Along Comes a Spider...

Nope. this is not my review of the movie Spiderman III although I really should get to that. After all, with ticket to an early screening comes the responsibility to inform to the public the quality of the show.

Yeah, right!

Well, actually I just could not resist wasting spending my weekend to draw this. It was in reference to the movie Charlotte's Web, where a spider named Charlotte attempted to rescue a piglet named Wilbur from slaughter by spinning 'miraculous' web with words of compliment to the pig.

Wilbur was born a runt and because he is one of 11 to a sow with 10 teats, he would probably not be able to fight for his share. For this reason alone, the farmer decided to slaughter him on the very night he was born. However, he was rescued by the farmer's daughter, who took to caring for him.

Wilbur was a warm-hearted and friendly pig, not to mention really cute too and he brought some joy to the otherwise mundane farm. Everyone (as in, the other animals) grew to loves him but he was the only one who would befriend a spider. And what a friend Charlotte turned out to be as when Wilbur found out that he would be slaughtered by winter, she made a promise without a second thought, to save Wilbur from such fate. One night, she had an inpiration and weaved the word "some pig" on her web above Wilbur. The humans are so amazed by it they declared the incident a miracle.

However, Charlotte was not too confident that this is enough to saves Wilbur and so begin a search for a more incredible words that will both honestly describe Wilbur as well as touches the hearts of the humans in the farm. Spinning those words on web however, is a difficult job for Charlotte as she has never done it before. As the movie progress, so too does the design of the web as the tapestry became more refined. In the end of the movie, the tiny Charlotte did rescue Wilbur as the human were to amazed with the presense of such web that they put off the slaughter.

Yes...don't tell the children but from the direction of the movie, it was obvious that Wilbur will not survive the next winter. Ignore this fact however, and you will have an absolutely delightful movie to bring the kids to. Due to the cute factor, not a bad movie to bring a girl to as well.

I give the movie a three stars. I would also like to mention the visual effect is excellent. Talking animals, a CG spider and in my opinion, very realistic webs. Though it is no longer showing in the theater, I am certain that the 'resourceful' Malaysian will not have problem looking for an alternative. And here is the cartoon I just drew.

Apparently, Spiderman has an easier time 'writing on web' compared to Charlotte. And if you have seen Spiderman III, you might noticed that Venom pulled the same trick when he was trying to get Spidey's attention.

The human spider

Me: So, you stick to walls, you shoot web, you have the proportional strength of a spider... you are literally a human spider. Do you feel blessed for all this?

Spiderman: Well, with great power comes great responsibility. I wouldn't use the word blessed but I guess I am glad. Glad that at least I didn't develop an appetite for bugs although considering the current economic, that might not be such a bad idea. But most of all, I am just glad that unlike normal spider, I don't shoot web out of my butt.

It's not my fault, it's the voice inside my head.

BTW, something I thought of when I watched Spiderman 2. Does Sam Raimi has something for villains with voices in their head? The Green Goblin hears voices in his head in the first movie and so does Dr Octopus in the second, even though as far as I know, Doc never have that problem. Spiderman 3 will sees the appearance of Venom and since it is a living alien symbiote, chances are the host Eddie Brock will also hears voices in his head. Hmm...

It's the Venom of Love that sting the worst...

Friends who know me probably guessed that one of my most awaited movie of the year was Spiderman 3. X-Men may deserved the credit of jumpstarting the recent flood of big budget adaption of comic book superheroes but it was Spiderman that was the most successful in this franchise. Duncan already secured tickets to the early screening of Spiderman 3 in Cineleisure Damansara on May 1, at 2 pm. To those who don't have a ticket... nyeh nyeh.

The marketing has been brilliant. The fans already know there will be a new Goblin. The studio revealed that the new villain for part 3 would be Sandman. We fans go WTF... we want Venom. What we didn't know is Venom IS in it. It was just never revealed until the first teaser was released and all the fans around the world started jumping with excitement.

Confession. Truth is... I am not too optimistic about part 3. Why? Hmm, must be an overexposure of their promotion. Too much of a good thing is not always ermm... a good thing. Beside, although my jaw dropped to the ground at earlier Spiderman 3 poster, I am getting bored with each new variation. Red and blue Spidey in new poses with a relection of the same Spidey in black. How much more repetitive can you can? Can we see a bit of the new Goblin or Sandman please... even though it is Venom we are waiting for?

In fact, there was a rumour when part 2 was screened that Harry Osborn will be Venom in part 3. Personally, I thought that would be an interesting twist to the original story. After all the only important criteria as the host for the alien symbiote is that the person hated Spiderman. Very very much. So far, we saw the gooey black costume, nice effect by the way and a glimpse of Venom. Unlike the comic version, this Venom is not brawnier than Spiderman. In fact, I would say it look more like a black Carnage and I thought I saw in the trailer, Venom shooting out black web. Which indicated that he is not capable of generating his own webbing but utilise the symbiote's shape shifting ability to replicate web. Kinda like how Carnage uses that property to create sharp tentacle as weapons.

There is other apparent difference that was revealed in the trailer. For one, Gwen Stacy will be in part 3. This difference, the presense of Gwen as MJ's love rival however, we fans don't quite find agreeable. In the book, Gwen was Peter's first love, not MJ Watson. And it was also she whom Green Goblin thrown off the bridge. Except in the book Spiderman failed to save her. Yes, in one of the most memorable story in Spidey's mythology, the first love of Peter Parker died because even though he managed to snatched her with his web before she hits the ocean, the force of the fall broke her back, killing her. That was about the only time the law of physic was not broken in a superhero story.

I understand the need for this though. At the core, what Spiderman really is is a soapy sappy love story. The superpower, the costume, the action- they are merely gimmick. Admit it or not, Sam Raimi got us, or at least me, all emotional over every victory and defeat of young Peter Parker. We rooted for Peter to find the courage to confess his love to MJ and we were moved speechless when he decided to remain "friend only" with her due to the tragedy that befell Harry Osborn in part 1. We cheer him on when he attempted to win back the then engaged MJ in part 2 and gritted in frustration when Peter blew his chances. When they finally got together in the end of that episode, we grinned like silly when MJ told Peter to "Go get 'em, Tiger" (a line from the comic).

So what will we be left with if after every battle, Spiderman gets to return to the loving embrace of the love of his live? Just another action movie. Heck, even in the newspaper comicstrip, their relationship is anything but smooth sailing. Therefore, we need something to rock their relationship and there is nothing like the presense of a sexy blonde to do just that. I believe they will have a rosy ending still after this episode and though Sam has not confirm it yet, trust me that if there will be a part 4, something else will be threathening their relationship. Maybe Logan will visit Manhattan and MJ finds him absolutely irresistable.

So if there is any guy out there who think it is not macho to watch romance, don't let anyone know you are watching Spiderman because screw Titanic, Spiderman IS the greatest love story of all time.

THIS IS SPARTA...

During my absense from blogging, I did write one article which is the review of 300. I watched it on the opening week but never finish the review. That was quite a while ago but since I haven't post a review in a while, what the hell, here it is...

I saw 300 and IT. WAS. EXCELLENT.

For the uninformed, 300 is a movie adaption based on Frank Miller's graphic novel of the same title. This is the story of how 300 soldiers of Sparta defended their city from the massive Persian army so huge, they "shook the earth with their march and drink the river dry".

Knowing the actual history of this battle, I realised, when I read the graphic novel, that the story presented is highly inaccurate and excessively glorified but what the hell... it was one hell of a read.

My initial impression, based on the trailer, is that they will followed the other movie adaption of another of Miller's successful graphic novel, where scripts and scene was followed virtually unaltered from that of the printed version. While that will still be interesting to watch, I am glad director Zack Snyder did what he did, adding to the story, shooting some original scenes, and all the while keeping some very memorable scenes from the graphic novel, which is plenty. And their attempt to replicate the lighting and colour mood as originally presented is also commendable.

I could not believe that the role of King Leonidas, based on Miller's interpretation can be carried out so effectively but Gerard Butler pulled it off briliantly. He was brought up to be hard but yet it shows that deep down inside, he has a soft spot for those that he love. But it was his toughness that fanboys like us love, and his sense of sarcasm as only Miller can script it. One of my favourite line was his reply to a band of Greek who expressed their disappointment in his number of soldiers. And of course, all of us remember how he treated the Persian messenger in the beginning of the film.

The director has chosen to expand the story beyond what was first published. Good decision as the original content was probably not long enough for a proper movie. The rape of Leonidas's queen and the subsequent punishment she carried out on the traitor during the council meeting was not in the original story. But Miller's style was so closely followed in the scripting that even one who has read the GN wonders, if the scene were original, or were from the book but merely forgotten.

The battle scenes were awesome as viewers see how superior the Spartans, fighting skill is to the Persian. Purists however, may question... where is their formation? History as well as the movie have stated that the strength of the Spartan army lies in their formation. Formation which was used only in the beginnning of the first battle before every Spartan seems to break away and fights-maims-kills-slaughters as individual instead of as one single fighting unit. A friend also mentioned that in real battle, soldiers never thrust as deep as the handle will become slippery from all the bloodshed and it would be impossible to withdraw the spear.

Well... I was right about the formation as Dick was about the thrust but truth is nobody give a damn. We were all too busy feasting our eyes on the images of Spartans giving hell to the Persians. Have I mention I love the lighting used in the film? Apart from that, Leonidas gave the most powerful battle cry I have heard in a movie.

"GIVE THEM NOTHING! BUT TAKE FROM THEM... EVERYTHING!!!

It was not in the book but it still feels like Miller could have written that. But I must add that it only works because Synder managed to create the right mood for it. Can you imagine if Aragorn shouted that in LOTR: ROTK? And for the record, his battle cry, as scripted by Tolkien is excellent too, albeit a tad too poetic. My favourite battle cry, or rather 'final pep talk' is still that uttered by General Maximus played by Russell Crowe in Gladiator.

Before a Spartan knock my light out for getting out of topic, my verdict is... hey, I already said it.

IT. WAS. EXCELLENT.

I AM BACK...

Some fan, aka a friend, been bugging me about updating my blog as apparently, reading blog is a fun way for her to know what is happening in her friends' lives. And I haven't updated in a while.

Well, its been speculated that the year of boar will not be kind to those born in the year of snake. And though I chosen to ignore these hocus-pocus, the report has proven to be accurate so far. I ran into so much problem in the beginning of the year I have enough material to write a book. Except I really could not find the time to even draft them.

Any girls out there who like guys with issue, here I am...

Still, there is no use 'bitching' about it here. I am just glad most of the problems are behind me now and the immediate future promised to be more rosy from now. There is a silver lining in these clouds after all. And there is no point to believe in fortune telling.

Just saw Wild Hogs last week. Basically a rather enjoyable but hardly outstanding films about 4 friends setting out on a road trip to escape the problems they are facing in their personal lives. You can call it mid live crisis, but to me, it's merely escapism. The humour is predictable at times but also fresh the rest of the times. I just thought it has the potential to achieve more than what it has to offer.

Right after the movie, I signed up for a promotion outside GSC. Gave my personal info and completed a short survey, all for a free bottle of 80ml mouthwash. Damn, that was so cheap I wonder how much need to be offered before I agreed to sell my soul.

Who's da man?

Haven't the time to be online much nowaday. You can imagine, I just bloged about event that happened a whole one week ago. So I was pleasantly surprised to find someone left a comment on my post that goes:

hey !
like your blog better the xiaxue.
She only got shiiiiiit to say ;)

Keep it up ;)
Cheers,
Patrick
www.ribbsaeter.blogspot.com

Hmm... quite a generous compliment directed at a novice blogger, considering that Xiaxue is one of the most well-known bloggers around. Still, I shouldn't get too excited. My blog is just more 'likable', not better. And many people don't like Xiaxue for her attitude portrayed in her blog.
I thought she was a good writer but sometimes, I also beh tahan with her but it's her blog, she can write whatever she wants.
If one day someone tells me I am better than Kenny Sia, then I will have reason to celebrate. What???
If you think you can, you can.

Well, Patrick is on to some kinda charity plan for India (made mental note to read into details next time) so Patrick, if you are reading this, all the best to you.

p.s. First comment I receive on this blog. You made my day. Thanks