The Illuminari Society

2011-09-21T21:54:00.000-07:00

~Coming Soon~

Super Junior 슈퍼주니어_Mr.Simple_MUSICVIDEO

2011-09-09T03:59:00.000-07:00

Super Junior is my current MTV obsession. I love watching their music videos because of the awesome, jaw dropping dance sequences. You know what they say about a man who can dance. So, I've decided to feature them here for a while.

Taylor Swift Interview

2011-09-02T04:05:00.000-07:00

I had to share this interview because it goes beyond writing songs. It shows you how to remain determined when you're passionate about something. In my case, it's my writing. I was really inspired watching her answer the questions asked in this interview.

Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga

2011-08-10T18:48:00.001-07:00

I'm on the edge of something...

Adult Swim Singles Program Unveils Another Free Download, JJ featuring NE-YO "We Can't Stop"

2011-08-02T18:29:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Adult Swim Singles Program sponsored by the Kia Soul continues to truck along, delivering some of the summer's best, never-before-released tracks to your computers as free downloads. Marking the ninth week of the eleven-week program, this week's featured artist is JJ featuring NE-YO. Adult Swim brings you a brand new track, "We Can't Stop," available for download starting today at www.adultswim.com/singles.

The full track listing for the program is as follows:

Week 1 (June 6) – Ford & Lopatin: "Too Much MIDI"
Week 2 (June 14) – Best Coast: "Gone Again"
Week 3 (June 21) – How to Dress Well: "Us in the Sense of Forever
Week 4 (June 28) – Mastodon: "Deathbound"
Week 5 (July 5) – Active Child: "Hanging On"
Week 6 (July 12) – The Tallest Man on Earth: "Weather of a Killing Kind"
Week 7 (July 19) – The Rapture: "How Deep is Your Love? (Emperor Machine Remix Edit)"
Week 8 (July 26) – Clams Casino: "Wizard"
Week 9 (August 2) – JJ feat. NE-YO "We Can't Stop"
Week 10 (August 9) – El-P
Week 11 (August 16) - Cerebral Ballzy

Fans can grab their free downloads of these exclusive tracks -- plus watch corresponding videos from some of the featured artists -- by visiting www.adultswim.com/singles.

kuroshitsuji Ending 1 - Becca - I'm Alive

2011-07-03T20:33:00.001-07:00

Adult Swim Singles Program Unveils Fourth Free Download and Music Video For "Deathbound" by Mastodon

2011-06-28T18:22:00.001-07:00

Entering the fourth week of the 2011 Adult Swim Singles Program, the network debuted "Deathbound," a never-before-released track by Mastodon. Grab the free download and check out the Adult Swim produced video for the song at www.adultswim.com/singles.

Stay tuned for next week's installment, new material by Active Child packaged with behind the scenes footage of the band.

Mastodon "Deathbound" Video

Selena Gomez & The Scene - Who Says

2011-06-22T02:54:00.001-07:00

I like songs that inspire regardless of who's singing it. And since I'm placing the Procrastination Game and peaking out of my writing cave, I've decided to put up "Who Says" by Selena Gomez. I like the message behind the song.

The Green Lantern

2011-06-18T19:22:00.000-07:00

Watched The Green Lantern yesterday and wasn't that impressed. Where did all that 300 million go? If it was supposed to be mostly CGI, then why not animate it instead. Alas, my eternal love for Ryan Reynolds wasn't enough. For a more in depth analysis, I think 10 Things Parents Should Know About Green Lantern does a better job than I ever could.

Adult Swim Singles Program Unveil Second Free Download, "Gone Again" by Best Coast

2011-06-14T17:42:00.000-07:00

Entering the second week of the 2011 Adult Swim Singles Program, the network debuted "Gone Again," a never-before-released track by Best Coast. Grab the free download of "Gone Again" and view the Adult Swim produced video for the song, behind the scenes footage, and a live performance by Best Coast atwww.adultswim.com/singles.

Adult Swim Makes Free Music Available for Your Hard Drives and Your Earholes

2011-06-07T18:32:00.001-07:00

Starting Today, the 2011 Adult Swim Singles Program Sponsored by the Kia Soul Will Offer 10 Consecutive Weeks of Never-Before-Released Tracks as
Free Downloads

Adult Swim is at it again. The top-rated television network is adding to its already impressive music repertoire with the launch of the 2011 Adult Swim Singles Program. Sponsored by the award-winning Kia Soul urban passenger vehicle – and building off of a highly-successful collaboration from last year – this online singles program features 10 never-before-released tracks from top artists plucked from the worlds of indie rock, metal, rap, pop and more. A new single from the program will debut each week as an exclusive download for 10 consecutive weeks. Did we mention they’re free?

Kicking off today at www.adultswim.com/singles and running until August 21, the program features tracks from an impressive, and certainly diverse, collection of artists including:

Week 1 (June 6) – Ford & Lopatin
Week 2 (June 14) – Best Coast
Week 3 (June 21) – How to Dress Well
Week 4 (June 28) – Mastodon
Week 5 (July 5) – Active Child
Week 6 (July 12) – The Tallest Man on Earth
Week 7 (July 19) – JJ feat. Ne-Yo
Week 8 (July 26) – The Rapture
Week 9 (August 2) – Artist to be announced

Along with all-new songs, Adult Swim also created music videos for Mastodon and Best Coast, and shot interviews with Best Coast and Active Child that will be featured on the custom website.

In addition to nine sponsored weeks of never-before-released music from Kia, Adult Swim will cap off the tenth week of the program with a track from renowned hip hop artist El-P. Additionally, the network will add a special bonus track on August 16 from NYC-based rockers Cerebral Ballzy, who will debut their self-titled album this summer from the network’s Williams Street Records music label. A corresponding music video will also launch with Cerebral Ballzy’s single.

To get your hands on all of these tracks from the 2011 Adult Swim Singles Program, visitwww.adultswim.com/singles.

Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 730 dealers throughout the United States and serves as the "Official Automotive Partner of the NBA." In 2010, KMA recorded its best-ever U.S. sales and 16th consecutive year of increased U.S. market share. Kia is poised to continue its momentum and will continue to build the brand through design innovation, quality, value, safety features and new technologies.

Information about Kia Motors America and its full vehicle line-up is available at its Web site – www.kia.com.For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.

Adult Swim (AdultSwim.com), launched in 2001, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s network offering original and acquired animated and live-action series for young adults. Airing nightly from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. (ET/PT), Adult Swim shares channel space with Cartoon Network, home to the best in original, acquired and classic entertainment for youth and families, and is seen in 99.4 million U.S. homes.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

COYOL Unveil Third Song from Debut EP

2011-06-03T18:10:00.000-07:00

In the summer of 2010, COYOL recorded their first album, a self-titled EP on 2″ tape at the Carriage House in Silverlake, CA. They will unveil each of the EP’s six tracks individually, culminating in the full release onSeptember 6, 2011. Each song’s story unfolds uniquely and will be accompanied by imagery designed by various artist friends of the band.

Lyrics for "A Beast"

i believe i have loved you the best i knew how
in old world maps and darkened thunderclouds
in candlelit caverns devoid of sound
you always meant to leave me i know it now

a shackle,
i cannot be an anchor or harbor at sea
a yoke that is heavy is me.
a burden, a beast

like a man swallowing kerosene
in the intersection he breathes
and ive nowhere left to lean
no steady gaze or dream

you got up from your seat
unsteadied and easily
turned your back to leave
left me with the wind wallowing

a shackle,
i cannot be an anchor or harbor at sea.
a yoke that is heavy is me.
a burden, a beast

i believe i have loved you the best i knew how
in old world maps and darkened thunderclouds
in candlelit caverns devoid of sound
you always meant to leave me i know it now

Listen to the song Here:

COYOL - A Beast by INDIGENOUSPromotions

Download "A Beast"http://soundcloud.com/indigenouspromotions/coyol-a-beast

COYOL is a collision of the old Southwest and the new Los Angeles. A seemingly contradictory duo,COYOL is a beautiful juxtaposition between polished and poignant vocalist, Céleigh Chapman, and unrefined, avant-garde artist, John Isaac Watters.

Chapman grew up singing country standards in the juke joints of Bakersfield, California. Her first performance was “Home On The Range” in the third grade; years later, after watching her at the Crystal Palace, Buck Owens gave his approval. Watters was born in Mexico City, raised in Tucson, and spent some of his childhood in Coyol, Veracruz. He is an artist, architect, and musician whose rare lyrical talents and fearless approach to songwriting feel both fresh and familiar.

The seed for COYOL was planted when Chapman, Watters, and keyboardist Will Gramling met in college and gathered with a group of like-minded musicians in the evenings to play old hymns and folk songs. This collective of musicians eventually disbanded into multiple projects and Watters and Chapman started writing songs together. They asked Texas native and long time friend Gramling to produce their self-titled debut EP and join them on keys...thus, COYOL was born.

http://coyol.bandcamp.com/

So Many Wizards Debut New Songs

2011-06-01T18:27:00.000-07:00

Photo by Oliver Walker

So Many Wizards recently debuted two new songs on Aquarium Drunkard and FILTER in preparation for the June 28th "Inner City / Best Friends" limited edition 7-inch release.

Beginning as lead singer, Nima Kazerouni’s solo-project, So Many Wizards took the form of home recordings and a live ensemble of Kazerouni accompanied by television sets displaying prerecorded tracks stacked on top of each other. Shortly after, Kazerouni began collaborating with drummer, Erik Felix and the duo recorded Love Songs For When You Leave Me EP, produced and engineered by Chris Chu from The Morning Benders, at San Francisco’s Different Fur Studios. The EP featured the dreamy song “Nico,” which embodies the band’s ethereal aesthetic. Eventually, Kazerouni recruited filmmaker and bassist Warren Woodward to complete the lineup of the Long Beach bred bedroom pop trio.

So Many Wizards are set to release the “Inner City / Best Friends” 7-inch on a limited edition 70 gram colored vinyl pressing on boutique label, Seven Inch Project. The songs reflect the contrasts realized during Nima Kazerouni’s move from the Los Angeles suburbs to the city. “Inner City” draws from the changes in pollution, poverty, noise and the paranoid uneasiness Kazerouni first experienced. "Best Friends” was written afterwards and further depicts this experience, but in the carefree sense of being able to find pockets of calm within the chaos and the general acceptance and deep appreciation for living in L.A. Together, the two songs strike a balance between anxiety and calm, city and nature.

Album Artwork, click for larger file

SO MANY WIZARDS

“Inner City/Best Friends” 7-Inch

Release Date: June 28th, 2011 (Seven Inch Project)

Pre-order: www.seveninchproject.com

Next shows:
6/2 San Diego - Casbah w/ Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., TV Girl - SEZIO Presents

7-Inch Release Shows:
6/25 Long Beach - PROSPECTOR 7/1 Los Angeles - the SMELL

Band Website:www.somanywizards.com

Inner City - SO MANY WIZARDS by INDIGENOUSPromotions

Download MP3's

"Inner City": http://soundcloud.com/indigenouspromotions/inner-city-so-many-wizards
Direct link: http://www.indigenouspromotions.com/media/InnerCity.mp3

"Best Friends": http://soundcloud.com/indigenouspromotions/inner-city-so-many-wizards
Direct link: http://www.indigenouspromotions.com/media/BestFriends.mp3

Introducing: The Devil Whale

2011-05-24T18:35:00.000-07:00

Upon the first listen, it's clear that Salt Lake City's The Devil Whale possess a genuine small-town aesthetic that most indie-folk bands only strive to capture. Anyone who has heard the music of Brinton Jones will agree that his songs are literature of the heart. Like a book bound by melody, harmony, and honesty, they unfold before you. Paragraphs become verses and chapters become choruses, leaving room for interpretation and relation. Brinton is as much an author as he is a songwriter.

With Jones at the helm as the primary songwriter on vocals and guitar, The Devil Whale is the product of a collaboration between Brinton and long-time friends Jake Fish (on bass) and Cameron Runyan (on drums). In more recent years, that collaboration has been rounded out with the addition of Jamie Timm on lead guitar and Wren Kennedy on keyboards.

Their second full-length, Teeth, out now, draws from the band’s 60’s and 70’s garage and pop influences such as The Animals, The Kinks, and Harry Nilsson. With the help of an EP (Young Wives, 2010) between their first full-length and this release, Teeth has evolved to have a little more “bite” than their debut full-length, Like Paraders (2008). The album plays host to a plethora of talented players, including friends from Seattle’s The Head And The Heart singing on the track "Magic Numbers."

In support of the release, The Devil Whale can be caught live from coast-to-coast (and back again) throughout 2011.

Head here to find out where you can grab a copy of the record.

Album Artwork

The Devil Whale
Album: Teeth
Street Date 5/24/201

Golden
Indian
Werewolf Army
Magic Numbers
So-Called War
Television Zoo
Standing Stones
Earthquake Dreams
Barracudas
The Road To Hell
The End (Isn't Coming)

US TOUR DATES:
5/27/11: SALT LAKE CITY, UT - URBAN LOUNGE - CD RELEASE SHOW
6/02/11: NAMPA, ID - FLYING M COFFEE GARAGE
6/03/11: SEATTLE, WA - HIGH DIVE
6/04/11: PORTLAND, OR - LAURELTHIRST
6/05/11: MCKINLEYVILLE, CA - SIX RIVER'S BREWERY
6/07/11: SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AMNESIA
6/08/11: SANTA CRUZ, CA - CREPE PLACE
6/10/11: DAVIS, CA - SOPHIA'S
6/13/11: SAN DIEGO, CA - SODA BAR
6/14/11: LOS ANGELES, CA - SILVERLAKE LOUNGE
6/15/11: TEMPE, AZ - YUCCA TAPROOM
6/16/11: FLAGSTAFF, AZ - MIA'S LOUNGE
6/17/11: SEDONA, AZ - OLDE SEDONA
8/10/11: TROUTDALE, OR - EDGEFIELD - GREAT NORTHWEST MUSIC TOUR
8/11/11: CENTRALIA, WA - OLYMPIC CLUB - GREAT NORTHWEST MUSIC TOUR
8/13/11: FOREST GROVE, OR - GRAND LODGE - GREAT NORTHWEST MUSIC TOUR
8/16/11: PORTLAND, OR - LOLA'S ROOM - GREAT NORTHWEST MUSIC TOUR
8/17/11: BEND, OR - OLD ST. FRANCIS SCHOOL - GREAT NORTHWEST MUSIC TOUR
8/18/11: PORTLAND, OR - KENNEDY SCHOOL - GREAT NORTHWEST MUSIC TOUR
8/19/11: GEARHART, OR - SAND TRAP - GREAT NORTHWEST MUSIC TOUR
8/20/11: MCMINNVILLE, OR - HOTEL OREGON - GREAT NORTHWEST MUSIC TOUR

Listen to there single here:

Standing Stones-The Devil Whale by INDIGENOUSPromotions

Download Single "Standing Stones":

http://soundcloud.com/indigenouspromotions/standing-stones-the-devil

http://www.indigenouspromotions.com/media/StandingStones.mp3

Maroon 5 - Misery

2011-05-22T03:45:00.000-07:00

In honor of Maroon 5 being in Manila, and my own misery at not having tickets to watch their concert, I'm making due with posting their music video of Misery. Enjoy!

Adele - Rolling In The Deep

2011-05-11T06:43:00.001-07:00

This is my birthday song!

Rio

2011-05-01T19:09:00.000-07:00

Glee - Raise Your Glass (Full Studio Version)

2011-04-11T23:27:00.000-07:00

This one's for everyone who's ever felt like a freak. You know who you are. :-)

GLEE - Regionals "Get It Right" Full Performance

2011-04-05T20:57:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, we find ourselves breaking down. And as a famous actress once said, it's not the load that break us, it's how we carry it. I agree with her. Being strong doesn't mean we prevent the tears from falling, it's what we do after the tears have dried.

Source Code

2011-04-03T19:54:00.000-07:00

Noah and the Whale - 'L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.'

2011-03-25T00:02:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, life gets too hard to handle. Sometimes, we might want to give up. Or there are times when we start thinking to ourselves: what have I done with my life. Well, no matter what happens, no matter how down we get, we have to remember that Life Goes On. With or without us, it goes on. It's up to us if we want to go with it or stay where we are. Ultimately, the choice is ours.

Battle Los Angeles

2011-03-20T19:02:00.000-07:00

GLEE - Regionals "Loser Like Me" Full Performance

2011-03-17T23:56:00.000-07:00

I needed to share this song the moment I heard it. To all the "Losers Like Me," the world is ours. Remember, everything that comes easy in life is never as worth it as those we've worked hard for. Countless hardships. Many painful moments. But even when we are all alone we are all together in that.

Red Riding Hood

2011-03-16T01:07:00.000-07:00

Fantasia Barrino - I Believe

2011-03-09T01:06:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share something inspirational today. I've decided to let go and relax into what I love doing. I believe whatever will come is going to be awesome! I believe in what I can do. I believe in the support of the people I love. And I believe there's no need to hurry. Everything will come.

The Adjustment Bureau

2011-03-07T16:49:00.000-08:00

Watched The Adjustment Bureau over the weekend and loved it! Walked out of the cinema feeling paranoid and asking myself the question: is my life being adjusted by some otherworldly being? I love movies that make me think. The Adjustment Bureau is complex enough that you pause a bit, but not so complicated that it leaves you bewildered. I give it two thumbs up for Fated Romance. Three starts for the action. Three popcorn buckets for the mystery/conspiracy theory angle. All in all, not a waste of your time.

Want more TASTE?

2011-03-04T00:25:00.001-08:00

Learn more about the students of Barinkoff Academy

by clicking on the picture below:

Run by Snow Patrol

2011-03-02T23:58:00.000-08:00

I first found out about Snow Patrol through Grey's Anatomy when Chasing Cars was used as one of the theme songs. I bought their Greatest Hits album and found that my favorite song is Run, which also has a rendition by Leona Lewis. Enjoy!

I Am Number Four

2011-02-28T03:52:00.000-08:00

I Am Number Four brought with it the essence of the novel it was adapted from. The pace was brisk. The casting was adequate. And the action sequences managed to keep the audience at the edge of their seat. There’s even a cute factor thrown in.

We all know a movie can never bring everything inside the pages of a novel onto the silver screen. There are just some things that don’t translate well from page to script. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is not up for debate here. I’ve learned long ago to accept movie adaptations for what they are. Treat the book and the movie separately. This is what I did with I Am Number Four. I enjoyed myself so much I watched it twice.

As I’ve written at the beginning of this post, the movie captured the essence of the novel. I believe the writers actually took what made the book so good and breathed life into it. We see the most important parts: the killing of Number Three, the escape of John and Henri to Paradise, John’s relationship with Sarah, and so on. These snippets from the novel sewn together made the pace snappy. I didn’t feel the need to shift in my seat.

I’m half in love with Alex Pettyfer, so I have no problems with him playing the role of John. By now, he’s a veteran when it comes to playing characters from books: Stormbreaker, Beastly, and I Am Number Four. If you know any other movies he’s been in that was originally a book, let me know. There’s even talk he could be in either The Hunger Games or City of Bones. Now, that’s just talk, not fact. Google if you need to.

Dianna Agron plays Sarah Hart, the love interest. Best known for her role in Glee as the ex-cheerleader Quinn Fabray, Agron owns the role of Sarah. She brings vulnerability to Sarah that makes you want to get to know her as a person. What could this girl who loves taking pictures be hiding?

Teresa Palmer (Number 6) and Callan McAuliffe (Sam) rock the side character aspect of this movie. This is the first time I’ve seen Palmer on screen, but she kicks serious Modagorian butt. And McAuliffe brings the kind of comedy relief that allows readers to take a breather in between heavy scenes.

Who takes the whole movie for me? Bernie Kosar (not the football player). The dog. The reaction of all the women in the audience (including me) had for that dog just goes to show you can never go wrong with putting something cute in front of anyone with an excess of estrogen.

The producers of I Am Number Four have to make a second movie. They just do. The Power of Six is about to be released, so could the movie be far behind? I believe they did a good enough job to merit producing a sequel. At least, I think so.

If you haven’t yet, watch I Am Number Four. It’s definitely worth your while.

The Mechanic

2011-02-14T02:43:00.000-08:00

Movie Info:

The Mechanic is a 2011 American thriller film starring Jason Statham as the title character. The film, directed by Simon West, is a remake of the 1972 film of the same name that starred Charles Bronson. Statham stars as Arthur Bishop, a professional assassin who hunts down the murderers of his friend Harry (Donald Sutherland). Though Bishop works alone, he reluctantly lets Harry's son Steve (Ben Foster) accompany him in the hunt, training him as an assassin. It was released in the United States and Canada on January 28, 2011.

Review:

I never say no to a Jason Statham movie for the mere fact that I like looking at him on the silver screen. The Mechanic is no exception. From his Transporter days and the Italian Job as Handsome Rob, Statham has always played the same characters over and over again—the brooding, kick-butt kind of guy who knows how to get himself out of any fix. Normally, this would get boring, but with Statham, I keep coming back for more.

The Mechanic has him playing an assassin who’s really good at what he does. He’s basically the go to guy for anything that needs doing—or anyone that needs killing. He’s meticulous, he’s always a few steps ahead, and he does his job like he was never there.

Besides Statham’s performance, which lets face it, is a walk in the park for him, the movie actually disappointed me some. The plot isn’t necessarily the best that you can hope for in an action flick. More mystery would have been better.

At the same time, the action sequences weren’t up to par with other movies that feature Statham as the main character. He can do so much more. Maybe the budget didn’t call for any mind blowing stunts. I guess the movie, for the most part, left me wanting more. I’m the kind of girl that never shies away from an action flick. The more explosions, the better for me. But I still appreciate a well written script.

Would I recommend the film? Not so much. If you’re a Statham fan, then be my guest. But if you’re expecting more than what I have mentioned so far in this review, then maybe you may want to see another film worth your time.

Dreaming With A Broken Heart by John Mayer

2011-02-09T03:42:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is creeping upon us and I've been thinking, and you know that's a dangerous pastime for me, dear readers. And I realized that Valentine's Day, as commercial as it's become, isn't cruel to those not in a relationship. It's cruelest to those who just got out of a relationship. So today's post is dedicated to those who are heartbroken. Like every wound, it stops hurting eventually.

Song Info:

"Dreaming with a Broken Heart" is a song by John Mayer from his 2006 album Continuum. It was released as digital download single in July 2007.

The single entered the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart at its peak position of #99. It also peaked on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks at #8, making it Mayer's eighth single to enter the Top 10 on Billboard's Hot AC Chart.

Billboard called the song "Another bull's-eye from that rare singer/songwriter who has proved to be a cinch for success."

In October 2007, the song was featured prominently in "The Trey Wiggs Taps Back Episode", a second season episode of the CW/BET comedy-drama television series The Game.

Mia Michaels choreographed a contemporary routine with Twitch and Kherington to this song in the fourth season of So You Think You Can Dance.

When you're dreaming with a broken heart

Then waking up is the hardest part

You roll outta bed and down on your knees

And for a moment you can hardly breathe

Wondering was she really here?

Is she standing in my room?

No she's not, 'cause she's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone....

When you're dreaming with a broken heart

The giving up is the hardest part

She takes you in with her crying eyes

Then all at once you have to say goodbye

Wondering could you stay my love?

Will you wake up by my side?

No she can't, 'cause she's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone....

Now do i have to fall asleep with roses in my hands

Do i have to fall asleep with roses in my hands?

Do i have to fall asleep with roses in my , roses in my hands?

Would you get them if i did?

No you won't, 'cause you're gone, gone, gone, gone, gone....

When you're dreaming with a broken heart

The waking up is the hardest part

The Rite

2011-02-08T02:58:00.000-08:00

The Rite is an American supernatural thriller film based on Matt Baglio's The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist, directed by Mikael Håfström and written by Matt Baglio and Michael Petroni. It stars Anthony Hopkins as Father Lucas. It was released on January 28, 2011.

When I first saw the trailer for The Rite, I knew I had to watch this movie. I’m a fan of movies that feature exorcism. No matter what you believe, the rite of exorcism is in almost every culture. In the Philippines, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who hasn’t heard of someone being possessed and being exorcised. The only real difference is that it’s not usually a priest that performs the exorcism. Anyway, I digress. I found myself excited. The day the movie came out I wanted to rush to the theaters immediately.

I never tire of watching Anthony Hopkins on screen. As an actor, he has such control of the character he plays that as a viewer, I’m swept away by his performance. In The Rite, he plays Father Lucas, one of the best exorcists in the business. He gets possessed by the demon he’s trying to exorcise and it’s up to the unbelieving Michael, played by Colin O'Donoghue, to save him. I was riveted during the scenes with Hopkins and O'Donoghue. The tension between the faithless trying to discover what he really believes in and the faithful who has fallen from the path is seamlessly played out by both actors. It’s almost a metaphor of sorts for the young who don’t know what they believe in and the old who are set in their ways, but in the end it is up to the young to save what is left of the old.

I fell in love with Colin O'Donoghue in this movie. It’s his first film, but he’s already gotten to pit his acting chops with Anthony Hopkins. He certainly holds his own in this film, surrounded by veterans in the industry. From the first shot with him cleaning a dead body, you’re committed to seeing Michael’s story through. O'Donoghue brings a vulnerability to the role that makes you believe he’s really struggling with his faith. Half the time, I wanted to hug him. I can’t wait to see what other movies he’ll be a part of. Definitely an actor to watch.

The Rite isn’t your typical exorcist movie. It does have the scare factor, but the viewer’s interest is captured by the humanity-in-crisis aspect of the plot. Michael is the son of a mortician. He helps his father run the business. In the interest of running away from that life, he joins the seminary. At the end of his studies, he declines taking his vows, sighting the lack of faith. Because of this, one of his teachers suggests he go to Rome to attend classes on teaching the rite of exorcism. This is where Michael’s lack of faith is truly tested. He’s skeptical, of course, but when he meets Father Lucas, he is exposed to things he just cannot explain until he himself is left to exorcise a demon.

The Rite is a film that will have you on the edge of your seat for several reasons. You’ll want to know what’s really going on with Father Lucas and his unconventional methods. You’ll want to see if Michael finally gains his faith. And you’ll end up questioning some of the events portrayed in this film. It’s inspired by actual events. I will let you be the judge.

I, for one, want to watch this movie again. I recommend it to those who want to watch something that balances mystery and horror. What is fact? What is fiction? These are the questions raised by The Rite. As a viewer, I found myself more than satisfied.

Belief by John Mayer

2011-02-02T01:35:00.000-08:00

This February, I want to go on a John Mayer bend. I love this guy. I love the way he writes music. I know he can be a bit tactless and a jerk, but it's the songs I listen to, not really the guy behind them. He can do whatever he wants so long as he keeps writing songs I like. Belief is one of those songs that make me think, and at the same time, it leads me to believe in myself a little more. Self-doubt is a powerful, and sometimes crippling, emotion. And it is because of self-doubt that we need songs like Belief.

Song Info:

"Belief" was the second single from John Mayer's 2006 album Continuum. The song features Ben Harper on guitar.

Despite its success on the American adult album alternative chart and the South African Top 40, the song never had a music video. The song was nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal for the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. The song is about the moral war around the world with people's other beliefs and that one cannot keep the world under control to get every single person to believe just one thing.

Is there anyone who

Ever remembers changing their mind from

The paint on a sign?

Is there anyone who really recalls

Ever breaking rank at all

For something someone yelled real loud one time

Everyone believes

In how they think it ought to be

Everyone believes

And they're not going easily

Belief is a beautiful armor

But makes for the heaviest sword

Like punching under water

You never can hit who you're trying for

Some need the exhibition

And some have to know they tried

It's the chemical weapon

For the war that's raging on inside

Everyone believes

From emptiness to everything

Everyone believes

And no one's going quietly

We're never gonna win the world

We're never gonna stop the war

We're never gonna beat this

If belief is what we're fighting for

What puts a hundred thousand children in the sand

Belief can

What puts the folded flag inside his mother's hand

Belief can

Season of the Witch

2011-01-31T03:29:00.000-08:00

Season of the Witch is a 2011 American period action film starring Nicolas Cage and directed by Dominic Sena. Cage stars alongside Ron Perlman as knights who return from the Crusades to find their homeland ruined by the Black Plague. Two church elders accuse a girl (Claire Foy) of being a witch and being responsible for the destruction and command the knights to transport the girl to a monastery so the monks there can lift her curse from the land.

Development on the film began in 2000 when the spec script by screenwriter Bragi F. Schut was purchased by MGM. The project moved from MGM to Columbia Pictures to Relativity Media, where the film was finally produced by Charles Roven and Alex Gartner. Filming took place primarily in Austria, Hungary, and Croatia. Season of the Witch was released on January 7, 2011 in the United States, Canada, and several other territories. The film has received overwhelmingly negative reviews.

My Review:

No matter what many reviewers and critics said or wrote about Season of the Witch, I quite enjoyed myself. I didn’t think Nicholas Cage would disappoint me, and it’s a movie that involves the crusade and witches, so why not? Right? I guess it’s because the movie was released in January, which is virtually a no man’s land for movie releases. The movie didn’t make as much money as it should have. The title’s a bit misleading, I’ll grant that, but you have to watch the movie to get what I mean.

There aren’t many Nick Cage movies that disappoint. Granted he hasn’t made any movies that make an impact of late, but he’s one of the busiest actors out there. It’s a shame he’s always has money problems. Anyway, that’s not the point. In Season of the Witch, Cage plays Behmen, a disillusioned Crusader who desserts the cause after killing an innocent woman by accident. He’s the quintessential moral character with a sense of justice. Basically, he’s the good guy no matter what. Not much of an acting stretch, this one. I guess, not having much to say about Cage playing Behmen…you draw your own conclusions.

My favorite actor in the movie would have to be Ron Perlman. He’s awesome! And certainly captures the attention of the audience more than Cage does. He plays Felson, loyal friend and mean-ass sidekick to Behmen. He’s obviously the source of comic relief in the film, but he has his dramatic moments as well. I think the movie would have been worse off without Perlman or the character of Felson.

The movie’s humor was really something of a relief. But I have my doubts, too. During the battles, jokes between Behmen and Felson take away from the fact that they were a part of an age old battle that still wages today. I don’t know if that’s a good thing. Although, I did find myself laughing when it was called for. Would the film be scarier if there wasn’t any comedy in it? Maybe? They should have amped up the scare factor. But, then again, releasing a super scary film in January? I’m not thrilled by the idea.

Claire Foy plays the witch, or the girl, in this movie. There were moments in the film where she reminded me of Emily Blunt of The Devil Wears Prada fame. I wonder who would have played the role of The Girl better? I’m not familiar with Foy, and I think this movie doesn’t do her much justice since she spends most of it looking doe-eyed and quiet.

The plot of Season of the Witch is passable, but I think it was marketed wrongly. I get that the twist in this film needs to be guarded, but there are better ways to create interest. When I watched the trailer of this film, I thought it was connected to the witch trials. Boy was I wrong. This is the first time I’m actually happy that the trailer was wrong because there are times when the trailer is far better than the actual movie.

Season of the Witch is not a waste of time. If you’re up for a thrill and a bit of mystery, then go for it. Like I wrote at the beginning, I enjoyed myself. I’m not necessarily shouting that enjoyment at the rooftops, but still. I may not by the DVD, but I would watch Season of the Witch if it came on Star Movies or HBO. Not all that bad, but not knock-my-socks-off either.

Hereafter

2011-01-24T18:59:00.000-08:00

Movie Info:

Hereafter is a 2010 American drama fantasy film directed by Clint Eastwood, executive produced by Steven Spielberg and from a screenplay by Peter Morgan. The film tells three parallel stories about three people affected by death in different ways; Matt Damon plays American factory worker George, who is somehow able to communicate with the dead; Cécile de France plays French television journalist Marie, who survives a tsunami; and Frankie and George McLaren play Marcus and Jason, an English boy and his elder twin brother, the latter of whom is killed in a car accident. Bryce Dallas Howard, Lyndsey Marshal, Jay Mohr, and Thierry Neuvic have supporting roles.

Morgan sold the script on spec to DreamWorks in 2008, but it transferred to Warner Bros. by the time Eastwood (who has a long-standing relationship with Warner Bros.) had signed on to direct in 2009. Principal photography ran from October 2009 to February 2010 on locations in London, San Francisco, Paris, and Hawaii.

Hereafter premiered as a "Special Presentation" at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival in September 2010. The film was given a limited release on October 15, 2010; the film was released nationwide in North America on October 22, 2010.

My Review:

Hereafter is a sweet and poignant movie that tugs at the heartstrings of its viewers. I found myself close to tears. Usually, a movie that centers around death can become morose and depressing, but Hereafter actually exudes the kind of hope many films lack these days. We will all die, that is one of the prevailing themes in the movie. But the most important aspect about death that the film portrays is the kind of closure people need when a loved one dies. This is shown through psychics or mediums, those who can communicate with those that have passed away.

Matt Damon plays an unassuming factory worker named George, who actually made a living communicating with the dead. He had a website and a book written about him. In the movie, we find him living with the aftereffects of sudden fame, which I assumed was what led him to live a simple life. His brother is who shows the readers what George can do through a client wanting to make a connection with his deceased wife. What I find most endearing about George’s character is how he thinks being able to connect with the dead is a curse and not a gift the way his brother sees it. There’s a line in the film that really got to me, and I’m paraphrasing here, but it goes something like: seeing death everyday is not a way to live. This is what ultimately makes George step away from being a psychic.

The movie begins with Marie, a famous TV personality in France. She is on vacation with her boyfriend in an unspecified island destination. A tsunami hits and she’s actually caught in the throws of it. She survives, but not before she has a near death experience. This is then what drives her to seek answers to what she actually saw.

Hereafter is presented as three stories that converge into one. I’ve already discussed the first two. My favorite is the third with the twin boys. Jason and Marcus live with an alcoholic/drug addict mother. They make the best of their situation by sticking together. What makes their story so heartbreaking is that Jason dies after getting hit by a delivery van. Marcus, the meeker of the two, is left to deal with the loss of his beloved brother. His search for answers actually leads him to meet with several psychics that all prove to be frauds. That is, until he meets George, who is the real thing.

I find myself thoroughly enjoying anything directed by Clint Eastwood. He’s proven to be a powerhouse director that consistently comes out with great films. Films worth your time and money. From Million Dollar Baby to the Changeling to Flags of Our Fathers and now Hereafter, it shows that Eastwood has a terrific sense of what makes a good movie. He looks for stories that touch the hearts of the viewers, whether it is the story of a female boxer, a woman who’s lost her child, soldiers dealing with the aftereffects of war, or individuals dealing with death. He knows how to tell the story without you realizing that you’re watching a movie. Not may directors can do that nowadays—with the need to make films in 3D. Clint is old school, and I like that. The critiques like it, too.

If you haven’t seen Hereafter yet, now is the time to get yourself to your nearest cinema. Or if it’s already done being screened where you are, make sure to get the DVD. It’s worth adding to your collection. If you’re a butterball like me, you may want to bring along a box of tissue.

Freedom

2011-01-19T23:02:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

Something so amazing happened to me today, and I needed to take the time to share it with all of you. Have you ever lived your life not really finding the answers to certain questions? Well, last week, I wrote a post about Finding Forgiveness. To read the whole post, you can click here. What I would like to share with you today is the vindication I got just this morning in connection to that post. Now, you have to know that in the mornings (when I just woke up, to be exact) I'm not really firing on all cylinders. So, when I read a certain comment posted on Finding Forgiveness, I was bothered. But, as the day progressed, I found myself getting happier and happier because of it.

To give a backgrounder on what I mean, I want to post the first two paragraphs of Finding Forgiveness. Here's the excerpt:

Yesterday, I had an illuminating conversation with a really good friend about best friends who failed to live up to their end of the “friendship” relationship. She and I both had best friends in our lives that hurt us, that betrayed us in some way. This conversation got me thinking about the concept of forgiveness, which is the main component of my post for today. When I was younger, I thought forgiveness was about excusing the slight done to you by another. Ironically, the best friend who betrayed me actually taught me that forgiveness is not about excusing the wrong done. It’s about allowing yourself to let go of the hurt and the anger. Forgiveness is not about the person you are forgiving. It is about allowing yourself grow as a person by letting go.

For thirteen years, I thought I had a friend. I counted her as my best friend. In the end, I was wrong. So wrong, in fact, that I began to question every memory, every shared secret, every moment of joy and of pain. I thought to myself: was it all real? Did we really share something all those years? The answer: I don’t know. A part of me would like to think that maybe, just maybe, I did see a friend in that person, but another part of me says I’ve been wrong all this time. That is where the hurt is coming from. Then, just when you think you’ve recovered somewhat, the wound opens again because someone who both knew you as friends asks about the other, the person you want to forget. You find yourself in a tailspin of hurt and self-doubt. You don’t know how to answer.

End of Excerpt

Now, the comment posted in connection to my Finding Forgiveness post is this:

I once had a best friend. Our friendship was true, but I always felt at the back of my head that we were never good for each other. There were great times, but there were times when we fed off each other’s emotions, insecurities, and dysfunctions until one of us would push the other away. Then we’d get back together and the cycle would go on. For years. Why did we keep it up? I don’t know. We were kids. We grew up together. One didn’t feel right without the other by her side. But it was a sick system. Somewhere along the way I realized that she was better off without me, but I didn’t want her figuring that out. I was her best friend, after all.

Then one day, I finally accepted the fact that I was selfish.

So, I decided to be cruel instead.

I deliberately closed the door on her. Not in a kind way. I just abruptly stood up, and walked away. Of course it hurt. I knew what I was doing, which added to the hurt. But I had learned that the only way to find out if you could fly was to leap off a cliff. And the only way to make someone else fly was to push them off one.

Without me, she reached for her dreams. Without me, she became strong, focused and determined. Without me, she learned to forgive.

Without me, she’ll be a better person then she would ever have been with me.

She probably already is.

End of Comment.

Now, this comment was posted anonymously, but all the people who know me know who this person is. She's the one I mentioned in the first two paragraphs of my Finding Forgiveness post.

I spoke to my mom about this comment. She knows this person as well as I do. And you know what she said? "She still thinks about you. She still looks you up." You should have seen the smug smile on her face. I love my mom. Those two sentences made me feel so much better. She said a few other choice things, but I won't share it here because they're too private.

Then, I shared this comment with my friends, too. And I had such an illuminating chat with one of them. This is how the chat went:

Me: What did you think when you read the comment?

Friend: You sure you want to know?
Friend: It's not very nice.

Me: Yes, I really want to know
Me: What you think matters to me
Me: Why isn't it nice?

Friend: I wanted to say: yes, it was very selfish, what she did. and it is very telling, that by posting that comment, she still hopes for you to reply or call idk
Friend: And maybe you two get a second shot
Friend: which is still selfish
Friend: because if things
Friend: were
Friend: really good
Friend: she wouldn't need a post like that to talk to you
Friend: but
Friend: i will accept that not everyone is brave enough to just pop back in, brave enough to take the possibility of rejection from the party they wronged
Friend: so maybe, this was catharsis for her as well
Friend: if you han't told me what you just did, i would probably be more offended that she commented - and anon, at that
Friend: cos that's a coward's way out
Friend: and that bit on the bottom, about you being better without her? idk, it smacks of self-justification
Friend: as if she's to be credited for how much stronger
Friend: you are now
Friend: which is YOUR achievement
Friend: and no doing of hers
Friend: BUT you sound good and you said you're happy

Me: I know what you mean, and I understand where you're coming from. All very valid points, which I totally agree with a hundred percent
Me: It really helps hearing it from someone else
Me: You know what? My mom had such a smug look on her face when I was telling her about the comment
Me: And you know what that comment tells me, that she was really never my friend from the very beginning
Me: And that's what gives me freedom

Friend: hug
Friend: and no, she wasn't

Me: And gives me the answers I really needed to finally, truly move on to a better life

Friend: she needs to deal with her own insecurities before she can be a friend to anyone
Friend: this is truth

The conversation above is what real friends do. They are on your side, but they also consider what's up with the other side, where the other person is coming from. I actually count myself one of the lucky people the person I chatted with considers a friend.

So, based from my excerpt from Finding Forgiveness, I got my answers:

1. She was never really my friend.
2. Anything we shared was a lie.
3. She has nothing to do with my personal growth.

I breathe the biggest sigh of relief that I've ever breathed in my whole life.

Today, I got my answers.

I'm finally free.

And to celebrate this new found freedom, I'm planning to have the word "freedom" tattooed on my forearm. I will show you pictures when I get it done.

Sincerely,
Kate Evangelista

Crazy (two versions)

2011-01-18T21:11:00.000-08:00

This song strikes a chord in me because it makes sense in a very round about way. You have to be a little crazy to survive in this world, and I totally agree. I'm actually trying to get my friend Noey (who has an angelic voice) to cover this song because I believe that she can make it sound even more awesome than Alanis Morissette and SEAL.

Song Info:

"Crazy" is a song written by English soul artist Seal (music and lyrics) and producer Guy Sigsworth (music only). The song was produced by Trevor Horn for Seal's debut album Seal (1991). Seal's debut single, "Crazy" is one of his biggest hits, reaching the top five in the United Kingdom and the top ten in the United States. It since has been covered by several artists, including Alanis Morissette, whose version was released as a single from her album The Collection (2005) and the British metal band Panic Cell.

Cover versions:

The hard rock band Talisman covered the song on their 1996 album Life, and a version by power metal band Iron Savior is included as a bonus track on their 2002 album Condition Red.

British heavy metal band Panic Cell covered the song for their 2010 album "Fire It Up". They have also been performing it live at various live shows. It has also been announced that the song will be the first single taken from the new album.

The Greek artist Helena Paparizou, best known for winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2005, covered the song in her album Iparhi Logos released in 2006.

Two cover versions were released in 2003: one by punk covers band Me First and the Gimme Gimmes on their 2003 album Take a Break, and another by alternative metal band Mushroomhead as a hidden track on their 2003 album XIII. In 2004, the song was covered by Brooklyn Bounce.

The song is also a staple cover during live performances by New York City based jamband U-Melt.

Alanis Morissette covered this song in 2005, released as a Maxi-single with two versions.

World Championship Wrestling used a version of this song for The Outsiders theme and for the 1996 WCW Fall Brawl.

In a church by the face

He talks about the people going under

Only child knows...

A man decides after seventy years

That what he goes there for, is to unlock the door,

While those around him criticize and sleep...

And through a fractal on a breaking wall,

I see you my friend and touch your face again,

Miracles will happen as we dream

But we're never gonna survive unless

We get a little crazy

No we're never gonna survive unless

We are a little...

Crazy yellow people walking through my head.

One of them's got a gun, shoot the other one.

And yet together they were friends at school

Ohh, get it, get it, get it, no no no!

{ From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/a/alanis-morissette-lyrics/crazy-lyrics.html }

If I were there when we first took the pill,

Then maybe, then maybe, then maybe, then maybe...

Miracles will happen as we speak.

[Chorus]

Crazy...

No no, we'll never survive, unless we get a little...bit...

In a sky full of people, only some want to fly.

Isn't that crazy?

In a world full of people, only some want to fly.

Isn't that crazy?

Crazy...

In a heaven of people there's only some want to fly.

Isn't that crazy? crazy crazy...crazy...

[Chorus]

No no, we'll never survive unless, we get a little bit...

Finding Forgiveness

2011-01-11T23:36:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I had an illuminating conversation with a really good friend about best friends who failed to live up to their end of the “friendship” relationship. She and I both had best friends in our lives that hurt us, that betrayed us in some way. This conversation got me thinking about the concept of forgiveness, which is the main component of my post for today. When I was younger, I thought forgiveness was about excusing the slight done to you by another. Ironically, the best friend who betrayed me actually taught me that forgiveness is not about excusing the wrong done. It’s about allowing yourself to let go of the hurt and the anger. Forgiveness is not about the person you are forgiving. It is about allowing yourself grow as a person by letting go.

For thirteen years, I thought I had a friend. I counted her as my best friend. In the end, I was wrong. So wrong, in fact, that I began to question every memory, every shared secret, every moment of joy and of pain. I thought to myself: was it all real? Did we really share something all those years? The answer: I don’t know. A part of me would like to think that maybe, just maybe, I did see a friend in that person, but another part of me says I’ve been wrong all this time. That is where the hurt is coming from. Then, just when you think you’ve recovered somewhat, the wound opens again because someone who both knew you as friends asks about the other, the person you want to forget. You find yourself in a tailspin of hurt and self-doubt. You don’t know how to answer.

Forgiveness allows us to let go. And I think that’s the hardest part. Ask yourself: do you really want to let go of this person or do you still cling to the hope that everything will be alright between you two someday despite all the hurt you’re feeling now?

It takes a supreme amount of courage to forgive because the act of letting go involves acknowledging the fact that you’ve been hurt by this person. And in a world where we’d no sooner run away from the hurt than face it, we end up clinging on to emotions that keep the wounds festering instead of healing. We have to ask ourselves: What is keeping us from forgiving this person? What keeps us from moving forward and welcoming a better future for ourselves?

The answer: Fear. Pride. Anger. Pain.

Fear because we don’t know what the future holds for us. We’ve spent so many waking hours with the person who betrayed us that we can’t see ourselves moving forward without him or her. We thought of possible futures together. Plans were made. We looked at five years from now and still saw each other sitting in a movie theater or eating at a café or answering the phone or buying a little something we thought the other might like. Would our lives really be worse off without that person?

Pride because we maintain the idea that we were the ones hurt. That we didn’t do anything wrong. Yes, it’s true. We are the injured party, but why must we continue to be injured. In nature, an injury will either heal or kill you. Which would you choose? Healing or death? Why let pride get in the way of living a happy life? If we refuse to allow anyone to hurt us, why do we continue to hold on to the hurt a single person has done?

Anger because we can’t believe it happened to us, that the person we trusted the most would hurt us. The person we shared our most intimate thoughts. The person who helped put us back together when we needed it. The person who was there during the highs and the lows of our life. He or she betrayed us without a second thought. Why? We may never know. But, then again, why should we allow ourselves to chew on that anger?

Pain because we’ve fallen and we don’t know how to get up. Emotional pain dealt is the hardest to heal from. When our bodies are cut, we begin to heal almost instantaneously. So, why can’t we heal emotional wounds the way the body heals physical ones? Maybe because we refuse to heal. Maybe because we find ourselves comfortable in the state of pain we are in. What are we really waiting for? Would an apology from the person that hurt you really help you heal? What if it never comes? Would you deprive those who truly care for you your best self just because you continue to allow someone else to keep you in pain?

In my search for the answers to these questions, I found two videos from YouTube that say what I mean better than this post ever could.

Video 1

Video 2

Katy Perry - Firework

2011-01-10T17:10:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, we find ourselves in need of comfort, inspiration, encouragement, what have you. Sometimes, we find ourselves unsure of what we can do and what we can accomplish. And sometimes, we need someone to remind us that, no matter what, everything will be all right. I find myself in a mood to spread some love and inspiration around. We could all use it at any time. So, enjoy Firework by Katy Perry.

"Firework" is a song by American recording artist Katy Perry from her second mainstream studio album Teenage Dream. It was released as the third single from the album on October 26, 2010, to U.S. mainstream radio. The song was written by Perry, Stargate, Sandy Vee and Ester Dean, and it was produced by Stargate and Sandy Vee. According to Perry, "Firework" is influenced by Jack Kerouac's novel, On the Road. It peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Perry's fourth chart-topper in the US and third number-one single from the album. It so far spent four non-consecutive weeks at #1 on the Hot 100. It was also Katy Perry's first song ever to be added to Radio Disney's playlist. The song also reached number one in Canada and New Zealand. It peaked at number three in the United Kingdom, where it has been certified gold for sales in excess of 400,000 copies. On the week ending January 8, 2011, "Firework" sold 509,000 digital downloads in the US which is the second highest amount ever sold by a female artist (only behind Kesha's "Tik Tok", who sold 610,000 copies in a week), and fourth highest overall. Perry stated that Firework is "the most important song for [her] on the record". An open casting call for the music video, shot in Budapest, drew an unprecedented 38,000 applicants.

Do you ever feel like a plastic bag

Drifting throught the wind

Wanting to start again

Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin

Like a house of cards

One blow from caving in

Do you ever feel already buried deep

Six feet under scream

But no one seems to hear a thing

Do you know that tehre's still a chance for you

Cause there's a spark in you

You just gotta ignite the light

And let it shine

Just own the night

Like the Fourth of July

Cause baby you're a firework

Come on show 'em what your worth

Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"

As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework

Come on let your colors burst

Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"

You're gunna leave 'em fallin' down-own-own

You don't have to feel like a waste of space

You're original, cannot be replaced

If you only knew what the future holds

After a hurricane comes a rainbow

Maybe you're reason why all the doors are closed

So you can open one that leads you to the perfect road

Like a lightning bolt, your heart will blow

And when it's time, you'll know

You just gotta ignite the light

And let it shine

Just own the night

Like the Fourth of July

Cause baby you're a firework

Come on show 'em what your worth

Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"

As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework

Come on slet your colors burst

Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"

You're gunna leave 'em fallin' down-own-own

Boom, boom, boom

Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon

It's always been inside of you, you, you

And now it's time to let it through

Cause baby you're a firework

Come on show 'em what your worth

Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"

As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework

Come on let your colors burst

Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"

You're gunna leave 'em goin "Oh, oh, oh!"

Boom, boom, boom

Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon

Boom, boom, boom

Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon

The Tourist

2011-01-09T20:38:00.000-08:00

The Tourist is a 2010 thriller film directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, starring Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. It is a remake of the 2005 French film Anthony Zimmer.

My Review:

Dear readers, I’m so happy to start of my year of movie viewing with such a sweet film. And it’s so unexpected. When you’re watching this movie the last thing you’d think is sweet, but when you get to the end and all the pieces fall into place, you’ll have to give it a great, big: Aww!

The Tourist brings together Box Office powerhouses Jonny Depp and Angelina Jolie. They are two of my favorite actors. And when I heard they were filming together, I knew. I just knew I had to watch this movie. This is despite the apparent flop it made when it hit theaters a couple of months ago. Critics had mixed feelings about this one. But I enjoyed myself. Jolie is always stunning to watch on screen. I would be the first to admit to having a massive girl crush on her. She’s the woman I want to be. And Depp is in his element of quirky. The awkward really works for him, and yet, the charisma still oozes off the silver screen. He can pirate my Caribbean any day.

The movie a remake of a French film and described as a thriller, but for me, it’s a love story through and through. You have a woman who is being trailed by Scotland Yard because of her link to a man named Alexander Pearce. Apparently, he stole 2 billion from a mobster, and because of that, owes the government tax money? I don’t know how the politics of it works, but I wasn’t really focusing on the money he owes. Now, Alexander sends a letter to Elise (the woman trailed by the police) with instructions to board a train and choose someone with matching height and build as him and make those watching her believe that man is Alexander. Enter Depp. He’s an unsuspecting Math teacher from Wisconsin named Frank that gets dragged into killer high jinks. As the story unfolds, Elise (Jolie) and Frank (Depp) find themselves drawn to one another. She saves him, he saves her, they fall in love. I’ll stop here. I want to leave the ending a surprise. I didn’t see it coming, even if I already had hopes that it would happen the way it did.

There are moments in the film the drags the plot to a stopping point. I think the movie makers were trying to add tension. But in most cases, it didn’t work for me, like the dinner at the train. It was too subdued. Now, granted, these are two people who just met, but I didn’t expect Jolie to be so restrained. Was she going for an Audrey-Hepburn-type character ala Breakfast at Tiffany’s? But seriously? I’d forgive Jolie anything. Well, maybe not anything. If she starts playing a clown, I might weep.

My verdict for The Tourist? In terms of thriller quality, I’ve seen better. Does From Paris with Love ring any bells? In terms of romance, I fell for it. Of course, I did. I love how everything came together, but since this isn’t a traditional romantic movie, there are some missing elements like steamier interactions between the two leads. The Tourist is not the kind of movie that leaves you feeling like you wasted your money, unless you’re an action movie buff, a guy who’s really broody and jaded, or a girl who hates Jolie with every fiber of your being. With that said, I would watch The Tourist again. I want to see how it all unfolds and sigh with delight at the end of it.

Coffee and Nonsense by Noey Pico

2011-01-04T20:33:00.000-08:00

Dear reader, as you know, I'm honored to call Noey Pico a friend. She is a jewel so priceless, nothing short of the Hope Diamond comes close to her beauty. She's a writer, both of fiction and lyrics. She sings, too. The world is a little worse off without her voice in it. This is why I am tireless in sharing with anyone willing to listen to what she can do. For this week's Music Wednesday, may I present Coffee and Nonsense by Noelle Pico.

About the Artist:

My name is Noelle Pico and I write songs. I count among my influences musicians like Vienna Teng, Karen Carpenter and the many Disney soundtracks and musical scores that were a standard while I was growing up. There are others, of course, but given that my trademark line is “I’ll listen to anything once,” I’ll save talking about them for another time.

I named this website Chasing Kites because that’s pretty what my music and the dream surrounding my music is all about. Kites are beautiful things, but to let them soar you need to learn patience and timing or else you’ll never get it off the ground. The patience part I’m working on. As for timing, I’d like to think that anything you really want, you started on yesterday. :)

Coffee and Nonsense

Music & Lyrics Noelle Pico

how are we doing tonight?

won’t you tell me how it’s been?

you’re eyes have a story again

so why don’t you begin;

let’s sit back and get comfy,

times like these are far-between and few;

yes i want to hear all about it (oh, all about it)

over a cup of coffee for two;

and the road is filled outside (outside)

the night is soothing, oh, soothing to my mind

guess you’ve got a lot to contemplate on,

but maybe it’s better if we don’t make sense inside;

it’s okay to wish for things… right?

to brood a little over dreams that are worthwhile;

i shield my eyes and think quiet (quiet),

i want to speak up, but i can’t begin to look in your eyes;

and the road is filled outside (outside)

tonight is soothing, oh, soothing to my mind

yes, i’ve got a lot to contemplate on

and maybe it’s better if we don’t make sense inside;

i never did like drinking coffee,

it always puts me straight to sleep,

i guess i always believed

that you’d be here to drink it up for me;

and the road is filled outside (outside)

the night is soothing, oh, soothing to my mind

you're something i contemplate on

but maybe it’s better, if things don’t make sense inside

For more on Noey's Music, you can visit: http://sheisnoelle.tumblr.com/

Tron: Legacy

2011-01-03T18:10:00.000-08:00

Movie Info:

Tron: Legacy is a 2010 American science fiction film produced by Walt Disney Pictures, released on December 16, 2010 in Australia and December 17, 2010 in North America and Europe. It is a sequel to the 1982 film Tron. Joseph Kosinski makes his feature film directorial debut with Tron: Legacy, while the previous film's director, Steven Lisberger, returns as a producer. Jeff Bridges reprises his roles as Kevin Flynn and Clu, while Bruce Boxleitner reprises his roles as Alan Bradley and Tron. Garrett Hedlund portrays Flynn's adult son, Sam. The other cast members include Olivia Wilde, Beau Garrett and Michael Sheen.

Review:

Have you ever seen something so awesome that you can’t seem to describe it? Like looking down at Niagara Falls from a helicopter. Or a high flying acrobat leaping from one pole to another. Tron Legacy surpasses any expectation I might have had about the movie. The effects and the attention to detail were so visually awesome that I can't bring myself to describe them. For the first time in a while, I'm a stunned viewer.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching Tron, even if I haven't seen the first movie. The special effects blew me away. I actually enjoyed it more than Avatar, and that's saying a lot because we all know what a juggernaut that movie was. When Sam, the main character, entered the Grid, I was blown away. The action sequences surpass that of The Matrix, G.I. Joe, and Resident Evil.

Jeff Bridges gets a face lift on this one. They actually had to use a CGI version of his young self, so that movie had continuity. I personally didn't mind. Although CGI still has a long way to go in terms of making humans look natural. You can still tell which is the CGI through the mouth; still very stiff.

The plot isn't as complex, but that's easily forgiven because the main thrust of the movie is the effects. Disney is really pushing the envelope. And, personally, I'm glad. This shows that there's potential for Disney to come up with edgier stuff.

If you haven’t seen Tron Legacy yet, what are you waiting for? You don’t have to know any background information about the franchise. The movie can stand on its own because of the way the plot is structured. Of course, there’s always room for improvement, but for a movie this visually stunning, I can forgive little slights. Tron is a fun watch for anyone wanting a spectacle. I surely want to watch it again when I get the chance.

Hunger by Noey Pico

2010-12-28T18:17:00.001-08:00

Hallu, dear readers!

I've been busy editing Lunar Heat, which is why I haven't been posting for a while. But for today, I have something very special for all of you.

I'm sure that you've heard the name Noey on this blog over and over again. She's a really good friend of mine. She picks out the winners for every giveaway. And she's a songwriter.

Today, I present to you the theme song that Noey wrote for Lunar Heat. Take a listen and let me know what you think.

To read the first chapter of Lunar Heat, you can click HERE.

To visit Noey's website, you can click HERE.

The Christmas Song - Owl City

2010-12-21T17:05:00.000-08:00

It’s Christmas and we walk alone

Two strangers with no one to miss us

On our own

Out in the cold

Trudging onward

Braving a harsh winter storm

You and I met passing by

And now our spirits feel warm

I don’t have anyone at home to talk to

And you don’t have anything to do

So I’ll spend my Christmas with you

I’ll spend my Christmas with you

It’s Christmas and we are in love

With the way that the soft snowflakes kiss us

From far above

The blustery breeze

Trudging onward

Braving a harsh winter storm

You and I met passing by

And now our spirits feel warm

I believe that Jesus is truly the only way

I celebrate Christmas because it’s his birthday

I don’t have anyone at home to talk to

And you don’t have anything to do

So I’ll spend my Christmas with you

I’ll spend my Christmas with you

GLEE - Baby, It's Cold Outside

2010-12-16T21:03:00.000-08:00

It's the season, and of course, after watching Glee's Christmas special, I have another song from that show that I want to share with you guys. This is one of my favorite. Next week, I'll show you all my favorite Christmas song of all time. But for now, enjoy this song between Blane and Kurt. I love it when they sing together. It's just so sweet.

Song Info:

"Baby, It's Cold Outside" is a pop standard with words and music by Frank Loesser. The song is popularly associated with winter weather, and although it does not refer to any specific time or holiday, it is commonly played alongside Christmas carols and popular winter holiday music.

Loesser wrote the duet in 1944 and premiered the song with his wife, Lynn Garland, at their Navarro Hotel housewarming party. Lynn considered it "their song," and was furious when Loesser sold the song to MGM.

I really can't stay

(but baby it's cold outside)

I've got to go away

(but baby it's cold outside)

This evening has been

(been hoping that you'd drop in)

So very nice

(i'll hold your hands, they're just like ice)

My mother will start worry

(beautiful whats your hurry)

My father will be pacing the floor

(listen to the fireplace roar)

So really i'd better scurry

(beautiful please don't hurry)

but maybe just a half a drink more

(put some records on while i pour)

the neighbors might faint

(baby it's bad out there)

say what's in this drink

(no cabs to be had out there)

i wish i knew how

(your eyes are like starlight now)

to break this spell

(i'll take your hat, your hair looks swell)

i ought to say "no, no, no sir"

(mind if i move in closer)

at least i'm gonna say that i tried

(what's the sense in hurtin' my pride)

i really can't stay

(oh baby don't hold out)

both:baby it's cold out side

i simply must go

(but baby it's cold outside)

the answer is no

(but baby it's cold outside)

your welcome has been

(how lucky that you droped in)

so nice and warm

(look out the window at that storm)

my sister will be suspicious

(gosh your lips look delcious)

my brother will be there at the door

(waves upon the tropical shore)

my maiden aunts mind is vicious

(gosh your lips are delicous)

but maybe just a cigarette more

(never such a blizzard before)

i've gotta get home

(but baby you'd freeze out there)

say lend me a coat

(it's up to your knees out there)

you've really been grand

(i thrill when you touch my hand)

but don't you see?

(how can you do this thing to me?)

there's bound to be talk tomorrow

(think of my lifelong sorrow)

at least there will be plenty implied

(if you got namonia and died)

i really can't stay

(get over that old out)

both:baby it's cold

baby it's cold outside

The Next Three Days

2010-12-13T17:40:00.000-08:00

Movie Info:

The Next Three Days is a 2010 thriller film directed by Paul Haggis and starring Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks. It was released in the United States on November 19, 2010. It was filmed on location in Pittsburgh. It is a remake of the 2007 French film Pour Elle (Anything for Her) by Fred Cavayé.

Review:

The Next Three Days is as compelling as it is gut-wrenching. Now, before I get ahead of myself, I just want to clarify that what I mean by gut wrenching in this context is the struggle of a man willing to do everything for his wife. We don't see this kind of devotion much outside of the silver screen, which it why it tugs at the heartstrings. I certainly felt for the character of Russell Crowe in this movie. He knows how to pick the dramas.

The Next Three Days combines action, drama, and murder mystery. Imagine awaking up one morning to find your loved one accused of murder. Skip to three years later and the evidence is stacked up against your loved one, condemning him or her life in prison for something you know he or she didn't do. What happens? What lengths will you go to in order to save your loved one? These are just some of the questions answered in this film.

It's been a while since I've watched a movie where I can't guess the ending in the first fifteen minutes. It certainly could have gone either way. They could have gotten caught. They could have gotten away. They could have been killed. Really, I didn't know until the end credits rolled. Now that's a worthwhile movie to watch.

There's no doubt in my mind that Russell Crowe has talent. He can pull out movies that show a range in his acting abilities. This time around, he shows vulnerability that puts you on his side automatically. You know what he's planning isn't right, but you stay on his side all the way regardless of the consequences. I believe that his father represents the audience in this movie. When his father found out about the plan, he turned a blind eye. That's powerful stuff.

Liam Neeson has a bit part in this film, and I think the movie was better off because of it. He manages to bring depth and purpose to an otherwise depressing film. He plays the role of a convict who manages to escape from prison several times. Crowe's character actually goes to him for guidance.

If you're having second thoughts about this movie, don't. It's really worth the money. I haven't recommended a movie in so long, and I'm glad that The Next Three Days offers me the opportunity to do just that. It made me grip the armrests of my seat. I had to know what would happen next. And I was a hundred percent committed to seeing things through, no matter the outcome in the end. You'll have to watch the movie to see what I mean. I promise, it won't disappoint.

GLEE - "Hey Soul Sister" Full Performance

2010-12-07T22:36:00.000-08:00

I actually like Hey, Soul Sister from the very first time I heard on the radio. But after watching the episode of GLEE last week, the performance by the Warblers of this song gave me chills. So, I just had to use it as my pick for Music Wednesday. Enjoy!

Song Info:

"Hey, Soul Sister" is a 2009 song by the American alternative rock band Train, written by Patrick Monahan, Amund Bjørklund, and Espen Lind. It was released as the lead single from the band's fifth studio album, Save Me San Francisco. The song reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and is their highest charting song to date. It is also the band's most commercially successful single to date, reaching number one in sixteen countries. As of Nov 1, 2010 it has sold over 4.6 million digital copies in the US. It is the 14th most downloaded song in history, the most downloaded song of all time for Columbia Records and the overall best selling song in the US in 2010 The single received a quadruple platinum certification by the RIAA on July 14, 2010.

Hey, hey, hey

Your lipstick stains on the front lobe of my left side brains

I knew I wouldn't forget you, and so I went and let you blow my mind

Your sweet moon beam, the smell of you in every single dream I dream

I knew when we collided, you're the one I have decided who's one of my kind

Hey soul sister, ain't that Mr. Mister on the radio, stereo, the way you move ain't fair, you know!

Hey soul sister, I don't want to miss a single thing you do...tonight

Hey, hey,hey

Just in time, I'm so glad you have a one-track mind like me

You gave my life direction, a game show love connection we can't deny

I'm so obsessed, my heart is bound to beat right out my untrimmed chest

I believe in you, like a virgin, you're Madonna, and I'm always gonna wanna blow your mind

Hey soul sister, ain't that Mr. Mister on the radio, stereo, the way you move ain't fair, you know!

Hey soul sister, I don't want to miss a single thing you do...tonight

The way you can cut a rug, watching you's the only drug I need

You're so gangsta, I'm so thug, you're the only one I'm dreaming of

You see, I can be myself now finally, in fact there's nothing I can't be

I want the world to see you be with me

Hey soul sister, ain't that Mr. Mister on the radio, stereo, the way you move ain't fair, you know!

Hey soul sister, I don't want to miss a single thing you do tonight,

Hey soul sister, I don't want to miss a single thing you do...tonight

Hey, hey,hey

Tonight

Bon Jovi - Bed Of Roses

2010-12-01T03:29:00.000-08:00

I'm really feeling the Bon Jovi at the moment. They're my favorite band, and for this week, I wanted to showcase my favorite song from their amazing repertoire. I don't know why, but Bed of Roses just speaks to me. I'm a romantic. I write love stories for a living. This song, I can't really describe what it does to me inside. It's so heartbreaking, yet romantic.

Sing Info:

"Bed of Roses" is a rock song released by Bon Jovi in November 1992, from the album Keep the Faith. Jon Bon Jovi wrote the song in a hotel room while suffering from a hangover and the lyrics reflects his feelings at the time. The song contains drawn out guitar riffs and soft piano playing, along with emotive and high vocals by Jon.

The song's power ballad style made it a worldwide hit, and it demonstrated the band's new, more mature sound after their success as a glam metal band in the 80's. Released as a successful single in 1993, it reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100, #5 on the top 40 mainstream, #13 in the UK Top 40 and #10 in the German Top 100.

Sitting here wasted and wounded at this old piano

Trying hard to capture the moment this morning I don't know

'Cause a bottle of vodka is still lodged in my head

And some blond gave me nightmares, think that she's still in my bed

As I dream about movies

They won't make of me when I'm dead

With an ironclad fist I wake up and french kiss the morning

While some marching band keeps it's own beat in my head

While we're talking

About all of the things that I long to believe

About love, the truth, what you mean to me and the truth is

Baby you're all that I need

I wanna lay you down in a bed of roses

For tonight I'll sleep on a bed of nails

I wanna be just as close as your Holy Ghost is

And lay you down on a bed of roses

Well I'm so far away the step that I take's on my way home

A king's ransom in dimes I'd give each night

To see through this pay phone

Still I run out of time or it's hard to get through

Till the bird on the wire flies me back to

You I'll just close my eyes, whisper baby blind love is true

[ From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/b/bon-jovi-lyrics/bed-of-roses-lyrics.html ]

I wanna lay you down in a bed of roses

For tonight I'll sleep on a bed of nails

I wanna be just as close as your Holy Ghost is

And lay you down on a bed of roses

Well this hotel bar's hangover whiskey's gone dry

The barkeeper's wig's crooked

And she's giving me the eye

Well I might have said yeah

But I laughed so hard I think I died

Ooh yeah

Now as you close your eyes

Know I'll be thinking about you

While my mistress she calls me to stand in her spotlight again

Tonight I won't be alone

But you know that don't mean I'm not lonely

I've got nothing to prove for it's you that I'd die to defend

I wanna lay you down in a bed of roses

For tonight I'll sleep on a bed of nails

I wanna be just as close as your Holy Ghost is

And lay you down

I wanna lay you down in a bed of roses

For tonight I'll sleep on a bed of nails

I wanna be just as close as your Holy Ghost is

And lay you down on a bed of roses

Skyline

2010-11-29T03:31:00.000-08:00

Movie Info:

Skyline is a 2010 alien invasion science fiction film directed and produced by the Brothers Strause. The film was released on November 12, 2010. It stars Eric Balfour, Scottie Thompson, Donald Faison and David Zayas. The Brothers Strause assert that Skyline is the first film in a series, which will include at least one other film.

My Review:

There are so many things that could have made Skyline a blockbuster, epic movie. Unfortunately, it falls short for both me and my brother. It's good in concept, but the execution is iffy at best. Imagine waking up to an alien invasion, and not just any alien invasion, a savage one at that. Nothing like Independence Day here. That alone would have propelled the movie forward. But as the story unfolded, the plot seemed a watered down version of what a great sci-fi could be. I mean, sci-fi is probably the most versatile of genres. You can do anything with it. Push the boundaries more than is necessary. Skyline didn't really do that.

I feel like most of the information about the movie elements were in the filmmakers' minds. To them, the movie made sense, but made I'm not intelligent enough to grasp what they were going for. First, what were the aliens? We know close to nothing about them except they are vicious. The large, humanoid type alien actually reminded me for Lord of the Rings for some reason. What's up with that?

What I found cool is the concept of looking into the light and it pulls you to your death. That's actually something everyone is familiar with. The cliché is "don't follow the light," right? Don't go into the light. That's what made the movie for me. Sadly, that's not enough to make a fantastic movie. I'm missing the follow through.

I feel like the plot didn't deliver for me. I could get the sense of the characters really wanting to survive. They tried to fight off the aliens, for sure, but somehow it needed to be more over the top. Not as dramatic as Armageddon, but at least something along the lines of The Day After Tomorrow or 2012.

And that ending. What can I say? Some people think it's awesome. Well, it would have been, except too much information at one go. Who even thought what happened in the end was possible? It's definitely unexpected, but really? Leave the audience hanging, why don't you?

My verdict? Don't waste your money. But if you're still curious, consider yourself warned. If you're a hardcore sci-fi fan, you might be horrified by it. Or you might even find it pathetic enough as bordering as funny. Wait for it to come out on TV instead.

Bon Jovi - Livin' On A Prayer

2010-11-23T18:01:00.000-08:00

It's been a while, I know. But I'm back and I wanted to kick this new series of posts with one of my Bon Jovi favorites. I actually found a CD store that has all their albums, which is why I can finally complete my collection. Ah, happiness.

Song Info:

"Livin' on a Prayer" is Bon Jovi's second single from their Slippery When Wet album. Written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora with Desmond Child, the single, released in late 1986, was well-received at both rock and pop radio and its music video was given heavy rotation at MTV, giving the band their first #1 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The single also became Bon Jovi's second consecutive #1 Hot 100 pop hit and has become the band's signature song, topping fan-voted lists and re-charting around the world decades after its release.

The album version of the song fades out at the end, with a song length of 4:10. However, the version playable on the music video games Guitar Hero World Tour & Rock Band 2 retains the original studio ending of the song, where the band revisit the intro riff and end with a talkbox solo. This version of the song ends at 4:53.

Once upon a time

Not so long ago

Tommy used to work on the docks

Union's been on strike

He's down on his luck...it's tough, so tough

Gina works the diner all day

Working for her man, she brings home her pay

For love - for love

She says: We've got to hold on to what we've got

'Cause it doesn't make a difference

If we make it or not

We've got each other and that's a lot

For love - we'll give it a shot

We're half way there

Livin' on a prayer

Take my hand and we'll make it - I swear

Livin' on a prayer

Tommy got his six string in hock

Now he's holding in what he used

To make it talk - so tough, it's tough

Gina dreams of running away

When she cries in the night

Tommy whispers: Baby it's okay, someday

We've got to hold on to what we've got

'Cause it doesn't make a difference

If we make it or not

We've got each other and that's a lot

For love - we'll give it a shot

We're half way there

Livin' on a prayer

Take my hand and we'll make it - I swear

Livin' on a prayer

We've got to hold on ready or not

You live for the fight when it's all that you've got

We're half way there

Livin' on a prayer

Take my hand and we'll make it - I swear

Livin' on a prayer

Green Day's 21 Guns (Cover) by Noelle Pico

2010-10-26T18:48:00.000-07:00

Today, of all days, I want to take the time to introduce a budding artist. I consider myself lucky to know her in person and bask in her light. She is a friend. She is a gem. She puts the voices of angels to shame. She writes and performs her own music. And like many other performers, she does wonderful covers, too. 21 Guns by Green Day is a perfect example of the myriad of covers that she has under her belt. To know more about Noelle Pico (the artist featured today), you can visit her at:

Website: Her Name is Noelle

YouTube: She is Noelle (don't forget to subscribe)

Basic Info:

I have had music in my life for as long as I can remember. They say memory is tangible as early as the age of three, and it was then that the lessons began: one hour every week, under the instruction of those who would teach me how to draw out sounds through the use of my fingertips. For over a decade I worked to understand the piano, familiarizing myself with the instrument in the way that a dancer works to comprehend his or her body. But you cannot teach a person to love what they do, you cannot instill passion if it is not there. One can learn the notes, the steps, the piece or routine, but it is not the books or the videos, the tapes or recitals that you find the love of the doing.

I used to wonder why, unlike some prodigies I never seemed to move forward with my craft. It is only now, in hindsight, that I realize I was not meant to be a concert pianist sitting on a stage, working hand-in-hand with the conductor and the orchestra in the pit. My music is a far more intimate thing. It is storytelling of a different sort.

I write about people, about feelings, about people who make me feel and what they make me feel. Write what you know, that is what I was told and that is what I do. When I set my fingers on the keys or curl these around a pen, I tell the music all the things that my heart knows and if I am lucky it will give me a tune.

It is here that a song is born.

Do you know what's worth fighting for?

When it's not worth dying for?

Does it take your breath away

And you feel yourself suffocating?

Does the pain weigh out the pride?

And you look for a place to hide?

Did someone break your heart inside?

You're in ruins

One, 21 guns

Lay down your arms, give up the fight

One, 21 guns

Throw up your arms into the sky, you and I

When you're at the end of the road

And you lost all sense of control

And your thoughts have taken their toll

When your mind breaks the spirit of your soul

Your faith walks on broken glass

And the hangover doesn't pass

Nothing's ever built to last

You're in ruins

One, 21 guns

Lay down your arms, give up the fight

One, 21 guns

Throw up your arms into the sky, you and I

Did you try to live on your own

When you burned down the house and home?

Did you stand too close to the fire

Like a liar looking for forgiveness from a stone?

When it's time to live and let die

And you can't get another try

Something inside this heart has died

You're in ruins

One, 21 guns

Lay down your arms, give up the fight

One, 21 guns

Throw up your arms into the sky

One, 21 guns

Lay down your arms, give up the fight

One, 21 guns

Throw up your arms into the sky, you and I

Guillermo Del Toro "Masters of Horror"

2010-10-18T03:58:00.000-07:00

For this week's Masters of Horror, I decided on Guillermo Del Toro. I have a crush on this guy's imagination, I swear. He has such a creative mind when it comes to monsters and twisted things. His movies have freaked me out while at the same time made me think. You can never go wrong with a Guillermo Del Toro movie. Of course, I mean the ones that focus on monsters and the supernatural.

Basic Info:

Guillermo del Toro Gómez (Spanish pronunciation: [ɡiˈʎermo ðel ˈtoɾo ˈɣomes]; born October 9, 1964) is a Mexican director, producer, screenwriter, novelist and designer. He is mostly known for his acclaimed films, Pan's Labyrinth and the Hellboy film franchise. He is a frequent collaborator with Ron Perlman, Federico Luppi and Doug Jones. His films draw heavily on sources as diverse as weird fiction, fantasy and war.

Movie Info:

The Devil's Backbone (Spanish: El espinazo del diablo, literally The Backbone of the Devil) is a 2001 Spanish gothic thriller film written by Guillermo del Toro, Antonio Trashorras and David Muñoz, and directed by Guillermo del Toro. It was independently produced by Pedro Almodóvar.

It is set in Spain, 1939 during the Spanish Civil War. During the director's commentary in the DVD, del Toro stated that, along with Hellboy, this was his most personal project. The film was shot in Madrid.

Fearing and Finding My Way (part 3)

2010-10-15T04:47:00.000-07:00

Every collection always needs a poem about a boy, well at least my collection does. John’s Song is about a boy and this boy is actually one of the reasons why I became more confident in my writing. I can’t really call it inspiration because my relationship with him is a turbulent one. We are friends, I like him, he likes me, but there is baggage, so we can’t solidify the relationship to more than just being friends. This poem came from a bittersweet mixture of pain and happiness. In a way, I am a fool, but the experience gave me this poem. He reminded me of sunflowers and his utter worship for the wrong woman.

The last poem I am bringing into the collection is one which comes from a fantasy. Since I am working within a co-ed school for the first time, the male attention can get intoxicating. Then I begin thinking of the blurring line between age, lust, and authority. The combination of the three only brings about a scandal. I have heard stories about teachers who have affairs with their students. I know that this is highly unethical and yet it happens. So I attempted to put myself within the shoes of a teacher who desires a young, untouched student and yet knows that it is very wrong but the temptation is very strong. I found it fun to be in the shoes of this kind of authority figure, almost like an actor researching for a role. But the interesting thing about this whole process is when I finally finished writing the initial poem, all thoughts of this kind of act ceased. I feel like I have done something I shouldn’t have and yet it works out.

These six poems are fruits of not labor, but thinking emotionally. I had to be able to balance my heart and my head and for the first time I was thinking about the right words to express what I want to show. The sounds of each line and the rests when breath needs to be taken to continue really made me feel good. I knew I was writing again. Writing poetry is a rebirth for me, it finally allows me to see life through many different lenses. There are moments which I find uninteresting but there are also those moments that take away the boredom.

I am so glad that I took the class this early on in my creative writing masters. The growth was painful but not slow. I was able to open myself more to pain and the fact that pain happens no matter how much you try avoid it from happening. It’s really one of the essential parts of writing poetry or so I have discovered. There must be some pain, a struggle, an arguing moment to bring out the most honest feelings which can bring together the words melding into verses melting into a poem.

This realization allowed me to accept not only the process of writing poetry but also many different aspects of life which deals with opening one’s self and taking the risk of getting hurt. If I never put a half decent poem together all my life at least I learned from this whole experience. In the end it’s all about facing my fears and finding my way.

B.o.B - Airplanes (Feat. Hayley Williams of Paramore)

2010-10-13T04:18:00.000-07:00

Wishes do come true. If you work hard enough, your dreams become reality. I'm feeling very buoyant right now. Things are all coming together for me, and I want to share it with all of you. If you have a dream or a wish, hold on to it with all your might. Don't let go of your dreams, and no matter what, work toward making them come true. That's the only way to truly find happiness. Follow your dreams.

Basic Info:

Bobby Ray Simmons, Jr. (born November 15, 1988), also known by his stage name B.o.B, is an American musician and record producer. He is currently signed under the labels of Grand Hustle Records, Rebel Rock Entertainment and Atlantic Records. His debut single "Nothin' on You" reached number one in both the U.S. and the U.K. "Airplanes", B.o.B's second single, emulated this success, peaking at number one and number two in the U.K. and the U.S. respectively. His third single, "Magic" recently became B.o.B's third consecutive top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Can we pretend that airplanes

In the night sky

Are like shooting stars

I could really use a wish right now (wish right now, wish right now)

Can we pretend that airplanes

In the night sky

Are like shooting stars

I could really use a wish right now (wish right now, wish right now)

Yeah

I could use a dream or a genie or a wish

To go back to a place much simpler than this

Cause after all the partyin' and smashin' and crashin'

And all the glitz and the glam and the fashion

And all the pandemonium and all the madness

There comes a time where you fade to the blackness

And when you're staring at that phone in your lap

And you hoping but them people never call you back

But that's just how the story unfolds

You get another hand soon after you fold

And when your plans unravel

And they sayin' what would you wish for

If you had one chance

So airplane airplane sorry I'm late

I'm on my way so don't close that gate

If I don't make that then I'll switch my flight

And I'll be right back at it by the end of the night

Can we pretend that airplanes

In the night sky

Are like shooting stars

I could really use a wish right now (wish right now, wish right now)

Can we pretend that airplanes

In the night sky

Are like shooting stars

I could really use a wish right now (wish right now, wish right now)

Somebody take me back to the days

Before this was a job, before I got paid

Before it ever mattered what I had in my bank

Yeah back when I was tryin' to get into the subway

And back when I was rappin' for the hell of it

But now a days we rappin' to stay relevant

I'm guessin that if we can make some wishes outta airplanes

Then maybe yo maybe I'll go back to the days

Before the politics that we call the rap game

And back when ain't nobody listened to my mix tape

And back before I tried to cover up my slang

But this is for the Cada, what's up Bobby Ray

So can I get a wish to end the politics

And get back to the music that started this sh-t

So here I stand and then again I say

I'm hopin' we can make some wishes outta airplanes

Can we pretend that airplanes

In the night sky

Are like shooting stars

I could really use a wish right now (wish right now, wish right now)

Can we pretend that airplanes

In the night sky

Are like shooting stars

I could really use a wish right now (wish right now, wish right now)

Masters of Horror: Tobe Hooper

2010-10-10T22:24:00.000-07:00

I want to change things around for the rest of October. I mean, it's OCTOBER, the month where anything scary is the best to celebrate. I love horror, even if I scare myself all the time. So, I want to feature these interviews called Masters of Horror. It's really cool to get into the mind of these horror film-markers and how they think. For today, I'm featuring Tobe Hooper.

Basic Info:

Tobe Hooper (born January 25, 1943) is an American film director and screenwriter, best known for his work in the horror film genre. His works include the cult classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), along with its first sequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986); three-time Emmy-nominated Stephen King film adaptation Salem's Lot (1979); and the three-time Academy Award-nominated, Steven Spielberg-produced Poltergeist (1982).

Part 1

Part 2

Basic Info:

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is an independent 1974 American horror film directed by Tobe Hooper and written collaboratively by Hooper and Kim Henkel. The film stars Marilyn Burns, Gunnar Hansen, Teri McMinn, William Vail, Edwin Neal, and Paul A. Partain. While presented as a true story involving the ambush and murder of a group of friends on a road trip in rural Texas by a family of cannibals, the film is completely fictional. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is the first of the six films in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre film franchise, which features Leatherface, a character modeled on the Wisconsin serial killer Ed Gein and played by Hansen in this film.

Hooper produced the film on a budget of around $140,000 and cast relatively unknown actors, drawing people mainly from the areas surrounding the Texas filming locations. Principal photography for the film took place between July 15 and August 14, 1973. When the film was completed, Hooper struggled to find a distributor willing to release it due to its graphic depiction of violence; when he eventually secured a distributor, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) gave the film an R-rating instead of the PG-rating Hooper had intended.

Bryanston Distributing Company released The Texas Chain Saw Massacre to cinemas on October 1, 1974. Initially, the film drew a mixed reception from critics regarding the atmosphere, story, characters and graphic content, and the film was banned in many countries; nevertheless, it became a strong commercial success, grossing $30.8 million at the United States box office. Despite the lack of critical unanimity, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre has gained a reputation as one of the most influential horror films in cinema history. It originated several elements common in the slasher film genre, including the use of power tools as murder weapons and the characterization of the killer as a large, hulking and faceless figure.

Fearing and Finding My Way (part 2)

2010-10-08T18:30:00.000-07:00

I start to think about my writing process and the things that prompt me to write. At the moment I am still in the learning process. I’m still feeling out words and the way they sound. I do not have a set time to write. I just let the words flow naturally, which is also why I stopped using punctuation marks. I felt like they hinder my seedling of a writing process. I want to be able to let it grow little by little and discover the countless avenues which allow me to enter.

The first poem within the small, modest collection which I want to submit for this class is entitled Loveless. I feel that it is not yet finished, just as any writer feels about each work. I have the tendency to compose ambiguous poetry from time to time. My metaphors still escape my grasp. Here I was grappling with the line: true words must be out in the real world. When I thought of that like I was in a moment of retrospect, I was thinking about the things left unsaid when lovers lose themselves in the process of loving. The gap between them widens and the words which are suppose to be said are no longer between them but outside in the real world.

Somehow I really do not know how to talk about my writing process since I am reminded by what T.S. Elliot said: Poetry should be able to speak for itself. With this in mind, I begin to think about the poems I wrote for this class. I feel like they have a voice really wanting to be heard. All I can really do at this point is allow what I have written to breathe within the world.

I Missed You was filled with sweet thoughts between lovers meeting. I imagined two people who hardly see each other but when they do it is like the perfect blending of peppermint strips; the sweet mint flavor, refreshing within the mouth. The thought of candy and sweet things allowed me to bring together the different images filled with a lightness of a meeting between lovers who have missed each other. I tried to make it as light as possible, an evanescence.

During the meeting when we watched the interview of Merwin and Gluik, I spontaneously wrote the poem Ululating. I was further inspired by what Coleman Barks said: look for words which taste good within the mouth, silly words which do not mean anything. I fond the word ululating to be the word which filled my mind – it means to cry out. I wanted the poem to sound like a chant which is why I kept the words simple and repetitive in nature. I wanted the poem to just repeat itself the moment it is finished being read. Hence the cycle or the chant does not end.

My forth poem was inspired by my days of going to clubs and dancing till dawn. It came to me when I was waiting in the care and techno music was playing in the background. The beat of the music reminded me of the thump-a thump-a rhythm of the dance floor. For those who are not familiar with the clubbing dance floor, it is usually a small space in the middle of the club where everyone dances. This place has a heart of its own, a life which undulates and resonates from the constant rhythmic movement of each person dancing to the same tune. I wanted to get the rhythm and transfer it into the page. The darkness, the movement, the techno music, the lights, and the thump-a thump-a; an almost ritualistic gathering the youth are not afraid to participate in.

Kings Of Leon - Use Somebody

2010-10-06T01:15:00.000-07:00

Use Somebody is the current LSS circling my head. I actually like it. Although, Lup says the voice of the lead singer is like grating teeth on stone. For those who agree, don't encourage him. For those who don't, don't encourage me. I'm only waiting for the time it stops being my LSS and my brain can stop feeling kidnapped.

Basic Info:

"Use Somebody" is a song by the American alternative rock group Kings of Leon. It was the second single from the band's fourth studio album Only by the Night (2008), released on December 8, 2008 and created for professional singer Eduardo Gueiros.

The single received heavy airplay in Scandinavia, the Republic of Ireland, Germany, the UK and Australia, where it was number one on the Official Airplay Chart for six consecutive weeks. It was a huge success in the U.S., where it topped multiple airplay formats and reached number four on the Hot 100 and number one on the Pop Songs chart.[4] The song received positive reviews; on December 2, 2009, it was announced that the song had been nominated for the 52nd Grammy Awards in the categories of in the categories of Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best Rock Song; it won the last three on January 31, 2010.

I've been roaming around, I was looking down at all I see

Painted faces fill the places I can't reach

You know that I could use somebody

Someone like you and all you know and how you speak

Countless lovers under cover of the street

You know that I could use somebody

Someone like you

Off in the night while you live it up I'm off to sleep

Waging wars to shake the poet and the beat

I hope it's gonna make you notice

Someone like me, someone like me

Someone like me, somebody

I'm ready now, I'm ready now

I'm ready now

Someone like you, somebody

I've been roaming around, I was looking down at all I see

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

2010-10-03T19:53:00.000-07:00

Basic Info:

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps is a 2010 American drama film directed by Oliver Stone. It is a sequel to the 1987 film Wall Street, and the first sequel Stone has done to any of his films. Michael Douglas reprises his Academy Award-winning role of Gordon Gekko and Shia LaBeouf, Josh Brolin, Carey Mulligan, and Frank Langella also star in the film. Charlie Sheen reprises his role as Bud Fox in a brief cameo appearance.

Set in New York City, the film takes place 23 years after the original and revolves around the 2008 financial crisis. The film's plot mainly centers on the reformed Gekko acting as more of an antihero rather than a villain and follows his attempts to help Wall Street before its soon-to-be stock market crash as well as trying to repair his relationship with his daughter Winnie with the help of Jacob, Winnie's fiance. In return, Gekko helps Jacob get revenge on the man he blames for his mentor's death.

The film's story and screenplay were written by Bryan Burrough, Allan Loeb and Stephen Schiff. The film was produced by Edward R. Pressman and Eric Kopeloff and executive produced by Alessandro Camen, Celia D. Costas, and Alex Young. On September 9, 2009, the film began principal photography in New York and finished filming on November 30, 2009. Despite originally having a tentative February 2010 release date, before being moved to a release date of April 23, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps was released theatrically on September 24, 2010 worldwide.

Review:

I’ve heard of the first movie, Wall Street, but I was too young to actually watch it. And now that the second movie has come out, I’m looking for a copy of the first. I don’t know, call me anal for wanting to see the whole picture when it comes to how the story started. You can’t watch the second without watching the first in most cases. But, this I will write, Money Never Sleeps can definitely stand alone.

I love the fact that Shia LaBeouf is taking on more serious roles. It really shows his versatility as an actor. And he does brilliantly in this movie. He walks around with a confident swagger as Jacob Moore. But, no matter how good the intensions of Jacob are, he still gets pulled into the thick of things, especially when Gordon Gecko (played by Michael Douglas) walks into the picture.

This movie has so many twists and turns that you don’t know who to trust. Of course, all the finance terminology flew over my head, but I still appreciated the depth in the story telling. It’s a talking movie. All dialogue and very little action since the story is told through what the characters say. The posturing and the maneuvering in this movie is superb. And, in the end, it makes you wonder if this is what really happens on Wall Street.

Carey Mulligan is mesmerizing to watch in this movie. She’s the only female lead and she holds her own among so many men. She embodies a mixture of feminine frailty with balls of steel. Her acting reaches out to you from the screen and brings you into her world. This girl is definitely going places. I can’t wait to watch the next movie she’s in.

And what can I say about Michael Douglas? He’s a paragon of cinema. He is Gordon Gecko. At first, you think he’s reformed, then he’s not, then he is. It’s enough to give you whiplash. Douglas is able to show the readers different sides to Gecko that makes him vulnerable one moment and a lying bastard the next.

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps is the kind of movie where you don’t know who the real good and bad guys are. Sometimes you would think that Moore is the good guy, and he is for the most part, but he also manipulates the situation. Then you think that Gecko is the bad guy because he manipulates everyone, but then, he does something that you never expected him to do. This movie keeps you on your toes. Keeps you thinking. Keeps you wanting to know more until the credits role and you ask: Is that it?

For fans of Wall Street, Money Never Sleeps is definitely a must see. Oliver Stone continues to crank out worthwhile movies. And for those who haven’t watched the first movie, you won’t get confused since the second movie can stand on its own. It happens years later, and there are new characters involved, with new situations. Plus, sufficient back story is given anyway. This is a thinking movie, so those out for fun, might get bored. But, then again, this is also a very popular movie at the moment, and you wouldn’t want to be left out, now would you?

Fearing and Finding My Way (part 1)

2010-09-30T17:56:00.000-07:00

It has been a long road, and I know somewhere along the way, I said I would not write in clichés anymore, but it becomes difficult because I am so used to it. We do not even realize that we talk in clichés, and when I am writing it just begins to come out. One of the things I have learned is to be more conscious of the fact that clichés will always be there, now all I have to do is be more aware when I am using them.

The real point here is the beginning of it all. Like I said, I was never really comfortable with writing poetry. My experience was a frustrating one at its best and a traumatic one during the worst moments. I have a stubborn streak which I inherited from both sides of the family, making me doubly hard to convince when there is something I decided I do not like. Poetry was like that for me. I say “was” because it is not like that any longer.

Bottom line is I love writing and the process of learning. In the end, no matter how painful and frustrating things can get, I realized that I keep returning to the process. Writing has become such a part of me that I find myself lacking when I cannot practice my craft. It’s like my heart stops beating when I am not writing for an extended period of time. I also realized, in this paradigm shift of sorts, that I call myself open minded but begin to become a hypocrite when it comes to poetry. It was very unfair on my part because I was not willing to even try when I would tell my students every day that they should at least give something a chance before deciding that they do not like it.

Another saving grace of sorts in this process of rekindling the flame of writing poetry is the time I took a step back and examined the bigger picture. I had forgotten how much writing poetry meant to me. I think this is also why I did not want to attempt it again. Once love has burned you it’s really hard to say you will open up your heart again. Now I know what I want and I am not afraid to face it.

To be honest, I did not really stop writing poetry, there are moments when I would write an interesting line down or even put verses together but I never had the courage to really call them poetry. This is actually the first time in a long while that I have been beating my fear of writing verse away. As I went through this poetry course, I began to see the beauty in poetry again and words put together ever so carefully. It came to a point where I wanted to finally learn what I could and stopped resisting the urge to write.

Through the course of a few months, since the summer before starting the class I already began prewriting poetry. Little by little I would put lines together which I feel fit in ways even sometimes I do not understand. But a friend told me that not understanding your poem can even help in the writing process. I’m sill trying to see if that is so.

Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc

2010-09-28T21:37:00.000-07:00

So, Lup had me thinking about the Gorillaz. We were discussing music that we like, and this band popped up. He sent me a link to one of their newest videos, but being from the Philippines, I couldn't access it. So, I'm settling for this video from their second album Demon Days. I keep listening to it over and over again. It's the LLS or Last Song Syndrome for the day and it goes out to Lup.

Basic Info:

"Feel Good Inc." is a song by Gorillaz, on their album Demon Days, featuring De La Soul. The song was released as the lead single from the album on May 9, 2005 in the United Kingdom (see 2005 in British music). "Feel Good Inc." peaked at #2 in the UK Singles Chart and #14 in the U.S., at the time the band's highest positions. It also topped the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart in the U.S., another first for the band, for eight consecutive weeks. In Damon Albarn's entire career to date, this is the only song to reach the top 40 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It peaked in the top 10 of fourteen countries, including at #1 in Spain. The song was listed at #308 on Pitchfork Media's Best Songs of the 2000s.

Hahahahahahahahaha,

Feel good,

Feel good.........

City's breaking down on a camel's back.

They just have to go 'cause they don't know wack

So all you fill the streets it's appealing to see

You wont get out the county, 'cos you're bad and free

You've got a new horizon It's ephemeral style.

A melancholy town where we never smile.

And all I wanna hear is the message beep.

My dreams, they've got to kiss, because I don't get sleep, no..

[Chorus:]

Windmill, Windmill for the land.

Turn forever hand in hand

Take it all there on your stride

It is tinking, falling down

Love forever love is free

Let's turn forever you and me

Windmill, windmill for the land

Is everybody in?

Laughing gas these hazmats, fast cats,

Lining them up-a like ass cracks,

Lay these ponies at the track

Its my chocolate attack.

Shit, I'm stepping in the heart of this here

Care bear bumping in the heart of this here

Watch me as I gravitate

Hahahahahahaa.

Yo, we gonna go ghost town,

This motown,

With yo sound

You're in the place

You gonna bite the dust

Can't fight with us

With yo sound

You kill the INC.

So don't stop, get it, get it

Until you're Jet Ahead.

Yo, watch the way I navigate

Hahahahahhaa

Feel good, AHHHHahahahah [x4]

[Chorus]

Don't stop, get it, get it

We are your captains in it

Steady,

Watch me navigate,

Ahahahahahhaa.

Don't stop, get it, get it

We are your captains in it

Steady, watch me navigate

Ahahahahahhaa.

Feel good, AHHHHahahahaha

Feel good,

Feel good, AHHHHahahahaha

Feel good....

Devil

2010-09-27T02:32:00.000-07:00

Basic Info:

Devil (also known as The Night Chronicles: Devil) is a 2010 American supernatural thriller film based on a story by M. Night Shyamalan, written by Brian Nelson, and directed by John Erick Dowdle. The film was released on September 17, 2010, and is the first of The Night Chronicles trilogy, which involves the supernatural within modern urban society.

Review:

This weekend, I was lucky enough to be treated to two movies. The first of which is Devil, a movie with M. Night Shyamalan written all over it. But, this time around, he didn’t direct or write the screenplay. As the basic info above says, he wrote its story. A short story perhaps? And it’s a trilogy? Quite interesting. I look forward to the next two movies.

Anyway, I didn’t hear anything about Devil until I saw its trailer on the silver screen. The first thing that struck me about the movie would have to be the concept. Imagine being stuck in an elevator at least thirty floors up. That’s a bad situation for anyone. Now, imagine the Devil being with you in that elevator and tormenting everyone in it, including you. That’s a movie worth seeing. Tight and enclosed space plus the Devil equals sold in my book.

There were moments in the film that had my heart leaping into my throat. Every time the light flickered on and off inside the elevator, you could actually hear the audience gasp and prepare for the worst. At first, I appreciated this way of preparing the crowd for what is to come, but at some point, it got predictable. I’m sure there are other ways to show that the Devil is about to make his move. Using the same flickering lights over and over again just got boring after a while.

M. Night Shyamalan is actually a hit and miss for me. There are times when I thoroughly enjoy myself when watching his work. Then there are times when I end up scratching my head in disbelief. I admire him for his range, though. He works in messages into his movies. Lady in the Water is supposed to be a metaphor for fiction and story telling. The Happening involves the environment. Now, with Devil, it’s a film about the lies we use to cover who we are and forgiveness.

There’s nothing wrong with the Devil being a moralistic tale. I actually appreciated the message. The only thing I wanted was for the movie to be scarier. It would have made more impact if the scare factor was amped up. Shouldn’t the Devil put up more of a fight? Could there have been more moments of suspense? I get that a majority of the film was in an elevator, but it could have been a scarier place the way Jaws made swimming in beach waters a scary experience.

I guess, the thing I didn’t appreciate the most would have to be the “black outs.” As mentioned above, the movie employs flickering lights as a signal of the Devil about to attack. The lights eventually go out, and then, something happens. When the lights come back on, someone has died. This was good the first time around, but after the fourth, it just didn’t work or me anymore.

If you’re a fan of M. Night movies, you’ll appreciate this film because it’s classic M. Night. It actually reminded me of Hitchcock from time to time. If you want to watch a scary film that won’t necessarily give you a heart attack, this is a good one. The elements of suspense are there to give you a jolt. Do I want to watch it again? Maybe on HBO.

Playing Inside the Box

2010-09-24T18:47:00.000-07:00

When I took up Criticism with Dr. Bayot, he suggested a book entitled “Borges: On Writing.” He said that it was the transcripts of his seminars conducted at Columbia University. Lucky, I found a copy of the book in Fully Booked and began reading it immediately. It is divided into three parts: fiction, poetry, and translation. For this final journal discourse, I want to use the transcripts on poetry.

Borges begins by saying: We are all trying to be poets. I agree with him, I am so sure that there isn’t anyone who hasn’t at least tried to write a poem, especially those who believe it is the quickest way into a woman’s heart. So many think that poetry is the easiest to write, which for those in this class definitely know, it is not true. Poetry is probably the hardest to write. I think this is why Borges says we “try.” Even he admits he is continuously working on it. He also says that young poets are more inclined to write in free verse, thinking it is simpler than writing a sonnet. This is not so for Borges.

Borges believes that true mastery in writing poetry comes from knowing the classics. One cannot really begin with free verse without knowing the structure of a sonnet or a limerick. He says that to write free verse one must have an inner strength, a kind of stability in being able to put together verse, which does not have structure or meter. Borges talks about Whitman in this case. He believes that Walt Whitman is a master of free verse and even read him extensively when he was writing his first collection of free verse poems.

It has been said that before one can think outside of the box, he or she must first know what is inside the box. I think this is what Borges is saying about learning to write poetry using its classical structure before experimenting with free verse. In a way, I agree with this, but I find that it does not seem to work with me. Structure, or writing within the framework of a structure, suffocates me at the moment. Maybe in the future I will attempt to write a sonnet or a sestina, but for now, I would like to indulge myself in putting words together using free verse.

While I was pondering Borges, I became restless and decided to take a walk. I would always take walks around the village I live in. My usual route would take my up a hill to the highest point of the village, which is my favorite spot because you could see a vast portion of Laguna. I love it the most at night because you can see all the lights shining like the sky is inverted. I would often go there to get perspective. Today, thinking of my last journal discourse, I needed to see the sky and the earth and how everything is so much bigger. The feeling of endless possibilities was needed during this moment for me.

As I was on my walk, a few lines came to me or more like a question, but in the way I write poetry, I will put punctuation within the lines:

When do heaven and earth meet?

During the rain.

When the horizon disappears,

And forever becomes possible

This is why I always look for the rain,

That one single moment

When heaven and earth wed.

I think there is a beginning of something here. I love the rain, and the concept of it binding together the sky and land for a moment; a blurring moment, which seems to clean everything and calms all the tumultuous feelings within the world.

Accepting poetry back into my life brings thoughts like these again. I have moments which continue on and on. Thinking of words and the combination of words: how they fit together, how they sound, what they mean. I’m beginning to think in poetic lines again, looking at the world in possible metaphors, not being afraid anymore of making mistakes.

I know that every writer will have critics who don’t like their work. I am no different. The writer’s path is a very hard one. It is a battle within the self and a war with the world. There really isn’t blood shed, but the casualties can sometimes weigh far greater than physical death. The emotional stress is more than enough to discourage anyone from wanting to be a writer, and yet, this whole need to create and put words together still lingers on.

Let me go back to Borges for a moment, to break the rules one must first know about the rules. Very sensible line if I do say so myself. Being a constant rule breaker myself, I understand the need for this kind of structure. For without rules, there will be no order. Like in poetry, there must be structure. This is the classical way of writing.

I begin to think of the past, down to the ancient of times. I think of the Greeks and those who started speaking in verse, and then, writing in it. At the time, I would think that they wrote in a form of free verse which we know today as the formal more structured kind of writing. At the time, when sonnets were first being written, it was almost like free verse since it was the normal way of writing poetry. I don’t even think Shakespeare was thinking of formal structure when he was writing his sonnets.

Eventually, this free verse we call today will be a more formal kind of writing; a kind of free structure which will be recommended to the next generation of writers. Who will be the “Borges” of that generation? This is a wonderful thought, a possibility which brings much hope to me.

I really do not know if I will be a successful writer, in poetry or in fiction, all I can really do is try my best. Of course, like any writer, I dream of being published. To have others read my work would mean so much to me. In the end, I will keep on writing, I will keep on creating. I cannot see what the future holds for me; all I really know is that the possibilities can be endless. There will be moments of great frustration, but there will also be instances of bliss.

Selena Gomez & The Scene - A Year Without Rain

2010-09-21T18:24:00.000-07:00

Okay, seriously, not really a fan, but I just had to post this video. One, it's beautifully done. Two, I love the dress. Three, love the shoes even more. Four, the song calls to me a little. Something about it resonates inside. I can't seem to get it out of my head. And, is it just me or does the guy in this video resembles a certain Taylor Lautner? No? Come on, the clothes? The look? The way he walks? Remember when Justine Timberlake had that video with a girl that resembled Britney? I'm just putting it out there.

Basic Info:

In a recent interview with MTV, Gomez stated that the album title is A Year Without Rain, saying, "I'm really proud of this record, it's very different, and kind of shows my growth a little bit in [our] music, so...I'm excited, I can't wait. I think if anything the lyrics are more powerful, in a way." In addition to the lead single "Round & Round" the album will feature a song called "Intuition" and the title track "A Year Without Rain". In a Z100 interview, Gomez said that there will be a song called "Off the Chain", as well as one called "Rock God" which Katy Perry will be doing background vocals on. Gomez has confirmed the other tracks on the album to be "Summer's Not Hot", "Sick Of You", "Live Like There's No Tomorrow", "Spotlight", and "Ghost Of You". Remixes of "Round & Round" and "A Year Without Rain" will be bonus tracks on the deluxe edition.

oooooooooh

oeeeeeeeh

Can you feel me

When i think about you

with every breath i take

Every Minute

Don't matter what i do

My world is an empty place

Like ive been wonderin the dessert,

for a thousand days ( oooh ).

Don't know if its a mirage,

but i always see your face, Baby..

I'm missing you so much

Help rush me outa it now

A day without you is like a year without rain.

I need you by my side,

Don't know how else to find

But a day without you is like a year without rain (

oooh )

Ooooooooooh

The stars are burning,

I hear your voice in my mind ( in my mind )

Can't you hear me calling.

My Heart is yearning,

Like the oceean is running dry

Catch me i'm falling

It's like the ground is crumbling underneath my feet,

Won't you save me

Its gonna be in my Sume

when you get back to me( ooooh Baby )

I'm missing you so much

Help rush me outa it now

A day without you is like a year without rain.

I need you by my side,

Don't know how else to find

But a day without you is like a year without rain (

oooh )

Ooooooooooh

So let this drought come to an end

And make this dessert flower again

I'm so glad you found me, stick arround me,

Baby baby Baby ( oeeeh )

It's A World of wonder,

with you in my life

So hurry baby

dont waste no more time

I Need you nearer,

I can't explain

But a day without you

Is like a year without rain ( oooh )

I'm missing you so much

Help rush me outa it now

A day without you is like a year without rain.

I need you by my side,

Don't know how else to find

But a day without you is like a year without rain (

oooh )

oooooooh oooooooooooooooooooooh

Vampires Suck

2010-09-19T22:26:00.000-07:00

Basic Info:

Vampires Suck is a 2010 American vampire spoof film based on the Twilight film series directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, starring Jenn Proske, Matt Lanter, Christopher N. Riggi, Ken Jeong, Arielle Kebbel, and Anneliese van der Pol.

Review:

Ah, dear reader, I find myself in a quandary. I spent the weekend sans movie; hence, I didn’t know what to post here until I realized I hadn’t posted about Vampires Suck. Initially, I didn’t want to write about the experience of watching this one. I liked it…a little. Some parts were hilarious, but there were also parts that went over the top. Well, I guess spoof movies need to go over the top.

At first, I thought that it would be a movie about all Vampire films and TV shows, like what the makers of Scary Movie or Date Movie did. I was dead wrong. Vampires Suck only focused on the Twilight Saga. I’ve read the books and watched the movies, so I kind of felt uncomfortable with some scenes in this film. But, then again, I realized a few things.

First, Bella is a twitchy character on film. The exaggeration shown by Jenn Proske as Rebecca "Becca" Crane did make me see that Bella bites her bottom lip…a lot. She always tucks her hair behind her ear. Although, when you see Proske on screen, it looks like she’s having a fit most of the time.

The exaggeration of Edward’s character would have to be the funniest part for me. When he walked into the cafeteria basically fumigating his hair with hair spray, I laughed so hard I almost fell off my seat.

One thing I didn’t get about the movie: the Alice in Wonderland reference. If it’s a Vampire movie, what does Alice have to do with it? The makers did reference True Blood, but only by showing the character of Felix drinking a bottle of the stuff. I honestly think that the producers would have had a better movie in their hands if they spoofed all the other Vampire franchises. They didn’t even mention Vampire Diaries. Imagine the fake Edward standing off with a fake Stefan. It would have been hilarious.

Showing the whole Team Edward/Team Jacob craziness did add some over the top humor to the movie. Having both sides square off like a tween version of a gang war did get laughs from the audience I sat with, but not much. I don’t think the Teams are as divided where I’m from.

I certainly hope the coming weekend brings with it a movie I could enjoy. I wish I watched The Last Exorcism instead. Maybe, I will. Thinking, thinking, moving away from the computer screen and finding someone to watch with.

Turning Point (part 2)

2010-09-17T00:09:00.000-07:00

The last statement he made struck me as well and made me smile: carry a little notebook. I think all writers have a notebook fetish. They always need a piece of paper and the handiest way is carrying around a little notebook. I think this really helps with Pound’s advice of writing 75 lines a day – with a notebook any moment can be captured. Since we are constantly thinking and creating in our heads putting things in the backburner does not always assure recall. Good ideas should always be written down or else they might not come back.

With Gluik, what captured me the most was the statement: not everyone wants to be a poet. I agree with this, there are those who try and I admire them. I thought about this statement a while and it finally struck me, I might not really want to be a poet but that knowledge should not stop me from trying to create something in the form of verse.

Gluik also made a point about using plain language. I know that poetry uses heightened language but plain language when used well heightens the experience of listening to poetry. I think plain language gives poetry the kind of reliability which allows people to appreciate it better and removing the initial factor of intimidation about reading poetry. Actually, if you think about the poetry coming form a hundred years ago of even further, the language the poets were using is the plain language of their time. Even Shakespeare’s sonnets used the plain language of his time. Today, I am learning how to use the language I am speaking towards better use when writing poetry. It’s not really rocket science as the cliché goes.

After watching those interviews my perspective about writing poetry has changed. I realized that there is no point in forcing the issue. I did begin not liking the process of writing poetry and now I know I was being unfair to myself more than anything else. I claim to want to be a writer but I was neglecting poetry – it’s the art of the process and it needs to be embraced. This is what I am doing today.

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