JON & KATE PLUS 8... BAH HUMBUG!!!!

I still remember very clearly the first time I saw the promotional trailers for Jon & Kate Plus 8, the 2007 reality television show: "GAWD SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE STERILISED THEM!"

The duo are highly unattractive people in every sense of the word and their parenting skills were so dubious that their families and friends should have had the good sense to have put the kids up for adoption the minute they were born.

Apparently, the new season of the show is all ready for broadcast -- and obviously the television stations are going to milk the fact that Jon & Kate have gone their separate ways. But obviusly not separate enough that the television cameras could miss the duo.

In the OMG website (http://omg.yahoo.com/news/tlc-viewers-will-see-jon-kate-date-others-when-show-returns/25864?nc), TLC president Eileen O'Neill, is reported to have read a statement about the reality show at Television Critics Associated Panel in Pasadena, California, saying, "Over the last four years and through 100 episodes, we've captured this remarkable family's entertaining chaos. Viewers fell in love and the show developed a passionate, loyal following. But this past spring, life intervened and the family's status changed. It was certainly something we never expected, nor planned to have happen. But this has resulted in unprecedented television."

At least everyone will be making pots of money, and the kids should be able to afford therapy when they grow up!

Photo credit: picture from http://image.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/u1_GosselinJonKate(1).gif

ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS

I finally managed to catch Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs and it turned out to be good fun. My favourite character, Scrat, was there with his insane obsession for the Acorn. Then into the picture comes a dastardly she-devil of a flying squirrel who also has her sights set on the Acorn. The scenes with Scrat and his paramour were delightful and the laughter excellent.

Oh ya... Sid the Sloth was there for good effect. The woolly mammoths were there also, having a baby. A couple of dinosaurs were also thrown in for good measure and the insane Buck also kept the laughter coming.

I saw this film in 3D -- and I can totally understand what the fuss was all about!

Next stop for me: G.I. Joe -- Rise of the Cobra

Picture credit: Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs image from http://blogs.theage.com.au/schembri/archives/2009/07/bruno_lays_wast.html

AN EXCITING NEW TALENT -- EUGENE MCGUINNESS

24-year old British singer Eugene McGuinness is simply excellent as a singer. He has style and personality and sing songs with wonderful lyrics. The music videos for his songs are also rather excellent on the quirky side! His new song, "Wendy Wonders is simply superb!

Photo credit: this picture is from http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/huwstephens/galleries/1305/5/

THIS IS THE PICTURE OF A MAN'S FANTASY

If you could take a picture of a car enthusiast's fantasy, this is what it would look like!

Naturally, in case you didn't already know it, this is a picture of the Maserati GranTurismo S Automatic.

Photo credit: Picture is from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/19/automobiles/autoreviews/19maserati.html?_r=1&ref=automobiles

HARRY POTTER'S NEW MOVIE: RATHER GOOD IS THE VERDICT!

I never thought much of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books and even less of the horrible movies that were made of the teen sorcerer books.

But I must say that the latest chapter of the Harry Potter big screen adaptation is rather good! Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ain;t half bad!

The direction of the film is rather good. The script is well thought out -- although Hermione gets the crappiest lines and scenes in the film!

Harry is growing to be a stronger lad, Ron takes centre stage with his highly comedic outing this time around and headmaster Dumbledore is aces. The special effects are good and best of all, director David Yates helms the film with a very sure and assured hand! It is a rather good film. Better than "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" any day, if you ask me!

MICHAEL JACKSON MEMORIAL

MICHAEL JACKSON: AUGUST 29, 1958 TO JUNE 25, 2009

The larger-than-life Michael Jackson had a memorial service unlike anything done before and the like of which will never be repeated again. He was a beautiful soul and a magical personality and it was a very classy memorial service indeed at Los Angeles' famed Staples Center!

The words of his friends were profound and meaningful (and all of around the world got a glimpse of what he was like in life) and the performances by artistes who paid tribute to him were powerful.

Photo credit: Michael Jackson picture from http://www.etonline.com/news/2009/07/76053/index.html
(Getty Images)

SAME MUSIC VIDEO EFFECTS IN LINKIN PARK'S "NEW DIVIDE" AND KANYE WEST'S "WELCOME TO HEARTBREAK"

Say, did any of you notice that music video to Linkin Park's latest single, "New Divide" features almost the same special effects we saw in Kanye West's "Welcome to Heartbreak" video a few months back?

Both are cool songs -- and the videos are visually spectacular and imaginative!



Photo credit: Linkin Park picture from http://hotandnerdy.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/hn-linkin-park-ema-nominati.jpg

ICE AGE: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Everyone knows that the real reason for seeing the Ice Age films (the filmmakers are into the third chapter now) has been that twitchy and nervous wreck Scrat!

Every other character in the Ice Age films (with the possible exception of Sid, voiced by the supremely talented John Leguizamo) were disposable.

Will the directors and producers have come to their senses and give us more of Scrat in this third instalment of this animated film? If they have come to such a realisation, will practice self-restraint and not ruin the Scrat character by going overboard in developing Scrat? That's the tough thing about discovering the real seceret of the Ice Age films' secret isn't it -- trying to maintain Scrat's small role and at the same time maintaining its integrity as an imbecilic AND single-mindedly acorn-obsessed animated character.

Photo credit: Image of Scrat from http://www.cartoonary.com/page/3/

THE TONIGHT SHOW: IS CONAN ANY GOOD?

Ok, Conan O'Brien has taken over Jay Leno's position on The Tonight Show. But is Conan any good?

All I can say is that Conan takes a bit of getting used to? He does try hard -- but it looks like sometimes he is trying too hard. Hosting The Tonight Show and interviewing celebrities does not come easily to him. It only shows that the writers he has on his show have not really tapped into the "feel" of the The Tonight Show.

Conan's New York "thang" is just not translating very well.

I do miss Jay Leno. I wonder how he is doing?


Photo credits:
1. Conan O'Brien picture from http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20281580,00.html
2. Jay Leno picture from http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20211733,00.html

MERCEDES C CLASS - EL SUPREMO

I don't know about you guys, but the more often I look at the Mercedes C Class cars on the road, the more I am beginning to fall in love with them. Design-wise, the C Class reeks of sophistication and class indeed.

The German carmaker Mercedes has got the design of the front end of the car close to perfection -- I only have a bit of a problem with the J-Lo proportioned behind of the car. The car is too wide at the back and this affects its visual power a wee bit somewhat, unfavourably! (Yes kiddies, in case you wondered: J-Lo has a massive, oversized backside! Very unappealing and very unattractive indeed!) In respect of behinds, cars' behinds I mean, BMW seems to have it right, as you can see from the 3201 series. (But the appeal of the BMW car has diminished in my eyes because of the type of people who drive it in Malaysia nowadays -- will talk more about that in another entry!)

A dream C Class would be a two-door coupe with a slimmed down behind. Now, that would be a car worth every penny indeed!

Photo credit: this photo of the Mercedes C300 Sport is from http://www.benzblogger.com/labels/C-Class.html

BLACK EYED PEAS - I GOTTA FEELING

Sigh! I love the Black Eyed Peas. That Will.I.Am has to be one of the most talented singer-songwriters working in the world today.

I am absolutely hooked on the Black Eyed Peas' latest song, the very breezy and easy "I Gotta Feeling". It is a fabulous song, it has a fabulous beat, it comes with a fabulous video, it spouts fabulous lyrics - what more could a fan ask for! Sigh again indeed! This is now officially my theme song at the moment!

Photo credits: Will.I.Am picture from http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2008/12/william-renaiss.html
Black Eyed Peas group photo from http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20279639_20279643_20280652_1,00.html

ALL AMERICAN REJECTS

Hmmm, the All American Rejects are anything but rejects. Their latest song, "THE WIND BLOWS" is beautiful and it has a perfect video. Both song and the music video are classy and show a maturity to the band that is admirable!
PHOTO CREDIT: the picture is from http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20245370,00.html

MICHAEL JACKSON: AUGUST 29, 1958 TO JUNE 25, 2009

Michael Jackson died at age 50 recently. His death shows something interesting about human nature -- not his, but the rest of the people's: that people find it easier to be nasty and mean spirited than to be good. This is especially true of the vicious types in the media.

People were vicious and nasty to Michael Jackson during his times of weakness and when he was vulnerable. But a friend of mine pointed out, rightly, I think, that Michael also did put on a freakshow that continued to feed the nasty streak in vicious people.

That is sad indeed.

For me, he was a musical megastar. Over the years, those who grew up in sync with Michael Jackson's career could see that the release of all his music videos were veritable world events. His appearances on television were also world events. He always put on a sweet side for his fans and audiences.

Now, as the music channels amp up his music and music videos in honor of all his great achievements, a new generation of younger listeners are exposed to his music. When Michael Jackson's music is good, it is timeless. Looking at things -- looks like the royalties that the Jackson family will receive from the gazillion airplays that Michael Jackson's songs are getting now is going to be astounding.

Over the coming weeks we will be reading more about his cause of death -- which is going to fascinate people even more about the phenomenon that was Michael Jackson. Suffice to say, he was no ordinary man!

Photo credit: this picture is from http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/06/26/fashion/20090628-TREBAY_8.html

TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN -- CRAPPIEST MOVIE OF THE YEAR!

Good Grief! I had so much hope for "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen". The trailer for the sequel had me sold! I was excited when I walked into the cinema. But what a load of crap it turned out to be. There were moments when I felt like this awful film was going to drag me to hell!

The script was rotten -- the filmmakers wanted to introduce a new character (the Fallen) and they do this is the most clumsiest and dumbest way possible, to the point that no one gives a toss about the fallen.

Then, the film is strewn with crappy characters -- from the annoying room mate that Shia LaBeouf is forced to put up with to the torturous John Turturro with his equally idiotic spoutings. Worst of all has to be the "twin" autobots who are as irritating as (if not more than!) Jar Jar Binks from the hopeless Star Wars prequels.

The special effects were unremarkable.

A repeat viewing will show off all the flaws of the film even more!

I would recommend Sam Raimi's "Drag Me To Hell" over "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" any day!

Thanks goodness "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" looks promising.

Photo credit: The picture of the Transformer robot is from: http://mos.totalfilm.com/images/n/new-transformers-2-bot-pics-online-05-440-75.jpg