The domain of the fat chinese kid Enter at your own risk!

Fuck studying

2009-06-13T21:08:09Z

I talk to my grandfather. He inspires me to write. Like, we philosophize for hours.

Yesterday I asked him what happens to us after death.
He responded with a simple answer:
That's not the question you should be asking.
The question you should be asking is,
"Why are you asking the question?"

That got me thinking.
I used to be crazy against religion,
like to the point where I was fuck religion.
And I'd preach and preach.
Now I know that was wrong.

Not to say I'm suddenly a believer in religion,
because I'd LIKE to believe, but I just can't
bring myself to, but religion is something personal.
It shouldn't be our duty to take that away from people.

People can believe what they want to believe.
So there is no answer for my question.
Because chances are, I already know the answer.
Or rather, I need to find it for myself.
Because it's my choice.

Also in the concept of choice, I asked him what was holding society back.
The greatest thing about my grandfather is that he never answers the question directly.
He compared life to a river that needed to be crossed.
A bridge could not be built over this river.
But the objective was to reach the other side.
Most people would never approach the river.
They would stay on their own side.
They could not move forward.
However, the heroes would cross the river.
Not too hastily, for that would not be heroism, but blind stupidity.
But slowly.
For a hero took risks. To be a hero is to risk oneself, regardless of how much they hypothesize.
That's heroism.
To go against the norm.
To carve your path forward.
Some people wouldn't cross the river.
But that doesn't make them weak.
They make that conscious CHOICE.
They know the danger. And CHOOSE to not cross.
But they accept those who do cross.
However, the true weaklings are those who DO NOT CHOOSE.
They ignore the existence of the river altogether.
And they rot.

Cogs in the machine. :P

Conversations like this make me want to write.

Speaking of which....

http://searsdramafestival.com/09SouthRegAwards.html
http://searsdramafestival.com/09HamWentDistAwards.html

Enter Alice, the play I wrote and directed, KILLED at districts and regionals. Since the last time I updated we participated in the SEARS drama festival. It was truly a cathartic experience and I learned so much about myself and others. A job well done to cast and crew.

And to the people we offended, we love you. :D

Gotta get back to playwrighting then.

I'll see you, Livejournal in like another 5 months.

grunty_freak @ 2009-03-08T15:03:00

2009-03-08T19:03:38Z

Dear Livejournal,

Why have I stopped posting to you?

Love,

Aaron

8 Things

2008-12-29T17:18:49Z

8 Things from 7 catagories from '08

Things I'm proud of:
1: Enter Alice - My would be SEARS entry. After so many revisions, I'm happy to say that it's now workable. Hopefully it gets through.
2: Cabaret - I wasn't thinking of even auditioning and BAM: Ernst. Mind you, there were things I wasn't happy with, but it was a damn good show if I do say so myself.
3: Prizefighter - Ahahahahaha, despite all the shit this gets (from me especially), I actually am quite proud of this. I directed it in part and singlehandedly did the best scene in the play. So yes, I pwn. But I still have a LOT to learn, like I fail at blocking.
4: Ni-Sai - My budding, post-Eclipse effort. It'll be better and less convoluted, focusing on character rather than plot twists.
5: Still Alcohol and Drug Free.
6: Got into shape - Even though I accomplished practically nothing over the summer, I did get back into shape (since....well, never). Chedoke was my second home for some time. I owned those stairs and I look forward to get back to them next summer.
7: Grandfather - I finally sat down and started talking to him (as per my new years resolution) and I learned about his life. A truly fascinating person and a funny guy to boot, we're really close now. "I remind him of himself when he was young." Score!
8: I'm genuinely happy with my life now. Really, like actually happy.

Things I'm ashamed of:
1: Eclipse - I gave up. Really, I had to call it quits. It was getting nowhere and was a genuine drag to write. I've started a new novel, but it hurts to see 4+ years of work down the drain. But hey, I can learn from my mistakes and I made an entire mythos, so it wasn't a complete failure.
2: Cancer - So my mother was convinced I had cancer and now there's a huge hole in the back of my neck. Greeeeeeeeat.
3: Prizefighter - Regarded as a failure by the drama department, I'm still under persecution for being a part of it. It sucks, especially that my teacher decided to CALL ME OUT about it during class. That pissed me off considerably. But I'm still trying to get back into her good books, so hopefully things will go well.
4: Drama - No, not the performing arts. The drama within the drama. I've started participating in it and I've uncovered the horrible web of hatred and love and favouritism. Worst thing, I've started being a bad person and gossip. Greeeeeeeeeat.
5: My Summer - Wasted and useless. I got nothing accomplished.
6: My career - What career? Really? I have one? I have a future? Without Science? Trust me. I'll be waiting tables.
7: My G1 - Guessed it. :D
8: Compromising myself for other people.

Memories:
1: SEARS - Every single second, every rehearsal, every single fight, every tear shed, every angry bit of hate, every bit of love. Districts. Regionals. Standing in the parking lot, looking confused. Easily the best memory of the year.
2: Chedoke - Just standing on top of those stairs, drenched with sweat and looking at all of Hamilton. And I wasn't even halfway done.
3: Grandfather - Talking to him. Again and Again. Learning every detail of his life. Eating delicious food.
4: Cabaret - The reason I didn't write a whole postmortem was because frankly, we weren't connected as a cast. There was a lot of drama and angst, with people DESPISING each other. However, just the rush of standing onstage and having my SUITCASE EXPLODE CONSISTENTLY and anticipating Act 1 scene 10 (offstage) and Act 1 Scene 12. The sense of working on scenes in the halls, the sense of accomplishing things was awesome. Getting punched has never felt better. Followed by an extremely awkward cast party, which will remind me to never 'party' again.
5: Metaphysics - Adam = Character work. I played with him like putty.
6: A Doll's House - ...More like a nightmare than a memory
7: Les Mis - Saw it for the first time...I'm a fan to say the least.
8: Insomnia - It sucks. I think I have it.

Movies
1: Dark Knight
2: Tropic Thunder
3: There Will be Blood
4: Memoirs of a Geisha
5: I am Legend (first Half)
6: The Lookout
7: Cabaret (:D)
8: And of course, Reform School Zombie Squad!

Video Games
1: Valkyria Chronicles
2: The World Ends with You
3: Soul Nomad and the World Eaters
4: Phoenix Wright Trials and Tribulations
5: Phoenix Wright Justice for All
6: Final Fantasy XIII - XBOX=WTF!
7: Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
8: Eternal Sonata (for Music Alone. The storyline can suck my balls.)

Things that pissed me off
1: Stormfront
2: Proposition 8
3: Racists
4: Liberals
5: Conservatives
6: Elitist complex
7: Nationalists
8: Stereotypes - specifically living ones

Quotes:
1: Review this record warden, and by record, I mean VAGINA
2: I'm going to eat your family - Delivered to an eight year old
3: "So what happens if the stock market crashes?"
"BAD!" 2 year olds kick ass
4: "What are Nazis?"
5: Vin-Vinnie?
6: Don't Forget
7: He is not a __________
8: I lost.

grunty_freak @ 2008-11-18T23:13:00

2008-11-19T04:14:29Z

Wow. Just wow.

www.stormfront.org

I didn't think nazis still existed. Fuck, this disgusts me. They believe in segregation and stand for the nazi party. It's sickening.

AND they're Holocaust deniers.

What awful people.

Passchendale review/Remembrance Day

2008-11-11T23:58:16Z

‘Don’t die.’

That’s like totally my goodbye line. Instead of saying ‘goodbye’ to people, I say don’t die.

Paul Gross…you are a dirty thief! That’s my word! My slogan! DAMN YOU!

Now that that’s out of the way, I saw a rather interesting movie on Tuesday known as Passchendale. I saw it in a theatre full of Grade 10s, 11s and 12s, who were all lacking interest. It is safe to say that it was an enlightening experience, to see how such a movie affected the audience.

Now, this could have two possible outcomes. The movie could have either…
A: Only grabbed their attention during the fight scene
B: Seized their attention for the entire 2 hours.

What occurred was something in the middle. Half the audience spent the movie openly mocking it and the other half seemed to be generally disinterested. Still, the fight scene scared the crap out of everyone because it was so FREAKING WELL DONE.

But enough about my crappy experiences (of whom I have Lucy in part to thank for. Kudos to her for being one of the loudest people in the theatre), you’re here to learn about the movie.

As you all know, I’m a dick of a critic. I generally hate everything that moves and I have the arrogance to despise even the most minute details. Evaluating movies is pretty easy. Is it emotional? Does it work? Is the acting sufficient? Did the director put thought into what they do?

But war movies are different. They reflect the human condition and should show the horrors of war. Not necessarily for entertainment, war movies have a strong message. They’re supposed to show audiences what war could possibly be like…the horrors and the false pride.

Does Passchendale complete this? Yes and no.

Let’s look at the film’s tagline: ‘Don’t die.’

That pretty much sums up the first half of the movie, which boils down to a poorly conceived romance between Paul Gross’ character and a nursemaid. Not only is there zero chemistry between the two, but the lines between them are so cliché it hurts. Like, I was practically expecting a ‘you had me at hello,’ here and there. God, people! Two things that spring up between them are that he can ‘paint her a picture’ with words and that she won’t ‘die.’

Not to mention that the protagonists aren’t likeable at all. While the concepts are good (Gross’ character, Michael Dunn is mortified at the killing of a german boy – bayonette through the head), they’re executed so poorly. The characterization isn’t consistent. The audience never really sees Dunn’s terror about war – how he can never sleep after all he’s done. They hear about it in dialogue, but Gross never shows it. He never allows the cameras to get too close, which is his downfall.

Another wasted opportunity is David, Sarah (nursemaid)’s sister. He’s angry and young, but that’s ALL we see of him. Sure he falls in love with a girl and he has sex with her twice (‘How about you stick a foreign substance into me’ WHAT THE HELL), but his character seems really, really poorly conceived. He’s extremely unlikeable and hits the audience as spoiled and annoying.

Speaking of sex the dialogue takes a turn for the worse (lower than rock bottom!) after a certain fornication scene in a Belgan shack (I’m not kidding). ‘I have to go.’

Cue lame laughter in the theatre (Kudos to Lucy!). Really, the dialogue is so full of clichés that it feels like one of my novels! Come on, Mr. Gross, polish the script!

But I’ve trashed Passchendale enough. Its’ time to say what actually works and saves this movie from movie hell. Any scene where NO ROMANCE is occurring is well done. Gross captures the essence of the homefront during the conscription crisis and the various propaganda used by the government. It’s truly magical.

Also magical is his depiction of the battlefront.

HOLY SHIT. I was scared. Every time someone died I winced. It was insane, intense and made you tremble. It puts games like ‘Call of Duty’ in perspective. There’s no humanity in war games and they shouldn’t even be made. War is not a child’s game to play at and Gross knows this.

The battles in Passchendale are gory and respectively lack CGI polish. Every wound is visible on a person and every death is accurately represented. One that particularly haunts me is the death of a German as he gets his throat slit in a full 360. It’s a quick shot that causes his collapsing in the mud.

The war scene is chaotic and shows all sides and fronts. It shows the need for relief and the horrid conditions at Passchendale. To me, the battle redeemed the movie. It’s one of the best fight scenes in film.

When I left the theatre I was trembling. Not because of the JESUS ALLEGORY, but because of the battle I had just seen. It shows what war really is, what it can accomplish – the death of too many young men. I don’t give a damn about the characters, but those men in war….I felt like I was there with them.

I’m buying a poppy. Hell, I’ll buy 5. The boys deserve it.

7.5/10 (2.5/5 first half, 5/5 second half)

Also, I found something really disturbing. When I was rehearsing after school, I came across several poppies that had been crumpled up on the ground. It was as if the people wearing them didn't believe in what they meant and they were only worn as a fashion accessory for the 11th hour. To be honest, it disgusted me.

But I guess that sums up our generation...fad in, fad out. But really, wouldn't it be better to not buy a poppy at all then just throw it on the ground? Respect people...have it.

For my benefit

2008-09-10T20:38:23Z

What good is sitting alone in your room?
Come hear the music play.
Life is a cabaret, old chum
Come to the cabaret

Put down your knitting, the book and the broom
Time for a holiday
Life is a cabaret, old chum
Come to the cabaret

Come taste the wine
Come hear the band
Come blow your horn
start celebrating
right this way your table's waiting

No use permitting some prophet of doom
to wipe every smile away
Life is a cabaret, old chum
Come to the cabaret

I used to have a girlfriend known as Elsie
with whom I shared four sordid rooms at Chelsea
She wasn't what you'd call a blushing flower
as a matter of fact she rented by the hour

When she died the neighbours came to snicker
"That's what comes of too much pills and liquor"

But when I saw her laid out like a queen
She was the happiest corpse I'd ever seen

I still remember Elsie to this day
I remember how she'd turn to me and say
What good is sitting alone in your room?
Come hear the music play.
Life is a cabaret old chum
Come to the cabaret.

Put down your knitting, the book and the broom
time for a holiday
Life is a cabaret old chum
Come to the cabaret.

And as for me, As for me.
I made my mind up back in Chelsea
when I'm gone I'm going like Elsie.

So start admitting from cradle to tomb
isn't that long a stay
life is a cabaret old chum
only a cabaret old chum
and I love the Cabaret!

Nazis, gays and gorillas, OH MY!

30 questions

2008-09-04T22:09:47Z

1. There are 30 questions.
2. Next to each number, write only the name of the person who fits.
~~3. Answer one question with one name.~~ I cheat.
4. Don't tell the questions to anyone who isn't doing the meme.

1. funky_hat
2. squishyorb
3. No one.
4. Molly
5. sparkle_heaven
6. Holly
7. plum_newtype
8. plum_newtype
9. I can't hold a conversation. :P
10. Pauline
11. magiclucywink Although I'm not sure love is the right word.
12. jellobag I took a pen and closed my eyes...
13. Kelsey
14. 0_oanimefreak
15. loser_anda_user
16. enaranie
17. magiclucywink
18. Mr. Minor
19. enaranie
20. funky_hat
21. 0_oanimefreak
22. squishyorb, funky_hat, magiclucywink Hell, anyone of the female persuasion.
23. Fletcher.
24. [Bad username: funky_hat>]
28. Thomas...as sailor moon.
29. I can't hold a conversation. Wouldn't work out. :P
30. Albatross! Albatross!

Summer checklist

2008-08-30T00:11:07Z

Well, the summer's almost over and I really got very little accomplished. So let's see what happened/I accomplished.

MY SUMMER GOALS:

[ ] Get Eclipse finished. I have a better chance of becoming the president of the US. Buut, I restarted. I'm doing it with a new narrative voice now, which means...rewriting the whole thing!

[x] Finish my play and get a full working draft. I'm extremely happy about this. It's still good for improvement, but I fully mapped the whole thing out. Now all I need is minor tweaking.

[x] See Les Miserables Enjoras is the angriest captain ever!

[x] Make a Seven Year old cry No comment.

[x] Be a useless volunteer. Yeah....I really needed to get a summer job and I blew it.

[x] Have Prizefighter bashed by someone I'll never see again. That guy is my HERO!

[x] See Breaking Dawn Fail Take that Stephanie Meyer! This is what happens when you steal a name from me!

[x] Get into shape I know what you're thinking: OMGWTFBBQ. I'm not as rotund!

[x] Finish Death Note

[ ] Tales of Vesperia released on PS3 I'm so jealous. WHY? WHY?

[x] See and Like the Dark Knight

[x] See and Like Tropic Thunder

[ ] Enjoy Stratford I dunno if it's SEARS, but Stratford disappointed me this year. With an average Hamlet and a subpar Cabaret, I can only anticipate West Side next year...hopefully.

[x] Get my G1 (barely)

[ ] Have a fulfilling summer. My god, I screwed it up!

This will be a review sooner or later

2008-08-03T17:33:49Z

Cabaret at Stratford? Yeah: It sucks.

Full review coming as soon as I get off my lazy ass

The Dark Knight Review

2008-07-28T17:27:36Z

So, there's this movie called the Dark Knight out in theatres. I'm not sure if you've heard about it. It's a sequel to a small movie called Batman Begins. Once again, I'm not sure if you've heard about it. The movie had the misfortune of opening at the same weekend of Mamma Mia (which you've ALL heard of), so it only BROKE BOX OFFICE RECORDS. Yeah, it's a complete under the radar movie and (not sure if you've heard of it) it's best actor is now 6 feet under.

Why so serious? I killed the bus driver. You complete me. Let's now blow things out of proportion. It's all part of the plan.

I can quote this movie FOREVER.

Let me say this right now: The Dark Knight is the best superhero movie ever. Yes, even better than ANY OTHER Batman movie (of which only 3 are legitimately good), yes, even better than the Spiderman series, yes, even better than the Superman movies. Christopher Nolan has created a world that doesn't belong in the superhero genre. He's created something much larger.

I dislike Batman begins. I'll admit that. The villain's intentions weren't as strong as those of the usual rogue gallery and the action scenes didn't suffice enough. I didn't get it and everything seemed to pale to Tim Burton's Batman. Maybe it's because Ra Al Ghul isn't that well known, or maybe it's because he's just not...insane. I like my villain's insane.

Then...BOOM. The Dark Knight. When I heard Heath Ledger was playing the Joker...I was excited. I mean, most people made mocking pictures, but I ADORE obscure casting. Like Michael Keaton as Batman, putting an actor out of their element shows you their true potential. Not to mention of course, I've hated every movie Heath ledger's been in (I haven't seen Brokeback yet, but the rest are poop.). Then Heath Ledger dies.

HOLYFUCKSHITHYPE.

But after seeing the Dark Knight, you realize that his death has NOTHING on the film. Regardless of circumstances, the Dark Knight owns. You think the viral game's ingenious? Have you been following it religiously like I have? While extremely entertaining and clever, it has NOTHING on the Dark Knight. Nothing in the game matches how awesome the movie is.

Now: The movie. Kudos go to the writers. They've invented Gotham city, realistic, dark and slightly comedic. They've eliminated the superhero deus ex's and they've eliminated all comic book type effects. They've made a real city, with real people. While they may not get a nomination, it is a tight, fast moving script that involves the viewer.

While the rest of the cast provides a good effort (Gary Oldman plays an extremely likable Gordon and Michael Caine does what all previous Alfreds have done: not screw up), chances are that you care only about one actor...namely the one who'll never be in another film (besides the new Terry Gilliam one) every again.

I didn't think very highly of Heath Ledger before the Dark Knight. When he died, my initial reaction was "What?" It was a question, with no emotions or fury attached to it. After seeing the Dark Knight, I can fully mourn Heath Ledger's death. His performance extremely strong. Like, buff. Like Academy Award-like.

I'll compare Ledger's joker to Nicholson's. Ledger kicks his ass. While all previous iterations of the Joker have played it for laughs, Ledger plays a psychopath hellbent on destroying Gotham. He doesn't have any motives and just wants to see Gotham burn. You can't see any human in Ledger's Joker and he's literally the stuff of nightmares. This is the type of villain that you're not supposed to see in movies, but Ledger's 2 week character work (locking himself in a room for 2 weeks) has a great pay off. You WANT Batman to hurt him and he kills a LOT of people. This guy's smart, quick and to the point. A brilliant moment is in the holding cell, where Batman's beating the shit out of him. For every punch, the Joker laughs and laughs. He doesn't Get pain. He doesn't feel pain.

He's the motherfucking Joker and he goes out laughing, like the crazy man he is.

This Joker cuts through people's mouths to see smiles on their faces, he kills his associates just for laughs, he can't kill Batman because he's too much fun. In short, he's a badass. It's a shame Ledger's dead. There's NO ONE that can beat Heath Ledger's joker. No one at all. In fact, I don't think they can make a sequel to the Dark Knight. The villain'll be living in the Joker's shoes (the Riddler anyone?)

Aaron Eckhart is the perfect Harvey Dent. Compared to the travesty of Tommy Lee Jones' Two face, Eckhart hits it out of the park. His Dent is just as good as his Two Face, showing the versatility of this amazing actor. If we find him dead, I will be a very angry panda.

That leads me to my one complaint: Two face. By now you've all probably seen what he looks like (sexyness) and Eckhart plays him well. The only problem with this movie is Two Face. He has only one motive (which I will not spoil) and he becomes a fairly one dimensional character. If the film had been 30 minutes longer (yes, I want The Dark Knight to be 3 hours) to extend Two-face's fall from grace. Also, whoever played Barbara Gordon can't act her way out of a paper bag.

Morgan Freeman plays Morgan Freeman. Really, this guy is so cool that I feel unpopular (more so than usual) just hearing him talk. Which brings me to my next point. Freeman's character creates a Sonar device for Batman. Coupled with the special effects team, this makes the finale of the Dark Knight even more epic, with a sense of urgency that is found in video games more than it is in film. It's a seamless thing that you have to see to believe.

In short...

The Good:
-Heath ledger creates a Joker than can successfully kick Batman's ass. He's a terrorist. One of the best moments of the film involves him torturing a Batman wannabe. It reminds people of one of those beheading videos. It's terrifying and awful.
-The screenplay. It shows the timeless battle in a way Tim Burton failed to do so
-The cinematography. Swirling camera! Oh noes!
-The sonar segments

The Bad
-Barbara Gordon and her 4 lines
-Two Face's one dimensionalness

In the end...a 9.6/10

I hope you're happy, Ning.

Meme

2008-07-05T16:59:54Z

I will write a drabble for the first five commenters to request one. In return, they have to post this in their journal (if they want to). You may request the character and/or the pair for the following fandoms: Heroes, Death Note, Kingdom Hearts, GTO, BECK, Elfen Lied (the anime), FFX, FFXII, The World Ends with You, Fire Emblem, Naruto, Tales of the Abyss, Folklore, Harry Potter, Sweeney Todd, Anything Pixar (minus Cars), Les Miserables, Bioshock

I'm really rusty, so hopefully this will go well.

Wall-E review

2008-07-02T01:28:30Z

Ugh. Before you get me wrong about this review, I actually do love Pixar. In fact, there was a time when I thought that they were going to change the shitty animated features of today. My opinion has drastically changed.

I had REALLY high hopes for Wall-E. I was in love with the robot's inability to talk. The post-apocalyptic earth was quite appealing to me. It was Bioshock-esque, for you video game players. It had a message, a meaning. Maybe it could've accomplished what I Am Legend failed to do - show the horror and have hope.

Unfortunately, Wall-E falls into the exact same trap as I Am Legend. Like, I Am Legend, the periods where Wall-E is alone shine as the hilight of the film. His other co-stars (EVE especially, which I will get into later) not only steal his spotlight of likability, but make him morbidly annoying. There is a thin line between endearing and annoying and Wall-E dances upon that line.

There's a distinct feeling of "I Am Legend" when the film opens, showing an Earth of piles and piles of garbage. It's almost Aztec, the way things are stacked and makes the film hypnotizing. Whereas I Am Legend showed empty streets, Wall-E shows an over-cluttered landscape. To make things even more ironic, large windmills are shown everywhere - in a futile attempt to save the dust soaked earth.

As Wall-E (A Robot who is tasked with making said pyramids of garbage) makes his way around the ruined city, various ads dominated by a single corporation are shown: BnL (Literally Big and Large). This society has been seized by the Corporation. If I have learned anything from my dear 6-8 teacher, the Corporation is EVIL.

As Wall-E makes his way through the city he finds small contraptions to amuse himself with. Everything that he finds interesting, he stores in his lunchbox, which he carries with him (at the end of the day) to his little jawa cruiser. With his pet coachroach he watches a lone tape of 'Hello Dolly' and the schedule repeats itself as he goes to sleep.

This is the opening of Wall-E and it's fucking epic. Like, the fact that he can't talk adds an appeal that I Am Legend failed to add. It's cute, cuddly and just...well, you HAVE to see it.

Okay, now the film goes downhill. He meets EVE, a slightly violent female robot from the human occupied AXIOM (they're so fat they can't walk anymore. Go them.). Then they fall in wuv. But then she goes back into space (OH NO!) so Wall-E follows her, leaving his pet coachroach behind (The best part of the movie).

That is not to say that the part where he meets EVE isn't as epic as well, the part where he's alone. His blunders to make her fall for him and his ascent to space are both visually orgasmic (yes, I used that word). It's amusing and funny for poor Wall-E.

But then they reach the Axiom, and that's when the movie goes down. Don't get me wrong. It's a GREAT idea. The fact that people have become so bloated and obese from the corporation (ANGRY! HATE THEM!) that they can't even move is genius. Their eyes are always watching TV screens so they don't notice anything in the ship.

The problem lies here: The humans. They're notoriously boring to watch. I mean, they're fat. We accept that. But we can't recognize anything with them. The dialogue they have with each other is grating and (as they are the victims), we grow to dislike them.

Not only this, but EVE starts to become a bit of a bitch toward Wall-E. I mean, there's a point when she's pissed off, but she becomes so bitchy it hurts. Pixar must make us really want to hate it's heroine. Wall-E starts to get on the nerves. There's just too much fluff and not enough bite. And before anyone attacks that statement, their previous feature, the Incredibles and Finding Nemo did that perfectly.

The romance between Wall-E and EVE becomes so forced. You'd want to gouge your eyes out. It hurts a bit. Coupled with thousands of humans cheering him on, this is Dreamworks stuff, not Pixar.

I KNOW Pixar can do better. Hell, their short was the best one they've ever done. The ideas where there, it was just the execution that was sloppy. The ending feels...empty and unfulfilled.

As a pixar film I'd place it 5th. With Toy Story 3 coming out, I can only pray that Pixar realizes their mistake and move forward. The mature theme is good, they just need to work on how to present the ideas.

A 7/10

Indiana Jones Review

2008-05-26T00:49:44Z

Meh. That's what I describe this movie as. I gotta say, I had practically NO expectations for this movie. I thought it was going to be crap for 3 reasons.

1: The lack of Sean Connery.
2: The inclusion of Shia LaBeouf (more on that later)
3: The reinclusion of Marion

I went into that theatre with my drink and popcorn and sat down. To my surprise the place was practically empty. I wondered why. Then the movie opened up and I sat down wondering what I was doing in the theatre.

If ANYTHING has changed in Indiana Jones, it's the dialogue. I'm sorry, but the ENTIRE beginning sequence seemed rushed. It didn't help that the dialogue was Star Wars terrible. Like, Lucas shit all over Indiana Jones again. But alas, once the first fist was delivered, I became sedated. I LOVED the little Ark easter egg at the beginning. It was pretty clever, I must say. The first punch instantly turned Indiana Jones into something nostalgic. It's nice that so little has changed in the fight department. If Lucasfilms knows how to make anything, it's a fight scene.

Harrison Ford was back and playing himself, which is to say he played Dr. Jones quite well in this adventure. Amusing as always, he grunted his way through the roles. Age has done NOTHING to him.

Shia LaBeouf. I have to say, I don't like this guy. I mean, I haven't seen any instance where he can act...ever. But hey, he did a pretty damn well job here. He played it straight, but like Harrison Ford did in Raiders. He was the big surprise of this movie.

Now, I was enjoying the movie...UNTIL the car chase. Now, I loved the car chase, but the movie went to hell as soon as that car chase ended. There were NO temple traps, nor were there any Natives to battle (OMG! SKULL. RUNS). Also, the ending was really anti-climatic. I mean, Aliens? COME ON. Also, Spalko's death was pretty weak sauce. OMG! FLAMING EYEZ! Indiana Jones always has a gross-death scene and it didn't deliver.

That moves me onto my next point: Spalko. The Russians seem to have 1 pose: Be angry and point guns. Now, they never fire them, but they always look angry. The Russians never seemed to be an apparent threat to Indy. Their 'evilness' was only asserted by the fact they were Russian, an obvious no-no. Previous Indiana Jones villians have been able to distinguish themselves, but Spalko fails in that light.

Marion. Marion, Marion, Marion, Marion. You were my second favourite character in Raiders. What the hell happened? It was like Lucas/Spielberg added you for fan service. The attempted romance was bad, bad, bad. It had no motivation and there was no sexual tension. Beside all of that, she seemed like a waste.

If I have to rate this, I'd give it a 7/10
If I have to Rate both halves of the Movie

Part 1 gets an 8.5
Part 2 gets a 6.8

A link for you all: Possibly the most offensive site in the world

2008-05-14T01:36:08Z

http://godhatesgoths.com/main.html

.....I think this is either a great satire, or just an idiot.

Be sure to read the disclaimer at the end. It's AWESOME.

Therapy

2008-04-27T21:42:27Z

F: Hey, Aaron, you should consider directing for SEARS,
A: Actually, I'd like to act.
F: The chances of a Grade Ten making SEARS is highly unlikely. I mean, you'll have a better shot next year, but you should really apply.

The BIG RED Miller book of Miller. Memory of Two Mondays. Submission. Fear. Excitement. Drama Club: 2 hours later. The first lunch meeting.

"I'm way over my head with this SEARS thing. Seriously, I'm out of my league. I have no idea how to direct and I'm too intimidated/timid to actually try. In short I'm a mental wreck at this point. I mean, I want to continue with this and this is only the first practice, but I'm so out of the loop and I don't understand anything. I mean, it's not like I'm trying to create an image for myself out there, but no matter how many times people explain it to me I still don't get it. Like, at the production meetings I feel so...out of the loop. But it's not the people though, it's all just me. I'm just not ready for this."

Oh my god, what the fuck am I doing?

Nothing ever is. Angels and Ministers/Saints of Grace Defend Us. Vin-Vinnie? What? Who? What? See Spot. See Spot Run. Fear. The shit talk. The weakest link. Home packed dinners (for the lucky). Laugh Track = Shattered Plastic. VOLUME. The Ostrich and the Rhino. Do the powerskank! Dan, are you biting an apple? Itchy ass. Let's do it one more time! Samosa run. Kelsey and Sehar, you owe me 60 cents apiece. Fear. Terror. Fletch.

Your worst run. 4 days. Tech. Jackson. The lobby board D:. (THREE EYES!) The toast. Your best run. Foreign policies. Awards. Holy shit fuck. Win.

Cloud Nine. Fish Bowl. Last rehearsal. Shit on the ground. Shifty elevator. Walking up and down stairs. Calorie Counter. Walking to Shoppers and Back with lots of water. Dungenous Mall. Williams Love. Holly, you owe me a bento. The Toast. The Show.

Bankroff. Phyllis. Rent.

Educational lectures in Winners. Epic Safari Ride. Don't forget: this is a small tree. You're not allowed to sit on the ground. This is a family mall. Amazing Transitions. Crew bow. Wendel onstage. IT'S A LEPRECHAUN! I lost. Nasty soup. Wine Gums.

Still Alive. Bro. Nasty Slab of meat. Awards.

Us.

It's been one hell of a ride.
-Aaron

Holly, you still owe me lunch...somewhere.

Meme of all things

2008-04-08T16:08:53Z

Tagged by squishyorb

Once you have been tagged, you have to write a blog with 10 random things, facts, goals, or habits about yourself. At the end, choose 10 people to be tagged, listing their names & why you chose them. Don't forget to leave them a comment (you're it!) and to read your blog for instructions. You can't tag a person who has tagged you. Since you can't re-tag me, let me know when you've posted your blog so I can read the answers!

10. I still pick my nose...and I occasionally still eat the boogers. I don't know why. They taste gross..but I can't help myself. D:

9. I can never really hate someone for so long without feeling bad later. This has always been true with me. Then I start thinking about why I hate them and I realize that it's a really stupid reason.

8. I enjoy thunderstorms, but only if I'm indoors. It makes me sleep better.

7. I'm only quiet in drama class because it brings attention away from me. It's all a trick so people don't expect me to do well in the class. That's why I'm so distant to everyone. I bide my time and wait for the right moment. It also gives me GREAT marks!

6. Looking back on my anime addiction, most of it is garbage. It's creepy. I never thought I'd say this, but I prefer interpretive manga and anime now than anything else. The majority of it is garbage. I guess it's my long exposure to it.

5. I'm a gossip whore. Enough said.

4. I'm also an attention whore. I need to work on that. I mean, I'm not outgoing or anything, but I am an attention whore.

3. All the friends (including myself) that I sit with at lunch are kinda odd. We have a guy who formerly bit people to express himself, another guy who thinks his karate can kick anyone's ass, a crazy right winger (Like HOLY SHIT, right winger), An Asian trying to be an actor and a writer, a person who lies through his teeth and has an unusually high opinion of himself, a person who has given his soul over to technology and thinks that the world will end in 2012 and also thinks that books are useless and a crazy, insane, pot smoking nutcase. Our lunch time gang kicks ass!

2. I've never really gotten along with anyone who's really, really popular. I mean, even if they're a nice person, a part of me dislikes them for some reason or another. Jealousy perhaps?

1. My life is a novel. You know what that means.

SEARS status

2008-04-06T04:31:10Z

We did it, we really did. We made it to regionals.

I'm in a mere matter of weeks, we cast, directed and polished Simon Grant's "The Prizefighter." We stayed at the school late at night, sometimes never seeing the sun. We at lunch and dinner there and practically lived in that auditorium. Some of our marks fell and sometimes teachers didn't like this devotion. But we remained. There were no quitters among us. We endured. But most importantly, we changed. Throughout the hardships and the rehearsals, the cast and crew of the Prizefighter was so devoted to their craft that they blocked out all else. We became tight, but we developed.

I remember the first read through. Everyone was really nervous and some of us couldn't even read our lines correctly. Molly shouted out all of the stage directions in her usual loud voice. As the read through ended and we hurried home to create our prompt books, I'll admit I was intimidated. What had I signed up for?

But everyone did change. The voices during the read through developed over time as we practiced throughout the long nights, some that seemed like they'd never end. Remember the fear that hit everyone when Fletcher arrived? Or the shouting run in the hallway? Or just Blair being creepy and spying on underaged girls? Good times and lots of memories and cats. Kitty cats. Meow.

Actors and people. You guys are the fucking best sauce in the whole fucking world. It was a joy to work with you guys and you're all so talented. Plus, it does take some talent to listen to a fat Asian for a bit when Mike wasn't hollering at you. When you guys performed on Friday, I was completely blown away. It was tight and I can say honestly that I felt like I was watching something completely different from two, no even one week ago. You guys are awesome. I'd bake you all cookies, but I already did that. :D

Crew. I still don't understand tech, which is probably a bad thing at this point. But from what I saw and heard you guys were efficient and made of YAY. When I first saw those gloves, I was made of happy. And when I saw the fight, I was made of more happy. Happy all around. No wonder you guys were so awesome. The Award says everything I can't. Hurrah!

And finally Mike. Mentor-man. Being your suck up was pretty fun, I'll admit. Do you recall the hours we spent after Drama Club talking about if I somehow ended up directing something? How bizarre that it turned out this way. I don't want to sound mushy, but you've taught me so much and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your schedule and your immaculate writing still terrify me though.

I was nervous throughout all of Friday, but when we raised out "champagne" shots in the air...there seemed to be a sense of unity. We were together in this and regardless if we made regionals or not, we were going to put on a damn fine show. We'd go down fighting. Then I walked back and sat down in the house. The play started and you guys rocked the house.

How do I know this? Someone who's been doubting the play this entire time turned to me after the first scene and said that it was awesome. You guys all blow my mind (I wonder if I can put a 'That's what she said there?')

I thank you all for this. You're all fucking fantastic.

But this isn't the end. It's only the end of act one. We still have more rehearsals to go through, now don't we?

I'm looking forward to seeing this through.

-Aaron

Kelsey, you still owe me 60 cents.

The Past Week in Review

2008-02-21T01:01:59Z

Wednesday:
-The anime club personifies everything I hate about anime. It's stereotypical, unorganized and brings through the painful in people. Why can't we just be happy to be who we are? Oh yeah and the Bleach love is mostly icky. I mean, Bleach is OK at best, but when you cut it down all it is is fighting and nothing more. Personally, I can now only stand anime if it's good and has meaning. Other than that, I'm starting to loathe it.

Thursday:
-SEARS action. yay. Things are getting done. Imma directing. Things are all good. Hurrah. We're behind. Sadness. Samosas are good. Sentences (proper ones that is) are overrated.
-Our math teacher is a zombie. A creature from the netherworld without a soul and a mad bald spot.

Friday:
-They sold fudge today. It made me happy.
-Alex dragged me to his house to play Mario party. I hate going to his house because I hate walking across Churchill Park. We didn't end up playing as usual. Thomas had another one of his hissy fits. I don't know what his problem is sometimes.
-Motherfucking Bahamut won't motherfuckingly die. What the fuck? Ah well, back to Midlight's Deep.
-I HATE KAIEN'S VOICE. My god, I'm happy he's dead.
-L is a creeper. He's also a pedo and a stalker. I <3 L
-Gundam Seed Destiny is a series I'm ready to give up on. Kira's speeches suck and contradict themselves. He should've died ages ago, or at least been horribly maimed.

Saturday:
-Did I mention I love my history teacher? She's the bomb. I mean it. She makes history INTERESTING. Like, you know how Miller said it's a roller coaster. She MAKES it a roller coaster. She's so sarcastic and blunt when she describes it. It's a teacher like that that makes me enjoy doing my homework. My letter from the trenches kicks ASS.
-Puzzle Quest is my life. Take that ogres! I MATCH TILES WITH j00!
-More progress in Revenant Wings. My god, I need to Grrrriiiiiiind.

Sunday:
-Saw the Lookout, Away from Her and Monster In Law.
-The Lookout was the only decent one. I mean, it made you feel for the characters and grieve with them as donut boy died. It's easily one of my top movies as it's so well written. Watch it if you have the chance.
-Away from her was filmed in Hamilton. I recognize the hospital. My grandma was there when she collapsed on New Years. Just like that, it was so depressing. It made me want to hit babies. It was that depressing. The worst part is, there are no morals gained from it or questions answered. The protagonist, after all of his struggles, succumbs to himself.
-Monster in law sucked. Then again, it has J-Lo and it's a chick flick. What more can I say?
-PHOENIX WRIGHT HAS A SPARTA REFERENCE. OMG JOYGASM.

Monday:
-Babel is a failure of a movie because it asks too many questions but leaves you hanging completely. It makes you feel detached from characters that hardly grow on you. If anything it should've built up on them a lot more. The only character I actually felt for was the one who had no written dialog and she was nekkid.
-FINALLY back to Rogue Galaxy. My god, it gets pretty good around the end. Although, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone because of it's shitty storyline and dialog. Stock characters should NEVER be used in an RPG. EVER.
-Still grinding...maybe next week I'll kill the SOB.

Tuesday:
-So, our pictures aren't actually AWOL. They're just on another computer, because the group before us was nice enough to not delete them. That means we wasted an entire week. Btw, David Cake is a dick because of it. Deleting their photos for 'revenge', my god. The kid gets on my nerves.

Wednesday:
-David Cake is a nerve wrecker. He denies actual evidence in front of him and advocates violence 'in some situations'. My god, has he ever heard of Darfur?
-Did I mention I luff my history teacher? I'd bake her a cake but I'd eat it first.
-Our principal is a kick ass motivational speaker.
-Our director likes his earl gray tea.
-Samosas are love.

Oh, no, emo time.

2008-02-05T03:22:22Z

I'm way over my head with this SEARS thing. Seriously, I'm out of my league. I have no idea how to direct and I'm too intimidated/timid to actually try. In short I'm a mental wreck at this point. I mean, I want to continue with this and this is only the first practice, but I'm so out of the loop and I don't understand anything. I mean, it's not like I'm trying to create an image for myself out there, but no matter how many times people explain it to me I still don't get it. Like, at the production meetings I feel so...out of the loop. But it's not the people though, it's all just me. I'm just not ready for this.

I mean, it's just the first practice, so I'll see how things go, but I just don't want to let people down and I don't want this experience to be a waste of my time. I want to be useful, but I'm too passive.

Eventually, I want to go into the business, but if I'm this passive it'll never happen. But that's just the thing. It's scary. I don't feel...right directing people older than me - people who have more experience on the stage and probably know more about directing then I ever will. I mean, Fletcher told me that this is the place where I would get experience directing, but there must be another way. I'm so glad I wasn't picked as main director, otherwise SEARS would be a sinking ship.

I just have to be more assertive. I can't let everyone down, let alone myself.

In other news, 93% average, with a 97% in Drama. :D

grunty_freak @ 2008-01-23T19:28:00

2008-01-24T00:32:00Z

Hey kids,

Guess who's assistant director? :D

Um....alright. I need help. Does anyone know anything about 1930's boxing, specifically the clothing the boxers wore?

Much help would be...thanked?

Thanks,

-Me

grunty_freak @ 2008-01-10T20:40:00

2008-01-11T01:40:23Z

Eclipse Part 2: February 28th

Done.

2007

2008-01-03T18:54:37Z

I'm late getting this up, but my internet was down and the R4 is bothering the shit out of me. Really, I'm actually quite happy I'm doing 'homework' right now, because I'm actually getting a bit tired of the break. I actually WANT to go back to school, if only for the anthology. Scary, huh?

Anyway...what did I learn this year?

-My political interests are practically nix.
-Jamie Minor scares the crap out of me. He's talking about a perfect world where only smart people are allowed to procreate.
-Ellen Page is easily the best teen actress in North America
-Diablo Cody needs to write more scripts. Really, she's damn talented. I mean, all the conversations in the movie seemed REAL.
-Anyone who says Johnny Depp lacks versatility needs to get their head examined.
-threequels suck.
-generally, sequels suck.
-Everyone in California is really nice.
-Everyone in Abercrombie and Fitch, no matter where you go, is really mean.
-Californian fish can't be beat.
-Disney's California Adventure is a ripoff park
-Universal Studios Hollywood is a ripoff in general.
-Holding in your pee before you go on Goliath is generally not a good idea.
-If you're morbidly obese, ride employees are quite vicious
-If you hate on Dr. Dre in Six Flags, you're probably going to get shot.
-There's no such word as anyways.
-I'm VERY interested in Drama and all parts of the industry
-I need a summer job.
-Sony is screwed.
-Now that I've seen my top 5 anime/manga, it's hard to read/watch any more, because generally most of them suck.
-Heroes season 2 was a phailure.
-Disney Channel Original Stars are doomed to a life of booze and alcohol, save for Zac Efron, who's way too squeaky clean for his own good.
-EVERYONE in High school either smokes, drinks or masturbates. Some do all three.
-FUCK means Forbidden under the Crown of the King and actually has a very interesting history
-Did I mention, Juno is the best written movie of '07?
-I'll say it again. It is.
-Any video game that takes itself too seriously is absolute shit no matter how you cut it.
-Except for Bioshock.
-And other good games.
-But not Valkyrie Profile 2. Because that sucks.
-The R4 chip is GOD.
-The Naruto staff, and everyone in it needs to take a three year break to rethink where they're dragging the now horrible storyline.
-The Bleach Staff needs to keep on writing and creating their unintentionally funny series. More power to them.
-Sega needs to keep making Bleach DS games.
-Tri-Ace needs to stop making sequels to their franchises.
-Same with Bandai.
-And unfortunately Namco.
-British 10 year old lesbians in Zepplins scare me.
-So do little girls in underwater cities with needles
-As does Jazz music, art deco and black and white photos
-Timothy Spall is now one of my favourite actors
-Alan Rickman however, has left the list
-My writing can only get better...hopefully
-Eragon is poop.
-Some of my friends need to get their heads checked
-So does Adam's friend Victoria
-Those bastards from North York suck. We're onto you. All of you.
-My mother+the Mediterranean = LOTS of nasty cheese
-My mother+the Mediterranean = LOTS of tasty prosciutto
-Planning a surprise 50th party is a lot of work, even if you're not doing anything
-Driving in the dark in LA or Toronto under a deadline is terrible
-Shaving makes your upper lip feel numb
-Adam is extremely skittish around blood
-No, seriously
-Jeff can PWN my ass at ffr
-But on the pad, I can kick his ass hardcore.
-WW2 and ANY war games are terrible
-Graphics do not make a game
-Sometimes neither does gameplay
-JK screwed up the last Harry Potter Book, yet she saved it by telling readers Dumbledore was gay! INSTANT DEVELOPMENT!
-Insomnia bites
-So do dogs, apparently
-People in high class restaurants generally don't like when you wear fanny packs into their establishments
-I hate HSM even more.
-Eclipse's completion date is now going to be June...again. ^_^

Wishing everyone a safe and happy '08!

Friends Page Spam

2007-12-29T03:39:21Z

I have one message for you.

If you have to see one movie this holiday season...

See Sweeney Todd

See it and all will become clear.

God, I'm such a freak.

Heroes

2007-11-06T01:19:01Z

Wow. This has easily been the best episode thus far. This season has been iffy at best (reminding me of episodes such as the penultimate one), but this episode took the cake. This is what last season was made of.

Kensei=Adam

I was not expecting that.

Mohinder is going to kill Noah. It's really obvious.

Meme - Happiness 81%

2007-10-21T00:17:54Z

[ ] You have a boyfriend/girlfriend.
[x] You have your own room. (Now that Adam's gone!)
[ ] You own a cell phone. (don't want one)
[x] You have an ipod/ mp3 player.
[x] Your parents are still married.
[ ] You have more than 2 best friends.
[ ] There is a swimming pool in your backyard.
T 0 T A L: 3

[x] You dress how you want to.
[ ] You hang out with friends more than once a week.
[x] There is a computer/ laptop in your room.
[ ] You have never been beaten up.
[x] You never cry more than twice a month.
[x] You are allowed to listen to the music you want to.
[x] Your room is big enough for you.
[x] People don't use you for something you have.
[ ] You have been to a concert.
T 0 T A L: 9

[x] You have over 50 friends on Facebook.
[x] You have pictures on Facebook..
[x] Your parents let you have a Facebook.
[ ] You get allowance.
[x] You collect something normal. (Manga are normal...right?)
[x] You look forward to going to school.
[x] You don't wish you were someone else.
[x] You play a sport. (Erm...occasionally.)
[x] You do something after school.
T 0 T A L: 17

[ ] You own a car.
[x] You usually don't fight with your parent(s).
[x] You are happy with your appearance.
[ ] You aren't self-conscious at all. (whoever put an 'x' here is inhuman)
[ ] You have never got a failing grade in your life.
[x] You have friends. (This quiz is EPIC)
T 0 T A L: 20

[x] You know what is going on in the world.
[x] You care about so many people.
[x] You are happy with your life.
[x] You know more than one language. (What does this have to do with happiness?)
[ ] You have a screen name.
[ ] You own a pet.
[x] You know the words to more than 5 songs.
[x] You don't have any enemies.
[x] You are a generally nice person.
T O T A L: 27

Now count your numbers and multiply by three.
Then make the subject of this post "I'M % HAPPY"

I don't understand....I'm not that emo.