Sequeena, Si Hua and I at the Esplanade on Boxing Day!
Saturday, December 31, 2005
End of Year Special - Top 10 Entries
It's been a crazy year of blogging for me and this is the 245th entry! It's kind of weird that I'm blogging about blogging but, heck.
10. Project Superstar
Written on September 04, this was my first reaction to all the raging discussion on who deserved to win, who was a better performer, who was the better singer and all the aunty and uncles love for Wei Lian. Controversy, controversy, controversy. That's what makes a good show I suppose.
09. King Kong
One of the most enjoyable movie write-ups I've done because of the time it took to read up about the actors and how the movie came about. The pictures for this particular entry were a bit harder to find than most. However, seeing that this is one of the blockbusters of the year, it really deserved every bit of detail to be noted down.
08. Madonna - Hung Up
This entry basically captured my excitement when the Queen was preparing her comeback to the music scene. A reflection on her past works and anticipation of the future. Her album sales world wide is currently at 4 million plus, despite having only released one single. Impressive.
07. Bravo Chalet
Another entry that took almost forever to write, but it was worth it because I quite enjoyed myself and it was my only chalet this year.
06. 03S10A's BBQ
One of the longest entries ever, I wrote about an occassion that was very special to me. When I look back at the photographs, every bit of effort was worth it. It's like a trip back to the past. Oh yeah, and the cup thingies and the card. Something to look at, and smile.
05. Britney Spears - Quote from The Onyx Hotel Tour 2004
One of the most inspirational lines from her. Check it out.
04. It's Hot - November's Chopin
While listening hard with my ears, staring the lyrics and processing the music in my mind, this entry showcases my thoughts of the new album. Every song has its meaning, every song sounds unique. It's really worth waiting for and all the excitement and anticpation for it did not disappoint.
03. Pop The Music
Me standing up for pop music.
02. Mariah Carey - Shake It Off
This was the entry that garnered the most views. Mariah's at her peak and there's no doubt that her growing profile was what led to this. A simple entry about a song, and then about an artiste who recovered from her slip four years ago, to produce her latest album, The Emancipation of Mimi. It overtakes 50 Cent this week to become the biggest selling album in the USA.
01. Edison and Jay... so scandalous!
The most enjoyable entry to do. Got quite a few comments from disgruntled fans. And it couldn't be done without help from Ming Boon. I thought it was rather cool that we co-operated together on this one. There wasn't much to write about and it was an entry that let the pictures do the talking. Scandalous!
10. Project Superstar
Written on September 04, this was my first reaction to all the raging discussion on who deserved to win, who was a better performer, who was the better singer and all the aunty and uncles love for Wei Lian. Controversy, controversy, controversy. That's what makes a good show I suppose.
09. King Kong
One of the most enjoyable movie write-ups I've done because of the time it took to read up about the actors and how the movie came about. The pictures for this particular entry were a bit harder to find than most. However, seeing that this is one of the blockbusters of the year, it really deserved every bit of detail to be noted down.
08. Madonna - Hung Up
This entry basically captured my excitement when the Queen was preparing her comeback to the music scene. A reflection on her past works and anticipation of the future. Her album sales world wide is currently at 4 million plus, despite having only released one single. Impressive.
07. Bravo Chalet
Another entry that took almost forever to write, but it was worth it because I quite enjoyed myself and it was my only chalet this year.
06. 03S10A's BBQ
One of the longest entries ever, I wrote about an occassion that was very special to me. When I look back at the photographs, every bit of effort was worth it. It's like a trip back to the past. Oh yeah, and the cup thingies and the card. Something to look at, and smile.
05. Britney Spears - Quote from The Onyx Hotel Tour 2004
One of the most inspirational lines from her. Check it out.
04. It's Hot - November's Chopin
While listening hard with my ears, staring the lyrics and processing the music in my mind, this entry showcases my thoughts of the new album. Every song has its meaning, every song sounds unique. It's really worth waiting for and all the excitement and anticpation for it did not disappoint.
03. Pop The Music
Me standing up for pop music.
02. Mariah Carey - Shake It Off
This was the entry that garnered the most views. Mariah's at her peak and there's no doubt that her growing profile was what led to this. A simple entry about a song, and then about an artiste who recovered from her slip four years ago, to produce her latest album, The Emancipation of Mimi. It overtakes 50 Cent this week to become the biggest selling album in the USA.
01. Edison and Jay... so scandalous!
The most enjoyable entry to do. Got quite a few comments from disgruntled fans. And it couldn't be done without help from Ming Boon. I thought it was rather cool that we co-operated together on this one. There wasn't much to write about and it was an entry that let the pictures do the talking. Scandalous!
Friday, December 30, 2005
JKYH Top 10 (26)
01. Biology - Girls Aloud (2) 4
02. Fa Ru Xue - Jay Chou (+2) 3
03. L.O.V.E. - Ashlee Simpson (+3) 2
04. Confessions of a Broken Heart - Lindsay Lohan (-2) 8
05. It's Raining - Rain (-2) 6
06. Pump It - Black Eyed Peas (+4) 2
07. And Then We Kiss - Britney Spears (-2) 8
08. Ugly - Sugababes (NEW)
09. Dance Dance - Fallout Boy (-2) 2
10. Luxurious - Gwen Stefani (NEW)
End of Year Special - Top 10 Moments
10. Getting rid of poisonous people
09. Watching Britney 's TV series, Chaotic.
And buying the DVD! Spent many a weekend waiting for its release in the USA before getting a chance to watch it early in the morning. Those were the days... The introduction of the song Chaotic reminds me of times of freedom, bookout, hilarity, lameness and gorgeousness of the one and only, Britney Spears.
08. Volleyball Interunit.
Didn't play, but was a part of it. That was enough for me! I got the opportunity to be in part of the team and to watch a lot of matches, which I didn't have the chance to do before. All this gave me better understanding of my favourite sport!
07. Harmonica SYF Silver.
I've said time and again that they were my pride and joy. They've given me respect and let me trust my instincts in teaching. They've put their faith in me, they've treated me warmly and called me back the beginning of this year. They've given me a chance to give back to the school, and a few more months of hanging out with them. They've treated me as a friend, and equal. They made me so darn proud, and found that whatever I've put in has reaped results. They've grown up, taken charge and matured to give their own interpretation of music.
I'm very proud, and will always remember my juniors, the 27th and last batch of NYJC Harmonica Orchestra.
06. Brunei Trip
I volunteered for it and have no regrets. It tested my strength, it gave me the chance to go overseas and most of all, I gained experience of another culture. In its own way, it taught me lifeskills that I would never forget. It showed me a vast natural environment, beautiful in itself and is stuck in my mind till this very day. It made tear down useless believes and limitations that I had of myself and broadened my perspective of the world outside my country.
05. POP loh!
Wooohoo! I can still remember that day, when I had a feeling I would never return to Tekong ever again. The final parade, and my parents' presence. BMT was such a memorable period in my life. It was fun in a weird way. It was comfortably cooling at night. The sunrise and sunset were remarkable. The sounds of aeroplanes flying past constantly and waves crashing toward the island when I was having guard duty added flavour to my life as a recruit. The sergents who made life hell and made BMT interesting for us. Whiskey Platoon 4... my sectionmates... all the people who came into my life for a short while, but made such a big impact. Respect.
04. Organising the class gathering at my place.
Initiative is not the only thing. I miss my class. A lot. It's very tough to get everyone together. There're times when I look back at the last day of school and I realised, yeah, it's probably the last time that we're obliged to be in the same room together. So much has happened since then, and we've all grown up in ways that we didn't expected. Anyway, I put a lot of thought into that gathering. Be it the cups as souveneirs and the card and the BBQ food, or the money, or the effort to organise and contact each and everyone of them; it turned out that it was worth it. It was worth it to see everyone's face again. It was worth knowing that everyone's doing fine. It was worth it knowing that we still cared about each other.
03. Running 21 km
Months of training leading up to the grand finale on the 11th of September. It was insane. I still remembered the times where we would all pray for rain when we were going to have a 7km run. After all that training, we don't even complain or give two hoots if we were going to run 10km. And after conquering 21km, anything and everything seemed possible. If army taught me one thing, it is the resistance, mind-over-matter, having the balls to challenge yourself and to push yourself to the limit. Yes. That is, but ONE major thing, which probably decides whether you'll make it to the gold at the end of the rainbow, or be the fool just wishing for it.
02. Blogging
It is crazy how much this blog means to me. It's my voice. It's got everything I ever wanted to express. I've learnt a lot from writing the blog. I've learnt what are the stuff people are interested to read, I've learnt photo editting, I've learnt how to collect information and most of all, it gives me a chance to write. I've always been given confidence of my writing be it from peers or teachers and to me, it's the ability that I wouldn't want to lose. It's probably that one thing that I would figure that I am best in. Not playing the piano, not singing, not knowing about Pop music, not running, not DDR, not Science. Just writing. So I do appreciate it if you leave a tag or two!
01. Knowing Sidney
It is difficult to find someone to connect to, in a world where everything happens so quickly. And it's even more difficult, because I'm such a closed person in more ways then one. And knowing Sidney by pure luck and then becoming friends and then brothers is the top moment of this year. We started off as acquaintances in Whiskey 4, only knowing that the other was a big Britney fan. Then slowly we chatted on MSN, and then SMS-ed. He's the guy who accompanied me when I was doing my first orderly duty. The one who'd wish me luck before a run, and understand that route march is horrible shit. He'd be there for me to grumble to or to cheer for. We have a lot in common. To us, the brightness of the sun in the sky on weekends is already a huge topic in itself. Tanning. Keeping fit. Gadgets. Music. Although we don't meet each other often, we're there to motivate each other to be the best that we can be. For that, I'm grateful.
09. Watching Britney 's TV series, Chaotic.
And buying the DVD! Spent many a weekend waiting for its release in the USA before getting a chance to watch it early in the morning. Those were the days... The introduction of the song Chaotic reminds me of times of freedom, bookout, hilarity, lameness and gorgeousness of the one and only, Britney Spears.
08. Volleyball Interunit.
Didn't play, but was a part of it. That was enough for me! I got the opportunity to be in part of the team and to watch a lot of matches, which I didn't have the chance to do before. All this gave me better understanding of my favourite sport!
07. Harmonica SYF Silver.
I've said time and again that they were my pride and joy. They've given me respect and let me trust my instincts in teaching. They've put their faith in me, they've treated me warmly and called me back the beginning of this year. They've given me a chance to give back to the school, and a few more months of hanging out with them. They've treated me as a friend, and equal. They made me so darn proud, and found that whatever I've put in has reaped results. They've grown up, taken charge and matured to give their own interpretation of music.
I'm very proud, and will always remember my juniors, the 27th and last batch of NYJC Harmonica Orchestra.
06. Brunei Trip
I volunteered for it and have no regrets. It tested my strength, it gave me the chance to go overseas and most of all, I gained experience of another culture. In its own way, it taught me lifeskills that I would never forget. It showed me a vast natural environment, beautiful in itself and is stuck in my mind till this very day. It made tear down useless believes and limitations that I had of myself and broadened my perspective of the world outside my country.
05. POP loh!
Wooohoo! I can still remember that day, when I had a feeling I would never return to Tekong ever again. The final parade, and my parents' presence. BMT was such a memorable period in my life. It was fun in a weird way. It was comfortably cooling at night. The sunrise and sunset were remarkable. The sounds of aeroplanes flying past constantly and waves crashing toward the island when I was having guard duty added flavour to my life as a recruit. The sergents who made life hell and made BMT interesting for us. Whiskey Platoon 4... my sectionmates... all the people who came into my life for a short while, but made such a big impact. Respect.
04. Organising the class gathering at my place.
Initiative is not the only thing. I miss my class. A lot. It's very tough to get everyone together. There're times when I look back at the last day of school and I realised, yeah, it's probably the last time that we're obliged to be in the same room together. So much has happened since then, and we've all grown up in ways that we didn't expected. Anyway, I put a lot of thought into that gathering. Be it the cups as souveneirs and the card and the BBQ food, or the money, or the effort to organise and contact each and everyone of them; it turned out that it was worth it. It was worth it to see everyone's face again. It was worth knowing that everyone's doing fine. It was worth it knowing that we still cared about each other.
03. Running 21 km
Months of training leading up to the grand finale on the 11th of September. It was insane. I still remembered the times where we would all pray for rain when we were going to have a 7km run. After all that training, we don't even complain or give two hoots if we were going to run 10km. And after conquering 21km, anything and everything seemed possible. If army taught me one thing, it is the resistance, mind-over-matter, having the balls to challenge yourself and to push yourself to the limit. Yes. That is, but ONE major thing, which probably decides whether you'll make it to the gold at the end of the rainbow, or be the fool just wishing for it.
02. Blogging
It is crazy how much this blog means to me. It's my voice. It's got everything I ever wanted to express. I've learnt a lot from writing the blog. I've learnt what are the stuff people are interested to read, I've learnt photo editting, I've learnt how to collect information and most of all, it gives me a chance to write. I've always been given confidence of my writing be it from peers or teachers and to me, it's the ability that I wouldn't want to lose. It's probably that one thing that I would figure that I am best in. Not playing the piano, not singing, not knowing about Pop music, not running, not DDR, not Science. Just writing. So I do appreciate it if you leave a tag or two!
01. Knowing Sidney
It is difficult to find someone to connect to, in a world where everything happens so quickly. And it's even more difficult, because I'm such a closed person in more ways then one. And knowing Sidney by pure luck and then becoming friends and then brothers is the top moment of this year. We started off as acquaintances in Whiskey 4, only knowing that the other was a big Britney fan. Then slowly we chatted on MSN, and then SMS-ed. He's the guy who accompanied me when I was doing my first orderly duty. The one who'd wish me luck before a run, and understand that route march is horrible shit. He'd be there for me to grumble to or to cheer for. We have a lot in common. To us, the brightness of the sun in the sky on weekends is already a huge topic in itself. Tanning. Keeping fit. Gadgets. Music. Although we don't meet each other often, we're there to motivate each other to be the best that we can be. For that, I'm grateful.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
End of Year Special - Top 10 Movies
I've watched a hell lot of movies this year, from the likes of Kung Fu Hustle, The Myth, Mr & Mrs Smith, Sky High, Chicken Little, Inital D, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Wedding Crashers, Into the Blue and Madagascar. In fact, I think I've watched more movies this year (in the cinema) than all my life combined together! So let me present to you my Top 10 Movies that graced the silverscreen this year.
10. Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith
What more is there to say about the grand finale of Star Wars that hasn't been said? A great conclusion to such an epic story. With 6 movies dedicated to this franchise, the legacy of Star Wars will be remembered in time to come. This is probably the top grossing film worldwide this year. This blockbuster has raked in $380,270,577 in the US box office since its release this May and ranks as the 7th in All Time Box Office charts. It is the top of ten movies which made their debut into the Top 100 movies of all time this year.
09. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Directed by Tim Burton (I missed Corpse Bride. Damn!) and based on a well loved story by Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is probably one of the best family movies this year. The charming Johnny Depp takes on the role of Willy Wonka and drives the movie to Box Office success. With the help of humurous poem-turned-songs of the Oompa Loompas and the entertaining punishments given to the 'bad' children, it's a movie that reaches out to the young and old. My love for the story was what made me watch the movie and it didn't disappoint. more...
08. King Kong
Spanning 188 minutes and directed by Peter Jackson (who's used to directing such epics. Think LOTR.), this is his version of the 1933 version which he saw as a kid. It was his inspiration to go into directing. Backed by a wonderful cast, King Kong is still hitting its chest triumphantly at the box office this month despite strong competition from other holiday blockbusters. I watched this movie at 2AM and despite its length (and the fact that I watched it in the wee hours of the morning), I didn't fall asleep! That alone is enough to justify watching it. In a more awake state.more...
07. War of the Worlds
Tom Cruise is brilliant. To be honest, I used to think that he was just a good-looking and overrated actor so I've never went anywhere near the movies he's made. He has a legacy. With about 30 movies under his name, I'm ashamed to say that I've never watched Top Gun, Mission Impossible, Vanilla Sky and Minority Report, just to name a few. It was 2004's Collateral in which he plays the bad guy, which made me sit up in awe of his versatile acting skills. Directed by the equally famous Steven Spielberg (Jurrassic Park, MIB II), this film is a believable sci-fi. Action-packed and with plenty of special effects (plus the screams of Dakota Fanning which rings in my ears till this very day) this movie is a memorable one.
06. Constantine
With a brooding Keanu Reeves taking on his biggest role since The Matrix combined with a very solid storyline, Constantine rages into my chart at a very respectable #6, almost making it Top 5. Demons. Heaven. Hell. God. It's a dark movie, no question about that. It's one with many unexpected moments. Of course there's also Rachel Weisz, who acts as twins. She does respectably well as the vulnerable-but-still-kicking-butt policewoman bent on avenging her sister's death. I cannot believe I watched a film about exorcising demons during Chinese New Year. Outrageous. Tilda Swinton also leaves a deep impression as Gabriel. Be sure to catch her in Narnia as well!
05. Fantastic 4
Representing Pop Culture at its peak, featuring a gorgeous cast (Woah Jessica Alba and Chris Evans ), and based on a comic book, this movie is a joy to watch. The characters of the Fantastic 4 and how they interact is portrayed very well. Each one has his unique character and brings something special into the movie. It's light-hearted and fun, and comes in #129 in the All Time Box Office charts in the US, raking in $154,695,569 since its release in August. I forsee a sequel. more...
04. American Pie Presents: Band Camp
There is a lot to be said about this movie.
I cannot believe I enjoyed it so much despite watching it on a tour bus. And even after watching it in segments for a second time.
For reasons unknown to myself, this movie did not make it to the silverscreen and went straight to DVD instead. Essentially a flick aimed at teens, its toilet humour and other antics basically showcases how sex takes over pretty much everything when one's at the age of uncontrollable hormone surges. However, there's also a plot about friendship and music weaved into what is a big just-for-laughs (RA). I like it so much because I can relate to it. Okay, and the fact that it's just a rapturously rowdy movie. It's basically about this guy, Matt Stifler, being punished and thus sent to band camp, where he gets a spy camera kit to make a porn video of the girls in the camp.
Here's a few screencaps for the uninitiated. Also, one of the nastier quotes from the movie:
Matt Stifler: What the fuck!
Brandon's friend 1: Are you a rookie, you look lost?
Matt Stifler: Are you an asshole, your hairy and you smell like shit!
03. Innocent Steps
Korean movies are inspiring. There's no argument. The effort in which they've put to showcase their talents and to make the presence of their culture felt is nothing to be laughed at. I seriously doubt Singapore can do the same, because of the lack of a unique culture. Of course, that isn't the point. Innocent Steps tells a story of a great dancer who is in need of a partner. A girl (who feigns her dance ability) is sent to him, and because he has no other choice, he teaches her to dance with him. He is impatient and rough, but the girl's dedication wins him over. However in the end, he is injured, and the girl was forced to be somone else's partner.
A gripping love story, combined with the passion of dancing portrayed by its many dance scenes, makes this movie a must-watch. more...
02. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
It is no surprise that this is the second-highest grossing movie of the year, and it surpasses two of its predecessors (Prisoner of Azkaban and Chamber of Secrets) to take #28 of the All Time Box Office charts.
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint return for the 4th episode of Harry Potter. Destined to go one further than the Star Wars series, I hope that the 3 actors are able to take on their roles till the end and not outgrow them. Many have expressed disappointment at the movie's 2.5 hour run (I don't see why it shouldn't have been 3) and at the pace of the movie, but it is fantastic to see the story come alive in the movie. The strong presence of the more matured actors in the movie also gives it credibility and depth. It could've been better, but luckily the story lived up to its hype of being one of the more exciting moments in Harry Potter (as compared to the previous two) so... It's good stuff.
This graphic makes me relive all those wonderful moments in the movie!
01. The Island
So maybe there was a bit of biasness because of the presence of Ewan McGregor. And the very gorgeous booty of Scarlett Johansson. But The Island has a storyline sufficient to hold its ground. I have no idea why it flopped everywhere, and why it was labelled as a huge disappointment in terms of marketing and everything. It earned less than a quarter of its budget. Arhm.
I bought this DVD for the post-Christmas celebration for my company just a few days ago. It was great to watch it again, and it was even better to see that all eyes were on the screen. No one fell asleep. There was action. There was a storyline which challenged principles and believes. There was a pair of good-looking people on screen. There was the amazing acting skills of Ewan McGregor when he acted as a clone and his original self. His Scottish accent. His American accent.
It's gruesome at some parts and has many twists in the plot. There were times where I thought the story was going to come to an end and they'd live happily ever after or something, but the movie carries on to reveal darker truths about human nature, and about using technology to play God. Thought-provoking, action packed and entertaining. more...
The Island is my pick for Movie of the Year.
10. Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith
What more is there to say about the grand finale of Star Wars that hasn't been said? A great conclusion to such an epic story. With 6 movies dedicated to this franchise, the legacy of Star Wars will be remembered in time to come. This is probably the top grossing film worldwide this year. This blockbuster has raked in $380,270,577 in the US box office since its release this May and ranks as the 7th in All Time Box Office charts. It is the top of ten movies which made their debut into the Top 100 movies of all time this year.
09. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Directed by Tim Burton (I missed Corpse Bride. Damn!) and based on a well loved story by Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is probably one of the best family movies this year. The charming Johnny Depp takes on the role of Willy Wonka and drives the movie to Box Office success. With the help of humurous poem-turned-songs of the Oompa Loompas and the entertaining punishments given to the 'bad' children, it's a movie that reaches out to the young and old. My love for the story was what made me watch the movie and it didn't disappoint. more...
08. King Kong
Spanning 188 minutes and directed by Peter Jackson (who's used to directing such epics. Think LOTR.), this is his version of the 1933 version which he saw as a kid. It was his inspiration to go into directing. Backed by a wonderful cast, King Kong is still hitting its chest triumphantly at the box office this month despite strong competition from other holiday blockbusters. I watched this movie at 2AM and despite its length (and the fact that I watched it in the wee hours of the morning), I didn't fall asleep! That alone is enough to justify watching it. In a more awake state.more...
07. War of the Worlds
Tom Cruise is brilliant. To be honest, I used to think that he was just a good-looking and overrated actor so I've never went anywhere near the movies he's made. He has a legacy. With about 30 movies under his name, I'm ashamed to say that I've never watched Top Gun, Mission Impossible, Vanilla Sky and Minority Report, just to name a few. It was 2004's Collateral in which he plays the bad guy, which made me sit up in awe of his versatile acting skills. Directed by the equally famous Steven Spielberg (Jurrassic Park, MIB II), this film is a believable sci-fi. Action-packed and with plenty of special effects (plus the screams of Dakota Fanning which rings in my ears till this very day) this movie is a memorable one.
06. Constantine
With a brooding Keanu Reeves taking on his biggest role since The Matrix combined with a very solid storyline, Constantine rages into my chart at a very respectable #6, almost making it Top 5. Demons. Heaven. Hell. God. It's a dark movie, no question about that. It's one with many unexpected moments. Of course there's also Rachel Weisz, who acts as twins. She does respectably well as the vulnerable-but-still-kicking-butt policewoman bent on avenging her sister's death. I cannot believe I watched a film about exorcising demons during Chinese New Year. Outrageous. Tilda Swinton also leaves a deep impression as Gabriel. Be sure to catch her in Narnia as well!
05. Fantastic 4
Representing Pop Culture at its peak, featuring a gorgeous cast (Woah Jessica Alba and Chris Evans ), and based on a comic book, this movie is a joy to watch. The characters of the Fantastic 4 and how they interact is portrayed very well. Each one has his unique character and brings something special into the movie. It's light-hearted and fun, and comes in #129 in the All Time Box Office charts in the US, raking in $154,695,569 since its release in August. I forsee a sequel. more...
04. American Pie Presents: Band Camp
There is a lot to be said about this movie.
I cannot believe I enjoyed it so much despite watching it on a tour bus. And even after watching it in segments for a second time.
For reasons unknown to myself, this movie did not make it to the silverscreen and went straight to DVD instead. Essentially a flick aimed at teens, its toilet humour and other antics basically showcases how sex takes over pretty much everything when one's at the age of uncontrollable hormone surges. However, there's also a plot about friendship and music weaved into what is a big just-for-laughs (RA). I like it so much because I can relate to it. Okay, and the fact that it's just a rapturously rowdy movie. It's basically about this guy, Matt Stifler, being punished and thus sent to band camp, where he gets a spy camera kit to make a porn video of the girls in the camp.
Here's a few screencaps for the uninitiated. Also, one of the nastier quotes from the movie:
Matt Stifler: What the fuck!
Brandon's friend 1: Are you a rookie, you look lost?
Matt Stifler: Are you an asshole, your hairy and you smell like shit!
03. Innocent Steps
Korean movies are inspiring. There's no argument. The effort in which they've put to showcase their talents and to make the presence of their culture felt is nothing to be laughed at. I seriously doubt Singapore can do the same, because of the lack of a unique culture. Of course, that isn't the point. Innocent Steps tells a story of a great dancer who is in need of a partner. A girl (who feigns her dance ability) is sent to him, and because he has no other choice, he teaches her to dance with him. He is impatient and rough, but the girl's dedication wins him over. However in the end, he is injured, and the girl was forced to be somone else's partner.
A gripping love story, combined with the passion of dancing portrayed by its many dance scenes, makes this movie a must-watch. more...
02. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
It is no surprise that this is the second-highest grossing movie of the year, and it surpasses two of its predecessors (Prisoner of Azkaban and Chamber of Secrets) to take #28 of the All Time Box Office charts.
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint return for the 4th episode of Harry Potter. Destined to go one further than the Star Wars series, I hope that the 3 actors are able to take on their roles till the end and not outgrow them. Many have expressed disappointment at the movie's 2.5 hour run (I don't see why it shouldn't have been 3) and at the pace of the movie, but it is fantastic to see the story come alive in the movie. The strong presence of the more matured actors in the movie also gives it credibility and depth. It could've been better, but luckily the story lived up to its hype of being one of the more exciting moments in Harry Potter (as compared to the previous two) so... It's good stuff.
This graphic makes me relive all those wonderful moments in the movie!
01. The Island
So maybe there was a bit of biasness because of the presence of Ewan McGregor. And the very gorgeous booty of Scarlett Johansson. But The Island has a storyline sufficient to hold its ground. I have no idea why it flopped everywhere, and why it was labelled as a huge disappointment in terms of marketing and everything. It earned less than a quarter of its budget. Arhm.
I bought this DVD for the post-Christmas celebration for my company just a few days ago. It was great to watch it again, and it was even better to see that all eyes were on the screen. No one fell asleep. There was action. There was a storyline which challenged principles and believes. There was a pair of good-looking people on screen. There was the amazing acting skills of Ewan McGregor when he acted as a clone and his original self. His Scottish accent. His American accent.
It's gruesome at some parts and has many twists in the plot. There were times where I thought the story was going to come to an end and they'd live happily ever after or something, but the movie carries on to reveal darker truths about human nature, and about using technology to play God. Thought-provoking, action packed and entertaining. more...
The Island is my pick for Movie of the Year.
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Merry Christmas. TO YOU.
Arhm. Ho Ho HO!
Merry Christmas to one and all! Enjoy yourselves... and be sure to get me something from beneath the Christmas Tree, cause I don't think Santa's able to go to Seletar Camp to look for me tomorrow. There's a 'no stocking' policy.
Or you could suggest he get a gas mask disguise to gain entry.
Christmas Eve
Such a hyped up occassion.
Can't help feeling lonely on what should've been happy, celebratory... immersed in an atmosphere of love and friendship.
Nah.
Never thought the day might come when I'd confess that... I'm kinda lonely.
Can't help feeling lonely on what should've been happy, celebratory... immersed in an atmosphere of love and friendship.
Nah.
Never thought the day might come when I'd confess that... I'm kinda lonely.
JKYH Top 10 (25)
01. Biology - Girls Aloud (+5) 3
02. Confessions of a Broken Heart - Lindsay Lohan (+2) 7
03. It's Raining - Rain (3) 5
04. Fa Ru Xue - Jay Chou (+3) 2
05. And Then We Kiss - Britney Spears (-4) 7
06. L.O.V.E. - Ashlee Simpson (NEW)
07. Dance Dance - Fallout Boy (NEW)
08. Hung Up - Madonna (-6) 10
09. Can I Have It Like That - Pharrell ft Gwen Stefani (-1) 4
10. Pump It - Black Eyed Peas (NEW)
Friday, December 23, 2005
End of Year Special - Top 10 Photos
As a way to usher in the new year which is coming in 8 freaking days, I'm going to be doing a Top 10 of everything I can think of. Songs, movies... whatever I can lay my hands on. It's a way to celebrate and commemerate this year and to look forward to greater things to come! Arhm... may I present:
Top 10 Photos of 2005!
10.
Me, Terence wearing my Do Somethin' cap (which I've since lost!) and Guo Fei!
Taken by Sern Hong using his digicam.10.
Me, Terence wearing my Do Somethin' cap (which I've since lost!) and Guo Fei!
09.
This is one of the most memorable photos. Sort of went there to give moral support to them because they were doing display on a weekend! So Van and I went all the way to Marina to see everything.
Taken by Vanessa using my digicam.
08.
Me and my sister.
Taken by my mom using my digicam.
07.
Woah. My sectionmates with me and Vanessa. We went to eat together at Suntec!
Taken by the waiter using Zhi Wei's digicam.
06.
Bravo 1 pioneers group photo!
Taken by Sgt Ernest using his digicam.
05.
Me and my cousin. Innocence in a picture.
Taken by Felicia (I think) using her digicam.
04.
A very memorable outing with Sidney and his friend at Orchard. Had an amazing shopping spree and went to look at the X'Mas deco!
Taken by Beryl and Sidney's digicam.
03.
This was during field camp after we had a chance for a mass shower. It was insane, we had fun and it was great to feel clean!
Taken by unknown, Zhi Wei's digicam.
02.
Me with Shuming and Zhenhui. I accidently appeared in the photograph because actually Shuming was taking with her and Zhenhui, and I just stuck my head into it! A cool accident! Our only successful self-taken photo!
Taken by Shuming using Zhenhui's digicam.
01.
Me with Sequeena and Si Hua. Amazingly and luckily enough we got a digicam that was better than mine! Or else it wouldn't be so rich in colour. We got a stranger to take this for us at the Esplanade.
Taken by unknown using Sequeena's friend's digicam.
Replyin'
a$h: haha!ya such a B.U.M person huhz broso thinkin abt e x'mas present 4 ya swine k,take care huhzcya soon ohz!!! Tata(n_n)
Yeah, I'm going to get presents for the both of you tomorrow, although I don't think we'll have the chance to meet so soon. Yeah, it is kind of sad because I'm kind of busy with army stuff, don't know if I'll be able to book out next week even, with all those rumours flying around. Yepz, I love B.U.M. stuff. Arhm. Yay to B.U.M. undies!
fi5h: Time to go out my friend.. time.... YEAH!!!
Hopefully we can meet up tonight!
mng: yo bud. long time no see...
Yar! Long time no see. It seems as if the next time we meet it'll be 2006!!!
mbies: hope your bad times will tide away soon. ^^
Yeah, I'm sure they'll die away soon. I'm just hanging in there and waiting for everything to go back to normal!
Sid: glad u 2 hear u doing fine.Miss toking cork thru sms n msn.Come back Soonz!start our britney frenZY!
Sid: wa lao.gone so long. miss the sms dude!!! hope you come back in 1 piece.LolZ.
Hey hey... must be honoured I called you from Brunei eh! ;)
mbies: have fun in brunei! XD
It was not bad lar!
Th3odor3: ur dear coporal and higher ranking will be with u! hah
Haha... yepz.
al: u will be sitting a C130...u know how many people don't get to sit that...consider urself lucky
Yeah, it was a great experience going there but when coming back, I just couldn't wait to get my feet on the ground!
angie: U R GOING TO MISS MY BIRTHDAY. I HATE U!
As if I did it on purpose! *mock horror*
mbies: i wanna watch chicken little too...
mingy: ha... i knew it... u're just too in love with me!!! my bf's gonna kick ur ass... muahaha. jk... thanks a lot brother! =) cya real soon.
LOL! Continue believing that I'm just too in love with you if it makes you feel good! Haha!
Yeah, I'm going to get presents for the both of you tomorrow, although I don't think we'll have the chance to meet so soon. Yeah, it is kind of sad because I'm kind of busy with army stuff, don't know if I'll be able to book out next week even, with all those rumours flying around. Yepz, I love B.U.M. stuff. Arhm. Yay to B.U.M. undies!
fi5h: Time to go out my friend.. time.... YEAH!!!
Hopefully we can meet up tonight!
mng: yo bud. long time no see...
Yar! Long time no see. It seems as if the next time we meet it'll be 2006!!!
mbies: hope your bad times will tide away soon. ^^
Yeah, I'm sure they'll die away soon. I'm just hanging in there and waiting for everything to go back to normal!
Sid: glad u 2 hear u doing fine.Miss toking cork thru sms n msn.Come back Soonz!start our britney frenZY!
Sid: wa lao.gone so long. miss the sms dude!!! hope you come back in 1 piece.LolZ.
Hey hey... must be honoured I called you from Brunei eh! ;)
mbies: have fun in brunei! XD
It was not bad lar!
Th3odor3: ur dear coporal and higher ranking will be with u! hah
Haha... yepz.
al: u will be sitting a C130...u know how many people don't get to sit that...consider urself lucky
Yeah, it was a great experience going there but when coming back, I just couldn't wait to get my feet on the ground!
angie: U R GOING TO MISS MY BIRTHDAY. I HATE U!
As if I did it on purpose! *mock horror*
mbies: i wanna watch chicken little too...
mingy: ha... i knew it... u're just too in love with me!!! my bf's gonna kick ur ass... muahaha. jk... thanks a lot brother! =) cya real soon.
LOL! Continue believing that I'm just too in love with you if it makes you feel good! Haha!
Half-Day Off
For the third time this year, I've taken 1/2 day off. It's pathetic. My totally number of off days that I've taken added together is 2.5. I think I have at least 5 full days of off but it'll be quite some time till it's approved as well. It's terribly difficult to get them, even though it is hard enough to earn them in the first place. Did I mention that I'll be getting 1 day off for doing guard duty this coming Christmas?
Frankly, I'm repulsed at having duty on Christmas. Okay, so I'm not a Christian, but for 19 years I've been celebrating it in my perspective. It means something to me. And I've been robbed of all Christmas mood ever since. In fact, I'm going to avoid the fact that there's even Christmas this year. I'll pretend that it doesn't exist. Tuh.
It's been a crappy week in camp, despite it only being a 4 day week. There was a nights off where I went to Causeway Point to shop myself, then there was almost nights off yesterday, but the unit was on alert because of a ship. I was in Force 2 and thought that I'd be activated. Oh man, that's the 200 dollars risk allowance for you. There was CO evening yesterday and it went rather well. I lent my sunglasses to Jeevaraj who suggested that Chia Keat should wear them on stage while playing the drums. And clapped like hell when Charles and Bryan let the guitar rip. I love a good performance and they got it. And it's fantastic to see our platoon so enthused over the fact that there were talented people on the stage representing us.
Hmmm, a great thing that happened this week would probably be YC telling me about his travels. He's probably not the most serious guy in the platoon (as for me I guess I need to lighten up a bit because I'm not the most humorous-cum-talk-cock guy) but he shared with me his overseas experiences. From that I learned a lot from him. It isn't easy to go on such trips. There's planning involved. Being on the constant lookout for opporunities for flights to neighbouring countries and saving up money for the trip. And then there's also the way your mind analyses the situations you go through to make the experience worthwhile. YC impressed me with his knowledge and wealth of experience and also his perspective of life. From talking about Backpackers' Lodge to the look of appreciation in the children's eyes when he handed out food during his Thailand OCIP trip made me think back on my own experience. I felt happy that he'd share something like this with me, and grateful to learn more as we compared our different experiences of interacting with people, helping others, exploring the world and living out of our comfort zones.
I like talking to people about stuff that are life-changing, which makes me tough to talk to normally because I just seem like an uptight, un-humorous, serious, distant fucker.
Oops.
Anyway, I was feeling quite down the LAST time I took half day off and he told me something that I'd recall whenever the going gets rough.
Just do what you think is right.
When making decisions, or carrying out actions, it is impossible to please everybody. At the end of the day it's most critical to look at the situation and feel that you've done what you thought was right at that point of time. It might turn out wrong, or you might regret it, but up to that point of time, the most important thing is to live up to your own principles and don't be hesitant, to do what you think is right.
Frankly, I'm repulsed at having duty on Christmas. Okay, so I'm not a Christian, but for 19 years I've been celebrating it in my perspective. It means something to me. And I've been robbed of all Christmas mood ever since. In fact, I'm going to avoid the fact that there's even Christmas this year. I'll pretend that it doesn't exist. Tuh.
It's been a crappy week in camp, despite it only being a 4 day week. There was a nights off where I went to Causeway Point to shop myself, then there was almost nights off yesterday, but the unit was on alert because of a ship. I was in Force 2 and thought that I'd be activated. Oh man, that's the 200 dollars risk allowance for you. There was CO evening yesterday and it went rather well. I lent my sunglasses to Jeevaraj who suggested that Chia Keat should wear them on stage while playing the drums. And clapped like hell when Charles and Bryan let the guitar rip. I love a good performance and they got it. And it's fantastic to see our platoon so enthused over the fact that there were talented people on the stage representing us.
Hmmm, a great thing that happened this week would probably be YC telling me about his travels. He's probably not the most serious guy in the platoon (as for me I guess I need to lighten up a bit because I'm not the most humorous-cum-talk-cock guy) but he shared with me his overseas experiences. From that I learned a lot from him. It isn't easy to go on such trips. There's planning involved. Being on the constant lookout for opporunities for flights to neighbouring countries and saving up money for the trip. And then there's also the way your mind analyses the situations you go through to make the experience worthwhile. YC impressed me with his knowledge and wealth of experience and also his perspective of life. From talking about Backpackers' Lodge to the look of appreciation in the children's eyes when he handed out food during his Thailand OCIP trip made me think back on my own experience. I felt happy that he'd share something like this with me, and grateful to learn more as we compared our different experiences of interacting with people, helping others, exploring the world and living out of our comfort zones.
I like talking to people about stuff that are life-changing, which makes me tough to talk to normally because I just seem like an uptight, un-humorous, serious, distant fucker.
Oops.
Anyway, I was feeling quite down the LAST time I took half day off and he told me something that I'd recall whenever the going gets rough.
Just do what you think is right.
When making decisions, or carrying out actions, it is impossible to please everybody. At the end of the day it's most critical to look at the situation and feel that you've done what you thought was right at that point of time. It might turn out wrong, or you might regret it, but up to that point of time, the most important thing is to live up to your own principles and don't be hesitant, to do what you think is right.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Shopping!
Woohoo! Actually I was kind of forced to buy stuff, but still, it turned out rather fun. Went out with my mother and my brother and sister to Causeway Point. Bought a pair of Nike sportshoes from Sportslink. At first I wasn't quite keen on it and there was no way I was going to spend money on it because I was feeling quite broke but my mother insisted that CNY was just a few weeks away and I just had to buy new shoes. So grudgingly, I bought the pair that she chose for me. I think I'll like it. Gradually.
After that we went to John Little and I had to buy some... underwear. Got 3 pairs of briefs by B.U.M. Tried them on just now and yeah, pretty comfortable stuff! Oops. Also got 3 Byford singlets to wear at home and 3 pairs of B.U.M. ankle socks. The total cost was about 35 bucks, so it's really worth the money.
The next stop was Popular because my siblings had to buy books for the new school year. The shopping was nothing like Diagon Alley, and I hadn't been buying school books since 3-4 years ago so I felt out of touch with it. Anyway, all that had to do was thrust the paper to the salespeople and they'd pick out the books. Convenience! I went to CD Rama and to my shock and surprise, there was only one copy of Nsync's Greatest Hits album left and having own NONE of the CDs from my favourite American boyband, I was convinced to pay 20.90 for it as it included a DVD. My mother bought me a book too. Which was the first thing I didn't have to pay for myself.
All in all, quite a fruitful day, aside from photoshopping the Edison picture, which I know isn't a very impressive piece but still, it kept me busy for quite some time. I'll be back on Friday. Hopefully I can take off on that day. Either that or next Tuesday would be most appropriate. Been feeling kind of down lately, so just got to keep myself busy with stuff and think OPTIMISTIC (right Jeffrey?).
Cos 'tis the season to be jolly!
After that we went to John Little and I had to buy some... underwear. Got 3 pairs of briefs by B.U.M. Tried them on just now and yeah, pretty comfortable stuff! Oops. Also got 3 Byford singlets to wear at home and 3 pairs of B.U.M. ankle socks. The total cost was about 35 bucks, so it's really worth the money.
The next stop was Popular because my siblings had to buy books for the new school year. The shopping was nothing like Diagon Alley, and I hadn't been buying school books since 3-4 years ago so I felt out of touch with it. Anyway, all that had to do was thrust the paper to the salespeople and they'd pick out the books. Convenience! I went to CD Rama and to my shock and surprise, there was only one copy of Nsync's Greatest Hits album left and having own NONE of the CDs from my favourite American boyband, I was convinced to pay 20.90 for it as it included a DVD. My mother bought me a book too. Which was the first thing I didn't have to pay for myself.
All in all, quite a fruitful day, aside from photoshopping the Edison picture, which I know isn't a very impressive piece but still, it kept me busy for quite some time. I'll be back on Friday. Hopefully I can take off on that day. Either that or next Tuesday would be most appropriate. Been feeling kind of down lately, so just got to keep myself busy with stuff and think OPTIMISTIC (right Jeffrey?).
Cos 'tis the season to be jolly!
King Kong
First I would like to say that I had a hell of a time watching this movie at Cineleisure at 210AM. It was insane. Although there were three moments where I blanked out for 2 seconds each (hey, it was in the wee hours of the movie), it didn't stop me from feeling how extraordinarily epic this movie is.
The movie runs for 188minutes. It is in my royal opinion that that fact alone is going to make the ticket price worth it. Also, this is a critically acclaimed movie. Resident movie buff for Life! Ong Sor Fern gave the movie 4 stars and she is one of the most knowledgeable movie critics ever. I've heard so much about it that I wanted so badly to watch it and just jumped at the chance when me and my cousins stayed over at the Crown Prince Hotel to celebrate my grandma's birthday. We took hold of the advantage of the close proximity to watch this movie. And I've got to say that the movie was shown to a full house, despite it's ridiculously late showing. The 12midnight and 1 AM shows were all sold out. This is a testament that Kong, is indeed King in cinemas this December (at least until Narnia comes out! Wooo!).
Backed by an extremely talented cast and of course, the director who gave us LOTR, Mr Peter Jackson, this movie ploughs through genres of every kind, from horror, fiction, comedy, action to romance (Naomi Watts gets to stare deeply into the eyes of our hero, King Kong and shares a kiss with Adrien Brody). The animation is ridiculously real, with humungous dinosaurs and great big, disgusting insects coming to life, hard on the heels for the fresh flesh of the human characters. The official movie site dedicates a page for all of them at the The Beastiary where you can learn the names the creatures, including the most disgusting one of all, the Carnictus.
Apart from the three main characters Ann Darrow, Jack Driscoll and Carl Denham played by Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody and the fantastic Jack Black respectively, the other actors also gave a stellar and memorable performance. There is Jimmy, played by Jamie Bell of Billy Eilliot fame. It is interesting to see him, now older, fill the shoes of a more grown up role. Of course, we're talking about the Best Actor of the 2001 British Academy Awards here so the impressive performance of a brave kid who is part of the crew of the ship which sailed to the godforsakened Skull Island is proof of his deserving win.
Then, there is the Captain Englehorn , the reluctant hero played by Thomas Kretschmann. Evan Parke also puts up a good performance as Hayes, the character who acts as a fatherly figure to Jimmy.
This 3 hour blockbuster plays a lot on the human spirit and also the spirit of the not-so-human, yet emotional King Kong. There are plenty of times where King Kong stares into Ann's eyes, although I think they've overdone it a little. The way they look at each other on Skull Island, while iceskating and atop the building showcases so much mush you never thought was possible between the beauty and the beast. In addition to all that, there are plenty of fast-paced action scenes with humans and dinosaurs alike on the run from T-Rex and of course, King Kong. Oh, and they did a terrific job with the natives of Skull Island too. I was freaked out by how terrifying they looked. The witty dialogue at the beginning of the movie helped grasped the audience's attention right from the start. Coupled with the roaring soundtrack which built the atmosphere of every scene, I think this is a movie which is brilliant in every way.
Perhaps one of the largest draw for watching the movie for the guys is not the dinosaurs and the action, but Naomi Watts. Looking positively glowing even when covered with dirt, or staring fragilely into the eyes of the monster, not only are her acting chops up to standard, she was a gem in her portrayal of the comedic beauty who caught the attention of the beast.
All in all, it is deserving of the 5/5 stars that many American critics gave it and is one movie not to be missed. It's got something in it for everyone and you're bound to be amazed by its riveting storytelling and vast array of characters. A huge thumbs up to everyone who was involved in this movie. It will impress you, from whichever angle you see it.
Last of all, a shoutout to Jamie Bell, who's 19 (same as us '86 peeps!) and has a bright future on silverscreens all over the globe.
*applause*
And also to Adrien Brody who buffed up for the role since The Pianist. He is featured in Men's Health USA this month.
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