AMELIA ~ 2/5

[drama, biopic]

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.

REEL BYTES '09 week 46

2012

[action, thriller, sci-fi]

high-priority

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

[horror, thriller]

mid-priority

AMELIA

[drama, biopic]

low-priority

EVANGELION 2.0: YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE

[anime]

low-priority

A CHRISTMAS CAROL 3D starring Jim Carrey opening in Singapore cinemas 19th November 2009 ~ 4/5

[cg animation]

What a blast to kickoff the Christmas season in cinemas! This special preview screening was made so special even before entering the theatre. Going up the escalator to the theatre at GV Marina, the faint music of Christmas carols got progressively louder. To my surprise, there was a 4-piece choir exercising their vocals at the entrance of the theatre, keeping viewers entertained while queueing up for the 3D glasses. As I stepped into the theatre, there were white fumes bellowing from beneath my feet. Is the cinema on fire? Haha! The dry ice effect brings the sensory quotient to another level. Upon arriving at our seats, there was not one, but two goodie bags! The first contained a pack of gourmet popcorn (butterscotch flavour) and a bottle of green tea. It is the first time I've seen GV-packed gourmet popcorn! The second is actually an exquisite glass bottle that contained Christmas sweets and treats. Wow!

Now that most of our senses are already satisfied, it's time to put on the 3D glasses to savour the visual treat. This Charle's Dicken's classic Christmas tale is transformed into a visual spectacle by director Robert Zemeckis. The narrative is kept intact so expect three spirits, the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet To Come, appearing before Mr. Scrooge as they rekindle the spark in him. The cinematography is amazing. It is as if the audience is "traveling" through the breathtaking landscapes with Mr. Scrooge. The soundtrack complements the visual brilliance and ignites the spirit of Christmas. The lines between reality and animation is blurred here as technology allows real life actors to be crafted into semi-animated forms. And this results in multiple roles for actors like Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Bob Hoskins and Robin Penn Wright. This is a definite must-watch for the festive season, and in 3D too! Merry pre-Christmas!!

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY ~ 3/5

[horror, thriller]

I am thankful that I do not live in a double-storey apartment with the staircase facing my room and my bed on the same line as the door! The layout of the apartment is totally wrong. Staircase ending at the entrance of your room's door? It means every other thing has a peek in your room whenever it comes up. "You are constantly watched." Bed and door along the same side of the wall means that the room has control over you. Whoever enters the room will be able to see you first. Why all these ranting? Well... because this film has totally no plot. The couple is merely waiting for paranormal events to happen and capture it on film. Nevertheless, the final few scenes are rather disturbing! It left me in a daze when the credits rolled. You've been warned!

THE ADJUSTER ~ 0.5/5

[drama]

This heavily-censored film screened as part of the Singapore Film Society Talkies is a dour. The entertainment value is close to zilch and the messages are so subtle (maybe I'm tired). Haha! But still, this dark film fails to convey whatever it wants to say to the audience. Yawns...

MY SISTER'S KEEPERS ~ 4/5

[drama]

Wow! The trailers didn't seem too impressive to me. But after so many teary reviews, I decided to take a plunge into it and wow! The narrative is amazing. It really explores the crux on what is meant to be a family and the fragile threads that hold each and everyone of us together as a family. One event, no matter how big or small, can change the structures of the family web. Death is also a theme in this film. With death, sometimes it brings life. The dynamics of life and death is really complicating. Did I cry? Duh! Haha... I so emo, of course la. Haha! The moment came when the Kate is showing her mum the photo collage that she made that encompasses all the memories. Cameron Diaz rocks here! Her performance is so solid that you could feel for her: her frustrations, her concern as a mum, and after the passing of Kate, the sense of being reborn again. Life is an oxymoron. Death brings life.

Thank You.

Just when I finished blogging my last post, I headed to Facebook and somehow clicked on the link to Hagen's blog. And I saw his post just few minutes after mine...

For people who thinks u are alone.. hey, its ok .. Jesus is always there. If you let Him, He will guide you .. Every step..

I'm amazed. Thank you so much.

I'm infected.

Infected with loneliness. Why am I always so lonely? Why am I always alone? Why?

Good grades, movies and material goods are merely temporary reliefs from that loneliness. They fill a space but can never fit in well. They eventually fade and melt away. Just got my grades for the Medication module test. Got 2nd highest even though its only 40% of the final grade... there's still 60% to fight for in the exams. I was delighted! But that merely lasted a couple of seconds, knowing that my efforts paid off then it's gone. No more delighted but it's back to the feeling of emptiness.

When I sit back and daydream... staring into blank space, mind wondering off. I have thought through many many things before. What happens when I die in future (when my parents are already gone)? Who will I push out of harm's way in a do or die situation? Who will push me out of harm's way? Will I wake up to see the sunrise the next morning? Who is gonna celebrate my next birthday? What will happen if I don't become a teacher in future? ...etc.

So many questions that have no answers now. I really don't know who I can trust anymore. One moment the friend seems nice, the next moment the friend becomes a "friend". I leave that aside, move on, forgive, second chance. But the cycle repeats over and over again. "Friends" who are supposedly damn "busy" to meet up, occupied day in and out with school or work, are still able to meet their friends for activities like clubbing, dinner etc. Am I envious? Yes. Am I jealous? Yes. Does the problem lie in me? Don't know, might be. Solution? Clueless.

Life is getting very painful alone. When the temporary reliefs run out, is it the end? The end where all the unanswered questions now will get answered? Maybe. Can sincere friends who read this respond please? I really don't know who to trust. I might overlook the good as bad and overlook the bad as good. I'm clueless. I'm just living each day now for myself, to survive. I have to; I want to... even though the loneliness is damn hard to bare sometimes.

"I'm alone in town..."

"What's new?"

"Nothing's new until my time is up."

REEL BYTES '09 week 45

CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY

[documentary]

high-priority

HUMPDAY

[comedy]

high-priority

VENGEANCE (复仇)

[action, thriller]

mid-priority

SAW VI

[horror, thriller]

mid-priority

MY GIRLFRIEND IS AN AGENT

[comedy, romance, action]

mid-priority

MERANTAU WARRIOR

[action]

low-priority

ASTROBOY

[cg animation]

low-priority

HUMPDAY ~ 3.5/5

[comedy]

Are you expecting some humping action because this film is rated R21? You might get it or you might not... that depends on how you see it. The premise of this film is simply outrageous and crazy. Two straight guys, tired of life I suppose, decides to film a piece of "artistic" gay porn starring who else but themselves! One is carefree while the other has to cope with his wife. Premise aside, the situation is pretty real. You can feel the dilemma of the men and see the repercussions of their intentions and actions. Have a humping good time!

MICHAEL JACKSON'S THIS IS IT ~ 3/5

[documentary, musical]

This is it? Something seems to be lacking but I don't know what. It could be that Michael Jackson himself has already left us or that the events on screen is in a celebratory mood. I think it was structured this way, to celebrate the life of the King of Pop but as we all know, his life is not all sweet and rosy. Allegations and medical illnesses plagued the king too. Nevertheless, his songs still manage to set my feet tapping and feel the emotions. Great! I especially love the ballads like the "Earth Song" and "Heal The World" (which is played only at the credits). A complementary film to showcase his real life will be much appreciated.

Toying with Halloween: Damn XtraOrdinary!

31 October... Halloween! Here in Singapore, it seemed more like costume party. Haha! So the image I wanted to portray was that of a vampish rockstar. Well... to keep it simple, I decided to forgo the eyeliner and red lipstick. I turned out to be a vampish rockstar WANNABE. Then D said I'm a vainpot =.= So officially, it's vainpot vampish rockstar wannabe. In short, VVRW.

I got invited by Riley, after the Mooncake Festival celebrations at Hua Song Museum, to this Halloween party he was organising at Mint Museum of Toys. So I brought along three friends, Reef, Dickson and William. Hope you guys had as much fun as I did!

Following the red carpet (fat hope!) arrival of VVRW... (btw, I came in a white posh cab!), we proceeded for some appetiser bites at the basement. There were prawns, and different flavoured toasts: smoked salmon (my fav), diced tomatoes and sliced mushrooms. Fortunately, the heavy downpour did not melt VVRW's make-up and hairdo. A lot of hairspray man! While eating, VVRW decided to have a tarot card reading. Guess what he asked about? Reef damn smart... knows VVRW really well. He guessed it! *That shall remain confidential, ask Reef if you wanna know. Haha!

The walls are adorned with retro signboards that provide a eclectic blast of colours!

VVRW decided to make friends with a policeman... maybe his blood is tasty huh.

After temporarily satisfying the hunger pangs, they headed up to view the exhibits... and to get more food eventually. Haha!

Can you see VVRW's dark eye circles? Yeah... suppose to be more obvious. Haha!

Ooh... nice top-down shot!

Reef being naughty here! Dickson looks indifferent. Lol!

Then, VVRW decided it's his turn to be naughty... but Reef seems to be enjoying it. Wahaha!

Group pose. Dickson still looks indifferent.

Look what's up there? Eh... dunno?

Ok, this is kind of R-rated. VVRW shan't say more... go figure it out yourselves! (I'm sure you are capable of that.)

Then Popeye retaliated with a blast to VVRW's head. Woooossshhh....

Bloody teddies!

What's this in a stylish pot? It's Halloween remember? So all the pumpkin flesh becomes liquified. It's yummy! There was also a buffet of seafood pasta, fried chicken and baked fish.

After dinner, it's time to suck some blood! Bring on the red wine for VVRW... he got a bit seh after that. Lol!

Giant 50-cent coin, courtesy of roving magician Huron.

Red wine was not enough for VVRW, the next bloody treat was pina colada! Damn sweet blood.

Surprise! I didn't intend to dress to impress to win the Best Dressed award. But a few people didn't really bother dressing up. (Ahem! ...like the three of them.) Some just throw on a mask or headgear with mis-matched outfit. So, I'm quite fortunate and very thankful that my efforts were not wasted. A lot of foundation and hairspray leh... Thank you organisers!! And of course to my three friends who were with me. You guys made my Halloween this year very memorable indeed :D

William and I then headed to DXO to support friend who are performing for Band 'O Ween. My VVRW look gained free entry too! And also thanks to Mike, the fierce vampire who seemingly wanted to feast on me >.<

That's VVRW and John the pirate. I think his parrot flew away... Haha! Random.

Halloween weekend was a BLAST man! Totally enjoyed myself. I literally put aside everything else like school stuff, problems etc. and chilled. Thanks once again to Riley, and all my friends who were part of my happiness! Now, it's back to the books again as exams are looming round the corner.

More photos on Facebook!

SAW VI ~ 3.5/5

[horror, thriller]

The jigsaw pieces finally fall into place in this sixth instalment of the Saw franchise. As loose ends are tied up, Jigsaw’s (Tobin Bell) grand scheme finally comes to light.

The opening scene is usually the most sadistic and it still is. Two real estate agents are faced off against each other. The person who is able to sacrifice more pounds will live to see another day. The narrative then shifts to William (Peter Outerbridge), a healthcare insurance manager. His self-devised formula determines who gets to live and who gets the death sentence. As we know, only Jigsaw is “entitled” to play God, so William and his staff are put through the game. Administered by detective Hoffman (Costas Mandylor), a series of trials await William as blood and his dirty deeds are spilled.

Coming off a rather disappointing Saw V, this sixth instalment fares much better. The perceived loopholes in the previous instalments are brilliantly covered. The concept of healthcare insurance companies determining who gets the various kinds of coverage is relevantly explored. It also serves as a timely reminder to such companies.

The film still falls a little short in terms of the sustainment of blood and gore. The bloody tissue carnage in the opening scene is the epitome of the torture methods that follow. It desensitises the viewer to a certain extent such that subsequent devices seem tame. The intrigue and complexities of the narrative are lost way too early in the film once crucial clues are revealed, resulting in a predictable conclusion. However, the flashbacks are pretty useful in aiding the recall of events that occur in previous instalments.

Die-hard fans of the Saw franchise must watch this in order to satisfy your craving for answers (and more blood)!

VENGEANCE (复仇) ~ 3.5/5

[action, thriller]

He owns a restaurant along the Champs-Élysées in Paris. He is a French chef. Twenty years ago, he was a professional assassin. Now he is in Hong Kong, seeking vengeance. His name: François Costello (Johnny Hallyday).

The family of Costello’s daughter (Sylvie Testub) is brutally assassinated in their apartment. While her husband and two children are killed, she barely survives and requests her father to seek revenge on her behalf. Staying alone in a foreign land, Costello bumps into three assassins along the corridor of his hotel. After their first intense encounter, Costello seeks Kwai (Anthony Wong), Chu (Lam Ka Tung) and Fat Lok (Lam Suet) to hire them for his vengeance mission. Time is not on their side as Costello’s memory is fading with each passing day. Will he be able to avenge the death of his daughter’s family before he completely loses his memory?

The highlight of this action film is the stylised violence and shootouts. The cinematography captures the intensity of the situation with different angled shots. The faultless performance of Johnny Hallyday gives it an edge over other similar revenge-themed films. His intense expressions exude the complex emotions of his character. His eyes radiate an intense pain with single-mindedness for vengeance, effectively suggesting that Costello is a man who has lived and suffered tremendously.

While the action sequences are adequately sufficient to sustain viewers’ interest, the narrative is not. It seems that there is more than meets the eye as to what is happening. The intentions of the mastermind behind the assassinations are not revealed. There is a seaside scene where it appears as if the director is contemplating, via Kwai, Chu and Fat Lok, whether to delve into the deeper issues of vengeance or merely swing straight into the action scenes. He chooses the latter.

This film is all about Johnny Hallyday and his remarkable performance, that alone is worth the price of your ticket!

POKER KING (扑克王) ~ 2.5/5

[comedy]

Raise! Call! Fold! All-in! Welcome to the world of Texas Hold 'Em, a highly popularised Poker game where each player uses his own two hole cards and any combination of the five community cards to make a poker hand.

Residing in Canada, Jack Chang (Louis Koo) is an expert of Texas Hold ‘Em behind the computer screens. One day, his apartment is stormed and he is hauled back to Macau. Uno Cheuk (Lau Ching Wan), who is running the casino of a major gaming corporation after the death of Jack’s father, informs him of his father’s demise. Uno challenges Jack to a game of Texas Hold ‘Em and the winner will be the owner of the casino and all the assets. Jack loses and his life takes a complete 180-degree turn. He plots his comeback with a rival gaming corporation owner Ms. Fong (Josie Ho).

Gambling is one of the well-known themes of Hong Kong cinema. More often than not, the genres that are associated with it are either action or comedy. This film is billed as a comedy but it is sorely lacking in comic punch. While there is some light-hearted entertainment, it is insufficient to add spice.

The saving grace comes in the form of the Macau backdrop and the veteran actors. Filmed during the Asian Poker Tour Macau Festival, the highly urbanised resorts area provides a stark contrast to the common streets of Macau. Louis Koo proves his versatility after an intense role in the recent Accident. Lau Ching Wan gives an assured performance. Despite little screen time, Josie Ho leaves an impression as a strong-headed boss.

This gambling-themed film will probably fare better at the box office if it is released during the Lunar New Year period. And if you have an intimate knowledge of Texas Hold ‘Em Poker, you will enjoy this film a wee bit more than I did.

REEL BYTES '09 week 44

MICHAEL JACKSON'S THIS IS IT

[documentary, musical]

high-priority

LOVE HAPPENS

[romance, drama]

mid-priority

JENNIFER'S BODY

[horror, thriller, comedy]

mid-priority

CORALINE

[animation]

mid-priority

POKER KING

[comedy]

low-priority

1 Bershka jacket 2 NUM tees

Last Sunday, therapeutic shopping kicked in. I met C at Ion after the GYSB photoshoot and as we scanned Bershka, a Mexican brand, a black jacket caught my eye! Oh well... I still loved the Fred Perry $239 black PVC jacket but the price was kinda steep for me now.

This more than made up for it. It's not too cheap either, at $99.90, but at least its less than half the Fred Perry price! And I love the V-shaped marking on the chest area. Cool!

We headed to the NewUrbanMale outlet at Cineleisure as there was 50% off for a pair of purchases. So I got two nice-fitting tees! Oh, now you know why the purple crayon is always smiling huh... Lol!

And I got another Japanese-themed Samurai tee. The front showing the red silhouette of a Samurai...

And the back a Sakura flower. I'm so heading back to Japan next year when I graduate, planning to stay there for 7 days this time round. Hmm... but see budget first. Haha!

CORALINE 3D ~ 3/5

[animation]

Another animation in 3D... but this time round, its stop motion animation. The difficulty of constructing this film is tremendous i suppose, but in 3D? Well... the effects aren't very profound. There is not much difference if you watch it the normal version. It is a pretty dark animation but the visuals are astounding. The narrative begins considerably well, exploring the lack of parental care and such, but with a climax that shouts "good guys versus bad guys and the good guys will always win", this dark animation ends in a fairytale fashion.

THE HURT LOCKER ~ 4.5/5

[thriller, war]

This is not your typical war film where explosions and full-blown exaggerated action occurs during the climax. Oh well... there are explosions to complement, but the focus is more on the characters, more specifically, the individual soldiers. It's really amazing how you can hate one character for his actions initially and then sympathize with the same person after another series of happenings. And that is portrayed really well. As usual, the complexities of war, both physically and psychologically, is explored here. You get the action of war in this film, together with some excellent character study and thrills. Amazing film!

REEL BYTES '09 week 43

AMALFI

[thriller, adventure]

high-priority

THE BLUE MANSION

[drama, mystery]

high-priority

MY SISTER'S KEEPER

[drama]

high-priority

SPREAD

[romance, drama]

mid-priority

TALENTIME

[drama]

mid-priority

HALLOWEEN II

[horror, thriller]

mid-priority

LESBIAN VAMPIRE KILLERS

[horror, comedy]

low-priority

THE BLUE MANSION ~ 4.5/5

[drama, mystery]

As of now, this is my local film of the year. 'Nuff said right? Haha! The dialogue is superbly funny. Billed as a mystery film, I will think it qualifies as a comedy too! One scene that left me laughing uncontrollably involves Sebastian Tan, who plays the funeral organiser. He is such a natural actor/comedian that he left an indelible mark on me despite only a couple minutes of screen time. (Reason why you should catch his standup comedy performance at year's end... btw, I'm not paid by him! ...if not must declare. Haha!) There are some ridiculous scenes but they certainly brings out the essence of this film. Kudos to director Glen Goei! Look into this film deeper and certainly, there are various running themes like modernisation, Confucianism etc... A good study film and an excellent relax film. Yeah!

AMALFI ~ 4/5

[thriller, suspense]

Amalfi is the main town and commune on the Amalfi Coast and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Little surprise that picturesque scenes and postcard-perfect shots is the main selling point of this Japanese film, one to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of Fuji Television Network.

Ironically, this film is shot entirely on location in Italy. And this is what makes it unique. Helmed by director Hiroshi Nishitani (Suspect X), this suspense thriller features a host of marquee stars like perennial box office headliner Yuji Oda who plays Japanese foreign diplomat Kosaku Kuroda. He arrives in Italy, on the back of a potential terrorist strike, to safeguard the Japanese citizens. His main contact is the Japanese embassy that is preparing for the visit of Japan’s Foreign Minister Kawagoe (Mitsuru Hirata), in lieu of a high-profile G8 foreign minister’s meeting.

Along the Christmas-decorated streets of Rome, a young Japanese girl has suddenly gone missing, kidnapped. Kuroda is assigned as an interpreter, together with intern Adachi (Erika Toda), to aid in the investigations. The kidnappers call the missing girl’s mother Saeko (Yuki Amami); Kuroda identifies himself as Saeko’s husband and gets embroiled into a complicated and awkward situation.

The Christmas mood hits our cinemas early as the festive lights of Rome provide a scenic landscape for the investigations of the kidnapped girl. It is a visual treat of the familiar landmarks of Rome like the Colosseum, Castel Sant'Angelo and The Spanish Steps, culminating in Amalfi, a coastal town with dramatic cliffs and picturesque village coastlines.

Despite drawing parallels with Angels And Demons, this suspense flick does stand out on its own. It is slower-paced, allowing viewers to be immersed in the charming sights. At the same time, it is also able to keep audiences engaged with the mystery plot. Aside from the visual aspect, there are two other points that strike me. The first is the grandeur vocals of Sarah Brightman who provides the soundtrack Time To Say Goodbye in the film. She even plays herself in a small sequence. The second is two abrupt cuts in the film that baffles me a little. It seems like a cinematographic shock to jolt viewers in a prelude to crucial scenes.

What a wonderful way to commemorate the TV network’s 50^th anniversary! Forget the uninspiring trailers and take a plunge to Amalfi.

Macha Kit Kat!

I should be sleeping now... but I just got to blog this before I head to bed. Haha! I just had this yummy macha Kit Kat! Who's going to Japan? Get some for me can? Haha :D Goodnight!

Modeling Course Graduation

The end of the 4-week modeling course... it was a great experience, and a life-moulding moment. Surprisingly, it's not all about poses and catwalk but also about character development.

The trainers.

with one of the coaches Veriza.

with Danil.

with manager Siew Yan.

with Shane.

with Annabel.

with Ryan.

with Edward. So tall!

with trainer-in-chief Genecia.

with Saunders.

with another coach Jia Xi.

XSQUAD @ The Cathay

Letting the photos speak for themselves, you can find the address of Xsquad. So head down to shop shop shop... haha!

I got this Destroyland black tee with shiny print on the front.

And this highly-acclaimed red ball bearing chain! Thanks to the shop assistant who alerted me to it. Haha! He was like "Do you want to get this red chain too?" I took a look and fell in love with it immediately. I told him I will look around first, 'cos this chain confirmed I want already mah... no point looking at it. Next item... haha!

REEL BYTES '09 week 42

JULIE & JULIA

[drama, comedy]

high-priority

IMAGINE THAT

[comedy]

low-priority

PANDORUM

[thriller]

low-priority

DARAH ~ 2/5

[horror, thriller]

Blood galore! But it is a letdown. The storyline is bare-boned while the music (an important component of any horror film) fails to heighten the fear factor. There is just a lot of blood. Some of the scenes are even funnily weird. The only terrifying thing is the face of Dara herself. She looks like the woman of a bomoh and her glare sends shivers down my spine.

CITY OF LIFE AND DEATH ~ 4/5

[drama, war]

Shot in black and white, the atrocities of the Japanese soldiers are still gruesome and stomach-churning. But some semblance of conscience is meticulously injected into the film. Nevertheless, an auntie sitting like five seat away from me was sobbing so loud that I could even hear! Gasp... and there were like quite a lot of elderly in the theatre. I think they could relate more to what is playing out on screen than I could.

IMAGINE THAT ~ 1/5

[comedy]

Eddie Murphy is back to haunt us... arghhh! Protest #1: This movie, billed as a comedy, is not funny at all! Protest #2: Even if this is for kids, it is insulting to their intelligence! Protest #3: A pathetically weak and predictable storyline. Were there moral values in it? Well... a little, if you try hard enough. Overall, it is a huge letdown.

Catch JULIE & JULIA in cinemas this week!

This is my favourite and also the most disastrous baking experience... actually I was punk'd! As my hands got occupied with flour and kneading the dough, my friends were getting me dirtied. I became the cake instead, covered with flour, icing and cream! Disastrous it was, but it was memorable too. Haha!

Murder Mystery Supper Theatre 3: A Slow Boat From China

Shanghai 1928 is famous for its smoky jazz venues, the playground of gangsters and swaggering colonial adventurers. Embark on a voyage of romance, mystery and adventure aboard the steamship Pearl of the Orient and meet your travelling companions – and what a motley crew they are. Captain and owner of the Pearl, Horatio Briggs, have two loves in his life: his daughter, Amy, and his ship. In order to fulfill his wife’s dying wish that their daughter, Amy, make something of herself as a singer, Briggs must reluctantly sell the boat, condemning him to a life ashore. Moreover, the only person willing and able to buy the Pearl is ruthless business man, Grant Sterling. He is accompanied by his long-suffering wife, Kathleen, a woman with a very warm heart, who might, if only things were otherwise, be a source of consolation to the Captain.

That is the storyline where three murders happened and we, the audience, have to solve this terrible mystery tragedy on board the ship. Held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, this is a unique experience of "live" Cluedo, where we get to interview the characters. They also acted out the storyline right in front of our eyes. In addition to that, there was food! Haha... to keep our stomachs filled and to fuel our brains. It was truly an interesting event, the first of its kind I have attended.

DEAR ZACHARY: A LETTER TO A SON ABOUT HIS FATHER ~ 4/5

[documentary]

A touching documentary with several thrilling moments and a shocking twist. This seems like a Hollywood film right? Wrong... it happened in real-life. A father is shot dead. His parents gives up everything to hunt down the killer. The killer is identified. But she is pregnant with his child. Wow! This is only just the beginning... It also explores the judiciary system in Canada and medical personnel involved. What if a practicing psychiatrist is requires psychiatric help himself? *shudders*

The New Paper New Face 2009 Grand Final

The anticipation for this big day is over for the 20 The New Paper New Face finalists!

Themed "Celebration", the show kicked off with colours, feathers, tights and sexy thighs!

Dancers from NUS Dance Ensemble and Victor/Victoria provided the adrenalin rush by their upbeat dance moves and energy. Oh, and they were doing their thing in underwear! (My friend said they are trunks... haha!) No difference luh...

Shariah Price, last year's winner, in a dazzling gown.

The dancers in elegant tops but school boy-ish bottoms... read on and you get what I mean.

Besides strutting their stuff, the finalists had male accompaniment too. They are recognised top models in our fashion industry. And this is winner Victoria Bradbury!

2nd Runners-up Tan Minyi in her sultry pose. Cool!

What a matching couple! Haha..

The dancers came out to play again, but this time round, they brought company in Singapore's unique diva Kumar! Dressed in a sexy, cleavage-revealing purple dress, he brought the show to a rousing high. I was laughing so hard that I nearly teared.

And the results are out... Victoria Bradbury was crowed the winner! Congratulations girl! :D

In my honest opinion as a neutral fan (since I'm not really supporting anyone), Kumar and the dancers stole the limelight from the finalists. The runway show became more like a side-show to the energetic dance items and Kumar's hilarious stand-up comedy performance. The host did not help much in getting the audience excited with the twenty finalists either. Nevertheless, it was a great show, with a carnival atmosphere! Once again, congrats to The New Paper team for putting together this wonderful show!!

For the record, I took 311 photos in about 2 hours!

193 of them on Facebook... check them out!

SORORITY ROW ~ 4/5

[horror, thriller]

It may be lame seeing five bimbotic, scantily-clad girls running about trying to make sense of what is happening. But keep your brains at home, which I did, and enjoy the absurd one-liners, cat-fights (a little) and innovative methods of slashing! There is blood and gore, loads of them actually. Will they all die? Or will life give them a second chance to discover the true meaning of "sister-hood"?

TAKING WOODSTOCK ~ 3/5

[drama, music]

A slow-paced film that celebrates "the making of...". I'm sure you know that the focus of this film is not on the Woodstock music festival itself, but the ongoings behind the scenes. The vast scenery of the grass plains are beautifully captured. There might also be a subtle message on minorities (the hippies and Jews in this case) and no matter how we dislike them for the troubles they bring, we need them. Parallels in today's society? Haha!

Who will be the next New Face?

Stay tuned as I hit Takashimaya this Thursday for The New Paper New Face 2009 Grand Final! :D

REEL BYTES '09 week 41

CITY OF LIFE AND DEATH

[drama, war]

high-priority

APRIL BRIDE

[drama]

high-priority

(500) DAYS OF SUMMER

[comedy, romance]

mid-priority

HAEUNDAE: THE DEADLY TSUNAMI

[thriller, disaster]

mid-priority

DARAH

[horror, thriller]

mid-priority

MERENTAU WARRIOR

[action]

low-priority

SORORITY ROW

[horror, thriller]

low-priority

By The Light Of The Lanterns...

On the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Friday... two "ang-moh"-schooled boys headed to Haw Par Villa to celebrate this traditional Chinese festival at the Hua Song Museum (华颂馆). Huh? What museum? Yes, it's the first time I've heard of it too. So on the invitation of omy.sg, I went with Ryan for this celebratory event. What an eye-opener it was!

The facade of Haw Par Villa still looked a tad familiar, except that the huge dragon which housed the "Gates of Hell" was gone.

We arrived earlier than the rest of the invited guests since we skipped the chartered bus provided. The peace of the area was soon to be interrupted by a different sort of ambience.

Yeps... as invited guests, bloggers and families streamed in, the mood was turned around 180 degrees as the festivities begun!

As we all know, food is an essential component of the Chinese culture, so... let's makan!

I was joking about a mooncake buffet prior to the event. Lo and behold! There was indeed a mooncake buffet! Haha... albeit on a smaller scale. (P.S. There is only so much mooncake one can stomach before you become sick of it!)

Besides consuming pre-baked mooncakes, there was also made-on-the-spot mooncakes. The durian flavoured ones tasted fantastic!

Enough of food, let's immerse ourselves into culture. Chinese calligraphy was on display and live demonstrations were conducted.

In addition, there was a station where Chinese riddles were hung on lanterns for us to solve. Prizes included of course! And amazing, with a lil' aid from Ryan (haha!), I managed to solved a riddle and a large mooncake was my reward (to get fatter...). Here's the riddle:

Q: 李家兄妹俩：哥哥是名空军，妹妹跳芭蕾。（打一成语）

A: (end of this post) :P

A guided tour of the museum followed... this series of photos showed the heartache a Manchu Chinese experienced when he had to chop off his queue (a.k.a pig-tail).

The murals along the sides of the walls show a typical Hakka village in China. At the far end, Ivan was approaching a Chinese migrant whose all packed up and ready to leave with him. Lol!

The blue luminous words read "Girl For Sale". In the past, daughters were treated like commodities and sold for money. Ivan was shocked... but thankful he is neither a girl nor living in those times.

After talking so much, Ivan was thirsty. So he headed for a vase that was sprouting water and took a lick. Haha! ;)

Ahh... these traditional Chinese posters amazed Ryan. Oh how he hoped to be one of the features. Lol!

Ivan decided to go one step further and seduce this tai-tai and her doggie. Can you see her right hand is "sayang-ing" him? Wahaha...

Ryan felt inquisitive, so he decided to explore the internal anatomy of this tree-climbing man, via his ass! Haha!

Halfway through the tour, Ivan was hungry again. So he decided to grab some bananas... and maybe a pumpkin for Halloween.

Ivan then went on to torture and tease a snake which slithered its way on top of a chopping board.

Seriously, I haven't felt so high for quite some time. Totally enjoyed myself, learning (yes I did ok...), having fun with the exhibits and wax figurines, and shooting photos. Oh yes, we even got interviewed by Vivian from the National Heritage Board who's working on the "I Love Museums" project. And my answer... "to see and be seen!" Lol.

This boy boy is soooooooo cute. And yeah, I was as happy as him. Once again, a big thanks to the organisers of this event. It made my Mid-Autumn Festival this year so special. (:

As we lay under a canopy of leaves, the moon continues to shine... till next year!

Q: 李家兄妹俩：哥哥是名空军，妹妹跳芭蕾。（打一成语）

A: 龙飞凤舞

More photos on my Facebook!

"Sell Your Shore"

After a hard time figuring out Photoshop... here is my masterpiece! Haha, ok not exactly "master" but hope it could get me a substantial amount of marks for the Marine Biology module.

same old BRAND NEW me!

Hair cut short. And back to black. Eye brows threaded... damn painful. Ouch! But surprisingly, I didn't tear. It's kinda therapeutic actually. Haha!

Field Trip Photos!

It has been quite some time back. But the field trip photos are finally up on my Facebook! Do check them out, the different sceneries and organisms living in the intertidal zone (a.k.a. seashore).

Small Sister's Island

Big Sister's Island

And finally, the Phymanthus sp. that I'm working on for my Honours Project. By the way, it is a sea anemone. These are collected at St. John's Island with the help of June and Karen. Thanks girls!

Phymanthus @ St. John's Island

INVITATION ONLY ~ 4/5

[thriller]

This Taiwanese slasher thriller is superb. It is well-filmed and might even surpass the standard of your normal Hollywood-inspired slasher flicks. But be warned that it is gory and very bloody in certain scenes. Body parts are strewn randomly while the slashing techniques are sadistic. If there is more commentary in the narrative between the rich and poor classes, it will be excellent.