• 3Dec 09

  Panama! Basterds! Beatles!

  Panama!

  So it has been almost two months since I made a blog post which has to be a record for me. One reason I'm making this one has a lot to do with the title and song so let me explain.

  So my first semester of junior year is coming to an end. It has been a rough ride and I still have two weeks left of presentations, research papers and finals to go but I got some really great news this week. My school (Mass Maritime) requires all cadets in my major (International Business) to do two co-ops/internships to graduate. Of course in this economic climate finding a job is hard enough let alone a co-op. I had plans to do one this winter but the time was ticking away and I and many others had heard nothing. Well just recently I found out that one I had my attention on and was hoping would come through, finally did yesterday. If all goes as planned, and I see no reason for it not too, I should be spending four weeks of my winter in Panama. Yup, the Panamanian Maritime University will be inviting about 10 cadets in my major this winter down to Panama. The only cost to me (after already paying tuition fee) is the flight and cost of living, room and board is going to be provided by them.

  This was really exciting news for many reasons. First off I have been very stressed this past week and this was just one large thing that I was able to not worry about anymore. Also it means I get to go back to Panama! I wentin January of'08 but only for 3 days, thought it was a very good place and I had been interested in going back and now I can, and at the same time do a co-op. This whole situation really made my whole semester, and really kicked started December on a great foot.

  Other than that not much has gone on with me. I have watched a whole lot of films since Oct. 9th, one of my favorites that I must mention was Inglorious Basterds, my new favorite Tarantino film and in my opinion one of the best of the year.

  

  Christmas is coming up this month, as well as many film releases that I'm highly interested in seeing (Avatar, Nine, Up In The Air, A Single Man)and hope to see at least one in theaters but this really hasn't been a good year for me and actually going to the cinema.

  Some more fairly interesting news is that I have become obsessed with The Beatles. I watched Across the Universe again (which I love although I know many Beatles fans don't) and it made me start listening to them, finding songs I had never heard before and since then I can not stop myself! This also makes the fact that my brother is getting The Beatles Rock Band this christmas that much better.

  

  So that is about it. I plan to try blogging a bit more in the next month. I hope everyone is well and had a good thanksgiving.

  • Posted Dec 3, 2009 9:02 pm PT
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• 28Oct 09

  Oh noes, I've been tagged!

  Tag me once, shame on...shame on you, tag me twice...I can't let myself be tagged again...

  1) My favorite band is the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the last time I was tagged months ago it was Metallica...my how times change.

  2) My favorite book/novel is "Gates of Fire" by Steven Pressfield.

  3) Don Draper is my hero.

  4) Favorite food: Pizza, favorite dessert: Cookies and cream ice cream.

  5) I'm currently a junior at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy

  6) This is one of my favorite websites ever.

  7) One of the best moments of my life was being on the bridge wing of a training ship as it went through the Panama Canal.

  8 ) I had 4 root canals, 4 caps put in and all my wisdom teeth removed this year.

  9) One of the things about me is a lie.

  10) The above post is a lie.

  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
  So there you have it.

  As for what has been going on with me lately, I've watched a bunch of films:

  Moon: 10/10, my new favorite of the year.
  Up: 10/10, one of Pixars best.
  The Girlfriend Experience: 9/10, I really enjoyed this film.
  Antichrist: 8.5/10, weird and disturbing yet fascinating.
  Stalker: Unknown, didn't really enjoy it, need to watch it again.

  I also finished the third season of The Wire which was so amazing. It ended so perfectly I'm almost afraid to watch the 4th season, I mean they could have ended it with the 3rd season and I would been satisfied. But of course I shall be watching the 4th season soon enough.

  • Posted Oct 28, 2009 3:23 pm PT
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• 9Oct 09

  Paranormal Activity Review

  

  If you know me then you know that I'm not a huge fan of the horror genre. Very rarely do I ever like horror films, and only one film has ever "scared" or creeped me out and that was "Signs"….well that has changed, big time, and has been replaced with what I must say has to be one of the most impressive horror films I have ever seen.

  I'll start out with this; the film is by far, by FAR the scariest film I have ever seen. It had my heart rushing, blood pumping and chills all over my body.

  Okay, so what I thought was most impressive was the overall production of the film. The acting surprisingly was very good. I didn't expect much but the two leads were so great together, there relationship felt real and everything about what happens seemed very real. The dialogue and scripted help, it was so natural and I bet a lot must have been improvised. It also had enough humor to relax you, drawing you in more and more…which pays off big time. Some people don't like the handle held camera but it worked so well in this. It wasn't some super HD camera, it felt real, the angles felt real, and the editing was very well done.

  The set up was great and the scares were perfect. It starts out slow with a few things going on. You get drawn into these two people's lives and eventually feel for them, mainly because you the viewer are freaked out and can only imagine how they feel.

  I was so glad that there weren't any cheap scares. There were not any moments of things jumping out randomly which I was so happy about that. They used small things like sound and things moving and it was chilling to say the least.

  As I sit here and write this review I'm honestly getting the chills thinking about it. By far one of the best theater experiences I have had in a long time.

  Overall it more then impressed, this film exceeded my expectations. Personally it was the scariest films that I have ever seen and one of the best horror films ever. I really think I would say this is my new favorite horror film. Mainly because of the impression left on me. I mean god damn I'm impressed, they actually achieved the scares and chills, and it did to me what most horror films have failed to do. You can't image the overall praise I have for this film for doing what I think horror films should try to do. Most will not agree with my score, but imagine how impressed you would be if a film from a genre you hate actually impressed andamazed you, something so rare and effective must, in my opinion my praised highly…8.5/10

  • Posted Oct 9, 2009 11:35 pm PT
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