Milk

"My name is Harvey Milk and I want to recruit you." Milk, the movie on the life of Harvey Milk who was gay activist and city supervisor of San Francisco in the 1970s.

The film captured the major events and people of his life when he turned 40. Moving from New York to San Francisco, Harvey and his partner Scott, opened a shop, Castro Camera. A 'shrewd' businessman, he worked closely with shops who welcomed and accepted gays and slowly transforming Castro into a predominantly gay community. He started a political gay campaign in 1973 and finally won a seat as a city supervisor by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977.

Harvey Milk had successfully campaigned for gay rights ordinance and defeated Proposition 6, which was John Brigg's legislation to ban gays and lesbians from working in public schools. This ban even extended the dismissal of supporter of gays and lesbians. I admire his strength and fight to his life and rights. Harvey Milk is truly an inspirational and visionary man. Without this man, US would have been a much different place. He is a legend.

Rating: 5 out of 5 fairy clouds. Bravo to human rights. Bravo to the right to live your life the way you choose to. Kudos to those conservative bastards who seek the veil of religious as the choice of weapon because they are too narrow minded to see the world.

Sing Dollar!

I sat back, relaxed and enjoyz Sing Dollar this evening at the Esplanade, letting the wonderful performers from Dream Academy tickled me pink. The stellar cast of this comedy musical includes Selena Tan, Emma Young, Pam Oei, Kumar, Najip Ali, Hossan Leong and Sebastien Tan.

There are a few segments of the musical which I love a lot.

- Kumar as Gandhi in Foreign Currencies

- Hossan's Good Collar Criminal (mix rendition of MJ's signature moves and songs)

- Najip Ali's broadway dance of Keeping it Clean

- Lorong to Lorong with a 50 years old virgin seeking *ahem relief from Geylang girls

- It's a Raid dance adapted from the Wonder Girls' Nobody

Support the local art scene. Catch Sing Dollar! @ the Esplanade from 23 July to 8 August 2009.

Public Enemies

Public Enemies is about the legendary John Dillinger. Not that he is a particularly good looking man. He just happened to be charismatic with a little touch of Robin Hood air during the 1930s Depression era. Could he have been a hero? I doubt it. But his notoriety has most certainly made him a celebrity of some sort.

The Dillinger gang robbed over 2 dozen banks and killed many police officers during their heyday. John Dillinger was particularly well-known for his nimble move of jumping over the counter and and swift action in finishing a heist. Both facts are nicely choreographed into film. I dare say, no other actor, could have done such an amazing job of portraying Dillinger as Johnny Depp himself. He makes Dillinger too suave to be a bad guy and too charming to be a crook. Johnny, oh Johnny. Only he can pull off this role and make the movie a success.

On the side, the love story between Dillinger and Billie Frechette, makes the whole movie too romantic and wholesome. Mushy as it might be, you can't help but wish them both happiness. Marion Cortillard has this cute little charm that she can pull off as a sweet all-believing little schoolgirl look as well as an emotional painful and soulful womanly charm. She is simply a wonderful actress. I must admit Johnny and Marion did have very good on screen chemistry.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 fairy clouds. Go watch it, especially if you are a Johnny fan. Johnny has given Dillinger way too much charm. You find yourself strangely captivated by Dillinger's audacity.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Price is the 6th installment of fight between the Chosen One and the Dark Lord. Harry returns to Hogwarts after wreaking havoc at the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic the year before, the duel between him and Voldemort.

This 6th episode sets the plot and groundwork for the finale of the Harry Potter series. Together with Professor Dumbledore, Harry learns that Tom Riddle has split his soul into 7 horcruxes in order to gain immortality. They have destroyed the first two, Tom Riddle's diary and the Marvolo Gaunt's Ring. This is the start of the treasure, oops! I meant horcruxes hunt on the final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and The Deadly Hallow.

Focusing on the adolescent surge of hormones, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Price reveals the romance sub-plots between Ron Weasley and Lavender Brown as well as Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley. Many characters who have contributed to the fighter between Harry and Voldemort have been totally left out, as well as the romance sub-plots between Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour and Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin.

Rating 3.5 out of 5 fairy clouds. There are quite of bit of inconsistencies between the movie and the book. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince movie seems shallow as compared to the breathe and depth offers by the book itself. You get the feeling that the director, producer and screen writer do not have any clue about the Harry Potter series.

Revolutionary Road

When does love transform into resentment and hatred? Most couples, in fact all couples, fall in love with each other long enough to get married, start a family and have kids. This life's journey might be fulfilling for some and yet excruciatingly pathetic and horrifying for others.

Frank and April Wheeler meets at a party. They fall in love. They got married. They have their first child and they move to a nice suburban house. From a fun, thrill seeking adventurous young man, Frank transform into a stable family man. While April is the supporting wife, she used to an aspiring actress who dreams of taking the world. Bitterness is lurking beneath, waiting for an opportunity to surface. To neighbours and friends, the Wheeler family is the perfect American dream family that is wonderful, loving and inspiring.

The movie shows lot of intense emotions as well as subtleties throughout the film. You see Frank as an average New York city working man as he blends into the background of men like himself. For a moment, you also see him as unique. A man with dream. A man who dare to dream and take on the world. You question if responsibility makes your grow up or does it chain you up secretly?

You watch with anguish as April becomes completely void and trapped within her life. Unhappy that she has failed to pursue her dream career as an actress. Unable to find peace as her life continues to hollow out. She wishes to make a change, to get out yet bonded by her responsibility as a wife and mother. It's not easy to be a woman in the 50s. And truthfully and honestly, that hasn't change much in the 21st century either.

I'm impressed by the movie. Watch it. You will understand the difficulty that most couples face in a marriage (of a number of years). You will start to question, it is better to stay in that comfort zone of pain or it may be actually worthwhile to make a change before it is too late? Aren't' we young before? Aren't we fill with dreams and inspiration? Aren't we bold and fearless? Have we fallen into the same trap as Frank and April?

Rating: 5 out of 5 fairy clouds. I'm pleasantly surprised by Leonardo DiCaprio's acting. He did extremely well portraying Frank, showing the perplex man's emotions and shame while Kate Winslet brings out the strength, weakness and confusion of April which leads to her demise. She is a great actress and I have enjoyed most of her movie. Great job!

Night Festival 2009

I have been fascinated, hypnotised, excited, bedazzled and in awe by the performances of the Night Festival 2009 which took place at the National Museum of Singapore, Singapore Art Museum and SMU Campus Green. It is an absolutely stunning evening with spectacular dance, percussion, vocals and the most delightful and enchanting of all, the out-of-this-world pyrotechnic show by Action Theatre Pan Optikum from Germany. It is simply magical!

BERSAMA HIJAU - HE 合

Presented by the Teng Company, a group of 4 men (a vocalist, a cello, a pipa and a guitar) created an impressionable ensemble of fusion (modern and traditional Chinese) songs and music. Unconventional but captivating. The debut of He, which is written by one of the members, is quite mystical yet modern and familiar. I have to say, the vocalist is quite a soprano. His singing in 合 deeply reminded me of the alien concert in Fifth Element. And he is good.

BERSAMA HIJAU - TAP AND CLOG

Cute, funky and high energy tap dancing with a new twist; the use of char-gia, ie clogs. Extremely entertaining and bright. It makes you just want to dance.

BERSAMA HIJAU - THREE STONES 三生石

Combination of Cellist (Leslie Tan) and 2 modern dancers on Bach's solo cello suits; sweet, charming, endearing and alluring. Classy and yet cheeky. Daring and yet soulful. I'm surprised by the gracefulness of the 2 male dancers.

BERSAMA HIJAU - THE STORY OF DEEPAVALI

Presented by Bhaskar' Art Academy, the Kathakali is a well-known dance in India similar to Chinese Opera and Japanese Noh. You will be in for a treat as you watched the triumph of Good (Lord Krishna) against Evil (Narakasura), which is celebrated as a Festival of Lights.

BERSAMA HIJAU - THE MORE WE GET TOGETHER

Dance choreography Aaron Khek tried very hard to engage the audience with a clap-clap-wave-wave dance routine which kind of failed miserably. Singaporeans are kind of shy dude. Get them drunk first!

BERSAMA HIJAU - MARI KITA GELEK GELEK

A mixture of songs and dances down memory lane with a tribute to a few popular P Ramlee's songs.

BERSAMA HIJAU - SOUTH DOWN

Enter into the nostalgic world of traditional Malay dance with Chinese Ensemble, tracking down history of Singapura as a Malay fishing village before the arrival of Chinese immigrants. I was a little frustrated at the beginning with the Malay description which I didn't understand but yet I was captivated by the gracefully, demure, subtly attractive movement of the female dances. While I was indulging myself with the dances, in came the Chinese immigrants. Appearing in the crowd, marching slowly towards the stage, they made quite an appearance! I particularly love the drumming.

The highlight highlight which brought me down to the Bras Basah Precinct. I have to watch this even though I have to go alone. It was all worth it!

THE LOOP OF FORTUNE

The live vocalist walked through the crowd with that abstract and yet ethereal touch. She moves along the crowd as if she is exploring and looking for new experience but slowly found herself moving towards a path which she is unable to turn away from or escape. The acrobatic dance, singing and drumming are weaved seamlessly with the firework displays. The National Museum of Singapore stood beautiful with the projected background scenes and lighted fireworks. You can't help be feel joy, amazing and surprise. It is a totally magically experience which went beyond words. I was ecstatic watching the dancing wheel moved in synergy with the firework in the sky.

This is definitely one performance you should not miss! It is undoubtedly breathtaking! Performing on 10 and 11 July 2009 from 7.30pm to 2am. For more information visit, http://nationalmuseum.com.sg.

The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories by Tim Burton

Filled with bittersweet poems of all kind,
Of kids and children you will find.

Mostly misunderstood and gruesome,
They are hardly considered handsome.

Find love and finding hope,
In the never-ending soap.

Tim Burton is truly a hero,
In the world where there is zero.

A very interesting dark adult book on gruesomely sympathetic children. Outcasts wanting to find their belonging in this human world. Simple and brilliant, which you can find much amusement to the misery and tragedy of these odd children.

The Reader

The Reader opens views to the world of secret, love, punishment and morality. Damn serious stuff to be watching on a slow Saturday afternoon.

An ill young Michael Berg meets Hanna Schmitz who helps him return home. He is a 15 years old teenager while she is a 36 years old tram conductress. After he recovers from his scarlet fever, he goes to Hanna's apartment to thank her for helping him out. He find himself attracted to Hanna and allows her to seduce him. Soon, the little dangerous liaison turns into a passionate affair with a lingering lifelong effect on both of them.

When the summer is over, Hanna left abruptly. Leaving Michael bewildered and guilty. Years later, by a chance encounter of a Nazi's trial during Michael's understudy as a law student, he meets Hanna who is being trialed for killing 300 Jewish woman. Michael faces conflict with his love for Hanna, and discovers her deep secret which she rather dies than reveal in court. Yet he is also ashamed of what has happened in the Auschwitz extermination camp and his acquaintance with her.

Through his years, Michael never forgets about Hanna. When he returns home with his daughter after his failed marriage, he started to record tapes of him reading books which Hanna loves a lot. But never did he visit or write or speak to her till the day when Hanna is due to be released from prison.

Rating: 4 out of 5 fairy clouds. The movie runs deep with many underlying issues which are hard to portrayed on the big screen. I suspect it is more intense reading the book than watching the movie. Still with a little touch of imagination and understanding of the culture then, The Reader has done a good job on highlighting morality issues. Though we all like to simplify our lives, at times it is not just so easy. If only we can do away with our pride, moral obligation and abiding social norms.

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen

It was a mad rush to the new Filmgarde cinema (Bugis) as I was trapped in the MRT train, which was delayed for approximately 30 minutes. I missed like the first 15 minutes of the movie, but Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, is worth the effort!

Megatron has been defeated in the 1st Transformers movie and now Optimus Prime and his Autobots have joined with the US classified military, NEST, to kill and chase off the Decepticons on earth. While Sam is off to University to start his new life, a new battle with The Fallen has just began. Sam is not given much choice but to take on the lead of the battle as well as to discover the hidden code which the shard of Allspark has infused into his brain.

The adventure is brilliant with great twists and excitement as you join Sam, his girlfriend Mikaela, his roommate Leo and RoboWarrier, Simmons into the new adventure of uncovering the hidden secret which the original Prims have planted on earth century ago. The animation and graphic are simply superb and stunning despite the fact that the storyline is pretty straightforward. Then again, what do you expect from Transformer. It has always been a battle between the Autobots and Decepticons in order to protect Earth, protect the humans.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 fairy clouds. Transformers: More than meets the eye. A great movie which I shouldn't mind watching a couple more times. I might consider buying the DVD collection afterall. The various Autobots and Decepticons are just such an eye opener! Creativity is truly without limit, that's exactly what you get in this movie. And Bro, thanks for picking me up.