You are currently browsing the monthly archive for July 2008.
Well, striking one more item out of the Wish List. Haha… been spending a lot this year and it is only July, not yet end of the year… First is my Mac Book Pro, follow by Printer, now a DSLR camera. Most probably by the end of this year or beginning of next year, I am going to give a shot at the iPhone. I can consider myself a gadget gig… haha… after buying some many gadgets.
So, I did spend another $1,499 for the Canon 450D. A small and light camera that fits me well… especially for travel and my small palm which fits the grip perfectly! Brought it at Plaza Singapura at a very good Deal.
Standard Package:
- Camera Body & Kit Lens
- 4 GB SD Card
- Battery
- EOS Workbook III
- Camera Bag
Additional Stuff
- 4GB SD Card
- Battery
- Tripod
- Lens Cleaning Kit
- Card Reeder
- LCD Screen Protector
- Dry Box
Guess that makes up what an entry level photographer, like me, need. Anyway, I really hope to start of my cinematography career from shooting stills and building my foundation in lighting and framing. I really do treat it like an investment where I have confidence of seeing returns in the near future. 
Well, not a fan of Batman, but The Dark Knight is really a good movie that worth the money! Batman himself is very “human” and “normal” to me compare to other super heroes like spiderman, x-men, etc. However, that’s was also the reason why my girlfriend like him so much, because he s “real”. Well, Good and Bad, nevertheless it is a great movie to watch.
No doubt, this film should must really credit to “The Joker” cast by the late Heath Ledger. He really give life to this “new” joker. I still remember the joker I used to watch who is casted by Jack Nicholson. His version of Joker is a clean and smart looking joker. However, Heath Ledger joker is more of a carzy, dirty, rugged joker. Frankly speaking, I like the new joker. I do really feel that he is someone that live in this world. Heath Ledger had done a good job bringing this character to life! Someone who wanted to prove things wrong!
In the end, for this 2.5 hr movie I will give it a 4.5/5 rating. A Movie that is better then I expected!
If you are going into the cinema hoping to watch a serious epic war movie, think twice. This new John Woo movie 赤壁 is a commercial film made to sell to the international box office, especially to the Hollywood. It is surprising that you can find humor and jokes among the historian Three Kingdom character. It makes the movie lose it authenticity of the charm and power of Three Kingdom story.
Nevertheless, John Woo still did a good job in hiring talent from Korea, Japan and Hollywood to help in VFX and SFX for the film. Battle was nicely done, the sets was nicely built, costume wise ok except for the funny looking war helmet they are wearing that makes Tony Leung looks like a nerd.
Well, so much so for the critic for the movie, it is solely from my own opinion.
Overall, I still give it a 3.5/5 stars… maybe 4/5 if I was expecting a comedy kind of war epic movie.
Finally got hold of the movie 集结号 (Assembly). The first time I saw the trailer was in China last December. The trailer was so captivating that I tell myself I want to watch it. Too bad, due to time constraint I only manage to watch 头名状 instead. Well, lucky my current intern boss have the disc so I borrow from him to watch.
It is really a very good war film by the chinese film. Together with the experts from korea in effects and demolition, it makes the whole movie very realistic. 冯小刚 is a well known director from china and he had really make a mark for his predecessor to follow. I can say that the quality of image is no less better then those hollywood war movies. One thing that is good about the film is that it has a lot of human emotion and conflicts in it. Other then just showing war heroes, human factor and emotions plays a major role in the script and storyline.
A very good war movie that goes up to my war of fame movie listing. As a fan for war movie, Assembly have not only bring glory to chinese cinema but will definitely spur up more war films in the future, just like what the hollywood have done for their WWII stories.
My reviews 5/5 stars
Just finish watching Hommage A’Noir by a german filmmaker, Ralf Schmerberg. I got a chance to watch this DVD from my current internship boss who is an avid collector of documentary films. He recommended me to watch this black and white film with no dialogue, only visuals and music.
Well, I got a chance to watched the film today, particularly impress with the way the black and white footage are being shoot both on stills and video. The degree of light a film could capture is greatly shown in this film. The white and blacks are clearly defined with details. It is not easy to shoot on black and white and not easy to shoot dark skin african in their bright day light. Visual and technical wise it is a good film.
However, not a fan of arty farty film, the use of visuals with music somehow fails to impress me and kept me captivated. Well, this is from my own opinion. My verdict 2/5 stars.
