I’m not sure exactly why, just that I’m back in the office, it’s all quiet (there’s still a lot of people at the Asian TV Forum) and all I can think about is curling up on a couch and feeding my anime hunger.
What would I give to be 16 again and enjoying my school holidays 😛 Never thought I’d be 32 and saying that but I am … …
Here’s the next thing on my wish list, the DVD of 5cm per second. Makoto Shinkai’s latest feature. Although, it didn’t blow me away as much as Voices from a Distant Star, it still got to me. Intricate details to light, sound and realism touched me on so many levels that thoughts of the film kept me up most of the night. More than all of that, I couldn’t stop thinking of the theme … distances that keep people apart. I’m such a sucker for struggling and suffering concepts … …
sigh
Hopefully, one day I’ll be part of a team that makes a feature that will touch someone as much as Shinkai has touched me … …
It’s Animation Nation time!! Like all film festivals I find myself torn with choices and this year’s line up has to be the best since its inception some 3 or 4 years ago.
So far I’ve caught TekkonKinkreet, with captivating backgrounds and endearing lead boy characters, this yakuza themed story moved me to tears … … but powerful animation has a tendency to do that to me. This is one for the DVD collection.
And last night, I watched Freedom Project which was a funny one. Commissioned by instant cup noodle brand, Nissin, this 6 part series is all about the future where Earth is barren and human race found home on the Moon. It’s still in production and as I type, the animation studio in Japan is hard at work on Episode 6. Can’t wait for all of it to be out 🙂
And yes, ever so often Nissin Cup Noodles found itself in the hands of the main characters. But hey, if you’re going to live on the Moon, there better be cup noodles 🙂
Can’t wait to catch the rest … really looking forward to 5cm/second … something tells me it’s going to be good … …
While everyone’s talking about the MDA Senior Management Rap video, a friend sent me this:-
Simple, witty and funny too 🙂
This is really kinda overdue. Work has been busy … too busy to slack off 😛
I’m finally home from LA. For a minute there, I thought it was never going to happen.
I always write about SQ38 but never seem to write anything about SQ37 coming home. So here’s a post on it.
On the flight I realised why I hardly ever write about it, we take off at 8pm when it’s pitch dark in LA and arrive early at 6am when it’s pitch black in Singapore. There’s nothing fun to look at when all you see for 17 hours is darkness … it’s not like I can even see stars.
I managed to sleep for 7 hours and the remaining 10 hours was split watching No Reservations, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Billy Elliot, 2 episodes of CSI, an episode of King of Queens and another of House. Other than Billy Elliot which had inspired me with its theatrical release was still my favourite on the plane ride home, the rest was just good enough to make time past.
When the plan finally landed on the tarmac, I heard the tapping of raindrops against the plane windows. Probably one of my favourite sounds and as it started to seriously rain, I just sat back and enjoyed the scene in the cab, all the way home.
Thank goodness for monsoon seasons!!
Every once in a while, you come across a gem of a movie and you’re just happy to have watched it. Juno is such a film and I caught it last night as part of the AFI Fest. The script was tight and witty, coupled with nearly flawless acting, it could be my favourite movie for 2007. From the director who brought us Thank You for Smoking, Jason Reitman was the great team leader who tie it all together.
I was much impressed with Ellen Page who I last saw in X-Men as Kitty Pryde. This 20 year-old played the intelligent yet vulnerable pregnant 16 year-old, Juno with such finesse that you can’t help but root for her the whole way. However, it was her boyfriend, Paulie Bleeker who stole my heart. I last saw him in Superbad where I already thought he was sweet. Michael Cera, played the geek again and this time with a charm only good guys are capable of. My favourite scene was when he crawled into bed with Juno after she had delivered their baby, said nothing and just held her.
Who would have thought a cliché melodramatic storyline like a pregnant 16 year-old trying to figure out what to do, would turn out to be a heart warming comedy. If for nothing else, it’s a well spent 92minutes that shows us while it may be tough to find that one person to live happily ever after with, it’s not impossible 🙂
‘Nuff said, huh?
It’s day 5 in LA with 5 more to go before I find myself back home. I’m happy to report that it’s been quite a good market with a couple of interesting leads and I’m slowly getting use to working from an exhibition booth 😛 It helps that I’m on the airy 8th floor with spacious views.
Now I just have to find time to eat at my favourite organic vegan place, work on my script by the beach and shop for a new pair of shoes. Then I can declare this work trip a success 🙂
The opening film for the AFI Fest is the much talked about Robert Redford’s Lion For Lambs. I read somewhere it’s a political thriller … it’s anything but a thriller … I’d call it a visual point-of-view rehash of opinions that have been flying around for the last 3 or 4 years.
Not that I necessarily disagree with the opinions presented in the movie but it’s definitely not opening film quality. No disrespect to Mr Redford, he did a decent job acting and directing. Ms Streep did not disappoint as the journalist forced to question her influential position in the media. Tom Cruise was great as a political figure we all love to bitch about but if given his job we aren’t quite sure what we’ll do … more than that, he’s nice because he said hi to me. Yeah, I went to the little girls’ room before the movie started and bumped into Ms Streep and him. Our eyes met and he said hi. So just for that, he did a great job in the movie 🙂
The supporting cast did an excellent job too, the new unknown who I’m definitely looking out for, Andrew Garfield portrayed a college student faced with choices so many of us in Singapore are fortunate enough to enjoy too. A life so good that we don’t try hard enough to make a difference.
Here is where the film left me wanting for more, it posed questions the are not new in a manner that left much to be desired. Similarly, the log line “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” doesn’t work for me because it presents a black and white situation with no room for grey. We all live in the real world and know real life isn’t as cut and dry.
So in my so called real life, I walked on the red carpet of Lions for Lambs and found Robert Redford just as dashing and Peter Berg totally hotter in person, the glam factor is truly all made up and I’m not quite use to the bright lights … … now I’m just hoping next year’s opening film stars Keanu Reeves and I’m still in the same job 😉
The thing I relish about travelling for work is the always clean sheets when I get into bed every night. If I had a choice, I would change my sheets everyday at home too 😛 So I’m happy to report the bed at the The Huntley is very comfy, it’s high too … my legs can’t reach the floor when I’m sitting at the edge and the view of the ocean helps. Here’s the by night and by day view when I peer out my window.
The hotel is one of those arty decor types too. In the lobby there’s an eclectic collection of chairs with a really strange wall feature. It’s one of those places where the moment you walk in you feel all arty just coz they have fluffy cushions and piranhas on the wall … champagne and pretentious accents anyone?
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