derpinsel.com - pixels, stories and texts by angela solis

Get Smart

Get Smart (2008)
I really wanted to watch Kung Fu Panda but I ended up watching Get Smart with a couple of friends.

It was fun to watch. I like the stunts, I especially love Steve Carell in this movie. Anne Hathaway is really beautiful. I fangirled a bit when I saw Masi Oka in a small role, but whatever. I think I like this movie more because of the humor (which is its selling point) and the stunts.

What? Am I supposed to write something really thought-provoking about this film? I think this film is really funny, and that’s all that matters, I guess.

Mawang (마왕)

After almost a week I managed to finish the Korean drama “Mawang.” I am not too fond of Korean dramas, but I decided to watch this because TBS is going to show a Japanese version of this, carrying the title Maou, and since I am anticipating that, I decided to familiarize myself with the plot. For the summary, please go here.

I think the over-all plot for the drama is really good. It’s dark, it’s twisted, it’s emotional. I just don’t like the idea that there are too many characters in the drama and the way they were introduced are a bit too abrupt, if not their appearance weren’t too smooth. It’s kind of like you’re watching the show and in around episodes 4-5 another one person appears and we kind of don’t know why they’re there, even though their appearances kind of suggest us that they’re a vital part of the story.

I like the detective’s character more than the lawyer’s, for some reason. Feeling ko nakakainis umarte yung lawyer dito. He looks cunning, for sure, pero medyo nakakainis siya. I guess I just kind of liked him during the last parts of the story where he was able to show that he’s having second thoughts about his plans, or at least, he is kind of satisfied with what he has done already. The most annoying character here is the stuttering nerd, ha ha. I think he’s more scary than annoying pa nga, but that only means the actor played his character really well.

There are too many flashbacks too. I’m not really a fan of flashbacks so it’s kind of annoying. But I think in general the show was well-made. Just my personal quirks, I guess. Oh, and BTW, I think it’s too long.

Jabbawockeez in Winnipeg

Sabi ng ilang contacts ko sa Facebook na may performance sila dito sa Winnipeg on July 21 at Blush Ultraclub. Me and my friends are going!

Sasayaki

Sasayaki / Moonlight Whisperers (ささやき ,1999)
Hindi ko ‘to na-gets. Ewan! Basta ang tingin ko sa movie na ‘to eh weird. Isa pang pumasok sa utak ko eh, “ano ba ang mga kabataan ngayon, kung ano-anong eksperimento ang ginagawa!?” kasi para sa akin, napaka-unlikely na gawin ng mga tipikal na teenagers yung ginawa nila dito sa movie. Pero naisip ko, well, eh movie ‘to eh. Walang basagan ng trip.

Pero siyempre kelangan ko guluhin yung trip ng direktor dito, kasi siyempre movie ‘to eh, kelangan may manood, ha ha!

Tungkol ito sa isang lalaking teenager na may crush sa kanyang kaibigang kasama sa kendo. Pero, hindi lang crush pala ang tingin niya sa babaeng ito. Uh… sabihin na nating may kakaiba siyang fetish, he he. So eventually naging sila nung girl at nadiskubre ng girl ang kakaibang fetish na ‘to, na eventually ay nag-ignite din sa fetish niya. Ahaha, sabi na ang labo eh.

Para sa akin, ang Sasayaki ay tungkol sa love and its forms, no matter how bizarre they are. Personally, I don’t even think na “love” yung na-feel nung dalawang bida dito. Para lang talaga silang nag-e-experiment, with disastrous results. For me it’s not about the lost of innocence, but how (young) people should weigh the consequences of their actions. Wala lang, para kasi silang may sariling mundo kaya nakakainis.

Ong-Bak

Ong-Bak (2003)
Nung binasa ko yung synopsis na nasa likod ng DVD case at tsaka yung mismong title, akala ko Ong-Bak yung name ni Tony Jaa, he he. Hindi dapat “Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior” ang North American title ng movie; dapat Ong-Bak lang. Bakit pa kasi nilagyan ng second title, mali naman.

Anyway, gusto ko ‘tong movie na ‘to kahit wala naman masyadong laman yung movie. Eto yung tipo ng palabas na papanoorin mo lang siya dahil maganda siya panoorin pero hindi naman magiging sabaw ang utak mo kapag pinanood mo siya. Basically, isa talaga siyang martial-arts film — wala ka nang aasahan kundi puro muay thai. Na hindi naman masama kasi hindi naman kine-claim ng movie na artsy-fartsy siya.

Pero maganda ang Ong-Bak visually. Maganda yung tones ng sepia at brown, at saka malinaw talaga yung kuha. Very crisp. As for Tony Jaa’s performance, ang galing niya, in fairness. Hindi pa siya pa-cute (eh hindi naman kelangan). Basta, hot siya dito, he he. Natuwa ako.

Charlie Wilson’s War

Charlie Wilson’s War (2007)
Para sa akin, crash course sa Cold War ‘tong movie na ‘to. In between watching eh tinatanong ko ‘yung tatay ko (na nakumbinsi kong manood kasama ko instead na mag-chess lang siya sa Yahoo!) kung ano ba yung nangyari nung Cold War tsaka yung mga nangyari sa bansang involved dito. Siyempre kuwento naman ‘yung tatay ko.

Hindi ako fan ng mga war films. Eh hindi ko alam kung tungkol saan ‘tong movie na ‘to kaya hiniram ko, so ayun. Okay naman siya. Gusto ko yung cinematography kasi washout yung color ng film pero crisp pa rin yung texture. Galing pa umarte ng mga artista dito.

Himitsu no Hanazono (ヒミツの花園)

I like the shoujo feel on it. The show is more like a “trendy” drama for me but I like the romantic tension between the lead character and the two brothers. I’m happy that there are a lot of familiar-looking and good actors here. I particularly like the main character and Hongo Kanata here.

Jigoku Shoujo (地獄少女)

Maganda yung premise. Medyo weird scenarios. For some reason gusto ko yung idea na yung nag-plot ng revenge will go to hell eventually, pero it kind of annoys me the fact that they prefer the instant “sense of justice” brought to them by the Jigoku Shoujo. Wala lang. I like the cast though, even though hindi ko siya ma-base sa anime or sa manga since I haven’t checked any of them yet.

4 Shimai Tantei Dan (姉妹探偵団)

Hindi ko alam bakit 4 sisters, eh yung youngest sister (played by Kaho) lang naman yung nagso-solve ng case. I like the premise of the story, and was thrilled to see that a lot of familiar Japanese actors were there. Also, I like the idea of implied May-December romance here between Sasamoto Yuriko (Kaho) and Inspector Kunimoto.

The cases aren’t really different (kapareho lang ng ibang detective-style dramas na napanood ko na), but I still like the show nonetheless.

Sexy Voice and Robo (セクシーボイスアンドロボ)

April ko pa ‘to dapat pinanood kaso tinamad ako, he he. The premise is interesting, but somehow the first episode kept me from maintaining my distance towards the show. And when I watched the remaining episodes parang boring pa rin. I liked Matsuyama Ken’ichi’s acting here though. Nadala niya yung character ng pagiging eccentric otaku.