In Between Panels

This was the picture from the i09 article, Strange Historic Photos From Antarctica and Other Kingdoms of Ice that caught my eye as something quirky without meaning to, I guess. Either the penguin doesn't care about the music it's hearing fom this stranger standing away from him or her or it's probably too scared to move. Or both.

Gilbert Kerr, a member of the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition plays the bagpipe for an indifferent penguin during the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition, 1902-1904

But what if the penguins were swayed by the music? What if some birds showed some reaction and inexplicably danced to the music? Not like the ones in "Happy Feet" though. Ugh.


And then there were six:


That was fun.

Labels: aaahh, animated gifs, art, awesome, comedy routine, entertainment, funny stuff, movies, nature, new

Here's a cool mashup I did of Payphone and Call Me Maybe with three very talented and AWESOME musicians that haven't been on the channel before: Jessica Jarrell, James Alan and Jake Broido. And yes, that's a real payphone in the song and video!! (by KurtHugoSchneider)

Director: Kurt Schneider
Producer: Daniel Rosen
Steadicam Operator: Bryant Swanstrom
Assistant Cameraman: Christian Pierce (twitter @chrischinpierce)

Really, really nice number I could play over and over again!

Read more »

Labels: cool, entertainment, music

(Picture copied from ScreenDaily.com)

 Got to watch the advanced screening of The Dictator earlier this evening thanks to a friend. This is my first time to watch a full length Sacha Baron Cohen movie since I missed Borat and Bruno, though I'm familiar with the controversies that accompanied the previous films. As is my usual practice with watching any movie these days I left all expectations at the door so as not to prejudge anything and to let the movie carry its own weight (barring a rather predictable movie trailer and that incident on the red carpet with Ryan Seacrest months ago). What I saw in the movie though didn't prepare me as to how low Mr. Cohen would go to top his previous movies.

Read more »

Labels: entertainment, movies, pang-asar, reviews

(Copied from The Insider)

Just got back from watching Extraordinary Measures in the theater (this was the only one among the few good movies that we haven't seen). My take on it? It was okay. Seemed more like a TV movie than a feature length film for me. There was also a seeming lack of character development, deep chemistry between actors, texture, tension, drama, and proper "villains" in the film. It would have been better if the protagonist in the movie, John Crowley (Brendan Fraser), was bookending the story with a narrative. The highlight of the whole thing, at least for me, was finally figuring out the mix of temperaments and how they well they worked with each other. Dr. Stonehill (Harrison Ford) was obviously a Melancholic the way he went around with his meticulous and analytical work, his dealing with people reveals an underlying second temperament of the bossy Choleric while Crowley, although dominantly more of the laid-back-nice-guy, Phlegmatic, his secondary Choleric temperament put him at loggerheads with Stonehill during crucial moments of their research. It's hard to explain these things at times but that's how I enjoyed the remainder of the film. My mom seemed to thoroughly enjoy it though, she wiped away a tear at the end of the film if I'm not mistaken. I wouldn't say I recommend seeing it on the big screen probably on DVD would be enough.

* Check out also the review in Plugged In Online for more insightful reactions to this movie.

Labels: entertainment, movies, reviews

This one came as a surprise for me seeing our own Filipino folklore reaching halfway across the globe and starring as the main monster in a UK/South African production horror movie. While it features one of the coolest actors evar, Billy Zane, it also stars veteran actor, Joel Torre, who also gives a bit of background in this blog. Check out their facebook page, be a fan or something. Will post my thoughts about the impact of this movie in a post later.

Labels: awesome, curios, entertainment, movies

KOMIKON SUMMER FIESTA 2009
UP Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman
May 16, 2009, 10am-8pm, Saturday
entrance fee: P50.00

with Special Guests...
Wilson Tortosa (Wolverine: Prodigal Son) and Manix Abrera (kikomachine)

Join our PALARONG PINOY including our first ever "KOMIKON IDOL"!!! (para sa mga mahihilig bumirit)

see you all there!!!

Labels: aha, art related, awesome, comics, comics related, cool, entertainment, events, feast, happy gathering, launching

Just when things can't get any better, an Australian company comes up, pulls this outta my dreams and make it a reality:

When Old Becomes New Again - GF350

TEAC Australia introduces the GF-350 Turntable CD Recorder and Radio that allows all those old vinyl classics to be recorded to CD with the touch of a button.

So if Dad’s been hanging onto LPs featuring the Rolling Stones, Beatles, Beach Boys, Buddy Holly and the like, this is the ideal gift for him!

This new innovative audio product features a 3-speed Turntable to play those golden oldies, CD Player/ Recorder and AM/FM radio with built in speakers and amplifier.

Now all those old 33 LPs and 45s can come out of storage and be recorded directly onto a blank CD for the convenience of playing. Enjoy this music in the car or at home and preserve those old records for perpetuity!

So don’t go through the trouble of having to connect a turntable to a computer or an outboard CD recorder, rather copy those records easily and effectively to CD.

Not only can you record from vinyl, you can also add external devices like a cassette deck via the aux input and record directly onto CD.

Is your record mastered at a low volume? No problems. The GF350 allows you to increase the volume output when recording to CD.

While the GF-350 permits playback of all vinyl formats, it also features a 32-track Music Memory and Auto/Manual Track Increment that allows for the track number to be recorded.

Aesthetically, this new product blends the stylish yet traditional Turntable features with the contemporary and sleek finish of the LCD Display with Backlight and rotary volume control.

New releases, such as the GF-350, demonstrate how TEAC Australia is advancing its future direction and continuing to be a pioneer in evolving technologies.

Just saw one earlier in the mall and a couple of months more and I'll be able to afford this sucker!

Labels: aha, awesome, cool, discovery, entertainment, history, reminiscing

See you all there!!!

Labels: art related, awesome, cartoons, comics, comics related, cool, discovery, entertainment, events, feast, happy gathering, launching

Mail came and a group of us were tasked to produce some original cartoons for the upcoming magazine with a theme revolving around food. On doing my research, to prop the "mad sk33lz," I came upon these. Hope ya like 'em:

Chicken Soup

Moments before a famous Shakespearean actor was to perform Hamlet to a packed house in New York, he dropped dead. The house manager solemnly went onstage and announced, "We are sorry to bring you this news, but our performance tonight has been canceled due to the untimely demise of our featured performer."

From the back of the theater a voice cried out, "Give him some chicken soup!"

Startled, the stage manager cleared his throat and replied, "I apologize if in my grief I have not made my solemn message clear. The man is deceased."

Once again, but more emphatically the voice rang out, "Give him some chicken soup!"

Having had about enough, the manager bellowed back, "Sir, the man is dead. Giving him chicken soup couldn't possibly help."

To which the voice replied, "It couldn't hurt!"

* * *

Jello

Driver: "Hi, is your name Jello?"
Hitchhiker: "Uh... no..."
Driver: "Too bad... 'cause there's always room for Jello!"

* * *

Ginger

I've got a crocodile named Ginger."
"Does Ginger bite?"
"No, but ginger snaps"

Labels: comics related, cool, cute, entertainment, funny stuff, pang-asar

My favorite FOXNews commentator, Bill O'Reilly, appears on The View to promote his new book, "Bold, Fresh Piece of Humanity." Even if you disagree with him you'll find this interview with the gals real entertaining as he turned on his charm easily turning the tables on those liberals (watch how Joy Behar reacts throughout this interview). He was, as one comment on YouTube went, "obnoxiously good-natured." Bill rawks!

Labels: aha, awesome, cool, entertainment, events, funny stuff, interview, pang-asar

Two new locally produced animated movies are coming soon on the silver screen. The first is Dayo ("Wanderer"), one of eight official entries in this year's Metro Manila Filmfest:

Jessie Lasaten, multi-awarded music composer and arranger for Filipino films "Anak," "Bata, Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa," among others, heads Cutting Edge as its Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Producer of "Dayo." Through the production of "Dayo," he challenges his pool of creative minds, and animators to compete on a regional scale by way of content creation.

Its narrative centers around an 11-year old kid named Bubuy (voiced by Nash Aguas) who is out save his beloved grandparents abducted into Elementalia -- a fantasy land abounding with strange flora and fauna, and a host of popular creatures from Philippine lower mythology.

Bubuy meets Anna manananggirl (voiced by Katrina Legaspi), a hyperactive teener with a special affection for all things human -- but not of a tummy-filling kind. Both Bubuy and Anna take on a wild, will-testing, and wonderfully funny adventure all over Elementalia -- from a massive falls teeming with gravity-defying merfolk; to an awe-inspiring crystal cave that houses a swarm of colorful alitubi; to a grand old tree that's home to a motherly female kapre; and finally to a majestic mountain guarded by a big pack of hungry aswangs.

Sounds interesting. Another animation working on the same premise as "Dayo" is from Creative Media and Film Society of the Philippines (CreaM) set to be shown maybe early next year:

From Bessie Badilla del Castillo, Imee Marcos, Mina Caliguia and a number of very talented Filipino artists from Art Farm Asia, check out this first all-Filipino-talent anime of one of the Philippines' famous folklore "aswang". It is making quite some noise in the international anime scene from Hong Kong to Cannes, France.

Fly Aswang - Filipino animation series based on Philippine Mythology. Against their mother Bessie's wishes, her three Filipina-American daughters travel to Manila for a cousin's wedding. Instead they are trapped in a vampire or aswang ritual and their family's history of supernatural power until Bessie come to save them.

Originally conceptualized for a 13 episode TV series. But because of it's story and the quality of work done by the artists and members of Creative Media Philippines (CreaM), the group is now challenged to make Fly Aswang into a full-length-featured anime with a 90 minute running time. It will still be in Tagalog and Tag-Lish and will be subtitled when it is submitted for international competition.

The original will be in Tagalog except for the three girls, Isabel, Blanca and Ines who will be speaking Tag-Lish. The Hong Kong version (for HK anime/film fest April 2008) will be in English as requested by HK film makers. French version will be in the original format with French subtitles which will premier in Cannes in July 2008. ~ From arkitekfhc's "Fly Aswang" Trailer - An Original Filipino Anime post

Both movies look promising judging from the trailer both animation studios are obviously seeking to break out from the old tradition of full length locally animated movies released before like Adarna: The Mythical Bird (1997) and Urduja (2007), both official MMFF entries. I do hope this jumpstarts the trend for local animation studios to churn more quality indie film features worthy of international standards.

Labels: art related, awesome, cartoons, cool, curios, discovery, entertainment, launching, movies

This just in: Tim Burton's next movie is a live action mixed with CG for Disney Pitcures, Alice In Wonderland (2010). Starring the adorable, 18 year old Australian actress, Mia Wasikowska in the title role. Other actors included in the movie are: Johnny Depp (Mad Hatter), Anne Hathaway (White Queen), and Helena Bonham Carter (Red Queen).

Unfortunately, from what I read as this early in the stage, it seems he's mixing the two stories, "Alice In Wonderland" and "Alice Through the Looking Glass," together as the initial plot we're getting for the film thus goes:

Hathaway is playing the White Queen, a benevolent monarch who is deposed and banished by her sister, the Red Queen (Carter), who has an affinity for crying out, "Off with their heads!" The White Queen needs Alice to slay a creature known as the Bandersnatch. ~ Anne Hathaway books "Alice in Wonderland," Yahoo! Movies

The mixture of the two results in some rather confusing details especially as major characters go. As far as I know and remember, the Red Queen from the second book is not the same as the Queen of Hearts and she doesn't command her lackeys to off her subjects' heads (the White and Red Queens from the second story are from a huge chessboard) to the detriment of some fans who're asking "Why not opt for two films instead of mixing them both?" As for the role going to a rather older actress playing the title role, this is what I got from a fan's post:

Tim Burton said he wanted an older actress who carry the weight of the film better than a 7-year old could, but he also wanted someone who still had an innocence about her. So my guess is the non-book material added for the movie may give Alice more emotional range than most young actresses can handle, but at the same time Mia won't act like a mature, cynical 18 year old. Think Judy Garland from The Wizard of Oz for a good example of what I think Burton is aiming for.

This is all interesting to say the least, let's see how this all goes.

* Related posts: AIW Movie IMDB Page; Movie fan blog; TimBurtonbr/Alice Photobucket album; AIW Movie Flicker Album

Labels: aaahh, aha, awesome, cool, curios, discovery, entertainment, movies

Hilarious take on the Watchmen (copied from ComicBookMovie.com):

Who Watches the Watchnuts?
Good Grief! Charlie Brown as Doctor Manhattan?!!

Young art star Evan Shaner mimics cartoonist Charles Schulz by combining his Peanuts characters and the Watchmen. The drawing includes Charlie Brown as Doctor Manhattan, Linus as The Comedian, Schroeder as Ozymandias, Lucy as Silk Spectre, Snoopy as Rorschach, and Pigpen as Nite Owl.

Labels: art related, awesome, cartoons, comics, comics related, cool, cute, entertainment, funny stuff, movies

Now I get it.

After reading through the entire 416 pages of the graphic novel which I borrowed from my friend, Lee, yesterday, I finally got what the hullabaloo is all about. Whereas before I was so opposed to all the excitement and hype this movie was generating ("That's a batman rip-off!" "The Comedian? He doesn't even look funny!" "Silk Spectre?! What kinda name is that?" "Who's that blue guy?" "Booooring!") reading the graphic novel finally made me change my mind, or at the very least, understand where those who've already read the novel are coming from. In fact I now know why that smiley face button has blood splatter on it.

I totally loved the story, the characters (Rorschach and Nite Owl II stood out for me) and everything else despite the noise inside the venue (you'd think rock bands would, at least, reserve their set for a more appropriate venue, like say, far from the selling area. As in very far). With the images still fresh in my mind I went online to watch the movie trailer again and compare the actors against those artist Dave Gibbons had created in the comic. The scenes turned out to be extremely cool after seeing it coming from a more informed stance. Not that I'm raising any and all expectations after this, in fact I'm still leaving it at the "It's gonna suck, it's gonna suck! I just know it!" level.

People are split on what they think of the film based on the initial images being shown in the trailer. Now I heard that writer, Alan Moore couldn't care less about the movie and vows to spit venom all over it for months to come. Which comes as no surprise since he also said prior to the aforementioned statement that he finds, "film in its modern form to be quite bullying." But I do hope he changes his mind. I do hope that he would soften his stance actually see the movie with an open mind and criticize it based on its own merit. If it goes down in flames then so be it. If it works, then by all means write a statement of commendation to the production team. It's not like we haven't seen the other side of Mr. Moore before:

He drove his point with his rant against Hollywood studios and greedy executives but then Spiegelman was also right in saying he has to lighten up too. After all, no man made institution's perfect. You just have to look really hard for the good things that crop up once in a while.

* On a related note, here's an interesting article regarding movie directors following the visuals of comic books closer than necessary: Watchmen Objections - Storytelling and the Storyboard By Hervé St-Louis

Labels: aaahh, art related, awesome, comics, comics related, cool, curios, discovery, entertainment, movies

First workshop from Robo Monkey Pixel Fighters (RMPF):

FIRST WORKSHOP

The RMPF Workshop Series is proud to present our first workshops to be offered together with our partner institutions, Euphony Music Studio and St. Vincent Tutorial Center, both located in Makati City.

We're offering the Cartooning for Kids Workshop and Cartooning Workshop to be offered at both locations at the following schedules:

EUPHONY MUSIC STUDIO

Cartooning for Kids Workshop
For Elementary School Students
Saturdays
9:00-11:00 AM, 1:00-3:00 PM, and 4:00-6:00 PM

Cartooning Workshop
For High School Students
Sundays
9:00-11:00 AM, 1:00-3:00 PM, and 4:00-6:00 PM

SAINT VINCENT TUTORIAL CENTER

Cartooning for Kids Workshop
For Elementary School Students
Saturdays
9:00-11:00 AM, 1:00-3:00 PM, and 4:00-6:00 PM

Cartooning Workshop
For High School Students
Sundays
9:00-11:00 AM, 1:00-3:00 PM, and 4:00-6:00 PM

For those who are interested you can get in touch with either Euphony Music Studio or St. Vincent Tutorial Center with the following contact details:

EUPHONY MUSIC STUDIO
FI-A Mezzanine
MCS Commercial Complex
Chino Roces Ave., Makati City

CONTACT DETAILS
Landline: (02) 844-5289, (02) 752-0006, Mobile: (0918) 563-7669
Look for Lynne Albay

SAINT VINCENT TUTORIAL CENTER
Lower Ground 11
Cityland Pasong Tamo Tower
Chino Roces St., Makati City
In front of the Don Bosco Technical Institute

CONTACT DETAILS
Landline (02) 894-4498
Look for Emmanuel Dino

Labels: aaahh, aha, art related, awesome, cartoons, comics, cool, discovery, entertainment, happy gathering, launching

Heroes Volume 3: Villains, starts today. I'll be waiting till the end of the season before I start watching, spoilers (expressed through conversations along with incredulous reactions of "YOU HAVEN"T WATCHED IT YET?!" accompanied by expressions of pity and surprise pasted on their faces) be damned. That's right. I'm saving everything for the "It's-the-end-of-the-season-so-there's-no-waiting-for-the-next-episode" Heroes marathon because I can and I want it that way.
May angal?

Labels: aha, awesome, cool, entertainment, launching, tv

I'm not one to discuss politics both local and international, in person and in writing because 1.) We'd just never see eye to eye, 2.) No one wins in the discussion, and 3.) It's very tiring. But I have to take exception with this one because I like Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin since she comes across as someone real, who doesn't look tainted by traditional politics going on in Washington, she's like a refreshing breath of fresh air on the old landscape, and she's not afraid to voice out her conservative views on things no matter how unpopular it's become, most especially her Christian faith. In contrast to this is the one who's being interviewed here and giving his opinions was someone I admired, in a way respected, someone who would have done a lot of good if he practiced non-partisan politics who also said before, "For a lot of actors, our biggest fear is that we're going to start talking about things we don't fully understand and sound like idiots. In the long run, I'll do much more good if, when I open my mouth, I have something worth saying."

Apparently, he thought he was doing good with this one casting huge boulders (not rocks) on hockey moms, Walt Disney pictures, small folks, the people of Wasilla in Alaska, and Creationists.

Transcript: "I think there is a really good chance that Sarah Palin could president. And I think that's a really scary thing because I don't know anything about her. I don't think in eight weeks I'm going to know anything about her. I know that she was a mayor of a really, really small town. And she's governor of Alaska for less than two years. I just don't understand... I think the pick was made for political purposes but in terms of governance it's a disaster.

"You do the actuary tables and there's a one out of three chance, if not more, that McCain doesn't survive his first term and it will be President Palin. And it really...we were talking about it earlier...it's like a really bad Disney movie. The hockey mom. "I'm just a hockey mom from Alaska." And she's the president. And it's like she's facing down Vladimir Putin and using the folksy stuff she learned at the hockey rink. It's absurd. It's totally absurd. And I don't understand why more people aren't talking about how absurd it is. It's a really terrifying possibility. The fact that we've gotten this far and we're that close to this being a reality is crazy, crazy.

"I need to know if she really thinks dinosaurs were here 4000 years ago, that's an important...I want to know that. I really do. Because she's going to have the nuclear codes. I want to know if she thinks dinosaurs were here 4000 years ago. Or if she banned books or tried to ban books. We can't have that."

Matt. Matt. Matt... Dinosaurs and nuclear codes? You should have taken your own advice.

Labels: aaahh, embarrassment, entertainment, funny stuff, interview, politics, sad news, uh-huh, whatever

Separated at birth?

One's a detective who uses psychic powers, the other's a detective who just uses the powers of his psyche (intuition + educated guess). They both also work with the recently, or not so recently, deceased ("deceased?") to solve crimes. And they both dress in spiffy black or dark clothes while doing so. Case in point: Grissom? Is that you?

Labels: aaahh, aha, awesome, curios, entertainment, tv

Straw polls can't predict a presidential election. But Madagascar cockroaches can. The hissing insects ran in a cockroach derby held by the New Jersey Pest Management Association in New Brunswick yesterday. They have correctly forecast the winner of the White House more than 80 percent of the time. Find out which candidate won.

This is really amusing and quite interesting in light of how the U.S. elections are shaping up. Others say a specific 86% precision. Maybe they can scrap the voting in November and divine the elections this way. Heehee.

* From the video uploaded to YouTube by TVJersey.

Labels: awesome, curios, cute, entertainment, funny stuff, pets

Francis Magalona diagnosed with leukemia, urgently needs blood donations
Bong Godinez
Philippine Entertainment Portal

PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) received information earlier today, August 13, that rapper-songwriter Francis Magalona has been diagnosed with leukemia and needs the help of blood donors.

Pupil band manager and Francis's good friend Day Cabuhat told PEP in a phone interview that any blood type and platelets will be accepted. [Subject to medical requirements, of course.]

"Donations may be made at the lower ground level of The Medical City in the name of Francis Magalona," relayed Day.

The Medical City is located along Ortigas Avenue in Pasig City.

Friends and relatives organized a blood donation drive to help the popular singer's cause. They're also asking friends from the media to spread the word regarding Francis's condition to encourage people to turn up and donate blood.

Those who cannot donate are urged to pray for strength, courage, and healing for him, his family and friends especially during this difficult time.

* You can also visit Francis' Multiply site and leave encouraging posts for him and his family also.
** Photograph taken by Noel Orsal for P.E.P.

Labels: entertainment, music, sad news