Movie Review: Beautiful Lies

The talented Audrey Tatou and the altogether-too-delicious Sami Bouajila star in this lovely French Film about, well, essentially, the lies one tells to keep life beautiful for the ones you love. An alternative title could be "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

The basic premise is this - Jean, an intellectual turned handyman due to unfortunate circumstances pens a old-fashioned love letter to Emilie, his boss and owner of a hair-dressing salon. Emilie, who is consumed with the breakdown of her parent's marriage, forwards the letter on to her mother, who she feels needs it to cheer her up. This leads to a whole comedy of errors that keeps you in good humour, albeit being cringe-worthy at times.

Like when Maddy (Emilie's mother) has the most awkward conversation ever with the man who she thinks loves her, but he has no clue whatsoever why she is behaving so. The director makes no effort to spare the audience of the intense discomfort that one feels when you see someone making an utter fool of themselves. Her delusion and his confusion become your own - all you can do is squirm uncomfotable, giggle nervously and hope to God she will stop already.

I was particularly moved by Sami Bouajila's performance in this film. An actor previously unknown to me, his face was a vertitable canvas on which the director painted ever conceivable emotion. To watch him move through lovesickness, fear, confusion, betrayal, anger, coldness, hard-heartness, sympathy, pain, loneliness and finally fulfillment and love was a wonder to behold. Loved it.

I am glad my friend AJJ(J) made me watch this movie. I, in turn, highly recommend it.

Movie Review: Black Swan

Black Swan is my first Darren Aronofsky film, and if it is any indication as to his previous work, as implied by other reviews I have read, then I am glad I didn't see them. Not that Black Swan was not a brilliantly presented film, it is. It is just that there is only so much raw, visceral pain I can handle.

Nina(Natalie Portman) is the child-woman used in this genre, a stereotype if you will, of the fragile, innocent, sexually immature protaganist who either finds it in herself to steel herself up for the task ahead or go mad. Of course, in Black Swan, the latter happens, and the documentation of the process and visualisation of her inner turmoil and struggles grip everything voyeuristic in the audience's psyche.

Nothing beats watching another human being's struggle to battle inner demons, and in Nina's case, her perceived outer demons too, personified by evil alter-ego/ valley girl Lily (Mila Kunis) and ballet director/ seducer with the cruel lips Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel). Aided and abetted by her domineering mother (whose art was designed to be creepy) and Nina's own paranoia and pursuit of perfection, the demons slowly consume Nina and transform into something she recognises all too well.

I loved the cinematography, the blue filters over all the scenes, the claustrophobic tightly framed shots, unsteady camera work.I especialy love the stark contrast of the mise en scene of her bedroom which is all pink and innocence and light compared to the bile-green decor of the rest of the house. Nina's frailty is placed in stark contrast to her mother's hard veneer, her bird-like eyes adding another element of terror to an otherwise terrifying alternate reality. The use of all the minor chord movements in Tchaikovsky's original Swan Lake compositions added to the mood of doom and disaster.

I love the seamless use of CGI in the film (the head replacements making up the majority), and was truly horrified everytime she morphed into the Black Swan. One of the CGI scenes made me go to the bathroom in my pants a little. TMI, I know.

Natalie Portmen deserved her Golden Globe, playing both good and bad girl with equal beleivability, making me want to slap some backbone into her with the former and applaud her gutsiness at the latter. Mila Kunis on the other hand did not seem to be playing anyone but herself, or at least a trumoed up version of her character in "That 70s Show". Losing 20 pounds for a role does not a nomination garner.

It was sheer joy to watch the masculine strength, virility and even cruelty portrayed by Vincent Cassel. The casting director made up for the Kunis error with giving him the role.

Watch this movie, even if, like me, you don't sleep a wink that night.

Mini Movie Reviews

Thanks to a steady steady bo pi pi movie buddy, I have watched more movies in the last 6 weeks than I have the whole of last year, probably. While I am immensely grateful that I have had the time, resources and company to do so, I also realise that I have been remiss in doing proper movie reviews for each of them. So, in a bid to document the movies I have watched, and to pen down my thoughts on them before they forever flee my memory, here is a mini movie review. (Thanks movie buddy for helping me remember them:) )

1) Gulliver's Travels
Like many Jack Black movies, this fell short of the comic genius it had the potential for. Unlike the passion and comic timing displayed in Nacho Libre or the intensity of School Of Rock, I felt that he was just phoning this in. Not cool, Jack, not cool. And I am a fan.


2) Love and Other Drugs
The poster for this movie completely belied the sheer intensity of emotion and pathos that this movie presented. Brilliantly casted, Anne and Jake really made you care for the characters and made me cry, time and again.

3) The Tourist
Johnny, were you saw enthralled about making a film with ice queen Angelina, that you accepted all the flaws in directing and editing this movie? She really ruined it for all of us didn't she? And there you were, trying so hard to be real, making us feel your heartache, when she displayed all the emotional range of a Vulcan.

4) Green Hornet
Is it me, or does Jay Chou look like John Cho when he has that mask on? The highlight of the movie for me was "Gangsta's Paradise'. Everthing else was merely meh, or cringingly bad.

5) Burlesque
Cher and Christina make an amazing vocal combination for this vocal-crazy movie. I loved all the showmanship and costumes and man, can that Christina belt! Cher is really under-rated as an actress, I thought she pulled off the role incredible well. This is definitely one of the better movies I have seen this season, although it was faintly reminscent of "Moulin Rouge". Did anyone else think that?

6) Yogi Bear
Fun-filled movie, lots of slapstick and predictable gags. Watched it with my kid. Good entertainment.

7) The Fighter
This is the closest competitior so far for "Love and Other Drugs" as my fave movie of the year. A atypical bromance of two brothers, based on a true story, and the indescribable excellence of Christian Bale. I really hope he gets an OSCAR for this.


8)Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader
I loved this movie for the Jesus moments, or Jesus jukes, as some people call them. But I really do love me a good allegory. Tell me, whose hair didn't stand on end when Aslan showed up? We all knew what, or Who, we were seeing. I love that Lucy has grown up into such a lovely young woman and can't wait to see her in other movies.

And that's it for now. Watching Black Swan tomorrow. Hopefully, there will be a full review of it.

Thank You

It was an awesome reminder at sermon yesterday.

Unspoken Gratitude is Ingratitude.

So often, we feel thankful for someone or something, but pride, momentary madness or sheer forgetfulness prevents us from saying those two little words.

And of course, we have been on the receiving end of that also.Doing something nice for someone and not receiving any thanks for it.

So I will find people to thank today. People I haven't thanked in a while, but whose presence in my life, I will always be grateful for.

Thank you for reading this.

Settling In

19 days into 2011 and I finally feel like I am settling in to the year and the routines that it will entail.

I must remember to keep my tri-fold focus for the year.

1) Help Hanan pass his PSLE
2) Improve comms for church
3) Do something about the elephant in the room by end-2011.

As for resolution-y stuff, this is what the list looks like
1) Write to people more. Meaning love notes, poems, prose and proper letter things.
2) Eat at home more.
3) Cab less.

Sounds easy,right? Ha ha. Lets see what this will look like at the half-year mark.

I am very grateful though. Grateful for my job(s). For my friends. For my mum. For the sweet little boy who is fast becoming a man. Still sweet though. And for the God who never witholds anything from me if I ask.

"Seek ye first".

I will, Lord. I will. Help me when I forget.

Difficult and Necessary

I think God had a good idea of how hard it is to reconcile stuff with our family, which is why he made special mention of it.

Anyway, it is done. I am not happy with the outcome, but its always hard to do the important things. Otherwise they won't be worth doing.

Stuff and Service

Two things were highlighted to me this weekend.

1. Stuff. We spent waay to much of our life just collecting it. The pursuit of happyness does not equal how much stuff we have, but how many relationships we have blessed by our time and our resources. I was painfully made aware of the fact that this is a principal that must be taught and taught well, because it is in direct opposition to how the world operates. And before I teach it, I must internalise it and live it as well.

2. When you serve in church, it is very easy for the things you do to become about the things you do. I was reminded by a dear friend, S., to remember to bring my service attitude everytime. That what I do is not for me, or even for people, but to glorify my God. When I was in corporate employment, I reminded myself frequently that my job was to make my boss look good. And I think that still applies, if not even more so now.

Making God look good means to bring a servant heart to every aspect of my ministry. And I need to constantly remember that.

A new chapter

October has marked a new chapter in my journey with God where I find myself having to trust Him more than ever for provision, for peace and for sanity.

God, I pray that you will see us through this month with flying colours. That the challenges of exams, work, relationships and even leisure are managed with Your wisdom.

Official Opening

While the church was officially opened over 2000 years ago, my church officially opened its new building last Sunday. We started the service with a glorious rendition the Hallelujah Chorus, with a little poetic license thrown in, in the form of rap, beatboxing, rock and hip hop dance.

It is really great to be part of such a great house of God. As much as I love my personal relationship with Jesus, I really love being part of the family. The way everyone worked together, gave off their hearts, their time and their talents to come together to worship and honour God.

How cool was that?

His love consumes me.

I sometimes sit here alone,
My head hung in shame.

At the way I live, my thoughts, my actions
The things I do in my secret heart.

Then one day, as I sit
came this stranger to the well

He wasn't handsome, like I have known handsome
But his eyes were kind and his gentle hands

They held mine, like He knew me
Like I knew Him

And the next moment,
I did KNOW him.
And not only did I know Him,
I loved him.

And his love consumed me.
This man at the well.
He quenched my thirst and took my poor water
in exchange for his sweet and satisfying one.

And everyday he waits for me,
by this well, where sometimes I go.

ANd when I go, He is happy to see me
and wants me like I need to be wanted.

I love my Man at the well,
and His love consumes me.

Weddings and Dedications

Last Saturday was a whirlwind of activity what with my cousin Joe getting married on Saturday and FGA's new building dedication on Sunday morning. Needless to say, I was grateful for the National Day PH to finally get some downtime.

But I digress...

Joe's wedding sermon by Pastor Stanley Wong is what I want to talk about. Unlike the soppy message about love and wonderful memories and children and turtledoves, his message was more like a deterrent to marriage, if you think its about the above.

He said," Marriage is not about happiness; its about holiness".

WHAM! It hit me like a bolt from the blue.

"The more difficult your spouse is, the more opportunity you have to let God work in you and increase your holiness."

WHAM! again.

I am not saying I liked hearing it. I am just saying it said something to me.

Patsy Rodenburg: Why I do theater | Video on TED.com

Patsy Rodenburg: Why I do theater | Video on TED.com

This totally made me re-evaluate my objectives for why I love theatre so much! And made me ask, if this without God, then how much more can Christian theatre speak into people's lives and let God start the healing process.

Please watch, its totally worth the ten minutes.

Theatre Review - The Manganiyar Seduction

When I first signed up to watch this, I was expecting a night of feel good Rajasthani folk music with maybe some dancing thrown in.

Nothing prepared me for the moving, seductive, emotional roller coaster that is the performance by 43 Manganiyar musicians into a realm of music that has the ability to build your psyche to a fever pitch.

Starting with a long string instrument, the performance starts with a simple layer of soul-strumming notes that build, layer, upon layer, instrument upon instrument, voice upon voice, to a complete symphony that hypnotised, scincillated and completely consumed my senses.

When describing it to my friends, I compared it to a hurricane, that starts of with a low pressure zone, and then picks up strength, and builds, spirally every upward, pulling everything in its vicinity into its all consuming vortex.
It was the best visual parallel I could think of at the moment, and it hardly does it any justice.

I did not understand the language, did not know what they were singing about, but I do know that for 4 or 5 days afterwards, the refrain kept ringing in my head. If they come back, I already know of a few people I will drag along to watch it with me.

Side note: President Nathan was there!He had apparently come the night before, for the gala, and loved it so much, he came back the next night. It was thrilling to know that I have the same taste in music as our President! Ha ha.

Making memories with mama

Doing this skit for mother's day really makes me think about my relationship with my mother. She turns 61 this Friday and suddenly, I realise I am at the age where I first noticed her getting old. It surprisingly coincides with the time I became a teenager, but I am sure adolescent angst had nothing to do with the way I perceived her. (tongue firmly in cheek)

At 37, my mother was grumpy - alot. Everything I did annoyed her. I remember there was once I came home from school and was sitting at the table talking to her when suddenly, suddenly, she flew into a rage because I was sitting around in my uniform. It was confusing, it was like "you just noticed? I been sitting here for 30 minutes!"

At 37, my mother was not very sociable. She went to work, she came home. No parties, no exercise, no trips to visit people, nothing. It bothered me that she was quite happy pottering around her plants, or sitting in semi-darkness, listening to Tamil film music from the 40s and 50s. Aren't people who need people the luckiest people? I didn't get it.

At 37, my mother was very tired. She slept alot, in the afternoons, early in the evenings, on a bus, in a cab. All the time.

Now that she is 61, she is one of the most happening women. Her days are packed with morning runs, social visits, trips to JB, gatherings, parties. Ever since semi-retirement, its like her life really took off.

And I am tired. and grumpy. and not very sociable.

We have come full circle.

Restaurant Review - Wild Honey

One of the best things about this flexi-schedule that I have adopted is the opp to meet friends and angels for weird middle of the day meals and chit chat sessions. Had one recently with one of my goondu friends at an amazing brunch place called Wild Honey, located at the third floor of the Mandarin Gallery.

Ok, this is not, I repeat NOT, a cheao eats place. Brunch set us back about $70 bucks. When I say us, I mean him, because he was sweet enough to treat me after he noticed that I almost went into cardiac arrest upon looking at the menu/ price board.

But, oh, was it good.

I had the English Breakfast and the nectar of the gods for a drink. Except they call it Wild Mocha Dolce. It was the first time I was served more bacon than I could eat. The sauteed mushrooms were perfect, as was the link sausage and the most heavenly scrambled eggs. The toast was about as thick as my index finger and wonderfully buttered. My dining partner has the most atas looking eggs benedict, which tasted really good, and I dont really like eggs ben, so there you go.

And then we just figuratively popped our pants and sat there for another hour, like pythons that has swallowed a whole pig each. And talked. And dreamed. And were quiet together. AIn't it grand to have friends you can be quiet with? That you don't have to entertain. Or be entertained by.

The best thing about that morning, besides the great feed, was finding a place in your soul where you didn't feel rushed, and then finding a physical space that didn't rush you either. In Singapore at least, seldom do the twain meet.


Post note: I just went to hungrygowhere to read the reviews on Wild Honey and was really surprised to read all the really bad reviews on the food and service. My exprrience was nothing like that. Maybe they have pulled up their socks after those reviews. Or maybe all those reviewers went on weekends that are never good for any brunch place anyway. We went on the a Thursday.

But ya, I had a divine experience and I think you should try it for yourself.

Theatre Review - Chicago

Having booked tickets for this show in November, one can only imagine the excitement and anticipation that went into watching this at the magnificent Esplanade Theatre. Our seats were excellent, in the middle of the floor, literally. So, without further ado, it is on with the show.

And the brillant Aussie cast did not disappoint. From the amazing choreography of all the dance sequences to the amazing band that spent the entire time of stage, it was a great musical experience. It amazed me how much like a younger Madonna "Roxie" looked. Also amazing was the 8 foot tall (or so it seemed) Kitty, who literally had legs that went on for miles and a six-pack that would make any Manhunt contestant cringe in shame.

The ensemble cast did it for me more than any of the main parts, their collective talents going into making Chicago the great production that it is. Like the band, they too spent their off-stage time, on stage, sitting in chairs next to the wings and watching the actors like it was the first time they had seen this musical.

Of course no show is ever perfect and this one had its down moments too. Not too many, thankfully and probably none that will be noticed by the average audience member.

For one, Velma looked a little winded about halfway into the 1st half and when she lifted that obviously-too-heavy chair above her head, I really thought she was gonna brain herself in the head. It was a bit worrying, because they were only 3 days into the run, and she already looked sligghtly tired. Maybe it was the jetlag.

The other thing was this. While it is great that they had a black man in the production, they might have wanted to check if he could do a Mid-western accent before they gave him lines! It kind of ruined it for me that he had sort of Jamiacan-immigrant meets Cockney accent. Messed with my suspension of disbelief, as it were.

And yes, that was really his butt. He had a good coloured man butt. Get over it. Sheesh.(Sorry, a bit of passive agression there. But you won't beleive how much conversation that poor man's posterior elicited.)

If you have seen it yet, please go. The movie can't even compare, Richard Gere notwithstanding:)

Showing at the esplanade till 9 May 2010.

Where I have been for the past 3 months

Ever made a really big mistake and then realised that maybe that was just God's way of waking you up to the plans He has for you?

If I have to assign meaning to the last three months, then I think that would be it. Taking the job at [that company] was the wrong thing to do, but I am something right came out of it.

So the plan now is to see how stepping out of the safety of the career-boat is going to change my life. Putting priorities right is the most important thing to do, and yet its amazing how many of us get stuck in the "must have job" rut.

I am totally trusting God for this. Not myself, not my friends, not my connections, only him.

Am excited to see what God's gonna do. I think the last time I said that, was ten years ago.

Morning Train Rides

Living as I do in the far north, I have the option either to take the North-South Train or the Train that connects to the East West Line. They both take about the same time to get to my stop, so it doesn't really matter, but there are som real differences in the commuter profile for both.

North-South Line:
Lots of poly students getting of at Yio Chu Kang. Usually dishevelled, half asleep and move slowly.

Office workers tend to be more well-heeled, senior exec and above.

The men are more chivalrous, giving their seat to the needy and letting you read over their shoulder.

More expats who get on at Novena, Newton and Orchard.

East West Line:
More aunties. Where they are going that early, noone knows, but they sure can move fast when a seat empties...

More industrial worker and junior exec types.

When trains get super packed, more stations have those service ambassadors whose job seems to be to stand around and say in a weak voice "Move in, Move in."

More people who like to congregate near the doors.


I wonder if this is an accurate way to classify the social divisions in our society. North - young, well educated, high income?
West - Older, lower income?

Just a thought.

Long break

Its been a real long time since this blog has been updated. But with good reason.So much has happened, it will take me a long time to go into it. So I will do that another day. Suffice it to say I am well and happy and looking forward to the promises of the new year.

Cheers!

Surely Goodness and Mercy

In an amazing sermon message today. God reminded me that it was not me that found Him, but Him that found me. And not just found me in a haphazard manner, like how we would would find a pair of black socks tucked in the corner of the drawer. "Oh, there they are! I will just put them with the other half dozen pairs of black socks I own. Now, where are those tan tights?"

Oh,no, the word is "radaph", which is Hebrew for "hunt down and find" and then, after finding, to follow with a doggedness that will not let go.

What a relief! What freedom! That instead of us having to worry about straying, or sticking by God, and the myriad of things we have invented for ourselves to do (Read bible, pray, fast, aargh I forgot, that's it! I have to start over!), God is actually the one who is seeking us out - constantly and commitedly.

What an awesome God!

Surely goodness and mercy will follow (Radaph) me all the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23:6