It goes without saying...

Inside/Out: Saeed Al Madani

2011-05-10T13:34:00.000+04:00

"Tradition, fields of fantasy, conceptualism, and surrealism inform this Emirati artist's work"

Interviewed by Satellite Voices

Head over to their website (Click here) to read about the interview.

Sae.

Photography: Sleeping on the sidewalk

2011-05-10T04:30:00.002+04:00

Istanbul Sept '10.

Sae.

Photography: Insincerity

2011-05-07T02:05:00.001+04:00

Taken last month.. : )

Sae.

London Apr '11 - Some photos

2011-05-06T02:50:00.000+04:00

I decided to refresh my blog a little bit and post some photos taken during my short short short trip to London last month :) Enjoy!

View from my hotel room

Taken during my walk in Hyde Park. Loved the view!

Big Ben, DUH! Taken on London Eye

Inspired by the trees..

Sae.

Bullfighting in Fujairah

2010-07-19T20:12:00.001+04:00

I went on a short trip with some friends to Fujairah back in May. I saw a huge gathering on a sandy area.. cars and people everywhere! To my surprise it was for bullfighting :0

I took a bunch of photos.. and I promised a couple of people on twitter that I'll upload some. So here they are after 2 months of delay lol

Better late than never I always say :P

The finale was great. People were involved but no injuries ;)

Sae.

I believe in maniacs

2010-07-18T09:11:00.001+04:00

“I believe in maniacs. I believe in type As. I believe that you’ve got to love your work so much that it is all you want to do. I believe you must betray your mistress for your work, you betray your wife for your work; I believe that she must betray you for her work. I believe that work is the one thing in the world that never betrays you, that lasts. If I were going to be a politician, if I were going to be a scientist, I would do it every day. I wouldn’t wait for Monday. I don’t believe in weekends. If you’re headed for a life that’s only involved with making money and that you hope for satisfaction somewhere else, you’re headed for a lot of trouble. And whatever replaces vodka when you’re 45 is what you’re going to be doing. " - Richard Avedon 1988

30x30 Exhibition has been extended

2010-07-14T23:39:00.000+04:00

'30x30 Express yourself exhibition'

has been extended until the 31st of July 2010

Read more about it in my previous post Here (Click)

Sae.

New artwork: "Hollow" - Concept

2010-07-13T18:51:00.004+04:00

This was the original 'Hollow' concept and the beginning of the series - designed back in December 2009. I'll upload the other variation (black and white) of this later

Sae.

Photograph: "Ramification"

2010-07-08T17:31:00.003+04:00

"Because of you
I find it hard to trust not only me,
but everyone around me

Because of you
I don't know how to let anyone else in.."

This photo is also posted on deviantART
- - - - - - - - - -

Fujairah - United Arab Emirates

Sae.

The leaning Burj of Khalifa

2010-06-24T03:02:00.001+04:00

Having fun with my camera while my friend's driving...

Photo taken a few months ago..

Sae.

Polaroid: Set me free

2010-06-23T02:23:00.000+04:00

Sae.

Bait Al Serkal

2010-06-21T18:41:00.002+04:00

I decided to upload photos of the 2 artworks exhibited in Bait Al Serkal during the Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial (7th of April - 7th of June 2010). I love it when artworks are printed perfectly

(1)

Title: "V"

click to view

The initial thought behind this work was to reflect bird migration through photographs I've recently shot. Arabic typography was incorporated to draw the known "V-Formation" flight structure of birds.

(2)

Title: Untitled

This is another piece which is a result of some experimentation with my photographs

Sae.

Polaroid: me and you

2010-06-15T01:39:00.001+04:00

Sae.

Express yourself in 30”X30” Exhibition

2010-06-12T21:00:00.002+04:00

"Ghaf Art Gallery cordially invites you to attend
Express yourself in 30”X30”
Opening reception on Wednesday 9th June at 7pm
Exhibition continues till 24th June 2010

For more information please call 02-6655332 "

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I'm participating with 2 artworks - previews are shown above.

Visit whenever you can :)

Sae.

New artwork: "Hollow II"

2010-05-31T02:05:00.000+04:00

H O L L O W II

Photoshop CS - Wacom tablet
Mixed Media - Digital painting

Sae.

All About Steve

2010-05-29T17:55:00.002+04:00

'All About Steve' movie rating: 7/10.

A fun comedy ride as "the girl from The Proposal goes for the guy from The Hangover" :)

Sae.

-Posted from my Blackberry.

Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

Nightmare at Elm Street

2010-05-29T00:13:00.002+04:00

'Nightmare at Elm Street' movie rating: 3/10.

It started off well, but went downhill from there. Not worth watching at all.

Sae.

-Posted from my Blackberry.

Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

Shrek: Forever After

2010-05-28T00:48:00.001+04:00

'Shrek: Forever After' movie rating: 6.5/10.

It didn't have the magic I was hoping to see, but it was a pleasant ending to the franchise.

Sae.

-Posted from my Blackberry

Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

Prince of Persia

2010-05-22T00:33:00.002+04:00

'Prince of Persia' movie rating: 8/10.

Not amazing, but definitely enjoyable.

Sae.

Empower your Business with BlackBerry® and Mobile Solutions from Etisalat

Obscure harmony

2010-04-26T02:45:00.003+04:00

Obscure Harmony
Arabic typography / Abstract / Mixed Media

An artwork i designed a couple of months ago for the prestigious Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial which takes place from the 7th of April - 7th of June 2010. I'm participating in 2 galleries; Bait AlShamsi gallery, and Bait AlSerkal gallery with a total of 11 artworks.

Sae.

National Identity initiative by Dubai Culture

2010-03-26T19:49:00.004+04:00

Dubai Culture and Arts Authority started an initiative to promote Emirati Artists during Art Dubai 2010 - and I was selected to display my work on 2 billboards known as Megacoms (which are 4mx3m boards on the side of the road) around Dubai, among other selected artists.

Here are the two locations, and the newspaper article as well. I'm glad the newspaper chose to print my art in their article ;)

You can read it online here (Arabic): Emarat Alyoum Newspaper

.

The billboards:

1. First location is Marrakesh Road near Al Futtaim Training Centre - Deira

2. Second location is on Sheikh Khalifa Street opp Zabeel Park

Sae

Weekly (mini) movie reviews - District 9, Inglourious Basterds, Cloudy with a chance of meatballs, and Ong Bak 2

2009-09-27T22:39:00.006+04:00

District 9

Surely one of the gems of 2009. It's different, unique, and made creatively. The visual effects and 3D renders were stunning. Rating: 9.5/10.

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Inglourious Basterds

Definitely interesting and continuously entertaining throughout the movie. I found myself contemplating a few action and dramatic scenes which are timeless. It's worth noting the talent of Brad Pitt, Mélanie Laurent, and Christoph Waltz. It wouldn't have been the same without them. Rating: 9.5/10.

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Cloudy with a chance of meatballs (3D)

An excellent movie from start to finish. Rating: 9.5/10.

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Ong Bak 2

The martial arts were exceptional. Other than that, the movie was average for my taste. Rating: 8/10.

Sae.

Inspiring fashion looks and photography

2009-09-27T15:03:00.007+04:00

Fashion Does Scrapheap Challenge

One of the most inspiring fashion looks I've come across this month is the 'Franken-Fashion', a Monster Special photographed by Richard Burbridge for the October '09 issue of Dazed.

Source

Sae.

[New Artwork]: Insomnia

2009-09-23T17:08:00.004+04:00

Insomnia

"i just can't go to sleep
Cause it feels like I've fallen for you"

I wanted to upload the artwork on DeviantART, but since i haven't installed a proxy yet i can't. Anyway, enjoy the new piece.

Sae.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

2009-07-17T15:40:00.003+04:00

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (18+)

I'm not a big fan of Mathew McConaughey but this movie was interesting. It's about your typical womanizer who doesn't believe in love so he encounters the ghosts of girlfriends past and experiences life in the past, present, and future. Overall, an entertaining film that sends out a positive message - my favorite cast was Lacey Chabert who plays Sandra in the movie. Rating: 7.5/10.

Sae.

New Harry Potter hits Dubai silverscreen

2009-07-15T13:05:00.005+04:00

"It has finally hit the silverscreen here in Dubai. Eager Potter fans turned out for the premier of the latest installment of the Harry Potter saga." - Gulfnews.

The movie premiered last night (Tuesday) here in Dubai for a selected number of people. It will officially be released today at midnight, which by then is going to be the 16th. I've heard positive reviews so far, so am looking forward to watching it on Friday :).

Sae.

Dubai ruler starts 'tweeting'

2009-07-13T12:38:00.004+04:00

"Dubai's ruler has added "tweeting" to his list of social media activities and has been updating followers on his life for the past month." - Maktoob

I believe this to be a great initiative by the ruler - and I am glad to see that social networks have become constructive and overall effective. His twitter account is HHShkMohd.

Sae.

Mudhesh has passed away

2009-07-12T11:56:00.002+04:00

Mudhesh, the mascot of Dubai Summer Surprises has passed away. His efforts to bring joy to everyone in Dubai during previous summers will not be forgotten. May he rest in peace, on the comfy side walk.

Sae.

Passengers

2009-07-12T00:18:00.003+04:00

Passengers

After watching the movie in the theater this evening I knew that IMDB's rating was off. It deserved better recognition. It's not the best movie out there, but it was definitely entertaining. I was actually going to watch 'Last Chance Harvey' but my friend insisted on Passengers - and since Anne Hathaway is starring I didn't resist the idea. Overall rating: 8/10.

The releases this past week has been a bit dry - nothing great. But Harry Potter is a few days away and am extremely eager to watch. I only hope it doesn't get postponed like the last couple of movies in the series - that would suck big time.

Sae.

Blackberry - latest tech phenomenon in Dubai and the UAE

2009-07-11T03:57:00.007+04:00

I began my journey into the world of Blackberry on the 11th of November 2008. It was after long debate and comparison with the iPhone that i decided to go for it. It had email access, a BB messenger, and 24/7 Internet connection among other features. It was one of my best and favoriteacquisitions of 2008. I added my email accounts and read new messages moments after receiving them. I also added the Viigo application which supplied me with all my favorite news channels. It was unbelievable, yet addictive.

What I have been noticing about the Blackberry during the past 2-3 months here in Dubai is its rapid expansion and popularity growth among people in general. I was extremely happy to see how much bigger its grown during the past year and how widely spread it's gotten. But the thing is, even children who are 11 and 12 years old have gotten one, mainly among local Arabs. I won't deny its functionality and benefits, but the device isn't for children. Its now being wrongfully used among themselves to flirt with the opposite sex. It's being used as a means to show-off for the silliest reasons- which is sad to see. I wouldn't want the community i live in to use the technology in a way that makes it go backwards - this can generate negative perception about the society. These acts don't just affect the person misusing the BB, but also the people around. This thought isn't restricted to the BB, but also extends to include other devices and technologies. It's like when the dynamite was invented - Alfred Nobel didn't want to see his invention used in wars, but it was. The blackberry isn't as devastating, but the end result is the same; the improper use of a blessing.

Sae.

Updating again

2009-07-11T01:42:00.003+04:00

I'm currently standing blocked by a decision that has been difficult for a while now. I've been offered two jobs during the past couple of weeks. The first from a newly established television channel that contacted me to be part of the creative team which deals with various media-based assignment/projects and tasks - mine initially to be in graphics. The other being in a more business/strategic environment which is in my opinion the total opposite of the first offer. However, it is in one of the highest levels of authority in the country and it will potentially jump start my career in that area. In case some of you are not aware, i would like to mention that I have majored in Accounting. I was trying to weigh my options, as for the first offer - working in a creative environment is something that I would 'love' doing for two main reasons. The first due to my love for art and all creative elements produced in all existing medias, the second was my experience working in Lammtara Pictures with Mohammed Saeed Harib, the creator of Freej, and being involved in the various aspects of the production company made me fall in love with the creative process and thought that goes into a single take.

Further, I think that being young makes me realize that I can take more risks and try new things whether related to my career, life, or anything else. But I also think that making wise decisions that can potentially secure my future is the right thing to do. At present i feel that going into the business area makes me comfortable because I know the process, a lot in how a company works. But going into a media company feels like its going to be an adventure, something that I've missed for a while.

Being frustrated to decide what to choose and also having people ask me why I've been missing from the art scene made me want to update. This is what's been going on.

Have a nice weekend.

Sae.

[Film] Angels and Demons

2009-05-15T18:55:00.003+04:00

Angels and Demons

Not my cup of tea - but overall it was a good movie. Rating: 7.2/10.

Sae.

//Star Trek, Knowing, and Wolverine

2009-05-12T02:15:00.004+04:00

Knowing

I wasn't expecting much out of this movie - gladly. It started interestingly then it became a bit dull. I didn't like the ending that much, it kind of reminded me of The Day The Earth Stood Still in a way. Rating: 7/10. *Edit: updated rating*.

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X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Am not sure how long i've waited for this movie. It didn't meet my expectations, but it was interesting, and also entertaining. I would've loved seeing the whole movie flow well in terms of story and special effects/battle scenes. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it. Rating: 8.2/10.

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Star Trek

Brilliant !! I Loved it! It was extremely enjoyable. Would love to see sequels made, at least a trilogy - definitely worth it. Rating: 9.8/10.

Sae.

[Artwork]: Eccentric - Abstract Typo

2009-04-30T21:40:00.002+04:00

Sae.

[Artwork]: Flow - Abstract Typo

2009-04-29T14:20:00.002+04:00

Sae.

Vulnerable - Artwork

2009-04-19T23:30:00.003+04:00

New artwork - it can also be found on my DeviantART page.

Sae.

Mystic - Artwork

2009-04-10T02:52:00.003+04:00

"Mystic"

New artwork ... i enjoyed this, hope you do too.

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Sae.

(3) New Artworks

2009-04-09T11:16:00.004+04:00

(1)

Cultural Reflection - 2009 by =Qa9ed2000 on deviant ART

(2)

Cultural Reflection - 02 by =Qa9ed2000 on deviant ART

(3)

Fashion - Design 01 by =Qa9ed2000 on deviant ART

.

Sae.

The Comedy Cafe (Aron Kader)

2009-02-15T00:39:00.007+04:00

I was at the Comedy Cafe this evening for Aron Kader's stand-up comedy during Dubai Shopping Festival. For those of you who don't know who he is -- you can visit his site and read about him. He is basically one of the comedians i watched on Axis of Evil comedy tour which revolves around the idea of America vs. the Middle East or Arabs in general. So when Halawa pointed out he was visiting Dubai and performing @ the Comedy Cafe on the 14th (Valetine's day) i felt that i had to go. Fortunately a friend was able to get tickets, but my main concern was getting there -__- I haven't been to Jumeirah Beach Residence before, so i got lost and arrived 5 minutes late, luckily the show started 15 minutes after.

Aron was great, very funny - he was on for like an hour, he brought a lot of new material i haven't seen on youtube which was great. I liked the fact he involved the crowd and joked about a few - I am pretty sure he saw me a few times, and i hoped to god that he won't pick on me lol (coward) !! My friend had the weirdest laugh, so he was targeted - i was counting the seconds for Aaron to turn and comment about the laugh (-_-)' . It was really enjoyable, i would certainly come back again when he visits next year. Thank you Halawa for introducing me to Axis of Evil, the show made my day.

You can watch the performances from Axis of Evil Comedy Tour on YouTube (Click).

Sae.

The iPhone you've been waiting for.

2009-02-08T16:55:00.005+04:00

Its been 6 months since i posted about my hopes for the iPhone 3G to be officially released here in theUAE.

Gladly it was announced that Etisalat signed, and sealed an agreement with Apple Co. to have the iPhone 3G brought in the country. The concern is 'when' is it going to be delivered? The ETA is by the end of the month according to the official site - which am looking forward to. I hope the costs don't exceed that of the U.S. seeing that the whole world is effected by the financial crises, - but as consumers in Dubai it won't shock us if prices were too high. So the question is, will Du follow in the footsteps of Etisalat and supply the device? This might create good competition.

Sae.

Manga currently reading:

2009-02-08T00:39:00.002+04:00

List includes:

Naruto Shippuden - (chapter 434)
Bleach - (chapter 344)
Bakuman - (chapter 5)
Tegami Bachi (chapter 2)
Fairy Tail (chapter 64)

Sae.

The Unborn, How to lose, King of the hill, Make it happen

2009-02-07T15:21:00.003+04:00

King of the Hill (1993)

This is the film i would recommend this week. Great story, and heartfelt acting. A drama you'd definitely enjoy watching. Rating: 9/10.

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Make it Happen

Good drama, interesting dance moves - leaning a bit towards Save the last dance. Rating: 7/10.

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How to lost friends and alienate people

Different kind of comedy, more British - averagely entertaining. Rating: 6.8/10.

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The Untold

Horror? Not really. The actress was great though. Rating: 5/10.

Sae.

Book World by Kinokuniya (Dubai Mall)

2009-02-02T17:10:00.006+04:00

Kinokuniya is a book store located in Dubai Mall which opened its doors late Nov '08. It is the biggest bookstore in Dubai, and offers so many books and titles not available at your normal bookstore (Borders, Book Corner, Virgin, etc). It has a huge variety of magazines, which range from Health, fashion, motor vehicles, to sports and graphic design.

It also has the biggest collection of Manga in the UAE - which extends to include graphic novels, game guides, and art books. I was impressed by the amount of resources available, and how organized the place is. I even found the American versions of Harry Potter which are usually out of stock in other stores. I spent an hour browsing today, until i found my friend pulling me out of the store. Its worth visiting, especially for those who enjoy reading.

Sae.

Seven Pounds, Valkyrie, Amusement

2009-02-01T01:15:00.005+04:00

Seven Pounds

One of Will Smith's finest work. The best movie this week, interesting story and strong drama. Rating: 9.5/10.

Valkyrie

The film didn't do much for me - nothing that i would want to watch again. The performance of Cruise was just average, i actually expected more out of him. Rating: 6/10.

Amusement

I haven't watched a horror film in a long while now - my friend was insisting we watch the newly released Amusement. It was a good watch, nothing special, just simply good. Rating: 7/10.

More quick reviews tomorrow. Am off to bed.

Sae.

Quote of the day

2009-01-30T20:28:00.001+04:00

"The things we consider perfect in life are what motivates us to improve ourselves."

Sae.

S2 Typo - Artwork

2009-01-28T16:08:00.001+04:00

New experiment. I was having fun during the short 2 hours i had yesterday.
Photoshop CS

Sae

deviantART Unblocked !

2009-01-26T11:44:00.004+04:00

Deviantart is now unblocked in the UAE ! I think its been 2 weeks since the block was placed. The block wasn't only in the UAE, but also in Qatar, and Bahrain which i found pretty surprising. This lead me to think that the telecommunication companies are somewhat connected, in terms of blocking content here in the GCC, at least in Qatar, Bahrain, adn the UAE.

I've come to realize that having an exclusive (monopolized) telecommunications company in the countries mentioned above is what provided them freedom to place the block. Its worth mentioning that having good competition only benefits the people, by having diffirent options to consider everyone can select what suites them - and by doing this each company provider can be asessed and compared to whether its doing a good job or just taking adantage of people. The following is a list of companies who control the markets:

Etisalat (UAE)
Qtel (Qatar)
Batelco (Bahrain)

This is simply a quick rant based on a quick search, and probably invalid assumption. Just an observation i wanted to mention.

Sae.

Slumdog Millionaire + Yes Man [Quick thoughts]

2009-01-24T19:45:00.002+04:00

Yes Man

Comedy of the month - definitely worth your time whether or not you're a Jim Carrey fan. It takes you to places, makes you realize what you can be doing in life - all the opportunities that are missed, but worth taking the chance. Rating: 8.8/10.

Slumdog Millionaire

A movie that shouldn't be missed. It shows the struggles and hardships of life where patience, endurance, and hope are what keeps you going. It tells a story - one which will definitely connect with the audience, and allow everyone to feel the sense or reality of being thankful in life. Rating: 9.8/10.

Sae.

ZIRH IKON

2009-01-17T23:24:00.004+04:00

ZIRH IKON

My latest purchase. It is definitely a fragrance that is somewhat edgy. It contains wood-incense fragrance which gives it the Arabian hint that i noticed. It's a smell which i prefer to use at work, perhaps mixed with a softer scent; either with the White Musk body spray (The Body Shop) or Signore (from Arabiya Lil-Ood) which could be replaced with any other softer perfume preferably light. Overall, its a perfume developed by Zirh who produce skin care products for men - and now a perfume which i believe works well in a business environment. It is currently EXCLUSIVELY available at Paris Gallery - you won't find it elsewhere in the county. Rating: 8.75/10.

Visit the site.

Sae.

Bride Wars review

2009-01-17T00:28:00.007+04:00

Bride Wars

I was planning on watching Yes Man, but it was pushed to be released on the 22nd - so i settled on Bride Wars seeing that i was in the mood for a comedy film. The movie was not as bad as reviewed - it was simply an average fun movie. The target audience would be the people who are somewhat involved in a wedding (getting married, engaged, wedding planners, etc) who will view the movie as a fun, and enjoyable ride. I for one thought it was good and lighthearted, nothing special to the extent that you have to watch it in the cinema, but something that is a better alternative to the movies currently airing - its for the people who aren't in the mood for all the 'action and death scenes' that are dominating the big screen nowadays. Just something simple. Rating: 7/10.

Sae.

deviantART Blocked !!!!!

2009-01-16T15:57:00.004+04:00

Etisalat has blocked DeviantART again - the last time being almost 2 years ago. This is getting annoying - i already submitted the 'Unblock' form for the site, but apparently it takes ages to get reviewed. They should change their process of blocking websites and at least mention in the description why the site has been blocked. Who's the stupid mastermind behind it? Hi5 was surprizingly unblocked a couple of months ago - which doesn't make sense because it was blocked for over 2 years. Perhaps 'we' should create another petition against Etisalat to unblock dA. It worked the last time.

Just when i thought i could have a quiet afternoon browsing the site during the weekend; this happens!!!!!

Sae.

Gaza / Dubai Cares

2009-01-15T23:41:00.005+04:00

For the Children of Gaza

Dubai Cares, a charity establishment in the UAE, has taken the initiative to help the children of Gaza, and involve volunteers to assist in preparing the supplies for shipment. The campaign began on the 14th of Jan '08, and will go on until the 20th. Halawa has already been there, read her post for more info, she also posted a short video which will show how the place looks like and the numerous people involved. I was happy to hear about the campaign, am sure many will be interested, so tell your friends. Visit Dubai Cares for more info.

Sae.

City of Ember + Changeling + REC !!

2009-01-10T23:30:00.008+04:00

City of Ember

If there's a movie this week that i would recommend then it would be 'City of Ember'. I really enjoyed it from start to finish. Great story, amazingly designed environment (costumes, gadgets, landscapes, everything) it was attractively fascinating to watch. I wasn't expecting much out of the movie perhaps because there wasn't much said about it online - but i was surprised to find out that its a great fantasy adventure family film that i think many will enjoy. Rating: 9/10.

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Changeling

A film that takes place in the late 1920's which revolves around a mother (Angelina Jolie) who's son goes missing one day while she's at work. I have to admit Angelina's performance was brilliant - and that was pretty much it for me. The film went a bit longer than i expected, and there were some disturbing scenes which i didn't expect, but it ended well. Overall its a good drama that takes you back in time with realistic landscapes and environmental settings. Rating: 8.5/10.

REC

The worst movie i've watched since The Day The Earth Stood Still - but this comes even worse. It literally gave me a big headache after the first 20mins, but i stayed till the 40th minute and couldn't sit any longer, and i left the cinema. I understand that it was made to look realistic from a recording aspect but it was too shaky and extremely annoying it just didn't work for me (watch the trailer to understand how it was shot). Cloverfield was a better movie for the viewer in terms of realistic recording. And the fact that people say the movie's story is original makes me laugh - have you watched Resident Evil? Any infections going on there? Viruses? biting, specifically biting that is contagious? Been there, seen that. Its one thing to say the movie is 'good' but another thing to say its 'original'. Not worth your time. Rating: 1/10.

Sae.

Dior Homme "Intense"

2009-01-07T19:47:00.004+04:00

DIOR HOMME
INTENSE
(for men)

The latest perfume i got, its very refreshing in a classic sense, and I prefer this one to the original Dior Homme. At first when you smell the perfume you will sense a hint of 'lipstick' where in fact its really just the floral woody musk - and just moments after usage you'll realize how attractive it really is. Rating: 9/10

Sae.

Bedtime Stories, Pride & Glory

2009-01-02T22:21:00.007+04:00

Update: edited the rating for Bedtime stories.

So here are my brief thoughts on both movies :)

Bedtime Stories

Its a film that brings fantasy and comedy together for the family's enjoyment. I enjoyed the character of Russell Brand the most - which was well played by him. I don't usually see Adam Sandler playing a role in a movie that's rated PG - but he did pretty well. At the end its a good family movie which am sure a lot will enjoy. Rating: 8/10.

Pride and Glory

A police drama isn't something that i would usually watch in the movies unless i was motivated - and in this case Edward Norton was my motivation. Norton had the best performance in the film, followed by Farrell, who was great as well. They made me believe the story, believe the drama, and most of all believe the emotions. The movie began in a slow pace - the first 30-40 mins was a bit distracting for me - but then the story line and plot became a bit clearer, which was somewhat interesting. I loved the final 10mins of the movie - to me, it was on a completely different level - there was so much drama and emotion you'd feel connected to the characters. I wouldn't recommend the movie to everyone, because it has a heavy script and involves intense drama surrounding cops and the reality of their existence, unless you're up for this type of movie. If you watched We Own the Night, you'd understand the overall feel of the movie - and realize whether this movie is something you'd want to watch. Rating: 8/10.

Sae.

2008 - The Year in Pictures

2008-12-31T13:55:00.003+04:00

The New York Times created a photo album of various main events in 2008, like the U.S Election, Iraq & Afghanistan, and the World - which i found very impressive. The photographs are amazing.

Check it out HERE.

Sae.

"Manga" Restaurant

2008-12-30T06:36:00.000+04:00

MANGA Restaurant

I went out with a friend last night and had dinner at this new Japanese and Sushi restaurant called 'Manga'. The restaurants' theme revolved around the concept of Japanese manga which basically means comic books. They had this cool decoration all over with shelves populated by dozens of mangas, action figures and dolls. The walls had built-in televisions which displayed anime clips and music videos. The waitresses wore school-girl uniforms (anyone intimidated yet?) which seems pretty creative at some point - but are they comfortable? A normal Japanese wardrobe might have sufficed but perhaps the interior design of the place didn't compliment the 'formal' outfit in mind.

We began our dinner by ordering the Shrimp Gyoza Dumpling which was creatively crafted as shown below. You notice the semi-transparent coat covering the shrimp, which extends to include something that resembles the tail of a fish. The dumpling was a good starter, i plan on ordering the chicken dumpling the next time i visit.

We then ordered the Dragonball sushi roll, named after the famous Anime, which tasted great. A taste that brings to mind the feeling of a home cooked meal. This is probably one of their signature sushi's - definitely something everyone shouldn't try.

What was interesting is that their menu included unique sushi names, one of which was the Spider Roll Sushi - something that i decided to try before going for the main dish.
I enjoyed the unique taste as well - a good choice of sushi roll, though i preferred the Dragonball Roll more.

Then came the main dish, unfortunately i dug in forgetting to take a photo. We ordered the Ebi Furai which is 6 pieces of deep fried prawns - tasted averagely good but probably not something i would order again. I would probably go for the grilled prawns next time.

For dessert we ordered The Sunrise - which was ice cream coated by fried prawns i think. It was a good choice, the ice cream and the coat itself were ok though i wanted to try the green tea ice cream instead - perhaps for next time.

In conclusion, what i would recommend is having the sushi's as a three course meal instead of having their main dishes which comprise mainly of fried rice, and fried and grilled seafood. Its what i would have done. For those interested the restaurant is located on Jumeirah Road in Burj Al Hamam Center right besides Chili's (in front of Jumeirah Beach park). Rating: 7/10.

For more info.

Sae.

Lost in this dream !

2008-12-29T06:04:00.000+04:00

New Artwork ...

Lost in this dream by =Qa9ed2000 on deviant ART

Top 10 Movies of 2008

2008-12-28T12:18:00.000+04:00

This list is my personal favs of 2008 - keep in mind that many movies weren't released here locally (Dubai) but have been in the U.S like Milk, Slumdog Millionaire, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button among others. So what's your 2008 fav movies? Not necessarily your top 10. You can go through the list of movies released in 2008 and select your top ones [HERE].

The Dark Knight (Action)
Wall-E (Animation)
Pineapple Express (Comedy)
Iron Man (Action)
Kung Fu Panda (Animation)
The Golden Compass (Fantasy adventure)
The Fall (Fantasy adventure)
Sweeney Todd (Musical)
Tropic Thunder (Comedy)
I Am Legend (Thriller)

Sae.

Yada yada and tv stuff

2008-12-27T08:51:00.000+04:00

I spent most of yesterday (Friday) at home watching a couple of series. I started with the first season of 'Lipstick Jungle' and finished it hours later (it only had 7 episodes).

Lipstick Jungle (season 1)

Now before you say anything, i also watch Desperate Housewives - and i am open to most kinds of genres. Anyway, it was enjoyable - i first thought that Brooke Shields wasn't suited for her role as Wendy Healy maybe because i still see her as Susan from her famous sitcom 'Suddenly Susan' but by the end of the season she has proven me wrong, she did pretty well overall. I was impressed mostly by the role of Kim Raver who plays Nico, and i believed her character the most - she was great. I thank the people who chose Lindsay Price to play Victory Ford - she was the most elegant of the three, and actually seemed like a real fashion designer - with the way she looks she sells her role. She is half Korean and reminded me of the K-Dramas i used to watch. Overall a good watch, i hoped for more episodes but the problem the series faced was perhaps the Writers Guild Strike at that time. Rating: 8/10.

Supernatural (Season 2)

I finished watching S2 a week ago. To me it was better than the 1st season because it had more drama. The events got better and the ending was really good. Rating: 8.5/10.

I received the 3rd season from Aramex two days ago, i will put it on hold and watch it sometime next year, if you know what i mean :P

Tomorrow's a holiday for the Islamic new year (Sina Hijriyah) so happy new year to all :) I got the following things to do today, hopefully will be done by the afternoon:

To-Do List

Get a haircut.
Buy turtle food.
Renew domain names on GoDaddy.
Get a new photo printer.
Replace blackberry car charger.
Buy new music CD's.
Get new perfume.
Replace speakers with better ones.

Sae.

'Australia' - The Movie

2008-12-25T21:25:00.000+04:00

Australia

I ended up watching Australia, which was GREAT ! It actually exceeded my expectations.

The movie revolves around inequality, belonging, and love in a time before World War II . It shows the difficulties faced during that period - and how people of 'color' were treated. There were various moments where the scenes were very emotional, and some tragic. Gladly, the movie ended well and It helps having the correct mindset because nowadays such movies aren't made anymore - and people who aren't interested in the genre won't enjoy it. If you're up for a really good drama, and a little adventure you should check this movie out, note that the movie is 165 mins long. Be well prepared! Rating: 9.4/10.

Sae

The weekend is before us

2008-12-25T21:00:00.000+04:00

Whats interesting in the cinema today is the release of Bedtime stories and Australia - both of which am planning to watch this weekend, hopefully the former this evening.

Sae.

iPhone Nano

2008-12-25T02:48:00.000+04:00

A rumor about the introduction of a new iPhone nano many Apple lovers are hoping to be true, me included. I have a blackberry bold, but i wouldn't mind getting the 'Rumored' phone which a much smaller version than its predecessor - in fact this might be my excuse for getting one.

Macworld is coming up, i hope some new crazy stuff is introduced. Am looking forward to it.

Sae.

Text play, The Fall, Twitter ...

2008-12-25T01:46:00.000+04:00

Good morning.

Well, so here are my quick updates :)

Twitter: am getting addicted to twitter, i think it fun letting people/friends know what you're doing, and also you knowing what they're doing... and since my blackberry is twitter-friendly am almost always online XD Here's my account if you're interested.

New Artwork: this isn't really new, but i decided to upload it to my dA gallery. Its a mixture of Arabic letters and mixed media stuff i've been experimenting on lately.

Movies: i planned on posting about the movies i watched last week, but i decided to stick to the recent ones - Transporter 3, and The Fall.

Transporter 3

The movie fell below my expectations, i thought it was going to surpass the 2nd movie but it didn't. The action scenes of Jason Statham fighting with the bad guys were great, but the rest was simply average. It was an OK movie, snippets of it reminded me of Quantum of Solace which was amazing. Rating: 6.5/10.

The Fall

A really fascinating movie which brings together drama and imaginative fantasy. The concepts used in the movie, and the production were inspiring - and the costumes were creative. The last time i felt this way about a movie was when Pan's Labyrinth was released here in 2008. I am curious to why both movies have late release dates, i haven't yet figured it out other than the fact they were shown in selected theaters and film festivals. Anyway, the movie provides great entertainment experience, you should not miss it. Watch the trailer on youtube or view some photos on IMDB - It'll for the very least motive fantasy loving people to watch it ;). Rating: 9.2/10.

Am off to bed now ... !!

Sae

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A little time off

2008-12-15T02:29:00.000+04:00

Got myself time off of work even though I got loads of college work to finish this week -_- ...

I picked up the 2nd season of Supernatural, its been almost 2 years since I watched the first season, I think I'll enjoy it although I was kind of leaning towards the 10th season of ER. Any suggestions for good tv drama out there? I think I watched almost all the recent ones. And I can't seem to find the good ones in Virgin, they're kind of out of many titles... Its weird how you only get to see stacks of Lost and Heroes all over - not that I don't enjoy them, they're great but what else is there?

I watched 3 movies in the cinema last weekend, which I'll write about tomorrow, but pls don't watch The Day The Earth Stood Still because its noooot worth your time, really!

Sae.

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Eid, back home, and Bolt !

2008-12-09T13:27:00.000+04:00

A belated happy Eid to everyone !

Unfortunately I have a fever, and am not able to go out much ... it began on the morning of Eid! But i managed to go through all Eid greetings, make phone calls, and watch Bolt by the end of the day -__- , Here are my thoughts:

BOLT

I love 3D animation, i was fascinated by its quality, depth and all details - this movie was amazing, it displayed a lot of great action scenes, humor, and emotion. I feel that this, at least has a good story behind it, unlike Madagascar II, which was a bit all over the place. Bolt delivers in all aspects - extremely enjoyable, especially for those who love 3D animation. A great treat for all. Rating: 9.5/10.

The next movie on the list is either Rocknrolla or Punisher - I am kind of leaning towards Rocknrolla though.

As some of you know, I was in Qatar for a short vacation - it was great seeing the country, especially their Souq's. But am really happy to be back in Dubai <3.

Sae.

Twilight Movie + Roadtrip to Qatar

2008-12-05T00:52:00.000+04:00

Twilight

I watched the trailer in the summer, and felt that the concept grabbed me. I thought to myself that it's worth watching, and might probably do well in the box office. I haven't heard about the book(s) before the trailer, so i was pretty much in the dark about the story and didn't know what all the hype was about - except the fact that Vampires exist within its pages.

So this evening i went and watched it, it started really well. But after the first 15-20 minutes i felt that it began to look a bit uninteresting? This went on for about another 25 minutes. But that all changed after the first hour (the movie is about 2 hours long). The vampires began to display their abilities, the scenes moved into a faster pace, and from my point of view real emotions began to surface. I was very focused especially during the last 40 minutes of the movie, it became so good that i wanted to see more - and know more about the story. It ended well, and i felt that am eager to watch the sequel, especially if the 'Wolves' were involved in the story ;) I was hoping to see more of them, but at this point it felt that the story of the vampires was incomplete - perhaps the sequel will address that? I hope so. Rating: 8.5/10.

On a side note, i will going on a road trip to Qatar in a few hours, it will be my first visit so am hoping to have fun. Will surely be back in Dubai for Eid celebrations insha'Allah :)
Take care ya'all.

Sae.

Movie reviews - end of November

2008-12-02T23:35:00.000+04:00

Pineapple Express

I laughed a lot, real hard at times. This movie is one of my favorite comedies of 2008, if not 'the' favorite. I didn't really think that a movie revolving around drugs would be this funny, seriously! The events just kept on getting better, and James Franco too - I never expected him to play a comedic character and act this good. It was a very enjoyable experience - i highly recommend watching it. Rating: 9.5/10

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Madagascar 2 - Escape 2 Africa

I prefer this 3D animation over the other animated movies currently showing in the cinema (grandcinemas.com) - just knowing that DreamWorks is behind the movie makes me feel for the very least optimistic. It was an enjoyable movie, i wouldn't compare it to the best because it was somewhat cliché. The idea behind the penguins and the monkeys was great, especially the part at the end. Rating: 8.0/10

This weekend is going to be a good one, Bolt, Twilight, and Rocknrolla are going to be released. I should clear my schedule :D I've been looking forward to these movies since i first heard about them, but most of all BOLT... i love the hamster lol ... !!

Sae.

Dubai Mall - Aquarium

2008-12-02T15:24:00.000+04:00

This is my first visit to Dubai Mall, even though I only live 5 minutes away -_- ...

It currently has like half of the stores open, not many restaurants though, other than the fast-food court. What is exciting is the Aquarium they built in here, here are some snaps,

Sae.

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Finally, I get to blog on the go :D

2008-12-02T15:16:00.000+04:00

So I was checking if I could update my blog thru blackberry, luckily blogger provides a great service that allows you to do so. So expect more updates :)

Sae.

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Not sure ..

2008-09-16T10:25:00.000+04:00

I've been going through some troublesome issues lately, i can't seem to focus at work, and i also get distracted at college. I Don't know, maybe its just a phase. A little time-off might help. But it seems as if it is something deep that needs to be dealt with. Its probably nothing.

Anyway, here's the latest artwork, called 'Strangers'. This can also be viewed in my dA account

Sae

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Part of me - Artwork

2008-08-13T08:05:00.000+04:00

A new artwork; completed last night :)

You can view the original submission @ dA.

http://qa9ed2000.deviantart.com/art/Part-of-me-94664316

Sae

Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince - trailer

2008-07-30T15:23:00.000+04:00

Maybe am a little too excited, but the trailer of the new Harry Potter movie is finally out :D

Sae

Dark Knight Wallpapers EDITED by THE JOKER

2008-07-28T23:49:00.000+04:00

This is really funny, and in my opinion creative lol If you visit the official Dark Knight website and check the wallpaper section, you'll notice that all of them have been re-edited using a red marker in a more Joker-ish expressive manner lol. Here are some examples:

I think this move was excellent .. displaying more of The Joker's essence and humor. And it also shows that the people behind the website are working hard on updating the official site. A bold yet cool move i must say. Enjoy !!

Sae

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Leaked footage)

2008-07-28T17:20:00.000+04:00

It looks really exciting ..

CLICK HERE

Sae

Ramadan Artwork - 01

2008-07-26T14:46:00.000+04:00

The latest artwork for the holy month of Ramadan. I had fun making this :) ..

CLICK for full-view

Program used: Photoshop CS

Sae

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

2008-07-26T11:52:00.000+04:00

New images of the new Harry Potter movie were released .. and me being a huge Harry Potter fan i couldn't resist but take a look .. -_- .. gladly they aren't really spoilers so i think am still on the safe side. You can view the images through this link.

Adding more to this, a 23 second mini teaser surfaced the net .. ! It doesn't really show much, but i believe the official trailer should be released some time soon.

Sae

Denno Coil + Ninja Scroll (Quick reviews)

2008-07-26T08:09:00.000+04:00

So during the last couple of weeks i completed watching 2 Animes, the first being Denno Coil, and the recent one Ninja Scroll. Here are my quick thoughts:

Dennō Coil

Starting with the very first episode you'll get a pretty good feeling of the animation as a whole. Its extremely overwhelming; it's almost perfect. The graphics are top notch, the story is great and the Anime uses creative futuristic technological concepts to execute its plots. Having all these things combined made this anime one of the best ever released in summer 2007 last year. This one goes into my top 10 Animes of all time, i highly recommend it. Personal rating: 9.85/10 -- Age recommendation: All ages.

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Ninja Scroll

This one is kind of an old anime (1993), but hearing about how good it is and seeing that its about Ninjas i decided to give it a watch. I wasn't disappointed by the outcome - its a really good Anime that shows a lot of techniques and fighting concepts used in the ninja world. The action scenes were great, there were some surprises too (in the story) so it was enjoyable till the end.
Personal rating: 9.0/10 -- Age recommendation: 18+, there are a lot of gore scenes and graphics that aren't suitable for young viewers.

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Lucky Star

I began watching Lucky Star last night, finished the first episode and i must say its really funny. I had lots of laughs, and am looking forward to watching the rest. I hope it goes on in the same pace as the first episode.

Sae

Wallpaper of the day - The Dark Knight

2008-07-25T02:19:00.001+04:00

This is currently my desktop wallie. The original logo was cropped out (Click on image). To have the original sized wallpaper visit http://thedarkknight.warnerbros.com/

The site has other great wallpapers, my other favorite wallpaper is of The Joker - i am very impressed by the all graphic work done in the movie. Don't forget to check them out.

Sae

iPhone 3G - Will it come to Dubai anytime soon?

2008-07-24T14:25:00.001+04:00

So .. I've been getting very excited about the new iPhone 3G a while before its official release. And i must say, coming from a person who hasn't gotten nor tried the older version, this new one looks darn cool. It has so many new features and technology incorporated into the phone that some may even call it a super phone (3G, Thiurd-party apps, GPS, etc).

It doesn't come as a shock learning about how great it is - simply because its from Apple. I have a couple of years experience with Apple, and i must say they don't disappoint. I missed out on the old iPhone and i will definitely not miss out on this one. But the problem is, the iPhone won't be released here in Dubai any time soon. Its frustrating really, Kuwait already has it and Qatar as well ... so why isn't it available to us UAEians? You can read all about it in thenational.ae (UAE misses out on iPhone again).

Well, blame it all on Etisalat - but does this mean the only way to get it 'unofficially' is through third party suppliers? I'm not sure am interested if thats the case. How about you?

Sae

The Dark Knight - review / impression

2008-07-24T04:26:00.000+04:00

Well, they did it. They produced the best Batman movie of all time. I liked the action, the drama, the story, almost everything. But what was really noteworthy was Heath Ledger's performance of The Joker. I seriously am not kidding when i say that the movie is brilliant and even probably a masterpiece ONLY because of The Joker's performance. I won't deny Christian Bale's role or anyone elses ... but the truth is that The Joker was outstanding, he added so much to the movie through his character to the extent of wanting to see even more - even after the movie ended. At some point i didn't care what happened to Batman, or even Two-Face .. the spotlight was completely on The Joker.

The movie ended well, indicating a third installment of the dark knight. I wonder what direction they'll be taking. Overall, an excellent movie. My personal rating of it is 9.85/10, mainly because of The Joker's role. You'll definitely enjoy this movie - a wonderful experience for every superhero fan.

Its 4:45 am, i need a couple of hours of sleep before i go to work ..! Anyway, I'd like to know your thoughts on the movie, even if you haven't seen it yet, that would be interesting. Have a good morning ..

Sae

Introduction..

2008-07-24T03:55:00.000+04:00

I've been through a few blog sites and decided to have one in BlogSpot. I will take down the one in my current site because its a bit difficult to handle - and probably will just keep it up as a portfolio showcase.