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
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
District 9 [film]
In the movie District 9, the aliens don't come to destroy life on Earth. They are not a natural loving tribe like the Na'vi in Avatar, either. The aliens are refugees that live in a segregated area, District 9. It's a chaotic place. It's run-down and full of trash. There's even a gang of human who reside there and take advantage of the aliens. The idea is interesting to me. It has some social implications, too.
Of course, human is greedy again, just like in Avatar. They want to use the alien weapons instead of mining this time, though. The main character is much more unlucky than the guy in Avatar. He accidentally becomes the most wanted subject. He runs and hides and loses everything he once had.
I guess whoever produced this movie like to play with makeups and special effects. There are gruesome alien body parts and exploding people. When the alien weapons are at work, they zap people. Zap, zap. Explode! Juices flow!
Besides the unusual setting, the story itself is rather simple. However, it does intrigue me to think about how people would react if we do have this type of migrants of outer space. Also, how are the refugees in the real world treated by the countries that accommodate them? Are some people afraid of them and some try to advantage of them?
I enjoy the film. However, because it has been compared with Avatar, I feel it is overshadowed by Avatar visually. I guess it's also because I watched District 9 on DVD instead of in the cinema. That made the zapping less impressive. :P On the other hand, I do feel that the story of District 9 is more original. The Hollywood heroism and love story in Avatar makes it more sensational but it's also more conventional. The ordinary and not always selfless protagonist in District 9 is somewhat more believable.
LC rates: 4 stars
Of course, human is greedy again, just like in Avatar. They want to use the alien weapons instead of mining this time, though. The main character is much more unlucky than the guy in Avatar. He accidentally becomes the most wanted subject. He runs and hides and loses everything he once had.
I guess whoever produced this movie like to play with makeups and special effects. There are gruesome alien body parts and exploding people. When the alien weapons are at work, they zap people. Zap, zap. Explode! Juices flow!
Besides the unusual setting, the story itself is rather simple. However, it does intrigue me to think about how people would react if we do have this type of migrants of outer space. Also, how are the refugees in the real world treated by the countries that accommodate them? Are some people afraid of them and some try to advantage of them?
I enjoy the film. However, because it has been compared with Avatar, I feel it is overshadowed by Avatar visually. I guess it's also because I watched District 9 on DVD instead of in the cinema. That made the zapping less impressive. :P On the other hand, I do feel that the story of District 9 is more original. The Hollywood heroism and love story in Avatar makes it more sensational but it's also more conventional. The ordinary and not always selfless protagonist in District 9 is somewhat more believable.
LC rates: 4 stars
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Super 8 [film]
Watching Super 8 feels like watching a movie when I was 12 years old. The setting is in the 1970s and the atmosphere has that vintage feeling. There's danger looming in the background. You don't know what it is. There are human stories involving the young characters and their parents, though some are simplistic and a bit of a cliché. Overall, it was an exciting cinematic experience. I kind of wish I were a 12 year old, though. I would be more fascinated by the movie. It'd be like watching Jurassic Park when I was a kid.
The story focuses on a group of kids in the 1970s. They are at a small train station to film their zombie movie using a Super 8 camera one evening. While they are shooting, a train derails. Lots of explosions and large flying objects remind us that it is actually a 2011 movie. Since this incident, strange things begin to happen in this rural town. Strange things… I better not spoil it. I'll leave you to watch it.
One thing that added to the thrill was that changes may happen abruptly at anytime during a scene. There were times when a character was speaking, a loud noise of some sorts cut the speech in mid-sentence. It then led to the next sequence. It made the pace exciting and made it feel more real too. (Note to the final film of Harry Potter, I expect something similar from you!)
The fast pace has its downside. Sometimes it felt like it was too easy. Especially because the main characters are 12 year olds, they seemed to have accomplished a lot in a short time while avoiding the adults and the danger. But it's a minor issue. It's fiction. Use a bit of imagination. And I'm sure I wouldn't find it odd if I'm 12 years old. Ah, I'm wishing I were young again.
Some scenes reminded me of Jurassic Park. There were weird noises and objects thrown into the air. You knew the danger was nearby but you didn't see it yet. I wished somebody would ask "where's the goat?" and a T-rex would appear. It didn't happen.
*spoiler alert*
The ending was the main thing that I felt let down. It was a Spiderman ending. Yes, I knew it was explained that they could do telepathic communication. But still… a Spiderman ending just made me feel that the situation was resolved too easily… sigh.
While I'm still in the spoiler section, I should take the chance and babble some more.
How unlucky can the sheriff be? By the way, his scene at the petrol station looked like Jurassic Park. Hehe.
"Drugs are so bad." Hahaha. That line made it even more like an old movie that was giving a lecture to the young audience.
One thing in my mind wasn't answered when I left the cinema. Where's Lucy? Did they find the boy's dog, Lucy?
*spoiler alert ends*
By the way, stay behind when the movie ends. The kids' zombie movie is shown when the credit rolls. Also, that kid who likes explosives is pretty funny for the whole movie. Hehe.
LC rates: 4 stars
The story focuses on a group of kids in the 1970s. They are at a small train station to film their zombie movie using a Super 8 camera one evening. While they are shooting, a train derails. Lots of explosions and large flying objects remind us that it is actually a 2011 movie. Since this incident, strange things begin to happen in this rural town. Strange things… I better not spoil it. I'll leave you to watch it.
One thing that added to the thrill was that changes may happen abruptly at anytime during a scene. There were times when a character was speaking, a loud noise of some sorts cut the speech in mid-sentence. It then led to the next sequence. It made the pace exciting and made it feel more real too. (Note to the final film of Harry Potter, I expect something similar from you!)
The fast pace has its downside. Sometimes it felt like it was too easy. Especially because the main characters are 12 year olds, they seemed to have accomplished a lot in a short time while avoiding the adults and the danger. But it's a minor issue. It's fiction. Use a bit of imagination. And I'm sure I wouldn't find it odd if I'm 12 years old. Ah, I'm wishing I were young again.
Some scenes reminded me of Jurassic Park. There were weird noises and objects thrown into the air. You knew the danger was nearby but you didn't see it yet. I wished somebody would ask "where's the goat?" and a T-rex would appear. It didn't happen.
*spoiler alert*
The ending was the main thing that I felt let down. It was a Spiderman ending. Yes, I knew it was explained that they could do telepathic communication. But still… a Spiderman ending just made me feel that the situation was resolved too easily… sigh.
While I'm still in the spoiler section, I should take the chance and babble some more.
How unlucky can the sheriff be? By the way, his scene at the petrol station looked like Jurassic Park. Hehe.
"Drugs are so bad." Hahaha. That line made it even more like an old movie that was giving a lecture to the young audience.
One thing in my mind wasn't answered when I left the cinema. Where's Lucy? Did they find the boy's dog, Lucy?
*spoiler alert ends*
By the way, stay behind when the movie ends. The kids' zombie movie is shown when the credit rolls. Also, that kid who likes explosives is pretty funny for the whole movie. Hehe.
LC rates: 4 stars
Sunday, June 12, 2011
The King's Speech [film]
我一直覺得英國王室很可憐，一出生下來就注定一輩子被大家關注。感覺起來很不自由，沒有什麼自己的選擇。不能穿著拖鞋到便利商店買茶葉蛋。
之前全世界放映威廉王子和凱特的婚禮，我覺得他們結婚也要結給全世界看真是辛苦。
The King's Speech 這部片更是印證我的想法，英國王室的成員沒有權力，沒有自由，孤獨。戲裡幾句話精簡地點出他們的無奈：沒有權力收稅，沒有權力指揮軍隊，只有責任在一些公眾場合講講話，看起來體面，就像是演員一樣。
主角 King George VI 就是這麼衰，生在王室，唯一的工作就是偶而在公眾場合講講話，偏偏他口吃，就是做不好這唯一的工作，而他也不能像平民自由換工作。
太太 Bellatrix 看 Mr Darcy 演講這麼吃力很想幫他忙，所以找了 Captain Barbossa 來幫他治療。[1] 喔，角色搞錯了，不過這部戲還真的有一堆在別的電影裡出現的英國演員。其他還有演 Dumbledore 的，還有 Guy Pearce。連 BBC mini series 版本的 Pride and Prejudice 裡的女主角都來了。Colin Firth 和 Jennifer Ehle 隔了十五年又合演一部戲。我都懷疑讓他們碰面的那一幕是編劇故意放進去給我們這些 Pride and Prejudice 的 fans 看的。
Anyway，這部戲真的主要就是看 Colin Firth 和 Geoffrey Rush 演戲。故事本身簡單、溫馨。不過由於主角口吃，有時會覺得步調慢，要有耐心。
國王總算有個平民好朋友讓我覺得溫馨。皇后一路支持國王也真是好妻子呀！(按個讚)
香港翻譯片名叫「皇上無話兒」真是會讓人聯想到別的東西。
是齣好電影，不過我不覺得特別好，我自己是不會選它為奧斯卡最佳影片啦！
LC rates: 4 stars
Notes:
[1] Bellatrix 是 Harry Potter 的角色；Mr Darcy 是 Pride and Prejudice 和 Bridget Jones's Diary 的角色；Captain Barbossa 是 Pirates of the Caribbean 的角色。
之前全世界放映威廉王子和凱特的婚禮，我覺得他們結婚也要結給全世界看真是辛苦。
The King's Speech 這部片更是印證我的想法，英國王室的成員沒有權力，沒有自由，孤獨。戲裡幾句話精簡地點出他們的無奈：沒有權力收稅，沒有權力指揮軍隊，只有責任在一些公眾場合講講話，看起來體面，就像是演員一樣。
主角 King George VI 就是這麼衰，生在王室，唯一的工作就是偶而在公眾場合講講話，偏偏他口吃，就是做不好這唯一的工作，而他也不能像平民自由換工作。
太太 Bellatrix 看 Mr Darcy 演講這麼吃力很想幫他忙，所以找了 Captain Barbossa 來幫他治療。[1] 喔，角色搞錯了，不過這部戲還真的有一堆在別的電影裡出現的英國演員。其他還有演 Dumbledore 的，還有 Guy Pearce。連 BBC mini series 版本的 Pride and Prejudice 裡的女主角都來了。Colin Firth 和 Jennifer Ehle 隔了十五年又合演一部戲。我都懷疑讓他們碰面的那一幕是編劇故意放進去給我們這些 Pride and Prejudice 的 fans 看的。
 |
| Top: The King's Sppech (2010); Bottom: Pride and Prejudice (1995) Picture source: here |
Anyway，這部戲真的主要就是看 Colin Firth 和 Geoffrey Rush 演戲。故事本身簡單、溫馨。不過由於主角口吃，有時會覺得步調慢，要有耐心。
國王總算有個平民好朋友讓我覺得溫馨。皇后一路支持國王也真是好妻子呀！(按個讚)
香港翻譯片名叫「皇上無話兒」真是會讓人聯想到別的東西。
是齣好電影，不過我不覺得特別好，我自己是不會選它為奧斯卡最佳影片啦！
LC rates: 4 stars
Notes:
[1] Bellatrix 是 Harry Potter 的角色；Mr Darcy 是 Pride and Prejudice 和 Bridget Jones's Diary 的角色；Captain Barbossa 是 Pirates of the Caribbean 的角色。
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Karangahake Gorge Day Trip
We went to Karangahake Gorge on the 14 May, 2011. It was a beautiful place and the weather was sunny too. Nice!
When we met up. We had two surprise guests, Jack and his girlfriend Ivy. We told them that we were going on this day trip. But we didn't expect Jack to actually turn up. As somebody said, Jack starts showing up when he's about to leave for another country.
Karanagahake Gorge is near Paeroa. There are a number of tracks in that area. The Karangahake Historic Walkway may be considered as the main track. It takes 2 hours one way. We had three cars so we could park cars at both ends of the track so we didn't need to walk the same way back. However, we still hesitated to take such a long walk. So instead, we started with the Tunnel Loop Walk which took about an hour.
We walked along the river. The scenery was beautiful. After sometime, we reached a bridge that leads to the tunnel. The tunnel is an old railway tunnel. It is about 1.1 km long. It's a really long tunnel to walk! We walked into this dark, chilly and damp place. It was quite eerie. Thinking back, I'd be scared to enter the tunnel if there were fewer than four people in our group. There were nine of us so I felt fine. We had about five torches so we could see enough to walk ahead. After a few minutes, it started to feel endless. We just kept walking and walking and the end of the tunnel didn't seem to approach us. A common estimate of walking time is 15 minutes per kilometre. So we probably walked more than 15 minutes in this dim tunnel. Eventually we emerged into daylight again. Too bad Ming wasn't left behind. :P
After we returned to the world with daylight, we took a break and had our lunch and snacks. We walked back to the car park after lunch and decided to do another short walk. Yay~ The second walk was the Windows Walk. It took about an hour round trip too. The "windows" refer to the small openings in a few locations along the tunnel in this walk. Gold mining was in this area in the early 20th century. There were remnants of the gold mining on the Windows Walk. At first, we walked along a tramway track. Somehow, Ray sat in this old metal basket/tram.
We then went into the tunnel section. It was dark. You really need a torch to walk inside. After walking for a couple of minutes or so, we reached this window. Here is what it was like to look outside. You can see a path on the other side of the gorge. We walked that path later and appreciated the nice scenery.
After we went out of the tunnel, we continued on to find a nearby "underground pumphouse". We didn't know what it was. It turned out to be a few short, interconnecting tunnels that led to a chamber with old equipment. I suppose that was used for pumping. The equipment was locked behind bars so we could only view from a distance. Mind you, the chamber was pitch black. We could only use our torches to light it up dimly. In this dim light, we saw… Ray impersonating a zombie, like it's a shooting video game. He looked too happy to be a zombie, though. I've never seen a zombie that wears glasses, either. I don't know why. Anyway, there was a another surprise in the dark. We saw a few glow worms on the ceiling when we switched off our lights.
After we finished Windows Walk and returned to the car park, we set Owharoa Falls as our next destination. We drove there, and it took us less than a minute to walk to the waterfall after we parked. The waterfall looks quite short, doesn't it?
I'd been directing the group pretty much all day. I then drove onto a nearby unpaved road/driveway and led our group to Victoria Battery. It was a site that remained from the age of gold mining. There was this abandoned structure. Somehow, Ray stood on top of it. The copycat Jack climbed up too. But the kitten was scared of heights and he was stuck up there. Ray came down first and he messed with Jack. He initially thought Jack was just acting. After a long while, Jack finally came down. The structure really wasn't very tall, you know.
That was pretty much it. We drove in the sunset and headed back to Auckland.
When we met up. We had two surprise guests, Jack and his girlfriend Ivy. We told them that we were going on this day trip. But we didn't expect Jack to actually turn up. As somebody said, Jack starts showing up when he's about to leave for another country.
Karanagahake Gorge is near Paeroa. There are a number of tracks in that area. The Karangahake Historic Walkway may be considered as the main track. It takes 2 hours one way. We had three cars so we could park cars at both ends of the track so we didn't need to walk the same way back. However, we still hesitated to take such a long walk. So instead, we started with the Tunnel Loop Walk which took about an hour.
We walked along the river. The scenery was beautiful. After sometime, we reached a bridge that leads to the tunnel. The tunnel is an old railway tunnel. It is about 1.1 km long. It's a really long tunnel to walk! We walked into this dark, chilly and damp place. It was quite eerie. Thinking back, I'd be scared to enter the tunnel if there were fewer than four people in our group. There were nine of us so I felt fine. We had about five torches so we could see enough to walk ahead. After a few minutes, it started to feel endless. We just kept walking and walking and the end of the tunnel didn't seem to approach us. A common estimate of walking time is 15 minutes per kilometre. So we probably walked more than 15 minutes in this dim tunnel. Eventually we emerged into daylight again. Too bad Ming wasn't left behind. :P
 |
| That's a long tunnel ahead. |
After we returned to the world with daylight, we took a break and had our lunch and snacks. We walked back to the car park after lunch and decided to do another short walk. Yay~ The second walk was the Windows Walk. It took about an hour round trip too. The "windows" refer to the small openings in a few locations along the tunnel in this walk. Gold mining was in this area in the early 20th century. There were remnants of the gold mining on the Windows Walk. At first, we walked along a tramway track. Somehow, Ray sat in this old metal basket/tram.
We then went into the tunnel section. It was dark. You really need a torch to walk inside. After walking for a couple of minutes or so, we reached this window. Here is what it was like to look outside. You can see a path on the other side of the gorge. We walked that path later and appreciated the nice scenery.
 |
| View from one of the "windows" |
After we went out of the tunnel, we continued on to find a nearby "underground pumphouse". We didn't know what it was. It turned out to be a few short, interconnecting tunnels that led to a chamber with old equipment. I suppose that was used for pumping. The equipment was locked behind bars so we could only view from a distance. Mind you, the chamber was pitch black. We could only use our torches to light it up dimly. In this dim light, we saw… Ray impersonating a zombie, like it's a shooting video game. He looked too happy to be a zombie, though. I've never seen a zombie that wears glasses, either. I don't know why. Anyway, there was a another surprise in the dark. We saw a few glow worms on the ceiling when we switched off our lights.
After we finished Windows Walk and returned to the car park, we set Owharoa Falls as our next destination. We drove there, and it took us less than a minute to walk to the waterfall after we parked. The waterfall looks quite short, doesn't it?
 |
| This photo looks badly composed and fake. That's why I put it up. Ha |
I'd been directing the group pretty much all day. I then drove onto a nearby unpaved road/driveway and led our group to Victoria Battery. It was a site that remained from the age of gold mining. There was this abandoned structure. Somehow, Ray stood on top of it. The copycat Jack climbed up too. But the kitten was scared of heights and he was stuck up there. Ray came down first and he messed with Jack. He initially thought Jack was just acting. After a long while, Jack finally came down. The structure really wasn't very tall, you know.
That was pretty much it. We drove in the sunset and headed back to Auckland.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Source Code [film]
It was quite interesting to me. I felt the situation was resolved more easily than I thought. However, what happened after that was unexpected. The movie was short relative to some over-long movies nowadays. It moved in a pretty good pace.
The protagonist lives through the same 8-minutes over and over again. It has a bit of Groundhog Day, but not really. (Groundhog Day is a classic!)
I guess it has a bit of The Matrix too. In fact, I imagine the sequels should be named like the Matrix. The second film would be Source Code Refactored. The third film would be Source Code Rewritten. (Excuse my geeky humour.)
I felt there were some flaws in the logic. For example, how do you make phone calls in a memory? How do you interact with the people and environment anyway? I thought it would be like the "pensieve" in Harry Potter. You can only observe past events but cannot interact with anything. Anyway, it's science fiction so we can assume it just worked that way. The ending made the possibilities much broader, anyway. It kind of answered my questions too.
The actor that intrigued me the most was the lady who played Goodwin. She looked familiar but I didn't know who she was. I found out that she is Vera Farmiga. I watched Up in the Air which she played. No wonder she looked familiar. That was a very different role, though. No wonder I couldn't recognize her.
The actor who plays the comedian on the train is a real comedian, Russell Peters, who was quite popular on YouTube a couple of years ago. Oddly, I didn't watch his videos and I saw him in a movie.
Interesting. Better than Déjà vu.
LC rates: 4 stars
The protagonist lives through the same 8-minutes over and over again. It has a bit of Groundhog Day, but not really. (Groundhog Day is a classic!)
I guess it has a bit of The Matrix too. In fact, I imagine the sequels should be named like the Matrix. The second film would be Source Code Refactored. The third film would be Source Code Rewritten. (Excuse my geeky humour.)
I felt there were some flaws in the logic. For example, how do you make phone calls in a memory? How do you interact with the people and environment anyway? I thought it would be like the "pensieve" in Harry Potter. You can only observe past events but cannot interact with anything. Anyway, it's science fiction so we can assume it just worked that way. The ending made the possibilities much broader, anyway. It kind of answered my questions too.
The actor that intrigued me the most was the lady who played Goodwin. She looked familiar but I didn't know who she was. I found out that she is Vera Farmiga. I watched Up in the Air which she played. No wonder she looked familiar. That was a very different role, though. No wonder I couldn't recognize her.
The actor who plays the comedian on the train is a real comedian, Russell Peters, who was quite popular on YouTube a couple of years ago. Oddly, I didn't watch his videos and I saw him in a movie.
Interesting. Better than Déjà vu.
LC rates: 4 stars
Thursday, May 19, 2011
A popular game (for now)
In case you haven't played Angry Birds and you want to, there's now an option to play it on a Chrome browser.
http://chrome.angrybirds.com/
http://chrome.angrybirds.com/
Monday, May 16, 2011
給 Waipa Delta 按個爛
今天 Waipa Delta 又在 GrabOne 特價，提醒我應該來個反廣告一下。
我們一行人在三月時用了GrabOne voucher 去搭 Waipa Delta 的 harbour cruise。 船慢，航行路線比我預期的短，GPS 記錄了這個路線。
那時買多了一張GrabOne voucher，後來在拍賣網上賤價賣了。
隔了一個月，Waipa Delta 的人員打電話給我，跟我要我賣掉的那一張 GrabOne voucher 的號碼，還跟我說不可以轉賣他們的 voucher ，"that's not very good"，他們現在要兌現 vouchers，但是搞不清楚到底哪些 vouchers 是誰使用的。
我正好在電腦前，不太高興但是還是好心幫他查了一下。一邊查的時候我說我讀過 GrabOne 的 terms and conditions，並沒有禁止轉售 vouchers。他說這是他們 Waipa Delta 的 terms and condition，跟 GrabOne 無關。我心想有嗎？應該是臨時編的。GrabOne 不能轉賣的 vouchers 會在賣的明白地寫在 conditions 裡。
唸給他賣掉的那一張的 voucher 號碼後，他又問我當天用的 vouchers 都是我的名字嗎？我告訴他其中有兩張是我朋友的名字，他又要問我朋友的名字。到了這時就更惹惱我了，我大概知道是怎麼回事了，這根本就是他們行政上散漫無序，只依賴訂位的人的名字，卻沒考慮訂位的人跟 voucher 上的名字可能不同，也不需要相同。乘客上船的時候也沒去對voucher和訂位的人的名字，而且，其實上船時收票的人員很隨便，根本沒看 vouchers 一眼，也沒數有幾張，我覺得隨便給他一疊影印紙他都會讓我過。
一開始隨便，結果事後弄不清楚，還要一一打電話去問這些訂位的人。實在太糟糕，明明自己行政、票務沒做好，麻煩顧客去查資料還指責顧客。而且，那已經不是他們第一次在 GrabOne 賣 vouchers，我就不懂他們怎麼還能做這麼差。
我被他們煩到了。所以，我很壞心的希望這個公司被這些爛員工拖垮，早日關門。希望大家不要去光顧呀！
我們一行人在三月時用了GrabOne voucher 去搭 Waipa Delta 的 harbour cruise。 船慢，航行路線比我預期的短，GPS 記錄了這個路線。
那時買多了一張GrabOne voucher，後來在拍賣網上賤價賣了。
隔了一個月，Waipa Delta 的人員打電話給我，跟我要我賣掉的那一張 GrabOne voucher 的號碼，還跟我說不可以轉賣他們的 voucher ，"that's not very good"，他們現在要兌現 vouchers，但是搞不清楚到底哪些 vouchers 是誰使用的。
我正好在電腦前，不太高興但是還是好心幫他查了一下。一邊查的時候我說我讀過 GrabOne 的 terms and conditions，並沒有禁止轉售 vouchers。他說這是他們 Waipa Delta 的 terms and condition，跟 GrabOne 無關。我心想有嗎？應該是臨時編的。GrabOne 不能轉賣的 vouchers 會在賣的明白地寫在 conditions 裡。
唸給他賣掉的那一張的 voucher 號碼後，他又問我當天用的 vouchers 都是我的名字嗎？我告訴他其中有兩張是我朋友的名字，他又要問我朋友的名字。到了這時就更惹惱我了，我大概知道是怎麼回事了，這根本就是他們行政上散漫無序，只依賴訂位的人的名字，卻沒考慮訂位的人跟 voucher 上的名字可能不同，也不需要相同。乘客上船的時候也沒去對voucher和訂位的人的名字，而且，其實上船時收票的人員很隨便，根本沒看 vouchers 一眼，也沒數有幾張，我覺得隨便給他一疊影印紙他都會讓我過。
一開始隨便，結果事後弄不清楚，還要一一打電話去問這些訂位的人。實在太糟糕，明明自己行政、票務沒做好，麻煩顧客去查資料還指責顧客。而且，那已經不是他們第一次在 GrabOne 賣 vouchers，我就不懂他們怎麼還能做這麼差。
我被他們煩到了。所以，我很壞心的希望這個公司被這些爛員工拖垮，早日關門。希望大家不要去光顧呀！
Sunday, May 15, 2011
The Social Network [film]
The literal title of the film would be "The Facebook Founders". There were probably hundreds of social networking services with at least 10,000 users. I was more interested to see how Facebook prevailed and became the most popular service with more than 500 million users. What did they do that made they different? But the story wasn't about that. It was about the friendship of the founders turned sour. It was about the smart, socially inept and ruthless Mark in one way or another used other people to build up Facebook.
It looked like a good film with a good story. But it didn't "feel" right to me. It felt like a fictional story pretending to be a true story. The real Sean Parker said it was all fictional. Justin Timberlake played a character that happened to have his name. He said he wished his life was that cool.
I tried to view it as a fictional story, but the name Facebook was mentioned all the time. Also, all the characters had names of real people who I had seen on the TV and the Internet. I tried to view it as a real story, but then Justin Timberlake entered the film. It was hard to believe a computer hacker would be so charismatic. It was even harder when this character was played by a pop singer.
The picture, story and acting were good. But I just didn't enjoy it very much on the whole. I didn't understand all the hype about it at the time. I wouldn't have chosen it to be the best film for Oscar.
LC rates: 3 stars
It looked like a good film with a good story. But it didn't "feel" right to me. It felt like a fictional story pretending to be a true story. The real Sean Parker said it was all fictional. Justin Timberlake played a character that happened to have his name. He said he wished his life was that cool.
I tried to view it as a fictional story, but the name Facebook was mentioned all the time. Also, all the characters had names of real people who I had seen on the TV and the Internet. I tried to view it as a real story, but then Justin Timberlake entered the film. It was hard to believe a computer hacker would be so charismatic. It was even harder when this character was played by a pop singer.
The picture, story and acting were good. But I just didn't enjoy it very much on the whole. I didn't understand all the hype about it at the time. I wouldn't have chosen it to be the best film for Oscar.
LC rates: 3 stars
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
雜記 2011-05-10
高個紙片人朋友讓我知道：
-- 小蜜桃姊姊嫁的不是西瓜哥哥。
-- L&P 已經在 Auckland 生產三十年了，Paeroa 還是打著名聲招搖撞騙。
-- 我自稱 jogger 但是跑不過他，還是打著名聲招搖撞騙。
或許我改打 orienteering 名聲。
Orienteering 中文叫野外定向。
查了查跑步 events，參加費用都不便宜，多個賺錢的目的。
10月的 Auckland Marathon，half marathon 名額已經報名滿了 @@
不知道下雨的話這些戶外 events 會怎麼應對？
奧克蘭冬季常下雨，後院泥濘，前院長菇。
SoundHound 是很神奇的手機 app，我哼的走調它還是辨認出來我在唱什麼歌。
新兵日記一集下來放了很多歌，軍歌之外SondHound 大都認得出來，連高明駿的歌都認得。
有一陣子沒看小說，從圖書館借了一本中文小說。
Google Code Jam Qualification Round 過關，21日、22日再來玩正式 Round 1。
-- 小蜜桃姊姊嫁的不是西瓜哥哥。
-- L&P 已經在 Auckland 生產三十年了，Paeroa 還是打著名聲招搖撞騙。
-- 我自稱 jogger 但是跑不過他，還是打著名聲招搖撞騙。
或許我改打 orienteering 名聲。
Orienteering 中文叫野外定向。
查了查跑步 events，參加費用都不便宜，多個賺錢的目的。
10月的 Auckland Marathon，half marathon 名額已經報名滿了 @@
不知道下雨的話這些戶外 events 會怎麼應對？
奧克蘭冬季常下雨，後院泥濘，前院長菇。
SoundHound 是很神奇的手機 app，我哼的走調它還是辨認出來我在唱什麼歌。
新兵日記一集下來放了很多歌，軍歌之外SondHound 大都認得出來，連高明駿的歌都認得。
有一陣子沒看小說，從圖書館借了一本中文小說。
Google Code Jam Qualification Round 過關，21日、22日再來玩正式 Round 1。
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