The Half-Blood Prince

Book Review
Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince
by J. K. Rowling

It is amazing how the story has grown so much over the years. The formula is still the same, however. Harry stays at the Dursleys during school break, then he is picked up and brought to stay at (or with) the Weasleys for awhile. He then goes to Diagon Alley to pick up some things for the upcoming wizarding school period. Soon after, the school period starts, with visits to Hogsmeade, and the story will arrive at it's climax when the school period is about to end. Along the way, things happen that give hints on the elements that will be concluded during the climax of the story. The significant difference is how darker and more brooding the three main characters have become. Granted, they're still kids, but circumstances have driven them to be tougher than average kids. Or at least, that's how I think it is.

Having almost the same formula in storyline for 6 books in a row is not exactly a bad thing, however. Try telling that it's a bad thing to J. K. Rowling and she only has to show the amount of money she has in her bank accounts. It's been an easy and joyful read up until now. The story is not terribly complex, but it serves the book's purpose of entertaining mostly young (and also in many cases, adult) minds.

I must say that I give credits to Rowling for hinting by the end of the book that the 7th and last installment of the series will seem to have a completely different storyline formula. So, write on Rowling. I can't wait to see what you will serve for us in book 7.

Blogging Sorely Missed

It's been awhile since my last blog entry. And even then I only wrote a lame movie review. Lame for my standard, that is. But poring over the entry I realized that, really, there's not much to say. The movie was just like that. I just couldn't find more words to elaborate on it. That doesn't mean that the movie's unenjoyable. It was. And that's that.

So, yeah, it's been awhile since my last entry. I'm currently planning on writing a review of J. K. Rowling's newest entry in the Harry Potter series, 'The Half-Blood Prince'. But I've yet to finish the book. Only a hundred more pages, then I'm done. By then I'd be able to write a proper review.

While I'm on the subject of reviews, I'm also currently playing Criterion's Burnout 3 for the PlayStation 2. It's a racing game with a little bit of a twist. I will not elaborate further into the game for now. I'll save it for a proper review (de ja vu, anyone?). But, really, the game need not be finished for a proper review to be written. It's just my preferrence.

There has been some 'dramatic' changes in my life of late. Couldn't find a better word than 'dramatic'. The word 'unplanned' is also proper to describe the whole experience. However, these should all be taken into a positive context. Because in this case, it is a good thing that it is dramatic and unplanned.

I am rather...'shy' to disclose the matter in such a public 'space' as the internet (notice the wording of this blog, they're a bit 'formal' and contains a large number of words written between quote symbols, they're signs that I'm holding back). But I'm sure that some of you who read this blog (and most of you happen to be good acquaintance of mine, in the real world or in the virtual world), knows of this 'occurrence'.

So, probably I'm just wasting my time writing this latest entry. But I feel that I must. And I must say that I agree with Retti, that this thing can really be a writer's block. At least, at the beginning. Things will surely change in time, of course. But I'm hoping that it will be like the maturing of wine: the longer it is kept, the better the taste.

And this is also a tribute to my fellow bloggers, who share this space with me. I thank you for your support and encouraging words, and sometimes jokes about me and she-who-must-not-be-named (I read too much Harry Potter). And I look forward to more contributions. Thank you very much.

And in the end, (if you're willing to endure one more sentence), I would like to say....


I MISS YOU GUYS!!!

(p.s. BonQ, teach me how to put pictures in our entries!!)

A War To End All Wars

Movie Review
War of the World
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Tim Robbins

Ray Ferrier is a divorced father of two children, a son named Robbie (Justin Chatwin) and a younger daughter named Rachel (Dakota Fanning). He's not exactly a family man, but he loves his children. Their mother dropped them off at his place from time to time to let them spend some time with their father. It is during one of these visits that strange things start happening and people get killed by an allien race hell-bent on conquering Earth.

Once again Steven Spielberg delivered a roller coaster of a movie. There's nothing incredible in the ways of the acting. Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, and Tim Robbins delivered an adequate acting to keep the story going, but in my opinion it's the special effect that takes center stage here in this movie. Coupled with a good cinematography that is Spielberg's trademark, this movie delivered quite a blast.

Go see this movie while it's still playing in the cinema. This goes especially to those who love special-effect movies. It won't be the same seeing it on DVD, except if you have an over-the-top sound system at home.

This movie might also be a good inspiration for a cold remedy ad.

And another thing that I feel I must quote from some of the commentators in IMDB.com: why the hell are the cameras and digicams working during the beginning of the invasion? They should be disabled!