Shugo Chara! and Shugo Chara!! Doki!

The Japanese anime series is about an elementary 5th grade girl by the name of Hinamori Amu. On the exterior, she exudes the cool and spicy image while within closed door, she is just an average shy girl. Her life changing moment comes when she wishes for Guardian to help make her change. Overnight, 3 new adorable Shugo Chara appeared and transformed her life ever since.

Shugo Chara! started in October 2007 running a total of 51 episodes. The sequal is renamed Shugo Chara! Doki and started from October 2008 and running to today. There are quite a number of interesting twists and friendship stories throughout the series. New characters are also being introduced over time. It is amazing how friendship can overcomes obstacles in life and bring people closer together.

I'm looking forward to the ending and especially the interesting romance between Amu-chan and Ikuto. Though Tadese and Nagihiko are both good looking, I somehow likes Ikuto over the rest. :) What will happen to them? I guess we all have to wait and see for now.

Yume Tsukai

If dream manifests into physical realm, will it do good or harm? Will it take over control and create more trouble? What happen to the dreamer, the original creator of the dream?

Yume Tsukai is a TV anime series which explores dreams when it cross over to reality. Leader of the ring is Touko, followed by her younger sister, Rinko, Tachibana Hajime and Satoka. The sister pair works closely together in helping people who encounter problems when their dreams become a reality and take over control. Hajime is called in from time to time while Satoka is the newest and least experienced.

The anime explores an interesting aspect of dream vs reality. This theme is also seen in Paprika, who helps people in their dream to understand the root of the dream issues. A pretty good run for my time over the weekend in finishing 12 episodes of this rather interesting series. I have yet to fully explore this area, perhaps I should go dream about it... and I might learn more the next day. Hmm... interesting is the only comment I have about this anime for now.

Elegy

Elegy is as poetic as its name. The movie is strange, mysterious and somber as an elegy.

David Kepesh is a well know literacy celebrity and professor. He is always in pursue of beauty and never allows himself to settle for any woman. He fled from his marriage and has ever since soured his relationship with his son. His only comfort is Caroline, a businesswoman, whom he has an open relationship for the past 20 years.

The day Consuela Castillo enters into his life become a turning point which puts him in chaos. From an intelligent, smart and confident man, David becomes a insecure, jealous, possessive and childish little boy. He yields for Consuela. Yet, he also fears deeply that his beautiful Consuela will either leave him or be swept away by another young man given their over 30 years of age difference. He has refused to commit to Consuela despite their 2 years relationship.

Consuela decides to end the relationship when David has once again refused to show up for a family event, this time it is her graduation party. She disappeared from David's life for 2 years while he learns to pick up pieces of his broken self. When Consuela shows up on a new year's eve, breaking the news of her cancer, David finally sees beauty and open up his heart for the first time in (probably) 40 years.

The movie is very poetic driven, trying to show the inner struggle of a man who is refusing to open up his heart. The conflicts are very subtle and yet powerful. Words and emotions aren't always that easy for a man to communicate and in this movie, you notice that struggle for David. It got a little draggy at a couple of spots in the movie. Overall, it is a decent movie.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 fairy clouds.

Yes Man

Would you say yes to everything that presents itself to you in life? Or do you lead your life saying no to everything? Say yes to life and start living your life now!

The power of self-affirmation, releasing and programming. Carl Allen is a no man. He said no to everything in his life. He is as stuck as the stick in the mud. He says no to his best friends' invitations, he says no to this neighbour, he says no to his work, he says no to promotion, he says no to his boss... in fact he says no to himself. He prefers very much to wallow in his own pain, within the comfort zone of his own home, watching rented DVDs without any one around him. If given a choice, he would rather have the world abandon him.

Thing starts to change after he meet an old friend while having his lunch one afternoon. This friend introduces the YES workshop to Allen and encourages him to make a change to his life. His sub-consciousness starts to work through him. One evening, he attends the new age YES workshop. After that evening, he starts to say yes to everything and every opportunity that presents itself. A little trial of saying yes begins to open the door to opportunities and change for Carl. Life slowly unravels itself. From offering a ride to the homeless, to getting to know his new love interest Allison, he starts to enjoy his life and loves the experience of living.

The reality is (of course!) he goes a little too much and too far by saying yes to everything, to the extend of finding it hard to say no. Its like the universe punishes him for saying no. Every story has a key message. In Yes Man, the message is... Do things in moderation. You can't say yes to everything and you can't say no to everything. You choose the middle, in that grey area of Maybe, and not to forget, you must add a dash of common sense too!

I have to admit that Yes Man is a rather powerful movie in a new age way. I highly recommend this movie for the value it offers. The only thing that irks me is that Jim Carrey is unable to break away from his face contortion and silly antics which makes him a famous comedian. It stereotypes him, making it hard to appreciate him as a serious actor. To find in this lovely movie, the tiny signature Jim Carrey expression and behaviours is a little discerning. Perhaps it might be way too serious if he does do away with all this signature actions. Either way, Yes Man is a movie worth watching.

Rating: 4 out of 5 fairy clouds. You can have good fun watching Yes Man even if you do not understand the power of new age healing. It is still a decent movie with good storyline.

Another Crazy Christmas

The start of my Christmas celebration begins with a musical to some great local talents of Singapore, Another Crazy Christmas. This Christmas caroling is performed by Selena Tan, Emma Young, Pamela Oei, Hossan Leong, Robin Goh, Neo Swee Lin, Lim Kay Siu, Sebastian Tan, John Lee, Petrina Kow and Vocaluptious.

I enjoyed the performance by Hossan Leong. It is the best out of all the singings and cajolings by the group. The jokes about the Singapore Flyer and Singaporeans' creativity with their dance movements are simply hilarious. Even Sebastian's Hokkien version of Jingle Bell is far more entertaining than the others. I do miss the Dim Sum Dollies. I wonder if they will come back to create another season.

Overall, I am mildly disappointed. This current musical is rather commercial and it has lost its little charm. Last year's performance was cozy, heartwarming and full of love. It was oozing with that fuzzy feeling of warmth near the hearth on a cold winter night. I failed to feel the same leaving the theatre this evening. I wonder where the magic has gone to? Or could it be that there is a lack of chemistry amongst the group?

Twilight

Let me give you a hint to this movie. Boy meets girl. Girl meets boy. Boy falls for girl. Girl falls for boy. That's pretty much sum up the story. And to make it more interesting, add a dash of vampire mystery and a pinch of predatory thrill.

The movie focuses around Isabella Swan (Bella) who has moved to a new high school in Washington after her mother remarries and moves to stay with her new husband. She makes new friends and finds Edward Cullen to be intriguing.

Edward feels an uncontrollable attraction towards Bella and is very protective of her. Over time they falls in love with each other. How will that end? Will she become a vampire and rejoice in their eternal love for each other? We have no idea.

I'm not a big fan of adolescent romance movie, which Twilight is all about. For those die hard romance fans who adore love and romance, this is the movie to watch. Personally for me, its more yucky (!) than ooh and ahh.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 fairy clouds. This movie is not my cup of tea.

Bolt

Bolt is the latest animation released by Disney. The story tells of a white German Shepherd who knows nothing of the real world except the made believe world which he has been living in for 5 years. Sounds familiar? Of course it is! Remember The Truman Show? Well, this time round it has been tamed and repacked into a supersize tiny white waggy-tail ferocious little puppy eye doggie!

During one shooting, his owner Penny is captured by the green-eye Dr Calico. The episode ended with Penny being taken away and a crew member returned Bolt to his trailer. Being anxious to save Penny, little Bolt escapes from his trailer and somehow lands into a box by accident and is shipped to New York.

At New York, he meets with Mittens and Rhino. Together the trio starts on the adventurous trip to Hollywood, California. Along the way, Bolt learns of the truth about his life and fake superhero skills which he holds dear to this heart. Reality can be harsh, but this did not stop Bolt from going back to his beloved human.

As with all Disney cartoons (which I will always repeat), it will always be a happy ending to uphold the wholesome family entertainment for the family. Despite of the clinches and predictable storyline, Bolt is still an super entertaining movie.

There are two scenes which I love dearly. One is Bolt learning to act cute so as to "beg" for food and next is the Rhino the hamster. I adore the out-of-character Rhino which is evil in the purest sense. He is simply cute as a button and you just want to pinch the hell out of this furball!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 fairy clouds. A great entertainment for the family during this festive month. I have as much fun watching Kung Fu Panda as Bolt, with the exception that Bolt is filled with children's humour.