The King and the Clown / Wang-ui Namja)/ 왕의 남자 (2005)

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Foreign

Saw this in the Korea goes Pop book, on how it was the 2nd highest grossing film in South Korean movie history. When it first premiered on the big screen 5 years ago, wasn't really interested in it. But after reading how good it was, decided to go buy a DVD and watched it. Can certainly see why people would wanna watch it, the lush sceneries, the moving story, and the power and politics of Korean palace life. The ending is a tad weird; then again, after watching "the Host", "Blades of Blood", "The Housemaid" and other Korean films, maybe this isn't so bad an ending...

Official Site (Korean):
http://www.kingsmen.co.kr/

IMDB Entry:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0492835/

Wiki Entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_King_and_the_Clown

The King's Speech (2010)

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Drama

Missed the first 5 minutes, but still enjoyed this movie greatly. Moving tale of unlikely friendship formed between two men of differing status; tension in the royal family; love of a man for his family, and devotion of a woman for her husband.

To be or nor to be...

Official Site:
http://kingsspeech.com/

IMDB Entry:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1504320/

Wiki Entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_King%27s_Speech

Black Swan (2010)

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Drama

Like I said, I never knew the world of ballet can be so vicious and destructive. This is really one mean psychological chick-flick, that's superbly shot (totally love the action scenes of the cameras going around the dancers as they're dancing) and with great story-plot. And totally loved the soundtrack - must ... get ... hands ... on ... OST!

Official Site:
http://www.foxsearchlight.com/blackswan/

IMDB Entry:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0947798/

Wiki Entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Swan_%28film%29

P.S. Even though this film has a M-18 rating, the censors still used their mighty snips and mangled some scenes quite horribly.

P.P.S. I think I was the only one who sniggered out aloud at "the homework" scene. :p

Barefoot Disciple: Walking the Way of Passionate Humility - The Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book 2011 (2010)

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Books
Genre:	Religion & Spirituality
Author:	Stephen Cherry

A great book, that talks about the oft-neglected virtue of humility. My heart was broken a few times as I progress through the various chapters. Go get your hands on a copy, and take time to meditate on the lessons.

Website:
http://www.continuumbooks.com/books/detail.aspx?BookId=136687&SubjectId=1046&Subject2Id=914

Brief description from the website:
"In our celebrity-obsessed culture, humility is unfashionable and too often dismissed or confused with the cringing, false humility of Uriah Heep. Here the author shows that, when genuine humility is energised by real passion, fresh and exciting light is shone on the challenge of following Jesus Christ today and humility is rediscovered as a healthy, life-giving and community-building virtue.

Stories and concrete examples as well as allusions to fiction, poetry and art engage the reader's imagination; and big theological ideas are articulated in a highly accessible way. The emphasis on learning from challenging experiences and on very practical application makes this a 'theology travel book', for Lent and well beyond. It powerfully synthesises values and practices which are often disconnected."

Pop Goes Korea: Behind the Revolution in Movies, Music and Internet Culture (2009)

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Books
Genre:	Entertainment
Author:	Mark James Russell

Good read on history of Korean pop culture. Found a few tidbits of entertainment news, as well as an insight into K-pop. The author can be a bit ostentatious in some of the chapters and his comments; but after looking at his credentials, he does move around in the entertainment circles.

Website:
http://www.markjamesrussell.com/pop-goes-korea/

Mulan (1998)

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Animation

Another Disney classic that's I haven't watched. Can see the improvement in the animation technology, since this is released 7 years after "Beauty and the Beast". The West really have some weird perspectives about the Chinese culture though, so had a good laugh at some of the scenes.

Official Site:
http://disneydvd.disney.go.com/mulan-special-edition.html

IMDB ENtry:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120762/

Wiki Entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulan

Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Animation

You wouldn't believe it, but I never did watched this film before, be it the big screen or on telly. Since they have it on the in-flight entertainment, decided to watch it. Graphics are dated, but it must be really amazing in its time. Ah, just loved it when Gaston gets pushed off the ledge... :p

Official Site:
http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/beauty/?cmp=dcom_VAN_WDSHE_BEA_van_batb__Extl

IMDB Entry:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101414/

Wiki Entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauty_and_the_Beast_%281991_film%29

The Tournament (2009)

Rating:	★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Action & Adventure

Eh, really a B-grade film. Lines are cheezy, plot is convoluted and too weird to be accepted. Watch only if you are really bored.

Movie Site:
http://www.mannmadefilms.com/featured/the-tournament

IMDB Entry:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0471041/

Wiki Entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tournament_%28film%29

Les aventures extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec/ The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec (2010)

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Action & Adventure

Came across this in the Singapore papers movie ads, but wasn't really interested to catch it. Saw this was available on my flight home 4 weeks back, so watched it. A good children's summer film, full of CGI and fantasy.

Official Site (French)
http://www.adeleblancsec-lefilm.com/

IMDB Entry:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1179025/

Wiki Entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_aventures_extraordinaires_d%27Ad%C3%A8le_Blanc-Sec_%28film%29

Ned Kelly (2003)

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Action & Adventure

Watched this on South African telly, an interesting little piece on Australian history. And so many big names in the show! RIP, Heath.

Official Site:
http://web.archive.org/web/20040828051155/www.ned-kelly.com/index.php

IMDB Entry
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0277941/

Wiki Entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ned_Kelly_%282003_film%29

You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger (2010)

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Comedy

A Woody Allen film on love, and about faith in something. Got some hilarious and tense moments. Hope they bring this to Singapore...

Official Site:
http://www.sonyclassics.com/youwillmeetatalldarkstranger/

IMDB Entry:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1182350/

Wiki Entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Will_Meet_a_Tall_Dark_Stranger

Twilight Gangsters/ Yukhyeolpo Kangdodan / 육혈포강도단 (2010)

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Foreign

Really laughed my head off at the premise of this story; yet when you stop to think about it, it's a very real problem that facing our society. Who's going to take care of our aged and elderly?

Official site (korean):
http://www.bbangbbang2010.co.kr/

IMDB Entry:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1832533/

Asian Media Wiki:
http://asianmediawiki.com/Twilight_Gangsters

Blades of Blood/ Kureumeul Beoseo Nan Dalcheoreom/ 구르믈 버서난 달처럼 (2010)

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Foreign

Still remembered I was so excited upon seeing this movie trailer, cos it starred Han Ji-Hye. But this was not brought to Singapore, so only can drool over the trailer...

until I watched it on my flight to Jo'burg. The visuals and the fighting scenes are really good, but the storyline is a tad unconventional. The ending's really weird too. Or maybe all Korean historical films ends this way?

Official Site (Korean):
http://www.cloud2010.co.kr/

IMDB Entry:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1730695/

Asia Media Wiki:
http://asianmediawiki.com/Blades_of_Blood

Fireworks from the Heart / Oniichan no Hanabi / おにいちゃんのハナビ (2010)

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Foreign

Catching up on my movie reviews. Watched this on the flight to South Africa 6 weeks back. A very Japanese summer film, light-hearted in nature, yet talks about family and human relationships. A pity they most probably won't bring this to Singapore theatres.

Official Site:
http://hanabi-ani.jp/

IMDB Entry:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1534483/

Asia MEdia Wiki:
http://asianmediawiki.com/Fireworks_from_the_Heart

Everything with Fries (16 Feb '11)

Went to Holland Village to have dinner and glug glug with friends. Went to the first time to Everything With Fries. Amazing, on the kinds of fries that they serve XD

Gong Cha again! (16 Feb '11)

haha, onw of the great things of having traiing out of office in town area is that I can go and grab a cuppa Gong Cha! (贡茶) Tried the Alishan tea, not too bad yor~

two screens are better than one (16 Feb '11)

Yesterday my friend set up 2 monitors for me in office! Woohoo! Myopia and eye fatigue, begone!

Steamboat Dinner (13 Feb '11)

Last night had a steamboat gathering for overseas friends who never had steamboat before, despite their 10-over years' stay in Singapore. Great fun shopping, preparing, cooking and eating! :D huat ah!

CG Lou Hei Lunch (13 Feb '11)

We went to the SAF Yacht club after first service. We were the first customers there at the Galley by the Straits, and had the whole place to ourselves. The food was okay, but the view was very nice and hot! A slow and lazy lunch, and we did "lou hei" (捞鱼生), a Chines New Year cusstomary tradition. huat huat huat!

Dinner at Geylang (10 Feb '11)

Last night went for a foodie trip to Geylang. Thanks to my Geylang-savvy friends who brought the "sua ku" me to eat the nice nice frog-leg porridge (田鸡粥), the nice nice beef beef kway tiao (粿条) and the nice nice nice nice "you tiao dou jiang" (油条豆浆). Mmmmmmmm. shiok ah!

Office eat In

Lunching in to save some touring moolah for my holidays trip this year

P.S. renaming it to Office Eat in, cos will include pics of breakfast

Office Chinese New Year Party (07 Feb '11)

First day of work after the Chinese New Year holiday. We gathered for a short time of CNY celebration, as well as taking time to appreciate our dear sister, Faith, who's leaving us for another of God's calling for her life. Good food, great wine, and best-est fellowship, all we can shay ish...

huat ah~ XD