Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - The day after
Gawd, I don't even know how to start with this. We made it to the movie house with about 10 minutes to spare, but got good seats anyway. The place was packed to the rafters...actually, we were at the topmost row, which wasn't so bad, because the cinema house wasn't that big, and the view was good from that row.
Anyway, some thoughts on the characters:
Harry and Ron - HOT. Are they really teenagers? How come they have bodies like those?? When I was their age, my male peers were either too pudgy or too skinny to be called cute. But these boys are H-O-T. It's so unfair...I never got to see Equus. Haha.
Hermione - Too intense. I think she's talented, but she should tone down her acting a bit. I love her when she's all giggly and happy. But I think she's trying to take the 'tough girl' act a little too far.
Luna Lovegood - Whoever cast this actress casted the perfect girl. Silvery blond hair, super raised eyebrows, the clear blue eyes that make her look surprised. She looked like she came right out of the book. I think this girl is perfect for the role, and I am happy with her performance. Loony Luna looks like a veela with a wonky personality...or a Malfoy affliated with the good side. ^_^
Dolores Umbridge - I hate you!! I hate you!! I hate you!!
Professor Snape - I love you! I love you! I love you! So cool seeing the high school aged Snape. Again, perfect actor.
Bellatrix Lestrange - Helena Bonham Carter is perfect for playing corpse-like witches. Haha! Would've loved to see her and Neville duel more.
Professor Dumbledore - I've always had an issue with Dumbledore, eversince Michael Gambon took over. I really think he is too fidgety and quirky to be the cool Dumbledore in the books. I sorely miss the silent authority that Richard "Dumbledore" Harris had before. He need not move around too much, not a lot of gestures, but you feel his authority just by looking at his eyes. *Sigh* That Ministry of Magic scene with Voldy would have looked much more impressive had it been Richard Harris dueling with Ralph Fiennes. Oh well...
Now, as for the book scenes I loved the most...the Weasley twins leaving the school was something I was really looking forward to (same with the Ministry of Magic duel), but I felt that it wasn't as impressive as I imagined it to be. This was one scene that I read many times in the book before, because I was trying to imagine how colorful and noisy it was. It would've been good to see the normally prim and proper McGonnagall whooping it up with the rest of the students, and Peeves the Poltergeist bowing to Fred and George. But it didn't happen in the movie. :(
Same goes with the MM scenes. I think it was alright that they removed all the unnecessary actions/scenese between the room of Prophecies and the courtroom duel...but I wished Sirius didn't just go like that. It was too easy. They should've prolonged it a bit, just to show Bella struggling against Sirius, then BAM! The final spell.
I loved the Voldy-Dumbledore duel, intense and for a short bit, I felt my eyes misting over for some unknown reason. I wonder how much more intense it would've gotten had it been Richard Harris fighting Voldy there...ok, stop it. Let the guy rest in peace.
This is probably the best HP movie so far. I would love to see it again, I wonder how it is going to be in IMAX.
Labels: harry potter
Posted by Unknown at 08:44
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Day
Woohoo! Today is the day!
Ok, traditionally, I used to see the HP movies on the first full show of the day...The last time I did that was with Teta (who decided to back out, and go to work instead, haha!) in SM Manila. Classy, huh?
Anyway, today, I can't do that...technically, I can, since I am already eligible for leaves at my new job.
But I don't want to push it. I was already on sick leave last Monday. So I'm just going to see it after work. Papa got us some tickets from their group's 'block screening', whatever that is. I so want this day to end now.
Then on the 21st, I'll be getting the 7th book...from National Bookstore in Rob Place Manila. Again, classy. Heh, I know lots of people would rather get their copies from more high-end places like Fully Booked. But what the heck. I won't go that far to get my HP. Rob Place Manila is nearer and more convenient...which means, I will probably one of the very first to grab a copy. ^_~
Which also means, I will be late for my first class in Intermediate Kaiwa. So what? ^_~ They can wait. :P
...Sirius Black dies in the movie? No kidding...
Labels: harry potter
Posted by Unknown at 08:53
Sony Ericsson Z610i (in Rosy Pink)
I can smell it now...and it smells really, really pretty.
Wasn't able to get one, because I simply had to get Tsubaki first...Tsubaki is the name of my Nintendo DS Lite ^_~
Speaking of, yesterday, I saw the Order of the Phoenix game...at half the orig price! Gyaaaa! I have to get my hands on that...and that Kanji learning software that's on free delivery from Play-Asia.com...and that Jump Ultimate Stars that Schatz is salivating over because it has all the big anime stars from anime like Dragon Ball, Slam Dunk, Shaman King and more.
Labels: jump ultimate stars, mobile phone, nintendo ds lite, sony ericsson
Posted by Unknown at 23:27
Death of Harry Potter Makes Mythological Sense
No, no, no, no...tell me this isn't true...that JK isn't really prepping us up for his murder...
Death of Harry Potter Makes Mythological
Sense
Jul 5, 4:42 PM EST
The Associated Press
NEW YORK -- Brace yourselves, Harry Potter fans. No matter how desperate you are for Harry to live, some experts in classic literature and mythology say that finishing off the young wizard would make sense — in a literary kind of way.
J.K. Rowling has never shied from darkness in her phenomenally successful series — it started with the murder of Harry's parents, continued through his discovery that an evil wizard was trying to destroy him, and has included pain and torture and the deaths of major characters. She's already promised two deaths in the seventh and final book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," coming out July 21, and has refused to commit to Harry surviving. But she couldn't kill Harry off, could she? She wouldn't do that, would she?
Read the article at MSN.com
Labels: harry potter, jk rowling
Posted by Unknown at 09:24
I'm so ******* tired!!!
Gawd! Bakit ba ang mga Hapon, ayaw umuwi ng maaga galing sa opisina?? Sus, alas-medya na, sangkatutak na email pa ang pinadadala. Ayan tuloy, inabot ako ng 12 hours dito sa opisina.
I just started some more new work this week, the bulk of which is Japan-related...which is ok, since that's what I'm paid to do, anyway. But, there's this one thing that I simply refuse to do, because it's too time-consuming, and I still don't get why I have to do it...I'm still trying to work
things out with my team leader and see if we can get out of doing it altogether. E ngayon nga, kakatapos lang ng call ko sa Japan...kala ko may nagawa akong mali...yun pala, ganun lang sila magsalita, parang nagpapanic. Hehe. Pero nice naman sila, especially Yamaguchi-san. Pero wala pa rin tatalo kay Yokota-san!! Woooo , idol!!! :D
Anyway, buti at tapos na ang linggong ito...nakakapagod, sobra. Di na nga ako nakakapaglaro ng DS ko gabi-gabi no. Hehe. Nakakasawa na rin minsan, lalo na medyo olats ako pag ang race ay nasa 150cc na...e pang-50cc lang ako no. xD
Kahit sobrang pagod na ko sa trabaho, OK lang, masaya pa rin kasi after a looooong wait, I got my language allowance! Yesh! Somebody in HR made a super booboo with my salary; even
the adjustments weren't made on my monthly salary...but my manager and I managed to sort it out with them so I'll be getting whatever is due to me starting on next month's payroll run. Thank God for that ^_^ Nothing like money to make you feel better after a busy week, huh?
Soooo tired!
Labels: career
Posted by Unknown at 18:45
I got my Nintendo DS Lite!!!
Waaaahhhhhaahahaha!
I got my pink DS, woohoo!! Aside from the console, I also bought a Mario Kart DS game yesterday...my very first DS cartridge. Now I hope I can get better at driving this DS game than driving the arcade version. Hehe. I didn't have Gail-san's cellphone number; I wanted to text her that I got my DS. I know she has a GBA, and several games I want to borrow. We were talking about games and consoles in class yesterday and she was surprised I like games (meaning, she finally found something else we could talk about, save for Nihongo ^_~). I told her all about the Kanken and now, she wants to get a DS too. Talk about 2 nerds on the same wavelength.
Gyaaaa! I hope I don't end up a pauper when this year ends. ^_^
Labels: cake mania, diner dash, game console, mario kart ds, nintendo ds lite, super mario bros
Posted by Unknown at 18:58
I want my Nintendo DS!!!
Now I don't want to get a new mobile phone...I've been salivating over the pink Sony Ericsson Z610i for the longest time, and while I still want to get one soon, I'm putting it on hold because...I'm going to get myself a Nintendo DS Lite. In pink, of course :D
Actually, the reason why I couldn't let go of my ancient Nokia phone is that I am very much attached to the games it has...matagal ko pinaghirapan yung high scores dun no! I found out that the games are only for Nokia phones so if I change phones, I won't be able to play Nature Park (aka Tetris). I don't even know why it's called Nature Park...it's not even a park, and the closest thing to "Nature" is the animals that appear at the right corner every time I level-up. Cute. ^_^
So, back to the DS. There are so many games I want to play in DS. I will probably buy Mario Cart together with the console, as the game pack doesn't come with any game cartridge. Also, I read somewhere that the DS 'Kira Game' is now available - not locally but I think I can get it online. The game is like Cluedo, only you have to find out who among the characters is the real Kira. It is not necessarily Yagami Light; even L can be the Kira, so it's really cool.
Then, I can get this 200万漢検 cartridge for Kanji review. The Kanken is the Kanji exam for native Japanese speakers, but I think it is also useful for JLPT people. Also not locally available, will have to buy online from a Japanese retailer.
One nice thing about the DS Lite is the fact that it is backward compatible with almost all Game Boy Advance games, which cost less than DS games. The DS Lite console has this slot in front, but a GBA game protrudes slightly so the nice DS people included a plastic thingie that's supposed to be a dust cover for the GBA cartridge. Pogi points na ito talaga.
Just a few days ago, DS was in a "Japan Video Topics" segment; the DS multimedia features rocked. Unfortunately, most of them are available in Japan only. But who knows, I might find myself in Japan sooner or later. ^_~
I want, I want, I want!!
PS: Comment ko lang...masaya ako dito sa bagong kumpanya, marami na akong kaibigan. Meron lang akong ilang hindi gusto, pero di naman ako nag-iisa. Hehe...pero sa ibang post na yun. Natatawa lang ako sa mga ibang katrabaho ko. Kahapon lang, nalaman ko na yung katabi ko (girl 1), isang street lang ang layo sa bahay. Tapos, kaninang umaga, nag-uusap sila ng isa kong teammate (girl 2)...nagbreak si girl 1 at ang boypren niya, at ang lakas nila mag-usap ni girl 2 tungkol dun. Naiiyak pa si girl 1, pero keri lang, todo usap pa rin sila. Ngayon, nakikinig siya ng senti music, may katabing tissue. Ayos. ^_^
Labels: game console, japan video topic, nintendo ds lite, sony ericsson
Posted by Unknown at 08:57
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the Nihongo Center!
*&^%$#@!! How come I never saw these pictures before?! All I know is he visited the school the same day we had a Darake gang reunion in December. Edwin-sensei wasn't able to make it to the reunion because of PM Abe's visit.
Now I'm soooo jealous of these people in the picture! Alfred-sensei, you're so lucky, man!! Oh-kay...you're still taller than the Prime Minister ^_^
OK, so this pic on the right, that's PM Abe, extreme left is Ambassador Domingo Siazon, then Ambassador San Victores and the lady is the PM's wife. Powgi naman siya, pero mas gusto ko makita ng personal si PM Koizumi, hehehe.
Now, this picture below...that's Alfred-sensei, nangingibabaw sa lahat ng ibabaw. Teacher ko yan!! Teacher ko yan sa Elem 1 at Intermediate 2!!
Hay naku talaga...I'm in the best school for Nihongo in the Philippines!! Wipee!!
Now, it would be really good if PM Abe makes good his promises to the school...he actually promised a lot of things...according to a very important source (mwehehe). He even offered a vehicle for the school (it was not on the list that the school gave him). Last December, he personally instructed the Japan Foundation to increase the number of scholarship grants offered to Filipinos...gosh, sir, I'm waiting in line!!
The next time he visits the school, I'll make sure I'm there (feeling) ^_^
Labels: domingo siazon, japanese prime minister, nihongo center, nihongo education, shinzo abe
Posted by Unknown at 23:50
Potter Park in Florida!
Now there's a reason for me to go to the United States...in 2009.
According to this
MSN article, Universal Studios will open a Harry Potter theme park called the
Wizarding World of Harry Potter.JK Rowling is even working with the technical/creative team to make sure that the park will feel REAL. This sounds sooooooo great! I love theme parks, and this will probably be my favorite of all. ^_^
Labels: harry potter, theme park, wizarding world of harry potter
Posted by Unknown at 08:15
Japinoy.com Anniversary Pic
Yosh! It was a simple but successful event. Not a lot of people came, but we had so much fun and I hope that this event helped us bond together 'offline', that we weren't just online friends. ^_^
Special thanks to our friends at
Philippine Nana Day for the support. I hope that we will continue to support each other's activities.
Here's to many more happy Japinoy.com years! Kampai! ^_^
For the other anniversary pics, please visit
Japinoy.com
Labels: japinoy, japinoy.com
Posted by Unknown at 18:28
