Edcel.net – mind games

This entry was a project in school before, I’ve seen some searches in my stats that had the tags ‘pirates of silicon valley reaction’ or ‘reaction paper pirates of silicon valley’ but only led to my page wherein I talked about the need to finish my report about it. So here’s my two cent’s worth about the documentary for all those viewers who might end up here. Hope you reference me in your projects. hehe
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Pirates of Silicon Valley
A Reaction Paper

Initially, I didn’t understand the concept of the film. It was later that I found out that this was sort of a documentary that’s why I forgive the rawness and the lack of effects. I can’t criticize the cinematography or the musical score because as I’ve checked some data, the movie was shown in 1999 and you can’t expect much when you’re trying to create a motion picture about a timeline that’s 3 decades earlier. There aren’t that many special effects needed because it is what it is, black and white. It’s an informative way of telling the story of the time when the big giants (Microsoft and Apple) started out small in their respective careers.

I don’t know the history if the dates are correct and accurate enough, but when it comes to the representation of the main characters, they were pretty believable. I know that Bill Gates has always been nerdy and Steve Jobs is more current. Both of them are unconventional geeks but you’d want to be associated more with the latter, also because he is a better speaker than the former. But then again, Steve is a totalitarian, and Bill is richer. In any case, I can relate in some parts because of how rugged they were portrayed and since they were two offbeat characters who wanted to make a difference with the way we live in the 1970s. There’s just so much room for change and these two were properly characterized. Even if there were some negative personalities, it’s because of their flaws that make them more human.

I was wondering at first why the title became as it is. Then I realized that the characters have an innocent way of displaying themselves but are actually deceptive and sneaky in most parts; all because of wanting to get that bigger piece of the computer pie. Hence, they became “pirates” in their own rights.
In the end, the movie was entertaining because of the humor and the insight of the revolution of the internet and computers. It makes me want to go out there and start my own business, just like what these two have done. But then, I need to come up with something original and unique first before I ever stop thinking about working even. After that, guts will soon follow.

Another movie marathon, wasn’t able to follow this with the last one as soon as I wanted to but I’m finally glad to be able to post another one.
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Zack and Miri Make a Porno – Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks
Had a laugh trip with this movie because of its funny and witty lines and throwbacks that in every attack a character would show, there is a sudden counter-attack that you can’t help but laugh at how fast these characters would be able to talk. Despite having a WTF plot, it did provide some points that are also true when it comes to making a porn movie. It’s funny at how amateur they were in setting it all up. Though the ending for me came short, I was able to relieve myself from stress for a moment.

Orange County – Colin Hanks, Jack Black, Schuyler Fisk
Watched this movie together with my next-door housemate. This is a movie that I aptly saw before when I was just a freshman in college. I was able to watch it again but it still had the same sense and made me recall at how one can be inspired (really inspired) to take charge and do something because of how another was able to do it as well. It also depicted how careless people can be. Even if you think that you’ve got it all made, there are situations such as people who are morons who don’t make it happen (i.e. the lead character wasn’t accepted by Stanford U. because of the carelessness of their guidance counselor in submitting the application with the wrong name).

Added info: T’was strange to see cheerleaders and college women turn into a frenzy and dance together when Crazy Town’s Butterfly. Now everybody sing “Come my lady, come come my lady. You’re my butterfly, sugar baby!”

Terminator Salvation – Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin
Watched this on the big screen, movies like these are supposed to be seen in the theater. You might get lost in the plot if you haven’t watched the previous franchises. Still, I wish Arnold would be there but hey, I guess it’s better left to another generation. I’ll be waiting for the next installments, if there will be any.

The Last House on The Left – Tony Goldwyn, Monica Potter, Garret Dillahunt, Spencer Treat Clark, Martha MacIsaac, Sara Paxton
Ha, also watched this together with my next door neighbor and her daughter. There’s no fancy plot, it’s just a story on parents seeking revenge (and getting a lot) to their daughter’s tormentors. Lots of killing and torture activities going on. When I Wikied (my short term for Wikipedia) the film, I found out that this was just a remake of an old film that has been recreated by Wes Craven. The original one was actually had more gore and was more disturbing. The main reason would be when the mother bit off the enemy’s mojo while performing fellatio. Yipes, reminds me of the Vagina Dentata film “Teeth“. haha. But in any case, it was also weird when  at the end of this remake, the father put the enemy’s head in a microwave over and turned it on until the head burst like a watermelon. Blood everywhere.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona – Javier Bardem, Scarlett Johansson, Penélope Cruz, Rebecca Hall
Penelope Cruz parading in small rag-like dresses was enough to keep me glued. hehe. I believe she won an Oscar for playing a psychotic character, which kept me fixated (obviously, I couldn’t get enough of her). This movie is fast-paced for a love story and I liked the way it ended because on how the characters of the story still had the same issues compared to when they were being introduced in the flick. Scenic Barcelona, beautiful women, unforgettable summer. What more could you ask for?

Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist – Michael Cera, Kat Dennings, Alexis Dziena
Screamed teenager all over the place. Micheal Cera really knows how to work up the geeky protagonist, contradicting to the high school jock. It’s a one-night stand adventure that really didn’t give me the rush I needed as it’s like any other high school love story flick, minus the hallways and cheerleaders, but more on music. One plus was that i saw the ditzy-acting bimbo from Fools’ Gold again. hehe.

Watched Transformers 2 (Revenge of the Fallen) yesterday and I can’t seem to describe how amazing it was. From the transformations of the autobots and the decepticons to the hilarious antics of Sam’s mom, to the action-packed sequences to the sidekick’s funny one-liners to Megan Fox. I couldn’t resist clapping at times when those cool robots changed from their disguises.

What I like in this movie is that it’s clearer now and you can distinguish the machines from each other. Optimus Prime was really something. I just wished that there were more autobots being featured, where the heck is Hot Rod? Maybe in the later franchises. Please include the dinobots as well, hehe.

I sat for two and a half hours but I was left speechless. It’s really good if you sit inside the theater. After watching it, I couldn’t help but recall the toys that I had as well as the cartoons that I watched. I can’t really say much, I better treat my brothers out to this movie.

Altogether now, “Bawit grana wink minibob” or sing “You’ve got the touch, you’ve got the power!” Sigh. Transformers, Robots in Disguise!

I’m still a bit high on the movie Dogma on a previous post that I want to post a few statements that I like. Some of the quotes  were those spoken by Salma Hayek and Chris Rock. At least in my opinion anyway. There were a lot of strong statements, but the ones below are the ones that I like:

Rufus: White folks only want to hear the good shit: life eternal, a place in God’s Heaven. But as soon as they hear they’re getting this good shit from a black Jesus, they freak. And that, my friends, is called hypocrisy. A black man can steal your stereo, but he can’t be your Savior.

Rufus: Mary gave birth to CHRIST without having known a man’s touch, that’s true. But she did have a husband. And do you really think he’d have stayed married to her all those years if he wasn’t getting laid? The nature of God and the Virgin Mary, those are leaps of faith. But to believe a married couple never got down? Well, that’s just plain gullibility.

Serendipity: I have issues with anyone who treats faith as a burden instead of a blessing. You people don’t celebrate your faith; you mourn it.

Serendipity: When are you people going to learn? It’s not about who’s right or wrong. No denomination’s nailed it yet, and they never will because they’re all too self-righteous to realize that it doesn’t matter what you have faith in, just that you have faith. Your hearts are in the right place, but your brains need to wake up.

Since school stopped for awhile, I was able to watch some flicks and now I’m going to write another movie marathon.

Shoot ‘Em Up – Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, Monica Bellucci
The movie was great. A fast-paced gun action movie with a lot of cool sequences. Somehow, the movie reminds me of Wanted but I like this one better. You don’t have to think about the plot because the action would already suffice in keeping you at the edge of your seat cause you’d wonder what the protagonist would do next in order to escape a tight situation. Guns, guns, guns, cool!

Teeth – Jess Weixler
Dark and scary even if it’s slow-paced. Teeth in a woman’s koochie, ouch that’s got to hurt. It’s every guy’s sexual nightmare. It was creepy being able to just imagine how it would be like to be in the actors’ (those who got bitten) situation. “Vagina dentata, vagina dentata!” ‘nuf said.

Definitely, Maybe – Ryan Reynolds, Rachel Weisz, Elizabeth Banks, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin
A story about a girl asking her father’s story before he met her mother after learning about sex education in class. Ryan in a serious (although not too serious) role in a romantic comedy. Unlike his other flicks (Just Friends, Waiting and his Van Wilder days), this was a fresh look. Abigail (the 10 -year old daughter) played the part well too.

American Psycho – Christian Bale
A story about a Wall Street yuppie who seems to have everything but is still obsessed about himself. It’s all about image. A psychotic killer who rapes and then murders different acquaintances without any plain motif. This is a film any narcissistic metrosexual could relate to as it spelled vanity (plus violence) in all parts. I didn’t know this movie was released 8 years ago. It’s pretty disturbing if you ask me –> Psycho duh.

Cruel Intentions – Ryan Philippe, Sarah Michelle Gellar,  Reese Witherspoon, Selma Blair
It’s only now that I got to watch this in full since high school. This was a good movie, I still like it up to now. Cruel intentions. The socially elite youth exploring the dark and sophisticated life of manipulation, seduction, and love in a wealthy atmosphere.

Preppy students, the original Gossip Girl according to a housemate; though I can never tell cause I don’t watch the latter.

Almost Famous – Kate Hudson, Patrick Fugit,
I bought this movie because I saw my brothers playing a clip in Youtube about the characters singing Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” and found it nice. Also because I this was a movie that launched Kate as a star. When I finished it, I found it quite dragging that I had a bit of a time understanding its full concept. Sure it’s a story on how cool it would be like being able to join a rock band’s tour in your teenage years. But other than the song and Kate’s boob exposure, I didn’t find it as exciting as I thought it would be.

We watched Twilight yesterday and I can still hear those girls (and boys) squealing inside my head. I missed out on a lot of things in the movie according to the people who’ve read the book. But I’m just happy that I had no expectations because I would have been very meticulous in finding out the scenes that weren’t faithfully done.

After we left the theater, one of my companions went ahead and bought the 3rd and 4th installment of this vampire-human love story. She wasn’t as happy when she found out that there were no stocks of book 1 and book 2 already. I could only imagine back the faces of those people after the last book was sold.

While we were on the topic of getting something to read, it made me realize how long it has been since I last read a book. I think the last one was still last year, Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad. This year, I’m just swamped with too many works and assignments and responsibilities that I have a hard time squeezing reading in. However, for any true book fan, I’m just looking for an excuse not to read.

Hence I want to participate in a join book club program. It would be great since you can find all the books of whatever category or genre and you can sort them out according to your liking.

I’m planning to register to listen to some audiobooks so I won’t have to strain myself because right now, I’m still studying and working and because I’m a bit lazy, it’s the next best thing on being able to get some information and be up-to-date. At least, I won’t have to be left-out whenever people would talk about the latest series as I’ll have something to share then.