No Sacrifice, No Victory - A Transformers Review

28 June 2007 | Hisham | | Movie Review, Transformers
 

Megatron, Bumblebee and Optimus Prime
First of all, I along with a couple of other pals, were the dudes who taped the Transformers episodes when the first aired (long before they were known as G1), to try to identify all of them. So yeah, even after more than 20 years later I can still name all 18 of the original Autobots who crashlanded on Earth on the Ark. So this movie is a big deal for me. The idea of seeing photorealistic giant robots prance on the screen, firing missiles at and beating the crap out of each other, transforming into cars and burning rubber on the highway.... is sort of a holy grail.

Walking up the hallway to the escalator in Cineleisure that will take me to the Cathay Cineplex (with Irfan in tow), Remembering the first time I heard they were going to produce the Transformers movie, I told Awie, "I've been waiting for this day for more than a year." Awie said, "I've been waiting for this for twenty years." I realise he's right.

To be honest, I really didn't want to put my expectations high for this movie. But I couldn't help myself. My expectations were higher than normal. I've already seen the trailers a million times each... not to mention the clips on TV. I must have seen tons of effects shots of the Cybertronians transforming and fighting (and crashing through buses) that I thought I've seen it all. There must be not much else to see. I thought, what the heck, let's watch the shots again but this time on the big screen with THX sound. I'd be happy to settle for just that.

 

Bread 2006 - Sprouted Wheat Bread, 2nd Try

27 June 2007 | sila | | Food
 

So last year, I tried making Sprouted Wheat Bread with whole wheat flour and it turned out like this:

Sprouted Wheat Bread, 1st Try

Remember this bread? The one that required me to be part gardener, part baker. I thought the first time that I made it, that the whole wheat flour hid the wheat berries and the sprouts. So I tried the bread again, this time with white whole wheat flour.

 

Irfan and a Friend

22 June 2007 | Hisham | | Artwork, Transformers
 

And then they roll outI thought I'd paint a picture of Irfan and his friend, and then post it here.

Check it out by clicking on the thumbnail to the left.

Or you could view a much, much bigger version at deviantART here.

 

Hawaii Day 10 - Last Day and Home to Lily

20 June 2007 | sila | | Family Pics
 

I know, it's been two months since the trip and I'm finally getting around to putting up the final installment of the Hawaii pictures. But, in my defense, I am slow. Just a few days ago I finally emptied my suitcase of stuff from the trip. Yes, just my stuff since Vin unpacked his suitcase almost immediately while I stalled and stalled. That's me. Procrastinator all the way. :)

So to remind you, in Day 9, remember we met with some interesting cats wishing us goodnight at the Volcano Inn?

Scary Guard kitties?
 

A Great Old One Rises

16 June 2007 | Hisham | | Artwork
 

Cthulhu AscendantUp from cold dark R'lyeh, the Great Old One ascends to the surface to greet the weak-willed ones with despair, madness and obedience, and the rebellious stronger-willed ones with slow, painful death.

Nothing will stand in Cthulhu's way in turning the world into his own hellish playground where the seas and rivers will run red with blood. And the screams of tortured beings will never cease til the stars run cold.

Yeah, baby.

 

Hawaii Day 9 - Finishing our trip around the Big Island

04 June 2007 | sila | | Family Pics
 

Another beautiful morning in Hawaii. We woke up to this gorgeous view:

View from the Marriott lanai

But it was our final morning on the sunny side of the Big Island. We were driving back to Hilo via the Volcano this afternoon.

 

Tacking Into The Wind

03 June 2007 | Hisham | | Artwork
 

Been a while since I fiddled around with Painter Classic, or have an entry in the Artwork category. So off the top of my head I decided to hammer out a galleon. I wonder why a galleon? Did I read or watch something about pirates somewhere?

Click here to see a larger picture at DeviantArt.

 

Sea Turtles, Mate - At World's End Review

01 June 2007 | Hisham | | Movie Review
 
Jack Sparrow vs Davy Jones

Spoilers ahoy! Cast away your eyes if you haven't seen Pirates of the Caribbean - At World's End.

Based on the reviews I've read thus far, this movie is something that you either enjoy or you don't.

Do you like adventures and treachery in the high seas? Do you like pirates of the olden days of sailing ships? Do you like boardings and broadsides? Do you like tall tales of swordfights, sorcery and magic of the ocean? Davy Jones' Locker? Pieces of eights? Shrunken heads? Parrots? Monkeys? Cannons? Monkeys shot out of cannons?