Sunday, September 25, 2011
Gilas
Too bad Gilas lost to Korea again! They should have closed the game out period. Missed free throws and gimmies killed them after leading for most of the 4th quarter. They shouldn't blow this team up though long term should be the goal here.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Raise the Red Lantern
Read a Chinese movie about concubines and the changing of the guard in Chinese history. It's a novella collection by Su Tong. Su Tong is known for his magic realism style of writing and these three novellas are filled with magic realism and historical motifs. The three novellas are Raise the Red Lantern, 1934 Escapes, Opium Family.
Raise the Red Lantern is the only story that has been turned into a movie. It follows a young girl that was taken as a concubine by a rich man. The story shows the deterioration of the man's household and the deterioration of the last concubines' mind. There is deceit and gossip and murder and planning among the women.
I like the way Su Tong weaves history with his story. The changes that China is undergoing and wher eChina is headed. Although there are things lost in translation the heart of the story still reveals itself in the prose. The two other stories revolve around a village and what transpires inside the minds of its characters. It shows the transformation of China.
Chinese literature has a deep history maybe it's about time the rest of the world saw through Chinese eyes.
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| Raise the Red Lantern |
Raise the Red Lantern is the only story that has been turned into a movie. It follows a young girl that was taken as a concubine by a rich man. The story shows the deterioration of the man's household and the deterioration of the last concubines' mind. There is deceit and gossip and murder and planning among the women.
I like the way Su Tong weaves history with his story. The changes that China is undergoing and wher eChina is headed. Although there are things lost in translation the heart of the story still reveals itself in the prose. The two other stories revolve around a village and what transpires inside the minds of its characters. It shows the transformation of China.
Chinese literature has a deep history maybe it's about time the rest of the world saw through Chinese eyes.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Brothers
Rarely does a translation do justice to the original text but for Brothers this might have to do.
My Chinese is rusty and not as proficient as I'd like it to be so settling for a translation of this book by Yu Hua will do.
The book has high aspirations to be satire mixed with raunchy comedy and cultural undertones. Chinese as a language does speak a lot of its eloquence through non-verbal lingo so reading this book was a chore but I think I could grasp what it was trying to say.
The story is about half-brothers Song Gang and Baldy Li. Their travails show a back drop of what China went through before and after the Cultural Revolution. The relationship of the two brothers is not all lovey but is filled with bumps and contradictions. They both set out in different paths after falling in love with the same woman, Lin Hong. Song Gang a life of subservience and destitution as he tries to preserve his rustic ideals in a booming economic China. On the other hand Baldy Li, did all he can to become a tycoon in the new China. It is a struggle between old and new and urban and provincial. The winner is not clearly spelled out since both brothers ended up with nothing but each other.
There are several undertones that the story does not tell you outright. The context is very Chinese unwittingly subtle and unobtrusive. Why not figure those out for yourself?
 |
| Brothers |
My Chinese is rusty and not as proficient as I'd like it to be so settling for a translation of this book by Yu Hua will do.
The book has high aspirations to be satire mixed with raunchy comedy and cultural undertones. Chinese as a language does speak a lot of its eloquence through non-verbal lingo so reading this book was a chore but I think I could grasp what it was trying to say.
The story is about half-brothers Song Gang and Baldy Li. Their travails show a back drop of what China went through before and after the Cultural Revolution. The relationship of the two brothers is not all lovey but is filled with bumps and contradictions. They both set out in different paths after falling in love with the same woman, Lin Hong. Song Gang a life of subservience and destitution as he tries to preserve his rustic ideals in a booming economic China. On the other hand Baldy Li, did all he can to become a tycoon in the new China. It is a struggle between old and new and urban and provincial. The winner is not clearly spelled out since both brothers ended up with nothing but each other.
There are several undertones that the story does not tell you outright. The context is very Chinese unwittingly subtle and unobtrusive. Why not figure those out for yourself?
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Prepare for Bass Battle!!!
There is a point in your life where an obscure movie catches your eye simply because it is quirky and something different from the usual movies you watch. I got to see one of those movies.
It's called Scott Pilgrim VS. The World
This ultra quirky yet good movie was an adaptation of a comic book. I did not get to read the comics but I did like the movie. The comics was one of those obscure types wherein the select few got to read and enjoy them.
Anyway...
Back to the movie.
The movie combined geek speak mixed with video game jargon and bolstered by excellent music. I could not tell what it was trying to be as a movie but the sum of its parts made one good whole. The story was good although a bit quirky if you ask me. Scott started dating a young Asian high school girl because he was reeling from a previous relationship.
I liked how the characters played their parts very well. From the nagging sister to the gay friend who knows everything to the evil exes that Scott had to battle to gain the love he wanted.
The concept was cool especially the shifts between cartoon/comic world to the real one. he mix of fantasy and reality meshed well with the parts of the whole.
Who wouldn't want to watch fight scenes like this:
Why wouldn't you want to engage in combats like that with your arch nemesis/ex/evil brother and sister/evil maid/grumpy old person next door. The upper cut and the final bonus once you finally knock them out???
Let us go back to the story...
Yes love, the kind that makes your heart go bump-bump-bump. The movie still had the oohhhhsss and ahhhsss of young love but I like the way it ended.
The self-respect.
Two thumbs up for Scott Pilgrim VS. The World
It's called Scott Pilgrim VS. The World
This ultra quirky yet good movie was an adaptation of a comic book. I did not get to read the comics but I did like the movie. The comics was one of those obscure types wherein the select few got to read and enjoy them.
Anyway...
Back to the movie.
The movie combined geek speak mixed with video game jargon and bolstered by excellent music. I could not tell what it was trying to be as a movie but the sum of its parts made one good whole. The story was good although a bit quirky if you ask me. Scott started dating a young Asian high school girl because he was reeling from a previous relationship.
I liked how the characters played their parts very well. From the nagging sister to the gay friend who knows everything to the evil exes that Scott had to battle to gain the love he wanted.
The concept was cool especially the shifts between cartoon/comic world to the real one. he mix of fantasy and reality meshed well with the parts of the whole.
Who wouldn't want to watch fight scenes like this:
Why wouldn't you want to engage in combats like that with your arch nemesis/ex/evil brother and sister/evil maid/grumpy old person next door. The upper cut and the final bonus once you finally knock them out???
Let us go back to the story...
Yes love, the kind that makes your heart go bump-bump-bump. The movie still had the oohhhhsss and ahhhsss of young love but I like the way it ended.
The self-respect.
Two thumbs up for Scott Pilgrim VS. The World
Saturday, September 3, 2011
NBA Lockout
The NBA lockout has been on a stalemate for the longest time. The players and owners have yet to reach an agreement that is beneficial to both parties.The article written by Gladwell states that owners buy teams because of the Psychic benefits it has on the owner pretty much like the way a child has a really expensive toy.
Read this neat article about the NBA lockout:
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6874079/psychic-benefits-nba-lockout
Malcolm Gladwell has a keen eye for details that I think no one else has. He is also the author of three best selling books such as Outliers, Blink and Tipping Point.
Check it out!
Read this neat article about the NBA lockout:
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6874079/psychic-benefits-nba-lockout
Malcolm Gladwell has a keen eye for details that I think no one else has. He is also the author of three best selling books such as Outliers, Blink and Tipping Point.
Check it out!
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