SILENT HILL by jaiskizzy

a sleepwalking little girl has been creeping the hell out of her parents ever since they adopted her, saying "silent hill" while asleep. so her desperate mom takes her there to find some answers. what she find instead is the deadest town on the earth where ash falls like snow and roads suddenly crumble to emptiness. the darn kid disappears, and with the aid of a female cop who looks like pink, mom named rose ventures into the eerie streets of silent hill where its scare-you-to-shits season and freak-ass creatures galore. beware the horn! based on one of my favorite games ever because it creeps the hell out of me.

back in the days when i had the time (and the console) to play video games, one of the games i played religiously to the very end was the resident evil series. i always played it with the lights off and i thought that was the scariest game i tingled my spine on. wrong! silent hill came around and gave a new definition to horror gaming. if i wet myself when i get scared, silent hill would have made me flood my room in piss. but getting scared makes me high so i loved the damn game. and now here's the movie based on that game and what a faithful translation to film it was. the film was able to capture the essence of the game's spookiness. once rose wakes up to find herself in silent hill, it felt like she had gone inside the game itself. the atmosphere, the lighting, the set design, the color (grainy grungy and rusty), the shots (i loved the camera angles which were very much like the game especially the top view shots), the scoring (very very much like the game's music! neato!), the pace (every "chapter" would end in a fade out) and of course the monsters. my favorite? pyramid head and his big ass mother-effin knife. now that's one game boss that'll be sure tough to beat! could've worked minus the insects though. then there are those nurses with melted faces blocking rose's way (just one of the frightful scenes that got my lovely companion cringing like a child). them fidgetting faceless nurses were hot! two button-bashing thumbs up to director gans, whom im sure was a big fan of the game as well! awesome job dude!

however (god i hate howevers), this movie was two notches away from perfection. one, the acting. horrible. the only thing i liked about rose was the way she ran, which is just like in the game (which kinda weird actually). other than that, she went flat all throughout. the worst when she did the little speech in the church. yikes! well, i guess the fruit doesnt fall far from the tree cause the kid was just as unconvincing as her mother. especially on evil mode. it's in the eyes, hear me? get someone with evil eyes! the best actor in the whole cast was colin the janitor. and i mean, when rose finds him in the bathroom and he crawls(?) after her. classic. negative number two: the explanation sequence. that one kinda killed the moment. the pick up after that was great, gory great (kid-dancing-in-blood-shower great), but still, they could have done it better than that boring diplay of flashbacks which i believe lasted way too long. also, there were parts where the cgi was pretty bad but i didnt mind. i forgive em anyways, if only for that nice little touch where rose is trying to find the school. in the game, if you were lost, you'd take a peep at the map. well, they managed to incorporate that into the movie in a way. but i guess only fans of the game would find that little detail cool.

finally, a good game-based film. there are loads of video games that would make great movies, all you gotta do is do it right. and silent hill is one example. "mother is god in the eyes of a child..."

the good: basically everything that mirrors it to the game. the feel, the cinematography and the music! oh the sweet scary score!
the bad: the acting. the explanation sequence.
the ugly: the censor's bad cuts. if you're gonna do some cutting, at least get a good editor, will ya?
the verdict: 8 big ass mother-effin knives, baby.

silent skizzy.

clickoris

what the...? zero comments. zero tags. no love for the skiz? i am doomed! doomed, i say, doomed!!! oh what the heck...

nice comic strip about dogs with accents.
seamless art. sweet.
christina aguilera is naked. almost. not really a fan of hers but hey, she looks hot.
this dinosaur is dumb.
25 sexiest novels, according to playboy. ebook versions? im on it.
dreams of flying. actually ground/floor photography. great pics though.
movie mash-up trailer: 10 things i hate about commandments!
with e being the most used letter, here's a 50,000-word story with no e. wow.
unnecessary censorship. beep!
mentos + pepsi + woman = ?
now this had got to hurt, man.
which browser are you using? me? firefox.
brightfeet: slippers with headlights. neato!

and finally... 40-year history of dance. watch.


p.s. i would like to extend my utmost gratitude (and apologies) to my dear darling layla for letting herself endure one of the scariest viewings of her life by coming with me to watch silent hill, which i have made a review of here.

awaiting customer response

funny. while i was riding a jeepney on my way to work, (daily morning routine: jeep from home to guadalupe. bus from guadalupe to shaw blvd, on foot from edsa to osma) sitting at the farthest from the driver, the dude across me yawned a big one while a commercial played on the radio. his yawn coincided with the part of the commercial where a woman is screaming in a pitch voice, which made it seem as if he was screaming like a woman. ive encountered this spectacle many times before and it never fails to crack me up inside. usually it's a tenor belting out a high note and someone would happen to yawn at the exact same time. ive seen an old man on the street yawn, eyes closed and wrinkled up, to the "oooh" part of hallelujah by bamboo. classic. wish i had a video camera in hand to capture that silly moment. and then edit it together with others into a music video of yawns. someday... maybe...

score! i just received my first "thank you" reply from a customer i'd assisted through e-mail, and it feels good. more of this and i just might really like this job. as an inherently good person, i enjoy helping people, especially on cases where no one else can, and that simple two-worded sign of gratitude is the best unasked-for reward anyone can give. i never expect anything in return but i find it unfair and downright evil when you lend someone a hand and what they give you back is somethin negative. makes you wanna take back the help and rip the skin off their damn thick faces (inherently good person?!).

btw, i borrowed my younger sister's season one dvd of the medical drama/comedy house for lack of anything to watch in our apartment (have yet to go on that dvd hunt). any of you guys seen/watch it? good show, imho. it's csi in a hospital. each episode starts off with a case and the painkiller-addicted, antisocial, sarcastic dr. house and his team of young 'uns bash their brains together (and against each other) to find out what the mysterious disease is. the drama's not too heavy and the comedy's not to all-out. i also like the characters' relationships with each other. dr. house is kinda like grissom but ruder and more personal. but he's got a tinge of horatio (csi miami) in him i think, especially with the way he speaks. layla thinks it's a bit pretentious and that the abundance of medical turns puts her off. not me. bring on the m.r.i.'s and the echo ii's and the neurocystercercosis! it's fun, educational, and it has the prettiest doctor ever, jennifer morrison! (cough cough...) im on episode nine and plannin to do a review when ive watched them all.

before i scram, i want you to do something for me. tell me something you want me to talk about. anything. it could start like: "hey, skiz, what do you think about...?" or something. let's make this blog a little more interactive than just posting comments (which rarely happens...) whatever it is, folks, something you've had in mind for a long time or something that just popped into your head, offer it for my blabbering. magic word: please. magic word #2: now.

that, and couple of other new things i'll be trying out will grace the pages of filler in the coming days. aren't you excited?! no? meh! me neither. but ima do it anyways. because... i am the chosen one! the chosen one, i say. the chosen one!!!

p.s. wish me lucky forty-three million times on my learning measure exam tomorrow. wish it! i command thee!

lorem ipsum dolor

note: the following post was written in parts on different times, dates, and places (and moods), hence the slight incoherence. good luck.

ive been a hardcore pc user since grade school and only absorbed macintosh from layla (and her dad). my total immersion to mac came when i worked at gma and using final cut pro for video editing. however, i have not “switched” solely to apple and left microsoft completely. i find it hard to pick one over the other. in some aspects, steve jobs’ machine is better than bill gates’, but on others, microsoft remains supreme. i have no idea how long this dichotomy would last but for now and the near future, i consider myself an unbiased user of both platforms. anyways, eager to expand my knowledge on computers (and just about everything as well) my interest was aroused by the apple of my i seminar at power plant mall last weekend. the two-day event was all about apple’s mac os x, called tiger, and two of its software packages, ilife 06 and iwork. this was layla’s find. unfortunately i had sykes training on saturday, so only layla was present on that day. but day two proved to be as auspicious, if not more, as the first. not only did i learn new bits of information on the scheduled topics, but i also won a free t-shirt (black with white apple logo in front) through a question-answer raffle. there was also free wifi internet there so we were able to do some surfing during the boring parts using layla’s laptop (i began this post there but the connection suddenly waned and prevented me from finishing). as a bonus, free food was made available to attendees after the talks. and, before going home, layla and i did a little photo session with the new imac’s built in isight camera, the results of which, if fate allows, you’ll see below. (and btw, thanks to my good girlfriend for letting me use her ibook, affectionately named ila, as much as i need, i.e. for my reviews and required daily radiation)

anybody there who has info regarding events like this, please hesitate not to give me a nudge.

XXX pics but safe for work?

i am here at our house in batangas, and a raging typhoon is blasting away outside right now. been like that since i arrived. im thankful that it spared me the wetness id have had if it had started before i got home, but i really wish it would stop now. it aint doin nobody no good. sure, it solved the hot weather problem we’ve all been complaining about, but cloudiness and a slight drizzle would have sufficed. i know it’s causing different levels of damage here and other places, but what i hate most is the immediate effect of its presence, especially in this city: the brownouts. it went out twice while i was in front of the pc, downloading something important. and we all know that a computer should be shut down properly, right? so if something bad happens to it, meralco would get it fixed. yeah right. nothin i could do but blame em, and blaming goes nowhere. there should be a law for this. for every hour there’s a power outage, a hundred bucks is deducted from the electric bill. or maybe i could just sue them. it’s not their fault, i know that, it’s the darn typhoon’s fault. but id still sue them and they could sue the typhoon. morons. i mean, really. my parents pay good money for this kind of service?! good thing ila’s with me, and i am able to type this. i just hope her owner is a-okay. layla’s still in makati, working. may she have a safe trip home tomorrow... now go away, typhoon! we don’t need you!

i downloaded my first sykes salary today. took me a while to find the friggin bank to get my atm card. i was merely trying it out when i inserted it in the atm and wasn’t really expecting that it’ll have money already. it’s actually a little more than the amount i thought id get (and, needless to say but i’ll say it anyways, also more than the average pay i get from gma). first thing i bought with it was a ham and cheese bunwich for layla because she’s been craving for it ever since i nonchalantly mentioned it the other day. next up: the long-overdue dvd hunting. yay.

oh hey. you can read (late) my mission: impossible iii review here. layla and i watched it after the saturday seminar in the power plant cinema. it was our first time there. as i always, i try not to spoil the movie by giving away important plot points, but if you haven’t seen it, be warned that i may have slipped a detail or two that could tarnish your viewing pleasure. sorry. i just cant help it sometimes.

okay…

layla and i are planning to get cable. we’ve not had a clear crisp reception from bideyo (our tv) since we bought him and jacked him up with a cheapo antenna from quiapo. im tired of getting up to adjust the retractables just to get the best possible output, which either has 25% noise or “ghostings”. add that to the fact that there’s rarely anything good on free tv. i really don’t get this network war thing. they both show mostly crap. maybe not to others, but to me, yes, uber-gross-smelly-even-the-flies-around-it-are-dying crap. and it’s funny sometimes ‘cause you see a koreanovela commercial and they say something like “the greatest love story ever told” which is basically saying that the other ones they’ve got are crap. seriously, is there another country in the world where the best thing on tv (according to them, not me) is not a homegrown series but a foreign one? well, i guess they’ve got no choice ‘cause we’ve got some of the worst actors and actresses in the planet and the most untalented writers ever, the formula for crap. in relation to that, a week ago or so, there was this news report on tv that filipinos, especially kids, are getting worse at speaking english. the reason? the use of taglish. i say, no! because taglish actually aids in learning english. because taglish is not mixing english with tagalog. we’re a tagalog-speaking country for chrissakes. taglish is mixing tagalog with english! taglish is not the culprit, you idiots. there are actually two crooks responsible for the decline of the filipinos’ english skills. (1) english teachers with poor grammar. how they got hired, i wouldn’t know. (2) tagalized tv shows. they tagalize cartoons, live action series, and even full-length films. why? what’s the point?! to make it easier for children to understand? then how the heck will they get better in speaking english? isnt that what you imbeciles want? make up your empty minds, damnit! and so, that is why i wouldn’t mind spending a few buckaroos to give my eyes something better to watch. and because there’ll always be crap no matter what, tune in again next time for another round of the horrendous side of television.

whew! that was quite a long post, eh? hope you enjoyed anyways. i wish i could blog everyday. sykes has got blogger.com blocked, and proxies aint workin. or maybe i haven’t tried hard enough. hmm… oh well, that’ll be for monday. for now, i’ll just hit the sack and fly off to neverland. or wonderland. or thailand. or wherever. meet you there!

p.s. a jaiku!

oven-fresh brownies

salivating, eager hand...

first degree burns. ouch

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 3 by jaiskizzy

tom cruise returns as imf agent turned imf agent trainer, ethan hunt for another round of ethan hunting. wow. nothing can be more repetitive than that. wow. nothing can be more repetitive than that. anyways, he’s getting married but imf enlists his field expertise once again. a new agent whom he had trained has been kidnapped by by the evil philip seymour hoffman, and his mission, if he chooses to accept it, is to retrieve her. with the help of three other agents, mr. katie holmes embarks on an action-packed adventure that involves a lot of running. a lot. run, ethan, run!

like ive said before, tv was my third parent in my childhood years and the original mission: impossible series (aired on gma7 if im not mistaken) was just one of the many shows that eventually caused my poor eyesight. anyways, of the three m:i movies, to me, part three was the most faithful. as indicated by the title, the missions are seemingly impossible, but they become possible because of teamwork. in the tv series each team member had a vital role (although my fave was the disguise dude) and no one overshadowed no one. in a way, that was exercised in m:i 3, especially on the second mission in vatican city. and, there’s the sleek orange lamborghini and the slick maggie q that made me drool doubles. still, m:i 3 is a tom cruise movie(as well as the first two) and it kinda gives an impression that he never really needs the others to aid him. although tommy did justice to the hero role, i really think he must stretch his acting out of what he’s used to. and is it me or does this movie resemble minority report a bit? anyways, the other thing that made this movie work well like the tv series was the straightforward action. you’ll find none of the “money shot” sequences from m:i 2 here. just run-of-the-mill thrills but kick-ass cool nonetheless (in one mission, it doesnt even show what ethan hunt did in the 5 min deadline he promised). don’t get me wrong, john woo did a good job with that one. but j.j. abrams proved that you dont need flying bikes, slow-mos, and a million bullets to get the job done.

j.j. was able to steer the project in the right direction (2 other directors had abandoned it). the story was played out nicely. he paced the film well, with most scenes done fast and direct to the point, no prolonged dull dragging moments. this was complemented by some topnotch editing. (the opening credits were sweet!) he also put together a great cast, most notably philip seymour hoffman who gave a compelling performance as the menacing but calculated villain named owen(!). thumbs up too to simon pegg (shaun from shaun of the dead) who did great as a realistic, funny, un-robotic tech guy. and of course, the gadgets and the over-all agent activity were cool. but enough with the praises. i have one thing negative to say about this film. on some certain shots, prevalent in the action scenes, the studio must have hired a nearsighted epileptic cameraman. i think these shots were too up-close and too shaky. im sure they wanted to incorporate some grungy style of some sort (as seen in other movies) but seriously, if it makes the viewers nauseous, it defeats its purpose.

mission: impossible iii is a fine follow-up film fans would find fantastic. it’s good that hollywood is giving these younger directors a chance since they respect the material and don’t dally with over-hyping their films and just focusing more on taking the audience on a fun ride.

the good: the pacing and the editing.
the bad: the uber-tight jittery shots.
the ugly: lawrence fishburne.
the verdict: 8 rabbit’s feet.

secret agent double-o-skizzy.

video on filler?

just tryin out if this'll work... filler video! presenting: the superman returns theatrical trailer! (youtube rules!)



voilalalah! it works! yay! so from now on, expect video links as well. anyways, from 8am to 5pm im online for free at sykes. cant blog though...

house mouse browse

oh yes. ive got a job. i am currently on core skills training as a customer service representative for sykes asia inc. uhuh, that's right. ive jumped into the call center bandwagon. i am now a call boy. well, not exactly. the account ive been assigned to doesnt require us to answer calls from irate customers and subject our ears and hearts to pain. no, sir. we'll be assisting customers in an entirely different way. one i dont think im allowed to say. anyways, nailing the job took me a couple of weeks of interviews and exams, walking and waiting. i have traversed that road before but failed to reach my destination. this time around, having become quite familiar with the application procedures, i came in with a full tank of gas and a determination to win the darn race. i played the interviews smooth and cool. i was laid back, i was funny, and direct to the point. i didnt dress to impress, i wore a t-shirt and jeans, and even had a month's worth of facial hair. i came as i was, surrounded by other dudes in long-sleeves and collared shirts, slacks and shiny shoes. i breezed through the tests. i met people, made friends, laughed at other applicants' grammar and interview manners (i am evil), and smiled back at the kind sykes personnel. some calls and a few text messages later, im sitting in a training room watching an eagle fly in the company avp. i am ready. i am anxious. i am good. and i am gonna earn a lotta dough.

oh yes. i am jykes.

late at night, when i cant sleep, and have no dvd/vcd to watch, i turn on the tv and leave it on myx(studio 23) because it's the only thing available. anyways, about a week ago, i saw the black eyed peas' pump it video and i was quite impressed. i liked the part where the pinoy dude is surrounded by a bunch of men in a parking lot and, after running around in circles, he starts running on the men, stepping on their chests. neato effecto. but what really caught my attention was when fergie came next and did her sexy thingy (remember "my hump" and the part where she goes "make you work work..." with her tits?"). possessing some kind of invisible force, she throws away men who arent even near her by a jiggle of her bum. she finishes off by force-pushing two guys with her boobs. cool. great concept for a video. and nice song btw...

lucky list! lucky list! and this one is about: pinoy big brother. sorry.

it's may 1, and, aw shucks, my rest day. no double pay for me. what the heck. i'll just sleep it off... farewell!