Kimputer's Weblog

Procrastinated two and a half months for this one, usually it takes only one or two weeks to review a new album. But with previous hits like It’s My Life, One Wild Night, and Have a Nice Day, it doesn’t really entice me to listen to a whole album, the songs being so run of the mill in nature.
Strangely though, the conclusion of my findings are somewhat on the positive side. It’s only been these few past years I’ve noticed the decline in quality of their mucis. Lyric-wise, it lacks poetic flair. Choice of words and metaphor isn’t of high standard either (and when he finally uses a metaphor, it has to be a filthy cigarette). Music-wise, most songs only use simple hooks if it’s not the brutal beating of the electric guitar. All in all, it’s a pretty neat sophistication-disappearing trick.
Then where’s the positive side, you may think. Having played it in the background for the past weeks, I’ve noticed with my analytic ears off-line, it’s quite listenable (albeit only on the playlist marked “occasional”, and if you’re in a don’t-care-mood). It’s probably the sheer and sweeping simplicity of it all (don’t think, just sing along, even if the lyrics don’t make any sense) that makes it so bearable. Though it doesn’t bode well for the longevity of it all, it’s still something.7-.

The movie title certainly suggests a scary movie. But let’s be honest, after The Excorcist, nothing really scared the pants off me like that again. This movie tries to up the scare factor by being based on true events. Adding a certain sense of realism usually is enough, but in this case, it gets a bit blunt after the first half. While acting is up to par, it’s the unfolding story that’s not too surprising. Besides the obvious devilish growling and contorted body positions, this movie is actually a courtroom drama. And buried underneath that, there’s even a spiritual message to think about. Who’d’ve thought ?7+.

UK doctors have begun reporting incidences of iPod Finger, a repetitive strain injury caused by constant manipulation of the iPod scroll wheel or buttons.

The British Chiropractic Association (BCA) says the condition could soon be as commonplace in the UK as it is in the US where some users have lost the full use of their thumb.

(source: http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/81056/doctors-diagnose-ipod-fingers.html )

That’s why I have an iRiver. No scratches on the screen either. No cracked LCD. No whining about battery life. And most importantly, it’s not ugly white either !

The first regular to be axed this season, probably after the ratings downfall after the timeslot change. Pairing J.J. Abrams series on the Wednesday night was quite a success, but somehow this year they decided it was time to unpair it. With ratings down, they decide to cut this one lose.
Too bad. It has been a consistently performing series with evenly consistent high grade writing. Every season continued, or introduced a new intrigue, giving every year a different feel. This year was the introduction to a handful of new characters, making it almost feel like season 1. Quality wise, it’s till high, but it’s not the highest one would hope.
With no real hope for the arch-enemies of the past seasons and most of the creativity moving over to Lost, maybe an end isn’t that bad.

The race for the Tri-Wizard Cup is good for third week at the top of the box office, with Harry Potter earning another $20.5 million. With a total of $229.8 million in week 3, its magic power proves strong than the previous movies (for now).
At number 2, we have Charlize Theron playing a super heroin in Aeon Flux. More of a bomb than a flux, it earns only $13.1 million (on a $60 million budget).
Three left-over round out the top five, respectively Walk the Line with $10 million, Yours, Mine & Ours with $8.4 million and Just Friends with $5.9 million.

Typical indie drama (as most movies distribbed by Focus Features are), with some political thriller plot twisted around it. While the acting part is up to par for this kind of movies, the story can sometimes feel tedious. The director tries his way to keep it as realistic, human, and poetic as possible, and the thrill factor has to suffer because of this. The pace as a result, is a bit on the slow side, then again, a big pie cut of the budget was used for the director’s favorite Discovery Channel like helicopter fly-by scenes. There’s a lot to be said about this style, as it works on some level, but as a whole, this movie doesn’t really stand out (definitely don’t go if you’re feeling a bit tired).7.