tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69524006073867546112024-03-13T10:32:18.721+11:00revieweramaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-59362353708875498022011-07-05T20:56:00.001+10:002011-07-05T21:23:26.303+10:00Supernatural, the Winchester boysIf anyone told me I'd watch 'Supernatural' for character development and dysfunctional family dynamics I'd have scoffed, wouldn't you? Looks don't carry a show, but we'll make an exception for these guys Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0IlRLGo_94U6Josjhaj7-ViPsYHIsvgCud9pxx81ngyNis61MdeR9moDSEsvhD9EJE94bTb6obFzgTRXj8j1tZVGpWs8FdxxVuqifYQ01CC-hID05ge4nom1BSMYpE5AB2Sao5HTK5Go/s1600/supernatural3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0IlRLGo_94U6Josjhaj7-ViPsYHIsvgCud9pxx81ngyNis61MdeR9moDSEsvhD9EJE94bTb6obFzgTRXj8j1tZVGpWs8FdxxVuqifYQ01CC-hID05ge4nom1BSMYpE5AB2Sao5HTK5Go/s320/supernatural3.jpg" width="253" /></a></div><br />
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Dean and Sam Winchester fight Supernatural bad guys as they search for their father. Why not right, if they're in the way? These boys don't work for Fox Mulder, it's actually their family business ever since their mother was killed by a demon. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHu1LhMU43UKdo6pT-D90YCGa-nzxufzAUWFdFXDOI0YZMf6Cj12RIs9gR2wjz4HOvwMx0rSggf0DEYGS14gvcYAxf3pQmr1AgsB-2xVteavHYMHkupaB6tosejk8ydPnmMg4B_P1O-H4/s1600/SUPERNATURALjensen-ackles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHu1LhMU43UKdo6pT-D90YCGa-nzxufzAUWFdFXDOI0YZMf6Cj12RIs9gR2wjz4HOvwMx0rSggf0DEYGS14gvcYAxf3pQmr1AgsB-2xVteavHYMHkupaB6tosejk8ydPnmMg4B_P1O-H4/s320/SUPERNATURALjensen-ackles.jpg" width="220" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Dean Winchester waits for more pie</div><br />
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Dean Winchester is the older brother, and I am all for Team Dean, baby. He shifted gears from child to adult the night he ran from his burning home rescuing baby brother Sam in his arms. Left motherless and with a grieving absent father Dean was forced into a parenting and protective role over his brother for long stretches. With little life experience to draw on, Dean's thrust into adulthood was made possible by adopting his father's set of values and beliefs almost verbatim, stretching himself into a Dad-shaped Hero ideal.<br />
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As the good soldier following his father's orders and taking care of little Sam this allowed their family unit to survive but Dean's growth was stunted: a man-child ever playful, indulgent in food, alcohol and sex yet unquestioningly devoted to the demon hunting family business. <br />
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In his dutiful loyalty to his father's orders, Dean inadvertently enables their father's neglect by taking on the role of sole mother, father and older brother to Sammy. Supernatural takes us along Dean's journey as he gains insight into the boundaries of his role in the family especially towards his brother and redefines himself as distinct from the ideology his father imprinted on him. <br />
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It's a story about family conflicts with a sexy backdrop of male, female and demon eyecandy. In the pilot we learn that younger brother Sam left the family business in anger. As Sam grew up the arguments grew more and more bitter until he got out. He needed room to become the individual his experiences and personality have incubated, not the pre-prepared mould from his father and brother. If he stayed the only way they could get along would be if they treated him as an adult. Yeah right. Only when Sam and Dean must work together after the disappearance of their father that they must compromise and grow with the flow.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRq1SO0enh7taK8Hrx3-iwwbFM5GxitYwSEA9KBw1ToxQRyzMrgcELY86aam0MQmZZkxfGIQKc0aX4815_Paoxok5OK_SoV6UzD_ad8VQpsNhWPcS3lXyVvD63MpGdBkiK_OdCVT2glbk/s1600/Sam_winchester.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRq1SO0enh7taK8Hrx3-iwwbFM5GxitYwSEA9KBw1ToxQRyzMrgcELY86aam0MQmZZkxfGIQKc0aX4815_Paoxok5OK_SoV6UzD_ad8VQpsNhWPcS3lXyVvD63MpGdBkiK_OdCVT2glbk/s320/Sam_winchester.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sam Winchester and his perfect hair </div><br />
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In the academic world, Sam is your run of the mill brainy kid. Education is an attractive refuge from the dysfunction of his real life. By stepping out of his role as a Winchester foot soldier - the baby of the Winchesters, he gains the freedom to explore his own identity. Instead of vampire killer he can be a ...er... lawyer.<br />
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Physically stronger and book smarter than Dean, Sam's shortcoming vs Dean is his lack of gut instinct. Others just have to appeal to his analytical mind - leave a few misleading clues and false evidence and he would connect up all the dots in a wrong picture. In the same situation, Dean wouldn't trust the evidence. Gank first, ask later. Eventually Sam must learn to trust his intuition and the advice of others, whereas Dean learns to question orders and the judgement of those supposedly superior. Both must bridge the gap from their personal extremes in order to work as a team.<br />
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Supernatural lures its target audience with burly heroic characters, but it was the twisted brotherly love-hate relationship that hooked me for the five season back-to-back viewing. A family drama told between salt bullet shots, exorcisms and stakings. Give it a go, it's a bumpy ride but strangely addictive.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-29571679947592753702011-04-28T21:37:00.000+10:002011-04-28T21:37:51.922+10:00Opening Credits of Game of Thrones<div style="text-align: center;">Spoiler-free and deserving of its own blog post. I give you.... </div><div style="text-align: center;">the opening credits!</div><div style="text-align: center;">(I know, it doesn't fit properly, but I just don't have the heart to reduce it) </div><br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="354" id="flashObj" width="550"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=909813310001&playerID=441616896001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAC3bNtw~,c0hgCOyLwy6daoR0Hna5EeV6oU1QPZy0&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=909813310001&playerID=441616896001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAC3bNtw~,c0hgCOyLwy6daoR0Hna5EeV6oU1QPZy0&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="550" height="354" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-23994051716458273332011-04-12T21:50:00.001+10:002011-04-12T21:51:47.081+10:00Why you shouldn't dismiss 'Game of Thrones' (if you're over 18)1. It's Not Really Fantasy<br />
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At first I dismissed 'North and South' because the trailer showed me just another period drama. What's the point of watching old stuffy stuff? It also had a hero that wasn't traditionally handsome. Unforgivably shallow but true.<br />
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Why the embarrassing glib confessions? Because I don't want people passing over Game of Thrones just because it's 'silly fantasy stuff'. The only reason Game of Thrones sits in the fantasy genre is because the geographical setting technically doesn't exist. It's really a human drama.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://targaryen.tumblr.com/post/3122196875/idk-whats-going-on-with-his-hair-but-this-is-so" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5KcRMPedEfeW7lypI_eZvoXEpCMTwlFszbGXZsrI50H2aryP3IKrZ1LRv8Q8Un1U9PBllLVFpW6S4rN1AZ9s1Xoi60kvotnq97RuM_4-faKTMe7RF_dZibLZkOCzXYGOk0HpR_nS_DE/s1600/kitharington_targaryen.tumblr.com.jpg" /> </a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Nice suit.</div><br />
Take for example Jon Snow (picture above). His dad Ned had an affair with Jon's mother and because he's such a good father he takes full custody of Jon. Enter Ned's wife Catelyn, a Jon-hater with the burning red fury of a cheated wife. Jon grows up desperate to prove himself just as good as any of Ned's legitimate sons, but with Catelyn's chilling glares he comes to realise he'll never be anything if he stays home. So he goes to the one place where all men start equal, the military. See, no elves or fairies! <br />
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Fantasy is always a hard sell because the names are so corny, like 'Wizard's First Rule' by Terry Goodkind or 'Ship of Destiny' by Robin Hobb. Silly names sound like the games children play, and no one takes that seriously. But these characters are well thought out, full of anxieties and back story. They're forced to make bad choices to avoid worse situations, and unlike in most fantasy you really care about them. <br />
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Normally I avoid fantasy. My friends have been pleading with me to read 'Chronicles of Thomas Covenant' by Donaldson but I can't get past the blurb. "<i>...outcast destined to become the saviour of an alternate world...</i>" Oh please. I'm so over reading about the weedy misunderstood dreamer that turns out to be the world saviour. I also can't stand the melodramatic posturing in these overly expensive tv dramas - there's no real heart. But Game of Thrones is different. Just give it a chance, a 3 episode chance?<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="283" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CIU9UCpkMps" title="YouTube video player" width="450"></iframe><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">More about Jon</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-66827945851882878992011-04-05T01:26:00.001+10:002011-04-05T01:28:13.930+10:00Game of Thrones: Episode 1 Preview - real deal this timeBig budget! I'll bet in a blind test you could be fooled to think it was the first 14 minutes of a major hollywood blockbuster. Nothing spared on special effects, horses, swords or fur capes. Just as well too. You don't want to wake the dragon, ie Game of Thrones fandom. (Scandals have broken out over <a href="http://winter-is-coming.net/2011/01/eyebrowgate-is-dead-plus-fabio-wins-a-no-prize/">the colour of someone's eyebrows</a>)<br />
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I'm sure some eyes rolled just then, but if you're a part of any fandom you'll know how obsessive <em>some</em> people get. Not me of course, um, other people who start blogs and make fanvids as outlets for their obsessive admiration. : )<br />
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Here's the verdict: So far so good. To be fair, viewers should watch the first 3 episodes before they decide to keep watching or not. This show's biggest problem with winning audiences over is the attention investment at the start. With action happening in 4 cities among 5 major families this is a formidable hedge of family trees to jump over. The story is so densely packed with action they don't have a scene to waste. <br />
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Which brings me to my only peeve about this preview. Not that I'm ungrateful for the 14 minutes, but I wish it was a different 14 minutes! Could we have spent less time in the snowy forest and more time with the Stark family? Scary corpses don't need as long an intro as Rickon, Bran, Arya, Sansa, Robb, Catelyn, Ned Stark and Jon Snow. Trim the frostbitten bodies and we could have glimpsed the King and his conniving royal family. <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/index.php?title=Eddard_Stark&image=Eddard_and_Jon-jpg"><img height="180" src="http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110315133746/gameofthrones/images/thumb/6/63/Eddard_and_Jon.jpg/608px-Eddard_and_Jon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ned Stark: father and stickler of justice in the cold north. Too bad nobody held him accountable for cheating on his wife - surely something should get chopped off for that indiscretion?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/index.php?title=Catelyn_Stark&image=Catelyn_Stark-jpg"><img height="212" src="http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110108215153/gameofthrones/images/thumb/6/67/Catelyn_Stark.jpg/514px-Catelyn_Stark.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Catelyn Stark: loving mother to her kids, and a cold bitch to Jon Snow. Only for the last 14-17 years though. Plenty of time to get over it and move on. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/index.php?title=Kit_Harington&image=Jon_and_Bran-jpg"><img height="341" src="http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20101128160421/gameofthrones/images/thumb/4/42/Jon_and_Bran.jpg/256px-Jon_and_Bran.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Bran: training on the bow, but prefers climbing. <br />
Jon Snow: kind, strong, independent and just itching to prove himself. <br />
The closest thing to a good guy this show has. If I was on the receiving end of Catelyn's evil eye for 14 years I'd carry more baggage than him.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/index.php?title=Arya_Stark&image=Arya_with_a_knife-jpg"><img height="180" src="http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110211100540/gameofthrones/images/thumb/1/12/Arya_with_a_knife.jpg/608px-Arya_with_a_knife.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Arya: cute little tomboy, good with a knife, bad with a needle. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/index.php?title=Sansa_Stark&image=Sansa_Stark-jpg"><img height="342" src="http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110318201957/gameofthrones/images/thumb/1/1f/Sansa_Stark.jpg/228px-Sansa_Stark.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sansa: I'd call her a foolish child, but that'd be too kind on the stupid brat.</div><br />
For a spoiler-free intro to the Game of Thrones world, <a href="http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/wiki/Game_of_Thrones_Wiki">go here</a> where all these images came from.<br />
<div></div><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-74983366579789579362011-04-04T22:47:00.000+10:002011-04-04T22:47:07.292+10:00Game of Thrones: Episode 1 Preview<div style="text-align: center;">"I've been dealt a cruel blow by the hand of fate"</div><br />
That's what I thought today as I clicked in vain on the links to this preview. Work has provided me a laptop for my travels. <br />
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No administrative rights sorry. <br />
No Flash player installed sorry. <br />
No Youtube allowed sorry. <br />
Apparently my version of Windows 7 is not authentic either, it claims. <br />
Sorry. <br />
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That's ok. I've only waited 2 years for this moment. Thankfully this hotel has a business centre. I'm saved! <br />
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What? No speakers? Haha, a trip to the mall has fixed that! Now nothing stands in the way of my ep1 fix. Nothing!<br />
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So... I can't embed it into this post because I'm on a foreign language version of internet explorer and I have no idea what the Chinese (Traditional) words for 'Embed video' are. Here's the link.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRZJpX4AdAM">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRZJpX4AdAM</a><br />
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Just waiting for it to load up...brbUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-71085515055841149502010-12-28T15:29:00.000+11:002010-12-28T15:29:28.940+11:00From Hollywood to HollywoodSomeone sent me a DVD to review. Cold requests aren't really my thing but I was too curious to turn down an indie-indie movie made over three years. Yup. Three. <br />
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It really got me thinking, and not just about how to phrase the review but also if the tables were turned. If I spent three years of my life making a movie with my sibling how would it turn out? Brothers Coen and Wachowski get along, and the Afflecks are doing well. How would you keep motivated? I get bored waiting for VHS tapes to rewind, let alone a three year family event.<br />
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'From Hollywood to Hollywood' was made by two brothers Scott and Jeff Bushaw on a tiny budget and a big dream. It's not the kind of movie that gets reviewed on this blog with its period drama focus. (Clearly the brothers don't subscribe, they've just cast a wide net) <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf9SBz2L_KM4LtE2jSKtB6AIbLmuwIagW1s4rNoTQ8ca9eVblGLREn2ksH_-YtJlJhpzXmFFjq_ApNNSJe2pjdyI9LP7rA2BmtQIn-2yPaZjAKH2H1AkDc7VbjKWCrYr8nHjO9lS3rlsY/s1600/PB300060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf9SBz2L_KM4LtE2jSKtB6AIbLmuwIagW1s4rNoTQ8ca9eVblGLREn2ksH_-YtJlJhpzXmFFjq_ApNNSJe2pjdyI9LP7rA2BmtQIn-2yPaZjAKH2H1AkDc7VbjKWCrYr8nHjO9lS3rlsY/s320/PB300060.JPG" width="240" /> </a></div><br />
So was it watchable? I'll be blunt. It totally didn't suck! The script is as good as any gross-out comedy I'd pass up on the big screen. The acting is as serious as my Christmas rendition of Rocky Balboa, but if you made it through The Expendables you could handle this. It's hard not to think of it as a home movie, but who cares right? Everybody had fun.<br />
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What I did mind was how much I ended up caring about the downtrodden gay porn star brother Skyler. Shame on the writer for putting him (and me) through that debacle near the end; he deserves better. As for the loser older brother Dempster, this character is so awful he distracted me more from the movie than the amateur performances. Not even Adam Sandler movie sidekicks are this annoying!<br />
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If 'Road Trip', 'Harold and Kumar' or Adam Sandler movies 1996-2003 are your thing, <a href="http://fromhollywoodtohollywood.com/fhth/from_hollywood_to_hollywood_homepage.html">From Hollywood to Hollywood</a> is great for laughs. Keep writing, Scott. There's another blog post in three years with your name on it!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-47764245220529290992010-12-07T00:11:00.000+11:002010-12-07T00:11:26.209+11:00Game of Thrones 101Hi remember me? Something has stirred me from hibernation. I'll be taking things very slowly, starting with this youtube clip.<br />
In 2011 the rest of the world will wake up to A Song of Ice and Fire. The first book, A Game of Thrones is getting made into an HBO tv series and here's the inside look.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="295" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JJR3eBfcusM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JJR3eBfcusM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-72410691500150505352010-08-15T00:46:00.000+10:002010-08-15T00:46:23.270+10:00Fanvid love for Game of ThronesNothing says I love you like a tv series fanvid before it's even aired!<br />
Watch this one in awe of all the beautiful people.<br />
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<div align="center"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_P80EyBqSX4?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_P80EyBqSX4?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><div align="center">Courtesy of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P80EyBqSX4">Xipriota</a><br />
</div>Here are some of my favourite characters from the story/series. Funny enough they're all underdogs.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Vnz91ikSbvZZg_1C8VR9ZxYmouIeinbrQNjA9aKc9g2M_Bb8JhRcHg1hferZ1gzAYIWazwLzyUD-WL0YL6F9Zs2zbai4A1svn6whUn3woP0VFP7RtlBfbZBNgfoOQjfjSAWYQJvuYpE/s1600/kit_harington_theironthrone.it.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Vnz91ikSbvZZg_1C8VR9ZxYmouIeinbrQNjA9aKc9g2M_Bb8JhRcHg1hferZ1gzAYIWazwLzyUD-WL0YL6F9Zs2zbai4A1svn6whUn3woP0VFP7RtlBfbZBNgfoOQjfjSAWYQJvuYpE/s320/kit_harington_theironthrone.it.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div align="center"> Jon Snow</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Gh2rKKAGNUi-XfY8xIoDYquVVz28AZpJKTWBiDrBaKcXfM9y3WYNq9kXwtYhCKG3CH5ly0CkD6FbE7ekYeuSXddOdw2ZomevtGPr_lP-z0437LWTV7i9SHQyy55lrtpu9KBegXrCBp0/s1600/peter_dinklage_theironthrone.it.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Gh2rKKAGNUi-XfY8xIoDYquVVz28AZpJKTWBiDrBaKcXfM9y3WYNq9kXwtYhCKG3CH5ly0CkD6FbE7ekYeuSXddOdw2ZomevtGPr_lP-z0437LWTV7i9SHQyy55lrtpu9KBegXrCBp0/s320/peter_dinklage_theironthrone.it.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center">Tyrion Lannister</div><br />
Blogposts will be short and infrequent until October - I've got trenches to dig, people and furniture to move and more travel.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-57179329591809687262010-08-08T17:58:00.001+10:002010-08-08T18:08:00.136+10:00Winter is Coming in Spring 2011Fantasy readers will know that some book series go on forever. Sadly, Robert Jordan died leaving his Wheel of Time series unfinished. Let that be a warning to you Mr George R R Martin. Eat healthy, exercise regularly and keep writing! The fate of too many fictional characters and unresolved plots is at stake.<br />
<br />
I have mixed feelings about the HBO adaption of A Game of Thrones. Of course it's every fan's dream to see it realised with a <a href="http://winter-is-coming.net/features/cast/">big budget and fitting actors</a>. There's a fantastic website with up to the minute news on the anticipated Spring 2011 release called <a href="http://winter-is-coming.net/">Winter is Coming</a> with a cast list longer than Little Dorrit, and that's only from the first book. BUT... what about the rest of the book series? I want my closure!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQPfIXmIRtSoIKArURleM7Co9lJ5j8YhCpXSTYzGZQ2Q0HstkLS9cX-36dxt6pF8ZQc-0Flz5syIFJjZ80Ha3wULe_P8IjEoLNWVidrZQp-mqFDVvVwFYiYBw_BxZ_exaLyN8Wz26DQVc/s1600/NedStark_hbo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQPfIXmIRtSoIKArURleM7Co9lJ5j8YhCpXSTYzGZQ2Q0HstkLS9cX-36dxt6pF8ZQc-0Flz5syIFJjZ80Ha3wULe_P8IjEoLNWVidrZQp-mqFDVvVwFYiYBw_BxZ_exaLyN8Wz26DQVc/s400/NedStark_hbo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center"> Image from <a href="http://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones">HBO.com/game-of-thrones</a></div><br />
There are only two series I've fantasized about adapting if I'd been tv writer. This one, A Song of Ice and Fire, and other one by Robin Hobb, The Farseer Trilogy. What sets these 2 writers apart from the seething mass of humdrum fantasy out there is character development. It deserves its own blog post where I can gush freely about my Farseer-love. I've converted plenty of people to Robin Hobb's writing, far more than the measly few who've taken to North and South! Has anyone read Robin Hobb? What did you think of Fitz and the Fool?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-16394156036290379322010-08-01T21:17:00.001+10:002010-08-01T21:48:35.272+10:00Inception, waking up and letting goHave you ever had a dream so enjoyable you didn't want to wake up? Or been so engrossed by something that you wanted to take the story further after it ended? (*cough* North and South)<br />
<br />
There's a lot of hype about Christopher Nolan's latest movie with words like "stunningly complex" and "mind-blowing". That's bound to disappoint some people with the expectation of greatness already planted in their minds. Inception is a detailed allegorical movie that puts all its emotional eggs in one basket and shakes it all around.<br />
<br />
It's a twist on the 'one last job of a heist movie' where waking up to find it was all just a dream is actually the aim! When you're unconscious you're left mentally unguarded, and people like Leonardo di Caprio and his posse can slip inside to steal your secrets. Something much harder to do is to subtly plant ideas which you'll remember after you awaken. Think 'The Matrix' meets 'Oceans 11' with some shades of 'Solaris'. Imagine you dreamed you went to sleep and dreamed you went to sleep and dreamt some more...get it?<br />
<br />
Was it any good?? Well...yes. I'd recommend it to anyone who appreciates movies as a vehicle for new concepts or special effects. It's worth watching solely for THE COOLEST MOST ORIGINAL FIGHT SCENE EVER. Finally I can associate Joseph Gordon-Levitt with something other than Tommy from Third Rock from the Sun.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsqqf3t-puXe-ogPif0GO1jkkQkYxtPVDThNZUu8y8TNPdfARsdA_RaTpU3ople3GdNtxyG-ElMzsa7c_w0k4FW5HfGwIbeOxB0GO-R2FU2PdUxXvU_y5PksmvdswyJSBdR4WFKNnJKYw/s1600/Inception-hallway_cinemamerde.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsqqf3t-puXe-ogPif0GO1jkkQkYxtPVDThNZUu8y8TNPdfARsdA_RaTpU3ople3GdNtxyG-ElMzsa7c_w0k4FW5HfGwIbeOxB0GO-R2FU2PdUxXvU_y5PksmvdswyJSBdR4WFKNnJKYw/s400/Inception-hallway_cinemamerde.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center">My favourite part of Inception (image from CinemaMerde.com)</div><br />
It's pretty easy to see the allegory to film-making and the cinematic experience, but there are plenty of other interpretations, like substance addiction, online computer games, social networking sites and even religion. But with so much happening on screen there are bound to be weaknesses, three in fact.<br />
<br />
1. The Ellen Page character, or Exposition Vehicle. She sees some weird stuff in Leonardo di Caprio's dreams and spends the rest of the movie nagging him like that buzzer on my alarm clock Monday mornings. Annoying!<br />
<br />
2. You can spot Leonardo's big mysterious secret long before it's gravely and dramatically revealed. I hate it when that happens. Probably because I got a little confused at times that I had to guess ahead just to keep up with the story.<br />
<br />
3. Only two characters get developed: Leonardo and the corporate guy #2, the rest are cool archetypal story props. I wouldn't have had a problem with this if the movie hadn't made such a big deal out of Leonardo's unresolved issues. All the recurring imagery is a powerful reminder of his guilt and regret, but at the emotional climax I wasn't convinced his character had earned the closure. In the interest of keeping this spoiler-free, I'll leave it at that.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-37696445695680055752010-07-29T21:33:00.000+10:002010-07-29T21:33:42.515+10:00Who's that on the front cover? Is it...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoSpPhrjGQjc1_8CKQK_AehbsjtyO9l-Uvc2WTr1CjYBHij7Qf6kKhxcyJ-nvD1S4-gQt-GVrTv6AcTUOIeNGg6rfboRjo9GyX3PyzIUsl1cycTgS3m6xpWK64ViKG410Tk_H_YIUtzo/s1600/Wheel_of_Time_Book_7_A_Crown_of_Swords_Robert_Jordan_unabridged_compact_discs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoSpPhrjGQjc1_8CKQK_AehbsjtyO9l-Uvc2WTr1CjYBHij7Qf6kKhxcyJ-nvD1S4-gQt-GVrTv6AcTUOIeNGg6rfboRjo9GyX3PyzIUsl1cycTgS3m6xpWK64ViKG410Tk_H_YIUtzo/s400/Wheel_of_Time_Book_7_A_Crown_of_Swords_Robert_Jordan_unabridged_compact_discs.jpg" width="355" /></a></div><div align="center">I never pictured Rand so BUFF</div><br />
If you read a lot of fantasy novels I'll bet at some point you've<br />
1. Looked at the cover<br />
2. Wondered "Is that ...? Nah, it can't be!...No seriously, what were they thinking?<br />
3. Taken a closer look at hair colour, clothes, setting in the vain hope it's not who you think it is<br />
4. Thought back to earlier books in the series in a desperate attempt to think of someone else it could be<br />
5. Resigned yourself to a little giggle everytime you see the cover<br />
<br />
It's happened to me for the Wheel of Time series. Conan the Barbarian has a lot to answer for.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-5567817810120725402010-07-27T20:33:00.000+10:002010-07-27T20:33:36.734+10:00Must Love DogsA guy has a 20% higher chance of getting a girl's phone number if he's with his best friend - a dog. <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/homo-consumericus/201007/more-reasons-love-dogs-they-promote-prosocial-behaviors-and-they-attra">Scientifically proven</a>, though I could've told them it's true for free. Actually we might be getting a dog in a few months so I watched this movie for puppy 'research' since the title implies 'here be much doggy feelgoodness'.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhfkhuet2E9vZEMCKuOFv201Xlrg4hcGcLObV6IEqVSNEsl3FKGrsjKy4Zq8KTXkG-b1T8ip6TNSiiEf00hHC0ppjGOpIsWAXeR4PN8ueWf0BX1YmPPFHv6RmwPJUBhLdK1ETlGWyMDk/s1600/Must_Love_Dogs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhfkhuet2E9vZEMCKuOFv201Xlrg4hcGcLObV6IEqVSNEsl3FKGrsjKy4Zq8KTXkG-b1T8ip6TNSiiEf00hHC0ppjGOpIsWAXeR4PN8ueWf0BX1YmPPFHv6RmwPJUBhLdK1ETlGWyMDk/s320/Must_Love_Dogs.jpg" width="216" /> </a></div><br />
Turns out the movie's pretty light on the dogs and heavy on the punchlines. Let's put it through the Ragtag Romcometer, a measuring gauge made from all the Sandra Bullock comedies I'll admit to watching.<br />
<br />
<b>Ragtag Romcometer</b><br />
<ul><li>While You Were Sleeping - highest rotation, taped from tv with commercials correctly paused out</li>
<li>Miss Congeniality - hehe *snort* </li>
</ul><br />
<------- Must Love Dogs - I'd watch it again for the John Cusack parts<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Two Weeks Notice - wouldn't change the channel if it was up next</li>
<li>The Proposal - starts out well but got really bland</li>
<li>Forces of Nature - didn't finish it</li>
<li>Practical Magic - has a deserving place on the bonfire</li>
</ul><br />
Romcometer has decided that it ranks above the average Sandra Bullock romcom but WYWS and MC are still top dogs. The sheer number of one-liners per minute puts it in the top 3. It's easy to know the two leads will end up together because<br />
a) It's a romcom, duh<br />
b) They talk the same, think the same, act the same. John Cusack's character sounds like a self-absorbed neurotic but vulnerable woman in her late 40s. I thought he was sweet. Is that wrong?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-19514825937709070602010-07-25T01:19:00.004+10:002010-07-25T01:23:40.459+10:00Questioning my judgment<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It all started with Matt Damon searching high and low for </span><st1:stockticker><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">WMD</span></st1:stockticker><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0947810/">Green Zone</a> – excellent but uncomfortable viewing. Try imagining military Jason Bourne in </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Iraq</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">. Cue the government conspiracy and the super human assassins. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There’s a particularly mean soldier named Briggs complete with evil frowny moustache that practically screams ‘kills if ordered or bored’. He’s so relentless nothing short of x-ray analysis will convince me he’s not a terminator sent from the future by hawk neoconservatives. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://s945.photobucket.com/albums/ad294/rivercup/?action=view&current=ji_briggs.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="251" src="http://i945.photobucket.com/albums/ad294/rivercup/ji_briggs.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Alpha team, this is evil moustache, over<br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But then the shaky camera work stalled for a moment and I saw his face clearly. Hey that’s Jason Isaacs! No Matt Damon, don’t shoot! He’s still a baddy but now I don’t want Jason Isaacs to die!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div align="center"><a href="http://s945.photobucket.com/albums/ad294/rivercup/?action=view&current=Lucius_Malfoy_imdb_gallery.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i945.photobucket.com/albums/ad294/rivercup/Lucius_Malfoy_imdb_gallery.jpg" width="287" /></a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><a href="http://s945.photobucket.com/albums/ad294/rivercup/?action=view&current=CaptHook.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i945.photobucket.com/albums/ad294/rivercup/CaptHook.jpg" /></a></div></div><div align="center"><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">What happened there? Ever since I saw Jason Isaacs play the (sexy) villain so well as Lucius Malfoy and Captain Hook I can’t help switching teams whenever he baddens it up. He’s built up enough rascal credibility I root for him even when the character’s flatter than an army buzz cut. But this isn’t an isolated case of wrong teamism. I thought back to Mulubinba’s search for the good Guy - a quest doomed to succeed. Why do we root for the bad guy? Perhaps it’s a personal thing. Here are my reasons:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">They’re usually given the best lines</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">They’re usually given the best back stories</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As long as they don’t hurt characters you like, you can still think they’re good people that made bad choices</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">They’re determined, proactive and ambitious; all misdirected but still attractive qualities.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">They’re the underdog</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>No wonder they can overshadow the main character. Maybe there’s nothing wrong with my judgment after all.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-59049633676491361042010-07-23T21:33:00.000+10:002010-07-23T21:33:18.892+10:00What's your problem with Science Fiction?I'm back from travel and weeks of the flu! It'll take a few posts to get back in the pace, though. Here goes... <br />
Admitting you're a fan of Sci Fi can be risky. You're a rung above saps who still believe in Santa, but one rung below Harry Potter fans, maybe two. I think Sci Fi has a bad rep because of goggle-eyed monsters and prosthetics. Maybe it's those weirdos dressed up as Hans Solo or that pointy eared guy on opening day of Star What 2500. <br />
<br />
Don't roll your eyes. Trekkies and Star Warshipers are our cousins, period dramatists. The effort they put into spaceman costumes and amateur movies is admirable. Having written Sparkhouse fan fiction, reviewed Spooks 8 and watched every single Guy of Gisborne youtube fanvid I kinda see where they're coming from. Gee, did I just step out of the closet? (Just FYI if I were to dress up as anyone from RA's world it'd be Isabella Gisborne. No, Marian. No, Isabella.)<br />
<br />
There are situations where I love Sci Fi and think creating a different world is worth the trouble: to explore radical ideas.<br />
<br />
Like in... <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solaris_(2002_film)">Solaris</a><br />
George Clooney on a space station orbiting a planet which is <em>alive</em>. How does a sentient lonely planet meet and greet its new neighbours? With what's on their minds. I loved this psychodrama, the introspective <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solaris_(1972_film)">1972 version</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solaris_(novel)">novel</a> by Stanislaw Lem.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_KHLQazMijfOMQu2vSJHAkaQvkBowi5hOIKXoLq7JVhy5Eqm2KH1MGM8ak680LgDguAVP1IED7ZC29aObxWxjSiFLRwhcTCWF-Z89KMczU-57Nylp20cs2PgwE4FHuFpaw5oqWxZSDc/s1600/dd_solaris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_KHLQazMijfOMQu2vSJHAkaQvkBowi5hOIKXoLq7JVhy5Eqm2KH1MGM8ak680LgDguAVP1IED7ZC29aObxWxjSiFLRwhcTCWF-Z89KMczU-57Nylp20cs2PgwE4FHuFpaw5oqWxZSDc/s320/dd_solaris.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Like in... <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Inhabited_Island">The Inhabited Island</a>. Eastern European philosophers were particularly fond of using Sci Fi to get their anti-government literature past the sensors - so I've read. <br />
<br />
Has anyone heard of this movie? I doubt it unless you speak Rusky. The Inhabited Island is about the fall of the Soviet Union in the same way <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_Farm">Animal Farm</a> is about the rise of the Stalin era, except it was written in the 60s. Grab a Russian, watch it together. Culture shocks don't hit any harder than this guy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6nOLvLvibM7cuntfFzsPGyrnuLfDEVLV0VpKdy9aPpnmbJ0JPIn1cs5PEAnfeOU-1lnbYZT3gKRZGLTdeCIyiVjVNSWjW18JdvsmT0unpbiMoJ4AY5BzdgPWqGDfJlLhHxKjNWMjn3a8/s1600/inhabitedisland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6nOLvLvibM7cuntfFzsPGyrnuLfDEVLV0VpKdy9aPpnmbJ0JPIn1cs5PEAnfeOU-1lnbYZT3gKRZGLTdeCIyiVjVNSWjW18JdvsmT0unpbiMoJ4AY5BzdgPWqGDfJlLhHxKjNWMjn3a8/s400/inhabitedisland.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-18302176280839756582010-05-05T19:25:00.000+10:002010-05-05T19:25:22.799+10:00Blogging on my feet, far from homeIt's still not a good time to go back to blogging but I've got a 3 hour stoppover and none of the duty-free looks appealing. <br />
<br />
It's such a waste to look Chinese but not be able to speak it. People expect me to burst into Mandarin but I only know how to say hello and Hong Kong. I've never appreciated my non-Asian colleagues as much as I do now. They exhude such a strong Aura of Foreigner it infects everyone within conversation radius, piercing my own Asianness as the locals try to accommodate for the Caucasian. <br />
<br />
There are several stages I go through whenever I have to go overseas for extended periods:<br />
<br />
1. Toilet Shock - Everyone's got their overseas toilet story. I could go on for hours! The building I'm working in has ONE FEMALE non-squat toilet in the whole building, the depravity. :( On my first day I discovered the 2nd one was out of order; as the flush water level rose (in slow motion) my life flashed before my eyes. I considered hightailing it out of there then remembered the dangerous 'step' on the raise and wet floor. I'm sure many a foreigner has met a damp toilet end with a deathmask of grossed-out horror. I never venture more than walking distance from my hotel or workplace. Yes I'm that much of a citygirl I can't pee in awkward positions.<br />
<br />
2. Faking good habits - Getting up early, using cutlery properly, punctuality. You know, all habits I wish I had in my normal life but couldn't be bothered. Somehow when I go overseas it all comes naturally, at first.<br />
<br />
3. Bright Side - Eating out here costs 1/5th what it does in Sydney. Every night I return to a tidied room and cleaned ensuite. There are no water restrictions - baths everynight! Then there's the public transport. I'm in LOVE with this country's high speed train network. They must be making a loss, I paid the same price for my intercity ticket as I did for the stupid tourist bag with the train logo on it! Look, I had to immortalise that life-changing train ride somehow and I didn't have a camera with me. <br />
<br />
At this stage I start to think I could get used to living here if I could shake that anonymous drifter feeling.<br />
<br />
Does anyone else go through similar stages?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-89727860364244145072010-04-08T01:48:00.000+10:002010-04-08T01:48:35.530+10:00Standing Cat Sees All<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Help! I've been stuck clicking replay for the past hour! Meet French Fashionista reincarnated as Standing Cat. It’s the middle of the night and I have to work tomorrow, but Standing Cat has powers beyond your imagination. Look at this showoff. </span><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div align="center"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MVV_HXtEbLo&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MVV_HXtEbLo&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: center;">Video by DaisYannou, song "Cats on Mars" by Yoko Kanno</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">When the servants are out, kitty probably walks around the house in stilettos smoking catnip. If it wasn’t for tweety in the tree we’d have been none the wiser. I’m onto you Standing Tomcat! If you can stand that long you can learn the loo too. </span><br />
<br />
-------------<br />
<br />
Cats aside, there will be blogging break while I haul boxes and luggage here and there. With my opposable thumbs (beat that, wonder cat!) it shouldn't take longer than 2 months.<br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-79495559099108237612010-03-30T21:07:00.000+11:002010-03-30T21:07:55.067+11:00Guitar face for other badass instrumentsWhy does the guitar get all the glory? Air guitar contests, Guitar face. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="135" nt="true" src="http://i945.photobucket.com/albums/ad294/rivercup/reviewerama/blogwfmuorg_guitarface.jpg" width="200" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Image from <a href="http://blog.wfmu.org/photos/guitar_face/index.html">blog.wfmu.org</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
For once I'd like to see a different 'instrument face'. Take for example, the zither, something I used to play. I'm sure if you look closely you can see zither face on these kickass ladies below:<br />
<br />
<div align="center"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CWFomjHNaIw&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CWFomjHNaIw&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><br />
Does anyone else have a soft spot for the rare musical instrument? The accordion and bagpipes are badass too; rebellion and anarchy rock out just as poignantly on the ol' pipes or 'cordz. Actually I think 'bagpipe face' is an occupational hazard.<br />
<br />
I was pushing a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FE1zXLDI2uw">lullaby by Vitas</a> in my last post, this time his grandpa sings while Vitas pulls <strong><span style="font-size: large;">badass accordion face</span></strong>. Oh Vitas you wild thang. <br />
<br />
<strong><em>(Unless you can understand Russian, skip ahead to 2 mins 10 sec.)</em></strong><br />
<div align="center"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ibsG3LFZuQA&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ibsG3LFZuQA&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-50984856418825861042010-03-26T22:39:00.001+11:002010-03-26T22:57:30.283+11:00Opera crossover is taking me to dark and mysterious placesWhat do heavy metal band Manowar and Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin have in common?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5452879993864534754" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgiWPWhhjGkUnJF_ROOR4leAQiK0zuom62kAUSP9anDGpJy8mKUeX5u7mx5JmX5NzFxaQ5mC5G2SBcSM663wl0_NFO-1JGDdjHdEESp4uA_j5iOtjtLi02q2hbFFaTDTrPYSKhWsRJ3A/s400/aretha_vs_manowar.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
If you said Nessun Dorma, you're impressive. And a little disturbing.<br />
<br />
<div align="center"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SclJmnRMLnQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SclJmnRMLnQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><br />
Just when you thought you've seen everything (including the mad drum and guitar accompaniment at 2:35) here's a counter tenor cover by Vitas. Who's Vitas? <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">The question is not who, but WHAT is Vitas?</div><br />
<div align="center"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Rs5Jd0vFik0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Rs5Jd0vFik0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><br />
He likes to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygJYxMP_ICY">transform into Amphibian Man</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6k-BmjRJQI">dance robot</a> (making funny tongue sounds) and sing about <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NuuokYD2PA">extraterrestrial friends</a>. Whenever he cracks that high note my corneas detach. <br />
<br />
I don't think we're in opera crossover anymore, Dorothy. I can't figure this amazing guy out, and maybe that's a good thing. Watch him sing this beautiful lullaby: not only is it a real baby, it's his daughter!<br />
<br />
<div align="center"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FE1zXLDI2uw&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FE1zXLDI2uw&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-15465082685711469062010-03-23T21:43:00.000+11:002010-03-23T21:43:36.823+11:00RA Fnstrvgnz Poll ResultsThat's the wrap! Thanks to all those who voted, spilt punch, kicked the karaoke box and staggered away with the designated driver. <div align="center"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9uFfjYRr57E/S6iZ8CjYYyI/AAAAAAAAAxM/VNHt2gBxFkQ/s1600-h/asleep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kt="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9uFfjYRr57E/S6iZ8CjYYyI/AAAAAAAAAxM/VNHt2gBxFkQ/s400/asleep.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Here's the results, clicking the poll title will take you back...<br />
<br />
<strong><a href="http://reviewerama.blogspot.com/2010/03/richard-armitage-fanstravaganzaaaaaaaaa.html">When did you detect there was more to Thornton than Evil Cotton Overlord?</a></strong><br />
"Stevens!": 4%<br />
"Meet my new friend and first proper pupil Mr Thornton": 24%<br />
The Master's meeting: 1%<br />
The 1000 mile stare: 9%<br />
<strong><span style="color: red;">Margaret and John's tea tiff: 40%</span></strong><br />
"I believe I have seen hell, and it is white, snow white": 3%<br />
"I would like to play the overbearing master": 5%<br />
The Strike: 2%<br />
The Proposal: 2%<br />
The Train Scene: 5%<br />
Other: 3% (Eg The credits)<br />
<br />
<strong><a href="http://reviewerama.blogspot.com/2010/03/enjoying-fanstravaganazaaaaaaaaaa.html">What's your favourite Thornton heel spin moment?</a></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: red;">The Proposal "I understand you completely" : 27%</span></strong><br />
"I'm looking to the future": 10%<br />
The great exhibition: 21%<br />
Margaret says goodbye Milton: 15%<br />
At the train when Margaret gets her bag: 24%<br />
When Margaret lies about her brother but Thornton sees the coat: 1%<br />
<br />
<strong><a href="http://reviewerama.blogspot.com/2010/03/another-richard-armitage-fnstrvgnz-poll.html">The snidest comment from my failed conversion attempts:</a></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: red;">This is just like Pride & Prejudice but with an ugly Darcy and crap Pemberley: 26%</span></strong><br />
I hate men who are like that with their mums. Gross: 2%<br />
That guy's not leading man material. Look at his nose: 22%<br />
That girl's fat: 10%<br />
Her dad's piss-weak and her mum whines a lot: 2%<br />
They're not very good Christians are they? They never pray: 4%<br />
Is this another of your silly obsessions?: 18%<br />
When does it get good?: 10%<br />
As if that'd happen! They're in public!: 6%<br />
<br />
<br />
Check out the cleanup at other RAF bloggers!<br />
<br />
<div align="center">Avalon at <a href="http://avalon-medieval.blogspot.com/">Avalon's blog</a></div><div align="center">Skully at <a href="http://spooksfanblog.blogspot.com/">The Spooks Fan Blog</a></div><div align="center">Traxy at <a href="http://thesqueee.blogspot.com/">The Squeee</a></div><div align="center">Mulubinba at <a href="http://mulubinba.typepad.com/an_ra_viewers_perspective/">An RA Viewer's Perspective</a></div><div align="center">Susan at <a href="http://meandrichard.wordpress.com/">Me+Richard</a></div><div align="center">Nat at <a href="http://armitagefanblog.blogspot.com/">The RA Fan Blog</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-69651944591599027312010-03-21T09:10:00.000+11:002010-03-21T09:10:51.149+11:00Richard Armitage Fnstrvgnz Fan Showcase: Elva75!<div style="text-align: left;">The end of the Richard Armitage Fnstrvgnz is approaching. Before the week is over I must get this out of my system: the song is echoing in my head! La-la-la, la-la...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">You've probably seen Elva75's work, but may not know more than just a nickname. I've chosen to showcase her and her North and South fanvid 'Can't get you out of my head' since it's how North and South hit me.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zHJaIfrVBAs&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zHJaIfrVBAs&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><br />
That's some tune huh. I love that bit at 1:37 mins of the Master's meeting. There are some JT huffy exits, and fabulous editing at 3:10 as if Margaret and Thorton are in the same scene.<br />
<br />
Here's a Q&A session with Elva and like all talented people she's gushy about what she loves. <em>My inserts are in italics.</em><br />
<br />
<em><strong>How long have you been a fan of Richard Armitage?</strong></em> <br />
<br />
I fell head over heals for Richards portrayal of Mr. Thornton when I watched North and South in November of 2007 and haven't recovered since : )<br />
<br />
<strong><em>How long have you been making fanvids? How did you learn to make them?</em></strong> <br />
<br />
I started making fanvids in the spring of 2008, I just stumbled my way through Sony Vegas, not the easiest program to use, but I've been mastering it ever since. <br />
<br />
<strong><em>What was your inspiration or driving force behind 'Can't get you out of my head' and 'Crazy in Love'? </em></strong><br />
<br />
Since I started vidding I havent been able to listen to the radio or any music really without constantly thinking about it as a potential candidate for a video. I really enjoy making period drama videos to unconventional songs and thats why I chose 'Can't get you out of my head', and the lyrics just fit Thornton and Margaret really well, the same goes with 'Crazy in love'.<br />
<br />
<div align="center"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3Nwil3mrses&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3Nwil3mrses&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><br />
<strong><em>What 'process' do you go through when making an artwork like a fanvid? </em></strong><br />
<br />
My 'Process' is quite simple, I hear a song and if it screams a certain pairing or film I won't rest until I've made something to it. I like playing with a bit of manipulation and Ive done quite a few Alternative Universe vids too which are really demanding. I always try my best to have a good flow in my videos, vidding is a bit like choreographing a dance routine : )<br />
<br />
<em>(From Wikipedia: Alternate Universe abbreviated AU, are what-ifs that explore the possibilities of pivotal changes made to characters' history, motivations or environment)</em><br />
<br />
<strong><em>What is your favourite RA fanvid creation? </em></strong><br />
<br />
My favorite RA fanvid creation is 'Taking Over Me'. <i>(This one rocks! - Ragtag)</i><br />
<i> </i><div align="center"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rSbhRaFQh9c&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rSbhRaFQh9c&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><br />
It really shows a lot of my favorite RA moments in North and South. The one I like most in terms of technical standards is 'Untouched'. <br />
<br />
<div align="center"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3ferVm_dfsE&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3ferVm_dfsE&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><br />
<strong><em>Have you ever collaborated with other RA fans to create artworks? </em></strong><br />
<br />
Ive never collaborated with anyone else but I'd really like to try it one day. <br />
<br />
<em>I'd love to see the result of that too, Elva. Excuse me while I hit replay on that first tune. La-la-la...</em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-89024648734136089762010-03-19T20:29:00.000+11:002010-03-19T20:29:36.262+11:00Another Richard Armitage Fnstrvgnz Poll<div>Spreading North and South love to our friends, we've all been there.<br />
I've never had much luck, in fact I get a lot of snarky comments! Vote on the right hand panel for<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">The snidest comment from my failed N&S conversion attempts: </span></strong><br />
<br />
1. This is just like Pride & Prejudice but with an ugly Darcy and crap Pemberley<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5450270856325982562" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHyfFmv2XvZ4UkYTuLYqkh5DgkKH1lHxopT7J2Ptsj3ynoAXaMy31VtjgyBZOy74GtP0SrKbj5ipqc7LiChTa6pVgTTHLifZkMIKOEAMXe2vpDUj4w4LK_TrcfANXhZsL0bVcPCX-q6c/s320/John_Thornton.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
2. I hate men who are like that with their mums. Gross.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5450270952655576146" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmjN26mRvrhAZr8jTI7a4KPooP71LOmN2eL7z4GHEUPDwLAlGB38AizGw4WEQiyQHy_bLQU-wthnHHGq3Ed7PNGagD14K9MK6RuYa84FsU5iKPO4FhC3A1yAbFtJJZ6w3-4t9_ufXqMw/s320/TheThorntonbirds.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
3. That guy's not leading man material. Look at his nose. (Grrrr)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5450271035287885090" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyaRH8ffjariDygzmh1PSr5VHvp4c6c1e-shnE5szPc_Jwi9zt07CLU1uiuqaslXdk3UwmYNfMuZFL0V3OyZ8wcDUqh3eLfSEzJ-oWKjbwz9gPjivWqYubhOJBYEIMPaOUKiqbSAi56S4/s320/TheNose.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
4. That girl's fat<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5450271278459886834" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6X9Z0d3u4xChpmDMrU1EXWsRJDqqnh9BAZcoOdRORjG1KN19eGkNhr8W81Dl-B37j83CuzBS9nUrI6zmjCpHt32joxUHxKZom7IkVqPX9A3irREcqUsVBF_dk7fVyZtTNIxmGuoczgGo/s320/Margaretisfat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
5. Her dad's piss-weak and her mum whines a lot (I don't disagree)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5450272001745544994" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqT8owanfin1kX-7Qvegv_D1nraCcft7WpRKG7JhwzED8T_F8HV42IiISYyl2Hsctxhs_mzqfFDr26W0KWukyhqmGL8Qe3jzIPH2e9drR2WKFXq14PyOMgzkA0toWCF8yGulXzhrFtnP8/s320/Hales.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
6. They're not very good Christians are they? They never pray.<br />
7. Is this another of your silly obsessions?<br />
8. When does it get good? (ugh)<br />
9. As if that'd happen! They're in public!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5450272143558844626" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5jJ_U92CnKNgV6dGoHOox-4o4hlRqVvEOtvrMBY4IIGG0Vmw7oMh-GQRzm0YMaDQ9cleteGqvWCbnwgdZqOSizSXOGeSKT9Mhxd8AVCOHQegJX9qZcQF2taAjDNXrKDymIpN9BOIK7k/s320/LikeIcareitshistoricallyincorrect.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Vote for the snidest comment on the right hand panel. Has this happened to you? What did people say?<br />
<br />
Check out the other RAF bloggers!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="center">Avalon at <a href="http://avalon-medieval.blogspot.com/">Avalon's blog</a></div><div align="center">Skully at <a href="http://spooksfanblog.blogspot.com/">The Spooks Fan Blog</a></div><div align="center">Traxy at <a href="http://thesqueee.blogspot.com/">The Squeee</a></div><div align="center">Mulubinba at <a href="http://mulubinba.typepad.com/an_ra_viewers_perspective/">An RA Viewer's Perspective</a></div><div align="center">Susan at <a href="http://meandrichard.wordpress.com/">Me+Richard</a></div><div align="center">Nat at <a href="http://armitagefanblog.blogspot.com/">The RA Fan Blog</a></div><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-40243269929638116772010-03-17T19:48:00.003+11:002010-03-17T19:53:14.100+11:00Enjoying the Fanstravaganazaaaaaaaaaa?Now that everyone's been mingling all around the blogs it's time for some serious soul searching.<br />
<br />
Has anyone noticed that Mr Thornton loves a huffy exit in the opposite direction? <b><br />
</b><br />
<br />
<div><b><span style="font-size: large;">What's your favourite Thornton heel spin moment?</span></b></div><div></div><div>Not sure what I'm talking about? Here are some memory joggers.<br />
<br />
</div><div></div><div align="center">The Proposal "I understand you completely" ... huff</div><div align="center"> <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5449518906592825026" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="65" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2uVkXOVIOQDf2zoTlB059LELY6Tq3SOYI_WaPT9hm3Q41p4uuGp8Kslb_O3TzdWv_MbirSU2z1BDNCpqKdkthmyoScl42culwHcaQ2Wj7JJ7rUR8LdRTZskVuEc18VFjr6xRf4Zq8jB4/s400/proposalhuff2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div></div><div align="center">"I'm looking to the future" ... huff</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5449519134891458850" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSTNwM3JGe5bw3u_Qvllher3MOyjV37Fy8-6UE78QjZZ-Ix-O3Fez8VU2Ws0JJNnzRuLBs2triY7h6GFCd9Fl-ffomu8j5iGyMsp6BY8MSEuZ5NTg3XxcjK_HFyANGCU-jhr4GRx-koY/s400/lookingtofuturehuff4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div></div><div align="center">The great exhibition - If looks could kill, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5449519271864965234" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaTX9NLNT5tuBUf9Y1xix3FJEQsCUxVIE4bo9MP5L8kl53tfhhGQS4HnAXZq18Gksmk05xyAdzp7Bw1NKiiDB31x0Rwm3douUV3j8dJ6Pug5Oj-BEwaiXyLWmnvfZahyphenhyphen-FYjY8kyISCUQ/s400/greatexhibitionhuff2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Margaret says goodbye Milton. "Never to come back?" ... huff sniff</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5449519401901169874" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSUafsK971lC3vKBeTpdFgb2vDWIkXAF6GGg58DfBSqA4BdM9IFsBh5pmIL7_FCJ69v3QVB6ZzYNDFvs6hXif8NklD7Xqirpvk2WYgaaugDQJ2f2U5iXGziogJgRFmJfAOROmd0LKi1c4/s400/nevercomebackjpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div>At the train when Margaret gets her bag - Technically it's Margaret that heel spins but Thornton hits back with his own anguished huffy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5449519603608362994" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimpVMeMGj8XF5U2CWgH36vtfZKnAtSOhovsJRKjt9Poj3C2DW_K7wB-L6C42ygIPB19HaqUcifD96NcOR8GTmNcwiD5udm2q90cx4v3Z3kNVwlVMvZycVvOHT0XzofxGVVx294oI31dio/s400/trainhuffjpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div></div><div>There are other huffs too, so leave me a comment if you prefer one of those. Or just leave a comment anyway!<br />
<br />
</div><div></div><div>Remember to check out my fellow RA Fanstravaganza bloggers throughout the week for more...<br />
<br />
</div><div></div><div>Avalon at <a href="http://avalon-medieval.blogspot.com/">Avalon's blog</a><br />
Skully at <a href="http://spooksfanblog.blogspot.com/">The Spooks Fan Blog</a><br />
Traxy at <a href="http://thesqueee.blogspot.com/">The Squeee</a><br />
Mulubinba at <a href="http://mulubinba.typepad.com/an_ra_viewers_perspective/">An RA Viewer's Perspective</a><br />
Susan at <a href="http://meandrichard.wordpress.com/">Me+Richard</a><br />
Nat at <a href="http://armitagefanblog.blogspot.com/">The RA Fan Blog</a><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-8242892484136750162010-03-16T07:14:00.000+11:002010-03-16T07:14:51.683+11:00Richard Armitage FANSTRAVAGANZAAAAAAAAAAAA<div>Welcome to the first ever Richard Armitage Fanstravaganzaaaaaaaaaaa! </div><div></div><div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5448953740813193218" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvpjwLf4AVS4SePScPnz5QVdBLoxjsRhV2W5pq-7Ci_ebbMCYyP8lHO7YZMW8jfsBNqLRgXpXllO8jduaAhNa7W1a5lQ1Oc_WGk5wWjKXS96eJSv-KvrMA9B5uTB_N_2nCcR-wSigFDv0/s400/Fanstravaganza%20Logocrop.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div><div>An event such as this deserves caps lock. We RA-holic bloggers have decided to use our international powers of distraction for good, not evil, and host a BLOG CRAWL. From 16th to 23rd of March 2010 we will be hosting a series of polls and fan features. Blog hopping is highly advised! Tuesday morning the Aussie bloggers kick off celebrations. When it's Tuesday everywhere else, check out:</div><div><br />
</div><div align="center">Avalon at <a href="http://avalon-medieval.blogspot.com/">Avalon's blog</a></div><div align="center">Skully at <a href="http://spooksfanblog.blogspot.com/">The Spooks Fan Blog</a><br />
Traxy at <a href="http://thesqueee.blogspot.com/">The Squeee</a><br />
Mulubinba at <a href="http://mulubinba.typepad.com/an_ra_viewers_perspective/">An RA Viewer's Perspective</a><br />
Susan at <a href="http://meandrichard.wordpress.com/">Me+Richard</a><br />
Nat at <a href="http://armitagefanblog.blogspot.com/">The RA Fan Blog</a> </div><div align="left"><br />
Each blogger is hosting polls (and maybe more) at their site focusing on one of Richard's roles. Lucky me got North & South. (Score!) John Thornton was my introduction to RA and the reason for all the gushing these past few months. Special thanks to Nat for all the overlording and letting me on the bandwagon!</div><div><br />
</div><div>My polls will appear on the right hand panel. Check back for more...</div><div></div><div>So here's a little something familiar to start:<br />
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</div><div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>When did you detect there was more to Thornton than Evil Cotton Overlord? </b></span></div><div>Here are some amateur images to jog your memory.</div><div><br />
</div><div align="center">"Stevens!"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5448807830890303074" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECrN4-ku91c_90PTRuUL3NJzTAFRXq3-GYx9viZq2kSDEz9ySSjMAHXF6zFSHmQ6jqKcaF6XnUg3nNC0c1XjIPHmJalMgaa7vAwFgzLqHw-H9UmhlNcLQfaqt-pbizc5BHJg_dLJBkgo/s400/Stevensjpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div></div><div align="center"><br />
"Meet my new friend and first proper pupil Mr Thornton"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5448808049598475970" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqyOLm6qjp_jbFd4P5swi43yOEsAnrYkLVkB7tB-i_qJeHeOrXQNxepoeeER-AAB3kgmligldxruyXAxLkyU4S_wrTOC67yvhieUZgfAd-yzyy_UZw7NMNbDK09CpT-rpYoykD3tReUDc/s400/Newpupiljpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div></div><div align="center"><br />
The Master's meeting</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5448808110519466546" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbR-3bjdqG_Srm9Aj-o3CW070ITLoIqX_4eJ_5VtEjkZxLS5Pk0gR7igIounKGCNRxIF_fwAKOpujzeUCjPeVFjnx-qylsL5XUHqw7G2lHY-Ec5KYRWgJexv5D2B22-QxutyBWFR4qqHw/s400/Mastersmeetjpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div></div><div align="center"><br />
The 1000 mile stare</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5448808194185078962" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC434HPr7DZL95BKf7zIhFffastI8p5BHsV9fPC4_lClXsFLnDyIQ3rlX07ElBihywno2uZc6DU_D476wwllS75EtFKUFPd5sXPBuRReJOB8BimTNEDq98Gg3yr3Wa8pkD4iuKIH0ady8/s400/1000milestarejpg.jpg" width="378" /></a></div><div></div><div align="center"><br />
Margaret and John's tea tiff</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5448808252055436898" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmh_AyDrHwQUqwg-zolsUHbI-jJDeAJyMWaz6V7Yyl7Pd9cWY3nynlFAN1GbG036E8PdXsV0gXZCUvlrjkS7mZee8mtUaMLi3-t2BoQe2WzKn531HgTCZYB6q5dQsq_oEj8QRcExIlzsE/s400/teatiffjpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div></div><div align="center"><br />
"I believe I have seen hell, and it is white, snow white" - I know he just walks, but the colour and lighting tell a different story, really!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5448808402152800290" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xaKWAkZLWCxvtO-hFU_ItDyfsfvIML77ibSfeXAAIGI4XLFegYgd9cgb0lJot8BzH3KNsJEsCJgcKgWVrMfO4Gc11chMoEANRhsBpSPWRY-7HI0vptw6d-XYQb6nAwCGzJObm5igJXI/s400/whitesnowwhite.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div></div><div align="center"><br />
"I would like to play the overbearing master"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5448808456543264306" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0bd3y7BVW6AkJsbWtvoeuEY5rTIAiqJYE0RZGRi6nY0Z79ZDSj_2f5oHq2wIl-bNF711j65gF0RS9_TRaVD4O7SpVkdyRjXX2GgbAkRJM4ShPXKHYkKFHyHXBMpA2NCc519zO5bTWVfU/s400/overbearingjpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div></div><div align="center"><br />
The Strike</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5448808528056428562" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglU8B1Vk970lHJFYbX2DmFKwnhK5OCyBVwpUvL8KOOqjchxY-WtegWYb3uP74Ggj-GkXDiprnjRyzMWG-OhBa1-SX4QMRoU0yorsjd0ag13qghOUEeWoYed5pMF1WKhPF7tk7cEv5haFQ/s400/Riot-jpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div></div><div align="center"><br />
The Proposal</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5448808597468684050" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLE7CKqFbdp5JUEcSkw1nPQy_KxvPSdH6kuvBYnDkWoynbTadxQB7AYQCxBTcR88E5Ntz6akqscQVJOwgN1-PGi6eLUpArwvrCyki0uo5H6pxWRB6rBFfN7L5lsIqDT4aFUy9wq4U93rA/s400/fruityproposaljpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div></div><div align="center"><br />
The Train Scene - hopefully earlier than this, but I figured this blog needs some lippy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/Reviewerama?authkey=Gv1sRgCPXE3bDrlO2PLQ#5448808657653097682" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRrW_c6dQMQqaaMzUu-yRqlSKYvQCV0VQAj8Q-FxdgeV-bLMt9ZGmTjmjgRHsGJFseWQnQE2VzrFNNVNdTds0FtHANhNmBHRj3DeixhGZc9rVHeuXVyLByUxMogBIpiZ2wd9EWm3Mfycg/s400/trainkissjpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div></div><div>Please leave me a comment if your moment isn't one of the above. Vote on that right-hand panel!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-89990220289205712902010-03-03T22:01:00.003+11:002010-03-03T22:11:57.064+11:00Il Divo in Abu Dhabi, richful thinkingEveryone gets asked this at some point: If you had 5 million dollars how would you spend it? Three mortgages ago the friendlier me would have said "I'd give it to charity, the things I want can't be bought with money." Of course the answer to our problems is world peace, and then they crowned me Miss Universe. *Royal wave*<br />
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<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ntranh/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCLWIoOyl1uqnrAE#5444363317480783922" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9uFfjYRr57E/S45Dl36cADI/AAAAAAAAAp4/bCr8DF2iDnk/s320/missU.jpg" width="257" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="center">Jen Hawkins, not me</div><div><br />
</div><div>Things are more complicated now that I understand deeply what that dumb kid said earlier about money. </div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Heads:</b> </div><div>I'd wipe my three loans off the face of the earth, leaving me enough to buy front row tickets for <a href="http://www.eyeofdubai.com/v1/news/newsdetail-40517.htm">Il Divo in Abu Dhabi</a>. They're pretty cheap compared to the airfare from Sydney! I could get a great low light camera and take loads of pics and videos.</div><div><br />
</div><div>But then what? As relieving as a debt-free life must be (I can only reminisce) it's such a boring way to spend this blessing. It wouldn't even make a blip in my internet banking.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Tails: </b></div><div>When I was very little, a church group gave my family a gift that allowed us to leave the refugee camp for Oz. The older I get the more frustrated I become wanting to do something just as earthshattering, and I don't think it's pre- mid life crisis talk. </div><div></div><div>Is it a valid fear of not paying it forward? I dunno. Sometimes this debt of conscience bothers me more than the three mortgages. You could do a lot with five million. Better play some Il Divo to inspire me.<br />
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<br />
-------- </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6952400607386754611.post-9504203830134750012010-02-25T23:02:00.002+11:002010-02-25T23:33:37.884+11:00My blind date: An Evening with Il DivoLast year my scrawny sister and I picked out a BIG tv at the store, and it was quite a feat of engineering getting it home and up 4 flights of stairs. It’s black, shiny, and looks as out of place in my living room as the obsidian monolith among the primates in 2001 A Space Odyssey. <br />
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It’s reproducing too, a little blu-ray player was delivered a few days ago with some blu-ray disks. One of the disks has taken up permanent residence and refuses to budge, so every evening has since become ‘An evening with Il Divo’. Scooch over Mr Armitage, make room for some operatic pop on the block.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRrLvrHEKNIVc5tFmHMp2nLlcLHj7_6VTbsJAO_G7em_Do9YilIosJppS5-Xv_JxQM_i4j3AGlo_U6AL3GyLLFVN06I90-1ZaX6uokiG-QmAQVigRVexUzJL7wyv0qqNPkiI1MlE2veI/s1600-h/Il_Divo_bw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRrLvrHEKNIVc5tFmHMp2nLlcLHj7_6VTbsJAO_G7em_Do9YilIosJppS5-Xv_JxQM_i4j3AGlo_U6AL3GyLLFVN06I90-1ZaX6uokiG-QmAQVigRVexUzJL7wyv0qqNPkiI1MlE2veI/s320/Il_Divo_bw.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Carlos Marín, David Miller, Sébastien Izambard and Urs Bühler</div><br />
Now I understand why males went gaga for the Spice Girls. Ooh, it’s raining men, Armani men, men who can really SING! Their voices have become my comfort food and I don’t care if they look like catwalk models doing freelance vocal work. Well done Simon Cowell, all is forgiven. <br />
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In a way, my Richard Armitage obsession has prepared me well for this fling. The Thornton effect doesn’t look so bad next to realising I’ve skipped a generation and turned into my grandmother! Or at least have her taste in music. If they ever tour Australia again I’ll be there dancing the salsa in my Il Divo t-shirt, hat and underwear while my partner sits back with the other bored husbands. A lot of critics dismiss them as a manufactured boy band, but this is unfair. Mature women deserve eye candy too. <br />
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Do you live in a melting pot or salad bowl? Il Divo is one: Sébastien is French, Urs Swiss, Carlos Spanish and David American. Cultural stereotypes aside, meet the men behind the voices…<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsk2gA17978idwpaH0yULVKVL9h0pstzVAAvopKyqWeRK6zBDg5ixzsqVyOVO5OG7khQ7DRA4bjyckemVOtVQIhGyz-A4I03NimMuM9KOKghjNGrrPRExGe8bxJiMWBccown-vtEhJhxc/s1600-h/sebastien_concert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsk2gA17978idwpaH0yULVKVL9h0pstzVAAvopKyqWeRK6zBDg5ixzsqVyOVO5OG7khQ7DRA4bjyckemVOtVQIhGyz-A4I03NimMuM9KOKghjNGrrPRExGe8bxJiMWBccown-vtEhJhxc/s320/sebastien_concert.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYqkg4C1e2EoIpUTxCWKXaV8M5_iMIKKeV8L7UfLeXi0nFIoOhBwA_8Tvrd314Cbl-jlod8Vba3SFZ9WqRI957e52zhdYg2Us6KVbUYAedz35XMMHCcR3stTtZfqd2p_cV2UcR24Ubu3I/s1600-h/sebastien_interv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYqkg4C1e2EoIpUTxCWKXaV8M5_iMIKKeV8L7UfLeXi0nFIoOhBwA_8Tvrd314Cbl-jlod8Vba3SFZ9WqRI957e52zhdYg2Us6KVbUYAedz35XMMHCcR3stTtZfqd2p_cV2UcR24Ubu3I/s320/sebastien_interv.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Séb</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Sébastien is the self-taught French pop musician from an impoverished childhood. Despite the lack of formal lessons and classical training he still blends well. His lighter voice has more emotive flexibility compared to the rumbling engines of the others. Sébastien seems the most vulnerable, gentlemanly and humble. He ties a mean-looking scarf and gets the most undies thrown at him.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKy7fxQVaO3wtFbiPm5ocwaoAhrSKV4Gc5zl2-21UZbV5FSe8nOt5dQOziWyHXcj7zUmWqIDERbcDVa06dWU211htMs_faZUylze8gHNJ4fS9Bat_1vjyo5zSRpJHqCPNR7DkFLxhBcJ8/s1600-h/David_Miller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKy7fxQVaO3wtFbiPm5ocwaoAhrSKV4Gc5zl2-21UZbV5FSe8nOt5dQOziWyHXcj7zUmWqIDERbcDVa06dWU211htMs_faZUylze8gHNJ4fS9Bat_1vjyo5zSRpJHqCPNR7DkFLxhBcJ8/s320/David_Miller.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpkVW98D8hqddY0nPwsn14VsmTlOG8qAWt6pOHecKc-iY-7jlt3KI1aH0q7OoRTphofyk8aIprPyCADz5qNZ9bi50sqWQJpsfc49-lzQtttpSMvw3FcJ0DxI_WVPWB7LkT4X1EE1bxjk/s1600-h/David_goofy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpkVW98D8hqddY0nPwsn14VsmTlOG8qAWt6pOHecKc-iY-7jlt3KI1aH0q7OoRTphofyk8aIprPyCADz5qNZ9bi50sqWQJpsfc49-lzQtttpSMvw3FcJ0DxI_WVPWB7LkT4X1EE1bxjk/s320/David_goofy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dave</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>David the American has a powerful tenor voice with a Broadway and opera background. He’s the bouncy joker with a double gum grin, Tintin hairdo and Kevin Bacon looks. Most of the time his comic personality is tightly reined by the classy Il Divo style but occasionally the wild toothy giggle bursts the bubble. <br />
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Dave slam dunks those high notes with such force it can get on the non-operatic nerves if not controlled properly. He’s the only one I’d heard of before he joined Il Divo thanks to Baz Luhrmann’s version of La Bohème. Poor David is also the only non-polylingual of the group - Carlos and Sébastien speak three languages, Urs speaks five. FIVE?!? I should’ve been born somewhere land-locked with four national languages - English being the unofficial fifth one.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOMpaZ7YZYWyzrFzCVAX6yNxGtCeatGTftdbCMmhOSGiNZMOWEZ3RqqpdwYrXXnDCeTejmWmsKLFuPrbHgLcfhcuvHiodOfr_kMFTsJwqeufRqQNOcpiDDMOXG0am5ltxTLbZFD2IhTlo/s1600-h/Carlos_marin_interview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOMpaZ7YZYWyzrFzCVAX6yNxGtCeatGTftdbCMmhOSGiNZMOWEZ3RqqpdwYrXXnDCeTejmWmsKLFuPrbHgLcfhcuvHiodOfr_kMFTsJwqeufRqQNOcpiDDMOXG0am5ltxTLbZFD2IhTlo/s320/Carlos_marin_interview.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOGgqlggLGIzhnTS0FaQW3fQfPROlmSTdu1d9zFA8pXYtlxE9FNe67PBZd4mwA_x15JzHyavUozP4xJV1um7_H4Gp_N11nMtVogImoMr6MX9-utgOgxgysa1JALQm0DwgymVwWSnws_k/s1600-h/Carlos_marin_concert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOGgqlggLGIzhnTS0FaQW3fQfPROlmSTdu1d9zFA8pXYtlxE9FNe67PBZd4mwA_x15JzHyavUozP4xJV1um7_H4Gp_N11nMtVogImoMr6MX9-utgOgxgysa1JALQm0DwgymVwWSnws_k/s320/Carlos_marin_concert.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Carlos</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Carlos the explosive Spanish baritone is the only guy who could carry the whole concert if the other three abruptly lost their voices. He’s like the rugged Tom Jones of opera and Spanish musical theatre with his rich rumbling sound. And what a flirt! He’s got a twinkle in his eye, a million dollar smile and dancing eyebrows. His voice will make your knees tremble; his hair will make you mentally button up his shirt. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgITSaSldF2QXRSy7vYewDDL_7nomOOJi6BVpxhK687TtLwltE-3UQQq6XXG7irr9myLrTyaY8Do94TiHvReuW_orhSi3_ydVKSwxW-ZSTsrmOrAqvsg-8JVXk-JyEijryF5HRQ4oX4s/s1600-h/Urs_Buhler_concert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgITSaSldF2QXRSy7vYewDDL_7nomOOJi6BVpxhK687TtLwltE-3UQQq6XXG7irr9myLrTyaY8Do94TiHvReuW_orhSi3_ydVKSwxW-ZSTsrmOrAqvsg-8JVXk-JyEijryF5HRQ4oX4s/s320/Urs_Buhler_concert.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglR3Dp6CywO4vuRq9zhIKup1yhYHwRwRCPd1EdSePftW8IBwnwM_kGTUA-Y5KrBl9ta0Q85GuJw6ug6U7s8Nu-sHM0cBXu4hF1q_n70tH7xq2Nd3dWFOg2oDoURBWHcaGaCPXUb5wTym0/s1600-h/Urs_buhler_interv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglR3Dp6CywO4vuRq9zhIKup1yhYHwRwRCPd1EdSePftW8IBwnwM_kGTUA-Y5KrBl9ta0Q85GuJw6ug6U7s8Nu-sHM0cBXu4hF1q_n70tH7xq2Nd3dWFOg2oDoURBWHcaGaCPXUb5wTym0/s320/Urs_buhler_interv.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Urs</div><br />
Urs the Swiss tenor is the reason people think Il Divo were chosen for their cheekbones and physique. This guy looks like he’s stepped off a catwalk or perfume ad with that sculpted androgynous look. His sweet lyric voice reminds me of Gregorian chanting for some musical reason I don't know the technical term for. Urs’ passions are precision, order, motorbikes and heavy metal. This guy has great hair but has to tuck it behind the ears a lot. He should take tips from Carlos and cement it down with gel and spray.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggeYaShxV3vjBRYSwHAxUgY4JY_Py3QAJPFcwV5uRHoihQ-aS8FRnUg_2g6ourqOvoKUMz6iy0hVh3aqK4YDWjULTzh4g17WW8e9IGX-_f5D_LKh6dMUwS3VMSwIjAizVKPMKh-QpSKbg/s1600-h/Urs_buhler5_adv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggeYaShxV3vjBRYSwHAxUgY4JY_Py3QAJPFcwV5uRHoihQ-aS8FRnUg_2g6ourqOvoKUMz6iy0hVh3aqK4YDWjULTzh4g17WW8e9IGX-_f5D_LKh6dMUwS3VMSwIjAizVKPMKh-QpSKbg/s320/Urs_buhler5_adv.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Feasible isn't it</div><br />
Some people have an issue with Il Divo’s cheesy romance music. Who cares? It's not in English anyway: anything sung in a foreign language is more exotic. I recommend watching their concert rather than just listening to the CD. The translation will never be as good as the poetry playing out in your head, and their live performance chops make their studio recordings sound bleached bland in comparison.<br />
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Each of the singers had established solo careers pre-Divo, why filter their individuality? I guess it’s because of the Il Divo brand, but I hope in the future they show more of themselves on the music videos. Emotionally of course! Maybe in cravats and stately houses? Someone tell their people STAT.<br />
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As for the format it came in, ‘An Evening with Il Divo’ looks fabulous on a big widescreen tv and high definition. With a small screen you’ll miss out on a lot of detail you never knew was there. I watched their ‘Live at the Greek Theatre’ on DVD and it was worlds apart in picture quality. It also shows how far they’ve come in dropping the faux Romeo and showing more of themselves. <br />
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