Popular Culture Junkie

Yes, I’m still alive. Barely though. You try sitting for a 3 hour dentistry paper writing and writing without stopping. And still doing that last minute scribbling to the end thing. ;|

I wanted to take photos of my expressions changing while studying from 1am right up till 7am. You know, like how my sadness surfaces as the hours go by.. but can you believe it? I don’t even have the mood to do that.

In my stolen moments of procrastination, I’ve developed this very very unhealthy interest in popular culture(and maybe even recent events). Or rather the media and the figures that portray it. I need to constantly read up on the latest tid bits about celebrity and will spend hours pondering into the morning about how amazing their lives are.

While I’m not particularly impressed with any of the going-ons of the Hollywood It girls, I am quite engrossed with the entire Harry Potter cast. Like have you seen Luna Lovegood? Evanna Lynch? She’s SO dreamy, as in literally. I mean she’s beautiful but during the interviews, she’s sort of dreaming half talking. I’m still amazed how they managed to find someone to portray Luna Lovegood’s character so well.

Is it just me or do other people feel like crying when they look at photos of the Harry Potter kids from when they were mere 12 year olds? It’s not really tears, more like a choked-up-I’m-so-proud-of-them moment. It’s hard to believe that a bunch of kids were seen growing up on screen together. It doesn’t happen very often. Then you wonder about their lives. What’s it like not knowing how a normal childhood is? From what I’ve read, Emma Watson is currently doing her A-levels at a proper school. That’s pretty impressive. As for Rupert Grint, he stopped after his GCSEs. I’m not sure about Daniel Radcliffe though.

So there I was, youtubing way into the night(I decided to go to bed early(read: 3am) during the weekend) but only slept at sunrise. I hate my fucked up sleeping hours. I found all these fun Order Of the Phoenix interview video clips and it’s so nice to see the characters all glitzy. It was also my first time seeing JK Rowling talk. That woman is truly an inspiration. From a struggling single mother, she goes on to become this icon. Richer than the queen even, it seems.

I even took the chance to oggle the Phelp twins(go look for the premiere pictures, sizzling wei!) and went a little paedophillic while trying to check up on how hot some of the minor casts have become. Most of them are only my brother’s age. ;\ At least the Phelp twins are a year older than me! And Tom Felton who plays Draco Malfoy is my age, but I don’t think I looked him up. I don’t fancy floppy haired boys as much as I did when I was an impressionable kid.

I’m really looking forward to the movie and the book. But I always get so hyped up about the movie(ever since the 2nd movie) I usually end up very disappointed when the movie is finally out. I never learn though! Maybe the book should be a bigger thrill.

Another thing that I’m not sure if I’m looking forward to is the reunion of the Spice Girls. I know it’s old news but I’ve not been blogging for over a week. I love their songs, yes. I do wonder if they’ll produce some more? Or are they just reuniting for a world tour as reported? Looking at their photo now compared to the one taken ten years ago… you can’t help but feel so sad that the appeal is lost. It’s definitely been too long. I was a fan(there’s a great distinction between fan and crazy mad stalker psycho fan. That status of mine is reserved for The Moffatts and Douglas Lim.) back when I was in early secondary school. Now they look old and well, middle aged. 🙁 I hope I won’t get shot by overzealous fans for this remark. But really, the appeal is gone.

It’s just so sad to note that not all of them have had bright blazing careers after the group broke up. You then look at the other celebrities who became big in movies and in the music industries from years ago. Where are they now? Only a few of them go on to become bigger celebrities while most fade along with their flamboyant past. If they don’t get the chance to act or sing, what are they doing with their lives? Where’s their money coming from? I don’t know why I think about these things. Instability scares the shit out of me.

However, reunions don’t necessarily mean bad news. I’M ALL FOR A SEX AND THE CITY MOVIE! I think it is one long overdue movie. I’ve not seen any of those women appear in anything else for a long while. But hey, they need the money and I need the entertainment. They shouldn’t have stopped Sex and The City. At least one more season would’ve been nice! I love the Miranda and Steve combo. I like humble unassuming men. 🙂 (Don’t like Mr. Big. BLehgh. I liked the other guy though! What’s his name? The carpenter or plumber dude Carrie was dating for awhile.) No doubt who my favourite character was though. 🙂 I still have this silly perpetual smile whenever Samantha comes on. After awhile, Carrie got kind of annoying. I thought she was acting too childish(I think they were trying to portray a ‘girlish’ character. Sorry. Fail.) for someone of her age. I had it up to here with her constant lip pursing, hip swinging when she wanted to make a point and screams. Though sometimes her screams were a little coarse. That’s why girls, ciggies are bad for you, you and you.

It must be the reunion era. With the cancellation(i’m not sure, I think I read this somewhere too. T_T See lah, this is what I mean by reading too much pop culture stuff) of Joey, I HOPE HOPE HOPE the cast of Friends will realise that they are all not exactly winning awards left and right to boost their acting careers and will reunite for a movie. Please please please…*you may all join me in my prayer to have Friends made into a movie*

Moving on, I’ve been downloading a lot of movies lately! Sort of like stocking up for winter that kind of mentality. It’s for when I’m truly stressed out from studying and have time to spare, watching a good movie really takes my mind off things. So far I’ve downloaded Transamerica and The Pursuit Of Happyness(I know, I know… I didn’t get a chance to catch it in the movies). Brilliant brilliant absolutely brilliant movies. I loved them both. Well, I like the latter more as it was more emotional and engaging. I really wanted to have a good cry throughout the many scenes of the movie but couldn’t because Lie Yuen was next to me. Hahaha.

The Pursuit of Happyness is a story about the struggles of a man and his son. They were like best friends. While the real life story of Chris Gardner focuses more on how a homeless man becomes a multi millionaire, the movie based on his life is more about the heartwarming struggles Will Smith’s character had to go through to ensure a better life for himself and his son(who is Will Smith’s real son and is a damn good kid actor by the way!). Here’s a brief sypnosis to those who have never had the chance to watch the show: Struggling salesman is unable to pay the bills thus causing his wife to leave him. He wants to change his life by becoming a stock broker because he thinks people who work as stock brokers are generally happy and rich. He wanted that. The movie takes us through his stint in prison for being unable to pay off his parking tickets, his 21.37 bucks left in his bank account when the government took out whatever that was inside for taxes, his getting kicked out of his rented home and then motel, sleeping in homeless shelters with his son, managing to get an internship with a big financial company which doesn’t pay him a single cent for months(keep in mind he only has 21.37 bucks) and then the story ends when he finally manages to emerge as the top intern therefore gaining him a place in the company.

One thing that was quite unrealistic in the show was how nice all those senior management types and big shot clients were being to Will Smith’s character. I’ve seen enough modern day television to see how poor people get casted aside and deemed as insignificant. It was nice to see your stereotypical diabetic and hypertension looking alpha male types being kind and gentle as opposed to their frequent portrayal of pompousness and arrogance.

I think one of the saddest part in the movie was when Will Smith got kicked out of the motel that he was renting and he sat in the subway with his son not knowing what to do. Then his son suddenly said that the machine(the bone density analyzing machine, I think) was not a time machine, as a homeless person previously claimed. Then Will Smith asked his son to press the button because it was really a time machine. Then the both of them pretended that it was the Dinosaur age, as all children like to pretend-play. He got his son to pretend there was a bonfire in front of them and they pretended that they were being chased by a tyrannosaurus. He told his son that the only way they can be safe is to find a cave, like how cavemen do to stay away from danger. His son, being a little eager kid was immediately taken with the idea because you know, cavemen are cool. They went into the ‘cave’ and settled there for the night.

As his son lay on his shoulder, fast asleep, Will Smith sat on the toilet floor weeping as he held the door closed with his leg whenever someone tried to open it to come in.

A great movie shining light on what it must be like to be homeless.

Another damn touching part was when he was accepted into the company as a permanent employer. The tears welling up in his eyes after all that he has been through.

I really love the movie!

Oh, little trivia here. Did you know that the homeless people in the movie are authentic?? There were about 200 homeless people acting as extras in the movie(they had to act as homeless people. Haha) and they were paid 8.something bucks per hour, it being the minimum wage in San Fransisco. Damn cool.

And the real Chris Gardner makes a cameo appearance by walking past Will Smith’s character and his son at the end of the movie.

*stretches* I can’t believe I rambled on about all that.

Shall put the laptop on the floor and arrange the pillows nicely before the sun rises once more. ;(