I noticed that movies nowadays almost always have some sort of subliminal message. For instance, the viewing of Avatar today brought the film geek in me to another level, what with James Cameron’s special effects on crack, the high definition quality of 3D images, insane cinematography albeit mostly CGI and of course, superbly choreographed action scenes, oh and love those blue creatures/people.
But despite all these known ingredients for your successful, billion dollar grossing, popcorn blockbuster movie, they always seem to add in messages of being socially responsible, especially to the environment.
Sure the movie blew me away, but it almost made me think about how big corporations like Kleenex who destroy virgin forests in Northern Canada to make ‘the softest tissue in the world!’. The Na’vi people in Avatar could just as well be the protector of the forest, while big nasty corporations destroy the magical Pandora for what? A ridiculous amount of money, of course.
Capitalism is basically the only solid religion left in our society today, we can’t escape it, in fact, we ourselves feed it. We all play some part in our dying planet, big mean corporations are just something solid we can put a blame on because their actions seem the most obvious.
But can we really live without those soft tissues? Do we really know what’s going on to our planet out there? How many people would die to protect our earth like the Na’vis? And most importantly, do these messages even get through to us?
Avatar has a strong focus on its message – choose your side, and fight for what’s right. The only problem is, in real life, there are so many grey areas that movies like Avatar fail to address. Then again, it’s a holiday blockbuster movie, you spend $15 to enjoy yourself, not think about freaking virgin forests in Northern Canada. Right?
Avatar: mysticism, ecology, action and a hint of cliché
Dec
2009
I’m pink and black and blue for you
I woke up a bit disorientated this morning. You know, that feeling that you weren’t sleeping and doing a lot of moving about but hey why am I in bed and my limbs are still trying to wake up?
Only after taking 35 mins of getting ready and while waiting for the water to boil for a cuppa tea did I realise that I had the weirdest dream last night. And sure enough, it involved a lot of moving about.
I dreamt that I was in some sort of uni, and funnily enough jaclyn and her boyfriend were in my class and I kept asking them questions about math homework. And then (yes, there’s more), I was running around this uni, which looks a lot like Nimonster’s old uni in Northridge, and somehow I couldn’t find my class and was getting panicky. I swear, I went up this stairs turn here and there and went in circles but somehow couldn’t find my damn class! And it was already 3 mins past the class starting time and I really hate being late for classes.
So in the end, I asked someone (god knows why I didn’t earlier, my dream-self must’ve had some male-ego-don’t-ask-for-directions thing going on). So apparently, my class was like Harry Potter’s Room of Requirement (yes, I like Harry Potter and I remember things from the book shuddap), so I had to think about my class really hard while at this particular spot and the door would magically appear for me.
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So this is what I’ve deciphered from the dream: I have a deep desire to have magical powers so I can use it to pass my exams, which I really hate because I don’t do well under the pressure of time and mystery questions potentially from any of the 25 chapters the lecturer did NOT go through.
I can’t get Chairlift’s Bruises out of my head. I need to stop going to the pharmacy, Target or Kmart for nonsensical toiletries and makeup. I am craving for pasta, risotto to be exact, even though I’ve just had pasta yesterday. Oh, and I’m in dire need for Grey’s Anatomy to make my life make sense again.
I tried to do handstands for you
I tried to do handstands for you
everytime I fell on you
Yeah, everytime I fell
I tried to do handstands for you
But everytime I fell for you
I’m permanently black and blue
Blue for youuuuu
Oct
2009
Sometimes
I wish I had an older brother who’ll annoy, tease and protect me like any other older brother would instead of having two bratty younger brothers whom I have to bear with, give in and take care of.
Oct
2009
The city of angels
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Today I realised it’s not just me who has this skewed perception of LA and its people. A recent chat with a friend made me realise that most people who experienced life in LA had the same opinions as me. LA is literally how it is on TV, especially the people. Heard of The Hills? Well, most people there, whether they are filthy rich or not, are just like the characters in that show. Fake, two-faced, selfish, self-absorbed, stuck in a cycle of work and partying and huge debts and nothing else. They don’t aspire to see the world, to experience new things, to learn about other cultures. They just want to know who’s sleeping with who and who owns the latest Chanel or Gucci bag.
The new gen-y is taking over, and this is what they have become. No wonder America is going to the shits. The great American dream? What a joke.
I always liked Las Vegas better anyways, at least they don’t pretend they are the city of angels, if you get what I mean.
Oct
2009
Coming Soon
So I’ve decided to flex my writing skills and came up with two potential series of article ideas, titled “Today I realised…” and “To be Asian, or not to be?”.
Stay tuned. Will attempt after all this assignments, exams and work madness ends, or at least slow down.
What have you guys been up to lately? Any plans for the summer?
Sep
2009
The past and pending
Whenever you’re in uni, you seem to refer to your time by semesters. All you can think about what week it is in terms of uni semesters, and when week 12 would come so that all assignments will be done and dusted. Then, all’s left are those dreaded exams which would also be over in another two weeks.
So we anticipate the end of semester, chanting in our minds “I just want to get through this semester and bask in the sun all summer long”. And then we start to plan ahead, what’s gonna happen next semester? Which subjects should I take on? Can I survive with 4 subjects and 50 hours of work per week from April til July? Should I take summer classes? Should I start applying for internships now?
Two and a half more semesters. I am desperate to get through this because I am desperate for the light at the end of this tunnel, especially since the last tunnel flooded and drowned me.
I think I’ll go home and mull this over
Before I cram it down my throat
At long last it’s crashed, its colossal mass
Has broken up into bits into my moat
- The Shins
Sep
2009
Time is just a concept in our minds
So right now, I’m at the libray at uni. I got the best spot in da house because I’m here at the ungodly hour of 8.20am. And living 1.5 hours away means that I got out of bed at 6am this morning to make it here at 8.20am. I probably have the label ‘nerd’ from all my classmates by now, since most of them know that I’m always at the library. Maybe I should lie, and play it like I don’t do any uni work, then when results come out I won’t look like a dork if i didn’t do too well.
The library is dead quiet in the mornings, I got to choose one of the few Mac computers and a corner spot by the window with a view of Swanston St and everything. But I don’t feel like starting on my work yet. I feel a bit jaded considering I’ve been awake since 4am, lying in bed staring at the ceiling as if it may hold the secret or code to all my unanswered questions. Unfortunately, my bedroom ceiling is just a nice neutral cream colour and nothing else.
Say hi to my schedule. Somewhere in there, I have to squeeze in a week of 9-5 work hours. This christmas, I’m asking santa for a clone.
Sep
2009
