Time for the annual movie review cum countdown haha. This year I watched 16 movies in total (wow that's quite a lot for my standard actually), mostly during the second half of the year.
Without further ado let's begin the countdown!
16) Bachelorette
Rating: 4/10
A M18 drama with explicit sexual scenes and language. Ok this is not the point haha. The film is about a really fat girl who is getting married, and her 3 still-single female friends are jealous. On the very night before the wedding, they tried to fit 2 persons into the large wedding gown and ended up ripping it. This is where the plot starts to build up, as the trio panicked to get the dress fixed and during the process they each had sex with a man. LOL what a way to put it.
For a person who doesn’t watch American dramas and comedies, their jokes and humour don’t really make me laugh much. (*xref to Sex and the City*) And I don’t quite buy the idea of having sex with an acquaintance you just met for few hours. I seriously wonder if this is American’s way of life. Call me conservative if you want…
15) Gf-Bf
Rating: 5/10
The movie that left my mind filled with question marks even after the credits started to roll. Although the events are presented in chronological order, there were snippets here and there that doesn’t seem to fit the flow. Maybe I’m not sentimental enough, but I totally don’t understand the meaning of sending a blank letter to someone.
This is another typical love story that spans over several years. Of course with the predictability that when the year reaches 2012 it’s going to end soon. The film started off well and ‘followable’, until the relationship between the three leads gets more and more complicated as years passes. In the end, the plot wraps up with a 没结果, which appeals to critics because such people generally detest happy endings. This film got nominated for lots of awards but it's just not my cup of tea.
14) Pitch Perfect
Rating: 6/10
Yup a musical film that features teenage acapella groups from a university. But this movie is not as simple as I thought. Right from the movie beginning I was already irked out by the unexpected puking scene. This puking scene haunts me back again near the end of the movie, in which the director takes the ‘disgusting-ness’ further by showing how it is possible to create snow angels on a puddle of puke. The producers must have some fetish with puke…
Puke aside, the film was pretty entertaining as it depicts people of many kinds gathering together to make music with their crystal clear, angelic voices. Special mention goes to Fat Amy, which is probably the biggest joke of this movie. It’s quite amazing to witness how human voices alone can produce such a myraid of tones that combine to form nice melodies, without the need for any instrument. A must-watch for music/singing lovers.
13) Jack & Jill
Rating: 6/10
This movie would have scored lower if not for the underlying theme of the bonds between identical twins. It was pretty interesting to watch the real-life interviews where identical twins share their funny experiences and anecdotes, but those were just add-ons to the movie. Does ‘twin power’ really exist? Many real life incidents do prove so.
Anyway this film talks about an annoying twin sister who visits her twin brother’s family, and her low EQ and clumsiness seems to ruin everything. Both twins are played by the same actor, and yup, the twin sister is the boisterous, rough and noisy type that throws the womanly image out of the window. I remember the actor starring in the 2006 comedy ‘Click’ too. Generally I’m not a fan of American slapstick comedy. A person getting hit by a loud ‘BAM’ and collapsing in an exaggerated manner does not make me laugh. But I’m really amused by the kid who likes taping anything and everything lol.
12) Rurouni Kenshin
Rating: 6/10
This is a live-action version of an old manga/anime. I remember my bro loved to read/watch it when I was in primary school. Even bought VCDs and stuff. Too bad during that time I wasn’t into manga/anime yet; didn’t even watch a single episode/chapter, though I know how the main leads look like. And thus I watched this movie with zero expectations, with totally no idea how the story is going to progress. Well, good in a way.
However I felt the story was pretty predictable. Typical of a battle story where the good guy fights through the bad guys to save a damsel in distress. The difficulty of the bad guys increases along the way but the good guy nevertheless wins by showing his true power each time, while staying true to his principle. The fighting scenes were cool, but nothing really spectacular. What I probably lack is the fond childhood memories associated with this movie. I would probably enjoy it more if I had read the manga/watched the anime last time.
11) Ice Age 4: Continental Drift
Rating: 6.5/10
This is an ideal movie if you want to relax, forget all your stress by laughing your hearts out. Basically the plot is about a great landmass shift which forces the animals to migrate to another location. Some were separated from the main herd, drifted off to the open sea and met with pirates. The ape pirate captain, who takes charge of his simple-minded crew (sadly), was the main villain of this movie. Lots of moments when you feel like bursting into laughter.
Special mention goes to an interesting character who has no relation to the main plot – a squirrel which is heavily obsessed with acorns. One day he managed to find a treasure map within a empy acorn shell (yea…the ‘treasure’ is not gold, but acorns). After much obstacles, at the end of the film, he managed to find the ‘treasure’, which is an acorn paradise. However his obsession eventually results in what we know the Earth as today…
10) We Not Naughty
Rating: 6.5/10
Many see this as an indirect sequel to I Not Stupid. More often than not, sequels are not as good as the very first instalment. Same goes for this series too. I guess it’s due to the ‘novelty’ factor. When we watch more movies of the same kind, we start to get tired of the similar plots, style and jokes. And it’s not easy to produce something new each time.
Undoubtedly, the two main leads have good chemistry with each other. The innocent little boy is cute too. Personally I think the funniest person in the story is 巫启贤, though he just played a guest cameo. That annoying mum-cum-businesswoman-cum-motivator taught me the biggest lesson I learnt from this movie: Be Postive! (To all those emo people)
9) From Ah Boys to Men (Part 1)
Rating: 7/10
The most realistic NS film I’ve watched so far. A notch above the 1996 movie ‘Army Daze’, which also features a siao-on geeky-looking boy who aspire to enter OCS. Guys who experienced BMT would be able to feel ‘nostalgia’ in this movie, which essentially captures every key aspects of BMT life, such as hair-cutting, morning roll call, night admin time, book-out day, rifle presentation ceremony, etc. It also covers fine details and funny BMT moments such as the terrifying Jacob’s ladder of SOC, weird leg movements when doing pull-up, sergeant stealing rifle muzzle, sergeant doing whatever means to find dust to prove that the bunk can never be 100% clean during stand-by-bed, etc. Most importantly, it teaches us how to chao keng! Haha. Part 2 will probably feature, outfield, route march, range-shooting, grenade -throwing etc until POP.
Special mention goes to the extremely fierce sergeant in the flashback, who seemed to be scolding the recruits like there is no tomorrow, and ordered them to shift the entire cupboard and bed to the parade square during the dreadful stand-by-bed lol. The popular army song of the past was pretty amusing too. Well, the downfall of this movie is, as usual, the blatant product advertisements, the CG effects, and, regretfully, the war scene that consumed most of the budget. To the girls: Yup, this is really how BMT is like haha.
8) The Dark Knight Rises
Rating: 7/10
After much positive reviews from the previous instalment, Batman returns for the final movie of the trilogy. Yea, many ‘complained’ that the main lead Christian Bale is getting old haha. Unlike the other superhero movies, this one is presented in a more ‘psychological manner’ rather than the typical save-the-city brute battles. I think it’s the director haha. His movie never fails to make people crack their brains and listen attentively to the dialogues to understand what is going on, like Inception. In the previous instalment, I had some trouble trying to catch the rationale behind the plot, but this time it’s easier =p, but still…lol.
The most interesting character probably goes to Catwoman, with all her deceptive antics. That cool motorbike, which can swtich direction in an instant and shoot explosives, is probably what many wished to have. The big twist in the plot must have made many audience surprised. Watched this film in IMAX for the first time and the visual/sound effects in this movie really complemented well with the top-notch technology used in IMAX, especially during the first airplane scene. Although the ticket price was a little steep, the 2h 45m long movie made it more worth for money haha.
7) Ted
Rating: 7.5/10
This movie made me reminisce a lot on my childhood playthings indeed. Despite its cute appearance, the lead teddy bear’s personality is totally not cute at all. Imagine a ji ko pek in teddy bear costume – swears dirty words, smokes marijuana, invites prostitutes to home, have sex with co-worker during work, etc. Not intended for children to watch haha. A total image spoiler for such a cute-looking teddy.
After watching this movie, I wouldn’t want my teddies to come to life anymore. They will inherit all our vices and pull us away from a rational mind. One more thing is, Ted is too intelligent and mature for my liking. Prefer simpleminded and clumsy bears like Winnie the Pooh haha. And what’s with the disgusting scene about the piece of shit on the floor…looks like the scriptwriter/director has a fetish with faeces…
6) Love
Rating: 7.5/10
A cliché name for a simple theme, not to be confused with the popular Taiwanese drama. This film tells about the individual love stories of a few couples, who are interconnected with each other. I like movies whose plot can be split into a few independent stories, because they often cover different aspects of a theme, which makes the idea broader. The storytelling style alternates between the couples, so the audience won’t get tired of a particular one easily haha.
冤家变情人, 未婚先育, 青少年恋爱, 日久生情, 金钱恋爱…you have it, coupled with humorous and touching moments. There are many witty dialogues and noteworthy lines too. The 双赵 part is just…funny haha, but 舒琪’s story has more depth I feel. And I wonder if the very first scene of the story is really taken in one long shot…
5) We Bought A Zoo
Rating: 7.5/10
When I first saw the trailer of this movie, I was appealed by the theme of living in a zoo. It was a pretty heartwarming film, in terms of both human-human interaction and human-animal interaction. A family bought a zoo as their home with zero experience in running it, and eventually went to a deficit.
This movie taught me that running a zoo is of no easy task. Taking care of animals is tough and expensive. Their feed and medical bills cost a bomb, and it can be a pain to keep them under control. Not to mention the strict regulations and standards that a zoo has to meet before it is approved to open to public.
Anyway, I didn’t know snakes can be kicked like soccer balls…
4) The Avengers
Rating: 7.5/10
This film gathers a group of familiar superheroes we have previously known. I haven’t seen the movies featuring the individual superhero so it was pretty refreshing to witness their special powers each. Recently I have taken a liking to superhero movies because the plots are usually less complicated and easy to follow, though the ending is more or less predictable. And more importantly it’s quite interesting to see the superheroes exhibiting their strengths or getting whacked by their weaknesses. This probably stems from my childhood habit of playing RPGs games haha.
The Avengers pounded me with lots of question marks at the start, as I was trying to figure out the roles and identity of each character introduced. Slowly it became clear who they are, as well as their special characteristics. For example, Captain America was often teased of his ‘long sleep’ and cheesy costume. The funniest character in the movie should go to Hulk – a true barbarian that only goes by brute force, and doesn’t seem to give a heck about any reasoning.
Down to Top 3 Movies of the Year!
3) The Amazing Spiderman
Rating: 8/10
I only watched the 2nd and 3rd instalments of the Tobey Maguire’s trilogy, so I don’t have a basis for comparison. It’s quite interesting to find out the origins of Spiderman – how Peter Parker obtained superpowers, became Spiderman and so on. Didn’t know Spiderman is such a mischievous person, especially in how he fools around with the criminals. I always thought he is a 乖乖牌 haha.
I like how the story is simple, straigtforward and explantory, which is ideal for relaxation after a tired day of work. The most touching moment is when Peter Parker brought home eggs for his aunt a tough night dealing with the lizard villian. There is also some sort of high-school romance element in the plot – the shy boy chasing the intelligent girl. However I prefer this to ‘Twilight’ lah.
2) The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Rating: 9/10
Kinda regretted not watching Lord of the Rings on the big screens about a decade ago, though I eventually watched it in my small little computer screen. The fantasy and medival elements of this film is simply wonderful. The depth of the plot is there and the backdrop of Middle Earth is already well developed by the previous series. Although the high-definition images made me a little dizzy, I was amazed by the visual beauty and details, especially the Rivendell scene. It also made me reminisce my childhood days when I loved playing RPGs.
The movie is almost 3 hours, just like the previous LOTR series. But I like how the film tries to immerse the audience into the fantasy world. The part about riddle-guessing is a little unexpected. I didn’t expect it to take up so much screen time, but I was amused in a way. Some action scenes also blew me off, like the part where the rock golems are combating during the thunderstorm. Thought it was pretty cool. Not to mention the escapade from the goblin’s cave. You don’t have to kill the goblins, you just have to push them off the flimsy bridges and wooden platforms. How can such clumsy creatures live in such a precarious dwelling? Lol.
And my Top Movie of the Year goes to....
1) Life of Pi
Rating: 10/10
Watched this movie after hearing some extremely good reviews. Indeed, I would have regretted if I didn’t watch it. This is the second movie I watched in 3D, since Up (2009). Some scenes had a very Avatar feel. Surreal, I would say. After some time the 3D seemed to lose its effect as the plot started to overwhelm me.
Even for a non-religious person like me who don’t believe in God, I was struck by some quotes in this movie. It triggered my philosophical mind and made me think more about life, or rather, how people cope with their lives. There is a lot of irony in this drama – like the vegetarian who was forced by circumstances to eat meat. Although the ending is well closed (unlike a ‘certain’ movie where the ending shows a coin spinning and *poof* - the credits), it leaves us much room to interpret and ponder. Personally I feel it was a sad ending. =(
There were quite a few emotional scenes in this movie which made me tear. It’s a long time since I felt that way when watching movies. Anyway I really wonder how they managed to create such real-like animals. Their movements and cinematography is so real that you can feel that these animals really existed.
人生中有许多事付出未必能得到回报，最重要的是能拿得起放得下。
That brings the end to my movie countdown. Seems like all the good movies get released near the end of the year eh? Was worried that my top movie is going to score only 8/10 haha.
Anyway Happy New Year to all my readers! Going to enter a freezer soon...brrr...
Showing posts with label Annual Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Annual Review. Show all posts
Friday, December 28, 2012
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
2012 Review (Music)
It's time for the annual charts and countdown! It's supposed to be after the New Year but I decided to put it earlier because...
My best albums and Top 20 songs of 2012:
Looks like my Top 20 songs this year are pretty mainstream, especially the No.1 song. No awkward surprises this year haha. The top song of the year is also quite impressive lah. When I first heard it last December I grew to like it, and during this period of one year, no other songs are able to overtake its top position.
My chart has quite a few songs from Malaysian singers. Last year it was PRC singers haha. Though I try to diversify my chart, got feel means got feel, no feel means no feel. I pick my songs mostly based on the song itself, rather than whether I like the singer or not. So if a singer appears on my chart, it doesn't mean I'm a fan of that singer lol.
However slow ballads still dominate over fast-paced upbeat songs. Though it's still highly unlikely that the chart will be dominated by a few favourite singers. I've seen personal charts entirely made up of Jay Chou's, Lee Hom's and David Tao's songs. -__-
Talking about that, it can't be helped that 3 songs from the same singer appeared in my chart for the first time lol. Judging that I get my dose of songs from radio, which tries to diversify its playlist, such occurrence is not normal =p. The fact that all the newbies failed to make the mark this year is also not normal lol.
Anyway there is a singer whose songs appeared in my chart yearly since 5 years ago. But this year he didn't, even though he has released an album this year. No feel means no feel haiz. I won't give chance one lol.
My best albums and Top 20 songs of 2012:
Looks like my Top 20 songs this year are pretty mainstream, especially the No.1 song. No awkward surprises this year haha. The top song of the year is also quite impressive lah. When I first heard it last December I grew to like it, and during this period of one year, no other songs are able to overtake its top position.
My chart has quite a few songs from Malaysian singers. Last year it was PRC singers haha. Though I try to diversify my chart, got feel means got feel, no feel means no feel. I pick my songs mostly based on the song itself, rather than whether I like the singer or not. So if a singer appears on my chart, it doesn't mean I'm a fan of that singer lol.
However slow ballads still dominate over fast-paced upbeat songs. Though it's still highly unlikely that the chart will be dominated by a few favourite singers. I've seen personal charts entirely made up of Jay Chou's, Lee Hom's and David Tao's songs. -__-
Talking about that, it can't be helped that 3 songs from the same singer appeared in my chart for the first time lol. Judging that I get my dose of songs from radio, which tries to diversify its playlist, such occurrence is not normal =p. The fact that all the newbies failed to make the mark this year is also not normal lol.
Anyway there is a singer whose songs appeared in my chart yearly since 5 years ago. But this year he didn't, even though he has released an album this year. No feel means no feel haiz. I won't give chance one lol.
Saturday, January 07, 2012
2011 Review (Music) *Re-uploaded*
*Didn't expect Youtube to be so clever to detect copyright material so fast nowadays, sigh. My song ranking video last year is still not blocked though. Anyway I hope the videos can work this time.*
How has my taste in music changed for the past year? Let's find out...
My Best Albums of 2011
I decided to change one of the winning albums as I prepared the video pretty early beforehand and at that moment I didn't have much exposure yet to the better album, which was released shortly before my evaluation. That album deserves more in my opinion.
Now to my Top 20 Songs of 2011!
Please access this link...as the video cannot embed properly
http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/vC5IkWclzf8/?resourceId=105262004_06_05_99&rpid=105262004
*It may be a little slow, so please be patient. Alternatively you may try the Facebook video*
1st to 10th place!
http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/Zif79zc0Y2g/?resourceId=105262004_06_05_99&rpid=105262004
Alternatively,
Every year, people are shocked by my rankings. This year, are you?
Actually my song ranking isn't that deviant lah. There are quite a few songs that coincide with 93.3FM top ranked songs and some DJs' personal rankings haha...
How has my taste in music changed for the past year? Let's find out...
My Best Albums of 2011
I decided to change one of the winning albums as I prepared the video pretty early beforehand and at that moment I didn't have much exposure yet to the better album, which was released shortly before my evaluation. That album deserves more in my opinion.
Now to my Top 20 Songs of 2011!
Please access this link...as the video cannot embed properly
http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/vC5IkWclzf8/?resourceId=105262004_06_05_99&rpid=105262004
*It may be a little slow, so please be patient. Alternatively you may try the Facebook video*
1st to 10th place!
http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/Zif79zc0Y2g/?resourceId=105262004_06_05_99&rpid=105262004
Alternatively,
Every year, people are shocked by my rankings. This year, are you?
Actually my song ranking isn't that deviant lah. There are quite a few songs that coincide with 93.3FM top ranked songs and some DJs' personal rankings haha...
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
2011 Review (Movie)
Watched a total of 10 movies in 2011, same as 2010. Hmm I wonder how many movies a Singaporean youngster watches a year on average...
Unlike in 2010 when I didn't watch any Asian movies at all, I managed to 'clock' some in 2011 as my last 3 movies of the year. It's a good balance I guess.
Ok let's take a look at my reviews, starting from the lowest rating. =)
10th: 127 Hours
Rating: 3.5/10
This is like a repeat of two years ago, when 500 Days of Summer bottomed my movie ranking, despite having good reviews from the public. Both movies were generally well-received, rated 4/5 stars on average from publicized reviews. But why that abysmal performance in my personal chart?
I think some of you can start to see the similarities already, just by looking at their titles.
I’m not fond of movies that countdown towards the end, what’s more the countdown timer appears in the title too. And when the countdown ends, there is nothing much beyond that, which basically marks the end of the movie. For a person who enjoys suspense and twist, knowing that the end is coming spoils the enjoyment.
This whole movie can be described in one sentence, which happens to appear in the first paragraph of its Wikipedia entry. I just wanted to check out what this movie is roughly about, and this simple description totally spoiled it. Because the time period appears in the title, people want to know what it refers to, and this means knowing the ending already.
From the time that guy became trapped, I was dreading it already. Partly because it looks pretty painful, and also because I knew what he would eventually do to escape. I wished the gory climax would come quickly. When the climax really came, I wanted to it to end quickly. Where is the enjoyment if you want a movie to end quickly? That explains the rating.
9th: Transformers 3 - Dark of the Moon
Rating: 5.5/10
The ratings weren’t good to start with. After the successful first movie, the second installment was a flop. The third one seemed to be going further downhill. Many complained about how the movie is all about scrap metals in combat, ‘clink-clank’ metallic commotion, dizziness resulting from huge moving objects, etc. For the layman, transformers might have lost its appeal, but among fans it’s still pretty popular. This explains why it remains a box office hit, especially in US where it surpassed other blockbuster installments.
I was shivering from the cold halfway into the movie, thanks to the freezing aircon and the empty theatre (the rows in front of me were completely unoccupied, and I was already sitting at the back few rows). At the main climax I became a little bored at all the mindless action. Not to mention the cliché scene of kissing couple right after the fighting has ended.
8th: 一泡而红 (Already Famous)
Rating: 6/10
The style of this movie is reminiscent of Jack Neo’s movies – mixture of English, Mandarin and dialects; extensive use of humour; criticisms on government policies; product endorsement; use of old lady/grandma figure to arouse emotions; happily-ever-after ending, etc.
What’s additional is the internal jokes regarding the media industry and workplace. People who are not involved in the entertainment circle wouldn’t understand as well as those who are. (Eg. getting lost at Radio Gate, etc) Those who have done calefare acting, or have participated in such reality competitions before would probably concur with the happenings in the movie. The insides of the media industry ain’t all pretty.
In one sentence, the story is about a star-wannabe from Malaysia who came to Singapore in hope of entering the acting industry, and finally emerged champion in a star-search competition after a downtrodden path. Like what most reviews mentioned, the plot is a little haphazard with some pacing problems and draggy at certain scenes. I feel that Alien Huang’s character isn’t well-developed enough.
I applaud Michelle Chong for her resolution to produce a movie despite many discouragements. Her impersonating talent is undeniable, but she still has much to learn about film-making.
7th: One Day
Rating 6.5/10
The title is a little misleading, because the story spans more than 20 years, focusing on a pair of ambiguous lovers. However the plot only shows what happened on a particular date every year. They fall in love, get to know other companions, argue, separate, miss each other, come together again etc. This movie further iterates how ‘loose’ Westerners are by sleeping with someone else they just met.
This film also triggers the ‘countdown’ effect, which I dislike. It starts with year 2006(?), jumps all the way back to 1984(?) and begins telling year by year. Naturally the audience will start to countdown (or technically, ‘countup’) in their minds towards 2006. Then something really major happened on that year. The scene is fixated on someone crossing a seemingly safe road (without any cars). Yeah we all expected what to happen next. BAM! A vehicle speeds past and the pedestrian dies. So cliché. Both the driver and pedestrian must be blind. Don’t like this kind of method to kill off a character.
All is not lost for this movie however. There are funny, touching, beautiful, surprising moments too. And I particularly like the scene where they climb up the hill at Edinburgh and look over the city landscape. It makes me feel like going Europe again, especially Scotland.
6th: 星空 (Starry Starry Night)
Rating: 6.5/10
This movie is based on a popular picture book 《星空》 by 几米. Are movie-makers running out of ideas already? Lots of recent hit films seem to originate from published books and novels.
The movie has an imaginative feel. Train hovering in the night sky, origami animals coming into life, lying on the boat gazing at the stars, etc. The plot talks about two kids who are…erm to put it simply, emo, because of their family circumstances, and one day they decided to make a trip to the mountains. I feel like visiting 阿里山 now…
One thing I like about this film is the way it incorporates the concept of jigsaw puzzles. Being a fan of jigsaw puzzles, I was able to relate to certain parts. It also spurred my craving to buy a puzzle (but I’ve no time to assemble it >_<) Not those 1000-pieces ones that can be done within a day of intensive fixing, but those greater than 2000-pieces ones which can take weeks to a month. It’s a long time since I touched puzzles, my hands are getting itchy haha.
5th: 那些年，我们一起追的女孩 (You are an apple of my eye)
Rating: 6.5/10
There has been much hype about this movie since it broke box office records in Taiwan. Before it came to SG, I have already heard a lot about it, such as the cast and music. Even before the official release, quite a few people have watched the sneak preview and all of them gave very good reviews. All these publicity made me feel like watching too.
However it’s not a very good thing when you harbour too much expectations for a movie. It certainly met my expectations, but there was no breakthrough beyond. The bar was already set so high, and there were some minor spoilers along with the reviews and introduction videos.
Another story about ambiguous lovers, with their relationship spanning several years. Quite a lot of vulgarities at the beginning, as well as sexual connotations on erection and masturbation. The plot is quite predictable as there is not much twist. You know the couple is going to get attached and then split again. The only unexpected event that really took me aback was near the ending (those who watched should know which scene I’m talking about haha).
The high school love story is sweet, but I find it hard to relate to my own experiences because my high school life was not very happening. Sigh.
4th: Pirates of the Carribean - On Stranger Tides
Rating: 6.5/10
Despite so many installments produced, I still prefer the first, which really gave me a good impression of this movie and made me continue watching this series until now. Since the 2nd movie, I started to get seasick, struggling to understand what exactly is going on in the plot. Luckily this 4th movie turned for the better.
The plot is pretty simple and linear, like most adventure movies. Jack Sparrow and company search for the Fountain and Youth. When they finally get there, the climax comes, and the movie ends. At least this is much easier to follow than a bunch of pirate-talk, planning some complex conspiracy.
As long as Johnny Depp is still casted in the movie, this series will sell. Mains like Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley can be done away with haha. He is the one who brings all the fun and humour. I like how he seems to be able to escape from any kind of situation, through his agility and eloquence.
It’s expected to have a 5th or 6th movie, judging from his popularity.
3rd: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Rating: 7/10
Without much ado, the movie plunges right into the climax – destroying the Horcruxes and the battle between Voldemort and Harry at Hogwarts. I didn’t recall much of the plot during Part 1, but I could still remember what is going to happen in Part 2. Of course, I think everyone knows the ending already. This actually takes off a bit of enjoyment due to predictability. “Aww come on, we know Harry won’t die” sorta.
The effects were pretty good. Not sure if it’s worth watching in 3D. Plot-wise I think this is better than Part 1, where it felt draggy due to all the slow moments when Harry was wandering in the wild. Part 2 is more action-packed too.
Towards the end the bad guys seemed pretty easy to kill (eg. Bellatrix), and the Horcruxes seemed to become so easy to find and destroy. This is not the film’s problem as I got the same impression when reading the book too. Making a film out of a book is not easy, especially when most people have read it and expect this and that to be covered in the film.
2nd: Kungfu Panda 2
Rating: 7.5/10
I didn’t watch the first movie in cinemas. Only roughly ‘browsed’ through it from streaming sites, so I had a little background. I like how Po the panda always thinks about food, his simplistic way of thinking, and innocence regarding his parentage. Does he really think the goose is his biological father?
This film has its touching moments, despite being an animation. The animals are cute. The oriental music is nice. The visuals are superb. While it has exaggerated scenes to make us laugh, there are also realistic moments like the part where Po is shouting to the Peacock from the roof. There are some aspects of entertainment animated films can provide, which live-action films cannot, or hardly can.
And now I shall announce my Top Movie of 2011...
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1st: X-men - First Class
Rating: 8/10
Hmm since when did I start watching superhero-themed movies? Although the existence of such superheroes is unrealistic (especially the ‘I must save the World/America’ notion), it gives us hope and admiration. “How I wish I could have such supernatural powers like him”… something like that.
This movie tells about Professor X’s and Magneto’s past. Didn’t know they used to be friends haha. (ok I know nuts about X-men story) I like the part where all the mutants gather together and show off their powers, as well as how they help each other using their unique abilities. Not to forget the underlying message of not hiding your true self even though you can’t fit into society.
Some of you may not be very convinced of my top movie. Probably I didn't watch enough good movies this year. I'm still waiting for films like 'Avatar' and 'Inception', which scored almost perfect and perfect rating respectively for my annual ranking.
Unlike in 2010 when I didn't watch any Asian movies at all, I managed to 'clock' some in 2011 as my last 3 movies of the year. It's a good balance I guess.
Ok let's take a look at my reviews, starting from the lowest rating. =)
10th: 127 Hours
Rating: 3.5/10
This is like a repeat of two years ago, when 500 Days of Summer bottomed my movie ranking, despite having good reviews from the public. Both movies were generally well-received, rated 4/5 stars on average from publicized reviews. But why that abysmal performance in my personal chart?
I think some of you can start to see the similarities already, just by looking at their titles.
I’m not fond of movies that countdown towards the end, what’s more the countdown timer appears in the title too. And when the countdown ends, there is nothing much beyond that, which basically marks the end of the movie. For a person who enjoys suspense and twist, knowing that the end is coming spoils the enjoyment.
This whole movie can be described in one sentence, which happens to appear in the first paragraph of its Wikipedia entry. I just wanted to check out what this movie is roughly about, and this simple description totally spoiled it. Because the time period appears in the title, people want to know what it refers to, and this means knowing the ending already.
From the time that guy became trapped, I was dreading it already. Partly because it looks pretty painful, and also because I knew what he would eventually do to escape. I wished the gory climax would come quickly. When the climax really came, I wanted to it to end quickly. Where is the enjoyment if you want a movie to end quickly? That explains the rating.
9th: Transformers 3 - Dark of the Moon
Rating: 5.5/10
The ratings weren’t good to start with. After the successful first movie, the second installment was a flop. The third one seemed to be going further downhill. Many complained about how the movie is all about scrap metals in combat, ‘clink-clank’ metallic commotion, dizziness resulting from huge moving objects, etc. For the layman, transformers might have lost its appeal, but among fans it’s still pretty popular. This explains why it remains a box office hit, especially in US where it surpassed other blockbuster installments.
I was shivering from the cold halfway into the movie, thanks to the freezing aircon and the empty theatre (the rows in front of me were completely unoccupied, and I was already sitting at the back few rows). At the main climax I became a little bored at all the mindless action. Not to mention the cliché scene of kissing couple right after the fighting has ended.
8th: 一泡而红 (Already Famous)
Rating: 6/10
The style of this movie is reminiscent of Jack Neo’s movies – mixture of English, Mandarin and dialects; extensive use of humour; criticisms on government policies; product endorsement; use of old lady/grandma figure to arouse emotions; happily-ever-after ending, etc.
What’s additional is the internal jokes regarding the media industry and workplace. People who are not involved in the entertainment circle wouldn’t understand as well as those who are. (Eg. getting lost at Radio Gate, etc) Those who have done calefare acting, or have participated in such reality competitions before would probably concur with the happenings in the movie. The insides of the media industry ain’t all pretty.
In one sentence, the story is about a star-wannabe from Malaysia who came to Singapore in hope of entering the acting industry, and finally emerged champion in a star-search competition after a downtrodden path. Like what most reviews mentioned, the plot is a little haphazard with some pacing problems and draggy at certain scenes. I feel that Alien Huang’s character isn’t well-developed enough.
I applaud Michelle Chong for her resolution to produce a movie despite many discouragements. Her impersonating talent is undeniable, but she still has much to learn about film-making.
7th: One Day
Rating 6.5/10
The title is a little misleading, because the story spans more than 20 years, focusing on a pair of ambiguous lovers. However the plot only shows what happened on a particular date every year. They fall in love, get to know other companions, argue, separate, miss each other, come together again etc. This movie further iterates how ‘loose’ Westerners are by sleeping with someone else they just met.
This film also triggers the ‘countdown’ effect, which I dislike. It starts with year 2006(?), jumps all the way back to 1984(?) and begins telling year by year. Naturally the audience will start to countdown (or technically, ‘countup’) in their minds towards 2006. Then something really major happened on that year. The scene is fixated on someone crossing a seemingly safe road (without any cars). Yeah we all expected what to happen next. BAM! A vehicle speeds past and the pedestrian dies. So cliché. Both the driver and pedestrian must be blind. Don’t like this kind of method to kill off a character.
All is not lost for this movie however. There are funny, touching, beautiful, surprising moments too. And I particularly like the scene where they climb up the hill at Edinburgh and look over the city landscape. It makes me feel like going Europe again, especially Scotland.
6th: 星空 (Starry Starry Night)
Rating: 6.5/10
This movie is based on a popular picture book 《星空》 by 几米. Are movie-makers running out of ideas already? Lots of recent hit films seem to originate from published books and novels.
The movie has an imaginative feel. Train hovering in the night sky, origami animals coming into life, lying on the boat gazing at the stars, etc. The plot talks about two kids who are…erm to put it simply, emo, because of their family circumstances, and one day they decided to make a trip to the mountains. I feel like visiting 阿里山 now…
One thing I like about this film is the way it incorporates the concept of jigsaw puzzles. Being a fan of jigsaw puzzles, I was able to relate to certain parts. It also spurred my craving to buy a puzzle (but I’ve no time to assemble it >_<) Not those 1000-pieces ones that can be done within a day of intensive fixing, but those greater than 2000-pieces ones which can take weeks to a month. It’s a long time since I touched puzzles, my hands are getting itchy haha.
5th: 那些年，我们一起追的女孩 (You are an apple of my eye)
Rating: 6.5/10
There has been much hype about this movie since it broke box office records in Taiwan. Before it came to SG, I have already heard a lot about it, such as the cast and music. Even before the official release, quite a few people have watched the sneak preview and all of them gave very good reviews. All these publicity made me feel like watching too.
However it’s not a very good thing when you harbour too much expectations for a movie. It certainly met my expectations, but there was no breakthrough beyond. The bar was already set so high, and there were some minor spoilers along with the reviews and introduction videos.
Another story about ambiguous lovers, with their relationship spanning several years. Quite a lot of vulgarities at the beginning, as well as sexual connotations on erection and masturbation. The plot is quite predictable as there is not much twist. You know the couple is going to get attached and then split again. The only unexpected event that really took me aback was near the ending (those who watched should know which scene I’m talking about haha).
The high school love story is sweet, but I find it hard to relate to my own experiences because my high school life was not very happening. Sigh.
4th: Pirates of the Carribean - On Stranger Tides
Rating: 6.5/10
Despite so many installments produced, I still prefer the first, which really gave me a good impression of this movie and made me continue watching this series until now. Since the 2nd movie, I started to get seasick, struggling to understand what exactly is going on in the plot. Luckily this 4th movie turned for the better.
The plot is pretty simple and linear, like most adventure movies. Jack Sparrow and company search for the Fountain and Youth. When they finally get there, the climax comes, and the movie ends. At least this is much easier to follow than a bunch of pirate-talk, planning some complex conspiracy.
As long as Johnny Depp is still casted in the movie, this series will sell. Mains like Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley can be done away with haha. He is the one who brings all the fun and humour. I like how he seems to be able to escape from any kind of situation, through his agility and eloquence.
It’s expected to have a 5th or 6th movie, judging from his popularity.
3rd: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Rating: 7/10
Without much ado, the movie plunges right into the climax – destroying the Horcruxes and the battle between Voldemort and Harry at Hogwarts. I didn’t recall much of the plot during Part 1, but I could still remember what is going to happen in Part 2. Of course, I think everyone knows the ending already. This actually takes off a bit of enjoyment due to predictability. “Aww come on, we know Harry won’t die” sorta.
The effects were pretty good. Not sure if it’s worth watching in 3D. Plot-wise I think this is better than Part 1, where it felt draggy due to all the slow moments when Harry was wandering in the wild. Part 2 is more action-packed too.
Towards the end the bad guys seemed pretty easy to kill (eg. Bellatrix), and the Horcruxes seemed to become so easy to find and destroy. This is not the film’s problem as I got the same impression when reading the book too. Making a film out of a book is not easy, especially when most people have read it and expect this and that to be covered in the film.
2nd: Kungfu Panda 2
Rating: 7.5/10
I didn’t watch the first movie in cinemas. Only roughly ‘browsed’ through it from streaming sites, so I had a little background. I like how Po the panda always thinks about food, his simplistic way of thinking, and innocence regarding his parentage. Does he really think the goose is his biological father?
This film has its touching moments, despite being an animation. The animals are cute. The oriental music is nice. The visuals are superb. While it has exaggerated scenes to make us laugh, there are also realistic moments like the part where Po is shouting to the Peacock from the roof. There are some aspects of entertainment animated films can provide, which live-action films cannot, or hardly can.
And now I shall announce my Top Movie of 2011...
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1st: X-men - First Class
Rating: 8/10
Hmm since when did I start watching superhero-themed movies? Although the existence of such superheroes is unrealistic (especially the ‘I must save the World/America’ notion), it gives us hope and admiration. “How I wish I could have such supernatural powers like him”… something like that.
This movie tells about Professor X’s and Magneto’s past. Didn’t know they used to be friends haha. (ok I know nuts about X-men story) I like the part where all the mutants gather together and show off their powers, as well as how they help each other using their unique abilities. Not to forget the underlying message of not hiding your true self even though you can’t fit into society.
Some of you may not be very convinced of my top movie. Probably I didn't watch enough good movies this year. I'm still waiting for films like 'Avatar' and 'Inception', which scored almost perfect and perfect rating respectively for my annual ranking.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
2010 Review (Music)
I'm going to try something new this year with my annual music review. Hopefully it turns out well...
Rather than just reading the results, I'll let you watch the results instead. I think this will add to the 'feel', and probably introduce some songs that you've never heard before. It's music after all.
To start off, let's take a look at my best albums of 2010:
Sorry for the video (and music) quality. There are some limitations I faced when uploading.
And now, as unpredictable as ever, I shall reveal my Top 20 songs of the Year. How similar is your taste to mine?
Down to the Top 10 songs!
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Yup, hope you enjoyed watching the video. Feel free to give any comments on my tagboard, as well as any ways to improve this countdown. =)
And congrats to JJ for his good performance this year.
This will be my last entry of the year. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Rather than just reading the results, I'll let you watch the results instead. I think this will add to the 'feel', and probably introduce some songs that you've never heard before. It's music after all.
To start off, let's take a look at my best albums of 2010:
Sorry for the video (and music) quality. There are some limitations I faced when uploading.
And now, as unpredictable as ever, I shall reveal my Top 20 songs of the Year. How similar is your taste to mine?
Down to the Top 10 songs!
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Yup, hope you enjoyed watching the video. Feel free to give any comments on my tagboard, as well as any ways to improve this countdown. =)
And congrats to JJ for his good performance this year.
This will be my last entry of the year. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
2010 Review (Movie)
It's the time of the year again! I watched 10 movies this year, mostly at the first half of the year. Surprisingly none of which are Asian movies. A far cry from 2008 where majority of the movies I watched were Asian.
Let's begin the countdown, beginning from the lowest rating.
10th: Predators
Rating: 4/10
Another typical sadistic movie that introduces a group of people who gets killed off one by one as they progress to find a way out of the ‘no-man’s land’. Not very fond of such movies that display explicit images of blood and gore. Yea, it’s classified as a horror film anyway. The saving grace is probably the twist at the end which reveals the true villain among the group. I thought the predators are the only enemies in the movie.
9th: Sherlock Holmes
Rating: 5/10
My first movie of the year. Usually I like to watch mystery and thriller genre, but somehow this one doesn’t strike a chord with me. The case is not as interesting as I expected, or probably it’s too complex for my liking. It doesn’t make me curious in knowing why some things happened, and the seemingly insignificant but important little actions that Holmes did to crack the case didn’t really impress me. Thus this gets a so-so rating.
8th: Shrek Forever After
Rating: 6/10
Watched the previous three instalments (the first one not in cinema) and it would be a shame not to watch this one too, which is supposed to be the final movie. Sadly I wasn’t amused very much this time. The humour feels recycled and a little stale, except a few. I guess the moral of the story is - be contented with what you have.
7th: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
Rating: 6.5/10
The plot is based on the Greek mythology, and tells about a boy who wields the power to summon water. Some say that this is the kids version whereas the Clash of the Titans, which is based on the same mythology, is the adult version. Thanks to the blinding lightning effects, I suffered some eye discomfort when watching the battles. The quest is interesting, but nothing really special. The next adaptation is slated to release in 2012, but I’m not very enthusiastic about it haha.
6th: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1)
Rating: 6.5/10
Can’t believe it has been 10 years. This is one of the few series that I catch every single instalment in the theatres. With 8 movies in total, this would be the longest series that I, and probably most of us, have ever watched. With the story split into two parts, there is more room to develop the characters and build up the atmosphere. The pace is slower and it feels less rushed than the previous few instalments. However I miss the Hogwarts scenes and their interesting wizardry lessons. And I dislike how the film keeps using the snake to scare people. Hey this is not a horror movie! Maybe it already is, since it has grown so dark from the point Voldemort appeared.
5th: Brothers
Rating: 7/10
Watched this movie without expectations, and was surprised by the twist. It shows how one’s personality can change drastically after a traumatic incident. In the beginning everything seems like perfect, until a mission changed his life forever. Sometimes things might be beyond our control, but as long as we set our mind straight and stay positive, I believe we can overcome all odds. Easier said than done eh?
4th: The Chronicles of Narnia – Voyage of the Dawn Threader
Rating: 7/10
Never thought I would watch a Narnia movie. I was quite skeptical of it initially when it first came out, teasing how its name sounds like a vulgar word etc. It actually turned out to be pretty good. Was worried that I couldn’t catch the storyline since I haven’t been following the series at all, but the movie made it quite easy for first-timers to grasp the plot nevertheless. Basically a trio enters the world of Narnia, and goes on an adventure in search for missing peasants. Along the way they have to look for 7 swords to deactivate the ‘curse’ or something. I think I have watched so many of such adventure movies this year. Kinda immune to it already haha. By the way I like the mouse/rat in the film haha.
3rd: Prince of Persia - The Sands of Time
Rating: 7.5/10
I’ve always enjoyed storylines that incorporate time-travelling element, and this one is no exception. The plot revolves around a mystical dagger that contains extraordinary sand which can send its holder back to time temporarily. Like always, the bad guys would try all means to get hold of this powerful ability. I like how the story takes place in the exotic Middle East setting, with Arabian-style streets and the vast desert. Hope to visit such places someday hehe.
Ok I had a tough trying decide which one should get my Top Movie of 2010. Eventually I came to a conclusion...
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2nd: Avatar
Rating: 9.5/10
This is one of the best movies in the recent years. Everyone would probably agree with me. This is also the movie that started the 3D trend this year. Last year I watched ‘Up’ in 3D and there wasn’t much hype about this new technology. But ever since Avatar was released, everyone began to realize the true power of 3D images and how it can enhance our movie-viewing experience. Of course the film industry took the opportunity to tap on this hype, by releasing movies in 3D (even when it’s not originally shot in 3D) and hoping to rake in additional earnings. Now, every other action movie is released in 3D. But which one can truly claim that its effect is comparable, or even better than Avatar? Once the novelty has died out, I guess everyone would just ditch 3D and settle for the conventional style. The discomfort in prolonged wearing of 3D glasses is also a major deterring factor.
Initially the promotional poster didn’t appeal to me. That character looked very much like a Night Elf from Warcraft. ‘Ahh another science-fiction film’ I thought. The title doesn’t tell much about the story too. I didn’t notice who the director is. However shortly after the movie was released, good reviews started pouring. It’s like a chain effect where one recommend the other and gradually more and more people began to watch, which in turn produced lots of positive response that further generated more publicity and popularity for the movie. Eventually Avatar became the one of the greatest movie all-time, breaking several box-office records.
It was a pity that I didn’t watch it in 3D, but the normal version was already quite impressive. The world of Pandora is beautifully thought-out and designed. How I wish our nature is as enchanting as that. There were touching moments too, especially when the giant tree fell. Rating would have been perfect if I had watched in 3D, maybe.
This movie brings us back to our primitive existence, and reminds us humans about the importance of coexisting in harmony with Mother Nature. In this modern world where nature is increasingly sacrificed to pave the way for human development, is there any hope in saving our greenery from getting destroyed?
The Top Movie is none other than...
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1st: Inception
Rating: 10/10
I decided to give it the top spot because of several reasons. Firstly I had no idea what this movie is all about before I watched it. As I watched the premiere, there weren’t any reviews then. Thus I did not harbor any expectations and there was lots of room in my mind to accommodate for twists, surprises and amazement. My only knowledge of the film comes from the trailer, which I happened to see in the previous movie. I didn’t really understand what the trailer is trying to show anyway, but it looked very interesting. Indeed, I didn’t expect it to be THAT interesting.
Secondly, I can’t remember any other movie that made me think so much even after the movie ended. The plot is intellectual in a sense, but also irrational at the same time because of the dream concept. I always wonder how our minds are able to construct images and incidents that we would never ever imagine in real life. Together with the unexplained dream-in-a-dream phenomena, it is truly the greatest mystery of the human mind. Sure there might be loopholes and questionable bits in the plot, but generally the flow and mechanics of the storyline is well thought out. This is what really impressed me.
Enjoyed every moment of the movie, and it gets more interesting when the main mission began. The climax is gradually built up as the dreams split into more and more levels, far beyond what I expected. I was so caught up that I didn’t want to movie to end haha.
While Avatar reaches out to my heart, Inception reaches out to my brain. Since I’m more of a ‘brain’ person, Inception gets my vote.
I wonder when I can ever watch such great movies again. Let’s look forward to the new year.
Oh yeah I'm embarking on something new this year, with regards to my annual music review. Stay tuned!
Let's begin the countdown, beginning from the lowest rating.
10th: Predators
Rating: 4/10
Another typical sadistic movie that introduces a group of people who gets killed off one by one as they progress to find a way out of the ‘no-man’s land’. Not very fond of such movies that display explicit images of blood and gore. Yea, it’s classified as a horror film anyway. The saving grace is probably the twist at the end which reveals the true villain among the group. I thought the predators are the only enemies in the movie.
9th: Sherlock Holmes
Rating: 5/10
My first movie of the year. Usually I like to watch mystery and thriller genre, but somehow this one doesn’t strike a chord with me. The case is not as interesting as I expected, or probably it’s too complex for my liking. It doesn’t make me curious in knowing why some things happened, and the seemingly insignificant but important little actions that Holmes did to crack the case didn’t really impress me. Thus this gets a so-so rating.
8th: Shrek Forever After
Rating: 6/10
Watched the previous three instalments (the first one not in cinema) and it would be a shame not to watch this one too, which is supposed to be the final movie. Sadly I wasn’t amused very much this time. The humour feels recycled and a little stale, except a few. I guess the moral of the story is - be contented with what you have.
7th: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
Rating: 6.5/10
The plot is based on the Greek mythology, and tells about a boy who wields the power to summon water. Some say that this is the kids version whereas the Clash of the Titans, which is based on the same mythology, is the adult version. Thanks to the blinding lightning effects, I suffered some eye discomfort when watching the battles. The quest is interesting, but nothing really special. The next adaptation is slated to release in 2012, but I’m not very enthusiastic about it haha.
6th: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1)
Rating: 6.5/10
Can’t believe it has been 10 years. This is one of the few series that I catch every single instalment in the theatres. With 8 movies in total, this would be the longest series that I, and probably most of us, have ever watched. With the story split into two parts, there is more room to develop the characters and build up the atmosphere. The pace is slower and it feels less rushed than the previous few instalments. However I miss the Hogwarts scenes and their interesting wizardry lessons. And I dislike how the film keeps using the snake to scare people. Hey this is not a horror movie! Maybe it already is, since it has grown so dark from the point Voldemort appeared.
5th: Brothers
Rating: 7/10
Watched this movie without expectations, and was surprised by the twist. It shows how one’s personality can change drastically after a traumatic incident. In the beginning everything seems like perfect, until a mission changed his life forever. Sometimes things might be beyond our control, but as long as we set our mind straight and stay positive, I believe we can overcome all odds. Easier said than done eh?
4th: The Chronicles of Narnia – Voyage of the Dawn Threader
Rating: 7/10
Never thought I would watch a Narnia movie. I was quite skeptical of it initially when it first came out, teasing how its name sounds like a vulgar word etc. It actually turned out to be pretty good. Was worried that I couldn’t catch the storyline since I haven’t been following the series at all, but the movie made it quite easy for first-timers to grasp the plot nevertheless. Basically a trio enters the world of Narnia, and goes on an adventure in search for missing peasants. Along the way they have to look for 7 swords to deactivate the ‘curse’ or something. I think I have watched so many of such adventure movies this year. Kinda immune to it already haha. By the way I like the mouse/rat in the film haha.
3rd: Prince of Persia - The Sands of Time
Rating: 7.5/10
I’ve always enjoyed storylines that incorporate time-travelling element, and this one is no exception. The plot revolves around a mystical dagger that contains extraordinary sand which can send its holder back to time temporarily. Like always, the bad guys would try all means to get hold of this powerful ability. I like how the story takes place in the exotic Middle East setting, with Arabian-style streets and the vast desert. Hope to visit such places someday hehe.
Ok I had a tough trying decide which one should get my Top Movie of 2010. Eventually I came to a conclusion...
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.
.
2nd: Avatar
Rating: 9.5/10
This is one of the best movies in the recent years. Everyone would probably agree with me. This is also the movie that started the 3D trend this year. Last year I watched ‘Up’ in 3D and there wasn’t much hype about this new technology. But ever since Avatar was released, everyone began to realize the true power of 3D images and how it can enhance our movie-viewing experience. Of course the film industry took the opportunity to tap on this hype, by releasing movies in 3D (even when it’s not originally shot in 3D) and hoping to rake in additional earnings. Now, every other action movie is released in 3D. But which one can truly claim that its effect is comparable, or even better than Avatar? Once the novelty has died out, I guess everyone would just ditch 3D and settle for the conventional style. The discomfort in prolonged wearing of 3D glasses is also a major deterring factor.
Initially the promotional poster didn’t appeal to me. That character looked very much like a Night Elf from Warcraft. ‘Ahh another science-fiction film’ I thought. The title doesn’t tell much about the story too. I didn’t notice who the director is. However shortly after the movie was released, good reviews started pouring. It’s like a chain effect where one recommend the other and gradually more and more people began to watch, which in turn produced lots of positive response that further generated more publicity and popularity for the movie. Eventually Avatar became the one of the greatest movie all-time, breaking several box-office records.
It was a pity that I didn’t watch it in 3D, but the normal version was already quite impressive. The world of Pandora is beautifully thought-out and designed. How I wish our nature is as enchanting as that. There were touching moments too, especially when the giant tree fell. Rating would have been perfect if I had watched in 3D, maybe.
This movie brings us back to our primitive existence, and reminds us humans about the importance of coexisting in harmony with Mother Nature. In this modern world where nature is increasingly sacrificed to pave the way for human development, is there any hope in saving our greenery from getting destroyed?
The Top Movie is none other than...
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.
.
.
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1st: Inception
Rating: 10/10
I decided to give it the top spot because of several reasons. Firstly I had no idea what this movie is all about before I watched it. As I watched the premiere, there weren’t any reviews then. Thus I did not harbor any expectations and there was lots of room in my mind to accommodate for twists, surprises and amazement. My only knowledge of the film comes from the trailer, which I happened to see in the previous movie. I didn’t really understand what the trailer is trying to show anyway, but it looked very interesting. Indeed, I didn’t expect it to be THAT interesting.
Secondly, I can’t remember any other movie that made me think so much even after the movie ended. The plot is intellectual in a sense, but also irrational at the same time because of the dream concept. I always wonder how our minds are able to construct images and incidents that we would never ever imagine in real life. Together with the unexplained dream-in-a-dream phenomena, it is truly the greatest mystery of the human mind. Sure there might be loopholes and questionable bits in the plot, but generally the flow and mechanics of the storyline is well thought out. This is what really impressed me.
Enjoyed every moment of the movie, and it gets more interesting when the main mission began. The climax is gradually built up as the dreams split into more and more levels, far beyond what I expected. I was so caught up that I didn’t want to movie to end haha.
While Avatar reaches out to my heart, Inception reaches out to my brain. Since I’m more of a ‘brain’ person, Inception gets my vote.
I wonder when I can ever watch such great movies again. Let’s look forward to the new year.
Oh yeah I'm embarking on something new this year, with regards to my annual music review. Stay tuned!
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Decade Review
Strictly speaking, 2011 should be the start of the new decade, rather than 2010. But many sites have been doing summary for the past 10 years of 200X. Shall join in too in reminiscing the milestones and major events which happened to me during the past decade. =)
*listed in chronological order as far as I can remember*
2000
- Started secondary school life in TCHS
- Met Genie
- Began my experience with Japanese language in MOELC (but quitted within 1st year)
- Lost my wallet (for the 1st and last time)
- Caught up with Hello Kitty craze
- Did 1st major project on 3D shapes
- Began my 6-years journey in the band as a clarinetist
- Was introduced the book 'Harry Potter'
- Down with 'once-in-a-lifetime' chicken pox (and spread it to someone hahaha)
- 1st outdoor camp @ Sentosa
- Met Relf
- Performed in NDP
- Failed a subject for 1st and last time (shh...)
- Birth of my online nickname 'Servbot'
2001
- Met Han
- Started listening to YES933 on regular basis
- SYF Band Silver Award
- Camping @ Serimbun
- Bought my one and only mandopop album
- Perception of teaching occupation changed after seeing teacher broke down in front of class
2002
- Antarctica clique formed
- Created 1st personal webpage
- Started playing PS2
- Camping @ Pulau Ubin OBS
- 1st experience in kayaking and rockclimbing
- Interest in Chemistry sparked
- 1st O Level paper (Chinese)
2003
- Learnt card game 'Bridge'
- 1st experience in dragonboating
- Handphone stolen (never lost my HP since)
- Welcomed a new member to my family
- Friend passed away
- Holidays extended due to SARS
- Experience program in China cancelled (Awww)
- SYF Band Gold Award
- Learnt bowling
- Farewell to very last Chinese lesson
- Took O Levels
- Tour to Genting
2004
- Chose to study the feared subject F Maths
- Met anon
- Grew a little resentment towards PRCs
- Drank alcohol the 1st time
- Met zzyo
- Created my 1st blog (with colourful but ugly template)
- 1st experience in pool
- 1st experience in golf
- Learnt Mahjong
- Disillusioned towards MAF
- 1st experience in Kbox
2005
- Birth of current Blogspot blog
- Took S-paper
- Met yohfng
- SYF Band Silver Award (ended by journey as a clarinetist since)
- Stopped watching 7pm dramas (after Double Happiness)
- Took A Levels
2006
- Had my own personal room
- Addicted to my 1st MMORPG - Maplestory
- Relearnt Japanese
- Applied for Debit Card (together with ATM card)
- Started watching Jdramas regularly
- Enlisted in NS
- Became a tank mechanic
- Obtained driving license
- Took up 1st tuition assignment
- Took my 1st and last puff
- Learnt cycling
- Took my 1st JLPT (and subsequently once yearly)
2007
- Down with major skin problems
- Watched 1st pop concert in indoor stadium
- Helped out in NDP as contingent marshaller
- Became an admin clerk
- Gained interest in boardgames (not monopoly scrabble those kind)
- Signed up Facebook
- Paternal Grandma passed away
2008
- 1st Cruise trip
- Started jogging regime
- ORD!
- Met Zhui Xing
- Began university life
- Celebrated 21st birthday
2009
- Trip to Japan
- Maternal Grandpa passed away
- Trip to Australia
- Shifted house
I don't think the next decade is going to be as eventful as this one. After all as one experiences more, there are lesser new things to learn.
Hoping for a wonderful year ahead =)
*listed in chronological order as far as I can remember*
2000
- Started secondary school life in TCHS
- Met Genie
- Began my experience with Japanese language in MOELC (but quitted within 1st year)
- Lost my wallet (for the 1st and last time)
- Caught up with Hello Kitty craze
- Did 1st major project on 3D shapes
- Began my 6-years journey in the band as a clarinetist
- Was introduced the book 'Harry Potter'
- Down with 'once-in-a-lifetime' chicken pox (and spread it to someone hahaha)
- 1st outdoor camp @ Sentosa
- Met Relf
- Performed in NDP
- Failed a subject for 1st and last time (shh...)
- Birth of my online nickname 'Servbot'
2001
- Met Han
- Started listening to YES933 on regular basis
- SYF Band Silver Award
- Camping @ Serimbun
- Bought my one and only mandopop album
- Perception of teaching occupation changed after seeing teacher broke down in front of class
2002
- Antarctica clique formed
- Created 1st personal webpage
- Started playing PS2
- Camping @ Pulau Ubin OBS
- 1st experience in kayaking and rockclimbing
- Interest in Chemistry sparked
- 1st O Level paper (Chinese)
2003
- Learnt card game 'Bridge'
- 1st experience in dragonboating
- Handphone stolen (never lost my HP since)
- Welcomed a new member to my family
- Friend passed away
- Holidays extended due to SARS
- Experience program in China cancelled (Awww)
- SYF Band Gold Award
- Learnt bowling
- Farewell to very last Chinese lesson
- Took O Levels
- Tour to Genting
2004
- Chose to study the feared subject F Maths
- Met anon
- Grew a little resentment towards PRCs
- Drank alcohol the 1st time
- Met zzyo
- Created my 1st blog (with colourful but ugly template)
- 1st experience in pool
- 1st experience in golf
- Learnt Mahjong
- Disillusioned towards MAF
- 1st experience in Kbox
2005
- Birth of current Blogspot blog
- Took S-paper
- Met yohfng
- SYF Band Silver Award (ended by journey as a clarinetist since)
- Stopped watching 7pm dramas (after Double Happiness)
- Took A Levels
2006
- Had my own personal room
- Addicted to my 1st MMORPG - Maplestory
- Relearnt Japanese
- Applied for Debit Card (together with ATM card)
- Started watching Jdramas regularly
- Enlisted in NS
- Became a tank mechanic
- Obtained driving license
- Took up 1st tuition assignment
- Took my 1st and last puff
- Learnt cycling
- Took my 1st JLPT (and subsequently once yearly)
2007
- Down with major skin problems
- Watched 1st pop concert in indoor stadium
- Helped out in NDP as contingent marshaller
- Became an admin clerk
- Gained interest in boardgames (not monopoly scrabble those kind)
- Signed up Facebook
- Paternal Grandma passed away
2008
- 1st Cruise trip
- Started jogging regime
- ORD!
- Met Zhui Xing
- Began university life
- Celebrated 21st birthday
2009
- Trip to Japan
- Maternal Grandpa passed away
- Trip to Australia
- Shifted house
I don't think the next decade is going to be as eventful as this one. After all as one experiences more, there are lesser new things to learn.
Hoping for a wonderful year ahead =)
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
2009 Review (Music)
Tidbits from Sydney!
View of Sydney Opera House from the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Felt surreal seeing this first-hand, after only experiencing this scenery through books and tv.
---
Best Male Album: TANK - 第三回合
(not a convincing winner since I had a tough time trying to shortlist at least an album)
Best Female Album: 徐佳莹 - LaLa首张创作专辑
(close contender: 梁静茹 静茹&情歌-别再为他流泪 )
Best Group Album: 苏打绿 - 夏•狂热
Best Debut Album: 徐佳莹 - LaLa首张创作专辑
Top 20 songs (by ranking):
20) 灰色的彩虹 - 范玮琪
19) 钻石糖 - 萧亚轩
18) 鱼 - 陈绮贞
17) 搞笑 - 罗志祥
16) 会痛的石头 - 萧敬腾
15) 沉默的瞬间 - 张栋梁
14) 明白 - 郭静
13) 无能为力 - 石欣卉
12) 我没有错 - 萧宏仁
11) 交响梦 - 苏打绿
Top 10!
10) 雨爱 - 杨丞琳
9) 分生 - 张惠妹
8) 一样的月光 - 徐佳莹
7) 寂寞光年 - 刘力扬
6) 偶尔 - 张韶函
5) 情歌 - 梁静茹
4) 最幸福的事 - 梁文音
Top 3!
3) 寂寞，好了 - 蔡旻佑
2) 妥协 - 蔡依林
The top song of 2009 goes to...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1) 全世界都停电 - Tank
Hmm, how different is my taste of music from yours? Unlike past years, no singer appeared twice under the top 20 songs this year.
Goodbye 2009!
View of Sydney Opera House from the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Felt surreal seeing this first-hand, after only experiencing this scenery through books and tv.
---
Best Male Album: TANK - 第三回合
(not a convincing winner since I had a tough time trying to shortlist at least an album)
Best Female Album: 徐佳莹 - LaLa首张创作专辑
(close contender: 梁静茹 静茹&情歌-别再为他流泪 )
Best Group Album: 苏打绿 - 夏•狂热
Best Debut Album: 徐佳莹 - LaLa首张创作专辑
Top 20 songs (by ranking):
20) 灰色的彩虹 - 范玮琪
19) 钻石糖 - 萧亚轩
18) 鱼 - 陈绮贞
17) 搞笑 - 罗志祥
16) 会痛的石头 - 萧敬腾
15) 沉默的瞬间 - 张栋梁
14) 明白 - 郭静
13) 无能为力 - 石欣卉
12) 我没有错 - 萧宏仁
11) 交响梦 - 苏打绿
Top 10!
10) 雨爱 - 杨丞琳
9) 分生 - 张惠妹
8) 一样的月光 - 徐佳莹
7) 寂寞光年 - 刘力扬
6) 偶尔 - 张韶函
5) 情歌 - 梁静茹
4) 最幸福的事 - 梁文音
Top 3!
3) 寂寞，好了 - 蔡旻佑
2) 妥协 - 蔡依林
The top song of 2009 goes to...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1) 全世界都停电 - Tank
Hmm, how different is my taste of music from yours? Unlike past years, no singer appeared twice under the top 20 songs this year.
Goodbye 2009!
Friday, December 25, 2009
2009 Review (Movie)
Tidbits from Sydney
Merry Christmas everyone!
Taken from the bustling Darling Harbour. A great spot for strolling and al fresco dining.
---
Watched a total of 9 movies in the theaters this year. Will review them according to ranking:
300 Days of Summer
Rating: 4/10
I thought ‘Summer’ just referred to the season. Anyway, despite all the highly rated reviews, I didn’t feel impressed as there was no experience of a real climax. Pure romance genre is really not to my liking. (So sorry Reiko haha) The non-linear storytelling didn’t help much to arouse my interest - in fact it made me more confused. Throughout the show I was paying attention to the number of days, hoping that something exciting would come as the counter approaches the 300-day mark. But it just ended…like that…
Akai Ito (Red Thread)
Rating: 5/10
Erm, I don’t really know how to comment on this. A typical Japanese love story. Slightly exaggerated in the sense that girls are portrayed to be so committed to love, to the extent that they are willing to bear with physical violence from their boyfriends, or even take their own life. Didn’t feel touched by the plot, as I felt everything was so naïve. Nothing close to Koizora. Wouldn’t have watched it if not for a group gathering…
Transformer 2
Rating: 6/10
Uh, I hardly have any impression of this movie, as the memory of the first installment still clings onto my mind. The only thing I remember is Optimus Prime ‘died’, and that guy (plus his girl) tried to resurrect him, while running through the desert like a never-ending obstacle course. During that scene, I only captured the chain of explosions and assaults. Kaboom here and kaboom there, for 15 minutes or so. @_@ The producers ought to think of more variations.
The Wedding Game
Rating: 6.5/10
Take this as a light comedy. The many guest appearances in this movie might make you try to observe the surrounding calefares more carefully. It was fun to see Chris and Fann bickering with each other, and all their amusing antics while attempting to fake a relationship. They don’t seem to be acting though haha. A good festival movie to sit back and relax.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Rating: 6.5/10
Contrary to what some avid followers of the series think, I felt that this installment was a bit disappointing. For a person like me who prefers to watch action, this one seriously lacked captivating and thrilling fighting scenes. Towards the end right before Dumbledore died, I remembered reading that an intense fight ensued within the school, but none of this was shown in the film. It appeared like Harry’s gang just surrendered without a fight with the Death Eaters. On the other hand I felt the love stories surrounding Ron were given a little too much air time. Sure it was funny but that was not the main plot right?
*Anyway can anyone tell me any fictional movies or dramas that don’t involve romance/love relationship among the main leads? Can’t think of any at all. This is like a definitely-must-have for any fiction plots. (to be sellable to audience)
Red Cliff II
Rating: 7/10
I think this part is more exciting than the first, due to the fiery action of the battle. Zhuge Liang calling for the wind is quite cool too. Xiaoqiao takes on a heavier role in the movie, whereas in history she hardly had anything to do with the battle. One thing worth mentioning is the scene where Xiaoqiao fell from the tower. I think it was really beautifully shot, the angle and her fluttering clothing etc. The sword-point (and arrow-point) deadlock with Cao Cao during the final showdown was exciting to watch too.
The Time Traveller’s Wife
Rating: 7.5/10
The time travelling concept of this movie reminds me of, which adds a new dimension to linear romance stories. This point is what made me choose to watch this movie in the first place since I’m not really into romance genre. It’s pretty interesting (while absurd) how love between the couple could transcend time and space, and how an offspring could emerge in the process, who possesses time-travelling ability. So videogame-like. It gets touching towards the end when the guy realized his death was near. What a mentally harsh fact to face. I wanted to see how he was able to sustain the relationship with his wife until she was old.
2012
Rating: 8/10
A pretty intelligent disaster movie, which is based on widespread uncertainty of the events coming soon in 3 years time, backed up with some historical and scientific facts. Personally, I don’t believe such catastrophic events will happen at all in the future. Geological changes do take place over a long span of time. Perhaps some effects will occur in 2012, but they won’t have a huge impact on our lives, or rather, not a life and death issue.
The CGI effects were amazing and it really brought out the end-of-world hopeless and dismal feel. But the people seemed unnaturally calm about the incident. If you know the world will end next month, would you still bother to go to work/school, listen to your superiors, sit down calmly and read a book? The whole world will just plunge into anarchy, as social order breaks down. Those who have studied sociology fundamentals should know this haha.
All these realistic analysis aside, let’s not forget this is just a dramatic movie. I enjoyed the second half of the movie after the gang proceeded to the (Noah’s) ark. As the minor characters were killed off one by one (or group by group haha), the plot became more focused, leading to an eventual happy ending for the family of four. The underlying message of social inequality is also quite evident in this movie. Different people have different values attached to their lives. Hmm, what a debatable issue.
And the top movie this year is...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Up
Rating: 9/10
Didn’t know even animations can be so touching, especially the part which shows the life of the grandpa from when he met his wife in his childhood days until her death when they became old. The couple led a simple life with only one ultimate aim in mind – to live in a house on top of the paradise-like waterfall. Many obstacles were met along the arduous path towards fulfilling their dream. Not to forget the dog with a funny voice haha. No wonder how this movie got such a high rating. I watched this movie in 3D but there weren’t much action scenes to sufficiently utilize this effect.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Taken from the bustling Darling Harbour. A great spot for strolling and al fresco dining.
---
Watched a total of 9 movies in the theaters this year. Will review them according to ranking:
300 Days of Summer
Rating: 4/10
I thought ‘Summer’ just referred to the season. Anyway, despite all the highly rated reviews, I didn’t feel impressed as there was no experience of a real climax. Pure romance genre is really not to my liking. (So sorry Reiko haha) The non-linear storytelling didn’t help much to arouse my interest - in fact it made me more confused. Throughout the show I was paying attention to the number of days, hoping that something exciting would come as the counter approaches the 300-day mark. But it just ended…like that…
Akai Ito (Red Thread)
Rating: 5/10
Erm, I don’t really know how to comment on this. A typical Japanese love story. Slightly exaggerated in the sense that girls are portrayed to be so committed to love, to the extent that they are willing to bear with physical violence from their boyfriends, or even take their own life. Didn’t feel touched by the plot, as I felt everything was so naïve. Nothing close to Koizora. Wouldn’t have watched it if not for a group gathering…
Transformer 2
Rating: 6/10
Uh, I hardly have any impression of this movie, as the memory of the first installment still clings onto my mind. The only thing I remember is Optimus Prime ‘died’, and that guy (plus his girl) tried to resurrect him, while running through the desert like a never-ending obstacle course. During that scene, I only captured the chain of explosions and assaults. Kaboom here and kaboom there, for 15 minutes or so. @_@ The producers ought to think of more variations.
The Wedding Game
Rating: 6.5/10
Take this as a light comedy. The many guest appearances in this movie might make you try to observe the surrounding calefares more carefully. It was fun to see Chris and Fann bickering with each other, and all their amusing antics while attempting to fake a relationship. They don’t seem to be acting though haha. A good festival movie to sit back and relax.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Rating: 6.5/10
Contrary to what some avid followers of the series think, I felt that this installment was a bit disappointing. For a person like me who prefers to watch action, this one seriously lacked captivating and thrilling fighting scenes. Towards the end right before Dumbledore died, I remembered reading that an intense fight ensued within the school, but none of this was shown in the film. It appeared like Harry’s gang just surrendered without a fight with the Death Eaters. On the other hand I felt the love stories surrounding Ron were given a little too much air time. Sure it was funny but that was not the main plot right?
*Anyway can anyone tell me any fictional movies or dramas that don’t involve romance/love relationship among the main leads? Can’t think of any at all. This is like a definitely-must-have for any fiction plots. (to be sellable to audience)
Red Cliff II
Rating: 7/10
I think this part is more exciting than the first, due to the fiery action of the battle. Zhuge Liang calling for the wind is quite cool too. Xiaoqiao takes on a heavier role in the movie, whereas in history she hardly had anything to do with the battle. One thing worth mentioning is the scene where Xiaoqiao fell from the tower. I think it was really beautifully shot, the angle and her fluttering clothing etc. The sword-point (and arrow-point) deadlock with Cao Cao during the final showdown was exciting to watch too.
The Time Traveller’s Wife
Rating: 7.5/10
The time travelling concept of this movie reminds me of
2012
Rating: 8/10
A pretty intelligent disaster movie, which is based on widespread uncertainty of the events coming soon in 3 years time, backed up with some historical and scientific facts. Personally, I don’t believe such catastrophic events will happen at all in the future. Geological changes do take place over a long span of time. Perhaps some effects will occur in 2012, but they won’t have a huge impact on our lives, or rather, not a life and death issue.
The CGI effects were amazing and it really brought out the end-of-world hopeless and dismal feel. But the people seemed unnaturally calm about the incident. If you know the world will end next month, would you still bother to go to work/school, listen to your superiors, sit down calmly and read a book? The whole world will just plunge into anarchy, as social order breaks down. Those who have studied sociology fundamentals should know this haha.
All these realistic analysis aside, let’s not forget this is just a dramatic movie. I enjoyed the second half of the movie after the gang proceeded to the (Noah’s) ark. As the minor characters were killed off one by one (or group by group haha), the plot became more focused, leading to an eventual happy ending for the family of four. The underlying message of social inequality is also quite evident in this movie. Different people have different values attached to their lives. Hmm, what a debatable issue.
And the top movie this year is...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Up
Rating: 9/10
Didn’t know even animations can be so touching, especially the part which shows the life of the grandpa from when he met his wife in his childhood days until her death when they became old. The couple led a simple life with only one ultimate aim in mind – to live in a house on top of the paradise-like waterfall. Many obstacles were met along the arduous path towards fulfilling their dream. Not to forget the dog with a funny voice haha. No wonder how this movie got such a high rating. I watched this movie in 3D but there weren’t much action scenes to sufficiently utilize this effect.
Saturday, January 03, 2009
2008 Review (Music)
Here comes my annual music awards again! With further ado let's reveal the results!
Best Male Album: 萧敬腾 《同名专辑》
(close contender: 林宥嘉 《神秘嘉宾》)
Best Female Album: 郭静 《下一个天亮》
(close contender: 梁静茹 《今天情人节》)
Best Group Album: 五月天 《后青春期的诗》
Best Debut Album: 萧敬腾 《同名专辑》
Most Fascinating MV: 收藏 - 萧敬腾
This time, I'll be ranking my top 20 songs of 2008 in order, unlike the previous years. The songs will be judged according to impression, significance, ability to spur emotions and desire to listen. Popularity is not a factor.
20) 你不是真正的快乐 - 五月天
19） 冲动 - 萧亚轩
18） 不想懂得 - 张韶涵
17) 牧羊人 - 张信哲
16) 传说 - 林宥嘉，刘力杨
15) 一颗心的距离 - 范玮琪
14) 庆幸有你爱我 - 蔡淳佳
13) 我很好 - 刘若英
12) 洋葱 - 杨宗纬
11) 限时的遗忘 - 潘嘉丽
Top 10!
10) 伯乐 - 林宥嘉
9) 怪胎 - 郑中基
8) 半情歌 - 元若兰
7) 那些女孩教我的事 - 品冠
6) 你是此生最美的风景 - JS
5) 下一个天亮 - 郭静
4) 明天以后 - 林峰，泳儿
Down to Top 3!
.
.
.
.
.
3) 今天情人节 - 梁静茹
2) 收藏 - 萧敬腾
And the Top song of 2008 goes to...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1) 带我走 - 杨丞琳
Wow, shocking right? Didn't expect Rainie to top my chart as well, but this song indeed scores well in every of my judging criteria. Thanks to 不良笑花 as well, I grew fonder of this song. Came to this conclusion after several considerations. Watching the drama (or movie) does really help to improve the impression and feeling towards its theme songs.
I guess my chart is very different from others as big names and singers did not appear at all. Congrats to Yoga for having two songs on chart!
Best Male Album: 萧敬腾 《同名专辑》
(close contender: 林宥嘉 《神秘嘉宾》)
Best Female Album: 郭静 《下一个天亮》
(close contender: 梁静茹 《今天情人节》)
Best Group Album: 五月天 《后青春期的诗》
Best Debut Album: 萧敬腾 《同名专辑》
Most Fascinating MV: 收藏 - 萧敬腾
This time, I'll be ranking my top 20 songs of 2008 in order, unlike the previous years. The songs will be judged according to impression, significance, ability to spur emotions and desire to listen. Popularity is not a factor.
20) 你不是真正的快乐 - 五月天
19） 冲动 - 萧亚轩
18） 不想懂得 - 张韶涵
17) 牧羊人 - 张信哲
16) 传说 - 林宥嘉，刘力杨
15) 一颗心的距离 - 范玮琪
14) 庆幸有你爱我 - 蔡淳佳
13) 我很好 - 刘若英
12) 洋葱 - 杨宗纬
11) 限时的遗忘 - 潘嘉丽
Top 10!
10) 伯乐 - 林宥嘉
9) 怪胎 - 郑中基
8) 半情歌 - 元若兰
7) 那些女孩教我的事 - 品冠
6) 你是此生最美的风景 - JS
5) 下一个天亮 - 郭静
4) 明天以后 - 林峰，泳儿
Down to Top 3!
.
.
.
.
.
3) 今天情人节 - 梁静茹
2) 收藏 - 萧敬腾
And the Top song of 2008 goes to...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1) 带我走 - 杨丞琳
Wow, shocking right? Didn't expect Rainie to top my chart as well, but this song indeed scores well in every of my judging criteria. Thanks to 不良笑花 as well, I grew fonder of this song. Came to this conclusion after several considerations. Watching the drama (or movie) does really help to improve the impression and feeling towards its theme songs.
I guess my chart is very different from others as big names and singers did not appear at all. Congrats to Yoga for having two songs on chart!
Thursday, January 01, 2009
2008 Review (Movies)
Out of the 12 movies I watched in 2008, 9 are Asian-produced! This year’s definitely the Year of Asian Movies, compared to 2007 Year of Blockbusters. As expected, I watched fewer movies this year, probably due to the lack of anticipation of sequels. As for 2009, the 2 sequels I’ll be looking forward to would be Red Cliff 2 and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Any others?
Similar to previous years, I’ll be listing the movies I’ve watched this year according to personal ranking.
12) 12 Lotus
881 scored badly in my review last year too. Somehow I just can’t seem to appreciate Royston Tan’s movies. Or maybe I can’t appreciate musicals, especially of getai kind. The box office sales was relatively poor and even my parents felt disappointed after watching. The bad reviews were not unexpected however, since the plot seemed to go haywire at the 2nd half. Though humorous, the part about washing Guanyinma’s hair was rather unnecessary. No idea why it was allocated so much screen time.
*Okay I noticed the two consecutive 'twelves'*
Rating: 5/10
11) Kungfu Dunk
Probably we’re getting tired of mystical, supernatural kungfu movies; it doesn’t have the impact like the previous kungfu movies I’ve watched. Once again, Jay Chou was acting his own personality, and his in-movie talent seemed to be too far-fetched for the effect. Furthermore, his ultimate skill appeared to be bit ‘cold’. -__-“ The rest of the characters were quite forgettable…
*Was not feeling well at the time I watched this movie, so the enjoyment factor significantly dropped*
Rating: 5.5/10
10) Twilight
The love story between a mortal girl and a vampire guy seems cliché in this time and age. The plot went slow at the start, but began to pick up midway with a simple and predictable storyline, unfortunately. One noticeable thing is, most characters in this movie appear to have very pale faces. Whether deliberate or not, it enhances the ‘zombie’ ambience and gives a creepy feeling. Fangirls should be going gaga over the gothic male lead.
*The final statement is indeed true...*
Rating: 6/10
9) Ah Long Pte Ltd
This is so similar to Just Follow Law, in terms of the personality contrast between the male and female leads – tomboy vs sissy. Funny, but the novelty does wear off. For the second time, Fann had shown her versatile acting skills. Mark’s accent was really unique too. However this movie somehow lacked originality. Even the ‘durian soccer’ scene looked awfully familiar.
*Watched this movie right after CJ7; experienced a little movie fatigue*
Rating: 6/10
8) Red Cliff I
Actually the storyline is quite simple but there were lots of fillers within the movie, perhaps to extend the screen time. A single movie would be too rush, while 2 may appear draggy. Having prior knowledge to Romance of the Three Kingdoms, thanks to video games and anime, there was no problem following the plot. An interesting observation is, several animals are introduced throughout the movie (eg. dove, horse, tiger, goose, cow, etc). Who can forget Zhuge Liang’s brilliant reply of ‘lue dong’, haha.
*Hopefully the 2nd part will have a bigger climax. Looking forward to the battle scenes!*
Rating: 6.5/10
7) CJ7
An interesting movie title. Stephen Chow’s successful Kungfu Hustle in 2005 had created lots of anticipation for this movie, but unfortunately it did not live up to its hype. The little boy’s (or should I say girl?) acting was commendable, and the Qizai doll was really cute too =). A good marketing strategy eh? The disappointing thing was, I felt the characteristic Stephen Chow’s humour wasn’t enough. When the credits started to roll, there was a ‘Oh, that’s it?’ feeling.
*Still prefer his classic comedies*
Rating: 6.5/10
6) Nim’s Island
I enjoyed the scenery and setting in this movie. Never knew living in a deserted island can be so exciting. Making friends with animals looks fun too. The plot was simple and easy to follow, and its humour still ‘haunts’ me till today. A light hearted movie indeed. The part on chasing the tourists out of the island reminds me of Home Alone, haha. Setting traps is fun =p.
*Rain of lizards...heh*
Rating: 7/10
5) Money No Enough 2
With the rise of home-made, dialect-included movies, the 2nd installment can never be as fresh as the 1st. I remember the first installment 10 years ago had wowed many Singaporeans and set a record box office sale. This movie indeed came at a right time, during the current wave of economic recession when we find ourselves short of money again. The ERP debate was used to illustrate the theme. Current affairs aside, the movie became very touching towards the end. Li Ming is definitely worthy for her nomination in the Golden Horse Awards.
*Will there be Money No Enough 3 in the next recession 10 years later?*
Rating: 7.5/10
4) L Change the World
Glad to see L on the big screen once again. His antics never fail to amuse us. Though the spin-off storyline was rather weak, the individual events that happened during L’s escape from the authorities were quite exciting and trilling. Oh, the part where the scientist died in the laboratory was really gross and horrible. The scene where blood was tearing from the woman’s eye was impactful as well. Am I describing a horror movie? Haha.
*The real world really needs someone as intelligent as L*
Rating: 8/10
3) Cyborg She
Sounds like a female counterpart to Zettai Kareshi (Absolute Boyfriend)? Not really. There were several twists in the story. You can never expect what is going to happen next. Similar to Secret, the entire flow will become clear right near the end, when bits and pieces appear to fit together. The actress’ ability to imitate a robot is really remarkable. The atmosphere in the movie was unexpectedly dark (with all the disasters and such).
*FYI the darkest movie I’ve ever watched was War of the Worlds. The atmosphere was really gloomy and depressing.*
Rating: 8/10
2) The Dark Knight
Another superhero movie, but the limelight is stolen by Joker. (poor Batman) Though it appears to be a typical Hollywood action movie, the underlying theme can be quite deep. It explains how even a righteous person can turn really wicked. The numerous action scenes kept me at the edge of the seat, while I was struggling to understand the flow of the story. A pity that the actor starring as Joker has passed away. We would want to see more of his potential works.
*Undoubtedly the best Hollywood movie of the year*
Rating: 8/10
And the top movie is...
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1) Cape No.7
Now I know why this movie became extremely popular in Taiwan. Unlike most movies where we just watch and forget, this movie left the greatest impression on me with its plot, characters, music and of course the 60-year late letter addressed to Cape No. 7. The theme was open for the audience to interpret. The characters came from differing backgrounds and eventually gathered on the basis of a outdoor beach concert. The movie soundtrack is really really nice. Last but not least, the touching love letter, written in Japanese, was read out part by part throughout the movie. The deep storyline may be difficult to grasp for some, but I feel this is what made the movie truly unique and exceptional.
*This movie indeed reflects the melting pot of cultures and languages*
Rating: 8.5/10
Generally Japanese films tend to do well in my ranking as I felt that they have sufficient depth, originality, thrilling climax and unexpected twists, yet simple to understand. 20th Century Boys would score really high if I had watched it.
Hopefully this year will see a better balance of Hollywood and Asian films.
Similar to previous years, I’ll be listing the movies I’ve watched this year according to personal ranking.
12) 12 Lotus
881 scored badly in my review last year too. Somehow I just can’t seem to appreciate Royston Tan’s movies. Or maybe I can’t appreciate musicals, especially of getai kind. The box office sales was relatively poor and even my parents felt disappointed after watching. The bad reviews were not unexpected however, since the plot seemed to go haywire at the 2nd half. Though humorous, the part about washing Guanyinma’s hair was rather unnecessary. No idea why it was allocated so much screen time.
*Okay I noticed the two consecutive 'twelves'*
Rating: 5/10
11) Kungfu Dunk
Probably we’re getting tired of mystical, supernatural kungfu movies; it doesn’t have the impact like the previous kungfu movies I’ve watched. Once again, Jay Chou was acting his own personality, and his in-movie talent seemed to be too far-fetched for the effect. Furthermore, his ultimate skill appeared to be bit ‘cold’. -__-“ The rest of the characters were quite forgettable…
*Was not feeling well at the time I watched this movie, so the enjoyment factor significantly dropped*
Rating: 5.5/10
10) Twilight
The love story between a mortal girl and a vampire guy seems cliché in this time and age. The plot went slow at the start, but began to pick up midway with a simple and predictable storyline, unfortunately. One noticeable thing is, most characters in this movie appear to have very pale faces. Whether deliberate or not, it enhances the ‘zombie’ ambience and gives a creepy feeling. Fangirls should be going gaga over the gothic male lead.
*The final statement is indeed true...*
Rating: 6/10
9) Ah Long Pte Ltd
This is so similar to Just Follow Law, in terms of the personality contrast between the male and female leads – tomboy vs sissy. Funny, but the novelty does wear off. For the second time, Fann had shown her versatile acting skills. Mark’s accent was really unique too. However this movie somehow lacked originality. Even the ‘durian soccer’ scene looked awfully familiar.
*Watched this movie right after CJ7; experienced a little movie fatigue*
Rating: 6/10
8) Red Cliff I
Actually the storyline is quite simple but there were lots of fillers within the movie, perhaps to extend the screen time. A single movie would be too rush, while 2 may appear draggy. Having prior knowledge to Romance of the Three Kingdoms, thanks to video games and anime, there was no problem following the plot. An interesting observation is, several animals are introduced throughout the movie (eg. dove, horse, tiger, goose, cow, etc). Who can forget Zhuge Liang’s brilliant reply of ‘lue dong’, haha.
*Hopefully the 2nd part will have a bigger climax. Looking forward to the battle scenes!*
Rating: 6.5/10
7) CJ7
An interesting movie title. Stephen Chow’s successful Kungfu Hustle in 2005 had created lots of anticipation for this movie, but unfortunately it did not live up to its hype. The little boy’s (or should I say girl?) acting was commendable, and the Qizai doll was really cute too =). A good marketing strategy eh? The disappointing thing was, I felt the characteristic Stephen Chow’s humour wasn’t enough. When the credits started to roll, there was a ‘Oh, that’s it?’ feeling.
*Still prefer his classic comedies*
Rating: 6.5/10
6) Nim’s Island
I enjoyed the scenery and setting in this movie. Never knew living in a deserted island can be so exciting. Making friends with animals looks fun too. The plot was simple and easy to follow, and its humour still ‘haunts’ me till today. A light hearted movie indeed. The part on chasing the tourists out of the island reminds me of Home Alone, haha. Setting traps is fun =p.
*Rain of lizards...heh*
Rating: 7/10
5) Money No Enough 2
With the rise of home-made, dialect-included movies, the 2nd installment can never be as fresh as the 1st. I remember the first installment 10 years ago had wowed many Singaporeans and set a record box office sale. This movie indeed came at a right time, during the current wave of economic recession when we find ourselves short of money again. The ERP debate was used to illustrate the theme. Current affairs aside, the movie became very touching towards the end. Li Ming is definitely worthy for her nomination in the Golden Horse Awards.
*Will there be Money No Enough 3 in the next recession 10 years later?*
Rating: 7.5/10
4) L Change the World
Glad to see L on the big screen once again. His antics never fail to amuse us. Though the spin-off storyline was rather weak, the individual events that happened during L’s escape from the authorities were quite exciting and trilling. Oh, the part where the scientist died in the laboratory was really gross and horrible. The scene where blood was tearing from the woman’s eye was impactful as well. Am I describing a horror movie? Haha.
*The real world really needs someone as intelligent as L*
Rating: 8/10
3) Cyborg She
Sounds like a female counterpart to Zettai Kareshi (Absolute Boyfriend)? Not really. There were several twists in the story. You can never expect what is going to happen next. Similar to Secret, the entire flow will become clear right near the end, when bits and pieces appear to fit together. The actress’ ability to imitate a robot is really remarkable. The atmosphere in the movie was unexpectedly dark (with all the disasters and such).
*FYI the darkest movie I’ve ever watched was War of the Worlds. The atmosphere was really gloomy and depressing.*
Rating: 8/10
2) The Dark Knight
Another superhero movie, but the limelight is stolen by Joker. (poor Batman) Though it appears to be a typical Hollywood action movie, the underlying theme can be quite deep. It explains how even a righteous person can turn really wicked. The numerous action scenes kept me at the edge of the seat, while I was struggling to understand the flow of the story. A pity that the actor starring as Joker has passed away. We would want to see more of his potential works.
*Undoubtedly the best Hollywood movie of the year*
Rating: 8/10
And the top movie is...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1) Cape No.7
Now I know why this movie became extremely popular in Taiwan. Unlike most movies where we just watch and forget, this movie left the greatest impression on me with its plot, characters, music and of course the 60-year late letter addressed to Cape No. 7. The theme was open for the audience to interpret. The characters came from differing backgrounds and eventually gathered on the basis of a outdoor beach concert. The movie soundtrack is really really nice. Last but not least, the touching love letter, written in Japanese, was read out part by part throughout the movie. The deep storyline may be difficult to grasp for some, but I feel this is what made the movie truly unique and exceptional.
*This movie indeed reflects the melting pot of cultures and languages*
Rating: 8.5/10
Generally Japanese films tend to do well in my ranking as I felt that they have sufficient depth, originality, thrilling climax and unexpected twists, yet simple to understand. 20th Century Boys would score really high if I had watched it.
Hopefully this year will see a better balance of Hollywood and Asian films.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Sayonara 2008
As it's time to welcome the new year, I've given my blog a fresh new look. I think the sunset theme is pretty nice, and has some sort of a calming effect. Still in the process of adding more elements, so the next few days will see more changes to the layout. =)
Basically my 2008 is divided into 3 phases: NS phase in the 1st third of the year, Slacking phase in the 2nd third, and University phase in the 3rd.
Ever since taking up administrative jobs in my NS unit, I found work more interesting and days easier to pass. Much thanks goes to my friendly and caring Platoon Commander. I was involved in planning the unit's CNY celebration this year. It was rather fun though hectic (and problematic in seeking permission as well). Guiding an understudy can be pretty enjoyable too. I was fervently counting down to my ORD date while teasing his, haha.
Nothing much happened during the slacking period in the middle of the year. I was just rotting at home with Xbox, RPGs, MMOs, Jdramas, studying for JLPT, etc. Getting to know the Zhui Xing clique is probably the most significant event then.
So came the Uni phase. It wasn't really as enjoyable as I expected before. In fact I felt busier than during JC, even without any CCA participation. Didn't make much new friends too, as I often hanged around with my previously known ones. Except for two, I haven't been keeping contact with the rest of my orientation groupmates. The frequency just doesn't match.
Looking at the resolutions I made last year, I guess most of them are more or less fulfilled. No point making resolutions which I've no enthusiasm or ability in fulfilling.
My resolution for 2009 simply covers studies, friends, health, Nihongo and savings. Thanks Reiko for consolidating my resolutions on the Zhui Xing blog!
Hope to have a more enjoyable semester next year, despite the ugly timetable. Lots of expectations coming up for the next school holiday though!
Sayonara 2008!
*have to go to ZH's house now for 'countdown' gathering*
Basically my 2008 is divided into 3 phases: NS phase in the 1st third of the year, Slacking phase in the 2nd third, and University phase in the 3rd.
Ever since taking up administrative jobs in my NS unit, I found work more interesting and days easier to pass. Much thanks goes to my friendly and caring Platoon Commander. I was involved in planning the unit's CNY celebration this year. It was rather fun though hectic (and problematic in seeking permission as well). Guiding an understudy can be pretty enjoyable too. I was fervently counting down to my ORD date while teasing his, haha.
Nothing much happened during the slacking period in the middle of the year. I was just rotting at home with Xbox, RPGs, MMOs, Jdramas, studying for JLPT, etc. Getting to know the Zhui Xing clique is probably the most significant event then.
So came the Uni phase. It wasn't really as enjoyable as I expected before. In fact I felt busier than during JC, even without any CCA participation. Didn't make much new friends too, as I often hanged around with my previously known ones. Except for two, I haven't been keeping contact with the rest of my orientation groupmates. The frequency just doesn't match.
Looking at the resolutions I made last year, I guess most of them are more or less fulfilled. No point making resolutions which I've no enthusiasm or ability in fulfilling.
My resolution for 2009 simply covers studies, friends, health, Nihongo and savings. Thanks Reiko for consolidating my resolutions on the Zhui Xing blog!
Hope to have a more enjoyable semester next year, despite the ugly timetable. Lots of expectations coming up for the next school holiday though!
Sayonara 2008!
*have to go to ZH's house now for 'countdown' gathering*
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
2007 Review (Music)
2007 has been a great year for the chinese music industry, with so many singers releasing their albums. Even the September/October period felt like a saturation of new songs haha. It's also the year where I had the most KTV visits. Really fulfilling.
Best Male Album:
曹格 (Superman)
Best Female Album:
张惠妹 (STAR)
Best Group Album:
F.I.R (爱歌姬)
Best Debut Album:
迷路兵 (同名专辑)
Most Unique Song:
S.H.E - 中国话
Top 3 KTV Songs: (not in order)
TANK – 专属天使
周杰伦 – 不能说的秘密
孙燕姿 – 逆光
Top 20 Songs: (not in order)
张惠妹 - 如果你也听说
F.I.R – 月牙湾
孙燕姿 – 我怀念的
曹格 – 背叛
张韶涵 – 不痛
S.H.E – 五月天
五月天 – 天使
TANK – 专属天使
蔡依林 – 一个人
陈奕迅 – 爱情转移
梁静茹 – 崇拜
光良 – 烟火
张惠妹，萧敬腾 – 一眼瞬间
范玮琪 – 是非题
潘嘉丽 – 一秒钟的永远
陈伟联 – I Love You
周杰伦 – 不能说的秘密
林宇中 – 旋律
林俊杰 – 西界
1 more spot left! And my top song in the year 2007 is...
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许哲佩 – Finding Neverland
Shocking? Lol. A bit atypical right? This song has never appeared in 883, 1003 and 933 charts at all. And I doubt it will ever appear in any of my friends' charts as well. As to why I chose this as the top song... hmm I'm rather bad at describing musicality in words (that's why I never give reviews of albums/songs haha). If you really want to know that bad, can ask me personally lol.
Chose this as one of my Kbox Competition songs haha. It was my most-liked song among the rest, as well as the song which I put in most effort in singing, and also the song which obtained the highest score!
That's abt it for my music 'awards'! Gonna pack my stuff alr. For those who still dunno what I'm counting down to, you'll know on Friday haha. 8 hours more!
Oh yeah. Wish everyone Happy New Year and Happy Schooling (for students)!
Best Male Album:
曹格 (Superman)
Best Female Album:
张惠妹 (STAR)
Best Group Album:
F.I.R (爱歌姬)
Best Debut Album:
迷路兵 (同名专辑)
Most Unique Song:
S.H.E - 中国话
Top 3 KTV Songs: (not in order)
TANK – 专属天使
周杰伦 – 不能说的秘密
孙燕姿 – 逆光
Top 20 Songs: (not in order)
张惠妹 - 如果你也听说
F.I.R – 月牙湾
孙燕姿 – 我怀念的
曹格 – 背叛
张韶涵 – 不痛
S.H.E – 五月天
五月天 – 天使
TANK – 专属天使
蔡依林 – 一个人
陈奕迅 – 爱情转移
梁静茹 – 崇拜
光良 – 烟火
张惠妹，萧敬腾 – 一眼瞬间
范玮琪 – 是非题
潘嘉丽 – 一秒钟的永远
陈伟联 – I Love You
周杰伦 – 不能说的秘密
林宇中 – 旋律
林俊杰 – 西界
1 more spot left! And my top song in the year 2007 is...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
许哲佩 – Finding Neverland
Shocking? Lol. A bit atypical right? This song has never appeared in 883, 1003 and 933 charts at all. And I doubt it will ever appear in any of my friends' charts as well. As to why I chose this as the top song... hmm I'm rather bad at describing musicality in words (that's why I never give reviews of albums/songs haha). If you really want to know that bad, can ask me personally lol.
Chose this as one of my Kbox Competition songs haha. It was my most-liked song among the rest, as well as the song which I put in most effort in singing, and also the song which obtained the highest score!
That's abt it for my music 'awards'! Gonna pack my stuff alr. For those who still dunno what I'm counting down to, you'll know on Friday haha. 8 hours more!
Oh yeah. Wish everyone Happy New Year and Happy Schooling (for students)!
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
2007 Review (Movies)
In 2007, I watched a total of 15 movies, only 1 more than the previous year. I think 2007 is one of the best movie year, lots of good movies, esp the series of summer blockbuster sequels. Had been looking forward to them since mid 2006. Now that it's all over, there seems to be nothing worth looking forward to this year haha.
Let's start the movie countdown!
15) 881
Artistic movies aren’t really my kind. Moreover I hardly have any memories of Seventh month Getais, except for the loud blasting sound which interrupted my TV programmes haha. Besides, there isn’t any Getai setup in my new estate. Honestly I wasn’t really touched by the movie in the end, but the costumes and dancing were rather interesting to watch.
Rating: 5.5/10
14) Shrek 3
Not as funny as the 2nd instalment. This sequel seemed to be a bit forceful. The funniest moment would probably be the other princesses trying to infiltrate the castle to save Princess Fiona.
Rating: 5.5/10
13) Fantastic Four 2
Did not watch the first movie. Did not really enjoy this one either. The plot’s a bit too cheesy for me. Everything seemed too typical and simple. Duration too short, looked very budget. The bad guy died too easily then THE END…
Rating: 6/10
12) Protégé (门徒)
An educational movie abt drugs haha. Tells you abt the drug manufacturing process and explains why ppl resort to taking drugs. Daniel Wu’s acting is good in this show. The movie ended in a rather saddening manner. Oh yeah there is one scene which still haunts me: the woman’s body being eaten by rats…
Rating: 6.5/10
11) The Golden Compass
The show doesn’t really seem to match up with its publicity. It’s a bit complex as there are too many characters in the story. Quite obvious there would be a sequel coming up, but I dun seem to have the urge to follow haha. The story about the bear was quite interesting though, esp the duel. Basically all the animal interactions in the movie were rather cute to watch hehe.
Rating: 6.5/10
10) Pirates of the Caribbean 3
Out of the 3 parts, I still prefer the first one haha. Got lost in the story for the second and third parts. Dun really understand their pirate slangs and accents. Had to even look up Wikipedia to catch up on the story. Other than the pirates setting, ship battles, certain hilarious moments and Johnny Depp’s superb acting, I dun really fancy the confusing story. GV Yishun’s small leg space did not help me in enjoying this lengthy movie. Ended up having cramps. Welcome to Singapore…yeah thanks for the publicity.
Rating: 6.5/10
9) Mr Bean’s Holiday
Still prefer watching Mr Bean’s past TV series but nevertheless it’s still funny. Liked the idea of how all his videos combined to fit the narration of the Carson’s Clay’s ‘movie’ in the last part. Rowan Atkinson never seems to grow old, does he? It’s said that this will be the last Mr Bean story he will be starring in. Good bye Mr Bean!
Rating: 7/10
8) Babel
As mentioned earlier, I'm not really fond of artistic movies. This one is special in such a way that 4 different stories were told at the same time. These 4 stories were interlinked in one way or other, but they did not occur simultaneously. It may seem confusing but each story was simple to understand. Was touched by one particular story, and the movie left me filled with thoughts even after leaving the theatre. Did I mention the theatre only had 3 ppl? Lol.
Rating: 7/10
7) Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix
5th Instalment le. This series have been accompanying me since my secondary school days. And its books are the only fiction books I have read since I broke free from Bookworm Stories many years ago haha. (As some of you know I dun have the habit of reading) Not much action in the beginning, which made me a bit sleepy esp after a long day of NDP rehearsal. It did pick up at the last part but ended pretty quickly too. Watching Dolores Umbridge in the show was quite enjoyable too haha.
Rating: 7.5/10
6) Just Follow Law
Have always enjoyed watching Jack Neo movies becos they never fail to make me laugh a lot and reflect back on the story even after leaving the theatre. The plot of switching bodies was a unique one, complemented by Gurmit’s and Fann’s superb acting. Shall look forward to next year’s CNY movie starring Fann and Mark Lee haha.
Rating: 8/10
Down to Top 5!
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5) Spiderman 3
Did not read the comics or anything, but was merely fascinated by the action since I watched Spiderman 2 in 2004. Liked how Peter Parker appears to be so goody-two-shoes in his normal life, yet so brave and heroic under the Spiderman suit. Though the movie was a bit lengthy, I enjoyed every part of it =).
Rating: 8/10
4) Secret
First movie directed by Jay Chou. The title itself made the movie tempting to watch as everyone wanted to know what the ‘secret’ is. Initially thought it was just a typical love story, with the ‘secret’ probably being the girl contacting a terminal disease or sth haha. Did not expect the idea of time travel to be used in this movie. There were several discussions regarding this movie, explaining and speculating events. Not surprised if anyone went to watch the second time. Missed the first 10 min of the show haha, but it wasn’t really important.
Rating: 8.5/10
3) National Treasure 2
Much better than the first instalment! Though I dun have much impression of the first since it was so long ago. Really like how the puzzles and clues were solved (esp the resolute desk), but Nicholas Cage tends to be too much a genius. The action scenes were fantastic too, such as the car chase and the balancing platform. Looks very much like a RPG action/mystery game haha.
Rating: 8.5/10
2) Transformers
The most hyped movie of the year. Truly enough, the plot and cinematics did live up to its hype. The robots were well designed and I like to see them transforming haha. Lots of action, sufficient humour, some touching scenes, great introduction and ending. The only thing that annoyed me was the camera moving too fast during some action scenes which made me dizzy and could not see what exactly was happening.
Rating: 9/10
And the top movie goes to...
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1) 300
A blockbuster movie despite its simple name. Basically the story is abt 300 Spartan warriors who fought through enemies many times larger than them, and eventually met their doom. I enjoyed the war scenes and the ending was quite touching too. This movie also produced famous quotes like ‘Tonight we will dine in hell!’ as well as the interesting fact that the actors went through tough intensive training in order to achieve 8 packs as shown. The colour scheme employed in the movie gave viewers the feeling of being in that time period and thus made the movie more realistic.
Rating: 9/10
Will I watch more movies this year? Will there be more movies with higher ratings? Shall see in a year's time =).
Let's start the movie countdown!
15) 881
Artistic movies aren’t really my kind. Moreover I hardly have any memories of Seventh month Getais, except for the loud blasting sound which interrupted my TV programmes haha. Besides, there isn’t any Getai setup in my new estate. Honestly I wasn’t really touched by the movie in the end, but the costumes and dancing were rather interesting to watch.
Rating: 5.5/10
14) Shrek 3
Not as funny as the 2nd instalment. This sequel seemed to be a bit forceful. The funniest moment would probably be the other princesses trying to infiltrate the castle to save Princess Fiona.
Rating: 5.5/10
13) Fantastic Four 2
Did not watch the first movie. Did not really enjoy this one either. The plot’s a bit too cheesy for me. Everything seemed too typical and simple. Duration too short, looked very budget. The bad guy died too easily then THE END…
Rating: 6/10
12) Protégé (门徒)
An educational movie abt drugs haha. Tells you abt the drug manufacturing process and explains why ppl resort to taking drugs. Daniel Wu’s acting is good in this show. The movie ended in a rather saddening manner. Oh yeah there is one scene which still haunts me: the woman’s body being eaten by rats…
Rating: 6.5/10
11) The Golden Compass
The show doesn’t really seem to match up with its publicity. It’s a bit complex as there are too many characters in the story. Quite obvious there would be a sequel coming up, but I dun seem to have the urge to follow haha. The story about the bear was quite interesting though, esp the duel. Basically all the animal interactions in the movie were rather cute to watch hehe.
Rating: 6.5/10
10) Pirates of the Caribbean 3
Out of the 3 parts, I still prefer the first one haha. Got lost in the story for the second and third parts. Dun really understand their pirate slangs and accents. Had to even look up Wikipedia to catch up on the story. Other than the pirates setting, ship battles, certain hilarious moments and Johnny Depp’s superb acting, I dun really fancy the confusing story. GV Yishun’s small leg space did not help me in enjoying this lengthy movie. Ended up having cramps. Welcome to Singapore…yeah thanks for the publicity.
Rating: 6.5/10
9) Mr Bean’s Holiday
Still prefer watching Mr Bean’s past TV series but nevertheless it’s still funny. Liked the idea of how all his videos combined to fit the narration of the Carson’s Clay’s ‘movie’ in the last part. Rowan Atkinson never seems to grow old, does he? It’s said that this will be the last Mr Bean story he will be starring in. Good bye Mr Bean!
Rating: 7/10
8) Babel
As mentioned earlier, I'm not really fond of artistic movies. This one is special in such a way that 4 different stories were told at the same time. These 4 stories were interlinked in one way or other, but they did not occur simultaneously. It may seem confusing but each story was simple to understand. Was touched by one particular story, and the movie left me filled with thoughts even after leaving the theatre. Did I mention the theatre only had 3 ppl? Lol.
Rating: 7/10
7) Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix
5th Instalment le. This series have been accompanying me since my secondary school days. And its books are the only fiction books I have read since I broke free from Bookworm Stories many years ago haha. (As some of you know I dun have the habit of reading) Not much action in the beginning, which made me a bit sleepy esp after a long day of NDP rehearsal. It did pick up at the last part but ended pretty quickly too. Watching Dolores Umbridge in the show was quite enjoyable too haha.
Rating: 7.5/10
6) Just Follow Law
Have always enjoyed watching Jack Neo movies becos they never fail to make me laugh a lot and reflect back on the story even after leaving the theatre. The plot of switching bodies was a unique one, complemented by Gurmit’s and Fann’s superb acting. Shall look forward to next year’s CNY movie starring Fann and Mark Lee haha.
Rating: 8/10
Down to Top 5!
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5) Spiderman 3
Did not read the comics or anything, but was merely fascinated by the action since I watched Spiderman 2 in 2004. Liked how Peter Parker appears to be so goody-two-shoes in his normal life, yet so brave and heroic under the Spiderman suit. Though the movie was a bit lengthy, I enjoyed every part of it =).
Rating: 8/10
4) Secret
First movie directed by Jay Chou. The title itself made the movie tempting to watch as everyone wanted to know what the ‘secret’ is. Initially thought it was just a typical love story, with the ‘secret’ probably being the girl contacting a terminal disease or sth haha. Did not expect the idea of time travel to be used in this movie. There were several discussions regarding this movie, explaining and speculating events. Not surprised if anyone went to watch the second time. Missed the first 10 min of the show haha, but it wasn’t really important.
Rating: 8.5/10
3) National Treasure 2
Much better than the first instalment! Though I dun have much impression of the first since it was so long ago. Really like how the puzzles and clues were solved (esp the resolute desk), but Nicholas Cage tends to be too much a genius. The action scenes were fantastic too, such as the car chase and the balancing platform. Looks very much like a RPG action/mystery game haha.
Rating: 8.5/10
2) Transformers
The most hyped movie of the year. Truly enough, the plot and cinematics did live up to its hype. The robots were well designed and I like to see them transforming haha. Lots of action, sufficient humour, some touching scenes, great introduction and ending. The only thing that annoyed me was the camera moving too fast during some action scenes which made me dizzy and could not see what exactly was happening.
Rating: 9/10
And the top movie goes to...
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1) 300
A blockbuster movie despite its simple name. Basically the story is abt 300 Spartan warriors who fought through enemies many times larger than them, and eventually met their doom. I enjoyed the war scenes and the ending was quite touching too. This movie also produced famous quotes like ‘Tonight we will dine in hell!’ as well as the interesting fact that the actors went through tough intensive training in order to achieve 8 packs as shown. The colour scheme employed in the movie gave viewers the feeling of being in that time period and thus made the movie more realistic.
Rating: 9/10
Will I watch more movies this year? Will there be more movies with higher ratings? Shall see in a year's time =).
Monday, January 01, 2007
Happy 2006! (Part 2)
Seeing so many ppl ranking the songs they like, I have decided to do one on my own too! After all I'm a avid listener of songs, only mandarin song that is, haha. Since I'm free listener (only listens to what is played on radio), it's quite difficult for me to rank the songs exactly, so I will just list my top 20 songs of the year.
2006 Top 20 songs: (not in order)
独唱情歌 - Tank/Selina
爱是你眼里的一首情歌 - 郭美美
爱情路 - 周华健
爱情复兴 - 容祖儿
舞娘 - 蔡依林
曹操 - 林俊杰
亲亲 - 梁静茹
约定 - 光良
触摸 - 陈伟联
过敏 - 杨承琳
菊花台 - 周杰伦
我会好好的 - 王心凌
一眼万年 - S.H.E.
天天夜夜 - F.I.R.
Love Story - 范逸臣
雨天 - 孙燕姿
大城小爱 - 王力宏
There are 3 songs that I exceptionally like, so I decided to take them out of my main list. =)
And the songs are...
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Congrats! Songs from 2 of my favourite singers. ^_^
可乐戒指 - 梁静茹
都是你 - 光良
And one more last song, which I love very very much. It shall be my No. 1 song for 2006! Attracted to this song ever since the first time I heard it. Makes me very emotional, esp the last chorus. =)
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真的 - 张韶函
Haha, quite shocking. I seem to be the only one among my friends who appreciate this song a lot. Even one of my friend who listens to radio frequently doesn't know abt this song. >_<
2006 Top 20 songs: (not in order)
独唱情歌 - Tank/Selina
爱是你眼里的一首情歌 - 郭美美
爱情路 - 周华健
爱情复兴 - 容祖儿
舞娘 - 蔡依林
曹操 - 林俊杰
亲亲 - 梁静茹
约定 - 光良
触摸 - 陈伟联
过敏 - 杨承琳
菊花台 - 周杰伦
我会好好的 - 王心凌
一眼万年 - S.H.E.
天天夜夜 - F.I.R.
Love Story - 范逸臣
雨天 - 孙燕姿
大城小爱 - 王力宏
There are 3 songs that I exceptionally like, so I decided to take them out of my main list. =)
And the songs are...
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Congrats! Songs from 2 of my favourite singers. ^_^
可乐戒指 - 梁静茹
都是你 - 光良
And one more last song, which I love very very much. It shall be my No. 1 song for 2006! Attracted to this song ever since the first time I heard it. Makes me very emotional, esp the last chorus. =)
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真的 - 张韶函
Haha, quite shocking. I seem to be the only one among my friends who appreciate this song a lot. Even one of my friend who listens to radio frequently doesn't know abt this song. >_<
Happy 2006! (Part 1)
Sucks to spend the last day of 2006 in camp doing guard duty. What a significant way to mark the end of the year. >_> That's not all, 2 more guard duties are following closely behind, which makes 3 duties within the span of 1 week. Superb planning isn't it?
There is no typo in the entry title, after all this entry will be abt my review of 2006, the first year I stopped studying in school after more than 12 years of my life. =) The special feeling of not having to worry abt homework, oblivious to school holidays...
Have watched 14 movies this year, which sets my highest record of the most movies watched in a year. Let's see how the movies rank in my viewership ratings.
14) Click: Quite a meaningful movie along with the humour, which can be quite ridiculous at times. However the over-exposure to spoilers destroyed my enjoyment of this show. =( Rating: 5.5/10
13) John Tucker Must Die: Laugh and forget, as what I always described for this movie. Can't forget a particular part of the story though, when the girl said "Because I'm lovely." Good one there. Rating: 6/10
12) Dragon Tiger Gate: Why is there always literal translation of chinese movie titles when dragons and tigers are involved? Can't they use a better translation? Some cheesy, exaggerated fighting scenes. Rating: 6/10
11) Memoirs of a Geisha: My first movie of the year. Not bad, but the language and culture behind the making of the film seem a bit rojak. Chinese actresses speaking English in a Japanese setting. Rating: 6.5/10
10) Da Vinci Code: Have never read the book beforehand, thus enjoyed the movie better than the readers. =) Reminds me of National Treasure, where the protagonists travel ard looking for clues. Dun quite like the part when they debate too much on Christianity. Rating: 6.5/10
9) Mission Impossible 3: Unbelievable technologies, haha. Really amazing to see how the ppl complete seemingly impossible tasks. Rating: 7/10
8) Poseidon: Watched this on the same day as MI3. Liked the sinking scenes in this movie as much as those in Titanic. Lol I'm so sadistic! I've a fetish to see things flooding and sinking...(like The Day After Tmr) Thought of watching The Sinking of Japan too, but definitely nobody would accompany me. Rating: 7/10
7) Curse of the Golden Flower: I like the flowery settings in this movie. =) The plot is rather interesting too. Rating: 7/10
6) Over The Hedge: This kind of animated movies never fail to amuse me, who could ever forget the squirrel (?) which stopped the rotation of the Earth? Exaggerated but really funny. The explosion caused by the skunk is also hilarious. =p Rating: 7.5/10
5) Pirates of the Caribbean: Haha, Jack Sparrow gets into trouble again! Can't wait for the 3rd series! Rating: 7.5/10
4) X-Men 3: I like the last part of the movie, showdown on the island. Nice to watch how different 'mutants' exhibited their unique abilities to deal with the situations. Rating: 8/10
3) Death Note 2: Loses out to the first part because it gives a very cramped feeling, like Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. So much plot has to unfold within the short 140 minutes of the show. Nevertheless I still enjoyed the movie. =) Rating: 8/10
2) I Not Stupid Too: Better than the first instalment imo. There were as much humour as emotional scenes, which made ppl ku xiao bu de. Very well done. Rating: 8.5/10
1) Death Note 1: My top movie of the year! The presentation of the movie was much better than I expect from reading the manga. Despite knowing most of the story beforehand, I was still intrigued by the mystery and suspense, esp at the last part. Light is indeed a true genius. (L as well too, haha) Rating: 9.5/10
There is no typo in the entry title, after all this entry will be abt my review of 2006, the first year I stopped studying in school after more than 12 years of my life. =) The special feeling of not having to worry abt homework, oblivious to school holidays...
Have watched 14 movies this year, which sets my highest record of the most movies watched in a year. Let's see how the movies rank in my viewership ratings.
14) Click: Quite a meaningful movie along with the humour, which can be quite ridiculous at times. However the over-exposure to spoilers destroyed my enjoyment of this show. =( Rating: 5.5/10
13) John Tucker Must Die: Laugh and forget, as what I always described for this movie. Can't forget a particular part of the story though, when the girl said "Because I'm lovely." Good one there. Rating: 6/10
12) Dragon Tiger Gate: Why is there always literal translation of chinese movie titles when dragons and tigers are involved? Can't they use a better translation? Some cheesy, exaggerated fighting scenes. Rating: 6/10
11) Memoirs of a Geisha: My first movie of the year. Not bad, but the language and culture behind the making of the film seem a bit rojak. Chinese actresses speaking English in a Japanese setting. Rating: 6.5/10
10) Da Vinci Code: Have never read the book beforehand, thus enjoyed the movie better than the readers. =) Reminds me of National Treasure, where the protagonists travel ard looking for clues. Dun quite like the part when they debate too much on Christianity. Rating: 6.5/10
9) Mission Impossible 3: Unbelievable technologies, haha. Really amazing to see how the ppl complete seemingly impossible tasks. Rating: 7/10
8) Poseidon: Watched this on the same day as MI3. Liked the sinking scenes in this movie as much as those in Titanic. Lol I'm so sadistic! I've a fetish to see things flooding and sinking...(like The Day After Tmr) Thought of watching The Sinking of Japan too, but definitely nobody would accompany me. Rating: 7/10
7) Curse of the Golden Flower: I like the flowery settings in this movie. =) The plot is rather interesting too. Rating: 7/10
6) Over The Hedge: This kind of animated movies never fail to amuse me, who could ever forget the squirrel (?) which stopped the rotation of the Earth? Exaggerated but really funny. The explosion caused by the skunk is also hilarious. =p Rating: 7.5/10
5) Pirates of the Caribbean: Haha, Jack Sparrow gets into trouble again! Can't wait for the 3rd series! Rating: 7.5/10
4) X-Men 3: I like the last part of the movie, showdown on the island. Nice to watch how different 'mutants' exhibited their unique abilities to deal with the situations. Rating: 8/10
3) Death Note 2: Loses out to the first part because it gives a very cramped feeling, like Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. So much plot has to unfold within the short 140 minutes of the show. Nevertheless I still enjoyed the movie. =) Rating: 8/10
2) I Not Stupid Too: Better than the first instalment imo. There were as much humour as emotional scenes, which made ppl ku xiao bu de. Very well done. Rating: 8.5/10
1) Death Note 1: My top movie of the year! The presentation of the movie was much better than I expect from reading the manga. Despite knowing most of the story beforehand, I was still intrigued by the mystery and suspense, esp at the last part. Light is indeed a true genius. (L as well too, haha) Rating: 9.5/10
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