TV : Miss Universe 2007

I watched the Miss Universe Pageant 2007 last night and Miss Japan Riyo Mori won. She's OK, but personally I think she won because...


Ando is one of the judges! During the Q&A session, he asked Miss Korea (who I was rooting for to win), "If you could have one superpower, what would it be?". Awww... are you missing Hiro, Ando? *giggles*.

So, now we know.. It seems that Ando has powers too - The power to ogle and judge beautiful women parading in 2 piece swimsuits. That'll probably comes in handy in Season 2.

And a little controversy during the pageant, Miss USA Rachel Smith, was booed by the audience, due to the unstable political relations between Mexico and the United States. To make things worse, she fell on her butt (literally) during the evening gown competition. Check out the video below. All I can say is, 'Ouch! That's gotta' hurt'.

TV : Heroes Volume 1 - The End of Genesis

At last, the long journey comes to an end as Volume 1 of Heroes closes much the same way it opened all those months ago (despite lacking the extra hour): effectively, simply, and with another journey to be taken.

So what do u think? Everyone would probably expect a super epic battle between good and evil, where the heroes would team-up to fight Sylar. But honestly, it's no surprise that there were no final superpower battle, considering that this has always been a show that relied more on interpersonal drama created by cause-and-effect rather than CGI. The ending showcased EVERY single character main personal issue and had them all confront them in highly emotional ways. Even when characters are jetting across the skyline, there was always a matter-of-fact way about it that made Heroes stand out from the crop of similarly themed shows.

But despite that, fans still have tons of unanswered questions - why wasn't Nathan affected by Peter's radioactive powers? Why couldn’t Peter just fly away? Where is The Haitian? Sylar can stop bullets, but can't stop Hiro sword? What happen to Mama Petrelli? Who is Molly Walker talking about when she said there's someone worse than Sylar? etc.

People can go on and on forever.. Love it or hate it, the fact is, the first season of Heroes has been amazing. Tim Kring and Co. has brought us 23 hours of very satisfying entertainment, that has kept us wanting for more at the end of each episode. And for that, they get my respect. Thank you.





Isaac's drawing was true indeed. It was that simple and it's not the sword.. it's the man. So are you really gone Mr Sylar? I know some of us is hoping you will be returning next season (..probably not as a cockroach!).



Blood is not the indicator of family, love is. It's good to see my Claire reunited with Mr Bennet.. ooops, sorry. Noah. *snicker*



Niki and DL seems to be OK. And Niki finally come to grips with herself and took Jessica ultra strength with her. Go girl!



Now.. the Petrelli brothers. Phew! I don't know what to say. What I do know is, my GF is going to hate this episode. What do u think?



Yeah 'bad-ass', WTF indeed....


So.. What’s left to say? The show has been incredibly successful (high viewership, a loyal fanbase, and critical acclaim) in it's first year. Tim Kring talks about the spin-off series, Heroes: Origins, probably 6 episodes that are stand-alone episodes, dealing with the origin stories of characters all around the world who are waking up with the discovery of these unique abilities. Kring revealed the stories told in Origins will not be related directly to the characters in Heroes, and the style will be similar to "The Twilight Zone"; new characters every episode, more of an anthology narrative.

Can't wait. Hoping Volume 2 : Generations will be much better.

And before I sign off, here's the best bit of the Heroes Season 1 finale. I'm gonna miss seeing u every week.. :(



Until we meet again.
Take care, Claire.

WEB : Claire and some guy..

Fatherly love?
Hmmm...

How do u like Nathan now..?
*cough*simian*cough*

To a more flaterring sight..



Seriously, this girl needs to turn 18, like right now.
I need to stop feeling like a pervert.

*cover eyes with hands*

*peeking through fingers*

^pics from egotastic[dot]com

WEB : South Park Self-Potrait

Self potrait.
I think the resemblance is uncanny.
Especially the weight.
Wanna try?
Go here --> South Park Studio

TV : Heroes 22 - The end of 'Genesis' is near

*WARNING*CONTAIN SPOILERS

What an episode. Dead characters, new revelations, a multi-cliffhanger ending.. What more can you ask for great TV entertainment? The only thing lingering on my mind right now, is how are they going to end Volume One : Genesis and introduced us a glimpse of Volume Two : Generations in probably less than two hours time? The 2 hour special season finale next week will be the most anticipated TV episode in my entire life. It's huge..




Oh.. How nice of you Mr Caligula. I'm sure the Petrelli's will appreciate your 'gift'.



And here's a gift for you, courtesy of DL and his 'breakthrough' fist..



If election in Malaysia is fully computerized, I'm sure Micah will be very, very rich.. (well, not that he can't generate his own money, mind you.. )



It's Mr Miyagi and Daniel LaRusso! I was waiting for the 'wax on, wax off' sequence, really..



No.. that's not a torchlight. Seriously Sylar, you have gone cuckoo..



I understand Claire.. In times like these, you can barely smile. That's the closest you get, really.. But I have to admit, I sure do miss it..



And finally a screencap of Peter.. to my girlfriend who has just finished a super Heroes marathon (Ep1 - Ep21), and is now infatuated with everything Heroes and *ehem* Peter related.

MUSIC : My Current Playlist (Apr-May) - Music You Should Be Listening To Right Now

My current playlist; - music that I listen to regularly in my car stereo, my computer, on my discman, at home and almost everywhere, throughout this month and last month. Seriously, this is the 4 albums that you should be listening to right now.

Maroon 5 - It Won't Be Soon Before Long

To tell you the truth, I wasn't really a big fan of Maroon 5. I thought that Adam Levine sounded like a girl, really. But after a few listening of their previous album, and some great collaborations with Kanye West and Alicia Keys, I thought this band's kinda cool. At least they tried to be different and fresh.

This album is stronger in the lyrics department compared to their last album. Most of the songs are about politics and world issues. The first single, which I really like, 'Makes Me Wonder', actually talks about Adam Levine's frustration at the state of politics and the US role in the war in Iraq. Levine sang "..but I don't believe in you anymore". So take a listen Mr. Bush! Another track that caught my attention is called 'Nothing Lasts Forever', which contains interpolations of the Kanye / Adam song, 'Heard 'Em Say'. What's clear is that this album is more electric and somewhat funkier than their last album. You could almost dance to it because it have some retro, disco elements to it.

According to the official website, the album will be released on May 22nd 2007. Yes, people.. the album has leaked. So grab it HERE. Trust me the links won't be there for long.

Andra & The Backbone - Andra & The Backbone

Well, Ahmad Dhani and Once had a very succesful side projects with Ahmad Band and Dealova Soundtrack, respectively. So I guess Andra's time was due. Andra, the lead guitarist from Dewa 19 came out with this great side project with two of his buddies, Dedi (vocals) and Stevie Item (guitars) and called themselves Andra and The Backbone.

This album is pretty good because it tend to sound (slightly) different from Dewa 19; more guitar-driven and heavier sound. They enlisted the help of Yoyok (Padi) and Tyo (Dewa 19) to play drums and they really did a wonderful job to complete the full rock sound of this album. The opening track 'Terdalam' could easily be mistaken for a Foo Fighters song, until after you hear the first line of the lyrics, "Hey, apa khabar sayangku..?". The first single, 'Musnah' is also a very good tune, more radio-friendly and borders on the Dewa 19 territory. Another great track is the instrumental, Steve Vai-influenced, 'Surrender' that showcases Andra powerful guitar-playing.

This album is not totally rock as in hard-hitting rock music. Andra told a magazine recently that his band is actually playing distorted pop music. The sound is heavy at times, but filled with emotions. Something different, something good. Get it HERE.

Naif - Televisi

I love this band. I really, really love them. In times where most of the Indo kids were listening to nu metal, hardcore, rap, hip-hop and moving towards creating a new future sound; Naif move exactly the opposite direction by creating retro, vintage and mostly fun music. They manage to differentiate themselves from other Indo rock band by creating their own brand of music, style and image. And the great part is, they are very good at it.

Televisi is actually their fifth studio album and probably their most dance-oriented. You could feel the heavy disco influence on the opening track 'Televisi' which sounded like Earth, Wind and Fire in their prime. Another great track is the first single, 'Di Mana Aku Di Sini'; a Beatles-Revolver era-influenced track. 'Kuda Besi' is another wonderful rocking track, reminisce of early Jefferson Airplane. If I have to choose one track, it will probably be 'Ajojing'. The intro sounded like Blur's 'Boys and Girls', but when the music kicks in, the track was all about falsetto voices, disco-dancing and Bee Gees groove. I don't even know what 'Ajojing' means.. but when David sings "..ayuh pemuda-pemudi, kita ajojing bersama'", it makes me want to stand up and scream "..Mari ajojing, yukkk!!!".

Wonderful album by an extraordinary band. Get it HERE.

Teman-Teman Menyanyikan Lagu Naif - Mesin Waktu

A tribute album to Naif, by some of the best indie bands from Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bandung and even Malaysia. In my opinion, a tribute album should be the artistes /band own musical interpretation of the artistes / band who they are paying tribute to. A good or bad interpretation is another question, of course.

On this album, most of the tracks are good and suprisingly, sounded fresh and original. The most notable track is probably 'Dia Adalah Pusaka Sejuta Umat Manusia Yang Ada Diseluruh Dunia', by Tika Featuring Wrong Is The New Right. The original sounded like a very early The Doors track but transformed into a neo-jazz tune by Tika. Malaysia's most underrated band (in my opinion), Couple interpretation of 'Tak Kan Pernah Melupakanmu' sounded like a Beach Boys tune, with Malay-slanged lyrics. My fave track is probably 'Just B' by Goodnight Electric because it sounded so.. well, fun.

Fun is actually the key word on this album. I guess that's the spirit of any Naif album and what makes their music so good. This is Naif, with a little bit of twist. You can get the album HERE.

SPORTS : Guard of Honor for The Champions

It's been days since Man Utd was officially crowned 2006/2007 Premiership Champions. I've felt like posting a couple of days ago, but I was waiting for the above event to happen.

...The Guard of Honour.

It is a tradition in English football for a Guard of Honour to be made for the champions when there are crowned. The opposition team line on either side and honoured the champions by applauding as they walked through the pitch.

We deserved it. We really deserved it. This title is the team's greatest achievement to date simply because it's a relatively new team and really it's their first attempt at winning a title together. This team will get better, I can feel it.

Congratulations also to our 2 former boys, Roy Keane and Steve Bruce for their Premiership promotion. I can't wait to see Keano and Sir Alex matchup next season. It's gonna be mega.

ALL HAIL THE CHAMPIONS.
GLORY, GLORY MAN UNITED.

FILM : Spiderman dalam Bahasa Melayu

Aku sibuk. Tak berkesempatan untuk menulis panjang. Sibuk bukan hanya di pejabat. Tapi juga sibuk di dalam 'kepala'. Sedang merancang satu 'peristiwa'. Apa? Biarkan dahulu..

Anyway, disebabkan minat bercerita tentang filem.. ada sedikit cebisan di bawah :-

Spiderman 3

Aku tonton pada Hari Buruh minggu lepas with my significant other. 13 show, semuanya full-house. Mmg hebat penangan Spiderman. Nasib baik aku beli tiket sehari awal. Dapat duduk di barisan yang agak belakang. Tapi nasib tak baik bila tiba di panggung, barisan belakang aku ada 2 orang kanak-kanak perempuan yang tak berhenti bercakap, menjerit, menendang kerusi dll. sepanjang Spiderman ditayangkan. Masih terngiang-ngiang suaranya.. "..Daddy, Spidey buat apa tu?".. "Daddy, kenapa dia buat macam tu?".. And on and on and on....

Jadi apa pandangan aku tentang Spiderman 3? Ada benda yang aku suka dan ada benda yang aku memang tak suka. Aku ringkaskan..

Aku suka :

- Effects Sandman. Mmg nampak real dan cantik.

- Aksi pertarungan. Nampak lebih detail especially pertarungan dengan New Goblin.

- Gwen Stacy. Walaupun aku rasa dia akan lebih banyak scene dalam Spidey 4.

- Semua scene MJ dan Peter Parker. Nampak seperti sepasang kekasih yang betul, complete dengan awkward silence dan subtle shifts-nya.

- Venom. Walaupun sekejap tapi aku rasa kemunculannya berkesan. Cukup, tidak perlu ditonjolkan terlalu banyak.

- Bruce Campbell. Cameonya aku tunggu-tunggu. Kali ni lebih berkesan dan kelakar.


Aku tak suka :

- aku rasa penceritaan Spiderman 3 sedikit rushing. Walaupun 2 jam lebih, tapi mungkin disebabkan terlalu banyak watak, plot dan subplot.. (atau mungkin sebab 2 orang budak di belakang aku membuatkan aku rasa begitu).

- aku faham cara Sam Raimi. Beliau mmg agak sinikal, and maybe a little bit silly. Tapi perlukah scene Peter Parker menari di dalam kelab seperti Jerry Lewis dalam 'Nutty Professor' dan scene berjalan poyo seperti 'Saturday Night Fever'? Funny maybe, tapi aku mengharapkan Evil Peter menjadi lebih seperti 'Darkman'.

- symbiote yang secara tiba2 jatuh dari langit tanpa sebarang explanation. Tak tahu kenapa, bila aku tengok symbiote tu, aku teringat gula2 licorice. Tapi licorice yang berwarna hitam.

- lakonan Topher Grace. Aku tahu mamat ni boleh berlakon (baca: Traffic), tapi kenapa dia berlakon seperti dalam 'That 70's Show'?

- setelah disajikan dengan cerita Spiderman 2 yang kuat; seimbang dari segi cerita dan aksi special effects, aku rasa Spiderman 3 lebih ke arah sebagai satu.. erm, produk.


Itu pendapat aku. Akhir kata, aku rasa filem ni mmg sebuah visual yang hebat. Tapi kurang 'isi' jika dibandingkan dengan Spiderman 2. Tapi jika difikirkan, kenapa filem yang ke -3 dalam sesuatu francais selalunya tidak begitu berkesan? Superman 3? Batman 3? X-Men 3? Rambo 3? Ops Belantara 3? *Ok yang terakhir tu.. aku tipu*

Tapi walau apa pun.. filem ini pasti akan mengutip berjuta-juta ringgit. Dan aku rasa mungkin, kalau tidak ada 2 orang budak perempuan yang bising di belakang kerusi aku di panggung hari tu, pengalaman aku menonton Spiderman 3 boleh menjadi lebih sempurna...

SPORTS : So Close Yet So Very Far..

Devastated
Frustated
Crushed.

That's how I felt.. We really thought this is the year for us to repeat the infamous 99 treble. But sadly, it was not to be. To be fair, Milan was the better team. Even Sir Alex admitted that Milan deserved to win the match. But what really annoyed me was that we weren't playing our best. We played our worst football in a game that needed us to be the best. We weren't ourselves.

On a lighter note, we are still in it for the double. So come on you Reds! Let's finish this season with some trophies and some pride and honour. United We Stand!

Congratulations to Liverpool and Ac Milan. May the best team win.

P/S: To Jose Moan-rinho. For once, just for once.. admit your team's defeat. It doesn't make you less of a man if for once, you came out to the press and say '..yes, we weren't the better team. They deserve it'. Take Fergie as an example. He's a masterclass. Instead of blaming the referees, the officials, the coach, the opponent, the tackling, the penalty.. whatever, just blame yourself and your team. Stop being a sore loser.. and SHUT THE FARK UP!