Me: lunch?
Meredith: aw....i brought mine!!!
Meredith: :-(
Me: ah well
Me: I didn't want to hang out with you anyway
Meredith: yeah i really didn't wanna see your ugly face either!
Me: I know
|
 Offended? Intrigued? Contact my manager. |
Here begins your journey into the mind of everybody's favorite asian, and I don't mean Jet Li. What follows is the somewhat inane, mostly irrelevant, and self-important ramblings of a man on the brink of madness. Welcome... to the Chu. |
||
Friday, May 30, 2003
Tuesday, May 27, 2003
Movie Review: Equilibrium
[L]
Best movie nobody's ever heard of: Equilibrium
Ok, time to get in the review swing of things.
Overall : 4.5/5 ChuMarks (not an average)
Performances : 5/5
Action : 5/5
Romance : 2/5
Technical : 3.5/5
Story : 4/5
Introduction:
In the near-future, the higher aspects of human emotion (love, hate, etc.) have been determined to be the cause of war, violence, etc. So the government goes about and finds a way to chemically eliminate all feelings - resulting in a peaceful, yet zombified populace. In addition to mandating that everybody take doses of this drug (Prozium), the government also outlaws anything that might cause emotion - such as art, music, poetry, books, silk even. Naturally, not everybody is keen on this plan, and there is resistance... which brings us to the main character, John Preston. Preston is a member of the elite police called the Grammaton Cleric. Basically, he's a one man, two-handed, gun-toting killing machine. His job is to hunt down and eliminate all resistance... and he does it with no emotion. But one day he accidentally misses his dose... and he starts to have a new view on things.
Performances:
Christian Bale does a great job of playing an emotionless killing machine for the first half of the movie. Unlike Keanu Reeves, whose emotions range from zero to nil, Christian pulls a believable transformation from an emotionless killer to ... well, a repressed rage killer (but for a cause!). Taye Diggs also does a great job as cocky partner looking for a career-boost.
Action:
If you like guns, this movies got you covered. Unlike the Matrix movies, which seem to be an either/or deal when it comes to guns and kung fu, Equilibrium introduces the concept of "gun-kata". Basically, it's a mish-mash of different fighting styles that concentrate on using the guns as an extension of the body - using statistical analysis to come up with moves that allow you to dodge bullets, and return fire with maximum effect. Undoubtedly, this movie will be compared with the Matrix, but it really does stand on its own as far as innovation. The action sequences are pretty spectacular and sensational - the first time I saw some of the scenes my jaw just dropped and I had to rewind it and see it again. The fight scenes are so well choreographed that you can't help but be amazed, and the whole sequence just drips style.
Romance:
Luckily, there's not too much romance getting in the way of the movie, but it does serve nicely to explain motivations and to drive the story along. I'm not against romance per se, but a heavy romantic aspect in this movie would have been very out of place. Equilibrium does well in using it sparsely.
Technical:
The movie is very stylish and cohesive - you see several repeating motifs and shapes, and the styling is consistent throughout the movie. It's a good sign of a controlled director and creative team when you don't see any anachronisms or anything that seems out of place. The movie looks great, good cinematography, great lighting/ambiance, and the special effects are unobstrusive and don't break the realism. The sound track is also of quality, always bolstering the movie in the right spots and never distracting.
Story:
What a great concept - the only thing I can think to compare it to is Gattaca. Some other comparisons have also been drawn to 1984, Farenheit 451, Brave New World, but unfortunately, I have not read any of these, so I can't elaborate - but my interests have definately been piqued by what I've heard. The story itself isn't completely original (but then again what stories are?) but it's done in such a different and stylish way that it seems to be a whole new thing.
Overall:
If you're an action fan, go see this movie.
If you like bleak futuristic stories, go see this movie.
If you like to see Christian Bale with his shirt off, go see this movie.
Ok, time to get in the review swing of things.
Overall : 4.5/5 ChuMarks (not an average)
Performances : 5/5
Action : 5/5
Romance : 2/5
Technical : 3.5/5
Story : 4/5
Introduction:
In the near-future, the higher aspects of human emotion (love, hate, etc.) have been determined to be the cause of war, violence, etc. So the government goes about and finds a way to chemically eliminate all feelings - resulting in a peaceful, yet zombified populace. In addition to mandating that everybody take doses of this drug (Prozium), the government also outlaws anything that might cause emotion - such as art, music, poetry, books, silk even. Naturally, not everybody is keen on this plan, and there is resistance... which brings us to the main character, John Preston. Preston is a member of the elite police called the Grammaton Cleric. Basically, he's a one man, two-handed, gun-toting killing machine. His job is to hunt down and eliminate all resistance... and he does it with no emotion. But one day he accidentally misses his dose... and he starts to have a new view on things.
Performances:
Christian Bale does a great job of playing an emotionless killing machine for the first half of the movie. Unlike Keanu Reeves, whose emotions range from zero to nil, Christian pulls a believable transformation from an emotionless killer to ... well, a repressed rage killer (but for a cause!). Taye Diggs also does a great job as cocky partner looking for a career-boost.
Action:
If you like guns, this movies got you covered. Unlike the Matrix movies, which seem to be an either/or deal when it comes to guns and kung fu, Equilibrium introduces the concept of "gun-kata". Basically, it's a mish-mash of different fighting styles that concentrate on using the guns as an extension of the body - using statistical analysis to come up with moves that allow you to dodge bullets, and return fire with maximum effect. Undoubtedly, this movie will be compared with the Matrix, but it really does stand on its own as far as innovation. The action sequences are pretty spectacular and sensational - the first time I saw some of the scenes my jaw just dropped and I had to rewind it and see it again. The fight scenes are so well choreographed that you can't help but be amazed, and the whole sequence just drips style.
Romance:
Luckily, there's not too much romance getting in the way of the movie, but it does serve nicely to explain motivations and to drive the story along. I'm not against romance per se, but a heavy romantic aspect in this movie would have been very out of place. Equilibrium does well in using it sparsely.
Technical:
The movie is very stylish and cohesive - you see several repeating motifs and shapes, and the styling is consistent throughout the movie. It's a good sign of a controlled director and creative team when you don't see any anachronisms or anything that seems out of place. The movie looks great, good cinematography, great lighting/ambiance, and the special effects are unobstrusive and don't break the realism. The sound track is also of quality, always bolstering the movie in the right spots and never distracting.
Story:
What a great concept - the only thing I can think to compare it to is Gattaca. Some other comparisons have also been drawn to 1984, Farenheit 451, Brave New World, but unfortunately, I have not read any of these, so I can't elaborate - but my interests have definately been piqued by what I've heard. The story itself isn't completely original (but then again what stories are?) but it's done in such a different and stylish way that it seems to be a whole new thing.
Overall:
If you're an action fan, go see this movie.
If you like bleak futuristic stories, go see this movie.
If you like to see Christian Bale with his shirt off, go see this movie.
Friday, May 23, 2003
I'm going to make it official
[L]
Friday, May twenty-third, of the Year Of Our Lord two-thousand and three
is the SLOWEST DAY EVER.
is the SLOWEST DAY EVER.
Thursday, May 22, 2003
Joke Of The Day
[L]
I know this is a little biased, and I'm certain it does not apply 100% of the time, but darn it if it didn't make me laugh.
One time there was a young woman about to finish her first year of college. She considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat and her father was a rather staunch Republican. One day she was challenging her father on his beliefs and his opposition to programs like welfare.
He stopped her and asked her how she was doing in school. She answered that she had a 4.0 GPA, but it was really tough. She had to study all the time, never had time to go out and party and often went sleepless because all of the studying. She didn't have time for a boyfriend and didn't really have many college friends because of all her studying.
He then asked how her friend, Mary, at the same college, was doing. She replied that she was barely getting by. She had a 2.0 GPA, never studied. Was very popular on campus and was at parties all the time. She often wouldn't show up for classes because she was hung over.
He then asked his daughter why she didn't go to the Dean's office and ask to take 1.0 off her 4.0 and give it to her friend that only had a 2.0. That way they would both have a 3.0 GPA.
The daughter fired back and said, "That wouldn't be fair, I worked really hard for mine and my friend has done nothing."
The father smiled and said: "Welcome to the Republican Party."
One time there was a young woman about to finish her first year of college. She considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat and her father was a rather staunch Republican. One day she was challenging her father on his beliefs and his opposition to programs like welfare.
He stopped her and asked her how she was doing in school. She answered that she had a 4.0 GPA, but it was really tough. She had to study all the time, never had time to go out and party and often went sleepless because all of the studying. She didn't have time for a boyfriend and didn't really have many college friends because of all her studying.
He then asked how her friend, Mary, at the same college, was doing. She replied that she was barely getting by. She had a 2.0 GPA, never studied. Was very popular on campus and was at parties all the time. She often wouldn't show up for classes because she was hung over.
He then asked his daughter why she didn't go to the Dean's office and ask to take 1.0 off her 4.0 and give it to her friend that only had a 2.0. That way they would both have a 3.0 GPA.
The daughter fired back and said, "That wouldn't be fair, I worked really hard for mine and my friend has done nothing."
The father smiled and said: "Welcome to the Republican Party."
Moving forward
[L]
It's a rare time in my life. For the first... well, 22 years, it had seemed like I wasn't really going anywhere. I mean, the experiences of high school were significant at the time, yet now... maybe the distance of time has rendered them indistinct, but I can't recall anything from that era that really moves me. College was a little different, since it was a bigger change; moving out of the house, socializing, freedom!, and unfortunately, large quantities of debt. While these periods were significant at the time, in the grand scheme of things it seems like they were merely transitional periods. 6 years of elementary to get me to junior high, 3 years of junior high to get me to high school, 4 years of high school to get me to college, then 4 1/2 years of college just to get me a job. Whoop de freaking do, hello academic treadmill.
But now.... at the price of 17.5 years of my life, it feels as if I am finally free. It took me a few months to fully realize the depths of my freedom as I recovered from the senior/finals college stress. I have the freedom of time, no longer do I have to spend so many hours in front of the computer (well, I still do but it's playing video games rather than writing papers). I have the freedom of peace of mind, where I don't have to worry about tests or memorization or projects or crazy professors (replaced by office politics :D). I have the freedom of full-time employment, which is merely the tyranny of work replacing the dictatorship of academia (but at least I get paid now!). I have the freedom of money, where I am making enough that I can repay my debts, satisfy my repressed impulse spending streak (within reason, of course), be generous, buy cars, entertainment systems, books, and/or small tracts of land in Guadalupe.
It's as if all those freedoms combine to somehow form a bigger freedom; like a freedom of life, or something. It's the feeling as if I have been given the key to all my shackles, and I can smell the fresh air and see the sunlight. For the first real time in my life, I have the feeling of true forward movement. It's like I'm going from the 25mph residential/school/construction zone to the German Autobahn. I'm paying off my debts. I'm getting into a band. I'm learning things I want to learn. I'm being social. I'm actually contemplating buy a new car, for crying out loud. It's the feeling of getting things done.
And it's daggone satisfying.
EDIT: I just opened my fortune cookie-
"You need not worry about your future"
All I can say is, duh.
Lucky #s 1, 9, 35, 18, 52, 40
If you win anything with these, I want a cut!
But now.... at the price of 17.5 years of my life, it feels as if I am finally free. It took me a few months to fully realize the depths of my freedom as I recovered from the senior/finals college stress. I have the freedom of time, no longer do I have to spend so many hours in front of the computer (well, I still do but it's playing video games rather than writing papers). I have the freedom of peace of mind, where I don't have to worry about tests or memorization or projects or crazy professors (replaced by office politics :D). I have the freedom of full-time employment, which is merely the tyranny of work replacing the dictatorship of academia (but at least I get paid now!). I have the freedom of money, where I am making enough that I can repay my debts, satisfy my repressed impulse spending streak (within reason, of course), be generous, buy cars, entertainment systems, books, and/or small tracts of land in Guadalupe.
It's as if all those freedoms combine to somehow form a bigger freedom; like a freedom of life, or something. It's the feeling as if I have been given the key to all my shackles, and I can smell the fresh air and see the sunlight. For the first real time in my life, I have the feeling of true forward movement. It's like I'm going from the 25mph residential/school/construction zone to the German Autobahn. I'm paying off my debts. I'm getting into a band. I'm learning things I want to learn. I'm being social. I'm actually contemplating buy a new car, for crying out loud. It's the feeling of getting things done.
And it's daggone satisfying.
EDIT: I just opened my fortune cookie-
"You need not worry about your future"
All I can say is, duh.
Lucky #s 1, 9, 35, 18, 52, 40
If you win anything with these, I want a cut!
Wednesday, May 21, 2003
Priceless
[L]
Number of meetings today: 2
Hours spent in meetings: 5.5
Number of times I've almost dozed off: 3
Percentage of the day spent productively: 15%
Finding out it's almost time to leave.... priceless.
Hours spent in meetings: 5.5
Number of times I've almost dozed off: 3
Percentage of the day spent productively: 15%
Finding out it's almost time to leave.... priceless.
NOTE
[L]
I may post a rhyme or limerick or the occasional haiku every now and then. Please disregard them, as they are for my own sanity.
Faxing Poetic
[L]
A new day dawns o'er the desk of men,
finding its way from the dark and back again,
as flourescent lights replace the cheer,
I cannot wait to get out of here.
Labels: poetry
Tuesday, May 20, 2003
Must.... follow.... crowd....
[L]
Hey there, I decided to throw up a temporary blog while I'm busy developing one of my own. So until I'm done developing, sit back and enjoy my wisdom as it gushes forth from my cranial orifice. That sounds gross, but I assure you it's not. Much.
^^^ speak up ^^^