OK, I blog it with a bit of the style of twitter/microblogging, and some location "check-ins".
Played squash at the National Squash Centre in Unitec. I'd only played twice before in UoA and that was years ago. It's a much quicker game than I remembered. It was good that there were 5 of us so we could take turns to rest. Maybe I just hadn't played a racquet sport for sometime so I wasn't used to quick bursts of movement.
Dinner at Canton Cafe in Kingsland. It's an old restaurant but it's the only time I've been there. Several dishes tasted quite similar. The portion was quite large and filling. Good for ending the hunger after the squash game.
Had a flat white at Circus Circus in Mt Eden. A cosy place.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Notes
AA Traffic - Roadwatch
http://maps.aa.co.nz/traffic/roadwatch
Map with information on congestion, incidents, roadworks etc.
Mapnificent. Auckland
http://www.mapnificent.net/auckland/
A map to estimate how far you can go by public transport within a certain time.
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Txt a phone number to 300 to find out whether the number is on the same network. It's a free service. This works on 2degrees and Vodafone NZ. Not sure about Telecom. Numbers can be ported between networks nowadays so the 021 or 022 prefixes don't always match the networks.
http://maps.aa.co.nz/traffic/roadwatch
Map with information on congestion, incidents, roadworks etc.
Mapnificent. Auckland
http://www.mapnificent.net/auckland/
A map to estimate how far you can go by public transport within a certain time.
----
Txt a phone number to 300 to find out whether the number is on the same network. It's a free service. This works on 2degrees and Vodafone NZ. Not sure about Telecom. Numbers can be ported between networks nowadays so the 021 or 022 prefixes don't always match the networks.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
The Reluctant Infidel [film]
The Reluctant Infidel (在有些地區命名為 The Infidel) 是個有關宗教、種族的英國喜劇片。好像不算主流電影，在播藝術電影的戲院才有放映。
電影演一個中年男子是不怎麼虔誠的回教徒，有一天他發現自己是被收養的，而且自己的生父母是猶太人！身份錯亂。一方面想學著當猶太人去見生父；另一方面兒子要結婚，他要表現成虔誠的回教徒給基本教義派的親家公看。
整片一直在搞笑。我自己是覺得比較淺的身份混亂的橋段滿好笑的。可惜的是我對回教和猶太教不熟悉，有一些跟這兩個宗教相關的特定符號和刻板印象的笑點我就不太懂了。
LC rates: 3 stars
電影演一個中年男子是不怎麼虔誠的回教徒，有一天他發現自己是被收養的，而且自己的生父母是猶太人！身份錯亂。一方面想學著當猶太人去見生父；另一方面兒子要結婚，他要表現成虔誠的回教徒給基本教義派的親家公看。
整片一直在搞笑。我自己是覺得比較淺的身份混亂的橋段滿好笑的。可惜的是我對回教和猶太教不熟悉，有一些跟這兩個宗教相關的特定符號和刻板印象的笑點我就不太懂了。
LC rates: 3 stars
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 2) [film]
Finally it all ends
After a somewhat slow part 1, part 2 is very eventful just like it is in the book. A lot of things happen. Hogwarts turns into a battleground. People die, probably more than you expect from a "children's book". Secrets are revealed. It's hectic. I guess non-fans probably don't understand bits and pieces in this fast-paced finale. Nevertheless, it's a satisfying conclusion to the film series.
Again, the strong element of the film is that it visually presents the magical world. There's the shield they weave around Hogwart, the deep vault of Gringott, the hidden storage room, and the battle between the good and the evil.
Finding the Horcruxes are relatively easy to understand. Interestingly, Harry has the ability to hear and sense the Horcruxes when he's near them. He doesn't have that ability in the book. In the original story, Dumbledore told Harry the objects that were likely to be Horcruxes.
The fights between Harry and Voldemort are harder to understand. The outcome is clear. But it's hard to explain what exactly happens and why.
The film adaptation and the books
Maybe the Harry Potter story as a whole is unsuitable to be adapted as eight 2-hour films. Maybe a 60-hour TV series would be better ;-) In the film series, a lot of the backstories are absent. The books have more stories about the older generation, including Harry's parents, Sirius and Remus. Voldemort's upbringing is detailed in Half-Blooded Prince. And we learn about Dumbledore's less honourable past in Deathly Hallows. The person who gets the most backstory explained in the films is Snape.
Some themes and emotional struggles that I really enjoy in the books are not shown in the films, either. There simply isn't room for that. It's also harder to present those visually than the writing Harry's thoughts in precise words. There is the theme of race relations between wizards, muggles, (house) elves, goblins, giants and creatures in the Dark Forest. Some are mentioned in the movies but most are not deeply explored. In Half-Blooded Prince, Dumbledore's lessons to Harry includes an element to mentally prepare Harry to voluntarily fight against Voldemort. I was really impacted by that part when I read it, but it was left out of the movie. Those are some of the good parts of the story in my opinion. You have to read the books to find them, though.
Random talk
- The basilisk's teeth are so handy.
- Neville with a sword is pretty helpful too.
- A good question from my friend: Why is the Room of Requirements full of old furniture?
- I like the scene with the fire in the Room of Requirements.
- Bellatrix's final duel looked too short. She was the second biggest villain but it didn't feel like a big thing.
- Who are those people that are on the evil side but are not Death Eaters?
- FYI. Luna and Neville are not a couple. I think that's what Rowling said.
- It's the end!
- Where's Dudley?
LC rates: 4 stars
After a somewhat slow part 1, part 2 is very eventful just like it is in the book. A lot of things happen. Hogwarts turns into a battleground. People die, probably more than you expect from a "children's book". Secrets are revealed. It's hectic. I guess non-fans probably don't understand bits and pieces in this fast-paced finale. Nevertheless, it's a satisfying conclusion to the film series.
Again, the strong element of the film is that it visually presents the magical world. There's the shield they weave around Hogwart, the deep vault of Gringott, the hidden storage room, and the battle between the good and the evil.
Finding the Horcruxes are relatively easy to understand. Interestingly, Harry has the ability to hear and sense the Horcruxes when he's near them. He doesn't have that ability in the book. In the original story, Dumbledore told Harry the objects that were likely to be Horcruxes.
The fights between Harry and Voldemort are harder to understand. The outcome is clear. But it's hard to explain what exactly happens and why.
The film adaptation and the books
Maybe the Harry Potter story as a whole is unsuitable to be adapted as eight 2-hour films. Maybe a 60-hour TV series would be better ;-) In the film series, a lot of the backstories are absent. The books have more stories about the older generation, including Harry's parents, Sirius and Remus. Voldemort's upbringing is detailed in Half-Blooded Prince. And we learn about Dumbledore's less honourable past in Deathly Hallows. The person who gets the most backstory explained in the films is Snape.
Some themes and emotional struggles that I really enjoy in the books are not shown in the films, either. There simply isn't room for that. It's also harder to present those visually than the writing Harry's thoughts in precise words. There is the theme of race relations between wizards, muggles, (house) elves, goblins, giants and creatures in the Dark Forest. Some are mentioned in the movies but most are not deeply explored. In Half-Blooded Prince, Dumbledore's lessons to Harry includes an element to mentally prepare Harry to voluntarily fight against Voldemort. I was really impacted by that part when I read it, but it was left out of the movie. Those are some of the good parts of the story in my opinion. You have to read the books to find them, though.
Random talk
- The basilisk's teeth are so handy.
- Neville with a sword is pretty helpful too.
- A good question from my friend: Why is the Room of Requirements full of old furniture?
- I like the scene with the fire in the Room of Requirements.
- Bellatrix's final duel looked too short. She was the second biggest villain but it didn't feel like a big thing.
- Who are those people that are on the evil side but are not Death Eaters?
- FYI. Luna and Neville are not a couple. I think that's what Rowling said.
- It's the end!
- Where's Dudley?
LC rates: 4 stars
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1) [film]
I read the book and felt that the first half of the 7th book was rather slow. I'd hoped that they put more stuff in the part 1 film but they didn't. So the film has the same feeling of "I see them going to places but they don't seem to get anywhere".
I don't think anybody who hasn't watched the previous movies can understand what's going on in this movie. In fact, I wonder if people who haven't read the book would enjoy it.
The Good:
It visually present the world of magic. It's more vivid than reading.
The Bad:
Even though it's more than 2 hours long and it only deals with the first half of the book, it still feels it's compressed. I guess it's because the book is complicated in the first place. So the story is very condensed.
There are so many rules, spells, and objects in the magical world that are unusual to us. It is hard to understand everything that happens unless you've read the book thoroughly or you have really good memory and watched all the previous films carefully.
And then by the end, it feels unfinished. Because it is really setting up for part 2.
The WTF moment:
Harry and Hermione dancing in the tent… What was that about? No, it isn't in the book.
LC rates: 2 stars
I don't think anybody who hasn't watched the previous movies can understand what's going on in this movie. In fact, I wonder if people who haven't read the book would enjoy it.
The Good:
It visually present the world of magic. It's more vivid than reading.
The Bad:
Even though it's more than 2 hours long and it only deals with the first half of the book, it still feels it's compressed. I guess it's because the book is complicated in the first place. So the story is very condensed.
There are so many rules, spells, and objects in the magical world that are unusual to us. It is hard to understand everything that happens unless you've read the book thoroughly or you have really good memory and watched all the previous films carefully.
And then by the end, it feels unfinished. Because it is really setting up for part 2.
The WTF moment:
Harry and Hermione dancing in the tent… What was that about? No, it isn't in the book.
LC rates: 2 stars
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Cube [film]
Most people probably have never heard of the film Cube. I read its synopsis many years ago and I was interested. It's like this. Six people wake up and find themselves in a giant maze. The maze consists of many interconnecting rooms. Each room is a cube that has a door on each of the six faces. The doors lead to other rooms. The trapped people include a policeman, a doctor and a mathematics student, etc. They have to cooperate to find a way out. They also have to avoid the death traps in some rooms and try to keep their head cool. Yup, that looks like a geeky sci-fi movie that has some brainwork involved.
It's not a mainstream film so I don't see it on TV or see it mentioned. Surprisingly, I saw the sequel of Cube on TV in Taiwan. The sequel "Cube 2: Hypercube" is one of the worst films I've ever watched. It makes no sense at all. I easily give it my lowest rating: 0 star.
Anyway, I rented the original Cube movie and see if it satisfies my geeky curiosity. Although I'm not a fan after watching it, I find it engaging and interesting. The puzzle solving is geeky enough. The mathematics make sense (I think) and the correct decoding can lead them a escape route. The characters also surprise me when they reveal their hidden sides over time.
I am disappointed of the ending, though. It comes out of nowhere. I feel the twist is just there to make it more shocking. However, I feel that the story is less believable because of it.
LC rates: 3 stars
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A note on Cube 2: The original Cube focuses on figuring out how to escape and the conflicts between the trapped people. Cube 2 focuses on presenting unusual rooms and death traps. The puzzle has no significance and makes no sense even when the story ends. It just kills people again and again. The movie is so terrible and disappointing that I'll always remember it.
Films with numbers in the title
I've written my thoughts on Super 8, District 9, and 500 Days of Summer. I was going to write about 3 Idiots next but I haven't watched it. Never mind. I'll just break the streak of films with numbers in the title and talk about what I've watched.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Salesperson at My Door
A salesperson came to my door recently. I've got some thoughts as I reflect on this event:
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Originally I wrote out what the salesperson was selling in detail. Then I thought it wasn't necessary. So I put it here as an "appendix". So I don't throw away my writing… :P (Although a lesson from Project Runway is that editing is critical.)
A salesperson came to my door recently. He first told me that Vodafone has upgraded the lines in this neighbourhood and they'll upgrade our modem. This confused me. We didn't use Vodafone for our ADSL Internet. Anyway, he tried to sell me a Vodafone Internet plan. He kept emphasizing the new modem. That rubbed me the wrong way. He wanted me to sign up right that moment. I told him that Orcon had a cheaper deal for the same data cap. Then he said if I wanted to sign up Orcon, he can do it too. He doesn't represent just one Internet company. Apparently he can get customers for a variety of companies. What?! It was weird.
Anyway, he kept trying to make me sign up something. I got irritated after 15 minutes or so. I was just about to go out when he came to our door. I told him that I can get all these information myself. I haven't made a decision to switch ISP. I don't want somebody to come to my door and push me to make a decision this moment.
Eventually we settled on that I'd think about it for a day. He would come back the next day. But he didn't.
- Several times after I refused him, he asked me "what's your concern?", "what's on your mind?" I think that's a pretty good sales tactic. Whatever I say, he can then respond to my answer and suggest why his service is better.
- On the other hand, I probably should answer as little as possible. Maybe just say I'm happy with what we use now.
- I stayed firm and didn't succumb to pressure. I told him that I can get all these information myself. I haven't made a decision to switch ISP. I don't want somebody to come to my door and push me to make a decision this moment. Good on me. 我好欺負可是我更摳，不要來叫我付錢。
- Mum answered the door first and she let him took a step inside the door. That made it a bit more difficult to make him leave. Otherwise I'd just shut the door.
- It's a pity that I wasn't rude to him. I should learn some swear words that I can yell out but won't get me sued. It's a chance to direct all my anger in life towards the guy without feeling guilty. :P
---------
Originally I wrote out what the salesperson was selling in detail. Then I thought it wasn't necessary. So I put it here as an "appendix". So I don't throw away my writing… :P (Although a lesson from Project Runway is that editing is critical.)
A salesperson came to my door recently. He first told me that Vodafone has upgraded the lines in this neighbourhood and they'll upgrade our modem. This confused me. We didn't use Vodafone for our ADSL Internet. Anyway, he tried to sell me a Vodafone Internet plan. He kept emphasizing the new modem. That rubbed me the wrong way. He wanted me to sign up right that moment. I told him that Orcon had a cheaper deal for the same data cap. Then he said if I wanted to sign up Orcon, he can do it too. He doesn't represent just one Internet company. Apparently he can get customers for a variety of companies. What?! It was weird.
Anyway, he kept trying to make me sign up something. I got irritated after 15 minutes or so. I was just about to go out when he came to our door. I told him that I can get all these information myself. I haven't made a decision to switch ISP. I don't want somebody to come to my door and push me to make a decision this moment.
Eventually we settled on that I'd think about it for a day. He would come back the next day. But he didn't.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
500 Days of Summer [film]
"It is not a love story," the film itself says so. Well, it isn't a formulaic Hollywood romantic comedy. It's still a story about love, though. The film follows a young man, Tom and his memory of his time with the girl he loves, Summer. Tom believes all the romantic notions like love at the first sight etc. Summer doesn't have much faith in love.
Even though Tom's younger sister doesn't have a lot of screen time, I like her character. She seems older than her age and makes Tom look naive. While Tom insists that Summer is the love of his life. His sister tells him that she may not be his best match. And I agree with her. Maybe I just think more like Summer.
One interesting aspect is the story isn't told in chronological order. The film uses a number to indicate which day it is since Tom has met Summer. Sometimes the film jumps forward and back to different days to show contrast on the different stages of their relationship. It's quite unusual that the audience is shown that they're going to break up early in the film.
The film uses various styles in some scenes. There is a sequence that shows Tom's expectation and what actually happens in two split screens. There is a sequence with singing and dancing. There is a scene that turns into a hand drawn sketch. Besides the plot, the various styles keep the movie interesting.
I enjoyed it. Though I probably don't relate to Tom and Summer's relationship as much as some other audience does, I like the story, its style and its pace. I like the female lead, too. Zooey Deschanel has lovely eyes.
LC rates: 4 stars
Even though Tom's younger sister doesn't have a lot of screen time, I like her character. She seems older than her age and makes Tom look naive. While Tom insists that Summer is the love of his life. His sister tells him that she may not be his best match. And I agree with her. Maybe I just think more like Summer.
One interesting aspect is the story isn't told in chronological order. The film uses a number to indicate which day it is since Tom has met Summer. Sometimes the film jumps forward and back to different days to show contrast on the different stages of their relationship. It's quite unusual that the audience is shown that they're going to break up early in the film.
The film uses various styles in some scenes. There is a sequence that shows Tom's expectation and what actually happens in two split screens. There is a sequence with singing and dancing. There is a scene that turns into a hand drawn sketch. Besides the plot, the various styles keep the movie interesting.
I enjoyed it. Though I probably don't relate to Tom and Summer's relationship as much as some other audience does, I like the story, its style and its pace. I like the female lead, too. Zooey Deschanel has lovely eyes.
LC rates: 4 stars
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