Lately been very caught up with my work. Dun have much chance to catch up with pple. Last ntie was good, managed to catch up with Meina & liena. though really interesting, most of the time was spent talking about butterfly & stalkers...But i guess when the nite was almost over, we talked abt some stuff which i felt was really relevant...it might not necessary change their lives but i guess i saw the need to address it before it happens...
i guess the future is really que sera sera...
just got confirmation that i will not be goign to bangkok fnx week which is good news lah...tink my last trip there i spent close to a thousand...jia lak...must pray hard hard that my finances are all in order...now like lose track of my money again...hahaha...
anyway tink God is really good to me lor...been able to rest well at nite with euro takin a break...tink on monday my coleague and boss saw me, i was like a walkin zombie...hee~...Euro taken a strain on my sleepin patterns...been slepin less than 4 hrs daily since it started even when i was in bangkok, it was like that...so much for holidays
ok...today got good news that Baros & Gerard are both stayin put at Liverpool...thne saw that some of the beta defenders are ocming to Liverpool leh...shiok man
Djibril Cisse from Auxerre Sealed
Roberto Ayala from Valencia - Speculation
Pablo Aimar from Valencia - Speculation
Santiago Canizares from Valencia - Speculation
Ruben Baraja from Valencia - Speculation
Yossi Benayoun from Racing Santander - Speculation
Alexandr Hleb from Stuttgart - Speculation Not known
Tomas Rosicky from B. Dortmund - Player says GH was lining up a summer move for him
Marco Caneira from Bordeaux - Speculation
Esteban Cambiasso from Real Madrid - Speculation suggest Reds trying to hijack his switch to Inter
Juan Pablo Angel from Aston Villa - Speculation
The last one, JP Angel, i really tink is unnecessary when we have 3 world class forwards like Baros, Owen & Cisse..and youngsters like mellor & sinama to fill in.
Tink This new manager is adding in a new dimension to Liverpool to enhance it to a EPL challenger...
Disclaimer:
We are not the Has-Beens liek Manure
We are not the WOuld-Bes liek Cheal$ki
We are not a French Team playin in EPL
We are the Champions who won 18 EPLs, 4 Europeans Cups, 6 FA Cups , 7 League Cups, 2 European Super Cups & 3 UEFA Cups
Click to see full list of honours bestowed on Liverpool
June 29, 2004
June 28, 2004
REVIEWS OF WINDSTRUCK
WINDSTRUCK aims for an airy blend of quirky and sweet.
But it gets grounded in a no man's land between awkward and sentimental.
At first glance, the talents behind this latest Korean import look promising. Director Kwak Jae Yong and star Jeon Ji Hyun were the winning combination behind the breakout hit My Sassy Girl (2001).
Jeon's character, the impulsively gungho tomboy police officer Yeo Kyung Jin, bears more than a passing resemblance to the bullying girlfriend of My Sassy Girl.
In fact, the first time Yeo meets the boy of her dreams - self-effacing physics teacher Go Myung Woo (Jang Hyuk) - she actually tackles him to the ground and arrests him. She has mistaken the do-good Go for a snatch thief.
As in My Sassy Girl, the progress of this oddball romance is charted by the various ways in which Yeo ill-treats the befuddled Go. The career-minded Yeo plunges into dangerous situations with ambitious alacrity, dragging a reluctant Go with her.
Once again, Jeon portrays a winning blend of brassy and bashful. While she switches modes with deceptive ease, the same, unfortunately, cannot be said of the storytelling.
The movie, which opens with Jeon leaping off a skyscraper in an apparent suicide attempt, lurches unevenly from romantic comedy to action thriller to sentimental weepie.
In the last third, the reason for the title suddenly becomes evident when tragedy strikes. And the story becomes unbearably soppy as the director seeks to wring every last bit of schmaltz from the doomed love story.
Director Kwak, also responsible for the saccharine The Classic, has a film fan's adoration of the simple power of cinematic cliches.
My Sassy Girl was a clever spin on the romantic comedy which gained an unexpected bite by adding girl power to the traditional image of the subservient quiet Asian girl.
The Classic was a mostly-successful attempt at reclaiming the cliches of romantic melodrama.
But in Windstruck, Kwak seems to have bitten off more genres than he can chew. Making Yeo a cop offers Kwak the chance to shoot a riproaring gun battle and a cool car chase in action movie style.
A romantic interlude where Yeo tells Go a story turns into a live action fairytale embellished with plenty of impressive CGI in a fantasy mode.
And the tragic end for the lovers pulls out all the stops in an attempt to out-hankie every weepie Hollywood has ever dreamed up.
But all the gimmicks fail to cohere the way they did in My Sassy Girl. One reason is the overload of genres.
Another is the relative weakness of the chemistry between Jeon and Jang. Jang is outmatched by the subtle charisma of Jeon.
As the setpieces pile up unrelentingly, only Jeon succeeds in holding her own amid the genre wreckage, while Jang looks increasingly lost before disappearing entirely from the movie.
The lighthearted comedy of the first half does not establish the emotional connection sufficiently strongly to support the drama of the second.
As a result, Windstruck is blown over as easily as a house of cards under the weight of its ambitions
-----------------------------------
PRETTY CRITICAL OF THE FILM BUT I STILL SAY ITS WORTH THE $8.50...SO WATCH IT K
WINDSTRUCK aims for an airy blend of quirky and sweet.
But it gets grounded in a no man's land between awkward and sentimental.
At first glance, the talents behind this latest Korean import look promising. Director Kwak Jae Yong and star Jeon Ji Hyun were the winning combination behind the breakout hit My Sassy Girl (2001).
Jeon's character, the impulsively gungho tomboy police officer Yeo Kyung Jin, bears more than a passing resemblance to the bullying girlfriend of My Sassy Girl.
In fact, the first time Yeo meets the boy of her dreams - self-effacing physics teacher Go Myung Woo (Jang Hyuk) - she actually tackles him to the ground and arrests him. She has mistaken the do-good Go for a snatch thief.
As in My Sassy Girl, the progress of this oddball romance is charted by the various ways in which Yeo ill-treats the befuddled Go. The career-minded Yeo plunges into dangerous situations with ambitious alacrity, dragging a reluctant Go with her.
Once again, Jeon portrays a winning blend of brassy and bashful. While she switches modes with deceptive ease, the same, unfortunately, cannot be said of the storytelling.
The movie, which opens with Jeon leaping off a skyscraper in an apparent suicide attempt, lurches unevenly from romantic comedy to action thriller to sentimental weepie.
In the last third, the reason for the title suddenly becomes evident when tragedy strikes. And the story becomes unbearably soppy as the director seeks to wring every last bit of schmaltz from the doomed love story.
Director Kwak, also responsible for the saccharine The Classic, has a film fan's adoration of the simple power of cinematic cliches.
My Sassy Girl was a clever spin on the romantic comedy which gained an unexpected bite by adding girl power to the traditional image of the subservient quiet Asian girl.
The Classic was a mostly-successful attempt at reclaiming the cliches of romantic melodrama.
But in Windstruck, Kwak seems to have bitten off more genres than he can chew. Making Yeo a cop offers Kwak the chance to shoot a riproaring gun battle and a cool car chase in action movie style.
A romantic interlude where Yeo tells Go a story turns into a live action fairytale embellished with plenty of impressive CGI in a fantasy mode.
And the tragic end for the lovers pulls out all the stops in an attempt to out-hankie every weepie Hollywood has ever dreamed up.
But all the gimmicks fail to cohere the way they did in My Sassy Girl. One reason is the overload of genres.
Another is the relative weakness of the chemistry between Jeon and Jang. Jang is outmatched by the subtle charisma of Jeon.
As the setpieces pile up unrelentingly, only Jeon succeeds in holding her own amid the genre wreckage, while Jang looks increasingly lost before disappearing entirely from the movie.
The lighthearted comedy of the first half does not establish the emotional connection sufficiently strongly to support the drama of the second.
As a result, Windstruck is blown over as easily as a house of cards under the weight of its ambitions
-----------------------------------
PRETTY CRITICAL OF THE FILM BUT I STILL SAY ITS WORTH THE $8.50...SO WATCH IT K
Czech Republic v Denmark: Report
Milan Baros staked his claim to be named the player of the tournament with a superb double to send the Czech Republic surging into the semi-finals of Euro 2004.
The 22-year-old Liverpool striker took his tally in the competition to five goals and has scored in every match so far.
Not only is he the current leading scorer in this tournament, only Michel Platini has scored more in a single European Championships.
Baros, who found himself dropped by Gerard Houllier towards the end of the season, was on fire against Denmark - appropriately enough for the Dragon Stadium in Porto, one of the most impressively-situated stadiums in the world.
He struck two magnificent goals within three minutes to stun the Danes after giant striker Jan Koller had headed the Czechs into the lead.
The Czechs' reward is a place in the semi-final against Greece and it will take another phenomenal effort by France's surprise conquerors to prevent them making the final.
Baros' goals will live long in the memory even though in the first half this was not the thriller that many had expected.
The much-vaunted Czechs were cautious and industrious rather than carefree and creative, while the Danes played to their strengths - hard running to close down opponents then using the speed on the flanks whenever possible.
Denmark's attacking options were not helped by Jon Dahl Tomasson being forced to lead the line in the absence of the injured Ebbe Sand rather than play in his favoured withdrawn position, while Czech coach Karel Bruckner's hints in the build-up that he might leave Koller on the bench and use the wispy skills of Marek Heinz instead proved to be nothing more than kidology.
The Czechs showed some purpose from the off as Pavel Nedved drilled in a low free-kick from wide on the left to warm-up Thomas Sorensen, then in the next move he found Martin Jiranek's head at the back-post and Baros should perhaps have done better with his volley from the knockback - though it was a sign of things to come.
Baros threatened to burst through again only to be thwarted by Kasper Bogelund, but from the follow-up Karel Poborsky picked out Koller who was disappointed to see his flicked header swerve over the angle.
Tomas Galasek whistled a low drive a foot wide after a neat lay-off from Koller, then the Danes tried to wrest the advantage back.
Christian Poulsen had already caused the Czechs one fright when he showed poise before striking a goalbound shot that Rene Bolf blocked, then he slipped his marker to head on Claus Jensen's free-kick - but off-target.
As Morten Olsen's side grew in confidence, Thomas Gravesen fired a snapshot over but Tomas Rosicky attempted to reassert the Czechs' authority with a sinuous run which opened up the Danes only for Martin Laursen to intervene.
As half-time approached, Claus Jensen had a direct free-kick blocked and for almost the first time the Czechs broke quickly and though Poborsky's cross missed Koller there was a heart-stopping moment for the Danes when it landed on the top of the crossbar.
Bruckner would perhaps have been the happier coach at the break - for all their success so far in the tournament the Czechs had actually gone behind in each game and played their best stuff in the second period.
This time, the Czechs took a grip on the game from the start of the half and did not let it slack until the game was won.
Baros and Nedved produced surging runs to force corners and Poborsky hit one perfectly, allowing Koller to use his 6ft 7in height to great advantage, beat Laursen to the ball and thump a header past Sorensen.
The game immediately opened up and Tomasson came close to levelling for Denmark after Martin Jorgensen opened up the Czech defence, before Sorensen thwarted Nedved from Marek Jankulovski's free-kick.
Jorgensen had a shot blocked, Poulsen snatched at another opportunity, then tempers flared as Nedved was booked for pulling back Jesper Gronkjaer, the Chelsea winger tugging the Juventus star's long hair in retaliation.
Then in the space of three minutes Baros showed two moments of sheer brilliance to end the contest.
First, Poborsky's lofted pass found the 22-year-old in space and he beat Sorensen to make it 2-0 with the deftest of chips.
The shattered Danes barely had time to regroup before Baros was at their throats again.
Nedved provided the pass and Baros had plenty to do - but he struck a blistering diagonal shot with his left foot from just inside the area, which was still rising as it soared past Sorensen.
Bruckner then took steps to protect his star striker, bringing on Heinz in his place.
Gronkjaer proved wasteful as Denmark tried forlornly to get back into it, the Petr Cech pulled off a flying save to deny substitute Peter Madsen.
As time ticked away, Madsen twice headed over when he should have scored but it made little difference - this was Baros' night.
Milan Baros staked his claim to be named the player of the tournament with a superb double to send the Czech Republic surging into the semi-finals of Euro 2004.
The 22-year-old Liverpool striker took his tally in the competition to five goals and has scored in every match so far.
Not only is he the current leading scorer in this tournament, only Michel Platini has scored more in a single European Championships.
Baros, who found himself dropped by Gerard Houllier towards the end of the season, was on fire against Denmark - appropriately enough for the Dragon Stadium in Porto, one of the most impressively-situated stadiums in the world.
He struck two magnificent goals within three minutes to stun the Danes after giant striker Jan Koller had headed the Czechs into the lead.
The Czechs' reward is a place in the semi-final against Greece and it will take another phenomenal effort by France's surprise conquerors to prevent them making the final.
Baros' goals will live long in the memory even though in the first half this was not the thriller that many had expected.
The much-vaunted Czechs were cautious and industrious rather than carefree and creative, while the Danes played to their strengths - hard running to close down opponents then using the speed on the flanks whenever possible.
Denmark's attacking options were not helped by Jon Dahl Tomasson being forced to lead the line in the absence of the injured Ebbe Sand rather than play in his favoured withdrawn position, while Czech coach Karel Bruckner's hints in the build-up that he might leave Koller on the bench and use the wispy skills of Marek Heinz instead proved to be nothing more than kidology.
The Czechs showed some purpose from the off as Pavel Nedved drilled in a low free-kick from wide on the left to warm-up Thomas Sorensen, then in the next move he found Martin Jiranek's head at the back-post and Baros should perhaps have done better with his volley from the knockback - though it was a sign of things to come.
Baros threatened to burst through again only to be thwarted by Kasper Bogelund, but from the follow-up Karel Poborsky picked out Koller who was disappointed to see his flicked header swerve over the angle.
Tomas Galasek whistled a low drive a foot wide after a neat lay-off from Koller, then the Danes tried to wrest the advantage back.
Christian Poulsen had already caused the Czechs one fright when he showed poise before striking a goalbound shot that Rene Bolf blocked, then he slipped his marker to head on Claus Jensen's free-kick - but off-target.
As Morten Olsen's side grew in confidence, Thomas Gravesen fired a snapshot over but Tomas Rosicky attempted to reassert the Czechs' authority with a sinuous run which opened up the Danes only for Martin Laursen to intervene.
As half-time approached, Claus Jensen had a direct free-kick blocked and for almost the first time the Czechs broke quickly and though Poborsky's cross missed Koller there was a heart-stopping moment for the Danes when it landed on the top of the crossbar.
Bruckner would perhaps have been the happier coach at the break - for all their success so far in the tournament the Czechs had actually gone behind in each game and played their best stuff in the second period.
This time, the Czechs took a grip on the game from the start of the half and did not let it slack until the game was won.
Baros and Nedved produced surging runs to force corners and Poborsky hit one perfectly, allowing Koller to use his 6ft 7in height to great advantage, beat Laursen to the ball and thump a header past Sorensen.
The game immediately opened up and Tomasson came close to levelling for Denmark after Martin Jorgensen opened up the Czech defence, before Sorensen thwarted Nedved from Marek Jankulovski's free-kick.
Jorgensen had a shot blocked, Poulsen snatched at another opportunity, then tempers flared as Nedved was booked for pulling back Jesper Gronkjaer, the Chelsea winger tugging the Juventus star's long hair in retaliation.
Then in the space of three minutes Baros showed two moments of sheer brilliance to end the contest.
First, Poborsky's lofted pass found the 22-year-old in space and he beat Sorensen to make it 2-0 with the deftest of chips.
The shattered Danes barely had time to regroup before Baros was at their throats again.
Nedved provided the pass and Baros had plenty to do - but he struck a blistering diagonal shot with his left foot from just inside the area, which was still rising as it soared past Sorensen.
Bruckner then took steps to protect his star striker, bringing on Heinz in his place.
Gronkjaer proved wasteful as Denmark tried forlornly to get back into it, the Petr Cech pulled off a flying save to deny substitute Peter Madsen.
As time ticked away, Madsen twice headed over when he should have scored but it made little difference - this was Baros' night.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)