Appleseed

In the year 2131, Earth has been devastated by a massive war. The last remaining humans now live in a utopian society called Olympus, which is run by a supercomputer known as Gaia and half-populated by Bioroids, artificially created humans that make up half the city’s population. To police Olympus, the government set up a paramilitary organization known as ES.W.A.T., to which our heroine, soldier Deunan Knute, belongs. After terrorist attack the clinic where Bioroids go for much needed life extension procedures, Deunan, with the help of her 75% machine ex-boyfriend and the rest of ES.W.A.T., must locate a mysterious item known as Appleseed in order to ensure the survival of the Bioroids.
This movie was based on the manga by Masamune Shirow, creator of Ghost in the Shell. Visually it is absolutely stunning. It features cel-shaded anime characters in front of almost Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within quality backdrops. Particularly awe-inspiring include the bit at the beginning, when we first see Olympus, as well as the battle at the very beginning. It’s also quite intriguing musically. The music often ranges from the more traditional movie score (by Tetsuya Takahashi) to hardcore techno tracks by artists such as Paul Oakenfold and Boom Boom Satellites.
Plotwise, it’s more or less your typical sci-fi fare. This, of course, means that there are many instances of technobabble, so it probably won’t appeal to everyone. But the action sequences and the more emotional scenes (such as when we learn more about Deunan’s past) are both extremely well done. That, along with one hell of a twist towards the end, make this a film worth watching.
Which leads me to the most important question: sub or dub? Well, the dub wasn’t particularly cringe-inducing, though I still prefer the sub (I’m kinda biased on that regard, though ;) ). All in all, Appleseed is an excellent film that should please sci-fi and anime fans alike.

Score: 9/10

All settled in

Music: Ayumi Hamasaki-Unite! (Super Eurobeat Mix 2)

Well, I'm pretty much all settled in my new apartment. I've unpacked all my boxes, got my internet all set up, bought food and cleaning supplies, got my electricity turned on, and got my stove turned on. Houdini (my cat) seems to be pretty well settled in too, though I think he could go almost anywhere and be absolutely fine. ^_^

The job hunt continues. I'm almost considering taking up an online position I saw on CareerBuilder.com because, frankly, I need the money. This is something I will only do if I become desperate though. A couple of restaurants in town are hiring, and I still might get a job with the school as a Spanish tutor. That would be cool. ^^

Ugh

Music: Darude-Sandstorm

Having a cold sucks. I can't breathe through my nose. I feel like crap. And it's really frickin' hot in here.

Anyhoo, I finally found a place! *Cue the Final Fantasy victory fanfare!* It's really close to campus, about $475/month (however, the landlord pays for heat, water, and sewage), and one bedroom. It's absolutely adorable. Small, but very bright and airy. Plus, the bathroom and carpeting are blue. ^_^ I move in on Saturday.

Classes have been going pretty well. Japanese got off to kind of a rocky start, but it's all starting to come back to me now. Also, my women's studies class is very interesting. ^^ Spanish, Shakespeare, and my British Women Novelists of the 19th Century are also going well.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

I just got back from watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in the local IMAX theater, and it was frickin' awesome. Johnny Depp was a great Willy Wonka (and no, I'm not just saying that becuase I think he's hot). For some reason, the voice he used in this movie made me think of Pill-Z the Squirrel from Neurotically Yours, only a little slower and less high pitched. I also loved Grandma Georgina. "I like grapes!" XD I also really enjoyed the fact that Willy Wonka kept running into the door of the glass elevator. "I need to be more careful of where I park this thing." Also, it must be really tough having Saruman as a dad (Cristopher Lee played Willy Wonka's candy-hating dentist of a father).

I will write more when I'm a little less sleepy.

Music: Devil May Cry 3 OST-Suffer