hope and of course, sometimes it did reveal a little thing here and there. the answers to all my countless questions were never evident - i rlly have never been very good at understanding what Rowling meant at first 'read'.
then, there were the Deathly Hallows;
what did they mean and will whatever it is aid Harry in his final conquest? i was just dying to know. and with the introduction of a few [i don't rlly think a tad too many] characters, slowly i understood.
perhaps Rowling wanted all her readers to participate in unraveling the secrets and i think it tremendously enjoyable. i might not have totally agreed with how the book ended, [a bit wierd and silly and heart-warming all the same; could've been a tragedy LAH] but i still think that this date will forever be etched into the back of my mind.
until then, with painful parting, i come to the end of HP7. i closed the book with a lingering smile and a few laughs, hardly doing much of that throughout the book, but all the same... i pondered at the sight of the back cover. there is a picture of Hogwarts School of WitchCraft and Wizardry and suddenly i feel a slight twinge in my heart. how peculiar, and yet at the same time apt, that the battle should take place at Hoggy-Hogwarts. it is one of the amazing things you wonder about Rowling. had she had everything planned out then? we readers, who unfortunately do not have the Inner eye, nor nothing much of a crystal ball, cannot predict what might happen. it just so we are doing the opposite; waiting with bated breath.
alas! i knew that Harry had indeed been 'Dumbeldore's man through and through'. [*pauses to wipe the tears that are leaking out of my eyes*] and so i end off with this and in dedication - "to the well-organised mind, death is but the next great adventure", quoted from my all-time favourite character and Hogwarts Headmaster, Albus Wulfric Percival Brian Dumbeldore.
[in memory]
nitwit, blubber, oddment, tweak.
valerie.
10:12 PM
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
hello ya'all.
=) i'm in school now n i shldnt be doing this but HAHAHAAHAHHAHAHAHAHA.
yes, unfortunately i'm on a crazy streak again.
thngs i have done so far:
1. watched POTC3 - At World's End
should you watch it? only one word can say it all.
AYE!i can give u a blow by blow accnt abt it. are u willing to listen rlly? =P
actually for this movie i cant rlly say much because half the time i dun even noe whads going on! if you read enuff synopsis[es] before u watched the movie, perhaps u will noe roughly whads going on. but TRUST ME, that doesnt rlly help alot. in the end, the movie is saved by the stellar cast and the great action scenes. [WHADDID I SAY? I'M AN ACTION BUFF.] =)
ratings - 3 to 4 stars. [johnny is worth watching. ;) ]
2. i realised that IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL.
yah. like how your friend knows your friend from somewhere and that friend knows your friend who knows your friend who knows - WELL, PRACTICALLY EVERYONE. what a small world this is.
3. piles of hw to do n not to mention art
not that i hate it but OH i cant wait for all of this to be over. cant wait to get out of this school cant wait to get out of all of this. first thng i'll do once i graduate is BLOG [?] OR GET MYSELF SOME GUITAR LESSONS THAT I KP PROMISING MYSELF. yah, thats whad i'll do.
4. plain white t's is band of the NOW, DAY, WK, MTH, WHADEVER.
listen to their songs on my playlist. =) of course there's this thng abt a chance to catch
MAROON 5 live in concert in tokyo. OMG! =( what can i say: life is so unfair. i thnk i'll just get their album n make myself happy - THE END. =( =( =( =( =(5. f4 coming out TOMORROW!
'nuff said right? ACTION, COMEDY, QUITE OKIE LOOKING PEOPLE ALL ROLLED INTO ONE. just need the time to catch it. and in case you dno or whadevr u've been doing [ stuck on a deserted island ] f4 means fantastic four. second instalment is out - go catch it people! =)
ah. i dno whad to blog alr. lemme rest my fingers first.
tata, vB.
3:19 PM
Saturday, June 02, 2007
there's so much thngs i want to post abt but as usual - until i learn how to type a little faster or that i get the hands of Maxim, i dun thnk i will ever make it as a type-writer. that said, let me juz get started by saying and summing up whad has happened to me so far > both the gd and the bad [ provided i can even rmb =P ]
1. watched spidey 3 TWICE.
no, it cant be all that bad and NO i am not rich. i juz happened to hav a free ticket and a mind that needed to be DE-stressed. THERE. rlly. he is my FAVE superhero [minus Batman, but we can talk abt that another time. ;) ] always there to save the MILLIONS of damsels in distress. however, i have to go against all that i have just said and say that spidey 2 is my fave out of all 3. this is because spidey 1 was the boring-typical intro abt how 'WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY' and spidey 3 was this action-packed, plot-driven, abit drama-mama ending to the trilogy. URGH. [not that i dun lyk action; i LOVE it. u're hearing this frm a girl who grew up watching JChan's shows.]
but too much of a gd thng can be bad. and make u dizzy and movie-sick. which is why there is only spidey 2 left to choose. =) all the conflict and drama and emotions are raw in this part of the movie. besides, spidey 3 had too many 'OMG, i got to save this girl from dying' scenes. on the whole tho, i rate spidey 3: 4 stars [if im biased 'cause he's my fave superhero] or 3 stars [because the storyline gets repeated.] HEHE.
the wierd thng abt it is all my gal-pals say the eye candy is either James Franco [Harry] or Topher Grace [ Eddie or the guy frm THAT SEVENTIES SHOW] i still thnk the main character is the best tho he may not be the best-looking the story does evolve around him, you know. anyway, my fave villian in this movie has to be SandMan, because Harry and Eddie are just TOO easy on the eye and seem just TOO harmless and that's why they lack substance to be a 'GOOD' villian. =P GET what I mean?
my - the girls are going to hamtam me after hearing whad i said abt them. =(
ANYWAY, if u watch intently enuff, [MAJOR SPOILER ALERT] u will realise that the french guy in spidey 3 is actually the usherer in spidey 2 - WITHOUT THE MOUSTACHE!!! and that the random old guy in spidey 3 is actually the creator of spidey having a cameo role - NAME IS STAN LEE. and ACCORDING TO MY COUSIN, Harry appears at the end of the movie when spidey looks for his girlfriend. AH! didnt quite catch that.
so, yah, i juz spent 5 paras trying to say why spidey 3 is still a muz watch - altho TOO late now rite? HEHEHE =)
2. watched 'How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days' and 'School Of Rock'
awesome movies. HTLAGITD is a rom com while SOR is a comedy and has lots and LOts and LOTS of music in it! just hilarious and all the ppl in the movie are just REAL talent. GOD. just look at that boy play the electric guitar. I WANNA DO THAT. somebody BUY me one. thnks. NOW you noe whad to get me for my birthday. =) wont say much abt HTLAGITD cauz it is just one of those shows that girls can watch with their pals for a movie marathon.
3. have yet to catch POTC3 and Shrek 3
didnt watch shrek1 and shrek2 so i see no pt in catching shrek3. but for pirates - that's another thng. i played the movie OST, i watched both shows alr, i'm a major fan of it, im a major fan of JOHNNY DEPP so > 'nuff said.
4. had a maths olympiad [ 1st and prob the last ]
well, ppl say all sorts of thngs. one source said - what's the pt when u're only there to fill the numbers? [ GD ONE ] it's only for the brainy ones at YOU-KNOW-WHERE. [ BRAVO] just go and relax and enjoy urself. [ HUH? ] anyway, at the end of the 3 hrs gruelling task, i managed to reply that person: AH! i managed to do the first QN! whad an achievement! that and i had a celebration ALR. =) CHEERS.
5. went back for band
and some wierdo prof came in to assess mr foo? GOD - after so many days of prac and the first day we kena such kind of stuff. WHAD IS THE WORLD COMMING TO, MAN? so, we had that and had to play american elegy which was a VERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRY sleepy song. main thng was because there were so many bars of rest. and whad else do you do in rest time but slp? CROSS MY HEART that i could have slept while playing. n it was foo's bdae that day so we tried to kp him pleased. =P n fen wasn't there but arrived ON THE DOT at 4. BRAVO. =) but she was busy and had VR. then blah blah blah. BUT that was the most tiring day for me cause i went home like - 8 plus and slept at 12 plus and had to wake up the next day at 8 or 9 plus which was like:
QUOTING FRM SA - i'm totally wasted for this week.
I'VE BEEN EATING JUNK FOOD FOR THE WHOLE WEEK. WHOLE WEEK! I AM LIKE CRAVING FOR CHINATOWN'S FISH PORRIDGE! I CAN'T STEP INTO TBP ANYMORE CAUSE I HAVE EATEN ALL THE FF RESTAURANTS EXCEPT FOR M.OS. AS IT IS JUST TOO EX!
yah. that IS the truth. i hate junk food now and i hate the taste of coke and pepsi. i hate fries too and i hate all things fried. i'm becoming a total freak already. =(
6. and then there were the countless of art meetings i had since week one of the holidays. they shldn't even name it holidays as i have not stayed at home for one whole day ever since the week started except for vesak day but it WAS A PUBLIC HOLIDAY so you cant blame me. [ they shld name it a BREAKBUTYOUCANTRLLYCALLITAHOLIDAY holiday ] and now here i m ranting abt all these things that im tired of doing and i just wanted a break so i can state my next pt which is ...
7. GSS has started. GREAT. [case u dno > Great Singapore Sale.]
8. went to the world book fair and got myself a couple of books. i call it RETAIL THERAPY FOR THE NERDY SOUL. =) thank god there were such thngs called PAPER! and the PRINTER as well.
9. im going on a hol to GENTING again. but with my cousins this time. =D YEAH!
10. it coincides with my chem prac. =(
11. might as well bring my homework there to do. do it on the corkscrew [ havent tried it yet ], do it on the euro express [ moves so slowly that i think it's posb ], do it on the DUMBO ride. [AH! GREAT IDEA OF THE MOMENT!]
12. sec 4 is a hectic year. [NOT THAT I DUNNOE IT.]
13. my chinese o levels have passed. i feel semi - confident. =)
that is abt all bcauz nowadays i use my brain for other thngs like memorising formulas and WHADNOTS, so i cant rlly rmb anyth and i want to change my blogskin but too lazy and no time and well, YOU KNOW.
still SANE,
vB.
PS: wrote such a long essay on spidey 3 cauz i wanted to noe ur views on whether i shld write anymore reviews on movies nxt time. may hurt my hand but im VERY INTO becoming a journalist lately. =P
10:54 PM