For more Taiwanese brands clothing and accessories, visit XSQUAD online or head down to the outlet at The Cathay!
I had high expectations...therefore, it fell a little short. Nevertheless, the ice-skaing and circus stunts are amazing. The glittering and colourful costumes are spectacular...if only there were more performers in a larger area, the carnival atmosphere will be much better.
Old Dogs opens in cinema 31 Dec 2009!
[sci-fi, horror, thriller]
Interview by Razor TV.
Can you see my vampish gold eyes?
The Edward Cullen wannabes.
All the contestants didn't go home empty-handed.
Once again, the December collection from the Black Dog Store is out and I bought two shirts and a blazer, which are yet to arrive. Stuff looks great!
I took a gamble and bought this pair of checkered jeans from Uniqlo. Hope it won't be a fashion boo-boo.
Yuan named this "little red shoes"...but I don't see them as little. Bought from Leftfoot, it is a Converse Jack Purcell edition and comes with two sets of laces, white and red. Which is nicer?
Finally, I got a "Prada bag"...that's what Darryl said. Well, I'm neither rich or go for branded goods so this is not Prada. Haha!
It is just a multi-functional nylon tote bag that's classy. (:
BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS (十月圍城)
[action, historical, drama]
high-priority
Yummy Rochers!
Facade of the Mandarin Gallery.
Fashionista reindeers.
Eeks...so snobbish!
Mont Blanc at Mandarin Gallery...opening soon.
The long escalator at Orchard Central.
Bird's eye view of Centrepoint.
313 Somerset...lame name. So uncreative.
The eye-sore Christmas tree at Hereen. Lol!
The cover of the 1000th issue.
A life-size mannequin dressed in one of the 8 DAYS covers-inspired outfit.
The Polo Boys were there to add some muscle and good looks to the launch...Julian, Kiwi and Nat.
Kiwi attempting to kiss Nat?
And now Julian wants a lick.
The next few photos are dedicated to all Nat Ho fans...all the expressions captured! Enjoy :)
Rebecca Lim who is going to star in an upcoming law drama, The Pupil, on Ch 5.
Singapore Idol finalists Sezairi and Sylvia.
The homely set-up displaying all the covers of the past 999 issues of 8DAYS. The exhibition is now on at Iluma till 17 Dec.
I love this artwork adorning a yet-to-open shop at Iluma.
A colourful family of Christmas trees.
There were Cosplayers at the event too.
I got my copy of the 1000th issue. Go grab yours at all newsstands today!
And received a 8DAYS rubiks cube after plowing through 10 questions on the past covers.
Since I was at Iluma, decided to check out some stores there and bought these two tees. Bling bling!
Let's go behind the scenes...
The photoshoot set-up...and that's me being shot.
Since the photoshoot was done in batches, these were the friends from my batch.
The guys...myself, Joshua and Adam.
Freda and I...thanks to her for capturing these unofficial photos. (:
Checkout the GYSB website HERE!
A PERFECT GETAWAY
[thriller, suspense]
mid-priority
THE PRIVATE LIVES OF PIPPA LEE
[drama]
mid-priority
PLANET 51
[cg animation]
mid-priority
THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
[animation]
low-priority
This soliloquy performance by Robin Goh rocks! What a talent this guy is. Filled with emotions that tell a story of love and lost, of life and death, I totally connected to it. Robin sings to jazz tunes played by Julian Wong on the piano. It is playing at the Arts House so grab your tickets now...and get emo!
This Broadway Beng cracked a joke about Nan Qiao Primay School such that I laughed so hard; my stiff neck became worse. But I totally had great fun! It is an amazing performance by Sebastian Tan once again, but this time at the Esplanade. I love his first and last costumes which are bling bling. Shows run till 12 Dec so head down to our iconic Esplanade to jiak liu lian with Singapore's very own Broadway Beng!
These are the balls used throughout the previous editions of the World Cup.
Beatboxer performance.
Samaba Masala banging the percussion. They are from SMU, if I'm not wrong.
Fashion show with models showcasing official World Cup merchandise from Adidas.
The South African High Commissioner and an Adidas bigwig ready to launch the official ball.
The Jabulani. What a weird name...but a colourful ball.
Leopard printz...Ris Low's favourite. 1, 2, 3...Boomz!
Jack and Rai rounded up the festivities with numerous tunes. During the lucky draw, my friend won one of the three top prizes, a PSP! Damn lucky.
Our past often have profound influences on our present lives and will have impacts on our lives in time to come. Essentially, the lifespan of a human being can be dissected into phases; each phase having a distinct life of its own. This film tracks the lives of Pippa Lee (Robin Wright Penn), the devoted wife of an accomplished publisher Herb Lee (Alan Arkin).
Pippa, whose husband is thirty years her senior, is a proud mother of two children. She is your ideal wife, mother, friend and neighbour. As the family moves into a dull Connecticut retirement community, her seemingly tranquil life will start to hang in the balance as her turbulent past returns to haunt her.
Armed with a strong supporting cast featuring luminary figures like Julianne Moore, Keanu Reeves, Maria Bello, Winona Ryder and Monica Bellucci, and uprising starlet Blake Lively of the hit TV series Gossip Girl, the journey of discovery of Pippa’s lives have a huge potential to soar. The plot materials are also sufficiently intriguing to grab the attention of viewers. Unfortunately, the cinematography and handling of Pippa’s life journey do not sit too well with me.
The transition from past to present is achieved by the camera drifting from one set to an adjacent set. As a result, the confusing switch between different time zones, and the different lives of our main character, is mind-boggling.
Unless you are a woman or a nosey-poker into someone else’s lives, you might not appreciate Pippa’s journey of self-discovery.
Last Wednesday was the gala premiere of The Twilight Saga: New Moon. And The Straits Times Life! was there to cover the Look Alike Competition. Here is the report dated 2 Dec 2009, ST Life! Pg 3.
The poster-look!
And photos with members of Twilight Singapore.
The love triangle just got a little more complicated with two Edwards. Lol!
The gold-coloured contact lenses, $33 per pair, that gave me Edward's eyes.
The invites to the gala premiere! Whee...
Thanks a lot to Imran who did the make-up for me!! Cabbed to Shaw Lido for the gala premiere and the Twilight Look Alike Competition.
Thanks to Deyuan who lent me his black overcoat!!
I won the best of the Edward Cullens and overall 3rd. These are the movie premiums and sponsor prizes. Cash on the way... haha! Aside from a giant promo poster of the movie, there was also individual characters' posters. Cool!
A2-sized poster of Edward Cullen.
A2-sized poster of Jacob Black.
A2-sized poster of Bella Swan.
This tons of premium chocolates from Cadbury signals the start of more intensive gym session... if not how to get Jacob's pecs right?
And gifts from Volvo and other sponsors.
What an experience trying to play a character from a movie, at such a short notice (24 hours) nonetheless. It was an amazing experience but quite tiring eh. Haha! But thanks to everybody who made it possible. And of course to Twilight Singapore, Shaw Lido, Volvo, Cadbury, Canon and all other sponsors!! :D
Stay tuned for Part 2 of this post when I receive the gala premiere and competition photos from my friend!
“Special promotion: Fly on a Boeing 747 from Tokyo to Honolulu for the price of a movie ticket! For a limited time only.”
ANA flight 1800 takes off from Haneda Airport, Tokyo and is bound for Honolulu. This film chronicles the journey from the preparatory stages to its eventual landing. In the cockpit, captain Noriyoshi Harada (Saburo Tokito) is assessing co-pilot Kazuhiro Suzuki (Seiichi Tanabe) for his promotion. In the cabin, air stewardess Etsuko Saito (Haruka Ayase) is working on her first international flight. At the boarding gate, customer service representative Natsumi Kimura (Tomoko Tabata) is looking to quit but is tasked with training new staff Yoshida (Kami Hiraiwa). Shoji Takahashi (Ittoku Kishibe) is in-charged of the control tower. Mechanic Nakamura (Ryu Morioka) does a final tune-up before take off. Together with air traffic controllers and the “bird man”, these personnel play crucial roles to ensure the safe passage of the flight.
This lightweight comedy tracks the intricacies required for a successful flight. It is an eye-opener to discover that a seemingly simple flight requires much attention to details. And credit to director/writer Shinobu Yaguchi for capturing those details on film in a light-hearted manner. As like any jobs, each position entails its challenges and satisfaction. The myriad of characters and fairly straightforward but they are sufficient to attract the audience to their intentions and plights.
Unlike some films that open with a segment of a climatic scene before flashing back to events that lead to it, the opening sequence of this comedy cleverly uses a simulator scene to pre-empt what is to follow. Look out for the fascinating camera angles that capture the Boeing 747 while on the ground and in the air.
Book your flight, err… movie, tickets now!
“Betrayal begets blood. This is the law of the Nine Clans. This is the way of the ninja.”
The legend of the ninja, which dates back to the 14th century, infiltrates the modern world as Raizo (Rain) seeks the aid of Europol agent Mika Coretti (Naomie Harris) to trace his way back to his source of vengeance, Lord Ozunu (Sho Kosugi).
“Wherever you are, wherever you may go, you must never forget who you are, how you came to be. You are Ozunu. You are a part of me as I am a part of you.”
When Lord Ozunu’s clan legacy is threatened by Mika’s research findings, she becomes a target for assassination. Rescued from a gruesome death by Raizo, the duo join forces to bring down Lord Ozunu and his clan.
“Strength is the only virtue that nature respects. Hone your body. Sharpen your mind. Become the weapon you will need to survive.”
Ninjas only kill two kinds of people: those they are paid to kill and those who get in their way. That sets the tone for massive bloodbaths when Raizo’s ultimate aim of revenge is thwarted by hordes of Lord Ozunu’s clan. The opening action sequence introduces viewers to the stealth and methods of a Ninja assassination. The hilarious transition to the main narrative parallels blood with ketchup and that in a way, acts as a cue for outrageous blood splattering scenes.
Typical of action flicks that feature one star character, the narrative merely serves as a vehicle to transport the audience from one combat scene to the next. Raizo’s love story is mediocre while the Europol plot is also unconvincing. And we all know why. This film is all about Korean superstar Rain. But his deadpan expression fails to strike a chord with me. Only his well-toned physique did.
The main draw of this film is clearly Rain’s hot bod, leaving female fans drooling in awe and hopefully, inspiring guys to hit the gym.
Education is the key to life. Or is it?
The year is 1961. In a suburban town of Twickenham lives sixteen-year-old Jenny (Carey Mulligan), a bright and diligent student who plans to apply for a place at Oxford University. However, adolescent routine proves too monotonous for her when she is exposed to a glittering world of adult life after an encounter with David (Peter Sarsgaard) who is in his thirties. Urbane and witty, Jenny succumbs to David’s charm. With a mixture of lies and tact, he even managed to convince her conservative parents, Jack (Alfred Molina) and Marjorie (Cara Seymour), to allow their daughter to hangout with him. David introduces Jenny to his attractive friend Danny (Dominic Cooper) and his vivacious girlfriend Helen (Rosamund Pike) at a classical concert. David even took her for trips to Oxford and Paris! At a tender age, Jenny has tasted the “forbidden fruit” of life. Will David build her up or ruin her bright future?
Oddly enough, Jenny’s conservative parents are also being swayed by the antics of David. And that translates metaphorically into a coming-of-age for the sixties in Britain. Jack and Marjorie represent the post-war belt-tightening years where survival is of utmost importance, hence their constant surveillance of Jenny, wanting the best for her. David, on the other hand, is the product of a classless society, constantly seeking the good things that life brings. Gradually, as Jenny’s parents begin to embrace life, so does Britain at around 1963.
This coming-of-age film of a sixteen-year-old girl and Britain, in the metaphorical sense, is both insightful and delightful. In the educational aspect, it warns of the perils of exposing gullible adolescents to life at such a tender age.
“Meyraiyuth” is a fighting technique that is unpredictable yet swift and powerful. The spirit of “Meyraiyuth” is catalysed by emotional pain and its energy source is channelled through alcohol.
Deu (Jija Yanin) is in a perfect position to master the technique of “Meyraiyuth” after her boyfriend cheats on her. Wasted on alcohol, she is kidnapped by a syndicate who extracts pheromones from young girls to manufacture perfumes. Fortunately, Sanim (Kazu) comes to Deu’s rescue. Impressed by Sanim’s fighting skills, she pleads with him to teach her the technique of Fighting Dance, a combination of Trickz, B-Boy and “Meyraiyuth”. She is introduced to Kee Moo (Nui Sandaeng) and Kee Ma (Sompong Lertwimonkasem) who, like Sanim, have lost their loved ones. They team up in search for a showdown with the syndicate, seeking vengeance and fighting for love.
The Fighting Dance sequences are awesome. Coupled with a hip-hop tune, the essence of violence is masked by the deftness of break-dance. There are also tag team showdowns that increase the complexity of the fighting moves. While Kazu, Nui and Sompong are well-versed in break-dancing, their Dance Fighting moves are highly impressive and polished. On the other hand, there is some unease in Jija when executing those dance moves with her martial arts skills. Eventually, the dance element is eliminated in the climax scenes, which is such a waste. The variety of locations including a beach, a deserted amusement park, a rundown taxi garage and suspension bridges, provides diverse backdrops and props for the numerous action scenes.
While the action sequences are outstanding, the love aspect of the narrative flops. The romance merely serves as a ruse to lead the audience from one fight scene to the next. The emotional baggage that the characters are carrying can hardly be felt. It becomes a challenge for viewers to sympathise with them and the cause that they are fighting for.
“There’s a fight in every love and love is a drive in every fight.”
Remember the female pilot in Night At The Museum 2, played by Amy Adams? She is Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic.
Fiction aside, this biopic showcases the milestones of Amelia’s (Hilary Swank) short but impactful 40 years of life. Amelia loves the sky and nature, but above all she seeks freedom. Her feat of being the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean propels her to celebrity status. She is a fashion icon, a businesswoman and becomes representative of all other things like women’s rights. Two men have an influential role in her life. George Putnam (Richard Gere), Amelia’s eventual husband, who also doubles up as her manager, financer and public relations officer. The other man is Gene Vidal (Ewan McGregor), pioneer of the American airline industry. It is him who sounds the warning bells, cautioning Amelia that her flying adventures are getting reckless.
The ingredients for an uplifting, inspirational and breathtaking film are present. Unfortunately, the director fails to concoct them well enough to be palatable. Shots of the sky and scenic landscapes have the potential to elevate the wow factor, but the cinematography falls flat. The editing is patchy, with little connection between scenes. And finally, the soundtrack is not rousing enough to capture the spirit of Amelia. The slow pacing does not help the cause of the film too.
Ultimately, Amelia’s quest for freedom and her reckless pursuance of it result in her disappearance. Ironically, she attains the freedom she yearns for, but at a cost – her life.
This film seems better suited for screenings in aviation museums rather than in commercial cinemas.
