Not one, but TWO SUPER AWESOME GOOD NEWS!

Some news I get excited at, and then there's some news that I get EXCITED at, such as this one:

CANON ADDS A NEW EOS MODEL TO ITS DSLR RANGE

Oh yeah, it's a new camera. But not just ANY camera, it's the NEW CANON EOS 500D DSLR camera (also known as the Rebel T1i)...Oh sure it may be just an entry-level dSLR, but I'm no professional and if I should get this baby for myself, I should be very much satisfied with it. Not too impressed with its high definition video recording, but I am admiring its ability to churn out lovely images which beats any point-and-shoot midget big time. In fact, one early hands-on reviewer had even mentioned that the EOS 500D (beta model) takes pictures comparable to those taken from its next-level upgrade: the EOS 50D. I'm convicted.



*Falling on knees* Oh mighty celestial powers of above! I petition ye to wring the clouds apart and rain down gold from heaven, that I might buyeth the tool to maketh pictures of thy creation. *Sky thunders and rains down 24K gold nuggets*


Okay, drama's over. Onwards for EVEN MORE IMPORTANT NEWS:


STARBUCKS UNVEILS STARBUCKS VIA READY BREW - That's Starbucks® coffee in an instant.



INSTANT STARBUCKS!!! COULD IT BE? YES!!!! By the powers of all things caffeinated we have been endowed with possibly the best gift to all java-drinking disciples yet - A just-add-water-solution to Starbucks coffee. Oh and early reviews said it tastes like freshly brewed coffee!



I know I realised this announcement a little later then most, but Holy Crap...it's news worth sharing with the WWW (whole wide world)! I can see the demise of flat-tasting instant coffee in my pantry now...it's wonderful news, like spring flowers after the bitter cold.

Here's a promo video on the subject matter:

For more info, visit www.starbucksVIA.com

Starbucks VIA - not instant, INSTANT!

2009's Just Not That Into You...(Part II)

...Continued from this post...

So apart from a horrible realisation that the entire choral production could've been flushed down the drain, I still felt some achievement was accomplished. All is not lost, 'cause despite the apparent lousy sound system treatment the choir got, we salvaged what we can to deliver as best a performance we could on the 25th of December 2008. I received numerous congratulations regarding the work, some praising the tenderness and hair-raising moments of the chant-like version of "O Come O Come Emmanuel", some admiring the lofty sopranos in the finale of "Do You Hear What I Hear?", while sill others felt that the performance was too short (it was only 17 minutes long in total) and that they loved it and wanted more. Bitter-sweet ending? you betcha.

Within the month of December '08 itself I was also engaged with a 1-month contract position at the customer Service department of a petroleum company. Simultaneously I was involved in a recording project to produce a corporate jingle for a property development company. On top of that, I visited the kitchen twice to dabble with a baking assignment - the result was mini Pecan loaves for my friends last Christmas. Looking back, I guess being so caught up with so much activity distracts you from realising how tired you are.

Then 1 January, 2009 stepped into the picture.

On new year's day morn, while I should've been at home, on my bed asleep, instead I was at a wedding ceremony of an acquaintance, being delegated the duty as organist for their Bridal March. Not that I didn't like helping out a friend, but still, on New Year's Day? and right after an exhausting 31st December night? A couple of days later, I got a call from another good friend of mine to help in writing the inspirational theme song for our church building project (set to be completed by August 2009). The instructions were clear, get a theme song out by 3rd January, perform it by the 4th.


We finished writing the song in 24 hours...


...A week later it was time for the new academic year at my campus...


...but before that let's not forget the new year barbecue/gathering, meetings at the church, backyard astronomy, etc. etc...


With so many projects going on, there was a point in which my desk did have some resemblance to the comic below:

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

So I entered year 2009, physically tried, emotionally tested, and drained of a whole lot of creativity. Looking back again, I'm surprised that I could handle all of it without passing out. So while it's satisfying to know you've accomplished so much, the price of reaching there unavoidably left me a little demotivated and indifferent. To hell with New Year Resolutions, I'm done with the crap I picked up since 2008. 

Oh, and God bless the man who invented coffee.

2009's Just Not That Into You...(Part I)

Happy 2009 Everyone!

I feel kinda weird posting something legitimate here after taking such a long absence from the blogsphere. Okay, so my previous post was just a teaser (and I was bored), but what you're reading now is for real. For the past 6 months life just got tougher and a little more ridiculously hectic, hence the lack of any new messages from me. There's so many new films I could've reviewed, so many new experiences to share that, being overwhelmed by so much, I temporarily abandoned this blog to silence.

2009 is here, but it's arrival don't seem to impact me very much. I'm certainly not excited about it, yet I don't harbour any gloomy projections (when, to be frank, the world around us is falling to bits). As a means for conciliation, I turn to the achievements and downfalls in 2008. For starters, I've gone through two semesters of campus life of which I can only describe as a constant preoccupation with dullness. Sure it was fun learning new stuff, but in the end, intellectual gain is never the most exciting endeavour when you're faced with deadlines for your assignments and laboratory reports (ah, so that's why they call it deadlines).

Then there was the new Choral suite I had to assemble in October. Six Christmas carol arrangements, which includes an acapella opening number of "Do You Hear What I Hear?" and a Gregorian-chant rendition of "O Come O Come Emmanuel", all linked by short narratives for a 29 member choir. But writing the choral suite was only the beginning; once the arrangement work was done, comes the tedious aspect of rehearsals. Conducting and training a group composed nearly of non-sight reading individuals is, in a word, stressful. To my surprise they hacked the pieces within the short duration of six weeks, and hacked it good enough too, considering most of them did not have any prior experience whatsoever in classical choral music. The process of turning the predominantly pop/rock infused voices into the ethereal sounds of a traditional chapel choir never comes easy, what more within 6 weeks. But choral music is my passion. Nothing compares to the human voices joined, whether in harmony or unison, to produce an unforgettable musical experience. Here's a sample of my favourite part in the Choral suite:

Click on the thumbnail for a larger version

Simultaneously in the background I was sticking my fingers in the planning stages of the choral project. I was producer, arranger, writer, choral director, editor, wardrobe/costume master, stage manager, accompanist, music engraver, content researcher and fact checker, etc.. The only thing I wasn't: sound technician, which ironically enough, on the day when the commissioned work was premièred, all that weeks of labour was marred later by comments from the audience that...

"The sound* was so bad it affected the vocal blending..." 

Sure there were some positive criticism, but generally most pointed out that the choir mic-ing should've been better. Should I blame this on somebody else? I guess not. I was told post-production that the mic-ing was the best they (the sound technicians) can achieve without causing acoustical issues (namely: the mic feedbacks). As far as I'm concerned, this proves that even the best music ever written can suffer a disastrous train-wreck performance under the hands of lousy mic-ing. I'm disappointed that the art was limited by the technology.

*the word sound here refers to the sound mic-cing and projection through the amplifiers.

Stay tuned for Part II on the next post...

A really dull post

I felt sleepy this afternoon, so I took a nap. Then I woke up.

Brooke's New CD!

I have a confession: I am a fan of Brooke White. Brooke who? You know, the one who got eliminated from American Idol? 5th place finalist on AI? yeah, that one. Even from her first audition (singing "Like A Star" by Corinne Bailey Rae) I knew that she was going to be one of the most fascinating contestants this season. She did. With her unique vocals ('a breath of fresh air' as I would aptly describe it), sheer honesty, and her unashamed expression on-stage and off; Simply put, I think she's awesome!

Okay enough of this rancid chit-chat; I hope you guys won't stone me for having this almost unhealthy interest to someone who appeared on TV (note to self: no idol worship, American Idols included). The point is this: I think she's good, and although she didn't win the coveted AI title, at least she made it to the top 5. Need I remind you that you don't have to be First on AI to have a successful music career? Case study: Chris Daughtry who finished 4th place during Season 5.

So how's life for Brooke post-American Idol? Stagnant? Heck no! She's already released a new album. Watch her promo video here:

Done laughing? Take a deep breath first. I also enjoy the informercial-narrator-guy-person at the end. It's even funnier if you can pause the video and try to read out the scrolling song titles. For those who don't have the patience to do that, I've taken the liberty to publish some of the CD's track listing for you, Brooke sings (Artist | Song Title):

• Meat Loaf | Paradise By The Dashboard Um Huh I Know This One


• Bonnie Tyler | Total Eclipse Of The Has Anyone Seen My Guitar Pick


• Eurythmics | Sweet Dreams Are Made Of Um, I'm Sorry, Can We Start Over Again? Ok, Thanks


• Def Leppard | Pour Some Sugar Sorry Can We Start Over?


• Fleetwood Mac | Go Your Own Who Sang This One Stevie Knicks Or The Other Lady?


• Bonnie Raitt | Let's Give 'Em Somethin' To Sorry Can We Take It From The Top?


• The Police | Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic Every Thing She Um, Uh, Is It Ok If I Take It From The Top?


• Holiday Standard | Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle All The Achoo! Um, I Need A Tissue


• The Beatles | I Wanna Hold Your Hey Look A Puppy Everyone, Check Out The Cute Puppy!


• Donna Summer | Let's Dance The Last Does Anyone Want To Break For Lunch?


• Gloria Estefan | The Rhythm Of The Uh Uh Ummmmmmm

Get your copy today!

By the way, did you know that Brooke White had ALREADY released an album even BEFORE making her début on American Idol? (this is for real, people. unlike the promo video earlier!) Titled "Songs From The Attic", it's generated some impact since its re-issue recently. How good the album is I can't really tell from the low-fidelity previews on Amazon.com, but the user reviews were quite positive. Plus, a hopeful review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine on AllMusic.com compared White's calibre on Songs From The Attic with mainstream pop artists. It seems that White's post-American Idol future looks brighter than ever.

Le Critique: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

It was in 2005 when Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media took into its helm C.S Lewis' most beloved children's classic: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. For a time before its official screening it became the subject of heated debate on the issue of faith, notably involving the Christian infused community and what was apparently perceived as the anti-C.S. Lewis party: J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter. This war of ideas is of course completely unnecessary - a point that I personally advocate (It's interesting to note that similar tension surfaced recently with the release of Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass).

I've learnt possibly nothing crucial during the said period of great bickering, but one thing is for sure, a sequel to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is inevitable. That sequel came in the form of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008), with director Andrew Adamson forging a screen adaptation of what I would consider the most conflict driven novel of the Narnian series. C.S. Lewis once wrote, regarding Prince Caspian, that it was about "the restoration of the true religion after a corruption". I won't deviate from the purpose of this post, that is to give you my opinion on the film, so let's agree to put aside any religious sentiments first, because I firmly believe in the principle of letting movies just be movies.

Screenshot from The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian © Walt Disney Pictures & Walden Media

The story begins with Miraz, a power-hungry tyrant receiving news that his wife had bore him a son. His nephew, Prince Caspian the Tenth was to be the rightful heir to the Telmarine throne, and so he plots to assassinate the young prince in hopes to gain the throne for himself. Prince Caspian flees in advice of his professor, and enters into Narnia, invaded by the Telmarines centuries before and is now but a ghost of its former glory, with many of its residents no longer believing in Aslan's return. Prince Caspian was given Queen Susan's horn, in which he uses to summon the four Pevensie children. They arrive, albeit to a very different Narnia they were used to. (1300 years had passed in Narnia since the events of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). The Narnians welcomes the Telmarine prince, and request that he leads them into battle with Miraz's army and restore Narnia's former glory. Joining forces with the Pevensie children, despite a few personal conflicts here and there, they triumphed with help from Aslan the Lion; in the final sequences of the plot, we see a defeated Telmarine army, and a bittersweet ending for two of the Pevensie sibling: Peter and Susan.

Now that my pathetic attempt to condense a 2 and a half hour film into one paragraph is over, let's ask ourselves if Adamson had successfully brought to life the pages of C.S. Lewis. That's not an easy question to answer, but overall Prince Caspian is indeed not a complete disappointment to generations of book fans and non-book fans alike. The theme of Prince Caspian is much darker than its predecessor, and Adamson manages to capture it without sacrificing the Narnian elements we have come to love in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. But what highlights Prince Caspian lies not in its theme, but the battle scenes strewn throughout the entire film. When watching this movie, I cannot help but gape at the precise coordination of the stunts, the neo-graceful choreography, and the exhilaration in witnessing the final epic-scaled clash between the Telmarines and the Narnians.

The compliment ends here.

Screenshot from The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian © Walt Disney Pictures & Walden Media

Despite all the action, watching Narnia is like watching soap opera meets The Lord of the Rings. For a start, the obvious lack of character development and exposure is not something to admire, but to chastise. I walked into the cinema theatre hoping to see a reasonable effort put into emphasizing Prince Caspian's struggles, instead, I get 5 minutes of Ben Barnes acting out as a cowardly nobleman. His role as Prince Caspian is not too bad actually, but leave it to the dialogue-makers to severe his screen time. As for the actors portraying the four Pevensie children, I will rate them with a mediocre performance, with little emotion input into such passionate characters; A shame really, so much more could've been done. There were a few giggles garnered here and there, attributed to a handful of wit and comical situations involving the Pevensie children interspersed in the film from time to time, but it gains back little from the damage already done.

Screenshot from The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian © Walt Disney Pictures & Walden Media

As with most great epic adaptations, most of the novel's original details were stripped away to yield a diluted version of the story; an act forgiveable given the circumstance that no book adaptation can be 100% accurately represented on screen. In fact, Prince Caspian was diverted from the source material a little, but Adamson's modification was sensibly done, with the sequence of events distinct and well-linked to each other. The pacing of the film was good, but I must say that all those time could've have been put to better use. The drama and conflicts were brief and short-lived, bearing little impression in the viewers' mind. We see an awkward Susan expressing (perhaps) her admiration for Prince Caspian but never really taking off. We see an egoistic Peter with inner struggles behaving like some annoying snob. We see Miraz not quite the intimidating villain we have in mind. All in all, while the storyline itself is coherent, much interpretation is lost here.

Screenshot from The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian © Walt Disney Pictures & Walden Media

Prince Caspian is unconvincing, and above all, distracted by too many scenes with locked swords and arrows flying through the air. It reconciles itself a little through its elaborate costume design, visual effects, props, and location setting, but ultimately its not the scenery that movie goers will pay for, (no not even for the special effects), but perspective. There is one more element about Prince Caspian that I find discomforting: for a film intended for young audiences, Price Caspian can be downright violent were it not for the camera angle shifts and cuts. Could this have been done to reach out to a market beyond family entertainment? Truthfully, I don't know, but for whatever the reason, the gritty nature of Prince Caspian does add some value to its story progression.

Now, for a two hour plus film, though I was unmoved by its screenplay, I must submit to its simplicity (which includes the almost mindless chaotic battle scenes) that earns itself an attractive power. I wouldn't say that Prince Caspian is a substantial improvement over its predecessor, but in the least, this Narnia is considerably more mature than what was achieved previously, its approach significantly intense, and is loaded with much more action than its film antecedent. The dynamic interaction between computer generated elements and live action personalities in Prince Caspian leaves you with commending opinions after leaving the cinema.

Screenshot from The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian © Walt Disney Pictures & Walden Media

As closure for this review, allow me to say this: Prince Caspian does not end itself here and now, rather, it sets the stage for the coming C.S. Lewis sequels. Despite some improvements made in this movie since The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and some lessons that have yet to be rectified, we'll have to wait until the next instalment arrives so to gain more fruitful insights. Till then, a little patience won't hurt right?


BOTTOM LINE:
Prince Caspian can be said to a be a warmed-up adaptation of where its prequel has left off. Viewers of all ages will be generally drawn to its carefully coordinated battle scene stunts and its relatively simple yet connective plot structure. As an avid fan of C.S. Lewis however, I can't help but feel a little disappointed at the emphasis given to this adaptation; not because it deviates from the source narrative, but the interpretation didn't really meet up to my expectation. Plus the casting itself leans on the weaker side, and there is something lacking in the screenplay. I will not dismiss this adaptation entirely, but accept it as another visual reference to the original novel. Although I still prefer my own imagination.



Star Rating:

The De-Composer: Mach 2

Greetings fellow readers!

As you may have noticed, this blog has taken a somewhat new appearance*. No skin presets; I had to figure out how to create the skin from scratch. Wasn't easy, but I managed it somehow, considering that fact that I hold a null experience in web designing. Feel free to comment on the new template.

A new poll has also been added, so please vote. This time the poll's about the showdown between two well-known beverage companies. And while we're on the subject of opinion polls, I've already closed the previous one, which was about about whether you have switched to using energy saving compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) for your lighting needs, or not. Here are the results from the last survey:


The results revealed some positive insights. It's wonderful to know that the majority is showing concern for the environment by making some effort in energy conservation and consumption. Changing your incandescent light bulbs to CFLs is a great way to cut down on your carbon dioxide emissions because when compared to traditional incandescent bulbs, they produce the same amount of brightness (luminous output) but utilises less power and they have a longer lifespan. Based on the poll results however, it is disappointing to know that there remains almost 20% of respondents who couldn't care less for the environment, which implies that there remain an urgent need for mindset change of some individuals towards the environment. For those using CFLs, keep up the good work! For those who are deliberating on this issue, switch to CFLs today. Not only does it save you on your electricity bill, it's also a sound investment for the earth's future and its future inhabitants.

* Note: This blog is best viewed using IE7 or Firefox 2.0 and later. Please update your internet browsers accordingly to have the full De-Composer experience