Friday, July 2, 2010

The Real Avatar - The Last Airbender



I wrote a blog about The Avatar - The last Airbender some time ago; before I even knew Avatar was in the movie theaters. I was tricked! lol the whole time I'm thinking Avatar was the last airbender, but as I kept seeing the previews I realized the name was taken from the Real Avatar, the Avatar I'm about to write about at this very moment.
I started my research and found out The Avatar - The Last Airbender; my favorite cartoon on Television will be coming to our theaters on July 2nd, 2010.
Avatar The Last Airbender: The Complete Book 1 (Collector's Edition)The day has come and I'm so excited to see this movie. I will be taking the person who introduced me to this cartoon, my friend Ka'saun to see it next weekend. Once the chaos has settled a bit. This is the only way to grasp all the messages and teachings of this great story. When everything is quite and you are taken to a world where the fire tribe, water tribe, earth tribe and Aang (The last airbender) fight to keep their cultures alive; the fire nation is approaching and they must defend their roots.
Within the story there is sweet innocent love, true friendship, hope, family values, brother's love, courage, hate, sadness and one of the most important messages "Wisdom". I am forever thankful for the messages of courage and inspiration given to me through this magnificent story.
The Last Airbender is a live action film directed by M. Night Shyamalan that is based on the first season of the animated television series *Avatar: The Last Airbender. It is the first of a planned trilogy for each of the television seasons. The film originally shared the title of the television series, but it was changed to The Last Airbender because the producers were worried it would be confused with the James Cameron film Avatar. The Last Airbender stars Noah Ringer as Aang, Dev Patel as Zuko, Jackson Rathbone as Sokka, and Nicola Peltz as Katara. Iroh is played by Shaun Toub and Firelord Ozai by Cliff Curtis. *last pargraph from wikipedia.

Avatar - The Last Airbender: The Complete Book 3 Collection I will be purchasing the 3 book collection soon. It's one of my dreams is to give it as a gift to the beautiful children in my life. I know for a fact the message will keep their hearts strong for years to come. Following are my favorite quotes and dialogues:


Katara: [opening narration] Water... Earth... Fire... Air. Long ago, the 4 nations lived together in harmony. Then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all 4 elements, could stop them, but when the world needed him most, he vanished. A hundred years passed and my brother and I discovered the new Avatar, an airbender named Aang. And although his airbending skills are great, he still has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone. But I believe Aang can save the world.


Sokka: I'm sorry. I treated you like a girl when I should have treated you like a warrior.
Suki: [kisses Sokka on the cheek] I am a warrior, but I'm a girl, too.


Earth Bender: Surrender yourselves! It's five against two. You're clearly outnumbered.
Uncle Iroh: That's true. But you are clearly outmatched.


Prince Zuko: [to Katara] You rise with the moon. I rise with the sun.


Ursa, Zuko's Mother: Zuko, please, my love, listen to me. Everything I've done, I've done to protect you. remember this, Zuko. No matter how things may seem to change, never forget who you are.


Uncle Iroh: I know your not supposed to cry over spilled tea, but
[cries]
Uncle Iroh: it's just so sad!

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Mark Twain's Last Trilogy - 100 Years After Death



I was thrilled to find out at my Self Publishing Class that Mark Twain will be publishing his last words on paper as a trilogy (3 books) 1/5 million words to be exact. In 1910 (year of his death) he left instructions for this book to be published 100 years after his passing.
It's 2010 and I'm extremely excited to be reading what I think would be his Magnum Opus.
I've read the reviews regarding the first part of his trilogy being publish in Nov. 2010. I'm definitely curious to know what he thought about the world and the things he could not say or express back in 1910; when our world was very different and most subjects were taboo.

When I first heard of Mark Twain it was from one of his many quotes. Quotes have always fascinated me and his quotes are my favorites. Very controversial for his time and his honesty always brought a smile to my face. Back in my country they would play on T.V. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Being 9 years old in an all Spanish speaking country; the old Tom Sawyer tales were not entertaining, well T.V was not much entertaining for me. I was more interested in exploring the world and riding my bike with friends; but when I realized  6 years later that Mark Twain was the writer behind the story; I figured his writing has been following me since childhood and when this things happen in my life, when things just connect, I just can't ignore them.
Following are my favorite quotes form Mark Twain:


The Wit and Wisdom of Mark TwainA man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.

A round man cannot be expected to fit in a square hole right away. He must have time to modify his shape.

Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.


Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.

Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.

Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.

Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.

The Quotable Mark Twain: His Essential Aphorisms, Witticisms & Concise OpinionsCivilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities.

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.

Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you may still exist, but you have ceased to live.

Education consists mainly of what we have unlearned.

Grief can take care if itself, but to get the full value of a joy you must have somebody to divide it with.

How to Tell a Story and Other Essays (Dodo Press)Humor is mankind's greatest blessing.

I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.

I don't like to commit myself about heaven and hell - you see, I have friends in both places.



If the world comes to an end, I want to be in Cincinnati. Everything comes there ten years later.

If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.

It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.

Mark Twain - A Film Directed by Ken BurnsIt is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare.

It is just like man's vanity and impertinence to call an animal dumb because it is dumb to his dull perceptions.


It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.


Lord save us all from a hope tree that has lost the faculty of putting out blossoms.

My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.

Name the greatest of all inventors. Accident.

Patriot: the person who can holler the loudest without knowing what he is hollering about.

Friday, June 4, 2010

The Vision of Escaflowne - Best Quotes



Here I am again to report great messages in movies, books, songs or whatever has words in them. This time my feet took me to my local library; I love this place. Free movies, great books; you can even learn a new language and I check them all out for free. Look around your city for the closest library, get your card and explore the world and messages found within those walls.
So there I am looking for movies to watch and of course I have to read through the Anime collection. I figure I should give a new Anime a chance and my hand pick up The Vision of Escaflowne.

Great pick I must say, the story line completely took me into an unknown world where the earth is called the Mystic Moon and its seen above in their sky. This planet is called Gaea.
The Anime is fun, it keeps you glued to what's to come next. It has a great message around trusting your intuitions and mastering the mind so that your thoughts can't have the power to become true, because if you think about something long enough; it will become your reality. Its an all around great story line, I expected similar plots but I was completely blown away. All characters are so different, with great goals and dreams. There is war, love, jealousy, confusion, betrayal, friendship, broken hearts; a great mix of emotions for a great story. Plus is all delivered with sweet and smart dialogue; this is the most important fact. The dialogue is very interesting and captivating, full of messages that we can all relate to on a day to day basis.
This is one Anime that came into my hands and my heart just at the right time. I've already witness the impact of their words in someone very close to me. Sometimes you might repeat something to someone, many times; but the words only get through at the right time to stay and heal you forever. Not surprise to find out that Yoko Kanno & Hajime Mizoguchi composed and produced the series soundtrack. Yoko Kanno's productions will always transport you into that world being portrait by these great Anime producers and writers. She is also behind the music in Cowboy Bebop and The Ghost in the Shell

I will keep adding more quotes as I go on finishing the 26 episodes that make up the entire series. It's just something I must do before I see the movie; which looks a bit changed. Following are my favorite quotes from Vision of Escaflowne:


"I want Van to live! I will stay with him. Until he realizes he is not alone... until his sorrow is no more... I will stay by his side. There is no sorrow that never ceases. I want to believe that. Just as the rain will eventually stop and reveal a blue sky that we both can see." - Hitomi Kanzaki

"I too am alone. It's sad being alone. It's painful. I felt that way too. But if we're together, at times we may hurt each other, and we may even part. But, that is not the end. I'll always be with you."-Hitomi Kanzaki

 "Conflict may erupt at anytime in any place, war is the destiny of which humanity can never wash its hands"

"Earth - all bodies share a common principal, based on their masses, bodies create a force which draws them together and other bodies together. That is gravity"

"If you go around with that nervous look on your face something bad is going to happened to you. Anyways is not like you to be depressed"

"The uneasy feelings lurking in your heart are calling forth a sad reality. Trust your feelings and your wishes will always come true"

"I will be alright if you believe, people's emotions sometimes moves the heavens, but when those emotions conflict; it can cause great ill will. If people just rid themselves of that, they can change"

"There is something that I've learned. I don't believe in pre-meditated fate"

"This love they have for each other. This emotion of theirs...does it surpass even that fate of war which is born of man? Can a single moment last forever? This moment created by two easily swayed human hearts?"



Check out The Vision of Escaflowne movie trailer next.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Cowboy Bebop - Best Quotes



Cowboy Bepop...there are times when I've gone years without watching Cowboy Bepop and for some strange reason my mind, my memories take me back to that sweet old Jazz sound on this great anime series. Once Session #1 "Asteroid Blues" comes on, my mind transports itself to great times in my life, with great people and most of the time all by myself.
Cowboy Bebop is a 1998 anime series directed by
Shinichiro Watanabe, written by KeikoNobumoto and produced by Sunrise. Soundtrack is done by Yoko Kanno & The Seatbelts. Music is amazing and the way in which each song is match with each episodes is truly an art.
The storyline is set in the year 2071. At this point in time flying ships cruise the universe and people are able to go to different planets, maybe one day we might get there. Each character has its own story, which unfolds with each episode. I don't believe it's a kids anime. It's anime for adults, with adult stories and adult dialogue. This is what I truly love about some animes they are cartoons for adults.

The adventures of the crew of the spaceship Bebop are a partnership of bounty hunters,called "cowboys", who travel the Solar System trying to apprehend bounties. Some of the Bebop's varied targets include small time thugs, gangsters, hackers known as ("net divers" in slang), religious leaders, psychopaths, genetic experiments, mutant creatures and petty thieves.

If you are someone who loves good jazzy and rock & roll beats, adult dialogue for the mind & someone who can step out of the box, then you will get great pleasure from watching this anime series. Following are my favorite quotes from Cowboy Bebop.


Jet Black: "Humans were meant to work and sweat to earn a living. Those who try to get rich quick or live at the expense of others, all get divine retribution somewhere along the line. That's the lesson. Unfortunately we quickly forget the lessons we've learned and then we have to learn them all over again. - (Toys in the attic)

"Everything has a beginning and an end. Life is just a cycle of starts and stops. There are ends we don't desire, but they're inevitable, we have to face them. It's what being human is all about."

" I started wailing the blues when the doctor whacked my bottom on the day I was born."

"I’m Jet Black, 36 years old. I’m often told I don’t look 36, but you shouldn't judge people based on appearances… or on how much hair they have."


Spike Spiegel: "Once, there was a tiger striped cat. This cat, died a million deaths, revived and lived a million lives. And he had various owners that he didn't really care about, the cat wasn't afraid to die. Then ONE day, he met a white female cat, the two of them fell in love and lived together happily. Well, the year's went by and the white female cat got old and passed away. The Tiger Striped cat cried a million times, then he also died. But this time.....he didn't come back."

"Look at my eyes, Faye. One of them is a fake because I lost it in an accident. Since then, I've been seeing the past in one eye and the present in the other. So, I thought I could only see patches of reality, never the whole picture. I felt like I was watching a dream I could never wake up from. Before I knew it, the dream was over."

"Hunger is the best spice they say."


Dialogues 

Cowboy Bebop Remix Complete Collection (Anime Legends)Faye Valentine: Why do you have to go? Where are you going? What are going to do, just throw your life away like it was nothing?
Spike Spiegel: I'm not going there to die. I'm going to find out if I'm really alive. I have to do it, Faye.

Jet Black: When you and I first met, you told me something. You said that you had died once, that you had seen death. Why can't you just let it go? Forget the past.
Spike Spiegel: There was a woman, first time I'd found someone who was truly alive. At least, that's what I thought. She was... the part of me I'd lost somewhere along the way, the part that was missing, that I'd been longing for.

Vicious: You should see yourself. Do you have any idea what you look like right at this moment, Spike?
Spike Spiegel: What?
Vicious: A ravenous beast. The same blood runs through both of us. The blood of a beast who wanders, hunting for the blood of others.
Spike Spiegel: I've bled all that kind of blood away.
Vicious: THEN WHY ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?

Cowboy Bebop - The MovieMeifa: The Universe is composed of the three chi
One is the chi of heaven, the power that comes from The Sun
And one is the chi of earth, the power comes from the planet we all live on.
And the last one is the magnetic field that comes from living organisms like us.
Jet: you mean human chi?
Mefia: Yes, from the human body, each body produces a magnetic field, which interacts with the magnetic field from the earth and thats what creates the energy we all use.
Universal Fung Shui is the science that reads this natural energies and applies them to everyday life. - (Boogie Woogie Fung Shui) Session #21 


Cop: Anyways, what were you trying to achieve by blowing everything up?
Teddy Bomber: I only wanted to send out a warning against the needless waste created by capitalism without philisophy, the needless circulation of slanted media and needless tall buildings that symbolize all of this. You see, by distroying this monoliths I intended to remind the world of what the pioneering spirit is all truely about. - (Cowboy Funk) Session #22

Cowboy Bebop - The Perfect Sessions (Limited Edition Complete Series Boxed Set)Spike: Why do you kill off the members of your own group? whats the point of that?
Dr. Londes: I'm not forcing anything on anyne, they are mearly practicing a faith they to believe in on their own free will. Tell me..why do you think people believe in God, because they want. It's not easy living in such an ugly corrupt world, there is sympathy or nothing to hope for. People are lost so they reach out, don't you get it? God didn't create humans, now its humans who created God.

Dr. Londes: Do you know what the greatest and worst invention that humans ever made was? Television. Television controls people using information and steals their sense of reality. Yes. Now television itself its become the new religion. Television has created the people who believe instantly in dramatic fantasy, who can be controlled by tiny dots of light.
(Jet & Ed arrest him)
Jet: It was all a kid's dream, I guess all he could do was dream. So his dreams turned dark.
Ed: And this time I hope he has sweet dreams.
Dr. Londes: The souls that God has given us, Our spirits. Our spirits which found a way to swim through the immense network can live in the infinity of space. Is not the human body a mere shell, a form of existence all too small and weak for consciousness with such vast reach and potential. (Brain Scratch) Session # 23

Cowboy Bebop Remix, Volume 5Jet: Have you heard the story. A man injures his leg during a hunt, he is in the middle of the Savanna, no means to treat the wound. The leg rods and death approaches. Last minute he is picked up by an airplane, he looks down and sees a land of pure white below him glistening in the light. The mountain is Kilimanjaro, as he gazes down he feels the life flying out of him, and he thinks. That's where he was heading.
Spike: And?
Jet: I hate stories like that. Man only think about the past right before their death as if they were searching frantically for proof that they were alive. (The Real Folk Blues) Session # 25


Shaman: All living things, every being that walks and breath, each has it own star. When a life is born a new star appears, that is the guardian star, the star that warms this planet. If someone's guardian star is well, the red star you see overhead, the blue star on the horizon and when a life ends, the star falls and disappears.
Jet: Don't say that?
Shaman: His star is about to fall, I have dreamed it.
Jet: This is ridiculous, what am I doing here.
Shaman: Do not fear death. Death is always at your side. When you show fear, it will spring at you faster than light. But if we do not show fear, it cast its eyes upon us gently, and then guides us into infinity.

Random Quotes

"remember Vicious, a snake can't eat a dragon"

Live Action MovieOn 22 July 2008, IF Magazine published an article on its website regarding a rumor of a live-action Cowboy Bebop movie in development by 20th Century Fox. Producer Erwin Stoff said that the film's development was in the early stages, and that they had "just signed it". Keanu Reeves has been confirmed as playing the role of Spike Spiegel.Variety confirmed on 15 January 2009, that the production company Sunrise Animation will be "closely involved with the development of the English language project." The site also confirmed Kenji Uchida, Shinichiro Watanabe, and series writer Keiko Nobumoto as associate producers, series producer Masahiko Minami as a production consultant, and Peter Craig as screenwriter.It is currently slated for release in 2011. - Last paragraph Taken from
Wikipedia