First Twilight movie scene complete!

If you're anxiously waiting for the Twilight movie, the first scene is finally out! It features the ballet studio climax, with Bella, Edward, and James.



Pretty suspenseful. I'm hoping the other scenes are just as intense :) Sadly, we don't see much acting yet in this scene, so I can't wait for the next scene to come up. What scene will you like to see next? I think I want to see the first time Edward and Bella meet, I wanna see how well Edward acts it out :)

Edward/Bella vs Jacob/Bella

Anyone who has read past Twilight's New Moon has probably thought about this at one point or another. In fact, I do believe that it is one of the most compelling points of debate among Twilight fans, considering that Twilight is essentially a romance novel.

Edward and Bella vs. Jacob and Bella. The debate sounds very shallow, more like tweens debating over the cutest guy in the Jonas Brothers Band, but with respect to the story's premise, the choice between the two is more than just a choice between the beautiful, perfect vampire and the passionate, kick-ass werewolf - it is a choice between immortality and humanity.

The relationship between Bella and Edward is doomed to failure if the Cullen boy doesn't choose to transform Swan at an age when they would look like husband and wife, rather than grandma and grandson. However, that would mean that Bella would have to give up the latter portion of her normal lifetime and live an eternal life of darkness and isolation. Bella is stupid enough (forgive me, die-hard Bella fans, I like Bella too but I believe that she is being unreasonable) to cast away all of these things, implying that humanity is overrated anyway. She doesn't realize how sad her life will be if she never sees her father, mother, and Jacob again. I believe that her concept of love is still very immature - she imbibes the idea that love is just about the guy and the girl; nothing else comes close in importance. And it is this aspect why I am not a fan of the Bella and Edward ship.

On the other hand, we have Bella and Jacob. Jacob isn't perfect. He's not good with words - he ends up openly showing his bitterness when Bella chooses Edward over him. He calls the vampires bloodsuckers even though he knows Bella is very amiable with the Cullens. As a werewolf, it is his innate behavior to have a short temper. Thing is, Bella is head over heels in love with Edward that he considers Jacob only because Edward left her. She doesn't deny that she loves Jacob - it is impossible not to. Jacob knows her inside out, even without any vampire mind-reading skills needed and he is madly in love with her. However, Bella seems to be more entranced by Edward because of the allure and mystery that revolves around the life of a vampire. I believe that choosing Jacob will be a mature step for Bella - a point in her life when she realizes there is so much more to life than just the love between man and woman. With Jacob, she can enjoy all the things a human can. With Jacob, life is not perfect, but it is real and whole.

To be political, I would agree that Bella's relationship between Edward and Jacob are equally appealing in that both men are always on edge with their instincts - they are both struggling to put a bridle on their true nature in order to be with her. Edward has to battle with his bloodlust. Jacob has to battle with his phase-causing temper. I just lean more towards the werewolf because of my reasons above. If you are an avid Edward/Bella fan, please do not flame me ^^

Josiah Leming is a Sour Grape

NOT!!!

These media people are starting to piss me off. They'll do anything to generate more traffic and buzz, normally at the expense of some unknowing celebrity who's just decided to be honest.

Take this crap for instance:

Click here to read the People Watch magazine article, titled "Idol Contestant Josiah Leming Calls Show ‘Glorified Karaoke’"

If you read the article, the words "sour grape", "ungrateful", and "arrogant" will come to mind. The article reeks of controversy.

Now, read the full MTV article, where People watch magazine got its source:
Click here for the full MTV article.

Doesn't it all come into better perspective in the full article? Josiah Leming on the full article is merely voicing out what he feels. Yes, he says "It's like glorified karaoke." But he also says, "I did it and it was great. I love those people there. They were great to me, and it gave me a great kick-start to my career." True, he still gave American Idol some lip. But hey, isn't there some truth in it?

The kid's got an attitude, but it's not so bad and it definitely isn't sour graping. "There's something in me — call it ambition, call it arrogance, call it cockiness, it doesn't bother me because it's necessary to my music."

It just reminds me of Jason Castro's "controversy" regarding the balloons, where the media put the dreadhead in an ugly light, implying that he didn't appreciate the gift. Seriously, after all the weeks we've come to know him through his video clips, and interviews, do you really think that's true?

Bottom line: take everything you read with a grain of salt. Because these articles are a whole load of bull crap coated with an intelligent choice of intriguing vocabulary.

David Cook and "Innocent"

David Cook surprised me by performing Our Lady Peace's "Innocent" this week. I was obviously thrilled to know that we have the same favorite band, but I felt anxious when he announced his song, because his voice and Raine Maeda's voice are very different. But David Cook is as talented as an American Idol contestant can get, so I was hoping he'd pull it off.

By the end of the performance, I was left with mixed feelings. The beggining was very rough as he tried to find his correct tone, but by the middle, I started enjoying it. As a whole, he was good, but not fantastic. It was an apt song choice based on the lyrics, but perhaps he could have chosen another OLP song.

I still give David Cook props for taking on such a difficult song. I personally believe "Innocent" is one of the hardest OLP songs to sing, because the range stretches from the very low to high. And interpreting the raspy quality to Raine Maeda's voice isn't a no-brainer.

For those who have not listened to the original version of Innocent, here it is:







Just a few minutes ago, I was able to listen to the full length studio version of David Cook's rendition of "Innocent", and it certainly redeemed him big time. He sang it way better! Not as great as Raine in my opinion, but Cook did what he does best - he made it his own! Here it is:







David Cook is amazing.

Hanazawa Rui Wallpaper + Hana Yori Dango Finaru!!!!!

I just realized that I haven't uploaded this to my blog yet. It's just appropo to upload it now, as I wait eagerly for the Hana Yori Dango movie.



If you guys have not yet watched the teaser to the movie, here you go:






YOKATA NE!!!!! It promises to be another exciting view!!!! :) I must say that the makers managed to really pull off HYD2 quite well (I was afraid it was going to flop like Meteor Garden 2), so I think that they'll do just as well with this one!!!!!! Can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To be shown 6/8/2008!!!!!!

Simon Cowell Spot on

Last night, Simon Cowell's comments were all spot on. I don't think I disagreed with him on any of his remarks.

Of course, I do believe that it's unfair that Kristy Lee Cook got a lot of recognition for her improvement in her performance, considering that despite her improvement, she is nowhere near as talented as the other contestants.

Chikezie really needs to stop reacting to constructive criticism like that, it shows how obnoxious and arrogant he is.

Carly was both extremely frightened and frightening during her performance. Her vocals were strong, as always; the tone of her voice is very professional, but her bottom 3 experience the previous night really shook her and it showed last night.

Brooke White's piano performances are starting to get really dull. I personally am not a huge fan of her, but her personality is really something that sets her apart from everyone else.

Michael Johns finally came out strong last night. I've been itching to hear him wow me just like he did in Bohemian Rhapsody and last night, I saw a snatch of that. He has an extremely good tone to his voice, so he really has to bring on his A Game.

Jason Castro's laid-back performance fit perfectly with his personality, and his performance and voice is very unique. His mannerisms when he sings really brings out his gawky charm. I am still waiting for another Hallelujah performance.

The other performances - okay.

Last but not the least, David Cook. WOW. I must say that I am now 100% sure that he is better than Chris Daughtry. I compare the two of them only because they are the rocker contestants of American Idol. I think besides that, they differ in many ways. David Cook's vocals and modern grungy/rock renditions of classic songs show his extreme talent. No wonder he was born with a big skull - he's got a really big brain inside of it. An intelligent, professional, contemporary, original, gutsy contestant - quite a unique find if you ask me.

Another Ikuta Toma Wallpaper - now in Sepia

Needed a break from the mundane madness that is work. This is a wallpaper in sepia for our dear Ikuta Toma. The pictures I used here were taken from several sources I saw in Google. I just edited them a bit and changed their color gradient. Hope you enjoy!

I just love how each picture portrays a different side of the multi-faceted Ikuta Toma, leaving out his wacky and zany side just to give this wallpaper a more serious feel to it. If I were to include his funny personality in this wallpaper, I would have needed more than 4 panels, most definitely.

The second picture of him from the left is his role in the Two Gentlemen of Verona, which I sadly have not watched yet. If anyone can be so kind as to tell me where I can watch it, please leave a comment. Thanks in advance!

Elimination Night and Elliott Yamin in Idol gives Back

It was the night to pick the top 10, and Kristy Lee Cook managed to sneakily charm her way out of being eliminated by acting all cutesy-tootsy again the night before, even after butchering two Beatles Songs (one into a drunken country techno song, the other into a mediocre, off-key performance).

Eliminations aside, I think my favorite part of the show tonight was the Idol Gives Back clip. There is no doubt in my mind that Elliott Yamin is THE nicest Idol ever. Despite his rise in fame, and his successful first album, he remains to be the humble nice, sensitive guy we saw him as before. It was a truly touching sight when I heard the baby boy was being named after him. His reaction was priceless, humbly saying "You didn't have to do that", taking off his hat, and rubbing his teary eyes.

Fantasia (Idol Gives Back Preview clip)
Uploaded by 1laren

I am truly blessed to have watched him perform live. He was amazing, really down to earth, and his amazing voice and soul captured me all over again, just like that memorable night back in AI when he sang "Moody's Mood for Love". I wish him all the best in the many years to come.

I would also like to wish that Kristy Lee Cook finally gets kicked off the show next month. We don't need "musical wallpaper". We don't need another Kelly Pickler singing these mediocre country tunes, and banking on charm and blonde hair.

This season's American Idol lookalikes!

It's time for me to make a lame attempt at showing this season's celebrity lookalikes. ;)

Luke Menard - Orlando Bloom




David Hernandez - Elliott Yamin (before he got his curls)




Jason Castro - Sonny Sandoval (from POD)
And they're both donning dreads!




Alaina Whitaker - Carrie Underwood
No wonder Simon loves her so much enough to call her the "dark horse" in the competition. You know how Simon loves these blonde country-style types.




Colton Berry - Ellen (he said it himself)




Joanne Borgella - Queen Latifah




Garrett Haley - Jacob Kraemer (just a little)
Lest you don't know who Jacob Kraemer is, he played Ben Harrison in Naturally Sadie. If you don't know what show Naturally Sadie is, there's always wikipedia ;)




And finally.....





Amanda Overmyer - Ursula
Wahahahahahahaha ;) Sorry couldn't help it, there's a similarity, no?

A HOT AI Night!

This week the males were HOT! They wowed the judges, including the ever critical Simon. And they certainly wowed me!

The night started out okay with Luke Menard. I have nothing against him, but the problem is I have nothing to praise him about either, aside from his similarity with Orlando Bloom. He is, as Simon said, forgettable. Which is why I think he is in grave danger of being cut this week. David Archuleta followed, with a very goose-bumpy performance of an Eric Clapton classic. The judges didn't like it as much. I'd have to disagree with them. I believe that this was one of my favorite David Archuleta moments. I liked the whole piano thing he did at the beginning, until he just focused on his singing. A few pitch problems here and there but he really made the song different. Danny Noriega followed and I was rendered speechless! He must have outperformed and outsassed all the ladies. Vocals weren't quite good, Simon wasn't feeling it again. The arrangement was actually pretty funky.

Then the night was really set on fire! There was David Hernandez singing a female-popularized song and owning it (although it pales in comparison to his hot interpretation of "Papa was a Rolling Stone"). Then there was Michael Johns' deep rough voice and unique stage antics. I'm very glad he's back in the game - last week was a disappointing night for him. David Cook's rendition of the Lionel song was extremely unpredictable and he did a great job! I'm glad Simon is starting to warm up to him. He is one cool guy. And his voice is perfect for that rock scene!

Then there was Jason Castro! He was the absolute highlight of this night, in my opinion. Just as Paula said, he showed his vulnerability, and his phrasing is really what sets him apart. I also love his voice! It has this accent that really makes me want to listen to him sing over and over again. Personality wise, he is a cinch to be my favorite. He is this shy, funny guy type with a bit of a flirtatious side to him. He is ADORABLE!!! I find myself smiling whenever I listen to his interviews and his singing.

Chikezie was the last to perform and I must say that I am starting to get annoyed by his cockiness. Simon asked him a painfully simple question if Whitney sang the song, and he had to show off his musical memory by telling him who remade the song, yadda yadda. His vocals this week wasn't all that good either. Very pitchy. I couldn't relax as I was always trying to adapt to the tone.

All in all, I like 5 out of the current 8 so here's to hoping that the 5 I like get through! Way to go, guys! Go beat the females, who I believe are sorely lacking in diversity this season.

My American Idol Picks and Ramblings

My Top 3/4 picks!
1. Jason Castro
- I LOVE his tone and voice, his funny, shy guy personality, his eyes
2. David Archuleta
- The judges are right, he sings like a seasoned performer, and his personality shines through each of the songs
- ADORABLE, ADORABLE, ADORABLE!!!!
3. David Cook or Michael Johns
- These two are fighting this spot. Michael Johns didn't choose the right song
- Still waiting for David Cook to really rock it

Ramblings:
1. Is it just me or is Simon Cowell extremely critical this season? I mean there are performances that are actually pretty good but he's not impressed!
2. What does Simon have against Crossword?? Sheesh, do all American Idol contestants have to follow the same mold?!
3. A guy should win this season because the guys are more unique and diverse.

Grave of the Fireflies

This Studio Ghibli piece isn't very new... Let me rephrase that: it's an old anime. It was released back in 1988. But it came highly recommended by a few so I decided to watch it last weekend.





The story is set in World War II, in the eyes of the Japanese. It focuses on a brother Seita and sister Setsuko. Already, at the very first scene, you see the bleak picture that war paints. You see people in rags, emotionally dead... physically dying from starvation. One of them is Seita, and at that very moment, I was certain that I was going to choke from emotion in several parts of this show, and I was going to be very disturbed at the end of the show.

When the show ended, I was filled with mixed emotions. The cards that Seita and Setsuko were dealt with were quite ugly. But they had hope: they had a chance to live with their aunt who provided for them. They had a roof over their head, which made them so much better than many.


Here is where the debate begins - Seita, old enough to help out in household chores, get a job to provide more for them, or help out during raids, opted to laze around and play with his little sister, Setsuko, too young to understand what was really happening. The auntie gets frustrated with him and he is too proud to carry his weight and instead, opts to live alone with Setsuko.

And that's when things got really bad. Malnutrition and Setsuko's diarrhea drove Seita to start stealing from others. And this inevitably leads to the first scene of the show.

Which leads me to this conundrum: Did Seita deserve the viewers' pity? Was it not his excessive pride and sloth that lead to his demise? Could the future have been brighter had Seita apologized to his aunt? Was it right for him to merely live a carefree life with Setsuko amidst all the bullets, air raids, and destruction?

Nevertheless, this story disturbed me tremendously. It's amazing how an old piece like this could graphically depict the bitter times so well. I find myself remembering some scenes from the show every now and then and shivering unconsciously. The people at Studio Ghibli are amazing.

American Idol Season 7 Top 24 has been chosen!

And here are my top picks from the cream of the crop!

Michael Johns

Great voice, good looks, he's not tied down to just one genre, very cool persona, Michael Johns is an ultimate package and he can definitely light the crowd's fire.





His rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody is interesting, he didn't go crazy with it, and instead made it his own:



David Archuleta

He's 16 years old but very mature, is as charming as charming can ever get, has a very interesting past (he almost lost his voice!), has that huskiness to his vocal box and good looks to boot! He's certainly going to capture a lot of hearts.



That's pretty much my top picks for now!

Another one I really liked who didn't make it was the cool guy, Josiah Leming. The way he shouts in his songs is extremely interesting, it's high-pitched, almost on the brink of breaking, but it really works! I think he can really make it big in the commercial pop/alternative/punk industry because he is the type of voice and personality that people are looking for nowadays (maybe minus the excessive crying).



Everyone will agree that Mika's songs are hard to sing, what more to make it your own? Josiah proved he has mad skills to do that. And have you ever seen Simon smile like this before??



Sadly, he didn't quite make it. The pressure of delivering was too much for him, he wasn't able to practice enough for his last performance, and he did the risky move of singing without a band which Simon misinterpreted as arrogance (I personally think Josiah did that only because he was afraid he'd mess up more if he played with a band he wasn't able to practice with).

I guess it's better luck next time for him. He still lacks the maturity that 16-year old David possesses. He has to get his act straight a bit, be a little more confident, a little less rattled so we can hopefully see more of him in the near future.

On the female side, I personally do not have any favorites. The closest I have of a favorite on the female arena is the rocker nurse. She is a very very cool contestant but I agree with Simon that she has to change it up because she runs the risk of being overly predictable. The other girls don't seem to fit the genre I'm looking for. A lot of beautiful contestants, no doubt, but they seem to be all belters / country gals and I really really hate country music. The thought of having another Carrie Underwood winner makes me shudder.

Can't wait for next week!

The Wittiest Reality TV show duo yet is in Amazing Race Asia 2!

I've actually grown tired of watching race-type sports-intensive reality TV shows, like Amazing Race and Survivor. I only watched Amazing race for the bickering couple that was Colin & Christie and watched Survivor only on its second season. Personality seemed to have dissipated from the shows, replaced by stereotypes, cheesy "I will survive" types, and overly serious competitors. The formula was personally driving me nuts.

The Mark and Rovilson duo is just what the reality TV routine needs - a fresh, witty personality with good looks to boot (may I note that Mark looked especially hot this Africa episode)! They are perhaps the wittiest duo ever to grace my boob tube, as they exchange banters, give funny retorts, and do zany things on screen. And they go one step further to entertain us with their special Amazing Race customized shirts! They are the sole reason why I follow this season of Amazing Race Asia. I think shows should endeavor to have contestants as vivacious as these two, otherwise people are really going to get tired of the same thing.

I'll be posting my fave Mark and Rovilson quotes soon ;)

Ikuta Toma's new Jdrama!

Ikuta Toma lands a new role at the JDrama, Honey and Clover, adapted from the anime with the same title. The drama is mostly a romantic comedy, focusing on the lives of five college students and the love triangle (or pentagon, whichever). He plays Takemoto Yuta, a man who is unsure of himself. He is a bit gawky, quiet, and falls for the extremely shy Hanamoto Hagumi.

From the first part of the drama, I feel that this is going to be a great watch. From what I gathered the movie version of this show sucked so I hope that the bad reputation of the movie won't rub off in this series. They have Ikuta Toma's acting prowess to make this show work after all.

Here are a few screen shots that to me, captures the very essence of this new character he is playing. It is a stark contrast from the almost cocky goofball Nakatsu Shuichi and an even bigger contrast from the vengeful, kakkoi Junpei. One thing hasn't changed though - He is as cute and charming as ever ;)






It's great that the Japanese entertainment industry is keen on determining who the great talents are and is giving Ikuta Toma all the opportunities he deserves! Congrats, Ikuta Toma! A lot of us are rooting for you!

My main Ikuta Toma support page here:
My First Toma Post
All My Ikuta Toma Posts/Wallpapers/Icons

Renaldo Lapuz - THE defining moment of Season 7

I am your brother
Your best friend forever
Singing the songs
The music that you like
We're brothers til the end of time
Together forever til the end of time
I am your brother
Your best friend forever
Singing the songs
The music that you like
We're brothers til the end of time
Together or not, you're always in my heart
Your hurting feelings
Will reign no more

If you're watching American Idol Season 7 then you definitely know this song. You must have endured a few sleepless nights with this tune plaguing your head (or it might just be me).

If you're not watching American Idol Season 7 because you believe that it has nothing more entertaining to offer, then watch it now:



If you're not laughing right now, then you might be dead. Or 99% of the other viewers just have a corny sense of humor ;)

I predict that Renaldo Lapuz will be THE most talked about phenomenon of this season. Just a quick search through youtube.com shows that it's already happening! Check out just a few of the people who have submitted a video singing Renaldo's original composition!



A beautiful version of the song:


If you remain unconvinced, Renaldo Lapuz has his own website! And traffic seems to be pouring in like crazy!
http://www.renaldolapuz.com/

This is just another reminder of how powerful this show really is. Kinda creepy realization if you think about it :)

American Idol Season 7 does it again!

It's that time of the year where we can behold the talent of the American Idol contestants, or laugh out loud at their lack thereof. It's the time of the year where we see people make a fool of themselves, intentionally or not.

And thus far, this is one contestant not to be missed!
Let my people go!



It's amazing how this reality TV show has now hit season 7 but has barely scratched the surface of the crazy antics of the US of A! And I thought last season's Panther boy had taken the cake.

Of course, the question now is if AI still has a lot more new talent to showcase to us or if we are going to be watching a set of copycats from seasons 1 to 6. Only time will tell.

In the meantime, let's enjoy Simon Cowell's commentaries, the creepy half naked male contestants, scary glittery women, Star Wars fanatics, and the tone-deaf. Cheers!