Cubicology

Stranger Than Fiction

2007-02-20T18:20:00.000+08:00

It takes just one gem of a movie to overcome my writer's block (blog?), and what could be more apt than a film about an author who is miserably trying to get past her writer's block?

To be more accurate, 'Stranger Than Fiction' is not so much about the author, but that about the life of the protaganist in her unfinished book. "Without giving too much away" (quoted from many movie reviewers but which is always bullshit because there's simply no way to review a film without dishing out the plot), I will merely comment that this is a wonderfully crafted masterpiece that combines a highly imaginative and original script, perfectly-timed pacing and understatedly convincing and not over-the-top performances from actors more known for their OTT-ness, such as Will Ferell (Talledega Nights anyone?) and even Queen Latifah.

Definitely one of the better shows I've caught this year, and what a great way to round off an eventful CNY.

Pushing your colons to the limits

2006-07-31T22:34:00.000+08:00

Here's how you work those stomach muscles over the weekend!

Step 1: Saturday Lunch Buffet at the Paramount

Head down to East Coast and indulge in a 50-over course Ala Carte Cantonese buffet. Eat like there's no tomorrow (or dinner). Devour salmon sashimi, sauteed scallops, poached prawns and stuff you know cost an arm and a leg in the markets. Discover the heavenly wonders of Claypot "San Bei" Sliced Ostrich Meat. Order another 2 pots. Down everything with 2 bowls of Herbal "Turtle Shell" Jelly served with honey.

Step 2: Hungry Ghost Auction Dinner (same day)

Can't they auction in Cantonese?

Agree to attend father-in-law's annual hungry ghost dinner. Immerse yourself in the dizzy world of Hokkien auctioning. Stuff yourself with strange concoctions passing off as decent Chinese food. Forget what happened at 12 noon. Imagine yourself as the highest bidder for a few sacks of rice. Drink plenty of Miranda Orange to cover up consistent weird aftertaste.

Step 3: Yong Siang Yong Tau Foo for Lunch on Sunday

The Legend

Forget about what went in the day before. Lust after favourite food not eaten in months. Head down to People's Park Complex without hesitation, despite putting beloved Manny through dingy carpark. Ignore 10-metre long queue. Buy 3 bowls for 2 mouths. Gnaw away.

Approaching the Oasis

3-hit Combo

Step 4: Wife's Home-cooked Porridge for Dinner

Think detox. Think liquid rice. Unwittingly overload congee with beef balls, cai xin, pork cubes and can peanuts. End up bloated instead.

And I get people telling us we don't eat enough.

Hard Gay at Redhill!

2006-06-26T22:00:00.000+08:00

Hard Gay spotted in Singapore! Currently nested comfortably atop my subwoofer right now!

"Don't I look good? Fwoooooooooooh!"

Special thanks to the BIL (new acronym coined for my bro-in-law...) for bringing it over here from Japan :)

For the clueless, please check out the following 2-part video to find out the origins of this lovely toy!

The making of TOMY's Hard Gay Toy Part 1

The making of TOMY's Hard Gay Toy Part 2

New New New!!!

2006-06-25T01:18:00.000+08:00

Yet another attempt at blog reviving :P

This coincides with a fresh beginning in my life.

Have been staying at new place around 2 months now.... just got married...

Bucking the matching wedding bands trend

new car juz arrived...

All set and 'Reddy' to go!

going to start teaching in SRJC... everything seems like a blur.

Hopefully, this blog gets kickstarted into life by these changes!

Mrs Henderson Presents

2006-02-17T23:16:00.000+08:00

Now now, what would you expect from a movie that starts off with a solemn British upper-class funeral with a very sombre Judi Dench crying on a boat in the middle of a lake? A long depressing hour plus journey through the rest of the film?

How wrong I was! From the moment Madam Dench parted her 'upper-crass' lips, the show was a totally enjoyable ride. How witty the dialogue! How endearing the squabbles! How enchanting the story!

Judi Dench stars as an ultra-rich English widow who has just inherited her dead husband's massive fortune. She passes by a run-down theatre called the Windmill and decides to buy and rebuild it in hope that it'll fill the boredom and loneliness in her life. Bob Hoskins co-stars as the theatre manager whom she hires to run the Windmill, and acts as the perfect foil to the feisty lady of the show. The chemistry is amazing between the actors and their conversations so natural that it is hard to believe that they are actually working on a script. Another actress who left an impression is Kelly Reilly who I personally feel is a splitting image to Julie Delpy. Her somewhat convincing performance as a tenacious young star however, inevitably falls short of the commanding presences from the leads.

Come to think of it, there is only one commanding presence in the film, which makes it easy to understand why Judi Dench is once again nominated for the Oscars. She switches from cheeky sarcasm to dead seriousness with ridiculous ease, which makes it such fun watching her strut her stuff onscreen. As Mrs Henderson, she doesn't just own the theatre but the entire movie as well, so overpowering her presence that the pace drops significantly everytime she is not in the frame.

Without giving too much of the story away, you can expect to hear plenty of good songs (the show's a part-musical), indulge in excellent dialogue, and witness many 'insightful' moments (alright alright, there are many naked ladies on stage). Lovely story, great acting, bright lights, nice music, eye-popping assets, free movie tickets... what more can I ask for?

Bowled Over!

2006-02-08T02:46:00.000+08:00

That's my score at bottom row!

I'm thrilled! Best score ever, beat my previous best of 160 set all the way back in Junior College days! Can't believe the record stood for 10 years. From student then... to teacher now... Gosh.

When bigger means better...

2006-01-22T03:37:00.000+08:00

Two weeks ago, the W's sis gave us a lunch treat at Tung Lok, Liang Court. The food was fabulous and did not disappoint. I guessed quality justifies the cost in this case. What caught our attention apart from the food, was the menu.

Intimidating book of food

Well, if impact was what was intended, they sure did achieved it. The sheer size of the menu was complemented with gigantic fonts and pictures on the inside. Definitely the largest menu we've ever seen.

After lunch, we explored the very seldomly visited Liang Court and found ourselves in a furniture store. Yet again, something apart from the main course caught our eyes...

Poser alert!

A runway! Probably a mini stage for their product photoshoots. The W and I took a few shots on it (while the salesperson wasn't looking) and gave our best wannabe model poses! Just couldn't help it, especially since we were ardent fans of Project Runway.

We certainly didn't expect to find little surprises like these on a lazy Saturday afternoon at a much forsaken place. Guess sometimes things around us aren't so predictable after all.

The Chronicles of the New Home

2006-01-08T00:23:00.000+08:00

26 years. That's how long I've been staying in my place. In a few months' time, my past residential years will be firmly behind me as the W and I shift to our new home.

It all began a few months back, when we submitted our HDB application and eagerly hoped for the best. The chances of getting a satisfactory queue number for unit selection was slim, a mere 1 out of 7 or 8 chance.

The letter finally arrived and we were awarded a somewhat acceptable queue number. It was reasonably good fortune, considering the odds. The selection process was covered by my dad (we were bound for Taipei on that very day) and we miraculously managed to get a high-level unit.

Keys collection will not come so fast, so despite not being able to enter the flat, the W and I went down to pay our future home a visit!

That's our kitchen!

Corridor leading up to the new home

View from the corridor

Looking down to the road

Can you spot the giant Xmas tree on Mount Faber?

Before we left, I couldn't help but give it a try...

Ding Dong!!!

Yup, that's me pressing my future doorbell, which did not ring, of course. Treasure this rare appearance of the Grandmaster Cubic on the blog, heh heh.

It'll be at least 1 month plus before we will be called up to collect the house keys. Really looking forward to that day and the exciting (and hopefully not too frustrating) home renovation that will follow!

Post-Christmas Blues (or Greens)

2005-12-26T23:30:00.000+08:00

All packed and ready for the 'holiday'

Sigh. Well, a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do.

See ya folks in the new year!

Ringing in the new year...

2005-12-26T23:09:00.000+08:00

... with a nifty new phone!

The Sony Ericsson K750i

Despite my initial reluctance to give up my sleek and compact Samsung E630, which has served me well for the past eight months, the allure of the feature-packed K750i proved too much to resist. So when the W offered to buy the phone as a (belated) birthday present, I traded in the E630 for my dream phone.

So, here's a last look at my beloved Samsung:

The old faithful

Exciting times ahead...

2005-12-23T08:13:00.000+08:00

... and I don't mean the upcoming 4 days 3 nights 'holiday' in Khatib camp. Damn it, festive season spent in the army camp... @$^*@&&@...

Two 'biggies' to look forward to in 2006. Marriage and the impending house renovations.

Such major changes in my life, all within the same year. That's without mentioning the teaching job that will finally take off after the final posting in June. No idea where I'll teach, what type of students I'll get, what sort of colleagues I'll meet.

Plans for the renovations are taking shape. The W and I will probably settle on an ID firm in a month's time. Really looking forward to the new home; no doubt it'll annihilate our hard earned savings, but the dream home we envision in our minds now render that worthwhile.

But most of all, after successfully getting the GF to become the W (phew!), the biggest event to look forward to would be the big M. One-time projects like the dream home cannot measure up to the M in terms of significance. The M is a permanent commitment to someone and to yourself, the most important decision the W and I have agreed upon. Yes, the M scares us... another sum of money and a possible wedding banquet that neither of us particularly look forward to. But I'm happy to say those are merely surface level issues, and that the real challenge in being happy together with each other for life does not bother us one bit.

A new life, a new home and a new job. What more would I expect from 2006?

I Love Hongkong Films!

2005-11-14T17:06:00.000+08:00

Recently came across this, which I think is an wonderful site for Cantonese film fans. The writing is top-notch and site design professional, qualities that stand out among other similar and often rather pathetic offerings.

I feel like a greedy kid in a candy store. If only I can watch every single recommended film, haiz...

Why I Love the EPL

2005-11-10T00:09:00.000+08:00

Arsenal 1, Manchester City 0. The match still very much in the balance. Arsenal awarded a second penalty. Up steps Robert Pires, scorer of the first penalty. The Highbury faithful awaits with bated breath...

In one not so swift movement of his graceful right foot, Pires caresses the ball with his studs. In comes the onrushing Henry, stealthily running way past the ball with a confused glare at his fellow frenchman. The two stand still and exchange lovely glances before watching a Man City defender clear the ball into safety. The referee blows the whistle (the French duo pray for a reprieve) and awards Man City a freekick, which in my humble opinion, must have been given for the combined stupidity of P and H.

Now watch me make the ball disappear into goal...

Still, their innovative intention of taking a penalty ought to be applauded, without which, I would never have witnessed the dumbest looking penalty-taking ever.

Lifebook to ibook

2005-11-04T14:37:00.000+08:00

The unthinkable has happened. I have crossed over to the white side.

From a total Mac cynic a few months ago to actually spending money to buy a Mac OS running Apple ibook G4. Well, not really spending any additional moola, since I sold my Fujitsu Lifebook to my bro. But still, I amaze myself at how easily my resolve against the Mac can be weathered down in such a short time.

I used to think that the Mac cannot run a single Windows application and wondered why people would actually not want to use a Windows based system. This thought was totally banished once I laid my hands on the ibook. Apart from playing games (which I no longer do... on the computer at least), the Mac OS works just as well as Windows, if not better. The most exciting thing is that there is going to be so much to explore in the Mac environment, especially after at least 12 years of sticking to Windows. And of course, the absolutely gorgeous design of the ibook and the OS interface makes the transition so much smoother.

KH, the biggest Mac cynic I know, called me mad for getting a Mac. He could be right. What the heck took me so long to get one?

Eisley in Nano

2005-10-18T08:59:00.000+08:00

Ah... my first entry in months! Partly due to heavy NIE workload and mostly due to laziness. Two more weeks to go, all assignments will be cleared and the hols will begin, ha!

Bought a Ipod Nano 2 weeks ago and I'm absolutely smitten.

"Small" wouldn't be a justified description of it. Amazing how much the Applelians can squeeze into such a tiny piece of metal. To top it off, I managed to get this 2GB version from an online seller, brand new and at $280, a cool $68 off the original price. Sweeeeet!

Currently on my playlist is Eisley, a band that plays lovely music and a lead singer who produces absolutely fabulous vocals. Plugging them into your eardrums after a long tiring day is nothing short of the perfect soothing remedy. One thing I came across which I found interesting: these guys are a "Christian" band of sorts and I like the way they see themselves. With all due respect, Eisley simply stands out from the glut of loud and very often senseless punk rock musicians who are so irrationally well-loved by the masses.

Friends or Foes?

2005-09-20T16:52:00.000+08:00

Post big match photo:

That's me on the left and kh on the right. Wonder if either of us would have been in the mood to pose if the match didn't end in a draw...

Match was too tense, not much chances for either team. So we settled it out on this:

Scores after 3 games: Liverfool 1 Man U 1, Liverfool 0 Man U 7, Liverfool 0 Man U 7.

Happiness achieved! Until next time...

Coffee anyone?

2005-09-20T16:45:00.000+08:00

Just goes to show how some people won't think twice about downing such amounts of sugar-laden caffeine in one go...

Be With Me: Afterthought

2005-09-13T01:56:00.000+08:00

Yet another pathetic attempt to resuscitate movie reviewing. Perhaps an afterthought would be more appropriate. So here goes.

Be With Me is essentially a quiet film with minimal dialogue and action, but yet radiates a certain degree of power and influence on the audience throughout the course of the show. Three short stories are interwoven around a real-life docu-drama featuring the indomitable Theresa Chan, who although blind and deaf, displays more strength and hope than any of the other characters in the movie.

Did the film make me cry, as it supposedly did to many critics around the world? No it didn't. So you mean the show wasn't touching for me? Wrong. Do we have to cry when something touches the heart? Many times what goes on inside the heart does not translate to what comes out from the eyes. My emotions were stirred and I felt my heart clench at various moments when the characters suffered through the quiet desperation they went through.

It was an enjoyable movie, though the ambience and overall darkness of the film may suggest otherwise. I felt most amazed at what Theresa Chan was capable of accomplishing despite her most unfortunate disabilities. Not just the physical aspects, where she showed us her astonishing ability to take care of herself, but also the mental and spiritual aspects of her life, where she is so strong in the mind and the faith in her God. It would be so easy to blame the heavens and let go of life but yet she displays a remarkable determination to make the fullest out of her existence. Her situation puts the other characters' plights in the shade and render our own complaints with everything around us irrelevant.

Be With Me not just provides a silent inspiration to audiences, it also showcases the many facets of local life rarely experienced in a busy world where everything revolves around us at breakneck speed. Take a time out and allow yourself to sit through an hour and a half of peaceful contemplation with what is it that really matters most in our lives.

Derby Disappointment

2005-09-11T00:13:00.000+08:00

What a horrible week of soccer. Both my beloved teams crashed. First it was England's demise against world ranked 116 Northern Ireland (think Singapore's ranking's somewhere there too... that says a lot man). Then came the main event on Saturday... the Manchester derby. I've been looking forward to it so much and was hoping for United to deliver a thrashing to City to cure my English hangover. Man U scored 1st and I thought perhaps, yes, my wish was coming true. But horrors, overly elaborate and passive play from the complacent devils allowed the blues to equalise. And they almost delivered a last minute sucker punch if not for a magnificent save by Van der Sar on Andy Cole's superb effort. Could this be the start to more frustration for Man U fans, like how last season's emptiness felt? That's how I'm feeling inside now: frustrated emptiness.

The Adventures of QB

2005-09-03T17:02:00.000+08:00

Date: Thur 31 Aug 05

Time: 1630 hrs

Place: Bugis

Event: Last minute decision to visit QB for a quickie haircut

It's always a gamble going into QB for a haircut. For those of you not in the know, QB has outlets spread islandwide and many of the outlets actually go by the name EC now. You put 10 bucks in a ticketing machine, get the tic, sit down and await your turn. It's like a barber shop with mainly auntie hairdressers instead of mat rock cutters. You're promised a 10 minute cut and given a free comb at the end of the session (or ordeal).

There's no guarantee of quality of course, since you get a different dresser every time you visit. And I'll have to bank on luck since a cheapo like me would never pay 20 - 40 bucks for a permanent hairdresser at a designer salon. "Cut layer, no need too short lah" is the instruction I dish out to any cutter I get. The past few times have thrown up several permutations of my hair, but often just a really short version of my original uninspiring haircut. So my expectation of the end-result is basically look a bit dumber at the expense of feeling much cooler and lighter.

Which was a surprise that I found myself liking my new hairdo this time round!

Result:

Comments I got:

The GF: "So cuuuute, gu ci gu ci..."

NIE friend: "Wah lao eh, so short, like grass!"

Another NIE friend: "Did you change your parting?"

Yet another NIE friend: "Finally, you look more like a man! Now we'll let you join us for lunch!"

Well, at least I look a little bit more modern with this cut. Will probably show the next cutter this photo for "guidance", ha!

A bizarre world indeed

2005-08-26T14:37:00.000+08:00

Guess they should look no further than their own backyard for "weapons of mass destruction"...

Happiness is...

2005-08-23T01:53:00.000+08:00

... my new Fujitsu S7021!!!

And the first star to grace my desktop is none other than ... Jessica Alba! Fwah, even my cam likes her man, giving a, ahem, certain part an otherwise non-existent glowing effect!

Hope this brings renewed inspiration to revive my blog (again)! Woooohooooooo!!!

'Expensive' day off

2005-07-07T17:13:00.000+08:00

MC yet again. Health's failing me these past 10 days. Finally recovered (hopefully), after a jab at the doc's yesterday...

The doc must have been pretty surprised to see me twice in less than a week. He gladly oblidged to my request for an injection. "I'll give you stronger anti-biotics this time round". Waited forever for the horribly inefficient clinic assistants for my medicine. Then came the shocker... medical fees: $50. Twice my previous visit's. "Damn... must be the jab." Well, apparently not, as I read the receipt more carefully: Consultation Fees, Injection, Medicine... and what's that... Expensive Antibiotic! Wahaha... can't decide whether to burst out laughing or crying! There's actually a justification for the expected reaction to the $50 charge! Amazing!

Although the fifty was hefty, I guess it was worth it, since I recovered almost immediately. And it gave me something interesting to post here, heh.

18 days to Boon Lay Everyday.

2nd day of nothingness

2005-07-06T11:37:00.000+08:00

Here I am, rotting away in the school library yet again. Painful wait for my only lesson in the day gonna be over soon. I can foresee reader's reply: What the f***!? Complaining about nothing to do!? You ungrateful bastard!!! Trust me, I rather have lessons to conduct. No time-table cos waiting to be shipped into NIE. And I've been sick a week plus. Darn fever is not going away, it's been with me since last Sunday and still I feel hot and cold at times.

Alright, enough kao bei... on the brighter note, I'm trying to preserve my blog. 2 entries in 2 days... man I'm proud of myself! Shall not let it die off without a fight.

Countdown to going up the crazy Tuas hill: 19 Days. Not that I'm looking forward to it, but what the heck. Better to convert into a full-fledged future moulder than moulding in the school library.

Where's the Writing Spirit?

2005-07-05T12:31:00.000+08:00

I'm doing it again... I'm on the verge of killing off my blog yet again. Absolutely no inspiration to write about anything... no gossip, no move review, no nothing. Not even when I'm rotting in school with no classes for the day and struggling to stay awake. In fact, my creative juices have gone so dry that I'm writing about not having anything to write about. Really admire the millions of bloggers out there who come out with such readable entries almost everyday of their lives. Which sets me to think: Is my life so boring that I've nothing to write about? A depressing entry this is not. Just wanna kill time by writing something out of nothing. Yawn.

Film 38 Review: Mr. & Mrs. Smith

2005-06-08T18:14:00.000+08:00

There are only three things worth watching in this movie: Angelina Jolie, her right boob and her left boob.

Of course, I'm kidding. The film is more entertaining than one would expect, especially from a movie that banks so heavily on the combined star voltage of Jolie and the 'I look much better than I act' Brad Pitt. The action scenes are expectedly explosive and spectacular, and hits the audience relentlessly. The surpisingly element of the film is the dialogue... non-conventionally humorous and bordering on being dark and slightly nonchalant at times. While not every joke hits the mark, this technique is effective in achieving what the director clearly wants to stress on with his 2 superstars: coolness. Everything about the show is made to make the audience go "woooah..", from the poses they strike, the pouts they make, the gadgets and weapons they wield and the lines they spout. For me, the comedic chemistry between the leads stands out as the most "cool" factor throughout the film. Credit to the stars, especially Jolie (ok, I'm a biased A.J. fan), for sizzling their way through the show with minimal effort. Trust me, you'll understand why Jennifer Aniston (formerly Mrs. Pitt) went bollocks after you watch the Smiths get it on.

Needless to say, what's there to comment on a plot where the most delicious couple in the world find out that the other half is a top-notch assasin and both are assigned to kill each other? Married for 5 or 6 years without a sniff of a clue of each other's real identity? Some killer instinct I must say. Well, this movie's not about story anyway. So suspend all belief, sit back and enjoy the sexiest couple in the solar system prowl, scowl and make out on the big screen.

Rating: 7.6

Heart-break

2005-05-11T12:20:00.000+08:00

Another bout of insomnia struck me last nite, which presented me the misfortune of watching my beloved red devils get whacked by the blue boys, in their own "fortress", no less.

Sad enough that my team had to form a "guard of honour" (they lined up and applauded as the blues trooped onto the pitch) to welcome the newly crowned champions... they had to go on to prove that inferiority in that horrible 90 minutes. The defending was shambolic, the attack was impotent after the 1st goal... speaking of which, I thought that at least the devils can beat the champs once this season after the RVN goal in the 8th minute.

Hope this nonsense isn't repeated in the FA Cup final... the last thing I want to witness in a horrendous season is a loss to the Gooners. Yes yes, I hear your taunts, you anti-MU fans. Enjoy the gloating... while it lasts. Sad to admit it this time... I don't see when the rot will stop.

Ok Pocky!

2005-05-09T18:25:00.000+08:00

You Are Banana Pocky

Your attitude: fun and lighthearted
Unique and unforgettable
You are cutie everyone falls for

What Flavor Pocky Are You?

Film 28 Review: Millions

2005-04-25T08:34:00.000+08:00

Forgive me for the BIG jump in reviews (from film 14 to 28). Haven't had the time to write for the previous few which I wanted to. Decided to review the latest I've watched.

Before I watched the show I knew that 'Millions' has generally garnered favourable reviews from tons of critics, with a local reviewer raving about it and allocating it the full 5 stars. With great reviews come great expectations.

Disclaimer: I have yet to rid the disease of reading too many reviews of a film before watching it. Perhaps I'll carry that sickness forever, because I simply love to read about movies, every single one of them, regardless of whether I'll be watching them or not.

That said, the movie did not meet my expectations. 'Over-rated'... the initial thought. But first, the good points. Alexander Etel is perfectly cast as the highly imaginative and innocent young protaganist. Through the many 'appearances' of godly beings throughout the film, the audiences share his holy world, a world of angels and saints which he uses to replace the loss of his late mother. The boy convinces with his doe-eyed expressions and intimate heartfelt conversations with the saints who visit him every now and then.

The cinematography is unique, the settings are interesting and the way the whole movie was shot is very unusual... which could be a double-edged sword in terms of plot development. For me, this style achieves cinematic originality but compromises on the flow required for simple story-telling. There are far too many interjections and interruptions in the story... there are many moments when just as you are about to catch hold of something, the scene stops abruptly and leaves you dangling midway. This is all a little bit frustrating really, which ultimately results in a lack of emotion and inspiration in my mind as the movie reaches it ending.

The film is definitely watchable and deserves to be commended for having many special features not commonly seen in other movies. Whether these features are pulled off effectively is a matter of subjectivity; they didn't work too well for me but may leave a huge impression on you.

Rating: 7.4

D-Day looms

2005-04-21T10:02:00.000+08:00

Saturday 23 April. Will sign on the dotted line. I shall be known as "Mr. Fong" for the next four years, at least.

Sort of made up my mind, I guess. Of cos, there're still some lingering doubts, but not something that can't be overcome. And since I'm in, I might as well try to make the best out of it. Wish me luck!

Latest watched

2005-04-07T08:37:00.000+08:00

Film 25: House of Fury (7.3)
Film 26: Hotel Rwanda (8.2)
Film 27: Steamboy (6.0)
Film 28: Millions (7.4)
Film 29: Seoul Raiders (5.1)
Film 30: Ghost in the Shell 2 (7.2)
Film 31: National Treasure (6.8)
Film 32: Talk to Her (7.5)
Film 33: Brotherhood (8.5)
Film 34: Kingdom of Heaven (7.3)
Film 35: Swing Girls (6.9)
Film 36: Assault on Precinct 13 (6.8)
Film 37: Star Wars Episode 3 (7.5)
Film 38: Mr. and Mrs. Smith (7.6)
Film 39: Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (7.1)
Film 40: The Day After Tomorrow (7.2)
Film 41: How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days (7.3)
Film 42: Batman Begins (8.1)
Film 43: Divergence (7.4)
Film 44: Elephant (6.2)
Film 45: Dude, Where's My Car? (6.8)
Film 46: Oldboy (6.5)
Film 47: Initial D (6.4)
Film 48: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (7.1)
Film 49: Fantastic Four (7.4)
Film 50: Napoleon Dynamite (7.2)
Film 51: Miss Congeniality 2 (5.5)
Film 52: My Brother (6.3)
Film 53: Sin City (7.7)
Film 54: Anchorman (7.3)
Film 55: Bring It On (5.8)
Film 56: The Island (7.4)
Film 57: Guess Who? (6.7)
Film 58: Nobody Knows (7.2)
Film 59: Shall We Dansu? (7.7)
Film 60: The Interpreter (6.4)
Film 61: Robots (7.3)
Film 62: A Lot Like Love (6.9)
Film 63: Zoolander (7.4)
Film 64: Crash (6.0)
Film 65: Fever Pitch (7.6)
Film 66: Be With Me (7.5)
Film 67: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (7.1)
Film 68: My Boyfriend is Type B (5.7)
Film 69: Groundhog Day (8.0)

Film 14 Review: Sideways

2005-04-01T08:26:00.000+08:00

Having watched it some time ago and now thinking back about the film, I realised that I really did like it. And still do, as a matter of fact. Like fine wine, the show grows on you with time and leaves you with great moments to smile about. Metaphorically appropriate, since wine appreciation is the chosen theme of the movie.

It's great to walk into such a show, with a cast of relatively unknown actors and without any conjured image of how the film will be like. I mean... a road trip with two middle-aged men who meet two middle-aged women who're not particularly stunning, visually at least... what can you expect? Yes yes, good'o' shallow me. But I have set the record straight; I really liked the show, the cast, the script... yup, I really loved the dialogue. I've sinced read through a list of quotes and wow, one single movie can have so many verbal gems in it! Credit must surely go to the author of the novel the film was based on, Rex Pickett. Note: I must grab hold of a copy.

The actors, Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church, fully deserve whatever accolades and acclaim they've recieved for their performances. They were really a joy to watch, an unlikely pair of buddies with very different personalities and agendas, yet such chemistry between them. They didn't even seem like they were acting; they were tailor-made for their roles, not the other way round. The beauty in their characters lie in their flaws. We can all identify with their weaknesses, their percieved failures in life, their desperation for any sort of success. Giamatti should have been given an Oscar nomination at the very least and Church has since snagged a plum role as one of the villians in Spiderman 3. Not bad at all.

Forgive me if I fail to acknowledge the actresses, because they just didn't leave as much impact as the two male leads. I certainly can't see how Virginia Madsen got nominated for the Oscars, hers was a subtle performance at best, a rather forgettable one at worst. A mention though, has to be made about Alexander Payne, the director who seems to have such an innate ability to portray sad lives with such subtle impact. How contradictory and how unique. His previous film, About Schmidt, similarly covered depression in life, was also a joy to watch. I don't enjoy watching the characters go through their periods of sadness, but I'm definitely made to feel for them and feel with them.

Sideways is definitely worth a viewing, even if you have absolutely no interest in wine (that's me), which is besides the point anyway. Let it linger and grow on you.

Rating: 8.2

The Blower's Daughter

2005-04-01T07:58:00.000+08:00

Simple, beautiful, haunting tune.

Seems to me the film 'Closer' was made just for this song.

The Blower's Daughter, by Damien Rice.

And so it is
Just like you said it would be
Life goes easy on me
Most of the time
And so it is
The shorter story
No love, no glory
No hero in her sky

I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes...

And so it is
Just like you said it should be
We'll both forget the breeze
Most of the time
And so it is
The colder water
The blower's daughter
The pupil in denial

I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes...

Did I say that I loathe you?
Did I say that I want to
Leave it all behind?

I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind off of you
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind...
My mind...my mind...
'Til I find somebody new

24 so far

2005-03-30T09:40:00.000+08:00

Film 21: Closer (7.6)
Film 22: Spanglish (7.3)
Film 23: In Good Company (7.4)
Film 24: Arahan (6.5)

Just in case I forget :P

Bangkok Bangkok (Day 3)

2005-03-29T11:05:00.000+08:00

A mini Bangkok travelogue:

Day 3 (20 Mar 05)

Open eyes. Think sucky hotel breakfast. Think not enough snooze. Skip it? Affirmative. Back to dreamland.

My father (the hotel BB fan) will so want to murder us if he found out we skipped the buffet breakfast, ha! We figured that we might as well take our own sweet time since we were so damn tired. And not to mention, back to work the next day. The last thing we wanted was insufficient sleep.

So off we went to MBK (again!) to hunt for food, after hotel check out. This time we were determined to try out a restaurant. So we settled for a Japanese charcoal grill place, which looked the most appetizing of the lot. Turned out to be an excellent decision. The food came in a platter, which didn't look too much at first. It was a good mixture of raw meat and seafood, which we had to grill on the charcoal stove. The food was delicious, which we gobbled with glee. The drinks were also fantastic. We had a coconut shake and a green tea shake (with lots of red beaned sugar?), and they were absolutely fantastic. Why the hell don't they just solely set up a drinks place? If they brought it over to our shores, we were sure they'll make big bucks. Meal only costed 20 odd SGD... definitely value for money! Before we know it, we had to head back to the hotel for pickup to the airport. Not before the GF grabbed another pair of jeans (couldn't resist the good price and quality).

The assigned driver from our tour agency came rather punctually. If the transfer was good 2 days ago, we ain't seen nothing yet. As we walked out of the hotel, i caught a glimpse of a Mercedes, and happily joked that we were gonna travel back in style. Imagine our pleasant surprise when we were actually led to that Mercs! Unbelivable! Although it was a little dusty, it was still a freaking Mercs. Haven't seen any on the road since we arrived! As I plonked myself into the back seat, I suddenly realised it was the 1st time I had sat in one. Not even a Mercs cab. The GF drifted to sleep midway through the 40 min long journey. A nice feeling seeing her slumped so comfortably in deep sleep :)

Arrived at Bangkok International Airport without a hitch, and checked in after a slight wait. Had our last meal in Thailand (for now) at Black Canyon Coffee, their number one coffee joint in the country, or so it claimed. We even ordered Tom Yum soup to go with the rum and mocha coffees. Again, my stomach didn't churn, although the Tom Yum (downed with coffee) was expectedly spicy. Guess I've sort of 'strenghtened' my stomach by contantly loading it with various combinations of crap.

A few hours and a delay in takeoff later, we arrived in Singapore. A memorable trip overall, even though it was my umpteenth time in Bangkok. Definitely because of the new travel partner and hopefully, a lifelong one too.

Bangkok 3 Days 2 Nights, 18 - 20 Mar 05

Bangkok Bangkok (Day 2)

2005-03-24T10:31:00.000+08:00

A mini Bangkok travelogue:

Day 2 (19 Mar 05)

Morning came a little too fast. The effects of overwalking the previous day were still there as we woke up for the hotel buffet breakfast. Well, Chatuchak beckoned and we had to drag our battered bodies to the hotel cafe. I had around 4 eggs: 2 sunny side ups and probably another 2 I had in the omelette. Egg quota of the week: filled. The GF had the misfortune of tasting bad (spoilt, not just bad) orange juice and yucky papaya. Well, at least the eggs and the watermelons were good enough to fill the stomachs.

Decided to get a daily BTS pass for the day at 100 Baht each, cos we figured it would probably cost us that much for the trips we would make the whole day anyway. And of course, the convenience of not having to buy a ticket everytime. Took the BTS to Mo Chit, and the GF was duly shocked by the gigantic area of the market, especially seen from top-view while still in the train. This time, I told myself, I'll not be fazed by the fatigue and the heat. I will cover as many stores as possible. Yeah right. As it turned out, we were just too overwhelmed after a few hours, and had to return to the comfort of the hotel. Didn't make many purchases, just a few tops by the GF. Spent more on drinks and miscellaneous snacks. And yes, I managed to get a skewer of my favourite Bangkok snack, grilled sotong, from a stall by the dusty road. The chilli burnt at least 5 holes in my tongue, all the way down digestive system. Luckily, no side-effects. The GF still can't understand why the sotong in Bangkok is so much more yellowish. I simply choose to ignore the colour difference.

Thou shalt not nap and waste precious hours during holidays. Well, we committed the sin anyway. Really couldn't help it, we were just too consumed by fatigue. Woke up at 7 plus, and went to MBK for our dinner fix. The GF was really hungry. We settled for the food court once again, after being generally uninterested in what the uninspiring stuff the restaurants had to offer. Had Phad Thai (again), hotplate mussels (not bad), and the 'deluxe' pork knuckle platter (heavenly!). Decided to walk around a bit after such a 'fulfilling' meal... only to be greeted by rows and rows of closing shops. Man, only 8 plus pm... the Thais sure close shop early.

Back at the hotel, we were all prepared to watch an EPL match on TV. Ah... a Man United match was shown... an added bonus! Watching soccer in Thailand really made me miss simple little things we take for granted... such as English commentary! It's bad enough that we don't understand. It's doubly worse when the Thai commentator sounded as enthusiastic as a dead fish. Zero changes in tone. "Blah blah blah.... Roooo (hanyu pinyin 3rd sound) neeey (hanyu 4th sound)" Is that weird or what? We self-entertained by mimicking the strange pronunciations by the commentator cum undertaker.

Shucks... time really flies when you're having a great time abroad. All too soon, the 3rd and final day beckons.

Bangkok Bangkok (Day 1)

2005-03-22T11:11:00.000+08:00

Sawadikaaaaap!

A mini Bangkok travelogue:

Day 1 (18 Mar 05)

Happiness. 1st trip together for the both of us, the GF and I. She's been to Bangkok only once, like 15 years ago maybe, me been there quite a few times, most recently Aug last year. Hope to make this a real treat for her, which in return, provides me with an added incentive to revisit the bustling city.

Arrived at Bangkok international airport, instantly greeted by the tour agent holding up our names in bold. I have to say, this is the most impressive and efficient agency I got in Bangkok. Fast, minimal hassle, super comfty (as we'll find out on the last day).

Survived minor jams and reached Asia hotel around 3 plus in the afternoon. Have never stayed in other hotels, cos this one's just so darn convenient, being connected (literally) to the Ratchathewee BTS station. The BTS... simple yet efficient. The frequencies between trains are at least twice as fast as out local SMRT.

Decided to head towards Siam Square, a shopping area which I have not been to before. Sadly, the shopping complexes were rather uninteresting. Not the best start, but no problem, since not much time spent. Went straight to MBK (Ma Boon Krong), arguably the most popular shopping centre in Bangkok. The GF and I bought a pair of jeans each - cheap, comfortable and pretty decent in quality. Got hungry and had dinner at the giant food court; the GF was slightly amused at the way food courts work in Thailand. Coupons had to be purchased before you could 'buy' food and any extra coupons refunded at a separate counter after meals. Still haven't really figured out the reason for this system yet... watch this space. Phad Thai was delicious, and so was the pork knuckle meat (my all-time fav Bangkok food). Topped off with sweet, sour and slightly salty honey lemon juice... yum!

After a short rest back at the hotel, we went to Suan Lum, my favorite Bangkok night market (in case you're wondering, no, it's not where pole-dancers are). Hired a Tuk Tuk for 100 Baht; the ride was a new experience for the GF. Pity he didn't speed fast enough to give her the 'real' Tuk Tuk experience, but it was still quite an interesting ride. Turns out that the driver's an Everton fan, so we had a good time laughing at Liverpool's misery this season. Hope it's not a case of speaking too soon...

Suan Lum had an interesting variety of goods on display, but we didn't buy much. Guess we were too picky. But it was still an enjoyable walk... although it almost killed our legs! There was an interesting shop with a young lady vendor whose sweetness easily persuaded us to buy two packets of cripsy seaweed. According to the GF, she not only offered us samples to try, she also did it with a request: "Bite Me Please!". Apparently, that was the shop's name as well. Man, how on earth did I miss hearing that!? After an hour plus we were still stuck in the first tent (out of about 4 full tents), and eventually we didn't have enough time (and energy) to cover every shop in detail as they all started closing. In the end, the GF got a pair of cool pants and I got a nice sling bag as reward for our 'efforts'.

We were totally whacked out when we reached the hotel. And we have not even started our main event tomorrow yet... the Chatuchak weekend market. Nevertheless, we could still muster just enough energy to grab some 'experimental' street food near the hotel. The 1st we tried were two sticks of very yummy looking 'meatballs'. I emphasise "looking"... because they tasted absoultely horrendous. We had no idea what we were chewing, if we did manage to chew at all. Luckily it was a cheap investment, just 20 Baht. The next thing we bought was a piece of beef fillet... which was tediously grilled over a charcoal stove. It tasted quite bad and very raw... yet another failed experiment. The final thing we bought were beefball kway teow from another stall. Was expecting the worst, but this time we finally struck gold. The beefballs were juicy and chewy, with the soup and noodles tasting surprisingly good as well. The feeling of success was almost marred by the hotel wanting to charge us 30 baht for borrowing their bowl and utensils. That's as much as what the beefball meal costs! So we proceeded to have a great time eating straight from the plastic bag, with a pair of chopsticks and spoon the hawker had kindly 'loaned' us, which we didn't return eventually!

So much for the 1st day... pretty eventful I must say. Next up, Day 2! Stay tuned!

More Movies Watched!!!

2005-03-13T03:45:00.000+08:00

Movies watched over the last 2 weeks:

Film 16: Team America
Film 17: Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
Film 18: Shark Tale
Film 19: Saved!
Film 20: A Very Long Engagement

Latest Ratings:

The Cat Returns: 7.3
Sideways: 7.8
Coyote Ugly: 6.3
Team America: 9.0
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason: 5.9
Shark Tale: 6.4
Saved!: 6.5
A Very Long Engagement: 8.2

Latest Reviews:

None!

Losing Track...

2005-03-01T16:20:00.000+08:00

Been watching lots of shows lately... some old, some new... I better constantly keep a record before I completely lose count of how many I watched.

Let's see... Film 12 was Million Dollar Baby, that leaves Film 13: The Cat Returns, Film 14: Sideways and Film 15: Coyote Ugly... right.

Not bad not bad... managed to cover 15 movies in a little more than 2 months, despite the crazy schedules. Struggling to keep up with the reviews though... currently writing one for Film 9: Constantine.

Watch this space. I hope a decent review appears soon :P

Film 12 Review: Million Dollar Baby

2005-03-01T09:51:00.000+08:00

Million Dollar Baby... a good film? Yes. Good enough to be the year's best picture? I have my doubts. Don't think it deserves the best picture oscar, although the best director, actress and supporting actor awards were richly deserved.

Clint Eastwood has always been an intense character, whether in his acting or in his film-making. He displays his vast directing experience and channels it out well through his own, as well as his co-stars' acting performances. Hilary Swank once again shows that she is in complete control and command of the tough characters she takes on, snagging another oscar after Boys Don't Cry. The danger though is that she runs the risk of being typecast for such masculine roles and limits her versatility, thus restricting her from taking on other roles. To me, Morgan Freeman is the one who truly deserves his accolade. It's tough to find such a humble and well-respected actor in plastic Hollywood, and even tougher for him to put in such understated but highly influential and impressionable presence in every show he has been in. His superb touches in gems such as the Shawshank Redemption and Driving Miss Daisy alone more than makes up for the many crap films he has taken a part in.

So why is it that the film, with masterful directing and convincing performances from the actors, fail to stir up my emotions? I hope I have the answer, but even I'm stumped. It's just one of those movies that has almost everything, yet a vital 'something' is lacking and leaves you feeling not completely satisfied with it. Perhaps it's the way the show gradually ended... it could have taken a tad too long, which could have taken away much of the emotional impact it had intended to make.

Who should watch: Fans of superb acting and audiences with the patience to sit through lenghty and intense dialogue

Who shouldn't watch: Boxing fans, because there isn't really that much punching going on

Rating: 7.9

Film 9 Review: Constantine

2005-02-24T10:24:00.000+08:00

Sometimes I don't understand certain "professional" reviewers. When you watch a comic book movie like Constantine, what would you expect? A solid and realistic plot? Oscar-worthy acting? Come on, it's a freaking superhero movie, for God's sake. For me, it's simple... just entertain me! Cool special effects, mad explosions, crazy fight-scenes... whatever, as long as the film keeps me glued to my seat.

Constantine succeeds as a movie of its genre, because it catches my attention from the start and never lets go of it. The film is well-paced and its action scenes are pretty well-executed. Keanu Reeves is definitely a surprise choice for the lead character, since he is so different from the comic book version. Many die-hard fans may feel that he did not do the 'real' Constantine justice, but to me he is a suitable choice. Who else can personify superhero coolness as much as the post-Matrix Keanu? You can find traces of Neo in his John Constantine, which may not necessarily be a bad thing since John shares the same 'chosen one to save the world' character as Neo. In fact, I find his 'world-weariness' even came across as quite convincing... considering how much of an actor some critics think of him.

The rest of the cast probably do not deserve any mention since acting-wise they're pretty average. But this doesn't stop this flick from being one helluva enjoyable ride. Just concentrate on being entertained.

Who should watch: Casual comic book or superhero movie fans

Who shouldn't watch: Satan, if not he might get inspired

Rating: 7.8

Film 8 Review: Collateral

2005-02-24T00:51:00.000+08:00

For once, Tom Cruise isn't the good guy. I was beginning to get sick of his typecast American Hero role in every movie, perhaps apart from the dismal Vanilla Sky. Then came the role of Vincent, a hitman who is ruthless and relentless, yet at times displaying streaks of compassion and empathy towards his hired taxi driver, played by Jamie Foxx.

Sometimes you have got to 'pity' Tom Cruise. Year after year, he's hoping to get a shot at the elusive Oscar, ever since he got nominated for Jerry Maguire. Last year's majestic The Last Samurai saw his hopes of landing an Oscar nod take a blow as he was completely overshadowed by Ken Watanabe, who deservedly landed himself a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nom. Similarly this year sees Cruise taking on an uncharacteristically villanous character in Collateral in hope of fulfilling his wishes, and yet again he gets trumped by the more impressive 'supporting' performance of Jamie Foxx (strange, considering 'supporting actor' Foxx takes up more screen time than Cruise). God, he must really hate Foxx... not one but two acting noms in a year. At the end of the day, what Cruise has are just his 20 million bucks paycheck per movie to console himself with. Poor guy eh?

I didn't find Foxx's role particularly memorable, so it is a surprise that he was nominated and will be a shock if he does get the gold for this show. The movie though, is masterfully handled throughout by Michael Mann, who in my opinion, deserves an Oscar nom more than Foxx for this film. A tight story, great action scenes, steady pacing and excellent chemistry between the two leads are all characteristics of this entertaining thriller. Even the much criticised ending, which I found was not that lame and unbelivable, fails to make this overall an enjoyable movie experience.

Who should watch: Anyone who doesn't believe that Tom Cruise can actually act 'evil'

Who shouldn't watch: Taxi drivers who do night shifts

Rating: 7.7

Foot of Fury

2005-02-23T00:18:00.000+08:00

The most famous moment in soccer, bar none.

Long live King Eric.

Review lapse

2005-02-22T10:26:00.000+08:00

Too many movies caught. With the smattering slate of new releases, I'm way too far behind in reviews. So it'll be a different format from now... instead of film review 8, it'll be film 8 review etc. Can't afford to review each movie anymore.

The number of movies caught so far since Dec last year tally 12... and here are the ratings for the remaining 5 I've not reviewed.

Film 8) Collateral: 7.7
Film 9) Constantine: 7.8
Film 10) Scary Movie 3: 6.1
Film 11) Love Me If You Dare: 6.3
Film 12) Million Dollar Baby: 7.9

"Can I...?"

2005-02-22T09:34:00.000+08:00

It suddenly dawned upon me how many million times I hear this same question everyday... "Mr ****, can I go toilet (optional: please)?"

Being the nice teacher I am, I say "Yes" a million out of a million times. But what "Yes" actually means is "Huh, you want me to say no and risk giving you bladder malfunction and having your parents hounding me for the rest of my sorry existence on Earth? Not a chance. So yes, please go, even though you may not really be urgent but just wanna smoke pot in the loo."

Deaded

2005-02-22T09:05:00.000+08:00

There is no explanation why you feel so "deaded" sometimes. Here I am, sitting in my class, having absolutely no inspiration and motivation to teach, or have any lesson with my students.

"I'm not feeling very well today, so please do your own work and don't make too much noise." Mini cheers from the class. Easy way out, but I don't care. At least for today, for now.

New Industrial Road

2005-02-22T00:46:00.000+08:00

A look at archived photos do bring back fond memories of a place where many friends are made and much good times shared.

Film Review 7: Finding Neverland

2005-02-18T11:02:00.000+08:00

If you think this movie is made up of only Johnny Depp, then you'll be seriously mistaken. Never have I seen Depp being actually outshone, at times, not just by one, but by two others from the cast. No doubt his presence is commanding, but his performance alone wouldn't be substantial enough to carry the entire movie, definitely not without the outstanding efforts by Kate Winslet and Freddie Highmore.

Kate Winslet has come a long way since her very prominent but not universally "well-accepted" role in Titanic. Frankly speaking, I thought she was crap. But she has really proven her acting credentials since then, taking on one challenging role after another. In Finding Neverland, Winslet touches hearts as a widow struggling to handle her four boys and her true feelings for the married Barrie (Depp). She brings the audiences along on her emotional journey and they in turn emphatise with her in her plight.

Freddie Highmore is even more amazing; a young boy his age overshadowing the famous, Oscar-nominated Johnny Depp is truly no mean feat. Even Depp himself endorsed the massive potential this kid possesses. Forget the "has-been" Haley Joel Osment and the progressively irritating Dakota Fanning... this boy is the real deal. He is so matured and convincing beyond his years that you wonder if he's constantly possessed while acting. Or is he even acting? He is that scaringly good.

I've concentrated purely on the extremely strong cast simply because the film is really just about those characters. Finding Neverland is a simple, uncomplicated and beautiful biopic that tells a story as pure as Peter Pan the play.

Who should watch: Fans of simple story-telling through great acting; day-dreamers searching for more inspiration

Who shouldn't watch: Day-dreamers who have killer bosses; better not unleash the "potential" and risk getting the sack

Rating: 8.2

Hiatus

2005-02-18T10:28:00.000+08:00

Caught so many movies lately, but can't find the time nor energy to review them yet... crap. Teaching is sapping every ounce of writing inspiration outta my mind.

Films to review: Finding Neverland, Collateral and Constantine. Even managed to squeeze in the spastic Scary Movie 3... so that makes 4 outstanding reviews. Apart from the spastic one, all pretty entertaining in their own way, I should add. So watch this space for the upcoming movie afterthoughts ;)

Have decided to stop writing about my (mis)adventures of teaching on a weekly basis. Will update whenever something 'interesting' pops up. Like the school swimming carnival I'll be attending in 3 hours. Never been to a girls' school's one yet. Let's see... tissue, check... nose plugs, check... ok, should take care of the potential nose-bleedings.

And hope everyone likes the new look of the blog. Figured that I have enough 'blackness' in my work already, so better cheer myself up more!

Bumpings

2005-02-12T13:29:00.000+08:00

The tininess of our little island is "magnified" by the sheer ease of bumping into random people u know at the most unlikely of places.

Where: Clarke Quay
When: Lazy Sat afternoon
What: Day before an inter-school raft race

The GF and I were happily walking along a bridge at CQ, generally minding our own business and pretty much ignoring the rafts we were walking past, when...

"Mr ****!!!" Hmmm... a very nice chorus that consisted of... wait a minute... my surname?! We turned our necks and were duly greeted by a group of grinning girls sitting by their raft. Yes yes, my students. The GF was visibly traumatised; I kept my composure and managed a few sentences with the giggling convent girls.

Well there you go, one of the many perks of being a noble moulder of the nation's future.

Film Review 6: Everybody has Secrets

2005-02-11T18:26:00.000+08:00

Hmmm... why would I even bother? Well, if only to keep check of the number of movies I guess.

A Korean romantic comedy that I thought was worth watching, given the slightly above average reviews it managed to garner. Needless to say, it was a letdown.

The plot managed to sustain itself for a while, but gradually loses steam before it even reaches the half-way mark. Lee Byung Hun provides the megastar presence in the show, and it isn't tough to see why. With his chiselled good looks, suave moves and passionate gazes, which woman (or maybe even some men) can resist him? Heart-throb, yes. Convincing actor, nope. The acting's painfully exaggerated, but having said that, it doesn't mean that other Korean romantic comedies aren't. It's just that this one's perhaps not that appropriate even for an absurd story such as this. Which all adds up to this comment: over-rated.

Who should watch: A hot-blooded male whose girlfriend has 2 hottie sisters.

Who shouldn't watch: A hot-blooded male whose girlfriend has 2 hottie sisters and 1 butcher daddy.

Rating: 6.4

Film Review 5: Wimbledon

2005-02-01T01:21:00.000+08:00

Erm... no offence to Tim Henman and his fans, but here's one hell of a sporting fantasy for you: a professional British tennis player actually winning Wimbledon. Wow. Well, as all tennis fans know, such a scenario can only happen in the realm of movie magic.

Paul Bettany stars as Peter Colt, a fading tennis player who is resigned to retiring from the professional circuit with the fact that he'll have nothing to show for it. The only time I've seen Bettany was in A Beautiful Mind, which elicited a rather haunting performance from him. And so it was to my delight that he managed to fit into this role with such ease and charm, as if he had been doing romantic comedies all his life. He displays the typical British dry wit and slightly dark humour effortlessly, almost to a fault (excuse the pun). Not the best performance from Kirsten Dunst, but she does give a pretty convincing portrayal as the brash American world number one female player.

Speaking of brashness, it's a pleasant surprise to see the notoriously foul-mouthed John McEnroe in a cameo appearance, as a commentator giving his two-cent's worth during the tennis matches. His presence adds a nice touch, giving a certain "real tennis" feel to the ficticious tennis players in the film.

Despite not having real professional tennis players in the acting roles, the action sequences in the matches do look very convincing, thanks to the amazing cinematography. You certainly realise how far cinematic technology has progressed over the years when you see Bettany and Dunst belt out those groundstrokes and smashes almost as beautifully as the real-life, seasoned pros would.

All in all, an entertaining date flick that holds even more appeal for tennis fans.

Who should watch: Those who don't mind suspending their belief about British tennis to simply enjoy a lovable romantic comedy.

Who shouldn't watch: Tim Henman, all English tennis players and English tennis fans. They may actually believe they CAN really win a grandslam.

Rating: 7.5

Teaching, Week 3

2005-01-27T23:13:00.000+08:00

Here's an outdated update on Week 3... cos tomolo will be end of Week 4 already :P

Anyway, wk 3 started off with a bang... an MC on monday, hee. Made the fullest use of it by catching a film (Kinsey). It was an almost perfect Monday. Apart from being recognised by a high-profile student from 1 of my classes at Citylink. Horrors.

Week started late and ended early, Thurs being the last working day. Pretty uneventful teaching week, but a thoroughly enjoyable long weekend. Week 4 has been much more frentic... will update again after tomolo. For now, it's straight to the bed. Need the energy to really enjoy Friday... after school dismissal that is :)

2005-01-25T00:50:00.000+08:00

The Cubicle

Film Review 4: Kinsey

2005-01-19T17:31:00.000+08:00

"Let's talk about sex". The tagline, screaming for attention, in fact leads to a subtle potrayal of the truly extraordinary life of Dr. Alfred C. Kinsey.

Liam Neeson takes on the leading role with superb sensitivity, taking us on a journey through the mind of Kinsey the sex researcher and Kinsey the flawed human. As a devoted researcher of sexual behaviour in humans, his dedication is almost peerless; he persists in separating scientific discovery from real emotions. To him, science can explain everything: bisexuality, having multiple sexual partners, and even willingly allowing your own spouse to sleep with another man or woman. In his quest for scientific results, he does not think twice in sacrificing any principle or any partner, which inevitably leads to destructive consequences. You may gradually develop a great sense of pity for him, yet you may also find it hard to blame anyone but Kinsey himself for stubbornly refusing to allow his feelings to get in the way of science. Such is the contradiction of emotions you feel in the course of the film, not unlike the constant turmoil brewing in Kinsey’s heart, no matter how strong he portrays himself to be.

Laura Linney puts in a credible performance as Kinsey’s wife Clara McMillen, effectively displaying the full range of emotions in her bid to bravely stand by her husband’s every decision. My choice of “main presence in the film” goes to Peter Sarsgaard in a supporting role as Clyde Martin, a student researcher handpicked by Kinsey and a key factor in giving both Kinsey and Clara one hell of a emotional roller coaster ride. His performance is daring to say the least, yet not too overpowering that it overshadows the story’s main focus.

I would have greatly preferred the film to end with some form of closure, yet it might also seem unfair for it to do so. Kinsey’s life is an enigma that will perhaps always be so difficult to comprehend.

Who should watch: People who wouldn’t mind having their “beliefs” being challenged and openly put into question.

Who shouldn’t watch: People who strongly believe that the ratio of Adam and Eve is strictly 1:1 and that there can’t be Adams without Eves, vice versa.

Rating: 7.4

Teaching, Week 2

2005-01-17T12:55:00.000+08:00

Week 2 started well with a 2-day crash course in teaching over at Teacher's Network, not so much as the overall effectiveness, but more so the extra hour of sleep I got those 2 mornings! It was a good break from going school and the lecturer was quite entertaining and insightful. 38 years in MOE... try beating that!

All good things must come to an end and thus came Wed morning I trooped back to school. A brand new timetable greeted me and caught me totally unaware with no lesson plans in hand. So I thought up some last minute word games for my English classes. Then came the History classes on Thur and Fri, which ended up with me flopping my 1st attempts of passing off as a competent Sec 2 History teacher with (up to) Sec 2 History background. Luckily the kids weren't paying much attention anyway, heh.

In the midst of this madness did came an event which was really meaningful, to say the least. I got "arrowed" to take charge of a class to help out in packing foodstuff at Tengah Airbase for the tsunami victims. My school volunteered our students to help out the Red Cross for this good cause. I was extremely tired after a busy day of teaching and had to admit that wasn't something I was looking forward to. But what I experienced was truly touching. Throughout the 4 hours of packing, I witnessed for the 1st time what the IJ spirit was about. We were so deeply focused in our tasks at hand that it really made me wonder why the hell these girls find it so hard to pay attention in class. Oops, just ignore my spastic comment. To see the girls working so hard for a common cause was very heartening indeed. Their spirits were so high that although we were dead tired at 6pm, they still managed to shout out school cheers to congraulate each other for a job well done. In the end, we managed to pack a total of 11,100 sets that single afternoon, a truly amazing figure with just 300 plus Sec 3 students.

Well, I think I overwrote, so here's to week 3 and more History drama classes! Bye for now!

Film Review 3: Meet the Fockers

2005-01-09T14:39:00.000+08:00

Alright alright, the choice of movie has to go "downhill" someday right? Well, everyone needs a crappy movie once in a while, especially when you're in need for some mindless entertainment.

Mindless it indeed was, although not as lousy as I thought it would be. It certainly does have its moments, albeit in sporadic fashion. Some memorable gags aside (think foreskin and fondue), the film sometimes overly rely on playing around with the incredulous family name for several cheap jokes. The movie stars Ben Stiller as his usual loser-being-caught-in-ridiculous-situations self, and a strong veteran cast that includes Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand. The cast does an "alright" job, though I'm sure they are capable of much better performances. Have this sneaky feeling that they are merely going through the motions after pocketing their respective paychecks.

One character who completely stole the thunder and grabbed all the attention from the others is none other than the impossibly cute and talented "Little Jack" as De Niro's grandson, played by real-life twins, Spencer and Bradley Pricken. The 2-3 year old toddlers' performances are nothing short of incredible... you just have to watch it for yourself! The fact that he alone was probably responsible for 30% of the laughs says a lot about how "adequate" the rest of the cast were.

Disclaimer: I've not watched Meet the Parents before, so perhaps my judgement was affected? Decide for yourselves!

Who should watch: Stressed up folks who require easy laughs using minimal brainpower.

Who shouldn't watch: People who think De Niro really belongs to the mob. They should continue to think so.

Rating: 6.7

Teaching, Week 1

2005-01-09T14:27:00.000+08:00

Frankly speaking, everything's still in a daze. Too early to tell if teaching's really my cup of tea. Students have progressively settled down better, but then again, 2 new history classes beckon next week. Plus the fact that I haven't done any full-scale marking yet. The thought of that is enough to kill. Let's see how it goes from now.

Film Review 2: Big Fish

2005-01-05T02:23:00.000+08:00

Not a "current" film, but a film that I was looking forward to watch for a long time. Had the pleasure of watching it with a bunch of friends as well, in the (dis)comfort of my home, heh :P

Big Fish is a beautiful and sensitive piece of work, combining the trademark weirdness of director Tim Burton with the discovery of their true inner selves by both father and son. The cast is nothing short of impressive.... from Albert Finney as the father Edward Bloom, Ewan McGregor as the young Edward and the timelessly gorgeous Jessica Lange as the mother Sandra Bloom. Not to mention the surprise choice, French stunner Marion Cotillard as the daughter-in-law and the highly versatile Alison Lohman as the young Sandra. Even resident scene stealer Steve Buscemi makes an appearance, which further livens up the already excellent casting.

However, it is the relatively unknown Billy Crudup who left the greatest impression on me. As Will Bloom, his understated desire to be the filial son is often pecked back by his father's insistence of telling him stories that to him are merely exaggerated tales concocted by the senior Bloom. Will yearns for the truth, true facts that will enable him to understand the man he thought he never did. The most touching moment comes in the end when Will finally accepts his old man for the way he has always been. Will conjures up one last story on behalf of the dying Edward, a story befitting enough for the sending off of the master storyteller himself.

As touching as the film was, it somehow fails to reach the level of sensitivity shown in Edward Scissorshands -- to me, still the best effort from Burton. Perhaps it isn't fair to compare them because ES had THE two masters of weird, Burton and Johnny Depp, easily a perfect match to tell a perfect story. Big Fish certainly has the creative elements, if given a more consistent treatment, would no doubt have made it a more outstanding film that would've left a greater impact on audiences.

Who should watch: Those who want to sit through a good touching story with excellent and unique visuals

Who shouldn't watch: Burton fans who have set their expectations way too high since the 1st glimpse of his brilliance 15 years ago.

Rating: 7.5

Disillusionist

2005-01-05T02:03:00.000+08:00

Yes perhaps I already am one. Very disheartened in new career. Being forced to take on a teaching subject I've not touched since Sec 2 is just about all I needed. Thanks lor.

But then again, it's only Day 2 and 2 lessons down. Am I being too easily discouraged? It's really tough, esp for an untrained teacher like myself to get thrown into the very deep end immediately. A bad scenario indeed. But if I can pull thru this difficult period of time, won't this be an invaluable experience? I've gotta learn it the hard way, and that in turn will toughen me up for the future, even if eventually I do decide to switch careers.

The silver lining in every cloud sure is hard to find. Guess I just have to stare harder at those clouds :P

Mini Nike Premier League Blue Ball

2005-01-04T00:44:00.000+08:00

Souvenir from London. Couldn't stop juggling it the whole of last night, ha! Step aside Ronaldinho!

Opening Film Review: Kung Fu Hustle

2005-01-03T02:51:00.000+08:00

Stephen Chow is without doubt, the greatest comedy actor alive. Having grown up with his nonsense, he’s my constant source of inspiration for deadpan humour, silly slapstick and dry wit. So it comes as no surprise that I entered the cinema with mad anticipation; it has been 3 long years since I caught the scintillating Shaolin Soccer.

SC has long idolized Bruce Lee, and so being the director himself, is able to fulfill his childhood dreams of paying homage to his late idol and the legend of Kung Fu. The end-product is a CGI effects laden martial arts comedy fest that leaves nothing for the imagination. Which is of course, not a necessarily good comment.

The fighting scenes are top-notch, no arguments about that. A generous amount of screen time is dedicated to past Kung Fu legends who really do bring out the beauty of fist fights, wooden staff wielding and stunning footwork. Added to the effects, it is one hell of a Kung Fu film. Herein lies the problem: There is simply not enough of SC and his brand of madcap nonsense that he’s so capable of producing. The limited times when he flexed his comedic muscles were the most brilliant moments of the film, and not those when he ripped off his shirt to reveal his impressive six-pac or his little-known martial arts skills. I only wish I could laugh as hard and as much as in his previous efforts. Still, SC should be respected and admired for putting himself in a backseat and letting his love of Kung Fu take centerestage.

However, to the non-SC fanatics, this is a lovable film that will guarantee a great time in the theatre. Credit must be given to the incredible supporting cast, like the wonderfully casted Yuen Qiu as the colourful loud-mouthed (literally) landlady, who give the film the extra edge in entertainment value. There is no better way to enjoy comedies than to experience the joy of laughing heartily together with fellow audiences in the cinema.

Who should watch: Kung Fu fans and anyone who is dying for some quick laughs

Who shouldn’t watch: SC fanatics who’ll kill themselves if this isn’t as good as Shaolin Soccer

Rating: 7.7

Return of film reviews

2005-01-03T02:05:00.000+08:00

Am trying to resurrect my dying interest to talk about movies. First one coming up soon. Here's the link to my previous reviews:

http://imdb.com/user/ur2247756/comments

Pre-1st Day Jitters

2005-01-03T01:12:00.000+08:00

1.13am... can't fall asleep. Can't fathom the fact that I'll be facing a class of 40 pupils in 6-7 hrs time. Yes, the cubicle can indeed be freaked out.

Start of a new year, a brand new blog..... brilliant. This blog shall not suffer the fate of its predecessor (i.e. it shall last more than at least 1 month).