Entries from August 2008 ↓

Mythbusters Paint the Mona Lisa In 0.008 Seconds

The most obscure myth in art history is confirmed.

Popularity: 4%

Natalie Martinez Is More Than A Death Racer Navigator

Natalie Martinez, who recently appeared in the Death Race movie as Case, Franky’s navigator is a hot beauty.

Born in Miami, Florida on July 12, 1984, Natalie Martinez is a Cuban-American actress and model.

Natalie Martinez in "Death Race"
Natalie Martinez in "Death Race&quot

Natalie Martinez and Jason Statham presenting an award in the Spike TV's 2nd Annual "Guys Choice" Awards
Natalie Martinez and Jason Statham presenting an award in the Spike TV’s 2nd Annual "Guys Choice" Awards

Natalie Martinez is smoking hot
Natalie Martinez is smoking hot

Natalie Martinez
Natalie Martinez

Natalie Martinez

Natalie Martinez

If you haven’t watched the movie, Death Race, watch the short video clip of Natalie Martinez’s appearance in Death Race and a special interview with Natalie Martinez below:

Popularity: 14%

Max Payne (2008) Trailer

Max Payne is an action film based on a video game of the same name.

Max Payne (Mark Wahlberg) is a cop whose family and partner are brutally murdered. He ventures into the underworld to find those responsible for the murders.

Popularity: 3%

The Closing Ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Olympics Games DVD

Beijing 2008 Olympic may be over already, but you still can catch the closing ceremony in DVD that’s 2 hours long.

The highlights include a performance by Three Tenors’ Placido Domingo, a “human memory tower”, and an 8 minute presentation by London 2012, including the appearance of David Beckham, Leona Lewis and Led Zeppelin’s lead guitarist, Jimmy Page. Also, you can catch the performance of Wei Wei, Jackie Chan, Andy Lau, Karen Mok and Joey Yung as well.

Get The Closing Ceremony Of The Beijing 2008 Olympics Games DVD (China Version)

The Closing Ceremony Of The Beijing 2008 Olympics Games (DVD) (China Version)

Popularity: 3%

Babylon A.D. (2008) – Movie Review

Babylon A.D. is a futuristic movie based on the novel Babylon Babies by Maurice Georges Dantec, starring Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh and Mélanie Thierry.

SPOILER WARNING: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh and Melanie Thierry in "Babylon A.D."
Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh and Melanie Thierry in "Babylon A.D."

The movie begins with the voice of Vin Diesel telling the stories of his life. He mentioned that everyday we see signs of saving the planet but from who? From ourselves? Then he said “I’m tired, tired of it all.”

Toorop (Vin Diesel) is a retired war soldier and lives a war torn life in Eastern Europe. He is having breakfast when a SWAT team busts in to bring him to Gorsky (Gerard Depardieu). Gorsky wants Toorop to take the job of escorting a woman named Aurora (Mélanie Thierry) from Eastern Europe to New York. Toorop demands half a million and Gorsky agrees.

Toorop then goes inside a car which is carried by a helicopter to a Mongolia convent where Sister Rebecca (Michelle Yeoh) is waiting for him. She tells Toorop that wherever Aurora goes, she will goes with her.

So, the journey begins and the three set off to a train station in Kazakhstan where a bomb detonates but Aurora has predicted it and they survive.

Then, they stop at Vladivostok nightclub as Toorop plans to meet his friend, Finn (Mark Strong) there who can provide transport to the United States. Some unidentified men show up and offers Toorop a million dollar, tax free. Somehow, Toorop prefers half a million dollar better and fights them off and tries to escape with Sister Rebecca and Aurora but he ends up in a cage which is staging Ultimate Fighting Championship-style death matches as Aurora is protected by the fighter. Toorop has no choice but to survive by killing him off.

The men who tries to kidnap Aurora claim they are sent by Aurora’s father, which Sister Rebecca and Aurora have thought he has been long dead, which makes Toorop even more confused. Somewhat, he still stays with the girls and they have to fight their way into a submarine before arriving in North America.

In North America, snowmobiles await them and they travel at a high speed but is tracked down and chased by fighter jets. Toorop distracts the jets and even escapes at least two guided missiles before plunging his snowmobile into one of the jets causing both to explode. Miraculously, Toorop survives.

When they finally reach New York — in which the futuristic New York is pictured with more skyscrapers and tonnes of electronic billboards, Toorop prepares to hand in Aurora to Gorsky’s men whom in turn will hand her in to Neolite Priestess (Charlotte Rampling). However, a television channel reports news of the Mongolian convent being bombed has changed Toorop’s mind. Instead of handling her to either one of the gangs, he opens fire and once again they run. Only now, Toorop learns that Aurora is the host to an organism that has the potential to become the next Messiah and everybody wants to get their hands on it. But it’s too late as Aurora fires a shot at him to prevent him being killed by a guided missile.

Toorop is later resurrected by Aurora’s creator, Darquandier. Toorop is seen with artificial leg and his right arm is fitted with metals. Although, Toorop manages to find Aurora in the end, it is unknown how Aurora dies as she gives birth to twin girls of whom Aurora hands them to Toorop’s care.

Overall, it is a movie with a good storyline. However, Vin Diesel seems like a very tired mercenary whom at first willing to transport Aurora to New York for half a million dollar but refuses a million dollar, tax-free?

Unlike what Toorop said earlier in the movie, “I learned something that day: you can’t always walk away. Too bad it was the day I died”, you can still walk away from this movie.

My ratings: 5 out of 10.

Popularity: 3%

Burn After Reading (2008) Trailer

Burn After Reading is a comedy starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney. The movie is about two unscrupulous gym employees who found a disk containing the memoirs of a CIA agent and attempt to sell it. The movie is directed by Coen brothers of No Country for Old Men fame.

Popularity: 3%

Google Logos for Beijing 2008 Olympic (From Opening Ceremony to Closing)

Missed out on all the cool Google Logos for Beijing 2008 Olympic? Fret not, check out the collection of Google Logos for Beijing Olympic here.

Google Logo for Beijing Olympic Games

Google Logo for Beijing Olympic Games Basketball event

Google Logo for Beijing Olympic Games Closing ceremonies

View the entire collection

Popularity: 3%

Katy Perry – I Kissed a Girl Music Video

You have listened to Katy Perry’s controversial I Kissed a Girl song on the radio, now watch the music video. Sure I like it — I am not referring to the video but the song title.

Popularity: 3%

Bird’s Nest Replaces Mao on 10 Yuan

China's New 10 Yuan
China’s New 10 Yuan

China’s 10 Yuan used to have Mao Zedong’s face on it, not anymore. With the Olympic Games’s hype (and for decades after that), China have replaced Mao’s face with with its infamous Bird’s Nest Stadium on its 10 Yuan note.

Popularity: 3%

Cashmere Mafia (2008) Series

Cashmere Mafia is a new TV series ala Sex and the City starring Lucy Liu, Frances O’Connor, Miranda Otto and Bonnie Somerville.

The cast of Cashmere Mafia
The cast of Cashmere Mafia

Cashmere Mafia is a term given to four successful female executives, Mia Mason (Lucy Liu), Zoe Burden (Frances O’Connor), Juliet Draper (Miranda Otto) and Caitlin Dowd (Bonnie Somerville) due to their ambitious mind and highly successful career and most of all, the love of money.

Frances O'Connor as Zoe Burden
Frances O’Connor as Zoe Burden

Lucy Liu as Mia Mason
Lucy Liu as Mia Mason

Miranda Otto as Juliet Draper
Miranda Otto as Juliet Draper

Bonnie Somerville as Caitlin Dowd
Bonnie Somerville as Caitlin Dowd

Unlike Sex and the City, Cashmere Mafia simply does not have the chemistry between the characters. The series focus more on the lead characters, Zoe and Mia, their corporate battle and personal struggle. While highly successful in the corporate world, the Cashmere Mafia gang have a terrible personal life. Zoe Burden like her name, has a huge burden on her shoulder. She has to hire a nanny to take care of her spoiled brats as both she and husband are working full-time, while Mia’s fiance called off their engagement after losing the corporate battle with his fiancee.

Cashmere Mafia lacks flair and originality that both Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives have, which are the ingredients that made them very successful. Cashmere Mafia is discontinued after the first season ends as ABC has decided not to renew the series for a second season.

Popularity: 3%