fashizzlemanizzle

FANTASTIC FOUR

Yeayea. Took me quite a while to watch this. Dah basi. So sue me. Anyways, yet again I have managed to watch another excellent movie of 2005. Seems to me the harvest this year aint tat bad. Good stuffs being released in the mid season of 05. Never did expect they'd be doing a movie on this fearsome foursome. But early promotional pics with Jessica Alba on it got me all excited.

This particular installment of yet another Marvel comics creation revolves around 4 people (hence Fantastic FOUR, geddit, hurhur). Reed Richards and Susan Storm were former lovers. Johnny Storm is Susan's younger bro and Ben Grimm is Reed's best buddy. All four were supposed to go on a space mission financed and accompanied by Dr. Victor Von Doom, in a bid to learn more about human DNA. But, as it turns out, sometin goes awfully wrong as they were all blasted by some cosmic ray and each and evryone of em folks were affected.

Reed Richards became elastic and can stretch each and every part of his body, i tink. Oh yea, his sideburns somehow becomes white too. Way too cool. Susan Storm has the ability to become invisible. Once accustomed to her new found powers, she even has to strip bare in order for everyone else not to see a pair of bra n panties floating around. She also has an extra power that can produce force fields and use it to attack or contain something. Johnny Storm has the ability to be combustible and become a fireman, relatively speaking. Not one to put out fires though. And he's the only member that can fly. And Ben Grimm, well, he somehow turned into a rock-like fella. Very strong, and heavy too. Probably the strongest dude, in terms of physical strength, in the gang. They are known as Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch and The Thing respectively.

Dr Victor Von Doom, his body turned all metallic on him. Didnt know he was a vain frenchie when i read comics in my early days abt Dr Doom. His skin started peeling to reveal metal alloys stronger than titanium. He is the antagonist of this movie.

This particular Marvel movie, they concentrate more on the relationship of the four members rather than scene after scene of brutal carnage. A very human aspect of it, as each one of them try to come to terms with their new found glory, i mean powers, and how some were happy with it, others werent and searching for a reason as to why fate had dealt them such a cruel blow (well at least that's wat the Thing thinks). Most fight scenes were more of them fighting among themselves instead of against Dr Doom.

This movie, to me was more of a comedy rather than a serious mutants vs humans kinda thang. Very hilarious jokes around as Johnny Storm (with his super bulging biceps) making most of the jokes. Stan Lee, the maestro of Marvel comics, makes a cameo as a mailman passing letters to Mr Fantastic. If only the producers knew the existence of our very own local band, Tiramisu, they'd probably ask the rights to their hit, Mr Fantesticles, and feature it in the movie.

4.5 / 5 charkueys
another excellent 2005 movie. wonder wot else can i be looking forward to tis year. maybe can look forward to a battle between Spiderman and Dr Doom!

SIN CITY

Ever since i caught the trailers way back in the summer of March, i knew i had to watch this movie. And i caught it straight away after baybeats with the other third of the GoRunRabbit collective krew. For those not in the know, this is an adaptation of Frank Miller's cult favorite. It's in black & white as how the comic was, and colour were used minimally to enhance the effects of certain scenes. Brilliant idea this is. So you can see some of the babelicious va-va-vooms have saucy red lips, the crazy eunuch is very the yellow in colour to enhance his evil n sick fantasies.

The stories all revolve in this town called Basin City, hence the short form Sin City. It basically consists of 3 different series of the comic : That Yellow Bastard, Sin City and The Big Fat Kill. At some point of time, all 3 stories are interwoven into each other. A short summary into each story : That Yellow Bastard is about a cop who is into his retirement, but is on the verge of solving a case involving a sick man's fascination with young gerls. Thing is, the cop is also suffering from a heart attack or sumtin, making his movements difficult, and worse, his partner has crossed onto the dark side. We see how the cop is thrown to prison for accomplishing his job and how thankful the lil young gerl is to him, that she's actually fallen for him when she was in her ripe ol 19 years of age, when he's released after 8 years. Va-va-voom.

Episode Sin City revolves ard a guy named Marvin, and how he fell in love with a prostitute he scored and woke up the next day to find her dead. And he's been blamed for it. So he goes in search of the true murderer and get revenge for Blondie, the dead prostitute. A treat for Frodo Baggins fans as he makes an appearance as the fast moving ultra nimble and very clawy baddie with the cool white reflective shades.

And The Big Fat Kill is of a barmaid named Shelley (Brittany Murphy) who is always abused by her jackass of a boyfren (Benicio Del Toro) who hits her when he's drunk. When she decided enough was enough, she brought home a guy, Dwight. Dwight was 'introduced' to her ex-bf, and Dwight gave him a good thrashing when seeing how she was treated by him. After all these, Benicio goes in search of a hooker which led to his end, and of how Dwight tried to help the hookers by trying to dispose off the body.

This is one hell of a violent movie. More violent than a Tarantino film, mind you. A movie whereby you get shot at so many times, and yet you dont die and still manage to walk about. Full of nudity, mind you, with tender mamaries evrywhere. And a good bit of the 'ol in-out-in-out is shown too. And of manhood being blown off and still survive, only to have it ripped out. Yikes. Hang onto your balls fellas. And Benicio Del Toro resembles so much Jack White of White Stripes fame. And look out for kick-ass meanies like Devon Aoki and Frodo Baggins.

All in all, you really feel like you are watching a comic as from one frame to another. I'd rank it as highly as Star Wars and Batman as among the movies of 2005.


5 /5 char kueys! (those below 21, seek parental consent aite)
yummy yummy yummy ive got sumtin my tummy.

BayBeats 2005

So yea, the much anticipated and biggest free music event of the year has come n gone. Somewhat our equivalent to glastonbury or coachella lah big muzak event. But only managed to catch a handful of bands (well 3 in particular) due to tight schedule, laziness and the weather. (blame it on the rain of course) so my 2sen worth of bands that i specifically wanted to watch :

Furniture :
Good ol' Ronnie's band. This is excellent people. His soothing voice, spacious music, feel good music. Simply put, Me'sia's very own Mainsejuk. (go figure)
I wish to see Ronnie playing that hybrid guitar/keyboard thingy again (wateva its called). Btw, Ronnie also plays for Me'sia's art-experimental ban The Maharajah Commission.

I am David Sparkle :
The weather almost bastard the band n not let them play, but the heavens soon stopped its tears for they too wanted to see David Sparkle. The disappointing was that they only managed to play 2 songs with the 15mins they had. Tat was the only disappointment. Apologies but didnt get the title of their songs. But particularly liked their 2nd song. The haunting keyboards, coupled with the drumbeats (tho a wee bit irregular) and the screeching guitar works of Amran, wat can better than tat? Excellent stuff they've got.

Kuala Lumpur Post Harmonic Quintet (KLPHQ) :
Another super titillating fuckentastic band. When i first heard the name, i really had this impression of a super hardcore band. Such a cool ass name KLPHQ (reminds me of you Police HeadQuarters, so the music vid would consist of police sirens n revolving red lights). You wouldnt expect less from a band consisting of Alang (of MUZE fame) on bass n the Custom Daisy drumming maestro helming the big beats of the drums. I was really mesmerized by the drummer. The beats that he accomplished, superb i tell ya. And their final song, it was like i was watching a movie. It started dark n sadly, then it goes on a high (reaches the climax), and then it dives down again to end the saga and all is calm again. A complete story probably of good vs evil. Beautiful piece. Really wish he had the right words to accompany the sound music.

Rest In Peace Mohd Ibrahim bin Md Isa. You will always be remembered. May Allah bless your soul. The Area 51 dudes & duddettes will never forget you.

PS: all of you out there riding bikes, please be careful.

I dont normally write anything personal abt myself in this ever public worldwideweb. But i just have got to pen an entry with regards to the mini-reunion of that JI 3-mths course bunch of peeps. You see, yesterday i had dinner with Ghani, Azlina, Zaki, Marlina, Adlin, and most of em with their significant other by their side. My significant other for the nite was none other than Abang Zaki himself. Yesterday, it was just 6 people from that big JI family. But to me, that is just as big as ever a gathering. At times, these small gatherings means so much more than a huge gathering. More intimate. But nonetheless, due to tight schedules, and personal issues, its rather difficult to get hold of the whole kampung gang. Just a bunch will do. Dont get me wrong, the more the merrier i tell ya. But yesterday was really super last minute. These were the few poeple that i just managed to grab.

The place was set at Amirah's (not Amiran's yea) grill, as suggested by the Puan Azlina bte Aziz. The purpose, also because that Puan Adlin is here for her holidays. You know the feeling of having a bunch of frens that you get so close to, then at a point of time we all go our separate ways. But after a while, when we just meet up impromptu, it feels like we never got separated at all. The joy and laughter, corny jokes being dished out excessively. The years that you have not seen each other, it feels like only a week you guys have not met. You know that feeling. Well this the special bond we have i guess. That special frenship. Like all was not lost, evrytin was just as it was. Evryone looks the same, just like they were when we first met in 99. This was the group of frens that feels that way. I didnt feel the void not of not seeing each other for the past 2 years.

First of finding the place opposite Ambrosia cafe, in Puan Azlina's estimation, wasnt exactly just opposite the Ambrosia Cafe. Further further further down. To be precise, it was just opposite the Sin Thor Bak Koot Teh cafe. Readers take note. And of drinking Fresh Islamic Dates with milk (when it was just A date). Of eating pork, i mean lamb ribs using the ol skool hand way. Of having french banana served with your lamb chops. Of relatives being lost in Far East. 'Twas fun.

And of finding out that there actually are people reading my nonsense and taking notice of it. Yes you JI peeps, i have upgraded from just sending out mass crap mails, i now have a blog, more public, can reach out to more people. Wonder if anyone still have remnants of those nonsense emails. Of tepuk sepuluh and Trench Coat Mafia. Of Wassalamu and Lu Salam Wa. Of warriors afraid of cockroaches. Of Fauzi lalat. I used to save mine till it got wiped out by Mr Hotmail due to prolong inactvity. Wonder if the Seniman Bujang Lapok can get our act together again.

Hey lets not make it too long till Aug to meet up again. Wat say in 2 weeks time, before Puan Az starts her pre-nursery education? Wat say you people? I yam always steady one. But we meet a bit earlier lah. Yesterday we meet to short lah. Need more time to sembang gembang.

elfian aka jonet.

P.S Az, can post photos. Silly me i was ready wif my camera phone then lupa plak nak amik gambo (ikut style Marlina's dad, haha).

What a brilliant way to spend Saturday nite at home by watching Richard Ashcroft performing 'Bittersweet Symphony' with Coldplay as the backing band? Superb. Yeah seeing and hearing Mr Ashcroft again had me scrambbling for my 'The Verve' cds. O yeah, Coldplay performing 'Fix You' sounds fantastic live. Seeing bands like Scissors Sisters,Pink Floyd, The Who and even the Kaiser Cheifs one after another is orgasmic. haha.
But the most haunting picture that still sticks in my mind is during one of the interludes where they showed this young african boy, who was so thin, you'd think he had small branches for arms and legs. Sad. The question is can we really end poverty? Is it even possible?

'We don't want your money, we want you'