Friday, June 18, 2010

Toy Story 3

The Great Escape.

YES! The toys are back! After 2 successful movies, Toy Story (1995) and Toy Story 2 (1999) respectively, our beloved TOYS are here in 2010 with the 3rd installment - after a long wait of 11 years - *drum roll please* - Disney Pixar's Toy Story 3!

Despite the exams, I made a firm decision to watch Toy Story 3 on its premier day with my mother and brother. I love Pixar. Basically, we were surrounded by majority kids, but IMO, kids, might not be able to capture the message and beauty of Pixar's work but of course they would enjoy the fun, scary, touching moments in the movie.

and the big question?

How was the movie?

AMAZING!

one word. said it all.

Pixar just never cease to amaze us with their wonderful, definitely colourful, stunning visuals, their beautiful, original storyline interluded with hilarious, touching, sad, scary moments. and the massive improvement of graphics from the 1st movie - the toys look more realistic, definitely like real toy. The movie has really lived up to our expectations or even more and i believe it would garner a 5th consecutive nomination and win at the Academy Awards just like the previous films for The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Wall-E and Up.

Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie and Bullseye, Mr. Mrs. Potato Head, Rex the dinosaur, Slinky dog, Hamm the piggy bank (a.k.a Evil Dr. Pork Chops), the 3 aliens from Pizza Planet and Barbie are all back, but with some of the main toys missing (Wheezy, RC the racing car, Etch, and Bo-Peep) - either donated or sold along the way as several years had passed.

But don't fret, as several new characters are brought to this movie, and it is even more adorable!

The movie starts with an awesome opening sequence - the toys role playing as a young Andy plays with them - a video recording of Andy's childhood - and we are back to reality, as Andy is now heading off to college but with the intention of keeping his toys in the attic with the exception, he's bringing Woody to college.

But sadly, his mother mistakenly donates them to Sunnyside Day Care centre, and this is where all the FUN begins. At first, it looks like heaven, they are welcomed by Lots-O'-Huggin Bear - a stuffed animal with a strawberry smell (Lotso), Ken (Yes, Barbie's Ken), Big Baby, Sparks, Chunk, Stretch, and Twitch. and of course new children to play with the toys.

The story takes a twist as Sunnyside has a dark side (oh! the irony), which turns Toy Story 3 into an emotionally intense and rather scary tale - it was definitely prison break!

As Woody desperately begs Buzz and the other toys to go home to Andy - because "we are always going to be there for Andy no matter what" - but to no avail. Woody escapes by himself with his awesome climbing (i really thought of Prince Of Persia) and paragliding skills, only to be disrupted by the wind and is incidentally picked up by Bonnie, an adorable little girl who loves her toys very much and takes care of them well.

Bonnie's toys are just "Oh! So Cute!" - like Mr. Pricklepants (porcupine), Buttercup (unicorn), Dolly (doll), Trixie (dinosaur), Peas in a Pod and OMG! Totoro! - he doesn't speak, he just smiles!

In the meantime - at Sunnyside - it turns out Lotso is an evil bear who leaves new toys to be 'tortured' by the younger kids (i really mean torture - throwing, biting, licking, banging, painting) and prevents them from escaping Sunnyside with night patrols by cars/trucks and his subordinates looking over Sunnyside's surroundings like guards and a monkey (with freaky eyes and 2 cymbals) who's job is to look at the CCTV! PRISON!

Woody learns about Sunnyside's horrible side from Chuckles the clown and sets off to rescue his friends!

Now, this is where all the excitement begins! The toys great escape! It is time for prison break! Unfortunately, while Buzz was scooping around in Lotso's area, he was caught and was turned over to the 'dark side', becoming a 'prison guard', preventing his friends from escaping! and after attempts to turn him back to normal by Woody and friends - he was accidentally transformed into Spanish mode, which was witty, superbly funny, you just cannot stop laughing looking at his Spanish antics, expression (eyebrows especially), movements and even the way he speaks Spanish just tickles you to the bone. The most hilarious scene was when he was serenading Jessie with Spanish dance moves! OMG! You go Buzz! XD

Throughout the whole escape, you would just sit, gripping at the edge of your seat, biting your nails, watching intensely as the toys escape one by one with an AWESOME plan! You have to WATCH IT! One thing to mention was Mr. Potato Head's awesome disguise as a tortilla wrap. Yes! This scene was just indescribable funny - the way he walked in a tortilla fashion - all soft and round. OMG! Crazily funny. and then his fight with a pigeon "Hey, what you're looking at!?!" and then he was tore to pieces and became - Cucumber Mr. Potato Head - all thin and tall! LOL! as for Mrs. Potato Head, she left one of her eyes - strategically placed in Andy's room, and she could see what's happening in Andy's house - like a vision. Whoa. =.="

Making their way towards the garbage hole (that was the only way of escape!) - they finally got caught by Lotso and his gang. A series of fights and struggles, Woody was pulled by Lotso into the garbage bin - picked up by the garbage truck, and the toys with their "we are always going to be together no matter what" got into the garbage truck and were sent off to the garbage dump - where the horror begins.

The climax! Really beautifully done, as the toys try to escape the wrath of the garbage eliminator with sharp crushing jaws and finally the incinerator! The toys could do nothing at all and they just gave up and held each other hands (we are all going to die together kinda thing) - oh! the sadness - and this is where i couldn't believe my eyes, i seriously wanted to cry, i thought they were going to be burned! But seriously, Disney movie, they ain't cruel.

And just as all hopes were lost, the 3 aliens save them with "The Claw" (remember, Pizza Planet?) HAHA! OMG! What a sight of relief! Seriously! The intensity of that scene, awesome shit.

The toys then frantically goes back to Andy's house through a garbage truck before he leaves for college. and as for Lotso? He was saved by Woody initially in the garbage machine but was heartless enough to escape on his own by not pressing the stop button for the incinerator, and was picked up by a garbage collector who stuck him at the front of his truck! HAH!

At Andy's house, the toys quickly scrambled into the attic box and while Woody into the college box. Woody then realizes he couldn't just leave his friends and wrote a note to Andy - telling Andy he should donate the toys to --- Bonnie!

The ending scene - the most touching one ever, seriously, it makes you want to shed a few tears (buckets, maybe). Andy giving his toys to Bonnie, patiently explaining to her about his awesome toys and asking Bonnie to take really really good care of it. Finally, we all see Woody is in the box as well, Andy was shocked to see him there and was reluctant to let Woody go and said, "Woody was always by my side no matter what.", but realizes he should finally let Bonnie have Woody. It was just so sad, really.

After that, the scene Andy playing with his toys together with Bonnie for the very last time, granting the toys' wish for "Operation Playtime" in the beginning of the movie was just so touching and sweet. The lovable toys finally found a new owner, they belonged to Bonnie now (but will always be with Andy at heart), and the cycle starts all over again! How AWESOME is that!

The movie is IMO, not a sequel, but a standalone spectacular movie of the toys' amazing adventure together. It is in my opinion, the best Toy Story franchise ever, where the previous 2 were already a stellar. It is just awesome. Throughout the whole movie, you just laugh, cry, squeal, gasp, and cringe together with the toys. The story plot is authentic, characters are believable and most importantly - relatable, it gives you a sense of familiarity. Thinking back all the scenes in the movie, it doesn't just put a smile on your face, it makes you laugh and chuckle out loud.

The theme of the movie? The sense of loss and belonging mixed with friendships, family relationships. It makes you fall in love all over again with the toys and breaks your heart to see the movie ending - the toys that have added colours and brightened up your childhood has finally moved on - just as we have all grown - and well, moved on.

All in all, TOY STORY 3 IS FANTASTIC!

and it even leaves you wanting for more!

As for Sunnyside, it has all become Sunny again! The toys doing it all together - and there was even a cameo from Emperor Zurg.

=.="



The Big Baby - which is in fact creepy! It's even creepier than that Baby Spider in the first movie! and the baby sounds he makes is just not compatible with how scary he is. =.=" and there was one scene where it turns its head 360 degrees so fast. gwad.

and as for Woody, Buzz and their friends? They are now happily living with Bonnie, playing, and Buzz still have his Spanish touch inside! HAHAHA!

I really really hope to see the lovable toys once again in the future!

It was just a magical movie.

The Best and Most Favourite movie of the year 2010.

Watch it now!

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Kuala Kubu Bharu Hospital Posting (30/05/2010 - 2/06/2010)

On the day of my birthday, i had to go to Kuala Kubu Bharu, Hulu Selangor for my hospital posting. FYI, Kuala Kubu Bharu is located at the foot of Fraser's Hill. Yes, it is a very small town in some secluded area with no shopping malls, no fast food chains!

Because of the long journey to KKB, approximately around 1 and a 1/2 hours to 2 hours, we had to stay there, girls at the nurses' hostel, guys at the houses for 4 days 3 nights!

We had to bring pillow, bed sheets, toiletries, blah blah blah.

I was really more nervous than excited.

Before i proceed, all of the pictures below DO NOT belong to me, they were taken by 2 friends, a girl friend and a friend who's an awesome photographer. A big thanks to both of them!

on the bus

my awesome photographer friend took this!

everybody in the bus

there were about 17 of us as the other 13 drove to KKB

nice right, nice right,

not me -lah, but the picture. LOL!

then everybody had to walk to the small town for dinner! about 20 minutes walk.

there was a 7-11 shop, and it was crowded by all of us IMU students. HEHE!

while walking to the town

at the mamak shop

After Sunday, we had to be at Kuala Kubu Bharu hospital for 3 days. One patient per day assigned to 2 - 4 students.

In the morning, we had to clerk the patient, take their history and perform a physical examination on them. Later in the afternoon, a few would be chosen to present their case and discuss, and of course bed side teaching, which is the best thing. After that, we would be all free to roam around the hospital, like the Accident & Emergency department and the Maternity ward (too bad we didn't get to see a delivery!)

and it was really hot in the hospital, i was sweating like mad, or everybody was.

This hospital is definitely small, few patients, but it was indeed a good exposure and experience. What we saw were common cases like suspected dengue, fever cases, asthma, myocardial infarction, diabetes with hypertension.

in the briefing room before starting our assigned work

camwhoring while waiting for the doctor to come

LOL!


this is what the nurses' hostel look like!

Basically, i didn't study at all for the 3 nights as we were all busy talking, gossiping, and playing cards! LOL! But it was really awesome, because all of this got us even closer, and to some i haven't talk to before, now we all know each other!

all my roomies

On the 2nd night, all of us had dinner at a Chinese restaurant with the lecturer from IMU! She said we were a very good group compared to the group before us! HAHAHA! After that, she even treated all use ice-cream!

(:


the food was not bad really


ta-da! the ice-cream!

all of us lined up in a row

me and the ice-cream again

"licking licking...... eh?"

the last night! and we were playing a new medical game we invented called KKB medical game.

=.="

and then it was time to go home!

It was a really fun trip after all! It was simple, good, and my group was really awesome! (:

Another nice memory added in the year 2010!

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Jump Shots, again.

Played around with the DSLR and took jump shots with my brother.

Every jump turned out quite well, thanks to my brother, and of course, my impeccable timing to press the shutter button.

(:

this is really cool


then he decided to wear his cap.

guys -lah


then he tried to stick on the wall, it was quite difficult to jump like that, but my fast-action of pressing the shutter button and ta-da!



this is nice as well!

i really love my camera!

(:

Thursday, June 3, 2010

KLCC Outing + Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (29/05/2010)

On the day before my birthday, (as i had to go to Kuala Kubu Bharu the next day), Shan Miao was so nice to accompany me for an outing to KLCC!

We watched Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time! and i really loved the movie, Jake Gyllenhaal was charming as Prince Dastan, with his yummy body, and the chemistry with Gemma Arterton, who plays Princess Tamina was really not bad at all. and i was really satisfied with all the action scenes, where he jumps and leaps from building to building, just like in the game. I didn't realize the girl was the same girl in Clash Of The Titans!

OK, back to my KLCC outing, of course i wanted to take pictures, especially HDR images.

Now, what is a HDR image? It's actually a High Dynamic Range picture, where there is a greater dynamic range between the lightest and darkest part of an image, then you combine all together in a single picture, and the effect is a much nicer and artistic picture.

I am still all new to this, so i am still in the learning process of processing a good HDR image.

So, below is just a normal picture taken in a single shot.

While this, is a HDR image, where you can see a contrast between the 2 pictures.

you are able to see a more detailed picture of the KLCC

nice? (:

this is a much better picture, because this when the clouds started coming out.

a HDR image

nice? (:

I was basically sweating like mad during the outdoor session in the park. It was really really a hot day even though it was just around 10 something in the morning!

Then we tried jump shots! My favourite!

tada!

laughing crazily all the way

wanted to take both of us jumping together, but it was hard!

then we took this really lovely picture! love it!

Shan Miao like a ballerina or some kung-fu style. LOL!

wee!

peace!

Shan Miao wanted to take with the huge KLCC

and i joined in as well!

yay!

palm trees that has thorns!

childish mode turned on

(:


i was actually tall enough, my legs obviously can touch the ground, so it was quite hard lifting myself up at the monkey pole. HAHAHA!


my brother said this is like some kind of depressed advertisement, or poster for "Don't Do Drugs" kinda thing. LOL!

at the slide!

KLCC from the playground

me at the slide!

i really did slide down (:

and so did Shan Miao. LOL!

how can we miss the swings eh? (:

so happy!

the cute dolphin that Shan Miao wanted me to take

a nice picture of the bridge

Later, we had lunch at the food court. The pizza and spaghetti were really yummy! Thank you Shan Miao for treating me! (:

the pizza

the spaghetti

took picture in the LRT with the DSLR! it worked!

(:

Really had a great great and fun time with Shan Miao! love ya~

Thank you for being under the hot sun with me! HAHAHA!