March 6th, 2009 at 01:42pm
Under Recreations
BOTTOM LINE: This film is three quarters great romantic comedy that even men can enjoy and one quarter of absolute stupid rubbish. Enjoy the great bits and try to look the other way during those scenes that were obviously made to placate the teen market and stereotypical Hollywood conventions and clichés.
THE GOOD: Romantic comedies that manage to buck conventions are always worth a look and “Hitch” certainly falls in to this category as it tells the story of a date doctor Alex Hitchens (a well-cast Will Smith) who helps men get the girl of their dreams through technique. Although the film unspools with the look and feel of a romantic comedy, there is a lot going on here that men will enjoy, particularly as ‘Hitch’ takes you through the steps to securing the girl you want (wait a minute, is this movie really a chick flick?). Will Smith slips perfectly in to the role of ‘Hitch’, capturing the ultra-smooth and confident qualities required to pick up the girls but also a vulnerability which exploits his early heart-break. Two scenes of note which show off Hitch’s character well include an early scene where he manages to pick up the most beautiful girl in the club even when she is surrounded by ten guys, and the scene of Hitch’s first heartbreak in college when he realises that his needy and clingy behaviour is actually a turn-off for the woman of his dream. Eva Mendes is a very good foil for Hitch as Sara Melas, the good-looking but frosty gossip columnist who gets pulled in by Hitch’s charms. Kevin James as the overweight accountant Albert Brennamen is perhaps the highlight of the film as we watch all his hilarious moments as he tries to seduce the rich and beautiful Allegra Cole (Amber Valetta). “Hitch” is a fun and entertaining film looking at dating and seduction techniques, particularly in the differences between what should work and what does work.
THE BAD: Alas, “Hitch” has some very big problems which will leave you scratching your head as to why these moments ever made it in to the film in the first place. There are scenes of screwball and slapstick comedy which are completely out of place in this film, starting with Hitch’s food allergy scene which on its own is funny but is cringe-worthy against the relatively witty humour on display for the rest of the film. A big close up of a heavily made up and swollen Will Smith’s face as he sucks down Benadryl is terrible. The ending is also a massive cop out. Hitch goes to great pains to explain to his clients throughout the film the exact techniques required to get the girl, usually involving being cool and confident without showing how much you want them straight away, yet in the final scene where he finally becomes ‘vulnerable’ to win Sara, he does the exact opposite is a classic example of Hollywood clichés at their finest. He even jumps on top of her car while she drives away to stop her from leaving and ends up injured when he’s thrown from the car. It’s totally unbelievable and negates everything that has come before. You can see the point being made is that eventually you have to put the techniques away and just be open, but it’s done in such a stupid and Hollywood way that it ruins the film.
By omni
January 31st, 2009 at 04:53pm
Under Recreations
Try to play balinese dance on your TV -Video player, sure you will amazed
About balinese dance:
Balinese dances can be categorized into three:
1. Wali (sacred) Dances
These dances are considered sacred, and must be performed in the inner court of the temple.
Rejang
Danced by females, Rejang dance is a procession of those who have just barely learned to walk to those who can barely walk, moving in a slow and stately fashion towards the altar, twirling fans or lifting their sashes. Their costumes range from a very simple attire to an elaborate dress complete with headdress as you would likely find in Tenganan.
Baris
Literally means warrior formation. Baris is a warrior dance usually danced by men. The movements are dramatic. It is hard to distinguish whether it is the dancer that follows the orchestra, or the other way around. You could say that they both go off into their own dimensions, yet at certain well-defined times meet to create an astounding tapestry. The dancers wear elaborate head decoration, from a gold-colored head band to leaves and strings of cempaka blossoms. Variants of this dance are sometimes danced by children and women. You can find this dance performed in Sanur, Tabanan, and Ubud.
Pendet
This dance is usually performed by married women, moving in very dignified and elegant way to carry and present offerings to the gods and the goddesses.
Sang Hyang Dedari (Trance Dance)
This dance is normally performed to entertain the gods and the goddesses to appease them or to ask for their blessings. A bad harvest or an outburst of an illness may warrant such a dance. The preparation for this dance may take months, as prepubescent girls who have never danced are trained to relax their mind to be able to get into a trance state. Day after day they visit the priest at the local temple to receive their lessons. When the priest concludes that they are ready, and the time is right, the dance will be performed in the court of the temple. Dressed in elaborate attire and immersed in the smoke of burning incense, the two young girls slowly dance as the accompanying chant of the village women gradually relax them to get into trance. The gods and the goddesses will enter their bodies as they enter trance, and they will dance with movements that they have not mastered in their normal state. They may act and sound like a horse or a monkey; at times, they end up dancing while balancing their back on a piece of bamboo supported by two men on both ends. When they collapse, the village women will chant to ask the gods and the goddesses to peacefully leave the bodies of the young girls. If they refuse, dancing will continue until they agree, at which point the girls will simply collapse.
Barong
Barong is probably the most well known dance. It is also another story-telling dance, narrating th
e fight between good and evil. This dance is the classic example of Balinese way of acting out mythology, resulting in myth and history being blended into one reality. Wanna know the story?
2. Bebali Dances
These dances are ceremonial, and usually performed in the middle court of a temple. In the spectrum of sacred and secular, these dances fall in the middle.
Gambuh
Gambuh is a danced drama. It tells the courtly story of a Javanese prince in his quest for a beautiful princess.
3. Balih-balihan Dances
These dances are often considered secular and entertaining. They are performed in the outer court or even outside the temple.
Janger
Janger is performed by young girls. Peacock crown shaped headwear made from intricately woven gold-colored, dried coconut leaves rests gallantly on their heads. The girls are open shouldered, dressed in a piece of cloth wrapped around the chest, and a batik wrap on the waist down. Most of the dances are performed sitting down, with highly coordinated hand, shoulder, and eye movements.
Kebyar
Kebyar is usually danced by two women with beautiful, long, shiny black hair, accentuated at the top by a band of cempaka blossoms. Fans on one hand, they move dramatically. Feet are strongly grounded, and hands and feet move abruptly.
Legong
The dance of legong tells a story. It is the most feminine dance. It is usually danced by two females before they reach puberty (in fact, they must retire by the time they reach puberty).
Kecak
Kecak is a spectacular dance usually performed at night, surrounding a bonfire. The westerners called this dance The Monkey Dance, for the movements may remind us of monkey’s movements. There can literally be one hundred or more bare chested men, sitting down on the ground surrounding the bonfire, led by a priest in the middle. The only music to accompany them are the beats of their palms hitting their chests, their thighs, or other parts of their bodies, or their claps, rhythmically accompanied by shouting and chanting.
The dancers move in unison, creating a spectacular choreographic performance. Either hands stretched out, pulled in, rested on the shoulder of the next person, or waists gyrated left and right, etc.
Are you intersting?? buy balinese dance DVD on any online store or go to Bali island on your holidays, view and recorded create your own video
By omni