Yaho~

As you can see, I have been reaaaallly lazy in not updated this very much since the new year...In my defence, I was on holidays, so it's not like I have had steady access to a computer either!!

To celebrate my first entry in nearly a month, I will provide a few thoughts on a few films that I have seen during my vacation time :)

Firstly, I watched Anna Karenina. When it came down to it, our choice came down to this and Safe Haven, and seeing as I couldn't sit through The Notebook (I didn't like it, hate me!). It is quite interesting from a structural sense, it was produced such a way so it looks like it is a theatre/stage performance caught on camera. The set and costume were also quite elaborate and detailed, making it quite a spectacle to watch. As for the narrative... At first I thought it was rather great, then Keira Knightly, who plays the title character, begins to lose the plot. It gets to that point where you just hope that it gets better for her but it just doesn't...I recommend you wiki or google it before you watch it if you want to understand it better. It was also quite a  lengthy film, almost two and a half hours :o

The second film I watched was Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters. Well, if you like blood and guts and death and brutality, then this one is right up your ally. That aside, the first thing I thought was that Hansel has had a very hard life, looking so much older than Gretel XD. I felt that I was watching a guide in ways to gruesomely murder people. Seeing it 3D was just the cherry on top, as you get to sleep the blood splatter all over you. Honestly, if you think it will be a comedy given the producer list (Will Ferrel and co.) you're not entirely wrong, the film does have some comedic moments, but just don't expect too much other than blood and guts.

And finally, I saw I give it a Year just this week. This one was rather funny. It also is rather unique as it starts with the 'Happily Ever After' at the beginning with the lead characters' wedding, and then focuses on the struggles and temptation of marriage in a rather hilarious manner. The characters compliment each other rather well, in particular The highly inappropriate best friend of the male lead whom took inappropriate to a whole new level. A word of warning: It isn't something you would take your mother to, and I speak from experience, the humor is aimed at a younger demographic.

Well, that's about it for now, until next time :)

Meow!

I'm a cat!

Anyhoo, just a lazy update because I feel obliged to let everyone know that I am still actually alive. I get up today and do my usual thing, you know, brush my teeth, make breakfast etc. before turning on the television, and when I turn it on, there is mass rage over this drugs and crime in professional sport and such, and all I can think is a mass *facepalm*. I mean the timing of this report is just oh so convenient, given the soccer fixing and Essedon football scandal. It is a horrible thing to hear about, but really? Why now?! For all we know, this research was probably completed months ago, but was withheld only until now, to make a bigger splash on the audience.

On that note, I am truly upset about there being an 8 month election campaign...I already hate the fact that I have to take time out of my weekend to vote between a muppet and...another muppet. I would much rather see non-fictional characters such as pikachu and captain feathersword to run for Prime Minister, because quite frankly, their non-existence would already be a great big step up from what is currently running Australia.

On to the usual, I am still going through my Harlequin phase! They are really quick and easy to read, and man, I wish those men in the stories were real, because if they were, I would be right onto them!

Anyways, that's about it for now, until next time: :)

Lazy Birthday Greetings!

Yeah, I know, it's been two weeks since I posted anything, but forgive me okay, I'm just lazy!! In all seriousness, I have been rather busy visiting relatives and such seeing as I recently celebrated my birthday, YAY! As part of the celebrations, we opened a very old bottle of port, and I can tell you, it does not suit my tastes at all, I will probably never have it again! But all was good, as I got to eat cake, and that is what is most important!

Although I haven't been on much recently, it does not mean I have stopped reading as such, but there is nothing real interesting to report, because I have recently taken a liking to the oneshot manga adaptations of harlequin romance novels, and they are all pretty similar, just a lot of sexy time, so nothing new there.

On another note, I have finally started watching the series of films I have recorded to my foxtel box. Firstly, Ichi was amazing! Me and a friend were watching, and we are very blood-thirsty beings, we love to see blood and guts and people dying in our movies, and Ichi did not disappoint, although it was awkward when my sister walked in on the sex scene -________-. I mean, it's a two hour movie and a 40 second scene, and she saw that bit, although me and my friend had to laugh, because it just sounded so fake. Anyway, it was rather enjoyable, now to read the manga adaptaion.

I also watched Kamui, this one was about a ninja who abandons his clan and is on the run from them, as betrayal means death in ninja terms. This one has a lot of double-crossing and fights, and death...again. It is kind of sad, because Kamui had found somewhere where he belonged, and then everyone dies from poisoning, including his love interest *sad face*. On a side note, for a moment there, I thought that it was turning into jaws at one point when the killer sharks came along. Overall its pretty awesome.

Finally, my personal favourite, Yatterman! Well, there is only one way to describe it-Power Rangers x Hi-5 x Transformers x adult version. It was quite entertaining, mainly because I didn't know what was happening half the time, but it was really good in terms of entertainment value. plot not so much...There seems to be an anime of this aswell, so I will be sure to check that one out too.

Anyways, that's about it for now, until next time :)

Steel Rose

Ermygerd, I actually bothered to update! Admittedly, I have been procrastinated about updating because I simply time to post a full update, but I have been hoarding updates at the same time, so it's not like I spent long periods of time on this...anyways, moving on...

I have read Steel Rose by Ryan, which I believe is a Taiwan manhwa. It is completed both in Taiwanese and English with 7 volumes I believe and It follows Le Ting as she struggles to find her passion in life after she retires from elite sporting competition.

The story is about Le Ting, the Olympic Kickboxing (Tai Kwon Do) gold medalist. After the Olympics, she finds that she no longer has the passion to continue professionally as she felt forced to compete by her grandfather. She adruptly decides to retire from professional sport and runs away to her friend in America. In the meanwhile, Louis, an eligable bachelor sought after by many women sees footage of Le Ting and decides that he would like to persue her romantically. 

Once in New York Le Ting struggles to settle in because of the language barrier and her dire financial situation. It isn't until an encounter with Louis that leaves him hospitalized that Le Ting is provided with an opportunity to gain some financial stability...through modelling. Although reluctant due to her belief that she is not capable of being a model and her general hatred towards Louis, she eventually excepts the job. 

Le Ting's friend (I don't remember her name) along with her (the friend's boyfriend) are the photographers for the shoot, and Le Ting's friend takes a picture between Louis and Le Ting that ends up being used as the campaign/advertising poster. This pisses off Le Ting, who then finds out that 'old man' (what she calls her friend's boyfriend because he is 30) and Louis are brothers (step brothers I think it was).After this one incident with modelling, Le Ting decides that it isn't for her, and she decides to enrol into a university as she never had the chance to study like normal kids. 

In the meanwhile, Louis tries to gain favour with Le Ting, but fails. Le Ting encounters an Indian woman reknowned for being able to forsee the future tells Le Ting that she will ultimately decide Louis' fate. Le Ting presumes that this means that being with her means certain untimely death for Louis, but the woman reassures Le Ting that it is not too late (that is, her hatred/stubborness will kill him and her love will save him). This is the first time where Le Ting no longer knows her feelings. 

In the meanwhile, Le Ting's photohrapher friend finds out she is pregnant. This upsets Le Ting because she doesn't like the 'old man' and that she said this would happen. She runs away and Louis follows her, and tells her that her friend wanted to tell Le Ting, but couldn't because she knew this is how she would react. Louis continues saying that her friend really cares for Le Ting, but it's hard when Le Ting can get angry and upset and stubborn, shutting herself off to the world. 

At a later time, when getting Rings for their friends' shotgun wedding, Le Ting and Louis argue whether to go the long way or short way back. Louis argues that the long way is better as it is safer, but Le Ting is stubborn and suggests saving time the short way. In the end, Le ting wins and they go the short way, which results in the pair being approached by a group of theives. After a brief scuffle, Le Ting is knocked out and Louis is shot. 

Louis begins to recover when his half brother Cloud visits him in the hospital (being french, I think it is meant to be 'Claude' but it translated as 'Cloud') attempts to violate him (sexually) before Le Ting interupts them and gets cloud to leave. After a long recovery, Louis finally returns to full health and is told that his father (real father) is ill and that he should return home to France. For some reason, Le Ting decides that she must go with him out of guilt/responsibility for almost killing him. 

In France, after an alcohol filled evening, Louis and Le Ting almost have sex, but Louis stops as he knows Le Ting does not want this. After a while, Louis finally meets his father along with Cloud and it is revealed that Cloud is hung up on 'Charlotte', a girl (cross-dressed Louis) that Cloud met some years ago and has had an obsession with since. Cloud finally admits his obsession. 

In the meanwhile, Louis' father and mother decide to marry, as Louis was an illigiemate child between the two. At the wedding, Cloud brings a man as his date that looks like Charlotte/Louis. Le Ting decides that she wishes to return to Taiwan to have another crack at kickboxing glory at the Olympics. She decides to return alone in order to sort out her feelings for Louis, as she no longer knows what she feels for him. 

After recommencing her training, Le Ting discovers that she truly does love Louis. They decide to start a relationship on the provision that Le Ting can still continue kickboxing rather than get married and have children, which was what was expected of her. Le Ting is successful in gaining a second gold medal, this time for herself rather than her grandfather/country. With this, everyone is happy, the end.

So, although I always love a strong heroine that doesn't cry every three pages, there is a limit, I mean, I found that Le Ting was overly stubborn -.-. Although I do like the match of the overly stubborn and slightly masculine Le Ting and and feminine-looking and playboy Louis. I also liked the mature themes in the series, such as mugging and attempted murder and attempted rape and such.

Anyways, that's about it for now, until next time :)

Too hot to bother

I swear, I will do a big, long-winded update tomorrow, but seeing as it is hot, I am tired, and exhausted and slightly burnt from work, I am not bothered enough to write anything at the moment...Again I am hoarding because I am lazy

Anyways, until next time :)

ok ok...

I will kind of update tomorrow, I have become lazy (not really), I have virtually been living at work for the past two weeks with Christmas and New Years, while everyone else has time off, I am working my ass off, literally!!

That's all for now, until next time :)

Also, Happy 2013 to all!!

Ryouko no Shinrei Jikenbo

I honestly can't be bothered to put much effort into updating this blog anymore, it's just to hard to find the time, especially if I'm working more shifts a week than there are days. Anyways, here is one of the series that I have hoaded. It is Ryouko no Shinrei Jikenbo by Chie Shinohara, a short series by her standards, only 4 volumes long, but enjoy.

The story starts off with the protagonist Ryouko finding her beloved pet cat has drowned in the bath tub. Initially shocked, Ryouko ponders at how unusual it was for her cat, Pow, to die by drowning when it was afraid of water. Ryouko and her family bury the cats' remains in the back yard. That night, Ryouko starts hearing strange noises, only to find her dead cat floating in mid-air, although he is no longer dead. Pow has now been possessed by a spirit who was seperated from his body (the body is still alive) and needs help finding his body. He believes that Ryouko has a strong spiritual power, as she is able to communicate with the possessed pow when no one else can. 

The man reveals that he also can not remember who he was before he was seperated from his body. At first, Ryouko doesn't believe him, but after a few encounters with some less-than-friendly spirits that attempt to harm both herself and Pow, Ryouko has no choice but to trust Pow and search for his body. After a while, Ryouko and her family move back into the house where Ryouko and her brother were born  (they left after the death of their father) and begin to encounter a hostile spirit that nearly kills Ryouko.In the meantime, Pow remembers that his name is Taku and that he was living alone in an appartment when he got seperated from his body. It soon appears that there is a second spirit lingering in the house. 

One night, Ryouko is able to see one of the two spirits, and it is revealed that the second spirit was Ryouko's father trying to protect her. Ryouko's father warns he saying that these spirits are after both her and Pow/Taku as they have the potential to seal the evil spirits. The spirit continues saying that if it's Taku, everything should be fine, then disappears. The evil spirit in the house attacks again, but it is finally beaten in the end. Afterwards, Ryouko has a strange encounter with a person whom she was involved in an accident with. The two quickly become friends, and for a while it is believed this friend was a boy, making Pow jealous. It is revealed that the friend is indeed a girl, and is in fact, Taku's younger sister. 

Pow suspects that this can't be a coincidence, and he is right when it is revealed that Taku's sister has been possessed and attempts to kill them. Taku manages to exocise the spirit from his sister, and she continues her friendship with Ryouko. This friendship allows Taku and Ryouko to search his home for clues, but are unable to find any. Ryouko then leaves to attend a school field trip. Once at the hotel, she notices some strange things, and then her room-mates/friends are possessed by the spirits of school girls who died in an accident at the hotel 5 years prior. As the girls attempt to kill Ryouko and the teleported Pow (yes, the cat can teleport), the 'boss' spirit appears and it is revealed that it is the same spirit responsible for Taku's disappearence. 

Somehow, Taku and Ryouko manage to escape once again. After returning home, a stray cat appears on Ryoukos doorstep and Ryouko and her family decide to adopt it. Pow is suspicious of the cat, but Ryouko believes it is an ordinary cat as she can't sense any spiritual powers from it. Pow says that strong spirits can disguise themselves and he feels a strange sense of deja vu. After some time, it is revealed that the cat is in fact the 'boss' spirit, the one who seperated Taku's body and spirit. While chasing Nero (boss), Taku kisses Ryouko, and immediately after this, Ryouko sees a bright shining light, believing it to be where Taku's body and Nero may be. She follows that light and arrives at an amusement park. 

Taku has possessed Ryouko's brother in the meanwhile. Once at the amusement park, Ryouko loses control of her body and is forcibly led into to the grounds. Taku then arrives and the two search for Taku's body. Eventually, they find the body, but after a fight with Nero and his minions, they, along with Taku's body retreat. Afterwards, Ryouko has a dream of a mountain and believes that this is the new location of Taku's body. she convinces her mother to let her go to the mountain in search for the body with her brother and Taku's sister. 

Once at the campsite, Ryouko and gang go searching for the body. It isn't long before they run into trouble with Ryouko and Pow falling into a crevasse. It is there that they once again find Taku's body frozen in the mountain. After another fight with the spirits, the body becomes dislodged and unfrozen, with Pow, Ryouko and the body falling to the bottom of the monutain. When she comes to, Ryouko notices that Taku's spirit isn't within Pow or Taku. It is believed that Taku is dead by his family and they plan to have his body cremated. Ryouko then uses her spiritual power to be sucked into the spiritual world in an attempt to save Taku. In the spiritual world, Ryouko finds Taku, but she is unable to save him, until she too seperated her soul from her body and the two kiss (this seems to unleash some sort of power). 

Afterwards, Taku returns to his body and Ryouko to hers. It is believed that all is over, until the spirits once again attempt to kill Taku and Ryouko. This time, the spirit possesses Taku's body, forcing Taku's soul back to Pow's body. The two are about the drowned at sea when a spirit saves them.The spirit that saves them is none other than Ryouko's father. Then there is some strange explanation as to why the spirits want Ryouko and Taku dead (something to do with the numbers 12 and 13). Ryouko and Taku defeat the spirits once and for all, and can go back to leading a normal life (for now).

To be honest, it wasn't a great series, but it's Chie Shinohara, so it has merits on that alone. Anyway, that's about it for now. Until next time :)