Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Mov!e Rev!ew

Mov!e Rev!ew


The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift

Having been a fan of the first two movies, I had to watch this.
Wasn't too sure what to expect though, with the cast from previous films not in, and seemingly no ties whatsover to the first two. Pleasant surprises in store however.

Actors


Lucas Black as Sean Boswell
My first thought is how does this guy come across as a high school student?
Someone whos still a minor? He looks old, not even close to what you'd expect a minor to look like. His acting isn't all that bad however, and if you forget he's supposed to be a high school student, he fits the bill.


Nathalie Kelley as Neela
Nathalie Kelley plays Neela, object of Sean's attention in Japan. Child of an Australian, she does quite well in the role. Shes hot too. :D

Bow Wow as Twinkie
Bow Wow plays Twinkie, an out of sorts peddler of iPods, laptops, handphones, sneakers, anything you can get your hands on. He drives a pretty cool car, which has fist shaped reverse-dents on the car. Huge dents. Looks like someone 20 feet tall punched out the sides of the car and left those dents. Real nice.

Brian Tee as the Drift King
He doesnt really do much in the movie in the ways of acting, but fits the bill of racer, and nephew of a Yakuza Lord.

Sung Kang as Han
Sung Kang is the man who initially loans Sean a car in the first race with DK. The car gets smashed up, due to Seans ignorance of proper drifting, and Han "employs" Sean as a debt collector. Han later reveals himself to be a good guy, training Sean in the arts of Drifting.

Konishiki as Paw Man
He appears for less than a minute, but the former Sumo Champion appears as the first person Sean has to collect a debt from.

The actors did well enough to do the movie justice, but not much was really expected from them, as this movie is all about the action and the cars.

Storyline

Sean lives in the US with his mother, and attends a school which has security much like those of airports. Security Guards, checks, etc. He runs in with a jock, and challenges him to a race. They end up having a huge accident, with his car being totally destroyed, and his opponents Viper smashed up. At the police station, it is revealed that this is his third major accident, and that they are going to put him on trial.

Seans mother arrives, and asks if she could smoke in the interrogation room. The detective lights her up, but beyond her, a no smoking sign can be seen. She asks for leniency, as they have been moving around for a long time.

Sean is seen outside the room, and his mum and the detective come out. She tells him that they are not moving this time.

Sean gets on a plane bound for Tokyo, Japan. He stays with his father, who tells him to come back straight after school, and not even get near a car.

On the first day, he meets Twinkie, who brings him to see the world of Japanese Underground Racing. There, he meets and talks to his classmate Neela, when Neela's boyfriend comes along. It turns out that he is the Drift King, the top drift racer in Tokyo.

Sean challenges the Drift King to a race, and is given a set of keys by Han, who wishes to see what Sean has.

Sean proceeds to start the race like a drag, accelerating and shifting hard. He pulls ahead of DK, but gets a shock when he meets his first turn. He then proceeds to destroy the car, loosing badly to DK.

Life goes on for him, when Han offers him a "job", collecting debts on his behalf. Han later places a bet against DK, with Sean racing against one of DKs minions. Sean is given an Evolancer IX, and he practices with it. He wins the race, finishing off with several doughnuts in front of the crowd.

DKs Yakuza uncle confronts him on Han, stating that Han has been stealing from their earnings. DK, embarassed by the event, confronts Han, and they embark on a street drift. DK and his second in command, in their Nissan 350Zs chase Han and Sean in their RX7 and EvoIX. Racing through the streets, DKs second in command crashes his car, leaving DK to chase the two friends.

Ploughing through the streets, Sean somehow manages to avoid hitting pedestrians as he drifts through a packed crossing, only to smash into a car parked on the side. As they watch, DK and Han drift through, DK putting a few bullets into Hans car. Distracted, Han is hit by an oncoming car, and with flames licking from the engine, and fuel dripping everywhere, the explosion was expected.

With Han killed, Sean goes to the only person he can look to. His father. With Neela in tow, he is outside his father's home when DK pulls up and puts a gun to Seans head. His father saves the day, as he then puts a gun to DKs head, who leaves with Neela. Sean tells his father he needs to make things right, and goes to meet the Yakuza Lord.

He challenges DK to a drift, with the looser having to leave Tokyo. Sean and the rest of Hans crew go back to their garage, only to find all the cars have been taken by the Police. They find the car which Sean wrecked earlier out back however, and they take the engine from the car, and transplant it into Sean's father's Mustang.

They race in the mountains, DK trying hard to push Sean off the cliff. He looses control at the very end however, plunging off the edge, as Sean goes on towards the final stretch. He narrowly avoids getting hit by the falling car, and is congratulated upon his win by the Yakuza Lord.

The new Drift King, Sean now runs the drift events. He is challenged, and refuses it. Twinkie states that the challenger knew Han, and stated that Han was "family".

Sean takes on the challenge, and we see the rear end of a American Muscle car. Its the Hammer, a specially built 1970 Plymouth Road Runner. The driver turns out to be Vin Diesel, the outlaw from the original Fast and the Furious.

He claims to have won the car from Han a few years back, and when Sean states that he did not know that Han used to like American Muscle, Vin Diesel tells Sean that Han used to, when Han drove with him.

Its one hell of a good movie, totally worth watching.

Bloopers as told by IMBd, The Internet Movie database

When Sean is first given the red Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX, his numerous collisions while practicing around the harbor tear off the rear spoiler. As he starts practicing on the hills, the EvoIX is first seen without the spoiler, but on the first shot of him driving uphill, the spoiler is on the trunk. Subsequent shots show the EVO without the spoiler.

In the high speed chase scene in which they're drifting through traffic, the skid marks from previous takes are very visible on the street.

During the Tokyo street chase scene, DK rams and bumps Sean's EvoIX and sustains damage on his Nissan 350Z. However, on the shots after Han's RX-7 is destroyed, there are virtually no scratches or dents on the Z.

When Han's car gets blown-up, a character in the driver seat is no longer there when the flames go up.

Monday, June 26, 2006

Referee, what did I do?

Scooby Doo is probably shouting "REFEREE, WHAT DID I DOOO" now.

Why?

4 Red Cards and 16 Yellows. This isn't the total card tally of one of the groups in the early stage of the World Cup. Oh No. This is the total tally of cards in ONE GAME.

ONE!

For more information, read my WORLD CUP blog on it HERE.

BlogSpotLight

BlogSpotLight!

The BlogSpotLight is shining on SKYLER!
Skyler!Click to Link

The KL lass has one of the few blogs that I bother to read *oftenly*. Shes a good writer, and has one heck of a blog.

Its updated a LOT. So always always check back for more details. Great writing style too.

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Lifes like that

I had two tough papers on Friday, and I began wondering. Does God have something against me? I know I shouldn't be thinking this. But I just wonder. I know deep down that there isn't. And that this is just something to train me up. God is letting me learn by myself. Yet I can't help wondering.

Then I come home. Get online, talk to a few friends. Then I see. That Hey. You know. Its not all that bad. Its just two papers, which I should have been prepared for. Its not that God had something against me and put two papers on one day. Its that I didn't prepare enough. Its that I didn't put on His armour. Just like we should be prepared for the day that He comes again.

I'm going to go prepare. I have learnt my lesson.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Mov!e Rev!ew

Mov!e Rev!ew is my Movie Review section!

All New!

Mov!e Rev!ew

The Da Vinci Code

Decided to see what the hype was all about.

Directed by Ron Howard, and based on the highly popular and controversion novel of the same name by Dan Brown.

Pretty interesting, so lets break it up into parts.

Actors


Tom Hanks as Dr. Robert Langdon
Tom Hanks has always been one of my favourite actors. Sadly, he didn't really pull off the part of Robert Langdon quite so well. Perhaps its because of the story line in the movie, as Langdon doesn't quite develop as well as the one in the book.
Still. Good acting on Hanks part, but Langdon could be better.


Audrey Tautou as Agent Sophie Neveu
Well. Not familiar with her, but she carries the role of the French Agent very well. Acting isn't that bad too.

Ian McKellen as Sir Leigh Teabing
After Magneto lost his power, he lost the use of his legs too. Ian McKellen comes in as weak Sir Leigh Teabing after playing all powerful Magneto. Not bad acting on his part, pretty flexible if you ask me in terms of roles. However, a few interesting things about the movie. No where is Teabing refered to as a knight. He is just Leigh Teabing. Also, the English Accent is totally missing. At least, its not that obvious. Somehow you expect him to have that accent. Still. Not bad.

Jean Reno as Bezu Fache
I have absolutely nothing to say. Bezu Fache is portrayed as a fanatical member of Opus Dei, who has no self control. Probably fits the title of The Bull more though.

Paul Bettany as Silas
Another way to spell scary. Silas just provides that ugh factor. The part where he beats himself and puts on the cilice is graphic, but the main part is the way he looks. Scary. Well done to the actor though.

Alfred Molina as Bishop Manuel Aringarosa
Doc Ock makes an appearance in the movie too. The Spiderman villain portrays the Opus Dei bishop in the movie, but doesn't quite stick to the story line. Molina doesn't really do well in the role, but he was sufficient.

Those are the main characters. Not really going to go into the others, but the actors did enough to bring out the life of the characters in the book. Acting was good too.

Storyline

Well. Its based on a book. What can I say.

They did not follow the book word for word, but they did well to bring out all the imagery. Certain parts were changed, perhaps not for the better, but there is no detrimental effect on the movie. Interesting parts include the part where Teabing illustrates the Last Supper for Agent Neveu. The graphical use of the Last Supper is amazing. Pointing out all the different things that can be seen. This is definitely better than the book, and fully brings out the effect. The best part is, when they switch the places of Jesus and Mary Magdalene in the picture, you find that Mary Magdalene's head is resting on Jesus's shoulder. PERFECTLY. They din't say that in the book.

The ending was a bit weird though. The movie claims straightaway that Neveu is a descendent of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, and that Jacques Sauniere wasn't really her grandfather, just the Priory Grand Master who looked after her. Her brother is dead, and when they go into the Roslin Chapel, they find the star themselves. After they go underground and come out again, members of the Priory are around them, and Sophie's grandmother comes forward. If you go by the book, she talks to her brother, who brings her to her grandmother, who brings them to the star. Here, its opposite. Still, not that important.

Another thing they missed out though. The Cryptex. They jumped straight into the second one, bypassing the one with the SOFYA code. I guess they did it because of the movie, but if you didn't read the book, it looks fine, so its not that bad.

Robert Langdon also seems to be amazing. Out of nowhere, he gets these genius ideas, which seem to stem from nothing. For example, when examining the cryptex with Sophie and Teabing, he gets the idea to suddenly open the wooden box and poke something through the cover to release the rose. No where did he even look for a hole, or notice it, yet he just opens the box and *pop* goes the weasel. I mean rose.

Still. Nicely done.

Quotes

Langdon: It's an old wives' tale.
Teabing: The original one, in fact!

Teabing: If it's that important to stop us, you'll have to shoot us.
*Pointing at Remy*
Teabing: You can start with him.

Bloopers as told by IMBd, The Internet Movie database

When Teabing is pointing his gun at Sophie and he wants her to open the cryptex, we see a close up of Robert Langdon who says "one moment". He has his left hand raised. In the next shot, when we see Langdon and Teabing, Langdon's hands are down.

In the final sequence of the movie, when Langdon is on the top of Louvre's inverted glass pyramid, the traveling movement of the camera operator and his assistant are seen by the glass reflection.

When Langdon and Neveu are on their knees at gunpoint, the position of the cryptex changes while on the floor in front of them.

When Teabing is holding the gun up to Langdon's head, the hammer on his pistol is back. When Langdon gets up to solve the key, Teabing then points the pistol at Neveu, and cocks the hammer back.

At Sir Leigh Teabing's house in the morning - the time of day changes many times. (As seen by the sky and sun rise.)

Factual errors: Alexander Pope never delivered a eulogy or did anything for Sir Isaac Newton's funereal. He did at one point write a poem about him.

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Talking in Latin language with Silas, Aringarosa bishop call "Paris" as "Parisi": Latin name for Paris was Lutetia, "Parisi" was the name of its inhabitants.

When Silas has been shot, he first lies down near the wall. In the shot with both himself and the Bishop, he is closer to the Bishop than the wall.

When Sophie poises her black pump over the pond, her shoe is already spotted with green algae.

Right after Silas turns and shoots at Aringarosa he goes up to him. The pistol's slide is open (gun empty)/closed (gun loaded) between shots. Then when he turns to the police, the slide is closed again.

As they are discovering Magdalena's crypt, Langdon pulls a carpet away to reveal a Fleur de lis. As the carpet is pulled away it is quite clean, however when the camera closes in it is covered in dirt and dust.

Pre-1999 stock footage has been used for the River Thames fly-over by the Houses of Parliament, County Hall and the London Assembly. This which means that the London Eye is missing as it was built in 1999. However, later in the Sir Isaac Newton funeral dream sequence, it is correctly superimposed into the frame.

In the scene where Sophie is talking to Langdon and they find out she really is the descendant, there is wind blowing her hair. Every time the angle changes her hair is completely groomed again.

Factual errors: Silas threatens Langdon and Neveu with a pistol which appears to be a Glock. To give more drama to the scene he pulls back the hammer with his thumb. The sound (typical clicks) are added. A pistol doesn't have a hammer. One loads a pistol by pulling back the slide mechanism that covers the barrel.

When Sophie is being held at knife-point by Silas, you see blood trickling from the cut the knife point makes. When the scene shifts back, there is no blood or cut. When it shifts again, the cut and blood are back, and she has the cut/healing wound for the rest of the film.

When Robert and Sophie are in the armored vehicle and handing the Cryptex over to the driver, Robert is pushing a bullet shell with his foot. It falls in the middle of the door frame, yet when the driver tries to shut the door the shell is in the corner of the door.

In the end when Langdon cuts himself with the razor, there is a clear cut, but when he walks from the hotel there is neither cut nor scar.

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

That crazy thing

Its crazy you know.

I cant sleep lately.

I just want to stay awake.

And watch World Cup.

Seriously.

I stay up, blogging on my World Cup blog (http://dragon4evaworldcup2006.blogspot.com) after the 9pm match. Then at midnight, I go out to turn on the TV to watch the match, and the channels been changed.

Gasp.

Plus, if I watch on TV2, theres no friggin TIMER!

Hello!

Sigh.

What to do.

I've got exams soon as well.

Timing is just so bad.

Oh. And that crazy thing?

Its that crazy thing called love.

I think I've been bitten by the bug.

Yow.

Monday, June 12, 2006

It draws near

It is close at hand.

I can feel it.

Ever closer.

Its time shall come.

But its time shall also pass.

Exams. I will take you on.

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Dragon's Ramblings

A Dragon's ramblings.

You'll find that I'll start a topic, then somehow stagger off the beaten track, mumbling about something totally unrelated, before returning to the topic at times. Forgive me for that. Its my style.

A little disclaimer though. This blog reflects my thoughts on daily events that I come across. Do not label me, or judge me by what I post. I do not intend to insult anyone, and if I do sound like I'm insulting, or putting down someone, please, forgive me.

But hey, while you're here, sit back, relax, have a coffee. Read, comment, and come back often.

Dragon_4eva