Go here to watch the trailer for the 5th Harry Potter film! Looks exciting!
Laura is an attractive 20-something woman who lives in Prague with her widowed mother. The two women muse about their love lives and diss Czech men, much like the way my friends and I diss Singaporean men. Ahaha.
As Laura has her hair fixed at her hairdresser's, she recounts her past successes and failures with men to her hairdresser who is also another woman looking for love. While on a ski trip with her second boyfriend, Laura meets Oliver, a much older man whom she is very attracted to. They fall in love, or lust really, and fall out of it on a return trip a year later to the same ski resort where they had met. Not long after the break-up, Laura sees a love letter addressed to her being plastered on many ad spaces in the subway trains. Will Oliver, who is a high-flying advertising executive, win her back with his words?
So basically this film from the Czech Republic is really a chick-flick and it's really enjoyable! It was adapted from the novel of the same name. The soundtrack's great with its collection of chill-out French songs! A recommended watch!
"The man who said 'I'd rather be lucky than good’ saw deeply into life. People are afraid to face how great a part of life is dependent on luck. It's scary to think so much is out of one's control. There are moments in a match when the ball hits the top of the net and for a split second it can either go forward or fall back. With a little luck, it goes forward and you win…or maybe it doesn’t, and you lose.”
Those are the opening lines of the film Match Point . I won't write much about the plot of since you can find it anywhere on the net. But my verdict on the movie is that it's a great watch. Romance, lust, intrigue, mystery and unexpected twists...all the elements of a great movie. Brilliant piece of writing from Woody Allen.
His steer away from his usual choice of location, Manhattan, to London is a brilliant one as the old world charm of London and its inherent class structure is a theme that's one of the backbones of the script.
Allen's choice of cast is also spot-on as the entire cast are perfectly suited for their roles. Great dialogue perfectly delivered by the cast in an entirely believable manner. The sexual chemistry between Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers' characters is so palpable and the all-round acting by the entire cast is just brilliant.
The soundtrack, comprising mostly of operatic tracks, complements the film to a hilt...heightening both the intensity and mystery...stirring the emotions of the audience.
While the film is a depressing one, it throws up many questions about life. It's a film filled with many different layers and leaves the audience pondering and shocked after it ends. It's been a long time since I left the cinema feeling the way I did after I watched it.
Is it love or lust?
Which is more important--love or money?
Is life all about luck? How much of who we are and what we become depends on luck?
I've managed to catch a few films of late and i would definitely recommend the French film Le Grande Voyage. It's a coming of age tale about a young French Muslim man who drives his elderly father from France to Mecca for his Haj, and how the road trip leads him to know his father and Islam better. Invaluable life lessons are also installed for the young man in this religious road trip.
Jarhead is also another film worth catching. Based on the novel, it is a film directed by Sam Mendes of American Beauty fame. The film is based on US Marine Anthony Swofford's memoir that gave a firsthand account of what life was like during the Gulf War in 1991. I'm normally not a fan of war movies, but I enjoyed this as it's not a typical I-kill-you-you-kill-me kind of war movie with incessant gunfire and bombings.
Memoirs of a Geisha was crap. The only things I liked about it were its cinematography, the young Japanese girl who plays the young Sayuri, Gong Li.
For a movie that's supposed to have won the Grand Jury Prize in the Cannes Film Festival, this movie was very disappointing. Bill Murray plays Don Johnston, an ageing Don Juan. In the first scene, his girlfriend Sherry, played by the wispfully beautiful Julie Delpy, is shown leaving him because of his inability to commit.
One day, Don receives a letter which is unsigned and has no return address. The letter is from a former love who informs him that he has a son who has come to look for him.
Under his good friend's instigation, Don then embarks on a journey which takes him too all his former loves in order to determine who had sent the letter.
The interesting parts of the movie are when Don meets his former loves who are played by Sharon Stone, Jessica Lange, Frances Conroy and Tilda Swinton. The ladies are really the only things that hold this movie up and make it tolerable.
Still, I didn't like the slow pace of the movie and I'm getting bored with Bill Murray always playing such dour-faced characters (think Lost in Translation). I should have gone to watch Wallace & Gromit instead. I would definitely have been more entertained by it!
In no particular order of preference:
1) Pride & Prejudice
2) Wilby Wonderful
3) March of the Penguins
4) Batman Begins (just 'cos Christian Bale looks so hot. haha.)
5) Sideways
6) Hotel Rwanda
7) Finding Neverland
8) Nobody Knows (Dare mo shiranai)
9) Closer
10) Kinsey
Had a day out with the girls at the movies yesterday. In secondary 2, we sat in class for many hours studying Pride & Prejudice for Literature lessons, and yesterday we sat in the cinema re-living memories of the text in the movie adaptation.
While purists are likely to scoff at this movie adaptation starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfayden, I am no purist, and I would say I enjoyed the movie. It's never easy condensing novels into screenplays, so I thought this movie did pretty well.
Keira Knightley is convincing as Lizzie and I think Matthew Macfayden is good-looking! Heehee. While I suppose Colin Firth has immortalised the role of Mr Darcy in the BBC mini-series, I thought Macfayden was nice to look at. The casting was good, and I thought the actors and actresses were well chosen for their roles.
Worth noting in the movie were the places and homes in which some of the scenes were shot at. Those grand manors and the English countryside were a sight to behold. Peak District was especially breath-taking. I only wished there were more scenes shot at those places. It was all so fleeting that it seemed quite a pity to go all the way to film there and show so little of it!
A recommended watch for those who have read the book, but maybe not for the purists.
It's been busy at work hence the lack of posts. But Thursday night, I took some time out to go to the drama centre at the National Library to watch Oi! Sleeping Beauty!, a musical which presents the well-known fairy tale with a local twist.
Princess Dawn (Pamela Ooi), the daughter of a Malay king 100 years ago, is cursed by an evil fairy at her one month birthday celebration. She is cursed to die when she is 16 by pricking her finger when sewing batik. One of Princess Dawn's fairy god aunties then lessens the strength of the curse by saying that she will fall into a deep sleep for 100 years when she pricks her finger, and only the kiss of her true love will wake her.
The first half of the musical concentrates on the early life of Princess Dawn and how she eventually falls into her deep sleep. The second half of the musical is about how she tries to re-find the place and the people she had known as a child 100 years ago. Modern day Singacorp, as the place is known, is now full of people who are so intent on finding money and success that they have forgotten the simple pleasures of life. Of course, this is after she is awoken by her true love.
The musical was enjoyable for the most part, but I think it was a bit ambitious in trying to pitch the musical to both children and adults. Some parts of the show were just ttooooo kindergartenish and I felt like I was back in playschool or something. Some of the humour was also a bit too slapstick for my liking.
I guess the strength of this production lies in it cast. Chua Enlai is a hoot as a gay fairy. Selena Tan, Karen Tan and Pamela Ooi are also great actresses with fantastic comic timing.
It's good family fun and something nice to do together if you have young kids.
I finally got to watch Charlie & the Chocolate Factory on the plane. When it was showing on the big screen, I wanted very badly to watch it but just never got round to doing so. But in the end, I was glad I didn't spend money watching it on the big screen.
I didn't like it at all as I found Tim Burton's interpretation of Roald Dahl's book too dark and morbid. For one thing, I didn't like Johnny Depp's Willy Wonka. He looked scary and his character seemed almost evil at some points. The Indian pygmy was scary with so many of him as different characters. The musical sequences were a little scary too. And I think the part where Willy Wonka was examining his own demons from the past and sorting out his emotional issues was just bizarre! I certainly don't remember that being in the book!
Anyway yes, didn't like the movie. Even the chocolate waterfall and river failed to entice me. Too dark, too morbid. Definitely wouldn't bring a kid to watch it.
Have I ever mentioned I love John Cusack? He's not conventionally handsome and isn't the kind of guy who hits you right away as attractive. But there's something about him that grows on you.
He and Diane Lane were precisely the reason why I chose to watch Must Love Dogs on the plane. I think Diane Lane is gorgeous. She's so elegant!
While the film is nothing ground-breaking in its storyline, the two leads make it watchable. Both are believable in their roles as recently divorced beings trying to find love again. They meet by chance when Jake's friend answers to Sarah's personal ad which had been put up for her by her sister. Both are then forced to go on the date by their well-meaning friend and sister respectively.
You feel for Lane's character, Sarah, when she feels jitters as she puts herself back into the dating scene. Cusack's character, Jake, is a jaded being when it comes to relationships. Both characters have had their hearts broken by their ex-spouses. Sarah's cautiousness is juxtaposed with Jake's intensity and both characters are a delight to watch.
And I just love Cusack's character Jake Anderson. He makes wooden scull boats by hand! Someone dedicated to the traditional craft of making wooden boats instead of the more popular and faster fibre glass ones. He offers to take Sarah on his boat and to teach her how to scull. And I'm like "teach me! teach me!" Well actually, I've learnt it before. But I don't really like it 'cos I don't like going backwards and I just can't seem to master that rowing technique which is very different from canoeing, dragonboating and outrigger canoeing. All very different strokes!
The film is like an updated version of You've Got Mail but a better one without the irritating Miss-Act-Cute-Even-Though-You're-Not Meg Ryan.
I went to meet my dark knight last night. Strong, handsome, with a beefy physique (all my friends know I love muscled men. haha.) and out battling the evils of Gotham City, he was a cool and sauve sight to behold. Ooh, Christian Bale sure fills out the batsuit well! Btw, I think he's a lot hotter than Brad Pitt in Mr & Mrs Smith!
Anyway, I think Batman Begins is the best Batman installment of all. I enjoyed the action scenes and the storyline which lets audiences learn how Batman became to be what he is. Bale does a good billionaire Bruce Wayne of Wayne Enterprises by day, cutting a sauve figure in his sharp suits, and a more magnificent dark knight by night as he flys and scoops down on evil thugs.
It's a good movie for some mindless entertainment where good triumphs over evil coupled with some kickass action. If you had to choose between watching this and Mr and Mrs Smith, I say Batman triumphs!
After watching Boeing Boeing, I’ve come to think that maybe I should be like Bernard (Lim Yu Beng) the yuppie bachelor. ‘Cept of course I’ll be the yuppie bachelorette and juggle three air stewards instead of stewardesses. One only needs an airline time table. Hehheh. But nah, I’m a one-man woman. ;p
Oh, remember how I mentioned I wanted to have my own airline? Well, I read somewhere that there IS already such an airline in operation! Apparently, a Japanese domestic airline has already recognised this niche market! Trust the Japanese to come up with the most innovative ideas.
Anyhow, the play though rather entertaining, was, to borrow some words from olduvai, rather “flat”. It was flat in that it had no sub-plot and everything revolved around how Bernard handled his three flight stewardess fiancées. I liked Jelly the Cathay Pacific air stewardess. Pamela Oei as usual, played the role with gusto and nailed the HK accent. And she looked very hot in that tight fire engine-red dress in one scene and her black underwear in another. She used to be quite plump but now she’s as svelte as anything. Must ask her how she did it!!!
Chermaine Ang was also really funny as Janet the SIA girl. One moment tigress and the next moment purring kitten, Ang tickled the audience with her portrayal of the ultimate caricature of the SIA bimbo. Junko, the JAL stewardess, was played by Emma Yong who was also pretty hilarious with her Japanese accent and her take on the die-hard romantic character.
The character which I didn’t like was Robert (Brendon Fernandez), Bernard’s friend from university who has just come for a visit from Kuching. One moment he’s also gentlemanly and geeky and the moment he sets eyes on Junko, he turns into a horny geek. Thought his character was very bizarre.
Rosa (Chari Arespacochaga), Bernard’s Filipino maid was enduring as well with her antics. Frustrated at her employer's philandering ways, she nonetheless covers up for him and caters to his and his three fiancees whims and fancies with the utmost professionalism and loyalty.
Overall, it was an enjoyable night of mindless fun and entertainment. Yah, I realise this review comes a little late as the show's run has ended already. But if it's ever staged again, just go for watch it for a night of laughs if you haven't already done so!
This year marks the first time I'm catching films that are part of the Singapore International Film Festival, now in its 18th year of inception. I must make sure I catch future film fests from now on! Apart from catching Niceland, I also caught Wilby Wonderful on Tuesday night.
Set in Wilby Island with a population of only 4,200, this Canadian film is a charmer with its take on the relationships amongst its various residents. We encounter a married couple who have drifted apart and forgotten the person they fell in love with in the first place; a strained mother-daughter relationship; an extramarital affair; a teenager discovering love for the first time and a budding homosexual relationship, amongst many intertwining connections between all these people. It's one of those 6 degrees of separation kinda thing, 'cept make this 10!
The soundtrack is also worth a mention. There were some folksy and mello alternative tunes which complemented the visuals very well. Unfortunately, I don't know who sang the songs. Darn.
Wilby Wonderful is delightfully simple with its realistic portrayals of relationships between people. It is made all the better with strong performances from its cast which includes the very cool Sandra Oh, most recently of Sideways fame.
A recommended watch if it's ever released commercially in the theatres!
I always think movies which are biographies are never a good idea. After all, how is it possible to condense someone’s life into 2/3 hours? Would that do justice to that person in question? Often, many bits of that person’s life are left untold and characters are not well developed as there is just too much to tell in that short span of time.
So while Jamie Foxx put in an Oscar-winning performance in Ray, (deservedly or not I can’t judge ‘cos I didn’t watch Leonardo Dicaprio in The Aviator and Don Cheadle in Hotel Rwanda) the film was rather boring. Ray Charles, like many of those personalities who have had their lives played out in films, is one of those larger than life characters. To try to spell out every important detail of his life would make the film a long drawn-out affair.
Ray is like The Aviator meets Million Dollar Baby. Like the former it is a biopic, and like the latter it is about overcoming obstacles and achieving the American Dream. Foxx definitely steals the show with his excellent portrayal of the late legend. He’s got Charles’ mannerisms spot on.
Credit goes to director Taylor Hackford who portrays the late legend as a real person--we are led to know that Charles was no saint. Like many musicians on the road, Charles indulged in drugs and women in the 1950s. So despite his obvious talent, we are made to feel sorry for his wife and the other women in his life with the callousness in which he treats them.
Of course, there’s lots of music in the film and it’s probably just about the only thing that keeps the film going after two hours (I eyed several people checking their watches). The film is like a 2 ½ hour Ray Charles concert and anyone erstwhile unacquainted with Ray Charles’ music will come out of the film being given a huge dose of it.
A fitting biopic of the man, but one that's more for the Ray Charles fan.
Wine and women. The stuff that men dream of, isn't it? Which is precisely what awaits Miles (Paul Giamatti) and Jack (Thomas Haden Church), when the two college buddies embark on a road trip to Santa Barbara County the week before Jack's wedding.
In Sideways, Miles is a high school English teacher and aspiring writer. He is also a wine connoisseur who happens to have a soft spot for a waitress called Maya (Virginia Madsen). Balding, plump, depressed and lacking in self-confidence, Miles is the antithesis of his bosom pal. Jack is a has-been actor who has seen better days in his by-now lacklustre career. Yet he's still sauve, full of self-confidence and is a complete ladies man.
Determined to spend quality time together by visiting wineries and playing golf, Miles is nonetheless led on a vastly path from what he had envisaged by Jack. And the latter suffering from last minute wedding jitters, embarks on some fun of his own, paving the way for a comedy of errors.
But don't be mistaken--this is no slapstick comedy. Adapted from Rex Pickett's novel, the winner of the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay written by director Alexander Payne is full of dark humour and it doesn't disappoint. The two aptly cast actors complement each other like wine and cheese. Their friendship is enduring and is the very essence of the film.
Wine idiots can also get a quick lesson in the world of wine with the characters waxing lyrical over Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blancs etc. It's like some audio-visual guide to "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wine"! Watch for the scene where Maya expounds on her love for wine to Miles. Very sensual.
Be prepared to be intoxicated by this black comedy.
If you believe in love at first sight, you never stop looking.
An intriguing tagline from a film which is defined by love, power, revenge, deceit and betrayal. Closer is a disturbing film which charts four years of the intertwining lives of four people, brought together by chance encounters, who find themselves caught up in an emotionally draining game of love.
The stunningly beautiful Natalie Portman plays Alice, an ex-stripper who goes to London, meets and falls in love with Dan (Jude Law). Dan is an obitruary writer who will then write a book using Alice's life story as the premise. Dan then meets Anna (Julia Roberts), a photographer who's in charge of taking his publicity shots. The sauve Dan finds himself incredibly drawn to Anna. Anna then meets Larry (Clive Owen), a doctor, and ends up marrying him. Dan and Anna however are never out of each other's lives. They end up having an illicit affair and watch how the drama unfolds as a consequence of it.
All four of the main characters are flawed in their own ways which makes for a good watch, 'cos really, that IS what humans are. Flawed.
Natalie Portman is brilliant as the deluded Alice in her love for Dan. Alice is like a woman-child, who's beguiling in her womanly ways but also childlike in her honesty of her love for Dan. Julia Roberts plays the fickle and weak-willed Anna convincingly, but Portman steals the show in her sensitive portrayal of the vulnerable Alice.
Jude Law is pretty good as Dan who's a wimp of a character. But as the vengeful alpha male Larry who seeks to own Anna for his own selfish pride, Clive Owen puts in a stronger performance.
Director Mike Nichols does a brilliant job of bringing audiences back and forth on a narrative that jumps from present to past and back again. The non-linear structure made for a more interesting film.
The hauntingly beautiful song "The Blower's Daughter" by Damien Rice also adds resonance to a film that's bizarrely and heartachingly lovely at the end.
If you haven't already watched Finding Neverland, please do so!!!
I won't be writing a synopsis since the URL above provides one, and also due to a lack of time. Oh ok, it's due to pure laziness.
Johnny Depp, as always, is brilliant in his portrayal of James Barrie, the author of the children's classics Peter Pan. Barrie is a character who is both man and boy at the same time. Depp turns in a sensitive performance of a man confronted with the realities of adult life, such as a crumbling marriage and societal obligations, but yet has also retained the child in him with his vivid imagination of adventures and fairy tales.
Depp excels in playing such quirky characters. Be sure to catch him as Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory come July. I'm definitely watching this movie! It's one of my favourite books from childhood! Go here for the trailer.
The four young boys playing the boys who were the inspiration for Barrie's classic charm audiences with their antics, games and dialogue. The young actor who plays Peter, the precocious child, is proving himself to be a quality actor already with the maturity displayed in his acting.
Kate Winslet who plays the feisty and independent widow and mother to the four boys, puts in a believable performance as a strong, young single mother who is nonchalant about how the conservative society of 1904 London views her friendship with Barrie. Her character, Sylvia Davies, is determined only that her sons lead as fulfilling a life as possible despite the loss of their father.
Veteran actress Julie Christie is spot on as the stern and steely grandmother, Emma du Maurier, to the boys. A character whose bark is worse than her bite, we are won over by this character at the end of the movie. Dustin Hoffman, on the other hand, is thoroughly forgettable as Barrie's patron. A pretty bland character altogether who didn't exude much screen presence.
The movie is heartachingly sweet and moving. It's been a long time since I last cried at the movies. The beauty of the movie is that it manages to bring the audience into Neverland with its beautiful sets and cinematography. An apt title, as at the end of it, I seemed to have found Neverland myself.
...yeah, you wished! But if you want to get up close and personal with the subject, go watch Kinsey, starring Liam Neeson and Laura Linney, both of whom put up very strong performances, the former as a scientist obsessed with the study of human sexual behaviour and the latter as his wife who stands by him when others forsake him. I can see Neeson, and possible Linney (for Best Supporting Actress), in the running for the Oscar for Best Actor. Fantastic screenplay too, filled with intelligent conversation interspersed with humour. A recommended watch.
Nobody Knows (Dare mo shiranai) is a charming Japanese film about how four children survive and depend on each other when their mother abandons them.
Twelve-year-old actor Yagira Yuya took the Best Actor Award in Cannes last year for his role as Akira, a boy taking charge of his siblings after their mother abandons them, leaving them to fend for themselves. He beat Tony Leung, who was nominated for his role in "2046", to the award. And deservedly so. Yuya puts in a sensitive and touching performance as a precocious 12-year-old, taking care of his three younger siblings by cooking for them, shopping for groceries, paying the bills etc. The other three children also put in wonderful performances which just tugs at your heartstrings.
The film was inspired by the real events surrounding four children, each fathered by a different man, who were abandoned by their mother and lived on their own for six months. Your heart really goes out to the children in the course of the film. Not allowed to step out of the apartment after being instructed by their mother not to do so for fear of them being discovered by the landlord and being driven away, the three younger children amuse themselves in the small flat by playing with their toys all day. Kyoko, the second oldest at 10, tinkles on her toy piano all day, wishing she could go to school.
When Akira goes in search of the different men his mother has slept with to ask them for money after he runs out of it, you feel so sorry for him. When he plays parent to his own mother (who seems to suffer from the Peter Pan syndrome), your heart all but breaks. In the last meal he has with his mother before she abandons him, he asks her when she'll be sending him and his siblings to school. He asks if she has told the man she is seeing about her children. He then accuses her of being selfish when he learns she hasn't done so. It's so sad when children are made to grow up way before they have to.
As with many Japanese films, there's an understated charm in this gem of a film. Though it drags on a little longer than necessary, it is nonetheless a film worth watching.
My list consisting only of films I watched. I didn't manage to catch all the good movies this year so forgive me if it's been excluded from this list.
1) Before Sunset -- My absolute favourite!!! Understated but absolutely charming.
2) The Motorcycle Diaries
3) Maria Full of Grace
4) The Incredibles
5) Jeux d'enfants (Love Me If You Dare)
6) The Barbarian Invasions
7) 2046
8) LOTR Trilogy (All three at one go! With the first two films in extended version)
9) Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban
10) Shrek 2
Movies I wanted to watch but didn't get to:
Fahrenheit 9/11; Supersize Me; Comme une image (Look at me); Zatochi; Springtime in a Small Town; Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter....and Spring; Collateral
Watched Ocean's Twelve last night. Definitely not as good as its prequel, Ocean's Eleven, but still ok for some mindless entertainment. Ocean's Twelve lacked the excitement, anticipation and sleekness of the first. There weren't that many good moves by these smooth criminals.
The one thing that this movie provided was lots of eye candy. I lurrrrrve George Clooney. He has such a devastating smile. He's the kinda man who looks better with age. Brad Pitt looked fabulous too, but he looks too much of a toy boy. Still, it'd be nice to have the likes of him hanging around me. Yes, in my dreams.
But I think (and so did my two other girlfriends) Catherine Zeta-Jones was the star. Man, did she look gorgeous or did she look gorgeous??? My friends and I were staring and gawking at her more than we did the men!
Anyway, Clooney and co. are welcomed to make a heist on me anytime!
Indulged in one of Singaporeans' favourite pasttimes on Saturday night and last night--caught The Incredibles and the French movie 5x2.
The former was a hoot! Brilliant and creative animation which made for a very fun watch. I love all of Pixar's productions and this one was no exception. Love this Superhero family! Now if only I could have such powers! The characters are utterly adorable!
The latter on the other hand was somewhat boring. It's basically a romance drama told backwards. It starts off with the couple in the lawyer's office finalising their divorce and then it goes chronologically backwards from there. The last part of the movie shows us how they meet. We see five different stages in their relationship hence the title I think. I didn't think very much of it 'cos there wasn't much suspense or intrigue. However I must say that the lead actress put in a very good performance. One could really feel her hurt, pain and happiness as the film progressed. Overall though, it's an OK movie but one which I thought I could have given a miss.
Maria Full of Grace is a riveting film which brings audiences into the world of drug mules who are essentially human traffickers. Maria Alvarez is a spirited 17-year-old who lives in a rural town in Colombia and earns her living by stripping thorns from the roses harvested in a rose plantation. She lives in cramped conditions with her grandmother, mother, sister and nephew who's born out of wedlock.
One day, due to a dispute with her boss at work, Maria quits and she soon finds herself becoming a drug mule in order to earn the money she desperately needs. Following that, the audience gets to see how drug mules are made to swallow 50 - 80 pellets of drugs which are wrapped in a condom or latex glove. I found myself squirming in my seat when I watched that scene. Granted it was all acting, but still the thought of how people do this in real life grossed me out.
On arriving in New York's JFK airport, they are then met by the traffickers who bring them to a seedy hotel where they are to remain until they pass out all the drugs. These drug mules are often given laxatives to aid the painful process of extracting the drugs.
If a condom is weak, it can burst inside the drug mule's stomach and cause the person to die of a drug overdose. When this happens, the ruthless traffickers often cut the drug mule's body open to extricate the drugs, after which the body is dumped. Many of these drug mules die such tragic deaths.
The cast puts up a good performance which makes the audience really feel for every one of the characters. This is especially so for the young actress who acts as Maria Alvarez. Her steely performance makes us root for the character. The film is also well paced and keeps the audience wondering what will happen to the protagonist in the end.
On reflection, it's sad to know that many people are driven to undertake such jobs due to poverty. These drug mules are so ruthlessly treated by the traffickers and if caught by US customs, they are left to fend for themselves.
In any case, the film is worth a watch.
Had a big dose of ABBA music last night! Went to watch Mamma Mia at the Esplanade with D.
Oh, it was good fun! It was a lighthearted musical which very smartly incorporated the ABBA songs into its storyline. Set on some Greek island, the story revovles round a girl's search for her father. Twenty-year-old Sophie has grown up not knowing who her father is, and now that she is about to get married, her greatest wish is to have her father walk her down the aisle.
On reading her mum's old diary, she realises that there are three men in her mother's past who could be her Dad. She secretly invites these three men to her wedding. Comic situations unfold as old loves and acquaintances meet up again, and dormant feelings are ignited.
D and I enjoyed the musical even though ABBA music wasn't really in our time! But I like their music...it's just so fun to dance to them. Yeah, so what if we're stuck in a time warp? We were one of those who stood up and danced to the music at the end of the musical. Thank goodness the people in our row were quite spontaneous. After a while, more people stood up and grooved to the music.
And I discovered that some people can be so judgmental. There was this 50-odd year old man sitting behind me who came alone. He was one of those who stood up to dance. At the end of the musical however, as he left, the four other people beside him whispered amongst themselves about how weird this man was. They were saying how weird it was that he came alone and how weird it was that he just stood up to dance!
I mean come on, I think they're the weird ones! Them repressed individuals who can't let loose and they expect others to live by their repressed ways. I just can't stand the way they judge others. Like why should you stop others from expressing themselves? And big deal if somebody goes alone. Watching a play/film/musical is essentially a very individualistic kind of activity. Think about it--do you really interact with anybody while watching it? Ok, I admit the nice thing about going with somebody is that you can talk about it later. But seriously, do most people really dissect what they watch these days? Hardly. Anyways, I was pissed off by the comments of those narrowminded people.
Oh, before the show, D and I had dinner at the Beijing La Mian Kitchen at Colours by the Bay. I ordered a bowl of Zhajiang Mian and some XiaoLongBao, both of which are favourite dishes of mine. Zhajiang Mian is like the Chinese equivalent of Spaghetti Bolognese. The food at Beijing La Mian Kitchen is pretty good. I enjoyed my meal.
After the show ended, we went to Max Brenner (Chocolate by the Bald Man) as we had this craving for chocolate. And what better way to get a chocolate fix then to go to Max Brenner? I had the famous Suckao--the chocolate shot, while D had some ice cream toffee thingy. I ordered dark chocolate bits. No other chocolate does it for me. The Suckao is actually hot chocolate. The warm milk is served in a mini pitcher and you have to pour this milk into the specially designed cup with a tealight candle at the bottom. The heat helps to melt the chocolate bits into the milk as you dump the bits in it, stir and suck it up with that specially designed straw which also acts as a spoon. I first had the Suckao in Sydney when I visited six years ago. I love it just as much as I did when I tasted it in its outlet at Oxford Street. I'm glad it came to Singapore!
When the waiter brought me the chocolate bits, I looked at the pale brown colour and asked if that was really dark chocolate. Sure enough, they had gotten my order wrong. I KNOW my chocolate ok. I slurped up my warm chocolate shot with gleeful relish. You should have seen the look of satisfaction on my face. D thought I was nuts. Oh, it was the perfect fix after coming out of the cold theatre.
Also tried one of the chocolates there. It was a dark chocolate ganache with lavendar flowers. Fancy name, but somehow I failed to taste the lavendar. But then again, I really don't know what lavendar flowers taste like! One small morsel cost me $2! Bloody expensive...almost as expensive as the Godivas! But it was pretty good.
So anyways, it was an enjoyable evening.
The most anticipated Chinese film of the year, 2046, isn't to me, as nice as its prequel, but it was enjoyable enough.
In 2046 Tony Leung reprises the role of Chow Mo Wan in In the Mood For Love. However, instead of the brooding and stoically silent man he was in the prequel, he now plays a roguish cad who writes erotic novels for a living and becomes a Casanova.
The year is 1966, and upon his return to Hong Kong after spending a few years in Singapore, Chow takes residence in a rented room in a seedy hotel. He is intrigued by the hotel owner's elder daughter, Jingwen, played by Faye Wong.
Jingwen is a lovelorn woman torn between her father and her Japanese lover played by Japanese heartthrob Takuya Kimura. Her father objects to their relationship and she is unable to bring herself to desert her father when her lover asks her to leave with him.
Faye Wong puts in an acceptable performance but really, she seems to be playing the same role as she did in Chungking Express, one of director Wong Kar Wai's earlier films. She twirls around like a sparrow (she certainly looks like eats like one judging by her waif-like body and jutting collarbones), looks forlorn with those doeful eyes, and utters a couple of lines. Nothing groundbreaking if you ask me. Takuya Kimura is also somewhat bland and is
forgettable.
When Jingwen's lover leaves, she strikes up a friendship with Chow who finds himself falling for her as the days go by. This time however, he finds that there is a woman immune to his charms.
Zhang Ziyi plays Bai Ling, a prostitue who stays in 2046, who finds herself susceptible to the charms of the Chow, the ultimate woman's man. Zhang Ziyi carries off her role with enough coquetry and one is able to feel sorry for her when Chow rejects her love. Zhang Ziyi looks good in her cheongsams, but not nearly as good as Maggie Cheung did in the prequel. The latter's wardrobe of cheongsams is to-die-for, and that body of hers more so!
Gong Li plays Su Lizhen, the other woman in Chow's life. Her character is the namesake of Chow's lover in In the Mood for Love played by beautiful Maggie Cheung. We also feel for her character when we learn that he doesn't really love her, but is only trying to find his former love in her.
Though these two Chinese actresses are good thespians in their own right, they don't sizzle as much on screen with Tony Leung as Maggie Cheung does. The chemistry between the leads which was so evident in In the Mood for Love seems to be somewhat lacking in 2046.
I was looking forward to Chang Chen's appearance but it was all too fleeting. He was the drummer boyfriend of Carina Lau's rather forgettable cabaret girl character, but he came and gone in a flash!
I thoroughly enjoyed the soundtrack though. Comprised mostly of instrumental tracks, it went from the classical melancholic strains of the violin, to Nat King Cole's warm rendition of Chestnuts Roasting, to the female soprano's soaring voice in an opera, and to the carabet sounds of Hong Kong in the 1960s. The music complemented the visuals brilliantly.
Chow Mo Wan's musings on love stirs gently, but it doesn't shake. The film's theme of lost love and missed opportunities is played out subtly, interspersed with comic one-liners uttered by Chow, which serves to save the film from tedium. Overall, I still prefer In the Mood for Love, but this movie is still a worth a watch nonetheless.
My girlfriends and I came out of the cinema last night wishing we were sipping coffee at a cafe along the streets of Paris and having intellectual conversation with an Ethan Hawke lookalike. We were in a dream-like mode after watching Before Sunset.
The opening seconds of the film draws you in with the streets of Paris and the sounds of jazz and the slightly raspy but soothing female voice (I think it's Julie Delpy's). You can just feel the Parisian charm working its way into your psyche.
So Jesse and Celine meet again in Paris after nine years at his bookreading in her favourite bookstore. He has a plane to catch that evening back to New York where he now lives with his wife and young son.
They pick up where they left off and clearly their chemistry still sizzles. They catch up with each other lives, talk about world issues, and then veering into minuscule things that affect us in our daily lives, and their conversation is peppered with little jibes and jokes at each other. It's the sort of conversation one would have on the perfect date....you can talk about anything and everything under the sun.
The prequel, Before Sunrise, was sweet and ended on an optismistic note. But I think Before Sunset is a lot more poignant and wistful as we learn about how that chance encounter nine years ago affected these two individuals. Evidently, each had never forgotten the other. And so many What Ifs...
Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy are perfect in their roles and deliver perfectly believeable performances as two people having a good conversation with a long-lost friend. One almost feels like a voyeur and an eavesdropper while watching the film.
Maybe it's because I'm still somewhat idealistic and hopeful when it comes to love, so that's why I love this film. Definitely one of my favs of this year.
Went to watch the British version of American playwright Neil Simon's play called 'Rumours' last night. The play's about a group of high society people going to a 10th wedding anniversary party only to find that the host has shot himself with the bullet going through his earlobe in an attempted suicide. A comedy of errors ensues as they try to cover the fiasco for fear of ruining the host's and their reputations.
Helmed by a British cast, the play reminded me of a PG Wodehouse novel as it unfolded. It made for a good night of laughs and was a good pick-me-up!
After the play, my friends and I went for supper at a coffee shop along Liang Seah Street. I had fried tang hoon (glass noodles), my friends had beef hor fun, fried hor fun, and fried bee hoon. We were relishing the food which was good AND cheap! Even the staff were so friendly. They left before we did (fancy that!) 'cos it was around 11.20pm already. As they were leaving, they bid us and another table of customers farewell with great enthusiasm! We were pleasantly surprised 'cos the way these aunties said bye, you would think they have known us forever. Haha.
Anyway, I definitely recommend that coffee shop for a quick and good eat!
Went to watch The Motorcycle Diaries last night. Wished I could write more about it now, but I don't have the time. But it's a brilliant film. A must watch!
(Girls, if not for anything, go watch it for the very delectable Gael Garcia Bernal. He's sssooooo cute...I was sent to Droolsville. Seriously though, his looks are secondary to the film.)
So I went to watch Les Choristes on Tuesday. I ended up going on my own. Couldn't be bothered to wait around. There's only so much of the waiting game one can play in life, and I seriously think this principle belongs to things major and minor. On the flip side, I suppose you could say patience and perseverance pays off. But I am by nature impatient and somewhat rash. Waiting annoys me.
But I digress.
Set in France in 1949, Les Choristes (The Choir Boys) is a charming French film about a group of boys who form a choir in a boarding school called Le Fond de l'Etang (meaning the bottom of the pond) for orphans, boys from broken homes and juvenile delinquents.
The film opens with a famous conductor Pierre Morhange receiving a phone call notifying him of his mother's death in France. From New York, he makes his way back to the quaint and idyllic village of his childhood.
On returning home, he is paid a visit by a childhood classmate, Pepinot, who hands him an old diary left behind for him by their music teacher Clement Mathieu in their old boarding school.
As Pierre flips the diary, we're transported back in time to see the events unfold through Mathieu's eyes. A talented but unrecognised and jaded musician, Mathieu ends up finding work as a supervisor in Le Fond de l'Etang. He is disgusted by the principal's brutal disciplinary measures but is helpless. The boys are also rebellious and rowdy, having been always dismissed as being useless and beyond redemption by the principal.
Mathieu however, decides to try an experiment--he attempts to use music to tame the savage beasts. Though having previously vowed never to take up music again, Mathieu decides to use music to help the boys by getting them to form a choir. Though reluctant participants at first, the boys soon warm to the music and are practising hard, with their discipline improving along the way. Amongst them, Mathieu discovers that Pierre Morhange, a single child of an unwed mother, has the voice of an angel and decides to nurture his talent.
Pierre, showing immense interest and talent, is soon singing all the solo parts of the songs that Mathieu painstakingly writes for his charges every night. The boys' diligence extends to practising at night secretly in their dormitory when the mean principal decides to disband the choir.
The storyline is nothing ground breaking, as there have been numerous films on teacher-student relationships. What this film has however, is a charming cast of characters which though rather stereotypical, are still nonetheless absolutely charming.
There are many touching moments in the film--when Mathieu tells his class to inform their parents about the visiting hours, one boy says to him that he has no parents. Pepinot, the five-year-old orphan whose parents were killed in the Nazi Occupation, keeps standing at the school gate in the belief that his father will come to get him as no one has the heart to tell him his parents have died. Instead they tell him that his father will come on Saturday, and this lie is repeated week after week.
Credit has to be given to the fine acting by the boys in helming this film. Every one of them is brilliant in their respective roles. The teenager who acts as Pierre Morhange looks set to be the next French James Dean of his generation with his soulful eyes and brooding good looks. And what a voice he has!
Watch the film also for its fantastic music--there is something haunting and soul-stirring about choral music. The boys did a magnificent job in bringing out the meaning of the lyrics of the songs. On many occasions in the film, I felt myself rather overwhelmed by the emotions being stirred in me as I listened to the boys sing.
Les Choristes is a gem of a film!
Went to watch a Korean film called Old Boy courtesy of a free ticket from Monomania. This film won the Grand Prize of the Jury at this year's Cannes International Film Festival.
The plot centres around a man called Oh Dae-su who finds himself kidnapped and imprisoned in a room for 15 years with just a TV for company. However, he never finds out why. During his imprisonment, he gets all sorts of hallucinations like himself being attacked by an army of ants and the passing of time is indicated by a series of clocks ticking away. The ants and the clocks made the scene very reminiscent of a surrealistic Dali painting. Dream-like and very confusing at times. From the TV, he also finds out that he has been framed for his wife's murder.
Upon his release 15 years later, he is given a wallet filled with money and a mobile phone. An unknown man then calls him and taunts him to find out the reason for his imprisonment. Dae-Su then sets out to take revenge and goes in search of his captor, and also to uncover the reason behind his imprisonment. The audience is taken on this wild ride filled with mystery, suspense, sex and violence.
It's a disturbing film with an extremely bizarre storyline. Be prepared to be shocked and taken out of your comfort zone. Definitely not mainstream movie fare, but worth a watch for its shock value.
Set in 859AD in the declining Tang Dynasty, The House of Flying Daggers <<十面埋伏>>, critically acclaimed Chinese director Zhang Yimou's latest film, centres around three protagonists.
Unrest is rampant and rebel armies are forming throughout the land. One of them, "The House of Flying Daggers" has become very powerful and is proving to be a menace to the government forces.
Two constables, Jin and Leo, played respectively by the very delectable Takeshi Kaneshiro and the once-delectable Andy Lau, set out to uncover the identity of the mysterious leader of this powerful sect, in a bid to quell this group of rebels.
Jin and Leo find out that Mei, the blind but beautiful courtesan in Peony Pavilion, played by the current It-girl of Chinese cinema Zhang Ziyi, is a member of the sect. They believe her to be the blind daughter of the sect's former leader and imprison her after she delivers a spectular dance performance coupled with some kungfu moves in the opening ten minutes of the film.
Seriously, Chinese dance never looked so good. That seemed to set the tone for the rest of the film. Just lots of action, but wafer-thin in terms of plot and dialogue--much lacking in heart.
Jin, the deputy captain, is then sent on a mission by Leo to find out who the leader is by pretending to rescue Mei from prison and bringing her back to her people. Along the way, while battling government soldiers sent by some big-shot general, Jin and Mei, being the hot-blooded heterosexuals that they are, naturally fall in love. Like duh. Could there be any way around it???
BUT Mei also happens to be the love of Leo's life. How so? That I'll leave it to you to find out. So a love triangle ensues, and as with all martial art flicks, this often ends tragically.
Kaneshiro delivers an acceptable but somewhat forgettable performance as a glib-tongue and skirt-chasing male who becomes a reformed rake in the end. Lau doesn't quite cut it as a betrayed lover, while Zhang seems to be stuck in the same role she has played in all her previous big production martial art flicks.
Frankly, I'm sick of seeing her in all these Chinese martial art films. She doesn't seem to be able to get out of the role she played in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (卧虎藏龙) . Yeah, she was great in that, but seeing her do it again in Hero (英雄) and now The House of Flying Daggers, is just a plain bore.
Of course, Takeshi Kaneshiro was the highlight for me and my movie companion. Granted, his performance wasn't exactly the best one, he nonetheless made for fine eye-candy. I mean, that guy's a dish!
The film's cinematography is one of its saving grace. Though extremely reminiscent of Hero, it is nonetheless a joy to see the lush greenery, bamboo forests, the various shades of red, orange and yellow of the autumn leaves, and the winter landscape in the closing minutes of the film. Goodness, now I've made it sound like some NatGeo documentary. But that's an idea--NatGeo could try for the distribution rights.
Another redeeming factor was its lavish costumes and sets, showcased largely in the beginning part of the film in the Peony Pavilion. It was a fine display of Chinese culture and heritage with the elaborate and intricate costumes, the musical instruments and the architectural details of the set.
The action sequences and fight scenes were exciting enough for a martial arts flick. Flying daggers, bamboo spikes spiralling through the air, high kicks, dazzling swordplay and blood splatter all made to look really poetic and lyrical using bullet-motion photography (à la The Matrix), seem to be requisite of all Chinese martial arts flicks.
The score, which was pretty good throughout the film, made use of traditional Chinese instruments like the Chinese drums and many Chinese string instruments like the Guzheng and Pipa, just to name a few (basically these are the only ones I know!). It was however, a big letdown in the closing scene just as the credits came on. Very bizarrely, a woman's voice singing in ENGLISH in an operatic manner, comes on to the accompaniment of traditional Chinese instrumental music. Somehow, it just felt very wrong to have a song sung in English here.
Takeshi Kaneshiro had better chemistry with Zhang Ziyi than Andy Lau did. Watching Andy Lau and Zhang Ziyi in a scene together where they are supposed to be lovers who see each other for the first time in three years, was strangely avuncular. I was not surprised that Mei falls for Jin instead. I would too.
The House of Flying Daggers is let down by a clichéd storyline, tacky lines, trite art direction and action sequences. D & I found ourselves laughing at many of the cheesy lines and scenes which were meant to be romantic! A scene which saw Jin and Leo engaged in a duel, left D & me in stitches as it resembled a pair of tumble tots rolling around in the snow. A pair of bulls locking horns on the NatGeo channel would have made for more graceful battle of fists. And we weren't the only ones laughing!
Zhang Yimou seems to be trapped--he's making the same mistakes as he did with Hero. I mean, he really shouldn't take the title of his latest film so literally! <<十面埋伏>> means to be trapped by one's enemies, in case anyone's wondering.
He doesn't slice through any new ground with his second martial arts film--this house of flying daggers scores more misses than hits.
Watched The Notebook last night, tickets courtesy of a friend who got free tickets for the press screening.
The movie was ok....it's based on the novel of the same title by Nicholas Sparks. That book was a bestseller couple of years back. My 100-acre-wood group were so enthralled by it that I think all of us, except VanTan has a copy of it lying on our bookshelves.
A romance novel, but not like those along the lines of those tacky and cheesy ones, it centres around the love between a rich Southern belle and a working class lad. Well yeah, very typical rich-girl-poor-boy story. It's set in the 1940s, and you know the thing--Parental objection, they separate, girl find new guy after a number of years, but eventually finds her way back to her first love.
Maybe I'm just jaded, but I felt that some of the lines in the film were rather tacky and cliched. Frankly, I enjoyed the book more...I remember that it seemed to touch me more. I suppose a few years back, I was younger and less cynical?
The film is nothing ground-breaking or earth-shattering, but it's watchable. Watch it to renew your belief that love runs through the course of time, and that the line "I'll stand by you in sickness and in health" uttered during marriage vows stands true.
By the end of the movie, there were many wet eyes (mostly belonging to the women) in the cinema. My friend's eyes were moist with tears too. As for me, the only reason why I was sniffling was because I was still sick with the flu I had come down with on the flight back from Beijing.
Strictly for the die-hard romantics.
And oh, on a bimbotic note (for the women), watch out for the clothes the female protagonist dons! Her clothes of the 1940s fashion are ssssooooo gorgeous and classy!
I watched Before Sunrise last night on vcd and found it pretty enjoyable. I know I'm nine years late in watching the film...hell, the sequel Before Sunset is out already!
I know that monomania loves the film (and I trust her taste) so I decided that I had to watch it before watching the sequel which monoceros has written about.
Before Sunrise is really a long conversation between two twentysomethings who meet on a train by chance and find a real connection between them. Jesse (Ethan Hawke) then asks Celine (Julie Delpy) to get off the train to spend a day with him in Vienna before he flies back to New York the next morning.
So we follow them as they muse about life, their hopes and dreams for the future as they explore the romantic city of Vienna. Jesse and Celine make the most of their few hours together and it's the transient nature of their relationship which makes their time together so beautiful. So bittersweet.
Hawke and Delpy put up perfectly believeable performances as two young souls caught up in the magic of the moment.
The charm of this understated film lies in the conversations the two protagonists engage in. Kudos to the writers who have managed to voice out the thoughts that many people have.
I'm looking forward to Before Sunset to see where the protagonists end up nine years on.
I watched Troy on Wed night and I wasn't impressed. All the war and fighting was a long drawn-out affair. I mean, granted the actual Trojan War lasted 10 years, but still.
Also, something must be very wrong with me - Pitt's Achilles didn't turn me on.
Everyone's raving about Brad Pitt, but I think the attractive one in Troy is Eric Bana's ruggedly handsome Hector.
In terms of physique, I don't think Bana lost out to Pitt in any way. Granted, Pitt's bod was fantastic. Divinely sculpted. Rippling muscles. But Bana's was just as good and I prefer Bana's dark looks. I've never had a thing for blondes.
Achilles' renegade attitude didn't appeal to me one bit. The character's one arrogant prick.
Prince Hector, on the other hand, is my type of guy. He's strong, stoic, loyal, wise, sensitive and he's the perfect son, husband & father. *swoon* Give Hector to me!!!!
I've also concluded that Orlando Bloom is a one-hit wonder. Apart from wielding the bow and arrow with great dexterity, he can't do very much else. In Troy as Prince Paris, he's also an archer à la Legolas in LOTR.
Prince Paris is one pathetic lover-boy to Helen. Bloom's so wooden in his acting that if I were Helen, I would have offered to be Hector's second wife instead upon laying eyes on him. Paris is an annoying character - such a wimp! His only saving grace is that he shows a bit of grit at the end of the film.
The Helen-Paris romance was cheesy to say the least. The lines spouted were tacky and the chemistry between the two thespians was non-existent. Helen, played by Diane Kruger, was pretty enough, but in a rather vacuous way. Orlando Bloom should just stick to his long blonde tresses in LOTR. The Greek hairstyle doesn't work on him.
I also fear that I may be becoming a cynic. I have a friend who cried while watching the film. I was waiting for a scene(s) to make my eyes water but the moment never came. There were some touching scenes (which I won't describe in case I spoil the film for anyone who hasn't watched it), but not moving enough to wring tears.
In addition, the music reminds me too much of Gladiator. James Horner's composition with the female singer's melancholic voice which comes on ever so often is a rip-off from Hans Zimmerman.
As for the battle scenes, if you've seen LOTR: Return of the King, the ones in Troy pale in comparison.
So there you have the DSD's bimbotic take on Troy. Go here to read a more detailed review by my friend Monkey.
Yes! The musical Mamma Mia is coming to Singapore in September!
Oh, I can't miss out on it this time round! I missed it while I was in Sydney 'cos I couldn't find anyone to go with. Then AFTER it finished its run, I discovered that Monkey was looking for someone to watch it with as well. Bummer. We place the blame on Chungking for not getting his act together and introducing us sooner.
In any case, I'm definitely making a grab for those tickets. The DimSumDolly will become the Dancing Dolly on that night! Lalalalalala......
p.s. Monkey, can I entice you to visit Singapore with free tickets to the musical??? :p
Went to see a performance at the new arts house last night. It was by an American group called "Baby Wants Candy".
The group, made up of three men and two women, threw candies to the audience as they made their entrance. Like yeah!!! Treats!!! But I didn't manage to get hands on any. boohoohoo.
Basically, the whole performance was unrehearsed and 100% impromptu. It's done in very much the same style as the hit TV show 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?'. Here's how it works - Members of the audience are asked to give suggestions with regard to the setting, the characters, the objects etc, and the actors act out an improvised skit.
These actors are amazingly talented and quick-witted. The speed in which they can get into character and spout hilarious lines is incredible! I salute them! The hour long performance was a hoot! I don't think I've ever laughed so much in an hour!
The group will be performing for the rest of the week as part of the celebrations for the opening of the new arts house which is the old parliament house. Definitely a performance to catch just for some laughs!
I survived the Lord of the Rings movie marathon! Just got home...feel like a zombie now. I spent a total of 11 hours in the cinema, from 8:15pm - 7:15am. Oh man, I won't be doing this again. The extended editions of Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers were shown while the theatrical release of Return of the King was shown.
It is actually kinda good watching all 3 at a go. At the end of it, I felt like I too had gone on the long journey that was taken by Frodo & co.
Anyway, it's nap time now! ZZZzzzzzzzz.........
If life were but a game, how would you play it? In the French film "Love Me If You Dare", the two protagonists Julien and Sophie, go through life as if it were a game where only the two of them are players. Nothing really matters apart from winning.
From the very start of their friendship as children, Julien and Sophie are constantly putting each other up to a dare. They share a toy box which bears the picture of a carousel, and to win the box back, the person has to perform the dare that he/she has been put up to. This game of dares extends into adulthood, sometimes bearing dreadful consequences.
Watch for the funny antics that Julien and Sophie get up to as children. In adulthood, their relationship extends beyond friendship, bringing with it joy, sorrow, jealousy, death and love.
Sorry about the sucky review. I really need to go for a writing workshop on how to write reviews. I shall stop here and shan't subject my readers to too much of it. It has to be said that the lines, cinematography, editing, music and acting are fantastic. This charming film with its quirky script is a must-watch!
Just got back from the movies. Mona Lisa Smile was good, but I reckon it's more a chick-flick. A good movie to go to with one's girlfriends. Wellesley College's all-female environment reminded me a little of Singapore Chinese Girls' School (SCGS) where I studied for 10 years and made some of my best friends there.
But the similarity ends there. Thankfully at SCGS, teachers didn't mold us only to become wives and I don't think any of us wanted that to be the only goal in life. A recent commentary by a journalist at The Straits Times suggested otherwise and it sparked off much protest from present and past SCGS girls alike. That article made us out to be gold-diggers all out to snag a rich husband so as to lead the life of a tai-tai. Naturally, my friends and I were livid after reading the article.
Anyway, I won't write very much since I really suck at writing reviews. I would say though that the cast put up a good performance and I thought Maggie Gyllenhaal put up a fine performance as a rebel. Kirsten Dunst shone as well with her role as resident bitch. Look out also for Tori Amos' cameo appearance. She's one fine singer. Speaking of music, the movie soundtrack is pretty good as well. It's filled with jazzy numbers which I absolutely adore.
Oh yes, I really liked the clothes in the film too! Heehee.
Return of the King definitely has to be THE movie of the year for me. What a superb end to this amazing film trilogy! I was completely blown away by all the epic battle scenes, the superb animation, the sets, the costumes, the lovely cinematography and breathtaking scenes of New Zealand's landscape.
Some highlights for me:
Aragon the King. Ah, what courage, what stature, what presence, what leadership!!!!! It's just too bad Arwen got to him first. Dammit.
Legolas, the handsome Elf who is the only one who always looks cleanshaven throughout the whole film, is the new Tarzan I tell you. The way he swings up and down that gargantuous elephant would leave Tarzan trailing in his wake. Those lovely blond tresses of his make me want to run my fingers through them as he shoots arrows through my heart.
Eomer the leader of the Riders of Rohan. Boy, are these group of equestrians cool or are they cool??? Of course, Eomer is the coolest one of the group.
Faramir the younger (and better-looking son) of Lord Denethor, Steward of Gondor. My heart went out to this ranger as he tried so hard to win his father's affection. Thank god he survived the battle and his father's attempt of burning him at the stake. Then he ends up with Eowyn. Bugger.
So anyway, enough of my nonsense. In all seriousness, I think director Peter Jackson has done great with Tolkien's Lord of the Rings with this film trilogy of his. All the groundbreaking technology, animation and ways in film-making with these three films earns him my utmost admiration. I hope the Academy gives him due recognition at the next Oscars, 'cos he certainly deserves it!
Go here to read a much better review written by my dear friend Monoceros.
Nigel Kennedy is AWESOME. The concert of his which I went to last night was one of the best I've ever been to. Nigel Kennedy's brilliance as a violin virtuoso was undeniable as he bowed his way through the many violin concertoes, the most famous four being The Four Seasons by Vivaldi which was played in the second half. In the first half he played four other concertoes by Vivaldi. In both halves of the concert, he also gave the audience more than they paid for by performing some extra pieces which were not in the programme.
Known as the bad boy of the classical music world, Kennedy came on stage spotting a mohawk-inspired hairdo, black leather jacket and his white shirt tucked out. He is known to spout expletives in his sentences (and he did do so last night!) but we love this bad boy.
What really impressed me was his rapport with the audience. This was very unlike the staid classical music concert one usually goes to. He charmed the audience with good-humoured chatter and engaged audiences with his friendliness as he knocked knuckles with audiences in the front row. That's his form of handshake. Once, he even asked one member of the audience for the programme so that he could check which piece he was supposed to play next.
Kennedy's passion, high energy, good humour and fierce virtuosity clearly inspired the rest of the chamber orchestra who delivered a fine performance. At the end of each movement, he made sure to acknowledge his team by knocking knuckles with one or two of the guys and kissing one or two of the ladies' hands. Kennedy was a bundle of energy. He never sat down at all. All the time he was playing, he was standing up, moving around the stage, stomping a foot now and then, jerking a knee as a note goes up.
I love this description from a review of the concert in The Sydney Morning Herald:
"In an effort to make the individual moment vivid, or interesting, he lunges and pulls back, cherishes one phrase and grinds another into the dust, always discarding the husk to cherish the kernel of immediacy and excitement at the centre of the musical experience. A terrible beauty is born."
At the end of L'Inverno (Winter), Kennedy strode off stage and came back on with a football in hand. Known to be a big fan of the football club Aston Villa, Kennedy kicked the autographed Aston Villa football into the audience. How cool's that???
During the encore, he showcased his musical diversity by playing rock legend Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze" and an Irish jig. During the Jimi Hendrix number he even got off the stage and interacted with the audience.
The audience clearly loved him and we lapped up all his humour together with the lovely music. There was so much laughter throughout the night.
The concert was meant to end at 10:10pm but it ended an hour later with all the extra pieces and the encore he performed. I can't believe some people actually left early. They started leaving before Kennedy and team came back on stage to take their bows after they exited. It's so rude to not acknowledge the performers for such a brilliant show. Oh well, it was those people's loss 'cos they missed the football kicking and the encore pieces. Kennedy and team received a standing ovation from most people, and deservedly so!
Nigel Kennedy's one helluva performer. And to hear The Four Seasons being played by him, probably his most famous recording ever, was an amazing experience. Unforgettable.
I thought I should perhaps give a little history into the choice of domain name. I got the name DimSumDolly after watching a play called "Steaming!". The three protagonists played by Selena Tan, Pamela Oei and Emma Yong call themselves the "Dim Sum Dollies". In "Steaming!", they sashay in and out of different costumes, celebrating and poking fun at all things women. Though some of the humour was a little slapstick, it was nonetheless a night of laughs. Definitely a chick-flick.
In the programme, the reasons stated for calling themselves the Dim Sum Dollies were:
1) Being the typical Singaporean, they love to eat.
2) Dim Sum almost always comes in threes.
3) Dim Sum comes in a wide variety - just like the fact that they are playing a wide variety of characters.
Yes yes, I know I wasn't very original in thinking of a domain name, but I really liked dimsumdolly 'cos the name had this element of fun. It also suited me 'cos I love eating dimsum. It's probably my favourite Chinese food. (Incidentally, the Chinese restaurants in Sydney serve fantastic dimsum. It's a dimsum-lover haven!) Yep, I'm sssooooo typically Singaporean in my love of food. :p
The wide variety of dimsum also alludes to the wide variety of things I will be writing about in my blog. The contents of the blog will be a bit about everything that goes on around me and in my life.
So there, I hope all of you who surf by will enjoy your "visit", and please feel free to leave a comment or two!