Saturday, August 30, 2008

Wall.E

Sometimes a kiddy animation will come along that addresses issues way beyond the comprehension of its adolescent demographics. With its portrayal of an earth so overwhelmed by trash that the entire planet has to be evacuated as well as showing what the future of humans totally spoilt by technology might be like (fat blobs all sitting on chairs which do everything for them, from fetching them food, to showering them, to transporting them around), Wall-E is actually a prescient sort-of post-apocalyptic message wrapped up in a childish wrap.

Plus, there’s the whole robots-gaining-sentience thing, which has always freaked me out. Still, thanks to a masterful handling and much toning down of the above-mentioned themes, Wall-E is a relatively cheery, enjoyable romp for the kids and, although less enjoyable for the adults, still a decent animation.

Wall-E tells the story of a future where mankind, unable anymore to live in the hostile toxic environment they’ve created with their own trash, take to the stars, leaving behind robots called Wall-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-class) to clear up the waste and make the planet hospitable. But, for some reason the Wall-Es fail and the humans are left flying in space for 700 years, instead of the planned five.

When a probe from the ship sent to look for any form of plant life on Earth, EVE (Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator), comes to Earth, she not only finds the last remaining Wall-E, an adorable if clumsy little earnest robot, but also an actual little plant shoot, which hasn’t been found in the past 700 years. Over the course of the movie, the two attempt to deliver the plant shoot to the captain of the spaceship and get them to return to Earth, all the while facing other hostile robots intent of leaving life as it is and falling in love, of course.

While the story might sound par for the course, the movie truly shines in its characters. Although they are suitably one-dimensional (being robots and all), the characters are all unbelievably endearing and well fleshed-out, from the titular Wall-E, whose bumbling antics keep the audience laughing and rooting for him, to EVE, the hot-headed head-strong heroine of the story to supporting characters like M-O (Microbe Obliterator), a cleaning machine obsessed with cleaning up foreign contamination on the ship to the captain, who sees footage of Earth as it was and is intent on returning to the planet.

Kudos to the visual team as well. Coming from the venerable Pixar Animation and Disney studios, the visuals of the show are befittingly amazing, with lifelike environments, beautiful special effects (check out the rockets lifting off from earth) and the characters are all incredibly expressive and possess a sort of human-like expressiveness to their “faces”.

The only thing I didn’t really like about the movie was its pacing. While the action got hard and heavy later on and the last hour zoomed past in a blur, the beginning of the movie was a real snooze and it took a considerable amount of effort to steel myself till it got to the good parts.

Still, while it might not be go down in history as the epitome of fantastic animations like Shrek or Finding Nemo, it is nonetheless an enjoyable watch and will leave a smile on your face (not to mention some notions of environmental friendliness, one would hope).

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Monday, August 25, 2008

AHM

This past Sunday was the annual Army Half Marathon, the culmination of several weeks of intensive long distance running training in camp (well, for most of the combat fit personnel in my unit; for my company, we just ran a few times). Despite being a half-marathon only (with a maximum distance of 21km), the AHM has long been celebrated as a mainstay of Singaporean running events and a great chance for army personnel from all walks of life (as well as other volunteer runners) to mix and run together.

Being a combat-fit second year soldier, I had been signed up to run for the full 21km distance (which, after the 42km physical nightmare that was the Sundown marathon, didn’t seem all that bad), I had had to book back into camp on Saturday evening, turn in exceptionally early (lights off by 8pm) and wake up at 3am to catch the bus down to the Padang, which was the admin point for the marathon.

So, after a few hours of stumbling around in the dark, attempting to store our bags in some kind of orderly manner and trying my darndest to catch some much-needed winks, the mass of 21km runners moved to the starting line at Esplanade Drive at around 6.15am. Having not warmed up much and still feeling the effects of having to wake up at that ungodly hour, I was already winded and hoped that I wouldn’t collapse somewhere along the journey.

At 6.30am, with the sun nowhere in sight yet, the gun sounded and the throng of runners started moving (really slowly, I might add) to the starting line and running off. So like I mentioned, having gotten a full 42km marathon under my belt, one would have thought this run would turn out to be a breeze right? Turns out I was pretty wrong.

Firstly, the terrain was much different from the previous marathon. While Sundown was conducted almost purely in urban, concreted area, the AHM had both natural and manmade terrain to run on. While parts of the run encompassed Marina Bay (which, despite being concrete, was still difficult being it was a never-ending uphill climb) and East Coast Park, there was this unusually long stretch of land which was split between rocky gravel and slippery mudlands (made worse by a slight drizzle right before the race started), the combination of which was unbelievably draining and was the killer for many of my friends and myself.

Secondly, unlike in Sundown, the crowd here never did thin out anywhere along the line. Perhaps it was due to the fact that a 42km run would make different people adopt very different pacing strategies, I found that after a few hours, the path got clearer and clearer, with less and less people around (of course, that could have just been because I was getting slower haha). Here, perhaps because 21km is still an acceptable distance to just run all the way, mostly everyone just kept on jogging at the same consistent speed. Because of this, the path was almost constantly congested, with everybody getting in everyone else’s way and breaking the rhythm of pacing, with the result that people (or at least me) got tired after having to repeatedly change speeds, but not actually moving very much or very fast.

Still, despite these problems, it was definitely quite an exhilarating experience. While I had to walk the last few km because I had spent all my energies earlier, the last 500m, demarcated by huge signs and with cheering crowds, was an adrenaline pumping last stretch that got me hurtling towards the finishing line as fast as I could. In the end, I had lagged behind several of my coy mates (whom I initially had a lead on for most of the race) but I was just happy I completed the run in the stipulated time and, with several minutes to spare too.

While I’m not sure I would join the AHM again next year (when I’m a civilian), I’m quite proud to be able to add this year’s AHM completion medal in my (rather miserable looking) medal rack.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Mad About English

Sometimes, you see a trailer so entertaining and different that you’re compelled to catch the actual movie, whether you’ve heard of it or not. The trailer for “Mad About English” is one of them. Featuring a montage of Chinese nationals attempting to speak English with varying degrees of success, the trailer is so weird yet so oddly endearing that I knew I had to watch the movie. After all, it surely can’t just be shots of random Chinese speaking English right?

Strangely enough, at its heart, the movie IS just that. And yet, its great execution, cheery sense of humour and cast of immensely likeable subjects make the movie a definite worthwhile watch.

“Mad About English” is a documentary about China’s attempt to master the language in the face of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and globalization in general. Focusing on a few Chinese from all walks of life (with a smattering of montages thrown in for comedic effect), MAE gives face and brings to light the tremendous willpower and determination of the country to overcome its linguistic barrier and communicate with the rest of world.

Unlike most documentaries I’ve watched , MAE eschews any sort of linear narrative (or even any narrator) or flowing plot, instead choosing to jump from character to character, showing snapshots of their lives and their attempts to master English. While this form of cinematography might feel slightly unorthodox and doesn’t actually teach us much (other than that the Chinese are darned determined to learn English), the light-hearted approach the movie takes, combined with scenes of interesting Chinese culture and the fact that the scene never lingers on any one subject for longer than necessary, keeps audience interest from waning.

At the core of the movie is, of course, the subjects and here the movie excels, the makers of the film having struck gold in their selection of people. Each and every single one of the characters here are ridiculously affable and one can’t help but feel tremendously for them, especially for those who display fiery determination and ceaseless hard work in the face of a difficult-to-learn language.

There’s “Cabbie” Meng, a taxi driver who has to master the language in order to be allowed to drive during the Olympics and whose documented banter with his foreign guests (of which more than half is lost to translation) is hilarious; there’s Jason Yang, a spirited elderly man who’s determined to speak good English so he can be a volunteer guide during the games and whose conversations with his doctor, an elderly lady who’s also trying to master the language, is unbelievably adorable.

There’s Li Yang, an inspirational English teacher who believes in yelling as a form of learning (you have to see it to believe it) and who is tasked to teach thousands of students at one shot; there’s Qiqi, one of Li Yang’s students whose steely desire to learn English is quite unbelievable for her age; and lastly, there’s Doctor David Tool, an angmoh whose job is to go around town looking for grammatically incorrect signs and correct them and whose scenes are always filled with the most hilarious signs you can think of (there’s a restaurant scene where he goes through an error-filled menu that is simply rib-tickling).

Each of these cast members, as well as the several other people featured in short scenes (the most memorable being this friendly, talkative policemen who does the most hilarious New York accent), bring something totally different to the table but all succeed in showing the same thing: that they are MAD about English. And at the end of the day, the documentary succeeds in evoking a sense of unbelievable admiration at how hard these people push themselves to learn English properly, especially the elderly ones, who seem to enjoy the process the most.

I don’t think I’ll ever be able to push myself so hard to learn a new language and for that I salute these people and the documenters who have brought to light this passionate side of China. Mad About English is a short (only slightly more than 60 minutes) documentary that, while not terribly informative, is actually rather motivational (looking at them try makes me feel so guilty about taking my languages for granted) and provides quite a good laugh or two.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Friday, August 15, 2008

12 Lotus

As a film and media studies student and an ardent fan of movies in general, I’ve always been a fervent supporter, if not an avid watcher, of local films. Still, I have to admit that, just like most other film industries, we’ve had our fair share of hits and misses, with negative reviews ranging from the usual too-dumbed-down for some and trying-too-hard for the art-sier ones. For every “I Not Stupid” or “Homerun” we’ve had, we’ve also had duds such as “Ah Long Pte Ltd” and “One Leg Kicking”.

So, keeping this mind, I didn’t know what to expect (or hope) from the latest local offering, “12 Lotus”. While director Royston Tan has had his fair share of both edgy and mainstream hits with “15” and “881” (boy, he sure does love his numbers, doesn’t he?), I’ve never actually watched a film of his and was hoping that this movie might ingratiate me into the cult fandom he has garnered in Singapore.

Alas, the movie was a bit of a letdown.

The spiritual successor to “881” and revolving around the same getai theme and starring the same actors, the literally-translated-but-grammatically-incorrectly-named “12 Lotus” tells the story Lian Hua (the titular lotus, played by Mindee Ong), whose dream as a naïve young girl was to become a getai singer and sing the “12 Lotus” song in hopes that she can touch the Goddess of Mercy and be reunited with her mother, whose disappearance is never explained. Along the way, she has to endure a harsh, abusive father and a callous lover (Qi Yu Wu, the new leading movie star of our generation), culminating in a tragic turn of events.

While the story is not terribly complicated, it is a heart-touching, if depressing, plot and, combined with several other aspects, helped the movie give a fantastic first impression.

Being a musical, several parts of the movie are told through Hokkien songs (in keeping with the getai theme), with the afore-mentioned “12 Lotus” as the focal scene setter at several crucial points. Despite not understanding Hokkien very well nor usually being a fan of these sorts of music, I found the soundtrack to be really good and one of the best things about the movie. The fast-paced, light-hearted songs were catchy and energetic while the slower emotional ballads were heart-wrenching and fantastically delivered.

Visually, the movie performed admirably, with realistic looking sets (well, I would guess they look realistic, seeing as how I wasn’t actually around during much of the period that the movie is set in) and suitably gaudy outfits. The cast is fantastic, especially Mindee Ong in the lead role, who suffuses her character with just the right amount of wide-eyed wonder that later turns into emotional wreckage. Even guest cameos Stefanie Sun and David Gan prove up to the task, the latter providing one of the few hilarious moments in the sombre, dark movie.

The one thing that kills the movie, though, is its pacing. The movie not only feels draggy, with too many scenes lingering on characters for way too long (at points I was this close to sleeping and at others, I kept glancing at my watch, which is never a good thing) but is also devoid of any sort of climax. Despite apparent buildups in the story at several parts, the story never seems to go anywhere and only seems to showcase what a wretched and cursed life Lian Hua has. The ending, too, is not only sudden and anti-climatic but deeply unsatisfying.

Despite all the potential the movie shows at the beginning and a few shining moments where it finally seems to pick up, “12 Lotus” is leaves a bad aftertaste and is only for ardent die-hard Royston fans.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Saturday, August 02, 2008

Botak Jones

Ok I have a really embarrassing admission: I’ve never eaten at Botak Jones before. Despite the fact that I’ve just about everybody rave about the place and seen the thousands (or so it seems) magazine features and reviews exalting the outlet, I’ve never actually found the chance to head down to one.

Yesterday, I finally had the chance to try out the famous Western stall. Heading down to the Clementi branch (heck, I didn’t even know they had so many branches other than the AMK one) with friends after booking out, I was finally able to take a whack at what made Botak Jones (here, a modest little stall in a heartland hawker centre) so famous – affordable, unbelievably generous servings of inexplicably tasty nosh.

I ordered a large-sized Cajun Chicken, which a friend recommended. The dish came deceptively compact, with everything fitting into a normal-sized plate. The chicken was really tender (which is in stark contrast to the tough, chewing-gum affairs of cheap Western eateries), the sauce and cheese applied in just the right amount and the potato-chip-tasting spicy fries that came with it the perfect complement. As I ate on, the serving never seemed to diminish and the modest looking size of the chicken slices belied an unbelievably filling meal.

Other than my own meal, I also had samples of my friends’ orders: lamb chop, fish and chips and hilariously huge sausages called Swanky Franky(ies). All definitely packed a bang for the buck, although the lamb, which was done medium-well-done on the staff’s recommendation, was a tad too chewy for my liking.

On top of that, we also shared a seriously oversized plate of Whoopass Fries (the shop’s name for it, not mine), which was a plate of fries topped with minced meat (if I’m not wrong) and cheese, a concoction which we noted looked like puke but which we nonetheless tucked into with great pizzazz.

The great acclamations about the place that I’ve heard definitely weren’t wrong. The food is great (especially considering the fact that it is housed in a neighbourhood coffeeshop), as good as or even better than most budget Western joints, the service is great (they knew where we were despite the fact that there was no indication of our table number), the prices are definitely affordable (S$15, which includes both my large-sized chicken and my share of the Whoopass Fries) and the meal is definitely filling, if a tad jelak due to the sheer amount of food (but, of course, it’s my own fault for being a greedy pig).

Definitely recommended. Oh, and if anyone has tried out the Bukit Batok branch, please let me know how the food there is (since it’s only like ten minutes from my place, I might make that my next haunt).