The Grudge 2

So I went for The Grudge 2 last Thursday. I know it’s an adaptation of Ju-On but the sneak preview was so tempting I had to watch it. Stupid me, paying money to scare the shit out of myself. The Grudge 2 isn’t exactly adapted from Ju-On. The characters are but the storyline is different.

Look at those big eyes, they are so spooky I feel like digging them out of their sockets. Come to think of it, I don’t think I wanna since it would look worse. After watching the movie, the signature sound will not get off your brains for quite sometime. You know, that *GROOOOAAAAKKKK* sound. It’s so eerie that almost every single creaking sound you hear, you’d translate that to Kayako Saeki being nearby you. So much so that I have been mimicking that sound almost everyday since I watched the movie.

To Sarah Michelle Gellar’s fans out there, you’d be disappointed to learn that her role ended pretty early in the movie. She was dead even before half of the movie. The plot of the movie itself was pretty twisted. I just don’t know how to say this, you just have to watch for yourself. True, the ghost wasn’t exactly scary but it was the sudden appearance and also those freaky eyes and make up that did the trick. There were a couple of times I jumped off my seat when that fucking Kayako Saeki appeared.

Look at that, if a hand suddenly grabbed me from the back when this scene was showing, I would have jumped up and my hands would have automatically smack whoever was behind me. That motherfucking bitch kept scaring the shit out of me.

Look at that evil stare. If it was real, I would have fainted already. Those eyes, after makeup, they are just freaking spooky, OK! Watch the scene where she popped her head out of the basin which Eason(played by Edison Chen) used to develop photos. Ultra shitty scary!!!

Anyway, I am not gonna spoil the fun any further. This movie is a must watch and I rate it a 4/5 stars. It kept my eyes glued to the screen the whole time and the thrill was non-stop. Guys, this is a definite watch with your girlfriends. She’d be so scared she’d hug you so tight you cannot even breath. To those watching at home, switch off all your lights, blast those speakers, put up the bass for best effect. No regrets!!

Now speaking of the movie, when I was in the cineplex, some assholes were speaking so loudly at the back. I hinted with a loud SHHHHHSSSSHHHHH and those mother fuckers didn’t get it. I did that several times and still they DIDN’T get it!!! I felt like going back there and slapping the shit out of them and then turning them in for The Grudge 3!!! Fuckers, it’s a cineplex, not your home. Do everyone a favour, fuck off if you have to talk so loudly. Also, if you are coughing so badly, don’t come to the cineplex. I could do without those stupid coughs. They were so loud they sounded more like he was about to vomit!! There were also a bunch of girls sitting on the same row as I did, I could see they were scared till wits, but they just had to do that *GROOOAAAKKK* sound to anticipate what was to come, just to reduce their shock. They were also giggling like nobody’s business. It was like as if I was watching the movie in their homes. WTF!!!

The Ant Bully

So, I went to Cathay Cineleisure Damansara last Saturday to watch The Ant Bully. As the title suggests, it’s a movie about an ant colony being ambushed by a kid unknowingly. This kid falls prey to bigger kids. “I am big and you’re small, so what are you gonna do about it?!?!” His underwear would be torn off each time he was bullied because the bully would always hold him up on his underwear.

Not being able to bully the big kid, he resorts to bullying the ants, splashing water at them. Basically, the movie is about the kid turning into a small creature and forced into joining the colony to experience the life of an ant.

After watching the movie, I have got to say I feel for the ants since I sometimes destroy their colonies. More often than not, it is the ants that attack and bully me. I, on the other hand, am forced to destroy their colony because they invade my privacy and bite me for no reason whenever they get the chance to crawl up my legs. It’s so annoying that I have to get them to move out. So don’t blame me for what I do, you ant lovers. Of course, don’t turn me into a tiny being with some magic portion and make me go through the life of an ant. No, I don’t need that. Thank you very much!!!

I would give this movie a 3 out of 5 stars overall. Shut up with comments about the movie being childish. As adults, there is always a child in each and everyone of us. I particularly enjoy the movie because it lets you fantasize on something which you cannot possibly experience in real life. This is certainly a family movie worth a watch. Nice animation by the way.

The World Cup Finals

The World Cup might be over but the fever sure stayed on with me. This year’s World Cup was slightly special for me. We have all got to admit that this is one of the weirdest and most controversial World Cup ever. There was this referee who handed out 9 yellow cards and 5 red cards in one single match. That’s a world breaking record of 14 cards in total. Unbelievable? Believe it.

What was so special about this World Cup? Well, I went right down to the heart of KL for the finals. The whole stretch of road leading to Federal hotel was completely sealed off for the big screen finals. Organized by Maxis, 3 big screens were set up for the big event. Even before 9 p.m., the heart of KL was already crowded with people from everywhere.

Italian supporters were everywhere. Whenever someone passed with a gigantic Italian flag, almost everyone would be cheering their lungs out. I was the total opposite. I supported France but didn’t dare to shout out loud. See, I didn’t want to die in the middle of nowhere. I don’t want to waste my life just because I decided to cheer for France. How crowded exactly was the place, you ask? Well, I’ll just let the photos do the talking. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Five minutes into the game, Zidane scored with a miraculous penalty kick and France supporters were shouting their lungs out, me included, that I swear those Italian supporters were stunned they never knew there were so many France supporters there that night.

There was this Chinese middle age lady sitting right behind me, talking so loud I swear she was louder than the whole fucking crowd. She got so irritating that I screamed so loud when Zidane scored just to tell her she should just shut the fuck up. She ain’t know shit about football and she talked like she was the manager. To make things worse, she made it sound like the only strategy in football is to kick the god damn ball into the goal, by hook or by crook, even if it was half a field away. I bet cha, if she was the coach, I could even kick those Italians ass back to Italy and I’ll shove some Italian pizza up her candy ass, use some spaghetti to slap her on her face and kick her sending her all the way to Italy while shouting “Forza Italia” at her. Damn annoying OK!!! Don’t talk about her, I damn tulan think about her.

After half time, I was forced to leave as all the monkeys started flocking into the streets. The already cramped area was just barely enough to sit and some monkeys who were initially standing by the road side came and squeezed into the remaining space and was shouting, “Oi, pergi depan la, ada tempat lagi.” I was like, “Fuck you! I can’t even seat properly anymore. You monkeys, shoo shooo… go hang up in the tree.” They forced their way in anyway, so I was forced to leave. I can’t stand monkeys like that. I’d rather watch from the mamak stall.

Anyway, Italy reigned victorious that night. It was a tough but good match. Both teams were pretty good until the last minutes of the second extra time when Zidane shockingly headbutted Matterrazi. For a moment, I was shocked and I didn’t know what happened. “What the fuck was Zidane thinking? Shaolin soccer? Few minutes to end the game and he fucked up? Great!!!”

A few days later, the papers allegedly reported that Matterazzi insulted Zidane’s mom and sister calling them a whore and also calling Zidane a terrorist. Now, now, Matterazzi, deny all you want but I’ll just shove some Italian pizza up your ass each time you speak that you’d be crying and begging me to spare your poor asshole. Didn’t your mamma told cha not to talk about other people’s mom like that? You monkey, don’t act innocent. You don’t know what a terrorist is? Go wank yourself. Even a wanker like me who is nothing to the world follows the news and knows what a terrorist is and you don’t know? That’s insulting my intelligence!! Enough said.

For those who think I am anti Italian, NO! I love spaghetti and I love pizzas, so how could I? I do not condone Zidane’s act but that monkey really deserved it, just like that irritating woman seating behind me. Here’s a joke version of the conversation between Materrazzi and Zidane(just for the fun of it):

Matterazzi: *Rubbing Zidane’s body* Mmm, you have got a nice chest there. I like!
Zidane: Hey monkey, get your hands off me. You can have my shirt later if you want it so much.
Matterazzi: No I want you, you hot terrorist man. Your whore mamma and sista aren’t as good. You smell good too.
Zidane: Fuck you, monkey!
Matterrazi: Come on, gimme your head. They look so bald and sexy.
Zidane: *Running forward, turning back and slamming his head into Matterazi’s chest*
Zidane: Here monkey, fuck you! Forza Italia!!!
Matterazzi: Ahhh, that felt sooo good!

All jokes aside, I will still conclude with 3 words, “Fuck you, Matterrazi!!!”

Ahh, when the finals were over, it was 5 a.m. when I returned home. Needless to say, I was like a walking zombie in the office the next day. That night after work, I came back, dropped onto the bed and just dozed off until the next morning. That was how tired I was. As I am writing this, it’s already 3 a.m. and if I don’t go to sleep soon, I’ll be a walking zombie again. So I’ll get going now and I’ll be updating soon. See you guys and keep updated!

My Take On The Suzuki Swift

On The Side Note:

1) The year 2006 seems to be a promising one. It seems to promise me new hopes and light. Let’s hope this isn’t just a feeling, let’s hope this is for real.

2) Chinese New Year is around the corner and I have to start spring cleaning the house yet again. As much as I hate it, I still have to do it. Sigh.

Introduction

Hmm, the first post in this brand new year of 2006. Having the Suzuki Swift for almost 3 weeks, I’ll now have my take on it. You can call this an official review from me. Anyway, for a start, the car itself is considered a compact hatchback and you wouldn’t be expecting too much interior space out of such a car now, would you?

It has always been my dream to at least own a Japanese make and here it is, my first Japanese car, and I tell you, it’s completely Japanese CBU (Complete Build Up). It’s an imported car from Japan and is not locally assembled. This justifies the hefty price of the car. Rumours have it that the CKD (Complete Knock Down) version of the car is going to be in the local market by the fourth quarter of this year.

As said before, I chose a hatchback for my own personal reasons. You’d know why I chose the Swift by the end of this review.

The Dimensions

The car dimension itself is nothing to shout about:

Overall Length: 3,695mm
Overall Width: 1,690mm
Overall Height: 1,510mm
Wheelbase: 2,390mm
Track(Front/Rear): 1470/1480mm

For comparison, the Swift is basically shorter in both length and height if compared to the MyVi. It has a slightly shorter wheelbase as well but notice that both front and rear tracks are wider than the MyVi, hence the better stability.

Interior

Step into the car and you get a decent but classy interior. Materials used are good all round. Some parts use plastic but they are generally good quality plastic. For the price you are paying, you get a comfortably wrapped leather steering, a Clarion single CD player with 4 speakers and 2 tweeters, dual climate air conditioning, and comfortable seats. Leg and head room is just right for front passengers but gets slightly uncomfortable for the back passengers. Due to the aerodynamic design, you get less head room at the back. Nonetheless, it’s still acceptable for people with average Asian heights. The car is good for 4 full size adults. Ferrying 5 would be fine, but with 3 smaller sized adults at the back.

The interior of the Swift.

The sporty meter cluster.

The meter cluster shows the normal information a driver needs, with a big, hard to miss, speedometer in the center. It also houses the digital trip computer, which is common in modern cars nowadays.

The back seats. Not ample of space but is just right.

The back is relatively comfortable except that the sitting position might be a little bit too upright for your liking. Notice that there is a retractable hook at the back of the front passenger seat.

The multi information display.

The car also comes with a nifty multi information display which displays the time, the outside air temperature and the instantaneous fuel consumption. I personally find the instantaneous fuel consumption information useless. It would have been more useful if they would have calculated the average fuel consumption instead. You can turn the instantaneous fuel consumption computer off though, but it would be cool to leave it running.

The dash built in CD Player.

This might not be a favourite to ICE fans out there but good news, there are after market brackets to fit with after market players. As for me, I am not that fussy so I can live with the player. Nonetheless, I still prefer the Proton Waja speakers as they produce more bass.

The dual climatic aircond controller.

The gear shift has a style similar to those on luxurious cars. Sweet!!!

Exterior

The exterior is nothing short of breathtaking. I fell in love with it the first time I saw the car and I still am in love with it. The shape is somehow ripped off from the Mini which defines its European style. The headlamps and backlamps look slightly like those from the Nissan 350Z. With an aerodynamic figure of only 0.32cd, the body of the car hits the sweet spot of maintaining its beauty yet providing a quiet ride by reducing wind noise.

The front. You get fog lamps as well.

The back. You get electronic tailgates as well. Sleek feat!

The back tailgate can be opened by pushing a button beneath the handle. Very high class indeed for a car in this segment.

The side with those sweet 15” alloy rims direct from Japan.

The 15″ alloy rims are wrapped with 185/60R15 tyres. I’d personally love to see a 17″ alloy wrapped with 205/40R17 tyres. That would be sweet!

Performance

Coupled with a M15A 1.5L 16V DOHC Variable Valve Timing (VVT) engine, this small innocent hatchback performs in a mile manner when being driven normally. It however performs like a beast when being pushed. Do not be deceived by its small engine capacity as the 1490cc engine churns out a whalloping 102HP@6000rpm and 133Nm@4000rpm and it does a century sprint in 10.7 seconds.

Suzuki has always been known for manufacturing reliable and robust engines and here is one of them. When driven normally, it roars with a subtle hint of its capabilities but push it beyond 4000rpm and you have a monster on the loose with the sweet engine note starting to penetrate the cabin, which sounds sweeter than the radio music.

As for the suspension system, you get the normal MacPherson strut for the front and you get a torsion beam and coil spring for the rear. You also get an Electronic Power steering (EPS) which is sharp in feel to aid you in maneuvering the car. After a long time using it, you get so used to it that you find the conventional power steering heavy. The result of all these is that you get a ride which is extremely firm when you tackle a corner or even on a straight stretch of road.

You would be attacking corners at higher speeds than you would on other cars. I’d forgive you for that as you wouldn’t even know unless you look at the meters. However, the back suspension is still a tad bit too soft for my liking. It gives me an unstable feeling. The suspension is also a tad bit too loud for my liking when it’s doing its work. A little more bushing would make the driving experience better.

You also get ventilated discs for the front brakes and you get leading and trailing drums for the rear brakes. It’s funny why they didn’t bother fitting the car with an all wheel disc brake system but I guess they must have their own reasons.

Safety

You’d think a car of this size would not have adequate safety features built into it but you’re wrong. For one, it comes standard with Dual SRS airbags and it even comes with a front seat belt pretensioner system. It comes with ABS (Antilock Braking System), EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution) and BA (Brake Assist) as well to aid in emergency braking. Not to forget, the car also comes with the pedestrian impact protection to minimise pedestrian injuries in an accident.

Miscellaneous

You have a choice of 6 colours to choose from. At the time of buying this car, there were only 2 colour choices, namely pearl red and pearl blue, available to me and I chose the pearl blue as it’s a striking colour and it looks great under the sun. There are other colours like black, white, orange and azure grey for selection with white being the limited edition. The whites would be the last to come out of the port, last I heard.

You will also hear some rattles from the door panels as you go through rough or bumpy roads. This minor issue can be resolved with some noise insulation mat added to the door panel. Another thing to note is that the roof of the car is not really insulated so it might get a little bit loud when it rains.

Conclusion

All in all, I think this car is a great value for money and you get lots of driving pleasure from it. To add to it, it’s a chick magnet and is sporty for youngsters like me. This car is good if you are not fussy about space and are willing to compromise space for driving pleasure.

Although it’s not a perfect car, but for that price, I have no complaints. Nonetheless, I still hope to resolve some of my dislikes about the car in the near future.

I bought this car for a hefty RM 86,000++ OTR inclusive of insurance. I know it’s expensive and some might say it doesn’t justify the car’s downside at that price but hey, we have to thank our excise duty and import tax for that, no? I believe this car would have been sold at a mere RM 70,000++ had it not been for the taxes and duties. So, for a Japanese CBU at this price, it justifies the car’s downside, well at least for me.

Anyway, that’s all from me for now and this is Alvin, signing off. See you later!

The Beijing Great Wall Of China Show

On The Side Note:I decided to give my car a wash yesterday and I also gave my floor tiles a wash as well. With no luck on my side, it rained while I was washing up but I couldn’t give a hood since I was already half way through. This was how I looked like after all was said and done.

Alvin “Stupid” Chong

It has been quite sometime since I last blogged. No excuse there, I was just plain lazy. I get tired pretty fast nowadays. Damn, I need some energy booster. Anyone willing to sponsor me some? =)

Oh well, back to the topic. I went to the Beijing Great Wall Of China show on the 25th October 2005. Yes, it was on my birthday alright. It was basically some chinese dance performed by a group called the Beijing Great Wall Of China. They came all the way from China because they were invited to do the show for charity purposes. By buying the ticket, you supposedly donate some amount of cash to the Sarawak Kidney Association.

Well, I was there pretty early. The show supposedly started at 7 p.m and I was there by 6.15 p.m. Being the pessimist that I was, I doubted very much they were gonna start that early. Well, at least not until 8 p.m. Walla, I was right! The show only started at 8 p.m. While I was busy feasting my eyes on pretty girls, some guy was generous enough to let me have a taste of his Hong Kong leg.

Nice leg you have there, buddy!!!

So, thinking I was gonna taste his Hong Kong smell anyway, I thought I might as well neutralize it with my own instead and I gave him this:

Here you go, buddy… Yeeehhhaaaaaa!!!!

Right at 8 p.m., the show started and some man came on stage to give a talk.

Man on stage: Ge wei, huan ying ni men lai tao wo men de…
Alvin: Bla bla bla… get the freaking show started!!!

 

After a few minutes of talking, the show started and these were a few of the shots I managed to take. Pardon the poor image quality. Afterall, I only took it with a K750i phone camera with 2.5X digital zoom.

Pretty girls with weird hats

I am drooling now…

I would have fainted right on the spot if any of them would have come and talked to me.

Then, came our Chief Minister of Sarawak, half way through the show, and as he was seated, the chairman (I think) of the Sarawak Kidney Assoctiation, went up to address his speech. At times like these, a minute felt like an hour.

Later, the show continued. The 1000 hands dance was great! I loved it.

Pretty girls…

Woo… the 1000 hands effect… nice…

After that, the Chief Minister of Sarawak left and I got to shake his hand. Pardon me now, I think my balls just grew bigger. Let me readjust my pants a little. Ah, that’s better.

Towards the end of the show, there was a lucky draw and sad to say, I wasn’t so lucky. My number was nowhere near any called out numbers. The show ended with me going back empty handed. On the whole, I would rate this show a 3 out of 5 stars. I especially liked the Er Hu performance.